Dissociative diffusion mechanism in vacancy-rich materials according to mass action kinetics

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N. J. Biderman

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Two sets of diffusion-reaction numerical simulations using a finite difference method (FDM were conducted to investigate fast impurity diffusion via interstitial sites in vacancy-rich materials such as Cu(In,GaSe2 (CIGS and Cu2ZnSn(S, Se4 (CZTSSe or CZTS via the dissociative diffusion mechanism where the interstitial diffuser ultimately reacts with a vacancy to produce a substitutional. The first set of simulations extends the standard interstitial-limited dissociative diffusion theory to vacancy-rich material conditions where vacancies are annihilated in large amounts, introducing non-equilibrium vacancy concentration profiles. The second simulation set explores the vacancy-limited dissociative diffusion where impurity incorporation increases the equilibrium vacancy concentration. In addition to diffusion profiles of varying concentrations and shapes that were obtained in all simulations, some of the profiles can be fitted with the constant- and limited-source solutions of Fick’s second law despite the non-equilibrium condition induced by the interstitial-vacancy reaction. The first set of simulations reveals that the dissociative diffusion coefficient in vacancy-rich materials is inversely proportional to the initial vacancy concentration. In the second set of numerical simulations, impurity-induced changes in the vacancy concentration lead to distinctive diffusion profile shapes. The simulation results are also compared with published data of impurity diffusion in CIGS. According to the characteristic properties of diffusion profiles from the two set of simulations, experimental detection of the dissociative diffusion mechanism in vacancy-rich materials may be possible.

Diffusion of oxygen in uranium dioxide: A first-principles investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, Florence; Brillant, Guillaume; Pasturel, Alain

2010-01-01

Results of ab initio density-functional theory calculations of the migration energies of oxygen vacancies and interstitials in stoichiometric UO 2 are reported. The diffusion of oxygen vacancies in UO 2 is found to be highly anisotropic, and the [1 0 0] direction is energetically favored. The atomic relaxations play an important role in reducing the migration barriers. Within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), we find that the migration energies of the preferred vacancies and interstitials paths are, respectively, 1.18 and 1.09 eV. With the inclusion of the Hubbard U parameter to account for the 5f electron correlations in GGA+U, the vacancy migration energy is lowered to 1.01 eV while the interstitial migration energy increases slightly to 1.13 eV. We find, however, that the correlation effects have a drastic influence on the mechanism of interstitial migration through the stabilization of Willis-type clusters. Indeed, in contrast to GGA, in GGA+U there is an inversion of the migration path with the so-called 'saddle-point' position being lower in energy than the usual starting position. Thus while the migration barriers are nearly the same in GGA and GGA+U, the mechanisms are completely different. Our results clearly indicate that both vacancies and interstitials contribute almost equally to the diffusion of oxygen in UO 2 .

In Situ Observation of Oxygen Vacancy Dynamics and Ordering in the Epitaxial LaCoO3 System.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Jae Hyuck; Kim, Young-Min; He, Qian; Mishra, Rohan; Qiao, Liang; Biegalski, Michael D; Lupini, Andrew R; Pantelides, Sokrates T; Pennycook, Stephen J; Kalinin, Sergei V; Borisevich, Albina Y

2017-07-25

Vacancy dynamics and ordering underpin the electrochemical functionality of complex oxides and strongly couple to their physical properties. In the field of the epitaxial thin films, where connection between chemistry and film properties can be most clearly revealed, the effects related to oxygen vacancies are attracting increasing attention. In this article, we report a direct, real-time, atomic level observation of the formation of oxygen vacancies in the epitaxial LaCoO 3 thin films and heterostructures under the influence of the electron beam utilizing scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). In the case of LaCoO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattice, the formation of the oxygen vacancies is shown to produce quantifiable changes in the interatomic distances, as well as qualitative changes in the symmetry of the Co sites manifested as off-center displacements. The onset of these changes was observed in both the [100] pc and [110] pc orientations in real time. Additionally, annular bright field images directly show the formation of oxygen vacancy channels along [110]pc direction. In the case of 15 u.c. LaCoO 3 thin film, we observe the sequence of events during beam-induced formation of oxygen vacancy ordered phases and find them consistent with similar processes in the bulk. Moreover, we record the dynamics of the nucleation, growth, and defect interaction at the atomic scale as these transformations happen. These results demonstrate that we can track dynamic oxygen vacancy behavior with STEM, generating atomic-level quantitative information on phase transformation and oxygen diffusion.

Tracking Oxygen Vacancies in Thin Film SOFC Cathodes

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, Donovan; Kumar, Amit; Jesse, Stephen; Kalinin, Sergei; Shao-Horn, Yang; Crumlin, Ethan; Mutoro, Eva; Biegalski, Michael; Christen, Hans; Pennycook, Stephen; Borisevich, Albina

2011-03-01

Oxygen vacancies have been proposed to control the rate of the oxygen reduction reaction and ionic transport in complex oxides used as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes [1,2]. In this study oxygen vacancies were tracked, both dynamically and statically, with the combined use of scanned probe microscopy (SPM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Epitaxial films of La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Co O3 (L SC113) and L SC113 / LaSrCo O4 (L SC214) on a GDC/YSZ substrate were studied, where the latter showed increased electrocatalytic activity at moderate temperature. At atomic resolution, high angle annular dark field STEM micrographs revealed vacancy ordering in L SC113 as evidenced by lattice parameter modulation and EELS studies. The evolution of oxygen vacancy concentration and ordering with applied bias and the effects of bias cycling on the SOFC cathode performance will be discussed. Research is sponsored by the of Materials Sciences and Engineering Division, U.S. DOE.

Molecular dynamics simulations of ferroelectric domain formation by oxygen vacancy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Lin; You, Jeong Ho; Chen, Jinghong; Yeo, Changdong

2018-05-01

An oxygen vacancy, known to be detrimental to ferroelectric properties, has been investigated numerically for the potential uses to control ferroelectric domains in films using molecular dynamics simulations based on the first-principles effective Hamiltonian. As an electron donor, an oxygen vacancy generates inhomogeneous electrostatic and displacement fields which impose preferred polarization directions near the oxygen vacancy. When the oxygen vacancies are placed at the top and bottom interfaces, the out-of-plane polarizations are locally developed near the interfaces in the directions away from the interfaces. These polarizations from the interfaces are in opposite directions so that the overall out-of-plane polarization becomes significantly reduced. In the middle of the films, the in-plane domains are formed with containing 90° a 1/a 2 domain walls and the films are polarized along the [1 1 0] direction even when no electric field is applied. With oxygen vacancies placed at the top interface only, the films exhibit asymmetric hysteresis loops, confirming that the oxygen vacancies are one of the possible sources of ferroelectric imprint. It has been qualitatively demonstrated that the domain structures in the imprint films can be turned on and off by controlling an external field along the thickness direction. This study shows qualitatively that the oxygen vacancies can be utilized for tuning ferroelectric domain structures in films.

Hydrogen peroxide reduction in the oxygen vacancies of ZnO nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peyghan, Ali Ahmadi; Laeen, Shima Parizad; Aslanzadeh, Saeed Amir; Moradi, Morteza

2014-01-01

The adsorption of a H 2 O 2 molecule on the pristine and O-vacancy defected ZnO nanotubes was investigated by means of density functional calculations. It was found that the molecule prefers to attach to two zinc atoms of the tube from its two oxygen atoms with the adsorption energy of 254.1 kJ/mol. Attachment of the H 2 O 2 to the wall of the tube does not have any significant influence on its highest occupied molecular orbital/lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap (E g ). The presence of oxygen vacancy defect causes a decrease in the E g of the tube and, as a consequence, may cause an increase in the conductivity of the tube. The zinc atoms of the defect are more reactive toward H 2 O 2 reduction to H 2 O than perfect ones with the adsorption energy of 617.4 kJ/mol. During the adsorption process, the H 2 O 2 was reoriented in such a way that its O atom has diffused into vacancy site, so that O-O and O-H bonds of the molecule were dissociated and an H 2 O is formed. Thus, we think that ZnO-NTs may be a candidate for electrochemical reduction and detection of H 2 O 2 . - Highlights: • H 2 O 2 adsorption on pristine and O-vacancy defected ZnO nanotubes was studied by DFT. • H 2 O 2 does not have any significant influence on the gap of the tube. • Presence of oxygen vacancy defect causes a decrease in the gap of the tube. • ZnO nanotubes may be a candidate for electrochemical reduction and detection of H 2 O 2

Evidence for oxygen vacancy or ferroelectric polarization induced switchable diode and photovoltaic effects in BiFeO3 based thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Yiping; Guo Bing; Dong Wen; Li Hua; Liu Hezhou

2013-01-01

The diode and photovoltaic effects of BiFeO 3 and Bi 0.9 Sr 0.1 FeO 3−δ polycrystalline thin films were investigated by poling the films with increased magnitude and alternating direction. It was found that both electromigration of oxygen vacancies and polarization flipping are able to induce switchable diode and photovoltaic effects. For the Bi 0.9 Sr 0.1 FeO 3−δ thin films with high oxygen vacancy concentration, reversibly switchable diode and photovoltaic effects can be observed due to the electromigration of oxygen vacancies under an electric field much lower than its coercive field. However, for the pure BiFeO 3 thin films with lower oxygen vacancy concentration, the reversibly switchable diode and photovoltaic effect is hard to detect until the occurrence of polarization flipping. The switchable diode and photovoltaic effects can be explained well using the concepts of Schottky-like barrier-to-Ohmic contacts resulting from the combination of oxygen vacancies and polarization. The sign of photocurrent could be independent of the direction of polarization when the modulation of the energy band induced by oxygen vacancies is large enough to offset that induced by polarization. The photovoltaic effect induced by the electromigration of oxygen vacancies is unstable due to the diffusion of oxygen vacancies or the recombination of oxygen vacancies with hopping electrons. Our work provides deep insights into the nature of diode and photovoltaic effects in ferroelectric films, and will facilitate the advanced design of switchable devices combining spintronic, electronic, and optical functionalities. (paper)

Stress dependence of oxygen diffusion in ZrO2 film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Yasunori; Morishita, Kazunori; Iwakiri, Hirotomo; Kaneta, Yasunori

2013-01-01

First principles calculations were performed to evaluate the effect of stress on the diffusion process of oxygen atoms in monoclinic and tetragonal ZrO 2 . The formation and migration energies of an oxygen vacancy were obtained as a function of applied stress. Our results show that the formation and migration energies increase when the compressive stress is applied, which causes a reduction in the diffusion coefficient of an oxygen atom in ZrO 2 . This may explain the experimental observation that the oxide film grows in proportion to the cubic root of time

Deep vs shallow nature of oxygen vacancies and consequent n -type carrier concentrations in transparent conducting oxides

Science.gov (United States)

Buckeridge, J.; Catlow, C. R. A.; Farrow, M. R.; Logsdail, A. J.; Scanlon, D. O.; Keal, T. W.; Sherwood, P.; Woodley, S. M.; Sokol, A. A.; Walsh, A.

2018-05-01

The source of n -type conductivity in undoped transparent conducting oxides has been a topic of debate for several decades. The point defect of most interest in this respect is the oxygen vacancy, but there are many conflicting reports on the shallow versus deep nature of its related electronic states. Here, using a hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical embedded cluster approach, we have computed formation and ionization energies of oxygen vacancies in three representative transparent conducting oxides: In2O3 ,SnO2, and ZnO. We find that, in all three systems, oxygen vacancies form well-localized, compact donors. We demonstrate, however, that such compactness does not preclude the possibility of these states being shallow in nature, by considering the energetic balance between the vacancy binding electrons that are in localized orbitals or in effective-mass-like diffuse orbitals. Our results show that, thermodynamically, oxygen vacancies in bulk In2O3 introduce states above the conduction band minimum that contribute significantly to the observed conductivity properties of undoped samples. For ZnO and SnO2, the states are deep, and our calculated ionization energies agree well with thermochemical and optical experiments. Our computed equilibrium defect and carrier concentrations, however, demonstrate that these deep states may nevertheless lead to significant intrinsic n -type conductivity under reducing conditions at elevated temperatures. Our study indicates the importance of oxygen vacancies in relation to intrinsic carrier concentrations not only in In2O3 , but also in SnO2 and ZnO.

Formation and Migration of Oxygen Vacancies in SrCoO3 and their effect on Oxygen Evolution Reactions

KAUST Repository

Tahini, Hassan A.; Tan, Xin; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Smith, Sean C.

2016-01-01

Perovskite SrCoO3 is a potentially useful material for promoting the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction, with high activities predicted theoretically and observed experimentally for closely related doped perovskite materials. However, complete stoichiometric oxidation is very difficult to realize experimentally – in almost all cases there are significant fractions of oxygen vacancies present. Here, using first principles calculations we study oxygen vacancies in perovskite SrCoO3 from thermodynamic, electronic and kinetic points of view. We find that an oxygen vacancy donates two electrons to neighboring Co sites in the form of localized charge. The formation energy of a single vacancy is very low and estimated to be 1.26 eV in the dilute limit. We find that a vacancy is quite mobile with a migration energy of ~0.5 eV. Moreover, we predict that oxygen vacancies exhibit a tendency towards clustering which is in accordance with the material’s ability to form a variety of oxygen-deficient structures. These vacancies have a profound effect on the material’s ability to facilitate OER, increasing the overpotential from ~0.3 V for the perfect material to ~0.7 for defective surfaces. A moderate compressive biaxial strain (2%) is predicted here to increase the surface oxygen vacancy formation energy by ca. 30%, thus reducing the concentration of surface vacancies and thereby preserving the OER activity of the material.

Formation and Migration of Oxygen Vacancies in SrCoO3 and their effect on Oxygen Evolution Reactions

KAUST Repository

Tahini, Hassan A.

2016-07-18

Perovskite SrCoO3 is a potentially useful material for promoting the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction, with high activities predicted theoretically and observed experimentally for closely related doped perovskite materials. However, complete stoichiometric oxidation is very difficult to realize experimentally – in almost all cases there are significant fractions of oxygen vacancies present. Here, using first principles calculations we study oxygen vacancies in perovskite SrCoO3 from thermodynamic, electronic and kinetic points of view. We find that an oxygen vacancy donates two electrons to neighboring Co sites in the form of localized charge. The formation energy of a single vacancy is very low and estimated to be 1.26 eV in the dilute limit. We find that a vacancy is quite mobile with a migration energy of ~0.5 eV. Moreover, we predict that oxygen vacancies exhibit a tendency towards clustering which is in accordance with the material’s ability to form a variety of oxygen-deficient structures. These vacancies have a profound effect on the material’s ability to facilitate OER, increasing the overpotential from ~0.3 V for the perfect material to ~0.7 for defective surfaces. A moderate compressive biaxial strain (2%) is predicted here to increase the surface oxygen vacancy formation energy by ca. 30%, thus reducing the concentration of surface vacancies and thereby preserving the OER activity of the material.

Stress dependence of oxygen diffusion in ZrO{sub 2} film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamamoto, Yasunori, E-mail: yasu-yamamoto@iae.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Morishita, Kazunori [Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Iwakiri, Hirotomo [Faculty of Education, University of the Ryukyus, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa 903-0213 (Japan); Kaneta, Yasunori [Akita National College of Technology, Akita, Akita 011-8511 (Japan)

2013-05-15

First principles calculations were performed to evaluate the effect of stress on the diffusion process of oxygen atoms in monoclinic and tetragonal ZrO{sub 2}. The formation and migration energies of an oxygen vacancy were obtained as a function of applied stress. Our results show that the formation and migration energies increase when the compressive stress is applied, which causes a reduction in the diffusion coefficient of an oxygen atom in ZrO{sub 2}. This may explain the experimental observation that the oxide film grows in proportion to the cubic root of time.

Localized versus itinerant states created by multiple oxygen vacancies in SrTiO3

Science.gov (United States)

Jeschke, Harald O.; Shen, Juan; Valentí, Roser

2015-02-01

Oxygen vacancies in strontium titanate surfaces (SrTiO3) have been linked to the presence of a two-dimensional electron gas with unique behavior. We perform a detailed density functional theory study of the lattice and electronic structure of SrTiO3 slabs with multiple oxygen vacancies, with a main focus on two vacancies near a titanium dioxide terminated SrTiO3 surface. We conclude based on total energies that the two vacancies preferably inhabit the first two layers, i.e. they cluster vertically, while in the direction parallel to the surface, the vacancies show a weak tendency towards equal spacing. Analysis of the nonmagnetic electronic structure indicates that oxygen defects in the surface TiO2 layer lead to population of Ti {{t}2g} states and thus itinerancy of the electrons donated by the oxygen vacancy. In contrast, electrons from subsurface oxygen vacancies populate Ti eg states and remain localized on the two Ti ions neighboring the vacancy. We find that both the formation of a bound oxygen-vacancy state composed of hybridized Ti 3eg and 4p states neighboring the oxygen vacancy as well as the elastic deformation after extracting oxygen contribute to the stabilization of the in-gap state.

Role of oxygen vacancies in anodic TiO2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tit, N.; Halley, J.W.

1992-05-01

Defects play an important role in the electronic and optical properties of amorphous solids in general. Here we present both experimental and theoretical investigations on the nature and origin of defect states in anodic rutile TiO 2 thin films (of thickness 5nm to 20nm). There is experimental evidence that the observed gap state at 0.7eV below the edge of conduction-band is due to an oxygen vacancy. For this reason, oxygen vacancies are used in our model. A comparison of the calculated bulk-photoconductivity to photospectroscopy experiment reveals that the films have bulk-like transport properties. On the other hand a fit of the surface density of states to the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) on the (001) surfaces has suggested a surface defect density of 5% of oxygen vacancies. To resolve this discrepancy, we calculated the dc-conductivity where localization effects are included. Our results show an impurity band formation at about p c =9% of oxygen vacancies. We concluded that the gap states seen in STM are localized and the oxygen vacancies are playing the role of trapping centers (deep levels) in the studied films. (author). 15 refs, 5 figs

Nitrogen diffusion in hafnia and the impact of nitridation on oxygen and hydrogen diffusion: A first-principles study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sathiyanarayanan, Rajesh, E-mail: rajessat@in.ibm.com, E-mail: rajesh.sathiyanarayanan@gmail.com; Pandey, R. K.; Murali, K. V. R. M. [IBM Semiconductor Research and Development Center, Bangalore 560045 (India)

2015-01-21

Using first-principles simulations, we have computed incorporation energies and diffusion barriers of ammonia, the nitrogen molecule and atomic nitrogen in monoclinic hafnia (m-HfO{sub 2}). Our calculations show that ammonia is likely to dissociate into an NH{sub 2} molecular unit, whereas the nitrogen molecule remains as a molecule either in the interstitial space or at an oxygen lattice site. The lowest energy pathway for the diffusion of atomic nitrogen interstitials consists of the hopping of the nitrogen interstitial between neighboring three-coordinated lattice oxygen atoms that share a single Hf atom, and the barrier for such hops is determined by a switching mechanism. The substitutional nitrogen atom shows a preference for diffusion through the doubly positive oxygen vacancy-mediated mechanism. Furthermore, we have investigated the impact of nitrogen atoms on the diffusion barriers of oxygen and hydrogen interstitials in m-HfO{sub 2}. Our results show that nitrogen incorporation has a significant impact on the barriers for oxygen and hydrogen diffusion: nitrogen atoms attract oxygen and hydrogen interstitials diffusing in the vicinity, thereby slowing down (reducing) their diffusion (diffusion length)

Interaction of oxygen vacancies in yttrium germanates

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hao

2012-01-01

Forming a good Ge/dielectric interface is important to improve the electron mobility of a Ge metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor. A thin yttrium germanate capping layer can improve the properties of the Ge/GeO 2 system. We employ electronic structure calculations to investigate the effect of oxygen vacancies in yttrium-doped GeO 2 and the yttrium germanates Y 2Ge 2O 7 and Y 2GeO 5. The calculated densities of states indicate that dangling bonds from oxygen vacancies introduce in-gap states, but the system remains insulating. However, yttrium-doped GeO 2 becomes metallic under oxygen deficiency. Y-doped GeO 2, Y 2Ge 2O 7 and Y 2GeO 5 are calculated to be oxygen substoichiometric under low Fermi energy conditions. The use of yttrium germanates is proposed as a way to effectively passivate the Ge/dielectric interface. This journal is © 2012 the Owner Societies.

The role of Ar plasma treatment in generating oxygen vacancies in indium tin oxide thin films prepared by the sol-gel process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Deuk-Kyu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722 (Korea, Republic of); Misra, Mirnmoy; Lee, Ye-Eun [Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, 1342 Seong-nam dae-ro, Seong-nam si, Gyeonggi-do, 13120 (Korea, Republic of); Baek, Sung-Doo [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722 (Korea, Republic of); Myoung, Jae-Min, E-mail: jmmyoung@yonsei.ac.kr [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Tae Il, E-mail: t2.lee77@gachon.ac.kr [Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, 1342 Seong-nam dae-ro, Seong-nam si, Gyeonggi-do, 13120 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-05-31

Highlights: • Indium tin oxide thin film with about 41 nm thickness was obtained by the sol-gel process. • Thin film exhibited low resistivity. • Sheet resistance of thin film decreases with Ar plasma treatment time. • Ar plasma treatment on thin film does not alter the crystal structure and optical properties of the ITO thin-film. • There is no significant change in oxygen vacancies after 20 min of plasma treatment. - Abstract: Argon (Ar) plasma treatment was carried out to reduce the sheet resistance of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films. The Ar plasma treatment did not cause any significant changes to the crystal structure, surface morphology, or optical properties of the ITO thin films. However, an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study confirmed that the concentration of oxygen vacancies in the film dramatically increased with the plasma treatment time. Thus, we concluded that the decrease in the sheet resistance was caused by the increase in the oxygen vacancy concentration in the film. Furthermore, to verify how the concentration of oxygen vacancies in the film increased with the Ar plasma treatment time, cumulative and continuous plasma treatments were conducted. The oxygen vacancies were found to be created by surface heating via the outward thermal diffusion of oxygen atoms from inside the film.

Can slow-diffusing solute atoms reduce vacancy diffusion in advanced high-temperature alloys?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goswami, Kamal Nayan; Mottura, Alessandro

2014-01-01

The high-temperature mechanical properties of precipitate-strengthened advanced alloys can be heavily influenced by adjusting chemical composition. The widely-accepted argument within the community is that, under certain temperature and loading conditions, plasticity occurs only in the matrix, and dislocations have to rely on thermally-activated climb mechanisms to overcome the barriers to glide posed by the hard precipitates. This is the case for γ′-strengthened Ni-based superalloys. The presence of dilute amounts of slow-diffusing solute atoms, such as Re and W, in the softer matrix phase is thought to reduce plasticity by retarding the climb of dislocations at the interface with the hard precipitate phase. One hypothesis is that the presence of these solutes must hinder the flow of vacancies, which are essential to the climb process. In this work, density functional theory calculations are used to inform two analytical models to describe the effect of solute atoms on the diffusion of vacancies. Results suggest that slow-diffusing solute atoms are not effective at reducing the diffusion of vacancies in these systems

Correlated lifetimes of free paraexcitons and excitons trapped at oxygen vacancies in cuprous oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koirala, Sandhaya; Naka, Nobuko; Tanaka, Koichiro

2013-01-01

We have studied transients of luminescence due to free excitons and excitons trapped at oxygen vacancies in cuprous oxide. We find that both trapped and free paraexcitons have lifetime dependent on temperature and on the oxygen concentration. By using samples containing much less copper vacancies relative to oxygen vacancies, we find out the direct correlation between the free paraexciton lifetime and trapped exciton lifetime. - Highlights: ► We have investigated trapping of free excitons at oxygen vacancies in cuprous oxide. ► Lifetimes of free and trapped excitons exhibit correlative temperature dependence. ► Four-level model with the activation energy of 33 meV well explains the observation. ► Comparison is made using the four samples with different vacancy concentrations. ► We clarified the crucial role of the oxygen vacancy in shortening the lifetimes.

Spin-dependent recombination involving oxygen-vacancy complexes in silicon

OpenAIRE

Franke, David P.; Hoehne, Felix; Vlasenko, Leonid S.; Itoh, Kohei M.; Brandt, Martin S.

2014-01-01

Spin-dependent relaxation and recombination processes in $\\gamma$-irradiated $n$-type Czochralski-grown silicon are studied using continuous wave (cw) and pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR). Two processes involving the SL1 center, the neutral excited triplet state of the oxygen-vacancy complex, are observed which can be separated by their different dynamics. One of the processes is the relaxation of the excited SL1 state to the ground state of the oxygen-vacancy complex, t...

The interaction of impurity oxygen in silicon with vacancies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aslanyan, A.A.; Babayan, S.A.; Eritsyan, G.N.; Kholodar, G.A.; Melkonyan, R.A.; Vinetskij, V.L.

1981-01-01

Silicon specimens irradiated with 50 MeV electrons, containing along with isolated oxygen atoms more complicated oxy-quasi-molecules of SiOsub(n) (n=1,2,3,...) type are investigated. At isochronal and isothermal annealing in the temperature range 300-350 deg C, besides the reaction of vacancy capturing by oxygen atoms with formation of A-centres, there occur more complicated reactions with participation of vacancies, A-centres, oxygen containing quasi-molecules, and a variety of sinks. The kinetics of the processing taking place at irradiation and annealing was studied with respect to the measurement of IR absorption spectra in the region 1-16 μm. A model is suggested to describe the observed processes that differ qualitatively from those taking place in specimens containing completely dissociated oxygen [ru

Diffusion of elements and vacancies in multi-component systems

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fischer, F. D.; Svoboda, Jiří

2014-01-01

Roč. 60, MAR (2014), s. 338-367 ISSN 0079-6425 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : multi-component diffusion * vacancy activity * manning theory * stress-driven diffusion Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics Impact factor: 27.417, year: 2014

Oxygen vacancies in oxides studied by annihilation of mono-energetic positrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hugenschmidt, Christoph; Pikart, Philip [ZWE FRM II, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Lichtenbergstrasse 1, 85747 Garching (Germany); Physik-Department E21, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, James-Franck-Strasse, 85748 Garching (Germany); Schreckenbach, Klaus [Physik-Department E21, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, James-Franck-Strasse, 85748 Garching (Germany)

2009-07-01

Oxygen vacancies play a fundamental role for the material properties of various oxides, e.g. charge carrier density in high-Tc superconductors, magnetic properties of diluted magnetic semiconductors or paramagnetic properties of SiO{sub 2}. In this study, open volume defects in (metal) oxides are investigated by Doppler-broadening spectroscopy (DBS) of the positron annihilation. More detailed information about the chemical surrounding at the positron annihilation site is gained by additional coincident DBS experiments, where a signature of positrons annihilating with electrons from oxygen is observed. The mono-energetic positron beam at NEPOMUC was used which allows depth dependent measurements, and hence the investigation of thin oxide layers. Recent results for metallic oxides such as ZnO are presented and compared with various non-metallic oxides such as amorphous and crystalline SiO{sub 2}, oxygen terminated Si-surface, and ice. The role of neutral and charged oxygen vacancies and the application of the positron annihilation technique to study oxygen vacancies will be discussed.

Oxygen Vacancy-Mediated ZnO Nanoparticle Photocatalyst for Degradation of Methylene Blue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiuping Zhang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available ZnO nanoparticles (NPs are synthesized by deoxidizing ZnO powder in a vacuum drying process. This process reduces the size of the NPs and increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies on their surfaces. ZnO NPs with sufficient oxygen vacancies are highly effective for the photodecomposition of methylene blue (MB dye in water under ultraviolet irradiation. The MB degradation efficiency exceeds 99 percent after 50 min of light irradiation, and the catalytic property of the NPs remains stable over several complete degradation cycles. It is revealed that the concentration of oxygen vacancies on the surface, and the photocatalytic activity, are both higher for smaller NPs. Oxygen vacancies reduce the recombination rate of photo-generated charge carriers by capturing the electrons and hence, improve the efficiency of redox reactions. In addition, a smaller particle size leads to a larger specific surface area and a higher photonic efficiency for the ZnO NPs.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Vacuum-activated TiO2 Induced by Oxygen Vacancies.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Guoyan; Wang, Xin; Chen, Zhiwu; Lu, Zhenya

2018-05-01

TiO 2 (Degussa P25) photocatalysts harboring abundant oxygen vacancies (Vacuum P25) were manufactured using a simple and economic Vacuum deoxidation process. Control experiments showed that temperature and time of vacuum deoxidation had a significant effect on Vacuum P25 photocatalytic activity. After 240 min of visible light illumination, the optimal Vacuum P25 photocatalysts (vacuum deoxidation treated at 330 °C for 3 h) reach as high as 94% and 88% of photodegradation efficiency for rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline, respectively, which are around 4.5 and 4.9 times as that of pristine P25. The XPS, PL and EPR analyses indicated that the oxygen vacancies were produced in the Vacuum P25 during the vacuum deoxidation process. The oxygen vacancy states can produce vacancy energy level located below the conduction band minimum, which resulting in the bandgap narrowing, thus extending the photoresponse wavelength range of Vacuum P25. The positron annihilation analysis indicated that the concentrations ratio of bulk and surface oxygen vacancies could be adjusted by changing the vacuum deoxidation temperature and time. Decreasing the ratio of bulk and surface oxygen vacancies was shown to improve photogenerated electron-hole pair separation efficiency, which leads to an obvious enhancement of the visible photocatalytic activities of Vacuum P25. © 2017 The American Society of Photobiology.

Unraveling the oxygen vacancy structures at the reduced Ce O2(111 ) surface

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Zhong-Kang; Yang, Yi-Zhou; Zhu, Beien; Ganduglia-Pirovano, M. Verónica; Gao, Yi

2018-03-01

Oxygen vacancies at ceria (Ce O2 ) surfaces play an essential role in catalytic applications. However, during the past decade, the near-surface vacancy structures at Ce O2(111 ) have been questioned due to the contradictory results from experiments and theoretical simulations. Whether surface vacancies agglomerate, and which is the most stable vacancy structure for varying vacancy concentration and temperature, are being heatedly debated. By combining density functional theory calculations and Monte Carlo simulations, we proposed a unified model to explain all conflicting experimental observations and theoretical results. We find a novel trimeric vacancy structure which is more stable than any other one previously reported, which perfectly reproduces the characteristics of the double linear surface oxygen vacancy clusters observed by STM. Monte Carlo simulations show that at low temperature and low vacancy concentrations, vacancies prefer subsurface sites with a local (2 × 2) ordering, whereas mostly linear surface vacancy clusters do form with increased temperature and degree of reduction. These results well explain the disputes about the stable vacancy structure and surface vacancy clustering at Ce O2(111 ) , and provide a foundation for the understanding of the redox and catalytic chemistry of metal oxides.

Enhanced diffusion of dopants in vacancy supersaturation produced by MeV implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venezia, V.C.; Univ. of North Texas, Denton, TX; Haynes, T.E.; Agarwal, A.; Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ; Gossmann, H.J.; Eaglesham, D.J.

1997-04-01

The diffusion of Sb and B markers has been studied in vacancy supersaturations produced by MeV Si implantation in float zone (FZ) silicon and bonded etch-back silicon-on-insulator (BESOI) substrates. MeV Si implantation produces a vacancy supersaturated near-surface region and an interstitial-rich region at the projected ion range. Transient enhanced diffusion (TED) of Sb in the near surface layer was observed as a result of a 2 MeV Si + , 1 x 10 16 /cm 2 , implant. A 4x larger TED of Sb was observed in BESOI than in FZ silicon, demonstrating that the vacancy supersaturation persists longer in BESOI than in FZ. B markers in samples with MeV Si implant showed a factor of 10x smaller diffusion relative to markers without the MeV Si + implant. This data demonstrates that a 2 MeV Si + implant injects vacancies into the near surface region

Brownian Motion of 2D Vacancy Islands by Adatom Terrace Diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgenstern, Karina; Laegsgaard, Erik; Besenbacher, Flemming

2001-01-01

We have studied the Brownian motion of two-dimensional (2D) vacancy islands on Ag(110) at temperatures between 175 and 215K. While the detachment of adatoms from the island and their diffusion on the terrace are permitted in this temperature range, the periphery diffusion of single adatoms is prohibited. The present scanning tunneling microscopy results provide the first direct experimental proof that the Brownian motion of the islands follows a simple scaling law with terrace diffusion being the rate limiting process. The activation energy of the vacancy island motion is determined to 0.41eV

Significant room-temperature ferromagnetism in porous ZnO films: The role of oxygen vacancies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Xue; Liu, Huiyuan [College of Physics Science & Information Engineering, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Films of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang 050024 (China); Sun, Huiyuan, E-mail: huiyuansun@126.com [College of Physics Science & Information Engineering, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Films of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang 050024 (China); Liu, Lihu; Jia, Xiaoxuan [College of Physics Science & Information Engineering, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Films of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang 050024 (China)

2015-10-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Porous ZnO films were deposited on porous anodic alumina substrates. • Significant ferromagnetism (FM) has been observed in porous ZnO films (110 emu/cm{sup 3}). • The strong magnetic anisotropy was observed in the porous ZnO films. • The origin of FM is attributed to the oxygen vacancy with a local magnetic moment. - Abstract: Pure porous ZnO films were prepared by direct current reactive magnetron sputtering on porous anodic alumina substrates. Remarkably large room-temperature ferromagnetism was observed in the films. The highest saturation moment along the out-of-plane direction was about 110 emu/cm{sup 3}. Experimental and theoretical results suggested that the oxygen vacancies and the unique porous structure of the films are responsible for the large ferromagnetism. There are two modes of coupling between oxygen vacancies in the porous ZnO films: (i) exchange interactions directly between the oxygen vacancies and (ii) with the mediation of conduction electrons. In addition, it was found that the magnetic moment of ZnO films can be changed by tuning the concentration of oxygen vacancies. These observations may be useful in the development of ZnO-based spintronics devices.

Role of Hf4+ Doping on Oxygen Grain Boundary Diffusion in Alumina

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-01

hours at 45MPa. The samples were then cut into small cubes with 1mm length and polished up to O.OS|j,m colloidal silica . The samples were then annealed...However, YSZ is transparent to oxygen diffusion due to its high oxygen vacancies and oxidation from xmderlying superalloys resulted in fast growing Ni...immersing in reagent grade trichloroethylene (Fisher Chemical, Fairlawn, NJ) for 1 hour. 3. The used trichloroethylene should be poured iuto glass bottle

REVIEW ARTICLE: Oxygen diffusion and precipitation in Czochralski silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Newman, R. C.

2000-06-01

The objective of this article is to review our understanding of the properties of oxygen impurities in Czochralski silicon that is used to manufacture integrated circuits (ICs). These atoms, present at a concentration of ~1018 cm-3, occupy bond-centred sites (Oi) in as-grown Si and the jump rate between adjacent sites defines `normal' diffusion for the temperature range 1325 - 330 °C. Anneals at high temperatures lead to the formation of amorphous SiO2 precipitates that act as traps for fast diffusing metallic contaminants, such as Fe and Cu, that may be inadvertently introduced at levels as low as 1011 cm-3. Without this `gettering', there may be severe degradation of fabricated ICs. To accommodate the local volume increase during oxygen precipitation, there is parallel generation of self-interstitials that diffuse away and form lattice defects. High temperature (T > 700 °C) anneals are now well understood. Details of lower temperature processes are still a matter of debate: measurements of oxygen diffusion into or out of the Si surface and Oi atom aggregation have implied enhanced diffusion that has variously been attributed to interactions of Oi atoms with lattice vacancies, self-interstitials, metallic elements, carbon, hydrogen impurities etc. There is strong evidence for oxygen-hydrogen interactions at T continue to decrease as the size of future device features decreases below the lower end of the sub-micron range, currently close to 0.18 µm.

Anisotropic chemical strain in cubic ceria due to oxygen-vacancy-induced elastic dipoles.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Tridip; Nicholas, Jason D; Sheldon, Brian W; Qi, Yue

2018-06-06

Accurate characterization of chemical strain is required to study a broad range of chemical-mechanical coupling phenomena. One of the most studied mechano-chemically active oxides, nonstoichiometric ceria (CeO2-δ), has only been described by a scalar chemical strain assuming isotropic deformation. However, combined density functional theory (DFT) calculations and elastic dipole tensor theory reveal that both the short-range bond distortions surrounding an oxygen-vacancy and the long-range chemical strain are anisotropic in cubic CeO2-δ. The origin of this anisotropy is the charge disproportionation between the four cerium atoms around each oxygen-vacancy (two become Ce3+ and two become Ce4+) when a neutral oxygen-vacancy is formed. Around the oxygen-vacancy, six of the Ce3+-O bonds elongate, one of the Ce3+-O bond shorten, and all seven of the Ce4+-O bonds shorten. Further, the average and maximum chemical strain values obtained through tensor analysis successfully bound the various experimental data. Lastly, the anisotropic, oxygen-vacancy-elastic-dipole induced chemical strain is polarizable, which provides a physical model for the giant electrostriction recently discovered in doped and non-doped CeO2-δ. Together, this work highlights the need to consider anisotropic tensors when calculating the chemical strain induced by dilute point defects in all materials, regardless of their symmetry.

The influence of excess vacancy generation on the diffusion of ion implanted phosphorus into silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakowski, A.

1985-01-01

The diffusion of ion implanted phosphorus in silicon has been studied. It was found that the diffusion coefficient is not only dependent on the phosphorus surface concentration (the concentration effect) but also on the conditions at the silicon surface (the surface effect). The phosphorus diffusion coefficient is considerably lower when the silicon surface during annealing is covered with a CVD oxide layer. It is suggested that excess vacancies generated at the surface are reponsible for both the concentration and surface effects. Enhanced phosphorus diffusion is attributed to the disturbance of thermodynamic equilibrium in the crystal through phosphorus-vacancy part formation by vacancies introduced into silicon at the surface. On the basis of the data presented, it can be concluded that two mechanisms for excess vacancy generation are involved. Assuming that phosphorus diffuses via E-centers, calculations of the concentration profiles and the diffusion coefficient were performed for different concentrations and surface conditions. (orig.)

A Unifying Perspective on Oxygen Vacancies in Wide Band Gap Oxides.

Science.gov (United States)

Linderälv, Christopher; Lindman, Anders; Erhart, Paul

2018-01-04

Wide band gap oxides are versatile materials with numerous applications in research and technology. Many properties of these materials are intimately related to defects, with the most important defect being the oxygen vacancy. Here, using electronic structure calculations, we show that the charge transition level (CTL) and eigenstates associated with oxygen vacancies, which to a large extent determine their electronic properties, are confined to a rather narrow energy range, even while band gap and the electronic structure of the conduction band vary substantially. Vacancies are classified according to their character (deep versus shallow), which shows that the alignment of electronic eigenenergies and CTL can be understood in terms of the transition between cavity-like localized levels in the large band gap limit and strong coupling between conduction band and vacancy states for small to medium band gaps. We consider both conventional and hybrid functionals and demonstrate that the former yields results in very good agreement with the latter provided that band edge alignment is taken into account.

Simulation of the Atomic and Electronic Structure of Oxygen Vacancies and Polyvacancies in ZrO2

Science.gov (United States)

Perevalov, T. V.

2018-03-01

Cubic, tetragonal, and monoclinic phases of zirconium oxide with oxygen vacancies and polyvacancies are studied by quantum chemical modeling of the atomic and electronic structure. It is demonstrated that an oxygen vacancy in ZrO2 may act as both an electron trap and a hole one. An electron added to the ZrO2 structure with an oxygen vacancy is distributed between two neighboring Zr atoms and is a bonding orbital by nature. It is advantageous for each subsequent O vacancy to form close to the already existing ones; notably, one Zr atom has no more than two removed O atoms related to it. Defect levels from oxygen polyvacancies are distributed in the bandgap with preferential localization in the vicinity of the oxygen monovacancy level.

Interaction of light with the ZnO surface: Photon induced oxygen “breathing,” oxygen vacancies, persistent photoconductivity, and persistent photovoltage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurwitz, Ron; Cohen, Rotem; Shalish, Ilan

2014-01-01

ZnO surfaces adsorb oxygen in the dark and emit CO 2 when exposed to white light, reminiscent of the lungs of living creatures. We find that this exchange of oxygen with the ambient affects the integrity of the ZnO surface. Thus, it forms a basis for several interesting surface phenomena in ZnO, such as photoconductivity, photovoltage, and gas sensing, and has a role in ZnO electrical conduction. Using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on ZnO nanowires, we observed a decomposition of ZnO under white light and formation of oxygen-depleted surface, which explains photoconductivity by the electron donation of oxygen vacancies. Our findings suggest that the observed decomposition of the ZnO lattice may only take place due to photon-induced reduction of ZnO by carbon containing molecules (or carbo-photonic reduction), possibly from the ambient gas, accounting in a consistent way for both the reduced demands on the energy required for decomposition and for the observed emission of lattice oxygen in the form of CO 2 . The formation of oxygen-vacancy rich surface is suggested to induce surface delta doping, causing accumulation of electrons at the surface, which accounts for both the increase in conductivity and the flattening of the energy bands. Using surface photovoltage spectroscopy in ultra high vacuum, we monitored changes in the deep level spectrum. We observe a wide optical transition from a deep acceptor to the conduction band, which energy position coincides with the position of the so called “green luminescence” in ZnO. This green transition disappears with the formation of surface oxygen vacancies. Since the oxygen vacancies are donors, while the green transition involves surface acceptors, the results suggest that the initial emission of oxygen originates at the defect sites of the latter, thereby eliminating each other. This suggests that the green transition originates at surface Zn vacancy acceptors. Removing an oxygen atom from a Zn vacancy completes

Interaction of light with the ZnO surface: Photon induced oxygen “breathing,” oxygen vacancies, persistent photoconductivity, and persistent photovoltage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gurwitz, Ron; Cohen, Rotem; Shalish, Ilan, E-mail: shalish@ee.bgu.ac.il [Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva 84105 (Israel)

2014-01-21

ZnO surfaces adsorb oxygen in the dark and emit CO{sub 2} when exposed to white light, reminiscent of the lungs of living creatures. We find that this exchange of oxygen with the ambient affects the integrity of the ZnO surface. Thus, it forms a basis for several interesting surface phenomena in ZnO, such as photoconductivity, photovoltage, and gas sensing, and has a role in ZnO electrical conduction. Using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on ZnO nanowires, we observed a decomposition of ZnO under white light and formation of oxygen-depleted surface, which explains photoconductivity by the electron donation of oxygen vacancies. Our findings suggest that the observed decomposition of the ZnO lattice may only take place due to photon-induced reduction of ZnO by carbon containing molecules (or carbo-photonic reduction), possibly from the ambient gas, accounting in a consistent way for both the reduced demands on the energy required for decomposition and for the observed emission of lattice oxygen in the form of CO{sub 2}. The formation of oxygen-vacancy rich surface is suggested to induce surface delta doping, causing accumulation of electrons at the surface, which accounts for both the increase in conductivity and the flattening of the energy bands. Using surface photovoltage spectroscopy in ultra high vacuum, we monitored changes in the deep level spectrum. We observe a wide optical transition from a deep acceptor to the conduction band, which energy position coincides with the position of the so called “green luminescence” in ZnO. This green transition disappears with the formation of surface oxygen vacancies. Since the oxygen vacancies are donors, while the green transition involves surface acceptors, the results suggest that the initial emission of oxygen originates at the defect sites of the latter, thereby eliminating each other. This suggests that the green transition originates at surface Zn vacancy acceptors. Removing an oxygen atom from a Zn vacancy

Modeling of the structure and properties of oxygen vacancies in amorphous silica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukhopadhyay, Sanghamitra; Sushko, Peter V.; Stoneham, A. Marshall; Shluger, Alexander L.

2004-01-01

We used an embedded cluster method to predict and characterize possible structural types of neutral and positively charged oxygen vacancies in amorphous silica. Defects were treated at 70 different oxygen sites of continuous random network amorphous structure generated using classical molecular dynamics. The neutral vacancies are characterized by a wide distribution of formation energies and structural parameters. Our modeling predicts the two major structural types of positively charged vacancies (E ' centers): dimer and dangling bond centers. The local structure of both types of centers depends on the medium range structure of the surrounding amorphous network. The majority of the dangling bond centers are unpuckered. We used structural 'fingerprints' derived from similar calculations of oxygen vacancy type centers in quartz and from experiment to find two other structural types of dangling bond centers: the puckered configuration and the back-projected configuration of E ' centers. In each case we find a distribution of both structural and EPR parameters. However, the average values of the EPR parameters for all dangling bond configurations are very similar. The structural criteria which favor the formation of different types of centers in the original amorphous structure are formulated in terms of the average Si-O distance of oxygen ion with its two neighboring silicon ions

Molecular dynamics simulation of helium and oxygen diffusion in UO2±x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Govers, K.; Lemehov, S.; Hou, M.; Verwerft, M.

2009-01-01

Atomic scale simulation techniques based on empirical potentials have been considered in the present work to get insight on helium diffusion in uranium dioxide. By varying the stoichiometry, together with the system temperature, the performed molecular dynamics simulations indicate two diffusion regimes for He. The first one presents a low activation energy (0.5 eV) and suggests oxygen vacancies assisted migration. This regime seems to provide the major contribution to diffusion when structural defects are present (extrinsic defects, imposed, e.g. by the stoichiometry). The second regime presents a higher activation energy, around 2 eV, and dominates in the higher temperature range or at perfect stoichiometry, suggesting an intrinsic migration process. Considering the dependence of He behaviour with oxygen defects, oxygen diffusion has been considered as well in the different stoichiometry domains. Finally, further investigations were made with nudged elastic bands calculations for a better interpretation of the operating migration mechanisms, both for He and O.

Pinning by oxygen vacancies in high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chudnovsky, E.M.

1990-01-01

It is shown that recent data of Murray et al. on spatial correlations in flux lattices of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (BSCCO) may be explained if one assumes that 1% of oxygen atoms in CuO 2 layers are missing. This estimate, being in remarkable agreement with that deduced by Kes and van der Beek from ac-susceptibility measurements, provides strong confidence that oxygen vacancies are the major source of pinning in BSCCO

Effect of annealing ambience on the formation of surface/bulk oxygen vacancies in TiO2 for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Lili; Zhang, Min; Guan, Zhongjie; Li, Qiuye; Yang, Jianjun

2018-01-01

The surface and bulk oxygen vacancy have a prominent effect on the photocatalytic performance of TiO2. In this study, TiO2 possessing different types and concentration of oxygen vacancies were prepared by annealing nanotube titanic acid (NTA) at various temperatures in air or vacuum atmosphere. TiO2 with the unitary bulk single-electron-trapped oxygen vacancies (SETOVs) formed when NTA were calcined in air. Whereas, TiO2 with both bulk and surface oxygen vacancies were obtained when NTA were annealed in vacuum. The series of TiO2 with different oxygen vacancies were systematically characterized by TEM, XRD, PL, XPS, ESR, and TGA. The PL and ESR analysis verified that surface oxygen vacancies and more bulk oxygen vacancies could form in vacuum atmosphere. Surface oxygen vacancies can trap electron and hinder the recombination of photo-generated charges, while bulk SETOVs act as the recombination center. The surface or bulk oxygen vacancies attributed different roles on the photo-absorbance and activity, leading that the sample of NTA-A400 displayed higher hydrogen evolution rate under UV light, whereas NTA-V400 displayed higher hydrogen evolution rate under visible light because bulk SETOVs can improve visible light absorption because sub-band formed by bulk SETOVs prompted the secondary transition of electron excited.

Valence and atomic size dependent exchange barriers in vacancy-mediated dopant diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, J.S.; Schultz, P.A.; Wright, A.F.

1998-01-01

First-principles pseudopotential calculations of dopant-vacancy exchange barriers indicate a strong dependency on dopant valence and atomic size, in contrast to current models of vacancy-mediated dopant diffusion. First-row elements (B, C, N) are found to have exchange barriers which are an order of magnitude larger than the assumed value of 0.3 eV (the Si vacancy migration energy). copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

Modelling of the influence of the vacancy source and sink activity and the stress state on diffusion in crystalline solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svoboda, J.; Fischer, F.D.

2011-01-01

Diffusion in solids is a well-known phenomenon that has many consequences in technology and material science. Modelling of diffusion-controlled processes requires both a reliable theory of diffusion and reliable kinetic coefficients, as well as other thermodynamic data. Often the classical Darken theory, valid for stress-free systems with ideal vacancy source and sink activity, is generalized to multicomponent systems with ideal vacancy source and sink activity. Nazarov and Gurov presented a theory for stress-free systems with no vacancy source and sink activity. Recently we published a general theory of diffusion that accounted for the role of non-ideal vacancy source and sink activity, as well as the stress state. Since diffusion theories are tested and diffusion coefficients measured usually on diffusion couples, this paper presents evolution equations based on that general theory for a diffusion couple. In the limit, the equations of the Darken theory and the Nazarov and Gurov theory are valid for ideal vacancy source and sink activity and no vacancy source and sink activity, respectively. Simulations for binary and ternary diffusion couples demonstrate the influence of the vacancy source and sink activity and the stress state on evolution of site fraction profiles of components and vacancies, and on the Kirkendall effect.

A theoretical study of stability and vacancy replenishing of MoO{sub 3}(0 1 0) surfaces in oxygen atmosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lei, Yan-Hua; Chen, Zhao-Xu, E-mail: zxchen@nju.edu.cn

2016-01-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Under normal experimental conditions perfect surface of MoO{sub 3}(0 1 0) is favorable. • Line defects along asymmetric oxygen direction in lean oxygen condition are favored. • Vacancy replenishing occurs on vacancies formed by terminal and asymmetrical oxygen. - Abstract: Oxygen vacancies on transition metal oxide surfaces are catalytically very important. The stability, shape and replenishing process of the vacancies are critical to understanding reactions happening on the surfaces. In this paper we investigate the stability of various defective MoO{sub 3}(0 1 0) surfaces and examine the influence of environmental oxygen on the stability as well as the active sites for the replenishing process. Our calculations reveal that the line oxygen defect along a (asymmetric oxygen) direction is thermodynamically most favorable at higher defect concentration whereas point defect surfaces are unfavorable. Under normal experimental conditions the perfect surface dominates the MoO{sub 3}(0 1 0). We show that for stoichiometric surfaces of any oxides (A{sub x}O{sub y}) the formation energy per vacancy controls the favorable defect shape (line or point defects). Calculations indicate that O{sub 2} can dissociate readily on the surfaces that double vacancies share one Mo atom. The replenishing process of the oxygen vacancies through O{sub 2} dissociation most likely occurs on the double-vacancy containing one terminal and one asymmetrical oxygen vacancies.

First-principles study on mono-vacancy self diffusion and recovery in tungsten crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, Shu long; Chen, Ji ming; Liu, Xiang; Zhu, Hao; Chang, Hong yan; Huang, Zheng; Pan, Min; Zhao, Yong

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The migration barrier energy E_m of vacancy indicated that the optimum diffusion paths would exist in the diffusion process. • The Frenkel pair’s recovery had a close correlation with the “I–V” distance and within a range of 1.86–2.08 eV. • The self-recovery region has an ellipsoid profile with the semiminor axis of 2.7 Å and the semimajor axis of 5.5 Å. • The probability for the vacancy migration was closely assosiated with the E_m and the working temperature. - Abstract: The point defects behavior becomes one of the most basic issues under the challenge of fusion environment. The recovery mechanisms of Frenkel pair defects and the self-diffusion coefficient of mono-vacancy in bulk bcc tungsten were researched by the first principle calculations. The calculation of migration energy curves for SIAs indicated that the process of the Frenkel pair recovery had a close correlation with the “I–V” distance, and the migration barrier energies E_m was within a limit range of 1.86–2.08 eV. It was found that the self-recovery region had an ellipsoid profile with the semiminor axis of 2.7 Å and the semimajor axis of 5.5 Å. The self-diffusion coefficients of the mono-vacancy were calculated and the results showed that the probability for the vacancy migration was not only associated with the E_m but also the temperature being challenged.

A critical discussion of the vacancy diffusion model of ion beam induced epitaxial crystallization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heera, V.

