Hot zirconium cathode sputtered layers for useful surface modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duckworth, R.G.

1986-01-01

It has been found that multilayer zirconium based sputtered coatings can greatly improve the wear properties of a wide variety of mechanical components, machine tools, and metal surfaces. Although a hot (approximately 1000 0 C) cathode is employed, temperature sensitive components can be beneficially treated, and for precision parts a total coating thickness of only 0.5μm is often perfectly effective. Even at the highest coating rates substrate temperatures are below 300 0 C. For the corrosion protection of less well finished surfaces thicker layers are usually required and it is important that relatively stress free layers are produced. The authors employed a variety of tailored zirconium/zirconium nitride/zirconium oxide mixed layers to solve a number of tribological problems for some 5 or 6 years. However, it is only recently that they designed, built, and commissioned rapid cycle, multiple cathode, load-lock plant for economic production of such coatings. This paper provides an introduction to this method of depositing pure zirconium and pure synthetic zirconium nitride films

Characteristics of a-IGZO/ITO hybrid layer deposited by magnetron sputtering.

Science.gov (United States)

Bang, Joon-Ho; Park, Hee-Woo; Cho, Sang-Hyun; Song, Pung-Keun

2012-04-01

Transparent a-IGZO (In-Ga-Zn-O) films have been actively studied for use in the fabrication of high-quality TFTs. In this study, a-IGZO films and a-IGZO/ITO double layers were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering under various oxygen flow rates. The a-IGZO films showed an amorphous structure up to 500 degrees C. The deposition rate of these films decreased with an increase in the amount of oxygen gas. The amount of indium atoms in the film was confirmed to be 11.4% higher than the target. The resistivity of double layer follows the rules for parallel DC circuits The maximum Hall mobility of the a-IGZO/ITO double layers was found to be 37.42 cm2/V x N s. The electrical properties of the double layers were strongly dependent on their thickness ratio. The IGZO/ITO double layer was subjected to compressive stress, while the ITO/IGZO double layer was subjected to tensile stress. The bending tolerance was found to depend on the a-IGZO thickness.

Releasing of Sputtered Au Film by Dissolving Sacrificial Layer and Its Self-Standing on Perforated Substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Miyamoto, Yu; Fujii, Yuma; Yamano, Masafumi; Harigai, Toru; Suda, Yoshiyuki; Takikawa, Hirofumi; Nishiuchi, Mamiko; Sakaki, Hironao; Kondo, Kiminori

2015-09-01

Free-standing thin films such as diamond-like carbon (DLC) and gold (Au) have been attracted increasing interests as film targets used in the laser-driven ion acceleration experiment. One of the methods to make the free-standing thin film is to use a soluble sacrifice layer. In this study, the fabrication technique of self-standing Au thin film is presented. Gelatin, oblate, silk fibroin, and NaCl were examined as a. Au thin films were deposited by DC plasma sputtering on sacrifice layers. The gelatin and oblate were used as the sacrificial layer and the supporting substrate. Silk fibroin was coated on glass substrates by a spin coater. The NaCl sacrificial layers were deposited on flat Si substrates by the vacuum vapor deposition system. Sputtered Au thin films were released by immersing the substrates in purified water. Self-standing Au thin films were fabricated by scooping up the released Au thin film on a perforated substrate. The highest quality of the self-standing Au thin film was achieved by using NaCl sacrificial layer. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research and Toukai Foundation for Technology.

Study of Sb/SnO{sub 2} bi-layer films prepared by ion beam sputtering deposition technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Chun-Min [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, Chun-Chieh [Department of Electrical Engineering, Cheng Shiu University, No. 840, Chengcing Road, Niaosong Township, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan, ROC (China); Kuo, Jui-Chao [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, Jow-Lay, E-mail: jlh888@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan, ROC (China); Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2014-11-03

In the present work, bi-layer thin films of Sb/SnO{sub 2} were produced on unheated glass substrates using ion beam sputtering (IBS) technique without post annealing treatment. The thickness of Sb layers was varied from 2 to 10 nm and the Sb layers were deposited on SnO{sub 2} layers having thicknesses of 40 nm to 115 nm. The effect of thickness was studied on the morphological, electrical and optical properties. The Sb/SnO{sub 2} bi-layer resulted in lowering the electrical resistivity as well as reducing the optical transmittance. However, the optical and electrical properties of the bi-layer films were mainly influenced by the thickness of Sb layers due to progressive transfer in structures from aggregate to continuous films. The bi-layer films show the electrical resistivity of 1.4 × 10{sup −3} Ω cm and an optical transmittance of 26% for Sb film having 10 nm thickness. - Highlights: • Bi-layer Sb/SnO{sub 2} structures were synthesized by ion beam sputtering (IBS) technique. • The 6 nm-thick Sb film is a transition region in this study. • The conductivity of the bi-layer films is increased as Sb thickness increases. • The transmittance of the bi-layer films is decreased as Sb thickness increases.

Direct Current Sputter Epitaxy of Heavily Doped p+ Layer for Monocrystalline Si Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenchang Yeh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Sputter epitaxy of p+ layer for fabrication of Si solar cells (SCs was demonstrated. Hall carrier concentration of p+ layer was 2.6 × 1020 cm−3 owing to cosputtering of B with Si at low temperature, which had enabled heavy and shallow p+ dope layer. p+nn+ SCs were fabricated and influence of p+ and n+ layers was investigated. Internal quantum efficiency (IQE of p+nn+ SCs was 95% at visible light and was larger than 60% at ultraviolet (UV light when the p+ layer was thinner than 30 nm. At near infrared (NIR, extra increment on IQE was achieved by rear n+ back surface field (BSF layer with a thickness thinner than 100 nm.

Carbon and tungsten effect on characteristics of sputtered and re-deposited beryllium target layers under deuteron bombardment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danelyan, L.S.; Gureev, V.M.; Elistratov, N.G.

2004-01-01

The behavior of the plasma facing Be-elements in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor ITER will be affected by the re-deposition of other eroded plasma facing materials. The effect of carbon- and tungsten-additions on the microstructure, chemical composition and hydrogen isotope accumulation in the sputtered and re-deposited layers of beryllium TGP-56 at its interaction with 200 - 300 eV hydrogen isotope ions was studied in the MAGRAS facility equipped with a magnetron sputtering system. (author)

Block copolymer/homopolymer dual-layer hollow fiber membranes

KAUST Repository

Hilke, Roland; Neelakanda, Pradeep; Behzad, Ali Reza; Nunes, Suzana Pereira; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

2014-01-01

We manufactured the first time block copolymer dual-layer hollow fiber membranes and dual layer flat sheet membranes manufactured by double solution casting and phase inversion in water. The support porous layer was based on polystyrene

Memory effects in annealed hybrid gold nanoparticles/block copolymer bilayers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruffino Francesco

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract We report on the use of the self-organization process of sputtered gold nanoparticles on a self-assembled block copolymer film deposited by horizontal precipitation Langmuir-Blodgett (HP-LB method. The morphology and the phase-separation of a film of poly-n-butylacrylate-block-polyacrylic acid (PnBuA-b-PAA were studied at the nanometric scale by using atomic force microscopy (AFM and Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS. The templating capability of the PnBuA-b-PAA phase-separated film was studied by sputtering gold nanoparticles (NPs, forming a film of nanometric thickness. The effect of the polymer chain mobility onto the organization of gold nanoparticle layer was assessed by heating the obtained hybrid PnBuA-b-PAA/Au NPs bilayer at T >Tg. The nanoparticles' distribution onto the different copolymer domains was found strongly affected by the annealing treatment, showing a peculiar memory effect, which modifies the AFM phase response of the Au NPs layer onto the polar domains, without affecting their surfacial composition. The effect is discussed in terms of the peculiar morphological features induced by enhanced mobility of polymer chains on the Au NPs layer.

Effects of spacer layer on growth, stress and magnetic properties of sputtered permalloy film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, S.F.; Lubitz, P.; Zheng, Y.; Edelstein, A.S.

2004-01-01

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) flux concentrator (J. Appl. phys. 91 (2002) 7795), is a device that will minimize 1/f noise in magnetic sensors by modulating the magnetic field at the position of the sensor. This requires high permeability and low stress permalloy (Py) films to be deposited on the MEMS flaps (J. Appl. phys. 91 (2002) 7795). Py (Ni 80 Fe 20 ) films from 100 to 560 nm thick were deposited on Si substrates using DC magnetron sputtering. The effects of deposition conditions on the grain morphology, texture, stress and magnetic properties were studied. Lower sputtering pressure changes film stress from tension to compression and increases the out of film plane texture, while higher power increases tension and texture. Neutral film stress was obtained with 100 W of sputtering power and 1.25 mTorr of Ar gas pressure. With increasing thickness, the Py film was found to develop a stripe-like domain configuration at low fields because of strong out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy. The critical thickness is around 180 nm.This may be explained by a competition between planar demagnetization fields and columnar magnetic anisotropy. Adding 5 nm of Ta or Cr layer as spacer successfully broke up the continuity of the magnetic structure and allowed us to produce high-permeability films by fabricating (Ta/Py) or (Cr/Py) multilayer films with each Py layer thinner than the critical thickness

RF sputtering deposited a-IGZO films for LCD alignment layer application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, G.M.; Liu, C.Y.; Sahoo, A.K.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • a-IGZO nanolayer has been presented for alignment of liquid crystals in LCD. • RF sputtering deposition at an oblique angle has been performed to grow the films. • High transparency over 90% was obtained in the visible wavelength range. • The OCB cells exhibited fast on-off and short response time of 5.04 ms. • V–T characteristics proved high contrast ratio for LCD display applications. - Abstract: In this paper, amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) inorganic films were deposited at a fixed oblique angle using radio-frequency sputtering on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass as alternative alignment layer for liquid crystal displays. A series of experiments have been carried out to reveal the physical characteristics of the a-IGZO films, such as optical transmittance, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The special treatment a-IGZO films were used to fabricate liquid crystal (LC) cells and investigate the performances of these cells. Pretilt angles were measured with anti-parallel LC cells and voltage–transmittance (V–T) curve, contrast ratio, and response time were evaluated with optically compensated bend (OCB) LC cells. The electro-optical characteristics of the aligned homogenous LCs, and OCB mode cells based on the a-IGZO alignment layer were compared to those based on rubbing processed polyimide (PI). The results showed that the average transmittance in the visible wavelength range was higher than 90% for the a-IGZO alignment layer. The LC pretilt angle has been determined at about 6°. The evaluted cell critical voltage at maximum transmittance was 1.8 V, lower than the control cell using PI alignment layer. The OCB cell rise time and fall time were 1.55 ms and 3.49 ms, respectivly. A very quick response time of 5.04 ms has thus been achived. In addition, the study of V–T characteristics suggested higher contrast ratio for LCD display applications.

RF sputtering deposited a-IGZO films for LCD alignment layer application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, G.M., E-mail: wu@mail.cgu.edu.tw; Liu, C.Y.; Sahoo, A.K.

2015-11-01

Highlights: • a-IGZO nanolayer has been presented for alignment of liquid crystals in LCD. • RF sputtering deposition at an oblique angle has been performed to grow the films. • High transparency over 90% was obtained in the visible wavelength range. • The OCB cells exhibited fast on-off and short response time of 5.04 ms. • V–T characteristics proved high contrast ratio for LCD display applications. - Abstract: In this paper, amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) inorganic films were deposited at a fixed oblique angle using radio-frequency sputtering on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass as alternative alignment layer for liquid crystal displays. A series of experiments have been carried out to reveal the physical characteristics of the a-IGZO films, such as optical transmittance, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The special treatment a-IGZO films were used to fabricate liquid crystal (LC) cells and investigate the performances of these cells. Pretilt angles were measured with anti-parallel LC cells and voltage–transmittance (V–T) curve, contrast ratio, and response time were evaluated with optically compensated bend (OCB) LC cells. The electro-optical characteristics of the aligned homogenous LCs, and OCB mode cells based on the a-IGZO alignment layer were compared to those based on rubbing processed polyimide (PI). The results showed that the average transmittance in the visible wavelength range was higher than 90% for the a-IGZO alignment layer. The LC pretilt angle has been determined at about 6°. The evaluted cell critical voltage at maximum transmittance was 1.8 V, lower than the control cell using PI alignment layer. The OCB cell rise time and fall time were 1.55 ms and 3.49 ms, respectivly. A very quick response time of 5.04 ms has thus been achived. In addition, the study of V–T characteristics suggested higher contrast ratio for LCD display applications.

Facing-target sputtering deposition of ZnO films with Pt ultra-thin layers for gas-phase photocatalytic application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Zhonghai; Hossain, Md. Faruk.; Arakawa, Takuya; Takahashi, Takakazu

2010-01-01

In this paper, various zinc oxide (ZnO) films are deposited by a versatile and effective dc-reactive facing-target sputtering method. The ratios of Ar to O 2 in the mixture gas are varied from 8:2 to 6:4 at a fixed sputtering pressure of 1.0 Pa. X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometer and scanning electron microscope are used to study the crystal structure, optical property and surface morphology of the as-deposited films. The Pt ultra-thin layer, ∼2 nm thick, is deposited on the surface of ZnO film by dc diode sputtering with a mesh mask controlling the coated area. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO films and Pt-ZnO films is evaluated by decomposition of methanol under UV-vis light irradiation. The variation of photocatalytic activity depends on the ratios of Ar to O 2 , which is mainly attributed to the different grain size and carrier mobility. Though the pure ZnO film normally shows a low gas-phase photocatalytic activity, its activity is significantly enhanced by depositing Pt ultra-thin layer.

Comparison of single and dual layer detector blocks for pre-clinical MRI–PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, Christopher; Stortz, Greg; Goertzen, Andrew; Berg, Eric; Retière, Fabrice; Kozlowski, Piotr; Ryner, Lawrence; Sossi, Vesna; Zhang, Xuezhu

2013-01-01

Dual or multi-layer crystal blocks have been proposed to minimise the radial blurring effect in PET scanners with small ring diameters. We measured two potential PET detector blocks' performance in a configuration which would allow 16 blocks in a ring which could be inserted in a small animal 7T MRI scanner. Two crystal sizes, 1.60×1.60 mm 2 and 1.20×1.20 mm 2 , were investigated. Single layer blocks had 10 or 12 mm deep crystals, the dual layer blocks had 4 mm deep crystals on the top layer and 6 mm deep crystals on the bottom layer. The crystals in the dual layer blocks are offset by ½ of the crystal pitch to allow for purely geometric crystal identification. Both were read out with SensL 4×4 SiPM arrays. The software identifies 64 crystals in the single layer and either 85 or 113 crystals in the dual layer array, (either 49 or 64 in the lower layers and 36 or 49 in the upper layers). All the crystals were clearly visible in the crystal identification images and their resolvability indexes (average FWHM/crystal separation) were shown to range from 0.29 for the best single layer block to 0.33 for the densest dual layer block. The best coincidence response FWHM was 0.95 mm for the densest block at the centre of the field. This degraded to 1.83 mm at a simulated radial offset of 16 mm from the centre, while the single layer crystals blurred this result to 3.4 mm. The energy resolution was 16.4±2.2% averaged over the 113 crystals of the densest block

Deuterium trapping in tungsten deposition layers formed by deuterium plasma sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alimov, V.Kh.; Roth, J.; Shu, W.M.; Komarov, D.A.; Isobe, K.; Yamanishi, T.

2010-01-01

A study of the influence of the deposition conditions on the surface morphology and deuterium (D) concentration in tungsten (W) deposition layers formed by magnetron sputtering and in the linear plasma generator has been carried out. Thick W layers (≥0.4 μm) deposited onto copper substrates demonstrate areas of pilling and, after post-deposition heating to 1300 K, flaking-off and fracturing. For thin W layers (≤80 nm) deposited onto stainless steel (SS) and W substrates, no areas of flaking-off and fracturing exist both after deposition and after post-deposition heating to 673 K for the SS substrate and to 1300 K for the W substrate. The concentration of deuterium in the W layers was found to decrease with increasing substrate temperature and with increasing tungsten deposition rate. For layers with relatively high concentration of oxygen (0.20-0.60 O/W), a decrease of the D concentration with increasing substrate temperature is more pronounced than that for layers deposited in good vacuum conditions. To describe the evolution of the D/W ratio with the substrate temperature and the tungsten deposition rate, an empirical equation proposed by De Temmerman and Doerner [J. Nucl. Mater. 389 (2009) 479] but with alternative parameters has been used.

Effects of a FeCrAl layer fabricated by sputtering process on pool boiling critical heat flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Gwang Hyeok; Son, Hong Hyun; Jeun, Gyoodong; Kim, Sung Joong

2016-01-01

The thermal safety margin of a FeCrAl-layered heater was investigated measuring pool boiling critical heat flux (CHF). Boiling experiments were conducted in a pool of deionized water at atmospheric pressure. For a comparison work, bare and FeCrAl-layered heater samples were prepared. The sputtering technique was employed to fabricate the FeCrAl layer. It was confirmed that the key sputtering parameters on the surface structure were substrate temperature and deposition time. As compared to the bare sample, surface wettability and roughness increased. Higher values of the surface roughness were observed at temperatures of 150degC and 600degC. The FeCrAl-layered heaters showed improved CHF up to ∼40%. The highest enhancement of 42% was observed for the heater sample fabricated at a substrate temperature of 150degC. With employing recent CHF models that incorporate the surface effects, it was evaluated that increased roughness at the micrometer scale mainly contributed to the CHF enhancement. Furthermore, visual observations showed at least 2 msec reduction in the rewetting times for the FeCrAl-layered heaters, and the improved CHF may be attributed to the suppressed hot dry spots due to the rewetting phenomena. (author)

Angular dependence of sputtering yield of TiSi sub 2 layers and analysis of titanium disilicide by SIMS and SCANIIR methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antonov, S L; Valiev, K A; Vasiliev, A G; Orlikovsky, A A [AN SSSR, Moscow (USSR). Inst. of Physics and Technology

1989-11-01

The values of sputtering yields of TiSi{sub 2}, Ti and Si layers are determined for Ar{sup +} (8 keV) bombardment at angles 0-80{sup 0}. It is shown that the theoretical functions that we have suggested for TiSi{sub 2} sputtering yields from angular Ar{sup +} bombardment, which are based on models of bicomponent compounds sputtering under normal ion bombardment, are in good agreement with the experimental curve for TiSi{sub 2}. The calibration curves for the determination of TiSi{sub x} layer compositions by SIMS and SCANIIR methods (in dynamic regime) are presented. It is shown with the help of the static SIMS method (E{sub AR+} = 3 keV) that not only can the TiSi{sub x} composition be determined but the TiSi{sub 2} crystal phase can also be identified. (author).

Copper based superconductors by the combination of blocking and mediating layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, K.; Nobumasa, H.; Kawai, T.

1992-01-01

Copper based high temperature superconductors are composed of Cu-O 2 sheets in combination with thin atomic mediating layers and thick blocking layers which mediate and intercept interactions between Cu-O 2 sheets, respectively. New possible superconductors can be designed by the stacking of the Cu-O 2 sheets along with the periodic insertion of the mediating layers and different kinds of blocking layers. (orig.)

Contribution to mechanical and crystallographic analysis of molyledenum layers prepared by magnetron cathode sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosland, P.

1988-01-01

Molybdenum coatings presenting different compression stresses are elaborated by magnetron cathode sputtering by varying the negative voltage of the substrate during deposition. Stress evolution is accompanied by crystal texture evolution and argon content incorporated in the layers. Crystallite orientation is explained by a phenomenon similar to canalisation observed in ion implantation. In a same deposit each component presents its own deformations different from neighbouring components [fr

Silicon transport in sputter-deposited tantalum layers grown under ion bombardment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallais, P.; Hantzpergue, J.J.; Remy, J.C.; Roptin, D.

1988-01-01

Tantalum was sputter deposited on (111) Si substrate under low-energy ion bombardment in order to study the effects of the ion energy on the silicon transport into the Ta layer. The Si substrate was heated up to 500 0 C during growth. For ion energies up to 180 eV silicon is not transported into tantalum and the growth temperature has no effect. An ion bombardment energy of 280 eV enhances the transport of silicon throughout the tantalum layer. Growth temperatures up to 300 0 C have no effect on the silicon transport which is mainly enhanced by the ion bombardment. For growth temperatures between 300 and 500 0 C, the silicon transport is also enhanced by the thermal diffusion. The experimental depth distribution of silicon is similar to the theoretical depth distribution calculated for the case of an interdiffusion. The ion-enhanced process of silicon transport is characterized by an activation energy of 0.4 eV. Silicon into the layers as-grown at 500 0 C is in both states, amorphous silicide and microcrystalline cubic silicon

Fouling layer characterization and pore-blocking mechanisms in an ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fouling layer characterization and pore-blocking mechanisms in an UF membrane externally coupled to a UASB reactor. ... Regarding pore-blocking mechanisms, standard blocking was the predominant mechanism at the beginning of filtration, coexisting at the end of it with cake filtration. In the first filtration cycle (1 h), after ...

Texture variations and atomic dislocations by Ar-irradiation in Au and NbN sputtered layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, V.

1988-02-01

Irradiation of Au and NbN sputtered layers with Ar ++ ions of 600 keV leads to a narrower orientation distribution of the [111] direction of the Au layers from 12 0 FWHM to 6 0 and to only very small FWHM changes in texture distributions of the NbN layers. But the FWHM of the reflex distribution of the irradiated NbN layers is increased significantly from ΔΘ = 0.65 0 to 1.17 0 for one sample position. This is caused by small atomic dislocations in the NbN lattice. The FWHM of reflex distribution of the Au layers increased only from ΔΘ = 0.60 0 to 0.65 0 after irradiation. Oblique incidence of Ar ++ ions causes, by absence of channeling, stronger distortions than perpendicular incidence. (orig.) [de

Hydrogen and helium trapping in tungsten deposition layers formed by RF plasma sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazunari Katayama; Kazumi Imaoka; Takayuki Okamura; Masabumi Nishikawa

2006-01-01

Understanding of tritium behavior in plasma facing materials is an important issue for fusion reactor from viewpoints of fuel control and radiation safety. Tungsten is used as a plasma facing material in the divertor region of ITER. However, investigation of hydrogen isotope behavior in tungsten deposition layer is not sufficient so far. It is also necessary to evaluate an effect of helium on a formation of deposition layer and an accumulation of hydrogen isotopes because helium generated by fusion reaction exists in fusion plasma. In this study, tungsten deposition layers were formed by sputtering method using hydrogen and helium RF plasma. An erosion rate and a deposition rate of tungsten were estimated by weight measurement. Hydrogen and helium retention were investigated by thermal desorption method. Tungsten deposition was performed using a capacitively-coupled RF plasma device equipped with parallel-plate electrodes. A tungsten target was mounted on one electrode which is supplied with RF power at 200 W. Tungsten substrates were mounted on the other electrode which is at ground potential. The plasma discharge was continued for 120 hours where pressure of hydrogen or helium was controlled to be 10 Pa. The amounts of hydrogen and helium released from deposition layers was quantified by a gas chromatograph. The erosion rate of target tungsten under helium plasma was estimated to be 1.8 times larger than that under hydrogen plasma. The deposition rate on tungsten substrate under helium plasma was estimated to be 4.1 times larger than that under hydrogen plasma. Atomic ratio of hydrogen to tungsten in a deposition layer formed by hydrogen plasma was estimated to be 0.17 by heating to 600 o C. From a deposition layer formed by helium plasma, not only helium but also hydrogen was released by heating to 500 o C. Atomic ratios of helium and hydrogen to tungsten were estimated to be 0.080 and 0.075, respectively. The trapped hydrogen is probably impurity hydrogen

Molecular dynamics simulation of chemical sputtering of hydrogen atom on layer structured graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, A.; Wang, Y.; Irle, S.; Morokuma, K.; Nakamura, H.

2008-10-01

Chemical sputtering of hydrogen atom on graphite was simulated using molecular dynamics. Especially, the layer structure of the graphite was maintained by interlayer intermolecular interaction. Three kinds of graphite surfaces, flat (0 0 0 1) surface, armchair (1 1 2-bar 0) surface and zigzag (1 0 1-bar 0) surface, are dealt with as targets of hydrogen atom bombardment. In the case of the flat surface, graphene layers were peeled off one by one and yielded molecules had chain structures. On the other hand, C 2 H 2 and H 2 are dominant yielded molecules on the armchair and zigzag surfaces, respectively. In addition, the interaction of a single hydrogen isotope on a single graphene is investigated. Adsorption, reflection and penetration rates are obtained as functions of incident energy and explain hydrogen retention on layered graphite. (author)

TiO2 nanofiber solid-state dye sensitized solar cells with thin TiO2 hole blocking layer prepared by atomic layer deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Jinwei; Chen, Xi; Xu, Weihe; Nam, Chang-Yong; Shi, Yong

2013-01-01

We incorporated a thin but structurally dense TiO 2 layer prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) as an efficient hole blocking layer in the TiO 2 nanofiber based solid-state dye sensitized solar cell (ss-DSSC). The nanofiber ss-DSSCs having ALD TiO 2 layers displayed increased open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, and power conversion efficiency compared to control devices with blocking layers prepared by spin-coating liquid TiO 2 precursor. We attribute the improved photovoltaic device performance to the structural integrity of ALD-coated TiO 2 layer and consequently enhanced hole blocking effect that results in reduced dark leakage current and increased charge carrier lifetime. - Highlights: • TiO 2 blocking locking layer prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. • ALD-coated TiO 2 layer enhanced hole blocking effect. • ALD blocking layer improved the voltage, current and efficiency. • ALD blocking layer reduced dark leakage current and increased electron lifetime

Effects of pre-sputtered Al interlayer on the atomic layer deposition of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films on Mg–10Li–0.5Zn alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, P.C.; Cheng, T.C. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Lin, H.C., E-mail: hclinntu@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Chen, M.J., E-mail: mjchen@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Lin, K.M. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan (China); Yeh, M.T. [Amli Materials Technology Co. Ltd., New Taipei, Taiwan (China)

2013-04-01

In this study, a dual-layer of Al/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films was deposited on the Mg–10Li–0.5Zn substrate using both techniques of magnetron sputtering and atomic layer deposition (ALD). The pre-sputtered Al interlayer has a crystalline structure and the ALD-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film is amorphous. The Al interlayer could effectively obstruct the diffusion out of Li atoms from the Mg–10Li–0.5Zn substrate during the deposition of ALD-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film. The Mg–10Li–0.5Zn specimen with a dual-layer of Al/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films exhibits a much better corrosion resistance than those specimens with a single layer of sputtered Al or ALD-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}.

Influence of laser sputtering parameters on orientation of cerium oxide buffer layer on sapphire and properties of YBa2Cu3Ox superconducting film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mozhaev, P.B.; Ovsyannikov, G.A.; Skov, J.L.

1999-01-01

Effect of laser sputtering parameters on crystalline properties of CeO 2 buffer layers grown on (1102) orientation sapphire substrate and on properties of YBa 2 Cu 3 O x superconducting thin films was studied. It was shown that depending on the sputtering conditions one might observe growth of CeO 2 (100) and (111) orientations. Varying heater temperature, chamber pressure and density of laser ray energy on the target one managed to obtain mono-oriented buffer layer of the desired orientation [ru

ITO nanoparticles reused from ITO scraps and their applications to sputtering target for transparent conductive electrode layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Sung-Jei; Song, Sang-Hyun; Kim, Byeong Jun; Lee, Jae-Yong; Kim, Young-Sung

2017-01-01

In this study, ITO nanoparticles (ITO-NPs) were reused from ITO target scraps to synthesize low cost ITO-NPs and to apply to make sputtering target for transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). By controlling heat-treatment temperature as 980 °C, we achieved reused ITO-NPs having Brunauer, Emmett and Teller specific surface area (BET SSA) and average particle size 8.05 m 2 /g and 103.8 nm, respectively. The BET SSA decreases along with increasing heat-treatment temperature. The ITO-NPs were grown as round mound shape, and highly crystallized to (222) preferred orientations. Also, applying the reused ITO-NPs, we achieved an ITO target of which density was 99.6%. Using the ITO target, we achieved high quality TCE layer of which sheet resistance and optical transmittance at 550 nm were 29.5 Ω/sq. and 82.3%. Thus, it was confirmed that the reused ITO-NPs was feasible to sputtering target for TCEs layer.

ITO nanoparticles reused from ITO scraps and their applications to sputtering target for transparent conductive electrode layer

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Sung-Jei; Song, Sang-Hyun; Kim, Byeong Jun; Lee, Jae-Yong; Kim, Young-Sung

2017-09-01

In this study, ITO nanoparticles (ITO-NPs) were reused from ITO target scraps to synthesize low cost ITO-NPs and to apply to make sputtering target for transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). By controlling heat-treatment temperature as 980 °C, we achieved reused ITO-NPs having Brunauer, Emmett and Teller specific surface area (BET SSA) and average particle size 8.05 m2/g and 103.8 nm, respectively. The BET SSA decreases along with increasing heat-treatment temperature. The ITO-NPs were grown as round mound shape, and highly crystallized to (222) preferred orientations. Also, applying the reused ITO-NPs, we achieved an ITO target of which density was 99.6%. Using the ITO target, we achieved high quality TCE layer of which sheet resistance and optical transmittance at 550 nm were 29.5 Ω/sq. and 82.3%. Thus, it was confirmed that the reused ITO-NPs was feasible to sputtering target for TCEs layer.

Electrochemical Characterization of TiO 2 Blocking Layers for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Kavan, Ladislav

2014-07-31

Thin compact layers of TiO2 are grown by thermal oxidation of Ti, by spray pyrolysis, by electrochemical deposition, and by atomic layer deposition. These layers are used in dye-sensitized solar cells to prevent recombination of electrons from the substrate (FTO or Ti) with the hole-conducting medium at this interface. The quality of blocking is evaluated electrochemically by methylviologen, ferro/ferricyanide, and spiro-OMeTAD as the model redox probes. Two types of pinholes in the blocking layers are classified, and their effective area is quantified. Frequency-independent Mott-Schottky plots are fitted from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Certain films of the thicknesses of several nanometers allow distinguishing the depletion layer formation both in the TiO2 film and in the FTO substrate underneath the titania film. The excellent blocking function of thermally oxidized Ti, electrodeposited film (60 nm), and atomic-layer-deposited films (>6 nm) is documented by the relative pinhole area of less than 1%. However, the blocking behavior of electrodeposited and atomic-layer-deposited films is strongly reduced upon calcination at 500 °C. The blocking function of spray-pyrolyzed films is less good but also less sensitive to calcination. The thermally oxidized Ti is well blocking and insensitive to calcination. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Polymer supported ZIF-8 membranes by conversion of sputtered zinc oxide layers

KAUST Repository

Neelakanda, Pradeep; Barankova, Eva; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

2015-01-01

ZIF-8 composite membranes were synthesized at room temperature from aqueous solution by a double-zinc-source method on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) porous supports. The support was coated with zinc oxide (ZnO) by magnetron sputtering prior to ZIF-8 growth to improve the nucleation as well as the adhesion between the ZIF-8 layer and support. By this method, we were able to grow a continuous, dense, very thin (900 nm) and defect free ZIF-8 layer on a polymeric support. The developed ZIF-8 membranes had a gas permeance of 1.23 x 10-7 mol m-2 sec-1 Pa-1 for hydrogen and a selectivity of 26 for hydrogen/propane gases which is 5 times higher than the Knudsen selectivity. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were done to characterize the membranes.

Polymer supported ZIF-8 membranes by conversion of sputtered zinc oxide layers

KAUST Repository

Neelakanda, Pradeep

2015-09-05

ZIF-8 composite membranes were synthesized at room temperature from aqueous solution by a double-zinc-source method on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) porous supports. The support was coated with zinc oxide (ZnO) by magnetron sputtering prior to ZIF-8 growth to improve the nucleation as well as the adhesion between the ZIF-8 layer and support. By this method, we were able to grow a continuous, dense, very thin (900 nm) and defect free ZIF-8 layer on a polymeric support. The developed ZIF-8 membranes had a gas permeance of 1.23 x 10-7 mol m-2 sec-1 Pa-1 for hydrogen and a selectivity of 26 for hydrogen/propane gases which is 5 times higher than the Knudsen selectivity. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were done to characterize the membranes.

Improved ITO thin films for photovoltaic applications with a thin ZnO layer by sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrero, J.; Guillen, C.

2004-01-01

The improvement of the optical and electrical characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO) layers is pursued to achieve a higher efficiency in its application as frontal electrical contacts in thin film photovoltaic devices. In order to take advantage of the polycrystalline structure of ZnO films as growth support, the properties of ITO layers prepared at room temperature by sputtering onto bare and ZnO-coated substrates have been analyzed using X-ray diffraction, optical and electrical measurements. It has been found that by inserting a thin ZnO layer, the ITO film resistivity can be reduced as compared to that of a single ITO film with similar optical transmittance. The electrical quality improvement is related to ITO grain growth enhancement onto the polycrystalline ZnO underlayer

Properties of Erbium Doped Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Layers Fabricated by Sputtering and Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Prajzler

2008-01-01

Full Text Available We report about properties of carbon layers doped with Er3+ ions fabricated by Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (PACVD and by sputtering on silicon or glass substrates. The structure of the samples was characterized by X-ray diffraction and their composition was determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy and Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis. The Absorbance spectrum was taken in the spectral range from 400 nm to 600 nm. Photoluminescence spectra were obtained using two types of Ar laser (λex=514.5 nm, lex=488 nm and also using a semiconductor laser (λex=980 nm. Samples fabricated by magnetron sputtering exhibited typical emission at 1530 nm when pumped at 514.5 nm. 

Depth of origin of sputtered atoms: Experimental and theoretical study of Cu/Ru(0001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnett, J.W.; Biersack, J.P.; Gruen, D.M.; Joergensen, B.; Krauss, A.R.; Pellin, M.J.; Schweitzer, E.L.; Yates, J.T. Jr.; Young, C.E.

1987-01-01

The depth of origin of sputtered atoms is a subject of considerable interest. The surface sensitivity of analytical techniques such as Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) and Surface Analysis by Resonance Ionization of Sputtered Atoms (SARISA), and the sputtering properties of strongly segregating alloy systems, are critically dependent on the sputtering depth of origin. A significant discrepancy exists between the predictions of the Sigmund theory and computer sputtering models; in general, the computer models predict a much shallower depth of origin. The existing experimental evidence suggests that most of the sputtered atoms originate in the topmost atomic layer, but until recently, the results have not been definitive. We have experimentally determined the depth of origin of atoms sputtered from surfaces consisting of Cu films of less than two monolayers on a Ru(0001) substrate. The Cu/Ru target was statically sputtered using 3.6 keV Ar + . The sputtered neutrals were non-resonantly laser ionized and detected using SARISA. The Cu/Ru sputtering yield ratio and the suppression of the Ru sputtering yield were determined for various Cu coverages. The results indicate that the majority of the sputtered atoms originate in the topmost atomic layer. The Cu/Ru system is also modeled using a modified Transport of Ions in Matter (TRIM) code. It was found that TRIM C does not correctly treat the first atomic layer, resulting in a serious underestimate of the number of sputtered atoms which originate in this layer. The corrected version adequately describes the results, predicting that for the experimental conditions roughly two-thirds of the sputtered atoms originate in the first atomic layer. These results are significantly greater than the Sigmund theory estimate of >40%. 26 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

TiO{sub 2} nanofiber solid-state dye sensitized solar cells with thin TiO{sub 2} hole blocking layer prepared by atomic layer deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jinwei; Chen, Xi; Xu, Weihe [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030 (United States); Nam, Chang-Yong, E-mail: cynam@bnl.gov [Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Shi, Yong, E-mail: Yong.Shi@stevens.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030 (United States)

2013-06-01

We incorporated a thin but structurally dense TiO{sub 2} layer prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) as an efficient hole blocking layer in the TiO{sub 2} nanofiber based solid-state dye sensitized solar cell (ss-DSSC). The nanofiber ss-DSSCs having ALD TiO{sub 2} layers displayed increased open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, and power conversion efficiency compared to control devices with blocking layers prepared by spin-coating liquid TiO{sub 2} precursor. We attribute the improved photovoltaic device performance to the structural integrity of ALD-coated TiO{sub 2} layer and consequently enhanced hole blocking effect that results in reduced dark leakage current and increased charge carrier lifetime. - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} blocking locking layer prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. • ALD-coated TiO{sub 2} layer enhanced hole blocking effect. • ALD blocking layer improved the voltage, current and efficiency. • ALD blocking layer reduced dark leakage current and increased electron lifetime.

Ion implantation induced structural changes in reactively sputtered Cr-N layers on Si substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novakovic, M.; Popovic, M.; Perusko, D.; Milinovic, V.; Radovic, I.; Bibic, N.; Mitric, M.; Milosavljevic, M.

2007-01-01

This paper presents a study of the structure and composition of reactively sputtered Cr-N layers as a function of deposition parameters, and the effects of ion implantation on these structures. The layers were deposited on (1 0 0) Si substrates to a thickness of 240-280 nm, at different nitrogen partial pressure, and subsequently irradiated with 120 keV Ar ions. Structural characterisation of the samples was performed with Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. We also measured their electrical resistivity with a four point probe. It was found that the layers grow in form of columnar structures, and their composition, Cr 2 N or CrN, strongly depends on the nitrogen partial pressure during deposition. Ion irradiation induces local micro-structural changes, formation of nano-particles and defects, which can be nicely correlated to the measured electrical resistivity

Reactive dual magnetron sputtering for large area application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struempfel, J.

2002-01-01

Production lines for large area coating demand high productivity of reactive magnetron sputtering processes. Increased dynamic deposition rates for oxides and nitrides were already obtained by using of highly powered magnetrons in combination with advanced sputter techniques. However, besides high deposition rates the uniformity of such coatings has to be carefully considered. First the basics of reactive sputtering processes and dual magnetron sputtering are summarized. Different methods for process stabilization and control are commonly used for reactive sputtering. The Plasma Emission Monitor (PE M) offers the prerequisite for fast acting process control derived from the in-situ intensity measurements of a spectral line of the sputtered target material. Combined by multiple Plasma Emission Monitor control loops segmented gas manifolds are able to provide excellent thin film uniformity at high deposition rates. The Dual Magnetron allows a broad range of processing by different power supply modes. Medium frequency, DC and pulsed DC power supplies can be used for high quality layers. Whereas the large area coating of highly isolating layers like TiO 2 or SiO 2 is dominated by MF sputtering best results for coating with transparent conductive oxides are obtained by dual DC powering of the dual magnetron arrangement. (Author)

Low-Damage Sputter Deposition on Graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ching-Tzu; Casu, Emanuele; Gajek, Marcin; Raoux, Simone

2013-03-01

Despite its versatility and prevalence in the microelectronics industry, sputter deposition has seen very limited applications for graphene-based electronics. We have systematically investigated the sputtering induced graphene defects and identified the reflected high-energy neutrals of the sputtering gas as the primary cause of damage. In this talk, we introduce a novel sputtering technique that is shown to dramatically reduce bombardment of the fast neutrals and improve the structural integrity of the underlying graphene layer. We also demonstrate that sputter deposition and in-situ oxidation of 1 nm Al film at elevated temperatures yields homogeneous, fully covered oxide films with r.m.s. roughness much less than 1 monolayer, which shows the potential of using such technique for gate oxides, tunnel barriers, and multilayer fabrication in a wide range of graphene devices.

Sputtering and inelastic processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baranov, I.A.; Tsepelevic, S.O.

1987-01-01

Experimental data and models of a new type of material sputtering with ions of relatively high energies due to inelastic (electron) processes are reviewed. This area of investigations began to develop intensively during the latest years. New experimental data of the authors on differential characteristics of ultradisperse gold and americium dioxide layers with fission fragments are given as well. Practical applications of the new sputtering type are considered as well as setup of possibl experiments at heavy multiply charged ion accelerators

Energy dependence of sputtering yields of Be, Be-C and Be-W films by Be{sup +}-ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korshunov, S.N.; Guseva, M.I.; Gureev, V.M.; Neumoin, V.E.; Stoljarova, V.G. [Russian Research Center Kurchatov Inst., Moscow (Russian Federation)

1998-01-01

The energy dependence measurements of Be, Be-C and Be-W deposited layer sputtering yields by Be{sup +}-ions were performed. The ion energy was varied in the range (0.3-5.0) keV. The temperature in the process of irradiation was sustained at the level of 670 K. The mixed layers were prepared by simultaneous sputtering of pair targets, Be and C, Be and W, and Be-targets with Ar{sup +}- and Be{sup +}-ions and codeposition of the sputtered atoms on silicon collectors The codeposited layer thickness was changed in the range of (500-1000) nm. The content of oxigen in the Be, Be-C, Be-W deposited layers did not exceed 20 at.%. The mixed layer sputtering yields were compared with the experimental and calculated data, obtained for the self-sputtering yields of beryllium and carbon. It was found that the sputtering yields of the Be-C and Be deposited layers by Be{sup +}-ions in the energy range (0.3-5.0) keV are within the range between the corresponding self-sputtering yields for Be and C. The sputtering yields for the mixture Be-W are close to the corresponding self-sputtering yields of beryllium. (author)

Giant magnetoimpedance effect in sputtered single layered NiFe film and meander NiFe/Cu/NiFe film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, L.; Zhou, Y.; Lei, C.; Zhou, Z.M.; Ding, W.

2010-01-01

Giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect on NiFe thin film is very promising due to its application in developing the magnetic field sensors with highly sensitivity and low cost. In this paper, the single layered NiFe thin film and NiFe/Cu/NiFe thin film with a meander structure are prepared by the MEMS technology. The influences of sputtering parameters, film structure and conductor layer width on GMI effect in NiFe single layer and meander NiFe/Cu/NiFe film are investigated. Maximum of the GMI ratio in single layer and sandwich film is 5% and 64%, respectively. The results obtained are useful for developing the high-performance magnetic sensors based on NiFe thin film.

Improved performance of GaN based light emitting diodes with ex-situ sputtered AlN nucleation layers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuo-Wei Chen

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The crystal quality, electrical and optical properties of GaN based light emitting diodes (LEDs with ex-situ sputtered physical vapor deposition (PVD aluminum nitride (AlN nucleation layers were investigated. It was found that the crystal quality in terms of defect density and x-ray diffraction linewidth was greatly improved in comparison to LEDs with in-situ low temperature GaN nucleation layer. The light output power was 3.7% increased and the reverse bias voltage of leakage current was twice on LEDs with ex-situ PVD AlN nucleation layers. However, larger compressive strain was discovered in LEDs with ex-situ PVD AlN nucleation layers. The study shows the potential and constrain in applying ex-situ PVD AlN nucleation layers to fabricate high quality GaN crystals in various optoelectronics.

Characterization of leached surface layers on simulated high-level waste glasses by sputter-induced optical emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houser, C.; Tsong, I.S.T.; White, W.B.

1979-01-01

The leaching process in simulated waste encapsulant glasses was studied by measuring the compositional depth-profiles of H (from water), the glass framework formers Si and B, the alkalis Na and Cs, the alkaline earths Ca and Sr, the transition metals Mo and Fe, the rare-earths La, Ce, and Nd, using the technique of sputter-induced optical emission. The leaching process of these glasses is highly complex. In addition to alkali/hydrogen exchange, there is breakdown of the glass framework, build-up of barrier layers on the surface, and formation of layered reaction zones of distinctly different chemistry all within the outer micrometer of the glass

Vanadium oxide thin films deposited on silicon dioxide buffer layers by magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Sihai; Ma Hong; Wang Shuangbao; Shen Nan; Xiao Jing; Zhou Hao; Zhao Xiaomei; Li Yi; Yi Xinjian

2006-01-01

Thin films made by vanadium oxide have been obtained by direct current magnetron sputtering method on SiO 2 buffer layers. A detailed electrical and structural characterization has been performed on the deposited films by four-point probe method and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). At room temperature, the four-point probe measurement result presents the resistance of the film to be 25 kU/sheet. The temperature coefficient of resistance is - 2.0%/K. SEM image indicates that the vanadium oxide exhibits a submicrostructure with lamella size ranging from 60 nm to 300 nm. A 32 x 32-element test microbolometer was fabricated based on the deposited thin film. The infrared response testing showed that the response was 200 mV. The obtained results allow us to conclude that the vanadium oxide thin films on SiO 2 buffer layers is suitable for uncooled focal plane arrays applications

Natural and gamma radiation-induced conduction of silica and metaphosphate glass layers deposed by radiofrequency cathode sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serra, Andre

1977-01-01

We present a study of natural and 60 Co induced conductions in radiofrequency sputtering deposed layers. Capacimetry and electronic microscopy observations permit a knowledge of the physical characteristics, mainly: homogeneity and thickness of these layers. A study of the natural current permit to characterise electrically the deposited films, the electrode and bulk insulator effects. In induced conduction, the behaviour of currents as a function of dose rate is interpreted in terms of ROSE'S and FOWLER'S photoconductivity theories. Induced currents versus applied fields are observed and compared with these obtained in the case of dielectric liquids and glasses. (author) [fr

Advanced capabilities and applications of a sputter-RBS system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brijs, B.; Deleu, J.; Beyer, G.; Vandervorst, W.

1999-01-01

In previous experiments, sputter-RBS 1 has proven to be an ideal tool to study the interaction of low energy ions. This contribution employs the same methodology to identify surface contamination induced during sputtering and to the determine absolute sputter yields. In the first experiment ERDA analysis was used to study the evolution of Hydrogen contamination during sputter-RBS experiments. Since the determination of Hydrogen concentration in very thin near surface layers is frequently limited by the presence of a strong surface peak of Hydrogen originating from adsorbed contamination of the residual vacuum, removal of this contamination would increase the sensitivity for Hydrogen detection in the near sub surface drastically. Therefore low energy (12 keV) Argon sputtering was used to remove the Hydrogen surface peak. However enhanced Hydrogen adsorption was observed related to the Ar dose. This experiment shows that severe vacuum conditions and the use of high current densities/sputter yields are a prerequisite for an efficient detection of Hydrogen in the near surface layers. In the second experiment, an attempt was made to determine the sputter yield of Cu during low energy (12 keV) Oxygen bombardment. In order to determine the accumulated dose of the low energy ion beam, a separate Faraday cup in combination with a remote controlled current have been added to the existing sputter-RBS set-up. Alternating sputtering and RBS analysis seem to be an adequate tool for the determination of the absolute sputter yield of Cu and this as well in the as under steady state conditions

Adaptive Multi-Layered Space-Time Block Coded Systems in Wireless Environments

KAUST Repository

Al-Ghadhban, Samir

2014-01-01

© 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York. Multi-layered space-time block coded systems (MLSTBC) strike a balance between spatial multiplexing and transmit diversity. In this paper, we analyze the block error rate performance of MLSTBC

Clustering network layers with the strata multilayer stochastic block model.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanley, Natalie; Shai, Saray; Taylor, Dane; Mucha, Peter J

2016-01-01

Multilayer networks are a useful data structure for simultaneously capturing multiple types of relationships between a set of nodes. In such networks, each relational definition gives rise to a layer. While each layer provides its own set of information, community structure across layers can be collectively utilized to discover and quantify underlying relational patterns between nodes. To concisely extract information from a multilayer network, we propose to identify and combine sets of layers with meaningful similarities in community structure. In this paper, we describe the "strata multilayer stochastic block model" (sMLSBM), a probabilistic model for multilayer community structure. The central extension of the model is that there exist groups of layers, called "strata", which are defined such that all layers in a given stratum have community structure described by a common stochastic block model (SBM). That is, layers in a stratum exhibit similar node-to-community assignments and SBM probability parameters. Fitting the sMLSBM to a multilayer network provides a joint clustering that yields node-to-community and layer-to-stratum assignments, which cooperatively aid one another during inference. We describe an algorithm for separating layers into their appropriate strata and an inference technique for estimating the SBM parameters for each stratum. We demonstrate our method using synthetic networks and a multilayer network inferred from data collected in the Human Microbiome Project.

The dependence of the modulation transfer function on the blocking layer thickness in amorphous selenium x-ray detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, David M.; Belev, Gueorgi; DeCrescenzo, Giovanni; Kasap, Safa O.; Mainprize, James G.; Rowlands, J. A.; Smith, Charles; Tuemer, Tuemay; Verpakhovski, Vladimir; Yin Shi; Yaffe, Martin J.

2007-01-01

Blocking layers are used to reduce leakage current in amorphous selenium detectors. The effect of the thickness of the blocking layer on the presampling modulation transfer function (MTF) and on dark current was experimentally determined in prototype single-line CCD-based amorphous selenium (a-Se) x-ray detectors. The sampling pitch of the detectors evaluated was 25 μm and the blocking layer thicknesses varied from 1 to 51 μm. The blocking layers resided on the signal collection electrodes which, in this configuration, were used to collect electrons. The combined thickness of the blocking layer and a-Se bulk in each detector was ∼200 μm. As expected, the dark current increased monotonically as the thickness of the blocking layer was decreased. It was found that if the blocking layer thickness was small compared to the sampling pitch, it caused a negligible reduction in MTF. However, the MTF was observed to decrease dramatically at spatial frequencies near the Nyquist frequency as the blocking layer thickness approached or exceeded the electrode sampling pitch. This observed reduction in MTF is shown to be consistent with predictions of an electrostatic model wherein the image charge from the a-Se is trapped at a characteristic depth within the blocking layer, generally near the interface between the blocking layer and the a-Se bulk

Transport theory of sputtering I: Depth of origin of sputtered atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Z.L.

1999-01-01

Sputter theory employing a sum of two power cross sections has been implemented. Compared with the well known Lindhard power cross section (V∝r -1/m ), a sum of two such cross sections can give a much better approximation to the Born-Mayer scattering in the low energy region (m ∼ 0.1). By using both one and two power cross sections, we have solved the linear transport equations describing the sputtering problem asymptotically. As usual, electronic stopping is ignored in the analysis. It has further been proved that Falcone's theory of the atom ejection process contradicts transport theory. The Andersen-Sigmund relation for partial sputtering yield ratios between two elements in an arbitrary multicomponent target has been derived by both methods. The energy deposited in the target surface layers has been computed for a few typical ion-target combinations. The numerical curves show that both theories generate almost the same results (error <10%) for m=3D0.2. It is also shown that, if the sputtering yield equals the corresponding one in Sigmund's theory, the depth of origin of sputtered atoms must be shorter than in Sigmund's theory for 0.25 m ≥ 3D 0. The former even may be only about one half of the latter as long as m=3D0. (Copyright (c) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Effects of GaN/AlGaN/Sputtered AlN nucleation layers on performance of GaN-based ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Hongpo; Zhou, Shengjun; Liu, Xingtong; Gao, Yilin; Gui, Chengqun; Liu, Sheng

2017-03-01

We report on the demonstration of GaN-based ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) emitting at 375 nm grown on patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) with in-situ low temperature GaN/AlGaN nucleation layers (NLs) and ex-situ sputtered AlN NL. The threading dislocation (TD) densities in GaN-based UV LEDs with GaN/AlGaN/sputtered AlN NLs were determined by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which revealed that the TD density in UV LED with AlGaN NL was the highest, whereas that in UV LED with sputtered AlN NL was the lowest. The light output power (LOP) of UV LED with AlGaN NL was 18.2% higher than that of UV LED with GaN NL owing to a decrease in the absorption of 375 nm UV light in the AlGaN NL with a larger bandgap. Using a sputtered AlN NL instead of the AlGaN NL, the LOP of UV LED was further enhanced by 11.3%, which is attributed to reduced TD density in InGaN/AlInGaN active region. In the sputtered AlN thickness range of 10-25 nm, the LOP of UV LED with 15-nm-thick sputtered AlN NL was the highest, revealing that optimum thickness of the sputtered AlN NL is around 15 nm.

Surface characteristics of hydroxyapatite/titanium composite layer on the Ti-35Ta-xZr surface by RF and DC sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Won-Gi; Choe, Han-Cheol

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the surface characteristics of hydroxyapatite (HA)/titanium (Ti) composite layer on the Ti-35Ta-xZr alloy surface by radio frequency (RF) and direct current (DC) sputtering for dental application. The magnetron sputtered deposition for the HA was performed in the RF mode and for the Ti in the DC mode. Microstructures of the alloys were examined by optical microscopy (OM) and x-ray diffractometer (XRD). Surface characteristics of coated film was investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (EDS), and XRD. Microstructures of the Ti-35Ta-xZr alloys were changed from α'' phase to β phase, and changed from a needle-like structure to an equiaxed structure with increasing Zr content. From the results of polarization behavior in the Ti-35Ta-15Zr alloy, HA/Ti composite layer showed the good corrosion resistance compared to Ti single layer. The results of alternating current (AC) impedance test indicated that the presence of ha coating acted as a stable barrier in increasing the corrosion resistance.

Transparent Thin-Film Transistors Based on Sputtered Electric Double Layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Wensi; Ma, Xiaochen; Zhang, Jiawei; Song, Aimin

2017-04-20

Electric-double-layer (EDL) thin-film transistors (TFTs) have attracted much attention due to their low operation voltages. Recently, EDL TFTs gated with radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtered SiO₂ have been developed which is compatible to large-area electronics fabrication. In this work, fully transparent Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide-based EDL TFTs on glass substrates have been fabricated at room temperature for the first time. A maximum transmittance of about 80% has been achieved in the visible light range. The transparent TFTs show a low operation voltage of 1.5 V due to the large EDL capacitance (0.3 µF/cm² at 20 Hz). The devices exhibit a good performance with a low subthreshold swing of 130 mV/dec and a high on-off ratio > 10⁵. Several tests have also been done to investigate the influences of light irradiation and bias stress. Our results suggest that such transistors might have potential applications in battery-powered transparent electron devices.

Novel magnetic controlled plasma sputtering method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Axelevich, A.; Rabinovich, E.; Golan, G.

1996-01-01

A novel method to improve thin film vacuum sputtering is presented. This method is capable of controlling the sputtering plasma via an external set of magnets, in a similar fashion to the tetrode sputtering method. The main advantage of the Magnetic Controlled Plasma Sputtering (MCPS) is its ability to independently control all deposition parameters without any interference or cross-talk. Deposition rate, using the MCPS, is found to be almost twice the rate of triode and tetrode sputtering techniques. Experimental results using the MCPS to deposit Ni layers are described. It was demonstrated that using the MCPS method the ion beam intensity at the target is a result of the interaction of a homogeneous external magnetic field and the controlling magnetic fields. The MCPS method was therefore found to be beneficial for the production of pure stoichiometric thin solid films with high reproducibility. This method could be used for the production of compound thin films as well. (authors)

Deuterium trapping in the carbon-silicon co-deposition layers prepared by RF sputtering in D2 atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hongliang; Zhang, Weiyuan; Su, Ranran; Tu, Hanjun; Shi, Liqun; Hu, Jiansheng

2018-04-01

Deuterated carbon-silicon layers co-deposited on graphite and silicon substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering in pure D2 plasma were produced to study deuterium trapping and characteristics of the C-Si layers. The C-Si co-deposited layers were examined by ion beam analysis (IBA), Raman spectroscopy (RS), infrared absorption (IR) spectroscopy, thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the growth rate of the C-Si co-deposition layer decreased with increasing temperature from 350 K to 800 K, the D concentration and C/Si ratios increased differently on graphite and silicon substrates. TDS shows that D desorption is mainly as D2, HD, HDO, CD4, and C2D4 and release peaks occurred at temperatures of less than 900 K. RS and IR analysis reveal that the structure of the C-Si layers became more disordered with increasing temperatures. Rounded areas of peeling with 1-2 μm diameters were observed on the surface.

Magnetic properties of sputtered Permalloy/molybdenum multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romera, M.; Ciudad, D.; Maicas, M.; Aroca, C.; Ranchal, R.

2011-01-01

In this work, we report the magnetic properties of sputtered Permalloy (Py: Ni 80 Fe 20 )/molybdenum (Mo) multilayer thin films. We show that it is possible to maintain a low coercivity and a high permeability in thick sputtered Py films when reducing the out-of-plane component of the anisotropy by inserting thin film spacers of a non-magnetic material like Mo. For these kind of multilayers, we have found coercivities which are close to those for single layer films with no out-of-plane anisotropy. The coercivity is also dependent on the number of layers exhibiting a minimum value when each single Py layer has a thickness close to the transition thickness between Neel and Bloch domain walls.

