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)

Full characterization of laser-accelerated ion beams using Faraday cup, silicon carbide, and single-crystal diamond detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Margarone, D.; Krása, J.; Giuffrida, L.; Picciotto, A.; Torrisi, L.; Nowak, T.; Musumeci, P.; Velyhan, A.; Prokůpek, J.; Láska, L.; Mocek, T.; Ullschmied, J.; Rus, B.

2011-05-01

Multi-MeV beams of light ions have been produced using the 300 picosecond, kJ-class iodine laser, operating at the Prague Asterix Laser System facility in Prague. Real-time ion diagnostics have been performed by the use of various time-of-flight (TOF) detectors: ion collectors (ICs) with and without absorber thin films, new prototypes of single-crystal diamond and silicon carbide detectors, and an electrostatic ion mass spectrometer (IEA). In order to suppress the long photopeak induced by soft X-rays and to avoid the overlap with the signal from ultrafast particles, the ICs have been shielded with Al foil filters. The application of large-bandgap semiconductor detectors (>3 eV) ensured cutting of the plasma-emitted visible and soft-UV radiation and enhancing the sensitivity to the very fast proton/ion beams. Employing the IEA spectrometer, various ion species and charge states in the expanding laser-plasma have been determined. Processing of the experimental data based on the TOF technique, including estimation of the plasma fast proton maximum and peak energy, ion beam currents and total charge, total number of fast protons, as well as deconvolution processes, ion stopping power, and ion/photon transmission calculations for the different metallic filters used, are reported.

Method of fabricating porous silicon carbide (SiC)

Science.gov (United States)

Shor, Joseph S. (Inventor); Kurtz, Anthony D. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

Porous silicon carbide is fabricated according to techniques which result in a significant portion of nanocrystallites within the material in a sub 10 nanometer regime. There is described techniques for passivating porous silicon carbide which result in the fabrication of optoelectronic devices which exhibit brighter blue luminescence and exhibit improved qualities. Based on certain of the techniques described porous silicon carbide is used as a sacrificial layer for the patterning of silicon carbide. Porous silicon carbide is then removed from the bulk substrate by oxidation and other methods. The techniques described employ a two-step process which is used to pattern bulk silicon carbide where selected areas of the wafer are then made porous and then the porous layer is subsequently removed. The process to form porous silicon carbide exhibits dopant selectivity and a two-step etching procedure is implemented for silicon carbide multilayers.

Oxidation of mullite-zirconia-alumina-silicon carbide composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baudin, C.; Moya, J.S.

1990-01-01

This paper reports the isothermal oxidation of mullite-alumina-zirconia-silicon carbide composites obtained by reaction sintering studied in the temperature interval 800 degrees to 1400 degrees C. The kinetics of the oxidation process was related to the viscosity of the surface glassy layer as well as to the crystallization of the surface film. The oxidation kinetics was halted to T ≤ 1300 degrees C, presumably because of crystallization

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.

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)

Annealing effect of H+ -implanted single crystal silicon on strain and crystal structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duo Xinzhong; Liu Weili; Zhang Miao; Gao Jianxia; Fu Xiaorong; Lin Chenglu

2000-01-01

The work focuses on the rocking curves of H + -implanted single silicon crystal detected by Four-Crystal X-ray diffractometer. The samples were annealed under different temperatures. Lattice defect in H + -implanted silicon crystals was detected by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry. It appeared that H-related complex did not crush until annealing temperature reached about 400 degree C. At that temperature H 2 was formed, deflated in silicon lattice and strained the lattice. But defects did not come into being in large quantity. The lattice was undamaged. When annealing temperature reached 500 degree C, strain induced by H 2 deflation crashed the silicon lattice. A large number of defects were formed. At the same time bubbles in the crystal and blister/flaking on the surface could be observed

Distribution and characterization of iron in implanted silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bentley, J.; Romana, L.J.; Horton, L.L.; McHargue, C.J.

1991-01-01

Analytical electron microscopy (AEM) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy-ion channeling (RBS-C) have been used to characterize single crystal α-silicon carbide implanted at room temperature with 160 keV 57 Fe ions to fluences of 1, 3, and 6 x 10 16 ions/cm 2 . Best correlations among AEM, RBS, and TRIM calculations were obtained assuming a density of the amorphized implanted regions equal to that of crystalline SiC. No iron-rich precipitates or clusters were detected by AEM. Inspection of the electron energy loss fine structure for iron in the implanted specimens suggests that the iron is not metallically-bonded, supporting conclusions from earlier conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy (CEMS) studies. In-situ annealing surprisingly resulted in crystallization at 600 degrees C with some redistribution of the implanted iron

Doping of silicon carbide by ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gimbert, J.

1999-01-01

It appeared that in some fields, as the hostile environments (high temperature or irradiation), the silicon compounds showed limitations resulting from the electrical and mechanical properties. Doping of 4H and 6H silicon carbide by ion implantation is studied from a physicochemical and electrical point of view. It is necessary to obtain n-type and p-type material to realize high power and/or high frequency devices, such as MESFETs and Schottky diodes. First, physical and electrical properties of silicon carbide are presented and the interest of developing a process technology on this material is emphasised. Then, physical characteristics of ion implantation and particularly classical dopant implantation, such as nitrogen, for n-type doping, and aluminium and boron, for p-type doping are described. Results with these dopants are presented and analysed. Optimal conditions are extracted from these experiences so as to obtain a good crystal quality and a surface state allowing device fabrication. Electrical conduction is then described in the 4H and 6H-SiC polytypes. Freezing of free carriers and scattering processes are described. Electrical measurements are carried out using Hall effect on Van der Panw test patterns, and 4 point probe method are used to draw the type of the material, free carrier concentrations, resistivity and mobility of the implanted doped layers. These results are commented and compared to the theoretical analysis. The influence of the technological process on electrical conduction is studied in view of fabricating implanted silicon carbide devices. (author)

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 Carbide Power Devices and Integrated Circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Lauenstein, Jean-Marie; Casey, Megan; Samsel, Isaak; LaBel, Ken; Chen, Yuan; Ikpe, Stanley; Wilcox, Ted; Phan, Anthony; Kim, Hak; Topper, Alyson

2017-01-01

An overview of the NASA NEPP Program Silicon Carbide Power Device subtask is given, including the current task roadmap, partnerships, and future plans. Included are the Agency-wide efforts to promote development of single-event effect hardened SiC power devices for space applications.

Detonation Synthesis of Alpha-Variant Silicon Carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Langenderfer, Martin; Johnson, Catherine; Fahrenholtz, William; Mochalin, Vadym

2017-06-01

A recent research study has been undertaken to develop facilities for conducting detonation synthesis of nanomaterials. This process involves a familiar technique that has been utilized for the industrial synthesis of nanodiamonds. Developments through this study have allowed for experimentation with the concept of modifying explosive compositions to induce synthesis of new nanomaterials. Initial experimentation has been conducted with the end goal being synthesis of alpha variant silicon carbide (α-SiC) in the nano-scale. The α-SiC that can be produced through detonation synthesis methods is critical to the ceramics industry because of a number of unique properties of the material. Conventional synthesis of α-SiC results in formation of crystals greater than 100 nm in diameter, outside nano-scale. It has been theorized that the high temperature and pressure of an explosive detonation can be used for the formation of α-SiC in the sub 100 nm range. This paper will discuss in detail the process development for detonation nanomaterial synthesis facilities, optimization of explosive charge parameters to maximize nanomaterial yield, and introduction of silicon to the detonation reaction environment to achieve first synthesis of nano-sized alpha variant silicon carbide.

Effect of Ion Beam Irradiation on Silicon Carbide with Different Microstructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Kyeong Hwan; Park, Ji Yeon; Kim, Weon Ju; Jung, Choong Hwan; Ryu, Woo Seog

2006-01-01

SiC and SiC/SiC composites are one of promising candidates for structural materials of the next generation energy systems such as the gas-cooled reactors and fusion reactors. This anticipation yields many material issues, and radiation effects of silicon carbide are recognized as an important research subject. Silicon carbide has diverse crystal structures (called polytypes), such as α-SiC (hexagonal structure), β-SiC (cubic structure) and amorphous SiC. Among these polytypes, β-SiC has been studied as matrix material in SiC/SiC composites. Near-stoichiometric β-SiC with high crystallinity and purity is considered as suitable material in the next generation energy system and matrix material in SiC/SiC composites because of its excellent radiation resistance. Highly pure and crystalline β-SiC and SiC/SiC composites could be obtained by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and Infiltration (CVI) process using a gas mixture of methyltrichlorosilane (CH 3 SiCl 3 , MTS) and purified H 2 . SiC produced by the CVD method has different grain size and microstructural morphology depended on the process conditions such as temperature, pressure and the input gas ratio. In this work, irradiation effects of silicon carbide were investigated using ion beam irradiation with emphasis on the influence of grain size and grain boundary. MeV ion irradiation at low temperature makes amorphous phase in silicon carbide. The microstructures and mechanical property changes of silicon carbide with different structures were analyzed after ion beam irradiation

Highly Efficient Optical Pumping of Spin Defects in Silicon Carbide for Stimulated Microwave Emission

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, M.; Sperlich, A.; Kraus, H.; Ohshima, T.; Astakhov, G. V.; Dyakonov, V.

2018-05-01

We investigate the pump efficiency of silicon-vacancy-related spins in silicon carbide. For a crystal inserted into a microwave cavity with a resonance frequency of 9.4 GHz, the spin population inversion factor of 75 with the saturation optical pump power of about 350 mW is achieved at room temperature. At cryogenic temperature, the pump efficiency drastically increases, owing to an exceptionally long spin-lattice relaxation time exceeding one minute. Based on the experimental results, we find realistic conditions under which a silicon carbide maser can operate in continuous-wave mode and serve as a quantum microwave amplifier.

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

Single-Crystal Tungsten Carbide in High-Temperature In-Situ Additive Manufacturing Characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolopus, James A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Boatner, Lynn A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-05-18

Nanoindenters are commonly used for measuring the mechanical properties of a wide variety of materials with both industrial and scientific applications. Typically, these instruments employ an indenter made of a material of suitable hardness bonded to an appropriate shaft or holder to create an indentation on the material being tested. While a variety of materials may be employed for the indenter, diamond and boron carbide are by far the most common materials used due to their hardness and other desirable properties. However, as the increasing complexity of new materials demands a broader range of testing capabilities, conventional indenter materials exhibit significant performance limitations. Among these are the inability of diamond indenters to perform in-situ measurements at temperatures above 600oC in air due to oxidation of the diamond material and subsequent degradation of the indenters mechanical properties. Similarly, boron carbide also fails at high temperature due to fracture. [1] Transition metal carbides possess a combination of hardness and mechanical properties at high temperatures that offer an attractive alternative to conventional indenter materials. Here we describe the technical aspects for the growth of single-crystal tungsten carbide (WC) for use as a high-temperature indenter material, and we examine a possible approach to brazing these crystals to a suitable mount for grinding and attachment to the indenter instrument. The use of a by-product of the recovery process is also suggested as possibly having commercial value.

The tensile effect on crack formation in single crystal silicon irradiated by intense pulsed ion beam

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Guoying; Shen, Jie; Zhang, Jie; Zhong, Haowen; Cui, Xiaojun; Yan, Sha; Zhang, Xiaofu; Yu, Xiao; Le, Xiaoyun

2017-10-01

Improving antifatigue performance of silicon substrate is very important for the development of semiconductor industry. The cracking behavior of silicon under intense pulsed ion beam irradiation was studied by numerical simulation in order to understand the mechanism of induced surface peeling observed by experimental means. Using molecular dynamics simulation based on Stillinger Weber potential, tensile effect on crack growth and propagation in single crystal silicon was investigated. Simulation results reveal that stress-strain curves of single crystal silicon at a constant strain rate can be divided into three stages, which are not similar to metal stress-strain curves; different tensile load velocities induce difference of single silicon crack formation speed; the layered stress results in crack formation in single crystal silicon. It is concluded that the crack growth and propagation is more sensitive to strain rate, tensile load velocity, stress distribution in single crystal silicon.

Creating and Controlling Single Spins in Silicon Carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Christle, David

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a well-established commercial semiconductor used in high-power electronics, optoelectronics, and nanomechanical devices, and has recently shown promise for semiconductor-based implementations of quantum information technologies. In particular, a set of divacancy-related point defects have improved coherence properties relative to the prominent nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond, are addressable at near-telecom wavelengths, and reside in a material for which there already exist advanced growth, doping, and microfabrication capabilities. These properties suggest divacancies in SiC have compelling advantages for photonics and micromechanical applications, yet their relatively recent discovery means crucial aspects of their fundamental physics for these applications are not well understood. I will review our progress on manipulating spin defects in SiC, and discuss efforts towards isolating and controlling them at the single defect limit. In particular, our most recent experimental results demonstrate isolation and control of long-lived (T2 = 0 . 9 ms) divacancies in a form of SiC that can be grown epitaxially on silicon. By studying the time-resolved photoluminescence of a single divacancy, we reveal its fundamental orbital structure and characterize in detail the dynamics of its special optical cycle. Finally, we probe individual divacancies using resonant laser techniques and reveal an efficient spin-photon interface with figures of merit comparable to those reported for NV centers in diamond. These results suggest a pathway towards photon-mediated entanglement of SiC defect spins over long distances. This work was supported by NSF, AFOSR, the Argonne CNM, the Knut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Linköping Linnaeus Initiative, the Swedish Government Strategic Research Area, and the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan.

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

Oxide film assisted dopant diffusion in silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tin, Chin-Che, E-mail: cctin@physics.auburn.ed [Department of Physics, Auburn University, Alabama 36849 (United States); Mendis, Suwan [Department of Physics, Auburn University, Alabama 36849 (United States); Chew, Kerlit [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Atabaev, Ilkham; Saliev, Tojiddin; Bakhranov, Erkin [Physical Technical Institute, Uzbek Academy of Sciences, 700084 Tashkent (Uzbekistan); Atabaev, Bakhtiyar [Institute of Electronics, Uzbek Academy of Sciences, 700125 Tashkent (Uzbekistan); Adedeji, Victor [Department of Chemistry, Geology and Physics, Elizabeth City State University, North Carolina 27909 (United States); Rusli [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)

2010-10-01

A process is described to enhance the diffusion rate of impurities in silicon carbide so that doping by thermal diffusion can be done at lower temperatures. This process involves depositing a thin film consisting of an oxide of the impurity followed by annealing in an oxidizing ambient. The process uses the lower formation energy of silicon dioxide relative to that of the impurity-oxide to create vacancies in silicon carbide and to promote dissociation of the impurity-oxide. The impurity atoms then diffuse from the thin film into the near-surface region of silicon carbide.

Oxide film assisted dopant diffusion in silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tin, Chin-Che; Mendis, Suwan; Chew, Kerlit; Atabaev, Ilkham; Saliev, Tojiddin; Bakhranov, Erkin; Atabaev, Bakhtiyar; Adedeji, Victor; Rusli

2010-01-01

A process is described to enhance the diffusion rate of impurities in silicon carbide so that doping by thermal diffusion can be done at lower temperatures. This process involves depositing a thin film consisting of an oxide of the impurity followed by annealing in an oxidizing ambient. The process uses the lower formation energy of silicon dioxide relative to that of the impurity-oxide to create vacancies in silicon carbide and to promote dissociation of the impurity-oxide. The impurity atoms then diffuse from the thin film into the near-surface region of silicon carbide.

Single Side Electrolytic In-Process Dressing (ELID) Grinding with Lapping Kinematics of Silicon Carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Khoshaim, Ahmed Bakr

The demand for Silicon Carbide ceramics (SiC) has increased significantly in the last decade due to its reliable physical and chemical properties. The silicon carbide is widely used for aerospace segments in addition to many uses in the industry. Sometimes, a single side grinding is preferable than conventional grinding, for it has the ability to produce flat ceramics. However, the manufacturing cost is still high because of the high tool wear and long machining time. Part of the solution is to use electrolytic in process dressing (ELID) to reduce the processing time. The study on ELID single side grinding of ceramics has never been attempted before. The study involves four variables with three levels each. One of the variables, which is the eccentricity, is being investigated for the first time on ceramics. A full factorial design, for both the surface roughness and material removal rate, guides to calculate mathematical models that can predict future results. Three grinding wheel mesh sizes are used. An investigation of the influence of different grain size on the results can then be evaluated. The kinematics of the process was studied based on eccentricity in order to optimize the pattern of the diamond grains. The experiment is performed with the assist of the proposed specialized ELID fluid, TRIM C270E.

Joining of porous silicon carbide bodies

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Carl H.; Couhig, John T.; Pelletier, Paul J.

1990-05-01

A method of joining two porous bodies of silicon carbide is disclosed. It entails utilizing an aqueous slip of a similar silicon carbide as was used to form the porous bodies, including the sintering aids, and a binder to initially join the porous bodies together. Then the composite structure is subjected to cold isostatic pressing to form a joint having good handling strength. Then the composite structure is subjected to pressureless sintering to form the final strong bond. Optionally, after the sintering the structure is subjected to hot isostatic pressing to further improve the joint and densify the structure. The result is a composite structure in which the joint is almost indistinguishable from the silicon carbide pieces which it joins.

Quantum Properties of Dichroic Silicon Vacancies in Silicon Carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Nagy, Roland; Widmann, Matthias; Niethammer, Matthias; Dasari, Durga B. R.; Gerhardt, Ilja; Soykal, Öney O.; Radulaski, Marina; Ohshima, Takeshi; Vučković, Jelena; Son, Nguyen Tien; Ivanov, Ivan G.; Economou, Sophia E.; Bonato, Cristian; Lee, Sang-Yun; Wrachtrup, Jörg

2018-03-01

Although various defect centers have displayed promise as either quantum sensors, single photon emitters, or light-matter interfaces, the search for an ideal defect with multifunctional ability remains open. In this spirit, we study the dichroic silicon vacancies in silicon carbide that feature two well-distinguishable zero-phonon lines and analyze the quantum properties in their optical emission and spin control. We demonstrate that this center combines 40% optical emission into the zero-phonon lines showing the contrasting difference in optical properties with varying temperature and polarization, and a 100% increase in the fluorescence intensity upon the spin resonance, and long spin coherence time of their spin-3 /2 ground states up to 0.6 ms. These results single out this defect center as a promising system for spin-based quantum technologies.

Thin Single Crystal Silicon Solar Cells on Ceramic Substrates: November 2009 - November 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, A.; Ravi, K. V.

2011-06-01

In this program we have been developing a technology for fabricating thin (< 50 micrometres) single crystal silicon wafers on foreign substrates. We reverse the conventional approach of depositing or forming silicon on foreign substrates by depositing or forming thick (200 to 400 micrometres) ceramic materials on high quality single crystal silicon films ~ 50 micrometres thick. Our key innovation is the fabrication of thin, refractory, and self-adhering 'handling layers or substrates' on thin epitaxial silicon films in-situ, from powder precursors obtained from low cost raw materials. This 'handling layer' has sufficient strength for device and module processing and fabrication. Successful production of full sized (125 mm X 125 mm) silicon on ceramic wafers with 50 micrometre thick single crystal silicon has been achieved and device process flow developed for solar cell fabrication. Impurity transfer from the ceramic to the silicon during the elevated temperature consolidation process has resulted in very low minority carrier lifetimes and resulting low cell efficiencies. Detailed analysis of minority carrier lifetime, metals analysis and device characterization have been done. A full sized solar cell efficiency of 8% has been demonstrated.

The diffusion bonding of silicon carbide and boron carbide using refractory metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cockeram, B.V.

1999-01-01

Joining is an enabling technology for the application of structural ceramics at high temperatures. Metal foil diffusion bonding is a simple process for joining silicon carbide or boron carbide by solid-state, diffusive conversion of the metal foil into carbide and silicide compounds that produce bonding. Metal diffusion bonding trials were performed using thin foils (5 microm to 100 microm) of refractory metals (niobium, titanium, tungsten, and molybdenum) with plates of silicon carbide (both α-SiC and β-SiC) or boron carbide that were lapped flat prior to bonding. The influence of bonding temperature, bonding pressure, and foil thickness on bond quality was determined from metallographic inspection of the bonds. The microstructure and phases in the joint region of the diffusion bonds were evaluated using SEM, microprobe, and AES analysis. The use of molybdenum foil appeared to result in the highest quality bond of the metal foils evaluated for the diffusion bonding of silicon carbide and boron carbide. Bonding pressure appeared to have little influence on bond quality. The use of a thinner metal foil improved the bond quality. The microstructure of the bond region produced with either the α-SiC and β-SiC polytypes were similar

Synthesis of silicon carbide coating on diamond by microwave heating of diamond and silicon powder: A heteroepitaxial growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leparoux, S. [Empa, Department of Materials Technology, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, CH-3602 Thun (Switzerland)], E-mail: susanne.leparoux@empa.ch; Diot, C. [Consultant, allee de Mozart 10, F-92300 Chatillon (France); Dubach, A. [Empa, Department of Materials Technology, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, CH-3602 Thun (Switzerland); Vaucher, S. [Empa, Department of Materials Technology, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, CH-3602 Thun (Switzerland)

2007-10-15

When a powder mixture of diamond and silicon is heated by microwaves, heteroepitaxial growth of SiC is observed on the (1 1 1) as well as on the (1 0 0) faces of the diamond. The SiC over-layer was characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy shows the presence of triangular silicon carbide on the (1 1 1) faces of diamond while prismatic crystals are found on the (1 0 0) faces. The crystal growth seems to be favored in the plane parallel to the face (1 1 1)

Synthesis of silicon carbide coating on diamond by microwave heating of diamond and silicon powder: A heteroepitaxial growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leparoux, S.; Diot, C.; Dubach, A.; Vaucher, S.

2007-01-01

When a powder mixture of diamond and silicon is heated by microwaves, heteroepitaxial growth of SiC is observed on the (1 1 1) as well as on the (1 0 0) faces of the diamond. The SiC over-layer was characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy shows the presence of triangular silicon carbide on the (1 1 1) faces of diamond while prismatic crystals are found on the (1 0 0) faces. The crystal growth seems to be favored in the plane parallel to the face (1 1 1)

Single-Event Effect Testing of the Cree C4D40120D Commercial 1200V Silicon Carbide Schottky Diode

Science.gov (United States)

Lauenstein, J.-M.; Casey, M. C.; Wilcox, E. P.; Kim, Hak; Topper, A. D.

2014-01-01

This study was undertaken to determine the single event effect (SEE) susceptibility of the commercial silicon carbide 1200V Schottky diode manufactured by Cree, Inc. Heavy-ion testing was conducted at the Texas A&M University Cyclotron Single Event Effects Test Facility (TAMU). Its purpose was to evaluate this device as a candidate for use in the Solar-Electric Propulsion flight project.

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.

Production of silicon carbide bodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parkinson, K.

1981-01-01

A body consisting essentially of a coherent mixture of silicon carbide and carbon for subsequent siliconising is produced by casting a slip comprising silicon carbide and carbon powders in a porous mould. Part of the surface of the body, particularly internal features, is formed by providing within the mould a core of a material which retains its shape while casting is in progress but is compressed by shrinkage of the cast body as it dries and is thereafter removable from the cast body. Materials which are suitable for the core are expanded polystyrene and gelatinous products of selected low elastic modulus. (author)

High yield silicon carbide prepolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baney, R.H.

1982-01-01

Prepolymers which exhibit good handling properties, and are useful for preparing ceramics, silicon carbide ceramic materials and articles containing silicon carbide, are polysilanes consisting of 0 to 60 mole% (CH 3 ) 2 Si units and 40 to 100 mole% CH 3 Si units, all Si valences being satisfied by CH 3 groups, other Si atoms, or by H atoms, the latter amounting to 0.3 to 2.1 weight% of the polysilane. They are prepared by reducing the corresponding chloro- or bromo-polysilanes with at least the stoichiometric amount of a reducing agent, e.g. LiAlH 4 . (author)

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

Silicon carbide microsystems for harsh environments

CERN Document Server

Wijesundara, Muthu B J

2011-01-01

Silicon Carbide Microsystems for Harsh Environments reviews state-of-the-art Silicon Carbide (SiC) technologies that, when combined, create microsystems capable of surviving in harsh environments, technological readiness of the system components, key issues when integrating these components into systems, and other hurdles in harsh environment operation. The authors use the SiC technology platform suite the model platform for developing harsh environment microsystems and then detail the current status of the specific individual technologies (electronics, MEMS, packaging). Additionally, methods

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.

Formation of carbides and their effects on stress rupture of a Ni-base single crystal superalloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, L.R.; Jin, T.; Zhao, N.R.; Sun, X.F.; Guan, H.R.; Hu, Z.Q.

2003-01-01

Creep tests of a nickel-base single crystal superalloy with minor C addition and non-carbon were carried out at different temperatures and stresses. Correlations between microstructural change and testing temperature and stress were enabled through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), detailing the rafting microstucture and carbides precipitation. The results showed that minor carbon addition prolonged the second stage of creep strain curves and improved creep properties. Some carbide was precipitated during creep tests in modified alloy. M 23 C 6 carbide precipitated at lower temperature (871-982 deg. C), while (M 6 C) 2 carbide precipitated at higher temperature (>1000 deg. C), all of which was considered to be beneficial to creep properties. A small amount of MC carbide formed during solidification and its decomposition product (M 6 C) 1 were detrimental to mechanical properties, which together with micropores provided the site of initiation of cracks and led to the final fracture

Flexural strength of proof-tested and neutron-irradiated silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Price, R. J.; Hopkins, G. R.

1982-08-01

Proof testing before service is a valuable method for ensuring the reliability of ceramic structures. Silicon carbide has been proposed as a very low activation first-wall and blanket structural material for fusion devices, where it would experience a high flux of fast neutrons. Strips of three types of silicon carbide were loaded in four-point bending to a stress sufficient to break about a third of the specimens. Groups of 16 survivors were irradiated to 2 × 10 26n/ m2 ( E>0.05 MeV) at 740°C and bend tested to failure. The strength distribution of chemically vapor-deposited silicon carbide (Texas Instruments) was virtually unchanged by irradiation. The mean strength of sintered silicon carbide (Carborundum Alpha) was reduced 34% by irradiation, while the Weibull modulus and the truncated strength distribution characteristic of proof-tested material were retained. Irradiation reduced the mean strength of reaction-bonded silicon carbide (Norton NC-430) by 58%, and the spread in strength values was increased. We conclude that for the chemically vapor-deposited and the sintered silicon carbide the benefits of proof testing to eliminate low strength material are retained after high neutron exposures.

Crystallization of nodular cast iron with carbides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Pietrowski

2008-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper a crystallization process of nodular cast iron with carbides having a different chemical composition have been presented. It have been found, that an increase of molybdenum above 0,30% causes the ledeburutic carbides crystallization after (γ+ graphite eutectic phase crystallization. When Mo content is lower, these carbides crystallize as a pre-eutectic phase. In this article causes of this effect have been given.

Single-crystal silicon trench etching for fabrication of highly integrated circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Engelhardt, Manfred

1991-03-01

The development of single crystal silicon trench etching for fabrication of memory cells in 4 16 and 64Mbit DRAMs is reviewed in this paper. A variety of both etch tools and process gases used for the process development is discussed since both equipment and etch chemistry had to be improved and changed respectively to meet the increasing requirements for high fidelity pattern transfer with increasing degree of integration. In additon to DRAM cell structures etch results for deep trench isolation in advanced bipolar ICs and ASICs are presented for these applications grooves were etched into silicon through a highly doped buried layer and at the borderline of adjacent p- and n-well areas respectively. Shallow trench etching of large and small exposed areas with identical etch rates is presented as an approach to replace standard LOCOS isolation by an advanced isolation technique. The etch profiles were investigated with SEM TEM and AES to get information on contathination and damage levels and on the mechanism leading to anisotropy in the dry etch process. Thermal wave measurements were performed on processed single crystal silicon substrates for a fast evaluation of the process with respect to plasma-induced substrate degradation. This useful technique allows an optimization ofthe etch process regarding high electrical performance of the fully processed memory chip. The benefits of the use of magnetic fields for the development of innovative single crystal silicon dry

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.

Ultrafast nonlinear response of silicon carbide to intense THz fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tarekegne, Abebe Tilahun; Iwaszczuk, Krzysztof; Kaltenecker, Korbinian J.

2017-01-01

We demonstrate ultrafast nonlinear absorption induced by strong, single-cycle THz fields in bulk, lightly doped 4H silicon carbide. A combination of Zener tunneling and intraband transitions makes the effect as at least as fast as the excitation pulse. The sub-picosecond recovery time makes...

Colloidal characterization of silicon nitride and silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Feke, Donald L.

1986-01-01

The colloidal behavior of aqueous ceramic slips strongly affects the forming and sintering behavior and the ultimate mechanical strength of the final ceramic product. The colloidal behavior of these materials, which is dominated by electrical interactions between the particles, is complex due to the strong interaction of the solids with the processing fluids. A surface titration methodology, modified to account for this interaction, was developed and used to provide fundamental insights into the interfacial chemistry of these systems. Various powder pretreatment strategies were explored to differentiate between true surface chemistry and artifacts due to exposure history. The colloidal behavior of both silicon nitride and carbide is dominated by silanol groups on the powder surfaces. However, the colloid chemistry of silicon nitride is apparently influenced by an additional amine group. With the proper powder treatments, silicon nitride and carbide powder can be made to appear colloidally equivalent. The impact of these results on processing control will be discussed.

Simulations of Proton Implantation in Silicon Carbide (SiC)

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-31

Simulations of Proton Implantation in Silicon Carbide (SiC) Jonathan P. McCandless, Hailong Chen, Philip X.-L. Feng Electrical Engineering, Case...of implanting protons (hydrogen ions, H+) into SiC thin layers on silicon (Si) substrate, and explore the ion implantation conditions that are...relevant to experimental radiation of SiC layers. Keywords: silicon carbide (SiC); radiation effects; ion implantation ; proton; stopping and range of

Separation of Nuclear Fuel Surrogates from Silicon Carbide Inert Matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baney, Ronald

2008-01-01

The objective of this project has been to identify a process for separating transuranic species from silicon carbide (SiC). Silicon carbide has become one of the prime candidates for the matrix in inert matrix fuels, (IMF) being designed to reduce plutonium inventories and the long half-lives actinides through transmutation since complete reaction is not practical it become necessary to separate the non-transmuted materials from the silicon carbide matrix for ultimate reprocessing. This work reports a method for that required process

Threshold irradiation dose for amorphization of silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1997-04-01

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

Threshold irradiation dose for amorphization of silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1997-01-01

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

Large-scale membrane transfer process: its application to single-crystal-silicon continuous membrane deformable mirror

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Tong; Sasaki, Takashi; Hane, Kazuhiro; Akiyama, Masayuki

2013-01-01

This paper describes a large-scale membrane transfer process developed for the construction of large-scale membrane devices via the transfer of continuous single-crystal-silicon membranes from one substrate to another. This technique is applied for fabricating a large stroke deformable mirror. A bimorph spring array is used to generate a large air gap between the mirror membrane and the electrode. A 1.9 mm × 1.9 mm × 2 µm single-crystal-silicon membrane is successfully transferred to the electrode substrate by Au–Si eutectic bonding and the subsequent all-dry release process. This process provides an effective approach for transferring a free-standing large continuous single-crystal-silicon to a flexible suspension spring array with a large air gap. (paper)

Influence of nanometric silicon carbide on phenolic resin composites ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. This paper presents a preliminary study on obtaining and characterization of phenolic resin-based com- posites modified with nanometric silicon carbide. The nanocomposites were prepared by incorporating nanometric silicon carbide (nSiC) into phenolic resin at 0.5, 1 and 2 wt% contents using ultrasonication to ...

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 ...

An improved method of preparing silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baney, R.H.

1979-01-01

A method of preparing silicon carbide is described which comprises forming a desired shape from a polysilane of the average formula:[(CH 3 ) 2 Si][CH 3 Si]. The polysilane contains from 0 to 60 mole percent (CH 3 ) 2 Si units and from 40 to 100 mole percent CH 3 Si units. The remaining bonds on the silicon are attached to another silicon atom or to a halogen atom in such manner that the average ratio of halogen to silicon in the polysilane is from 0.3:1 to 1:1. The polysilane has a melt viscosity at 150 0 C of from 0.005 to 500 Pa.s and an intrinsic viscosity in toluene of from 0.0001 to 0.1. The shaped polysilane is heated in an inert atmosphere or in a vacuum to an elevated temperature until the polysilane is converted to silicon carbide. (author)

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.

Single-crystal growth of Group IVB and VB carbides by the floating-zone method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finch, C.B.; Chang, Y.K.; Abraham, M.M.

1989-02-01

The floating-zone method for the growth of Group IVB and VB carbides is described and reviewed. We have systematically investigated the technique and confirmed the growth of large single crystals of TiC/sub 0.95/, ZrC/sub 0.93/, ZrC/sub 0.98/, VC/sub 0.80/, NbC/sub 0.95/, TaC/sub 0.89/. Optimal growth conditions were in the 0.5-2.0 cm/h range under 8-12 atm helium. Good crystal growth results were achieved with hot-pressed starting rods of 90-95% density, using a ''double pancake'' induction coil and a 200-kHz/100- kW rf power supply. 36 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs

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

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Sinterable nano silicon carbide powders of mean particle size (37 nm) were prepared by attrition milling and chemical processing of an acheson type alpha silicon carbide having mean particle size of 0.39 m (390 nm). Pressureless sintering of these powders was achieved by addition of boron carbide of 0.5 wt% together ...

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)

Dependence of Fracture Toughness on Crystallographic Orientation in Single-Crystalline Cubic (β) Silicon Carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pharr, M.; Katoh, Y.; Bei, H.

2006-01-01

Along with other desirable properties, the ability of silicon carbide (SiC) to retain high strength after elevated temperature exposures to neutron irradiation renders it potentially applicable in fusion and advanced fission reactors. However, properties of the material such as room temperature fracture toughness must be thoroughly characterized prior to such practical applications. The objective of this work is to investigate the dependence of fracture toughness on crystallographic orientation for single-crystalline β-SiC. X-ray diffraction was first performed on the samples to determine the orientation of the crystal. Nanoindentation was used to determine a hardness of 39.1 and 35.2 GPa and elastic modulus of 474 and 446 GPa for the single-crystalline and polycrystalline samples, respectively. Additionally, crack lengths and indentation diagonals were measured via a Vickers micro-hardness indenter under a load of 100 gf for different crystallographic orientations with indentation diagonals aligned along fundamental cleavage planes. Upon examination of propagation direction of cracks, the cracks usually did not initiate and propagate from the corners of the indentation where the stresses are concentrated but instead from the indentation sides. Such cracks clearly moved along the {1 1 0} family of planes (previously determined to be preferred cleavage plane), demonstrating that the fracture toughness of SiC is comparatively so much lower along this set of planes that the lower energy required to cleave along this plane overpowers the stress-concentration at indentation corners. Additionally, fracture toughness in the <1 1 0> direction was 1.84 MPa·m1/2, lower than the 3.46 MPa·m1/2 measured for polycrystalline SiC (which can serve as an average of a spectrum of orientations), further demonstrating that single-crystalline β-SiC has a strong fracture toughness anisotropy.

Broadband antireflective silicon carbide surface produced by cost-effective method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Argyraki, Aikaterini; Ou, Yiyu; Ou, Haiyan

2013-01-01

A cost-effective method for fabricating antireflective subwavelength structures on silicon carbide is demonstrated. The nanopatterning is performed in a 2-step process: aluminum deposition and reactive ion etching. The effect, of the deposited aluminum film thickness and the reactive ion etching...... conditions, on the average surface reflectance and nanostructure landscape have been investigated systematically. The average reflectance of silicon carbide surface is significantly suppressed from 25.4% to 0.05%, under the optimal experimental conditions, in the wavelength range of 390-784 nm. The presence...... of stochastic nanostructures also changes the wetting properties of silicon carbide surface from hydrophilic (47°) to hydrophobic (108°)....

Silver diffusion through silicon carbide in microencapsulated nuclear fuels TRISO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cancino T, F.; Lopez H, E.

2013-10-01

The silver diffusion through silicon carbide is a challenge that has persisted in the development of microencapsulated fuels TRISO (Tri structural Isotropic) for more than four decades. The silver is known as a strong emitter of gamma radiation, for what is able to diffuse through the ceramic coatings of pyrolytic coal and silicon carbide and to be deposited in the heat exchangers. In this work we carry out a recount about the art state in the topic of the diffusion of Ag through silicon carbide in microencapsulated fuels and we propose the role that the complexities in the grain limit can have this problem. (Author)

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

Multi-quantum spin resonances of intrinsic defects in silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgy Astakhov

2014-01-01

We report the observation of multi-quantum microwave absorption and emission, induced by the optical excitation of silicon vacancy related defects in silicon carbide (SiC). In particular, we observed two-quantum transitions from +3/2 to -1/2 and from -3/2 to +1/2 spin sublevels, unambiguously indicating the spin S = 3/2 ground state. Our findings may have implications for a broad range of quantum applications. On one hand, a single silicon vacancy defect is a potential source of indistinguishable microwave photon pairs due to the two-quantum emission process. On the other hand, the two-quantum absorption can be used generate a population inversion, which is a prerequisite to fabricate solid-state maser and quantum microwave amplifier. This opens a new platform cavity quantum electrodynamics experiments and quantum information processing on a single chip. (author)

All-solid-state supercapacitors on silicon using graphene from silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Bei; Ahmed, Mohsin; Iacopi, Francesca, E-mail: f.iacopi@griffith.edu.au [Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan 4111 (Australia); Wood, Barry [Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072 (Australia)

2016-05-02

Carbon-based supercapacitors are lightweight devices with high energy storage performance, allowing for faster charge-discharge rates than batteries. Here, we present an example of all-solid-state supercapacitors on silicon for on-chip applications, paving the way towards energy supply systems embedded in miniaturized electronics with fast access and high safety of operation. We present a nickel-assisted graphitization method from epitaxial silicon carbide on a silicon substrate to demonstrate graphene as a binder-free electrode material for all-solid-state supercapacitors. We obtain graphene electrodes with a strongly enhanced surface area, assisted by the irregular intrusion of nickel into the carbide layer, delivering a typical double-layer capacitance behavior with a specific area capacitance of up to 174 μF cm{sup −2} with about 88% capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles. The fabrication technique illustrated in this work provides a strategic approach to fabricate micro-scale energy storage devices compatible with silicon electronics and offering ultimate miniaturization capabilities.

All-solid-state supercapacitors on silicon using graphene from silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Bei; Ahmed, Mohsin; Iacopi, Francesca; Wood, Barry

2016-01-01

Carbon-based supercapacitors are lightweight devices with high energy storage performance, allowing for faster charge-discharge rates than batteries. Here, we present an example of all-solid-state supercapacitors on silicon for on-chip applications, paving the way towards energy supply systems embedded in miniaturized electronics with fast access and high safety of operation. We present a nickel-assisted graphitization method from epitaxial silicon carbide on a silicon substrate to demonstrate graphene as a binder-free electrode material for all-solid-state supercapacitors. We obtain graphene electrodes with a strongly enhanced surface area, assisted by the irregular intrusion of nickel into the carbide layer, delivering a typical double-layer capacitance behavior with a specific area capacitance of up to 174 μF cm"−"2 with about 88% capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles. The fabrication technique illustrated in this work provides a strategic approach to fabricate micro-scale energy storage devices compatible with silicon electronics and offering ultimate miniaturization capabilities.

DC characteristics and parameters of silicon carbide high-voltage power BJTs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patrzyk, Joanna; Zarębski, Janusz; Bisewski, Damian

2016-01-01

The paper shows the static characteristics and operating parameters of the bipolar power transistors made of silicon carbide and for comparison their equivalents made of classical silicon technology. The characteristics and values of selected operating parameters with special emphasis on the effect of temperature and operating point of considered devices are discussed. Quantitative as well as qualitative differences between the characteristics of the transistor made of silicon and silicon carbide are indicated as well

Transverse wave propagation in [ab0] direction of silicon single crystal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, Sang Jin; Kim, Hye Jeong; Kwon, Se Ho; Kim, Young H. [Applied Acoustics Lab, Korea Science Academy of KAIST, Busan(Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

The speed and oscillation directions of elastic waves propagating in the [ab0] direction of a silicon single crystal were obtained by solving Christoffel's equation. It was found that the quasi waves propagate in the off-principal axis, and hence, the directions of the phase and group velocities are not the same. The maximum deviation of the two directions was 7.2 degree angle. Two modes of the pure transverse waves propagate in the [110] direction with different speeds, and hence, two peaks were observed in the pulse echo signal. The amplitude ratio of the two peaks was dependent on the initial oscillating direction of the incident wave. The pure and quasi-transverse waves propagate in the [210] direction, and the oscillation directions of these waves are perpendicular to each other. The skewing angle of the quasi wave was calculated as 7.14 degree angle, and it was measured as 9.76 degree angle. The amplitude decomposition in the [210] direction was similar to that in the [110] direction, since the oscillation directions of these waves are perpendicular to each other. These results offer useful information in measuring the crystal orientation of the silicon single crystal.

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.

Lattice location of impurities in silicon Carbide

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2085259; Correia Martins, João Guilherme

The presence and behaviour of transition metals (TMs) in SiC has been a concern since the start of producing device-grade wafers of this wide band gap semiconductor. They are unintentionally introduced during silicon carbide (SiC) production, crystal growth and device manufacturing, which makes them difficult contaminants to avoid. Once in SiC they easily form deep levels, either when in the isolated form or when forming complexes with other defects. On the other hand, using intentional TM doping, it is possible to change the electrical, optical and magnetic properties of SiC. TMs such as chromium, manganese or iron have been considered as possible candidates for magnetic dopants in SiC, if located on silicon lattice sites. All these issues can be explored by investigating the lattice site of implanted TMs. This thesis addresses the lattice location and thermal stability of the implanted TM radioactive probes 56Mn, 59Fe, 65Ni and 111Ag in both cubic 3C- and hexagonal 6H SiC polytypes by means of emission cha...

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

Threshold irradiation dose for amorphization of silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1997-01-01

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

Tailoring the optical constants in single-crystal silicon with embedded silver nanostructures for advanced silicon photonics applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhter, Perveen; Huang, Mengbing; Spratt, William; Kadakia, Nirag; Amir, Faisal

2015-01-01

Plasmonic effects associated with metal nanostructures are expected to hold the key to tailoring light emission/propagation and harvesting solar energy in materials including single crystal silicon which remains the backbone in the microelectronics and photovoltaics industries but unfortunately, lacks many functionalities needed for construction of advanced photonic and optoelectronics devices. Currently, silicon plasmonic structures are practically possible only in the configuration with metal nanoparticles or thin film arrays on a silicon surface. This does not enable one to exploit the full potential of plasmonics for optical engineering in silicon, because the plasmonic effects are dominant over a length of ∼50 nm, and the active device region typically lies below the surface much beyond this range. Here, we report on a novel method for the formation of silver nanoparticles embedded within a silicon crystal through metal gettering from a silver thin film deposited at the surface to nanocavities within the Si created by hydrogen ion implantation. The refractive index of the Ag-nanostructured layer is found to be 3–10% lower or higher than that of silicon for wavelengths below or beyond ∼815–900 nm, respectively. Around this wavelength range, the optical extinction values increase by a factor of 10–100 as opposed to the pure silicon case. Increasing the amount of gettered silver leads to an increased extinction as well as a redshift in wavelength position for the resonance. This resonance is attributed to the surface plasmon excitation of the resultant silver nanoparticles in silicon. Additionally, we show that the profiles for optical constants in silicon can be tailored by varying the position and number of nanocavity layers. Such silicon crystals with embedded metal nanostructures would offer novel functional base structures for applications in silicon photonics, optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and plasmonics

Silicon carbide transparent chips for compact atomic sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Huet, L.; Ammar, M.; Morvan, E.; Sarazin, N.; Pocholle, J.-P.; Reichel, J.; Guerlin, C.; Schwartz, S.

2017-11-01

Atom chips [1] are an efficient tool for trapping, cooling and manipulating cold atoms, which could open the way to a new generation of compact atomic sensors addressing space applications. This is in particular due to the fact that they can achieve strong magnetic field gradients near the chip surface, hence strong atomic confinement at moderate electrical power. However, this advantage usually comes at the price of reducing the optical access to the atoms, which are confined very close to the chip surface. We will report at the conference experimental investigations showing how these limits could be pushed farther by using an atom chip made of a gold microcircuit deposited on a single-crystal Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate [2]. With a band gap energy value of about 3.2 eV at room temperature, the latter material is transparent at 780nm, potentially restoring quasi full optical access to the atoms. Moreover, it combines a very high electrical resistivity with a very high thermal conductivity, making it a good candidate for supporting wires with large currents without the need of any additional electrical insulation layer [3].

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.

High temperature corrosion of silicon carbide and silicon nitride in the presence of chloride compound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McNallan, M.

