Effect of Ag Doping on the Electronic Structure and Optical Properties of ZnO(0001 Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiang Qian

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Using first-principle calculations, the geometrical structure, the electronic and optical properties of Ag-doped ZnO(0001 surface have been investigated. We found that Ag-doped ZnO(0001 surface is more easily formed on the first layer. On the other hand, the doped surface has gradually become an equipotential body, showing obvious metallic characteristics. We found that a new peak appeared in the low energy region after Ag doping, which was mainly due to the electron transition between the two orbital levels of Ag-4d and O-2p.

New pbysical methods used in the study of composition, electronic properties and surface phenomena of solid substances. I. Electronic spectroscopies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toderean, A; Ilonca, Gh.

1981-01-01

The discovery of different kinds of interactions between solids and fotonic, respectively electronic and ionic beams, leads to the development of many new, very sensitive, physical methods for the study of solids. This monograph tries to present some of these methods, useful in compositional analysis, in the study of electronic properties and of the surface processes of solid substances. This is done from the point of view both of physical phenomena underlying them and of the information obtainable with such methods. But the whole monograph is limited only to the methods based on the electronic properties of the elements existing in the solid probes studied and this paper presents only those of them in which the detected beam is an electronic one, like: ELS, DAPS, ILS, AES, AEAPS, INS, TSS, XPS and UPS. (authors)

Properties of electronic emissions of semiconductors III-IV in a status of negative electron affinity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piaget, Claude

1977-01-01

This research thesis reports the use of various properties (electron emission, photo emission, secondary electron emission) to highlight the relationships between various solid properties (optical, electronic, structural properties), surfaces (clean or covered with adsorbates such as caesium and oxygen) and emission properties (quantum efficiency, energy distribution, and so on). The first part addresses applications, performance, physical properties and technological processes, and also problems related to the physics and chemistry of surfaces and adsorption layers. The second part reports a study of the main electron transport properties in emitters displaying a negative electron affinity, for example GaP. Some aspects of electron excitation by ultra-violet radiations and high energy electrons are studied from UV photo-emission properties and secondary electron emission. Then GaAs and similar pseudo-binary compounds are studied

Surface electrons of helium films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Studart, N.; Hipolito, O.

1986-01-01

Theoretical calculations of some properties of two-dimensional electrons on a liquid helium film adsorbed on a solid substrate are reviewed. We describe the spectrum of electron bound states on bulk helium as well on helium films. The correlational properties, such as the structure factor and correlation energy, are determined as functions of the film thickness for different types of substrates in the framework of a Generalized Random-Phase Approximation. The collective excitations of this system are also described. The results for electrons on the surface of thin films and bulk helium are easily obtained. we examine the electron interaction with the excitations of the liquid helium surface resulting in a new polaron state, which was observed very recently. The ground state energy and the effective mass of this polaron are determined by using the path-integral formalism and unitary-transformation method. Recent speculations about the phase diagram of electrons on the helium film are also discussed. (Author) [pt

Surface and electron emission properties of hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon films investigated by atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Dongping; Zhang, Sam; Ong, S.-E.; Benstetter, Guenther; Du Hejun

2006-01-01

In this study, we have deposited hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon (DLC) films by using DC magnetron sputtering of graphite target at various r.f. bias voltages. Surface and nanoscale emission properties of these DLC films have been investigated using a combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based nanowear tests and conducting-AFM, by simultaneously measuring the topography and the conductivity of the samples. Nanowear tests show that these DLC films are covered with the thin (1.5-2.0 nm) graphite-like layers at surfaces. Compared to the film bulk structure, the graphite-like surface layers are more conductive. The graphite-like surface layers significantly influence the electron emission properties of these films. Low-energy carbon species can be responsible for the formation of graphite-like surface layers. Nanoscale electron emission measurements have revealed the inhomogeneous emission nature of these films. The low-field emission from these films can be attributed to the existence of sp 2 -configured nanoclusters inside the films

Chemical, electronic, and magnetic structure of LaFeCoSi alloy: Surface and bulk properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lollobrigida, V. [Dipartimento di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, I-00146 Rome (Italy); Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università Roma Tre, I-00146 Rome (Italy); Basso, V.; Kuepferling, M.; Coïsson, M.; Olivetti, E. S.; Celegato, F. [Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRIM), I-10135 Torino (Italy); Borgatti, F. [CNR, Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), I-40129 Bologna (Italy); Torelli, P.; Panaccione, G. [CNR, Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Lab. TASC, I-34149 Trieste (Italy); Tortora, L. [Laboratorio di Analisi di Superficie, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università Roma Tre, I-00146 Rome (Italy); Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Università Tor Vergata, I-00133 Rome (Italy); Stefani, G.; Offi, F. [Dipartimento di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, I-00146 Rome (Italy)

