Pressure-induced transformations in amorphous silicon: A computational study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcez, K. M. S., E-mail: kmgarcez@ufma.br [Universidade Federal do Maranhão, 65700-000 Bacabal, Maranhão (Brazil); Antonelli, A., E-mail: aantone@ifi.unicamp.br [Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, UNICAMP, 13083-859 Campinas, São Paulo (Brazil)

2014-02-14

We study the transformations between amorphous phases of Si through molecular simulations using the environment dependent interatomic potential (EDIP) for Si. Our results show that upon pressure, the material undergoes a transformation from the low density amorphous (LDA) Si to the high density amorphous (HDA) Si. This transformation can be reversed by decompressing the material. This process, however, exhibits clear hysteresis, suggesting that the transformation LDA ↔ HDA is first-order like. The HDA phase is predominantly five-fold coordinated, whereas the LDA phase is the normal tetrahedrally bonded amorphous Si. The HDA phase at 400 K and 20 GPa was submitted to an isobaric annealing up to 800 K, resulting in a denser amorphous phase, which is structurally distinct from the HDA phase. Our results also show that the atomic volume and structure of this new amorphous phase are identical to those of the glass obtained by an isobaric quenching of the liquid in equilibrium at 2000 K and 20 GPa down to 400 K. The similarities between our results and those for amorphous ices suggest that this new phase is the very high density amorphous Si.

Pressure-induced transformations in amorphous silicon: A computational study

Science.gov (United States)

Garcez, K. M. S.; Antonelli, A.

2014-02-01

We study the transformations between amorphous phases of Si through molecular simulations using the environment dependent interatomic potential (EDIP) for Si. Our results show that upon pressure, the material undergoes a transformation from the low density amorphous (LDA) Si to the high density amorphous (HDA) Si. This transformation can be reversed by decompressing the material. This process, however, exhibits clear hysteresis, suggesting that the transformation LDA ↔ HDA is first-order like. The HDA phase is predominantly five-fold coordinated, whereas the LDA phase is the normal tetrahedrally bonded amorphous Si. The HDA phase at 400 K and 20 GPa was submitted to an isobaric annealing up to 800 K, resulting in a denser amorphous phase, which is structurally distinct from the HDA phase. Our results also show that the atomic volume and structure of this new amorphous phase are identical to those of the glass obtained by an isobaric quenching of the liquid in equilibrium at 2000 K and 20 GPa down to 400 K. The similarities between our results and those for amorphous ices suggest that this new phase is the very high density amorphous Si.

Minor-Cu doped soft magnetic Fe-based FeCoBCSiCu amorphous alloys with high saturation magnetization

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yanhui; Wang, Zhenmin; Zhang, Wei

2018-05-01

The effects of Cu alloying on the amorphous-forming ability (AFA) and magnetic properties of the P-free Fe81Co5B11C2Si1 amorphous alloy were investigated. Addition of ≤ 1.0 at.% Cu enhances the AFA of the base alloy without significant deterioration of the soft magnetic properties. The Fe80.5Co5B11C2Si1Cu0.5 alloy with the largest critical thickness for amorphous formation of ˜35 μm possesses a high saturation magnetization (Bs) of ˜1.78 T, low coercivity of ˜14.6 A/m, and good bending ductility upon annealing in a wide temperature range of 513-553 K with maintaining the amorphous state. The fabrication of the new high-Fe-content Fe-Co-B-C-Si-Cu amorphous alloys by minor doping of Cu gives a guideline to developing high Bs amorphous alloys with excellent AFA.

High-density amorphous ice: A path-integral simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Herrero, Carlos P.; Ramírez, Rafael

2012-09-01

Structural and thermodynamic properties of high-density amorphous (HDA) ice have been studied by path-integral molecular dynamics simulations in the isothermal-isobaric ensemble. Interatomic interactions were modeled by using the effective q-TIP4P/F potential for flexible water. Quantum nuclear motion is found to affect several observable properties of the amorphous solid. At low temperature (T = 50 K) the molar volume of HDA ice is found to increase by 6%, and the intramolecular O-H distance rises by 1.4% due to quantum motion. Peaks in the radial distribution function of HDA ice are broadened with respect to their classical expectancy. The bulk modulus, B, is found to rise linearly with the pressure, with a slope ∂B/∂P = 7.1. Our results are compared with those derived earlier from classical and path-integral simulations of HDA ice. We discuss similarities and discrepancies with those earlier simulations.

Amorphous Cu-Ag films with high stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reda, I.M.; Hafner, J.; Pongratz, P.; Wagendristel, A.; Bangert, H.; Bhat, P.K.

1982-06-01

Films produced by quenching Cu-Ag vapour onto cooled substrates at liquid nitrogen temperature have been investigated using electron microscopy, electron diffraction and electrical resistivity measurements. In the composition range from 30 to 70 at% Cu the as quenched films are amorphous, and within the range of 35 to 63 at% Cu the amorphous phase is stable above room temperature with a maximum crystallization temperature Tsub(c)=381 K at 47.5 at% Cu. Crystallization results in the formation of a supersaturated fcc solid solution which decomposes in a second crystallization step. The effect of deposition rate, film thickness, temperature and surface of the substrate, and most importantly of the composition on the transition temperatures has been investigated. A comparative study of the formation of amorphous phases in a wide variety of Cu-based alloys is presented. (author)

Cyclical Annealing Technique To Enhance Reliability of Amorphous Metal Oxide Thin Film Transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hong-Chih; Chang, Ting-Chang; Lai, Wei-Chih; Chen, Guan-Fu; Chen, Bo-Wei; Hung, Yu-Ju; Chang, Kuo-Jui; Cheng, Kai-Chung; Huang, Chen-Shuo; Chen, Kuo-Kuang; Lu, Hsueh-Hsing; Lin, Yu-Hsin

2018-02-26

This study introduces a cyclical annealing technique that enhances the reliability of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) via-type structure thin film transistors (TFTs). By utilizing this treatment, negative gate-bias illumination stress (NBIS)-induced instabilities can be effectively alleviated. The cyclical annealing provides several cooling steps, which are exothermic processes that can form stronger ionic bonds. An additional advantage is that the total annealing time is much shorter than when using conventional long-term annealing. With the use of cyclical annealing, the reliability of the a-IGZO can be effectively optimized, and the shorter process time can increase fabrication efficiency.

Structure of high-density amorphous ice under pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klotz, S.; Hamel, G.; Loveday, J.S.; Nelmes, R.J.; Guthrie, M.; Soper, A.K.

2002-01-01

We report in situ neutron diffraction studies of high-density amorphous ice (HDA) at 100 K at pressures up to 2.2 GPa. We find that the compression is achieved by a strong contraction (∼20%) of the second neighbor coordination shell, so that at 2.2 GPa it closely approaches the first coordination shell, which itself remains intact in both structure and size. The hydrogen bond orientations suggest an absence of hydrogen bonding between first and second shells and that HDA has increasingly interpenetrating hydrogen bond networks under pressure

Study of high-k gate dielectrics by means of positron annihilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uedono, A.; Naito, T.; Otsuka, T.; Ito, K.; Shiraishi, K.; Yamabe, K.; Miyazaki, S.; Watanabe, H.; Umezawa, N.; Hamid, A.; Chikyow, T.; Ohdaira, T.; Suzuki, R.; Ishibashi, S.; Inumiya, S.; Kamiyama, S.; Akasaka, Y.; Nara, Y.; Yamada, K.

2007-01-01

High-dielectric constant (high-k) gate materials, such as HfSiO x and HfAlO x , fabricated by atomic-layer-deposition techniques were characterized using monoenergetic positron beams. Measurements of the Doppler broadening spectra of annihilation radiation and the lifetime spectra of positrons indicated that positrons annihilated from the trapped state by open volumes that exist intrinsically in amorphous structures of the films. The size distributions of the open volumes and the local atomic configurations around such volumes can be discussed using positron annihilation parameters, and they were found to correlate with the electrical properties of the films. We confirmed that the positron annihilation is useful technique to characterize the matrix structure of amorphous high-k materials, and can be used to determine process parameters for the fabrication of high-k gate dielectrics. (copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Diffusive dynamics during the high-to-low density transition in amorphous ice

Science.gov (United States)

Perakis, Fivos; Amann-Winkel, Katrin; Lehmkühler, Felix; Sprung, Michael; Mariedahl, Daniel; Sellberg, Jonas A.; Pathak, Harshad; Späh, Alexander; Cavalca, Filippo; Schlesinger, Daniel; Ricci, Alessandro; Jain, Avni; Massani, Bernhard; Aubree, Flora; Benmore, Chris J.; Loerting, Thomas; Grübel, Gerhard; Pettersson, Lars G. M.; Nilsson, Anders

2017-08-01

Water exists in high- and low-density amorphous ice forms (HDA and LDA), which could correspond to the glassy states of high- (HDL) and low-density liquid (LDL) in the metastable part of the phase diagram. However, the nature of both the glass transition and the high-to-low-density transition are debated and new experimental evidence is needed. Here we combine wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) with X-ray photon-correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) in the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) geometry to probe both the structural and dynamical properties during the high-to-low-density transition in amorphous ice at 1 bar. By analyzing the structure factor and the radial distribution function, the coexistence of two structurally distinct domains is observed at T = 125 K. XPCS probes the dynamics in momentum space, which in the SAXS geometry reflects structural relaxation on the nanometer length scale. The dynamics of HDA are characterized by a slow component with a large time constant, arising from viscoelastic relaxation and stress release from nanometer-sized heterogeneities. Above 110 K a faster, strongly temperature-dependent component appears, with momentum transfer dependence pointing toward nanoscale diffusion. This dynamical component slows down after transition into the low-density form at 130 K, but remains diffusive. The diffusive character of both the high- and low-density forms is discussed among different interpretations and the results are most consistent with the hypothesis of a liquid-liquid transition in the ultraviscous regime.

Highly featured amorphous silicon nanorod arrays for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soleimani-Amiri, Samaneh; Safiabadi Tali, Seied Ali; Azimi, Soheil; Sanaee, Zeinab; Mohajerzadeh, Shamsoddin

2014-01-01

High aspect-ratio vertical structures of amorphous silicon have been realized using hydrogen-assisted low-density plasma reactive ion etching. Amorphous silicon layers with the thicknesses ranging from 0.5 to 10 μm were deposited using radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. Standard photolithography and nanosphere colloidal lithography were employed to realize ultra-small features of the amorphous silicon. The performance of the patterned amorphous silicon structures as a lithium-ion battery electrode was investigated using galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. The patterned structures showed a superior Li-ion battery performance compared to planar amorphous silicon. Such structures are suitable for high current Li-ion battery applications such as electric vehicles

Highly featured amorphous silicon nanorod arrays for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soleimani-Amiri, Samaneh; Safiabadi Tali, Seied Ali; Azimi, Soheil; Sanaee, Zeinab; Mohajerzadeh, Shamsoddin, E-mail: mohajer@ut.ac.ir [Thin Film and Nanoelectronics Lab, Nanoelectronics Center of Excellence, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran 143957131 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-11-10

High aspect-ratio vertical structures of amorphous silicon have been realized using hydrogen-assisted low-density plasma reactive ion etching. Amorphous silicon layers with the thicknesses ranging from 0.5 to 10 μm were deposited using radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. Standard photolithography and nanosphere colloidal lithography were employed to realize ultra-small features of the amorphous silicon. The performance of the patterned amorphous silicon structures as a lithium-ion battery electrode was investigated using galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. The patterned structures showed a superior Li-ion battery performance compared to planar amorphous silicon. Such structures are suitable for high current Li-ion battery applications such as electric vehicles.

Amorphization kinetics of Zr3Fe under electron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motta, A.T.; Howe, L.M.; Okamoto, P.R.

1992-10-01

0.9 MeV electron irradiations were performed at 28--220 K in a high-voltage electron microscope (HVEM). By measuring onset, spread and final size of the amorphous region, factoring in the Guassian distribution of the beam, a kinetic description of the amorphization in terms of dose, dose rate and temperature was obtained. The critical temperature for amorphization by electron irradiation was found to be ∼220 K, compared to 570--625 K for 40 Ar ion irradiation. Also, the dose-to-amorphization increased exponentially with temperature. Results indicated that the rate of growth of the amorphous region under the electron beam decreased with increasing temperature and the does-to-amorphization decreased with increasing dose rate. The size of the amorphous region saturated after a region dose, the final size decreasing with increasing temperature, and it was argued that this is related to the existence of a critical dose rate, which increased with temperature, below which no amorphization occurred. The above observations can be understood in the framework of the kinetics of damage accumulation under irradiation

Development of an amorphous surge blocker for a high voltage acceleration power supply of the neutral beam injectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizuno, Makoto; Ohara, Yoshihiro; Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Ozaki, Akira.

1993-10-01

An amorphous surge blocker for a high voltage acceleration power supply for the neutral beam injectors has been developed. Since the saturation magnetic flux density of the amorphous core is higher than that of the ferrite core, the surge blocker made of amorphous cores can be reduced in size appreciably compared to the conventional ferrite surge blocker. A 350 kV, 0.05 volt-second amorphous surge blocker was designed, fabricated and tested. The amorphous core was made by winding an amorphous tape with a film for the layer insulation and was heat-treated to recover the magnetic characteristics. The core is molded by epoxy resin and installed in a FRP insulator tube filled with SF 6 gas for the insulation. The volt-second measured was higher than the designed value and the electrical breakdown along the cores and between layers was not observed. This test result shows that the amorphous surge blocker is applicable for a dc acceleration power supply for high energy neutral beam injectors. (author)

Conversion of nuclear waste to molten glass: Formation of porous amorphous alumina in a high-Al melter feed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Kai, E-mail: kaixu@whut.edu.cn [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Hrma, Pavel, E-mail: pavel.hrma@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Washton, Nancy; Schweiger, Michael J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Kruger, Albert A. [U.S. Department of Energy, Office of River Protection, Richland, WA 99352 (United States)

2017-01-15

The transition of Al phases in a simulated high-Al high-level nuclear waste melter feed heated at 5 K min{sup −1} to 700 °C was investigated with transmission electron microscopy, {sup 27}Al nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, and X-ray diffraction. At temperatures between 300 and 500 °C, porous amorphous alumina formed from the dehydration of gibbsite, resulting in increased specific surface area of the feed (∼8 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}). The high-surface-area amorphous alumina formed in this manner could potentially stop salt migration in the cold cap during nuclear waste vitrification. - Highlights: • Porous amorphous alumina formed in a simulated high-Al HLW melter feed during heating. • The feed had a high specific surface area at 300 °C ≤ T ≤ 500 °C. • Porous amorphous alumina induced increased specific surface area.

High transmittance contrast in amorphous to hexagonal phase of Ge2Sb2Te5: Reversible NIR-window

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Palwinder; Singh, A. P.; Kanda, Neetu; Mishra, Monu; Gupta, Govind; Thakur, Anup

2017-12-01

Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) is one of the best phase change materials because of its splendid set of properties, viz., high thermal stability, fast crystallization speed, good endurance, scalability, and reliability. Phase transition [amorphous → face centered cubic (fcc) → hexagonal close packed (hcp)] of GST thin films with annealing was studied using X-ray diffraction. Thin films in amorphous, fcc, and hcp phases are highly, medium, and negligible transparent in the near infra-red region, respectively. The optical transmission in amorphous, fcc, and hcp phases is ˜92%, ˜46%, and ˜2%, respectively, at the wavelength of 2740 nm. At 2740 nm, a high transmission contrast (˜90%) is observed with phase transition from the amorphous to hcp phase. By utilizing large transmission contrast, it is demonstrated that GST can be availed as a potential candidate for reversible near infra-red-window. The sharp change in optical transmission with phase transition can be understood from the change in density of states in the valence band.

Polarized Raman spectroscopic study of relaxed high density amorphous ices under pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Yoshiharu; Tominaga, Yasunori

2010-10-28

We have made high density amorphous ice (HDA) by the pressure-induced amorphization of hexagonal ice at 77 K and measured the volume change on isobaric heating in a pressure range between 0.1 and 1.5 GPa. The volume of HDA on heating below ∼0.35 GPa increases, while the volume of HDA on heating above ∼0.35 GPa decreases. The polarized OH-stretching Raman spectra of the relaxed HDAs are compared with that of the unannealed HDA. The relaxed HDAs are prepared at 0.2 GPa at 130 K and 1.5 GPa at 160 K. It is found that the relatively strong totally symmetric OH-stretching vibration mode around 3100 cm(-1) exists in the depolarized reduced Raman spectrum χ(VH)(") of the unannealed HDA and that its intensity rapidly decreases by relaxation. The χ(VH)(") profiles of the relaxed HDA are similar to those of liquid water. These results indicate that the HDA reaches a nearly equilibrium state by annealing and the intrinsic state of HDA relates to a liquid state. The pressure-volume curve of the relaxed HDA at 140 K seems to be smooth in the pressure range below 1.5 GPa.

Amorphization kinetics of Zr3Fe under electron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motta, A.T.; Howe, L.M.; Okamoto, P.R.

1994-11-01

Previous investigations using 40 Ar ion bombardments have revealed that Zr 3 Fe, which has an orthorhombic crystal structure, undergoes an irradiation-induced transformation from the crystalline to the amorphous state. In the present investigation, 0.9 MeV electron irradiations were performed at 28 - 220 K in a high-voltage electron microscope (HVEM). By measuring the onset, spread and final size of the amorphous region, factoring in the Gaussian distribution of the beam, a kinetic description of the amorphization in terms of dose, dose rate and temperature was obtained. The critical temperature for amorphization by electron irradiation was found to be ∼ 220 K, compared with 570 - 625 K for 40 Ar ion irradiation. Also, the dose-to-amorphization increased exponentially with temperature. Results indicated that the rate of growth of the amorphous region under the electron beam decreased with increasing temperature and the dose-to-amorphization decreased with increasing dose rate. The size of the amorphous region saturated after a given dose, the final size decreasing with increasing temperature, and it is argued that this is related to the existence of a critical dose rate, which increases with temperature, and below which no amorphization occurs. (author). 26 refs., 6 figs

Al2O3 nanocrystals embedded in amorphous Lu2O3 high-k gate dielectric for floating gate memory application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, C L; Chan, M Y; Lee, P S; Darmawan, P; Setiawan, Y

2007-01-01

The integration of nanoparticles has high potential in technological applications and opens up possibilities of the development of new devices. Compared to the conventional floating gate memory, a structure containing nanocrystals embedded in dielectrics shows high potential to produce a memory with high endurance, low operating voltage, fast write-erase speeds and better immunity to soft errors [S. Tiwari, F. Rana, H. Hanafi et al. 1996 Appl.Phys. Lett. 68, 1377]. A significant improvement on data retention [J. J. Lee, X. Wang et al. 2003 Proceedings of the VLSI Technol. Symposium, p33] can be observed when discrete nanodots are used instead of continuous floating gate as charge storage nodes because local defect related leakage can be reduced efficiently. Furthermore, using a high-k dielectric in place of the conventional SiO2 based dielectric, nanodots flash memory is able to achieve significantly improved programming efficiency and data retention [A. Thean and J. -P. Leburton, 2002 IEEE Potentials 21, 35; D. W. Kim, T. Kim and S. K. Banerjee, 2003 IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 50, 1823]. We have recently successfully developed a method to produce nanodots embedded in high-k gate dielectrics [C. L. Yuan, P. Darmawan, Y. Setiawan and P. S. Lee, 2006 Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters 9, F53; C. L. Yuan, P. Darmawan, Y. Setiawan and P. S. Lee, 2006 Europhys. Lett. 74, 177]. In this paper, we fabricated the memory structure of Al 2 O 3 nanocrystals embedded in amorphous Lu 2 O 3 high k dielectric using pulsed laser ablation. The mean size and density of the Al 2 O 3 nanocrystals are estimated to be about 5 nm and 7x1011 cm -2 , respectively. Good electrical performances in terms of large memory window and good data retention were observed. Our preparation method is simple, fast and economical

High density amorphous ice and its phase transition to ice XII

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohl, I.

2001-07-01

1998 Lobban et al. reported the neutron diffraction data of a new phase of ice, called ice XII, which formed at 260 K on compression of water within the domain of ice V at a pressure of 0.5 GPa. Surprisingly ice XII forms as an incidental product in the preparation of high-density amorphous ice (HDA) on compression of hexagonale ice (ice Ih) at 77 K up to pressures = 1.3 GPa. A decisive experimental detail is the use of an indium container: when compressing ice Ih in a pressure vessel with indium linings, then reproducibly HDA (high density amorphous ice) forms, but without indium randomly scattered relative amounts of ice XII and HDA form. Ice XII forms on compression of ice Ih at 77 K only via HDA, and not directly from ice Ih. Its formation requires a sudden pronounced apparent pressure drop of ca 0.18 GPa at pressures ca 1.1 GPa. These apparent pressure drops can be caused by buildup friction between the piston and the pressure vessel and its sudden release on further compression. I propose that shock-waves generated by apparent pressure drops cause transient local heating and that this induces nucleation and crystal growth. A specific reproducible method to prepare ice XII is heating HDA in a pressure vessel with indium linings at constant pressures (or constant volume). The ice XII (meta-)stability domain extends between ca 158 and 212 K from ca 0.7 to ca 1.5 GPa. DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) and x-ray powder diffraction revealed, that on heating at atmospheric pressure ice XII transforms directly into cubic ice (ice Ic) at 154 K (heating rate 10 K min - 1) and not into an amorphous form before transition to ice Ic. The enthalpy of the ice XII - ice Ic transition is -1.21 ± 0.07 kJ mol -1 . An estimation of the Gibbs free energy at atmospheric pressure and about 140 K results that ice XII is thermodynamically more stable than ice VI. In the heating curve of ice XII a reversible endothermic step can be found at the onset temperature (heating rate

Amorphization of ceramics by ion beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McHargue, C.J.; Farlow, G.C.; White, C.W.; Williams, J.M.; Appleton, B.R.; Naramoto, H.

1984-01-01

The influence of the implantation parameters fluence, substrate temperature, and chemical species on the formation of amorphous phases in Al 2 O 3 and α-SiC was studied. At 300 0 K, fluences in excess of 10 17 ions.cm -2 were generally required to amorphize Al 2 O 3 ; however, implantation of zirconium formed the amorphous phase at a fluence of 4 x 10 16 Zr.cm -2 . At 77 0 K, the threshold fluence was lowered to about 2 x 10 15 Cr.cm -2 . Single crystals of α-SiC were amorphized at 300 0 K by a fluence of 2 x 10 14 Cr.cm -2 or 1 x 10 15 N.cm -2 . Implantation at 1023 0 K did not produce the amorphous phase in SiC. The micro-indentation hardness of the amorphous material was about 60% of that of the crystalline counterpart

High strength nanostructured Al-based alloys through optimized processing of rapidly quenched amorphous precursors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Song-Yi; Lee, Gwang-Yeob; Park, Gyu-Hyeon; Kim, Hyeon-Ah; Lee, A-Young; Scudino, Sergio; Prashanth, Konda Gokuldoss; Kim, Do-Hyang; Eckert, Jürgen; Lee, Min-Ha

2018-01-18

We report the methods increasing both strength and ductility of aluminum alloys transformed from amorphous precursor. The mechanical properties of bulk samples produced by spark-plasma sintering (SPS) of amorphous Al-Ni-Co-Dy powders at temperatures above 673 K are significantly enhanced by in-situ crystallization of nano-scale intermetallic compounds during the SPS process. The spark plasma sintered Al 84 Ni 7 Co 3 Dy 6 bulk specimens exhibit 1433 MPa compressive yield strength and 1773 MPa maximum strength together with 5.6% plastic strain, respectively. The addition of Dy enhances the thermal stability of primary fcc Al in the amorphous Al-TM -RE alloy. The precipitation of intermetallic phases by crystallization of the remaining amorphous matrix plays important role to restrict the growth of the fcc Al phase and contributes to the improvement of the mechanical properties. Such fully crystalline nano- or ultrafine-scale Al-Ni-Co-Dy systems are considered promising for industrial application because their superior mechanical properties in terms of a combination of very high room temperature strength combined with good ductility.

Conversion of nuclear waste to molten glass: Formation of porous amorphous alumina in a high-Al melter feed

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Kai; Hrma, Pavel; Washton, Nancy; Schweiger, Michael J.; Kruger, Albert A.

2017-01-01

The transition of Al phases in a simulated high-Al high-level nuclear waste melter feed heated at 5 K min-1 to 700 °C was investigated with transmission electron microscopy, 27Al nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, and X-ray diffraction. At temperatures between 300 and 500 °C, porous amorphous alumina formed from the dehydration of gibbsite, resulting in increased specific surface area of the feed (∼8 m2 g-1). The high-surface-area amorphous alumina formed in this manner could potentially stop salt migration in the cold cap during nuclear waste vitrification.

Enertech 2-kW high-reliability wind system. Phase II. Fabrication and testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cordes, J A; Johnson, B A

1981-06-01

A high-reliability wind machine rated for 2 kW in a 9 m/s wind has been developed. Activities are summarized that are centered on the fabrication and testing of prototypes of the wind machine. The test results verified that the wind machine met the power output specification and that the variable-pitch rotor effectively controlled the rotor speed for wind speeds up to 50 mph. Three prototypes of the wind machine were shipped to the Rocky Flats test center in September through November of 1979. Work was also performed to reduce the start-up wind speed. The start-up wind speed to the Enertech facility has been reduced to 4.5 m/s.

Amorphous carbon nanofibres inducing high specific capacitance of deposited hydrous ruthenium oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barranco, V.; Pico, F.; Ibanez, J.; Lillo-Rodenas, M.A.; Linares-Solano, A.; Kimura, M.; Oya, A.; Rojas, R.M.; Amarilla, J.M.; Rojo, J.M.

2009-01-01

Composites consisting of ruthenium oxide particles deposited on amorphous carbon nanofibres are prepared by a repetitive impregnation procedure. The choice of amorphous carbon nanofibres as support of amorphous ruthenium oxide leads to composites in which the deposited oxide consists of aggregates of extremely small primary particles (1-1.5 nm-size) and showing high porosity (specific surface area of 450 m 2 g -1 ). This special deposition of the oxide seems to favour: (i) high oxide capacitance (1000 Fg -1 ) at high oxide loadings (up to 20 wt%) and (ii) high capacitance retention (ca. 80% from the initial oxide capacitance) at high current densities (200 mA cm -2 ). Amorphous carbon nanofibres are suitable supports for amorphous ruthenium oxide and perhaps for other amorphous oxides acting as active electrode materials.

Polyamorphism in Water: Amorphous Ices and their Glassy States

Science.gov (United States)

Amann-Winkel, K.; Boehmer, R.; Fujara, F.; Gainaru, C.; Geil, B.; Loerting, T.

2015-12-01

Water is ubiquitous and of general importance for our environment. But it is also known as the most anomalous liquid. The fundamental origin of the numerous anomalies of water is still under debate. An understanding of these anomalous properties of water is closely linked to an understanding of the phase diagram of the metastable non-crystalline states of ice. The process of pressure induced amorphization of ice was first observed by Mishima et al. [1]. The authors pressurized hexagonal ice at 77 K up to a pressure of 1.6 GPa to form high density amorphous ice (HDA). So far three distinct structural states of amorphous water are known [2], they are called low- (LDA), high- (HDA) and very high density amorphous ice (VHDA). Since the discovery of multiple distinct amorphous states it is controversy discussed whether this phenomenon of polyamorphism at high pressures is connected to the occurrence of more than one supercooled liquid phase [3]. Alternatively, amorphous ices have been suggested to be of nanocrystalline nature, unrelated to liquids. Indeed inelastic X-ray scattering measurements indicate sharp crystal-like phonons in the amorphous ices [4]. In case of LDA the connection to the low-density liquid (LDL) was inferred from several experiments including the observation of a calorimetric glass-to-liquid transition at 136 K and ambient pressure [5]. Recently also the glass transition in HDA was observed at 116 K at ambient pressure [6] and at 140 K at elevated pressure of 1 GPa [7], using calorimetric measurements as well as dielectric spectroscopy. We discuss here the general importance of amorphous ices and their liquid counterparts and present calorimetric and dielectric measurements on LDA and HDA. The good agreement between dielectric and calorimetric results convey for a clearer picture of water's vitrification phenomenon. [1] O. Mishima, L. D. Calvert, and E. Whalley, Nature 314, 76, 1985 [2] D.T. Bowron, J. L. Finney, A. Hallbrucker, et al., J. Chem

High pressure synthesis of amorphous TiO2 nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quanjun Li

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Amorphous TiO2 nanotubes with diameters of 8-10 nm and length of several nanometers were synthesized by high pressure treatment of anatase TiO2 nanotubes. The structural phase transitions of anatase TiO2 nanotubes were investigated by using in-situ high-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD method. The starting anatase structure is stable up to ∼20GPa, and transforms into a high-density amorphous (HDA form at higher pressure. Pressure-modified high- to low-density transition was observed in the amorphous form upon decompression. The pressure-induced amorphization and polyamorphism are in good agreement with the previous results in ultrafine TiO2 nanoparticles and nanoribbons. The relationship between the LDA form and α-PbO2 phase was revealed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM study. In addition, the bulk modulus (B0 = 158 GPa of the anatase TiO2 nanotubes is smaller than those of the corresponding bulks and nanoparticles (180-240 GPa. We suggest that the unique open-ended nanotube morphology and nanosize play important roles in the high pressure phase transition of TiO2 nanotubes.

Amorphous Silicon-Germanium Films with Embedded Nano crystals for Thermal Detectors with Very High Sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calleja, C.; Torres, A.; Rosales-Quintero, P.; Moreno, M.

2016-01-01

We have optimized the deposition conditions of amorphous silicon-germanium films with embedded nano crystals in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) reactor, working at a standard frequency of 13.56 MHz. The objective was to produce films with very large Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR), which is a signature of the sensitivity in thermal detectors (micro bolometers). Morphological, electrical, and optical characterization were performed in the films, and we found optimal conditions for obtaining films with very high values of thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR = 7.9%K -1 ). Our results show that amorphous silicon-germanium films with embedded nano crystals can be used as thermo sensitive films in high performance infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPAs) used in commercial thermal cameras.

Plasma-Induced Damage on the Reliability of Hf-Based High-k/Dual Metal-Gates Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weng, W.T.; Lin, H.C.; Huang, T.Y.; Lee, Y.J.; Lin, H.C.

2009-01-01

This study examines the effects of plasma-induced damage (PID) on Hf-based high-k/dual metal-gates transistors processed with advanced complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. In addition to the gate dielectric degradations, this study demonstrates that thinning the gate dielectric reduces the impact of damage on transistor reliability including the positive bias temperature instability (PBTI) of n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (NMOSFETs) and the negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) of p-channel MOSFETs. This study shows that high-k/metal-gate transistors are more robust against PID than conventional SiO 2 /poly-gate transistors with similar physical thickness. Finally this study proposes a model that successfully explains the observed experimental trends in the presence of PID for high-k/metal-gate CMOS technology.

Preparation of hydrogenated amorphous carbon films using a microsecond-pulsed DC capacitive-coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition system operated at high frequency up to 400 kHz

Science.gov (United States)

Mamun, Md Abdullah Al; Furuta, Hiroshi; Hatta, Akimitsu

2018-06-01

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films are deposited on silicon (Si) substrates using a high-repetition microsecond-pulsed DC plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system from acetylene (C2H2) at a gas pressure of 15 Pa inside a custom-made vacuum chamber. The plasma discharge characteristics, hydrocarbon species, and the microstructure of the resulting films are examined at various pulse repetition rates from 50 to 400 kHz and a fixed duty cycle of 50%. The optical emission spectra confirmed the increase in electron excitation energy from 1.09 to 1.82 eV and the decrease in the intensity ratio of CH/C2 from 1.04 to 0.75 with increasing pulse frequency, indicating the enhanced electron impact dissociation of C2H2 gas. With increasing pulse frequency, the deposition rate gradually increased, reaching a maximum rate of 60 nm/min at 200 kHz, after which a progressive decrease was noted, whereas the deposition area was almost uniform for all the prepared films. Clear trends of increasing sp3 content (amorphization) and decreasing hydrogen (H) content in the films were observed as the pulse repetition rate increased, while most of the hydrogen atoms bonded to carbon atoms by sp3 hybridization rather than by sp2 hybridization.

Amorphization within the tablet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Doreth, Maria; Hussein, Murtadha Abdul; Priemel, Petra A.

2017-01-01

, the feasibility of microwave irradiation to prepare amorphous solid dispersions (glass solutions) in situ was investigated. Indomethacin (IND) and polyvinylpyrrolidone K12 (PVP) were tableted at a 1:2 (w/w) ratio. In order to study the influence of moisture content and energy input on the degree of amorphization......, tablet formulations were stored at different relative humidity (32, 43 and 54% RH) and subsequently microwaved using nine different power-time combinations up to a maximum energy input of 90 kJ. XRPD results showed that up to 80% (w/w) of IND could be amorphized within the tablet. mDSC measurements...

Low-temperature crystallization of amorphous silicon and amorphous germanium by soft X-ray irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heya, Akira, E-mail: heya@eng.u-hyogo.ac.jp [Department of Materials Science and Chemistry, University of Hyogo, 2167 Shosha, Himeji, Hyogo 671–2280 (Japan); Kanda, Kazuhiro [Laboratory of Advanced Science and Technology for Industry (LASTI), University of Hyogo, 3-2-1 Koto, Kamigori, Hyogo 678–1205 (Japan); Toko, Kaoru; Sadoh, Taizoh [Department of Electronics, Kyushu University, 744 Nishi-ku, Motooka, Fukuoka 819–0395 (Japan); Amano, Sho [Laboratory of Advanced Science and Technology for Industry (LASTI), University of Hyogo, 3-2-1 Koto, Kamigori, Hyogo 678–1205 (Japan); Matsuo, Naoto [Department of Materials Science and Chemistry, University of Hyogo, 2167 Shosha, Himeji, Hyogo 671–2280 (Japan); Miyamoto, Shuji [Laboratory of Advanced Science and Technology for Industry (LASTI), University of Hyogo, 3-2-1 Koto, Kamigori, Hyogo 678–1205 (Japan); Miyao, Masanobu [Department of Electronics, Kyushu University, 744 Nishi-ku, Motooka, Fukuoka 819–0395 (Japan); Mochizuki, Takayasu [Laboratory of Advanced Science and Technology for Industry (LASTI), University of Hyogo, 3-2-1 Koto, Kamigori, Hyogo 678–1205 (Japan)

2013-05-01

The low-temperature-crystallization effects of soft X-ray irradiation on the structural properties of amorphous Si and amorphous Ge films were investigated. From the differences in crystallization between Si and Ge, it was found that the effects of soft X-ray irradiation on the crystallization strongly depended on the energy band gap and energy level. The crystallization temperatures of the amorphous Si and amorphous Ge films decreased from 953 K to 853 K and 773 K to 663 K, respectively. The decrease in crystallization temperature was also related to atoms transitioning into a quasi-nucleic phase in the films. The ratio of electron excitation and migration effects to thermal effects was controlled using the storage-ring current (photon flux density). Therefore, we believe that low-temperature crystallization can be realized by controlling atomic migration through electron excitation. - Highlights: • This work investigates the crystallization mechanism for soft X-ray irradiation. • The soft X-ray crystallization depended on the energy band gap and energy level. • The decrease in the crystallization temperature for Si and Ge films was 100 K. • This decrement was related to atoms transitioning into a quasi-nucleic phase.

Si K-edge XANES study of SiOxCyHz amorphous polymeric materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaboy, J.; Barranco, A.; Yanguas-Gil, A.; Yubero, F.; Gonzalez-Elipe, A. R.

2007-01-01

This work reports on x-ray absorption spectroscopy study at the Si K edge of several amorphous SiO x C y H z polymers prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition with different C/O ratios. SiO 2 and SiC have been used as reference materials. The comparison of the experimental Si K-edge x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra with theoretical computations based on multiple scattering theory has allowed us to monitor the modification of the local coordination around Si as a function of the overall C/O ratio in this kind of materials

Fluxing purification and its effect on magnetic properties of high-B{sub s} FeBPSiC amorphous alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pang, Jing [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, Liaoning 110870 (China); Wang, Anding, E-mail: anding@nimte.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201 (China); Center for Advanced Structural Materials, Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Yue, Shiqiang [Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201 (China); Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Application Technology, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China); Kong, Fengyu [School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo 315016 (China); Qiu, Keqiang, E-mail: kqqiu@163.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, Liaoning 110870 (China); Chang, Chuntao; Wang, Xinmin [Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201 (China); Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Application Technology, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China); Liu, Chain-Tsuan, E-mail: chainliu@cityu.edu.hk [Center for Advanced Structural Materials, Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

2017-07-01

Highlights: • Surface crystallization in Fe{sub 83}B{sub 11}P{sub 3}Si{sub 2}C{sub 1} ribbon was inhibited by flux purification. • Amorphous Fe{sub 83}B{sub 11}P{sub 3}Si{sub 2}C{sub 1} ribbon was made with industrial process and materials. • The ribbons exhibit high B{sub s} of 1.65 T, low H{sub c} of 2 A/m, and high μ{sub e} of 9.7 × 10{sup 3}. • High melting point inclusions trigger the surface crystallization as nuclei. - Abstract: A high-B{sub s} amorphous alloy with the base composition Fe{sub 83}B{sub 11}P{sub 3}Si{sub 2}C{sub 1} was used to study the effects of fluxing purification on amorphous forming ability and magnetic properties of the alloy prepared with raw materials in industrialization. By using fluxing purification, the surface crystallization was suppressed and fully amorphous Fe{sub 83}B{sub 11}P{sub 3}Si{sub 2}C{sub 1} ribbons with a maximum thickness of 48 μm were successfully achieved by using an industrial process and materials. The amorphous ribbons made with industrial-purified alloys exhibit excellent magnetic properties, containing high-B{sub s} of 1.65 T, low H{sub c} of 2.0 A/m, and high μ{sub e} of 9.7 × 10{sup 3} at 1 kHz. Impurities in the melting alloys exist in three forms and have different effluences on magnetic properties. The surface crystallization was triggered by the impurities which exist as high melting point inclusions serving as nuclei. Thus, fluxing purification is a feasible way for industrialization of high-B{sub s} FeBPSiC amorphous alloys.

Studies of pulsed laser melting and rapid solidification using amorphous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowndes, D.H.; Wood, R.F.

1984-06-01

Pulsed-laser melting of ion implantation-amorphized silicon layers, and subsequent solidification were studied. Measurements of the onset of melting of amorphous silicon layers and of the duration of melting, and modified melting model calculations demonstrated that the thermal conductivity, K/sub a/, of amorphous silicon is very low (K/sub a/ approx. = 0.02 W/cm-K). K/sub a/ is also the dominant parameter determining the dynamical response of amorphous silicon to pulsed laser radiation. TEM indicates that bulk (volume) nucleation occurs directly from the highly undercooled liquid silicon that can be prepared by pulsed laser melting of amorphous silicon layers at low laser energy densities. A modified thermal melting model is presented. The model calculations demonstrate that the release of latent heat by bulk nucleation occurring during the melt-in process is essential to obtaining agreement with observed depths of melting. These calculations also show that this release of latent heat accompanying bulk nucleation can result in the existence of buried molten layers of silicon in the interior of the sample after the surface has solidified. The bulk nucleation implies that the liquid-to-amorphous phase transition (produced using picosecond or uv nanosecond laser pulses) cannot be explained using purely thermodynamic considerations

High reliability megawatt transformer/rectifier

Science.gov (United States)

Zwass, Samuel; Ashe, Harry; Peters, John W.

1991-01-01

The goal of the two phase program is to develop the technology and design and fabricate ultralightweight high reliability DC to DC converters for space power applications. The converters will operate from a 5000 V dc source and deliver 1 MW of power at 100 kV dc. The power weight density goal is 0.1 kg/kW. The cycle to cycle voltage stability goals was + or - 1 percent RMS. The converter is to operate at an ambient temperature of -40 C with 16 minute power pulses and one hour off time. The uniqueness of the design in Phase 1 resided in the dc switching array which operates the converter at 20 kHz using Hollotron plasma switches along with a specially designed low loss, low leakage inductance and a light weight high voltage transformer. This approach reduced considerably the number of components in the converter thereby increasing the system reliability. To achieve an optimum transformer for this application, the design uses four 25 kV secondary windings to produce the 100 kV dc output, thus reducing the transformer leakage inductance, and the ac voltage stresses. A specially designed insulation system improves the high voltage dielectric withstanding ability and reduces the insulation path thickness thereby reducing the component weight. Tradeoff studies and tests conducted on scaled-down model circuits and using representative coil insulation paths have verified the calculated transformer wave shape parameters and the insulation system safety. In Phase 1 of the program a converter design approach was developed and a preliminary transformer design was completed. A fault control circuit was designed and a thermal profile of the converter was also developed.

Nanostructure characterization of high k materials by spectroscopic ellipsometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, L.; Aguas, H.; Fortunato, E.; Martins, R.

2006-01-01

In this work, the optical and structural properties of high k materials such as tantalum oxide and titanium oxide were studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry, where a Tauc-Lorentz dispersion model based in one (amorphous films) or two oscillators (microcrystalline films) was used. The samples were deposited at room temperature by radio frequency magnetron sputtering and then annealed at temperatures from 100 to 500 deg. C. Concerning the tantalum oxide films, the increase of the annealing temperature, up to 500 deg. C does not change the amorphous nature of the films, increasing, however, their density. The same does not happen with the titanium oxide films that are microcrystalline, even when deposited at room temperature. Data concerning the use of a four-layer model based on one and two Tauc-Lorentz dispersions is also discussed, emphasizing its use for the detection of an amorphous incubation layer, normally present on microcrystalline films grown by sputtering

High pressure synthesis of amorphous TiO{sub 2} nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Quanjun; Liu, Ran; Wang, Tianyi; Xu, Ke; Dong, Qing; Liu, Bo; Liu, Bingbing, E-mail: liubb@jlu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Liu, Jing [Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)

2015-09-15

Amorphous TiO{sub 2} nanotubes with diameters of 8-10 nm and length of several nanometers were synthesized by high pressure treatment of anatase TiO{sub 2} nanotubes. The structural phase transitions of anatase TiO{sub 2} nanotubes were investigated by using in-situ high-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. The starting anatase structure is stable up to ∼20GPa, and transforms into a high-density amorphous (HDA) form at higher pressure. Pressure-modified high- to low-density transition was observed in the amorphous form upon decompression. The pressure-induced amorphization and polyamorphism are in good agreement with the previous results in ultrafine TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles and nanoribbons. The relationship between the LDA form and α-PbO{sub 2} phase was revealed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) study. In addition, the bulk modulus (B{sub 0} = 158 GPa) of the anatase TiO{sub 2} nanotubes is smaller than those of the corresponding bulks and nanoparticles (180-240 GPa). We suggest that the unique open-ended nanotube morphology and nanosize play important roles in the high pressure phase transition of TiO{sub 2} nanotubes.

Highly conductive p-type amorphous oxides from low-temperature solution processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jinwang; Tokumitsu, Eisuke; Koyano, Mikio; Mitani, Tadaoki; Shimoda, Tatsuya

2012-01-01

We report solution-processed, highly conductive (resistivity 1.3-3.8 mΩ cm), p-type amorphous A-B-O (A = Bi, Pb; B = Ru, Ir), processable at temperatures (down to 240 °C) that are compatible with plastic substrates. The film surfaces are smooth on the atomic scale. Bi-Ru-O was analyzed in detail. A small optical bandgap (0.2 eV) with a valence band maximum (VBM) below but very close to the Fermi level (binding energy E VBM = 0.04 eV) explains the high conductivity and suggests that they are degenerated semiconductors. The conductivity changes from three-dimensional to two-dimensional with decreasing temperature across 25 K.

Wear Resistant Amorphous and Nanocomposite Coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Racek, O

2008-03-26

Glass forming materials (critical cooling rate <10{sup 4}K.s{sup -1}) are promising for their high corrosion and wear resistance. During rapid cooling, the materials form an amorphous structure that transforms to nanocrystalline during a process of devitrification. High hardness (HV 1690) can be achieved through a controlled crystallization. Thermal spray process has been used to apply coatings, which preserves the amorphous/nanocomposite structure due to a high cooling rate of the feedstock particles during the impact on a substrate. Wear properties have been studied with respect to process conditions and feedstock material properties. Application specific properties such as sliding wear resistance have been correlated with laboratory tests based on instrumented indentation and scratch tests.

Glass transition and intermixing of amorphous water and methanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souda, Ryutaro

2004-01-01

The diffusion of molecules in amorphous water and methanol films has been investigated on the basis of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry as a function of temperature. The glass-liquid transition of the amorphous water film occurs at 130-145 K as confirmed from the surface segregation of embedded methanol molecules. The morphology of the pure amorphous water film changes drastically at 160 K as a consequence of dewetting induced by the surface tension and the strongly decreased viscosity of the film. The morphology of the amorphous methanol film changes at 115 K following the self-diffusion onset at 80 K. The binary films of water and heavy methanol are intermixed completely at 136 K as evidenced by the occurrence of the H/D exchange

Dynamic k-out-of-n system reliability with component partnership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coit, David W.; Chatwattanasiri, Nida; Wattanapongsakorn, Naruemon; Konak, Abdullah

2015-01-01

This paper describes a new k-out-of-n system reliability model that is appropriate for certain design problems when the minimum number of required components, k, changes dynamically in response to failures to maximize the utility of the available collection of functioning components. This new model shares some distinct similarities with weighted k-out-of-n models and for some problems they produce the same result. However, there are subtle and distinct differences, and in practice, there are some complex applications have not been properly explained or modeled by traditional or extended k-out-of-n system models. For this application, components are arranged in a k-out-of-n configuration of heterogeneous components with different performance levels. Component performance is indicated by a component-specific component partnership level; the fewer partners required to operate successfully implies higher performance. The components can work collectively with partners at the same level to maintain system reliability, or they can create a partnership group with components at higher performance levels which serve as replacements to provide the necessary number of working components. When components fail, the dynamic k-out-of-n configuration maintains reliability of the system with changing k by having components create partnerships with other components at the same level or above. To demonstrate the model, a system replacement maintenance policy based on a replacement interval variable is applied to an example system to obtain the optimal replacement time. - Highlights: • A new k-out-of-n system reliability model is presented. • Components can form partnerships with other components. • The new k-out-of-n model is presented with a dynamic or changing k. • The new model is for systems with components that must work together in a group

Influence of PVP molecular weight on the microwave assisted in situ amorphization of indomethacin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Doreth, Maria; Löbmann, Korbinian; Priemel, Petra

2018-01-01

. After plasticization by moisture, PVP K12 reached a Tg below ambient temperature (16 ± 2 °C) indicating that the Tg of the plasticized polymer is a key factor for the success of in situ amorphization. DSC analysis showed that the amorphized drug was part of a ternary glass solution consisting of IND......, PVP K12 and water. In dissolution tests, IND:PVP K12 compacts showed a delayed initial drug release due to a lack of compact disintegration, but reached a higher total drug release eventually. In summary, this study showed that the microwave assisted in situ amorphization was highly dependent...... on the Tg of the plasticized polymer....

Vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption spectroscopy of crystalline and amorphous benzene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dawes, Anita; Pascual, Natalia; Hoffmann, Soren V.

2017-01-01

We present the first high resolution vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption study of amorphous benzene with com parisons to annealed crystalline benzene and the gas phase. Vapour deposited benzene layers w ere grow n at 25 K and annealed to 90 K under conditions pertinent to interstellaricy dust grains...

A Structured Clinical Interview for Kleptomania (SCI-K): preliminary validity and reliability testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Jon E; Kim, Suck Won; McCabe, James S

2006-06-01

Kleptomania presents difficulties in diagnosis for clinicians. This study aimed to develop and test a DSM-IV-based diagnostic instrument for kleptomania. To assess for current kleptomania the Structured Clinical Interview for Kleptomania (SCI-K) was administered to 112 consecutive subjects requesting psychiatric outpatient treatment for a variety of disorders. Reliability and validity were determined. Classification accuracy was examined using the longitudinal course of illness. The SCI-K demonstrated excellent test-retest (Phi coefficient = 0.956 (95% CI = 0.937, 0.970)) and inter-rater reliability (phi coefficient = 0.718 (95% CI = 0.506, 0.848)) in the diagnosis of kleptomania. Concurrent validity was observed with a self-report measure using DSM-IV kleptomania criteria (phi coefficient = 0.769 (95% CI = 0.653, 0.850)). Discriminant validity was observed with a measure of depression (point biserial coefficient = -0.020 (95% CI = -0.205, 0.166)). The SCI-K demonstrated both high sensitivity and specificity based on longitudinal assessment. The SCI-K demonstrated excellent reliability and validity in diagnosing kleptomania in subjects presenting with various psychiatric problems. These findings require replication in larger groups, including non-psychiatric populations, to examine their generalizability. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

High power klystrons for efficient reliable high power amplifiers

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, M.

1980-11-01

This report covers the design of reliable high efficiency, high power klystrons which may be used in both existing and proposed troposcatter radio systems. High Power (10 kW) klystron designs were generated in C-band (4.4 GHz to 5.0 GHz), S-band (2.5 GHz to 2.7 GHz), and L-band or UHF frequencies (755 MHz to 985 MHz). The tubes were designed for power supply compatibility and use with a vapor/liquid phase heat exchanger. Four (4) S-band tubes were developed in the course of this program along with two (2) matching focusing solenoids and two (2) heat exchangers. These tubes use five (5) tuners with counters which are attached to the focusing solenoids. A reliability mathematical model of the tube and heat exchanger system was also generated.

High-Gain Avalanche Rushing amorphous Photoconductor (HARP) detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanioka, K. [NHK Science and Technical Research Laboratories, 1-10-11 Kinuta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8510 (Japan)], E-mail: tanioka.k-jg@nhk.or.jp

2009-09-01

We have been studying a very sensitive image sensor since the early 1980s. In 1985, the author found for the first time that an experimental pickup tube with an amorphous selenium photoconductive target exhibits high sensitivity with excellent picture quality because of a continuous and stable avalanche multiplication phenomenon. We named the pickup tube with an amorphous photoconductive layer operating in the avalanche-mode 'HARP': High-gain Avalanche Rushing amorphous Photoconductor. A color camera equipped with the HARP pickup tubes has a maximum sensitivity of 11 lx at F8. This means that the HARP camera is about 100 times as sensitive as that of CCD camera for broadcasting. This ultrahigh-sensitivity HARP pickup tube is a powerful tool for reporting breaking news at night and other low-light conditions, the production of scientific programs, and numerous other applications, including medical diagnoses, biotech research, and nighttime surveillance. In addition, since the HARP target can convert X-rays into electrons directly, it should be possible to exploit this capability to produce X-ray imaging devices with unparalleled levels of resolution and sensitivity.

High-field magnetization behavior in random anisotropy amorphous Co-Er alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Lassri, H.; Driouch, L.; Krishnan, R.

1994-05-01

Amorphous Co1-xErx ribbons with x=55 and 65 were prepared by the melt-spinning technique. Magnetization measurements were carried out in the temperature range 4-100 K under high magnetic fields up to 20 T. Even at 20 T the saturation is not fully attained. Assuming that Co has no moment in the alloy with x=65 the Er moment is found to be 7.0μB which indicates a speromagnetic spin structure. The Co moment in the alloy with x=55 is then found to be 0.1μB, which is negligibly small. By analyzing the approach to saturation using Chudnovsky's theory we have extracted some fundamental parameters.

Experimental study of the polyamorphism of water. I. The isobaric transitions from amorphous ices to LDA at 4 MPa

Science.gov (United States)

Handle, Philip H.; Loerting, Thomas

2018-03-01

The existence of more than one solid amorphous state of water is an extraordinary feature. Since polyamorphism might be connected to the liquid-liquid critical point hypothesis, it is particularly important to study the relations amongst the different amorphous ices. Here we study the polyamorphic transformations of several high pressure amorphous ices to low-density amorphous ice (LDA) at 4 MPa by isobaric heating utilising in situ volumetry and ex situ X-ray diffraction. We find that very-high density amorphous ice (VHDA) and unannealed high density amorphous ice (HDA) show significant relaxation before transforming to LDA, whereby VHDA is seen to relax toward HDA. By contrast, expanded HDA shows almost no relaxation prior to the transformation. The transition to LDA itself obeys criteria for a first-order-like transition in all cases. In the case of VHDA, even macroscopic phase separation is observed. These findings suggest that HDA and LDA are two clearly distinct polyamorphs. We further present evidence that HDA reaches the metastable equilibrium at 140 K and 0.1 GPa but only comes close to that at 140 K and 0.2 GPa. The most important is the path independence of the amorphous phase reached at 140 K and 0.1 GPa.

Optoelectronic transport properties in amorphous/crystalline silicon solar cell heterojunctions measured by frequency-domain photocarrier radiometry: Multi-parameter measurement reliability and precision studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Y.; Melnikov, A.; Mandelis, A.; Halliop, B.; Kherani, N. P.; Zhu, R.