1993-01-01

Silicon carbide and silicon nitride are resistant to oxidation because a protective silicon dioxide films on their surfaces in most oxidizing environments. Chloride compounds can attack the surface in two ways: 1) chlorine can attack the silicon directly to form a volatile silicon chloride compound or 2) alkali compounds combined with the chlorine can be transported to the surface where they flux the silica layer by forming stable alkali silicates. Alkali halides have enough vapor pressure that a sufficient quantity of alkali species to cause accelerated corrosion can be transported to the ceramic surface without the formation of a chloride deposit. When silicon carbide is attacked simultaneously by chlorine and oxygen, the corrosion products include both volatile and condensed spices. Silicon nitride is much more resistance to this type of attack than silicon carbide. Silicon based ceramics are exposed to oxidizing gases in the presence of alkali chloride vapors, the rate of corrosion is controlled primarily by the driving force for the formation of alkali silicate, which can be quantified as the activity of the alkali oxide in equilibrium with the corrosive gas mixture. In a gas mixture containing a fixed partial pressure of KCl, the rate of corrosion is accelerated by increasing the concentration of water vapor and inhibited by increasing the concentration of HCl. Similar results have been obtained for mixtures containing other alkalis and halogens. (Orig./A.B.)

Optical spectroscopy of vacancy related defects in silicon carbide generated by proton irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kasper, C.; Sperlich, A.; Simin, D.; Astakhov, G.V. [Experimental Physics VI, Julius Maximilian University of Wuerzburg (Germany); Kraus, H. [Japan Atomic EnergyAgency, Takasaki, Gunma (Japan); Experimental Physics VI, Julius Maximilian University of Wuerzburg (Germany); Makino, T.; Sato, S.I.; Ohshima, T. [Japan Atomic EnergyAgency, Takasaki, Gunma (Japan); Dyakonov, V. [Experimental Physics VI, Julius Maximilian University of Wuerzburg (Germany); ZAE Bayern, Wuerzburg (Germany)

2016-07-01

Defects in silicon carbide (SiC) received growing attention in recent years, because they are promising candidates for spin based quantum information processing. In this study we examine silicon vacancies in 4H-SiC crystals generated by proton irradiation. By the use of confocal microscopy the implantation depth of Si vacancies for varying proton energies can be verified. An important issue is to ascertain the nature and distribution of the defects. For this purpose, we use the characteristic photoluminescence spectrum of Si vacancies, whose intensity is proportional to the defect density. Using xyz-scans, where the photoluminescence at each mapping point is recorded, one can thus determine the vacancies nature and their distribution in the SiC crystal. Additionally we verify the nature of the examined defects by measuring their uniquely defined zero-field-splitting by using ODMR associated with defect spins.

Electronic structures of ultra-thin silicon carbides deposited on graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, Y.; Sekiguchi, T.; Shimoyama, I.; Nath, Krishna G.

2004-01-01

Electronic structures of ultra-thin silicon carbide films have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Si K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) using linearly polarized synchrotron soft X-rays. Silicon carbide films were deposited on the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) by ion beam deposition method. Tetramethylsilane (Si(CH 3 ) 4 ) was used as a discharge gas. The XPS and XANES features for the thick layers were similar to those for the bulk SiC. For sub-monolayered films, the Si 1s binding energy in XPS was higher by 2.5 eV than that for bulk SiC. This suggests the existence of low-dimensional SiC x where the silicon atoms are more positively charged than those in bulk SiC. After annealing the sub-monolayered film at 850 deg. C, a new peak appeared around 1840 eV in the XANES spectrum. The energy of this new peak was lower than those for any other silicon compounds. The low-energy feature of the XANES peak suggests the existence of π*-like orbitals around the silicon atom. On the basis of the polarization dependencies of the XANES spectra, it was revealed that the direction of the π*-like orbitals are nearly perpendicular to the surface. We conclude that sub-monolayered SiC x film exhibits flat-lying structure of which configuration is similar to a single sheet of graphite

Test setup for long term reliability investigation of Silicon Carbide MOSFETs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baker, Nick; Munk-Nielsen, Stig; Beczkowski, Szymon

2013-01-01

Silicon Carbide MOSFETs are now widely available and have frequently been demonstrated to offer numerous advantages over Silicon based devices. However, reliability issues remain a significant concern in their realisation in commercial power electronic systems. In this paper, a test bench...... is designed that enables an accelerated power cycling test to be performed on packaged Silicon Carbide MOSFETs (TO-247) under realistic operating conditions. An accelerated power cycling test is then performed, with on-state resistance selected as the observed parameter to detect degradation. On......-state resistance is routinely monitored online through the use of an innovative voltage measurement system. The packaged Silicon Carbide MOSFET is shown to exhibit a 25% increase in on-state resistance as the device ages throughout its lifetime, with the test still on-going....

Indentation fatigue in silicon nitride, alumina and silicon carbide ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

carbide ceramics. A K MUKHOPADHYAY. Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata 700 032, India. Abstract. 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.

Melting of Grey Cast Iron Based on Steel Scrap Using Silicon Carbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stojczew A.

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the issue of synthetic cast iron production in the electric induction furnace exclusively on the steel scrap base. Silicon carbide and synthetic graphite were used as carburizers. The carburizers were introduced with solid charge or added on the liquid metal surface. The chemical analysis of the produced cast iron, the carburization efficiency and microstructure features were presented in the paper. It was stated that ferrosilicon can be replaced by silicon carbide during the synthetic cast iron melting process. However, due to its chemical composition (30% C and 70% Si which causes significant silicon content in iron increase, the carbon deficit can be partly compensated by the carburizer introduction. Moreover it was shown that the best carbon and silicon assimilation rate is obtained where the silicon carbide is being introduced together with solid charge. When it is thrown onto liquid alloy surface the efficiency of the process is almost two times less and the melting process lasts dozen minutes long. The microstructure of the cast iron produced with the silicon carbide shows more bulky graphite flakes than inside the microstructure of cast iron produced on the pig iron base.

TRANSFORMATIONS IN NANO-DIAMONDS WITH FORMATION OF NANO-POROUS SILICON CARBIDE AT HIGH PRESSURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. N. Kovalevsky

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The paper contains investigations on regularities of diamond - silicon carbide composite structure formation at impact-wave excitation. It has been determined that while squeezing a porous blank containing Si (SiC nano-diamond by explosive detonation products some processes are taking place such as diamond nano-particles consolidation, reverse diamond transition into graphite, fragments formation from silicon carbide. A method for obtaining high-porous composites with the presence of ultra-disperse diamond particles has been developed. Material with three-dimensional high-porous silicon-carbide structure has been received due to nano-diamond graphitation at impact wave transmission and plastic deformation. The paper reveals nano-diamonds inverse transformation into graphite and its subsequent interaction with the silicon accompanied by formation of silicon-carbide fragments with dimensions of up to 100 nm.

Stark tuning and electrical charge state control of single divacancies in silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

de las Casas, Charles F.; Christle, David J.; Ul Hassan, Jawad; Ohshima, Takeshi; Son, Nguyen T.; Awschalom, David D.

2017-12-01

Neutrally charged divacancies in silicon carbide (SiC) are paramagnetic color centers whose long coherence times and near-telecom operating wavelengths make them promising for scalable quantum communication technologies compatible with existing fiber optic networks. However, local strain inhomogeneity can randomly perturb their optical transition frequencies, which degrades the indistinguishability of photons emitted from separate defects and hinders their coupling to optical cavities. Here, we show that electric fields can be used to tune the optical transition frequencies of single neutral divacancy defects in 4H-SiC over a range of several GHz via the DC Stark effect. The same technique can also control the charge state of the defect on microsecond timescales, which we use to stabilize unstable or non-neutral divacancies into their neutral charge state. Using fluorescence-based charge state detection, we show that both 975 nm and 1130 nm excitation can prepare their neutral charge state with near unity efficiency.

Silicon-Carbide Power MOSFET Performance in High Efficiency Boost Power Processing Unit for Extreme Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Ikpe, Stanley A.; Lauenstein, Jean-Marie; Carr, Gregory A.; Hunter, Don; Ludwig, Lawrence L.; Wood, William; Del Castillo, Linda Y.; Fitzpatrick, Fred; Chen, Yuan

2016-01-01

Silicon-Carbide device technology has generated much interest in recent years. With superior thermal performance, power ratings and potential switching frequencies over its Silicon counterpart, Silicon-Carbide offers a greater possibility for high powered switching applications in extreme environment. In particular, Silicon-Carbide Metal-Oxide- Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors' (MOSFETs) maturing process technology has produced a plethora of commercially available power dense, low on-state resistance devices capable of switching at high frequencies. A novel hard-switched power processing unit (PPU) is implemented utilizing Silicon-Carbide power devices. Accelerated life data is captured and assessed in conjunction with a damage accumulation model of gate oxide and drain-source junction lifetime to evaluate potential system performance at high temperature environments.

Anisotropy effect of crater formation on single crystal silicon surface under intense pulsed ion beam irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Jie; Yu, Xiao; Zhang, Jie; Zhong, Haowen; Cui, Xiaojun; Liang, Guoying; Yu, Xiang; Huang, Wanying; Shahid, Ijaz; Zhang, Xiaofu; Yan, Sha; Le, Xiaoyun

2018-04-01

Due to the induced extremely fast thermal and dynamic process, Intense Pulsed Ion Beam (IPIB) is widely applied in material processing, which can bring enhanced material performance and surface craters as well. To investigate the craters' formation mechanism, a specific model was built with Finite Element Methods (FEM) to simulate the thermal field on irradiated single crystal silicon. The direct evidence for the existence of the simulated 6-fold rotational symmetric thermal distribution was provided by electron microscope images obtained on single crystal silicon. The correlation of the experiment and simulation is of great importance to understand the interaction between IPIB and materials.

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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.

Novel fabrication of silicon carbide based ceramics for nuclear applications

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Abhishek Kumar

Advances in nuclear reactor technology and the use of gas-cooled fast reactors require the development of new materials that can operate at the higher temperatures expected in these systems. These materials include refractory alloys based on Nb, Zr, Ta, Mo, W, and Re; ceramics and composites such as SiC--SiCf; carbon--carbon composites; and advanced coatings. Besides the ability to handle higher expected temperatures, effective heat transfer between reactor components is necessary for improved efficiency. Improving thermal conductivity of the fuel can lower the center-line temperature and, thereby, enhance power production capabilities and reduce the risk of premature fuel pellet failure. Crystalline silicon carbide has superior characteristics as a structural material from the viewpoint of its thermal and mechanical properties, thermal shock resistance, chemical stability, and low radioactivation. Therefore, there have been many efforts to develop SiC based composites in various forms for use in advanced energy systems. In recent years, with the development of high yield preceramic precursors, the polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) method has aroused interest for the fabrication of ceramic based materials, for various applications ranging from disc brakes to nuclear reactor fuels. The pyrolysis of preceramic polymers allow new types of ceramic materials to be processed at relatively low temperatures. The raw materials are element-organic polymers whose composition and architecture can be tailored and varied. The primary focus of this study is to use a pyrolysis based process to fabricate a host of novel silicon carbide-metal carbide or oxide composites, and to synthesize new materials based on mixed-metal silicocarbides that cannot be processed using conventional techniques. Allylhydridopolycarbosilane (AHPCS), which is an organometal polymer, was used as the precursor for silicon carbide. Inert gas pyrolysis of AHPCS produces near-stoichiometric amorphous

Structural and electronic properties of boron-doped double-walled silicon carbide nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Behzad, Somayeh, E-mail: somayeh.behzad@gmail.co [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moradian, Rostam [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nano Science and Technology Research Center, Razi University, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Computational Physical Science Research Laboratory, Department of Nano Science, Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (IPM), P.O. Box 19395-5531, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Chegel, Raad [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-12-01

The effects of boron doping on the structural and electronic properties of (6,0)-(14,0) double-walled silicon carbide nanotube (DWSiCNT) are investigated by using spin-polarized density functional theory. It is found that boron atom could be more easily doped in the inner tube. Our calculations indicate that a Si site is favorable for B under C-rich condition and a C site is favorable under Si-rich condition. Additionally, B-substitution at either single carbon or silicon atom site in DWSiCNT could induce spontaneous magnetization.

Structural and electronic properties of boron-doped double-walled silicon carbide nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behzad, Somayeh; Moradian, Rostam; Chegel, Raad

2010-01-01

The effects of boron doping on the structural and electronic properties of (6,0)-(14,0) double-walled silicon carbide nanotube (DWSiCNT) are investigated by using spin-polarized density functional theory. It is found that boron atom could be more easily doped in the inner tube. Our calculations indicate that a Si site is favorable for B under C-rich condition and a C site is favorable under Si-rich condition. Additionally, B-substitution at either single carbon or silicon atom site in DWSiCNT could induce spontaneous magnetization.

Structural and electronic properties of boron-doped double-walled silicon carbide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Behzad, Somayeh; Moradian, Rostam; Chegel, Raad

2010-12-01

The effects of boron doping on the structural and electronic properties of (6,0)@(14,0) double-walled silicon carbide nanotube (DWSiCNT) are investigated by using spin-polarized density functional theory. It is found that boron atom could be more easily doped in the inner tube. Our calculations indicate that a Si site is favorable for B under C-rich condition and a C site is favorable under Si-rich condition. Additionally, B-substitution at either single carbon or silicon atom site in DWSiCNT could induce spontaneous magnetization.

Identification of stacking faults in silicon carbide by polarization-resolved second harmonic generation microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hristu, Radu; Stanciu, Stefan G; Tranca, Denis E; Polychroniadis, Efstathios K; Stanciu, George A

2017-07-07

Although silicon carbide is a highly promising crystalline material for a wide range of electronic devices, extended and point defects which perturb the lattice periodicity hold deep implications with respect to device reliability. There is thus a great need for developing new methods that can detect silicon carbide defects which are detrimental to device functionality. Our experiment demonstrates that polarization-resolved second harmonic generation microscopy can extend the efficiency of the "optical signature" concept as an all-optical rapid and non-destructive set of investigation methods for the differentiation between hexagonal and cubic stacking faults in silicon carbide. This technique can be used for fast and in situ characterization and optimization of growth conditions for epilayers of silicon carbide and similar materials.

Quality evaluation of resistivity-controlled silicon crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jong Hoe

2006-01-01

The segregation phenomenon of dopants causes a low production yield of silicon crystal that meets the resistivity tolerance required by device manufacturers. In order to control the macroscopic axial resistivity distribution in bulk crystal growth, numerous studies including continuous Czochralski method and double crucible technique have been studied. The simple B-P codoping method for improving the productivity of p-type silicon single-crystal growth by controlling axial specific resistivity distribution was proposed by Wang [Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 43 (2004) 4079]. In this work, the quality of Czochralski-grown silicon single crystals with a diameter 200 mm using B-P codoping method was studied from the chemical and structural points of view. It was found that the characteristics of B-P codoped wafers including the oxygen precipitation behavior and the grown-in defects are same as that of conventional B-doped Czochralski crystals.

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).

Doping of silicon carbide by ion implantation; Dopage du carbure de silicium par implantation ionique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gimbert, J

1999-03-04

It appeared that in some fields, as the hostile environments (high temperature or irradiation), the silicon compounds showed limitations resulting from the electrical and mechanical properties. Doping of 4H and 6H silicon carbide by ion implantation is studied from a physicochemical and electrical point of view. It is necessary to obtain n-type and p-type material to realize high power and/or high frequency devices, such as MESFETs and Schottky diodes. First, physical and electrical properties of silicon carbide are presented and the interest of developing a process technology on this material is emphasised. Then, physical characteristics of ion implantation and particularly classical dopant implantation, such as nitrogen, for n-type doping, and aluminium and boron, for p-type doping are described. Results with these dopants are presented and analysed. Optimal conditions are extracted from these experiences so as to obtain a good crystal quality and a surface state allowing device fabrication. Electrical conduction is then described in the 4H and 6H-SiC polytypes. Freezing of free carriers and scattering processes are described. Electrical measurements are carried out using Hall effect on Van der Panw test patterns, and 4 point probe method are used to draw the type of the material, free carrier concentrations, resistivity and mobility of the implanted doped layers. These results are commented and compared to the theoretical analysis. The influence of the technological process on electrical conduction is studied in view of fabricating implanted silicon carbide devices. (author)

Effect of hydrogen on the microstructure of silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischman, G.S.

1985-01-01

The effect of hydrogenation on the microstructure of a pressureless sintered silicon carbide was studied. Samples which were annealed in a 40:60 mole % H 2 :Ar atmosphere at 1400 0 C for 50 hours were microstructurally compared with unannealed samples and samples that had been annealed in a similar manner but using an argon atmosphere. The results were also compared with microstructural results obtained from in situ studies using both hydrogen and argon atmospheres. These results were compared with a thermodynamic model which was constructed using a free energy minimization technique. The observed effects of hydrogenation were surface decarburization and amorphization throughout the silicon carbide material. Other observations include the thermally induced growth of microcrystalline silicon and accelerated amorphization around the silicon microcrystals in samples used in hydrogen in situ studies. An analysis of the microstructure of the reference material was also performed

Enhanced optical performance of electrochemically etched porous silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naderi, N; Hashim, M R; Saron, K M A; Rouhi, J

2013-01-01

Porous silicon carbide (PSC) was successfully synthesized via electrochemical etching of an n-type hexagonal silicon carbide (6H-SiC) substrate using various current densities. The cyclic voltammograms of SiC dissolution show that illumination is required for the accumulation of carriers at the surface, followed by surface oxidation and dissolution of the solid. The morphological and optical characterizations of PSC were reported. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated that the current density can be considered an important etching parameter that controls the porosity and uniformity of PSC; hence, it can be used to optimize the optical properties of the porous samples. (paper)

Annihilation of unthermalized positrons in a silicon single crystal at 770K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaitsev, Yu.E.; Mungir, L.; Ue'pe, L.R.

1984-01-01

A model is considered for the annihilation of nonrelativistic positrons from quantized states in lattice channels. Annihilation gamma rays of energy over 511 keV have been observed when the positrons from an Na 22 source strike a silicon single crystal at 77 0 K. The experimental results agree well with the proposed model

Comparative Evaluations and Microstructure: Mechanical Property Relations of Sintered Silicon Carbide Consolidated by Various Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Barick, Prasenjit; Chatterjee, Arya; Majumdar, Bhaskar; Saha, Bhaskar Prasad; Mitra, Rahul

2018-04-01

A comparative evaluation between pressureless or self-sintered silicon carbide (SSiC), hot-pressed silicon carbide (HP-SiC), and spark plasma-sintered silicon carbide (SPS-SiC) has been carried out with emphasis on examination of their microstructures and mechanical properties. The effect of sample dimensions on density and properties of SPS-SiC has been also examined. Elastic modulus, flexural strength, and fracture toughness measured by indentation or testing of single-edge notched beam specimens have been found to follow the following trend, HP-SiC > SSiC > SPS-SiC. The SPS-SiC samples have shown size-dependent densification and mechanical properties, with the smaller sample exhibiting superior properties. The mechanical properties of sintered SiC samples appear to be influenced by relative density, grain size, and morphology, as well as the existence of intergranular glassy phase. Studies of fracture surface morphologies have revealed the mechanism of failure to be transgranular in SSiC or HP-SiC, and intergranular in case of SPS-SiC, indicating the dominating influence of grain size and α-SiC formation with high aspect ratio.

Stored energy in irradiated silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Snead, L.L.; Burchell, T.D. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1997-04-01

This report presents a short review of the phenomenon of Wigner stored energy release from irradiated graphite and discusses it in relation to neutron irradiation of silicon carbide. A single published work in the area of stored energy release in SiC is reviewed and the results are discussed. It appears from this previous work that because the combination of the comparatively high specific heat of SiC and distribution in activation energies for recombining defects, the stored energy release of SiC should only be a problem at temperatures lower than those considered for fusion devices. The conclusion of this preliminary review is that the stored energy release in SiC will not be sufficient to cause catastrophic heating in fusion reactor components, though further study would be desirable.

On electronic structure of polymer-derived amorphous silicon carbide ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kewei; Li, Xuqin; Ma, Baisheng; Wang, Yiguang; Zhang, Ligong; An, Linan

2014-06-01

The electronic structure of polymer-derived amorphous silicon carbide ceramics was studied by combining measurements of temperature-dependent conductivity and optical absorption. By comparing the experimental results to theoretical models, electronic structure was constructed for a carbon-rich amorphous silicon carbide, which revealed several unique features, such as deep defect energy level, wide band-tail band, and overlap between the band-tail band and defect level. These unique features were discussed in terms of the microstructure of the material and used to explain the electric behavior.

Ultrasonically Assisted Single Point Diamond Turning of Optical Mold of Tungsten Carbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhanjie Li

2018-02-01

Full Text Available To realize high efficiency, low/no damage and high precision machining of tungsten carbide used for lens mold, a high frequency ultrasonic vibration cutting system was developed at first. Then, tungsten carbide was precisely machined with a polycrystalline diamond (PCD tool assisted by the self-developed high frequency ultrasonic vibration cutting system. Tool wear mechanism was investigated in ductile regime machining of tungsten carbide. The cutter back-off phenomenon in the process was analyzed. The subsequent experimental results of ultra-precision machining with a single crystal diamond tool showed that: under the condition of high frequency ultrasonic vibration cutting, nano-scale surface roughness can be obtained by the diamond tool with smaller tip radius and no defects like those of ground surface were found on the machined surface. Tool wear mechanisms of the single crystal diamond tool are mainly abrasive wear and micro-chipping. To solve the problem, a method of inclined ultrasonic vibration cutting with negative rake angle was put forward according to force analysis, which can further reduce tool wear and roughness of the machined surface. The investigation was important to high efficiency and quality ultra-precision machining of tungsten carbide.

Linear electro-optic effect in cubic silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Xiao; Irvine, Kenneth G.; Zhang, Dongping; Spencer, Michael G.

1991-01-01

The first observation is reported of the electrooptic effect of cubic silicon carbide (beta-SiC) grown by a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor using the hydrogen, silane, and propane gas system. At a wavelength of 633 nm, the value of the electrooptic coefficient r41 in beta-SiC is determined to be 2.7 +/- 0.5 x 10 (exp-12) m/V, which is 1.7 times larger than that in gallium arsenide measured at 10.6 microns. Also, a half-wave voltage of 6.4 kV for beta-SiC is obtained. Because of this favorable value of electrooptic coefficient, it is believed that silicon carbide may be a promising candidate in electrooptic applications for high optical intensity in the visible region.

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.

Theoretical exploration of structural, electro-optical and magnetic properties of gallium-doped silicon carbide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad; Moradian, Rostam; Shahrokhi, Masoud

2014-09-01

The effects of gallium doping on the structural, electro-optical and magnetic properties of (8,0) silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) are investigated by using spin-polarized density functional theory. It is found from the calculation of the formation energies that gallium substitution for silicon atom is preferred. Our results show that gallium substitution at either single carbon or silicon atom site in SiCNT could induce spontaneous magnetization. The optical studies based on dielectric function indicate that new transition peaks and a blue shift are observed after gallium doping.

Characterisation of silicon carbide films deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iliescu, Ciprian; Chen Bangtao; Wei Jiashen; Pang, A.J.

2008-01-01

The paper presents a characterisation of amorphous silicon carbide films deposited in plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) reactors for MEMS applications. The main parameter was optimised in order to achieve a low stress and high deposition rate. We noticed that the high frequency mode (13.56 MHz) gives a low stress value which can be tuned from tensile to compressive by selecting the correct power. The low frequency mode (380 kHz) generates high compressive stress (around 500 MPa) due to ion bombardment and, as a result, densification of the layer achieved. Temperature can decrease the compressive value of the stress (due to annealing effect). A low etching rate of the amorphous silicon carbide layer was noticed for wet etching in KOH 30% at 80 o C (around 13 A/min) while in HF 49% the layer is practically inert. A very slow etching rate of amorphous silicon carbide layer in XeF 2 -7 A/min- was observed. The paper presents an example of this application: PECVD-amorphous silicon carbide cantilevers fabricated using surface micromachining by dry-released technique in XeF 2

Influence of the microstructure of a diamond-containing composite material on the tool cutting ability when grinding a diamond single crystal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.M. Kuzei

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Using the methods of electronic scanning microstructure and X-ray analysis, the influence of the structure of diamond-containing composite materials on the cutting ability of the tool for circular grinding of diamond single crystals has been studied. It is shown that the use of an oxide-hydroxide glass with a spreading temperature of 570–590 K as a precursor of the binder leads to the formation of melt films on the surface of silicon carbide and diamond particles at 600–630 K and the glass content in the batch is 10 vol. %. The conversion of oxidehydroxide glass films to oxide films proceeds at 700–775 K during the sintering of the composite material. Depending on the volume content of the glass in the charge, the porosity of the compact, three types of structure of composite materials are distinguished: a volumetric skeleton of glass-clad diamond particles and silicon carbide with pores at the sites of multiple compounds; a frame made of glass-clad diamond particles and silicon carbide with glass pores in places of multiple connections; a matrix of glass and the particles of diamond, silicon carbide and pores located in it. The maximum cutting ability of the tool for circular grinding of diamond is provided by a composite material with a structure of the first type.

Dependence of silicon carbide coating properties on deposition parameters: preliminary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauf, R.J.; Braski, D.N.

1980-05-01

Fuel particles for the High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) contain a layer of pyrolytic silicon carbide, which acts as a pressure vessel and provides containment of metallic fission products. The silicon carbide (SiC) is deposited by the thermal decomposition of methyltrichlorosilane (CH 3 SiCl 3 or MTS) in an excess of hydrogen. The purpose of the current study is to determine how the deposition variables affect the structure and properties of the SiC layer

One step deposition of highly adhesive diamond films on cemented carbide substrates via diamond/β-SiC composite interlayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Tao; Zhuang, Hao; Jiang, Xin, E-mail: xin.jiang@uni-siegen.de

2015-12-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Novel diamond/beta-silicon carbide composite gradient interlayers were synthesized. • The interlayer features a cross-sectional gradient with increasing diamond content. • Diamond top layers and the interlayers were deposited in one single process. • The adhesion of the diamond film is drastically improved by employing the interlayer. • The stress was suppressed by manipulating the distribution of diamond and silicon carbide. - Abstract: Deposition of adherent diamond films on cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide substrates has been realized by application of diamond/beta-silicon carbide composite interlayers. Diamond top layers and the interlayers were deposited in one single process by hot filament chemical vapor deposition technique. Two different kinds of interlayers have been employed, namely, gradient interlayer and interlayer with constant composition. The distribution of diamond and beta-silicon carbide phases was precisely controlled by manipulating the gas phase composition. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were employed to determine the existence of diamond, beta-silicon carbide and cobalt silicides (Co{sub 2}Si, CoSi) phases, as well as the quality of diamond crystal and the residual stress in the films. Rockwell-C indentation tests were carried out to evaluate the film adhesion. It is revealed that the adhesion of the diamond film is drastically improved by employing the interlayer. This is mainly influenced by the residual stress in the diamond top layer, which is induced by the different thermal expansion coefficient of the film and the substrate. It is even possible to further suppress the stress by manipulating the distribution of diamond and beta-silicon carbide in the interlayer. The most adhesive diamond film on cemented carbide is thus obtained by employing a gradient composite interlayer.

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...

Process design and simulation for optimizing the oxygen concentration in Czochralski-grown single-crystal silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Y. J.; Kim, W. K.; Jung, J. H.

2014-01-01

The highest-concentration impurity in a single-crystal silicon ingot is oxygen, which infiltrates the ingot during growth stage. This oxygen adversely affects the wafer is quality. This study was aimed at finding an optimal design for the Czochralski (Cz) process to enable high-quality and low cost (by reducing power consumption) wafer production by controlling the oxygen concentration in the silicon ingots. In the Cz process, the characteristics of silicon ingots during crystallization are greatly influenced by the design and the configuration of the hot zone, and by crystallization rate. In order to identify process conditions for obtaining an optimal oxygen concentration of 11 - 13 ppma (required for industrial-grade ingots), designed two shield shapes for the hot zone. Furthermore, oxygen concentrations corresponding to these two shapes were compared by evaluating each shape at five different production speeds. In addition, simulations were performed to identify the optimal shield design for industrial applications.

Process design and simulation for optimizing the oxygen concentration in Czochralski-grown single-crystal silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Y. J.; Kim, W. K.; Jung, J. H. [Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-15

The highest-concentration impurity in a single-crystal silicon ingot is oxygen, which infiltrates the ingot during growth stage. This oxygen adversely affects the wafer is quality. This study was aimed at finding an optimal design for the Czochralski (Cz) process to enable high-quality and low cost (by reducing power consumption) wafer production by controlling the oxygen concentration in the silicon ingots. In the Cz process, the characteristics of silicon ingots during crystallization are greatly influenced by the design and the configuration of the hot zone, and by crystallization rate. In order to identify process conditions for obtaining an optimal oxygen concentration of 11 - 13 ppma (required for industrial-grade ingots), designed two shield shapes for the hot zone. Furthermore, oxygen concentrations corresponding to these two shapes were compared by evaluating each shape at five different production speeds. In addition, simulations were performed to identify the optimal shield design for industrial applications.

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)

Fabrication of triangular nanobeam waveguide networks in bulk diamond using single-crystal silicon hard masks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayn, I.; Mouradian, S.; Li, L.; Goldstein, J. A.; Schröder, T.; Zheng, J.; Chen, E. H.; Gaathon, O.; Englund, Dirk; Lu, M.; Stein, A.; Ruggiero, C. A.; Salzman, J.; Kalish, R.

2014-01-01

A scalable approach for integrated photonic networks in single-crystal diamond using triangular etching of bulk samples is presented. We describe designs of high quality factor (Q = 2.51 × 10 6 ) photonic crystal cavities with low mode volume (V m  = 1.062 × (λ/n) 3 ), which are connected via waveguides supported by suspension structures with predicted transmission loss of only 0.05 dB. We demonstrate the fabrication of these structures using transferred single-crystal silicon hard masks and angular dry etching, yielding photonic crystal cavities in the visible spectrum with measured quality factors in excess of Q = 3 × 10 3

An improved method for preparing silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baney, R.H.

1980-01-01

A desired shape is formed from a polysilane and the shape is heated in an inert atmosphere or under vacuum to 1150 to 1600 0 C until the polysilane is converted to silicon carbide. The polysilane contains from 0 to 60 mole percent of (CH 3 ) 2 Si units and from 40 to 100 mole percent of CH 3 Si units. The remaining bonds on silicon are attached to another silicon atom or to a chlorine or bromine atom, such that the polysilane contains from 10 to 43 weight percent of hydrolyzable chlorine or from 21 to 63 weight percent of hydrolyzable bromine. (author)

Visible light emission from porous silicon carbide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ou, Haiyan; Lu, Weifang

2017-01-01

Light-emitting silicon carbide is emerging as an environment-friendly wavelength converter in the application of light-emitting diode based white light source for two main reasons. Firstly, SiC has very good thermal conductivity and therefore a good substrate for GaN growth in addition to the small...

Preparation And Characterization Of Silicon Carbide Foam By Using In-Situ Generated Polyurethane Foam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shalini Saxena

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract The open cell silicon carbide SiC foam was prepared using highly crosslinked hybrid organic- inorganic polymer resin matrix. As inorganic polymer polycarbosilane was taken and organic resin was taken as a mixture of epoxy resin and diisocyanates. The resultant highly crosslinked hybrid resin matrix on heating and subsequently on pyrolysis yielded open cell silicon carbide foam. The hybrid resin matrix was characterized by Fourier transform Infrared Spectroscopy FT-IR and thermal properties i.e. Thermogravimetric analysis TGA amp Differential Scanning Calorimetry DSC were also studied. The morphological studies of silicon carbide ceramic foam were carried out using X-ray Spectroscopy XRD amp Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM.

DETERMINATION OF VICKERS MICROHARDNESS IN β-Ga2O3 SINGLE CRYSTALS GROWN FROM THEIR OWN MELT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. I. Guzilova

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The results of microhardness measurements of β-Ga2O3 single crystals for (001 crystallographic face are reported. The crystals were grown by the free crystallization with the "Garnet-2M" equipment. Microhardness values ​​ were determined by the Vickers method at varying loads. A four-sided diamond pyramid was used as an indenter. The average value of gallium oxide microhardness was equal to 8.91 GPa. We have carried out comparison of the values ​​obtained with the microhardness for the other wide bandgap semiconductors - epitaxial GaN layers grown on 6H-SiC and GaP layers grown on GaP:S. The findings are usable for machining process development of β-Ga2O3 single crystal substrates. In particular, silicon carbide and electrocorundum may be recommended for β-Ga2O3 machine processing.

Growth of Ba-hexaferrite films on single crystal 6-H SiC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Zhoahui; Yang, Aria; Yoon, S.D.; Ziemer, Katherine; Vittoria, Carmine; Harris, V.G.

2006-01-01

Barium hexaferrite films have been processed by pulsed laser deposition on single crystal 6-H silicon carbide substrates. Atomic force microscopy images show hexagonal crystals (∼0.5μm in diameter) oriented with the c-axis perpendicular to the film plane. X-ray θ-2θ diffraction measurements indicate a strong (0,0,2n) alignment of crystallites. The magnetization for low-pressure deposition (20mTorr) is comparable to bulk values (4πM s ∼4320G). The loop squareness, important for self-bias microwave device applications, increases with oxygen pressure reaching a maximum value of 70%. This marks the first growth of a microwave ferrite on SiC substrates and offers a new approach in the design and development of μ-wave and mm-wave monolithic integrated circuits. c integrated circuits

Structures of sub-monolayered silicon carbide films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, Y.; Sekiguchi, T.; Shimoyama, I.; Nath, Krishna G.

2004-01-01

The electronic and geometrical structures of silicon carbide thin films are presented. The films were deposited on graphite by ion-beam deposition using tetramethylsilane (TMS) as an ion source. In the Si K-edge near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra for sub-monolayered film, sharp peaks due to the resonance from Si 1s to π*-like orbitals were observed, suggesting the existence of Si=C double bonds. On the basis of the polarization dependencies of the Si 1s → π* peak intensities, it is elucidated that the direction of the π*-like orbitals is just perpendicular to the surface. We conclude that the sub-monolayered SiC x film has a flat-lying hexagonal structure of which configuration is analogous to the single sheet of graphite

Design and Fabrication of Silicon-on-Silicon-Carbide Substrates and Power Devices for Space Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gammon P.M.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A new generation of power electronic semiconductor devices are being developed for the benefit of space and terrestrial harsh-environment applications. 200-600 V lateral transistors and diodes are being fabricated in a thin layer of silicon (Si wafer bonded to silicon carbide (SiC. This novel silicon-on-silicon-carbide (Si/SiC substrate solution promises to combine the benefits of silicon-on-insulator (SOI technology (i.e device confinement, radiation tolerance, high and low temperature performance with that of SiC (i.e. high thermal conductivity, radiation hardness, high temperature performance. Details of a process are given that produces thin films of silicon 1, 2 and 5 μm thick on semi-insulating 4H-SiC. Simulations of the hybrid Si/SiC substrate show that the high thermal conductivity of the SiC offers a junction-to-case temperature ca. 4× less that an equivalent SOI device; reducing the effects of self-heating, and allowing much greater power density. Extensive electrical simulations are used to optimise a 600 V laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (LDMOSFET implemented entirely within the silicon thin film, and highlight the differences between Si/SiC and SOI solutions.

Deflection of high energy channeled charged particles by elastically bent silicon single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, W.M.; Kim, I.J.; Pisharodoy, M.; Salman, S.M.; Sun, C.R.; Wang, G.H.; Wijayawardana, R.; Forster, J.S.; Mitchell, I.V.; Baker, S.I.; Carrigan, R.A. Jr.; Toohig, T.E.; Avdeichikov, V.V.; Ellison, J.A.; Siffert, P.

1984-01-01

An experiment has been carried out to observe the deflection of charged particles by planar channeling in bent single crystals of silicon for protons with energy up to 180 GeV. Anomolous loss of particles from the center point of a three point bending apparatus was observed at high incident particle energy. This effect has been exploited to fashion a 'dechanneling spectrometer' to study dechanneling effects due to centripital displacement of channeled particle trajectories in a bent crystal. The bending losses generally conform to the predictions of calculations based on a classical model. (orig.)

A re-examination of two-step lateral stress history in silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dandekar, Dattatraya P.

2004-01-01

The observed two-step lateral stress history in silicon carbide, SiC-B under plane shock wave propagation [N. K. Bourne, J. Millett, and I. Pickup, J. Appl. Phys. 81, 6019 (1997)] is attributed to a delayed failure in SiC-B due to propagation of a slow moving front traveling behind the main shock wave. According to this attribution, the first lower magnitude, step corresponds to the lateral stress in intact shock compressed silicon carbide as a result of the fast moving plane shock wave. The second step of higher magnitude, observed after a few hundred nanoseconds, corresponds to the lateral stress in failed silicon carbide due to propagation of the slower moving front. The current analysis, takes into account additional relevant existing results dealing with shock response of SiC-B, and shows that the suggested explanation for the observed phenomenon remains in doubt

Mechanical characteristics of microwave sintered silicon carbide

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In firing of products by conventionally sintered process, SiC grain gets oxidized producing SiO2 (∼ 32 wt%) and deteriorates the quality of the product substantially. Partially sintered silicon carbide by such a method is a useful material for a varieties of applications ranging from kiln furniture to membrane material.

Gallium arsenide single crystal solar cell structure and method of making

Science.gov (United States)

Stirn, Richard J. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

A production method and structure for a thin-film GaAs crystal for a solar cell on a single-crystal silicon substrate (10) comprising the steps of growing a single-crystal interlayer (12) of material having a closer match in lattice and thermal expansion with single-crystal GaAs than the single-crystal silicon of the substrate, and epitaxially growing a single-crystal film (14) on the interlayer. The material of the interlayer may be germanium or graded germanium-silicon alloy, with low germanium content at the silicon substrate interface, and high germanium content at the upper surface. The surface of the interface layer (12) is annealed for recrystallization by a pulsed beam of energy (laser or electron) prior to growing the interlayer. The solar cell structure may be grown as a single-crystal n.sup.+ /p shallow homojunction film or as a p/n or n/p junction film. A Ga(Al)AS heteroface film may be grown over the GaAs film.

Silicon carbide layer structure recovery after ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Violin, Eh.E.; Demakov, K.D.; Kal'nin, A.A.; Nojbert, F.; Potapov, E.N.; Tairov, Yu.M.

1984-01-01

The process of recovery of polytype structure of SiC surface layers in the course of thermal annealing (TA) and laser annealing (LA) upon boron and aluminium implantation is studied. The 6H polytype silicon carbide C face (0001) has been exposed to ion radiation. The ion energies ranged from 80 to 100 keV, doses varied from 5x10 14 to 5x10 16 cm -2 . TA was performed in the 800-2000 K temperature range. It is shown that the recovery of the structure of silicon carbide layers after ion implantation takes place in several stages. Considerable effect on the structure of the annealed layers is exerted by the implantation dose and the type of implanted impurity. The recovery of polytype structure is possible only under the effect of laser pulses with duration not less than the time for the ordering of the polytype in question

CO2 laser-induced directional recrystallization to produce single crystal silicon-core optical fibers with low loss

OpenAIRE

Healy, Noel; Fokine, Michael; Franz, Yohann; Hawkins, Thomas; Jones, Maxwell; Ballato, John; Peacock, Anna C.; Gibson, Ursula J.

2016-01-01

Reduced losses in silicon-core fibers are obtained using CO2 laser directional recrystallization of the core. Single crystals with aspect ratios up to 1500:1 are reported, limited by the scan range of the equipment. This processing technique holds promise for bringing crystalline silicon-core fibers to a central role in nonlinear optics and signal processing applications.

Silicon crystal growth using a liquid-feeding Czochralski method

Science.gov (United States)

Shiraishi, Yutaka; Kurosaka, Shoei; Imai, Masato

1996-09-01

Silicon single crystals with uniformity along the growth direction were grown using a new continuous Czochralski (CCZ) method. Polycrystalline silicon rods used as charge materials are melted by carbon heaters over a crucible without contact between the raw material and other substances. Using this method, silicon crystals with diameters as large as 6 or 8 inch and good uniformity along the growth direction were grown.

Nondestructive ultrasonic characterization of armor grade silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Portune, Andrew Richard

Ceramic materials have traditionally been chosen for armor applications for their superior mechanical properties and low densities. At high strain rates seen during ballistic events, the behavior of these materials relies upon the total volumetric flaw concentration more so than any single anomalous flaw. In this context flaws can be defined as any microstructural feature which detriments the performance of the material, potentially including secondary phases, pores, or unreacted sintering additives. Predicting the performance of armor grade ceramic materials depends on knowledge of the absolute and relative concentration and size distribution of bulk heterogeneities. Ultrasound was chosen as a nondestructive technique for characterizing the microstructure of dense silicon carbide ceramics. Acoustic waves interact elastically with grains and inclusions in large sample volumes, and were well suited to determine concentration and size distribution variations for solid inclusions. Methodology was developed for rapid acquisition and analysis of attenuation coefficient spectra. Measurements were conducted at individual points and over large sample areas using a novel technique entitled scanning acoustic spectroscopy. Loss spectra were split into absorption and scattering dominant frequency regimes to simplify analysis. The primary absorption mechanism in polycrystalline silicon carbide was identified as thermoelastic in nature. Correlations between microstructural conditions and parameters within the absorption equation were established through study of commercial and custom engineered SiC materials. Nonlinear least squares regression analysis was used to estimate the size distributions of boron carbide and carbon inclusions within commercial SiC materials. This technique was shown to additionally be capable of approximating grain size distributions in engineered SiC materials which did not contain solid inclusions. Comparisons to results from electron microscopy

Development of silicon carbide composites for fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snead, L.L.

1993-01-01

The use of silicon carbide composites for structural materials is of growing interest in the fusion community. However, radiation effects in these materials are virtually unexplored, and the general state of ceramic matrix composites for nonnuclear applications is still in its infancy. Research into the radiation response of the most popular silicon carbide composite, namely, the chemically vapor-deposited (CVD) SiC-carbon-Nicalon fiber system is discussed. Three areas of interest are the stability of the fiber and matrix materials, the stability of the fiber-matrix interface, and the true activation of these open-quotes reduced activityclose quotes materials. Two methods are presented that quantitatively measure the effect of radiation on fiber and matrix elastic modulus as well as the fiber-matrix interfacial strength. The results of these studies show that the factor limiting the radiation performance of the CVD SiC-carbon-Nicalon system is degradation of the Nicalon fiber, which leads to a weakened carbon interface. The activity of these composites is significantly higher than expected and is dominated by impurity isotopes. 52 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs

The etching behaviour of silicon carbide compacts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jepps, N.W.; Page, T.F.

1981-01-01

A series of microstructural investigations has been undertaken in order to explore the reliability of particular etches in revealing microstructural detail in silicon carbide compacts. A series of specimens has been etched and examined following complete prior microstructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractometry techniques. In particular, the sensitivity of both a molten salt (KOH/KNO 3 ) etch and a commonly-used oxidizing electrolytic 'colour' etch to crystal purity, crystallographic orientation and polytypic structure has been established. The molten salt etch was found to be sensitive to grain boundaries and stacking disorder while the electrolytic etch was found to be primarily sensitive to local purity and crystallographic orientation. Neither etch appeared intrinsically polytype sensitive. Specifically, for the 'colour' etch, the p- or n-type character of impure regions appears critical in controlling etching behaviour; p-type impurities inhibiting, and n-type impurities enhancing, oxidation. The need to interpret etching behaviour in a manner consistent with the results obtained by a variety of other microstructural techniques will be emphasized. (author)

Synthesis of carbon fibre-reinforced, silicon carbide composites by ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

carbon fibre (Cf) reinforced, silicon carbide matrix composites which are ... eral applications, such as automotive brakes, high-efficiency engine systems, ... The PIP method is based on the use of organo metallic pre-ceramic precursors.

Method of enhanced lithiation of doped silicon carbide via high temperature annealing in an inert atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Hersam, Mark C.; Lipson, Albert L.; Bandyopadhyay, Sudeshna; Karmel, Hunter J; Bedzyk, Michael J

2014-05-27

A method for enhancing the lithium-ion capacity of a doped silicon carbide is disclosed. The method utilizes heat treating the silicon carbide in an inert atmosphere. Also disclosed are anodes for lithium-ion batteries prepared by the method.

Study of nano-metric silicon carbide powder sintering. Application to fibers processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malinge, A.