Improved charge trapping flash device with Al2O3/HfSiO stack as blocking layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Zhi-Wei; Huo Zong-Liang; Zhu Chen-Xin; Xu Zhong-Guang; Liu Jing; Liu Ming

2011-01-01

In this paper, we investigate an Al 2 O 3 /HfSiO stack as the blocking layer of a metal—oxide—nitride—oxide—silicon-type (MONOS) memory capacitor. Compared with a memory capacitor with a single HfSiO layer as the blocking layer or an Al 2 O 3 /HfO 2 stack as the blocking layer, the sample with the Al 2 O 3 /HfSiO stack as the blocking layer shows high program/erase (P/E) speed and good data retention characteristics. These improved performances can be explained by energy band engineering. The experimental results demonstrate that the memory device with an Al 2 O 3 /HfSiO stack as the blocking layer has great potential for further high-performance nonvolatile memory applications. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Efficiency of solution-processed multilayer polymer light-emitting diodes using charge blocking layers

Science.gov (United States)

Kasparek, Christian; Rörich, Irina; Blom, Paul W. M.; Wetzelaer, Gert-Jan A. H.

2018-01-01

By blending semiconducting polymers with the cross-linkable matrix ethoxylated-(4)-bisphenol-a-dimethacrylate (SR540), an insoluble layer is acquired after UV-illumination. Following this approach, a trilayer polymer light-emitting diode (PLED) consisting of a blend of poly[N,N'-bis(4-butylphenyl)-N,N'-bis(phenyl)-benzidine] (poly-TPD) and SR540 as an electron-blocking layer, Super Yellow-Poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (SY-PPV) blended with SR540 as an emissive layer, and poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) as a hole-blocking layer is fabricated from solution. The trilayer PLED shows a 23% increase in efficiency at low voltage as compared to a single layer SY-PPV PLED. However, at higher voltage, the advantage in current efficiency gradually decreases. A combined experimental and modelling study shows that the increased efficiency is not only due to the elimination of exciton quenching at the electrodes but also due to suppressed nonradiative trap-assisted recombination due to carrier confinement. At high voltages, holes can overcome the hole-blocking barrier, which explains the efficiency roll-off.

Spectroscopic ellipsometry on Si/SiO2/graphene tri-layer system exposed to downstream hydrogen plasma: Effects of hydrogenation and chemical sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eren, Baran; Fu, Wangyang; Marot, Laurent; Calame, Michel; Steiner, Roland; Meyer, Ernst

2015-01-01

In this work, the optical response of graphene to hydrogen plasma treatment is investigated with spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. Although the electronic transport properties and Raman spectrum of graphene change after plasma hydrogenation, ellipsometric parameters of the Si/SiO2/graphene tri-layer system do not change. This is attributed to plasma hydrogenated graphene still being electrically conductive, since the light absorption of conducting 2D materials does not depend on the electronic band structure. A change in the light transmission can only be observed when higher energy hydrogen ions (30 eV) are employed, which chemically sputter the graphene layer. An optical contrast is still apparent after sputtering due to the remaining traces of graphene and hydrocarbons on the surface. In brief, plasma treatment does not change the light transmission of graphene; and when it does, this is actually due to plasma damage rather than plasma hydrogenation

Study of the ion sputter-machining, 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyamoto, Iwao; Taniguchi, Norio

1979-01-01

A lattice disordering of the surface of single crystal silicon due to ion bombardment of Ar + was investigated by the high energy electron diffraction method, with the incident angle of 1.7 0 and 2.8 0 . By this measuring system, the degree of disorders of the sputter-machined surface layer of Si single crystal in the depth of 50 A and 30 A has been determined, under the working conditions of the ion energy ranging from 0.2 keV to 1.5 keV and the incident angle of ion ranging from 0 0 to 75 0 . Moreover, the recovery of lattice disorder of sputter-machined surface layer of Si single crystal by means of the isochronal thermal annealing has been also confirmed by the same method. From the above experiments, the following conclusions are obtained. (1) The layers of sputter-machined surface of Si single crystal workpiece are highly disordered like amorphous, under the working conditions of ion energy ranging from 0.2 keV to 1.5 keV for the vertical ion incident angle. (2) Under the working conditions of ion incident angle larger than 60 0 , using the ion beam with a lower energy under 300 eV, the surface of the workpiece is not disordered. Therefore, a sputter-machined surface of Si single crystal with highly ordered structure can be obtained under this working condition. (3) The recovery of disorder of sputter-machined surface is completed by the heat-treatment of workpiece under isochronal annealing for 1 hour at 800 0 C. However, it is not clear whether this recovery of lattice point or the dispersion of interstitially located argon atoms from the surface to the outside. (author)

Sputtering properties of tungsten 'fuzzy' surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishijima, D.; Baldwin, M.J.; Doerner, R.P.; Yu, J.H.

2011-01-01

Sputtering yields of He-induced W 'fuzzy' surfaces bombarded by Ar have been measured in the linear divertor plasma simulator PISCES-B. It is found that the sputtering yield of a fuzzy surface, Y fuzzy , decreases with increasing fuzzy layer thickness, L, and saturates at ∼10% of that of a smooth surface, Y smooth , at L > 1 μm. The reduction in the sputtering yield is suspected to be due mainly to the porous structure of fuzz, since the ratio, Y fuzzy /Y smooth follows (1 - p fuzz ), where p fuzz is the fuzz porosity. Further, Y fuzzy /Y smooth is observed to increase with incident ion energy, E i . This may be explained by an energy dependent change in the angular distribution of sputtered W atoms, since at lower E i , the angular distribution is observed to become more butterfly-shaped. That is, a larger fraction of sputtered W atoms can line-of-sight deposit/stick onto neighboring fuzz nanostructures for lower E i butterfly distributions, resulting in lower ratio of Y fuzzy /Y smooth .

Efficient planar n-i-p type heterojunction flexible perovskite solar cells with sputtered TiO2 electron transporting layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mali, Sawanta S; Hong, Chang Kook; Inamdar, A I; Im, Hyunsik; Shim, Sang Eun

2017-03-02

The development of hybrid organo-lead trihalide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) comprising an electron transporting layer (ETL), a perovskite light absorber and a hole transporting layer (HTL) has received significant attention for their potential in efficient PSCs. However, the preparation of a compact and uniform ETL and the formation of a uniform light absorber layer suffer from a high temperature processing treatment and the formation of unwanted perovskite islands, respectively. A low temperature/room temperature processed ETL is one of the best options for the fabrication of flexible PSCs. In the present work, we report the implementation of a room temperature processed compact TiO 2 ETL and the synthesis of extremely uniform flexible planar PSCs based on methylammonium lead mixed halides MAPb(I 1-x Br x ) 3 (x = 0.1) via RF-magnetron sputtering and a toluene dripping treatment, respectively. The compact TiO 2 ETLs with different thicknesses (30 to 100 nm) were directly deposited on a flexible PET coated ITO substrate by varying the RF-sputtering time and used for the fabrication of flexible PSCs. The photovoltaic properties revealed that flexible PSC performance is strongly dependent on the TiO 2 ETL thickness. The open circuit voltage (V OC ) and fill factor (FF) are directly proportional to the TiO 2 ETL thickness while the 50 nm thick TiO 2 ETL shows the highest current density (J SC ) of 20.77 mA cm -2 . Our controlled results reveal that the room temperature RF-magnetron sputtered 50 nm-thick TiO 2 ETL photoelectrode exhibits a power conversion efficiency (PCE) in excess of 15%. The use of room temperature synthesis of the compact TiO 2 ETL by RF magnetron sputtering results in an enhancement of the device performance for cells prepared on flexible substrates. The champion flexible planar PSC based on this architecture exhibited a promising power conversion efficiency as high as 15.88%, featuring a high FF of 0.69 and V OC of 1.108 V with a negligible

Mechanical and structural properties of sputtered Ni/Ti multilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Senthil Kumar, M.; Boeni, P.; Tixier, S.; Clemens, D.; Horisberger, M. [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1997-09-01

Ni/Ti bilayers have been prepared by dc-magnetron sputtering in order to study their mechanical and structural properties. A remarkable reduction of stress is observed when the Ni layers are sputtered reactively in argon with a high partial pressure of air. The high angle x-ray diffraction studies show a tendency towards amorphisation of the Ni layers with increasing air flow. The low angle measurements indicate a substantial reduction of interdiffusion resulting in smoother interfaces with increasing air content. (author) 2 figs., 2 refs.

Improvement of Short-Circuit Current Density in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using Sputtered Nanocolumnar TiO2 Compact Layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lung-Chien Chen

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of a nanocolumnar TiO2 compact layer in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs was examined. Such a compact layer was sputtered on a glass substrate with an indium tin oxide (ITO film using TiO2 powder as the raw material, with a thickness of ~100 nm. The compact layer improved the short-circuit current density and the efficiency of conversion of solar energy to electricity by the DSSC by 53.37% and 59.34%, yielding values of 27.33 mA/cm2 and 9.21%, respectively. The performance was attributed to the effective electron pathways in the TiO2 compact layer, which reduced the back reaction by preventing direct contact between the redox electrolyte and the conductive substrate.

Transport theory of sputtering I: Depth of origin of sputtered atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Zhu Lin

1999-01-01

Sputter theory employing a sum of two power cross sections has been implemented. Compared with the well known Lindhard power cross section (V∝r -1/m ), a sum of two such cross sections can give a much better approximation to the Born-Mayer scattering in the low energy region (m ∼ 0.1). By using both one and two power cross sections, we have solved the linear transport equations describing the sputtering problem asymptotically. As usual, electronic stopping is ignored in the analysis. It has further been proved that Falcone's theory of the atom ejection process contradicts transport theory. The Andersen-Sigmund relation for partial sputtering yield ratios between two elements in an arbitrary multicomponent target has been derived by both methods. The energy deposited in the target surface layers has been computed for a few typical ion-target combinations. The numerical curves show that both theories generate almost the same results (error m≥0. The former even may be only about one half of the latter as long as m=0

Ion source with radiofrequency mass filter for sputtering purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sielanko, J.; Sowa, M.

1990-01-01

The Kaufman ion source with radiofrequency mass filter is described. The construction as well as operating characteristics of ion source are presented. The arrangement is suitable for range distribution measurements of implanted layers, where the sputtering rate has to be constant over the wide range of sputtering time. 4 figs., 17 refs. (author)

Ion blocking and channeling studies of heteroepitaxial GaN layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flagmeyer, R.; Ehrlich, C.; Geist, V.; Otto, G.

1978-01-01

Ion channeling and blocking in backscattering measurements were used for the characterization of thin epitaxial GaN layers, which have varied lattice imperfections involved by different growth conditions. In particular, the following characteristics were examined: (1) the thickness and the uniformity of the layers, (2) the depth dependence of the crystalline imperfection, (3) the dislocation density, (4) the spread in the orientation distribution of tilted crystallites, and (5) some other types of imperfections, such as stacking faults, double positioning, twins and bending of the layer

From atoms to layers: in situ gold cluster growth kinetics during sputter deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartzkopf, Matthias; Buffet, Adeline; Körstgens, Volker; Metwalli, Ezzeldin; Schlage, Kai; Benecke, Gunthard; Perlich, Jan; Rawolle, Monika; Rothkirch, André; Heidmann, Berit; Herzog, Gerd; Müller-Buschbaum, Peter; Röhlsberger, Ralf; Gehrke, Rainer; Stribeck, Norbert; Roth, Stephan V.

2013-05-01

The adjustment of size-dependent catalytic, electrical and optical properties of gold cluster assemblies is a very significant issue in modern applied nanotechnology. We present a real-time investigation of the growth kinetics of gold nanostructures from small nuclei to a complete gold layer during magnetron sputter deposition with high time resolution by means of in situ microbeam grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (μGISAXS). We specify the four-stage growth including their thresholds with sub-monolayer resolution and identify phase transitions monitored in Yoneda intensity as a material-specific characteristic. An innovative and flexible geometrical model enables the extraction of morphological real space parameters, such as cluster size and shape, correlation distance, layer porosity and surface coverage, directly from reciprocal space scattering data. This approach enables a large variety of future investigations of the influence of different process parameters on the thin metal film morphology. Furthermore, our study allows for deducing the wetting behavior of gold cluster films on solid substrates and provides a better understanding of the growth kinetics in general, which is essential for optimization of manufacturing parameters, saving energy and resources.The adjustment of size-dependent catalytic, electrical and optical properties of gold cluster assemblies is a very significant issue in modern applied nanotechnology. We present a real-time investigation of the growth kinetics of gold nanostructures from small nuclei to a complete gold layer during magnetron sputter deposition with high time resolution by means of in situ microbeam grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (μGISAXS). We specify the four-stage growth including their thresholds with sub-monolayer resolution and identify phase transitions monitored in Yoneda intensity as a material-specific characteristic. An innovative and flexible geometrical model enables the extraction

Spectroscopic ellipsometry on Si/SiO{sub 2}/graphene tri-layer system exposed to downstream hydrogen plasma: Effects of hydrogenation and chemical sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eren, Baran [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland); Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Fu, Wangyang; Marot, Laurent, E-mail: laurent.marot@unibas.ch; Calame, Michel; Steiner, Roland; Meyer, Ernst [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland)

2015-01-05

In this work, the optical response of graphene to hydrogen plasma treatment is investigated with spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. Although the electronic transport properties and Raman spectrum of graphene change after plasma hydrogenation, ellipsometric parameters of the Si/SiO2/graphene tri-layer system do not change. This is attributed to plasma hydrogenated graphene still being electrically conductive, since the light absorption of conducting 2D materials does not depend on the electronic band structure. A change in the light transmission can only be observed when higher energy hydrogen ions (30 eV) are employed, which chemically sputter the graphene layer. An optical contrast is still apparent after sputtering due to the remaining traces of graphene and hydrocarbons on the surface. In brief, plasma treatment does not change the light transmission of graphene; and when it does, this is actually due to plasma damage rather than plasma hydrogenation.

Sputtering induced surface composition changes in copper-palladium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundararaman, M.; Sharma, S.K.; Kumar, L.; Krishnan, R.

1981-01-01

It has been observed that, in general, surface composition is different from bulk composition in multicomponent materials as a result of ion beam sputtering. This compositional difference arises from factors like preferential sputtering, radiation induced concentration gradients and the knock-in effect. In the present work, changes in the surface composition of copper-palladium alloys, brought about by argon ion sputtering, have been studied using Auger electron spectroscopy. Argon ion energy has been varied from 500 eV to 5 keV. Enrichment of palladium has been observed in the sputter-altered layer. The palladium enrichment at the surface has been found to be higher for 500 eV argon ion sputtering compared with argon ion sputtering at higher energies. Above 500 eV, the surface composition has been observed to remain the same irrespective of the sputter ion energy for each alloy composition. The bulk composition ratio of palladium to copper has been found to be linearly related to the sputter altered surface composition ratio of palladium to copper. These results are discussed on the basis of recent theories of alloy sputtering. (orig.)

Epitaxial growth of rhenium with sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Seongshik [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305 (United States) and Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States)]. E-mail: soh@boulder.nist.gov; Hite, Dustin A. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305 (United States); Cicak, K. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305 (United States); Osborn, Kevin D. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305 (United States); Simmonds, Raymond W. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305 (United States); McDermott, Robert [University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Cooper, Ken B. [University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Steffen, Matthias [University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Martinis, John M. [University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Pappas, David P. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305 (United States)

2006-02-21

We have grown epitaxial Rhenium (Re) (0001) films on {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (0001) substrates using sputter deposition in an ultra high vacuum system. We find that better epitaxy is achieved with DC rather than with RF sputtering. With DC sputtering, epitaxy is obtained with the substrate temperatures above 700 deg. C and deposition rates below 0.1 nm/s. The epitaxial Re films are typically composed of terraced hexagonal islands with screw dislocations, and island size gets larger with high temperature post-deposition annealing. The growth starts in a three dimensional mode but transforms into two dimensional mode as the film gets thicker. With a thin ({approx}2 nm) seed layer deposited at room temperature and annealed at a high temperature, the initial three dimensional growth can be suppressed. This results in larger islands when a thick film is grown at 850 deg. C on the seed layer. We also find that when a room temperature deposited Re film is annealed to higher temperatures, epitaxial features start to show up above {approx}600 deg. C, but the film tends to be disordered.

Magnetic properties of permalloy films with different thicknesses deposited onto obliquely sputtered Cu underlayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Xiaoyu; Sun, Xiaojun; Wang, Jianbo; Liu, Qingfang

2015-01-01

In this work, the influence of obliquely sputtered Cu underlayer of 10 nm on the magnetic properties of normally sputtered Permalloy thin films with different thicknesses from 10 nm to 150 nm has been investigated. It has been found that the samples with the Permalloy layer thickness ranging from 10 nm to 70 nm exhibit a good in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, and the increase of the film thickness leads to a decrease of the anisotropy field and the natural resonance frequency. The critical Permalloy layer thickness for stripe domain initiation of these films is about 80 nm, which is thinner than that of obliquely sputtered Permalloy thin films without an underlayer. The characteristic shapes of hysteresis loops which can be called ''transcritical'' are observed above the critical thickness. The condition and mechanism of appearing stripe domain structure were discussed and it has been found that the frequency response of permeability of the anisotropic films shows the characteristics of multi-peak resonance. - Highlights: • Py films were fabricated on obliquely sputtered Cu underlayers by RF magnetron sputtering. • Effects of Py layer thickness on anisotropy, ferromagnetic resonance frequency have been studied. • Samples with Py layer (<70 nm) show a good in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. • Samples with Py layer (>80 nm) show stripe domains and multi-peaks in permeability spectra

Versatile sputtering technology for Al2O3 gate insulators on graphene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miriam Friedemann, Mirosław Woszczyna, André Müller, Stefan Wundrack, Thorsten Dziomba, Thomas Weimann and Franz J Ahlers

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We report a novel, sputtering-based fabrication method of Al2O3 gate insulators on graphene. Electrical performance of dual-gated mono- and bilayer exfoliated graphene devices is presented. Sputtered Al2O3 layers possess comparable quality to oxides obtained by atomic layer deposition with respect to a high relative dielectric constant of about 8, as well as low-hysteresis performance and high breakdown voltage. We observe a moderate carrier mobility of about 1000 cm2 V− 1 s−1 in monolayer graphene and 350 cm2 V− 1 s−1 in bilayer graphene, respectively. The mobility decrease can be attributed to the resonant scattering on atomic-scale defects, likely originating from the Al precursor layer evaporated prior to sputtering.

The Analysis Of Structure For The Multi-Layered Of Ge/TiO2 Films Prepared By The Differential Prressure Co-Sputtering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adachi Y.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available We tried to fabricate the Ge/TiO2 composite films with the differential pressure (pumping co-sputtering (DPCS apparatus in order to improve the optical properties. In the study, the micro structure of these thin films has been evaluated. TEM image revealed that the thin film was alternately layered with TiO2 and Ge, lattice fringes were observed both of Ge layer and TiO2 layer. There were portions that lattice fringe of Ge was disturbed near the interface of Ge and TiO2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy elucidated that there were few germanium oxides and a part with the thin film after annealed.

Microstructural characterization of chemical bath deposited and sputtered Zn(O,S) buffer layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gautron, E.; Buffière, M.; Harel, S.; Assmann, L.; Arzel, L.; Brohan, L.; Kessler, J.; Barreau, N.

2013-01-01

The present work aims at investigating the microstructure of Zn(O,S) buffer layers relative to their deposition route, namely either chemical bath deposition (CBD) or RF co-sputtering process (PVD) under pure Ar. The core of the study consists of cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization of the differently grown Zn(O,S) thin films on co-evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGSe) absorbers. It shows that the morphology of Zn(O,S) layer deposited on CIGSe using CBD process is made of a thin layer of well oriented ZnS sphalerite-(111) and/or ZnS wurtzite-(0002) planes parallel to CIGSe chalcopyrite-(112) planes at the interface with CIGSe followed by misoriented nanometer-sized ZnS crystallites in an amorphous phase. As far as (PVD)Zn(O,S) is concerned, the TEM analyses reveal two different microstructures depending on the S-content in the films: for [S] / ([O] + [S]) = 0.6, the buffer layer is made of ZnO zincite and ZnS wurtzite crystallites grown nearly coherently to each other, with (0002) planes nearly parallel with CIGSe-(112) planes, while for [S] / ([O] + [S]) = 0.3, it is made of ZnO zincite type crystals with O atoms substituted by S atoms, with (0002) planes perfectly aligned with CIGSe-(112) planes. Such microstructural differences can explain why photovoltaic performances are dependent on the Zn(O,S) buffer layer deposition route. - Highlights: ► Zn(O,S) layers were grown by chemical bath (CBD) or physical vapor (PVD) deposition. ► For CBD, a 3 nm ZnS layer is followed by ZnS nano-crystallites in an amorphous phase. ► For PVD with [S] / ([O] + [S]) = 0.3, the layer has a Zn(O,S) zincite structure. ► For PVD with [S] / ([O] + [S]) = 0.6, ZnS wurtzite and ZnO zincite phases are mixed

Sputter fabricated Nb-oxide-Nb josephson junctions incorporating post-oxidation noble metal layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bain, R.J.P.; Donaldson, G.B.

1985-01-01

We present an extension, involving other metals, of the work of Hawkins and Clarke, who found that a thin layer of copper prevented the formation of the superconductive shorts which are an inevitable consequence of sputtering niobium counter-electrodes directly on top of niobium oxide. We find gold to be the most satisfactory, and that 0.3 nm is sufficient to guarantee short-free junctions of excellent electrical and mechanical stability, though high excess conductance means they are best suited to shunted-junction applications, as in SQUIDs. We present results for critical current dependence on oxide thickness and on gold thickness. Our data shows that thermal oxide growth is described by the Cabrera-Mott mechanism. We show that the protective effect of the gold layer can be understood in terms of the electro-chemistry of the Nb-oxide-Au structure, and that the reduced quasi-particle resistance of the junctions relative to goldfree junctions with evaporated counterelectrodes can be explained in terms of barrier shape modification, and not by proximity effect mechanisms. The performance of a DC SQUID based on these junctions is described

Spectroellipsometric detection of silicon substrate damage caused by radiofrequency sputtering of niobium oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Lohner, Tivadar; Serényi, Miklós; Szilágyi, Edit; Zolnai, Zsolt; Czigány, Zsolt; Khánh, Nguyen Quoc; Petrik, Péter; Fried, Miklós

2017-11-01

Substrate surface damage induced by deposition of metal atoms by radiofrequency (rf) sputtering or ion beam sputtering onto single-crystalline silicon (c-Si) surface has been characterized earlier by electrical measurements. The question arises whether it is possible to characterize surface damage using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). In our experiments niobium oxide layers were deposited by rf sputtering on c-Si substrates in gas mixture of oxygen and argon. Multiple angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements were performed, a four-layer optical model (surface roughness layer, niobium oxide layer, native silicon oxide layer and ion implantation-amorphized silicon [i-a-Si] layer on a c-Si substrate) was created in order to evaluate the spectra. The evaluations yielded thicknesses of several nm for the i-a-Si layer. Better agreement could be achieved between the measured and the generated spectra by inserting a mixed layer (with components of c-Si and i-a-Si applying the effective medium approximation) between the silicon oxide layer and the c-Si substrate. High depth resolution Rutherford backscattering (RBS) measurements were performed to investigate the interface disorder between the deposited niobium oxide layer and the c-Si substrate. Atomic resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy investigation was applied to visualize the details of the damaged subsurface region of the substrate.

Transparent Conductive In and Ga Doped ZnO/Cu Bi-Layered Films Deposited by DC and RF Magnetron Sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, Hyun-Joo; Song, Young-Hwan; Oh, Jung-Hyun; Heo, Sung-Bo; Kim, Daeil

2016-01-01

In- and Ga-doped ZnO (IGZO) films were deposited on 5 nm thick Cu film buffered poly-carbonate substrates with RF magnetron sputtering and the effects of the Cu buffer layer on the optical and electrical properties of the films were investigated. The IGZO single layer films exhibited an electrical resistivity of 1.2×10"-1 Ω cm while the IGZO/Cu bi-layered films exhibited a lower resistivity of 1.6×10"-3 Ω cm. With respect to optical properties, the optical band gap of the IGZO films appeared to decrease as a result of an increasing carrier concentration due to the Cu buffer layer. In addition, the RMS roughness (8.2 nm) of the IGZO films also decreased to 6.8 nm by a Cu buffer layer in AFM observation. Although the optical transmittance in the range of visible wavelengths was deteriorated by the Cu buffer layer, the IGZO films with a 5 nm thick Cu buffer layer exhibited a higher figure of merit of 2.6×10"-4 Ω"-1 compared with the IGZO single layer films due to enhanced optoelectrical performance.

Transparent Conductive In and Ga Doped ZnO/Cu Bi-Layered Films Deposited by DC and RF Magnetron Sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moon, Hyun-Joo; Song, Young-Hwan; Oh, Jung-Hyun; Heo, Sung-Bo; Kim, Daeil [University of Ulsan, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-15

In- and Ga-doped ZnO (IGZO) films were deposited on 5 nm thick Cu film buffered poly-carbonate substrates with RF magnetron sputtering and the effects of the Cu buffer layer on the optical and electrical properties of the films were investigated. The IGZO single layer films exhibited an electrical resistivity of 1.2×10{sup -}1 Ω cm while the IGZO/Cu bi-layered films exhibited a lower resistivity of 1.6×10{sup -}3 Ω cm. With respect to optical properties, the optical band gap of the IGZO films appeared to decrease as a result of an increasing carrier concentration due to the Cu buffer layer. In addition, the RMS roughness (8.2 nm) of the IGZO films also decreased to 6.8 nm by a Cu buffer layer in AFM observation. Although the optical transmittance in the range of visible wavelengths was deteriorated by the Cu buffer layer, the IGZO films with a 5 nm thick Cu buffer layer exhibited a higher figure of merit of 2.6×10{sup -}4 Ω{sup -}1 compared with the IGZO single layer films due to enhanced optoelectrical performance.

Molecular dynamic simulations of the sputtering of multilayer organic systems

CERN Document Server

Postawa, Z; Piaskowy, J; Krantzman, K; Winograd, N; Garrison, B J

2003-01-01

Sputtering of organic overlayers has been modeled using molecular dynamics computer simulations. The investigated systems are composed of benzene molecules condensed into one, two and three layers on an Ag left brace 1 1 1 right brace surface. The formed organic overlayers were bombarded with 4 keV Ar projectiles at normal incidence. The development of the collision cascade in the organic overlayer was investigated. The sputtering yield, mass, internal and kinetic energy distributions of ejected particles have been analyzed as a function of the thickness of the organic layer. The results show that all emission characteristics are sensitive to the variation of layer thickness. Although most of the ejected intact benzene molecules originate from the topmost layer, the emission of particles located initially in second and third layers is significant. The analysis indicates that the metallic substrate plays a dominant role in the ejection of intact organic molecules.

RHEED oscillations in spinel ferrite epitaxial films grown by conventional planar magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Ojima, T.; Tainosho, T.; Sharmin, S.; Yanagihara, H.

2018-04-01

Real-time in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) observations of Fe3O4, γ-Fe2O3, and (Co,Fe)3O4 films on MgO(001) substrates grown by a conventional planar magnetron sputtering was studied. The change in periodical intensity of the specular reflection spot in the RHEED images of three different spinel ferrite compounds grown by two different sputtering systems was examined. The oscillation period was found to correspond to the 1/4 unit cell of each spinel ferrite, similar to that observed in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) experiments. This suggests that the layer-by-layer growth of spinel ferrite (001) films is general in most physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes. The surfaces of the films were as flat as the surface of the substrate, consistent with the observed layer-by-layer growth process. The observed RHEED oscillation indicates that even a conventional sputtering method can be used to control film thickness during atomic layer depositions.

RHEED oscillations in spinel ferrite epitaxial films grown by conventional planar magnetron sputtering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Ojima

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Real-time in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED observations of Fe3O4, γ-Fe2O3, and (Co,Fe3O4 films on MgO(001 substrates grown by a conventional planar magnetron sputtering was studied. The change in periodical intensity of the specular reflection spot in the RHEED images of three different spinel ferrite compounds grown by two different sputtering systems was examined. The oscillation period was found to correspond to the 1/4 unit cell of each spinel ferrite, similar to that observed in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE and pulsed laser deposition (PLD experiments. This suggests that the layer-by-layer growth of spinel ferrite (001 films is general in most physical vapor deposition (PVD processes. The surfaces of the films were as flat as the surface of the substrate, consistent with the observed layer-by-layer growth process. The observed RHEED oscillation indicates that even a conventional sputtering method can be used to control film thickness during atomic layer depositions.

Influence of ferroelectric layer on artificial multiferroic LSMO/BTO bilayers deposited by Dc and RF sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ordonez, J. E.; Gomez, M. E.; Lopera, W. [Universidad del Valle, Department of Physics, A. A. 25360 Cali (Colombia)

2016-11-01

La{sub 2/3}Sr{sub 1/3}MnO{sub 3} (LSMO)/BaTiO{sub 3} (BTO) bilayers were deposited on (001) SrTiO{sub 3} substrates via Dc and RF sputtering at pure oxygen atmosphere at a substrate temperature of 830 degrees Celsius. We studied the structural, electrical and magnetic properties on LSMO/BTO bilayers, when LSMO thickness is fixed at nm and BTO thickness is varied from 20 to 100 nm. Reciprocal Space Maps in LSMO show a strained growth for all samples, while BTO layers are always relaxed. Magnetization and electrical measurements indicate the influence of the ferroelectric layer, due to saturation magnetization increases from 500 to 590 emu/cm{sup 3} and coercive field decreases from 178 to 82 Oe with BTO thickness. Mean Field mechanism is identified on all samples with critical exponent β between 0.42 and 0.54. Resistivity measurements show electron-electron and magnon-magnon scattering conduction mechanisms. The influence on magnetic and electrical properties of bilayers with BTO thickness is attributed to crystallographic strains at the interface and the corresponding relaxation with increasing BTO layer thickness. The thickness of the individual layers were obtained by X-ray reflectivity measurements in the bilayers, not shown. X-ray diffraction and Reciprocal Space Maps measurements show highly textured layers with preferential growth in the c-axis direction. (Author)

Precise atomic-scale investigations of material sputtering process by light gas ions in pre-threshold energy region

CERN Document Server

Suvorov, A L

2002-01-01

Foundation and prospects of the new original technique of the sputtering yield determination of electro-conducting materials and sub-atomic layers on their surface by light gas ions the pre-threshold energy region (from 10 to 500 eV) are considered. The technique allows to identify individual surface vacancies, i.e., to count individual sputtered atoms directly. A short review of the original results obtained by using the developed techniques is given. Data are presented and analyzed concerning energy thresholds of the sputtering onset and energy dependences of sputtering yield in the threshold energy region for beryllium, tungsten, tungsten oxide, alternating tungsten-carbon layers, three carbon materials as well as for sub-atomic carbon layers on surface of certain metals at their bombardment by hydrogen, deuterium and/or helium ions

Structural investigation of ZnO:Al films deposited on the Si substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Y.Y.; Yang, J.R.; Cheng, S.L.; Shiojiri, M.

2013-01-01

ZnO:Al films 400 nm thick were prepared on (100) Si substrates by magnetron sputtering. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that in the initial stage of the deposition, an amorphous silicon oxide layer about 4 nm thick formed from damage to the Si substrate due to sputtered particle bombardment and the incorporation of Si atoms with oxygen. Subsequently, a crystalline Si (Zn) layer about 30 nm thick grew on the silicon oxide layer by co-deposition of Si atoms sputtered away from the substrate with Zn atoms from the target. Finally, a ZnO:Al film with columnar grains was deposited on the Si (Zn) layer. The sputtered particle bombardment greatly influenced the structure of the object films. The (0001) lattice fringes of the ZnO:Al film were observed in high-resolution TEM images, and the forbidden 0001 reflection spots in electron diffraction patterns were attributed to double diffraction. Therefore, the appearance of the forbidden reflection did not imply any ordering of Al atoms and/or O vacancies in the ZnO:Al film. - Highlights: • ZnO:Al films were deposited on (100) Si substrate using magnetron sputtering. • An amorphous silicon oxide layer with a thickness of 4 nm was formed on Si substrate. • Crystalline Si (Zn) layer about 30 nm thick grew on amorphous silicon oxide layer. • ZnO:Al film comprising columnar grains was deposited on the Si(Zn) layer. • Lattice image of the ZnO:Al film has been interpreted

Depth of origin of atoms sputtered from crystalline targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shapiro, M.H.; Trovato, E.; Tombrello, T.A.

2001-01-01

Recently, V.I. Shulga and W. Eckstein (Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B 145 (1998) 492) investigated the depth of origin of atoms sputtered from random elemental targets using the Monte Carlo code TRIM.SP and the lattice code OKSANA. They found that the mean depth of origin is proportional to N -0.86 , where N is the atomic density; and that the most probable escape depth is ∼λ 0 /2, where λ 0 is the mean atomic distance. Since earlier molecular dynamics simulations with small crystalline elemental targets typically produced a most probable escape depth of zero (i.e., most sputtered atoms came from the topmost layer of the target), we have carried out new molecular dynamics simulations of sputtered atom escape depths with much larger crystalline targets. Our new results, which include the bcc targets Cs, Rb and W, as well as the fcc targets Cu and Au predict that the majority of sputtered atoms come from the first atomic layer for the bcc(1 0 0), bcc(1 1 1), fcc(1 0 0) and fcc(1 1 1) targets studied. For the high-atomic density targets Cu, Au and W, the mean depth of origin of sputtered atoms typically is less than 0.25λ 0 . For the low-atomic density targets Cs and Rb, the mean depth of origin of sputtered atoms is considerably larger, and depends strongly on the crystal orientation. We show that the discrepancy between the single-crystal and amorphous target depth of origin values can be resolved by applying a simple correction to the single-crystal results

Fluence-dependent sputtering yield of micro-architectured materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matthes, Christopher S.R.; Ghoniem, Nasr M., E-mail: ghoniem@ucla.edu; Li, Gary Z.; Matlock, Taylor S.; Goebel, Dan M.; Dodson, Chris A.; Wirz, Richard E.

2017-06-15

Highlights: • Sputtering yield is shown to be transient and heavily dependent on surface architecture. • Fabricated nano- and Microstructures cause geometric re-trapping of sputtered material, which leads to a self-healing mechanism. • Initially, the sputtering yield of micro-architectured Mo is approximately 1/2 the value as that of a planar surface. • The study demonstrates that the sputtering yield is a dynamic property, dependent on the surface structure of a material. • A developed phenomenological model mathematically describes the transient behavior of the sputtering yield as a function of plasma fluence. - Abstract: We present an experimental examination of the relationship between the surface morphology of Mo and its instantaneous sputtering rate as function of low-energy plasma ion fluence. We quantify the dynamic evolution of nano/micro features of surfaces with built-in architecture, and the corresponding variation in the sputtering yield. Ballistic deposition of sputtered atoms as a result of geometric re-trapping is observed, and re-growth of surface layers is confirmed. This provides a self-healing mechanism of micro-architectured surfaces during plasma exposure. A variety of material characterization techniques are used to show that the sputtering yield is not a fundamental property, but that it is quantitatively related to the initial surface architecture and to its subsequent evolution. The sputtering yield of textured molybdenum samples exposed to 300 eV Ar plasma is roughly 1/2 of the corresponding value for flat samples, and increases with ion fluence. Mo samples exhibited a sputtering yield initially as low as 0.22 ± 5%, converging to 0.4 ± 5% at high fluence. The sputtering yield exhibits a transient behavior as function of the integrated ion fluence, reaching a steady-state value that is independent of initial surface conditions. A phenomenological model is proposed to explain the observed transient sputtering phenomenon, and to

Characterization of Niobium Oxide Films Deposited by High Target Utilization Sputter Sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chow, R; Ellis, A D; Loomis, G E; Rana, S I

2007-01-01

High quality, refractory metal, oxide coatings are required in a variety of applications such as laser optics, micro-electronic insulating layers, nano-device structures, electro-optic multilayers, sensors and corrosion barriers. A common oxide deposition technique is reactive sputtering because the kinetic mechanism vaporizes almost any solid material in vacuum. Also, the sputtered molecules have higher energies than those generated from thermal evaporation, and so the condensates are smoother and denser than those from thermally-evaporated films. In the typical sputtering system, target erosion is a factor that drives machine availability. In some situations such as nano-layered capacitors, where the device's performance characteristics depends on thick layers, target life becomes a limiting factor on the maximizing device functionality. The keen interest to increase target utilization in sputtering has been addressed in a variety of ways such as target geometry, rotating magnets, and/or shaped magnet arrays. Also, a recent sputtering system has been developed that generates a high density plasma, directs the plasma beam towards the target in a uniform fashion, and erodes the target in a uniform fashion. The purpose of this paper is to characterize and compare niobia films deposited by two types of high target utilization sputtering sources, a rotating magnetron and a high density plasma source. The oxide of interest in this study is niobia because of its high refractive index. The quality of the niobia films were characterized spectroscopically in optical transmission, ellipsometrically, and chemical stoichiometry with X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy. The refractive index, extinction coefficients, Cauchy constants were derived from the ellipsometric modeling. The mechanical properties of coating density and stress are also determined

Estimates of Sputter Yields of Solar-Wind Heavy Ions of Lunar Regolith Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Barghouty, Abdulmasser F.; Adams, James H., Jr.

2008-01-01

At energies of approximately 1 keV/amu, solar-wind protons and heavy ions interact with the lunar surface materials via a number of microscopic interactions that include sputtering. Solar-wind induced sputtering is a main mechanism by which the composition of the topmost layers of the lunar surface can change, dynamically and preferentially. This work concentrates on sputtering induced by solar-wind heavy ions. Sputtering associated with slow (speeds the electrons speed in its first Bohr orbit) and highly charged ions are known to include both kinetic and potential sputtering. Potential sputtering enjoys some unique characteristics that makes it of special interest to lunar science and exploration. Unlike the yield from kinetic sputtering where simulation and approximation schemes exist, the yield from potential sputtering is not as easy to estimate. This work will present a preliminary numerical scheme designed to estimate potential sputtering yields from reactions relevant to this aspect of solar-wind lunar-surface coupling.

Application of poly (p-phenylene oxide) as blocking layer to reduce self-discharge in supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Tevi, Tete; Yaghoubi, Houman; Wang, Jing; Takshi, Arash

2013-11-01

Supercapacitors are electrochemical energy storage devices with high power density. However, application of supercapacitors is limited mainly due to their high leakage current. In this work, application of an ultra-thin layer of electrodeposited poly (p-phenylene oxide) (PPO) has been investigated as a blocking layer to reduce the leakage current. The polymer was first deposited on a glassy carbon electrode. The morphology of the film was studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the film thickness was estimated to be ˜1.5 nm by using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. The same deposition method was applied to coat the surface of the activated carbon electrodes of a supercapacitor with PPO. The specific capacitance, the leakage current, and the series resistance were measured in two devices with and without the blocking layer. The results demonstrate that the application of the PPO layer reduced the leakage current by ˜78%. However, the specific capacitance was decreased by ˜56%, when the blocking layer was applied. Due to the lower rate of self-discharge, the suggested approach can be applied to fabricate devices with longer charge storage time.

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.

Blocking layer modeling for temperature analysis of electron transfer ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this article, we simulate thermal effects on the electron transfer rate from three quantum dots CdSe, CdS and CdTe to three metal oxides TiO2, SnO2 and ZnO2 in the presence of four blocking layers ZnS, ZnO, TiO2 and Al2O3, in a porous quantum dot sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) structure, using Marcus theory.

Adaptive Multi-Layered Space-Time Block Coded Systems in Wireless Environments

KAUST Repository

Al-Ghadhban, Samir

2014-12-23

© 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York. Multi-layered space-time block coded systems (MLSTBC) strike a balance between spatial multiplexing and transmit diversity. In this paper, we analyze the block error rate performance of MLSTBC. In addition, we propose an adaptive MLSTBC schemes that are capable of accommodating the channel signal-to-noise ratio variation of wireless systems by near instantaneously adapting the uplink transmission configuration. The main results demonstrate that significant effective throughput improvements can be achieved while maintaining a certain target bit error rate.

Intermixing of InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells and quantum dots using sputter-deposited silicon oxynitride capping layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKerracher, Ian; Fu Lan; Hoe Tan, Hark; Jagadish, Chennupati

2012-01-01

Various approaches can be used to selectively control the amount of intermixing in III-V quantum well and quantum dot structures. Impurity-free vacancy disordering is one technique that is favored for its simplicity, however this mechanism is sensitive to many experimental parameters. In this study, a series of silicon oxynitride capping layers have been used in the intermixing of InGaAs/GaAs quantum well and quantum dot structures. These thin films were deposited by sputter deposition in order to minimize the incorporation of hydrogen, which has been reported to influence impurity-free vacancy disordering. The degree of intermixing was probed by photoluminescence spectroscopy and this is discussed with respect to the properties of the SiO x N y films. This work was also designed to monitor any additional intermixing that might be attributed to the sputtering process. In addition, the high-temperature stress is known to affect the group-III vacancy concentration, which is central to the intermixing process. This stress was directly measured and the experimental values are compared with an elastic-deformation model.

Feasibility of arc-discharge and plasma-sputtering methods in cleaning plasma-facing and diagnostics components of fusion reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hakola, Antti, E-mail: antti.hakola@vtt.fi [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, VTT (Finland); Likonen, Jari [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, VTT (Finland); Karhunen, Juuso; Korhonen, Juuso T. [Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University (Finland); Aints, Märt; Laan, Matti; Paris, Peeter [Department of Physics, University of Tartu (Estonia); Kolehmainen, Jukka; Koskinen, Mika; Tervakangas, Sanna [DIARC-Technology Oy, Espoo (Finland)

2015-10-15

Highlights: • Feasibility of the arc-discharge and plasma-sputtering techniques in removing deposited layers from ITER-relevant samples demonstrated. • Samples with the size of an A4 paper can be cleaned from 1-μm thick deposited layers in 10–20 minutes by the arc-discharge method. • The plasma-sputtering method is 5–10 times slower but the resulting surfaces are very smooth. • Arc-discharge method could be used for rapid cleaning of plasma-facing components during maintenance shutdowns of ITER, plasma sputtering is preferred for diagnostics mirrors. - Abstract: We have studied the feasibility of arc-discharge and plasma-sputtering methods in removing deposited layers from ITER-relevant test samples. Prototype devices have been designed and constructed for the experiments and the cleaning process is monitored by a spectral detection system. The present version of the arc-discharge device is capable of removing 1-μm thick layers from 350-mm{sup 2} areas in 4–8 s, but due to the increased roughness of the cleaned surfaces and signs of local melting, mirror-like surfaces cannot be treated by this technique. The plasma-sputtering approach, for its part, is some 5–10 times slower in removing the deposited layers but no changes in surface roughness or morphology of the samples could be observed after the cleaning phase. The arc-discharge technique could therefore be used for rapid cleaning of plasma-facing components during maintenance shutdowns of ITER while in the case of diagnostics mirrors plasma sputtering is preferred.

KRYPTON INCORPORATION IN SPUTTERED SILICON FILMS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

GREUTER, MJW; NIESEN, L; HAKVOORT, RA; DEROODE, J; VANVEEN, A; BERNTSEN, AJM; SLOOF, WG

1993-01-01

The incorporation of Kr in sputtered a-Si films has been investigated in a systematic way by varying the Kr to Si flux, yielding Kr concentrations up to 5 at %. Compositions were determined with X-ray microanalysis. A model has been applied to describe the composition of the growing film. The layers

Effect of Oblique-Angle Sputtered ITO Electrode in MAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cell Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kun-Yi; Chen, Lung-Chien; Wu, Yu-June

2017-10-03

This investigation reports on the characteristics of MAPbI 3 perovskite films on obliquely sputtered ITO/glass substrates that are fabricated with various sputtering times and sputtering angles. The grain size of a MAPbI 3 perovskite film increases with the oblique sputtering angle of ITO thin films from 0° to 80°, indicating that the surface properties of the ITO affect the wettability of the PEDOT:PSS thin film and thereby dominates the number of perovskite nucleation sites. The optimal power conversion efficiency (Eff) is achieved 11.3% in a cell with an oblique ITO layer that was prepared using a sputtering angle of 30° for a sputtering time of 15 min.

Preparation of boron-nitrogen films by sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klose, S.; Winde, B.

1980-01-01

Hard boron-nitrogen films adherent to various substrates can be prepared by sputtering. IR investigations suggest the existence of cubic boron nitride in certain layers. Transmission electron microscope studies have shown a quasi-amorphous structure irregularly incorporating crystallites of zinc blende structure of some nm in diameter

Ion-induced sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamura, Yasumichi; Shimizu, Ryuichi; Shimizu, Hazime; Ito, Noriaki.

1983-01-01

The research on ion-induced sputtering has been continued for a long time, since a hundred or more years ago. However, it was only in 1969 by Sigmund that the sputtering phenomena were theoretically arranged into the present form. The reason why the importance of sputtering phenomena have been given a new look recently is the application over wide range. This paper is a review centering around the mechanism of causing sputtering and its characteristics. Sputtering is such a phenomenon that the atoms in the vicinity of a solid surface are emitted into vacuum by receiving a part of ion energy, or in other words, it is a kind of irradiation damage in the vicinity of a solid surface. In this meaning, it can be considered that the sputtering based on the ions located on the clean surface of a single element metal is simple, and has already been basically understood. On the contrary, the phenomena can not be considered to be fully understood in the case of alloys and compounds, because these surface conditions under irradiation are not always clear due to segregation and others. In the paper, the physical of sputtering, single element sputtering, the sputtering in alloys and compounds, and the behaviour of emitted particles are explained. Finally, some recent topics of the sputtering measurement by laser resonant excitation, the sputtering by electron excitation, chemical sputtering, and the sputtering in nuclear fusion reactors are described. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Effect of ordered mesoporous carbon contact layer on the sensing performance of sputtered RuO2 thin film pH sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Lonsdale, W; Maurya, D K; Wajrak, M; Alameh, K

2017-03-01

The effect of contact layer on the pH sensing performance of a sputtered RuO 2 thin film pH sensor is investigated. The response of pH sensors employing RuO 2 thin film electrodes on screen-printed Pt, carbon and ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) contact layers are measured over a pH range from 4 to 10. Working electrodes with OMC contact layer are found to have Nernstian pH sensitivity (-58.4mV/pH), low short-term drift rate (5.0mV/h), low hysteresis values (1.13mV) and fast reaction times (30s), after only 1h of conditioning. A pH sensor constructed with OMC carbon contact layer displays improved sensing performance compared to Pt and carbon-based counterparts, making this electrode more attractive for applications requiring highly-accurate pH sensing with reduced conditioning time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sputtered Encapsulation as Wafer Level Packaging for Isolatable MEMS Devices: A Technique Demonstrated on a Capacitive Accelerometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azrul Azlan Hamzah

2008-11-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses sputtered silicon encapsulation as a wafer level packaging approach for isolatable MEMS devices. Devices such as accelerometers, RF switches, inductors, and filters that do not require interaction with the surroundings to function, could thus be fully encapsulated at the wafer level after fabrication. A MEMSTech 50g capacitive accelerometer was used to demonstrate a sputtered encapsulation technique. Encapsulation with a very uniform surface profile was achieved using spin-on glass (SOG as a sacrificial layer, SU-8 as base layer, RF sputtered silicon as main structural layer, eutectic gold-silicon as seal layer, and liquid crystal polymer (LCP as outer encapsulant layer. SEM inspection and capacitance test indicated that the movable elements were released after encapsulation. Nanoindentation test confirmed that the encapsulated device is sufficiently robust to withstand a transfer molding process. Thus, an encapsulation technique that is robust, CMOS compatible, and economical has been successfully developed for packaging isolatable MEMS devices at the wafer level.

Contributions of solar-wind induced potential sputtering to the lunar surface erosion rate and it's exosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Alnussirat, S. T.; Barghouty, A. F.; Edmunson, J. E.; Sabra, M. S.; Rickman, D. L.

2018-04-01

Sputtering of lunar regolith by solar-wind protons and heavy ions with kinetic energies of about 1 keV/amu is an important erosive process that affects the lunar surface and exosphere. It plays an important role in changing the chemical composition and thickness of the surface layer, and in introducing material into the exosphere. Kinetic sputtering is well modeled and understood, but understanding of mechanisms of potential sputtering has lagged behind. In this study we differentiate the contributions of potential sputtering from the standard (kinetic) sputtering in changing the chemical composition and erosion rate of the lunar surface. Also we study the contribution of potential sputtering in developing the lunar exosphere. Our results show that potential sputtering enhances the total characteristic sputtering erosion rate by about 44%, and reduces sputtering time scales by the same amount. Potential sputtering also introduces more material into the lunar exosphere.

Structure of AlN films deposited by magnetron sputtering method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nowakowska-Langier K.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available AlN films on a Si substrate were synthesized by magnetron sputtering method. A dual magnetron system operating in AC mode was used in the experiment. Processes of synthesis were carried out in the atmosphere of a mixture of Ar/N2. Morphology and phase structure of the AlN films were investigated at different pressures. Structural characterizations were performed by means of SEM and X-ray diffraction methods. Our results show that the use of magnetron sputtering method in a dual magnetron sputtering system is an effective way to produce AlN layers which are characterized by a good adhesion to the silicon substrate. The morphology of the films is strongly dependent on the Ar/N2 gas mixture pressure. An increase of the mixture pressure is accompanied by a columnar growth of the layers. The films obtained at the pressure below 1 Pa are characterized by finer and compacter structure. The AlN films are characterized by a polycrystalline hexagonal (wurtzite structure in which the crystallographic orientation depends on the gas mixture pressure.

Sputtered catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyerman, W.J.R.

1978-01-01

A method is described for preparing a supported catalyst by a sputtering process. A material that is catalytic, or which is a component of a catalytic system, is sputtered on to the surface of refractory oxide particles that are compatible with the sputtered material and the sputtered particles are consolidated into aggregate form. The oxide particles before sputtering should have a diameter in the range 1000A to 50μ and a porosity less than 0.4 ml/g, and may comprise MgO, Al 2 O 3 or SiO 2 or mixtures of these oxides, including hydraulic cement. The particles may possess catalytic activity by themselves or in combination with the catalytic material deposited on them. Sputtering may be effected epitaxially and consolidation may be effected by compaction pelleting, extrusion or spray drying of a slurry. Examples of the use of such catalysts are given. (U.K.)

Development of ZnO:Al-based transparent contacts deposited at low-temperature by RF-sputtering on InN layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez, S. [Departamento de Energias Renovables, Energia Solar Fotovoltaica, Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas (CIEMAT), Avda. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Naranjo, F.B.; Valdueza-Felip, S. [Grupo de Ingenieria Fotonica, Departamento de Electronica, Escuela Politecnica Superior, Universidad de Alcala Campus Universitario, 28871 Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Abril, O. de [ISOM and Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicacion, Universidad Politenica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2012-03-15

Nitride semiconductors (Al,Ga,In)N attain material properties that make them suitable for photovoltaic and optoelectronics devices to be used in hard environments. These properties include an energy gap continuously tuneable within the energy range of the solar spectrum, a high radiation resistance and thermal stability. The developing of efficient devices requires contacts with low resistivity and high transmittance in visible region. ZnO:Al (AZO) emerges as a feasible candidate for transparent contact to nitride semiconductors, taking advantage of its low resistivity, high transparency in visible wavelengths and a very low lattice mismatch with respect to nitride semiconductors. This work presents a study of the applications of AZO films deposited at low-temperature by RF magnetron sputtering as transparent contact for InN layers. The optimization of AZO conditions deposition lead to the obtaining of contacts which shows an ohmic behaviour for the as-deposited layer, regardless the thickness of the ZnO:Al contact layer. Specific contact resistances of 1.6 {omega}.cm{sup 2} were achieved for the contact with 90 nm thick ZnO:Al layer without any post-deposition treatment (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1976-10-01

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

Improved performance of dye-sensitized solar cell with a specially tailored TiO{sub 2} compact layer prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdullah, M.H., E-mail: hanapiah801@ppinang.uitm.edu.my [NANO-Electronic Centre, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); Rusop, M. [NANO-Electronic Centre, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); NANO-SciTech Centre, Institute of Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia)

2014-07-05

Highlights: • A novel gradient index antireflective TiO{sub 2} compact layer based DSSC was fabricated. • Higher right-shifted transmittance spectra favour the spectral response of N719 dye. • The arc-TiO{sub 2} film on ITO has decreased the charge interfacial resistance, R{sub 1}. • The arc-TiO{sub 2} film prevents electrons recombination at ITO and nc-TiO{sub 2} interfaces. • Almost 42% increment in the overall efficiency compared to the bare ITO cell. - Abstract: We demonstrate that a graded index TiO{sub 2} antireflective compact layer (arc-TiO{sub 2}) employed by RF sputtering can modulate the optical transmittance and reduce the electron recombination in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The spectral response of the DSSC is improved, due to higher and red-shifted transmittance spectra in a specific region that favours the sensitization effect of the dye. The effects of arc-TiO{sub 2} prepared at various RF sputtering powers to the performances of DSSC were investigated by means of the incident photo to current efficiency (IPCE), open-circuit voltage decay (OCVD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The slow decay of the photo-voltage attributed to the desirable merits of the arc-TiO{sub 2} compact layer has been evidenced by the OCVD measurement. Meanwhile, the improvement of adhesion between an arc-TiO{sub 2} film and porous-TiO{sub 2} has decreased the interfacial-charge resistance, R{sub 1} in the EIS measurement. This lower R{sub 1} then facilitates the charge-transfer process of the electron in the DSSC. At 100 W of RF power, these blended effects improved the overall conversion efficiency of the DSSC by an increase of 42% compared to the cell without the compact layer.

Fabrication of hydroxyapatite thin films on polyetheretherketone substrates using a sputtering technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozeki, K., E-mail: kazuhide.ozeki.365@vc.ibaraki.ac.jp [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ibaraki University, 4-12-1, Nakanarusawa, Hitachi, Ibaraki 316-8511 (Japan); Masuzawa, T. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ibaraki University, 4-12-1, Nakanarusawa, Hitachi, Ibaraki 316-8511 (Japan); Aoki, H. [International Apatite Institute Co., Ltd., 2-12-9, Misaki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0061 (Japan)

2017-03-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) thin films were coated on a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) substrate using a sputtering technique. A thin titanium (Ti) intermediate layer was formed between the HA and the PEEK surface to improve adhesion of the HA film to the PEEK substrate. The coated films were recrystallized using a hydrothermal treatment to reduce the dissolution of the HA film. The films were then characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. A pull-out test was performed to measure the film-to-substrate adhesion strength, and an immersion test was performed in ultra-pure water. In the XRD patterns of the sputtered film with the Ti intermediate layer on the PEEK substrate, small HA peaks and large Ti peaks were observed. After the hydrothermal treatment, the intensity of the HA peaks increased. The transmittance of the HA films with 5 and 10 nm Ti intermediate layers was > 79% and 68%, respectively, in the visible light wavelength region (400–700 nm) after the hydrothermal treatment. The adhesion strength of the hydrothermally treated HA films increased with decreasing thickness of the Ti intermediate layer, and the strength reached 2.7 MPa with the 5-nm-thick Ti intermediate layer. In the immersion test, the HA film with a 5-nm-thick Ti intermediate layer without hydrothermal treatment exhibited a released Ti concentration of 42.0 ± 2.4 ppb. After hydrothermal treatment, the released Ti concentration decreased to 17.3 ± 1.1 ppb. - Highlights: • Hydroxyapatite (HA) thin films were coated on a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) substrate using a sputtering technique. • A thin Ti intermediate layer was formed between the HA and the PEEK surface to improve adhesion of the HA film. • The adhesion strength of the HA films with the Ti intermediate layer increased with decreasing thickness of the Ti layer.

Fabrication of hydroxyapatite thin films on polyetheretherketone substrates using a sputtering technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozeki, K.; Masuzawa, T.; Aoki, H.

2017-01-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) thin films were coated on a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) substrate using a sputtering technique. A thin titanium (Ti) intermediate layer was formed between the HA and the PEEK surface to improve adhesion of the HA film to the PEEK substrate. The coated films were recrystallized using a hydrothermal treatment to reduce the dissolution of the HA film. The films were then characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. A pull-out test was performed to measure the film-to-substrate adhesion strength, and an immersion test was performed in ultra-pure water. In the XRD patterns of the sputtered film with the Ti intermediate layer on the PEEK substrate, small HA peaks and large Ti peaks were observed. After the hydrothermal treatment, the intensity of the HA peaks increased. The transmittance of the HA films with 5 and 10 nm Ti intermediate layers was > 79% and 68%, respectively, in the visible light wavelength region (400–700 nm) after the hydrothermal treatment. The adhesion strength of the hydrothermally treated HA films increased with decreasing thickness of the Ti intermediate layer, and the strength reached 2.7 MPa with the 5-nm-thick Ti intermediate layer. In the immersion test, the HA film with a 5-nm-thick Ti intermediate layer without hydrothermal treatment exhibited a released Ti concentration of 42.0 ± 2.4 ppb. After hydrothermal treatment, the released Ti concentration decreased to 17.3 ± 1.1 ppb. - Highlights: • Hydroxyapatite (HA) thin films were coated on a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) substrate using a sputtering technique. • A thin Ti intermediate layer was formed between the HA and the PEEK surface to improve adhesion of the HA film. • The adhesion strength of the HA films with the Ti intermediate layer increased with decreasing thickness of the Ti layer.