2015-01-01

A theoretical one-dimensional two-layer linear photocarrier radiometry (PCR) model including the presence of effective interface carrier traps was used to evaluate the transport parameters of p-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and n-type crystalline silicon (c-Si) passivated by an intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon (i-layer) nanolayer. Several crystalline Si heterojunction structures were examined to investigate the influence of the i-layer thickness and the doping concentration of the a-Si:H layer. The experimental data of a series of heterojunction structures with intrinsic thin layers were fitted to PCR theory to gain insight into the transport properties of these devices. The quantitative multi-parameter results were studied with regard to measurement reliability (uniqueness) and precision using two independent computational best-fit programs. The considerable influence on the transport properties of the entire structure of two key parameters that can limit the performance of amorphous thin film solar cells, namely, the doping concentration of the a-Si:H layer and the i-layer thickness was demonstrated. It was shown that PCR can be applied to the non-destructive characterization of a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cells yielding reliable measurements of the key parameters

Optoelectronic transport properties in amorphous/crystalline silicon solar cell heterojunctions measured by frequency-domain photocarrier radiometry: multi-parameter measurement reliability and precision studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Y; Melnikov, A; Mandelis, A; Halliop, B; Kherani, N P; Zhu, R

2015-03-01

A theoretical one-dimensional two-layer linear photocarrier radiometry (PCR) model including the presence of effective interface carrier traps was used to evaluate the transport parameters of p-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and n-type crystalline silicon (c-Si) passivated by an intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon (i-layer) nanolayer. Several crystalline Si heterojunction structures were examined to investigate the influence of the i-layer thickness and the doping concentration of the a-Si:H layer. The experimental data of a series of heterojunction structures with intrinsic thin layers were fitted to PCR theory to gain insight into the transport properties of these devices. The quantitative multi-parameter results were studied with regard to measurement reliability (uniqueness) and precision using two independent computational best-fit programs. The considerable influence on the transport properties of the entire structure of two key parameters that can limit the performance of amorphous thin film solar cells, namely, the doping concentration of the a-Si:H layer and the i-layer thickness was demonstrated. It was shown that PCR can be applied to the non-destructive characterization of a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cells yielding reliable measurements of the key parameters.

Amorphous and Nanocomposite Materials for Energy-Efficient Electric Motors

Science.gov (United States)

Silveyra, Josefina M.; Xu, Patricia; Keylin, Vladimir; DeGeorge, Vincent; Leary, Alex; McHenry, Michael E.

2016-01-01

We explore amorphous soft-magnetic alloys as candidates for electric motor applications. The Co-rich system combines the benefits of low hysteretic and eddy-current losses while exhibiting negligible magnetostriction and robust mechanical properties. The amorphous precursors can be devitrified to form nanocomposite magnets. The superior characteristics of these materials offer the advantages of ease of handling in the manufacturing processing and low iron losses during motor operation. Co-rich amorphous ribbons were laser-cut to build a stator for a small demonstrator permanent-magnet machine. The motor was tested up to ~30,000 rpm. Finite-element analyses proved that the iron losses of the Co-rich amorphous stator were ~80% smaller than for a Si steel stator in the same motor, at 18,000 rpm (equivalent to an electric frequency of 2.1 kHz). These low-loss soft magnets have great potential for application in highly efficient high-speed electric machines, leading to size reduction as well as reduction or replacement of rare earths in permanent-magnet motors. More studies evaluating further processing techniques for amorphous and nanocomposite materials are needed.

Amorphous silicon as high index photonic material

Science.gov (United States)

Lipka, T.; Harke, A.; Horn, O.; Amthor, J.; Müller, J.

2009-05-01

Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) photonics has become an attractive research topic within the area of integrated optics. This paper aims to fabricate SOI-structures for optical communication applications with lower costs compared to standard fabrication processes as well as to provide a higher flexibility with respect to waveguide and substrate material choice. Amorphous silicon is deposited on thermal oxidized silicon wafers with plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The material is optimized in terms of optical light transmission and refractive index. Different a-Si:H waveguides with low propagation losses are presented. The waveguides were processed with CMOS-compatible fabrication technologies and standard DUV-lithography enabling high volume production. To overcome the large mode-field diameter mismatch between incoupling fiber and sub-μm waveguides three dimensional, amorphous silicon tapers were fabricated with a KOH etched shadow mask for patterning. Using ellipsometric and Raman spectroscopic measurements the material properties as refractive index, layer thickness, crystallinity and material composition were analyzed. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) experiments of amorphous thin films and rib waveguides were performed aiming to tune the refractive index of the deposited a-Si:H waveguide core layer after deposition.

Large-deformation and high-strength amorphous porous carbon nanospheres

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Weizhu; Mao, Shimin; Yang, Jia; Shang, Tao; Song, Hongguang; Mabon, James; Swiech, Wacek; Vance, John R.; Yue, Zhufeng; Dillon, Shen J.; Xu, Hangxun; Xu, Baoxing

2016-04-01

Carbon is one of the most important materials extensively used in industry and our daily life. Crystalline carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene possess ultrahigh strength and toughness. In contrast, amorphous carbon is known to be very brittle and can sustain little compressive deformation. Inspired by biological shells and honeycomb-like cellular structures in nature, we introduce a class of hybrid structural designs and demonstrate that amorphous porous carbon nanospheres with a thin outer shell can simultaneously achieve high strength and sustain large deformation. The amorphous carbon nanospheres were synthesized via a low-cost, scalable and structure-controllable ultrasonic spray pyrolysis approach using energetic carbon precursors. In situ compression experiments on individual nanospheres show that the amorphous carbon nanospheres with an optimized structure can sustain beyond 50% compressive strain. Both experiments and finite element analyses reveal that the buckling deformation of the outer spherical shell dominates the improvement of strength while the collapse of inner nanoscale pores driven by twisting, rotation, buckling and bending of pore walls contributes to the large deformation.

Development of large area, high efficiency amorphous silicon solar cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, K.S.; Kim, S.; Kim, D.W. [Yu Kong Taedok Institute of Technology (Korea, Republic of)

1996-02-01

The objective of the research is to develop the mass-production technologies of high efficiency amorphous silicon solar cells in order to reduce the costs of solar cells and dissemination of solar cells. Amorphous silicon solar cell is the most promising option of thin film solar cells which are relatively easy to reduce the costs. The final goal of the research is to develop amorphous silicon solar cells having the efficiency of 10%, the ratio of light-induced degradation 15% in the area of 1200 cm{sup 2} and test the cells in the form of 2 Kw grid-connected photovoltaic system. (author) 35 refs., 8 tabs., 67 figs.

New amorphous and nanocrystalline alloys based on the Ni-Si-B system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Battezzati, L.; Rizzi, P.; Romussi, S. [Turin Univ. (Italy). Dipt. di Chimica

1998-08-01

The glass formation and crystallization of a Ni{sub 36}Fe{sub 32}Ta{sub 7}Si{sub 8}B{sub 17} alloy is reported. In its equilibrium state it has a complex constitution made of at least four phases. It starts melting at 1227 K and displays a liquidus at 1460 K, but it shows a tendency to undercool even on cooling at 10 K/min in a HTDSC cell. Amorphous ribbons were produced by melt spinning. In DSC experiments the crystallization of the amorphous alloy occurs with a primary reaction giving a peak skewed on the high temperature side with onset at 836 K using an heating rate of 40 K/min. XRD analysis and TEM observations demonstrate that crystals with size below 10 nm and lattice parameter close to that of Ni are formed during this transformation. The mechanism of crystallization is very sensitive to changes in composition. In fact, nanocrystals are not found in alloys easily amorphized as the present one but containing a different ratio of metallic elements. (orig.) 16 refs.

Production and properties of light-metal base amorphous alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Akihisa; Masumoto, Tsuyoshi

1993-01-01

Light-metal base alloys with high specific strength and good corrosion resistance were produced through amorphization of Al and Mg-based alloys. The amorphous phase is formed in rapidly solidified Al-TM-Ln and Mg-TM-Ln (TM=transition metal, Ln=lanthanide metal) alloys. The highest tensile strength (σ f ) reaches 1,330 MPa for the Al base and 830 MPa for the Mg base. Furthermore, the Mg-based alloys have a large glass-forming capacity which enables to produce an amorphous phase by a metallic mold casting method. The extrusion of the Al-based amorphous powders at temperatures above crystallization temperature caused the formation of high strength materials with finely mixed structure consisting of dispersed intermetallic compounds in an Al matrix. The highest values of σ f and fatigue limit are as high as 940 and 313 MPa, respectively, at room temperature and 520 and 165 MPa at 473 K. The extruded Al-Ni-Mm alloy has already been used as machine parts and subsequent further development as practical materials is expected by taking these advantages

Reliability Analysis of Load-Sharing K-out-of-N System Considering Component Degradation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunbo Yang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The K-out-of-N configuration is a typical form of redundancy techniques to improve system reliability, where at least K-out-of-N components must work for successful operation of system. When the components are degraded, more components are needed to meet the system requirement, which means that the value of K has to increase. The current reliability analysis methods overestimate the reliability, because using constant K ignores the degradation effect. In a load-sharing system with degrading components, the workload shared on each surviving component will increase after a random component failure, resulting in higher failure rate and increased performance degradation rate. This paper proposes a method combining a tampered failure rate model with a performance degradation model to analyze the reliability of load-sharing K-out-of-N system with degrading components. The proposed method considers the value of K as a variable which is derived by the performance degradation model. Also, the load-sharing effect is evaluated by the tampered failure rate model. Monte-Carlo simulation procedure is used to estimate the discrete probability distribution of K. The case of a solar panel is studied in this paper, and the result shows that the reliability considering component degradation is less than that ignoring component degradation.

High-K Strategy Scale: A Measure of the High-K Independent Criterion of Fitness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cezar Giosan

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed at testing whether factors documented in the literature as being indicators of a high-K reproductive strategy have effects on fitness in extant humans. A 26-item High-K Strategy Scale comprising these factors was developed and tested on 250 respondents. Items tapping into health and attractiveness, upward mobility, social capital and risks consideration, were included in the scale. As expected, the scale showed a significant correlation with perceived offspring quality and a weak, but significant association with actual number of children. The scale had a high reliability coefficient (Cronbach's Alpha = .92. Expected correlations were found between the scale and number of medical diagnoses, education, perceived social support, and number of previous marriages, strengthening the scale's construct validity. Implications of the results are discussed.

Amorphous germanium as an electron or hole blocking contact on high-purity germanium detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, W.L.; Haller, E.E.

1976-10-01

Experiments were performed in an attempt to make thin n + contacts on high-purity germanium by the solid phase/sup 1)/ epitaxial regrowth of arsenic doped amorphous germanium. After cleaning the crystal surface with argon sputtering and trying many combinations of layers, it was not found possible to induce recrystallization below 400 0 C. However, it was found that simple thermally evaporated amorphous Ge made fairly good electron or hole blocking contacts. Excellent spectrometers have been made with amorphous Ge replacing the n + contact. As presently produced, the amorphous Ge contact diodes show a large variation in high-voltage leakage current

Amorphous structure evolution of high power diode laser cladded Fe–Co–B–Si–Nb coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Yanyan; Li Zhuguo; Huang Jian; Li Min; Li Ruifeng; Wu Yixiong

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Fabricated amorphous composited coating by high power diode laser cladding with single track. ► Lower dilution and higher scanning speed are desired to obtain higher amorphous phase fraction. ► White spots phase with high content of Nb embedded in the amorphous matrix. - Abstract: Fe–Co–B–Si–Nb coatings were fabricated on the surface of low carbon steel using high power diode laser cladding of [(Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 ) 0.75 B 0.2 Si 0.05 ] 95.7 Nb 4.3 amorphous powders at three different scanning speeds of 6, 17 and 50 m/s. At each scanning speed, laser power was optimized to obtain low dilution ratio. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometer and electron probe micro analysis were carried out to characterize the microstructure and chemical composition of the cladded coatings. Differential scanning calorimetry was also carried out to investigate the fraction of the amorphous phase. The results showed that dilution ratio and scanning speed were the two main factors for fabricating Fe–Co–B–Si–Nb amorphous coating by high power diode laser cladding. Low dilution ratio was crucial for the formation of amorphous phase. When the dilution ratio was low, the fraction of amorphous phase in the cladded coatings increased upon increasing the scanning speed.

Reversible pressure-induced crystal-amorphous structural transformation in ice Ih

Science.gov (United States)

English, Niall J.; Tse, John S.

2014-08-01

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of depressurised high-density amorphous ice (HDA) at 80 K and at negative pressures has been performed. Over several attempts, HDA recrystallised to a form close to hexagonal ice Ih, albeit with some defects. The results support the hypothesis that compression of ice-Ih to HDA is a reversible first-order phase transition, with a large hysteresis. Therefore, it would appear that LDA is not truly amorphous. The elastic energy estimated from the area of the hysteresis loop is ca. 4.5 kJ/mol, in some way consistent with experimentally-determined accumulated successive heats of transformations from recovered HDA → ice Ih.

Thermal Conductivity and Wear Behavior of HVOF-Sprayed Fe-Based Amorphous Coatings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haihua Yao

2017-10-01

Full Text Available To protect aluminum parts in vehicle engines, metal-based thermal barrier coatings in the form of Fe59Cr12Nb5B20Si4 amorphous coatings were prepared by high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF spraying under two different conditions. The microstructure, thermal transport behavior, and wear behavior of the coatings were characterized simultaneously. As a result, this alloy shows high process robustness during spraying. Both Fe-based coatings present dense, layered structure with porosities below 0.9%. Due to higher amorphous phase content, the coating H-1 exhibits a relatively low thermal conductivity, reaching 2.66 W/(m·K, two times lower than the reference stainless steel coating (5.85 W/(m·K, indicating a good thermal barrier property. Meanwhile, the thermal diffusivity of amorphous coatings display a limited increase with temperature up to 500 °C, which guarantees a steady and wide usage on aluminum alloy. Furthermore, the amorphous coating shows better wear resistance compared to high carbon martensitic GCr15 steel at different temperatures. The increased temperature accelerating the tribological reaction, leads to the friction coefficient and wear rate of coating increasing at 200 °C and decreasing at 400 °C.

Kinetics and formation mechanism of amorphous Fe52Nb48 alloy powder fabricated by mechanical alloying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Eskandarany, S.

1999-01-01

A single phase amorphous Fe 52 Nb 48 alloy has been synthesized through a solid state interdiffusion of pure polycrystalline Fe and Nb powders at room temperature, using a high-energy ball-milling technique. The mechanisms of metallic glass formation and competing crystallization processes in the mechanically deformed composite powders have been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Moessbauer spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The numerous intimate layered composite particles of the diffusion couples that formed during the first and intermediate stages of milling time (0-56 ks), are intermixed to form amorphous phase(s) upon heating to about 625 K by so-called thermally assisted solid state amorphization, TASSA. The amorphization heat of formation for binary system via the TASSA, ΔH a , was measured directly as a function of the milling time. Comparable with the TASSA, homogeneous amorphous alloys were fabricated directly without heating the composite multilayered particles upon milling these particles for longer milling time (86 ks-144 ks). The amorphization reaction here is attributed to the mechanical driven solid state amorphization. This single amorphous phase transforms into an order phase (μ phase) upon heating at 1088 K (crystallization temperature, T x ) with enthalpy change of crystallization, ΔH x , of -8.3 kJmol -1 . (orig.)

Irradiation-induced amorphization process in graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abe, Hiroaki [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma (Japan). Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment

1996-04-01

Effects of the element process of irradiation damage on irradiation-induced amorphization processes of graphite was studied. High orientation thermal decomposed graphite was cut about 100 nm width and used as samples. The irradiation experiments are carried out under the conditions of electronic energy of 100-400 KeV, ion energy of 200-600 KeV, ionic species Xe, Ar, Ne, C and He and the irradiation temperature at from room temperature to 900 K. The critical dose ({phi}a) increases exponentially with increasing irradiation temperature. The displacement threshold energy of graphite on c-axis direction was 27 eV and {phi}a{sup e} = 0.5 dpa. dpa is the average number of displacement to atom. The critical dose of ion irradiation ({phi}a{sup i}) was 0.2 dpa at room temperature, and amorphous graphite was produced by less than half of dose of electronic irradiation. Amorphization of graphite depending upon temperature is discussed. (S.Y.)

Structural characterization of amorphous Fe-Si and its recrystallized layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, Muneyuki; Ishimaru, Manabu; Hirotsu, Yoshihiko; Valdez, James A.; Sickafus, Kurt E.

2006-01-01

We have synthesized amorphous Fe-Si thin layers and investigated their microstructure using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Si single crystals with (1 1 1) orientation were irradiated with 120 keV Fe + ions to a fluence of 4.0 x 10 17 cm -2 at cryogenic temperature (120 K), followed by thermal annealing at 1073 K for 2 h. A continuous amorphous layer with a bilayered structure was formed on the topmost layer of the Si substrate in the as-implanted specimen: the upper layer was an amorphous Fe-Si, while the lower one was an amorphous Si. After annealing, the amorphous bilayer crystallized into a continuous β-FeSi 2 thin layer

Annealing behavior of high permeability amorphous alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabenberg, L.

1980-06-01

Effects of low temperature annealing on the magnetic properties of the amorphous alloy Co 71 4 Fe 4 6 Si 9 6 B 14 4 were investigated. Annealing this alloy below 400 0 C results in magnetic hardening; annealing above 400 0 C but below the crystallization temperature results in magnetic softening. Above the crystallization temperature the alloy hardens drastically and irreversibly. Conventional and high resolution transmission electron microscopy were used to show that the magnetic property changes at low temperatures occur while the alloy is truly amorphous. By imaging the magnetic microstructures, Lorentz electron microscopy has been able to detect the presence of microscopic inhomogeneities in this alloy. The low temperature annealing behavior of this alloy has been explained in terms of atomic pair ordering in the presence of the internal molecular field. Lorentz electron microscopy has been used to confirm this explanation

Factorization of Constrained Energy K-Network Reliability with Perfect Nodes

OpenAIRE

Burgos, Juan Manuel

2013-01-01

This paper proves a new general K-network constrained energy reliability global factorization theorem. As in the unconstrained case, beside its theoretical mathematical importance the theorem shows how to do parallel processing in exact network constrained energy reliability calculations in order to reduce the processing time of this NP-hard problem. Followed by a new simple factorization formula for its calculation, we propose a new definition of constrained energy network reliability motiva...

Chemical vapor deposition of amorphous ruthenium-phosphorus alloy films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin Jinhong; Waheed, Abdul; Winkenwerder, Wyatt A.; Kim, Hyun-Woo; Agapiou, Kyriacos; Jones, Richard A.; Hwang, Gyeong S.; Ekerdt, John G.

2007-01-01

Chemical vapor deposition growth of amorphous ruthenium-phosphorus films on SiO 2 containing ∼ 15% phosphorus is reported. cis-Ruthenium(II)dihydridotetrakis-(trimethylphosphine), cis-RuH 2 (PMe 3 ) 4 (Me = CH 3 ) was used at growth temperatures ranging from 525 to 575 K. Both Ru and P are zero-valent. The films are metastable, becoming increasingly more polycrystalline upon annealing to 775 and 975 K. Surface studies illustrate that demethylation is quite efficient near 560 K. Precursor adsorption at 135 K or 210 K and heating reveal the precursor undergoes a complex decomposition process in which the hydride and trimethylphosphine ligands are lost at temperatures as low at 280 K. Phosphorus and its manner of incorporation appear responsible for the amorphous-like character. Molecular dynamics simulations are presented to suggest the local structure in the films and the causes for phosphorus stabilizing the amorphous phase

Rater reliability and concurrent validity of the Keyboard Personal Computer Style instrument (K-PeCS).

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Nancy A; Cook, James R; Redfern, Mark S

2009-01-01

This paper describes the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, and the concurrent validity of an observational instrument, the Keyboard Personal Computer Style instrument (K-PeCS), which assesses stereotypical postures and movements associated with computer keyboard use. Three trained raters independently rated the video clips of 45 computer keyboard users to ascertain inter-rater reliability, and then re-rated a sub-sample of 15 video clips to ascertain intra-rater reliability. Concurrent validity was assessed by comparing the ratings obtained using the K-PeCS to scores developed from a 3D motion analysis system. The overall K-PeCS had excellent reliability [inter-rater: intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC)=.90; intra-rater: ICC=.92]. Most individual items on the K-PeCS had from good to excellent reliability, although six items fell below ICC=.75. Those K-PeCS items that were assessed for concurrent validity compared favorably to the motion analysis data for all but two items. These results suggest that most items on the K-PeCS can be used to reliably document computer keyboarding style.

Pressure-induced preferential growth of nanocrystals in amorphous Nd9Fe85B6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Wei; Li Wei; Sun Hongyu; Li Hui; Zhang Xiangyi; Li Xiaohong; Liu Baoting

2008-01-01

Control over the growth and crystallographic orientation of nanocrystals in amorphous alloys is of particular importance for the development of advanced nanocrystalline materials. In the present study, Nd 2 Fe 14 B nanocrystals with a strong crystallographic texture along the [410] direction have been produced in Nd-lean amorphous Nd 9 Fe 85 B 6 under a high pressure of 6 GPa at 923 K. This is attributed to the high pressure inducing the preferential growth of Nd 2 Fe 14 B nanocrystals in the alloy. The present study demonstrates the potential application of high-pressure technology in controlling nanocrystalline orientation in amorphous alloys

Magnetic and transport properties of amorphous Ce-Al alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Amakai, Yusuke; Murayama, Shigeyuki; Momono, Naoki; Takano, Hideaki; Kuwai, Tomohiko

2018-05-01

Amorphous (a-)Ce50Al50 has been prepared by DC high-rate sputter method. The structure of the obtained sample has been confirmed to have an amorphous structure because there are no Bragg peaks in the X-ray diffraction measurement and have a clear exothermic peak by the differential scanning calorimetry measurement. We have measured the resistivity ρ, magnetic susceptibility χ, specific heat Cp and thermoelectric power S for a-Ce50Al50. The temperature dependence of ρ exhibits a small temperature dependence less than 10% in the whole temperature region. χ follows a Curie-Weiss behavior in the high-temperature region of T>90 K. The effective paramagnetic moment peff, estimated from C is 2.18 μB/Ce-atom. The low-temperature Cp/T increases rapidly with decreasing temperature and tends to a saturation. S(T) exhibits negative values in a wide temperature region. A minimum of S appear at around 60 K, and S decreases linearly with decreasing temperature down to 10 K. The low-temperature S is almost 0 μV/K down to 2 K. From these results, we have pointed out that present a-Ce50Al50 would be an incoherent Kondo material.

Reliability and Validity of Korean Version of Apraxia Screen of TULIA (K-AST).

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Soo Jin; Yang, You-Na; Lee, Jong Won; Lee, Jin-Youn; Jeong, Eunhwa; Kim, Bo-Ram; Lee, Jongmin

2016-10-01

To evaluate the reliability and validity of Korean version of AST (K-AST) as a bedside screening test of apraxia in patients with stroke for early and reliable detection. AST was translated into Korean, and the translated version received authorization from the author of AST. The performances of K-AST in 26 patients (21 males, 5 females; mean age 65.42±17.31 years) with stroke (23 ischemic, 3 hemorrhagic) were videotaped. To test the reliability and validity of K-AST, the recorded performances were assessed by two physiatrists and two occupational therapists twice at a 1-week interval. The patient performances at admission in Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), self-care and transfer categories of Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and motor praxis area of Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment, the second edition (LOTCA-II) were also evaluated. Scores of motor praxis area of LOTCA-II was used to assess the validity of K-AST. Inter-rater reliabilities were 0.983 (preliable and valid test for bedside screening of apraxia.

Study on applicability of highly corrosion-resistant amorphous coating techniques to components of reprocessing plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebata, Makoto; Okuyama, Gen; Chiba, Shigeru; Matsunaga, Tsunebumi

1991-01-01

In view of the growing need for prolongation of lives of reprocessing plant installations, we recently investigated the applicability of highly corrosion-resistant amorphous coating techniques to such plant components as to be subjected to a badly corrosive environment created by high temperatures, boiling nitric acid (HNO 3 ), etc. As the result, giving a preference to the Ta-based amorphous alloys exhibiting high corrosion-resistance in HNO 3 solutions, we made specimens of stainless steel plates coated with the above amorphous alloys through the sputtering process thereof. To our satisfaction, these specimens successfully passed various HNO 3 corrosion tests as described later on. Ta-based amorphous films give cathodic protection to 310 Nb stainless steel plates, and that with extremely low corrosion rates of themselves as protecting agents. For these reasons, we are confident that there will be no practical problems at all, in case we adopt stainless steel plates partially coated with such amorphous alloys for use in a nitric-acid environment. In this paper, we explain the comparative tests for various amorphous alloys with different compositions, referring also to the thus-selected Ta-based amorphous alloy along with several kinds of corrosion tests specially arranged for the same alloy. (author)

Amorphous/crystalline (A/C) thermodynamic "rules of thumb": estimating standard thermodynamic data for amorphous materials using standard data for their crystalline counterparts.

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, Diane; Jenkins, H Donald Brooke

2012-05-07

Standard thermochemical data (in the form of Δ(f)H° and Δ(f)G°) are available for crystalline (c) materials but rarely for their corresponding amorphous (a) counterparts. This paper establishes correlations between the sets of data for the two material forms (where known), which can then be used as a guideline for estimation of missing data. Accordingly, Δ(f)H°(a)/kJ mol(-1) ≈ 0.993Δ(f)H°(c)/kJ mol(-1) + 12.52 (R(2) = 0.9999; n = 50) and Δ(f)G°/kJ mol(-1) ≈ 0.988Δ(f)H°(c)/kJ mol(-1) + 0.70 (R(2) = 0.9999; n = 10). Much more tentatively, we propose that S°(298)(c)/J K(-1) mol(-1) ≈ 1.084S°(298)(c)/J K(-1) mol(-1) + 6.54 (R(2) = 0.9873; n = 11). An amorphous hydrate enthalpic version of the Difference Rule is also proposed (and tested) in the form [Δ(f)H°(M(p)X(q)·nH(2)O,a) - Δ(f)H°(M(p)X(q),a)]/kJ mol(-1) ≈ Θ(Hf)n ≈ -302.0n, where M(p)X(q)·nH(2)O represents an amorphous hydrate and M(p)X(q) the corresponding amorphous anhydrous parent salt.

Threshold irradiation dose for amorphization of silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Snead, L.L.; Zinkle, S.J. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1997-04-01

The amorphization of silicon carbide due to ion and electron irradiation is reviewed with emphasis on the temperature-dependent critical dose for amorphization. The effect of ion mass and energy on the threshold dose for amorphization is summarized, showing only a weak dependence near room temperature. Results are presented for 0.56 MeV silicon ions implanted into single crystal 6H-SiC as a function of temperature and ion dose. From this, the critical dose for amorphization is found as a function of temperature at depths well separated from the implanted ion region. Results are compared with published data generated using electrons and xenon ions as the irradiating species. High resolution TEM analysis is presented for the Si ion series showing the evolution of elongated amorphous islands oriented such that their major axis is parallel to the free surface. This suggests that surface of strain effects may be influencing the apparent amorphization threshold. Finally, a model for the temperature threshold for amorphization is described using the Si ion irradiation flux and the fitted interstitial migration energy which was found to be {approximately}0.56 eV. This model successfully explains the difference in the temperature-dependent amorphization behavior of SiC irradiated with 0.56 MeV silicon ions at 1 x 10{sup {minus}3} dpa/s and with fission neutrons irradiated at 1 x 10{sup {minus}6} dpa/s irradiated to 15 dpa in the temperature range of {approximately}340 {+-} 10K.

Threshold irradiation dose for amorphization of silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snead, L.L.; Zinkle, S.J.

1997-01-01

The amorphization of silicon carbide due to ion and electron irradiation is reviewed with emphasis on the temperature-dependent critical dose for amorphization. The effect of ion mass and energy on the threshold dose for amorphization is summarized, showing only a weak dependence near room temperature. Results are presented for 0.56 MeV silicon ions implanted into single crystal 6H-SiC as a function of temperature and ion dose. From this, the critical dose for amorphization is found as a function of temperature at depths well separated from the implanted ion region. Results are compared with published data generated using electrons and xenon ions as the irradiating species. High resolution TEM analysis is presented for the Si ion series showing the evolution of elongated amorphous islands oriented such that their major axis is parallel to the free surface. This suggests that surface of strain effects may be influencing the apparent amorphization threshold. Finally, a model for the temperature threshold for amorphization is described using the Si ion irradiation flux and the fitted interstitial migration energy which was found to be ∼0.56 eV. This model successfully explains the difference in the temperature-dependent amorphization behavior of SiC irradiated with 0.56 MeV silicon ions at 1 x 10 -3 dpa/s and with fission neutrons irradiated at 1 x 10 -6 dpa/s irradiated to 15 dpa in the temperature range of ∼340 ± 10K

Threshold irradiation dose for amorphization of silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snead, L.L.; Zinkle, S.J.

1997-01-01

The amorphization of silicon carbide due to ion and electron irradiation is reviewed with emphasis on the temperature-dependent critical dose for amorphization. The effect of ion mass and energy on the threshold dose for amorphization is summarized, showing only a weak dependence near room temperature. Results are presented for 0.56 MeV silicon ions implanted into single crystal 6H-SiC as a function of temperature and ion dose. From this, the critical dose for amorphization is found as a function of temperature at depths well separated from the implanted ion region. Results are compared with published data generated using electrons and xenon ions as the irradiating species. High resolution TEM analysis is presented for the Si ion series showing the evolution of elongated amorphous islands oriented such that their major axis is parallel to the free surface. This suggests that surface or strain effects may be influencing the apparent amorphization threshold. Finally, a model for the temperature threshold for amorphization is described using the Si ion irradiation flux and the fitted interstitial migration energy which was found to be ∼0.56eV. This model successfully explains the difference in the temperature dependent amorphization behavior of SiC irradiated with 0.56 MeV Si + at 1 x 10 -3 dpa/s and with fission neutrons irradiated at 1 x 10 -6 dpa/s irradiated to 15 dpa in the temperature range of ∼340±10K

Communication: Disorder-suppressed vibrational relaxation in vapor-deposited high-density amorphous ice

Science.gov (United States)

Shalit, Andrey; Perakis, Fivos; Hamm, Peter

2014-04-01

We apply two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy to differentiate between the two polyamorphous forms of glassy water, low-density (LDA) and high-density (HDA) amorphous ices, that were obtained by slow vapor deposition at 80 and 11 K, respectively. Both the vibrational lifetime and the bandwidth of the 1-2 transition of the isolated OD stretch vibration of HDO in H2O exhibit characteristic differences when comparing hexagonal (Ih), LDA, and HDA ices, which we attribute to the different local structures - in particular the presence of interstitial waters in HDA ice - that cause different delocalization lengths of intermolecular phonon degrees of freedom. Moreover, temperature dependent measurements show that the vibrational lifetime closely follows the structural transition between HDA and LDA phases.

Systems reliability in high risk situations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunns, D.M.

1974-12-01

A summary is given of five papers and the discussion of a seminar promoted by the newly-formed National Centre of Systems Reliability. The topics covered include hazard analysis, reliability assessment, and risk assessment in both nuclear and non-nuclear industries. (U.K.)

Structure, thermodynamics, and crystallization of amorphous hafnia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Xuhui; Demkov, Alexander A.

2015-01-01

We investigate theoretically amorphous hafnia using the first principles melt and quench method. We identify two types of amorphous structures of hafnia. Type I and type II are related to tetragonal and monoclinic hafnia, respectively. We find type II structure to show stronger disorder than type I. Using the phonon density of states, we calculate the specific heat capacity for type II amorphous hafnia. Using the nudged elastic band method, we show that the averaged transition barrier between the type II amorphous hafnia and monoclinic phase is approximately 0.09 eV/HfO 2 . The crystallization temperature is estimated to be 421 K. The calculations suggest an explanation for the low thermal stability of amorphous hafnia

Nature of amorphous polymorphism of water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koza, M.M.; Schober, H.; Hansen, T.; Geil, B.; Winkel, K.; Koehler, C.; Scheuermann, M.; Czeschka, F.

2005-01-01

We report elastic and inelastic neutron scattering experiments on different amorphous ice modifications. It is shown that an amorphous structure (HDA ' ) indiscernible from the high-density phase (HDA), obtained by compression of crystalline ice, can be formed from the very high-density phase (vHDA) as an intermediate stage of the transition of vHDA into its low-density modification (LDA ' ). Both HDA and HDA ' exhibit comparable small-angle scattering signals characterizing them as structures heterogeneous on a length scale of a few nanometers. The homogeneous structures are the initial and final transition stages vHDA and LDA ' , respectively. Despite their apparent structural identity on a local scale, HDA and HDA ' differ in their transition kinetics explored by in situ experiments. The activation energy of the vHDA-to-LDA ' transition is at least 20 kJ/mol higher than the activation energy of the HDA-to-LDA transition

Investigation of capacitance characteristics in metal/high-k ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

MS received 4 May 2016; accepted 10 January 2017; published online 21 August 2017. Abstract. Capacitance vs. ... with high-k materials is the prime technological challenge. [2]. ... reliability of MOS devices are strongly dependent on the for-.

Evaluation of the effects of thermal annealing temperature and high-k dielectrics on amorphous InGaZnO thin films by using pseudo-MOS transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Se-Won; Cho, Won-Ju

2012-01-01

The effects of annealing temperatures and high-k gate dielectric materials on the amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs) were investigated using pseudo-metal-oxide semiconductor transistors (Ψ-MOSFETs), a method without conventional source/drain (S/D) layer deposition. Annealing of the a-IGZO film was carried out at 150 - 900 .deg. C in a N 2 ambient for 30 min. As the annealing temperature was increased, the electrical characteristics of Ψ-MOSFETs on a-IGZO were drastically improved. However, when the annealing temperature exceeded 700 .deg. C, a deterioration of the MOS parameters was observed, including a shift of the threshold voltage (V th ) in a negative direction, an increase in the subthreshold slope (SS) and hysteresis, a decrease in the field effect mobility (μ FE ), an increase in the trap density (N t ), and a decrease in the on/off ratio. Meanwhile, the high-k gate dielectrics enhanced the performance of a-IGZO Ψ-MOSFETs. The ZrO 2 gate dielectrics particularly exhibited excellent characteristics in terms of SS (128 mV/dec), μ FE (10.2 cm -2 /V·s), N t (1.1 x 10 12 cm -2 ), and on/off ratio (5.3 x 10 6 ). Accordingly, the Ψ-MOSFET structure is a useful method for rapid evaluation of the effects of the process and the material on a-IGZO TFTs without a conventional S/D layer deposition.

Interface-mediated amorphization of coesite by 200 keV electron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong, W.L.; Wang, L.M.; Ewing, R.C.; Xie, H.S.

1997-01-01

Electron-induced amorphization of coesite was studied as a function of irradiation temperature by in situ transmission electron microscopy at an incident energy of 200 keV. Electron-induced amorphization of coesite is induced by an ionization mechanism and is mainly dominated by an interface-mediated, heterogeneous nucleation-and-growth controlled process. Amorphous domains nucleate at surfaces, crystalline-amorphous (c-a) interfaces, and grain boundaries. This is the same process as the interface-mediated vitrification of coesite by isothermal annealing above the thermodynamic melting temperature (875 K), but below the glass transition temperature (1480 K). The interface-mediated amorphization of coesite by electron irradiation is morphologically similar to interface-mediated thermodynamic melting. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Improving co-amorphous drug formulations by the addition of the highly water soluble amino acid proline

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Katrine Birgitte Tarp; Löbmann, Korbinian; Rades, Thomas

2014-01-01

Co-amorphous drug amino acid mixtures were previously shown to be a promising approach to create physically stable amorphous systems with the improved dissolution properties of poorly water-soluble drugs. The aim of this work was to expand the co-amorphous drug amino acid mixture approach...... by combining the model drug, naproxen (NAP), with an amino acid to physically stabilize the co-amorphous system (tryptophan, TRP, or arginine, ARG) and a second highly soluble amino acid (proline, PRO) for an additional improvement of the dissolution rate. Co-amorphous drug-amino acid blends were prepared...... the molecular interactions in the form of hydrogen bonds between all three components in the mixture. A salt formation between the acidic drug, NAP, and the basic amino acid, ARG, was found in co-amorphous NAP–ARG. In comparison to crystalline NAP, binary NAP–TRP and NAP–ARG, it could be shown that the highly...

Superconducting properties of amorphous Zr-Ge binary alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, A.; Takahashi, Y.; Toyota, N.; Fukase, T.; Masumoto, T.

1982-01-01

A new type of refractory metal-metalloid amorphous alloys exhibiting superconductivity has been found in a binary Zr-Ge system by a modified melt-spinning technique. Specimens are in the form of continuous ribbons 1 to 2 mm wide and 0.02 to 0.03 mm thick. The germanium content in the amorphous alloys is limited to the range of 13 to 21 at%. These amorphous alloys are so ductile that no cracks are observed even after closely contacted bending test. Data are reported for various alloy compositions for the Vickers hardness and crystallization temperature, the tensile fracture strength, superconducting transition temperature Tsub(c), upper critical magnetic field, critical current density in the absence of an applied field, upper critical field gradient at Tsub(c) and the electrical resistivity at 4.2 K. The Ginzburg-Landau (GL) parameter and the GL coherence length were estimated to be 72 to 111 and about 7.9 nm, respectively, from these experimental values by using the Ginzburg-Landau-Abrikosov-Gorkov theory and hence it is concluded that the Zr-Ge amorphous alloys are extremely 'soft' type-II superconductor with high degree of dirtiness which possesses the Tsub(c) values higher than zirconium metal, in addition to high strength combined with good ductility. (author)

Miscibility of amorphous ZrO2-Al2O3 binary alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, C.; Richard, O.; Bender, H.; Caymax, M.; De Gendt, S.; Heyns, M.; Young, E.; Roebben, G.; Van Der Biest, O.; Haukka, S.

2002-04-01

Miscibility is a key factor for maintaining the homogeneity of the amorphous structure in a ZrO2-Al2O3 binary alloy high-k dielectric layer. In the present work, a ZrO2/Al2O3 laminate thin layer has been prepared by atomic layer chemical vapor deposition on a Si (100) wafer. This layer, with artificially induced inhomogeneity (lamination), enables one to study the change in homogeneity of the amorphous phase in the ZrO2/Al2O3 system during annealing. High temperature grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (HT-XRD) was used to investigate the change in intensity of the constructive interference peak of the x-ray beams which are reflected from the interfaces of ZrO2/Al2O3 laminae. The HT-XRD spectra show that the intensity of the peak decreases with an increase in the anneal temperature, and at 800 °C, the peak disappears. The same samples were annealed by a rapid thermal process (RTP) at temperatures between 700 and 1000 °C for 60 s. Room temperature XRD of the RTP annealed samples shows a similar decrease in peak intensity. Transmission electronic microscope images confirm that the laminate structure is destroyed by RTP anneals and, just below the crystallization onset temperature, a homogeneous amorphous ZrAlxOy phase forms. The results demonstrate that the two artificially separated phases, ZrO2 and Al2O3 laminae, tend to mix into a homogeneous amorphous phase before crystallization. This observation indicates that the thermal stability of ZrO2-Al2O3 amorphous phase is suitable for high-k applications.

Amorphous-crystalline transition in thermoelectric NbO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Music, Denis; Chen, Yen-Ting; Bliem, Pascal; Geyer, Richard W

2015-01-01

Density functional theory was employed to design enhanced amorphous NbO 2 thermoelectrics. The covalent-ionic nature of Nb–O bonding is identical in amorphous NbO 2 and its crystalline counterpart. However, the Anderson localisation occurs in amorphous NbO 2 , which may affect the transport properties. We calculate a multifold increase in the absolute Seebeck coefficient for the amorphous state. These predictions were critically appraised by measuring the Seebeck coefficient of sputtered amorphous and crystalline NbO 2 thin films with the identical short-range order. The first-order phase transition occurs at approximately 550 °C, but amorphous NbO 2 possesses enhanced transport properties at all temperatures. Amorphous NbO 2 , reaching  −173 μV K −1 , exhibits up to a 29% larger absolute Seebeck coefficient value, thereby validating the predictions. (paper)

Direct unavailability computation of a maintained highly reliable system

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Briš, R.; Byczanski, Petr

2010-01-01

Roč. 224, č. 3 (2010), s. 159-170 ISSN 1748-0078 Grant - others:GA Mšk(CZ) MSM6198910007 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30860518 Keywords : high reliability * availability * directed acyclic graph Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics http:// journals .pepublishing.com/content/rtp3178l17923m46/

Crystalline-Amorphous Core−Shell Silicon Nanowires for High Capacity and High Current Battery Electrodes

KAUST Repository

Cui, Li-Feng

2009-01-14

Silicon is an attractive alloy-type anode material for lithium ion batteries because of its highest known capacity (4200 mAh/g). However silicon\\'s large volume change upon lithium insertion and extraction, which causes pulverization and capacity fading, has limited its applications. Designing nanoscale hierarchical structures is a novel approach to address the issues associated with the large volume changes. In this letter, we introduce a core-shell design of silicon nanowires for highpower and long-life lithium battery electrodes. Silicon crystalline- amorphous core-shell nanowires were grown directly on stainless steel current collectors by a simple one-step synthesis. Amorphous Si shells instead of crystalline Si cores can be selected to be electrochemically active due to the difference of their lithiation potentials. Therefore, crystalline Si cores function as a stable mechanical support and an efficient electrical conducting pathway while amorphous shells store Li ions. We demonstrate here that these core-shell nanowires have high charge storage capacity (̃1000 mAh/g, 3 times of carbon) with ̃90% capacity retention over 100 cycles. They also show excellent electrochemical performance at high rate charging and discharging (6.8 A/g, ̃20 times of carbon at 1 h rate). © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Aluminium base amorphous and crystalline alloys with Fe impurity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sitek, J.; Degmova, J.

2006-01-01

Aluminium base alloys show remarkable mechanical properties, however their low thermal stability still limits the technological applications. Further improvement of mechanical properties can be reached by partial crystallization of amorphous alloys, which gives rise to nanostructured composites. Our work was focused on aluminium based alloys with Fe, Nb and V additions. Samples of nominal composition Al 90 Fe 7 Nb 3 and Al 94 Fe 2 V 4 were studied in amorphous state and after annealing up to 873 K. From Moessbauer spectra taken on the samples in amorphous state the value of f-factor was determined as well as corresponding Debye temperatures were calculated. Annealing at higher temperatures induced nano and microcrystalline crystallization. Moessbauer spectra of samples annealed up to 573 K are fitted only by distribution of quadrupole doublets corresponding to the amorphous state. An increase of annealing temperature leads to the structural transformation, which consists in growth of nanometer sized aluminium nuclei. This is partly reflected in Moessbauer parameters. After annealing at 673 K intermetallic phase Al 3 Fe and other Al-Fe phases are created. In this case Moessbauer spectra are fitted by quadrupole doublets. During annealing up to 873 K large grains of Fe-Al phases are created. (authors)

An IR investigation of solid amorphous ethanol - Spectra, properties, and phase changes

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Reggie L.

2017-12-01

Mid- and far-infrared spectra of condensed ethanol (CH3CH2OH) at 10-160 K are presented, with a special focus on amorphous ethanol, the form of greatest astrochemical interest, and with special attention given to changes at 155-160 K. Infrared spectra of amorphous and crystalline forms are shown. The refractive index at 670 nm of amorphous ethanol at 16 K is reported, along with three IR band strengths and a density. A comparison is made to recent work on the isoelectronic compound ethanethiol (CH3CH2SH), and several astrochemical applications are suggested for future study.

ACBC to Balcite: Bioinspired Synthesis of a Highly Substituted High-Temperature Phase from an Amorphous Precursor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whittaker, Michael L.; Joester, Derk (NWU)

2017-04-28

Energy-efficient synthesis of materials locked in compositional and structural states far from equilibrium remains a challenging goal, yet biomineralizing organisms routinely assemble such materials with sophisticated designs and advanced functional properties, often using amorphous precursors. However, incorporation of organics limits the useful temperature range of these materials. Herein, the bioinspired synthesis of a highly supersaturated calcite (Ca0.5Ba0.5CO3) called balcite is reported, at mild conditions and using an amorphous calcium–barium carbonate (ACBC) (Ca1- x Ba x CO3·1.2H2O) precursor. Balcite not only contains 50 times more barium than the solubility limit in calcite but also displays the rotational disorder on carbonate sites that is typical for high-temperature calcite. It is significantly harder (30%) and less stiff than calcite, and retains these properties after heating to elevated temperatures. Analysis of balcite local order suggests that it may require the formation of the ACBC precursor and could therefore be an example of nonclassical nucleation. These findings demonstrate that amorphous precursor pathways are powerfully enabling and provide unprecedented access to materials far from equilibrium, including high-temperature modifications by room-temperature synthesis.

Pressure-induced preferential growth of nanocrystals in amorphous Nd{sub 9}Fe{sub 85}B{sub 6}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu Wei; Li Wei; Sun Hongyu; Li Hui; Zhang Xiangyi [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, 066004 Qinhuangdao (China); Li Xiaohong; Liu Baoting [College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University, 071002 Baoding (China)], E-mail: xyzh66@ysu.edu.cn

2008-07-16

Control over the growth and crystallographic orientation of nanocrystals in amorphous alloys is of particular importance for the development of advanced nanocrystalline materials. In the present study, Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B nanocrystals with a strong crystallographic texture along the [410] direction have been produced in Nd-lean amorphous Nd{sub 9}Fe{sub 85}B{sub 6} under a high pressure of 6 GPa at 923 K. This is attributed to the high pressure inducing the preferential growth of Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B nanocrystals in the alloy. The present study demonstrates the potential application of high-pressure technology in controlling nanocrystalline orientation in amorphous alloys.

Temperature dependence of ion irradiation induced amorphization of zirconolite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, K. L.; Blackford, M. G.; Lumpkin, G. R.; Zaluzec, N. J.

1999-01-01

Zirconolite is one of the major host phases for actinides in various wasteforms for immobilizing high level radioactive waste (HLW). Over time, zirconolite's crystalline matrix is damaged by α-particles and energetic recoil nuclei recoil resulting from α-decay events. The cumulative damage caused by these particles results in amorphization. Data from natural zirconolites suggest that radiation damage anneals over geologic time and is dependant on the thermal history of the material. Proposed HLW containment strategies rely on both a suitable wasteform and geologic isolation. Depending on the waste loading, depth of burial, and the repository-specific geothermal gradient, burial could result in a wasteform being exposed to temperatures of between 100--450 C. Consequently, it is important to assess the effect of temperature on radiation damage in synthetic zirconolite. Zirconolite containing wasteforms are likely to be hot pressed at or below 1,473 K (1,200 C) and/or sintered at or below 1,623 K (1,350 C). Zirconolite fabricated at temperatures below 1,523 K (1,250 C) contains many stacking faults. As there have been various attempts to link radiation resistance to structure, the authors decided it was also pertinent to assess the role of stacking faults in radiation resistance. In this study, they simulate α-decay damage in two zirconolite samples by irradiating them with 1.5 MeV Kr + ions using the High Voltage Electron Microscope-Tandem User Facility (HTUF) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and measure the critical dose for amorphization (D c ) at several temperatures between 20 and 773 K. One of the samples has a high degree of crystallographic perfection, the other contains many stacking faults on the unit cell scale. Previous authors proposed a model for estimating the activation energy of self annealing in zirconolite and for predicting the critical dose for amorphization at any temperature. The authors discuss their results and earlier published data in

Crystalline and amorphous carbon nitride films produced by high-energy shock plasma deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bursilll, L.A.; Peng, Julin; Gurarie, V.N.; Orlov, A.V.; Prawer, S.

1995-01-01

High-energy shock plasma deposition techniques are used to produce carbon-nitride films containing both crystalline and amorphous components. The structures are examined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, parallel-electron-energy loss spectroscopy and electron diffraction. The crystalline phase appears to be face-centered cubic with unit cell parameter approx. a=0.63nm and it may be stabilized by calcium and oxygen at about 1-2 at % levels. The carbon atoms appear to have both trigonal and tetrahedral bonding for the crystalline phase. There is PEELS evidence that a significant fraction of the nitrogen atoms have sp 2 trigonal bonds in the crystalline phase. The amorphous carbon-nitride film component varies from essentially graphite, containing virtually no nitrogen, to amorphous carbon-nitride containing up to 10 at % N, where the fraction of sp 3 bonds is significant. 15 refs., 5 figs

Amorphous ice. A microporous solid: astrophysical implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayer, E.; Pletzer, R.

1987-01-01

Vapour deposited amorphous ice, investigated by N 2 -adsorption at 77 K, was found to be a microporous solid. Micropore volumes between 0.21 and 0.12 cm 3 /g were determined by comparison plots and Dubinin-Radushkevich plots. Warming of the adsorbent to 113 K caused sintering and reduction of apparent surface area by about an order of magnitude; in the presence of adsorbed gas, large amounts of gas were enclosed in the solid. The influence of micropores on the H 2 recombination rate on amorphous ice in interstellar dust and on adsorption of volatile gases in comets is discussed briefly

Amorphous Mn oxide-ordered mesoporous carbon hybrids as a high performance electrode material for supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Inho; Kim, Nam Dong; Kim, Gil-Pyo; Park, Junsu; Yi, Jongheop

2012-07-01

A supercapacitor has the advantages of both the conventional capacitors and the rechargeable batteries. Mn oxide is generally recognized one of the potential materials that can be used for a supercapacitor, but its low conductivity is a limiting factor for electrode materials. In this study, a hybrid of amorphous Mn oxide (AMO) and ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) was prepared and characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, N2/77 K sorption techniques, and electrochemical analyses. The findings indicate that the electrochemical activities of Mn oxide were facilitated when it was in the hybrid state because OMC acted as a pathway for both the electrolyte ions and the electrons due to the characteristics of the ordered mesoporous structure. The ordered mesoporous structure of OMC was well maintained even after hybridization with amorphous Mn oxide. The electrochemical-activity tests revealed that the AMO/OMC hybrid had a higher specific capacitance and conductivity than pure Mn oxide. In the case where the Mn/C weight ratio was 0.75, the composite showed a high capacitance of 153 F/g, which was much higher than that for pure Mn oxide, due to the structural effects of OMC.

Amorphous silica in ultra-high performance concrete: First hour of hydration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oertel, Tina, E-mail: tina.oertel@isc.fraunhofer.de [Fraunhofer-Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Neunerplatz 2, 97082 Würzburg (Germany); Chair for Inorganic Chemistry I, Universität Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth (Germany); Hutter, Frank [Fraunhofer-Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Neunerplatz 2, 97082 Würzburg (Germany); Helbig, Uta, E-mail: uta.helbig@th-nuernberg.de [Chair for Crystallography and X-ray Methods, Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm, Wassertorstraße 10, 90489 Nürnberg (Germany); Sextl, Gerhard [Fraunhofer-Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Neunerplatz 2, 97082 Würzburg (Germany); Chair for Chemical Technology of Advanced Materials, Julius Maximilian Universität, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg (Germany)

2014-04-01

Amorphous silica in the sub-micrometer size range is widely used to accelerate cement hydration. Investigations including properties of silica which differ from the specific surface area are rare. In this study, the reactivity of varying types of silica was evaluated based on their specific surface area, surface silanol group density, content of silanol groups and solubility in an alkaline suspension. Pyrogenic silica, silica fume and silica synthesized by hydrolysis and condensation of alkoxy silanes, so-called Stoeber particles, were employed. Influences of the silica within the first hour were further examined in pastes with water/cement ratios of 0.23 using in-situ X-ray diffraction, cryo scanning electron microscopy and pore solution analysis. It was shown that Stoeber particles change the composition of the pore solution. Na{sup +}, K{sup +}, Ca{sup 2+} and silicate ions seem to react to oligomers. The extent of this reaction might be highest for Stoeber particles due to their high reactivity.

Induced anisotropy in amorphous Sm-Co sputtered films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, K.; Hegde, H.; Cadieu, F.J.

