Effects of silicon carbide on the phase developments in mullite-carbon ceramic composite

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Fatai Olufemi ARAMIDE

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The effects of the addition of silicon carbide and sintering temperatures on the phases developed, in sintered ceramic composite produced from kaolin and graphite was investigated. The kaolin and graphite of known mineralogical composition were thoroughly blended with 4 and 8 vol % silicon carbide. From the homogeneous mixture of kaolin, graphite and silicon carbide, standard samples were prepared via uniaxial compaction. The test samples produced were subjected to firing (sintering at 1300°C, 1400°C and 1500°C. The sintered samples were characterized for the developed phases using x‐ray diffractometry analysis, microstructural morphology using ultra‐high resolution field emission scanning electron microscope (UHRFEGSEM. It was observed that microstructural morphology of the samples revealed the evolution of mullite, cristobalite and microcline. The kaolinite content of the raw kaolin undergoes transformation into mullite and excess silica, the mullite and the silica phases contents increased with increased sintering temperature. It is also generally observed that the graphite content progressively reduced linearly with increased sintering temperature. It is concluded that silicon carbide acts as anti-oxidant for the graphite, this anti-oxidant effect was more effective at 4 vol % silicon carbide.

Iron and silicon effect on the phase composition of nickel-beryllium bronzes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakharov, A.M.; Zakharov, M.V.; Ajvaz'yan, N.G.

1977-01-01

In order to specify phase composition and strengthening heat treatment conditions for nickel beryllium bronzes that are promising electrode materials for welding of high strength steels and nickel-base superalloys, the primary section of the quinternary Cu-Ni-Be-Fe-S system was studied at constant nickel and beryllium concentration and varying silicon and iron concentration (max. 4% of every element). The study was made using the metallographic and x-ray phase techniques, determination of alloy solidus temperature, and exessphase microhardness testing. Silicon additions are shown to decrease abruptly and those of iron, in contrast, somewhat to raise the solidus temperature of ternary Cu + 2% Ni + 0.3% Be alloy. When added concurrently, iron compensates for the damaging silicon effect on the solidus temperature of Cu-Ni-Be alloys. The excess phases formed can be used as strengthening agents of Cu-Ni-Be-Si-Fe alloys during quenching and subsequent aging

Evolution of metastable phases in silicon during nanoindentation: mechanism analysis and experimental verification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mylvaganam, K [Centre for Advanced Materials Technology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Zhang, L C [School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052 (Australia); Eyben, P; Vandervorst, W [IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Mody, J, E-mail: k.mylvaganam@usyd.edu.a, E-mail: Liangchi.zhang@unsw.edu.a, E-mail: eyben@imec.b, E-mail: jamody@imec.b, E-mail: vdvorst@imec.b [KU Leuven, Electrical Engineering Department, INSYS, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

2009-07-29

This paper explores the evolution mechanisms of metastable phases during the nanoindentation on monocrystalline silicon. Both the molecular dynamics (MD) and the in situ scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM) analyses were carried out on Si(100) orientation, and for the first time, experimental verification was achieved quantitatively at the same nanoscopic scale. It was found that under equivalent indentation loads, the MD prediction agrees extremely well with the result experimentally measured using SSRM, in terms of the depth of the residual indentation marks and the onset, evolution and dimension variation of the metastable phases, such as {beta}-Sn. A new six-coordinated silicon phase, Si-XIII, transformed directly from Si-I was discovered. The investigation showed that there is a critical size of contact between the indenter and silicon, beyond which a crystal particle of distorted diamond structure will emerge in between the indenter and the amorphous phase upon unloading.

360° tunable microwave phase shifter based on silicon-on-insulator dual-microring resonator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pu, Minhao; Xue, Weiqi; Liu, Liu

2010-01-01

We demonstrate tunable microwave phase shifters based on electrically tunable silicon-on-insulator dual-microring resonators. A quasi-linear phase shift of 360° with ~2dB radio frequency power variation at a microwave frequency of 40GHz is obtained......We demonstrate tunable microwave phase shifters based on electrically tunable silicon-on-insulator dual-microring resonators. A quasi-linear phase shift of 360° with ~2dB radio frequency power variation at a microwave frequency of 40GHz is obtained...

Diamond to β-Sn phase transition of silicon under hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic compressions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durandurdu, Murat

2008-01-01

We have carried out constant pressure ab initio simulations to study the pressure-induced phase transition of silicon. The diamond to β-Sn phase change under hydrostatic pressure is successfully observed in the simulation. The transformation is based on a fourfold coordinated tetragonal intermediate state having the space group I4 1 /amd. The energy barrier for the transformation is calculated to be about 0.35 eV/atom. Additionally, we investigate the influence of nonhydrostatic compressions on the phase transition of silicon and find that up to 20% stress deviations, silicon converts to a β-Sn structure with a reduced transition pressure. The triaxial compressions cause more reduction in the transition pressure than the uniaxial compressions. The transformation mechanism is practically identical under both hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic conditions

Vapor phase epitaxy of silicon on meso porous silicon for deposition on economical substrate and low cost photovoltaic application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quoizola, S.

2003-01-01

The silicon is more and more used in the industry. Meanwhile the production cost is a problem to solve to develop the photovoltaic cells production. This thesis presents a new technology based on the use of a meso-porous silicon upper layer,to grow the active silicon layer of 50 μm width. The photovoltaic cell is then realized, the device is removed and placed on a low cost substrate. The silicon substrate of beginning can be used again after cleaning. The first chapter presents the operating and the characteristics of the silicon photovoltaic cell. The second chapter is devoted to the growth technique, the vapor phase epitaxy, and the third chapter to the epitaxy layer. The chapter four deals with the porous silicon and the structure chosen in this study. The chapter five is devoted to the characterization of the epitaxy layer on porous silicon. The photovoltaic cells realized on these layers are presented in the last chapter. (A.L.B.)

Liquid-liquid phase transition in Stillinger-Weber silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaucage, Philippe; Mousseau, Normand

2005-01-01

It was recently demonstrated that Stillinger-Weber silicon undergoes a liquid-liquid first-order phase transition deep into the supercooled region (Sastry and Angell 2003 Nat. Mater. 2 739). Here we study the effects of perturbations on this phase transition. We show that the order of the liquid-liquid transition changes with negative pressure. We also find that the liquid-liquid transition disappears when the three-body term of the potential is strengthened by as little as 5%. This implies that the details of the potential could affect strongly the nature and even the existence of the liquid-liquid phase

Probing the phase composition of silicon films in situ by etch product detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dingemans, G.; Donker, M. N. van den; Gordijn, A.; Kessels, W. M. M.; Sanden, M. C. M. van de

2007-01-01

Exploiting the higher etch probability for amorphous silicon relative to crystalline silicon, the transiently evolving phase composition of silicon films in the microcrystalline growth regime was probed in situ by monitoring the etch product (SiH 4 ) gas density during a short H 2 plasma treatment step. Etch product detection took place by the easy-to-implement techniques of optical emission spectroscopy and infrared absorption spectroscopy. The phase composition of the films was probed as a function of the SiH 4 concentration during deposition and as a function of the film thickness. The in situ results were corroborated by Raman spectroscopy and solar cell analysis

Analytical and experimental evaluation of joining silicon carbide to silicon carbide and silicon nitride to silicon nitride for advanced heat engine applications Phase 2. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sundberg, G.J.; Vartabedian, A.M.; Wade, J.A.; White, C.S. [Norton Co., Northboro, MA (United States). Advanced Ceramics Div.

1994-10-01

The purpose of joining, Phase 2 was to develop joining technologies for HIP`ed Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} with 4wt% Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} (NCX-5101) and for a siliconized SiC (NT230) for various geometries including: butt joins, curved joins and shaft to disk joins. In addition, more extensive mechanical characterization of silicon nitride joins to enhance the predictive capabilities of the analytical/numerical models for structural components in advanced heat engines was provided. Mechanical evaluation were performed by: flexure strength at 22 C and 1,370 C, stress rupture at 1,370 C, high temperature creep, 22 C tensile testing and spin tests. While the silicon nitride joins were produced with sufficient integrity for many applications, the lower join strength would limit its use in the more severe structural applications. Thus, the silicon carbide join quality was deemed unsatisfactory to advance to more complex, curved geometries. The silicon carbide joining methods covered within this contract, although not entirely successful, have emphasized the need to focus future efforts upon ways to obtain a homogeneous, well sintered parent/join interface prior to siliconization. In conclusion, the improved definition of the silicon carbide joining problem obtained by efforts during this contract have provided avenues for future work that could successfully obtain heat engine quality joins.

High frequency three-phase PWM grid connected drive using silicon-carbide switches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kouchaki, Alireza; Pedersen, Jacob Lykke; Nymand, Morten

2016-01-01

This paper presents controller design procedure for a fully silicon-carbide (SiC) based three-phase grid-connected PWM drive. The influence of the feedforward compensation for the presented setup is studied and the transfer function of the system with feedforward is derived and compared with the ......This paper presents controller design procedure for a fully silicon-carbide (SiC) based three-phase grid-connected PWM drive. The influence of the feedforward compensation for the presented setup is studied and the transfer function of the system with feedforward is derived and compared...

Widely tunable microwave phase shifter based on silicon-on-insulator dual-microring resonator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pu, Minhao; Liu, Liu; Xue, Weiqi

2010-01-01

We propose and demonstrate tunable microwave phase shifters based on electrically tunable silicon-on-insulator microring resonators. The phase-shifting range and the RF-power variation are analyzed. A maximum phase-shifting range of 0~600° is achieved by utilizing a dual-microring resonator...

Phase transition and luminescence properties from vapor etched silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aouida, S.; Saadoun, M.; Ben Saad, K.; Bessais, B.

2006-01-01

In this work, we present a study on the structure and photoluminescence (PL) properties of a non-conventional ammonium hexafluorosilicate (NH 4 ) 2 SiF 6 (white powder) obtained from HNO 3 /HF chemical vapor etching (CVE) of silicon wafers. The CVE method leads either to the formation of luminescent Porous Silicon (PS) or SiO x /Si-containing (NH 4 ) 2 SiF 6 depending on the experimental conditions. At specific conditions (i.e., HNO 3 / HF volume ratio > 1 / 4), the CVE technique can generate instead of PS, a (NH 4 ) 2 SiF 6 phase where SiO x /Si particles are embedded. The (NH 4 ) 2 SiF 6 marketed powder is not luminescent, while that obtained from silicon vapor-etching presents a noticeable intense and stable photoluminescence (PL), which was found to have mainly two shoulders at 1.98 and 2.1 eV. Two processes have been proposed to explain this PL property. First, the visible luminescence around 1.98 eV would come from silicon nanoparticles embedded in the powder, having a distribution size that does not allow SiO x species to influence their own PL. Second, the PL shoulder around 2.1 eV would originate from small silicon nanoparticles trapped in SiO x features, leading to oxide related states that may trap electrons or excitons, depending on the silicon nanoparticle size, wherein radiative recombination occurs. The PL shoulder could become broader at low temperatures suggesting the existence of radiative recombination in SiO x related defects

Experimental Study of Silicon Oil Effect on Two-Phase Closed Thermosyphon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Jun Yeong; Jeong, Yong Hoon [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

Two-phase closed thermosyphon (TPCT) is vertically oriented wickless heat pipe that has working fluid in the interior. The TPCT transports a large amount of heat from evaporator to condenser by phase change of working fluid, and the working fluid passively returns to evaporator by gravity. Due to these advantages of the TPCT, the TPCT is considered as method of PRHR (Passive Residual Heat Removal) system in nuclear system. Parametric studies have done to investigate the heat transfer characteristics of the TPCT. Different working fluids such as water, ethanol, methanol and acetone were used at various filling ratios and at different operating temperatures to find maximum heat transport capabilities of TPCT. Effect of heat transfer rate, filling ratio and aspect ratio were investigated. Inclined angle effect was investigated at several filling ratios and working fluids. This study is interested in silicon oil effect on the TPCT. To carry out the experiment, experimental apparatus is designed and manufactured. In design process, the TPCT operation limit is considered This study is interested in silicon oil effect on the TPCT. Experiments were carried out at three oil weight percent with three input power. Effect of oil on the TPCT is evaluated by inner wall temperature distribution and thermal resistance. In this study, silicon oil effect on TPCT was investigated. The TPCT was operated with several oil weight percent and input power. From experiment, overall, the silicon oil reduced evaporator thermal performance, but enhanced condenser thermal performance. However, the TPCT total thermal performance was reduced by 100 c St silicon oil.

Experimental Study of Silicon Oil Effect on Two-Phase Closed Thermosyphon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Jun Yeong; Jeong, Yong Hoon

2015-01-01

Two-phase closed thermosyphon (TPCT) is vertically oriented wickless heat pipe that has working fluid in the interior. The TPCT transports a large amount of heat from evaporator to condenser by phase change of working fluid, and the working fluid passively returns to evaporator by gravity. Due to these advantages of the TPCT, the TPCT is considered as method of PRHR (Passive Residual Heat Removal) system in nuclear system. Parametric studies have done to investigate the heat transfer characteristics of the TPCT. Different working fluids such as water, ethanol, methanol and acetone were used at various filling ratios and at different operating temperatures to find maximum heat transport capabilities of TPCT. Effect of heat transfer rate, filling ratio and aspect ratio were investigated. Inclined angle effect was investigated at several filling ratios and working fluids. This study is interested in silicon oil effect on the TPCT. To carry out the experiment, experimental apparatus is designed and manufactured. In design process, the TPCT operation limit is considered This study is interested in silicon oil effect on the TPCT. Experiments were carried out at three oil weight percent with three input power. Effect of oil on the TPCT is evaluated by inner wall temperature distribution and thermal resistance. In this study, silicon oil effect on TPCT was investigated. The TPCT was operated with several oil weight percent and input power. From experiment, overall, the silicon oil reduced evaporator thermal performance, but enhanced condenser thermal performance. However, the TPCT total thermal performance was reduced by 100 c St silicon oil

Cluster-assisted nucleation of silicon phase in hypoeutectic Al–Si alloy with further inoculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yong; Zheng, Hongliang; Liu, Yue; Shi, Lei; Xu, Rongfu; Tian, Xuelei

2014-01-01

The paper discusses the responses of eutectic silicon and eutectic cells in Al–10Si alloy upon inoculation with an Al–10Si–2Fe master alloy. The further inoculation hardly destroys the modification effect of Sr but significantly refines the eutectic cells in Sr-modified samples, while in unmodified samples, it stimulates the occurrences of polyhedral silicon particles and divorced eutectic. Thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, (high-resolution) transmission electron microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy have been used to elucidate the underlying mechanism. A cluster-assisted nucleation mechanism responsible for the enhanced nucleation of silicon phase upon inoculation is proposed. Icosahedral (AlFeSi) clusters are speculated to evolve from the added Al–10Si–2Fe master alloy in Al–10Si melt, around which aggregations of silicon atoms form. Through a series of structural evolutions, these clusters transform into precursors of a silicon crystal. The subsequent formation of silicon particles is achieved by the agglomerations and attachments of these precursors and individual silicon atoms. This hypothesis is further consolidated by the increased characteristic temperatures of eutectic and the anomalous appearance of a high density of nanoscale particles, as well as the abnormal disappearance of Sr-induced twins in further inoculated silicon particles. The increased characteristic temperatures are strong indications of the enhanced nucleation of the silicon phase. The high density of nanoscale particles with an indeterminate crystal structure are the survivors of these precursors. In an Sr-modified and further inoculated sample, the formation of Sr-induced twins is consequently inhibited due to the participation of these precursors during the growth of silicon particles. Furthermore, based on the proposed nucleation mechanism, the dependence of eutectic cell size on Sr level is elucidated in detail

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.

The difference of phase distributions in silicon after indentation with Berkovich and spherical indenters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zarudi, I.; Zhang, L.C.; Cheong, W.C.D.; Yu, T.X.

2005-01-01

This study analyses the microstructure of monocrystalline silicon after indentation with a Berkovich and spherical indenter. Transmission electron microscopy on cross section view samples was used to explore the detailed distributions of various phases in the subsurfaces of indented silicon. It was found that an increase of the P max would promote the growth of the crystalline R8/BC8 phase at the bottom of the deformation zone. Microcracks were always generated in the range of the P max studied. It was also found that the deformation zones formed by the Berkovich and spherical indenters have very different phase distribution characteristics. A molecular dynamics simulation and finite element analysis supported the experimental observations and suggested that the distribution of the crystalline phases in the transformation zone after indentation was highly stress-dependent

77 FR 35425 - Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells and Modules From China; Scheduling of the Final Phase of...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-13

... Silicon Photovoltaic Cells and Modules From China; Scheduling of the Final Phase of Countervailing Duty... silicon photovoltaic cells and modules, provided for in subheadings 8501.31.80, 8501.61.00, 8507.20.80... photovoltaic cells, and modules, laminates, and panels, consisting of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells...

Development of processes for the production of solar grade silicon from halides and alkali metals, phase 1 and phase 2

Science.gov (United States)

Dickson, C. R.; Gould, R. K.; Felder, W.

1981-01-01

High temperature reactions of silicon halides with alkali metals for the production of solar grade silicon are described. Product separation and collection processes were evaluated, measure heat release parameters for scaling purposes and effects of reactants and/or products on materials of reactor construction were determined, and preliminary engineering and economic analysis of a scaled up process were made. The feasibility of the basic process to make and collect silicon was demonstrated. The jet impaction/separation process was demonstrated to be a purification process. The rate at which gas phase species from silicon particle precursors, the time required for silane decomposition to produce particles, and the competing rate of growth of silicon seed particles injected into a decomposing silane environment were determined. The extent of silane decomposition as a function of residence time, temperature, and pressure was measured by infrared absorption spectroscopy. A simplistic model is presented to explain the growth of silicon in a decomposing silane enviroment.

Liquid phase epitaxial growth of silicon on porous silicon for photovoltaic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, S.; Quoizola, S.; Fave, A.; Kaminski, A.; Perichon, S.; Barbier, D.; Laugier, A.

2001-01-01

The aim of this experiment is to grow a thin silicon layer ( 2 atmosphere, and finally LPE silicon growth with different temperature profiles in order to obtain a silicon layer on the sacrificial porous silicon (p-Si). We observed a pyramidal growth on the surface of the (100) porous silicon but the coalescence was difficult to obtain. However, on a p-Si (111) oriented wafer, homogeneous layers were obtained. (orig.)

Peculiarities of phase transformations in molybdenum-silicon system under ion bombardment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurskij, L.I.; Zelenin, V.A.; Bobchenok, Yu.L.

1984-01-01

The problems of effect of ion bombardment and thermal treatment on the mechanisms of formation of transition layers and structural transformations in the molybdenum-silicon system, where the interface is subjected to ion bombardment through a film of molybdenum, are considered. The method of electron diffraction analysis has been applied to establish that at the molybdenum-silicon interface a transitional region appears during irradiation which has a semiamorphous structure at the doses up to 8x10 14 ion/cm 2 , while at higher doses it transforms into polycrystalline intermediate layer which consists of MoB and the compound close in composition to MoSisub(0.65). Due to thermal treatment for 60873 K a large-grain phase (Mo 3 Si+MoSi 2 ) appears in the transition layer below which a large-grain silicon layer is placed

Temperature effect on phase states of quartz nano-crystals in silicon single crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalanov, M.U.; Ibragimova, E.M.; Khamraeva, R.N.; Rustamova, V.M.; Ummatov, Kh.D.

2006-01-01

Full text: Oxygen penetrates into the silicon lattice up to the concentration of 2·10 18 cm -3 in the course of growing [1]. By the author's opinion at a low oxygen content the formation of solid solution is possible in the local defect places of the silicon single crystal lattice due to the difference in effective ion radius of oxygen and silicon (r O 0.176 and r Si = 0.065 nm). Upon reaching some critical content (∼ 10 17 cm -3 ), it becomes favorable energetically for oxygen ions to form precipitates (SiO x ) and finally a dielectric layer (stoichiometric inclusions of SiO 2 ). It was shown later that depending on the growth conditions, indeed the quartz crystal inclusions are formed in the silicon single crystals at an amount of 0.3 /0.5 wt. % [2]. However the authors did not study a phase state of the quartz inclusions. Therefore the aim of this work was to study a phase state of the quartz inclusions in silicon crystal at various temperatures. We examined the silicon single crystals grown by Czochralski technique, which were cut in (111) plane in the form of disk of 20 mm diameter and 1.5 thickness and had hole conductivity with the specific resistance ρ o ≅ 1/10 Ohm cm. The dislocation density was N D ≅ 10 1 /10 3 cm -2 , the concentrations of oxygen and boron were N 0 ≅ 2/ 4·10 17 cm -3 and N B ≅ 3*10 15 cm -3 . Structure was analyzed at the set-up DRON-UM1 with high temperature supply UVD-2000 ( CuK = 0.1542 nm) at the temperatures of 300, 1173 and 1573 K measured with platinum-platinum-rhodium thermocouple. The high temperature diffraction spectrum measured at 1573 K in the angle range (2Θ≅10/70 d egree ) there is only one main structure reflection (111) with a high intensity and d/n ≅ 0.3136 nm (2 Θ≅ 28.5 d egree ) from the matrix lattice of silicon single crystal. The weak line at 2 Θ≅ 25.5 d egree ( d/n≅0.3136 nm) is β component of the main reflection (111), and the weak structure peak at 2Θ≅59 d egree ( d/n≅ 0.1568 nm

Dynamic Characterization and Impulse Response Modeling of Amplitude and Phase Response of Silicon Nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cleary, Ciaran S.; Ji, Hua; Dailey, James M.

2013-01-01

Amplitude and phase dynamics of silicon nanowires were measured using time-resolved spectroscopy. Time shifts of the maximum phase change and minimum amplitude as a function of pump power due to saturation of the free-carrier density were observed. A phenomenological impulse response model used t...

Effective Chemical Route to 2D Nanostructured Silicon Electrode Material: Phase Transition from Exfoliated Clay Nanosheet to Porous Si Nanoplate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adpakpang, Kanyaporn; Patil, Sharad B.; Oh, Seung Mi; Kang, Joo-Hee; Lacroix, Marc; Hwang, Seong-Ju

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: Effective morphological control of porous silicon 2D nanoplate can be achieved by the magnesiothermically-induced phase transition of exfoliated silicate clay nanosheets. The promising lithium storage performance of the obtained silicon materials with huge capacity and excellent rate characteristics underscores the prime importance of porously 2D nanostructured morphology of silicon. - Highlights: • 2D nanostructured silicon electrode materials are successfully synthesized via the magnesiothermically-induced phase transition of exfoliated clay 2D nanosheets. • High discharge capacity and rate capability are achieved from the 2D nanoplates of silicon. • Silicon 2D nanoplates can enhance both Li"+ diffusion and charge-transfer kinetics. • 2D nanostructured silicon is beneficial for the cycling stability by minimizing the volume change during lithiation-delithiation. - Abstract: An efficient and economical route for the synthesis of porous two-dimensional (2D) nanoplates of silicon is developed via the magnesiothermically-induced phase transition of exfoliated clay 2D nanosheets. The magnesiothermic reaction of precursor clay nanosheets prepared by the exfoliation and restacking with Mg"2"+ cations yields porous 2D nanoplates of elemental silicon. The variation in the Mg:SiO_2 ratio has a significant effect on the porosity and connectivity of silicon nanoplates. The porous silicon nanoplates show a high discharge capacity of 2000 mAh g"−"1 after 50 cycles. Of prime importance is that this electrode material still retains a large discharge capacity at higher C-rates, which is unusual for the elemental silicon electrode. This is mainly attributed to the improved diffusion of lithium ions, charge-transfer kinetics, and the preservation of the electrical connection of the porous 2D plate-shaped morphology. This study highlights the usefulness of clay mineral as an economical and scalable precursor of high-performance silicon electrodes with

Phase transformation during silica cluster impact on crystal silicon substrate studied by molecular dynamics simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Ruling; Luo Jianbin; Guo Dan; Lu Xinchun

2008-01-01

The process of a silica cluster impact on a crystal silicon substrate is studied by molecular dynamics simulation. At the impact loading stage, crystal silicon of the impact zone transforms to a locally ordered molten with increasing the local temperature and pressure of the impact zone. And then the transient molten forms amorphous silicon directly as the local temperature and pressure decrease at the impact unloading stage. Moreover, the phase behavior between the locally ordered molten and amorphous silicon exhibits the reversible structural transition. The transient molten contains not only lots of four-fold atom but also many three- and five-fold atoms. And the five-fold atom is similar to the mixture structure of semi-Si-II and semi-bct5-Si. The structure transformation between five- and four-fold atoms is affected by both pressure and temperature. The structure transformation between three- and four-fold atoms is affected mostly by temperature. The direct structure transformation between five- and three-fold atoms is not observed. Finally, these five- and three-fold atoms are also different from the usual five- and three-fold deficient atoms of amorphous silicon. In addition, according to the change of coordination number of atoms the impact process is divided into six stages: elastic, plastic, hysteresis, phase regressive, adhesion and cooling stages

All-Optical 40 Gbit/s Regenerative Wavelength Conversion Based on Cross-Phase Modulation in a Silicon Nanowire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Asger Sellerup; Hu, Hao; Ji, Hua

2013-01-01

We successfully demonstrate all-optical regeneration of a 40 Gbit/s signal based on cross-phase modulation in a silicon nanowire. Bit-error-rate measurements show an average of 1.7dB improvement in receiver sensitivity after the regeneration.......We successfully demonstrate all-optical regeneration of a 40 Gbit/s signal based on cross-phase modulation in a silicon nanowire. Bit-error-rate measurements show an average of 1.7dB improvement in receiver sensitivity after the regeneration....

Flow restrictor silicon membrane microvalve actuated by optically controlled paraffin phase transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolari, K; Havia, T; Stuns, I; Hjort, K

2014-01-01

Restrictor valves allow proportional control of fluid flow but are rarely integrated in microfluidic systems. In this study, an optically actuated silicon membrane restrictor microvalve is demonstrated. Its actuation is based on the phase transition of paraffin, using a paraffin wax mixed with a suitable concentration of optically absorbing nanographite particles. Backing up the membrane with oil (the melted paraffin) allows for a compliant yet strong contact to the valve seat, which enables handling of high pressures. At flow rates up to 30 µL min −1 and at a pressure of 2 bars, the valve can successfully be closed and control the flow level by restriction. The use of this paraffin composite as an adhesive layer sandwiched between the silicon valve and glass eases fabrication. This type of restrictor valve is best suited for high pressure, low volume flow silicon-based nanofluidic systems. (paper)

Mesoporous Silicon-Based Anodes for High Capacity, High Performance Li-ion Batteries, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — A new high capacity anode composite based on mesoporous silicon is proposed. By virtue of a structure that resembles a pseudo one-dimensional phase, the active anode...

Novel silicon phases and nanostructures for solar energy conversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wippermann, Stefan; He, Yuping; Vörös, Márton; Galli, Giulia

2016-12-01

Silicon exhibits a large variety of different bulk phases, allotropes, and composite structures, such as, e.g., clathrates or nanostructures, at both higher and lower densities compared with diamond-like Si-I. New Si structures continue to be discovered. These novel forms of Si offer exciting prospects to create Si based materials, which are non-toxic and earth-abundant, with properties tailored precisely towards specific applications. We illustrate how such novel Si based materials either in the bulk or as nanostructures may be used to significantly improve the efficiency of solar energy conversion devices.

Two-dimensional optical phased array antenna on silicon-on-insulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Acoleyen, Karel; Rogier, Hendrik; Baets, Roel

2010-06-21

Optical wireless links can offer a very large bandwidth and can act as a complementary technology to radiofrequency links. Optical components nowadays are however rather bulky. Therefore, we have investigated the potential of silicon photonics to fabricated integrated components for wireless optical communication. This paper presents a two-dimensional phased array antenna consisting of grating couplers that couple light off-chip. Wavelength steering of $0.24 degrees /nm is presented reducing the need of active phase modulators. The needed steering range is $1.5 degrees . The 3dB angular coverage range of these antennas is about $0.007pi sr with a directivity of more than 38dBi and antenna losses smaller than 3dB.

Design of photonic phased array switches using nano electromechanical systems on silicon-on-insulator integration platform

Science.gov (United States)

Hussein, Ali Abdulsattar

This thesis presents an introduction to the design and simulation of a novel class of integrated photonic phased array switch elements. The main objective is to use nano-electromechanical (NEMS) based phase shifters of cascaded under-etched slot nanowires that are compact in size and require a small amount of power to operate them. The structure of the switch elements is organized such that it brings the phase shifting elements to the exterior sides of the photonic circuits. The transition slot couplers, used to interconnect the phase shifters, are designed to enable biasing one of the silicon beams of each phase shifter from an electrode located at the side of the phase shifter. The other silicon beam of each phase shifter is biased through the rest of the silicon structure of the switch element, which is taken as a ground. Phased array switch elements ranging from 2x2 up to 8x8 multiple-inputs/multiple-outputs (MIMO) are conveniently designed within reasonable footprints native to the current fabrication technologies. Chapter one presents the general layout of the various designs of the switch elements and demonstrates their novel features. This demonstration will show how waveguide disturbances in the interconnecting network from conventional switch elements can be avoided by adopting an innovative design. Some possible applications for the designed switch elements of different sizes and topologies are indicated throughout the chapter. Chapter two presents the design of the multimode interference (MMI) couplers used in the switch elements as splitters, combiners and waveguide crossovers. Simulation data and design methodologies for the multimode couplers of interest are detailed in this chapter. Chapter three presents the design and analysis of the NEMS-operated phase shifters. Both simulations and numerical analysis are utilized in the design of a 0°-180° capable NEMS-operated phase shifter. Additionally, the response of some of the designed photonic phased

Study of the structure and phase composition of nanocrystalline silicon oxynitride films synthesized by ICP-CVD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fainer, N.I.; Kosinova, M.L.; Maximovsky, E.A.; Rumyantsev, Yu.M.; Kuznetsov, F.A.; Kesler, V.G.; Kirienko, V.V.

2005-01-01

Thin nanocrystalline silicon oxynitride films were synthesized for the first time at low temperatures (373-750 K) by inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) using gas mixture of oxygen and hexamethyldisilazane Si 2 NH(CH 3 ) 6 (HMDS) as precursors. Single crystal Si (1 0 0) wafers 100 mm in diameter were used as substrates. Physicochemical properties of the thin films were examined using ellipsometry, IR spectroscopy, Auger electron and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and XRD using synchrotron radiation (SR). The studies of the phase composition of nanocrystalline films of silicon oxynitride showed that in the case of oxygen excess in the initial gas mixture, they contain a mixture of hexagonal phases: h-SiO 2 and α-Si 3 N 4 . These phases consist of oriented nanocrystals of 2-3 nm size. In case of decrease of oxygen concentration in the initial gas mixture, the fraction of the α-Si 3 N 4 phase increases

Study of the structure and phase composition of nanocrystalline silicon oxynitride films synthesized by ICP-CVD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fainer, N.I. [Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS, 3, Acad. Lavrentjev Pr., Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation)]. E-mail: nadezhda@che.nsk.su; Kosinova, M.L. [Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS, 3, Acad. Lavrentjev Pr., Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Maximovsky, E.A. [Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS, 3, Acad. Lavrentjev Pr., Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Rumyantsev, Yu.M. [Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS, 3, Acad. Lavrentjev Pr., Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Kuznetsov, F.A. [Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS, 3, Acad. Lavrentjev Pr., Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Kesler, V.G. [Institute of Semiconductor Physics SB RAS, Acad. Lavrentjev pr., 13, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Kirienko, V.V. [Institute of Semiconductor Physics SB RAS, Acad. Lavrentjev pr., 13, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation)

2005-05-01

Thin nanocrystalline silicon oxynitride films were synthesized for the first time at low temperatures (373-750 K) by inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) using gas mixture of oxygen and hexamethyldisilazane Si{sub 2}NH(CH{sub 3}){sub 6} (HMDS) as precursors. Single crystal Si (1 0 0) wafers 100 mm in diameter were used as substrates. Physicochemical properties of the thin films were examined using ellipsometry, IR spectroscopy, Auger electron and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and XRD using synchrotron radiation (SR). The studies of the phase composition of nanocrystalline films of silicon oxynitride showed that in the case of oxygen excess in the initial gas mixture, they contain a mixture of hexagonal phases: h-SiO{sub 2} and {alpha}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}. These phases consist of oriented nanocrystals of 2-3 nm size. In case of decrease of oxygen concentration in the initial gas mixture, the fraction of the {alpha}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} phase increases.

First-order corrections to random-phase approximation GW calculations in silicon and diamond

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ummels, R.T.M.; Bobbert, P.A.; van Haeringen, W.

1998-01-01

We report on ab initio calculations of the first-order corrections in the screened interaction W to the random-phase approximation polarizability and to the GW self-energy, using a noninteracting Green's function, for silicon and diamond. It is found that the first-order vertex and self-consistency

The kinetics of solid phase epitaxy in As-doped buried amorphous silicon layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCallum, J.C.

1999-01-01

Ion implantation is the principal method used to introduce dopants into silicon for fabrication of semiconductor devices. During ion implantation, damage accumulates in the crystalline silicon lattice and amorphisation may occur over the depth range of the ions if the implant dose is sufficiently high. As device dimensions shrink, the need to produce shallower and shallower highly-doped layers increases and the probability of amorphisation also increases. To achieve dopant-activation, the amorphous or damaged material must be returned to the crystalline state by thermal annealing. Amorphous silicon layers can be crystallised by the solid-state process of solid phase epitaxy (SPE) in which the amorphous layer transforms to crystalline silicon (c-Si) layer by layer using the underlying c-Si as a seed. The atomic mechanism that is responsible for the crystallisation is thought to involve highly-localised bond-breaking and rearrangement processes at the amorphous/crystalline (a/c) interface but the defect responsible for these bond rearrangements has not yet been identified. Since the bond breaking process necessarily generates dangling bonds, it has been suggested that the crystallisation process may solely involve the formation and migration of dangling bonds at the interface. One of the key factors which may shed further light on the nature of the SPE defect is the observed dopant-dependence of the rate of crystallisation. It has been found that moderate concentrations of dopants enhance the SPE crystallisation rate while the presence of equal concentrations of an n-type and a p-type dopant (impurity compensation) returns the SPE rate to the intrinsic value. This provides crucial evidence that the SPE mechanism is sensitive to the position of the Fermi level in the bandgap of the crystalline and/or the amorphous silicon phases and may lead to identification of an energy level within the bandgap that can be associated with the defect. This paper gives details of SPE

Automated Solar Cell Assembly Teamed Process Research. Final subcontract report, 6 January 1993--31 October 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nowlan, M. J.; Hogan, S. J.; Breen, W. F.; Murach, J. M.; Sutherland, S. F.; Patterson, J. S.; Darkazalli, G. [Spire Corp., Bedford, MA (US)

1996-02-01

This is the Final Technical Report for a program entitled ''Automated Solar Cell Assembly Teamed Process Research,'' funded by the US Department of Energy. This program was part of Phase 3A of the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) project, which addressed the generic needs of the photovoltaic (PV) industry for improved quality, accelerated production scale-up, and substantially reduced manufacturing cost. Crystalline silicon solar cells (Czochralski monocrystalline, cast polycrystalline, and ribbon polycrystalline) are used in the great majority of PV modules produced in the US, accounting for 95% of all shipments in 1994. Spire's goal in this program was to reduce the cost of these modules by developing high throughput (5 MW per year) automated processes for interconnecting solar cells made from standard and thin silicon wafers. Spire achieved this goal by developing a completely new automated processing system, designated the SPI-ASSEMBLER{trademark} 5000, which is now offered as a commercial product to the PV industry. A discussion of the project and of the Assembler is provided.

Amorphous silicon batch process cost analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whisnant, R.A.; Sherring, C.

1993-08-01

This report describes the development of baseline manufacturing cost data to assist PVMaT monitoring teams in assessing current and future subcontracts, which an emphasis on commercialization and production. A process for the manufacture of a single-junction, large-area, a Si module was modeled using an existing Research Triangle Institute (RTI) computer model. The model estimates a required, or breakeven, price for the module based on its production process and the financial structure of the company operating the process. Sufficient detail on cost drivers is presented so the relationship of the process features and business characteristics can be related to the estimated required price

Preparation and mechanical properties of liquid-phase sinterd silicon carbide; Herstellung und mechanische Eigenschaften von fluessigphasengesintertem Siliziumkarbid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiedmann, I.

1998-12-01

Liquid-phase sintered silicon carbide ceramics, LPS-SiC, were prepared, and the influence of structure and chemical secondary phase composition on the mechanical properties was investigated in order to identify LPS-SiC materials which can be produced reproducibly and with low loss of mass by simple techniques, i.e. without powder bed or encapsulation. Their profile of characteristics should be superior to conventional solid-phase sintered SiC and should be comparable with liquid-phase sintered silicon nitride ceramics. [Deutsch] In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden fluessigphasengesinterte Siliziumkarbid-Keramiken, LPS-SiC, hergestellt und der Einfluss der Gefuegeausbildung und der chemischen Sekundaerphasenzusammensetzung auf die mechanischen Eigenschaften untersucht. Ziel war es, LPS-SiC-Materialien zu identifizieren, die ohne besonderen Vorkehrungen wie Pulverbett oder Einkapselung reproduzierbar und mit geringem Masseverlust hergestellt werden koennen. Das Eigenschaftsprofil sollte deutlich ueber dem von konventionell festphasengesintertem SiC liegen und vergleichbar zu fluessigphasengesinterten Siliziumnitrid-Keramiken sein. (orig.)

High Temperature All Silicon-Carbide (SiC) DC Motor Drives for Venus Exploration Vehicles, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to prove the feasibility of creating high-temperature silicon-carbide (SiC) based motor drives for...

Antimicrobial activity of silica coated silicon nano-tubes (SCSNT) and silica coated silicon nano-particles (SCSNP) synthesized by gas phase condensation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tank, Chiti; Raman, Sujatha; Karan, Sujoy; Gosavi, Suresh; Lalla, Niranjan P; Sathe, Vasant; Berndt, Richard; Gade, W N; Bhoraskar, S V; Mathe, Vikas L

2013-06-01

Silica-coated, silicon nanotubes (SCSNTs) and silica-coated, silicon nanoparticles (SCSNPs) have been synthesized by catalyst-free single-step gas phase condensation using the arc plasma process. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy showed that SCSNTs exhibited a wall thickness of less than 1 nm, with an average diameter of 14 nm and a length of several 100 nm. Both nano-structures had a high specific surface area. The present study has demonstrated cheaper, resistance-free and effective antibacterial activity in silica-coated silicon nano-structures, each for two Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was estimated, using the optical densitometric technique, and by determining colony-forming units. The MIC was found to range in the order of micrograms, which is comparable to the reported MIC of metal oxides for these bacteria. SCSNTs were found to be more effective in limiting the growth of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus over SCSNPs at 10 μg/ml (IC 50 = 100 μg/ml).

Electrical properties of pressure quenched silicon by thermal spraying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan, S.Y.; Gambino, R.J.; Sampath, S.; Herman, H.

2007-01-01

High velocity thermal spray deposition of polycrystalline silicon film onto single crystal substrates, yields metastable high pressure forms of silicon in nanocrystalline form within the deposit. The phases observed in the deposit include hexagonal diamond-Si, R-8, BC-8 and Si-IX. The peculiar attribute of this transformation is that it occurs only on orientation silicon substrate. The silicon deposits containing the high pressure phases display a substantially higher electrical conductivity. The resistivity profile of the silicon deposit containing shock induced metastable silicon phases identified by X-ray diffraction patterns. The density of the pressure induced polymorphic silicon is higher at deposit/substrate interface. A modified two-layer model is presented to explain the resistivity of the deposit impacted by the pressure induced polymorphic silicon generated by the thermal spraying process. The pressure quenched silicon deposits on the p - silicon substrate, with or without metastable phases, display the barrier potential of about 0.72 eV. The measured hall mobility value of pressure quenched silicon deposits is in the range of polycrystalline silicon. The significance of this work lies in the fact that the versatility of thermal spray may enable applications of these high pressure forms of silicon

Analytical and Experimental Evaluation of Joining Silicon Carbide to Silicon Carbide and Silicon Nitride to Silicon Nitride for Advanced Heat Engine Applications Phase II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sundberg, G.J.

1994-01-01

Techniques were developed to produce reliable silicon nitride to silicon nitride (NCX-5101) curved joins which were used to manufacture spin test specimens as a proof of concept to simulate parts such as a simple rotor. Specimens were machined from the curved joins to measure the following properties of the join interlayer: tensile strength, shear strength, 22 C flexure strength and 1370 C flexure strength. In parallel, extensive silicon nitride tensile creep evaluation of planar butt joins provided a sufficient data base to develop models with accurate predictive capability for different geometries. Analytical models applied satisfactorily to the silicon nitride joins were Norton's Law for creep strain, a modified Norton's Law internal variable model and the Monkman-Grant relationship for failure modeling. The Theta Projection method was less successful. Attempts were also made to develop planar butt joins of siliconized silicon carbide (NT230).

Construction of the new silicon microstrips tracker for the Phase-II ATLAS detector

CERN Document Server

Liang, Zhijun; The ATLAS collaboration

2018-01-01

The inner detector of the present ATLAS detector has been designed and developed to function in the environment of the present Large Hadron Collider (LHC). At the next-generation tracking detector proposed for the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC), the so-called ATLAS Phase-II Upgrade, the particle densities and radiation levels will be higher by as much as a factor of ten. The new detectors must be faster, they need to be more highly segmented, and covering more area. They also need to be more resistant to radiation, and they require much greater power delivery to the front-end systems. For those reasons, the inner tracker of the ATLAS detector must be redesigned and rebuilt completely. The design of the ATLAS Upgrade inner tracker (ITk) has already been defined. It consists of several layers of silicon particle detectors. The innermost layers will be composed of silicon pixel sensors, and the outer layers will consist of silicon microstrip sensors. This paper will focus on the latest research and development act...

Production of technical silicon and silicon carbide from rice-husk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Z. Issagulov

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In the article there are studied physical and chemical properties of silicon-carbonic raw material – rice-husk, thermophysical characteristics of the process of rice-husk pyrolysis in nonreactive and oxidizing environment; structure and phase composition of products of the rice-husk pyrolysis in interval of temperatures 150 – 850 °С and high temperature pyrolysis in interval of temperatures 900 – 1 500 °С. There are defined the silicon-carbon production conditions, which meet the requirements applicable to charging materials at production of technical silicon and silicon carbide.

Silicon transport under rotating and combined magnetic fields in liquid phase diffusion growth of SiGe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Armour, N.; Dost, S. [Crystal Growth Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P6 (Canada)

2010-04-15

The effect of applied rotating and combined (rotating and static) magnetic fields on silicon transport during the liquid phase diffusion growth of SiGe was experimentally studied. 72-hour growth periods produced some single crystal sections. Single and polycrystalline sections of the processed samples were examined for silicon composition. Results show that the application of a rotating magnetic field enhances silicon transport in the melt. It also has a slight positive effect on flattening the initial growth interface. For comparison, growth experiments were also conducted under combined (rotating and static) magnetic fields. The processed samples revealed that the addition of static field altered the thermal characteristics of the system significantly and led to a complete melt back of the germanium seed. Silicon transport in the melt was also enhanced under combined fields compared with experiments with no magnetic field. (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Optical switching at 1.55um in silicon racetrack resonators using phase change materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rudé, M.; Pello, J.; Simpson, R.E.; Osmond, J.; Roelkens, G.C.; Tol, van der J.J.G.M.; Pruneri, V.

2013-01-01

An optical switch operating at a wavelength of 1.55¿µm and showing a 12 dB modulation depth is introduced. The device is implemented in a silicon racetrack resonator using an overcladding layer of the phase change data storage material Ge2Sb2Te5, which exhibits high contrast in its optical

Investigation of the impact of mechanical stress on the properties of silicon sensor modules for the ATLAS Phase II upgrade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stegler, Martin; Polay, Luise; Spehrlich, Dennis; Bloch, Ingo [DESY, Zeuthen (Germany)

2016-07-01

The new ATLAS tracker for phase II will be composed of silicon pixel and strip sensor modules. Such a module consists of silicon sensors, boards and readout chips. In a currently ongoing study new adhesives to connect the modular components thermally and mechanically are examined. It was shown that the silicon sensor is exposed to mechanical stress when part of a module. Mechanical stress can cause damage to a sensor and can change the tensors of electrical properties. The study of the effects of mechanical stress on characteristics of the silicon sensor modules are the focus in this presentation. The thermal induced tensile stress near to the surface of a silicon sensor build in a module was simulated. A four point bending setup was used to measure the maximum tensile stress of silicon and to verify the piezoresistive effect on ATLAS07 sensors. The results of the electrical measurements and simulations of stressed silicon sensor modules are shown in the presentation.

Simultaneous X-ray imaging and diffraction study of shock propagation and phase transition in silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Galtier, Eric

2017-06-01

X-ray phase contrast imaging technique using a free electron laser have observed the propagation of laser-driven shock waves directly inside materials. While providing images with few hundred nanometers spatial resolution, access to more quantitative information like the material density and the various shock front speeds remain challenging due to imperfections in the images limiting the convergence in the reconstruction algorithm. Alternatively, pump-probe X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a robust technique to extract atomic crystalline structure of compressed matter, providing insight into the kinetics of phase transformation and material response to stress. However, XRD by itself is not sufficient to extract the equation of state of the material under study. Here we report on the use of the LCLS free electron laser as a source of a high-resolution X-ray microscopy enabling the direct imaging of shock waves and phase transitions in optically opaque silicon. In this configuration, no algorithm is necessary to extract the material density and the position of the shock fronts. Simultaneously, we probed the crystalline structure via XRD of the various phases in laser compressed silicon. E. Galtier, B. Nagler, H. J. Lee, S. Brown, E. Granados, A. Hashim, E. McBride, A. Mackinnon, I. Nam, J. Zimmerman (SLAC) A. Gleason (Stanford, LANL) A. Higginbotham (University of York) A. Schropp, F. Seiboth (DESY).

Liquid-phase plasma synthesis of silicon quantum dots embedded in carbon matrix for lithium battery anodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Ying [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou (China); College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Bohai University, Jinzhou 121000 (China); Yu, Hang; Li, Haitao; Ming, Hai; Pan, Keming; Huang, Hui [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Liu, Yang, E-mail: yangl@suda.edu.cn [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Kang, Zhenhui, E-mail: zhkang@suda.edu.cn [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou (China)

2013-10-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Silicon quantum dots embedded in carbon matrix (SiQDs/C) were fabricated. • SiQDs/C exhibits excellent battery performance as anode materials with high specific capacity. • The good performance was attributed to the marriage of small sized SiQDs and carbon. - Abstract: Silicon quantum dots embedded in carbon matrix (SiQDs/C) nanocomposites were prepared by a novel liquid-phase plasma assisted synthetic process. The SiQDs/C nanocomposites were demonstrated to show high specific capacity, good cycling life and high coulmbic efficiency as anode materials for lithium-ion battery.

Liquid-phase plasma synthesis of silicon quantum dots embedded in carbon matrix for lithium battery anodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Ying; Yu, Hang; Li, Haitao; Ming, Hai; Pan, Keming; Huang, Hui; Liu, Yang; Kang, Zhenhui

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Silicon quantum dots embedded in carbon matrix (SiQDs/C) were fabricated. • SiQDs/C exhibits excellent battery performance as anode materials with high specific capacity. • The good performance was attributed to the marriage of small sized SiQDs and carbon. - Abstract: Silicon quantum dots embedded in carbon matrix (SiQDs/C) nanocomposites were prepared by a novel liquid-phase plasma assisted synthetic process. The SiQDs/C nanocomposites were demonstrated to show high specific capacity, good cycling life and high coulmbic efficiency as anode materials for lithium-ion battery

Relation of nanoscale and macroscopic properties of mixed-phase silicon thin films

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fejfar, Antonín; Vetushka, Aliaksi; Kalusová, V.; Čertík, Ondřej; Ledinský, Martin; Rezek, Bohuslav; Stuchlík, Jiří; Kočka, Jan

2010-01-01

Roč. 207, č. 3 (2010), s. 582-586 ISSN 1862-6300 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC06040; GA AV ČR KAN400100701; GA MŠk LC510; GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA100100902 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Keywords : conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) * mixed phase silicon thin films Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.458, year: 2010 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pssa.200982907

Wurtzite-Phased InP Micropillars Grown on Silicon with Low Surface Recombination Velocity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kun; Ng, Kar Wei; Tran, Thai-Truong D; Sun, Hao; Lu, Fanglu; Chang-Hasnain, Connie J

2015-11-11

The direct growth of III-V nanostructures on silicon has shown great promise in the integration of optoelectronics with silicon-based technologies. Our previous work showed that scaling up nanostructures to microsize while maintaining high quality heterogeneous integration opens a pathway toward a complete photonic integrated circuit and high-efficiency cost-effective solar cells. In this paper, we present a thorough material study of novel metastable InP micropillars monolithically grown on silicon, focusing on two enabling aspects of this technology-the stress relaxation mechanism at the heterogeneous interface and the microstructure surface quality. Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy studies show that InP grows directly on silicon without any amorphous layer in between. A set of periodic dislocations was found at the heterointerface, relaxing the 8% lattice mismatch between InP and Si. Single crystalline InP therefore can grow on top of the fully relaxed template, yielding high-quality micropillars with diameters expanding beyond 1 μm. An interesting power-dependence trend of carrier recombination lifetimes was captured for these InP micropillars at room temperature, for the first time for micro/nanostructures. By simply combining internal quantum efficiency with carrier lifetime, we revealed the recombination dynamics of nonradiative and radiative portions separately. A very low surface recombination velocity of 1.1 × 10(3) cm/sec was obtained. In addition, we experimentally estimated the radiative recombination B coefficient of 2.0 × 10(-10) cm(3)/sec for pure wurtzite-phased InP. These values are comparable with those obtained from InP bulk. Exceeding the limits of conventional nanowires, our InP micropillars combine the strengths of both nanostructures and bulk materials and will provide an avenue in heterogeneous integration of III-V semiconductor materials onto silicon platforms.

The role of the bimodal distribution of ultra-fine silicon phase and nano-scale V-phase (AlSi2Sc2) on spark plasma sintered hypereutectic Al–Si–Sc alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raghukiran, Nadimpalli; Kumar, Ravi

2016-01-01

Hypereutectic Al–Si and Al–Si–Sc alloys were spark plasma sintered from corresponding gas-atomized powders. The microstructures of the Al–Si and Al–Si–Sc alloys possessed remarkably refined silicon particles in the size range of 0.38–3.5 µm and 0.35–1.16 µm respectively in contrast to the silicon particles of size greater than 100 µm typically found in conventionally cast alloys. All the sintered alloys exhibited significant ductility of as high as 85% compressive strain without failure even with the presence of relatively higher weight fraction of the brittle silicon phase. Moreover, the Al–Si–Sc alloys have shown appreciable improvement in the compressive strength over their binary counterparts due to the presence of intermetallic compound AlSi 2 Sc 2 of size 10–20 nm distributed uniformly in the matrix of those alloys. The dry sliding pin-on-disc wear tests showed improvement in the wear performance of the sintered alloys with increase in silicon content in the alloys. Further, the Al–Si–Sc ternary alloys with relatively lesser silicon content exhibited appreciable improvement in the wear resistance over their binary counterparts. The Al–Si–Sc alloys with bimodal distribution of the strengthening phases consisting of ultra-fine (sub-micron size) silicon particles and the nano-scale AlSi 2 Sc 2 improved the strength and wear properties of the alloys while retaining significant amount of ductility.

Phase regeneration of DPSK signals in a silicon waveguide with reverse-biased p-i-n junction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Da Ros, Francesco; Vukovic, Dragana; Gajda, Andrzej

2014-01-01

Phase regeneration of differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) signals is demonstrated using a silicon waveguide as nonlinear medium for the first time. A p-i-n junction across the waveguide enables decreasing the nonlinear losses introduced by free-carrier absorption (FCA), thus allowing phase......-sensitive extinction ratios as high as 20 dB to be reached under continuous-wave (CW) pumping operation. Furthermore the regeneration properties are investigated under dynamic operation for a 10-Gb/s DPSK signal degraded by phase noise, showing receiver sensitivity improvements above 14 dB. Different phase noise...... frequencies and amplitudes are examined, resulting in an improvement of the performance of the regenerated signal in all the considered cases....