Achievement of normally-off AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistor with p-NiO{sub x} capping layer by sputtering and post-annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Shyh-Jer [Department of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Microelectronics and Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Chou, Cheng-Wei, E-mail: j2222222229@gmail.com [Department of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Microelectronics and Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Su, Yan-Kuin, E-mail: yksu@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Microelectronics and Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Lin, Jyun-Hao; Yu, Hsin-Chieh; Chen, De-Long [Department of Electrical Engineering, Institute of Microelectronics and Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Ruan, Jian-Long [National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China)

2017-04-15

Highlights: • A technique to fabricate normally off GaN-based high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) by sputtering and post-annealing p-NiO{sub x} capping layer. • The V{sub th} shifts from −3 V in the conventional transistor to 0.33 V, and on/off current ratio became 10{sup 7}. • The reverse gate leakage current is 10{sup −9} A/mm, and the off-state drain-leakage current is 10{sup −8} A/mm. • The V{sub th} hysteresis is extremely small at about 33 mV. - Abstract: In this paper, we present a technique to fabricate normally off GaN-based high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) by sputtering and post-annealing p-NiO{sub x} capping layer. The p-NiO{sub x} layer is produced by sputtering at room temperature and post-annealing at 500 °C for 30 min in pure O{sub 2} environment to achieve high hole concentration. The V{sub th} shifts from −3 V in the conventional transistor to 0.33 V, and on/off current ratio became 10{sup 7}. The forward and reverse gate breakdown increase from 3.5 V and −78 V to 10 V and −198 V, respectively. The reverse gate leakage current is 10{sup −9} A/mm, and the off-state drain-leakage current is 10{sup −8} A/mm. The V{sub th} hysteresis is extremely small at about 33 mV. We also investigate the mechanism that increases hole concentration of p-NiO{sub x} after annealing in oxygen environment resulted from the change of Ni{sup 2+} to Ni{sup 3+} and the surge of (111)-orientation.

Semiconducting Polymer Photodetectors with Electron and Hole Blocking Layers: High Detectivity in the Near-Infrared

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiong Gong

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Sensing from the ultraviolet-visible to the infrared is critical for a variety of industrial and scientific applications. Photodetectors with broad spectral response, from 300 nm to 1,100 nm, were fabricated using a narrow-band gap semiconducting polymer blended with a fullerene derivative. By using both an electron-blocking layer and a hole-blocking layer, the polymer photodetectors, operating at room temperature, exhibited calculated detectivities greater than 1013 cm Hz1/2/W over entire spectral range with linear dynamic range approximately 130 dB. The performance is comparable to or even better than Si photodetectors.

SiC formation for a solar cell passivation layer using an RF magnetron co-sputtering system

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

In this paper, we describe a method of amorphous silicon carbide film formation for a solar cell passivation layer. The film was deposited on p-type silicon (100) and glass substrates by an RF magnetron co-sputtering system using a Si target and a C target at a room-temperature condition. Several different SiC [Si1-xCx] film compositions were achieved by controlling the Si target power with a fixed C target power at 150 W. Then, structural, optical, and electrical properties of the Si1-xCx films were studied. The structural properties were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The optical properties were achieved by UV-visible spectroscopy and ellipsometry. The performance of Si1-xCx passivation was explored by carrier lifetime measurement. PMID:22221730

Applying RF Magnetron sputtering to prepare ZnO thin films and their characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saad, M.; Kassis, A.

2009-05-01

ZnO thin films were prepared using Rf magnetron sputtering under several preparation conditions (different values of deposition pressure, Rf power, substrate temperature). The optical properties of these films were investigated by measuring their transmission in the spectral range (300-1000 nm), and the electrical properties were investigated by measuring their electrical resistance. Results have been discussed in terms of the modified Thornton model for sputtered thin metal oxide films. Preparation conditions for depositing the highly resistive transparent i-ZnO buffer layer and the highly conducting transparent n-ZnO window layer for solar cells were proposed. (author)

Sputtering of molybdenum and tungsten nano rods and nodules irradiated with 150 eV argon ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghoniem, N.M.; Sehirlioglu, Alp; Neff, Anton L.; Allain, Jean-Paul; Williams, Brian; Sharghi-Moshtaghin, Reza

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The work was motivated by the idea of designing material surface architecture, using the CVD process, that can result in a reduction in the surface sputtering rate as compared to planar surfaces. • We present an experimental investigation of the effects of low energy (150 eV) Ar ions on surface sputtering, amorphization of near-surface layers, and the formation of surface ripples in Mo and W nano-rods and nano-nodules at room temperature. • We show that the sputtering rate decreases in all nano-architecture surfaces as compared to planar surfaces. • We discovered that energy deposition in the near surface layer in W leads to its amorphization at room temperature, to a depth of 5–10 nm. • We also show that surfaces of nano rods become rippled as a result of an ion-induced roughening instability. - Abstract: The influence of surface nano architecture on the sputtering and erosion of tungsten and molybdenum is discussed. We present an experimental investigation of the effects of low energy (150 eV) Ar ions on surface sputtering in Mo and W nano-rods and nano-nodules at room temperature. Measurements of the sputtering rate from Mo and W surfaces with nano architecture indicate that the surface topology plays an important role in the mechanism of surface erosion and restructuring. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is utilized as a material processing route to fabricate nano-architectures on the surfaces of W and Mo substrates. First, Re dendrites form as needles with cross-sections that have hexagonal symmetry, and are subsequently employed as scaffolding for further deposition of W and Mo to create nano rod surface architecture. The sputtering of surface atoms in these samples shows a marked dependence on their surface architecture. The sputtering rate is shown to decrease at normal ion incidence in all nano-architecture surfaces as compared to planar surfaces. Moreover, and unlike an increase in sputtering of planar crystalline surfaces, the

Carbon thin films deposited by the magnetron sputtering technique using cobalt, copper and nickel as buffer-layers; Filmes finos de carbono depositados por meio da tecnica de magnetron sputtering usando cobalto, cobre e niquel como buffer-layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa e Silva, Danilo Lopes

2015-11-01

In this work, carbon thin films were produced by the magnetron sputtering technique using single crystal substrates of alumina c-plane (0001) and Si (111) and Si (100) substrates, employing Co, Ni and Cu as intermediate films (buffer-layers). The depositions were conducted in three stages, first with cobalt buffer-layers where only after the production of a large number of samples, the depositions using cooper buffer-layers were carried out on Si substrates. Then, depositions were performed with nickel buffer layers using single-crystal alumina substrates. The crystallinity of the carbon films was evaluated by using the technique of Raman spectroscopy and, then, by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphological characterization of the films was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and FEG-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The XRD peaks related to the carbon films were observed only in the results of the samples with cobalt and nickel buffer-layers. The Raman spectroscopy showed that the carbon films with the best degree of crystallinity were the ones produced with Si (111) substrates, for the Cu buffers, and sapphire substrates for the Ni and Co buffers, where the latter resulted in a sample with the best crystallinity of all the ones produced in this work. It was observed that the cobalt has low recovering over the alumina substrates when compared to the nickel. Sorption tests of Ce ions by the carbon films were conducted in two samples and it was observed that the sorption did not occur probably because of the low crystallinity of the carbon films in both samples. (author)

DC-sputtered MoO{sub x} thin-films as hole transport layer in organic photovoltaic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cauduro, Andre L.F.; Ahmadpour, Mehrad; Rubahn, Horst-Guenter; Madsen, Morten, E-mail: cauduro@mci.sdu.dk [NanoSYD, University of Southern Denmark (Denmark); Reis, Roberto dos; Chen, Gong; Schmid, Andreas [National Center for Electron Microscopy, The Molecular Foundry, LBNL, Berkeley, CA (United States); Methivier, Christophe [Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS UMR, Laboratoire de Reactivite de Surface (LRS) (France); Witkowski, Nadine [Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR CNRS, Institut des Nanosciences de Paris (INSP) (France); Fichtner, Paulo F.P. [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre (Brazil)

2016-07-01

Full text: Molybdenum-oxide (MoO{sub x}) thin-films have attracted a lot of attention in the past years due to their unique ability to act as interfacial layers in novel electronics and energy applications. In the work presented here, large tuning possibilities in the electronic and optoelectronic properties of MoO{sub x} thin-films deposited by reactive sputtering using different oxygen partial pressures and annealing conditions are demonstrated along with the implementation of the films in organic photovoltaic. MoO{sub x} thin-films deposited under low oxygen partial pressure present a high conductivity of around 3.22 S.cm{sup -1}, however, as the oxygen partial pressure increases, the conductivity of the resulting films drops by up to around 10 orders of magnitude as the [O]/[Mo] ratio changes from 2.57 to beyond 3.00. Optical absorption measurements also show drastic changes mostly within the 0.60 eV - 2.50 eV spectral region for the same increase in oxygen concentration in [1]. UPS and XPS studies are conducted for accessing information about the work function and surface composition of the thin-films. The XPS spectra registered on the Mo 3d core level reveal how the oxidation state of Mo is affected by the partial pressure of oxygen during film growth. The work function of the films increase with annealing temperature and oxygen content, and span a tuning range of about 2 eV. To extract the spatially resolved work function values from the sputtered films, we use in addition Low Energy Electron Microscopy (LEEM). Finally, the application of the MoO{sub x} thin-films in organic optoelectronic devices is investigated by employing them as hole transport layers in small molecule photovoltaic, here based on DBP and C70. The work thus demonstrates a viable method for tuning the electronic and optoelectronic properties of MoO{sub x} thin-films, which can be applied in combination with a wide range of materials in e.g. organic photovoltaic. [1] A.L. Fernandes Cauduro

Impact of Plasma Electron Flux on Plasma Damage-Free Sputtering of Ultrathin Tin-Doped Indium Oxide Contact Layer on p-GaN for InGaN/GaN Light-Emitting Diodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Son, Kwang Jeong; Kim, Tae Kyoung; Cha, Yu-Jung; Oh, Seung Kyu; You, Shin-Jae; Ryou, Jae-Hyun; Kwak, Joon Seop

2018-02-01

The origin of plasma-induced damage on a p -type wide-bandgap layer during the sputtering of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) contact layers by using radiofrequency-superimposed direct current (DC) sputtering and its effects on the forward voltage and light output power (LOP) of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with sputtered ITO transparent conductive electrodes (TCE) is systematically studied. Changing the DC power voltage from negative to positive bias reduces the forward voltages and enhances the LOP of the LEDs. The positive DC power drastically decreases the electron flux in the plasma obtained by plasma diagnostics using a cutoff probe and a Langmuir probe, suggesting that the repulsion of plasma electrons from the p -GaN surface can reduce plasma-induced damage to the p -GaN. Furthermore, electron-beam irradiation on p -GaN prior to ITO deposition significantly increases the forward voltages, showing that the plasma electrons play an important role in plasma-induced damage to the p -GaN. The plasma electrons can increase the effective barrier height at the ITO/deep-level defect (DLD) band of p -GaN by compensating DLDs, resulting in the deterioration of the forward voltage and LOP. Finally, the plasma damage-free sputtered-ITO TCE enhances the LOP of the LEDs by 20% with a low forward voltage of 2.9 V at 20 mA compared to LEDs with conventional e-beam-evaporated ITO TCE.

Band gap engineering of tandem structured CIGS compound absorption layer fabricated by sputtering and selenization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, San; Sharma, Rahul; Sim, Jae-Kwan; Lee, Cheul-Ro

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Systematic band gap engineering to fabricate tandem Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 absorption layers. ► XRD shows prominent (1 1 2) reflection shift for attributed CIS, CIGS, and CGS phases. ► Optical transmittance and reflectance spectrum are improved towards infrared region. ► The Cu/In + Ga and Ga/In + Ga effect is matched with highest efficient solar cell. ► Tandem CIS/CIGS/CGS layer, the band gap is increased from 1.15 to 2.06 eV. -- Abstract: Band gap engineering was executed to fabricate a multi-junction stacked i.e. tandem Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) absorption layer. The CIGS absorption layers consist of multi-junction stacked CIS/CIGS/CGS thin films from bottom to top with increasing band gap. Tandem CIGS layers were fabricated by using three precursor of CuIn, In/CuGa/In, and CuGa onto the Mo coated soda-lime glass (SLG) by the sequential sputtering of CuIn, CuGa, and In targets. The CIG precursors were converted into CIGS absorption thin film by selenization process. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of CIS/CIGS/CGS tandem layer, with the prominent peak shift for (1 1 2) reflections was attributed to the individual CIS, CIGS, and CGS phases at 26.76°, 27.15°, and 27.65° diffraction angles, respectively. The morphologies and atomic (at%) composition uniformity onto the surface and along the depth were extensively analyzed with field effect scanning electron microscope (FESEM) attached energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). The optical properties such as transmittance, reflectance and absorbance were found to improve in the infrared region for all the tandem CIGS layers. Near the fundamental absorption edge, the absorption coefficient was approached to 10 5 cm −1 for CIS/CIGS/CGS tandem layer. The straight-line behavior indicates that the films have a direct band gap. The band gap was found to increase from 1.15 to 1.74 eV with the Ga-grading along the depth of individual CIS, CIGS, and CGS thin films

High power impulse magnetron sputtering and its applications

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, YUAN; Lizhen, YANG; Zhongwei, LIU; Qiang, CHEN

2018-04-01

High power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) has attracted a great deal of attention because the sputtered material is highly ionized during the coating process, which has been demonstrated to be advantageous for better quality coating. Therefore, the mechanism of the HiPIMS technique has recently been investigated. In this paper, the current knowledge of HiPIMS is described. We focus on the mechanical properties of the deposited thin film in the latest applications, including hard coatings, adhesion enhancement, tribological performance, and corrosion protection layers. A description of the electrical, optical, photocatalytic, and functional coating applications are presented. The prospects for HiPIMS are also discussed in this work.

Isotope puzzle in sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Liping

1998-01-01

Mechanisms affecting multicomponent material sputtering are complex. Isotope sputtering is the simplest in the multicomponent materials sputtering. Although only mass effect plays a dominant role in the isotope sputtering, there is still an isotope puzzle in sputtering by ion bombardment. The major arguments are as follows: (1) At the zero fluence, is the isotope enrichment ejection-angle-independent or ejection-angle-dependent? (2) Is the isotope angular effect the primary or the secondary sputter effect? (3) How to understand the action of momentum asymmetry in collision cascade on the isotope sputtering?

Increase of the blocking temperature of Fe–Ag granular multilayers with increasing number of the layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balogh, Judit [Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Kaptás, Dénes, E-mail: kaptas.denes@wigner.mta.hu [Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Kiss, László F. [Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Dézsi, István [Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Nakanishi, Akio [Department of Physics, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga 520-2192 (Japan); Devlin, Eamonn; Vasilakaki, Marianna; Margaris, George; Trohidou, Kalliopi N. [Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi, 15310 Athens (Greece)

2016-03-01

Multilayers of 0.4 nm Fe and 5 nm Ag with repetition number, n=1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 were prepared by vacuum evaporation onto Si wafer. The blocking temperature was determined by measuring the field cooled and zero field cooled magnetization curves with a SQUID magnetometer and it was found to increase by almost an order of magnitude from around 20 K for the single Fe layer sample up to around 160 K for n=20. Significant increase of the average size of the superparamagnetic Fe grains by increasing the number of the Fe layers was excluded by conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements of the paramagnetic state. The role of the dipole–dipole interactions and their interplay with the out-of-plain magnetic anisotropy in the variation of the blocking temperature has been investigated by Monte-Carlo simulations. - Highlights: • Multilayers of [0.4 nm Fe/5 nm Ag]{sub n} (n=1,2,5,10, and 20) were grown over Si. • Large increase of the superparamagnetic blocking temperature up to n=10 is observed. • The average Fe grain size does not change in the subsequent layers. • Perpendicular anisotropy enhances the dipolar coupling and the blocking temperature.

Simple model of surface roughness for binary collision sputtering simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsey, Sloan J.; Hobler, Gerhard; Maciążek, Dawid; Postawa, Zbigniew

2017-02-01

It has been shown that surface roughness can strongly influence the sputtering yield - especially at glancing incidence angles where the inclusion of surface roughness leads to an increase in sputtering yields. In this work, we propose a simple one-parameter model (the "density gradient model") which imitates surface roughness effects. In the model, the target's atomic density is assumed to vary linearly between the actual material density and zero. The layer width is the sole model parameter. The model has been implemented in the binary collision simulator IMSIL and has been evaluated against various geometric surface models for 5 keV Ga ions impinging an amorphous Si target. To aid the construction of a realistic rough surface topography, we have performed MD simulations of sequential 5 keV Ga impacts on an initially crystalline Si target. We show that our new model effectively reproduces the sputtering yield, with only minor variations in the energy and angular distributions of sputtered particles. The success of the density gradient model is attributed to a reduction of the reflection coefficient - leading to increased sputtering yields, similar in effect to surface roughness.

Obsidian hydration profiles measured by sputter-induced optical emission.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsong, I S; Houser, C A; Yusef, N A; Messier, R F; White, W B; Michels, J W

1978-07-28

The variation of concentrations of hydrogen, sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, silicon, and aluminum as a function of depth in the hydration layer of obsidian artifacts has been determined by sputter-induced optical emission. The surface hydration is accompanied by dealkalization, and there is a buildup of alkaline earths, calcium and magnesium in the outermost layers. These results have clarified the phenomena underlying the obsidian hydration dating technique.

The Photocatalytic Activity and Compact Layer Characteristics of TiO2 Films Prepared Using Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. C. Chang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available TiO2 compact layers are used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs to prevent charge recombination between the electrolyte and the transparent conductive substrate (indium tin oxide, ITO; fluorine-doped tin oxide, FTO. Thin TiO2 compact layers are deposited onto ITO/glass by means of radio frequency (rf magnetron sputtering, using deposition parameters that ensure greater photocatalytic activity and increased DSSC conversion efficiency. The photoinduced decomposition of methylene blue (MB and the photoinduced hydrophilicity of the TiO2 thin films are also investigated. The photocatalytic performance characteristics for the deposition of TiO2 films are improved by using the Grey-Taguchi method. The average transmittance in the visible region exceeds 85% for all samples. The XRD patterns of the TiO2 films, for sol-gel with spin coating of porous TiO2/TiO2 compact/ITO/glass, show a good crystalline structure. In contrast, without the TiO2 compact layer (only porous TiO2, the peak intensity of the anatase (101 plane in the XRD patterns for the TiO2 film has a lower value, which demonstrates inferior crystalline quality. With a TiO2 compact layer to prevent charge recombination, a higher short-circuit current density is obtained. The DSSC with the FTO/glass and Pt counter electrode demonstrates the energy conversion efficiency increased.

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.

Charge-state related effects in sputtering of LiF by swift heavy ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assmann, W. [Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 85748 Garching (Germany); Ban-d' Etat, B. [Centre de Recherche sur les Ions, les Matériaux et la photonique, CIMAP-GANIL, CEA–CNRS–ENSICAEN–Univ. Caen, 14070 Caen (France); Bender, M. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Boduch, P. [Centre de Recherche sur les Ions, les Matériaux et la photonique, CIMAP-GANIL, CEA–CNRS–ENSICAEN–Univ. Caen, 14070 Caen (France); Grande, P.L. [Univ. Fed. Rio Grande do Sul, BR-91501970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Lebius, H.; Lelièvre, D. [Centre de Recherche sur les Ions, les Matériaux et la photonique, CIMAP-GANIL, CEA–CNRS–ENSICAEN–Univ. Caen, 14070 Caen (France); Marmitt, G.G. [Univ. Fed. Rio Grande do Sul, BR-91501970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Rothard, H. [Centre de Recherche sur les Ions, les Matériaux et la photonique, CIMAP-GANIL, CEA–CNRS–ENSICAEN–Univ. Caen, 14070 Caen (France); Seidl, T.; Severin, D.; Voss, K.-O. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Toulemonde, M., E-mail: toulemonde@ganil.fr [Centre de Recherche sur les Ions, les Matériaux et la photonique, CIMAP-GANIL, CEA–CNRS–ENSICAEN–Univ. Caen, 14070 Caen (France); Trautmann, C. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt (Germany)

2017-02-01

Sputtering experiments with swift heavy ions in the electronic energy loss regime were performed by using the catcher technique in combination with elastic recoil detection analysis. The angular distribution of particles sputtered from the surface of LiF single crystals is composed of a jet-like peak superimposed on a broad isotropic distribution. By using incident ions of fixed energy but different charges states, the influence of the electronic energy loss on both components is probed. We find indications that isotropic sputtering originates from near-surface layers, whereas the jet component may be affected by contributions from depth up to about 150 nm.

Preparation of YBaCuO superconducting tape by RF magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fukutomi, Masao; Akutsu, Nakao; Tanaka, Yoshiaki; Asano, Toshihisa; Maeda, Hiroshi (National Research Inst. for Metals, Tsukuba (Japan); Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan))

1989-04-01

The effect of buffer layers, conditions of film preparation, and the relation between superconducting characteristics and bombardment of high energy ions on films were discussed in an attempt to fabricate YBaCuO films on metallic substrates by sputtering. Hastelloy-X tapes and Chromel (Ni-10Cr) fine wires were used as metallic substrates, and MgO films as buffer layers, which were provided by sputtering a MgO sintered target and annealing. As a result, superconducting films were favorably obtained on the Hastelloy tapes with the MgO buffer layers, however, counter diffusion at the interface of the film and layer was unavoidable in annealing. C axis-highly oriented film with high zero resistance Tc was obtained in such an arrangement of the target and substrate as to lower the effect of 0{sup {minus}} ion resputtering, resulting in the most favorable Tc=80.4K. YBaCuO superconducting films could be also deposited on a bundle of Chromel fine wires preliminarily. 11 refs., 7 figs.

Influences of alcoholic solvents on spray pyrolysis deposition of TiO{sub 2} blocking layer films for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Changyun, E-mail: jiangc@imre.a-star.edu.sg [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A-STAR, 3 Research Link, 117602 Singapore (Singapore); Koh, Wei Lin; Leung, Man Yin [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A-STAR, 3 Research Link, 117602 Singapore (Singapore); Hong, Wei [Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN), University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West ON, Waterloo, Canada N2L 3G1 (Canada); Li, Yuning, E-mail: yuning.li@uwaterloo.ca [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A-STAR, 3 Research Link, 117602 Singapore (Singapore); Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN), University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West ON, Waterloo, Canada N2L 3G1 (Canada); Zhang, Jie [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A-STAR, 3 Research Link, 117602 Singapore (Singapore)

2013-02-15

Influences of alcoholic solvents for titanium diisopropoxide bis(acetylacetonate) (TPA) precursor solutions on the spray pyrolysis deposited TiO{sub 2} films and the photovoltaic performance of the solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (SDSCs) using these TiO{sub 2} films as the blocking layers were investigated. Smooth TiO{sub 2} films were obtained by spray pyrolysis deposition of a TPA solution in isopropanol (IPA) at a relatively low temperature of 260 Degree-Sign C. On the other hand, when ethanol was used as solvent, the TiO{sub 2} films fabricated at the same temperature showed much rougher surfaces with many pinholes. Our results showed that ethanol reacts with TPA to form titanium diethoxide bis(acetylacetonate) (TEA), which requires a higher thermal decomposition temperature than that of TPA. SDSCs with TiO{sub 2} blocking layer films fabricated using a TPA solution in IPA showed higher power conversion efficiencies with smaller variations. - Graphical abstract: Alcoholic solvents used for the TiO{sub 2} precursor play a critical role in determining the surface morphology of blocking layers and thus the photovoltaic performance of the SDSCs. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Solvent influences morphology of spray pyrolysis deposited TiO{sub 2} blocking layer. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ethanol reacts with TPA, resulting poor quality of blocking layer. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Isopropanol is better than ethanol for obtaining smooth blocking layer. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SDSC with blocking layer made with isopropanol showed better performance.

Optical properties of palladium nanoparticles under exposure of hydrogen and inert gas prepared by dewetting synthesis of thin-sputtered layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kracker, Michael, E-mail: Michael.Kracker@uni-jena.de; Worsch, Christian; Ruessel, Christian [Otto-Schott-Institut, Jena University (Germany)

2013-04-15

Thin layers of palladium with a thickness of 5 nm were sputtered on fused silica substrates. Subsequently, the coated glasses were annealed at a temperature of 900 Degree-Sign C for 1 h. This resulted in the formation of small and well-separated palladium nanoparticles with diameters in the range from 20 to 200 nm on the glass surface. The existence of a palladium oxide layer can be detected using optical absorption spectroscopy. Purging with hydrogen leads to an irreversible change in the optical spectra due to the reduction of PdO to metallic palladium. Changing the gas atmosphere from hydrogen to argon leads to significant reversible changes in the optical properties of the particle layer. Based on Mie theory and the respective dielectric functions, the spectra were calculated using the real particle size distribution, weighted dispersions relation to adapt the geometrical conditions and complex dielectric functions of palladium and palladium hydride. A good agreement with measured spectra was found and the dependency of the surrounding media can be explained.Graphical Abstract.

Au-coated 3-D nanoporous titania layer prepared using polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) block copolymer nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Won-Jeong; Basarir, Fevzihan; Yoon, Tae-Ho; Lee, Jae-Suk

2009-04-09

New nanoporous structures of Au-coated titania layers were prepared by using amphiphilic block copolymer nanoparticles as a template. A 3-D template composed of self-assembled quaternized polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (Q-PS-b-P2VP) block copolymer nanoparticles below 100 nm was prepared. The core-shell-type nanoparticles were well ordered three-dimensionally using the vertical immersion method on the substrate. The polar solvents were added to the polymer solution to prevent particle merging at 40 degrees C when considering the interaction between polymer nanoparticles and solvents. Furthermore, Au-coated PS-b-P2VP nanoparticles were prepared using thiol-capped Au nanoparticles (3 nm). The 3-D arrays with Au-coated PS-b-P2VP nanoparticles as a template contributed to the preparation of the nanoporous Au-coated titania layer. Therefore, the nanoporous Au-coated titania layer was fabricated by removing PS-b-P2VP block copolymer nanoparticles by oxygen plasma etching.

Solar system sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Tombrello, T. A.

1982-01-01

The sites and materials involved in solar system sputtering of planetary surfaces are reviewed, together with existing models for the processes of sputtering. Attention is given to the interaction of the solar wind with planetary atmospheres in terms of the role played by the solar wind in affecting the He-4 budget in the Venus atmosphere, and the erosion and differentiation of the Mars atmosphere by solar wind sputtering. The study is extended to the production of isotopic fractionation and anomalies in interplanetary grains by irradiation, and to erosion effects on planetary satellites with frozen volatile surfaces, such as with Io, Europa, and Ganymede. Further measurements are recommended of the molecular form of the ejected material, the yields and energy spectra of the sputtered products, the iosotopic fractionation sputtering causes, and the possibility of electronic sputtering enhancement with materials such as silicates.

Detection of organic vapors on sputtered and annealed thin Au films

Science.gov (United States)

Kvitek, O.; Kopacek, V.; Reznickova, A.; Svorcik, V.

2018-03-01

Unique optical properties of metal nanostructures enable construction of new types of chemical sensors. Nanostructures composed of Au on glass substrate were prepared by annealing of 2-20 nm thick sputtered Au films at 300 °C for 1 h. The annealing leads to transformation of the as sputtered continuous Au layers to a nanoisland structure. The forming nanostructure shows a strong, well defined surface plasmon resonance absorption band in UV-Vis spectrum, which is useful for construction of a chemical sensor. The samples were used to detect vapors of acetone and water in an experimental testing apparatus. The achieved signal-to-noise ratio was 583 and 386 for acetone and water vapors, respectively on the nanostructure prepared from 4 nm thick Au layer. The nanostructured sensitive layers, however, showed poor signal stability; therefore a polymer overlayer was introduced to protect it. The employed polystyrene film prepared by spin-coating improved sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor, while the dynamic properties of the sensing influenced only slightly.

Surface chemistry and cytotoxicity of reactively sputtered tantalum oxide films on NiTi plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McNamara, K. [Materials and Surface Science Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Department of Physics & Energy, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Kolaj-Robin, O.; Belochapkine, S.; Laffir, F. [Materials and Surface Science Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Gandhi, A.A. [Materials and Surface Science Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Department of Physics & Energy, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Tofail, S.A.M., E-mail: tofail.syed@ul.ie [Materials and Surface Science Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Department of Physics & Energy, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland)

2015-08-31

NiTi, an equiatomic alloy containing nickel and titanium, exhibits unique properties such as shape memory effect and superelasticity. NiTi also forms a spontaneous protective titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) layer that allows its use in biomedical applications. Despite the widely perceived biocompatibility there remain some concerns about the sustainability of the alloy's biocompatibility due to the defects in the TiO{sub 2} protective layer and the presence of high amount of sub-surface Ni, which can give allergic reactions. Many surface treatments have been investigated to try to improve both the corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of this layer. For such purposes, we have sputter deposited tantalum (Ta) oxide thin films onto the surface of the NiTi alloy. Despite being one of the promising metals for biomedical applications, Ta, and its various oxides and their interactions with cells have received relatively less attention. The oxidation chemistry, crystal structure, morphology and biocompatibility of these films have been investigated. In general, reactive sputtering especially in the presence of a low oxygen mixture yields a thicker film with better control of the film quality. The sputtering power influenced the surface oxidation states of Ta. Both microscopic and quantitative cytotoxicity measurements show that Ta films on NiTi are biocompatible with little to no variation in cytotoxic response when the surface oxidation state of Ta changes. - Highlights: • Reactive sputtering in low oxygen mixture yields thicker better quality films. • Sputtering power influenced surface oxidation states of Ta. • Cytotoxicity measurements show Ta films on NiTi are biocompatible. • Little to no variation in cytotoxic response when oxidation state changes.

Improved fill factor in inverted planar perovskite solar cells with zirconium acetate as the hole-and-ion-blocking layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuewen; Liang, Chunjun; Sun, Mengjie; Zhang, Huimin; Ji, Chao; Guo, Zebang; Xu, Yajun; Sun, Fulin; Song, Qi; He, Zhiqun

2018-03-14

Planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have gained great interest due to their low-temperature solution preparation and simple process. In inverted planar PSCs, an additional buffer layer is usually needed on the top of the PCBM electron-transport layer (ETL) to enhance the device performance. In this work, we used a new buffer layer, zirconium acetate (Zr(Ac) 4 ). The inclusion of the Zr(Ac) 4 buffer layer leads to the increase of FF from ∼68% to ∼79% and PCE from ∼14% to ∼17% in the planar PSCs. The UPS measurement indicates that the Zr(Ac) 4 layer has a low HOMO level of -8.2 eV, indicating that the buffer layer can act as a hole-blocking layer. Surface morphology and surface chemistry investigations reveal that the elements I, MA and Pb can diffuse across the PCBM ETL, damaging the device performance. The covering Zr(Ac) 4 molecules fill in the pinholes of the PCBM layer and effectively block the ions/molecules of the perovskite from diffusion across the ETL. The resulting more robust PCBM/Zr(Ac) 4 ETL leads to weaker ionic charge accumulation and lower diode leakage current. The double role of hole-and-ion blocking of the Zr(Ac) 4 layer explains the improved FF and PCE in the PSCs.

Sputtering of copper (110) by 3 keV argon - a computer simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weygandt, A.; King, B.V.

1998-01-01

The aims of this study are to investigate the angular distribution of atoms sputtered from {110} surface of a copper monocrystal due to normal incidence 3 keV Argon impact as well as to examine the change of sputtering behaviour with temperature from 0 K to 670 K. We have used the Molecular Dynamics (MD) code SPUT93 to study sputtering. In MD codes Newton's equations of motion are solved simultanously for all atoms of a crystal. The forces acting on a particle are found from derivatives of a model potential function. For the present study an embedded atom method (EAM) potential was used. It was found that the total sputter yield for the warm crystal (670K) of 3.13 ± 0.03 is in agreement with experimental results and indicate that the temperature of the target has generally no direct influence on the sputtering yield. It was estimated that heating the crystal only causes more uniform emission. It was also found that ejection due to the collisions between atoms in the top layers along closed-packed directions become important. The mechanisms which determine the angular distributions of atoms sputtered from a copper crystal were identified

Effect of argon ion sputtering of surface on hydrogen permeation through vanadium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamawaki, Michio; Namba, Takashi; Yoneoka, Toshiaki; Kanno, Masayoshi; Shida, Koji.

1983-01-01

In order to measure the hydrogen permeation rate through V with atomically cleaned surface, an Ar ion sputtering apparatus has been installed in the hydrogen permeability measuring system. The permeation rate of the initial specimen was found to be increased by about one order of magnitude after Ar ion sputtering of its upstream side surface. Repeating of such a sputter-cleaning was not so much effective in increasing the steady state permeation rate as the initial sputtering was, but it accelerated the transient response rate by a factor of 2 or 3. The transient response rate was also accelerated by the increase of hydrogen pressure, but this effect tended to be diminished by the sputter-cleaning of specimen surface. The surface impurity layer on the downstream side of specimen was also inferred to act as a diffusion barrier affecting the steady state permeation rate. The present value of activation energy for hydrogen permeation through V at temperatures below 873K was the smallest one ever obtained, showing that the surface effect was minimized in the present study on account of the surface sputter-cleaning in addition to the ultra high vacuum system. (author)

Temperature stable LiNbO3 surface acoustic wave device with diode sputtered amorphous TeO2 over-layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewan, Namrata; Tomar, Monika; Gupta, Vinay; Sreenivas, K.

2005-01-01

Amorphous TeO 2 thin film, sputtered in the O 2 +Ar(25%+75%) gas environment using a metallic tellurium target, has been identified as an attractive negative temperature coefficient of delay (TCD) material that can yield a temperature stable device when combined with a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device based on positive TCD material such as LiNbO 3 . The influence of amorphous TeO 2 over-layer on the SAW propagation characteristics (velocity and temperature coefficient of delay) of the SAW filters (36 and 70 MHz) based on 128 deg. rotated Y-cut X-propagating lithium niobate (128 deg. Y-X LiNbO 3 ) single crystal has been studied. It is found that 0.042 λ thick TeO 2 over-layer on a prefabricated SAW device operating at 36 MHz centre frequency, reduces the TCD of the device from 76 ppm deg. C -1 to almost zero (∼1.4 ppm deg. C -1 ) without deteriorating its efficiency and could be considered as a suitable alternative for temperature stable devices in comparison to conventional SiO 2 over-layer

Carbon thin films deposited by the magnetron sputtering technique using cobalt, copper and nickel as buffer-layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa e Silva, Danilo Lopes

2015-01-01

In this work, carbon thin films were produced by the magnetron sputtering technique using single crystal substrates of alumina c-plane (0001) and Si (111) and Si (100) substrates, employing Co, Ni and Cu as intermediate films (buffer-layers). The depositions were conducted in three stages, first with cobalt buffer-layers where only after the production of a large number of samples, the depositions using cooper buffer-layers were carried out on Si substrates. Then, depositions were performed with nickel buffer layers using single-crystal alumina substrates. The crystallinity of the carbon films was evaluated by using the technique of Raman spectroscopy and, then, by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphological characterization of the films was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and FEG-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The XRD peaks related to the carbon films were observed only in the results of the samples with cobalt and nickel buffer-layers. The Raman spectroscopy showed that the carbon films with the best degree of crystallinity were the ones produced with Si (111) substrates, for the Cu buffers, and sapphire substrates for the Ni and Co buffers, where the latter resulted in a sample with the best crystallinity of all the ones produced in this work. It was observed that the cobalt has low recovering over the alumina substrates when compared to the nickel. Sorption tests of Ce ions by the carbon films were conducted in two samples and it was observed that the sorption did not occur probably because of the low crystallinity of the carbon films in both samples. (author)

Band gap engineering of tandem structured CIGS compound absorption layer fabricated by sputtering and selenization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, San; Sharma, Rahul; Sim, Jae-Kwan [Semiconductor Materials Processing Laboratory, School of Advanced Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Research Center for Advanced Materials Development (RCAMD), Chonbuk National University, Deokjin-dong 664-14, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Cheul-Ro, E-mail: crlee7@jbnu.ac.kr [Semiconductor Materials Processing Laboratory, School of Advanced Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Research Center for Advanced Materials Development (RCAMD), Chonbuk National University, Deokjin-dong 664-14, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-06-25

Highlights: ► Systematic band gap engineering to fabricate tandem Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} absorption layers. ► XRD shows prominent (1 1 2) reflection shift for attributed CIS, CIGS, and CGS phases. ► Optical transmittance and reflectance spectrum are improved towards infrared region. ► The Cu/In + Ga and Ga/In + Ga effect is matched with highest efficient solar cell. ► Tandem CIS/CIGS/CGS layer, the band gap is increased from 1.15 to 2.06 eV. -- Abstract: Band gap engineering was executed to fabricate a multi-junction stacked i.e. tandem Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGS) absorption layer. The CIGS absorption layers consist of multi-junction stacked CIS/CIGS/CGS thin films from bottom to top with increasing band gap. Tandem CIGS layers were fabricated by using three precursor of CuIn, In/CuGa/In, and CuGa onto the Mo coated soda-lime glass (SLG) by the sequential sputtering of CuIn, CuGa, and In targets. The CIG precursors were converted into CIGS absorption thin film by selenization process. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of CIS/CIGS/CGS tandem layer, with the prominent peak shift for (1 1 2) reflections was attributed to the individual CIS, CIGS, and CGS phases at 26.76°, 27.15°, and 27.65° diffraction angles, respectively. The morphologies and atomic (at%) composition uniformity onto the surface and along the depth were extensively analyzed with field effect scanning electron microscope (FESEM) attached energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). The optical properties such as transmittance, reflectance and absorbance were found to improve in the infrared region for all the tandem CIGS layers. Near the fundamental absorption edge, the absorption coefficient was approached to 10{sup 5} cm{sup −1} for CIS/CIGS/CGS tandem layer. The straight-line behavior indicates that the films have a direct band gap. The band gap was found to increase from 1.15 to 1.74 eV with the Ga-grading along the depth of individual CIS, CIGS

Nitinol: Tubing versus sputtered film - microcleanliness and corrosion behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Wohlschlögel, Markus; Lima de Miranda, Rodrigo; Schüßler, Andreas; Quandt, Eckhard

2016-08-01

Corrosion behavior and microcleanliness of medical-device grade Nitinol tubing (Nix Ti1- x , x = 0.51; outer diameter 7 mm, wall thickness 0.5 mm), drawn from various ingot qualities, are compared to the characteristics of sputtered Nitinol film material (Nix Ti1- x , x = 0.51; thickness 50 µm). Electropolished tubing half-shell samples are tested versus as-received sputtered film samples. Inclusion size distributions are assessed using quantitative metallography and corrosion behavior is investigated by potentiodynamic polarization testing in phosphate-buffered saline at body temperature. For the sputtered film samples, the surface chemistry is additionally analyzed employing Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) composition-depth profiling. Results show that the fraction of breakdowns in the potentiodynamic polarization test correlates with number and size of the inclusions in the material. For the sputtered Nitinol film material no inclusions were detectable by light microscopy on the one hand and no breakdowns were found in the potentiodynamic polarization test on the other hand. As for electropolished Nitinol, the sputtered Nitinol film material reveals Nickel depletion and an Oxygen-to-Titanium intensity ratio of ∼2:1 in the surface oxide layer, as measured by AES. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1176-1181, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Improvement of corrosion resistance of transparent conductive multilayer coating consisting of silver layers and transparent metal oxide layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koike, Katsuhiko; Yamazaki, Fumiharu; Okamura, Tomoyuki; Fukuda, Shin

2007-01-01

An optical filter for plasma display panel (PDP) requires an electromagnetic shield with very high ability. The authors investigated a transparent conductive multilayer coating consisting of silver (Ag) layers and transparent metal oxide layers. The durability of the multilayer sputter coating, including the silver layer, is very sensitive to the surrounding atmosphere. For example, after an exposure test they found discolored points on the multilayer sputter coatings, possibly caused by migration of silver atoms in the silver layers. In their investigation, they modified the top surface of the multilayer sputter coatings with transition metals to improve the corrosion resistance of the multilayer coating. Specifically, they deposited transition metals 0.5-2 nm thick on the top surface of the multilayer coatings by sputtering. They chose indium tin oxide (ITO) as the transparent metal oxide. They applied the multilayer sputter coatings of seven layers to a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film substrate. A cross-sectional structure of the film with the multilayer coatings is PET film/ITO/Ag/ITO/Ag/ITO/Ag/ITO. They evaluated the corrosion resistance of the films by a salt-water immersion test. In the test, they immersed the film with multilayer coatings into salt water, and then evaluated the appearance, transmittance, and electrical resistance of the multilayer coatings. They investigated several transition metals as the modifying material, and found that titanium and tantalum drastically improved the resistance of the multilayer coatings to the salt-water exposure without a significant decline in transmittance. They also investigated the relation between elapsed time after deposition of the modifying materials and resistance to the salt water. Furthermore, they investigated the effects of a heat treatment and an oxide plasma treatment on resistance to the salt water

Organic field-effect transistor nonvolatile memories utilizing sputtered C nanoparticles as nano-floating-gate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jie; Liu, Chang-Hai; She, Xiao-Jian; Sun, Qi-Jun; Gao, Xu; Wang, Sui-Dong, E-mail: wangsd@suda.edu.cn [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China)

2014-10-20

High-performance organic field-effect transistor nonvolatile memories have been achieved using sputtered C nanoparticles as the nano-floating-gate. The sputtered C nano-floating-gate is prepared with low-cost material and simple process, forming uniform and discrete charge trapping sites covered by a smooth and complete polystyrene layer. The devices show large memory window, excellent retention capability, and programming/reading/erasing/reading endurance. The sputtered C nano-floating-gate can effectively trap both holes and electrons, and it is demonstrated to be suitable for not only p-type but also n-type organic field-effect transistor nonvolatile memories.

Organic field-effect transistor nonvolatile memories utilizing sputtered C nanoparticles as nano-floating-gate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Jie; Liu, Chang-Hai; She, Xiao-Jian; Sun, Qi-Jun; Gao, Xu; Wang, Sui-Dong

2014-01-01

High-performance organic field-effect transistor nonvolatile memories have been achieved using sputtered C nanoparticles as the nano-floating-gate. The sputtered C nano-floating-gate is prepared with low-cost material and simple process, forming uniform and discrete charge trapping sites covered by a smooth and complete polystyrene layer. The devices show large memory window, excellent retention capability, and programming/reading/erasing/reading endurance. The sputtered C nano-floating-gate can effectively trap both holes and electrons, and it is demonstrated to be suitable for not only p-type but also n-type organic field-effect transistor nonvolatile memories.

Sputtered indium-tin oxide/cadmium telluride junctions and cadmium telluride surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courreges, F.G.; Fahrenbruch, A.L.; Bube, R.H.

1980-01-01

The properties of indium-tin oxide (ITO)/CdTe junction solar cells prepared by rf sputtering of ITO on P-doped CdTe single-crystal substrates have been investigated through measurements of the electrical and photovoltaic properties of ITO/CdTe and In/CdTe junctions, and of electron beam induced currents (EBIC) in ITO/CdTe junctions. In addition, surface properties of CdTe related to the sputtering process were investigated as a function of sputter etching and thermal oxidation using the techniques of surface photovoltage and photoluminescence. ITO/CdTe cells prepared by this sputtering method consist of an n + -ITO/n-CdTe/p-CdTe buried homojunction with about a 1-μm-thick n-type CdTe layer formed by heating of the surface of the CdTe during sputtering. Solar efficiencies up to 8% have been observed with V/sub 0c/=0.82 V and J/sub s/c=14.5 mA/cm 2 . The chief degradation mechanism involves a decrease in V/sub 0c/ with a transformation of the buried homojunction structure to an actual ITO/CdTe heterojunction

Influence of post-hydrogenation upon electrical, optical and structural properties of hydrogen-less sputter-deposited amorphous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerke, S., E-mail: sebastian.gerke@uni-konstanz.de [Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457 (Germany); Becker, H.-W.; Rogalla, D. [RUBION — Central Unit for Ion Beams and Radioisotopes, University of Bochum, Bochum, 44780 (Germany); Singer, F.; Brinkmann, N.; Fritz, S.; Hammud, A.; Keller, P.; Skorka, D.; Sommer, D. [Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457 (Germany); Weiß, C. [Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstraße 2, 79110 Freiburg (Germany); Flege, S. [Department of Materials Science, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt 64287 (Germany); Hahn, G. [Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457 (Germany); Job, R. [Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Münster University of Applied Sciences, Steinfurt 48565 (Germany); Terheiden, B. [Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457 (Germany)

2016-01-01

Amorphous silicon (a-Si) is common in the production of technical devices and can be deposited by several techniques. In this study intrinsic and doped, hydrogen-less amorphous silicon films are RF magnetron sputter deposited and post-hydrogenated in a remote hydrogen plasma reactor at a temperature of 370 °C. Secondary ion mass spectrometry of a boron doped (p) a-Si layer shows that the concentration of dopants in the sputtered layer becomes the same as present in the sputter-target. Improved surface passivation of phosphorous doped 5 Ω cm, FZ, (n) c-Si can be achieved by post-hydrogenation yielding a minority carrier lifetime of ~ 360 μs finding an optimum for ~ 40 nm thin films, deposited at 325 °C. This relatively low minority carrier lifetime indicates high disorder of the hydrogen-less sputter deposited amorphous network. Post-hydrogenation leads to a decrease of the number of localized states within the band gap. Optical band gaps (Taucs gab as well as E{sub 04}) can be determined to ~ 1.88 eV after post-hydrogenation. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and optical Raman investigations show that the sputtered layers are amorphous and stay like this during post-hydrogenation. As a consequence of the missing hydrogen during deposition, sputtered a-Si forms a rough surface compared to CVD a-Si. Atomic force microscopy points out that the roughness decreases by up to 25% during post-hydrogenation. Nuclear resonant reaction analysis permits the investigation of hydrogen depth profiles and allows determining the diffusion coefficients of several post-hydrogenated samples from of a model developed within this work. A dependency of diffusion coefficients on the duration of post-hydrogenation indicates trapping diffusion as the main diffusion mechanism. Additional Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements show that hardly any interstitial hydrogen exists in the post-hydrogenated a-Si layers. The results of this study open the way for

RF Reactive Magnetron Sputter Deposition of Silicon Sub-Oxides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hattum, E.D. van

2007-01-01

RF reactive magnetron plasma sputter deposition of silicon sub oxide E.D. van Hattum Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Utrecht University The work described in the thesis has been inspired and stimulated by the use of SiOx layers in the direct inductive printing technology,

Artificial twin-layer configurations of Zn(O,S) films by radio frequency sputtering in all dry processed eco-friendly Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei; Fan, Yu; Li, Xiaodong; Lin, Shuping; Liu, Yang; Shi, Sihan; Wang, He; Zhou, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Yi; Sun, Yun

2018-03-01

Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells are of great interest for research and industrial applications with their high conversion efficiencies, long-term stability and significant lifetimes. Such a solar cell of a p-n junction consists of p-type Cu(In,Ga)Se2 films as a light absorber and n-type CdS as a buffer layer, which often emerges with intrinsic ZnO. Aimed at eco-friendly fabrication protocols, a large number of strategies have been investigated to fabricate a Cd-free n-type buffer layer such as Zn(O,S) in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells. Also, if the Zn(O,S) films are prepared by coevaporation or sputtering, it will offer high compatibility with the preferred mass production. Here, we propose and optimize a dry method for Zn(O,S) deposition in a radio frequency sputtering. In particular, the strategy for the twin-layer configurations of Zn(O,S) films not only greatly improve their electrical conductance and suppress charge carrier recombination, but also avoid degradation of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interfaces. Indeed, the high quality of such twin Zn(O,S) layers have been reflected in the similar conversion efficiencies of the complete solar cells as well as the large short-circuit current density, which exceeds the CdS reference device. In addition, Zn(O,S) twin layers have reduced the production time and materials by replacing the CdS/i-ZnO layers, which removes two fabrication steps in the multilayered thin film solar cells. Furthermore, the device physics for such improvements have been fully unveiled with both experimental current-voltage and capacitance-voltage spectroscopies and device simulations via wxAMPS program. Finally, the proposed twin-layer Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interfaces account for the broadening of the depletion region of photogenerated charge carriers, which greatly suppress the carrier recombination at the space charge region, and eventually lead to the more efficient collection of charge carriers at both electrodes.

Influence of the mechanical properties of sputtered Mo solar cell back contacts on laser scribing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schultz, Christof; Schuele, Manuel; Quaschning, Volker; Stegemann, Bert; Fink, Frank [University of Applied Sciences (HTW) Berlin, Wilhelminenhofstr. 75A, 12459 Berlin (Germany); Endert, Heinrich [Newport Spectra-Physics GmbH, Ruhlsdorfer Strasse 95, 14532 Stahnsdorf (Germany); Bonse, Joern [BAM Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung, Berlin (Germany); Rau, Bjoern; Schlatmann, Rutger [PVcomB - Competence Centre Thin-Film and Nanotechnology for Photovoltaics Berlin, Schwarzschildstr. 3, 12489 Berlin (Germany)

2012-07-01

In thin-film photovoltaics complete laser structuring of the solar modules is aimed to perform appropriate monolithic serial interconnection. We have studied the laser ablation behavior of sputtered molybdenum back contacts for chalcopyrite solar cells. The properties of these Mo layer are sensitive to the sputter conditions. The process pressure influences the mechanical layer properties and, thus, contributes directly to the quality of the laser scribes. Precise, reliable and reproducible laser scribing requires the proper adaptation of the laser parameters to the material properties. In our study it was achieved by comprehensive analysis of the laser matter interaction and by detailed determination of the ablation thresholds as a function of the Mo layer thickness and ductility for different laser wavelengths and pulse durations, accompanied by thermal modeling.

Simple model of surface roughness for binary collision sputtering simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindsey, Sloan J. [Institute of Solid-State Electronics, TU Wien, Floragasse 7, A-1040 Wien (Austria); Hobler, Gerhard, E-mail: gerhard.hobler@tuwien.ac.at [Institute of Solid-State Electronics, TU Wien, Floragasse 7, A-1040 Wien (Austria); Maciążek, Dawid; Postawa, Zbigniew [Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, ul. Lojasiewicza 11, 30348 Kraków (Poland)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • A simple model of surface roughness is proposed. • Its key feature is a linearly varying target density at the surface. • The model can be used in 1D/2D/3D Monte Carlo binary collision simulations. • The model fits well experimental glancing incidence sputtering yield data. - Abstract: It has been shown that surface roughness can strongly influence the sputtering yield – especially at glancing incidence angles where the inclusion of surface roughness leads to an increase in sputtering yields. In this work, we propose a simple one-parameter model (the “density gradient model”) which imitates surface roughness effects. In the model, the target’s atomic density is assumed to vary linearly between the actual material density and zero. The layer width is the sole model parameter. The model has been implemented in the binary collision simulator IMSIL and has been evaluated against various geometric surface models for 5 keV Ga ions impinging an amorphous Si target. To aid the construction of a realistic rough surface topography, we have performed MD simulations of sequential 5 keV Ga impacts on an initially crystalline Si target. We show that our new model effectively reproduces the sputtering yield, with only minor variations in the energy and angular distributions of sputtered particles. The success of the density gradient model is attributed to a reduction of the reflection coefficient – leading to increased sputtering yields, similar in effect to surface roughness.

Simple model of surface roughness for binary collision sputtering simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindsey, Sloan J.; Hobler, Gerhard; Maciążek, Dawid; Postawa, Zbigniew

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A simple model of surface roughness is proposed. • Its key feature is a linearly varying target density at the surface. • The model can be used in 1D/2D/3D Monte Carlo binary collision simulations. • The model fits well experimental glancing incidence sputtering yield data. - Abstract: It has been shown that surface roughness can strongly influence the sputtering yield – especially at glancing incidence angles where the inclusion of surface roughness leads to an increase in sputtering yields. In this work, we propose a simple one-parameter model (the “density gradient model”) which imitates surface roughness effects. In the model, the target’s atomic density is assumed to vary linearly between the actual material density and zero. The layer width is the sole model parameter. The model has been implemented in the binary collision simulator IMSIL and has been evaluated against various geometric surface models for 5 keV Ga ions impinging an amorphous Si target. To aid the construction of a realistic rough surface topography, we have performed MD simulations of sequential 5 keV Ga impacts on an initially crystalline Si target. We show that our new model effectively reproduces the sputtering yield, with only minor variations in the energy and angular distributions of sputtered particles. The success of the density gradient model is attributed to a reduction of the reflection coefficient – leading to increased sputtering yields, similar in effect to surface roughness.

A dual layer DOI GSO block detector for a small animal PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Seiichi

2009-01-01

For a high resolution animal positron emission tomography (PET), depth-of-interaction (DOI) is a useful method to improve both spatial resolution and sensitivity. Gd 2 SiO 5 (GSO) with different amounts of Ce can provide different decay times and is ideal for DOI detector using pulse shape analysis. Dual layer DOI GSO block detectors using different amounts of Ce were developed for a new animal PET. The DOI GSO block detector employed two types of GSOs; one with 1.5 mol% Ce concentration (decay time: 35 ns) and the other with 0.5 mol% (decay time: 60 ns). These two GSO types were optically coupled in the DOI direction. The sizes of single GSOs were 1.9 mmx1.9 mmx6 mm and 1.9 mmx1.9 mmx9 mm, for 1.5 and 0.5 mol%, respectively. These GSO were arranged by 11x37 matrix and optically coupled to three position sensitive photomultiplier tubes (PSPMTs), where the PSPMTs used were Hamamatsu R8520U-00-C12. Different lengths of reflectors were used between crystals to increase the useful field-of-view (FOV) of the PSPMT and to avoid the dead areas between PSPMTs. With this configuration, almost all islands in a 2-D position histogram corresponding to GSO cells could be separated. The width of the GSO block was 22 mm in the transaxial direction and 74 mm in axial direction with no gaps. Also, two types of GSO of different decay time could be separated using dual integration method for pulse shape analysis. These results indicate that developed block detectors might be useful for a high resolution and high sensitivity animal PET with dual layer DOI detection capability, with no gaps in transaxial or axial directions.

High-surface-quality nanocrystalline InN layers deposited on GaN templates by RF sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valdueza-Felip, Sirona; Naranjo, Fernando B.; Gonzalez-Herraez, Miguel [Grupo de Ingenieria Fotonica, Departamento de Electronica, Escuela Politecnica Superior, Universidad de Alcala, Campus Universitario, 28871 Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Lahourcade, Lise; Monroy, Eva [Equipe mixte CEA-CNRS-UJF, Nanophysique et Semiconducteurs, INAC/SP2M/PSC, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Fernandez, Susana [Departamento de Energias Renovables, Energia Solar Fotovoltaica, Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas (CIEMAT), Avda. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2011-01-15

We report a detailed study of the effect of deposition parameters on optical, structural, and morphological properties of InN films grown by reactive radio-frequency (RF) sputtering on GaN-on-sapphire templates in a pure nitrogen atmosphere. Deposition parameters under study are substrate temperature, RF power, and sputtering pressure. Wurtzite crystallographic structure with c-axis preferred growth orientation is confirmed by X-ray diffraction measurements. For the optimized deposition conditions, namely at a substrate temperature of 450 C and RF power of 30 W, InN films present a root-mean-square surface roughness as low as {proportional_to}0.4 nm, comparable to the underlying substrate. The apparent optical bandgap is estimated at 720 nm (1.7 eV) in all cases. However, the InN absorption band tail is strongly influenced by the sputtering pressure due to a change in the species of the plasma. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Intrinsic photocatalytic assessment of reactively sputtered TiO₂ films.

Science.gov (United States)

Rafieian, Damon; Driessen, Rick T; Ogieglo, Wojciech; Lammertink, Rob G H

2015-04-29

Thin TiO2 films were prepared by DC magnetron reactive sputtering at different oxygen partial pressures. Depending on the oxygen partial pressure during sputtering, a transition from metallic Ti to TiO2 was identified by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The crystalline nature of the film developed during a subsequent annealing step, resulting in thin anatase TiO2 layers, displaying photocatalytic activity. The intrinsic photocatalytic activity of the catalysts was evaluated for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) using a microfluidic reactor. A numerical model was employed to extract the intrinsic reaction rate constants. High conversion rates (90% degradation within 20 s residence time) were observed within these microreactors because of the efficient mass transport and light distribution. To evaluate the intrinsic reaction kinetics, we argue that mass transport has to be accounted for. The obtained surface reaction rate constants demonstrate very high reactivity for the sputtered TiO2 films. Only for the thinnest film, 9 nm, slightly lower kinetics were observed.