1989-01-01

A simple vacancy diffusion model of ion beam induced epitaxial crystallization of silicon including divacancy formation is developed. The model reproduces some of the experimental findings, as e.g. the dose rate dependence of the crystallization rate. However, the measured activation energy of the ion beam induced epitaxial crystallization cannot be accounted for by vacancy diffusion alone. (author)

Segregation and Migration of the Oxygen Vacancies in the 3 (111) Tilt Grain Boundaries of Ceria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Fenglin [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Liu, Bin [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Zhang, Yanwen [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Weber, William J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-03-01

In nanocrystalline materials, defect-grain boundary (GB) interaction plays a key role in determining the structure stability, as well as size-dependent ionic, electronic, magnetic and chemical properties. In this study, we systematically investigated using density functional theory segregation and migration of oxygen vacancies at the Σ3 [110] / (111) grain boundary of ceria. Three oxygen layers near the GB are predicted to be segregation sites for oxygen vacancies. Moreover, the presence of oxygen vacancies stabilizes this tilt GB at a low Fermi level and/or oxygen poor conditions. An atomic strain model was proposed to rationalize layer dependency of the relaxation energy for +2 charged oxygen vacancy. The structural origin of large relaxation energies at layers 1 and 2 was determined to be free-volume space that induces ion relaxation towards the GB. Our results not only pave the way for improving the oxygen transport near GBs of ceria, but also provide important insights into engineering the GB structure for better ionic, magnetic and chemical properties of nanocrystalline ceria.

Strain-induced oxygen vacancies in ultrathin epitaxial CaMnO3 films

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasena, Ravini; Yang, Weibing; Lei, Qingyu; Delgado-Jaime, Mario; de Groot, Frank; Arenholz, Elke; Kobayashi, Keisuke; Aschauer, Ulrich; Spaldin, Nicola; Xi, Xiaoxing; Gray, Alexander

Dynamic control of strain-induced ionic defects in transition-metal oxides is considered to be an exciting new avenue towards creating materials with novel electronic, magnetic and structural properties. Here we use atomic layer-by-layer laser molecular beam epitaxy to synthesize high-quality ultrathin single-crystalline CaMnO3 films with systematically varying coherent tensile strain. We then utilize a combination of high-resolution soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy and bulk-sensitive hard x-ray photoemission spectroscopy in conjunction with first-principles theory and core-hole multiplet calculations to establish a direct link between the coherent in-plane strain and the oxygen-vacancy content. We show that the oxygen vacancies are highly mobile, which necessitates an in-situ-grown capping layer in order to preserve the original strain-induced oxygen-vacancy content. Our findings open the door for designing and controlling new ionically active properties in strongly-correlated transition-metal oxides.

Molecular dynamics simulation of helium and oxygen diffusion in UO{sub 2+}-{sub x}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Govers, K., E-mail: kgovers@sckcen.b [Service de Metrologie Nucleaire (CP 165/84), Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 50 av. F.D. Roosevelt, B-1050 Bruxelles (Belgium); Institute for Nuclear Materials Sciences, SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol (Belgium); Lemehov, S. [Institute for Nuclear Materials Sciences, SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol (Belgium); Hou, M. [Physique des Solides Irradies et des Nanostructures (CP 234), Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Bd du Triomphe, B-1050 Bruxelles (Belgium); Verwerft, M. [Institute for Nuclear Materials Sciences, SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol (Belgium)

2009-12-15

Atomic scale simulation techniques based on empirical potentials have been considered in the present work to get insight on helium diffusion in uranium dioxide. By varying the stoichiometry, together with the system temperature, the performed molecular dynamics simulations indicate two diffusion regimes for He. The first one presents a low activation energy (0.5 eV) and suggests oxygen vacancies assisted migration. This regime seems to provide the major contribution to diffusion when structural defects are present (extrinsic defects, imposed, e.g. by the stoichiometry). The second regime presents a higher activation energy, around 2 eV, and dominates in the higher temperature range or at perfect stoichiometry, suggesting an intrinsic migration process. Considering the dependence of He behaviour with oxygen defects, oxygen diffusion has been considered as well in the different stoichiometry domains. Finally, further investigations were made with nudged elastic bands calculations for a better interpretation of the operating migration mechanisms, both for He and O.

Oxygen vacancy defects in Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} showing long-range atomic re-arrangements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Yuzheng; Robertson, John [Engineering Department, Cambridge University, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom)

2014-03-17

The structure, formation energy, and energy levels of the various oxygen vacancies in Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} have been calculated using the λ phase model. The intra-layer vacancies give rise to unusual, long-range bonding rearrangements, which are different for each defect charge state. The 2-fold coordinated intra-layer vacancy is the lowest cost vacancy and forms a deep level 1.5 eV below the conduction band edge. The 3-fold intra-layer vacancy and the 2-fold inter-layer vacancy are higher cost defects, and form shallower levels. The unusual bonding rearrangements lead to low oxygen migration barriers, which are useful for resistive random access memory applications.

Electro-oxidation of water on hematite: Effects of surface termination and oxygen vacancies investigated by first-principles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hellman, Anders; Iandolo, Beniamino; Wickman, Bjorn

2015-01-01

The oxygen evolution reaction on hydroxyl- and oxygen-terminated hematite was investigated using first-principle calculations within a theoretical electrochemical framework. Both pristine hematite and hematite containing oxygen vacancies were considered. The onset potential was determined to be 1...... on hematite occurs on the oxygen-terminated hematite, containing oxygen vacancies. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved....

Migration of O vacancies in α-quartz: The effect of excitons and electron holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Jakyoung; Corrales, L. Rene; Kresse, Georg; Jonsson, Hannes

2001-01-01

We have used density-functional theory and the nudged elastic-band method to calculate migration pathways and estimated the activation energy for the diffusion of oxygen vacancies in α-quartz. While the energy barrier for the diffusion of a neutral vacancy is very high, 4.1 eV, the binding of a triplet-state exciton to the vacancy lowers the barrier to 1.7 eV and the attachment of a hole lowers the barrier to 1.9 eV, making the vacancy mobile at commonly used annealing temperatures

First-principles study on mono-vacancy self diffusion and recovery in tungsten crystal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen, Shu long [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials (Ministry of Education), Superconductivity and New Energy R& D Ceter, Southwest JiaoTong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Chen, Ji ming; Liu, Xiang [Fusion Science of Southwestern Institute of Physics, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 (China); Zhu, Hao; Chang, Hong yan [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials (Ministry of Education), Superconductivity and New Energy R& D Ceter, Southwest JiaoTong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Huang, Zheng, E-mail: zhhuang@swjtu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials (Ministry of Education), Superconductivity and New Energy R& D Ceter, Southwest JiaoTong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Pan, Min, E-mail: mpan@swjtu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials (Ministry of Education), Superconductivity and New Energy R& D Ceter, Southwest JiaoTong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Western Superconducting Technologies Co., Ltd., Xi’an, Shanxi 710018 (China); Zhao, Yong [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials (Ministry of Education), Superconductivity and New Energy R& D Ceter, Southwest JiaoTong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • The migration barrier energy E{sub m} of vacancy indicated that the optimum diffusion paths would exist in the diffusion process. • The Frenkel pair’s recovery had a close correlation with the “I–V” distance and within a range of 1.86–2.08 eV. • The self-recovery region has an ellipsoid profile with the semiminor axis of 2.7 Å and the semimajor axis of 5.5 Å. • The probability for the vacancy migration was closely assosiated with the E{sub m} and the working temperature. - Abstract: The point defects behavior becomes one of the most basic issues under the challenge of fusion environment. The recovery mechanisms of Frenkel pair defects and the self-diffusion coefficient of mono-vacancy in bulk bcc tungsten were researched by the first principle calculations. The calculation of migration energy curves for <111> SIAs indicated that the process of the Frenkel pair recovery had a close correlation with the “I–V” distance, and the migration barrier energies E{sub m} was within a limit range of 1.86–2.08 eV. It was found that the self-recovery region had an ellipsoid profile with the semiminor axis of 2.7 Å and the semimajor axis of 5.5 Å. The self-diffusion coefficients of the mono-vacancy were calculated and the results showed that the probability for the vacancy migration was not only associated with the E{sub m} but also the temperature being challenged.

Correlating oxygen vacancies and phase ratio/interface with efficient photocatalytic activity in mixed phase TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, Ranjana; Samdarshi, S.K.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: The correlation of interfacial behavior and oxygen vacancies in mixed phase titania nanoparticles on their performance as photocatalyst has been investigated to explain the impact of photoactivity under UV and visible irradiation compared to pristine counterparts. The defects at the junction effectively reduce the band gap as well decrease the carrier recombination to enhance the photocatalytic activity. - Highlights: • Pristine and mixed phases (A/R ratio) TiO 2 synthesized by sol gel route. • Photoactivity variation has been correlated with the changes in the phase ratio. • Enhanced UV and visible activity attributable to oxygen vacancy present at the interface. • Role of A/R ratio and oxygen vacancy in the photoactivity of mixed TiO 2 depicted through a model. - Abstract: The photocatalytic activity is a result of the synergy of a succession of phenomena-photogeneration, separation, and participation of the charge carriers in redox reaction at the catalyst surface. While the extent of photogeneration is assessable in terms of absorption spectrum (band gap), the redox reaction can be correlated to specific surface area. However the respective change in the photocatalytic activity has not been rationally and consistently correlated with the above mentioned parameters. A satisfactory explanation of suppression of recombination based on separation of carriers due to differential mobility/diffusivity in the material phase(s) and/or intrinsic potential barrier exists but its correlation with common identifiable parameter/characteristics is still elusive. This paper attempts to address this issue by correlating the carrier separation with the phase ratio (phase interface) in mixed phase titania and generalizing it with the presence of oxygen vacancy at the phase interface. It essentially appears to complete the quest for identifiable parameters in the sequence of phenomena, which endow a photocatalyst with an efficient activity level. It has

Controlled oxygen vacancy induced p-type conductivity in HfO{sub 2-x} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hildebrandt, Erwin; Kurian, Jose; Mueller, Mathis M.; Kleebe, Hans-Joachim; Alff, Lambert [Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Schroeder, Thomas [IHP, 15236 Frankfurt/Oder (Germany)

2011-09-12

We have synthesized highly oxygen deficient HfO{sub 2-x} thin films by controlled oxygen engineering using reactive molecular beam epitaxy. Above a threshold value of oxygen vacancies, p-type conductivity sets in with up to 6 times 10{sup 21} charge carriers per cm{sup 3}. At the same time, the band-gap is reduced continuously by more than 1 eV. We suggest an oxygen vacancy induced p-type defect band as origin of the observed behavior.

Spin-dependent recombination involving oxygen-vacancy complexes in silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Franke, David P.; Hoehne, Felix; Vlasenko, Leonid S.; Itoh, Kohei M.; Brandt, Martin S.

2014-05-01

Spin-dependent relaxation and recombination processes in γ-irradiated n-type Czochralski-grown silicon are studied using continuous wave (cw) and pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR). Two processes involving the SL1 center, the neutral excited triplet state of the oxygen-vacancy complex, are observed which can be separated by their different dynamics. One of the processes is the relaxation of the excited SL1 state to the ground state of the oxygen-vacancy complex, the other a charge transfer between 31P donors and SL1 centers forming close pairs, as indicated by electrically detected electron double resonance. For both processes, the recombination dynamics is studied with pulsed EDMR techniques. We demonstrate the feasibility of true zero-field cw and pulsed EDMR for spin-1 systems and use this to measure the lifetimes of the different spin states of SL1 also at vanishing external magnetic field.

Improved thermodynamic treatment of vacancy-mediated diffusion and creep

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fischer, F. D.; Hackl, K.; Svoboda, Jiří

2016-01-01

Roč. 108, APR (2016), s. 347-354 ISSN 1359-6454 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-06390S Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Thermodynamics * Non-equilibrium * Diffusion * Vacancies * Thermodynamic extremal principle Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics Impact factor: 5.301, year: 2016

Control of oxygen vacancies and Ce+3 concentrations in doped ceria nanoparticles via the selection of lanthanide element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shehata, N.; Meehan, K.; Hudait, M.; Jain, N.

2012-01-01

The effect of lanthanides that have positive association energies with oxygen vacancies, such as samarium and neodymium, and the elements with negative association energies, such as holmium and erbium, on ionization state of cerium and, consequentially, the oxygen vacancy concentration in doped ceria nanoparticles are investigated in this article. Structural and optical characterizations of the doped and undoped ceria nanoparticles, synthesized using chemical precipitation, are carried out using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, optical absorption spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. It is deduced that the negative association energy dopants decrease the conversion of Ce +4 into Ce +3 and, hence, scavenge the oxygen vacancies, evidenced by the observed increase in the allowed direct bandgap, decrease in the integrated fluorescence intensity, and increased the size of doped nanoparticles. The opposite trends are obtained when the positive association dopants are used. It is concluded that the determining factor as to whether a lanthanide dopant in ceria acts as a generator or scavenger of oxygen vacancies in ceria nanoparticles is the sign of the association energy between the element and the oxygen vacancies. The ability to tailor the ionization state of cerium and the oxygen vacancy concentration in ceria has applications in a broad range of fields, which include catalysis, biomedicine, electronics, and environmental sensing.

Oxygen self-diffusion mechanisms in monoclinic Zr O2 revealed and quantified by density functional theory, random walk analysis, and kinetic Monte Carlo calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jing; Youssef, Mostafa; Yildiz, Bilge

2018-01-01

In this work, we quantify oxygen self-diffusion in monoclinic-phase zirconium oxide as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. A migration barrier of each type of oxygen defect was obtained by first-principles calculations. Random walk theory was used to quantify the diffusivities of oxygen interstitials by using the calculated migration barriers. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations were used to calculate diffusivities of oxygen vacancies by distinguishing the threefold- and fourfold-coordinated lattice oxygen. By combining the equilibrium defect concentrations obtained in our previous work together with the herein calculated diffusivity of each defect species, we present the resulting oxygen self-diffusion coefficients and the corresponding atomistically resolved transport mechanisms. The predicted effective migration barriers and diffusion prefactors are in reasonable agreement with the experimentally reported values. This work provides insights into oxygen diffusion engineering in Zr O2 -related devices and parametrization for continuum transport modeling.

Oxygen vacancy-induced ferromagnetism in un-doped ZnO thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Peng; Wang, Weipeng; Liu, Can; Hu, Yang; Li, Zhengcao; Zhang, Zhengjun; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Baoyi; Cao, Xingzhong

2012-02-01

ZnO films became ferromagnetic when defects were introduced by thermal-annealing in flowing argon. This ferromagnetism, as shown by the photoluminescence measurement and positron annihilation analysis, was induced by the singly occupied oxygen vacancy with a saturated magnetization dependent positively on the amount of this vacancy. This study clarified the origin of the ferromagnetism of un-doped ZnO thin films and provides possibly an alternative way to prepare ferromagnetic ZnO films.

Anion and cation diffusion in barium titanate and strontium titanate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kessel, Markus Franz

2012-01-01

data suggests that oxygen vacancies and electron holes play the key role in the formation of the equilibrium surface space-charge layers. The oxygen vacancy diffusivities and the oxygen vacancy migration enthalpy are compared to other experimentally and theoretically derived data for barium titanate and a global expression for the temperature dependence of the oxygen vacancy diffusivity is determined. The latter was used for a comparison of the oxygen vacancy diffusivity and the oxygen vacancy migration enthalpy for BaTiO 3 to other perovskite oxides. Furthermore, this work shows results from cation interdiffusion experiments between BaZrO 3 and SrTiO 3 . Thin films of barium zirconate were deposited on strontium titanate single crystals and the cation interdiffusion investigated as a function of temperature. All four cations show a main diffusion profile and an additional fast diffusion profile. Each main diffusion profile can be described independently by the thick-film solution of the diffusion equation suggesting the diffusion coefficients to be concentration independent. The fast diffusion profiles are attributed to fast diffusion of Ba and Zr along dislocations of the SrTiO 3 single crystals and fast diffusion of Sr and Ti along the grain boundaries of the polycrystalline thin-film BaZrO 3 . The migration enthalpies of the bulk profiles for all four cations are very similar. The results suggest a complex diffusion mechanism with coupled diffusion of the cation vacancies on the A and B sites of the perovskite lattice.

Effects of oxygen vacancies on the structural and optical properties of β-Ga2O3.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Linpeng; Jia, Renxu; Xin, Bin; Peng, Bo; Zhang, Yuming

2017-01-09

The structural, electronic, and optical properties of β-Ga 2 O 3 with oxygen vacancies are studied by employing first-principles calculations based on density function theory. Based on the defects formation energies, we conclude the oxygen vacancies are most stable in their fully charge states. The electronic structures and optical properties of β-Ga 2 O 3 are calculated by Generalized Gradient Approximation + U formalisms with the Hubbard U parameters set 7.0 eV and 8.5 eV for Ga and O ions, respectively. The calculated bandgap is 4.92 eV, which is consistent with the experimental value. The static real dielectric constants of the defective structures are increased compared with the intrinsic one, which is attributed to the level caused by the Ga-4s states in the bandgap. Extra peaks are introduced in the absorption spectra, which are related to Ga-4s and O-2p states. Experimentally, β-Ga 2 O 3 films are deposited under different O 2 volume percentage with ratio-frequency magnetron sputtering method. The measured results indicate that oxygen vacancies can induce extra emission peaks in the photoluminescence spectrum, the location of these peaks are close to the calculated results. Extra O 2 can increase the formation energies of oxygen vacancies and thus reduce oxygen vacancies in β-Ga 2 O 3 .

Oxygen vacancies as active sites for water dissociation on rutile TiO₂(110)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schaub, R.; Thostrup, P.; Lopez, Nuria

2001-01-01

to dissociate H2O through the transfer of one proton to a nearby oxygen atom, forming two hydroxyl groups for every vacancy. The amount of water dissociation is limited by the density of oxygen vacancies present on the clean surface exclusively. The dissociation process sets in as soon as molecular water...

Anisotropic O vacancy formation and diffusion in LaMnO3

KAUST Repository

Gan, Liyong; Salawu, Omotayo Akande; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2014-01-01

Anisotropy effects in solid oxide fuel cells are typically not considered because of high operating temperatures. Focusing on the prototypical perovskite LaMnO3, we apply first-principles calculations to demonstrate that this approximation is no longer valid when the operating temperature is reduced and discuss the consequences for the material properties. In addition, we show that strain and Sr doping can be used to further increase the anisotropy. Tensile strain promotes both the O vacancy formation and diffusion in pristine and Sr doped LaMnO3, while Sr doping enhances the O vacancy formation. Both in LaMnO3 and La0.75Sr0.25MnO3 the O diffusion is found to be favorable in the [011] and [011] directions.

Dissociation and diffusion of hydrogen on defect-free and vacancy defective Mg (0001) surfaces: A density functional theory study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Zongying [College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590 (China); Union Research Center of Fuel Cell, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083 (China); Chen, Haipeng [College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590 (China); College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590 (China); Zhou, Shixue, E-mail: zhoushixue66@163.com [College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590 (China); College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590 (China)

2017-02-01

Highlights: • Clarify the effect of vacancy defect on H{sub 2} dissociation on Mg (0001) surface. • Demonstrate the effects of vacancy defect on H atom diffusion. • Reveal the minimum energy diffusion path of H atom from magnesium surface into bulk. - Abstract: First-principles calculations with the density functional theory (DFT) have been carried out to study dissociation and diffusion of hydrogen on defect-free and vacancy defective Mg (0001) surfaces. Results show that energy barriers of 1.42 eV and 1.28 eV require to be overcome for H{sub 2} dissociation on defect-free and vacancy defective Mg (0001) surfaces respectively, indicating that reactivity of Mg (0001) surface is moderately increased due to vacancy defect. Besides, the existence of vacancy defect changes the preferential H atom diffusion entrance to the subsurface and reduces the diffusion energy barrier. An interesting remark is that the minimum energy diffusion path of H atom from magnesium surface into bulk is a spiral channel formed by staggered octahedral and tetrahedral interstitials. The diffusion barriers computed for H atom penetration from the surface into inner-layers are all less than 0.70 eV, which is much smaller than the activation energy for H{sub 2} dissociation on the Mg (0001) surface. This suggests that H{sub 2} dissociation is more likely than H diffusion to be rate-limiting step for magnesium hydrogenation.

High temperature thermoelectric properties of strontium titanate thin films with oxygen vacancy and niobium doping

KAUST Repository

Sarath Kumar, S. R.; Barasheed, Abeer Z.; Alshareef, Husam N.

2013-01-01

We report the evolution of high temperature thermoelectric properties of SrTiO3 thin films doped with Nb and oxygen vacancies. Structure-property relations in this important thermoelectric oxide are elucidated and the variation of transport properties with dopant concentrations is discussed. Oxygen vacancies are incorporated during growth or annealing in Ar/H2 above 800 K. An increase in lattice constant due to the inclusion of Nb and oxygen vacancies is found to result in an increase in carrier density and electrical conductivity with simultaneous decrease in carrier effective mass and Seebeck coefficient. The lattice thermal conductivity at 300 K is found to be 2.22 W m-1 K-1, and the estimated figure of merit is 0.29 at 1000 K. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

High temperature thermoelectric properties of strontium titanate thin films with oxygen vacancy and niobium doping

KAUST Repository

Sarath Kumar, S. R.

2013-08-14

We report the evolution of high temperature thermoelectric properties of SrTiO3 thin films doped with Nb and oxygen vacancies. Structure-property relations in this important thermoelectric oxide are elucidated and the variation of transport properties with dopant concentrations is discussed. Oxygen vacancies are incorporated during growth or annealing in Ar/H2 above 800 K. An increase in lattice constant due to the inclusion of Nb and oxygen vacancies is found to result in an increase in carrier density and electrical conductivity with simultaneous decrease in carrier effective mass and Seebeck coefficient. The lattice thermal conductivity at 300 K is found to be 2.22 W m-1 K-1, and the estimated figure of merit is 0.29 at 1000 K. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Nanoscale magnetometry through quantum control of nitrogen–vacancy centres in rotationally diffusing nanodiamonds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maclaurin, D; Hall, L T; Martin, A M; Hollenberg, L C L

2013-01-01

The confluence of quantum physics and biology is driving a new generation of quantum-based sensing and imaging technology capable of harnessing the power of quantum effects to provide tools to understand the fundamental processes of life. One of the most promising systems in this area is the nitrogen–vacancy centre in diamond—a natural spin qubit which remarkably has all the right attributes for nanoscale sensing in ambient biological conditions. Typically the nitrogen–vacancy qubits are fixed in tightly controlled/isolated experimental conditions. In this work quantum control principles of nitrogen–vacancy magnetometry are developed for a randomly diffusing diamond nanocrystal. We find that the accumulation of geometric phases, due to the rotation of the nanodiamond plays a crucial role in the application of a diffusing nanodiamond as a bio-label and magnetometer. Specifically, we show that a freely diffusing nanodiamond can offer real-time information about local magnetic fields and its own rotational behaviour, beyond continuous optically detected magnetic resonance monitoring, in parallel with operation as a fluorescent biomarker. (paper)

Suppression of oxygen diffusion by thin Al2O3 films grown on SrTiO3 studied using a monoenergetic positron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uedono, A.; Kiyohara, M.; Yasui, N.; Yamabe, K.

2005-01-01

The annealing behaviors of oxygen vacancies introduced by the epitaxial growth of thin SrTiO 3 and Al 2 O 3 films on SrTiO 3 substrates were studied by using a monoenergetic positron beam. The films were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy without using an oxidant. The Doppler broadening spectra of the annihilation radiation were measured as a function of the incident positron energy for samples fabricated under various growth conditions. The line-shape parameter S, corresponding to the annihilation of positrons in the substrate, was increased by the film growth, suggesting diffusion of oxygen from the substrate into the film and a resultant introduction of vacancies (mainly oxygen vacancies). A clear correlation between the value of S and the substrate conductivity was obtained. From isochronal annealing experiments, the Al 2 O 3 thin film was found to suppress the penetration of oxygen from the atmosphere for annealing temperatures below 600 deg. C. Degradation of the film's oxygen blocking property occurred due to the annealing at 700 deg. C, and this was attributed to the oxidation of the Al 2 O 3 by the atmosphere and the resultant introduction of vacancy-type defects

Thermodynamics and Cation Diffusion in the Oxygen Ion Conductor Lsgm

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, M.; Schulz, O.

Perovskite type oxides based on LaGaO3 are of large technical interest because of their high oxygen-ion conductivity. Lanthanum gallate doped with Sr on A- and Mg on B-sites, La1-xSrxGa1-yMgyO3-(x+y)/2 (LSGM), reaches higher oxygen-ion conductivities than yttria-doped zirconia (YSZ). Thus LSGM represents a promising alternative for YSZ as electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Cells using thin LSGM-layers as electrolyte are expected to operate at intermediate temperatures around 700°C for more than 30000 hours without severe degradation. A potential long term degradation effect of LSGM is kinetic demixing of the electrolyte, caused by different cation diffusion coefficients. In this paper we report on experimental studies concerning the phase diagram of LSGM and the diffusion of cations. Cation self-diffusion of 139La, 84Sr and 25Mg and cation impurity diffusion of 144Nd, 89Y and 56Fe in polycrystalline LSGM samples was investigated by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for temperatures between 900°C and 1400°C. It was found that diffusion occurs by means of bulk and grain boundaries. The bulk diffusion coefficients are similar for all cations with activation energies which are strongly dependent on temperature. At high temperatures, the activation energies are about 5 eV, while at low temperatures values of about 2 eV are found. These results are explained by a frozen in defect structure at low temperatures. This means that the observed activation energy at low temperatures represents only the migration energy of the different cations while the observed activation energy at high temperatures is the sum of the defect formation energy and the migration energy. The migration energies for all cations are nearly identical, although 139La, 84Sr and 144Nd are occupying A-sites while 25Mg and 56Fe are occupying B-sites in the perovskite-structure. To explain these experimental findings we propose a defect cluster containing cation vacancies in both the A

Oxygen-vacancy defects on BaTiO3 (001) surface: a quantum chemical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duque, Carlos; Stashans, Arvids

2003-01-01

A quantum-chemical study of technologically important BaTiO 3 crystal and oxygen-vacancy defects on its (001) surface is reported in the present work. The computations are made using a quantum-chemical method developed for periodic systems (crystals), which is based on the Hartree-Fock theory. The atomic rearrangement due to the surface creation is obtained for a pure BaTiO 3 by means of the periodic large unit cell (LUC) model and using an automated geometry optimisation procedure. The same technique is employed to study the electronic and structural properties of the material due to the presence of an O vacancy and F centre (two electrons trapped in an oxygen vacancy). The computations are carried out for both cubic and tetragonal lattices

Oxygen vacancy doping of hematite analyzed by electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Mock, Jan; Klingebiel, Benjamin; Köhler, Florian; Nuys, Maurice; Flohre, Jan; Muthmann, Stefan; Kirchartz, Thomas; Carius, Reinhard

2017-11-01

Hematite (α -F e2O3 ) is known for poor electronic transport properties, which are the main drawback of this material for optoelectronic applications. In this study, we investigate the concept of enhancing electrical conductivity by the introduction of oxygen vacancies during temperature treatment under low oxygen partial pressure. We demonstrate the possibility of tuning the conductivity continuously by more than five orders of magnitude during stepwise annealing in a moderate temperature range between 300 and 620 K. With thermoelectric power measurements, we are able to attribute the improvement of the electrical conductivity to an enhanced charge-carrier density by more than three orders of magnitude. We compare the oxygen vacancy doping of hematite thin films with hematite nanoparticle layers. Thereby we show that the dominant potential barrier that limits charge transport is either due to grain boundaries in hematite thin films or due to potential barriers that occur at the contact area between the nanoparticles, rather than the potential barrier within the small polaron hopping model, which is usually applied for hematite. Furthermore, we discuss the transition from oxygen-deficient hematite α -F e2O3 -x towards the magnetite F e3O4 phase of iron oxide at high density of vacancies.

Trapping of oxygen vacancies on twin walls of CaTiO3: a computer simulation study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calleja, Mark; Dove, Martin T; Salje, Ekhard K H

2003-01-01

We have studied the atomic structure of [001] 90 deg. rotation twin walls in orthorhombic CaTiO 3 (symmetry Pbnm) at low temperature (10 K) and their effects on oxygen vacancies. The wall thickness was found to be 2.3 nm at T || T c and it was found that it is energetically favourable for such vacancies to reside in the wall, particularly when bridging titania ions in the (001) plane. The binding energy of an oxygen vacancy in the wall with respect to the bulk is calculated to be ≤ 1.2 eV

Effects of hydration and oxygen vacancy on CO2 adsorption and activation on beta-Ga2O3(100).

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Yun-xiang; Liu, Chang-jun; Mei, Donghai; Ge, Qingfeng

2010-04-20

The effects of hydration and oxygen vacancy on CO(2) adsorption on the beta-Ga(2)O(3)(100) surface have been studied using density functional theory slab calculations. Adsorbed CO(2) is activated on the dry perfect beta-Ga(2)O(3)(100) surface, resulting in a carbonate species. This adsorption is slightly endothermic, with an adsorption energy of 0.07 eV. Water is preferably adsorbed molecularly on the dry perfect beta-Ga(2)O(3)(100) surface with an adsorption energy of -0.56 eV, producing a hydrated perfect beta-Ga(2)O(3)(100) surface. Adsorption of CO(2) on the hydrated surface as a carbonate species is also endothermic, with an adsorption energy of 0.14 eV, indicating a slightly repulsive interaction when H(2)O and CO(2) are coadsorbed. The carbonate species on the hydrated perfect surface can be protonated by the coadsorbed H(2)O to a bicarbonate species, making the CO(2) adsorption exothermic, with an adsorption energy of -0.13 eV. The effect of defects on CO(2) adsorption and activation has been examined by creating an oxygen vacancy on the dry beta-Ga(2)O(3)(100) surface. The formation of an oxygen vacancy is endothermic, by 0.34 eV, with respect to a free O(2) molecule in the gas phase. Presence of the oxygen vacancy promoted the adsorption and activation of CO(2). In the most stable CO(2) adsorption configuration on the dry defective beta-Ga(2)O(3)(100) surface with an oxygen vacancy, one of the oxygen atoms of the adsorbed CO(2) occupies the oxygen vacancy site, and the CO(2) adsorption energy is -0.31 eV. Water favors dissociative adsorption at the oxygen vacancy site on the defective surface. This process is spontaneous, with a reaction energy of -0.62 eV. These results indicate that, when water and CO(2) are present in the adsorption system simultaneously, water will compete with CO(2) for the oxygen vacancy sites and impact CO(2) adsorption and conversion negatively.

Ferromagnetism and half metallicity induced by oxygen vacancies in the double perovskite BaSrNiWO{sub 6}: DFT study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aharbil, Y. [Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Matériaux LCPM, Faculté des Sciences Ben M' Sik, Casablanca (Morocco); Labrim, H. [Unité Science de la Matière/DERS/Centre National de l’Energie, des Sciences et des Techniques Nucléaires (CNESTEN), Rabat (Morocco); Benmokhtar, S.; Haddouch, M. Ait [Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Matériaux LCPM, Faculté des Sciences Ben M' Sik, Casablanca (Morocco); Bahmad, L., E-mail: bahmad@fsr.ac.ma [Mohammed V University in Rabat, Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E. URAC-12, B.P. 1014, Rabat (Morocco); Belhaj, A. [LIRST, Département de Physique, Faculté Poly-disciplinaire, Université Sultan Moulay Slimane, Béni Mellal (Morocco); Ez-Zahraouy, H.; Benyoussef, A. [Mohammed V University in Rabat, Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E. URAC-12, B.P. 1014, Rabat (Morocco)

2016-11-01

Using the spin polarized density functional theory (DFT) and exploring the Plane-Wave Self-Consistent Field (PWscf) code implemented in Quantum-ESPRESSO package, we investigate the effect of the Oxygen vacancies (V{sub O}) and the Oxygen interstitial (O{sub i}) on the double perovskite BaSrNiWO{sub 6}. This deals with the magnetic ordering and the electronic structure in such a pure sample exhibiting the insulating anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) state. This study shows that the presence of oxygen deficient defects converts the insulating to half metal with ferromagnetic or anti-ferromagnetic states. The magnetic ordering in BaSrNiWO{sub 6−δ} depends on the position of the Oxygen vacancy in the unit cell. However, it has been shown that the Oxygen interstitial preserves the anti-ferromagnetic propriety. We have computed the formation energies of different positions of the Oxygen vacancy (V{sub O}) and the Oxygen interstitial (O{sub i}) in the BaSrNiWO{sub 6} compound. We showed that the formation of V{sub O} is easier and vice versa for the O{sub i} formation. The obtained results reveal(V{sub O}) and the Oxygen interstitial (O{sub i}) that the anti-ferromagnetic can be converted to ferromagnetic in the double perovskite BaSrNiWO{sub 6} induced by Oxygen vacancies V{sub O}. - Highlights: • We have studied the ferromagnetism and Half Metallicity in Double Perovskite BaSrNiWO{sub 6}. • We have applied the Ab-inito calculations using the DFT approach. • We showed the effects induced by Oxygen Vacancies and Oxygen interstitial. • We found that the magnetic ordering in BaSrNiWO{sub 6−δ} depends on the position of the Oxygen vacancy in the unit cell.

The Generalized Maxwell-Stefan Model Coupled with Vacancy Solution Theory of Adsorption for Diffusion in Zeolites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyyed Milad Salehi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available It seems using the Maxwell-Stefan (M-S diffusion model in combination with the vacancy solution theory (VST and the single-component adsorption data provides a superior, qualitative, and quantitative prediction of diffusion in zeolites. In the M-S formulation, thermodynamic factor (Г is an essential parameter which must be estimated by an adsorption isotherm. Researchers usually utilize the simplest form of adsorption isotherms such as Langmuir or improved dual-site Langmuir, which eventually cannot predict the real behavior of mixture diffusion particularly at high concentrations of adsorbates because of ignoring nonideality in the adsorbed phase. An isotherm model with regard to the real behavior of the adsorbed phase, which is based on the vacancy solution theory (VST and considers adsorbate-adsorbent interactions, is employed. The objective of this study is applying vacancy solution theory to pure component data, calculating thermodynamic factor (Г, and finally evaluating the simulation results by comparison with literature. Vacancy solution theory obviously predicts thermodynamic factor better than simple models such as dual-site Langmuir.

Introduction of oxygen vacancies and fluorine into TiO2 nanoparticles by co-milling with PTFE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senna, Mamoru; Šepelák, Vladimir; Shi, Jianmin; Bauer, Benjamin; Feldhoff, Armin; Laporte, Vincent; Becker, Klaus-Dieter

2012-01-01

Solid-state processes of introducing oxygen vacancies and transference of fluorine to n-TiO 2 nanoparticles by co-milling with poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) powder were examined by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) of UV, visual, near- and mid-IR regions, thermal analyses (TG-DTA), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The broad absorption peak at around 8800 cm −1 (1140 nm) was attributed to the change in the electronic states, viz. electrons trapped at the oxygen vacancies (Vo) and d–d transitions of titanium ions. Incorporation of fluorine into n-TiO 2 was concentrated at the near surface region and amounted to ca. 40 at% of the total fluorine in PTFE, after co-milling for 3 h, as confirmed by the F1s XPS spectrum. The overall atomic ratio, F/Ti, determined by EDXS was 0.294. By combining these analytical results, a mechanism of the present solid state processes at the boundary between PTFE and n-TiO 2 was proposed. The entire process is triggered by the partial oxidative decomposition of PTFE. This is accompanied by the abstraction of oxygen atoms from the n-TiO 2 lattices. Loss of the oxygen atoms results in the formation of the diverse states of locally distorted coordination units of titania, i.e. TiO 6−n Vo n , located at the near surface region. This leads subsequent partial ligand exchange between F and O, to incorporate fluorine preferentially to the near surface region of n-TiO 2 particles, where local non-crystalline states predominate. - Graphical abstract: Scheme of the reaction processes: (a) pristine mixture, (b) oxygen abstraction from TiO 2 and (c) fluorine migration from PTFE to TiO 2 . Highlights: Transfer of fluorine from PTFE to n-TiO 2 in a dry solid state process was confirmed. ► 40% of F in PTFE was incorporated to the near surface region of n-TiO 2 nanoparticles. ► The transfer process is

Living on the edge : STM studies of the creation, diffusion and annihilation of surface vacancies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoots, Koen

2007-01-01

This thesis describes an STM study of the creation, diffusion and annihilation of missing atoms, so-called surface vacancies, in the Cu(100) surface. Because of the extremely high mobility of surface vacancies in combination with their extremely low density, we have been forced to use tracer

First principle simulations on the effects of oxygen vacancy in HfO2-based RRAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuehua Dai

2015-01-01

Full Text Available HfO2-based resistive random access memory (RRAM takes advantage of oxygen vacancy (V o defects in its principle of operation. Since the change in resistivity of the material is controlled by the level of oxygen deficiency in the material, it is significantly important to study the performance of oxygen vacancies in formation of conductive filament. Excluding effects of the applied voltage, the Vienna ab initio simulation package (VASP is used to investigate the orientation and concentration mechanism of the oxygen vacancies based on the first principle. The optimal value of crystal orientation [010] is identified by means of the calculated isosurface plots of partial charge density, formation energy, highest isosurface value, migration barrier, and energy band of oxygen vacancy in ten established orientation systems. It will effectively influence the SET voltage, forming voltage, and the ON/OFF ratio of the device. Based on the results of orientation dependence, different concentration models are established along crystal orientation [010]. The performance of proposed concentration models is evaluated and analyzed in this paper. The film is weakly conductive for the samples deposited in a mixture with less than 4.167at.% of V o contents, and the resistive switching (RS phenomenon cannot be observed in this case. The RS behavior improves with an increase in the V o contents from 4.167at.% to 6.25at.%; nonetheless, it is found difficult to switch to a stable state. However, a higher V o concentration shows a more favorable uniformity and stability for HfO2-based RRAM.

The effect of electron localization on the electronic structure and migration barrier of oxygen vacancies in rutile.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Linggang; Hu, Qing-Miao; Yang, Rui

2014-02-05

By applying the on-site Coulomb interaction (Hubbard term U) to the Ti d orbital, the influence of electron localization on the electronic structure as well as the transport of oxygen vacancies (VO) in rutile was investigated. With U = 4.5 eV, the positions of defect states in the bandgap were correctly reproduced. The unbonded electrons generated by taking out one neutral oxygen atom are spin parallel and mainly localized on the Ti atoms near VO, giving rise to a magnetic moment of 2 μB, in agreement with the experimental finding. With regard to the migration barrier of VO, surprisingly, we found that U = 4.5 eV only changed the value of the energy barrier by ±0.15 eV, depending on the diffusion path. The most probable diffusion path (along [110]) is the same as that calculated by using the traditional GGA functional. To validate the GGA + U method itself, a hybrid functional with a smaller supercell was used, and the trend of the more probable diffusion path was not changed. In this regard, the traditional GGA functional might still be reliable in the study of intrinsic-defect transportation in rutile. Analyzing the atomic distortion and density of states of the transition states for different diffusion paths, we found that the anisotropy of the diffusion could be rationalized according to the various atomic relaxations and the different positions of the valence bands relative to the Fermi level of the transition states.

Identification of the gallium vacancy-oxygen pair defect in GaN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, N. T.; Hemmingsson, C. G.; Janzen, E.; Paskova, T.; Evans, K. R.; Usui, A.; Morishita, N.; Ohshima, T.; Isoya, J.; Monemar, B.

2009-01-01

Cation vacancies like V Ga , V Al and their complexes with oxygen are predicted to be abundant in III-nitrides and to play an important role in nonradiative recombination. Appearing in triple or double negatively charged states, they are not paramagnetic and have not so far been detected by magnetic resonance even under illumination. In this Brief Report, we demonstrate an efficient way to make cation vacancy defects in GaN detectable by electron paramagnetic resonance and present our identification of the V Ga O N pair in GaN which is the model material for the III-nitrides and their alloys.

Vacancy enhancement of diffusion after quenching and during irradiation in silver-zinc alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuele, W.

1980-01-01

Quenching and annealing experiments were performed on silver-zinc alloys with 8.14 and 30 at %Zn. From the changes of the electrical resistivity due to an increase of the degree of short-range order, the activation energy of self-diffusion was determined to be Qsub(SD) = 1.60 and Qsub(SD) = 1.38 eV for both alloys, respectively. For the migration energy of vacancies, a value Esub(V)sup(M) = 0.64 eV was found for the alloy with 8.14 at %Zn. Evidence is given that the vacancy migration energy Esub(V)sup(M) of the alloys with 30 at %Zn is smaller than 0.60 eV in agreement with data given by Berry and Orehotsky. The results of measurements of radiation-enhanced diffusion obtained by a Russian and a French group, are reinterpreted. It follows that the increase of the degree of order during irradiation is obtained only be vacancy enhancement of diffusion and that the migration activation energy of self-interstitials is Esub(I)sup(M) approximately 0.46 eV and Esub(I)sup(M) approximately 0.41 eV for the alloys with 8.14 and 30 at %Zn, respectively. (author)

Microstructure evolution characteristics induced by oxygen vacancy generation in anatase TiO2 based resistive switching devices

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chen; Gao, Bin; Huang, Peng; Kang, Jinfeng

2017-03-01

In this work, first principle calculations are employed to study the microstructure characteristics of the anatase TiO2 resistive switching material associated with the generation of oxygen vacancy (V o) based nanofilaments during the switching process. The calculations indicate that both the magnéli phase Ti4O7 and V o-defect phase of anatase TiO2 may be formed with the generation of oxygen vacancies during the forming and SET processes. Based on the calculations, a new physical insight is proposed to clarify the microstructure evolution characteristics of the anatase TiO2 resistive switching material and the correlation with resistive switching behaviors. During the forming or SET process, the anatase TiO2 is first excited to a transition state with the generation of oxygen vacancies, then fully relaxes to a stable V o-defect state. This V o-defect state may either recover to the original state with the recombination of the oxygen vacancies, which causes the reversible resistive switching behavior, or further transform to a much more stable state—the magnéli phase Ti4O7, through a phase transition process with the generation of many more oxygen vacancies. The phase transition from V o- defective anatase phase to magnéli phase Ti4O7 causes the failure of the resistive switching due to the significantly reduced possibility of the reversible phase transition from the magnéli phase to the anatase phase, compared with the possibility of the recombination from the V o-defective anatase.

Evidence of oxygen vacancy and possible intermediate gap state in layered α-MoO{sub 3} single-crystal nanobelts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, C.Z., E-mail: tcccz@shu.edu.cn; Li, Y.; Tang, X.D.

2016-01-15

Multilayered meso-structured MoO{sub 3} nanobelts have been synthesized by thermally oxidizing a molybdenum chip in a reduced oxygen atmosphere, with a view to disclosing the existence of oxygen vacancy and understanding the mechanism behind the influence of oxygen vacancy on the electronic structure of molybdenum oxides. Based on the measurements from X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM), it is found that the as-grown sample is single-crystal α-MoO{sub 3} with a (001) preferred orientation, which shows an irregular belt-like morphology being composed of some ~20 nm single-crystal thin layers. The present sample includes a lot of oxygen vacancies in the lattice, as evidenced by the considerably reduced coordination number of the central Mo atoms from X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) as well as the red shift of the main Raman peaks. The existence of the oxygen vacancies are further tested by the photoluminescence (PL) results as the main emission peak shows an obvious red shift with the corresponding optical band gap reduced to 2.3 eV. Very importantly, an extra emission positioned at 738 nm (1.68 eV) is believed to originate from the recombination of the electrons from the intermediate band (IB) to the valence band (VB), and the formation of the IB in the gap is also caused by oxygen-ion vacancies.

Oxygen diffusion in monazite

Science.gov (United States)

Cherniak, D. J.; Zhang, X. Y.; Nakamura, M.; Watson, E. B.

2004-09-01

We report measurements of oxygen diffusion in natural monazites under both dry, 1-atm conditions and hydrothermal conditions. For dry experiments, 18O-enriched CePO4 powder and monazite crystals were sealed in Ag-Pd capsules with a solid buffer (to buffer at NNO) and annealed in 1-atm furnaces. Hydrothermal runs were conducted in cold-seal pressure vessels, where monazite grains were encapsulated with 18O-enriched water. Following the diffusion anneals, oxygen concentration profiles were measured with Nuclear Reaction Analysis (NRA) using the reaction 18O(p,α)15N. Over the temperature range 850-1100 °C, the Arrhenius relation determined for dry diffusion experiments on monazite is given by: Under wet conditions at 100 MPa water pressure, over the temperature range 700-880 °C, oxygen diffusion can be described by the Arrhenius relationship: Oxygen diffusion under hydrothermal conditions has a significantly lower activation energy for diffusion than under dry conditions, as has been found the case for many other minerals, both silicate and nonsilicate. Given these differences in activation energies, the differences between dry and wet diffusion rates increase with lower temperatures; for example, at 600 °C, dry diffusion will be more than 4 orders of magnitude slower than diffusion under hydrothermal conditions. These disparate diffusivities will result in pronounced differences in the degree of retentivity of oxygen isotope signatures. For instance, under dry conditions (presumably rare in the crust) and high lower-crustal temperatures (∼800 °C), monazite cores of 70-μm radii will preserve O isotope ratios for about 500,000 years; by comparison, they would be retained at this temperature under wet conditions for about 15,000 years.

Effect of oxygen vacancies on the electronic and optical properties of tungsten oxide from first principles calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Mehmood, Faisal; Pachter, Ruth; Murphy, Neil R.; Johnson, Walter E.; Ramana, Chintalapalle V.

2016-12-01

In this work, we investigated theoretically the role of oxygen vacancies on the electronic and optical properties of cubic, γ-monoclinic, and tetragonal phases of tungsten oxide (WO3) thin films. Following the examination of structural properties and stability of the bulk tungsten oxide polymorphs, we analyzed band structures and optical properties, applying density functional theory (DFT) and GW (Green's (G) function approximation with screened Coulomb interaction (W)) methods. Careful benchmarking of calculated band gaps demonstrated the importance of using a range-separated functional, where results for the pristine room temperature γ-monoclinic structure indicated agreement with experiment. Further, modulation of the band gap for WO3 structures with oxygen vacancies was quantified. Dielectric functions for cubic WO3, calculated at both the single-particle, essentially time-dependent DFT, as well as many-body GW-Bethe-Salpeter equation levels, indicated agreement with experimental data for pristine WO3. Interestingly, we found that introducing oxygen vacancies caused appearance of lower energy absorptions. A smaller refractive index was indicated in the defective WO3 structures. These predictions could lead to further experiments aimed at tuning the optical properties of WO3 by introducing oxygen vacancies, particularly for the lower energy spectral region.

First-Principles Study on the Structural and Electronic Properties of N Atoms Doped-Rutile TiO2 of Oxygen Vacancies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhong-Liang Zeng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available For the propose of considering the actual situation of electronic neutral, a simulation has been down on the basis of choosing the position of dual N and researching the oxygen vacancy. It is found that the reason why crystal material gets smaller is due to the emergence of impurity levels. By introducing the oxygen vacancy to the structure, the results show that while the oxygen vacancy is near the two nitrogen atoms which have a back to back position, its energy gets the lowest level and its structure gets the most stable state. From its energy band structure and density, the author finds that the impurity elements do not affect the migration of Fermi level while the oxygen vacancy has been increased. Instead of that, the conduction band of metal atoms moves to the Fermi level and then forms the N-type semiconductor material, but the photocatalytic activity is not as good as the dual N-doping state.

Anion and cation diffusion in barium titanate and strontium titanate; Anionen- und Kationendiffusion in Barium- und Strontiumtitanat

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kessel, Markus Franz

2012-12-19

pressure and temperature. The data suggests that oxygen vacancies and electron holes play the key role in the formation of the equilibrium surface space-charge layers. The oxygen vacancy diffusivities and the oxygen vacancy migration enthalpy are compared to other experimentally and theoretically derived data for barium titanate and a global expression for the temperature dependence of the oxygen vacancy diffusivity is determined. The latter was used for a comparison of the oxygen vacancy diffusivity and the oxygen vacancy migration enthalpy for BaTiO{sub 3} to other perovskite oxides. Furthermore, this work shows results from cation interdiffusion experiments between BaZrO{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3}. Thin films of barium zirconate were deposited on strontium titanate single crystals and the cation interdiffusion investigated as a function of temperature. All four cations show a main diffusion profile and an additional fast diffusion profile. Each main diffusion profile can be described independently by the thick-film solution of the diffusion equation suggesting the diffusion coefficients to be concentration independent. The fast diffusion profiles are attributed to fast diffusion of Ba and Zr along dislocations of the SrTiO{sub 3} single crystals and fast diffusion of Sr and Ti along the grain boundaries of the polycrystalline thin-film BaZrO{sub 3}. The migration enthalpies of the bulk profiles for all four cations are very similar. The results suggest a complex diffusion mechanism with coupled diffusion of the cation vacancies on the A and B sites of the perovskite lattice.

Oxygen vacancy effects in HfO2-based resistive switching memory: First principle study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuehua Dai

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The work investigated the shape and orientation of oxygen vacancy clusters in HfO2-base resistive random access memory (ReRAM by using the first-principle method based on the density functional theory. Firstly, the formation energy of different local Vo clusters was calculated in four established orientation systems. Then, the optimized orientation and charger conductor shape were identified by comparing the isosurface plots of partial charge density, formation energy, and the highest isosurface value of oxygen vacancy. The calculated results revealed that the [010] orientation was the optimal migration path of Vo, and the shape of system D4 was the best charge conductor in HfO2, which effectively influenced the SET voltage, formation voltage and the ON/OFF ratio of the device. Afterwards, the PDOS of Hf near Vo and total density of states of the system D4_010 were obtained, revealing the composition of charge conductor was oxygen vacancy instead of metal Hf. Furthermore, the migration barriers of the Vo hopping between neighboring unit cells were calculated along four different orientations. The motion was proved along [010] orientation. The optimal circulation path for Vo migration in the HfO2 super-cell was obtained.

Oxygen diffusion model of the mixed (U,Pu)O{sub 2±x}: Assessment and application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moore, Emily, E-mail: eemevans@gmail.com [Den-Service de la Corrosion et du Comportement des Matériaux dans leur Environment (SCCME), CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, Cedex (France); Guéneau, Christine [Den-Service de la Corrosion et du Comportement des Matériaux dans leur Environment (SCCME), CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, Cedex (France); Crocombette, Jean-Paul [Den-Service de Recherche de Métallurgie Physique (SRMP), CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, Cedex (France)

2017-03-15

The uranium-plutonium (U,Pu)O{sub 2±x} mixed oxide (MOX) is used as a nuclear fuel in some light water reactors and considered for future reactor generations. To gain insight into fuel restructuring, which occurs during the fuel lifetime as well as possible accident scenarios understanding of the thermodynamic and kinetic behavior is crucial. A comprehensive evaluation of thermo-kinetic properties is incorporated in a computational CALPHAD type model. The present DICTRA based model describes oxygen diffusion across the whole range of plutonium, uranium and oxygen compositions and temperatures by incorporating vacancy and interstitial migration pathways for oxygen. The self and chemical diffusion coefficients are assessed for the binary UO{sub 2±x} and PuO{sub 2−x} systems and the description is extended to the ternary mixed oxide (U,Pu)O{sub 2±x} by extrapolation. A simulation to validate the applicability of this model is considered.

Zinc vacancy and oxygen interstitial in ZnO revealed by sequential annealing and electron irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Knutsen, K. E.; Galeckas, A.; Zubiaga, A.; Tuomisto, F.; Farlow, G. C.; Svensson, B. G.; Kuznetsov, A. Yu.

2012-09-01

By combining results from positron annihilation and photoluminescence spectroscopy with data from Hall effect measurements, the characteristic deep level emission centered at ˜1.75 eV and exhibiting an activation energy of thermal quenching of 11.5 meV is associated with the zinc vacancy. Further, a strong indication that oxygen interstitials act as a dominating acceptor is derived from the analysis of charge carrier losses induced by electron irradiation with variable energy below and above the threshold for Zn-atom displacement. We also demonstrate that the commonly observed green emission is related to an extrinsic acceptorlike impurity, which may be readily passivated by oxygen vacancies.