Microstructural Characterization of Reaction-Formed Silicon Carbide Ceramics. Materials Characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, M.; Leonhardt, T. A.

1995-01-01

Microstructural characterization of two reaction-formed silicon carbide ceramics has been carried out by interference layering, plasma etching, and microscopy. These specimens contained free silicon and niobium disilicide as minor phases with silicon carbide as the major phase. In conventionally prepared samples, the niobium disilicide cannot be distinguished from silicon in optical micrographs. After interference layering, all phases are clearly distinguishable. Back scattered electron (BSE) imaging and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) confirmed the results obtained by interference layering. Plasma etching with CF4 plus 4% O2 selectively attacks silicon in these specimens. It is demonstrated that interference layering and plasma etching are very useful techniques in the phase identification and microstructural characterization of multiphase ceramic materials.

Silicon Waveguide with Lateral p-i-n Diode for Nonlinearity Compensation by On-Chip Optical Phase Conjugation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gajda, A.; Da Ros, Francesco; Porto da Silva, Edson

2018-01-01

A 1-dB Q-factor improvement through optical phase conjugation in a silicon waveguide with a lateral p-i-n diode enables BER

Process of preparing tritiated porous silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Tam, Shiu-Wing

1997-01-01

A process of preparing tritiated porous silicon in which porous silicon is equilibrated with a gaseous vapor containing HT/T.sub.2 gas in a diluent for a time sufficient for tritium in the gas phase to replace hydrogen present in the pore surfaces of the porous silicon.

Novel silicon allotropes: Stability, mechanical, and electronic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Qingyang; Chai, Changchun; Zhao, Yingbo; Yang, Yintang; Yu, Xinhai; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Junqin [Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Wide Band-Gap Semiconductor Materials and Devices, School of Microelectronics, Xidian University, Xi' an 710071 (China); Wei, Qun, E-mail: weiaqun@163.com; Yao, Ronghui [School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Xidian University, Xi' an 710071 (China); Yan, Haiyan [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, Baoji 721013 (China); Xing, Mengjiang [Faculty of Information Engineering and Automation, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650051 (China)

2015-11-14

One quasi-direct gap phase (Amm2) and three indirect gap phases (C2/m-16, C2/m-20, and I-4) of silicon allotropes are proposed. The detailed theoretical study on the structure, density of states, elastic properties, sound velocities, and Debye temperature of these four phases is carried out by using first principles calculations. The elastic constants of these four phases are calculated by strain-stress method. The elastic constants and the phonon calculations manifest all novel silicon allotropes in this paper are mechanically and dynamically stable at ambient condition. The B/G values indicate that these four phases of silicon are brittle materials at ambient pressure. The anisotropy properties show that C2/m-20 phase exhibits a larger anisotropy in its elastic modulus, shear elastic anisotropic factors, and several anisotropic indices than others. We have found that the Debye temperature of the four novel silicon allotropes gradually reduces in the order of C2/m-20 > Amm2 > C2/m-16 > I-4 at ambient pressure.

Analysis and design of tunable wideband microwave photonics phase shifter based on Fabry-Perot cavity and Bragg mirrors in silicon-on-insulator waveguide.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Pengfei; Zhou, Jingran; Chen, Weiyou; Li, Fumin; Li, Haibin; Liu, Caixia; Ruan, Shengping; Dong, Wei

2010-04-20

We designed a microwave (MW) photonics phase shifter, consisting of a Fabry-Perot filter, a phase modulation region (PMR), and distributed Bragg reflectors, in a silicon-on-insulator rib waveguide. The thermo-optics effect was employed to tune the PMR. It was theoretically demonstrated that the linear MW phase shift of 0-2pi could be achieved by a refractive index variation of 0-9.68x10(-3) in an ultrawideband (about 38?GHz-1.9?THz), and the corresponding tuning resolution was about 6.92 degrees / degrees C. The device had a very compact size. It could be easily integrated in silicon optoelectronic chips and expected to be widely used in the high-frequency MW photonics field.

Two-phase pressure drop and flow visualization of FC-72 in a silicon microchannel heat sink

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Megahed, Ayman; Hassan, Ibrahim

2009-01-01

The rapid development of two-phase microfluidic devices has triggered the demand for a detailed understanding of the flow characteristics inside microchannel heat sinks to advance the cooling process of micro-electronics. The present study focuses on the experimental investigation of pressure drop characteristics and flow visualization of a two-phase flow in a silicon microchannel heat sink. The microchannel heat sink consists of a rectangular silicon chip in which 45 rectangular microchannels were chemically etched with a depth of 276 μm, width of 225 μm, and a length of 16 mm. Experiments are carried out for mass fluxes ranging from 341 to 531 kg/m 2 s and heat fluxes from 60.4 to 130.6 kW/m 2 using FC-72 as the working fluid. Bubble growth and flow regimes are observed using high speed visualization. Three major flow regimes are identified: bubbly, slug, and annular. The frictional two-phase pressure drop increases with exit quality for a constant mass flux. An assessment of various pressure drop correlations reported in the literature is conducted for validation. A new general correlation is developed to predict the two-phase pressure drop in microchannel heat sinks for five different refrigerants. The experimental pressure drops for laminar-liquid laminar-vapor and laminar-liquid turbulent-vapor flow conditions are predicted by the new correlation with mean absolute errors of 10.4% and 14.5%, respectively.

Elastic silicone encapsulation of n-hexadecyl bromide by microfluidic approach as novel microencapsulated phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Zhenjin; Su, Lin; Li, Jing; Yang, Ruizhuang; Zhang, Zhanwen; Liu, Meifang; Li, Jie; Li, Bo

2014-01-01

Highlights: • n-Hexadecyl bromide was encapsuled in elastic silicone shell. • The surfaces of microcapsules were smooth and the cross sections were compact. • Latent heat of microcapsules was 76.35 J g −1 . • The microencapsulation ratio was 49 wt.%. • The microcapsules had good thermal stability. - Abstract: The elastic silicone/n-hexadecyl bromide microcapsules were prepared as novel microencapsulated phase change materials by microfluidic approach with the co-flowing channels, where the double oil1-in-oil2-in-water (O1/O2/W) droplets with a core–shell geometry were fabricated. The thermal characterizations of the microcapsules were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). The DSC results showed that the microcapsules had good energy storage capacity with melting and freezing enthalpies 76.35 J g −1 and 78.67 J g −1 , respectively. The TGA investigation showed that the microcapsules had good thermal stability. The surfaces of microcapsules were smooth and the cross sections were compact from the results of optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optical microscope showed that the silicone shell can provide expansion place due to its elastic property. Therefore, the silicone/n-hexadecyl bromide microcapsules showed good potential as thermal regulating textile and thermal insulation materials

Two-phase flow instabilities in a silicon microchannels heat sink

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogojevic, D.; Sefiane, K.; Walton, A.J.; Lin, H.; Cummins, G.

2009-01-01

Two-phase flow instabilities are highly undesirable in microchannels-based heat sinks as they can lead to temperature oscillations with high amplitudes, premature critical heat flux and mechanical vibrations. This work is an experimental study of boiling instabilities in a microchannel silicon heat sink with 40 parallel rectangular microchannels, having a length of 15 mm and a hydraulic diameter of 194 μm. A series of experiments have been carried out to investigate pressure and temperature oscillations during the flow boiling instabilities under uniform heating, using water as a cooling liquid. Thin nickel film thermometers, integrated on the back side of a heat sink with microchannels, were used in order to obtain a better insight related to temperature fluctuations caused by two-phase flow instabilities. Flow regime maps are presented for two inlet water temperatures, showing stable and unstable flow regimes. It was observed that boiling leads to asymmetrical flow distribution within microchannels that result in high temperature non-uniformity and the simultaneously existence of different flow regimes along the transverse direction. Two types of two-phase flow instabilities with appreciable pressure and temperature fluctuations were observed, that depended on the heat to mass flux ratio and inlet water temperature. These were high amplitude/low frequency and low amplitude/high frequency instabilities. High speed camera imaging, performed simultaneously with pressure and temperature measurements, showed that inlet/outlet pressure and the temperature fluctuations existed due to alternation between liquid/two-phase/vapour flows. It was also determined that the inlet water subcooling condition affects the magnitudes of the temperature oscillations in two-phase flow instabilities and flow distribution within the microchannels.

Pressure-induced phase transitions in silicon studied by neural network-based metadynamics simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Behler, Joerg [Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, USI-Campus, Lugano (Switzerland); Lehrstuhl fuer Theoretische Chemie, Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, 44780 Bochum (Germany); Martonak, Roman [Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, USI-Campus, Lugano (Switzerland); Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Mlynska dolina F2, 84248 Bratislava (Slovakia); Donadio, Davide [Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, USI-Campus, Lugano (Switzerland); Department of Chemistry, UC Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Parrinello, Michele [Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, USI-Campus, Lugano (Switzerland)

2008-12-15

We present a combination of the metadynamics method for the investigation of pressure-induced phase transitions in solids with a neural network representation of high-dimensional density-functional theory (DFT) potential-energy surfaces. In a recent illustration of the method for the complex high-pressure phase diagram of silicon[Behler et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 185501 (2008)] we have shown that the full sequence of phases can be reconstructed by a series of subsequent simulations. In the present paper we give a detailed account of the underlying methodology and discuss the scope and limitations of the approach, which promises to be a valuable tool for the investigation of a variety of inorganic materials. The method is several orders of magnitude faster than a direct coupling of metadynamics with electronic structure calculations, while the accuracy is essentially maintained, thus providing access to extended simulations of large systems. (copyright 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Magneto-optical non-reciprocal devices in silicon photonics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuya Shoji

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Silicon waveguide optical non-reciprocal devices based on the magneto-optical effect are reviewed. The non-reciprocal phase shift caused by the first-order magneto-optical effect is effective in realizing optical non-reciprocal devices in silicon waveguide platforms. In a silicon-on-insulator waveguide, the low refractive index of the buried oxide layer enhances the magneto-optical phase shift, which reduces the device footprints. A surface activated direct bonding technique was developed to integrate a magneto-optical garnet crystal on the silicon waveguides. A silicon waveguide optical isolator based on the magneto-optical phase shift was demonstrated with an optical isolation of 30 dB and insertion loss of 13 dB at a wavelength of 1548 nm. Furthermore, a four port optical circulator was demonstrated with maximum isolations of 15.3 and 9.3 dB in cross and bar ports, respectively, at a wavelength of 1531 nm.

Electrical activation of solid-phase epitaxially regrown ultra-low energy boron implants in Ge preamorphised silicon and SOI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, J.J.; Collart, E.J.H.; Colombeau, B.; Jeynes, C.; Bersani, M.; Giubertoni, D.; Sharp, J.A.; Cowern, N.E.B.; Kirkby, K.J.

2005-01-01

The formation of highly activated ultra-shallow junctions (USJ) is one of the key requirements for the next generation of CMOS devices. One promising method for achieving this is the use of Ge preamorphising implants (PAI) prior to ultra-low energy B implantation. In future technology nodes, bulk silicon wafers may be supplanted by Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI), and an understanding of the Solid Phase Epitaxial (SPE) regrowth process and its correlation to dopant electrical activation in both bulk silicon and SOI is essential in order to understand the impact of this potential technology change. This kind of understanding will also enable tests of fundamental models for defect evolution and point-defect reactions at silicon/oxide interfaces. In the present work, B is implanted into Ge PAI silicon and SOI wafers with different PAI conditions and B doses, and resulting samples are annealed at various temperatures and times. Glancing-exit Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) is used to monitor the regrowth of the amorphous silicon, and the resulting redistribution and electrical activity of B are monitored by SIMS and Hall measurements. The results confirm the expected enhancement of regrowth velocity by B doping, and show that this velocity is otherwise independent of the substrate type and the Ge implant distribution within the amorphised layer. Hall measurements on isochronally annealed samples show that B deactivates less in SOI material than in bulk silicon, in cases where the Ge PAI end-of-range defects are close to the SOI back interface

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

Advanced Silicone-based Coatings for Flexible Fabric Applications, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — High performance silicone coatings are desired for flexible fabrics used in several space and consumer applications. For instance, the total weight of silicone...

Solid-phase crystallization of amorphous silicon on ZnO:Al for thin-film solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, C.; Conrad, E.; Dogan, P.; Fenske, F.; Gorka, B.; Haenel, T.; Lee, K.Y.; Rau, B.; Ruske, F.; Weber, T.; Gall, S.; Rech, B. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie (formerly Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin), Kekulestr. 5, D-12489 Berlin (Germany); Berginski, M.; Huepkes, J. [Institute of Photovoltaics, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, D-52425 Juelich (Germany)

2009-06-15

The suitability of ZnO:Al thin films for polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin-film solar cell fabrication was investigated. The electrical and optical properties of 700 -nm-thick ZnO:Al films on glass were analyzed after typical annealing steps occurring during poly-Si film preparation. If the ZnO:Al layer is covered by a 30 nm thin silicon film, the initial sheet resistance of ZnO:Al drops from 4.2 to 2.2 {omega} after 22 h annealing at 600 C and only slightly increases for a 200 s heat treatment at 900 C. A thin-film solar cell concept consisting of poly-Si films on ZnO:Al coated glass is introduced. First solar cell results will be presented using absorber layers either prepared by solid-phase crystallization (SPC) or by direct deposition at 600 C. (author)

Elastic silicone encapsulation of n-hexadecyl bromide by microfluidic approach as novel microencapsulated phase change materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Zhenjin [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China); Su, Lin; Li, Jing; Yang, Ruizhuang; Zhang, Zhanwen; Liu, Meifang; Li, Jie [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Li, Bo, E-mail: LB6711@126.com [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China)

2014-08-20

Highlights: • n-Hexadecyl bromide was encapsuled in elastic silicone shell. • The surfaces of microcapsules were smooth and the cross sections were compact. • Latent heat of microcapsules was 76.35 J g{sup −1}. • The microencapsulation ratio was 49 wt.%. • The microcapsules had good thermal stability. - Abstract: The elastic silicone/n-hexadecyl bromide microcapsules were prepared as novel microencapsulated phase change materials by microfluidic approach with the co-flowing channels, where the double oil1-in-oil2-in-water (O1/O2/W) droplets with a core–shell geometry were fabricated. The thermal characterizations of the microcapsules were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). The DSC results showed that the microcapsules had good energy storage capacity with melting and freezing enthalpies 76.35 J g{sup −1} and 78.67 J g{sup −1}, respectively. The TGA investigation showed that the microcapsules had good thermal stability. The surfaces of microcapsules were smooth and the cross sections were compact from the results of optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optical microscope showed that the silicone shell can provide expansion place due to its elastic property. Therefore, the silicone/n-hexadecyl bromide microcapsules showed good potential as thermal regulating textile and thermal insulation materials.

Optical properties of phosphorescent nano-silicon electrochemically doped with terbium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gelloz, Bernard [Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603 (Japan); Mentek, Romain; Koshida, Nobuyoshi [Tokyo University A and T, 2-24-16 Nakacho, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan)

2012-12-15

Hybrid thin films consisting of oxidized nano-silicon doped with terbium have been fabricated. Nano-silicon was formed by electrochemical etching of silicon wafers. Terbium was incorporated into nano-silicon pores by electrochemical deposition. Different oxidizing thermal treatments were applied to the films. The samples treated by high-pressure water vapor annealing (HWA) exhibited strong blue emission with a phosphorescent component, as previously reported by our group. The low temperature (260 C) HWA also led to strong emission from Tb{sup 3+} ions, whereas typical high temperature (900 C) treatment generally used to activate Tb{sup 3+} ions in silicon-based materials led to less luminescent samples. Spectroscopic and dynamic analyses suggest that terbium was incorporated as a separate oxide phase in the pores of the porous nano-silicon. The PL of the terbium phase and nano-silicon phase exhibit different temperature and excitation power dependences suggesting little optical or electronic interaction between the two phases. The luminescence of terbium is better activated at low temperature (260 C) than at high temperature (900 C). The hybrid material may find some applications in photonics, for instance as a display material. (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

X-ray powder diffraction analysis of liquid-phase-sintered silicon carbide ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz, A.L.; Sanchez-Bajo, F. [Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz (Spain). Dept. de Electronica e Ingenieria Electromecanica; Cumbrera, F.L. [Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz (Spain). Dept. de Fisica

2002-07-01

In an attempt to gain a comprehensive understanding of the microstructural evolution in liquid-phase-sintered silicon carbide ceramics, the effect of the starting {beta}-SiC powder has been studied. Pellets of two different {beta}-SiC starting powders were sintered with simultaneous additions of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} at 1950 C for 1 hour in flowing argon atmosphere. Here we have used X-ray diffraction to obtain the relative abundance of the resulting SiC polytypes after sintering. The significant influence of the defects concentration on the {beta} to {alpha} transformation rate has been determined using the Rietveld method. (orig.)

Studies on the reactive melt infiltration of silicon and silicon-molybdenum alloys in porous carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, M.; Behrendt, D. R.

1992-01-01

Investigations on the reactive melt infiltration of silicon and silicon-1.7 and 3.2 at percent molybdenum alloys into porous carbon preforms have been carried out by process modeling, differential thermal analysis (DTA) and melt infiltration experiments. These results indicate that the initial pore volume fraction of the porous carbon preform is a critical parameter in determining the final composition of the raction-formed silicon carbide and other residual phases. The pore size of the carbon preform is very detrimental to the exotherm temperatures due to liquid silicon-carbon reactions encountered during the reactive melt infiltration process. A possible mechanism for the liquid silicon-porous (glassy) carbon reaction has been proposed. The composition and microstructure of the reaction-formed silicon carbide has been discussed in terms of carbon preform microstructures, infiltration materials, and temperatures.

Formation of iron disilicide on amorphous silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Erlesand, U.; Östling, M.; Bodén, K.

1991-11-01

Thin films of iron disilicide, β-FeSi 2 were formed on both amorphous silicon and on crystalline silicon. The β-phase is reported to be semiconducting with a direct band-gap of about 0.85-0.89 eV. This phase is known to form via a nucleation-controlled growth process on crystalline silicon and as a consequence a rather rough silicon/silicide interface is usually formed. In order to improve the interface a bilayer structure of amorphous silicon and iron was sequentially deposited on Czochralski silicon in an e-gun evaporation system. Secondary ion mass spectrometry profiling (SIMS) and scanning electron micrographs revealed an improvement of the interface sharpness. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and X-ray diffractiometry showed β-FeSi 2 formation already at 525°C. It was also observed that the silicide growth was diffusion-controlled, similar to what has been reported for example in the formation of NiSi 2 for the reaction of nickel on amorphous silicon. The kinetics of the FeSi 2 formation in the temperature range 525-625°C was studied by RBS and the activation energy was found to be 1.5 ± 0.1 eV.

Silicon Solar Cell Process Development, Fabrication and Analysis, Phase 1

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, H. I.; Iles, P. A.; Tanner, D. P.

1979-01-01

Solar cells from RTR ribbons, EFG (RF and RH) ribbons, dendritic webs, Silso wafers, cast silicon by HEM, silicon on ceramic, and continuous Czochralski ingots were fabricated using a standard process typical of those used currently in the silicon solar cell industry. Back surface field (BSF) processing and other process modifications were included to give preliminary indications of possible improved performance. The parameters measured included open circuit voltage, short circuit current, curve fill factor, and conversion efficiency (all taken under AM0 illumination). Also measured for typical cells were spectral response, dark I-V characteristics, minority carrier diffusion length, and photoresponse by fine light spot scanning. the results were compared to the properties of cells made from conventional single crystalline Czochralski silicon with an emphasis on statistical evaluation. Limited efforts were made to identify growth defects which will influence solar cell performance.

Enhanced mass removal due to phase explosion during high irradiance nanosecond laser ablation of silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Jong Hyun [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2000-05-01

The morphology of craters resulting from high irradiance laser ablation of silicon was measured using a white light interferometry microscope. The craters show a dramatic increase in their depth and volume at a certain irradiance, indicating a change in the primary mechanism for mass removal. Laser shadowgraph imaging was used to characterize and differentiate the mass ejection processes for laser irradiances above and below the threshold value. Time-resolved images show distinct features of the mass ejected at irradiances above the threshold value including the presence of micron-sized particulates; this begins at approximately 300 ~ 400 ns after the start of laser heating. The analysis of the phenomena was carried out by using two models: a thermal evaporation model and a phase explosion model. Estimation of the crater depth due to the thermally evaporated mass led to a large underestimation of the crater depth for irradiances above the threshold. Above the threshold irradiance, the possibility of phase explosion was analyzed. Two important results are the thickness of the superheated liquid layer that is close to the critical temperature and the time for vapor bubbles that are generated in the superheated liquid to achieve a critical size. After reaching the critical size, vapor bubbles can grow spontaneously resulting in a violent ejection of liquid droplets from the superheated volume. The effects of an induced transparency, i.e. of liquid silicon turning into an optically transparent liquid dielectric medium, are also introduced. The estimated time for a bubble to reach the critical size is in agreement with the delay time measured for the initiation of large mass ejection. Also, the thickness of the superheated liquid layer that is close to the critical temperature at the time of the beginning of the large mass ejection is representative of the crater depth at the threshold irradiance. These results suggest that phase explosion is a plausible thermal

Evaluation of selected chemical processes for production of low-cost silicon phase 2. silicon material task, low-cost silicon solar array project

Science.gov (United States)

Blocher, J. M., Jr.; Browning, M. F.; Rose, E. E.; Thompson, W. B.; Schmitt, W. A.; Fippin, J. S.; Kidd, R. W.; Liu, C. Y.; Kerbler, P. S.; Ackley, W. R.

1978-01-01

Progress from October 1, 1977, through December 31, 1977, is reported in the design of the 50 MT/year experimental facility for the preparation of high purity silicon by the zinc vapor reduction of silicon tetrachloride in a fluidized bed of seed particles to form a free flowing granular product.

Plasma processing of microcrystalline silicon films : filling in the gaps

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bronneberg, A.C.

2012-01-01

Hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (µc-Si:H) is a mixed-phase material consisting of crystalline silicon grains, hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) tissue, and voids. Microcrystalline silicon is extensively used as absorber layer in thin-film tandem solar cells, combining the advantages of a

High-temperature oxidation of silicide-aluminide layer on the TiAl6V4 alloy prepared by liquid-phase siliconizing

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kubatík, Tomáš František

2016-01-01

Roč. 50, č. 2 (2016), s. 257-261 ISSN 1580-2949 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : TiAl6V4 * silicides * high-temperature oxidation * liquid-phase silicon izing Subject RIV: JG - Metallurgy Impact factor: 0.436, year: 2016

Photoluminescence studies of cubic phase GaN grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (001) silicon covered with SiC layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godlewski, M.; Ivanov, V.Yu.; Bergman, J.P.; Monemar, B.; Barski, A.; Langer, R.

1997-01-01

In this work we evaluate optical properties of cubic phase GaN epilayers grown on top of (001) silicon substrate prepared by new process. Prior to the growth Si substrate was annealed at 1300-1400 o C in propane. The so-prepared substrate is covered within a thin (∼ 4 nm) SiC wafer, which allowed a successful growth of good morphological quality cubic phase GaN epilayers. The present results confirm recent suggestion on smaller ionization energies of acceptors in cubic phase GaN epilayers. (author)

Linear signal processing using silicon micro-ring resonators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peucheret, Christophe; Ding, Yunhong; Ou, Haiyan

2012-01-01

We review our recent achievements on the use of silicon micro-ring resonators for linear optical signal processing applications, including modulation format conversion, phase-to-intensity modulation conversion and waveform shaping.......We review our recent achievements on the use of silicon micro-ring resonators for linear optical signal processing applications, including modulation format conversion, phase-to-intensity modulation conversion and waveform shaping....

Periodically poled silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Hon, Nick K.; Tsia, Kevin K.; Solli, Daniel R.; Khurgin, Jacob B.; Jalali, Bahram

2010-02-01

Bulk centrosymmetric silicon lacks second-order optical nonlinearity χ(2) - a foundational component of nonlinear optics. Here, we propose a new class of photonic device which enables χ(2) as well as quasi-phase matching based on periodic stress fields in silicon - periodically-poled silicon (PePSi). This concept adds the periodic poling capability to silicon photonics, and allows the excellent crystal quality and advanced manufacturing capabilities of silicon to be harnessed for devices based on χ(2)) effects. The concept can also be simply achieved by having periodic arrangement of stressed thin films along a silicon waveguide. As an example of the utility, we present simulations showing that mid-wave infrared radiation can be efficiently generated through difference frequency generation from near-infrared with a conversion efficiency of 50% based on χ(2) values measurements for strained silicon reported in the literature [Jacobson et al. Nature 441, 199 (2006)]. The use of PePSi for frequency conversion can also be extended to terahertz generation. With integrated piezoelectric material, dynamically control of χ(2)nonlinearity in PePSi waveguide may also be achieved. The successful realization of PePSi based devices depends on the strength of the stress induced χ(2) in silicon. Presently, there exists a significant discrepancy in the literature between the theoretical and experimentally measured values. We present a simple theoretical model that produces result consistent with prior theoretical works and use this model to identify possible reasons for this discrepancy.

Electroless siliconizing Fe-3% Cr-3% Si alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nurlina, Enung; Darmono, Budy; Purwadaria, Sunara

2000-01-01

In this research Fe-3%Cr-3%Mo-3%Si and Fe-3%Cr-3%Cu-3%Si alloys had been coated by silicon metal without electricity current which knows as electroless siliconizing. Coating was conducted by immersed sampler into melt fluoride-chloride salt bath at temperature of 750 o C for certain period. The layer consisted of Fe3Si phase. Observation by microscope optic and EDAX showed that the silicide layer were thick enough, adherent, free for crack and had silicon content on the surface more than 15%. The growth rate of silicide layer followed parabolic rate law, where the process predominantly controlled by interdiffusion rate in the solid phase. Key words : electroless siliconizing, the melt fluoride- chloride salt mix, silicide layer

Effect of Silicon in U-10Mo Alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kautz, Elizabeth J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Devaraj, Arun [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Kovarik, Libor [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lavender, Curt A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Joshi, Vineet V. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2017-08-31

This document details a method for evaluating the effect of silicon impurity content on U-10Mo alloys. Silicon concentration in U-10Mo alloys has been shown to impact the following: volume fraction of precipitate phases, effective density of the final alloy, and 235-U enrichment in the gamma-UMo matrix. This report presents a model for calculating these quantities as a function of Silicon concentration, which along with fuel foil characterization data, will serve as a reference for quality control of the U-10Mo final alloy Si content. Additionally, detailed characterization using scanning electron microscope imaging, transmission electron microscope diffraction, and atom probe tomography showed that Silicon impurities present in U-10Mo alloys form a Si-rich precipitate phase.

A clean measurement of the hydrogen retardation of the rate of solid phase epitaxy in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, A.C.Y.; McCallum, J.C.

1999-01-01

The rate retarding effects of the impurity hydrogen on solid phase epitaxy (SPE) in silicon have yet to be completely understood. Existing measurements of this behaviour do not coincide exactly, however, several features have attained prominence. Firstly, a linear decrease in the SPE rate is detected up until a certain concentration of hydrogen. Subsequent to this point the rate remains almost constant at around half the intrinsic rate. It is conjectured that the hydrogen bonds to and passivates the defects whose agency enables the incorporation of atoms from the amorphous phase to the crystalline. This rate reduction increases until the defect population is saturated. At this point the reduction in rate ceases. Secondly, a dependence on temperature has not been consolidated, in contrast with the trends observed with the doping species. Here a method is proposed for producing a controlled concentration of hydrogen for the advancing amorphous/crystalline interface to encounter during epitaxy. A bubble layer is formed in crystalline silicon approximately 0.6μm beneath the surface through the implantation of hydrogen at 65 keV with fluences of 4 x 10 16 /cm 2 and 3 x 10 16 /cm 2 and annealing for 1 hour at 850 deg C in dry argon. The anneal doesn't out gas all the introduced hydrogen, leaving a remnant gas pressure in the bubbles. The hydrogen implants at the two fluences should yield two samples with different amounts of hydrogen trapped in the bubbles. A buried amorphous layer is created to encompass the bubble layer containing this residual contaminant through silicon self implantation at appropriate energies and fluences. The progress of the front interface of the buried amorphous layer is monitored by time resolved reflectivity (TRR) as SPE is effected at various temperatures

Continuous, Automated Manufacturing of String Ribbon Si PV Modules: Final Report, 21 May 1998 - 20 May 2001; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanoka, J. I.

2001-01-01

This report summarizes the work done under a three-year PVMaT Phase 5A2 program. The overall goal was to attain a continuous, highly automated, fully integrated PV production line. In crystal growth, advances were made that resulted in lower substrate costs, higher yields, and lower capital and labor costs. A new string material was developed and implemented. Following this development, better control of the edge meniscus was achieved. A completely new furnace design was accomplished, and this became the standard platform in our new factory. Automation included ribbon thickness control and laser cutting of String Ribbon strips. Characterization of Evergreen's String Ribbon silicon was done with extensive help from the NREL laboratories, and this work provided a foundation for higher efficiency cells in the future. Advances in cell manufacturing included the development of high-speed printing and drying methods for Evergreen's unique cell making method and the design and building of a completely automated cell line from the beginning of front-contact application to the final tabbing of the cells. A so-called no-etch process whereby substrates from crystal growth go directly into p-n junction formation and emerge from this sequence without needing to go in and out of plastic carriers for any wet-chemical processing was developed. Process development as well as automation were brought to bear on improvements in soldering technology and cell interconnection in general. Using state-of-the-art manufacturing science, the Fraunhofer USA Center for Manufacturing Innovation at Boston University facilitated layout and process flow for the operation of our new factory. Evergreen Solar's new factory began operations in the second quarter of 2001. A good measure of the significant impact of this PVMaT subcontract is that virtually all of the manufacturing developments stemming from this project have been incorporated in this new factory

The ternary system nickel-boron-silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lugscheider, E.; Reimann, H.; Knotek, O.

1975-01-01

The ternary system Nickel-Boron-Silicon was established at 850 0 C by means of X-ray diffraction, metallographic and micro-hardness examinations. The well known binary nickel borides and silicides resp. were confirmed. In the boron-silicon system two binary phases, SiBsub(4-x) with x approximately 0.7 and SiB 6 were found the latter in equilibrium with the β-rhombohedral boron. Confirming the two ternary silicon borides a greater homogeneity range was found for Ni 6 Si 2 B, the phase Nisub(4,6)Si 2 B published by Uraz and Rundqvist can better be described by the formula Nisub(4.29)Si 2 Bsub(1.43). In relation to further investigations we measured melting temperatures in ternary Ni-10 B-Si alloys by differential thermoanalysis. (author)

Nonlinear Silicon Photonic Signal Processing Devices for Future Optical Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cosimo Lacava

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present a review on silicon-based nonlinear devices for all optical nonlinear processing of complex telecommunication signals. We discuss some recent developments achieved by our research group, through extensive collaborations with academic partners across Europe, on optical signal processing using silicon-germanium and amorphous silicon based waveguides as well as novel materials such as silicon rich silicon nitride and tantalum pentoxide. We review the performance of four wave mixing wavelength conversion applied on complex signals such as Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK, Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK, 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM and 64-QAM that dramatically enhance the telecom signal spectral efficiency, paving the way to next generation terabit all-optical networks.

Photovoltaic Subcontract Program, FY 1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-03-01

This report summarizes the fiscal year (FY) 1991 (October 1, 1990, through September 30, 1991) progress of the subcontracted photovoltaic (PV) research and development (R D) performed under the Photovoltaic Advanced Research and Development Project at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) -- formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). The mission of the national PV program is to develop PV technology for large-scale generation of economically competitive electric power in the United States. The technical sections of the report cover the main areas of the subcontract program: the Amorphous Silicon Research Project, Polycrystalline Thin Films, Crystalline Silicon Materials Research, High-Efficiency Concepts, the New Ideas Program, the University Participation Program, and the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) project. Technical summaries of each of the subcontracted programs provide a discussion of approaches, major accomplishments in FY 1991, and future research directions.

Photovoltaic Subcontract Program, FY 1991. Annual report, [October 1, 1990--September 30, 1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-03-01

This report summarizes the fiscal year (FY) 1991 (October 1, 1990, through September 30, 1991) progress of the subcontracted photovoltaic (PV) research and development (R&D) performed under the Photovoltaic Advanced Research and Development Project at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) -- formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). The mission of the national PV program is to develop PV technology for large-scale generation of economically competitive electric power in the United States. The technical sections of the report cover the main areas of the subcontract program: the Amorphous Silicon Research Project, Polycrystalline Thin Films, Crystalline Silicon Materials Research, High-Efficiency Concepts, the New Ideas Program, the University Participation Program, and the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) project. Technical summaries of each of the subcontracted programs provide a discussion of approaches, major accomplishments in FY 1991, and future research directions.

Annual Report: Photovoltaic Subcontract Program FY 1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Summers, K. A. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

1992-03-01

This report summarizes the fiscal year (FY) 1991 (October 1, 1990, through September 30, 1991) progress of the subcontracted photovoltaic (PV) research and development (R&D) performed under the Photovoltaic Advanced Research and Development Project at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)-formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). The mission of the national PV program is to develop PV technology for large-scale generation of economically competitive electric power in the United States. The technical sections of the report cover the main areas of the subcontract program: the Amorphous Silicon Research Project, Polycrystalline Thin Films, Crystalline Silicon Materials Research, High Efficiency Concepts, the New Ideas Program, the University Participation Program, and the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) project. Technical summaries of each of the subcontracted programs provide a discussion of approaches, major accomplishments in FY 1991, and future research directions.

Compressive deformation of liquid phase-sintered porous silicon carbide ceramics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taro Shimonosono

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Porous silicon carbide ceramics were fabricated by liquid phase sintering with 1 wt% Al2O3–1 wt% Y2O3 additives during hot-pressing at 1400–1900 °C. The longitudinal strain at compressive fracture increased at a higher porosity and was larger than the lateral strain. The compressive Young's modulus and the strain at fracture depended on the measured direction, and increased with the decreased specific surface area due to the formation of grain boundary. However, the compressive strength and the fracture energy were not sensitive to the measured direction. The compressive strength of a porous SiC compact increased with increasing grain boundary area. According to the theoretical modeling of the strength–grain boundary area relation, it is interpreted that the grain boundary of a porous SiC compact is fractured by shear deformation rather than by compressive deformation.

Solid phase epitaxy of amorphous silicon carbide: Ion fluence dependence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, I.-T.; Ishimaru, Manabu; Hirotsu, Yoshihiko; Sickafus, Kurt E.

2004-01-01

We have investigated the effect of radiation damage and impurity concentration on solid phase epitaxial growth of amorphous silicon carbide (SiC) as well as microstructures of recrystallized layer using transmission electron microscopy. Single crystals of 6H-SiC with (0001) orientation were irradiated with 150 keV Xe ions to fluences of 10 15 and 10 16 /cm 2 , followed by annealing at 890 deg. C. Full epitaxial recrystallization took place in a specimen implanted with 10 15 Xe ions, while retardation of recrystallization was observed in a specimen implanted with 10 16 /cm 2 Xe ions. Atomic pair-distribution function analyses and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy results suggested that the retardation of recrystallization of the 10 16 Xe/cm 2 implanted sample is attributed to the difference in amorphous structures between the 10 15 and 10 16 Xe/cm 2 implanted samples, i.e., more chemically disordered atomistic structure and higher Xe impurity concentration in the 10 16 Xe/cm 2 implanted sample

Alternative glues for the production of ATLAS silicon strip modules for the Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS Inner Detector

CERN Document Server

INSPIRE-00407830; Bloch, Ingo; Edwards, Sam; Friedrich, Conrad; Gregor, Ingrid M.; Jones, T; Lacker, Heiko; Pyatt, Simon; Rehnisch, Laura; Sperlich, Dennis; Wilson, John

2016-05-24

The Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS detector for the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) includes the replacement of the current Inner Detector with an all-silicon tracker consisting of pixel and strip detectors. The current Phase-II detector layout requires the construction of 20,000 strip detector modules consisting of sensor, circuit boards and readout chips, which are connected mechanically using adhesives. The adhesive between readout chips and circuit board is a silver epoxy glue as was used in the current ATLAS SemiConductor Tracker (SCT). This glue has several disadvantages, which motivated the search for an alternative. This paper presents a study concerning the use of six ultra-violet (UV) cure glues and a glue pad for use in the assembly of silicon strip detector modules for the ATLAS upgrade. Trials were carried out to determine the ease of use, the thermal conduction and shear strength, thermal cycling, radiation hardness, corrosion resistance and shear strength tests. These investigatio...

The potential for the fabrication of wires embedded in the crystalline silicon substrate using the solid phase segregation of gold in crystallising amorphous volumes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, A.C.Y.; McCallum, J.C.

2004-01-01

The refinement of gold in crystallising amorphous silicon volumes was tested as a means of creating a conducting element embedded in the crystalline matrix. Amorphous silicon volumes were created by self-ion-implantation through a mask. Five hundred kiloelectronvolt Au + was then implanted into the volumes. The amorphous volumes were crystallised on a hot stage in air, and the crystallisation was characterised using cross sectional transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the amorphous silicon volumes crystallised via solid phase epitaxy at all the lateral and vertical interfaces. The interplay of the effects of the gold and also the hydrogen that infilitrated from the surface oxide resulted in a plug of amorphous material at the surface. Further annealing at this temperature demonstrated that the gold, once it had reached a certain critical concentration nucleated poly-crystalline growth instead of solid phase epitaxy. Time resolved reflectivity and Rutherford backscattering and channeling measurements were performed on large area samples that had been subject to the same implantation regime to investigate this system further. It was discovered that the crystallisation dynamics and zone refinement of the gold were complicated functions of both gold concentration and temperature. These findings do not encourage the use of this method to obtain conducting elements embedded in the crystalline silicon substrate

Alternative glues for the production of ATLAS silicon strip modules for the Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS Inner Detector

OpenAIRE

Poley, Luise; Bloch, Ingo; Edwards, Sam; Friedrich, Conrad; Gregor, Ingrid-Maria; Jones, Tim; Lacker, Heiko; Pyatt, Simon; Rehnisch, Laura; Sperlich, Dennis; Wilson, John

2015-01-01

The Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS detector for the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) includes the replacement of the current Inner Detector with an all-silicon tracker consisting of pixel and strip detectors. The current Phase-II detector layout requires the construction of 20,000 strip detector modules consisting of sensor, circuit boards and readout chips, which are connected mechanically using adhesives. The adhesive between readout chips and circuit board is a silver epoxy gl...

Heterogeneous Silicon Photonics OFDR Sensing System, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Luna will team with Dr. John Bowers of UCSB to develop an Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) system-on-chip using heterogeneous silicon photonics to...

Preparation of aluminum nitride-silicon carbide nanocomposite powder by the nitridation of aluminum silicon carbide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Itatani, K.; Tsukamoto, R.; Delsing, A.C.A.; Hintzen, H.T.J.M.; Okada, I.

2002-01-01

Aluminum nitride (AlN)-silicon carbide (SiC) nanocomposite powders were prepared by the nitridation of aluminum-silicon carbide (Al4SiC4) with the specific surface area of 15.5 m2·g-1. The powders nitrided at and above 1400°C for 3 h contained the 2H-phases which consisted of AlN-rich and SiC-rich

Benefits from the U.S. photovoltaic manufacturing technology project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitchell, R.L.; Witt, C.E.; Thomas, H.P. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)] [and others

1996-05-01

This paper examines the goals of the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) project and its achievements in recapturing the investment by the photovoltaic (PV) industry and the public in this research. The PVMaT project was initiated in 1990 with the goal of enhancing the world-wide competitiveness of the U.S. PV industry. Based on the authors analysis, PVMaT has contributed to PV module manufacturing process improvements, increased product value, and reductions in the price of today`s PV products. An evaluation of success in this project was conducted using data collected from 10 of the PVMaT industrial participants in late fiscal year (FY) 1995. These data indicate a reduction of 56% in the weighted average module manufacturing costs from 1992 to 1996. During this same period, U.S. module manufacturing capacity has increased by more than a factor of 6. Finally, the analysis indicates that both the public and the manufacturers will recapture the funds expended in R&D manufacturing improvements well before the year 2000.

Increasing the deposition rate of microcrystalline and amorphous silicon thin films for photovoltaic applications - Phase IV: 1997-1999

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

This report on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) describes Phase IV of the project to test the feasibility and usefulness of Very High Frequency (VHF) plasma operation in large-area reactors suitable for the production of solar cell panels using thinly-deposited micro-crystalline silicon films. The report discusses the results of fast-deposition tests and trials using high-current DC arcs and VHF techniques to obtain deposition rates and film quality suitable for industrial processes for the production of thin-film solar cell panels. The effects of alternative plasma chemistry were also studied by adding silicon tetrafluoride to the standard silane/hydrogen mixtures. The report is concluded with calculations for optimum radio-frequency (RF) contact configuration for large area reactors with 1 m{sup 2} electrodes.

Phase Transformation Behavior of Medium Manganese Steels with 3 Wt Pct Aluminum and 3 Wt Pct Silicon During Intercritical Annealing

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Binhan; Fazeli, Fateh; Scott, Colin; Yue, Stephen

2016-10-01

Medium manganese steels alloyed with sufficient aluminum and silicon amounts contain high fractions of retained austenite adjustable to various transformation-induced plasticity/twinning-induced plasticity effects, in addition to a reduced density suitable for lightweight vehicle body-in-white assemblies. Two hot rolled medium manganese steels containing 3 wt pct aluminum and 3 wt pct silicon were subjected to different annealing treatments in the present study. The evolution of the microstructure in terms of austenite transformation upon reheating and the subsequent austenite decomposition during quenching was investigated. Manganese content of the steels prevailed the microstructural response. The microstructure of the leaner alloy with 7 wt pct Mn (7Mn) was substantially influenced by the annealing temperature, including the variation of phase constituents, the morphology and composition of intercritical austenite, the Ms temperature and the retained austenite fraction. In contrast, the richer variant 10 wt pct Mn steel (10Mn) exhibited a substantially stable ferrite-austenite duplex phase microstructure containing a fixed amount of retained austenite which was found to be independent of the variations of intercritical annealing temperature. Austenite formation from hot band ferrite-pearlite/bainite mixtures was very rapid during annealing at 1273 K (1000 °C), regardless of Mn contents. Austenite growth was believed to be controlled at early stages by carbon diffusion following pearlite/bainite dissolution. The redistribution of Mn in ferrite and particularly in austenite at later stages was too subtle to result in a measureable change in austenite fraction. Further, the hot band microstructure of both steels contained a large fraction of coarse-grained δ-ferrite, which remained almost unchanged during intercritical annealing. A recently developed thermodynamic database was evaluated using the experimental data. The new database achieved a better agreement

Effect of Liquid Phase Content on Thermal Conductivity of Hot-Pressed Silicon Carbide Ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Kwang-Young; Jang, Hun; Lee, Seung-Jae; Kim, Young-Wook

2015-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising material for Particle-Based Accident Tolerant (PBAT) fuel, fission, and fusion power applications due to its superior physical and thermal properties such as low specific mass, low neutron cross section, excellent radiation stability, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and high thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity of PBAT fuel is one of very important factors for plant safety and energy efficiency of nuclear reactors. In the present work, the effect of Y 2 O 3 -Sc 2 O 3 content on the microstructure and thermal properties of the hot pressed SiC ceramics have been investigated. Suppressing the β to α phase transformation of SiC ceramics is beneficial in increasing the thermal conductivity of liquid-phase sintered SiC ceramics. Developed SiC ceramics with Y 2 O 3 -Sc 2 O 3 additives are very useful for thermal conductivity on matrix material of the PBAT fuel

Superconductivity in heavily boron-doped silicon carbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Markus Kriener, Takahiro Muranaka, Junya Kato, Zhi-An Ren, Jun Akimitsu and Yoshiteru Maeno

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The discoveries of superconductivity in heavily boron-doped diamond in 2004 and silicon in 2006 have renewed the interest in the superconducting state of semiconductors. Charge-carrier doping of wide-gap semiconductors leads to a metallic phase from which upon further doping superconductivity can emerge. Recently, we discovered superconductivity in a closely related system: heavily boron-doped silicon carbide. The sample used for that study consisted of cubic and hexagonal SiC phase fractions and hence this led to the question which of them participated in the superconductivity. Here we studied a hexagonal SiC sample, free from cubic SiC phase by means of x-ray diffraction, resistivity, and ac susceptibility.

Silicon Carbide Corrugated Mirrors for Space Telescopes, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Trex Enterprises Corporation (Trex) proposes technology development to manufacture monolithic, lightweight silicon carbide corrugated mirrors (SCCM) suitable for...

Ultra-high-speed Optical Signal Processing using Silicon Photonics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo; Ji, Hua; Jensen, Asger Sellerup

with a photonic layer on top to interconnect them. For such systems, silicon is an attractive candidate enabling both electronic and photonic control. For some network scenarios, it may be beneficial to use optical on-chip packet switching, and for high data-density environments one may take advantage...... of the ultra-fast nonlinear response of silicon photonic waveguides. These chips offer ultra-broadband wavelength operation, ultra-high timing resolution and ultra-fast response, and when used appropriately offer energy-efficient switching. In this presentation we review some all-optical functionalities based...... on silicon photonics. In particular we use nano-engineered silicon waveguides (nanowires) [1] enabling efficient phasematched four-wave mixing (FWM), cross-phase modulation (XPM) or self-phase modulation (SPM) for ultra-high-speed optical signal processing of ultra-high bit rate serial data signals. We show...

Silicone sensing phase for detection of aromatic hydrocarbons in water employing near-infrared spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Albuquerque, Jackson S; Pimentel, M Fernanda; Silva, Valdinete L; Raimundo, Ivo M; Rohwedder, Jarbas J R; Pasquini, Celio

2005-01-01

The use of silicone for detection of aromatic hydrocarbons in water using near-infrared spectroscopy is proposed. A sensing phase of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was prepared, and a rod of this material was adapted to a transflectance probe for measurements from 850 to 1800 nm. Deionized water samples contaminated separately with known amounts of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and m-xylene were used for evaluation of the PDMS sensing phase, and measurements were made in a closed reactor with constant stirring. Equilibrium states were obtained after 90, 180, 360, and 405 min for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and m-xylene, respectively. The PDMS sensing phase showed a reversible response, presenting linear response ranges up to 360, 290, 100, and 80 mg L(-1), with detection limits of 8.0, 7.0, 2.6, and 3.0 mg L(-1) for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and m-xylene, respectively. Reference spectra obtained with different rods showed a relative standard deviation of 0.5%, indicating repeatability in the sensing phase preparation. A relative standard deviation of 6.7% was obtained for measurements performed with six different rods, using a 52 mg L(-1) toluene aqueous solution. The sensing phase was evaluated for identification of sources of contamination of water in simulated studies, employing Brazilian gasoline type A (without ethanol), gasoline type C (with 25% of anhydrous ethanol), and diesel fuel. Principal component analysis was able to classify the water in distinct groups, contaminated by gasoline A, gasoline C, or diesel fuel.

Ultra-high-speed wavelength conversion in a silicon photonic chip

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Hao; Ji, Hua; Galili, Michael

2011-01-01

We have successfully demonstrated all-optical wavelength conversion of a 640-Gbit/s line-rate return-to-zero differential phase-shift keying (RZ-DPSK) signal based on low-power four wave mixing (FWM) in a silicon photonic chip with a switching energy of only ~110 fJ/bit. The waveguide dispersion...... of the silicon nanowire is nano-engineered to optimize phase matching for FWM and the switching power used for the signal processing is low enough to reduce nonlinear absorption from twophoton- absorption (TPA). These results demonstrate that high-speed wavelength conversion is achievable in silicon chips...

Retrograde Melting and Internal Liquid Gettering in Silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hudelson, Steve; Newman, Bonna K.; Bernardis, Sarah; Fenning, David P.; Bertoni, Mariana I.; Marcus, Matthew A.; Fakra, Sirine C.; Lai, Barry; Buonassisi, Tonio

2011-07-01

Retrograde melting (melting upon cooling) is observed in silicon doped with 3d transition metals, via synchrotron-based temperature-dependent X-ray microprobe measurements. Liquid metal-silicon droplets formed via retrograde melting act as efficient sinks for metal impurities dissolved within the silicon matrix. Cooling results in decomposition of the homogeneous liquid phase into solid multiple-metal alloy precipitates. These phenomena represent a novel pathway for engineering impurities in semiconductor-based systems.

Synthesis of Si epitaxial layers from technical silicon by liquid-phase epitaxy method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibragimov, Sh.I.; Saidov, A.S.; Sapaev, B.; Horvat, M.A.

2004-01-01

Full text: For today silicon is one of the most suitable materials because it is investigated, cheap and several its parameters are even just as good as those of connections A III B V . Disintegration of the USSR has led to the must difficult position of the industry of silicon instrument manufacture because of all industry of semiconductor silicon manufacture had generally concentrated in Ukraine. The importance of semiconductor silicon is rather great, because of, in opinion of expects, the nearest decade this material will dominate over not only on microelectronics but also in the majority of basic researches. Research of obtain of semiconductor silicon, power electronics and solar conversion, is topical interest of the science. In the work research of technological conditions of obtain and measurement of parameters of epitaxial layers obtained from technical silicon + stannum is resulted. Growth of silicon epitaxial layer with suitable parameters on thickness, cleanliness uniformity and structural perfection depends on the correct choice of condition of the growth and temperature. It is shown that in this case the growth occurring without preliminary clearing of materials (mix materials and substrates) at crystallization of epitaxial layer from technical silicon is accompanied by clearing of silicon film from majority of impurities order-of-magnitude. As starting raw material technical silicon of mark Kr.3 has been taken. By means of X-ray microanalyzer 'Jeol' JSM 5910 LV - Japan the quantitative analysis from the different points has been and from the different sides and from different points has been carried out. After corresponding chemical and mechanical processing the quantitative analysis of layer on chip has been carried out. Results of the quantitative analysis are shown. More effective clearing occurs that of the impurity atoms such as Al, P, Ca, Ti and Fe. The obtained material (epitaxial layer) has the parameters: specific resistance ρ∼0.1-4.0 �

Formation of Al2O3-HfO2 Eutectic EBC Film on Silicon Carbide Substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyosuke Seya

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The formation mechanism of Al2O3-HfO2 eutectic structure, the preparation method, and the formation mechanism of the eutectic EBC layer on the silicon carbide substrate are summarized. Al2O3-HfO2 eutectic EBC film is prepared by optical zone melting method on the silicon carbide substrate. At high temperature, a small amount of silicon carbide decomposed into silicon and carbon. The components of Al2O3 and HfO2 in molten phase also react with the free carbon. The Al2O3 phase reacts with free carbon and vapor species of AlO phase is formed. The composition of the molten phase becomes HfO2 rich from the eutectic composition. HfO2 phase also reacts with the free carbon and HfC phase is formed on the silicon carbide substrate; then a high density intermediate layer is formed. The adhesion between the intermediate layer and the substrate is excellent by an anchor effect. When the solidification process finished before all of HfO2 phase is reduced to HfC phase, HfC-HfO2 functionally graded layer is formed on the silicon carbide substrate and the Al2O3-HfO2 eutectic structure grows from the top of the intermediate layer.

Position-controlled epitaxial III-V nanowires on silicon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roest, A.L.; Verheijen, M.A.; Wunnicke, O.; Serafin, S.N.; Wondergem, H.J.; Bakkers, E.P.A.M.