4P-NPD ultra-thin films as efficient exciton blocking layers in DBP/C70 based organic solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Bhushan R.; Liu, Yiming; Qamar, Talha; Rubahn, Horst-Günter; Madsen, Morten

2017-09-01

Exciton blocking effects from ultra-thin layers of N,N‧-di-1-naphthalenyl-N,N‧-diphenyl [1,1‧:4‧,1″:4″,1‴-quaterphenyl]-4,4‴-diamine (4P-NPD) were investigated in small molecule-based inverted organic solar cells (OSCs) using tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene as the electron donor material and fullerene (C70) as the electron acceptor material. The short-circuit current density (J SC) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the optimized OSCs with 0.7 nm thick 4P-NPD were approximately 16% and 24% higher, respectively, compared to reference devices without exciton blocking layers (EBLs). Drift diffusion-based device modeling was conducted to model the full current density-voltage (JV) characteristics and external quantum efficiency spectrum of the OSCs, and photoluminescence measurements were conducted to investigate the exciton blocking effects with increasing thicknesses of the 4P-NPD layer. Importantly, coupled optical and electrical modeling studies of the device behaviors and exciton generation rates and densities in the active layer for different 4P-NPD layer thicknesses were conducted, in order to gain a complete understanding of the observed increase in PCE for 4P-NPD layer thicknesses up to 1 nm, and the observed decrease in PCE for layer thicknesses beyond 1 nm. This work demonstrates a route for guiding the integration of EBLs in OSC devices.

Crystallization of AlON layers and its effects on the microstructure and hardness of reactively synthesized ZrN/AlON nanomultilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong Yunshan; Yue Jianling; Liu Yan; Li Geyang [State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030 (China)

2006-11-21

By reactively sputtering Zr and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} targets in a gaseous mixture of Ar and N{sub 2}, ZrN/AlON nanomultilayers were synthesized to study the crystallization conditions for AlON layers and how they influence the characteristics of multilayers. The composition analysis indicated that some of the oxygen atoms were replaced by nitrogen atoms in Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, leading to the formation of aluminium oxynitride, AlON, during the procedure of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} target being sputtered in the gaseous mixture. Further investigations showed that when their thickness was limited to less than 1 nm, amorphous AlON layers were crystallized under the template effects of crystalline ZrN layers, and then coherent interfaces formed as a result. Correspondingly, the multilayers were remarkably strengthened with hardness approaching a maximum of 33 GPa. After the layer thickness of AlON exceeded the critical value of 1 nm, the subsequently deposited AlON grew amorphously and blocked the epitaxial growth of multilayers, accompanied by the decline of hardness. Yet, on the other hand, the integrated hardness of multilayers was not sensitive to the thickness of the ZrN template layers and its value was maintained a bit higher than 30 GPa in a wide range of ZrN layer thickness variations.

Enhancing carrier injection in the active region of a 280nm emission wavelength LED using graded hole and electron blocking layers

KAUST Repository

Janjua, Bilal; Ng, Tien Khee; Alyamani, Ahmed Y.; El-Desouki, Munir M.; Ooi, Boon S.

2014-01-01

A theoretical investigation of AlGaN UV-LED with band engineering of hole and electron blocking layers (HBL and EBL, respectively) was conducted with an aim to improve injection efficiency and reduce efficiency droop in the UV LEDs. The analysis is based on energy band diagrams, carrier distribution and recombination rates (Shockley-Reed-Hall, Auger, and radiative recombination rates) in the quantum well, under equilibrium and forward bias conditions. Electron blocking layer is based on AlaGa1-aN / Al b → cGa1-b → 1-cN / AldGa 1-dN, where a < d < b < c. A graded layer sandwiched between large bandgap AlGaN materials was found to be effective in simultaneously blocking electrons and providing polarization field enhanced carrier injection. The graded interlayer reduces polarization induced band bending and mitigates the related drawback of impediment of holes injection. Similarly on the n-side, the Alx → yGa1-x → 1-yN / AlzGa 1-zN (x < z < y) barrier acts as a hole blocking layer. The reduced carrier leakage and enhanced carrier density in the active region results in significant improvement in radiative recombination rate compared to a structure with the conventional rectangular EBL layers. The improvement in device performance comes from meticulously designing the hole and electron blocking layers to increase carrier injection efficiency. The quantum well based UV-LED was designed to emit at 280nm, which is an effective wavelength for water disinfection application.

Enhancing carrier injection in the active region of a 280nm emission wavelength LED using graded hole and electron blocking layers

KAUST Repository

Janjua, Bilal

2014-02-27

A theoretical investigation of AlGaN UV-LED with band engineering of hole and electron blocking layers (HBL and EBL, respectively) was conducted with an aim to improve injection efficiency and reduce efficiency droop in the UV LEDs. The analysis is based on energy band diagrams, carrier distribution and recombination rates (Shockley-Reed-Hall, Auger, and radiative recombination rates) in the quantum well, under equilibrium and forward bias conditions. Electron blocking layer is based on AlaGa1-aN / Al b → cGa1-b → 1-cN / AldGa 1-dN, where a < d < b < c. A graded layer sandwiched between large bandgap AlGaN materials was found to be effective in simultaneously blocking electrons and providing polarization field enhanced carrier injection. The graded interlayer reduces polarization induced band bending and mitigates the related drawback of impediment of holes injection. Similarly on the n-side, the Alx → yGa1-x → 1-yN / AlzGa 1-zN (x < z < y) barrier acts as a hole blocking layer. The reduced carrier leakage and enhanced carrier density in the active region results in significant improvement in radiative recombination rate compared to a structure with the conventional rectangular EBL layers. The improvement in device performance comes from meticulously designing the hole and electron blocking layers to increase carrier injection efficiency. The quantum well based UV-LED was designed to emit at 280nm, which is an effective wavelength for water disinfection application.

Apatite layer growth on glassy Zr{sub 48}Cu{sub 36}Al{sub 8}Ag{sub 8} sputtered titanium for potential biomedical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thanka Rajan, S.; Karthika, M. [Electrochemical Materials Science Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi 630003 (India); Bendavid, Avi [Plasma Processing & Deposition Team, CSIRO Manufacturing Flagship, LindField, 2070, Sydney (Australia); Subramanian, B., E-mail: subramanianb3@gmail.com [Plasma Processing & Deposition Team, CSIRO Manufacturing Flagship, LindField, 2070, Sydney (Australia); Electrochemical Materials Science Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi 630003 (India)

2016-04-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Metallic biomaterials are surface modified by Zr based TFMGs. • A bone-like apatite layer was grown on a Ni-free Zr-based TFMG in vitro. • Apatite layer growth confirmed by XRD and XPS analysis indicates its bioactivity. • Electrochemical response of the TFMGs in SBF possesses good corrosion resistance. - Abstract: The bioactivity of magnetron sputtered thin film metallic glasses (TFMGs) of Zr{sub 48}Cu{sub 36}Al{sub 8}Ag{sub 8} (at.%) on titanium substrates was tested for bio implant applications. The structural and elemental compositions of TFMGs were analyzed by XRD, XPS and EDAX. X-ray diffraction analysis displayed a broad hump around the incident angle of 30–50°, suggesting that the coatings possess a glassy structure. An in situ crystal growth of hydroxyapatite was observed by soaking the sputtered specimen in simulated body fluid (SBF). The nucleation and growth of a calcium phosphate (Ca–P) bone-like hydroxyapatite on Zr{sub 48}Cu{sub 36}Al{sub 8}Ag{sub 8} (at.%) TFMG from SBF was investigated by using XRD, AFM and SEM. The presence of calcium and phosphorus elements was confirmed by EDAX and XPS. In vitro electrochemical corrosion studies indicated that the Zr-based TFMG coating sustain in the stimulated body-fluid (SBF), exhibiting superior corrosion resistance with a lower corrosion penetration rate and electrochemical stability than the bare crystalline titanium substrate.

Angular distributions of sputtered particles from lithium-implanted aluminium and copper crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansen, A.; Johnson, E.; Sarholt-Kristensen, L.; Steenstrup, S.; Andersen, H.H.; Buhanov, V.M.; Chernysh, V.S.; Ivanov, I.N.; Minnebaev, K.F.

1991-01-01

The anisotropy of angular distributions of sputtered ions from lithium implanted aluminium and copper single crystals, measured by SIMS analysis, have been used to obtain information about the microstructure of the implanted layers. Sputtered Al + distributions from the {111} surface show three-fold symmetry with maximum intensity near the and directions respectively, while Li + distributions show maximum intensity only in the directions. From {100} crystals the Al + distributions have four-fold symmetry while there are no preferential ejection directions for the Li + ions. This agrees conceptually with the fact that the implanted layer contains the ordered Al 3 Li (δ') phase, which has earlier been observed by TEM analysis on implanted samples. In contrast, a similar study of Li + implanted copper crystals shows that the implanted lithium is randomly located. (orig.)

Role of the electron blocking layer in the graded-index separate confinement heterostructure nitride laser diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Bojarska, Agata; Goss, Jakub; Stanczyk, Szymon; Makarowa, Irina; Schiavon, Dario; Czernecki, Robert; Suski, Tadeusz; Perlin, Piotr

2018-04-01

In this work, we investigate the role of the electron blocking layer (EBL) in laser diodes based on a graded index separate confinement heterostructure. We compare two sets of devices with very different EBL aluminum composition (3% and 12%) and design (graded and superlattice). The results of electro-optical characterization of these laser diodes reveal surprisingly modest role of electron blocking layer composition in determination of the threshold current and the differential efficiency values. However, EBL structure influences the operating voltage, which is decreased for devices with lower EBL and superlattice EBL. We observe also the differences in the thermal stability of devices - characteristic temperature is lower for lasers with 3% Al in EBL.

Modular design of AFM probe with sputtered silicon tip

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Peter; Thaysen, Jacob; Bouwstra, Siebe

2001-01-01

of the thin films constituting the cantilever. The AFM probe has an integrated tip made of a thick sputtered silicon layer, which is deposited after the probe has been defined and just before the cantilevers are released. The tips are so-called rocket tips made by reactive ion etching. We present probes...

Effect of the laser sputtering parameters on the orientation of a cerium oxide buffer layer on sapphire and the properties of a YBa2Cu3Ox superconducting film

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mozhaev, P. B.; Ovsyannikov, G. A.; Skov, Johannes

1999-01-01

The effect of the laser sputtering parameters on the crystal properties of CeO2 buffer layers grown on a (1 (1) under bar 02) sapphire substrate and on the properties of superconducting YBa2Cu3Ox thin films are investigated. It is shown that (100) and (111) CeO2 growth is observed, depending on t...

Temperature-dependent interface characteristic of silicon wafer bonding based on an amorphous germanium layer deposited by DC-magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Ke, Shaoying; Lin, Shaoming; Ye, Yujie; Mao, Danfeng; Huang, Wei; Xu, Jianfang; Li, Cheng; Chen, Songyan

2018-03-01

We report a near-bubble-free low-temperature silicon (Si) wafer bonding with a thin amorphous Ge (a-Ge) intermediate layer. The DC-magnetron-sputtered a-Ge film on Si is demonstrated to be extremely flat (RMS = 0.28 nm) and hydrophilic (contact angle = 3°). The effect of the post-annealing temperature on the surface morphology and crystallinity of a-Ge film at the bonded interface is systematically identified. The relationship among the bubble density, annealing temperature, and crystallinity of a-Ge film is also clearly clarified. The crystallization of a-Ge film firstly appears at the bubble region. More interesting feature is that the crystallization starts from the center of the bubbles and sprawls to the bubble edge gradually. The H2 by-product is finally absorbed by intermediate Ge layer with crystalline phase after post annealing. Moreover, the whole a-Ge film out of the bubble totally crystallizes when the annealing time increases. This Ge integration at the bubble region leads to the decrease of the bubble density, which in turn increases the bonding strength.

Effect of sputtering on self-damaged recrystallized W mirror specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voitsenya, V.S. [Institute of Plasma Physics, National Scientific Center “KIPT”, 61108 Kharkov (Ukraine); Balden, M. [Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Belyaeva, A.I. [National Technical University, “Kharkiv Polytechnical Institute”, 61002 Kharkov (Ukraine); Alimov, V.Kh. [Hydrogen Isotope Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-8555 (Japan); Tyburska-Püschel, B., E-mail: tyburska@engr.wisc.edu [Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Galuza, A.A. [Institute of Electrophysics and Radiation Technologies, NAS of Ukraine, 61002 Kharkov (Ukraine); Kasilov, A.A.; Kolenov, I.V. [Institute of Plasma Physics, National Scientific Center “KIPT”, 61108 Kharkov (Ukraine); Konovalov, V.G. [National Technical University, “Kharkiv Polytechnical Institute”, 61002 Kharkov (Ukraine); Skoryk, O.O.; Solodovchenko, S.I. [Institute of Plasma Physics, National Scientific Center “KIPT”, 61108 Kharkov (Ukraine)

2013-03-15

The effect of heavy sputtering and of neutron irradiation simulated by displacement damaging with of 20 MeV W{sup 6+} ions on the optical properties of tungsten mirrors was studied. Ar{sup +} ions with 600 eV of energy were used as imitation of charge exchange atoms ejected from fusion plasma. The ion fluence dependence of the surface topography and the optical properties of polycrystalline, recrystallized tungsten (grain size 20–100 μm) were studied by optical microscopy, interferometry, reflectometry and ellipsometry. Furthermore, after sputtering in total a layer of 3.9 μm in thickness, the orientation and the thickness of the eroded layer of many individual grains was determined by electron backscattering diffraction and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Concluding from the obtained data the neutron irradiation, at least at the damage level would be achieved in ITER, has not to make an additional contribution in the processes developing under impact of charge exchange atoms only.

Atomic layer deposition assisted pattern transfer technology for ultra-thin block copolymer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Wenhui; Luo, Jun; Meng, Lingkuan; Li, Junjie; Xiang, Jinjuan; Li, Junfeng; Wang, Wenwu; Chen, Dapeng; Ye, Tianchun; Zhao, Chao

2016-08-31

As an emerging developing technique for next-generation lithography, directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymer (BCP) has attracted numerous attention and has been a potential alternative to supplement the intrinsic limitations of conventional photolithography. In this work, the self-assembling properties of a lamellar diblock copolymer poly(styrene-b-methylmethacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA, 22k-b-22k, L{sub 0} = 25 nm) on Si substrate and an atomic layer deposition (ALD)-assisted pattern transfer technology for the application of DSA beyond 16/14 nm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology nodes, were investigated. Firstly, two key processing parameters of DSA, i.e. annealing temperatures and durations of BCP films, were optimized to achieve low defect density and high productivity. After phase separation of BCP films, self-assembling patterns of low defect density should be transferred to the substrate. However, due to the nano-scale thickness and the weak resistance of BCP films to dry etching, it is nearly impossible to transfer the BCP patterns directly to the substrate. Therefore, an ALD-based technology was explored in this work, in which deposited Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} selectively reacts with PMMA blocks thus hardening the PMMA patterns. After removing PS blocks by plasma etching, hardened PMMA patterns were left and transferred to underneath SiO{sub 2} hard mask layer. Using this patterned hard mask, nanowire array of 25 nm pitch were realized on Si substrate. From this work, a high-throughput DSA baseline flow and related ALD-assisted pattern transfer technique were developed and proved to have good capability with the mainstream CMOS technology. - Highlights: • Optimization on self-assembly process for high productivity and low defectivity • Enhancement of etching ratio and resistance by atomic layer deposition (ALD) • A hard mask was used for pattern quality improvement and contamination control.

Reduction of residual gas in a sputtering system by auxiliary sputter of rare-earth metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Dejie

2002-01-01

In film deposition by sputtering, the oxidation and nitrification of the sputtered material lead to degradation of film quality, particularly with respect to metal sulfide films. We propose to use auxiliary sputtering as a method to produce a fresh film of rare-earth metal, usually dysprosium (Dy), that absorbs the active gases in a sputtering system, greatly reducing the background pressure and protecting the film from oxidation and nitrification effectively. The influence of the auxiliary sputtering power consumption, sputtering time, and medium gas pressure on the background pressure in the vacuum chamber is investigated in detail. If the auxiliary sputtering power exceeds 120 W and the sputtering time is more than 4 min, the background pressure is only one fourth of the ultimate pressure pumped by an oil diffusion pump. The absorption activity of the sputtered Dy film continues at least an hour after completion of the auxiliary sputter. Applied to film deposition of Ti and ZnS, this technique has been proven to be effective. For the Ti film, the total content of N and O is reduced from 45% to 20% when the auxiliary sputtering power of Dy is 120 W, and the sputtering time is 20 min. In the case of ZnS, the content of O is reduced from 8% to 2%

Ambient-temperature fabrication of microporous carbon terminated with graphene walls by sputtering process for hydrogen storage applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, Arghya Narayan; Joo, Sang Woo; Min, Bong-Ki

2013-01-01

A very thin amorphous carbon film (10–30 nm), has been bombarded with sputtered Cr nanoparticles, resulting in inelastic collision between the nanoparticles and the nuclei of the C-atoms causing atom displacement and re-arrangement into graphene layers. The process occurs at ambient temperature. Fabrication of graphitic microporous carbon terminated with few-to-multilayer graphene walls has been verified by Raman spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. High resolution transmission electron micrographs reveal that the formation of graphene layers is highly sensitive to the sputtering parameters. With a gradual increase in the sputtering voltage/current density/time from 3.5 kV/40 mA–cm −2 /1.0 min to 5.0 kV/70 mA–cm −2 /3.0 min the graphitic domains are found to transform from semi-graphitized layers to well-defined, highly ordered, larger-area graphene walls within the microporous network. The mechanism of this graphitic microporous carbon formation is assumed to be due to two simultaneous processes: in one hand, the sputtering plasma, containing energetic ions and sub-atomic particles, act as dry-etchant to activate the a:C film to transform it into microporous carbon, whereas on the other hand, the charged metal nanoparticle/ion bombardment under sputtering resulted in the inelastic collision between the nanoparticles/ions and the nuclei of the C atoms followed by atom displacement (and displacement cascade) and re-arrangement into ordered structure to form graphitic domains within the microporous carbon network. H 2 storage experiment of the samples depicts excellent hydrogen storage properties. This simple, cost-effective, complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor-compatible, single-step process of metal-graphene hybrid nanomaterial formation may find interesting applications in the field of optoelectronics and biotechnology. Additionally, this method can be adopted easily for the incorporation of transition metals into graphene and

Flexible indium zinc oxide/Ag/indium zinc oxide multilayer electrode grown on polyethersulfone substrate by cost-efficient roll-to-roll sputtering for flexible organic photovoltaics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Yong-Seok; Kim, Han-Ki

2010-01-01

The authors describe the preparation and characteristics of flexible indium zinc oxide (IZO)-Ag-IZO multilayer electrodes grown on flexible polyethersulfone (PES) substrates using a roll-to-roll sputtering system for use in flexible organic photovoltaics. By the continuous roll-to-roll sputtering of the bottom IZO, Ag, and top IZO layers at room temperature, they were able to fabricate a high quality IZO-Ag-IZO multilayer electrode with a sheet resistance of 6.15 ε/square, optical transmittance of 87.4%, and figure of merit value of 42.03x10 -3 Ω -1 on the PES substrate. In addition, the IZO-Ag-IZO multilayer electrode exhibited superior flexibility to the roll-to-roll sputter grown single ITO electrode due to the existence of a ductile Ag layer between the IZO layers and stable amorphous structure of the IZO film. Furthermore, the flexible organic solar cells (OSCs) fabricated on the roll-to-roll sputter grown IZO-Ag-IZO electrode showed higher power efficiency (3.51%) than the OSCs fabricated on the roll-to-roll sputter grown single ITO electrode (2.67%).

Ultrathin HfON/SiO2 dual tunneling layer for improving the electrical properties of metal–oxide–nitride–oxide–silicon memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, L.; Xu, J.P.; Chen, J.X.; Ji, F.; Huang, X.D.; Lai, P.T.

2012-01-01

A high-k gate stack structure with ultrathin HfON/SiO 2 as dual tunneling layer (DTL), AlN as charge storage layer (CSL) and HfAlO as blocking layer (BL) is proposed to make a charge-trapping-type metal–oxide–nitride–oxide–silicon non-volatile memory device by employing in-situ sputtering method. The validity of the structure is examined and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The memory window, program/erase, endurance and retention properties are investigated and compared with similar gate stack structure with Si 3 N 4 /SiO 2 as DTL, HfO 2 as CSL and Al 2 O 3 as BL. Results show that a large memory window of 3.55 V at a program/erase (P/E) voltage of + 8 V/− 15 V, high P/E speed, and good endurance and retention characteristic can be achieved using the Au/ HfAlO/AlN/(HfON/SiO 2 )/Si gate stack structure. The main mechanisms lie in the enhanced electron injection through the ultrathin high-k HfON/SiO 2 DTL with suitable band offset, high trapping efficiency of the high-k AlN material, and effective blocking role of the high-k HfAlO BL. - Highlights: ► An Au/HfAlO/AlN/(HfON/SiO 2 )/Si high-k gate stack structure is proposed. ► A band-engineered dual tunneling layer (HfON/SiO 2 ) is proposed and prepared. ► A good trade-off among the memory characteristics is obtained. ► In-situ sputtering method is employed to fabricate the gate stack structure.

Sputtering of water ice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baragiola, R.A.; Vidal, R.A.; Svendsen, W.; Schou, J.; Shi, M.; Bahr, D.A.; Atteberrry, C.L.

2003-01-01

We present results of a range of experiments of sputtering of water ice together with a guide to the literature. We studied how sputtering depends on the projectile energy and fluence, ice growth temperature, irradiation temperature and external electric fields. We observed luminescence from the decay of H(2p) atoms sputtered by heavy ion impact, but not bulk ice luminescence. Radiolyzed ice does not sputter under 3.7 eV laser irradiation

Electronic sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, R.E.

1989-01-01

Electronic sputtering covers a range of phenomena from electron and photon stimulated desorption from multilayers to fast heavy ion-induced desorption (sputtering) of biomolecules. In this talk the author attempted. Therefore, to connect the detailed studies of argon ejection from solid argon by MeV ions and keV electrons to the sputtering of low temperatures molecular ices by MeV ions then to biomolecule ejection from organic solids. These are related via changing (dE/dx) e , molecular size, and transport processes occurring in materials. In this regard three distinct regions of (dE/dx) e have been identified. Since the talk this picture has been made explicit using a simple spike model for individual impulsive events in which spike interactions are combined linearly. Since that time also the molecular dynamics programs (at Virginia and Uppsala) have quantified both single atom and dimer processes in solid Ar and the momentum transport in large biomolecule sputtering. 5 refs

Reactive sputter deposition

CERN Document Server

Mahieu, Stijn

2008-01-01

In this valuable work, all aspects of the reactive magnetron sputtering process, from the discharge up to the resulting thin film growth, are described in detail, allowing the reader to understand the complete process. Hence, this book gives necessary information for those who want to start with reactive magnetron sputtering, understand and investigate the technique, control their sputtering process and tune their existing process, obtaining the desired thin films.

Atomic-Layer-Deposited Transparent Electrodes for Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demaurex, Benedicte; Seif, Johannes P.; Smit, Sjoerd; Macco, Bart; Kessels, W. M.; Geissbuhler, Jonas; De Wolf, Stefaan; Ballif, Christophe

2014-01-01

We examine damage-free transparent-electrode deposition to fabricate high-efficiency amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells. Such solar cells usually feature sputtered transparent electrodes, the deposition of which may damage the layers underneath. Using atomic layer deposition, we insert thin protective films between the amorphous silicon layers and sputtered contacts and investigate their effect on device operation. We find that a 20-nm-thick protective layer suffices to preserve, unchanged, the amorphous silicon layers beneath. Insertion of such protective atomic-layer-deposited layers yields slightly higher internal voltages at low carrier injection levels. However, we identify the presence of a silicon oxide layer, formed during processing, between the amorphous silicon and the atomic-layer-deposited transparent electrode that acts as a barrier, impeding hole and electron collection

Sputtering of sub-micrometer aluminum layers as compact, high-performance, light-weight current collector for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Busom, J.; Schreiber, A.; Tolosa, A.; Jäckel, N.; Grobelsek, I.; Peter, N. J.; Presser, V.

2016-10-01

Supercapacitors are devices for rapid and efficient electrochemical energy storage and commonly employ carbon coated aluminum foil as the current collector. However, the thickness of the metallic foil and the corresponding added mass lower the specific and volumetric performance on a device level. A promising approach to drastically reduce the mass and volume of the current collector is to directly sputter aluminum on the freestanding electrode instead of adding a metal foil. Our work explores the limitations and performance perspectives of direct sputter coating of aluminum onto carbon film electrodes. The tight and interdigitated interface between the metallic film and the carbon electrode enables high power handling, exceeding the performance and stability of a state-of-the-art carbon coated aluminum foil current collector. In particular, we find an enhancement of 300% in specific power and 186% in specific energy when comparing aluminum sputter coated electrodes with conventional electrodes with Al current collectors.

Sputter deposited gallium doped ZnO for TCO applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dietrich, Marc; Kronenberger, Achim; Polity, Angelika; Meyer, Bruno [I. Physikalisches Institut, Justus Liebig Universitaet Giessen (Germany); Blaesing, Juergen; Krost, Alois [FNW/IEP/AHE, Otto-von-Guericke Universitaet Magdeburg (Germany)

2010-07-01

Transparent conducting oxides to be used for flat panel or display applications should exhibit low electrical resistivity in line with a high optical transmission in the visible spectral range. Today indium-tin-oxide is the material which meets these requirements best. However, the limited availability of indium makes it useful to search for alternatives and ZnO doped with group III elements are promising candidates. While the Al doping in high concentrations causes problems due to the formation of insulating Al-oxides, Gallium related oxides are typically n-type conducting wide band gap semiconductors. Therefore we deposited Gallium doped ZnO thin films on quartz and sapphire substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering with a ZnO/Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}(3at%) composite target. The substrate temperature and the oxygen flow during the sputtering process were varied to optimise the layer properties. Introducing oxygen to the sputtering gas allowed to vary the resistivity of the films by three orders of magnitude from about 1 {omega}cm down to less than 1 m{omega}cm.

Growth of amorphous Zn–Sn–O thin films by RF sputtering for buffer layers of CuInSe2 and SnS solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Shao-Wei; Ishikawa, Kaoru; Sugiyama, Mutsumi

2015-01-01

We propose using amorphous Zn–Sn–O (α-ZTO) deposited by RF sputtering as an alternative n-type buffer layer for Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 and SnS solar cells. The order of the carrier density, n, is increased from the order of 10 15 to 10 17 cm −1 as the Sn/(Sn + Zn) atomic ratio increases from 0.29 to 0.40. On the other hand, the order of n decreased from 10 17 to 10 11 cm −1 as the oxygen partial pressure increased from 0 to 10%. Further, for the α-ZTO film with the Sn/(Sn + Zn) atomic ratio at 0.38 and the oxygen partial pressure at 0%, valence band discontinuities of α-ZTO/CuInSe 2 and α-ZTO/SnS were determined using photoelectron yield spectroscopy measurements. The band discontinuities of each of these interfaces form a spike structure in the conduction band offset, which enables a high-performance solar cell to be obtained. - Highlights: • We propose using amorphous Zn–Sn–O as a n-type layer for Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 and SnS solar cells. • The carrier density was controlled by total and/or oxygen partial pressure during sputtering. • Valence band discontinuities of Zn–Sn–O/CuInSe 2 and Zn–Sn–O/SnS were determined. • The conduction band discontinuities of each of these interfaces form a spike structure

Laser micromachined wax-covered plastic paper as both sputter deposition shadow masks and deep-ultraviolet patterning masks for polymethylmethacrylate-based microfluidic systems

KAUST Repository

Fan, Yiqiang

2013-12-16

We report a technically innovative method of fabricating masks for both deep-ultraviolet (UV) patterning and metal sputtering on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) for microfluidic systems. We used a CO2 laser system to cut the required patterns on wax-covered plastic paper; the laser-patterned wax paper will either work as a mask for deep-UV patterning or as a mask for metal sputtering. A microfluidic device was also fabricated to demonstrate the feasibility of this method. The device has two layers: the first layer is a 1-mm thick PMMA substrate that was patterned by deep-UV exposure to create microchannels. The mask used in this process was the laser-cut wax paper. The second layer, also a 1-mm thick PMMA layer, was gold sputtered with patterned wax paper as the shadow mask. These two pieces of PMMA were then bonded to form microchannels with exposed electrodes. This process is a simple and rapid method for creating integrated microfluidic systems that do not require cleanroom facilities.

Modeling and analysis of surface roughness effects on sputtering, reflection, and sputtered particle transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, J.N.; Ruzic, D.N.

1990-01-01

The microstructure of the redeposited surface in tokamaks may affect sputtering and reflection properties and subsequent particle transport. This subject has been studied numerically using coupled models/codes for near-surface plasma particle kinetic transport (WBC code) and rough surface sputtering (fractal-TRIM). The coupled codes provide an overall Monte Carlo calculation of the sputtering cascade resulting from an initial flux of hydrogen ions. Beryllium, carbon, and tungsten surfaces are analyzed for typical high recycling, oblique magnetic field, divertor conditions. Significant variations in computed sputtering rates are found with surface roughness. Beryllium exhibits high D-T and self-sputtering coefficients for the plasma regime studied (T e = 30-75 eV). Carbon and tungsten sputtering is significantly lower. 9 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Fundamental aspects of cathodic sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harman, R.

1979-01-01

The main fundamental aspects and problems of cathodic sputtering used mainly for thin film deposition and sputter etching are discussed. Among many types of known sputtering techniques the radiofrequency /RF/ diode sputtering is the most universal one and is used for deposition of metals, alloys, metallic compounds, semiconductors and insulators. It seems that nowadays the largest number of working sputtering systems is of diode type. Sometimes also the dc or rf triode sputtering systems are used. The problems in these processes are practically equivalent and comparable with the problems in the diode method and therefore our discussion will be, in most cases applicable for both, the diode and triode methods

Photoelectron-spectroscopic and reactivity investigation of thin Pd-Sn films prepared by magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skala, T.; Veltruska, K.; Sedlacek, L.; Masek, K.; Matolinova, I.; Matolin, V.

2007-01-01

We have studied Pd-Sn layers with different composition prepared by magnetron sputtering. Layers were sputtered onto Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 substrates and studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Spectra confirmed that after vacuum annealing residual oxygen and carbon have been removed and bimetallic bonds have been created. The shift of Pd 3d 5/2 core level to higher binding energy followed by the peak narrowing in dependence on the composition was observed, accompanied by the shift of the Pd 4d in the valence band region, induced by hybridization of Pd-d and Sn-s,p states. Experiments carried out on a gas-flow reactor indicate increasing temperature of the CO oxidation with tin ratio in the alloy

Characterization of Sputtered Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) Stress and Thermally Actuated Cantilever Bimorphs Based on NiTi Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)

Science.gov (United States)

2015-11-01

necessary anneal . Following this, a thin film of NiTi was blanket sputtered at 600 °C. This NiTi blanket layer was then wet -etch patterned using a...varying the sputter parameters during NiTi deposition, such as thickness, substrate temperature during deposition and anneal , and argon pressure during...6 Fig. 4 Surface texture comparison between NiTi sputtered at RT, then annealed at 600 °C, and NiTi

Significant performance enhancement of inverted organic light-emitting diodes by using ZnIx as a hole-blocking layer

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Chuan-Hui; Zhang, Bi-Long; Sun, Chao; Li, Ruo-Xuan; Wang, Yuan; Tian, Wen-Ming; Zhao, Chun-Yi; Jin, Sheng-Ye; Liu, Wei-Feng; Luo, Ying-Min; Du, Guo-Tong; Cong, Shu-Lin

2017-06-01

A highly efficient inverted organic light emitting diode using 1.0 nm-thick ZnIx as a hole-blocking layer is developed. We fabricate devices with the configuration ITO/ZnIx (1.0 nm)/Alq3 (50 nm)/NPB (50 nm)/MoO3 (6.0 nm)/Al (100 nm). The deposition of a ZnIx layer increases the maximum luminance by two orders of magnitude from 13.4 to 3566.1 cd/m2. In addition, the maximum current efficiency and power efficiency are increased by three orders of magnitude, and the turn-on voltage to reach 1 cd/m2 decreases from 13 to 8 V. The results suggest that the electron injection efficiency is not improved by introducing a ZnIx layer. Instead, the improved device performance originates from the strong hole-blocking ability of ZnIx. This work indicates that layered materials may lead to novel applications in optoelectronic devices.

Target surface condition during reactive glow discharge sputtering of copper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Depla, D; Haemers, J; Gryse, R De

2002-01-01

During reactive glow discharge sputtering of copper in an argon/nitrogen plasma, we noticed an abrupt change of the target voltage and the deposition rate when the nitrogen concentration in the plasma exceeds a critical value. To explain this behaviour, the target surface after reactive glow discharge sputtering was examined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). An experimental arrangement was constructed that allows direct transfer of the glow discharge cathode to the XPS analysis chamber without air exposure. These XPS measurements revealed that several different chemical states of nitrogen are present in the layer that forms on the target surface. The relative concentration of these different states changes when the critical nitrogen concentration in the plasma is exceeded

Sputtering gases and pressure effects on the microstructure, magnetic properties and recording performance of TbFeCo films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Motoyoshi; Birukawa, Masahiro

2008-01-01

The MsHc value is considered to be a key factor in high-density recording, and controlling the microstructure on the magnetic underlayer was found to be an effective way of increasing the MsHc of the amorphous TbFeCo magneto-optical (MO) medium. In this paper, we investigate the TbFeCo film's magnetic properties and the effects on the microcolumnar structure, which depends on the sputtering conditions of using various sputtering gases including Ar, Kr, and Xe, and the recording characteristics of TbFeCo memory layers. With heavy sputtering gases such as Kr or Xe, the columnar structure can be prepared in a TbFeCo film at a pressure lower than 1.0 Pa. The columnar structure of a recording layer can be effectively formed thanks to the effects of the magnetic underlayer, which has a fine surface even in the sputtering process in which Xe gas is used. The above applies to the sputtering process in which Ar gas is used. Also, when Xe gas is used in the sputtering process, coercivity Hc is increased through the formation of a well-segregated microcolumnar structure built on domain wall pinning sites, and we obtain a large MsHc and a high squareness ratio of the Kerr-hysteresis loop. Our results indicate that processing a TbFeCo film with heavy sputtering gases is suitable for tiny mark stability because the temperature gradient of Hc is increased. The objective of the low-pressure sputtering process using Xe gas to produce the columnar structure is to achieve ultra-high-density recording with tiny mark stability in the TbFeCo medium. This has been confirmed with magnetic force microscope (MFM) images of stable tiny marks recorded on TbFeCo film

Sputtered Pd as hydrogen storage for a chip-integrated microenergy system.

Science.gov (United States)

Slavcheva, E; Ganske, G; Schnakenberg, U

2014-01-01

The work presents a research on preparation and physical and electrochemical characterisation of dc magnetron sputtered Pd films envisaged for application as hydrogen storage in a chip-integrated hydrogen microenergy system. The influence of the changes in the sputtering pressure on the surface structure, morphology, and roughness was analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AMF). The electrochemical activity towards hydrogen adsorption/desorption and formation of PdH were investigated in 0.5 M H2SO4 using the methods of cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic polarisation. The changes in the electrical properties of the films as a function of the sputtering pressure and the level of hydrogenation were evaluated before and immediately after the electrochemical charging tests, using a four-probe technique. The research resulted in establishment of optimal sputter regime, ensuring fully reproducible Pd layers with highly developed surface, moderate porosity, and mechanical stability. Selected samples were integrated as hydrogen storage in a newly developed unitized microenergy system and tested in charging (water electrolysis) and discharging (fuel cell) operative mode at ambient conditions demonstrating a stable recycling performance.

Investigation of blister formation in sputtered Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} absorbers for thin film solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bras, Patrice, E-mail: patrice.bras@angstrom.uu.se [Midsummer AB, Elektronikhöjden 6, SE-17543 Järfälla, Sweden and Solid State Electronics, Angström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 534, SE-75121 Uppsala (Sweden); Sterner, Jan [Midsummer AB, Elektronikhöjden 6, SE-17543 Järfälla (Sweden); Platzer-Björkman, Charlotte [Solid State Electronics, Angström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 534, SE-75121 Uppsala (Sweden)

2015-11-15

Blister formation in Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) thin films sputtered from a quaternary compound target is investigated. While the thin film structure, composition, and substrate material are not correlated to the blister formation, a strong link between sputtering gas entrapment, in this case argon, and blistering effect is found. It is shown that argon is trapped in the film during sputtering and migrates to locally form blisters during the high temperature annealing. Blister formation in CZTS absorbers is detrimental for thin film solar cell fabrication causing partial peeling of the absorber layer and potential shunt paths in the complete device. Reduced sputtering gas entrapment, and blister formation, is seen for higher sputtering pressure, higher substrate temperature, and change of sputtering gas to larger atoms. This is all in accordance with previous publications on blister formation caused by sputtering gas entrapment in other materials.

Electron beam induced coloration and luminescence in layered structure of WO3 thin films grown by pulsed dc magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karuppasamy, A.; Subrahmanyam, A.

2007-01-01

Tungsten oxide thin films have been deposited by pulsed dc magnetron sputtering of tungsten in argon and oxygen atmosphere. The as-deposited WO 3 film is amorphous, highly transparent, and shows a layered structure along the edges. In addition, the optical properties of the as-deposited film show a steplike behavior of extinction coefficient. However, the electron beam irradiation (3.0 keV) of the as-deposited films results in crystallization, coloration (deep blue), and luminescence (intense red emission). The above changes in physical properties are attributed to the extraction of oxygen atoms from the sample and the structural modifications induced by electron bombardment. The present method of coloration and luminescence has a potential for fabricating high-density optical data storage device

Influence of ion beam and geometrical parameters on properties of Si thin films grown by Ar ion beam sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bundesmann, Carsten; Feder, Rene; Neumann, Horst [Leibniz-Institut fuer Oberflaechenmodifizierung e.V., Leipzig (Germany)

2012-07-01

Ion beam sputtering (IBS) offers, in contrast to other physical vapour deposition techniques, such as magnetron sputtering or electron beam evaporation, the opportunity to change the properties of the layer forming particles (sputtered and scattered particles) by varying ion beam parameters (ion species, ion energy) and geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, emission angle). Consequently, these effects can be utilized to tailor thin film properties [1]. The goal is to study systematically the correlations between the primary and secondary parameters and, at last, the effects on the properties of Si thin films, such as optical properties, stress, surface topography and composition. First experimental results are presented for Ar-ion sputtering of Si.

High-Quality GaN Epilayers Achieved by Facet-Controlled Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth on Sputtered AlN/PSS Templates.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Chenguang; Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Kang; He, Longfei; Wu, Hualong; Liu, Ningyang; Zhang, Shan; Liu, Xiaoyan; Chen, Zhitao

2017-12-13

It is widely believed that the lack of high-quality GaN wafers severely hinders the progress in GaN-based devices, especially for defect-sensitive devices. Here, low-cost AlN buffer layers were sputtered on cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) to obtain high-quality GaN epilayers. Without any mask or regrowth, facet-controlled epitaxial lateral overgrowth was realized by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The uniform coating of the sputtered AlN buffer layer and the optimized multiple modulation guaranteed high growth selectivity and uniformity of the GaN epilayer. As a result, an extremely smooth surface was achieved with an average roughness of 0.17 nm over 3 × 3 μm 2 . It was found that the sputtered AlN buffer layer could significantly suppress dislocations on the cones. Moreover, the optimized three-dimensional growth process could effectively promote dislocation bending. Therefore, the threading dislocation density (TDD) of the GaN epilayer was reduced to 4.6 × 10 7 cm -2 , which is about an order of magnitude lower than the case of two-step GaN on the PSS. In addition, contamination and crack in the light-emitting diode fabricated on the obtained GaN were also effectively suppressed by using the sputtered AlN buffer layer. All of these advantages led to a high output power of 116 mW at 500 mA with an emission wavelength of 375 nm. This simple, yet effective growth technique is believed to have great application prospects in high-performance TDD-sensitive optoelectronic and electronic devices.

Influences of Indium Tin Oxide Layer on the Properties of RF Magnetron-Sputtered (BaSr)TiO3 Thin Films on Indium Tin Oxide-Coated Glass Substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae Song; Oh, Myung Hwan; Kim, Chong Hee

1993-06-01

Nearly stoichiometric ((Ba+Sr)/Ti=1.08-1.09) and optically transparent (BaSr)TiO3 thin films were deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate by means of rf magnetron sputtering for their application to the insulating layer of an electroluminescent flat panel display. The influence of the ITO layer on the properties of (BaSr)TiO3 thin films deposited on the ITO-coated substrate was investigated. The ITO layer did not affect the crystallographic orientation of (BaSr)TiO3 thin film, but enhanced the grain growth. Another effect of the ITO layer on (BaSr)TiO3 thin films was the interdiffusion phenomenon, which was studied by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). As the substrate temperature increased, interdiffusion intensified at the interface not only between the grown film and ITO layer but also between the ITO layer and base glass substrate. The refractive index (nf) of (BaSr)TiO3 thin film deposited on a bare glass substrate was 2.138-2.286, as a function of substrate temperature.

Hydrogen isotopes confinement in the over-dusted layers of fusion reactor candidate materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klepikov, A.Kh.; Tazhibaeva, I.L.; Shestakov, V.P.; Lisitsyn, V.N.; Tuleushev, Yu.Zh.

2001-01-01

In the work the experiments on gas-emission determination from samples of sputtered beryllium, graphite, tungsten, jointly sputtered graphite and tungsten obtained by the magnetron sputtering method at the 'Argamak' facility (National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan), as well as the samples processed on the 'OSPA' plasma accelerator (TRINITI, Russia). The gas-release curves were obtained for indicated samples under different heating velocities within temperature range from 300 up to 1200 K. Gas-release parameters and hydrogen isotopes confinement in these layers were determined. Simulation of hydrogen isotopes gas-emission from samples sputtered layers on the base of obtained experiments with application of simulating programs and TMAP code was carried out

Optical properties of self assembled oriented island evolution of ultra-thin gold layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worsch, Christian; Kracker, Michael; Wisniewski, Wolfgang; Rüssel, Christian

2012-01-01

Gold layers with a thickness of only 8 to 21 nm were sputtered on soda–lime–silica glasses. Subsequent annealing at 300 and 400 °C for 1 and 24 h resulted in the formation of separated round gold particles with diameters from 8 to 200 nm. Crystal orientations were described using X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction. The gold particles are oriented with their (111) planes perpendicular to the surface. Most gold nano particles are single crystalline, some particles are twinned. Thermal annealing of sputtered gold layers resulted in purple samples with a coloration comparable to that of gold ruby glasses. The color can be controlled by the thickness of the sputtered gold layer and the annealing conditions. The simple method of gold film preparation and the annealing temperature dependent properties of the layers make them appropriate for practical applications. - Highlights: ► We produce gold nano particle layers on amorphous substrates. ► Thin sputtered gold layers were annealed at low temperatures. ► Various colors can be achieved reproducibly and UV–vis-NIR spectra are reported. ► A 111-texture of the particles is described as well as twinning. ► The process is suitable for mass production.

Inhomogeneous strain states in sputter deposited tungsten thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noyan, I.C.; Shaw, T.M.; Goldsmith, C.C.

1997-01-01

The results of an x-ray diffraction study of dc-magnetron sputtered tungsten thin films are reported. It is shown that the phase transformation from the β to α W can cause multilayered single-phase films where the layers have very different stress states even if the films are in the 500 nm thickness range. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

In-situ deposition of sacrificial layers during ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anders, A.; Anders, S.; Brown, I.G.; Yu, K.M.

1995-02-01

The retained dose of implanted ions is limited by sputtering. It is known that a sacrificial layer deposited prior to ion implantation can lead to an enhanced retained dose. However, a higher ion energy is required to obtain a similar implantation depth due to the stopping of ions in the sacrificial layer. It is desirable to have a sacrificial layer of only a few monolayers thickness which can be renewed after it has been sputtered away. We explain the concept and describe two examples: (i) metal ion implantation using simultaneously a vacuum arc ion source and filtered vacuum arc plasma sources, and (ii) Metal Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition (MePIIID). In MePIIID, the target is immersed in a metal or carbon plasma and a negative, repetitively pulsed bias voltage is applied. Ions are implanted when the bias is applied while the sacrificial layer suffers sputtering. Low-energy thin film deposition - repair of the sacrificial layer -- occurs between bias pulses. No foreign atoms are incorporated into the target since the sacrificial film is made of the same ion species as used in the implantation phase

The improvement of GaN-based LED grown on concave nano-pattern sapphire substrate with SiO2 blocking layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Jyun-Hao; Huang, Shyh-Jer; Su, Yan-Kuin; Huang, Kai-Wen

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Concave nano-patterned sapphire substrates with SiO 2 blocking layer. • The IQE is almost two times larger than that of conventional one. • The EQE was extremely enhanced more than 100%. - Abstract: In contrast to convex nano-pattern sapphire substrates (NPSS), which are frequently used to fabricate high-quality nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs), concave NPSS have been paid relatively less attention. In this study, a concave NPSS was fabricated, and its nitride epitaxial growth process was evaluated in a step by step manner. A SiO 2 layer was used to avoid nucleation over the sidewall and bottom of the nano-patterns to reduce dislocation reformation. Traditional LED structures were grown on the NPSS layer to determine its influence on device performance. X-ray diffraction, etched pit density, inverse leakage current, and internal quantum efficiency (IQE) results showed that dislocations and non-radiative recombination centers are reduced by the NPSS constructed with a SiO 2 blocking layer. An IQE twice that on a planar substrate was also achieved; such a high IQE significantly enhanced the external quantum efficiency of the resultant device. Taken together, the results demonstrate that the SiO 2 blocking layer proposed in this work can enhance the performance of LEDs.

Improving depth resolutions in positron beam spectroscopy by concurrent ion-beam sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

John, Marco; Dalla, Ayham; Ibrahim, Alaa M.; Anwand, Wolfgang; Wagner, Andreas; Böttger, Roman; Krause-Rehberg, Reinhard

2018-05-01

The depth resolution of mono-energetic positron annihilation spectroscopy using a positron beam is shown to improve by concurrently removing the sample surface layer during positron beam spectroscopy. During ion-beam sputtering with argon ions, Doppler-broadening spectroscopy is performed with energies ranging from 3 keV to 5 keV allowing for high-resolution defect studies just below the sputtered surface. With this technique, significantly improved depth resolutions could be obtained even at larger depths when compared to standard positron beam experiments which suffer from extended positron implantation profiles at higher positron energies. Our results show that it is possible to investigate layered structures with a thickness of about 4 microns with significantly improved depth resolution. We demonstrated that a purposely generated ion-beam induced defect profile in a silicon sample could be resolved employing the new technique. A depth resolution of less than 100 nm could be reached.

4P-NPD ultra thin-films as efficient exciton blocking layers in DBP/C₇₀ based organic solar cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Patil, Bhushan Ramesh; Liu, Yiming; Qamar, Talha

2017-01-01

Exciton blocking effects from ultra thin layers of N,N'-di-1-naphthalenyl-N,N'-diphenyl [1,1':4',1'':4'',1'''-quaterphenyl]-4,4'''-diamine (4P-NPD) was investigated in small molecule based inverted Organic Solar Cells (OSCs) using Tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene (DBP) as the electron donor material...... and fullerene (C70) as the electron acceptor material. The short-circuit current density (Jsc) and PCE of the optimized OSCs with 0.7 nm thick 4P-NPD were approx. 16 % and 24 % higher, respectively, compared to reference devices without exciton blocking layers. Drift diffusion based device modeling...... was conducted to model the full Current density – Voltage (JV) characteristics and EQE spectrum of the OSCs, and photoluminescence measurements was conducted to investigate the exciton blocking effects with increasing thicknesses of the 4P-NPD layer. Importantly, coupled optical and electrical modeling studies...

Geometric considerations in magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thornton, J.A.

1982-01-01

The recent development of high performance magnetron type discharge sources has greatly enhaced the range of coating applications where sputtering is a viable deposition process. Magnetron sources can provide high current densities and sputtering rates, even at low pressures. They have much reduced substrate heating rates and can be scaled to large sizes. Magnetron sputter coating apparatuses can have a variety of geometric and plasma configurations. The target geometry affects the emission directions of both the sputtered atoms and the energetic ions which are neutralized and reflected at the cathode. This fact, coupled with the long mean free particle paths which are prevalent at low pressures, can make the coating properties very dependent on the apparatus geometry. This paper reviews the physics of magnetron operation and discusses the influences of apparatus geometry on the use of magnetrons for rf sputtering and reactive sputtering, as well as on the microstructure and internal stresses in sputtered metallic coatings. (author) [pt

The mechanism of sputter-induced orientation change in YBCO films on MgO (001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Y.; Vuchic, B.V.; Baldo, P.; Merkle, K.L.; Buchholz, D.B.; Mahajan, S.; Lei, J.S.; Markworth, P.R.; Chang, R.P.H.

1996-12-01

The mechanisms of the sputter-induced orientation change in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x (YBCO) films grown on MgO (001) substrates by pulsed organometallic beam epitaxy (POMBE) are investigated by x-ray diffraction. Rutherford backscatter spectroscopy (RBS), cross-section TEM (XTEM) and microanalysis. It is found that the W atom implantation concurring with the ion sputtering plays an important role in effecting the orientation change. This implantation changes the surface structure of the substrate and induces an intermediate layer in the initial growth of the YBCO film, which in turn acts as a template that induces the orientation change. It seems that the surface morphology change caused by ion sputtering has only a minor effect on the orientation change

Zn Thin Film Deposition for Fe Layer Shielding Use the Sputtering Technique on Cylindrical Form

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yunanto; Tjipto Sujitno, BA; Suprapto; Simbolon, Sahat

2002-01-01

Deposition of thin film on Fe substrate use sputtering technique on cylindrical form was carried out. The purpose of this research is to protect Fe due to the corrosion with Zn thin film. Sputtering method was proposed to protect a component of complex form. Substrate has functioned as anode, meanwhile target in cylindrical form as a cathode. Argon ion from anode bombard Zn with enough energy for releasing Zn. Zn atom would scatter and some of then was focused on the anode. For testing Zn atom on Fe by using XRF and corrosion rate with potentiostat. It was found that corrosion rate was decreased from 0.051 mpy to 0.031 mpy on 0.63 % of Fe substrate. (author)

Thermal conductivities of thin, sputtered optical films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henager, C.H. Jr.; Pawlewicz, W.T.

1991-05-01

The normal component of the thin film thermal conductivity has been measured for the first time for several advanced sputtered optical materials. Included are data for single layers of boron nitride (BN), aluminum nitride (AIN), silicon aluminum nitride (Si-Al-N), silicon aluminum oxynitride (Si-Al-O-N), silicon carbide (SiC), and for dielectric-enhanced metal reflectors of the form Al(SiO 2 /Si 3 N 4 ) n and Al(Al 2 O 3 /AIN) n . Sputtered films of more conventional materials like SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Ta 2 O 5 , Ti, and Si have also been measured. The data show that thin film thermal conductivities are typically 10 to 100 times lower than conductivities for the same materials in bulk form. Structural disorder in the amorphous or very fine-grained films appears to account for most of the conductivity difference. Conclusive evidence for a film/substrate interface contribution is presented

Effects of the composition of sputtering target on the stability of InGaZnO thin film transistor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huh, Jun-Young; Jeon, Jae-Hong; Choe, Hee-Hwan; Lee, Kang-Woong; Seo, Jong-Huyn; Ryu, Min-Ki; Park, Sang-Hee Ko; Hwang, Chi-Sun; Cheong, Woo-Seok

2011-01-01

In this study, we investigated the electrical characteristics and the stability of amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) from the viewpoint of active layer composition. Active layers of TFTs were deposited by r.f. sputtering. Two kinds of sputtering targets, which have different compositional ratios of In:Ga:Zn, were used to make variations in the active layer composition. All the fabricated IGZO TFTs showed more excellent characteristics than conventional amorphous silicon TFTs. However, in accordance with the Ga content, IGZO TFTs showed somewhat different electrical characteristics in values such as the threshold voltage and the field effect mobility. The device stability was also dependent on the Ga content, but had trade-off relation with the electrical characteristics.

The improvement of all-solid-state electrochromic devices fabricated with the reactive sputter and cathodic arc technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-Chuan Wang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The all-solid-state electrochromic device (ECD with the one substrate structure fabricated by the reactive dc magnetron sputtering (DCMS and cathodic vacuum arc plasma (CVAP technology has been developed for smart electrochromic (EC glass application. The EC layer and ion conductor layer were deposited by reactive DCMS and CVAP technology, respectively. The ion conductor layer Ta2O5 deposited by the CVAP technology has provided the better porous material structure for ion transportation and showed 1.76 times ion conductivity than devices with all sputtering process. At the same time, the EC layer WO3 and NiO deposited by the reactive DCMS have also provided the high quality and uniform characteristic to overcome the surface roughness effect of the CVAP ion conductor layer in multilayer device structure. The all-solid-state ECD with the CVAP ion conductor layer has demonstrated a maximum transmittance variation (ΔT of 55% at 550nm and a faster-switching speed. Furthermore, the lower equipment cost and higher deposition rate could be achieved by the application of CVAP technology.

Multilayered nanostructured coverings generated by a method of ion beam sputtering in vacuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Il'yushenko, A.F.; Andreev, M.A.; Markova, L.V.; Lisovskaya, Yu. O.

2013-01-01

Technological process of the formation of multilayered coverings by ion -beam sputtering is developed. At research of samples by method of AFM it is established, that the heating of a substrate leads to formation of rather large grains up to 100 nanometers in size, consisting of dispersed subgrains in the size 10-25 nanometers. The obtained results allow to say that in the course of formation of coverings interphase borders of section in one layer and section border between coat layers are formed. The use of a method of Electron Backscatter Diffraction Analysis (EBSD) has helped to confirm that the at ion-beam sputtering, ultrafine diamonds remain their diamond-like structure when migrating to the surface of the coating. It is found that with increasing number of monolayers coating microhardness increases. However, this relationship is described by a nonlinear and exponential model. (authors)

Sputtering. [as deposition technique in mechanical engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Spalvins, T.

1976-01-01

This paper primarily reviews the potential of using the sputtering process as a deposition technique; however, the manufacturing and sputter etching aspects are also discussed. Since sputtering is not regulated by classical thermodynamics, new multicomponent materials can be developed in any possible chemical composition. The basic mechanism for dc and rf sputtering is described. Sputter-deposition is described in terms of the unique advantageous features it offers such as versatility, momentum transfer, stoichiometry, sputter-etching, target geometry (coating complex surfaces), precise controls, flexibility, ecology, and sputtering rates. Sputtered film characteristics, such as strong adherence and coherence and film morphology, are briefly evaluated in terms of varying the sputtering parameters. Also described are some of the specific industrial areas which are turning to sputter-deposition techniques.

Influence of anchor block size on the thickness of adsorbed block copolymer layers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Belder, G.F; ten Brinke, G.; Hadziioannou, G

1997-01-01

We present surface force data on three different polystyrene/poly(2-vinylpyridine) block copolymers (PS/P2VP) with a fixed size of the nonadsorbing PS block but widely varying sizes of the adsorbing P2VP block. With respect to the sizes of the two blocks, they range from moderately to highly

Substantial difference in target surface chemistry between reactive dc and high power impulse magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Greczynski, G.; Mráz, S.; Schneider, J. M.; Hultman, L.

2018-02-01

The nitride layer formed in the target race track during the deposition of stoichiometric TiN thin films is a factor 2.5 thicker for high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS), compared to conventional dc processing (DCMS). The phenomenon is explained using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the as-operated Ti target surface chemistry supported by sputter depth profiles, dynamic Monte Carlo simulations employing the TRIDYN code, and plasma chemical investigations by ion mass spectrometry. The target chemistry and the thickness of the nitride layer are found to be determined by the implantation of nitrogen ions, predominantly N+ and N2+ for HIPIMS and DCMS, respectively. Knowledge of this method-inherent difference enables robust processing of high quality functional coatings.

Titanium carbide coatings on molybdenum by means of reactive sputtering and electron beam techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obata, T.; Aida, H.; Hirohata, Y.; Mohri, M.; Yamashina, T.