Oxygen vacancy formation and migration in Sr- and Mg-doped LaGaO3: a density functional theory study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jie; Liang Er-Jun; Sun Qiang; Jia Yu

2012-01-01

Oxygen vacancy formation and migration in La 0.9 Sr 0.1 Ga 0.8 Mg 0.2 O 3−δ (LSGM) with various crystal symmetries (cubic, rhombohedral, orthorhombic, and monoclinic) are studied by employing first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). It is shown that the cubic LSGM has the smallest band gap, oxygen vacancy formation energy, and migration barrier, while the other three structures give rise to much larger values for these quantities, implying the best oxygen ion conductivity of the cubic LSGM among the four crystal structures. In our calculations, one oxygen vacancy migration pathway is considered in the cubic and rhombohedral structures due to all the oxygen sites being equivalent in them, while two vacancy migration pathways with different migration barriers are found in the orthorhombic and monoclinic symmetries owing to the existence of nonequivalent O 1 and O 2 oxygen sites. The migration energies along the migration pathway linking the two O 2 sites are obviously lower than those along the pathway linking the O 1 and O 2 sites. Considering the phase transitions at high temperatures, the results obtained in this paper can not only explain the experimentally observed different behaviours of the oxygen ionic conductivity of LSGM with different symmetries, but also predict the rational crystal structures of LSGM for solid oxide fuel cell applications. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

The interplay between dopants and oxygen vacancies in the magnetism of V-doped TiO2

KAUST Repository

Grau-Crespo, Ricardo

2011-08-03

Density functional theory calculations indicate that the incorporation of V into Ti lattice positions of rutile TiO2 leads to magnetic V 4 + species, but the extension and sign of the coupling between dopant moments confirm that ferromagnetic order cannot be reached via low-concentration doping in the non-defective oxide. Oxygen vacancies can introduce additional magnetic centres, and we show here that one of the effects of vanadium doping is to reduce the formation energies of these defects. In the presence of both V dopants and O vacancies all the spins tend to align with the same orientation. We conclude that V doping favours the ferromagnetic behaviour of TiO2 not only by introducing spins associated with the dopant centres but also by increasing the concentration of oxygen vacancies with respect to the pure oxide. © 2001 IOP Publishing Ltd.

The interplay between dopants and oxygen vacancies in the magnetism of V-doped TiO2

KAUST Repository

Grau-Crespo, Ricardo; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2011-01-01

Density functional theory calculations indicate that the incorporation of V into Ti lattice positions of rutile TiO2 leads to magnetic V 4 + species, but the extension and sign of the coupling between dopant moments confirm that ferromagnetic order cannot be reached via low-concentration doping in the non-defective oxide. Oxygen vacancies can introduce additional magnetic centres, and we show here that one of the effects of vanadium doping is to reduce the formation energies of these defects. In the presence of both V dopants and O vacancies all the spins tend to align with the same orientation. We conclude that V doping favours the ferromagnetic behaviour of TiO2 not only by introducing spins associated with the dopant centres but also by increasing the concentration of oxygen vacancies with respect to the pure oxide. © 2001 IOP Publishing Ltd.

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1980-01-01

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

Oxygen diffusion and oxygen effect in tumor tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eissa, H.M.; Hehn, G.

1979-06-01

The diffusion of oxygen in tumor cords of bronchus carcinoma of the lung have been studied with refined computer methods for solving the diffusion equation in axis symmetric tumor structures. In this tumor configuration we may find three different regions consisting of euoxic cells, hypoxic tumor cells and necrotic parts. In the case of oxygen supply from a capillary inside a cylinder of tumor tissue with radius 200 μm or in a tumor cord of radius 300 μm with oxygen supply by capillaries outside, we get a relation of well oxygenated cells to hypoxic cells approximately as 1:8 or as 1:1.1 respectively. Of course most of the tumor cords observed in histological slices have smaller diameters, so that an average of approximately 20% hypoxic cells can be assumed. Based on the work of Ardenne, the diffusion of oxygen and glucose in a tumor of type DS-carcinosarcom has been investigated in both intact tumor and tumor treated with ionizing radiation. We can show that a strong reoxygenation effect takes place in that the well supplied regions may increase in some tumor configurations up to a factor of four by volume. The biological consequences of the oxygen pressure determined in tumor cells are discussed in detail. The investigation of oxygen diffusion in the intercapillary tumor region should give a quantitative physical basis for considering the oxygen effect with the aim to explain the advantages of neutron therapy against conventional radiotherapy. (orig./MG) [de

Effect of oxygen vacancy distribution on the thermoelectric properties of La-doped SrTiO3 epitaxial thin films

KAUST Repository

Sarath Kumar, S. R.; Abutaha, Anas I.; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Alshareef, Husam N.

2012-01-01

A detailed study of the role of oxygen vacancies in determining the effective mass and high temperature (300–1000 K) thermoelectricproperties of La-doped epitaxial SrTiO3 thin films is presented. It is observed that at intermediate temperatures, a transition from degenerate to non-degenerate behavior is observed in the Seebeck coefficient, but not electrical conductivity, which is attributed to heterogeneous oxygen non-stoichiometry. Heikes formula is found to be invalid for the films with oxygen vacancies. By fitting the spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) data, obtained in the range 300–2100 nm, using a Drude-Lorentz dispersion relation with two Lorentz oscillators, the electrical and optical properties of the films are extracted. Using the excellent agreement between the transport properties extracted from SE modeling and direct electrical measurements, we demonstrate that an increase in concentration of oxygen vacancies results in a simultaneous increase of both carrier concentration and electron effective mass, resulting in a higher power factor.

Effect of oxygen vacancy distribution on the thermoelectric properties of La-doped SrTiO3 epitaxial thin films

KAUST Repository

Sarath Kumar, S. R.

2012-12-03

A detailed study of the role of oxygen vacancies in determining the effective mass and high temperature (300–1000 K) thermoelectricproperties of La-doped epitaxial SrTiO3 thin films is presented. It is observed that at intermediate temperatures, a transition from degenerate to non-degenerate behavior is observed in the Seebeck coefficient, but not electrical conductivity, which is attributed to heterogeneous oxygen non-stoichiometry. Heikes formula is found to be invalid for the films with oxygen vacancies. By fitting the spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) data, obtained in the range 300–2100 nm, using a Drude-Lorentz dispersion relation with two Lorentz oscillators, the electrical and optical properties of the films are extracted. Using the excellent agreement between the transport properties extracted from SE modeling and direct electrical measurements, we demonstrate that an increase in concentration of oxygen vacancies results in a simultaneous increase of both carrier concentration and electron effective mass, resulting in a higher power factor.

Contributions of oxygen vacancies and titanium interstitials to band-gap states of reduced titania

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jingfeng; Lazzari, Rémi; Chenot, Stéphane; Jupille, Jacques

2018-01-01

The spectroscopic fingerprints of the point defects of titanium dioxide remain highly controversial. Seemingly indisputable experiments lead to conflicting conclusions in which oxygen vacancies and titanium interstitials are alternately referred to as the primary origin of the Ti 3 d band-gap states. We report on experiments performed by electron energy loss spectroscopy whose key is the direct annealing of only the very surface of rutile TiO2(110 ) crystals and the simultaneous measurement of its temperature via the Bose-Einstein loss/gain ratio. By surface preparations involving reactions with oxygen and water vapor, in particular, under electron irradiation, vacancy- and interstitial-related band-gap states are singled out. Off-specular measurements reveal that both types of defects contribute to a unique charge distribution that peaks in subsurface layers with a common dispersive behavior.

Effect of annealing on structural changes and oxygen diffusion in amorphous HfO2 using classical molecular dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Wenqing; Kumari, Niru; Gibson, Gary; Jeon, Yoocharn; Henze, Dick; Silverthorn, Sarah; Bash, Cullen; Kumar, Satish

2018-02-01

Non-volatile memory is a promising alternative to present memory technologies. Oxygen vacancy diffusion has been widely accepted as one of the reasons for the resistive switching mechanism of transition-metal-oxide based resistive random access memory. In this study, molecular dynamics simulation is applied to investigate the diffusion coefficient and activation energy of oxygen in amorphous hafnia. Two sets of empirical potential, Charge-Optimized Many-Body (COMB) and Morse-BKS (MBKS), were considered to investigate the structural and diffusion properties at different temperatures. COMB predicts the activation energy of 0.53 eV for the temperature range of 1000-2000 K, while MBKS predicts 2.2 eV at high temperature (1600-2000 K) and 0.36 eV at low temperature (1000-1600 K). Structural changes and appearance of nano-crystalline phases with increasing temperature might affect the activation energy of oxygen diffusion predicted by MBKS, which is evident from the change in coordination number distribution and radial distribution function. None of the potentials make predictions that are fully consistent with density functional theory simulations of both the structure and diffusion properties of HfO2. This suggests the necessity of developing a better multi-body potential that considers charge exchange.

A modified derivation of the correlation factor in tracer diffusion via vacancy mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koiwa, Masahiro

1978-01-01

The average number of site exchanges made by a particular atom-vacancy pair has been calculated. It is found that the number of exchanges is equal to the number of visits to the origin of a random walker; for an infinite fcc lattice the number of exchanges is about 1.345, including the first exchange. This result seems invalidate the assumption of an infinite number of exchanges, which is usually made in the derivation of the correlation factor in diffusion via the vacancy mechanism. A modified derivation of the correlation factor, which takes into account the number of exchanges explicitly, is presented. (author)

Interdiffusion, Intrinsic Diffusion, Atomic Mobility, and Vacancy Wind Effect in γ(bcc) Uranium-Molybdenum Alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ke; Keiser, Dennis D.; Sohn, Yongho

2013-02-01

U-Mo alloys are being developed as low enrichment uranium fuels under the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) Program. In order to understand the fundamental diffusion behavior of this system, solid-to-solid pure U vs Mo diffusion couples were assembled and annealed at 923 K, 973 K, 1073 K, 1173 K, and 1273 K (650 °C, 700 °C, 800 °C, 900 °C, and 1000 °C) for various times. The interdiffusion microstructures and concentration profiles were examined via scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis, respectively. As the Mo concentration increased from 2 to 26 at. pct, the interdiffusion coefficient decreased, while the activation energy increased. A Kirkendall marker plane was clearly identified in each diffusion couple and utilized to determine intrinsic diffusion coefficients. Uranium intrinsically diffused 5-10 times faster than Mo. Molar excess Gibbs free energy of U-Mo alloy was applied to calculate the thermodynamic factor using ideal, regular, and subregular solution models. Based on the intrinsic diffusion coefficients and thermodynamic factors, Manning's formalism was used to calculate the tracer diffusion coefficients, atomic mobilities, and vacancy wind parameters of U and Mo at the marker composition. The tracer diffusion coefficients and atomic mobilities of U were about five times larger than those of Mo, and the vacancy wind effect increased the intrinsic flux of U by approximately 30 pct.

Roles of grain boundary and oxygen vacancies in Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}TiO{sub 3} films for resistive switching device application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Xiaobing, E-mail: xiaobing-yan@126.com, E-mail: mseyanx@nus.edu.sg [Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering of Hebei Province, College of Electron and Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 (China); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Li, Yucheng; Zhao, Jianhui; Li, Yan [Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering of Hebei Province, College of Electron and Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 (China); Bai, Gang [College of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023 (China); Zhu, Siqi [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China)

2016-01-18

Oxygen vacancies are widely thought to be responsible for resistive switching (RS) effects based on polycrystalline oxides films. It is also well known that grain boundaries (GB) serve as reservoirs for accumulating oxygen vacancies. Here, Ar gas was introduced to enlarge the size of GB and increase the quantity of oxygen vacancies when the Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}TiO{sub 3} (BST) films were deposited by pulse laser deposition technique. The experimental results indicate that the RS properties of the device exhibits better in the Ar-introduced BST films than in the O{sub 2}-grown BST films. High resolution transmission electron microscopy images show that an amorphous region GB with large size appears between two lattice planes corresponding to oxygen vacancies defects in the Ar-introduced BST. Fourier-transform infrared reflectivity spectroscopy results also reveal highly accumulated oxygen vacancies in the Ar-introduced BST films. And we propose that the conduction transport of the cell was dominantly contributed from not ions migration of oxygen vacancies but the electrons in our case according to the value of activation energies of two kinds of films.

Identification and quantification of oxygen vacancies in CeO{sub 2} nanocrystals and their role in formation of F-centers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaffari, G.Hassnain, E-mail: hassnain@qau.edu.pk [Department of Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad (Pakistan); Imran, Ali [Department of Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad (Pakistan); Bah, M. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, 19716, Newark, DE (United States); Ali, Awais; Bhatti, Arshad S. [Centre for Micro and Nano Devices, Department of Physics, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Park Road, Islamabad, 44000 (Pakistan); Qurashi, Umar Saeed [Department of Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad (Pakistan); Ismat Shah, S. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, 19716, Newark, DE (United States); Department of Physics, University of Delaware, 19716, Newark, DE (United States)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • Detail crystal and electronic structural analysis was employed to quantify oxygen vacancies. • The Raman F{sub 2g} mode shifted towards lower wave number, exhibiting mode softening with broader and asymmetric peak. • Observation of absorption edge revealed presence of 4f band within the band gap. • PL emission studies revealed presence of F-centers with corresponding energy level located below 4f band. • Transitions associated by the F-center are mainly associated with 4f{sup 0} to 4f{sup 1}, F{sup ++} to 4f{sup 1} and 4f{sup 0} to F{sup +}. - Abstract: In this work we present synthesis and extensive characterization of Cerium oxide (CeO{sub 2}) nanocrystals. Comparison between the properties of as-prepared and air annealed nanoparticles has been carried out, with a goal to clearly identify the effect of oxygen vacancies on crystal, electronic and band structure. Detail crystal and electronic structural analysis was employed to quantify oxygen vacancies. Structural analysis confirmed that the formation of single phase cubic Fluorite structure for both as-prepared and annealed samples. Crystal and electronic structural studies confirmed that Ce ions exists in two oxidation states, Ce{sup +3} and Ce{sup +4}. Concentration of oxygen vacancies was larger in as-synthesis nanocrystal. A drastic decrease in oxygen vacancy concentration was observed for the sample annealed in air at 550 °C. For the as-prepared sample, the Raman allowed F{sub 2g} mode shifted towards lower wavenumber, exhibiting mode softening with broader and asymmetric peak. Observation of absorption edge revealed presence of 4f band within the band gap. Absorption with different band edge, confirmed different energy position of 4f level for the sample possessing oxygen vacancies. Blue shift of the band edge for as-prepared sample has been discussed in terms of increase in lattice parameter, formation of Ce{sup +3} ions, quantum confinement effect etc. Photoluminescence emission

Bonding of gold nanoclusters to oxygen vacancies on rutile TiO2(110)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lopez, Nuria; schaub, R.; Thostrup, P.

2003-01-01

Through an interplay between scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we show that bridging oxygen vacancies are the active nucleation sites for Au clusters on the rutile TiO2(110) surface. We find that a direct correlation exists between a decrease in...

Defective TiO2 with oxygen vacancies: synthesis, properties and photocatalytic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Xiaoyang; Yang, Min-Quan; Fu, Xianzhi; Zhang, Nan; Xu, Yi-Jun

2013-04-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2), as an important semiconductor metal oxide, has been widely investigated in the field of photocatalysis. The properties of TiO2, including its light absorption, charge transport and surface adsorption, are closely related to its defect disorder, which in turn plays a significant role in the photocatalytic performance of TiO2. Among all the defects identified in TiO2, oxygen vacancy is one of the most important and is supposed to be the prevalent defect in many metal oxides, which has been widely investigated both by theoretical calculations and experimental characterizations. Here, we give a short review on the existing strategies for the synthesis of defective TiO2 with oxygen vacancies, and the defect related properties of TiO2 including structural, electronic, optical, dissociative adsorption and reductive properties, which are intimately related to the photocatalytic performance of TiO2. In particular, photocatalytic applications with regard to defective TiO2 are outlined. In addition, we offer some perspectives on the challenge and new direction for future research in this field. We hope that this tutorial minireview would provide some useful contribution to the future design and fabrication of defective semiconductor-based nanomaterials for diverse photocatalytic applications.Titanium dioxide (TiO2), as an important semiconductor metal oxide, has been widely investigated in the field of photocatalysis. The properties of TiO2, including its light absorption, charge transport and surface adsorption, are closely related to its defect disorder, which in turn plays a significant role in the photocatalytic performance of TiO2. Among all the defects identified in TiO2, oxygen vacancy is one of the most important and is supposed to be the prevalent defect in many metal oxides, which has been widely investigated both by theoretical calculations and experimental characterizations. Here, we give a short review on the existing strategies for the

Using Dopants to Tune Oxygen Vacancy Formation in Transition Metal Oxide Resistive Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Hao; Stewart, Derek A

2017-05-17

Introducing dopants is an important way to tailor and improve electronic properties of transition metal oxides used as high-k dielectric thin films and resistance switching layers in leading memory technologies, such as dynamic and resistive random access memory (ReRAM). Ta 2 O 5 has recently received increasing interest because Ta 2 O 5 -based ReRAM demonstrates high switching speed, long endurance, and low operating voltage. However, advances in optimizing device characteristics with dopants have been hindered by limited and contradictory experiments in this field. We report on a systematic study on how various metal dopants affect oxygen vacancy formation in crystalline and amorphous Ta 2 O 5 from first principles. We find that isoelectronic dopants and weak n-type dopants have little impact on neutral vacancy formation energy and that p-type dopants can lower the formation energy significantly by introducing holes into the system. In contrast, n-type dopants have a deleterious effect and actually increase the formation energy for charged oxygen vacancies. Given the similar doping trend reported for other binary transition metal oxides, this doping trend should be universally valid for typical binary transition metal oxides. Based on this guideline, we propose that p-type dopants (Al, Hf, Zr, and Ti) can lower the forming/set voltage and improve retention properties of Ta 2 O 5 ReRAM.

Oxygen diffusion in zircon

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, E. B.; Cherniak, D. J.

1997-05-01

Oxygen diffusion in natural, non-metamict zircon was characterized under both dry and water-present conditions at temperatures ranging from 765°C to 1500°C. Dry experiments were performed at atmospheric pressure by encapsulating polished zircon samples with a fine powder of 18O-enriched quartz and annealing the sealed capsules in air. Hydrothermal runs were conducted in cold-seal pressure vessels (7-70 MPa) or a piston cylinder apparatus (400-1000 MPa) on zircon samples encapsulated with both 18O-enriched quartz and 18O water. Diffusive-uptake profiles of 18O were measured in all samples with a particle accelerator, using the 18O(p, α) 15N reaction. For dry experimental conditions at 1100-1500°C, the resulting oxygen diffusivities (24 in all) are well described by: D dry (m 2/s) = 1.33 × 10 -4exp(-53920/T) There is no suggestion of diffusive anisotropy. Under wet conditions at 925°C, oxygen diffusion shows little or no dependence upon P H 2O in the range 7-1000 MPa, and is insensitive to total pressure as well. The results of 27 wet experiments at 767-1160°C and 7-1000 MPa can be described a single Arrhenius relationship: D wet (m 2/s) = 5.5 × 10 -12exp(-25280/T) The insensitivity of oxygen diffusion to P H 2O means that applications to geologic problems can be pursued knowing only whether the system of interest was 'wet' (i.e., P H 2O > 7MPa ) or 'dry'. Under dry conditions (presumably rare in the crust), zircons are extremely retentive of their oxygen isotopic signatures, to the extent that δ 18O would be perturbed at the center of a 200 μm zircon only during an extraordinarily hot and protracted event (e.g., 65 Ma at 900°C). Under wet conditions, δ 18O may or may not be retained in the central regions of individual crystals, cores or overgrowth rims, depending upon the specific thermal history of the system.

First-principles simulations of the leakage current in metal-oxide-semiconductor structures caused by oxygen vacancies in HfO2 high-K gate dielectric

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, L.F.; Wang, Z.O.

2008-01-01

HfO 2 high-K gate dielectric has been used as a new gate dielectric in metal-oxide-semiconductor structures. First-principles simulations are used to study the effects of oxygen vacancies on the tunneling current through the oxide. A level which is nearly 1.25 eV from the bottom of the conduction band is introduced into the bandgap due to the oxygen vacancies. The tunneling current calculations show that the tunneling currents through the gate oxide with different defect density possess the typical characteristic of stress-induced leakage current. Further analysis shows that the location of oxygen vacancies will have a marked effect on the tunneling current. The largest increase in the tunneling current caused by oxygen vacancies comes about at the middle oxide field when defects are located at the middle of the oxide. (copyright 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Study of the movement of oxygen vacancies in the orthorhombic phase of YBa2Cu3O7-x by positron Doppler broadening spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong Zhang; Xiao-Gan Wang; Yao-Xian Fu

1988-01-01

The positron annihilation Doppler spectroscopy is used to monitor the movement of oxygen vacancy of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x and an activation energy of (0.80 ± 0.10) eV for migration of oxygen vacancy in orthorhombic phase is obtained. (author)

Defect chemistry modelling of oxygen-stoichiometry, vacancy concentrations, and conductivity of (La1-xSrx)(y)MnO3 +/-delta

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, F.W.

2000-01-01

model, based on delocalised electrons, electron holes and all B-ions being trivalent is given in Appendix A. The sequential mathematical method allows us to calculate the high temperature oxygen partial pressure dependent properties of (La1-xSrx)(y)MnO3+/-delta in a unified manner irrespective...... are calculated by the small polaron model containing only ionic species - the B-ion may be Mn-B' (Mn2+), Mn-B(x) (Mn3+), and Mn-B(Mn4+). The A/B-ratio = y greatly influences the oxygen stoichiometry, oxygen ion vacancy- and cation vacancy concentrations and the total conductivity. Calculations are given...

Magnesium Vacancy Segregation and Fast Pipe Diffusion for the ½{110} Edge Dislocation in MgO

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, A. M.; Zhang, F.; Wright, K.; Gale, J. D.

2009-12-01

The movement of point defects in minerals plays a key role in determining their rheological properties, both by permitting diffusional creep and by allowing recovery by dislocation climb. Point defect diffusion can also control the kinetics of phase transitions and grain growth, and can determine the rate of chemical equilibration between phases. Because of this, and the difficulties associated with experimental studies of diffusion, the simulation of point defect formation and migration has been a subject of considerable interest in computational mineral physics. So far, studies have concentrated on point defects moving through otherwise perfect crystals. In this work we examine the behavior of magnesium vacancies close to the core of an edge dislocation in MgO and find that the dislocation dramatically changes the behavior of the point defect. An atomic scale model of the ½{110} edge dislocation in MgO was constructed by applying the anisotropic linear elastic displacement field to the crystal structure and subsequently minimizing the energy of the crystal close to the dislocation core using a parameterized potential model. This process yielded the structure of an isolated edge dislocation in an otherwise perfect crystal. The energy cost associated with introducing magnesium vacancies around the dislocation was then mapped and compared to the formation energy of an isolated magnesium vacancy in bulk MgO. We find that the formation energy of magnesium vacancies around the dislocation mirrors the elastic strain field. Above the dislocation line σxx and σyy are negative and the strain field is compressional. Atoms are squeezed together to make room for the extra half plane effectively increasing the pressure in this region. Below the dislocation line σxx and σyy are positive and the strain field is dilatational. Planes of atoms are pulled apart to avoid a discontinuity across the glide plane and the effective pressure is decreased. In the region with a

Gallium diffusion in zinc oxide via the paired dopant-vacancy mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Sky, T. N.; Johansen, K. M.; Riise, H. N.; Svensson, B. G.; Vines, L.

2018-02-01

Isochronal and isothermal diffusion experiments of gallium (Ga) in zinc oxide (ZnO) have been performed in the temperature range of 900-1050 °C. The samples used consisted of a sputter-deposited and highly Ga-doped ZnO film at the surface of a single-crystal bulk material. We use a novel reaction diffusion (RD) approach to demonstrate that the diffusion behavior of Ga in ZnO is consistent with zinc vacancy (VZn) mediation via the formation and dissociation of GaZnVZn complexes. In the RD modeling, experimental diffusion data are fitted utilizing recent density-functional-theory estimates of the VZn formation energy and the binding energy of GaZnVZn. From the RD modeling, a migration energy of 2.3 eV is deduced for GaZnVZn, and a total/effective activation energy of 3.0 eV is obtained for the Ga diffusion. Furthermore, and for comparison, employing the so-called Fair model, a total/effective activation energy of 2.7 eV is obtained for the Ga diffusion, reasonably close to the total value extracted from the RD-modeling.

Oxygen vacancy and Moessbauer parameters of Fe doped tin oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomura, K.; Mudarra Navarro, A.M.; Errico, L.; Rodriguez Torres, C.E.

2013-01-01

It is not clear what the local environment of Fe ions included in rutile structure is. In order to clarify this point, Moessbauer parameters of 57 Fe doped SnO 2 are compared with the results of ab initio calculation taking into account different configurations of iron and oxygen vacancy in the rutile structure of SnO 2 . Calculations were performed using the LAPW+lo method (Wien2k); RMT x Kmax = 7, A mesh of 50 k-points at IBZ, 2x2x2 super cell of SnO 2 . (J.P.N.)

Oxygen diffusion in cuprate superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Routbort, J.L.; Rothman, S.J.

1995-01-01

Superconducting properties of the cuprate superconductors depend on the oxygen content of the material; the diffusion of oxygen is thus an important process in the fabrication and application of these materials. This article reviews studies of the diffusion of oxygen in La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 , YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7- δ, YBa 2 Cu 4 O 8 , and the Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca n-1 Cu n O 2+4 (n = 1, and 2) superconductors, and attempt to elucidate the atomic mechanisms responsible

Oxygen diffusion in glasses and ceramic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolitsch, A.; Richter, E.; Wolf, M.

1978-10-01

A survey is given on the published works to study oxygen diffusion in glasses and ceramic materials in the last years. In the first part methods are described for the measurement of oxygen diffusion coefficients and in the second part the published reports on oxygen diffusion in glasses, ceramic and other oxides are discussed. The most important results are summarized in different tables. (author)

Synergistic effect of oxygen vacancy and nitrogen doping on enhancing the photocatalytic activity of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} nanosheets with exposed {0 0 1} facets for the degradation of organic pollutants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yafei [School of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062 (China); Zhu, Gangqiang, E-mail: zgq2006@snnu.edu.cn [School of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062 (China); Hojamberdiev, Mirabbos [School of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062 (China); Department of Natural and Mathematic Sciences, Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent, Kichik Halqa Yo’li 17, Tashkent 100095 (Uzbekistan); Gao, Jianzhi [School of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062 (China); Hao, Jing [Xi' an Rejee Industry Development Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710016 (China); Zhou, Jianping; Liu, Peng [School of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062 (China)

2016-05-15

Highlights: • Nitrogen-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} flower-like microstructures were synthesized by hydrothermal method. • Surface oxygen vacancy were obtained by irradiating the nitrogen-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} with UV light. • Photocatalytic activity was studied by degrading Rhodamine B. • A synergistic effect between oxygen vacancy and nitrogen doping in Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3}. - Abstract: Single-crystalline bare Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} (BOC) nanosheets with exposed {0 0 1} facets and nitrogen-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} (NBOC) flower-like microstructures were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The nitrogen-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} flower-like microstructures with oxygen vacancy (UV-NBOC) were obtained by irradiating the NBOC microstructures with UV light for 2 h in ethanol. The UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra showed that the NBOC and UV-NBOC nanosheets exhibit an obvious red shift in light absorption band compared with the pure BOC nanosheets. Rhodamine B (RhB) was chosen as a model organic pollutant to verify the influence of oxygen vacancy and nitrogen doping on the photocatalytic activity of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} under simulated solar light irradiation. Judging from the kinetics of RhB photodegradation over the synthesized samples, a synergistic effect between oxygen vacancy and nitrogen doping was found with a remarkable increase (more than 10 and 2 times) in the photocatalytic activity of UV-NBOC compared with BOC and NBOC, respectively. Moreover, the UV-NBOC also exhibited an excellent cyclability and superior photocatalytic activity toward degradation of other organic pollutants (methylene blue, Congo red, Bisphenol A) under simulated solar light irradiation.

A molecular dynamics study on the oxygen diffusion in doped fluorites: the effect of the dopant distribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tarancon, A. [M2E/XaRMAE/IREC, Department of Advanced Materials for Energy Applications, Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), Josep Pla 2, Torre 2, B2, 08019 Barcelona (Spain); Morata, A.; Peiro, F. [MIND/XaRMAE/IN2UB, Department of Electronics, University of Barcelona, Marti i Franques 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Dezanneau, G. [Laboratoire Structures, Proprietes et Modelisation des Solides, Grande Voie des Vignes, Ecole Centrale Paris, F-92295 Chatenay-Malabry Cedex (France)

2011-02-15

The effect of the dopant distribution on the oxygen diffusion in doped fluorites typically used for solid oxide fuel cells electrolyte applications has been analysed by using molecular dynamics simulations. The oxygen mass transport in both yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and gadolinia-doped ceria has been studied and compared in the range of temperatures between 1,159 and 1,959 K. A new methodology based on the analysis of local environments is used to describe the diffusion process at an atomic scale. Preferred vacancy migration pathways, most suitable conduction models, energy landscapes and jump efficiency have been detailed for each material. Finally, a particular case of non-random distribution of dopants in YSZ is presented in order to quantitatively evaluate the effect of the dopant pattern on the mass transport properties and the potential of the methodology developed here for understanding and foreseeing real configurations at the nanoscale. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Multi-scale modeling of interaction between vacancies and alloying elements in ferritic alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barouh, Caroline

2015-01-01

This PhD thesis is devoted to the study of interaction between vacancies and alloying elements in Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) steels, which are promising candidate materials for future nuclear reactors. This work is based on multi-scale modeling of a simplified system composed by oxygen, yttrium and titanium atoms and vacancies in an α-iron lattice. We particularly focused on the role of vacancies which are created in excess during the fabrication of these steels. The stability and mobility of vacancy-solute clusters have been examined using ab initio calculations for oxygen, on one hand, which has been systematically compared to carbon and nitrogen, interstitial solutes frequently present in iron-based materials, and, on the other hand, for substitutional solutes: titanium and yttrium. The three interstitial solutes show very similar energetic and kinetic behaviors. The impact of small mobile vacancy-solute clusters has been verified using a cluster dynamics model based on our ab initio results. It has been thus demonstrated that with over-saturation of vacancies, diffusion of interstitial solutes may be accelerated, while substitutional solutes do not become necessarily faster. These conclusions are consistent with existing experimental observations. All these results have been then used to complete our understanding of nano-clusters formation mechanisms. It appeared that the relative mobility of yttrium and titanium, as well as the number of potential nuclei to form nanoparticles strongly depend on the total vacancy concentration in the system. (author) [fr

Positron annihilation studies on the behaviour of vacancies in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Guoliang; Li, Chen; Yin, Jiang; Liu, Zhiguo; Wu, Di; Uedono, Akira

2012-11-01

The formation and diffusion of vacancies are studied in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures. Oxygen vacancies (VOS) appear easily in the SrTiO3 substrate during LaAlO3 film growth at 700 °C and 10-4 Pa oxygen pressure rather than at 10-3-10-1 Pa, thus the latter two-dimensional electron gas should come from the polarity discontinuity at the (LaO)+/(TiO2)0 interface. For SrTiO3-δ/LaAlO3/SrTiO3, high-density VOS of the SrTiO3-δ film can pass through the LaAlO3 film and then diffuse to 1.7 µm depth in the SrTiO3 substrate, suggesting that LaAlO3 has VOS at its middle-deep energy levels within the band gap. Moreover, high-density VOS may combine with a strontium/titanium vacancy (VSr/Ti) to form VSr/Ti-O complexes in the SrTiO3 substrate at 700 °C.

Understanding cation ordering and oxygen vacancy site preference in Ba3CaNb2O9 from first-principles

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Hepeng; Virkar, Anil; Liu, Feng

2014-03-01

We investigate the physical mechanism underlying the formation of the B-site cation ordering and the oxygen vacancy site selection in Ba3CaNb2O9 using density functional theory calculations. We found that either cation site exchange or oxygen vacancy formation induces negligible lattice strain. This implies that the ionic radius plays an insignificant role in governing these two processes. Furthermore, the electrostatic interactions are found dominant in the ordering of mixed valence species on one or more sites, the ionic bond strength is identified as the dominant force in governing both the 1:2 B-site cation ordering along the direction and the oxygen vacancy site preference in Ba3CaNb2O9. Specifically, the cation ordering can be rationalized by the increased mixing bonding energy of the Ca-O-Nb bonds over the Ca-O-Ca and Nb-O-Nb bonds, i.e., 1/2(Ca-O-Ca + Nb-O-Nb) Grant Number DE-SC0001061 as a flow through from the University of South Carolina.

Oxygen vacancy induced magnetization switching in Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} epitaxial ultrathin films on GaAs(100)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Zhaocong, E-mail: zhaocong.huang@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China); Spintronics and Nanodevice Laboratory, Department of Electronics, University of York, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom); School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096 (China); Chen, Qian; Zhai, Ya, E-mail: yazhai@seu.edu.cn, E-mail: jlwang@seu.edu.cn; Wang, Jinlan, E-mail: yazhai@seu.edu.cn, E-mail: jlwang@seu.edu.cn [Department of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China); Xu, Yongbing [Spintronics and Nanodevice Laboratory, Department of Electronics, University of York, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom); Wang, Baoping [School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096 (China)

2015-05-04

The magnetic and transport properties of half metallic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}, which are sensitive to the stoichiometry, are the key issue for applications in spintronics. An anomalous enlargement of the saturation magnetic moment is found in a relatively thick sample of epitaxial Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} film by post-growth oxidation method. The investigation of the thickness dependence of magnetic moment suggests that the enhanced magnetism moment may come from the existence of oxygen vacancies. First-principles calculations reveal that with oxygen vacancies in Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} crystal the spin of Fe ions in the tetrahedron site near the vacancy is much easier to switch parallel to the Fe ions in the octahedron site by temperature disturbance, supported by the temperature dependence of magnetic moment of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} films in experiment.

Diffusion of oxygen in cork.

Science.gov (United States)

Lequin, Sonia; Chassagne, David; Karbowiak, Thomas; Simon, Jean-Marc; Paulin, Christian; Bellat, Jean-Pierre

2012-04-04

This work reports measurements of effective oxygen diffusion coefficient in raw cork. Kinetics of oxygen transfer through cork is studied at 298 K thanks to a homemade manometric device composed of two gas compartments separated by a cork wafer sample. The first compartment contains oxygen, whereas the second one is kept under dynamic vacuum. The pressure decrease in the first compartment is recorded as a function of time. The effective diffusion coefficient D(eff) is obtained by applying Fick's law to transient state using a numerical method based on finite differences. An analytical model derived from Fick's law applied to steady state is also proposed. Results given by these two methods are in close agreement with each other. The harmonic average of the effective diffusion coefficients obtained from the distribution of 15 cork wafers of 3 mm thickness is 1.1 × 10(-9) m(2) s(-1) with a large distribution over four decades. The statistical analysis of the Gaussian distribution obtained on a 3 mm cork wafer is extrapolated to a 48 mm cork wafer, which length corresponds to a full cork stopper. In this case, the probability density distribution gives a mean value of D(eff) equal to 1.6 × 10(-9) m(2) s(-1). This result shows that it is possible to obtain the effective diffusion coefficient of oxygen through cork from short time (few days) measurements performed on a thin cork wafer, whereas months are required to obtain the diffusion coefficient for a full cork stopper. Permeability and oxygen transfer rate are also calculated for comparison with data from other studies.

Oxygen diffusion in bilayer polymer films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Lars; Zebger, Ingo; Tofte, Jannik Pentti

2004-01-01

Experiments to quantify oxygen diffusion have been performed on polymer samples in which a film of poly(ethylene-co-norbornene) was cast onto a film of polystyrene which, in turn, was cast onto an oxygen-impermeable substrate. In the technique employed, the time evolution of oxygen transport...... through the film of poly(ethylene-co-norbornene) and into the polystyrene film was monitored using the phosphorescence of singlet oxygen as a spectroscopic probe. To analyze the data, it was necessary to solve Fick's second law of diffusion for both polymer films. Tractable analytical and numerical...

Oxygen Vacancies versus Fluorine at CeO 2 (111) : A Case of Mistaken Identity?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kullgren, J.; Wolf, M.J.; Castleton, C.W.M.; Mitev, P.; Briels, Willem J.; Hermansson, K.

2014-01-01

We propose a resolution to the puzzle presented by the surface defects observed with STM at the (111) surface facet of CeO 2 single crystals. In the seminal paper of Esch et al. [Science 309, 752 (2005)] they were identified with oxygen vacancies, but the observed behavior of these defects is

Oxygen vacancies induced enhancement of photoconductivity of La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 - δ thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, R. L.; Fu, C. L.; Cai, W.; Chen, G.; Deng, X. L.; Yang, H. W.; Sun, J. R.; Zhao, Y. G.; Shen, B. G.

2014-09-01

Effects of light and electrical current on the electrical transport properties and photovoltaic properties of oxygen-stoichiometric La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 and oxygen-deficient La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 - δ films prepared by pulsed laser deposition have been investigated. Oxygen-deficient films annealed in a vacuum show an obvious increase of resistance and lattice parameter. Besides, a direct correlation between the magnitude of the photoconductivity and oxygen vacancies in La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 - δ films has been observed. The light illumination causes a resistance drop to show the photoconductivity effect. Moreover, the photoconductivity can be remarkably enhanced by increasing the electrical current, that is, it exhibits current-enhanced photoconductivity (CEPC) effect. Oxygen deficiency in the annealed film leads to the formation of a structural disorder in the Co-O-Co conduction channel due to the accumulated oxygen vacancies and hence is believed to be responsible for the increase in higher photoconductivity. These results may be important for practical applications in photoelectric devices.

Oxygen vacancy tuned Ohmic-Schottky conversion for enhanced performance in β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, D. Y.; Wu, Z. P.; An, Y. H.; Guo, X. C.; Chu, X. L.; Sun, C. L.; Tang, W. H., E-mail: whtang@bupt.edu.cn [School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); Li, L. H. [Physics Department, The State University of New York at Potsdam, Potsdam, New York 13676-2294 (United States); Li, P. G., E-mail: pgli@zstu.edu.cn [School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); Center for Optoelectronics Materials and Devices, Department of Physics, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018 Zhejiang (China)

2014-07-14

β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} epitaxial thin films were deposited using laser molecular beam epitaxy technique and oxygen atmosphere in situ annealed in order to reduce the oxygen vacancy. Metal/semiconductor/metal structured photodetectors were fabricated using as-grown film and annealed film separately. Au/Ti electrodes were Ohmic contact with the as-grown films and Schottky contact with the annealed films. In compare with the Ohmic-type photodetector, the Schottky-type photodetector takes on lower dark current, higher photoresponse, and shorter switching time, which benefit from Schottky barrier controlling electron transport and the quantity of photogenerated carriers trapped by oxygen vacancy significant decreasing.

Chemisorption of oxygen and subsequent reactions on low index surfaces of β-Mo₂C

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shi, Xue Rong; Wang, Shengguang; Wang, Jianguo

2016-01-01

to the carbon vacancy were identified. We examined the effect of oxygen coverage on the morphology of β-Mo2C by plotting the equilibrium crystal shape. Thermodynamic effect of temperature and reactant or product pressure on the CO/CO2 desorption were investigated. The CO/CO2 desorption is more favorable...... at the saturated oxygen coverage than the low oxygen coverage thermodynamically. The subsequent oxygen diffusion to the carbon vacancy after CO/CO2 desorption may happen depending on the surfaces and oxygen coverage....

Oxygen vacancy induced by La and Fe into ZnO nanoparticles to modify ferromagnetic ordering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, Kuldeep Chand; Kotnala, R.K.

2016-01-01

We reported long-range ferromagnetic interactions in La doped Zn 0.95 Fe 0.05 O nanoparticles that mediated through lattice defects or vacancies. Zn 0.92 Fe 0.05 La 0.03 O (ZFLaO53) nanoparticles were synthesized by a sol–gel process. X-ray fluorescence spectrum of ZFLaO53 detects the weight percentage of Zn, Fe, La and O. X-ray diffraction shows the hexagonal Wurtzite ZnO phase. The Rietveld refinement has been used to calculate the lattice parameters and the position of Zn, Fe, La and O atoms in the Wurtzite unit cell. The average size of ZFLaO53 nanoparticles is 99 nm. The agglomeration type product due to OH ions with La results into ZnO nanoparticles than nanorods that found in pure ZnO and Zn 0.95 Fe 0.05 O sample. The effect of doping concentration to induce Wurtzite ZnO structure and lattice defects has been analyzed by Raman active vibrational modes. Photoluminescence spectra show an abnormal emission in both UV and visible region, and a blue shift at near band edge is formed with doping. The room temperature magnetic measurement result into weak ferromagnetism but pure ZnO is diamagnetic. However, the temperature dependent magnetic measurement using zero-field and field cooling at dc magnetizing field 500 Oe induces long-range ferromagnetic ordering. It results into antiferromagnetic Neel temperature of ZFLaO53 at around 42 K. The magnetic hysteresis is also measured at 200, 100, 50 and 10 K measurement that indicate enhancement in ferromagnetism at low temperature. Overall, the La doping into Zn 0.95 Fe 0.05 O results into enhanced antiferromagnetic interaction as well as lattice defects/vacancies. The role of the oxygen vacancy as the dominant defects in doped ZnO must form Bound magnetic polarons has been described. - Graphical abstract: The long-range ferromagnetic order in Zn 0.92 Fe 0.05 La 0.03 O nanoparticles at low temperature measurements involves oxygen vacancy as the medium of magnetic interactions. - Highlights: • The La and Fe doping

Simple method to enhance positive bias stress stability of In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistors using a vertically graded oxygen-vacancy active layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Ji Hoon; Kim, Yeong-Gyu; Yoon, Seokhyun; Hong, Seonghwan; Kim, Hyun Jae

2014-12-10

We proposed a simple method to deposit a vertically graded oxygen-vacancy active layer (VGA) to enhance the positive bias stress (PBS) stability of amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). We deposited a-IGZO films by sputtering (target composition; In2O3:Ga2O3:ZnO = 1:1:1 mol %), and the oxygen partial pressure was varied during deposition so that the front channel of the TFTs was fabricated with low oxygen partial pressure and the back channel with high oxygen partial pressure. Using this method, we were able to control the oxygen vacancy concentration of the active layer so that it varied with depth. As a result, the turn-on voltage shift following a 10 000 s PBS of optimized VGA TFT was drastically improved from 12.0 to 5.6 V compared with a conventional a-IGZO TFT, without a significant decrease in the field effect mobility. These results came from the self-passivation effect and decrease in oxygen-vacancy-related trap sites of the VGA TFTs.

Periodic density functional theory study of ethylene hydrogenation over Co3O4 (1 1 1) surface: The critical role of oxygen vacancies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Jinhui; Song, JiaJia; Niu, Hongling; Pan, Lun; Zhang, Xiangwen; Wang, Li; Zou, Ji-Jun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • H 2 dissociates in heterolytic way following H atoms migration to form O−H bond. • H 2 dissociation occurs at low temperature on perfect and oxygen defective Co 3 O 4 . • Oxygen vacancy promotes hydrogenation thermodynamically and kinetically. • O−H bond is weakened on oxygen defective surface. • Hydrogenation requires compromise between H−H activation and O−H breakage. - Abstract: Recently, metal oxides are attracting increasing interests as hydrogenation catalyst. Herein we studied the hydrogenation of ethylene on perfect and oxygen defective Co 3 O 4 (1 1 1) using periodic density functional theory. The energetics and pathways of ethylene hydrogenation to ethane were determined. We have demonstrated that (i) H 2 dissociation on Co 3 O 4 is a complicated two-step process through a heterolytic cleavage, followed by the migration of H atom and finally yields the homolytic product on both perfect and oxygen defective Co 3 O 4 (1 1 1) surfaces easily. (ii) After introducing the surface oxygen vacancy, the stepwise hydrogenation of ethylene by atomic hydrogen is much easier than that on perfect surface due to the weaker bond strength of OH group. The strength of O−H bond is a crucial factor for the hydrogenation reaction which involves the breakage of O−H bond. The formation of oxygen vacancy increases the electronic charges at the adjacent surface O, which reduces its capability of further gaining electrons from adsorbed atomic hydrogen and then weakens the strength of O−H bond. These results emphasize the importance of the oxygen vacancies for hydrogenation on metal oxides.

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2008-12-05

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

Oxygen diffusion in cuprate superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Routbort, J.L.; Rothman, S.J.

1995-01-01

Superconducting properties of the cuprate superconductors depend on the oxygen content of the material; the diffusion of oxygen is thus an important process in the fabrication and application of these materials. This article reviews studies of the diffusion of oxygen in La{sub 2}{sub {minus}}{sub {times}}Sr{sub {times}}CuO{sub 4}, YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7}{sub {minus}}{delta}, YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 4}O{sub 8}, and the Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Ca{sub n}{sub {minus}}{sub 1}Cu{sub n}O{sub 2}{sub +}{sub 4} (n = 1, and 2) superconductors, and attempt to elucidate the atomic mechanisms responsible.

Elastic neutron diffuse scattering in Zr(Ca, Y)O2-x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barberis, P.; Beuneu, B.; Novion, C.H. de.

1990-01-01

Elastic neutron diffuse scattering has been measured in cubic Zr(Ca, Y)O 2-x at room temperature. The very high diffuse scattering (up to 70 Laue) is explained mostly by the oxygen displacements along directions, and by Ca displacements along . The weak short-range order contribution strongly suggests that oxygen vacancies tend to place as second rather than at first neighbours of a Ca stabilizing ion

Correlation between self-diffusion in Si and the migration mechanisms of vacancies and self-interstitials: An atomistic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Posselt, M.; Gao, F.; Bracht, H.

2008-01-01

The migration of point defects in silicon and the corresponding atomic mobility are investigated by comprehensive classical molecular-dynamics simulations using the Stillinger-Weber potential and the Tersoff potential. In contrast to most of the previous studies both the point defect diffusivity and the self-diffusion coefficient per defect are calculated separately so that the diffusion-correlation factor can be determined. Simulations with both the Stillinger-Weber and the Tersoff potential show that vacancy migration is characterized by the transformation of the tetrahedral vacancy to the split vacancy and vice versa and the diffusion-correlation factor f V is about 0.5. This value was also derived by the statistical diffusion theory under the assumption of the same migration mechanism. The mechanisms of self-interstitial migration are more complex. The detailed study, including a visual analysis and investigations with the nudged elastic band method, reveals a variety of transformations between different self-interstitial configurations. Molecular-dynamics simulations using the Stillinger-Weber potential show that the self-interstitial migration is dominated by a dumbbell mechanism, whereas in the case of the Tersoff potential the interstitialcy mechanism prevails. The corresponding values of the correlation factor f I are different, namely, 0.59 and 0.69 for the dumbbell and the interstitialcy mechanisms, respectively. The latter value is nearly equal to that obtained by the statistical theory which assumes the interstitialcy mechanism. Recent analysis of experimental results demonstrated that in the framework of state-of-the-art diffusion and reaction models the best interpretation of point defect data can be given by assuming f I ≅0.6. The comparison with the present atomistic study leads to the conclusion that the self-interstitial migration in Si should be governed by a dumbbell mechanism

A Facile Approach to Prepare Black TiO2 with Oxygen Vacancy for Enhancing Photocatalytic Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shihao; Xiao, Yang; Hu, Zhengfa; Zhao, Hui; Xie, Wei

2018-01-01

Black TiO2 has triggered worldwide research interest due to its excellent photocatalytic properties. However, the understanding of its structure–property relationships and a more effective, facile and versatile method to produce it remain great challenges. We have developed a facile approach to synthesize black TiO2 nanoparticles with significantly improved light absorption in the visible and infrared regions. The experimental results show that oxygen vacancies are the major factors responsible for black coloration. More importantly, our black TiO2 nanoparticles have no Ti3+ ions. These oxygen vacancies could introduce localized states in the bandgap and act as trap centers, significantly decreasing the electron–hole recombination. The photocatalytic decomposition of both rhodamine B and methylene blue demonstrated that, under ultraviolet light irradiation, better photocatalytic performance is achieved with our black TiO2 nanoparticles than with commercial TiO2 nanoparticles. PMID:29659500

Sn doped TiO{sub 2} nanotube with oxygen vacancy for highly efficient visible light photocatalysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jinliang; Xu, Xingtao [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, School of Physics and Materials Science, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Liu, Xinjuan [Institute of Coordination Bond Metrology and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Yu, Caiyan; Yan, Dong; Sun, Zhuo [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, School of Physics and Materials Science, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Pan, Likun, E-mail: lkpan@phy.ecnu.edu.cn [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, School of Physics and Materials Science, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China)

2016-09-15

Sn doped TiO{sub 2} nanotube with oxygen vacancy (V{sub o}-Sn−TiO{sub 2}) was successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process and subsequent annealing in nitrogen atmosphere. The morphology, structure and photocatalytic performance of V{sub o}-Sn−TiO{sub 2} in the degradation of nitrobenzene were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption and electrochemical impedance spectra, respectively. The inner diameter, outer diameter and specific surface area of V{sub o}-Sn−TiO{sub 2} are about 5 nm, 15 nm and 235.54 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}, respectively. The experimental results show that the V{sub o}-Sn−TiO{sub 2} exhibits excellent photocatalytic performance with a maximum degradation rate of 92% in 300 min for nitrobenzene and 94% in 100 min for Rhodamine B and corresponding mineralization rates of 68% and 70% under visible light irradiation. The improved photocatalytic performance is ascribed to the enhanced light absorption and specific surface area as well as the reduced electron-hole pair recombination with the presence of oxygen vacancy and Sn doping in the TiO{sub 2} nanotube. - Highlights: • Photocatalysis is an environmental-friendly technology for nitrobenzene removal. • Sn doped TiO{sub 2} nanotube with oxygen vacancy is fabricated for the first time. • It exhibits excellent photocatalytic performance in degradation of nitrobenzene. • A high degradation rate of 92% is achieved under visible light irradiation.

Benign Synthesis of Black Microspheres of Anatase TiO2 with Paramagnetic Oxygen Vacancies through NH3 Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Maqbool, Qysar; Srivastava, Aasheesh

2017-10-09

Coloured TiO 2 is coveted for its ability to extract energy from the visible region of electromagnetic spectrum. Here a facile synthesis of black anatase titania microspheres (B-TiO 2 ) through a two-step process is reported. In the first step, amorphous white TiO 2 microspheres (W-TiO 2 ) are obtained by hydrolysing titanium tetraisopropoxide by ammonia vapours in ethanol. In the second step, the W-TiO 2 is thermally annealed at 500 °C to obtain B-TiO 2 . The diffuse reflectance analysis showed that B-TiO 2 absorbs across visible spectrum with absorption extending well into NIR region. Raman scattering together with EPR analysis showed compelling evidence of the existence of oxygen deficiency within the crystal in B-TiO 2 that induces black colouration in the sample. The defects present in the black anatase sample were confirmed to be single-electron-trapped (or paramagnetic) oxygen vacancies (V o ⋅) by XPS and EPR studies. The magnetic susceptibility studies showed existence of antiferromagnetic interactions between these unpaired electron spins. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultrathin FeOOH nanolayers with abundant oxygen vacancies on BiVO{sub 4} photoanodes for efficient water oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Beibei [State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, National Engineering Research Center for Fine Petrochemical Intermediates, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou (China); State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metals Chemistry and Resources Utilization of Gansu Province, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou (China); Wang, Lei; Zhang, Yajun; Bi, Yingpu [State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, National Engineering Research Center for Fine Petrochemical Intermediates, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou (China); Ding, Yong [State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metals Chemistry and Resources Utilization of Gansu Province, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou (China)

2018-02-19

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a promising method for storing solar energy in the form of hydrogen fuel, but it is greatly hindered by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a facile solution impregnation method is developed for growing ultrathin (2 nm) highly crystalline β-FeOOH nanolayers with abundant oxygen vacancies on BiVO{sub 4} photoanodes. These exhibited a remarkable photocurrent density of 4.3 mA cm{sup -2} at 1.23 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), AM 1.5 G), which is approximately two times higher than that of amorphous FeOOH fabricated by electrodeposition. Systematic studies reveal that the excellent PEC activity should be attributed to their ultrathin crystalline structure and abundant oxygen vacancies, which could effectively facilitate the hole transport/trapping and provide more active sites for water oxidation. (copyright 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Periodic density functional theory study of ethylene hydrogenation over Co3O4 (1 1 1) surface: The critical role of oxygen vacancies

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jinhui; Song, JiaJia; Niu, Hongling; Pan, Lun; Zhang, Xiangwen; Wang, Li; Zou, Ji-Jun

2016-05-01

Recently, metal oxides are attracting increasing interests as hydrogenation catalyst. Herein we studied the hydrogenation of ethylene on perfect and oxygen defective Co3O4 (1 1 1) using periodic density functional theory. The energetics and pathways of ethylene hydrogenation to ethane were determined. We have demonstrated that (i) H2 dissociation on Co3O4 is a complicated two-step process through a heterolytic cleavage, followed by the migration of H atom and finally yields the homolytic product on both perfect and oxygen defective Co3O4 (1 1 1) surfaces easily. (ii) After introducing the surface oxygen vacancy, the stepwise hydrogenation of ethylene by atomic hydrogen is much easier than that on perfect surface due to the weaker bond strength of OH group. The strength of Osbnd H bond is a crucial factor for the hydrogenation reaction which involves the breakage of Osbnd H bond. The formation of oxygen vacancy increases the electronic charges at the adjacent surface O, which reduces its capability of further gaining electrons from adsorbed atomic hydrogen and then weakens the strength of Osbnd H bond. These results emphasize the importance of the oxygen vacancies for hydrogenation on metal oxides.