2006-01-01

We show the epitaxial integration of III-V semiconductor nanowires with silicon technology. The wires are grown by the VLS mechanism with laser ablation as well as metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy. The hetero-epitaxial growth of the III-V nanowires on silicon was confirmed with x-ray diffraction

Solid state synthesis of water-dispersible silicon nanoparticles from silica nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravitz, Keren; Kamyshny, Alexander; Gedanken, Aharon; Magdassi, Shlomo

2010-01-01

A solid state synthesis for obtaining nanocrystalline silicon was performed by high temperature reduction of commercial amorphous nanosilica with magnesium powder. The obtained silicon powder contains crystalline silicon phase with lattice spacings characteristic of diamond cubic structure (according to high resolution TEM), and an amorphous phase. In 29 Si CP MAS NMR a broad multicomponent peak corresponding to silicon is located at -61.28 to -69.45 ppm, i.e. between the peaks characteristic of amorphous and crystalline Si. The powder has displayed red luminescence while excited under UV illumination, due to quantum confinement within the nanocrystals. The silicon nanopowder was successfully dispersed in water containing poly(vinyl alcohol) as a stabilizing agent. The obtained dispersion was also characterized by red photoluminescence with a band maximum at 710 nm, thus enabling future functional coating applications. - Graphical abstract: High temperature reduction of amorphous nanosilica with magnesium powder results in the formation of powder containing crystalline silicon phase The powder displays red luminescence while excited under UV illumination, due to quantum confinement within the Si nanocrystals, and can be successfully dispersed in water containing poly(vinyl alcohol) as a stabilizing agent. The obtained dispersion was also characterized by red photoluminescence, thus enabling future functional coating applications.

Crystalline silicon films sputtered on molybdenum A study of the silicon-molybdenum interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinig, P.; Fenske, F.; Fuhs, W.; Schoepke, A.; Selle, B

2003-04-15

Polycrystalline silicon films were grown on molybdenum (Mo)-coated substrates at high deposition rate using the pulsed magnetron sputtering technique. Our study investigates the silicon-molybdenum interface of these films to elucidate stimulating mechanisms for an ordered crystalline silicon thin film growth. Both Auger electron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering reveal that at a substrate temperature as low as T{sub S}=450 deg. C during the deposition process intermixing of Si and Mo at the Si-Mo interface takes place leading to a compositional ratio Mo:Si of about 1:2. By Raman spectroscopy hexagonal {beta}-MoSi{sub 2} could be identified as the dominant phase in this intermixed region. The dependence of the resulting thickness of the reacted interface layer on the deposition conditions is not fully understood yet.

Crystalline silicon films sputtered on molybdenum A study of the silicon-molybdenum interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinig, P.; Fenske, F.; Fuhs, W.; Schoepke, A.; Selle, B.

2003-01-01

Polycrystalline silicon films were grown on molybdenum (Mo)-coated substrates at high deposition rate using the pulsed magnetron sputtering technique. Our study investigates the silicon-molybdenum interface of these films to elucidate stimulating mechanisms for an ordered crystalline silicon thin film growth. Both Auger electron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering reveal that at a substrate temperature as low as T S =450 deg. C during the deposition process intermixing of Si and Mo at the Si-Mo interface takes place leading to a compositional ratio Mo:Si of about 1:2. By Raman spectroscopy hexagonal β-MoSi 2 could be identified as the dominant phase in this intermixed region. The dependence of the resulting thickness of the reacted interface layer on the deposition conditions is not fully understood yet

A study on the development of silicon carbide materials for nuclear application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, Dong Yeon; Kim, Chan Jung; Lee, Jae Choon; Kim, Joon Hyung; Lim, Kyung Soo; Kim, Ki Baik

1987-12-01

Silicon carbide was synthesized by reaction sintering process from carbon and silicon powders as starting materials. The effects of two processing parameters, i.e., heat treatment time and temperature, were examined (to characterize the reaction sintering process) in terms of the degree of reaction and phase developed during heat treatment. The final products after reaction of silicon and carbon powders were identified as β-SiC having ZnS crystal structure. Sintering of cordierite ceramics which was used as an high temperature inorganic binder to fabricate ceramically bound silicon carbide, and phase identification of the sintered ceramics by X-ray powder diffraction techniques. (Author)

Short-coherence in-line phase-shifting infrared digital holographic microscopy for measurement of internal structure in silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Xi, Teli; Dou, Jiazhen; Di, Jianglei; Li, Ying; Zhang, Jiwei; Ma, Chaojie; Zhao, Jianlin

2017-06-01

Short-coherence in-line phase-shifting digital holographic microscopy based on Michelson interferometer is proposed to measure internal structure in silicon. In the configuration, a short-coherence infrared laser is used as the light source in order to avoid the interference formed by the reference wave and the reflected wave from the front surface of specimen. At the same time, in-line phase-shifting configuration is introduced to overcome the problem of poor resolution and large pixel size of the infrared camera and improve the space bandwidth product of the system. A specimen with staircase structure is measured by using the proposed configuration and the 3D shape distribution are given to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the method.

Robust Environmental Barrier Coatings for Silicon Nitride, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Silicon based ceramics are the leading candidates for the high temperature structural components of the advanced propulsion engines. For such applications, one key...

Trends in heteroepitaxy of III-Vs on silicon for photonic and photovoltaic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lourdudoss, Sebastian; Junesand, Carl; Kataria, Himanshu; Metaferia, Wondwosen; Omanakuttan, Giriprasanth; Sun, Yan-Ting; Wang, Zhechao; Olsson, Fredrik

2017-02-01

We present and compare the existing methods of heteroepitaxy of III-Vs on silicon and their trends. We focus on the epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELOG) method as a means of achieving good quality III-Vs on silicon. Initially conducted primarily by near-equilibrium epitaxial methods such as liquid phase epitaxy and hydride vapour phase epitaxy, nowadays ELOG is being carried out even by non-equilibrium methods such as metal organic vapour phase epitaxy. In the ELOG method, the intermediate defective seed and the mask layers still exist between the laterally grown purer III-V layer and silicon. In a modified ELOG method called corrugated epitaxial lateral overgrowth (CELOG) method, it is possible to obtain direct interface between the III-V layer and silicon. In this presentation we exemplify some recent results obtained by these techniques. We assess the potentials of these methods along with the other existing methods for realizing truly monolithic photonic integration on silicon and III-V/Si heterojunction solar cells.

Silicon Nanocrystal Synthesis in Microplasma Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Nozaki, Tomohiro; Sasaki, Kenji; Ogino, Tomohisa; Asahi, Daisuke; Okazaki, Ken

Nanocrystalline silicon particles with grains smaller than 5 nm are widely recognized as a key material in optoelectronic devices, lithium battery electrodes, and bio-medical labels. Another important characteristic is that silicon is an environmentally safe material that is used in numerous silicon technologies. To date, several synthesis methods such as sputtering, laser ablation, and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) based on low-pressure silane chemistry (SiH4) have been developed for precise control of size and density distributions of silicon nanocrystals. In this study, we explore the possibility of microplasma technologies for efficient production of mono-dispersed nanocrystalline silicon particles on a micrometer-scale, continuous-flow plasma reactor operated at atmospheric pressure. Mixtures of argon, hydrogen, and silicon tetrachloride were activated using a very-high-frequency (144 MHz) power source in a capillary glass tube with volume of less than 1 μl. Fundamental plasma parameters of the microplasma were characterized using optical emission spectroscopy, which respectively indicated electron density of 1015 cm-3, argon excitation temperature of 5000 K, and rotational temperature of 1500 K. Such high-density non-thermal reactive plasma can decompose silicon tetrachloride into atomic silicon to produce supersaturated silicon vapor, followed by gas-phase nucleation via three-body collision: particle synthesis in high-density plasma media is beneficial for promoting nucleation processes. In addition, further growth of silicon nuclei can be terminated in a short-residence-time reactor. Micro-Raman scattering spectra showed that as-deposited particles are mostly amorphous silicon with a small fraction of silicon nanocrystals. Transmission electron micrography confirmed individual 3-15 nm silicon nanocrystals. Although particles were not mono-dispersed, they were well separated and not coagulated.

160 Gbit/s optical packet switching using a silicon chip

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Hao; Ji, Hua; Galili, Michael

2012-01-01

We have successfully demonstrated 160 Gbit/s all-optical packet switching based on cross-phase modulation using a silicon chip. Error free performance is achieved for the 4-to-1 switched 160 Gbit/s packet.......We have successfully demonstrated 160 Gbit/s all-optical packet switching based on cross-phase modulation using a silicon chip. Error free performance is achieved for the 4-to-1 switched 160 Gbit/s packet....

Extreme-Environment Silicon-Carbide (SiC) Wireless Sensor Suite

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jie

2015-01-01

Phase II objectives: Develop an integrated silicon-carbide wireless sensor suite capable of in situ measurements of critical characteristics of NTP engine; Compose silicon-carbide wireless sensor suite of: Extreme-environment sensors center, Dedicated high-temperature (450 deg C) silicon-carbide electronics that provide power and signal conditioning capabilities as well as radio frequency modulation and wireless data transmission capabilities center, An onboard energy harvesting system as a power source.

Structure and mechanical properties of the irradiated silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalanov, M.U.; Khamraeva, R.N.; Ummatov, Kh.D.; Khajdarov, T.Kh.; Rustamova, V.M.

2001-01-01

In this work the results of study for radiation influence on phase content and mechanical properties of mono- and polycrystalline silicon are presented. Samples were irradiated at room temperature for 10 hours by X-quanta with mean energy 35 keV. Structural measurements were carried out on the DRON-UM1 with CuK α =1.542 Angstrom. Crystal internal friction was measurement by the ultrasonic resonance method at frequency 39 k Hz. Structure examinations show the impurity phase presence in the crystalline quartz form in the initial silicon mono- and polycrystals

All-Optical Signal Processing using Silicon Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo; Pu, Minhao; Ding, Yunhong

2014-01-01

This paper presents an overview of recent wo rk on the use of silicon waveguides for processing optical data signals. We will describe ultra-fast, ultra-broadband, polarisation-insensitive and phase-sensitive applications including processing of spectrally-efficient data formats and optical phase...

Silicon Nano-Photonic Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pu, Minhao

with the couplers, a silicon ridge waveguide is utilized in nonlinear all-optical signal processing for optical time division multiplexing (OTDM) systems. Record ultra-highspeed error-free optical demultiplexing and waveform sampling are realized and demonstrated for the rst time. Microwave phase shifters and notch...... lters based on tunable microring resonators are proposed and analyzed. Based on a single microring resonator, a maximum radio frequency (RF) phase shift of 336degrees is obtained, but with large power variation. By utilizing a dual-microring resonator, a RF phase shifting range larger than 2pi...

Photocatalysis of methylene blue contaminated water using titania fiber doped with silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ugarteche, C.V.; Alves, A.K.; Berutti, F.A.; Bergmann, C.P.

2009-01-01

In this work, titania fibers doped with silicon were synthesized by electro spinning methodology, using titanium propoxide, silicon tetra propoxide and a solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone as precursors. The non-tissue material obtained was characterized by X-ray diffraction to determine the phase and crystallite size, BET method to determine the surface and SEM to analyze the microstructure of the fibers. The photo catalytic activity of the fibers in comparison with the standard TiO 2 Degussa P25 was evaluated using a 20ppm methylene blue solution. The composition containing 30% of silicon kept the anatase phase stable until the heat treatment temperature of 800 deg C. In the other compositions there was a formation of the rutile phase, which is less photoactive. The compositions containing silicon were photo catalytic efficient and some of them were more active that the standard P25. (author)

Thermodynamic Properties of Alloys of Iron and Silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vecher, R.A.; Gejderih, V.A.; Gerasimov, Ja.I.

1966-01-01

The Fe-Si phase diagram is complex. At 1000°K there are FeSi 2 (β) and FeSi phases and solid solutions of silicon in α and α' iron. EMF measurements were made on the electrochemical cells: Fe|Fe 2+ , KI + Nal|Fe-Si at 600-800°C molten The alloys were prepared from particularly pure components by powder metallurgy and protracted annealing. Studies were made of ten alloys with silicon content between 85 and 4% in all the phase fields in the diagram section at 1000°K. We calculated the integral thermodynamic quantities ΔG, ΔH and ΔS for the formation of the silicides FeSi 2 (β), FeSi and Fe 3 Si at the mean temperature for the experimental range (1000°K), and also (using the thermal capacity of the silicides, the iron and the silicon) at 298, 1188 and 1798°K. The heats of formation of the silicides mentioned at 298°K (kcal/mole) are -19.4, -17.6 and -22.4 respectively. The data existing in the literature enable us to calculate the heat of formation of FeSi 2.33 (α-leboite) at 298°K and this is found to be -14.4 kcal/mole. The heats calculated by us are 1.5-3 kcal higher than the experimental values of Corber and Olsen. The heats of mixing calculated by us for liquid alloys agree well with data in the literature. The data obtained can be regarded as due to the change in the character of the bond in silicides from metallic to covalent when the silicon content is increased. From the data for alloy solutions of silicon in a-iron, the iron activities were calculated. It was found that the α ⇌ α' transformation observed is a real phase transformation. The two-phase range is wider than shown in the phase diagram (from data in the literature). Conversion of the iron activities in solid solution to liquid solution gives good agreement with the data of Chipman. (author) [fr

Microelectromechanical pump utilizing porous silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Lantz, Jeffrey W [Albuquerque, NM; Stalford, Harold L [Norman, OK

2011-07-19

A microelectromechanical (MEM) pump is disclosed which includes a porous silicon region sandwiched between an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. The porous silicon region is formed in a silicon substrate and contains a number of pores extending between the inlet and outlet chambers, with each pore having a cross-section dimension about equal to or smaller than a mean free path of a gas being pumped. A thermal gradient is provided along the length of each pore by a heat source which can be an electrical resistance heater or an integrated circuit (IC). A channel can be formed through the silicon substrate so that inlet and outlet ports can be formed on the same side of the substrate, or so that multiple MEM pumps can be connected in series to form a multi-stage MEM pump. The MEM pump has applications for use in gas-phase MEM chemical analysis systems, and can also be used for passive cooling of ICs.

UV laser incorporation of dopants in silicon: comparison of two processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fogarassy, E.P.; Narayan, J.; Lowndes, D.H.; White, C.H.

1985-01-01

The rapid deposition of pulsed-laser energy into the near-surface region of silicon leads to melting of crystal, followed by liquid phase epitaxial regrowth from the underlying substrate at a growth velocity of several meters per second. During rapid solidification, implanted or deposited group III and V impurities can be incorporated into substitutional sites in the silicon lattice with concentrations far in excess of their equilibrium solubility limit. The authors have investigated and compared the incorporation of implanted or deposited antimony into the silicon lattice during laser annealing with a pulsed KrF UV laser (lambda = 0.249 μm, Z = 35 ns). The surface melting dynamics resulting from laser irradiation have been studied by time-resolved reflectivity. In the two cases, the sharp transition to the high reflectivity phase (R = 72%, at lambda = 0.633 μm of the HeNe laser probe) is characteristic of molten silicon. Surface melt durations measured on implanted Sb (150 KeV, 5 x 10 16 cm -2 ) and deposited Sb (80 A thick on crystalline silicon) are significantly larger than those for virgin silicon

Characterization of nanostructured CuO-porous silicon matrixformed on copper coated silicon substrate via electrochemical etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naddaf, M.; Mrad, O.; Al-Zier, A.

2015-01-01

A pulsed anodic etching method has been utilized for nanostructuring of a copper-coated p-type (100) silicon substrate, using HF-based solution as electrolyte. Scanning electron microscopy reveals the formation of a nanostructured matrix that consists of island-like textures with nanosize grains grown onto fiber-like columnar structures separated with etch pits of grooved porous structures. Spatial micro-Raman scattering analysis indicates that the island-like texture is composed of single-phase cupric oxide (CuO) nanocrystals, while the grooved porous structure is barely related to formation of porous silicon (PS). X-ray diffraction shows that both the grown CuO nanostructures and the etched silicon layer have the same preferred (220) orientation. Chemical composition obtained by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis confirms the presence of the single-phase CuO on the surface of the patterned CuO-PS matrix. As compared to PS formed on the bare silicon substrate, the room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) from the CuO-PS matrix exhibits an additional weak (blue) PL band as well as a blue shift in the PL band of PS (S-band). This has been revealed from XPS analysis to be associated with the enhancement in the SiO2 content as well as formation of the carbonyl group on the surface in the case of the CuO-PS matrix.(author)

Study of a macrodefect in a silicon carbid single crystal by means of X-ray phase contrast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Argunova, T. S., E-mail: argunova2002@mail.ru [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Institute (Russian Federation); Kohn, V. G. [National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute” (Russian Federation); Lim, J. H. [Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (Korea, Republic of); Je, J. H. [Pohang University of Science and Technology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-15

The morphology of a macrodefect in a single-crystal silicon carbide wafer has been investigated by the computer simulation of an experimental X-ray phase-contrast image. A micropipe, i.e., a long cavity with a small (elliptical in the general case) cross section, in a single crystal has been considered as a macrodefect. A far-field image of micropipe has been measured with the aid of synchrotron radiation without a monochromator. The parameters of micropipe elliptical cross section are determined based on one projection in two directions: parallel and perpendicular to the X-ray beam propagation direction, when scanning along the pipe axis. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the phase contrast method supplemented with computer simulation for studying such macrodefects when the defect position in the sample volume is unknown beforehand.

Oxygen measurements in thin ribbon silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyland, S L; Ast, D G; Baghdadi, A

1987-03-01

The oxygen content of thin silicon ribbons grown by the dendritic web technique was measured using a modification of the ASTM method based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Web silicon was found to have a high oxygen content, ranging from 13 to 19 ppma, calculated from the absorption peak associated with interstitial oxygen and using the new ASTM conversion coefficient. The oxygen concentration changed by about 10% along the growth direction of the ribbon. In some samples, a shoulder was detected on the absorption peak. A similar shoulder in Czochralski grown material has been variously interpreted in the literature as due to a complex of silicon, oxygen, and vacancies, or to a phase of SiO/sub 2/ developed along dislocations in the material. In the case of web silicon, it is not clear which is the correct interpretation.

Solid phase crystallized polycrystalline thin-films on glass from evaporated silicon for photovoltaic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Dengyuan; Inns, Daniel; Straub, Axel; Terry, Mason L.; Campbell, Patrick; Aberle, Armin G.

2006-01-01

Polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin-films are made on planar and textured glass substrates by solid phase crystallization (SPC) of in situ doped amorphous silicon (a-Si) deposited by electron-beam evaporation. These materials are referred to by us as EVA materials (SPC of evaporated a-Si). The properties of EVA poly-Si films are characterised by Raman microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. A narrow and symmetrical Raman peak at a wave number of about 520 cm -1 is observed for all samples, showing that the films are fully crystallized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals that the films are preferentially (111)-oriented. Furthermore, the full width at half maximum of the dominant (111) XRD peaks indicates that the structural quality of the films is affected by the a-Si deposition temperature and the surface morphology of the glass substrates. A-Si deposition at 200 instead of 400 deg. C leads to an enhanced poly-Si grain size. On textured glass, the addition of a SiN barrier layer between the glass and the Si improves the poly-Si material quality. No such effect occurs on planar glass. Mesa-type solar cells are made from these EVA films on planar and textured glass. A strong correlation between the cells' current-voltage characteristics and their crystalline material quality is observed

Mechanisms and characteristics of silicon combustion in nitrogen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mukasian, A.S.; Martynenko, V.M.; Merzhanov, A.G.; Borovinskaia, I.P.; Blinov, M.IU.

1986-10-01

An experimental study is made of the principal characteristics of combustion in the system silicon-nitrogen associated with phase transitions of the first kind (silicon melting and silicon nitride dissociation). Concepts of the combustion mechanism are developed on the basis of elementary models of combustion of the second kind and filtering combustion theory. In particular, it is shown that, in the pressure range studied (10-20 MPa), filtering does not limit the combustion process. Details of the experimental procedure and results are presented. 22 references.

Position-controlled epitaxial III-V nanowires on silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2006-06-14

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

Position-controlled epitaxial III-V nanowires on silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2006-01-01

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

Annual Report: Photovoltaic Subcontract Program FY 1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Summers, K. A. [Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (United States)

1991-03-01

This report summarizes the progress of the Photovoltaic (PV) Subcontract Program of the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) from October 1, 1989 through September 30, 1990. The PV Subcontract Program is responsible for managing the subcontracted portion of SERI's PV Advanced Research and Development Project. In fiscal year 1990, this included more than 54 subcontracts with a total annualized funding of approximately $11.9 million. Approximately two-thirds of the subcontracts were with universities at a total funding of nearly $3.3 million. The six technical sections of the report cover the main areas of the subcontract program: the Amorphous Silicon Research Project, Polycrystalline Thin Films, Crystalline Silicon Materials Research, High-Efficiency Concepts, the New Ideas Program, and the University Participation Program. Technical summaries of each of the subcontracted programs provide a discussion of approaches, major accomplishments in FY 1990, and future research directions. Another section introduces the PVMaT project and reports on its progress.

Optoelectronic Device Integration in Silicon (OpSIS)

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-26

silicon-on-insulator," Opt. Express 22, 17872-17879 (2014) Y. Yang, C. Galland, Y. Liu, K. Tan , R. Ding, Q. Li, K. Bergman, T. Baehr-Jones, M...Jaeger, Nicolas AF; Chrostowski, Lukas; “Electrically tunable resonant filters in phase-shifted contra- directional couplers” IEEE Group IV Photonics... Nicolas AF; Chrostowski, Lukas; “Silicon photonic grating-assisted, contra-directional couplers” Optics express Vol. 21, No. 3; 3633-3650 (2013

ATLAS Tracker Upgrade: Silicon Strip Detectors for the sLHC

CERN Document Server

Koehler, M; The ATLAS collaboration

2010-01-01

To extend the physics potential of the Large Hadron Colider (LHC) at CERN, upgrades of the accelerator complex and the detectors towards the Super-LHC (sLHC) are foreseen. The upgrades, separated in Phase-1 and Phase-2, aim at increasing the luminosity while leaving the energy of the colliding particles (7 TeV per proton beam) unchanged. After the Phase-2 upgrade the instantaneous luminosity will be a factor of 5-10 higher than the design luminosity of the LHC. Due to the increased track rate and extreme radiation levels for the tracking detectors, upgrades of the detectors are necessary. At ATLAS, one of the two general purpose detectors at the LHC, the current inner detector will be replaced by an all-silicon tracker. This article describes the plans for the Phase-2 upgrade of the silicon strip detector of ATLAS. Radiation hard n-in-p silicon detectors with shorter strips than currently installed in ATLAS are planned. Results of measurements with these sensors and plans for module designs will be discussed.

Porous-shaped silicon carbide ultraviolet photodetectors on porous silicon substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naderi, N., E-mail: naderi.phd@gmail.com [Nano-Optoelectronics Research Laboratory, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang (Malaysia); Hashim, M.R. [Nano-Optoelectronics Research Laboratory, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang (Malaysia)

2013-03-05

Highlights: ► Porous-shaped silicon carbide thin film was deposited on porous silicon substrate. ► Thermal annealing was followed to enhance the physical properties of samples. ► Metal–semiconductor-metal ultraviolet detectors were fabricated on samples. ► The effect of annealing temperature on electrical performance of devices was studied. ► The efficiency of photodetectors was enhanced by annealing at elevated temperatures. -- Abstract: A metal–semiconductor-metal (MSM) ultraviolet photodetector was fabricated based on a porous-shaped structure of silicon carbide (SiC). For increasing the surface roughness of SiC and hence enhancing the light absorption effect in fabricated devices, porous silicon (PS) was chosen as a template; SiC was deposited on PS substrates via radio frequency magnetron sputtering. Therefore, the deposited layers followed the structural pattern of PS skeleton and formed a porous-shaped SiC layer on PS substrate. The structural properties of samples showed that the as-deposited SiC was amorphous. Thus, a post-deposition annealing process with elevated temperatures was required to convert its amorphous phase to crystalline phase. The morphology of the sputtered samples was examined via scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. The grain size and roughness of the deposited layers clearly increased upon an increase in the annealing temperature. The optical properties of sputtered SiC were enhanced due to applying high temperatures. The most intense photoluminescence peak was observed for the sample with 1200 °C of annealing temperature. For the metallization of the SiC substrates to fabricate MSM photodetectors, two interdigitated Schottky contacts of Ni with four fingers for each electrode were deposited onto all the porous substrates. The optoelectronic characteristics of MSM UV photodetectors with porous-shaped SiC substrates were studied in the dark and under UV illumination. The electrical characteristics of fabricated

Porous-shaped silicon carbide ultraviolet photodetectors on porous silicon substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naderi, N.; Hashim, M.R.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Porous-shaped silicon carbide thin film was deposited on porous silicon substrate. ► Thermal annealing was followed to enhance the physical properties of samples. ► Metal–semiconductor-metal ultraviolet detectors were fabricated on samples. ► The effect of annealing temperature on electrical performance of devices was studied. ► The efficiency of photodetectors was enhanced by annealing at elevated temperatures. -- Abstract: A metal–semiconductor-metal (MSM) ultraviolet photodetector was fabricated based on a porous-shaped structure of silicon carbide (SiC). For increasing the surface roughness of SiC and hence enhancing the light absorption effect in fabricated devices, porous silicon (PS) was chosen as a template; SiC was deposited on PS substrates via radio frequency magnetron sputtering. Therefore, the deposited layers followed the structural pattern of PS skeleton and formed a porous-shaped SiC layer on PS substrate. The structural properties of samples showed that the as-deposited SiC was amorphous. Thus, a post-deposition annealing process with elevated temperatures was required to convert its amorphous phase to crystalline phase. The morphology of the sputtered samples was examined via scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. The grain size and roughness of the deposited layers clearly increased upon an increase in the annealing temperature. The optical properties of sputtered SiC were enhanced due to applying high temperatures. The most intense photoluminescence peak was observed for the sample with 1200 °C of annealing temperature. For the metallization of the SiC substrates to fabricate MSM photodetectors, two interdigitated Schottky contacts of Ni with four fingers for each electrode were deposited onto all the porous substrates. The optoelectronic characteristics of MSM UV photodetectors with porous-shaped SiC substrates were studied in the dark and under UV illumination. The electrical characteristics of fabricated

Characterization of nanostructured CuO-porous silicon matrix formed on copper-coated silicon substrate via electrochemical etching

Science.gov (United States)

Naddaf, M.; Mrad, O.; Al-zier, A.

2014-06-01

A pulsed anodic etching method has been utilized for nanostructuring of a copper-coated p-type (100) silicon substrate, using HF-based solution as electrolyte. Scanning electron microscopy reveals the formation of a nanostructured matrix that consists of island-like textures with nanosize grains grown onto fiber-like columnar structures separated with etch pits of grooved porous structures. Spatial micro-Raman scattering analysis indicates that the island-like texture is composed of single-phase cupric oxide (CuO) nanocrystals, while the grooved porous structure is barely related to formation of porous silicon (PS). X-ray diffraction shows that both the grown CuO nanostructures and the etched silicon layer have the same preferred (220) orientation. Chemical composition obtained by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis confirms the presence of the single-phase CuO on the surface of the patterned CuO-PS matrix. As compared to PS formed on the bare silicon substrate, the room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) from the CuO-PS matrix exhibits an additional weak `blue' PL band as well as a blue shift in the PL band of PS (S-band). This has been revealed from XPS analysis to be associated with the enhancement in the SiO2 content as well as formation of the carbonyl group on the surface in the case of the CuO-PS matrix.

Formation of hypereutectic silicon particles in hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys under the influence of high-intensity ultrasonic vibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaogang Jian

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The modification of eutectic silicon is of general interest since fine eutectic silicon along with fine primary aluminum grains improves mechanical properties and ductilities. In this study, high intensity ultrasonic vibration was used to modify the complex microstructure of aluminum hypoeutectic alloys. The ultrasonic vibrator was placed at the bottom of a copper mold with molten aluminum. Hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy specimens with a unique in-depth profile of microstructure distribution were obtained. Polyhedral silicon particles, which should form in a hypereutectic alloy, were obtained in a hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy near the ultrasonic radiator where the silicon concentration was higher than the eutectic composition. The formation of hypereutectic silicon near the radiator surface indicates that high-intensity ultrasonic vibration can be used to influence the phase transformation process of metals and alloys. The size and morphology of both the silicon phase and the aluminum phase varies with increasing distance from the ultrasonic probe/radiator. Silicon morphology develops into three zones. Polyhedral primary silicon particles present in zone I, within 15 mm from the ultrasonic probe/radiator. Transition from hypereutectic silicon to eutectic silicon occurs in zone II about 15 to 20 祄 from the ultrasonic probe/radiator. The bulk of the ingot is in zone III and is hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy containing fine lamellar and fibrous eutectic silicon. The grain size is about 15 to 25 祄 in zone I, 25 to 35 祄 in zone II, and 25 to 55 祄 in zone III. The morphology of the primary ?Al phase is also changed from dendritic (in untreated samples to globular. Phase evolution during the solidification process of the alloy subjected to ultrasonic vibration is described.

Effect of acid leaching conditions on impurity removal from silicon doped by magnesium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stine Espelien

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The effect of magnesium addition into a commercial silicon and its leaching refining behavior is studied for producing solar grade silicon feedstock. Two different levels of Mg is added into a commercial silicon and the leaching of the produced alloys by 10% HCl solution at 60 ℃ for different durations is performed. It is shown that the microstructure of the alloy and in particular the distribution of eutectic phases is dependent on the amount of the added Mg. Moreover, the metallic impurities in silicon such as Fe, Al, Ca and Ti are mainly forming silicide particles with different compositions. These silicides are physically more detached from the primary silicon grains and their removal through chemical and physical separation in leaching is better for higher Mg additions. It is observed that the leaching is more effective for the purification of smaller silicon particles produced from each Mg-doped silicon alloy. It is shown that acid leaching by the applied method is effective to reach more than 70% of phosphorous removal. It is also shown that the purity of silicon is dependent on the total Mg removal and effectiveness of leaching on removing the Mg2Si phase.

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

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

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

Behavior of silicon in nitric media. Application to uranium silicides fuels reprocessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheroux, L.

2001-01-01

Uranium silicides are used in some research reactors. Reprocessing them is a solution for their cycle end. A list of reprocessing scenarios has been set the most realistic being a nitric dissolution close to the classic spent fuel reprocessing. This uranium silicide fuel contains a lot of silicon and few things are known about polymerization of silicic acid in concentrated nitric acid. The study of this polymerization allows to point out the main parameters: acidity, temperature, silicon concentration. The presence of aluminum seems to speed up heavily the polymerization. It has been impossible to find an analytical technique smart and fast enough to characterize the first steps of silicic acid polymerization. However the action of silicic species on emulsions stabilization formed by mixing them with an organic phase containing TBP has been studied, Silicon slows down the phase separation by means of oligomeric species forming complex with TBP. The existence of these intermediate species is short and heating can avoid any stabilization. When non irradiated uranium silicide fuel is attacked by a nitric solution, aluminum and uranium are quickly dissolved whereas silicon mainly stands in solid state. That builds a gangue of hydrated silica around the uranium silicide particulates without preventing uranium dissolution. A small part of silicon passes into the solution and polymerize towards the highly poly-condensed forms, just 2% of initial silicon is still in molecular form at the end of the dissolution. A thermal treatment of the fuel element, by forming inter-metallic phases U-Al-Si, allows the whole silicon to pass into the solution and next to precipitate. The behavior of silicon in spent fuels should be between these two situations. (author)

Advanced Silicone-based Coatings for Flexible Fabric Applications, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Silicone coatings are the system of choice for inflatable fabrics used in several space, military, and consumer applications, including airbags, parachutes, rafts,...

Forming of nanocrystal silicon films by implantation of high dose of H+ in layers of silicon on isolator and following fast thermal annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyschenko, I.E.; Popov, V.P.; Talochkin, A.B.; Gutakovskij, A.K.; Zhuravlev, K.S.

2004-01-01

Formation of nanocrystalline silicon films during rapid thermal annealing of the high-dose H + ion implanted silicon-on-insulator structures was studied. It was found, that Si nanocrystals had formed alter annealings at 300-400 deg C, their formation being strongly limited by the hydrogen content in silicon and also by the annealing time. It was supposed that the nucleation of crystalline phase occurred inside the silicon islands between micropores. It is conditioned by ordering Si-Si bonds as hydrogen atoms are leaving their sites in silicon network. No coalescence of micropores takes place during the rapid thermal annealing at the temperatures up to ∼ 900 deg C. Green-orange photoluminescence was observed on synthesized films at room temperature [ru

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.

Modeling of Eutectic Formation in Al-Si Alloy Using A Phase-Field Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebrahimi Z.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available We have utilized a phase-field model to investigate the evolution of eutectic silicon in Al-Si alloy. The interfacial fluctuations are included into a phase-field model of two-phase solidification, as stochastic noise terms and their dominant role in eutectic silicon formation is discussed. We have observed that silicon spherical particles nucleate on the foundation of primary aluminum phase and their nucleation continues on concentric rings, through the Al matrix. The nucleation of silicon particles is attributed to the inclusion of fluctuations into the phase-field equations. The simulation results have shown needle-like, fish-bone like and flakes of silicon phase by adjusting the noise coefficients to larger values. Moreover, the role of primary Al phase on nucleation of silicon particles in Al-Si alloy is elaborated. We have found that the addition of fluctuations plays the role of modifiers in our simulations and is essential for phase-field modeling of eutectic growth in Al-Si system. The simulated finger-like Al phases and spherical Si particles are very similar to those of experimental eutectic growth in modified Al-Si alloy.

Lamb wave propagation in monocrystalline silicon wafers

OpenAIRE

Fromme, P.; Pizzolato, M.; Robyr, J-L; Masserey, B.

2018-01-01

Monocrystalline silicon wafers are widely used in the photovoltaic industry for solar panels with high conversion efficiency. Guided ultrasonic waves offer the potential to efficiently detect micro-cracks in the thin wafers. Previous studies of ultrasonic wave propagation in silicon focused on effects of material anisotropy on bulk ultrasonic waves, but the dependence of the wave propagation characteristics on the material anisotropy is not well understood for Lamb waves. The phase slowness a...

Properties of form-stable paraffin/silicon dioxide/expanded graphite phase change composites prepared by sol–gel method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Min; Wu, Zhishen; Tan, Jinmiao

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Paraffin/SiO 2 /EG composite PCM was prepared with sol–gel method. ► The thermal conductivity of SiO 2 /paraffin/EG is 94.7% higher than paraffin. ► The latent heat of paraffin/SiO 2 /EG composite is 104.4 J/g. -- Abstract: A form-stable paraffin/silicon dioxide (SiO 2 )/expanded graphite (EG) composite phase change material (PCM) was prepared by sol–gel method. Silica gel acts as the supporting material and EG is used to increase the thermal conductivity. The mass fractions of silicon oxide and graphite are 20.8% and 7.2%, respectively. The composite PCM was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) method. Thermal properties and thermal stability of the composite PCM were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The result shows that paraffin was well dispersed in the network of silica gel and there is no chemical reaction between them. The phase change temperature of the paraffin/SiO 2 composite and the paraffin/SiO 2 /EG composite are 27.53 °C and 27.72 °C, respectively. The latent heat of the paraffin/SiO 2 composite and the paraffin/SiO 2 /EG composite are 112.8 J/g and 104.4 J/g, respectively. The thermal conductivity of the SiO 2 /paraffin composite and the SiO 2 /paraffin/EG composite are 28.2% and 94.7% higher than that of paraffin.

Preparation and properties of lauric acid/silicon dioxide composites as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Guiyin; Li Hui; Liu Xu

2010-01-01

Form-stable lauric acid (LA)/silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) composite phase change materials were prepared using sol-gel methods. The LA was used as the phase change material for thermal energy storage, with the SiO 2 acting as the supporting material. The structural analysis of these form-stable LA/SiO 2 composite phase change materials was carried out using Fourier transformation infrared spectroscope (FT-IR). The microstructure of the form-stable composite phase change materials was observed by a scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The thermal properties and thermal stability were investigated by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and a thermogravimetric analysis apparatus (TGA), respectively. The SEM results showed that the LA was well dispersed in the porous network of SiO 2 . The DSC results indicated that the melting latent heat of the form-stable composite phase change material is 117.21 kJ kg -1 when the mass percentage of the LA in the SiO 2 is 64.8%. The results of the TGA showed that these materials have good thermal stability. The form-stable composite phase change materials can be used for thermal energy storage in waste heat recovery and solar heating systems.

Alternative glues for the production of ATLAS silicon strip modules for the Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS inner detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poley, Luise; Bloch, Ingo; Edwards, Sam

2016-04-01

The Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS detector for the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) includes the replacement of the current Inner Detector with an all-silicon tracker consisting of pixel and strip detectors. The current Phase-II detector layout requires the construction of 20,000 strip detector modules consisting of sensor, circuit boards and readout chips, which are connected mechanically using adhesives. The adhesive between readout chips and circuit board is a silver epoxy glue as was used in the current ATLAS SemiConductor Tracker (SCT). This glue has several disadvantages, which motivated the search for an alternative. This paper presents a study concerning the use of six ultra-violet (UV) cure glues and a glue pad for use in the assembly of silicon strip detector modules for the ATLAS upgrade. Trials were carried out to determine the ease of use, the thermal conduction and shear strength, thermal cycling, radiation hardness, corrosion resistance and shear strength tests. These investigations led to the exclusion of three UV cure glues as well as the glue pad. Three UV cure glues were found to be possible better alternatives. Results from electrical tests of first prototype modules constructed using these glues are presented.

Alternative glues for the production of ATLAS silicon strip modules for the Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS inner detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poley, Luise [DESY, Zeuthen (Germany); Humboldt Univ. Berlin (Germany); Bloch, Ingo [DESY, Zeuthen (Germany); Edwards, Sam [Birmingham Univ. (United Kingdom); and others

2016-04-15

The Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS detector for the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) includes the replacement of the current Inner Detector with an all-silicon tracker consisting of pixel and strip detectors. The current Phase-II detector layout requires the construction of 20,000 strip detector modules consisting of sensor, circuit boards and readout chips, which are connected mechanically using adhesives. The adhesive between readout chips and circuit board is a silver epoxy glue as was used in the current ATLAS SemiConductor Tracker (SCT). This glue has several disadvantages, which motivated the search for an alternative. This paper presents a study concerning the use of six ultra-violet (UV) cure glues and a glue pad for use in the assembly of silicon strip detector modules for the ATLAS upgrade. Trials were carried out to determine the ease of use, the thermal conduction and shear strength, thermal cycling, radiation hardness, corrosion resistance and shear strength tests. These investigations led to the exclusion of three UV cure glues as well as the glue pad. Three UV cure glues were found to be possible better alternatives. Results from electrical tests of first prototype modules constructed using these glues are presented.

Alternative glues for the production of ATLAS silicon strip modules for the Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS Inner Detector

Science.gov (United States)

Poley, L.; Bloch, I.; Edwards, S.; Friedrich, C.; Gregor, I.-M.; Jones, T.; Lacker, H.; Pyatt, S.; Rehnisch, L.; Sperlich, D.; Wilson, J.

2016-05-01

The Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS detector for the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) includes the replacement of the current Inner Detector with an all-silicon tracker consisting of pixel and strip detectors. The current Phase-II detector layout requires the construction of 20,000 strip detector modules consisting of sensor, circuit boards and readout chips, which are connected mechanically using adhesives. The adhesive used initially between readout chips and circuit board is a silver epoxy glue as was used in the current ATLAS SemiConductor Tracker (SCT). However, this glue has several disadvantages, which motivated the search for an alternative. This paper presents a study of six ultra-violet (UV) cure glues and a glue pad for possible use in the assembly of silicon strip detector modules for the ATLAS upgrade. Trials were carried out to determine the ease of use, thermal conduction and shear strength. Samples were thermally cycled, radiation hardness and corrosion resistance were also determined. These investigations led to the exclusion of three UV cure glues as well as the glue pad. Three UV cure glues were found to be possible better alternatives than silver loaded glue. Results from electrical tests of first prototype modules constructed using these glues are presented.

Alternative glues for the production of ATLAS silicon strip modules for the Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS Inner Detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poley, L.; Bloch, I.; Friedrich, C.; Gregor, I.-M.; Edwards, S.; Pyatt, S.; Wilson, J.; Jones, T.; Lacker, H.; Rehnisch, L.; Sperlich, D.

2016-01-01

The Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS detector for the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) includes the replacement of the current Inner Detector with an all-silicon tracker consisting of pixel and strip detectors. The current Phase-II detector layout requires the construction of 20,000 strip detector modules consisting of sensor, circuit boards and readout chips, which are connected mechanically using adhesives. The adhesive used initially between readout chips and circuit board is a silver epoxy glue as was used in the current ATLAS SemiConductor Tracker (SCT). However, this glue has several disadvantages, which motivated the search for an alternative. This paper presents a study of six ultra-violet (UV) cure glues and a glue pad for possible use in the assembly of silicon strip detector modules for the ATLAS upgrade. Trials were carried out to determine the ease of use, thermal conduction and shear strength. Samples were thermally cycled, radiation hardness and corrosion resistance were also determined. These investigations led to the exclusion of three UV cure glues as well as the glue pad. Three UV cure glues were found to be possible better alternatives than silver loaded glue. Results from electrical tests of first prototype modules constructed using these glues are presented.

Synthesis of Silicon Nanocrystals in Microplasma Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Nozaki, Tomohiro; Sasaki, Kenji; Ogino, Tomohisa; Asahi, Daisuke; Okazaki, Ken

Nanocrystalline silicon particles with a grain size of at least less than 10 nm are widely recognized as one of the key materials in optoelectronic devices, electrodes of lithium battery, bio-medical labels. There is also important character that silicon is safe material to the environment and easily gets involved in existing silicon technologies. To date, several synthesis methods such as sputtering, laser ablation, and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) based on low-pressure silane chemistry (SiH4) have been developed for precise control of size and density distributions of silicon nanocrystals. We explore the possibility of microplasma technologies for the efficient production of mono-dispersed nanocrystalline silicon particles in a micrometer-scale, continuous-flow plasma reactor operated at atmospheric pressure. Mixtures of argon, hydrogen, and silicon tetrachloride were activated using very high frequency (VHF = 144 MHz) power source in a capillary glass tube with a volume of less than 1 μ-liter. Fundamental plasma parameters of VHF capacitively coupled microplasma were characterized by optical emission spectroscopy, showing electron density of approximately 1015 cm-3 and rotational temperature of 1500 K, respectively. Such high-density non-thermal reactive plasma has a capability of decomposing silicon tetrachloride into atomic silicon to produce supersaturated atomic silicon vapor, followed by gas phase nucleation via three-body collision. The particle synthesis in high-density plasma media is beneficial for promoting nucleation process. In addition, further growth of silicon nuclei was able to be favorably terminated in a short-residence time reactor. Micro Raman scattering spectrum showed that as-deposited particles were mostly amorphous silicon with small fraction of silicon nanocrystals. Transmission electron micrograph confirmed individual silicon nanocrystals of 3-15 nm size. Although those particles were not mono-dispersed, they were

Residual stress in silicon wafer using IR polariscope

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Zhijia; Wang, Pin; Asundi, Anand

2008-09-01

The infrared phase shift polariscope (IR-PSP) is a full-field optical technique for stress analysis in Silicon wafers. Phase shift polariscope is preferred to a conventional polariscope, as it can provide quantitative information of the normal stress difference and the shear stress in the specimen. The method is based on the principles of photoelasticity, in which stresses induces temporary birefringence in materials which can be quantitatively analyzed using a phase shift polariscope. Compared to other stress analysis techniques such as x-ray diffraction or laser scanning, infrared photoelastic stress analysis provides full-field information with high resolution and in near real time. As the semiconductor fabrication is advancing, larger wafers, thinner films and more compact packages are being manufactured. This results in a growing demand of process control. Residual stress exist in silicon during semiconductor fabrication and these stresses may make cell processing difficult or even cause the failure of the silicon. Reducing these stresses would improve manufacturability and reliability. Therefore stress analysis is essential to trace the root cause of the stresses. The polariscope images are processed using MATLAB and four-step phase shifting method to provide quantitative as well as qualitative information regarding the residual stress of the sample. The system is calibrated using four-point bend specimen and then the residual stress distribution in a MEMS sample is shown.

Carbon Cryogel Silicon Composite Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Woodworth James; Baldwin, Richard; Bennett, William

2010-01-01

A variety of materials are under investigation for use as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries, of which, the most promising are those containing silicon. 10 One such material is a composite formed via the dispersion of silicon in a resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) gel followed by pyrolysis. Two silicon-carbon composite materials, carbon microspheres and nanofoams produced from nano-phase silicon impregnated RF gel precursors have been synthesized and investigated. Carbon microspheres are produced by forming the silicon-containing RF gel into microspheres whereas carbon nano-foams are produced by impregnating carbon fiber paper with the silicon containing RF gel to create a free standing electrode. 1-4,9 Both materials have demonstrated their ability to function as anodes and utilize the silicon present in the material. Stable reversible capacities above 400 mAh/g for the bulk material and above 1000 mAh/g of Si have been observed.

Study of the main parameters involved in carbothermal reduction reaction of silica aiming to obtain silicon nitride powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rocha, J.C. da; Greca, M.C.

1989-01-01

The influence of main parameters involved in the method of silicon nitride attainment by carbothermal reduction of silica followed by nitridation were studied in isothermal experiments of fine powder mixtures of silica and graphite in a nitrogen gas flow. The time, temperature, rate C/SiO 2 and flow of nitrogen were varied since they are the main parameters involved in this kind of reaction. The products of reaction were analysed by X-ray diffraction to identify the crystalline phases and as a result was obtained the nucleation of silicon nitride phase. Meanwhile, corroborating prior results, we verified to be difficult the progress of the reaction and the inhibition of formation of silicon carbide phase, the last one being associated to the formation of silicon nitride phase due to thermodynamic matters [pt

Aluminium alloyed iron-silicide/silicon solar cells: A simple approach for low cost environmental-friendly photovoltaic technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar Dalapati, Goutam; Masudy-Panah, Saeid; Kumar, Avishek; Cheh Tan, Cheng; Ru Tan, Hui; Chi, Dongzhi

2015-12-03

This work demonstrates the fabrication of silicide/silicon based solar cell towards the development of low cost and environmental friendly photovoltaic technology. A heterostructure solar cells using metallic alpha phase (α-phase) aluminum alloyed iron silicide (FeSi(Al)) on n-type silicon is fabricated with an efficiency of 0.8%. The fabricated device has an open circuit voltage and fill-factor of 240 mV and 60%, respectively. Performance of the device was improved by about 7 fold to 5.1% through the interface engineering. The α-phase FeSi(Al)/silicon solar cell devices have promising photovoltaic characteristic with an open circuit voltage, short-circuit current and a fill factor (FF) of 425 mV, 18.5 mA/cm(2), and 64%, respectively. The significant improvement of α-phase FeSi(Al)/n-Si solar cells is due to the formation p(+-)n homojunction through the formation of re-grown crystalline silicon layer (~5-10 nm) at the silicide/silicon interface. Thickness of the regrown silicon layer is crucial for the silicide/silicon based photovoltaic devices. Performance of the α-FeSi(Al)/n-Si solar cells significantly depends on the thickness of α-FeSi(Al) layer and process temperature during the device fabrication. This study will open up new opportunities for the Si based photovoltaic technology using a simple, sustainable, and los cost method.

Optical characterization of nanocrystals in silicon rich oxide superlattices and porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agocs, E.; Petrik, P.; Milita, S.; Vanzetti, L.; Gardelis, S.; Nassiopoulou, A.G.; Pucker, G.; Balboni, R.; Fried, M.

2011-01-01

We propose to analyze ellipsometry data by using effective medium approximation (EMA) models. Thanks to EMA, having nanocrystalline reference dielectric functions and generalized critical point (GCP) model the physical parameters of two series of samples containing silicon nanocrystals, i.e. silicon rich oxide (SRO) superlattices and porous silicon layers (PSL), have been determined. The superlattices, consisting of ten SRO/SiO 2 layer pairs, have been prepared using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The porous silicon layers have been prepared using short monopulses of anodization current in the transition regime between porous silicon formation and electropolishing, in a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and ethanol. The optical modeling of both structures is similar. The effective dielectric function of the layer is calculated by EMA using nanocrystalline components (nc-Si and GCP) in a dielectric matrix (SRO) or voids (PSL). We discuss the two major problems occurring when modeling such structures: (1) the modeling of the vertically non-uniform layer structures (including the interface properties like nanoroughness at the layer boundaries) and (2) the parameterization of the dielectric function of nanocrystals. We used several techniques to reduce the large number of fit parameters of the GCP models. The obtained results are in good agreement with those obtained by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. We investigated the correlation of the broadening parameter and characteristic EMA components with the nanocrystal size and the sample preparation conditions, such as the annealing temperatures of the SRO superlattices and the anodization current density of the porous silicon samples. We found that the broadening parameter is a sensitive measure of the nanocrystallinity of the samples, even in cases, where the nanocrystals are too small to be visible for X-ray scattering. Major processes like sintering, phase separation, and intermixing have been

Variation of the properties of siliconized graphite during neutron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Virgil'ev, Y.S.; Chugunova, T.K.; Pikulik, R.G.

1986-01-01

The authors evaluate the radiation-induced property changes in siliconized graphite of the industrial grades SG-P and SG-M. The authors simultaneously tested the reference (control) specimens of graphite that are used as the base for obtaining the SG-M siliconized graphite by impregnating with silicon. The suggested scheme (model) atributes the dimensional changes of the siliconized graphite specimens to the effect of the quantitative ratio of the carbide phase and carbon under different conditions of irradiation. If silicon is insufficient for the formation of a dense skeleton, graphite plays a devisive role, and it may be assumed that at an irradiation temperature greater than 600 K, the material shrinks. The presence of isolated carbide inclusions also affects the physicomechanical properties (including the anitfriction properties)

Silicon Carbide (SiC) Device and Module Reliability, Performance of a Loop Heat Pipe Subjected to a Phase-Coupled Heat Input to an Acceleration Field

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-01

AFRL-RQ-WP-TR-2016-0108 SILICON CARBIDE (SiC) DEVICE AND MODULE RELIABILITY Performance of a Loop Heat Pipe Subjected to a Phase-Coupled...CARBIDE (SiC) DEVICE AND MODULE RELIABILITY Performance of a Loop Heat Pipe Subjected to a Phase-Coupled Heat Input to an Acceleration Field 5a...Shukla, K., “Thermo-fluid dynamics of Loop Heat Pipe Operation,” International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer , Vol. 35, No. 8, 2008, pp

Evaluation and silicon nitride internal combustion engine components. Final report, Phase I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voldrich, W. [Allied-Signal Aerospace Co., Torrance, CA (United States). Garrett Ceramic Components Div.

1992-04-01

The feasibility of silicon nitride (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) use in internal combustion engines was studied by testing three different components for wear resistance and lower reciprocating mass. The information obtained from these preliminary spin rig and engine tests indicates several design changes are necessary to survive high-stress engine applications. The three silicon nitride components tested were valve spring retainers, tappet rollers, and fuel pump push rod ends. Garrett Ceramic Components` gas-pressure sinterable Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} (GS-44) was used to fabricate the above components. Components were final machined from densified blanks that had been green formed by isostatic pressing of GS-44 granules. Spin rig testing of the valve spring retainers indicated that these Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} components could survive at high RPM levels (9,500) when teamed with silicon nitride valves and lower spring tension than standard titanium components. Silicon nitride tappet rollers showed no wear on roller O.D. or I.D. surfaces, steel axles and lifters; however, due to the uncrowned design of these particular rollers the cam lobes indicated wear after spin rig testing. Fuel pump push rod ends were successful at reducing wear on the cam lobe and rod end when tested on spin rigs and in real-world race applications.

Doping of silicon by laser-induced diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pretorius, R.; Allie, M.S.

1986-01-01

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

Processing development for ceramic structural components: the influence of a presintering of silicon on the final properties of reaction bonded silicon nitride. Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-03-01

The influence of a presintering of silicon on the final properties of reaction bonded silicon nitride has been studied using scanning electron and optical microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis, 4 pt. bend test, and mecury intrusion porosimetry. It has been shown that presintering at 1050/sup 0/C will not affect the final nitrided properties. At 1200/sup 0/C, the oxide layer is removed, promoting the formation of B-phase silicon nitride. Presintering at 1200/sup 0/C also results in compact weight loss due to the volatilization of silicon, and the formation of large pores which severely reduce nitrided strength. The development of the structure of sintered silicon compacts appears to involve a temperature gradient, with greater sintering observed near the surface.