1982-01-01

This study is an experimental investigation of TiC coatings on Mo substrate by means of a reactive r.f. sputtering in the presence of CH 4 and a chemical reaction with interdiffusion in the sandwich structure of Ti/C/Mo by electron beam evaporation and heating. Using the reactive sputtering method, a homogeneous TiC coating with stoichiometric composition and good adhesion could be produced in the conditions of the partial pressure range of CH 4 , 2 approx. equal to 5 x 10 -4 Torr (total pressure, Psub(Ar) + Psub(CH) 4 = 5.6 x 10 -2 Torr) at 300 0 C (substrate). By using the electron beams, successively evaporated carbon and Ti on a Mo substrate was heated to 700 0 C to form a TiC surface layer on the top which then remained stable during further heating to 1000 0 C. Godd adhesion was brought about by interdiffusion to produce Mo 2 C layer between TiC layer and Mo substrate. It was also found that further heating of the coating layers subsequent to Ti evaporation on the TiC layer produced thicker TiC layer due to a chemical reaction between Ti and inner carbon layers. This could be a promising method of in situ replenishment for TiC coatings on the first wall and the limiter materials. (orig.)

Substrate dependent hierarchical structures of RF sputtered ZnS films

Science.gov (United States)

Chalana, S. R.; Mahadevan Pillai, V. P.

2018-05-01

RF magnetron sputtering technique was employed to fabricate ZnS nanostructures with special emphasis given to study the effect of substrates (quartz, glass and quartz substrate pre-coated with Au, Ag, Cu and Pt) on the structure, surface evolution and optical properties. Type of substrate has a significant influence on the crystalline phase, film morphology, thickness and surface roughness. The present study elucidates the suitability of quartz substrate for the deposition of stable and highly crystalline ZnS films. We found that the role of metal layer on quartz substrate is substantial in the preparation of hierarchical ZnS structures and these structures are of great importance due to its high specific area and potential applications in various fields. A mechanism for morphological evolution of ZnS structures is also presented based on the roughness of substrates and primary nonlocal effects in sputtering. Furthermore, the findings suggest that a controlled growth of hierarchical ZnS structures may be achieved with an ordinary RF sputtering technique by changing the substrate type.

Magnetron sputtered zinc oxide nanorods as thickness-insensitive cathode interlayer for perovskite planar-heterojunction solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Lusheng; Huang, Zhifeng; Cai, Longhua; Chen, Weizhong; Wang, Baozeng; Chen, Kaiwu; Bai, Hua; Tian, Qingyong; Fan, Bin

2014-12-10

Suitable electrode interfacial layers are essential to the high performance of perovskite planar heterojunction solar cells. In this letter, we report magnetron sputtered zinc oxide (ZnO) film as the cathode interlayer for methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3) perovskite solar cell. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrate that the sputtered ZnO films consist of c-axis aligned nanorods. The solar cells based on this ZnO cathode interlayer showed high short circuit current and power conversion efficiency. Besides, the performance of the device is insensitive to the thickness of ZnO cathode interlayer. Considering the high reliability and maturity of sputtering technique both in lab and industry, we believe that the sputtered ZnO films are promising cathode interlayers for perovskite solar cells, especially in large-scale production.

Effect of sputtering power on structure and properties of Bi film deposited by DC magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao Guo; He Zhibing; Xu Hua; Li Jun; Chen Taihua; Chen Jiajun

2012-01-01

Bi film was fabricated at different sputtering powers by DC magnetron sputtering. The deposition rate of Bi film as the function of sputtering power was studied. The surface topography of Bi film was observed by SEM, and the growth mode of Bi film was investigated. The crystal structure was analyzed by XRD. The grain size and stress of Bi film were calculated. The SEM images show that all the films are columnar growth. The average grain size firstly increases as the sputtering power increases, then decreases at 60 W. The film becomes loose with the increase of sputtering power, while, the film gets compact when the sputtering power becomes from 45 to 60 W. The XRD results show that films are polycrystalline of hexagonal. And the stress transforms from the tensile stress to compressive stress as the sputtering power increases. (authors)

Fabrication and characterization of organic light-emitting diodes using zinc complexes as hole-blocking layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Won Sam; You, Jung Min; Lee, Burm-Jong; Jang, Yoon-Ki; Kim, Dong-Eun; Kwon, Young-Soo

2006-11-01

2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HPB) was employed as organic ligand and the corresponding zinc complexes (Zn(HPB)2 and Zn(HPB)q) were synthesized. And their EL properties were characterized. The structures of zinc complexes were determined with FT-NMR, FT-IR, UV-Vis, and XPS. The thermal stability showed up to about 300 degrees C under nitrogen flow, which was measured by TGA. The photoluminescence (PL) of zinc complexes were measured from the DMF solution. The PL emitted in blue and yellow region, respectively. The EL devices were fabricated by the vacuum deposition. Two kinds of OLEDs devices were fabricated; ITO/NPB (40 nm)/Zn complexes (60 nm)/LiF/Al and ITO/NPB (40 nm)/Alq3 (60 nm)/Zn complexes (5 nm)/LiF/Al. Both of the EL properties as the emitting and the hole-blocking layer were investigated. The EL emission of Zn(HPB)q exhibited green light centered at 532 nm. The device showed a turn-on voltage at 5 V and a luminance of 6073 cd/m2 at 10 V. Meanwhile, the maximum EL the emission of the Zn(HPB)2 device was found to be at 447 nm. And the device showed a luminance of 2813 cd/m2 at 10 V. The ITO/NPB (40 nm)/Alq3 (60 nm)/Zn(HPB)2 (5 nm)/LiF/Al device showed increased luminance of L=17000 cd/m2 compared to L=12000 cd/m2 for similar device fabricated without the hole-blocking layer. And the turn-on voltage was significantly affected by the existence of the hole-blocking layer.

Evolution of sputtered tungsten coatings at high temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stelmakh, Veronika; Rinnerbauer, Veronika; Joannopoulos, John D.; Soljačić, Marin; Celanovic, Ivan; Senkevich, Jay J. [Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Tucker, Charles; Ives, Thomas; Shrader, Ronney [Materion Corporation, Buellton, California 93427 (United States)

2013-11-15

Sputtered tungsten (W) coatings were investigated as potential high temperature nanophotonic material to replace bulk refractory metal substrates. Of particular interest are materials and coatings for thermophotovoltaic high-temperature energy conversion applications. For such applications, high reflectance of the substrate in the infrared wavelength range is critical in order to reduce losses due to waste heat. Therefore, the reflectance of the sputtered W coatings was characterized and compared at different temperatures. In addition, the microstructural evolution of sputtered W coatings (1 and 5 μm thick) was investigated as a function of anneal temperature from room temperature to 1000 °C. Using in situ x-ray diffraction analysis, the microstrain in the two samples was quantified, ranging from 0.33% to 0.18% for the 1 μm sample and 0.26% to 0.20% for the 5 μm sample, decreasing as the temperature increased. The grain growth could not be as clearly quantified due to the dominating presence of microstrain in both samples but was in the order of 20 to 80 nm for the 1 μm sample and 50 to 100 nm for the 5 μm sample, as deposited. Finally, the 5 μm thick layer was found to be rougher than the 1 μm thick layer, with a lower reflectance at all wavelengths. However, after annealing the 5 μm sample at 900 °C for 1 h, its reflectance exceeded that of the 1 μm sample and approached that of bulk W found in literature. Overall, the results of this study suggest that thick coatings are a promising alternative to bulk substrates as a low cost, easily integrated platform for nanostructured devices for high-temperature applications, if the problem of delamination at high temperature can be overcome.

Ion-assisted sputter deposition of molybdenum--silicon multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vernon, S.P.; Stearns, D.G.; Rosen, R.S.

1993-01-01

X-ray multilayer (ML) structures that are fabricated by the use of magnetron-sputter deposition exhibit a degradation in structural quality as the deposition pressure is increased. The observed change in morphology is attributed to a reduced mobility of surface adsorbed atoms, which inhibits the formation of smooth, continuous layers. The application of a negative substrate bias produces ion bombardment of the growing film surface by sputtering gas ions extracted from the plasma and permits direct control of the energy density supplied to the film surface during thin-film growth. The technique supplements the energy lost to thermalization in high-pressure deposition and permits the fabrication of high-quality ML structures at elevated processing pressures. A threefold improvement in the soft-x-ray normal-incidence reflectance at 130 A results for substrate bias voltages of the order of ∼-150 V for Mo--Si ML's deposited at 10-mTorr Ar

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of radiofrequency-sputtered refractory compound steel interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeler, D. R.; Brainard, W. A.

1978-01-01

Radiofrequency sputtering was used to deposit Mo2C, Mo2B5, and MoSi2 coatings on 440C steel substrates. Both sputter etched and preoxidized substrates were used, and the films were deposited with and without a substrate bias of -300 V. The composition of the coatings was measured as a function of depth by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy combined with argon ion etching. In the interfacial region there was evidence that bias produced a graded interface in Mo2B5 but not in Mo2C. Oxides of iron and of all film constituents except carbon were presented in all cases but the iron oxide concentration was higher and the layer thicker on the preoxidized substrates. The film and iron oxides were mixed in the MoSi2 and Mo2C films but layered in the Mo2B5 film. The presence of mixed oxides correlates with enhanced film adhesion.

A Study on Field Emission Characteristics of Planar Graphene Layers Obtained from a Highly Oriented Pyrolyzed Graphite Block.

KAUST Repository

Lee, Seok Woo; Lee, Seung S; Yang, Eui-Hyeok

2009-01-01

This paper describes an experimental study on field emission characteristics of individual graphene layers for vacuum nanoelectronics. Graphene layers were prepared by mechanical exfoliation from a highly oriented pyrolyzed graphite block and placed on an insulating substrate, with the resulting field emission behavior investigated using a nanomanipulator operating inside a scanning electron microscope. A pair of tungsten tips controlled by the nanomanipulator enabled electric connection with the graphene layers without postfabrication. The maximum emitted current from the graphene layers was 170 nA and the turn-on voltage was 12.1 V.

A Study on Field Emission Characteristics of Planar Graphene Layers Obtained from a Highly Oriented Pyrolyzed Graphite Block.

KAUST Repository

Lee, Seok Woo

2009-07-12

This paper describes an experimental study on field emission characteristics of individual graphene layers for vacuum nanoelectronics. Graphene layers were prepared by mechanical exfoliation from a highly oriented pyrolyzed graphite block and placed on an insulating substrate, with the resulting field emission behavior investigated using a nanomanipulator operating inside a scanning electron microscope. A pair of tungsten tips controlled by the nanomanipulator enabled electric connection with the graphene layers without postfabrication. The maximum emitted current from the graphene layers was 170 nA and the turn-on voltage was 12.1 V.

Nucleation of ultrathin silver layer by magnetron sputtering in Ar/N2 plasma

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bulíř, Jiří; Novotný, Michal; Lančok, Ján; Fekete, Ladislav; Drahokoupil, Jan; Musil, Jindřich

2013-01-01

Roč. 228, č. 1 (2013), S86-S90 ISSN 0257-8972 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP108/11/1298; GA ČR GP202/09/P324 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : ultrathin silver * magnetron sputtering * spectral ellipsometry * in-situ monitoring Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.199, year: 2013

Surface characterization of Zr/Ti/Nb tri-layered films deposited by magnetron sputtering on Si(111) and stainless steel substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tallarico, Denise A.; Gobbi, Angelo L.; Filho, Pedro I. Paulin; Galtayries, Anouk; Nascente, Pedro A. P. [Federal University of Sao Carlos, Department of Materials Engineering, Via Washington Luis km 235, CEP 13565-905, Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil); Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Microfabrication Laboratory, Rua Giuseppe Maximo Scolfaro 10.000, CEP 13083-100, Campinas, SP (Brazil); Federal University of Sao Carlos, Department of Materials Engineering, Via Washington Luis km 235, CEP 13565-905, Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil); Ecole Nationale Superieure de Chimie de Paris (Chimie ParisTech), Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Surfaces, UMR CNRS 7045, F-75231 Paris cedex 05 (France); Federal University of Sao Carlos, Department of Materials Engineering, Via Washington Luis km 235, CEP 13565-905, Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil)

2012-09-15

Among metallic materials, commercially pure titanium and titanium alloys are very often used as biomaterials for implants. Among these alloys, titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloy Ti-6 A-4 V is one of the most commonly used due to its excellent biocompatibility and ability to allow bone-implant integration. A new class of Ti alloys employs Zr for solid-solution hardening and Nb as {beta}-phase stabilizer. Metals such as Ti, Nb, and Zr-known as valve metals-usually have their surfaces covered by a thin oxide film that forms spontaneously in air. This oxide film constitutes a barrier between the metal and the medium. The Ti-Nb-Zr alloys have mechanical and corrosion resistance characteristics which make them suitable for use as implants. Tri-layered films of Ti-Nb-Zr were deposited on both Si(111) and stainless steel (SS) substrates using dc magnetron sputtering equipment, under an argon atmosphere according to the following methodology: a 100 nm thick layer of Nb was deposited on the substrate, followed by a 200 nm thick layer of Ti, and finally a 50 nm thick layer of Zr, on top of the multilayer stack. The morphology and chemical composition of the films were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). AFM images showed that the Zr/Ti/Nb tri-layer films presented nanostructured grains and low roughness. The ToF-SIMS depth profiles confirmed the formation of a three-layered film on Si(111) with well-defined and sharp interfaces between the layers, while the deposition on the stainless steel substrate caused slight intermixing at the different alloy/Nb, Nb/Ti and Ti/Zr interfaces, reflecting the greater roughness of the raw substrate. The XPS results for the Zr/Ti/Nb layers deposited on Si(111) and SS confirmed that the outermost layer consisted of Zr only, with a predominance of ZrO{sub 2}, as the metal layer is passivated in air. An oxidation treatment of 1000 Degree

ZIF-8 Membranes with Improved Reproducibility Fabricated from Sputter-Coated ZnO/Alumina Supports

KAUST Repository

Yu, Jian; Pan, Yichang; Wang, Chongqing; Lai, Zhiping

2015-01-01

for reproducible fabrication of high-quality membranes. In this study, high-quality ZIF-8 membranes were prepared through hydrothermal synthesis under the partial self-conversion of sputter-coated ZnO layer on porous α-alumina supports. The reproducibility

Enhancing Color Purity and Stable Efficiency of White Organic Light Diodes by Using Hole-Blocking Layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chien-Jung Huang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The organic light-emitting diodes with triple hole-blocking layer (THBL formation sandwich structure which generate white emission were fabricated. The 5,6,11,12-tetraphenylnapthacene (Rubrene, (4,4′-N,N′-dicarbazolebiphenyl (CBP, and 4,4′-bis(2,2′diphenylvinil-1,1′-biphenyl (DPVBi were used as emitting materials in the device. The function of CBP layer is not only an emitting layer but also a hole-blocking layer (HBL, and the Rubrene was doped into the CBP. The optimal configuration structure was indium tin oxide (ITO/Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3 (5 nm/[4,4-bis[N-(1-naphthyl-N-phenylamino]biphenyl (NPB (35 nm/CBP (HBL1 (5 nm/DPVBi (I (10 nm/CBP (HBL2 : Rubrene (4 : 1 (3 nm/DPVBi (II (30 nm/CBP (HBL3 (2 nm/4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BPhen (10 nm/Lithium fluoride (LiF/aluminum (Al. The result showed that the device with Rubrene doped in CBP (HBL2 exhibited a stable white emission with the color coordinates of (0.322, 0.368, and the coordinate with the slight shift of ±Δx,y = (0.001, 0.011 for applied voltage of 8–12 V was observed.

Improving the growth of Ge/Si islands by modulating the spacing between screen and accelerator grids in ion beam sputtering deposition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jie; Zhao, Bo; Wang, Chong; Qiu, Feng; Wang, Rongfei; Yang, Yu

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Ge islands were prepared by ion beam sputtering with different grid-to-grid gaps. • Ge islands with larger sizes and low density are observed in 1-mm-spaced samples. • The island growth was determined by sputter energy and the quality of Si buffer. • The crystalline volume fraction of buffer must be higher than 72% to grow islands. - Abstract: Ge islands were fabricated on Si buffer layer by ion beam sputtering deposition with a spacing between the screen and accelerator grids of either 1 mm or 2 mm. The Si buffer layer exhibits mixed-phase microcrystallinity for samples grown with 1 mm spacing and crystallinity for those with 2 mm spacing. Ge islands are larger and less dense than those grown on the crystalline buffer because of the selective growth mechanism on the microcrystalline buffer. Moreover, the nucleation site of Ge islands formed on the crystalline Si buffer is random. Ge islands grown at different grid-to-grid gaps are characterized by two key factors, namely, divergence half angle of ion beam and crystallinity of buffer layer. High grid-to-grid spacing results in small divergence half angle, thereby enhancing the sputtering energy and redistribution of sputtered atoms. The crystalline volume fraction of the microcrystalline Si buffer was obtained based on the integrated intensity ratio of Raman peaks. The islands show decreased density with decreasing crystalline volume fraction and are difficult to observe at crystalline volume fractions lower than 72%.

Improving the growth of Ge/Si islands by modulating the spacing between screen and accelerator grids in ion beam sputtering deposition system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jie; Zhao, Bo [Institute of Optoelectronic Information Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091 (China); Yunnan Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Materials and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091 (China); Wang, Chong, E-mail: cwang@mail.sitp.ac.cn [Institute of Optoelectronic Information Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091 (China); Yunnan Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Materials and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091 (China); Qiu, Feng; Wang, Rongfei [Institute of Optoelectronic Information Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091 (China); Yunnan Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Materials and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091 (China); Yang, Yu, E-mail: yuyang@ynu.edu.cn [Institute of Optoelectronic Information Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091 (China); Yunnan Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Materials and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091 (China)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Ge islands were prepared by ion beam sputtering with different grid-to-grid gaps. • Ge islands with larger sizes and low density are observed in 1-mm-spaced samples. • The island growth was determined by sputter energy and the quality of Si buffer. • The crystalline volume fraction of buffer must be higher than 72% to grow islands. - Abstract: Ge islands were fabricated on Si buffer layer by ion beam sputtering deposition with a spacing between the screen and accelerator grids of either 1 mm or 2 mm. The Si buffer layer exhibits mixed-phase microcrystallinity for samples grown with 1 mm spacing and crystallinity for those with 2 mm spacing. Ge islands are larger and less dense than those grown on the crystalline buffer because of the selective growth mechanism on the microcrystalline buffer. Moreover, the nucleation site of Ge islands formed on the crystalline Si buffer is random. Ge islands grown at different grid-to-grid gaps are characterized by two key factors, namely, divergence half angle of ion beam and crystallinity of buffer layer. High grid-to-grid spacing results in small divergence half angle, thereby enhancing the sputtering energy and redistribution of sputtered atoms. The crystalline volume fraction of the microcrystalline Si buffer was obtained based on the integrated intensity ratio of Raman peaks. The islands show decreased density with decreasing crystalline volume fraction and are difficult to observe at crystalline volume fractions lower than 72%.

Initial growth and texture formation during reactive magnetron sputtering of TiN on Si(111)

CERN Document Server

Li, T Q; Tsuji, Y; Ohsawa, T; Komiyama, H

2002-01-01

The initial growth and texture formation mechanism of titanium nitride (TiN) films were investigated by depositing TiN films on (111) silicon substrates by using reactive magnetron sputtering of a Ti metallic target under a N sub 2 /Ar atmosphere, and then analyzing the films in detail by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Two power sources for the sputtering, dc and rf, were compared. At the initial growth stage, a continuous amorphous film containing randomly oriented nuclei was observed when the film thickness was about 3 nm. The nuclei grew and formed a polycrystalline layer when the film thickness was about 6 nm. As the film grew further, its orientation changed depending on the deposition conditions. For dc sputtering, the appearance of (111) or (200)-preferred orientations depended on the N sub 2 partial pressure, and the intensity of the preferred orientation increased with increasing film thickness. For rf sputtering, however, when the film thickness was small (...

Semi-empirical formulas for sputtering yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamura, Yasumichi

1994-01-01

When charged particles, electrons, light and so on are irradiated on solid surfaces, the materials are lost from the surfaces, and this phenomenon is called sputtering. In order to understand sputtering phenomenon, the bond energy of atoms on surfaces, the energy given to the vicinity of surfaces and the process of converting the given energy to the energy for releasing atoms must be known. The theories of sputtering and the semi-empirical formulas for evaluating the dependence of sputtering yield on incident energy are explained. The mechanisms of sputtering are that due to collision cascade in the case of heavy ion incidence and that due to surface atom recoil in the case of light ion incidence. The formulas for the sputtering yield of low energy heavy ion sputtering, high energy light ion sputtering and the general case between these extreme cases, and the Matsunami formula are shown. At the stage of the publication of Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables in 1984, the data up to 1983 were collected, and about 30 papers published thereafter were added. The experimental data for low Z materials, for example Be, B and C and light ion sputtering data were reported. The combination of ions and target atoms in the collected sputtering data is shown. The new semi-empirical formula by slightly adjusting the Matsunami formula was decided. (K.I.)

Structural and electrical properties of sputtering power and gas pressure on Ti-dope In2O3 transparent conductive films by RF magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Chaoumead, Accarat; Joo, Bong-Hyun; Kwak, Dong-Joo; Sung, Youl-Moon

2013-06-01

Transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide (ITiO) films were deposited on Corning glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering method. The effects of RF sputtering power and Ar gas pressure on the structural and electrical properties of the films were investigated experimentally, using a 2.5 wt% TiO2-doped In2O3 target. The deposition rate was in the range of around 20-60 nm/min under the experimental conditions of 5-20 mTorr of gas pressure and 220-350 W of RF power. The lowest resistivity of 1.2 × 10-4 Ω cm, the average optical transmittance of 75%, the high hall mobility of 47.03 cm2/V s and the relatively low carrier concentration of 1.15E+21 cm-3 were obtained for the ITiO film, prepared at RF power of 300 W and Ar gas pressure of 15 mTorr. This resistivity of 1.2 × 10-4 Ω cm is low enough as a transparent conducting layer in various electro-optical devices and it is comparable with that of ITO or ZnO:Al conducting layer.

ZIF-8 Membranes with Improved Reproducibility Fabricated from Sputter-Coated ZnO/Alumina Supports

KAUST Repository

Yu, Jian

2015-11-10

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) membrane has shown great potential for propylene/propane separation based on molecular sieving mechanism. Although diverse synthesis strategies were applied to prepare ZIF-8 membranes, it is still a challenge for reproducible fabrication of high-quality membranes. In this study, high-quality ZIF-8 membranes were prepared through hydrothermal synthesis under the partial self-conversion of sputter-coated ZnO layer on porous α-alumina supports. The reproducibility was significantly improved, compared with that from sol-gel coated ZnO layer, due to the highly controllable sputtering deposition of ZnO precursor. The relationship between the quality of as-synthesized membrane and amount of deposited ZnO was also determined. The effect of pressure drop in C3H6/C3H8 separation on separating performance was also examined.

Broadband pH-Sensing Organic Transistors with Polymeric Sensing Layers Featuring Liquid Crystal Microdomains Encapsulated by Di-Block Copolymer Chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Jooyeok; Song, Myeonghun; Jeong, Jaehoon; Nam, Sungho; Heo, Inseok; Park, Soo-Young; Kang, Inn-Kyu; Lee, Joon-Hyung; Kim, Hwajeong; Kim, Youngkyoo

2016-09-14

We report broadband pH-sensing organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) with the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) sensing layers. The PDLC layers are prepared by spin-coating using ethanol solutions containing 4-cyano-4'-pentyl-biphenyl (5CB) and a diblock copolymer (PAA-b-PCBOA) that consists of LC-philic block [poly(4-cyano-biphenyl-4-oxyundecyl acrylate) (PCBOA)] and acrylic acid block [poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)]. The spin-coated sensing layers feature of 5CB microdomains (pH with only small amounts (10-40 μL) of analyte solutions in both static and dynamic perfusion modes. The positive drain current change is measured for acidic solutions (pH pH > 7) result in the negative change of drain current. The drain current trend in the present PDLC-i-OFET devices is explained by the shrinking-expanding mechanism of the PAA chains in the diblock copolymer layers.

Structural, optical and electrical characteristics of ITO thin films deposited by sputtering on different polyester substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillen, C.; Herrero, J.

2008-01-01

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were deposited by sputtering at room temperature on glass and different polyester substrates; namely polyarylate (PA), polycarbonate (PC) and polyethylene terephtalate (PET). The influence of the substrate on the structural, optical and electrical characteristics of the ITO layers was investigated. The sputtered films exhibited crystallization in the (2 2 2) orientation, with higher mean crystallite size and lower structural distortion onto PET than onto PA, PC or glass substrates. ITO films deposited onto PET showed also higher band gap energy, higher carrier concentration and lower resistivity than the ITO layers onto the other tested substrates. These optical and electrical characteristics have been related to the structural distortion that was found dependent on the specific polyester substrate

Electrical properties of aluminum contacts deposited by DC sputtering method for photovoltaic applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krawczak Ewelina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The use of aluminum contacts is common in the process of silicon solar cells production because of low contact resistivity. It has also a great importance in thin film technology for photovoltaics, especially in copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS devices. The final stage of CIGS cell production is the top contact deposition of high conductivity layer for lateral current collection. Such material has to be highly optically transparent as well. In order to make a contact, metal is deposited onto TCO layer with minimum shadowing to allow as much light as possible into device. The metal grid contact is being made by deposition of few microns of aluminum. The resistivity of the deposited material as well as resistance between the metal grid and TCO layer plays a great role in high quality solar cell production. This paper presents the results of four point probe conductivity analysis of Al thin films deposited by direct current (DC magnetron sputtering method. Influence of technological parameters of the Al deposition process on sheet resistance of deposited layers has been showed. In order to obtain the lowest resistivity of the thin contact layer, optimal set of sputtering parameters, i.e. power applied, deposition time and deposition pressure was found. The resistivity of the contact between two adjacent Al metal fingers deposited onto transparent conductive Al-doped zinc oxide film has been also examined.

Electrical properties of aluminum contacts deposited by DC sputtering method for photovoltaic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Krawczak, Ewelina; Gułkowski, Sławomir

2017-10-01

The use of aluminum contacts is common in the process of silicon solar cells production because of low contact resistivity. It has also a great importance in thin film technology for photovoltaics, especially in copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) devices. The final stage of CIGS cell production is the top contact deposition of high conductivity layer for lateral current collection. Such material has to be highly optically transparent as well. In order to make a contact, metal is deposited onto TCO layer with minimum shadowing to allow as much light as possible into device. The metal grid contact is being made by deposition of few microns of aluminum. The resistivity of the deposited material as well as resistance between the metal grid and TCO layer plays a great role in high quality solar cell production. This paper presents the results of four point probe conductivity analysis of Al thin films deposited by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering method. Influence of technological parameters of the Al deposition process on sheet resistance of deposited layers has been showed. In order to obtain the lowest resistivity of the thin contact layer, optimal set of sputtering parameters, i.e. power applied, deposition time and deposition pressure was found. The resistivity of the contact between two adjacent Al metal fingers deposited onto transparent conductive Al-doped zinc oxide film has been also examined.

Laser micromachining of sputtered DLC films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Y.Q.; Luo, J.K.; Flewitt, A.J.; Ong, S.E.; Zhang, S.; Milne, W.I.

2006-01-01

DLC films with different thicknesses (from 100 nm to 1.9 μm) were deposited using sputtering of graphite target in pure argon atmosphere without substrate heating. Film microstructures (sp 2 /sp 3 ratio) and mechanical properties (modulus, hardness, stress) were characterized as a function of film thickness. A thin layer of aluminum about 60 nm was deposited on the DLC film surface. Laser micromachining of Al/DLC layer was performed to form microcantilever structures, which were released using a reactive ion etching system with SF 6 plasma. Due to the intrinsic stress in DLC films and bimorph Al/DLC structure, the microcantilevers bent up with different curvatures. For DLC film of 100 nm thick, the cantilever even formed microtubes. The relationship between the bimorph beam bending and DLC film properties (such as stress, modulus, etc.) were discussed in details

Advanced properties of Al-doped ZnO films with a seed layer approach for industrial thin film photovoltaic application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewald, Wilma; Sittinger, Volker; Szyszka, Bernd; Säuberlich, Frank; Stannowski, Bernd; Köhl, Dominik; Ries, Patrick; Wuttig, Matthias

2013-01-01

Currently sputtered Al-doped ZnO films are transferred to industry for the application in thin film silicon solar modules. These films are known to easily form light trapping structures upon etching which are necessary for absorbers with low absorbance such as μc-Si. Up to now the best structures for high efficiency thin film silicon solar cells were obtained by low rate radio frequency (r.f.) sputtering of ceramic targets. However, for industrial application a high rate process is essential. Therefore a seed layer approach was developed to increase the deposition rate while keeping the desired etch morphology and electrical properties. Aluminum doped ZnO films were deposited dynamically by direct current (d.c.) magnetron sputtering from a ceramic ZnO:Al 2 O 3 target (1 wt.%) onto an additional seed layer prepared by r.f. sputtering. ZnO:Al films were investigated with respect to their optical and electrical properties as well as the morphology created after etching for a-Si/μc-Si solar cells. Additionally atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Hall measurements were performed, comparing purely r.f. or d.c. sputtered films with d.c. sputtered films on seed layers. With the seed layer approach it was possible to deposit ZnO:Al films with a visual transmittance of 83.5%, resistivity of 295 μΩ cm, electron mobility of 48.9 cm 2 /Vs and electron density of 4.3 · 10 20 cm −3 from a ceramic target at 330 °C. Etch morphologies with 1 μm lateral structure size were achieved. - Highlights: ► Seed layer approach for dynamic sputter deposition of enhanced quality ZnO:Al. ► A thin radio frequency sputtered ZnO:Al layer assists film nucleation on glass. ► Electron mobility was increased up to 49 cm 2 /Vs due to quasi-epitaxial film growth. ► Etch morphology exhibits 1 μm wide craters for light trapping in solar cells. ► The concept was transferred to a seed layer sputtered with direct current

Advanced properties of Al-doped ZnO films with a seed layer approach for industrial thin film photovoltaic application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dewald, Wilma, E-mail: wilma.dewald@ist.fraunhofer.de [Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, Bienroder Weg 54E, 38108 Braunschweig (Germany); Sittinger, Volker; Szyszka, Bernd [Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, Bienroder Weg 54E, 38108 Braunschweig (Germany); Säuberlich, Frank; Stannowski, Bernd [Sontor GmbH, OT Thalheim, Sonnenallee 7-11, 06766 Bitterfeld-Wolfen (Germany); Köhl, Dominik; Ries, Patrick; Wuttig, Matthias [I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), RWTH Aachen, Sommerfeldstraße 14, 52074 Aachen (Germany)

2013-05-01

Currently sputtered Al-doped ZnO films are transferred to industry for the application in thin film silicon solar modules. These films are known to easily form light trapping structures upon etching which are necessary for absorbers with low absorbance such as μc-Si. Up to now the best structures for high efficiency thin film silicon solar cells were obtained by low rate radio frequency (r.f.) sputtering of ceramic targets. However, for industrial application a high rate process is essential. Therefore a seed layer approach was developed to increase the deposition rate while keeping the desired etch morphology and electrical properties. Aluminum doped ZnO films were deposited dynamically by direct current (d.c.) magnetron sputtering from a ceramic ZnO:Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} target (1 wt.%) onto an additional seed layer prepared by r.f. sputtering. ZnO:Al films were investigated with respect to their optical and electrical properties as well as the morphology created after etching for a-Si/μc-Si solar cells. Additionally atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Hall measurements were performed, comparing purely r.f. or d.c. sputtered films with d.c. sputtered films on seed layers. With the seed layer approach it was possible to deposit ZnO:Al films with a visual transmittance of 83.5%, resistivity of 295 μΩ cm, electron mobility of 48.9 cm{sup 2}/Vs and electron density of 4.3 · 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} from a ceramic target at 330 °C. Etch morphologies with 1 μm lateral structure size were achieved. - Highlights: ► Seed layer approach for dynamic sputter deposition of enhanced quality ZnO:Al. ► A thin radio frequency sputtered ZnO:Al layer assists film nucleation on glass. ► Electron mobility was increased up to 49 cm{sup 2}/Vs due to quasi-epitaxial film growth. ► Etch morphology exhibits 1 μm wide craters for light trapping in solar cells. ► The concept was transferred to a seed layer sputtered with direct current.

The statistics of sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, M.T.

1993-01-01

The MARLOWE program was used to study the statistics of sputtering on the example of 1- to 100-keV Au atoms normally incident on static (001) and (111) Au crystals. The yield of sputtered atoms was examined as a function of the impact point of the incident particles (''ions'') on the target surfaces. There were variations on two scales. The effects of the axial and planar channeling of the ions could be traced, the details depending on the orientation of the target and the energies of the ions. Locally, the sputtering yield was very sensitive to the impact point, small changes in position often producing large changes yield. Results indicate strongly that the sputtering yield is a random (''chaotic'') function of the impact point

Formation and stability of sputtered clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, H.H.

1989-01-01

Current theory for the formation of sputtered clusters states that either atoms are sputtered individually and aggregate after having left the surface or they are sputtered as complete clusters. There is no totally sharp boundary between the two interpretations, but experimental evidence is mainly thought to favour the latter model. Both theories demand a criterion for the stability of the clusters. In computer simulations of sputtering, the idea has been to use the same interaction potential as in the lattice computations to judge the stability. More qualitatively, simple geometrical shapes have also been looked for. It is found here, that evidence for 'magic numbers' and electron parity effects in clusters have existed in the sputtering literature for a long time, making more sophisticated stability criteria necessary. The breakdown of originally sputtered metastable clusters into stable clusters gives strong support to the 'sputtered as clusters' hypothesis. (author)

Superconductivity in REO0.5F0.5BiS2 with high-entropy-alloy-type blocking layers

Science.gov (United States)

Sogabe, Ryota; Goto, Yosuke; Mizuguchi, Yoshikazu

2018-05-01

We synthesized new REO0.5F0.5BiS2 (RE: rare earth) superconductors with high-entropy-alloy-type (HEA-type) REO blocking layers. The lattice constant a systematically changed in the HEA-type samples with the RE concentration and the RE ionic radius. A sharp superconducting transition was observed in the resistivity measurements for all the HEA-type samples, and the transition temperature of the HEA-type samples was higher than that of typical REO0.5F0.5BiS2. The sharp superconducting transition and the enhanced superconducting properties of the HEA-type samples may indicate the effectiveness of the HEA states of the REO blocking layers in the REO0.5F0.5BiS2 system.

Nanoporous sputtered platinum-iridium-thinfilms for medical and energy applications; Nanoporoese gesputterte Platin-Iridium-Schichten fuer Anwendungen in der Medizin- und Energietechnik

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ganske, Gerald

2012-10-05

Sputtering makes it possible to create thinfilms of only a few atom layers and to customize them for special applications by adjusting the deposition parameters. In this work interface-layers are deposited and characterized in biological systems as stimulation electrodes for neural cells and as catalysts in hydrogen fuel cells. First of all, highly porous platinum films were created by sputtering at a pressure of 9 Pa and low power of less than 100 W. These parameters are an ideal compromise between deposition rate, porosity and disordered crystal structure of the layers. Investigations on co-sputtered platinum-iridium-films (PtIr) showed that these films form homogeneous structures and no distinction between the separate layers is possible. It was demonstrated that these films obtain the crystal structure of Pt as well as the finer cauliflower-like structure of iridium, if the atoms reach the substrate surface only with their thermal energy. Furthermore, it was shown that the film composition reflects the sputtering power of the separate targets in a linear way. The structure of the films can be predicted by means of monte-carlo-simulation, which was verified by SEM-pictures. The ratio of the sputtering power can be used to control the amount of interface elements which was confirmed by electrochemical tests. Electrode materials for the stimulation of neural cells need a large electrochemically active surface that allows for an interface between electron and ion conductivity. Test on platinum, iridium and PtIr have shown that the films sputtered at the lowest impact energy do have the largest active surface as well as the largest charge delivery capacity (CDC). Iridium films show the highest CDC (48 mC/cm{sup 2}), followed by platinum-iridium (2 mC/cm{sup 2}, 100 W power at both targets) and pure platinum (16 mC/cm{sup 2}). This can be explained by the large surface area of iridium and its electrochemical activation process. Although PtIr layers also show an

Characteristics of Bilayer Molybdenum Films Deposited Using RF Sputtering for Back Contact of Thin Film Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sea-Fue Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Mo films prepared under a single deposition condition seldom simultaneously obtain a low resistivity and a good adhesion necessary for use in solar cells. In order to surmount the obstacle, bilayer Mo films using DC sputtering at a higher working pressure and a lower working pressure have been attempted as reported in the literature. In this study, RF sputtering with different powers in conjunction with different working pressures was explored to prepare bilayer Mo film. The first bottom layer was grown at a RF sputtering power of 30 W and a working pressure of 12 mTorr, and the second top layer was deposited at 100 W and 4.5 mTorr. The films revealed a columnar growth with a preferred orientation along the (110 plane. The bilayer Mo films reported an electrical resistivity of 6.35 × 10−5 Ω-cm and passed the Scotch tape test for adhesion to the soda-lime glass substrate, thereby qualifying the bilayer Mo films for use as back metal contacts for CIGS substrates.

Catalytic growth of ZnO nanostructures by r.f. magnetron sputtering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arroyo-Hernández María

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The catalytic effect of gold seed particles deposited on a substrate prior to zinc oxide (ZnO thin film growth by magnetron sputtering was investigated. For this purpose, selected ultra thin gold layers, with thicknesses close to the percolation threshold, are deposited by thermal evaporation in ultra high vacuum (UHV conditions and subsequently annealed to form gold nanodroplets. The ZnO structures are subsequently deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering in a UHV chamber, and possible morphological differences between the ZnO grown on top of the substrate and on the gold are investigated. The results indicate a moderate catalytic effect for a deposited gold underlayer of 4 nm, quite close to the gold thin film percolation thickness.

Sputter deposition and characterisation of hard wear-resistant Ti/TiN multilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simmonds, M.C.; Swygenhoven, H. van [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1997-09-01

Multilayered Ti/TiN thin films have been synthesized by magnetron sputter deposition. Alternating layers of Ti and TiN with layer thickness in the 5-50 nm range are sequentially deposited. The structure of the films have been characterised by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction and reflection and Auger depth profiling. The mechanical properties have been investigated using pin-on-disc wear rate testing, nanoindentation determination of hardness and micro scratch testing. (author) 1 fig., 3 refs.

CrN/AlN superlattice coatings synthesized by pulsed closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering with different CrN layer thicknesses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Jianliang; Moore, John J.; Mishra, Brajendra; Pinkas, Malki; Zhang Xuhai; Sproul, William D.

2009-01-01

CrN/AlN superlattice coatings with different CrN layer thicknesses were prepared using a pulsed closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering system. A decrease in the bilayer period from 12.4 to 3.0 nm and simultaneously an increase in the Al/(Cr + Al) ratio from 19.1 to 68.7 at.% were obtained in the CrN/AlN coatings when the Cr target power was decreased from 1200 to 200 W. The bilayer period and the structure of the coatings were characterized by means of low angle and high angle X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The mechanical and tribological properties of the coatings were studied using the nanoindentation and ball-on-disc wear tests. It was found that CrN/AlN superlattice coatings synthesized in the current study exhibited a single phase face-centered cubic structure with well defined interfaces between CrN and AlN nanolayers. Decreases in the residual stress and the lattice parameter were identified with a decrease in the CrN layer thickness. The hardness of the coatings increased with a decrease in the bilayer period and the CrN layer thickness, and reached the highest value of 42 GPa at a bilayer period of 4.1 nm (CrN layer thickness of 1.5 nm, AlN layer thickness of 2.5 nm) and an Al/(Cr + Al) ratio of 59.3 at.% in the coatings. A low coefficient of friction of 0.35 and correspondingly low wear rate of 7 x 10 -7 mm 3 N -1 m -1 were also identified in this optimized CrN/AlN coating when sliding against a WC-6%Co ball.

Charge carriers bulk recombination instead of electroplex emission after their tunneling through hole-blocking layer in OLEDs

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, S. Y.; Liu, D.; Jiang, Y.; Teng, F.; Xu, Z.; Hou, Y.; Xu, X. R.

2006-08-01

Charge carriers bulk recombination instead of forming electroplex after their tunneling through a hole-blocking layer, i.e. 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BCP), in organic electroluminescence (EL) device ITO/poly-(N-vinyl-carbazole)(PVK)/BCP/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3)/Al is reported. By changing the thickness of BCP layer, one can find that high electric fields enhance the tunneling process of holes accumulated at the PVK/BCP interface into BCP layer instead of forming “electroplex emission” as reported earlier in literatures. Our experimental data show that charge carriers bulk recombination takes place in both PVK layer and BCP layer, and even in Alq3 layer when BCP layer is thin enough. Further, it is suggested that PVK is the origin of the emission shoulder at 595 nm in the EL spectra of trilayer device ITO/PVK/BCP/Alq3/Al.

Development of the sputter coater for hotcell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chun, Yong Bum; Kwon, H. M.; Chun, Y. B.; Yang, Y. S.; Joo, J. S.; Jang, N. M

2007-05-15

In last december, the Wavelength Dispersive Spectroscopy (WDS) was installed on the shielded SEM of PIEF, KAERI. Before the first major WDS analysis service at the end of 2007, one among the prior technologies, the hot-cell sputter coater was remodelled from a commercial product and set up inside the glove box. This report describes effects of a coating layer on quantitative analysis, the remodelling of a coater suited to hot-cell, and the performance test of the remodelled coater. Also, written in 1998 was revised and appended to the report.

XPS studies of water and oxygen on iron-sputtered natural ilmenite

Science.gov (United States)

Schulze, P. D.; Neil, T. E.; Shaffer, S. L.; Smith, R. W.; Mckay, D. S.

1985-01-01

The adsorption of D2O and O2 on polycrystalline FeTiO3 (natural ilmenite) has been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Oxygen was found to absorb reactively with Fe(0) on Ar(+)-sputtered surfaces at and above 150 K while D2O was found to adsorb molecularly or in ice layers below 170 K on both Ar(+) and O2(+) ion-bombarded ilmenite. The D2O desorbs at 170 K with either the formation of an OD complex or a strongly bound molecular layer of water.

Sputtering ultra-small Pt on nanographitic flakes deposited by electrophoresis for ethanol electro oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Daryakenari, Ahmad Ahmadi; Daryakenari, Mohammad Ahmadi; Omidvar, Hamid

2018-01-01

To acquire highly efficient and cost-effective fuel cells, numerous research works have been carried out to the development low cost and excellent performance of electrocatalysts. In this paper, a solution-based electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique for fabrication of Pt-based catalyst layers is studied. Nanographitic flake coatings used as catalyst support for sputtered platinium (Pt) were fabricated via the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of dispersed nanographitic flakes in isopropyl alcohol. Magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (MNH) was used as an additive binder in the EPD process. Subsequently, the platinium particles were deposited by a direct sputtering on the fabricated nanographitic flake coatings.

Growth and micro structural studies on Yittria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and Strontium Titanate (STO) buffer layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srinivas, S.; Bhatnagar, A.K. [Univ. of Hyderabad (India); Pinto, R. [Solid State Electronics Group, Bombay (India)] [and others

1994-12-31

Microstructure of Yittria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and Strontium Titanate (STO) of radio frequency magnetron sputtered buffer layers was studied at various sputtering conditions on Si<100>, Sapphire and LaAlO{sub 3} <100> substrates. The effect of substrate temperatures upto 800 C and sputtering gas pressures in the range of 50 mTorr. of growth conditions was studied. The buffer layers of YSZ and STO showed a strong tendency for columnar structure with variation growth conditions. The buffer layers of YSZ and STO showed orientation. The tendency for columnar growth was observed above 15 mTorr sputtering gas pressure and at high substrate temperatures. Post annealing of these films in oxygen atmosphere reduced the oxygen deficiency and strain generated during growth of the films. Strong c-axis oriented superconducting YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 9}O{sub 7-x} (YBCO) thin films were obtained on these buffer layers using pulsed laser ablation technique. YBCO films deposited on multilayers of YSZ and STO were shown to have better superconducting properties.

Heterojunction Diodes and Solar Cells Fabricated by Sputtering of GaAs on Single Crystalline Si

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santiago Silvestre

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This work reports fabrication details of heterojunction diodes and solar cells obtained by sputter deposition of amorphous GaAs on p-doped single crystalline Si. The effects of two additional process steps were investigated: A hydrofluoric acid (HF etching treatment of the Si substrate prior to the GaAs sputter deposition and a subsequent annealing treatment of the complete layered system. A transmission electron microscopy (TEM exploration of the interface reveals the formation of a few nanometer thick SiO2 interface layer and some crystallinity degree of the GaAs layer close to the interface. It was shown that an additional HF etching treatment of the Si substrate improves the short circuit current and degrades the open circuit voltage of the solar cells. Furthermore, an additional thermal annealing step was performed on some selected samples before and after the deposition of an indium tin oxide (ITO film on top of the a-GaAs layer. It was found that the occurrence of surface related defects is reduced in case of a heat treatment performed after the deposition of the ITO layer, which also results in a reduction of the dark saturation current density and resistive losses.

Layer-by-Layer Formation of Block-Copolymer-Derived TiO2 for Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Guldin, Stefan

2011-12-15

Morphology control on the 10 nm length scale in mesoporous TiO 2 films is crucial for the manufacture of high-performance dye-sensitized solar cells. While the combination of block-copolymer self-assembly with sol-gel chemistry yields good results for very thin films, the shrinkage during the film manufacture typically prevents the build-up of sufficiently thick layers to enable optimum solar cell operation. Here, a study on the temporal evolution of block-copolymer-directed mesoporous TiO 2 films during annealing and calcination is presented. The in-situ investigation of the shrinkage process enables the establishment of a simple and fast protocol for the fabrication of thicker films. When used as photoanodes in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells, the mesoporous networks exhibit significantly enhanced transport and collection rates compared to the state-of-the-art nanoparticle-based devices. As a consequence of the increased film thickness, power conversion efficiencies above 4% are reached. Fabrication of sufficiently thick mesoporous TiO 2 photoelectrodes with morphology control on the 10 nm length scale is essential for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ss-DSC). This study of the temporal evolution of block-copolymer-directed mesoporous TiO 2 films during annealing and calcination enables the build-up of sufficiently thick films for high-performance ssDSC devices. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Construction of a sputtering reactor for the coating and processing of monolithic U-Mo nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmid, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

In the presented thesis sputter deposition was used for the first time to coat monolithic U-Mo nuclear fuel foils with diffusion inhibitive materials. The intention of these coatings is to prevent the formation of an interdiffusion layer between U-Mo and Al cladding during the use of the fuel. A small sputtering reactor was built, in which the method was tested and processing parameters were investigated. In parallel a larger sputtering reactor was constructed, that allows to coat full size monolithic U-Mo nuclear fuel foils and was used to test an industrial application of the technique. As a result a method based on sputter deposition and erosion can be presented, that allows to clean as well as to coat the surface of monolithic U-Mo nuclear fuel foils in excellent quality. It can be included at any time into the manufacturing chain for U-Mo fuel elements, which is currently being developed.

Electrical properties of sputtered-indium tin oxide film contacts on n-type GaN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, J. D.; Lin, C. C.; Chen, W. L.

2006-01-01

A transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) Ohmic contact on n-type gallium nitride (GaN) (dopant concentration of 2x10 17 cm -3 ) having a specific contact resistance of 4.2x10 -6 Ω cm 2 was obtained. In this study, ITO film deposition method was implemented by sputtering. We found that the barrier height, 0.68 eV, between ITO and n-type GaN is the same for both evaporated- and sputtered-ITO films. However, the 0.68 eV in barrier height renders the evaporated-ITO/n-GaN Schottky contact. This behavior is different from that of our sputtered-ITO/n-GaN, i.e., Ohmic contact. During sputtering, oxygen atoms on the GaN surface were significantly removed, thereby resulting in an improvement in contact resistance. Moreover, a large number of nitrogen (N) vacancies, caused by sputtering, were produced near the GaN surface. These N vacancies acted as donors for electrons, thus affecting a heavily doped n-type formed at the subsurface below the sputtered ITO/n-GaN. Both oxygen removal and heavy doping near the GaN surface, caused by N vacancies, in turn led to a reduction in contact resistivity as a result of electrons tunneling across the depletion layer from the ITO to the n-type GaN. All explanations are given by Auger analysis and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Alloying process of sputter-deposited Ti/Ni multilayer thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, H.; Kim, H.Y.; Miyazaki, S.

2006-01-01

Alloying process of a Ti/Ni multilayer thin film was investigated in detail by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Ti/Ni multilayer thin film was prepared by depositing Ti and Ni layers alternately on a SiO 2 /Si substrate. The number of each metal layer was 100, and the total thickness was 3 μm. The alloy composition was determined as Ti-51 at.%Ni by electron probe micro analysis (EPMA). The DSC curve exhibited three exothermic peaks at 621, 680 and 701 K during heating the as-sputtered multilayer thin film. In order to investigate the alloying process, XRD and TEM observation was carried out for the specimens heated up to various temperatures with the heating rate same as the DSC measurement. The XRD profile of the as-sputtered film revealed only diffraction peaks of Ti and Ni. But reaction layers of 3 nm in thickness were observed at the interfaces of Ti and Ni layers in cross-sectional TEM images. The reaction layer was confirmed as an amorphous phase by the nano beam diffraction analysis. The XRD profiles exhibited that the intensity of Ti diffraction peak decreased in the specimen heat-treated above 600 K. The peak from Ni became broad and shifted to lower diffraction angle. The amorphous layer thickened up to 6 nm in the specimen heated up to 640 K. The diffraction peak corresponding to Ti-Ni B2 phase appeared and the peak from Ni disappeared for the specimen heated up to 675 K. The Ti-Ni B2 crystallized from the amorphous reaction layer. After further heating above the third exothermic peak, the intensity of the peak from the Ti-Ni B2 phase increased, the peak from Ti disappeared and the peaks corresponding to Ti 2 Ni appeared. The Ti 2 Ni phase was formed by the reaction of the Ti-Ni B2 and Ti

Polarity inversion of AlN film grown on nitrided a-plane sapphire substrate with pulsed DC reactive sputtering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marsetio Noorprajuda

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The effect of oxygen partial pressure (PO2 on polarity and crystalline quality of AlN films grown on nitrided a-plane sapphire substrates by pulsed direct current (DC reactive sputtering was investigated as a fundamental study. The polarity inversion of AlN from nitrogen (−c-polarity to aluminum (+c-polarity occurred during growth at a high PO2 of 9.4×103 Pa owing to Al-O octahedral formation at the interface of nitrided layer and AlN sputtered film which reset the polarity of AlN. The top part of the 1300 nm-thick AlN film sputtered at the high PO2 was polycrystallized. The crystalline quality was improved owing to the high kinetic energy of Al sputtered atom in the sputtering phenomena. Thinner AlN films were also fabricated at the high PO2 to eliminate the polycrystallization. For the 200 nm-thick AlN film sputtered at the high PO2, the full width at half-maximum values of the AlN (0002 and (10−12 X-ray diffraction rocking curves were 47 and 637 arcsec, respectively.

High-power sputtering employed for film deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shapovalov, V I

2017-01-01

The features of high-power magnetron sputtering employed for the films’ deposition are reviewed. The main physical phenomena accompanying high-power sputtering including ion-electron emission, gas rarefaction, ionization of sputtered atoms, self-sputtering, ion sound waves and the impact of the target heating are described. (paper)

Electrical characterization of high-pressure reactive sputtered ScOx films on silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castan, H.; Duenas, S.; Gomez, A.; Garcia, H.; Bailon, L.; Feijoo, P.C.; Toledano-Luque, M.; Prado, A. del; San Andres, E.; Lucia, M.L.

2011-01-01

Al/ScO x /SiN x /n-Si and Al/ScO x /SiO x /n-Si metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors have been electrically characterized. Scandium oxide was grown by high-pressure sputtering on different substrates to study the dielectric/insulator interface quality. The substrates were silicon nitride and native silicon oxide. The use of a silicon nitride interfacial layer between the silicon substrate and the scandium oxide layer improves interface quality, as interfacial state density and defect density inside the insulator are decreased.

Comparison of gate dielectric plasma damage from plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposited and magnetron sputtered TiN metal gates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brennan, Christopher J.; Neumann, Christopher M.; Vitale, Steven A., E-mail: steven.vitale@ll.mit.edu [Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lexington, Massachusetts 02420 (United States)

2015-07-28

Fully depleted silicon-on-insulator transistors were fabricated using two different metal gate deposition mechanisms to compare plasma damage effects on gate oxide quality. Devices fabricated with both plasma-enhanced atomic-layer-deposited (PE-ALD) TiN gates and magnetron plasma sputtered TiN gates showed very good electrostatics and short-channel characteristics. However, the gate oxide quality was markedly better for PE-ALD TiN. A significant reduction in interface state density was inferred from capacitance-voltage measurements as well as a 1200× reduction in gate leakage current. A high-power magnetron plasma source produces a much higher energetic ion and vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) photon flux to the wafer compared to a low-power inductively coupled PE-ALD source. The ion and VUV photons produce defect states in the bulk of the gate oxide as well as at the oxide-silicon interface, causing higher leakage and potential reliability degradation.

AZO/Au/AZO tri-layer thin films for the very low resistivity transparent electrode applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chu, Chien-Hsun [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Wu, Hung-Wei, E-mail: hwwu@mail.ksu.edu.tw [Department of Computer and Communication, Kun Shan University, Tainan 71003, Taiwan (China); Huang, Jow-Lay [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung 81148, Taiwan (China); Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2014-08-01

Highlights: • High-quality Al-doped ZnO (AZO)/Au/AZO transparent conducting oxide films. • AZO films (30 nm) made by RF sputtering; ion sputtering for Au film (5–20 nm). • Effects of Au thickness on optical and electrical properties were analyzed. • The resistivity of 9 × 10{sup −5} Ω cm and the transmittance of 86.2% of the multilayer films were obtained in this study. - Abstract: Aluminum-doped ZnO (AZO)/gold/AZO tri-layer structures with very low resistivity and high transmittance are prepared by simultaneous RF magnetron sputtering (for AZO) and ion sputtering (for Au). The properties of the tri-layer films are investigated at different Au layer thicknesses (5–20 nm). The effects of Au layer thickness and the role of Au on the transmission properties of the tri-layer films were investigated. The very low resistivity of 1.01 × 10{sup −5} Ω cm, mobility of 27.665 cm{sup 2} V{sup −1} s{sup −1}, and carrier concentration of 4.563 × 10{sup 22} cm{sup −3} were obtained at an Au layer thickness of 20 nm. The peak transmittance of 86.18% at 650-nm wavelength was obtained at an Au layer thickness of 8 nm. These results show the films to be a good candidate for high-quality electrode scheme in various display applications.

Corrosion of thin, magnetron sputtered Nb_2O_5 films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pillis, Marina Fuser; Geribola, Guilherme Altomari; Scheidt, Guilherme; Gonçalves de Araújo, Edval; Lopes de Oliveira, Mara Cristina; Antunes, Renato Altobelli

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Niobium oxide based films were obtained by DC magnetron sputtering. • Different deposition times were tested. • The best corrosion resistance was obtained for the Nb_2O_5 film produced at 15′. • Film porosity determines the corrosion resistance. - Abstract: Niobium oxide based thin films were deposited on AISI 316 stainless steel substrates using reactive DC magnetron sputtering. Structure, composition and corrosion resistance of the niobium oxide films were studied. The corrosion behavior of the specimens was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization. The concentration of niobium and oxygen in the films was obtained by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). The film structure was analyzed by X-ray diffractometry. The corrosion resistance of the substrate was improved by the Nb_2O_5 layers. The best protective performance was achieved for the deposition time of 15 min.

Laser fluorescence spectroscopy of sputtered uranium atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, R.B.; Pellin, M.J.; Gruen, D.M.; Young, C.E.