2011-01-01

Silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites (SiCf/SiCm) are of interest for high temperature applications in aerospace or nuclear components for their relatively high thermal conductivity and low activation under neutron irradiation. While most of silicon carbide fibers are obtained through the pyrolysis of a poly-carbo-silane precursor, sintering of silicon carbide nano-powders seems to be a promising route to explore. For this reason, pressureless sintering of SiC has been studied. Following the identification of appropriate sintering aids for the densification, optimization of the microstructure has been achieved through (i) the analysis of the influence of operating parameters and (ii) the control of the SiC β a SiC α phase transition. Green fibers have been obtained by two different processes involving the extrusion of SiC powder dispersion in polymer solution or the coagulation of a water-soluble polymer containing ceramic particles. Sintering of these green fibers led to fibers of around fifty microns in diameter. (author) [fr

GRANULATION TRIALS OF WASTE THE DUST SILICON CARBIDE FOR UTILIZATION IN METALLURGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Borowski

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of laboratory granulation tests of dust silicon carbide and the results of research on the selection of the binder and the properties of the granules obtained. The research material was a waste of the silicon carbide powder with a high fragmentation, mixed with a cement or an organic modified starch specimen. Six tests were performed in a disc granulator with 100 cm in diameter. In each series of trial specified: the type and share of the binder, the diameter of the granules, tenderness, type of structure and mechanical properties. Good granules of silicon carbide obtained with the addition of cement binder with 4% of the mass fraction and at least 24 hours of seasoning. The binder should be added twice by powdering, first in a stirred granulator, and again after manufacture. It was found that the resulting granules may be used as a replacement of ferrosilicon in the process of steelmaking.

CLASSiC: Cherenkov light detection with silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adriani, Oscar [Physics Dept., University of Florence, Via Sansone 1, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); INFN dep. of Florence, Via Bruno Rossi 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Albergo, Sebastiano [Physics Dept., University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 64, 95123 Catania (Italy); INFN dep. of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 64, 95123 Catania (Italy); D' Alessandro, Raffaello [Physics Dept., University of Florence, Via Sansone 1, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); INFN dep. of Florence, Via Bruno Rossi 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Lenzi, Piergiulio [INFN dep. of Florence, Via Bruno Rossi 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Sciuto, Antonella [CNR-IMM, VIII Strada 5, Zona Industriale, Catania (Italy); INFN dep. of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 64, 95123 Catania (Italy); Starodubtsev, Oleksandr [INFN dep. of Florence, Via Bruno Rossi 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Tricomi, Alessia [Physics Dept., University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 64, 95123 Catania (Italy); INFN dep. of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 64, 95123 Catania (Italy)

2017-02-11

We present the CLASSiC R&D for the development of a silicon carbide (SiC) based avalanche photodiode for the detection of Cherenkov light. SiC is a wide-bandgap semiconductor material, which can be used to make photodetectors that are insensitive to visible light. A SiC based light detection device has a peak sensitivity in the deep UV, making it ideal for Cherenkov light. Moreover, the visible blindness allows such a device to disentangle Cherenkov light and scintillation light in all those materials that scintillate above 400 nm. Within CLASSiC, we aim at developing a device with single photon sensitivity, having in mind two main applications. One is the use of the SiC APD in a new generation ToF PET scanner concept, using the Cherenov light emitted by the electrons following 511 keV gamma ray absorption as a time-stamp. Cherenkov is intrinsically faster than scintillation and could provide an unprecedentedly precise time-stamp. The second application concerns the use of SiC APD in a dual readout crystal based hadronic calorimeter, where the Cherenkov component is used to measure the electromagnetic fraction on an event by event basis. We will report on our progress towards the realization of the SiC APD devices, the strategies that are being pursued toward the realization of these devices and the preliminary results on prototypes in terms of spectral response, quantum efficiency, noise figures and multiplication.

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.

Investigation of magnetism in aluminum-doped silicon carbide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad

2013-11-01

The effect of aluminum doping on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of (8,0) silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) is investigated using spin-polarized density functional theory. It is found from the calculation of the formation energies that aluminum substitution for silicon atom is preferred. Our results show that the magnetization depends on the substitutional site, aluminum substitution at silicon site does not introduce any spin-polarization, whereas the aluminum substitution for carbon atom yields a spin polarized, almost dispersionless π band within the original band gap.

Future application of Czochralski crystal pulling for silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Matlcok, J. H.

1985-08-01

Czochralski (Cz) crystal pulling has been the predominant method used for preparing silicon single crystal for the past twenty years. The fundamental technology used has changed little. However, great strides have been made in learning how to make the crystals bigger and of better quality at ever increasing productivity rates. Currently charge sizes of 50 kg of polycrystal silicon are being used for production and crystals up to ten inches in diameter have been grown without major difficulty. The largest material actually being processed in silicon wafer form is 150 mm (6 inches) in diameter. Growing of crystals in a magnetic field has proved to be particularly useful for microscopic impurity control. Major developments in past years on equipment for Cz crystal pulling have included the automatic growth control of the diameter as well as the starting core of the crystal, the use of magnetic fields and around the crystal puller to supress convection, various recharging schemes for dopant control and the use of continuous liquid feed in the crystal puller. The latter, while far from being a reliable production process, is ideal in concept for major improvement in Cz crystal pulling. The Czochralski process will maintain its dominance of silicon crystal production for many years.

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...

Thermogravimetric analysis of silicon carbide-silicon nitride fibers at ambient to 1000 C in air

Science.gov (United States)

Daniels, J. G.; Ledbetter, F. E., III; Clemons, J. M.; Penn, B. G.

1984-01-01

Thermogravimetric analysis of silicon carbide-silicon nitride fibers was carried out at ambient to 1000 C in air. The weight loss over this temperature range was negligible. In addition, the oxidative stability at high temperature for a short period of time was determined. Fibers heated at 1000 C in air for fifteen minutes showed negligible weight loss (i.e., less than 1 percent).

Morphology of silicon carbide formed by chemical vapour deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pampuch, R.; Stobierski, L.

1977-01-01

Silicon carbide polycrystalline layers and particulate crystals were obtained in a modified van Arkel-de Boer apparatus on SiC-covered graphite and molybdenum susceptors. Gaseous SiCl 4 + CCl 4 + H 2 reactive mixtures with Si/C mole ratios varying between 0.9 and 1.4 and with Cl/Cl + H ratios varying between 2.10 -5 and 1.10 -3 were used. The morphology and structure of SiC products obtained at temperatures between 1400 and 1900 0 C and input gas flow rates between 5.10 -4 and 6.10 -2 moles per hour have been systematically investigated by scanning electronmicrographs, X-rays (using the Laue, Weissenberg, and rotation photographers), IR-spectra, and under the polarising microscope. The ranges of temperature and input gas flow rates in which the given habits and forms of the SiC products are formed have been assessed. The habits of the particulate crystals as function of temperature have been interpreted in terms of the existing theories of heterogeneous nucleation assuming layer growth of the crystals by two-dimensional nucleation. The influence of the composition of the gaseous mixtures upon the formation of the 2H polytype as well as the probable reasons for the common occurrence of stacking fault twins in the 3C polytype have been discussed. (author)

Ultra-thin distributed Bragg reflectors via stacked single-crystal silicon nanomembranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Minkyu; Seo, Jung-Hun; Lee, Jaeseong; Mi, Hongyi; Kim, Munho; Ma, Zhenqiang, E-mail: mazq@engr.wisc.edu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Zhao, Deyin; Zhou, Weidong [Nanophotonics Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019 (United States); Yin, Xin; Wang, Xudong [Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

2015-05-04

In this paper, we report ultra-thin distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) via stacked single-crystal silicon (Si) nanomembranes (NMs). Mesh hole-free single-crystal Si NMs were released from a Si-on-insulator substrate and transferred to quartz and Si substrates. Thermal oxidation was applied to the transferred Si NM to form high-quality SiO{sub 2} and thus a Si/SiO{sub 2} pair with uniform and precisely controlled thicknesses. The Si/SiO{sub 2} layers, as smooth as epitaxial grown layers, minimize scattering loss at the interface and in between the layers. As a result, a reflection of 99.8% at the wavelength range from 1350 nm to 1650 nm can be measured from a 2.5-pair DBR on a quartz substrate and 3-pair DBR on a Si substrate with thickness of 0.87 μm and 1.14 μm, respectively. The high reflection, ultra-thin DBRs developed here, which can be applied to almost any devices and materials, holds potential for application in high performance optoelectronic devices and photonics applications.

Temperature dependent evolution of wrinkled single-crystal silicon ribbons on shape memory polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Yu, Kai; Qi, H Jerry; Xiao, Jianliang

2017-10-25

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) can remember two or more distinct shapes, and thus can have a lot of potential applications. This paper presents combined experimental and theoretical studies on the wrinkling of single-crystal Si ribbons on SMPs and the temperature dependent evolution. Using the shape memory effect of heat responsive SMPs, this study provides a method to build wavy forms of single-crystal silicon thin films on top of SMP substrates. Silicon ribbons obtained from a Si-on-insulator (SOI) wafer are released and transferred onto the surface of programmed SMPs. Then such bilayer systems are recovered at different temperatures, yielding well-defined, wavy profiles of Si ribbons. The wavy profiles are shown to evolve with time, and the evolution behavior strongly depends on the recovery temperature. At relatively low recovery temperatures, both wrinkle wavelength and amplitude increase with time as evolution progresses. Finite element analysis (FEA) accounting for the thermomechanical behavior of SMPs is conducted to study the wrinkling of Si ribbons on SMPs, which shows good agreement with experiment. Merging of wrinkles is observed in FEA, which could explain the increase of wrinkle wavelength observed in the experiment. This study can have important implications for smart stretchable electronics, wrinkling mechanics, stimuli-responsive surface engineering, and advanced manufacturing.

Silicon carbide production by Self-Propagating High Temperature (SHS) technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lima, Eduardo de Souza; Schneider, Pedro Luiz; Mattoso, Irani Guedes; Costa, Carlos Roberto Correia da; Louro, Luis Henrique Leme

1997-01-01

Samples of silicon carbide (SiC) were synthesized from a mixture of silicon and carbon powders, using the Self-Propagating High Temperature Synthesis (SHS) technique. Three mixtures were tried, using silicon particles of the same average size but carbon particles of different average sizes. The method tried is characterized by an ignition temperature of 1450 deg C and the short duration of the synthesis ( 2-3 min). The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scattering electron microscopy. (author)

Performance of biomorphic Silicon Carbide as particulate filter in diesel boilers.

Science.gov (United States)

Orihuela, M Pilar; Gómez-Martín, Aurora; Becerra, José A; Chacartegui, Ricardo; Ramírez-Rico, Joaquín

2017-12-01

Biomorphic Silicon Carbide (bioSiC) is a novel porous ceramic material with excellent mechanical and thermal properties. Previous studies have demonstrated that it may be a good candidate for its use as particle filter media of exhaust gases at medium or high temperature. In order to determine the filtration efficiency of biomorphic Silicon Carbide, and its adequacy as substrate for diesel particulate filters, different bioSiC-samples have been tested in the flue gases of a diesel boiler. For this purpose, an experimental facility to extract a fraction of the boiler exhaust flow and filter it under controlled conditions has been designed and built. Several filter samples with different microstructures, obtained from different precursors, have been tested in this bench. The experimental campaign was focused on the measurement of the number and size of particles before and after placing the samples. Results show that the initial efficiency of filters made from natural precursors is severely determined by the cutting direction and associated microstructure. In biomorphic Silicon Carbide derived from radially cut wood, the initial efficiency of the filter is higher than 95%. Nevertheless, when the cut of the wood is axial, the efficiency depends on the pore size and the permeability, reaching in some cases values in the range 70-90%. In this case, the presence of macropores in some of the samples reduces their efficiency as particle traps. In continuous operation, the accumulation of particles within the porous media leads to the formation of a soot cake, which improves the efficiency except in the case when extra-large pores exist. For all the samples, after a few operation cycles, capture efficiency was higher than 95%. These experimental results show the potential for developing filters for diesel boilers based on biomorphic Silicon Carbide. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Irradiation and annealing of p-type silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lebedev, Alexander A.; Bogdanova, Elena V.; Grigor' eva, Maria V.; Lebedev, Sergey P. [A.F. Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, St. Petersburg, 194021 (Russian Federation); Kozlovski, Vitaly V. [St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, 195251 (Russian Federation)

2014-02-21

The development of the technology of semiconductor devices based on silicon carbide and the beginning of their industrial manufacture have made increasingly topical studies of the radiation hardness of this material on the one hand and of the proton irradiation to form high-receptivity regions on the other hand. This paper reports on a study of the carrier removal rate (V{sub d}) in p-6H-SiC under irradiation with 8 MeV protons and of the conductivity restoration in radiation- compensated epitaxial layers of various p-type silicon carbide polytypes. V{sub d} was determined by analysis of capacitance-voltage characteristics and from results of Hall effect measurements. It was found that the complete compensation of samples with the initial value of Na - Nd ≈ 1.5 × 10{sup 18} cm{sup −3} occurs at an irradiation dose of ∼1.1 × 10{sup 16} cm{sup −2}. It is shown that specific features of the sublimation layer SiC (compared to CVD layers) are clearly manifested upon the gamma and electron irradiation and are hardly noticeable under the proton and neutron irradiation. It was also found that the radiation-induced compensation of SiC is retained after its annealing at ≤1000°C. The conductivity is almost completely restored at T ≥ 1200°C. This character of annealing of the radiation compensation is independent of a silicon carbide polytype and the starting doping level of the epitaxial layer. The complete annealing temperatures considerably exceed the working temperatures of SiC-based devices. It is shown that the radiation compensation is a promising method in the technology of high-temperature devices based on SiC.

Thermal neutron scattering kernels for sapphire and silicon single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cantargi, F.; Granada, J.R.; Mayer, R.E.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Thermal cross section libraries for sapphire and silicon single crystals were generated. • Debye model was used to represent the vibrational frequency spectra to feed the NJOY code. • Sapphire total cross section was measured at Centro Atómico Bariloche. • Cross section libraries were validated with experimental data available. - Abstract: Sapphire and silicon are materials usually employed as filters in facilities with thermal neutron beams. Due to the lack of the corresponding thermal cross section libraries for those materials, necessary in calculations performed in order to optimize beams for specific applications, here we present the generation of new thermal neutron scattering kernels for those materials. The Debye model was used in both cases to represent the vibrational frequency spectra required to feed the NJOY nuclear data processing system in order to produce the corresponding libraries in ENDF and ACE format. These libraries were validated with available experimental data, some from the literature and others obtained at the pulsed neutron source at Centro Atómico Bariloche

Synthesis and investigation of silicon carbide nanowires by HFCVD ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Silicon carbide (SiC) nanowire has been fabricated by hot filament chemical vapour .... −5. Torr by mechanical and dif- fusion vacuum pumps, then high purity H2 gas was fed into it. ... to standard PDF card numbers of 01-074-2307 and 01-.

Czochralski method of growing single crystals. State-of-art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bukowski, A.; Zabierowski, P.

1999-01-01

Modern Czochralski method of single crystal growing has been described. The example of Czochralski process is given. The advantages that caused the rapid progress of the method have been presented. The method limitations that motivated the further research and new solutions are also presented. As the example two different ways of the technique development has been described: silicon single crystals growth in the magnetic field; continuous liquid feed of silicon crystals growth. (author)

Preparation and characterization of polymer-derived amorphous silicon carbide with silicon-rich stoichiometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masuda, Takashi, E-mail: mtakashi@jaist.ac.jp [School of Material and Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292 (Japan); Iwasaka, Akira [School of Material and Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292 (Japan); Takagishi, Hideyuki [Faculty of Symbiotic System Science, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima-shi, Fukushima 960-1296 (Japan); Shimoda, Tatsuya [School of Material and Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292 (Japan)

2016-08-01

Polydihydrosilane with pendant hexyl groups was synthesized to obtain silicon-rich amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC) films via the solution route. Unlike conventional polymeric precursors, this polymer requires neither catalysts nor oxidation for its synthesis and cross-linkage. Therefore, the polymer provides sufficient purity for the fabrication of semiconducting a-SiC. Here, we investigated the correlation of Si/C stoichiometry between the polymer and the resultant a-SiC film. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of the films with various carbon contents were also explored. Experimental results suggested that the excess carbon that did not participate in Si−C configurations was decomposed and was evaporated during polymer-to-SiC conversion. Consequently, the upper limit of the carbon in resultant a-SiC film was < 50 at.%; namely, the polymer provided silicon-rich a-SiC, whereas the conventionally used polycarbosilane inevitably provides carbon-rich one. These features of this unusual polymer open up a frontier of polymer-derived SiC and solution-processed SiC electronics. - Highlights: • Polymeric precursor solution for silicon carbide (SiC) is synthesized. • Semiconducting amorphous SiC is prepared via solution route. • The excess carbon is decomposed during cross-linking resulting in Si-rich SiC films. • The grown SiC films contain substantial amount of hydrogen atoms as SiH{sub n}/CH{sub n} entities. • Presence of CH{sub n} entities induces dangling bonds, causing poor electrical properties.

The effect of fiber microstructure on evolution of residual stresses in silicon carbide/titanium aluminide composites

Science.gov (United States)

Pindera, Marek-Jerzy; Freed, Alan D.

1992-01-01

This paper examines the effect of the morphology of the SCS6 silicon carbide fiber on the evolution of residual stresses in SiC/Ti composites. A micromechanics model based on the concentric cylinder concept is presented which is used to calculate residual stresses in a SiC/Ti composite during axisymmetric cooling by a spatially uniform temperature change. The silicon carbide fiber is modeled as a layered material with five distinct transversely isotropic and orthotropic, elastic layers, whereas the titanium matrix is taken to be isotropic, with temperature-dependent elastoplastic properties. The results arc compared with those obtained based on the assumption that the silicon carbide fiber is isotropic and homogeneous.

A comprehensive study of thermoelectric and transport properties of β-silicon carbide nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valentín, L. A.; Betancourt, J.; Fonseca, L. F., E-mail: luis.fonseca@upr.edu [Department of Physics University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras (Puerto Rico); Pettes, M. T.; Shi, L. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Soszyński, M.; Huczko, A. [Department of Chemistry, Warsaw University, Pasteur 1 Str., 02-093 Warsaw (Poland)

2013-11-14

The temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient, the electrical and thermal conductivities of individual β-silicon carbide nanowires produced by combustion in a calorimetric bomb were studied using a suspended micro-resistance thermometry device that allows four-point probe measurements to be conducted on each nanowire. Additionally, crystal structure and growth direction for each measured nanowire was directly obtained by transmission electron microscopy analysis. The Fermi level, the carrier concentration, and mobility of each nanostructure were determined using a combination of Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity measurements, energy band structure and transport theory calculations. The temperature dependence of the thermal and electrical conductivities of the nanowires was explained in terms of contributions from boundary, impurity, and defect scattering.

Implementation Challenges for Sintered Silicon Carbide Fiber Bonded Ceramic Materials for High Temperature Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, M.

2011-01-01

During the last decades, a number of fiber reinforced ceramic composites have been developed and tested for various aerospace and ground based applications. However, a number of challenges still remain slowing the wide scale implementation of these materials. In addition to continuous fiber reinforced composites, other innovative materials have been developed including the fibrous monoliths and sintered fiber bonded ceramics. The sintered silicon carbide fiber bonded ceramics have been fabricated by the hot pressing and sintering of silicon carbide fibers. However, in this system reliable property database as well as various issues related to thermomechanical performance, integration, and fabrication of large and complex shape components has yet to be addressed. In this presentation, thermomechanical properties of sintered silicon carbide fiber bonded ceramics (as fabricated and joined) will be presented. In addition, critical need for manufacturing and integration technologies in successful implementation of these materials will be discussed.

Sintering of nano crystalline o silicon carbide doping with

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Sinterable silicon carbide powders were prepared by attrition milling and chemical processing of an acheson type -SiC. Pressureless sintering of these powders was achieved by addition of aluminium nitride together with carbon. Nearly 99% sintered density was obtained. The mechanism of sintering was studied by ...

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.

Low-temperature synthesis of silicon carbide powder using shungite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gubernat, A.; Pichor, W.; Lach, R.; Zientara, D.; Sitarz, M.; Springwald, M.

2017-01-01

The paper presents the results of investigation the novel and simple method of synthesis of silicon carbide. As raw material for synthesis was used shungite, natural mineral rich in carbon and silica. The synthesis of SiC is possible in relatively low temperature in range 1500–1600°C. It is worth emphasising that compared to the most popular method of SiC synthesis (Acheson method where the temperature of synthesis is about 2500°C) the proposed method is much more effective. The basic properties of products obtained from different form of shungite and in wide range of synthesis temperature were investigated. The process of silicon carbide formation was proposed and discussed. In the case of synthesis SiC from powder of raw materials the product is also in powder form and not requires any additional process (crushing, milling, etc.). Obtained products are pure and after grain classification may be used as abrasive and polishing powders. (Author)

Low-temperature synthesis of silicon carbide powder using shungite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gubernat, A.; Pichor, W.; Lach, R.; Zientara, D.; Sitarz, M.; Springwald, M.

2017-07-01

The paper presents the results of investigation the novel and simple method of synthesis of silicon carbide. As raw material for synthesis was used shungite, natural mineral rich in carbon and silica. The synthesis of SiC is possible in relatively low temperature in range 1500–1600°C. It is worth emphasising that compared to the most popular method of SiC synthesis (Acheson method where the temperature of synthesis is about 2500°C) the proposed method is much more effective. The basic properties of products obtained from different form of shungite and in wide range of synthesis temperature were investigated. The process of silicon carbide formation was proposed and discussed. In the case of synthesis SiC from powder of raw materials the product is also in powder form and not requires any additional process (crushing, milling, etc.). Obtained products are pure and after grain classification may be used as abrasive and polishing powders. (Author)

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

Numerical and experimental study of a solid pellet feed continuous Czochralski growth process for silicon single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Anselmo, A.; Prasad, V.; Koziol, J.; Gupta, K. P.

1993-07-01

A polysilicon pellets (≅1 mm diameter) feed continuous Czochralski (CCZ) growth process for silicon single crystals is proposed and investigated. Experiments in an industrial puller (14-18 inch diameter crucible) successfully demonstrate the feasibility of this process. The advantages of the proposed scheme are: a steady state growth process, a low aspect ratio melt, uniformity of heat addition and a growth apparatus with single crucible and no baffle(s). The addition of dopant with the solid charge will allow a better control of oxygen concentration leading to crystals of uniform properties and better quality. This paper presents theoretical results on melting of fully and partially immersed silicon spheres and numerical solutions on temperature and flow fields in low aspect ration melts with and without the addition of solid pellets. The theoretical and experimental results obtained thus far show a great promise for the proposed scheme.

Low-temperature synthesis of homogeneous nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Qijin; Xu, S.

2007-01-01

Silicon carbide films are fabricated by inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition from feedstock gases silane and methane heavily diluted with hydrogen at a low substrate temperature of 300 deg. C. Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analyses show that homogeneous nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) films can be synthesized at an appropriate silane fraction X[100%xsilane flow(SCCM)/silane+methane flow(SCCM)] in the gas mixture. The achievement of homogeneous nanocrystalline 3C-SiC films at a low substrate temperature of 300 deg. C is a synergy of a low deposition pressure (22 mTorr), high inductive rf power (2000 W), heavy dilution of feedstock gases silane and methane with hydrogen, and appropriate silane fractions X (X≤33%) in the gas mixture employed in our experiments

Influence of nanometric silicon carbide on phenolic resin composites

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The results highlight the positive effect of the nanometric silicon carbide addition in phenolic resin on mechanical, thermo-mechanical and tribological performance, improving their strength, stiffness and abrasive properties. The best results were obtained for 1 wt% nSiC, proving that this value is the optimum nanometric ...

PECVD silicon carbide surface micromachining technology and selected MEMS applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rajaraman, V.; Pakula, L.S.; Yang, H.; French, P.J.; Sarro, P.M.

2011-01-01

Attractive material properties of plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposited (PECVD) silicon carbide (SiC) when combined with CMOS-compatible low thermal budget processing provides an ideal technology platform for developing various microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices and merging them with

Modelling of thermal field and point defect dynamics during silicon single crystal growth using CZ technique

Science.gov (United States)

Sabanskis, A.; Virbulis, J.

2018-05-01

Mathematical modelling is employed to numerically analyse the dynamics of the Czochralski (CZ) silicon single crystal growth. The model is axisymmetric, its thermal part describes heat transfer by conduction and thermal radiation, and allows to predict the time-dependent shape of the crystal-melt interface. Besides the thermal field, the point defect dynamics is modelled using the finite element method. The considered process consists of cone growth and cylindrical phases, including a short period of a reduced crystal pull rate, and a power jump to avoid large diameter changes. The influence of the thermal stresses on the point defects is also investigated.

3C-Silicon Carbide Microresonators for Timing and Frequency Reference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graham S. Wood

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In the drive to miniaturise and integrate reference oscillator components, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS resonators are excellent candidates to replace quartz crystals. Silicon is the most utilised resonator structural material due to its associated well-established fabrication processes. However, when operation in harsh environments is required, cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC is an excellent candidate for use as a structural material, due to its robustness, chemical inertness and high temperature stability. In order to actuate 3C-SiC resonators, electrostatic, electrothermal and piezoelectric methods have been explored. Both electrothermal and piezoelectric actuation can be accomplished with simpler fabrication and lower driving voltages, down to 0.5 V, compared to electrostatic actuation. The vibration amplitude at resonance can be maximised by optimising the design and location of the electrodes. Electrical read out of the resonator can be performed with electrostatic or piezoelectric transduction. Finally, a great deal of research has focused on tuning the resonant frequency of a 3C-SiC resonator by adjusting the DC bias applied to the electrodes, with a higher (up to 160-times tuning range for electrothermal tuning compared to piezoelectric tuning. Electrothermal tuning lowers the frequency, while piezoelectric tuning can be used to raise the frequency.

Thermodynamic analysis of thermal plasma process of composite zirconium carbide and silicon carbide production from zircon concentrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostic, Z.G.; Stefanovic, P.Lj.; Pavlovic; Pavlovic, Z.N.; Zivkovic, N.V.

2000-01-01

Improved zirconium ceramics and composites have been invented in an effort to obtain better resistance to ablation at high temperature. These ceramics are suitable for use as thermal protection materials on the exterior surfaces of spacecraft, and in laboratory and industrial environments that include flows of hot oxidizing gases. Results of thermodynamic consideration of the process for composite zirconium carbide and silicon carbide ultrafine powder production from ZrSiO 4 in argon thermal plasma and propane-butane gas as reactive quenching reagents are presented in the paper. (author)

Hydrogen adsorption in metal-decorated silicon carbide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Ram Sevak; Solanki, Ankit

2016-09-01

Hydrogen storage for fuel cell is an active area of research and appropriate materials with excellent hydrogen adsorption properties are highly demanded. Nanotubes, having high surface to volume ratio, are promising storage materials for hydrogen. Recently, silicon carbide nanotubes have been predicted as potential materials for future hydrogen storage application, and studies in this area are ongoing. Here, we report a systematic study on hydrogen adsorption properties in metal (Pt, Ni and Al) decorated silicon carbide nanotubes (SiCNTs) using first principles calculations based on density functional theory. The hydrogen adsorption properties are investigated by calculations of adsorption energy, electronic band structure, density of states (DOS) and Mulliken charge population analysis. Our findings show that hydrogen adsorptions on Pt, Ni and Al-decorated SiCNTs undergo spontaneous exothermic reactions with significant modulation of electronic structure of SiCNTs in all cases. Importantly, according to the Mulliken charge population analysis, dipole-dipole interaction causes chemisorptions of hydrogen in Pt, Ni and Al decorated SiCNTs with formation of chemical bonds. The study is a platform for the development of metal decorated SiCNTs for hydrogen adsorption or hydrogen storage application.

A new metal electrocatalysts supported matrix: Palladium nanoparticles supported silicon carbide nanoparticles and its application for alcohol electrooxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai Hong; Chen Yanling; Lin Yanyu; Xu Guifang; Yang Caiping; Tong Yuejin; Guo Longhua; Chen Guonan

2012-01-01

In this paper, we propose a facile approach for palladium nanoparticles load using silicon carbide nanoparticles as the new supported matrix and a familiar NaBH 4 as reducer. Detailed X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of the resultant products indicated that palladium nanoparticles are successfully immobilized onto the surface of the silicon carbide nanoparticles with uniform size distribution between 5 and 7 nm. The relative electrochemical characterization clearly demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic activity of this material toward alcohol in alkaline electrolytes. Investigation on the characteristics of the electrocatalytic activity of this material further indicated that the palladium nanoparticles supporting on SiC are very promising for direct alcohol fuel cells (DMFCs), biosensor and electronic devices. Moreover, it was proved that silicon carbide nanoparticles with outstanding properties as support for catalysis are of strong practical interest. And the silicon carbide could perform attractive role in adsorbents, electrodes, biomedical applications, etc.

The quantitative analysis of silicon carbide surface smoothing by Ar and Xe cluster ions

Science.gov (United States)

Ieshkin, A. E.; Kireev, D. S.; Ermakov, Yu. A.; Trifonov, A. S.; Presnov, D. E.; Garshev, A. V.; Anufriev, Yu. V.; Prokhorova, I. G.; Krupenin, V. A.; Chernysh, V. S.

2018-04-01

The gas cluster ion beam technique was used for the silicon carbide crystal surface smoothing. The effect of processing by two inert cluster ions, argon and xenon, was quantitatively compared. While argon is a standard element for GCIB, results for xenon clusters were not reported yet. Scanning probe microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques were used for the analysis of the surface roughness and surface crystal layer quality. The gas cluster ion beam processing results in surface relief smoothing down to average roughness about 1 nm for both elements. It was shown that xenon as the working gas is more effective: sputtering rate for xenon clusters is 2.5 times higher than for argon at the same beam energy. High resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis of the surface defect layer gives values of 7 ± 2 nm and 8 ± 2 nm for treatment with argon and xenon clusters.

Abrasive wear behavior of heat-treated ABC-silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Xiao Feng; Lee, Gun Y.; Chen, Da; Ritchie, Robert O.; De Jonghe, Lutgard C.

2002-06-17

Hot-pressed silicon carbide, containing aluminum, boron, and carbon additives (ABC-SiC), was subjected to three-body and two-body wear testing using diamond abrasives over a range of sizes. In general, the wear resistance of ABC-SiC, with suitable heat treatment, was superior to that of commercial SiC.

Thermogravimetric analysis of silicon carbide-silicon nitride polycarbosilazane precursor during pyrolysis from ambient to 1000 C

Science.gov (United States)

Ledbetter, F. E., III; Daniels, J. G.; Clemons, J. M.; Hundley, N. H.; Penn, B. G.

1984-01-01

Thermogravimetric analysis data are presented on the unmeltable polycarbosilazane precursor of silicon carbide-silicon nitride fibers, over the room temperature-1000 C range in a nitrogen atmosphere, in order to establish the weight loss at various temperatures during the precursor's pyrolysis to the fiber material. The fibers obtained by this method are excellent candidates for use in applications where the oxidation of carbon fibers (above 400 C) renders them unsuitable.

Silicon carbide whiskers with superlattice structure: A precursor for a new type of nanoreactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lutsenko, Vadym G.

2008-01-01

Silicon carbide whiskers exhibit growth predominantly in the direction. The high level of impurities, stacking faults and nanosized twins govern the formation of homojunctions and heterojunctions in crystals. The structure of the whiskers comprises a hybrid superlattice, i.e. contains elements of doped and composite superlattices. An individual SiC whisker can contain hundreds of quantum wells with anomalous chemical properties. This paper shows that it is possible to selectively etch quantum wells and to construct whiskers with quasi-regularly distributed slit-like nanopores (nanoreactors), which are bordered by polar planes {1 1 1}, {0 0 0 1} or a combination of them, and also to produce flat SiC nanocrystals bordered by polar planes

Self-supporting film method of silicon single crystal by ion implantation and it`s application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saito, Kazuo; Nakao, Setsuo; Niwa, Hiroaki; Miyagawa, Soji [National Industrial Research Inst. of Nagoya (Japan)

1996-12-01

A few {mu}m of thickness of self-supporting film of silicon single crystal was produced by the ion implantation and the selective etching. This materials are distinguished by a uniform film thickness, good controllability, crystallization and the mechanical strength. For applying it to device, the detailed process has to be established, because there are some improved problems such as pinhole and morphology on the surface. This materials are very useful to the basic experiment of the base for epitaxial growth under irradiation of ion beams and the ion beam analysis in the atmosphere. (S.Y.)

Tailoring the graphene/silicon carbide interface for monolithic wafer-scale electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hertel, S; Waldmann, D; Jobst, J; Albert, A; Albrecht, M; Reshanov, S; Schöner, A; Krieger, M; Weber, H B

2012-07-17

Graphene is an outstanding electronic material, predicted to have a role in post-silicon electronics. However, owing to the absence of an electronic bandgap, graphene switching devices with high on/off ratio are still lacking. Here in the search for a comprehensive concept for wafer-scale graphene electronics, we present a monolithic transistor that uses the entire material system epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide (0001). This system consists of the graphene layer with its vanishing energy gap, the underlying semiconductor and their common interface. The graphene/semiconductor interfaces are tailor-made for ohmic as well as for Schottky contacts side-by-side on the same chip. We demonstrate normally on and normally off operation of a single transistor with on/off ratios exceeding 10(4) and no damping at megahertz frequencies. In its simplest realization, the fabrication process requires only one lithography step to build transistors, diodes, resistors and eventually integrated circuits without the need of metallic interconnects.

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.

Buckling of Single-Crystal Silicon Nanolines under Indentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min K. Kang

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Atomic force microscope-(AFM- based indentation tests were performed to examine mechanical properties of parallel single-crystal silicon nanolines (SiNLs of sub-100-nm line width, fabricated by a process combining electron-beam lithography and anisotropic wet etching. The SiNLs have straight and nearly atomically flat sidewalls, and the cross section is almost perfectly rectangular with uniform width and height along the longitudinal direction. The measured load-displacement curves from the indentation tests show an instability with large displacement bursts at a critical load ranging from 480 μN to 700 μN. This phenomenon is attributed to a transition of the buckling mode of the SiNLs under indentation. Using a set of finite element models with postbuckling analyses, we analyze the indentation-induced buckling modes and investigate the effects of tip location, contact friction, and substrate deformation on the critical load of mode transition. The results demonstrate a unique approach for the study of nanomaterials and patterned nanostructures via a combination of experiments and modeling.

Stress envelope of silicon carbide composites at elevated temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nozawa, Takashi; Kim, Sunghun; Ozawa, Kazumi; Tanigawa, Hiroyasu

2014-01-01

To identify a comprehensive stress envelope, i.e., strength anisotropy map, of silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix composite (SiC/SiC composite) for practical component design, tensile and compressive tests were conducted using the small specimen test technique specifically tailored for high-temperature use. In-plane shear properties were, however, estimated using the off-axial tensile method and assuming that the mixed mode failure criterion, i.e., Tsai–Wu criterion, is valid for the composites. The preliminary test results indicate no significant degradation to either proportional limit stress (PLS) or fracture strength by tensile loading at temperatures below 1000 °C. A similarly good tolerance of compressive properties was identified at elevated temperatures, except for a slight degradation in PLS. With the high-temperature test data of tensile, compressive and in-plane shear properties, the stress envelopes at elevated temperatures were finally obtained. A slight reduction in the design limit was obvious at elevated temperatures when the compressive mode is dominant, whereas a negligibly small impact on the design is expected by considering the tensile loading case

Stress envelope of silicon carbide composites at elevated temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nozawa, Takashi, E-mail: nozawa.takashi67@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-166 Omotedate, Obuchi, Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212 (Japan); Kim, Sunghun [Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Ozawa, Kazumi; Tanigawa, Hiroyasu [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-166 Omotedate, Obuchi, Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212 (Japan)

2014-10-15

To identify a comprehensive stress envelope, i.e., strength anisotropy map, of silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix composite (SiC/SiC composite) for practical component design, tensile and compressive tests were conducted using the small specimen test technique specifically tailored for high-temperature use. In-plane shear properties were, however, estimated using the off-axial tensile method and assuming that the mixed mode failure criterion, i.e., Tsai–Wu criterion, is valid for the composites. The preliminary test results indicate no significant degradation to either proportional limit stress (PLS) or fracture strength by tensile loading at temperatures below 1000 °C. A similarly good tolerance of compressive properties was identified at elevated temperatures, except for a slight degradation in PLS. With the high-temperature test data of tensile, compressive and in-plane shear properties, the stress envelopes at elevated temperatures were finally obtained. A slight reduction in the design limit was obvious at elevated temperatures when the compressive mode is dominant, whereas a negligibly small impact on the design is expected by considering the tensile loading case.

Atomistic simulation of rapid compression of fractured silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romano, A.; Li, J.; Yip, S.

2006-01-01

Deformation mechanisms of a crack in silicon carbide under high-rate compression are investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. The penny-shaped crack is in tension throughout the simulation while a variable compression is applied in an in-plane direction. Two different mechanisms of crack-tip response are observed: (1) At low tension, a disordered band forms from the crack surface in the direction orthogonal to the compression, which grows as the compressional force is increased in a manner suggesting a stress-induced transition from an ordered to a disordered phase. Moreover the crack is observed to close. (2) At a tension sufficient to allow the crack to remain open, the compressional stress induces formation of disordered regions along the boundaries of the opened crack, which grow and merge into a band as the compression proceeds. This process is driven by bending of the initial crack, which transforms into a curved slit. This mechanism induces incorporation of fragments of perfect crystal into the disordered band. Similar mechanisms have been experimentally observed to occur in porous SiC under high-strain rate compression

Silicon Crystal Growth by the Electromagnetic Czochralski (EMCZ) Method

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Masahito; Eguchi, Minoru; Hibiya, Taketoshi

1999-01-01

A new method for growing silicon crystals by using electromagnetic force to rotate the melt without crucible rotation has been developed. We call it electromagnetic Czochralski (EMCZ) growth. An electromagnetic force in the azimuthal direction is generated in the melt by the interaction between an electric current (I) through the melt in the radial direction and a vertical magnetic field (B). The rotation rate (ωm) of the silicon melt is continuously changed from 0 to over 105 rpm under I = 0 to 8 A and B = 0 to 0.1 T. Thirty-mm-diameter silicon single crystals free of dislocations could be grown under two conditions: I = 2.0 A and B = 0.05 T (ωm = 105 rpm); and I =0.2 A and B = 0.1 T (ωm = 15 rpm). The oxygen concentration in the crystals was 8 ×1017 atoms/cm3 for the high rotation rate and 1×1017 atoms/cm3 for the low rotation rate. The oxygen-concentration distributions in the radial direction in both crystals were more homogeneous than those in the crystals grown by conventional CZ and/or MCZ growth. This new crystal-growth method can be easily adopted for growing large-diameter silicon crystals.

A new computationally-efficient two-dimensional model for boron implantation into single-crystal silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, K.M.; Park, C.; Yang, S.; Morris, S.; Do, V.; Tasch, F.

1992-01-01

We have developed a new computationally-efficient two-dimensional model for boron implantation into single-crystal silicon. This paper reports that this new model is based on the dual Pearson semi-empirical implant depth profile model and the UT-MARLOWE Monte Carlo boron ion implantation model. This new model can predict with very high computational efficiency two-dimensional as-implanted boron profiles as a function of energy, dose, tilt angle, rotation angle, masking edge orientation, and masking edge thickness

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...

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)...

Spatial fluctuations in barrier height at the graphene-silicon carbide Schottky junction.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajput, S; Chen, M X; Liu, Y; Li, Y Y; Weinert, M; Li, L

2013-01-01

When graphene is interfaced with a semiconductor, a Schottky contact forms with rectifying properties. Graphene, however, is also susceptible to the formation of ripples upon making contact with another material. Here we report intrinsic ripple- and electric field-induced effects at the graphene semiconductor Schottky junction, by comparing chemical vapour-deposited graphene transferred on semiconductor surfaces of opposite polarization-the hydrogen-terminated silicon and carbon faces of hexagonal silicon carbide. Using scanning tunnelling microscopy/spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, we show the formation of a narrow Schottky dipole barrier approximately 10 Å wide, which facilitates the observed effective electric field control of the Schottky barrier height. We further find atomic-scale spatial fluctuations in the Schottky barrier that directly follow the undulation of ripples on both graphene-silicon carbide junctions. These findings reveal fundamental properties of the graphene/semiconductor Schottky junction-a key component of vertical graphene devices that offer functionalities unattainable in planar device architecture.

Self-diffusion in single crystalline silicon nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Südkamp, T.; Hamdana, G.; Descoins, M.; Mangelinck, D.; Wasisto, H. S.; Peiner, E.; Bracht, H.

2018-04-01

Self-diffusion experiments in single crystalline isotopically controlled silicon nanowires with diameters of 70 and 400 nm at 850 and 1000 °C are reported. The isotope structures were first epitaxially grown on top of silicon substrate wafers. Nanowires were subsequently fabricated using a nanosphere lithography process in combination with inductively coupled plasma dry reactive ion etching. Three-dimensional profiling of the nanosized structure before and after diffusion annealing was performed by means of atom probe tomography (APT). Self-diffusion profiles obtained from APT analyses are accurately described by Fick's law for self-diffusion. Data obtained for silicon self-diffusion in nanowires are equal to the results reported for bulk silicon crystals, i.e., finite size effects and high surface-to-volume ratios do not significantly affect silicon self-diffusion. This shows that the properties of native point defects determined from self-diffusion in bulk crystals also hold for nanosized silicon structures with diameters down to 70 nm.

Identification of {2 anti 1 anti 10} and {10 anti 10} Laue patterns of hexagonal and rhombohedral silicon carbide polytypes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoganathan, M.; Suttrop, W.; Devaty, R.P.; Choyke, W.J.

1994-01-01

The development of epitaxic and bulk-grown semiconductor SiC exhibiting uniform polytype phase homogeneity is critically dependent upon the accurate identification of crystallographic orientations corresponding to the desired polytype. In this paper, experimental transmission Laue photographs as well as computer-generated transmission Laue patterns are presented for {2 anti 1 anti 10} and {10 anti 10} faces of the 4H, 6H and 15R polytypes of silicon carbide. The transmission patterns permit easy recognition of polytypes and crystal orientations. (orig.)

LYSO crystal calorimeter readout with silicon photomultipliers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berra, A., E-mail: alessandro.berra@gmail.com [Università degli Studi dell' Insubria (Italy); INFN sezione di Milano Bicocca (Italy); Bonvicini, V. [INFN sezione di Trieste (Italy); Cecchi, C.; Germani, S. [INFN sezione di Perugia (Italy); Guffanti, D. [Università degli Studi dell' Insubria (Italy); Lietti, D. [Università degli Studi dell' Insubria (Italy); INFN sezione di Milano Bicocca (Italy); Lubrano, P.; Manoni, E. [INFN sezione di Perugia (Italy); Prest, M. [Università degli Studi dell' Insubria (Italy); INFN sezione di Milano Bicocca (Italy); Rossi, A. [INFN sezione di Perugia (Italy); Vallazza, E. [INFN sezione di Trieste (Italy)

2014-11-01

Large area Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) are the new frontier of the development of readout systems for scintillating detectors. A SiPM consists of a matrix of parallel-connected silicon micropixels operating in limited Geiger–Muller avalanche mode, and thus working as independent photon counters with a very high gain (∼10{sup 6}). This contribution presents the performance in terms of linearity and energy resolution of an electromagnetic homogeneous calorimeter composed of 9∼18X{sub 0} LYSO crystals. The crystals were readout by 36 4×4 mm{sup 2} SiPMs (4 for each crystal) produced by FBK-irst. This calorimeter was tested at the Beam Test Facility at the INFN laboratories in Frascati with a single- and multi-particle electron beam in the 100–500 MeV energy range.

A review of oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon carbide brazing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santella, M.L.; Moorhead, A.J.

1987-01-01

There is growing interest in using ceramics for structural applications, many of which require the fabrication of components with complicated shapes. Normal ceramic processing methods restrict the shapes into which these materials can be produced, but ceramic joining technology can be used to overcome many of these limitations, and also offers the possibility for improving the reliability of ceramic components. One method of joining ceramics is by brazing. The metallic alloys used for bonding must wet and adhere to the ceramic surfaces without excessive reaction. Alumina, partially stabilized zirconia, and silicon nitride have high ionic character to their chemical bonds and are difficult to wet. Alloys for brazing these materials must be formulated to overcome this problem. Silicon carbide, which has some metallic characteristics, reacts excessively with many alloys, and forms joints of low mechanical strength. The brazing characteristics of these three types of ceramics, and residual stresses in ceramic-to-metal joints are briefly discussed

Crack propagation and fracture in silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, A.G.; Lange, F.F.