Hybrid Design, Procurement and Testing for the LHCb Silicon Tracker

CERN Document Server

Bay, A; Frei, R; Jiménez-Otero, S; Perrin, A; Tran, MT; Van Hunen, J J; Vervink, K; Vollhardt, A; Agari, M; Bauer, C; Blouw, J; Hofmann, W; Knöpfle, K T; Löchner, S; Schmelling, M; Schwingenheuer, B; Smale, N J; Adeva, B; Esperante-Pereira, D; Lois, C; Vázquez, P; Lehner, F; Bernhard, R P; Bernet, R; Gassner, J; Köstner, S; Needham, M; Steinkamp, O; Straumann, U; Volyanskyy, D; Voss, H; Wenger, A

2005-01-01

The Silicon Tracker of the LHCb experiment consists of four silicon detector stations positioned along the beam line of the experiment. The detector modules of each station are constructed from wide pitch silicon microstrip sensors. Located at the module's end, a polyimide hybrid is housing the front-end electronics. The assembly of the more than 600 hybrids has been outsourced to industry. We will report on the design and production status of the hybrids for the LHCb Silicon Tracker and describe the quality assurance tests. Particular emphasis is laid on the vendor qualifying and its impact on our hybrid design that we experienced during the prototyping phase.

FDTD modeling of anisotropic nonlinear optical phenomena in silicon waveguides.

Science.gov (United States)

Dissanayake, Chethiya M; Premaratne, Malin; Rukhlenko, Ivan D; Agrawal, Govind P

2010-09-27

A deep insight into the inherent anisotropic optical properties of silicon is required to improve the performance of silicon-waveguide-based photonic devices. It may also lead to novel device concepts and substantially extend the capabilities of silicon photonics in the future. In this paper, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, we present a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for modeling optical phenomena in silicon waveguides, which takes into account fully the anisotropy of the third-order electronic and Raman susceptibilities. We show that, under certain realistic conditions that prevent generation of the longitudinal optical field inside the waveguide, this model is considerably simplified and can be represented by a computationally efficient algorithm, suitable for numerical analysis of complex polarization effects. To demonstrate the versatility of our model, we study polarization dependence for several nonlinear effects, including self-phase modulation, cross-phase modulation, and stimulated Raman scattering. Our FDTD model provides a basis for a full-blown numerical simulator that is restricted neither by the single-mode assumption nor by the slowly varying envelope approximation.

77 GHz MEMS antennas on high-resistivity silicon for linear and circular polarization

KAUST Repository

Sallam, M. O.

2011-07-01

Two new MEMS antennas operating at 77 GHz are presented in this paper. The first antenna is linearly polarized. It possesses a vertical silicon wall that carries a dipole on top of it. The wall is located on top of silicon substrate covered with a ground plane. The other side of the substrate carries a microstrip feeding network in the form of U-turn that causes 180 phase shift. This phase-shifter feeds the arms of the dipole antenna via two vertical Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs) that go through the entire wafer. The second antenna is circularly polarized and formed using two linearly polarized antennas spatially rotated with respect to each other by 90 and excited with 90 phase shift. Both antennas are fabricated using novel process flow on a single high-resistivity silicon wafer via bulk micromachining. Only three processing steps are required to fabricate these antennas. The proposed antennas have appealing characteristics, such as high polarization purity, high gain, and high radiation efficiency. © 2011 IEEE.

Silicon photonic integrated circuit swept-source optical coherence tomography receiver with dual polarization, dual balanced, in-phase and quadrature detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhao; Lee, Hsiang-Chieh; Vermeulen, Diedrik; Chen, Long; Nielsen, Torben; Park, Seo Yeon; Ghaemi, Allan; Swanson, Eric; Doerr, Chris; Fujimoto, James

2015-07-01

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a widely used three-dimensional (3D) optical imaging method with many biomedical and non-medical applications. Miniaturization, cost reduction, and increased functionality of OCT systems will be critical for future emerging clinical applications. We present a silicon photonic integrated circuit swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) coherent receiver with dual polarization, dual balanced, in-phase and quadrature (IQ) detection. We demonstrate multiple functional capabilities of IQ polarization resolved detection including: complex-conjugate suppressed full-range OCT, polarization diversity detection, and polarization-sensitive OCT. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a silicon photonic integrated receiver for OCT. The integrated coherent receiver provides a miniaturized, low-cost solution for SS-OCT, and is also a key step towards a fully integrated high speed SS-OCT system with good performance and multi-functional capabilities. With further performance improvement and cost reduction, photonic integrated technology promises to greatly increase penetration of OCT systems in existing applications and enable new applications.

Bistable impurity centers in silicon. Temperature dependent characteristics of electro- and thermophysical parameters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Musaeva, L F; Igamberdiev, Kh T; Mamadalimov, A T; Khabibullaev, P K [AS RU, Heat Physics Department, Tashkent (Uzbekistan)

2003-09-01

On the basis of experimental data covering temperature dependencies of photoelectric and thermodynamic properties of silicon containing defects the possible physical mechanisms of defect center transformation in the silicon lattice and of phase transitions are discussed. (author)

Bistable impurity centers in silicon. Temperature dependent characteristics of electro- and thermophysical parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musaeva, L.F.; Igamberdiev, Kh.T.; Mamadalimov, A.T.; Khabibullaev, P.K.

2003-01-01

On the basis of experimental data covering temperature dependencies of photoelectric and thermodynamic properties of silicon containing defects the possible physical mechanisms of defect center transformation in the silicon lattice and of phase transitions are discussed. (author)

Protective silicon coating for nanodiamonds using atomic layer deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, J.; Wang, Y.H.; Zang, J.B.; Li, Y.N.

2007-01-01

Ultrathin silicon coating was deposited on nanodiamonds using atomic layer deposition (ALD) from gaseous monosilane (SiH 4 ). The coating was performed by sequential reaction of SiH 4 saturated adsorption and in situ decomposition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to investigate the structural and morphological properties of the coating. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to compare the thermal stability of nanodiamonds before and after silicon coating. The results confirmed that the deposited cubic phase silicon coating was even and continuous. The protective silicon coating could effectively improve the oxidation resistance of nanodiamonds in air flow, which facilitates the applications of nanodiamonds that are commonly hampered by their poor thermal stability

Protective silicon coating for nanodiamonds using atomic layer deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, J. [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, Hebei 066004 (China); College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, Hebei 066004 (China); Wang, Y.H. [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, Hebei 066004 (China); College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, Hebei 066004 (China); Zang, J.B. [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, Hebei 066004 (China) and College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, Hebei 066004 (China)]. E-mail: diamondzjb@163.com; Li, Y.N. [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, Hebei 066004 (China); College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, Hebei 066004 (China)

2007-01-30

Ultrathin silicon coating was deposited on nanodiamonds using atomic layer deposition (ALD) from gaseous monosilane (SiH{sub 4}). The coating was performed by sequential reaction of SiH{sub 4} saturated adsorption and in situ decomposition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to investigate the structural and morphological properties of the coating. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to compare the thermal stability of nanodiamonds before and after silicon coating. The results confirmed that the deposited cubic phase silicon coating was even and continuous. The protective silicon coating could effectively improve the oxidation resistance of nanodiamonds in air flow, which facilitates the applications of nanodiamonds that are commonly hampered by their poor thermal stability.

Precipitation and Evolution Behavior of Second Phase Particles in Grain-oriented Silicon Steel with Cu

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LI Zhi-chao

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The precipitation behavior and distribution of second phase particles in conventional grain-oriented silicon steel during manufacturing process were observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy, and the average particle size, the areal particle density, and the Zener factor were statistically analyzed. The results show that the samples mainly contain two kinds of precipitates:A class is the (Cu,MnS composite precipitates with the average size of 1μm; B class is the Cu2S precipitates with the size of 10-30nm, the key inhibition effect is produced by Cu2S. Hot rolling leads to a large amount of fine second phase particles precipitation, which has the minimum average particle size and the highest areal density; in the manufacturing process before high temperature annealing, the average particle size is increasing and the areal density is decreasing; in the process of high temperature annealing, with the decrease of volume fraction of precipitates, the inhibition ability exhibits reducing trend,obvious aggregation occurs at 960℃,secondary recrystallization will happen when Zener factor A decreases below the critical value of 0.19nm-1, and the residual particles will not produce valid inhibition effect.

Compact polarization beam splitter for silicon photonic integrated circuits with a 340-nm-thick silicon core layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chenlei; Dai, Daoxin

2017-11-01

A polarization beam splitter (PBS) is proposed and realized for silicon photonic integrated circuits with a 340-nm-thick silicon core layer by introducing an asymmetric directional coupler (ADC), which consists of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) nanowire and a subwavelength grating (SWG) waveguide. The SWG is introduced to provide an optical waveguide which has much higher birefringence than a regular 340-nm-thick SOI nanowire, so that it is possible to make the phase-matching condition satisfied for TE polarization only in the present design when the waveguide dimensions are optimized. Meanwhile, there is a significant phase mismatching for TM polarization automatically. In this way, the present ADC enables strong polarization selectivity to realize a PBS that separates TE and TM polarizations to the cross and through ports, respectively. The realized PBS has a length of ∼2  μm for the coupling region. For the fabricated PBS, the extinction ratio (ER) is 15-30 dB and the excess loss is 0.2-2.6 dB for TE polarization while the ER is 20-27 dB and the excess loss is 0.3-2.8 dB for TM polarization when operating in the wavelength range of 1520-1580 nm.

Photoluminescence and electrical properties of silicon oxide and silicon nitride superlattices containing silicon nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shuleiko, D V; Ilin, A S

2016-01-01

Photoluminescence and electrical properties of superlattices with thin (1 to 5 nm) alternating silicon-rich silicon oxide or silicon-rich silicon nitride, and silicon oxide or silicon nitride layers containing silicon nanocrystals prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with subsequent annealing were investigated. The entirely silicon oxide based superlattices demonstrated photoluminescence peak shift due to quantum confinement effect. Electrical measurements showed the hysteresis effect in the vicinity of zero voltage due to structural features of the superlattices from SiOa 93 /Si 3 N 4 and SiN 0 . 8 /Si 3 N 4 layers. The entirely silicon nitride based samples demonstrated resistive switching effect, comprising an abrupt conductivity change at about 5 to 6 V with current-voltage characteristic hysteresis. The samples also demonstrated efficient photoluminescence with maximum at ∼1.4 eV, due to exiton recombination in silicon nanocrystals. (paper)

Kinetics of the Coupled Gas-Iron Reactions Involving Silicon and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The kinetic study of coupled gas-iron reactions at 15600 has been carried out for the system involving liquid iron containing carbon and silicon and a gas phase consisting carbon monoxide, silicon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The coupled reactions are: (1) 200(g) = CO2 + C. (2) SiO (g) + CO (g) = Si ¸ CO (g). (3) SiO (g) + ...

Enhancement of the power factor in two-phase silicon-boron nanocrystalline alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Narducci, Dario; Lorenzi, Bruno [Department of Materials Science, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan (Italy); Zianni, Xanthippe [Department of Aircraft Technologies, Technological Educational Institution of Sterea Ellada, Psachna (Greece); Department of Microelectronics, IAMPPNM, NCSR Demokritos, Athens (Greece); Neophytou, Neophytos [Institute for Microelectronics, TUV, Vienna (Austria); School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry (United Kingdom); Frabboni, Stefano [Department of FIM, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena (Italy); CNR-Institute of Nanoscience-S3, Modena (Italy); Gazzadi, Gian Carlo [CNR-Institute of Nanoscience-S3, Modena (Italy); Roncaglia, Alberto; Suriano, Francesco [IMM-CNR, Bologna (Italy)

2014-06-15

In previous publications it was shown that the precipitation of silicon boride around grain boundaries may lead to an increase of the power factor in nanocrystalline silicon. Such an effect was further explained by computational analyses showing that the formation of an interphase at the grain boundaries along with high boron densities can actually lead to a concurrent increase of the electrical conductivity σ and of the Seebeck coefficient S. In this communication we report recent evidence of the key elements ruling such an unexpected effect. Nanocrystalline silicon films deposited onto a variety of substrates were doped to nominal boron densities in excess of 10{sup 20} cm{sup -3} and were annealed up to 1000 C to promote boride precipitation. Thermoelectric properties were measured and compared with their microstructure. A concurrent increase of σ and S with the carrier density was found only upon formation of an interphase. Its dependency on the film microstructure and on the deposition and processing conditions will be discussed. (copyright 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Structural and electrochemical study of the reaction of lithium with silicon nanowires

KAUST Repository

Chan, Candace K.

2009-04-01

The structural transformations of silicon nanowires when cycled against lithium were evaluated using electrochemical potential spectroscopy and galvanostatic cycling. During the charge, the nanowires alloy with lithium to form an amorphous LixSi compound. At potentials <50 mV, a structural transformation occurs. In studies on micron-sized particles previously reported in the literature, this transformation is a crystallization to a metastable Li15Si4 phase. X-ray diffraction measurements on the Si nanowires, however, show that they are amorphous, suggesting that a different amorphous phase (LiySi) is formed. Lithium is removed from this phase in the discharge to form amorphous silicon. We have found that limiting the voltage in the charge to 70 mV results in improved efficiency and cyclability compared to charging to 10 mV. This improvement is due to the suppression of the transformation at low potentials, which alloys for reversible cycling of amorphous silicon nanowires. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lithium concentration dependent structure and mechanics of amorphous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sitinamaluwa, H. S.; Wang, M. C.; Will, G.; Senadeera, W.; Yan, C., E-mail: c2.yan@qut.edu.au [School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane QLD 4001 (Australia); Zhang, S. [Centre for Clean Environment and Energy, Environmental Futures Research Institute and Griffith School of Environment, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, QLD 4222 (Australia)

2016-06-28

A better understanding of lithium-silicon alloying mechanisms and associated mechanical behavior is essential for the design of Si-based electrodes for Li-ion batteries. Unfortunately, the relationship between the dynamic mechanical response and microstructure evolution during lithiation and delithiation has not been well understood. We use molecular dynamic simulations to investigate lithiated amorphous silicon with a focus to the evolution of its microstructure, phase composition, and stress generation. The results show that the formation of Li{sub x}Si alloy phase is via different mechanisms, depending on Li concentration. In these alloy phases, the increase in Li concentration results in reduction of modulus of elasticity and fracture strength but increase in ductility in tension. For a Li{sub x}Si system with uniform Li distribution, volume change induced stress is well below the fracture strength in tension.

Unraveling Crystalline Structure of High-Pressure Phase of Silicon Carbonate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rulong Zhou

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Although CO_{2} and SiO_{2} both belong to group-IV oxides, they exhibit remarkably different bonding characteristics and phase behavior at ambient conditions. At room temperature, CO_{2} is a gas, whereas SiO_{2} is a covalent solid with rich polymorphs. A recent successful synthesis of the silicon-carbonate solid from the reaction between CO_{2} and SiO_{2} under high pressure [M. Santoro et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 108, 7689 (2011] has resolved a long-standing puzzle regarding whether a Si_{x}C_{1−x}O_{2} compound between CO_{2} and SiO_{2} exists in nature. Nevertheless, the detailed atomic structure of the Si_{x}C_{1−x}O_{2} crystal is still unknown. Here, we report an extensive search for the high-pressure crystalline structures of the Si_{x}C_{1−x}O_{2} compound with various stoichiometric ratios (SiO_{2}:CO_{2} using an evolutionary algorithm. Based on the low-enthalpy structures obtained for each given stoichiometric ratio, several generic structural features and bonding characteristics of Si and C in the high-pressure phases are identified. The computed formation enthalpies show that the SiC_{2}O_{6} compound with a multislab three-dimensional (3D structure is energetically the most favorable at 20 GPa. Hence, a stable crystalline structure of the elusive Si_{x}C_{1−x}O_{2} compound under high pressure is predicted and awaiting future experimental confirmation. The SiC_{2}O_{6} crystal is an insulator with elastic constants comparable to typical hard solids, and it possesses nearly isotropic tensile strength as well as extremely low shear strength in the 2D plane, suggesting that the multislab 3D crystal is a promising solid lubricant. These valuable mechanical and electronic properties endow the SiC_{2}O_{6} crystal for potential applications in tribology and nanoelectronic devices, or as a stable solid-state form for CO_{2} sequestration.

Porous silicon damage enhanced phosphorus and aluminium gettering of p-type Czochralski silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassen, M.; Ben Jaballah, A.; Hajji, M.; Rahmouni, H.; Selmi, A.; Ezzaouia, H.

2005-01-01

In this work, porous silicon damage (PSD) is presented as a simple sequence for efficient external purification techniques. The method consists of using thin nanoporous p-type silicon on both sides of the silicon substrates with randomly hemispherical voids. Then, two main sample types are processed. In the first type, thin aluminium layers (≥1 μm) are thermally evaporated followed by photo-thermal annealing treatments in N 2 atmosphere at one of several temperatures ranging between 600 and 800 deg. C. In the second type, phosphorus is continually diffused in N 2 /O 2 ambient in a solid phase from POCl 3 solution during heating at one of several temperatures ranging between 750 and 1000 deg. C for 1 h. Hall Effect and Van Der Pauw methods prove the existence of an optimum temperature in the case of phosphorus gettering at 900 deg. C yielding a Hall mobility of about 982 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . However, in the case of aluminium gettering, there is no gettering limit in the as mentioned temperature range. Metal/Si Schottky diodes are elaborated to clarify these improvements. In this study, we demonstrate that enhanced metal solubility model cannot explain the gettering effect. The solid solubility of aluminium is higher than that of P atoms in silicon; however, the device yield confirms the effectiveness of phosphorus as compared to aluminium

Achievement Report for fiscal 1997 on developing a silicon manufacturing process with reduced energy consumption. Development of silicon mass-production manufacturing technology for solar cells; 1997 nendo energy shiyo gorika silicon seizo process kaihatsu. Taiyo denchiyo silicon ryosanka seizo gijutsu no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-03-01

In order to manufacture silicon for solar cells, development is intended on a technology to manufacture silicon (SOG-Si) for solar cells by means of metallurgical methods using metallic silicon with purity generally available as an interim starting material. The silicon is required of p-type electric conductivity characteristics with specific resistance of 0.5 to 1.5 ohm per cm, to be sufficient even with 6-7N as compared to silicon for semiconductors (11-N), and to be low in cost. While the NEDO fluid bed process and the metallurgical NEDO direct reduction process have been developed based on the technology to manufacture silicon for semiconductors, the basic policy was established to develop a new manufacturing method using commercially available high-purity metallic silicon as an interim starting material, with an objective to achieve cost as low as capable of responding to small-quantity phase production for proliferation purpose. Removal of boron and phosphor has been the main issue in the development, whereas SOG-Si was manufactured in a laboratory scale by combining with the conventional component technologies in fiscal 1991 and 1992. The scale was expanded to 20 kg since fiscal 1993, and a five year plan starting fiscal 1996 was decided to develop the technology for industrial scale. Fiscal 1997 has promoted the development by using the 20-kg scale device, and introduced facilities to develop technology for mass-production scale. (NEDO)

Cast polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic module manufacturing technology improvements. Annual subcontract report, 1 January 1996--31 December 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wohlgemuth, J. [Solarex Corp., Frederick, MD (United States)

1997-10-01

This report describes Solarex`s accomplishments during this phase of the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) program. During this reporting period, Solarex researchers converted 79% of production casting stations to increase ingot size and operated them at equivalent yields and cell efficiencies; doubled the casting capacity at 20% the cost of buying new equipment to achieve the same capacity increase; operated the wire saws in a production mode with higher yields and lower costs than achieved on the ID saws; purchased additional wire saws; developed and qualified a new wire-guide coating material that doubles the wire-guide lifetime and produces significantly less scatter in wafer thickness; ran an Al paste back-surface-field process on 25% of all cells in manufacturing; completed environmental qualification of modules using cells produced by an all-print metallization process; qualified a vendor-supplied Tedlar/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) laminate to replace the combination of separate sheets of EVA and Tedlar backsheet; substituted RTV adhesive for the 3M Very High Bond tape after several field problems with the tape; demonstrated the operation of a prototype unit to trim/lead attach/test modules; demonstrated the use of light soldering for solar cells; demonstrated the operation of a wafer pull-down system for cassetting wet wafers; and presented three PVMaT-related papers at the 25th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference.

Covalent and stable CuAAC modification of silicon surfaces for control of cell adhesion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vutti, Surendra; Buch-Månson, Nina; Schoffelen, Sanne

2015-01-01

in the vapor or liquid phase. In this work, we compared these two methods for oxidized silicon surfaces and thoroughly characterized the functionalization steps by tagging and fluorescence imaging. We demonstrate that the vapor-phase functionalization only provided transient surface modification that was lost...... on extensive washing. For stable surface modification, a liquid-phase method was developed. In this method, silicon wafers were decorated with azides, either by silanization with (3-azidopropyl)triethoxysilane or by conversion of the amine groups of an aminopropylated surface by means of the azido...

High-pressure phase transition in silicon carbide under shock loading using ultrafast x-ray diffraction

Science.gov (United States)

Tracy, S. J.; Smith, R. F.; Wicks, J. K.; Fratanduono, D. E.; Gleason, A. E.; Bolme, C.; Speziale, S.; Appel, K.; Prakapenka, V. B.; Fernandez Panella, A.; Lee, H. J.; MacKinnon, A.; Eggert, J.; Duffy, T. S.

2017-12-01

The behavior of silicon carbide (SiC) under shock loading was investigated through a series of time-resolved pump-probe x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. SiC is found at impact sites and has been put forward as a possible constituent in the proposed class of extra-solar planets known as carbon planets. Previous studies have used wave profile measurements to identify a phase transition under shock loading near 1 Mbar, but crystal structure information was not obtained. We have carried out an in situ XRD study of shock-compressed SiC using the Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument of the Linac Coherent Light Source. The femtosecond time resolution of the x-ray free electron laser allows for the determination of time-dependent atomic arrangements during shock loading and release. Two high-powered lasers were used to generate ablation-driven compression waves in the samples. Time scans were performed using the same drive conditions and nominally identical targets. For each shot in a scan, XRD data was collected at a different probe time after the shock had entered the SiC. Probe times extended up to 40 ns after release. Scans were carried out for peak pressures of 120 and 185 GPa. Our results demonstrate that SiC transforms directly from the ambient tetrahedrally-coordinated phase to the octahedral B1 structure on the nanosecond timescale of laser-drive experiments and reverts to the tetrahedrally coordinated ambient phase within nanoseconds of release. The data collected at 120 GPa exhibit diffraction peaks from both compressed ambient phase and transformed B1 phase, while the data at 185 GPa show a complete transformation to the B1 phase. Densities determined from XRD peaks are in agreement with an extrapolation of previous continuum data as well as theoretical predictions. Additionally, a high degree of texture was retained in both the high-pressure phase as well as on back transformation. Two-dimensional fits to the XRD data reveal details of the

Metallurgy of high-silicon steel parts produced using Selective Laser Melting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garibaldi, Michele; Ashcroft, Ian; Simonelli, Marco; Hague, Richard

2016-01-01

The metallurgy of high-silicon steel (6.9%wt.Si) processed using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) is presented for the first time in this study. High-silicon steel has great potential as a soft magnetic alloy, but its employment has been limited due to its poor workability. The effect of SLM-processing on the metallurgy of the alloy is investigated in this work using microscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD). XRD analysis suggests that the SLM high-silicon steel is a single ferritic phase (solid solution), with no sign of phase ordering. This is expected to have beneficial effects on the material properties, since ordering has been shown to make silicon steels more brittle and electrically conductive. For near-fully dense samples, columnar grains with a high aspect ratio and oriented along the build direction are found. Most importantly, a <001> fibre-texture along the build direction can be changed into a cube-texture when the qualitative shape of the melt-pool is altered (from shallow to deep) by increasing the energy input of the scanning laser. This feature could potentially open the path to the manufacture of three-dimensional grain-oriented high-silicon steels for electromechanical applications.

Visible photoluminescence from hydrogenated silicon particles suspended in a silane plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courteille, C.; Dorier, J.L.; Dutta, J.; Hollenstein, C.; Howling, A.A.; Stoto, T.

1994-09-01

Visible photoluminescence at room temperature has been observed in amorphous hydrogenated silicon particulates during their formation in a silane radio-frequency plasma. Oxygen injection along with mass spectrometry measurements demonstrate that oxygen has no influence on the photoluminescence. The appearance of visible photoluminescence coincides with a particle agglomeration phase as shown by laser light scattering experiments, and electron microscopy shows silicon nanocrystals within these particulates. These observations of visible photoluminescence are consistent with the model of quantum confinement in the silicon nanocrystals. (author) 5 figs., 45 refs

Decomposition of silicon carbide at high pressures and temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daviau, Kierstin; Lee, Kanani K. M.

2017-11-01

We measure the onset of decomposition of silicon carbide, SiC, to silicon and carbon (e.g., diamond) at high pressures and high temperatures in a laser-heated diamond-anvil cell. We identify decomposition through x-ray diffraction and multiwavelength imaging radiometry coupled with electron microscopy analyses on quenched samples. We find that B3 SiC (also known as 3C or zinc blende SiC) decomposes at high pressures and high temperatures, following a phase boundary with a negative slope. The high-pressure decomposition temperatures measured are considerably lower than those at ambient, with our measurements indicating that SiC begins to decompose at ~ 2000 K at 60 GPa as compared to ~ 2800 K at ambient pressure. Once B3 SiC transitions to the high-pressure B1 (rocksalt) structure, we no longer observe decomposition, despite heating to temperatures in excess of ~ 3200 K. The temperature of decomposition and the nature of the decomposition phase boundary appear to be strongly influenced by the pressure-induced phase transitions to higher-density structures in SiC, silicon, and carbon. The decomposition of SiC at high pressure and temperature has implications for the stability of naturally forming moissanite on Earth and in carbon-rich exoplanets.

Nanostructured silicon nitride from wheat and rice husks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qadri, S. B.; Rath, B. B.; Gorzkowski, E. P.; Wollmershauser, J. A.; Feng, C. R. [Materials Science and Component Technology Directorate, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375 (United States)

2016-04-07

Nanoparticles, submicron-diameter tubes, and rods of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were synthesized from the thermal treatment of wheat and rice husks at temperatures at and above 1300 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere. The whole pattern Rietveld analysis of the observed diffraction data from treatments at 1300 °C showed the formation of only hexagonal α-phase of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} with an R-factor of 1%, whereas samples treated at 1400 °C and above showed both α- and β-phases with an R-factor of 2%. Transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of tubes, rods, and nanoparticles of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}. In a two-step process, where pure SiC was produced first from rice or wheat husk in an argon atmosphere and subsequently treated in a nitrogen atmosphere at 1450 °C, a nanostructured composite material having α- and β-phases of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} combined with cubic phase of SiC was formed. The thermodynamics of the formation of silicon nitride is discussed in terms of the solid state reaction between organic matter (silica content), which is inherently present in the wheat and rice husks, with the nitrogen from the furnace atmosphere. Nanostructures of silicon nitride formed by a single direct reaction or their composites with SiC formed in a two-step process of agricultural byproducts provide an uncomplicated sustainable synthesis route for silicon nitride used in mechanical, biotechnology, and electro-optic nanotechnology applications.

Tuning of structural, light emission and wetting properties of nanostructured copper oxide-porous silicon matrix formed on electrochemically etched copper-coated silicon substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Naddaf, M.

2017-01-01

Matrices of copper oxide-porous silicon nanostructures have been formed by electrochemical etching of copper-coated silicon surfaces in HF-based solution at different etching times (5-15 min). Micro-Raman, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that the nature of copper oxide in the matrix changes from single-phase copper (I) oxide (Cu2O) to single-phase copper (II) oxide (CuO) on increasing the etching time. This is accompanied with important variation in the content of carbon, carbon hydrides, carbonyl compounds and silicon oxide in the matrix. The matrix formed at the low etching time (5 min) exhibits a single broad "blue" room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) band. On increasing the etching time, the intensity of this band decreases and a much stronger "red" PL band emerges in the PL spectra. The relative intensity of this band with respect to the "blue" band significantly increases on increasing the etching time. The "blue" and "red" PL bands are attributed to Cu2O and porous silicon of the matrix, respectively. In addition, the water contact angle measurements reveal that the hydrophobicity of the matrix surface can be tuned from hydrophobic to superhydrophobic state by controlling the etching time.

Effect of Silicon on Desulfurization of Aluminum-killed Steels

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Debdutta

controlled by mass transfer in the metal and slag phase mass transfer has a minor effect on the overall desulfurization kinetics. The model results are in agreement with the experimental data for the change in sulfur, silicon and aluminum contents with time which renders credibility to the underlying hypothesis of the kinetic model. Although the change of sulfur content with time is not very sensitive to the activity data source, the change of aluminum and silicon contents with time depend on the activity data source. The experimental results demonstrate that if the silicon content in the steel is high enough, the silicon can reduce the alumina from the slag and thus the steel melt will pick up aluminum. This can cause significant savings in aluminum consumption. For most of the slag compositions used in the experiments, the overall mass transfer is only limited by the steel phase and the slag phase mass transfer can be neglected for most practical cases. Mass balance calculations in the experiments support the basis of the model and also show that with respect to aluminum consumption, silica reduction is the main aluminum consuming (or production) reaction and the desulfurization reaction is only a secondary consumer of aluminum. Results from the plant trials conducted to test the effect of silicon on ladle desulfurization show that the rate and extent of desulfurization increase with the increase of the initial Si content, so in the ladle refining process, adding all the silicon in the beginning with the aluminum and the fluxes will be beneficial and could save considerable processing time at the ladle. The aluminum consumption for the heats with silicon added in the beginning (both in terms of the Al added to the steel and as slag deoxidants) is considerably lower compared to the cases where the silicon is added at the end. However, on a relative cost term, aluminum and silicon are similarly priced so substitution would not offer a major cost advantage.

160-Gb/s Silicon All-Optical Packet Switch for Buffer-less Optical Burst Switching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Hao; Ji, Hua; Pu, Minhao

2015-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate a 160-Gb/s Ethernet packet switch using an 8.6-mm-long silicon nanowire for optical burst switching, based on cross phase modulation in silicon. One of the four packets at the bit rate of 160 Gb/s is switched by an optical control signal using a silicon based 1 × 1 all......-optical packet switch. Error free performance (BER silicon packet switch based optical burst switching, which might be desirable for high-speed interconnects within a short...

Gas phase photocatalytic water splitting in silicon based µ-reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dionigi, Fabio; Vesborg, Peter Christian Kjærgaard

is discussed in the beginning of this thesis followed by an introduction to the basics of photocatalysis. The experimental setup used in this study and the silicon based μ-reactor technology is described afterwards. Almost the entire work presented in the thesis has been done loading the catalysts in these μ...

Development of a platinum resistance thermometer on the silicon substrate for phase change studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai, Qingjun; Chen, Ya-Chi; Tsai, Chialun; DeNatale, Jeffrey F

2012-01-01

Resistance temperature detectors are commonly used measurement sensors in heat transfer studies. In many resistance temperature detectors, the platinum resistance thermometer (PRT) is chemically stable, has a wide temperature measurement range and possesses high measurement accuracy. In phase change studies of carbon nanotubes, bi-porous structures for microelectronic thermal management, 100 nm thick PRTs are developed on silicon substrates with 10 nm titanium adhesive to achieve precise and interface-free temperature measurements. After an annealing at 375 °C, the PRT samples are calibrated at a temperature range from 20 to 180 °C. Measurement hysteresis of temperature appears in thermal cycles. Electrical resistance tends to become low during all heating periods, which establishes the maximum measurement deviation of 10 °C. Experimental results from two different thin-film PRTs indicate that accurate and repeatable temperature measurements can be achieved by either reducing heating speed or using data in the cooling period. (paper)

Nonlinear optical properties of silicon waveguides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, H K; Liu, Y

2008-01-01

Recent work on two-photon absorption (TPA), stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and optical Kerr effect in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguides is reviewed and some potential applications of these optical nonlinearities, including silicon-based autocorrelation detectors, optical amplifiers, high speed optical switches, optical wavelength converters and self-phase modulation (SPM), are highlighted. The importance of free carriers generated by TPA in nonlinear devices is discussed, and a generalized definition of the nonlinear effective length to cater for nonlinear losses is proposed. How carrier lifetime engineering, and in particular the use of helium ion implantation, can enhance the nonlinear effective length for nonlinear devices is also discussed

Functionalization of 2D macroporous silicon under the high-pressure oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Karachevtseva, L.; Kartel, M.; Kladko, V.; Gudymenko, O.; Bo, Wang; Bratus, V.; Lytvynenko, O.; Onyshchenko, V.; Stronska, O.

2018-03-01

Addition functionalization after high-pressure oxidation of 2D macroporous silicon structures is evaluated. X-ray diffractometry indicates formation of orthorhombic SiO2 phase on macroporous silicon at oxide thickness of 800-1200 nm due to cylindrical symmetry of macropores and high thermal expansion coefficient of SiO2. Pb center concentration grows with the splitting energy of LO- and TO-phonons and SiO2 thickness in oxidized macroporous silicon structures. This increase EPR signal amplitude and GHz radiation absorption and is promising for development of high-frequency devices and electronically controlled elements.

Self-phase-modulation induced spectral broadening in silicon waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

Boyraz, Ozdal; Indukuri, Tejaswi; Jalali, Bahram

2004-03-01

The prospect for generating supercontinuum pulses on a silicon chip is studied. Using ~4ps optical pulses with 2.2GW/cm2 peak power, a 2 fold spectral broadening is obtained. Theoretical calculations, that include the effect of two-photon-absorption, indicate up to 5 times spectral broadening is achievable at 10x higher peak powers. Representing a nonlinear loss mechanism at high intensities, TPA limits the maximum optical bandwidth that can be generated.

Vacuum-plasma-sprayed silicon coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varacalle, D.J. Jr.; Herman, H.; Bancke, G.A.; Burchell, T.D.; Romanoski, G.R.

1991-01-01

Vacuum plasma spraying produces well-bonded dense stress-free coatings for a variety of materials on a wide range of substrates. The process is used in many industries for the excellent wear, corrosion resistance and high temperature behavior of the fabricated coatings. In this study, silicon metal was deposited on graphite to study the feasibility of preventing corrosion and oxidation of graphite components for nuclear reactors. Operating parameters were varied in a Taguchi design of experiments to display the range of the plasma processing conditions and their effect on the measured coating characteristics. The coating attributes evaluated were thickness, porosity, microhardness and phase content. This paper discusses the influence of the processing parameters on as-sprayed coating qualities. The paper also discusses the effect of thermal cycling on silicon samples in an inert helium atmosphere. The diffraction spectrum for a sample that experienced a 1600degC temperature cycle indicated that more than 99% of the coating transformed to β-SiC. The silicon coatings protected the graphite substrates from oxidation in one experiment. (orig.)

Vapor phase treatment–total reflection X-ray fluorescence for trace elemental analysis of silicon wafer surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahara, Hikari; Mori, Yoshihiro; Shibata, Harumi; Shimazaki, Ayako; Shabani, Mohammad B.; Yamagami, Motoyuki; Yabumoto, Norikuni; Nishihagi, Kazuo; Gohshi, Yohichi

2013-01-01

Vapor phase treatment (VPT) was under investigation by the International Organization for Standardization/Technical Committee 201/Working Group 2 (ISO/TC201/WG2) to improve the detection limit of total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (TXRF) for trace metal analysis of silicon wafers. Round robin test results have confirmed that TXRF intensity increased by VPT for intentional contamination with 5 × 10 9 and 5 × 10 10 atoms/cm 2 Fe and Ni. The magnification of intensity enhancement varied greatly (1.2–4.7 in VPT factor) among the participating laboratories, though reproducible results could be obtained for average of mapping measurement. SEM observation results showed that various features, sizes, and surface densities of particles formed on the wafer after VPT. The particle morphology seems to have some impact on the VPT efficiency. High resolution SEM observation revealed that a certain number of dots with SiO 2 , silicate and/or carbon gathered to form a particle and heavy metals, Ni and Fe in this study were segregated on it. The amount and shape of the residue should be important to control VPT factor. - Highlights: • This paper presents a summary of study results of VPT–TXRF using ISO/TC201/WG2. • Our goal is to analyze the trace metallic contamination on silicon wafer with concentrations below 1 × 10 10 atoms/cm 2 . • The efficiency and mechanism of VPT are discussed under several round robin tests and systematic studies

Silicone metalization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maghribi, Mariam N. (Livermore, CA); Krulevitch, Peter (Pleasanton, CA); Hamilton, Julie (Tracy, CA)

2008-12-09

A system for providing metal features on silicone comprising providing a silicone layer on a matrix and providing a metal layer on the silicone layer. An electronic apparatus can be produced by the system. The electronic apparatus comprises a silicone body and metal features on the silicone body that provide an electronic device.

Formation of porous silicon oxide from substrate-bound silicon rich silicon oxide layers by continuous-wave laser irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Nan; Fricke-Begemann, Th.; Peretzki, P.; Ihlemann, J.; Seibt, M.

2018-03-01

Silicon nanocrystals embedded in silicon oxide that show room temperature photoluminescence (PL) have great potential in silicon light emission applications. Nanocrystalline silicon particle formation by laser irradiation has the unique advantage of spatially controlled heating, which is compatible with modern silicon micro-fabrication technology. In this paper, we employ continuous wave laser irradiation to decompose substrate-bound silicon-rich silicon oxide films into crystalline silicon particles and silicon dioxide. The resulting microstructure is studied using transmission electron microscopy techniques with considerable emphasis on the formation and properties of laser damaged regions which typically quench room temperature PL from the nanoparticles. It is shown that such regions consist of an amorphous matrix with a composition similar to silicon dioxide which contains some nanometric silicon particles in addition to pores. A mechanism referred to as "selective silicon ablation" is proposed which consistently explains the experimental observations. Implications for the damage-free laser decomposition of silicon-rich silicon oxides and also for controlled production of porous silicon dioxide films are discussed.

EFFECTS.OF BORIC ACID ON THE CURE OF BORON-FILLED Y-3602 SILICONE GUM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leichliter, G E

1974-10-01

The first two phases of a program designed to determine the effects of boric acid on the cure of Y-3602 silicone gum were conducted to evaluate extraction solvents and extraction time. The standard production formulation of B10-filled Y-3602 silicone gum was used in these evaluations. Results showed that the best solvent for reproducibility and high amine content was chloroform. The second phase indicated that extraction was essentially complete at the end of 4 hours.

Stressing effects on the charge trapping of silicon oxynitride prepared by thermal oxidation of LPCVD Si-rich silicon nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, H.Y.; Wong, H.; Filip, V.; Sen, B.; Kok, C.W.; Chan, M.; Poon, M.C.

2006-01-01

It was recently found that the silicon oxynitride prepared by oxidation of silicon-rich silicon nitride (SRN) has several important features. The high nitrogen and extremely low hydrogen content of this material allows it to have a high dielectric constant and a low trap density. The present work investigates in further detail the electrical reliability of this kind of gate dielectric films by studying the charge trapping and interface state generation induced by constant current stressing. Capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements indicate that for oxidation temperatures of 850 and 950 deg. C, the interface trap generation is minimal because of the high nitrogen content at the interface. At a higher oxidation temperature of 1050 deg. C, a large flatband shift is found for constant current stressing. This observation can be explained by the significant reduction of the nitrogen content and the phase separation effect at this temperature as found by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study. In addition to the high nitrogen content, the Si atoms at the interface exist in the form of random bonding to oxygen and nitrogen atoms for samples oxidized at 850 and 950 deg. C. This structure reduces the interface bonding constraint and results in the low interface trap density. For heavily oxidized samples the trace amount of interface nitrogen atoms exist in the form of a highly constraint SiN 4 phase and the interface oxynitride layer is a random mixture of SiO 4 and SiN 4 phases, which consequently reduces the reliability against high energy electron stressing

Synthesis, Characterization and Optical Constants of Silicon Oxycarbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Memon Faisal Ahmed

2017-01-01

Full Text Available High refractive index glasses are preferred in integrated photonics applications to realize higher integration scale of passive devices. With a refractive index that can be tuned between SiO2 (1.45 and a-SiC (3.2, silicon oxycarbide SiOC offers this flexibility. In the present work, silicon oxycarbide thin films from 0.1 – 2.0 μm thickness are synthesized by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering a silicon carbide SiC target in a controlled argon and oxygen environment. The refractive index n and material extinction coefficient k of the silicon oxycarbide films are acquired with variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry over the UV-Vis-NIR wavelength range. Keeping argon and oxygen gases in the constant ratio, the refractive index n is found in the range from 1.41 to 1.93 at 600 nm which is almost linearly dependent on RF power of sputtering. The material extinction coefficient k has been estimated to be less than 10-4 for the deposited silicon oxycarbide films in the visible and near-infrared wavelength regions. Morphological and structural characterizations with SEM and XRD confirms the amorphous phase of the SiOC films.

X-Ray Researches GF Siliconized Materials on Pyrocarbon Sheaf and on the Basis of Graphite of Mark EG-0

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurin, V.A.; Gurin, I.V.; Kovtun, G.P.; Malykhin, D.G.; Bukolov, A.N.

2005-01-01

A methodological addition to a quantitative analysis of binary phase structure of materials on measurements of X-ray lines intensities worked out conformably to research of siliconized graphitic materials. Distinctions in X-rays absorption factors of phase components at a various degree of phases mixture are taken into account. An apparatus of the probability theory is applied. A parameter of mixture degree of phases is submitted as a specific area size of interphase. Quantitative X-ray researches of a phase structure of siliconized materials are carried out on the basis of carbon fabrics and graphitic powders; both were sheafed by pyrocarbon. In examined samples structures C-SiC and SiC-Si were obtained. The correlation of the phase structure of materials with the apparent density of the initial carbon basis is seen. The opportunity of a practical obtaining of materials with the host degree of their siliconizing is confirmed

Oxygen defect processes in silicon and silicon germanium

KAUST Repository

Chroneos, A.

2015-06-18

Silicon and silicon germanium are the archetypical elemental and alloy semiconductor materials for nanoelectronic, sensor, and photovoltaic applications. The investigation of radiation induced defects involving oxygen, carbon, and intrinsic defects is important for the improvement of devices as these defects can have a deleterious impact on the properties of silicon and silicon germanium. In the present review, we mainly focus on oxygen-related defects and the impact of isovalent doping on their properties in silicon and silicon germanium. The efficacy of the isovalent doping strategies to constrain the oxygen-related defects is discussed in view of recent infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory studies.

Oxygen defect processes in silicon and silicon germanium

KAUST Repository

Chroneos, A.; Sgourou, E. N.; Londos, C. A.; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2015-01-01

Silicon and silicon germanium are the archetypical elemental and alloy semiconductor materials for nanoelectronic, sensor, and photovoltaic applications. The investigation of radiation induced defects involving oxygen, carbon, and intrinsic defects is important for the improvement of devices as these defects can have a deleterious impact on the properties of silicon and silicon germanium. In the present review, we mainly focus on oxygen-related defects and the impact of isovalent doping on their properties in silicon and silicon germanium. The efficacy of the isovalent doping strategies to constrain the oxygen-related defects is discussed in view of recent infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory studies.

Tailoring the optical characteristics of microsized InP nanoneedles directly grown on silicon.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kun; Sun, Hao; Ren, Fan; Ng, Kar Wei; Tran, Thai-Truong D; Chen, Roger; Chang-Hasnain, Connie J

2014-01-08

Nanoscale self-assembly offers a pathway to realize heterogeneous integration of III-V materials on silicon. However, for III-V nanowires directly grown on silicon, dislocation-free single-crystal quality could only be attained below certain critical dimensions. We recently reported a new approach that overcomes this size constraint, demonstrating the growth of single-crystal InGaAs/GaAs and InP nanoneedles with the base diameters exceeding 1 μm. Here, we report distinct optical characteristics of InP nanoneedles which are varied from mostly zincblende, zincblende/wurtzite-mixed, to pure wurtzite crystalline phase. We achieved, for the first time, pure single-crystal wurtzite-phase InP nanoneedles grown on silicon with bandgaps of 80 meV larger than that of zincblende-phase InP. Being able to attain excellent material quality while scaling up in size promises outstanding device performance of these nanoneedles. At room temperature, a high internal quantum efficiency of 25% and optically pumped lasing are demonstrated for single nanoneedle as-grown on silicon substrate. Recombination dynamics proves the excellent surface quality of the InP nanoneedles, which paves the way toward achieving multijunction photovoltaic cells, long-wavelength heterostructure lasers, and advanced photonic integrated circuits.

Corrosion of silicon nitride in high temperature alkaline solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, Liyan, E-mail: liyan.qiu@cnl.ca; Guzonas, Dave A.; Qian, Jing

2016-08-01

The corrosion of silicon nitride (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) in alkaline solutions was studied at temperatures from 60 to 300 °C. Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} experienced significant corrosion above 100 °C. The release rates of silicon and nitrogen follow zero order reaction kinetics and increase with increasing temperature. The molar ratio of dissolved silicon and nitrogen species in the high temperature solutions is the same as that in the solid phase (congruent dissolution). The activation energy for silicon and nitrogen release rates is 75 kJ/mol which agrees well with that of silica dissolution. At 300 °C, the release of aluminum is observed and follows first order reaction kinetics while other minor constituents including Ti and Y are highly enriched on the corrosion films due to the low solubility of their oxides.

Low temperature CVD deposition of silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dariel, M.; Yeheskel, J.; Agam, S.; Edelstein, D.; Lebovits, O.; Ron, Y.

1991-04-01

The coating of graphite on silicon carbide from the gaseous phase in a hot-well, open flow reactor at 1150degC is described. This study constitutes the first part of an investigation of the process for the coating of nuclear fuel by chemical vapor deposition (CVD)

Mass Spectrometric Investigation of Silicon Extremely Enriched in (28)Si: From (28)SiF4 (Gas Phase IRMS) to (28)Si Crystals (MC-ICP-MS).

Science.gov (United States)

Pramann, Axel; Rienitz, Olaf

2016-06-07

A new generation of silicon crystals even further enriched in (28)Si (x((28)Si) > 0.999 98 mol/mol), recently produced by companies and institutes in Russia within the framework of a project initiated by PTB, were investigated with respect to their isotopic composition and molar mass M(Si). A modified isotope dilution mass spectrometric (IDMS) method treating the silicon as the matrix containing a so-called virtual element (VE) existing of the isotopes (29)Si and (30)Si solely and high resolution multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) were applied in combination. This method succeeds also when examining the new materials holding merely trace amounts of (29)Si (x((29)Si) ≈ 5 × 10(-6) mol/mol) and (30)Si (x((30)Si) ≈ 7 × 10(-7) mol/mol) extremely difficult to detect with lowest uncertainty. However, there is a need for validating the enrichment in (28)Si already in the precursor material of the final crystals, silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) gas prior to crystal production. For that purpose, the isotopic composition of selected SiF4 samples was determined using a multicollector magnetic sector field gas-phase isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Contaminations of SiF4 by natural silicon due to storing and during the isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) measurements were observed and quantified. The respective MC-ICP-MS measurements of the corresponding crystal samples show-in contrast-several advantages compared to gas phase IRMS. M(Si) of the new crystals were determined to some extent with uncertainties urel(M) < 1 × 10(-9). This study presents a clear dependence of the uncertainty urel(M(Si)) on the degree of enrichment in (28)Si. This leads to a reduction of urel(M(Si)) during the past decade by almost 3 orders of magnitude and thus further reduces the uncertainty of the Avogadro constant NA which is one of the preconditions for the redefinition of the SI unit kilogram.

The Affordable Pre-Finishing of Silicon Carbide for Optical Applications, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Creare proposes to develop a novel, laser-assisted, pre-finishing process for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coated silicon-carbide ceramics. Our innovation will...

Silicon sensor prototypes for the Phase II upgrade of the CMS tracker

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergauer, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.bergauer@oeaw.ac.at

2016-09-21

The High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) has been identified as the highest priority program in High Energy Physics in the mid-term future. It will provide the experiments an additional integrated luminosity of about 2500 fb{sup −1} over 10 years of operation, starting in 2025. In order to meet the experimental challenges of unprecedented p–p luminosity, especially in terms of radiation levels and occupancy, the CMS collaboration will need to replace its entire strip tracker by a new one. In this paper the baseline layout option for this new Phase-II tracker is shown, together with two variants using a tilted barrel geometry or larger modules from 8-inch silicon wafers. Moreover, the two module concepts are discussed, which consist either of two strip sensors (2S) or of one strip and one pixel sensor (PS). These two designs allow p{sub T} discrimination at module level enabling the tracker to contribute to the L1 trigger decision. The paper presents testing results of the macro-pixel-light sensor for the PS module and shows the first electrical characterization of unirradiated, full-scale strip sensor prototypes for the 2S module concept, both on 6- and 8-inch wafers.

Study of silicon doped with zinc ions and annealed in oxygen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Privezentsev, V. V.; Kirilenko, E. P.; Goryachev, A. N.; Batrakov, A. A.

2017-01-01

The results of studies of the surface layer of silicon and the formation of precipitates in Czochralski n-Si (100) samples implanted with "6"4Zn"+ ions with an energy of 50 keV and a dose of 5 × 10"1"6 cm"–"2 at room temperature and then oxidized at temperatures from 400 to 900°C are reported. The surface is visualized using an electron microscope, while visualization of the surface layer is conducted via profiling in depth by elemental mapping using Auger electron spectroscopy. The distribution of impurity ions in silicon is analyzed using a time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometer. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the chemical state of atoms of the silicon matrix and zinc and oxygen impurity atoms is studied, and the phase composition of the implanted and annealed samples is refined. After the implantation of zinc, two maxima of the zinc concentration, one at the wafer surface and the other at a depth of 70 nm, are observed. In this case, nanoparticles of the Zn metal phase and ZnO phase, about 10 nm in dimensions, are formed at the surface and in the surface layer. After annealing in oxygen, the ZnO · Zn_2SiO_4 and Zn · ZnO phases are detected near the surface and at a depth of 50 nm, respectively.

Ab initio simulation of amorphous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, N.C.; McKenzie, D.R.; Goringe, C.M.

1999-01-01

Full text: A first-principles Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulation of amorphous silicon is presented. Density Functional Theory is used to describe the forces between the atoms in a 64 atom supercell which is periodically repeated throughout space in order to generate an infinite network of atoms (a good approximation to a real solid). A quench from the liquid phase is used to achieve a quenched amorphous structure, which is subjected to an annealing cycle to improve its stability. The final, annealed network is in better agreement with experiment than any previous simulation of amorphous silicon. Significantly, the predicted average first-coordination numbers of 3.56 and 3.84 for the quenched and annealed structures from this simulation agree very closely with the experimental values of 3.55 and 3.90 respectively, whereas all previous simulations yielded first coordination numbers greater than 4. This improved agreement in coordination numbers is important because it supports the experimental finding that dangling bonds (which are associated with under-coordinated atoms) are more prevalent than floating bonds (the strained, longer bond of a five coordinate atom) in pure amorphous silicon. Finally, the effect of adding hydrogen to amorphous silicon was investigated by specifically placing hydrogen atoms at the likely defect sites. After a structural relaxation to optimise the positions of these hydrogen atoms, the localised electronic states associated with these defects are absent. Thus hydrogen is responsible for removing these defect states (which are able to trap carriers) from the edge of the band gap of the amorphous silicon. These results confirm the widely held ideas about the effect of hydrogen in producing remarkable improvements in the electronic properties of amorphous silicon

Low-Cost, Silicon Carbide Replication Technique for LWIR Mirror Fabrication, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — SSG proposes an innovative optical manufacturing approach that will enable the low-cost fabrication of lightweighted, Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) Silicon Carbide (SiC)...

Talc-silicon glass-ceramic waste forms for immobilization of high- level calcined waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinjamuri, K.