1992-01-01

The variation of the in-the-film-plane anisotropy constant, K u , with composition and the magnitude of the field, H s , applied in plane during the sputter deposition of amorphous Sm x Co 1-x , 0.08≤x≤0.40, thin films has been studied. We demonstrate here that with a large H s , 5.0 kOe, a well defined and large in-the-film-plane anisotropy can be obtained. An exceptionally high value of K u =3.3x10 6 erg/cm 3 has been obtained. For the loop measured along the in-plane hard direction, the opening of the loop was undetectable, and the loop along the easy axis was a perfect rectangle. For certain conditions, the anisotropy field measured perpendicular to the film plane when corrected for demagnetization (N d =4π) was the same as that for the in-plane measurements. It is concluded that surface induced short range ordering was the origin of the anisotropy observed in amorphous films deposited in a magnetic field. The formation mechanism is different from that of the short range ordering induced by field annealing

Short range order in amorphous polycondensates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamers, C.; Richter, D.; Schweika, W. [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany). Inst. fuer Festkoerperforschung; Batoulis, J.; Sommer, K. [Bayer AG, Leverkusen (Germany); Cable, J.W. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Shapiro, S.M. [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)

1992-12-01

The static coherent structure factors S(Q) of the polymer glass Bisphenol-A-Polycarbonate and its chemical variation Bisphenol-A- Polyctherkctone- both in differently deuterated versions- have been measured by spin polarized neutron scattering. The method of spin polarization analysis provided an experimental separation of coherent and incoherent scattering and a reliable intensity calibration. Results are compared to structure factors calculated for model structures which were obtained by ``amorphous cell`` computer simulations. In general reasonable agreement is found between experiment and simulation; however, certain discrepancies hint at an insufficient structural relaxation in the amorphous cell method. 15 refs, 1 fig, 1 tab.

Analysis of thermal detrapping of holes created by electron irradiation in high purity amorphous SiO_2 using the induced and secondary current measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Said, K.; Moya, G.; Si Ahmed, A.; Damamme, G.; Kallel, A.

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Positive charging of high purity amorphous SiO_2 achieved by electron irradiation in a specially equipped scanning electron microscope. • Quantity of detrapped holes evaluated via measurements of induced and secondary electron currents. • Study of isothermal detrapping for different temperatures (300–663 K). • Analysis of the hole detrapping via a first order kinetics. • Evaluation of the hole detrapping parameters (activation energy and frequency factor). - Abstract: Isothermal detrapping of holes after electron irradiation (using a SEM) in high purity amorphous SiO_2 is evaluated at different temperatures (in the range 300–663 K) by means of the induced and secondary current measurements. In order to single out the hole detrapping, the specific charging conditions (1 keV defocused electron beam of low density) leading to positive charging are adopted. The thermal detrapping, which stems from a single trap, begins at 523 K and is completed at 663 K. After annealing in air at 973 K during 48 h, two detrapping stages are revealed: the former is connected with an additional shallow trap, while the latter requires temperatures above 663 K for a complete detrapping. The first order kinetics describes reasonably well the detrapping process. The frequency factors (near 10"1"0 s"−"1) and the activation energies (about 1.6 eV) deduced from this analysis could be assigned, respectively, to the relaxation connected to detrapping and to the trap energy level of the charged oxygen vacancy.

Achievement report for fiscal 1991 on Sunshine Program-entrusted research and development. Research and development of amorphous silicon solar cells (Research on amorphous silicon interface); 1991 nendo amorphous silicon taiyo denchi no kenkyu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Amorphous silicon no kaimen no kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1992-03-01

The amorphous solar cell interface has been under study for the enhancement of efficiency and reliability in amorphous solar cells, and this is the compilation of the results achieved in fiscal 1991. In the effort to enhance delta-doped amorphous silicon solar cell efficiency, an amorphous Si solar cell is built using a ZnO film as the transparent conductive film. As the result, an a-Si solar cell with a conversion efficiency of 11.5% is obtained. In the research on the suppression of photodegradation in a-Si, from the viewpoint that a reduction in the amount of hydrogen contained excessively in the film will be effective in decelerating photodegradation, a photoexcited hydrogen radical treatment method is newly proposed, and basic studies are conducted on it. As the result, it is found that an a-Si film processed by a 20-second hydrogen treatment at a substrate temperature of 460 degrees C exhibits a lower photodegradation rate than an ordinary a-Si film. In the research on the deposition of amorphous Si film, a VHF frequency is used instead of 13.56MHz for plasma, and an amorphous Si film is deposited efficiently at a lower voltage at which ions cause less damage. (NEDO)

Crystallization kinetics and magnetic properties of FeSiCr amorphous alloy powder cores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Hu-ping [School of Logistics Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430063 (China); Wang, Ru-wu, E-mail: ruwuwang@hotmail.com [National Engineering Research Center For Silicon Steel, Wuhan 430080 (China); College of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081 (China); Wei, Ding [School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); Zeng, Chun [National Engineering Research Center For Silicon Steel, Wuhan 430080 (China)

2015-07-01

The crystallization kinetics of FeSiCr amorphous alloy, characterized by the crystallization activation energy, Avrami exponent and frequency factor, was studied by non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) measurements. The crystallization activation energy and frequency factor of amorphous alloy calculated from Augis–Bennett model were 476 kJ/mol and 5.5×10{sup 18} s{sup −1}, respectively. The Avrami exponent n was calculated to be 2.2 from the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami (JMA) equation. Toroid-shaped Fe-base amorphous powder cores were prepared from the commercial FeSiCr amorphous alloy powder and subsequent cold pressing using binder and insulation. The characteristics of FeSiCr amorphous alloy powder and the effects of compaction pressure and insulation content on the magnetic properties, i.e., effective permeability μ{sub e}, quality factor Q and DC-bias properties of FeSiCr amorphous alloy powder cores, were investigated. The FeSiCr amorphous alloy powder cores exhibit a high value of quality factor and a stable permeability in the frequency range up to 1 MHz, showing superior DC-bias properties with a “percent permeability” of more than 82% at H=100 Oe. - Highlights: • The crystallization kinetics of FeSiCr amorphous alloy was investigated. • The FeSiCr powder cores exhibit a high value of Q and a stable permeability. • The FeSiCr powder cores exhibit superior DC-bias properties.

Structural investigation of Fe(Cu)ZrB amorphous alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duhaj, P.; Janickovic, D.

1996-01-01

The crystallization process in Fe 86 (Cu 1 )Zr 7 B 6 and Fe 87 Zr 7 B 6 is investigated using the methods of transmission electron microscopy, electron and X-ray diffraction and resistometry. Two crystallization reactions take place during thermal annealing of amorphous Fe 86 (Cu 1 )Zr 7 B 6 and Fe 87 Zr 7 B 6 alloys. In both alloys the first crystallization begins with the formation of nanocrystalline α-Fe at temperature to approximately 800 K. The second crystallization starts above 1000 K; the nanocrystalline phase dissolves and together with the remaining amorphous matrix form rough grains of α-Fe and dispersed Fe 23 Zr 6 phases. From Moessbauer spectroscopy it seems that there exist two neighbourhoods of Fe atoms in the amorphous structure. One of them is characterized by low Zr content and is responsible for the high-field component of the hyperfine field distribution p(H). The second one is rich in Zr and B and is responsible for the low-field component of p(H). This is in accord with the observation of two crystallization steps separated by a large interval of temperatures due to the existence of two chemically different regions or clusters. (orig.)

Modelling the structure factors and pair distribution functions of amorphous germanium, silicon and carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalgic, Seyfettin; Gonzalez, Luis Enrique; Baer, Shalom; Silbert, Moises

2002-01-01

We present the results of calculations of the static structure factor S(k) and the pair distribution function g(r) of the tetrahedral amorphous semiconductors germanium, silicon and carbon using the structural diffusion model (SDM). The results obtained with the SDM for S(k) and g(r) are of comparable quality with those obtained by the unconstrained Reverse Monte Carlo simulations and existing ab initio molecular dynamics simulations for these systems. We have found that g(r) exhibits a small peak, or shoulder, a weak remnant of the prominent third neighbour peak present in the crystalline phase of these systems. This feature has been experimentally found to be present in recently reported high energy X-ray experiments of amorphous silicon (Phys. Rev. B 60 (1999) 13520), as well as in the previous X-ray diffraction of as-evaporated amorphous germanium (Phys. Rev. B 50 (1994) 539)

Modelling the structure factors and pair distribution functions of amorphous germanium, silicon and carbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dalgic, Seyfettin; Gonzalez, Luis Enrique; Baer, Shalom; Silbert, Moises

2002-12-01

We present the results of calculations of the static structure factor S(k) and the pair distribution function g(r) of the tetrahedral amorphous semiconductors germanium, silicon and carbon using the structural diffusion model (SDM). The results obtained with the SDM for S(k) and g(r) are of comparable quality with those obtained by the unconstrained Reverse Monte Carlo simulations and existing ab initio molecular dynamics simulations for these systems. We have found that g(r) exhibits a small peak, or shoulder, a weak remnant of the prominent third neighbour peak present in the crystalline phase of these systems. This feature has been experimentally found to be present in recently reported high energy X-ray experiments of amorphous silicon (Phys. Rev. B 60 (1999) 13520), as well as in the previous X-ray diffraction of as-evaporated amorphous germanium (Phys. Rev. B 50 (1994) 539)

Exact reliability formula and bounds for general k-out-of-n systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koucky, Miroslav

2003-01-01

The paper deals with reliability of general k-out-of-n systems whose component failures need not be independent and identically distributed. The result is an exact closed form reliability formula which is based on Feller's result. The formula is efficient and easy to use for manual and computer computations. The approximations for the system reliability are given and are useful when dealing with large systems. Two examples illustrate the use of the results

Crystallization of amorphous phase in niobium alloys with oxygen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dekanenko, V.M.; Samojlenko, Z.A.; Revyakin, A.V.

1982-01-01

Crystallization and subsequent phase transformations of amorphous phase during annealings in the system Nb-O are studied. It is shown that quenching from liquid state of niobium alloys with oxygen with a rate of 10 5 -10 6 K/s results in partial crystallization of the melt. Phase transition from amorphous to crystal state at 670 K in all probability takes place without the change of chemical composition. After crystallization the decomposition of oversaturated solid solution on the basis of NbO takes place with the separation of low- temperature modification, γ-Nb 2 O 5 . Niobium pentoxide of both modifications during prolong annealings at 770 K and short- time annealings higher 1070 K disappears completely [ru

Temperature and ion-mass dependence of amorphization dose for ion beam irradiated zircon (ZrSiO4)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L.M.; Ewing, R.C.; Eby, R.K.

1992-12-01

The temperature dependence of amorphization dose for zircon under 1.5 MeV Kr ion irradiation has been investigated using the ANL HVEM-Tandem Facility. Three regimes were observed in the amorphization dose-temperature curve. In the first regime (15 to 300 K), the critical amorphization dose increased from 3.06 to 4.5 ions/nm 2 . In the second regime (300 to 473 K), there is little change in the amorphizationdose. In the third regime (> 473 K), the amorphization dose increased exponentially to 8.3 ions/nm 2 at 913 K. This temperature dependence of amorphization dose can be described by two processes with different activation energies (0.018 and 0.31 eV respectively) which are attributed to close pair recombination in the cascades at low temperatures and radiation-enhanced epitaxial recrystallization at higher temperatures. The upper temperature limit for amorphization of zircon is estimated to be 1100 K. The ion-mass dependence of the amorphization dose (in dpa) has also been discussed in terms of the energy to recoils based on data obtained from He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe irradiations and a 238 Pu-doped sample

Amorphization reaction in thin films of elemental Cu and Y

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, R. W.; Ahn, C. C.; Ratner, E. R.

1989-10-01

Compositionally modulated thin films of Cu and Y were prepared in an ultrahigh-vacuum dc ion-beam deposition chamber. The amorphization reaction was monitored by in situ x-ray-diffraction measurements. Growth of amorphous Cu1-xYx is observed at room temperature with the initial formation of a Cu-rich amorphous phase. Further annealing in the presence of unreacted Y leads to Y enrichment of the amorphous phase. Growth of crystalline CuY is observed for T=469 K. Transmission-electron-microscopy measurements provide real-space imaging of the amorphous interlayer and growth morphology. Models are developed, incorporating metastable interfacial and bulk free-energy diagrams, for the early stage of the amorphization reaction.

Hydrogen in amorphous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peercy, P.S.

1980-01-01

The structural aspects of amorphous silicon and the role of hydrogen in this structure are reviewed with emphasis on ion implantation studies. In amorphous silicon produced by Si ion implantation of crystalline silicon, the material reconstructs into a metastable amorphous structure which has optical and electrical properties qualitatively similar to the corresponding properties in high-purity evaporated amorphous silicon. Hydrogen studies further indicate that these structures will accomodate less than or equal to 5 at.% hydrogen and this hydrogen is bonded predominantly in a monohydride (SiH 1 ) site. Larger hydrogen concentrations than this can be achieved under certain conditions, but the excess hydrogen may be attributed to defects and voids in the material. Similarly, glow discharge or sputter deposited amorphous silicon has more desirable electrical and optical properties when the material is prepared with low hydrogen concentration and monohydride bonding. Results of structural studies and hydrogen incorporation in amorphous silicon were discussed relative to the different models proposed for amorphous silicon

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2008-08-15

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

Analysis of thermal detrapping of holes created by electron irradiation in high purity amorphous SiO{sub 2} using the induced and secondary current measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Said, K., E-mail: kamel.said@fss.rnu.tn [LaMaCoP, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax (Tunisia); Moya, G.; Si Ahmed, A. [Im2np, UMR 7334 CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, 13397 Marseille Cedex 20 (France); Damamme, G. [CEA, DAM, GRAMAT, 46500 Gramat (France); Kallel, A. [LaMaCoP, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax (Tunisia)

2016-01-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Positive charging of high purity amorphous SiO{sub 2} achieved by electron irradiation in a specially equipped scanning electron microscope. • Quantity of detrapped holes evaluated via measurements of induced and secondary electron currents. • Study of isothermal detrapping for different temperatures (300–663 K). • Analysis of the hole detrapping via a first order kinetics. • Evaluation of the hole detrapping parameters (activation energy and frequency factor). - Abstract: Isothermal detrapping of holes after electron irradiation (using a SEM) in high purity amorphous SiO{sub 2} is evaluated at different temperatures (in the range 300–663 K) by means of the induced and secondary current measurements. In order to single out the hole detrapping, the specific charging conditions (1 keV defocused electron beam of low density) leading to positive charging are adopted. The thermal detrapping, which stems from a single trap, begins at 523 K and is completed at 663 K. After annealing in air at 973 K during 48 h, two detrapping stages are revealed: the former is connected with an additional shallow trap, while the latter requires temperatures above 663 K for a complete detrapping. The first order kinetics describes reasonably well the detrapping process. The frequency factors (near 10{sup 10} s{sup −1}) and the activation energies (about 1.6 eV) deduced from this analysis could be assigned, respectively, to the relaxation connected to detrapping and to the trap energy level of the charged oxygen vacancy.

Corrosion-resistant amorphous alloy ribbons for electromagnetic filtration of iron rusts from water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawashima, Asahi; Asami, Katsuhiko; Sato, Takeaki; Hashimoto, Koji

1985-01-01

An attempt was made to use corrosion-resistant amorphous Fe-9Cr-13P-7C alloy ribbons as an electromagnetic filter material for trapping various iron rusts suspended in water at 40 0 C. The ferrimagnetic Fe 3 O 4 rust was trapped with the 100 % efficiency and paramagnetic rusts such as α-Fe 2 O 3 , α-FeOOH and amorphous ferric oxyhydroxide were trapped with certain efficiencies at the magnetic field strength of 0.5-10 kOe. The regeneration of the filter by back-washing was easy. The trapping capacity of electromagnetic filter was proportional to the edge length of the filter material where the high magnetic field strength existed. Therefore, melt-spun thin and narrow amorphous alloy ribbons having the high corrosion resistance have the potential utility as electromagnetic filter material. (author)

Structural changes in amorphous organic compounds and their role during chemical transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gusakovskaya, I.G.

1994-01-01

Using butanediol vinylacetate and dimetacrylate as an example, it can be shown that structural changes of amorphous-liquid substance play an important part at chemical transformations of amorphous compounds and chemical reaction rate provides an function of local order. When the amorphous polymer is viewed as an system of multiple transformations, each gives birth to the definite local order, the calculation of recombination reaction of active centers accumulated during irradiation of polymer at 77 K is carried out. Concentration of recombinated centers rises steeply near each transformation T k

Thermoelectric effects of amorphous Ga-Sn-O thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuda, Tokiyoshi; Uenuma, Mutsunori; Kimura, Mutsumi

2017-07-01

The thermoelectric effects of an amorphous Ga-Sn-O (a-GTO) thin film have been evaluated as a physical parameter of a novel oxide semiconductor. Currently, a-GTO thin films are greatly desired not only because they do not contain rare metals and are therefore free from problems on the exhaustion of resources and the increase in cost but also because their initial characteristics and performance stabilities are excellent when they are used in thin-film transistors. In this study, an a-GTO thin film was deposited on a quartz substrate by RF magnetron sputtering and postannealing was performed in air at 350 °C for 1 h using an annealing furnace. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of the a-GTO thin film were -137 µV/K and 31.8 S/cm at room temperature, and -183 µV/K and 43.8 S/cm at 397 K, respectively, and as a result, the power factor was 1.47 µW/(cm·K2) at 397 K; these values were roughly as high as those of amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (a-IGZO) thin films. Therefore, a-GTO thin films will be a candidate material for thermoelectric devices fabricated in a large area at a low cost by controlling the carrier mobility, carrier density, device structures, and so forth.

Tc, 2Δ0/KBTc and parameters of phonon spectrum for amorphous superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Xiaowen

1987-04-01

After the correlations between superconducting parameters T C and 2Δ 0 , the parameters of the phonon spectrum, λ, , 2 > and Hall coefficient R H and between the superconducting T C and the parameters of the phonon spectrum ω 0 and /ω 0 were researched analytically. It had been found that there is a maximum of the above-mentioned both superconducting and the phonon spectrum parameters in the region of R H = -3.5 to -4.0 x 10 -11 m 3 /AS and that the materials having high ω 0 is favourable to obtain amorphous superconductors with high T C as well as that the relation between T C and the degree of the lattice disorder (i.e. /ω 0 value) is linear. On the basis of the above-mentioned results, a formula of T C and 2Δ 0 /k B T C of amorphous superconductors had been given. According to both proposed formula, it is noted for the first time that amorphous superconductor of the non-transition metals and their alloys is either a typical strong coupling superconductor which has a much larger 2 Δ 0 /k B T C than BCS theory or a extreme weak coupling superconductor which has a much smaller 2 Δ 0 /k B T C than BCS theory. Of coures, they can be also a weak coupling superconductor whose 2 Δ 0 /k B T C is consistent with BCS theory or approximate to one. The reason that the measurement value of 2 Δ 0 /k BTC of the weak coupling superconductors in the crystal state deviates obviously from BCS theory has been explained

High-Efficiency Amorphous Silicon Alloy Based Solar Cells and Modules; Final Technical Progress Report, 30 May 2002--31 May 2005

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guha, S.; Yang, J.

2005-10-01

The principal objective of this R&D program is to expand, enhance, and accelerate knowledge and capabilities for development of high-efficiency hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and amorphous silicon-germanium alloy (a-SiGe:H) related thin-film multijunction solar cells and modules with low manufacturing cost and high reliability. Our strategy has been to use the spectrum-splitting triple-junction structure, a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H/a-SiGe:H, to improve solar cell and module efficiency, stability, and throughput of production. The methodology used to achieve the objectives included: (1) explore the highest stable efficiency using the triple-junction structure deposited using RF glow discharge at a low rate, (2) fabricate the devices at a high deposition rate for high throughput and low cost, and (3) develop an optimized recipe using the R&D batch large-area reactor to help the design and optimization of the roll-to-roll production machines. For short-term goals, we have worked on the improvement of a-Si:H and a-SiGe:H alloy solar cells. a-Si:H and a-SiGe:H are the foundation of current a-Si:H based thin-film photovoltaic technology. Any improvement in cell efficiency, throughput, and cost reduction will immediately improve operation efficiency of our manufacturing plant, allowing us to further expand our production capacity.

Top-gate hybrid complementary inverters using pentacene and amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistors with high operational stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. B. Kim

2012-03-01

Full Text Available We report on the operational stability of low-voltage hybrid organic-inorganic complementary inverters with a top-gate bottom source-drain geometry. The inverters are comprised of p-channel pentacene and n-channel amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs with bi-layer gate dielectrics formed from an amorphous layer of a fluoropolymer (CYTOP and a high-k layer of Al2O3. The p- and n- channel TFTs show saturation mobility values of 0.1 ± 0.01 and 5.0 ± 0.5 cm2/Vs, respectively. The individual transistors show high electrical stability with less than 6% drain-to-source current variations after 1 h direct current (DC bias stress. Complementary inverters yield hysteresis-free voltage transfer characteristics for forward and reverse input biases with static DC gain values larger than 45 V/V at 8 V before and after being subjected to different conditions of electrical stress. Small and reversible variations of the switching threshold voltage of the inverters during these stress tests are compatible with the observed stability of the individual TFTs.

Classical molecular dynamics and quantum ab-initio studies on lithium-intercalation in interconnected hollow spherical nano-spheres of amorphous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhowmik, A. [Atomic Scale Modelling and Materials, Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Rios Campus, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Malik, R. [Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, 721302 (India); Prakash, S. [Defense Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad (India); Sarkar, T.; Bharadwaj, M.D. [Center for Study of Science Technology and Policy, Bangalore 560094 (India); Aich, S. [Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, 721302 (India); Ghosh, S., E-mail: sudipto@metal.iitkgp.ernet.in [Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, 721302 (India)

2016-04-25

A high concentration of lithium, corresponding to charge capacity of ∼4200 mAh/g, can be intercalated in silicon. Unfortunately, due to high intercalation strain leading to fracture and consequent poor cyclability, silicon cannot be used as anode in lithium ion batteries. But recently interconnected hollow nano-spheres of amorphous silicon have been found to exhibit high cyclability. The absence of fracture upon lithiation and the high cyclability has been attributed to reduction in intercalation stress due to hollow spherical geometry of the silicon nano-particles. The present work argues that the hollow spherical geometry alone cannot ensure the absence of fracture. Using classical molecular dynamics and density functional theory based simulations; satisfactory explanation to the absence of fracture has been explored at the atomic scale. - Highlights: • Interconnected nanoshells of amorphous Si: best available lithium ion cell anode. • High cycle life not understood in the light of poor K{sub IC} of amorphous Si. • MD reveals: atomic density of interconnected structure is ∼16% less than bulk Si. • Leads to drastic reduction (DFT) in lithiation σ & metal like e{sup −} structure (high K{sub IC}). • Lowering of lithiation σ and increase in K{sub IC} result in high cycle life.

Neutron diffraction and thermal studies of amorphous CS2 realised by low-temperature vapour deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamuro, O.; Matsuo, T.; Onoda-Yamamuro, N.; Takeda, K.; Munemura, H.; Tanaka, S.; Misawa, M.

2003-01-01

We have succeeded in preparing amorphous carbon disulphide (CS 2 ) by depositing its vapour on a cold substrate at 10 K. Complete formation of the amorphous state has been confirmed by neutron diffraction and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The amorphous sample crystallized at ca. 70 K, which is lower than the hypothetical glass transition temperature (92 K) estimated from the DTA data of the (CS 2 ) x (S 2 Cl 2 ) 1-x binary mixture. CS 2 , a symmetric linear tri-atomic molecule, is the simplest of the amorphized molecular substances whose structural and thermal information has been reported so far. Comparison of the static structure factors S(Q) has shown that the orientational correlation of CS 2 molecules may be much stronger in the amorphous state than in the liquid state at higher temperature. (authors)

Amorphous silicon rich silicon nitride optical waveguides for high density integrated optics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philipp, Hugh T.; Andersen, Karin Nordström; Svendsen, Winnie Edith

2004-01-01

Amorphous silicon rich silicon nitride optical waveguides clad in silica are presented as a high-index contrast platform for high density integrated optics. Performance of different cross-sectional geometries have been measured and are presented with regards to bending loss and insertion loss...

Research Progress on Fe-based Amorphous Coatings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LIANG Xiu-bing

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The latest research progresses on Fe-based amorphous coatings were reviewed. The typical alloy system and the classification of Fe-based amorphous coatings were clarified. The status, progress and development of the Fe-based amorphous coatings prepared by thermal spray processing and laser cladding process were discussed. The main mechanical properties and potential applications of the Fe-based amorphous coatings were also described. Furthermore, based on the main problems mentioned above, the future development of the Fe-based amorphous coatings was discussed, including the exploitation preparation technologies of high amorphous content of the Fe-based coatings, the development of the low cost and high performance Fe-based coating alloys system, the broadening application of Fe-based amorphous coatings, and so on.

Stabilized amorphous glibenclamide nanoparticles by high-gravity technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Lei; Li Caixia; Le Yuan; Chen Jianfeng; Zou Haikui

2011-01-01

Highlights: · Amorphous glibenclamide nanoparticles of 220 nm are obtained using the high-gravity technique. · The dissolution rate of these nanoparticles achieves 85% in 5 min, while those of the raw glibenclamide and the commercial glibenclamide tablet only reach 35% and 55% respectively during the same period. · The morphology, particle size, crystalline form and dissolution rate of these nanoparticles almost remain constant after keeping more than 70 days. - Abstract: The stable amorphous glibenclamide nanoparticles was obtained via anti-solvent precipitation using the high-gravity technique in this study. The effects of operating variables on the particle size were investigated. The properties of glibenclamide nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dissolution test. The prepared glibenclamide nanoparticles had a mean size of 220 nm within a narrow distribution. The dissolution rate of glibenclamide nanoparticles was obviously faster than that of the raw glibenclamide or the commercial glibenclamide tablet. It achieved 85% in 5 min, while those of the raw glibenclamide and the commercial glibenclamide tablet achieved 35% and 55% respectively during the same period. The physical stability of the nanoparticles was tested after storing for more than 70 days at room conditions. Their morphology, particle size, crystalline form and dissolution rate almost remained constant during storage.

Formation of soft magnetic high entropy amorphous alloys composites containing in situ solid solution phase

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Ran; Sun, Huan; Chen, Chen; Tao, Juan; Li, Fushan

2018-03-01

Fe-Co-Ni-Si-B high entropy amorphous alloys composites (HEAACs), which containing high entropy solid solution phase in amorphous matrix, show good soft magnetic properties and bending ductility even in optimal annealed state, were successfully developed by melt spinning method. The crystallization phase of the HEAACs is solid solution phase with body centered cubic (BCC) structure instead of brittle intermetallic phase. In addition, the BCC phase can transformed into face centered cubic (FCC) phase with temperature rise. Accordingly, Fe-Co-Ni-Si-B high entropy alloys (HEAs) with FCC structure and a small amount of BCC phase was prepared by copper mold casting method. The HEAs exhibit high yield strength (about 1200 MPa) and good plastic strain (about 18%). Meanwhile, soft magnetic characteristics of the HEAs are largely reserved from HEAACs. This work provides a new strategy to overcome the annealing induced brittleness of amorphous alloys and design new advanced materials with excellent comprehensive properties.

Crystalline to amorphous transformation in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheruvu, S.M.

1982-09-01

In the present investigation, an attempt was made to understand the fundamental mechanism of crystalline-to-amorphous transformation in arsenic implanted silicon using high resolution electron microscopy. A comparison of the gradual disappearance of simulated lattice fringes with increasing Frenkel pair concentration with the experimental observation of sharp interfaces between crystalline and amorphous regions was carried out leading to the conclusion that when the defect concentration reaches a critical value, the crystal does relax to an amorphous state. Optical diffraction experiments using atomic models also supported this hypothesis. Both crystalline and amorphous zones were found to co-exist with sharp interfaces at the atomic level. Growth of the amorphous fraction depends on the temperature, dose rate and the mass of the implanted ion. Preliminary results of high energy electron irradiation experiments at 1.2 MeV also suggested that clustering of point defects occurs near room temperature. An observation in a high resolution image of a small amorphous zone centered at the core of a dislocation is presented as evidence that the nucleation of an amorphous phase is heterogeneous in nature involving clustering or segregation of point defects near existing defects

Ion implantation and amorphous metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hohmuth, K.; Rauschenbach, B.

1981-01-01

This review deals with ion implantation of metals in the high concentration range for preparing amorphous layers (>= 10 at%, implantation doses > 10 16 ions/cm 2 ). Different models are described concerning formation of amorphous phases of metals by ion implantation and experimental results are given. The study of amorphous phases has been carried out by the aid of Rutherford backscattering combined with the channeling technique and using transmission electron microscopy. The structure of amorphous metals prepared by ion implantation has been discussed. It was concluded that amorphous metal-metalloid compounds can be described by a dense-random-packing structure with a great portion of metal atoms. Ion implantation has been compared with other techniques for preparing amorphous metals and the adventages have been outlined

Properties of amorphous and microcrystalline superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, W.L.; Poon, S.J.

1975-01-01

Results of x-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, critical field(H/sub c2/) and transport measurements are presented and discussed for bulk amorphous and microcrystalline transition metal alloys (Au--La, Nb--Rh, Nb--Ni--Rh, and Pd--Zr) obtained by liquid quenching. The transition temperature of the alloys is in the range 1.5 to 4.7 0 K. The J/sub c/--H/sub c2/--T/sub c/ relations are rather simple for this class of material and are compared with the theories of type II superconductors. The high resistance of bulk metallic glass to radiation damage might render them suitable for magnetic field applications in high radiation environments

Structural investigation of Fe(Cu)ZrB amorphous alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duhaj, P. [Slovenska Akademia Vied, Bratislava (Slovakia). Fyzikalny Ustav; Matko, I. [Slovenska Akademia Vied, Bratislava (Slovakia). Fyzikalny Ustav; Svec, P. [Slovenska Akademia Vied, Bratislava (Slovakia). Fyzikalny Ustav; Sitek, J. [Department of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Slovak Technical University, 81219 Bratislava (Slovakia); Janickovic, D. [Slovenska Akademia Vied, Bratislava (Slovakia). Fyzikalny Ustav

1996-07-01

The crystallization process in Fe{sub 86}(Cu{sub 1})Zr{sub 7}B{sub 6} and Fe{sub 87}Zr{sub 7}B{sub 6} is investigated using the methods of transmission electron microscopy, electron and X-ray diffraction and resistometry. Two crystallization reactions take place during thermal annealing of amorphous Fe{sub 86}(Cu{sub 1})Zr{sub 7}B{sub 6} and Fe{sub 87}Zr{sub 7}B{sub 6} alloys. In both alloys the first crystallization begins with the formation of nanocrystalline {alpha}-Fe at temperature to approximately 800 K. The second crystallization starts above 1000 K; the nanocrystalline phase dissolves and together with the remaining amorphous matrix form rough grains of {alpha}-Fe and dispersed Fe{sub 23}Zr{sub 6} phases. From Moessbauer spectroscopy it seems that there exist two neighbourhoods of Fe atoms in the amorphous structure. One of them is characterized by low Zr content and is responsible for the high-field component of the hyperfine field distribution p(H). The second one is rich in Zr and B and is responsible for the low-field component of p(H). This is in accord with the observation of two crystallization steps separated by a large interval of temperatures due to the existence of two chemically different regions or clusters. (orig.)

Pressure-jump induced rapid solidification of melt: a method of preparing amorphous materials

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiuru; Jia, Ru; Zhang, Doudou; Yuan, Chaosheng; Shao, Chunguang; Hong, Shiming

2018-04-01

By using a self-designed pressure-jump apparatus, we investigated the melt solidification behavior in rapid compression process for several kinds of materials, such as elementary sulfur, polymer polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and poly-ethylene-terephthalate, alloy La68Al10Cu20Co2 and Nd60Cu20Ni10Al10. Experimental results clearly show that their melts could be solidified to be amorphous states through the rapid compression process. Bulk amorphous PEEK with 24 mm in diameter and 12 mm in height was prepared, which exceeds the size obtained by melt quenching method. The bulk amorphous sulfur thus obtained exhibited extraordinarily high thermal stability, and an abnormal exothermic transition to liquid sulfur was observed at around 396 K for the first time. Furthermore, it is suggested that the glass transition pressure and critical compression rate exist to form the amorphous phase. This approach of rapid compression is very attractive not only because it is a new technique of make bulk amorphous materials, but also because novel properties are expected in the amorphous materials solidified by the pressure-jump within milliseconds or microseconds.

High-resolution electron microscopy study of electron-irradiation-induced crystalline-to-amorphous transition in α-SiC single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inui, H.; Mori, H.; Sakata, T.

1992-01-01

An electron-irradiation-induced crystalline-to-amorphous (CA) transition in α-SiC has been studied by high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). The irradiation-produced damage structure was examined as a function of dose of electrons by taking high-resolution maps extending from the unirradiated crystalline region to the completely amorphized region. In the intermediate region between those two regions, that is in the CA transition region, the damage structure was essentially a mixture of crystalline and amorphous phases. The volume fraction of the amorphous phase was found to increase with increasing dose of electrons and no discrete crystalline-amorphous interface was observed in the CA transition region. These facts indicate the heterogeneous and gradual nature of the CA transition. In the transition region close to the unirradiated crystalline region, a sort of fragmentation of the crystal lattice was observed to occur, crystallites with slightly different orientations with respect to the parent crystal were formed owing to the strain around the dispersed local amorphous regions. In the transition region close to the amorphized region, these crystallites were reduced in size and were embedded in an amorphous matrix. This damage structure is the result of the increased volume fraction of the amorphous phase. In the completely amorphized region, no lattice fringes were recognized in the HREM images. The atomistic process of the CA transition is discussed on the basis of the present results and those from previous studies. (Author)

ZnTe Amorphous Semiconductor Nanowires Array Electrodeposited into Polycarbonate Membrane Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohgai, T; Ikeda, T; Ohta, J

2013-01-01

ZnTe amorphous semiconductor nanowires array was electrodeposited into the nanochannels of ion-track etched polycarbonate membrane thin films from acidic aqueous solution at 313 K. ZnTe electrodeposits with Zn-rich composition was obtained over the wide range of cathode potential from −0.8 V to −1.1 V and the growth rate of ZnTe amorphous nanowires was around 3 nm.sec −1 at the cathode potential of −0.8 V. Cylindrical shape of the nanowires was precisely transferred from the nanochannels and the aspect ratio reached up to ca. 40. ZnTe amorphous phase electrodeposited at 313 K was crystallized by annealing at 683 K and the band gap energy of ZnTe crystalline phase reached up to ca. 2.13 eV.

Radiation-induced amorphization of Langasite La3Ga5SiO14

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Tiankai; Lu, Fengyuan; Zhang, Haifeng; Gong, Bowen; Ji, Wei; Zuo, Lei; Lian, Jie

2018-03-01

Single crystals of Langasite La3Ga5SiO14 (LGS) were irradiated by 1 MeV Kr2+ ions at temperature range from 298 to 898 K in order to simulate the damage effect of neutron radiation on Langasite, a candidate sensor material proposed as high temperature and pressure sensors in nuclear reactors. The microstructure evolution of LGS as functions of irradiation dose and temperature was followed by in-situ TEM observation through electron diffraction pattern. LGS is found to be sensitive to ion beam irradiation-induced amorphization from displacive heavy ions with a low critical dose of ∼0.5 ± 0.2 dpa (neutron fluence of (1.6 ± 0.6) × 1019 neutrons/cm2) at room temperature. The critical amorphization temperature, Tc, is determined to be 910 ± 10 K. Under simultaneous ionizing electron (300 keV, 45 nA) and displacive heavy ion irradiations (1-MeV Kr2+ and flux of 6.25 × 1011 ions/cm2·s), LGS displayed greater stability of crystal structure against amorphization, possibly due to the electron radiation-induced recovery of displacive damage by heavy ions.

High-pressure behavior of amorphous selenium from ultrasonic measurements and Raman spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Z.; Liu, X. R.; Hong, S. M., E-mail: hpswjtu@gmail.com, E-mail: smhong@home.swjtu.edu.cn [Laboratory of High Pressure Physics, Southwest Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education of China, Chengdu 610031 (China); Wang, Z. G. [National Key Laboratory for Shock Wave and Detonation Physics Research, Institute of Fluid Physics, Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Zhu, H. Y. [State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Peng, J. P. [School of Physical Science and Technology, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China)

2014-07-07

The high-pressure behavior of melt-quenched amorphous selenium (a-Se) has been investigated via ultrasonic measurements and Raman scattering at room temperature. The ultrasonic measurements were conducted on a-Se in a multi-anvil apparatus with two different sample assemblies at pressures of up to 4.5 and 4.8 GPa. We discovered that similar kinks occur in the slopes of the pressure dependence characteristics of the travel time and the sound velocity in both shear and longitudinal waves in the 2.0–2.5 GPa range. These kinks are independent of the sample assemblies, indicating an intrinsic transformation of the a-Se. Additionally, we deduced the pressure-volume relationship of a-Se from the sound velocity characteristics using the Birch–Murnaghan equation of state, and the results agreed well with those of previous reports. In situ high-pressure Raman scattering measurements of a-Se were conducted in a diamond anvil cell with an 830 nm excitation line up to a pressure of 4.3 GPa. We found that the characteristic band of a-Se at ∼250 cm{sup −1} experienced a smooth shift to a lower frequency with pressure, but a sharp slope change in the band intensity versus pressure occurred near 2.5 GPa. The results of X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry measurements indicate that the samples remain in their amorphous states after decompression. Thus, we proposed that the abnormal compression behavior of a-Se in the 2.0–2.5 GPa range can be attributed to pressure-induced local atomic reconfiguration, implying an amorphous-amorphous transition of the elementary selenium.

Performance of single wire earth return transformers with amorphous alloy core in a rural electric energy distribution system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benedito Antonio Luciano

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper are presented some considerations about the performance of single wire earth return amorphous alloy core transformers in comparison with conventional silicon steel sheets cores transformers used in rural electric energy distribution network. It has been recognized that amorphous metal core transformers improve electrical power distribution efficiency by reducing transformer core losses. This reduction is due to some electromagnetic properties of the amorphous alloys such as: high magnetic permeability, high resistivity, and low coercivity. Experimental results obtained with some single-phase, 60 Hz, 5 kVA amorphous core transformers installed in a rural area electric distribution system in Northern Brazil have been confirming their superior performance in comparison to identical nominal rated transformers built with conventional silicon steel cores, particularly with regard to the excitation power and to the no-load losses.

Amorphous intergranular films in silicon nitride ceramics quenched from high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cinibulk, M.K.; Kleebe, H.; Schneider, G.A.; Ruehle, M.

1993-01-01

High-temperature microstructure of an MgO-hot-pressed Si 3 N 4 and a Yb 2 O 3 + Al 2 O 3 -sintered/annealed Si 3 N 4 were obtained by quenching thin specimens from temperatures between 1,350 and 1,550 C. Quenching materials from 1,350 C produced no observable exchanges in the secondary phases at triple-grain junctions or along grain boundaries. Although quenching from temperatures of ∼1,450 C also showed no significant changes in the general microstructure or morphology of the Si 3 N 4 grains, the amorphous intergranular film thickness increased substantially from an initial ∼1 nm in the slowly cooled material to 1.5--9 nm in the quenched materials. The variability of film thickness in a given material suggests a nonequilibrium state. Specimens quenched from 1,550 C revealed once again thin (1-nm) intergranular films at all high-angle grain boundaries, indicating an equilibrium condition. The changes observed in intergranular-film thickness by high-resolution electron microscopy can be related to the eutectic temperature of the system and to diffusional and viscous processes occurring in the amorphous intergranular film during the high-temperature anneal prior to quenching

Should 3K zoom function be used for detection of pneumothorax in cesium iodide/amorphous silicon flat-panel detector radiographs presented on 1K-matrix soft copies?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrmann, Karin A.; Zech, C.J.; Reiser, M.F.; Bonel, H.M.; Staebler, A.; Voelk, M.; Strotzer, M.

2006-01-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate observer performance in the detection of pneumothorax with cesium iodide and amorphous silicon flat-panel detector radiography (CsI/a-Si FDR) presented as 1K and 3K soft-copy images. Forty patients with and 40 patients without pneumothorax diagnosed on previous and subsequent digital storage phosphor radiography (SPR, gold standard) had follow-up chest radiographs with CsI/a-Si FDR. Four observers confirmed or excluded the diagnosis of pneumothorax according to a five-point scale first on the 1K soft-copy image and then with help of 3K zoom function (1K monitor). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed for each modality (1K and 3K). The area under the curve (AUC) values for each observer were 0.7815, 0.7779, 0.7946 and 0.7066 with 1K-matrix soft copies and 0.8123, 0.7997, 0.8078 and 0.7522 with 3K zoom. Overall detection of pneumothorax was better with 3K zoom. Differences between the two display methods were not statistically significant in 3 of 4 observers (p-values between 0.13 and 0.44; observer 4: p=0.02). The detection of pneumothorax with 3K zoom is better than with 1K soft copy but not at a statistically significant level. Differences between both display methods may be subtle. Still, our results indicate that 3K zoom should be employed in clinical practice. (orig.)

Electronic transport in mixed-phase hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Wienkes, Lee Raymond

Interest in mixed-phase silicon thin film materials, composed of an amorphous semiconductor matrix in which nanocrystalline inclusions are embedded, stems in part from potential technological applications, including photovoltaic and thin film transistor technologies. Conventional mixed-phase silicon films are produced in a single plasma reactor, where the conditions of the plasma must be precisely tuned, limiting the ability to adjust the film and nanoparticle parameters independently. The films presented in this thesis are deposited using a novel dual-plasma co-deposition approach in which the nanoparticles are produced separately in an upstream reactor and then injected into a secondary reactor where an amorphous silicon film is being grown. The degree of crystallinity and grain sizes of the films are evaluated using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction respectively. I describe detailed electronic measurements which reveal three distinct conduction mechanisms in n-type doped mixed-phase amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films over a range of nanocrystallite concentrations and temperatures, covering the transition from fully amorphous to ~30% nanocrystalline. As the temperature is varied from 470 to 10 K, we observe activated conduction, multiphonon hopping (MPH) and Mott variable range hopping (VRH) as the nanocrystal content is increased. The transition from MPH to Mott-VRH hopping around 100K is ascribed to the freeze out of the phonon modes. A conduction model involving the parallel contributions of these three distinct conduction mechanisms is shown to describe both the conductivity and the reduced activation energy data to a high accuracy. Additional support is provided by measurements of thermal equilibration effects and noise spectroscopy, both done above room temperature (>300 K). This thesis provides a clear link between measurement and theory in these complex materials.

Neutron diffraction and thermal studies of amorphous CS{sub 2} realised by low-temperature vapour deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamamuro, O.; Matsuo, T. [Osaka Univ., Dept. of Chemistry, Graduate School of Sciences (Japan); Onoda-Yamamuro, N. [Tokyo Denki Univ., College of Sciences and Technology (Japan); Takeda, K. [Naruto Univ., Dept. of Chemistry, Tokushima (Japan); Munemura, H.; Tanaka, S.; Misawa, M. [Niigata Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Science

2003-08-01

We have succeeded in preparing amorphous carbon disulphide (CS{sub 2}) by depositing its vapour on a cold substrate at 10 K. Complete formation of the amorphous state has been confirmed by neutron diffraction and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The amorphous sample crystallized at ca. 70 K, which is lower than the hypothetical glass transition temperature (92 K) estimated from the DTA data of the (CS{sub 2}){sub x}(S{sub 2}Cl{sub 2}){sub 1-x} binary mixture. CS{sub 2}, a symmetric linear tri-atomic molecule, is the simplest of the amorphized molecular substances whose structural and thermal information has been reported so far. Comparison of the static structure factors S(Q) has shown that the orientational correlation of CS{sub 2} molecules may be much stronger in the amorphous state than in the liquid state at higher temperature. (authors)

A process for doping an amorphous semiconductor material by ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalbitzer, S.; Muller, G.; Spear, W.E.; Le Comber, P.G.

1979-01-01

In a process for doping a body of amorphous semiconductor material, the body is held at a predetermined temperature above 20 deg. C which is below the recrystallization temperature of the amorphous semiconductor material during bombardment by accelerated ions of a predetermined doping material. (U.K.)

Highly effective field-effect mobility amorphous InGaZnO TFT mediated by directional silver nanowire arrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hung-Chuan; Lai, Yi-Chun; Lai, Chih-Chung; Wu, Bing-Shu; Zan, Hsiao-Wen; Yu, Peichen; Chueh, Yu-Lun; Tsai, Chuang-Chuang

2015-01-14

In this work, we demonstrate sputtered amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide thin-film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs) with a record high effective field-effect mobility of 174 cm(2)/V s by incorporating silver nanowire (AgNW) arrays to channel electron transport. Compared to the reference counterpart without nanowires, the over 5-fold enhancement in the effective field-effect mobility exhibits clear dependence on the orientation as well as the surface coverage ratio of silver nanowires. Detailed material and device analyses reveal that during the room-temperature IGZO sputtering indium and oxygen diffuse into the nanowire matrix while the nanowire morphology and good contact between IGZO and nanowires are maintained. The unchanged morphology and good interfacial contact lead to high mobility and air-ambient-stable characteristics up to 3 months. Neither hysteresis nor degraded bias stress reliability is observed. The proposed AgNW-mediated a-IGZO TFTs are promising for development of large-scale, flexible, transparent electronics.

The phase-change kinetics of amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 and device characteristics investigated by thin-film mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Ju-Young; Kim, Dohyung; Park, Yong-Jin; Yang, Tae-Youl; Lee, Yoo-Yong; Joo, Young-Chang

2015-01-01

For high switching speed and high reliability of phase-change random access memory (PcRAM), we need to identify materials that enable fast crystallization at elevated temperatures but are stable at and above room temperature. Achieving this goal requires a breakthrough in our understanding of the unique crystallization kinetics of amorphous phase change materials as a fragile glass, described as the non-Arrhenius behavior of atomic mobility. It is a highly rewarding task to unravel the unconventional crystallization kinetics and related properties, because these properties can be utilized to predict the device characteristics. This manuscript utilizes the thin-film mechanics to investigate the crystallization kinetics of amorphous Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 phase-change materials doped with Al, Bi, C and N, which is an effective method to analyze the structural changes in amorphous materials. Crystallization temperature, super-cooled liquid region, glass transition temperature and fragility are measured to describe the crystallization kinetics tuned by doping; characteristic fragile-to-strong transition is observed for C and N dopings due to their structural feature as an interstitial dopant. Consequently, doping effects on the phase stability and atomic mobility manifested by the crystallization temperature and the super-cooled liquid region (or 1/fragility) successfully correspond with PcRAM characteristics, i.e., reliability and switching speed, respectively

Crystallization kinetics of amorphous aluminum-tungsten thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Car, T.; Radic, N. [Rugjer Boskovic Inst., Zagreb (Croatia). Div. of Mater. Sci.; Ivkov, J. [Institute of Physics, Bijenicka 46, P.O.B. 304, HR-10000 Zagreb (Croatia); Babic, E.; Tonejc, A. [Faculty of Sciences, Physics Department, Bijenicka 32, P.O.B. 162, HR-10000 Zagreb (Croatia)

1999-01-01

Crystallization kinetics of the amorphous Al-W thin films under non-isothermal conditions was examined by continuous in situ electrical resistance measurements in vacuum. The estimated crystallization temperature of amorphous films in the composition series of the Al{sub 82}W{sub 18} to Al{sub 62}W{sub 38} compounds ranged from 800 K to 920 K. The activation energy for the crystallization and the Avrami exponent were determined. The results indicated that the crystallization mechanism in films with higher tungsten content was a diffusion-controlled process, whereas in films with the composition similar to the stoichiometric compound (Al{sub 4}W), the interface-controlled crystallization probably occurred. (orig.) With 4 figs., 1 tab., 26 refs.

Structural amorphous steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Z.P.; Liu, C.T.; Porter, W.D.; Thompson, J.R.

2004-01-01

Recent advancement in bulk metallic glasses, whose properties are usually superior to their crystalline counterparts, has stimulated great interest in fabricating bulk amorphous steels. While a great deal of effort has been devoted to this field, the fabrication of structural amorphous steels with large cross sections has remained an alchemist's dream because of the limited glass-forming ability (GFA) of these materials. Here we report the discovery of structural amorphous steels that can be cast into glasses with large cross-section sizes using conventional drop-casting methods. These new steels showed interesting physical, magnetic, and mechanical properties, along with high thermal stability. The underlying mechanisms for the superior GFA of these materials are discussed

Synthesis of nano-sized amorphous boron powders through active dilution self-propagating high-temperature synthesis method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Jilin [The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China); Gu, Yunle [School of Material Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430073 (China); Li, Zili [The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China); Wang, Weimin, E-mail: wangwm@hotmail.com [The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China); Fu, Zhengyi [The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China)

2013-06-01

Graphical abstract: Nano-sized amorphous boron powders were synthesized by active dilution self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) method. The effects of endothermic reaction rate, the possible chemical reaction mechanism and active dilution model for synthesis of the product were also discussed. Highlights: ► Nano-sized amorphous boron powders were synthesized by active dilution self-propagating high-temperature synthesis method. ► The morphology, particle size and purity of the samples could be effectively controlled via changing the endothermic rate. ► The diluter KBH{sub 4} played an important role in active dilution synthesis of amorphous nano-sized boron powders. ► The active dilution method could be further popularized and become a common approach to prepare various inorganic materials. - Abstract: Nano-sized amorphous boron powders were synthesized by active dilution self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) method at temperatures ranging from 700 °C to 850 °C in a SHS furnace using Mg, B{sub 2}O{sub 3} and KBH{sub 4} as raw materials. Samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Laser particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission TEM (HRTEM). The boron powders demonstrated an average particle size of 50 nm with a purity of 95.64 wt.%. The diluter KBH{sub 4} played an important role in the active dilution synthesis of amorphous nano-sized boron powders. The effects of endothermic reaction rate, the possible chemical reaction mechanism and active dilution model for synthesis of the product were also discussed.

Synthesis of nano-sized amorphous boron powders through active dilution self-propagating high-temperature synthesis method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jilin; Gu, Yunle; Li, Zili; Wang, Weimin; Fu, Zhengyi

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: Nano-sized amorphous boron powders were synthesized by active dilution self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) method. The effects of endothermic reaction rate, the possible chemical reaction mechanism and active dilution model for synthesis of the product were also discussed. Highlights: ► Nano-sized amorphous boron powders were synthesized by active dilution self-propagating high-temperature synthesis method. ► The morphology, particle size and purity of the samples could be effectively controlled via changing the endothermic rate. ► The diluter KBH 4 played an important role in active dilution synthesis of amorphous nano-sized boron powders. ► The active dilution method could be further popularized and become a common approach to prepare various inorganic materials. - Abstract: Nano-sized amorphous boron powders were synthesized by active dilution self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) method at temperatures ranging from 700 °C to 850 °C in a SHS furnace using Mg, B 2 O 3 and KBH 4 as raw materials. Samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Laser particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission TEM (HRTEM). The boron powders demonstrated an average particle size of 50 nm with a purity of 95.64 wt.%. The diluter KBH 4 played an important role in the active dilution synthesis of amorphous nano-sized boron powders. The effects of endothermic reaction rate, the possible chemical reaction mechanism and active dilution model for synthesis of the product were also discussed

Neutron irradiation induced amorphization of silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snead, L.L.; Hay, J.C.

1998-01-01

This paper provides the first known observation of silicon carbide fully amorphized under neutron irradiation. Both high purity single crystal hcp and high purity, highly faulted (cubic) chemically vapor deposited (CVD) SiC were irradiated at approximately 60 C to a total fast neutron fluence of 2.6 x 10 25 n/m 2 . Amorphization was seen in both materials, as evidenced by TEM, electron diffraction, and x-ray diffraction techniques. Physical properties for the amorphized single crystal material are reported including large changes in density (-10.8%), elastic modulus as measured using a nanoindentation technique (-45%), hardness as measured by nanoindentation (-45%), and standard Vickers hardness (-24%). Similar property changes are observed for the critical temperature for amorphization at this neutron dose and flux, above which amorphization is not possible, is estimated to be greater than 130 C

Amorphous silicon based particle detectors

OpenAIRE

Wyrsch, N.; Franco, A.; Riesen, Y.; Despeisse, M.; Dunand, S.; Powolny, F.; Jarron, P.; Ballif, C.

2012-01-01

Radiation hard monolithic particle sensors can be fabricated by a vertical integration of amorphous silicon particle sensors on top of CMOS readout chip. Two types of such particle sensors are presented here using either thick diodes or microchannel plates. The first type based on amorphous silicon diodes exhibits high spatial resolution due to the short lateral carrier collection. Combination of an amorphous silicon thick diode with microstrip detector geometries permits to achieve micromete...

Low-energy excitations in amorphous films of silicon and germanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, X.; Pohl, R.O.

1998-01-01

We present measurements of internal friction and shear modulus of amorphous Si (a-Si) and amorphous Ge (a-Ge) films on double-paddle oscillators at 5500 Hz from 0.5 K up to room temperature. The temperature- independent plateau in internal friction below 10 K, which is common to all amorphous solids, also exists in these films. However, its magnitude is smaller than found for all other amorphous solids studied to date. Furthermore, it depends critically on the deposition methods. For a-Si films, it decreases in the sequence of electron-beam evaporation, sputtering, self-ion implantation, and hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition (HWCVD). Annealing can also reduce the internal friction of the amorphous films considerably. Hydrogenated a-Si with 1 at.% H prepared by HWCVD leads to an internal friction more than two orders of magnitude smaller than observed for all other amorphous solids. The internal friction increases after the hydrogen is removed by effusion. Our results are compared with earlier measurements on a-Si and a-Ge films, none of which had the sensitivity achieved here. The variability of the low-energy tunneling states in the a-Si and a-Ge films may be a consequence of the tetrahedrally bonded covalent continuous random network. The perfection of this network, however, depends critically on the preparation conditions, with hydrogen incorporation playing a particularly important role. copyright 1998 The American Physical Society

Mechanical properties and microstructure of commercial amorphous golf club heads made of Zr-Ti-Cu-Ni-Be bulk metallic glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Y.C.; Hong, S.I.