1975-01-01

Fracture mechanics and strength studies performed on two silicon carbides - a hot-pressed material (with alumina) and a sintered material (with boron) - have shown that both materials exhibit slow crack growth at room temperature in water, but only the hot-pressed material exhibits significant high temperature slow crack growth (1000 to 1400 0 C). A good correlation of the observed fracture behaviour with the crack growth predicted from the fracture mechanics parameters shows that effective failure predictions for this material can be achieved using macro-fracture mechanics data. (author)

Analysis of polytype stability in PVT grown silicon carbide single crystal using competitive lattice model Monte Carlo simulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui-Jun Guo

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Polytype stability is very important for high quality SiC single crystal growth. However, the growth conditions for the 4H, 6H and 15R polytypes are similar, and the mechanism of polytype stability is not clear. The kinetics aspects, such as surface-step nucleation, are important. The kinetic Monte Carlo method is a common tool to study surface kinetics in crystal growth. However, the present lattice models for kinetic Monte Carlo simulations cannot solve the problem of the competitive growth of two or more lattice structures. In this study, a competitive lattice model was developed for kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of the competition growth of the 4H and 6H polytypes of SiC. The site positions are fixed at the perfect crystal lattice positions without any adjustment of the site positions. Surface steps on seeds and large ratios of diffusion/deposition have positive effects on the 4H polytype stability. The 3D polytype distribution in a physical vapor transport method grown SiC ingot showed that the facet preserved the 4H polytype even if the 6H polytype dominated the growth surface. The theoretical and experimental results of polytype growth in SiC suggest that retaining the step growth mode is an important factor to maintain a stable single 4H polytype during SiC growth.

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....

On the use of Raman spectroscopy and instrumented indentation for characterizing damage in machined carbide ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Groth, Benjamin Peter

Machining is a necessary post-processing step in the manufacturing of many ceramic materials. Parts are machined to meet specific dimensions, with tight tolerances, not attainable from forming alone, as well as to achieve a desired surface finish. However, the machining process is very harsh, often employing the use of high temperatures and pressures to achieve the wanted result. In the case of silicon carbide, a material with extremely high hardness and stiffness, machining is very difficult and requires machining conditions that are highly aggressive. This can leave behind residual stresses in the surface of the material, cause unwanted phase transformations, and produce sub-surface deformation that can lead to failure. This thesis seeks to determine the effect of various machining conditions on the Raman spectra and elastic properties of sintered silicon carbide materials. Sample sets examined included hot-pressed silicon carbide tiles with four different surface finishes, as well as "ideal" single crystal silicon carbide wafers. The surface finishes studied were as follows: an as-pressed finish; a grit blast finish; a harsh rotary ground finish; and a mirror polish. Each finish imparts a different amount, as well as type, of deformation to the sample and are each utilized for a specific application. The sample surfaces were evaluated using a combination of Raman spectroscopy, for phase identification and stress analysis, and nanoindentation, for obtaining elastic properties and imparting uniform controlled deformation to the samples. Raman spectroscopy was performed over each sample surface using 514- and 633-nm wavelength excitation, along with confocal and non-confocal settings to study depth variation. Surfaces stresses were determined using peak shift information extracted from Raman spectra maps, while other spectral variations were used to compare levels of machining damage. Elastic modulus, hardness, and plastic work of indentation maps were generated

Free-standing nanomechanical and nanophotonic structures in single-crystal diamond

Science.gov (United States)

Burek, Michael John

Realizing complex three-dimensional structures in a range of material systems is critical to a variety of emerging nanotechnologies. This is particularly true of nanomechanical and nanophotonic systems, both relying on free-standing small-scale components. In the case of nanomechanics, necessary mechanical degrees of freedom require physically isolated structures, such as suspended beams, cantilevers, and membranes. For nanophotonics, elements like waveguides and photonic crystal cavities rely on light confinement provided by total internal reflection or distributed Bragg reflection, both of which require refractive index contrast between the device and surrounding medium (often air). Such suspended nanostructures are typically fabricated in a heterolayer structure, comprising of device (top) and sacrificial (middle) layers supported by a substrate (bottom), using standard surface nanomachining techniques. A selective, isotropic etch is then used to remove the sacrificial layer, resulting in free-standing devices. While high-quality, crystalline, thin film heterolayer structures are readily available for silicon (as silicon-on-insulator (SOI)) or III-V semiconductors (i.e. GaAs/AlGaAs), there remains an extensive list of materials with attractive electro-optic, piezoelectric, quantum optical, and other properties for which high quality single-crystal thin film heterolayer structures are not available. These include complex metal oxides like lithium niobate (LiNbO3), silicon-based compounds such as silicon carbide (SiC), III-V nitrides including gallium nitride (GaN), and inert single-crystals such as diamond. Diamond is especially attractive for a variety of nanoscale technologies due to its exceptional physical and chemical properties, including high mechanical hardness, stiffness, and thermal conductivity. Optically, it is transparent over a wide wavelength range (from 220 nm to the far infrared), has a high refractive index (n ~ 2.4), and is host to a vast

A comparative study of the constitutive models for silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Jow-Lian; Dwivedi, Sunil; Gupta, Yogendra

2001-06-01

Most of the constitutive models for polycrystalline silicon carbide were developed and evaluated using data from either normal plate impact or Hopkinson bar experiments. At ISP, extensive efforts have been made to gain detailed insight into the shocked state of the silicon carbide (SiC) using innovative experimental methods, viz., lateral stress measurements, in-material unloading measurements, and combined compression shear experiments. The data obtained from these experiments provide some unique information for both developing and evaluating material models. In this study, these data for SiC were first used to evaluate some of the existing models to identify their strength and possible deficiencies. Motivated by both the results of this comparative study and the experimental observations, an improved phenomenological model was developed. The model incorporates pressure dependence of strength, rate sensitivity, damage evolution under both tension and compression, pressure confinement effect on damage evolution, stiffness degradation due to damage, and pressure dependence of stiffness. The model developments are able to capture most of the material features observed experimentally, but more work is needed to better match the experimental data quantitatively.

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.

Analysis about diamond tool wear in nano-metric cutting of single crystal silicon using molecular dynamics method

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhiguo; Liang, Yingchun; Chen, Mingjun; Tong, Zhen; Chen, Jiaxuan

2010-10-01

Tool wear not only changes its geometry accuracy and integrity, but also decrease machining precision and surface integrity of workpiece that affect using performance and service life of workpiece in ultra-precision machining. Scholars made a lot of experimental researches and stimulant analyses, but there is a great difference on the wear mechanism, especially on the nano-scale wear mechanism. In this paper, the three-dimensional simulation model is built to simulate nano-metric cutting of a single crystal silicon with a non-rigid right-angle diamond tool with 0 rake angle and 0 clearance angle by the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation approach, which is used to investigate the diamond tool wear during the nano-metric cutting process. A Tersoff potential is employed for the interaction between carbon-carbon atoms, silicon-silicon atoms and carbon-silicon atoms. The tool gets the high alternating shear stress, the tool wear firstly presents at the cutting edge where intension is low. At the corner the tool is splitted along the {1 1 1} crystal plane, which forms the tipping. The wear at the flank face is the structure transformation of diamond that the diamond structure transforms into the sheet graphite structure. Owing to the tool wear the cutting force increases.

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...

Lightweight and High-Resolution Single Crystal Silicon Optics for X-ray Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, William W.; Biskach, Michael P.; Chan, Kai-Wing; Mazzarella, James R.; McClelland, Ryan S.; Riveros, Raul E.; Saha, Timo T.; Solly, Peter M.

2016-01-01

We describe an approach to building mirror assemblies for next generation X-ray telescopes. It incorporates knowledge and lessons learned from building existing telescopes, including Chandra, XMM-Newton, Suzaku, and NuSTAR, as well as from our direct experience of the last 15 years developing mirror technology for the Constellation-X and International X-ray Observatory mission concepts. This approach combines single crystal silicon and precision polishing, thus has the potential of achieving the highest possible angular resolution with the least possible mass. Moreover, it is simple, consisting of several technical elements that can be developed independently in parallel. Lastly, it is highly amenable to mass production, therefore enabling the making of telescopes of very large photon collecting areas.

Surface texture of single-crystal silicon oxidized under a thin V{sub 2}O{sub 5} layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nikitin, S. E., E-mail: nikitin@mail.ioffe.ru; Verbitskiy, V. N.; Nashchekin, A. V.; Trapeznikova, I. N.; Bobyl, A. V.; Terukova, E. E. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical–Technical Institute (Russian Federation)

2017-01-15

The process of surface texturing of single-crystal silicon oxidized under a V{sub 2}O{sub 5} layer is studied. Intense silicon oxidation at the Si–V{sub 2}O{sub 5} interface begins at a temperature of 903 K which is 200 K below than upon silicon thermal oxidation in an oxygen atmosphere. A silicon dioxide layer 30–50 nm thick with SiO{sub 2} inclusions in silicon depth up to 400 nm is formed at the V{sub 2}O{sub 5}–Si interface. The diffusion coefficient of atomic oxygen through the silicon-dioxide layer at 903 K is determined (D ≥ 2 × 10{sup –15} cm{sup 2} s{sup –1}). A model of low-temperature silicon oxidation, based on atomic oxygen diffusion from V{sub 2}O{sub 5} through the SiO{sub 2} layer to silicon, and SiO{sub x} precipitate formation in silicon is proposed. After removing the V{sub 2}O{sub 5} and silicon-dioxide layers, texture is formed on the silicon surface, which intensely scatters light in the wavelength range of 300–550 nm and is important in the texturing of the front and rear surfaces of solar cells.

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...

REFEL silicon carbide. The development of a ceramic for a nuclear engineering application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kennedy, P.; Shennan, J. V.

1974-10-15

REFEL silicon carbide is a strong, uniform, fine-grain material which retains its strength and is stable in an oxidizing environment up to 1400 deg C. REFEL silicon carbide tube can be produced in quantity and by a combination of process controls, visual examination, NDT and proof testing, a very consistent product can be made. The material was developed as a nuclear fuel cladding capable of operating at temperatures o 1100 deg C in a CO₂-cooled reactor and the combination of excellent physical, mechanical and chemical properties together with product consistency ave confirmed the feasibility of this application. In a series of irradiation experiments, REFEL silicon carbide clad fuel pins have behaved predictably. At irradiation temperatures below about 800 deg C, the thermal conductivity falls sharply, the associate thermal stress increases, and the probability of failure, for the same rating, increases. It has been demonstrated theoretically that this effect can be overcome by halving the tube wall thickness. In addition to the thermal stress enhancement, the strength and Weibull modulus also fall under irradiation and consequently the safe working stress is reduced, Calculations show that in the absence of irradiation a fourfold increase in rating cold be tolerated. Thus, the material should have excellent thermal stress resistance in non-nuclear applications such as gas turbine components. (auth)

Characterisation of nuclear dispersion fuels. The non-destructive examination of silicon carbide by selenium immersion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ambler, J.F.R.; Ferguson, I.F.

1974-07-15

The non-destructive microscopic examination of silicon-carbide-coated spheres containing uranium carbide, which involves immersing the coated spheres in selenium, is particularly suited for the examination of flaws in the coats but it is not possible to measure coating thicknesses by this method. Some coats are found to be opaque and this is related to their porosity. (auth)

Neutron detection performance of silicon carbide and diamond detectors with incomplete charge collection properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hodgson, M., E-mail: michael.hodgson@becq.co.uk [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Lohstroh, A.; Sellin, P. [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Thomas, D. [NPL, Teddington TW11 0LW (United Kingdom)

2017-03-01

The benefits of neutron detection and spectroscopy with carbon based, wide band gap, semiconductor detectors have previously been discussed within the literature. However, at the time of writing there are still limitations with these detectors related to availability, cost, size and perceived quality. This study demonstrates that lower quality materials—indicated by lower charge collection efficiency (CCE), poor resolution and polarisation effect—available at wafer scale and lower cost, can fulfil requirements for fast neutron detection and spectroscopy for fluxes over several orders of magnitude, where only coarse energy discrimination is required. In this study, a single crystal diamond detector (D-SC, with 100% CCE), a polycrystalline diamond (D-PC, with ≈4% CCE) and semi-insulating silicon carbide (SiC-SI, with ≈35% CCE) have been compared for alpha and fast neutron performance. All detectors demonstrated alpha induced polarisation effects in the form of a change of both energy peak position and count rate with irradiation time. Despite these operational issues the ability to detect fast neutrons and distinguish neutron energies was observed. This performance was demonstrated over a wide dynamic range (500–40,000 neutrons/s), with neutron induced polarisation being demonstrated in D-PC and SiC-SI at high fluxes.

Progress in Studies on Carbon and Silicon Carbide Nanocomposite Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, P.; Chen, J.; Xian-feng, X.

2010-01-01

Silicon carbide nanofiber and carbon nanotubes are introduced. The structure and application of nanotubers (nanofibers) in carbon/carbon composites are emphatically presented. Due to the unique structure of nanotubers (nanofibers), they can modify the microstructure of pyrocarbon and induce the deposition of pyrocarbon with high text in carbon/carbon composites. So the carbon/carbon composites modified by CNT/CNF have more excellent properties.

Silicon Carbide Junction Field Effect Transistor Digital Logic Gates Demonstrated at 600 deg. C

Science.gov (United States)

Neudeck, Philip G.

1998-01-01

The High Temperature Integrated Electronics and Sensors (HTIES) Program at the NASA Lewis Research Center is currently developing silicon carbide (SiC) for use in harsh conditions where silicon, the semiconductor used in nearly all of today's electronics, cannot function. The HTIES team recently fabricated and demonstrated the first semiconductor digital logic gates ever to function at 600 C.

Photonic and Plasmonic Guided Modes in Graphene-Silicon Photonic Crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gu, Tingyi; Andryieuski, Andrei; Hao, Yufeng

2015-01-01

We report the results of systematic studies of plasmonic and photonic guided modes in large-area single-layer graphene integrated into a nanostructured silicon substrate. The interaction of light with graphene and substrate photonic crystals can be classified in distinct regimes depending......, filters, sensors, and photodetectors utilizing silicon photonic platforms....... on the relation of the photonic crystal lattice constant and the relevant modal wavelengths, that is, plasmonic, photonic, and free-space. By optimizing the design of the substrate, these resonant modes can increase the absorption of graphene in the infrared, facilitating enhanced performance of modulators...

Device for fracturing silicon-carbide coatings on nuclear-fuel particles

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, L.J.; Willey, M.G.; Tiegs, S.M.; Van Cleve, J.E. Jr.

This invention is a device for fracturing particles. It is designed especially for use in hot cells designed for the handling of radioactive materials. In a typical application, the device is used to fracture a hard silicon-carbide coating present on carbon-matrix microspheres containing nuclear-fuel materials, such as uranium or thorium compounds. To promote remote control and facilitate maintenance, the particle breaker is pneumatically operated and contains no moving parts. It includes means for serially entraining the entrained particles on an anvil housed in a leak-tight chamber. The flow rate of the gas is at a value effecting fracture of the particles; preferably, it is at a value fracturing them into product particulates of fluidizable size. The chamber is provided with an outlet passage whose cross-sectional area decreases in the direction away from the chamber. The outlet is connected tangentially to a vertically oriented vortex-flow separator for recovering the product particulates entrained in the gas outflow from the chamber. The invention can be used on a batch or continuous basis to fracture the silicon-carbide coatings on virtually all of the particles fed thereto.

Method for fracturing silicon-carbide coatings on nuclear-fuel particles

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Lloyd J.; Willey, Melvin G.; Tiegs, Sue M.; Van Cleve, Jr., John E.

1982-01-01

This invention is a device for fracturing particles. It is designed especially for use in "hot cells" designed for the handling of radioactive materials. In a typical application, the device is used to fracture a hard silicon-carbide coating present on carbon-matrix microspheres containing nuclear-fuel material, such as uranium or thorium compounds. To promote remote control and facilitate maintenance, the particle breaker is pneumatically operated and contains no moving parts. It includes means for serially entraining the entrained particles on an anvil housed in a leak-tight chamber. The flow rate of the gas is at a value effecting fracture of the particles; preferably, it is at a value fracturing them into product particulates of fluidizable size. The chamber is provided with an outlet passage whose cross-sectional area decreases in the direction away from the chamber. The outlet is connected tangentially to a vertically oriented vortex-flow separator for recovering the product particulates entrained in the gas outflow from the chamber. The invention can be used on a batch or continuous basis to fracture the silicon-carbide coatings on virtually all of the particles fed thereto.

Ion beam figuring of CVD silicon carbide mirrors

Science.gov (United States)

Gailly, P.; Collette, J.-P.; Fleury Frenette, K.; Jamar, C.

2017-11-01

Optical and structural elements made of silicon carbide are increasingly found in space instruments. Chemical vapor deposited silicon carbide (CVD-SiC) is used as a reflective coating on SiC optics in reason of its good behavior under polishing. The advantage of applying ion beam figuring (IBF) to CVD-SiC over other surface figure-improving techniques is discussed herein. The results of an IBF sequence performed at the Centre Spatial de Liège on a 100 mm CVD-SiC mirror are reported. The process allowed to reduce the mirror surface errors from 243 nm to 13 nm rms . Beside the surface figure, roughness is another critical feature to consider in order to preserve the optical quality of CVD-SiC . Thus, experiments focusing on the evolution of roughness were performed in various ion beam etching conditions. The roughness of samples etched at different depths down to 3 ≠m was determined with an optical profilometer. These measurements emphasize the importance of selecting the right combination of gas and beam energy to keep roughness at a low level. Kaufman-type ion sources are generally used to perform IBF but the performance of an end-Hall ion source in figuring CVD-SiC mirrors was also evaluated in this study. In order to do so, ion beam etching profiles obtained with the end-Hall source on CVD-SiC were measured and used as a basis for IBF simulations.

High yield silicon carbide from alkylated or arylated pre-ceramic polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baney, R.H.; Gaul, J.H.

1982-01-01

Alkylated or arylated methylpolysilanes which exhibit ease of handling and are used to obtain silicon carbide ceramic materials in high yields contain 0 to 60 mole percent (CH 3 ) 2 Si double bond units and 40 to 100 mole percent CH 3 Si triple bond units, wherein there is also bonded to the silicon atoms other silicon atoms and additional alkyl radicals of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or phenyl. They may be prepared by reaction of a Grignard reagent RMgX, where X is halogen and R is Csub(1-4)-alkyl or phenyl, with a starting material which is a solid at 25 0 C, and is identical to the product except that the remaining bonds on the silicon atoms are attached to another silicon atom, or a chlorine or a bromine atom. Ceramics result from heating the polysilane products to 1200 0 C, optionally with fillers. (author)

The preparation method of solid boron solution in silicon carbide in the form of micro powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pampuch, R.; Stobierski, L.; Lis, J.; Bialoskorski, J.; Ermer, E.

1993-01-01

The preparation method of solid boron solution in silicon carbide in the form of micro power has been worked out. The method consists in introducing mixture of boron, carbon and silicon and heating in the atmosphere of inert gas to the 1573 K

Formation of Porous Silicon Carbide and its Suitability as a Chemical and Temperature Detector

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rittenhouse, Tilghman

2004-01-01

.... A novel electroless method of producing porous silicon carbide (PSiC) is presented. Unlike anodic methods of producing PSiC the electroless process does not require electrical contact during etching...

Laser induced single-crystal transition in polycrystalline silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vitali, G.; Bertolotti, M.; Foti, G.; Rimini, E.

1978-01-01

Transition to single crystal of polycrystalline Si material underlying a Si crystal substrate of 100 orientation was obtained via laser irradiation. The changes in the structure were analyzed by reflection high energy electron diffraction and by channeling effect technique using 2.0 MeV He Rutherford scattering. The power density required to induce the transition in a 4500 A thick polycrystalline layer is about 70 MW/cm 2 (50ns). The corresponding amorphous to single transition has a threshold of about 45 MW/cm 2 . (orig.) 891 HPOE [de

Research of morphology and structure of 3C–SiC thin films on silicon by electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander S. Gusev

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Thin films of silicon carbide possessing unique properties attract increasing attention of researchers both in the field of semiconductor physics and in the technology of new semiconductor devices for high power, RF and optoelectronics. The growth of the production of silicon carbide based devices promotes the search for more resource saving and safe SiC layer synthesis technologies. Potential method is pulse laser deposition (PLD in vacuum. This technology does not require the use of chemically aggressive and explosive gases and allows forming thin and continuous coatings with thicknesses of from several nanometers at relatively low substrate temperatures. Submicron thickness silicon carbide films have been grown on single crystal silicon by vacuum laser ablation of a ceramic target. The physical and technological parameters of silicon carbide thin film low temperature synthesis by PLD have been studied and, in particular, the effect of temperature and substrate crystalline orientation on the composition, structural properties and morphology of the surface of the experimental specimens has been analyzed. At above 500 °C the crystalline β-SiC phase forms on Si (100 and (111. At a substrate temperature of 950 °C the formation of textured heteroepitaxial 3C–SiC films was observed.

Metal-like self-organization of periodic nanostructures on silicon and silicon carbide under femtosecond laser pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gemini, Laura; Hashida, Masaki; Shimizu, Masahiro; Miyasaka, Yasuhiro; Inoue, Shunsuke; Tokita, Shigeki; Sakabe, Shuji; Limpouch, Jiri; Mocek, Tomas

2013-01-01

Periodic structures were generated on Si and SiC surfaces by irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses. Self-organized structures with spatial periodicity of approximately 600 nm appear on silicon and silicon carbide in the laser fluence range just above the ablation threshold and upon irradiation with a large number of pulses. As in the case of metals, the dependence of the spatial periodicity on laser fluence can be explained by the parametric decay of laser light into surface plasma waves. The results show that the proposed model might be universally applicable to any solid state material

Influences of Device and Circuit Mismatches on Paralleling Silicon Carbide MOSFETs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Helong; Munk-Nielsen, Stig; Wang, Xiongfei

2016-01-01

This paper addresses the influences of device and circuit mismatches on paralleling the Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs. Comprehensive theoretical analysis and experimental validation from paralleled discrete devices to paralleled dies in multichip power modules are first presented. Then, the influ......This paper addresses the influences of device and circuit mismatches on paralleling the Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs. Comprehensive theoretical analysis and experimental validation from paralleled discrete devices to paralleled dies in multichip power modules are first presented. Then......, the influence of circuit mismatch on paralleling SiC MOSFETs is investigated and experimentally evaluated for the first time. It is found that the mismatch of the switching loop stray inductance can also lead to on-state current unbalance with inductive output current, in addition to the on-state resistance...... of the device. It further reveals that circuit mismatches and a current coupling among the paralleled dies exist in a SiC MOSFET multichip power module, which is critical for the transient current distribution in the power module. Thus, a power module layout with an auxiliary source connection is developed...

Synchrotron Topographic and Diffractometer Studies of Buried Layered Structures Obtained by Implantation with Swift Heavy Ions in Silicon Single Crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wierzchowski, W.; Wieteska, K.; Zymierska, D.; Graeff, W.; Czosnyka, T.; Choinski, J.

2006-01-01

A distribution of crystallographic defects and deformation in silicon crystals subjected to deep implantation (20-50 μm) with ions of the energy of a few MeV/amu is studied. Three different buried layered structures (single layer, binary buried structure and triple buried structure) were obtained by implantation of silicon single crystals with 184 MeV argon ions, 29.7 MeV boron ions, and 140 MeV argon ions, each implantation at a fluency of 1x10 14 ions cm -2 . The implanted samples were examined by means of white beam X-ray section and projection topography, monochromatic beam topography and by recording local rocking curves with the beam restricted to 50 x 50 μm 2 . The experiment pointed to a very low level of implantation-induced strain (below 10 -5 ). The white beam Bragg case section experiment revealed a layer producing district black contrast located at a depth of the expected mean ion range. The presence of these buried layered structures in studied silicon crystals strongly affected the fringe pattern caused by curvature of the samples. In case of white beam projection and monochromatic beam topographs the implanted areas were revealed as darker regions with a very tiny grain like structure. One may interpret these results as the effect of considerable heating causing annihilation of point defects and formation of dislocation loops connected with point defect clusters. (author)

Surface/subsurface observation and removal mechanisms of ground reaction bonded silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Wang; Zhang, Yu-Min; Han, Jie-cai; Zhang, Yun-long; Zhang, Jian-han; Zhou, Yu-feng; Han, Yuan-yuan

2006-01-01

Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide (RBSiC) has long been recognized as a promising material for optical applications because of its unique combination of favorable properties and low-cost fabrication. Grinding of silicon carbide is difficult because of its high hardness and brittleness. Grinding often induces surface and subsurface damage, residual stress and other types of damage, which have great influence on the ceramic components for optical application. In this paper, surface integrity, subsurface damage and material removal mechanisms of RBSiC ground using diamond grinding wheel on creep-feed surface grinding machine are investigated. The surface and subsurface are studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy. The effects of grinding conditions on surface and subsurface damage are discussed. This research links the surface roughness, surface and subsurface cracks to grinding parameters and provides valuable insights into the material removal mechanism and the dependence of grind induced damage on grinding conditions.

UV laser ablation of silicon carbide ring surfaces for mechanical seal applications

Science.gov (United States)

Daurelio, Giuseppe; Bellosi, Alida; Sciti, Diletta; Chita, Giuseppe; Allegretti, Didio; Guerrini, Fausto

2000-02-01

Silicon carbide ceramic seal rings are treated by KrF excimer laser irradiation. Surface characteristics, induced by laser treatment, depend upon laser fluence, the number of laser pulses, their energy and frequency, the rotation rate of the ring and the processing atmosphere. It was ascertained that silicon carbide has to be processed under an inert atmosphere to avoid surface oxidation. Microstructural analyses of surface and cross section of the laser processed samples showed that the SiC surface is covered by a scale due to the melting/resolidification processes. At high fluence there are no continuous scales on the surfaces; materials is removed by decomposition/vaporization and the ablation depth is linearly dependent on the number of pulses. Different surface morphologies are observed. The evolution of surface morphology and roughness is discussed with reference to compositions, microstructure and physical and optical properties of the ceramic material and to laser processing parameters. Preliminary results on tribological behavior of the treated seals are reported.

Structural and optical properties of silicon-carbide nanowires produced by the high-temperature carbonization of silicon nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlikov, A. V., E-mail: pavlikov@physics.msu.ru [Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics (Russian Federation); Latukhina, N. V.; Chepurnov, V. I. [Samara National Researh University (Russian Federation); Timoshenko, V. Yu. [Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics (Russian Federation)

2017-03-15

Silicon-carbide (SiC) nanowire structures 40–50 nm in diameter are produced by the high-temperature carbonization of porous silicon and silicon nanowires. The SiC nanowires are studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and infrared reflectance spectroscopy. The X-ray structural and Raman data suggest that the cubic 3C-SiC polytype is dominant in the samples under study. The shape of the infrared reflectance spectrum in the region of the reststrahlen band 800–900 cm{sup –1} is indicative of the presence of free charge carriers. The possibility of using SiC nanowires in microelectronic, photonic, and gas-sensing devices is discussed.

Quasimetallic silicon micromachined photonic crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Temelkuran, B.; Bayindir, Mehmet; Ozbay, E.; Kavanaugh, J. P.; Sigalas, M. M.; Tuttle, G.

2001-01-01

We report on fabrication of a layer-by-layer photonic crystal using highly doped silicon wafers processed by semiconductor micromachining techniques. The crystals, built using (100) silicon wafers, resulted in an upper stop band edge at 100 GHz. The transmission and defect characteristics of these structures were found to be analogous to metallic photonic crystals. We also investigated the effect of doping concentration on the defect characteristics. The experimental results agree well with predictions of the transfer matrix method simulations

Fluidized bed deposition and evaluation of silicon carbide coatings on microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Federer, J.I.

1977-01-01

The fuel element for the HTGR is an array of closely packed fuel microspheres in a carbonaceous matrix. A coating of dense silicon carbide (SiC), along with pyrocarbon layers, is deposited on the fueled microspheres to serve as a barrier against diffusion of fission products. The microspheres are coated with silicon carbide in a fluidized bed by reaction of methyltrichlorosilane (CH 3 SiCl 3 or MTS) and hydrogen at elevated temperatures. The principal variables of coating temperature and reactant gas composition (H 2 /MTS ratio) have been correlated with coating rate, morphology, stoichiometry, microstructure, and density. The optimum temperature for depositing highly dense coatings is in the range 1475 to 1675 0 C. Lower temperatures result in silicon-rich deposits, while higher temperatures may cause unacceptable porosity. The optimum H 2 /MTS ratio for highly dense coatings is 20 or more (approximately 5% MTS or less). The amount of grown-in porosity increases as the H 2 /MTS ratio decreases below 20. The requirement that the H 2 /MTS ratio be about 20 or more imposes a practical restraint on coating rate, since increasing the total flow rate would eventually expel microspheres from the coating tube. Evaluation of stoichiometry, morphology, and microstructure support the above mentioned optimum conditions of temperature and reactant gas composition. 18 figures, 3 tables

Creation of leak-proof silicon carbide diffusion barriers by means of pulsed laser deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinecke, A.-M.; Lustfeld, M.; Lippmann, W., E-mail: wolfgang.lippmann@tu-dresden.de; Hurtado, A.

2014-05-01

TRISO (tristructural isotropic) coated fuel particles are a crucial element of the HTR safety concept. While TRISO coated particles have been proven as a very efficient barrier for a large range of fission products in HTR experimental reactors, some particular fission products could still diffuse at a considerable rate. Most importantly, radioactive silver {sup 110m}Ag was found to be released from coated particles. In future HTRs with active components like a gas turbine in the primary circuit, such silver contamination may severely limit maintainability of these parts with the result of reduced life-time performance. So far, experimental analyses on silver diffusion through silicon carbide have led to contradictory results. In this work, an alternative method was used to generate silicon carbide layers as a basis for analysis of silver diffusion. With pulsed laser deposition (PLD), it is possible to generate coatings of different materials and various kinds of compounds. In particular, this technology allows the generation of layers very well defined with respect to their composition, purity and density. The microstructure can precisely be manipulated through various parameters. Based on different silicon carbide coatings with well-defined properties, we are going to investigate the silver diffusion process. Our goal is to derive the properties of an ideal silicon carbide coating preventing silver diffusion entirely. In this paper we present the major aspects of our work creating crystalline SiC layers as well as silver and CsI layers both on plane and spherical substrates. Analyses with X-ray diffraction, X-ray spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry show that complex multilayer systems comprising a graphite substrate, a crystalline SiC layer and an intermediate silver layer were successfully created. Major challenges to approach in the future are the handling of high-level intrinsic stresses forming in the layer structure as well as the high vapour

Ab initio density functional theory investigation of crystalline bundles of polygonized single-walled silicon carbide nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moradian, Rostam; Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], E-mail: moradian.rostam@gmail.com

2008-11-19

By using ab initio density functional theory, the structural characterizations and electronic properties of two large-diameter (13, 13) and (14, 14) armchair silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) bundles are investigated. Full structural optimizations show that the cross sections of these large-diameter SiCNTs in the bundles have a nearly hexagonal shape. The effects of inter-tube coupling on the electronic dispersions of large-diameter SiCNT bundles are demonstrated. By comparing the band structures of the triangular lattices of (14, 14) SiCNTs with nearly hexagonal and circular cross sections we found that the polygonization of the tubes in the bundle leads to a further dispersion of the occupied bands and an increase in the bandgap by 0.18 eV.

Ab initio density functional theory investigation of crystalline bundles of polygonized single-walled silicon carbide nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moradian, Rostam; Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad

2008-01-01

By using ab initio density functional theory, the structural characterizations and electronic properties of two large-diameter (13, 13) and (14, 14) armchair silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) bundles are investigated. Full structural optimizations show that the cross sections of these large-diameter SiCNTs in the bundles have a nearly hexagonal shape. The effects of inter-tube coupling on the electronic dispersions of large-diameter SiCNT bundles are demonstrated. By comparing the band structures of the triangular lattices of (14, 14) SiCNTs with nearly hexagonal and circular cross sections we found that the polygonization of the tubes in the bundle leads to a further dispersion of the occupied bands and an increase in the bandgap by 0.18 eV.

Ab initio density functional theory investigation of crystalline bundles of polygonized single-walled silicon carbide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Moradian, Rostam; Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad

2008-11-01

By using ab initio density functional theory, the structural characterizations and electronic properties of two large-diameter (13, 13) and (14, 14) armchair silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) bundles are investigated. Full structural optimizations show that the cross sections of these large-diameter SiCNTs in the bundles have a nearly hexagonal shape. The effects of inter-tube coupling on the electronic dispersions of large-diameter SiCNT bundles are demonstrated. By comparing the band structures of the triangular lattices of (14, 14) SiCNTs with nearly hexagonal and circular cross sections we found that the polygonization of the tubes in the bundle leads to a further dispersion of the occupied bands and an increase in the bandgap by 0.18 eV.

Time-Dependent Stress Rupture Strength Degradation of Hi-Nicalon Fiber-Reinforced Silicon Carbide Composites at Intermediate Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Roy M.

2016-01-01

The stress rupture strength of silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide composites with a boron nitride fiber coating decreases with time within the intermediate temperature range of 700 to 950 degree Celsius. Various theories have been proposed to explain the cause of the time-dependent stress rupture strength. The objective of this paper is to investigate the relative significance of the various theories for the time-dependent strength of silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide composites. This is achieved through the development of a numerically based progressive failure analysis routine and through the application of the routine to simulate the composite stress rupture tests. The progressive failure routine is a time-marching routine with an iterative loop between a probability of fiber survival equation and a force equilibrium equation within each time step. Failure of the composite is assumed to initiate near a matrix crack and the progression of fiber failures occurs by global load sharing. The probability of survival equation is derived from consideration of the strength of ceramic fibers with randomly occurring and slow growing flaws as well as the mechanical interaction between the fibers and matrix near a matrix crack. The force equilibrium equation follows from the global load sharing presumption. The results of progressive failure analyses of the composite tests suggest that the relationship between time and stress-rupture strength is attributed almost entirely to the slow flaw growth within the fibers. Although other mechanisms may be present, they appear to have only a minor influence on the observed time-dependent behavior.

High Input Voltage, Silicon Carbide Power Processing Unit Performance Demonstration

Science.gov (United States)

Bozak, Karin E.; Pinero, Luis R.; Scheidegger, Robert J.; Aulisio, Michael V.; Gonzalez, Marcelo C.; Birchenough, Arthur G.

2015-01-01

A silicon carbide brassboard power processing unit has been developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The power processing unit operates from two sources: a nominal 300 Volt high voltage input bus and a nominal 28 Volt low voltage input bus. The design of the power processing unit includes four low voltage, low power auxiliary supplies, and two parallel 7.5 kilowatt (kW) discharge power supplies that are capable of providing up to 15 kilowatts of total power at 300 to 500 Volts (V) to the thruster. Additionally, the unit contains a housekeeping supply, high voltage input filter, low voltage input filter, and master control board, such that the complete brassboard unit is capable of operating a 12.5 kilowatt Hall effect thruster. The performance of the unit was characterized under both ambient and thermal vacuum test conditions, and the results demonstrate exceptional performance with full power efficiencies exceeding 97%. The unit was also tested with a 12.5kW Hall effect thruster to verify compatibility and output filter specifications. With space-qualified silicon carbide or similar high voltage, high efficiency power devices, this would provide a design solution to address the need for high power electric propulsion systems.

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...

Modelling of heating and photoexcitation of single-crystal silicon under multipulse irradiation by a nanosecond laser at 1.06 μm

Science.gov (United States)

Polyakov, D. S.; Yakovlev, E. B.

2018-03-01

We report a theoretical study of heating and photoexcitation of single-crystal silicon by nanosecond laser radiation at a wavelength of 1.06 μm. The proposed physicomathematical model of heating takes into account the complex nonlinear dynamics of the interband absorption coefficient of silicon and the contribution of the radial heat removal to the cooling of silicon between pulses under multipulse irradiation, which allows one to obtain a satisfactory agreement between theoretical predictions of silicon melting thresholds at different nanosecond pulse durations and experimental data (both under single-pulse and multipulse irradiation). It is found that under irradiation by nanosecond pulses at a wavelength of 1.06 μm, the dynamic Burshtein–Moss effect can play an important role in processes of photoexcitation and heating. It is shown that with the regimes typical for laser multipulse microprocessing of silicon (the laser spot diameter is less than 100 μm, and the repetition rate of pulses is about 100 kHz), the radial heat removal cannot be neglected in the analysis of heat accumulation processes.

Use of spectroscopic techniques for the chemical analysis of biomorphic silicon carbide ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavon, J.M. Cano; Alonso, E. Vereda; Cordero, M.T. Siles; Torres, A. Garcia de; Lopez-Cepero, J.M.

2005-01-01

Biomorphic silicon carbide ceramics are a new class of materials prepared by several complex processing steps including pre-processing (shaping, drying, high-temperature pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere) and reaction with liquid silicon to obtain silicon-carbide. The results of industrial process of synthesis (measured by the SiC content) must be evaluated by means of fast analytical methods. In the present work, diverse samples of biomorphic ceramics derived from wood are studied for to evaluate the capability of the different analytical techniques (XPS, LIBS, FT-IR and also atomic spectroscopy applied to previously dissolved samples) for the analysis of these materials. XPS and LIBS gives information about the major components, whereas XPS and FT-IR can be used to evaluate the content of SiC. On the other hand, .the use of atomic techniques (as ICP-MS and ETA-AAS) is more adequate for the analysis of metal ions, specially at trace level. The properties of ceramics depend decisively of the content of chemical elements. Major components found were C, Si, Al, S, B and Na in all cases. Previous dissolution of the samples was optimised by acid attack in an oven under microwave irradiation

High yield silicon carbide pre-ceramic polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baney, R.H.

1982-01-01

Polysilanes which are substituted with (CH 3 ) 3 SiO-groups are useful for the preparation in high yields of fine grained silicon carbide ceramic materials. They consist of 0 to 60 mole % (CH 3 ) 2 Si units and 100 to 40 mole % CH 3 Si units, all Si valences not satisfied by CH 3 groups or Si atoms being directed to groups (CH 3 ) 3 SiO-, which siloxane groups amount to 23 to 61 weight % of the polysilane. They are prepared by reaction of the corresponding chloro- or bromo-methyl polysilanes with at least the stoichiometric amounts of (CH 3 ) 3 SiOSi(CH 3 ) 3 and water in the presence of a strong acid. (author)

Nickel-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, J A; Arce, R D; Buitrago, R H [INTEC (CONICET-UNL), Gueemes 3450, S3000GLN Santa Fe (Argentina); Budini, N; Rinaldi, P, E-mail: jschmidt@intec.unl.edu.a [FIQ - UNL, Santiago del Estero 2829, S3000AOM Santa Fe (Argentina)

2009-05-01

The nickel-induced crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is used to obtain large grained polycrystalline silicon thin films on glass substrates. a-Si:H is deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition at 200 deg. C, preparing intrinsic and slightly p-doped samples. Each sample was divided in several pieces, over which increasing Ni concentrations were sputtered. Two crystallization methods are compared, conventional furnace annealing (CFA) and rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The crystallization was followed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy observations, X-ray diffraction, and reflectance measurements in the UV region. The large grain sizes obtained - larger than 100{mu}m for the samples crystallized by CFA - are very encouraging for the preparation of low-cost thin film polycrystalline silicon solar cells.

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...

Photonic Crystal Sensors Based on Porous Silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Pacholski

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Porous silicon has been established as an excellent sensing platform for the optical detection of hazardous chemicals and biomolecular interactions such as DNA hybridization, antigen/antibody binding, and enzymatic reactions. Its porous nature provides a high surface area within a small volume, which can be easily controlled by changing the pore sizes. As the porosity and consequently the refractive index of an etched porous silicon layer depends on the electrochemial etching conditions photonic crystals composed of multilayered porous silicon films with well-resolved and narrow optical reflectivity features can easily be obtained. The prominent optical response of the photonic crystal decreases the detection limit and therefore increases the sensitivity of porous silicon sensors in comparison to sensors utilizing Fabry-Pérot based optical transduction. Development of porous silicon photonic crystal sensors which allow for the detection of analytes by the naked eye using a simple color change or the fabrication of stacked porous silicon photonic crystals showing two distinct optical features which can be utilized for the discrimination of analytes emphasize its high application potential.

Photonic Crystal Sensors Based on Porous Silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Pacholski, Claudia

2013-01-01

Porous silicon has been established as an excellent sensing platform for the optical detection of hazardous chemicals and biomolecular interactions such as DNA hybridization, antigen/antibody binding, and enzymatic reactions. Its porous nature provides a high surface area within a small volume, which can be easily controlled by changing the pore sizes. As the porosity and consequently the refractive index of an etched porous silicon layer depends on the electrochemial etching conditions photonic crystals composed of multilayered porous silicon films with well-resolved and narrow optical reflectivity features can easily be obtained. The prominent optical response of the photonic crystal decreases the detection limit and therefore increases the sensitivity of porous silicon sensors in comparison to sensors utilizing Fabry-Pérot based optical transduction. Development of porous silicon photonic crystal sensors which allow for the detection of analytes by the naked eye using a simple color change or the fabrication of stacked porous silicon photonic crystals showing two distinct optical features which can be utilized for the discrimination of analytes emphasize its high application potential. PMID:23571671

Rf-plasma synthesis of nanosize silicon carbide and nitride. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buss, R.J.

1997-02-01

A pulsed rf plasma technique is capable of generating ceramic particles of 10 manometer dimension. Experiments using silane/ammonia and trimethylchlorosilane/hydrogen gas mixtures show that both silicon nitride and silicon carbide powders can be synthesized with control of the average particle diameter from 7 to 200 nm. Large size dispersion and much agglomeration appear characteristic of the method, in contrast to results reported by another research group. The as produced powders have a high hydrogen content and are air and moisture sensitive. Post-plasma treatment in a controlled atmosphere at elevated temperature (800{degrees}C) eliminates the hydrogen and stabilizes the powder with respect to oxidation or hydrolysis.

Tunable photoluminescence of porous silicon by liquid crystal infiltration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Qinglan; Xiong Rui; Huang Yuanming

2011-01-01

The photoluminescence (PL) of porous silicon films has been investigated as a function of the amount of liquid crystal molecules that are infiltrated into the constricted geometry of the porous silicon films. A typical nematic liquid crystal 4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl was employed in our experiment as the filler to modify the PL of porous silicon. It is found that the originally red PL of porous silicon films can be tuned to blue by simply adjusting the amount of liquid crystal molecules in the microchannels of the porous films. The chromaticity coordinates are calculated for the recorded PL spectra. The mechanism of the tunable PL is discussed. Our results have demonstrated that the luminescent properties of porous silicon films can be efficiently tuned by liquid crystal infiltration. - Highlights: → Liquid crystal infiltration can tune the photoluminescence of porous silicon. → Red emission of porous silicon can be switched to blue by the infiltration. → Chromaticity coordinates are calculated for the tuned emissions. → White emission is realized for porous silicon by liquid crystal infiltration.

Progress in thin-film silicon solar cells based on photonic-crystal structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ishizaki, Kenji; De Zoysa, Menaka; Tanaka, Yoshinori; Jeon, Seung-Woo; Noda, Susumu

2018-06-01

We review the recent progress in thin-film silicon solar cells with photonic crystals, where absorption enhancement is achieved by using large-area resonant effects in photonic crystals. First, a definitive guideline for enhancing light absorption in a wide wavelength range (600–1100 nm) is introduced, showing that the formation of multiple band edges utilizing higher-order modes confined in the thickness direction and the introduction of photonic superlattice structures enable significant absorption enhancement, exceeding that observed for conventional random scatterers. Subsequently, experimental evidence of this enhancement is demonstrated for a variety of thin-film Si solar cells: ∼500-nm-thick ultrathin microcrystalline silicon cells, few-µm-thick microcrystalline silicon cells, and ∼20-µm-thick thin single-crystalline silicon cells. The high short-circuit current densities and/or efficiencies observed for each cell structure confirm the effectiveness of using multiple band-edge resonant modes of photonic crystals for enhancing broadband absorption in actual solar cells.

High-Q energy trapping of temperature-stable shear waves with Lamé cross-sectional polarization in a single crystal silicon waveguide

Science.gov (United States)

Tabrizian, R.; Daruwalla, A.; Ayazi, F.

2016-03-01

A multi-port electrostatically driven silicon acoustic cavity is implemented that efficiently traps the energy of a temperature-stable eigen-mode with Lamé cross-sectional polarization. Dispersive behavior of propagating and evanescent guided waves in a ⟨100⟩-aligned single crystal silicon waveguide is used to engineer the acoustic energy distribution of a specific shear eigen-mode that is well known for its low temperature sensitivity when implemented in doped single crystal silicon. Such an acoustic energy trapping in the central region of the acoustic cavity geometry and far from substrate obviates the need for narrow tethers that are conventionally used for non-destructive and high quality factor (Q) energy suspension in MEMS resonators; therefore, the acoustically engineered waveguide can simultaneously serve as in-situ self-oven by passing large uniformly distributed DC currents through its body and without any concern about perturbing the mode shape or deforming narrow supports. Such a stable thermo-structural performance besides large turnover temperatures than can be realized in Lamé eigen-modes make this device suitable for implementation of ultra-stable oven-controlled oscillators. 78 MHz prototypes implemented in arsenic-doped single crystal silicon substrates with different resistivity are transduced by in- and out-of-plane narrow-gap capacitive ports, showing high Q of ˜43k. The low resistivity device shows an overall temperature-induced frequency drift of 200 ppm over the range of -20 °C to 80 °C, which is ˜15× smaller compared to overall frequency drift measured for the similar yet high resistivity device in the same temperature range. Furthermore, a frequency tuning of ˜2100 ppm is achieved in high resistivity device by passing 45 mA DC current through its body. Continuous operation of the device under such a self-ovenizing current over 10 days did not induce frequency instability or degradation in Q.