Experimental evidence of hydrogen–oxygen decoupled diffusion into BaZr0.6Ce0.25Y0.15O3−δ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, D.-K.; Im, H.-N.; Jeon, S.-Y.; Park, J.-Y.; Song, S.-J.

2013-01-01

The electrical properties of BaZr 0.6 Ce 0.25 Y 0.15 O 3−δ (BZCY) were studied as a function of both oxygen partial pressure (-2.65⩽log(P O 2 atm -1 )⩽-0.62) and water vapor activity (-3.33⩽log(P H 2 O atm -1 ⩽-1.3)) in the temperature range of 973–1073 K. The total conductivity slightly increased in reducing atmospheres with increasing water vapor activity because of the relative contribution to the total conductivity by the redox reaction at the given thermodynamic conditions. The partial conductivities of protons, holes and oxygen vacancies were successfully calculated, and the activation energy determined for proton transport was 0.3 ± 0.1 eV. The chemical diffusivity of oxygen at a fixed water vapor activity, D ∼ vO , could only be evaluated from Fick’s second law during oxidation and reduction at the fixed water vapor activity. However, twofold nonmonotonic conductivity relaxation behaviors were clearly confirmed in the temperature range investigated during hydration/dehydration. If P O 2 represents the fixed oxygen partial pressure, D ∼ iH is the hydrogen chemical diffusivity at P O 2 and D ∼ vH is the oxygen chemical diffusivity at P O 2 , it was observed that D ∼ iH >D ∼ vH at all experimental conditions, suggesting that the hydrogen chemical diffusion is always faster than oxygen on hydration/dehydration in the temperature range studied

An oxygen-vacancy-rich Z-scheme g-C3N4/Pd/TiO2 heterostructure for enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Yanru; Xiao, Limin; Zhang, Min; Li, Qiuye; Yang, Jianjun

2018-05-01

An oxygen-vacancy-rich Z-scheme g-C3N4/Pd/TiO2 ternary nanocomposite was fabricated using nanotubular titanic acid as precursors via a simple photo-deposition of Pd nanoparticles and calcination process. The prepared nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, respectively. For g-C3N4/TiO2 binary nanocomposites, at the optimal content of g-C3N4 (2%), the apparent photocatalytic activity of 2%g-C3N4/TiO2 was 9 times higher than that of pure TiO2 under visible-light illumination. After deposition of Pd (1 wt%) at the contact interface between g-C3N4 and TiO2, the 2%g-C3N4/Pd/TiO2 ternary nanocomposites demonstrated the highest visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity for the degradation of gaseous propylene, which was 16- and 2-fold higher activities than pure TiO2 and 2%g-C3N4/TiO2, respectively. The mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic performance of the g-C3N4/Pd/TiO2 photo-catalyst is proposed to be based on the efficient separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs through Z-scheme system, in which uniform dispersity of Pd nanoparticles at contact interface between g-C3N4 and TiO2 and oxygen vacancies promote charge separation.

Hydroxyl-dependent Evolution of Oxygen Vacancies Enables the Regeneration of BiOCl photocatalyst

KAUST Repository

Wu, Sujuan

2017-05-02

Photoinduced oxygen vacancies (OVs) are widely investigated as a vital point defect in wide-band-gap semiconductors. Still, the formation mechanism of OVs remains unclear in various materials. To elucidate the formation mechanism of photoinduced OVs in bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl), we synthesized two surface hydroxyl discrete samples in light of the discovery of the significant variance of hydroxyl groups before and after UV light exposure. It is noted that OVs can be obtained easily after UV light irradiation in the sample with surface hydroxyl groups, while variable changes were observed in samples without surface hydroxyls. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the binding energy of Bi-O is drastically influenced by surficial hydroxyl groups, which is intensely correlated to the formation of photoinduced OVs. Moreover, DFT calculations reveal that the adsorbed water molecules are energetically favored to dissociate into separate hydroxyl groups at the OV sites via proton transfer to a neighboring bridging oxygen atom, forming two bridging hydroxyl groups per initial oxygen vacancy. This result is consistent with the experimental observation that the disappearance of photoinduced OVs and the recovery of hydroxyl groups on the surface of BiOCl after exposed to a H2O(g)-rich atmosphere, and finally enables the regeneration of BiOCl photocatalyst. Here, we introduce new insights that the evolution of photoinduced OVs is dependent on surface hydroxyl groups, which will lead to the regeneration of active sites in semiconductors. This work is useful for controllable designs of defective semiconductors for applications in photocatalysis and photovoltaics.

Unraveling the facet-dependent and oxygen vacancy role for ethylene hydrogenation on Co_3O_4 (110) surface: A DFT+U study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yong-Chao; Pan, Lun; Lu, Jinhui; Song, Jiajia; Li, Zheng; Zhang, Xiangwen; Wang, Li; Zou, Ji-Jun

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The mechanism of ethylene hydrogenation on perfect and oxygen defective Co_3O_4(110) is investigated by using DFT + U. • Oxygen vacancy promotes ethylene hydrogenation thermodynamically and kinetically. • The Co3O4 (110) facet is more active than the (111) one for ethylene hydrogenation. - Abstract: Crystal facet engineering and defect engineering are both critical strategies to improve the catalytic hydrogenation performance of catalyst. Herein, ethylene hydrogenation on the perfect and oxygen defective Co_3O_4(110) surfaces has been studied by using periodic density functional theory calculations. The results are compared with that on Co_3O_4(111) surface to clarify the problem of which facet for Co_3O_4 is more reactive, and to illuminate the role of oxygen vacancy. The low oxygen vacancy formation energy suggests that Co_3O_4(110) surface with defective site is easily formed. The whole mechanism of H_2 dissociation and stepwise hydrogenation of ethylene to ethane is examined, and the most favorable pathway is heterolytic dissociation of H_2 follows two stepwise hydrogenation of ethylene process. The results show that ethyl hydrogenation to ethane on perfect Co_3O_4(110) surface is the rate limiting step with an activation energy of 1.19 eV, and the presence of oxygen vacancy strongly reduces the activation energies of main elementary steps, and the activation energy of rate limiting step is only 0.47 eV. Compared with that on Co_3O_4(111), ethylene hydrogenation is preferred on Co_3O_4(110) surface. Therefore, Co_3O_4 with exposed (110) facet is predicted as an excellent catalyst for ethylene hydrogenation.

Fast self-diffusion of ions in CH ₃ NH ₃ PbI ₃ : the interstiticaly mechanism versus vacancy-assisted mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Ji-Hui; Yin, Wan-Jian; Park, Ji-Sang; Wei, Su-Huai

2016-01-01

The stability of organic-inorganic halide perovskites is a major challenge for their applications and has been extensively studied. Among the possible underlying reasons, ion self-diffusion has been inferred to play important roles. While theoretical studies congruously support that iodine is more mobile, experimental studies only observe the direct diffusion of the MA ion and possible diffusion of iodine. The discrepancy may result from the incomplete understanding of ion diffusion mechanisms. With the help of first-principles calculations, we studied ion diffusion in CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) through not only the vacancy-assisted mechanisms presumed in previous theoretical studies, but also the neglected interstiticaly mechanisms. We found that compared to the diffusion through the vacancy-assisted mechanism, MA ion diffusion through the interstiticaly mechanism has a much smaller barrier which could explain experimental observations. For iodine diffusion, both mechanisms can yield relatively small barriers. Depending on the growth conditions, defect densities of vacancies and interstitials can vary and so do the diffusion species as well as diffusion mechanisms. Our work thus supports that both MA and iodine ion diffusion could contribute to the performance instability of MAPbI3. While being congruous with experimental results, our work fills the research gap by providing a full understanding of ion diffusion in halide perovskites.

A quantum-chemical study of oxygen-vacancy defects in PbTiO3 crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stashans, Arvids; Serrano, Sheyla; Medina, Paul

2006-01-01

Investigation of an oxygen vacancy and F center in the cubic and tetragonal lattices of PbTiO 3 crystals is done by means of quantum-chemical simulations. Displacements of defect-surrounding atoms, electronic and optical properties, lattice relaxation energies and some new effects due to the defects presence are reported and analyzed. A comparison with similar studies is made and conclusions are drawn on the basis of the obtained results

Oxygen diffusion through soil covers on sulphidic mine tailings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanful, E.K.

1993-01-01

Engineered soil covers are being evaluated under Canada's Mine Environment Neutral Drainage (MEND) program for their effectiveness in preventing and controlling acid generation in sulfidic mill tailings. A critical parameter for predicting the performance of these covers is the diffusion coefficient of gaseous oxygen in the cover materials. Laboratory experiments conducted to determine the effective diffusion coefficient of a candidate cover material, a glacial till from an active mine site, are described. The diffusion coefficient is determined by fitting a semianalytic solution of the one-dimensional, transient diffusion equation to experimental gaseous oxygen concentration versus time graphs. Effective diffusion coefficients determined at high water saturations (85%--95%) were of the order of 8 x 10 -8 m 2 /s. The diffusion coefficients decreased with increase in water saturation as a result of the low diffusivity of gaseous oxygen in water relative to that in air and the low solubility of oxygen in water. Placement of soil covers in high saturation conditions would ensure that the flux of oxygen into tailings underneath such covers is low, resulting in low acid flux. This is confirmed by combined laboratory, field, and modeling studies

Creep effects in diffusion bonding of oxygen-free copper

CERN Document Server

Moilanen, Antti

Diffusion is the transport of atoms or particles through the surrounding material. Various microstructural changes in metals are based on the diffusion phenomena. In solid metals the diffusion is closely related to crystallographic defects. In single-component metals the dominant mechanism of diffusion is the vacancy mechanism. Diffusion bonding is a direct technological application of diffusion. It is an advanced solidstate joining process in which the surfaces of two components are brought to contact with each other and heated under a pressing load in a controlled environment. During the process, the contact surfaces are bonded by atomic diffusion across the interface and as a result, one solid piece is formed. The condition of high temperature and low applied stress combined with relatively long process duration enables the creep effects to take place in bonded metals. Furthermore, creep causes unwanted permanent deformations in the bonded components. Some authors suggest that there could be a threshold fo...

The modulation of oxygen vacancies by the combined current effect and temperature cycling in La0.7Sr0.3CoO3 film

Science.gov (United States)

Li, J.; Wang, J.; Kuang, H.; Zhao, Y. Y.; Qiao, K. M.; Liu, Y.; Hu, F. X.; Sun, J. R.; Shen, B. G.

2018-05-01

Modulating the oxygen defect concentration has been accepted as an effective method to obtain high catalytic activity in perovskite cobaltites. However, controllably modifying the oxygen vacancy is still a challenge in this type of materials, which strongly obstructs their application. Here, we report a successful oxygen vacancies modulation in the La0.7Sr0.3CoO3 (LSCO) film by using combined current effect and temperature cycling. The temperature dependent transport properties of the LSCO/LAO film were investigated. The results revealed that the resistance of the film keeps increasing under the repeated measurements. It was found that the accumulation of the oxygen vacancy by current effect transforms the Co4+ ion into Co3+ ion, which results in the enhancement of the resistance and thus the transport switching behavior. Moreover, the resistance in the cooling process was found to be much higher than that in previous cooling and heating processes, which indicates that the oxygen escapes more quickly in the high temperature region. On the other hand, our analysis indicates that the CoO6 distortion may contribute to the switching of transport behaviors in the low temperature region. Our work provides an effective and controllable way to modulate oxygen defect in the perovskite-type oxides.

High temperature oxidation of metals: vacancy injection and consequences on the mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perusin, S.

2004-11-01

The aim of this work is to account for the effects of the high temperature oxidation of metals on their microstructure and their mechanical properties. 'Model' materials like pure nickel, pure iron and the Ni-20Cr alloy are studied. Nickel foils have been oxidised at 1000 C on one side only in laboratory air, the other side being protected from oxidation by a reducing atmosphere. After the oxidation treatment, the unoxidized face was carefully examined by using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). Grain boundaries grooves were characterised and their depth were compared to the ones obtained on the same sample heat treated in the reducing atmosphere during the same time. They are found to be much deeper in the case of the single side oxidised samples. It is shown that this additional grooving is directly linked to the growth of the oxide scale on the opposite side and that it can be explained by the diffusion of the vacancies produced at the oxide scale - metal interface, across the entire sample through grain boundaries. Moreover, the comparison between single side oxidised samples and samples oxidised on both sides points out that voids in grain boundaries are only observed in this latter case proving the vacancies condensation in the metal when the two faces are oxidised. The role of the carbon content and the sample's geometry on this phenomenon is examined in detail. The diffusion of vacancies is coupled with the transport of oxygen so that a mechanism of oxygen transport by vacancies is suggested. The tensile tests realised at room temperature on nickel foils (bamboo microstructure) show that the oxide scale can constitute a barrier to the emergence of dislocations at the metal surface. Finally, the Ni-20Cr alloy is tested in tensile and creep tests between 25 and 825 C in oxidising or reducing atmospheres. (author)

Oxygen transport in waterlogged soils, Part II. Diffusion coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obando Moncayo, F.H.

2004-01-01

Several equations are available for Oxygen Transport in Waterlogged Soils and have been used for soils and plants. All of them are some form of first Fick's law as given by dQ = - DA(dc/dx)/dt. This equation illustrates some important aspects of aeration in waterlogged soils; first, D is a property of the medium and the gas, and is affected by temperature T. Likewise, the amount of diffusing substance dQ in dt is a direct function of the cross sectional area A and inversely proportional to the distance x. In fact, increasing the water content of air-dry soil, drastically decreases A and creates a further resistance for the flow of oxygen through water films around root plants, soil micro organisms and soil aggregates. The solid phase is also limiting the cross-section of surface of the free gaseous diffusion and the length and tortuosity of diffusion path in soil. In most of cases, soil gas porosity and tortuosity of soil voids are expressed in the equations of diffusion as a broad 'diffusion coefficient' (apparent coefficient diffusion). The process of soil respiration is complicated, involves many parameters, and is difficult to realistically quantify. With regard to the oxygen supply, it is convenient to distinguish macro and micro models, and hence, the flux of oxygen is assumed to have two steps. The first step is related to oxygen diffusion from the atmosphere and the air-filled porosity. The second step is related to the oxygen diffusion through water-films in and around plant roots, soil micro organisms and aggregates. Because of these models we obtain coefficients of macro or micro diffusion, rates of macro or micro diffusion, etc. In the macro diffusion process oxygen is transferred in the soil profile, mainly from the soil surface to a certain depth of the root zone, while micro diffusion deals with the flux over very short distances. Both processes, macro and micro diffusion are highly influenced by soil water content. Of course, if water is added to

First-principles study on migration of vacancy in tungsten

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oda, Yasuhiro; Ito, Atsushi M.; Takayama, Arimichi; Nakamura, Hiroaki

2014-03-01

We calculated di-vacancy binding energies and migration energies of mono-vacancy and di-vacancy in tungsten material using DFT calculation. The mono-vacancy diffuses in [111] direction easily rather than in [001] direction. The migration energies of di-vacancies are almost the same value of the mono-vacancy. The migration of di-vacancy is approximately the same as the migration of mono-vacancy. The di-vacancy binding energies are almost zero or negative. The interactions between two vacancies in tungsten material are repulsive from the second to fifth nearest-neighbor. The vacancies are difficult to aggregate since di-vacancy is less stable than mono-vacancy. (author)

Photocatalytic Conversion of Nitrogen to Ammonia with Water on Surface Oxygen Vacancies of Titanium Dioxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirakawa, Hiroaki; Hashimoto, Masaki; Shiraishi, Yasuhiro; Hirai, Takayuki

2017-08-09

Ammonia (NH 3 ) is an essential chemical in modern society. It is currently manufactured by the Haber-Bosch process using H 2 and N 2 under extremely high-pressure (>200 bar) and high-temperature (>673 K) conditions. Photocatalytic NH 3 production from water and N 2 at atmospheric pressure and room temperature is ideal. Several semiconductor photocatalysts have been proposed, but all suffer from low efficiency. Here we report that a commercially available TiO 2 with a large number of surface oxygen vacancies, when photoirradiated by UV light in pure water with N 2 , successfully produces NH 3 . The active sites for N 2 reduction are the Ti 3+ species on the oxygen vacancies. These species act as adsorption sites for N 2 and trapping sites for the photoformed conduction band electrons. These properties therefore promote efficient reduction of N 2 to NH 3 . The solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency is 0.02%, which is the highest efficiency among the early reported photocatalytic systems. This noble-metal-free TiO 2 system therefore shows a potential as a new artificial photosynthesis for green NH 3 production.

The dynamics of ultraviolet-induced oxygen vacancy at the surface of insulating SrTiO_3(0 0 1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suwanwong, S.; Eknapakul, T.; Rattanachai, Y.; Masingboon, C.; Rattanasuporn, S.; Phatthanakun, R.; Nakajima, H.; King, P.D.C.; Hodak, S.K.; Meevasana, W.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The dynamics of UV-induced oxygen vacancy is studied from the change of surface resistance. • The formation of 2DEG at the insulating surface of SrTiO_3 is confirmed by ARPES. • The UV-induced change in resistance responds differently to oxygen/gas exposure. • The behavior of resistance recovery suggests an alternative method of low-pressure sensing. - Abstract: The effect of ultra-violet (UV) irradiation on the electronic structure and the surface resistance of an insulating SrTiO_3(0 0 1) crystal is studied in this work. Upon UV irradiation, we show that the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) emerges at the insulating SrTiO_3 surface and there is a pronounced change in the surface resistance. By combining the observations of the change in valance band and the resistance change under different environments of gas pressure and gas species, we find that UV-induced oxygen vacancies at the surface plays a major role in the resistance change. The dynamic of the resistance change at different oxygen pressures also suggests an alternative method of low-pressure sensing.

Measurement of oxygen chemical diffusion in PuO2-x and analysis of oxygen diffusion in PuO2-x and (Pu,U)O2-x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Masato; Uchida, Teppei; Sunaoshi, Takeo

2013-01-01

Oxygen chemical diffusion in PuO 2-x was investigated in the temperature range of 1473-1873 K by thermogravimetry as functions of oxygen-to-metal (O/M) ratios and temperatures. The oxygen chemical diffusion coefficients, D were determined assuming that the reduction curves were dominated by a diffusion process. The O/M ratio and Pu content dependence on the chemical diffusion coefficients were evaluated. The chemical diffusion coefficient had its minimum value at around O/M=1.98 and decreased with increasing Pu content in (U,Pu)O 2-x . The self-diffusion coefficients were evaluated. A model for describing the relationship among O/M ratio, oxygen chemical diffusion, and self-diffusion was proposed based on defect chemistry. (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Direct observation of oxygen-vacancy-enhanced polarization in a SrTiO{sub 3}-buffered ferroelectric BaTiO{sub 3} film on GaAs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiao, Qiao [Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607 (United States); Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240 (United States); Materials Science and Technology Department, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States); Zhang, Yuyang [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240 (United States); Materials Science and Technology Department, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States); Contreras-Guerrero, Rocio; Droopad, Ravi [Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas 78666 (United States); Pantelides, Sokrates T. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240 (United States); Materials Science and Technology Department, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240 (United States); Pennycook, Stephen J. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575 (Singapore); Ogut, Serdar; Klie, Robert F. [Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607 (United States)

2015-11-16

The integration of functional oxide thin-films on compound semiconductors can lead to a class of reconfigurable spin-based optoelectronic devices if defect-free, fully reversible active layers are stabilized. However, previous first-principles calculations predicted that SrTiO{sub 3} thin films grown on Si exhibit pinned ferroelectric behavior that is not switchable, due to the presence of interfacial vacancies. Meanwhile, piezoresponse force microscopy measurements have demonstrated ferroelectricity in BaTiO{sub 3} grown on semiconductor substrates. The presence of interfacial oxygen vacancies in such complex-oxide/semiconductor systems remains unexplored, and their effect on ferroelectricity is controversial. Here, we use a combination of aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and first-principles density functional theory modeling to examine the role of interfacial oxygen vacancies on the ferroelectric polarization of a BaTiO{sub 3} thin film grown on GaAs. We demonstrate that interfacial oxygen vacancies enhance the polar discontinuity (and thus the single domain, out-of-plane polarization pinning in BaTiO{sub 3}), and propose that the presence of surface charge screening allows the formation of switchable domains.

Oxygen vacancy effect on photoluminescence of KNb3O8 nanosheets

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rui; Liu, Liying; Ming, Bangming; Ji, Yuhang; Wang, Ruzhi

2018-05-01

Fungus-like potassium niobate (KNb3O8) nanosheets have been synthesized on indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates by a simple and environmental friendly two-step hydrothermal process. The prepared samples have been characterized by using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM), Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Furthermore, the photoluminescence (PL) of KNb3O8 nanosheets have been systematically studied. The results showed that the PL spectrum is between 300 and 645 nm with a 325 nm light excitation, which is divided into some sub-peaks. It is different from the perfect KNb3O8 nanosheets whose PL emission peaks located at near 433 nm. It should be originated from the effect of the oxygen (O) vacancies in the KNb3O8 nanosheets, which the PLs peaks can be found at about 490 nm and 530 nm by different position of O vacancy. The experimental results are in accordance with the first-principles calculations. Our results may present a feasible clue to estimate the defect position in KNb3O8 by the shape analysis of its spectrum of PLs.

Modelling of the Influence of Sources and Sinks for Vacancies and Stress State on Diffusion in Crystalline Solids

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Svoboda, Jiří; Fischer, F. D.

2011-01-01

Roč. 59, č. 3 (2011), s. 1212-1219 ISSN 1359-6454 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP204/10/1784 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : Substitutional diffusion * Vacancies * Annihilation Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics Impact factor: 3.755, year: 2011

Simultaneous modulation of surface composition, oxygen vacancies and assembly in hierarchical Co3O4 mesoporous nanostructures for lithium storage and electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sun, Hongyu; Zhao, Yanyan; Mølhave, Kristian

2017-01-01

in superior electrochemical properties when used as the anode materials for lithium-ion batteries and as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction. The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of novel hierarchical morphology, crystal structure of the active...... materials, the improvement of intrinsic conductivity and inner surface area induced by the oxygen vacancies. The present strategy not only provides a facile method to assemble novel hierarchical architectures, but also paves a way to control surface structures (chemical composition and crystal defects...

Unraveling the facet-dependent and oxygen vacancy role for ethylene hydrogenation on Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} (110) surface: A DFT+U study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yong-Chao; Pan, Lun; Lu, Jinhui; Song, Jiajia; Li, Zheng; Zhang, Xiangwen; Wang, Li [Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University (China); Collaborative Innovative Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072 (China); Zou, Ji-Jun, E-mail: jj_zou@tju.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University (China); Collaborative Innovative Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072 (China)

2017-04-15

Highlights: • The mechanism of ethylene hydrogenation on perfect and oxygen defective Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}(110) is investigated by using DFT + U. • Oxygen vacancy promotes ethylene hydrogenation thermodynamically and kinetically. • The Co3O4 (110) facet is more active than the (111) one for ethylene hydrogenation. - Abstract: Crystal facet engineering and defect engineering are both critical strategies to improve the catalytic hydrogenation performance of catalyst. Herein, ethylene hydrogenation on the perfect and oxygen defective Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}(110) surfaces has been studied by using periodic density functional theory calculations. The results are compared with that on Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}(111) surface to clarify the problem of which facet for Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} is more reactive, and to illuminate the role of oxygen vacancy. The low oxygen vacancy formation energy suggests that Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}(110) surface with defective site is easily formed. The whole mechanism of H{sub 2} dissociation and stepwise hydrogenation of ethylene to ethane is examined, and the most favorable pathway is heterolytic dissociation of H{sub 2} follows two stepwise hydrogenation of ethylene process. The results show that ethyl hydrogenation to ethane on perfect Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}(110) surface is the rate limiting step with an activation energy of 1.19 eV, and the presence of oxygen vacancy strongly reduces the activation energies of main elementary steps, and the activation energy of rate limiting step is only 0.47 eV. Compared with that on Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}(111), ethylene hydrogenation is preferred on Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}(110) surface. Therefore, Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} with exposed (110) facet is predicted as an excellent catalyst for ethylene hydrogenation.

Memristive behaviour of Si-Al oxynitride thin films: the role of oxygen and nitrogen vacancies in the electroforming process

Science.gov (United States)

Blázquez, O.; Martín, G.; Camps, I.; Mariscal, A.; López-Vidrier, J.; Ramírez, J. M.; Hernández, S.; Estradé, S.; Peiró, F.; Serna, R.; Garrido, B.

2018-06-01

The resistive switching properties of silicon-aluminium oxynitride (SiAlON) based devices have been studied. Electrical transport mechanisms in both resistance states were determined, exhibiting an ohmic behaviour at low resistance and a defect-related Poole‑Frenkel mechanism at high resistance. Nevertheless, some features of the Al top-electrode are generated during the initial electroforming, suggesting some material modifications. An in-depth microscopic study at the nanoscale has been performed after the electroforming process, by acquiring scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images. The direct observation of the devices confirmed features on the top electrode with bubble-like appearance, as well as some precipitates within the SiAlON. Chemical analysis by electron energy loss spectroscopy has demonstrated that there is an out-diffusion of oxygen and nitrogen ions from the SiAlON layer towards the electrode, thus forming silicon-rich paths within the dielectric layer and indicating vacancy change to be the main mechanism in the resistive switching.

SIMS study of oxygen diffusion in monoclinic HfO2

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Michael P.; De Souza, Roger A.

2018-01-01

The diffusion of oxygen in dense ceramics of monoclinic HfO2 was studied by means of (18O/16O) isotope exchange annealing and subsequent determination of isotope depth profiles by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry. Anneals were performed in the temperature range of 573 ≤T /K ≤ 973 at an oxygen partial pressure of p O2=200 mbar . All measured isotope profiles exhibited two features: the first feature, closer to the surface, was attributed mainly to slow oxygen diffusion in an impurity silicate phase; the second feature, deeper in the sample, was attributed to oxygen diffusion in bulk monoclinic HfO2 . The activation enthalpy of oxygen tracer diffusion in bulk HfO2 was found to be ΔHD∗≈0.5 eV .

Mobility and stability of large vacancy and vacancy-copper clusters in iron: An atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castin, N., E-mail: ncastin@sckcen.be [Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie - Centre d' Etudes de l' energie Nucleaire (SCK-CEN), Nuclear Materials Science Institute, Unit Structural Materials Modelling and Microstructure-Boeretang 200, B2400 Mol (Belgium); Pascuet, M.I., E-mail: pascuet@cnea.gov.ar [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Av. Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Buenos Aires (Argentina); Malerba, L. [Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie - Centre d' Etudes de l' energie Nucleaire (SCK-CEN), Nuclear Materials Science Institute, Unit Structural Materials Modelling and Microstructure-Boeretang 200, B2400 Mol (Belgium)

2012-10-15

The formation of Cu-rich precipitates under irradiation is a major cause for changes in the mechanical response to load of reactor pressure vessel steels. In previous works, it has been shown that the mechanism under which precipitation occurs is governed by diffusion of vacancy-copper (VCu) complexes, also in the absence of irradiation. Coarse-grained computer models (such as object kinetic Monte Carlo) aimed at simulating irradiation processes in model alloys or steels should therefore explicitly include the mobility of Cu precipitates, as a consequence of vacancy hops at their surface. For this purpose, in this work we calculate diffusion coefficients and lifetimes for a large variety of VCu complexes. We use an innovative atomistic model, where vacancy migration energies are calculated with little approximations, taking into account all effects of static relaxation and long-range chemical interaction as predicted by an interatomic potential. Our results show that, contrary to what intuition might suggest, saturation in vacancies tend to slow down the transport of Cu atoms.

Oxygen-Vacancy Abundant Ultrafine Co3O4/Graphene Composites for High-Rate Supercapacitor Electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shuhua; Liu, Yuanyue; Hao, Yufeng; Yang, Xiaopeng; Goddard, William A; Zhang, Xiao Li; Cao, Bingqiang

2018-04-01

The metal oxides/graphene composites are one of the most promising supercapacitors (SCs) electrode materials. However, rational synthesis of such electrode materials with controllable conductivity and electrochemical activity is the topical challenge for high-performance SCs. Here, the Co 3 O 4 /graphene composite is taken as a typical example and develops a novel/universal one-step laser irradiation method that overcomes all these challenges and obtains the oxygen-vacancy abundant ultrafine Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles/graphene (UCNG) composites with high SCs performance. First-principles calculations show that the surface oxygen vacancies can facilitate the electrochemical charge transfer by creating midgap electronic states. The specific capacitance of the UCNG electrode reaches 978.1 F g -1 (135.8 mA h g -1 ) at the current densities of 1 A g -1 and retains a high capacitance retention of 916.5 F g -1 (127.3 mA h g -1 ) even at current density up to 10 A g -1 , showing remarkable rate capability (more than 93.7% capacitance retention). Additionally, 99.3% of the initial capacitance is maintained after consecutive 20 000 cycles, demonstrating enhanced cycling stability. Moreover, this proposed laser-assisted growth strategy is demonstrated to be universal for other metal oxide/graphene composites with tuned electrical conductivity and electrochemical activity.

Efficient Visible Light Nitrogen Fixation with BiOBr Nanosheets of Oxygen Vacancies on the Exposed {001} Facets.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hao; Shang, Jian; Ai, Zhihui; Zhang, Lizhi

2015-05-20

Even though the well-established Haber-Bosch process has been the major artificial way to "fertilize" the earth, its energy-intensive nature has been motivating people to learn from nitrogenase, which can fix atmospheric N2 to NH3 in vivo under mild conditions with its precisely arranged proteins. Here we demonstrate that efficient fixation of N2 to NH3 can proceed under room temperature and atmospheric pressure in water using visible light illuminated BiOBr nanosheets of oxygen vacancies in the absence of any organic scavengers and precious-metal cocatalysts. The designed catalytic oxygen vacancies of BiOBr nanosheets on the exposed {001} facets, with the availability of localized electrons for π-back-donation, have the ability to activate the adsorbed N2, which can thus be efficiently reduced to NH3 by the interfacial electrons transferred from the excited BiOBr nanosheets. This study might open up a new vista to fix atmospheric N2 to NH3 through the less energy-demanding photochemical process.

Decrease of oxygen vacancy by Zn-doped for improving solar-blind photoelectric performance in β-Ga2O3 thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Daoyou; Qin, Xinyuan; Lv, Ming; Shi, Haoze; Su, Yuanli; Yao, Guosheng; Wang, Shunli; Li, Chaorong; Li, Peigang; Tang, Weihua

2017-11-01

Highly (201) oriented Zn-doped β-Ga2O3 thin films with different dopant concentrations were grown on (0001) sapphire substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. With the increase of Zn dopant concentration, the crystal lattice expands, the energy band gap shrinks, and the oxygen vacancy concentration decreases. Both the metal semiconductor metal (MSM) structure photodetectors based on the pure and Zn-doped β-Ga2O3 thin films exhibit solar blind UV photoelectric property. Compared to the pure β-Ga2O3 photodetector, the Zn-doped one exhibits a lower dark current, a higher photo/dark current ratio, a faster photoresponse speed, which can be attributed to the decreases of oxygen vacancy concentration.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

The dynamics of ultraviolet-induced oxygen vacancy at the surface of insulating SrTiO{sub 3}(0 0 1)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suwanwong, S. [School of Physics, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand); Program in General Science Teaching, Faculty of Education, Vongchavalitkul University, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand); Eknapakul, T. [School of Physics, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand); Rattanachai, Y. [Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Sciences and Liberal Arts, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand); Masingboon, C. [School of Physics, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand); Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kasetsart University, Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus, Sakon Nakhon 47000 (Thailand); Rattanasuporn, S.; Phatthanakun, R.; Nakajima, H. [Synchrotron Light Research Institute, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand); King, P.D.C. [SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Hodak, S.K. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Meevasana, W., E-mail: worawat@g.sut.ac.th [School of Physics, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand); NANOTEC-SUT Center of Excellence on Advanced Functional Nanomaterials, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand); Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics, CHE, Bangkok 10400 (Thailand)

2015-11-15

Highlights: • The dynamics of UV-induced oxygen vacancy is studied from the change of surface resistance. • The formation of 2DEG at the insulating surface of SrTiO{sub 3} is confirmed by ARPES. • The UV-induced change in resistance responds differently to oxygen/gas exposure. • The behavior of resistance recovery suggests an alternative method of low-pressure sensing. - Abstract: The effect of ultra-violet (UV) irradiation on the electronic structure and the surface resistance of an insulating SrTiO{sub 3}(0 0 1) crystal is studied in this work. Upon UV irradiation, we show that the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) emerges at the insulating SrTiO{sub 3} surface and there is a pronounced change in the surface resistance. By combining the observations of the change in valance band and the resistance change under different environments of gas pressure and gas species, we find that UV-induced oxygen vacancies at the surface plays a major role in the resistance change. The dynamic of the resistance change at different oxygen pressures also suggests an alternative method of low-pressure sensing.

Diffusion of oxygen in niobium during bake-out

CERN Document Server

Calatroni, Sergio; Ruzinov, V

2001-01-01

Bake-outs at temperatures between 100 C and 150 C for a duration up to two days have become customary for optimising the performance of bulk niobium cavities. This treatment results in the diffusion of oxygen, originating from the surface oxide, into the niobium. The theoretical oxygen profile has been simulated using the diffusion equations, and compared with some experimental results.

Diffusion of oxygen in niobium during bake-out

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benvenuti, C.; Calatroni, S.; Ruzinov, V.

2003-01-01

Bake-outs at temperatures between 100 degC and 150 degC for duration up to two days have become customary for optimising the performance of bulk niobium cavities. This treatment results in the diffusion of oxygen, originating from the surface oxide, into the niobium. The theoretical oxygen profile has been simulated using the diffusion equations, and compared with some experimental results. (author)

A quantum-chemical study of oxygen-vacancy defects in PbTiO{sub 3} crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stashans, Arvids [Laboratorio de Fisica, Escuela de Electronica y Telecomunicaciones, Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja, Apartado 11-01-608, Loja (Ecuador)]. E-mail: arvids@utpl.edu.ec; Serrano, Sheyla [Centro de Investigacion en Fisica de Materia Condensada, Corporacion de Fisica Fundamental y Aplicada, Apartado 17-12-637, Quito (Ecuador); Escuela de Ingenierias, Universidad Politecnica Salesiana, Campus Sur, Rumichaca s/n y Moran Valverde, Apartado 17-12-536, Quito (Ecuador); Medina, Paul [Centro de Investigacion en Fisica de Materia Condensada, Corporacion de Fisica Fundamental y Aplicada, Apartado 17-12-637, Quito (Ecuador)

2006-05-31

Investigation of an oxygen vacancy and F center in the cubic and tetragonal lattices of PbTiO{sub 3} crystals is done by means of quantum-chemical simulations. Displacements of defect-surrounding atoms, electronic and optical properties, lattice relaxation energies and some new effects due to the defects presence are reported and analyzed. A comparison with similar studies is made and conclusions are drawn on the basis of the obtained results.

Vacancies in thermal equilibrium in Nb

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, B.; Lynn, K.G.; Hurst, J.; Vehanen, A.; Schultz, P.J.

1985-06-01

We have measured the diffusion of positrons in Nb(110) in the temperature range from 300K to 2450K utilizing a variable energy positron beam. The purpose was to study the vacancy formation. However, no significant sign of vacancy trapping was observed. This could be due to a high detrapping rate caused by a low positron binding energy or due to a high vacancy formation enthalpy H/sub IV//sup F/. The last possibility is consistent with recent studies of the vacancy migration and with calculation of the positron binding energy. In this case we find the H/sub IV//sup F/ > 3 eV

Determination of Krypton Diffusion Coefficients in Uranium Dioxide Using Atomic Scale Calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

Vathonne, Emerson; Andersson, David A; Freyss, Michel; Perriot, Romain; Cooper, Michael W D; Stanek, Christopher R; Bertolus, Marjorie

2017-01-03

We present a study of the diffusion of krypton in UO 2 using atomic scale calculations combined with diffusion models adapted to the system studied. The migration barriers of the elementary mechanisms for interstitial or vacancy assisted migration are calculated in the DFT+U framework using the nudged elastic band method. The attempt frequencies are obtained from the phonon modes of the defect at the initial and saddle points using empirical potential methods. The diffusion coefficients of Kr in UO 2 are then calculated by combining this data with diffusion models accounting for the concentration of vacancies and the interaction of vacancies with Kr atoms. We determined the preferred mechanism for Kr migration and the corresponding diffusion coefficient as a function of the oxygen chemical potential μ O or nonstoichiometry. For very hypostoichiometric (or U-rich) conditions, the most favorable mechanism is interstitial migration. For hypostoichiometric UO 2 , migration is assisted by the bound Schottky defect and the charged uranium vacancy, V U 4- . Around stoichiometry, migration assisted by the charged uranium-oxygen divacancy (V UO 2- ) and V U 4- is the favored mechanism. Finally, for hyperstoichiometric or O-rich conditions, the migration assisted by two V U 4- dominates. Kr migration is enhanced at higher μ O , and in this regime, the activation energy will be between 4.09 and 0.73 eV depending on nonstoichiometry. The experimental values available are in the latter interval. Since it is very probable that these values were obtained for at least slightly hyperstoichiometric samples, our activation energies are consistent with the experimental data, even if further experiments with precisely controlled stoichiometry are needed to confirm these results. The mechanisms and trends with nonstoichiometry established for Kr are similar to those found in previous studies of Xe.

Detection of oxygen vacancy defect states in capacitors with ultrathin Ta2O5 films by zero-bias thermally stimulated current spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, W.S.; Leong, L.L.; Han, Taejoon; Sandler, Nathan P.

2003-01-01

Defect state D (0.8 eV) was experimentally detected in Ta 2 O 5 capacitors with ultrathin (physical thickness 2 O 5 films using zero-bias thermally stimulated current spectroscopy and correlated with leakage current. Defect state D can be more efficiently suppressed by using N 2 O rapid thermal annealing (RTA) instead of using O 2 RTA for postdeposition annealing and by using TiN instead of Al for top electrode. We believe that defect D is probably the first ionization level of the oxygen vacancy deep double donor. Other important defects are Si/O-vacancy complex single donors and C/O-vacancy complex single donors

Extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and x-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy study of aliovalent doped ceria to correlate local structural changes with oxygen vacancies clustering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shirbhate, S. C.; Acharya, S. A., E-mail: saha275@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur 440033 (India); Yadav, A. K. [Atomic and molecular Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)

2016-04-04

This study provides atomic scale insight to understand the role of aliovalent dopants on oxygen vacancies clustering and dissociation mechanism in ceria system in order to enhance the performance of oxy-ion conductor. Dopants induced microscale changes in ceria are probed by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, X-ray absorption near edge spectra, and Raman spectroscopy. The results are explored to establish a correlation between atomic level structural changes (coordination number, interatomic spacing) → formation of dimer and trimer type cation-oxygen vacancies defect complex (intrinsic and extrinsic) → dissociation of oxygen vacancies from defect cluster → ionic conductivity temperature. It is a strategic approach to understand key physics of ionic conductivity mechanism in order to reduce operating temperature of electrolytes for intermediate temperature (300–450 °C) electrochemical devices for the first time.

Beyond the Cahn-Hilliard equation: a vacancy-based kinetic theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nastar, M.

2011-01-01

A Self-Consistent Mean Field (SCMF) kinetic theory including an explicit description of the vacancy diffusion mechanism is developed. The present theory goes beyond the usual local equilibrium hypothesis. It is applied to the study of the early time spinodal decomposition in alloys. The resulting analytical expression of the structure function highlights the contribution of the vacancy diffusion mechanism. Instead of the single amplification rate of the Cahn-Hillard linear theory, the linearized SCMF kinetic equations involve three constant rates, first one describing the vacancy relaxation kinetics, second one related to the kinetic coupling between local concentrations and pair correlations and the third one representing the spinodal amplification rate. Starting from the same vacancy diffusion model, we perform kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of a Body Centered Cubic (BCC) demixting alloy. The resulting spherically averaged structure function is compared to the SCMF predictions. Both qualitative and quantitative agreements are satisfying. (authors)

Zn-vacancy related defects in ZnO grown by pulsed laser deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Ling, F. C. C.; Luo, C. Q.; Wang, Z. L.; Anwand, W.; Wagner, A.

2017-02-01

Undoped and Ga-doped ZnO (002) films were grown c-sapphire using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. Znvacancy related defects in the films were studied by different positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS). These included Doppler broadening spectroscopy (DBS) employing a continuous monenergetic positron beam, and positron lifetime spectroscopy using a pulsed monoenergetic positron beam attached to an electron linear accelerator. Two kinds of Znvacancy related defects namely a monovacancy and a divacancy were identified in the films. In as-grown undoped samples grown with relatively low oxygen pressure P(O2)≤1.3 Pa, monovacancy is the dominant Zn-vacancy related defect. Annealing these samples at 900 oC induced Zn out-diffusion into the substrate and converted the monovacancy to divacancy. For the undoped samples grown with high P(O2)=5 Pa irrespective of the annealing temperature and the as-grown degenerate Ga-doped sample (n=1020 cm-3), divacancy is the dominant Zn-vacancy related defect. The clustering of vacancy will be discussed.

Determination of oxygen effective diffusivity in porous gas diffusion layer using a three-dimensional pore network model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Rui; Zhu Xun; Liao Qiang; Wang Hong; Ding Yudong; Li Jun; Ye Dingding

2010-01-01

In proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) models, oxygen effective diffusivity is the most important parameter to characterize the oxygen transport in the gas diffusion layer (GDL). However, its determination is a challenge due to its complex dependency on GDL structure. In the present study, a three-dimensional network consisting of spherical pores and cylindrical throats is developed and used to investigate the effects of GDL structural parameters on oxygen effective diffusivity under the condition with/without water invasion process. Oxygen transport in the throat is described by Fick's law and water invasion process in the network is simulated using the invasion percolation with trapping algorithm. The simulation results reveal that oxygen effective diffusivity is slightly affected by network size but increases with decreasing the network heterogeneity and with increasing the pore connectivity. Impacts of network anisotropy on oxygen transport are also investigated in this paper. The anisotropic network is constructed by constricting the throats in the through-plane direction with a constriction factor. It is found that water invasion has a more severe negative influence on oxygen transport in an anisotropic network. Finally, two new correlations are introduced to determine the oxygen effective diffusivity for the Toray carbon paper GDLs.

Measurement of oxygen chemical diffusion in PuO{sub 2-x} and analysis of oxygen diffusion in PuO{sub 2-x} and (Pu,U)O{sub 2-x}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, Masato; Uchida, Teppei [Advanced Nuclear System Research and Development Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33 Muramatsu, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1194 (Japan); Sunaoshi, Takeo [Inspection Development Company Ltd., 4-33 Muramatsu, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1194 (Japan)

2013-02-15

Oxygen chemical diffusion in PuO{sub 2-x} was investigated in the temperature range of 1473-1873 K by thermogravimetry as functions of oxygen-to-metal (O/M) ratios and temperatures. The oxygen chemical diffusion coefficients, D were determined assuming that the reduction curves were dominated by a diffusion process. The O/M ratio and Pu content dependence on the chemical diffusion coefficients were evaluated. The chemical diffusion coefficient had its minimum value at around O/M=1.98 and decreased with increasing Pu content in (U,Pu)O{sub 2-x}. The self-diffusion coefficients were evaluated. A model for describing the relationship among O/M ratio, oxygen chemical diffusion, and self-diffusion was proposed based on defect chemistry. (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Oxygen and nitrogen diffusion in coal-molecular sieve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefanescu, Doina Maria

1996-01-01

Recently, the air separation process based on selective adsorption of carbon-molecular sieves has been developed strongly. The separation is based on the system kinematics and depends on the oxygen diffusion in adsorber micropores. The oxygen is preferentially adsorbed and in given conditions it is possible to obtain nitrogen of high purity. Recent theoretical and experimental studies concerning the production of nitrogen by PSA process have shown that the obtained performances can not be described by a constant diffusion model. The paper present the 'dual' model assumed for O 2 and N 2 diffusion through molecular sieve as well as the experimental data obtained in the adsorption study on carbon material produced at ICIS to determine the diffusivity values in micropores

Experimental identification of nitrogen-vacancy complexes in nitrogen implanted silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, Lahir Shaik; Law, Mark E.; Szpala, Stanislaw; Simpson, P. J.; Lawther, Derek; Dokumaci, Omer; Hegde, Suri

2001-07-01

Nitrogen implantation is commonly used in multigate oxide thickness processing for mixed signal complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor and System on a Chip technologies. Current experiments and diffusion models indicate that upon annealing, implanted nitrogen diffuses towards the surface. The mechanism proposed for nitrogen diffusion is the formation of nitrogen-vacancy complexes in silicon, as indicated by ab initio studies by J. S. Nelson, P. A. Schultz, and A. F. Wright [Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 247 (1998)]. However, to date, there does not exist any experimental evidence of nitrogen-vacancy formation in silicon. This letter provides experimental evidence through positron annihilation spectroscopy that nitrogen-vacancy complexes indeed form in nitrogen implanted silicon, and compares the experimental results to the ab initio studies, providing qualitative support for the same.

The role of Co impurities and oxygen vacancies in the ferromagnetism of Co-doped SnO2: GGA and GGA+U studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hongxia; Yan Yu; Mohammed, Y. Sh.; Du Xiaobo; Li Kai; Jin Hanmin

2009-01-01

The electronic structure and ferromagnetic stability of Co-doped SnO 2 are studied using the first-principle density functional method within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and GGA+U schemes. The addition of effective U Co transforms the ground state of Co-doped SnO 2 to insulating from half-metallic and the coupling between the nearest neighbor Co spins to weak antimagnetic from strong ferromagnetic. GGA+U Co calculations show that the pure substitutional Co defects in SnO 2 cannot induce the ferromagnetism. Oxygen vacancies tend to locate near Co atoms. Their presence increases the magnetic moment of Co and induces the ferromagnetic coupling between two Co spins with large Co-Co distance. The calculated density of state and spin density distribution calculated by GGA+U Co show that the long-range ferromagnetic coupling between two Co spins is mediated by spin-split impurity band induced by oxygen vacancies. More charge transfer from impurity to Co-3d states and larger spin split of Co-3d and impurity states induced by the addition of U Co enhance the ferromagnetic stability of the system with oxygen vacancies. By applying a Coulomb U O on O 2 s orbital, the band gap is corrected for all calculations and the conclusions derived from GGA+U Co calculations are not changed by the correction of band gap.

An Unusual Strong Visible-Light Absorption Band in Red Anatase TiO2 Photocatalyst Induced by Atomic Hydrogen-Occupied Oxygen Vacancies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yongqiang; Yin, Li-Chang; Gong, Yue; Niu, Ping; Wang, Jian-Qiang; Gu, Lin; Chen, Xingqiu; Liu, Gang; Wang, Lianzhou; Cheng, Hui-Ming

2018-02-01

Increasing visible light absorption of classic wide-bandgap photocatalysts like TiO 2 has long been pursued in order to promote solar energy conversion. Modulating the composition and/or stoichiometry of these photocatalysts is essential to narrow their bandgap for a strong visible-light absorption band. However, the bands obtained so far normally suffer from a low absorbance and/or narrow range. Herein, in contrast to the common tail-like absorption band in hydrogen-free oxygen-deficient TiO 2 , an unusual strong absorption band spanning the full spectrum of visible light is achieved in anatase TiO 2 by intentionally introducing atomic hydrogen-mediated oxygen vacancies. Combining experimental characterizations with theoretical calculations reveals the excitation of a new subvalence band associated with atomic hydrogen filled oxygen vacancies as the origin of such band, which subsequently leads to active photo-electrochemical water oxidation under visible light. These findings could provide a powerful way of tailoring wide-bandgap semiconductors to fully capture solar light. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

On the stability and mobility of di-vacancies in tungsten

Science.gov (United States)

Heinola, K.; Djurabekova, F.; Ahlgren, T.

2018-02-01

Properties of small vacancy clusters in tungsten were studied with first-principles calculations. The binding and formation energies of the vacancy clusters increase with the cluster size. Dynamic characteristics of a di-vacancy were specified between room temperature and 700 K with lattice kinetic Monte Carlo calculations, which were parametrised with the present first-principles results for the dissociation barriers. An Arrhenius fit for the di-vacancy diffusion yielded \

Experimental evidence for fast cluster formation of chain oxygen vacancies in YBa2Cu3O7-d being at the origin of the fishtail anomaly

OpenAIRE

Erb, Andreas; Manuel, Alfred A.; Dhalle, Marc; Marti, Frank; Genoud, Jean-Yves; Revaz, Bernard; Junod, Alain; Vasumathi, Dharmavaram; Ishibashi, Shoji; Shukla, Abhay; Walker, Eric; Fischer, Oystein; Fluekiger, Rene; Pozzi, Riccardo; Mali, Mihael

1998-01-01

We report on three different and complementary measurements, namely magnetisation measurements, positron annihilation spectroscopy and NMR measurements, which give evidence that the formation of oxygen vacancy clusters is on the origin of the fishtail anomaly in YBa2Cu3O7-d. While in the case of YBa2Cu3O7.0 the anomaly is intrinsically absent, it can be suppressed in the optimally doped state where vacancies are present. We therefore conclude that the single vacancies or point defects can not...

Oxygen vacancy induced two-dimensional electron system in disordered-crystalline LaAlO{sub 3}/KTaO{sub 3} heterostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zapf, Michael; Gabel, Judith; Scheiderer, Philipp; Dudy, Lenart; Sing, Michael; Claessen, Ralph [Physikalisches Institut and Roentgen Center for Complex Material Systems (RCCM), Universitaet Wuerzburg (Germany); Schlueter, Christoph; Lee, Tien-Lin [Diamond Light Source Ltd., Didcot (United Kingdom)

2016-07-01

Two-dimensional electron systems (2DESs) in oxide heterostructures based on SrTiO{sub 3} are considered to be a promising platform for future microelectronic technology. A variety of interesting properties such as ferromagnetism, resistive switching and superconductivity are linked to interfacial n-doping involving oxygen vacancies. The introduction of a high Z-cation with large spin-orbit coupling like Ta offers an exciting new parameter. We report on a new oxygen vacancy induced 2DES located at the interface of disordered LaAlO{sub 3} and crystalline KTaO{sub 3}, which exhibits remarkably high electron mobilities and charge carrier concentrations. The number of charge carriers can be readily manipulated by the film thickness and irradiation with intense X-rays. Our synchrotron-based hard X-ray photoemission experiments provide a direct probe of the Ta 5d charge carriers at the buried interface to obtain information on the charge carrier density, its depth distribution, and the band structure.

High-performance gas sensing achieved by mesoporous tungsten oxide mesocrystals with increased oxygen vacancies

KAUST Repository

Wang, Dong

2013-01-01

The inner structure of W18O49 mesocrystals was observed by electron microscopy with the help of ultramicrotomy and focused ion beam techniques. The results showed that these mesocrystals contain irregular mesopores formed through partial fusion of self-assembled nanowires, and consequently have long-range structural ordering in one dimension and short-range ordering in the other two dimensions. The W18O 49 mesocrystals exhibit superior performance in gas sensing applications, which is considered to be associated with the presence of more oxygen vacancy sites in the unique mesoporous structure. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Surface oxygen vacancy and oxygen permeation flux limits of perovskite ion transport membranes

KAUST Repository

Hunt, Anton

2015-09-01

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. The mechanisms and quantitative models for how oxygen is separated from air using ion transport membranes (ITMs) are not well understood, largely due to the experimental complexity for determining surface exchange reactions at extreme temperatures (>800°C). This is especially true when fuels are present at the permeate surface. For both inert and reactive (fuels) operations, solid-state oxygen surface vacancies (δ) are ultimately responsible for driving the oxygen flux, JO2. In the inert case, the value of δ at either surface is a function of the local PO2 and temperature, whilst the magnitude of δ dictates both the JO2 and the inherent stability of the material. In this study values of δ are presented based on experimental measurements under inert (CO2) sweep: using a permeation flux model and local PO2 measurements, collected by means of a local gas-sampling probe in our large-scale reactor, we can determine δ directly. The ITM assessed was La0.9Ca0.1FeO3-δ (LCF); the relative resistances to JO2 were quantified using the pre-defined permeation flux model and local PO2 values. Across a temperature range from 825°C to 1056°C, δ was found to vary from 0.007 to 0.029 (<1%), safely within material stability limits, whilst the permeate surface exchange resistance dominates. An inert JO2 limit was identified owing to a maximum sweep surface δ, δmaxinert. The physical presence of δmaxinert is attributed to a rate limiting step shift from desorption to associative electron transfer steps on the sweep surface as PO2 is reduced. Permeate surface exchange limitations under non-reactive conditions suggest that reactive (fuel) operation is necessary to accelerate surface chemistry for future work, to reduce flux resistance and push δpast δmaxinert in a stable manner.