2007-01-01

Mechanical properties and microstructures of Zr 41.2 Ti 13.8 Cu 12.5 Ni 10 Be 22.5 (numbers indicate at.%) bulk metallic glass taken from commercial golf club heads were investigated at room temperature and 573 K. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicate that the thin central section of the golf club head is amorphous and the outer rim of the head is crystallized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed the presence of Zr 2 Cu, ZrBe 2 , Cu 2 Ni and BeNi in the rim of the iron head. In the crystallized region, crystalline particles with the size of ∼1 μm were observed. At room temperature, amorphous sample (∼2100 MPa) revealed higher fracture stress than crystallized sample (∼1700 MPa). Crystallized sample fractured in the elastic region whereas the amorphous sample displayed some plasticity corresponding serrated flow before the fracture. The serrated flow region with some plasticity in the amorphous alloy results from strain hardening and repetitive shear band initiation and propagation. The crystallized alloy extracted from the thick part of the club fractured in the elastic region, at a much lower stress level than the amorphous, suggesting that relatively coarse crystal particles formed during cooling cause the brittle fracture. Scanning electron microscope observations revealed that the compressive fracture surface of the samples from the central thin section mainly consisted of vein-like structure, but the samples from the outer rim of the head showed mixture of vein-like structure and featureless brittle fracture morphology. At 573 K, both samples exhibited the decrease of strength and fractured in the elastic region. In this study, the effect of crystallization on the reliability and safety of golf club heads was also examined

Magnetic and Random Anisotropy Studies in some Amorphous Fe-Based Compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Tlemçani, Mohamed; Benbachir, Khadija; Sayouri, Salaheddine; Meknassi, K.; Kadiri, H.

2000-12-01

We have studied the magnetization of melt spun amorphous Fe100-x-yCrx(PCSi)y alloys with 4≤x≤11 and 19≤y≤22 under magnetic fields up to 18 kOe, and have analyzed the results at 10 K in the framework of the phenomenological model of Chudnovsky and Serota. Behaviour of magnetic moment and exchange and anisotropy constants has been compared to that of the same parameters in amorphous FeNi(BSi), FeNiCr(BSi) and FeV(BSi).

Amorphous drugs and dosage forms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grohganz, Holger; Löbmann, K.; Priemel, P.

2013-01-01

The transformation to an amorphous form is one of the most promising approaches to address the low solubility of drug compounds, the latter being an increasing challenge in the development of new drug candidates. However, amorphous forms are high energy solids and tend to recry stallize. New...... formulation principles are needed to ensure the stability of amorphous drug forms. The formation of solid dispersions is still the most investigated approach, but additional approaches are desirable to overcome the shortcomings of solid dispersions. Spatial separation by either coating or the use of micro-containers...... before single molecules are available for the formation of crystal nuclei, thus stabilizing the amorphous form....

Validity and Reliability of Korean Version of Health Empowerment Scale (K-HES for Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chorong Park, MSN, RN

2013-09-01

Conclusion: The K-HES had acceptable validity and reliability. The brevity and ease of administration of the K-HES makes it a suitable tool for evaluating empowerment-based education programs targeted towards older populations.

Amorphous nickel/cobalt tungsten sulfide electrocatalysts for high-efficiency hydrogen evolution reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Lun [Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, MOE, Institute of Acoustics and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Wu, Xinglong, E-mail: hkxlwu@nju.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, MOE, Institute of Acoustics and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Department of Physics, NingBo University, NingBo 315001 (China); Zhu, Xiaoshu [Center for Analysis and Testing, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210093 (China); He, Chengyu; Meng, Ming; Gan, Zhixing [Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, MOE, Institute of Acoustics and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Chu, Paul K. [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

2015-06-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Amorphous nickel/cobalt tungsten sulfides were synthesized by a thermolytic process. • Amorphous NiWS and CoWS could realize hydrogen evolution efficiently. • Ni/Co promotion and annealing alter the porous structure and chemical bonding states. • Active sites on the surface of amorphous WS{sub x} are increased with Ni or Co doping. • Amorphous NiWS and CoWS have immense potentials in water splitting devices. - Abstract: The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), an appealing solution for future energy supply, requires efficient and inexpensive electrocatalysts with abundant active surface sites. Although crystalline MoS{sub 2} and WS{sub 2} are promising candidates, their activity is dominated by edge sites. Amorphous tungsten sulfide prepared so far lacks the required active sites and its application has thus been hampered. In this work, nickel and cobalt incorporated amorphous tungsten sulfide synthesized by a thermolytic process is demonstrated to enhance the HER efficiency dramatically. The amorphous nickel tungsten sulfide (amorphous NiWS) annealed at 210 °C delivers the best HER performance in this system boasting a Tafel slope of 55 mV per decade and current density of 8.6 mA cm{sup −2} at 250 mV overpotential in a sustained test for 24 h. The introduction of Ni or Co into the catalyst and subsequent thermal treatment alters the porous structure and chemical bonding states thereby increasing the density of active sites on the surface.

Thermal expansion of amorphous Zr65Al7.5Cu17.5Ni10 in the vicinity of the glass transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geier, N.; Weiss, M.; Moske, M.; Samwer, K.

2000-01-01

The thermal expansion of non-crystalline Zr 65 Al 7.5 Cu 17.5 Ni 10 has been studied in the range of the glass transition and in the undercooled liquid using a dilatometric device. The measuring technique used permits reliable experimental results up to 40 K above the glass transition temperature. The linear thermal expansion coefficient obtained is almost constant in the glassy state with a value of 8.0 x 10 -6 K -1 . It discontinuously increases at the glass transition temperature yielding a value of 20.0 x 10 -6 K -1 in the undercooled liquid. The results are compared with specific heat measurements of the amorphous material in this temperature range and are interpreted in the framework of a cluster model. (orig.)

Crystalline-to-amorphous phase transformation in mechanically alloyed Fe50W50 powders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherif El-Eskandarany, M.S.; Sumiyama, K.; Suzuki, K.

1997-01-01

A mechanical alloying process via a ball milling technique has been applied for preparing amorphous Fe 50 W 50 alloy powders. The results have shown that during the first and second stages of milling (0 to 360 ks) W atoms emigrate to Fe lattices to form nanocrystalline b.c.c. Fe-W solid solution, with a grain size of about 7 nm in diameter. After 720 ks of the milling time, this solid solution was transformed to an amorphous Fe-W alloy coexisting with the residual fraction of the unprocessed W powders. During the last stage of milling (720 to 1,440 ks) all of this residual W powder reacts with the amorphous phase to form a homogeneous Fe 50 W 50 amorphous alloy. The crystallization temperature and the enthalpy change of crystallization of amorphous Fe 50 W 50 powders milled for 1,440 ks were measured to be 860 K and -9kJ/mol, respectively. The amorphous Fe 50 W 50 powder produced is almost paramagnetic at room temperature. The powder comprises homogeneous and smooth spheres with an average size of about 0.5 microm in diameter

Neutron Scattering Analysis of Water's Glass Transition and Micropore Collapse in Amorphous Solid Water.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Catherine R; Mitterdorfer, Christian; Youngs, Tristan G A; Bowron, Daniel T; Fraser, Helen J; Loerting, Thomas

2016-05-27

The question of the nature of water's glass transition has continued to be disputed over many years. Here we use slow heating scans (0.4  K min^{-1}) of compact amorphous solid water deposited at 77 K and an analysis of the accompanying changes in the small-angle neutron scattering signal, to study mesoscale changes in the ice network topology. From the data we infer the onset of rotational diffusion at 115 K, a sudden switchover from nondiffusive motion and enthalpy relaxation of the network at 121  K, in excellent agreement with the glass transition onset deduced from heat capacity and dielectric measurements. This indicates that water's glass transition is linked with long-range transport of water molecules on the time scale of minutes and, thus, clarifies its nature. Furthermore, the slow heating rates combined with the high crystallization resistance of the amorphous sample allow us to identify the glass transition end point at 136 K, which is well separated from the crystallization onset at 144 K-in contrast to all earlier experiments in the field.

The effect of simultaneous electron and Kr+ irradiation on amorphization of CuTi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koike, J.; Okamoto, P.R.; Rehn, L.E.; Meshii, M.

1989-01-01

CuTi was irradiated with 1-MeV electrons and Kr + ions simultaneously at temperatures from 10 to 423 K. Retardation of Kr + -induced amorphization was observed with simultaneous electron irradiation at 295 and 423 K. The retardation effect increased with increasing irradiation temperature and relative electron-to-Kr dose rate. In contrast, simultaneous irradiation below 100 K showed an additive effect of electron- and Kr + -induced amorphization. The results can be explained by the mobility point defects introduced by electron irradiation interacting with Kr + -induced displacement cascades. 6 refs., 6 figs

Model of the recrystallization mechanism of amorphous silicon layers created by ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drosd, R.M.

1979-11-01

The recrystallization behavior during annealing of thin films of amorphous (α) silicon, in contact with a single crystal silicon substrate (referred to as C), has been studied in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The amorphous film is created during high dose phosphorus ion implantation at 100 keV. It was found that the crystal substrate orientation and the implantation temperature have dramatic effects on the recrystallizaton rate, and the defect microstructure produced during annealing. Specifically, (100) wafers implanted at 77 0 K contain only a low density of dislocation loops, but when the same wafer is implanted at room temperature the dislocation density is increased drastically. (111) wafers, when implanted at 77 0 K show a high density of microtwins, but as the implantation temperature is increased a gradual increase in the density of dislocation loops is observed along with a reduction of the microtwins. At an implantation temperature of about 100 0 C both orientations give an identical defect microstructure when annealed, which is a dense tangle of dislocations

Reliable measurement of the Seebeck coefficient of organic and inorganic materials between 260 K and 460 K

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beretta, D.; Lanzani, G. [Center for Nano Science and Technology @PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Pascoli 70/3, 20133 Milano (MI) (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano (MI) (Italy); Bruno, P.; Caironi, M., E-mail: mario.caironi@iit.it [Center for Nano Science and Technology @PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Pascoli 70/3, 20133 Milano (MI) (Italy)

2015-07-15

A new experimental setup for reliable measurement of the in-plane Seebeck coefficient of organic and inorganic thin films and bulk materials is reported. The system is based on the “Quasi-Static” approach and can measure the thermopower in the range of temperature between 260 K and 460 K. The system has been tested on a pure nickel bulk sample and on a thin film of commercially available PEDOT:PSS deposited by spin coating on glass. Repeatability within 1.5% for the nickel sample is demonstrated, while accuracy in the measurement of both organic and inorganic samples is guaranteed by time interpolation of data and by operating with a temperature difference over the sample of less than 1 K.

PECVD deposition of device-quality intrinsic amorphous silicon at high growth rate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1993-11-01

The combined influence of RF-power density (RFP) and silane flow-rate ([Phi]) on the deposition rate of plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) intrinsic amorphous silicon has been investigated. The correlation of the results obtained from the characterisation of the material with the silane deposition efficiency, as deduced from mass spectrometry, has led to an interpretation allowing to deposit intrinsic amorphous-silicon films having an optical gap of 1.87 eV and a photoconductive ratio (ratio of ambient-temperature conductivities under 1 sun AM1 and in dark) of 6 orders of magnitude at growth rates up to 10 A/s, without any structural modification of the PECVD system used. Such results are considered of high relevance regarding industrial competitiveness. (orig.)

Achievement report on Sunshine Program research and development for fiscal 1981. Research and development of amorphous solar cells (Research and development of integrated type amorphous solar cells); 1981 nendo amorphous taiyo denchi no kenkyu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Shusekigata amorphous taiyo denchi no kenkyu kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1982-03-01

An a-SiC (amorphous SiC) material with a wider band gap adds to the conventional hydrogen- and fluorine-based a-Si materials in the study for device efficiency enhancement, and the a-SiC is found suitable as a wide-gap window material. The separated formation technique is found to work effectively for improvement on cell characteristics because it prevents the mixing of impurities of different types. A p-i-n (positive-intrinsic-negative) type amorphous solar cell is subjected to analysis, and a theoretical efficiency of 12.5% is obtained in photoelectric conversion. A conversion efficiency not less than 7% is obtained from an ITO (indium-tin oxide)/p(SiC)-i-n/Al cell on a glass substrate. Design is optimized for area enlargement for an integrated type device, which results in an experimental 10cm-square integrated type solar cell with a conversion efficiency of not less than 5%. As for modularization, a glass substrate for integrated type device is used, as is, as a light-receiving surface protecting board, and studies are conducted thereon. It is then found that the amorphous solar cell experiences some degradation in reliability at the beginning of an irradiation test but that no extensive degradation in reliability is observed even after the passage of 1,000 hours from the beginning of the test. The separated formation technique is found suitable for use in mass production. (NEDO)

Electrical and Magnetic Properties of Binary Amorphous Transition Metal Alloys.

Science.gov (United States)

Liou, Sy-Hwang

The electrical, superconductive and magnetic properties of several binary transition metal amorphous and metastable crystalline alloys, Fe(,x)Ti(,100-x) (30 (LESSTHEQ) x (LESSTHEQ) 100), Fe(,x)Zr(,100-x) (20 (LESSTHEQ) x (LESSTHEQ) 93), Fe(,x)Hf(,100-x) (20 (LESSTHEQ) x (LESSTHEQ) 100), Fe(,x)Nb(,100 -x) (22 (LESSTHEQ) x (LESSTHEQ) 85), Ni(,x)Nb(,100-x) (20 (LESSTHEQ) x (LESSTHEQ) 80), Cu(,x)Nb(,100-x) (10 (LESSTHEQ) x (LESSTHEQ) 90) were studied over a wide composition range. Films were made using a magnetron sputtering system, and the structure of the films was investigated by energy dispersive x-ray diffraction. The composition region of each amorphous alloys system was determined and found in good agreement with a model proposed by Egami and Waseda. The magnetic properties and hyperfine interactions in the films were investigated using a conventional Mossbauer spectrometer and a ('57)Co in Rh matrix source. In all Fe-early transition metal binary alloys systems, Fe does not retain its moment in the low iron concentration region and the result is that the critical concentration for magnetic order (x(,c)) is much larger than anticipated from percolation considerations. A direct comparison between crystalline alloys and their amorphous counterparts of the same composition illustrate no clear correlation between crystalline and amorphous states. Pronounced discontinuities in the magnetic properties with variation in Fe content of all Fe-early transition metal alloys at phase boundaries separating amorphous and crystalline states have been observed. This is caused by the differences in the atomic arrangement and the electronic structure between crystalline and amorphous solids. The temperature dependence of resistivity, (rho)(T), of several binary amorphous alloys of Fe-TM (where TM = Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb etc.) has been studied from 2K to 300K. The Fe-poor (x x(,c)) samples have distinctive differences in (rho)(T) at low temperature (below 30K). All the magnetic samples

Reliability of supply of switchgear for auxiliary low voltage in substations extra high voltage to high voltage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perić Dragoslav M.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Switchgear for auxiliary low voltage in substations (SS of extra high voltages (EHV to high voltage (HV - SS EHV/HV kV/kV is of special interest for the functioning of these important SS, as it provides a supply for system of protection and other vital functions of SS. The article addresses several characteristic examples involving MV lines with varying degrees of independence of their supply, and the possible application of direct transformation EHV/LV through special voltage transformers. Auxiliary sources such as inverters and diesel generators, which have limited power and expensive energy, are also used for the supply of switchgear for auxiliary low voltage. Corresponding reliability indices are calculated for all examples including mean expected annual engagement of diesel generators. The applicability of certain solutions of switchgear for auxiliary low voltage SS EHV/HV, taking into account their reliability, feasibility and cost-effectiveness is analyzed too. In particular, the analysis of applications of direct transformation EHV/LV for supply of switchgear for auxiliary low voltage, for both new and existing SS EHV/HV.

Amorphous silicon ionizing particle detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Street, Robert A.; Mendez, Victor P.; Kaplan, Selig N.

1988-01-01

Amorphous silicon ionizing particle detectors having a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a--Si:H) thin film deposited via plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition techniques are utilized to detect the presence, position and counting of high energy ionizing particles, such as electrons, x-rays, alpha particles, beta particles and gamma radiation.

Amorphous Silicon-Germanium Films with Embedded Nanocrystals for Thermal Detectors with Very High Sensitivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cesar Calleja

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We have optimized the deposition conditions of amorphous silicon-germanium films with embedded nanocrystals in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD reactor, working at a standard frequency of 13.56 MHz. The objective was to produce films with very large Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR, which is a signature of the sensitivity in thermal detectors (microbolometers. Morphological, electrical, and optical characterization were performed in the films, and we found optimal conditions for obtaining films with very high values of thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR = 7.9% K−1. Our results show that amorphous silicon-germanium films with embedded nanocrystals can be used as thermosensitive films in high performance infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPAs used in commercial thermal cameras.

A molecular dynamics approach for predicting the glass transition temperature and plasticization effect in amorphous pharmaceuticals.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Jasmine; Nunes, Cletus; Jonnalagadda, Sriramakamal

2013-11-04

The objectives of this study were as follows: (i) To develop an in silico technique, based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, to predict glass transition temperatures (Tg) of amorphous pharmaceuticals. (ii) To computationally study the effect of plasticizer on Tg. (iii) To investigate the intermolecular interactions using radial distribution function (RDF). Amorphous sucrose and water were selected as the model compound and plasticizer, respectively. MD simulations were performed using COMPASS force field and isothermal-isobaric ensembles. The specific volumes of amorphous cells were computed in the temperature range of 440-265 K. The characteristic "kink" observed in volume-temperature curves, in conjunction with regression analysis, defined the Tg. The MD computed Tg values were 367 K, 352 K and 343 K for amorphous sucrose containing 0%, 3% and 5% w/w water, respectively. The MD technique thus effectively simulated the plasticization effect of water; and the corresponding Tg values were in reasonable agreement with theoretical models and literature reports. The RDF measurements revealed strong hydrogen bond interactions between sucrose hydroxyl oxygens and water oxygen. Steric effects led to weak interactions between sucrose acetal oxygens and water oxygen. MD is thus a powerful predictive tool for probing temperature and water effects on the stability of amorphous systems during drug development.

Crystallization Behavior of A Bulk Amorphous Mg62Cu26Y12 Alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shyue-Sheng; Chin, Tsung-Shune; Su, Kuo-Chang

1994-07-01

The crystallization temperature, the associated activation energy and the crystallized structure of a bulk amorphous Mg62Cu26Y12 alloy with a diameter of 2.5 mm were studied. It possesses a one-step crystallization behavior. The crystallization reaction was found to be represented by: AM(MG62Cu26Y12)→Mg2Cu+MgY+CuY+Mg, ( Tx=188°C, Eac=134 kJ/mol) where AM represents the amorphous state, T x the crystallization temperature at an infinitesimal heating rate, and E ac the associated activation energy. The amount of crystalline phases were found to be Mg2Cu:MgY:CuY=76:17:7. The Mg phase is identifiable only by high resolution electron microscopy, not by X-ray diffraction. The crystallization leads to a sharp rise in electrical resistivity which is reversed to those of iron-based amorphous alloys.

Thermally-activated internal friction peaks in amorphous films of Nb3Ge and Nb3Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, B.S.; Pritchet, W.C.

1978-01-01

A large number of the thermally-activated internal friction peaks observed in crystalline solids are associated with the general mechanism of stress-induced directional short-range ordering. These peaks are an indirect but nevertheless valuable structural probe, and provide an important means of obtaining quantitative information on the kinetics of local atomic movements. This paper deals with what are thought to be the first-known examples of such peaks in the field of metallic glasses. The peaks have been observed in amorphous films of Nb 3 Ge and Nb 3 Si which are both superconductors with transition temperatures Tsub(c) near 3.6K. Although Tsub(c) is thus well below the record values of approximately equal to 23K reported for crystalline films of Nb 3 Ge, Tsuei has found the amorphous films to be much superior mechanically to their crystalline counterparts. Consequently, the amorphous films have technological interest as an easily-handled source from which the brittle high-Tsub(c) phase may be obtained by a final in-situ anneal. (author)

The Stabilization of Amorphous Zopiclone in an Amorphous Solid Dispersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Milne, Marnus; Liebenberg, Wilna; Aucamp, Marique

2015-10-01

Zopiclone is a poorly soluble psychotherapeutic agent. The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize an amorphous form of zopiclone as well as the characterization and performance of a stable amorphous solid dispersion. The amorphous form was prepared by the well-known method of quench-cooling of the melt. The solid dispersion was prepared by a solvent evaporation method of zopiclone, polyvinylpyrrolidone-25 (PVP-25), and methanol, followed by freeze-drying. The physico-chemical properties and stability of amorphous zopiclone and the solid dispersion was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), hot-stage microscopy (HSM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), solubility, and dissolution studies. The zopiclone amorphous solid-state form was determined to be a fragile glass; it was concluded that the stability of the amorphous form is influenced by both temperature and water. Exposure of amorphous zopiclone to moisture results in rapid transformation of the amorphous form to the crystalline dihydrated form. In comparison, the amorphous solid dispersion proved to be more stable with increased aqueous solubility.

Feasibility study of hydrogenated amorphous alloys as high-damping materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizubayashi, H.; Ishikawa, Y.; Tanimoto, H.

2004-01-01

The hydrogen internal friction peak (HIFP) and the tensile strength, σ f , in amorphous (denoted by 'a') Zr 60-y Cu 30 Al 10 Si y (y=0, 1) and a-Zr 40 Cu 50-x Al 10 Si x (x=0, 1) alloys are investigated as a function of the hydrogen concentration, C H . The drastic increase in the peak temperature, T p , of the HIFP due to the Si addition by 1 at.% is found for the a-Zr 40 Cu 49 Al 10 Si 1 , where the decrease in 1/τ 0 (τ 0 denotes the pre-exponential factor of the relaxation time for the HIFP) from 1.5x10 12 s -1 to 3.0x10 10 s -1 is observed. On the other hand, the increase in T p due to the Si addition by 1 at.% is much smaller for a-Zr 59 Cu 30 Al 10 Si 1 , where 1/τ 0 for the HIFP in a-Zr 60 Cu 30 Al 10 is already as low as that for a- Zr 40 Cu 49 Al 10 Si 1 . For the HIFP with the peak height, Q p -1 , beyond 1x10 -2 , Q p -1 in the as-charged state decreases after heating to about 380 K because of the hydrogen induced structural relaxation (HISR). The HIFP with Q p -1 below 1x10 -2 is rather stable against the HISR. It is suggested that the highly anisotropic local strain around a hydrogen atom is responsible for the very high Q p -1 and the HISR. For the high-strength and high-damping performance, σ f is higher than 1.5 GPa and Q p -1 after the HISR is slightly lower than 1x10 -2 for the present Zr-Cu-Al-(Si) a-alloys

Molecular simulation strategy for mechanical modeling of amorphous/porous low-dielectric constant materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yuan, C.A.; Sluis, van der O.; Zhang, G.Q.; Ernst, L.J.; Driel, van W.D.; Flower, A.E.; Silfhout, van R.B.R.

2008-01-01

We propose an amorphous/porous molecular connection network generation algorithm for simulating the material stiffness of a low-k material (SiOC:H). Based on a given concentration of the basic building blocks, this algorithm will generate an approximate and large amorphous network. The molecular

Computer simulations of disordering and amorphization kinetics in intermetallic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spaczer, M.; Victoria, M.

1995-01-01

Molecular dynamics computer simulations on three intermetallic compounds, Cu 3 Au, Ni 3 Al and NiAl, have been performed to investigate the kinetics of the disordering and amorphization processes. These systems were chosen because reliable embedded atom potentials were developed for the constituent species and their alloys, and also because extended experimental results are available for them. Previous simulations of collision cascades with 5 keV Cu and Ni primary knock-out atom (PKA) showed a significant difference between the evolution of the short range order (SRO) and the crystalline order (CO) parameters in all of the intermetallics: a complete loss of the crystalline structure and only partial chemical disorder in the core of the cascade [T. Diaz de la Rubia et al., Phys. Rev. B 47 (1993) 11483; M. Spaczer et al., Phys. Rev. B 50 (1994) 13204]. The present paper deals with the simulation of the amorphization process in NiAl by 5 and 15 keV Ni PKAs. The kinetic energy of the atoms in the simulated systems was removed on different time scales to mimic strong or weak coupling between electrons and phonons. No evidence of amorphization was found at the end of the cascades created by the 5 keV recoils. However, the 15 keV PKA events showed that (i) in the no-coupling case the system evolved to a highly disordered state, (ii) an amorphous region with about 100 non-lattice atoms was found in the case of weak coupling, (iii) the locally melted and recrystallized region collapsed to a small dislocation loop when medium coupling was used and (iv) a highly ordered state resulted in the case of strong coupling. (orig.)

Phase transitions of amorphous solid acetone in confined geometry investigated by reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Sunghwan; Kang, Hani; Kim, Jun Soo; Kang, Heon

2014-11-26

We investigated the phase transformations of amorphous solid acetone under confined geometry by preparing acetone films trapped in amorphous solid water (ASW) or CCl4. Reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) were used to monitor the phase changes of the acetone sample with increasing temperature. An acetone film trapped in ASW shows an abrupt change in the RAIRS features of the acetone vibrational bands during heating from 80 to 100 K, which indicates the transformation of amorphous solid acetone to a molecularly aligned crystalline phase. Further heating of the sample to 140 K produces an isotropic solid phase, and eventually a fluid phase near 157 K, at which the acetone sample is probably trapped in a pressurized, superheated condition inside the ASW matrix. Inside a CCl4 matrix, amorphous solid acetone crystallizes into a different, isotropic structure at ca. 90 K. We propose that the molecularly aligned crystalline phase formed in ASW is created by heterogeneous nucleation at the acetone-water interface, with resultant crystal growth, whereas the isotropic crystalline phase in CCl4 is formed by homogeneous crystal growth starting from the bulk region of the acetone sample.

Magnetoimpedance of cobalt-based amorphous ribbons/polymer composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Semirov, A.V., E-mail: semirov@mail.ru [Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk (Russian Federation); Derevyanko, M.S.; Bukreev, D.A.; Moiseev, A.A.; Kudryavtsev, V.O. [Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk (Russian Federation); Safronov, A.P. [Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg (Russian Federation)

2016-10-01

The combined influence of the temperature, the elastic tensile stress and the external magnetic field on the total impedance and impedance components were studied for rapidly quenched amorphous Co{sub 75}Fe{sub 5}Si{sub 4}B{sub 16} ribbons. Both as-cast amorphous ribbons and Co{sub 75}Fe{sub 5}Si{sub 4}B{sub 16}/polymer amorphous ribbon based composites were considered. Following polymer coverings were studied: modified rubber solution in o-xylene, solution of butyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid copolymer in isopropanol and solution of polymethylphenylsiloxane resin in toluene. All selected composites showed very good adhesion of the coverings and allowed to provide temperature measurements from 163 K up to 383 K under the applied deforming tensile force up to 30 N. The dependence of the modulus of the impedance and its components on the external magnetic field was influenced by the elastic tensile stresses and was affected by the temperature of the samples. It was shown that maximal sensitivity of the impedance and its components to the external magnetic field was observed at minimal temperature and maximal deforming force depended on the frequency of an alternating current. - Highlights: • Impedance and its components of amorphous Co{sub 75}Fe{sub 5}Si{sub 4}B{sub 16} ribbons were studied. • MI sensitivity to the magnetic field depends on a temperature and a deforming force. • Polymer covering can affect the functional properties of the composite.

Electrical Performance and Reliability Improvement of Amorphous-Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide Thin-Film Transistors with HfO₂ Gate Dielectrics by CF₄ Plasma Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Ching-Lin; Tseng, Fan-Ping; Tseng, Chiao-Yuan

2018-05-17

In this work, amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide thin-film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs) with a HfO₂ gate insulator and CF₄ plasma treatment was demonstrated for the first time. Through the plasma treatment, both the electrical performance and reliability of the a-IGZO TFT with HfO₂ gate dielectric were improved. The carrier mobility significantly increased by 80.8%, from 30.2 cm²/V∙s (without treatment) to 54.6 cm²/V∙s (with CF₄ plasma treatment), which is due to the incorporated fluorine not only providing an extra electron to the IGZO, but also passivating the interface trap density. In addition, the reliability of the a-IGZO TFT with HfO₂ gate dielectric has also been improved by the CF₄ plasma treatment. By applying the CF₄ plasma treatment to the a-IGZO TFT, the hysteresis effect of the device has been improved and the device's immunity against moisture from the ambient atmosphere has been enhanced. It is believed that the CF₄ plasma treatment not only significantly improves the electrical performance of a-IGZO TFT with HfO₂ gate dielectric, but also enhances the device's reliability.

Measured and calculated K-fluorescence effects on the MTF of an amorphous-selenium based CCD x-ray detector.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, David M; Belev, George; Kasap, Safa; Yaffe, Martin J

2012-02-01

Theoretical reasoning suggests that direct conversion digital x-ray detectors based upon photoconductive amorphous-selenium (a-Se) could attain very high values of the MTF (modulation transfer function) at spatial frequencies well beyond 20 cycles mm(-1). One of the fundamental factors affecting resolution loss, particularly at x-ray energies just above the K-edge of selenium (12.66 keV), is the K-fluorescence reabsorption mechanism, wherein energy can be deposited in the detector at locations laterally displaced from the initial x-ray interaction site. This paper compares measured MTF changes above and below the Se K-edge of a CCD based a-Se x-ray detector with theoretical expectations. A prototype 25 μm sampling pitch (Nyquist frequency = 20 cycles mm(-1), 200 μm thick a-Se layer based x-ray detector, utilizing a specialized CCD readout device (200 × 400 area array), was used to make edge images with monochromatic x-rays above and below the K-edge of Se. A vacuum double crystal monochromator, exposed to polychromatic x-rays from a synchrotron, formed the monochromatic x-ray source. The monochromaticity of the x-rays was 99% or better. The presampling MTF was determined using the slanted edge method. The theory modeling the MTF performance of the detector includes the basic x-ray interaction physics in the a-Se layer as well as effects related to the operation of the CCD and charge trapping at a blocking layer present at the CCD/a-Se interface. The MTF performance of the prototype a-Se CCD was reduced from the theoretical value prescribed by the basic Se x-ray interaction physics, principally by the presence of a blocking layer. Nevertheless, the K-fluorescence reduction in the MTF was observed, approximately as predicted by theory. For the CCD prototype detector, at five cycles mm(-1), there was a 14% reduction of the MTF, from a value of 0.7 below the K-edge of Se, to 0.6 just above the K-edge. The MTF of an a-Se x-ray detector has been measured using

Infrared Spectra and Optical Constants of Elusive Amorphous Methane

Science.gov (United States)

Gerakines, Perry A.; Hudson, Reggie L.

2015-01-01

New and accurate laboratory results are reported for amorphous methane (CH4) ice near 10 K for the study of the interstellar medium (ISM) and the outer Solar System. Near- and mid-infrared (IR) data, including spectra, band strengths, absorption coefficients, and optical constants, are presented for the first time for this seldom-studied amorphous solid. The apparent IR band strength near 1300 cm(exp -1) (7.69 micrometer) for amorphous CH4 is found to be about 33% higher than the value long used by IR astronomers to convert spectral observations of interstellar CH4 into CH4 abundances. Although CH4 is most likely to be found in an amorphous phase in the ISM, a comparison of results from various laboratory groups shows that the earlier CH4 band strength at 1300 cm(exp -1) (7.69 micrometer) was derived from IR spectra of ices that were either partially or entirely crystalline CH4 Applications of the new amorphous-CH4 results are discussed, and all optical constants are made available in electronic form.

Ultras-stable Physical Vapor Deposited Amorphous Teflon Films with Extreme Fictive Temperature Reduction

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, Gregory; Yoon, Heedong; Koh, Yung; Simon, Sindee

In the present work, we have produced highly stable amorphous fluoropolymer (Teflon AF® 1600) films to study the calorimetric and relaxation behavior in the deep in the glassy regime. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) was used to produce 110 to 700 nm PVD films with substrate temperature ranging from 0.70 Tg to 0.90 Tg. Fictive temperature (Tf) was measured using Flash DSC with 600 K/s heating and cooling rates. Consistent with prior observations for small molecular weight glasses, large enthalpy overshoots were observed in the stable amorphous Teflon films. The Tf reduction for the stable Teflon films deposited in the vicinity of 0.85 Tg was approximately 70 K compared to the Tgof the rejuvenated system. The relaxation behavior of stable Teflon films was measured using the TTU bubble inflation technique and following Struik's protocol in the temperature range from Tf to Tg. The results show that the relaxation time decreases with increasing aging time implying that devitrification is occurring in this regime.

Molecular relaxation behavior and isothermal crystallization above glass transition temperature of amorphous hesperetin.

Science.gov (United States)

Shete, Ganesh; Khomane, Kailas S; Bansal, Arvind Kumar

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the relaxation behavior of amorphous hesperetin (HRN), using dielectric spectroscopy, and assessment of its crystallization kinetics above glass transition temperature (Tg ). Amorphous HRN exhibited both local (β-) and global (α-) relaxations. β-Relaxation was observed below Tg , whereas α-relaxation prominently emerged above Tg . β-Relaxation was found to be of Johari-Goldstein type and was correlated with α-process by coupling model. Secondly, isothermal crystallization experiments were performed at 363 K (Tg + 16.5 K), 373 K (Tg + 26.5 K), and 383 K (Tg + 36.5 K). The kinetics of crystallization, obtained from the normalized dielectric strength, was modeled using the Avrami model. Havriliak-Negami (HN) shape parameters, αHN and αHN .βHN , were analyzed during the course of crystallization to understand the dynamics of amorphous phase during the emergence of crystallites. HN shape parameters indicated that long range (α-like) were motions affected to a greater extent than short range (β-like) motions during isothermal crystallization studies at all temperature conditions. The variable behavior of α-like motions at different isothermal crystallization temperatures was attributed to evolving crystallites with time and increase in electrical conductivity with temperature. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Temperature dependence of the Moessbauer spectra of amorphous and nanocrystallized Fe86Zr7Cu1B6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orue, I.; Gorria, P.; Plazaola, F.; Fernandez-Gubieda, M.L.; Barandiaran, J.M.

1994-01-01

Moessbauer measurements have been performed on amorphous and nanocrystalline alloy ribbons of nominal composition Fe 86 Zr 7 Cu 1 B 6 . The nanocrystalline samples were obtained by annealing the as-quenched alloy at different temperatures in the range between 650 and 870 K. Moessbauer spectra of the as-quenched amorphous sample have been recorded at 77 K, room temperature and above the Curie temperature (∼ 330 K) at 360 K. We have also performed Moessbauer measurements at room temperature in the nanocrystalline alloys to characterize the phases that appear after the annealing and their relative concentration. The as-quenched sample spectra reveal the existence of two inequivalent sites for Fe. Such a feature is also observed in the remaining amorphous phase of the annealed samples. In the first steps of crystallization, α-Fe precipitates and its concentration increases with the annealing temperature. The experimental results suggest that the composition of the whole amorphous phase does not suffer large changes during crystallization. (orig.)

Reduction experiment of FeO-bearing amorphous silicate: application to origin of metallic iron in GEMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuno, Junya; Tsuchiyama, Akira; Miyake, Akira [Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Noguchi, Ryo [Department of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Ichikawa, Satoshi, E-mail: jmatsuno@kueps.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Institute for Nano-science Design, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan)

2014-09-10

Glass with embedded metal and sulfides (GEMS) are amorphous silicates included in anhydrous interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and can provide information about material evolution in our early solar system. Several formation processes for GEMS have been proposed so far, but these theories are still being debated. To investigate a possible GEMS origin by reduction of interstellar silicates, we synthesized amorphous silicates with a mean GEMS composition and performed heating experiments in a reducing atmosphere. FeO-bearing amorphous silicates were heated at 923 K and 973 K for 3 hr, and at 1023 K for 1-48 hr at ambient pressure in a reducing atmosphere. Fe grains formed at the interface between the silicate and the reducing gas through a reduction. In contrast, TEM observations of natural GEMS show that metallic grains are uniformly embedded in amorphous silicates. Therefore, the present study suggests that metallic inclusions in GEMS could not form as reduction products and that other formation process such as condensation or irradiation are more likely.

Magnetoconductance of amorphous Yx-Si1-x alloys near the metal-insulator transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanquer, M.; Tourbot, R.; Boucher, B.

1989-01-01

We have performed magnetoresistance experiments across the Metal-Insulator transition in amorphous Y x -Si 1-x alloys using very high fields (H = 40T) and very low temperatures (T = 0.05K). Different and unusual behaviours are observed and can be explained assuming that the electron-electron interaction contribution dominates at low fields and localization corrections appears at very high fields. This is the opposite situation compared to usual weak localization regime

Random anisotropy studies in amorphous Co-Tb ribbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanain, N.; Berrada, A.; Lassri, H.; Krishnan, R.

1995-01-01

Amorphous Co 1-x Tb x ribbons with x=0.45, 0.55 and 0.65 have been prepared by melt spinning technique. Magnetization measurements were carried out at 4.2 K, under magnetic fields up to 150 kOe. The Co moment is found to be very small and the Tb moment is 7.15μ B at 4.2 K, which indicates a speromagnetic spin structure. Using Chudnovsky's theory we have extracted some fundamental magnetic parameters. ((orig.))

Random anisotropy studies in amorphous CoTb ribbons

Science.gov (United States)

Hassanain, N.; Berrada, A.; Lassri, H.; Krishnan, R.

1995-02-01

Amorphous Co 1- xTb x ribbons with x = 0.45, 0.55 and 0.65 have been prepared by melt spinning technique. Magnetization measurements were carried out at 4.2 K, under magnetic fields up to 150 kOe. The Co moment is found to be very small and the Tb moment is 7.15 μB at 4.2 K, which indicates a speromagnetic spin structure. Using Chudnovsky's theory we have extracted some fundamental magnetic parameters.

Low-temperature specific heat of the 'nearly ferromagnetic' amorphous alloy Ysub(0.22)Nisub(0.78)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garoche, P.; Veyssie, J.J.; Lienard, A.; Rebouillat, J.P.

1979-01-01

Results of specific heat measurements, between 0.3K and 10 K in magnetic fields up to 75 kOe, on the 'nearly ferromagnetic' amorphous alloy Ysub(0.22)Nisub(0.78) are reported. The results, especially the magnetic field dependence, exclude any appreciable contribution from uniform paramagnons. In contrast a quantitative analysis is obtained in terms of superparamagnetic clusters, demonstrating that the onset of ferromagnetism, as a function of concentration, is inhomogeneous in this amorphous metallic system. (author)

Low Thermal Conductivity of Bulk Amorphous Si1- x Ge x Containing Nano-Sized Crystalline Particles Synthesized by Ball-Milling Process

Science.gov (United States)

Muthusamy, Omprakash; Nishino, Shunsuke; Ghodke, Swapnil; Inukai, Manabu; Sobota, Robert; Adachi, Masahiro; Kiyama, Makato; Yamamoto, Yoshiyuki; Takeuchi, Tsunehiro; Santhanakrishnan, Harish; Ikeda, Hiroya; Hayakawa, Yasuhiro

2018-06-01

Amorphous Si0.65Ge0.35 powder containing a small amount of nano-sized crystalline particles was synthesized by means of the mechanical alloying process. Hot pressing for 24 h under the pressure of 400 MPa at 823 K, which is below the crystallization temperature, allowed us to obtain bulk amorphous Si-Ge alloy containing a small amount of nanocrystals. The thermal conductivity of the prepared bulk amorphous Si-Ge alloy was extremely low, showing a magnitude of less than 1.35 Wm-1 K-1 over the entire temperature range from 300 K to 700 K. The sound velocity of longitudinal and transverse waves for the bulk amorphous Si0.65Ge0.35 were measured, and the resulting values were 5841 m/s and 2840 m/s, respectively. The estimated mean free path of phonons was kept at the very small value of ˜ 4.2 nm, which was mainly due to the strong scattering limit of phonons in association with the amorphous structure.

Comparison of high temperature, high frequency core loss and dynamic B-H loops of two 50 Ni-Fe crystalline alloys and an iron-based amorphous alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wieserman, W.R.; Schwarze, G.E.; Niedra, J.M.

1994-01-01

The availability of experimental data that characterizes the performance of soft magnetic materials for the combined conditions of high temperature and high frequency is almost non-existent. An experimental investigation was conducted over the temperature range of 23 to 300 C and frequency range of 1 to 50 kHz to determine the effects of temperature and frequency on the core loss and dynamic B-H loops of three different soft magnetic materials; an oriented-grain 50Ni-50Fe alloy, a nonoriented-grain 50Ni-50Fe alloy, and an iron-based amorphous material (Metglas 2605SC). A comparison of these materials show that the nonoriented-grain 50Ni-50Fe alloy tends to have either the lowest or next lowest core loss for all temperatures and frequencies investigated

Nonparametric predictive inference for reliability of a k-out-of-m:G system with multiple component types

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aboalkhair, Ahmad M.; Coolen, Frank P.A.; MacPhee, Iain M.

2014-01-01

Nonparametric predictive inference for system reliability has recently been presented, with specific focus on k-out-of-m:G systems. The reliability of systems is quantified by lower and upper probabilities of system functioning, given binary test results on components, taking uncertainty about component functioning and indeterminacy due to limited test information explicitly into account. Thus far, systems considered were series configurations of subsystems, with each subsystem i a k i -out-of-m i :G system which consisted of only one type of components. Key results are briefly summarized in this paper, and as an important generalization new results are presented for a single k-out-of-m:G system consisting of components of multiple types. The important aspects of redundancy and diversity for such systems are discussed. - Highlights: • New results on nonparametric predictive inference for system reliability. • Prediction of system reliability based on test data for components. • New insights on system redundancy optimization and diversity. • Components that appear inferior in tests may be included to enhance redundancy

Room-Temperature-Synthesized High-Mobility Transparent Amorphous CdO-Ga2O3 Alloys with Widely Tunable Electronic Bands.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chao Ping; Ho, Chun Yuen; Dos Reis, Roberto; Foo, Yishu; Guo, Peng Fei; Zapien, Juan Antonio; Walukiewicz, Wladek; Yu, Kin Man

2018-02-28

In this work, we have synthesized Cd 1-x Ga x O 1+δ alloy thin films at room temperature over the entire composition range by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. We found that alloy films with high Ga contents of x > 0.3 are amorphous. Amorphous Cd 1-x Ga x O 1+δ alloys in the composition range of 0.3 < x < 0.5 exhibit a high electron mobility of 10-20 cm 2 V -1 s -1 with a resistivity in the range of 10 -2 to high 10 -4 Ω cm range. The resistivity of the amorphous alloys can also be controlled over 5 orders of magnitude from 7 × 10 -4 to 77 Ω cm by controlling the oxygen stoichiometry. Over the entire composition range, these crystalline and amorphous alloys have a large tunable intrinsic band gap range of 2.2-4.8 eV as well as a conduction band minimum range of 5.8-4.5 eV below the vacuum level. Our results suggest that amorphous Cd 1-x Ga x O 1+δ alloy films with 0.3 < x < 0.4 have favorable optoelectronic properties as transparent conductors on flexible and/or organic substrates, whereas the band edges and electrical conductivity of films with 0.3 < x < 0.7 can be manipulated for transparent thin-film transistors as well as electron transport layers.

Amorphous metal composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrne, M.A.; Lupinski, J.H.

1984-01-01

This patent discloses an improved amorphous metal composite and process of making the composite. The amorphous metal composite comprises amorphous metal (e.g. iron) and a low molecular weight thermosetting polymer binder. The process comprises placing an amorphous metal in particulate form and a thermosetting polymer binder powder into a container, mixing these materials, and applying heat and pressure to convert the mixture into an amorphous metal composite

Amorphous computing in the presence of stochastic disturbances.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Dominique; Barnes, David J; Perkins, Samuel

2014-11-01

Amorphous computing is a non-standard computing paradigm that relies on massively parallel execution of computer code by a large number of small, spatially distributed, weakly interacting processing units. Over the last decade or so, amorphous computing has attracted a great deal of interest both as an alternative model of computing and as an inspiration to understand developmental biology. A number of algorithms have been developed that can take advantage of the massive parallelism of this computing paradigm to solve specific problems. One of the interesting properties of amorphous computers is that they are robust with respect to the loss of individual processing units, in the sense that a removal of some of them should not impact on the computation as a whole. However, much less understood is to what extent amorphous computers are robust with respect to minor disturbances to the individual processing units, such as random motion or occasional faulty computation short of total component failure. In this article we address this question. As an example problem we choose an algorithm to calculate a straight line between two points. Using this example, we find that amorphous computers are not in general robust with respect to Brownian motion and noise, but we find strategies that restore reliable computation even in their presence. We will argue that these strategies are generally applicable and not specific to the particular AC we consider, or even specific to electronic computers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of oxidation behaviour of Zr-based bulk amorphous alloy Zr 65 ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The oxidation behaviour of Zr-based bulk amorphous alloy Zr65Cu17.5Ni10Al7.5 has been studied in air environment at various temperatures in the temperature range 591–684 K using a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA). The oxidation kinetics of the alloy in the amorphous phase obeys the parabolic rate law for oxidation ...

Amorphous silicon radiation detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Street, Robert A.; Perez-Mendez, Victor; Kaplan, Selig N.

1992-01-01

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon radiation detector devices having enhanced signal are disclosed. Specifically provided are transversely oriented electrode layers and layered detector configurations of amorphous silicon, the structure of which allow high electric fields upon application of a bias thereby beneficially resulting in a reduction in noise from contact injection and an increase in signal including avalanche multiplication and gain of the signal produced by incoming high energy radiation. These enhanced radiation sensitive devices can be used as measuring and detection means for visible light, low energy photons and high energy ionizing particles such as electrons, x-rays, alpha particles, beta particles and gamma radiation. Particular utility of the device is disclosed for precision powder crystallography and biological identification.

Dangling bonds and crystalline inclusions in amorphous materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferrari, L [Ferrara Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Matematica; Russo, G [Bologna Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Fisica

1981-02-07

It is suggested that on the surface of crystalline inclusions dangling bond formation is favoured due to unbalanced local stresses. The energy for bond tearings is probably originated from the exothermic process leading to the crystalline inclusion configuration which is more stable than the original amorphous one. A thermodynamical calculation is performed giving the ratio nsub(k) of crystalline inclusions having k dangling bonds on their surface.

Effect of irradiation temperature on crystallization of {alpha}-Fe induced by He irradiations in Fe{sub 80}B{sub 20} amorphous alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

San-noo, Toshimasa; Toriyama, Tamotsu; Wakabayashi, Hidehiko; Iijima, Hiroshi [Musashi Inst. of Tech., Tokyo (Japan); Hayashi, Nobuyuki; Sakamoto, Isao

1997-03-01

Since amorphous alloys are generally highly resistant to irradiation and their critical radiation dose is an order of magnitude higher for Fe-B amorphous alloy than Mo-methods, these alloys are expected to become applicable as for fusion reactor materials. The authors investigated {alpha}-Fe crystallization in an amorphous alloy, Fe{sub 80}B{sub 20} using internal conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy. The amount of {alpha}-Fe component was found to increase by raising the He-irradiation dose. The target part was modified to enable He ion radiation at a lower temperature (below 400 K) by cooling with Peltier element. Fe{sub 80}B{sub 20} amorphous alloy was cooled to keep the temperature at 300 K and exposed to 40 keV He ion at 1-3 x 10{sup 8} ions/cm{sup 2}. The amount of {alpha}-Fe crystal in each sample was determined. The crystal formation was not observed for He ion radiation below 2 x 10{sup 18} ions/cm{sup 2}, but that at 3 x 10{sup 8} ions/ cm{sup 2} produced a new phase ({delta} +0.40 mm/sec, {Delta} = 0.89 mm/sec). The decrease in the radiation temperature from 430 to 300 K resulted to extremely repress the production of {alpha}-Fe crystal, suggesting that the crystallization induced by He-radiation cascade is highly depending on the radiation temperature. (M.N.)

Mossbauer studies of amorphous Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiang, Jianzhong

1996-01-01

This paper reports a Mossbauer study of amorphous Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy between 10 and 673 K. The Curie temperature Tc is found to be 620-+ 1 K. The temperature dependence of the reduced average hyperfine field can be explained on the basis of Handrich's model of amorphous ferromagnetism...

Controllable film densification and interface flatness for high-performance amorphous indium oxide based thin film transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ou-Yang, Wei, E-mail: OUYANG.Wei@nims.go.jp, E-mail: TSUKAGOSHI.Kazuhito@nims.go.jp; Mitoma, Nobuhiko; Kizu, Takio; Gao, Xu; Lin, Meng-Fang; Tsukagoshi, Kazuhito, E-mail: OUYANG.Wei@nims.go.jp, E-mail: TSUKAGOSHI.Kazuhito@nims.go.jp [International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectronics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Nabatame, Toshihide [MANA Foundry and MANA Advanced Device Materials Group, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan)

2014-10-20

To avoid the problem of air sensitive and wet-etched Zn and/or Ga contained amorphous oxide transistors, we propose an alternative amorphous semiconductor of indium silicon tungsten oxide as the channel material for thin film transistors. In this study, we employ the material to reveal the relation between the active thin film and the transistor performance with aid of x-ray reflectivity study. By adjusting the pre-annealing temperature, we find that the film densification and interface flatness between the film and gate insulator are crucial for achieving controllable high-performance transistors. The material and findings in the study are believed helpful for realizing controllable high-performance stable transistors.

Moessbauer and transport studies of amorphous and icosahedral Zr-Ni-Cu-Ag-Al alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stadnik, Z.M.; Rapp, O.; Srinivas, V.; Saida, J.; Inoue, A.

2002-01-01

The alloy Zr 65 Al 7.5 Ni 10 Cu 7.3 Fe 0.2 Ag 10 in the amorphous and icosahedral states, and the bulk amorphous alloy Zr 65 Al 7.5 Ni 10 Cu 7.5 Ag 10 , have been studied with 57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy, electrical resistance and magnetoresistance techniques. The average quadrupole splitting in both alloys decreases with temperature as T 3/2 . The average quadrupole splitting in the icosahedral alloy is the largest ever reported for a metallic system. The lattice vibrations of the Fe atoms in the amorphous and icosahedral alloys are well described by a simple Debye model, with the characteristic Moessbauer temperatures of 379(29) and 439(28) K, respectively. Amorphous alloys Zr 65 Al 7. )5Ni 10 Cu 7.5 Ag 10 and Zr 65 Al 7.5 Ni 10 Cu 7.3 Fe 0.2 Ag 10 have been found to be superconducting with the transition temperature, T c , of about 1.7 K. The magnitude of Tc and the critical field slope at Tc are in agreement with previous work on Zr-based amorphous superconductors, while the low-temperature normal state resistivity is larger than typical results for binary and ternary Zr-based alloys. The resistivity of icosahedral Zr 65 Al 7.5 Ni 10 Cu 7.3 Fe 0.2 Ag 10 is larger than that for the amorphous ribbon of the same composition, as inferred both from direct measurements on the ribbons and from the observed magnetoresistance. However the icosahedral sample is non-superconducting in the measurement range down to 1.5 K. The results for the resistivity and the superconducting T c both suggest a stronger electronic disorder in the icosahedral phase than in the amorphous phase. (author)

Parametric Study of Amorphous High-Entropy Alloys formation from two New Perspectives: Atomic Radius Modification and Crystalline Structure of Alloying Elements

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Q.; Guo, S.; Wang, J. M.; Yan, Y. H.; Chen, S. S.; Lu, D. P.; Liu, K. M.; Zou, J. Z.; Zeng, X. R.

2017-01-01

Chemical and topological parameters have been widely used for predicting the phase selection in high-entropy alloys (HEAs). Nevertheless, previous studies could be faulted due to the small number of available data points, the negligence of kinetic effects, and the insensitivity to small compositional changes. Here in this work, 92 TiZrHfM, TiZrHfMM, TiZrHfMMM (M = Fe, Cr, V, Nb, Al, Ag, Cu, Ni) HEAs were prepared by melt spinning, to build a reliable and sufficiently large material database to inspect the robustness of previously established parameters. Modification of atomic radii by considering the change of local electronic environment in alloys, was critically found out to be superior in distinguishing the formation of amorphous and crystalline alloys, when compared to using atomic radii of pure elements in topological parameters. Moreover, crystal structures of alloying element were found to play an important role in the amorphous phase formation, which was then attributed to how alloying hexagonal-close-packed elements and face-centered-cubic or body-centered-cubic elements can affect the mixing enthalpy. Findings from this work not only provide parametric studies for HEAs with new and important perspectives, but also reveal possibly a hidden connection among some important concepts in various fields.