Ion beam evaluation of silicon carbide membrane structures intended for particle detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pallon, J., E-mail: jan.pallon@nuclear.lu.se [Division of Nuclear Physics, Physics Department, Lund University, Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden); Syväjärvi, M. [Linköping University, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, SE-58183 Linköping (Sweden); Graphensic AB, Teknikringen 1F, SE-58330 Linköping (Sweden); Wang, Q. [Sensor System, ACREO Swedish ICT AB, Box 1070, SE-164 25 Kista (Sweden); Yakimova, R.; Iakimov, T. [Linköping University, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, SE-58183 Linköping (Sweden); Graphensic AB, Teknikringen 1F, SE-58330 Linköping (Sweden); Elfman, M.; Kristiansson, P.; Nilsson, E.J.C.; Ros, L. [Division of Nuclear Physics, Physics Department, Lund University, Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden)

2016-03-15

Thin ion transmission detectors can be used as a part of a telescope detector for mass and energy identification but also as a pre-cell detector in a microbeam system for studies of biological effects from single ion hits on individual living cells. We investigated a structure of graphene on silicon carbide (SiC) with the purpose to explore a thin transmission detector with a very low noise level and having mechanical strength to act as a vacuum window. In order to reach very deep cavities in the SiC wafers for the preparation of the membrane in the detector, we have studied the Inductive Coupled Plasma technique to etch deep circular cavities in 325 μm prototype samples. By a special high temperature process the outermost layers of the etched SiC wafers were converted into a highly conductive graphitic layer. The produced cavities were characterized by electron microscopy, optical microscopy and proton energy loss measurements. The average membrane thickness was found to be less than 40 μm, however, with a slightly curved profile. Small spots representing much thinner membrane were also observed and might have an origin in crystal defects or impurities. Proton energy loss measurement (also called Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy, STIM) is a well suited technique for this thickness range. This work presents the first steps of fabricating a membrane structure of SiC and graphene which may be an attractive approach as a detector due to the combined properties of SiC and graphene in a monolithic materials structure.

Corrosion behaviour of 2124 aluminium alloy-silicon carbide metal matrix composites in sodium chloride environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Nirbhay; Vadera, K.K.; Ramesh Kumar, A.V.; Singh, R.S.; Monga, S.S.; Mathur, G.N.

1999-01-01

Aluminium alloy based particle reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) are being considered for a range of applications. Their mechanical properties have been investigated in detail, but more information about their corrosion resistance is needed. In this investigation, the corrosion behaviour of silicon carbide particulates (SiC p )-2124 aluminium metal matrix composites was studied in 3 wt% sodium chloride solution by means of electrochemical technique and optical microscope. The effects of weight percentages and particle size of silicon carbide particulates on corrosion behaviour of the composite were studied in NaCl and it was observed that corrosion rate increases linearly with the increasing weight percentage of SiC p . The corrosion rate of the MMC increases by increasing the size of SiC particles. Anodization improved corrosion resistance of the composites. (author)

Visible light emission from porous silicon carbide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ou, Haiyan; Lu, Weifang

2017-01-01

Light-emitting silicon carbide is emerging as an environment-friendly wavelength converter in the application of light-emitting diode based white light source for two main reasons. Firstly, SiC has very good thermal conductivity and therefore a good substrate for GaN growth in addition to the small...... lattice mismatch. Secondly, SiC material is abundant, containing no rear-earth element material as commercial phosphor. In this paper, fabrication of porous SiC is introduced, and their morphology and photoluminescence are characterized. Additionally, the carrier lifetime of the porous SiC is measured...... by time-resolved photoluminescence. The ultrashort lifetime in the order of ~70ps indicates porous SiC is very promising for the application in the ultrafast visible light communications....

Silver diffusion through silicon carbide in microencapsulated nuclear fuels TRISO; Difusion de plata a traves de carburo de silicio en combustibles nucleares microencapsulados TRISO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cancino T, F.; Lopez H, E., E-mail: Felix.cancino@cinvestav.edu.mx [IPN, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados, Unidad Saltillo, Av. Industria Metalurgica No. 1062, Col. Ramos Arizpe, 25900 Saltillo, Coahuila (Mexico)

2013-10-15

The silver diffusion through silicon carbide is a challenge that has persisted in the development of microencapsulated fuels TRISO (Tri structural Isotropic) for more than four decades. The silver is known as a strong emitter of gamma radiation, for what is able to diffuse through the ceramic coatings of pyrolytic coal and silicon carbide and to be deposited in the heat exchangers. In this work we carry out a recount about the art state in the topic of the diffusion of Ag through silicon carbide in microencapsulated fuels and we propose the role that the complexities in the grain limit can have this problem. (Author)

Generation of damage cross section for silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Jonghwa; Lee, Wonjae

2013-01-01

There is practically no cross section library for current reactor physics codes which will be used for DPA calculation. Silicon carbide(SiC) is an important material used in gas-cooled reactor, advanced nuclear fuel, and fusion applications. There are more than 200 polytypes of SiC. However β-SiC, which is produced under 1700 .deg. C, is the polytype interesting for a nuclear application. This work has been carried out under the Korea-US I-NERI program supported by Korea Ministry of Education Science and Technology and US Department of Energy. Authors express gratitude to C. S. Gil of KAERI nuclear data center for NJOY processing

Helium generation and diffusion in graphite and some carbides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holt, J.B.; Guinan, M.W.; Hosmer, D.W.; Condit, R.H.; Borg, R.J.

1976-01-01

The cross section for the generation of helium in neutron irradiated carbon was found to be 654 mb at 14.4 MeV and 744 mb at 14.9 MeV. Extrapolating to 14.1 MeV (the fusion reactor spectrum) gives 615 mb. The diffusion of helium in dense polycrystalline graphite and in pyrographite was measured and found to be D = 7.2 x 10 -7 m 2 s -1 exp (-80 kJ/RT). It is assumed that diffusion is primarily in the basal plane direction in crystals of the graphite. In polycrystalline graphite the path length is a factor of √2 longer than the measured distance due to the random orientation mismatch between successive grains. Isochronal anneals (measured helium release as the specimen is steadily heated) were run and maximum release rates were found at 200 0 C in polycrystalline graphite, 1000 0 C in pyrographite, 1350 0 C in boron carbide, and 1350 0 and 2400 0 C (two peaks) in silicon carbide. It is concluded that in these candidates for curtain materials in fusion reactors the helium releases can probably occur without bubble formation in graphites, may occur in boron carbide, but will probably cause bubble formation in silicon carbide. 7 figures

Calibration of the apparent temperature of silicon single crystals as a function of their true temperature and their thickness as determined by infrared measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smither, R.K.; Fernandez, P.B.

1993-09-01

Viewing the surface of objects subjected to high heat fluxes with an infrared camera or infrared sensor has proved to be a very effective method for monitoring the magnitude and distribution of surface temperature on the object. This approach has been quite useful in studies of cooling silicon crystals in monochromators subject to high heat loads. The main drawback to this method is that single crystals of silicon are partially transparent to the infrared radiation monitored in most infrared cameras. This means that the infrared radiation emitted from the surface contains a component that comes from the interior of the crystal and that the intensity of the emitted radiation and thus the apparent temperature of the surface of the crystal depends on the thickness of the crystal and the kind of coating on the back (and/or the front) of the crystal. The apparent temperature of the crystal increases as the crystal is made thicker. A series of experiments were performed at Argonne National Laboratory to calibrate the apparent surface temperature of the crystal as measured with an infrared camera as a function of the crystal thickness and the type of coating (if any) on the back side of the crystal. A good reflecting surface on the back side of the crystal increases the apparent temperature of the crystal and simulates the response of a crystal twice the thickness. These measurements make it possible to interpret the infrared signals from cooled silicon crystals used in past high heat load experiments. A number of examples are given for data taken in synchrotron experiments with high intensity x-ray beams

Silicon nanocrystals embedded in silicon carbide for tandem solar cell applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnabel, Manuel

2015-01-01

Tandem solar cells consist of multiple individual solar cells stacked in order of increasing bandgap, with the cell with highest bandgap towards the incident light. This allows photons to be absorbed in the cell that will convert them to electricity with the greatest efficiency, and is the only solar cell concept to surpass the theoretical efficiency limit of a conventional solar cell so far. This work is concerned with the development of silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) embedded in silicon carbide, which are expected to have a higher bandgap than bulk Si due to quantum confinement, for use in the top cell of a two-junction tandem cell. Charge carrier transport and recombination were investigated as a function of various parameters. Distortion of luminescence spectra by optical interference was highlighted and a robust model to describe transport of majority carriers was developed. Furthermore, a range of processing steps required to produce a Si NC-based tandem cell were studied, culminating in the preparation of the first Si NC-based tandem cells. The resulting cells exhibited open-circuit voltages of 900 mV, demonstrating tandem cell functionality.

DECODING THE MESSAGE FROM METEORITIC STARDUST SILICON CARBIDE GRAINS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, Karen M.; Lugaro, Maria; Gibson, Brad K.; Pilkington, Kate

2013-01-01

Micron-sized stardust grains that originated in ancient stars are recovered from meteorites and analyzed using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The most widely studied type of stardust is silicon carbide (SiC). Thousands of these grains have been analyzed with high precision for their Si isotopic composition. Here we show that the distribution of the Si isotopic composition of the vast majority of stardust SiC grains carries the imprints of a spread in the age-metallicity distribution of their parent stars and of a power-law increase of the relative formation efficiency of SiC dust with the metallicity. This result offers a solution for the long-standing problem of silicon in stardust SiC grains, confirms the necessity of coupling chemistry and dynamics in simulations of the chemical evolution of our Galaxy, and constrains the modeling of dust condensation in stellar winds as a function of the metallicity.

Parameters optimization, microstructure and micro-hardness of silicon carbide laser deposited on titanium alloy

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Adebiyia, DI

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Silicon carbide (SiC), has excellent mechanical properties such as high hardness and good wear resistance, and would have been a suitable laser-coating material for titanium alloy to enhance the poor surface hardness of the alloy. However, SiC has...

Method of producing silicon carbide articles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milewski, J.V.

1985-01-01

A method of producing articles comprising reaction-bonded silicon carbide (SiC) and graphite (and/or carbon) is given. The process converts the graphite (and/or carbon) in situ to SiC, thus providing the capability of economically obtaining articles made up wholly or partially of SiC having any size and shape in which graphite (and/or carbon) can be found or made. When the produced articles are made of an inner graphite (and/or carbon) substrate to which SiC is reaction bonded, these articles distinguish SiC-coated graphite articles found in the prior art by the feature of a strong bond having a gradual (as opposed to a sharply defined) interface which extends over a distance of mils. A method for forming SiC whisker-reinforced ceramic matrices is also given. The whisker-reinforced articles comprise SiC whiskers which substantially retain their structural integrity

Composites comprising silicon carbide fibers dispersed in magnesia-aluminate matrix and fabrication thereof and of other composites by sinter forging

Science.gov (United States)

Panda, Prakash C.; Seydel, Edgar R.; Raj, Rishi

1989-10-03

A novel ceramic-ceramic composite of a uniform dispersion of silicon carbide fibers in a matrix of MgO.multidot.nAl.sub.2 O.sub.3 wherein n ranges from about 1 to about 4.5, said composite comprising by volume from 1 to 50% silicon carbide fibers and from 99 to 50% MgO.multidot.nAl.sub.2 O.sub.3. The composite is readily fabricated by forming a powder comprising a uniform dispersion of silicon carbide fibers in poorly crystalline phase comprising MgO and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 in a mole ratio of n and either (a) hot pressing or preferably (b) cold pressing to form a preform and then forging utilizing a temperature in the range of 1100.degree. C. to 1900.degree. C. and a strain rate ranging from about 10.sup.-5 seconds .sup.-1 to about 1 seconds .sup.-1 so that surfaces cracks do not appear to obtain a shear deformation greater than 30%.

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...

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.

PVD Silicon Carbide as a Thin Film Packaging Technology for Antennas on LCP Substrates for Harsh Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Scardelletti, Maximilian C.; Stanton, John W.; Ponchak, George E.; Jordan, Jennifer L.; Zorman, Christian A.

2010-01-01

This paper describes an effort to develop a thin film packaging technology for microfabricated planar antennas on polymeric substrates based on silicon carbide (SiC) films deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD). The antennas are coplanar waveguide fed dual frequency folded slot antennas fabricated on liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrates. The PVD SiC thin films were deposited directly onto the antennas by RF sputtering at room temperature at a chamber pressure of 30 mTorr and a power level of 300 W. The SiC film thickness is 450 nm. The return loss and radiation patterns were measured before and after the SiC-coated antennas were submerged into perchloric acid for 1 hour. No degradation in RF performance or physical integrity of the antenna was observed.

Comparison of slowness profiles of lamb wave with elastic moduli and crystal structure in single crystalline silicon wafers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Min, Young Jae; Yun, Gyeong Won; Kim, Kyung Min; Roh, Yuji; Kim, Young H. [Applied Acoustics Lab, Korea Science Academy of KAIST, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2016-02-15

Single crystalline silicon wafers having (100), (110), and (111) directions are employed as specimens for obtaining slowness profiles. Leaky Lamb waves (LLW) from immersed wafers were detected by varying the incident angles of the specimens and rotating the specimens. From an analysis of LLW signals for different propagation directions and phase velocities of each specimen, slowness profiles were obtained, which showed a unique symmetry with different symmetric axes. Slowness profiles were compared with elastic moduli of each wafer. They showed the same symmetries as crystal structures. In addition, slowness profiles showed expected patterns and values that can be inferred from elastic moduli. This implies that slowness profiles can be used to examine crystal structures of anisotropic solids.

Microstructures of beta-silicon carbide after irradiation creep deformation at elevated temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katoh, Yutai; Kondo, Sosuke; Snead, Lance L.

2008-01-01

Microstructures of silicon carbide were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after creep deformation under neutron irradiation. Thin strip specimens of polycrystalline and monocrystalline, chemically vapor-deposited, beta-phase silicon carbide were irradiated in the high flux isotope reactor to 0.7-4.2 dpa at nominal temperatures of 640-1080 deg. C in an elastically pre-strained bend stress relaxation configuration with the initial stress of ∼100 MPa. Irradiation creep caused permanent strains of 0.6 to 2.3 x 10 -4 . Tensile-loaded near-surface portions of the crept specimens were examined by TEM. The main microstructural features observed were dislocation loops in all samples, and appeared similar to those observed in samples irradiated in non-stressed conditions. Slight but statistically significant anisotropy in dislocation loop microstructure was observed in one irradiation condition, and accounted for at least a fraction of the creep strain derived from the stress relaxation. The estimated total volume of loops accounted for 10-45% of the estimated total swelling. The results imply that the early irradiation creep deformation of SiC observed in this work was driven by anisotropic evolutions of extrinsic dislocation loops and matrix defects with undetectable sizes

[Synergetic effects of silicon carbide and molecular sieve loaded catalyst on microwave assisted catalytic oxidation of toluene].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao-Hui; Bo, Long-Li; Liu, Hai-Nan; Zhang, Hao; Sun, Jian-Yu; Yang, Li; Cai, Li-Dong

2013-06-01

Molecular sieve loaded catalyst was prepared by impregnation method, microwave-absorbing material silicon carbide and the catalyst were investigated for catalytic oxidation of toluene by microwave irradiation. Research work examined effects of silicon carbide and molecular sieve loading Cu-V catalyst's mixture ratio as well as mixed approach changes on degradation of toluene, and characteristics of catalyst were measured through scanning electron microscope, specific surface area test and X-ray diffraction analysis. The result showed that the fixed bed reactor had advantages of both thermal storage property and low-temperature catalytic oxidation when 20% silicon carbide was filled at the bottom of the reactor, and this could effectively improve the utilization of microwave energy as well as catalytic oxidation efficiency of toluene. Under microwave power of 75 W and 47 W, complete-combustion temperatures of molecular sieve loaded Cu-V catalyst and Cu-V-Ce catalyst to toluene were 325 degrees C and 160 degrees C, respectively. Characteristics of the catalysts showed that mixture of rare-earth element Ce increased the dispersion of active components in the surface of catalyst, micropore structure of catalyst effectively guaranteed high adsorption capacity for toluene, while amorphous phase of Cu and V oxides increased the activity of catalyst greatly.

Basic mechanisms of atomic displacement production in cubic silicon carbide: A molecular dynamics study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malerba, L.; Perlado, J.M.

2002-01-01

Studying the effects of radiation in silicon carbide (SiC) is important for its possible use in both nuclear and electronic technology. One of the most important parameters to describe radiation damage in a material is the threshold displacement energy (TDE). In this paper, the computational technique known as molecular dynamics (MD) is used to determine the TDE's along different crystallographic directions for Si and C atoms in SiC, also allowing for irradiation temperature effects, and to study in detail the mechanisms of atomic displacement production in this material. For this purpose, the widely tested Tersoff potential, implemented in a MD code optimized to study the interaction of high-energy ions with crystals, is used to describe the interatomic forces in SiC. It is found that it is difficult to define a single threshold for this material. Instead, the introduction of two thresholds, upper and lower, becomes necessary. These two thresholds delimit an uncertainty band, within which the displacement may or may not be produced, because the Frenkel pairs generated in such a transferred-kinetic-energy range are metastable. The Arrhenius law expressing the lifetime of one of these metastable defects has also been deduced from the simulation. Finally, on the basis of the results of the simulation, possible values for the recombination distance and the average threshold energy (E d,Si and E d,C ) in SiC are proposed and discussed

Degradation of Silicon Carbide Reflective Surfaces in the LEO Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Mileti, Sandro; Coluzzi, Plinio; Marchetti, Mario

2009-01-01

Space mirrors in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) encounter a degradation problem caused by the impact of atomic oxygen (ATOX) in the space environment. This paper presents an experiment of the atomic oxygen impact degradation and UV synergic effects on ground simulation. The experiment was carried out in a dedicated ATOX simulation vacuum chamber. As target materials, a polished CVD Beta-silicon carbide (SiC) coating was investigated. The selection of silicon carbide is due to its high potential candidate as a mirror layer substrate material for its good reflectance at UV wavelengths and excellent thermal diffusivity. It has highly desirable mechanical and thermal properties and can achieve an excellent surface finish. The deposition of the coatings were on carbon-based material substrate; i.e., silicon impregnated carbon fiber composite (C/SiC). Mechanical and thermal properties of the coatings such as hardness and Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) were achieved. Several atomic oxygen impact angles were studied tilting the target samples respect to the flux direction. The various impact angles permitted to analyze the different erosion rates and typologies which the mirrors would encounter in LEO environment. The degradation was analyzed in various aspects. Macroscopic mass loss per unit area, surface roughness and morphology change were basically analyzed. The exposed surfaces of the materials were observed through a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Secondly, optical diagnostic of the surfaces were performed in order to investigate their variation in optical properties as the evaluation of reflectance degradation. The presence of micro-cracks caused by shrinkage, grinding, polishing or thermal cycling and the porosity in the coatings, could have led to the undercutting phenomenon. Observation of uprising of undercutting was also conducted. Remarks are given regarding capabilities in short-term mission exposures to the LEO environment of this coating.

Dual ohmic contact to N- and P-type silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Okojie, Robert S. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

Simultaneous formation of electrical ohmic contacts to silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor having donor and acceptor impurities (n- and p-type doping, respectively) is disclosed. The innovation provides for ohmic contacts formed on SiC layers having n- and p-doping at one process step during the fabrication of the semiconductor device. Further, the innovation provides a non-discriminatory, universal ohmic contact to both n- and p-type SiC, enhancing reliability of the specific contact resistivity when operated at temperatures in excess of 600.degree. C.

Development of low-cost silicon crystal growth techniques for terrestrial photovoltaic solar energy conversion

Science.gov (United States)

Zoutendyk, J. A.

1976-01-01

Because of the growing need for new sources of electrical energy, photovoltaic solar energy conversion is being developed. Photovoltaic devices are now being produced mainly from silicon wafers obtained from the slicing and polishing of cylindrically shaped single crystal ingots. Inherently high-cost processes now being used must either be eliminated or modified to provide low-cost crystalline silicon. Basic to this pursuit is the development of new or modified methods of crystal growth and, if necessary, crystal cutting. If silicon could be grown in a form requiring no cutting, a significant cost saving would potentially be realized. Therefore, several techniques for growth in the form of ribbons or sheets are being explored. In addition, novel techniques for low-cost ingot growth and cutting are under investigation.

Photonic and plasmonic guided modes in graphene-silicon photonic crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gu, Tingyi; Andryieuski, Andrei; Hao, Yufeng

2016-01-01

We report the results of systematic studies of plasmonic and photonic guided modes in large-area single-layer graphene integrated into a nanostructured silicon substrate. The interaction of light with graphene and substrate photonic crystals can be classified in distinct regimes of plasmonic...... and photonic modes....

STATUS OF HIGH FLUX ISOTOPE REACTOR IRRADIATION OF SILICON CARBIDE/SILICON CARBIDE JOINTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katoh, Yutai [ORNL; Koyanagi, Takaaki [ORNL; Kiggans, Jim [ORNL; Cetiner, Nesrin [ORNL; McDuffee, Joel [ORNL

2014-09-01

Development of silicon carbide (SiC) joints that retain adequate structural and functional properties in the anticipated service conditions is a critical milestone toward establishment of advanced SiC composite technology for the accident-tolerant light water reactor (LWR) fuels and core structures. Neutron irradiation is among the most critical factors that define the harsh service condition of LWR fuel during the normal operation. The overarching goal of the present joining and irradiation studies is to establish technologies for joining SiC-based materials for use as the LWR fuel cladding. The purpose of this work is to fabricate SiC joint specimens, characterize those joints in an unirradiated condition, and prepare rabbit capsules for neutron irradiation study on the fabricated specimens in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). Torsional shear test specimens of chemically vapor-deposited SiC were prepared by seven different joining methods either at Oak Ridge National Laboratory or by industrial partners. The joint test specimens were characterized for shear strength and microstructures in an unirradiated condition. Rabbit irradiation capsules were designed and fabricated for neutron irradiation of these joint specimens at an LWR-relevant temperature. These rabbit capsules, already started irradiation in HFIR, are scheduled to complete irradiation to an LWR-relevant dose level in early 2015.

Fine defective structure of silicon carbide powders obtained from different starting materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomila T.V.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The fine defective structure of silicon carbide powders obtained from silicic acid-saccharose, aerosil-saccharose, aerosil-carbon black, and hydrated cellulose-silicic acid gel systems was investigated. The relation between IR absorption characteristics and the microstructure of SiC particles obtained from different starting materials was established. The numerical relationship between the lattice parameter a and the frequency νTO is presented.

Silicon carbide hollow fiber membranes: obtainment and characterization; Membranas de fibra oca de carbeto de silicio: obtencao e caracterizacao

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, S.S.L.; Ferreira, R.S.B.; Araujo, B.A.; Medeiros, K.M.; Lucena, H.L.; Araujo, E.M., E-mail: sandriely_sonaly@hotmail.com [Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), PB (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais

2016-07-01

Silicon carbide is a promising material for the production of membranes due to its high melting temperature, thermal shock resistance, excellent mechanical and chemical stability. So, this study aims to characterize silicon carbide membranes in order to apply them in the separation of oil-water. A solution (SiC + PES + 1-Methyl- 2-Pyrrolidone) and through the extrusion technique by immersion precipitation membranes were obtained with hollow fiber geometry was prepared. And then sintered at 1500 ° C. For the characterization analyzes were made XRD, FTIR and SEM to evaluate the morphology and composition of the membranes obtained before and after sintering. (author)

A continuous Czochralski silicon crystal growth system

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, C.; Zhang, H.; Wang, T. H.; Ciszek, T. F.

2003-03-01

Demand for large silicon wafers has driven the growth of silicon crystals from 200 to 300 mm in diameter. With the increasing silicon ingot sizes, melt volume has grown dramatically. Melt flow becomes more turbulent as melt height and volume increase. To suppress turbulent flow in a large silicon melt, a new Czochralski (CZ) growth furnace has been designed that has a shallow melt. In this new design, a crucible consists of a shallow growth compartment in the center and a deep feeding compartment around the periphery. Two compartments are connected with a narrow annular channel. A long crystal may be continuously grown by feeding silicon pellets into the dedicated feeding compartment. We use our numerical model to simulate temperature distribution and velocity field in a conventional 200-mm CZ crystal growth system and also in the new shallow crucible CZ system. By comparison, advantages and disadvantages of the proposed system are observed, operating conditions are determined, and the new system is improved.

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

Growth and characterization of heavily doped silicon crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scala, R.; Porrini, M. [MEMC Electronic Materials SpA, via Nazionale 59, 39012 Merano (Italy); Borionetti, G. [MEMC Electronic Materials SpA, viale Gherzi 31, Novara (Italy)

2011-08-15

Silicon crystals grown with the Czochralski method are still the most common material used for the production of electronic devices. In recent years, a growing need of large diameter crystals with increasingly higher doping levels is observed, especially to support the expanding market of discrete devices and its trend towards lower and lower resistivity levels for the silicon substrate. The growth of such heavily doped, large-diameter crystals poses several new challenges to the crystal grower, and the presence of a high dopant concentration in the crystal affects significantly its main properties, requiring also the development of dedicated characterization techniques. This paper illustrates the recent advances in the growth and characterization of silicon crystals heavily doped with antimony, arsenic, phosphorus and boron. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Facile synthesis of silicon carbide-titanium dioxide semiconducting nanocomposite using pulsed laser ablation technique and its performance in photovoltaic dye sensitized solar cell and photocatalytic water purification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gondal, M.A., E-mail: magondal@kfupm.edu.sa [Laser Research Group, Physics Department & Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Ilyas, A.M. [Laser Research Group, Physics Department & Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Baig, Umair [Laser Research Group, Physics Department & Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Center of Excellence for Scientific Research Collaboration with MIT, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)

2016-08-15

Highlights: • SiC–TiO{sub 2} semiconducting nanocomposites synthesized by nanosecond PLAL technique. • Synthesized nanocomposites were morphologically and optically characterized. • Nanocomposites were applied for the photocatalytic degradation of toxic organic dye. • Photovoltaic performance was investigated in dye sensitized solar cell. - Abstract: Separation of photo-generated charge carriers (electron and holes) is a major approach to improve the photovoltaic and photocatalytic performance of metal oxide semiconductors. For harsh environment like high temperature applications, ceramic like silicon carbide is very prominent. In this work, 10%, 20% and 40% by weight of pre-oxidized silicon carbide was coupled with titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) to form nanocomposite semiconductor via elegant pulsed laser ablation in liquid technique using second harmonic 532 nm wavelength of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd-YAG) laser. In addition, the effect of silicon carbide concentration on the performance of silicon carbide-titanium dioxide nanocomposite as photo-anode in dye sensitized solar cell and as photocatalyst in photodegradation of methyl orange dye in water was also studied. The result obtained shows that photo-conversion efficiency of the dye sensitized solar cell was improved from 0.6% to 1.65% and the percentage of methyl orange dye removed was enhanced from 22% to 77% at 24 min under ultraviolet–visible solar spectrum in the nanocomposite with 10% weight of silicon carbide. This remarkable performance enhancement could be due to the improvement in electron transfer phenomenon by the presence of silicon carbide on titanium dioxide.

Channeling experiments at planar diamond and silicon single crystals with electrons from the Mainz Microtron MAMI

Science.gov (United States)

Backe, H.; Lauth, W.; Tran Thi, T. N.

2018-04-01

Line structures were observed for (110) planar channeling of electrons in a diamond single crystal even at a beam energy of 180 MeV . This observation motivated us to initiate dechanneling length measurements as function of the beam energy since the occupation of quantum states in the channeling potential is expected to enhance the dechanneling length. High energy loss signals, generated as a result of emission of a bremsstrahlung photon with about half the beam energy at channeling of 450 and 855 MeV electrons, were measured as function of the crystal thickness. The analysis required additional assumptions which were extracted from the numerical solution of the Fokker-Planck equation. Preliminary results for diamond are presented. In addition, we reanalyzed dechanneling length measurements at silicon single crystals performed previously at the Mainz Microtron MAMI at beam energies between 195 and 855 MeV from which we conclude that the quality of our experimental data set is not sufficient to derive definite conclusions on the dechanneling length. Our experimental results are below the predictions of the Fokker-Planck equation and somewhat above the results of simulation calculations of A. V. Korol and A. V. Solov'yov et al. on the basis of the MBN Explorer simulation package. We somehow conservatively conclude that the prediction of the asymptotic dechanneling length on the basis of the Fokker-Planck equation represents an upper limit.

Sensitivity of triple-crystal X-ray diffractometers to microdefects in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molodkin, V.B.; Olikhovskii, S.I.; Len, E.G.; Kislovskii, E.N.; Kladko, V.P.; Reshetnyk, O.V.; Vladimirova, T.P.; Sheludchenko, B.V.

2009-01-01

The dynamical theory, which describes both diffraction profiles and reciprocal space maps measured from imperfect crystals with account for instrumental factors of triple-crystal diffractometer (TCD), has been developed for adequate quantitative characterization of microdefects. Analytical expressions for coherent and diffuse scattering (DS) intensities measured by TCD in the Bragg diffraction geometry have been derived by using the generalized statistical dynamical theory of X-ray scattering in real single crystals with randomly distributed defects. The DS intensity distributions from single crystals containing clusters and dislocation loops have been described by explicit analytical expressions. Particularly, these expressions take into account anisotropy of displacement fields around defects with discrete orientations. Characteristics of microdefect structures in silicon single crystals grown by Czochralsky- and float-zone methods have been determined by analyzing the measured TCD profiles and reciprocal space maps. The sensitivities of reciprocal space maps and diffraction profiles to defect characteristics have been compared. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Densification of silicon and zirconium carbides by a new process: spark plasma sintering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillard, F.

2006-12-01

Materials research for suitable utilization in 4. generation nuclear plants needs new ways to densify testing components. Two carbides, silicon and zirconium carbide seems to be the most suitable choice due to their mechanical, thermal and neutron-transparency properties against next nuclear plant specifications. Nevertheless one main difficulty remains, which is densifying them even at high temperature. Spark Plasma Sintering a new metal-, ceramic- and composite-sintering process has been used to densify both SiC and ZrC. Understanding bases of mass transport mechanisms in SPS have been studied. Composites and interfaces have been processed and analyzed. This manuscript reports original results on SiC and ZrC ceramics sintered with commercial powder started, without additives. (author)

The suitability of silicon carbide for photocatalytic water oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Aslam, M.; Qamar, M. T.; Ahmed, Ikram; Rehman, Ateeq Ur; Ali, Shahid; Ismail, I. M. I.; Hameed, Abdul

2018-04-01

Silicon carbide (SiC), owing to its extraordinary chemical stability and refractory properties, is widely used in the manufacturing industry. Despite the semiconducting nature and morphology-tuned band gap, its efficacy as photocatalysts has not been thoroughly investigated. The current study reports the synthesis, characterization and the evaluation of the capability of silicon carbide for hydrogen generation from water splitting. The optical characterization of the as-synthesized powder exposed the formation of multi-wavelength absorbing entities in synthetic process. The structural analysis by XRD and the fine microstructure analysis by HRTEM revealed the cubic 3C-SiC (β-SiC) and hexagonal α-polymorphs (2H-SiC and 6H-SiC) as major and minor phases, respectively. The Mott-Schottky analysis verified the n-type nature of the material with the flat band potential of - 0.7 V. In the electrochemical evaluation, the sharp increase in the peak currents in various potential ranges, under illumination, revealed the plausible potential of the material for the oxidation of water and generation of hydrogen. The generation of hydrogen and oxygen, as a consequence of water splitting in the actual photocatalytic experiments, was observed and measured. A significant increase in the yield of hydrogen was noticed in the presence of methanol as h + scavenger, whereas a retarding effect was offered by the Fe3+ entities that served as e - scavengers. The combined effect of both methanol and Fe3+ ions in the photocatalytic process was also investigated. Besides hydrogen gas, the other evolved gasses such as methane and carbon monoxide were also measured to estimate the mechanism of the process.

Single-crystal-like GdNdOx thin films on silicon substrates by magnetron sputtering and high-temperature annealing for crystal seed layer application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ziwei Wang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Single-crystal-like rare earth oxide thin films on silicon (Si substrates were fabricated by magnetron sputtering and high-temperature annealing processes. A 30-nm-thick high-quality GdNdOx (GNO film was deposited using a high-temperature sputtering process at 500°C. A Gd2O3 and Nd2O3 mixture was used as the sputtering target, in which the proportions of Gd2O3 and Nd2O3 were controlled to make the GNO’s lattice parameter match that of the Si substrate. To further improve the quality of the GNO film, a post-deposition annealing process was performed at a temperature of 1000°C. The GNO films exhibited a strong preferred orientation on the Si substrate. In addition, an Al/GNO/Si capacitor was fabricated to evaluate the dielectric constant and leakage current of the GNO films. It was determined that the single-crystal-like GNO films on the Si substrates have potential for use as an insulator layer for semiconductor-on-insulator and semiconductor/insulator multilayer applications.

Irradiation effects and diffusion of fission products (cesium and iodine) in silicon carbide; Effets d'irradiation et diffusion des produits de fission (cesium et iode) dans le carbure de silicium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Audren, A

2007-03-15

Silicon carbide is envisaged as a cladding material for the nuclear fuel in the fourth generation reactors. The aim of this work is to study the capacity to retain fission products and the structure evolution of this material under the combined effects of temperature and irradiation. The low energy ion implantations and the incorporation of stable analogues of fission products (Cs and I) in single crystalline 6H-SiC samples were performed by using the ion implanter or the accelerator of the CSNSM. The high energy heavy ion irradiations were made at GANIL. The evolution of the implanted ion profiles and the crystal structure were studied by RBS and Channeling. Complementary information were obtained by using the UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. The low energy ion implantations at room temperature induce a fast structural damage in the crystal. On the other hand, it is possible to attain a small disorder rate in the crystal during implantation by increasing the implantation temperature (600 C). The high energy heavy ion irradiations do not damage the SiC crystals. On the contrary, they cause an annealing of the disorder created by the low energy implantations. The implanted ions (I) do not diffuse during low or high energy ion irradiations at room temperature and at 600 C. However, a diffusion of Cs ions was observed during a post-implantation annealing at 1300 C. At this temperature, the crystal which had an extended amorphous layer starts to recover a single-crystal structure. (author)

Metal Halide Perovskite Single Crystals: From Growth Process to Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuigen Li

2018-05-01

Full Text Available As a strong competitor in the field of optoelectronic applications, organic-inorganic metal hybrid perovskites have been paid much attention because of their superior characteristics, which include broad absorption from visible to near-infrared region, tunable optical and electronic properties, high charge mobility, long exciton diffusion length and carrier recombination lifetime, etc. It is noted that perovskite single crystals show remarkably low trap-state densities and long carrier diffusion lengths, which are even comparable with the best photovoltaic-quality silicon, and thus are expected to provide better optoelectronic performance. This paper reviews the recent development of crystal growth in single-, mixed-organic-cation and fully inorganic halide perovskite single crystals, in particular the solution approach. Furthermore, the application of metal hybrid perovskite single crystals and future perspectives are also highlighted.

Structure and single-phase regime of boron carbides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emin, D.

1988-01-01

The boron carbides are composed of twelve-atom icosahedral clusters which are linked by direct covalent bonds and through three-atom intericosahedral chains. The boron carbides are known to exist as a single phase with carbon concentrations from about 8 to about 20 at. %. This range of carbon concentrations is made possible by the substitution of boron and carbon atoms for one another within both the icosahedra and intericosahedral chains. The most widely accepted structural model for B 4 C (the boron carbide with nominally 20% carbon) has B/sub 11/C icosahedra with C-B-C intericosahedral chains. Here, the free energy of the boron carbides is studied as a function of carbon concentration by considering the effects of replacing carbon atoms within B 4 C with boron atoms. It is concluded that entropic and energetic considerations both favor the replacement of carbon atoms with boron atoms within the intericosahedral chains, C-B-C→C-B-B. Once the carbon concentration is so low that the vast majority of the chains are C-B-B chains, near B/sub 13/C 2 , subsequent substitutions of carbon atoms with boron atoms occur within the icosahedra, B/sub 11/C→B/sub 12/. Maxima of the free energy occur at the most ordered compositions: B 4 C,B/sub 13/C 2 ,B/sub 14/C. This structural model, determined by studying the free energy, agrees with that previously suggested by analysis of electronic and thermal transport data. These considerations also provide an explanation for the wide single-phase regime found for boron carbides

Locking of electron spin coherence above 20 ms in natural silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Simin, D.; Kraus, H.; Sperlich, A.; Ohshima, T.; Astakhov, G. V.; Dyakonov, V.

2017-04-01

We demonstrate that silicon carbide (SiC) with a natural isotope abundance can preserve a coherent spin superposition in silicon vacancies over an unexpectedly long time exceeding 20 ms. The spin-locked subspace with a drastically reduced decoherence rate is attained through the suppression of heteronuclear spin crosstalking by applying a moderate magnetic field in combination with dynamic decoupling from the nuclear spin baths. Furthermore, we identify several phonon-assisted mechanisms of spin-lattice relaxation and find that it can be extremely long at cryogenic temperatures, equal to or even longer than 10 s. Our approach may be extended to other polyatomic compounds and opens a path towards improved qubit memory for wafer-scale quantum technologies.

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.

Effect of metallic coating on the properties of copper-silicon carbide composites

Science.gov (United States)

Chmielewski, M.; Pietrzak, K.; Teodorczyk, M.; Nosewicz, S.; Jarząbek, D.; Zybała, R.; Bazarnik, P.; Lewandowska, M.; Strojny-Nędza, A.

2017-11-01

In the presented paper a coating of SiC particles with a metallic layer was used to prepare copper matrix composite materials. The role of the layer was to protect the silicon carbide from decomposition and dissolution of silicon in the copper matrix during the sintering process. The SiC particles were covered by chromium, tungsten and titanium using Plasma Vapour Deposition method. After powder mixing of components, the final densification process via Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) method at temperature 950 °C was provided. The almost fully dense materials were obtained (>97.5%). The microstructure of obtained composites was studied using scanning electron microscopy as well as transmission electron microscopy. The microstructural analysis of composites confirmed that regardless of the type of deposited material, there is no evidence for decomposition process of silicon carbide in copper. In order to measure the strength of the interface between ceramic particles and the metal matrix, the micro tensile tests have been performed. Furthermore, thermal diffusivity was measured with the use of the laser pulse technique. In the context of performed studies, the tungsten coating seems to be the most promising solution for heat sink application. Compared to pure composites without metallic layer, Cu-SiC with W coating indicate the higher tensile strength and thermal diffusitivy, irrespective of an amount of SiC reinforcement. The improvement of the composite properties is related to advantageous condition of Cu-SiC interface characterized by well homogenity and low porosity, as well as individual properties of the tungsten coating material.

Very low Schottky barrier height at carbon nanotube and silicon carbide interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inaba, Masafumi, E-mail: inaba-ma@ruri.waseda.jp; Suzuki, Kazuma; Shibuya, Megumi; Lee, Chih-Yu [Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan); Masuda, Yoshiho; Tomatsu, Naoya; Norimatsu, Wataru; Kusunoki, Michiko [EcoTopia Science Institute, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan); Hiraiwa, Atsushi [Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Waseda University, 513 Waseda-tsurumaki, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-0041 (Japan); Kawarada, Hiroshi [Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan); Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Waseda University, 513 Waseda-tsurumaki, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-0041 (Japan); The Kagami Memorial Laboratory for Materials Science and Technology, Waseda University, 2-8-26 Nishiwaseda, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0051 (Japan)

2015-03-23

Electrical contacts to silicon carbide with low contact resistivity and high current durability are crucial for future SiC power devices, especially miniaturized vertical-type devices. A carbon nanotube (CNT) forest formed by silicon carbide (SiC) decomposition is a densely packed forest, and is ideal for use as a heat-dissipative ohmic contact in SiC power transistors. The contact resistivity and Schottky barrier height in a Ti/CNT/SiC system with various SiC dopant concentrations were evaluated in this study. Contact resistivity was evaluated in relation to contact area. The Schottky barrier height was calculated from the contact resistivity. As a result, the Ti/CNT/SiC contact resistivity at a dopant concentration of 3 × 10{sup 18 }cm{sup −3} was estimated to be ∼1.3 × 10{sup −4} Ω cm{sup 2} and the Schottky barrier height of the CNT/SiC contact was in the range of 0.40–0.45 eV. The resistivity is relatively low for SiC contacts, showing that CNTs have the potential to be a good ohmic contact material for SiC power electronic devices.

Thermal shock cracking of GSO single crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyazaki, Noriyuki; Yamamoto, Kazunari; Tamura, Takaharu; Kurashige, Kazuhisa; Ishibashi, Hiroyuki; Susa, Kenzo

1998-01-01

The quantitative estimation of the failure stress of a gadolinium orthosilicate (Gd 2 SiO 5 , hereafter abbreviated as GSO) single crystal due to thermal shock was investigated. A cylindrical test specimen was heated in a silicone oil bath, then subjected to thermal shock by pouring room temperature silicone oil. Cracking occurred during cooling. The heat conduction analysis was performed to obtain temperature distribution in a GSO single crystal at cracking, using the surface temperatures measured in the thermal shock cracking test. Then the thermal stress was calculated using temperature profile of the test specimen obtained from the heat conduction analysis. It is found from the results of the thermal stress analysis and the observation of the cracking in test specimens that the thermal shock cracking occurs in a cleavage plane due to the stress normal to the plane. Three-point bending tests were also performed to examine the relationship between the critical stress for thermal shock cracking and the three-point bending strength obtained from small-sized test specimens. (author)

Formation of hexagonal silicon carbide by high energy ion beam irradiation on Si (1 0 0) substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhuyan, H; Favre, M; Valderrama, E; Avaria, G; Chuaqui, H; Mitchell, I; Wyndham, E; Saavedra, R; Paulraj, M

2007-01-01

We report the investigation of high energy ion beam irradiation on Si (1 0 0) substrates at room temperature using a low energy plasma focus (PF) device operating in methane gas. The unexposed and ion exposed substrates were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photothermal beam deflection, energy-dispersive x-ray analysis and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the results are reported. The interaction of the pulsed PF ion beams, with characteristic energy in the 60-450 keV range, with the Si surface, results in the formation of a surface layer of hexagonal silicon carbide. The SEM and AFM analyses indicate clear step bunching on the silicon carbide surface with an average step height of 50 nm and a terrace width of 800 nm

Process for making silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Harry (Inventor)

1987-01-01

A reactor apparatus (10) adapted for continuously producing molten, solar grade purity elemental silicon by thermal reaction of a suitable precursor gas, such as silane (SiH.sub.4), is disclosed. The reactor apparatus (10) includes an elongated reactor body (32) having graphite or carbon walls which are heated to a temperature exceeding the melting temperature of silicon. The precursor gas enters the reactor body (32) through an efficiently cooled inlet tube assembly (22) and a relatively thin carbon or graphite septum (44). The septum (44), being in contact on one side with the cooled inlet (22) and the heated interior of the reactor (32) on the other side, provides a sharp temperature gradient for the precursor gas entering the reactor (32) and renders the operation of the inlet tube assembly (22) substantially free of clogging. The precursor gas flows in the reactor (32) in a substantially smooth, substantially axial manner. Liquid silicon formed in the initial stages of the thermal reaction reacts with the graphite or carbon walls to provide a silicon carbide coating on the walls. The silicon carbide coated reactor is highly adapted for prolonged use for production of highly pure solar grade silicon. Liquid silicon (20) produced in the reactor apparatus (10) may be used directly in a Czochralski or other crystal shaping equipment.

Ensembles of indium phosphide nanowires: physical properties and functional devices integrated on non-single crystal platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Nobuhiko P.; Lohn, Andrew; Onishi, Takehiro; Mathai, Sagi; Li, Xuema; Straznicky, Joseph; Wang, Shih-Yuan; Williams, R.S.; Logeeswaran, V.J.; Islam, M.S.

2009-01-01

A new route to grow an ensemble of indium phosphide single-crystal semiconductor nanowires is described. Unlike conventional epitaxial growth of single-crystal semiconductor films, the proposed route for growing semiconductor nanowires does not require a single-crystal semiconductor substrate. In the proposed route, instead of using single-crystal semiconductor substrates that are characterized by their long-range atomic ordering, a template layer that possesses short-range atomic ordering prepared on a non-single-crystal substrate is employed. On the template layer, epitaxial information associated with its short-range atomic ordering is available within an area that is comparable to that of a nanowire root. Thus the template layer locally provides epitaxial information required for the growth of semiconductor nanowires. In the particular demonstration described in this paper, hydrogenated silicon was used as a template layer for epitaxial growth of indium phosphide nanowires. The indium phosphide nanowires grown on the hydrogenerated silicon template layer were found to be single crystal and optically active. Simple photoconductors and pin-diodes were fabricated and tested with the view towards various optoelectronic device applications where group III-V compound semiconductors are functionally integrated onto non-single-crystal platforms. (orig.)