Understanding the presence of vacancy clusters in ZnO from a kinetic perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Bang, Junhyeok; Kim, Youg-Sung; Park, C. H.; Gao, F.; Zhang, S. B.

2014-06-01

Vacancy clusters have been observed in ZnO by positron-annihilation spectroscopy (PAS), but detailed mechanisms are unclear. This is because the clustering happens in non-equilibrium conditions, for which theoretical method has not been well established. Combining first-principles calculation and kinetic Monte Carlo simulation, we determine the roles of non-equilibrium kinetics on the vacancies clustering. We find that clustering starts with the formation of Zn and O vacancy pairs (VZn - Vo), which further grow by attracting additional mono-vacancies. At this stage, vacancy diffusivity becomes crucial: due to the larger diffusivity of VZn compared to VO, more VZn-abundant clusters are formed than VO-abundant clusters. The large dissociation energy barriers, e.g., over 2.5 eV for (VZn - Vo), suggest that, once formed, it is difficult for the clusters to dissociate. By promoting mono-vacancy diffusion, thermal annealing will increase the size of the clusters. As the PAS is insensitive to VO donor defects, our results suggest an interpretation of the experimental data that could not have been made without the in-depth calculations.

Oxygen vacancy rich Cu2O based composite material with nitrogen doped carbon as matrix for photocatalytic H2 production and organic pollutant removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Lele; Xu, Xinxin; Yan, Jiaming; Shi, Fa-Nian; Huo, Yuqiu

2018-02-06

A nitrogen doped carbon matrix supported Cu 2 O composite material (Cu/Cu2O@NC) was fabricated successfully with a coordination polymer as precursor through calcination. In this composite material, Cu 2 O particles with a size of about 6-10 nm were dispersed evenly in the nitrogen doped carbon matrix. After calcination, some coordinated nitrogen atoms were doped in the lattice of Cu 2 O and replace oxygen atoms, thus generating a large number of oxygen vacancies. In Cu/Cu2O@NC, the existence of oxygen vacancies has been confirmed by electron spin resonance (ESR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Under visible light irradiation, Cu/Cu2O@NC exhibits excellent H 2 production with the rate of 379.6 μmol h -1 g -1 . Its photocatalytic activity affects organic dyes, such as Rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO). In addition to photocatalysis, Cu/Cu2O@NC also exhibits striking catalytic activity in reductive conversion of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol with in presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ). The conversion efficiency reaches almost 100% in 250 s with the quantity of Cu/Cu2O@NC as low as 5 mg. The outstanding H 2 production and organic pollutants removal are attributed to the oxygen vacancy. We expect that Cu/Cu2O@NC will find its way as a new resource for hydrogen energy as well as a promising material in water purification.

Manipulating multiple order parameters via oxygen vacancies: The case of E u0.5B a0.5Ti O3 -δ

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Weiwei; He, Qian; Wang, Le; Zeng, Huizhong; Bowlan, John; Ling, Langsheng; Yarotski, Dmitry A.; Zhang, Wenrui; Zhao, Run; Dai, Jiahong; Gu, Junxing; Shen, Shipeng; Guo, Haizhong; Pi, Li; Wang, Haiyan; Wang, Yongqiang; Velasco-Davalos, Ivan A.; Wu, Yangjiang; Hu, Zhijun; Chen, Bin; Li, Run-Wei; Sun, Young; Jin, Kuijuan; Zhang, Yuheng; Chen, Hou-Tong; Ju, Sheng; Ruediger, Andreas; Shi, Daning; Borisevich, Albina Y.; Yang, Hao

2017-09-01

Controlling functionalities, such as magnetism or ferroelectricity, by means of oxygen vacancies (VO) is a key issue for the future development of transition-metal oxides. Progress in this field is currently addressed through VO variations and their impact on mainly one order parameter. Here we reveal a mechanism for tuning both magnetism and ferroelectricity simultaneously by using VO. Combining experimental and density-functional theory studies of E u0.5B a0.5Ti O3 -δ , we demonstrate that oxygen vacancies create T i3 +3 d1 defect states, mediating the ferromagnetic coupling between the localized Eu 4 f7 spins, and increase an off-center displacement of Ti ions, enhancing the ferroelectric Curie temperature. The dual function of Ti sites also promises a magnetoelectric coupling in the E u0.5B a0.5Ti O3 -δ .

Oxygen vacancies at the spinel/perovskite γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} heterointerface probed by resonant photoelectron spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schuetz, Philipp; Pfaff, Florian; Zapf, Michael; Gabel, Judith; Dudy, Lenart; Berner, Goetz; Sing, Michael; Claessen, Ralph [Physikalisches Institut and Roentgen Center for Complex Material Systems (RCCM), Universitaet Wuerzburg (Germany); Chen, Yunzhong; Pryds, Nini [Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Risoe (Denmark); Schlueter, Christoph; Lee, Tien-Lin [Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot (United Kingdom)

2016-07-01

The spinel/perovskite heterointerface between the band insulators γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3} hosts a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) with exceptionally high electron mobility. Soft x-ray resonant photoelectron spectroscopy at the Ti L absorption edge is used to probe the Ti 3d derived interface states. Marked differences in the resonance behavior are found for the SrTiO{sub 3} valence band and the different interface states, which are observed in the band gap of SrTiO{sub 3}. A comparison to X-ray absorption spectra of Ti 3d{sup 0} and Ti 3d{sup 1} systems reveals the presence of different types of electronic states with Ti 3d character, i.e., oxygen vacancy induced, trapped in-gap states and itinerant states contributing to the 2DES. Exposure to low doses of oxygen during irradiation allows for the reversible manipulation of the oxygen stoichiometry, thus revealing the presence of an oxygen vacancy-induced state, which is characteristic for this spinel/perovskite interface.

Determination of the vacancy formation enthalpy in chromium by positron annihilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loper, G.D.; Smedskjaer, L.C.; Chason, M.K.; Siegel, R.W.

1985-01-01

Doppler broadening of the positron annihilation lineshape in 99.99 at. % pure chromium was measured over the temperature range 296 to 2049 0 K. The chromium sample was encapsulated in sapphire owing to its high vapor pressure near melting. Saturation-like behavior of the lineshape was observed near the melting temperature (2130 0 K). A two-state trapping model fit to the data yielded a vacancy formation enthalpy of 2.0 +- 0.2 eV. This result is discussed in relation to extant empirical relations for vacancy migration and self-diffusion in metals and to data from previous self-diffusion and annealing experiments in chromium. It is concluded that the observed vacancy ensemble is unlikely to be responsible for the measured self-diffusion behavior. The implications of the present results in terms of our understanding of mechanisms for self-diffusion in chromium and other refractory bcc metals are discussed

Understanding the presence of vacancy clusters in ZnO from a kinetic perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bang, Junhyeok; Zhang, S. B.; Kim, Youg-Sung; Park, C. H.; Gao, F.

2014-01-01

Vacancy clusters have been observed in ZnO by positron-annihilation spectroscopy (PAS), but detailed mechanisms are unclear. This is because the clustering happens in non-equilibrium conditions, for which theoretical method has not been well established. Combining first-principles calculation and kinetic Monte Carlo simulation, we determine the roles of non-equilibrium kinetics on the vacancies clustering. We find that clustering starts with the formation of Zn and O vacancy pairs (V Zn  − Vo), which further grow by attracting additional mono-vacancies. At this stage, vacancy diffusivity becomes crucial: due to the larger diffusivity of V Zn compared to V O , more V Zn -abundant clusters are formed than V O -abundant clusters. The large dissociation energy barriers, e.g., over 2.5 eV for (V Zn  − Vo), suggest that, once formed, it is difficult for the clusters to dissociate. By promoting mono-vacancy diffusion, thermal annealing will increase the size of the clusters. As the PAS is insensitive to V O donor defects, our results suggest an interpretation of the experimental data that could not have been made without the in-depth calculations.

Solubility and diffusion coefficient of oxygen in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, Yoshiko; Nozaki, Tadashi

1985-01-01

The solubility and diffusion coefficient of oxygen in silicon between 1000 0 C and 1375 0 C were examined by charged particle activation analysis with the 16 O( 3 He,p) 18 F reaction, in which oxygen was activated with an equal probability over the depth of up to 250μm by a specially devised apparatus. Silicon wafers of known histories were heated in oxygen or argon for 12 to 473 hours, and the resultant oxygen depth profiles were determined by the activation, subsequent stepwise etching and 18 F activity measurement. The solubility thus obtained is given as 9.3 x 10 21 exp[-27.6kcal mol -1 /RT] at.cm -3 ; the diffusion coefficient has been found to be approximated as 3.2 exp[-67.1kcal mol -1 /RT] cm 2 s -1 over 1150 0 C, under which the apparent activation energy seems to decrease with decrease of temperature. (author)

Influence of oxygen partial pressure on defect concentrations and on oxygen diffusion in UO2+x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pizzi, Elisabetta

2013-01-01

The hyper-stoichiometric uranium dioxide (UO 2+x ) is stable over a wide range of temperature and compositions. Such variations of composition and the eventual presence of doping elements or impurities lead to a variation of anionic and electronic defect concentrations. Moreover, many properties of this material are affected by its composition modifications, in particular their atomic transport properties. Firstly we developed a point defect model to evaluate the dependence of the electronic and oxygen defect concentrations upon temperature, equilibrium oxygen partial pressure and impurity content. The physical constants of the model, in particular the equilibrium constants of the defect formation reactions were determined from deviation from stoichiometry and electrical conductivity measurements of literature. This work enabled us to interpret our measures of conductivity, oxygen chemical and self- diffusion coefficients. From a quantitative standpoint, the analysis of our experimental results allows to evaluate the oxygen interstitial diffusion coefficient but also its formation energy. Moreover, an estimate of oxygen di-interstitial formation energy is also provided. Presence of oxygen clusters leads oxygen self- and chemical diffusion to decrease. X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy characterization shows the presence of the same defect in the entire deviation from stoichiometry studied, confirming the approach used to develop the model. (author) [fr

On the morphological change of solids by vacancy diffusion under the effect of interfacial tensions and applied stresses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Felsen, M.F.

1979-01-01

The morphological change of solids by diffusion under the effect of interfacial tensions and applied stresses is studied by voids annealing and diffusion creep at intermediate and elevated temperatures respectively. In all cases, it has been shown that the evolution kinetic is controlled by vacancy diffusion and that interfaces are ideal sinks. Furthermore, the influence of additional elements on the surface tension of a pure metal is determined for the first time with the voids annealing technique, assuming that the self diffusion coefficient of the metal is not affected by small amount of impurities. The diffusion creep theory is modified to include the interfacial tension effects in the boundary conditions of the diffusion problem which gives a zero creep stress expression very different to those yet published, but the creep equation retains its classical form. The above experiments were carried out using an original device which allows verification of the creep equation to a great precision and to study the range of stresses between Nabarro and Weertman creep. Finally, some creep tests realised on two-phase alloys show that the strain is induced by diffusion [fr

Oxygen vacancy induces self-doping effect and metalloid LSPR in non-stoichiometric tungsten suboxide synergistically contributing to the enhanced photoelectrocatalytic performance of WO3-x/TiO2-x heterojunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Weicheng; Wang, Jinxin; Bian, Lang; Zhao, Chaoyue; Liu, Danqing; Guo, Chongshen; Yang, Bin; Cao, Wenwu

2018-06-27

A WO3-x/TiO2-x nanotube array (NTA) heterojunction photoanode was strategically designed to improve photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) performance by establishing a synergistic vacancy-induced self-doping effect and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of metalloid non-stoichiometric tungsten suboxide. The WO3-x/TiO2-x NTA heterojunction photoanode was synthesized through a successive process of anodic oxidation to form TiO2 nanotube arrays, magnetron sputtering to deposit metalloid WO3-x, and post-hydrogen reduction to engender oxygen vacancy in TiO2-x as well as crystallization. On the merits of such a synergistic effect, WO3-x/TiO2-x shows higher light-harvesting ability, stronger photocurrent response, and resultant improved photoelectrocatalytic performance than the contrast of WO3-x/TiO2, WO3/TiO2 and TiO2, confirming the importance of oxygen vacancies in improving PEC performance. Theoretical calculation based on density functional theory was applied to investigate the electronic structural features of samples and reveal how the oxygen vacancy determines the optical property. The carrier density tuning mechanism and charge transfer model were considered to be associated with the synergistic effect of self-doping and metalloid LSPR effect in the WO3-x/TiO2-x NTA.

Formation of vacancies in thermal equilibrium in α-range alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hehenkamp, Th.

1982-01-01

A model for aggregates (complexes) between vacancies and one or more impurity atoms is described for nearest neighbor interactions. Binding enthalpies in the different complexes have been unambigeously derived therefrom employing a variety of experimental techniques for the determination of vacancy concentrations as function of composition and temperature, (resistivity, positron annihilation, calorimetry, dl/l - da/a techniques), for some noble metals alloys. Solvent diffusion in these alloys has been found to be essentially governed by the increase of vacancy concentrations as function of these variables. Approximation for changes in the migration and correlation permits one to obtain the different binding enthalpies from measurements of solvent diffusion enhancement in an independent fashion and gives comparable results to the former techniques. (author)

Understanding the presence of vacancy clusters in ZnO from a kinetic perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bang, Junhyeok; Zhang, S. B., E-mail: zhangs9@rpi.edu, E-mail: kimyongsung@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180 (United States); Kim, Youg-Sung, E-mail: zhangs9@rpi.edu, E-mail: kimyongsung@gmail.com [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon 305-340 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Nano Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Park, C. H. [Research Center for Dielectric and Advanced Matter Physics, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Gao, F. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, MS K8-93, P.O. Box 999, Richland, Washington 99352 (United States)

2014-06-23

Vacancy clusters have been observed in ZnO by positron-annihilation spectroscopy (PAS), but detailed mechanisms are unclear. This is because the clustering happens in non-equilibrium conditions, for which theoretical method has not been well established. Combining first-principles calculation and kinetic Monte Carlo simulation, we determine the roles of non-equilibrium kinetics on the vacancies clustering. We find that clustering starts with the formation of Zn and O vacancy pairs (V{sub Zn} − Vo), which further grow by attracting additional mono-vacancies. At this stage, vacancy diffusivity becomes crucial: due to the larger diffusivity of V{sub Zn} compared to V{sub O}, more V{sub Zn}-abundant clusters are formed than V{sub O}-abundant clusters. The large dissociation energy barriers, e.g., over 2.5 eV for (V{sub Zn} − Vo), suggest that, once formed, it is difficult for the clusters to dissociate. By promoting mono-vacancy diffusion, thermal annealing will increase the size of the clusters. As the PAS is insensitive to V{sub O} donor defects, our results suggest an interpretation of the experimental data that could not have been made without the in-depth calculations.

Oxygen diffusion in nanocrystalline yttria-stabilized zirconia: the effect of grain boundaries.

Science.gov (United States)

De Souza, Roger A; Pietrowski, Martha J; Anselmi-Tamburini, Umberto; Kim, Sangtae; Munir, Zuhair A; Martin, Manfred

2008-04-21

The transport of oxygen in dense samples of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), of average grain size d approximately 50 nm, has been studied by means of 18O/16O exchange annealing and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Oxygen diffusion coefficients (D*) and oxygen surface exchange coefficients (k*) were measured for temperatures 673oxygen partial pressure of 900 mbar. No evidence is found for fast diffusion along grain boundaries. Rather, the analysis indicates that grain boundaries hinder oxygen transport.

Vacancy supersaturations produced by high-energy ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venezia, V.C.; Eaglesham, D.J.; Jacobson, D.C.; Gossmann, H.J.

1998-01-01

A new technique for detecting the vacancy clusters produced by high-energy ion implantation into silicon is proposed and tested. This technique takes advantage of the fact that metal impurities, such as Au, are gettered near one-half of the projected range (1/2 R p ) of MeV implants. The vacancy clustered region produced by a 2 MeV Si + implant into silicon has been labeled with Au diffused in from the front surface. The trapped Au was detected by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) to profile the vacancy clusters. Cross section transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) analysis shows that the Au in the region of vacancy clusters is in the form of precipitates. By annealing MeV implanted samples prior to introduction of the Au, changes in the defect concentration within the vacancy clustered region were monitored as a function of annealing conditions

Mathematical modeling of oxygen transport in solid oxide fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svensson, Ann Mari

1997-12-31

This thesis develops mathematical models to describe the electrochemical performance of a solid oxide fuel cell cathode based on electrochemical kinetics and mass transfer. The individual effects of various coupled processes are investigated. A one-dimensional model is developed based on porous electrode theory. Two different mechanisms are investigated for the charge transfer reaction. One of these assumes that intermediately adsorbed oxygen atoms are reduced at the electrode/electrolyte interface, similar to the models proposed for metal electrodes. Simulated polarization curves exhibit limited currents due to depletion of oxygen adsorbates at high cathodic overvoltages. An empirical correlation is confirmed to exist between the limiting current an the oxygen partial pressure, however, a similar correlation often assumed to exist between the measured polarization resistance and the oxygen partial pressure could not be justified. For the other model, oxygen vacancies are assumed to be exchanged directly at the electrode/electrolyte interface. The electrochemical behaviour is improved by reducing the oxygen partial pressure, due to increased vacancy concentration of the electrode material. Simulated polarization curves exhibit Tafel-like slopes in the cathodic direction, which are due to polarization concentration, and not activation polarization in the conventional sense. Anodic limiting currents are predicted due to lack of available free sites for vacancy exchange at the cathode side. The thesis also presents a theoretical treatment of current and potential distributions in simple two-dimensional cell geometries, and a two-dimensional model for a porous electrode-electrolyte system for investigation of the effect of interfacial diffusion of adsorbates along the electrode/electrolyte interface. 172 refs., 60 figs., 11 tabs.

Dynamics of vacancies in two-dimensional Lennard-Jones crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Zhenwei; Olvera de La Cruz, Monica

2015-03-01

Vacancies represent an important class of crystallographic defects, and their behaviors can be strongly coupled with relevant material properties. We report the rich dynamics of vacancies in two-dimensional Lennard-Jones crystals in several thermodynamic states. Specifically, we numerically observe significantly faster diffusion of the 2-point vacancy with two missing particles in comparison with other types of vacancies; it opens the possibility of doping 2-point vacancies into atomic materials to enhance atomic migration. In addition, the resulting dislocations in the healing of a long vacancy suggest the intimate connection between vacancies and topological defects that may provide an extra dimension in the engineering of defects in extensive crystalline materials for desired properties. We thank the financial support from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Hydrogen vacancies facilitate hydrogen transport kinetics in sodium hydride nanocrystallites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Singh, S.; Eijt, S.W.H.

2008-01-01

We report ab initio calculations based on density-functional theory, of the vacancy-mediated hydrogen migration energy in bulk NaH and near the NaH(001) surface. The estimated rate of the vacancy mediated hydrogen transport, obtained within a hopping diffusion model, is consistent with the reaction

Mixed oxygen ion/electron-conducting ceramics for oxygen separation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stevenson, J.W.; Armstrong, T.R.; Armstrong, B.L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

1996-08-01

Mixed oxygen ion and electron-conducting ceramics are unique materials that can passively separate high purity oxygen from air. Oxygen ions move through a fully dense ceramic in response to an oxygen concentration gradient, charge-compensated by an electron flux in the opposite direction. Compositions in the system La{sub 1{minus}x}M{sub x}Co{sub 1{minus}y{minus}z}Fe{sub y}N{sub z}O{sub 3{minus}{delta}}, perovskites where M=Sr, Ca, and Ba, and N=Mn, Ni, Cu, Ti, and Al, have been prepared and their electrical, oxygen permeation, oxygen vacancy equilibria, and catalytic properties evaluated. Tubular forms, disks, and asymmetric membrane structures, a thin dense layer on a porous support of the same composition, have been fabricated for testing purposes. In an oxygen partial gradient, the passive oxygen flux through fully dense structures was highly dependent on composition. An increase in oxygen permeation with increased temperature is attributed to both enhanced oxygen vacancy mobility and higher vacancy populations. Highly acceptor-doped compositions resulted in oxygen ion mobilities more than an order of magnitude higher than yttria-stabilized zirconia. The mixed conducting ceramics have been utilized in a membrane reactor configuration to upgrade methane to ethane and ethylene. Conditions were established to balance selectivity and throughput in a catalytic membrane reactor constructed from mixed conducting ceramics.

Oxygen concentration diffusion analysis of lead-bismuth-cooled, natural-circulation reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Kei; Sakai, Takaaki

2001-11-01

The feasibility study on fast breeder reactors in Japan has been conducted at JNC and related organizations. The Phase-I study has finished in March, 2001. During the Phase-I activity, lead-bismuth eutectic coolant has been selected as one of the possible coolant options and a medium-scale plant, cooled by a lead-bismuth natural circulation flow was studied. On the other side, it is known that lead-bismuth eutectic has a problem of structural material corrosiveness. It was found that oxygen concentration control in the eutectic plays an important role on the corrosion protection. In this report, we have developed a concentration diffusion analysis code (COCOA: COncentration COntrol Analysis code) in order to carry out the oxygen concentration control analysis. This code solves a two-dimensional concentration diffusion equation by the finite differential method. It is possible to simulate reaction of oxygen and hydrogen by the code. We verified the basic performance of the code and carried out oxygen concentration diffusion analysis for the case of an oxygen increase by a refueling process in the natural circulation reactor. In addition, characteristics of the oxygen control system was discussed for a different type of the control system as well. It is concluded that the COCOA code can simulate diffusion of oxygen concentration in the reactor. By the analysis of a natural circulation medium-scale reactor, we make clear that the ON-OFF control and PID control can well control oxygen concentration by choosing an appropriate concentration measurement point. In addition, even when a trouble occurs in the oxygen emission or hydrogen emission system, it observes that control characteristic drops away. It is still possible, however, to control oxygen concentration in such case. (author)

Zirconium metal-water oxidation kinetics. III. Oxygen diffusion in oxide and alpha Zircaloy phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pawel, R.E.

1976-10-01

The reaction of Zircaloy in steam at elevated temperature involves the growth of discrete layers of oxide and oxygen-rich alpha Zircaloy from the parent beta phase. The multiphase, moving boundary diffusion problem involved is encountered in a number of important reaction schemes in addition to that of Zircaloy-oxygen and can be completely (albeitly ideally) characterized through an appropriate model in terms of oxygen diffusion coefficients and equilibrium concentrations for the various phases. Conversely, kinetic data for phase growth and total oxygen consumption rates can be used to compute diffusion coefficients. Equations are developed that express the oxygen diffusion coefficients in the oxide and alpha phases in terms of the reaction rate constants and equilibrium solubility values. These equations were applied to recent experimental kinetic data on the steam oxidation of Zircaloy-4 to determine the effective oxygen diffusion coefficients in these phases over the temperature range 1000--1500 0 C

Oxygen Chemical Diffusion Coefficients of (Pu,Am)O2 Fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, M.; Kato, M.; Matsumoto, T.

2015-01-01

Minor actinide (MA)-bearing MOX fuels have been developed as candidate fuels which are used in fast neutron spectrum cores such as sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) cores and experimental accelerator driven system (ADS) cores. Americium (Am) which is one of the MA elements significantly affects basic properties. It is known that Am content causes oxygen potential to increase and that influences irradiation behaviour such as fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) and chemical state of fission products. However, the effects of Am content on changes of basic properties are not clear. In this work, the oxygen chemical diffusion coefficients were calculated from measured data and the relationship between oxygen diffusion and oxygen potential of (Pu,Am)O 2-x was discussed. (authors)

Electrical effect of titanium diffusion on amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Seung-Ha; Jung, Woo-Shik; Park, Jin-Hong

2012-01-01

In this work, thermal diffusion phenomenon of Ti into amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (α-IGZO) was carefully investigated with secondary ion mass spectroscopy, I-V, and R s measurement systems and HSC chemistry simulation tool. According to the experimental and simulated results, the diffused Ti atoms were easily oxidized due to its lowest oxidation free energy. Since oxygen atoms were decomposed from the α-IGZO during the oxidation of Ti, the number of oxygen vacancies working as electron-donating sites in α-IGZO was dramatically increased, contributing to the decrease of resistivity (ρ) from 1.96 Ω cm (as-deposited α-IGZO) to 1.33 × 10 −3 Ω cm (350 °C annealed α-IGZO).

Effect of oxygen vacancy induced by pulsed magnetic field on the room-temperature ferromagnetic Ni-doped ZnO synthesized by hydrothermal method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhong, Min [Shanghai University, Laboratory for Microstructures, School of Materials Science and Engineering, 149 Yanchang Road, 200072 Shanghai (China); Li, Ying, E-mail: liying62@shu.edu.cn [Shanghai University, Laboratory for Microstructures, School of Materials Science and Engineering, 149 Yanchang Road, 200072 Shanghai (China); Tariq, Muhammad; Hu, Yemin; Li, Wenxian; Zhu, Mingyuan; Jin, Hongmin [Shanghai University, Laboratory for Microstructures, School of Materials Science and Engineering, 149 Yanchang Road, 200072 Shanghai (China); Li, Yibing [School of Chemistry, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052 (Australia)

2016-08-05

Room temperature ferromagnetic 2% Ni doped ZnO rods were synthesized by high pulsed magnetic field-assisted hydrothermal method. A detailed study on the effect of high pulsed magnetic field on morphology, structural and magnetic properties of the ZnO rods has been carried out systematically by varying the intensity of field from 0 to 4 T. X-ray diffraction, Energy-dispersive spectroscopy measurements, and Raman spectra analysis suggest that all the samples have hexagonal wurtzite structure without detectable impurity. Field emission scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the particle size of samples decrease with increasing intensity of field. High resolution transmission electron microscopy observation ensures that the Ni ions addition do not change the wurtzite host matrix. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the incorporation of Ni elements as divalent state and the dominant presence of oxygen vacancies in samples fabricated under 4 T pulsed magnetic field. Hysteresis loops demonstrate that the saturation magnetization increased regularly with the mounting magnetic field. On the framework of bound magnetic polaron model, the rising content of oxygen vacancies, as donor defect, lead to the stronger ferromagnetism in samples with pulsed magnetic field. Our findings provide a new insight for tuning the defect density by precisely controlling the intensity of field in order to get the desired magnetic behavior at room temperature. - Graphical abstract: This figure shows the magnetization versus magnetic field curves for 2%Ni doped ZnO as prepared with 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 T pulsed magnetic field at 290 K. For 0 T sample, no ferromagnetic response is observed. But all the samples synthesized with field were well-defined hysteresis loops. The saturation magnetization estimated from the hysteresis loop come out to be ∼0.0024, 0.0023, 0.0036 and 0.0061 emu/g for 1 T, 2 T, 3 T and 4 T samples, respectively. As shown in the curves, the room

Oxygen diffusion in high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rothman, S.J.; Routbort, J.L.

1992-07-01

The cuprate superconductors are fascinating not only because of their technical promise, but also because of their structures, especially the anisotropy of the crystal lattice. There are some structural similarities among these compounds, but also significant differences. Measurements of the oxygen tracer diffusion coefficients have been carried out as a function of temperature, oxygen partial pressure, crystal orientation, and doping in the La-Sr-Cu-0, Y-Ba-Cu-0, and Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-0 systems. These measurements have revealed a variety of defect mechanisms operating in these compounds; the exact nature of the mechanism depends on the details of the structure

Structural characterisation of oxygen diffusion hardened alpha-tantalum PVD-coatings on titanium.

Science.gov (United States)

Hertl, C; Koll, L; Schmitz, T; Werner, E; Gbureck, U

2014-08-01

Titanium substrates were coated with tantalum layers of 5 μm thickness using physical vapour deposition (PVD). The tantalum layers showed a (110)-preferred orientation. The coated samples were hardened by oxygen diffusion. Using X-ray diffraction the crystallographic structure of the tantalum coatings was characterised, comparing untreated and diffusion hardened specimen conditions. Oxygen depth profiles were determined by glow discharge spectrometry. The hardening effect of the heat treatment was examined by Vickers microhardness testing. The increase of surface hardness caused by oxygen diffusion was at least 50%. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Superabundant vacancies in fcc metals: A combination of ab-initio, thermodynamic and kinetics approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nazarov, Roman; Hickel, Tilmann; Neugebauer, Joerg [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Duesseldorf (Germany)

2011-07-01

A dramatic increase of the vacancy concentration in a H-rich atmosphere, the so called superabundant vacancy formation, has been experimentally observed in several metals and alloys. In order to study this phenomenon we systematically applied density functional theory to a large set of fcc metals. We found that a large amount of H can be trapped by a monovacancy with, e.g., up to 15 H atoms in an Al vacancy, up to 12 H atoms in the case of Pd and more than 17 H atoms for Pb. Based on the defect formation energies from DFT calculations, we have constructed a thermodynamic model that determines the equilibrium concentration of point defects as a function of temperature and H chemical potential. By applying this approach we revealed that the vacancy concentration can indeed strongly increase if H is added. To understand the phenomenon of accelerated self-diffusion in a H-rich atmosphere we coupled the information on the number of vacancies from the thermodynamic treatment with self-diffusion barriers obtained from DFT calculations. Using this approach we found that the self-diffusion coefficient is reduced not only due to the increased vacancy concentration, but also as a result of a H-induced lubricant effect.

Oxygen potentials, oxygen diffusion coefficients and defect equilibria of nonstoichiometric (U,Pu)O{sub 2±x}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, Masato, E-mail: kato.masato@jaea.go.jp [Fukushima Fuels and Materials Department, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002 Narita-chou, O-arai machi, Ibaraki 311-1919 (Japan); Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Technology Development Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33 Muramatsu Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1194 (Japan); Watanabe, Masashi [Fukushima Fuels and Materials Department, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002 Narita-chou, O-arai machi, Ibaraki 311-1919 (Japan); Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Technology Development Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33 Muramatsu Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1194 (Japan); Matsumoto, Taku; Hirooka, Shun; Akashi, Masatoshi [Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Technology Development Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33 Muramatsu Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1194 (Japan)

2017-04-15

Oxygen potential of (U,Pu)O{sub 2±x} was evaluated based on defect chemistry using an updated experimental data set. The relationship between oxygen partial pressure and deviation x in (U,Pu)O{sub 2±x} was analyzed, and equilibrium constants of defect formation were determined as functions of Pu content and temperature. Brouwer's diagrams were constructed using the determined equilibrium constants, and a relational equation to determine O/M ratio was derived as functions of O/M ratio, Pu content and temperature. In addition, relationship between oxygen potential and oxygen diffusion coefficients were described. - Highlights: •Brouwer’s diagrams for (U,Pu)O2 were constructed using the updated oxygen potential experimental data set. •Equilibrium constants of defect formation were determined as functions of Pu content and temperature. •Oxygen potential, oxygen diffusion coefficients, point defect concentration were described as functions of O/M ratio, Pu content and temperature.

Oxygen vacancy induced fast lithium storage and efficient organics photodegradation over ultrathin TiO{sub 2} nanolayers grafted graphene sheets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Yu, E-mail: xieyu_121@163.com [Nanchang Hangkong University, Department of Material Chemistry, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province (China); Hu, Dongsheng [Nanchang Hangkong University, Department of Material Chemistry, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province (China); Liu, Lianjun, E-mail: liul@uwm.edu [University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Mechanical Engineering Department, Milwaukee, WI (United States); Zhou, Panpan; Xu, Jiangwei; Ling, Yun [Nanchang Hangkong University, Department of Material Chemistry, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province (China)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Oxygen vacancy is tailored by adjusting the treatment conditions. • Unltrathin TiO{sub 2} nanolayers are grafted on the graphene sheets. • Oxygen vacancy is located on the surface of TiO{sub 2}/graphene treated by H{sub 2}. • Improved lithium storage and organic pollutants removal efficiency. - Abstract: In this work we have developed a unique structure of ultrathin (5 nm) TiO{sub 2} nanolayers grafted graphene nanosheets (TiO{sub 2}/G) and integrated oxygen vacancy (V{sub O}) into TiO{sub 2} to enhance its lithium storage and photocatalytic performances. The defective TiO{sub 2}/G was synthesized by a solvothermal and subsequent thermal treatment method. When treated in a H{sub 2} atmosphere, the resulting TiO{sub 2-x}/G(H{sub 2}) has lower crystallinity, smaller crystal size, richer surface V{sub O}, higher surface area, larger pore volume, and lower charge transfer resistance than that reduced by NaBH{sub 4} solid, i.e., TiO{sub 2-x}/G(NaBH{sub 4}). More importantly, the surface V{sub O} in the TiO{sub 2-x}/G(H{sub 2}) could remarkably inhibit the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs compared with the bulk Vo in the TiO{sub 2-x}/G(NaBH{sub 4}). As a result, the combination of all the factors contributed to the superiority of TiO{sub 2-x}/G(H{sub 2}), which demonstrated not only 70% higher specific capacity, longer cycling performance (1000 cycles) and better rate capability for lithium-ion battery, but also higher photocatalytic activity and 1.5 times faster degradation rate for organic pollutants removal than TiO{sub 2-x}/G(NaBH{sub 4}). The findings in this work will benefit the fundamental understanding of TiO{sub 2}/G surface chemistry and advance the design and preparation of functional materials for energy storage and water treatment.

First-principles study of vacancy formation and migration in clean and Re-doped γ'-Ni3Al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xu; Wang Chongyu

2009-01-01

Using density functional theory calculations in conjunction with the climbing images nudged elastic band method, we studied the vacancy formation and migration in clean and Re-doped Ni 3 Al. Both the chemical potential of the species and the magnetic effect are considered to determine the vacancy formation energy. We also simulated the vacancy migration in a complete set of migration paths. The evaluated vacancy formation energy and activation energy for the motion of vacancy compared well with the experimental results. Also, the obtained migration ways for the diffusion of Ni and Al atoms are consistent with previous theoretical predictions and experimental observations. Magnetism is found to influence both the vacancy formation and migration. Our results reveal that Re doping can inhibit the formation of Ni vacancies but facilitate the formation of Al vacancies, and can also inhibit the migration of neighboring vacancies. While the doped Re atom on the Al site is stable, the Re atom on the Ni site can diffuse within the Ni-sublattice mediated by Ni vacancies

Fundamental data: Solubility of nickel and oxygen and diffusivity of iron and oxygen in molten LBE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abella, J.; Verdaguer, A.; Colominas, S.; Ginestar, K.; Martinelli, L.

2011-01-01

Experiments for determining nickel solubility limit and iron diffusion coefficient are presented and their results are discussed. Nickel solubility limit is determined by two methods: ex situ by solid sampling followed by ICP-AES analysis and in situ by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and their results are compared. The iron diffusion coefficient is obtained using the technique of rotating specimen dissolution. Also a method to determine the oxygen solubility and diffusivity in LBE is developed and results at 460, 500 and 540 deg. C are presented. It is based on the following electrochemical cell: O 2 (reference mixture), Pt //YSZ//O 2 (LBE) which can work as an oxygen sensor or as a coulometric pump.

Enhancement of oxygen vacancies and solar photocatalytic activity of zinc oxide by incorporation of nonmetal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patil, Ashokrao B.; Patil, Kashinath R.; Pardeshi, Satish K.

2011-01-01

B-doped ZnO and N-doped ZnO powders have been synthesized by mechanochemical method and characterized by TG–DTA, XRD, SEM–EDX, XPS, UV–visible and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. X-ray diffraction data suggests the hexagonal wurtzite structure for modified ZnO crystallites and the incorporation of nonmetal expands the lattice constants of ZnO. The room temperature PL spectra suggest more number of oxygen vacancies exist in nonmetal-doped ZnO than that of undoped zinc oxide. XPS analysis shows the substitution of some of the O atoms of ZnO by nonmetal atoms. Solar photocatalytic activity of B-doped ZnO, N-doped ZnO and undoped ZnO was compared by means of oxidative photocatalytic degradation (PCD) of Bisphenol A (BPA). B-doped ZnO showed better solar PCD efficiency as compare to N-doped ZnO and undoped ZnO. The PCD of BPA follows first order reaction kinetics. The detail mechanism of PCD of Bisphenol A was proposed with the identification of intermediates such as hydroquinone, benzene-1,2,4-triol and 4-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl) phenol. - Graphical Abstract: B-doped ZnO and N-doped ZnO synthesized by mechanochemical method were characterized by various techniques. Solar photocatalytic degradation of Bisphenol-A is in the order of B-ZnO>N-ZnO>ZnO. Highlights: ► B-doped ZnO and N-doped ZnO powders have been synthesized by mechanochemical method. ► PL spectra suggest oxygen vacancies are in order of B-doped ZnO>N-doped ZnO>ZnO. ► Solar PCD efficiency is in order of B-doped ZnO>N-doped ZnO>ZnO for Bisphenol A.

Zinc Vacancy-Induced Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism in Undoped ZnO Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongtao Ren

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Undoped ZnO thin films are prepared by polymer-assisted deposition (PAD and treated by postannealing at different temperatures in oxygen or forming gases (95%  Ar+5% H2. All the samples exhibit ferromagnetism at room temperature (RT. SQUID and positron annihilation measurements show that post-annealing treatments greatly enhance the magnetizations in undoped ZnO samples, and there is a positive correlation between the magnetization and zinc vacancies in the ZnO thin films. XPS measurements indicate that annealing also induces oxygen vacancies that have no direct relationship with ferromagnetism. Further analysis of the results suggests that the ferromagnetism in undoped ZnO is induced by Zn vacancies.

Is the surface oxygen exchange rate linked to bulk ion diffusivity in mixed conducting Ruddlesden-Popper phases?

Science.gov (United States)

Tomkiewicz, Alex C; Tamimi, Mazin A; Huq, Ashfia; McIntosh, Steven

2015-01-01

The possible link between oxygen surface exchange rate and bulk oxygen anion diffusivity in mixed ionic and electronic conducting oxides is a topic of great interest and debate. While a large body of experimental evidence and theoretical analyses support a link, observed differences between bulk and surface composition of these materials are hard to reconcile with this observation. This is further compounded by potential problems with simultaneous measurement of both parameters. Here we utilize separate techniques, in situ neutron diffraction and pulsed isotopic surface exchange, to examine bulk ion mobility and surface oxygen exchange rates of three Ruddlesden-Popper phases, general form A(n-1)A(2)'B(n)O(3n+1), A(n-1)A(2)'B(n)X(3n+1); LaSrCo(0.5)Fe(0.5)O(4-δ) (n = 1), La(0.3)Sr(2.7)CoFeO(7-δ) (n = 2) and LaSr3Co(1.5)Fe(1.5)O(10-δ) (n = 3). These measurements are complemented by surface composition determination via high sensitivity-low energy ion scattering. We observe a correlation between bulk ion mobility and surface exchange rate between materials. The surface exchange rates vary by more than one order of magnitude with high anion mobility in the bulk of an oxygen vacancy-rich n = 2 Ruddlesden-Popper material correlating with rapid oxygen exchange. This is in contrast with the similar surface exchange rates which we may expect due to similar surface compositions across all three samples. We conclude that experimental limitations lead to inherent convolution of surface and bulk rates, and that surface exchange steps are not likely to be rate limiting in oxygen incorporation.

Species specificity of resistance to oxygen diffusion in thin cuticular membranes from amphibious plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frost-Christensen, Henning; Jørgensen, Lise Bolt; Floto, Franz

2003-01-01

oxygen, diffusion, cuticula, amphibious plants, Hygrophila, Berula, Lobelia, Mentha, Potamogeton, Veronica, aquatic plants, submerged plants......oxygen, diffusion, cuticula, amphibious plants, Hygrophila, Berula, Lobelia, Mentha, Potamogeton, Veronica, aquatic plants, submerged plants...

Self diffusion of sodium ion in sodium chloride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haridasan, T.M.; Lawrence, N.

1985-09-01

The problem of cation self diffusion in NaCl for a single vacancy mechanism is attempted using a reaction coordinate approach employing the phonons in the system. The vacancy is given an active role by estimating the displacements of its nearest neighbour Cl - ions in the environment of the vacancy through the lattice Green's functions and the t matrix formalism. The jump frequency, the isotope effect and diffusion coefficients estimated by this approach agree well with the experimentally deduced values. These results support the experimental conclusion of about 30% of vacancy pairs in the cation diffusion in NaCl. (author)

A DLTS study of the evolution of oxygen precipitates in Si at high temperature and high pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonova, I.V.; Popov, V.P.; Fedina, L.I.; Shaimeev, S.S.; Misiuk, A.

1996-01-01

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the dissolution of oxygen precipitates introduced beforehand into Si at temperatures of 920-1000 K (over period of 96 h) is investigated by the DLTS method. A measurement procedure, based on the formation of electrically active complexes (interstitial oxygen atom-vacancy) during electron irradiation of the samples, is proposed. It is shown that the precipitates do not decompose when point defects are introduced at room temperature. As the treatment temperature increases (to 1220-1650 K), for the same values of the hydrostatic pressure (up to 1.3 GPa) the intensity of the decomposition of oxygen precipitates increases and at 1650 K they are completely dissolved. Study of the decomposition kinetics showed that hydrostatic pressure raises the limit of solubility of the oxygen atoms Oi and slows down their diffusion. It is determined that the diffusion activation energy Ea, just as the preexponential factor D0, in the expression for the diffusion decrease with increasing hydrostatic pressure, resulting in a lower diffusion. Possible mechanisms for the effect of hydrostatic pressure on oxygen diffusion near a precipitate are discussed

Diffusion in solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiwari, G.P.; Kale, G.B.; Patil, R.V.

1999-01-01

The article presents a brief survey of process of diffusion in solids. It is emphasised that the essence of diffusion is the mass transfer through the atomic jumps. To begin with formal equations for diffusion coefficient are presented. This is followed by discussions on mechanisms of diffusion. Except for solutes which form interstitial solid solution, diffusion in majority of cases is mediated through exchange of sites between an atom and its neighbouring vacancy. Various vacancy parameters such as activation volume, correlation factor, mass effect etc are discussed and their role in establishing the mode of diffusion is delineated. The contribution of dislocations and grain boundaries in diffusion process is brought out. The experimental determination of different types of diffusion coefficients are described. Finally, the pervasive nature of diffusion process in number of commercial processes is outlined to show the importance of diffusion studies in materials science and technology. (author)

Vacancy profile in reverse osmosis membranes studied by positron annihilation lifetime measurements and molecular dynamics simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimazu, A; Shintani, T; Hirose, M; Goto, H; Suzuki, R; Kobayashi, Y

2013-01-01

The positron annihilation technique using a slow positron beam can be used for the study of the vacancy profiles in typical reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. In this study, the vacancy profile in the polyamide membrane that exhibits a high permselectivity between ions and water was studied using the positron annihilation technique and molecular dynamics simulations. Ortho-positronium (o-Ps) lifetimes in the surface region of the membranes were evaluated by using a slow positron beam. The diffusion behavior of Na + and water in the polyamides was simulated by molecular dynamics (MD) methods using the TSUBAME2 supercomputer at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and discussed with the vacancy profile probed by the o-Ps. The results suggested that the large hydration size of Na + compared to the vacancy size in the polyamides contributes to the increased diffusivity selectivity of water/Na + that is related to the NaCl desalination performance of the membrane. Both the hydration size of the ions and the vacancy size appeared to be significant parameters to discuss the diffusivity selectivity of water/ions in typical polyamide membranes.

Vacancy identification in Co+ doped rutile TiO2 crystal with positron annihilation spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Minyang; Qin Xiubo; Wang Baoyi; Wu Weiming

2013-01-01

Background: Room temperature Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor (DMS) is a critical path in the study of spin-electronic devices, but there are many disputes in the intrinsic properties and origin of the room temperature ferromagnetism. Positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) is a powerful technique for evaluating vacancy-type defects. Purpose: We aim to establish the relationship between the defect structure and ferromagnetism of the materials by analyzing the parameters of positron annihilation. Methods: Co-doped rutile TiO 2 films were synthesized by ion implantation and extensively studied by variable energy positron annihilation Doppler broadening spectroscopy (DBS) and coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) measurements with variable energy slow positron beam for identification of the vacancies. Results: The results of DBS showed that a newly formed type of vacancy could be concluded by the S-W plot and the CDB results indicated that the oxygen vacancy (Vo) complex Ti-Co-Vo and/or Ti-Vo were formed with Co ions implantation and the vacancy concentration increased with increasing dopant dose. Conclusion: We identify that the generation of Ti-Vo and/or Ti-Co-Vo vacancy complex are induced by the existence of excess Ti 3d electrons around the oxygen vacancy. (authors)

Excess oxygen limited diffusion and precipitation of iron in amorphous silicon dioxide

Science.gov (United States)

Leveneur, J.; Langlois, M.; Kennedy, J.; Metson, James B.

2017-10-01

In micro- and nano- electronic device fabrication, and particularly 3D designs, the diffusion of a metal into sublayers during annealing needs to be minimized as it is usually detrimental to device performance. Diffusion also causes the formation and growth of nanoprecipitates in solid matrices. In this paper, the diffusion behavior of low energy, low fluence, ion implanted iron into a thermally grown silicon oxide layer on silicon is investigated. Different ion beam analysis and imaging techniques were used. Magnetization measurements were also undertaken to provide evidence of nanocrystalline ordering. While standard vacuum furnace annealing and electron beam annealing lead to fast diffusion of the implanted species towards the Si/SiO2 interface, we show that furnace annealing in an oxygen rich atmosphere prevents the diffusion of iron that, in turn, limits the growth of the nanoparticles. The diffusion and particle growth is also greatly reduced when oxygen atoms are implanted in the SiO2 prior to Fe implantation, effectively acting as a diffusion barrier. The excess oxygen is hypothesized to trap Fe atoms and reduce their mean free path during the diffusion. Monte-Carlo simulations of the diffusion process which consider the random walk of Fe, Fick's diffusion of O atoms, Fe precipitation, and desorption of the SiO2 layer under the electron beam annealing were performed. Simulation results for the three preparation conditions are found in good agreement with the experimental data.

Oxygen vacancy-induced room-temperature ferromagnetism in D—D neutron irradiated single-crystal TiO2 (001) rutile

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Nan-Nan; Li, Gong-Ping; Pan, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Yun-Bo; Chen, Jing-Sheng; Bao, Liang-Man

2014-10-01

Remarkable room temperature ferromagnetism in pure single-crystal rutile TiO2 (001) samples irradiated by D—D neutron has been investigated. By combining X-ray diffraction and positron annihilation lifetime, the contracted lattice has been clearly identified in irradiated TiO2, where Ti4+ ions can be easily reduced to the state of Ti3+. As there were no magnetic impurities that could contaminate the samples during the whole procedure, some Ti3+ ions reside on interstitial or substituted sites accompanied by oxygen vacancies should be responsible for the ferromagnetism.

Determination of oxygen diffusion kinetics during thin film ruthenium oxidation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coloma Ribera, R.; van de Kruijs, Robbert Wilhelmus Elisabeth; Yakshin, Andrey; Bijkerk, Frederik

2015-01-01

In situ X-ray reflectivity was used to reveal oxygen diffusion kinetics for thermal oxidation of polycrystalline ruthenium thin films and accurate determination of activation energies for this process. Diffusion rates in nanometer thin RuO2 films were found to show Arrhenius behaviour. However, a

Modeling the oxygen diffusion of nanocomposite-based food packaging films.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhunia, Kanishka; Dhawan, Sumeet; Sablani, Shyam S

2012-07-01

Polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites have been shown to improve the gas barrier properties of food packaging polymers. This study developed a computer simulation model using the commercial software, COMSOL Multiphysics to analyze changes in oxygen barrier properties in terms of relative diffusivity, as influenced by configuration and structural parameters that include volume fraction (φ), aspect ratio (α), intercalation width (W), and orientation angle (θ) of nanoparticles. The simulation was performed at different φ (1%, 3%, 5%, and 7%), α (50, 100, 500, and 1000), and W (1, 3, 5, and 7 nm). The θ value was varied from 0° to 85°. Results show that diffusivity decreases with increasing volume fraction, but beyond φ = 5% and α = 500, diffusivity remained almost constant at W values of 1 and 3 nm. Higher relative diffusivity coincided with increasing W and decreasing α value for the same volume fraction of nanoparticles. Diffusivity increased as the rotational angle increased, gradually diminishing the influence of nanoparticles. Diffusivity increased drastically as θ changed from 15° to 30° (relative increment in relative diffusivity was almost 3.5 times). Nanoparticles with exfoliation configuration exhibited better oxygen barrier properties compared to intercalation. The finite element model developed in this study provides insight into oxygen barrier properties for nanocomposite with a wide range of structural parameters. This model can be used to design and manufacture an ideal nanocomposite-based food packaging film with improved gas barrier properties for industrial applications. The model will assist in designing nanocomposite polymeric structures of desired gas barrier properties for food packaging applications. In addition, this study will be helpful in formulating a combination of nanoparticle structural parameters for designing nanocomposite membranes with selective permeability for the industrial applications including membrane

Effects of recoil-implanted oxygen on depth profiles of defects and annealing processes in P{sup +}-implanted Si studied using monoenergetic positron beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uedono, Akira; Moriya, Tsuyoshi; Tanigawa, Shoichiro [Tsukuba Univ., Ibaraki (Japan). Inst. of Materials Science; Kitano, Tomohisa; Watanabe, Masahito; Kawano, Takao; Suzuki, Ryoichi; Ohdaira, Toshiyuki; Mikado, Tomohisa

1996-04-01

Effects of oxygen atoms recoiled from SiO{sub 2} films on depth profiles of defects and annealing processes in P{sup +}-implanted Si were studied using monoenergetic positron beams. For an epitaxial Si specimen, the depth profile of defects was found to be shifted toward the surface by recoil implantation of oxygen atoms. This was attributed to the formation of vacancy-oxygen complexes and a resultant decrease in the diffusion length of vacancy-type defects. The recoiled oxygen atoms stabilized amorphous regions introduced by P{sup +}-implantation, and the annealing of these regions was observed after rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 700degC. For a Czochralski-grown Si specimen fabricated by through-oxide implantation, the recoiled oxygen atoms introduced interstitial-type defects upon RTA below the SiO{sub 2}/Si interface, and such defects were dissociated by annealing at 1000degC. (author)

High-temperature equilibrium vacancy formation in ceramic materials studied by positron annihilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forster, M.; Claudy, W.; Hermes, H.; Major, J.; Schaefer, H.E.; Koch, M.; Maier, K.; Stoll, H.