1993-06-01

Talc-silicon glass-ceramic waste forms are being evaluated as candidates for immobilization of the high level calcined waste stored onsite at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant. These glass-ceramic waste forms were prepared by hot isostatically pressing a mixture of simulated nonradioactive high level calcined waste, talc, silicon and aluminum metal additives. The waste forms were characterized for density, chemical durability, and glass and crystalline phase compositions. The results indicate improved density and chemical durability as the silicon content is increased

Effect of reinforced fiber on morphology of Si phases in Al2O3/AI-Si alloy composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheng LIU

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Alumina/aluminum-silicon alloy composite is manufactured by squeeze casting. The effect of the reinforcement on the morphology of the silicon phase in aluminum-silicon alloy is studied. The results indicate that an alumina fiber can serve as propitious sites for the heterogeneous nucleation of the silicon phase, and the primary silicon in the composite can nucleate on the surface of the fiber. The fiber in the composite can trigger twin during the coupled growth of the aluminum-silicon eutectic and lead to modification of the eutectic silicon near the fiber.

Silicon epitaxy on textured double layer porous silicon by LPCVD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai Hong; Shen Honglie; Zhang Lei; Huang Haibin; Lu Linfeng; Tang Zhengxia; Shen Jiancang

2010-01-01

Epitaxial silicon thin film on textured double layer porous silicon (DLPS) was demonstrated. The textured DLPS was formed by electrochemical etching using two different current densities on the silicon wafer that are randomly textured with upright pyramids. Silicon thin films were then grown on the annealed DLPS, using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The reflectance of the DLPS and the grown silicon thin films were studied by a spectrophotometer. The crystallinity and topography of the grown silicon thin films were studied by Raman spectroscopy and SEM. The reflectance results show that the reflectance of the silicon wafer decreases from 24.7% to 11.7% after texturing, and after the deposition of silicon thin film the surface reflectance is about 13.8%. SEM images show that the epitaxial silicon film on textured DLPS exhibits random pyramids. The Raman spectrum peaks near 521 cm -1 have a width of 7.8 cm -1 , which reveals the high crystalline quality of the silicon epitaxy.

Hardness and thermal stability of cubic silicon nitride

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiang, Jianzhong; Kragh, Flemming; Frost, D. J.

2001-01-01

The hardness and thermal stability of cubic spinel silicon nitride (c-Si3N4), synthesized under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions, have been studied by microindentation measurements, and x-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively The phase at ambient...

Production of electronic grade lunar silicon by disproportionation of silicon difluoride

Science.gov (United States)

Agosto, William N.

1993-01-01

Waldron has proposed to extract lunar silicon by sodium reduction of sodium fluorosilicate derived from reacting sodium fluoride with lunar silicon tetrafluoride. Silicon tetrafluoride is obtained by the action of hydrofluoric acid on lunar silicates. While these reactions are well understood, the resulting lunar silicon is not likely to meet electronic specifications of 5 nines purity. Dale and Margrave have shown that silicon difluoride can be obtained by the action of silicon tetrafluoride on elemental silicon at elevated temperatures (1100-1200 C) and low pressures (1-2 torr). The resulting silicon difluoride will then spontaneously disproportionate into hyperpure silicon and silicon tetrafluoride in vacuum at approximately 400 C. On its own merits, silicon difluoride polymerizes into a tough waxy solid in the temperature range from liquid nitrogen to about 100 C. It is the silicon analog of teflon. Silicon difluoride ignites in moist air but is stable under lunar surface conditions and may prove to be a valuable industrial material that is largely lunar derived for lunar surface applications. The most effective driver for lunar industrialization may be the prospects for industrial space solar power systems in orbit or on the moon that are built with lunar materials. Such systems would require large quantities of electronic grade silicon or compound semiconductors for photovoltaics and electronic controls. Since silicon is the most abundant semimetal in the silicate portion of any solar system rock (approximately 20 wt percent), lunar silicon production is bound to be an important process in such a solar power project. The lunar silicon extraction process is discussed.

Requirements for the Silicon Tracking System of CBM at FAIR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heuser, Johann M.; Deveaux, M.; Muentz, C.; Stroth, J.

2006-01-01

The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at the future Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Darmstadt will systematically study dense baryonic matter created in collisions of intense heavy-ion beams with nuclear targets. The research addresses current questions of strong-interaction physics as confinement in normal nuclear matter, chiral symmetry restoration in deconfined matter at high temperatures and densities, and the search for the critical end-point of the phase boundary. With beams of ions as heavy as Au and U, energies up to 45GeV/nucleon and intensities up to 10 12 ions per pulse, FAIR will enable CBM to probe the phase diagram of quantum chromo dynamics (QCD) in a region poorly known, while being complementary to current and future research programmes at RHIC and LHC. The CBM experiment is planned as a fixed-target spectrometer optimized for the detection of rare probes. Among these are open charm and low-mass vector mesons, important observables for the initial energetic and dense phase of the collisions. The experimental concept and challenge is to accomplish charged particle tracking in the high-multiplicity, high-radiation collision environment. This will be realized exclusively with a silicon tracking detector system installed in a strong magnetic dipole field directly behind the target. Key to the physics of CBM and benchmark for the tracking is the reconstruction of short-lived charmed mesons that puts high demands on the silicon detectors. The article presents a conceptual design of the CBM experiment with emphasis on the silicon tracking system. Requirements for silicon microstrip and pixel detectors and their arrangement in the tracker are discussed in relation to important physics observables addressed by CBM

Carbon Cryogel and Carbon Paper-Based Silicon Composite Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Woodworth, James; Baldwin, Richard; Bennett, William

2010-01-01

A variety of materials are under investigation for use as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries, of which, the most promising are those containing silicon. 6 One such material is a composite formed via the dispersion of silicon in a resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) gel followed by pyrolysis. Two silicon-carbon composite materials, carbon microspheres and nanofoams produced from nano-phase silicon impregnated RF gel precursors have been synthesized and investigated. Carbon microspheres are produced by forming the silicon-containing RF gel into microspheres whereas carbon nano-foams are produced by impregnating carbon fiber paper with the silicon containing RF gel to create a free standing electrode. 1-5 Both materials have demonstrated their ability to function as anodes and utilize the silicon present in the material. Stable reversible capacities above 400 mAh/g for the bulk material and above 1000 mAh/g of Si have been observed.

The CDF online silicon vertex tracker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashmanskas, W.

2001-01-01

The CDF Online Silicon Vertex Tracker reconstructs 2-D tracks by linking hit positions measured by the Silicon Vertex Detector to the Central Outer Chamber tracks found by the eXtremely Fast Tracker. The system has been completely built and assembled and it is now being commissioned using the first CDF run II data. The precision measurement of the track impact parameter will allow triggering on B hadron decay vertices and thus investigating important areas in the B sector, like CP violation and B s mixing. In this paper we briefly review the architecture and the tracking algorithms implemented in the SVT and we report on the performance of the system achieved in the early phase of CDF run II

The CDF online Silicon Vertex Tracker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashmanskas, W.; Bardi, A.; Bari, M.; Belforte, S.; Berryhill, J.; Bogdan, M.; Carosi, R.; Cerri, A.; Chlachidze, G.; Culbertson, R.; Dell'Orso, M.; Donati, S.; Fiori, I.; Frisch, H.J.; Galeotti, S.; Giannetti, P.; Glagolev, V.; Moneta, L.; Morsani, F.; Nakaya, T.; Passuello, D.; Punzi, G.; Rescigno, M.; Ristori, L.; Sanders, H.; Sarkar, S.; Semenov, A.; Shochet, M.; Speer, T.; Spinella, F.; Wu, X.; Yang, U.; Zanello, L.; Zanetti, A.M.

2002-01-01

The CDF Online Silicon Vertex Tracker (SVT) reconstructs 2D tracks by linking hit positions measured by the Silicon Vertex Detector to the Central Outer Chamber tracks found by the eXtremely Fast Tracker (XFT). The system has been completely built and assembled and it is now being commissioned using the first CDF run II data. The precision measurement of the track impact parameter will allow triggering on B hadron decay vertices and thus investigating important areas in the B sector, like CP violation and B s mixing. In this paper we briefly review the architecture and the tracking algorithms implemented in the SVT and we report on the performance of the system achieved in the early phase of CDF run II

Characterization of hydroxyapatite substituted with silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, H.M. da; Soares, G.A.; Mateescu, M.; Anselme, K.; Palard, M.; Champion, E.

2009-01-01

Incorporation of silicon (Si) ions into hydroxyapatite structure (HA) influences on physical, chemical and physiological properties. Some studies reported the improved bioactivity Si substitution, and it also accelerates the biomineralization process. The main objective of this work is to characterize stoichiometric hydroxyapatite and hydroxyapatite substituted with 1.13% in weight of Si (SiHA) using a wet precipitation method followed by a heat treatment. SEM/EDS, AFM, DRX and FTIR analyses were used to characterize the samples. EDS and FTIR results confirmed the presence of Si. Silicon induces small changes on crystal structure of HA, not detected on X-ray diffraction patterns of sintered tablets of SiHA and HA. No secondary phases were observed, that indicates the Si had entered the HA lattice. (author)

Chemical modification of silicon surfaces for the application in soft lithography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gilles, S.

2007-05-15

The objective of this work was to chemically modify silicon surfaces by anchoring functional molecules. A major part was devoted to the investigation and improvement of the self-assembly process of organosilanes on oxidized silicon surfaces. The formation of a release agent layer with perfluorinated alkylsilanes was performed by vapor phase deposition. An advanced vapor phase deposition device, called CASINO device, was built to enhance the qualities of the thin films. It is possible to carry out cleaning and silanization in a closed chamber without exposing the samples to air in between. Thereby surface contamination is avoided. Experiments with the new device were performed following examples given in literature. To optimize the silanization process in the CASINO device, it was also planned to apply heat treatment of the sample during or after the deposition process. Surface layers of thiolterminated and of aminoterminated molecules were investigated as adhesive layer for the linkage of metal structures to silicon surfaces, e.g. Shuttle-Transfer Printing with gold crossbar electrodes. First, thiol- and aminoterminated organosilane SAMs were tested as adhesive layers for gold. The surface modified with thiolterminated silane molecules was further examined. Adhesion was promoted only after heat treatment of a thiolmodified silicon substrate with a gold layer on top. (orig.)

An experimental study on flow friction and heat transfer of water in sinusoidal wavy silicon microchannels

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Houxue; Wu, Huiying; Zhang, Chi

2018-05-01

Sinusoidal wavy microchannels have been known as a more heat transfer efficient heat sink for the cooling of electronics than normal straight microchannels. However, the existing experimental study on wavy silicon microchannels with different phase differences are few. As a result of this, in this paper an experimental study has been conducted to investigate the single phase flow friction and heat transfer of de-ionized water in eight different sinusoidal wavy silicon microchannels (SWSMCs) and one straight silicon microchannel (SMC). The SWSMCs feature different phase differences (α  =  0 to π) and different relative wavy amplitudes (β  =  A/l  =  0.05 to 0.4), but the same average hydraulic diameters (D h  =  160 µm). It is found that both flow friction constant fRe and the Nusselt number depend on the phase difference and relative wavy amplitude. For sinusoidal wavy microchannels with a relative wavy amplitude (β  =  0.05), the Nusselt number increased noticeably with the phase difference for Re  >  250, but the effect was insignificant for Re  reducing the wavy wave length induced higher pressure drop and apparent friction constant fRe, while the Nusselt number increased with relative wavy amplitude for Re  >  300. The results indicate that the thermal resistances of sinusoidal wavy silicon microchannels were generally lower than that of straight silicon microchannels, and the thermal resistance decreased with the increase in relative wavy amplitude. The enhancement of thermal performance is attributed to the flow re-circulation occurring in the corrugation troughs and the secondary flows or Dean vortices introduced by curved channels. It is concluded that silicon sinusoidal wavy microchannels provide higher heat transfer rate albeit with a higher flow friction, making it a better choice for the cooling of high heat flux electronics.

Aluminum and silicon based phase change materials for high capacity thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhengyun; Wang, Hui; Li, Xiaobo; Wang, Dezhi; Zhang, Qinyong; Chen, Gang; Ren, Zhifeng

2015-01-01

Six compositions of aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si) based materials: 87.8Al-12.2Si, 80Al–20Si, 70Al–30Si, 60Al–40Si, 45Al–40Si–15Fe, and 17Al–53Si–30Ni (atomic ratio), were investigated for potentially high thermal energy storage (TES) application from medium to high temperatures (550–1200 °C) through solid–liquid phase change. Thermal properties such as melting point, latent heat, specific heat, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and laser flash apparatus. The results reveal that the thermal storage capacity of the Al–Si materials increases with increasing Si concentration. The melting point and latent heat of 45Al–40Si–15Fe and 17Al–53Si–30Ni are ∼869 °C and ∼562 J g −1 , and ∼1079 °C and ∼960 J g −1 , respectively. The measured thermal conductivity of Al–Si binary materials depend on Si concentration and is higher than 80 W m −1  K −1 from room temperature to 500 °C, which is almost two orders of magnitude higher than those of salts that are commonly used phase change material for thermal energy storage. - Highlights: • Six kinds of materials were investigated for thermal energy storage (550–1200 °C). • Partial melting of Al–Si materials show progressively changing temperatures. • Studied materials can be used in three different working temperature ranges. • Materials are potentially good candidates for thermal energy storage applications.

Slit and phase grating diffraction with a double crystal diffractometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Treimer, Wolfgang; Hilger, Andre; Strobl, Markus

2006-01-01

The lateral coherence properties of a neutron beam (λ=0.5248nm) in a double crystal diffractometer (DCD) were studied by means of single slit diffraction and by diffraction by different perfect Silicon phase gratings. Perfect agreements were found for the lateral coherence length measured with the slit and for the one determined by Silicon phase gratings, however, some peculiarities are still present

Supercontinuum generation in silicon waveguides relying on wave-breaking.

Science.gov (United States)

Castelló-Lurbe, David; Silvestre, Enrique

2015-10-05

Four-wave-mixing processes enabled during optical wave-breaking (OWB) are exploited in this paper for supercontinuum generation. Unlike conventional approaches based on OWB, phase-matching is achieved here for these nonlinear interactions, and, consequently, new frequency production becomes more efficient. We take advantage of this kind of pulse propagation to obtain numerically a coherent octave-spanning mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in a silicon waveguide pumping at telecom wavelengths in the normal dispersion regime. This scheme shows a feasible path to overcome limits imposed by two-photon absorption on spectral broadening in silicon waveguides.

Photovoltaic Subcontract Program. Annual report, FY 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-03-01

This report summarizes the fiscal year (FY) 1992 progress of the subcontracted photovoltaic (PV) research and development (R&D) performed under the Photovoltaic Advanced Research and Development Project at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)-formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). The mission of the national PV program is to develop PV technology for large-scale generation of economically competitive electric power in the United States. The technical sections of the report cover the main areas of the subcontract program: the Crystalline Materials and Advanced Concepts project, the Polycrystalline Thin Films project, Amorphous Silicon Research project, the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) project, PV Module and System Performance and Engineering project, and the PV Analysis and Applications Development project. Technical summaries of each of the subcontracted programs provide a discussion of approaches, major accomplishments in FY 1992, and future research directions.

Photovoltaic Subcontract Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surek, Thomas; Catalano, Anthony

1993-03-01

This report summarizes the fiscal year (FY) 1992 progress of the subcontracted photovoltaic (PV) research and development (R D) performed under the Photovoltaic Advanced Research and Development Project at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)-formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). The mission of the national PV program is to develop PV technology for large-scale generation of economically competitive electric power in the United States. The technical sections of the report cover the main areas of the subcontract program: the Crystalline Materials and Advanced Concepts project, the Polycrystalline Thin Films project, Amorphous Silicon Research project, the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) project, PV Module and System Performance and Engineering project, and the PV Analysis and Applications Development project. Technical summaries of each of the subcontracted programs provide a discussion of approaches, major accomplishments in FY 1992, and future research directions.

Clathrates and beyond: Low-density allotropy in crystalline silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beekman, Matt [Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California 93407 (United States); Wei, Kaya; Nolas, George S., E-mail: gnolas@usf.edu [Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620 (United States)

2016-12-15

In its common, thermodynamically stable state, silicon adopts the same crystal structure as diamond. Although only a few alternative allotropic structures have been discovered and studied over the past six decades, advanced methods for structure prediction have recently suggested a remarkably rich low-density phase space that has only begun to be explored. The electronic properties of these low-density allotropes of silicon, predicted by first-principles calculations, indicate that these materials could offer a pathway to improving performance and reducing cost in a variety of electronic and energy-related applications. In this focus review, we provide an introduction and overview of recent theoretical and experimental results related to low-density allotropes of silicon, highlighting the significant potential these materials may have for technological applications, provided substantial challenges to their experimental preparation can be overcome.

Study of silicon doped with zinc ions and annealed in oxygen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Privezentsev, V. V., E-mail: v.privezentsev@mail.ru [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics and Technology (Russian Federation); Kirilenko, E. P.; Goryachev, A. N. [Zelenograd, National Research University of Electronic Technology “MIET” (Russian Federation); Batrakov, A. A. [National Research University “MEI” (Russian Federation)

2017-02-15

The results of studies of the surface layer of silicon and the formation of precipitates in Czochralski n-Si (100) samples implanted with {sup 64}Zn{sup +} ions with an energy of 50 keV and a dose of 5 × 10{sup 16} cm{sup –2} at room temperature and then oxidized at temperatures from 400 to 900°C are reported. The surface is visualized using an electron microscope, while visualization of the surface layer is conducted via profiling in depth by elemental mapping using Auger electron spectroscopy. The distribution of impurity ions in silicon is analyzed using a time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometer. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the chemical state of atoms of the silicon matrix and zinc and oxygen impurity atoms is studied, and the phase composition of the implanted and annealed samples is refined. After the implantation of zinc, two maxima of the zinc concentration, one at the wafer surface and the other at a depth of 70 nm, are observed. In this case, nanoparticles of the Zn metal phase and ZnO phase, about 10 nm in dimensions, are formed at the surface and in the surface layer. After annealing in oxygen, the ZnO · Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} and Zn · ZnO phases are detected near the surface and at a depth of 50 nm, respectively.

Colloidal characterization of ultrafine silicon carbide and silicon nitride powders

Science.gov (United States)

Whitman, Pamela K.; Feke, Donald L.

1986-01-01

The effects of various powder treatment strategies on the colloid chemistry of aqueous dispersions of silicon carbide and silicon nitride are examined using a surface titration methodology. Pretreatments are used to differentiate between the true surface chemistry of the powders and artifacts resulting from exposure history. Silicon nitride powders require more extensive pretreatment to reveal consistent surface chemistry than do silicon carbide powders. As measured by titration, the degree of proton adsorption from the suspending fluid by pretreated silicon nitride and silicon carbide powders can both be made similar to that of silica.

Influence of oxygen on the ion-beam synthesis of silicon carbide buried layers in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artamanov, V.V.; Valakh, M.Ya.; Klyui, N.I.; Mel'nik, V.P.; Romanyuk, A.B.; Romanyuk, B.N.; Yukhimchuk, V.A.

1998-01-01

The properties of silicon structures with silicon carbide (SiC) buried layers produced by high-dose carbon implantation followed by a high-temperature anneal are investigated by Raman and infrared spectroscopy. The influence of the coimplantation of oxygen on the features of SiC buried layer formation is also studied. It is shown that in identical implantation and post-implantation annealing regimes a SiC buried layer forms more efficiently in CZ Si wafers or in Si (CZ or FZ) subjected to the coimplantation of oxygen. Thus, oxygen promotes SiC layer formation as a result of the formation of SiO x precipitates and accommodation of the volume change in the region where the SiC phase forms. Carbon segregation and the formation of an amorphous carbon film on the SiC grain boundaries are also discovered

Shear-driven phase transformation in silicon nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-03-23

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

Reaction sintering of a clay-containing silicon nitride bonded silicon carbide refractory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swenser, S.P.; Cheng, Y.B.

1998-01-01

Aspects of the reaction sequence for the reaction bonding of a cast refractory, which in the green state was composed of 79 wt-% SiC grit, 16 wt-% Si powder and 5 wt-% clay were established. As it was fired up to 1600 deg C in flowing N 2 (g), weight gains were noted and phase evolution was monitored by X-ray diffraction. However, details of the reaction sequence were not determined directly from this material because several reaction-bonding processes occurred simultaneously. Reaction features were ascertained by contrasting the weight changes and phase evolution in the refractory with those observed during reaction-bonding of (a) Si and clay without the SiC and (b) SiC and clay without the Si. In addition to silicon nitridation and the development of sialon phases by silicothermal and carbothermal reduction-nitridation processes, indirect evidence suggested that α-Si 3 N 4 formed by the carbothermal reduction-nitridation (CRN) of SiO(g). Copyright (1998) Australasian Ceramic Society

Inelastic response of silicon to shock compression.

Science.gov (United States)

Higginbotham, A; Stubley, P G; Comley, A J; Eggert, J H; Foster, J M; Kalantar, D H; McGonegle, D; Patel, S; Peacock, L J; Rothman, S D; Smith, R F; Suggit, M J; Wark, J S

2016-04-13

The elastic and inelastic response of [001] oriented silicon to laser compression has been a topic of considerable discussion for well over a decade, yet there has been little progress in understanding the basic behaviour of this apparently simple material. We present experimental x-ray diffraction data showing complex elastic strain profiles in laser compressed samples on nanosecond timescales. We also present molecular dynamics and elasticity code modelling which suggests that a pressure induced phase transition is the cause of the previously reported 'anomalous' elastic waves. Moreover, this interpretation allows for measurement of the kinetic timescales for transition. This model is also discussed in the wider context of reported deformation of silicon to rapid compression in the literature.

A Silicon Strip Detector for the Phase II High Luminosity Upgrade of the ATLAS Detector at the Large Hadron Collider

CERN Document Server

INSPIRE-00425747; McMahon, Stephen J

2015-01-01

ATLAS is a particle physics experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that detects proton-proton collisions at a centre of mass energy of 14 TeV. The Semiconductor Tracker is part of the Inner Detector, implemented using silicon microstrip detectors with binary read-out, providing momentum measurement of charged particles with excellent resolution. The operation of the LHC and the ATLAS experiment started in 2010, with ten years of operation expected until major upgrades are needed in the accelerator and the experiments. The ATLAS tracker will need to be completely replaced due to the radiation damage and occupancy of some detector elements and the data links at high luminosities. These upgrades after the first ten years of operation are named the Phase-II Upgrade and involve a re-design of the LHC, resulting in the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). This thesis presents the work carried out in the testing of the ATLAS Phase-II Upgrade electronic systems in the future strips tracker a...

Covalent Attachment of Bent-Core Mesogens to Silicon Surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scheres, L.; Achten, R.; Giesbers, M.; Smet, de L.; Arafat, A.; Sudhölter, E.J.R.; Marcelis, A.T.M.; Zuilhof, H.

2009-01-01

Two vinyl-terminated bent core-shaped liquid crystalline molecules that exhibit thermotropic antiferroelectric SmCPA phases have been covalently attached onto a hydrogen-terminated silicon(111) surface. The surface attachment was achieved via a mild procedure from a mesitylene solution, using

Arsenic implantation into polycrystalline silicon and diffusion to silicon substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukamoto, K.; Akasaka, Y.; Horie, K.

1977-01-01

Arsenic implantation into polycrystalline silicon and drive-in diffusion to silicon substrate have been investigated by MeV He + backscattering analysis and also by electrical measurements. The range distributions of arsenic implanted into polycrystalline silicon are well fitted to Gaussian distributions over the energy range 60--350 keV. The measured values of R/sub P/ and ΔR/sub P/ are about 10 and 20% larger than the theoretical predictions, respectively. The effective diffusion coefficient of arsenic implanted into polycrystalline silicon is expressed as D=0.63 exp[(-3.22 eV/kT)] and is independent of the arsenic concentration. The drive-in diffusion of arsenic from the implanted polycrystalline silicon layer into the silicon substrate is significantly affected by the diffusion atmosphere. In the N 2 atmosphere, a considerable amount of arsenic atoms diffuses outward to the ambient. The outdiffusion can be suppressed by encapsulation with Si 3 N 4 . In the oxidizing atmosphere, arsenic atoms are driven inward by growing SiO 2 due to the segregation between SiO 2 and polycrystalline silicon, and consequently the drive-in diffusion of arsenic is enhanced. At the interface between the polycrystalline silicon layer and the silicon substrate, arsenic atoms are likely to segregate at the polycrystalline silicon side

Deformation mechanisms of silicon during nanoscratching

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gassilloud, R.; Gasser, P.; Buerki, G.; Michler, J. [EMPA, Materials Science and Technology, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, 3602 Thun (Switzerland); Ballif, C. [University of Neuchatel, A.-L. Breguet 2, 2000 Neuchatel (Switzerland)

2005-12-01

The deformation mechanisms of silicon {l_brace}001{r_brace} surfaces during nanoscratching were found to depend strongly on the loading conditions. Nanoscratches with increasing load were performed at 2 {mu}m/s (low velocity) and 100 {mu}m/s (high velocity). The load-penetration-distance curves acquired during the scratching process at low velocity suggests that two deformation regimes can be defined, an elasto-plastic regime at low loads and a fully plastic regime at high loads. High resolution scanning electron microscopy of the damaged location shows that the residual scratch morphologies are strongly influenced by the scratch velocity and the applied load. Micro-Raman spectroscopy shows that after pressure release, the deformed volume inside the nanoscratch is mainly composed of amorphous silicon and Si-XII at low scratch speeds and of amorphous silicon at high speeds. Transmission electron microscopy shows that Si nanocrystals are embedded in an amorphous matrix at low speeds, whereas at high speeds the transformed zone is completely amorphous. Furthermore, the extend of the transformed zone is almost independent of the scratching speed and is delimited by a dislocation rich area that extends about as deep as the contact radius into the surface. To explain the observed phase and defect distribution a contact mechanics based decompression model that takes into account the load, the velocity, the materials properties and the contact radius in scratching is proposed. It shows that the decompression rate is higher at low penetration depth, which is consistent with the observation of amorphous silicon in this case. The stress field under the tip is computed using an elastic contact mechanics model based on Hertz's theory. The model explains the observed shape of the transformed zone and suggests that during load increase, phase transformation takes place prior to dislocation nucleation. (copyright 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

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

LHCb: Installation and operation of the LHCb Silicon Tracker detector

CERN Multimedia

Esperante Pereira, D

2009-01-01

The LHCb experiment has been designed to perform high-precision measurements of CP violation and rare decays of B hadrons. The construction and installation phases of the Silicon Tracker (ST) of the experiment were completed by early summer 2008. The LHCb Silicon Tracker sums up to a total sensitive area of about 12 m^2 using silicon micro-strip technology and withstands charged particle fluxes of up to 5 x 10^5cm^−2s^−1. We will report on the preparation of the detectors for the first LHC beams. Selected results from the commissioning in LHCb are shown, including the first beam-related events accumulated during LHC injection tests in September 2008. Lessons are drawn from the experience gathered during the installation and commissioning.

Porous silicon: silicon quantum dots for photonic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavesi, L.; Guardini, R.

1996-01-01

Porous silicon formation and structure characterization are briefly illustrated. Its luminescence properties rae presented and interpreted on the basis of exciton recombination in quantum dot structures: the trap-controlled hopping mechanism is used to describe the recombination dynamics. Porous silicon application to photonic devices is considered: porous silicon multilayer in general, and micro cavities in particular are described. The present situation in the realization of porous silicon LEDs is considered, and future developments in this field of research are suggested. (author). 30 refs., 30 figs., 13 tabs

Damage-free polishing of monocrystalline silicon wafers without chemical additives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biddut, A.Q.; Zhang, L.C.; Ali, Y.M.; Liu, Z.

2008-01-01

This investigation explores the possibility and identifies the mechanism of damage-free polishing of monocrystalline silicon without chemical additives. Using high resolution electron microscopy and contact mechanics, the study concludes that a damage-free polishing process without chemicals is feasible. All forms of damages, such as amorphous Si, dislocations and plane shifting, can be eliminated by avoiding the initiation of the β-tin phase of silicon during polishing. When using 50 nm abrasives, the nominal pressure to achieve damage-free polishing is 20 kPa

Silicon Composite Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries Based on Carbon Cryogels and Carbon Paper

Science.gov (United States)

Woodworth, James; Baldwin, Richard; Bennett, William

2010-01-01

A variety of materials are under investigation for use as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries, of which, the most promising are those containing silicon. One such material is a composite formed via the dispersion of silicon in a resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) gel followed by pyrolysis. Two silicon-carbon composite materials, carbon microspheres and nanofoams produced from nano-phase silicon impregnated RF gel precursors have been synthesized and investigated. Carbon microspheres are produced by forming the silicon-containing RF gel into microspheres whereas carbon nanofoams are produced by impregnating carbon fiber paper with the silicon containing RF gel to create a free standing electrode. Both materials have demonstrated their ability to function as anodes and utilize the silicon present in the material. Stable reversible capacities above 400 mAh/g for the bulk material and above 1000 mAh/g of Si have been observed.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2016-12-28

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

Controlling the Nanoscale Patterning of AuNPs on Silicon Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chris J. Allender

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This study evaluates the effectiveness of vapour-phase deposition for creating sub-monolayer coverage of aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES on silicon in order to exert control over subsequent gold nanoparticle deposition. Surface coverage was evaluated indirectly by observing the extent to which gold nanoparticles (AuNPs deposited onto the modified silicon surface. By varying the distance of the silicon wafer from the APTES source and concentration of APTES in the evaporating media, control over subsequent gold nanoparticle deposition was achievable to an extent. Fine control over AuNP deposition (AuNPs/μm2 however, was best achieved by adjusting the ionic concentration of the AuNP-depositing solution. Furthermore it was demonstrated that although APTES was fully removed from the silicon surface following four hours incubation in water, the gold nanoparticle-amino surface complex was stable under the same conditions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS were used to study these affects.

Optimization of chemical displacement deposition of copper on porous silicon.

Science.gov (United States)

Bandarenka, Hanna; Redko, Sergey; Nenzi, Paolo; Balucani, Marco; Bondarenko, Vitaly

2012-11-01

Copper (II) sulfate was used as a source of copper to achieve uniform distribution of Cu particles deposited on porous silicon. Layers of the porous silicon were formed by electrochemical anodization of Si wafers in a mixture of HF, C3H7OH and deionized water. The well-known chemical displacement technique was modified to grow the copper particles of specific sizes. SEM and XRD analysis revealed that the outer surface of the porous silicon was covered with copper particles of the crystal orientation inherited from the planes of porous silicon skeleton. The copper crystals were found to have the cubic face centering elementary cell. In addition, the traces of Cu2O cubic primitive crystalline phases were identified. The dimensions of Cu particles were determined by the Feret's analysis of the SEM images. The sizes of the particles varied widely from a few to hundreds of nanometers. A phenomenological model of copper deposition was proposed.

The First JFET-based Silicon Carbide Active Pixel Sensor UV Imager, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) imaging is critically important in the fields of space astronomy, national defense, and bio-chemistry. United Silicon Carbide, Inc....

Y-Ba-Cu-O superconducting film on oxidized silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, R.P.; Khokle, W.S.; Dubey, R.C.; Singhal, S.; Nagpal, K.C.; Rao, G.S.T.; Jain, J.D.

1988-01-01

We report thick superconducting films of Y-Ba-Cu-O on oxidized silicon substrates. The critical temperatures for onset and zero resistance are 96 and 77 K, respectively. X-ray diffraction analysis predicts 1, 2, 3 composition and orthorhombic phase of the film

Investigation of phase matching for third-harmonic generation in silicon slow light photonic crystal waveguides using Fourier optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Monat, Christelle; Grillet, Christian; Corcoran, Bill; Moss, David J; Eggleton, Benjamin J; White, Thomas P; Krauss, Thomas F

2010-03-29

Using Fourier optics, we retrieve the wavevector dependence of the third-harmonic (green) light generated in a slow light silicon photonic crystal waveguide. We show that quasi-phase matching between the third-harmonic signal and the fundamental mode is provided in this geometry by coupling to the continuum of radiation modes above the light line. This process sustains third-harmonic generation with a relatively high efficiency and a substantial bandwidth limited only by the slow light window of the fundamental mode. The results give us insights into the physics of this nonlinear process in the presence of strong absorption and dispersion at visible wavelengths where bandstructure calculations are problematic. Since the characteristics (e.g. angular pattern) of the third-harmonic light primarily depend on the fundamental mode dispersion, they could be readily engineered.

Silicon Carbide Lightweight Optics With Hybrid Skins for Large Cryo Telescopes, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Optical Physics Company (OPC) proposes to manufacture new silicon carbide (SiC) foam-based optics that are composite, athermal and lightweight (FOCAL) that provide...

Synthesis of Zr-Si-O-N phases by carbonitriding reaction. Characterization of crystalline phases using the Rietveld method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mazzoni A.D.

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Zirconium compounds are of great interest for ceramic application due to their excellent thermal and mechanical properties. Zirconium phases of the system Zr-O-C-N were obtained using carbonitriding reactions of zircon mineral (ZrO2.SiO2, under different reaction conditions. The reaction products were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD using the Rietveld method. Silicon was employed as internal standard. Zirconium compounds formed were m-ZrO2 (monoclinic, beta"-zirconium oxynitride and a cubic Zr(C,N,O phase whose lattice parameter a o depends on the composition. The crystallite sizes of the three zirconium phases were determined also by XRD. The minority phases present are the ones of the Si-O-N-C system. The reaction conditions employed allows to obtain reaction products with low or without silicon content.

Silicon-integrated thin-film structure for electro-optic applications

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick Joseph

2000-01-01

A crystalline thin-film structure suited for use in any of an number of electro-optic applications, such as a phase modulator or a component of an interferometer, includes a semiconductor substrate of silicon and a ferroelectric, optically-clear thin film of the perovskite BaTiO.sub.3 overlying the surface of the silicon substrate. The BaTiO.sub.3 thin film is characterized in that substantially all of the dipole moments associated with the ferroelectric film are arranged substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate to enhance the electro-optic qualities of the film.

Induction of resistance by silicon in wheat plants to alate and apterous morphs of Sitobion avenae (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, P A S; Sampaio, M V; Rodrigues, M P; Korndörfer, A P; Oliveira, R S; Ferreira, S E; Korndörfer, G H

2014-08-01

Despite the knowledge about the effects of silicon augmenting antibiosis and nonpreference of plants by apterous aphids, few studies exist on such effects with alate aphids. This study evaluated the effects of silicon fertilization on the biology of alate and apterous morphs of Sitobion avenae (F.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and the effect on nonpreference by S. avenae alates for wheat plants with or without silicon fertilization. A method for rearing aphids on detached leaves was evaluated comparing the biology of apterous aphids reared on wheat leaf sections and on whole plants with and without silicon fertilization. Because the use of detached leaves was a reliable method, the effect of silicon fertilization on the biology of apterous and alate S. avenae was assessed using wheat leaf sections. Biological data of aphids were used to calculate a fertility life table. Finally, the effect of silicon fertilization on the nonpreference of alate aphids was carried out for both vegetative and reproductive phases of wheat. Thirty alate aphids were released in the center of a cage, and the number of aphids per whole plant with or without silicon fertilization was observed. Silicon fertilization induced antibiosis resistance in wheat plants to apterous morphs as shown by reduced fecundity, reproductive period, longevity, intrinsic rate of increase, and net reproductive rate; however, alates were unaffected. Plants that received silicon fertilization had fewer alate aphids in both the vegetative and reproductive phases. Thus, silicon fertilization can reduce colonization by alates, enhancing nonpreference resistance, and population growth of apterous S. avenae in wheat plants.

The First JFET-Based Silicon Carbide Active Pixel Sensor UV Imager, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) imaging is needed in the fields of astronomy, national defense, and bio-chemistry. United Silicon Carbide, Inc. proposes to develop a...

Silicon Carbide Lightweight Optics With Hybrid Skins for Large Cryo Telescopes, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Optical Physics Company (OPC) has developed new silicon carbide (SiC) foam-based optics with hybrid skins that are composite, athermal and lightweight (FOCAL) that...

Mechanical Properties of Photovoltaic Silicon in Relation to Wafer Breakage

Science.gov (United States)

Kulshreshtha, Prashant Kumar

This thesis focuses on the fundamental understanding of stress-modified crack-propagation in photovoltaic (PV) silicon in relation to the critical issue of PV silicon "wafer breakage". The interactions between a propagating crack and impurities/defects/residual stresses have been evaluated for consequential fracture path in a thin PV Si wafer. To investigate the mechanism of brittle fracture in silicon, the phase transformations induced by elastic energy released at a propagating crack-tip have been evaluated by locally stressing the diamond cubic Si lattice using a rigid Berkovich nanoindenter tip (radius ≈50 nm). Unique pressure induced phase transformations and hardness variations have been then related to the distribution of precipitates (O, Cu, Fe etc.), and the local stresses in the wafer. This research demonstrates for the first time the "ductile-like fracture" in almost circular crack path that significantly deviates from its energetically favorable crystallographic [110](111) system. These large diameter (≈ 200 mm) Si wafers were sliced to less than 180 microm thickness from a Czochralski (CZ) ingot that was grown at faster than normal growth rates. The vacancy (vSi) driven precipitation of oxygen at enhanced thermal gradients in the wafer core develops large localized stresses (upto 100 MPa) which we evaluated using Raman spectral analysis. Additional micro-FTIR mapping and microscopic etch pit measurements in the wafer core have related the observed crack path deviations to the presence of concentric ring-like distributions of oxygen precipitates (OPs). To replicate these "real-world" breakage scenarios and provide better insight on crack-propagation, several new and innovative tools/devices/methods have been developed in this study. An accurate quantitative profiling of local stress, phase changes and load-carrying ability of Si lattice has been performed in the vicinity of the controlled micro-cracks created using micro-indentations to represent

Silicon Strip Detectors for ATLAS at the HL-LHC Upgrade

CERN Document Server

Hara, K; The ATLAS collaboration

2012-01-01

The present ATLAS silicon strip (SCT) and transition radiation (TRT) trackers will be replaced with new silicon strip detectors, as part of the Inner Tracker System (ITK), for the Phase-2 upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider, HL-LHC. We have carried out intensive R&D programs to establish radiation harder strip detectors that can survive in a radiation level up to 3000 fb-1 of integrated luminosity based on n+-on-p microstrip detector. We describe main specifications for this year’s sensor fabrication, followed by a description of possible module integration schema

Characterization of porous silicon integrated in liquid chromatography chips

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tiggelaar, Roald M.; Verdoold, Vincent; Eghbali, H.; Desmet, G.; Gardeniers, Johannes G.E.

2009-01-01

Properties of porous silicon which are relevant for use of the material as a stationary phase in liquid chromatography chips, like porosity, pore size and specific surface area, were determined with high-resolution SEM and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms. For the anodization conditions

Planar silicon sensors for the CMS Tracker upgrade

CERN Document Server

Junkes, Alexandra

2013-01-01

The CMS tracker collaboration has initiated a large material investigation and irradiation campaign to identify the silicon material and design that fulfills all requirements for detectors for the high-luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC).A variety of silicon p-in-n and n-in-p test-sensors made from Float Zone, Deep-Diffused FZ and Magnetic Czochralski materials were manufactured by one single industrial producer, thus guaranteeing similar conditions for the production and design of the test-structures. Properties of different silicon materials and design choices have been systematically studied and compared.The samples have been irradiated with 1 MeV neutrons and protons corresponding to maximal fluences as expected for the positions of detector layers in the future tracker. Irradiations with protons of different energies (23 MeV and 23 GeV) have been performed to evaluate the energy dependence of the defect generation in oxygen rich material. All materials have been characterized before an...

Effects of neutron irradiation on mechanical properties of silicon carbide composites fabricated by nano-infiltration and transient eutectic-phase process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koyanagi, T.; Hinoki, T.; Shimoda, K.; Ozawa, K.; Katoh, Y.

2014-01-01

Unidirectional silicon carbide (SiC)-fiber-reinforced SiC matrix (SiC/SiC) composites fabricated by a nano-infiltration and transient eutectic-phase (NITE) process were irradiated with neutrons at 830°C to 5.9 dpa, and at 1270°C to 5.8 dpa. The in-plane and trans-thickness tensile and the inter-laminar shear properties were evaluated at ambient temperature. The mechanical characteristics, including the quasi-ductile behavior, the proportional limit stress, and the ultimate tensile strength, were retained subsequent to irradiation. Analysis of the stress–strain hysteresis loop indicated the increased fiber/matrix interface friction and the decreased residual stresses. The inter-laminar shear strength exhibited a significant decrease following irradiation. (author)

Geochemistry of silicon isotopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, Tiping; Li, Yanhe; Gao, Jianfei; Hu, Bin [Chinese Academy of Geological Science, Beijing (China). Inst. of Mineral Resources; Jiang, Shaoyong [China Univ. of Geosciences, Wuhan (China).

2018-04-01

Silicon is one of the most abundant elements in the Earth and silicon isotope geochemistry is important in identifying the silicon source for various geological bodies and in studying the behavior of silicon in different geological processes. This book starts with an introduction on the development of silicon isotope geochemistry. Various analytical methods are described and compared with each other in detail. The mechanisms of silicon isotope fractionation are discussed, and silicon isotope distributions in various extraterrestrial and terrestrial reservoirs are updated. Besides, the applications of silicon isotopes in several important fields are presented.

Semiconductor-metal phase transition of vanadium dioxide nanostructures on silicon substrate: Applications for thermal control of spacecraft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leahu, G. L.; Li Voti, R.; Larciprete, M. C.; Belardini, A.; Mura, F.; Sibilia, C.; Bertolotti, M.; Fratoddi, I.

2013-01-01

We present a detailed infrared study of the semiconductor-to-metal transition (SMT) in a vanadium dioxide (VO2) film deposited on silicon wafer. The VO2 phase transition is studied in the mid-infrared (MIR) region by analyzing the transmittance and the reflectance measurements, and the calculated emissivity. The temperature behaviour of the emissivity during the SMT put into evidence the phenomenon of the anomalous absorption in VO2 which has been explained by applying the Maxwell Garnett effective medium approximation theory, together with a strong hysteresis phenomenon, both useful to design tunable thermal devices to be applied for the thermal control of spacecraft. We have also applied the photothermal radiometry in order to study the changes in the modulated emissivity induced by laser. Experimental results show how the use of these techniques represent a good tool for a quantitative measurement of the optothermal properties of vanadium dioxide based structures

Radiation hard silicon particle detectors for HL-LHC—RD50 status report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terzo, S., E-mail: Stefano.Terzo@mpp.mpg.de

2017-02-11

It is foreseen to significantly increase the luminosity of the LHC by upgrading towards the HL-LHC (High Luminosity LHC). The Phase-II-Upgrade scheduled for 2024 will mean unprecedented radiation levels, way beyond the limits of the silicon trackers currently employed. All-silicon central trackers are being studied in ATLAS, CMS and LHCb, with extremely radiation hard silicon sensors to be employed on the innermost layers. Within the RD50 Collaboration, a massive R&D program is underway across experimental boundaries to develop silicon sensors with sufficient radiation tolerance. We will present results of several detector technologies and silicon materials at radiation levels corresponding to HL-LHC fluences. Based on these results, we will give recommendations for the silicon detectors to be used at the different radii of tracking systems in the LHC detector upgrades. In order to complement the measurements, we also perform detailed simulation studies of the sensors. - Highlights: • The RD50 collaboration investigates the radiation hardness of silicon sensors. • Different approaches to simulate the detector response after irradiation are shown. • HV-CMOS are cost-effective solution for the outer pixel layers at HL-LHC. • 3D and thin planar sensors with slim edges are solutions for innermost layers at HL-LHC. • Sensors with intrinsic gain are investigated to develop ultra-fast silicon detectors.

Epitaxial III-V nanowires on silicon for vertical devices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakkers, E.P.A.M.; Borgström, M.T.; Einden, Van Den W.; Weert, van M.H.M.; Helman, A.; Verheijen, M.A.

2006-01-01

We show the epitaxial integration of III-V semiconductor nanowires with silicon technology. The wires are grown by the Vapor-Liquid-Solid (VLS) mechanism with laser ablation as well as metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. The VLS growth enables the fabrication of complex axial and radial

Construction, Test And Calibration of the GLAST Silicon Tracker

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sgro, C.; Atwood, W.B.; Baldini, L.; Barbiellini, G.; Bellazzini, R.; Belli, F.; Bonamente, E.; Borden, T.; Bregeon, J.; Brez, A.; Brigida, M.; Caliandro, G.A.; Cecchi, C.; Cohen-Tanugi, J.; De Angelis, A.; Drell, P.; Favuzzi, C.; Fukazawa, Y.; Fusco, P.; Gargano, F.; Germani, S.; /INFN, Pisa /Pisa U. /UC, Santa Cruz /INFN, Trieste /Rome U.,Tor Vergata /SLAC /INFN, Bari /Bari U. /INFN, Perugia /Perugia U. /Udine U. /Hiroshima U. /Maryland U., JCA /Tokyo Inst. Tech. /JAXA, Sagamihara /INFN, Padua /Padua U. /Pisa, Scuola Normale Superiore /NASA, Goddard

2009-06-05

The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope represents a great advance in space application of silicon detectors. With a surface of 80 m{sup 2} and about 1 M readout channels it is the largest silicon tracker ever built for a space experiment. GLAST is an astro-particle mission that will study the mostly unexplored, high energy (20 MeV-300 GeV) spectrum coming from active sources or diffused in the Universe. The detector integration and test phase is complete. The full instrument underwent environmental testing and the spacecraft integration phase has just started: the launch is foreseen in late 2007. In the meanwhile the spare modules are being used for instrument calibration and performance verification employing the CERN accelerator complex. A Calibration Unit has been exposed to photon, electron and hadron beams from a few GeV up to 300 GeV. We report on the status of the instrument and on the calibration campaign.

The DOe Silicon Track Trigger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinbrueck, Georg

2003-01-01

We describe a trigger preprocessor to be used by the DOe experiment for selecting events with tracks from the decay of long-lived particles. This Level 2 impact parameter trigger utilizes information from the Silicon Microstrip Tracker to reconstruct tracks with improved spatial and momentum resolutions compared to those obtained by the Level 1 tracking trigger. It is constructed of VME boards with much of the logic existing in programmable processors. A common motherboard provides the I/O infrastructure and three different daughter boards perform the tasks of identifying the roads from the tracking trigger data, finding the clusters in the roads in the silicon detector, and fitting tracks to the clusters. This approach provides flexibility for the design, testing and maintenance phases of the project. The track parameters are provided to the trigger framework in 25 μs. The effective impact parameter resolution for high-momentum tracks is 35 μm, dominated by the size of the Tevatron beam

A CMOS silicon spin qubit

Science.gov (United States)

Maurand, R.; Jehl, X.; Kotekar-Patil, D.; Corna, A.; Bohuslavskyi, H.; Laviéville, R.; Hutin, L.; Barraud, S.; Vinet, M.; Sanquer, M.; de Franceschi, S.

2016-11-01

Silicon, the main constituent of microprocessor chips, is emerging as a promising material for the realization of future quantum processors. Leveraging its well-established complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology would be a clear asset to the development of scalable quantum computing architectures and to their co-integration with classical control hardware. Here we report a silicon quantum bit (qubit) device made with an industry-standard fabrication process. The device consists of a two-gate, p-type transistor with an undoped channel. At low temperature, the first gate defines a quantum dot encoding a hole spin qubit, the second one a quantum dot used for the qubit read-out. All electrical, two-axis control of the spin qubit is achieved by applying a phase-tunable microwave modulation to the first gate. The demonstrated qubit functionality in a basic transistor-like device constitutes a promising step towards the elaboration of scalable spin qubit geometries in a readily exploitable CMOS platform.

Silicon heterojunction transistor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsushita, T.; Oh-uchi, N.; Hayashi, H.; Yamoto, H.

1979-01-01

SIPOS (Semi-insulating polycrystalline silicon) which is used as a surface passivation layer for highly reliable silicon devices constitutes a good heterojunction for silicon. P- or B-doped SIPOS has been used as the emitter material of a heterojunction transistor with the base and collector of silicon. An npn SIPOS-Si heterojunction transistor showing 50 times the current gain of an npn silicon homojunction transistor has been realized by high-temperature treatments in nitrogen and low-temperature annealing in hydrogen or forming gas

In Situ X-ray Diffraction Studies of (De)lithiation Mechanism in Silicon Nanowire Anodes

KAUST Repository

Misra, Sumohan

2012-06-26

Figure Persented: Silicon is a promising anode material for Li-ion batteries due to its high theoretical specific capacity. From previous work, silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are known to undergo amorphorization during lithiation, and no crystalline Li-Si product has been observed. In this work, we use an X-ray transparent battery cell to perform in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction on SiNWs in real time during electrochemical cycling. At deep lithiation voltages the known metastable Li 15Si 4 phase forms, and we show that avoiding the formation of this phase, by modifying the SiNW growth temperature, improves the cycling performance of SiNW anodes. Our results provide insight on the (de)lithiation mechanism and a correlation between phase evolution and electrochemical performance for SiNW anodes. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Type I Clathrates as Novel Silicon Anodes: An Electrochemical and Structural Investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ying; Raghavan, Rahul; Wagner, Nicholas A.; Davidowski, Stephen K.; Baggetto, Loïc; Zhao, Ran; Cheng, Qian; Yarger, Jeffery L.; Veith, Gabriel M.; Ellis‐Terrell, Carol; Miller, Michael A.; Chan, Kwai S.

2015-01-01

Silicon clathrates contain cage‐like structures that can encapsulate various guest atoms or molecules. An electrochemical evaluation of type I silicon clathrates based on Ba8AlySi46−y as the anode material for lithium‐ion batteries is presented here. Postcycling characterization with nuclear magnetic resonance and X‐ray diffraction shows no discernible structural or volume changes even after electrochemical insertion of 44 Li (≈1 Li/Si) into the clathrate structure. The observed properties are in stark contrast with lithiation of other silicon anodes, which become amorphous and suffer from large volume changes. The electrochemical reactions are proposed to occur as single phase reactions at approximately 0.2 and 0.4 V versus Li/Li+ during lithiation and delithiation, respectively, distinct from diamond cubic or amorphous silicon anodes. Reversible capacities as high as 499 mAh g−1 at a 5 mA g−1 rate were observed for silicon clathrate with composition Ba8Al8.54Si37.46, corresponding to ≈1.18 Li/Si. These results show that silicon clathrates could be promising durable anodes for lithium‐ion batteries. PMID:27980951

PowerGuard{reg_sign} Advanced Manufacturing; PVMaT Phase 1 Final Technical Report: June 1, 1998 to September 30, 1999

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marshall, M. C.; Dinwoodie, T. L.; O' Brian, C.; Botkin, J.; Ansley, J.

2000-06-14

During Phase 1 of PowerGuard{reg_sign} Advanced Manufacturing, PowerLight Corporation accomplished the following advancements: (1) Decreased system cost by 15%; (2) Increased PowerGuard tile production capacity from 5 MW/year to 8 MW/yr; (3) Established a manufacturing layout master plan for sequential integration of semi-automated and automated component workstations; (4) Defined semi-automation or automation of selected stages of the existing tile fabrication sequence, including PV module preparation, XPS processing, and coating; (5) Completed the advancement of several design improvements to the grid-tied inverter control board, including controller redesign, integrated data acquisition system (DAS), and communications for audit-worthy verification of PV system performance; (6) Conformed to NEPA, OSHA, and other federal and state regulations applicable to the proposed production process and mitigated potential for waste streams; (7) Initiated Underwriters Laboratories listings and international certifications on PowerGuard improvements; (8) Developed finance packages and integrated warranties; (9) Evaluated commercial demonstrations that incorporated the new design features and manufacturing process.

Vertical integration of high-Q silicon nitride microresonators into silicon-on-insulator platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qing; Eftekhar, Ali A; Sodagar, Majid; Xia, Zhixuan; Atabaki, Amir H; Adibi, Ali

2013-07-29

We demonstrate a vertical integration of high-Q silicon nitride microresonators into the silicon-on-insulator platform for applications at the telecommunication wavelengths. Low-loss silicon nitride films with a thickness of 400 nm are successfully grown, enabling compact silicon nitride microresonators with ultra-high intrinsic Qs (~ 6 × 10(6) for 60 μm radius and ~ 2 × 10(7) for 240 μm radius). The coupling between the silicon nitride microresonator and the underneath silicon waveguide is based on evanescent coupling with silicon dioxide as buffer. Selective coupling to a desired radial mode of the silicon nitride microresonator is also achievable using a pulley coupling scheme. In this work, a 60-μm-radius silicon nitride microresonator has been successfully integrated into the silicon-on-insulator platform, showing a single-mode operation with an intrinsic Q of 2 × 10(6).