Exact reliability quantification of highly reliable systems with maintenance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bris, Radim, E-mail: radim.bris@vsb.c [VSB-Technical University Ostrava, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Applied Mathematics, 17. listopadu 15, 70833 Ostrava-Poruba (Czech Republic)

2010-12-15

When a system is composed of highly reliable elements, exact reliability quantification may be problematic, because computer accuracy is limited. Inaccuracy can be due to different aspects. For example, an error may be made when subtracting two numbers that are very close to each other, or at the process of summation of many very different numbers, etc. The basic objective of this paper is to find a procedure, which eliminates errors made by PC when calculations close to an error limit are executed. Highly reliable system is represented by the use of directed acyclic graph which is composed from terminal nodes, i.e. highly reliable input elements, internal nodes representing subsystems and edges that bind all of these nodes. Three admissible unavailability models of terminal nodes are introduced, including both corrective and preventive maintenance. The algorithm for exact unavailability calculation of terminal nodes is based on merits of a high-performance language for technical computing MATLAB. System unavailability quantification procedure applied to a graph structure, which considers both independent and dependent (i.e. repeatedly occurring) terminal nodes is based on combinatorial principle. This principle requires summation of a lot of very different non-negative numbers, which may be a source of an inaccuracy. That is why another algorithm for exact summation of such numbers is designed in the paper. The summation procedure uses benefits from a special number system with the base represented by the value 2{sup 32}. Computational efficiency of the new computing methodology is compared with advanced simulation software. Various calculations on systems from references are performed to emphasize merits of the methodology.

One-Pot Synthesis of Tunable Crystalline Ni3 S4 @Amorphous MoS2 Core/Shell Nanospheres for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Sun, Wenping; Rui, Xianhong; Li, Bing; Tan, Hui Teng; Guo, Guilue; Madhavi, Srinivasan; Zong, Yun; Yan, Qingyu

2015-08-12

Transition metal sulfides gain much attention as electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their rich redox chemistry and high electrical conductivity. Designing hierarchical nanostructures is an efficient approach to fully utilize merits of each component. In this work, amorphous MoS(2) is firstly demonstrated to show specific capacitance 1.6 times as that of the crystalline counterpart. Then, crystalline core@amorphous shell (Ni(3)S(4)@MoS(2)) is prepared by a facile one-pot process. The diameter of the core and the thickness of the shell can be independently tuned. Taking advantages of flexible protection of amorphous shell and high capacitance of the conductive core, Ni(3)S(4) @amorphous MoS(2) nanospheres are tested as supercapacitor electrodes, which exhibit high specific capacitance of 1440.9 F g(-1) at 2 A g(-1) and a good capacitance retention of 90.7% after 3000 cycles at 10 A g(-1). This design of crystalline core@amorphous shell architecture may open up new strategies for synthesizing promising electrode materials for supercapacitors. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermal conductivity of the amorphous and nanocrystalline phases of the beech wood biocarbon nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Kartenko, N. F.; Orlova, T. S.; Parfen'eva, L. S.; Smirnov, B. I.; Smirnov, I. A.

2014-11-01

Natural composites (biocarbons) obtained by carbonization of beech wood at different carbonization temperatures T carb in the range of 800-2400°C have been studied using X-ray diffraction. The composites consist of an amorphous matrix and nanocrystallites of graphite and graphene. The volume fractions of the amorphous and nanocrystalline phases as functions of T carb have been determined. Temperature dependences of the phonon thermal conductivity κ( T) of the biocarbons with different temperatures T carb (1000 and 2400°C) have been analyzed in the range of 5-300 K. It has been shown that the behavior of κ( T) of the biocarbon with T carb = 1000°C is controlled by the amorphous phase in the range of 5-50 K and by the nanocrystalline phase in the range of 100-300 K. The character of κ( T) of the biocarbon with T carb = 2400°C is determined by the heat transfer (scattering) in the nanocrystalline phase over the entire temperature range of 5-300 K.

Critical phenomena and exchange interactions of an amorphous ferromagnet: gadolinium--gold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poon, S.J.; Durand, J.

1976-07-01

Magnetization was measured between 4 and 290 0 K in fields up to 70 kOe on liquid-quenched Gd 80 Au 20 amorphous alloys. The Curie temperature and critical exponents β, γ and delta are found to be 149.45 0 K, 0.439, 1.294 and 3.948 respectively. These values are compared with the Heisenberg and molecular field values. The data are fitted to an equation of state previously derived for second order phase transition in fluid systems. The results illustrate clearly a second order phase transition in the amorphous state. A discussion in terms of the Heisenberg model is presented. The effective magnetic moment in the paramagnetic state has a value of 9.37 μ/sub B/ per gadolinium atom. The saturation moment extrapolated to 0 0 K is 7.0 μ/sub B/ per gadolinium atom. The low temperature saturation magnetization observes the T/sup 3 / 2 / law from 0.13 T/sub c/ to 0.80 T/sub c/. The effective exchange integrals J/sub n/ determined from the Rushbrooke--Wood formula and spin-wave theory are found to be 2.28 and 1.34 0 K respectively. The differences in J/sub n/ and that between the effective moment and saturation moment are attributed to the nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic couplings below T/sub c/. Possible effects of structural disorder on the magnetic properties of Gd in the amorphous state are discussed

Synthesis and crytallization of amorphous In-Te alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vengrenovich, R.D.; Lopatnyuk, I.A.; Mikhal'chenko, V.P.; Kasiyan, I.M.; Geshko, E.I.

1988-01-01

Tendency of Te-In alloys with indium content from 5 to 40 % to amorphization is investigated. It is marked that in this interval of concentrations the alloys have the tendency to subcooling even at cooling velocities equalling only 0.2-0.3 K/s. Maximal subcooling ΔT=70 deg takes place for the eutectic composition. Tendency of Te-In alloys to vitrification is explained by the character to interatomic interactions in a liquid, the interactions promote the formation of molecular clusters in it in cooling, that leads to fast increase of viscosity and to increase of T g amorphization temperature

Radiation tolerance of amorphous semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicolaides, R.V.; DeFeo, S.; Doremus, L.W.

1976-01-01

In an attempt to determine the threshold radiation damage in amorphous semiconductors, radiation tests were performed on amorphous semiconductor thin film materials and on threshold and memory devices. The influence of flash x-rays and neutron radiation upon the switching voltages, on- and off-state characteristics, dielectric response, optical transmission, absorption band edge and photoconductivity were measured prior to, during and following irradiation. These extensive tests showed the high radiation tolerance of amorphous semiconductor materials. Electrical and optical properties, other than photoconductivity, have a neutron radiation tolerance threshold above 10 17 nvt in the steady state and 10 14 nvt in short (50 μsec to 16 msec) pulses. Photoconductivity increases by 1 1 / 2 orders of magnitude at the level of 10 14 nvt (short pulses of 50 μsec). Super flash x-rays up to 5000 rads (Si), 20 nsec, do not initiate switching in off-state samples which are voltage biased up to 90 percent of the threshold voltage. Both memory and threshold amorphous devices are capable of switching on and off during nuclear radiation transients at least as high as 2 x 10 14 nvt in 50 μsec pulses

Structural and electronic properties of binary amorphous aluminum alloys with transition metals and rare earth metals; Strukturelle und elektronische Eigenschaften binaerer amorpher Aluminiumlegierungen mit Uebergangsmetallen und Metallen der Seltenen Erden

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stiehler, Martin

2012-02-03

The influence of the d-states of the transition metals on the structure formation in amorphous alloys has so far only been inadequately understood. The present work aims to elaborate additional contributions to the understanding of binary amorphous aluminum alloys with transition metals. Special emphasis was placed on alloys with a subgroup of the transition metals, the rare earth metals. Within the scope of the present work, layers of Al-Ce in the region of 15at% Ce-80at% Ce were produced by sequential flash evaporation at 4.2K in the high vacuum, and characterized electronically by electrical resistance and Hall effect measurements as well as structurally by transmission electron diffraction. In addition, studies of plasma resonance were carried out by means of electron energy loss spectroscopy. In the range of 25at% Ce-60at% Ce, homogeneous amorphous samples were obtained. Especially the structural investigations were made difficult by oxidation of the material. The influence of the Ce-4f electrons manifests itself mainly in the low-temperature and magnetoresistance, both of which are dominated by the Kondo effect. The Hall effect in Al-Ce is dominated by anomalous components over the entire temperature range (2K-320K), which are attributed to skew-scattering effects, also due to Ce-4f electrons. Down to 2K there was no macroscopic magnetic order. In the region 2K-20K, the existence of clusters of ordered magnetic moments is concluded. For T> 20K, paramagnetic behavior occurs. With regard to the structural and electronic properties, a-Al-Ce can be classified as a group with a-Al- (Sc, Y, La). In the sense of plasma resonance, a-Al-Ce is excellently arranged in a system known from other Al transition metal alloys. Furthermore, by increasing the results of binary amorphous Al transition metal alloys from the literature, it has been found that the structure formation in these systems is closely linked to a known but still unexplained structure-forming effect that

Positron lifetime measurements on electron irradiated amorphous alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moser, P.; Hautojaervi, P.; Chamberod, A.; Yli-Kauppila, J.; Van Zurk, R.

1981-08-01

Great advance in understanding the nature of point defects in crystalline metals has been achieved by employing positron annihilation technique. Positrons detect vacancy-type defects and the lifetime value of trapped positrons gives information on the size of submicroscopic vacancy aglomerates and microvoids. In this paper it is shown that low-temperature electron irradiations can result in a considerable increase in the positron lifetimes in various amorphous alloys because of the formation of vacancy-like defects which, in addition of the pre-existing holes, are able to trap positrons. Studied amorphous alloys were Fe 80 B 20 , Pd 80 Si 20 , Cu 50 Ti 50 , and Fe 40 Ni 40 P 14 B 6 . Electron irradiations were performed with 3 MeV electrons at 20 K to doses around 10 19 e - /cm 2 . After annealing positron lifetime spectra were measured at 77 K

Film adhesion in amorphous silicon solar cells

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

TECS

Film adhesion in amorphous silicon solar cells. A R M YUSOFF*, M N SYAHRUL and K HENKEL. Malaysia Energy Centre, 8th Floor, North Wing, Sapura @ Mines, 7, Jalan Tasik, The Mines Resort City,. 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor Darul Ehsan. MS received 11 April 2007. Abstract. A major issue encountered ...

Transformation processes during annealing of Al-amorphous alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrescu, N.; Petrescu, M.; Calin, M.; Jianu, A.D.; Fecioru, M.

1993-01-01

As the amorphous aluminum alloys represent the newest achievement in rapid solidification of Al-based high strength heat resistent materials, a study was undertaken on the amorphous alloys in the Al-RE-TM system, the rare-earth metal being a lanthanide mixture and the transition metal a Ni-Fe substitution in definite proportions. The decomposition on heating of the most highly alloyed amorphous alloy in the investigated series is characterized by differential thermal analysis, electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. (orig.)

Transformation processes during annealing of Al-amorphous alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrescu, N. (Polytechnic Inst. Bucharest, Faculty Materials Science and Engineering, Bucharest (Romania)); Petrescu, M. (Polytechnic Inst. Bucharest, Faculty Materials Science and Engineering, Bucharest (Romania)); Calin, M. (Polytechnic Inst. Bucharest, Faculty Materials Science and Engineering, Bucharest (Romania)); Jianu, A.D. (Polytechnic Inst. Bucharest, Faculty Materials Science and Engineering, Bucharest (Romania) IFTM-Bucharest (Romania)); Fecioru, M. (Polytechnic Inst. Bucharest, Faculty Materials Science and Engineering, Bucharest (Romania) DACIA Enterprise-Bucharest (Romania))

1993-11-01

As the amorphous aluminum alloys represent the newest achievement in rapid solidification of Al-based high strength heat resistent materials, a study was undertaken on the amorphous alloys in the Al-RE-TM system, the rare-earth metal being a lanthanide mixture and the transition metal a Ni-Fe substitution in definite proportions. The decomposition on heating of the most highly alloyed amorphous alloy in the investigated series is characterized by differential thermal analysis, electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. (orig.).

High-Reliability Health Care: Getting There from Here

Science.gov (United States)

Chassin, Mark R; Loeb, Jerod M

2013-01-01

Context Despite serious and widespread efforts to improve the quality of health care, many patients still suffer preventable harm every day. Hospitals find improvement difficult to sustain, and they suffer “project fatigue” because so many problems need attention. No hospitals or health systems have achieved consistent excellence throughout their institutions. High-reliability science is the study of organizations in industries like commercial aviation and nuclear power that operate under hazardous conditions while maintaining safety levels that are far better than those of health care. Adapting and applying the lessons of this science to health care offer the promise of enabling hospitals to reach levels of quality and safety that are comparable to those of the best high-reliability organizations. Methods We combined the Joint Commission's knowledge of health care organizations with knowledge from the published literature and from experts in high-reliability industries and leading safety scholars outside health care. We developed a conceptual and practical framework for assessing hospitals’ readiness for and progress toward high reliability. By iterative testing with hospital leaders, we refined the framework and, for each of its fourteen components, defined stages of maturity through which we believe hospitals must pass to reach high reliability. Findings We discovered that the ways that high-reliability organizations generate and maintain high levels of safety cannot be directly applied to today's hospitals. We defined a series of incremental changes that hospitals should undertake to progress toward high reliability. These changes involve the leadership's commitment to achieving zero patient harm, a fully functional culture of safety throughout the organization, and the widespread deployment of highly effective process improvement tools. Conclusions Hospitals can make substantial progress toward high reliability by undertaking several specific

Effect of Co content on structure and magnetic behaviors of high induction Fe-based amorphous alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roy, Rajat K., E-mail: rajat@nmlindia.org; Panda, Ashis K.; Mitra, Amitava

2016-11-15

The replacement of Fe with Co is investigated in the (Fe{sub 1−x}Co{sub x}){sub 79}Si{sub 8.5}B{sub 8.5}Nb{sub 3}Cu{sub 1} (x=0, 0.05, 0.2, 0.35, 0.5) amorphous alloys. The alloys are synthesized in the forms of ribbons by single roller melt spinning technique, and the structural and magnetic properties of annealed ribbons are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), B–H curve tracer, respectively. All as-cast alloys are structurally amorphous, however, their magnetic properties are varying with Co addition. The Co addition within 5–20 at% results in moderate thermal stability, saturation induction, Curie temperature and lowest coercivity, while 35 at% Co causes highest saturation induction, coercivity, Curie temperature and lowest thermal stability. On devitrification, the magnetic properties change with the generation of α-FeCo nanocrystallites and (FeCo){sub 23}B{sub 6}, Fe{sub 2}B phases during primary and secondary crystallization stages, respectively. A small amount Co is advantageous for maintaining finer nanocrystallites in amorphous matrix even after annealing at 600 °C, leading to high saturation magnetization (>1.5 T) and low coercivity (~35 A/m). The improved magnetic properties at elevated temperatures indicate these alloys have a potential for high frequency transformer core applications. - Highlights: • The structural and magnetic behaviors of Fe based amorphous alloys have been investigated with the effect of Co content. • The Co has no adverse effect on amorphization of alloys. • A small amount Co causes the superior improvement of magnetic properties at elevated temperatures. • Therefore, it is important not only for academic research but also for industrial applied research.

Gelatin Nano-coating for Inhibiting Surface Crystallization of Amorphous Drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Teerakapibal, Rattavut; Gui, Yue; Yu, Lian

2018-01-05

Inhibit the fast surface crystallization of amorphous drugs with gelatin nano-coatings. The free surface of amorphous films of indomethacin or nifedipine was coated by a gelatin solution (type A or B) and dried. The coating's effect on surface crystallization was evaluated. Coating thickness was estimated from mass change after coating. For indomethacin (weak acid, pK a  = 4.5), a gelatin coating of either type deposited at pH 5 and 10 inhibited its fast surface crystal growth. The coating thickness was 20 ± 10 nm. A gelatin coating deposited at pH 3, however, provided no protective effect. These results suggest that an effective gelatin coating does not require that the drug and the polymer have opposite charges. The ineffective pH 3 coating might reflect the poor wetting of indomethacin's neutral, hydrophobic surface by the coating solution. For nifedipine (weak base, pK a  = 2.6), a gelatin coating of either type deposited at pH 5 inhibited its fast surface crystal growth. Gelatin nano-coatings can be conveniently applied to amorphous drugs from solution to inhibit fast surface crystallization. Unlike strong polyelectrolyte coatings, a protective gelatin coating does not require strict pairing of opposite charges. This could make gelatin coating a versatile, pharmaceutically acceptable coating for stabilizing amorphous drugs.

Ion-beam-driven amorphization of Ca2La8(SiO4)6O2 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, W.J.; Hess, N.J.; Wang, L.M.

1993-11-01

Single crystals of Ca 2 La 8 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2 , with 1% Nd substituted for La, were irradiated with 0.8 MeV Ne + and 1.5 MeV Kr + ions from 15 to 773 K. The irradiations were carried out using the HVEM-Tandem Facility at Argonne National Laboratory. The structural changes and the ion fluence for complete amorphization were determined by in situ transmission electron microscopy. The ion fluence for complete amorphization increased with temperature in two stages associated with defect annealing processes. The critical temperature for amorphization increased from ∼360 K for 0.8 MeV Ne + to ∼710 K for 1.5 MeV Kr + . During in situ annealing studies, irradiation-enhanced recrystallization was observed at 923 K. Spatially-resolved fluorescence spectra of the Nd ion excited with 488.0 mn laser excitation showed marked line-broadening toward the center of the amorphous regions. Initial measurements indicate the subtle shifts of the 9 I 9/2 groundstate energy levels can be measured by pumping directly into the excited state 4 F 3/2 manifold suggesting that the line broadening observed originates from a distribution of geometrically distorted Nd sites

High-frequency permeability in double-layered structure of amorphous Co-Ta-Zr films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochiai, Y.; Hayakawa, M.; Hayashi, K.; Aso, K.

1988-01-01

The high-frequency permeability of amorphous Co-Ta-Zr films was studied and the frequency dependence was described in terms of the eddy-current-loss formula. For the double-layered structure intervened with SiO 2 film, the degradation of the permeability became apparent with the decrease of SiO 2 thickness

Investigation on amorphous InGaZnO based resistive switching memory with low-power, high-speed, high reliability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Yang-Shun [Department of Photonics and Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan, ROC (China); Liu, Po-Tsun, E-mail: ptliu@mail.nctu.edu.tw [Department of Photonics and Display Institute, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan, ROC (China); Hsu, Ching-Hui [Department of Photonics and Display Institute, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2013-12-31

Recently, non-volatile memory (NVM) has been widely used in electronic devices. Nowadays, the prevailing NVM is Flash memory. However, it is generally believed that the conventional Flash memory will approach its scaling limit within about a decade. The resistive random access memory (RRAM) is emerging as one of the potential candidates for future memory replacement because of its high storage density, low power consumption as well as simple structure. The purpose of this work is to develop a reliable a-InGaZnO based resistive switching memory. We investigate the resistive switching characteristics of TiN/Ti/IGZO/Pt structure and TiN/IGZO/Pt structure. The device with TiN/Ti/IGZO/Pt structure exhibits stable bipolar resistive switching. The impact of inserting a Ti interlayer is studied by material analyses. The device shows excellent resistive switching properties. For example, the DC sweep endurance can achieve over 1000 times; and the pulse induced switching cycles can reach at least 10,000 times. Furthermore, the impact of different sputtering ambience, the variable temperature measurement, and the conduction mechanisms are also investigated. According to our experiments, we propose a model to explain the resistive switching phenomenon observed in our devices.

Structural, electronic, and vibrational properties of high-density amorphous silicon: a first-principles molecular-dynamics study.

Science.gov (United States)

Morishita, Tetsuya

2009-05-21

We report a first-principles study of the structural, electronic, and dynamical properties of high-density amorphous (HDA) silicon, which was found to be formed by pressurizing low-density amorphous (LDA) silicon (a normal amorphous Si) [T. Morishita, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 055503 (2004); P. F. McMillan, M. Wilson, D. Daisenberger, and D. Machon, Nature Mater. 4, 680 (2005)]. Striking structural differences between HDA and LDA are revealed. The LDA structure holds a tetrahedral network, while the HDA structure contains a highly distorted tetrahedral network. The fifth neighboring atom in HDA tends to be located at an interstitial position of a distorted tetrahedron composed of the first four neighboring atoms. Consequently, the coordination number of HDA is calculated to be approximately 5 unlike that of LDA. The electronic density of state (EDOS) shows that HDA is metallic, which is consistent with a recent experimental measurement of the electronic resistance of HDA Si. We find from local EDOS that highly distorted tetrahedral configurations enhance the metallic nature of HDA. The vibrational density of state (VDOS) also reflects the structural differences between HDA and LDA. Some of the characteristic vibrational modes of LDA are dematerialized in HDA, indicating the degradation of covalent bonds. The overall profile of the VDOS for HDA is found to be an intermediate between that for LDA and liquid Si under pressure (high-density liquid Si).

Development of a highly reliable CRT processor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Tomoya; Saiki, Akira; Hirai, Kenji; Jota, Masayoshi; Fujii, Mikiya

1996-01-01

Although CRT processors have been employed by the main control board to reduce the operator's workload during monitoring, the control systems are still operated by hardware switches. For further advancement, direct controller operation through a display device is expected. A CRT processor providing direct controller operation must be as reliable as the hardware switches are. The authors are developing a new type of highly reliable CRT processor that enables direct controller operations. In this paper, we discuss the design principles behind a highly reliable CRT processor. The principles are defined by studies of software reliability and of the functional reliability of the monitoring and operation systems. The functional configuration of an advanced CRT processor is also addressed. (author)

High-efficiency amorphous silicon solar cell on a periodic nanocone back reflector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsu, Ching-Mei; Cui, Yi [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Durand Building, 496 Lomita Mall, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4034 (United States); Battaglia, Corsin; Pahud, Celine; Haug, Franz-Josef; Ballif, Christophe [Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Microengineering (IMT), Photovoltaics and Thin Film Electronics Laboratory, Rue Breguet 2, 2000 Neuchatel (Switzerland); Ruan, Zhichao; Fan, Shanhui [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University (United States)

2012-06-15

An amorphous silicon solar cell on a periodic nanocone back reflector with a high 9.7% initial conversion efficiency is presented. The optimized back-reflector morphology provides powerful light trapping and enables excellent electrical cell performance. Up-scaling to industrial production of large-area modules should be possible using nanoimprint lithography. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Peculiarities of Vibration Characteristics of Amorphous Ices

Science.gov (United States)

Gets, Kirill V.; Subbotin, Oleg S.; Belosludov, Vladimir R.

2012-03-01

Dynamic properties of low (LDA), high (HDA) and very high (VHDA) density amorphous ices were investigated within the approach based on Lattice Dynamics simulations. In this approach, we assume that the short-range molecular order mainly determines the dynamic and thermodynamic properties of amorphous ices. Simulation cell of 512 water molecules with periodical boundary conditions and disordering allows us to study dynamical properties and dispersion curves in the Brillouin zone of pseudo-crystal. Existence of collective phenomena in amorphous ices which is usual for crystals but anomalous for disordered phase was confirmed in our simulations. Molecule amplitudes of delocalized (collective) as well as localized vibrations have been considered.

Influence of irradiation spectrum and implanted ions on the amorphization of ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zinkle, S.J.; Snead, L.L.

1995-01-01

Polycrystalline Al2O3, magnesium aluminate spinel (MgAl2O4), MgO, Si3N4, and SiC were irradiated with various ions at 200-450 K, and microstructures were examined following irradiation using cross-section TEM. Amorphization was not observed in any of the irradiated oxide ceramics, despsite damage energy densities up to ∼7 keV/atom (70 displacements per atom). On the other hand, SiC readily amorphized after damage levels of ∼0.4 dpa at room temperature (RT). Si3N4 exhibited intermediate behavior; irradiation with Fe 2+ ions at RT produced amorphization in the implanted ion region after damage levels of ∼1 dpa. However, irradiated regions outside the implanted ion region did not amorphize even after damage levels > 5 dpa. The amorphous layer in the Fe-implanted region of Si3N4 did not appear if the specimen was simultaneoulsy irradiated with 1-MeV He + ions at RT. By comparison with published results, it is concluded that the implantation of certain chemical species has a pronounced effect on the amorphization threshold dose of all five materials. Intense ionizing radiation inhibits amorphization in Si3N4, but does not appear to significantly influence the amorphization of SiC

Inverted amorphous silicon solar cell utilizing cermet layers

Science.gov (United States)

Hanak, Joseph J.

1979-01-01

An amorphous silicon solar cell incorporating a transparent high work function metal cermet incident to solar radiation and a thick film cermet contacting the amorphous silicon opposite to said incident surface.

Phyllosilicates and Amorphous Gel in the Nakhlites

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, L. J.; Bridges, J. C.; Gurman, S. J.

2013-09-01

Previous studies of the nakhlite martian meteorites have revealed hydrothermal minerals present within the fractures of the olivine minerals and the mesostasis. The olivine fractures of the Lafayette nakhlite reveal variations with initial deposits of siderite on the fracture walls, followed by crystalline phyllosilicates (smectite), and finishing with a rapidly cooled amorphous silicate gel within the central regions of the fractures. The mesostasis fractures of Lafayette also contain a crystalline phyllosilicate (serpentine). The amorphous gel is the most abundant secondary phase within the fractures of the other nakhlites [1, 2]. By studying nine nakhlite samples, including Lafayette, Governador Valadares, Nakhla, Y-000593, Y-000749, Miller-Range 03346, NWA 817, NWA 998, and NWA 5790, our aim is to constrain the identity of the phyllosilicate secondary phase minerals found throughout the nakhlite martian meteorites. This is achieved using methods including Electron Probe Micro-analysis (EPMA); X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (Fe-K XANES) spectroscopy measured using Beamline I-18 at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron; and the use of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) at the University of Leicester for High-Resolution (HR) imaging and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED). BF studying nine nakhlite samples, including Lafayette, Governador Valadares, Nakhla, Y-000593, Y-000749, Miller-Range 03346, NWA 817, NWA 998, and NWA 5790, our aim is to constrain the identity of the phyllosilicate secondary phase minerals found throughout the nakhlite martian meteorites. This is achieved using methods including Electron Probe Micro-analysis (EPMA); X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (Fe-K XANES) spectroscopy measured using Beamline I-18 at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron; and the use of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) at the University of Leicester for High-Resolution (HR) imaging and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED).

Radiation amorphization of materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neklyudov, I.M.; Chernyaeva, T.P.

1993-01-01

The results of experimental and theoretical research on radiation amorphization are presented in this analytical review. Mechanism and driving forces of radiation amorphization are described, kinetic and thermodynamic conditions of amorphization are formulated. Compositional criteria of radiation amorphization are presented, that allow to predict irradiation behaviour of materials, their tendency to radiation amorphization. Mechanism of transition from crystalline state to amorphous state are considered depending on dose, temperature, structure of primary radiation damage and flux level. (author). 134 refs., 4 tab., 25 fig

Investigation of structural relaxation, crystallization process and magnetic properties of the Fe-Ni-Si-B-C amorphous alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalezic-Glisovic, A.; Novakovic, L.; Maricic, A.; Minic, D.; Mitrovic, N.

2006-01-01

The differential scanning calorimetry method was used for investigating the crystallization process of the Fe 89.8 Ni 1.5 Si 5.2 B 3 C 0.5 amorphous alloy. It was shown that the examined alloy crystallizes in three stages. The first crystallization stage occurs at 799 K, the second at 820 K and the third at 888 K. Temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility relative change was investigated by the modified Faraday method in the temperature region from room temperature up to 900 K. It has been established that the Curie temperature is about 700 K for amorphous state. The magnetic susceptibility increases by 30% after the first heating up to 710 K. During the second heating up to 840 K the alloy loses its ferromagnetic features in the temperature region from 710 to 750 K, upon which it again regains the same. After the second heating magnetic susceptibility decreases by 23% as compared to the amorphous starting value and by 53% as compared to the value before the second heating. The crystallized alloy maintains ferromagnetic features in the whole temperature region during the heating up to 900 K

Investigation of structural relaxation, crystallization process and magnetic properties of the Fe-Ni-Si-B-C amorphous alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalezic-Glisovic, A. [Joint Laboratory for Advanced Materials of SASA, Section for Amorphous Systems, Technical Faculty Cacak, Svetog Save 65, 32000 Cacak (Serbia and Montenegro)]. E-mail: aleksandrakalezic@eunet.yu; Novakovic, L. [Faculty of Physics, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro); Maricic, A. [Joint Laboratory for Advanced Materials of SASA, Section for Amorphous Systems, Technical Faculty Cacak, Svetog Save 65, 32000 Cacak (Serbia and Montenegro); Minic, D. [Faculty of Physical Chemistry, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro); Mitrovic, N. [Joint Laboratory for Advanced Materials of SASA, Section for Amorphous Systems, Technical Faculty Cacak, Svetog Save 65, 32000 Cacak (Serbia and Montenegro)]. E-mail: nmitrov@tfc.kg.ac.yu

2006-07-15

The differential scanning calorimetry method was used for investigating the crystallization process of the Fe{sub 89.8}Ni{sub 1.5}Si{sub 5.2}B{sub 3}C{sub 0.5} amorphous alloy. It was shown that the examined alloy crystallizes in three stages. The first crystallization stage occurs at 799 K, the second at 820 K and the third at 888 K. Temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility relative change was investigated by the modified Faraday method in the temperature region from room temperature up to 900 K. It has been established that the Curie temperature is about 700 K for amorphous state. The magnetic susceptibility increases by 30% after the first heating up to 710 K. During the second heating up to 840 K the alloy loses its ferromagnetic features in the temperature region from 710 to 750 K, upon which it again regains the same. After the second heating magnetic susceptibility decreases by 23% as compared to the amorphous starting value and by 53% as compared to the value before the second heating. The crystallized alloy maintains ferromagnetic features in the whole temperature region during the heating up to 900 K.

Model for amorphous aggregation processes

Science.gov (United States)

Stranks, Samuel D.; Ecroyd, Heath; van Sluyter, Steven; Waters, Elizabeth J.; Carver, John A.; von Smekal, Lorenz

2009-11-01

The amorphous aggregation of proteins is associated with many phenomena, ranging from the formation of protein wine haze to the development of cataract in the eye lens and the precipitation of recombinant proteins during their expression and purification. While much literature exists describing models for linear protein aggregation, such as amyloid fibril formation, there are few reports of models which address amorphous aggregation. Here, we propose a model to describe the amorphous aggregation of proteins which is also more widely applicable to other situations where a similar process occurs, such as in the formation of colloids and nanoclusters. As first applications of the model, we have tested it against experimental turbidimetry data of three proteins relevant to the wine industry and biochemistry, namely, thaumatin, a thaumatinlike protein, and α -lactalbumin. The model is very robust and describes amorphous experimental data to a high degree of accuracy. Details about the aggregation process, such as shape parameters of the aggregates and rate constants, can also be extracted.

Methods of amorphization and investigation of the amorphous state

OpenAIRE

EINFALT, TOMAŽ; PLANINŠEK, ODON; HROVAT, KLEMEN

2013-01-01

The amorphous form of pharmaceutical materials represents the most energetic solid state of a material. It provides advantages in terms of dissolution rate and bioavailability. This review presents the methods of solid-state amorphization described in literature (supercooling of liquids, milling, lyophilization, spray drying, dehydration of crystalline hydrates), with the emphasis on milling. Furthermore, we describe how amorphous state of pharmaceuticals differ depending on method of prepara...

Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors fabricated from an amorphous Mo0.75Ge0.25 thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, V. B.; Lita, A. E.; Vissers, M. R.; Marsili, F.; Pappas, D. P.; Mirin, R. P.; Nam, S. W.

2014-01-01

We present the characteristics of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) fabricated from amorphous Mo 0.75 Ge 0.25 thin-films. Fabricated devices show a saturation of the internal detection efficiency at temperatures below 1 K, with system dark count rates below 500 cps. Operation in a closed-cycle cryocooler at 2.5 K is possible with system detection efficiencies exceeding 20% for SNSPDs which have not been optimized for high detection efficiency. Jitter is observed to vary between 69 ps at 250 mK and 187 ps at 2.5 K using room temperature amplifiers.

Experimental evidence of structural transition at the crystal-amorphous interphase boundary between Al and Al2O3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Z.Q.; He, L.L.; Zhao, S.J.; Ye, H.Q.

2002-01-01

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy observations on the structure of the interphase boundary between crystalline Al and amorphous Al 2 O 3 coating reveal that an interfacial melting transition of Al occurs at 833 K, which is distinctly lower than the bulk melting point of Al. The crystalline lattice planes of Al near the interface bend or small segments of crystalline Al deviated from the matrix Al grains are formed. Stand-off dislocations formed at the interphase boundary are also observed. The amorphous Al 2 O 3 coating plays an important role in retaining the evidence for structural transition at high temperature to room temperature, which makes it possible to make experimental observations. (author)

High-reliability health care: getting there from here.

Science.gov (United States)

Chassin, Mark R; Loeb, Jerod M

2013-09-01

Despite serious and widespread efforts to improve the quality of health care, many patients still suffer preventable harm every day. Hospitals find improvement difficult to sustain, and they suffer "project fatigue" because so many problems need attention. No hospitals or health systems have achieved consistent excellence throughout their institutions. High-reliability science is the study of organizations in industries like commercial aviation and nuclear power that operate under hazardous conditions while maintaining safety levels that are far better than those of health care. Adapting and applying the lessons of this science to health care offer the promise of enabling hospitals to reach levels of quality and safety that are comparable to those of the best high-reliability organizations. We combined the Joint Commission's knowledge of health care organizations with knowledge from the published literature and from experts in high-reliability industries and leading safety scholars outside health care. We developed a conceptual and practical framework for assessing hospitals' readiness for and progress toward high reliability. By iterative testing with hospital leaders, we refined the framework and, for each of its fourteen components, defined stages of maturity through which we believe hospitals must pass to reach high reliability. We discovered that the ways that high-reliability organizations generate and maintain high levels of safety cannot be directly applied to today's hospitals. We defined a series of incremental changes that hospitals should undertake to progress toward high reliability. These changes involve the leadership's commitment to achieving zero patient harm, a fully functional culture of safety throughout the organization, and the widespread deployment of highly effective process improvement tools. Hospitals can make substantial progress toward high reliability by undertaking several specific organizational change initiatives. Further research

Reliability of high-voltage pulse capacitors operating in large energy storages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuchinskij, G.S.; Fedorova, V.S.; Shilin, O.V.

1982-01-01

To improve the reliability of pulse capacitors operating in capacitive energy storages, processes, resulting in break-down of capacitor insulation were investigated. A statistic model of failures was constructed and reliability of real capacitors, functioning at operating electric intensity Usub(oper) equal 70 kV/mm and at elevated intensity 90 kV/mm was calculated. Results of testing the IK50-ZU4 capacitor are given. The form of the capacitor service life distribution function was specified. To provide and confirm the assigned capacitor reliability, it is necessary to speed up tests at a higher voltage (1.3-1.5) Usub(oper). To improve the capacitor reliability, it is advisable to conduct acceptance tests, which include hold at increased constant voltage (1.3-1.5) Usub(oper) during 1-3 min and the effect of pulses of increased voltage (1.2-1.3) Usub(oper) with the pulse shape corresponding to operating conditions

Limitations of amorphous content quantification by isothermal calorimetry using saturated salt solutions to control relative humidity: alternative methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalef, Nawel; Pinal, Rodolfo; Bakri, Aziz

2010-04-01

Despite the high sensitivity of isothermal calorimetry (IC), reported measurements of amorphous content by this technique show significant variability even for the same compound. An investigation into the reasons behind such variability is presented using amorphous lactose and salbutamol sulfate as model compounds. An analysis was carried out on the heat evolved as a result of the exchange of water vapor between the solid sample during crystallization and the saline solution reservoir. The use of saturated salt solutions as means of control of the vapor pressure of water within sealed ampoules bears inherent limitations that lead in turn to the variability associated with the IC technique. We present an alternative IC method, based on an open cell configuration that effectively addresses the limitations encountered with the sealed ampoule system. The proposed approach yields an integral whose value is proportional to the amorphous content in the sample, thus enabling reliable and consistent quantifications. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of amorphous Nb based oxynitrides

Science.gov (United States)

Music, Denis; Geyer, Richard W.; Hans, Marcus

2015-12-01

Using density functional theory, amorphous Nb0.27Ru0.06O0.56N0.10 was designed to facilitate a combination of an enhanced Seebeck coefficient and low electrical resistivity. Based on a positive Cauchy pressure, ductile behavior is expected. To verify these predictions, the transport and mechanical properties of amorphous thin films were evaluated. Metallic electrical resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient of -94 μV K-1 are obtained, which is consistent with our predictions. As there is no crack formation, these samples can be perceived as ductile. We demonstrate that the power factor can be increased by an order of magnitude, while keeping the thermal fatigue low.

Effect of radiation-induced amorphization on smectite dissolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Fourdrin, C; Allard, T; Monnet, I; Menguy, N; Benedetti, M; Calas, G

2010-04-01

Effects of radiation-induced amorphization of smectite were investigated using artificial irradiation. Beams of 925 MeV Xenon ions with radiation dose reaching 73 MGy were used to simulate the effects generated by alpha recoil nuclei or fission products in the context of high level nuclear waste repository. Amorphization was controlled by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. An important coalescence of the smectite sheets was observed which lead to a loss of interparticle porosity. The amorphization is revealed by a loss of long-range structure and accompanied by dehydroxylation. The dissolution rate far-from-equilibrium shows that the amount of silica in solution is two times larger in the amorphous sample than in the reference clay, a value which may be enhanced by orders of magnitude when considering the relative surface area of the samples. Irradiation-induced amorphization thus facilitates dissolution of the clay-derived material. This has to be taken into account for the safety assessment of high level nuclear waste repository, particularly in a scenario of leakage of the waste package which would deliver alpha emitters able to amorphize smectite after a limited period of time.

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy of grain-refining particles in amorphous aluminum alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schumacher, P.; Greer, A.L.

1996-01-01

The nucleation mechanism of Al-Ti-B grain refiners is studied in an Al-based amorphous alloy. The ability to limit growth of α-Al in the amorphous alloy permits the microscopical observation of nucleation events on boride particles. Earlier studies of this kind are extended by using high-resolution electron microscopy. This shows that the efficient nucleation α-Al depends on the TiB 2 particles being coated with a thin layer of Al 3 Ti, which can form only when there is some excess titanium in the melt. The aluminide layer, stabilized by adsorption effects, can be as little as a few monolayers thick, and is coherent with the boride. The nature of this layer, and its importance for the nucleation mechanism are discussed. The fading of the grain refinement action is also considered

Emerging trends in the stabilization of amorphous drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Laitinen, Riikka; Löbmann, Korbinian; Strachan, Clare J; Grohganz, Holger; Rades, Thomas

2013-08-30

The number of active pharmaceutical substances having high therapeutic potential but low water solubility is constantly increasing, making it difficult to formulate these compounds as oral dosage forms. The solubility and dissolution rate, and thus potentially the bioavailability, of these poorly water-soluble drugs can be increased by the formation of stabilized amorphous forms. Currently, formulation as solid polymer dispersions is the preferred method to enhance drug dissolution and to stabilize the amorphous form of a drug. The purpose of this review is to highlight emerging alternative methods to amorphous polymer dispersions for stabilizing the amorphous form of drugs. First, an overview of the properties and stabilization mechanisms of amorphous forms is provided. Subsequently, formulation approaches such as the preparation of co-amorphous small-molecule mixtures and the use of mesoporous silicon and silica-based carriers are presented as potential means to increase the stability of amorphous pharmaceuticals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanical reliability of bulk high Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freiman, S.W.

1990-01-01

Most prospective applications for high T c superconductors in bulk form, e.g. magnets, motors, will require appreciable mechanical strength. Work at NIST [National Institute of Standards and Technology] has begun to address issues related to mechanical reliability. For example, recent studies on Ba-Y-Cu-O have shown that the intrinsic crack growth resistance, K IC , of crystals of this material is even smaller than was first reported, less than that of window glass, and is sensitive to moisture. Processing conditions, particularly sintering and annealing atmosphere, have been shown to have a major influence on microstructure and internal stresses in the material. Large internal stresses result from the tetragonal to orthorhombic phase transformation as well as the thermal expansion anisotropy in the grains of the ceramic. Because stress relief is absent, microcracks form which have a profound influence on strength

Pseudocapacitance of amorphous TiO2@nitrogen doped graphene composite for high rate lithium storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Sheng; Xue, Pan; Lai, Chao; Qiu, Jingxia; Ling, Min; Zhang, Shanqing

2015-01-01

The high rate applications such as electric vehicles of the traditional lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are commonly limited by their insufficient electron conductivity and slow mass transport of lithium ions in bulk electrode materials. In order to address these issues, in this work, a simple and up-scalable wet-mechanochemical (wet-ball milling) route has been developed for fabrication of amorphous porous TiO 2 @nitrogen doped graphene (TiO 2 @N-G) nanocomposites. The amorphous phase, unique porous structure of TiO 2 and the surface defects from nitrogen doping to graphene planes have incurred surface controlled reactions, contributing pseudocapacitance to the total capacity of the battery. It plays a dominant role in producing outstanding high rate electrochemical performance, e.g., 182.7 mAh/g (at 3.36 A/g) after 100 cycles. The design and synthesis of electrode materials with enhanced conductivity and surface pseudocapacitance can be a promising way for high rate LIBs.

Amorphous chalcogenide semiconductors for solid state dosimetric systems of high-energetic ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shpotyuk, O.

1997-01-01

The application possibilities of amorphous chalcogenide semiconductors use as radiation-sensitive elements of high-energetic (E > 1 MeV) dosimetric systems are analysed. It is shown that investigated materials are characterized by more wide region of registered absorbed doses and low temperature threshold of radiation information bleaching in comparison with well-known analogies based on coloring oxide glasses. (author)

The Structure of Liquid and Amorphous Hafnia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leighanne C. Gallington

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Understanding the atomic structure of amorphous solids is important in predicting and tuning their macroscopic behavior. Here, we use a combination of high-energy X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, and molecular dynamics simulations to benchmark the atomic interactions in the high temperature stable liquid and low-density amorphous solid states of hafnia. The diffraction results reveal an average Hf–O coordination number of ~7 exists in both the liquid and amorphous nanoparticle forms studied. The measured pair distribution functions are compared to those generated from several simulation models in the literature. We have also performed ab initio and classical molecular dynamics simulations that show density has a strong effect on the polyhedral connectivity. The liquid shows a broad distribution of Hf–Hf interactions, while the formation of low-density amorphous nanoclusters can reproduce the sharp split peak in the Hf–Hf partial pair distribution function observed in experiment. The agglomeration of amorphous nanoparticles condensed from the gas phase is associated with the formation of both edge-sharing and corner-sharing HfO6,7 polyhedra resembling that observed in the monoclinic phase.

Salt Fog Testing Iron-Based Amorphous Alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebak, Raul B.; Aprigliano, Louis F.; Day, S. Daniel; Farmer, Joseph C.

2007-01-01

Iron-based amorphous alloys are hard and highly corrosion resistant, which make them desirable for salt water and other applications. These alloys can be produced as powder and can be deposited as coatings on any surface that needs to be protected from the environment. It was of interest to examine the behavior of these amorphous alloys in the standard salt-fog testing ASTM B 117. Three different amorphous coating compositions were deposited on 316L SS coupons and exposed for many cycles of the salt fog test. Other common engineering alloys such as 1018 carbon steel, 316L SS and Hastelloy C-22 were also tested together with the amorphous coatings. Results show that amorphous coatings are resistant to rusting in salt fog. Partial devitrification may be responsible for isolated rust spots in one of the coatings. (authors)

Feasibility of applying home-made amorphous core to induction module

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Sifu; Li Xin; Huang Ziping

2008-01-01

The application of the homemade 1K101 amorphous core in induction module is reported in this paper. The properties of magnetic, insulation and stability are studied with the cores. A pulse with pulse width of 120 ns (FWFM), flattop of 72 ns (±1%) and rise time of 17 ns can be obtained with single-pulse induction module. Triple-pulse with the rise time of 35 ns, flat-top of 60 ns (±1%) and pulse width of 120 ns (FWFM) was obtained when tested with a formal linear induction module at MHz repetition burst mode. The effective average flux swing of the amorphous core is about 1.41 T. The cores work well with triple-pulse of 282 kV. The properties of the cores are stable and suitable for induction module. (authors)

Calculation of core loss and copper loss in amorphous/nanocrystalline core-based high-frequency transformer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaojing Liu

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Amorphous and nanocrystalline alloys are now widely used for the cores of high-frequency transformers, and Litz-wire is commonly used as the windings, while it is difficult to calculate the resistance accurately. In order to design a high-frequency transformer, it is important to accurately calculate the core loss and copper loss. To calculate the core loss accurately, the additional core loss by the effect of end stripe should be considered. It is difficult to simulate the whole stripes in the core due to the limit of computation, so a scale down model with 5 stripes of amorphous alloy is simulated by the 2D finite element method (FEM. An analytical model is presented to calculate the copper loss in the Litz-wire, and the results are compared with the calculations by FEM.

Investigation of high- k yttrium copper titanate thin films as alternative gate dielectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monteduro, Anna Grazia; Ameer, Zoobia; Rizzato, Silvia; Martino, Maurizio; Caricato, Anna Paola; Maruccio, Giuseppe; Tasco, Vittorianna; Lekshmi, Indira Chaitanya; Hazarika, Abhijit; Choudhury, Debraj; Sarma, D D

2016-01-01

Nearly amorphous high- k yttrium copper titanate thin films deposited by laser ablation were investigated in both metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) and metal–insulator–metal (MIM) junctions in order to assess the potentialities of this material as a gate oxide. The trend of dielectric parameters with film deposition shows a wide tunability for the dielectric constant and AC conductivity, with a remarkably high dielectric constant value of up to 95 for the thick films and conductivity as low as 6  ×  10 −10 S cm −1 for the thin films deposited at high oxygen pressure. The AC conductivity analysis points out a decrease in the conductivity, indicating the formation of a blocking interface layer, probably due to partial oxidation of the thin films during cool-down in an oxygen atmosphere. Topography and surface potential characterizations highlight differences in the thin film microstructure as a function of the deposition conditions; these differences seem to affect their electrical properties. (paper)

AN INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF AMORPHOUS AND CRYSTALLINE ICES OF VINYLACETYLENE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SATURN'S SATELLITE TITAN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Y. S.; Kaiser, R. I.

2009-01-01

Laboratory infrared spectra of amorphous and crystalline vinylacetylene ices were recorded in the range of 7000-400 cm -1 . The spectra showed several amorphous features in the ice deposited at 10 K, which were then utilized to monitor a phase transition between 93 ± 1 K to form the crystalline structure. Successive heating allows monitoring of the sublimation profile of the vinylacetylene sample in the range of 101-120 K. Considering Titan's surface temperature of 94 K, vinylacetylene ice is likely to be crystalline. Analogous studies on related planetary-bound molecules such as triaceylene and cyanoacetylene may be further warranted to gain better perspectives into the composition of the condensed phases in the Titan's atmosphere (aerosol particles) and of Titan's surface. Based on our studies, we recommend utilizing the ν 1 and ν 16 //ν 11 /ν 17 fundamentals at about 3300 and 650 cm -1 to determine if solid vinylacetylene is crystalline or amorphous on Titan.

Glassy formation ability, magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect in Al27Cu18Er55 amorphous ribbon

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lingwei; Xu, Chi; Yuan, Ye; Zhou, Shengqiang

2018-05-01

In this work, we have fabricated the Al27Cu18Er55 amorphous ribbon with good glassy formation ability by melt-spinning technology. A broad paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) transition (second ordered) together with a large reversible magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in Al27Cu18Er55 amorphous ribbon was observed around the Curie temperature TC ∼ 11 K. Under the magnetic field change (ΔH of 0-7 T, the values of MCE parameter of the maximum magnetic entropy change (-ΔSMmax) and refrigerant capacity (RC) for Al27Cu18Er55 amorphous ribbon reach 21.4 J/kg K and 599 J/kg, respectively. The outstanding glass forming ability as well as the excellent magneto-caloric properties indicate that Al27Cu18Er55 amorphous could be a good candidate for low temperature magnetic refrigeration.

High throughput deposition of hydrogenated amorphous carbon coatings on rubber with expanding thermal plasma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pei, Y.T.; Eivani, A.R.; Zaharia, T.; Kazantis, A.V.; Sanden, van de M.C.M.; De Hosson, J.T.M.

2014-01-01

Flexible hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) thin film coated on rubbers has shown outstanding protection of rubber seals from friction and wear. This work concentrates on the potential advances of expanding thermal plasma (ETP) process for a high throughput deposition of a-C:H thin films in

Contribution to high voltage matrix switches reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lausenaz, Yvan

2000-01-01

Nowadays, power electronic equipment requirements are important, concerning performances, quality and reliability. On the other hand, costs have to be reduced in order to satisfy the market rules. To provide cheap, reliability and performances, many standard components with mass production are developed. But the construction of specific products must be considered following these two different points: in one band you can produce specific components, with delay, over-cost problems and eventuality quality and reliability problems, in the other and you can use standard components in a adapted topologies. The CEA of Pierrelatte has adopted this last technique of power electronic conception for the development of these high voltage pulsed power converters. The technique consists in using standard components and to associate them in series and in parallel. The matrix constitutes high voltage macro-switch where electrical parameters are distributed between the synchronized components. This study deals with the reliability of these structures. It brings up the high reliability aspect of MOSFETs matrix associations. Thanks to several homemade test facilities, we obtained lots of data concerning the components we use. The understanding of defects propagation mechanisms in matrix structures has allowed us to put forwards the necessity of robust drive system, adapted clamping voltage protection, and careful geometrical construction. All these reliability considerations in matrix associations have notably allowed the construction of a new matrix structure regrouping all solutions insuring reliability. Reliable and robust, this product has already reaches the industrial stage. (author) [fr

250 kV 6 mA compact Cockcroft-Walton high-voltage power supply

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Zhan-Wen; Su, Xiao-Dong; Wei, Zhen; Huang, Zhi-Wu; Miao, Tian-You; Su, Tong-Ling [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Lu, Xiao-Long; Wang, Jun-Run; Yao, Ze-En, E-mail: zeyao@lzu.edu.cn [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Engineering Research Center for Neutron Application, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2016-08-15

A compact power supply system for a compact neutron generator has been developed. A 4-stage symmetrical Cockcroft-Walton circuit is adopted to produce 250 kV direct current high-voltage. A 2-stage 280 kV isolation transformer system is used to drive the ion source power supply. For a compact structure, safety, and reliability during the operation, the Cockcroft-Walton circuit and the isolation transformer system are enclosed in an epoxy vessel containing the transformer oil whose size is about ∅350 mm × 766 mm. Test results indicate that the maximum output voltage of the power supply is 282 kV, and the stability of the output voltage is better than 0.63% when the high voltage power supply is operated at 250 kV, 6.9 mA with the input voltage varying ±10%.

Nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon-silicon core-shell structures for high-power supercapacitor electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tali, S A Safiabadi; Soleimani-Amiri, S; Sanaee, Z; Mohajerzadeh, S

2017-02-10

We report successful deposition of nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon films to realize high-power core-shell supercapacitor electrodes. A catalyst-free method is proposed to deposit large-area stable, highly conformal and highly conductive nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon (a-C:N) films by means of a direct-current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique (DC-PECVD). This approach exploits C 2 H 2 and N 2 gases as the sources of carbon and nitrogen constituents and can be applied to various micro and nanostructures. Although as-deposited a-C:N films have a porous surface, their porosity can be significantly improved through a modification process consisting of Ni-assisted annealing and etching steps. The electrochemical analyses demonstrated the superior performance of the modified a-C:N as a supercapacitor active material, where specific capacitance densities as high as 42 F/g and 8.5 mF/cm 2 (45 F/cm 3 ) on silicon microrod arrays were achieved. Furthermore, this supercapacitor electrode showed less than 6% degradation of capacitance over 5000 cycles of a galvanostatic charge-discharge test. It also exhibited a relatively high energy density of 2.3 × 10 3  Wh/m 3 (8.3 × 10 6  J/m 3 ) and ultra-high power density of 2.6 × 10 8  W/m 3 which is among the highest reported values.

Phase behavior and oral bioavailability of amorphous Curcumin.