1992-01-01

Positron lifetime measurements were used in order to study thermal vacancy formation in NiO, YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ , α-Al 2 O 3 , MgO and 6H-SiC at high temperatures. In NiO two increases of the positron trapping rate at 450K and 1200K (po 2 =10 5 Pa) are attributed to the change of charge of neutral extrinsic Ni-vacancies (c ≅ 10 -4 ) into a negative charge state and to the nonstochiometric formation of charged Ni-vacancies at high temperatures. In YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ the oxygen loss or uptake at T > 680K with an activation enthalpy of 1.03eV can be studied by the variation of the positron lifetime with temperature and oxygen partial pressure. In α-Al 2 O 3 the positrons are annihilated from the delocalized free state between 1000K and 2250K and no positron trapping of thermally formed vacancies was detected which may be understood in terms of the theoretically predicted low concentrations of thermal vacancies. In MgO and 6H-SiC positron lifetime measurements were performed up to temperatures of about 2000K

Photoluminescence and Raman studies for the confirmation of oxygen vacancies to induce ferromagnetism in Fe doped Mn:ZnO compound

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, J., E-mail: jayashree304@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Silicon Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar 751024, Odisha (India); Department of Physics, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Johannesburg 1710 (South Africa); Mishra, D.K. [Department of Physics, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Johannesburg 1710 (South Africa); Department of Physics, Institute of Technical Education and Research, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University, Khandagiri Square, Bhubaneswar 751030, Odisha (India); Srinivasu, V.V. [Department of Physics, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Johannesburg 1710 (South Africa); Sahu, D.R. [Amity Institute of Nanotechnology, Amity University, Noida (India); Roul, B.K. [Institute of Materials Science, Planetarium Building, Acharya Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha (India)

2015-05-15

With a motivation to compare the magnetic property, we synthesised undoped, transition metal (TM) Mn doped and (Mn:Fe) co-doped ZnO ceramics in the compositions ZnO, Zn{sub 0.98}Mn{sub 0.02}O and Zn{sub 0.96}(Mn{sub 0.02}Fe{sub 0.02})O. Systematic investigations on the structural, microstructural, defect structure and magnetic properties of the samples were performed. Low temperature as well as room temperature ferromagnetism has been observed for all our samples, however, enhanced magnetisation at room temperature has been noticed when ZnO is co-doped with Fe along with Mn. Particularly the sample with the composition Zn{sub 0.96}Mn{sub 0.02}Fe{sub 0.02}O showed a magnetisation value more than double of the sample with composition Zn{sub 0.98}Mn{sub 0.02}O, indicating long range strong interaction between the magnetic impurities leading to higher ferromagnetic ordering. Raman and PL studies reveal presence of higher defects in form of oxygen vacancy clusters created in the sample due to Fe co doping. PL study also reveals enhanced luminescence efficiency in the co doped sample. Temperature dependent magnetisation study of this sample shows the spin freezing temperature around 39 K indicating the presence of small impurity phase of Mn{sub 2−x}Zn{sub x}O{sub 3} type. Electron Spin Resonance signal obtained supports ferromagnetic state in the co doped sample. Enhancement of magnetisation is attributed to interactions mediated by magnetic impurities through large number of oxygen vacancies created by Fe{sup 3+} ions forming bound magnetic polarons (BMP) and facilitating long range ferromagnetic ordering in the co- doped system. - Highlights: • Comparison of magnetic property of ZnO, Zn{sub 0.98}Mn {sub 0.02}O and Zn{sub 0.96}(Mn{sub 0.02}Fe{sub 0.02})O. • Observation of enhanced magnetisation at room temperature in (Mn,Fe) doped ZnO. • Raman and PL studies reveal presence of higher oxygen vacancy clusters. • Electron Spin Resonance signal supports

Stability of V₂O₅ Supported on Titania in the Presence of Water, Bulk Oxygen Vacancies, and Adsorbed Oxygen Atoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristoffersen, Henrik Høgh; Neilson, Hunter L.; Buratto, Steven K.

2017-01-01

). In the case of oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes and methanol, the reaction produces water, oxygen vacancies, and hydrogen atoms bound to the surface. For this article we use density functional theory to examine how the presence of these species on the surface affects a V2O5 cluster, which we assume......A catalyst consisting of vanadium oxide submonolayers supported on rutile titanium dioxide is used for a variety of reactions. One important question is the difference between the activity of monomeric clusters (having one vanadium atom) and polymeric clusters (having more than one vanadium atom...

Stability enhancement of Cu2S against Cu vacancy formation by Ag alloying

Science.gov (United States)

Barman, Sajib K.; Huda, Muhammad N.

2018-04-01

As a potential solar absorber material, Cu2S has proved its importance in the field of renewable energy. However, almost all the known minerals of Cu2S suffer from spontaneous Cu vacancy formation in the structure. The Cu vacancy formation causes the structure to possess very high p-type doping that leads the material to behave as a degenerate semiconductor. This vacancy formation tendency is a major obstacle for this material in this regard. A relatively new predicted phase of Cu2S which has an acanthite-like structure was found to be preferable than the well-known low chalcocite Cu2S. However, the Cu-vacancy formation tendency in this phase remained similar. We have found that alloying silver with this structure can help to reduce Cu vacancy formation tendency without altering its electronic property. The band gap of silver alloyed structure is higher than pristine acanthite Cu2S. In addition, Cu diffusion in the structure can be reduced with Ag doped in Cu sites. In this study, a systematic approach is presented within the density functional theory framework to study Cu vacancy formation tendency and diffusion in silver alloyed acanthite Cu2S, and proposed a possible route to stabilize Cu2S against Cu vacancy formations by alloying it with Ag.

Vacancies and atomic processes in intermetallics - From crystals to quasicrystals and bulk metallic glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaefer, Hans-Eckhardt [Institute of Theoretical and Applied Physics, Stuttgart University, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany); Baier, Falko [Voith Turbo Comp., Alexanderstr. 2, 89552 Heidenheim (Germany); Mueller, Markus A. [GFT Technologies A. G., Filderhauptstr. 142, 70599 Stuttgart (Germany); Reichle, Klaus J. [Philipp-Matthaeus-Hahn School, Jakob-Beutter-Str. 15, 72336 Balingen (Germany); Reimann, Klaus [NXP Semiconductors, Central Research and Development, High Tech Campus 4, 5656 AE Eindhoven (Netherlands); Rempel, Andrey A. [Institute of Solid State Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ul. Pervomaiskaya 91, 620041 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Sato, Kiminori [Tokyo Gakugei University, Nukuikita 4-1-1, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8501 (Japan); Ye, Feng [State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100083 (China); Zhang, Xiangyi [Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Sprengel, Wolfgang [Institute of Materials Physics, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 16, 8010 Graz (Austria)

2011-10-15

A review is given on atomic vacancies in intermetallic compounds. The intermetallic compounds cover crystalline, quasicrystalline, and bulk metallic glass (BMG) structures. Vacancies can be specifically characterized by their positron lifetimes, by the coincident measurement of the Doppler broadening of the two quanta emitted by positron-electron annihilation, or by time-differential dilatometry. By these techniques, high concentrations and low mobilities of thermal vacancies were found in open-structured B2 intermetallics such as FeAl or NiAl, whereas the concentrations of vacancies are low and their mobilities high in close-packed structure as, e.g., L1{sub 2}-Ni{sub 3}Al. The activation volumes of vacancy formation and migration are determined by high-pressure experiments. The favorable sublattice for vacancy formation is found to be the majority sublattice in Fe{sub 61}Al{sub 39} and in MoSi{sub 2}. In the icosahedral quasicrystal Al{sub 70}Pd{sub 21}Mn{sub 9} the thermal vacancy concentration is low, whereas in the BMG Zr{sub 57}Cu{sub 15.4}Ni{sub 12.6}Nb{sub 3}Al{sub 10} thermal vacancies are found in high concentrations with low mobilities. This may determine the basic mechanisms of the glass transition. Making use of the experimentally determined vacancy data, the main features of atomic diffusion studies in crystalline intermetallics, in quasicrystals, and in BMGs can be understood. Manfred Faehnle and his group have substantially contributed to the theoretical understanding of vacancies and diffusion mechanisms in intermetallics. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Investigation of the oxygen-vacancy (A-center) defect complex profile in neutron irradiated high resistivity silicon junction particle detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Zheng; Kraner, H.W.; Verbitskaya, E.; Eremin, V.; Ivanov, A.; Rubinelli, F.A.; Fonash, S.J.

1992-02-01

Distributions of the A-center (oxygen-vacancy) in neutron silicon detectors have been studied using Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy. A-centers have been found to be nearly uniformly distributed in the silicon water depth for medium resistivity (0.1 - 0.2 kΩ-cm) silicon detectors. A positive filling pulse was needed to detect the A-centers in high resistivity (>4 kΩ-cm) silicon detectors, and this effect was found to be dependent on the oxidation temperature. A discussion of this effect is presented. 16 refs

Switchable diode effect in oxygen vacancy-modulated SrTiO{sub 3} single crystal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, Xinqiang; Shuai, Yao; Wu, Chuangui; Luo, Wenbo; Sun, Xiangyu; Zeng, Huizhong; Bai, Xiaoyuan; Gong, Chaoguan; Jian, Ke; Zhang, Wanli [University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, Chengdu (China); Zhang, Lu; Guo, Hongliang [University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, The Center for Robotics, Chengdu (China); Tian, Benlang [26th Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, Chongqing (China)

2017-09-15

SrTiO{sub 3} (STO) single crystal wafer was annealed in vacuum, and co-planar metal-insulator-metal structure of Pt/Ti/STO/Ti/Pt were formed by sputtering Pt/Ti electrodes onto the surface of STO after annealing. The forming-free resistive switching behavior with self-compliance property was observed in the sample. The sample showed switchable diode effect, which is explained by a simple model that redistribution of oxygen vacancies (OVs) under the external electric field results in the formation of n-n{sup +} junction or n{sup +}-n junction (n donated n-type semiconductor; n{sup +} donated heavily doped n-type semiconductor). The self-compliance property is also interpreted by the formation of n-n{sup +}/n{sup +}-n junction caused by the migration of the OVs under the electric field. (orig.)

Annealing behavior of oxygen in-diffusion from SiO2 film to silicon substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, T.; Yamada-Kaneta, H.

2004-01-01

Diffusion behavior of oxygen at (near) the Si/SiO 2 interface was investigated. We first oxidized the floating-zone-grown silicon substrates, and then annealed the SiO 2 -covered substrates in an argon ambient. We examined two different conditions for oxidation: wet and dry oxidation. By the secondary-ion-mass spectrometry, we measured the depth profiles of the oxygen in-diffusion of these heat-treated silicon substrates: We found that the energy of dissolution (in-diffusion) of an oxygen atom that dominates the oxygen concentration at the Si/SiO 2 interface depends on the oxidation condition: 2.0 and 1.7 eV for wet and dry oxidation, respectively. We also found that the barrier heights for the oxygen diffusion in argon anneal were significantly different for different ambients adopted for the SiO 2 formation: 3.3 and 1.8 eV for wet and dry oxidation, respectively. These findings suggest that the microscopic behavior of the oxygen atoms at the Si/SiO 2 interface during the argon anneal depends on the ambient adopted for the SiO 2 formation

Room temperature alcohol sensing by oxygen vacancy controlled TiO2 nanotube array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazra, A.; Dutta, K.; Bhowmik, B.; Bhattacharyya, P.; Chattopadhyay, P. P.

2014-01-01

Oxygen vacancy (OV) controlled TiO 2 nanotubes, having diameters of 50–70 nm and lengths of 200–250 nm, were synthesized by electrochemical anodization in the mixed electrolyte comprising NH 4 F and ethylene glycol with selective H 2 O content. The structural evolution of TiO 2 nanoforms has been studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Variation in the formation of OVs with the variation of the structure of TiO 2 nanoforms has been evaluated by photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The sensor characteristics were correlated to the variation of the amount of induced OVs in the nanotubes. The efficient room temperature sensing achieved by the control of OVs of TiO 2 nanotube array has paved the way for developing fast responding alcohol sensor with corresponding response magnitude of 60.2%, 45.3%, and 36.5% towards methanol, ethanol, and 2-propanol, respectively.

Vacancy identification in Co+ doped rutile TiO2 crystal with positron annihilation spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, X. B.; Zhang, P.; Liang, L. H.; Zhao, B. Z.; Yu, R. S.; Wang, B. Y.; Wu, W. M.

2011-01-01

Co-doped rutile TiO2 films were synthesized by ion implantation. Variable energy positron annihilation Doppler broadening spectroscopy and coincidence Doppler broadening measurements were performed for identification of the vacancies. A newly formed type of vacancy can be concluded by the S-W plot and the CDB results indicated that the oxygen vacancy (VO) complex Ti-Co-VO and/or Ti-VO are formed with Co ions implantation and the vacancy concentration is increased with increase of dopant dose.

Enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism in electrodeposited Co-doped ZnO nanostructured thin films by controlling the oxygen vacancy defects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simimol, A. [Nanomaterials Research Lab, Surface Engineering Division, CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, Post Bag No. 1779, Bangalore 560017 (India); Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut 673601 (India); Anappara, Aji A. [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut 673601 (India); Greulich-Weber, S. [Department of Physics, Nanophotonic Materials, Faculty of Science, University of Paderborn, 33095 Paderborn (Germany); Chowdhury, Prasanta [Nanomaterials Research Lab, Surface Engineering Division, CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, Post Bag No. 1779, Bangalore 560017 (India); Barshilia, Harish C., E-mail: harish@nal.res.in

2015-06-07

We report the growth of un-doped and cobalt doped ZnO nanostructures fabricated on FTO coated glass substrates using electrodeposition method. A detailed study on the effects of dopant concentration on morphology, structural, optical, and magnetic properties of the ZnO nanostructures has been carried out systematically by varying the Co concentration (c.{sub Co}) from 0.01 to 1 mM. For c.{sub Co }≤ 0.2 mM, h-wurtzite phase with no secondary phases of Co were present in the ZnO nanostructures. For c.{sub Co} ≤ 0.2 mM, the photoluminescence spectra exhibited a decrease in the intensity of ultraviolet emission as well as band-gap narrowing with an increase in dopant concentration. All the doped samples displayed a broad emission in the visible range and its intensity increased with an increase in Co concentration. It was found that the defect centers such as oxygen vacancies and zinc interstitials were the source of the visible emission. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies revealed, Co was primarily in the divalent state, replacing the Zn ion inside the tetrahedral crystal site of ZnO without forming any cluster or secondary phases of Co. The un-doped ZnO nanorods exhibited diamagnetic behavior and it remained up to a c.{sub Co} of 0.05 mM, while for c.{sub Co }> 0.05 mM, the ZnO nanostructures exhibited ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. The coercivity increased to 695 G for 0.2 mM Co-doped sample and then it decreased for c.{sub Co }> 0.2 mM. Our results illustrate that up to a threshold concentration of 0.2 mM, the strong ferromagnetism is due to the oxygen vacancy defects centers, which exist in the Co-doped ZnO nanostructures. The origin of strong ferromagnetism at room temperature in Co-doped ZnO nanostructures is attributed to the s-d exchange interaction between the localized spin moments resulting from the oxygen vacancies and d electrons of Co{sup 2+} ions. Our findings provide a new insight for tuning the

The Diffusive Boundary-Layer of Sediments - Oxygen Microgradients Over a Microbial Mat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

JØRGENSEN, BB; MARAIS, DJD

1990-01-01

Oxygen microelectrodes were used to analyze the distribution of the diffusive boundary layer (DBL) at the sedimen-water interface in relation to surface topography and flow velocity. The sediment, collected from saline ponds, was covered by a microbial mat that had high oxygen consumption rate...... and well-defined surface structure. Diffusion through the DBL constituted an important rate limitation to the oxygen uptake of the sediment. The mean effective DBL thickness decreased from 0.59 to 0.16 mm as the flow velocity of the overlying water was increased from 0.3 to 7.7 cm s-1 (measured 1 cm above...

Phase stability and oxygen diffusion in RBa2Cu3O6+x (R=Y, Nd)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mozhaev, A.P.; Mazo, G.N.; Galkin, A.A.; Khromova, N.V.

1996-01-01

Phase stability boundaries of RBa 2 Cu 3 O 6 + x (R=Y, Nd) compounds for oxygen partial pressure wide range were determined by means of Coulomb titration. Phase decomposition is shown to occur without formation of liquid phase. Principial differences in the chemical composition of decomposition product of Y- and Nd-containing phases were detected. Dependences of oxygen non-stoichiometry of the compounds on temperature were determined. Fragments of P o 2 -T-x-diagrams were plotted. Oxygen diffusion coefficients within wide range of temperatures and partial pressures of oxygen were determined. Dependence of diffusion parameters on oxygen non-stoichiometry and P o 2 was determined. Oxygen diffusion was determined to occur more rapidly in orthorhombic phase than in tetragonal one. Diffusion coefficients were shown to increase at transition from Y-to Nd-containing phase. 13 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

Improving ion irradiated high Tc Josephson junctions by annealing: The role of vacancy-interstitial annihilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sirena, M.; Matzen, S.; Bergeal, N.; Lesueur, J.; Faini, G.; Bernard, R.; Briatico, J.; Crete, D. G.

2007-01-01

The authors have studied the annealing effect in the transport properties of high T c Josephson junctions (JJs) made by ion irradiation. Low temperature annealing (80 deg. C) increases the JJ coupling temperature (T J ) and the I c R n product, where I c is the critical current and R n the normal resistance. They have found that the spread in JJ characteristics can be reduced by sufficient long annealing times, increasing the reproducibility of ion irradiated Josephson junctions. The characteristic annealing time and the evolution of the spread in the JJ characteristics can be explained by a vacancy-interstitial annihilation process rather than by an oxygen diffusion one

Dislocations and vacancies in two-dimensional mixed crystals of spheres and dimers

KAUST Repository

Gerbode, Sharon J.

2010-10-15

In colloidal crystals of spheres, dislocation motion is unrestricted. On the other hand, recent studies of relaxation in crystals of colloidal dimer particles have demonstrated that the dislocation dynamics in such crystals are reminiscent of glassy systems. The observed glassy dynamics arise as a result of dislocation cages formed by certain dimer orientations. In the current study, we use experiments and simulations to investigate the transition that arises when a pure sphere crystal is doped with an increasing concentration of dimers. Specifically, we focus on both dislocation caging and vacancy motion. Interestingly, we find that any nonzero fraction of dimers introduces finite dislocation cages, suggesting that glassy dynamics are present for any mixed crystal. However, we have also identified a vacancy-mediated uncaging mechanism for releasing dislocations from their cages. This mechanism is dependent on vacancy diffusion, which slows by orders of magnitude as the dimer concentration is increased. We propose that in mixed crystals with low dimer concentrations vacancy diffusion is fast enough to uncage dislocations and delay the onset of glassy dislocation dynamics. © 2010 The American Physical Society.

Dislocations and vacancies in two-dimensional mixed crystals of spheres and dimers

KAUST Repository

Gerbode, Sharon J.; Ong, Desmond C.; Liddell, Chekesha M.; Cohen, Itai

2010-01-01

In colloidal crystals of spheres, dislocation motion is unrestricted. On the other hand, recent studies of relaxation in crystals of colloidal dimer particles have demonstrated that the dislocation dynamics in such crystals are reminiscent of glassy systems. The observed glassy dynamics arise as a result of dislocation cages formed by certain dimer orientations. In the current study, we use experiments and simulations to investigate the transition that arises when a pure sphere crystal is doped with an increasing concentration of dimers. Specifically, we focus on both dislocation caging and vacancy motion. Interestingly, we find that any nonzero fraction of dimers introduces finite dislocation cages, suggesting that glassy dynamics are present for any mixed crystal. However, we have also identified a vacancy-mediated uncaging mechanism for releasing dislocations from their cages. This mechanism is dependent on vacancy diffusion, which slows by orders of magnitude as the dimer concentration is increased. We propose that in mixed crystals with low dimer concentrations vacancy diffusion is fast enough to uncage dislocations and delay the onset of glassy dislocation dynamics. © 2010 The American Physical Society.

Oxygen diffusion in soils: Understanding the factors and processes needed for modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Neira

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Oxygen is an important element for plant growth. Reducing its concentration in the soil affects plant physiological processes such as nutrient and water uptake as well as respiration, the redox potential of soil elements and the activity of microorganisms. The main mechanism of oxygen transport in the soil is by diffusion, a dynamic process greatly influenced by soil physical properties such as texture and structure, conditioning, pore size distribution, tortuosity and connectivity. Organic matter is a modifying agent of the soil's chemical and physical properties, affecting its structure and the porous matrix, which are determinants of oxygen transport. This study reviews the theory of soil gas diffusion and the effect of soil organic matter on the soil's physical properties and transport of gases. It also reviews gas diffusion models, particularly those including the effect of soil organic matter.

Effects of Defects on Hydrogen Diffusion in NbC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salehinia, Iman, E-mail: isalehinia@niu.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115 (United States); Mastorakos, Ioannis [Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699 (United States); Zbib, Hussein M. [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 (United States)

2017-04-15

Highlights: • MD simulations are used to study the effects of defects on the H diffusion in NbC. • Buckingham potential is more accurate for diffusion of H atoms than LJ potential. • H diffusion coefficient (D) increases with carbon vacancy concentration. • H diffusion coefficient for 6 Å pore (radius = 6 Å) is as high as that for 20 Å pore. • For small pores, H diffusion coefficient drops notably at elevated temperatures. - Abstract: Exceptional mechanical and physical properties of transition metal carbides and nitrides make them good coating-material candidates for extreme corrosive environments such as oil and natural gas wells. However, existence of small pores, pinholes and columnar structures of these ceramics significantly affect their resistance to corrosion, as pore sites would accelerate the diffusion of corrosive media into the substrate. In this research, molecular dynamics atomistic simulations are employed to investigate the effects of the isolated vacancies and the columnar structure on the diffusion rate of H atoms in NbC single crystal at various temperatures. Diffusion coefficient (D) of H atoms in NbC increased with C vacancy concentration. At elevated temperatures, the trapping effect of Nb vacancies is less effective when C vacancies are also present, as H atoms gain enough energy to jump back and forth between the C vacancies. Atomistic simulations also showed a jump in diffusion coefficient for cylindrical pore size of larger than 3 Å radius. Furthermore, D increased monotonically with temperature up to 1000 K in the presence of cylindrical pores. Further increase in temperature resulted in a drop in the diffusion coefficient for small pores while the large pores only showed a lower increasing trend in diffusion coefficient with the temperature.

Group-III vacancy induced InxGa1-xAs quantum dot interdiffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djie, H. S.; Wang, D.-N.; Ooi, B. S.; Hwang, J. C. M.; Gunawan, O.

2006-01-01

The impact of group-III vacancy diffusion, generated during dielectric cap induced intermixing, on the energy state transition and the inhomogeneity reduction in the InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot structure is investigated. We use a three-dimensional quantum-dot diffusion model and photoluminescence data to determine the thermal and the interdiffusion properties of the quantum dot. The band gap energy variation related to the dot uniformity is found to be dominantly affected by the height fluctuation. A group-III vacancies migration energy H m for InGaAs quantum dots of 1.7 eV was deduced. This result is similar to the value obtained from the bulk and GaAs/AlGaAs quantum-well materials confirming the role of SiO 2 capping enhanced group-III vacancy induced interdiffusion in the InGaAs quantum dots

Atomically layer-by-layer diffusion of oxygen/hydrogen in highly epitaxial PrBaCo{sub 2}O{sub 5.5+δ} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bao, Shanyong; Xu, Xing; Enriquez, Erik; Mace, Brennan E.; Chen, Garry; Kelliher, Sean P.; Chen, Chonglin, E-mail: cl.chen@utsa.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas, San Antonio, Texas 78249 (United States); Zhang, Yamei [Department of Physics, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212003 (China); Whangbo, Myung-Hwan [North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8204 (United States); Dong, Chuang; Zhang, Qinyu [Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams, Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China)

2015-12-14

Single-crystalline epitaxial thin films of PrBaCo{sub 2}O{sub 5.5+δ} (PrBCO) were prepared, and their resistance R(t) under a switching flow of oxidizing and reducing gases were measured as a function of the gas flow time t in the temperature range of 200–800 °C. During the oxidation cycle under O{sub 2}, the PrBCO films exhibit fast oscillations in their dR(t)/dt vs. t plots, which reflect the oxidation processes, Co{sup 2+}/Co{sup 3+} → Co{sup 3+} and Co{sup 3+} → Co{sup 3+}/Co{sup 4+}, that the Co atoms of PrBCO undergo. Each oscillation consists of two peaks, with larger and smaller peaks representing the oxygen/hydrogen diffusion through the (BaO)(CoO{sub 2})(PrO)(CoO{sub 2}) layers of PrBCO via the oxygen-vacancy-exchange mechanism. This finding paves a significant avenue for cathode materials operating in low-temperature solid-oxide-fuel-cell devices and for chemical sensors with wide range of operating temperature.

Positron annihilation study of vacancy-type defects in fast-neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl2O3

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Abu Zayed Mohammad Saliqur; Li, Zhuoxin; Cao, Xingzhong; Wang, Baoyi; Wei, Long; Xu, Qiu; Atobe, Kozo

2014-09-01

The positron lifetimes of fast-neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl2O3 single crystals were measured to investigate the formation of cation vacancies. Al monovacancy was possibly observed in samples irradiated by fast neutrons at ultra-low temperatures. Additionally, vacancy-oxygen complex centers were possibly observed in samples irradiated at higher temperatures and fast neutron fluences. Coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) spectra were measured to obtain information regarding the vicinity of vacancy-type defects. A peak at approximately 11 × 10-3 m0c was observed, which may be due to the presence of oxygen atoms in the neighborhood of the vacancies.

Quantum transport in defective phosphorene nanoribbons: Effects of atomic vacancies

Science.gov (United States)

Li, L. L.; Peeters, F. M.

2018-02-01

Defects are almost inevitably present in realistic materials and defective materials are expected to exhibit very different properties than their nondefective (perfect) counterparts. Here, using a combination of the tight-binding approach and the scattering matrix formalism, we investigate the electronic transport properties of defective phosphorene nanoribbons (PNRs) containing atomic vacancies. We find that for both armchair PNRs (APNRs) and zigzag PNRs (ZPNRs), single vacancies can create quasilocalized states, which can affect their conductance. With increasing vacancy concentration, three different transport regimes are identified: ballistic, diffusive, and Anderson localized ones. In particular, ZPNRs that are known to be metallic due to the presence of edge states become semiconducting: edge conductance vanishes and transport gap appears due to Anderson localization. Moreover, we find that for a fixed vacancy concentration, both APNRs and ZPNRs of narrower width and/or longer length are more sensitive to vacancy disorder than their wider and/or shorter counterparts, and that for the same ribbon length and width, ZPNRs are more sensitive to vacancy disorder than APNRs.

Two-photon NADH imaging exposes boundaries of oxygen diffusion in cortical vascular supply regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasischke, Karl A; Lambert, Elton M; Panepento, Ben; Sun, Anita; Gelbard, Harris A; Burgess, Robert W; Foster, Thomas H; Nedergaard, Maiken

2011-01-01

Oxygen transport imposes a possible constraint on the brain's ability to sustain variable metabolic demands, but oxygen diffusion in the cerebral cortex has not yet been observed directly. We show that concurrent two-photon fluorescence imaging of endogenous nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and the cortical microcirculation exposes well-defined boundaries of tissue oxygen diffusion in the mouse cortex. The NADH fluorescence increases rapidly over a narrow, very low pO(2) range with a p(50) of 3.4 ± 0.6 mm Hg, thereby establishing a nearly binary reporter of significant, metabolically limiting hypoxia. The transient cortical tissue boundaries of NADH fluorescence exhibit remarkably delineated geometrical patterns, which define the limits of tissue oxygen diffusion from the cortical microcirculation and bear a striking resemblance to the ideal Krogh tissue cylinder. The visualization of microvessels and their regional contribution to oxygen delivery establishes penetrating arterioles as major oxygen sources in addition to the capillary network and confirms the existence of cortical oxygen fields with steep microregional oxygen gradients. Thus, two-photon NADH imaging can be applied to expose vascular supply regions and to localize functionally relevant microregional cortical hypoxia with micrometer spatial resolution.

Diffusion Mechanisms and Lattice Locations of Thermal-Equilibrium Defects in Si-Ge Alloys

CERN Multimedia

Lyutovich, K; Touboltsev, V; Laitinen, P O; Strohm, A

2002-01-01

It is generally accepted that Ge and Si differ considerably with respect to intrinsic-point-defect-mediated diffusion. In Ge, the native point defects dominating under thermal-equilibium conditions at all solid-state temperatures accessible in diffusion experiments are vacancies, and therefore Ge self-diffusion is vacancy-controlled. In Si, by contrast, self-interstitials and vacancies co-exist in thermal equilibrium. Whereas in the most thoroughly investigated temperature regime above about 1000$^\\circ$C Si self-diffusion is self-interstitial-controlled, it is vacancy-controlled at lower temperatures. According to the scenario displayed above, self-diffusion in Si-Ge alloys is expected to change from an interstitialcy mechanism on the Si side to a vacancy mechanism on the Ge side. Therefore, $^{71}$Ge self-diffusion experiments in Si$_{1- \\it y}$Ge$_{\\it y}$ as a function of composition Y are highly interesting. In a first series of experiments the diffusion of Ge in 0.4 to 10 $\\mu$m thick, relaxed, low-disl...

Two-photon NADH imaging exposes boundaries of oxygen diffusion in cortical vascular supply regions

OpenAIRE

Kasischke, Karl A; Lambert, Elton M; Panepento, Ben; Sun, Anita; Gelbard, Harris A; Burgess, Robert W; Foster, Thomas H; Nedergaard, Maiken

2010-01-01

Oxygen transport imposes a possible constraint on the brain's ability to sustain variable metabolic demands, but oxygen diffusion in the cerebral cortex has not yet been observed directly. We show that concurrent two-photon fluorescence imaging of endogenous nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and the cortical microcirculation exposes well-defined boundaries of tissue oxygen diffusion in the mouse cortex. The NADH fluorescence increases rapidly over a narrow, very low pO2 range with a p ...

Perturbation of the γ angular distribution due to vacancy-induced quadrupole interaction in metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abromeit, C.

1976-01-01

This paper presents an investigation of the influence of diffusing vacancies on the results of PAC/PAD experiments. The fluctuating hyperfine interaction process, caused by thermal hopping of the vacancies, is described by a stochastic model, and the mean value of the density matrix time development operator of the probe nucleus. First, the nuclear perturbation factors, containing all information about the interaction of the nuclear spin system with the environment, are defined. The stochastic process of vacancy diffusion in a discrete lattice is presented, and approximation methods are given leading to a significant simplification and in some cases even make possible an evaluation at all. The problem of vacancy preparation at the initial stage of the PAC/PAD-experiment is studied. For the electric field gradients produced by the vacancies at the position of the probe nucleus, an empirical ansatz is given. For different lattice structures, numerical results for integral and differential measurements with and without an applied external magnetic field are presentd. These results are discussed in view of the approximations made and compared with the experiment. Also, the influence of the initial vacancy distribution on the calculated perturbation factors is investigated. The results show good agreement with experimental data. (orig./HPOE) [de

Water self-diffusion through narrow oxygenated carbon nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Striolo, Alberto [School of Chemical Biological and Materials Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019 (United States)

2007-11-28

The hydrophobic interior of carbon nanotubes, which is reminiscent of ion channels in cellular membranes, has inspired scientific research directed towards the production of, for example, membranes for water desalination, drug-delivery devices, and nanosyringes. To develop these technologies it is crucial to understand and predict the equilibrium and transport properties of confined water. We present here a series of molecular dynamics simulation results conducted to understand the extent to which the presence of a few oxygenated active sites, modeled as carbonyls, affects the transport properties of confined water. The model for the carbon nanotube is not intended to be realistic. Its only purpose is to allow us to understand the effect of a few oxygenated sites on the transport properties of water confined in a narrow cylindrical pore, which is otherwise hydrophobic. At low hydration levels we found little, if any, water diffusion. The diffusion, which appears to be of the Fickian type for sufficiently large hydration levels, becomes faster as the number of confined water molecules increases, reaches a maximum, and slows as water fills the carbon nanotubes. We explain our findings on the basis of two collective motion mechanisms observed from the analysis of sequences of simulation snapshots. We term the two mechanisms 'cluster-breakage' and 'cluster-libration' mechanisms. We observe that the cluster-breakage mechanism produces longer displacements for the confined water molecules than the cluster-libration one, but deactivates as water fills the carbon nanotube. From a practical point of view, our results are particularly important for two reasons: (1) at low hydration levels the presence of only eight carbonyl groups can prevent the diffusion of water through (8, 8) carbon nanotubes; and (2) the extremely fast self-diffusion coefficients observed for water within narrow carbon nanotubes are significantly decreased in the presence of only a

Water self-diffusion through narrow oxygenated carbon nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Striolo, Alberto

2007-01-01

The hydrophobic interior of carbon nanotubes, which is reminiscent of ion channels in cellular membranes, has inspired scientific research directed towards the production of, for example, membranes for water desalination, drug-delivery devices, and nanosyringes. To develop these technologies it is crucial to understand and predict the equilibrium and transport properties of confined water. We present here a series of molecular dynamics simulation results conducted to understand the extent to which the presence of a few oxygenated active sites, modeled as carbonyls, affects the transport properties of confined water. The model for the carbon nanotube is not intended to be realistic. Its only purpose is to allow us to understand the effect of a few oxygenated sites on the transport properties of water confined in a narrow cylindrical pore, which is otherwise hydrophobic. At low hydration levels we found little, if any, water diffusion. The diffusion, which appears to be of the Fickian type for sufficiently large hydration levels, becomes faster as the number of confined water molecules increases, reaches a maximum, and slows as water fills the carbon nanotubes. We explain our findings on the basis of two collective motion mechanisms observed from the analysis of sequences of simulation snapshots. We term the two mechanisms 'cluster-breakage' and 'cluster-libration' mechanisms. We observe that the cluster-breakage mechanism produces longer displacements for the confined water molecules than the cluster-libration one, but deactivates as water fills the carbon nanotube. From a practical point of view, our results are particularly important for two reasons: (1) at low hydration levels the presence of only eight carbonyl groups can prevent the diffusion of water through (8, 8) carbon nanotubes; and (2) the extremely fast self-diffusion coefficients observed for water within narrow carbon nanotubes are significantly decreased in the presence of only a few oxygenated active

Determination of oxygen diffusion kinetics during thin film ruthenium oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coloma Ribera, R., E-mail: r.colomaribera@utwente.nl; Kruijs, R. W. E. van de; Yakshin, A. E.; Bijkerk, F. [MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)

2015-08-07

In situ X-ray reflectivity was used to reveal oxygen diffusion kinetics for thermal oxidation of polycrystalline ruthenium thin films and accurate determination of activation energies for this process. Diffusion rates in nanometer thin RuO{sub 2} films were found to show Arrhenius behaviour. However, a gradual decrease in diffusion rates was observed with oxide growth, with the activation energy increasing from about 2.1 to 2.4 eV. Further exploration of the Arrhenius pre-exponential factor for diffusion process revealed that oxidation of polycrystalline ruthenium joins the class of materials that obey the Meyer-Neldel rule.

Atomic geometry and STM simulations of a TiO.sub.2./sub.(110) surface upon formation of an oxygen vacancy and hydroxyl group

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mutombo, Pingo; Kiss, A.M.; Berkó, A.; Cháb, Vladimír

2008-01-01

Roč. 16, - (2008), 025007/1-025007/9 ISSN 0965-0393 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA1010413 Grant - others:MŠMT(CZ) 9/2004 KONTAKT Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Source of funding: V - iné verejné zdroje Keywords : vacance * Oxygen * OH group * STM Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.388, year: 2008

Ionized zinc vacancy mediated ferromagnetism in copper doped ZnO thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Yi Zhuo

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the origin of ferromagnetism in Cu-doped ZnO thin films. Room-temperature ferromagnetism is obtained in all the thin films when deposited at different oxygen partial pressure. An obviously enhanced peak corresponding to zinc vacancy is observed in the photoluminescence spectra, while the electrical spin resonance measurement implies the zinc vacancy is negative charged. After excluding the possibility of direct exchange mechanisms (via free carriers, we tentatively propose a quasi-indirect exchange model (via ionized zinc vacancy for Cu-doped ZnO system.

Wide-range tunable bandgap in Bi1−xCaxFe1−yTiyO3−δ nanoparticles via oxygen vacancy induced structural modulations at room temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mocherla, Pavana S V; Sudakar, C; Gautam, Sanjeev; Chae, Keun Hwa; Rao, M S Ramachandra

2015-01-01

We demonstrate that oxygen vacancies (V O ) produced by aliovalent (Ca 2+ ) doping in BiFeO 3 (BCFO) and associated structural changes due to V O ordering result in systematic alteration of the bandgap (E g ) over a wide range from 1.5 eV to 2.3 eV. By contrast, the change in the bandgap of a Ca 2+ and Ti 4+ co-doped BiFeO 3 (BCFTO) system, wherein the V O formation is suppressed, is negligible. These contrastive results strongly confirm the role of oxygen vacancies in altering the bandgap of BCFO. Irrespective of doping, microstrain, which is found to be large (0.3 to 1.2%) below a critical size (d c ∼ 60 nm) also produces a small, yet linear change in the bandgap (E g from 2.0 to 2.3 eV). The cubic phase stabilizes gradually in BCFO for x > 0.1 through an orthorhombic phase (for 0.05 < x < 0.1), whereas it directly transforms for x > 0.1 in BCFTO. This change in BCFO at 300 K suggests a high-pressure-like (or high-temperature-like) effect of the oxygen vacancies and dopants on the structure. Systematic variations in the relative intensities and peak positions of Fe d–d transitions in BCFO reveal the local changes in Fe–O–Fe coordination. These results along with XANES and HRTEM studies substantiate the observed structural changes. (paper)

Characterization of transport properties in uranium dioxide: the case of the oxygen auto-diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fraczkiewicz, M.; Baldinozzi, G.

2008-01-01

Point defects in uranium dioxide which control the transport phenomena are still badly known. The aim of this work is to show how in carrying out several experimental techniques, it is possible to demonstrate both the existence and to determine the nature (charge and localization) of predominant defects responsible of the transport phenomena in a fluorite-type structure oxide. The oxygen diffusion in the uranium dioxide illustrates this. In the first part of this work, the accent is put on the electric properties of uranium dioxide and more particularly on the variation laws of the electric conductivity in terms of temperature, of oxygen potential and of the impurities amounts present in the material. These evolutions are connected to point and charged complex defects models and the pertinence of these models is discussed. Besides, it is shown how the electric conductivity measurements can allow to define oxygen potential domains in which the concentrations in electronic carriers are controlled. This characterization being made, it is shown that the determination of the oxygen intrinsic diffusion coefficient and particularly its dependence to the oxygen potential and to the amount of impurity, allows to determine the main defect responsible to the atomic diffusion as well as its nature and its charge. In the second part, the experimental techniques to determine the oxygen diffusion coefficient are presented: there are the isotopic exchange technique for introducing the tracer in the material, and two techniques to characterize the diffusion profiles (SIMS and NRA). Examples of preliminary results are given for mono and polycrystalline samples. At last, from this methodology on uranium dioxide, studies considered to quantify the thermal and physicochemical effects are presented. Experiments considered with the aim to characterize the radiation diffusion in uranium dioxide are presented too. (O.M.)

Low-temperature positron lifetime and Doppler-broadening measurements for single-crystal nickel oxide containing cation vacancies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waber, J.T.; Snead, C.L. Jr.; Lynn, K.G.

1985-01-01

Lifetime and Doppler-broadening measurements for positron annihilation in substoichiometric nickelous oxide have been made concomitantly from liquid-helium to room temperature. The concentration of cation vacancies is readily controlled by altering the ambient oxygen pressure while annealing the crystals at 1673 0 K. It was found that neither of the three lifetimes observed or their relative intensities varied significantly with the oxygen pressure, and the bulk rate only increased slightly when the specimen was cooled from room to liquid-helium temperatures. These results are interpreted as indicating that some of the positrons are trapped by the existing cation vacancies and a smaller fraction by vacancy clusters

Vaporization and diffusion studies on the stability of doped lanthanum gallates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stanislowski, M.; Singheiser, L.; Hilpert, K. [Research Center Juelich, Institute for Materials and Processes in Energy Systems, IWV-2, 52425 Juelich (Germany); Peck, D.H.; Woo, S.K. [Korea Institute of Energy Research, 71-2 Jang-Dong, Yuseong, 305-343 Daejeon (Korea); Schulz, O.; Martin, M. [RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen (Germany)

2006-07-15

Vaporization and diffusion determine the stability of doped lanthanum gallates under SOFC operating conditions. Systematic vaporization studies of Ga and other elements were carried out using the vapor transpiration method. It was shown that the Ga vaporization is controlled by diffusion from the bulk to the surface. Diffusion coefficients D{sub Ga} and vaporization coefficients {alpha}{sub Ga} were determined by fitting the measured vaporization data to a vaporization model. Secondary phases formed as a result of the vaporization were detected. The influence of different doping levels of Sr, Mg and Fe on the Ga vaporization was elucidated. Moreover, cation self-diffusion of {sup 139}La, {sup 84}Sr and {sup 25}Mg as well as cation impurity diffusion of {sup 144}Nd, {sup 89}Y and {sup 56}Fe in polycrystalline samples of doped lanthanum gallate were directly determined for the composition La{sub 0.9}Sr{sub 0.1}Ga{sub 0.9}Mg{sub 0.1}O{sub 2.9} as an example, from diffusion profiles determined by SIMS. It was found that diffusion occurs by means of bulk and grain boundaries. The bulk diffusion coefficients are similar for all cations with activation energies which are strongly dependent on temperature. The results are explained by a frozen-in defect structure at low temperatures in the ABO{sub 3} perovskite lattice and by proposing a defect cluster containing cation vacancies in the A and B sublattices, as well as oxygen vacancies. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Oxygen Permeability and Grain-Boundary Diffusion Applied to Alumina Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Smialek, James L.; Jacobson, Nathan S.; Gleeson, Brian; Hovis, David B.; Heuer, Arthur H.

2013-01-01

High-temperature oxygen permeability measurements had determined grain-boundary diffusivities (deltaD(sub gb)) in bulk polycrystalline alumina (Wada, Matsudaira, and Kitaoka). They predict that oxygen deltaD(sub gb,O) varies with oxygen pressure as P(O2)(sup -1/6) at low pressure whereas aluminum deltaD(sub gb),Al varies with P(O2)(sup +3/16) at high pressure. These relations were used to evaluate alumina scale growth in terms of diffusivity and grain size. A modified Wagner treatment for dominant inward oxygen growth produces the concise solution: ?(sub i) = k(sub p,i)×G(sub i) = 12 deltaD(sub gb,O,int), where ?(sub i) is a constant and k(sub p,i) and G(sub i) refer to instantaneous values of the scale parabolic growth constant and grain size, respectively. A commercial FeCrAl(Zr) alloy was oxidized at 1100 to 1400 degC to determine k(sub p,i), interfacial grain size, ?, and thus deltaD(sub gb,O,int). The deltaD(sub gb,O,int) values predicted from oxidation at (375 kJ/mole) were about 20 times less than those obtained above (at 298 kJ/mole), but closer than extrapolations from high-temperature bulk measurements. The experimental oxidation results agree with similar FeCrAl(X) studies, especially where both k(sub p,i) and G(sub i) were characterized. This complete approach accounts for temperature-sensitive oxidation effects of grain enlargement, equilibrium interface pressure variation, and grain-boundary diffusivity.

Room temperature alcohol sensing by oxygen vacancy controlled TiO{sub 2} nanotube array

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hazra, A.; Dutta, K.; Bhowmik, B.; Bhattacharyya, P., E-mail: pb-etc-besu@yahoo.com [Nano-Thin Films and Solid State Gas Sensor Devices Laboratory, Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST), Shibpur, Howrah (India); Chattopadhyay, P. P. [Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST), Shibpur, Howrah (India)

2014-08-25

Oxygen vacancy (OV) controlled TiO{sub 2} nanotubes, having diameters of 50–70 nm and lengths of 200–250 nm, were synthesized by electrochemical anodization in the mixed electrolyte comprising NH{sub 4}F and ethylene glycol with selective H{sub 2}O content. The structural evolution of TiO{sub 2} nanoforms has been studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Variation in the formation of OVs with the variation of the structure of TiO{sub 2} nanoforms has been evaluated by photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The sensor characteristics were correlated to the variation of the amount of induced OVs in the nanotubes. The efficient room temperature sensing achieved by the control of OVs of TiO{sub 2} nanotube array has paved the way for developing fast responding alcohol sensor with corresponding response magnitude of 60.2%, 45.3%, and 36.5% towards methanol, ethanol, and 2-propanol, respectively.

Sr{sub 2}MgMoO{sub 6−δ} thin films fabricated using pulsed-laser deposition with high concentrations of oxygen vacancies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shigematsu, K. [Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Chikamatsu, A., E-mail: chikamatsu@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Fukumura, T. [Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); JST-CREST, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Toyoda, S. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan); Ikenaga, E. [JASRI/SPring-8, Mikazuki-cho, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan); Hasegawa, T. [Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); JST-CREST, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213-0012 (Japan)

2014-06-30

We fabricated epitaxial thin films of oxygen-vacant Sr{sub 2}MgMoO{sub 6−δ} using pulsed laser deposition. The films showed low resistivity of the order of 10{sup −2} Ω cm at 300 K. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that Mg and Mo ions in the Sr{sub 2}MgMoO{sub 6−δ} films were considerably disordered, compared to those in bulk Sr{sub 2}MgMoO{sub 6−δ}. The proportion of oxygen vacancies estimated through hard x-ray photoemission measurements was as large as 0.37, and correlated well with the Mg/Mo ordering.

Oxygen vacancies enabled enhancement of catalytic property of Al reduced anatase TiO{sub 2} in the decomposition of high concentration ozone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, Yanhua; Zhang, Xiaolei [Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 200235 (China); Chen, Li [East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Wang, Xiaorui [Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 200235 (China); Zhang, Na, E-mail: nzhang@sit.edu.cn [Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 200235 (China); Liu, Yufeng [Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 200235 (China); Fang, Yongzheng, E-mail: fyz1003@sina.com [Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 200235 (China)

2017-06-15

The catalytic decomposition of gaseous ozone (O{sub 3}) is investigated using anatase TiO{sub 2} (A-TiO{sub 2}) and Aluminum-reduced A-TiO{sub 2} (ARA-TiO{sub 2}) at high concentration and high relative humidity (RH) without light illumination. Compared with the pristine A-TiO{sub 2}, the ARA-TiO{sub 2} sample possesses a unique crystalline core-amorphous shell structure. It is proved to be an excellent solar energy “capture” for solar thermal collectors due to lots of oxygen vacancies. The results indicate that the overall decomposition efficiency of O{sub 3} without any light irradiation has been greatly improved from 4.8% on A-TiO{sub 2} to 100% on ARA-TiO{sub 2} under the RH=100% condition. The ozone conversion over T500/ARA-TiO{sub 2} catalyst is still maintained at 95% after a 72 h test under the reaction condition of 18.5 g/m{sup 3} ozone initial concentration, and RH=90%. The results can be explained that T500/ARA-TiO{sub 2} possesses the largest amorphous contour, the lowest crystallinity, the most surface-active Ti{sup 3+}/T{sup i4+}couples, and the most oxygen vacancies. This result opens a new door to widen the application of TiO{sub 2} in the thermal-catalytic field. - Graphical abstract: The anatase-TiO{sub 2} with various oxidation states and oxygen vacancies have been obtained by aluminum-reduction, and the decomposition efficiency of O{sub 3} has been greatly improved from 4.8% to 100% without irradiation under the RH=100% condition. - Highlights: • The decomposition of gaseous ozone over Al reduced TiO2 (ARA-TiO{sub 2}) is firstly reported. • The decomposition efficiency is up to 100% without any light irradiation on ARA-TiO{sub 2} under RH=100% condition. • The ozone conversion is maintained at 95% after a 72 h test, when C{sub inlet}=18.5 g/m{sup 3} and RH=90%.

Vacancy-induced ferromagnetism in ZnO probed by spin-polarized positron annihilation spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Maekawa, Masaki; Abe, Hiroshi; Miyashita, Atsumi; Sakai, Seiji; Yamamoto, Shunya; Kawasuso, Atsuo

2017-04-01

We investigated the ferromagnetism of ZnO induced by oxygen implantation by using spin-polarized positron annihilation spectroscopy together with magnetization measurements. The magnetization measurements showed the appearance of ferromagnetism after oxygen implantation and its disappearance during post-implantation annealing at temperatures above 573 K. The Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation (DBAR) spectrum showed asymmetry upon field reversal after oxygen implantation. The obtained differential DBAR spectrum between positive and negative magnetic fields was well-explained with a theoretical calculation considering zinc vacancies. The disappearance of the field-reversal asymmetry of the DBAR spectrum as a result of annealing agreed with the observations of ferromagnetism by magnetization measurements. These results suggest the radiation-induced zinc vacancies to be the source of the observed ferromagnetism of ZnO.

Thermophysical and anion diffusion properties of (U x ,Th1-x )O2.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Michael W D; Murphy, Samuel T; Fossati, Paul C M; Rushton, Michael J D; Grimes, Robin W

2014-11-08

Using molecular dynamics, the thermophysical properties of the (U x ,Th 1- x )O 2 system have been investigated between 300 and 3600 K. The thermal dependence of lattice parameter, linear thermal expansion coefficient, enthalpy and specific heat at constant pressure is explained in terms of defect formation and diffusivity on the oxygen sublattice. Vegard's law is approximately observed for solid solution thermal expansion below 2000 K. Different deviations from Vegard's law above this temperature occur owing to the different temperatures at which the solid solutions undergo the superionic transition (2500-3300 K). Similarly, a spike in the specific heat, associated with the superionic transition, occurs at lower temperatures in solid solutions that have a high U content. Correspondingly, oxygen diffusivity is higher in pure UO 2 than in pure ThO 2 . Furthermore, at temperatures below the superionic transition, oxygen mobility is notably higher in solid solutions than in the end members. Enhanced diffusivity is promoted by lower oxygen-defect enthalpies in (U x ,Th 1- x )O 2 solid solutions. Unlike in UO 2 and ThO 2 , there is considerable variety of oxygen vacancy and oxygen interstitial sites in solid solutions generating a wide range of property values. Trends in the defect enthalpies are discussed in terms of composition and the lattice parameter of (U x ,Th 1- x )O 2 .

Thermophysical and anion diffusion properties of (Ux,Th1−x)O2

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Michael W. D.; Murphy, Samuel T.; Fossati, Paul C. M.; Rushton, Michael J. D.; Grimes, Robin W.

2014-01-01

Using molecular dynamics, the thermophysical properties of the (Ux,Th1−x)O2 system have been investigated between 300 and 3600 K. The thermal dependence of lattice parameter, linear thermal expansion coefficient, enthalpy and specific heat at constant pressure is explained in terms of defect formation and diffusivity on the oxygen sublattice. Vegard's law is approximately observed for solid solution thermal expansion below 2000 K. Different deviations from Vegard's law above this temperature occur owing to the different temperatures at which the solid solutions undergo the superionic transition (2500–3300 K). Similarly, a spike in the specific heat, associated with the superionic transition, occurs at lower temperatures in solid solutions that have a high U content. Correspondingly, oxygen diffusivity is higher in pure UO2 than in pure ThO2. Furthermore, at temperatures below the superionic transition, oxygen mobility is notably higher in solid solutions than in the end members. Enhanced diffusivity is promoted by lower oxygen-defect enthalpies in (Ux,Th1−x)O2 solid solutions. Unlike in UO2 and ThO2, there is considerable variety of oxygen vacancy and oxygen interstitial sites in solid solutions generating a wide range of property values. Trends in the defect enthalpies are discussed in terms of composition and the lattice parameter of (Ux,Th1−x)O2. PMID:25383028

The structure and properties of vacancies in Si nano-crystals calculated by real space pseudopotential methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beckman, S.P.; Chelikowsky, James R.

2007-01-01

The structure and properties of vacancies in a 2 nm Si nano-crystal are studied using a real space density functional theory/pseudopotential method. It is observed that a vacancy's electronic properties and energy of formation are directly related to the local symmetry of the vacancy site. The formation energy for vacancies and Frenkel pair are calculated. It is found that both defects have lower energy in smaller crystals. In a 2 nm nano-crystal the energy to form a Frenkel pair is 1.7 eV and the energy to form a vacancy is no larger than 2.3 eV. The energy barrier for vacancy diffusion is examined via a nudged elastic band algorithm

Stability and migration of vacancy in V–4Cr–4Ti alloy: Effects of Al, Si, Y trace elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chong; Zhang, Pengbo; Li, Ruihuan; Zhao, Jijun; Dong, Chuang

2013-01-01

Addition of trace amounts of Al, Si and Y into V–4Cr–4Ti alloy is beneficial for the mechanical properties under irradiation. It is thus important to investigate the influence of solute/trace elements on stabilities, energetics and diffusion behaviors of vacancy defects. We performed first-principles calculations to evaluate vacancy–solute/trace interaction inside dilute V–X (X = Ti, Cr, Al, Si, Y) and V–4Cr–4Ti–(Al, Si, Y) alloys. With addition of Si and Y, vacancy-based complexes tend to form near Ti–Si and Ti–Y pairs, while the effect of Al is negligible. Moreover, diffusion coefficients of solute/trace element in vanadium were derived using nine-frequency model. With high binding energy and low diffusion coefficient, Si atom is strongly attractive to vacancy in vanadium matrix. Our theoretical results suggest that the interactions between vacancy and solute/trace elements play some role in the evolution of microstructures inside vanadium alloys

Identification of vacancy defect complexes in transparent semiconducting oxides ZnO, In2O3 and SnO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makkonen, Ilja; Korhonen, Esa; Prozheeva, Vera; Tuomisto, Filip

2016-01-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopy, when combined with supporting high-quality modeling of positron states and annihilation in matter, is a powerful tool for detailed defect identification of vacancy-type defects in semiconductors and oxides. Here we demonstrate that the Doppler broadening of the positron annihilation radiation is a very sensitive means for observing the oxygen environment around cation vacancies, the main open-volume defects trapping positrons in measurements made for transparent semiconducting oxides. Changes in the positron annihilation signal due to external manipulation such as irradiation and annealing can be correlated with the associated changes in the sizes of the detected vacancy clusters. Our examples for ZnO, In 2 O 3 and SnO 2 demonstrate that oxygen vacancies in oxides can be detected directly using positron annihilation spectroscopy when they are complexed with cation vacancies. (paper)

Identification of vacancy defect complexes in transparent semiconducting oxides ZnO, In2O3 and SnO2

Science.gov (United States)

Makkonen, Ilja; Korhonen, Esa; Prozheeva, Vera; Tuomisto, Filip

2016-06-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopy, when combined with supporting high-quality modeling of positron states and annihilation in matter, is a powerful tool for detailed defect identification of vacancy-type defects in semiconductors and oxides. Here we demonstrate that the Doppler broadening of the positron annihilation radiation is a very sensitive means for observing the oxygen environment around cation vacancies, the main open-volume defects trapping positrons in measurements made for transparent semiconducting oxides. Changes in the positron annihilation signal due to external manipulation such as irradiation and annealing can be correlated with the associated changes in the sizes of the detected vacancy clusters. Our examples for ZnO, In2O3 and SnO2 demonstrate that oxygen vacancies in oxides can be detected directly using positron annihilation spectroscopy when they are complexed with cation vacancies.