Low cost silicon solar array project: Feasibility of low-cost, high-volume production of silane and pyrolysis of silane to semiconductor-grade silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Breneman, W. C.

1978-01-01

Silicon epitaxy analysis of silane produced in the Process Development Unit operating in a completely integrated mode consuming only hydrogen and metallurgical silicon resulted in film resistivities of up to 120 ohms cm N type. Preliminary kinetic studies of dichlorosilane disproportionation in the liquid phase have shown that 11.59% SiH4 is formed at equilibrium after 12 minutes contact time at 56 C. The fluid-bed reactor was operated continuously for 48 hours with a mixture of one percent silane in helium as the fluidizing gas. A high silane pyrolysis efficiency was obtained without the generation of excessive fines. Gas flow conditions near the base of the reactor were unfavorable for maintaining a bubbling bed with good heat transfer characteristics. Consequently, a porous agglomerate formed in the lower portion of the reactor. Dense coherent plating was obtained on the silicon seed particles which had remained fluidizied throughout the experiment.

Electrical leakage phenomenon in heteroepitaxial cubic silicon carbide on silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Pradeepkumar, Aiswarya; Zielinski, Marcin; Bosi, Matteo; Verzellesi, Giovanni; Gaskill, D. Kurt; Iacopi, Francesca

2018-06-01

Heteroepitaxial 3C-SiC films on silicon substrates are of technological interest as enablers to integrate the excellent electrical, electronic, mechanical, thermal, and epitaxial properties of bulk silicon carbide into well-established silicon technologies. One critical bottleneck of this integration is the establishment of a stable and reliable electronic junction at the heteroepitaxial interface of the n-type SiC with the silicon substrate. We have thus investigated in detail the electrical and transport properties of heteroepitaxial cubic silicon carbide films grown via different methods on low-doped and high-resistivity silicon substrates by using van der Pauw Hall and transfer length measurements as test vehicles. We have found that Si and C intermixing upon or after growth, particularly by the diffusion of carbon into the silicon matrix, creates extensive interstitial carbon traps and hampers the formation of a stable rectifying or insulating junction at the SiC/Si interface. Although a reliable p-n junction may not be realistic in the SiC/Si system, we can achieve, from a point of view of the electrical isolation of in-plane SiC structures, leakage suppression through the substrate by using a high-resistivity silicon substrate coupled with deep recess etching in between the SiC structures.

Spectrum variability of the silicon Ap star HD 192913

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riabchikova, T.A.; Davidova, E.S.; Adelman, S.J.

1990-01-01

The metal lines in the spectrum of the silicon Ap star HD 192913 are found to change with the photometric period. Many commonly found atomic species have lines which vary together in phase. The spectrum contains lines of most of the doubly ionized rare earth elements. 27 refs

Fluorescence and thermoluminescence in silicon oxide films rich in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berman M, D.; Piters, T. M.; Aceves M, M.; Berriel V, L. R.; Luna L, J. A.

2009-10-01

In this work we determined the fluorescence and thermoluminescence (TL) creation spectra of silicon rich oxide films (SRO) with three different silicon excesses. To study the TL of SRO, 550 nm of SRO film were deposited by Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition technique on N-type silicon substrates with resistivity in the order of 3 to 5 Ω-cm with silicon excess controlled by the ratio of the gases used in the process, SRO films with Ro= 10, 20 and 30 (12-6% silicon excess) were obtained. Then, they were thermally treated in N 2 at high temperatures to diffuse and homogenize the silicon excess. In the fluorescence spectra two main emission regions are observed, one around 400 nm and one around 800 nm. TL creation spectra were determined by plotting the integrated TL intensity as function of the excitation wavelength. (Author)

Lamb wave propagation in monocrystalline silicon wafers.

Science.gov (United States)

Fromme, Paul; Pizzolato, Marco; Robyr, Jean-Luc; Masserey, Bernard

2018-01-01

Monocrystalline silicon wafers are widely used in the photovoltaic industry for solar panels with high conversion efficiency. Guided ultrasonic waves offer the potential to efficiently detect micro-cracks in the thin wafers. Previous studies of ultrasonic wave propagation in silicon focused on effects of material anisotropy on bulk ultrasonic waves, but the dependence of the wave propagation characteristics on the material anisotropy is not well understood for Lamb waves. The phase slowness and beam skewing of the two fundamental Lamb wave modes A 0 and S 0 were investigated. Experimental measurements using contact wedge transducer excitation and laser measurement were conducted. Good agreement was found between the theoretically calculated angular dependency of the phase slowness and measurements for different propagation directions relative to the crystal orientation. Significant wave skew and beam widening was observed experimentally due to the anisotropy, especially for the S 0 mode. Explicit finite element simulations were conducted to visualize and quantify the guided wave beam skew. Good agreement was found for the A 0 mode, but a systematic discrepancy was observed for the S 0 mode. These effects need to be considered for the non-destructive testing of wafers using guided waves.

Development of Solar Grade (SoG) Silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joyce, David B; Schmid, Frederick

2008-01-18

The rapid growth of the photovoltaics (PV) industry is threatened by the ongoing shortage of suitable solar grade (SoG) silicon. Until 2004, the PV industry relied on the off spec polysilicon from the electronics industry for feedstock. The rapid growth of PV meant that the demand for SoG silicon predictably surpassed this supply. The long-term prospects for PV are very bright as costs have come down, and efficiencies and economies of scale make PV generated electricity ever more competitive with grid electricity. However, the scalability of the current process for producing poly silicon again threatens the future. A less costly, higher volume production technique is needed to supply the long-term growth of the PV industry, and to reduce costs of PV even further. This long-term need was the motivation behind this SBIR proposal. Upgrading metallurgical grade (MG) silicon would fulfill the need for a low-cost, large-scale production. Past attempts to upgrade MG silicon have foundered/failed/had trouble reducing the low segregation coefficient elements, B, P, and Al. Most other elements in MG silicon can be purified very efficiently by directional solidification. Thus, in the Phase I program, Crystal Systems proposed a variety of techniques to reduce B, P, and Al in MG silicon to produce a low cost commercial technique for upgrading MG silicon. Of the variety of techniques tried, vacuum refining and some slagging and additions turned out to be the most promising. These were pursued in the Phase II study. By vacuum refining, the P was reduced from 14 to 0.22 ppmw and the Al was reduced from 370 ppmw to 0.065 ppmw. This process was scaled to 40 kg scale charges, and the results were expressed in terms of half-life, or time to reduce the impurity concentration in half. Best half-lives were 2 hours, typical were 4 hours. Scaling factors were developed to allow prediction of these results to larger scale melts. The vacuum refining required the development of new crucibles

A novel one-pot room-temperature synthesis route to produce very small photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas-Gallardo, Oscar A.; Burgos-Paci, Maxi A.; Mendoza-Cruz, Rubén; Putnam, Karl G.; Josefina Arellano-Jiménez, M.; José-Yacamán, Miguel; Mariscal, Marcelo M.; Macagno, Vicente A.; Sánchez, Cristián G.; Pérez, Manuel A.

2018-03-01

A novel strategy to synthesize photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) from a reaction between tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and trimethyl-hexadecyl-ammonium borohydride (CTABH4) in organic solvent is presented. The formation reaction occurs spontaneously at room temperature in homogeneous phase. The produced silicon nanocrystals are characterized by using their photoluminescent properties and via HRTEM. In addition, theoretical calculations of the optical absorption spectrum of silicon quantum dots in vacuum with different sizes and surface moieties were performed in order to compare with the experimental findings. The new chemical reaction is simple and can be implemented to produce silicon nanocrystal with regular laboratory materials by performing easy and safe procedures. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Buried oxide layer in silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Sadana, Devendra Kumar; Holland, Orin Wayne

2001-01-01

A process for forming Silicon-On-Insulator is described incorporating the steps of ion implantation of oxygen into a silicon substrate at elevated temperature, ion implanting oxygen at a temperature below 200.degree. C. at a lower dose to form an amorphous silicon layer, and annealing steps to form a mixture of defective single crystal silicon and polycrystalline silicon or polycrystalline silicon alone and then silicon oxide from the amorphous silicon layer to form a continuous silicon oxide layer below the surface of the silicon substrate to provide an isolated superficial layer of silicon. The invention overcomes the problem of buried isolated islands of silicon oxide forming a discontinuous buried oxide layer.

Status and Recent Progress in Photovoltaic Manufacturing in the USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Witt, C.E.

2001-01-12

This paper describes the present status of photovoltaic technology and recent manufacturing progress obtained through the US Department of Energy's Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology Project (PVMaT). Although barriers to the widespread use of photovoltaics--a clean and renewable energy--continue to exist, many of these barriers are cost-related and can be addressed through further research on existing approaches. Important areas for development are new materials, improved manufacturing processes, more efficient conversion of sunlight to electricity, and ensured long-term reliability. Improvements in these areas can be expected to lead to lowering of system costs and, ultimately, of energy cost. Specific improvements in manufacturing processes by individual PVMaT participants are described.

Polyamorphism in tetrahedral substances: Similarities between silicon and ice

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-07-01

Tetrahedral substances, such as silicon, water, germanium, and silica, share various unusual phase behaviors. Among them, the so-called polyamorphism, i.e., the existence of more than one amorphous form, has been intensively investigated in the last three decades. In this work, we study the metastable relations between amorphous states of silicon in a wide range of pressures, using Monte Carlo simulations. Our results indicate that the two amorphous forms of silicon at high pressures, the high density amorphous (HDA) and the very high density amorphous (VHDA), can be decompressed from high pressure (˜20 GPa) down to the tensile regime, where both convert into the same low density amorphous. Such behavior is also observed in ice. While at high pressure (˜20 GPa), HDA is less stable than VHDA, at the pressure of 10 GPa both forms exhibit similar stability. On the other hand, at much lower pressure (˜5 GPa), HDA and VHDA are no longer the most stable forms, and, upon isobaric annealing, an even less dense form of amorphous silicon emerges, the expanded high density amorphous, again in close similarity to what occurs in ice.

Ion beam studied of silicon oxynitride and silicon nitroxide thin layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oude Elferink, J.B.

1989-01-01

In this the processes occurring during high temperature treatments of silicon oxynitride and silicon oxide layers are described. Oxynitride layers with various atomic oxygen to nitrogen concentration ration (O/N) are considered. The high energy ion beam techniques Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, elastic recoil detection and nuclear reaction analysis have been used to study the layer structures. A detailed discussion of these ion beam techniques is given. Numerical methods used to obtain quantitative data on elemental compositions and depth profiles are described. The electrical compositions and depth profiles are described. The electrical properties of silicon nitride films are known to be influenced by the behaviour of hydrogen in the film during high temperature anneling. Investigations of the behaviour of hydrogen are presented. Oxidation of silicon (oxy)nitride films in O 2 /H 2 0/HCl and nitridation of silicon dioxide films in NH 3 are considered since oxynitrides are applied as an oxidation mask in the LOCOS (Local oxidation of silicon) process. The nitridation of silicon oxide layers in an ammonia ambient is considered. The initial stage and the dependence on the oxide thickness of nitrogen and hydrogen incorporation are discussed. Finally, oxidation of silicon oxynitride layers and of silicon oxide layers are compared. (author). 76 refs.; 48 figs.; 1 tab

Laser annealing of ion implanted silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, C.W.; Appleton, B.R.; Wilson, S.R.

1980-01-01

Pulsed laser annealing of ion implanted silicon leads to the formation of supersaturated alloys by nonequilibrium crystal growth processes at the interface occurring during liquid phase epitaxial regrowth. The interfacial distribution coefficients from the melt (k') and the maximum substitutional solubilities (C/sub s//sup max/) are far greater than equilibrium values. Both K' and C/sub s//sup max/ are functions of growth velocity. Mechanisms limiting substitutional solubilities are discussed. 5 figures, 2 tables

Polarization-independent all-silicon dielectric metasurfaces in the terahertz regime

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Huifang

2017-12-11

Dielectric metasurfaces have achieved great success in realizing high-efficiency wavefront control in the optical and infrared ranges. Here, we experimentally demonstrate several efficient, polarization-independent, all-silicon dielectric metasurfaces in the terahertz regime. The metasurfaces are composed of cylindrical silicon pillars on a silicon substrate, which can be easily fabricated using etching technology for semiconductors. By locally tailoring the diameter of the pillars, full control over abrupt phase changes can be achieved. To show the controlling ability of the metasurfaces, an anomalous deflector, three Bessel beam generators, and three vortex beam generators are fabricated and characterized. We also show that the proposed metasurfaces can be easily combined to form composite devices with extended functionalities. The proposed controlling method has promising applications in developing low-loss, ultra-compact spatial terahertz modulation devices. (C) 2017 Chinese Laser Press

Polarization-independent all-silicon dielectric metasurfaces in the terahertz regime

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Huifang; Zhang, Xueqian; Xu, Quan; Wang, Qiu; Xu, Yuehong; Wei, Minggui; Li, Yanfeng; Gu, Jianqiang; Tian, Zhen; Ouyang, Chunmei; Zhang, Xixiang; Hu, Cong; Han, Jiaguang; Zhang, Weili

2017-01-01

Dielectric metasurfaces have achieved great success in realizing high-efficiency wavefront control in the optical and infrared ranges. Here, we experimentally demonstrate several efficient, polarization-independent, all-silicon dielectric metasurfaces in the terahertz regime. The metasurfaces are composed of cylindrical silicon pillars on a silicon substrate, which can be easily fabricated using etching technology for semiconductors. By locally tailoring the diameter of the pillars, full control over abrupt phase changes can be achieved. To show the controlling ability of the metasurfaces, an anomalous deflector, three Bessel beam generators, and three vortex beam generators are fabricated and characterized. We also show that the proposed metasurfaces can be easily combined to form composite devices with extended functionalities. The proposed controlling method has promising applications in developing low-loss, ultra-compact spatial terahertz modulation devices. (C) 2017 Chinese Laser Press

Effect of power on the growth of nanocrystalline silicon films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Sushil; Dixit, P N; Rauthan, C M S; Parashar, A; Gope, Jhuma

2008-01-01

Nanocrystalline silicon thin films were grown using a gaseous mixture of silane, hydrogen and argon in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system. These films were deposited away from the conventional low power regime normally used for the deposition of device quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon films. It was observed that, with the increase of applied power, there is a change in nanocrystalline phases which were embedded in the amorphous matrix of silicon. Atomic force microscopy micrographs show that these films contain nanocrystallite of 20-100 nm size. Laser Raman and photoluminescence peaks have been observed at 514 cm -1 and 2.18 eV, respectively, and particle sizes were estimated using the same as 8.24 nm and 3.26 nm, respectively. It has also been observed that nanocrystallites in these films enhanced the optical bandgap and electrical conductivity

Effect of power on the growth of nanocrystalline silicon films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Sushil; Dixit, P N; Rauthan, C M S; Parashar, A; Gope, Jhuma [Plasma Processed Materials Group, National Physical Laboratory, Dr K S Krishnan Road, New Delhi 110 012 (India)], E-mail: skumar@mail.nplindia.ernet.in

2008-08-20

Nanocrystalline silicon thin films were grown using a gaseous mixture of silane, hydrogen and argon in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system. These films were deposited away from the conventional low power regime normally used for the deposition of device quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon films. It was observed that, with the increase of applied power, there is a change in nanocrystalline phases which were embedded in the amorphous matrix of silicon. Atomic force microscopy micrographs show that these films contain nanocrystallite of 20-100 nm size. Laser Raman and photoluminescence peaks have been observed at 514 cm{sup -1} and 2.18 eV, respectively, and particle sizes were estimated using the same as 8.24 nm and 3.26 nm, respectively. It has also been observed that nanocrystallites in these films enhanced the optical bandgap and electrical conductivity.

Characteristics of exciton photoluminescence kinetics in low-dimensional silicon structures

CERN Document Server

Sachenko, A V; Manojlov, E G; Svechnikov, S V

2001-01-01

The time-resolved visible photoluminescence of porous nanocrystalline silicon films obtained by laser ablation have been measured within the temperature range 90-300 K. A study has been made of the interrelationship between photoluminescence characteristics (intensity, emission spectra, relaxation times, their temperature dependencies and structural and dielectric properties (size and shapes of Si nanocrystals, oxide phase of nanocrystal coating, porosity). A photoluminescence model is proposed that describes photon absorption and emission occurring in quantum-size Si nanocrystals while coupled subsystems of electron-hole pairs and excitons take part in the recombination. Possible excitonic Auger recombination mechanism in low-dimensional silicon structures is considered

Internal structure of mixed phase hydrogenated silicon thin films made at 39 degrees

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bronsveld, P.C.P.; Rath, J.K.; Schropp, R.E.I.; Mates, Tomáš; Fejfar, Antonín; Rezek, Bohuslav; Kočka, Jan

2006-01-01

Roč. 89, - (2006), 051922/1-051922/3 ISSN 0003-6951 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Keywords : transmission electron microscope * atomic force microscope * silicon films Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.977, year: 2006

Nonlinear silicon photonics

Science.gov (United States)

Tsia, Kevin K.; Jalali, Bahram

2010-05-01

An intriguing optical property of silicon is that it exhibits a large third-order optical nonlinearity, with orders-ofmagnitude larger than that of silica glass in the telecommunication band. This allows efficient nonlinear optical interaction at relatively low power levels in a small footprint. Indeed, we have witnessed a stunning progress in harnessing the Raman and Kerr effects in silicon as the mechanisms for enabling chip-scale optical amplification, lasing, and wavelength conversion - functions that until recently were perceived to be beyond the reach of silicon. With all the continuous efforts developing novel techniques, nonlinear silicon photonics is expected to be able to reach even beyond the prior achievements. Instead of providing a comprehensive overview of this field, this manuscript highlights a number of new branches of nonlinear silicon photonics, which have not been fully recognized in the past. In particular, they are two-photon photovoltaic effect, mid-wave infrared (MWIR) silicon photonics, broadband Raman effects, inverse Raman scattering, and periodically-poled silicon (PePSi). These novel effects and techniques could create a new paradigm for silicon photonics and extend its utility beyond the traditionally anticipated applications.

Dielectric, ferroelectric, and thermodynamic properties of silicone oil modified PVDF films for energy storage application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Bingcheng; Wang, Xiaohui, E-mail: wxh@tsinghua.edu.cn, E-mail: llt-dms@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn; Li, Longtu, E-mail: wxh@tsinghua.edu.cn, E-mail: llt-dms@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Sun, Hui [Aero-Engine Control System Institute, Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Jiangsu, Wuxi 214063 (China)

2016-06-13

Silicone oil modified poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VDF-HFP)) films were fabricated by the blending, casting, and hot-molding methods. The dielectric constant was increased for the 7.4 wt. % and 17.0 wt. % silicone oil modified P(VDF-HFP) films, while the dielectric loss for all blend films are decreased. D-E loops of 7.4 wt. % and 17.0 wt. % silicone oil modified P(VDF-HFP) films become slimmer than the pristine P(VDF-HFP) films. The maximum discharged energy density of 10.3 J/cm{sup 3} was obtained in 7.4 wt. % silicone oil modified P(VDF-HFP) films at the external electric field of 398 kV/mm. The Gibbs energy, miscibility, and phase behavior of binary mixture of P(VDF-HFP) silicone oil were investigated using molecular simulations and the extended Flory–Huggins model revealing favorable interactions and compatibility between P(VDF-HFP) and silicone oil.

The atomic hydrogen flux during microcrystalline silicon solar cell deposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sanden, van de M.C.M.; Dingemans, G.; van den Donker, M.N.; Hrunski, D.; Gordijn, A.; Kessels, W.M.M.

2009-01-01

Etch product detection by in situ optical emission spectroscopy is used to detect the phase transition from amorphous to microcrystalline silicon. In this contribution it is demonstrated that a calibrated version of this technique can be used to determine the absolute hydrogen flux under

Local solid phase growth of few-layer graphene on silicon carbide from nickel silicide supersaturated with carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobedo-Cousin, Enrique; Vassilevski, Konstantin; Hopf, Toby; Wright, Nick; O'Neill, Anthony; Horsfall, Alton; Goss, Jonathan; Cumpson, Peter

2013-01-01

Patterned few-layer graphene (FLG) films were obtained by local solid phase growth from nickel silicide supersaturated with carbon, following a fabrication scheme, which allows the formation of self-aligned ohmic contacts on FLG and is compatible with conventional SiC device processing methods. The process was realised by the deposition and patterning of thin Ni films on semi-insulating 6H-SiC wafers followed by annealing and the selective removal of the resulting nickel silicide by wet chemistry. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to confirm both the formation and subsequent removal of nickel silicide. The impact of process parameters such as the thickness of the initial Ni layer, annealing temperature, and cooling rates on the FLG films was assessed by Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and atomic force microscopy. The thickness of the final FLG film estimated from the Raman spectra varied from 1 to 4 monolayers for initial Ni layers between 3 and 20 nm thick. Self-aligned contacts were formed on these patterned films by contact photolithography and wet etching of nickel silicide, which enabled the fabrication of test structures to measure the carrier concentration and mobility in the FLG films. A simple model of diffusion-driven solid phase chemical reaction was used to explain formation of the FLG film at the interface between nickel silicide and silicon carbide.

Influence of intermediate layers on the surface condition of laser crystallized silicon thin films and solar cell performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Höger, Ingmar, E-mail: ingmar.hoeger@ipht-jena.de; Gawlik, Annett; Brückner, Uwe; Andrä, Gudrun [Leibniz-Institut für Photonische Technologien, PF 100239, 07702 Jena (Germany); Himmerlich, Marcel; Krischok, Stefan [Institut für Mikro-und Nanotechnologien, Technische Universität Ilmenau, PF 100565, 98684 Ilmenau (Germany)

2016-01-28

The intermediate layer (IL) between glass substrate and silicon plays a significant role in the optimization of multicrystalline liquid phase crystallized silicon thin film solar cells on glass. This study deals with the influence of the IL on the surface condition and the required chemical surface treatment of the crystallized silicon (mc-Si), which is of particular interest for a-Si:H heterojunction thin film solar cells. Two types of IL were investigated: sputtered silicon nitride (SiN) and a layer stack consisting of silicon nitride and silicon oxide (SiN/SiO). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements revealed the formation of silicon oxynitride (SiO{sub x}N{sub y}) or silicon oxide (SiO{sub 2}) layers at the surface of the mc-Si after liquid phase crystallization on SiN or SiN/SiO, respectively. We propose that SiO{sub x}N{sub y} formation is governed by dissolving nitrogen from the SiN layer in the silicon melt, which segregates at the crystallization front during crystallization. This process is successfully hindered, when additional SiO layers are introduced into the IL. In order to achieve solar cell open circuit voltages above 500 mV, a removal of the formed SiO{sub x}N{sub y} top layer is required using sophisticated cleaning of the crystallized silicon prior to a-Si:H deposition. However, solar cells crystallized on SiN/SiO yield high open circuit voltage even when a simple wet chemical surface treatment is applied. The implementation of SiN/SiO intermediate layers facilitates the production of mesa type solar cells with open circuit voltages above 600 mV and a power conversion efficiency of 10%.

Characterisation of irradiated thin silicon sensors for the CMS phase II pixel upgrade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adam, W.; Bergauer, T.; Brondolin, E. [Institut fuer Hochenergiephysik, Vienna (Austria); and others

2017-08-15

The high luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider, foreseen for 2026, necessitates the replacement of the CMS experiment's silicon tracker. The innermost layer of the new pixel detector will be exposed to severe radiation, corresponding to a 1 MeV neutron equivalent fluence of up to Φ{sub eq} = 2 x 10{sup 16} cm{sup -2}, and an ionising dose of ∼5 MGy after an integrated luminosity of 3000 fb{sup -1}. Thin, planar silicon sensors are good candidates for this application, since the degradation of the signal produced by traversing particles is less severe than for thicker devices. In this paper, the results obtained from the characterisation of 100 and 200 μm thick p-bulk pad diodes and strip sensors irradiated up to fluences of Φ{sub eq} = 1.3 x 10{sup 16} cm{sup -2} are shown. (orig.)

Light emission from silicon with tin-containing nanocrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Søren Roesgaard

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Tin-containing nanocrystals, embedded in silicon, have been fabricated by growing an epitaxial layer of Si1−x−ySnxCy, where x = 1.6 % and y = 0.04 % on a silicon substrate, followed by annealing at various temperatures ranging from 650 ∘C to 900 ∘C. The nanocrystal density and average diameters are determined by scanning transmission-electron microscopy to ≈1017 cm−3 and ≈5 nm, respectively. Photoluminescence spectroscopy demonstrates that the light emission is very pronounced for samples annealed at 725 ∘C, and Rutherford back-scattering spectrometry shows that the nanocrystals are predominantly in the diamond-structured phase at this particular annealing temperature. The origin of the light emission is discussed.

Nonlinear silicon photonics

Science.gov (United States)

Borghi, M.; Castellan, C.; Signorini, S.; Trenti, A.; Pavesi, L.

2017-09-01

Silicon photonics is a technology based on fabricating integrated optical circuits by using the same paradigms as the dominant electronics industry. After twenty years of fervid development, silicon photonics is entering the market with low cost, high performance and mass-manufacturable optical devices. Until now, most silicon photonic devices have been based on linear optical effects, despite the many phenomenologies associated with nonlinear optics in both bulk materials and integrated waveguides. Silicon and silicon-based materials have strong optical nonlinearities which are enhanced in integrated devices by the small cross-section of the high-index contrast silicon waveguides or photonic crystals. Here the photons are made to strongly interact with the medium where they propagate. This is the central argument of nonlinear silicon photonics. It is the aim of this review to describe the state-of-the-art in the field. Starting from the basic nonlinearities in a silicon waveguide or in optical resonator geometries, many phenomena and applications are described—including frequency generation, frequency conversion, frequency-comb generation, supercontinuum generation, soliton formation, temporal imaging and time lensing, Raman lasing, and comb spectroscopy. Emerging quantum photonics applications, such as entangled photon sources, heralded single-photon sources and integrated quantum photonic circuits are also addressed at the end of this review.

Transformational silicon electronics

KAUST Repository

Rojas, Jhonathan Prieto

2014-02-25

In today\\'s traditional electronics such as in computers or in mobile phones, billions of high-performance, ultra-low-power devices are neatly integrated in extremely compact areas on rigid and brittle but low-cost bulk monocrystalline silicon (100) wafers. Ninety percent of global electronics are made up of silicon. Therefore, we have developed a generic low-cost regenerative batch fabrication process to transform such wafers full of devices into thin (5 μm), mechanically flexible, optically semitransparent silicon fabric with devices, then recycling the remaining wafer to generate multiple silicon fabric with chips and devices, ensuring low-cost and optimal utilization of the whole substrate. We show monocrystalline, amorphous, and polycrystalline silicon and silicon dioxide fabric, all from low-cost bulk silicon (100) wafers with the semiconductor industry\\'s most advanced high-κ/metal gate stack based high-performance, ultra-low-power capacitors, field effect transistors, energy harvesters, and storage to emphasize the effectiveness and versatility of this process to transform traditional electronics into flexible and semitransparent ones for multipurpose applications. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Silicon Microspheres Photonics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serpenguzel, A.

2008-01-01

Electrophotonic integrated circuits (EPICs), or alternatively, optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEICs) are the natural evolution of the microelectronic integrated circuit (IC) with the addition of photonic capabilities. Traditionally, the IC industry has been based on group IV silicon, whereas the photonics industry on group III-V semiconductors. However, silicon based photonic microdevices have been making strands in siliconizing photonics. Silicon microspheres with their high quality factor whispering gallery modes (WGMs), are ideal candidates for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) applications in the standard near-infrared communication bands. In this work, we will discuss the possibility of using silicon microspheres for photonics applications in the near-infrared

PVMaT Improvements in the BP Solar Photovoltaic Module Manufacturing Technology: Final Subcontract Report, 4 May 1998 - 30 November 2001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wohlgemuth, J.; Shea, S.

2002-04-01

This report describes the advancement of BP Solar PV manufacturing technologies in order to design and implement a process that produces polycrystalline silicon PV modules that can be sold profitably for $2.00 per peak watt or less and that increases the production capacity of the Frederick plant to at least 25 megawatts per year. Achieving these major objectives was based on meeting the following specific task goals: (1) Develop a process to produce silicon feedstock from Na2SiF6 that can be sold profitably for less than $15/kilogram in large quantities. Demonstrate the process in a pilot facility. (2) Optimize and improve control of the casting process to increase the process yield by 7% and to improve material quality such that average cell efficiency increases by 4%. (3) Reduce the center-to-center cut distance on the wire saw to less than 450?mm in production, and develop a wire saw process that reduces the consumable costs by at least $0.05/wafer, that does not require organic cleaners, nor result in generation of hazardous waste material. (4) Develop, demonstrate, and implement a cost-effective cell process that produces a minimum average cell efficiency of 15% and improves the cell line electrical yield by 5% when applied to BP Solar cast polycrystalline silicon wafers. (5) Develop and qualify an encapsulation system that meets all technical and reliability requirements and can be laminated and cured in less than 6 minutes. (6) Improve BP Solar's product and materials handling to increase line yield by 3% and reduce handling labor to save $0.05/watt. (6) Improve process measurement and control in the production line to improve yield by 3% and reduce rework by 50%.

Analysis of structure and defects in thin silicon films deposited from hydrogen diluted silane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elzakker, G. van; Nadazdy, V.; Tichelaar, F.D.; Metselaar, J.W.; Zeman, M.

2006-01-01

Thin silicon layers have been deposited from silane diluted with hydrogen. The dilution ratio R (R = [H 2 ]/[SiH 4 ]) has been varied between R = 0 and R = 40. The structural properties of Si:H films have been studied using transmission electron microscopy imaging and Raman spectroscopy. The phase evolution from the amorphous phase into the mixed and eventually microcrystalline phase strongly depends on the hydrogen dilution. The initiation of the microcrystalline growth occurs between R = 20 and R = 25. The phase transition becomes more abrupt with increasing hydrogen dilution. Optoelectronic properties of the layers have been determined. Increasing hydrogen dilution results in films with increasing effective defect density and Urbach energy, which is related to inhomogeneous growth. The charge deep-level transient spectroscopy technique (Q-DLTS) was applied for the first time on hydrogen diluted thin silicon films in order to investigate the energy distribution of the defect states in these layers as a function of the dilution ratio R. The Q-DLTS spectra indicate a difference in defect-state distribution when the films evolve from the amorphous phase into the microcrystalline phase

Investigation of the impact of mechanical stress on the properties of silicon strip sensors

CERN Document Server

Affolder, Tony; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The new ATLAS tracker for phase II will be composed of silicon pixel and strip sensor modules. The strip sensor module consists of silicon sensors, boards and readout chips. Adhesives are used to connect the modular components thermally and mechanically. It was shown that the silicon sensor is exposed to mechanical stress, due to temperature difference between construction and operation. Mechanical stress can damage the sensor and can change the electrical properties. The thermal induced tensile stress near to the surface of a silicon sensor in a module was simulated and the results are compared to a cooled module. A four point bending setup was used to measure the maximum tensile stress of silicon detectors and to verify the piezoresistive effects on two recent development sensor types used in ATLAS (ATLAS07 and ATLAS12). Changes in the interstrip, bulk and bias resistance and capacitance as well as the coupling capacitance and the implant resistance were measured. The Leakage current was observed to decreas...

Photovoltaic characteristics of porous silicon /(n+ - p) silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dzhafarov, T.D.; Aslanov, S.S.; Ragimov, S.H.; Sadigov, M.S.; Nabiyeva, A.F.; Yuksel, Aydin S.

2012-01-01

Full text : The purpose of this work is to improve the photovoltaic parameters of the screen-printed silicon solar cells by formation the nano-porous silicon film on the frontal surface of the cell. The photovoltaic characteristics of two type silicon solar cells with and without porous silicon layer were measured and compared. A remarkable increment of short-circuit current density and the efficiency by 48 percent and 20 percent, respectively, have been achieved for PS/(n + - pSi) solar cell comparing to (n + - p)Si solar cell without PS layer

TEM investigation of aluminium containing precipitates in high aluminium doped silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong-Leung, J.; FitzGerald, J.D.

2002-01-01

Full text: Silicon carbide is a promising semiconductor material for applications in high temperature and high power devices. The successful growth of good quality epilayers in this material has enhanced its potential for device applications. As a novel semiconductor material, there is a need for studying its basic physical properties and the role of dopants in this material. In this study, silicon carbide epilayers were grown on 4H-SiC wafers of (0001) orientation with a miscut angle of 8 deg at a temperature of 1550 deg C. The epilayers contained regions of high aluminium doping well above the solubility of aluminium in silicon carbide. High temperature annealing of this material resulted in the precipitation of aluminium in the wafers. The samples were analysed by secondary ion mass spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy. Selected area diffraction studies show the presence of aluminium carbide and aluminium silicon carbide phases. Copyright (2002) Australian Society for Electron Microscopy Inc

Geochemistry of the stable isotopes of silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Douthitt, C B [California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena (USA). Div. of Geological and Planetary Sciences

1982-08-01

One hundred thirty two new measurements of the relative abundances of the stable isotopes of silicon in terrestrial materials are presented. The total variation of delta/sup 30/Si found is 6.2 parts per thousand, centered on the mean of terrestrial mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks, delta/sup 30/Si = -0.4 parts per thousand. Igneous rocks show limited variation; coexisting minerals exhibit small, systematic silicon isotopic fractionations that are roughly 1/3 the magnitude of concomitant oxygen isotopic fractionations at 1150/sup 0/C. In both igneous minerals and rocks, delta/sup 30/Si shows a positive correlation with silicon content, as does delta/sup 18/O. Opal from both sponge spicules and sinters is light, with delta/sup 30/Si = -2.3 and -1.4 parts per thousand respectively. Large delta/sup 30/Si values of both positive and negative sign are reported for the first time from clay minerals, opaline phytoliths, and authigenic quartz. All highly fractionated samples were precipitated from solution at low temperatures; however, aqueous silicon is not measurably fractionated relative to quartz at equilibrium. A kinetic isotope fractionation of approximately 3.5 parts per thousand is postulated to occur during the low temperature precipitation of opal and, possibly, poorly ordered phyllosilicates, with the silicate phase being enriched in /sup 28/Si. This fractionation, coupled with a Rayleigh precipitation model, is capable of explaining most non-magmatic delta/sup 30/Si variations.

Performance improvement of silicon solar cells by nanoporous silicon coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dzhafarov T. D.

2012-04-01

Full Text Available In the present paper the method is shown to improve the photovoltaic parameters of screen-printed silicon solar cells by nanoporous silicon film formation on the frontal surface of the cell using the electrochemical etching. The possible mechanisms responsible for observed improvement of silicon solar cell performance are discussed.

Reprogramming hMSCs morphology with silicon/porous silicon geometric micro-patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Ynsa, M D; Dang, Z Y; Manso-Silvan, M; Song, J; Azimi, S; Wu, J F; Liang, H D; Torres-Costa, V; Punzon-Quijorna, E; Breese, M B H; Garcia-Ruiz, J P

2014-04-01

Geometric micro-patterned surfaces of silicon combined with porous silicon (Si/PSi) have been manufactured to study the behaviour of human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs). These micro-patterns consist of regular silicon hexagons surrounded by spaced columns of silicon equilateral triangles separated by PSi. The results show that, at an early culture stage, the hMSCs resemble quiescent cells on the central hexagons with centered nuclei and actin/β-catenin and a microtubules network denoting cell adhesion. After 2 days, hMSCs adapted their morphology and cytoskeleton proteins from cell-cell dominant interactions at the center of the hexagonal surface. This was followed by an intermediate zone with some external actin fibres/β-catenin interactions and an outer zone where the dominant interactions are cell-silicon. Cells move into silicon columns to divide, migrate and communicate. Furthermore, results show that Runx2 and vitamin D receptors, both specific transcription factors for skeleton-derived cells, are expressed in cells grown on micropatterned silicon under all observed circumstances. On the other hand, non-phenotypic alterations are under cell growth and migration on Si/PSi substrates. The former consideration strongly supports the use of micro-patterned silicon surfaces to address pending questions about the mechanisms of human bone biogenesis/pathogenesis and the study of bone scaffolds.

Properties of non-stoichiometric nitrogen doped LPCVD silicon thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mansour, F.; Mahamdi, R. [Departement d' Electronique, Universite Mentouri, Constantine (Algeria); Beghoul, M.R. [Departement d' Electronique, Universite de Jijel (Algeria); Temple-Boyer, P. [CNRS, LAAS, Toulouse (France); Universite de Toulouse, UPS, INSA, INP, ISAE, LAAS, Toulouse (France); Bouridah, H.

2010-02-15

The influence of nitrogen on the internal structure and so on the electrical properties of silicon thin films obtained by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) was studied using several investigation methods. We found by using Raman spectroscopy and SEM observations that a strong relationship exists between the structural order of the silicon matrix and the nitrogen ratio in film before and after thermal treatment. As a result of the high disorder caused by nitrogen on silicon network during the deposit phase of films, the crystallization phenomena in term of nucleation and crystalline growth were found to depend upon the nitrogen content. Resistivity measurements results show that electrical properties of NIDOS films depend significantly on structural properties. It was appeared that for high nitrogen content, the films tend to acquire an insulator behavior. (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

The configurational energy gap between amorphous and crystalline silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kail, F. [GRMT, Department of Physics, University of Girona, Montilivi Campus, 17071 Girona, Catalonia (Spain); Univ. Barcelona, Dept. Fisica Aplicada and Optica, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Farjas, J.; Roura, P. [GRMT, Department of Physics, University of Girona, Montilivi Campus, 17071 Girona, Catalonia (Spain); Secouard, C. [Univ. Barcelona, Dept. Fisica Aplicada and Optica, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Nos, O.; Bertomeu, J. [CEA Grenoble, LTS, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble cedex (France); Roca i Cabarrocas, P. [LPICM, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau (France)

2011-11-15

The crystallization enthalpy of pure amorphous silicon (a-Si) and hydrogenated a-Si was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for a large set of materials deposited from the vapour phase by different techniques. Although the values cover a wide range (200-480 J/g), the minimum value is common to all the deposition techniques used and close to the predicted minimum strain energy of relaxed a-Si (240 {+-} 25 J/g). This result gives a reliable value for the configurational energy gap between a-Si and crystalline silicon. An excess of enthalpy above this minimum value can be ascribed to coordination defects. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Self-cleaning glass coating containing titanium oxide and silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo, A.O. de; Alves, A.K.; Berutti, F.A.; Bergmann, C.P.

2009-01-01

Using the electro spinning technique nano fibers of titanium oxide doped with silicon were synthesized. As precursor materials, titanium propoxide, silicon tetra propoxide and a solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone were used. The non-tissue material obtained was characterized by X-ray diffraction to determine the phase and crystallite size, BET method to determine the surface and SEM to analyze the microstructure of the fibers. After ultrasound dispersion of this material in ethanol, the glass coatings were made by dip-coating methodology. The influence of the removal velocity, the solution composition and the glass surface preparation were evaluated. The film was characterized by the contact angle of a water droplet in its surface. (author)

Gas-phase plasma synthesis of free-standing silicon nanoparticles for future energy applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doğan, I.; van de Sanden, M.C.M.

2016-01-01

Silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs) are considered as possible candidates for a wide spectrum of future technological applications. Research in the last decades has shown that plasmas are one of the most suitable environments for the synthesis of Si-NPs. This review discusses the unique size-dependent

Gas-Phase Plasma Synthesis of Free-Standing Silicon Nanoparticles for Future Energy Applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dogan, I.; van de Sanden, M. C. M.

2016-01-01

Silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs) are considered as possible candidates for a wide spectrum of future technological applications. Research in the last decades has shown that plasmas are one of the most suitable environments for the synthesis of Si-NPs. This review discusses the unique size-dependent

Study on structural properties of epitaxial silicon films on annealed double layer porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yue Zhihao; Shen Honglie; Cai Hong; Lv Hongjie; Liu Bin

2012-01-01

In this paper, epitaxial silicon films were grown on annealed double layer porous silicon by LPCVD. The evolvement of the double layer porous silicon before and after thermal annealing was investigated by scanning electron microscope. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the structural properties of the epitaxial silicon thin films grown at different temperature and different pressure. The results show that the surface of the low-porosity layer becomes smooth and there are just few silicon-bridges connecting the porous layer and the substrate wafer. The qualities of the epitaxial silicon thin films become better along with increasing deposition temperature. All of the Raman peaks of silicon films with different deposition pressure are situated at 521 cm -1 under the deposition temperature of 1100 °C, and the Raman intensity of the silicon film deposited at 100 Pa is much closer to that of the monocrystalline silicon wafer. The epitaxial silicon films are all (4 0 0)-oriented and (4 0 0) peak of silicon film deposited at 100 Pa is more symmetric.

Silicon-zinc-glycerol hydrogel, a potential immunotropic agent for topical application.

Science.gov (United States)

Khonina, Tat'yana G; Ivanenko, Maria V; Chupakhin, Oleg N; Safronov, Alexander P; Bogdanova, Ekaterina A; Karabanalov, Maxim S; Permikin, Vasily V; Larionov, Leonid P; Drozdova, Lyudmila I

2017-09-30

Nanoparticles synthesized using sol-gel method are promising agents for biomedical applications, in particular for the therapy and diagnosis of various diseases. Using silicon and zinc glycerolates as biocompatible precursors we synthesized by the sol-gel method a new bioactive silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel combining the positive pharmacological properties of the precursors. In the present work the structural features of silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel and its immunotropic properties were studied. The advanced physical methods, including XRD, TEM, dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering, were used for studying the structural features of the gel. Hydrolysis of zinc monoglycerolate was investigated under gelation conditions. Evaluation of the efficiency of silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel in providing immune functions was carried out using a model of the complicated wound process behind immunosuppression induced by hydrocortisone administration in the Wistar rats. It has been shown that zinc monoglycerolate exists in the state of amorphous nanoparticles in the cells of 3D-network formed due to incomplete hydrolysis of silicon glycerolates and subsequent silanol condensation. Zinc monoglycerolate is not hydrolyzed and does not enter 3D-network of the gel with the formation of Zn-O-Si groups, but it forms a separate phase. Immunotropic action of silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel was revealed by the histology and immunohistochemistry methods. Amorphous nanoparticles of zinc monoglycerolate, water-soluble silicon glycerolates, and products of their hydrolytic transformations, which are present in a aqueous-glycerol medium, are in the first place responsible for the pharmacological activity of hydrogel. The results obtained allow us to consider silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel as a promising immunotropic agent for topical application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Release of low molecular weight silicones and platinum from silicone breast implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Lykissa, E D; Kala, S V; Hurley, J B; Lebovitz, R M

1997-12-01

We have conducted a series of studies addressing the chemical composition of silicone gels from breast implants as well as the diffusion of low molecular weight silicones (LM-silicones) and heavy metals from intact implants into various surrounding media, namely, lipid-rich medium (soy oil), aqueous tissue culture medium (modified Dulbecco's medium, DMEM), or an emulsion consisting of DMEM plus 10% soy oil. LM-silicones in both implants and surrounding media were detected and quantitated using gas chromatography (GC) coupled with atomic emission (GC-AED) as well as mass spectrometric (GC/MS) detectors, which can detect silicones in the nanogram range. Platinum, a catalyst used in the preparation of silicone gels, was detected and quantitated using inductive argon-coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), which can detect platinum in the parts per trillion range. Our results indicate that GC-detectable low molecular weight silicones contribute approximately 1-2% to the total gel mass and consist predominantly of cyclic and linear poly-(dimethylsiloxanes) ranging from 3 to 20 siloxane [(CH3)2-Si-O] units (molecular weight 200-1500). Platinum can be detected in implant gels at levels of approximately 700 micrograms/kg by ICP-MS. The major component of implant gels appears to be high molecular weight silicone polymers (HM-silicones) too large to be detected by GC. However, these HM-silicones can be converted almost quantitatively (80% by mass) to LM-silicones by heating implant gels at 150-180 degrees C for several hours. We also studied the rates at which LM-silicones and platinum leak through the intact implant outer shell into the surrounding media under a variety of conditions. Leakage of silicones was greatest when the surrounding medium was lipid-rich, and up to 10 mg/day LM-silicones was observed to diffuse into a lipid-rich medium per 250 g of implant at 37 degrees C. This rate of leakage was maintained over a 7-day experimental period. Similarly, platinum was

APTES-Terminated ultrasmall and iron-doped silicon nanoparticles as X-Ray dose enhancer for radiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, Stefanie; Wegmann, Marc; Distel, Luitpold V R; Neuhuber, Winfried; Kryschi, Carola

2018-04-15

Silicon nanoparticles with sizes between were synthesized through wet-chemistry procedures using diverse phase transfer reagents. On the other hand, the preparation of iron-doped silicon nanoparticles was carried out using the precursor Na 4 Si 4 containing 5% Fe. Biocompatibility of all silicon nanoparticle samples was achieved by surface-stabilizing with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. These surface structures provided positive surface charges which facilitated electrostatic binding to the negatively charged biological membranes. The mode of interaction with membranes, being either incorporation or just attachment, was found to depend on the nanoparticle size. The smallest silicon nanoparticles (ca. 1.5 nm) were embedded in the mitochondrial membrane in MCF-7 cells. When interacting with X-rays these silicon nanoparticles were observed to enhance the superoxide formation upon depolarizing the mitochondrial membrane. X-ray irradiation of MCF-7 cells loaded with the larger silicon nanoparticles was shown to increase the intracellular singlet oxygen generation. The doping of the silicon nanoparticles with iron led to additional production of hydroxyl radicals via the Fenton reaction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cavitation contributes substantially to tensile creep in silicon nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luecke, W.E.; Wiederhorn, S.M.; Hockey, B.J.; Krause, R.F. Jr.; Long, G.G.

1995-01-01

During tensile creep of a hot isostatically pressed (HIPed) silicon nitride, the volume fraction of cavities increases linearly with strain; these cavities produce nearly all of the measured strain. In contrast, compressive creep in the same stress and temperature range produces very little cavitation. A stress exponent that increases with stress (var-epsilon ∝ σ n , 2 < n < 7) characterizes the tensile creep response, while the compressive creep response exhibits a stress dependence of unity. Furthermore, under the same stress and temperature, the material creeps nearly 100 times faster in tension than in compression. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicates that the cavities formed during tensile creep occur in pockets of residual crystalline silicate phase located at silicon nitride multigrain junctions. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) from crept material quantifies the size distribution of cavities observed in TEM and demonstrates that cavity addition, rather than cavity growth, dominates the cavitation process. These observations are in accord with a model for creep based on the deformation of granular materials in which the microstructure must dilate for individual grains t slide past one another. During tensile creep the silicon nitride grains remain rigid; cavitation in the multigrain junctions allows the silicate to flow from cavities to surrounding silicate pockets, allowing the dilation of the microstructure and deformation of the material. Silicon nitride grain boundary sliding accommodates this expansion and leads to extension of the specimen. In compression, where cavitation is suppressed, deformation occurs by solution-reprecipitation of silicon nitride

The geochemistry of the stable isotopes of silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Douthitt, C.B.

1982-01-01

One hundred thirty two new measurements of the relative abundances of the stable isotopes of silicon in terrestrial materials are presented. The total variation of delta 30 Si found is 6.2 parts per thousand, centered on the mean of terrestrial mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks, delta 30 Si = -0.4 parts per thousand. Igneous rocks show limited variation; coexisting minerals exhibit small, systematic silicon isotopic fractionations that are roughly 1/3 the magnitude of concomitant oxygen isotopic fractionations at 1150 0 C. In both igneous minerals and rocks, delta 30 Si shows a positive correlation with silicon content, as does delta 18 O. Opal from both sponge spicules and sinters is light, with delta 30 Si = -2.3 and -1.4 parts per thousand respectively. Large delta 30 Si values of both positive and negative sign are reported for the first time from clay minerals, opaline phytoliths, and authigenic quartz. All highly fractionated samples were precipitated from solution at low temperatures; however, aqueous silicon is not measurably fractionated relative to quartz at equilibrium. A kinetic isotope fractionation of approximately 3.5 parts per thousand is postulated to occur during the low temperature precipitation of opal and, possibly, poorly ordered phyllosilicates, with the silicate phase being enriched in 28 Si. This fractionation, coupled with a Rayleigh precipitation model, is capable of explaining most non-magmatic delta 30 Si variations. (author)

Guided ultrasonic wave beam skew in silicon wafers

Science.gov (United States)

Pizzolato, Marco; Masserey, Bernard; Robyr, Jean-Luc; Fromme, Paul

2018-04-01

In the photovoltaic industry, monocrystalline silicon wafers are employed for solar cells with high conversion efficiency. Micro-cracks induced by the cutting process in the thin wafers can lead to brittle wafer fracture. Guided ultrasonic waves would offer an efficient methodology for the in-process non-destructive testing of wafers to assess micro-crack density. The material anisotropy of the monocrystalline silicon leads to variations of the guided wave characteristics, depending on the propagation direction relative to the crystal orientation. Selective guided ultrasonic wave excitation was achieved using a contact piezoelectric transducer with custom-made wedges for the A0 and S0 Lamb wave modes and a transducer holder to achieve controlled contact pressure and orientation. The out-of-plane component of the guided wave propagation was measured using a non-contact laser interferometer. The phase slowness (velocity) of the two fundamental Lamb wave modes was measured experimentally for varying propagation directions relative to the crystal orientation and found to match theoretical predictions. Significant wave beam skew was observed experimentally, especially for the S0 mode, and investigated from 3D finite element simulations. Good agreement was found with the theoretical predictions based on nominal material properties of the silicon wafer. The important contribution of guided wave beam skewing effects for the non-destructive testing of silicon wafers was demonstrated.

Silicon Strip Detectors for ATLAS at the HL-LHC Upgrade

CERN Document Server

Hara, K; The ATLAS collaboration

2012-01-01

present ATLAS silicon strip tracker (SCT) and transition radiation tracker(TRT) are to be replaced with new silicon strip detectors as part of the Inner Tracker System (ITK) for the Phase-II upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider, HL-LHC. We have carried out intensive R&D programs based on n+-on-p microstrip detectors to fabricate improved radiation hard strip detectors that can survive the radiation levels corresponding to the integrated luminosity of up to 3000 fb−1. We describe the main specifications for this year’s sensor fabrication and the related R&D results, followed by a description of the candidate schema for module integration.

Light emitting structures porous silicon-silicon substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monastyrskii, L.S.; Olenych, I.B.; Panasjuk, M.R.; Savchyn, V.P.

1999-01-01

The research of spectroscopic properties of porous silicon has been done. Complex of photoluminescence, electroluminescence, cathodoluminescence, thermostimulated depolarisation current analyte methods have been applied to study of geterostructures and free layers of porous silicon. Light emitting processes had tendency to decrease. The character of decay for all kinds of luminescence were different

Gelcasting of SiC/Si for preparation of silicon nitride bonded silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Z.P.; Tsinghua University, Beijing,; Cheng, Y.B.; Lu, J.W.; Huang, Y.