1979-01-01

Laser induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy was used to study the sputtering of 99.8% 238 U metal foil when bombarded by normally incident 500 to 3000 eV Ne + , Ar + , Kr + , and O 2 + . A three-level atom model of the LIF processes is developed to interpret the observed fluorescent emission from the sputtered species. The model shows that close attention must be paid to the conditions under which the experiment is carried out as well as to the details of the collision cascade theory of sputtering. Rigorous analysis shows that when properly applied, LIF can be used to investigate the predictions of sputtering theory as regards energy distributions of sputtered particles and for the determination of sputtering yields. The possibility that thermal emission may occur during sputtering can also be tested using the proposed model. It is shown that the velocity distribution (either the number density or flux density distribution, depending upon the experimental conditions) of the sputtered particles can be determined using the LIF technique and that this information can be used to obtain a description of the basic sputtering mechanisms. These matters are discussed using the U-atom fluorescence measurements as a basis. The relative sputtering yields for various incident ions on uranium were also measured for the first time using the LIF technique. A surprisingly high fraction of the sputtered uranium atoms were found to occupy the low lying metastable energy levels of U(I). The population of the sputtered metastable atoms were found approximately to obey a Boltzman distribution with an effective temperature of 920 +- 100 0 K. 41 references

Tailoring the soft magnetic properties of sputtered multilayers by microstructure engineering for high frequency applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudiu V. Falub

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Soft magnetic Ni78.5Fe21.5, Co91.5Ta4.5Zr4 and Fe52Co28B20 thin films laminated with SiO2, Al2O3, AlN, and Ta2O5 dielectric interlayers were deposited on 8” Si wafers using DC, pulsed DC and RF cathodes in the industrial, high-throughput Evatec LLS-EVO-II magnetron sputtering system. A typical multilayer consists of a bilayer stack up to 50 periods, with alternating (50-100 nm thick magnetic layers and (2-20 nm thick dielectric interlayers. We introduced the in-plane magnetic anisotropy in these films during sputtering by a combination of a linear magnetic field, seed layer texturing by means of linear collimators, and the oblique incidence inherent to the geometry of the sputter system. Depending on the magnetic material, the anisotropy field for these films was tuned in the range of ∼(7-120 Oe by choosing the appropriate interlayer thickness, the aspect ratios of the linear collimators in front of the targets, and the sputter process parameters (e.g. pressure, power, DC pulse frequency, while the coercivity was kept low, ∼(0.05-0.9 Oe. The alignment of the easy axis (EA on the 8” wafers was typically between ±1.5° and ±4°. We discuss the interdependence of structure and magnetic properties in these films, as revealed by atomic force microscopy (AFM, X-ray reflectivity (XRR with reciprocal space mapping (RSM and magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE measurements.

Sputtering Yields of Si and Ni from the Ni1-xSix System Studied by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Su Chol; Yamaguchi, Satoru; Kataoka, Yoshihide; Iwami, Motohiro; Hiraki, Akio; Satou, Mamoru; Fujimoto, Fuminori

1982-01-01

Sputtering yields of Si and Ni from thin layer films of Ni-Si compounds (Ni1-xSix), including the pure materials (Ni and Si), caused by 5 keV Ar+ ion bombardment were investigated using backscattering spectrometry. The sputtering yield for Si from Ni1-xSix increased with increasing Si concentration. However, there is an abrupt decrease in the yield for Si concentrations above NiSi2 to pure Si. This is in clear contrast to the sputtering yield of Ni from Ni1-xSix which increased with increasing Ni concentration monotonously. These results are discussed on the basis of both the difference in the atomic density and the electronic state of the alloy.

Computer simulation of sputtering of graphite target in magnetron sputtering device with two zones of erosion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bogdanov R.V.

2015-03-01

Full Text Available A computer simulation program for discharge in a magnetron sputtering device with two erosion zones was developed. Basic laws of the graphite target sputtering process and transport of sputtered material to the substrate were taken into account in the Monte Carlo code. The results of computer simulation for radial distributions of density and energy flux of carbon atoms on the substrate (at different values of discharge current and pressure of the working gas confirmed the possibility of obtaining qualitative homogeneous films using this magnetron sputtering device. Also the discharge modes were determined for this magnetron sputtering device, in which it was possible to obtain such energy and density of carbon atoms fluxes, which were suitable for deposition of carbon films containing carbon nanotubes and other nanoparticles.

Sputtering of water ice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baragiola, R.A.; Vidal, R.A.; Svendsen, W.

2003-01-01

We present results of a range of experiments of sputtering of water ice together with a guide to the literature. We studied how sputtering depends on the projectile energy and fluence, ice growth temperature, irradiation temperature and external electric fields. We observed luminescence from...

Characteristics of ZnO/diamond thin films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

CERN Document Server

Park, Y W; Lee, J G; Baik, Y J; Kim, H J; Jung, H J; Choi, W K; Cho, B H; Park, C Y

1999-01-01

Due to its high Young's modulus, diamond has the highest acoustic wave velocity among all materials and is expected to be a candidate substrate for high-frequency surface acoustic wave(SAW) devices. In this study, the deposition of ZnO, as a piezoelectric layer, on a diamond substrate is investigated. ZnO has been fabricated by using RF magnetron sputtering with a ZnO target and various Ar/O sub 2 gas ratios, RF powers, and substrate temperatures at a vacuum of 10 sup - sup 5 Torr. The sputtered ZnO films are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and I-V characteristics. All the films show only a (002) orientation. The atomic concentration of the sputtered ZnO films is changed by the oxygen gas ratio, and the ZnO films are grown with a homogeneous composition over their entire thickness. The electrical resistivity of the films varied from 4x10 sup 3 to 7x10 sup 8 OMEGA cm, depending on the Ar/O sub 2 gas ratio. The phase...

Simulation experiments and solar wind sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffith, J.E.; Papanastassiou, D.A.; Russell, W.A.; Tombrello, T.A.; Weller, R.A.

1978-01-01

In order to isolate the role played by solar wind sputtering from other lunar surface phenomena a number of simulation experiments were performed, including isotope abundance measurements of Ca sputtered from terrestrial fluorite and plagioclase by 50-keV and 130-keV 14 N beams, measurement of the energy distribution of U atoms sputtered with 80-keV 40 Ar, and measurement of the fraction of sputtered U atoms which stick on the surfaces used to collect these atoms. 10 references

A Statistical Analysis on the Coating Layer Thicknesses of a TRISO of 350 MWth Block-type HTR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Young Min; Jo, C. K.; Cho, M. S. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

A tri-isotropic coated fuel particle (TRISO) is a basic fuel element of a high temperature reactor (HTR). The block-type HTR fuel is a cylindrical graphite compact in which a large number of TRISOs are embedded. There are more than 11 billion TRISOs in a 350 MW{sub th} block-type HTR core. Among the RSM quadratic models, the BBD model produces the smallest errors at both interior and exterior points. The errors in the quadratic model of the small-type CCD is the biggest, particularly at exterior points. The CCD has a disadvantage of generating a number of decimal places in its factor levels because of its axial points. It is recommended to use the BBD or the full-type CCD with an adjusted axial point which does not produce the decimal places in its factor levels. More general statistical model for a TRISO design will be secured when the number of factors and responses increases. This study treats a statistical analysis on the optimal layer thicknesses of a UCO TRISO of 350 MW{sub th} block-type HTR which cause a minimum tangential stress to act on the SiC layer. Three response surface methods (RSMs) are used as statistical methods and their resulting quadratic models are compared.

A Statistical Analysis on the Coating Layer Thicknesses of a TRISO of 350 MWth Block-type HTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Young Min; Jo, C. K.; Cho, M. S.

2016-01-01

A tri-isotropic coated fuel particle (TRISO) is a basic fuel element of a high temperature reactor (HTR). The block-type HTR fuel is a cylindrical graphite compact in which a large number of TRISOs are embedded. There are more than 11 billion TRISOs in a 350 MW_t_h block-type HTR core. Among the RSM quadratic models, the BBD model produces the smallest errors at both interior and exterior points. The errors in the quadratic model of the small-type CCD is the biggest, particularly at exterior points. The CCD has a disadvantage of generating a number of decimal places in its factor levels because of its axial points. It is recommended to use the BBD or the full-type CCD with an adjusted axial point which does not produce the decimal places in its factor levels. More general statistical model for a TRISO design will be secured when the number of factors and responses increases. This study treats a statistical analysis on the optimal layer thicknesses of a UCO TRISO of 350 MW_t_h block-type HTR which cause a minimum tangential stress to act on the SiC layer. Three response surface methods (RSMs) are used as statistical methods and their resulting quadratic models are compared

DEPTH MEASUREMENT OF DISRUPTED LAYER ON SILICON WAFER SURFACE USING AUGER SPECTROSCOPY METHOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Solodukha

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper proposes a method for depth measurement of a disrupted layer on silicon wafer surface which is based on application of Auger spectroscopy with the precision sputtering of surface silicon layers and registration of the Auger electron yield intensity. In order to measure the disrupted layer with the help of Auger spectroscopy it is necessary to determine dependence of the released Auger electron amount on sputtering time (profile and then the dependence is analyzed. Silicon amount in the disrupted layer is less than in the volume. While going deeper the disruptive layer is decreasing that corresponds to an increase of atom density in a single layer. The essence of the method lies in the fact the disruptive layer is removed by ion beam sputtering and detection of interface region is carried out with the help of registration of the Auger electron yield intensity from the sputtered surface up to the moment when it reaches the value which is equal to the Auger electron yield intensity for single-crystal silicon. While removing surface silicon layers the registration of the Auger electron yield intensity from silicon surface makes it possible to control efficiently a presence of the disrupted layer on the silicon wafer surface. In this case depth control locality is about 1.0 nm due to some peculiarities of Auger spectroscopy method. The Auger electron yield intensity is determined automatically while using Auger spectrometer and while removing the disrupted layer the intensity is gradually increasing. Depth of the disrupted layer is determined by measuring height of the step which has been formed as a result of removal of the disrupted layer from the silicon wafer surface. Auger spectroscopy methods ensures an efficient depth control surface disruptions at the manufacturing stages of silicon wafers and integrated circuits. The depth measurement range of disruptions constitutes 0.001–1.000 um.

Sputter crater formation in the case of microsecond pulsed glow discharge in a Grimm-type source. Comparison of direct current and radio frequency modes

Science.gov (United States)

Efimova, Varvara; Hoffmann, Volker; Eckert, Jürgen

2012-10-01

Depth profiling with pulsed glow discharge is a promising technique. The application of pulsed voltage for sputtering reduces the sputtering rate and thermal stress and hereby improves the analysis of thin layered and thermally fragile samples. However pulsed glow discharge is not well studied and this limits its practical use. The current work deals with the questions which usually arise when the pulsed mode is applied: Which duty cycle, frequency and pulse length must be chosen to get the optimal sputtering rate and crater shape? Are the well-known sputtering effects of the continuous mode valid also for the pulsed regime? Is there any difference between dc and rf pulsing in terms of sputtering? It is found that the pulse length is a crucial parameter for the crater shape and thermal effects. Sputtering with pulsed dc and rf modes is found to be similar. The observed sputtering effects at various pulsing parameters helped to interpret and optimize the depth resolution of GD OES depth profiles.

Biopolymer nanostructures induced by plasma irradiation and metal sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Slepička, P., E-mail: petr.slepicka@vscht.cz [Department of Solid State Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, 166 28 Prague (Czech Republic); Juřík, P. [Department of Solid State Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, 166 28 Prague (Czech Republic); Malinský, P.; Macková, A. [Nuclear Physics Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Rez, Prague 25068 (Czech Republic); Faculty of Science, J.E. Purkyně University, Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic); Kasálková, N. Slepičková; Švorčík, V. [Department of Solid State Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, 166 28 Prague (Czech Republic)

2014-08-01

Modification based on polymer surface exposure to plasma treatment exhibits an easy and cheap technique for polymer surface nanostructuring. The influence of argon plasma treatment on biopolymer poly(L-lactide acid (PLLA) will be presented in this paper. The combination of Ar{sup +} ion irradiation, consequent sputter metallization (platinum) and thermal annealing of polymer surface will be summarized. The surface morphology was studied using atomic force microscopy. The Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy were used as analytical methods. The combination of plasma treatment with consequent thermal annealing and/or metal sputtering led to the change of surface morphology and its elemental ratio. The surface roughness and composition has been strongly influenced by the modification parameters and metal layer thickness. By plasma treatment of polymer surface combined with consequent annealing or metal deposition can be prepared materials applicable both in tissue engineering as cell carriers, but also in integrated circuit manufacturing.

Magnetic properties and interlayer coupling of sputtered Ni/V multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benkirane, K.; Elkabil, R.; Lassri, M.; Abid, M.; Lassri, H.; Hamdoun, A.; Krishnan, R.

2005-01-01

The magnetic properties of sputtered Ni/V multilayers have been studied in a vibrating sample magnetometer, torque magnetometer and by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). The magnetization decreases with decreasing Ni layer thickness, which is an indication of the structural imperfections at interface. The interface contribution to the magnetic anisotropy is practically negligible. The spin-waves resonance modes were observed for perpendicular geometry, which implied that spin waves were sustained by the whole film and propagated through V layers in some Ni/V multilayers. The relation of the resonance field H n with the mode number n obeys the so-called n 2 law and the interlayer exchange constants were determined

Study of interdiffusion of Ni/Fe layers by Auger sputter profiling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chuang, T J; Wandelt, K [International Business Machines Corp., San Jose, CA (USA). Research Lab.

1979-05-01

Bulk and grain boundary diffusion of Fe into Ni films has been studied under UHV in the temperature range of -150 to 500/sup 0/C using AES and sputter profiling methods. The concentration profiles at the interface are corrected for the various broadening and damage effects inherent in ion bombardment. Grain boundary diffusion coefficients are derived on the basis of the Whipple model. The measured activation energies are 46 kcal/mole for bulk diffusion and 34 kcal/mole for grain boundary diffusion. An additional migration phenomenon not previously resolved is observed for very thin films annealed at relatively low temperatures (150-250/sup 0/C). A possible mechanism involved in this initial 'interface healing' is discussed.

Hysteresis behaviour of silver sputtered in different plasma atmospheres at constant flow rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rizk, A.; Makar, L.N.; Rizk, N.S.; Shinoda, R.

1990-01-01

The effects of ion bombardment on sputtering behaviour of pure silver targets in inert and active gas atmospheres were investigated, using a dc planar magnetron sputtering system. The obtained current-voltage characteristics showed the formation of hysteresis loops without noticeable sharp transitions. Redeposited layers of silver nitride or silver oxide on the target surface when using nitrogen or oxygen in the glow discharge, residual ionization when using dry argon atmosphere were considered the main reasons for the occurrence of these loops. The results indicate that films of AgN x and AgO x can be deposited with controlled x in the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 using voltage control at constant gas flow rates. (author)

Synthesis of nanofibrous ZnO by magnetron sputtering and its integration in dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghimpu, L.; Tiginyanu, I.; Pauporte, T.; Guerin, V.M.; Lupan, O.

2013-01-01

This work demonstrates a cost-effective synthesis of nanofibrous ZnO layers by a magnetron sputtering. We present the results of layer characterization by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence which are indicative of good structural properties of the layers. The nanofibrous ZnO layers proves good structural properties offering a new nanomaterial for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) application. Their successful integration in DSC for solar energy conversion is demonstrated by impedance spectroscopy, and photo-current-voltage (J-V) studies.

Secondary ion emission from ultra-thin oxide layers bombarded by energetic (MeV) heavy ions: depth of origin and layer homogeneity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allali, H.; Nsouli, B.; Thomas, J.P.; Cabaud, B.; Fuchs, G.; Hoareau, A.; Treilleux, M.; Danel, J.S.

1993-09-01

The escape depth of the secondary ions resulting from electronic sputtering of fast heavy ions in inorganic thin films has been investigated. Chromium layers deposited onto SiO 2 substrate as well as SiO x layers deposited onto chromium substrate have been characterized by secondary ion emission mass spectrometry (SIMS) in combination with time-of-flight (TOF) mass analysis (also referred as HSF-SIMS). These crossed experiments lead to a value around 1 nm for SiO x layers and 0.5 nm for Cr layers. On the other hand, HSF-SIMS can be used to correlate the intensity of the secondary ion emission to the film coverage rate and (or) the morphology of particular films like those produced by Low Energy Cluster Beam Deposition (LECBD). Using Sb deposits, the non-linear relationship between ion emission and coverage is interpreted in terms of sputtering enhancement in the individual supported clusters. (author) 22 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab

Self-assembled metal nano-multilayered film prepared by co-sputtering method

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Tianle; Fu, Licai; Qin, Wen; Zhu, Jiajun; Yang, Wulin; Li, Deyi; Zhou, Lingping

2018-03-01

Nano-multilayered film is usually prepared by the arrangement deposition of different materials. In this paper, a self-assembled nano-multilayered film was deposited by simultaneous sputtering of Cu and W. The Cu/W nano-multilayered film was accumulated by W-rich layer and Cu-rich layer. Smooth interfaces with consecutive composition variation and semi-coherent even coherent relationship were identified, indicating that a spinodal-like structure with a modulation wavelength of about 20 nm formed during co-deposition process. The participation of diffusion barrier element, such as W, is believed the essential to obtain the nano-multilayered structure besides the technological parameters.

Transparent front contact optimization in dye sensitized solar cells: use of cadmium stannate and titanium oxide by sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Braga, A., E-mail: antonio.braga@iit.it [CNR-IDASC SENSOR Lab and Department of Chemistry and Physics, Brescia University, Via Valotti 9, 25131 Brescia (Italy); Baratto, C. [CNR-IDASC SENSOR Lab and Department of Chemistry and Physics, Brescia University, Via Valotti 9, 25131 Brescia (Italy); Bontempi, E. [INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, University of Brescia, Via Branze 28, 25133 Brescia (Italy); Colombi, P. [Centro Coating C.S.M.T. Gestione S.c.a.r.l., Via Branze, 45 25123 Brescia (Italy); Sberveglieri, G. [CNR-IDASC SENSOR Lab and Department of Chemistry and Physics, Brescia University, Via Valotti 9, 25131 Brescia (Italy)

2014-03-31

A reliable transparent front contact of cadmium stannate (CTO) and titanium oxide (TiO{sub 2}) entirely deposited by magnetron sputtering has been studied and applied to build standard dye-sensitized solar cell. CTO gives very high average optical transmittance (T{sub avg} ≥ 90%) along with competitive sheet resistance (R{sub sheet} ≤ 15 Ω/sq), while a very thin layer of TiO{sub 2} (thickness < 5 nm) acts as buffer layer to prevent charge recombination. The matched materials allow achievement of good performances of the cells, in terms of short circuit current and power conversion efficiency. UV-visible spectrophotometry, glancing incident X-rays diffraction and X-rays reflectivity techniques were used to characterize thin films before cell realization; sealed solar cells were tested under simulated solar irradiance at 1 Sun to determine functional properties. - Highlights: • Double layer cadmium stannate–TiO{sub 2} transparent front contact by sputtering. • Very thin TiO{sub 2} buffer layer for charge recombination prevention. • Application of novel transparent contact in standard dye sensitized solar cells.

Transparent front contact optimization in dye sensitized solar cells: use of cadmium stannate and titanium oxide by sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braga, A.; Baratto, C.; Bontempi, E.; Colombi, P.; Sberveglieri, G.

2014-01-01

A reliable transparent front contact of cadmium stannate (CTO) and titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) entirely deposited by magnetron sputtering has been studied and applied to build standard dye-sensitized solar cell. CTO gives very high average optical transmittance (T avg ≥ 90%) along with competitive sheet resistance (R sheet ≤ 15 Ω/sq), while a very thin layer of TiO 2 (thickness < 5 nm) acts as buffer layer to prevent charge recombination. The matched materials allow achievement of good performances of the cells, in terms of short circuit current and power conversion efficiency. UV-visible spectrophotometry, glancing incident X-rays diffraction and X-rays reflectivity techniques were used to characterize thin films before cell realization; sealed solar cells were tested under simulated solar irradiance at 1 Sun to determine functional properties. - Highlights: • Double layer cadmium stannate–TiO 2 transparent front contact by sputtering. • Very thin TiO 2 buffer layer for charge recombination prevention. • Application of novel transparent contact in standard dye sensitized solar cells

Deposition and characterization of titania-silica optical multilayers by asymmetric bipolar pulsed dc sputtering of oxide targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sagdeo, P R; Shinde, D D; Misal, J S [Optics and Thin Film Laboratory, Autonagar, BARC-Vizag, Visakhapatnam -530012 (India); Kamble, N M; Tokas, R B; Biswas, A; Poswal, A K; Thakur, S; Bhattacharyya, D; Sahoo, N K; Sabharwal, S C, E-mail: nksahoo@barc.gov.i, E-mail: sahoonk@gmail.co [Spectroscopy Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085 (India)

2010-02-03

Titania-silica (TiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}) optical multilayer structures have been conventionally deposited by reactive sputtering of metallic targets. In order to overcome the problems of arcing, target poisoning and low deposition rates encountered there, the application of oxide targets was investigated in this work with asymmetric bipolar pulsed dc magnetron sputtering. In order to evaluate the usefulness of this deposition methodology, an electric field optimized Fabry Perot mirror for He-Cd laser ({lambda} = 441.6 nm) spectroscopy was deposited and characterized. For comparison, this mirror was also deposited by the reactive electron beam (EB) evaporation technique. The mirrors developed by the two complementary techniques were investigated for their microstructural and optical reflection properties invoking atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry, grazing incidence reflectometry and spectrophotometry. From these measurements the layer geometry, optical constants, mass density, topography, surface and interface roughness and disorder parameters were evaluated. The microstructural properties and spectral functional characteristics of the pulsed dc sputtered multilayer mirror were found to be distinctively superior to the EB deposited mirror. The knowledge gathered during this study has been utilized to develop a 21-layer high-pass edge filter for radio photoluminescence dosimetry.

Deposition and characterization of titania-silica optical multilayers by asymmetric bipolar pulsed dc sputtering of oxide targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sagdeo, P R; Shinde, D D; Misal, J S; Kamble, N M; Tokas, R B; Biswas, A; Poswal, A K; Thakur, S; Bhattacharyya, D; Sahoo, N K; Sabharwal, S C

2010-01-01

Titania-silica (TiO 2 /SiO 2 ) optical multilayer structures have been conventionally deposited by reactive sputtering of metallic targets. In order to overcome the problems of arcing, target poisoning and low deposition rates encountered there, the application of oxide targets was investigated in this work with asymmetric bipolar pulsed dc magnetron sputtering. In order to evaluate the usefulness of this deposition methodology, an electric field optimized Fabry Perot mirror for He-Cd laser (λ = 441.6 nm) spectroscopy was deposited and characterized. For comparison, this mirror was also deposited by the reactive electron beam (EB) evaporation technique. The mirrors developed by the two complementary techniques were investigated for their microstructural and optical reflection properties invoking atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry, grazing incidence reflectometry and spectrophotometry. From these measurements the layer geometry, optical constants, mass density, topography, surface and interface roughness and disorder parameters were evaluated. The microstructural properties and spectral functional characteristics of the pulsed dc sputtered multilayer mirror were found to be distinctively superior to the EB deposited mirror. The knowledge gathered during this study has been utilized to develop a 21-layer high-pass edge filter for radio photoluminescence dosimetry.

Implantation, recoil implantation, and sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, R.

1984-01-01

The implantation and sputtering mechanisms which are relevant to ion bombardment of surfaces are described. These are: collision, thermal, electronic and photon-induced sputtering. 135 refs.; 36 figs.; 9 tabs

Anodization and Optical Appearance of Sputter Deposited Al-Zr Coatings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gudla, Visweswara Chakravarthy; Canulescu, Stela; Shabadi, Rajashekhara

2014-01-01

of the anodized layer. The microstructure of the coating is found to influence the appearance of anodized layer owing to the presence of completely or partially dissolved second phases during anodizing process. Oxidation status of the second phase particles in the coatings affected the light absorption......Anodized Al alloy components are extensively used in various applications like architectural, decorative and automobiles for corrosion protection and/or decorative optical appearance. However, tailoring the anodized layer for specific optical appearance is limited due to variation in composition...... and microstructure of the commercial alloys, and even more difficult with recycled alloys. Sputter coating methods promise to control the chemical composition of the Al alloy surfaces and eventually modify the microstructure of the surfaces with heat treatments thus enabling the freedom on the substrate quality...

Niobium films produced by magnetron sputtering using an Ar-He mixture as discharge gas

CERN Document Server

Schucan, G M; Calatroni, Sergio

1995-01-01

Superconducting RF accelerating cavities have been produced at CERN by sputter-coating, with a thin niobium layer, cavities made of copper. In the present work, the discharge behaviour and niobium film properties have been investigated when part of the argon sputtering gas is replaced with helium. Helium is chosen because of its low mass, which reduces the energy lost by the niobium atoms colliding with the sputter gas atoms. The higher niobium atom energy should lead to higher adatom mobility on the substrate and, hence, to a larger grain size, a feature which is highly desirable to reduce the cavity surface resistance. It has been found that helium addition effectively helps to maintain the discharge at considerably lower argon pressures, via metastable-neutral ionisation and high secondary electron yield. However, a large amount of helium is trapped in the film, amount which is proportional to the helium partial pressure during the discharge, resulting in a reduction of both Residual Resistivity Ratio and ...

Cutaneous Sensory Block Area, Muscle-Relaxing Effect, and Block Duration of the Transversus Abdominis Plane Block

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Støving, Kion; Rothe, Christian; Rosenstock, Charlotte V

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a widely used nerve block. However, basic block characteristics are poorly described. The purpose of this study was to assess the cutaneous sensory block area, muscle-relaxing effect, and block duration. METHODS: Sixteen...... healthy volunteers were randomized to receive an ultrasound-guided unilateral TAP block with 20 mL 7.5 mg/mL ropivacaine and placebo on the contralateral side. Measurements were performed at baseline and 90 minutes after performing the block. Cutaneous sensory block area was mapped and separated...... into a medial and lateral part by a vertical line through the anterior superior iliac spine. We measured muscle thickness of the 3 lateral abdominal muscle layers with ultrasound in the relaxed state and during maximal voluntary muscle contraction. The volunteers reported the duration of the sensory block...

The optical properties and applications of AlN thin films prepared by a helicon sputtering system

CERN Document Server

Chiu, W Y; Kao, H L; Jeng, E S; Chen, J S; Jaing, C C

2002-01-01

AlN thin films were grown on SiO sub 2 /Si and quartz substrates using a helicon sputtering system. The dependence of film quality on growth parameters, such as total sputtering pressure, substrate temperature, and nitrogen concentration has been studied. There is a good correlation of thin film crystallinity addressed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and spectroscopic ellipsometer. The optimized films exhibit highly oriented, with only (002) peak shown in a theta-2 theta scan XRD pattern, and extremely smooth surface with rms roughness of 2 Aa. The extinction coefficient of the film was 4x10 sup - sup 4 , which is lower than that of AlN films grown by conventional sputtering. Double-layer antireflection (DLAR) coating using AlN and Al sub 3 O sub 3 grown on quartz has been demonstrated. The transmittance of DLAR was high as 96% compared to 93% of bare substrates with the measurement error less than 0.2%. AlN films prepared by Helicon sputtering thus are potential for optical application.

Layered Ultrathin Coherent Structures (LUCS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuller, I.K.; Falco, C.M.

1979-01-01

A new class of superconducting materials, Layered Ultrathin Coherent Structures (LUCS) are described. These materials are produced by sequentially depositing ultrathin layers of materials using high rate magnetron sputtering or thermal evaporation. Strong evidence is presented that layers as thin as 10 A can be prepared in this fashion. Resistivity data indicates that the mean free path is layer thickness limited. A strong disagreement is found between the experimentally measured transition temperatures T/sub c/ and the T/sub c/'s calculated using the Cooper limit approximation. This is interpreted as a change in the band structure or the phonon structure of the material due to layering or to surfaces

Nano-structuring of PTFE surface by plasma treatment, etching, and sputtering with gold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reznickova, Alena; Kolska, Zdenka; Hnatowicz, Vladimir; Svorcik, Vaclav

2011-01-01

Properties of pristine, plasma modified, and etched (by water and methanol) polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were studied. Gold nanolayers sputtered on this modified PTFE have been also investigated. Contact angle, measured by goniometry, was studied as a function of plasma exposure and post-exposure aging times. Degradation of polymer chains was examined by etching of plasma modified PTFE in water or methanol. The amount of ablated and etched layer was measured by gravimetry. In the next step the pristine, plasma modified, and etched PTFE was sputtered with gold. Changes in surface morphology were observed using atomic force microscopy. Chemical structure of modified polymers was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Surface chemistry of the samples was investigated by electrokinetic analysis. Sheet resistance of the gold layers was measured by two-point technique. The contact angle of the plasma modified PTFE decreases with increasing exposure time. The PTFE amount, ablated by the plasma treatment, increases with the plasma exposure time. XPS measurements proved that during the plasma treatment the PTFE macromolecular chains are degraded and oxidized and new –C–O–C–, –C=O, and –O–C=O groups are created in modified surface layer. Surface of the plasma modified PTFE is weakly soluble in methanol and intensively soluble in water. Zeta potential and XPS shown dramatic changes in PTFE surface chemistry after the plasma exposure, water etching, and gold deposition. When continuous gold layer is formed a rapid decrease of the sheet resistance of the gold layer is observed.

Studies on ion scattering and sputtering processes relevant to ion beam sputter deposition of multicomponent thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auciello, O.; Ameen, M.S.; Kingon, A.I.

1989-01-01

Results from computer simulation and experiments on ion scattering and sputtering processes in ion beam sputter deposition of high Tc superconducting and ferroelectric thin films are presented. It is demonstrated that scattering of neutralized ions from the targets can result in undesirable erosion of, and inert gas incorporation in, the growing films, depending on the ion/target atom ass ratio and ion beam angle of incidence/target/substrate geometry. The studies indicate that sputtering Kr + or Xe + ions is preferable to the most commonly used Ar + ions, since the undesirable phenomena mentioned above are minimized for the first two ions. These results are used to determine optimum sputter deposition geometry and ion beam parameters for growing multicomponent oxide thin films by ion beam sputter-deposition. 10 refs., 5 figs

Residual stress and texture in Aluminum doped Zinc Oxide layers deposited by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azanza Ricardo, C.L., E-mail: Cristy.Azanza@ing.unitn.it [Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, 38123 via Mesiano 77, Trento (Italy); Pastorelli, M.; D' Incau, M. [Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, 38123 via Mesiano 77, Trento (Italy); Aswath, P. [College of Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, TX (United States); Scardi, P. [Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, 38123 via Mesiano 77, Trento (Italy)

2016-04-30

Aluminum doped Zinc Oxide thin films were deposited on standard soda-lime substrates by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering. Residual stress and texture were studied by X-ray diffraction, while X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy provided information on the Al environment in the best performing thin films. The influence of deposition parameters on structural and microstructural properties is discussed. A correlation between microstructure and residual stress state with electrical and optical properties is proposed. - Highlights: • Al doped ZnO thin films were obtained by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering. • Correlation of stresses and texture with electrical and optical properties is shown. • Homogeneous and stress-free thin-films are the best performing ones. • XANES confirmed the doping mechanism and excluded some spurious phases.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of sputter deposited Ni/Ni{sub 3}Al multilayer films at elevated temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Chao [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Ship and Deep-Sea Exploration, Shanghai 200240 (China); Feng, Kai, E-mail: fengkai@sjtu.edu.cn [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Ship and Deep-Sea Exploration, Shanghai 200240 (China); Li, Zhuguo, E-mail: lizg@sjtu.edu.cn [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Ship and Deep-Sea Exploration, Shanghai 200240 (China); Lu, Fenggui; Huang, Jian; Wu, Yixiong [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Ship and Deep-Sea Exploration, Shanghai 200240 (China)

2016-08-15

Highlights: • Ni/Ni{sub 3}Al multilayers are prepared by magnetron sputtering. • Both grain size and phase constitution of annealed Ni/Ni{sub 3}Al multilayers are dependent on individual layer thickness. • The hardness of annealed Ni/Ni{sub 3}Al multilayers varies with individual layer thickness and annealing temperature. • 40 nm Ni/Ni{sub 3}Al multilayer exhibits excellent hardness at elevated temperature. - Abstract: Nano-structured Ni/Ni{sub 3}Al multilayer was prepared by magnetron sputtering, with individual layer thicknesses h varying from 10 to 160 nm. The microstructure and hardness of Ni/Ni{sub 3}Al multilayer were investigated by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and nanoindentation. The results show that the hardness increases with decreasing h for as-deposited and 500 °C annealed multilayers. When annealed at 700 °C, the hardness approach a peak value at h = 40 nm with followed by softening at smaller h. The influence of individual layer thickness, grain size as well as formation of ordered Ni{sub 3}Al on strengthening mechanisms of Ni/Ni{sub 3}Al multilayers at elevated temperature are discussed.

HOLE-BLOCKING LAYERS FOR SILICON/ORGANIC HETEROJUNCTIONS: A NEW CLASS OF HIGH-EFFICIENCY LOW-COST PV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sturm, James [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

2017-12-04

This project is the first investigation of the use of thin titanium dioxide layers on silicon as a hole-blocking / electron-transparent selective contact to silicon. The work was motivated by the goal of a high-efficiency low-cost silicon-based solar cells that could be processed entirely at low temperature (300 Degree Celsius) or less, without requiring plasma-processing.

Transparent Ga and Zn co-doped In2O3 electrode prepared by co-sputtering of Ga:In2O3 and Zn:In2O3 targets at room temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Jin-A; Kim, Han-Ki

2011-01-01

This study examined the characteristics of Ga:In 2 O 3 (IGO) co-sputtered Zn:In 2 O 3 (IZO) films prepared by dual target direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering at room temperature in a pure Ar atmosphere for transparent electrodes in IGZO-based TFTs. Electrical, optical, structural and surface properties of Ga and Zn co-doped In 2 O 3 (IGZO) electrodes were investigated as a function of IGO and IZO target DC power during the co-sputtering process. Unlike semiconducting InGaZnO 4 films, which were widely used as a channel layer in the oxide TFTs, the co-sputtered IGZO films showed a high transmittance (91.84%) and low resistivity (4.1 x 10 -4 Ω cm) at optimized DC power of the IGO and IZO targets, due to low atomic percent of Ga and Zn elements. Furthermore, the IGO co-sputtered IZO films showed a very smooth and featureless surface and an amorphous structure regardless of the IGO and IZO DC power due to the room temperature sputtering process. This indicates that co-sputtered IGZO films are a promising S/D electrode in the IGZO-based TFTs due to their low resistivity, high transmittance and same elements with channel InGaZnO 4 layer.

Argonne inverted sputter source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yntema, J.L.; Billquist, P.J.

1983-01-01

The emittance of the inverted sputter source with immersion lenses was measured to be about 5π mm mrad MeV/sup 1/2/ at the 75% level over a wide range of beam intensities. The use of the source in experiments with radioactive sputter targets and hydrogen loaded targets is described. Self contamination of the source is discussed

Sputtering and reflection of self-bombardment of tungsten material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niu, Guo-jian; Li, Xiao-chun; Xu, Qian; Yang, Zhong-shi; Luo, Guang-nan

2015-01-01

In present research, the sputtering and reflection yield of self-bombardment of tungsten are investigated with the aid of molecular dynamics simulations. The source of sputtered and reflected atoms is detected by traced the original locations of sputtered and reflected atoms. Results show that for the reflected atoms no specific region exists which means cluster atoms are randomly reflected. But almost all of sputtered atoms are from a conical region under the landing point of cluster. So we can determine the sputtering yield by study the dimension of the sputtering region. Molecular dynamics shows the depth and radius of the conical are power functions of impacting energy. The effects of cluster size and temperature of target on sputtering and reflection rate are also preformed in present study. Both sputtering and reflection yield are proportion to cluster size in present cluster size, i.e. 66–2647 atoms. Higher target temperature can increase sputtering yield and deduce sputtering threshold energy, but little effect on reflection rate

Sputtering and reflection of self-bombardment of tungsten material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niu, Guo-jian [University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China); Institute of Plasma Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei (China); Li, Xiao-chun; Xu, Qian; Yang, Zhong-shi [Institute of Plasma Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei (China); Luo, Guang-nan, E-mail: gnluo@ipp.ac.cn [University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China); Institute of Plasma Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei (China); Hefei Center for Physical Science and Technology, Hefei (China); Hefei Science Center of CAS, Hefei (China)

2015-04-15

In present research, the sputtering and reflection yield of self-bombardment of tungsten are investigated with the aid of molecular dynamics simulations. The source of sputtered and reflected atoms is detected by traced the original locations of sputtered and reflected atoms. Results show that for the reflected atoms no specific region exists which means cluster atoms are randomly reflected. But almost all of sputtered atoms are from a conical region under the landing point of cluster. So we can determine the sputtering yield by study the dimension of the sputtering region. Molecular dynamics shows the depth and radius of the conical are power functions of impacting energy. The effects of cluster size and temperature of target on sputtering and reflection rate are also preformed in present study. Both sputtering and reflection yield are proportion to cluster size in present cluster size, i.e. 66–2647 atoms. Higher target temperature can increase sputtering yield and deduce sputtering threshold energy, but little effect on reflection rate.

Resputtering effect during MgO buffer layer deposition by magnetron sputtering for superconducting coated conductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Shaozhu; Shi, Kai; Deng, Shutong; Han, Zhenghe [Applied Superconductivity Research Center, Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Feng, Feng, E-mail: feng.feng@sz.tsinghua.edu.cn; Lu, Hongyuan [Division of Advanced Manufacturing, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Qu, Timing; Zhu, Yuping [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Huang, Rongxia [School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

2015-07-15

In this study, MgO thin films were deposited by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The film thickness in the deposition area directly facing the target center obviously decreased compared with that in other areas. This reduction in thickness could be attributed to the resputtering effect resulting from bombardment by energetic particles mainly comprising oxygen atoms and negative oxygen ions. The influences of deposition position and sputtering pressure on the deposition rate were investigated. Resputtering altered the orientation of the MgO film from (111) to (001) when the film was deposited on a single crystal yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate. The density distribution of energetic particles was calculated on the basis of the measured thicknesses of the MgO films deposited at different positions. The divergence angle of the energetic particle flux was estimated to be approximately 15°. The energetic particle flux might be similar to the assisting ion flux in the ion beam assisted deposition process and could affect the orientation of the MgO film growth.

Hetero-epitaxial growth of TiC films on MgO(001) at 100 °C by DC reactive magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braic, M.; Zoita, N.C.; Danila, M.; Grigorescu, C.E.A.; Logofatu, C.

2015-01-01

Hetero-epitaxial TiC thin films were deposited at 100 °C on MgO(001) by DC reactive magnetron sputtering in a mixture of Ar and CH 4 . The 62 nm thick films were analyzed for elemental composition and chemical bonding by Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The crystallographic structure investigation by high resolution X-ray diffraction revealed that the films consist of two layers: an interface partially strained epilayer with high crystalline quality, and a relaxed layer, formed by columnar grains, maintaining the epitaxial relationship with the substrate. The films presented smooth surfaces (RMS roughness ~ 0.55 nm), with circular equi-sized grains/crystallites, as observed by atomic force microscopy. The Hall measurements in Van der Pauw geometry revealed relatively high resistivity value ~ 620 μΩ cm, ascribed to electron scattering on interfaces, on grain boundaries and on different defects/dislocations. - Highlights: • Hetero-epitaxial TiC 0.84 thin films were grown on MgO(001) at 100 °C by magnetron sputtering. • 62 nm thick films were synthesized by magnetron sputtering, using Ti, Ar and CH 4 . • The film comprises a partially strained interface epilayer and a relaxed top layer. • Both layers preserve the epitaxial relationship with the substrate. • Low RMS surface roughness ~ 0.55 nm and grains with mean lateral size of ~ 38.5 nm were observed

Hetero-epitaxial growth of TiC films on MgO(001) at 100 °C by DC reactive magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Braic, M. [National Institute for Optoelectronics, 409 Atomistilor St., 077125 Magurele (Romania); Zoita, N.C., E-mail: cnzoita@inoe.ro [National Institute for Optoelectronics, 409 Atomistilor St., 077125 Magurele (Romania); Danila, M. [National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnology, 126A Erou Iancu Nicolae Blvd., 077190 Bucharest (Romania); Grigorescu, C.E.A. [National Institute for Optoelectronics, 409 Atomistilor St., 077125 Magurele (Romania); Logofatu, C. [National Institute of Materials Physics, 105 bis Atomistilor St., 077125 Magurele (Romania)

2015-08-31

Hetero-epitaxial TiC thin films were deposited at 100 °C on MgO(001) by DC reactive magnetron sputtering in a mixture of Ar and CH{sub 4}. The 62 nm thick films were analyzed for elemental composition and chemical bonding by Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The crystallographic structure investigation by high resolution X-ray diffraction revealed that the films consist of two layers: an interface partially strained epilayer with high crystalline quality, and a relaxed layer, formed by columnar grains, maintaining the epitaxial relationship with the substrate. The films presented smooth surfaces (RMS roughness ~ 0.55 nm), with circular equi-sized grains/crystallites, as observed by atomic force microscopy. The Hall measurements in Van der Pauw geometry revealed relatively high resistivity value ~ 620 μΩ cm, ascribed to electron scattering on interfaces, on grain boundaries and on different defects/dislocations. - Highlights: • Hetero-epitaxial TiC{sub 0.84} thin films were grown on MgO(001) at 100 °C by magnetron sputtering. • 62 nm thick films were synthesized by magnetron sputtering, using Ti, Ar and CH{sub 4}. • The film comprises a partially strained interface epilayer and a relaxed top layer. • Both layers preserve the epitaxial relationship with the substrate. • Low RMS surface roughness ~ 0.55 nm and grains with mean lateral size of ~ 38.5 nm were observed.

Magnetron sputtered gadolinia-doped ceria diffusion barriers for metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sønderby, Steffen; Klemensø, Trine; Christensen, Bjarke H.

2014-01-01

Gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC) thin films are deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering in an industrial-scale setup and implemented as barrier layers between the cathode and electrolyte in metal-based solid oxide fuel cells consisting of a metal support, an electrolyte of ZrO2 co-doped with Sc2O3...

Data compilation of angular distributions of sputtered atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamura, Yasunori; Takiguchi, Takashi; Tawara, Hiro.

1990-01-01

Sputtering on a surface is generally caused by the collision cascade developed near the surface. The process is in principle the same as that causing radiation damage in the bulk of solids. Sputtering has long been regarded as an undesirable dirty effect which destroys the cathodes and grids in gas discharge tubes or ion sources and contaminates plasma and the surrounding walls. However, sputtering is used today for many applications such as sputter ion sources, mass spectrometers and the deposition of thin films. Plasma contamination and the surface erosion of first walls due to sputtering are still the major problems in fusion research. The angular distribution of the particles sputtered from solid surfaces can possibly provide the detailed information on the collision cascade in the interior of targets. This report presents a compilation of the angular distribution of sputtered atoms at normal incidence and oblique incidence in the various combinations of incident ions and target atoms. The angular distribution of sputtered atoms from monatomic solids at normal incidence and oblique incidence, and the compilation of the data on the angular distribution of sputtered atoms are reported. (K.I.)

Dwell time dependent morphological transition and sputtering yield of ion sputtered Sn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian, H X; Zeng, X R; Zhou, W

2010-01-01

Self-organized nano-scale patterns may appear on a wide variety of materials irradiated with an ion beam. Good manipulation of these structures is important for application in nanostructure fabrication. In this paper, dwell time has been demonstrated to be able to control the ripple formation and sputtering yield on Sn surface. Ripples with a wavelength of 1.7 μm were observed for a dwell time in the range 3-20 μs, whereas much finer ripples with a wavelength of 540 nm and a different orientation were observed for a shorter dwell time in the range 0.1-2 μs. The sputtering yield increases with dwell time significantly. The results provide a new basis for further steps in the theoretical description of morphology evolution during ion beam sputtering.

Neutral wetting brush layers for block copolymer thin films using homopolymer blends processed at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceresoli, M; Palermo, M; Ferrarese Lupi, F; Seguini, G; Perego, M; Zuccheri, G; Phadatare, S D; Antonioli, D; Gianotti, V; Sparnacci, K; Laus, M

2015-01-01

Binary homopolymer blends of two hydroxyl-terminated polystyrene (PS-OH) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA-OH) homopolymers (Mn ∼ 16000 g mol"−"1) were grafted on SiO_2 substrates by high-temperature (T > 150 °C), short-time (t < 600 s) thermal treatments. The resulting brush layer was tested to screen preferential interactions of the SiO_2 substrate with the different symmetric and asymmetric PS-b-PMMA block copolymers deposited on top of the grafted molecules. By properly adjusting the blend composition and the processing parameters, an efficient surface neutralization path was identified, enabling the formation, in the block copolymer film, of homogeneous textures of lamellae or cylinders perpendicularly oriented with respect to the substrate. A critical interplay between the phase segregation of the homopolymer blends and their grafting process on the SiO_2 was observed. In fact, the polar SiO_2 is preferential for the PMMA-rich phase that forms a homogeneous layer on the substrate, while the PS-rich phase is located at the polymer-air interface. During the thermal treatment, phase segregation and grafting proceed simultaneously. Complete wetting of the PS rich phase on the PMMA rich phase leads to the formation of a PS/PMMA bilayer. In this case, the progressive diffusion of PS chains toward the polymer-SiO_2 interface during the thermal treatment allows tuning of the brush layer composition. (paper)

Graphene synthesis from graphite/Ni composite films grown by sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Dong Hee; Yang, Seung Bum; Shin, Dong Yeol; Kim, Chang Oh; Kim, Sung; Choi, Suk Ho; Paek, Sang Hyon

2012-01-01

Graphite/Ni composite films have been deposited on SiO 2 /Si (100) wafers by varying their graphite concentration (n G ) and thickness (t) from 2 to 12 wt% and 40 to 400 nm, respectively, in a RF sputtering system, subsequently annealed at 900 .deg. C for 4 min, and then slowly cooled to room temperature to form graphene layers on Ni surfaces. Several structural-analysis techniques reveal the optimum nG (∼8 wt%) and t (∼160 nm) of the composite films for the synthesis of fewest-layer, defect-minimized graphene. At the annealing temperature, carbon atoms diffuse out from the composite film, followed by their precipitation as graphene on the Ni layer as the carbon solubility limit in Ni is reached during the cooling period. Based on this mechanism, the optimum conditions are explained. Our approach provides an advantage in that the number of layers can be simply tuned by varying n G and t of the composite films.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF InN PARTICLES OBTAINED BY RF MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Bernal Correa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available InN layers were prepared by magnetron sputtering, in a mixed atmosphere of argon and nitrogen on Si substrates (100, Si (111, and glass. The substrate temperature Ts was varied (300-500 oC in order to correlate it with the optical, structural, and morphological properties of the layers. X-ray results have revealed a presence of hexagonal InN type wurtzite in each of the layers in addition to oxides of indium (InxOy attributed to different factors. Dependence was evident on the crystalline quality of each layer according to Ts. The optical absorption coefficient and the band gap were determined from the absorbance and transmittance spectra obtained by UV/Vis. Vibration modes associated with the semiconductor InN and InxOy were identified by Raman microscopy. The morphology of the layers and the grain size was analyzed from SEM micrographs where it was determined the formation of particulates  ~ 0.5 mm and ~ 50 nm of different geometries.

Thin Film Catalyst Layers for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Witham, C. K.; Chun, W.; Ruiz, R.; Valdez, T. I.; Narayanan, S. R.

2000-01-01

One of the primary obstacles to the widespread use of the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is the high cost of the catalyst. Therefore, reducing the catalyst loading well below the current level of 8-12 mg/cm 2 would be important to commercialization. The current methods for preparation of catalyst layers consisting of catalyst, ionomer and sometimes a hydrophobic additive are applied by either painting, spraying, decal transfer or screen printing processes. Sputter deposition is a coating technique widely used in manufacturing and therefore particularly attractive. In this study we have begun to explore sputtering as a method for catalyst deposition. Present experiments focus on Pt-Ru catalyst layers for the anode.

Morphology, microstructure, and hardness of titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) blocks deposited by wire-feed additive layer manufacturing (ALM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandl, Erhard; Schoberth, Achim; Leyens, Christoph

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The microstructure and hardness of deposited Ti-6Al-4V blocks are investigated. ► Hardness is influenced by post heat treatment rather than by process parameters. ► Microstructure within the prior β-grains varies to some extent from grain to grain. ► A 600 °C/4 h treatment significantly increased the average hardness. - Abstract: Additive layer manufacturing offers a potential for time and cost savings, especially for aerospace components made from costly titanium alloys. In this paper, the morphology, microstructure, chemical composition, and hardness of additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V blocks are investigated and discussed. Blocks (7 beads wide, 7 layers high) were deposited using Ti-6Al-4V wire and a Nd:YAG laser. Two different sets of parameters are used and three different post heat treatment conditions (as-built, 600 °C/4 h, 1200 °C/2 h) are investigated. The experiments reveal elementary properties of additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V material in correlation to process parameters and heat treatments, which are discussed comprehensively.

Sputtering effect of low-energy ions on biological target: The analysis of sputtering product of urea and capsaicin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Lili; Xu, Xue; Wu, Yuejin

2013-01-01

Sputtering is a process whereby atoms are ejected from a solid target material due to bombardment of the target by energetic particles. Recent years, ion implantation was successfully applied to biological research based on the fragments sputtering and form open paths in cell structure caused by ion sputtering. In this study, we focused on urea and chilli pepper pericarp samples implanted with N + and Ar + ions. To investigate the sputtering effect, we designed a collecting unit containing a disk sample and a glass pipe. The urea content and capsaicin content recovered from glass pipes were adopted to represent the sputtering product. The result of urea showed that the sputtering effect is positively correlated with the ion energy and dose, also affected by the ion type. The result of capsaicin was different from that of urea at 20 keV and possibly due to biological complex composition and structure. Therefore the sputtering yield depended on both the parameters of incident ions and the state of target materials. The sputtering yield of urea was also simulated by computational method achieved through the TRIM program. The trajectories of primary and recoiled atoms were calculated on the basis of the binary collision approximation using Monte Carlo method. The experimental results were much higher than the calculated results. The possible explanation is that in the physical model the target were assumed as a disordered lattice and independent atoms, which is much less complicated than that of the biological models

Enhancement of Endurance in HfO2-Based CBRAM Device by Introduction of a TaN Diffusion Blocking Layer

KAUST Repository

Chand, Umesh

2017-08-05

We propose a new method to improve resistive switching properties in HfO2 based CBRAM crossbar structure device by introducing a TaN thin diffusion blocking layer between the Cu top electrode and HfO2 switching layer. The Cu/TaN/HfO2/TiN device structure exhibits high resistance ratio of OFF/ON states without any degradation in switching during endurance test. The improvement in the endurance properties of the Cu/TaN/HfO2/TiN CBRAM device is thus attributed to the relatively low amount of Cu migration into HfO2 switching layer.

Chemical sputtering of graphite by H+ ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busharov, N.P.; Gorbatov, E.A.; Gusev, V.M.; Guseva, M.I.; Martynenko, Y.V.

1976-01-01

In a study of the sputtering coefficient S for the sputtering of graphite by 10-keV H + ions as a function of the graphite temperature during the bombardment, it is found that at T> or =750degreeC the coefficient S is independent of the target temperature and has an anomalously high value, S=0.085 atom/ion. The high rate of sputtering of graphite by atomic hydrogen ions is shown to be due to chemical sputtering of the graphite, resulting primarily in the formation of CH 4 molecules. At T=1100degreeC, S falls off by a factor of about 3. A model for the chemical sputtering of graphite is proposed

Ion beam sputter implantation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, W.J.

1978-01-01

By means of ion beam atomizing or sputtering an integrally composed coating, the composition of which continuously changes from 100% of the substrate to 100% of the coating, can be surfaced on a substrate (e.g. molten quartz on plastic lenses). In order to do this in the facility there is directed a primary beam of accelerated noble gas ions on a target from the group of the following materials: SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Corning Glass 7070, Corning Glass 7740 or borosilicate glass. The particles leaving the target are directed on the substrate by means of an acceleration potential of up to 10 KV. There may, however, be coated also metal layers (Ni, Co) on a mylar film resulting in a semireflecting metal film. (RW) [de

Computer simulation of sputtering: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, M.T.; Hou, M.

1992-08-01

In 1986, H. H. Andersen reviewed attempts to understand sputtering by computer simulation and identified several areas where further research was needed: potential energy functions for molecular dynamics (MD) modelling; the role of inelastic effects on sputtering, especially near the target surface; the modelling of surface binding in models based on the binary collision approximation (BCA); aspects of cluster emission in MD models; and angular distributions of sputtered particles. To these may be added kinetic energy distributions of sputtered particles and the relationships between MD and BCA models, as well as the development of intermediate models. Many of these topics are discussed. Recent advances in BCA modelling include the explicit evaluation of the time in strict BCA codes and the development of intermediate codes able to simulate certain many-particle problems realistically. Developments in MD modelling include the wide-spread use of many-body potentials in sputtering calculations, inclusion of realistic electron excitation and electron-phonon interactions, and several studies of cluster ion impacts on solid surfaces

Measurement of partial coefficients of sputtering of titanium atoms from TiC and TiN coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vychegzhanin, G.A.; Gribanov, Yu.A.; Dikij, N.P.; Zhmurin, P.N.; Letuchij, A.N.; Matyash, P.P.; Sidokur, P.I.; Shono, D.A.

1989-01-01

Method of laser fluorescent spectroscopy was used to measure partial coefficients of sputtering of titanium atoms from TiC and TiN coatings under irradiation by 1 keV hydrogen ions. Irradiation was conducted in a plant with reflective discharge. Investigation of damaged layer in irradiated samples was conducted. The presence of near-the-surface layer enrichment with titanium atoms was revealed both in TiC and TiN samples. 12 refs.; 4 figs

Heavy particle transport in sputtering systems

Science.gov (United States)

Trieschmann, Jan

2015-09-01

This contribution aims to discuss the theoretical background of heavy particle transport in plasma sputtering systems such as direct current magnetron sputtering (dcMS), high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS), or multi frequency capacitively coupled plasmas (MFCCP). Due to inherently low process pressures below one Pa only kinetic simulation models are suitable. In this work a model appropriate for the description of the transport of film forming particles sputtered of a target material has been devised within the frame of the OpenFOAM software (specifically dsmcFoam). The three dimensional model comprises of ejection of sputtered particles into the reactor chamber, their collisional transport through the volume, as well as deposition of the latter onto the surrounding surfaces (i.e. substrates, walls). An angular dependent Thompson energy distribution fitted to results from Monte-Carlo simulations is assumed initially. Binary collisions are treated via the M1 collision model, a modified variable hard sphere (VHS) model. The dynamics of sputtered and background gas species can be resolved self-consistently following the direct simulation Monte-Carlo (DSMC) approach or, whenever possible, simplified based on the test particle method (TPM) with the assumption of a constant, non-stationary background at a given temperature. At the example of an MFCCP research reactor the transport of sputtered aluminum is specifically discussed. For the peculiar configuration and under typical process conditions with argon as process gas the transport of aluminum sputtered of a circular target is shown to be governed by a one dimensional interaction of the imposed and backscattered particle fluxes. The results are analyzed and discussed on the basis of the obtained velocity distribution functions (VDF). This work is supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the frame of the Collaborative Research Centre TRR 87.

Determination of the composition of surface optical layers prepared with the use of rare earth and zirconium oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishchenko, V.T.; Shilova, L.P.; Shkol'nikova, T.M.

1991-01-01

Simple titrimetric and gravimetric methods for determination of optical oxide layers (rare earth and zirconium oxides), sputtered on glass or quartz sublayer, have been developed. The minimal determined oxide mass in surface layers is equal to 0.01 mg in titrimetric determination and 0.1 mg - in gravimetric one. It is shown that composition of films and pellets, used for film sputtering, is identical

Technology and applications of broad-beam ion sources used in sputtering. Part II. Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harper, J.M.E.; Cuomo, J.J.; Kaufman, H.R.

1982-01-01

The developments in broad-beam ion source technology described in the companion paper (Part I) have stimulated a rapid expansion in applications to materials processing. These applications are reviewed here, beginning with a summary of sputtering mechanisms. Next, etching applications are described, including microfabrication and reactive ion beam etching. The developing area of surface layer applications is summarized, and related to the existing fields of oxidation and implantation. Next, deposition applications are reviewed, including ion-beam sputter deposition and the emerging technique of ion-assisted vapor deposition. Many of these applications have been stimulated by the development of high current ion sources operating in the energy range of tens of hundreds of eV. It is in this energy range that ion-activated chemical etching is efficient, self-limiting compound layers can be grown, and the physical properties of vapor-deposited films can be modified. In each of these areas, broad ion beam technology provides a link between other large area plasma processes and surface analytical techniques using ion beams

Sputtering on cobalt with noble gas ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarholt-Kristensen, L.; Johansen, A.; Johnson, E.

1983-01-01

Single crystals of cobalt have been bombarded with 80 keV Ar + ions and with 80 keV and 200 keV Xe + ions in the [0001] direction of the hcp phase and the [111] direction of the fcc phase. The sputtering yield has been measured as function of target temperature (20 0 C-500 0 C), showing a reduction in sputtering yield for 80 keV Ar + ions and 200 keV Xe + ions, when the crystal structure changes from hcp to fcc. In contrast to this, bombardment with 80 keV Xe + ions results in an increase in sputtering yield as the phase transition is passed. Sputtering yields for [111] nickel are in agreement with the sputtering yields for fcc cobalt indicating normal behaviour of the fcc cobalt phase. The higher sputtering yield of [0001] cobalt for certain combinations of ion mass and energy may then be ascribed to disorder induced partly by martensitic phase transformation, partly by radiation damage. (orig.)