Diffusive flux in a model of stochastically gated oxygen transport in insect respiration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berezhkovskii, Alexander M. [Mathematical and Statistical Computing Laboratory, Division of Computational Bioscience, Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 (United States); Shvartsman, Stanislav Y. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 (United States)

2016-05-28

Oxygen delivery to insect tissues is controlled by transport through a branched tubular network that is connected to the atmosphere by valve-like gates, known as spiracles. In certain physiological regimes, the spiracles appear to be randomly switching between open and closed states. Quantitative analysis of this regime leads a reaction-diffusion problem with stochastically switching boundary condition. We derive an expression for the diffusive flux at long times in this problem. Our approach starts with the derivation of the passage probability for a single particle that diffuses between a stochastically gated boundary, which models the opening and closing spiracle, and the perfectly absorbing boundary, which models oxygen absorption by the tissue. This passage probability is then used to derive an expression giving the diffusive flux as a function of the geometric parameters of the tube and characteristic time scales of diffusion and gate dynamics.

The Diffusive Boundary-Layer of Sediments - Oxygen Microgradients Over a Microbial Mat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

JØRGENSEN, BB; MARAIS, DJD

1990-01-01

Oxygen microelectrodes were used to analyze the distribution of the diffusive boundary layer (DBL) at the sedimen-water interface in relation to surface topography and flow velocity. The sediment, collected from saline ponds, was covered by a microbial mat that had high oxygen consumption rate...

Synthesis and oxygen vacancy related NO{sub 2} gas sensing properties of ZnO:Co nanorods arrays gown by a hydrothermal method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zou, Changwei, E-mail: qingyihaiyanas@163.com; Liang, Feng; Xue, Shuwen

2015-10-30

Highlights: • Co doped ZnO:Co nanorods were grown by hydrothermal method. • The NO{sub 2} response reaches a maximum value of 88 at 210 °C. • The stability of NO{sub 2} on ZnO is enhanced with the presence of V{sub O}. - Abstract: Highly ordered Co doped ZnO:Co nanorods arrays with Co concentrations of 1.6, 1.9 and 3.1 at% were uniformly grown on FTO glass substrate by hydrothermal method. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the undoped and Co doped ZnO nanorods revealed characteristic peaks of (1 0 0), (0 0 2), (1 0 1), (1 0 3) and (1 1 2), corresponding to the hexagonal wurtzite phase of ZnO. For ZnO:Co nanorods with Co concentrations of 3.1 at%, the NO{sub 2} response reached a maximum value of 88 at temperature of 210 °C. However, the response of ZnO:Co nanorods with Co concentrations of 3.1 at% decreased from 82 to 29 with the increasing of O{sub 2} annealing temperature from 0 to 700 °C. As confirmed by the XPS, PL, Raman and I–V results, the oxygen vacancies and electron concentrations were the dominating effects and an oxygen vacancy mediated NO{sub 2} sensing mechanism was presented and discussed.

Investigation of radiation-enhanced oxygen diffusion in Li-Ti ferrites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surzhikov, A.P.; Pritulov, A.M.; Gyngazov, S.A.; Lysenko, E.N.

1999-01-01

The radiation-enhanced oxygen diffusion in polycrystalline Li-Ti ferrites was investigated. The electron accelerator ELV-6 (Institute of Nuclear Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences) was used to generate the radiothermal annealing. The radiation effects were established by comparison of diffusion profiles of the samples, which were radiothermally treated, and data obtained during the thermal annealing in the resistance furnace. It was discovered that there was an increase of numerical values of Ed (activation diffusion energy) and Do (preexponential factor) during the radiothermal annealing, if compared with the thermal one. The investigations were financed by the Russian Fundamental Research Fund

Diffusion of oxygen in nitrogen in the pores of graphite. Preliminary results on the effect of oxidation on diffusivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hewitt, G. F.; Sharratt, E. W.

1962-10-15

Preliminary results are reported from an experimental study of the effect of burnoff on the diffusivity of oxygen in nitrogen within the pores of graphite. It is found that the ratio of effective diffusivity to ''free gas'' diffusivity changes about four-fold in the range 0-9% total oxidation. The viscous permeability, B₀, increases in almost the same proportion over the same range.

Interplay of Cu and oxygen vacancy in optical transitions and screening of excitons in ZnO:Cu films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darma, Yudi; Rusydi, Andrivo; Seng Herng, Tun; Marlina, Resti; Fauziah, Resti; Ding, Jun

2014-01-01

We study room temperature optics and electronic structures of ZnO:Cu films as a function of Cu concentration using a combination of spectroscopic ellipsometry, photoluminescence, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy. Mid-gap optical states, interband transitions, and excitons are observed and distinguishable. We argue that the mid-gap states are originated from interactions of Cu and oxygen vacancy (Vo). They are located below conduction band (Zn4s) and above valence band (O2p) promoting strong green emission and narrowing optical band gap. Excitonic states are screened and its intensities decrease upon Cu doping. Our results show the importance of Cu and Vo driving the electronic structures and optical transitions in ZnO:Cu films

Interplay of Cu and oxygen vacancy in optical transitions and screening of excitons in ZnO:Cu films

Science.gov (United States)

Darma, Yudi; Seng Herng, Tun; Marlina, Resti; Fauziah, Resti; Ding, Jun; Rusydi, Andrivo

2014-02-01

We study room temperature optics and electronic structures of ZnO:Cu films as a function of Cu concentration using a combination of spectroscopic ellipsometry, photoluminescence, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy. Mid-gap optical states, interband transitions, and excitons are observed and distinguishable. We argue that the mid-gap states are originated from interactions of Cu and oxygen vacancy (Vo). They are located below conduction band (Zn4s) and above valence band (O2p) promoting strong green emission and narrowing optical band gap. Excitonic states are screened and its intensities decrease upon Cu doping. Our results show the importance of Cu and Vo driving the electronic structures and optical transitions in ZnO:Cu films.

Quasi-two-dimensional electron gas at the epitaxial alumina/SrTiO{sub 3} interface: Control of oxygen vacancies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kormondy, Kristy J.; Posadas, Agham B.; Demkov, Alexander A., E-mail: demkov@physics.utexas.edu [Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Ngo, Thong Q.; Ekerdt, John G. [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Lu, Sirong; Smith, David J.; McCartney, Martha R. [Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287 (United States); Goble, Nicholas; Gao, Xuan P. A. [Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (United States); Jordan-Sweet, Jean [IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598 (United States)

2015-03-07

In this paper, we report on the highly conductive layer formed at the crystalline γ-alumina/SrTiO{sub 3} interface, which is attributed to oxygen vacancies. We describe the structure of thin γ-alumina layers deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on SrTiO{sub 3} (001) at growth temperatures in the range of 400–800 °C, as determined by reflection-high-energy electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction, and high-resolution electron microscopy. In situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of the oxygen-deficient layer. Electrical characterization indicates sheet carrier densities of ∼10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2} at room temperature for the sample deposited at 700 °C, with a maximum electron Hall mobility of 3100 cm{sup 2}V{sup −1}s{sup −1} at 3.2 K and room temperature mobility of 22 cm{sup 2}V{sup −1}s{sup −1}. Annealing in oxygen is found to reduce the carrier density and turn a conductive sample into an insulator.

Determination of oxygen nonstoichiometry and diffusivity in mixed conducting oxides by oxygen Coulometric titration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lankhorst, M.H.R.; Lankhorst, Martijn H.R.; Bouwmeester, Henricus J.M.

1997-01-01

Oxygen coulometric titration has been applied to measure chemical diffusion in La0.8Sr0.2CoO3-δ between 700 and 1000°C. The transient current response to a potentiostatic step has been transformed from the time domain to the frequency domain. The equivalent circuit used to fit the resulting

Oxygenation level and hemoglobin concentration in experimental tumor estimated by diffuse optical spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Orlova, A. G.; Kirillin, M. Yu.; Volovetsky, A. B.; Shilyagina, N. Yu.; Sergeeva, E. A.; Golubiatnikov, G. Yu.; Turchin, I. V.

2017-07-01

Using diffuse optical spectroscopy the level of oxygenation and hemoglobin concentration in experimental tumor in comparison with normal muscle tissue of mice have been studied. Subcutaneously growing SKBR-3 was used as a tumor model. Continuous wave fiber probe diffuse optical spectroscopy system was employed. Optical properties extraction approach was based on diffusion approximation. Decreased blood oxygen saturation level and increased total hemoglobin content were demonstrated in the neoplasm. The main reason of such differences between tumor and norm was significant elevation of deoxyhemoglobin concentration in SKBR-3. The method can be useful for diagnosis of tumors as well as for study of blood flow parameters of tumor models with different angiogenic properties.

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of interstitial diffusion in Ni–Cr alloys and implications for radiation induced segregation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnard, L., E-mail: lmbarnard@wisc.edu; Morgan, D., E-mail: ddmorgan@wisc.edu

2014-06-01

In this study, ab initio molecular dynamics, implemented via density functional theory, is used to simulate self-interstitial diffusion in pure Ni and in the Ni-18 at.% Cr model alloy. Interstitial tracer diffusivities are measured from simulation results for pure Ni and for both Ni and Cr in the Ni–18Cr alloy. An Arrhenius function fit to these tracer diffusivities is then used in a rate theory model for radiation induced segregation, along with the experimentally measured vacancy diffusivities. It is predicted that interstitial diffusion has a tendency to cause Cr enrichment near grain boundaries, partially counterbalancing the tendency for vacancy diffusion to cause Cr depletion. This results in more mild Cr depletion than would result if only the vacancy diffusion were accounted for, in better agreement with experiment. This physical description of RIS in Ni–Cr alloys, which invokes the effects of both vacancy and interstitial diffusion, is distinct from the conventional description which accounts only for the effect of vacancy diffusion.

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of interstitial diffusion in Ni–Cr alloys and implications for radiation induced segregation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnard, L.; Morgan, D.

2014-01-01

In this study, ab initio molecular dynamics, implemented via density functional theory, is used to simulate self-interstitial diffusion in pure Ni and in the Ni-18 at.% Cr model alloy. Interstitial tracer diffusivities are measured from simulation results for pure Ni and for both Ni and Cr in the Ni–18Cr alloy. An Arrhenius function fit to these tracer diffusivities is then used in a rate theory model for radiation induced segregation, along with the experimentally measured vacancy diffusivities. It is predicted that interstitial diffusion has a tendency to cause Cr enrichment near grain boundaries, partially counterbalancing the tendency for vacancy diffusion to cause Cr depletion. This results in more mild Cr depletion than would result if only the vacancy diffusion were accounted for, in better agreement with experiment. This physical description of RIS in Ni–Cr alloys, which invokes the effects of both vacancy and interstitial diffusion, is distinct from the conventional description which accounts only for the effect of vacancy diffusion

Zinc Vacancy Formation and its Effect on the Conductivity of ZnO

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Enamul; Weber, Marc; Langford, Steve; Dickinson, Tom

2010-03-01

Exposing single crystal ZnO to 193-nm ArF excimer laser radiation can produce metallic zinc nanoparticles along the surface. The particle production mechanism appears to involve interstitial-vacancy pair formation in the near-surface bulk. Conductivity measurements made with one probe inside the laser spot and the other outside show evidence for rectifying behavior. Positron annihilation spectroscopy confirms the presence of Zn vacancies. We suggest that Zn vacancies are a possible source of p-type behavior in irradiated ZnO. Quadrupole mass spectroscopy shows that both oxygen and zinc are emitted during irradiation. Electron-hole pair production has previously been invoked to account for particle desorption from ZnO during UV illumination. Our results suggest that preexisting and laser-generated defects play a critical role in particle desorption and Zn vacancy formation.

Vacancy defects in epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films probed by a slow positron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, S W; Zhou, X Y; Wu, W B; Zhu, C F; Weng, H M; Wang, H Y; Zhang, X F; Ye, B J; Han, R D

2004-01-01

Vacancy defects in epitaxial La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 (LSMO) thin films on LaAlO 3 substrates were detected using a variable energy positron beam. The line-shape S parameter of the epitaxial thin films deposited at different oxygen pressures was measured as a function of the implanting positron energy E. Our results show that the S parameter of the films changes non-monotonically with their deposition oxygen pressures. For the films deposited at lower oxygen pressures, the increase in S value in the films is attributed to the increase in oxygen vacancies and/or related defect-V O complexes, and for those deposited at higher oxygen pressures, the larger S parameter of the films is caused by the grain boundaries and/or metallic ion vacancies. The surface morphology of the films was also characterized to analyse the open volume defects in the LSMO films

On self-diffusion in silicon and germanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourgoin, J.C.; Lannoo, M.

1980-01-01

The experimental results concerning self-diffusion in Si and Ge are discussed. It is noted, using recent direct experimental data, that there is no temperature variation of the activation energy for self-diffusion, as it was postulated by Seeger and coworkers. A calculation is made of the sum of the formation and migration vibrational entropies for a vacancy, versus the lattice distortion which occurs around this vacancy. Using a Morse potential to obtain force constants, a lower limit is obtained for the value of this entropy at high temperature which is in correct agreement with the large (10 to 15 k) experimental value. It is concluded that the model, proposed by Seeger and coworkers, that self-diffusion occurs through extended defects (vacancies or interstitials), can be definitively ruled out. (author)

Anisotropic Oxygen Ion Diffusion in Layered PrBaCo 2 O 5+δ

KAUST Repository

Burriel, Mónica

2012-02-14

Oxygen diffusion and surface exchange coefficients have been measured on polycrystalline samples of the double perovskite oxide PrBaCo 2O 5+δ by the isotope exchange depth profile method, using a time-of-flight SIMS instrument. The measured diffusion coefficients show an activation energy of 1.02 eV, as compared to 0.89 eV for the surface exchange coefficients in the temperature range from 300 to 670 °C. Inhomogeneity was observed in the distribution of the oxygen-18 isotopic fraction from grain to grain in the ceramic samples, which was attributed to anisotropy in the diffusion and exchange of oxygen. By the use of a novel combination of electron back scattered diffraction measurements, time-of-flight, and focused ion beam SIMS, this anisotropy was confirmed by in-depth analysis of single grains of known orientation in a ceramic sample exchanged at 300 °C. Diffusion was shown to be faster in a grain oriented with the surface normal close to 100 and 010 (ab-plane oriented) than a grain with a surface normal close to 001 (c-axis oriented). The magnitude of this anisotropy is estimated to be close to a factor of 4, but this is only a lower bound due to experimental limitations. These findings are consistent with recent molecular dynamic simulations of this material where anisotropy in the oxygen transport was predicted. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Anisotropic Oxygen Ion Diffusion in Layered PrBaCo 2 O 5+δ

KAUST Repository

Burriel, Mó nica; Peñ a-Martí nez, Juan; Chater, Richard J.; Fearn, Sarah; Berenov, Andrey V.; Skinner, Stephen J.; Kilner, John A.

2012-01-01

Oxygen diffusion and surface exchange coefficients have been measured on polycrystalline samples of the double perovskite oxide PrBaCo 2O 5+δ by the isotope exchange depth profile method, using a time-of-flight SIMS instrument. The measured diffusion coefficients show an activation energy of 1.02 eV, as compared to 0.89 eV for the surface exchange coefficients in the temperature range from 300 to 670 °C. Inhomogeneity was observed in the distribution of the oxygen-18 isotopic fraction from grain to grain in the ceramic samples, which was attributed to anisotropy in the diffusion and exchange of oxygen. By the use of a novel combination of electron back scattered diffraction measurements, time-of-flight, and focused ion beam SIMS, this anisotropy was confirmed by in-depth analysis of single grains of known orientation in a ceramic sample exchanged at 300 °C. Diffusion was shown to be faster in a grain oriented with the surface normal close to 100 and 010 (ab-plane oriented) than a grain with a surface normal close to 001 (c-axis oriented). The magnitude of this anisotropy is estimated to be close to a factor of 4, but this is only a lower bound due to experimental limitations. These findings are consistent with recent molecular dynamic simulations of this material where anisotropy in the oxygen transport was predicted. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Intramyocardial oxygen transport by quantitative diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in calves

Science.gov (United States)

Lindbergh, Tobias; Larsson, Marcus; Szabó, Zoltán; Casimir-Ahn, Henrik; Strömberg, Tomas

2010-03-01

Intramyocardial oxygen transport was assessed during open-chest surgery in calves by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy using a small intramuscular fiber-optic probe. The sum of hemo- and myoglobin tissue fraction and oxygen saturation, the tissue fraction and oxidation of cytochrome aa3, and the tissue fraction of methemoglobin were estimated using a calibrated empirical light transport model. Increasing the oxygen content in the inhaled gas, 21%-50%-100%, in five calves (group A) gave an increasing oxygen saturation of 19+/-4%, 24+/-5%, and 28+/-8% (panimals increased with LVAD pump speed (p<0.001, ANOVA) and with oxygen content in inhaled gas (p<0.001, ANOVA). The cytochrome aa3 oxidation level was above 96% in both group A and group B calves, including the two cases involving cardiac arrest. In conclusion, the estimated tissue fractions and oxygenation/oxidation levels of the myocardial chromophores during respiratory and hemodynamic provocations were in agreement with previously presented results, demonstrating the potential of the method.

Diffusion of oxygen through cork stopper: is it a Knudsen or a Fickian mechanism?

Science.gov (United States)

Lagorce-Tachon, Aurélie; Karbowiak, Thomas; Simon, Jean-Marc; Gougeon, Régis; Bellat, Jean-Pierre

2014-09-17

The aim of this work is to identify which law governs oxygen transfer through cork: Knudsen or Fickian mechanism. This is important to better understand wine oxidation during post-bottling aging. Oxygen transfer through cork wafers is measured at 298 K using a manometric permeation technique. Depending on the mechanism, we can extract the transport coefficients. Increasing the initial pressure of oxygen from 50 to 800 hPa leads to a change in the values of the transport coefficients. This implies that oxygen transport through cork does not obey the Knudsen law. From these results, we conclude that the limiting step of oxygen transport through cork occurs in the cell wall following Fickian law. From the diffusion dependence's coefficients with pressure, we also extract by applying transition state theory an apparent activation volume of 45 ± 4 nm(3). This high value indicates that oxygen molecules also diffuse from one site to another by passing through a gas phase.

Strontium-free rare earth perovskite ferrites with fast oxygen exchange kinetics: Experiment and theory

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Christian; Bucher, Edith; Windischbacher, Andreas; Boese, A. Daniel; Sitte, Werner

2018-03-01

The Sr-free mixed ionic electronic conducting perovskites La0.8Ca0.2FeO3-δ (LCF82) and Pr0.8Ca0.2FeO3-δ (PCF82) were synthesized via a glycine-nitrate process. Crystal structure, phase purity, and lattice constants were determined by XRD and Rietveld analysis. The oxygen exchange kinetics and the electronic conductivity were obtained from in-situ dc-conductivity relaxation experiments at 600-800 °C and 1×10-3≤pO2/bar≤0.1. Both LCF82 and PCF82 show exceptionally fast chemical surface exchange coefficients and chemical diffusion coefficients of oxygen. The oxygen nonstochiometry of LCF82 and PCF82 was determined by precision thermogravimetry. A point defect model was used to calculate the thermodynamic factors of oxygen and to estimate self-diffusion coefficients and ionic conductivities. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations on the crystal structure, oxygen vacancy formation as well as oxygen migration energies are in excellent agreement with the experimental values. Due to their favourable properties both LCF82 and PCF82 are of interest for applications in solid oxide fuel cell cathodes, solid oxide electrolyser cell anodes, oxygen separation membranes, catalysts, or electrochemical sensors.

Radiation-enhanced diffusion in nickel-10.6% chromium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gieb, M.

1995-01-01

Results of investigations of the diffusion rate of nickel-10.6% chromium alloys after plastic deformation, after quenching from 700 C and from 1030 C, and during irradiation with 18 MeV protons and 1.85 MeV electrons are reported. The diffusion rate is measured by means of the electrical resistivity which increases with increasing degree of short range order. It was found that the characteristic temperature below which short range order develops is T t =550 C. Below about 400 C the atomic mobilities of the component atoms of the alloy are so small that no further increase in the degree of short range order is found in due laboratory times. The activation energy for self-diffusion was determined after quenching from 700 C to Q SD =2.88 eV. For the migration activation energy of vacancies a value of E M 1V =1.18 eV was obtained after quenching from 1030 C. For the migration activation energies of interstitials and vacancies values of E M 1I =1.04 eV and E M 1V =1.16 eV are derived from results of measurements of radiation enhanced diffusion, respectively. These values decrease with increasing high energy particle flux. The characteristic temperature for interstitial cluster formation is T t =300 C. Above this temperature radiation-induced interstitials and vacancies annihilate mainly by pair recombination. Below this temperature interstitials also annihilate at sinks which are formed during irradiation so that the concentration of vacancies increases with irradiation time. Their migration activation energy is approximately obtained in a straight-forward way from the experimental data. Above about 380 C the radiation enhanced diffusion rate is surprisingly much smaller than the thermal diffusion rate. The quasi-dynamic vacancy concentration built up during irradiation is much smaller than the thermal vacancy concentration. (orig.)

Void Formation during Diffusion - Two-Dimensional Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Wierzba, Bartek

2016-06-01

The final set of equations defining the interdiffusion process in solid state is presented. The model is supplemented by vacancy evolution equation. The competition between the Kirkendall shift, backstress effect and vacancy migration is considered. The proper diffusion flux based on the Nernst-Planck formula is proposed. As a result, the comparison of the experimental and calculated evolution of the void formation in the Fe-Pd diffusion couple is shown.

Self-diffusion in zirconium-α. A calculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monti, A.M.

1991-01-01

After controversial discussions about normal and abnormal nature of self-diffusion in phase α in zirconium, the work of Horvath and co-authors has demonstrated the existence of an important negative curvature in the Arrhenius graph. Different reasons have been proposed to explain such unusual behaviour. Such interpretations of experimental results indicate that different effects and mechanisms could be masking thermal diffusion process by vacancy mechanism. The present work aims to determine the diffusion constants corresponding to a vacancy mechanism from computer simulation of this process. (Author) [es

Oxygen diffusion-concentration in phospholipidic model membranes. An ESR-saturation study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vachon, A.; Lecomte, C.; Berleur, F.

1986-04-01

Fully hydrated liposomes of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine were labelled with 5 (or 7, 10, 12, 16)-doxyl stearic acid at pH 6 and 8, and studied by the continuous wave ESR-saturation technique. The ESR spectral magnitude depends on the hyperfrequency power P and on both T 1 and T 2 relaxation times. Saturation, i.e. the non linearity of the spectral magnitude plotted versus √P can be quantified by a P1/2 parameter (power at which the signal is half as great as it would be without saturation). If we assume T 2 weakly modified by spin exchange between paramagnetic spin probe and oxygen in triplet state, P1/2 is inversely proportional to T 1 , and becomes a sensitive parameter to appreciate the oxygen transport (oxygen diffusion-concentration product) inside the bilayers. According to the DPPC bilayer phase transition diagrams, P1/2 (oxygen diffusion-concentration) is related to the thermodynamic state of the membrane. This technique provides further informations on a particular property of a radioprotective agent, cysteamine, which seems to inhibit spin-triplet exchange and hence maximizes T 1 (minimizes P1/2). Since radioprotective agents are known to act by scavenging radiation-induced free radicals and by inhibiting oxygen-dependent free radical processes, such a result may contribute to elucidate radioprotecting mechanisms

Self-diffusion of Er and Hf inpure and HfO2-doped polycrystalline Er2O3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheidecker, R.W.

1979-01-01

Using a tracer technique, self-diffusion of Er and Hf was measured over the approximate temperature interval of 1600 to 1970 0 C in pure and HfO 2 -doped polycryatalline Er 2 O 3 . Up to about 10 m/o HfO 2 dopant level, the Er self-diffusion coefficients followed a relationship based on cation vacancies. Above 10 m/o HfO 2 , deviation from this relationship occurred, apparently due to clustering of cation vacancies and oxygen interstitials around the dopant hafnia ion. The activation energy for the self-diffusion of Er in pure Er 2 O 3 was 82.2 Kcal/mole and increased with the HfO 2 dopant level present. Self-diffusion of Hf was measured in pure Er 2 O 3 having two impurity levels, and a separation of the grain boundary. The volume diffusion of Hf showed both extrinsic and intrinsic behavior with the transition temperature increasing with the impurity level present in Er 2 O 3 . The activation energy for Hf volume diffusion in the intrinsic region was high, i.e. 235 -+ 9.5 Kcal/mole. The grain boundary diffusion was apparently extrinsic over the entire temperature interval Very low Hf self diffusion rates were found in both pure and HfO 2 doped Er 2 O 3 compositions. Despite a clustering effect, the HfO 2 dopant increased the Hf volume diffusion coefficients

Self-learning kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of Al diffusion in Mg

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nandipati, Giridhar; Govind, Niranjan; Andersen, Amity; Rohatgi, Aashish

2016-01-01

Vacancy-mediated diffusion of an Al atom in the pure Mg matrix is studied using the atomistic, on-lattice self-learning kinetic Monte Carlo (SLKMC) method. Activation barriers for vacancy-Mg and vacancy-Al atom exchange processes are calculated on the fly using the climbing image nudged-elastic-band method and binary Mg–Al modified embedded-atom method interatomic potential. Diffusivities of an Al atom obtained from SLKMC simulations show the same behavior as observed in experimental and theoretical studies available in the literature; that is, an Al atom diffuses faster within the basal plane than along the c-axis. Although the effective activation barriers for an Al atom diffusion from SLKMC simulations are close to experimental and theoretical values, the effective prefactors are lower than those obtained from experiments. We present all the possible vacancy-Mg and vacancy-Al atom exchange processes and their activation barriers identified in SLKMC simulations. A simple mapping scheme to map an HCP lattice onto a simple cubic lattice is described, which enables simulation of the HCP lattice using the on-lattice framework. We also present the pattern recognition scheme which is used in SLKMC simulations to identify the local Al atom configuration around a vacancy. (paper)

Effect of oxygen vacancy and dopant concentration on the magnetic properties of high spin Co2+ doped TiO2 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choudhury, B.; Choudhury, A.; Maidul Islam, A.K.M.; Alagarsamy, P.; Mukherjee, M.

2011-01-01

Co doped TiO 2 nanoparticles have been synthesized by a simple sol-gel route taking 7.5, 9.5 and 10.5 mol% of cobalt concentration. Formation of nanoparticles is confirmed by XRD and TEM. Increase in d-spacing occurs for (0 0 4) and (2 0 0) peak with increase in impurity content. Valence states of Co and its presence in the doped material is confirmed by XPS and EDX. The entire vacuum annealed samples show weak ferromagnetism. Increased magnetization is found for 9.5 mol% but this value again decreases for 10.5 mol% due to antiferromagnetic interactions. A blocking temperature of 37.9 K is obtained, which shows shifting to high temperature as the dopant concentration is increased. The air annealed sample shows only paramagnetic behavior. Temperature dependent magnetic measurements for the air annealed sample shows antiferromagnetic behavior with a Curie-Weiss temperature of -16 K. Here we report that oxygen vacancy and cobalt aggregates are a key factor for inducing ferromagnetism-superparamagnetism in the vacuum annealed sample. Appearance of negative Curie-Weiss temperature reveals the presence of antiferromagnetic Co 3 O 4 , which is the oxidation result of metallic Co or cobalt clusters present on the host TiO 2 . - Research highlights: → Oxygen vacancy induces ferromagnetism in cobalt doped anatase TiO2 nanoparticles. → On air annealing the sample loses ferromagnetism giving rise to paramagnetism. → Saturation magnetization decreases at higher doping concentration. → Blocking of magnetic moment occurs due to the presence of cobalt clusters.

Vacancy-type defects induced by grinding of Si wafers studied by monoenergetic positron beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uedono, Akira; Yoshihara, Nakaaki [Division of Applied Physics, Faculty of Pure and Applied Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573 (Japan); Mizushima, Yoriko [Devices and Materials Labs Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd., Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0197 (Japan); ICE Cube Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Kim, Youngsuk [ICE Cube Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Disco Corporation, Ota, Tokyo 143-8580 (Japan); Nakamura, Tomoji [Devices and Materials Labs Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd., Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0197 (Japan); Ohba, Takayuki [ICE Cube Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Oshima, Nagayasu; Suzuki, Ryoichi [Research Institute of Instrumentation Frontier, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan)

2014-10-07

Vacancy-type defects introduced by the grinding of Czochralski-grown Si wafers were studied using monoenergetic positron beams. Measurements of Doppler broadening spectra of the annihilation radiation and the lifetime spectra of positrons showed that vacancy-type defects were introduced in the surface region (<98 nm), and the major defect species were identified as (i) relatively small vacancies incorporated in dislocations and (ii) large vacancy clusters. Annealing experiments showed that the defect concentration decreased with increasing annealing temperature in the range between 100 and 500°C. After 600–700°C annealing, the defect-rich region expanded up to about 170 nm, which was attributed to rearrangements of dislocation networks, and a resultant emission of point defects toward the inside of the sample. Above 800°C, the stability limit of those vacancies was reached and they started to disappear. After the vacancies were annealed out (900°C), oxygen-related defects were the major point defects and they were located at <25 nm.

Mobility-electron density relation probed via controlled oxygen vacancy doping in epitaxial BaSnO3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koustav Ganguly

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The recently discovered high room temperature mobility in wide band gap semiconducting BaSnO3 is of exceptional interest for perovskite oxide heterostructures. Critical open issues with epitaxial films include determination of the optimal dopant and understanding the mobility-electron density (μ-n relation. These are addressed here through a transport study of BaSnO3(001 films with oxygen vacancy doping controlled via variable temperature vacuum annealing. Room temperature n can be tuned from 5 × 1019 cm−3 to as low as 2 × 1017 cm−3, which is shown to drive a weak- to strong-localization transition, a 104-fold increase in resistivity, and a factor of 28 change in μ. The data reveal μ ∝ n0.65 scaling over the entire n range probed, important information for understanding mobility-limiting scattering mechanisms.

Intrinsic and extrinsic diffusion of phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony in germanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brotzmann, Sergej; Bracht, Hartmut

2008-01-01

Diffusion experiments of phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), and antimony (Sb) in high purity germanium (Ge) were performed at temperatures between 600 and 920 deg. C. Secondary ion mass spectrometry and spreading resistance profiling were applied to determine the concentration profiles of the chemically and electrically active dopants. Intrinsic and extrinsic doping conditions result in a complementary error function and box-shaped diffusion profiles, respectively. These profiles demonstrate enhanced dopant diffusion under extrinsic doping. Accurate modeling of dopant diffusion is achieved on the basis of the vacancy mechanism taking into account singly negatively charged dopant-vacancy pairs and doubly negatively charged vacancies. The activation enthalpy and pre-exponential factor for dopant diffusion under intrinsic condition were determined to 2.85 eV and 9.1 cm 2 s -1 for P, 2.71 eV and 32 cm 2 s -1 for As, and 2.55 eV and 16.7 cm 2 s -1 for Sb. With increasing atomic size of the dopants the activation enthalpy decreases. This is attributed to differences in the binding energy of the dopant-vacancy pairs

Positron annihilation study of vacancy-type defects in fast-neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl2O3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, Abu Zayed Mohammad Saliqur; Li, Zhuoxin; Cao, Xingzhong; Wang, Baoyi; Wei, Long; Xu, Qiu; Atobe, Kozo

2014-01-01

Highlights: •Detection of Al monovacancy by positron lifetime spectroscopy in fast neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl 2 O 3 (n=2). •Concentration of defects is also estimated for Al monovacancy. •O atom peak was observed by using coincidence Doppler broadening spectroscopy. -- Abstract: The positron lifetimes of fast-neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl 2 O 3 single crystals were measured to investigate the formation of cation vacancies. Al monovacancy was possibly observed in samples irradiated by fast neutrons at ultra-low temperatures. Additionally, vacancy-oxygen complex centers were possibly observed in samples irradiated at higher temperatures and fast neutron fluences. Coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) spectra were measured to obtain information regarding the vicinity of vacancy-type defects. A peak at approximately 11 × 10 −3 m 0 c was observed, which may be due to the presence of oxygen atoms in the neighborhood of the vacancies

Interaction of nitrogen with vacancy defects in N+-implanted ZnO studied using a slow positron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Z.Q.; Maekawa, M.; Kawasuso, A.; Suzuki, R.; Ohdaira, T.

2005-01-01

ZnO crystals were implanted with N + , O + , and Al + , and co-implanted with O + /N + and Al + /N + ions. Positron annihilation measurements indicate introduction of vacancy clusters upon implantation. In the N + -implanted and Al + /N + co-implanted samples, these vacancy clusters are only partially annealed at 800 deg. C, as compared with their entire recovery in the O + - and Al + -implanted samples at 800-900 deg. C, suggesting a strong interaction between nitrogen and vacancy clusters. However, in the O + /N + co-implanted sample, most vacancy clusters disappear at 800 deg. C. Probably oxygen scavenges nitrogen to enhance the annealing of the vacancy clusters. Upon further annealing at 1000-1100 deg. C, nitrogen also forms stable complexes with thermally generated vacancies. These nitrogen-related vacancy complexes need high-temperature annealing at 1200-1250 deg. C to be fully removed

Effect of Oxygen Enrichment in Propane Laminar Diffusion Flames under Microgravity and Earth Gravity Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatia, Pramod; Singh, Ravinder

2017-06-01

Diffusion flames are the most common type of flame which we see in our daily life such as candle flame and match-stick flame. Also, they are the most used flames in practical combustion system such as industrial burner (coal fired, gas fired or oil fired), diesel engines, gas turbines, and solid fuel rockets. In the present study, steady-state global chemistry calculations for 24 different flames were performed using an axisymmetric computational fluid dynamics code (UNICORN). Computation involved simulations of inverse and normal diffusion flames of propane in earth and microgravity condition with varying oxidizer compositions (21, 30, 50, 100 % O2, by mole, in N2). 2 cases were compared with the experimental result for validating the computational model. These flames were stabilized on a 5.5 mm diameter burner with 10 mm of burner length. The effect of oxygen enrichment and variation in gravity (earth gravity and microgravity) on shape and size of diffusion flames, flame temperature, flame velocity have been studied from the computational result obtained. Oxygen enrichment resulted in significant increase in flame temperature for both types of diffusion flames. Also, oxygen enrichment and gravity variation have significant effect on the flame configuration of normal diffusion flames in comparison with inverse diffusion flames. Microgravity normal diffusion flames are spherical in shape and much wider in comparison to earth gravity normal diffusion flames. In inverse diffusion flames, microgravity flames were wider than earth gravity flames. However, microgravity inverse flames were not spherical in shape.

Rapid decay of vacancy islands at step edges on Ag(111): step orientation dependence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Mingmin; Thiel, P A; Jenks, Cynthia J; Evans, J W

2010-01-01

Previous work has established that vacancy islands or pits fill much more quickly when they are in contact with a step edge, such that the common boundary is a double step. The present work focuses on the effect of the orientation of that step, with two possibilities existing for a face centered cubic (111) surface: A- and B-type steps. We find that the following features can depend on the orientation: (1) the shapes of islands while they shrink; (2) whether the island remains attached to the step edge; and (3) the rate of filling. The first two effects can be explained by the different rates of adatom diffusion along the A- and B-steps that define the pit, enhanced by the different filling rates. The third observation-the difference in the filling rate itself-is explained within the context of the concerted exchange mechanism at the double step. This process is facile at all regular sites along B-steps, but only at kink sites along A-steps, which explains the different rates. We also observe that oxygen can greatly accelerate the decay process, although it has no apparent effect on an isolated vacancy island (i.e. an island that is not in contact with a step).

Adsorption and magnetism of bilayer graphene on the MnO polar surface with oxygen vacancies in the interface: First principles study

Science.gov (United States)

Ilyasov, Victor V.; Ershov, Igor V.; Popova, Inna G.; Pham, Khang D.; Nguyen, Chuong V.

2018-05-01

In this paper, we investigate systematically the structural, electronic, magnetic and adsorption properties of Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene on MnO(111) surface terminated by an oxygen atom, as a function of nonstoichiometric composition of the BLG/MnOx(111) interface. For additional functionalization of the BLG/MnOx(111) system, we also studied the adsorption properties of oxygen adsorbed on the BLG/MnOx(111) interface. Our results showed that the BLG is bound to the MnOx(111) substrate by the weak interaction for both spin-up and spin-down. Furthermore, we found that BLG adsorbed on the MnOx(111) substrate with a reduced oxygen symmetry in the interface is accompanied with a downshift of the Fermi level, which identifies the band structure of BLG as a p-type semiconductor. Upon interaction between BLG and MnOx(111) substrate, a forbidden gap of about 350 meV was opened between its bonding and antibonding π bands. A forbidden gap and the local magnetic moments in bilayer graphene can be controlled by changing the oxygen nonstoichometry or by oxygen adsorption. Additionally, magnetism has been predicted in the bilayer graphene adsorbed on the polar MnOx(111) surface with oxygen vacancies in the BLG/MnOx(111) interface, and its nature has also been discussed in this work. These results showed that the adsorption of bilayer graphene on the MnO(111) substrate can be used for developing novel generation of electronic and spintronic devices.

Oxygen diffusion kinetics and reactive lifetimes in bacterial and mammalian cells irradiated with nanosecond pulses of high intensity electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Epp, E.R.; Weiss, H.; Ling, C.C.; Djordjevic, B.; Kessaris, N.D.

1975-01-01

Experiaments have been designed to gain information on the lifetime of oxygen-sensitive species suspected to be produced in critical molecules in irradiated cells and on the time-diffusion of oxygen in cells. An approach developed in this laboratory involves the delivery of two high intensity electron pulses each of 3 ns duration to a thin layer of cells equilibrated with a known concentration of oxygen. The first pulse serves to render the cells totally anoxic by the radiochemical depletion of oxygen; the second is delivered at a time electronically delayed after the first allowing for diffusion of oxygen during this time. Under these conditions the radiosensitivity of E coli B/r has been measured over six decades of interpulse time. Cellular time-diffusion curves constructed from the measurements show that oxygen establishes its sensitizing effect within 10 -4 s after the creation of intracellular anoxia establishing this time as an upper limit to the lifetime of the species. Unusual behaviour of the diffusion curve observed for longer delay times can be explained by a model wherein it is postulated that a radiation-induced inhibiting agent slows down diffusion. Application of this model to the experimental data yields a value of 0.4x10 -5 cm 2 s -1 for the cellular oxygen diffusion coefficient. Similar experiments recently carried out for Serratia marcescens will also be described. The oxygen effect in cultured HeLa cells exposed to single short electron pulses has been examined over a range of oxygen concentrations. A family of breaking survival curves was obtained similar to those previously measured for E coli B/r by this laboratory. The data appear to be reasonably consistent with a physicochemical mechanism involving the radiochemical depletion of oxygen previously invoked for bacteria. (author)

Diffusion in thorium carbide: A first-principles study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pérez Daroca, D., E-mail: pdaroca@tandar.cnea.gov.ar [Gerencia de Investigación y Aplicaciones, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Av. General Paz 1499, 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1025, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Llois, A.M. [Gerencia de Investigación y Aplicaciones, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Av. General Paz 1499, 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1025, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Mosca, H.O. [Gerencia de Investigación y Aplicaciones, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Av. General Paz 1499, 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Instituto de Tecnología Jorge A. Sabato, UNSAM–CNEA, Av. General Paz 1499, 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2015-12-15

The prediction of the behavior of Th compounds under irradiation is an important issue for the upcoming Generation-IV nuclear reactors. The study of self-diffusion and hetero-diffusion is a central key to fulfill this goal. As a first approach, we obtained, by means of first-principles methods, migration and activation energies of Th and C atoms self-diffusion and diffusion of He atoms in ThC. We also calculate diffusion coefficients as a function of temperature. - Highlights: • Diffusion in thorium carbide by means of first-principles calculations is studied. • The most favorable migration event is a C atom moving through a C-vacancy aided path. • Calculated C atoms diffusion coefficients agree very well with the experimental data. • For He, the energetically most favorable migration path is through Th-vacancies.

Dynamics and Thermochemistry of Oxygen Uptake by a Mixed Ce-Pr Oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Sinev, M. Yu.; Fattakhova, Z. T.; Bychkov, V. Yu.; Lomonosov, V. I.; Gordienko, Yu. A.

2018-03-01

The dynamics of oxygen uptake by mixed Ce0.55Pr0.45O2-x oxide is studied in a pulsed oxygen supply mode using in situ high-temperature heat flow differential scanning calorimetry. It is stated that the oxidation proceeds in two regimes: a fast one at the beginning of the oxidation process, and a slow one, which is controlled by the diffusion of oxygen through the bulk of the solid at the later stages of the process. Analysis of the shape of calorimetric profiles reveals some processes, accompanied by heat release, that occur in the sample in the absence of oxygen in the gas phase. These could be due to both the redistribution of consumed oxygen in the oxide lattice and the lattice relaxation associated with the transformation of phases with different arrangements of oxygen vacancies in them. The heat effect (which diminishes from 60 to 40 kJ/mol in the course of oxygen uptake) associated with the oxidation of the reduced form of mixed Ce-Pr oxide, corresponds to the oxidation of praseodymium ions from (3+) to (4+).

Diffusion mechanisms in grain boundaries in solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, N.L.

1982-01-01

A critical review is given of our current knowledge of grain-boundary diffusion in solids. A pipe mechanism of diffusion based on the well-established dislocation model seems most appropriate for small-angle boundaries. Open channels, which have atomic configurations somewhat like dislocation cores, probably play a major role in large-angle grain-boundary diffusion. Dissociated dislocations and stacking faults are not efficient paths for grain-boundary diffusion. The diffusion and computer modeling experiments are consistent with a vacancy mechanism of diffusion by a rather well-localized vacancy. The effective width of a boundary for grain-boundary diffusion is about two atomic planes. These general features of grain-boundary diffusion, deduced primarily from experiments on metals, are thought to be equally applicable for pure ceramic solids. The ionic character of many ceramic oxides may cause some differences in grain-boundary structure from that observed in metals, resulting in changes in grain-boundary diffusion behavior. 72 references, 5 figures

Diffusion of Y and Ti/Zr in bcc iron: A first principles study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murali, D.; Panigrahi, B.K.; Valsakumar, M.C.; Sundar, C.S.

2011-01-01

The diffusion of yttrium plays an important role in the kinetics of formation of oxide nanoclusters in oxide dispersion strengthened alloys. Also, the diffusivity of minor alloying elements like Ti and Zr are of special interest as they are crucial for fine dispersion of oxide nanoclusters in the ferritic matrix. These solute atoms occupy substitutional sites in bcc Fe. The diffusion coefficients of these solute atoms were calculated using Le Claire’s nine frequency model involving the vacancy mechanism. We have done detailed density functional theory calculation of the interaction of these solute atoms with vacancies (□) and estimated various migration energy barriers of the vacancies in the presence of these solute atoms using nudged elastic band method. Strikingly, compared with Zr and Ti, Y shows a very large relaxation towards first neighbor vacancy resulting in strong binding with the vacancy. The Y-□ binding energy of 1.45 eV is almost double that of Zr-□ binding energy of 0.78 eV. We have also compared the calculated diffusion coefficients of these solute atoms with the experimental values.

The role of oxygen in the deposition of copper–calcium thin film as diffusion barrier for copper metallization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Zhinong, E-mail: znyu@bit.edu.cn [School of Optoelectronics and Beijing Engineering Research Center of Mixed Reality and Advanced Display, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Ren, Ruihuang [School of Optoelectronics and Beijing Engineering Research Center of Mixed Reality and Advanced Display, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Xue, Jianshe; Yao, Qi; Li, Zhengliang; Hui, Guanbao [Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing 100176 (China); Xue, Wei [School of Optoelectronics and Beijing Engineering Research Center of Mixed Reality and Advanced Display, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China)

2015-02-15

Highlights: • The CuCa film as the diffusion barrier of Cu film improves the adhesion of Cu film. • The introduction of oxygen into the deposition of CuCa film is necessary to improve the adhesion of Cu film. • The CuCa alloy barrier layer deposited at oxygen atmosphere has perfect anti-diffusion between Cu film and substrate. - Abstract: The properties of copper (Cu) metallization based on copper–calcium (CuCa) diffusion barrier as a function of oxygen flux in the CuCa film deposition were investigated in view of adhesion, diffusion and electronic properties. The CuCa film as the diffusion barrier of Cu film improves the adhesion of Cu film, however, and increases the resistance of Cu film. The introduction of oxygen into the deposition of CuCa film induces the improvement of adhesion and crystallinity of Cu film, but produces a slight increase of resistance. The increased resistance results from the partial oxidation of Cu film. The annealing process in vacuum further improves the adhesion, crystallinity and conductivity of Cu film. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) show that the CuCa alloy barrier layer deposited at oxygen atmosphere has perfect anti-diffusion between Cu film and substrate due to the formation of Ca oxide in the interface of CuCa/substrate.

Thin-source concentration dependent diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eng, G.

1978-01-01

The diffusion of (Ca ++ ) in NaCl has been measured for various diffusion times and for the temperature range (575 0 to 775 0 C), using a thin-source of 45 Ca tracer, rectangular geometry, and serial sectioning. The pre-diffusion surface concentration was approximately 3 x 10 16 (Ca)-atoms/cm 2 , which, for an average penetration depth of 100 to 300 μm, produces a maximum (post-diffusion) impurity concentration comparable to or greater than the intrinsic cation vacancy concentration. The high-temperature function closely matches the D 0 (T) function obtained from low impurity concentration experiments. The lower-temperature function, combined with the sudden failure of the D(C) = D 0 (1 + [C] + 0.5[C] 2 ) function at these lower temperatures, indicates the onset of a second diffusion process, one which would operate only at extremely high impurity concentrations. This low-temperature behavior is shown to be consistent with a breakdown of the conditions assumed for vacancy equilibrium

Sc and Nb Dopants in SrCoO3 Modulate Electronic and Vacancy Structures for Improved Water Splitting and SOFC Cathodes

KAUST Repository

Tahini, Hassan A.; Tan, Xin; Zhou, Wei; Zhu, Zhonghua; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Smith, Sean C.

2017-01-01

SrCoO3 is a promising material in the field of electrocatalysis. Difficulties in synthesising the material in its cubic phase have been overcome by doping it with Sc and Nb ions [Mater. Horiz.2015, 2, 495–501]. Using ab initio calculations and special quasi random structures we undertake a systematic study of these dopants in order to elucidate the effect of doping on electronic structure of the SrCoO3 host and the formation of oxygen vacancies. We find that while the overall electronic structure of SrCoO3 is preserved, increasing the Sc fraction leads to a decrease of electrical conductivity, in agreement with earlier experimental work. For low Sc and Nb doping fractions we find that the oxygen vacancy formation increases relative to undoped SrCoO3. However, as the dopants concentration is increased the vacancy formation energy drops significantly, indicating a strong tendency to accommodate high concentration of oxygen vacancies and hence non-stoichiometry. This is explained based on the electronic instabilities caused by the presence of Sc ions which weakens the B-O interactions as well as the increased degree of electron delocalization on the oxygen sublattice. Sc dopants also shift the p-band centre closer to the Fermi level, which can be associated with experimentally reported improvements in oxygen evolution reactions. These findings provide crucial baseline information for the design of better electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reactions as well as fuel-cell cathode materials.

Sc and Nb Dopants in SrCoO3 Modulate Electronic and Vacancy Structures for Improved Water Splitting and SOFC Cathodes

KAUST Repository

Tahini, Hassan A.

2017-01-12

SrCoO3 is a promising material in the field of electrocatalysis. Difficulties in synthesising the material in its cubic phase have been overcome by doping it with Sc and Nb ions [Mater. Horiz.2015, 2, 495–501]. Using ab initio calculations and special quasi random structures we undertake a systematic study of these dopants in order to elucidate the effect of doping on electronic structure of the SrCoO3 host and the formation of oxygen vacancies. We find that while the overall electronic structure of SrCoO3 is preserved, increasing the Sc fraction leads to a decrease of electrical conductivity, in agreement with earlier experimental work. For low Sc and Nb doping fractions we find that the oxygen vacancy formation increases relative to undoped SrCoO3. However, as the dopants concentration is increased the vacancy formation energy drops significantly, indicating a strong tendency to accommodate high concentration of oxygen vacancies and hence non-stoichiometry. This is explained based on the electronic instabilities caused by the presence of Sc ions which weakens the B-O interactions as well as the increased degree of electron delocalization on the oxygen sublattice. Sc dopants also shift the p-band centre closer to the Fermi level, which can be associated with experimentally reported improvements in oxygen evolution reactions. These findings provide crucial baseline information for the design of better electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reactions as well as fuel-cell cathode materials.

Effect of oxygen vacancies on magnetic and transport properties of Sr2IrO4

Science.gov (United States)

Dwivedi, Vinod Kumar; Mukhopadhyay, Soumik

2018-05-01

Iridates have recently attracted growing interest because of their potential for realizing various interesting phases like interaction driven Mott-type insulator and magnetically driven Slater-type. In this paper, we present the magnetic and electrical transport properties of polycrystalline Sr2IrO4 synthesized by solid state reaction route. We find a ferromagnetic transition at 240 K. The Curie-Weiss law behavior hold good above the magnetic transition temperature TMag = 240 K with a small effective paramagnetic magnetic moment μeff = 0.25 µB/f.u. and a Curie-Weiss temperature, θCW = +100 K. Zero field cooled (ZFC) magnetization shows a gradual dcrease below 150 K, while same for field cooled (FC) below 50 K. Interestingly, below temperatures, ⁓ 10 K, a sharp increase in ZFC and FC magnetization can be seen. A temperature dependent resistivity reveals insulating behavior followed by power law mechanism. The sintering of sample in air leads to the very low value of resistivity is likely related to Sr or oxygen vacancies.

Electric-Field Control of Oxygen Vacancies and Magnetic Phase Transition in a Cobaltite/Manganite Bilayer

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, B.; Song, C.; Li, F.; Zhong, X. Y.; Wang, Z. C.; Werner, P.; Gu, Y. D.; Wu, H. Q.; Saleem, M. S.; Parkin, S. S. P.; Pan, F.

2017-10-01

Manipulation of oxygen vacancies (VO ) in single oxide layers by varying the electric field can result in significant modulation of the ground state. However, in many oxide multilayers with strong application potentials, e.g., ferroelectric tunnel junctions and solid-oxide fuel cells, understanding VO behavior in various layers under an applied electric field remains a challenge, owing to complex VO transport between different layers. By sweeping the external voltage, a reversible manipulation of VO and a corresponding fixed magnetic phase transition sequence in cobaltite/manganite (SrCoO3 -x/La0.45Sr0.55MnO3 -y ) heterostructures are reported. The magnetic phase transition sequence confirms that the priority of electric-field-induced VO formation or annihilation in the complex bilayer system is mainly determined by the VO formation energies and Gibbs free-energy differences, which is supported by theoretical analysis. We not only realize a reversible manipulation of the magnetic phase transition in an oxide bilayer but also provide insight into the electric-field control of VO engineering in heterostructures.

Introduction of high oxygen concentrations into silicon wafers by high-temperature diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casse, G.; Glaser, M.; Lemeilleur, F.; Ruzin, A.; Wegrzecki, M.