2000-01-01

In the present paper, gelcasting of aqueous slurry with coarse silicon carbide(1mm) and fine silicon particles was investigated to fabricate silicon nitride bonded silicon carbide materials. Through the examination of influence of different polyelectrolytes on the Zeta potential and viscosity of silicon and silicon carbide suspensions, a stable SiC/Si suspension with 60 vol% solid loading could be prepared by using polyelectrolyte of D3005 and sodium alginate. Gelation of this suspension can complete in 10-30 min at 60-80 deg C after cast into mold. After demolded, the wet green body can be dried directly in furnace and the green strength will develop during drying. Complex shape parts with near net size were prepared by the process. Effects of the debindering process on nitridation and density of silicon nitride bonded silicon carbide were also examined. Copyright (2000) The Australian Ceramic Society

Micromachined silicon seismic accelerometer development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barron, C.C.; Fleming, J.G.; Montague, S. [and others

1996-08-01

Batch-fabricated silicon seismic transducers could revolutionize the discipline of seismic monitoring by providing inexpensive, easily deployable sensor arrays. Our ultimate goal is to fabricate seismic sensors with sensitivity and noise performance comparable to short-period seismometers in common use. We expect several phases of development will be required to accomplish that level of performance. Traditional silicon micromachining techniques are not ideally suited to the simultaneous fabrication of a large proof mass and soft suspension, such as one needs to achieve the extreme sensitivities required for seismic measurements. We have therefore developed a novel {open_quotes}mold{close_quotes} micromachining technology that promises to make larger proof masses (in the 1-10 mg range) possible. We have successfully integrated this micromolding capability with our surface-micromachining process, which enables the formation of soft suspension springs. Our calculations indicate that devices made in this new integrated technology will resolve down to at least sub-{mu}G signals, and may even approach the 10{sup -10} G/{radical}Hz acceleration levels found in the low-earth-noise model.

The CMS silicon strip tracker and its electronic readout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedl, M.

2001-05-01

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN (Geneva, CH) will be the world's biggest accelerator machine when operation starts in 2006. One of its four detector experiments is the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS), consisting of a large-scale silicon tracker and electromagnetic and hadron calorimeters, all embedded in a solenoidal magnetic field of 4 T, and a muon system surrounding the magnet coil. The Silicon Strip Tracker has a sensitive area of 206m 2 with 10 million analog channels which are read out at the collider frequency of 40 MHz. The building blocks of the CMS Tracker are the silicon sensors, APV amplifier ASICs, supporting front-end ASICs, analog and digital optical links as well as data processors and control units in the back-end. Radiation tolerance, readout speed and the huge data volume are challenging requirements. The charge collection in silicon detectors was modeled, which is discussed as well as the concepts of readout amplifiers with respect to the LHC requirements, including the deconvolution method of fast pulse shaping, electronic noise constraints and radiation effects. Moreover, extensive measurements on prototype components of the CMS Tracker and different versions of the APV chip in particular were performed. There was a significant contribution to the construction of several detector modules, characterized them in particle beam tests and quantified radiation induced effects on the APV chip and on silicon detectors. In addition, a prototype of the analog optical link and the analog performance of the back-end digitization unit were evaluated. The results are very encouraging, demonstrating the feasibility of the CMS Silicon Strip Tracker system and motivating progress towards the construction phase. (author)

Silicon detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klanner, R.

1984-08-01

The status and recent progress of silicon detectors for high energy physics is reviewed. Emphasis is put on detectors with high spatial resolution and the use of silicon detectors in calorimeters. (orig.)

FTIR studies of swift silicon and oxygen ion irradiated porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1999-01-01

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

Compressibility and thermal expansion of cubic silicon nitride

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiang, Jianzhong; Lindelov, H.; Gerward, Leif

2002-01-01

The compressibility and thermal expansion of the cubic silicon nitride (c-Si3N4) phase have been investigated by performing in situ x-ray powder-diffraction measurements using synchrotron radiation, complemented with computer simulations by means of first-principles calculations. The bulk...... compressibility of the c-Si3N4 phase originates from the average of both Si-N tetrahedral and octahedral compressibilities where the octahedral polyhedra are less compressible than the tetrahedral ones. The origin of the unit cell expansion is revealed to be due to the increase of the octahedral Si-N and N-N bond...

Large-scale quantum photonic circuits in silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harris Nicholas C.

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Quantum information science offers inherently more powerful methods for communication, computation, and precision measurement that take advantage of quantum superposition and entanglement. In recent years, theoretical and experimental advances in quantum computing and simulation with photons have spurred great interest in developing large photonic entangled states that challenge today’s classical computers. As experiments have increased in complexity, there has been an increasing need to transition bulk optics experiments to integrated photonics platforms to control more spatial modes with higher fidelity and phase stability. The silicon-on-insulator (SOI nanophotonics platform offers new possibilities for quantum optics, including the integration of bright, nonclassical light sources, based on the large third-order nonlinearity (χ(3 of silicon, alongside quantum state manipulation circuits with thousands of optical elements, all on a single phase-stable chip. How large do these photonic systems need to be? Recent theoretical work on Boson Sampling suggests that even the problem of sampling from e30 identical photons, having passed through an interferometer of hundreds of modes, becomes challenging for classical computers. While experiments of this size are still challenging, the SOI platform has the required component density to enable low-loss and programmable interferometers for manipulating hundreds of spatial modes.

Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Processing Unit (PPU) for Hall Effect Thrusters, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — In this SBIR project, APEI, Inc. is proposing to develop a high efficiency, rad-hard 3.8 kW silicon carbide (SiC) Power Processing Unit (PPU) for Hall Effect...

Annealing temperature dependence of photoluminescent characteristics of silicon nanocrystals embedded in silicon-rich silicon nitride films grown by PECVD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chao, D.S.; Liang, J.H.

2013-01-01

Recently, light emission from silicon nanostructures has gained great interest due to its promising potential of realizing silicon-based optoelectronic applications. In this study, luminescent silicon nanocrystals (Si–NCs) were in situ synthesized in silicon-rich silicon nitride (SRSN) films grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). SRSN films with various excess silicon contents were deposited by adjusting SiH 4 flow rate to 100 and 200 sccm and keeping NH 3 one at 40 sccm, and followed by furnace annealing (FA) treatments at 600, 850 and 1100 °C for 1 h. The effects of excess silicon content and post-annealing temperature on optical properties of Si–NCs were investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The origins of two groups of PL peaks found in this study can be attributed to defect-related interface states and quantum confinement effects (QCE). Defect-related interface states lead to the photon energy levels almost kept constant at about 3.4 eV, while QCE results in visible and tunable PL emission in the spectral range of yellow and blue light which depends on excess silicon content and post-annealing temperature. In addition, PL intensity was also demonstrated to be highly correlative to the excess silicon content and post-annealing temperature due to its corresponding effects on size, density, crystallinity, and surface passivation of Si–NCs. Considering the trade-off between surface passivation and structural properties of Si–NCs, an optimal post-annealing temperature of 600 °C was suggested to maximize the PL intensity of the SRSN films

The FAZIA project in Europe: R and D phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bougault, R.; Le Neindre, N.; Bougard, B.; Desrues, P.; Legouee, E.; Lopez, O.; Merrer, Y.; Pain, C.; Vient, E. [Universite de Caen, CNRS-IN2P3, LPC Caen, ENSICAEN, Caen cedex (France); Poggi, G.; Barlini, S.; Pasquali, G.; Bardelli, L.; Bini, M.; Carboni, S.; Pastore, G.; Stefanini, A.A.; Valdre, S. [Universita di Firenze, Dipartimento di Fisica, Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Sezione di Firenze, INFN, Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Borderie, B.; Ademard, G.; Barbey, S.; Brulin, G.; Edelbruck, P.; Hamrita, H.; Huss, C.; Lavergne, L.; Rauly, E.; Rivet, M.F.; Salomon, F.; Seredov, V.; Wanlin, E. [Universite Paris-Sud 11, Institut de Physique Nucleaire, CNRS/IN2P3, Orsay cedex (France); Casini, G.; Piantelli, S.; Olmi, A.; Tobia, G. [Sezione di Firenze, INFN, Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Chbihi, A.; Boisjoli, M.; Bonnet, E.; Frankland, J.D.; Gruyer, D.; Marini, P.; Spitaels, C. [CEA/DSM-CNRS/IN2P3, GANIL, Caen cedex (France); Parlog, M. [Universite de Caen, CNRS-IN2P3, LPC Caen, ENSICAEN, Caen cedex (France); Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH), Bucharest Magurele (Romania); Sosin, Z.; Kajetanowicz, M.; Kozik, T.; Kulig, P.; Palka, M.; Sierpowski, D.; Twarog, T.; Wieloch, A. [Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Krakow (Poland); Alba, R.; Maiolino, C.; Santonocito, D. [Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, INFN, Catania (Italy); Anastasio, A.; Boiano, A.; Cassese, C.; Cassese, F.; D' Aquino, B.; Di Meo, P.; Masone, V.; Meoli, A.; Ordine, A.; Paduano, G.; Passeggio, G.; Pontoriere, G.; Rocco, R.; Roscilli, L.; Tortone, G.; Vanzanella, A.; Vanzanella, E.; Vitiello, G. [Complesso Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, Napoli (Italy); INFN - Sezione di Napoli, Napoli (Italy); Borcea, R.; Ciolacu, L.; Cruceru, I.; Cruceru, M.; Negoita, F.; Petcu, M.; Petrascu, H. [Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH), Bucharest Magurele (Romania); Bruno, M.; Morelli, L. [INFN, Sezione di Bologna (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica ed Astronomia, Universita di Bologna, Bologna (Italy); Cinausero, M.; Gramegna, F.; Marchi, T. [LNL Legnaro, INFN, Legnaro (Italy); De Fazio, B. [Complesso Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Napoli ' ' Federico II' ' , Napoli (Italy); Degerlier, M. [Nevsehir Haci Bektas University, Science and Art Faculty, Physics Department, Nevsehir (Turkey); Duenas, J.A.; Martel, I. [FCCEE Universidad de Huelva, Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Huelva (Spain); Energico, S. [Complesso Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, Istituto SPIN - CNR, Napoli (Italy); Falorsi, M.; Scarlini, E. [Universita di Firenze, Dipartimento di Fisica, Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Galichet, E. [Universite Paris-Sud 11, Institut de Physique Nucleaire, CNRS/IN2P3, Orsay cedex (France); Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers, Paris (France); Gasior, K.; Grzeszczuk, A.; Zipper, W. [University of Silesia, August Chellkowski Institute of Physics, Katowice (Poland); Giordano, R. [Complesso Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, Napoli (Italy); INFN - Sezione di Napoli, Napoli (Italy); Universita di Napoli ' ' Federico II' ' , Dipartimento di Informatica e Sistemistica, Napoli (Italy); Guerzoni, M.; Serra, S. [Sezione di Bologna, INFN, Bologna (Italy); Korcyl, K.; Lukasik, J.; Pawlowski, P. [Institute of Nuclear Physics PAN, Krakow (Poland); Kordyasz, A.; Piasecki, E. [University of Warsaw, Heavy Ion Laboratory, Warsaw (Poland); Rosato, E.; Spadaccini, G.; Vigilante, M. [Complesso Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, Napoli (Italy); INFN - Sezione di Napoli, Napoli (Italy); Complesso Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Napoli ' ' Federico II' ' , Napoli (Italy); Collaboration: The FAZIA Collaboration

2014-02-15

The goal of the FAZIA Collaboration is the design of a new-generation 4π detector array for heavy-ion collisions with radioactive beams. This article summarizes the main results of the R and D phase, devoted to the search for significant improvements of the techniques for charge and mass identification of reaction products. This was obtained by means of a systematic study of the basic detection module, consisting of two transmission-mounted silicon detectors followed by a CsI(Tl) scintillator. Significant improvements in ΔE-E and pulse-shape techniques were obtained by controlling the doping homogeneity and the cutting angles of silicon and by putting severe constraints on thickness uniformity. Purposely designed digital electronics contributed to identification quality. The issue of possible degradation related to radiation damage of silicon was also addressed. The experimental activity was accompanied by studies on the physics governing signal evolution in silicon. The good identification quality obtained with the prototypes during the R and D phase, allowed us to investigate also some aspects of isospin physics, namely isospin transport and odd-even staggering. Now, after the conclusion of the R and D period, the FAZIA Collaboration has entered the demonstrator phase, with the aim of verifying the applicability of the devised solutions for the realization of a larger-scale experimental set-up. (orig.)

The FAZIA project in Europe: R and D phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bougault, R.; Le Neindre, N.; Bougard, B.; Desrues, P.; Legouee, E.; Lopez, O.; Merrer, Y.; Pain, C.; Vient, E.; Poggi, G.; Barlini, S.; Pasquali, G.; Bardelli, L.; Bini, M.; Carboni, S.; Pastore, G.; Stefanini, A.A.; Valdre, S.; Borderie, B.; Ademard, G.; Barbey, S.; Brulin, G.; Edelbruck, P.; Hamrita, H.; Huss, C.; Lavergne, L.; Rauly, E.; Rivet, M.F.; Salomon, F.; Seredov, V.; Wanlin, E.; Casini, G.; Piantelli, S.; Olmi, A.; Tobia, G.; Chbihi, A.; Boisjoli, M.; Bonnet, E.; Frankland, J.D.; Gruyer, D.; Marini, P.; Spitaels, C.; Parlog, M.; Sosin, Z.; Kajetanowicz, M.; Kozik, T.; Kulig, P.; Palka, M.; Sierpowski, D.; Twarog, T.; Wieloch, A.; Alba, R.; Maiolino, C.; Santonocito, D.; Anastasio, A.; Boiano, A.; Cassese, C.; Cassese, F.; D'Aquino, B.; Di Meo, P.; Masone, V.; Meoli, A.; Ordine, A.; Paduano, G.; Passeggio, G.; Pontoriere, G.; Rocco, R.; Roscilli, L.; Tortone, G.; Vanzanella, A.; Vanzanella, E.; Vitiello, G.; Borcea, R.; Ciolacu, L.; Cruceru, I.; Cruceru, M.; Negoita, F.; Petcu, M.; Petrascu, H.; Bruno, M.; Morelli, L.; Cinausero, M.; Gramegna, F.; Marchi, T.; De Fazio, B.; Degerlier, M.; Duenas, J.A.; Martel, I.; Energico, S.; Falorsi, M.; Scarlini, E.; Galichet, E.; Gasior, K.; Grzeszczuk, A.; Zipper, W.; Giordano, R.; Guerzoni, M.; Serra, S.; Korcyl, K.; Lukasik, J.; Pawlowski, P.; Kordyasz, A.; Piasecki, E.; Rosato, E.; Spadaccini, G.; Vigilante, M.

2014-01-01

The goal of the FAZIA Collaboration is the design of a new-generation 4π detector array for heavy-ion collisions with radioactive beams. This article summarizes the main results of the R and D phase, devoted to the search for significant improvements of the techniques for charge and mass identification of reaction products. This was obtained by means of a systematic study of the basic detection module, consisting of two transmission-mounted silicon detectors followed by a CsI(Tl) scintillator. Significant improvements in ΔE-E and pulse-shape techniques were obtained by controlling the doping homogeneity and the cutting angles of silicon and by putting severe constraints on thickness uniformity. Purposely designed digital electronics contributed to identification quality. The issue of possible degradation related to radiation damage of silicon was also addressed. The experimental activity was accompanied by studies on the physics governing signal evolution in silicon. The good identification quality obtained with the prototypes during the R and D phase, allowed us to investigate also some aspects of isospin physics, namely isospin transport and odd-even staggering. Now, after the conclusion of the R and D period, the FAZIA Collaboration has entered the demonstrator phase, with the aim of verifying the applicability of the devised solutions for the realization of a larger-scale experimental set-up. (orig.)

Effect of UV irradiations on the structural and optical features of porous silicon: application in silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aouida, S.; Saadoun, M.; Boujmil, M.F.; Ben Rabha, M.; Bessaies, B.

2004-01-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the structural and optical stability of porous silicon layers (PSLs) planned to be used in silicon solar cells technology. The PSLs were prepared by a HNO 3 /HF vapor etching (VE) based method. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy shows that fresh VE-based PSLs contain N-H and Si-F bonds related to a ammonium hexafluorosilicate (NH 4 ) 2 SiF 6 minor phase, and conventional Si-H x and Si-O x bonds. Free air exposures of PSLs without and with UV irradiation lead to oxidation or photo-oxidation of the porous layer, respectively. FT-IR characterisation of the PSLs shows that UV irradiations modify the transformation kinetics replacing instable Si-H x by Si-O x or Si-O-H bonds. When fresh PSLs undergo free air oxidation within 7 days, the surface reflectivity decreases from 10 to about 8%, while it drops to about 4% when a 10 min free air UV irradiation is applied. Long periods of free air oxidation do not ensure the reflectivity to be stable, whereas it becomes stable after only 10 min of UV irradiation. This behaviour was explained taking into account the kinetic differences between oxidation with and without UV irradiation. Fresh VE-based PSLs were found to improve efficiently the photovoltaic (PV) characteristics of crystalline silicon solar cells. The passivating action of VE-based PSLs was discussed. An improvement of the PV performances was observed solely for stable oxidized porous silicon (PS) structures obtained from UV irradiations

Strategies for doped nanocrystalline silicon integration in silicon heterojunction solar cells

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Seif, J.; Descoeudres, A.; Nogay, G.; Hänni, S.; de Nicolas, S.M.; Holm, N.; Geissbühler, J.; Hessler-Wyser, A.; Duchamp, M.; Dunin-Borkowski, R.E.; Ledinský, Martin; De Wolf, S.; Ballif, C.

2016-01-01

Roč. 6, č. 5 (2016), s. 1132-1140 ISSN 2156-3381 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LM2015087 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : microcrystalline silicon * nanocrystalline silicon * silicon heterojunctions (SHJs) * solar cells Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.712, year: 2016

Embedded atom approach for gold–silicon system from ab initio

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the present paper, an empirical embedded atom method (EAM) potential for gold–silicon (Au–Si) is developed by fitting to ab initio force (the 'force matching' method) and experimental data. The force database is generated within ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD). The database includes liquid phase at various ...

Efficiency Enhancement of Silicon Solar Cells by Porous Silicon Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenijus SHATKOVSKIS

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Silicon solar cells produced by a usual technology in p-type, crystalline silicon wafer were investigated. The manufactured solar cells were of total thickness 450 mm, the junction depth was of 0.5 mm – 0.7 mm. Porous silicon technologies were adapted to enhance cell efficiency. The production of porous silicon layer was carried out in HF: ethanol = 1 : 2 volume ratio electrolytes, illuminating by 50 W halogen lamps at the time of processing. The etching current was computer-controlled in the limits of (6 ÷ 14 mA/cm2, etching time was set in the interval of (10 ÷ 20 s. The characteristics and performance of the solar cells samples was carried out illuminating by Xenon 5000 K lamp light. Current-voltage characteristic studies have shown that porous silicon structures produced affect the extent of dark and lighting parameters of the samples. Exactly it affects current-voltage characteristic and serial resistance of the cells. It has shown, the formation of porous silicon structure causes an increase in the electric power created of solar cell. Conversion efficiency increases also respectively to the initial efficiency of cell. Increase of solar cell maximum power in 15 or even more percent is found. The highest increase in power have been observed in the spectral range of Dl @ (450 ÷ 850 nm, where ~ 60 % of the A1.5 spectra solar energy is located. It has been demonstrated that porous silicon technology is effective tool to improve the silicon solar cells performance.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.18.3.2428

Chiral silicon nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schubert, E.; Fahlteich, J.; Hoeche, Th.; Wagner, G.; Rauschenbach, B.

2006-01-01

Glancing angle ion beam assisted deposition is used for the growth of amorphous silicon nanospirals onto [0 0 1] silicon substrates in a temperature range from room temperature to 475 deg. C. The nanostructures are post-growth annealed in an argon atmosphere at various temperatures ranging from 400 deg. C to 800 deg. C. Recrystallization of silicon within the persisting nanospiral configuration is demonstrated for annealing temperatures above 800 deg. C. Transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy are used to characterize the silicon samples prior and after temperature treatment

Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Processing Unit (PPU) for Hall Effect Thrusters, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — In this SBIR project, APEI, Inc. is proposing to develop a high efficiency, rad-hard 3.8 kW silicon carbide (SiC) power supply for the Power Processing Unit (PPU) of...

Optical temperature sensor with enhanced sensitivity by employing hybrid waveguides in a silicon Mach-Zehnder interferometer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guan, Xiaowei; Wang, Xiaoyan; Frandsen, Lars Hagedorn

2016-01-01

We report on a novel design of an on-chip optical temperature sensor based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer configuration where the two arms consist of hybrid waveguides providing opposite temperature-dependent phase changes to enhance the temperature sensitivity of the sensor. The sensitivity...... of the fabricated sensor with silicon/polymer hybrid waveguides is measured to be 172 pm/°C, which is two times larger than a conventional all-silicon optical temperature sensor (∼80 pm/°C). Moreover, a design with silicon/titanium dioxide hybrid waveguides is by calculation expected to have a sensitivity as high...

The chemistry of silicon

CERN Document Server

Rochow, E G; Emeléus, H J; Nyholm, Ronald

1975-01-01

Pergamon Texts in Organic Chemistry, Volume 9: The Chemistry of Silicon presents information essential in understanding the chemical properties of silicon. The book first covers the fundamental aspects of silicon, such as its nuclear, physical, and chemical properties. The text also details the history of silicon, its occurrence and distribution, and applications. Next, the selection enumerates the compounds and complexes of silicon, along with organosilicon compounds. The text will be of great interest to chemists and chemical engineers. Other researchers working on research study involving s

Compressive creep of silicon nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, C.R.M. da; Melo, F.C.L. de; Cairo, C.A.; Piorino Neto, F.

1990-01-01

Silicon nitride samples were formed by pressureless sintering process, using neodymium oxide and a mixture of neodymium oxide and yttrio oxide as sintering aids. The short term compressive creep behaviour was evaluated over a stress range of 50-300 MPa and temperature range 1200 - 1350 0 C. Post-sintering heat treatments in nitrogen with a stepwise decremental variation of temperature were performed in some samples and microstructural analysis by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy showed that the secondary crystalline phase which form from the remnant glass are dependent upon composition and percentage of aditives. Stress exponent values near to unity were obtained for materials with low glass content suggesting grain boundary diffusion accommodation processes. Cavitation will thereby become prevalent with increase in stress, temperature and decrease in the degree of crystallization of the grain boundary phase. (author) [pt

Study on the graphene/silicon Schottky diodes by transferring graphene transparent electrodes on silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiaojuan; Li, Dong; Zhang, Qichong; Zou, Liping; Wang, Fengli; Zhou, Jun; Zhang, Zengxing

2015-01-01

Graphene/silicon heterostructures present a Schottky characteristic and have potential applications for solar cells and photodetectors. Here, we fabricated graphene/silicon heterostructures by using chemical vapor deposition derived graphene and n-type silicon, and studied the electronic and optoelectronic properties through varying their interface and silicon resistivity. The results exhibit that the properties of the fabricated configurations can be effectively modulated. The graphene/silicon heterostructures with a Si (111) interface and high resistivity show a better photovoltaic behavior and should be applied for high-performance photodetectors. With the combined atomic force microscopy and theoretical analysis, the possible origination is discussed. The work here should be helpful on exploring high-performance graphene/silicon photoelectronics. - Highlights: • Different graphene/silicon heterostructures were fabricated. • Electronic and optoelectronic properties of the heterostructures were studied. • Graphene/silicon heterostructures were further explored for photodetectors.

Study on the graphene/silicon Schottky diodes by transferring graphene transparent electrodes on silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xiaojuan [MOE Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro-structured Materials & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure Materials and Technology, School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); School of Physics and Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004 (China); Li, Dong; Zhang, Qichong; Zou, Liping; Wang, Fengli [MOE Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro-structured Materials & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure Materials and Technology, School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Zhou, Jun, E-mail: zhoujunzhou@tongji.edu.cn [Center for Phononics and Thermal Energy Science, School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Zhang, Zengxing, E-mail: zhangzx@tongji.edu.cn [MOE Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro-structured Materials & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure Materials and Technology, School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China)

2015-10-01

Graphene/silicon heterostructures present a Schottky characteristic and have potential applications for solar cells and photodetectors. Here, we fabricated graphene/silicon heterostructures by using chemical vapor deposition derived graphene and n-type silicon, and studied the electronic and optoelectronic properties through varying their interface and silicon resistivity. The results exhibit that the properties of the fabricated configurations can be effectively modulated. The graphene/silicon heterostructures with a Si (111) interface and high resistivity show a better photovoltaic behavior and should be applied for high-performance photodetectors. With the combined atomic force microscopy and theoretical analysis, the possible origination is discussed. The work here should be helpful on exploring high-performance graphene/silicon photoelectronics. - Highlights: • Different graphene/silicon heterostructures were fabricated. • Electronic and optoelectronic properties of the heterostructures were studied. • Graphene/silicon heterostructures were further explored for photodetectors.

Formation mechanism of a silicon carbide coating for a reinforced carbon-carbon composite

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, D. C.; Shuford, D. M.; Mueller, J. I.

1975-01-01

Results are presented for a study to determine the mechanisms involved in a high-temperature pack cementation process which provides a silicon carbide coating on a carbon-carbon composite. The process and materials used are physically and chemically analyzed. Possible reactions are evaluated using the results of these analytical data. The coating is believed to develop in two stages. The first is a liquid controlled phase process in which silicon carbide is formed due to reactions between molten silicon metal and the carbon. The second stage is a vapor transport controlled reaction in which silicon vapors react with the carbon. There is very little volume change associated with the coating process. The original thickness changes by less than 0.7%. This indicates that the coating process is one of reactive penetration. The coating thickness can be increased or decreased by varying the furnace cycle process time and/or temperature to provide a wide range of coating thicknesses.

Evaluation of selected chemical processes for production of low-cost silicon, phase 2

Science.gov (United States)

Blocher, J. M., Jr.; Browning, M. F.; Wilson, W. J.; Carmichael, D. C.

1977-01-01

Potential designs for an integrated fluidized-bed reactor/zinc vaporizer/SiCl4 preheater unit are being considered and heat-transfer calculations have been initiated on versions of the zinc vaporizer section. Estimates of the cost of the silicon prepared in the experimental facility have been made for projected capacities of 25, 50, 75, and 100 metric ton of silicon. A 35 percent saving is obtained in going from 25 metric ton/year to the 50 metric ton/year level. This analysis, coupled with the recognition that use of two reactors in the 50 metric ton/year version allows for continued operation (at reduced capacity) with one reactor shut down, has resulted in a recommendation for adoption of an experimental facility capacity of 50 metric ton/year or greater. At this stage, the change to a larger size facility would not increase the design costs appreciably. In the experimental support program, the effects of seed bed particle size and depth were studied, and operation of the miniplant with a new zinc vaporizer was initiated, revealing the need for modification of the latter.

Testbeam evaluation of silicon strip modules for ATLAS Phase - II Strip Tracker Upgrade

CERN Document Server

Blue, Andrew; The ATLAS collaboration; Ai, Xiaocong; Allport, Phillip; Arling, Jan-Hendrik; Atkin, Ryan Justin; Bruni, Lucrezia Stella; Carli, Ina; Casse, Gianluigi; Chen, Liejian; Chisholm, Andrew; Cormier, Kyle James Read; Cunningham, William Reilly; Dervan, Paul; Diez Cornell, Sergio; Dolezal, Zdenek; Dopke, Jens; Dreyer, Etienne; Dreyling-Eschweiler, Jan Linus Roderik; Escobar, Carlos; Fabiani, Veronica; Fadeyev, Vitaliy; Fernandez Tejero, Javier; Fleta Corral, Maria Celeste; Gallop, Bruce; Garcia-Argos, Carlos; Greenall, Ashley; Gregor, Ingrid-Maria; Greig, Graham George; Guescini, Francesco; Hara, Kazuhiko; Hauser, Marc Manuel; Huang, Yanping; Hunter, Robert Francis Holub; Keller, John; Klein, Christoph; Kodys, Peter; Koffas, Thomas; Kotek, Zdenek; Kroll, Jiri; Kuehn, Susanne; Lee, Steven Juhyung; Liu, Yi; Lohwasser, Kristin; Meszarosova, Lucia; Mikestikova, Marcela; Mi\\~nano Moya, Mercedes; Mori, Riccardo; Moser, Brian; Nikolopoulos, Konstantinos; Peschke, Richard; Pezzullo, Giuseppe; Phillips, Peter William; Poley, Anne-luise; Queitsch-Maitland, Michaela; Ravotti, Federico; Rodriguez Rodriguez, Daniel

2018-01-01

The planned HL-LHC (High Luminosity LHC) is being designed to maximise the physics potential of the LHC with 10 years of operation at instantaneous luminosities of \\mbox{$7.5\\times10^{34}\\;\\mathrm{cm}^{-2}\\mathrm{s}^{-1}$}. A consequence of this increased luminosity is the expected radiation damage requiring the tracking detectors to withstand hadron equivalences to over $1x10^{15}$ 1 MeV neutron equivalent per $cm^{2}$ in the ATLAS Strips system. The silicon strip tracker exploits the concept of modularity. Fast readout electronics, deploying 130nm CMOS front-end electronics are glued on top of a silicon sensor to make a module. The radiation hard n-in-p micro-strip sensors used have been developed by the ATLAS ITk Strip Sensor collaboration and produced by Hamamatsu Photonics. A series of tests were performed at the DESY-II test beam facility to investigate the detailed performance of a strip module with both 2.5cm and 5cm length strips before irradiation. The DURANTA telescope was used to obtain a pointing...

Irradiation effects of swift heavy ions on gallium arsenide, silicon and silicon diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhoraskar, V.N.

2001-01-01

The irradiation effects of high energy lithium, boron, oxygen and silicon ions on crystalline silicon, gallium arsenide, porous silicon and silicon diodes were investigated. The ion energy and fluence were varied over the ranges 30 to 100 MeV and 10 11 to 10 14 ions/cm 2 respectively. Semiconductor samples were characterized with the x-ray fluorescence, photoluminescence, thermally stimulated exo-electron emission and optical reflectivity techniques. The life-time of minority carriers in crystalline silicon was measured with a pulsed electron beam and the lithium depth distribution in GaAs was measured with the neutron depth profiling technique. The diodes were characterized through electrical measurements. The results of optical reflectivity, life-time of minority carriers and photoluminescence show that swift heavy ions induce defects in the surface region of crystalline silicon. In the ion-irradiated GaAs, migration of silicon, oxygen and lithium atoms from the buried region towards the surface was observed, with orders of magnitude enhancement in the diffusion coefficients. Enhancement in the photoluminescence intensity was observed in the GaAs and porous silicon samples that, were irradiated with silicon ions. The trade-off between the turn-off time and the voltage, drop in diodes irradiated with different swift heavy ions was also studied. (author)

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

A convenient way of manufacturing silicon nanotubes on a silicon substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Changchang; Cheng, Heming; Liu, Xiang, E-mail: liuxiang@ahut.edu.cn

2016-07-01

A convenient approach of preparing silicon nanotubes (SiNTs) on a silicon substrate is described in this work in detail. Firstly, a porous silicon (PSi) slice is prepared by a galvanic displacement reaction. Then it is put into aqueous solutions of 20% (w%) ammonium fluoride and 2.5 mM cobalt nitrate for a predetermined time. The cobalt ions are reduced and the resulted cobalt particles are deposited on the PSi slice. After the cobalt particles are removed with 5 M nitric acid a plenty of SiNTs come out and exhibit disorderly on the silicon substrate, which are illustrated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The compositions of the SiNTs are examined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Based on the SEM images, a suggested mechanism is put forward to explain the generation of the SiNTs on the PSi substrate. - Highlights: • A facile approach of preparing silicon nano tubes was invented. • The experimental results demonstrated the strong reducibility of Si-H{sub x} species. • It provided a new way of manufacturing silicon-contained hybrids.

Photocatalysis of methylene blue contaminated water using titania fiber doped with silicon; Fotocatalise de aguas contaminadas com azul de metileno utilizando fibras de titania dopadas com silicio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ugarteche, C.V.; Alves, A.K.; Berutti, F.A.; Bergmann, C.P. [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (LACER/UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Lab. de Materiais Ceramicos

2009-07-01

In this work, titania fibers doped with silicon were synthesized by electro spinning methodology, using titanium propoxide, silicon tetra propoxide and a solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone as precursors. The non-tissue material obtained was characterized by X-ray diffraction to determine the phase and crystallite size, BET method to determine the surface and SEM to analyze the microstructure of the fibers. The photo catalytic activity of the fibers in comparison with the standard TiO{sub 2} Degussa P25 was evaluated using a 20ppm methylene blue solution. The composition containing 30% of silicon kept the anatase phase stable until the heat treatment temperature of 800 deg C. In the other compositions there was a formation of the rutile phase, which is less photoactive. The compositions containing silicon were photo catalytic efficient and some of them were more active that the standard P25. (author)

Tensile creep behavior in an advanced silicon nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lofaj, F.

2000-01-01

Tensile creep behavior and changes in the microstructure of the advanced silicon nitride, SN 88M, were studied at temperatures from 1250 to 1400 C to reveal the creep resistance and lifetime-controlling processes. Assuming power law dependence of the minimum strain rate on stress, stress exponents from 6 to 8 and an apparent activation energy of 780 kJ/mol were obtained. Extensive electron microscopy observations revealed significant changes in the crystalline secondary phases and creep damage development. Creep damage was classified in two groups: 'inter-granular' defects in the amorphous boundary phases, and 'intra-granular' defects in silicon nitride grains. The inter-granular defects involved multigrain junction cavities, two-grain junction cavities, microcracks and cracks. The intra-granular defects included broken large grains, small symmetrical and asymmetrical cavities, and crack-like intragranular cavities. Cavities are generated continuously during the whole deformation starting from the threshold strain of ∝0.1%, and they contribute linearly to the tensile strain. Cavities produce more than 90% of the total tensile strain, and it is concluded that cavitation is the main creep mechanism in silicon nitride ceramics. The multigrain junction cavities are considered to be the most important for generating new volume and producing tensile strain. The Luecke and Wiederhorn (L and W) creep model, based on cavitation at multigrain junctions according to an exponential law, was proven to correspond to the stress dependence of the minimum strain rate. A qualitative model based on the L and W model was suggested and expanded to include intragranular cavitation. The basic mechanisms involve a repeating of the sequence grain boundary sliding (GBS) => cavitation at multigrain junctions => viscous flow and dissolution-precipitation. (orig.)

Development of Radiation Hard Radiation Detectors, Differences between Czochralski Silicon and Float Zone Silicon

CERN Document Server

Tuominen, Eija

2012-01-01

The purpose of this work was to develop radiation hard silicon detectors. Radiation detectors made ofsilicon are cost effective and have excellent position resolution. Therefore, they are widely used fortrack finding and particle analysis in large high-energy physics experiments. Silicon detectors willalso be used in the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) experiment that is being built at the LHC (LargeHadron Collider) accelerator at CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research). This work wasdone in the CMS programme of Helsinki Institute of Physics (HIP).Exposure of the silicon material to particle radiation causes irreversible defects that deteriorate theperformance of the silicon detectors. In HIP CMS Programme, our approach was to improve theradiation hardness of the silicon material with increased oxygen concentration in silicon material. Westudied two different methods: diffusion oxygenation of Float Zone silicon and use of high resistivityCzochralski silicon.We processed, characterised, tested in a parti...

Void initiation from interfacial debonding of spherical silicon particles inside a silicon-copper nanocomposite: a molecular dynamics study

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Yi; Chen, Zengtao

2017-02-01

Silicon particles with diameters from 1.9 nm to 30 nm are embedded in a face-centered-cubic copper matrix to form nanocomposite specimens for simulation. The interfacial debonding of silicon particles from the copper matrix and the subsequent growth of nucleated voids are studied via molecular dynamics (MD). The MD results are examined from several different perspectives. The overall mechanical performance is monitored by the average stress-strain response and the accumulated porosity. The ‘relatively farthest-traveled’ atoms are identified to characterize the onset of interfacial debonding. The relative displacement field is plotted to illustrate both subsequent interfacial debonding and the growth of a nucleated void facilitated by a dislocation network. Our results indicate that the initiation of interfacial debonding is due to the accumulated surface stress if the matrix is initially dislocation-free. However, pre-existing dislocations can make a considerable difference. In either case, the dislocation emission also contributes to the subsequent debonding process. As for the size effect, the debonding of relatively larger particles causes a drop in the stress-strain curve. The volume fraction of second-phase particles is found to be more influential than the size of the simulation box on the onset of interfacial debonding. The volume fraction of second-phase particles also affects the shape of the nucleated void and, therefore, influences the stress response of the composite.

Reaction studies of hot silicon, germanium and carbon atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaspar, P.P.

1990-01-01

The goal of this project was to increase the authors understanding of the interplay between the kinetic and electronic energy of free atoms and their chemical reactivity by answering the following questions: (1) what is the chemistry of high-energy carbon silicon and germanium atoms recoiling from nuclear transformations; (2) how do the reactions of recoiling carbon, silicon and germanium atoms take place - what are the operative reaction mechanisms; (3) how does the reactivity of free carbon, silicon and germanium atoms vary with energy and electronic state, and what are the differences in the chemistry of these three isoelectronic atoms? This research program consisted of a coordinated set of experiments capable of achieving these goals by defining the structures, the kinetic and internal energy, and the charge states of the intermediates formed in the gas-phase reactions of recoiling silicon and germanium atoms with silane, germane, and unsaturated organic molecules, and of recoiling carbon atoms with aromatic molecules. The reactions of high energy silicon, germanium, and carbon atoms created by nuclear recoil were studied with substrates chosen so that their products illuminated the mechanism of the recoil reactions. Information about the energy and electronic state of the recoiling atoms at reaction was obtained from the variation in end product yields and the extent of decomposition and rearrangement of primary products (usually reactive intermediates) as a function of total pressure and the concentration of inert moderator molecules that remove kinetic energy from the recoiling atoms and can induce transitions between electronic spin states. 29 refs

New polyurethane/docosane microcapsules as phase-change materials for thermal energy storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Felix De Castro, Paula; Shchukin, Dmitry G

2015-07-27

Polyurethane microcapsules were prepared by mini-emulsion interfacial polymerization for encapsulation of phase-change material (n-docosane) for energy storage. Three steps were followed with the aim to optimize synthesis conditions of the microcapsules. First, polyurethane microcapsules based on silicone oil core as an inert template with different silicone oil/poly(ethylene glycol)/4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate wt % ratio were synthesized. The surface morphology of the capsules was analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and the chemical nature of the shell was monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Capsules with the silicone oil/poly(ethylene glycol)/4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate 10/20/20 wt % ratio showed the best morphological features and shell stability with average particle size about 4 μm, and were selected for the microencapsulation of the n-docosane. In the second stage, half of the composition of silicone oil was replaced with n-docosane and, finally, the whole silicone oil content was replaced with docosane following the same synthetic procedure used for silicone oil containing capsules. Thermal and cycling stability of the capsules were investigated by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and the phase-change behavior was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Simultaneous high crystallinity and sub-bandgap optical absorptance in hyperdoped black silicon using nanosecond laser annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franta, Benjamin, E-mail: bafranta@gmail.com; Pastor, David; Gandhi, Hemi H.; Aziz, Michael J.; Mazur, Eric [School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States); Rekemeyer, Paul H.; Gradečak, Silvija [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

2015-12-14

Hyperdoped black silicon fabricated with femtosecond laser irradiation has attracted interest for applications in infrared photodetectors and intermediate band photovoltaics due to its sub-bandgap optical absorptance and light-trapping surface. However, hyperdoped black silicon typically has an amorphous and polyphasic polycrystalline surface that can interfere with carrier transport, electrical rectification, and intermediate band formation. Past studies have used thermal annealing to obtain high crystallinity in hyperdoped black silicon, but thermal annealing causes a deactivation of the sub-bandgap optical absorptance. In this study, nanosecond laser annealing is used to obtain high crystallinity and remove pressure-induced phases in hyperdoped black silicon while maintaining high sub-bandgap optical absorptance and a light-trapping surface morphology. Furthermore, it is shown that nanosecond laser annealing reactivates the sub-bandgap optical absorptance of hyperdoped black silicon after deactivation by thermal annealing. Thermal annealing and nanosecond laser annealing can be combined in sequence to fabricate hyperdoped black silicon that simultaneously shows high crystallinity, high above-bandgap and sub-bandgap absorptance, and a rectifying electrical homojunction. Such nanosecond laser annealing could potentially be applied to non-equilibrium material systems beyond hyperdoped black silicon.

Significantly High Modulation Efficiency of Compact Graphene Modulator Based on Silicon Waveguide.

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Haowen; Su, Zhaotang; Huang, Le; Wu, Zhennan; Wang, Xingjun; Zhang, Zhiyong; Zhou, Zhiping

2018-01-17

We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate a significantly large modulation efficiency of a compact graphene modulator based on a silicon waveguide using the electro refractive effect of graphene. The modulation modes of electro-absorption and electro-refractive can be switched with different applied voltages. A high extinction ratio of 25 dB is achieved in the electro-absorption modulation mode with a driving voltage range of 0 V to 1 V. For electro-refractive modulation, the driving voltage ranges from 1 V to 3 V with a 185-pm spectrum shift. The modulation efficiency of 1.29 V · mm with a 40-μm interaction length is two orders of magnitude higher than that of the first reported graphene phase modulator. The realisation of phase and intensity modulation with graphene based on a silicon waveguide heralds its potential application in optical communication and optical interconnection systems.

Methods To Determine the Silicone Oil Layer Thickness in Sprayed-On Siliconized Syringes.

Science.gov (United States)

Loosli, Viviane; Germershaus, Oliver; Steinberg, Henrik; Dreher, Sascha; Grauschopf, Ulla; Funke, Stefanie

2018-01-01

The silicone lubricant layer in prefilled syringes has been investigated with regards to siliconization process performance, prefilled syringe functionality, and drug product attributes, such as subvisible particle levels, in several studies in the past. However, adequate methods to characterize the silicone oil layer thickness and distribution are limited, and systematic evaluation is missing. In this study, white light interferometry was evaluated to close this gap in method understanding. White light interferometry demonstrated a good accuracy of 93-99% for MgF 2 coated, curved standards covering a thickness range of 115-473 nm. Thickness measurements for sprayed-on siliconized prefilled syringes with different representative silicone oil distribution patterns (homogeneous, pronounced siliconization at flange or needle side, respectively) showed high instrument (0.5%) and analyst precision (4.1%). Different white light interferometry instrument parameters (autofocus, protective shield, syringe barrel dimensions input, type of non-siliconized syringe used as base reference) had no significant impact on the measured average layer thickness. The obtained values from white light interferometry applying a fully developed method (12 radial lines, 50 mm measurement distance, 50 measurements points) were in agreement with orthogonal results from combined white and laser interferometry and 3D-laser scanning microscopy. The investigated syringe batches (lot A and B) exhibited comparable longitudinal silicone oil layer thicknesses ranging from 170-190 nm to 90-100 nm from flange to tip and homogeneously distributed silicone layers over the syringe barrel circumference (110- 135 nm). Empty break-loose (4-4.5 N) and gliding forces (2-2.5 N) were comparably low for both analyzed syringe lots. A silicone oil layer thickness of 100-200 nm was thus sufficient for adequate functionality in this particular study. Filling the syringe with a surrogate solution including short

Studies on the oxygen precipitation in highly boron doped silicon; Untersuchungen zur Sauerstoffausscheidung in hoch bordotiertem Silicium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zschorsch, Markus

2007-12-14

The aim of this thesis was the getting of new knowledge on the elucidation of the oxygen precipitation in highly doped silicon. In the study of the early phases of the oxygen precipitation boron-oxygen complexes and their kinetics could be indirectly detected. These arise already during the cooling of the crystal and can be destroyed by subsequent temperature processes. The formation of the here as BO assumed species during the cooling after the silicon crystal fabrication could be numerically reproduced. Furthermore the study of early precipitation phases by means of neutron small angle scattering a maximum of the oxygen precipitation at {rho}=9 m{omega}cm. It could be shown that the decreasing of this at increasing boron concentration can be most probably reduced to boron precipitations. Furthermore it could be shown that after a tempering time of 24 hours at 700 C in silicon with {rho}=9 m{omega}cm platelet-shaped precipitates form. By the study of the precipitate growth could be shown that also in this phase the oxygen precipitation in silicon is strongest with a specific resistance of {rho}=9 m{omega}cm. By means of FTIR spectroscopy a new absorption band at a wave number of 1038 cm{sup -1} was found, which could be assigned to a boron species. By different experiments it is considered as probable that at this species it deals with BI respectively B{sub 2}I complexes.

Slow-light-enhanced energy efficiency for graphene microheaters on silicon photonic crystal waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yan, Siqi; Zhu, Xiaolong; Frandsen, Lars Hagedorn

2017-01-01

Slow light has been widely utilized to obtain enhanced nonlinearities, enhanced spontaneous emissions and increased phase shifts owing to its ability to promote light-matter interactions. By incorporating a graphene on a slow-light silicon photonic crystal waveguide, here we experimentally...... in silicon photonics. The corresponding figure of merit of the device is 2.543 nW s, one order of magnitude better than results reported in previous studies. The influence of the length and shape of the graphene heater to the tuning efficiency is further investigated, providing valuable guidelines...

A kinetic and equilibrium analysis of silicon carbide chemical vapor deposition on monofilaments

Science.gov (United States)

Gokoglu, S. A.; Kuczmarski, M. A.

1993-01-01

Chemical kinetics of atmospheric pressure silicon carbide (SiC) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from dilute silane and propane source gases in hydrogen is numerically analyzed in a cylindrical upflow reactor designed for CVD on monofilaments. The chemical composition of the SiC deposit is assessed both from the calculated total fluxes of carbon and silicon and from chemical equilibrium considerations for the prevailing temperatures and species concentrations at and along the filament surface. The effects of gas and surface chemistry on the evolution of major gas phase species are considered in the analysis.

Texture evolution of experimental silicon steel grades. Part I: Hot rolling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandoval Robles, J.A., E-mail: jsandoval.uanl@yahoo.com [Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Ave. Universidad S/N, Cd. Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León C.P. 66450 (Mexico); Salas Zamarripa, A.; Guerrero Mata, M.P. [Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Ave. Universidad S/N, Cd. Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León C.P. 66450 (Mexico); Cabrera, J. [Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Departament de Ciència dels Materials I Enginyeria Metal-lúrgica, Av. Diagonal 647, Barcelona 08028 (Spain)

2017-05-01

The metallurgical understanding of the deformation processes during the fabrication of non-oriented electrical steels plays a key role in improving their final properties. Texture control and optimization is critical in these steels for the enhancement of their magnetic properties. The aim of the present work is to study the texture evolution of six non-oriented experimental silicon steel grades during hot rolling. These steels were low carbon steel with a silicon content from 0.5 to 3.0 wt%. The first rolling schedule was performed in the austenitic (γ-Fe) region for the steel with a 0.5 wt% of silicon content, while the 1.0 wt% silicon steel was rolled in the two-phase (α+γ) region. Steels with higher silicon content were rolled in the ferritic (α-Fe) region. The second rolling schedule was performed in the α-Fe region. Samples of each stage were analyzed by means of Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD). Findings showed that the texture was random and heterogeneous in all samples after 60% of rolling reduction, which is due to the low deformation applied during rolling. After the second rolling program, localized deformation and substructured grains near to surface were observed in all samples. The Goss {110}<001>texture-component was found in the 0.5 and 1.0 wt.-%silicon steels. This is due to the thermomechanical conditions and the corresponding hot band microstructure obtained after the first program. Moreover, the α<110>//RD and the γ <111>//ND fiber components of the texture presented a considerable increment as the silicon content increases. Future research to be published soon will be related to the texture evolution during the cold-work rolling process. - Highlights: • We analyze six silicon steel experimental grades alloys trough the rolling process. • Material was subjected to a hot deformation process in the α-γ region. • No recrystalization was observed during-after the rolling schedules. • Rise of the magnetic texture components

Specific PVMaT R&D in CdTe Product Manufacturing: Final Subcontract Report, March 2003

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bohland, J.; McMaster, A.; Henson, S.; Hanak, J.

2004-01-01

Results of a 3+ year subcontract are presented. The research was conducted under Phase 5A2 of the subcontract. The three areas of effort in the subcontract were (1) manufacturing line improvements, (2) product readiness, and (3) environmental, safety, and health programs. The subcontract consisted of three phases, approximately 1 year each. Phase I included the development, design, and implementation of a high-throughput, low-cost lamination process. This goal was achieved using the support of key experts such as Automation and Robotics Research Institute (ARRI) to identify appropriate lamination equipment vendors, and material handling. Product designs were reviewed by Arizona State University Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory and Underwriters Laboratories. Modifications to the module designs were implemented to meet future testing requirements. A complete review of the Environmental, Health, and Safety programs was conducted, along with training by the Environmental Protection Agency (EP A) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Work conducted during Phase II included the implementation of an improved potting procedure for the wiring junction. The design of the equipment focused on high-throughput, low-cost operations. During Phase III , First Solar made significant progress in three areas: Manufacturing Readiness; Product Performance; and Environmental, Health, and Safety (EH&S). First Solar's accomplishments in laser scribing significantly exceeded the stated goals. Innovations implemented during Phase III were made possible by adopting a new type of high-frequency, low-pulse-width laser, galvanometer-driven laser-beam system, and numerous advanced, automated, equipment features. Because of the greater than one order of magnitude increase in the throughput and laser life, a factor of two decrease in equipment cost, and complete automation, a major impact on lowering the cost of the PV product is anticipated.

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ELECTROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SILICON-SILICON DIOXIDE INTERFACE USING PROBE ELECTROMETRY METHODS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. А. Pilipenko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction of submicron design standards into microelectronic industry and a decrease of the gate dielectric thickness raise the importance of the analysis of microinhomogeneities in the silicon-silicon dioxide system. However, there is very little to no information on practical implementation of probe electrometry methods, and particularly scanning Kelvin probe method, in the interoperational control of real semiconductor manufacturing process. The purpose of the study was the development of methods for nondestructive testing of semiconductor wafers based on the determination of electrophysical properties of the silicon-silicon dioxide interface and their spatial distribution over wafer’s surface using non-contact probe electrometry methods.Traditional C-V curve analysis and scanning Kelvin probe method were used to characterize silicon- silicon dioxide interface. The samples under testing were silicon wafers of KEF 4.5 and KDB 12 type (orientation <100>, diameter 100 mm.Probe electrometry results revealed uniform spatial distribution of wafer’s surface potential after its preliminary rapid thermal treatment. Silicon-silicon dioxide electric potential values were also higher after treatment than before it. This potential growth correlates with the drop in interface charge density. At the same time local changes in surface potential indicate changes in surface layer structure.Probe electrometry results qualitatively reflect changes of interface charge density in silicon-silicon dioxide structure during its technological treatment. Inhomogeneities of surface potential distribution reflect inhomogeneity of damaged layer thickness and can be used as a means for localization of interface treatment defects.

Silicon microphotonic waveguides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ta'eed, V.; Steel, M.J.; Grillet, C.; Eggleton, B.; Du, J.; Glasscock, J.; Savvides, N.

2004-01-01

Full text: Silicon microphotonic devices have been drawing increasing attention in the past few years. The high index-difference between silicon and its oxide (Δn = 2) suggests a potential for high-density integration of optical functions on to a photonic chip. Additionally, it has been shown that silicon exhibits strong Raman nonlinearity, a necessary property as light interaction can occur only by means of nonlinearities in the propagation medium. The small dimensions of silicon waveguides require the design of efficient tapers to couple light to them. We have used the beam propagation method (RSoft BeamPROP) to understand the principles and design of an inverse-taper mode-converter as implemented in several recent papers. We report on progress in the design and fabrication of silicon-based waveguides. Preliminary work has been conducted by patterning silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers using optical lithography and reactive ion etching. Thus far, only rib waveguides have been designed, as single-mode ridge-waveguides are beyond the capabilities of conventional optical lithography. We have recently moved to electron beam lithography as the higher resolutions permitted will provide the flexibility to begin fabricating sub-micron waveguides

Enhancement of silicon using micro-patterned surfaces of thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Kaivosoja

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Micro-textured biomaterials might enhance cytocompatibility of silicon-based micro-electro-mechanical system (bio-MEMS dummies. Photolithography-physical vapour deposition was used to produce diamond-like carbon (DLC or Ti squares and circles on silicon, and also their inverse replicas; then DLC and Ti were compared for their guiding potential, using a SaOS-2 cell model. Scanning electron microscopy at 48 hours indicated cells were well-spread on large-sized patterns (several cells on one pattern and assumed the geometrical architecture of underlying features. Medium-sized patterns (slightly smaller than solitary indicator cells were inhabited by singular cells, which stretched from one island to another, assuming longitudinal or branching morphologies. On small-sized patterns (much smaller than individual cells cells covered large micro-textured areas, but cellular filopodia bypassed the bare silicon. Immunofluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy indicated that the actin cytoskeleton and vinculin-containing adhesion junctions were present on the patterned areas, but not on the bare silicon. Cell density/coverage disclosed a 3.4-3.7-fold preference for the biomaterial patterns over silicon substrate (p < 0.001. Differences in the cellular response between materials were lost at 120 hours when cells were confluent. The working hypothesis was proven; enhancement by micro-patterning depends on the pattern size, shape and material and can be used to improve biocompatibility during the initial integration phase of the device.