Science.gov (United States)

Pawar, Yogesh B; Shete, Ganesh; Popat, Dharmesh; Bansal, Arvind K

2012-08-30

Amorphous form has been used as a means to improve aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability of poorly water soluble drugs. The objective of present study was to characterize thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of amorphous form of Curcumin (CRM-A). CRM-A was found to be a good glass former with glass transition temperature (T(g)) of 342.64K and critical cooling rate below 1K/min. CRM-A had a moderate tendency of crystallization and exhibited Kauzmann temperature (T(KS)) of 294.23 K. CRM-A was found to be fragile in nature as determined by T(m)/T(g) (1.32), C(p)(1 iq):C(p)(glass) (1.22), strength parameter (D75), T(K)/T(g) (0.85), and T(g)-T(K) (48.41). Theoretically predicted aqueous solubility advantage of 43.15-folds, was reduced to 17-folds under practical conditions. This reduction in solubility was attributed to water induced devitrification, as evident through PXRD and SEM analysis. Further, oral bioavailability study of CRM-A was undertaken to investigate bioavailability benefits, if any. C(max) was improved by 1.97-folds (statistically significant difference over control). However, oral bioavailability (AUC(0-)(∞)) was improved by 1.45-folds (statistically non significant difference over control). These observations pointed towards role of rapid devitrification of CRM-A in GIT milieu, thus limiting its oral bioavailability advantage. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conformal coating of amorphous silicon and germanium by high pressure chemical vapor deposition for photovoltaic fabrics

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xiaoyu; Cheng, Hiu Yan; Grede, Alex J.; Molina, Alex; Talreja, Disha; Mohney, Suzanne E.; Giebink, Noel C.; Badding, John V.; Gopalan, Venkatraman

2018-04-01

Conformally coating textured, high surface area substrates with high quality semiconductors is challenging. Here, we show that a high pressure chemical vapor deposition process can be employed to conformally coat the individual fibers of several types of flexible fabrics (cotton, carbon, steel) with electronically or optoelectronically active materials. The high pressure (˜30 MPa) significantly increases the deposition rate at low temperatures. As a result, it becomes possible to deposit technologically important hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) from silane by a simple and very practical pyrolysis process without the use of plasma, photochemical, hot-wire, or other forms of activation. By confining gas phase reactions in microscale reactors, we show that the formation of undesired particles is inhibited within the microscale spaces between the individual wires in the fabric structures. Such a conformal coating approach enables the direct fabrication of hydrogenated amorphous silicon-based Schottky junction devices on a stainless steel fabric functioning as a solar fabric.

New bounds on the reliability of the consecutive k-out-of-r-from-n:F system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habib, A.; Szantai, T.

2000-01-01

The main goal of this article is to show that the lower and upper bounds on the failing probability resp. reliability of consecutive k-out-of-r-from-n:F reliability systems developed by Sfakianakis, Kounias and Hillaris [M. Sfakianakis, S. Kounias, A. Hillaris, IEEE Trans. Reliability 1992;R-41:442-447] can be improved by applying fourth order Boole-Bonferroni bounds. Further we propose the application of the Hunter-Worsley bound in the framework of reliability system analysis, too. Numerical results of the formerly published test examples and harder problems are given. The computer code was written in FORTRAN and is available on request from the authors

Moessbauer and magnetic resonance experiments on amorphous iron-silicon films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bansal, C.; Campbell, S.J.; Stewart, A.M.

1982-01-01

Moessbauer measurements at room temperature and 4.2 K, and room temperature magnetic resonance measurments on a series of amorphous Fesub(x)Sisub(1-x) thin films (0.23 <= x <= 0.81) are presented. The concentration dependence of the isomer shifts and quadrupole splittings provides information on the nature of the local coordination in these amorphous materials. Analysis of the distributions of magnetic hyperfine splitting combined with the presence of multiple resonance in the magnetic resonance data indiates that magnetoanisotropy plays a dominant role in determining the magnetic behaviour of these films. (orig.)

Theory of amorphous ices.

Science.gov (United States)

Limmer, David T; Chandler, David

2014-07-01

We derive a phase diagram for amorphous solids and liquid supercooled water and explain why the amorphous solids of water exist in several different forms. Application of large-deviation theory allows us to prepare such phases in computer simulations. Along with nonequilibrium transitions between the ergodic liquid and two distinct amorphous solids, we establish coexistence between these two amorphous solids. The phase diagram we predict includes a nonequilibrium triple point where two amorphous phases and the liquid coexist. Whereas the amorphous solids are long-lived and slowly aging glasses, their melting can lead quickly to the formation of crystalline ice. Further, melting of the higher density amorphous solid at low pressures takes place in steps, transitioning to the lower-density glass before accessing a nonequilibrium liquid from which ice coarsens.

Temperature dependence of ion-beam induced amorphization in α-quartz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhar, Sankar; Bolse, Wolfgang; Lieb, Klaus-Peter

1999-01-01

The temperature dependence of the amorphization in α-quartz by Ne-ion bombardment has been investigated using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry in channeling geometry (RBS-C). The experimental results show that the critical temperature T c for inhibiting amorphization in quartz is around 940 K. The damage depth profile χ(z,phi) is independent of the temperature and fluence and can be simulated with a power-law function [χ(z,phi)∝(phiF D (z)) 3 ] of the damage energy distribution F D (z). At low irradiation temperature, the critical dose phi c for amorphization is independent of the temperature but it strongly increases at higher temperatures with an activation energy of 0.28 eV and has been explained by out-diffusion model of Morehead and Crowder

Amorphous chalcogenide semiconductors for solid state dosimetric systems of high-energetic ionizing radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shpotyuk, O. [Pedagogical University, Czestochowa (Poland)]|[Institute of Materials, Lvov (Ukraine)

1997-12-31

The application possibilities of amorphous chalcogenide semiconductors use as radiation-sensitive elements of high-energetic (E > 1 MeV) dosimetric systems are analysed. It is shown that investigated materials are characterized by more wide region of registered absorbed doses and low temperature threshold of radiation information bleaching in comparison with well-known analogies based on coloring oxide glasses. (author). 16 refs, 1 tab.

Synthesis and high temperature stability of amorphous Si(B)CN-MWCNT composite nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Bhandavat, Romil; Singh, Gurpreet

2012-02-01

We demonstrate synthesis of a hybrid nanowire structure consisting of an amorphous polymer-derived silicon boron-carbonitride (Si-B-C-N) shell with a multiwalled carbon nanotube core. This was achieved through a novel process involving preparation of a boron-modified liquid polymeric precursor through a reaction of trimethyl borate and polyureasilazane under atmospheric conditions; followed by conversion of polymer to glass-ceramic on carbon nanotube surfaces through controlled heating. Chemical structure of the polymer was studied by liquid-NMR while evolution of various ceramic phases was studied by Raman spectroscopy, solid-NMR, Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction confirms presence of amorphous Si(B)CN coating on individual nanotubes for all specimen processed below 1400 degree C. Thermogravimetric analysis, followed by TEM revealed high temperature stability of the carbon nanotube core in flowing air up to 1300 degree C.

Superconductivity, spin-glass properties, and ferromagnetism in amorphous La--Gd--Au alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poon, S.J.

1978-01-01

The superconducting and magnetic properties of splat cooled amorphous alloys of composition (La/sub 100-x/Gd/sub x/) 80 Au 20 (0 equal to or less than x equal to or less than 100) have been studied. The La 80 Au 20 alloys are ideal type II superconductors (critical temperature T/sub c/ = 3.5 0 K). The concentration range (x 80 Au 20 . The results are compared with recent theories on amorphous magnetism

Laser spot welding of cobalt-based amorphous metal foils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Runchev, Dobre; Dorn, Lutc; Jaferi, Seifolah; Purbst, Detler

1997-01-01

The results concerning weldability of amorphous alloy (VAC 6025F) in shape of foils and the quality of laser-spot welded joints are presented in this paper. The aim of the research was the production of a high quality welding joint, by preserving the amorphous structure. The quality of the joint was tested by shear strength analysis and microhardness measuring. The metallographic studies were made by using optical microscope and SEM. The results show that (1) overlapped Co based amorphous metals foils can be welded with high-quality by a pulsed Nd: YAG-Laser, but only within a very narrow laser parameter window; (2) the laser welded spots show comparably high strength as the basic material; (3) the structure of the welded spot remains amorphous, so that the same characteristics as the base material can be achieved. (author)

Enhanced refrigerant capacity in Gd-Al-Co microwires with a biphase nanocrystalline/amorphous structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, H. X. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620 (United States); Xing, D. W.; Liu, Y. F.; Sun, J. F. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Sánchez Llamazares, J. L. [Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C., Camino a la Presa San José 2055 Col. Lomas 4a, San Luis Potosí, S.L.P. 78216 (Mexico); Sánchez-Valdés, C. F. [Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 14, Ensenada 22860, Baja California (Mexico); Belliveau, H.; Srikanth, H.; Phan, M. H., E-mail: phanm@usf.edu [Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620 (United States); Wang, H.; Qin, F. X. [Institute for Composites Science and Innovation (InCSI), College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2016-02-29

A class of biphase nanocrystalline/amorphous Gd{sub (50+5x)}Al{sub (30−5x)}Co{sub 20} (x = 0, 1, 2) microwires fabricated directly by melt-extraction is reported. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and Fourier function transform based analysis indicate the presence of a volume fraction (∼20%) of ∼10 nm sized nanocrystallities uniformly embedded in an amorphous matrix. The microwires possess excellent magnetocaloric properties, with large values of the isothermal entropy change (−ΔS{sub M} ∼ 9.7 J kg{sup −1} K{sup −1}), the adiabatic temperature change (ΔT{sub ad} ∼ 5.2 K), and the refrigerant capacity (RC ∼ 654 J kg{sup −1}) for a field change of 5 T. The addition of Gd significantly alters T{sub C} while preserving large values of the ΔS{sub M} and RC. The nanocrystallites allow for enhanced RC as well as a broader operating temperature span of a magnetic bed for energy-efficient magnetic refrigeration.

Substrate and Passivation Techniques for Flexible Amorphous Silicon-Based X-ray Detectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Marrs, Michael A; Raupp, Gregory B

2016-07-26

Flexible active matrix display technology has been adapted to create new flexible photo-sensing electronic devices, including flexible X-ray detectors. Monolithic integration of amorphous silicon (a-Si) PIN photodiodes on a flexible substrate poses significant challenges associated with the intrinsic film stress of amorphous silicon. This paper examines how altering device structuring and diode passivation layers can greatly improve the electrical performance and the mechanical reliability of the device, thereby eliminating one of the major weaknesses of a-Si PIN diodes in comparison to alternative photodetector technology, such as organic bulk heterojunction photodiodes and amorphous selenium. A dark current of 0.5 pA/mm² and photodiode quantum efficiency of 74% are possible with a pixelated diode structure with a silicon nitride/SU-8 bilayer passivation structure on a 20 µm-thick polyimide substrate.

Tunneling measurements in amorphous layers of superconducting transition metals: molybdenum, vanadium, and niobium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roll, U.

1981-01-01

Tunneling experiments with amorphous Molybdenum and Vanadium layers are presented, showing no significant increase of the reduced energy gap 2δ(O)/kTsub(c)(δ) compared with the BCS-value, in contrast to all previous measurement on amorphous superconducting materials of simple s-p-metals, showing on enhanced electron-phonon-interaction. This fact may lead to the conclusion that the strong electron-phonon coupling is caused by the amorphous structure of the superconductor. The present results, however, indicate that the strong electron-phonon interaction cannot be explained only ba the amorphous structure of the superconductor. In the measurements of the second derivative d 2 U/dI 2 no phonon-induced structures have been observed for amorphous molybdenum, vanadium and niobium films. Apparently the phonon density of states F(#betta#) of amorphous transition metals has no structure, thus the longitudinal and transverse phonons cannot be identified in the measured (d 2 U/dI 2 )-curves. This particular behaviour of the amorphous transition metals in contrast to the simple s-p-metals may be interpreted by the strongly localized d-electrons. (orig./GG) [de

Some optical properties of Ge-S amorphous thin films

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Munzar, Martin; Tichý, Ladislav; Tichá, H.

č. 2 (2002), s. 1567-1739 ISSN 1567-1739 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK2050602; GA ČR GV202/98/K002 Keywords : amorphous sulphides * irreversible photobleaching * thermal bleaching Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 1.117, year: 2002

Crystalline-to-amorphous phase transition in irradiated silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidman, D.N.; Averback, R.S.; Okamoto, P.R.; Baily, A.C.

1986-01-01

The amorphous(a)-to-crystalline (c) phase transition has been studied in electron(e - ) and/or ion irradiated silicon (Si). The irradiations were performed in situ in the Argonne High Voltage Microscope-Tandem Facility. The irradiation of Si, at 0 K, with 1-MeV e - to a fluence of 14 dpa failed to induce the c-to-a transition. Whereas an irradiation, at 0 K, with 1.0 or 1.5-MeV Kr+ ions induced the c-to-a transition by a fluence of approx.0.37 dpa. Alternatively a dual irradiation, at 10 0 K, with 1.0-MeV e - and 1.0 or 1.5-MeV Kr+ to a Kr+ fluence of 1.5 dpa - where the ratio of the displacement rates for e - to ions was approx.0.5 - resulted in the Si specimen retaining a degree of crystallinity. These results are discussed in terms of the degree of dispersion of point defects in the primary state of damage and the mobilities of point defects

High temperature corrosion of thermally sprayed NiCr- and amorphous Fe-based coatings covered with a KCl-K{sub 2}SO{sub 4} salt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Varis, T.; Suhonen, T.; Tuurna, S.; Ruusuvuori, K.; Holmstroem, S.; Salonen, J. [VTT, Espoo (Finland); Bankiewicz, D.; Yrjas, P. [Aabo Akademi Univ., Turku (Finland)

2010-07-01

New process conditions due to the requirement of higher efficiency together with the use of high-chlorine and alkali containing fuels such as biomass and waste fuels for heat and electricity production will challenge the resistance and life of tube materials. In conventional materials the addition of alloying elements to increase the corrosion resistance in aggressive combustion conditions increases costs relatively rapidly. Thermally sprayed coating offer promising, effective, flexible and cost efficient solutions to fulfill the material needs for the future. Some heat exchanger design alteractions before global commercialization have to be overcome, though. High temperature corrosion in combustion plants can occur by a variety of mechanisms including passive scale degradation with subsequent rapid scaling, loss of adhesion and scale detachment, attack by melted or partly melted deposits via fluxing reactions and intergranular-/interlamellar corrosion. A generally accepted model of the ''active oxidation'' attributes the responsibility for inducing corrosion to chlorine. The active oxidation mechanism plays a key role in the thermally sprayed coatings due to their unique lamellar structure. In this study, the corrosion behaviour of NiCr (HVOF and Wire Arc), amorphous Fe-based, and Fe13Cr (Wire Arc) thermally sprayed coatings, were tested in the laboratory under simplified biomass combustion conditions. The tests were carried out by using a KCl-K{sub 2}SO{sub 4} salt mixture as a synthetic biomass ash, which was placed on the materials and then heat treated for one week (168h) at two different temperatures (550{sup 0}C and 600 C) and in two different gas atmospheres (air and air+30%H{sub 2}O). After the exposures, the metallographic cross sections of the coatings were studied with SEM/EDX analyzer. The results showed that the coatings behaved relatively well at the lower test temperature while critical corrosion through the lamella boundaries

Fiscal 2000 survey report. Basic research on hot molding of amorphous ceramics; 2000 nendo amorphous netsukan ceramics seikeiho ni kansuru kiso kenkyu chosa hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-03-01

Experiments were conducted on the plasticity processing of heat resistant ceramics making use of the viscous deformation of amorphous ceramics in the supercooled liquid temperature domain. Concerning the preparation of powder of amorphous ceramics, the plasma rotating electrode method of Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, was employed, and a bamboo leaf shaped amorphous flake was successfully fabricated by increasing the arc discharge current. In a search of texture easy to turn amorphous, it was observed that Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-La{sub 2}O{sub 3} had a supercooled liquid domain of as large as 70K, and this enabled a conclusion that it was a promising candidate for hot molding in a supercooled liquid domain. In an experiment of molding in a supercooled liquid domain, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} was used in a press molding process. As the result, a compact bulk mold was obtained in a temperature domain far lower than in the case of conventional sintering. Crystallization had already advanced in all the molds experimentally fabricated by press molding, and this disabled a study of characteristics to be exhibited by an amorphous mold, but it was found that they had a compressive strength of approximately 1,800MPa. (NEDO)

Serially Connected Micro Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells for Compact High-Voltage Sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiyoon Nam

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate a compact amorphous silicon (a-Si solar module to be used as high-voltage power supply. In comparison with the organic solar module, the main advantages of the a-Si solar module are its compatibility with photolithography techniques and relatively high power conversion efficiency. The open circuit voltage of a-Si solar cells can be easily controlled by serially interconnecting a-Si solar cells. Moreover, the a-Si solar module can be easily patterned by photolithography in any desired shapes with high areal densities. Using the photolithographic technique, we fabricate a compact a-Si solar module with noticeable photovoltaic characteristics as compared with the reported values for high-voltage power supplies.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of amorphous Nb based oxynitrides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Music, Denis, E-mail: music@mch.rwth-aachen.de; Geyer, Richard W.; Hans, Marcus

2015-12-15

Using density functional theory, amorphous Nb{sub 0.27}Ru{sub 0.06}O{sub 0.56}N{sub 0.10} was designed to facilitate a combination of an enhanced Seebeck coefficient and low electrical resistivity. Based on a positive Cauchy pressure, ductile behavior is expected. To verify these predictions, the transport and mechanical properties of amorphous thin films were evaluated. Metallic electrical resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient of −94 µV K{sup −1} are obtained, which is consistent with our predictions. As there is no crack formation, these samples can be perceived as ductile. We demonstrate that the power factor can be increased by an order of magnitude, while keeping the thermal fatigue low.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of amorphous Nb based oxynitrides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Music, Denis; Geyer, Richard W.; Hans, Marcus

2015-01-01

Using density functional theory, amorphous Nb_0_._2_7Ru_0_._0_6O_0_._5_6N_0_._1_0 was designed to facilitate a combination of an enhanced Seebeck coefficient and low electrical resistivity. Based on a positive Cauchy pressure, ductile behavior is expected. To verify these predictions, the transport and mechanical properties of amorphous thin films were evaluated. Metallic electrical resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient of −94 µV K"−"1 are obtained, which is consistent with our predictions. As there is no crack formation, these samples can be perceived as ductile. We demonstrate that the power factor can be increased by an order of magnitude, while keeping the thermal fatigue low.

Hydriding properties of amorphous Ni-B alloy studied by DSC and thermogravimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spassov, T.; Rangelova, V.

1999-01-01

The hydrogenation behaviour of melt-spun Ni 81.5 B 18.5 amorphous alloy was studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG) and compared with the hydriding properties of a Fe-B-Si glass. It was found that the amorphous Ni-B alloy absorbs larger amounts of hydrogen than the Fe-B-Si glass, as the initial kinetics of hydrogen absorption and desorption of both the alloys are comparable. Hydrogen absorption and desorption reactions in Ni-B were observed to proceed with similar rates at ca. 300 K. The hydrogen desorption is revealed in DSC as an endothermic peak in the 350-450 K range, preceding the crystallization peak of the amorphous alloy. The enthalpy of hydrogen desorption (ΔH des =22 kJ/mol H 2 ) for Ni-B was found to be smaller than that for the Fe-B-Si glass, which finding is in contrast to the results on hydrogen diffusion in crystalline αFe and Fe-based alloys and Ni and Ni-based alloys. The hydrogen desorption temperature and enthalpy for Ni 81.5 B 18.5 were found to be independent of the amount of hydrogen absorbed. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Giant magnetoimpedance in glass-coverd amorphous microwires

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kraus, Luděk; Frait, Zdeněk; Pirota, K. R.; Chiriac, H.

254-255, - (2003), s. 399-403 ISSN 0304-8853. [Soft Magnetic Material Conference ( SMM 15). Bilbao, 05.09.2001-07.09.2001] R&D Projects: GA MŠk ME 355 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1010914 Keywords : amorphous systems-soft magnetics * giant magnetoimpedance * ferromagnetic resonance * magnetomechanical coupling Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.910, year: 2003

Fe-based bulk amorphous alloys with iron contents as high as 82 at%

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jin-Feng; Liu, Xue; Zhao, Shao-Fan; Ding, Hong-Yu [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Yao, Ke-Fu, E-mail: kfyao@tsinghua.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

2015-07-15

Fe-based bulk amorphous alloys (BAAs) with high Fe contents are advantageous due to their high saturation magnetization and low cost. However, preparing Fe-based BAAs with Fe contents higher than 80 at% is difficult due to their poor glass forming abilities (GFA). In this study, an Fe{sub 81}P{sub 8.5}C{sub 5.5}B{sub 2}Si{sub 3} BAA with a diameter of 1 mm and a saturation magnetization of 1.56 T was successfully prepared using the fluxing and copper mold casting methods. In addition, by introducing a small amount of elemental Mo to the alloy, an Fe{sub 82}Mo{sub 1}P{sub 6.5}C{sub 5.5}B{sub 2}Si{sub 3} BAA rod with a diameter of 1 mm, a high saturation magnetization of 1.59 T, a high yield stress of 3265 MPa, and a clear plasticity of 1.3% was prepared in the same way. The cost effectiveness and good magnetic properties of these newly-developed Fe-based BAAs with Fe contents as high as 82 at% would be advantageous and promising for industrial applications. - Highlights: • Novel Fe-based BAA with no other metallic element except 81 at% Fe was prepared. • Fe-based bulk amorphous alloy (BAA) with the highest Fe content (82%) was prepared. • Very high saturation magnetization of 1.59 T has been achieved. • A new thought for designing Fe-based BAA with high Fe content was provided.

Electronic sputtering by swift highly charged ions of nitrogen on amorphous carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caron, M.; Haranger, F.; Rothard, H.; Ban d'Etat, B.; Boduch, P.; Clouvas, A.; Potiriadis, C.; Neugebauer, R.; Jalowy, T.

2001-01-01

Electronic sputtering with heavy ions as a function of both electronic energy loss dE/dx and projectile charge state q was studied at the French heavy ion accelerator GANIL. Amorphous carbon (untreated, and sputter-cleaned and subsequently exposed to nitrogen) was irradiated with swift highly charged ions (Z=6-73, q=6-54, energy 6-13 MeV/u) in an ultrahigh vacuum scattering chamber. The fluence dependence of ion-induced electron yields allows to deduce a desorption cross-section σ which varies approximately as σ∼(dE/dx) 1.65 or σ∼q 3.3 for sputter-cleaned amorphous carbon exposed to nitrogen. This q dependence is close to the cubic charge dependence observed for the emission of H + secondary ions which are believed to be emitted from the very surface. However, the power law σ∼(dE/dx) 1.65 , related to the electronic energy loss gives the best empirical description. The dependence on dE/dx is close to a quadratic one thus rather pointing towards a thermal evaporation-like effect

Helium ion damage in an amorphous Fe-Ni-Mo-B alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swijgenhoven, H. van; Stals, L.M.; Knuyt, G.

1983-01-01

Data are presented on helium gas bubble and helium blister formation for Metglas 2826MB during 5 keV He + -implantation in the temperature range 200K-600K and dose range 5.10 20 -10 22 He + /m 2 . It is concluded that amorphous alloys are less radiation resistant as has been thought earlier. (author)

Stabilization of iron and molybdenum amorphous state with interstitials under high rates of cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barmin, Yu.V.; Vavilova, V.V.; Verevkin, A.G.; Gertsen, A.T.; Kovneristyj, Yu.K.; Kotyurgin, E.A.; Mirkin, B.V.; Palij, N.A.

1993-01-01

Amorphous solidification of iron and molybdenum is investigated in thin films and on surface laser irradiated on air at 10 12 and 10 8 /Ks cooling rates correspondingly. Amorphous solidification occurs during ion plasma spraying in thin films of 50 nm at saturation of carbon and oxygen atoms in the ratio of C:0=2.3, but amorphous state is absent at room temperature. Metastable fcc phase, among bcc, is formed by crystallization

Mechanical response of melt-spun amorphous filaments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leal, A A; Reifler, F A; Hufenus, R; Mohanty, G; Michler, J

2014-01-01

High-speed melt spinning of a cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) and a copolyamide (CoPA) have been performed. Differential scanning calorimetry curves of the resulting monofilaments show that they remain in an amorphous state even after hot drawing. Wide angle x-ray diffraction patterns of undrawn and drawn COP filaments show that although the material remains in an amorphous state, a degree of orientation is induced in the polymer after drawing. The amorphous filaments show an enhanced bending recovery with respect to different semi-crystalline monofilaments commercially available. However, single fiber axial compressive testing indicates that the amorphous filaments exhibit a compressive modulus value which is 50% lower than what is observed for a reference semi-crystalline PET filament. Analysis of the compressive strains applied by the bending recovery test indicates that while the maximum applied strains remain well within the region of elastic deformation of the amorphous materials, the threshold between elastic and plastic deformation is reached for the semi-crystalline materials. (paper)

Extended x-ray absorption fine structure studies of amorphous and crystalline Si-Ge alloys with synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kajiyama, Hiroshi

1988-01-01

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) is a powerful probe to study the local structure around the atom of a specific element. In conventional EXAFS analysis, it has been known that reliable structures are obtained with the different values of absorption edge energy for different neighboring atoms. It is shown in this study that the Ge-K edge EXAFS resulting from the Ge-Ge and Ge-Si bonds in hydrogenated amorphous Si-Ge alloys was able to be excellently explained by a unique absorption edge energy value, provided that a newly developed formula based on the spherical wave function of photoelectrons is used. The microscopic structures of hydrogenated amorphous Si-Ge alloys and crystalline Si-Ge alloys have been determined using the EXAFS method. The lengths of Ge-Ge and Ge-Si bonds were constant throughout their entire composition range, and it was found that the length of Ge-Si bond was close to the average value of the bond lengths of both Ge and Si crystals. In crystalline Si-Ge alloys, it has been shown that the bonds relaxed completely, while the lattice constant varied monotonously with the composition. (Kako, I.)

Problems on one-dimensionally disordered lattices, and reliability of structural analysis of liquids and amorphous solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakinoki, J.

1974-01-01

Methods for obtaining the intensity of X-ray diffraction by one-dimensional by disordered lattices have been studied, and matrix method was developed. The method has been applied for structural analysis. Several problems concerning neutron diffraction were shown in the course of analysis. Large single crystals should be used for measurement. It is hard to grasp the local variation of structure. The technique of topography is still in development. Measurement of weak intensity diffraction is not sufficient. Technique of photography to observe overall feature is not good. General remarks concerning the one-dimensionally disordered lattices are as follows. A large number of parameters for analysis are not practical, and the disorder parameters are preferably two. In case of the disorder between two kinds of layers having same frequency and different structure, peak shift is not caused, and Laue term remains at the position. Reliability of the structural analysis of liquid and amorphous solid is discussed. The analysis is basically the analysis two atom molecule of same kind of atoms. The intensity of diffraction can be obtained from radial distribution function (RDF). Since practical observation is limited to a finite region, termination effect should be taken into consideration. Accuracy of analysis is not good in case of X-ray diffraction. The analysis by neutron diffraction is preferable. (Kato, T.)

Iron-based amorphous alloys and methods of synthesizing iron-based amorphous alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Saw, Cheng Kiong; Bauer, William A.; Choi, Jor-Shan; Day, Dan; Farmer, Joseph C.

2016-05-03

A method according to one embodiment includes combining an amorphous iron-based alloy and at least one metal selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, chromium, tungsten, boron, gadolinium, nickel phosphorous, yttrium, and alloys thereof to form a mixture, wherein the at least one metal is present in the mixture from about 5 atomic percent (at %) to about 55 at %; and ball milling the mixture at least until an amorphous alloy of the iron-based alloy and the at least one metal is formed. Several amorphous iron-based metal alloys are also presented, including corrosion-resistant amorphous iron-based metal alloys and radiation-shielding amorphous iron-based metal alloys.

Predicting catalyst-support interactions between metal nanoparticles and amorphous silica supports

Science.gov (United States)

Ewing, Christopher S.; Veser, Götz; McCarthy, Joseph J.; Lambrecht, Daniel S.; Johnson, J. Karl

2016-10-01

Metal-support interactions significantly affect the stability and activity of supported catalytic nanoparticles (NPs), yet there is no simple and reliable method for estimating NP-support interactions, especially for amorphous supports. We present an approach for rapid prediction of catalyst-support interactions between Pt NPs and amorphous silica supports for NPs of various sizes and shapes. We use density functional theory calculations of 13 atom Pt clusters on model amorphous silica supports to determine linear correlations relating catalyst properties to NP-support interactions. We show that these correlations can be combined with fast discrete element method simulations to predict adhesion energy and NP net charge for NPs of larger sizes and different shapes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this approach can be successfully transferred to Pd, Au, Ni, and Fe NPs. This approach can be used to quickly screen stability and net charge transfer and leads to a better fundamental understanding of catalyst-support interactions.

Electrical Performance and Reliability Improvement of Amorphous-Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide Thin-Film Transistors with HfO2 Gate Dielectrics by CF4 Plasma Treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Ching-Lin; Tseng, Fan-Ping; Tseng, Chiao-Yuan

2018-01-01

In this work, amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide thin-film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs) with a HfO2 gate insulator and CF4 plasma treatment was demonstrated for the first time. Through the plasma treatment, both the electrical performance and reliability of the a-IGZO TFT with HfO2 gate dielectric were improved. The carrier mobility significantly increased by 80.8%, from 30.2 cm2/V∙s (without treatment) to 54.6 cm2/V∙s (with CF4 plasma treatment), which is due to the incorporated fluorine not only providing an extra electron to the IGZO, but also passivating the interface trap density. In addition, the reliability of the a-IGZO TFT with HfO2 gate dielectric has also been improved by the CF4 plasma treatment. By applying the CF4 plasma treatment to the a-IGZO TFT, the hysteresis effect of the device has been improved and the device’s immunity against moisture from the ambient atmosphere has been enhanced. It is believed that the CF4 plasma treatment not only significantly improves the electrical performance of a-IGZO TFT with HfO2 gate dielectric, but also enhances the device’s reliability. PMID:29772767

Electrical Performance and Reliability Improvement of Amorphous-Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide Thin-Film Transistors with HfO2 Gate Dielectrics by CF4 Plasma Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching-Lin Fan

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In this work, amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide thin-film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs with a HfO2 gate insulator and CF4 plasma treatment was demonstrated for the first time. Through the plasma treatment, both the electrical performance and reliability of the a-IGZO TFT with HfO2 gate dielectric were improved. The carrier mobility significantly increased by 80.8%, from 30.2 cm2/V∙s (without treatment to 54.6 cm2/V∙s (with CF4 plasma treatment, which is due to the incorporated fluorine not only providing an extra electron to the IGZO, but also passivating the interface trap density. In addition, the reliability of the a-IGZO TFT with HfO2 gate dielectric has also been improved by the CF4 plasma treatment. By applying the CF4 plasma treatment to the a-IGZO TFT, the hysteresis effect of the device has been improved and the device’s immunity against moisture from the ambient atmosphere has been enhanced. It is believed that the CF4 plasma treatment not only significantly improves the electrical performance of a-IGZO TFT with HfO2 gate dielectric, but also enhances the device’s reliability.

Amorphous-like interfacial layer between a high-Tc superconducting Tl-1223 film and a Ag substrate examined by high-voltage high-resolution transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Bongjun; Kim, Hyuntak; Nagai, Takuro; Matsui, Yoshio; Horiuchi, Shigeo; Jeong, Daeyeong; Deinhofer, Christian; Gritzner, Gerhard; Kim, Youngmin; Kim, Younjoong

2006-01-01

The thin amorphous-like layer, formed at the interface between a high-T c superconducting (Tl 0.5 , Pb 0.5 )(Sr 0.8 , Ba 0.2 )Ca 2 Cu 3 O y (Tl-1223) film and a Ag substrate during heating at 910 .deg. C, has been examined by using high-voltage high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The interfacial layer is less than 10 nm in thickness. It contacts the (001) plane of Tl-1223 and the (113) or (133) planes of Ag in most cases. Its composition is similar to that of Tl-1223, except for the inclusion of a substantial amount of Ag. Its formation proceeds by diffusion of Ag into Tl-1223, during which a structure change first occurs at the layer of CuO 2 + Ca planes. The Tl(Pb)O + the Sr(Ba)O layers are then destroyed to cause the total structure to become amorphous-like. Furthermore, we have found that it is formed under an irradiation of highly energetic electrons.

Autonomous safety and reliability features of the K-1 avionics system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, G.E.; Kohrs, D.; Bailey, R.; Lai, G. [Kistler Aerospace Corp., Kirkland, WA (United States)

2004-03-01

Kistler Aerospace Corporation is developing the K-1, a fully reusable, two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle. Both stages return to the launch site using parachutes and airbags. Initial flight operations will occur from Woomera, Australia. K-1 guidance is performed autonomously. Each stage of the K- 1 employs a triplex, fault tolerant avionics architecture, including three fault tolerant computers and three radiation hardened Embedded GPS/INS units with a hardware voter. The K-1 has an Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) system on each stage residing in the three vehicle computers based on similar systems in commercial aircraft. During first-stage ascent, the IVHM system performs an Instantaneous Impact Prediction (IIP) calculation 25 times per second, initiating an abort in the event the vehicle is outside a predetermined safety corridor for at least three consecutive calculations. In this event, commands are issued to terminate thrust, separate the stages, dump all propellant in the first-stage, and initiate a normal landing sequence. The second-stage flight computer calculates its ability to reach orbit along its state vector, initiating an abort sequence similar to the first stage if it cannot. On a nominal mission, following separation, the second-stage also performs calculations to assure its impact point is within a safety corridor. The K-1's guidance and control design is being tested through simulation with hardware-in-the-loop at Draper Laboratory. Kistler's verification strategy assures reliable and safe operation of the K-1. (author)

Rapid compression induced solidification of two amorphous phases of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, S M [Laboratory of High Pressure Physics, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Liu, X R [Laboratory of High Pressure Physics, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Su, L [Laboratory of High Pressure Physics, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Huang, D H [Laboratory of High Pressure Physics, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Li, L B [Foods Research Centre Unilever R and D, Vlaardingen Olivier van Noortlaan, 120, 3133 AT Vlaardingen (Netherlands)

2006-08-21

Melts of poly(ethylene terephthalate) were solidified by rapid compression to 2 GPa within 20 ms and by a series of comparative processes including natural cooling, slow compressing and rapid cooling, respectively. By combining XRD and differential scanning calorimetry data of the recovered samples, it is made clear that rapid compression induces two kinds of amorphous phases. One is relatively stable and can also be formed in the slow compression and the cooling processes. Another is metastable and transforms to crystalline phase at 371 K. This metastable amorphous phase cannot be obtained by slow compression or natural cooling, and its crystallization temperature is remarkably different from that of the metastable amorphous phase formed in the rapid cooling sample.

Using containerless methods to develop amorphous pharmaceuticals.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, J K R; Benmore, C J; Suthar, K J; Tamalonis, A J; Alderman, O L G; Sendelbach, S; Kondev, V; Yarger, J; Rey, C A; Byrn, S R

2017-01-01

Many pipeline drugs have low solubility in their crystalline state and require compounding in special dosage forms to increase bioavailability for oral administration. The use of amorphous formulations increases solubility and uptake of active pharmaceutical ingredients. These forms are rapidly gaining commercial importance for both pre-clinical and clinical use. Synthesis of amorphous drugs was performed using an acoustic levitation containerless processing method and spray drying. The structure of the products was investigated using in-situ high energy X-ray diffraction. Selected solvents for processing drugs were investigated using acoustic levitation. The stability of amorphous samples was measured using X-ray diffraction. Samples processed using both spray drying and containerless synthesis were compared. We review methods for making amorphous pharmaceuticals and present data on materials made by containerless processing and spray drying. It was shown that containerless processing using acoustic levitation can be used to make phase-pure forms of drugs that are known to be difficult to amorphize. The stability and structure of the materials was investigated in the context of developing and making clinically useful formulations. Amorphous compounds are emerging as an important component of drug development and for the oral delivery of drugs with low solubility. Containerless techniques can be used to efficiently synthesize small quantities of pure amorphous forms that are potentially useful in pre-clinical trials and for use in the optimization of clinical products. Developing new pharmaceutical products is an essential enterprise to improve patient outcomes. The development and application of amorphous pharmaceuticals to increase absorption is rapidly gaining importance and it provides opportunities for breakthrough research on new drugs. There is an urgent need to solve problems associated with making formulations that are both stable and that provide high

Influence of isotopic disorder on solid state amorphization and polyamorphism in solid H2O -D2O solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Gromnitskaya, E. L.; Danilov, I. V.; Lyapin, A. G.; Brazhkin, V. V.

2015-10-01

We present a low-temperature and high-pressure ultrasonic study of elastic properties of isotopic H2O-D2O solid solutions, comparing their properties with those of the isotopically pure H2O and D2O ices. Measurements were carried out for solid state amorphization (SSA) from 1h to high-density amorphous (HDA) ice upon compression up to 1.8 GPa at 77 K and for the temperature-induced (77 -190 K ) u-HDA (unrelaxed HDA) → e-HDA (expanded HDA) → low-density amorphous (LDA )→1 c cascade of ice transformations near room pressure. There are many similarities in the elasticity behaviour of H2O ,D2O , and H2O-D2O solid solutions, including the softening of the shear elastic modulus as a precursor of SSA and the HDA →LDA transition. We have found significant isotopic effects during H/D substitution, including elastic softening of H2O -D2O solid solutions with respect to the isotopically pure ices in the case of the bulk moduli of ices 1c and 1h and for both bulk and shear elastic moduli of HDA ice at high pressures (>1 GPa ) . This softening is related to the configurational isotopic disorder in the solid solutions. At low pressures, the isotope concentration dependence of the elastic moduli of u-HDA ice changes remarkably and becomes monotonic with pronounced change of the bulk modulus (≈20 %) .

Compaction of amorphous iron–boron powder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hendriksen, Peter Vang; Mørup, Steen; Koch, Christian

1993-01-01

Large scale practical use of bulk amorphous alloys requires the capability of molding the material to a desired design, for instance by compaction of an amorphous powder. This is a difficult task because the sintering temperature is limited by the crystallization temperature of the alloy.1 Here we......, should facilitate a compaction. The passivation layer, however, impedes a compaction. Isostatic pressing at 540 K at a pressure of 200 MPa clearly illustrated this; pellets pressed from passivated powder were much more brittle than pellets pressed from unpassivated powder. The density of the pellets...... was very low ([approximately-equal-to]25% of the density of bulk FeB). We have designed a die for uniaxial pressing in which the compaction can be performed without exposing the powder to air and have obtained densities larger than 60% of that of bulk FeB. We have reported studies of the dependence...

Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors fabricated from an amorphous Mo{sub 0.75}Ge{sub 0.25} thin film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verma, V. B.; Lita, A. E.; Vissers, M. R.; Marsili, F.; Pappas, D. P.; Mirin, R. P.; Nam, S. W. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States)

2014-07-14

We present the characteristics of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) fabricated from amorphous Mo{sub 0.75}Ge{sub 0.25} thin-films. Fabricated devices show a saturation of the internal detection efficiency at temperatures below 1 K, with system dark count rates below 500 cps. Operation in a closed-cycle cryocooler at 2.5 K is possible with system detection efficiencies exceeding 20% for SNSPDs which have not been optimized for high detection efficiency. Jitter is observed to vary between 69 ps at 250 mK and 187 ps at 2.5 K using room temperature amplifiers.

Irradiation of electron with high energy induced micro-crystallization of amorphous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Yule; Huang Junkai; Liu Weiping; Li Jingna

2001-01-01

Amorphous silicon is amorphous alloy of Si-H. It is random network of silicon with some hydrogen. And its structure has many unstable bonds as weak bonds of Si-Si and distortion bonds of all kinds. The bonds was broken or was out of shape by light and electrical ageing. It induced increase of defective state that causes character of material going to bad. This drawback will be overcome after micro-crystallization of amorphous silicon. It was discovered that a-Si:H was micro-crystallized by irradiated of electrons with energy of 0.3-0.5 MeV, density of electronic beam of 1.3 x 10 19 cm -1 s -1 and irradiated time of 10-600 s. Size of grain is 10-20 nm. Thick of microcrystalline lager is 25-250 nm

Amorphous nanophotonics

CERN Document Server

Scharf, Toralf

2013-01-01

This book represents the first comprehensive overview over amorphous nano-optical and nano-photonic systems. Nanophotonics is a burgeoning branch of optics that enables many applications by steering the mould of light on length scales smaller than the wavelength with devoted nanostructures. Amorphous nanophotonics exploits self-organization mechanisms based on bottom-up approaches to fabricate nanooptical systems. The resulting structures presented in the book are characterized by a deterministic unit cell with tailored geometries; but their spatial arrangement is not controlled. Instead of periodic, the structures appear either amorphous or random. The aim of this book is to discuss all aspects related to observable effects in amorphous nanophotonic material and aspects related to their design, fabrication, characterization and integration into applications. The book has an interdisciplinary nature with contributions from scientists in physics, chemistry and materials sciences and sheds light on the topic fr...

Maintaining K+ balance on the low-Na+, high-K+ diet

Science.gov (United States)

Cornelius, Ryan J.; Wang, Bangchen; Wang-France, Jun

2016-01-01

A low-Na+, high-K+ diet (LNaHK) is considered a healthier alternative to the “Western” high-Na+ diet. Because the mechanism for K+ secretion involves Na+ reabsorptive exchange for secreted K+ in the distal nephron, it is not understood how K+ is eliminated with such low Na+ intake. Animals on a LNaHK diet produce an alkaline load, high urinary flows, and markedly elevated plasma ANG II and aldosterone levels to maintain their K+ balance. Recent studies have revealed a potential mechanism involving the actions of alkalosis, urinary flow, elevated ANG II, and aldosterone on two types of K+ channels, renal outer medullary K+ and large-conductance K+ channels, located in principal and intercalated cells. Here, we review these recent advances. PMID:26739887

Spin-glass like behaviour in the nanoporous Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} with amorphous structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thakur, M; Majumdar, S; Giri, S [Department of Solid State Physics and Center for Advanced Materials, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Bhaumik, A; Nandi, M [Department of Materials Science and Center for Advanced Materials, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Nakamura, H; Kobayashi, H; Kohara, T [Graduate School of Material Science, University of Hyogo, Kamigori, Ako-gun, Hyogo 678-1297 (Japan)], E-mail: sspsg2@iacs.res.in

2008-07-23

The porous Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} was synthesized chemically. The average size of the particle was {approx}85.0 nm, which was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The signature of porous structure was confirmed by a N{sub 2} adsorption/desorption isotherm and intense x-ray powder diffraction peak at low angle. The x-ray diffraction pattern at high angle indicates the amorphous structure. Moessbauer investigations show that the value of the hyperfine field is {approx}498.0 kOe at 4.2 K which is much smaller than that of the hyperfine field of crystalline {alpha}/{gamma}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and consistent with the values of amorphous Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The temperature dependence of zero-field cooled magnetization exhibits a peak at 18.0 K (T{sub f}), where T{sub f} follows the Almeida-Thouless relation as T{sub f} {proportional_to} H{sup 2/3}. The ageing phenomenon of the magnetic relaxation below T{sub f} and the memory effect in the field-cooled magnetization indicate the typical features of the classical spin-glass compounds below the spin freezing temperature at T{sub f}.

Oxygen effect of transparent conducting amorphous Indium Zinc Tin Oxide films on Polyimide substrate for flexible electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, Yoon Duk; Lee, Chang Hun; Moon, Doo Kyung; Kim, Young Sung

2013-01-01

This paper discusses the effect of oxygen on the transparent conducting properties and mechanical durability of the amorphous indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) films. IZTO films deposited on flexible clear polyimide (PI) substrate using pulsed direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering at room temperature under various oxygen partial pressures. All IZTO films deposited at room temperature exhibit an amorphous structure. The electrical and optical properties of the IZTO films were sensitively influenced by oxygen partial pressures. At optimized deposition condition of 3.0% oxygen partial pressure, the IZTO film shows the lowest resistivity of 6.4 × 10 −4 Ωcm, high transmittance of over 80% in the visible range, and figure of merit value of 3.6 × 10 −3 Ω −1 without any heat controls. In addition, high work function and good mechanical flexibility of amorphous IZTO films are beneficial to flexible applications. It is proven that the proper oxygen partial pressure is important parameter to enhance the transparent conducting properties of IZTO films on PI substrate deposited at room temperature. - Highlights: • Indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) films were deposited on polyimide at room temperature. • Transparent conducting properties of IZTO were influenced with oxygen partial pressure. • The smooth surface and high work function of IZTO were beneficial to anode layer. • The mechanical reliability of IZTO shows better performance to indium tin oxide film

Amorphous and nanocrystalline phase formation in highly-driven Al-based binary alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalay, Yunus Eren

2008-01-01

Remarkable advances have been made since rapid solidification was first introduced to the field of materials science and technology. New types of materials such as amorphous alloys and nanostructure materials have been developed as a result of rapid solidification techniques. While these advances are, in many respects, ground breaking, much remains to be discerned concerning the fundamental relationships that exist between a liquid and a rapidly solidified solid. The scope of the current dissertation involves an extensive set of experimental, analytical, and computational studies designed to increase the overall understanding of morphological selection, phase competition, and structural hierarchy that occurs under far-from equilibrium conditions. High pressure gas atomization and Cu-block melt-spinning are the two different rapid solidification techniques applied in this study. The research is mainly focused on Al-Si and Al-Sm alloy systems. Silicon and samarium produce different, yet favorable, systems for exploration when alloyed with aluminum under far-from equilibrium conditions. One of the main differences comes from the positions of their respective T 0 curves, which makes Al-Si a good candidate for solubility extension while the plunging T 0 line in Al-Sm promotes glass formation. The rapidly solidified gas-atomized Al-Si powders within a composition range of 15 to 50 wt% Si are examined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The non-equilibrium partitioning and morphological selection observed by examining powders at different size classes are described via a microstructure map. The interface velocities and the amount of undercooling present in the powders are estimated from measured eutectic spacings based on Jackson-Hunt (JH) and Trivedi-Magnin-Kurz (TMK) models, which permit a direct comparison of theoretical predictions. For an average particle size of 10 (micro)m with a Peclet number of ∼0.2, JH and TMK deviate from each other. This

Exact theory of dense amorphous hard spheres in high dimension. II. The high density regime and the Gardner transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurchan, Jorge; Parisi, Giorgio; Urbani, Pierfrancesco; Zamponi, Francesco

2013-10-24

We consider the theory of the glass phase and jamming of hard spheres in the large space dimension limit. Building upon the exact expression for the free-energy functional obtained previously, we find that the random first order transition (RFOT) scenario is realized here with two thermodynamic transitions: the usual Kauzmann point associated with entropy crisis and a further transition at higher pressures in which a glassy structure of microstates is developed within each amorphous state. This kind of glass-glass transition into a phase dominating the higher densities was described years ago by Elisabeth Gardner, and may well be a generic feature of RFOT. Microstates that are small excitations of an amorphous matrix-separated by low entropic or energetic barriers-thus emerge naturally, and modify the high pressure (or low temperature) limit of the thermodynamic functions.

Reliability and validity of the Korean standard pattern identification for stroke (K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kang Byoung-Kab

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The present study was conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the ‘Korean Standard Pattern Identification for Stroke (K-SPI-Stroke’, which was developed and evaluated within the context of traditional Korean medicine (TKM. Methods Between September 2006 and December 2010, 2,905 patients from 11 Korean medical hospitals were asked to complete the K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire as a part of project ' Fundamental study for the standardization and objectification of pattern identification in traditional Korean medicine for stroke (SOPI-Stroke. Each patient was independently diagnosed by two TKM physicians from the same site according to one of four patterns, as suggested by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine: 1 a Qi deficiency pattern, 2 a Dampness-phlegm pattern, 3 a Yin deficiency pattern, or 4 a Fire-heat pattern. We estimated the internal consistency using Cronbach’s α coefficient, the discriminant validity using the means score of patterns, and the predictive validity using the classification accuracy of the K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire. Results The K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire had satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.700 and validity, with significant differences in the mean of scores among the four patterns. The overall classification accuracy of this questionnaire was 65.2 %. Conclusion These results suggest that the K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for estimating the severity of the four patterns.

Electronic States of High-k Oxides in Gate Stack Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Chiyu

In this dissertation, in-situ X-ray and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy have been employed to study the interface chemistry and electronic structure of potential high-k gate stack materials. In these gate stack materials, HfO2 and La2O3 are selected as high-k dielectrics, VO2 and ZnO serve as potential channel layer materials. The gate stack structures have been prepared using a reactive electron beam system and a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition system. Three interrelated issues represent the central themes of the research: 1) the interface band alignment, 2) candidate high-k materials, and 3) band bending, internal electric fields, and charge transfer. 1) The most highlighted issue is the band alignment of specific high-k structures. Band alignment relationships were deduced by analysis of XPS and UPS spectra for three different structures: a) HfO2/VO2/SiO2/Si, b) HfO 2-La2O3/ZnO/SiO2/Si, and c) HfO 2/VO2/ HfO2/SiO2/Si. The valence band offset of HfO2/VO2, ZnO/SiO2 and HfO 2/SiO2 are determined to be 3.4 +/- 0.1, 1.5 +/- 0.1, and 0.7 +/- 0.1 eV. The valence band offset between HfO2-La2O3 and ZnO was almost negligible. Two band alignment models, the electron affinity model and the charge neutrality level model, are discussed. The results show the charge neutrality model is preferred to describe these structures. 2) High-k candidate materials were studied through comparison of pure Hf oxide, pure La oxide, and alloyed Hf-La oxide films. An issue with the application of pure HfO2 is crystallization which may increase the leakage current in gate stack structures. An issue with the application of pure La2O3 is the presence of carbon contamination in the film. Our study shows that the alloyed Hf-La oxide films exhibit an amorphous structure along with reduced carbon contamination. 3) Band bending and internal electric fields in the gate stack structure were observed by XPS and UPS and indicate the charge transfer during the growth and process. The oxygen

Visible and ultraviolet emission from pulse irradiated amorphous and polycrystalline H2O ice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, C.G.; Quickenden, T.I.; Litjens, R.A.J.; Sangster, D.F.

1984-01-01

Luminescence peaking at 405 nm was observed when thin films of amorphous or polycrystalline ice at 97 K were irradiated with a pulsed beam of 0.53 MeV electrons. These emissions differed from the luminescence emitted by crystalline ice in that memory effects were not observed; the peak wavelengths were red shifted by approx.20 nm; and the half-lives were 6--9 ns instead of approx.400 ns. The emission spectra of polycrystalline ice samples produced by rapid deposition or by annealing amorphous ice were similar, but both had substantially lower intensities than amorphous ice spectra

100 kV reliable accurately-synchronized spark gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosamykin, V.S.; Gerasimov, A.I.; Zenkov, D.I.

1987-01-01

100 kV three-electrode spark gap filled with 40% SF 6 +60% N 2 mixture under the pressure of ∼ 1 MPa, which has spread Δt ≤ ± 5 ns of operating time delay in the range of 10 4 triggerings and commutation energy of 2.5 kJ, providing electric strength is 100%, is described; at 10 kJ Δt is less than ± 10 ns for 10 3 triggerings. Parallel connection of 16 groups, each consisting of 5 spark gaps with series connection, electric strength being 100%, in the pulse charging unit of Arkadiev-Marx generator being in operation for several years manifested their high efficiency; mutual group spread is ≤ ± 15 ns

Crystallization of an amorphous B-C-N precursor with a Li-B-N catalyst at high pressures and temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Dongxu; Yu Dongli; Wang Peng; Li Yingmei; He Julong; Xu Bo; Liu Zhongyuan [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, Hebei Province (China); Tian Yongjun, E-mail: fhcl@ysu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, Hebei Province (China)

2009-11-15

An orthorhombic B-C-N compound was synthesized using an amorphous B-C-N precursor and a Li-B-N catalyst at 6 GPa and 1773 K. The results of energy dispersive spectrometry and electronic energy loss spectrometry suggest a stoichiometry of B:C:N = 1:3.3:1. In addition, the Li-B-N catalyst improves the crystallizations of the B-C-N compound, graphite and BN and therefore might be a profitable catalyst in ultrahigh pressure experiments.

Crystallization of an amorphous B-C-N precursor with a Li-B-N catalyst at high pressures and temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Dongxu; Yu Dongli; Wang Peng; Li Yingmei; He Julong; Xu Bo; Liu Zhongyuan; Tian Yongjun

2009-01-01

An orthorhombic B-C-N compound was synthesized using an amorphous B-C-N precursor and a Li-B-N catalyst at 6 GPa and 1773 K. The results of energy dispersive spectrometry and electronic energy loss spectrometry suggest a stoichiometry of B:C:N = 1:3.3:1. In addition, the Li-B-N catalyst improves the crystallizations of the B-C-N compound, graphite and BN and therefore might be a profitable catalyst in ultrahigh pressure experiments.