Ensembles of indium phosphide nanowires: physical properties and functional devices integrated on non-single crystal platforms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kobayashi, Nobuhiko P.; Lohn, Andrew; Onishi, Takehiro [University of California, Santa Cruz (United States). Baskin School of Engineering; NASA Ames Research Center, Nanostructured Energy Conversion Technology and Research (NECTAR), Advanced Studies Laboratories, Univ. of California Santa Cruz, Moffett Field, CA (United States); Mathai, Sagi; Li, Xuema; Straznicky, Joseph; Wang, Shih-Yuan; Williams, R.S. [Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Information and Quantum Systems Laboratory, Palo Alto, CA (United States); Logeeswaran, V.J.; Islam, M.S. [University of California Davis, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Davis, CA (United States)

2009-06-15

A new route to grow an ensemble of indium phosphide single-crystal semiconductor nanowires is described. Unlike conventional epitaxial growth of single-crystal semiconductor films, the proposed route for growing semiconductor nanowires does not require a single-crystal semiconductor substrate. In the proposed route, instead of using single-crystal semiconductor substrates that are characterized by their long-range atomic ordering, a template layer that possesses short-range atomic ordering prepared on a non-single-crystal substrate is employed. On the template layer, epitaxial information associated with its short-range atomic ordering is available within an area that is comparable to that of a nanowire root. Thus the template layer locally provides epitaxial information required for the growth of semiconductor nanowires. In the particular demonstration described in this paper, hydrogenated silicon was used as a template layer for epitaxial growth of indium phosphide nanowires. The indium phosphide nanowires grown on the hydrogenerated silicon template layer were found to be single crystal and optically active. Simple photoconductors and pin-diodes were fabricated and tested with the view towards various optoelectronic device applications where group III-V compound semiconductors are functionally integrated onto non-single-crystal platforms. (orig.)

Simultaneous On-State Voltage and Bond-Wire Resistance Monitoring of Silicon Carbide MOSFETs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baker, Nick; Luo, Haoze; Iannuzzo, Francesco

2017-01-01

the voltage between the kelvin-source and power-source can be used to specifically monitor bond-wire degradation. Meanwhile, the drain to kelvin-source voltage can be monitored to track defects in the semiconductor die or gate driver. Through an accelerated aging test on 20 A Silicon Carbide Metal......-Oxide-Semiconductor-Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs), it is shown that there are opposing trends in the evolution of the on-state resistances of both the bond-wires and the MOSFET die. In summary, after 50,000 temperature cycles, the resistance of the bond-wires increased by up to 2 mΩ, while the on-state resistance of the MOSFET dies...... decreased by approximately 1 mΩ. The conventional failure precursor (monitoring a single forward voltage) cannot distinguish between semiconductor die or bond-wire degradation. Therefore, the ability to monitor both these parameters due to the presence of an auxiliary-source terminal can provide more...

Crystallization and growth of Ni-Si alloy thin films on inert and on silicon substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Grimberg, I.; Weiss, B. Z.

1995-04-01

The crystallization kinetics and thermal stability of NiSi2±0.2 alloy thin films coevaporated on two different substrates were studied. The substrates were: silicon single crystal [Si(100)] and thermally oxidized silicon single crystal. In situ resistance measurements, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy were used. The postdeposition microstructure consisted of a mixture of amorphous and crystalline phases. The amorphous phase, independent of the composition, crystallizes homogeneously to NiSi2 at temperatures lower than 200 °C. The activation energy, determined in the range of 1.4-2.54 eV, depends on the type of the substrate and on the composition of the alloyed films. The activation energy for the alloys deposited on the inert substrate was found to be lower than for the alloys deposited on silicon single crystal. The lowest activation energy was obtained for nonstoichiometric NiSi2.2, the highest for NiSi2—on both substrates. The crystallization mode depends on the structure of the as-deposited films, especially the density of the existing crystalline nuclei. Substantial differences were observed in the thermal stability of the NiSi2 compound on both substrates. With the alloy films deposited on the Si substrate, only the NiSi2 phase was identified after annealing to temperatures up to 800 °C. In the films deposited on the inert substrate, NiSi and NiSi2 phases were identified when the Ni content in the alloy exceeded 33 at. %. The effects of composition and the type of substrate on the crystallization kinetics and thermal stability are discussed.

Intravitreal properties of porous silicon photonic crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, L; Anglin, E; Cunin, F; Kim, D; Sailor, M J; Falkenstein, I; Tammewar, A; Freeman, W R

2009-01-01

Aim To determine the suitability of porous silicon photonic crystals for intraocular drug-delivery. Methods A rugate structure was electrochemically etched into a highly doped p-type silicon substrate to create a porous silicon film that was subsequently removed and ultrasonically fractured into particles. To stabilise the particles in aqueous media, the silicon particles were modified by surface alkylation (using thermal hydrosilylation) or by thermal oxidation. Unmodified particles, hydrosilylated particles and oxidised particles were injected into rabbit vitreous. The stability and toxicity of each type of particle were studied by indirect ophthalmoscopy, biomicroscopy, tonometry, electroretinography (ERG) and histology. Results No toxicity was observed with any type of the particles during a period of >4 months. Surface alkylation led to dramatically increased intravitreal stability and slow degradation. The estimated vitreous half-life increased from 1 week (fresh particles) to 5 weeks (oxidised particles) and to 16 weeks (hydrosilylated particles). Conclusion The porous silicon photonic crystals showed good biocompatibility and may be used as an intraocular drug-delivery system. The intravitreal injectable porous silicon photonic crystals may be engineered to host a variety of therapeutics and achieve controlled drug release over long periods of time to treat chronic vitreoretinal diseases. PMID:18441177

White light emission from engineered silicon carbide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ou, Haiyan

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide indirect bandgap semiconductor. The light emission efficiency is low in nature. But this material has very unique physical properties like good thermal conductivity, high break down field etc in addition to its abundance. Therefore it is interesting to engineer its...... light emission property so that to take fully potential applications of this material. In this talk, two methods, i.e. doping SiC heavily by donor-acceptor pairs and making SiC porous are introduced to make light emission from SiC. By co-doping SiC with nitrogen and boron heavily, strong yellow emission...... is demonstrated. After optimizing the passivation conditions, strong blue-green emission from porous SiC is demonstrated as well. When combining the yellow emission from co-doped SiC and blue-green from porous SiC, a high color rendering index white light source is achieved....

Advanced Measurements of Silicon Carbide Ceramic Matrix Composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farhad Farzbod; Stephen J. Reese; Zilong Hua; Marat Khafizov; David H. Hurley

2012-08-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) is being considered as a fuel cladding material for accident tolerant fuel under the Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program sponsored by the Nuclear Energy Division of the Department of Energy. Silicon carbide has many potential advantages over traditional zirconium based cladding systems. These include high melting point, low susceptibility to corrosion, and low degradation of mechanical properties under neutron irradiation. In addition, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) made from SiC have high mechanical toughness enabling these materials to withstand thermal and mechanical shock loading. However, many of the fundamental mechanical and thermal properties of SiC CMCs depend strongly on the fabrication process. As a result, extrapolating current materials science databases for these materials to nuclear applications is not possible. The “Advanced Measurements” work package under the LWRS fuels pathway is tasked with the development of measurement techniques that can characterize fundamental thermal and mechanical properties of SiC CMCs. An emphasis is being placed on development of characterization tools that can used for examination of fresh as well as irradiated samples. The work discuss in this report can be divided into two broad categories. The first involves the development of laser ultrasonic techniques to measure the elastic and yield properties and the second involves the development of laser-based techniques to measurement thermal transport properties. Emphasis has been placed on understanding the anisotropic and heterogeneous nature of SiC CMCs in regards to thermal and mechanical properties. The material properties characterized within this work package will be used as validation of advanced materials physics models of SiC CMCs developed under the LWRS fuels pathway. In addition, it is envisioned that similar measurement techniques can be used to provide process control and quality assurance as well as measurement of

Composite materials and bodies including silicon carbide and titanium diboride and methods of forming same

Science.gov (United States)

Lillo, Thomas M.; Chu, Henry S.; Harrison, William M.; Bailey, Derek

2013-01-22

Methods of forming composite materials include coating particles of titanium dioxide with a substance including boron (e.g., boron carbide) and a substance including carbon, and reacting the titanium dioxide with the substance including boron and the substance including carbon to form titanium diboride. The methods may be used to form ceramic composite bodies and materials, such as, for example, a ceramic composite body or material including silicon carbide and titanium diboride. Such bodies and materials may be used as armor bodies and armor materials. Such methods may include forming a green body and sintering the green body to a desirable final density. Green bodies formed in accordance with such methods may include particles comprising titanium dioxide and a coating at least partially covering exterior surfaces thereof, the coating comprising a substance including boron (e.g., boron carbide) and a substance including carbon.

Automatically controlled facilities for irradiation of silicon crystals at the Rossendorf Research Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, R.

1988-01-01

This report describes the facilities for neutron transmutation doping of silicon in GDR. The irradiation of silicon single crystals began at Rossendorf in 1978 with simple equipment. Only a small amount of silicon could be irradiated in it. The fast increasing need of NTD-silicon made it necessary to design and construct new and better facilities. The new facilities are capable of irradiating silicon from 2'' to 3'' in diameter. The irradiation process takes place automatically with the assistance of a computer. Material produced has an axial homogeneity of ± 7%. Irradiation riggs, techniques, irradiation control and quality control are discussed. (author). 4 figs

Optical characterisation of cubic silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, S.M.

1998-09-01

The varied properties of Silicon Carbide (SiC) are helping to launch the material into many new applications, particularly in the field of novel semiconductor devices. In this work, the cubic form of SiC is of interest as a basis for developing integrated optical components. Here, the formation of a suitable SiO 2 buried cladding layer has been achieved by high dose oxygen ion implantation. This layer is necessary for the optical confinement of propagating light, and hence optical waveguide fabrication. Results have shown that optical propagation losses of the order of 20 dB/cm are obtainable. Much of this loss can be attributed to mode leakage and volume scattering. Mode leakage is a function of the effective oxide thickness, and volume scattering related to the surface layer damage. These parameters have been shown to be controllable and so suggests that further reduction in the waveguide loss is feasible. Analysis of the layer growth mechanism by RBS, XTEM and XPS proves that SiO 2 is formed, and that the extent, of formation depends on implant dose and temperature. The excess carbon generated is believed to exit the oxide layer by a number of varying mechanisms. The result of this appears to be a number of stable Si-C-O intermediaries that, form regions to either depth extreme of the SiO 2 layer. Early furnace tests suggest a need to anneal at, temperatures approaching the melting point of the silicon substrate, and that the quality of the virgin material is crucial in controlling the resulting oxide growth. (author)

Precision Surface Grinding of Silicon Carbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Konneh

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Silicon carbide (SiC is well known for its excellent material properties, high durability, high wear resistance, light weight and extreme hardness. Among the engineering applications of this material, it is an excellent candidate for optic mirrors used in an Airbone Laser (ABL device. However, the low fracture toughness and extreme brittleness characteristics of SiC are predominant factors for its poor machinability. This paper presents surface grinding of SiC using diamond cup wheels to assess the performance of diamond grits with respect to the roughness produced on the machined surfaces and also the morphology of the ground work-piece. Resin bonded diamond cup wheels of grit sizes 46 µm, 76 µm and 107 µm; depth of cut of 10 µm, 20 µm and 30 µm; and feed rate of 2 mm/min, 12 mm/min and 22 mm/min were used during this machining investigation. It has been observed that the 76 grit performs better in terms of low surface roughness value and morphology.

Covalently Attached Organic Monolayers onto Silicon Carbide from 1-Alkynes: Molecular Structure and Tribological Properties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pujari, S.P.; Scheres, L.M.W.; Weidner, T.; Baio, J.E.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Rijn, van C.J.M.; Zuilhof, H.

2013-01-01

In order to achieve improved tribological and wear properties at semiconductor interfaces, we have investigated the thermal grafting of both alkylated and fluorine-containing ((CxF2x+1)–(CH2)n-) 1-alkynes and 1-alkenes onto silicon carbide (SiC). The resulting monolayers display static water contact

Cross-section of single-crystal materials used as thermal neutron filters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adib, M.

2005-01-01

Transmission properties of several single crystal materials important for neutron scattering instrumentation are presented. A computer codes are developed which permit the calculation of thermal diffuse and Bragg-scattering cross-sections of silicon., and sapphire as a function of material's constants, temperature and neutron energy, E, in the range 0.1 MeV .A discussion of the use of their single-crystal as a thermal neutron filter in terms of the optimum crystal thickness, mosaic spread, temperature, cutting plane and tuning for efficient transmission of thermal-reactor neutrons is given

Body of Knowledge for Silicon Carbide Power Electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Boomer, Kristen; Lauenstein, Jean-Marie; Hammoud, Ahmad

2016-01-01

Wide band gap semiconductors, such as silicon carbide (SiC), have emerged as very promising materials for future electronic components due to the tremendous advantages they offer in terms of power capability, extreme temperature tolerance, and high frequency operation. This report documents some issues pertaining to SiC technology and its application in the area of power electronics, in particular those geared for space missions. It also serves as a body of knowledge (BOK) in reference to the development and status of this technology obtained via literature and industry survey as well as providing a listing of the major manufacturers and their capabilities. Finally, issues relevant to the reliability of SiC-based electronic parts are addressed and limitations affecting the full utilization of this technology are identified.

Young's Modulus of Single-Crystal Fullerene C Nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tokushi Kizuka

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We performed bending tests on single-crystal nanotubes composed of fullerene C70 molecules by in situ transmission electron microscopy with measurements of loading forces by an optical deflection method. The nanotubes with the outer diameters of 270–470 nm were bent using simple-beam and cantilever-beam loading by the piezomanipulation of silicon nanotips. Young's modulus of the nanotubes increased from 61 GPa to 110 GPa as the outer diameter decreased from 470 nm to 270 nm. Young's modulus was estimated to be 66% of that of single-crystal C60 nanotubes of the same outer diameter.

Three-dimensional modelling of thermal stress in floating zone silicon crystal growth

Science.gov (United States)

Plate, Matiss; Krauze, Armands; Virbulis, Jānis

2018-05-01

During the growth of large diameter silicon single crystals with the industrial floating zone method, undesirable level of thermal stress in the crystal is easily reached due to the inhomogeneous expansion as the crystal cools down. Shapes of the phase boundaries, temperature field and elastic material properties determine the thermal stress distribution in the solid mono crystalline silicon during cylindrical growth. Excessive stress can lead to fracture, generation of dislocations and altered distribution of intrinsic point defects. Although appearance of ridges on the crystal surface is the decisive factor of a dislocation-free growth, the influence of these ridges on the stress field is not completely clear. Here we present the results of thermal stress analysis for 4” and 5” diameter crystals using a quasi-stationary three dimensional mathematical model including the material anisotropy and the presence of experimentally observed ridges which cannot be addressed with axis-symmetric models. The ridge has a local but relatively strong influence on thermal stress therefore its relation to the origin of fracture is hypothesized. In addition, thermal stresses at the crystal rim are found to increase for a particular position of the crystal radiation reflector.

Fluorescent Silicon Carbide and its Applications in White Light-Emitting Diodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ou, Yiyu

light extraction efficiency are presented. White LEDs are the most promising techniques to replace the conventional lighting sources. A typical white LED consists of a Gallium Nitride (GaN) blue or Ultraviolet (UV) LED stack and a wavelengthconversion material. Silicon Carbide (SiC) has a wide optical...... rendering performance and a much longer material lifetime compared with the commonly used wavelength-conversion material like Phosphors. In this thesis, f-SiC with different doping concentrations are analyzed and optimized in order to enhance the quantum efficiency. On the other hand, semiconductor...

Observation of plastic deformation in freestanding single crystal Au nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dongyun; Zhao Manhong; Wei Xiaoding; Chen Xi; Jun, Seong C.; Hone, James; Herbert, Erik G.; Oliver, Warren C.; Kysar, Jeffrey W.

2006-01-01

Freestanding single crystal nanowires of gold were fabricated from a single grain of pure gold leaf by standard lithographic techniques, with center section of 7 μm in length, 250 nm in width, and 100 nm in thickness. The ends remained anchored to a silicon substrate. The specimens were deflected via nanoindenter until plastic deformation was achieved. Nonlocalized and localized plastic deformations were observed. The resulting force-displacement curves were simulated using continuum single crystal plasticity. A set of material parameters which closely reproduce the experimental results suggests that the initial critical resolved shear stress was as high as 135 MPa

Apparatus for making molten silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Harry (Inventor)

1988-01-01

A reactor apparatus (10) adapted for continuously producing molten, solar grade purity elemental silicon by thermal reaction of a suitable precursor gas, such as silane (SiH.sub.4), is disclosed. The reactor apparatus (10) includes an elongated reactor body (32) having graphite or carbon walls which are heated to a temperature exceeding the melting temperature of silicon. The precursor gas enters the reactor body (32) through an efficiently cooled inlet tube assembly (22) and a relatively thin carbon or graphite septum (44). The septum (44), being in contact on one side with the cooled inlet (22) and the heated interior of the reactor (32) on the other side, provides a sharp temperature gradient for the precursor gas entering the reactor (32) and renders the operation of the inlet tube assembly (22) substantially free of clogging. The precursor gas flows in the reactor (32) in a substantially smooth, substantially axial manner. Liquid silicon formed in the initial stages of the thermal reaction reacts with the graphite or carbon walls to provide a silicon carbide coating on the walls. The silicon carbide coated reactor is highly adapted for prolonged use for production of highly pure solar grade silicon. Liquid silicon (20) produced in the reactor apparatus (10) may be used directly in a Czochralski or other crystal shaping equipment.

On the characterisation of the dynamic compressive behaviour of silicon carbides subjected to isentropic compression experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zinszner Jean-Luc

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Ceramic materials are commonly used as protective materials particularly due to their very high hardness and compressive strength. However, the microstructure of a ceramic has a great influence on its compressive strength and on its ballistic efficiency. To study the influence of microstructural parameters on the dynamic compressive behaviour of silicon carbides, isentropic compression experiments have been performed on two silicon carbide grades using a high pulsed power generator called GEPI. Contrary to plate impact experiments, the use of the GEPI device and of the lagrangian analysis allows determining the whole loading path. The two SiC grades studied present different Hugoniot elastic limit (HEL due to their different microstructures. For these materials, the experimental technique allowed evaluating the evolution of the equivalent stress during the dynamic compression. It has been observed that these two grades present a work hardening more or less pronounced after the HEL. The densification of the material seems to have more influence on the HEL than the grain size.

Performance of a PET detector module utilizing an array of silicon photodiodes to identify the crystal of interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moses, W.W.; Derenzo, S.E.; Nutt, R.; Digby, W.M.; Williams, C.W.; Andreaco, M.

1993-01-01

The authors initial performance results for a new multi-layer PET detector module consisting of an array of 3 mm square by 30 mm deep BGO crystals coupled on one end to a single photomultiplier tube and on the opposite end to an array of 3 mm square silicon photodiodes. The photomultiplier tube provides an accurate timing pulse and energy discrimination for all the crystals in the module, while the silicon photodiodes identify the crystal of interaction. When a single BGO crystal at +25 C is excited with 511 keV photons, the authors measure a photodiode signal centered at 700 electrons (e - ) with noise of 375 e - fwhm. When a four crystal/photodiode module is excited with a collimated line source of 511 keV photons, the crystal of interaction is correctly identified 82% of the time. The misidentification rate can be greatly reduced and an 8 x 8 crystal/photodiode module constructed by using thicker depletion layer photodiodes or cooling to 0 C

Graphene ribbon growth on structured silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stoehr, Alexander; Link, Stefan; Starke, Ulrich [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Festkoerperforschung, Stuttgart (Germany); Baringhaus, Jens; Aprojanz, Johannes; Tegenkamp, Christoph [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover (Germany); Niu, Yuran [MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University (Sweden); present address: School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University (United Kingdom); Zakharov, Alexei A. [MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University (Sweden); Chen, Chaoyu; Avila, Jose; Asensio, Maria C. [Synchrotron SOLEIL and Universite Paris-Saclay, Gif sur Yvette (France)

2017-11-15

Structured Silicon Carbide was proposed to be an ideal template for the production of arrays of edge specific graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), which could be used as a base material for graphene transistors. We prepared periodic arrays of nanoscaled stripe-mesas on SiC surfaces using electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching. Subsequent epitaxial graphene growth by annealing is differentiated between the basal-plane mesas and the faceting stripe walls as monitored by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Microscopic low energy electron diffraction (μ-LEED) revealed that the graphene ribbons on the facetted mesa side walls grow in epitaxial relation to the basal-plane graphene with an armchair orientation at the facet edges. The π-band system of the ribbons exhibits linear bands with a Dirac like shape corresponding to monolayer graphene as identified by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). (copyright 2017 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Temperature Induced Voltage Offset Drifts in Silicon Carbide Pressure Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Okojie, Robert S.; Lukco, Dorothy; Nguyen, Vu; Savrun, Ender

2012-01-01

We report the reduction of transient drifts in the zero pressure offset voltage in silicon carbide (SiC) pressure sensors when operating at 600 C. The previously observed maximum drift of +/- 10 mV of the reference offset voltage at 600 C was reduced to within +/- 5 mV. The offset voltage drifts and bridge resistance changes over time at test temperature are explained in terms of the microstructure and phase changes occurring within the contact metallization, as analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The results have helped to identify the upper temperature reliable operational limit of this particular metallization scheme to be 605 C.

Application of silicon carbide to synchrotron-radiation mirrors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takacs, P.Z.; Hursman, T.L.; Williams, J.T.

1983-09-01

Damage to conventional mirror materials exposed to the harsh synchrotron radiation (SR) environment has prompted the SR user community to search for more suitable materials. Next-generation insertion devices, with their attendant flux increases, will make the problem of mirror design even more difficult. A parallel effort in searching for better materials has been underway within the laser community for several years. The technology for dealing with high thermal loads is highly developed among laser manufacturers. Performance requirements for laser heat exchangers are remarkably similar to SR mirror requirements. We report on the application of laser heat exchanger technology to the solution of typical SR mirror design problems. The superior performance of silicon carbide for laser applications is illustrated by various material trades studies, and its superior performance for SR applications is illustrated by means of model calculations

Sintered tantalum carbide coatings on graphite substrates: Highly reliable protective coatings for bulk and epitaxial growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, Daisuke; Suzumura, Akitoshi; Shigetoh, Keisuke [Toyota Central R and D Labs., Inc., Nagakute, Aichi 480-1192 (Japan)

2015-02-23

Highly reliable low-cost protective coatings have been sought after for use in crucibles and susceptors for bulk and epitaxial film growth processes involving wide bandgap materials. Here, we propose a production technique for ultra-thick (50–200 μmt) tantalum carbide (TaC) protective coatings on graphite substrates, which consists of TaC slurry application and subsequent sintering processes, i.e., a wet ceramic process. Structural analysis of the sintered TaC layers indicated that they have a dense granular structure containing coarse grain with sizes of 10–50 μm. Furthermore, no cracks or pinholes penetrated through the layers, i.e., the TaC layers are highly reliable protective coatings. The analysis also indicated that no plastic deformation occurred during the production process, and the non-textured crystalline orientation of the TaC layers is the origin of their high reliability and durability. The TaC-coated graphite crucibles were tested in an aluminum nitride (AlN) sublimation growth process, which involves extremely corrosive conditions, and demonstrated their practical reliability and durability in the AlN growth process as a TaC-coated graphite. The application of the TaC-coated graphite materials to crucibles and susceptors for use in bulk AlN single crystal growth, bulk silicon carbide (SiC) single crystal growth, chemical vapor deposition of epitaxial SiC films, and metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy of group-III nitrides will lead to further improvements in crystal quality and reduced processing costs.

Sintered tantalum carbide coatings on graphite substrates: Highly reliable protective coatings for bulk and epitaxial growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Daisuke; Suzumura, Akitoshi; Shigetoh, Keisuke

2015-01-01

Highly reliable low-cost protective coatings have been sought after for use in crucibles and susceptors for bulk and epitaxial film growth processes involving wide bandgap materials. Here, we propose a production technique for ultra-thick (50–200 μmt) tantalum carbide (TaC) protective coatings on graphite substrates, which consists of TaC slurry application and subsequent sintering processes, i.e., a wet ceramic process. Structural analysis of the sintered TaC layers indicated that they have a dense granular structure containing coarse grain with sizes of 10–50 μm. Furthermore, no cracks or pinholes penetrated through the layers, i.e., the TaC layers are highly reliable protective coatings. The analysis also indicated that no plastic deformation occurred during the production process, and the non-textured crystalline orientation of the TaC layers is the origin of their high reliability and durability. The TaC-coated graphite crucibles were tested in an aluminum nitride (AlN) sublimation growth process, which involves extremely corrosive conditions, and demonstrated their practical reliability and durability in the AlN growth process as a TaC-coated graphite. The application of the TaC-coated graphite materials to crucibles and susceptors for use in bulk AlN single crystal growth, bulk silicon carbide (SiC) single crystal growth, chemical vapor deposition of epitaxial SiC films, and metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy of group-III nitrides will lead to further improvements in crystal quality and reduced processing costs

Local structure of the silicon implanted in a graphite single crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, Yuji; Shimoyama, Iwao; Sekiguchi, Tetsuhiro

2002-01-01

Solid carbon forms two kinds of local structures, i.e., diamond-like and two-dimensional graphite structures. In contrast, silicon carbide tends to prefer only diamond structure that is composed of sp 3 bonds. In order to clarify weather or not two-dimensional graphitic Si x C layer exists, we investigate the local structures of Si x C layer produced by Si + -ion implantation into highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) by means of near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). The energy of the resonance peak in the Si K-edge NEXAFS spectra for Si + -implanted HOPG is lower than those for any other Si-containing materials. The intensity of the resonance peak showed a strong polarization dependence. These results suggests that the final state orbitals around Si atoms have π*-like character and the direction of this orbital is perpendicular to the graphite plane. It is elucidated that the Si-C bonds produced by the Si + -ion implantation are nearly parallel to the graphite plane, and Si x C phase forms a two-dimensionally spread graphite-like layer with sp 2 bonds. (author)

Atomistic aspects of ductile responses of cubic silicon carbide during nanometric cutting.

Science.gov (United States)

Goel, Saurav; Luo, Xichun; Reuben, Robert L; Rashid, Waleed Bin

2011-11-11

Cubic silicon carbide (SiC) is an extremely hard and brittle material having unique blend of material properties which makes it suitable candidate for microelectromechanical systems and nanoelectromechanical systems applications. Although, SiC can be machined in ductile regime at nanoscale through single-point diamond turning process, the root cause of the ductile response of SiC has not been understood yet which impedes significant exploitation of this ceramic material. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulation has been carried out to investigate the atomistic aspects of ductile response of SiC during nanometric cutting process. Simulation results show that cubic SiC undergoes sp3-sp2 order-disorder transition resulting in the formation of SiC-graphene-like substance with a growth rate dependent on the cutting conditions. The disorder transition of SiC causes the ductile response during its nanometric cutting operations. It was further found out that the continuous abrasive action between the diamond tool and SiC causes simultaneous sp3-sp2 order-disorder transition of diamond tool which results in graphitization of diamond and consequent tool wear.

Introducing single-crystal scattering and optical potentials into MCNPX: Predicting neutron emission from a convoluted moderator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gallmeier, F.X., E-mail: gallmeierfz@ornl.gov [Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Iverson, E.B.; Lu, W. [Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Baxter, D.V. [Center for the Exploration of Energy and Matter, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408 (United States); Muhrer, G.; Ansell, S. [European Spallation Source, ESS AB, Lund (Sweden)

2016-04-01

Neutron transport simulation codes are indispensable tools for the design and construction of modern neutron scattering facilities and instrumentation. Recently, it has become increasingly clear that some neutron instrumentation has started to exploit physics that is not well-modeled by the existing codes. In particular, the transport of neutrons through single crystals and across interfaces in MCNP(X), Geant4, and other codes ignores scattering from oriented crystals and refractive effects, and yet these are essential phenomena for the performance of monochromators and ultra-cold neutron transport respectively (to mention but two examples). In light of these developments, we have extended the MCNPX code to include a single-crystal neutron scattering model and neutron reflection/refraction physics. We have also generated silicon scattering kernels for single crystals of definable orientation. As a first test of these new tools, we have chosen to model the recently developed convoluted moderator concept, in which a moderating material is interleaved with layers of perfect crystals to provide an exit path for neutrons moderated to energies below the crystal's Bragg cut–off from locations deep within the moderator. Studies of simple cylindrical convoluted moderator systems of 100 mm diameter and composed of polyethylene and single crystal silicon were performed with the upgraded MCNPX code and reproduced the magnitude of effects seen in experiments compared to homogeneous moderator systems. Applying different material properties for refraction and reflection, and by replacing the silicon in the models with voids, we show that the emission enhancements seen in recent experiments are primarily caused by the transparency of the silicon and void layers. Finally we simulated the convoluted moderator experiments described by Iverson et al. and found satisfactory agreement between the measurements and the simulations performed with the tools we have developed.

Characterization, Modeling and Design Parameters Identification of Silicon Carbide Junction Field Effect Transistor for Temperature Sensor Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofiane Khachroumi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Sensor technology is moving towards wide-band-gap semiconductors providing high temperature capable devices. Indeed, the higher thermal conductivity of silicon carbide, (three times more than silicon, permits better heat dissipation and allows better cooling and temperature management. Though many temperature sensors have already been published, little endeavours have been invested in the study of silicon carbide junction field effect devices (SiC-JFET as a temperature sensor. SiC-JFETs devices are now mature enough and it is close to be commercialized. The use of its specific properties versus temperatures is the major focus of this paper. The SiC-JFETs output current-voltage characteristics are characterized at different temperatures. The saturation current and its on-resistance versus temperature are successfully extracted. It is demonstrated that these parameters are proportional to the absolute temperature. A physics-based model is also presented. Relationships between on-resistance and saturation current versus temperature are introduced. A comparative study between experimental data and simulation results is conducted. Important to note, the proposed model and the experimental results reflect a successful agreement as far as a temperature sensor is concerned.

Thermal detection of single e-h pairs in a biased silicon crystal detector

Science.gov (United States)

Romani, R. K.; Brink, P. L.; Cabrera, B.; Cherry, M.; Howarth, T.; Kurinsky, N.; Moffatt, R. A.; Partridge, R.; Ponce, F.; Pyle, M.; Tomada, A.; Yellin, S.; Yen, J. J.; Young, B. A.

2018-01-01

We demonstrate that individual electron-hole pairs are resolved in a 1 cm2 by 4 mm thick silicon crystal (0.93 g) operated at ˜35 mK. One side of the detector is patterned with two quasiparticle-trap-assisted electro-thermal-feedback transition edge sensor arrays held near ground potential. The other side contains a bias grid with 20% coverage. Bias potentials up to ±160 V were used in the work reported here. A fiber optic provides 650 nm (1.9 eV) photons that each produce an electron-hole (e- h+) pair in the crystal near the grid. The energy of the drifting charges is measured with a phonon sensor noise σ ˜0.09 e- h+ pair. The observed charge quantization is nearly identical for h+s or e-s transported across the crystal.

High Temperature Corrosion of Silicon Carbide and Silicon Nitride in Water Vapor

Science.gov (United States)

Opila, E. J.; Robinson, Raymond C.; Cuy, Michael D.; Gray, Hugh R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) are proposed for applications in high temperature combustion environments containing water vapor. Both SiC and Si3N4 react with water vapor to form a silica (SiO2) scale. It is therefore important to understand the durability of SiC, Si3N4 and SiO2 in water vapor. Thermogravimetric analyses, furnace exposures and burner rig results were obtained for these materials in water vapor at temperatures between 1100 and 1450 C and water vapor partial pressures ranging from 0.1 to 3.1 atm. First, the oxidation of SiC and Si3N4 in water vapor is considered. The parabolic kinetic rate law, rate dependence on water vapor partial pressure, and oxidation mechanism are discussed. Second, the volatilization of silica to form Si(OH)4(g) is examined. Mass spectrometric results, the linear kinetic rate law and a volatilization model based on diffusion through a gas boundary layer are discussed. Finally, the combined oxidation and volatilization reactions, which occur when SiC or Si3N4 are exposed in a water vapor-containing environment, are presented. Both experimental evidence and a model for the paralinear kinetic rate law are shown for these simultaneous oxidation and volatilization reactions.

Preparation of silicon carbide nanowires via a rapid heating process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xintong; Chen Xiaohong; Song Huaihe

2011-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) nanowires were fabricated in a large quantity by a rapid heating carbothermal reduction of a novel resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF)/SiO 2 hybrid aerogel in this study. SiC nanowires were grown at 1500 deg. C for 2 h in an argon atmosphere without any catalyst via vapor-solid (V-S) process. The β-SiC nanowires were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) facility, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The analysis results show that the aspect ratio of the SiC nanowires via the rapid heating process is much larger than that of the sample produced via gradual heating process. The SiC nanowires are single crystalline β-SiC phase with diameters of about 20-80 nm and lengths of about several tens of micrometers, growing along the [1 1 1] direction with a fringe spacing of 0.25 nm. The role of the interpenetrating network of RF/SiO 2 hybrid aerogel in the carbothermal reduction was discussed and the possible growth mechanism of the nanowires is analyzed.

The synergy of modeling and novel experiments for melt crystal growth research

Science.gov (United States)

Derby, Jeffrey J.

2018-05-01

Computational modeling and novel experiments, when performed together, can enable the identification of new, fundamental mechanisms important for the growth of bulk crystals from the melt. In this paper, we present a compelling example of this synergy via the discovery of previously unascertained physical mechanisms that govern the engulfment of silicon carbide particles during the growth of crystalline silicon.

Tailoring of silicon crystals for relativistic-particle channeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guidi, V.; Antonini, A.; Baricordi, S.; Logallo, F.; Malagu, C.; Milan, E.; Ronzoni, A.; Stefancich, M.; Martinelli, G.; Vomiero, A.

2005-01-01

In the last years, the research on channeling of relativistic particles has progressed considerably. A significant contribution has been provided by the development of techniques for quality improvement of the crystals. In particular, a planar etching of the surfaces of the silicon crystals proved useful to remove the superficial layer, which is a region very rich in imperfections, in turn leading to greater channeling efficiency. Micro-fabrication techniques, borrowed from silicon technology, may also be useful: micro-indentation and deposition of tensile or compressive layers onto silicon samples allow one to impart an even curvature to the samples. In this way, different topologies may be envisaged, such as a bent crystal for deflection of protons and ions or an undulator to force coherent oscillations of positrons and electrons

Formation of silicon carbide by laser ablation in graphene oxide-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone suspension on silicon surface

Science.gov (United States)

Jaleh, Babak; Ghasemi, Samaneh; Torkamany, Mohammad Javad; Salehzadeh, Sadegh; Maleki, Farahnaz

2018-01-01

Laser ablation of a silicon wafer in graphene oxide-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (GO-NMP) suspension was carried out with a pulsed Nd:YAG laser (pulse duration = 250 ns, wavelength = 1064 nm). The surface of silicon wafer before and after laser ablation was studied using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The results showed that the ablation of silicon surface in liquid by pulsed laser was done by the process of melt expulsion under the influence of the confined plasma-induced pressure or shock wave trapped between the silicon wafer and the liquid. The X-ray diffraction‌ (XRD) pattern of Si wafer after laser ablation showed that 4H-SiC layer is formed on its surface. The formation of the above layer was also confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy‌ (XPS), as well as EDX was utilized. The reflectance of samples decreased with increasing pulse energy. Therefore, the morphological alteration and the formation of SiC layer at high energy increase absorption intensity in the UV‌-vis regions. Theoretical calculations confirm that the formation of silicon carbide from graphene oxide and silicon wafer is considerably endothermic. Development of new methods for increasing the reflectance without causing harmful effects is still an important issue for crystalline Si solar cells. By using the method described in this paper, the optical properties of solar cells can be improved.

Influence of structures on fracture and fracture toughness of cemented tungsten carbides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, W.; Zhang, X.

1987-01-01

A study was made of the influence of structures on fracture and fracture toughness of cemented tungsten carbides with different compositions and grain sizes. The measurement of the fracture toughness of cemented tungsten carbide was carried out using single edge notched beam. The microstructural parameters and the proportion for each fracture mode on the fracture surface were obtained. The brittle fracture of the alloy is mainly due to the interfacial decohesion fracture following the interface of the carbide crystals. It has been observed that there are localized fractures region ahead of the crack tip. The morphology of the crack propagation path as well as the slip structure in the cobalt phase of the deformed region have been investigated. In addition, a study of the correlation between the plane strain fracture toughness and microstructural parameters, such as mean free path of the cobalt phase, tungsten carbide grain size and the contiguity of tungsten carbide crystals was also made

Optimization of Gas Composition Used in Plasma Chemical Vaporization Machining for Figuring of Reaction-Sintered Silicon Carbide with Low Surface Roughness.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Rongyan; Yang, Xu; Ohkubo, Yuji; Endo, Katsuyoshi; Yamamura, Kazuya

2018-02-05

In recent years, reaction-sintered silicon carbide (RS-SiC) has been of interest in many engineering fields because of its excellent properties, such as its light weight, high rigidity, high heat conductance and low coefficient of thermal expansion. However, RS-SiC is difficult to machine owing to its high hardness and chemical inertness and because it contains multiple components. To overcome the problem of the poor machinability of RS-SiC in conventional machining, the application of atmospheric-pressure plasma chemical vaporization machining (AP-PCVM) to RS-SiC was proposed. As a highly efficient and damage-free figuring technique, AP-PCVM has been widely applied for the figuring of single-component materials, such as Si, SiC, quartz crystal wafers, and so forth. However, it has not been applied to RS-SiC since it is composed of multiple components. In this study, we investigated the AP-PCVM etching characteristics for RS-SiC by optimizing the gas composition. It was found that the different etching rates of the different components led to a large surface roughness. A smooth surface was obtained by applying the optimum gas composition, for which the etching rate of the Si component was equal to that of the SiC component.

Friction and wear performance of diamond-like carbon, boron carbide, and titanium carbide coatings against glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daniels, B.K.; Brown, D.W.; Kimock, F.M.

1997-01-01

Protection of glass substrates by direct ion beam deposited diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings was observed using a commercial pin-on-disk instrument at ambient conditions without lubrication. Ion beam sputter-deposited titanium carbide and boron carbide coatings reduced sliding friction, and provided tribological protection of silicon substrates, but the improvement factor was less than that found for DLC. Observations of unlubricated sliding of hemispherical glass pins at ambient conditions on uncoated glass and silicon substrates, and ion beam deposited coatings showed decreased wear in the order: uncoated glass>uncoated silicon>boron carbide>titanium carbide>DLC>uncoated sapphire. Failure mechanisms varied widely and are discussed. Generally, the amount of wear decreased as the sliding friction decreased, with the exception of uncoated sapphire substrates, for which the wear was low despite very high friction. There is clear evidence that DLC coatings continue to protect the underlying substrate long after the damage first penetrates through the coating. The test results correlate with field use data on commercial products which have shown that the DLC coatings provide substantial extension of the useful lifetime of glass and other substrates. copyright 1997 Materials Research Society

Effect of hot isostatic pressing on the properties of sintered alpha silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, G. K.; Moore, T. J.; Millard, M. L.

1985-01-01

Two lots of alpha silicon carbide were isostatically hot-pressed under 138 MPa for 2 h in Ar at temperatures up to 2200 C. Nearly theoretically dense specimens resulted. Hot isostatic pressing increased both room-temperature strength and 1200 C strength, and resulted in improved reliability. One lot of material which was pressed at 2200 C showed increases of about 20 percent in room-temperature strength and about 50 percent in 1200 C flexural strength; the Weibull modulus improved about 100 percent.

The role of defects in fluorescent silicon carbide layers grown by sublimation epitaxy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schimmel, Saskia; Kaiser, Michl; Jokubavicius, Valdas

2014-01-01

Donor-acceptor co-doped SiC is a promising light converter for novel monolithic all-semiconductor white LEDs due to its broad-band donor-acceptor pair luminescence and potentially high internal quantum efficiency. Besides sufficiently high doping concentrations in an appropriate ratio yielding...... short radiative lifetimes, long nonradiative lifetimes are crucial for efficient light conversion. The impact of different types of defects is studied by characterizing fluorescent silicon carbide layers with regard to photoluminescence intensity, homogeneity and efficiency taking into account...

Review article: silicon carbide. Structure, properties and processing Artigo revisão: carbeto de silício, estrtutura, propriedades e processamento

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Izhevskyi

2000-03-01

Full Text Available In view of considerable interest in the development of liquid phase sintered structural and high-temperature ceramics on the base of silicon carbide, a comprehensive review of the data on structure, properties and the known methods of processing of silicon carbide seems timely. The most striking feature of silicon carbide is its polytypism, i.e. formation of a great number of different structural modifications without any change in composition. Although this feature of silicon carbide was extensively studied, no systematic up to date analysis was done. However, polytypism and the tendency of the polytypes to undergo structural transformations at working temperatures may lead to uncontrollable modification of the materials properties, and therefore needs to be fully understood. Furthermore, the recently developed liquid phase sintering technique for silicon carbide densification is of an undoubtful interest and the overview of the results achieved until present time may provide some guidelines for the ceramists.Em vista do considerável interesse no desenvolvimento de cerâmicas estruturais e para aplicações em alta temperatura, é oportuna uma revisão quanto a estrutura, propriedades e métodos conhecidos de processamento de cerâmicas a base de carbeto de silício sinterizados via fase líquida. A característica mais interessante do carbeto de silício é o seu politipismo, isto é, a formação de um grande número modificações estruturais para uma mesma composição. Embora este fenômeno venha sendo extensivamente estudado, não se tem até o momento, uma análise sistemática do mesmo, o que seria de extrema importância, uma vez que o politipismo e a tendência à transformação estrutural destes politipos em temperaturas típicas de trabalho podem levar a incontroláveis modificações nas propriedades do material. Além disso, os recentes avanços obtidos na densificação do carbeto de silício através da técnica de sinteriza

Electronic properties of dislocations introduced mechanically at room temperature on a single crystal silicon surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, Masatoshi; Kamiya, Shoji; Izumi, Hayato; Tokuda, Yutaka

2012-01-01

This paper focuses on the effects of temperature and environment on the electronic properties of dislocations in n-type single crystal silicon near the surface. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) analyses were carried out with Schottky electrodes and p + -n junctions. The trap level, originally found at E C -0.50 eV (as commonly reported), shifted to a shallower level at E C -0.23 eV after a heat treatment at 350 K in an inert environment. The same heat treatment in lab air, however, did not cause any shift. The trap level shifted by the heat treatment in an inert environment was found to revert back to the original level when the specimens were exposed to lab air again. Therefore, the intrinsic trap level is expected to occur at E C -0.23 eV and shift sensitively with gas adsorption in air.

Single-crystal-like GdNdO{sub x} thin films on silicon substrates by magnetron sputtering and high-temperature annealing for crystal seed layer application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Ziwei; Xiao, Lei; Liang, Renrong, E-mail: wang-j@tsinghua.edu.cn, E-mail: liangrr@tsinghua.edu.cn; Shen, Shanshan; Xu, Jun; Wang, Jing, E-mail: wang-j@tsinghua.edu.cn, E-mail: liangrr@tsinghua.edu.cn [Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology, Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

2016-06-15

Single-crystal-like rare earth oxide thin films on silicon (Si) substrates were fabricated by magnetron sputtering and high-temperature annealing processes. A 30-nm-thick high-quality GdNdO{sub x} (GNO) film was deposited using a high-temperature sputtering process at 500°C. A Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} mixture was used as the sputtering target, in which the proportions of Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} were controlled to make the GNO’s lattice parameter match that of the Si substrate. To further improve the quality of the GNO film, a post-deposition annealing process was performed at a temperature of 1000°C. The GNO films exhibited a strong preferred orientation on the Si substrate. In addition, an Al/GNO/Si capacitor was fabricated to evaluate the dielectric constant and leakage current of the GNO films. It was determined that the single-crystal-like GNO films on the Si substrates have potential for use as an insulator layer for semiconductor-on-insulator and semiconductor/insulator multilayer applications.

Effective optimization of surface passivation on porous silicon carbide using atomic layer deposited Al2O3

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lu, Weifang; Iwasa, Yoshimi; Ou, Yiyu

2017-01-01

Porous silicon carbide (B–N co-doped SiC) produced by anodic oxidation showed strong photoluminescence (PL) at around 520 nm excited by a 375 nm laser. The porous SiC samples were passivated by atomic layer deposited (ALD) aluminum oxide (Al2O3) films, resulting in a significant enhancement...