1999-01-01

The tolerance of silicon detectors to hadron irradiation can be improved by the introduction of a high concentration of oxygen into the starting material. High-resistivity Floating-Zone (FZ) silicon is required for detectors used in particle physics applications. A significantly high oxygen concentration (>10 17 atoms cm -3 ) cannot readily be achieved during the FZ silicon refinement. The diffusion of oxygen at elevated temperatures from a SiO 2 layer grown on both sides of a silicon wafer is a simple and effective technique to achieve high and uniform concentrations of oxygen throughout the bulk of a 300 μm thick silicon wafer

Electron diffraction study of the sillenites Bi12SiO20, Bi25FeO39 and Bi25InO39: Evidence of short-range ordering of oxygen-vacancies in the trivalent sillenites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Craig A. Scurti

2014-08-01

Full Text Available We present an electron diffraction study of three sillenites, Bi12SiO20, Bi25FeO39, and Bi25InO39 synthesized using the solid-state method. We explore a hypothesis, inspired by optical studies in the literature, that suggests that trivalent sillenites have additional disorder not present in the tetravalent compounds. Electron diffraction patterns of Bi25FeO39 and Bi25InO39 show streaks that confirm deviations from the ideal sillenite structure. Multi-slice simulations of electron-diffraction patterns are presented for different perturbations to the sillenite structure - partial substitution of the M site by Bi3+, random and ordered oxygen-vacancies, and a frozen-phonon model. Although comparison of experimental data to simulations cannot be conclusive, we consider the streaks as evidence of short-range ordered oxygen-vacancies.

Vacancy enhanced formation and phase transition of Cu-rich precipitates in α - iron under neutron irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lv, G. C. [Basic Experimental Center of Natural Science, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 (China); Corrosion and Protection Center, Key Laboratory of Environmental Fracture (MOE), University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 (China); Zhang, H. [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, T6G2V4 (Canada); He, X. F.; Yang, W. [China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing, 102413 (China); Su, Y. J., E-mail: yjsu@ustb.edu.cn [Corrosion and Protection Center, Key Laboratory of Environmental Fracture (MOE), University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 (China)

2016-04-15

In this paper, we employed both molecular statics and molecular dynamics simulation methods to investigate the role of vacancies in the formation and phase transition of Cu-rich precipitates in α-iron. The results indicated that vacancies promoted the diffusion of Cu atoms to form Cu-rich precipitates. After Cu-rich precipitates formed, they further trapped vacancies. The supersaturated vacancy concentration in the Cu-rich precipitate induced a shear strain, which triggered the phase transition from bcc to fcc structure by transforming the initial bcc (110) plane into fcc (111) plane. In addition, the formation of the fcc-twin structure and the stacking fault structure in the Cu-rich precipitates was observed in dynamics simulations.

Hexagonal perovskites with cationic vacancies. 29. Structure of Ba/sub 4/ScReWvacantO/sub 12/ - on the function of octahedral cationic vacancies in perovskite stacking polytypes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kemmler-Sack, S; Herrmann, M [Tuebingen Univ. (Germany, F.R.). Lehrstuhl fuer Anorganische Chemie 2

1981-09-01

The hexagonal perovskite stacking polytype Ba/sub 4/ScReWvacantO/sub 12/ crystallizes in a rhombohedral 12 L structure (space group R-3m; sequence (hhcc)/sub 3/). The refined, intensity related R' value is 6.6%. The octahedral net consists of blocks of three face connected octahedra with a central vacancy, in the two outer positions the rhenium and tungsten atoms are located; these units are linked via common corners by single octahedra, occupied with scandium. The construction principles of hexagonal oxygen perovskites with octahedral, cationic vacancies are reported.

Impurity diffusion in transition-metal oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, N.L.

1982-06-01

Intrinsic tracer impurity diffusion measurements in ceramic oxides have been primarily confined to CoO, NiO, and Fe 3 O 4 . Tracer impurity diffusion in these materials and TiO 2 , together with measurements of the effect of impurities on tracer diffusion (Co in NiO and Cr in CoO), are reviewed and discussed in terms of impurity-defect interactions and mechanisms of diffusion. Divalent impurities in divalent solvents seem to have a weak interaction with vacancies whereas trivalent impurities in divalent solvents strongly influence the vacancy concentrations and significantly reduce solvent jump frequencies near a trivalent impurity. Impurities with small ionic radii diffuse more slowly with a larger activation energy than impurities with larger ionic radii for all systems considered in this review. Cobalt ions (a moderate size impurity) diffuse rapidly along the open channels parallel to the c-axis in TiO 2 whereas chromium ions (a smaller-sized impurity) do not. 60 references, 11 figures

Oxygen nonstoichiometry and ionic transport properties of La0.4Sr0.6CoO3-delta .

Science.gov (United States)

Sitte, W; Bucher, E; Benisek, A; Preis, W

2001-09-01

Homogeneous samples of La0.4Sr0.6CoO3-delta were obtained by the glycine nitrate process. The oxygen nonstoichiometry was determined from oxygen exchange measurements as a function of oxygen partial pressure (10(-4) bar PO2 PO2-range between 10(-4) and 10(-2) bar to yield D and the ionic conductivity sigma(i) from the long time solution of the diffusion equation. Values for D from polarization measurements at T= 775 degrees C and from oxygen exchange measurements at T= 725 degrees C are in good agreement with each other. D and sigma(1) increase with increasing PO2 (10(-4) to 10(-2) bar). The ionic conductivity shows a maximum at 3-delta approximately 2.82 and decreases with decreasing oxygen content indicating the possible formation of vacancy ordered structures.

Characterization of oxygen vacancies and their migration in Ba-doped Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 ferroelectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, M. F.; Wang, Y.; Wang, K. F.; Zhu, J. S.; Liu, J.-M.

2009-03-01

We investigate in detail the migration kinetics of oxygen vacancies (OVs) in Ba-doped Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) ferroelectrics by complex impedance spectroscopy. The temperature dependent dc-electrical conductivity σdc suggests that Ba doping into PZT can lower significantly the density of OVs, leading to the distinctly decreased σdc and slightly enhanced activation energy U for the migration of OVs, thus benefiting the polarization fatigue resistance. Furthermore, the polarization fluctuation induced by the relaxation of OVs is reduced by the Ba doping. The Cole-Cole fitting to the dielectric loss manifests strong correlation among OVs, and the migration of OVs appears to be a collective behavior.

Oxygen incorporation effects in annealed epitaxial La(1-x)SrxMnO3 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrisor, T.; Gabor, M. S.; Tiusan, C.; Boulle, A.; Bellouard, C.; Pana, O.; Petrisor, T.

2011-01-01

This paper presents our results regarding oxygen incorporation effects in epitaxial La (1-x) Sr x MnO 3 thin films, deposited on SrTiO 3 (001) single crystal substrates, by annealing in different gas mixtures of argon and oxygen. A particular emphasis is placed on the correlation of structural properties with the magnetic properties of the films, Curie temperature, and coercive field. In this sense, we demonstrate that the evolution of the diffuse part of the ω-scans performed on the films are due to oxygen excess in the film lattice, which creates cationic vacancies within the films. Also, we show that two regimes of oxygen incorporation in the films exist, one in which the films evolve toward a single phase and oxygen stoichiometry is recovered, and a second one dominated by oxygen over-doping effects. In order to support our study, XPS measurements were performed, from which we have evaluated the Mn 3+ /Mn 4+ ionic ratio.

A first-principles study of oxygen vacancy induced changes in structural, electronic and magnetic properties of La{sub 2/3}Sr{sub 1/3}MnO{sub 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jia [Division of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798 (Singapore); Sun, Lizhong [Division of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798 (Singapore); Laboratory for Quantum Engineering and Micro-Nano Energy Technology, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, Hunan, 411105 (China); Shenai, Prathamesh M.; Wang, Junling [Division of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798 (Singapore); Zheng, Hang [Department of Physics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai, 200240 (China); Zhao, Yang, E-mail: YZhao@ntu.edu.sg [Division of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798 (Singapore)

2015-11-15

We have systematically assessed the influence of oxygen vacancy defects on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of La{sub 2/3}Sr{sub 1/3}MnO{sub 3} via first-principles calculations using the bare GGA as well as the GGA + U formalism. The on-site Coulombic repulsion parameter U for Mn 3d orbital in the latter has been determined by the linear response theory. It is revealed that the introduction of the vacancy defects causes prominent structural changes in the microenvironment of a defect including the distortions of MnO{sub 6} octahedra. In contrast to the general notion, the GGA + U formalism is found to yield significantly more prominent structural changes than the bare GGA method. The octahedral distortion leads to a strengthening or weakening of the hybridization between Mn 3d and O 2p orbitals depending upon an increase or decrease, respectively, in the Mn–O distances as compared to the pristine system. The magnetic moments of the Mn atoms located in three typical sites of the vacancy-containing supercell are all larger than those in the pristine system. This enhancement for the Mn atoms located in the first- and third-nearest neighboring MnO{sub 6} octahedra of the vacancy defect originates from the electron transfer from 4s/3p to 3d orbitals. On the other hand, for the Mn atom located in the first-nearest neighboring site of the vacancy it is attributed to the increased total number of electrons in 3d orbitals due to the absence of one Mn–O bond. Furthermore, we have characterized the O-vacancy defect as a hole-type defect that forms a negative charge center, attracting electrons. - Highlights: • GGA + U calculations reveal effect of O-vacancy on properties of La{sub 1−1/3}Sr{sub 1/3}MnO{sub 3.} • Value of U = 5.9 eV calculated for Mn 3d orbitals from the linear response theory. • O-vacancy causes prominent distortions of MnO{sub 6} octahedra. • Octahedral distortions modulate electronic and magnetic properties of LSMO. �

Enhanced diffusion of Zn in Al under Ne irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, S.M.

1975-01-01

The diffusion rate of Zn in Al has been enhanced by factors approximately 10 2 --10 4 under 80 keV Ne irradiation at 130 0 C. Diffusion couples were formed by ion implantation of Zn, and the concentration profiles were determined by ion backscattering. The data are analyzed by numerically solving the coupled diffusion equations for vacancies, interstitials and atoms, and by scaling the profiles of vacancy and interstitial production rates from the theoretical profile of Ne energy into atomic processes. The enhanced diffusion rate is linear in flux, indicating that the mobile point defects annihilate predominantly at fixed sinks. The average distance to annihilation is approximately 700 A, except for the first approximately 500 A of the solid where it is much less. Free vacancies and interstitials are found to be created by the Ne at a smaller rate than the atomic displacement rate, suggesting a high annihilation probability within the parent damage cascade

In-situ TEM visualization of vacancy injection and chemical partition during oxidation of Ni-Cr nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chong-Min; Genc, Arda; Cheng, Huikai; Pullan, Lee; Baer, Donald R; Bruemmer, Stephen M

2014-01-14

Oxidation of alloy often involves chemical partition and injection of vacancies. Chemical partition is the consequence of selective oxidation, while injection of vacancies is associated with the differences of diffusivity of cations and anions. It is far from clear as how the injected vacancies behave during oxidation of metal. Using in-situ transmission electron microscopy, we captured unprecedented details on the collective behavior of injected vacancies during oxidation of metal, featuring an initial multi-site oxide nucleation, vacancy supersaturation, nucleation of a single cavity, sinking of vacancies into the cavity and accelerated oxidation of the particle. High sensitive energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy mapping reveals that Cr is preferentially oxidized even at the initial oxidation, leading to a structure that Cr oxide is sandwiched near the inner wall of the hollow particle. The work provides a general guidance on tailoring of nanostructured materials involving multi-ion exchange such as core-shell structured composite nanoparticles.

Diffusion limited reactions in crystalline solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fastenau, R.

1982-01-01

Diffusion limited reactions in crystal lattices are studied with diffusion and random walk theory. First the random walk on a crystal lattice is studied. These results are used in a formal study of diffusion limited reactions in which the following simplified traps are discussed: planes, cylinders, spheres, disks and rings. The traps are either present at the start of the process (annealing) or fed into the crystal at a constant rate (continuous production). For the study of trapping processes occurring in real crystals it was necessary to investigate the interaction of the reacting species on the atomic level. Using lattice relaxation calculations, several reactions were studied. These calculations result in a model for the potential energy of the crystal versus the separation of the reaction partners. This model is used in Monte Carlo simulations of the trapping process, which are made at a high trap density, since the extrapolation to the low density regime can be made using the formal part of this work. The following reactions were studied: the trapping of interstitial helium atoms by vacancies, self interstitial vacancy recombination, the trapping of vacancies by immobile, helium filled, vacancies and the capture of self interstitials and vacancies by dislocations. A part of these results is used in two models for the low temperature nucleation and growth of bubbles due to helium bombardment. The models described give the right bubble density versus helium dose, but differ widely in the fraction of helium present in the bubbles found. A mechanism of blistering based on a percolation effect is also discussed. (Auth.)

Diffusion and solubility of oxygen in γ-ray irradiated polymer insulation materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seguchi, Tadao; Yamamoto, Yasuaki.

1986-03-01

The effects of 60 Co γ-rays irradiation on diffusion and solubility of oxygen in polymer materials for electric cable insulation materials were investigated. The polymers were polyethylene, ethylene-propylene rubber, chlorinated polyethylene, chlorosulphonated polyethylene, and chloroprene rubber. They were pure grade and several types of formulation grade. The sheets of these polymers were irradiated up to 5 - 200 Mrad under vacuum or in oxygen under pressure of 3 - 15 atm at room temperature or at 70 deg C. By a method of gas desorption, the diffusion coefficient (D) and solubility coefficient (S) of oxygen or argon in polymer materials were determined at various temperatures of 10 - 80 deg C. The D and S decreased with increase of dose, and the decrease by irradiation with oxidation was more remarkable than that by irradiation without oxidation. However, the decreases of D and S by irradiation were reduced by the formulation of polymers. The additives in formulated polymers would reduce the reactions of crosslinking or oxidation by γ-ray irradiation. The activation energy of D was scarcely changed by irradiations with and without oxidation. (author)

Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulation of Cation Diffusion in Low-K Ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Good, Brian

2013-01-01

Low thermal conductivity (low-K) ceramic materials are of interest to the aerospace community for use as the thermal barrier component of coating systems for turbine engine components. In particular, zirconia-based materials exhibit both low thermal conductivity and structural stability at high temperature, making them suitable for such applications. Because creep is one of the potential failure modes, and because diffusion is a mechanism by which creep takes place, we have performed computer simulations of cation diffusion in a variety of zirconia-based low-K materials. The kinetic Monte Carlo simulation method is an alternative to the more widely known molecular dynamics (MD) method. It is designed to study "infrequent-event" processes, such as diffusion, for which MD simulation can be highly inefficient. We describe the results of kinetic Monte Carlo computer simulations of cation diffusion in several zirconia-based materials, specifically, zirconia doped with Y, Gd, Nb and Yb. Diffusion paths are identified, and migration energy barriers are obtained from density functional calculations and from the literature. We present results on the temperature dependence of the diffusivity, and on the effects of the presence of oxygen vacancies in cation diffusion barrier complexes as well.

High temperature oxidation of metals: vacancy injection and consequences on the mechanical properties; Consequences de l'oxydation haute temperature sur l'injection de defauts et le comportement mecanique des materiaux metalliques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perusin, S

2004-11-15

The aim of this work is to account for the effects of the high temperature oxidation of metals on their microstructure and their mechanical properties. 'Model' materials like pure nickel, pure iron and the Ni-20Cr alloy are studied. Nickel foils have been oxidised at 1000 C on one side only in laboratory air, the other side being protected from oxidation by a reducing atmosphere. After the oxidation treatment, the unoxidized face was carefully examined by using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). Grain boundaries grooves were characterised and their depth were compared to the ones obtained on the same sample heat treated in the reducing atmosphere during the same time. They are found to be much deeper in the case of the single side oxidised samples. It is shown that this additional grooving is directly linked to the growth of the oxide scale on the opposite side and that it can be explained by the diffusion of the vacancies produced at the oxide scale - metal interface, across the entire sample through grain boundaries. Moreover, the comparison between single side oxidised samples and samples oxidised on both sides points out that voids in grain boundaries are only observed in this latter case proving the vacancies condensation in the metal when the two faces are oxidised. The role of the carbon content and the sample's geometry on this phenomenon is examined in detail. The diffusion of vacancies is coupled with the transport of oxygen so that a mechanism of oxygen transport by vacancies is suggested. The tensile tests realised at room temperature on nickel foils (bamboo microstructure) show that the oxide scale can constitute a barrier to the emergence of dislocations at the metal surface. Finally, the Ni-20Cr alloy is tested in tensile and creep tests between 25 and 825 C in oxidising or reducing atmospheres. (author)

Antisites and anisotropic diffusion in GaAs and GaSb

KAUST Repository

Tahini, H. A.

2013-10-02

The significant diffusion of Ga under Ga-rich conditions in GaAs and GaSb is counter intuitive as the concentration of Ga vacancies should be depressed although Ga vacancies are necessary to interpret the experimental evidence for Ga transport. To reconcile the existence of Ga vacancies under Ga-rich conditions, transformation reactions have been proposed. Here, density functional theory is employed to calculate the formation energies of vacancies on both sublattices and the migration energy barriers to overcome the formation of the vacancy-antisite defect. Transformation reactions enhance the vacancy concentration in both materials and migration energy barriers indicate that Ga vacancies will dominate.

Interaction processes between vacancies and dislocations in molybdenum in the temperature range around 0.3 of the melting temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zelada-Lambri, G.I.; Lambri, O.A.; Bozzano, P.B.; Garcia, J.A.; Celauro, C.A.

2008-01-01

Mechanical spectroscopy, electrical resistivity and transmission electron microscopy studies have been performed on pre-strained neutron irradiated single crystalline molybdenum in order to check the interaction processes between vacancies and dislocations in the temperature range between room temperature and 1273 K. The anelastic relaxation in molybdenum which appears between 800 K and 1273 K has been separated in two different physical mechanisms depending on the temperature of appearance of the relaxation peak. The physical mechanism which controls the damping peak appearing at around 800 K was related with the dragging of jogs by the dislocation under movement assisted by vacancy diffusion. The damping peak which appears at higher temperatures of about 1000 K was more consistent with the formation and diffusion of vacancies assisted by the dislocation movement

Interaction processes between vacancies and dislocations in molybdenum in the temperature range around 0.3 of the melting temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zelada-Lambri, G.I. [Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingenieria y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Laboratorio de Materiales, Escuela de Ingenieria Electrica, Avenida Pellegrini 250, 2000 Rosario (Argentina); Lambri, O.A. [Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingenieria y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Laboratorio de Materiales, Escuela de Ingenieria Electrica, Avenida Pellegrini 250, 2000 Rosario (Argentina); Instituto de Fisica Rosario, Member of the CONICET' s Research Staff (Argentina)], E-mail: olambri@fceia.unr.edu.ar; Bozzano, P.B. [Laboratorio de Microscopia Electronica, Unidad de Actividad Materiales, Centro Atomico Constituyentes, Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Avenida General Paz 1499, 1650 San Martin (Argentina); Garcia, J.A. [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada II, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologia, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao, Pais Vasco (Spain); Celauro, C.A. [Reactor Nuclear RA-4, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingenieria y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Riobamba y Berruti, 2000 Rosario (Argentina)

2008-10-15

Mechanical spectroscopy, electrical resistivity and transmission electron microscopy studies have been performed on pre-strained neutron irradiated single crystalline molybdenum in order to check the interaction processes between vacancies and dislocations in the temperature range between room temperature and 1273 K. The anelastic relaxation in molybdenum which appears between 800 K and 1273 K has been separated in two different physical mechanisms depending on the temperature of appearance of the relaxation peak. The physical mechanism which controls the damping peak appearing at around 800 K was related with the dragging of jogs by the dislocation under movement assisted by vacancy diffusion. The damping peak which appears at higher temperatures of about 1000 K was more consistent with the formation and diffusion of vacancies assisted by the dislocation movement.

Diffusion in molybdenum disilicide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salamon, M.; Mehrer, H.

2005-01-01

The diffusion behaviour of the high-temperature material molybdenum disilicide (MoSi 2 ) was completely unknown until recently. In this paper we present studies of Mo self-diffusion and compare our present results with our already published studies of Si and Ge diffusion in MoSi 2 . Self-diffusion of molybdenum in monocrystalline MoSi 2 was studied by the radiotracer technique using the radioisotope 99 Mo. Deposition of the radiotracer and serial sectioning after the diffusion anneals to determine the concentration-depth profiles was performed using a sputtering device. Diffusion of Mo is a very slow process. In the entire temperature region investigated (1437 to 2173 K), the 99 Mo diffusivities in both principal directions of the tetragonal MoSi 2 crystals obey Arrhenius laws, where the diffusion perpendicular to the tetragonal axis is faster by two to three orders of magnitude than parallel to it. The activation enthalpies for diffusion perpendicular and parallel to the tetragonal axis are Q perpendicular to = 468 kJ mol -1 (4.85 eV) and Q parallel = 586 kJ mol -1 (6.07 eV), respectively. Diffusion of Si and its homologous element Ge is fast and is mediated by thermal vacancies of the Si sublattice of MoSi 2 . The diffusion of Mo is by several orders of magnitude slower than the diffusion of Si and Ge. This large difference suggests that Si and Mo diffusion are decoupled and that the diffusion of Mo likely takes place via vacancies on the Mo sublattice. (orig.)

Radiation enhanced diffusion in FCC alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuele, W.

1982-01-01

In many alloys vacancies and interstitials can be identified in a straight forward way by measurements of radiation enhanced diffusion. In some alloys, however, quenching experiments are also necessary for the identification of these defects. Results for two characteristic alloys in which the transformation rate during high energy particle irradiation is determined by an interstitialcy and by a vacancy diffusion mechanism only, are discussed. It is also shown that a decrease of the migration energy of defects due to an interaction of the high energy particles with the lattice atoms must be taken into account in the interpretation of the results. (author)

Physical properties and band structure of reactive molecular beam epitaxy grown oxygen engineered HfO{sub 2{+-}x}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hildebrandt, Erwin; Kurian, Jose; Alff, Lambert [Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany)

2012-12-01

We have conducted a detailed thin film growth structure of oxygen engineered monoclinic HfO{sub 2{+-}x} grown by reactive molecular beam epitaxy. The oxidation conditions induce a switching between (111) and (002) texture of hafnium oxide. The band gap of oxygen deficient hafnia decreases with increasing amount of oxygen vacancies by more than 1 eV. For high oxygen vacancy concentrations, defect bands form inside the band gap that induce optical transitions and p-type conductivity. The resistivity changes by several orders of magnitude as a function of oxidation conditions. Oxygen vacancies do not give rise to ferromagnetic behavior.

Germanium diffusion with vapor-phase GeAs and oxygen co-incorporation in GaAs

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei-Fu; Cheng, Kai-Yuan; Hsieh, Kuang-Chien

2018-01-01

Vapor-phase germanium diffusion has been demonstrated in Zn-doped and semi-insulating GaAs in sealed ampoules with GeAs powders and excess arsenic. Secondary-ion-mass spectroscopy (SIMS) profiles indicate the presence of unintentional co-incorporation of oxygen in high densities (>1017/cm3) along with diffused germanium donors whose concentration (>>1018/cm3) determined by electro-chemical capacitance-voltage (ECV) profiler shows significant compensation near the surface. The source of oxygen mainly originates from the GeAs powder which contains Ge-O surface oxides. Variable-temperature photoluminescence (PL) shows that in GeAs-diffused samples, a broad peak ranging from 0.86-1.38 eV with the peak position around 1.1 eV predominates at low temperatures while the near band-edge luminescence quenches. The broad band is attributed to the GeGa-VGa self-activated (SA) centers possibly associated with nearby oxygen-related defect complex, and its luminescence persists up to 400 K. The configurational-coordinate modeling finds that the SA defect complex has a thermal activation energy of 150-180 meV and a vibrational energy 26.8 meV. The presence of oxygen does not much affect the SA emission intensity but may have influenced the peak position, vibration frequency and activation energy as compared to other common donor-VGa defects in GaAs.

Germanium diffusion with vapor-phase GeAs and oxygen co-incorporation in GaAs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei-Fu Wang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Vapor-phase germanium diffusion has been demonstrated in Zn-doped and semi-insulating GaAs in sealed ampoules with GeAs powders and excess arsenic. Secondary-ion-mass spectroscopy (SIMS profiles indicate the presence of unintentional co-incorporation of oxygen in high densities (>1017/cm3 along with diffused germanium donors whose concentration (>>1018/cm3 determined by electro-chemical capacitance-voltage (ECV profiler shows significant compensation near the surface. The source of oxygen mainly originates from the GeAs powder which contains Ge-O surface oxides. Variable-temperature photoluminescence (PL shows that in GeAs-diffused samples, a broad peak ranging from 0.86-1.38 eV with the peak position around 1.1 eV predominates at low temperatures while the near band-edge luminescence quenches. The broad band is attributed to the GeGa-VGa self-activated (SA centers possibly associated with nearby oxygen-related defect complex, and its luminescence persists up to 400 K. The configurational-coordinate modeling finds that the SA defect complex has a thermal activation energy of 150-180 meV and a vibrational energy 26.8 meV. The presence of oxygen does not much affect the SA emission intensity but may have influenced the peak position, vibration frequency and activation energy as compared to other common donor-VGa defects in GaAs.

Atomistic Modeling of Cation Diffusion in Transition Metal Perovskites La1-xSrxMnO3+/-δfor Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yueh-Lin; Duan, Yuhua; Morgan, Dane; Sorescu, Dan; Abernathy, Harry

Cation diffusion in La1-xSrxMnO3+/-δ (LSM) and in related perovskite materials play an important role in controlling long term performance and stability of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs) cathodes. Due to sluggish rates of cation diffusion and complex coupling between defect chemistry and cation diffusion pathways, currently there is still lack of quantitative theoretical model predictions on cation diffusivity vs. T and P(O2) to describe experimental cation tracer diffusivities. In this work, based on ab initio modeling of LSM defect chemistry and migration barriers of the possible cation diffusion pathways, we assess the rates of A-site and B-site cation diffusion in a wide range of T and P(O2) at x =0.0 and 0.2 for SOFC applications. We demonstrate the active cation diffusion pathways in LSM involve cation defect clusters as cation transport carriers, where reduction in the cation migration barriers, which are governed by the steric effect associated with the metal-oxygen cage in the perovskite lattice, is much greater than the penalty of repulsive interaction in the A-site and B-site cation vacancy clusters, leading to higher cation diffusion rates as compared to those of single cation vacancy hopping mechanisms. The predicted Mn and La/Sr cation self-diffusion coefficients of LSM at at x =0.0 and 0.2 along with their 1/T and P(O2) dependences, are in good agreement with the experimental tracer diffusion coefficients.

Diffusion in substitutionally disordered B2 intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belova, I.V.; Murch, G.E.

2002-01-01

In this paper, a comprehensive diffusion kinetics theory is formulated to describe seamlessly tracer and chemical diffusion in antistructurally disordered B2 intermetallics showing positive and negative deviations from stoichiometry. The theory is based around unit processes consisting of six-jump cycles that can be assisted by intrinsic and extrinsic antistructural atoms of either atomic species. The Ising alloy model is used to illustrate the formalism, but the formalism can be adapted to other models. Expressions are developed for the tracer diffusion coefficients, the phenomenological coefficients, the intrinsic diffusion coefficients, the interdiffusion coefficient and the various correlation factor components. Results for the tracer and collective correlation factors and the vacancy wind factor (in interdiffusion) are in excellent agreement with results from Monte Carlo computer simulations based around single vacancy jumps. (author)

High-throughput DFT calculations of formation energy, stability and oxygen vacancy formation energy of ABO3 perovskites

Science.gov (United States)

Emery, Antoine A.; Wolverton, Chris

2017-10-01

ABO3 perovskites are oxide materials that are used for a variety of applications such as solid oxide fuel cells, piezo-, ferro-electricity and water splitting. Due to their remarkable stability with respect to cation substitution, new compounds for such applications potentially await discovery. In this work, we present an exhaustive dataset of formation energies of 5,329 cubic and distorted perovskites that were calculated using first-principles density functional theory. In addition to formation energies, several additional properties such as oxidation states, band gap, oxygen vacancy formation energy, and thermodynamic stability with respect to all phases in the Open Quantum Materials Database are also made publicly available. This large dataset for this ubiquitous crystal structure type contains 395 perovskites that are predicted to be thermodynamically stable, of which many have not yet been experimentally reported, and therefore represent theoretical predictions. The dataset thus opens avenues for future use, including materials discovery in many research-active areas.

Synergistic effect of single-electron-trapped oxygen vacancies and carbon species on the visible light photocatalytic activity of carbon-modified TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiaodong; Xue, Xiaoxiao; Liu, Xiaogang; Xing, Xing; Li, Qiuye; Yang, Jianjun

2015-01-01

Carbon-modified TiO 2 (CT) nanoparticles were prepared via a two-step method of heat treatment without the resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) polymer. As-prepared CT nanoparticles were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis/DRS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, thermal analysis (TA), electron spin resonance (ESR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The visible light photocatalytic activities were evaluated on the basis of the degradation of methyl orange (MO). The synergistic effect of single-electron-trapped oxygen vacancies (SETOVs) and the carbon species on the visible light photocatalytic activities of the CT nanoparticles were discussed. It was found that the crystalline phase, the morphology, and particle size of the CT nanoparticles depended on the second heat-treatment temperature instead of the first heat-treatment temperature. The visible light photocatalytic activities were attributed to the synergistic effect of SETOVs and the carbon species, and also depended on the specific surface area of the photocatalysts. - Highlights: • Carbon-modified TiO 2 particles have been prepared without RF polymer. • The visible light photocatalytic activities of the particles have been evaluated. • The band gap energy structure of the carbon-modified TiO 2 has been proposed. • Synergistic effect of SETOVs and carbon species has been discussed. • The activities also depend on the specific surface area of the catalysts

Positron annihilation study of vacancy-type defects in fast-neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl{sub 2}O{sub 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahman, Abu Zayed Mohammad Saliqur, E-mail: zayed82000@yahoo.com [Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19B Yuquanlu Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049 (China); Li, Zhuoxin; Cao, Xingzhong; Wang, Baoyi; Wei, Long [Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19B Yuquanlu Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049 (China); Xu, Qiu [Reactor Research Institute, Kyoto University 2, Asashiro-Nishi, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0494 (Japan); Atobe, Kozo [Nuclear Safety Technology Center, 9-15, 1-chome, Utsubohonmachi, Nishi Ku, Osaka 550-0004 (Japan)

2014-09-15

Highlights: •Detection of Al monovacancy by positron lifetime spectroscopy in fast neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl{sub 2}O{sub 3}(n=2). •Concentration of defects is also estimated for Al monovacancy. •O atom peak was observed by using coincidence Doppler broadening spectroscopy. -- Abstract: The positron lifetimes of fast-neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl{sub 2}O{sub 3} single crystals were measured to investigate the formation of cation vacancies. Al monovacancy was possibly observed in samples irradiated by fast neutrons at ultra-low temperatures. Additionally, vacancy-oxygen complex centers were possibly observed in samples irradiated at higher temperatures and fast neutron fluences. Coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) spectra were measured to obtain information regarding the vicinity of vacancy-type defects. A peak at approximately 11 × 10{sup −3} m{sub 0}c was observed, which may be due to the presence of oxygen atoms in the neighborhood of the vacancies.

Magnetoresistance Versus Oxygen Deficiency in Epi-stabilized SrRu1 - x Fe x O3 - δ Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Dash, Umasankar; Acharya, Susant Kumar; Lee, Bo Wha; Jung, Chang Uk

2017-03-01

Oxygen vacancies have a profound effect on the magnetic, electronic, and transport properties of transition metal oxide materials. Here, we studied the influence of oxygen vacancies on the magnetoresistance (MR) properties of SrRu1 - x Fe x O3 - δ epitaxial thin films ( x = 0.10, 0.20, and 0.30). For this purpose, we synthesized highly strained epitaxial SrRu1 - x Fe x O3 - δ thin films with atomically flat surfaces containing different amounts of oxygen vacancies using pulsed laser deposition. Without an applied magnetic field, the films with x = 0.10 and 0.20 showed a metal-insulator transition, while the x = 0.30 thin film showed insulating behavior over the entire temperature range of 2-300 K. Both Fe doping and the concentration of oxygen vacancies had large effects on the negative MR contributions. For the low Fe doping case of x = 0.10, in which both films exhibited metallic behavior, MR was more prominent in the film with fewer oxygen vacancies or equivalently a more metallic film. For semiconducting films, higher MR was observed for more semiconducting films having more oxygen vacancies. A relatively large negative MR ( 36.4%) was observed for the x = 0.30 thin film with a high concentration of oxygen vacancies ( δ = 0.12). The obtained results were compared with MR studies for a polycrystal of (Sr1 - x La x )(Ru1 - x Fe x )O3. These results highlight the crucial role of oxygen stoichiometry in determining the magneto-transport properties in SrRu1 - x Fe x O3 - δ thin films.

Barrier mechanism of multilayers graphene coated copper against atomic oxygen irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Haijing; Ren, Siming; Pu, Jibin; Xue, Qunji

2018-06-01

Graphene has been demonstrated as a protective coating for Cu under ambient condition because of its high impermeability and light-weight oxidation barrier. However, it lacks the research of graphene as a protective coating in space environment. Here, we experimentally and theoretically study the oxidation behavior of graphene-coated Cu in vacuum atomic oxygen (AO) condition. After AO irradiation, the experimental results show multilayer graphene has better anti-oxidation than monolayer graphene. Meanwhile, the calculation results show the oxidation appeared on the graphene's grain boundaries or the film's vacancy defects for the monolayer graphene coated Cu foil. Moreover, the calculation results show the oxidation process proceeds slowly in multilayers because of the matched defects overlaps each other to form a steric hindrance to suppress the O atom diffusion in the vertical direction, and the mismatched defects generates potential energy barriers for interlayer to suppress the O atom diffusion in the horizontal direction. Hence, multilayer graphene films could serve as protection coatings to prevent diffusion of O atom.

Nitric oxide and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity after a 1-h oxygen dive to 9 m of sea water

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ooij, P. J. A. M.; van Hulst, R. A.; Houtkooper, A.; Sterk, P. J.

2014-01-01

To prevent extensive pulmonary lesions in submerged oxygen divers lung function like the forced vital capacity (FVC) or the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL,co) are used to monitor pulmonary oxygen toxicity (POT). As the diffusing capacity for nitric oxide (DL,no) measures more accurately

Nature of oxygen donors and radiation defects in oxygen-doped germanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuoka, Noboru; Atobe, Kozo; Honda, Makoto; Matsuda, Koji.

1991-01-01

The nature of oxygen donors and radiation defects in oxygen-doped germanium were studied through measurements of the infrared absorption spectrum, deep level transient spectroscopy spectrum and carrier concentration. It is revealed that a new donor is not formed in oxygen-doped germanium. An A-center (interstitial oxygen-vacancy pair) forms a complex with a thermal donor in its annealing stage at 60degC-140degC. The introduction rate of defects by 1.5 MeV electron irradiation was enhanced in thermal-donor-doped samples. (author)

Cascade defect production and irradiation enhanced diffusion in Cu3Au

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirk, M.A.; Funk, L.L.

1986-03-01

By using the ordering alloy Cu 3 Au and measuring resistivity changes during and following fast-neutron irradiations at IPNS, we have studied cascade defect production and irradiation enhanced diffusion between 10 and 460 0 K. Ordering and disordering rates were measured as functions of irradiation temperature, neutron dose, neutron dose rate, time following cessation of flux, and step annealing. Free and clustered vacancy production was observed. The temperature dependence of the production of total migrating vacancy concentrations was determined. Vacancy sink production was linear with neutron dose and is compared with recent transmission electron microscopy experiments on the production of dislocation loops in this alloy. Time dependent and quasi-steady state vacancy concentrations were measured and compared with solutions of reaction rate equations for irradiation enhanced diffusion. The influence of recombination of vacancies with interstitials is observed at low sink concentrations (low neutron doses)

Oxygen diffusion coefficient in isolated chicken red and white skeletal muscle fibers in ontogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Baranov, V I; Belichenko, V M; Shoshenko, C A

2000-09-01

Oxygen diffusion from medium to cultured isolated muscle fibers from red gastrocnemius muscle (deep part) (RGM) and white pectoralis muscle (WPM) of embryonic and postnatal chickens (about 6 months) was explored. The intracellular effective O(2) diffusion coefficient (D(i)) in muscle fiber was calculated from a model of a cylindrical fiber with a uniform distribution of an oxygen sink based on these experimentally measured parameters: critical tension of O(2) (PO(2)) on the surface of a fiber, specific rate of O(2) consumption by a weight unit of muscle fibers (;VO(2)), and average diameter of muscle fibers. The results document the rapid hypertrophic growth of RGM fibers when compared to WPM fibers in the second half of the embryonic period and the higher values of;VO(2) and critical PO(2) during the ontogenetic period under study. The oxygen D(i) in RGM fibers of embryos and 1-day chickens was two to three times higher than observed for WPM fibers. For senior chickens, the oxygen D(i) value in RGM and WPM fibers does not differ. The D(i) of O(2) in both RGM and WPM fibers increased from 1.4-2.7 x 10(-8) to 90-95 x 10(-8) cm(2)/s with an ontogenetic increase in fiber diameter from 7. 5 to 67.0 microm. At all stages the oxygen D(i) values in RGM and WPM fibers are significantly lower than the O(2) diffusion coefficient in water: for 11-day embryos they are 889 and 1714 times lower and for adult individuals 25 and 27 times lower, respectively. Why oxygen D(i) values in RGM and WPM fibers are so low and why they are gradually increasing during the course of hypertrophic ontogenetic growth are still unclear. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Modulation of resistive switching characteristics for individual BaTiO3 microfiber by surface oxygen vacancies

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Zhilei; Chen, Lei; Zhou, Fang; Wang, Qiang

2018-01-01

Different from traditional thin-film BaTiO3 (BTO) RRAM device with planar structure, individual microfiber-shaped RRAM device, showing promising application potentials in the micro-sized non-volatile memory system, has not been investigated so far to demonstrate resistive switching behavior. In this work, individual sol-gel BTO microfiber has been formed using the draw-bench method, followed by annealing in different atmospheres of air and argon, respectively. The resistive switching characteristics of the individual BTO microfiber have been investigated by employing double-probe SEM measurement system, which shows great convenience to test local electrical properties by modulating the contact sites between the W probes and the BTO microfiber. For the sample annealed in air, the average resistive ON/OFF ratio is as high as 108, enhanced about four orders in comparison with the counterpart that annealed in Argon. For the sample annealed in argon ambience, the weakened resistive ON/OFF ratio can be attributed to the increased presence of oxygen vacancies in the surface of BTO fibers, and the underlying electrical conduction mechanisms are also discussed.

Different diffusion mechanisms of oxygen in ReBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7−x} (Re = Y, Ho) single crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vovk, R.V.; Boiko, Y.I.; Bogdanov, V.V.; Kamchatnaya, S.N.; Goulatis, I.L. [V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, 4 Svobody sq., 61077 Kharkiv (Ukraine); Chroneos, A. [Faculty of Engineering, Environment and Computing, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB (United Kingdom); Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • Single file diffusion mechanism of oxygen ions. • Ho modifies the diffusion mechanism in the oxygen sublattice. • Ho changes the efficient interaction of ions in CuO-planes. - Abstract: In the present study, the time dependencies of the resistivity of ReBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7−x} (Re=Y, Ho) single crystals with varying degree of deviation from oxygen stoichiometry was investigated. It was shown that the accelerated transport of oxygen ions in the initial stage of the process can be carried out along the one-dimensional non-stoichiometric vacancies’ accumulation by the single file diffusion mechanism. The final phase redistribution of oxygen ions in ReBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7−x} (Re = Y, Ho) is described by the classical mechanism of volume diffusion. The substitution of yttrium by holmium significantly affects the charge redistribution and changes the efficient interaction of ions in CuO-planes, thereby modifying the mass transfer diffusion mechanisms in the oxygen sublattice. Thus, a significant length change of the time intervals occurs, corresponding to the oxygen ions’ single file and volume diffusion mechanisms.

Co-doping with antimony to control phosphorous diffusion in germanium

KAUST Repository

Tahini, H. A.

2013-02-15

In germanium, phosphorous and antimony diffuse quickly and as such their transport must be controlled in order to design efficient n-typed doped regions. Here, density functional theory based calculations are used to predict the influence of double donor co-doping on the migration activation energies of vacancy-mediated diffusion processes. The migration energy barriers for phosphorous and antimony were found to be increased significantly when larger clusters involving two donor atoms and a vacancy were formed. These clusters are energetically stable and can lead to the formation of even larger clusters involving a number of donor atoms around a vacancy, thereby affecting the properties of devices.

Density functional study on the heterogeneous oxidation of NO over α-Fe_2O_3 catalyst by H_2O_2: Effect of oxygen vacancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Zijian; Wang, Ben; Yu, Jie; Ma, Chuan; Zhou, Changsong; Chen, Tao; Yan, Qianqian; Wang, Ke; Sun, Lushi

2017-01-01

Highlights: • NO and H_2O_2 adsorption on perfect and oxygen defect α-Fe_2O_3 (0 0 1) surface were studied by DFT calculations. • H_2O_2 shows high chemical reactivity for its adsorption on oxygen defect α-Fe_2O_3 (0 0 1) surface. • Oxygen vacancy plays an important role of the catalytic oxidation of NO by H_2O_2 over the α-Fe_2O_3 catalyst surfaces. • Mechanism of NO oxidation over α-Fe_2O_3 (0 0 1) surface by H_2O_2 was explained. - Abstract: Catalytic oxidation with H_2O_2 is a promising method for NOx emission control in coal-fired power plants. Hematite-based catalysts are attracting increased attention because of their surface redox reactivity. To elucidate the NO oxidation mechanism on α-Fe_2O_3 surfaces, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted by investigating the adsorption characteristics of nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2) on perfect and oxygen defect α-Fe_2O_3 (0 0 1) surfaces. Results show that NO was molecularly adsorbed on two kinds of surfaces. H_2O_2 adsorption on perfect surface was also in a molecular form; however, H_2O_2 dissociation occurred on oxygen defect α-Fe_2O_3 (0 0 1) surface. The adsorption intensities of the two gas molecules in perfect α-Fe_2O_3 (0 0 1) surface followed the order NO > H_2O_2, and the opposite was true for the oxygen defect α-Fe_2O_3 (0 0 1). Oxygen vacancy remarkably enhanced the adsorption intensities of NO and H_2O_2 and promoted H_2O_2 decomposition on catalyst surface. As an oxidative product of NO, HNO_2 was synthesized when NO and H_2O_2 co-adsorbed on the oxygen defect α-Fe_2O_3 (0 0 1) surface. Analyses of Mulliken population, electron density difference, and partial density of states showed that H_2O_2 decomposition followed the Haber–Weiss mechanism. The trends of equilibrium constants suggested that NO adsorption on α-Fe_2O_3 (0 0 1) surface was more favorable at low than at high temperatures, whereas H_2O_2 adsorption was favorable between 375 and

Enhancement of oxygen diffusion process on a rotating disk electrode for the electro-Fenton degradation of tetracycline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yan; Gao, Ming-Ming; Wang, Xin-Hua; Wang, Shu-Guang; Liu, Rui-Ting

2015-01-01

An electro-Fenton process was developed for wastewater treatment in which hydrogen peroxide was generated in situ with a rotating graphite disk electrode as cathode. The maximum H 2 O 2 generation rate for the RDE reached 0.90 mg/L/h/cm 2 under the rotation speed of 400 rpm at pH 3, and −0.8 V vs SCE. The performance of this electro-Fenton reactor was assessed by tetracycline degradation in an aqueous solution. Experimental results showed the rotation of disk cathode resulted in the efficient production of H 2 O 2 without oxygen aeration, and excellent ability for degrading organic pollutants compared to the electro-Fenton system with fixed cathode. Tetracycline of 50 mg/L was degraded completely within 2 h with the addition of ferrous ion (1.0 mM). The chronoamperometry analysis was employed to investigate the oxygen diffusion on the rotating cathode. The results demonstrated that the diffusion coefficients of dissolved oxygen is 19.45 × 10 −5 cm 2 /s, which is greater than that reported in the literature. Further calculation indicated that oxygen is able to diffuse through the film on the rotating cathode within the contact time in each circle. This study proves that enhancement of oxygen diffusion on RDE is benefit for H 2 O 2 generation, thus provides a promising method for organic pollutants degradation by the combination of RDE with electro-Fenton reactor and offers a new insight on the oxygen transform process in this new system.

Co-doping with antimony to control phosphorous diffusion in germanium

KAUST Repository

Tahini, H. A.; Chroneos, Alexander; Grimes, R. W.; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2013-01-01

donor co-doping on the migration activation energies of vacancy-mediated diffusion processes. The migration energy barriers for phosphorous and antimony were found to be increased significantly when larger clusters involving two donor atoms and a vacancy

Dynamics of ordering processes in annealed dilute systems: Island formation, vacancies at domain boundaries, and compactification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shah, Peter Jivan; Mouritsen, Ole G.

1990-01-01

The dynamics of the ordering processes in two-dimensional lattice models with annealed vacancies and nonconserved order parameter is studied as a function of temperature and vacancy concentration by means of Monte Carlo temperature-quenching simulations. The models are Ising antiferromagnets...... with couplings leading to twofold-degenerate as well as fourfold-degenerate ordering. The models are quenched into a phase-separation region, which makes it possible for both types of ordering to observe the following scenario of ordering processes: (i) early-time nucleation and growth of ordered domains, (ii......) intermediate-time trapping of the mobile vacancies at the domain boundaries, and (iii) late-time diffusion of vacancies along the domain-boundary network towards the surface. In the case of high dilution, the ordering processes correspond to early-time island formation and late-time coarsening...

Lattice dynamical investigations on Zn diffusion in zinc oxide

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

diffusion and that too by single vacancy mechanism. The results are compared with the .... Instantaneous relative displacement of the diffusing atom with respect to the neigh- bours in the diffusion ring is given as a reaction coordinate,. X =.

Superdiffusion of Carbon by Vacancies Irradiated with Soft X-Rays in CZ Silicon / Superdifūzija Ar Vakancēm Iestarota Ar Mīkstajiem Rentgenstariem CZ Silīcijā

Science.gov (United States)

Janavičius, A. J.; Mekys, A.; Purlys, R.; Norgėla, Ž.; Daugėla, S.; Rinkūnas, R.

2015-10-01

The soft X-ray photons absorbed in the inner K, L, M shells of Si atoms produce photoelectrons and Auger electrons, thus generating vacancies, interstitials and metastable oxygen complexes. The samples of Czochralski silicon crystals covered with 0.1 μm thickness layer of carbon have been irradiated by X-rays using different voltages of Cu anode of the Russian diffractometer DRON-3M. The influence of X-rays on the formation of point defects and vacancy complexes, and their dynamics in Cz-Si crystals have been studied by infrared absorption. We have measured and calculated dynamics of concentration of carbon and interstitial oxygen using FTIR spectroscopy at room temperature after irradiation by soft X-rays. Using transmittance measurements and nonlinear diffusion theory we have calculated densities increasing for substitutional carbon and interstitial oxygen by reactions and very fast diffusion. The superdiffusion coefficients of carbon in silicon at room temperature generated by X-rays are about hundred thousand times greater than diffusion coefficients obtained for thermodiffusion. Rezumējums: Rentgena staru fotoni, absorbēti Si atoma iekšējos slāņos, izstaro fotoelektronus un Ožē elektronus, ģenerējot vakances, starpmezglu silīcija atomus, vakanču un skābekļa kompleksus. Čohraļska silīcija kristāli, kas pārklāti ar oglekli 0.1 μm biezuma kārtā, tika apstaroti ar rentgena stariem, izmantojot krievu difraktometru DRON-3M. Oglekļa un skābekļa difūzija un koncentrāciju izmaiņa silīcijā tika izmērīta izmantojot infrasarkano staru FTIR spektroskopiju. Rentgena staru ģenerētās ļoti ātrās oglekļa difūzijas vai superdifūzijas koeficients istabas temperatūrā silīcijā ir simtiem tūkstošu reižu lielāks nekā termodifūzijas gadījumā.

Tuning the electronic structure of SrTiO3/SrFeO3−x superlattices via composition and vacancy control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert F. Berger

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Using density functional theory-based calculations, we explore the effects of oxygen vacancies and epitaxial layering on the atomic, magnetic, and electronic structure of (SrTiO3n(SrFeO3−x1 superlattices. While structures without oxygen vacancies (x = 0 possess small or non-existent band gaps and ferromagnetic ordering in their iron layers, those with large vacancy concentrations (x = 0.5 have much larger gaps and antiferromagnetic ordering. Though the computed gaps depend numerically on the delicate energetic balance of vacancy ordering and on the value of Hubbard U eff used in the calculations, we demonstrate that changes in layering can tune the band gaps of these superlattices below that of SrTiO3 (3.2 eV by raising their valence band maxima. This suggests the possibility that these superlattices could absorb in the solar spectrum, and could serve as water-splitting photocatalysts.

Self-learning kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of diffusion in ferromagnetic α-Fe-Si alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Nandipati, Giridhar; Jiang, Xiujuan; Vemuri, Rama S.; Mathaudhu, Suveen; Rohatgi, Aashish

2018-01-01

Diffusion of Si atom and vacancy in the A2-phase of α-Fe-Si alloys in the ferromagnetic state, with and without magnetic order and in various temperature ranges, are studied using AKSOME, an on-lattice self-learning KMC code. Diffusion of the Si atom and the vacancy are studied in the dilute limit and up to 12 at.% Si, respectively, in the temperature range 350-700 K. Local Si neighborhood dependent activation energies for vacancy hops were calculated on-the-fly using a broken-bond model based on pairwise interaction. The migration barrier and prefactor for the Si diffusion in the dilute limit were obtained and found to agree with published data within the limits of uncertainty. Simulations results show that the prefactor and the migration barrier for the Si diffusion are approximately an order of magnitude higher, and a tenth of an electron-volt higher, respectively, in the magnetic disordered state than in the fully ordered state. However, the net result is that magnetic disorder does not have a significant effect on Si diffusivity within the range of parameters studied in this work. Nevertheless, with increasing temperature, the magnetic disorder increases and its effect on the Si diffusivity also increases. In the case of vacancy diffusion, with increasing Si concentration, its diffusion prefactor decreases while the migration barrier more or less remained constant and the effect of magnetic disorder increases with Si concentration. Important vacancy-Si/Fe atom exchange processes and their activation barriers were identified, and the effect of energetics on ordered phase formation in Fe-Si alloys are discussed.

Influence of surface vacancy defects on the carburisation of Fe 110 surface by carbon monoxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chakrabarty, Aurab, E-mail: aurab.chakrabarty@qatar.tamu.edu; Bouhali, Othmane [Texas A& M University at Qatar, P.O. Box 23874, Doha (Qatar); Mousseau, Normand [Département de Physique and RQMP, Université de Montréal, Case Postale 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal (QC) H3C 3J7 (Canada); Becquart, Charlotte S. [UMET, UMR CNRS 8207, ENSCL, Université Lille I, 59655 Villeneuve d’Ascq cédex (France); El-Mellouhi, Fedwa, E-mail: felmellouhi@qf.org.qa [Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, P.O. Box 5825 Doha (Qatar)

2016-07-28

Adsorption and dissociation of gaseous carbon monoxide (CO) on metal surfaces is one of the most frequently occurring processes of carburisation, known as primary initiator of metal dusting corrosion. Among the various factors that can significantly influence the carburisation process are the intrinsic surface defects such as single surface vacancies occurring at high concentrations due to their low formation energy. Intuitively, adsorption and dissociation barriers of CO are expected to be lowered in the vicinity of a surface vacancy, due to the strong attractive interaction between the vacancy and the C atom. Here the adsorption energies and dissociation pathways of CO on clean and defective Fe 110 surface are explored by means of density functional theory. Interestingly, we find that the O adatom, resulting from the CO dissociation, is unstable in the electron-deficit neighbourhood of the vacancy due to its large electron affinity, and raises the barrier of the carburisation pathway. Still, a full comparative study between the clean surface and the vacancy-defected surface reveals that the complete process of carburisation, starting from adsorption to subsurface diffusion of C, is more favourable in the vicinity of a vacancy defect.

Impurity diffusion activation energies in Al from first principles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Simonovic, D.; Sluiter, M.H.

2009-01-01

Activation energies for vacancy-mediated impurity diffusion in face-centered-cubic aluminum have been computed ab initio for all technologically important alloying elements, as well as for most of the lanthanides. The so-called five-frequency rate model is used to establish the limiting vacancy