Reliability and Failure in NASA Missions: Blunders, Normal Accidents, High Reliability, Bad Luck

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Harry W.

2015-01-01

NASA emphasizes crew safety and system reliability but several unfortunate failures have occurred. The Apollo 1 fire was mistakenly unanticipated. After that tragedy, the Apollo program gave much more attention to safety. The Challenger accident revealed that NASA had neglected safety and that management underestimated the high risk of shuttle. Probabilistic Risk Assessment was adopted to provide more accurate failure probabilities for shuttle and other missions. NASA's "faster, better, cheaper" initiative and government procurement reform led to deliberately dismantling traditional reliability engineering. The Columbia tragedy and Mars mission failures followed. Failures can be attributed to blunders, normal accidents, or bad luck. Achieving high reliability is difficult but possible.

Dependence of tracer diffusion on atomic size in amorphous Ni-Zr

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahn, H.; Averback, R.S.

1988-01-01

Tracer diffusion coefficients for several impurities and Ni self-atoms were measured in amorphous (a-) Ni/sub 50/Zr/sub 50/ at 573 K using secondary-ion-mass spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering, and radioactive tracer methods. The results showed that atomic mobility in the a-Ni-Zr alloy depends strongly on atomic size, decreasing rapidly with increasing atomic radius. This diffusion behavior is similar to that in α-Zr and α-Ti and is suggestive of an interstitial-like mechanism of diffusion. The consequences of these results for solid-state amorphization transformations are discussed

Isochronal and isothermal crystallization kinetics of amorphous Fe-based alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, J.T.; Wang, W.M.; Ma, H.J.; Li, G.H.; Li, R.; Zhang, Z.H.

2010-01-01

Using the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the isochronal and isothermal crystallization kinetics of amorphous Fe 61 Co 9-x Zr 8 Mo 5 W x B 17 (x = 0 and 2) ribbons was investigated by the Kissinger equation and by the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami and Ranganathan-Heimendahl equations, respectively. The results show that tungsten can improve the activation energy E 1 K for the first crystallization in the isochronal annealing process and activation energy E n for the nucleation in the isothermal annealing process, which can be ascribed to the dissolution of tungsten in the amorphous phase. Meanwhile, tungsten can decrease the activation energy E 2 K for the second crystallization in the isochronal annealing process and growth activation energy E g in the isothermal annealing process, which is possibly associated with the formation of W-rich compound after the early nucleation process.

Study of Sn100-xMnx amorphous system by 119Sn Moessbauer spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drago, V.

1986-01-01

Thin films of Sn 100-x Mn x amorphous alloys with large range of concentrations were procedure by vapor condensation technique on substrates at temperatures near to liquid helium. The magnetic and paramagnetic hyperfine spectra, and the ordering temperatures were measured by 119 Sn Moessbauer effect. The electrical resistivity was used for characterizing the amorphous state. All the measurements were done 'in situ'. A magnetic phase diagram is proposed. (M.C.K.) [pt

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Korean Scale for Internet Addiction (K-Scale) in Japanese high school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Mak, Kwok-Kei; Nam, JeeEun Karin; Kim, Dongil; Aum, Narae; Choi, Jung-Seok; Cheng, Cecilia; Ko, Huei-Chen; Watanabe, Hiroko

2017-03-01

The Korean Scale for Internet Addiction (K-Scale) was developed in Korea for assessing addictive internet behaviors. This study aims to adopt K-Scale and examine its psychometric properties in Japanese adolescents. In 2014, 589 (36.0% boys) high school students (Grade 10-12) from Japan completed a survey, including items of Japanese versions of K-Scale and Smartphone Scale for Smartphone Addiction (S-Scale). Model fit indices of the original four-factor structure, three-factor structure obtained from exploratory factor analysis, and improved two-factor structure of K-Scale were computed using confirmatory factor analysis, with internal reliability of included items reported. The convergent validity of K-Scale was tested against self-rated internet addiction, and S-Scale using multiple regression models. The results showed that a second-order two-factor 13-item structure was the most parsimonious model (NFI=0.919, NNFI=0.935, CFI=0.949, and RMSEA=0.05) with good internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.87). The two factors revealed were "Disturbance of Adaptation and Life Orientation" and "Withdrawal and Tolerance". Moreover, the correlation between internet user classifications defined by K-Scale and self-rating was significant. K-Scale total score was significantly and positively associated with S-Scale total (adjusted R 2 =0.440) and subscale scores (adjusted R 2 =0.439). In conclusion, K-Scale is a valid and reliable assessment scale of internet addiction for Japanese high school students after modifications. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Ultra-soft magnetic Co-Fe-B-Si-Nb amorphous alloys for high frequency power applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ackland, Karl; Masood, Ansar; Kulkarni, Santosh; Stamenov, Plamen

2018-05-01

With the continuous shrinkage of the footprint of inductors and transformers in modern power supplies, higher flux, while still low-loss metallic replacements of traditional ferrite materials are becoming an intriguing alternative. One candidate replacement strategy is based on amorphous CoFeBSi soft-magnetic alloys, in their metallic glass form. Here the structural and magnetic properties of two different families of CoFeBSi-based soft magnetic alloys, prepared by arc-melting and subsequent melt spinning (rapid quenching) are presented, targeting potential applications at effective frequencies of 100 kHz and beyond. The nominal alloy compositions are Co67Fe4B11Si16Mo2 representing commercial Vitrovac and Co72-xFexB28-y (where B includes non-magnetic elements such as Boron, Silicon etc. x varies between 4 and 5 % and y is varied from 0 to 2 %) denoted Alloy #1 and prepared as a possible higher performance alternative, i.e. lower power loss and lower coercivity, to commercial Vitrovac. Room temperature magnetization measurements of the arc-melted alloys reveal that compared to Vitrovac, Alloy #1 already presents a ten-fold decrease in coercivity, with Hc ˜ 1.4 Am-1 and highest figure of merit of (Ms/Hc > 96). Upon melt-spinning the alloys into thin (< 30 μm) ribbons, the alloys are essentially amorphous when analyzed by XRD. Magnetization measurements of the melt-spun ribbons demonstrate that Alloy #1 possesses a coercivity of just 2 Am-1, which represents a significant improvement compared to melt-spun ribbons of Vitrovac (17 Am-1). A set of prototype transformers of approximately 10 turns of Alloy #1 ribbon exhibits systematically Hc < 10 Am-1 at 100 kHz, without a noticeable decrease in coupled flux and saturation.

Unipolar time-differential charge sensing in non-dispersive amorphous solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldan, A. H.; Rowlands, J. A.; Tousignant, O.; Karim, K. S.

2013-01-01

The use of high resistivity amorphous solids as photodetectors, especially amorphous selenium, is currently of great interest because they are readily produced over large area at substantially lower cost compared to grown crystalline solids. However, amorphous solids have been ruled out as viable radiation detection media for high frame-rate applications, such as single-photon-counting imaging, because of low carrier mobilities, transit-time-limited photoresponse, and consequently, poor time resolution. To circumvent the problem of poor charge transport in amorphous solids, we propose unipolar time-differential charge sensing by establishing a strong near-field effect using an electrostatic shield within the material. For the first time, we have fabricated a true Frisch grid inside a solid-state detector by evaporating amorphous selenium over photolithographically prepared multi-well substrates. The fabricated devices are characterized with optical, x-ray, and gamma-ray impulse-like excitations. Results prove the proposed unipolar time-differential property and show that time resolution in non-dispersive amorphous solids can be improved substantially to reach the theoretical limit set by spatial spreading of the collected Gaussian carrier cloud.

Magnetoresistance in amorphous NdFeB/FeB compositionally modulated multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peral, G.; Briones, F.; Vicent, J.L.

1991-01-01

Resistance measurements have been done in amorphous Nd 12 Fe 80 B 8 sputtered films and in amorphous sputtered Nd 26 Fe 68 B 6 /Fe 92 B 8 multilayers between 6 and 150 K with applied magnetic field parallel (LMR) and perpendicular (TMR) up to 7 T. The samples were grown by dc triode sputtering, with nominal unequal (2:1) layer thicknesses. The layered character of the samples have been tested by x-ray diffraction. Longitudinal magnetoresistance (LMR) is positive and transverse magnetoresistance (TMR) is negative. The magnetoresistance values are higher than in amorphous ferromagnets, and multilayering of these alloys produces much larger magnetoresistance values than either alloy alone and there is a strong dependence on the multilayer wavelength. The MR shows a weak temperature dependence in the temperature interval that was investigated

The dose, temperature, and projectile-mass dependence for irradiation-induced amorphization of CuTi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koike, J.; Okamoto, P.R.; Rehn, L.E.; Meshii, M.

1989-01-01

CuTi was irradiated with 1-MeV Ne + , Kr + , and Xe + in the temperature range from 150 to 563 K. The volume fraction of the amorphous phase produced during room temperature irradiation with Ne + and Kr + ions was determined as a function of ion dose from measurements of the integrated intensity of the diffuse ring in electron diffraction patterns. The results, analyzed by Gibbons' model, indicate that direct amorphization occurs along a single ion track with Kr + , but the overlapping of three ion tracks is necessary for amorphization with Ne + . The critical temperature for amorphization increases with increasing projectile mass from electron to Ne + to Kr + . However, the critical temperatures for Kr + and Xe + irradiations were found to be identical, and very close to the thermal crystallization temperature of an amorphous zone embedded in the crystalline matrix. Using the present observations, relationships between the amorphization kinetics and the displacement density along the ion track, and between the critical temperature and the stability of the irradiation-induced damage, are discussed

Amorphization of metals by ion implantation and ion beam mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rauschenbach, B.; Heera, V.

1988-01-01

Amorphous metallic systems can be formed either by high-fluence ion implantation of glassforming species or by irradiation of layered metal systems with inert gas ions. Both techniques and experimental examples are presented. Empirical rules are discussed which predict whether a given system can be transformed into an amorphous phase. Influence of temperature, implantation dose and pre-existing crystalline metal composition on amorphization is considered. Examples are given of the implantation induced amorphous structure, recrystallization and formation of quasicrystalline structures. (author)

Determination of the optical band gap for amorphous and nanocrystalline copper oxide thin films prepared by SILAR technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel Rafea, M; Roushdy, N

2009-01-01

Amorphous copper oxide films were deposited using the SILAR technique. Both Cu 2 O and CuO crystallographic phases exist in deposited and annealed films. Crystallization and growth processes by annealing at temperatures up to 823 K form grains with nano- and micro-spherical shapes. The calculated crystallite size from the XRD measurement was found to be in the range 14-21 nm while nano-spheres in the diameter range 50-100 nm were observed by SEM micrographs. The band gap for amorphous film was found to be 2.3 eV which increased slowly to 2.4 eV by annealing the film at 373 K. This was explained by defect redistribution in amorphous films. Annealing in the temperature range 373-673 K decreased the band gap gradually to 1.85 eV. The decrease of the band gap with annealing temperature in the range 373-673 K agrees well with the Brus model of the energy gap confinement effect in nanostructured semiconducting materials. Annealing in the temperature range 673-823 K decreases the band gap slowly to 1.7 eV due to the smaller contribution of the confinement effect. Below 573 K, Cu 2 O is the most probable crystalline phase in the film, while Cu 2 O and CuO crystalline phases may coexist at annealing temperatures above 573 K due to further oxidation of Cu 2 O. A wider transmittance spectral window in the visible region was obtained by controlling the annealing conditions of the amorphous copper oxide film and its applicability to the window layer of solar cell was suggested.

Neutron irradiation and high temperature effects on amorphous Fe-based nano-coatings on steel - A macroscopic assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Simos, N.; Zhong, Z.; Dooryhee, E.; Ghose, S.; Gill, S.; Camino, F.; Şavklıyıldız, İ.; Akdoğan, E. K.

2017-06-01

The study revealed that loss of ductility in an amorphous Fe-alloy coating on a steel substrate composite structure was essentially prevented from occurring, following radiation with modest neutron doses of ∼2 × 1018 n/cm2. At the higher neutron dose of ∼2 × 1019, macroscopic stress-strain analysis showed that the amorphous Fe-alloy nanostructured coating, while still amorphous, experienced radiation-induced embrittlement, no longer offering protection against ductility loss in the coating-substrate composite structure. Neutron irradiation in a corrosive environment revealed exemplary oxidation/corrosion resistance of the amorphous Fe-alloy coating, which is attributed to the formation of the Fe2B phase in the coating. To establish the impact of elevated temperatures on the amorphous-to-crystalline transition in the amorphous Fe-alloy, electron microscopy was carried out which confirmed the radiation-induced suppression of crystallization in the amorphous Fe-alloy nanostructured coating.

Amorphous Hafnium-Indium-Zinc Oxide Semiconductor Thin Film Transistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheng-Po Chang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We reported on the performance and electrical properties of co-sputtering-processed amorphous hafnium-indium-zinc oxide (α-HfIZO thin film transistors (TFTs. Co-sputtering-processed α-HfIZO thin films have shown an amorphous phase in nature. We could modulate the In, Hf, and Zn components by changing the co-sputtering power. Additionally, the chemical composition of α-HfIZO had a significant effect on reliability, hysteresis, field-effect mobility (μFE, carrier concentration, and subthreshold swing (S of the device. Our results indicated that we could successfully and easily fabricate α-HfIZO TFTs with excellent performance by the co-sputtering process. Co-sputtering-processed α-HfIZO TFTs were fabricated with an on/off current ratio of ~106, higher mobility, and a subthreshold slope as steep as 0.55 V/dec.

Facile synthesis of highly efficient amorphous Mn-MIL-100 catalysts: The formation mechanism and the structure changes during the application for CO oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaodong; Li, Hongxin; Lv, Xutian; Xu, Jingcheng; Wang, Yuxin; He, Chi; Liu, Ning; Yang, Yiqiong; Wang, Yin

2018-04-13

A comprehensive study was carried out on amorphous metal-organic frameworks Mn-MIL-100 as efficient catalysts towards CO oxidation. This study focuses on explaining the crystalline-amorphous-crystalline transformations during thermolysis process of Mn-MIL-100 and studying the structure changes during the reaction process for CO oxidation. A possible formation mechanism of amorphous Mn-MIL-100 was proposed. Amorphous Mn-MIL-100 obtained by calcination at 250°C (a-Mn-250) showed a smaller specific surface area (4 m2/g), but displayed a high catalytic activity. Furthermore, the structure of amorphous Mn-MIL-100 was labile during the reaction process. When used a-Mn-250 were treated with reaction atmosphere at high temperature (named used a-Mn-250-S), the amorphous catalysts transformed to Mn2O3. Meanwhile, BET surface area (164 m2/g) and the catalytic performance both sharply increased. In addition, used a-Mn-250-S catalyst transformed from Mn2O3 to Mn3O4, resulting in the slightly decrease of catalytic activity under the presence of 1 vol% water vapor in the stream. A schematic of the structure changes during the reaction process was proposed. The achievement of our synthesis relies on the increase of BET surface area using CO as retreatment atmosphere, and the enhanced catalytic activity was attributed to the unique structure, a high quantity of surface active oxygen species, oxygen vacancies and good low temperature reduction behavior. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mechanism of tailored magnetic anisotropy in amorphous Co{sub 68}Fe{sub 24}Zr{sub 8} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Yu, E-mail: yu.fu@uni-due.de, E-mail: cangcangzhulin@gmail.com; Meckenstock, R.; Farle, M. [Fakultät für Physik and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), Universität Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Duisburg (Germany); Barsukov, I., E-mail: ibarsuko@uci.edu [Fakultät für Physik and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), Universität Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Duisburg (Germany); Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697 (United States); Lindner, J. [Fakultät für Physik and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), Universität Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Duisburg (Germany); Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Raanaei, H. [Department of Physics, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr 75169 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Hjörvarsson, B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516 SE-75120 Uppsala (Sweden)

2014-02-17

The mechanism of tailored magnetic anisotropy in amorphous Co{sub 68}Fe{sub 24}Zr{sub 8} thin films was investigated by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) on samples deposited without an applied magnetic field, with an out-of-plane field and an in-plane field. Analysis of FMR spectra profiles, high frequency susceptibility calculations, and statistical simulations using a distribution of local uniaxial magnetic anisotropy reveal the presence of atomic configurations with local uniaxial anisotropy, of which the direction can be tailored while the magnitude remains at an intrinsically constant value of 3.0(2) kJ/m{sup 3}. The in-plane growth field remarkably sharpens the anisotropy distribution and increases the sample homogeneity. The results benefit designing multilayer spintronic devices based on highly homogeneous amorphous layers with tailored magnetic anisotropy.

Atomistic modeling of ion beam induced amorphization in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelaz, Lourdes; Marques, Luis A.; Lopez, Pedro; Santos, Ivan; Aboy, Maria; Barbolla, Juan

2005-01-01

Ion beam induced amorphization in Si has attracted significant interest since the beginning of the use of ion implantation for the fabrication of Si devices. Nowadays, a renewed interest in the modeling of amorphization mechanisms at atomic level has arisen due to the use of preamorphizing implants and high dopant implantation doses for the fabrication of nanometric-scale Si devices. In this work, we briefly describe the existing phenomenological and defect-based amorphization models. We focus on the atomistic model we have developed to describe ion beam induced amorphization in Si. In our model, the building block for the amorphous phase is the bond defect or IV pair, whose stability increases with the number of surrounding IV pairs. This feature explains the regrowth behavior of different damage topologies and the kinetics of the crystalline to amorphous transition. The model provides excellent quantitative agreement with experimental results

Charge deep-level transient spectroscopy study of high-energy-electron-beam-irradiated hydrogenated amorphous silicon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klaver, A.; Nádaždy, V.; Zeman, M.; Swaaiij, R.A.C.M.M.

2006-01-01

We present a study of changes in the defect density of states in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) due to high-energy electron irradiation using charged deep-level transient spectroscopy. It was found that defect states near the conduction band were removed, while in other band gap regions the

The Korean Version of the Cognitive Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (K-CASP): A Reliability and Validity Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Kwon-Hee; Lee, Hee-Won; Park, Kee-Boem; Lee, Jin-Youn; Cho, Ah-Ra; Oh, Hyun-Mi; Park, Joo Hyun

2017-06-01

To develop the Korean version of the Cognitive Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (K-CASP) and to evaluate the test reliability and validity of the K-CASP in stroke patients. The original CASP was translated into Korean, back-translated into English, then reviewed and compared with the original version. Thirty-three stroke patients were assessed independently by two examiners using the K-CASP twice, with a one-day interval, for a total of four test results. To evaluate the reliability of the K-CASP, intra-class correlation coefficients were used. Pearson correlations were calculated and simple regression analyses performed with the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) and the aphasia quotient (AQ) to assess the validity. The mean score was 24.42±9.47 (total score 36) for the K-CASP and 21.50±7.01 (total score 30) for the K-MMSE. The inter-rater correlation coefficients of the K-CASP were 0.992 on the first day and 0.995 on the second day. The intra-rater correlation coefficients of the K-CASP were 0.997 for examiner 1 and 0.996 for examiner 2. In the Pearson correlation analysis, the K-CASP score significantly correlated with the K-MMSE score (r=0.825, preliable and valid instrument for cognitive dysfunction screening in post-stroke patients. It is more applicable than other cognitive assessment tools in stroke patients with aphasia.

Morphological, structural and magnetic properties of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles in an amorphous alumina matrix obtained by aqueous combustion method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tadic, Marin; Kusigerski, Vladan; Markovic, Dragana; Citakovic, Nada; Remskar, Maja; Spasojevic, Vojislav

2009-01-01

We report on morphological, structural and magnetic properties of α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles in an amorphous alumina matrix synthesized by aqueous combustion method. The sample was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) and SQUID magnetometry. XRPD study reveals the phase purity of α-Fe 2 O 3 whereas HREM images show an unusual spongy structure and well-crystallized nanoparticles with a size of about 25 nm. Magnetic measurements show a high irreversibility temperature T irr ∼ 350 K, Morin transition at T M ∼ 210 K, increase of the magnetization below T ∼ 45 K and hysteretic behavior below T M at 5 K and 200 K.

Study of an amorphous alloy core transformer

Science.gov (United States)

Nafalski, A.; Frost, D. C.

1994-05-01

Amorphous core transformers (ACT) have become a technological and commercial reality and there are an estimated 400,000 units installed worldwide [1]. Their applications reflect changes in buying practices, where the efficiency evaluation is an important factor in the purchasing decision for distribution transformers. Use of the total ownership cost (TOC) concept facilities the selection of a transformer on the basis of its performance. This concept is used in this paper to investigate the feasibility of applying a distribution ACT in Western Australian (WA). A 10 kVA ACT, evaluated by the TOC method, was compared with a traditional silicon iron core transformer of the same rating. The cost of amorphous metal (relative to alternative materials), the distribution load profile, and the values of capitalised loss costs are factors which affect the cost effectiveness of ACTs.

Temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of amorphous Co80-xErxB20 alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Touraghe, O.; Khatami, M.; Menny, A.; Lassri, H.; Nouneh, K.

2008-01-01

The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of amorphous Co 80-x Er x B 20 alloys with x=0, 3.9, 7.5 and 8.6 prepared by melt spinning in pure argon atmosphere was studied. All amorphous alloys investigated here are found to exhibit a resistivity minimum at low temperature. The electrical resistivity exhibits logarithmic temperature dependence below the temperature of resistivity minimum T min . In addition, the resistivity shows quadratic temperature behavior in the interval T min < T<77 K. At high temperature, the electrical resistivity was discussed by the extended Ziman theory. For the whole series of alloys, the composition dependence of the temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity α shows a change in structural short range occurring in the composition range 8-9 at%

Second amorphous-to-crystalline phase transformation in Cu(60)Ti(20)Zr(20) bulk metallic glass.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Q P; Li, J F; Zhang, P N; Horsewell, A; Jiang, J Z; Zhou, Y H

2007-06-20

The second amorphous-to-crystalline phase transformation in Cu(60)Ti(20)Zr(20) bulk metallic glass was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and x-ray diffractometry. The difference of the Gibbs free energies between the amorphous phase and the crystalline products during the transformation is estimated to be about 2.46 kJ mol(-1) at 753 K, much smaller than the 61 kJ mol(-1) obtained assuming that it is a polymorphic transformation. It was revealed that the phase transformation occurs through a eutectic crystallization of Cu(51)Zr(14) and Cu(2)TiZr, having an effective activation energy of the order of 400 kJ mol(-1). The average Avrami exponent n is about 2.0, indicating that the crystallization is diffusion controlled.

Amorphizing of Cu Nanoparticles toward Highly Efficient and Robust Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction to Liquid Fuels with High Faradaic Efficiencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Yan-Xin; Meng, Fan-Lu; Liu, Kai-Hua; Yi, Sha-Sha; Li, Si-Jia; Yan, Jun-Min; Jiang, Qing

2018-04-01

Conversion of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into valuable chemicals, especially liquid fuels, through electrochemical reduction driven by sustainable energy sources, is a promising way to get rid of dependence on fossil fuels, wherein developing of highly efficient catalyst is still of paramount importance. In this study, as a proof-of-concept experiment, first a facile while very effective protocol is proposed to synthesize amorphous Cu NPs. Unexpectedly, superior electrochemical performances, including high catalytic activity and selectivity of CO 2 reduction to liquid fuels are achieved, that is, a total Faradaic efficiency of liquid fuels can sum up to the maximum value of 59% at -1.4 V, with formic acid (HCOOH) and ethanol (C 2 H 6 O) account for 37% and 22%, respectively, as well as a desirable long-term stability even up to 12 h. More importantly, this work opens a new avenue for improved electroreduction of CO 2 based on amorphous metal catalysts. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Amorphization Mechanism of Icosahedral Platinum Clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apra, Edoardo; Baletto, Francesca; Ferrando, Riccardo; Fortunelli, Alessandro

2004-01-01

The amorphization mechanism of high-symmetry pt nanoclusters is investigated by a combination of Molecular Dynamics simulations and Density Functional calculations. A general mechanism for amorphization, involving rosette-like structural transformations at fivefold vertices, is proposed. IN the tosette, a fivefold vertex is transformed into a hexagonal ring. We show that for icosahedral Pt nanoclusters, this transformation is associated with an energy gain, so that their most favorable structures have a low symmetry even at icosahedral magic numbers

Amorphization of C-implanted Fe(Cr) alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knapp, J.A.; Follstaedt, D.M.; Sorensen, N.R.; Pope, L.E.

1991-01-01

The amorphous phase formed by implanting C into Fe alloyed with Cr, which is a prototype for the amorphous phase formed by implanting C into stainless steels, is compared to that formed by implanting C and Ti into Fe and steels. The composition range of the phase has been examined; higher Cr and C concentrations are required than needed with Ti and C. The friction and wear benefits obtained by implanting stainless steels with C only do not persist for the long durations and high wear loads found with Ti and C. However, the amorphous Fe-Cr-C alloys exhibit good aqueous corrosion resistance. (orig.)

Structure of a new dense amorphous ice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finney, J.L.; Bowron, D.T.; Soper, A.K.; Loerting, T.; Mayer, E.; Hallbrucker, A.

2002-01-01

The detailed structure of a new dense amorphous ice, VHDA, is determined by isotope substitution neutron diffraction. Its structure is characterized by a doubled occupancy of the stabilizing interstitial location that was found in high density amorphous ice, HDA. As would be expected for a thermally activated unlocking of the stabilizing 'interstitial', the transition from VHDA to LDA (low-density amorphous ice) is very sharp. Although its higher density makes VHDA a better candidate than HDA for a physical manifestation of the second putative liquid phase of water, as for the HDA case, the VHDA to LDA transition also appears to be kinetically controlled

Colloidal Photoluminescent Amorphous Porous Silicon, Methods Of Making Colloidal Photoluminescent Amorphous Porous Silicon, And Methods Of Using Colloidal Photoluminescent Amorphous Porous Silicon

KAUST Repository

Chaieb, Sahraoui

2015-04-09

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a colloidal photoluminescent amorphous porous silicon particle suspension, methods of making a colloidal photoluminescent amorphous porous silicon particle suspension, methods of using a colloidal photoluminescent amorphous porous silicon particle suspension, and the like.

Colloidal Photoluminescent Amorphous Porous Silicon, Methods Of Making Colloidal Photoluminescent Amorphous Porous Silicon, And Methods Of Using Colloidal Photoluminescent Amorphous Porous Silicon

KAUST Repository

Chaieb, Saharoui; Mughal, Asad Jahangir

2015-01-01

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a colloidal photoluminescent amorphous porous silicon particle suspension, methods of making a colloidal photoluminescent amorphous porous silicon particle suspension, methods of using a colloidal photoluminescent amorphous porous silicon particle suspension, and the like.

Accelerated test techniques for micro-circuits: Evaluation of high temperature (473 k - 573 K) accelerated life test techniques as effective microcircuit screening methods

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, G. M.

1976-01-01

The application of high temperature accelerated test techniques was shown to be an effective method of microcircuit defect screening. Comprehensive microcircuit evaluations and a series of high temperature (473 K to 573 K) life tests demonstrated that a freak or early failure population of surface contaminated devices could be completely screened in thirty two hours of test at an ambient temperature of 523 K. Equivalent screening at 398 K, as prescribed by current Military and NASA specifications, would have required in excess of 1,500 hours of test. All testing was accomplished with a Texas Instruments' 54L10, low power triple-3 input NAND gate manufactured with a titanium- tungsten (Ti-W), Gold (Au) metallization system. A number of design and/or manufacturing anomalies were also noted with the Ti-W, Au metallization system. Further study of the exact nature and cause(s) of these anomalies is recommended prior to the use of microcircuits with Ti-W, Au metallization in long life/high reliability applications. Photomicrographs of tested circuits are included.

Short-range correlations control the G/K and Poisson ratios of amorphous solids and metallic glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaccone, Alessio; Terentjev, Eugene M. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom)

2014-01-21

The bulk modulus of many amorphous materials, such as metallic glasses, behaves nearly in agreement with the assumption of affine deformation, namely that the atoms are displaced just by the amount prescribed by the applied strain. In contrast, the shear modulus behaves as for nonaffine deformations, with additional displacements due to the structural disorder which induce a marked material softening to shear. The consequence is an anomalously large ratio of the bulk modulus to the shear modulus for disordered materials characterized by dense atomic packing, but not for random networks with point atoms. We explain this phenomenon with a microscopic derivation of the elastic moduli of amorphous solids accounting for the interplay of nonaffinity and short-range particle correlations due to excluded volume. Short-range order is responsible for a reduction of the nonaffinity which is much stronger under compression, where the geometric coupling between nonaffinity and the deformation field is strong, whilst under shear this coupling is weak. Predictions of the Poisson ratio based on this model allow us to rationalize the trends as a function of coordination and atomic packing observed with many amorphous materials.

Achieving High Reliability with People, Processes, and Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Saunders, Candice L; Brennan, John A

2017-01-01

High reliability as a corporate value in healthcare can be achieved by meeting the "Quadruple Aim" of improving population health, reducing per capita costs, enhancing the patient experience, and improving provider wellness. This drive starts with the board of trustees, CEO, and other senior leaders who ingrain high reliability throughout the organization. At WellStar Health System, the board developed an ambitious goal to become a top-decile health system in safety and quality metrics. To achieve this goal, WellStar has embarked on a journey toward high reliability and has committed to Lean management practices consistent with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's definition of a high-reliability organization (HRO): one that is committed to the prevention of failure, early identification and mitigation of failure, and redesign of processes based on identifiable failures. In the end, a successful HRO can provide safe, effective, patient- and family-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care through a convergence of people, processes, and technology.

DUAL-PROCESS, a highly reliable process control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buerger, L.; Gossanyi, A.; Parkanyi, T.; Szabo, G.; Vegh, E.

1983-02-01

A multiprocessor process control system is described. During its development the reliability was the most important aspect because it is used in the computerized control of a 5 MW research reactor. DUAL-PROCESS is fully compatible with the earlier single processor control system PROCESS-24K. The paper deals in detail with the communication, synchronization, error detection and error recovery problems of the operating system. (author)

Photoluminescence at 1.54 {mu}m of Er-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bresler, Mikhail; Gusev, Oleg; Kuznetsov, Alexey; Kudoyarova, Vera; Terukov, Evgenii; Yassievich, Irina [A.F. Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, Politekhnicheskaya 26, 194021 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Fuhs, Walther [Hahn-Meitner Institut, Abteilung Photovoltaik, Rudower Chaussee 5, D-12489 Berlin (Germany); Ulber, Isabell; Weiser, Gerhard [Philipps-Universitat Marburg, Fachbereich Physik, D-35032 Marburg (Germany)

1998-05-11

Photoluminescence (PL) and light absorption of Er-doped amorphous hydrogenated silicon samples are measured at 77-300K. The temperature dependence of luminescence of erbium ions in a-Si:H(Er) is compared with that of intrinsic PL of a-Si:H. The lifetime of excited erbium ions in this amorphous matrix changes from 20 to 8 {mu}s in this temperature range. We propose a defect-related Auger excitation (DRAE) mechanism of erbium luminescence and demonstrate that it is consistent with the whole set of our experimental results. The temperature quenching of the erbium luminescence observed above 200K, with the activation energy of 250 meV, results from the competition of the DRAE and multiphonon nonradiative defect processes for D{sup 0}+e>D{sup -} transition

X-ray spectroscopy of electronic structure of amorphous silicon and silicyne

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mashin, A.I.; Khokhlov, A.F.; Mashin, N.I.; Domashevskaya, Eh.P.; Terekhov, V.A.

2001-01-01

SiK β and SiL 23 emission spectra of crystalline silicon (c-Si), amorphous hydrogenated silicon (α-Si:H) and silicyne have been studied by X-ray and ultrasoft X-ray spectroscopy. It is observed that SiL 23 emission spectra of silicyne displays not two maximums, as it usually observed for the c-Si and α-Si:H, but three ones. The third one is seen at high energies near 95.7 eV, and has an intensity about 75%. An additional maximum in the short- wave part of SiK β emission spectrum is observed. This difference of shapes of X-ray spectra between α-Si:H and silicyne is explained by the presence in silicyne a strong π-component of chemical bonds of a silicon atoms in silicyne [ru

Amorphous TiO2 Shells: A Vital Elastic Buffering Layer on Silicon Nanoparticles for High-Performance and Safe Lithium Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jianping; Wang, Yunxiao; Li, Wei; Wang, Lianjun; Fan, Yuchi; Jiang, Wan; Luo, Wei; Wang, Yang; Kong, Biao; Selomulya, Cordelia; Liu, Hua Kun; Dou, Shi Xue; Zhao, Dongyuan

2017-12-01

Smart surface coatings of silicon (Si) nanoparticles are shown to be good examples for dramatically improving the cyclability of lithium-ion batteries. Most coating materials, however, face significant challenges, including a low initial Coulombic efficiency, tedious processing, and safety assessment. In this study, a facile sol-gel strategy is demonstrated to synthesize commercial Si nanoparticles encapsulated by amorphous titanium oxide (TiO 2 ), with core-shell structures, which show greatly superior electrochemical performance and high-safety lithium storage. The amorphous TiO 2 shell (≈3 nm) shows elastic behavior during lithium discharging and charging processes, maintaining high structural integrity. Interestingly, it is found that the amorphous TiO 2 shells offer superior buffering properties compared to crystalline TiO 2 layers for unprecedented cycling stability. Moreover, accelerating rate calorimetry testing reveals that the TiO 2 -encapsulated Si nanoparticles are safer than conventional carbon-coated Si-based anodes. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hollow Amorphous MnSnO3 Nanohybrid with Nitrogen-Doped Graphene for High-Performance Lithium Storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Peng; Hao, Qingli; Xia, Xifeng; Lei, Wu; Xia, Hui; Chen, Ziyang; Wang, Xin

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: A novel hybrid of hollow amorphous MnSnO 3 nanoparticles and nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide was fabricated. The unique structure and well-combination of both components account for the ultra long-term cyclic life with high reversible capacity of 610 mAh g −1 over 1000 cycles at 400 mA g −1 . - Highlights: • Novel hybrid of MnSnO 3 and nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide was fabricated. • The MnSnO 3 nanoparticles possess amorphous and hollow structure in the composite. • The excellent electrochemical performance benefits from unique nanostructure. • The reversible capacity of as-prepared hybrid is 610 mAh g −1 after 1000 cycles. • A long-term life with 97.3% capacity retention over 1000 cycles was obtained. - Abstract: Tin-based metal oxides usually suffer from severe capacity fading resulting from aggregation and considerable volume variation during the charge/discharge process in lithium ion batteries. In this work, a novel nanocomposite (MTO/N-RGO) of hollow amorphous MnSnO 3 (MTO) nanoparticles and nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) has been designed and synthesized by a two-step method. Firstly, the nitrogen-doped graphene nanocomposite (MTO/N-RGO-P) with MnSn(OH) 6 crystal nanoparticles was synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. Subsequently, the MTO/N-RGO nanocomposite was obtained through the post heat treatment of MTO/N-RGO-P. The designed heterostructure and well-combination of the hollow amorphous MTO and N-RGO matrix can accelerate the ionic and electronic transport, and simultaneously accommodate the aggregation and volume variation of MTO nanoparticles during the lithiation–delithiation cycles. The as-prepared hybrid of MTO and N-RGO (MTO/N-RGO) exhibits a high reversible capacity of 707 mAh g −1 after 110 cycles at 200 mA g −1 , superior rate capability, and long-term cyclic life with high capacity of 610 mAh g −1 over 1000 cycles at 400 mA g −1 . Superior capacity retention of

Effect of boron addition to the hard magnetic bulk Nd60Fe30Al10 amorphous alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong, H.Z.; Li, Y.; Ding, J.

2000-01-01

A detailed study of the effect of boron addition to crystallinity, magnetic properties and thermal properties was carried out for alloys Nd 60-x Fe 30 Al 10 B x with x=0, 1, 3 and 5 produced by copper mold chill casting and melt-spinning. The cast rods of alloys Nd 60-x Fe 30 Al 10 B x were largely amorphous. Remanence up to 0.154 T and coercivity up to 355 kA/m were observed, which were higher than those of the bulk amorphous Nd 60 Fe 30 Al 10 rod of the same diameter. A step in hysteresis loop was observed for the hard magnetic cast rod and ribbon melt-spun at a low speed of 5 m/s of the alloys with boron addition. Consistent increase in the amplitude of the step and magnetic field (H) at which the step was observed as the boron content increased. A single magnetic phase with low coercivity was observed for fully amorphous ribbon melt-spun at high speed of 30 m/s. Full crystallization due to heat treatment resulted in transition of hard magnetic amorphous phase of Nd 55 Fe 30 Al 10 B 5 cast rod to paramagnetic crystalline phases. TEM results of the as-cast rods illustrated the existence of numerous minute Nd-crystallites in amorphous matrix

Isochronal and isothermal crystallization kinetics of amorphous Fe-based alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, J.T. [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Wang, W.M., E-mail: weiminw@sdu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Key Lab of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Ma, H.J.; Li, G.H.; Li, R.; Zhang, Z.H. [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China)

2010-06-10

Using the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the isochronal and isothermal crystallization kinetics of amorphous Fe{sub 61}Co{sub 9-x}Zr{sub 8}Mo{sub 5}W{sub x}B{sub 17} (x = 0 and 2) ribbons was investigated by the Kissinger equation and by the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami and Ranganathan-Heimendahl equations, respectively. The results show that tungsten can improve the activation energy E{sub 1}{sup K} for the first crystallization in the isochronal annealing process and activation energy E{sub n} for the nucleation in the isothermal annealing process, which can be ascribed to the dissolution of tungsten in the amorphous phase. Meanwhile, tungsten can decrease the activation energy E{sub 2}{sup K} for the second crystallization in the isochronal annealing process and growth activation energy E{sub g} in the isothermal annealing process, which is possibly associated with the formation of W-rich compound after the early nucleation process.

First-principles study of the structural and dynamic properties of the liquid and amorphous Li–Si alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiang, Han-Hsin; Kuo, Chin-Lung, E-mail: chinlung@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Lu, Jian-Ming [National Center for High-Performance Computing, Tainan 74147, Taiwan (China)

2016-01-21

We have performed density functional theory calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics to investigate the structures and dynamic properties of the liquid and amorphous Li{sub x}Si alloys over a range of composition from x = 1.0 − 4.8. Our results show that Si atoms can form a variety of covalently bonded polyanions with diverse local bonding structures in the liquid alloys. Like in c-LiSi, Si atoms can form a continuous bond network in liquid Li{sub 1.0}Si at 1050 K, while it gradually disintegrates into many smaller Si polyanions as the Li content increases in the alloys. The average sizes of Si polyanions in these liquid alloys were found to be relatively larger than those in their crystalline counterparts, which can even persist in the highly lithiated Li{sub 4.81}Si alloy at 1500 K. Our results also show that amorphous Li{sub x}Si alloys have similar local bonding structures but a largely increased short-range order as compared to their liquid counterparts. The differences between the average coordination number of each atomic pair in amorphous solids and that in the liquids are less than 1.1. Furthermore, our calculations reveal that Li and Si atoms can exhibit very distinct dynamic behaviors in the liquids and their diffusivities appear to be largely dependent on the chemical composition of the alloys. The diffusivity of Li was found to increase with the Li content in the alloys primarily because of the reduced interactions between Li and Si atoms, while the Si diffusivity also increases due to the gradual disintegration of the strongly interconnected Si bond network. The diffusivity of Li in amorphous Li{sub x}Si was predicted to lie in the range between 10{sup −7} and 10{sup −9} cm{sup 2}/s at 300 K, which is more than 20-fold larger than that of Si over the composition range considered. Our calculations further show that the diffusivities of both Li and Si can increase by two orders of magnitude as x increases from 1.0 to 3.57 in amorphous Li

Amorphous Alloy: Promising Precursor to Form Nanoflowerpot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guo Lan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nanoporous copper is fabricated by dealloying the amorphous Ti2Cu alloy in 0.03 M HF electrolyte. The pore and ligament sizes of the nanoporous copper can be readily tailored by controlling the dealloying time. The as-prepared nanoporous copper provides fine and uniform nanoflowerpots to grow highly dispersed Au nanoflowers. The blooming Au nanoflowers in the nanoporous copper flowerpots exhibit both high catalytic activity and stability towards the oxidation of glucose, indicating that the amorphous alloys are ideal precursors to form nanoflowerpot which can grow functional nanoflowers.

Determination of properties of high temperature superconductors and amorphous metallic alloys using positron annihilation techniques. Final report for the period 15 January 1992 - 15 July 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kristiak, J.

1995-11-01

The positron lifetime results obtained on amorphous thermally treated Ni 25 Zr 55 Al 20 alloy indicate that positrons annihilate at places with different properties. The observed shifts of positron lifetime distribution were analyzed in the terms of a relaxation of free-volume, i.e. chemical (CSRO) and topological (TSRO) short range ordering. The upper limit of the activation energy of CSRO and TSRO relaxation was determined to be 2.2eV and 2.6eV, respectively. Positron lifetime τ and Doppler broadening of the annihilation line measurements on very pure C 60 sample as a function of temperature between 120 and 300 K have been reported. A rapid change of τ was observed between 240 and 250 K. This results indicate that the lattice from C 60 molecules is undergoing a phase transition and the phases coexist over an ∼ 10K range. The annihilation of positrons in amorphous tetramethylpoly-carbonate has been investigated in the temperature range from 30 to 300 K. The observed dependences of the mean lifetime of oPs and its relative intensity 1 on temperature were interpreted within the framework of the microstructural free-volume concept. The man radius of free space (hole) was deduced to be around 3,1.10 -10 m. Refs, figs, tabs

Method to quantify the delocalization of electronic states in amorphous semiconductors and its application to assessing charge carrier mobility of p -type amorphous oxide semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

de Jamblinne de Meux, A.; Pourtois, G.; Genoe, J.; Heremans, P.

2018-01-01

Amorphous semiconductors are usually characterized by a low charge carrier mobility, essentially related to their lack of long-range order. The development of such material with higher charge carrier mobility is hence challenging. Part of the issue comes from the difficulty encountered by first-principles simulations to evaluate concepts such as the electron effective mass for disordered systems since the absence of periodicity induced by the disorder precludes the use of common concepts derived from condensed matter physics. In this paper, we propose a methodology based on first-principles simulations that partially solves this problem, by quantifying the degree of delocalization of a wave function and of the connectivity between the atomic sites within this electronic state. We validate the robustness of the proposed formalism on crystalline and molecular systems and extend the insights gained to disordered/amorphous InGaZnO4 and Si. We also explore the properties of p -type oxide semiconductor candidates recently reported to have a low effective mass in their crystalline phases [G. Hautier et al., Nat. Commun. 4, 2292 (2013), 10.1038/ncomms3292]. Although in their amorphous phase none of the candidates present a valence band with delocalization properties matching those found in the conduction band of amorphous InGaZnO4, three of the seven analyzed materials show some potential. The most promising candidate, K2Sn2O3 , is expected to possess in its amorphous phase a slightly higher hole mobility than the electron mobility in amorphous silicon.

Vickers Microhardness and Hyperfine Magnetic Field Variations of Heat Treated Amorphous Fe{sub 78}Si{sub 9}B{sub 13} Alloy Ribbons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cabral-Prieto, A., E-mail: acpr@nuclear.inin.mx [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Department of Chemistry (Mexico); Garcia-Santibanez, F.; Lopez, A.; Lopez-Castanares, R.; Olea Cardoso, O. [Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, El Cerrillo Piedras Blancas, Facultad de Ciencias (Mexico)

2005-02-15

Amorphous Fe{sub 78}Si{sub 9}B{sub 13} alloy ribbons were heat treated between 296 and 763 K, using heating rates between 1 and 4.5 K/min. Whereas one ribbon partially crystallized at T{sub x} = 722 K, the other one partially crystallized at T{sub x} = 763 K. The partially crystallized ribbon at 722 K, heat treated using a triangular form for the heating and cooling rates, was substantially less fragile than the partially crystallized at 763 K where a tooth saw form for the heating and cooling rates was used. Vickers microhardness and hyperfine magnetic field values behaved almost concomitantly between 296 and 673 K. The Moessbauer spectral line widths of the heat-treated ribbons decreased continuously from 296 to 500 K, suggesting stress relief in this temperature range where the Vickers microhardness did not increase. At 523 K the line width decreased further but the microhardness increased substantially. After 523 K the line width behave in an oscillating form as well as the microhardness, indicating other structural changes in addition to the stress relief. Finally, positron lifetime data showed that both inner part and surface of Fe{sub 78}Si{sub 9}B{sub 13} alloy ribbons were affected distinctly. Variations on the surface may be the cause of some of the high Vickers microhardness values measured in the amorphous state.

Structural and magnetic properties of Fe76P5(Si0.3B0.5C0.2)19 amorphous alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavorato, G.C.; Fiore, G.; Tiberto, P.; Baricco, M.; Sirkin, H.; Moya, J.A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Fe 76 P 5 (Si 0.3 B 0.5 C 0.2 ) 19 amorphous alloy in ribbons and 1 mm and 2 mm rod samples. ► Good glass forming ability with ΔT = 50 K and γ = 0.37 and off-eutectic composition. ► Good soft magnetic properties with magnetization saturation of 1.44 T. ► Geometrical factors are the primary causes of magnetic losses in frequencies above 10 Hz. - Abstract: Recently, bulk amorphous alloys were produced in the Fe–B–Si–P–C system with high glass forming ability, excellent magnetic properties and the advantage of containing no expensive glass-forming elements, such as Ga, Y, Cr or Nb, having, therefore, a good perspective of commercial applications. In the present work, the Fe 76 P 5 (Si 0.3 B 0.5 C 0.2 ) 19 amorphous alloy prepared by two quenching techniques has been studied. Amorphous ribbons of about 40 μm thick were obtained by planar-flow casting together with cylinders having 1 and 2 mm diameter produced by copper mold injection casting. All the samples appear fully amorphous after X-ray diffraction analysis. A comprehensive set of thermal data (glass, crystallization, melting and liquidus temperatures) were obtained as well as a description of the melting and solidification processes. Mechanical microhardness tests showed that the samples have a hardness of 9.7 ± 0.3 GPa. Good soft-magnetic properties were obtained, including a high magnetization of 1.44 T and a low coercivity (4.5 A/m for ribbons and 7.5 A/m in the case of 1 mm rod samples, both in as-cast state). Thermomagnetic studies showed a Curie temperature around 665 K and the precipitation of new magnetic phases upon temperatures of 1000 K. Furthermore, the frequency dependence of magnetic losses at a fixed peak induction was studied. The results suggest the occurrence of a fine magnetic domain structure in bulk samples. The good soft magnetic properties of the bulk metallic glass obtained by copper mold casting for this particular Fe-based composition suggests possible

Correlation of electrical transport and magnetism in amorphous Mn-B alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Bryden, W. A.; Morgan, J. S.; Kistenmacher, T. J.; Moorjani, K.

1987-04-01

X-ray scattering, magnetism, and electrical transport studies on amorphous thin films of MnxB100-x alloys with x=52 and 48 are reported. Each alloy exhibits a low-field (5 G) static susceptibility peak (10 K, x=52; 16 K, x=48) associated with a spin-glass transition. Isothermal magnetization data (6 K) are analyzed within the random anisotropy model of Chudnovsky, Saslow, and Serota. The magnetization isotherm for the x=52 alloy is dominated at high fields (>24 kG) by field-induced moments, while for x=48 a term (αH-1/2) arising from a ferromagnet with a wandering axis prevails to the highest field strength (44 kG). Initially the electrical resistance for these Mn-B alloys decreases monotonically with decreasing temperature, reaching a minimum (Tm) at 22 K (x=52) and 45 K (x=48). For T>Tm, a quadratic form can be effectively employed, with a negative T2 coefficient and a positive linear coefficient. The rise in resistivity for TkG) magnetoresistance.

On the nature of amorphous polymorphism of water

OpenAIRE

Koza, Michael Marek; Geil, Burkhard; Winkel, Katrin; Koehler, Christian; Czeschka, Franz; Scheuermann, Marco; Schober, Helmut; Hansen, Thomas

2005-01-01

We report elastic and inelastic neutron scattering experiments on different amorphous ice modifications. It is shown that an amorphous structure (HDA') indiscernible from the high-density phase (HDA), obtained by compression of crystalline ice, can be formed from the very high-density phase (vHDA) as an intermediate stage of the transition of vHDA into its low-density modification (LDA'). Both, HDA and HDA' exhibit comparable small angle scattering signals characterizing them as structures he...

Large-size high-performance transparent amorphous silicon sensors for laser beam position detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calderon, A. [Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria. CSIC-University of Cantabria, Santander (Spain); Martinez-Rivero, C. [Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria. CSIC-University of Cantabria, Santander (Spain); Matorras, F. [Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria. CSIC-University of Cantabria, Santander (Spain); Rodrigo, T. [Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria. CSIC-University of Cantabria, Santander (Spain); Sobron, M. [Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria. CSIC-University of Cantabria, Santander (Spain); Vila, I. [Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria. CSIC-University of Cantabria, Santander (Spain); Virto, A.L. [Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria. CSIC-University of Cantabria, Santander (Spain); Alberdi, J. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Arce, P. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Barcala, J.M. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Calvo, E. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Ferrando, A. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain)]. E-mail: antonio.ferrando@ciemat.es; Josa, M.I. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Luque, J.M. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Molinero, A. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Navarrete, J. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Oller, J.C. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Yuste, C. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Koehler, C. [Steinbeis-Transferzentrum fuer Angewandte Photovoltaik und Duennschichttechnik, Stuttgart (Germany); Lutz, B. [Steinbeis-Transferzentrum fuer Angewandte Photovoltaik und Duennschichttechnik, Stuttgart (Germany); Schubert, M.B. [Steinbeis-Transferzentrum fuer Angewandte Photovoltaik und Duennschichttechnik, Stuttgart (Germany); Werner, J.H. [Steinbeis-Transferzentrum fuer Angewandte Photovoltaik und Duennschichttechnik, Stuttgart (Germany)

2006-09-15

We present the measured performance of a new generation of semitransparent amorphous silicon position detectors. They have a large sensitive area (30x30mm{sup 2}) and show good properties such as a high response (about 20mA/W), an intrinsic position resolution better than 3{mu}m, a spatial-point reconstruction precision better than 10{mu}m, deflection angles smaller than 10{mu}rad and a transmission power in the visible and NIR higher than 70%.

Large-size high-performance transparent amorphous silicon sensors for laser beam position detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calderon, A.; Martinez-Rivero, C.; Matorras, F.; Rodrigo, T.; Sobron, M.; Vila, I.; Virto, A.L.; Alberdi, J.; Arce, P.; Barcala, J.M.; Calvo, E.; Ferrando, A.; Josa, M.I.; Luque, J.M.; Molinero, A.; Navarrete, J.; Oller, J.C.; Yuste, C.; Koehler, C.; Lutz, B.; Schubert, M.B.; Werner, J.H.

2006-01-01

We present the measured performance of a new generation of semitransparent amorphous silicon position detectors. They have a large sensitive area (30x30mm 2 ) and show good properties such as a high response (about 20mA/W), an intrinsic position resolution better than 3μm, a spatial-point reconstruction precision better than 10μm, deflection angles smaller than 10μrad and a transmission power in the visible and NIR higher than 70%

Amorphous-like interfacial layer between a high-T{sub c} superconducting Tl-1223 film and a Ag substrate examined by high-voltage high-resolution transmission electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Bongjun; Kim, Hyuntak [Electronics and Tele-Communications Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Nagai, Takuro; Matsui, Yoshio [National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Horiuchi, Shigeo; Jeong, Daeyeong [Electrotechnology Research Institute, Changwon (Korea, Republic of); Deinhofer, Christian; Gritzner, Gerhard [Johannes Kepler University, Linz (Austria); Kim, Youngmin; Kim, Younjoong [Electron Microscopy Team, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2006-05-15

The thin amorphous-like layer, formed at the interface between a high-T{sub c} superconducting (Tl{sub 0.5}, Pb{sub 0.5})(Sr{sub 0.8}, Ba{sub 0.2})Ca{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub y} (Tl-1223) film and a Ag substrate during heating at 910 .deg. C, has been examined by using high-voltage high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The interfacial layer is less than 10 nm in thickness. It contacts the (001) plane of Tl-1223 and the (113) or (133) planes of Ag in most cases. Its composition is similar to that of Tl-1223, except for the inclusion of a substantial amount of Ag. Its formation proceeds by diffusion of Ag into Tl-1223, during which a structure change first occurs at the layer of CuO{sub 2} + Ca planes. The Tl(Pb)O + the Sr(Ba)O layers are then destroyed to cause the total structure to become amorphous-like. Furthermore, we have found that it is formed under an irradiation of highly energetic electrons.