Hybrid single quantum well InP/Si nanobeam lasers for silicon photonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Fegadolli, William S; Kim, Se-Heon; Postigo, Pablo Aitor; Scherer, Axel

2013-11-15

We report on a hybrid InP/Si photonic crystal nanobeam laser emitting at 1578 nm with a low threshold power of ~14.7 μW. Laser gain is provided from a single InAsP quantum well embedded in a 155 nm InP layer bonded on a standard silicon-on-insulator wafer. This miniaturized nanolaser, with an extremely small modal volume of 0.375(λ/n)(3), is a promising and efficient light source for silicon photonics.

Extended vapor-liquid-solid growth of silicon carbide nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajesh, John Anthuvan; Pandurangan, Arumugam

2014-04-01

We developed an alloy catalytic method to explain extended vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of silicon carbide nanowires (SiC NWs) by a simple thermal evaporation of silicon and activated carbon mixture using lanthanum nickel (LaNi5) alloy as catalyst in a chemical vapor deposition process. The LaNi5 alloy binary phase diagram and the phase relationships in the La-Ni-Si ternary system were play a key role to determine the growth parameters in this VLS mechanism. Different reaction temperatures (1300, 1350 and 1400 degrees C) were applied to prove the established growth process by experimentally. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies show that the crystalline quality of the SiC NWs increases with the temperature at which they have been synthesized. La-Ni alloyed catalyst particles observed on the top of the SiC NWs confirms that the growth process follows this extended VLS mechanism. The X-ray diffraction and confocal Raman spectroscopy analyses demonstrate that the crystalline structure of the SiC NWs was zinc blende 3C-SiC. Optical property of the SiC NWs was investigated by photoluminescence technique at room temperature. Such a new alloy catalytic method may be extended to synthesis other one-dimensional nanostructures.

Investigation of the agglomeration and amorphous transformation effects of neutron irradiation on the nanocrystalline silicon carbide (3C-SiC) using TEM and SEM methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huseynov, Elchin M., E-mail: elchin.h@yahoo.com [Department of Nanotechnology and Radiation Material Science, National Nuclear Research Center, Inshaatchilar pr. 4, AZ 1073 Baku (Azerbaijan); Institute of Radiation Problems of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, B.Vahabzade 9, AZ 1143 Baku (Azerbaijan)

2017-04-01

Nanocrystalline 3C-SiC particles irradiated by neutron flux during 20 h in TRIGA Mark II light water pool type research reactor. Silicon carbide nanoparticles were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) devices before and after neutron irradiation. The agglomeration of nanoparticles was studied comparatively before and after neutron irradiation. After neutron irradiation the amorphous layer surrounding the nanoparticles was analyzed in TEM device. Neutron irradiation defects in the 3C-SiC nanoparticles and other effects investigated by TEM device. The effect of irradiation on the crystal structure of the nanomaterial was studied by selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and electron diffraction patterns (EDP) analysis.

Effect of deposition conditions on the properties of pyrolytic silicon carbide coatings for high-temperature gas-cooled reactor fuel particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stinton, D.P.; Lackey, W.J.

1977-10-01

Silicon carbide coatings on HTGR microsphere fuel act as the barrier to contain metallic fission products. Silicon carbide coatings were applied by the decomposition of CH 3 SiCl 3 in a 13-cm-diam (5-in.) fluidized-bed coating furnace. The effects of temperature, CH 3 SiCl 3 supply rate and the H 2 :CH 3 SiCl 3 ratio on coating properties were studied. Deposition temperature was found to control coating density, whole particle crushing strength, coating efficiency, and microstructure. Coating density and microstructure were also partially determined by the H 2 :CH 3 SiCl 3 ratio. From this work, it appears that the rate at which high quality SiC can be deposited can be increased from 0.2 to 0.5 μm/min

Sub-Micrometer Zeolite Films on Gold-Coated Silicon Wafers with Single-Crystal-Like Dielectric Constant and Elastic Modulus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tiriolo, Raffaele [Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa 88100 Catanzaro Italy; Rangnekar, Neel [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Ave SE Minneapolis MN 55455 USA; Zhang, Han [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Ave SE Minneapolis MN 55455 USA; Shete, Meera [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Ave SE Minneapolis MN 55455 USA; Bai, Peng [Department of Chemistry and Chemistry Theory Center, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St SE Minneapolis MN 55455 USA; Nelson, John [Characterization Facility, University of Minnesota, 12 Shepherd Labs, 100 Union St. S.E. Minneapolis MN 55455 USA; Karapetrova, Evguenia [Surface Scattering and Microdiffraction, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave, Building 438-D002 Argonne IL 60439 USA; Macosko, Christopher W. [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Ave SE Minneapolis MN 55455 USA; Siepmann, Joern Ilja [Department of Chemistry and Chemistry Theory Center, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St SE Minneapolis MN 55455 USA; Lamanna, Ernesto [Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa 88100 Catanzaro Italy; Lavano, Angelo [Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa 88100 Catanzaro Italy; Tsapatsis, Michael [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Ave SE Minneapolis MN 55455 USA

2017-05-08

A low-temperature synthesis coupled with mild activation produces zeolite films exhibiting low dielectric constant (low-k) matching the theoretically predicted and experimentally measured values for single crystals. This synthesis and activation method allows for the fabrication of a device consisting of a b-oriented film of the pure-silica zeolite MFI (silicalite-1) supported on a gold-coated silicon wafer. The zeolite seeds are assembled by a manual assembly process and subjected to optimized secondary growth conditions that do not cause corrosion of the gold underlayer, while strongly promoting in-plane growth. The traditional calcination process is replaced with a non-thermal photochemical activation to ensure preservation of an intact gold layer. The dielectric constant (k), obtained through measurement of electrical capacitance in a metal-insulator-metal configuration, highlights the ultralow k approximate to 1.7 of the synthetized films, which is among the lowest values reported for an MFI film. There is large improvement in elastic modulus of the film (E approximate to 54 GPa) over previous reports, potentially allowing for integration into silicon wafer processing technology.

Interaction of noble-metal fission products with pyrolytic silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauf, R.J.; Braski, D.N.

1982-01-01

Fuel particles for the High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) contain layers of pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide, which act as a miniature pressure vessel and form the primary fission product barrier. Of the many fission products formed during irradiation, the noble metals are of particular interest because they interact significantly with the SiC layer and their concentrations are somewhat higher in the low-enriched uranium fuels currently under consideration. To study fission product-SiC interactions, particles of UO 2 or UC 2 are doped with fission product elements before coating and are then held in a thermal gradient up to several thousand hours. Examination of the SiC coatings by TEM-AEM after annealing shows that silver behaves differently from the palladium group

Impact of Total Ionizing Dose Radiation Testing and Long-Term Thermal Cycling on the Operation of CMF20120D Silicon Carbide Power MOSFET

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Richard L.; Scheidegger, Robert J.; Lauenstein, Jean-Marie; Casey, Megan; Scheick, Leif; Hammoud, Ahmad

2013-01-01

Power systems designed for use in NASA space missions are required to work reliably under harsh conditions including radiation, thermal cycling, and extreme temperature exposures. Silicon carbide devices show great promise for use in future power electronics systems, but information pertaining to performance of the devices in the space environment is very scarce. A silicon carbide N-channel enhancement-mode power MOSFET called the CMF20120 is of interest for use in space environments. Samples of the device were exposed to radiation followed by long-term thermal cycling to address their reliability for use in space applications. The results of the experimental work are presentd and discussed.

Encapsulating of high-level radioactive waste with use of pyrocarbon and silicon carbide coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernikov, A.

2007-01-01

It is known that high-level radioactive waste (HLW) constitute a real danger to biosphere, especially that their part, which contains transuranium and long-lived radionuclides resulting during reprocessing of nuclear fuel industrial and power reactors. Such waste contains approximately 99 % of long-lived fission products and transplutonium elements. At present, the concept of multi barrier protection of biosphere from radioactive waste is generally acknowledged. The main barriers are the physicochemical form of waste and enclosing strata of geological formation at places of waste-disposal. Applied methods of solidification of HLW with preparation of phosphatic and borosilicate glasses do not guarantee in full measure safety of places of waste-disposal of solidified waste in geological formations during thousand years. One promising way to improve HLW handling safety is placing of radionuclides in mineral-like matrixes similar to natural materials. The other possible way to increase safety of HLW disposal places is suggested for research by experts of Russian research institutes, for example, in the proposal for the Project of ISTC and considered in the present report, is to introduce an additional barrier on a radionuclides migration path by coating of HLW particles. Unique protective properties of pyrocarbon and silicon carbide such as low coefficients of diffusion of gaseous and solid fission products and high chemical and radiation stability [1] attract attention to these materials for coating of solidified HLW. The objective of the Project is the development of method of HLW encapsulating with use of pyrocarbon and silicon carbide coatings. To gain this end main direction of researches, including analysis of various encapsulation processes of fractionated HLW, and expected results are presented. Realization of the Project will allow to prove experimentally the efficiency of the proposed approach in the solution of the problem of HLW conditioning and ecological

Synthesis and characterisation of star polymer/silicon carbide nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majewski, Peter; Choudhury, Namita Roy; Spori, Doris; Wohlfahrt, Ellen; Wohlschloegel, Markus

2006-01-01

A new type of composite material's preparation and property are reported in this paper. The composite was formed by solution blending a styrene ethylene butylenes (SEBS) star polymer with silicon carbide at various compositions. The composites were characterised using spectroscopic, microscopic and thermal techniques. Photo-acoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (PA-FT-IR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results show that the SiC resides uniformly in the organic network. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the hybrid shows that the thermal stability of the composite is higher than that of the star polymer. The maximum decomposition temperature increases by 73 deg. C. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of the hybrid shows that the storage modulus of the star polymer increases after the composite formation, indicating the existence of thermodynamically stable SiC nanoparticles mostly in the micro-phase separated multiarm structure of the polymer

Growth and intercalation of graphene on silicon carbide studied by low-energy electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Speck, Florian; Ostler, Markus; Wanke, Martina; Seyller, Thomas [Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg, Lehrstuhl fuer Technische Physik, Erlangen (Germany); Technische Universitaet Chemnitz, Institut fuer Physik (Germany); Besendoerfer, Sven [Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg, Lehrstuhl fuer Technische Physik, Erlangen (Germany); Krone, Julia [Technische Universitaet Chemnitz, Institut fuer Physik (Germany)

2017-11-15

Based on its electronic, structural, chemical, and mechanical properties, many potential applications have been proposed for graphene. In order to realize these visions, graphene has to be synthesized, grown, or exfoliated with properties that are determined by the targeted application. Growth of so-called epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide by sublimation of silicon in an argon atmosphere is one particular method that could potentially lead to electronic applications. In this contribution we summarize our recent work on different aspects of epitaxial graphene growth and interface manipulation by intercalation, which was performed by a combination of low-energy electron microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy. (copyright 2017 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

High-voltage electron-microscopical observation of crack-tip dislocations in silicon crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Masaki; Higashida, Kenji

2005-01-01

Crack-tip dislocations in silicon single crystals were observed by high-voltage electron microscopy. Cracks were introduced into silicon wafers at room temperature by a Vickers indenter. The indented specimens were annealed at 823 K in order to activate dislocation emission from the crack tip under the residual stress due to the indentation. In the specimen without annealing, no dislocations were observed around the crack. On the other hand, in the specimen after the annealing, the aspect of the early stage of dislocation emission was observed, where dislocations were emitted not as a perfect dislocation but as a partial dislocation in the hinge-type plastic zone. Prominent dislocation arrays that were emitted from a crack tip were also observed, and they were found to be of shielding type, which increases the fracture toughness of those crystals

Theoretical study of silicon carbide under irradiation at the nano scale: classical and ab initio modelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucas, G.

2006-10-01

The behaviour of silicon carbide under irradiation has been studied using classical and ab initio simulations, focusing on the nano scale elementary processes. First, we have been interested in the calculation of threshold displacement energies, which are difficult to determine both experimentally and theoretically, and also the associated Frenkel pairs. In the framework of this thesis, we have carried out simulations in classical and ab initio molecular dynamics. For the classical approach, two types of potentials have been used: the Tersoff potential, which led to non satisfactory results, and a new one which has been developed during this thesis. This potential allows a better modelling of SiC under irradiation than most of the empirical potentials available for SiC. It is based on the EDIP potential, initially developed to describe defects in silicon, that we have generalized to SiC. For the ab initio approach, the feasibility of the calculations has been validated and average energies of 19 eV for the C and 38 eV for the Si sublattices have been determined, close to the values empirically used in the fusion community. The results obtained with the new potential EDIP are globally in agreement with those values. Finally, the elementary processes involved in the crystal recovery have been studied by calculating the stability of the created Frenkel pairs and determining possible recombination mechanisms with the nudged elastic band method. (author)

All-Optical dc Nanotesla Magnetometry Using Silicon Vacancy Fine Structure in Isotopically Purified Silicon Carbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Simin

2016-07-01

Full Text Available We uncover the fine structure of a silicon vacancy in isotopically purified silicon carbide (4H-^{28}SiC and reveal not yet considered terms in the spin Hamiltonian, originated from the trigonal pyramidal symmetry of this spin-3/2 color center. These terms give rise to additional spin transitions, which would be otherwise forbidden, and lead to a level anticrossing in an external magnetic field. We observe a sharp variation of the photoluminescence intensity in the vicinity of this level anticrossing, which can be used for a purely all-optical sensing of the magnetic field. We achieve dc magnetic field sensitivity better than 100  nT/sqrt[Hz] within a volume of 3×10^{-7}mm^{3} at room temperature and demonstrate that this contactless method is robust at high temperatures up to at least 500 K. As our approach does not require application of radio-frequency fields, it is scalable to much larger volumes. For an optimized light-trapping waveguide of 3  mm^{3}, the projection noise limit is below 100  fT/sqrt[Hz].

Silicon carbide devices: more reliability for transmission and distribution systems; Dispositivos de SiC: mais confiabilidade para sistemas de transmissao e distribuicao

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basset, Roger; Ballad, John [Areva T and D Tecnology Centre (United Kingdom)

2006-05-15

The silicon carbide power semiconductors will represent an essential role in relation to electrical nets in the future. Counting with higher voltage levels, more rapid commutations and allowing higher temperatures then the current silicon semiconductors, they will result in power electronic equipment with lower dissipation and smaller amount of components, becoming more compacts and reliable.

Silicon Carbide Defect Qubits/Quantum Memory with Field-Tuning: OSD Quantum Science and Engineering Program (QSEP)

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-01

TECHNICAL REPORT 3073 August 2017 Silicon Carbide Defect Qubits/Quantum Memory with Field-tuning: OSD Quantum Science and Engineering Program...Quantum Science and Engineering Program) by the Advanced Concepts and Applied Research Branch (Code 71730), the Energy and Environmental Sustainability...the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Quantum Science and Engineering Program (QSEP). Their collaboration topic was to examine the effect of electric-field

Visual Sensor for Sterilization of Polymer Fixtures Using Embedded Mesoporous Silicon Photonic Crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumeria, Tushar; Wang, Joanna; Chan, Nicole; Harris, Todd J; Sailor, Michael J

2018-01-26

A porous photonic crystal is integrated with a plastic medical fixture (IV connector hub) to provide a visual colorimetric sensor to indicate the presence or absence of alcohol used to sterilize the fixture. The photonic crystal is prepared in porous silicon (pSi) by electrochemical anodization of single crystal silicon, and the porosity and the stop band of the material is engineered such that the integrated device visibly changes color (green to red or blue to green) when infiltrated with alcohol. Two types of self-reporting devices are prepared and their performance compared: the first type involves heat-assisted fusion of a freestanding pSi photonic crystal to the connector end of a preformed polycarbonate hub, forming a composite where the unfilled portion of the pSi film acts as the sensor; the second involves generation of an all-polymer replica of the pSi photonic crystal by complete thermal infiltration of the pSi film and subsequent chemical dissolution of the pSi portion. Both types of sensors visibly change color when wetted with alcohol, and the color reverts to the original upon evaporation of the liquid. The sensor performance is verified using E. coli-infected samples.

High-temperature stability of laser-joined silicon carbide components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrmann, Marion, E-mail: marion.herrmann@tu-dresden.de; Lippmann, Wolfgang; Hurtado, Antonio

2013-11-15

Silicon carbide is recommended for applications in energy technology due to its good high-temperature corrosion resistance, mechanical durability, and abrasion resistance. The prerequisite for use is often the availability of suitable technologies for joining or sealing the components. A laser-induced process using fillers and local heating of the components represents a possible low-cost option. Investigations in which yttrium aluminosilicate glass was used for laser-induced brazing of SiC components of varying geometry are presented. A four-point bending strength of 112 MPa was found for these joints. In burst tests, laser-joined components were found to withstand internal pressures of up to 54 MPa. Helium leak tests yielded leak rates of less than 10{sup –8} mbar l s{sup −1}, even after 300 h at 900 °C. In contrast, the assemblies showed an increased leak rate after annealing at 1050 °C. The short process time of the laser technique – in the range of a few seconds to a few minutes – results in high temperature gradients and transients. SEM analysis showed that the filler in the seam predominantly solidifies in a glassy state. Crystallization occurred during later thermal loading of the joined components, with chemical equilibrium being established. Differences in seam structures yielded from different cooling rates in the laser process could not be equalized by annealing. The results demonstrated the long-term stability of laser-brazed SiC assemblies to temperatures in the range of glass transformation (900 °C) of the yttrium aluminosilicate filler. In technological investigations, the suitability of the laser joining technique for sealing of SiC components with a geometry approximating that of a fuel element sleeve pin (pin) in a gas-cooled fast reactor was proven.

Photoluminescent properties of single crystal diamond microneedles

Science.gov (United States)

Malykhin, Sergey A.; Ismagilov, Rinat R.; Tuyakova, Feruza T.; Obraztsova, Ekaterina A.; Fedotov, Pavel V.; Ermakova, Anna; Siyushev, Petr; Katamadze, Konstantin G.; Jelezko, Fedor; Rakovich, Yury P.; Obraztsov, Alexander N.

2018-01-01

Single crystal needle-like diamonds shaped as rectangular pyramids were produced by combination of chemical vapor deposition and selective oxidation with dimensions and geometrical characteristics depending on the deposition process parameters. Photoluminescence spectra and their dependencies on wavelength of excitation radiation reveal presence of nitrogen- and silicon-vacancy color centers in the diamond crystallites. Photoluminescence spectra, intensity mapping, and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy indicate that silicon-vacancy centers are concentrated at the crystallites apex while nitrogen-vacancy centers are distributed over the whole crystallite. Dependence of the photoluminescence on excitation radiation intensity demonstrates saturation and allows estimation of the color centers density. The combination of structural parameters, geometry and photoluminescent characteristics are prospective for advantageous applications of these diamond crystallites in quantum information processing and optical sensing.

Study of Pellets and Lumps as Raw Materials in Silicon Production from Quartz and Silicon Carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Dal Martello, E.; Tranell, G.; Gaal, S.; Raaness, O. S.; Tang, K.; Arnberg, L.

2011-10-01

The use of high-purity carbon and quartz raw materials reduces the need for comprehensive refining steps after the silicon has been produced carbothermically in the electric reduction furnace. The current work aims at comparing the reaction mechanisms and kinetics occurring in the inner part of the reduction furnace when pellets or lumpy charge is used, as well as the effect of the raw material mix. Laboratory-scale carbothermic reduction experiments have been carried out in an induction furnace. High-purity silicon carbide and two different high-purity hydrothermal quartzes were charged as raw materials at different molar ratios. The charge was in the form of lumps (size, 2-5 mm) or as powder (size, 10-20 μm), mixed and agglomerated as pellets (size, 1-3 mm) and reacted at 2273 K (2000 °C). The thermal properties of the quartzes were measured also by heating a small piece of quartz in CO atmosphere. The investigated quartzes have different reactivity in reducing atmosphere. The carbothermal reduction experiments show differences in the reacted charge between pellets and lumps as charge material. Solid-gas reactions take place from the inside of the pellets porosity, whereas reactions in lumps occur topochemically. Silicon in pellets is produced mainly in the rim zone. Larger volumes of silicon have been found when using lumpy charge. More SiO is produced when using pellets than for lumpy SiO2 for the same molar ratio and heating conditions. The two SiC polytypes used in the carbothermal reduction experiments as carbon reductants presented different reactivity.

Depth-of-interaction measurement in a single-layer crystal array with a single-ended readout using digital silicon photomultiplier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Min Sun; Lee, Jae Sung

2015-01-01

We present the first experimental evaluation of a depth-of-interaction (DOI) positron emission tomography (PET) detector using a digital silicon photomultiplier (dSiPM). To measure DOI information from a mono-layer array of scintillation crystals with a single-ended readout, our group has previously proposed and developed a new method based on light spread using triangular reflectors. Since this method relies on measurement of the light distribution, dSiPM, which has a fully digital interface, has several merits for our DOI measurement. The DOI PET detector comprised of a dSiPM sensor (DPC-3200-22-44) coupled with a 14   ×   14 array of 2 mm  ×  2 mm  ×  20 mm unpolished LGSO crystals. All crystals were covered with triangular reflectors. To obtain a good performance of the DOI PET detector, several parameters of detector were selected as a preliminary experiment. Detector performance was evaluated with the selected parameters and the optimal experimental setup, and a DOI measurement was conducted by irradiating the crystal block at five DOI positions spaced at intervals of 4 mm. Maximum-likelihood estimation was employed for DOI positioning and the optimal DOI estimation scheme was also investigated in this study. As a result, the DOI PET detector showed clear crystal identification. The energy resolution (full-width at half-maximum (FWHM)) averaged over all depths was 10.21%  ±  0.15% at 511 keV, and time resolution averaged over all depths was 1198.61   ±   39.70 ps FWHM. The average DOI positioning accuracy for all depths was 74.22%  ±  6.77%, which equates to DOI resolution of 4.67 mm. Energy and DOI resolutions were uniform over all crystal positions except for the back parts of the array. Furthermore, additional simulation studies were conducted to verify the results of our DOI measurement method that is combined with dSiPM technology. In conclusion, our continuous DOI PET detector

Phosphorus diffusion in float zone silicon crystal growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Theis Leth

2000-01-01

This Ph.D thesis encompasses a global numerical simulation of the needle-eye oat zone process, used to grow silicon single crystals. The numerical models includes coupled electromagnetic and free surface models and a global heat transfer model, with moving boundaries. An axisymmetric uidow model......, including centrifugal, buoyancy, thermocapillary and electromagnetic forces, is used to determine flow field, after the phase boundaries have been determined, by the heat transfer model. A finite element model for calculating dopant transport, using the calculated unsteady flow field, has been developed...... within this project. This model has furthermore been expanded to two equations coupled by a non-zero right hand side, for simulating transport of point defects in the crystal during growth. Free surface shapes and induced electric surface current are calculated for t wo different 4'' congurations and a 0...

Fabrication and characterization of reaction bonded silicon carbide/carbon nanotube composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thostenson, Erik T; Karandikar, Prashant G; Chou, T.-W.

2005-01-01

Carbon nanotubes have generated considerable excitement in the scientific and engineering communities because of their exceptional mechanical and physical properties observed at the nanoscale. Carbon nanotubes possess exceptionally high stiffness and strength combined with high electrical and thermal conductivities. These novel material properties have stimulated considerable research in the development of nanotube-reinforced composites (Thostenson et al 2001 Compos. Sci. Technol. 61 1899, Thostenson et al 2005 Compos. Sci. Technol. 65 491). In this research, novel reaction bonded silicon carbide nanocomposites were fabricated using melt infiltration of silicon. A series of multi-walled carbon nanotube-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (NT-CMCs) were fabricated and the structure and properties were characterized. Here we show that carbon nanotubes are present in the as-fabricated NT-CMCs after reaction bonding at temperatures above 1400 deg. C. Characterization results reveal that a very small volume content of carbon nanotubes, as low as 0.3 volume %, results in a 75% reduction in electrical resistivity of the ceramic composites. A 96% decrease in electrical resistivity was observed for the ceramics with the highest nanotube volume fraction of 2.1%

FLiNaK compatibility studies with Inconel 600 and silicon carbide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoder, Graydon L., E-mail: yodergljr@ornl.gov [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Bldg. 5700, MS 6167 Bethel Valley Rd., Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Heatherly, Dennis; Wilson, Dane [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Bldg. 5700, MS 6167 Bethel Valley Rd., Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Caja, Mario [Electrochemical Systems, Inc. (ESI), 9320 Collingwood Rd., Knoxville, TN 37922 (United States)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • A versatile experimental design has been developed to examine liquid fluoride salt materials compatibility behavior. • Samples of silicon carbide and a grafoil/nickel spiral wound gasket were exposed to FLiNaK salt at 700 °C for 90 days and showed no degradation. • Alloy 600 showed material effects penetrating up to 300 μm below the salt interface after exposure to the salt for 90 days at 700 °C. • Comparison of the Alloy 600 corrosion results with existing data indicated that results were comparable to the few corrosion results available for Alloy 600. • Sapphire viewing windows incorporated in the experiment showed fogging by condensed salt components at the highest test temperatures. - Abstract: A small liquid fluoride salt test apparatus has been constructed and testing has been conducted to examine the compatibility of silicon carbide (SiC), Inconel 600 and a spiral wound gasket material in FLiNaK, the ternary eutectic alkaline metal fluoride salt mixture. These tests were conducted to evaluate materials and sealing systems that could be used in fluoride salt systems. Three months of testing at 700 °C was conducted to assure that these materials and seals would be acceptable when operating under prototypic operating conditions. The SiC specimens showed little or no change over the test period, while the spiral wound gasket material did not show any degradation except that salt might have been seeping into the outermost spirals of the gasket. The Inconel 600 specimens showed regions of voiding which penetrated the specimen surface to about 250 μm in depth. Analysis indicated that the salt had leached chrome from the Inconel surface, as was expected for this material.

Analysis of obsydians and films of silicon carbide by RBS technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franco S, F.

1998-01-01

Motivated by archaeological interest this work is presented, which consist in the characterization of obsydian samples from different mineral sites in Mexico and films of silicon carbide, undertaken by an Ion Beam Analysis: RBS (Rutherford Back Scattering). As part of an intensive investigation of obsydian in Mesoamerica by anthropologists from Mexico National Institute of Anthropology and History, 818 samples were collected from different volcanic sources in Central Mexico for the purpose of establishing a data bank of element concentrations of each source. Part of this collection was analyzed by Neutron activation analysis and most of the important elements concentrations reported. In the first part of this work, the non-destructive IBA technique, RBS are used to analyze obsydian samples. The last part is an analysis of thin films of silicon carbide as a part of a research program of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and ININ. The application of this technique were carried out at the IF-UNAM, and the analysis was performed at laboratories of the ININ Nuclear Centre facilities. The samples considered in this work were mounted on a sample holder designed for the purpose of exposing each sample to the alpha particles beam. This RBS analysis was carried out with an ET Tandem accelerator at the IF UNAM. The spectrometry was carried out with employing a Si(Li) detector set at 15 degrees in relation to the target normal. The mean projectile energy was 2.00 MeV, and the beam profile was about 4 mm in diameter. As results were founded elemental concentrations of a set of samples from ten different sources: Altotonga (Veracruz), Penjamo (Guanajuato), Otumba (Mexico), Zinapecuaro (MIchoacan), Ucareo (Michoacan), Tres Cabezas (Puebla), Sierra Navajas (Hidalgo), Zaragoza (Puebla), Guadalupe Victoria (Puebla) and Oyameles (Puebla). The mean values are accompanied by errors expressed as one standard devistion of the mean for each element

Synthesis of microsphere silicon carbide/nanoneedle manganese oxide composites and their electrochemical properties as supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Myeongjin; Yoo, Youngjae; Kim, Jooheon

2014-11-01

Synthesis of microsphere silicon carbide/nanoneedle MnO2 (SiC/N-MnO2) composites for use as high-performance materials in supercapacitors is reported herein. The synthesis procedure involves the initial treatment of silicon carbide (SiC) with hydrogen peroxide to obtain oxygen-containing functional groups to provide anchoring sites for connection of SiC and the MnO2 nanoneedles (N-MnO2). MnO2 nanoneedles are subsequently formed on the SiC surface. The morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared composites are characterized via X-ray diffractometry, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The characterizations indicate that MnO2 nanoneedles are homogeneously formed on the SiC surface in the composite. The capacitive properties of the as-prepared SiC/N-MnO2 electrodes are evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge testing, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a three-electrode experimental setup using a 1-M Na2SO4 aqueous solution as the electrolyte. The SiC/N-MnO2(5) electrode, for which the MnO2/SiC feed ratio is 5:1, displays a specific capacitance as high as 273.2 F g-1 at 10 mV s-1.

Process for making silicon from halosilanes and halosilicons

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Harry (Inventor)

1988-01-01

A reactor apparatus (10) adapted for continuously producing molten, solar grade purity elemental silicon by thermal reaction of a suitable precursor gas, such as silane (SiH.sub.4), is disclosed. The reactor apparatus (10) includes an elongated reactor body (32) having graphite or carbon walls which are heated to a temperature exceeding the melting temperature of silicon. The precursor gas enters the reactor body (32) through an efficiently cooled inlet tube assembly (22) and a relatively thin carbon or graphite septum (44). The septum (44), being in contact on one side with the cooled inlet (22) and the heated interior of the reactor (32) on the other side, provides a sharp temperature gradient for the precursor gas entering the reactor (32) and renders the operation of the inlet tube assembly (22) substantially free of clogging. The precursor gas flows in the reactor (32) in a substantially smooth, substantially axial manner. Liquid silicon formed in the initial stages of the thermal reaction reacts with the graphite or carbon walls to provide a silicon carbide coating on the walls. The silicon carbide coated reactor is highly adapted for prolonged use for production of highly pure solar grade silicon. Liquid silicon (20) produced in the reactor apparatus (10) may be used directly in a Czochralski or other crystal shaping equipment.

Hydrogen desorption from hydrogen fluoride and remote hydrogen plasma cleaned silicon carbide (0001) surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

King, Sean W., E-mail: sean.king@intel.com; Tanaka, Satoru; Davis, Robert F. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States); Nemanich, Robert J. [Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)

2015-09-15

Due to the extreme chemical inertness of silicon carbide (SiC), in-situ thermal desorption is commonly utilized as a means to remove surface contamination prior to initiating critical semiconductor processing steps such as epitaxy, gate dielectric formation, and contact metallization. In-situ thermal desorption and silicon sublimation has also recently become a popular method for epitaxial growth of mono and few layer graphene. Accordingly, numerous thermal desorption experiments of various processed silicon carbide surfaces have been performed, but have ignored the presence of hydrogen, which is ubiquitous throughout semiconductor processing. In this regard, the authors have performed a combined temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) investigation of the desorption of molecular hydrogen (H{sub 2}) and various other oxygen, carbon, and fluorine related species from ex-situ aqueous hydrogen fluoride (HF) and in-situ remote hydrogen plasma cleaned 6H-SiC (0001) surfaces. Using XPS, the authors observed that temperatures on the order of 700–1000 °C are needed to fully desorb C-H, C-O and Si-O species from these surfaces. However, using TPD, the authors observed H{sub 2} desorption at both lower temperatures (200–550 °C) as well as higher temperatures (>700 °C). The low temperature H{sub 2} desorption was deconvoluted into multiple desorption states that, based on similarities to H{sub 2} desorption from Si (111), were attributed to silicon mono, di, and trihydride surface species as well as hydrogen trapped by subsurface defects, steps, or dopants. The higher temperature H{sub 2} desorption was similarly attributed to H{sub 2} evolved from surface O-H groups at ∼750 °C as well as the liberation of H{sub 2} during Si-O desorption at temperatures >800 °C. These results indicate that while ex-situ aqueous HF processed 6H-SiC (0001) surfaces annealed at <700 °C remain terminated by some surface C–O and

SILICON CARBIDE MICRO-DEVICES FOR COMBUSTION GAS SENSING UNDER HARSH CONDITIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruby N. Ghosh; Peter Tobias; Roger G. Tobin

2004-04-01

A sensor based on the wide bandgap semiconductor, silicon carbide (SiC), has been developed for the detection of combustion products in power plant environments. The sensor is a catalytic gate field effect device that can detect hydrogen containing species in chemically reactive, high temperature environments. Robust metallization and electrical contacting techniques have been developed for device operation at elevated temperatures. To characterize the time response of the sensor responses in the millisecond range, a conceptually new apparatus has been built. Software has been developed to cope with the requirements of fast sensor control and data recording. In addition user friendly software has been developed to facilitate use of the SiC sensors for industrial process control applications.

Properties of point defects either native or induced by irradiation in the 3C and 6H polytypes of silicon carbide determined by positron annihilation and EPR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerbiriou, X.

2006-02-01

Potential applications of silicon carbide (SiC) in micro-electronics have justified many studies on point defects, which play an important role in the electrical compensation. Moreover, this material has many assets to take part in the fissile materials confining in the gas cooled reactors of the future (4. generation). In this thesis, we have used Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance and Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy to study the properties of point defects (nature, size, charge state, migration and agglomeration during annealing), either native or induced by irradiation with various particles (H + , e - , carbon ions), in the 3C and 6H polytypes of SiC. The positron annihilation study of native defects in 6H-SiC has shown the presence of a strong concentration of non-vacancy traps of acceptor type, which are not present in the 3C-SiC crystals. The nature of the defects detected after irradiation with low energy electrons (190 keV) depends on the polytype. Indeed, while silicon Frenkel pairs and carbon mono-vacancies are detected in the 6H crystals, only carbon mono-vacancies are detected in the 3C crystals. We propose that these differences concerning the populations of detected point defects result from different values of the silicon displacement threshold energy for the two polytypes (approximately 20 eV for 6H and 25 V for 3C). In addition, the irradiations with 12 MeV protons and 132 MeV carbon ions have created silicon mono-vacancies as well as VSi-VC di-vacancies. Neither the particle (protons or ions carbon), nor the polytype (3C or 6H) influence the nature of the generated defects. Finally the study of the annealing of 6H-SiC monocrystals irradiated with 12 MeV protons have revealed several successive processes. The most original result is the agglomeration of the silicon mono-vacancies with the VSi-VC di-vacancies which leads to the formation of VSi-VC-VSi tri-vacancies. (author)

RBS and ERDA determinations of depth distributions of high-dose carbon ions implanted in silicon for silicon-carbide synthesis study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Intarasiri, S.; Kamwanna, T.; Hallen, A.; Yu, L.D.; Janson, M.S.; Thongleum, C.; Possnert, G.; Singkarat, S.

2006-01-01

For ion beam synthesis of silicon carbide (SiC), a knowledge of the depth distribution of implanted carbon ions in silicon is crucial for successful development. Based on its simplicity and availability, we selected Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) as an analysis technique for this purpose. A self-developed computer program dedicated to extract depth profiles of lighter impurities in heavier matrix is established. For control, calculated results are compared with an other ion beam analysis (IBA) technique superior for studying lighter impurity in heavier substrate i.e. elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA). The RBS was performed with a 1.7-MV Tandetron accelerator using He 2+ as the probe ions. The ERDA was performed with a 5-MV Pelletron accelerator using I 8+ as the probe ions. This work shows that the RBS-extracted data had no significant deviations from those of ERDA and simulations by SRIM2003 and SIIMPL computer codes. We also found that annealing at temperatures as high as 1000 deg. C had quite limited effect on the redistribution of carbon in silicon

Low trap-state density and long carrier diffusion in organolead trihalide perovskite single crystals

KAUST Repository

Shi, Dong

2015-01-29

The fundamental properties and ultimate performance limits of organolead trihalide MAPbX3(MA = CH3NH3 +; X = Br- or I- ) perovskites remain obscured by extensive disorder in polycrystalline MAPbX3 films. We report an antisolvent vapor-assisted crystallization approach that enables us to create sizable crack-free MAPbX3 single crystals with volumes exceeding 100 cubic millimeters. These large single crystals enabled a detailed characterization of their optical and charge transport characteristics.We observed exceptionally low trap-state densities on the order of 109 to 1010 per cubic centimeter in MAPbX3 single crystals (comparable to the best photovoltaic-quality silicon) and charge carrier diffusion lengths exceeding 10 micrometers. These results were validated with density functional theory calculations.

Low trap-state density and long carrier diffusion in organolead trihalide perovskite single crystals

KAUST Repository

Shi, Dong; Adinolfi, Valerio; Comin, Riccardo; Yuan, Mingjian; Alarousu, Erkki; Buin, Andrei K.; Chen, Yin; Hoogland, Sjoerd H.; Rothenberger, Alexander; Katsiev, Khabiboulakh; Losovyj, Yaroslav B.; Zhang, Xin; Dowben, Peter A.; Mohammed, Omar F.; Sargent, E. H.; Bakr, Osman

2015-01-01

The fundamental properties and ultimate performance limits of organolead trihalide MAPbX3(MA = CH3NH3 +; X = Br- or I- ) perovskites remain obscured by extensive disorder in polycrystalline MAPbX3 films. We report an antisolvent vapor-assisted crystallization approach that enables us to create sizable crack-free MAPbX3 single crystals with volumes exceeding 100 cubic millimeters. These large single crystals enabled a detailed characterization of their optical and charge transport characteristics.We observed exceptionally low trap-state densities on the order of 109 to 1010 per cubic centimeter in MAPbX3 single crystals (comparable to the best photovoltaic-quality silicon) and charge carrier diffusion lengths exceeding 10 micrometers. These results were validated with density functional theory calculations.

A multistep single-crystal-to-single-crystal bromodiacetylene dimerization

Science.gov (United States)

Hoheisel, Tobias N.; Schrettl, Stephen; Marty, Roman; Todorova, Tanya K.; Corminboeuf, Clémence; Sienkiewicz, Andrzej; Scopelliti, Rosario; Schweizer, W. Bernd; Frauenrath, Holger

2013-04-01

Packing constraints and precise placement of functional groups are the reason that organic molecules in the crystalline state often display unusual physical or chemical properties not observed in solution. Here we report a single-crystal-to-single-crystal dimerization of a bromodiacetylene that involves unusually large atom displacements as well as the cleavage and formation of several bonds. Density functional theory computations support a mechanism in which the dimerization is initiated by a [2 + 1] photocycloaddition favoured by the nature of carbon-carbon short contacts in the crystal structure. The reaction proceeded up to the theoretical degree of conversion without loss of crystallinity, and it was also performed on a preparative scale with good yield. Moreover, it represents the first synthetic pathway to (E)-1,2-dibromo-1,2-diethynylethenes, which could serve as synthetic intermediates for the preparation of molecular carbon scaffolds. Our findings both extend the scope of single-crystal-to-single-crystal reactions and highlight their potential as a synthetic tool for complex transformations.

Microstructure and orientation effects on properties of discontinuous silicon carbide/aluminum composites

Science.gov (United States)

Mcdanels, D. L.; Hoffman, C. A.

1984-01-01

Composite panels containing up to 40 vol % discontinuous silicon carbide SiC whisker, nodule, or particulate reinforcement in several aluminum matrices are commercially fabricated and the mechanical properties and microstructual characteristics are evaluated. The yield and tensile strengths and the ductility are controlled primarily by the matrix alloy, the temper condition, and the reinforcement content. Particulate and nodule reinforcements are as effective as whisker reinforcement. Increased ductility is attributed to purer, more uniform starting materials and to more mechanical working during fabrication. Comparing mechanical properties with those of other aluminum alloys shows that these low cost, lightweight composites demonstrate very good potential for application to aerospace structures.

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.)

Application of hydrogen-plasma technology for property modification of silicon and producing the silicon-based structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fedotov, A.K.; Mazanik, A.V.; Ul'yashin, A.G.; Dzhob, R; Farner, V.R.

2000-01-01

Effects of atomic hydrogen on the properties of Czochralski-grown single crystal silicon as well as polycrystalline shaped silicon have been investigated. It was established that the buried defect layers created by high-energy hydrogen or helium ion implantation act as a good getter centers for hydrogen atoms introduced in silicon in the process of hydrogen plasma hydrogenation. Atomic hydrogen was shown to be active as a catalyzer significantly enhancing the rate of thermal donors formation in p-type single crystal silicon. This effect can be used for n-p- and p-n-p-silicon based device structures producing [ru

Evolution of Shock Waves in Silicon Carbide Rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balagansky, I. A.; Balagansky, A. I.; Razorenov, S. V.; Utkin, A. V.

2006-01-01

Evolution of shock waves in self-bonded silicon carbide bars in the shape of 20 mm x 20 mm square prisms of varying lengths (20 mm, 40 mm, and 77.5 mm) is investigated. The density and porosity of the test specimens were 3.08 g/cm3 and 2%, respectively. Shock waves were generated by detonating a cylindrical shaped (d=40 mm and 1=40 mm) stabilized RDX high explosive charge of density 1.60 g/cm3. Embedded manganin gauges at various distances from the impact face were used to monitor the amplitude of shock pressure profiles. Propagation velocity of the stress pulse was observed to be equal to the elastic bar wave velocity of 11 km/s and was independent of the amplitude of the impact pulse. Strong fuzziness of the stress wave front is observed. This observation conforms to the theory on the instability of the shock formation in a finite size elastic body. This phenomenon of wave front fuzziness may be useful for desensitization of heterogeneous high explosives

Continuous Czochralski growth: Silicon sheet growth development of the large area sheet task of the low cost silicon solar array project

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, C. M.

1980-12-01

The growth of 100 kg of silicon single crystal material, ten cm in diameter or greater, and 150 kg of silicon single crystal material 15 cm or greater utilizing one common silicon container material (one crucible) is investigated. A crystal grower that is recharged with a new supply of polysilicon material while still under vacuum and at temperatures above the melting point of silicon is developed. It accepts large polysilicon charges up to 30 kg, grows large crystal ingots (to 15 cm diameter and 25 kg in weight), and holds polysilicon material for recharging (rod or lump) while, at the same time, growing crystal ingots. Special equipment is designed to recharge polysilicon rods, recharge polysilicon lumps, and handle and store large, hot silicon crystal ingots. Many continuous crystal growth runs were performed lasting as long as 109 hours and producing as many as ten crystal ingots, 15 cm with weights progressing to 27 kg.

Crystallization induced of amorphous silicon by nickel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, J.A; Rinaldi, P; Budini, N; Arce, R; Buitrago, R.H

2008-01-01

Polycrystalline silicon (pc-Si) deposited on glass substrates is a very promising material for the production of different electronic devices, like thin film transistors, active matrices or solar cells. The crystallization of the amorphous silicon to obtain pc-Si can be achieved with different processes, among which nickel-induced crystallization is because it requires low concentrations of the metal and low annealing temperatures. Nucleation and growth of crystalline silicon are measured by the formation of silicide NiSi 2 , which has a lattice constant very similar to that of Si, and acts as a seed upon which crystalline grains can develop. The size of the pc-Si final grain depends on many factors, such as the initial concentration of Ni, the annealing time and temperature, and the presence of other atoms in the Si structure. This work presents a study on the influence of these parameters on the silicon crystallization process induced by Ni. We deposited a series of hydrogenated amorphous silicon samples (a-Si:H) on glass substrates, using the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method (PE-CVD) with silane gas (SiH 4 ). The deposition temperature was 200 o C, and we prepared intrinsic samples (i), lightly doped with boron (p), heavily doped with boron (p + ) and heavily doped with phosphorous (n + ). Each sample was divided into eight portions, depositing different concentrations of Ni into each one using the cathodic sputtering method. The concentration of Ni was determined by atomic adsorption spectroscopy, and included from 1.5 1 0 15 to 1.5 1 0 16 at/cm 2 . Later the samples were submitted to different thermal treatments in a circulating nitrogen atmosphere. In order to avoid violent dehydrogenation of the a-Si:H that damages the samples, the annealing was carried out gradually. In a first stage the samples were heated at a velocity of 0.5 o C /min up to 400 o C, holding them for 24 hrs at this temperature in order to reach hydrogen effusion. Heating

Drift mechanism of mass transfer on heterogeneous reaction in crystalline silicon substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kukushkin, S.A. [Institute of Problems of Mechanical Engineering, Russian Academy of Science, St Petersburg, 199178 (Russian Federation); St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, 197101 (Russian Federation); Osipov, A.V., E-mail: Andrey.V.Osipov@gmail.com [Institute of Problems of Mechanical Engineering, Russian Academy of Science, St Petersburg, 199178 (Russian Federation); St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, 197101 (Russian Federation)

2017-05-01

This work aims to study the pressure dependence of the thickness of the epitaxial silicon carbide film growing from crystalline silicon due to the heterogeneous reaction with gaseous carbon monoxide. It turned out that this dependence exhibits the clear maximum. On further pressure increasing the film thickness decreases. The theoretical model has been developed which explains such a character of the dependence by the fact that the gaseous silicon monoxide reaction product inhibits the drift of the gaseous reagent through the channels of a crystal lattice, thus decreasing their hydraulic diameter. In the proposed hydraulic model, the dependences of the film thickness both on the gas pressure and time have been calculated. It was shown that not only the qualitative but also quantitative correspondence between theoretical and experimental results takes place. As one would expect, due to the Einstein relation, at short growth times the drift model coincides with the diffusion one. Consequences of this drift mechanism of epitaxial film growing are discussed. - Graphical abstract: This work aims to study the pressure dependence of the thickness of the epitaxial silicon carbide film growing from crystalline silicon due to the heterogeneous reaction with gaseous carbon monoxide. It turned out that this dependence exhibits the clear maximum. On further pressure increasing the film thickness decreases. The theoretical model has been developed which explains such a character of the dependence by the fact that the gaseous silicon monoxide reaction product inhibits the drift of the gaseous reagent through the channels of a crystal lattice, thus decreasing their hydraulic diameter. - Highlights: • It is established that the greater pressure, the smaller is the reaction rate. • The reaction product prevents penetration of the reagent into a reaction zone. • For description the hydraulic model of crystal lattice channels is developed. • Theoretical results for polytropic

Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Unsaturated Polyester Reinforced with SiliconCarbide Powder And with Chopped Glass Fiber

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bushra Hosnie Musa

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The work studied the effectoffine silicon carbide (SiC powder with (0,3,5,7wt % on the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of unsaturated polyester composite in the presence of a fixed amount of chopped glass fiber. The hand lay-up technique was employed to preparethe required samples. Results showed that tensile, impact strength and thermal conductivity increased with increasing the weight fraction of reinforced materials.