Coaxial silicon/multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposite anodes for long cycle life lithium-ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tocoglu, Ubeyd, E-mail: utocoglu@sakarya.edu.tr; Cevher, Ozgur; Guler, M. Oguz; Akbulut, Hatem

2014-06-01

Abstract: In this work silicon/multi walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite anodes were produced via direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering of silicon onto carbon nanotube papers (buckypapers). The amount of silicon in the composite anodes was varied by using different sputtering powers of 150 W, 175 W, 200 W and the effect on the cell performance was studied. Phase analysis was conducted with X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique and Raman spectroscopy. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses were employed for morphological characterization of anodes. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping was used to observe silicon distribution on the buckypapers. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests were carried out to reveal reversible reactions between silicon and lithium. Galvanostatic charge/discharge technique was employed to determine the cyclic performance of anodes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique was used to understand the relation between cyclic performance and internal resistance of cells. The results showed capacity retention of silicon anodes was improved with composite structure and higher capacity values were achieved than graphite anodes. The silicon/carbon nanotube composite produced with 150 W showed the best cycle stability after 100 cycles of galvanostatic charge/discharge tests with capacity value of 620 mAh g{sup −1}.

SU-F-T-447: The Impact of Treatment Planning Methods On RapidPlan Modeling for Rectum Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, S; Peng, J; Li, K; Wang, J; Hu, W [Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, Shanghai (China)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To investigate the dose volume histogram (DVH) prediction varieties based on intensity modulate radiotherapy (IMRT) plan or volume arc modulate radiotherapy (VMAT) plan models on the RapidPlan. Methods: Two DVH prediction models were generated in this study, including an IMRT model trained from 83 IMRT rectum plans and a VMAT model trained from 60 VMAT rectum plans. In the internal validation, 20 plans from each training database were selected to verify the clinical feasibility of the model. Then, 10 IMRT plans (PIMRT-by-IMRT-model) generated from IMRT model and 10 IMRT plans generated from VMAT model (PIMRT-by-VMAT-model) were compared on the dose to organs at risk (OAR), which included bladder, left and right femoral heads. The similar comparison was also performed on the VMAT plans generated from IMRT model (PVMAT-by-IMRT-model) and VMAT plans generated from VMAT (PVMAT-by-VMAT-model) model. Results: For the internal validation, all plans from IMRT or VMAT model shows significantly improvement on OAR sparing compared with the corresponded clinical ones. Compared to the PIMRT-by-VMAT-model, the PIMRT-by-IMRT-model has a reduction of 6.90±3.87%(p<0.001) on V40 6.63±3.62%(p<0.001) on V45 and 4.74±2.26%(p<0.001) on V50 in bladder; and a mean dose reduction of 2.12±1.75Gy(p=0.004) and 2.84±1.53Gy(p<0.001) in right and left femoral head, respectively. There was no significant difference on OAR sparing between PVMAT-by-IMRT-model and PVMAT-by-VMAT-model. Conclusion: The IMRT model for the rectal cancer in the RapidPlan can be applied to for VMAT planning. However, the VMAT model is not suggested to use in the IMRT planning. Cautions should be taken that the planning model based on some technique may not feasible to other planning techniques.

Ceramic silicon-boron-carbon fibers from organic silicon-boron-polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Riccitiello, Salvatore R. (Inventor); Hsu, Ming-Ta S. (Inventor); Chen, Timothy S. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Novel high strength ceramic fibers derived from boron, silicon, and carbon organic precursor polymers are discussed. The ceramic fibers are thermally stable up to and beyond 1200 C in air. The method of preparation of the boron-silicon-carbon fibers from a low oxygen content organosilicon boron precursor polymer of the general formula Si(R2)BR(sup 1) includes melt-spinning, crosslinking, and pyrolysis. Specifically, the crosslinked (or cured) precursor organic polymer fibers do not melt or deform during pyrolysis to form the silicon-boron-carbon ceramic fiber. These novel silicon-boron-carbon ceramic fibers are useful in high temperature applications because they retain tensile and other properties up to 1200 C, from 1200 to 1300 C, and in some cases higher than 1300 C.

Studies of adhesives and metal contacts on silicon strip sensors for the ATLAS Inner Tracker

OpenAIRE

Poley, Anne-Luise

2018-01-01

This thesis presents studies investigating the use of adhesives on the active area of silicon strip sensors for the construction of silicon strip detector modules for the ATLAS Phase-II Upgrade. 60 ATLAS07 miniature sensors were tested using three UV cure glues in comparison with the current baseline glue (a non-conductive epoxy).The impact of irradiation on the chemical composition of all adhesives under investigation was studied using three standard methods for chemical analysis: quadrupole...

Development in fiscal 1998 of silicon manufacturing process to rationalize energy usage. Surveys and researches on analysis of practical application of technology to manufacture silicon raw materials for solar cells; 1998 nendo energy shiyo gorika silicon seizo process kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Taiyo denchi silicon genryo seizo gijutsu no jitsuyoka kaiseki ni kansuru chosa kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

With an objective to develop a mass production technology to manufacture silicon raw materials for solar cells, and assist its practical application, surveys and analyses were performed on trends in development of the related technologies, the problems therein , market trends and industrial trends thereof. This paper summarizes the achievements in fiscal 1998. The worldwide production amount of solar cells in 1998 is estimated to have achieved 150 MW, and the silicon consumption reached the level of 2,300 tons. In spite of the economic recession environment, there was no change in the expansion trend. In developing an SOG-Si mass production and manufacturing technology, construction of pilot plants for each process has been completed, and entered into the operation research phase. In developing a technology to manufacture high quality poly-crystalline silicon substrates, fabrication has been completed on the on-line ingot cutting equipment and the plasma heating equipment, and the stage is now in operation research of continuous electromagnetic casting process. The conversion efficiency of the poly-crystalline silicon solar cells is 14 to 16% at the mass production level, whose enhancement requires indispensably the improvement in quality of the substrate. Discussions are required on the ingot manufacturing conditions in coordination with improvement in the cell manufacturing technology. (NEDO)

Catastrophic degradation of the interface of epitaxial silicon carbide on silicon at high temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pradeepkumar, Aiswarya; Mishra, Neeraj; Kermany, Atieh Ranjbar; Iacopi, Francesca [Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre and Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan QLD 4111 (Australia); Boeckl, John J. [Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433 (United States); Hellerstedt, Jack; Fuhrer, Michael S. [Monash Centre for Atomically Thin Materials, Monash University, Monash, VIC 3800 (Australia)

2016-07-04

Epitaxial cubic silicon carbide on silicon is of high potential technological relevance for the integration of a wide range of applications and materials with silicon technologies, such as micro electro mechanical systems, wide-bandgap electronics, and graphene. The hetero-epitaxial system engenders mechanical stresses at least up to a GPa, pressures making it extremely challenging to maintain the integrity of the silicon carbide/silicon interface. In this work, we investigate the stability of said interface and we find that high temperature annealing leads to a loss of integrity. High–resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis shows a morphologically degraded SiC/Si interface, while mechanical stress measurements indicate considerable relaxation of the interfacial stress. From an electrical point of view, the diode behaviour of the initial p-Si/n-SiC junction is catastrophically lost due to considerable inter-diffusion of atoms and charges across the interface upon annealing. Temperature dependent transport measurements confirm a severe electrical shorting of the epitaxial silicon carbide to the underlying substrate, indicating vast predominance of the silicon carriers in lateral transport above 25 K. This finding has crucial consequences on the integration of epitaxial silicon carbide on silicon and its potential applications.

Peculiarities of electronic structure of silicon-on-insulator structures and their interaction with synchrotron radiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir A. Terekhov

2015-09-01

Full Text Available SOI (silicon-on-insulator structures with strained and unstrained silicon layers were studied by ultrasoft X-ray emission spectroscopy and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy with the use of synchrotron radiation techniques. Analysis of X-ray data has shown a noticeable transformation of the electron energy spectrum and local partial density of states distribution in valence and conduction bands in the strained silicon layer of the SOI structure. USXES Si L2,3 spectra analysis revealed a decrease of the distance between the L2v′ и L1v points in the valence band of the strained silicon layer as well as a shift of the first two maxima of the XANES first derivation spectra to the higher energies with respect to conduction band bottom Ec. At the same time the X-ray standing waves of synchrotron radiation (λ~12–20 nm are formed in the silicon-on-insulator structure with and without strains of the silicon layer. Moreover changing the synchrotron radiation grazing angle θ by 2° leads to a change of the electromagnetic field phase to the opposite.

Effect of Cooling Rate on the Microstructure of Al-Zn Alloys with Addition of Silicon as Nanocomposite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. García-Villarreal

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Al-43.5Zn-1.5Si (wt% alloys are widely used as coatings on steel substrates. This kind of coatings is manufactured by hot-dip process, in which Si is added as solid particles or master alloy. The role of Si during formation of the coating is to control the metallurgical reactions between solid steel and liquid Al-Zn-Si alloy initially forming an AlZnFeSi intermetallic layer and next the excess of Si forms intermetallic compounds, which grows over this alloy layer, segregates into the Zn rich interdendritic regions, and solidifies as eutectic reaction product as massive particles with needle like morphology. Therefore, during the experimental procedure is very difficult to control the final morphology and distribution of the silicon phase. The acicular morphology of this phase greatly affects the mechanical properties of the alloy because it acts as stress concentrators. When the coated steel sheet is subjected to bending, the coating presents huge cracks due to the presence of silicon phase. Therefore, the aim of the paper was to propose a new methodology to control the silicon phase through its addition to Al-Zn alloy as nanocomposite and additionally determine the effect of cooling rate (between 10 and 50°Cs−1 on the solidification microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Zn alloy.

Memory characteristics of silicon nitride with silicon nanocrystals as a charge trapping layer of nonvolatile memory devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sangmoo; Yang, Hyundeok; Chang, Man; Baek, Sungkweon; Hwang, Hyunsang; Jeon, Sanghun; Kim, Juhyung; Kim, Chungwoo

2005-01-01

Silicon nitride with silicon nanocrystals formed by low-energy silicon plasma immersion ion implantation has been investigated as a charge trapping layer of a polycrystalline silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon-type nonvolatile memory device. Compared with the control sample without silicon nanocrystals, silicon nitride with silicon nanocrystals provides excellent memory characteristics, such as larger width of capacitance-voltage hysteresis, higher program/erase speed, and lower charge loss rate at elevated temperature. These improved memory characteristics are derived by incorporation of silicon nanocrystals into the charge trapping layer as additional accessible charge traps with a deeper effective trap energy level

Thermodynamic modelling of phase equilibrium in system Ti-B-Si-C, synthesis and phases composition of borides and carbides layers on titanic alloyVT-1 at electron beam treatment in vacuum

Science.gov (United States)

Smirnyagina, N. N.; Khaltanova, V. M.; Lapina, A. E.; Dasheev, D. E.

2017-01-01

Composite layers on the basis of carbides and borides the titan and silicon on titanic alloy VT-1 are generated at diffused saturation in vacuum. Formation in a composite of MAX phase Ti3SiC2 is shown. Thermodynamic research of phase equilibrium in systems Ti-Si-C and Ti-B-C in the conditions of high vacuum is executed. The thermodynamics, formation mechanisms of superfirm layers borides and carbides of the titan and silicon are investigated.

Pattern manipulation via on-chip phase modulation between orbital angular momentum beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Huanlu; Strain, Michael J.; Meriggi, Laura; Sorel, Marc; Chen, Lifeng; Zhu, Jiangbo; Cicek, Kenan; Wang, Jianwei; Thompson, Mark G.; Cai, Xinlun; Yu, Siyuan

2015-01-01

An integrated approach to thermal modulation of relative phase between two optical vortices with opposite chirality has been demonstrated on a silicon-on-insulator substrate. The device consists of a silicon-integrated optical vortex emitter and a phase controlled 3 dB coupler. The relative phase between two optical vortices can be actively modulated on chip by applying a voltage on the integrated heater. The phase shift is shown to be linearly proportional to applied electrical power, and the rotation angle of the interference pattern is observed to be inversely proportional to topological charge. This scheme can be used in lab-on-chip, communications and sensing applications. It can be intentionally implemented with other modulation elements to achieve more complicated applications

Pattern manipulation via on-chip phase modulation between orbital angular momentum beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Huanlu [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR (United Kingdom); School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LP (United Kingdom); Strain, Michael J. [School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LP (United Kingdom); Wolfson Centre, Institute of Photonics, University of Strathclyde, 106 Rottenrow East, Glasgow G4 0NW (United Kingdom); Meriggi, Laura; Sorel, Marc [School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LP (United Kingdom); Chen, Lifeng; Zhu, Jiangbo; Cicek, Kenan [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR (United Kingdom); Wang, Jianwei; Thompson, Mark G. [Centre for Quantum Photonics, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB (United Kingdom); Cai, Xinlun, E-mail: caixlun5@mail.sysu.edu.cn [Centre for Quantum Photonics, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB (United Kingdom); State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies and School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Yu, Siyuan, E-mail: s.yu@bristol.ac.uk [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR (United Kingdom); State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies and School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China)

2015-08-03

An integrated approach to thermal modulation of relative phase between two optical vortices with opposite chirality has been demonstrated on a silicon-on-insulator substrate. The device consists of a silicon-integrated optical vortex emitter and a phase controlled 3 dB coupler. The relative phase between two optical vortices can be actively modulated on chip by applying a voltage on the integrated heater. The phase shift is shown to be linearly proportional to applied electrical power, and the rotation angle of the interference pattern is observed to be inversely proportional to topological charge. This scheme can be used in lab-on-chip, communications and sensing applications. It can be intentionally implemented with other modulation elements to achieve more complicated applications.

Use of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 2% for removing adherent silicone oil from silicone intraocular lenses

OpenAIRE

Wong , S Chien; Ramkissoon , Yashin D; Lopez , Mauricio; Page , Kristopher; Parkin , Ivan P; Sullivan , Paul M

2009-01-01

Abstract Background / aims: To investigate the effect of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) on the physical interaction (contact angle) between silicone oil and a silicone intraocular lens (IOL). Methods: In vitro experiments were performed, to determine the effect of HPMC (0.5%, 1% or 2%), with or without an additional simple mechanical manoeuvre, on the contact angle of silicone oil at the surface of both silicone and acrylic (control) IOLs. A balanced salt solu...

Study of oxide facing at silicone detectors of ionization detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopestansky, J.; Tykva, R.

1999-01-01

Formation of oxide facing on silicone in discrete phases of technological preparation of detectors and interaction of gold (aluminium) steamed with SiO x layer were studied. The homogeneity of Au and Si) x layers and interface Au-SiO x and SiO x -Si were examined. The methods SIMS, and partially XPS, AES and RBS were used

Prototyping of petalets for the Phase-II upgrade of the silicon strip tracking detector of the ATLAS experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Kuehn, S.; Benítez, V.; Fernández-Tejero, J.; Fleta, C.; Lozano, M.; Ullán, M.; Lacker, H.; Rehnisch, L.; Sperlich, D.; Ariza, D.; Bloch, I.; Díez, S.; Gregor, I.; Keller, J.; Lohwasser, K.; Poley, L.; Prahl, V.; Zakharchuk, N.; Hauser, M.; Jakobs, K.; Mahboubi, K.; Mori, R.; Parzefall, U.; Bernabéu, J.; Lacasta, C.; Marco-Hernandez, R.; Rodriguez Rodriguez, D.; Santoyo, D.; Solaz Contell, C.; Soldevila Serrano, U.; Affolder, T.; Greenall, A.; Gallop, B.; Phillips, P. W.; Cindro, V.

2018-03-01

In the high luminosity era of the Large Hadron Collider, the instantaneous luminosity is expected to reach unprecedented values, resulting in about 200 proton-proton interactions in a typical bunch crossing. To cope with the resultant increase in occupancy, bandwidth and radiation damage, the ATLAS Inner Detector will be replaced by an all-silicon system, the Inner Tracker (ITk). The ITk consists of a silicon pixel and a strip detector and exploits the concept of modularity. Prototyping and testing of various strip detector components has been carried out. This paper presents the developments and results obtained with reduced-size structures equivalent to those foreseen to be used in the forward region of the silicon strip detector. Referred to as petalets, these structures are built around a composite sandwich with embedded cooling pipes and electrical tapes for routing the signals and power. Detector modules built using electronic flex boards and silicon strip sensors are glued on both the front and back side surfaces of the carbon structure. Details are given on the assembly, testing and evaluation of several petalets. Measurement results of both mechanical and electrical quantities are shown. Moreover, an outlook is given for improved prototyping plans for large structures.

Large-area 2D periodic crystalline silicon nanodome arrays on nanoimprinted glass exhibiting photonic band structure effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, C; Lockau, D; Sontheimer, T; Rech, B; Schubert-Bischoff, P; Rudigier-Voigt, E; Bockmeyer, M; Schmidt, F

2012-01-01

Two-dimensional silicon nanodome arrays are prepared on large areas up to 50 cm 2 exhibiting photonic band structure effects in the near-infrared and visible wavelength region by downscaling a recently developed fabrication method based on nanoimprint-patterned glass, high-rate electron-beam evaporation of silicon, self-organized solid phase crystallization and wet-chemical etching. The silicon nanodomes, arranged in square lattice geometry with 300 nm lattice constant, are optically characterized by angular resolved reflection measurements, allowing the partial determination of the photonic band structure. This experimentally determined band structure agrees well with the outcome of three-dimensional optical finite-element simulations. A 16% photonic bandgap is predicted for an optimized geometry of the silicon nanodome arrays. By variation of the duration of the selective etching step, the geometry as well as the optical properties of the periodic silicon nanodome arrays can be controlled systematically. (paper)

Band structure properties of (BGa)P semiconductors for lattice matched integration on (001) silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hossain, Nadir; Sweeney, Stephen [Advanced Technology Institute and Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Hosea, Jeff [Advanced Technology Institute and Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK and Ibnu Sina Institute for Fundamental Science Studies, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru 81310 (Malaysia); Liebich, Sven; Zimprich, Martin; Volz, Kerstin; Stolz, Wolfgang [Material Sciences Center and Faculty of Physics, Philipps-University, 35032 Marburg (Germany); Kunert, Bernerdette [NAsP III/V GmbH, Am Knechtacker 19, 35041 Marburg (Germany)

2013-12-04

We report the band structure properties of (BGa)P layers grown on silicon substrate using metal-organic vapour-phase epitaxy. Using surface photo-voltage spectroscopy we find that both the direct and indirect band gaps of (BGa)P alloys (strained and unstrained) decrease with Boron content. Our experimental results suggest that the band gap of (BGa)P layers up to 6% Boron is large and suitable to be used as cladding and contact layers in GaP-based quantum well heterostructures on silicon substrates.

Single-Event Effects in Silicon and Silicon Carbide Power Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Lauenstein, Jean-Marie; Casey, Megan C.; LaBel, Kenneth A.; Topper, Alyson D.; Wilcox, Edward P.; Kim, Hak; Phan, Anthony M.

2014-01-01

NASA Electronics Parts and Packaging program-funded activities over the past year on single-event effects in silicon and silicon carbide power devices are presented, with focus on SiC device failure signatures.

Anisotropy of Single-Crystal Silicon in Nanometric Cutting.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhiguo; Chen, Jiaxuan; Wang, Guilian; Bai, Qingshun; Liang, Yingchun

2017-12-01

The anisotropy exhibited by single-crystal silicon in nanometric cutting is very significant. In order to profoundly understand the effect of crystal anisotropy on cutting behaviors, a large-scale molecular dynamics model was conducted to simulate the nanometric cutting of single-crystal silicon in the (100)[0-10], (100)[0-1-1], (110)[-110], (110)[00-1], (111)[-101], and (111)[-12-1] crystal directions in this study. The simulation results show the variations of different degrees in chip, subsurface damage, cutting force, and friction coefficient with changes in crystal plane and crystal direction. Shear deformation is the formation mechanism of subsurface damage, and the direction and complexity it forms are the primary causes that result in the anisotropy of subsurface damage. Structurally, chips could be classified into completely amorphous ones and incompletely amorphous ones containing a few crystallites. The formation mechanism of the former is high-pressure phase transformation, while the latter is obtained under the combined action of high-pressure phase transformation and cleavage. Based on an analysis of the material removal mode, it can be found that compared with the other crystal direction on the same crystal plane, the (100)[0-10], (110)[-110], and (111)[-101] directions are more suitable for ductile cutting.

Silicon micro-vertex detector for Belle II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohanty, Gagan

2013-01-01

The Belle experiment at the KEK B-factory is Japan provided the landmark experimental confirmation of CP violation mechanism within the standard model that led to the physics Nobel prize in 2008. In its second phase, called Belle II, it would seek for the holy-grail of new physics using rare decays of B and D mesons and tau leptons as a probe, in complimentary to the direct searches carried out with the LHC experiments. An important component of this upgrade is to replace the innermost subdetector, namely the silicon micro-vertex detector (SVD). The new SVD will, like the old one, consist of four layers of double-sided silicon strip detector, but made from 6âĂİ wafers and located at higher radii as a novel, two-layer DEPFET pixel detector will be inserted very dose to the beam- pipe. Starting with the physics motivation, we discuss the design concept, fabrication and the Indian contributions toward the Belle II SVD. (author)

Behavior of Particle Depots in Molten Silicon During Float-Zone Growth in Strong Magnetic Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Jauss, T.; Croell, A.; SorgenFrei, T.; Azizi, M.; Reimann, C.; Friedrich, J.; Volz, M. P.

2014-01-01

Solar cells made from directionally solidified silicon cover 57% of the photovoltaic industry's market [1]. One major issue during directional solidification of silicon is the precipitation of foreign phase particles. These particles, mainly SiC and Si3N4, are precipitated from the dissolved crucible coating, which is made of silicon nitride, and the dissolution of carbon monoxide from the furnace atmosphere. Due to their hardness and size of several hundred micrometers, those particles can lead to severe problems during the wire sawing process for wafering the ingots. Additionally, SiC particles can act as a shunt, short circuiting the solar cell. Even if the particles are too small to disturb the wafering process, they can lead to a grit structure of silicon micro grains and serve as sources for dislocations. All of this lowers the yield of solar cells and reduces the performance of cells and modules. We studied the behaviour of SiC particle depots during float-zone growth under an oxide skin, and strong static magnetic fields. For high field strengths of 3T and above and an oxide layer on the sample surface, convection is sufficiently suppressed to create a diffusive like regime, with strongly dampened convection [2, 3]. To investigate the difference between atomically rough phase boundaries and facetted growth, samples with [100] and [111] orientation were processed.

Porous Silicon Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Yongquan; Zhou, Hailong; Duan, Xiangfeng

2011-01-01

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

Formation of multiple levels of porous silicon for buried insulators and conductors in silicon device technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Blewer, Robert S.; Gullinger, Terry R.; Kelly, Michael J.; Tsao, Sylvia S.

1991-01-01

A method of forming a multiple level porous silicon substrate for semiconductor integrated circuits including anodizing non-porous silicon layers of a multi-layer silicon substrate to form multiple levels of porous silicon. At least one porous silicon layer is then oxidized to form an insulating layer and at least one other layer of porous silicon beneath the insulating layer is metallized to form a buried conductive layer. Preferably the insulating layer and conductive layer are separated by an anodization barrier formed of non-porous silicon. By etching through the anodization barrier and subsequently forming a metallized conductive layer, a fully or partially insulated buried conductor may be fabricated under single crystal silicon.

Effects of silicon deficiency on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in the diatom Cyclotella cryptica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roessler, P.G.

1987-01-01

Previous studies have shown that silicon deficiency induces lipid accumulation in certain diatom species. The nature of the lipids produced under these conditions was not investigated, however, and the biochemical mechanisms which underlie this phenomenon were not determined. Research was carried out in order to increase our knowledge concerning the aspects of lipid accumulation in diatoms. The first phase of this project indicated that the diatoms C. cryptica, Cylindrotheca fusiformis, and Thalassiosira pseudonana accumulated storage lipids when grown under silicon-limiting conditions. The ratio of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids to polyunsaturated fatty acids in C. cryptica cells increased markedly after 24 hours of silicon deficiency. Tracer experiments with [ 14 C]bicarbonate suggested that lipid accumulation in silicon-limited C. cryptica cells was due to two distinct processes: (1) an increase in the amount of newly photoassimilated carbon partitioned into lipids, and (2) a slow conversion of non-lipid compounds (carbohydrates and presumably proteins) into lipids

Silicon: electrochemistry and luminescence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooij, Ernst Stefan

1997-01-01

The electrochemistry of crystalline and porous silicon and the luminescence from porous silicon has been studied. One chapter deals with a model for the anodic dissolution of silicon in HF solution. In following chapters both the electrochemistry and various ways of generating visible

Polycrystalline Silicon Gettered by Porous Silicon and Heavy Phosphorous Diffusion

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LIU Zuming(刘祖明); Souleymane K Traore; ZHANG Zhongwen(张忠文); LUO Yi(罗毅)

2004-01-01

The biggest barrier for photovoltaic (PV) utilization is its high cost, so the key for scale PV utilization is to further decrease the cost of solar cells. One way to improve the efficiency, and therefore lower the cost, is to increase the minority carrier lifetime by controlling the material defects. The main defects in grain boundaries of polycrystalline silicon gettered by porous silicon and heavy phosphorous diffusion have been studied. The porous silicon was formed on the two surfaces of wafers by chemical etching. Phosphorous was then diffused into the wafers at high temperature (900℃). After the porous silicon and diffusion layers were removed, the minority carrier lifetime was measured by photo-conductor decay. The results show that the lifetime's minority carriers are increased greatly after such treatment.

Dynamic characterization of silicon nanowires using a terahertz optical asymmetric demultiplexer-based pump-probe scheme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Hua; Cleary, C. S.; Dailey, J. M.

2012-01-01

Dynamic phase and amplitude all-optical responses of silicon nanowires are characterized using a terahertz optical asymmetric demultiplexer (TOAD) based pump-probe scheme. Ultra-fast recovery is observed for moderate pump powers....

High-speed and efficient silicon modulator based on forward-biased pin diodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suguru eAkiyama

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Silicon modulators, which use the free-carrier-plasma effect, were studied, both analytically and experimentally. It was demonstrated that the loss-efficiency product, a-VpL, was a suitable figure of merit for silicon modulators that enabled their intrinsic properties to be compared. Subsequently, the dependence of VpL on frequency was expressed by using the electrical parameters of a phase shifter when the modulator was operated by assuming a simple driving configuration. A diode-based modulator operated in forward biased mode was expected from analyses to provide more efficient operation than that in reversed mode at high frequencies due to its large capacitance. We obtained an a-VpL of 9.5 dB-V at 12.5 GHz in experiments by using the fabricated phase shifter with pin diodes operated in forward biased mode. This a-VpL was comparable to the best modulators operated in depletion mode. The modulator exhibited a clear eye opening at 56 Gb/s operated by 2 V peak-to-peak signals that was achieved by incorporating such a phase shifter into a ring resonator.

Interstellar Silicon Depletion and the Ultraviolet Extinction

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Ajay; Li, Aigen

2018-01-01

Spinning small silicate grains were recently invoked to account for the Galactic foreground anomalous microwave emission. These grains, if present, will absorb starlight in the far ultraviolet (UV). There is also renewed interest in attributing the enigmatic 2175 Å interstellar extinction bump to small silicates. To probe the role of silicon in the UV extinction, we explore the relations between the amount of silicon required to be locked up in silicates [Si/H]dust and the 2175 Å bump or the far-UV extinction rise, based on an analysis of the extinction curves along 46 Galactic sightlines for which the gas-phase silicon abundance [Si/H]gas is known. We derive [Si/H]dust either from [Si/H]ISM - [Si/H]gas or from the Kramers- Kronig relation which relates the wavelength-integrated extinction to the total dust volume, where [Si/H]ISM is the interstellar silicon reference abundance and taken to be that of proto-Sun or B stars. We also derive [Si/H]dust from fi�tting the observed extinction curves with a mixture of amorphous silicates and graphitic grains. We fi�nd that in all three cases [Si/H]dust shows no correlation with the 2175 Å bump, while the carbon depletion [C/H]dust tends to correlate with the 2175 Å bump. This supports carbon grains instead of silicates as the possible carrier of the 2175 Å bump. We also �find that neither [Si/H]dust nor [C/H]dust alone correlates with the far-UV extinction, suggesting that the far-UV extinction is a combined effect of small carbon grains and silicates.

Thermoelectric characteristics of Pt-silicide/silicon multi-layer structured p-type silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Wonchul; Jun, Dongseok; Kim, Soojung; Shin, Mincheol; Jang, Moongyu

2015-01-01

Electric and thermoelectric properties of silicide/silicon multi-layer structured devices were investigated with the variation of silicide/silicon heterojunction numbers from 3 to 12 layers. For the fabrication of silicide/silicon multi-layered structure, platinum and silicon layers are repeatedly sputtered on the (100) silicon bulk substrate and rapid thermal annealing is carried out for the silicidation. The manufactured devices show ohmic current–voltage (I–V) characteristics. The Seebeck coefficient of bulk Si is evaluated as 195.8 ± 15.3 μV/K at 300 K, whereas the 12 layered silicide/silicon multi-layer structured device is evaluated as 201.8 ± 9.1 μV/K. As the temperature increases to 400 K, the Seebeck coefficient increases to 237.2 ± 4.7 μV/K and 277.0 ± 1.1 μV/K for bulk and 12 layered devices, respectively. The increase of Seebeck coefficient in multi-layered structure is mainly attributed to the electron filtering effect due to the Schottky barrier at Pt-silicide/silicon interface. At 400 K, the thermal conductivity is reduced by about half of magnitude compared to bulk in multi-layered device which shows the efficient suppression of phonon propagation by using Pt-silicide/silicon hetero-junctions. - Highlights: • Silicide/silicon multi-layer structured is proposed for thermoelectric devices. • Electric and thermoelectric properties with the number of layer are investigated. • An increase of Seebeck coefficient is mainly attributed the Schottky barrier. • Phonon propagation is suppressed with the existence of Schottky barrier. • Thermal conductivity is reduced due to the suppression of phonon propagation

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2009-07-01

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

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.

The effect of silicon crystallographic orientation on the formation of silicon nanoclusters during anodic electrochemical etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timokhov, D. F.; Timokhov, F. P.

2009-01-01

Possible ways for increasing the photoluminescence quantum yield of porous silicon layers have been investigated. The effect of the anodization parameters on the photoluminescence properties for porous silicon layers formed on silicon substrates with different crystallographic orientations was studied. The average diameters for silicon nanoclusters are calculated from the photoluminescence spectra of porous silicon. The influence of the substrate crystallographic orientation on the photoluminescence quantum yield of porous silicon is revealed. A model explaining the effect of the substrate orientation on the photoluminescence properties for the porous silicon layers formed by anode electrochemical etching is proposed.

Fast determination of impurities in metallurgical grade silicon for photovoltaics by instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hampel, J.; Boldt, F.M.; Gerstenberg, H.; Hampel, G.; Kratz, J.V.; Reber, S.; Wiehl, N.

2011-01-01

Standard wafer solar cells are made of near-semiconductor quality silicon. This high quality material makes up a significant part of the total costs of a solar module. Therefore, new concepts with less expensive so called solar grade silicon directly based on physiochemically upgraded metallurgical grade silicon are investigated. Metallurgical grade silicon contains large amounts of impurities, mainly transition metals like Fe, Cr, Mn, and Co, which degrade the minority carrier lifetime and thus the solar cell efficiency. A major reduction of the transition metal content occurs during the unidirectional crystallization due to the low segregation coefficient between the solid and liquid phase. A further reduction of the impurity level has to be done by gettering procedures applied to the silicon wafers. The efficiency of such cleaning procedures of metallurgical grade silicon is studied by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Small sized silicon wafers of approximately 200 mg with and without gettering step were analyzed. To accelerate the detection of transition metals in a crystallized silicon ingot, experiments of scanning whole vertical silicon columns with a diameter of approximately 1 cm by gamma spectroscopy were carried out. It was demonstrated that impurity profiles can be obtained in a comparably short time. Relatively constant transition metal ratios were found throughout an entire silicon ingot. This led to the conclusion that the determination of several metal profiles might be possible by the detection of only one 'leading element'. As the determination of Mn in silicon can be done quite fast compared to elements like Fe, Cr, and Co, it could be used as a rough marker for the overall metal concentration level. Thus, a fast way to determine impurities in photovoltaic silicon material is demonstrated. - Highlights: → We demonstrate a fast way to determine impurities in photovoltaic silicon by NAA. → We make first experiments of locally

Joining elements of silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, B.A.

1979-01-01

A method of joining together at least two silicon carbide elements (e.g.in forming a heat exchanger) is described, comprising subjecting to sufficiently non-oxidizing atmosphere and sufficiently high temperature, material placed in space between the elements. The material consists of silicon carbide particles, carbon and/or a precursor of carbon, and silicon, such that it forms a joint joining together at least two silicon carbide elements. At least one of the elements may contain silicon. (author)

Solution growth of microcrystalline silicon on amorphous substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heimburger, Robert

2010-07-05

This work deals with low-temperature solution growth of micro-crystalline silicon on glass. The task is motivated by the application in low-cost solar cells. As glass is an amorphous material, conventional epitaxy is not applicable. Therefore, growth is conducted in a two-step process. The first step aims at the spatial arrangement of silicon seed crystals on conductive coated glass substrates, which is realized by means of vapor-liquid-solid processing using indium as the solvent. Seed crystals are afterwards enlarged by applying a specially developed steady-state solution growth apparatus. This laboratory prototype mainly consists of a vertical stack of a silicon feeding source and the solvent (indium). The growth substrate can be dipped into the solution from the top. The system can be heated to a temperature below the softening point of the utilized glass substrate. A temperature gradient between feeding source and growth substrate promotes both, supersaturation and material transport by solvent convection. This setup offers advantages over conventional liquid phase epitaxy at low temperatures in terms of achievable layer thickness and required growth times. The need for convective solute transport to gain the desired thickness of at least 50 {mu}m is emphasized by equilibrium calculations in the binary system indium-silicon. Material transport and supersaturation conditions inside the utilized solution growth crucible are analyzed. It results that the solute can be transported from the lower feeding source to the growth substrate by applying an appropriate heating regime. These findings are interpreted by means of a hydrodynamic analysis of fluid flow and supporting FEM simulation. To ensure thermodynamic stability of all materials involved during steady-state solution growth, the ternary phase equilibrium between molybdenum, indium and silicon at 600 C was considered. Based on the obtained results, the use of molybdenum disilicide as conductive coating

Silicon photonics thermal phase shifter with reduced temperature range

Science.gov (United States)

Lentine, Anthony L; Kekatpure, Rohan D; DeRose, Christopher; Davids, Paul; Watts, Michael R

2013-12-17

Optical devices, phased array systems and methods of phase-shifting an input signal are provided. An optical device includes a microresonator and a waveguide for receiving an input optical signal. The waveguide includes a segment coupled to the microresonator with a coupling coefficient such that the waveguide is overcoupled to the microresonator. The microresonator received the input optical signal via the waveguide and phase-shifts the input optical signal to form an output optical signal. The output optical signal is coupled into the waveguide via the microresonator and transmitted by the waveguide. At an operating point of the optical device, the coupling coefficient is selected to reduce a change in an amplitude of the output optical signal and to increase a change in a phase of the output optical signal, relative to the input optical signal.

Graphitized silicon carbide microbeams: wafer-level, self-aligned graphene on silicon wafers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunning, Benjamin V; Ahmed, Mohsin; Mishra, Neeraj; Kermany, Atieh Ranjbar; Iacopi, Francesca; Wood, Barry

2014-01-01

Currently proven methods that are used to obtain devices with high-quality graphene on silicon wafers involve the transfer of graphene flakes from a growth substrate, resulting in fundamental limitations for large-scale device fabrication. Moreover, the complex three-dimensional structures of interest for microelectromechanical and nanoelectromechanical systems are hardly compatible with such transfer processes. Here, we introduce a methodology for obtaining thousands of microbeams, made of graphitized silicon carbide on silicon, through a site-selective and wafer-scale approach. A Ni-Cu alloy catalyst mediates a self-aligned graphitization on prepatterned SiC microstructures at a temperature that is compatible with silicon technologies. The graphene nanocoating leads to a dramatically enhanced electrical conductivity, which elevates this approach to an ideal method for the replacement of conductive metal films in silicon carbide-based MEMS and NEMS devices. (paper)

All-silicon nanorod-based Dammann gratings.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zile; Zheng, Guoxing; He, Ping'An; Li, Song; Deng, Qiling; Zhao, Jiangnan; Ai, Yong

2015-09-15

Established diffractive optical elements (DOEs), such as Dammann gratings, whose phase profile is controlled by etching different depths into a transparent dielectric substrate, suffer from a contradiction between the complexity of fabrication procedures and the performance of such gratings. In this Letter, we combine the concept of geometric phase and phase modulation in depth, and prove by theoretical analysis and numerical simulation that nanorod arrays etched on a silicon substrate have a characteristic of strong polarization conversion between two circularly polarized states and can act as a highly efficient half-wave plate. More importantly, only by changing the orientation angles of each nanorod can the arrays control the phase of a circularly polarized light, cell by cell. With the above principle, we report the realization of nanorod-based Dammann gratings reaching diffraction efficiencies of 50%-52% in the C-band fiber telecommunications window (1530-1565 nm). In this design, uniform 4×4 spot arrays with an extending angle of 59°×59° can be obtained in the far field. Because of these advantages of the single-step fabrication procedure, accurate phase controlling, and strong polarization conversion, nanorod-based Dammann gratings could be utilized for various practical applications in a range of fields.

Microstructure and ductility of Fe28Cr16Co alloy with additions of silicon, molybdenum, titanium and aluminium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vodopivec, F.; Zvokelj, J.; Breskvar, B.; Gnidovec, D.; Rodic, A.; Torkar, M.

1994-01-01

The microstructure of several alloys with base composition Fe28Cr16Co and addition up to 1.5% silicon, 0.32% titanium, 2.34% molybdenum and 1% aluminium was investigated in the temperature range 500 to 1250 C by optical microscopy, hardness measurements and dilatometry. Also, ductility and wire drawing tests were carried out on some alloys. The addition of silicon, titanium, molybdenum or 0.13% Al does not prevent the formation of γ phase up to the temperature 1250 C and the formation of phase σ in the temperature range 700 to approximately 1000 C. The addition of 1% Al prevents the formation of phase σ and shifts the temperature of formation of phase γ to 1158 C. The addition of different elements does not affect significantly the spinodal decomposition of phase α. At increased temperature an interval of sufficient ductility for deformation by wire drawing was established. The ductility was greatly improved if the microstructure consisted of small inclusions of phase γ in a matrix of phase α, probably because the deformation by twinning was hindered. However, insufficient magnetic properties were obtained also after 80% of deformation. (orig.)

High frequency guided wave propagation in monocrystalline silicon wafers

Science.gov (United States)

Pizzolato, Marco; Masserey, Bernard; Robyr, Jean-Luc; Fromme, Paul

2017-04-01

Monocrystalline silicon wafers are widely used in the photovoltaic industry for solar panels with high conversion efficiency. The cutting process can introduce micro-cracks in the thin wafers and lead to varying thickness. High frequency guided ultrasonic waves are considered for the structural monitoring of the wafers. The anisotropy of the monocrystalline silicon leads to variations of the wave characteristics, depending on the propagation direction relative to the crystal orientation. Full three-dimensional Finite Element simulations of the guided wave propagation were conducted to visualize and quantify these effects for a line source. The phase velocity (slowness) and skew angle of the two fundamental Lamb wave modes (first anti-symmetric mode A0 and first symmetric mode S0) for varying propagation directions relative to the crystal orientation were measured experimentally. Selective mode excitation was achieved using a contact piezoelectric transducer with a custom-made wedge and holder to achieve a controlled contact pressure. The out-of-plane component of the guided wave propagation was measured using a noncontact laser interferometer. Good agreement was found with the simulation results and theoretical predictions based on nominal material properties of the silicon wafer.

Emission of blue light from hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Nevin, W. A.; Yamagishi, H.; Yamaguchi, M.; Tawada, Y.

1994-04-01

THE development of new electroluminescent materials is of current technological interest for use in flat-screen full-colour displays1. For such applications, amorphous inorganic semiconductors appear particularly promising, in view of the ease with which uniform films with good mechanical and electronic properties can be deposited over large areas2. Luminescence has been reported1 in the red-green part of the spectrum from amorphous silicon carbide prepared from gas-phase mixtures of silane and a carbon-containing species (usually methane or ethylene). But it is not possible to achieve blue luminescence by this approach. Here we show that the use of an aromatic species-xylene-as the source of carbon during deposition results in a form of amorphous silicon carbide that exhibits strong blue luminescence. The underlying structure of this material seems to be an unusual combination of an inorganic silicon carbide lattice with a substantial 'organic' π-conjugated carbon system, the latter dominating the emission properties. Moreover, the material can be readily doped with an electron acceptor in a manner similar to organic semiconductors3, and might therefore find applications as a conductivity- or colour-based chemical sensor.

Preparation and mechanical properties of carbon nanotube-silicon nitride nano-ceramic matrix composites

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, C. Y.; Jiang, H.

2018-01-01

Carbon nanotube-silicon nitride nano-ceramic matrix composites were fabricated by hot-pressing nano-sized Si3N4 powders and carbon nanotubes. The effect of CNTs on the mechanical properties of silicon nitride was researched. The phase compositions and the microstructure characteristics of the samples as well as the distribution of carbon nanotube in the silicon nitride ceramic were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The results show that the microstructure of composites consists mainly of α-Si3N4, β-Si3N4, Si2N2O and carbon natubes. The addition of proper amount of carbon nanotubes can improve the fracture toughness and the flexural strength, and the optimal amount of carbon nanotube are both 3wt.%. However the Vickers hardness values decrease with the increase of carbon nanotubes content.

Use of porous silicon to minimize oxidation induced stacking fault defects in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shieh, S.Y.; Evans, J.W.

1992-01-01

This paper presents methods for minimizing stacking fault defects, generated during oxidation of silicon, include damaging the back of the wafer or depositing poly-silicon on the back. In either case a highly defective structure is created and this is capable of gettering either self-interstitials or impurities which promote nucleation of stacking fault defects. A novel method of minimizing these defects is to form a patch of porous silicon on the back of the wafer by electrochemical etching. Annealing under inert gas prior to oxidation may then result in the necessary gettering. Experiments were carried out in which wafers were subjected to this treatment. Subsequent to oxidation, the wafers were etched to remove oxide and reveal defects. The regions of the wafer adjacent to the porous silicon patch were defect-free, whereas remote regions had defects. Deep level transient spectroscopy has been used to examine the gettering capability of porous silicon, and the paper discusses the mechanism by which the porous silicon getters

Indentation fatigue in silicon nitride, alumina and silicon carbide ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Repeated indentation fatigue (RIF) experiments conducted on the same spot of different structural ceramics viz. a hot pressed silicon nitride (HPSN), sintered alumina of two different grain sizes viz. 1 m and 25 m, and a sintered silicon carbide (SSiC) are reported. The RIF experiments were conducted using a Vicker's ...

Behavior of silicon in nitric media. Application to uranium silicides fuels reprocessing; Comportement du silicium en milieu nitrique. Application au retraitement des combustibles siliciures d'uranium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheroux, L

2001-07-01

Uranium silicides are used in some research reactors. Reprocessing them is a solution for their cycle end. A list of reprocessing scenarios has been set the most realistic being a nitric dissolution close to the classic spent fuel reprocessing. This uranium silicide fuel contains a lot of silicon and few things are known about polymerization of silicic acid in concentrated nitric acid. The study of this polymerization allows to point out the main parameters: acidity, temperature, silicon concentration. The presence of aluminum seems to speed up heavily the polymerization. It has been impossible to find an analytical technique smart and fast enough to characterize the first steps of silicic acid polymerization. However the action of silicic species on emulsions stabilization formed by mixing them with an organic phase containing TBP has been studied, Silicon slows down the phase separation by means of oligomeric species forming complex with TBP. The existence of these intermediate species is short and heating can avoid any stabilization. When non irradiated uranium silicide fuel is attacked by a nitric solution, aluminum and uranium are quickly dissolved whereas silicon mainly stands in solid state. That builds a gangue of hydrated silica around the uranium silicide particulates without preventing uranium dissolution. A small part of silicon passes into the solution and polymerize towards the highly poly-condensed forms, just 2% of initial silicon is still in molecular form at the end of the dissolution. A thermal treatment of the fuel element, by forming inter-metallic phases U-Al-Si, allows the whole silicon to pass into the solution and next to precipitate. The behavior of silicon in spent fuels should be between these two situations. (author)

Silicon web process development

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, C. S.; Seidensticker, R. G.; Mchugh, J. P.; Skutch, M. E.; Driggers, J. M.; Hopkins, R. H.

1981-01-01

The silicon web process takes advantage of natural crystallographic stabilizing forces to grow long, thin single crystal ribbons directly from liquid silicon. The ribbon, or web, is formed by the solidification of a liquid film supported by surface tension between two silicon filaments, called dendrites, which border the edges of the growing strip. The ribbon can be propagated indefinitely by replenishing the liquid silicon as it is transformed to crystal. The dendritic web process has several advantages for achieving low cost, high efficiency solar cells. These advantages are discussed.

Characterization of silicon oxynitride films prepared by the simultaneous implantation of oxygen and nitrogen ions into silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hezel, R.; Streb, W.

1985-01-01

Silicon oxynitride films about 5 nm in thickness were prepared by simultaneously implanting 5 keV oxygen and nitrogen ions into silicon at room temperature up to saturation. These films with concentrations ranging from pure silicon oxide to silicon nitride were characterized using Auger electron spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy and depth-concentration profiling. The different behaviour of the silicon oxynitride films compared with those of silicon oxide and silicon nitride with regard to thermal stability and hardness against electron and argon ion irradiation is pointed out. (Auth.)

Optimization of plasma parameters for the production of silicon nano-crystals

CERN Document Server

Chaabane, N; Vach, H; Cabarrocas, P R I

2003-01-01

We use silane-hydrogen plasmas to synthesize silicon nano-crystals in the gas phase and thermophoresis to collect them onto a cooled substrate. To distinguish between nano-crystals formed in the plasma and those grown on the substrate, as a result of surface and subsurface reactions, we have simultaneously deposited films on a conventional substrate heated at 250 deg. C and on a second substrate cooled down to 90 deg. C. A series of samples deposited at various discharge pressures, in the range of 400 mTorr to 1.2 Torr, have been characterized by Raman spectroscopy and ellipsometry. At low pressure (400-500 mTorr), the films are amorphous on the cold substrate and micro-crystalline on the hot one. As pressure increases, gas phase reactions lead to the formation of nano-crystalline particles which are attracted by the cold substrate due to thermophoresis. Consequently, we obtain nano-crystalline silicon thin films on the cold substrate and amorphous thin films on the heated one in the pressure range of 600-900...

Radiation induced precipitation of the γ' phase in under-saturated nickel-silicon alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbu, A.

1976-01-01

The microstructure of Ni-Si solid solutions containing 2, 4, 6, and 8at.%Si was investigated after irradiation with 500keV Ni + ions. In all samples, Ni 3 Si precipitation was found to be independent of the amount of silicon. A correspondance between interstitial loops and precipitates has been found. At low temperature the precipitates become spatially ordered. A mechanism is suggested for the formation of the precipitates [fr

Ultraflat Tip-Tilt-Piston MEMS Deformable Mirror, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This proposal describes a Phase II SBIR project to develop high-resolution, ultraflat micromirror array devices using advanced silicon surface micromachining...

Silicon germanium mask for deep silicon etching

KAUST Repository

Serry, Mohamed

2014-07-29

Polycrystalline silicon germanium (SiGe) can offer excellent etch selectivity to silicon during cryogenic deep reactive ion etching in an SF.sub.6/O.sub.2 plasma. Etch selectivity of over 800:1 (Si:SiGe) may be achieved at etch temperatures from -80 degrees Celsius to -140 degrees Celsius. High aspect ratio structures with high resolution may be patterned into Si substrates using SiGe as a hard mask layer for construction of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices and semiconductor devices.

Silicon germanium mask for deep silicon etching

KAUST Repository

Serry, Mohamed; Rubin, Andrew; Refaat, Mohamed; Sedky, Sherif; Abdo, Mohammad

2014-01-01

Polycrystalline silicon germanium (SiGe) can offer excellent etch selectivity to silicon during cryogenic deep reactive ion etching in an SF.sub.6/O.sub.2 plasma. Etch selectivity of over 800:1 (Si:SiGe) may be achieved at etch temperatures from -80 degrees Celsius to -140 degrees Celsius. High aspect ratio structures with high resolution may be patterned into Si substrates using SiGe as a hard mask layer for construction of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices and semiconductor devices.

Indium tin oxide thin-films prepared by vapor phase pyrolysis for efficient silicon based solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simashkevich, Alexei, E-mail: alexeisimashkevich@hotmail.com [Institute of Applied Physics, 5 Academiei str., Chisinau, MD-2028, Republic of Moldova (Moldova, Republic of); Serban, Dormidont; Bruc, Leonid; Curmei, Nicolai [Institute of Applied Physics, 5 Academiei str., Chisinau, MD-2028, Republic of Moldova (Moldova, Republic of); Hinrichs, Volker [Institut für Heterogene Materialsysteme, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Lise-Meitner Campus, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Rusu, Marin [Institute of Applied Physics, 5 Academiei str., Chisinau, MD-2028, Republic of Moldova (Moldova, Republic of); Institut für Heterogene Materialsysteme, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Lise-Meitner Campus, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany)

2016-07-01

The vapor phase pyrolysis deposition method was developed for the preparation of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films with thicknesses ranging between 300 and 400 nm with the sheet resistance of 10–15 Ω/sq. and the transparency in the visible region of the spectrum over 80%. The layers were deposited on the (100) surface of the n-type silicon wafers with the charge carriers concentration of ~ 10{sup 15} cm{sup −3}. The morphology of the ITO layers deposited on Si wafers with different surface morphologies, e.g., smooth (polished), rough (irregularly structured) and textured (by inversed pyramids) was investigated. The as-deposited ITO thin films consist of crystalline columns with the height of 300–400 nm and the width of 50–100 nm. Photovoltaic parameters of mono- and bifacial solar cells of Cu/ITO/SiO{sub 2}/n–n{sup +} Si/Cu prepared on Si (100) wafers with different surface structures were studied and compared. A maximum efficiency of 15.8% was achieved on monofacial solar cell devices with the textured Si surface. Bifacial photovoltaic devices from 100 μm thick Si wafers with the smooth surface have demonstrated efficiencies of 13.0% at frontal illumination and 10% at rear illumination. - Highlights: • ITO thin films prepared by vapor phase pyrolysis on Si (100) wafers with a smooth (polished), rough (irregularly structured) and textured (by inversed pyramids) surface. • Monofacial ITO/SiO2/n-n+Si solar cells with an efficiency of 15.8% prepared and bifacial PV devices with front- and rear-side efficiencies up to 13% demonstrated. • Comparative studies of photovoltaic properties of solar cells with different morphologies of the Si wafer surface presented.

Selective formation of porous silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Fathauer, Robert W. (Inventor); Jones, Eric W. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A pattern of porous silicon is produced in the surface of a silicon substrate by forming a pattern of crystal defects in said surface, preferably by applying an ion milling beam through openings in a photoresist layer to the surface, and then exposing said surface to a stain etchant, such as HF:HNO3:H2O. The defected crystal will preferentially etch to form a pattern of porous silicon. When the amorphous content of the porous silicon exceeds 70 percent, the porous silicon pattern emits visible light at room temperature.

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

OpenAIRE

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

2017-01-01