Effect of amorphous lamella on the crack propagation behavior of crystalline Mg/amorphous Mg-Al nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Hai-Yang, Song; Yu-Long, Li

2016-02-01

The effects of amorphous lamella on the crack propagation behavior in crystalline/amorphous (C/A) Mg/Mg-Al nanocomposites under tensile loading are investigated using the molecular dynamics simulation method. The sample with an initial crack of orientation [0001] is considered here. For the nano-monocrystal Mg, the crack growth exhibits brittle cleavage. However, for the C/A Mg/Mg-Al nanocomposites, the ‘double hump’ behavior can be observed in all the stress-strain curves regardless of the amorphous lamella thickness. The results indicate that the amorphous lamella plays a critical role in the crack deformation, and it can effectively resist the crack propagation. The above mentioned crack deformation behaviors are also disclosed and analyzed in the present work. The results here provide a strategy for designing the high-performance hexagonal-close-packed metal and alloy materials. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11372256 and 11572259), the 111 Project (Grant No. B07050), the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. NCET-12-1046), and the Program for New Scientific and Technological Star of Shaanxi Province, China (Grant No. 2012KJXX-39).

Diffusion studies in amorphous NiZr alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahn, H.; Averback, R.S.; Hoshino, K.; Rothman, S.J.

1987-06-01

Tracer impurity and self diffusion measurements have been made on amorphous (a-) NiZr alloys using radioactive tracer, Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry and Rutherford backscattering techniques. The temperature dependence of diffusion in a-NiZr can be represented in the form D = D 0 exp(-Q/kT), with no structural relaxation effects being observed. The mobility of an atom in a-NiZr increased dramatically with decreasing atomic radius of the diffusing atom and also with decreasing Ni content for Ni concentrations below ≅40 at. %. These diffusion characteristics in a-NiZr are remarkably similar to those in α-Zr and α-Ti. These mechanisms assume that Zr and Ti provide a close packed structure, either crystalline or amorphous, through which small atoms diffuse by an interstitial mechanism and large atoms diffuse by a vacancy mechanism. 12 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Atomistic insights into the nanosecond long amorphization and crystallization cycle of nanoscale G e2S b2T e5 : An ab initio molecular dynamics study

Science.gov (United States)

Branicio, Paulo S.; Bai, Kewu; Ramanarayan, H.; Wu, David T.; Sullivan, Michael B.; Srolovitz, David J.

2018-04-01

The complete process of amorphization and crystallization of the phase-change material G e2S b2T e5 is investigated using nanosecond ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Varying the quench rate during the amorphization phase of the cycle results in the generation of a variety of structures from entirely crystallized (-0.45 K/ps) to entirely amorphized (-16 K/ps). The 1.5-ns annealing simulations indicate that the crystallization process depends strongly on both the annealing temperature and the initial amorphous structure. The presence of crystal precursors (square rings) in the amorphous matrix enhances nucleation/crystallization kinetics. The simulation data are used to construct a combined continuous-cooling-transformation (CCT) and temperature-time-transformation (TTT) diagram. The nose of the CCT-TTT diagram corresponds to the minimum time for the onset of homogenous crystallization and is located at 600 K and 70 ps. That corresponds to a critical cooling rate for amorphization of -4.5 K/ps. The results, in excellent agreement with experimental observations, suggest that a strategy that utilizes multiple quench rates and annealing temperatures may be used to effectively optimize the reversible switching speed and enable fast and energy-efficient phase-change memories.

Relaxation processes during amorphous metal alloys heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malinochka, E.Ya.; Durachenko, A.M.; Borisov, V.T.

1982-01-01

Behaviour of Te+15 at.%Ge and Fe+13 at.%P+7 at.%C amorphous metal alloys during heating has been studied using the method of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as the most convenient one for determination of the value of heat effects, activation energies, temperature ranges of relaxation processes. Thermal effects corresponding to high-temperature relaxation processes taking place during amorphous metal alloys (AMA) heating are detected. The change of ratio of relaxation peaks values on DSC curves as a result of AMA heat treatment can be explained by the presence of a number of levels of inner energy in amorphous system, separated with potential barriers, the heights of which correspond to certain activation energies of relaxation processes

Radiation damage in amorphous solids - a computer simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaki, T.K.; Li, J.C.M.

1984-01-01

It is known for crystalline materials that injection of high energy atoms introduces point defects. The nature of defects is not known for amorphous solids. So a molecular dynamic simulation of radiation damage in an amorphous metal was carried out. An amorphous structure of 685 atoms with periodic boundary conditions in all 3 dimensions was equilibrated first. Then one atom on the surface was given a high initial velocity so it was injected inward. Radial temperature distribution around the line of injection was calculated as a function of time. Void distribution and its evolution with time in the direction of injection was calculated by counting the atomic centers in thin slabs perpendicular to the line of injection. The swelling of the whole solid was calculated also. Some results are compared with experiments

Achievement report for fiscal 1984 on Sunshine Program-entrusted research and development. Research and development of amorphous solar cells (Theoretical research on amorphous silicon electronic states by computer-aided simulation); 1984 nendo amorphous taiyo denchi no kenkyu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Keisanki simulation ni yoru amorphous silicon no denshi jotai no rironteki kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1985-04-01

Research on the basic physical properties of amorphous silicon materials and for the development of materials for thermally stable amorphous silicon is conducted through theoretical reasoning and computer-aided simulation. In the effort at achieving a high conversion efficiency using an amorphous silicon alloy, a process of realizing desired photoabsorption becomes possible when the correlation between the atomic structure and the photoabsorption coefficient is clearly established and the atomic structure is manipulated. In this connection, analytical studies are conducted to determine how microscopic structures are reflected on macroscopic absorption coefficients. In the computer-aided simulation, various liquid structures and amorphous structures are worked out, which is for the atom-level characterization of structures with topological disturbances, such as amorphous structures. Glass transition is simulated using a molecular kinetic method, in particular, and the melting of crystals, crystallization of liquids, and vitrification (conversion into the amorphous state) are successfully realized, though in a computer-aided simulation, for the first time in the world. (NEDO)

Structures of high and low density amorphous ice by neutron diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finney, J.L.; Hallbrucker, A.; Kohl, I.; Soper, A.K.; Bowron, D.T.

2002-01-01

Neutron diffraction with isotope substitution is used to determine the structures of high (HDA) and low (LDA) density amorphous ice. Both 'phases' are fully hydrogen bonded, tetrahedral networks, with local order similarities between LDA and ice Ih, and HDA and liquid water. Moving from HDA, through liquid water and LDA to ice Ih, the second shell radial order increases at the expense of spatial order. This is linked to a fifth first neighbor 'interstitial' that restricts the orientations of first shell waters. This 'lynch pin' molecule which keeps the HDA structure intact has implications for the nature of the HDA-LDA transition that bear on the current metastable water debate

Microstructure and property of Fe–Co–B–Si–C–Nb amorphous composite coating fabricated by laser cladding process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Y.Y.; Li, Z.G.; Li, R.F.; Li, M.; Daze, X.L.; Feng, K.; Wu, Y.X.

2013-01-01

Laser cladding of Fe 34 Co 34 B 20 Si 5 C 3 Nb 4 on a low carbon steel substrate was conducted using coaxial powder feeding method. Microstructure, phase and microhardness were investigated by scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron probe micro-analysis and microhardness tester. Amorphous coating with NbC particles embedded in the matrix was formed. Differential scanning calorimetry curve showed that the glass transition temperature (T g ) and the onset crystallization temperature (T x ) were 799 K and 850 K, respectively. The supercooled liquid region (ΔT x = T x − T g ) was as large as 51 K, which implied the high thermal stability of the supercooled liquid against crystallization. Due to the NbC particles embedded in the amorphous matrix, the mean value of the microhardness of the coating prepared by laser cladding was higher than that of the bulk metallic glass formed by the copper mold casting method. The contribution of NbC particles to the total microhardness was theoretically estimated. The estimated hardness of the composite coating agreed well with the tested value.

The nature of the photoluminescence in amorphized PZT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, M.S.; Cilense, M.; Orhan, E.; Goes, M.S.; Machado, M.A.C.; Santos, L.P.S.; Paiva-Santos, C.O.; Longo, E.; Varela, J.A.; Zaghete, M.A.; Pizani, P.S.

2005-01-01

The polymeric precursor method was used to synthesize lead zirconate titanate powder (PZT). The crystalline powder was then amorphized by a high-energy ball milling process during 120 h. A strong photoluminescence emission was observed at room temperature for the amorphized PZT powder. The powders were characterized by XRD and the percentage of amorphous phase was calculated through Rietveld refinement. The microstructure for both phases was investigated by TEM. The optical gap was calculated through the Wood and Tauc method using the UV-Vis. data. Quantum mechanical calculations were carried out to give an interpretation of the photoluminescence in terms of electronic structure

Improving the Transmission System Reliability for the 154kV Radial Network Operation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choo, Jin Boo; Yoo, Myeong Ho; Yoon, Young Beum; Kim, Tae Won [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Gi Won; Chung, Beom Jin; Jung, Jung Won; Park, Kyu Hyun; Lee, Myung Hee; Kim, Hyun Jong; Kim, Chae Hee [KEYIN CO., (Korea, Republic of)

1996-12-31

Analyzing that 154kV radial network current ed operated, we developed Automatic Power Reconfiguration System(APRS) which restore blackout area. It consists of special data acquisition system(DAU) and central monitoring system for reason of protecting currently operating power system. In addition, it communicates using optical communication network for high speed data transmission and accuracy. An Accuracy of operation and stability of the developed system is tested using Real Time Digital Simulator in 3-bus equivalent model system. In An Outage case, our developed system can restore a blackout area in three second. An ability of the restoration of a blackout was verified by simulations. For the field test, the developed system was set up at SINCHON S/S, SESOMUN S/S, SINDANG S/S and MAJANG S/S governed by Seoul Power Transmission Center. If the system reliability is proved for a one year test in real power system, application of the system will be extended to the other substations.

Krypton-85 storage in sputter-deposited amorphous metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tingey, G.L.; McClanahan, E.D.; Lytle, J.M.; Gordon, N.R.; Knoll, R.W.

1982-06-01

After comparing options for storing radioactive krypton gas, the United States Department of Energy selected ion implantation of the gas into a sputter-deposited metal matrix as the reference process. This technique is being developed with pilot-scale testing and further characterization of the deposited product. The process involves implanting krypton atoms into a growing deposit during the sputtering process. An amorphous metal deposit of nominal composition Ni 0 81 La 0 09 Kr 0 10 has been selected for further studies because of the high krypton loading, high sputtering yield, relatively low cost of the metallic components, resistance to corrosion, and stability of the product. The krypton release from this amorphous metal is described as an activated diffusion process which increases linearly with the square root of time. Studies of krypton release rate as a function of temperature were completed and an activation energy for the diffusion of 70 kcal/mole obtained. From these data, we estimated that the krypton release during the first ten years would be 0.5% for a maximum temperature of 350 0 C. The actual release of the krypton during storage was projected to be lower by a factor of 10 7 with the maximum temperature only 220 0 C. Thermal analysis studies show two energy releases occurring with krypton-containing alloys: one associated with recrystallization of the amorphous alloy and a second associated with krypton release. The total energy release between 100 and 800 0 C was less than 50 cal/g. Estimates are given for the cost of operation of the ion implantation process for solidification of the krypton-85 from a 2000-tonne heavy metal/year reprocessing plant. The present value costs, in 1981 dollars including capital and operating costs and assuming a 30-year life, are about $26M for the lifetime of the plant. Annual energy consumption of the process was estimated to be 3.9 M kWh/year

Neutron irradiation and high temperature effects on amorphous Fe-based nano-coatings on steel – A macroscopic assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simos, N.; Zhong, Z.; Dooryhee, E.; Ghose, S.; Gill, S.

2017-01-01

Here, this study revealed that loss of ductility in an amorphous Fe-alloy coating on a steel substrate composite structure was essentially prevented from occurring, following radiation with modest neutron doses of ~2 x 10 18 n/cm 2 . At the higher neutron dose of ~2 x 10 19 , macroscopic stress-strain analysis showed that the amorphous Fe-alloy nanostructured coating, while still amorphous, experienced radiation-induced embrittlement, no longer offering protection against ductility loss in the coating-substrate composite structure. Neutron irradiation in a corrosive environment revealed exemplary oxidation/corrosion resistance of the amorphous Fe-alloy coating, which is attributed to the formation of the Fe 2 B phase in the coating. To establish the impact of elevated temperatures on the amorphous-to-crystalline transition in the amorphous Fe-alloy, electron microscopy was carried out which confirmed the radiation-induced suppression of crystallization in the amorphous Fe-alloy nanostructured coating.

Atomistic modeling of defect evolution in Si for amorphizing and subamorphizing implants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, Pedro; Pelaz, Lourdes; Marques, Luis A.; Santos, Ivan; Aboy, Maria; Barbolla, Juan

2004-01-01

Solid phase epitaxial regrowth of pre-amorphizing implants has received significant attention as a method to achieve high dopant activation with minimal diffusion at low implant temperatures and suppress channelling. Therefore, a good understanding of the amorphization and regrowth mechanisms is required in process simulators. We present an atomistic amorphization and recrystallization model that uses the interstitial-vacancy (I-V) pair as a building block to describe the amorphous phase. I-V pairs are locally characterized by the number of neighbouring I-V pairs. This feature captures the damage generation and the dynamical annealing during ion implantation, and also explains the annealing behaviour of amorphous layers and amorphous pockets

Amorphous silica studied by high energy x-ray diffraction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, H.F.; Neuefeind, J.; Neumann, H.B.

1995-01-01

-ray and neutron data. A feasibility study of amorphous silica has been performed at 95 keV, using a wiggler synchrotron beam-line at HASYLAB and a cylindrical sample, 3 mm in diameter. The range of Q between 0.8 and 32 Angstrom(-1) was covered. A thorough discussion of the experimental challenges is given...

Study of structural relaxation in amorphous alloys prepared by sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habibi, S.; Banaee, N.; Majidy, S.

2004-01-01

Full text: We have prepared amorphous alloy of Al x Cu 1-x (with X= 93, 90, 80, 70, 30) using sputtering system. The rate of growth was 0.7 nm/sec. X-ray diffractometer was used to conform the amorphous nature of the prepared specimens. High temperature annealing can change amorphous to crystalline structure, while low temperature annealing may transform amorphous state to a more stable amorphous state via structural relaxation of the specimen and enhancing the properties of the alloys, such as mechanical ductility etc. Here we have annealed the alloys at temperatures 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 and 350 C for 1 hour. We observed that microhardness of the specimen increases with annealing and gets maximum value at 300 C. Our XRD experiments and also earlier Moessbauer studies show that while the average interatomic distances reduces due to annealing, structure remains amorphous

Amorphous and nanocrystalline phase formation in highly-driven Al-based binary alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalay, Yunus Eren [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2009-01-01

Remarkable advances have been made since rapid solidification was first introduced to the field of materials science and technology. New types of materials such as amorphous alloys and nanostructure materials have been developed as a result of rapid solidification techniques. While these advances are, in many respects, ground breaking, much remains to be discerned concerning the fundamental relationships that exist between a liquid and a rapidly solidified solid. The scope of the current dissertation involves an extensive set of experimental, analytical, and computational studies designed to increase the overall understanding of morphological selection, phase competition, and structural hierarchy that occurs under far-from equilibrium conditions. High pressure gas atomization and Cu-block melt-spinning are the two different rapid solidification techniques applied in this study. The research is mainly focused on Al-Si and Al-Sm alloy systems. Silicon and samarium produce different, yet favorable, systems for exploration when alloyed with aluminum under far-from equilibrium conditions. One of the main differences comes from the positions of their respective T₀ curves, which makes Al-Si a good candidate for solubility extension while the plunging T₀ line in Al-Sm promotes glass formation. The rapidly solidified gas-atomized Al-Si powders within a composition range of 15 to 50 wt% Si are examined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The non-equilibrium partitioning and morphological selection observed by examining powders at different size classes are described via a microstructure map. The interface velocities and the amount of undercooling present in the powders are estimated from measured eutectic spacings based on Jackson-Hunt (JH) and Trivedi-Magnin-Kurz (TMK) models, which permit a direct comparison of theoretical predictions. For an average particle size of 10 {micro}m with a Peclet number of ~0.2, JH and TMK deviate from

Enhanced performance of amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistors using different metals for source/drain electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Pyo, Ju-Young; Cho, Won-Ju

2017-09-01

In this paper, we propose an amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT) with off-planed source/drain electrodes. We applied different metals for the source/drain electrodes with Ni and Ti to control the work function as high and low. When we measured the configuration of Ni to drain and source to Ti, the a-IGZO TFT showed increased driving current, decreased leakage current, a high on/off current ratio, low subthreshold swing, and high mobility. In addition, we conducted a reliability test with a gate bias stress test at various temperatures. The results of the reliability test showed the Ni drain and Ti drain had an equivalent effective energy barrier height. Thus, we confirmed that the proposed off-planed structure improved the electrical characteristics of the fabricated devices without any degradation of characteristics. Through the a-IGZO TFT with different source/drain electrode metal engineering, we realized high-performance TFTs for next-generation display devices.

Thermal conductivity of sputtered amorphous Ge films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhan, Tianzhuo; Xu, Yibin; Goto, Masahiro; Tanaka, Yoshihisa; Kato, Ryozo; Sasaki, Michiko; Kagawa, Yutaka

2014-01-01

We measured the thermal conductivity of amorphous Ge films prepared by magnetron sputtering. The thermal conductivity was significantly higher than the value predicted by the minimum thermal conductivity model and increased with deposition temperature. We found that variations in sound velocity and Ge film density were not the main factors in the high thermal conductivity. Fast Fourier transform patterns of transmission electron micrographs revealed that short-range order in the Ge films was responsible for their high thermal conductivity. The results provide experimental evidences to understand the underlying nature of the variation of phonon mean free path in amorphous solids

X-ray spectroscopy of electronic structure of amorphous silicon and silicyne

CERN Document Server

Mashin, A I; Mashin, N I; Domashevskaya, E P; Terekhov, V A

2001-01-01

SiK subbeta and SiL sub 2 sub 3 emission spectra of crystalline silicon (c-Si), amorphous hydrogenated silicon (alpha-Si:H) and silicyne have been studied by X-ray and ultrasoft X-ray spectroscopy. It is observed that SiL sub 2 sub 3 emission spectra of silicyne displays not two maximums, as it usually observed for the c-Si and alpha-Si:H, but three ones. The third one is seen at high energies near 95.7 eV, and has an intensity about 75%. An additional maximum in the short- wave part of SiK subbeta emission spectrum is observed. This difference of shapes of X-ray spectra between alpha-Si:H and silicyne is explained by the presence in silicyne a strong pi-component of chemical bonds of a silicon atoms in silicyne

Amorphous surface layers in Ti-implanted Fe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knapp, J.A.; Follstaedt, D.M.; Picraux, S.T.

1979-01-01

Implanting Ti into high-purity Fe results in an amorphous surface layer which is composed of not only Fe and Ti, but also C. Implantations were carried out at room temperature over the energy range 90 to 190 keV and fluence range 1 to 2 x 10 16 at/cm 2 . The Ti-implanted Fe system has been characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ion backscattering and channeling analysis, and (d,p) nuclear reaction analysis. The amorphous layer was observed to form at the surface and grow inward with increasing Ti fluence. For an implant of 1 x 10 17 Ti/cm 2 at 180 keV the layer thickness was 150 A, while the measured range of the implanted Ti was approx. 550 A. This difference is due to the incorporation of C into the amorphous alloy by C being deposited on the surface during implantation and subsequently diffusing into the solid. Our results indicate that C is an essential constituent of the amorphous phase for Ti concentrations less than or equal to 10 at. %. For the 1 x 10 17 Ti/cm 2 implant, the concentration of C in the amorphous phase was approx. 25 at. %, while that of Ti was only approx. 3 at. %. A higher fluence implant of 2 x 10 17 Ti/cm 2 produced an amorphous layer with a lower C concentration of approx. 10 at. % and a Ti concentration of approx. 20 at. %

High-Performance Corrosion-Resistant Materials: Iron-Based Amorphous-Metal Thermal-Spray Coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farmer, J C; Haslam, J J; Wong, F; Ji, X; Day, S D; Branagan, D J; Marshall, M C; Meacham, B E; Buffa, E J; Blue, C A; Rivard, J K; Beardsley, M B; Weaver, D T; Aprigliano, L F; Kohler, L; Bayles, R; Lemieux, E J; Wolejsza, T M; Martin, F J; Yang, N; Lucadamo, G; Perepezko, J H; Hildal, K; Kaufman, L; Heuer, A H; Ernst, F; Michal, G M; Kahn, H; Lavernia, E J

2004-01-01

The multi-institutional High Performance Corrosion Resistant Materials (HPCRM) Team is cosponsored by the Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Science Office (DSO) and the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM), and has developed new corrosion-resistant, iron-based amorphous metals that can be applied as coatings with advanced thermal spray technology. Two compositions have corrosion resistance superior to wrought nickel-based Alloy C-22 (UNS No. N06022) in very aggressive environments, including concentrated calcium-chloride brines at elevated temperature. Corrosion costs the Department of Defense billions of dollars every year, with an immense quantity of material in various structures undergoing corrosion. For example, in addition to fluid and seawater piping, ballast tanks, and propulsions systems, approximately 345 million square feet of structure aboard naval ships and crafts require costly corrosion control measures. The use of advanced corrosion-resistant materials to prevent the continuous degradation of this massive surface area would be extremely beneficial. The Fe-based corrosion-resistant, amorphous-metal coatings under development may prove of importance for applications on ships. Such coatings could be used as an ''integral drip shield'' on spent fuel containers, as well as protective coatings that could be applied over welds, thereby preventing exposure to environments that might cause stress corrosion cracking. In the future, such new high-performance iron-based materials could be substituted for more-expensive nickel-based alloys, thereby enabling a reduction in the $58-billion life cycle cost for the long-term storage of the Nation's spent nuclear fuel by tens of percent

Mechanical properties and fracture mechanism of as-cast Mg77TM12Zn5Y6 (TM = Cu, Ni) bulk amorphous matrix composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, K.Q.; Hu, N.N.; Zhang, H.B.; Jiang, W.H.; Ren, Y.L.; Liaw, P.K.

2009-01-01

Comparative investigations on the microstructures, thermal stability and mechanical properties of Mg 77 Cu 12 Zn 5 Y 6 and Mg 77 Ni 12 Zn 5 Y 6 bulk metallic glass matrix composites were carried out by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), DSC and compressive tester. The results show that the microstructure of as-cast samples with 3 mm in diameter for Cu-containing alloy is consisted of Mg flakes and dotted Mg 2 Cu phase in the amorphous matrix, while the as-cast Ni-containing alloy with the same diameter is mainly consisted of Mg flakes in the amorphous matrix. The glass transition temperature and supercooled liquid region are 413 K and 27 K for the Cu-containing, 443 K and 32 K for the Ni-containing amorphous matrix composites, respectively. The fracture strength, yield strength and plastic strain are 532 MPa, 390 MPa and 2.4% for the Cu-containing alloy, 667 MPa, 412 MPa and 7% for the Ni-containing alloy, respectively. Furthermore, the fracture mechanism for the amorphous matrix composites was discussed according to both the fracture surfaces and the stress-strain curves.

Fabrication and application of amorphous semiconductor devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumurdjian, Pierre.

1976-01-01

This invention concerns the design and manufacture of elecric switching or memorisation components with amorphous semiconductors. As is known some compounds, particularly the chalcogenides, have a resistivity of the semiconductor type in the amorphous solid state. These materials are obtained by the high temperature homogeneisation of several single elements such as tellurium, arsenic, germanium and sulphur, followed by water or air quenching. In particular these compounds have useful switching and memorisation properties. In particular they have the characteristic of not suffering deterioration when placed in an environment subjected to nuclear radiations. In order to know more about the nature and properties of these amorphous semiconductors the French patent No. 71 28048 of 30 June 1971 may be consulted with advantage [fr

Extraction and dielectric properties of curcuminoid films grown on Si substrate for high-k dielectric applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dakhel, A.A.; Jasim, Khalil E. [Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 32038 (Bahrain); Cassidy, S. [Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Medical University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 15503 (Bahrain); Henari, F.Z., E-mail: fzhenari@rcsi-mub.com [Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Medical University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 15503 (Bahrain)

2013-09-20

Highlights: • The unknown insulating properties of curcuminoid extract are systematically studied. • Optical study gives a bandgap of 3.15 eV and a refractive index of 1.92 at 505 nm. • Turmeric is a high-k environmental friendly material for use in microelectronics. • Curcuminoid extract can be used as insulator of MIS devices with ε{sup ′}{sub ∞}≈54.2. -- Abstract: Curcuminoids were extracted from turmeric powder and evaporated in vacuum to prepare thin films on p-Si and glass substrates for dielectric and optical investigations. The optical absorption spectrum of the prepared amorphous film was not identical to that of the molecular one, which was identified by a strong wide absorption band in between ∼220 and 540 nm. The onset energy of the optical absorption of the film was calculated by using Hamberg et al. method. The dielectric properties of this material were systematically studied for future eco friendly applications in metal–insulator–semiconductor MIS field of applications. The complex dielectric properties were studied in the frequency range of 1–1000 kHz and was analysed in-terms of dielectric impedance Z{sup *}(ω) and modulus M{sup *}(ω). Generally, the curcuminoid complex can be considered as a high-k material and can be used in the environmental friendly production of microelectronic devices.

Extraction and dielectric properties of curcuminoid films grown on Si substrate for high-k dielectric applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dakhel, A.A.; Jasim, Khalil E.; Cassidy, S.; Henari, F.Z.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • The unknown insulating properties of curcuminoid extract are systematically studied. • Optical study gives a bandgap of 3.15 eV and a refractive index of 1.92 at 505 nm. • Turmeric is a high-k environmental friendly material for use in microelectronics. • Curcuminoid extract can be used as insulator of MIS devices with ε ′ ∞ ≈54.2. -- Abstract: Curcuminoids were extracted from turmeric powder and evaporated in vacuum to prepare thin films on p-Si and glass substrates for dielectric and optical investigations. The optical absorption spectrum of the prepared amorphous film was not identical to that of the molecular one, which was identified by a strong wide absorption band in between ∼220 and 540 nm. The onset energy of the optical absorption of the film was calculated by using Hamberg et al. method. The dielectric properties of this material were systematically studied for future eco friendly applications in metal–insulator–semiconductor MIS field of applications. The complex dielectric properties were studied in the frequency range of 1–1000 kHz and was analysed in-terms of dielectric impedance Z * (ω) and modulus M * (ω). Generally, the curcuminoid complex can be considered as a high-k material and can be used in the environmental friendly production of microelectronic devices

Structural Relaxations and Thermodynamic Properties of Molecular Amorphous Solids by Mechanical Milling

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukushi, I.; Yamamuro, O.; Matsuo, T.

The organic crystals of tri-O-methyl-β-cyclodextrin (TMCD) and its three clathrate compounds containing benzoic acid (BA), p-nitrobenzoic acid (NBA) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), sucrose (SUC), salicin (SAL), phenolphthalein (PP), 1,3,5-tri-α-naphthylbenzene (TNB) were amorphized by milling with a vibrating mill for 2 ˜ 16 hours at room temperature. The amorphization was checked by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction. The heat capacities of crystals, liquid quenched glasses (LQG), and mechanically-milled amorphous solid (MMAS) of TMCD and TNB were measured with an adiabatic calorimeter in the temperature range between 12 and 375 K. For both compounds, the enthalpy relaxation of MMAS appeared in the wide temperature range below Tg and the released configurational enthalpy was much larger than that of LQG, indicating that MMAS is more disordered and strained than LQG.

Amorphization, morphological instability and crystallization of krypton ion irradiated germanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L.M.; Birtcher, R.C.

1991-01-01

Krypton ion irradiation of crystalline Ge and subsequent thermal annealing were both carried out with in situ transmission electron microscopy observations. The temperature dependence of the amorphization dose, effect of foil thickness, morphological changes during continuous irradiation of the amorphous state as well as the effect of implanted gas have been determined. The dose of 1.5 MeV Kr required for amorphization increases with increasing temperature. At a fixed temperature, the amorphization dose is higher for thicker regions of the specimen. Continuous irradiation of amorphous Ge at room temperature results in a high density of small cavities which grow with increasing dose. Cavities do not coalesce during growth but develop into irregular-shaped holes that eventually transform the amorphous Ge into a sponge-like material. Formation of the spongy structure is independent of Kr implantation. The crystallization temperature and the morphology of recrystallized Ge depend on the Kr + dose. Voids are expelled from recrystallized Ge, while the sponge-like structure is retained after crystallization. (author)

Crystallization-induced plasticity of Cu-Zr containing bulk amorphous alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seok-Woo; Huh, Moo-Young; Fleury, Eric; Lee, Jae-Chul

2006-01-01

This study examined the parameter governing the plasticity observed in various Cu-Zr containing monolithic amorphous alloys. All the alloys were fully amorphous in their as-cast condition but exhibited different plastic strains. Microscopic observations of the quasi-statically compressed alloys showed abundant nanocrystallites in the amorphous matrices in the alloys that exhibited pronounced plasticity. On the other hand, insignificant changes in the microstructure were observed in the alloy that did not show plasticity. The mechanism for the formation of these deformation-induced nanocrystallites was examined from the viewpoints of thermodynamics and kinetics. The role of the deformation-induced nanocrystallites on the plasticity of the amorphous alloy was examined using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that compressive loading facilitates nanocrystallization in monolithic Cu-Zr containing amorphous alloys, resulting in plasticity. The parameter governing the plasticity in these monolithic Cu-Zr containing amorphous alloys lies in the activation energy for the overall crystallization process

In situ observation of shear-driven amorphization in silicon crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Yang; Zhong, Li; Fan, Feifei; Wang, Chongmin; Zhu, Ting; Mao, Scott X.

2016-09-19

Amorphous materials have attracted great interest in the scientific and technological fields. An amorphous solid usually forms under the externally driven conditions of melt-quenching, irradiation and severe mechanical deformation. However, its dynamic formation process remains elusive. Here we report the in situ atomic-scale observation of dynamic amorphization processes during mechanical straining of nanoscale silicon crystals by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). We observe the shear-driven amorphization (SDA) occurring in a dominant shear band. The SDA involves a sequence of processes starting with the shear-induced diamond-cubic to diamond-hexagonal phase transition that is followed by dislocation nucleation and accumulation in the newly formed phase, leading to the formation of amorphous silicon. The SDA formation through diamond-hexagonal phase is rationalized by its structural conformity with the order in the paracrystalline amorphous silicon, which maybe widely applied to diamond-cubic materials. Besides, the activation of SDA is orientation-dependent through the competition between full dislocation nucleation and partial gliding.

Redistribution of erbium during the crystallization of buried amorphous silicon layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleksandrov, O.V.; Nikolaev, Yu.A.; Sobolev, N.A.; Sakharov, V.I.; Serenkov, I.T.; Kudryavtsev, Yu.A.

1999-01-01

The redistribution of Er during its implantation in silicon at doses close to the amorphization threshold and its subsequent solid-phase epitaxial (SPE) crystallization is investigated. The formation of a buried amorphous (a) layer is discovered at Er doses equal to 5x10 13 and 1x10 14 cm -2 using Rutherford backscattering. The segregation of Er in this case takes place inwardly from the two directions corresponding to the upper and lower boundaries of the buried αlayer and leads to the formation of a concentration peak at the meeting place of the two crystallization fronts. A method for calculating the coordinate dependence of the segregation coefficient k from the distribution profiles of the erbium impurity before and after annealing is proposed. The k(x) curve exhibits a drop, whose width increases with decreasing Er implantation dose. Its appearance is attributed to the nonequilibrium nature of the segregation process at the beginning of SPE crystallization

Aluminium based amorphous and nanocrystalline structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sitek, Jozef; Degmova, Jarmila, E-mail: jarmila.degmova@stuba.sk [Slovak University of Technology, Department of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (Slovakia)

2005-09-15

Aluminium based rapidly quenched alloys of nominal composition Al{sub 90}Fe{sub 7}Nb{sub 3} and Al{sub 94}Fe{sub 2}V{sub 4} were studied by Moessbauer spectroscopy. Samples annealed up to 573 K showed amorphous structure represented by quadrupole doublet. From corrected spectra areas the values of f-factor were calculated. In the case of AlFeNb samples f-factor was estimated as f = 0.26 and for AlFeV f = 0.31. The corresponding Debye temperatures were also calculated. Higher temperature annealing at 773 and 873 K induced deformation of nano- and microcrystalline state. Moessbauer spectra of samples of both compositions (with vanadium as well as with niobium) annealed at 773 K showed superposition of crystalline phases with dominant role of Al{sub 3}Fe alloy. During annealing at 873 K, phases with large grains and small amount of FeAl metastable phase were developed (Das et al. Mat. Sci. Eng., A304-A306, 159, 2001; Illekova et al. Mat. Sci. Eng., A375-A377, 946, 2004).

Aluminium based amorphous and nanocrystalline structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sitek, Jozef; Degmova, Jarmila

2005-01-01

Aluminium based rapidly quenched alloys of nominal composition Al 90 Fe 7 Nb 3 and Al 94 Fe 2 V 4 were studied by Moessbauer spectroscopy. Samples annealed up to 573 K showed amorphous structure represented by quadrupole doublet. From corrected spectra areas the values of f-factor were calculated. In the case of AlFeNb samples f-factor was estimated as f = 0.26 and for AlFeV f = 0.31. The corresponding Debye temperatures were also calculated. Higher temperature annealing at 773 and 873 K induced deformation of nano- and microcrystalline state. Moessbauer spectra of samples of both compositions (with vanadium as well as with niobium) annealed at 773 K showed superposition of crystalline phases with dominant role of Al 3 Fe alloy. During annealing at 873 K, phases with large grains and small amount of FeAl metastable phase were developed (Das et al. Mat. Sci. Eng., A304-A306, 159, 2001; Illekova et al. Mat. Sci. Eng., A375-A377, 946, 2004).

Technique for determination of elastic limit of micron band-thick amorphous

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakharov, E.K.; Pol'dyaeva, G.P.; Tret'yakov, B.N.

1984-01-01

A method is suggested to determine the elastic limit of micron-thick amorphous band under bending. The elastic limit is determined by bending an amorphous band sample around a series of cylindrical mandrels of gradually decreasing radius. Experimental data on measuring the elastic limit of some amorphous iron base alloys according to the suggested technique are presented. The elastic limit of amorphous alloys is shown to lie in the 3140-4110 MPa range depending on chemical composition, which is about 2-2.5 times higher as compared to high-strength crystal alloys

Solid-state amorphization of SmFe3 by hydrogenation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, K.H.; Kubis, M.; Handstein, A.; Gutfleisch, O.

2000-01-01

Hydrogen-induced amorphization (HIA) has received much attention as a method for the preparation of amorphous compounds since its discovery by Yeh et al. Meanwhile it has been observed for a large number of intermetallic compounds with C15, C23, B8 2 , DO 19 and L1 2 structures. E.G. the C15 Laves-type compounds (MgCu 2 -type structure) of rare earth (R) - transition metal (T) compounds RT 2 show HIA for R = Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho and Er. Aoki et al. postulated that new amorphizing compounds can be expected at high hydrogen pressures. In this work, the structural changes of SmFe 3 (PuNi 3 -type structure) during heating in high hydrogen pressures are reported

Emerging trends in the stabilization of amorphous drugs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laitinen, Riikka; Löbmann, Korbinian; Strachan, Clare J.

2013-01-01

The number of active pharmaceutical substances having high therapeutic potential but low water solubility is constantly increasing, making it difficult to formulate these compounds as oral dosage forms. The solubility and dissolution rate, and thus potentially the bioavailability, of these poorly...... water-soluble drugs can be increased by the formation of stabilized amorphous forms. Currently, formulation as solid polymer dispersions is the preferred method to enhance drug dissolution and to stabilize the amorphous form of a drug. The purpose of this review is to highlight emerging alternative...... of mesoporous silicon and silica-based carriers are presented as potential means to increase the stability of amorphous pharmaceuticals....

Formation of a highly doped ultra-thin amorphous carbon layer by ion bombardment of graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Piotr Michałowski, Paweł; Pasternak, Iwona; Ciepielewski, Paweł; Guinea, Francisco; Strupiński, Włodek

2018-07-01

Ion bombardment of graphene leads to the formation of defects which may be used to tune properties of the graphene based devices. In this work, however, we present that the presence of the graphene layer on a surface of a sample has a significant impact on the ion bombardment process: broken sp2 bonds react with the incoming ions and trap them close to the surface of the sample, preventing a standard ion implantation. For an ion bombardment with a low impact energy and significant dose (in the range of 1014 atoms cm‑2) an amorphization of the graphene layer is observed but at the same time, most of the incoming ions do not penetrate the sample but stop at the surface, thus forming a highly doped ultra-thin amorphous carbon layer. The effect may be used to create thin layers containing desired atoms if no other technique is available. This approach is particularly useful for secondary ion mass spectrometry where a high concentration of Cs at the surface of a sample significantly enhances the negative ionization probability, allowing it to reach better detection limits.

Nanoplasmonically Engineered Interfaces on Amorphous TiO2 for Highly Efficient Photocatalysis in Hydrogen Evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Huijun; Meng, Qiuxia; Wang, Xiaobing; Zhang, Hucheng; Wang, Jianji

2018-04-25

The nanoplasmonic metal-driven photocatalytic activity depends heavily on the spacing between metal nanoparticles (NPs) and semiconductors, and this work shows that ethylene glycol (EG) is an ideal candidate for interface spacer. Controlling the synthetic systems at pH 3, the composite of Ag NPs with EG-stabilized amorphous TiO 2 (Ag/TiO 2 -3) was synthesized by the facile light-induced reduction. It is verified that EG spacers can set up suitable geometric arrangement in the composite: the twin hydroxyls act as stabilizers to bind Ag NPs and TiO 2 together and the nonconductive alkyl chains consisting only of two CH 2 are able to separate the two building blocks completely and also provide the shortest channels for an efficient transfer of radiation energies to reach TiO 2 . Employed as photocatalysts in hydrogen evolution under visible light, amorphous TiO 2 hardly exhibits the catalytic activity due to high defect density, whereas Ag/TiO 2 -3 represents a remarkably high catalytic efficiency. The enhancement mechanism of the reaction rate is proposed by the analysis of the compositional, structural, and optical properties from a series of Ag/TiO 2 composites.

Molecular dynamics study of the elastic response of crystalline, amorphous and chemically disordered NiZr2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willaime, F.; Rosato, V.

1990-01-01

We calculate the shear elastic constants of the alloy NiZr 2 by molecular dynamics simulations in the crystalline and amorphous phases as well as upon introduction of antisite defects in the crystal at T=300K. For S (long range order parameter) equal to 0.5, the system is amorphous and C' is larger than the same quantity relative to the crystal whereas C 44 and C 66 are smaller

Two-level tunneling systems in amorphous alumina

Science.gov (United States)

Lebedeva, Irina V.; Paz, Alejandro P.; Tokatly, Ilya V.; Rubio, Angel

2014-03-01

The decades of research on thermal properties of amorphous solids at temperatures below 1 K suggest that their anomalous behaviour can be related to quantum mechanical tunneling of atoms between two nearly equivalent states that can be described as a two-level system (TLS). This theory is also supported by recent studies on microwave spectroscopy of superconducting qubits. However, the microscopic nature of the TLS remains unknown. To identify structural motifs for TLSs in amorphous alumina we have performed extensive classical molecular dynamics simulations. Several bistable motifs with only one or two atoms jumping by considerable distance ~ 0.5 Å were found at T=25 K. Accounting for the surrounding environment relaxation was shown to be important up to distances ~ 7 Å. The energy asymmetry and barrier for the detected motifs lied in the ranges 0.5 - 2 meV and 4 - 15 meV, respectively, while their density was about 1 motif per 10 000 atoms. Tuning of motif asymmetry by strain was demonstrated with the coupling coefficient below 1 eV. The tunnel splitting for the symmetrized motifs was estimated on the order of 0.1 meV. The discovered motifs are in good agreement with the available experimental data. The financial support from the Marie Curie Fellowship PIIF-GA-2012-326435 (RespSpatDisp) is gratefully acknowledged.

Corrosion resistant amorphous metals and methods of forming corrosion resistant amorphous metals

Science.gov (United States)

Farmer, Joseph C [Tracy, CA; Wong, Frank M. G. [Livermore, CA; Haslam, Jeffery J [Livermore, CA; Yang, Nancy [Lafayette, CA; Lavernia, Enrique J [Davis, CA; Blue, Craig A [Knoxville, TN; Graeve, Olivia A [Reno, NV; Bayles, Robert [Annandale, VA; Perepezko, John H [Madison, WI; Kaufman, Larry [Brookline, MA; Schoenung, Julie [Davis, CA; Ajdelsztajn, Leo [Walnut Creek, CA

2009-11-17

A system for coating a surface comprises providing a source of amorphous metal, providing ceramic particles, and applying the amorphous metal and the ceramic particles to the surface by a spray. The coating comprises a composite material made of amorphous metal that contains one or more of the following elements in the specified range of composition: yttrium (.gtoreq.1 atomic %), chromium (14 to 18 atomic %), molybdenum (.gtoreq.7 atomic %), tungsten (.gtoreq.1 atomic %), boron (.ltoreq.5 atomic %), or carbon (.gtoreq.4 atomic %).

Positrons in amorphous alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moser, Pierre.

1981-07-01

Positron annihilation techniques give interesting informations about ''empty spaces'' in amorphous alloys. The results of an extensive research work on the properties of either pre-existing or irradiation induced ''empty spaces'' in four amorphous alloys are presented. The pre-existing empty spaces appear to be small vacancy-like defects. The irradiation induced defects are ''close pairs'' with widely distributed configurations. There is a strong interaction between vacancy like and interstitial like components. A model is proposed, which explains the radiation resistance mechanism of the amorphous alloys. An extensive joint research work to study four amorphous alloys, Fe 80 B 20 ,Fe 40 Ni 40 P 14 B 6 , Cu 50 Ti 50 , Pd 80 Si 20 , is summarized

Magnetic properties of Mn-oxide nanoparticles dispersed in an amorphous SiO2 matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Milivojević, D.; Babić-Stojić, B.; Jokanović, V.; Jagličić, Z.; Makovec, D.

2011-03-01

Samples of Mn-oxide nanoparticles dispersed in an amorphous SiO2 matrix with manganese concentration 0.7 and 3 at% have been synthesized by a sol-gel method. Transmission electron microscopy analysis has shown that the samples contain agglomerates of amorphous silica particles 10-20 nm in size. In silica matrix two types of Mn-rich particles are dispersed, smaller nanoparticles with dimensions between 3 and 10 nm, and larger crystalline areas consisting of aggregates of the smaller nanoparticles. High-temperature magnetic susceptibility study reveals that dominant magnetic phase at higher temperatures is λ-MnO2. At temperatures below TC=43 K strong ferrimagnetism originating from the minor Mn3O4 phase masks the relatively weak magnetism of λ-MnO2 with antiferromagnetic interactions. Magnetic field dependence of the maximum in the zero-field-cooled magnetization for both the samples in the vicinity of 40 K, and a frequency shift of the real component of the ac magnetic susceptibility in the sample with 3 at% Mn suggest that the magnetic moments of the smaller Mn3O4 nanoparticles with dimensions below 10 nm are exposed to thermally activated blocking process just below the Curie temperature TC. Appearance of a maximum in the zero-field-cooled magnetization for both the samples below 10 K indicates possible spin glass freezing of the magnetic moments at low temperatures which might occur in the geometrically frustrated Mn sublattice of the λ-MnO2 crystal structure.

High-reliability computing for the smarter planet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, Heather M.; Graham, Paul; Manuzzato, Andrea; Dehon, Andre

2010-01-01

The geometric rate of improvement of transistor size and integrated circuit performance, known as Moore's Law, has been an engine of growth for our economy, enabling new products and services, creating new value and wealth, increasing safety, and removing menial tasks from our daily lives. Affordable, highly integrated components have enabled both life-saving technologies and rich entertainment applications. Anti-lock brakes, insulin monitors, and GPS-enabled emergency response systems save lives. Cell phones, internet appliances, virtual worlds, realistic video games, and mp3 players enrich our lives and connect us together. Over the past 40 years of silicon scaling, the increasing capabilities of inexpensive computation have transformed our society through automation and ubiquitous communications. In this paper, we will present the concept of the smarter planet, how reliability failures affect current systems, and methods that can be used to increase the reliable adoption of new automation in the future. We will illustrate these issues using a number of different electronic devices in a couple of different scenarios. Recently IBM has been presenting the idea of a 'smarter planet.' In smarter planet documents, IBM discusses increased computer automation of roadways, banking, healthcare, and infrastructure, as automation could create more efficient systems. A necessary component of the smarter planet concept is to ensure that these new systems have very high reliability. Even extremely rare reliability problems can easily escalate to problematic scenarios when implemented at very large scales. For life-critical systems, such as automobiles, infrastructure, medical implantables, and avionic systems, unmitigated failures could be dangerous. As more automation moves into these types of critical systems, reliability failures will need to be managed. As computer automation continues to increase in our society, the need for greater radiation reliability is necessary

High-reliability computing for the smarter planet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quinn, Heather M [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Graham, Paul [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Manuzzato, Andrea [UNIV OF PADOVA; Dehon, Andre [UNIV OF PENN; Carter, Nicholas [INTEL CORPORATION

2010-01-01

The geometric rate of improvement of transistor size and integrated circuit performance, known as Moore's Law, has been an engine of growth for our economy, enabling new products and services, creating new value and wealth, increasing safety, and removing menial tasks from our daily lives. Affordable, highly integrated components have enabled both life-saving technologies and rich entertainment applications. Anti-lock brakes, insulin monitors, and GPS-enabled emergency response systems save lives. Cell phones, internet appliances, virtual worlds, realistic video games, and mp3 players enrich our lives and connect us together. Over the past 40 years of silicon scaling, the increasing capabilities of inexpensive computation have transformed our society through automation and ubiquitous communications. In this paper, we will present the concept of the smarter planet, how reliability failures affect current systems, and methods that can be used to increase the reliable adoption of new automation in the future. We will illustrate these issues using a number of different electronic devices in a couple of different scenarios. Recently IBM has been presenting the idea of a 'smarter planet.' In smarter planet documents, IBM discusses increased computer automation of roadways, banking, healthcare, and infrastructure, as automation could create more efficient systems. A necessary component of the smarter planet concept is to ensure that these new systems have very high reliability. Even extremely rare reliability problems can easily escalate to problematic scenarios when implemented at very large scales. For life-critical systems, such as automobiles, infrastructure, medical implantables, and avionic systems, unmitigated failures could be dangerous. As more automation moves into these types of critical systems, reliability failures will need to be managed. As computer automation continues to increase in our society, the need for greater radiation reliability is

Effects of adhesions of amorphous Fe and Al hydroxides on surface charge and adsorption of K+ and Cd2+ on rice roots.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhao-Dong; Wang, Hai-Cui; Zhou, Qin; Xu, Ren-Kou

2017-11-01

Iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) hydroxides in variable charge soils attached to rice roots may affect surface-charge properties and subsequently the adsorption and uptake of nutrients and toxic metals by the roots. Adhesion of amorphous Fe and Al hydroxides onto rice roots and their effects on zeta potential of roots and adsorption of potassium (K + ) and cadmium (Cd 2+ ) by roots were investigated. Rice roots adsorbed more Al hydroxide than Fe hydroxide because of the greater positive charge on Al hydroxide. Adhesion of Fe and Al hydroxides decreased the negative charge on rice roots, and a greater effect of the Al hydroxide. Consequently, adhesion of Fe and Al hydroxides reduced the K + and Cd 2+ adsorption by rice roots. The results of attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and desorption of K + and Cd 2+ from rice roots indicated that physical masking by Fe and Al hydroxides and diffuse-layer overlapping between the positively-charged hydroxides and negatively-charged roots were responsible for the reduction of negative charge on roots induced by adhesion of the hydroxides. Therefore, the interaction between Fe and Al hydroxides and rice roots reduced negative charge on roots and thus inhibited their adsorption of nutrient and toxic cations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a beam current monitor by using an amorphous magnetic core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, T.; Ueda, T.; Yoshida, Y.; Miya, K.; Tagawa, S.; Kobayashi, H.

1993-01-01

The high performance amorphous magnetic core monitor (ACM) for the measurement of electron beam currents has been developed. This monitor is composed of an amorphous magnetic core, radiation shields, a winding, magnetic absorbers, a ceramic vacuum duct and a SMA connecter. The ACM showed the very fast rise and fall times (< 1 ns), the high sensitivity (5 V/A at 50 Ω load), the good linearity, and good S/N ratio due to the high permeability of the amorphous magnetic core. The monitor works as a primary transformer. The time-response was simulated by an electric circuit analysis code. (orig.)

Structural Relaxation in Fe78Nb2B20 Amorphous Alloy Studied by Moessbauer Spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kansy, J.; Hanc, A.; Rasek, J.; Haneczok, G.; Pajak, L.; Stoklosa, Z.; Kwapulinski, P.

2011-01-01

It was shown that soft magnetic properties of Fe 78 Nb 2 B 20 amorphous alloy can be significantly improved by applying 1-h annealing at temperature 623 K (permeability increases even about 8 times). The Moessbauer Spectroscopy technique indicated that the optimized microstructure (corresponding to the maximum magnetic permeability) is free of iron nanograins and should be attributed to annealing out of free volume and a reduction of internal stresses i.e. to the relaxed amorphous phase. (authors)

Design and testing of 45 kV, 50 kHz pulse power supply for dielectric barrier discharges

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Surender Kumar; Shyam, Anurag

2016-10-01

The design, construction, and testing of high frequency, high voltage pulse power supply are reported. The purpose of the power supply is to generate dielectric barrier discharges for industrial applications. The power supply is compact and has the advantage of low cost, over current protection, and convenient control for voltage and frequency selection. The power supply can generate high voltage pulses of up to 45 kV at the repetitive frequency range of 1 kHz-50 kHz with 1.2 kW input power. The output current of the power supply is limited to 500 mA. The pulse rise time and fall time are less than 2 μs and the pulse width is 2 μs. The power supply is short circuit proof and can withstand variable plasma load conditions. The power supply mainly consists of a half bridge series resonant converter to charge an intermediate capacitor, which discharges through a step-up transformer at high frequency to generate high voltage pulses. Semiconductor switches and amorphous cores are used for power modulation at higher frequencies. The power supply is tested with quartz tube dielectric barrier discharge load and worked stably. The design details and the performance of the power supply on no load and dielectric barrier discharge load are presented.

Clozapine-carboxylic acid plasticized co-amorphous dispersions: Preparation, characterization and solution stability evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Ahmed Mahmoud Abdelhaleem

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This study addressed the possibility of forming of co-amorphous systems between clozapine (CZ and various carboxylic acid plasticizers (CAPs. The aim was to improve the solubility and oral bioavailability of clozapine. Co-amorphous dispersions were prepared using modified solvent evaporation methodology at drug/plasticizer stoichiometric ratios of 1:1, 1:1.5 and 1:2. Solid state characterization was performed using differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and infra red spectroscopy. Highly soluble homogeneous co-amorphous dispersions were formed between clozapine and CAPs via hydrogen bonding. The co-amorphous dispersions formed with tartaric acid (1:2 showed the highest dissolution percentage (> 95 % in 20 minutes compared to pure crystalline CZ (56 %. Highly stable solutions were obtained from co-amorphous CZ-citric and CZ-tartaric acid at 1:1.5 molar ratio. The prepared dispersions suggest the possibility of peroral or sublingual administration of highly soluble clozapine at a reduced dose with the great chance to bypass the first pass metabolism.

A High-Performance Corrosion-Resistant Iron-Based Amorphous Metal - The Effects of Composition, Structure and Environment on Corrosion Resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farmer, J.; Haslam, J.; Day, D.; Lian, T.; Saw, C.; Hailey, P.; Choi, J.S.; Rebak, R.; Yang, N.; Bayles, R.; Aprigliano, L.; Payer, J.; Perepezko, J.; Hildal, K.; Lavernia, E.; Ajdelsztajn, L.; Branagan, D.; Beardsley, B.

2007-01-01

The passive film stability of several Fe-based amorphous metal formulations have been found to be comparable to that of high-performance Ni-based alloys, and superior to that of stainless steels, based on electrochemical measurements of the passive film breakdown potential and general corrosion rates. Chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W) provide corrosion resistance; boron (B) enables glass formation; and rare earths such as yttrium (Y) lower critical cooling rate (CCR). The high boron content of this particular amorphous metal also makes it an effective neutron absorber, and suitable for criticality control applications, as discussed in companion publications. Corrosion data for SAM2X5 (Fe 49.7 Cr 17.7 Mn 1.9 Mo 7.4 W 1.6 B 15.2 C 3.8 Si 2.4 ) is discussed here. (authors)

FIRST INFRARED BAND STRENGTHS FOR AMORPHOUS CO{sub 2}, AN OVERLOOKED COMPONENT OF INTERSTELLAR ICES