Radiation stable, hybrid, chemical vapor infiltration/preceramic polymer joining of silicon carbide components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khalifa, Hesham E., E-mail: hesham.khalifa@ga.com [General Atomics, 3550 General Atomics Ct., San Diego 92121, CA (United States); Koyanagi, Takaaki [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge 37831, TN (United States); Jacobsen, George M.; Deck, Christian P.; Back, Christina A. [General Atomics, 3550 General Atomics Ct., San Diego 92121, CA (United States)

2017-04-15

This paper reports on a nuclear-grade joining material for bonding of silicon carbide-based components. The joint material is fabricated via a hybrid preceramic polymer, chemical vapor infiltration process. The joint is comprised entirely of β-SiC and results in excellent mechanical and permeability performance. The joint strength, composition, and microstructure have been characterized before and after irradiation to 4.5 dpa at 730 °C in the High Flux Isotope Reactor. The hybrid preceramic polymer-chemical vapor infiltrated joint exhibited complete retention of shear strength and no evidence of microstructural evolution or damage was detected following irradiation.

Defects in silicon effect on device performance and relationship to crystal growth conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Jastrzebski, L.

1985-01-01

A relationship between material defects in silicon and the performance of electronic devices will be described. A role which oxygen and carbon in silicon play during the defects generation process will be discussed. The electronic properties of silicon are a strong function of the oxygen state in the silicon. This state controls mechanical properties of silicon efficiency for internal gettering and formation of defects in the device's active area. In addition, to temperature, time, ambience, and the cooling/heating rates of high temperature treatments, the oxygen state is a function of the crystal growth process. The incorporation of carbon and oxygen into silicon crystal is controlled by geometry and rotation rates applied to crystal and crucible during crystal growths. Also, formation of nucleation centers for oxygen precipitation is influenced by the growth process, although there is still a controversy which parameters play a major role. All these factors will be reviewed with special emphasis on areas which are still ambiguous and controversial.

ANTIMONY INDUCED CRYSTALLIZATION OF AMORPHOUS SILICON

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Y. Wang; H.Z. Li; C.N. Yu; G.M. Wu; I. Gordon; P. Schattschneider; O. Van Der Biest

2007-01-01

Antimony induced crystallization of PVD (physics vapor deposition) amorphous silicon can be observed on sapphire substrates. Very large crystalline regions up to several tens of micrometers can be formed. The Si diffraction patterns of the area of crystallization can be observed with TEM (transmission electron microscopy). Only a few and much smaller crystals of the order of 1μm were formed when the antimony layer was deposited by MBE(molecular beam epitaxy) compared with a layer formed by thermal evaporation. The use of high vacuum is essential in order to observe any Sb induced crystallization at all. In addition it is necessary to take measures to limit the evaporation of the antimony.

Passivated graphene transistors fabricated on a millimeter-sized single-crystal graphene film prepared with chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Meng-Yu; Lee, Si-Chen; Lin, Shih-Yen; Wang, Cheng-Hung; Chang, Shu-Wei

2015-01-01

In this work, we first investigate the effects of partial pressures and flow rates of precursors on the single-crystal graphene growth using chemical vapor depositions on copper foils. These factors are shown to be critical to the growth rate, seeding density and size of graphene single crystals. The prepared graphene films in millimeter sizes are then bubbling transferred to silicon-dioxide/silicon substrates for high-mobility graphene transistor fabrications. After high-temperature annealing and hexamethyldisilazane passivation, the water attachment is removed from the graphene channel. The elimination of uncontrolled doping and enhancement of carrier mobility accompanied by these procedures indicate that they are promising for fabrications of graphene transistors. (paper)

Crystal imperfection studies of pure and silicon substituted hydroxyapatite using Raman and XRD.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Shuo; Huang, Jie; Best, Serena; Bonfield, William

2005-12-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is important in biomedical applications because of its chemical similarity to the mineral content of bone and its consequent bioactivity. Silicon substitution into the hydroxyapatite crystal lattice was found to enhance its bioactivity both in vitro and in vivo [1, 2]. However, the mechanism for the enhancement is still not well understood. In this paper, the crystal imperfections introduced by silicon substitution were studied using XRD and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that silicon substitution did not introduce microstrain, but deceased the crystal size in the hk0 direction. Three new vibration modes and peak broadening were observed in Raman spectra following silicon incorporation. The imperfections introduced by silicon substitution may play a role in enhancing bioactivity. A phenomenological relationship between the width of the PO4 v1 peak and crystal size was established.

Silicon Carbide-Based Hydrogen Gas Sensors for High-Temperature Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sangchoel Kim

2013-10-01

Full Text Available We investigated SiC-based hydrogen gas sensors with metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS structure for high temperature process monitoring and leak detection applications in fields such as the automotive, chemical and petroleum industries. In this work, a thin tantalum oxide (Ta2O5 layer was exploited with the purpose of sensitivity improvement, because tantalum oxide has good stability at high temperature with high permeability for hydrogen gas. Silicon carbide (SiC was used as a substrate for high-temperature applications. We fabricated Pd/Ta2O5/SiC-based hydrogen gas sensors, and the dependence of their I-V characteristics and capacitance response properties on hydrogen concentrations were analyzed in the temperature range from room temperature to 500 °C. According to the results, our sensor shows promising performance for hydrogen gas detection at high temperatures.

Development of nano-structured silicon carbide ceramics: from synthesis of the powder to sintered ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reau, A.

2008-12-01

The materials used inside future nuclear reactors will be subjected to very high temperature and neutrons flux. Silicon carbide, in the form of SiC f /SiC nano-structured composite is potentially interesting for this type of application. It is again necessary to verify the contribution of nano-structure on the behaviour of this material under irradiation. To verify the feasibility and determine the properties of the matrix, it was envisaged to produce it by powder metallurgy from SiC nanoparticles. The objective is to obtain a fully dense nano-structured SiC ceramic without additives. For that, a parametric study of the phases of synthesis and agglomeration was carried out, the objective of which is to determine the active mechanisms and the influence of the key parameters. Thus, studying the nano-powder synthesis by laser pyrolysis allowed to produce, with high production rates, homogeneous batches of SiC nanoparticles whose size can be adjusted between 15 and 90 nm. These powders have been densified by an innovating method: Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). The study and the optimization of the key parameters allowed the densification of silicon carbide ceramic without sintering aids while preserving the nano-structure of material. The thermal and mechanical properties of final materials were studied in order to determine the influence of the microstructure on their properties. (author)

Application of La-ZSM-5 Coated Silicon Carbide Foam Catalyst for Toluene Methylation with Methanol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debarpita Ghosal

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The performance of toluene methylation reaction was studied on H-ZSM-5 catalyst modified with La, Ce and Nb at different percentage loading. It was found that 10% metal loading produced the best performance in the reaction in terms of toluene conversion. The catalyst was coated on silicon carbide foam support which showed better conversion than the pelleted catalyst. Again, among the treated and untreated H-ZSM-5, the La-ZSM-5 catalyst is chosen for the reaction for its highest selectivity towards xylene, the main product. All catalysts were characterized in terms of surface properties, SEM, XRD and NH3-TPD. Kinetic study was done on La-ZSM-5 catalyst with 10% loading. In this kineticstudy, Langmuir Hinshelwood kinetic model with surface reaction as rate controlling step was selected as the rate equation. The activation energy was found to be 47 kJ/mol. © 2015 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reserved. Received: 9th December 2014; Revised: 27th April 2015; Accepted: 29th April 2015  How to Cite: Ghosal, D., Basu, J.K., Sengupta, S. (2015. Application of La-ZSM-5 Coated Silicon Carbide Foam Catalyst for Toluene Methylation with Methanol. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 10 (2: 201-209. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.10.2.7872.201-209 Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.10.2.7872.201-209  

Re-defining failure envelopes for silicon carbide composites based on damage process analysis by acoustic emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nozawa, Takashi; Ozawa, Kazumi; Tanigawa, Hiroyasu

2013-01-01

A silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC) composite is a promising candidate for a fusion DEMO blanket. To develop design codes in practical use of them, strength anisotropy is an important issue to be clarified and therefore this study aimed to evaluate the failure behavior of the SiC/SiC composites to provide a strength map. For this purpose, detailed tensile, compressive and in-plane shear failure behaviors were evaluated by the acoustic emission (AE) technique for a plain–weave (P/W) chemically vapor-infiltration (CVI) SiC/SiC composite. The AE results distinguished damage accumulation processes by separately discussing localized variations of power within a time series by wavelet analysis. Of particular emphasis is that matrix cracking occurred prior to the proportional limit stress (PLS) by both tensile and compressive tests. This is because the rough-surface of SiC fibers resulted in the strong frictional stress at the fiber/matrix (F/M) interface, showing linearity in the stress–strain curve beyond the actual matrix cracking stress (i.e., possibly no sliding of the fibers at the F/M interface). In this paper, an updated failure envelope was provided by referring the true matrix cracking stresses as more realistic and reasonable failure criteria

Re-defining failure envelopes for silicon carbide composites based on damage process analysis by acoustic emission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nozawa, Takashi, E-mail: nozawa.takashi67@jaea.go.jp; Ozawa, Kazumi; Tanigawa, Hiroyasu

2013-10-15

A silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC) composite is a promising candidate for a fusion DEMO blanket. To develop design codes in practical use of them, strength anisotropy is an important issue to be clarified and therefore this study aimed to evaluate the failure behavior of the SiC/SiC composites to provide a strength map. For this purpose, detailed tensile, compressive and in-plane shear failure behaviors were evaluated by the acoustic emission (AE) technique for a plain–weave (P/W) chemically vapor-infiltration (CVI) SiC/SiC composite. The AE results distinguished damage accumulation processes by separately discussing localized variations of power within a time series by wavelet analysis. Of particular emphasis is that matrix cracking occurred prior to the proportional limit stress (PLS) by both tensile and compressive tests. This is because the rough-surface of SiC fibers resulted in the strong frictional stress at the fiber/matrix (F/M) interface, showing linearity in the stress–strain curve beyond the actual matrix cracking stress (i.e., possibly no sliding of the fibers at the F/M interface). In this paper, an updated failure envelope was provided by referring the true matrix cracking stresses as more realistic and reasonable failure criteria.

Structure-Property Relationship in Metal Carbides and Bimetallic Alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Jingguan [University of Delaware

2014-03-04

The primary objective of our DOE/BES sponsored research is to use carbide and bimetallic catalysts as model systems to demonstrate the feasibility of tuning the catalytic activity, selectivity and stability. Our efforts involve three parallel approaches, with the aim at studying single crystal model surfaces and bridging the “materials gap” and “pressure gap” between fundamental surface science studies and real world catalysis. The utilization of the three parallel approaches has led to the discovery of many intriguing catalytic properties of carbide and bimetallic surfaces and catalysts. During the past funding period we have utilized these combined research approaches to explore the possibility of predicting and verifying bimetallic and carbide combinations with enhanced catalytic activity, selectivity and stability.

Ab initio density functional theory investigation of structural and electronic properties of double-walled silicon carbide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Moradian, Rostam; Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad

2009-12-01

By using ab initio density functional theory, the structural and electronic properties of (n,n)@(11,11) double-walled silicon carbide nanotubes (SiCNTs) are investigated. Our calculations reveal the existence of an energetically favorable double-walled nanotube whose interwall distance is about 4.3 Å. Interwall spacing and curvature difference are found to be essential for the electronic states around the Fermi level.

Study of irradiation effects in the silicon carbide cubic polytype by photoluminescence and electron spin resonance spectroscopies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefevre, J.

2008-01-01

This experimental work has consisted in the study of point defects induced by an electronic irradiation in the cubic crystallographic structure of silicon carbide with low temperature photoluminescence and electron spin resonance spectroscopies. The first one of these measurement tools has allowed to estimate the displacement threshold energy in the silicon sub-lattice and then to analyze the thermal stability of the irradiation defects in the low temperature range: (10-300 K) and then in the high temperature range: (300-1400 K). Besides, on the base of a recent theoretical model, this thesis has confirmed the proposition of the isolated silicon antisite for the D1 center whose running beyond the nominal running temperature of fission nuclear reactors (generation IV), for which SiC is in part intended, seems to be particularly problematic. Measurements carried out by ESR under lighting have at last allowed to detect a new defect in its metastable spin state S=1, possibly associated to a silicon interstitial configuration. (O.M.)

Advanced Packaging Technology Used in Fabricating a High-Temperature Silicon Carbide Pressure Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Beheim, Glenn M.

2003-01-01

The development of new aircraft engines requires the measurement of pressures in hot areas such as the combustor and the final stages of the compressor. The needs of the aircraft engine industry are not fully met by commercially available high-temperature pressure sensors, which are fabricated using silicon. Kulite Semiconductor Products and the NASA Glenn Research Center have been working together to develop silicon carbide (SiC) pressure sensors for use at high temperatures. At temperatures above 850 F, silicon begins to lose its nearly ideal elastic properties, so the output of a silicon pressure sensor will drift. SiC, however, maintains its nearly ideal mechanical properties to extremely high temperatures. Given a suitable sensor material, a key to the development of a practical high-temperature pressure sensor is the package. A SiC pressure sensor capable of operating at 930 F was fabricated using a newly developed package. The durability of this sensor was demonstrated in an on-engine test. The SiC pressure sensor uses a SiC diaphragm, which is fabricated using deep reactive ion etching. SiC strain gauges on the surface of the diaphragm sense the pressure difference across the diaphragm. Conventionally, the SiC chip is mounted to the package with the strain gauges outward, which exposes the sensitive metal contacts on the chip to the hostile measurement environment. In the new Kulite leadless package, the SiC chip is flipped over so that the metal contacts are protected from oxidation by a hermetic seal around the perimeter of the chip. In the leadless package, a conductive glass provides the electrical connection between the pins of the package and the chip, which eliminates the fragile gold wires used previously. The durability of the leadless SiC pressure sensor was demonstrated when two 930 F sensors were tested in the combustor of a Pratt & Whitney PW4000 series engine. Since the gas temperatures in these locations reach 1200 to 1300 F, the sensors were

High-Performance Flexible Thin-Film Transistors Based on Single-Crystal-like Silicon Epitaxially Grown on Metal Tape by Roll-to-Roll Continuous Deposition Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ying; Asadirad, Mojtaba; Yao, Yao; Dutta, Pavel; Galstyan, Eduard; Shervin, Shahab; Lee, Keon-Hwa; Pouladi, Sara; Sun, Sicong; Li, Yongkuan; Rathi, Monika; Ryou, Jae-Hyun; Selvamanickam, Venkat

2016-11-02

Single-crystal-like silicon (Si) thin films on bendable and scalable substrates via direct deposition are a promising material platform for high-performance and cost-effective devices of flexible electronics. However, due to the thick and unintentionally highly doped semiconductor layer, the operation of transistors has been hampered. We report the first demonstration of high-performance flexible thin-film transistors (TFTs) using single-crystal-like Si thin films with a field-effect mobility of ∼200 cm 2 /V·s and saturation current, I/l W > 50 μA/μm, which are orders-of-magnitude higher than the device characteristics of conventional flexible TFTs. The Si thin films with a (001) plane grown on a metal tape by a "seed and epitaxy" technique show nearly single-crystalline properties characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The realization of flexible and high-performance Si TFTs can establish a new pathway for extended applications of flexible electronics such as amplification and digital circuits, more than currently dominant display switches.

The Effects of Thermal Cycling on Gallium Nitride and Silicon Carbide Semiconductor Devices for Aerospace Use

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Richard L.; Hammoud, Ahmad

2012-01-01

Electronics designed for use in NASA space missions are required to work efficiently and reliably under harsh environment conditions. These Include radiation, extreme temperatures, thermal cycling, to name a few. Preliminary data obtained on new Gallium Nitride and Silicon Carbide power devices under exposure to radiation followed by long term thermal cycling are presented. This work was done in collaboration with GSFC and JPL in support of the NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program

The valve effect of the carbide interlayer of an electric resistance plug

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lakomskii, V.

1998-01-01

The welded electric resistance plug (ERP) usually contains a carbide interlayer at the plug-carbon material interface. The interlayer forms during welding the contact metallic alloy with the carbon material when the oxide films of the alloy are reduced on the interface surface by carbon to the formation of carbides and the surface layer of the plug material dissolves carbon to saturation. Subsequently, during solidification of the plug material it forms carbides with the alloy components. The structural composition of the carbide interlayer is determined by the chemical composition of the contact alloy. In alloys developed by the author and his colleagues the carbide forming elements are represented in most cases by silicon and titanium and, less frequently, by chromium and manganese. Therefore, the carbide interlayers in the ERP consisted mainly of silicon and titanium carbides

Nanowires of silicon carbide and 3D SiC/C nanocomposites with inverse opal structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emelchenko, G.A.; Zhokhov, A.A.; Masalov, V.M.; Kudrenko, E.A.; Tereshenko, A.N.; Steinman, E.A.; Khodos, I.I.; Zinenko, V.I.; Agafonov, Yu.A.

2011-01-01

Synthesis, morphology, structural and optical characteristics of SiC NWs and SiC/C nanocomposites with an inverse opal lattice have been investigated. The samples were prepared by carbothermal reduction of silica (SiC NWs) and by thermo-chemical treatment of opal matrices (SiC/C) filled with carbon compounds which was followed by silicon dioxide dissolution. It was shown that the nucleation of SiC NWs occurs at the surface of carbon fibers felt. It was observed three preferred growth direction of the NWs: [111], [110] and [112]. HRTEM studies revealed the mechanism of the wires growth direction change. SiC/C- HRTEM revealed in the structure of the composites, except for silicon carbide, graphite and amorphous carbon, spherical carbon particles containing concentric graphite shells (onion-like particles).

Joining of silicon carbide using interlayer with matching coefficient of thermal expansion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perham, T.

1996-11-01

The primary objective of this study is to develop a technique for joining a commercially available Silicon Carbide that gives good room temperature strength and the potential for good high temperature strength. One secondary objective is that the joining technique be adaptable to SiC f /SiC composites and/or Nickel based superalloys, and another secondary objective is that the materials provide good neutron irradiation resistance and low activation for potential application inside nuclear fusion reactors. The joining techniques studied here are: (1) reaction bonding with Al-Si/Si/SiC/C; (2) reaction/infiltration with calcium aluminum silicate; (3) ion exchange mechanism to form calcium hexaluminate (a refractory cement); and (4) oxide frit brazing with cordierite

Diorganosilacetylene-alt-diorganosilvinylene polymers and a process densifying porous silicon-carbide bodies

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, Thomas J.; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, Sina; Pang, Yi

1994-05-17

The present invention provides linear organosilicon polymers including acetylene and vinylene moieties, and a process for their preparation. These diorganosilacetylene-alt-diorganosilvinylene linear polymers can be represented by the formula: --[--(R.sup.1)(R.sup.2)Si--C.tbd.C--(R.sup.3)(R.sup.4)Si--CH=CH--].sub.n-- , wherein n.gtoreq.2; and each R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, and aralkyl radicals. The polymers are soluble in organic solvents, air stable, and can be pulled into fibers or cast into films. They can be thermally converted into silicon carbide ceramic materials.

Adsorption of CO on, and S poisoning of, a perfect Ni(111) single crystal and a Ni(111) crystal with small angle boundaries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sargent, G A; Freeman, G B; Chao, J L.R.

1980-01-01

A Ni(111) crystal with small angle boundaries was used to examine the adsorption of CO. The adsorption of CO on a perfect Ni(111) single crystal was used for reference. Auger spectra show that the boundary lines on the sample surface provide favorable sites for the adsorbed CO to dissociate at temperatures as low as 25/sup 0/C. The post-dissociation carbon appears mostly in the form of a nickel carbide on the surface. After heating the crystal to 850/sup 0/C, sulfur diffused to the surface and blocked the surface adsorption sites uniformly. The boundary-enhanced dissociation of absorbed CO is no longer observed after the diffusion of sulfur to the crystal surface. AES depth profiling of sulfur concentration at different positions on the crystal with respect to the boundary lines show no evidence that the boundary lines provide an enhanced path for sulfur diffusion. 7 figures.

Analysis of crystallite size and microdeformation crystal lattice the tungsten carbide milling in mill high energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, F.T. da; Nunes, M.A.M.; Souza, C.P. de; Gomes, U.U.

2010-01-01

The tungsten carbide (WC) has wide application due to its properties like high melting point, high hardness, wear resistance, oxidation resistance and good electrical conductivity. The microstructural characteristics of the starting powders influences the final properties of the carbide. In this context, the use of nanoparticle powders is an efficient way to improve the final properties of the WC. The high energy milling stands out from other processes to obtain nanometric powders due to constant microstructural changes caused by this process. Therefore, the objective is to undertake an analysis of microstructural characteristics on the crystallite size and microdeformations of the crystal lattice using the technique of X-ray diffraction (XRD) using the Rietveld refinement. The results show an efficiency of the milling process to reduce the crystallite size, leading to a significant deformation in the crystal lattice of WC from 5h milling. (author)

Microstructure and Mechanical Behaviour of Stir-Cast Al-Mg-Sl Alloy Matrix Hybrid Composite Reinforced with Corn Cob Ash and Silicon Carbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oluwagbenga Babajide Fatile

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In this present study, the microstructural and mechanical behaviour of Al-Mg-Si alloy matrix composites reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC and Corn cob ash (An agro‑waste was investigated. This research work was aimed at assessing the suitability of developing low cost- high performance Al-Mg-Si hybrid composite. Silicon carbide (SiC particulates added with 0,1,2,3 and 4 wt% Corn cob ash (CCA were utilized to prepare 10 wt% of the reinforcing phase with Al-Mg-Si alloy as matrix using two-step stir casting method. Microstructural characterization, density measurement, estimated percent porosity, tensile testing, and micro‑hardness measurement were used to characterize the composites produced. From the results obtained, CCA has great potential to serve as a complementing reinforcement for the development of low cost‑high performance aluminum hybrid composites.

Optical microcavities based on surface modes in two-dimensional photonic crystals and silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xiao, Sanshui; Qiu, M.

2007-01-01

Surface-mode optical microcavities based on two-dimensional photonic crystals and silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals are studied. We demonstrate that a high-quality-factor microcavity can be easily realized in these structures. With an increasing of the cavity length, the quality factor is gr...... is gradually enhanced and the resonant frequency converges to that of the corresponding surface mode in the photonic crystals. These structures have potential applications such as sensing.......Surface-mode optical microcavities based on two-dimensional photonic crystals and silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals are studied. We demonstrate that a high-quality-factor microcavity can be easily realized in these structures. With an increasing of the cavity length, the quality factor...

Improving the back surface field on an amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) thin film photocathode for solar water splitting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perez Rodriguez, P.; Cardenas-Morcoso, Drialys; Digdaya, I.A.; Mangel Raventos, A.; Procel Moya, P.A.; Isabella, O.; Gimenez, Sixto; Zeman, M.; Smith, W.A.; Smets, A.H.M.

2018-01-01

Amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) is a promising material for photoelectrochemical water splitting owing to its relatively small band-gap energy and high chemical and optoelectrical stability. This work studies the interplay between charge-carrier separation and collection, and their injection

Power monitoring in space nuclear reactors using silicon carbide radiation detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Ruddy, Frank H.; Patel, Jagdish U.; Williams, John G.

2005-01-01

Space reactor power monitors based on silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor neutron detectors are proposed. Detection of fast leakage neutrons using SiC detectors in ex-core locations could be used to determine reactor power: Neutron fluxes, gamma-ray dose rates and ambient temperatures have been calculated as a function of distance from the reactor core, and the feasibility of power monitoring with SiC detectors has been evaluated at several ex-core locations. Arrays of SiC diodes can be configured to provide the required count rates to monitor reactor power from startup to full power Due to their resistance to temperature and the effects of neutron and gamma-ray exposure, SiC detectors can be expected to provide power monitoring information for the fill mission of a space reactor.

Nanoparticles and nanorods of silicon carbide from the residues of corn

Science.gov (United States)

Qadri, S. B.; Gorzkowski, E.; Rath, B. B.; Feng, J.; Qadri, S. N.; Kim, H.; Caldwell, J. D.; Imam, M. A.

2015-01-01

We have investigated the thermally induced transformation of various residues of the corn plant into nanoparticles and nanorods of different silicon carbide (SiC) polytypes. This has been accomplished by both microwave-induced and conventional furnace pyrolysis in excess of 1450 °C in an inert atmosphere. This simple process of producing nanoparticles of different polytypes of SiC from the corn plant opens a new method of utilizing agricultural waste to produce viable industrial products that are technologically important for nanoelectronics, molecular sensors, nanophotonics, biotechnology, and other mechanical applications. Using x-ray and Raman scattering characterization, we have demonstrated that the processed samples of corn husk, leaves, stalks, and cob consist of SiC nanostructures of the 2H, 3C, 4H, and 6H polytypes.

Liquid crystal designs for high-contrast field sequential color liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) microdisplays (Invited Paper)

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, James; Chen, Cheng; Bos, Philip J.

2005-04-01

Single or dual panel microdisplay systems are becoming more popular in the marketplace. Consequently, Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) microdisplays are constantly being pushed to achieve faster switching times as well as higher contrast, while becoming simpler and allowing simpler optics engine design. Currently, most products use a Twisted Nematic (TN) mode with a retardation film. The most promising solution in research now is the Vertically Aligned Nematic (VAN) mode, which does not require a retarder.

High-temperature effect of hydrogen on sintered alpha-silicon carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Hallum, G. W.; Herbell, T. P.

1986-01-01

Sintered alpha-silicon carbide was exposed to pure, dry hydrogen at high temperatures for times up to 500 hr. Weight loss and corrosion were seen after 50 hr at temperatures as low as 1000 C. Corrosion of SiC by hydrogen produced grain boundary deterioration at 1100 C and a mixture of grain and grain boundary deterioration at 1300 C. Statistically significant strength reductions were seen in samples exposed to hydrogen for times greater than 50 hr and temperatures above 1100 C. Critical fracture origins were identified by fractography as either general grain boundary corrision at 1100 C or as corrosion pits at 1300 C. A maximum strength decrease of approximately 33 percent was seen at 1100 and 1300 C after 500 hr exposure to hydrogen. A computer assisted thermodynamic program was also used to predict possible reaction species of SiC and hydrogen.

Electronic properties of intrinsic and doped amorphous silicon carbide films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vetter, M.; Voz, C.; Ferre, R.; Martin, I.; Orpella, A.; Puigdollers, J.; Andreu, J.; Alcubilla, R.

2006-01-01

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC x : H) films have shown excellent surface passivation of crystalline silicon. With the aim of large area deposition of these films the influence of the rf plasma power was investigated. It is found that homogenous deposition with effective surface recombination velocity lower than 100 cms -1 is possible up to 6'' diameter in a simple parallel plate reactor by optimizing deposition parameters. For application in solar cell processes the conductivity of these a-SiC x : H films might become of importance since good surface passivation results from field-effect passivation which needs an insulating dielectric layer. Therefore, the temperature dependence of the dark dc conductivity of these films was investigated in the temperature range from - 20 to 260 deg. C. Two transition temperatures, T s ∼80 deg. C and T s ∼170 deg. C, were found where conductivity increases, resp. decreases over-exponential. From Arrhenius plots activation energy (E a ) and conductivity pre-factor (σ 0 ) were calculated for a large number of samples with different composition. A correlation between E a and σ 0 was found giving a Meyer-Neldel relation with a slope of 59 mV, corresponding to a material characteristic temperature T m = 400 deg. C, and an intercept at σ 00 = 0.1 Ω -1 cm -1

Patterning of Perovskite Single Crystals

KAUST Repository

Corzo, Daniel

2017-06-12

As the internet-of-things hardware integration continues to develop and the requirements for electronics keep diversifying and expanding, the necessity for specialized properties other than the classical semiconductor performance becomes apparent. The success of emerging semiconductor materials depends on the manufacturability and cost as much as on the properties and performance they offer. Solution-based semiconductors are an emerging concept that offers the advantage of being compatible with large-scale manufacturing techniques and have the potential to yield high-quality electronic devices at a lower cost than currently available solutions. In this work, patterns of high-quality MAPbBr3 perovskite single crystals in specific locations are achieved through the modification of the substrate properties and solvent engineering. The fabrication of the substrates involved modifying the surface adhesion forces through functionalization with self-assembled monolayers and patterning them by photolithography processes. Spin coating and blade coating were used to deposit the perovskite solution on the modified silicon substrates. While single crystal perovskites were obtained with the modification of substrates alone, solvent engineering helped with improving the Marangoni flows in the deposited droplets by increasing the contact angle and lowering the evaporation rate, therefore controlling and improving the shape of the grown perovskite crystals. The methodology is extended to other types of perovskites such as the transparent MAPbCl3 and the lead-free MABi2I9, demonstrating the adaptability of the process. Adapting the process to electrode arrays opened up the path towards the fabrication of optoelectronic devices including photodetectors and field-effect transistors, for which the first iterations are demonstrated. Overall, manufacturing and integration techniques permitting the fabrication of single crystalline devices, such as the method in this thesis work, are

A new generation of 99.999% enriched 28Si single crystals for the determination of Avogadro’s constant

Science.gov (United States)

Abrosimov, N. V.; Aref'ev, D. G.; Becker, P.; Bettin, H.; Bulanov, A. D.; Churbanov, M. F.; Filimonov, S. V.; Gavva, V. A.; Godisov, O. N.; Gusev, A. V.; Kotereva, T. V.; Nietzold, D.; Peters, M.; Potapov, A. M.; Pohl, H.-J.; Pramann, A.; Riemann, H.; Scheel, P.-T.; Stosch, R.; Wundrack, S.; Zakel, S.

2017-08-01

A metrological challenge is currently underway to replace the present definition of the kilogram. One prerequisite for this is that the Avogadro constant, N A, which defines the number of atoms in a mole, needs to be determined with a relative uncertainty of better than 2  ×  10-8. The method applied in this case is based on the x-ray crystal density experiment using silicon crystals. The first attempt, in which silicon of natural isotopic composition was used, failed. The solution chosen subsequently was the usage of silicon highly enriched in 28Si from Russia. First, this paper reviews previous efforts from the very first beginnings to an international collaboration with the goal of producing a 28Si single crystal with a mass of 5 kg, an enrichment greater than 0.9999 and of sufficient chemical purity. Then the paper describes the activities of a follow-up project, conducted by PTB, to produce a new generation of highly enriched silicon in order to demonstrate the quasi-industrial and reliable production of more than 12 kg of the 28Si material with enrichments of five nines. The intention of this project is also to show the availability of 28Si single crystals as a guarantee for the future realisation of the redefined kilogram.

Electronic properties of epitaxial 6H silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wessels, B.W.; Gatos, H.C.

1977-01-01

The electrical conductivity and Hall coefficient were measured in the temperature range from 78 to 900 K for n-type epitaxially grown 6H silicon carbide. A many-valley model of the conduction band was used in the analysis of electron concentration as a function of temperature. From this analysis, the density of states mass to the free electron mass ratio per ellipsoid was calculated to be 0.45. It was estimated that the constant energy surface of the conduction band consists of three ellipsoids. The ionization energy of the shallowest nitrogen donor was found to be 105 meV, when the valley-orbit interaction was taken into account. The electron scattering mechanisms in the epitaxial layers were analyzed and it was shown that the dominant mechanism limiting electron mobility at high temperatures is inter-valley scattering and at low temperatures (200K), impurity and space charge scattering. A value of 360 cm 2 /V sec was calculated for the maximum room temperature Hall mobility expected for electrons in pure 6H SiC. The effect of epitaxial growth temperature on room temperature Hall mobility was also investigated. (author)

Three-dimensional photonic crystals created by single-step multi-directional plasma etching.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Katsuyoshi; Kitano, Keisuke; Ishizaki, Kenji; Noda, Susumu

2014-07-14

We fabricate 3D photonic nanostructures by simultaneous multi-directional plasma etching. This simple and flexible method is enabled by controlling the ion-sheath in reactive-ion-etching equipment. We realize 3D photonic crystals on single-crystalline silicon wafers and show high reflectance (>95%) and low transmittance (photonic bandgap. Moreover, our method simply demonstrates Si-based 3D photonic crystals that show the photonic bandgap effect in a shorter wavelength range around 0.6 μm, where further fine structures are required.

The Simulation of Bragg-Case Section Images of Dislocations and Inclusions in Aspect of Identification of Defects in SiC Crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balcer, T.; Wierzchowski, W.; Wieteska, K.

2010-01-01

The numerical simulation has been applied for studying of Bragg-case section topographic images of dislocation and rod-like inclusions. The validity of simple approximation of extinction contrast was confirmed in the case of screw dislocations in silicon carbide crystals. A procedure for approximate calculation of the strain field of rod-like inclusion was constructed, consisting of adding the contributions from a very large number of point-like inclusions uniformly distributed inside the assumed volume of the inclusion. The procedure ensured a reasonable similarity between the simulated topographs and experimental Bragg-case section topographic images of some pipe-formed cavities in silicon carbide crystals. The method is useful for some other materials, e.g. it enabled to compute realistic simulation of plane-wave topographs of the rod-like inclusions in YAG. (authors)

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.

Nanostructured Porous Silicon Photonic Crystal for Applications in the Infrared

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Recio-Sánchez

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In the last decades great interest has been devoted to photonic crystals aiming at the creation of novel devices which can control light propagation. In the present work, two-dimensional (2D and three-dimensional (3D devices based on nanostructured porous silicon have been fabricated. 2D devices consist of a square mesh of 2 μm wide porous silicon veins, leaving 5×5 μm square air holes. 3D structures share the same design although multilayer porous silicon veins are used instead, providing an additional degree of modulation. These devices are fabricated from porous silicon single layers (for 2D structures or multilayers (for 3D structures, opening air holes in them by means of 1 KeV argon ion bombardment through the appropriate copper grids. For 2D structures, a complete photonic band gap for TE polarization is found in the thermal infrared range. For 3D structures, there are no complete band gaps, although several new partial gaps do exist in different high-symmetry directions. The simulation results suggest that these structures are very promising candidates for the development of low-cost photonic devices for their use in the thermal infrared range.

Nanotubes, nanobelts, nanowires, and nanorods of silicon carbide from the wheat husks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qadri, S. B.; Rath, B. B.; Gorzkowski, E. P.; Feng, J.; Qadri, S. N.; Caldwell, J. D. [Materials Science and Component Technology Directorate, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia 20375 (United States)

2015-09-14

Nanotubes, nanowires, nanobelts, and nanorods of SiC were synthesized from the thermal treatment of wheat husks at temperatures in excess of 1450 °C. From the analysis based on x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, it has been found that the processed samples of wheat husk consisted of 2H and 3C polytypes of SiC exhibiting the nanostructure shapes. These nanostructures of silicon carbide formed from wheat husks are of technological importance for designing advance composites, applications in biotechnology, and electro-optics. The thermodynamics of the formation of SiC is discussed in terms of the rapid solid state reaction between hydrocarbons and silica on the molecular scale, which is inherently present in the wheat husks.

Joining silicon carbide to austenitic stainless steel through diffusion welding; Stellingen behorende bij het proefschrift

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krugers, Jan-Paul

1993-01-19

In this thesis, the results are presented of a study dealing with joining silicon carbide to austenitic stainless steel AIS316 by means of diffusion welding. Welding experiments were carried out without and with the use of a metallic intermediate, like copper, nickel and copper-nickel alloys at various conditions of process temperature, process time, mechanical pressure and interlayer thickness. Most experiments were carried out in high vacuum. For reasons of comparison, however, some experiments were also carried out in a gas shielded environment of 95 vol.% Ar and 5 vol.% H₂.

Fracture properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Y.; King, S.W.; Bielefeld, J.; Xu, J.; Dauskardt, R.H.

2012-01-01

The cohesive fracture properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) thin films in moist environments are reported. Films with stoichiometric compositions (C/Si ≈ 1) exhibited a decreasing cohesive fracture energy with decreasing film density similar to other silica-based hybrid organic–inorganic films. However, lower density a-SiC:H films with non-stoichiometric compositions (C/Si ≈ 5) exhibited much higher cohesive fracture energy than the films with higher density stoichiometric compositions. One of the non-stoichiometric films exhibited fracture energy (∼9.5 J m −2 ) greater than that of dense silica glasses. The increased fracture energy was due to crack-tip plasticity, as demonstrated by significant pileup formation during nanoindentation and a fracture energy dependence on film thickness. The a-SiC:H films also exhibited a very low sensitivity to moisture-assisted cracking compared with other silica-based hybrid films. A new atomistic fracture model is presented to describe the observed moisture-assisted cracking in terms of the limited Si-O-Si suboxide bond formation that occurs in the films.

Silicon carbide composites as fusion power reactor structural materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Snead, L.L., E-mail: SneadLL@ORNL.gov [Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Nozawa, T. [Fusion Research and Development Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata Shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Ferraris, M. [Politecnico di Torino-DISMIC c. Duca degli Abruzzi, 24I-10129 Torino (Italy); Katoh, Y. [Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Shinavski, R. [Hypertherm HTC, 18411 Gothard St., Units A/B/C, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 (United States); Sawan, M. [University of Wisconsin, Madison 417 Engineering Research Building, 1500 Engineering Drive Madison, WI 53706-1687 (United States)

2011-10-01

Silicon carbide was first proposed as a low activation fusion reactor material in the mid 1970s. However, serious development of this material did not begin until the early 1990s, driven by the emergence of composite materials that provided enhanced toughness and an implied ability to use these typically brittle materials in engineering application. In the decades that followed, SiC composite system was successfully transformed from a poorly performing curiosity into a radiation stable material of sufficient maturity to be considered for near term nuclear and non-nuclear systems. In this paper the recent progress in the understanding and of basic phenomenon related to the use of SiC and SiC composite in fusion applications will be presented. This work includes both fundamental radiation effects in SiC and engineering issues such as joining and general materials properties. Additionally, this paper will briefly discuss the technological gaps remaining for the practical application of this material system in fusion power devices such as DEMO and beyond.

Thermodynamic calculations for chemical vapor deposition of silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minato, Kazuo; Fukuda, Kousaku; Ikawa, Katsuichi

1985-03-01

The composition of vapor and condensed phases at equilibrium and CVD phase diagrams were calculated for the CH 3 SiCl 3 -H 2 -Ar system using a computer code SOLGASMIX-PV, which is based on the free energy minimization method. These calculations showed that β-SiC, β-SiC+C(s), β-SiC+Si(s), β-SiC+Si(l), Si(s), Si(l), or C(s) would be deposited depending on deposition parameters. In the CH 3 SiCl 3 -Ar system, condensed phase was found to be β-SiC+C(s) or C(s). Comparing the calculated CVD phase diagrams with the experimental results from the literature, β-SiC+C(s) and β-SiC+Si(s) were deposited in the experiments at the high temperature (more than 2000K) and low temperature (less than 1700K) parts of a resion, respectively, where only β-SiC would be deposited in the calculations. These are remakable results to consider the deposition mechanism of silicon carbide. (author)

Synthesis of silicon carbide by carbothermal reduction of silica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abel, Joao Luis

2009-01-01

The production of silicon carbide (SiC) in an industrial scale still by carbothermal reduction of silica. This study aims to identify, in a comparative way, among the common reducers like petroleum coke, carbon black, charcoal and graphite the carbothermal reduction of silica from the peat. It is shown, that the peat, also occurs in nature together with high purity silica sand deposits, where the proximity of raw materials and their quality are key elements that determine the type, purity and cost of production of SiC. Tests were running from samples produced in the electric resistance furnace with controlled atmosphere at temperatures of 1550 degree C, 1600 degree C and 1650 degree C, both the precursors and products of reaction of carbothermal reduction were characterized by applying techniques of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray analysis Spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed the formation of SiC for all common reducers, as well as for peat, but it was not possible to realize clearly the difference between them, being necessary, specific tests. (author)

Pulse-height defect in single-crystal CVD diamond detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beliuskina, O.; Imai, N. [The University of Tokyo, Center for Nuclear Study, Wako, Saitama (Japan); Strekalovsky, A.O.; Aleksandrov, A.A.; Aleksandrova, I.A.; Ilich, S.; Kamanin, D.V.; Knyazheva, G.N.; Kuznetsova, E.A.; Mishinsky, G.V.; Pyatkov, Yu.V.; Strekalovsky, O.V.; Zhuchko, V.E. [JINR, Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, Dubna, Moscow Region (Russian Federation); Devaraja, H.M. [Manipal University, Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences, Manipal, Karnataka (India); Heinz, C. [II. Physikalisches Institut, Justus-Liebig-Universitaet Giessen, Giessen (Germany); Heinz, S. [II. Physikalisches Institut, Justus-Liebig-Universitaet Giessen, Giessen (Germany); GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Hofmann, S.; Kis, M.; Kozhuharov, C.; Maurer, J.; Traeger, M. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Pomorski, M. [CEA, LIST, Diamond Sensor Laboratory, CEA/Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

2017-02-15

The pulse-height versus deposited energy response of a single-crystal chemical vapor deposition (scCVD) diamond detector was measured for ions of Ti, Cu, Nb, Ag, Xe, Au, and of fission fragments of {sup 252} Cf at different energies. For the fission fragments, data were also measured at different electric field strengths of the detector. Heavy ions have a significant pulse-height defect in CVD diamond material, which increases with increasing energy of the ions. It also depends on the electrical field strength applied at the detector. The measured pulse-height defects were explained in the framework of recombination models. Calibration methods known from silicon detectors were modified and applied. A comparison with data for the pulse-height defect in silicon detectors was performed. (orig.)

Simultaneous On-State Voltage and Bond-Wire Resistance Monitoring of Silicon Carbide MOSFETs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nick Baker

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In fast switching power semiconductors, the use of a fourth terminal to provide the reference potential for the gate signal—known as a kelvin-source terminal—is becoming common. The introduction of this terminal presents opportunities for condition monitoring systems. This article demonstrates how the voltage between the kelvin-source and power-source can be used to specifically monitor bond-wire degradation. Meanwhile, the drain to kelvin-source voltage can be monitored to track defects in the semiconductor die or gate driver. Through an accelerated aging test on 20 A Silicon Carbide Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor-Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs, it is shown that there are opposing trends in the evolution of the on-state resistances of both the bond-wires and the MOSFET die. In summary, after 50,000 temperature cycles, the resistance of the bond-wires increased by up to 2 mΩ, while the on-state resistance of the MOSFET dies decreased by approximately 1 mΩ. The conventional failure precursor (monitoring a single forward voltage cannot distinguish between semiconductor die or bond-wire degradation. Therefore, the ability to monitor both these parameters due to the presence of an auxiliary-source terminal can provide more detailed information regarding the aging process of a device.

Estimate of toxically influence of silicon carbide nanoparticles according histopatologycal changes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grozdanov Anita

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Taking in consideration a very wide application of nanoparticules in different industrial sectors due to their remarkable properties for implementation in different products, very important part for future development of nanotechology is following a histopatologycal changes provoke of this material.Silicon carbide (SiC as ceramic material with high thermal conductivity, high stability, good wear resistance and small thermal expansion coefficient is very applied in ceramic’s industry, power electronics, biomaterials, pharmaceutics etc. Histopathological changes of SiC particles were investigate on 4 weeks old female Wistar rats divided into four groups (two control and two experimental groups, sacrificed 2, 7 and 14 days after treatment. Histopathological diagnosis was performed on heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, lung, brain, gastrointestinal tract, using standard Hematoxilin-eosin staining methods. The main toxicological influences of SiC were observed on liver, lungs and gastrointestinal tract.