Hydrogen retention in carbon-tungsten co-deposition layer formed by hydrogen RF plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katayama, K.; Kawasaki, T.; Manabe, Y.; Nagase, H.; Takeishi, T.; Nishikawa, M.

2006-01-01

Carbon-tungsten co-deposition layers (C-W layers) were formed by sputtering method using hydrogen or deuterium RF plasma. The deposition rate of the C-W layer by deuterium plasma was faster than that by hydrogen plasma, where the increase of deposition rate of tungsten was larger than that of carbon. This indicates that the isotope effect on sputtering-depositing process for tungsten is larger than that for carbon. The release curve of hydrogen from the C-W layer showed two peaks at 400 deg. C and 700 deg. C. Comparing the hydrogen release from the carbon deposition layer and the tungsten deposition layer, it is considered that the increase of the release rate at 400 deg. C is affected by tungsten and that at 700 deg. C is affected by carbon. The obtained hydrogen retention in the C-W layers which have over 60 at.% of carbon was in the range between 0.45 and 0.16 as H/(C + W)

Electrical resistivity of sputtered molybdenum films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagano, J.

1980-01-01

The electrical resistivity of r.f. sputtered molybdenum films of thickness 5-150 nm deposited on oxidized silicon substrates was resolved into the three electron scattering components: isotropic background scattering, scattering at grain boundaries and scattering at surfaces. It was concluded that the isotropic background scattering is almost equal to that of bulk molybdenum and is not influenced by sputtering and annealing conditions. When the film thickness is sufficient that surface scattering can be ignored, the decrease in film resistivity after annealing is caused by the decrease in scattering at the grain boundaries for zero bias sputtered films, and is caused by an increase of the grain diameter for r.f. bias sputtered films. (Auth.)

Raman spectroscopy of sputtered metal-graphene and metal-oxide-graphene interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ching-Tzu; Gajek, Marcin; Freitag, Marcus; Kuroda, Marcelo; Perebeinos, Vasili; Raoux, Simone

2012-02-01

In this talk, we report our recent development in sputtering deposition of magnetic and non-magnetic metal and metal-oxide thin films on graphene for applications in spintronics and nanoeleoctronics. TEM and SEM images demonstrate homogeneous coverage, uniform thickness, and good crystallinity of the sputtered films. Raman spectroscopy shows that the structure of the underlying graphene is well preserved, and the spectral weight of the defect D mode is comparable to that of the e-beam evaporated samples. Most significantly, we report the first observation of graphene-enhanced surface excitations of crystalline materials. Specifically, we discover two pronounced dispersive Raman modes at the interface of graphene and the nickel-oxide and cobalt-oxide films which we attribute to the strong light absorption and high-order resonant scattering process in the graphene layer. We will present the frequency-dependent, polarization-dependent Raman data of these two modes and discuss their microscopic origin.

Sputter deposition system for controlled fabrication of multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Nardo, R.P.; Takacs, P.Z.; Majkrzak, C.F.; Stefan, P.M.

1985-06-01

A detailed description of a sputter deposition system constructed specifically for the fabrication of x-ray and neutron multilayer monochromators and supermirrors is given. One of the principal design criteria is to maintain precise control of film thickness and uniformity over large substrate areas. Regulation of critical system parameters is fully automated so that response to feedback control information is rapid and complicated layer thickness sequences can be deposited accurately and efficiently. The use of either dc or rf magnetron sources makes it possible to satisfy the diverse material requirements of both x-ray and neutron optics

Mechanical properties of nanocrystalline palladium prepared by magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castrup, Anna; Hahn, Horst [Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany); Technical University of Darmstadt (Germany); Scherer, Torsten; Ivanisenko, Yulia; Choi, In-Suk; Kraft, Oliver [Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany)

2009-07-01

Nanocrystalline metals and alloys with grain sizes well below 100 nm often demonstrate unique deformation behaviour and therefore attract a great interest in material science. The understanding of deformation mechanisms operating in nanocrystalline materials is important to predict their mechanical properties. In the present study Pd films of 1{mu}m thickness were prepared using UHV rf magnetron sputtering on dog bone shaped Kapton substrates and on Si/SiO2 wafers. The films were sputtered using multilayer technology with an individual layer thickness of 10 nm. This resulted in grain sizes of about 20 nm. Initial microstructure and texture were characterized using conventional XRD measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in both cross section- and plane view. The mechanical properties were investigated using tensile testing and nanoindentation at several strain rates. An increased hardness and strength as compared to coarse grained Pd was observed, as well as high strain rate sensitivity. The microstructure in the gauge section after tensile testing was again analyzed using TEM in order to reveal signatures of deformation mechanisms like dislocation motion or twinning.

Electrical insulation properties of RF-sputtered LiPON layers towards electrochemical stability of lithium batteries

OpenAIRE

Vieira, E. M. F.; Ribeiro, J. F.; Silva, Maria Manuela; Barradas, N. P.; Alves, E.; Alves, A.; Correia, M. R.; Gonçalves, L. M.

2016-01-01

Electrochemical stability, moderate ionic conductivity and low electronic conductivity make the lithium phosphorous oxynitride (LiPON) electrolyte suitable for micro and nanoscale lithium batteries. The electrical and electrochemical properties of thin-film electrolytes can seriously compromise full battery performance. Here, radio-frequency (RF)-sputtered LiPON thin films were fabricated in nitrogen plasma under different working pressure conditions. With a slight decrease in ...

Natural Rubber Modification For Upper Layer Of Rubberized Asphalt Paving Block AS Shock Absorber

OpenAIRE

Nasruddin, Nasruddin

2017-01-01

The research of rubber compounding modification for upper layer of rubberized asphalt paving block as shock absorber using natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) as synthetic rubber, fly ash as filler and also vegetable oil as plasticizer has been conducted. The research design was varying the filler Si-69, fly ash and palm oil. The five formulas A, B, C, D, and E designed by varying the amount of Si-69 (48.5; 50.75; 53.00; 55.25; and 57.50) phr; coal fly ash (4.75, 7.00, 9.25, 11.50 ...

Superconducting structure with layers of niobium nitride and aluminum nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murduck, J.M.; Lepetre, Y.J.; Schuller, I.K.; Ketterson, J.B.

1989-01-01

A superconducting structure is formed by depositing alternate layers of aluminum nitride and niobium nitride on a substrate. Deposition methods include dc magnetron reactive sputtering, rf magnetron reactive sputtering, thin-film diffusion, chemical vapor deposition, and ion-beam deposition. Structures have been built with layers of niobium nitride and aluminum nitride having thicknesses in a range of 20 to 350 Angstroms. Best results have been achieved with films of niobium nitride deposited to a thickness of approximately 70 Angstroms and aluminum nitride deposited to a thickness of approximately 20 Angstroms. Such films of niobium nitride separated by a single layer of aluminum nitride are useful in forming Josephson junctions. Structures of 30 or more alternating layers of niobium nitride and aluminum nitride are useful when deposited on fixed substrates or flexible strips to form bulk superconductors for carrying electric current. They are also adaptable as voltage-controlled microwave energy sources. 8 figs

Physical sputtering of metallic systems by charged-particle impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, N.Q.

1989-12-01

The present paper provides a brief overview of our current understanding of physical sputtering by charged-particle impact, with the emphasis on sputtering of metals and alloys under bombardment with particles that produce knock-on collisions. Fundamental aspects of ion-solid interactions, and recent developments in the study of sputtering of elemental targets and preferential sputtering in multicomponent materials are reviewed. We concentrate only on a few specific topics of sputter emission, including the various properties of the sputtered flux and depth of origin, and on connections between sputtering and other radiation-induced and -enhanced phenomena that modify the near-surface composition of the target. The synergistic effects of these diverse processes in changing the composition of the integrated sputtered-atom flux is described in simple physical terms, using selected examples of recent important progress. 325 refs., 27 figs

Structural and electrical properties of CuAlMo thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Birkett, Martin, E-mail: martin.birkett@northumbria.ac.uk; Penlington, Roger; Wan, Chaoying; Zoppi, Guillaume

2013-07-01

The structural and electrical properties of a low resistivity CuAlMo thin film resistor material were investigated. The thin films were grown on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and glass substrates by direct current (dc) magnetron sputtering. The key electrical properties of sheet resistance, temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and resistance stability were investigated as a function of sputtering pressure and post-deposition heat treatment time and temperature. A low sputtering pressure range of 0.13 to 0.40 Pa produced CuAlMo films with sheet resistance in the range 0.1 to 0.2 Ω/□ and resistance stability of 0.45 to 0.65% with a TCR of − 90 ppm/°C which could be shifted to zero following annealing in air at 425 °C. Films grown at higher sputtering pressures of 0.53 to 0.80 Pa had increased sheet resistance in the range 0.4 to 0.6 Ω/□ and inferior stability of 0.8 to 1.7% with a more negative TCR of − 110 to − 180 ppm/°C which could not be shifted to zero following annealing. The stability of the films grown at 0.13 and 0.40 Pa could be further improved to < 0.25% with heat treatment, due to the formation of a protective aluminium oxide layer. A minimum dwell time of 3 h at 425 °C was required to stabilise the films and set the electrical properties. - Highlights: • Thin films of copper–aluminium–molybdenum were sputtered on alumina substrates. • Film properties were investigated with variation in process conditions. • Low sputtering pressure gave improved electrical performance. • Post deposition annealing in air further improved electrical performance.

Structural and electrical properties of CuAlMo thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birkett, Martin; Penlington, Roger; Wan, Chaoying; Zoppi, Guillaume

2013-01-01

The structural and electrical properties of a low resistivity CuAlMo thin film resistor material were investigated. The thin films were grown on Al 2 O 3 and glass substrates by direct current (dc) magnetron sputtering. The key electrical properties of sheet resistance, temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and resistance stability were investigated as a function of sputtering pressure and post-deposition heat treatment time and temperature. A low sputtering pressure range of 0.13 to 0.40 Pa produced CuAlMo films with sheet resistance in the range 0.1 to 0.2 Ω/□ and resistance stability of 0.45 to 0.65% with a TCR of − 90 ppm/°C which could be shifted to zero following annealing in air at 425 °C. Films grown at higher sputtering pressures of 0.53 to 0.80 Pa had increased sheet resistance in the range 0.4 to 0.6 Ω/□ and inferior stability of 0.8 to 1.7% with a more negative TCR of − 110 to − 180 ppm/°C which could not be shifted to zero following annealing. The stability of the films grown at 0.13 and 0.40 Pa could be further improved to < 0.25% with heat treatment, due to the formation of a protective aluminium oxide layer. A minimum dwell time of 3 h at 425 °C was required to stabilise the films and set the electrical properties. - Highlights: • Thin films of copper–aluminium–molybdenum were sputtered on alumina substrates. • Film properties were investigated with variation in process conditions. • Low sputtering pressure gave improved electrical performance. • Post deposition annealing in air further improved electrical performance

Stress reduction in tungsten films using nanostructured compliant layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karabacak, Tansel; Picu, Catalin R.; Senkevich, Jay J.; Wang, G.-C.; Lu, T.-M.

2004-01-01

The residual stress in thin films is a major limiting factor for obtaining high quality films. We present a strategy for stress reduction in sputter deposited films by using a nanostructured compliant layer obtained by the oblique angle deposition technique, sandwiched between the film and the substrate. The technique is all in situ, does not require any lithography steps, and the nanostructured layer is made from the same material as the deposited thin film. By using this approach we were able to reduce stress values by approximately one order of magnitude in sputter deposited tungsten films. These lower stress thin films also exhibit stronger adhesion to the substrate, which retards delamination buckling. This technique allows the growth of much thicker films and has enhanced structural stability. A model is developed to explain the stress relief mechanism and the stronger adhesion associated with the presence of the nanostructured compliant layer

Comparison on electrically pumped random laser actions of hydrothermal and sputtered ZnO films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Canxing; Jiang, Haotian; Li, Yunpeng; Ma, Xiangyang; Yang, Deren

2013-01-01

Random lasing (RL) in polycrystalline ZnO films is an intriguing research subject. Here, we have comparatively investigated electrically pumped RL behaviors of two metal-insulator-semiconductor structured devices using the hydrothermal and sputtered ZnO films as the semiconductor components, i.e., the light-emitting layers, respectively. It is demonstrated that the device using the hydrothermal ZnO film exhibits smaller threshold current and larger output optical power of the electrically pumped RL. The morphological characterization shows that the hydrothermal ZnO film is somewhat porous and is much rougher than the sputtered one, suggesting that in the former stronger multiple light scattering can occur. Moreover, the photoluminescence characterization indicates that there are fewer defects in the hydrothermal ZnO film than in the sputtered one, which means that the photons can pick up larger optical gain through stimulated emission in the hydrothermal ZnO film. Therefore, it is believed that the stronger multiple light scattering and larger optical gain contribute to the improved performance of the electrically pumped RL from the device using the hydrothermal ZnO film

Effect of sputtering parameters and substrate composition on the structure of tantalum thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hallmann, Lubica, E-mail: lubica.hallmann@zzm.uzh.c [Clinic of Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics and Dental Material Science, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zürich (Switzerland); Ulmer, Peter [Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)

2013-10-01

The crystallographic properties of tantalum films deposited as a bioactive coating on Co–Cr–Mo and Ti–Al–Nb alloys have been investigated. The desired tough and ductile alpha phase of tantalum has been obtained by DC magnetron sputtering on Co–Cr–Mo and Ti–Al–Nb substrates. The thickness of the tantalum layer was between 20 and 600 nm. The crystallographic structure of tantalum thin film was dependent on the sputtering parameters such as DC power, bias voltage and gas impurities. Oxygen is an important factor for the stabilization of the tantalum alpha phase on Co–Cr–Mo substrate. The crystallographic structure and texture of tantalum thin films was found to be additionally dependent on the substrate composition. For Ti–Al–Nb substrate, oxygen content was not an important factor for the stabilization of the alpha phase. The observed shift of X-ray diffraction peaks to lower 2(θ) is an indication of stress evolving during the sputtering process and was dependent on bias voltage and oxygen content of the carrier gas.

Layered Cu-based electrode for high-dielectric constant oxide thin film-based devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, W.; Saha, S.; Carlisle, J.A.; Auciello, O.; Chang, R.P.H.; Ramesh, R.

2003-01-01

Ti-Al/Cu/Ta multilayered electrodes were fabricated on SiO 2 /Si substrates by ion beam sputtering deposition, to overcome the problems of Cu diffusion and oxidation encountered during the high dielectric constant (κ) materials integration. The Cu and Ta layers remained intact through the annealing in oxygen environment up to 600 deg. C. The thin oxide layer, formed on the Ti-Al surface, effectively prevented the oxygen penetration toward underneath layers. Complex oxide (Ba x Sr 1-x )TiO 3 (BST) thin films were grown on the layered Ti-Al/Cu/Ta electrodes using rf magnetron sputtering. The deposited BST films exhibited relatively high permittivity (150), low dielectric loss (0.007) at zero bias, and low leakage current -8 A/cm 2 at 100 kV/cm

Sputtering of silicon and glass substrates with polyatomic molecular ion beams generated from ionic liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takeuchi, Mitsuaki, E-mail: m-takeuchi@kuee.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Hoshide, Yuki; Ryuto, Hiromichi; Takaoka, Gikan H. [Photonics and Electronics Science and Engineering Center, Kyoto University, Kyotodaigaku-Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510 (Japan)

2016-03-15

The effect of irradiating 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium positive (EMIM{sup +}) or dicyanamide negative (DCA{sup –}) ion beams using an ionic liquid ion source was characterized concerning its sputtering properties for single crystalline Si(100) and nonalkaline borosilicate glass substrates. The irradiation of the DCA{sup –} ion beam onto the Si substrate at an acceleration voltage of 4 and 6 kV exhibited detectable sputtered depths greater than a couple of nanometers with an ion fluence of only 1 × 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2}, while the EMIM{sup +} ion beam produced the same depths with an ion fluence 5 × 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2}. The irradiation of a 4 kV DCA{sup –} ion beam at a fluence of 1 × 10{sup 16} ions/cm{sup 2} also yields large etching depths in Si substrates, corresponding to a sputtering yield of Si/DCA{sup – }= 10, and exhibits a smoothed surface roughness of 0.05 nm. The interaction between DCA{sup –} and Si likely causes a chemical reaction that relates to the high sputtering yield and forms an amorphous C-N capping layer that results in the smooth surface. Moreover, sputtering damage by the DCA{sup –} irradiation, which was estimated by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy with the channeling technique, was minimal compared to Ar{sup +} irradiation at the same condition. In contrast, the glass substrates exhibited no apparent change in surface roughnesses when sputtered by the DCA{sup –} irradiation compared to the unirradiated glass substrates.

Flexible IZO/Ag/IZO/Ag multilayer electrode grown on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate using roll-to-roll sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

We investigated the optical, electrical, structural, and surface properties of roll-to-roll [R2R] sputter-grown flexible IZO/Ag/IZO/Ag [IAIA] multilayer films on polyethylene terephthalate substrates as a function of the top indium zinc oxide [IZO] thickness. It was found that the optical transmittance of the IAIA multilayer was significantly influenced by the top IZO layer thickness, which was grown on identical AIA multilayers. However, the sheet resistance of the IAIA multilayer was maintained between the range 5.01 to 5.1 Ω/square regardless of the top IZO thickness because the sheet resistance of the IAIA multilayer was mainly dependent on the thickness of the Ag layers. Notably, the optimized IAIA multilayer had a constant resistance change (ΔR/R0) under repeated outer bending tests with a radius of 10 mm. The mechanical integrity of the R2R-sputtered IAIA multilayer indicated that hybridization of an IZO and Ag metal layer is a promising flexible electrode scheme for the next-generation flexible optoelectronics. PMID:22222144

Structural and optical properties of electro-optic material. Sputtered (Ba,Sr)TiO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Masato; Xu, Zhimou; Tanushi, Yuichiro; Yokoyama, Shin

2006-01-01

In order to develop a novel ring resonator optical switch, we have studied the structural and optical properties of the electro-optic material (Ba,Sr)TiO 3 (BST) deposited by RF sputtering on a SiO 2 cladding layer (1.0 μm). The crystallinity of the BST films is evaluated by X-ray diffraction and the optical propagation loss of the waveguides is measured using a He-Ne laser. As a result, it is found that there is a strong relationship between the optical propagation loss and crystallinity of the sputtered film. It is suggested that the propagating light is influenced by the crystal property, for example, the grain size and density of the polycrystalline BST film. (author)

Adhesion Improvement and Characterization of Magnetron Sputter Deposited Bilayer Molybdenum Thin Films for Rear Contact Application in CIGS Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weimin Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Molybdenum (Mo thin films are widely used as rear electrodes in copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS solar cells. The challenge in Mo deposition by magnetron sputtering lies in simultaneously achieving good adhesion to the substrates while retaining the electrical and optical properties. Bilayer Mo films, comprising five different thickness ratios of a high pressure (HP deposited bottom layer and a low pressure (LP deposited top layer, were deposited on 40 cm × 30 cm soda-lime glass substrates by DC magnetron sputtering. We focus on understanding the effects of the individual layer properties on the resulting bilayer Mo films, such as microstructure, surface morphology, and surface oxidation. We show that the thickness of the bottom HP Mo layer plays a major role in determining the micromechanical and physical properties of the bilayer Mo stack. Our studies reveal that a thicker HP Mo bottom layer not only improves the adhesion of the bilayer Mo, but also helps to improve the film crystallinity along the preferred [110] direction. However, the surface roughness and the porosity of the bilayer Mo films are found to increase with increasing bottom layer thickness, which leads to lower optical reflectance and a higher probability for oxidation at the Mo surface.

Heteroepitaxial growth of CuInS2 thin films on sapphire by radio frequency reactive sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Y.B.; Kriegseis, W.; Meyer, B.K.; Polity, A.; Serafin, M.

2003-01-01

Direct heteroepitaxial growth of uniform stoichiometric CuInS 2 (CIS) thin films on sapphire (0001) substrates has been achieved by radio frequency reactive sputtering. X-ray ω-2θ scans reveal that the sputtered layers grow in a (112) orientation with a chalcopyrite structure. A rocking curve full width at half maximum of about 0.05 deg. (180 arc sec) for the (112) peak demonstrates a nearly perfect out-of-plane arrangement of CIS (112) parallel sapphire (0001). X-ray diffraction Phi scans further illustrate an excellent in-plane ordering of CIS [1-bar10] parallel sapphire (101-bar0). The sputtered thin CIS epilayers had a smooth surface with a typical root-mean-square roughness of about 3.3 nm as evaluated by atomic force microscopy. The epitaxial growth of tetragonal CIS on hexagonal sapphire provides evidence that heteroepitaxial growth may be realized between structures of different symmetry, such as films of cubic or tetragonal structures on hexagonal substrates or vice versa

Development of a hybrid sputtering/evaporation process for Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} thin film solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acciarri, M.; Binetti, S.; Le Donne, A.; Lorenzi, B.; Caccamo, L.; Miglio, L. [Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali e Solar Energy Research Center MIB-SOLAR, Universita di Milano Bicocca, Milan (Italy); Moneta, R.; Marchionna, S.; Meschia, M. [Voltasolar s.r.l, Turate (Italy)

2011-08-15

In this paper we report a new method for Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} deposition for solar cell application. Differently from the common co-evaporation process, an alterative approach for thin film Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} has been tested: the sputtering deposition of metal elements combined with the selenium evaporation. We have studied the relationships between the growth parameters of our hybrid sputtering/evaporation method and the chemical-physical properties of the CIGS films. The cells are completed with a CdS buffer layer deposited by chemical bath deposition and ZnO + ITO deposited by RF sputtering. Test solar cells of 0.5 cm{sup 2} have shown an efficiency of 10% and 2.5% on glass and stainless steel substrate respectively. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Growth of high quality AlN films on CVD diamond by RF reactive magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Liang-xian; Liu, Hao; Liu, Sheng; Li, Cheng-ming; Wang, Yi-chao; An, Kang; Hua, Chen-yi; Liu, Jin-long; Wei, Jun-jun; Hei, Li-fu; Lv, Fan-xiu

2018-02-01

A highly oriented AlN layer has been successfully grown along the c-axis on a polycrystalline chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond by RF reactive magnetron sputtering. Structural, morphological and mechanical properties of the heterostructure were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Nano-indentation and Four-probe meter. A compact AlN film was demonstrated on the diamond layer, showing columnar grains and a low surface roughness of 1.4 nm. TEM results revealed a sharp AlN/diamond interface, which was characterized by the presence of a distinct 10 nm thick buffer layer resulting from the initial AlN growth stage. The FWHM of AlN (002) diffraction peak and its rocking curve are as low as 0.41° and 3.35° respectively, indicating a highly preferred orientation along the c-axis. AlN sputtered films deposited on glass substrates show a higher bulk resistivity (up to 3 × 1012 Ω cm), compared to AlN films deposited on diamond (∼1010 Ω cm). Finally, the film hardness and Young's modulus of AlN films on diamond are 25.8 GPa and 489.5 GPa, respectively.

Morphology, microstructure, and hardness of titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) blocks deposited by wire-feed additive layer manufacturing (ALM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandl, Erhard, E-mail: erhard.brandl@eads.net [EADS Innovation Works, Metallic Technologies and Surface Engineering, D-81663 Munich (Germany); Schoberth, Achim, E-mail: achim.schoberth@eads.net [EADS Innovation Works, Metallic Technologies and Surface Engineering, D-81663 Munich (Germany); Leyens, Christoph, E-mail: christoph.leyens@tu-dresden.de [Technical University of Dresden, Institute of Materials Science, Chair of Materials Technology, Berndt-Bau, Helmholtzstr. 7, D-01062 Dresden (Germany)

2012-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The microstructure and hardness of deposited Ti-6Al-4V blocks are investigated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hardness is influenced by post heat treatment rather than by process parameters. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Microstructure within the prior {beta}-grains varies to some extent from grain to grain. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A 600 Degree-Sign C/4 h treatment significantly increased the average hardness. - Abstract: Additive layer manufacturing offers a potential for time and cost savings, especially for aerospace components made from costly titanium alloys. In this paper, the morphology, microstructure, chemical composition, and hardness of additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V blocks are investigated and discussed. Blocks (7 beads wide, 7 layers high) were deposited using Ti-6Al-4V wire and a Nd:YAG laser. Two different sets of parameters are used and three different post heat treatment conditions (as-built, 600 Degree-Sign C/4 h, 1200 Degree-Sign C/2 h) are investigated. The experiments reveal elementary properties of additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V material in correlation to process parameters and heat treatments, which are discussed comprehensively.

Formation of large clusters during sputtering of silver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staudt, C.; Heinrich, R.; Wucher, A.

2000-01-01

We have studied the formation of polyatomic clusters during sputtering of metal surfaces by keV ion bombardment. Both positively charged (secondary cluster ions) and neutral clusters have been detected in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer under otherwise identical experimental conditions, the sputtered neutrals being post-ionized by single photon absorption using a pulsed 157 nm VUV laser beam. Due to the high achievable laser intensity, the photoionization of all clusters could be saturated, thus enabling a quantitative determination of the respective partial sputtering yields. We find that the relative yield distributions of sputtered clusters are strongly correlated with the total sputtering yield in a way that higher yields lead to higher abundances of large clusters. By using heavy projectile ions (Xe + ) in connection with bombarding energies up to 15 keV, we have been able to detect sputtered neutral silver clusters containing up to about 60 atoms. For cluster sizes above 40 atoms, doubly charged species are shown to be produced in the photoionization process with non-negligible efficiency. From a direct comparison of secondary neutral and ion yields, the ionization probability of sputtered clusters is determined as a function of the cluster size. It is demonstrated that even the largest silver clusters are still predominantly sputtered as neutrals

Sputtering calculations with the discrete ordinated method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, T.J.; Dodds, H.L. Jr.; Robinson, M.T.; Holmes, D.K.

1977-01-01

The purpose of this work is to investigate the applicability of the discrete ordinates (S/sub N/) method to light ion sputtering problems. In particular, the neutral particle discrete ordinates computer code, ANISN, was used to calculate sputtering yields. No modifications to this code were necessary to treat charged particle transport. However, a cross section processing code was written for the generation of multigroup cross sections; these cross sections include a modification to the total macroscopic cross section to account for electronic interactions and small-scattering-angle elastic interactions. The discrete ordinates approach enables calculation of the sputtering yield as functions of incident energy and angle and of many related quantities such as ion reflection coefficients, angular and energy distributions of sputtering particles, the behavior of beams penetrating thin foils, etc. The results of several sputtering problems as calculated with ANISN are presented

Comparative study of the characteristics of Ni films deposited on SiO2/Si(100) by oblique-angle sputtering and conventional sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Mingpeng; Qiu Hong; Chen Xiaobai; Wu Ping; Tian Yue

2008-01-01

Ni films were deposited on SiO 2 /Si(100) substrates at 300 K and 573 K by oblique-angle sputtering and conventional sputtering. The films deposited at 300 K mainly have a [110] crystalline orientation in the growing direction whereas those deposited at 573 K grow with a [111] crystalline orientation in the growing direction. The film prepared only at 300 K by oblique-angle sputtering grows with a weakly preferential orientation along the incidence direction of the sputtered Ni atoms. All the films grow with thin columnar grains perpendicular to the substrate surface. The grain size of the films sputter-deposited obliquely is larger than that of the films sputter-deposited conventionally. The grain size of the Ni film does not change markedly with the deposition temperature. The film deposited at 573 K by oblique-angle sputtering has the highest saturation magnetization. For the conventional sputtering, the coercivity of the Ni film deposited at 573 K is larger than that of the film deposited at 300 K. However, for the oblique-angle sputtering, the coercivity of the Ni film is independent of the deposition temperature. All the Ni films exhibit an isotropic magnetization characteristic in the film plane

Enhanced light extraction efficiency of GaN-based light-emittng diodes by nitrogen implanted current blocking layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yong Deok; Oh, Seung Kyu; Park, Min Joo; Kwak, Joon Seop, E-mail: jskwak@sunchon.ac.kr

2016-10-15

Highlights: • A nitrogen implanted current-blocking layer was successfully demonstrated. • Light-extraction efficiency and radiant intensity was increased by more than 20%. • Ion implantation was successfully implemented in GaN based light-emitting diodes. - Abstract: GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs) with a nitrogen implanted current-blocking layer (CBL) were successfully demonstrated for improving the light extraction efficiency (LEE) and radiant intensity. The LEE and radiant intensity of the LEDs with a shallow implanted CBL with nitrogen was greatly increased by more than 20% compared to that of a conventional LED without the CBL due to an increase in the effective current path, which reduces light absorption at the thick p-pad electrode. Meanwhile, deep implanted CBL with a nitrogen resulted in deterioration of the LEE and radiant intensity because of formation of crystal damage, followed by absorption of the light generated at the multi-quantum well(MQW). These results clearly suggest that ion implantation method, which is widely applied in the fabrication of Si based devices, can be successfully implemented in the fabrication of GaN based LEDs by optimization of implanted depth.

Surface state of GaN after rapid-thermal-annealing using AlN cap-layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Zammar, G., E-mail: georgio.elzammar@univ-tours.fr [Université François Rabelais, Tours, GREMAN, CNRS UMR 7347, 10 rue Thalès de Milet CS 97155, 37071 Tours Cedex 2 (France); Khalfaoui, W. [Université François Rabelais, Tours, GREMAN, CNRS UMR 7347, 10 rue Thalès de Milet CS 97155, 37071 Tours Cedex 2 (France); Oheix, T. [Université François Rabelais, Tours, GREMAN, CNRS UMR 7347, 10 rue Thalès de Milet CS 97155, 37071 Tours Cedex 2 (France); STMicroelectronics, 10 rue Thalès de Milet CS 97155, 37071 Tours Cedex 2 (France); Yvon, A.; Collard, E. [STMicroelectronics, 10 rue Thalès de Milet CS 97155, 37071 Tours Cedex 2 (France); Cayrel, F.; Alquier, D. [Université François Rabelais, Tours, GREMAN, CNRS UMR 7347, 10 rue Thalès de Milet CS 97155, 37071 Tours Cedex 2 (France)

2015-11-15

Graphical abstract: Surface state of a crack-free AlN cap-layer reactive sputtered on GaN and annealed at high temperature showing a smooth, pit-free surface. - Highlights: • We deposit a crystalline AlN layer by reactive magnetron sputtering on GaN. • We show the effect of deposition parameters of AlN by reactive magnetron sputtering on the quality of the grown layer. • We demonstrate the efficiency of double cap-layer for GaN protection during high temperature thermal treatments. • We show an efficient selective etch of AlN without damaging GaN surface. - Abstract: Critical issues need to be overcome to produce high performance Schottky diodes on gallium nitride (GaN). To activate dopant, high temperature thermal treatments are required but damage GaN surface where hexagonal pits appear and prevent any device processing. In this paper, we investigated the efficiency of cap-layers on GaN during thermal treatments to avoid degradation. Aluminum nitride (AlN) and silicon oxide (SiO{sub x}) were grown on GaN by direct current reactive magnetron sputtering and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, respectively. AlN growth parameters were studied to understand their effect on the grown layers and their protection efficiency. Focused ion beam was used to measure AlN layer thickness. Crystalline quality and exact composition were verified using X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Two types of rapid thermal annealing at high temperatures were investigated. Surface roughness and pits density were evaluated using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Cap-layers wet etching was processed in H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} at 120 °C for AlN and in HF (10%) for SiO{sub x}. This work reveals effective protection of GaN during thermal treatments at temperatures as high as 1150 °C. Low surface roughness was obtained. Furthermore, no hexagonal pit was observed on the surface.

Surface treatment effect on Si (111) substrate for carbon deposition using DC unbalanced magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aji, A. S., E-mail: aji.ravazes70@gmail.com; Sahdan, M. F.; Hendra, I. B.; Dinari, P.; Darma, Y. [Quantum Semiconductor and Devices Lab., Physics of Material Electronics Research Division, Department of Physics, Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia)

2015-04-16

In this work, we studied the effect of HF treatment in silicon (111) substrate surface for depositing thin layer carbon. We performed the deposition of carbon by using DC Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering with carbon pallet (5% Fe) as target. From SEM characterization results it can be concluded that the carbon layer on HF treated substrate is more uniform than on substrate without treated. Carbon deposition rate is higher as confirmed by AFM results if the silicon substrate is treated by HF solution. EDAX characterization results tell that silicon (111) substrate with HF treatment have more carbon fraction than substrate without treatment. These results confirmed that HF treatment on silicon Si (111) substrates could enhance the carbon deposition by using DC sputtering. Afterward, the carbon atomic arrangement on silicon (111) surface is studied by performing thermal annealing process to 900 °C. From Raman spectroscopy results, thin film carbon is not changing until 600 °C thermal budged. But, when temperature increase to 900 °C, thin film carbon is starting to diffuse to silicon (111) substrates.

Sputtered gold-coated ITO nanowires by alternating depositions from Indium and ITO targets for application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Setti, Grazielle O.; Mamián-López, Mónica B.; Pessoa, Priscila R.; Poppi, Ronei J.; Joanni, Ednan; Jesus, Dosil P.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • ITO nanowires were grown by the sputtering method using a new synthesis procedure. • By changing the deposition parameters the morphology and dimensions of the nanostructures were modified. • Seed layer thickness was an important factor for obtaining branched nanowires. • SERS substrates having good performance and a high application potential were produced. • The first Raman results for our substrates are already comparable to commercial substrates. - Abstract: Indium Tin oxide (ITO) nanowires were deposited by RF sputtering over oxidized silicon using ITO and Indium targets. The nanowires grew on the substrate with a catalyst layer of Indium by the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism. Modifications in the deposition conditions affected the morphology and dimensions of the nanowires. The samples, after being covered with gold, were evaluated as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for detection of dye solutions and very good intensifications of the Raman signal were obtained. The SERS performance of the samples was also compared to that of a commercial SERS substrate and the results achieved were similar. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time ITO nanowires were grown by the sputtering technique using oxide and metal targets

Sputtered gold-coated ITO nanowires by alternating depositions from Indium and ITO targets for application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Setti, Grazielle O. [Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13083-970 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Renato Archer Information Technology Center, Rodovia Dom Pedro I (SP-65), Km 143,6 – Amarais, 13069-901 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Mamián-López, Mónica B.; Pessoa, Priscila R.; Poppi, Ronei J. [Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13083-970 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Joanni, Ednan, E-mail: ednan.joanni@cti.gov.br [Renato Archer Information Technology Center, Rodovia Dom Pedro I (SP-65), Km 143,6 – Amarais, 13069-901 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Jesus, Dosil P. [Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13083-970 Campinas, SP (Brazil)

2015-08-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • ITO nanowires were grown by the sputtering method using a new synthesis procedure. • By changing the deposition parameters the morphology and dimensions of the nanostructures were modified. • Seed layer thickness was an important factor for obtaining branched nanowires. • SERS substrates having good performance and a high application potential were produced. • The first Raman results for our substrates are already comparable to commercial substrates. - Abstract: Indium Tin oxide (ITO) nanowires were deposited by RF sputtering over oxidized silicon using ITO and Indium targets. The nanowires grew on the substrate with a catalyst layer of Indium by the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism. Modifications in the deposition conditions affected the morphology and dimensions of the nanowires. The samples, after being covered with gold, were evaluated as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for detection of dye solutions and very good intensifications of the Raman signal were obtained. The SERS performance of the samples was also compared to that of a commercial SERS substrate and the results achieved were similar. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time ITO nanowires were grown by the sputtering technique using oxide and metal targets.

Growth of Sr1-xNdxCuOy thin films by rf-magnetron sputtering and pulsed-laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugii, N.; Ichikawa, M.; Kuba, K.; Sakurai, T.; Iamamoto, K.; Yamauchi, H.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on Sr 1- x Nd x CuO y thin films grown on SrTiO 3 substrates by rf-magnetron sputtering and pulsed-laser deposition. The sputter-deposited film with x=0 has an infinite-layer structure whose lattice constants are: a=0.390 nm and c=0.347 nm. When x is larger than 0.1, the films contain a phase of the Sr 14 Cu 24 O 41 structure. The laser-deposited films of Sr 1- x Nd x CuO y with x ≥ 0.075 were single phase of the infinite-layer structure. The lattice parameter c decreased and the lattice parameter a increased, as the Nd content, x, increased. The films with x=0.10 and 0.125 exhibited superconducting onset temperatures around 26 K. Weak Meissner signals were observed for these films at temperatures below 30 K

A cellular automata simulation study of surface roughening resulting from multi-atom etch pit generation during sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toh, Y S; Nobes, M J; Carter, G [Dept. of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Univ. of Salford (United Kingdom)

1992-04-01

A two-dimensional square matrix of pseudo-atomic positions is erected and atom removal from the ''surface'' is effected randomly. Either single atoms or groups of atoms (to simulate multi-atom pit generation) are removed. The characteristics of the evolving roughened, terraced ''surface'' are evaluated as a function of the total number of atoms, or equivalent numbers of atomic layers, removed. These characteristics include the ''mean'' position of the sputtered surface, the standard deviation of terrace length about the mean and the form of the terrace length distributions. The results of the single-atom removal mode compare exactly with theoretical predictions in that, for large numbers of atoms removed the depth position of the mean of the terrace length distribution is identical to the mean sputtered depth and the standard deviation increases as the square root of this depth. For multi-atom removal modes (which cannot be predicted theoretically) the standard deviation also increases as the square root of the mean sputtered depth but with a larger proportionality constant. The implications of these observations for the evolution of surface morphology during high yield sputtering is discussed. (orig.).

Compound La[B5O8(OH)2] with a new type of pentaborate layer based on the 5[3T + 2Δ] block: Topology-symmetry analysis and the position in the structural system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanova, A. G.; Belokoneva, E. L.; Dimitrova, O. V.; Mochenova, N. N.

2006-01-01

Crystals of a new rare-earth borate, LaB 5 O 8 (OH) 2 (space group P2 1 /n), are synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. The crystal structure is determined by the heavy-atom method without prior knowledge of the chemical formula. The radical anion is a layer composed of pentaborate blocks 5[3T + 2Δ]. The topological and symmetric patterns of their condensation differ from those observed in all known layered pentaborates containing the same block. The building blocks are shared by vertices of tetrahedra to form chains. These chains are joined into a corrugated layer in such a way that one of the BO 3 triangles of the building block is terminal and the layer itself is denser than those previously revealed in all other borates. In contrast to the majority of layer borates, the new La borate does not contain water molecules, because it crystallizes from more concentrated solutions. The La atoms are located inside the walls of the hollows of corrugated layers, thus centering the holes of the layers

Performance enhancement of perovskite solar cells with Mg-doped TiO2 compact film as the hole-blocking layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jing; Qin, Minchao; Tao, Hong; Ke, Weijun; Chen, Zhao; Wan, Jiawei; Qin, Pingli; Lei, Hongwei; Fang, Guojia; Xiong, Liangbin; Yu, Huaqing

2015-01-01

In this letter, we report perovskite solar cells with thin dense Mg-doped TiO 2 as hole-blocking layers (HBLs), which outperform cells using TiO 2 HBLs in several ways: higher open-circuit voltage (V oc ) (1.08 V), power conversion efficiency (12.28%), short-circuit current, and fill factor. These properties improvements are attributed to the better properties of Mg-modulated TiO 2 as compared to TiO 2 such as better optical transmission properties, upshifted conduction band minimum (CBM) and downshifted valence band maximum (VBM), better hole-blocking effect, and higher electron life time. The higher-lying CBM due to the modulation with wider band gap MgO and the formation of magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxides together resulted in an increment of V oc . In addition, the Mg-modulated TiO 2 with lower VBM played a better role in the hole-blocking. The HBL with modulated band position provided better electron transport and hole blocking effects within the device

MD simulation of cluster formation during sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muramoto, T.; Okai, M.; Yamashita, Y.; Yorizane, K.; Yamamura, Y.

2001-01-01

The cluster ejection due to cluster impact on a solid surface is studied through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Simulations are performed for Cu cluster impacts on the Cu(1 1 1) surface for cluster energy 100 eV/atom, and for clusters of 6, 13, 28 and 55 atoms. Interatomic interactions are described by the AMLJ-EAM potential. The vibration energy spectrum is independent of the incident cluster size and energy. This comes from the fact that sputtered clusters become stable through the successive fragmentation of nascent large sputtered clusters. The vibration energy spectra for large sputtered clusters have a peak, whose energy corresponds to the melting temperature of Cu. The exponent of the power-law fit of the abundance distribution and the total sputtering yield for the cluster impacts are higher than that for the monatomic ion impacts with the same total energy, where the exponent δ is given by Y n ∝n δ and Y n is the yield of sputtered n-atom cluster. The exponent δ follows a unified function of the total sputtering yield, which is a monotonic increase function, and it is nearly equal to δ ∼ -3 for larger yield

Experimental and analytical study of the sputtering phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, P.A.

1976-03-01

One form of the sputtering phenomena, the heat-transfer process that occurs when an initially hot vertical surface is cooled by a falling liquid film, was examined from a new experimental approach. The sputtering front is the lowest wetted position on the vertical surface and is characterized by a short region of intense nucleate boiling. The sputtering front progresses downward at nearly a constant rate, the surface below the sputtering front being dry and almost adiabatic. This heat-transfer process is of interest in the analysis of some of the performance aspects of emergency core-cooling systems of light-water reactors. An experimental apparatus was constructed to examine the heat-transfer characteristics of a sputtering front. In the present study, a heat source of sufficient intensity was located immediately below the sputtering front, which prevented its downward progress, thus permitting detailed measurements of steady-state surface temperatures throughout a sputtering front. Experimental evidence showed the sputtering front to correspond to a critical heat-flux (CHF) phenomenon. Data were obtained with water flow rates of 350-1600 lb/sub m//hr-ft and subcoolings of 40-140 0 F on a 3 / 8 -in. solid copper rod at 1 atm. A two-dimensional analytical model was developed to describe a stationary sputtering front where the wet-dry interface corresponds to a CHF phenomena and the dry zone is adiabatic. This model is nonlinear because of the temperature dependence of the heat-transfer coefficient in the wetted region and has yielded good agreement with data. A simplified one-dimensional approximation was developed which adequately describes these data. Finally, by means of a coordinate transformation and additional simplifying assumptions, this analysis was extended to analyze moving sputtering fronts, and reasonably good agreement with reported data was shown

Measurements of beryllium sputtering yields at JET

Science.gov (United States)

Jet-Efda Contributors Stamp, M. F.; Krieger, K.; Brezinsek, S.

2011-08-01

The lifetime of the beryllium first wall in ITER will depend on erosion and redeposition processes. The physical sputtering yields for beryllium (both deuterium on beryllium (Be) and Be on Be) are of crucial importance since they drive the erosion process. Literature values of experimental sputtering yields show an order of magnitude variation so predictive modelling of ITER wall lifetimes has large uncertainty. We have reviewed the old beryllium yield experiments on JET and used current beryllium atomic data to produce revised beryllium sputtering yields. These experimental measurements have been compared with a simple physical sputtering model based on TRIM.SP beryllium yield data. Fair agreement is seen for beryllium yields from a clean beryllium limiter. However the yield on a beryllium divertor tile (with C/Be co-deposits) shows poor agreement at low electron temperatures indicating that the effect of the higher sputtering threshold for beryllium carbide is important.

Stoichiometric carbon nitride synthesized by ion beam sputtering and post nitrogen ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valizadeh, R.; Colligon, J.S.; Katardiev, I.V.; Faunce, C.A.; Donnelly, S.E.

1998-01-01

Full text: Carbon nitride films have been deposited on Si (100) by ion beam sputtering a vitreous graphite target with nitrogen and argon ions with and without concurrent N2 ion bombardment at room temperature. The sputtering beam energy was 1000 eV and the assisted beam energy was 300 eV with ion / atom arrival ratio ranging from 0.5 to 5. The carbon nitride films were deposited both as single layer directly on silicon substrate and as multilayer between two layers of stoichiometric amorphous silicon nitride and polycrystalline titanium nitride. The deposited films were implanted ex-situ with 30 keV nitrogen ions with various doses ranging from 1E17 to 4E17 ions.cm -2 and 2 GeV xenon ion with a dose of 1E12 ions.cm -2 . The nitrogen concentration of the films was measured with Rutherford Backscattering (RBS), Secondary Neutral Mass Spectrometry (SNMS) and Parallel Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (PEELS). The nitrogen concentration for as deposited sample was 34 at% and stoichiometric carbon nitride C 3 N 4 was achieved by post nitrogen implantation of the multi-layered films. Post bombardment of single layer carbon nitride films lead to reduction in the total nitrogen concentration. Carbon K edge structure obtained from PEELS analysis suggested that the amorphous C 3 N 4 matrix was predominantly sp 2 bonded. This was confirmed by Fourier Transforrn Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of the single CN layer which showed the nitrogen was mostly bonded with carbon in nitrile (C≡N) and imine (C=N) groups. The microstructure of the film was determined by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) which indicated that the films were amorphous

Sputtering yields of Si and Ni from the I sub(1-x)Si sub(x) system studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Su-Chol; Yamaguchi, Satoru; Kataoka, Yoshihide; Iwami, Motohiro; Hiraki, Akio; Satou, Mamoru; Fujimoto, Fuminori.

1982-01-01

Sputtering yields of Si and Ni from thin layer films of Ni-Si compounds (Ni sub(1-x)Si sub(x)), including the pure materials (Ni and Si), caused by 5keV Ar + ion bombardment were investigated using backscattering spectrometry. The sputtering yield for Si from Ni sub(1-x)Si sub(x) increased with increasing Si concentration. However, there is an abrupt decrease in the yield for Si concentrations above NiSi 2 to pure Si. This is in clear contrast to the sputtering yield of Ni from Ni sub(1-x)Si sub(x) which increased with increasing Ni concentration monotonously. These results are discussed on the basis of both the difference in the atomic density and the electronic state of the alloy. (author)

Co-sputtered optical films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Misiano, C; Simonetti, E [Selenia S.p.A., Rome (Italy)

1977-06-01

The co-sputtering of two dielectric materials with indices of refraction as widely different as possible has been investigated with the aim of obtaining both homogeneous films with an intermediate index of refraction and inhomogeneous films with predetermined profiles. An rf sputtering module is described which has been especially designed, with two separate cathodes and two independent tunable rf generators. The substrates are placed on a circular anode rotating underneath the two cathodes. So far mainly CeO/sub 2/, TiO2 and SiO/sub 2/ targets have been used. The deposition rate from each cathode and the total film thickness are determined by means of two quartz thickness monitors, sputtering compatible. Values obtained for the refractive index and optical thickness are reported, as well as repeatability, mechanical and chemical characteristics, reliability and high power optical radiation resistance. Finally, results obtained on optical components of practical interest are discussed.

Process for obtaining luminescent glass layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heindi, R.; Robert, A.

1984-01-01

Process for obtaining luminescent glass layers, application to the production of devices provided with said layers and to the construction of photoscintillators. The process comprises projecting onto a support, by cathodic sputtering, the material of at least one target, each target including silica and at least one chemical compound able to give luminescent centers, such as a cerium oxide, so as to form at least one luminescent glass layer of the said support. The layer or layers formed preferably undergo a heat treatment such as annealing in order to increase the luminous efficiency thereof. It is in this way possible to form a scintillating glass layer on the previously frosted entrance window of a photomultiplier in order to obtain an integrated photoscintillator

InxGa1-xAs obtained from independent target via co-sputtering deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernal-Correa, R; Torres-Jaramillo, S.; Pulzara-Mora, C.

2017-01-01

This paper is focused on the preparation of InGaAs thin films on GaAs substrates by r.f. magnetron sputtering technique, using the sputtering power as control means for the formation of different stoichiometries. Results of X-ray and Raman spectroscopy allowed corroborating the formation of In x Ga 1-x As in different concentrations, identifying peaks associated with crystallographic planes (X-rays) and characteristic vibrational phonon modes (Raman). An analysis performed with the Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) techniques, allowed discussing on the composition in each of the layers. Finally, an alternative in obtaining the ternary semiconductor with polycrystalline structure and preferential growth along the direction (111) was demonstrated and generated by a technique different from the epitaxial techniques, which are commonly used for the growth of III-V semiconductors. (paper)

Structure, properties and wear behaviour of multilayer coatings consisting of metallic and covalent hard materials, prepared by magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schier, V.

1995-12-01

Novel multilayer coatings with metallic and covalent layer materials were prepared by magnetron sputtering and characterised concerning structure, properties and application behaviour. At first single layer coatings were deposited for the determination of the material properties. To evaluate relations between structure and properties of the multilayer coatings, different multilayer concepts were realised: - coatings consisting of at most 7 layers of metallic hard materials, - 100-layer coatings consisting of metallic and covalent hard materials, - TiN-TiC multilayer coatings with different numbers of layers (between 10 and 1000), - 150-layer coatings, based on TiN-TiC multilayers, with thin ( 4 C, AlN, SiC, a:C, Si 3 N 4 , SiAlON). X-rays and electron microscopic analysis indicate in spite of nonstoichiometric compositions single phase crystalline structures for nonreactively and reactively sputtered metastable single layer Ti(B,C)-, Ti(B,N)- and Ti(B,C,N)-coatings. These single layer coatings show excellent mechanical properties (e.g. hardness values up to 6000 HV0,05), caused by lattice stresses as well as by atomic bonding conditions similar to those in c:BN and B 4 C. The good tribological properties shown in pin-on-disk-tests can be attributed to the very high hardness of the coatings. The coatings consisting of at most 7 layers of metallic hard materials show good results mainly for the cutting of steel Ck45, due to the improved mechanical properties (e.g. hardness, toughness) of the multilayers compared to the single layer coatings. This improvement is caused by inserting the hard layer materials and the coherent reinforcement of the coatings. (orig.)

Laser sputtering. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, R.; Cuomo, J.J.; Leary, P.A.; Rothenburg, J.E.; Braren, B.E.; Aliotta, C.F.

1985-01-01

Irradiation, i.e. bombardment, with 193 nm laser pulses having an energy fluence of 2.5 J/cm 2 and a duration of proportional12 ns leads to rapid sputtering with Au, Al 2 O 3 , MgO, MgO.Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , glass, and LaB 6 , relatively slow sputtering with MgF 2 and diamond, and mainly thermal-stress cracking with W. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) suggests that the mechanism for the sputtering of Au in either vacuum or air is one based on the hydrodynamics of molten Au, while an SEM-derived surface temperature estimate confirms that thermal sputtering (which might have been expected) is not possible. SEM with W shows that the near total lack of material removal is due to the thermal-stress cracking not leading to completed exfoliation, together with the surface temperature being too low for either hydrodynamical or thermal processes. Corresponding SEM with Al 2 O 3 shows, in the case of specimens bombarded in vacuum, topography of such a type that all mechanisms except electronic ones can be ruled out. The topography of Al 2 O 3 or other oxides bombarded in air through a mask is somewhat different, showing craters as for vacuum bombardments but ones which have a cone-like pattern on the bottom. (orig.)

Influence of Magnetron Effect on Barium Hexaferrite Thin Layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassane, H.; Chatelon, J.P.; Rousseau, J.J; Siblini, A.; Kriga, A.

2011-01-01

In this paper, we study the effects of a magnet, located in the cathode, on barium hexaferrite thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering technique. During the process, these effects can modify thickness, roughness and stress of coatings. The characteristics of the deposited layers depend on the substrate position that is located opposite of magnetron cathode. In the m agnetron area , one can observe that the high stress can produce cracks or detachment of layers and the increasing of both depositing rate and surface roughness. After sputtering elaboration, barium hexaferrite films are in a compressive stress mode. But, after the post-deposition heat treatment these films are in a tensile stress mode. To improve the quality of BaM films, the subsrtate has to be set outside the magnetron area. (author)

Large exchange bias induced by polycrystalline Mn3Ga antiferromagnetic films with controlled layer thickness

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Haokaifeng; Sudoh, Iori; Xu, Ruihan; Si, Wenshuo; Vaz, C. A. F.; Kim, Jun-young; Vallejo-Fernandez, Gonzalo; Hirohata, Atsufumi

2018-05-01

Polycrystalline Mn3Ga layers with thickness in the range from 6–20 nm were deposited at room temperature by a high target utilisation sputtering. To investigate the onset of exchange-bias, a ferromagnetic Co0.6Fe0.4 layer (3.3–9 nm thick) capped with 5 nm Ta, were subsequently deposited. X-ray diffraction measurements confirm the presence of Mn3Ga (0 0 0 2) and (0 0 0 4) peaks characteristic of the D019 antiferromagnetic structure. The 6 nm thick Mn3Ga film shows the largest exchange bias of 430 Oe at 120 K with a blocking temperature of 225 K. The blocking temperature is found to decrease with increasing Mn3Ga thickness. These results in combination with x-ray reflectivity measurements confirm that the quality of the Mn3Ga/Co0.6Fe0.4 interface controls the exchange bias, with the sharp interface with the 6-nm-thick Mn3Ga inducing the largest exchange bias. The magneto-crystalline anisotropy for 6 nm thick Mn3Ga thin film sample is calculated to be . Such a binary antiferromagnetic Heusler alloy is compatible with the current memory fabrication process and hence has a great potential for antiferromagnetic spintronics.

Applications of ZnO:Al deposited by RF sputtering to InN low-cost technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez, S. [Departamento de Energias Renovables, Energia Solar Fotovoltaica, Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas (CIEMAT), Madrid (Spain); Naranjo, F.B.; Valdueza-Felip, S. [Grupo de Ingenieria Fotonica, Departamento de Electronica, Escuela Politecnica Superior, Universidad de Alcala Campus Universitario, Madrid (Spain); Abril, O. de [ISOM y Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicacion, Universidad Politenica de Madrid (Spain)

2010-07-15

InN/ZnO:Al heterostructures deposited at low temperature on different substrates by radio-frequency sputtering were studied. Using ZnO:Al as buffer layer, an improvement in the InN structural properties was achieved. Evaluating ZnO:Al as contact on InN, an Ohmic behaviour for the as-deposited layer on InN was achieved. A specific contact resistance of 2 {omega} cm{sup 2} was measured without any post-deposition treatment. These properties could result very promising for optoelectronic device applications. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Preparation, properties, and application characteristics of metastable layers of the Ti-Si-C-N system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fella, R.

1992-10-01

In the Ti-Si-C and Ti-Si-C-N systems, metastable layers were precipitated by means of non-reactive magnetron sputtering of hot-pressed two-phase TiC/SiC and TiN/SiC targets with 20 mole% and 50 mole% SiC. The preparation parameters were varied as follows: ion bombardment during precipitation (bias sputtering), substrate temperature, and annealing times when annealing amorphous 50%:50% TiC/SiC and 50%:50% TiN/SiC layers. Sputtering of targets containing 20% SiC was found to result in monophase fcc layers (NaCl structure). This was documented on the basis of X-ray and electron diffraction patterns. Direct precipitation of targets with 50 mole% SiC resulted in amorphous layers. Increasing the ion bombardment during accretion, raising the substrate temperature, and annealing amorphous 50%:50% TiC/SiC and 50%:50% TiN/SiC (layers precipitated directly) resulted in the crystallization of TiC and TiN nanocrystallites, respectively, imbedded in an amorphous SiC matrix. These crystallites were detected both by X-ray and by electron diffractions and by XPS studies. The XPS measurements of crystalline TiC and amorphous SiC reference layers demonstrated the existence of new kinds of carbon interface phases ('pseudocarbide layers') around TiC and amorphous SiC regions, respectively, which have a positive impact on the mechanical properties of the layers. The hardness of the layers can be correlated with the degrees of crystallization and texture. Adhesion and toughness are worse in SiC-bearing layers than PVD TiC and TiN layers, respectively. The application characteristics of the layers were determined by model wear tests relative to 100Cr6 by means of a pin/disk tribometer. N-bearing layers were found to have clearly higher friction coefficients and greater wear than layers without N. (orig.)

Sputtering materials for VLSI and thin film devices

CERN Document Server

Sarkar, Jaydeep

2010-01-01

An important resource for students, engineers and researchers working in the area of thin film deposition using physical vapor deposition (e.g. sputtering) for semiconductor, liquid crystal displays, high density recording media and photovoltaic device (e.g. thin film solar cell) manufacturing. This book also reviews microelectronics industry topics such as history of inventions and technology trends, recent developments in sputtering technologies, manufacturing steps that require sputtering of thin films, the properties of thin films and the role of sputtering target performance on overall p

Effect of chemical treatment on surface characteristics of sputter deposited Ti-rich NiTi shape memory alloy thin-films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, S.K.; Mohan, S.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: FTIR spectra recorded for sputter deposited (a) untreated and (b) chemically treated NiTi SMA thin-films. - Highlights: • The effect of chemical treatment on surface properties of NiTi films demonstrated. • Chemically treated films offer strong ability to form protective TiO 2 layer. • TiO 2 layer formation offer great application prospects in biomedical fields. - Abstract: NiTi thin-films were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering from single alloy target (Ni/Ti:45/55 at.%). The rate of deposition and thickness of sputter deposited films were maintained to ∼35 nm min −1 and 4 μm respectively. A set of sputter deposited NiTi films were selected for specific chemical treatment with the solution comprising of de-ionized water, HF and HNO 3 respectively. The influence of chemical treatment on surface characteristics of NiTi films before and after chemical treatment was investigated for their structure, micro-structure and composition using different analytical techniques. Prior to chemical treatment, the composition of NiTi films using energy dispersive X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), were found to be 51.8 atomic percent of Ti and 48.2 atomic percent of Ni. The structure and morphology of these films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD investigations, demonstrated the presence of dominant Austenite (1 1 0) phase along with Martensite phase, for untreated NiTi films whereas some additional diffraction peaks viz. (1 0 0), (1 0 1), and (2 0 0) corresponding to Rutile and Anatase phase of Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) along with parent Austenite (1 1 0) phase were observed for chemically treated NiTi films. FTIR studies, it can be concluded that chemically treated films have higher tendency to form metal oxide/hydroxide than the untreated NiTi films. XPS investigations, demonstrated the presence of Ni-free surface and formation of a protective metal oxide (TiO 2 ) layer on the surface of

Progress in MOSFET double-layer metalization

Science.gov (United States)

Gassaway, J. D.; Trotter, J. D.; Wade, T. E.

1980-01-01

Report describes one-year research effort in VLSL fabrication. Four activities are described: theoretical study of two-dimensional diffusion in SOS (silicon-on-sapphire); setup of sputtering system, furnaces, and photolithography equipment; experiments on double layer metal; and investigation of two-dimensional modeling of MOSFET's (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors).

Effect of interfacial oxide thickness on the photocatalytic activity of magnetron-sputtered TiO2coatings on aluminum substrate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daviðsdóttir, Svava; Petit, Jean-Pierre; Shabadi, Rajashekhara

2015-01-01

The influence of the coating/substrate interface on the photocatalytic behavior of Al-TiO2 coatings was investigated. The TiO2 coatings were prepared by magnetron sputtering. The nanoscale structure of the coating was analyzed using X-ray diffraction; atomic force microscopy; scanning electron...... transport between the coating and the metallic substrate. The highest photocurrents were indeed obtained when the thickness of interfacial aluminum oxide could be reduced by sputtering a thin Ti layer prior to TiO2 coating. Photocurrent plotted for different photon energy for a TiO2 coating on a Ti...

Large Area Sputter Coating on Glass

Science.gov (United States)

Katayama, Yoshihito

Large glass has been used for commercial buildings, housings and vehicles for many years. Glass size for flat displays is getting larger and larger. The glass for the 8th generation is more than 5 m2 in area. Demand of the large glass is increasing not only in these markets but also in a solar cell market growing drastically. Therefore, large area coating is demanded to plus something else on glass more than ever. Sputtering and pyrolysis are the major coating methods on large glass today. Sputtering process is particularly popular because it can deposit a wide variety of materials in good coating uniformity on the glass. This paper describes typical industrial sputtering system and recent progress in sputtering technology. It also shows typical coated glass products in architectural, automotive and display fields and comments on their functions, film stacks and so on.

Optimizing pentacene thin-film transistor performance: Temperature and surface condition induced layer growth modification.

Science.gov (United States)

Lassnig, R; Hollerer, M; Striedinger, B; Fian, A; Stadlober, B; Winkler, A

2015-11-01

In this work we present in situ electrical and surface analytical, as well as ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies on temperature and surface condition induced pentacene layer growth modifications, leading to the selection of optimized deposition conditions and entailing performance improvements. We prepared p ++ -silicon/silicon dioxide bottom-gate, gold bottom-contact transistor samples and evaluated the pentacene layer growth for three different surface conditions (sputtered, sputtered + carbon and unsputtered + carbon) at sample temperatures during deposition of 200 K, 300 K and 350 K. The AFM investigations focused on the gold contacts, the silicon dioxide channel region and the highly critical transition area. Evaluations of coverage dependent saturation mobilities, threshold voltages and corresponding AFM analysis were able to confirm that the first 3-4 full monolayers contribute to the majority of charge transport within the channel region. At high temperatures and on sputtered surfaces uniform layer formation in the contact-channel transition area is limited by dewetting, leading to the formation of trenches and the partial development of double layer islands within the channel region instead of full wetting layers. By combining the advantages of an initial high temperature deposition (well-ordered islands in the channel) and a subsequent low temperature deposition (continuous film formation for low contact resistance) we were able to prepare very thin (8 ML) pentacene transistors of comparably high mobility.

A review of basic phenomena and techniques for sputter-deposition of high temperature superconducting films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Auciello, O. (Microelectronics Center of North Carolina, Research Triangle Park, NC (USA) North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (USA). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering); Ameen, M.S.; Kingon, A.I.; Lichtenwalner, D.J. (North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (USA). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering); Krauss, A.R. (Argonne National Lab., IL (USA))

1990-01-01

The processes involved in plasma and ion beam sputter-deposition of high temperature superconducting thin films are critically reviewed. Recent advances in the development of these techniques are discussed in relation to basic physical phenomena, specific to each technique, which must be understood before high quality films can be produced. Control of film composition is a major issue in sputter-deposition of multicomponent materials. Low temperature processing of films is a common goal for each technique, particularly in relation to integrating high temperature superconducting films with the current microelectronics technology. It has been understood for some time that for Y{sub 1}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} deposition, the most intensely studied high-{Tc} compound, incorporation of sufficient oxygen into the film during deposition is necessary to produce as-deposited superconducting films at relatively substrate temperatures. Recent results have shown that with the use of suitable buffer layers, high quality Y{sub 1}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} sputtered films can be obtained on Si substrates without the need for post-deposition anneal processing. This review is mainly focussed on issues related to sputter-deposition of Y{sub 1}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} thin films, although representative results concerning the bismuth and thallium based compounds are included. 143 refs., 11 figs.

Increased luminance of MEH-PPV and PFO based PLEDs by using salmon DNA as an electron blocking layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madhwal, Devinder; Rait, S.S.; Verma, A.; Kumar, Amit; Bhatnagar, P.K.; Mathur, P.C.; Onoda, M.

2010-01-01

The effect of salmon DNA-CTMA as an electron blocking layer (EBL) has been examined on the performance of MEH-PPV and PFO-based light emitting diodes. Though the turn-on voltage increases with incorporation of EBL, a significant increase in luminance and luminous efficiency for both the devices is observed. The EBL improves the device performance by blocking electrons at the EBL-polymer interface, thereby increasing the recombination probability of electrons and holes. The luminance of the MEH-PPV based Bio-LED increases to 100 cd/m 2 from 30 cd/m 2 while a corresponding increase for the PFO based LED is to 160 cd/m 2 from 80 cd/m 2 with and without EBL, respectively.

Computer simulation of the self-sputtering of uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, M.T.

1983-01-01

The sputtering of polycrystalline α-uranium by uranium ions of energies below 10 keV has been studied in the binary collision approximation using the computer simulation program marlowe. Satisfactory agreement of the computed sputtering yields with the small amount of available experimental data was achieved using the Moliere interatomic potential, a semilocal inelastic loss function, and a planar surface binding barrier, all with conventional parameters. The model is used to discuss low energy sputtering processes and the energy and angular distributions of the reflected primaries and the sputtered target particles

Thermal oxidation of tungsten-based sputtered coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louro, C.; Cavaleiro, A.

1997-01-01

The effect of the addition of nickel, titanium, and nitrogen on the air oxidation behavior of W-based sputtered coatings in the temperature range 600 to 800 C was studied. In some cases these additions significantly improved the oxidation resistance of the tungsten coatings. As reported for bulk tungsten, all the coatings studied were oxidized by layers following a parabolic law. Besides WO 3 and WO x phases detected in all the oxidized coatings, TiO 2 and NiWO 4 were also detected for W-Ti and W-Ni films, respectively. WO x was present as an inner protective compact layer covered by the porous WO 3 oxide. The best oxidation resistance was found for W-Ti and W-N-Ni coatings which also presented the highest activation energies (E a = 234 and 218 kJ/mol, respectively, as opposed to E a ∼ 188 kJ/mol for the other coatings). These lower oxidation weight gains were attributed to the greater difficulty of the inward diffusion of oxygen ions for W-Ti films, owing to the formation of fine particles of TiO 2 , and the formation of the external, more protective layer of NiWO 4 for W-N-Ni coatings

Intrinsic ZnO films fabricated by DC sputtering from oxygen-deficient targets for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell application

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Chongyin Yang; DongyunWan; Zhou Wang; Fuqiang Huang

2011-01-01

Intrinsic zinc oxide films, normally deposited by radio frequency (RF) sputtering, are fabricated by direct current (DC) sputtering. The oxygen-deficient targets are prepared via a newly developed double crucible method. The 800-nm-thick film obtaines significantly higher carrier mobility compareing with that of the 800-nm-thick ZnO film. This is achieved by the widely used RF sputtering, which favors the prevention of carrier recombination at the interfaces and reduction of the series resistance of solar cells. The optimal ZnO film is used in a Cu (In, Ga) Se2 (CIGS) solar cell with a high efficiency of 11.57%. This letter demonstrates that the insulating ZnO films can be deposited by DC sputtering from oxygen-deficient ZnO targets to lower the cost of thin film solar cells.%Intrinsic zinc oxide films,normally deposited by radio frequency (RF) sputtering,are fabricated by direct current (DC) sputtering.The oxygen-deficient targets are prepared via a newly developed double crucible method.The 800-nm-thick film obtaines significantly higher carrier mobility compareing with that of the 800-nm-thick ZnO film.This is achieved by the widely used RF sputtering,which favors the prevention of carrier recombination at the interfaces and reduction of the series resistance of solar cells.The optimal ZnO film is used in a Cu (In,Ga) Se2 (C1GS) solar cell with a high efficiency of 11.57％.This letter demonstrates that the insulating ZnO films can be deposited by DC sputtering from oxygen-deficient ZnO targets to lower the cost of thin film solar cells.High resistance transparent intrinsic zinc oxide (i-ZnO)thin film has been widely nsed as the front electrode in transparent electronics and photovoltaic devices because of its low cost and nontoxicity.Owing to its unique characteristics of high transparency and adjustable resistivity in a certain range,the use of i-ZnO thin films as diffusion barrier layers of a-Si/μc-Si,CdTe,and CIGS thin-film solar cells has been advantageous

Magnetron sputtering of Fe-oxides on the top of HTS YBCO films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nurgaliev, T. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chausse, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Blagoev, B. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chausse, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Laboratory of High Magnetic Fields and Low Temperatures, 95 Gajowicka Str., 53-421 Wroclaw (Poland); Buchkov, K. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chausse, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Mateev, E. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chausse, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Gajda, G. [Laboratory of High Magnetic Fields and Low Temperatures, 95 Gajowicka Str., 53-421 Wroclaw (Poland); Nedkov, I. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chausse, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Kovacheva, D. [Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, bl. 10, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Slavov, L. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chausse, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Laboratory of High Magnetic Fields and Low Temperatures, 95 Gajowicka Str., 53-421 Wroclaw (Poland); Starbova, I.; Starbov, N. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chausse, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Nankovski, M. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chausse, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Sofia university “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Physics, 5 James Bourchier Blvd., 1164 Sofia (Bulgaria)

2017-05-01

The possibilities for preparation of bilayers containing magnetic Fe-oxide (Fe-O) and high temperature superconducting (HTS) YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7−x} (YBCO) thin films were investigated. For this purpose, Fe-O films were deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering at comparatively low temperatures T≤250 °C onto dielectric (for example, LaAlO{sub 3} (LAO)) substrates, covered with a HTS YBCO film. The sputtering of the Fe-O layer at such conditions did not lead to a crucial damage of the critical temperature T{sub C} of the YBCO film, but could affect the width of the superconducting transition. A decrease of the critical temperature of the (Fe-O)/YBCO/LAO bilayer kept at ambient conditions was observed, possibly due to the negative effects of the water vapour on the sample characteristics. The double peak structure of the imaginary component of the response signal to the AC harmonic magnetic field, observed in such a (Fe-O)/YBCO/LAO sample, was ascribed from two possible views: as a consequence of morphology determined inter- and intra-granular contributions and/or as transitions from dominant irreversible processes as Bean-Livingston barrier to vortex state chains formation. - Highlights: • Iron-oxide (Fe-O) film sputtered on the top of superconducting HTS YBCO film at not very high temperatures. • No crucially damaged superconducting properties of YBCO film during Fe-O sputtering process. • A negative effect of the ambient conditions on the critical temperature of the obtained samples. • A double peak structure of the response signal to the AC harmonic magnetic field in a (Fe-O)/YBCO/LAO is observed.

Magnetron sputtering of Fe-oxides on the top of HTS YBCO films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nurgaliev, T.; Blagoev, B.; Buchkov, K.; Mateev, E.; Gajda, G.; Nedkov, I.; Kovacheva, D.; Slavov, L.; Starbova, I.; Starbov, N.; Nankovski, M.

2017-01-01

The possibilities for preparation of bilayers containing magnetic Fe-oxide (Fe-O) and high temperature superconducting (HTS) YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−x (YBCO) thin films were investigated. For this purpose, Fe-O films were deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering at comparatively low temperatures T≤250 °C onto dielectric (for example, LaAlO 3 (LAO)) substrates, covered with a HTS YBCO film. The sputtering of the Fe-O layer at such conditions did not lead to a crucial damage of the critical temperature T C of the YBCO film, but could affect the width of the superconducting transition. A decrease of the critical temperature of the (Fe-O)/YBCO/LAO bilayer kept at ambient conditions was observed, possibly due to the negative effects of the water vapour on the sample characteristics. The double peak structure of the imaginary component of the response signal to the AC harmonic magnetic field, observed in such a (Fe-O)/YBCO/LAO sample, was ascribed from two possible views: as a consequence of morphology determined inter- and intra-granular contributions and/or as transitions from dominant irreversible processes as Bean-Livingston barrier to vortex state chains formation. - Highlights: • Iron-oxide (Fe-O) film sputtered on the top of superconducting HTS YBCO film at not very high temperatures. • No crucially damaged superconducting properties of YBCO film during Fe-O sputtering process. • A negative effect of the ambient conditions on the critical temperature of the obtained samples. • A double peak structure of the response signal to the AC harmonic magnetic field in a (Fe-O)/YBCO/LAO is observed.

XPS investigation of monatomic and cluster argon ion sputtering of tantalum pentoxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simpson, Robin, E-mail: r.simpson@surrey.ac.uk [The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, University of Surrey (United Kingdom); Thermo Scientific, East Grinstead (United Kingdom); White, Richard G. [Thermo Scientific, East Grinstead (United Kingdom); Watts, John F.; Baker, Mark A. [The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, University of Surrey (United Kingdom)

2017-05-31

Highlights: • Ion beam induced oxide reduction from monatomic and gas cluster ion beam exposure are compared. • Lower relative level of preferential sputtering is shown in gas cluster ion beam depth profiling. • A lack of “steady state” is observed in gas cluster ion beam depth profiles of tantalum pentoxide. • Possible mechanisms behind the observed results, including temperature effects are proposed. - Abstract: In recent years, gas cluster ion beams (GCIB) have become the cutting edge of ion beam technology to sputter etch organic materials in surface analysis. However, little is currently known on the ability of argon cluster ions (Ar{sub n}{sup +}) to etch metal oxides and other technologically important inorganic compounds and no depth profiles have previously been reported. In this work, XPS depth profiles through a certified (European standard BCR-261T) 30 nm thick Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} layer grown on Ta foil using monatomic Ar{sup +} and Ar{sub 1000}{sup +} cluster ions have been performed at different incident energies. The preferential sputtering of oxygen induced using 6 keV Ar{sub 1000}{sup +} ions is lower relative to 3 keV and 500 eV Ar{sup +} ions. Ar{sup +} ions exhibit a steady state O/Ta ratio through the bulk oxide but Ar{sub 1000}{sup +} ions show a gradual decrease in the O/Ta ratio as a function of depth. The depth resolution and etch rate is substantially better for the monatomic beam compared to the cluster beam. Higher O concentrations are observed when the underlying Ta bulk metal is sputtered for the Ar{sub 1000}{sup +} profiles compared to the Ar{sup +} profiles.

Sputtering yields of Si and Ni from the Ni sub(1-x)Si sub(x) system studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, S C; Yamaguchi, S; Kataoka, Y; Iwami, M; Hiraki, A [Osaka Univ., Suita (Japan). Faculty of Engineering; Satou, M; Fujimoto, F

1982-01-01

Sputtering yields of Si and Ni from thin layer films of Ni-Si compounds (Ni sub(1-x)Si sub(x)), including the pure materials (Ni and Si), caused by 5keV Ar/sup +/ ion bombardment were investigated using backscattering spectrometry. The sputtering yield for Si from Ni sub(1-x)Si sub(x) increased with increasing Si concentration. However, there is an abrupt decrease in the yield for Si concentrations above NiSi/sub 2/ to pure Si. This is in clear contrast to the sputtering yield of Ni from Ni sub(1-x)Si sub(x) which increased with increasing Ni concentration monotonously. These results are discussed on the basis of both the difference in the atomic density and the electronic state of the alloy.

Properties of Co-deposited indium tin oxide and zinc oxide films using a bipolar pulse power supply and a dual magnetron sputter source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Man-Soo; Seob Jeong, Heui; Kim, Won Mok; Seo, Yong Woon

2003-01-01

Multilayer coatings consisting of metal layers sandwiched between transparent conducting oxide layers are widely used for flat panel display electrodes and electromagnetic shield coatings for plasma displays, due to their high electrical conductivity and light transmittance. The electrical and optical properties of these multilayer films depend largely on the surface characteristics of the transparent conducting oxide thin films. A smoother surface on the transparent conducting oxide thin films makes it easier for the metal layer to form a continuous film, thus resulting in a higher conductivity and visible light transmittance. Indium tin oxide (ITO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) films were co-deposited using a dual magnetron sputter and a bipolar pulse power supply to decrease the surface roughness of the transparent conducting oxide films. The symmetric pulse mode of the power supply was used to simultaneously sputter an In 2 O 3 (90 wt %) : SnO 2 (10 wt %) target and a ZnO target. We varied the duty of the pulses to control the ratio of ITO : ZnO in the thin films. The electrical and optical properties of the films were studied, and special attention was paid to the surface roughness and the crystallinity of the films. By co-depositing ITO and ZnO at a pulse duty ratio of ITO:ZnO=45:45 using a dual magnetron sputter and a bipolar pulse power supply, we were able to obtain amorphous transparent conducting oxide films with a very smooth surface which had a Zn-rich buffer layer under a In-rich surface layer. All of the films exhibited typical electrical and optical properties of transparent conducting oxide films deposited at room temperature

Matted-fiber divertor tagets for sputter resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gierszewski, P.J.; Todreas, N.E.; Mikic, B.; Yang, T.F.

1981-06-01

Reductions in net sputtering yields can be obtained by altering the surface topography to maximize redeposition of sputtered atoms. A simple analysis is used to indicate a potential reduction by a factor of 2 to 5 for matted fiber divertor targets, relatively independent of incident, reflected and sputtered atom distributions. The fiber temperature is also shown to be acceptable, even up to 10 MW/m 2 , for reasonably combinations of materials, fiber diameter and fiber spacing

Influence of the surface topography, morphology and structure on magnetic properties of ion beam sputtered iron layers, Fe/Cr/Fe- and Fe/MgO/Fe multilayers; Untersuchung der Morphologie und magnetische Eigenschaften von ionenstrahl-gesputterten Eisen-Einzelschichten, Fe/Cr/Fe- und Fe/MgO/Fe-Schichtsystemen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steeb, Alexandra

2007-04-05

In this PhD Thesis, the influence of the surface topography, morphology and structure on magnetic properties of ion beam sputtered iron layers on GaAs is examined. To analyze the structure of the produced iron films, low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy is employed. The utilized methods to investigate the magnetic properties are Kerr- and SQUID-magnetometry and ferromagnetic resonance. It is demonstrated that on untreated as well as on presputtered and heated GaAs substrates the sputtered iron films grow epitaxially. The least surface roughness of 1 A exhibit iron films grown on untreated GaAs, while iron films on heated GaAs have the highest roughness of 30 A. The largest crystal anisotropy constant is found for the presputtered GaAs/Fe-System. For this preparation method, two monolayers of iron are determined to be magnetically dead layers. At a film thickness of 100 A, 83% of the value for saturation magnetization of bulk iron are achieved. The small observed FMR-linewidths confirm the good bulk properties of the ion beam sputtered iron. Furthermore, an antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling in sputtered Fe/Cr/Fe-films was achieved. For a thickness of 12 to 17 A of the chrome interlayer, a coupling strength up to 0.2 mJ/m{sup 2} is found. To account for the small coupling strength, a strong intermixing at the interface is assumed. Finally, epitaxial Fe/MgO/Fe/FeMn multilayers are deposited on GaAs. After the structuring, it is possible to detect tunneling processes in the tunneling contacts with current-voltage measurements. The tunnel magneto resistance values of 2% are small, which can be explained by the absence of sharp, well-defined interfaces between the Fe/FeMn and the Fe/MgO interfaces. These results demonstrate, that analog to MBE the ion beam sputtering method realizes good magnetic bulk properties. However, interface sensitive phenomena are weakened because of a strong intermixing at the interfaces. (orig.)

Sputtering of a silicon surface: Preferential sputtering of surface impurities

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Nietiadi, M.L.; Rosandi, Y.; Lorinčík, Jan; Urbassek, H.M.

-, č. 303 (2013), s. 205-208 ISSN 0168-583X Institutional support: RVO:67985882 Keywords : Sputtering * Molecular dynamics * SIMS Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering Impact factor: 1.186, year: 2013

AlN/Al dual protective coatings on NdFeB by DC magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Jinlong; Mao Shoudong; Sun Kefei [Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Application Technology, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China); Li Xiaomin [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Song Zhenlun [Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Application Technology, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China)], E-mail: songzhenlun@nimte.ac.cn

2009-11-15

AlN/Al dual protective coatings were prepared on NdFeB by DC magnetron sputtering in a home-made industrial apparatus. Comparing with Al coating, AlN/Al coatings have a denser structure of an outmost AlN amorphous layer following an inner Al columnar crystal layer. The coatings and NdFeB substrate combine well, and moreover, there is occurrence of metallurgy bonding in the interface layer. Both Al and AlN/Al coatings have a good protective ability to NdFeB. Especially, the corrosion resistance of AlN/Al coated NdFeB is improved largely. AlN/Al and Al protective coatings not only do not deteriorate the magnetic properties of NdFeB, but contribute to their slight increase.

AlN/Al dual protective coatings on NdFeB by DC magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jinlong; Mao Shoudong; Sun Kefei; Li Xiaomin; Song Zhenlun

2009-01-01

AlN/Al dual protective coatings were prepared on NdFeB by DC magnetron sputtering in a home-made industrial apparatus. Comparing with Al coating, AlN/Al coatings have a denser structure of an outmost AlN amorphous layer following an inner Al columnar crystal layer. The coatings and NdFeB substrate combine well, and moreover, there is occurrence of metallurgy bonding in the interface layer. Both Al and AlN/Al coatings have a good protective ability to NdFeB. Especially, the corrosion resistance of AlN/Al coated NdFeB is improved largely. AlN/Al and Al protective coatings not only do not deteriorate the magnetic properties of NdFeB, but contribute to their slight increase.

Physics of ion sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, M.T.

1984-04-01

The ejection of atoms by the ion bombardment of solids is discussed in terms of linear collision cascade theory. A simple argument describes the energies of the ejecta, but elaborate models are required to obtain accurate sputtering yields and related quantities. These include transport theoretical models based on linearized Boltzmann equations, computer simulation models based on the binary collision approximation, and classical many-body dynamical models. The role of each kind of model is discussed. Several aspects of sputtering are illustrated by results from the simulation code MARLOWE. 20 references, 6 figures

The deconvolution of sputter-etching surface concentration measurements to determine impurity depth profiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, G.; Katardjiev, I.V.; Nobes, M.J.

1989-01-01

The quasi-linear partial differential continuity equations that describe the evolution of the depth profiles and surface concentrations of marker atoms in kinematically equivalent systems undergoing sputtering, ion collection and atomic mixing are solved using the method of characteristics. It is shown how atomic mixing probabilities can be deduced from measurements of ion collection depth profiles with increasing ion fluence, and how this information can be used to predict surface concentration evolution. Even with this information, however, it is shown that it is not possible to deconvolute directly the surface concentration measurements to provide initial depth profiles, except when only ion collection and sputtering from the surface layer alone occur. It is demonstrated further that optimal recovery of initial concentration depth profiles could be ensured if the concentration-measuring analytical probe preferentially sampled depths near and at the maximum depth of bombardment-induced perturbations. (author)

Morphology and N₂ Permeance of Sputtered Pd-Ag Ultra-Thin Film Membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Ekain; Sanchez-Garcia, Jose Angel; Viviente, Jose Luis; van Sint Annaland, Martin; Gallucci, Fausto; Tanaka, David A Pacheco

2016-02-10

The influence of the temperature during the growth of Pd-Ag films by PVD magnetron sputtering onto polished silicon wafers was studied in order to avoid the effect of the support roughness on the layer growth. The surfaces of the Pd-Ag membrane films were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the results indicate an increase of the grain size from 120 to 250-270 nm and film surface roughness from 4-5 to 10-12 nm when increasing the temperature from around 360-510 K. After selecting the conditions for obtaining the smallest grain size onto silicon wafer, thin Pd-Ag (0.5-2-µm thick) films were deposited onto different types of porous supports to study the influence of the porous support, layer thickness and target power on the selective layer microstructure and membrane properties. The Pd-Ag layers deposited onto ZrO₂ 3-nm top layer supports (smallest pore size among all tested) present high N₂ permeance in the order of 10(-6) mol·m(-2)·s(-1)·Pa(-1) at room temperature.

Structure of multilayered Cr(Al)N/SiO{sub x} nanocomposite coatings fabricated by differential pumping co-sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawasaki, Masahiro [JEOL USA Inc., 11 Dearborn Road, Peabody, Massachusetts 01960 (United States); Nose, Masateru [Faculty of Art and Design, University of Toyama, 180 Futagami-machi, Takaoka 933-8588 (Japan); Onishi, Ichiro [JEOL Ltd. 3-1-2 Musashino, Akishima, Tokyo 196-8558 (Japan); Shiojiri, Makoto [Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto 606-8585 (Japan)

2013-11-11

A Cr(Al)N/38 vol. % SiO{sub x} hard coating was prepared on a (001) Si substrate at 250 °C in a differential pumping co-sputtering system, which has two chambers for radio frequency (RF) sputtering and a substrate holder rotating on the chambers. The composite coating was grown by alternate sputter-depositions from CrAl and SiO{sub 2} targets with flows of N{sub 2}+Ar and Ar at RF powers of 200 and 75 W, respectively, on transition layers grown on the substrate. Analytical electron microscopy reveled that the Cr(Al)N/SiO{sub x} coating had a multilayered structure of Cr(Al)N crystal layers ∼1.6 nm thick and two-dimensionally dispersed amorphous silicon oxide (a-SiO{sub x}) particles with sizes of ∼1 nm or less. The a-SiO{sub x} particles were enclosed with the Cr(Al)N layers. The coating had a low indentation hardness of ∼25 GPa at room temperature, due to a high oxide fraction of 38 vol. % and a low substrate rotational speed of 1 rpm. Faster rotation and lower oxide fraction would make a-SiO{sub x} particles smaller, resulting in the formation of Cr(Al)N crystal including the very fine a-SiO{sub x} particles with small number density. They would work as obstacles for the lattice deformation of the Cr(Al)N crystals. We have fabricated a superhard coating of Cr(Al)N/17 vol. % SiO{sub x} with a hardness of 46 GPa prepared at 12 rpm.

Variables affecting simulated Be sputtering yields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Björkas, C., E-mail: carolina.bjorkas@helsinki.fi; Nordlund, K.

2013-08-15

Since beryllium is a strong candidate for the main plasma-facing material in future fusion reactors, its sputtering behaviour plays an important role in predicting the reactor’s life-time. Consensus about the actual sputtering yields has not yet been achieved, as observations are influenced by experimental method and/or studied sample. In this work, the beryllium sputtering due to deuterium and beryllium self-bombardment is analyzed using molecular dynamics simulations. The main methodological aspects that influence the outcome, such as flux and fluence of the bombardment, are highlighted, and it is shown that the simulated yields also depend on the sample structure and deuterium content.

Influence of the microstructure on the corrosion behavior of magnetron sputter-quenched amorphous metallic alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Thakoor, A. P.; Khanna, S. K.; Williams, R. M.; Landel, R. F.

1983-01-01

The microstructure and corrosion behavior of magnetron sputter deposited amorphous metallic films of (Mo6ORu40)82B18 under varying sputtering atmospheres have been investigated. The microstructural details and topology of the films have been studied by scanning electron microscopy and correlated with the deposition conditions. By reducing the pressure of pure argon gas, the characteristic features of rough surface and columnar growth full of vertical voids can be converted into a mirror-smooth finish with very dense deposits. Films deposited in the presence of O2 or N2 exhibit columnar structure with vertical voids. Film deposited in pure argon at low pressure show remarkably high corrosion resistance due to the formation of a uniform passive surface layer. The influence of the microstructure and surface texture on the corrosion behavior is discussed.

Influence of sputtering deposition parameters on electrical and optical properties of aluminium-doped zinc oxide thin films for photovoltaic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Krawczak, Ewelina; Agata, Zdyb; Gulkowski, Slawomir; Fave, Alain; Fourmond, Erwann

2017-11-01

Transparent Conductive Oxides (TCOs) characterized by high visible transmittance and low electrical resistivity play an important role in photovoltaic technology. Aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) is one of the TCOs that can find its application in thin film solar cells (CIGS or CdTe PV technology) as well as in other microelectronic applications. In this paper some optical and electrical properties of ZnO:Al thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering method have been investigated. AZO layers have been deposited on the soda lime glass substrates with use of variable technological parameters such as pressure in the deposition chamber, power applied and temperature during the process. The composition of AZO films has been investigated by EDS method. Thickness and refraction index of the deposited layers in dependence on certain technological parameters of sputtering process have been determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The measurements of transmittance and sheet resistance were also performed.

Embedded layer of Ag nanoparticles prepared by a combined PECVD/PVD process producing SiOxCy-Ag nanocomposite thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedel, Laurent; Cayron, Cyril; Jouve, Michel; Maury, Francis

2012-01-13

Structural properties of SiO(x)C(y)-Ag nanocomposite thin films prepared by a dual process PVD-PECVD in the same reactor have been investigated. The experimental results have demonstrated the influence of a PECVD process carried out at room temperature for the growth of a dielectric matrix on the size and the distribution density of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) deposited beforehand by magnetron sputtering. The plasma during the growth of the encapsulation SiO(x)C(y) layer caused a diffusion of silver from NPs through the SiO(x)C(y) matrix associated with a decrease in the average size of nanoparticles and an increase of their distribution density. Silver diffusion is blocked at a barrier interface to form a buried layer of individual Ag NPs which, for instance, can find plasmonic applications. Silver also diffuses toward the outer surface inducing antibacterial properties. In both cases initial Ag NPs act as reservoirs for multifunctional properties of advanced nanostructured films.

Self-sputtering runaway in high power impulse magnetron sputtering: The role of secondary electrons and multiply charged metal ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anders, Andre

2008-01-01

Self-sputtering runaway in high power impulse magnetron sputtering is closely related to the appearance of multiply charged ions. This conclusion is based on the properties of potential emission of secondary electrons and energy balance considerations. The effect is especially strong for materials whose sputtering yield is marginally greater than unity. The absolute deposition rate increases ∼Q 1/2 , whereas the rate normalized to the average power decreases ∼Q -1/2 , with Q being the mean ion charge state number

Sputtering graphite coating to improve the elevated-temperature cycling ability of the LiMn2O4 electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jiexi; Zhang, Qiaobao; Li, Xinhai; Wang, Zhixing; Guo, Huajun; Xu, Daguo; Zhang, Kaili

2014-08-14

To improve the cycle performance of LiMn2O4 at elevated temperature, a graphite layer is introduced to directly cover the surface of a commercial LiMn2O4-based electrode via room-temperature DC magnetron sputtering. The as-modified cathodes display improved capacity retention as compared to the bare LiMn2O4 cathode (BLMO) at 55 °C. When sputtering graphite for 30 min, the sample shows the best cycling performance at 55 °C, maintaining 96.2% capacity retention after 200 cycles. Reasons with respect to the graphite layer for improving the elevated-temperature performance of LiMn2O4 are systematically investigated via the methods of cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The results demonstrate that the graphite coated LiMn2O4 cathode has much less increased electrode polarization and electrochemical impedance than BLMO during the elevated-temperature cycling process. Furthermore, the graphite layer is able to alleviate the severe dissolution of manganese ions into the electrolyte and mitigate the morphological and structural degradation of LiMn2O4 during cycling. A model for the electrochemical kinetics process is also suggested for explaining the roles of the graphite layer in suppressing the Mn dissolution.

Studies on layer growth and interfaces on Ta-base thin layers by means of XPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zier, M.

2007-01-01

In this thesis studies on the growth and on the formation of the interfaces of Ta and TaN layers on Si and SiO 2 were performed. In the system TaN on SiO 2 no reaction on the interface could be found. As the system with the mostly disturbed interface Ta on SiO 2 was proved. Here a reduction of the SiO 2 at simultaneous oxidation of the Ta was to be observed. Additionally tantalum silicide was formed to be considered concerning the bonding state as Ta 5 Si 3 , from which a double layer of a tantalum silicide and a tantalum suboxide resulted. A whole thickness of the double layer of above 1 nm resulted. In the system Ta on Si at the deposition of the film on the interface a tantalum silicide was formed to be characterized concerning the bonding state as TaSi 2 . The thickness of the interlayer growed thereby up to 0.8 nm in form of islands. Finally in the system TaN on Si a silicon nitride formation during the deposition was observed, which was attributed to the insertion of adsorbed nitrogen from the sputtering atmosphere by recoil implantation of the sputtered Ta atoms. The silicon nitride interlayer growed thereby up to a thickness of 0.8 nm

Sensitivity and stability of sputtered sandwich photocells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, H.; Piel, A.

1979-01-01

The physical parameters of sputtered Metal-Semiconductor-Metal photocells are described in view of solar energy conversion. Specific properties of sputtered films lead to a particular stability of physical parameters such as dark conduction, capacitance and dielectric losses. Interband transitions occur when the photon energy is larger than the bandgap of the photoconductor. The transport of photo-excited carriers in the built-in electric field involves the existence of a photovoltaic effect. The influence of sputtering on the specific properties of solar energy conversion is discussed. (author)

RF Magnetron Sputtering Deposited W/Ti Thin Film For Smart Window Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Oksuz, Lutfi; Kiristi, Melek; Bozduman, Ferhat; Uygun Oksuz, Aysegul

2014-10-01

Electrochromic (EC) devices can change reversible and persistent their optical properties in the visible region (400-800 nm) upon charge insertion/extraction according to the applied voltage. A complementary type EC is a device containing two electrochromic layers, one of which is anodically colored such as vanadium oxide (V2 O5) while the other cathodically colored such as tungsten oxide (WO3) which is separated by an ionic conduction layer (electrolyte). The use of a solid electrolyte such as Nafion eliminates the need for containment of the liquid electrolyte, which simplifies the cell design, as well as improves safety and durability. In this work, the EC device was fabricated on a ITO/glass slide. The WO3-TiO2 thin film was deposited by reactive RF magnetron sputtering using a 2-in W/Ti (9:1%wt) target with purity of 99.9% in a mixture gas of argon and oxygen. As a counter electrode layer, V2O5 film was deposited on an ITO/glass substrate using V2O3 target with the same conditions of reactive RF magnetron sputtering. Modified Nafion was used as an electrolyte to complete EC device. The transmittance spectra of the complementary EC device was measured by optical spectrophotometry when a voltage of +/-3 V was applied to the EC device by computer controlled system. The surface morphology of the films was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) (Fig. 2). The cyclic voltammetry (CV) for EC device was performed by sweeping the potential between +/-3 V at a scan rate of 50 mV/s.

SEM and XPS study of layer-by-layer deposited polypyrrole thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Pigois-Landureau, E.; Nicolau, Y. F.; Delamar, M.

1996-01-01

Layer-by-layer deposition of thin films (a few nm) of polypyrrole was carried out on various substrates such as silver, platinum, electrochemically oxidized aluminum and pretreated glass. SEM micrographs showed that the deposited layers nucleate by an island-type mechanism on hydrated alumina and KOH-pretreated (hydrophilic) glass before forming a continuous film. However, continuous thin films are obtained on chromic acid pretreated (hydrophobic) glass and sputtered Ag or Pt on glass after only 3-4 deposition cycles. The mean deposition rate evaluated by XPS for the first deposition cycles on Ag and Pt is 3 and 4 nm/cycle, respectively, in agreement with previous gravimetric determinations on thicker films, proving the constancy of the deposition rate. The XPS study of the very thin films obtained by a few deposition cycles shows that the first polypyrrole layers are dedoped by hydroxydic (basic) substrate surfaces.

Ultra-low-pressure sputtering to improve exchange bias and tune linear ranges in spin valves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, XiaoLi, E-mail: tangtang1227@163.com; Yu, You; Liu, Ru; Su, Hua; Zhang, HuaiWu; Zhong, ZhiYong; Jing, YuLan

2017-05-01

A series of CoFe/IrMn exchange bilayers was grown by DC-sputtering at different ultra-low argon pressures ranging from 0.008 to 0.1 Pa. This pressure range was one to two orders lower than the normal sputtering pressure. Results revealed that the exchange bias increased from 140 to 250 Oe in CoFe(10 nm)/IrMn (15 nm) bilayers of fixed thickness because of the improved crystalline structure and morphological uniformity of films. Since ferromagnetic /antiferromagnetic (FM/AF) bilayers are always used in linear magnetic sensors as detection layers, the varying exchange bias can successfully achieve tunable linear range in a crossed pinning spin valve. The linear range could be adjustable from −80 Oe – +80 Oe to −150 Oe – +150 Oe on the basis of giant magnetoresistance responses. Therefore, this method provides a simple method to tune the operating range of magnetic field sensors. - Highlights: • Increasing exchange bias was achieved in bilayer at ultra-low-pressure sputtering. • The low void density and smooth surface were achieved in low pressure. • Varying exchange bias achieved tunable linear range in spin valve.

Characterization and properties Ti-Al-Si-N nanocomposite coatings prepared by middle frequency magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, C. W.; Zhang, J.; Xie, W.; Shao, L. X.; Guo, L. P.; Fu, D. J.

2011-10-01

TiN-containing amorphous Ti-Al-Si-N (nc-TiN/a-Si 3N 4 or a-AlN) nanocomposite coatings were deposited by using a modified closed field twin unbalanced magnetron sputtering system which is arc assisted and consists of two circles of targets, at a substrate temperature of 300 °C. XRD, XPS and High-resolution TEM experiments showed that the coatings contain TiN nanocrystals embedded in the amorphous Si 3N 4 or AlN matrix. The coatings exhibit good mechanical properties that are greatly influenced by the Si contents. The hardness of the Ti-Al-Si-N coatings deposited at Si targets currents of 5, 8, 10, and 12 A were 45, 47, 54 and 46 GPa, respectively. The high hardness of the deposited Ti-Al-Si-N coatings may be own to the plastic distortion and dislocation blocking by the nanocrystalline structure. On the other hand, the friction coefficient decreases monotonously with increasing Si contents. This result would be caused by tribo-chemical reactions, which often take place in many ceramics, e.g. Si 3N 4 reacts with H 2O to produce SiO 2 or Si(OH) 2 tribolay-layer.

Exchange bias in sputtered FeNi/FeMn systems: Effect of short low-temperature heat treatments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savin, Peter, E-mail: peter.savin@urfu.ru [Department of Magnetism and Magnetic Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Magnetic Sensors, Ural Federal University, 620002 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Guzmán, Jorge [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid-CSIC, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Lepalovskij, Vladimir [Department of Magnetism and Magnetic Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Magnetic Sensors, Ural Federal University, 620002 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Svalov, Andrey; Kurlyandskaya, Galina [Department of Magnetism and Magnetic Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Magnetic Sensors, Ural Federal University, 620002 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Departamento de Electricidad y Electrónica, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Vizcaya (Spain); Asenjo, Agustina [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid-CSIC, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Vas’kovskiy, Vladimir [Department of Magnetism and Magnetic Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Magnetic Sensors, Ural Federal University, 620002 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Vazquez, Manuel [Department of Magnetism and Magnetic Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Magnetic Sensors, Ural Federal University, 620002 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid-CSIC, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

2016-03-15

Short (5 min) post-deposition thermal treatments under magnetic field at low temperature (up to 200 °C) performed in exchange-coupled FeNi(40 nm)/FeMn(20 nm) bilayer thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering are shown to be effective to significantly modify their exchange field (from around 40 Oe down to 27 Oe) between FeNi and FeMn layers. A similar exchange field decrease was observed for the first deposited FeNi layer of the FeNi(40 nm)/FeMn(20 nm)/FeNi(40 nm) trilayer films after the same thermal treatments. The exchange field value for the second FeNi layer was not substantially changed. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicates that such a heat treatment has no effect on the grain size and crystalline texture of the films, while atomic force microscope studies reveal an increase of the surface roughness after the treatment which is more noticeable in the case of the trilayer film. Analysis of the experimental results leads us to conclude that the variations of the exchange field after heat treatment are likely caused by a modification of interfacial roughness and/or interfacial magnetic structure, but unlikely by the changes in the microstructure and/or changes of composition of the antiferromagnetic FeMn layer. - Highlights: • FeNi/FeMn bilayers and FeNi/FeMn/FeNi trilayers were prepared by magnetron sputtering. • Post-deposition heat treatments at the temperatures below 200 °C during 5 min were made. • Annealing reduces the exchange field for the first FeNi layer in trilayers. • The exchange field value for the second FeNi layer was not substantially changed. • Exchange field changes are most likely caused by a modification of interface roughness.

Effects of plasma cleaning of the Cu seed layer surface on Cu electroplating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O, Jun Hwan; Lee, Seong Wook; Kim, Jae Bum; Lee, Chong Mu

2001-01-01

Effects of plasma pretreatment to Cu seed/tantalum nitride (TaN)/ borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) samples on copper (Cu) electroplating were investigated. Copper seed layers were deposited by magnetron sputtering onto tantalum nitride barrier layers before electroplating copper in the forward pulsed mode. The Cu seed layer was cleaned by plasma H 2 and N 2 prior to electroplating a copper film. Cu films electroplated on the copper seed layer with plasma pretreatment showed better electrical and physical properties such as electrical resistivities, surface morphologies, levels of impurities, adhesion and surface roughness than those without plasma pretreatment. It is shown that carbon and metal oxide contaminants at the sputtered Cu seed/TaN surface could be effectively removed by plasma H 2 cleaning. The degree of the (111) prefered orientation of the Cu film with plasma H 2 pretreatment is as high as pulse plated Cu film without plasma pretreatment. Also, plasma H 2 precleaning is more effective in enhancing the Cu electroplating properties onto the Cu seed layer than plasma N 2 precleaning

Epitaxial growth of "infinite layer” thin films and multilayers by rf magnetron sputtering

OpenAIRE

Fàbrega, L.; Koller, E.; Triscone, J. M.; Fischer, Ø.

2017-01-01

We report on the preparation and characterization of epitaxial ACuO2 (A = Sr, Ca, Ba) thin films and multilayers with the so- called infinite layer (IL) structure, by rf magnetron sputtering. Films and multilayers without Ba have a remarkable crystal quality, whereas those containing this large ion are often multiphased and unstable. In spite of the excellent crystalline quality of these samples, obtaining thin films having both IL structure and displaying superconducting properties has not s...

Current Spreading Layer with High Transparency and Conductivity for near-ultraviolet light emitting diodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lin, Li; Jensen, Flemming; Herstrøm, Berit

Transparent conductive aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) layer was deposited on GaN-based near-ultraviolet (NUV) light emitting epitaxial wafers as current spreading layer by a sputtering process. Efforts were made to improve the electrical properties of AZO in order to produce ohmic contact....

Preparation and characterization of magnetic nanostructures based on FeCo / IrMn deposited by cathode sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, Saulo Milani

2011-01-01

Spintronic devices based in the transport of spin polarized current, spin's torque and other related phenomena represent big promises in the scenery of the technological miniaturization of current electronic devices. Magnetic materials of great technological relevance for different areas deal with, despite some exceptions, films and multilayered structures with high complexity. Advances on these fields require the control of those structures in atomic scale, in order to be able to tailor their physical properties. The purpose of this work is the preparation of multilayered structures by sputtering, as well the study of magnetic phenomena involved in this structures. The aim is to produce a spin valve. This is a multilayer structure composed of two ferromagnetic layers, separated by a non magnetic spacer. The magnetisation of one of the ferromagnetic layers is free to rotate under the effect of small external fields, whilst the magnetisation of the other ferromagnetic layer remains fixed by means exchange coupling to a antiferromagnetic layer. The structure is tailored to allow the small applied magnetic fields to switch the magnetisation of the ferromagnetic layers from antiparallel state to a parallel state resulting in the variation of the electrical resistivity of the structure (GMR effect). Optimization of deposition conditions was required to obtain structures with exchange bias coupling, and antiferromagnetic coupling through a non magnetic spacer. The correlation between the deposition conditions and the magnetic properties of the films was studied. The work presented in this dissertation has contributed to the characterisation of both magnetic thin films, which can be used on the production of magnetic sensors, and the new sputtering system assembled in the Applied Physics Laboratory of CDTN. (author)

Evolution of film temperature during magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaginyan, L.R.; Han, J.G.; Shaginyan, V.R.; Musil, J.

2006-01-01

We report on the results of measurements of the temperature T F surf which developed on the surface of films deposited by magnetron sputtering of chromium and copper targets on cooling and non-cooling silicon substrates. The T F surf and substrate temperature (T s ) were simultaneously measured using high-resolution IR camera and thermocouple, respectively. We revealed that the T F surf steeply grows, keeps constant when it achieves saturation level, and rapidly drops to the value of the T s after stopping the deposition. At the same time, the T s either does not change for the case of cooling substrate or increases to a certain level for noncooling substrate. However, in both cases the T s remains several times lower than the T F surf . The T F surf is proportional to the flux of energy delivered to the growth surface by sputtered atoms and other fast particles, weakly depends on the depositing metal and can achieve several hundreds of deg. C. This phenomenon is explained by a model assuming formation of a hot thin surface layer (HTSL) on the top of the growing film, which exists only during film deposition and exhibits extremely low thermal conductivity. Due to this unique property the temperature T F surf of HTSL is several times higher than the T s . Variations in the T F surf fairly correlate with structure changes of Cr films along thickness investigated in detail previously

High dose, heavy ion implantation into metals: the use of sacrificial surface layers to enhance retention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clapham, L.

1994-01-01

While of considerable interest for the production of metallic alloys, high dose, heavy ion implantation is highly problematical, since the process is limited by sputtering effects. Sputtering is less significant, however, for light target materials, such as C and Al. This paper summarizes studies involving the use of light materials (such as C and Al) which act as slowly sputtering ''sacrificial layers'' when deposited on metallic targets prior to heavy ion implantation. The use of C and Al sacrificial coatings has enabled implanted ion retentions of 100% to be obtained in a number of ion-metal target systems, where the retentions in uncoated samples were as low as 20%. Ion implantation invariably leads to mixing at the sacrificial layer-metal target interface. This mixing may be detrimental in certain systems, so it is useful to be able to minimize or remove this mixed region. To achieve this, a number of techniques have been investigated: (1) removal of the mixed region in the latter stages of the implant; (2) using a barrier layer or chemical effects to minimize mixing at the sacrificial layer-metal interface; (3) choosing a sacrificial layer material which forms a mixed region which has desirable properties. The results of these investigations, for a number of different ion-target systems, are outlined in this paper. (orig.)

Flexible strategy for immobilizing redox-active compounds using in situ generation of diazonium salts. Investigations of the blocking and catalytic properties of the layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Noël, Jean-Marc; Sjöberg, Béatrice; Marsac, Rémi; Zigah, Dodzi; Bergamini, Jean-François; Wang, Aifang; Rigaut, Stéphane; Hapiot, Philippe; Lagrost, Corinne

2009-11-03

A versatile two-step method is developed to covalently immobilize redox-active molecules onto carbon surfaces. First, a robust anchoring platform is grafted onto surfaces by electrochemical reduction of aryl diazonium salts in situ generated. Depending on the nature of the layer termini, -COOH or -NH(2), a further chemical coupling involving ferrocenemethylamine or ferrocene carboxylic acid derivatives leads to the covalent binding of ferrocene centers. The chemical strategy using acyl chloride activation is efficient and flexible, since it can be applied either to surface-reactive end groups or to reactive species in solution. Cyclic voltammetry analyses point to the covalent binding of ferrocene units restricted to the upper layers of the underlying aryl films, while AFM measurements show a lost of compactness of the layers after the chemical attachment of ferrocene centers. The preparation conditions of the anchoring layers were found to determine the interfacial properties of the resulted ferrocenyl-modified electrodes. The ferrocene units promoted effective redox mediation providing that the free redox probes are adequately chosen (i.e., vs size/formal potential) and the underlying layers exhibit strong blocking properties. For anchoring films with weaker blocking effect, the coexistence of two distinct phenomena, redox mediation and ET at pinholes could be evidenced.

Very thin thermally stable TiO2 blocking layers with enhanced electron transfer for solar cells

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kment, Š.; Krýsová, Hana; Hubička, Zdeněk; Kmentová, H.; Kavan, Ladislav; Zbořil, R.

2017-01-01

Roč. 9, DEC 2017 (2017), s. 122-129 ISSN 2352-9407 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LM2015073; GA ČR GA13-07724S Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) LO1305 Institutional support: RVO:61388955 ; RVO:68378271 Keywords : Cyclic voltammetry * Impedance spectroscopy * Photochemistry * Solar cell * TiO blocking layer 2 Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry; BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism (FZU-D) OBOR OECD: Electrochemistry (dry cells, batteries, fuel cells, corrosion metals, electrolysis); Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) (FZU-D)

Characterisation of magnetron sputtered SmCo5 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.; Sood, D.K.; Kothari

1999-01-01

SmCo 5 thin films were deposited using DC magnetron sputtering on single crystal silicon substrate with chromium and SiO 2 top layers. Deposition was carried out at three different substrate temperatures: room temperature, 400 deg C and 600 deg C. Films were characterised by using Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) and SQUID magnetometer. RBS analysis indicated that the films have excellent stoichiometry with the Sm to Co ratio of 1:5. This analysis also showed that the films deposited or annealed at high temperatures (≥600 deg C) indicated significant inter-diffusion at the interface between the barrier layer and the film. Oxygen was found to be the major impurity in the films. XRD data indicated that the films formed 1:5 and 2:17 phases under different deposition conditions. The preliminary studies of these films using magnetic force microscopy revealed the presence of magnetic domains

Coulomb explosion sputtering, crater and blister formation by HCI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parilis, E.S.

2001-01-01

A simple theoretical model based on gradual Auger neutralization of a highly charged ion as it approaches the surface, with consequent positive charge deposition in surface layers and their expansion due to Coulomb repulsion provides the means to make some estimates that could explain the creation of very shallow blisters and craters on surface, as well as sputtering of up to 10 3 atoms in a single ion impact. Calculation of the dependence of blister size on projectile charge, based on charge evolution, gives some results fitting the experimental data. The model deals not just with the conducting properties of the solid, but with its structure as well, for instance the layered structure of mica. While the general source of energy remains the same, the particular mechanism of its realization depends largely on the composition, structure and electronic properties of the solid. The composition of the ejecta is discussed within the framework of the shock wave approach. (orig.)

Structure of anodized Al–Zr sputter deposited coatings and effect on optical appearance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gudla, Visweswara Chakravarthy; Canulescu, Stela; Shabadi, Rajashekhara

2014-01-01

The mechanism of interaction of light with the microstructure of anodized layer giving specific optical appearance is investigated using Al–Zr sputter deposited coating as a model system on an AA6060 substrate. Differences in the oxidative nature of various microstructural components result...... in the evolution of typical features in the anodized layer, which are investigated as a function of microstructure and correlated with its optical appearance. The Zr concentration in the coating was varied from 6 wt.% to 23 wt.%. Heat treatment of the coated samples was carried out at 550°C for 4 h in order...... parameters and their influence on the interaction of light is investigated and the results in general are applicable to discolouration of anodized layer on recycled aluminium alloys due to intermetallics. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved....

Sputtering of two-phase AgxCuγ alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibic, N.; Milosavljevic, M.; Perusko, D.; Wilson, I.H.

1992-01-01

Elemental sputtering yields from two phase AgCu alloys were measured for 20, 40 and 50 at % Ag. Argon ion bombardment energies were in the range 35-55 keV and the ion dose was 1 x 10 19 ions cm -2 . The sputtering yield for silver was found to be considerably below what was expected by simple selective sputtering of a two component alloy. Analysis by electron probe X-ray microanalysis and scanning electron microscopy of the eroded surface indicated that surface diffusion of copper from copper rich grains and geometrical constraints in the dense cone forest on Cu/Ag eutectic regions combine to reduce the sputtering yield for silver. (author)

Multilayer DLC coatings via alternating bias during magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Fengji [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Zhang, Sam, E-mail: msyzhang@ntu.edu.sg [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Kong Junhua [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Zhang Yujuan [Key Laboratory of Special Functional Material, Henan University (China); Zhang Wali [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)

2011-05-31

To combat the high residual stress problem in monolayer diamond-like carbon coatings, this paper fabricated multilayer diamond-like carbon coatings with alternate soft and hard layers via alternating bias during magnetron sputtering. The surface, cross sectional morphology, bonding structures and mechanical properties are investigated. The atomic force microscopy images indicate low bias results in rougher surface with large graphite clusters and voids suggesting low coating density. The multilayered coatings demonstrate relatively smooth surface stemming from higher bias. The cross sectional images from field emission scanning electron microscopy indicate coating thickness decreases as substrate bias increases and confirm that higher bias results in denser coating. Delamination is observed in monolayer coatings due to high residual stress. The trend of sp{sup 3}/sp{sup 2} fraction estimated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is consistent with that of I{sub D}/I{sub G} ratios from Raman spectra, indicating the change of bonding structure with change of substrate bias. Hardness of multilayer diamond-like carbon coating is comparable to the coatings deposited at low constant bias but the adhesion strength and toughness are significantly improved. Alternately biased sputtering deposition provides an alternative when combination of hardness, toughness and adhesion strength is needed in an all diamond-like carbon coating.

High rate deposition of thin film cadmium sulphide by pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lisco, F., E-mail: F.Lisco@lboro.ac.uk [Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST), School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU (United Kingdom); Kaminski, P.M.; Abbas, A.; Bowers, J.W.; Claudio, G. [Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST), School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU (United Kingdom); Losurdo, M. [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari (Italy); Walls, J.M. [Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST), School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU (United Kingdom)

2015-01-01

Cadmium Sulphide (CdS) is an important n-type semiconductor widely used as a window layer in thin film photovoltaics Copper Indium Selenide, Copper Indium Gallium (di)Selenide, Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide and Cadmium Telluride (CdTe). Cadmium Sulphide has been deposited using a number of techniques but these techniques can be slow (chemical bath deposition and Radio Frequency sputtering) or the uniformity and the control of thickness can be relatively difficult (close space sublimation). In this paper we report on the development of a process using pulsed Direct Current magnetron sputtering which allows nanometre control of thin film thickness using time only. The CdS thin films deposited in this process are highly uniform and smooth. They exhibit the preferred hexagonal structure at room temperature deposition and they have excellent optical properties. Importantly, the process is highly stable despite the use of a semi-insulating magnetron target. Moreover, the process is very fast. The deposition rate using 1.5 kW of power to a 6-inch circular magnetron was measured to be greater than 8 nm/s. This makes the process suitable for industrial deployment. - Highlights: • Pulsed DC magnetron sputtering of CdS • High deposition rate deposition • Uniform, pinhole free films.