2014-05-28

We investigate the chemical, electronic, and magnetic structure of the magnetocaloric LaFeCoSi compound with bulk and surface sensitive techniques. We put in evidence that the surface retains a soft ferromagnetic behavior at temperatures higher than the Curie temperature of the bulk due to the presence of Fe clusters at the surface only. This peculiar magnetic surface effect is attributed to the exchange interaction between the ferromagnetic Fe clusters located at the surface and the bulk magnetocaloric alloy, and it is used here to monitor the magnetic properties of the alloy itself.

Chemical, electronic, and magnetic structure of LaFeCoSi alloy: Surface and bulk properties

Science.gov (United States)

Lollobrigida, V.; Basso, V.; Borgatti, F.; Torelli, P.; Kuepferling, M.; Coïsson, M.; Olivetti, E. S.; Celegato, F.; Tortora, L.; Stefani, G.; Panaccione, G.; Offi, F.

2014-05-01

We investigate the chemical, electronic, and magnetic structure of the magnetocaloric LaFeCoSi compound with bulk and surface sensitive techniques. We put in evidence that the surface retains a soft ferromagnetic behavior at temperatures higher than the Curie temperature of the bulk due to the presence of Fe clusters at the surface only. This peculiar magnetic surface effect is attributed to the exchange interaction between the ferromagnetic Fe clusters located at the surface and the bulk magnetocaloric alloy, and it is used here to monitor the magnetic properties of the alloy itself.

Chemical, electronic, and magnetic structure of LaFeCoSi alloy: Surface and bulk properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lollobrigida, V.; Basso, V.; Kuepferling, M.; Coïsson, M.; Olivetti, E. S.; Celegato, F.; Borgatti, F.; Torelli, P.; Panaccione, G.; Tortora, L.; Stefani, G.; Offi, F.

2014-01-01

We investigate the chemical, electronic, and magnetic structure of the magnetocaloric LaFeCoSi compound with bulk and surface sensitive techniques. We put in evidence that the surface retains a soft ferromagnetic behavior at temperatures higher than the Curie temperature of the bulk due to the presence of Fe clusters at the surface only. This peculiar magnetic surface effect is attributed to the exchange interaction between the ferromagnetic Fe clusters located at the surface and the bulk magnetocaloric alloy, and it is used here to monitor the magnetic properties of the alloy itself.

Atomic interactions at the (100) diamond surface and the impact of surface and interface changes on the electronic transport properties

Science.gov (United States)

Deferme, Wim

Centuries and centuries already, diamond is a material that speaks to ones imagination. Till the 18th century it was only mined in India, after it was also found in Brazil and South-Africa. But along the fascinating properties of diamond, it is also a very interesting material for industry. After the discovery at the end of the 18th century that diamond consists of carbon, it took until the 50's of the previous century before research groups from Russia, Japan and the USA were able to reproduce the growth process of diamond. In 1989 it was discovered that the surface of intrinsic, insulation diamond can be made conductive by hydrogenating the surface. It was clear that not only hydrogen at the surface but also the so called "adsorbates" were responsible for this conductivity. It was still not completely clear what was the influence of other species (like oxygen) on the mechanism of surface conductivity and therefore in this thesis the influence of oxygen on the electronic transport properties of atomically flat diamond are researched. Besides the growth of atomically flat diamond with the use of CVD (chemical vapour deposition) en the study of the grown surfaces with characterising techniques such as AFM (atomic force microscopy) and STM (scanning tunnelling microscopy), the study of the surface treatment with plasma techniques is the main topic of this thesis. The influence of oxygen on the surface conductivity is studied and with the ToF (Time-of-Flight) technique the transport properties of the freestanding diamond are examined. With a short laserflash, electrons and holes are created at the diamond/aluminium interface and due to an electric field (up to 500V) the charge carriers are translated to the back contact. In this way the influence of the surface and the changes at the aluminum contacts is studied leading to very interesting results.

Electronic and Optical Properties of Aluminum Oxide Before and After Surface Reduction by Ar+ Bombardment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Tahir

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The electronic and optical properties of a-Al2O3 after induced by 3-keV Ar+ sputtering have been studied quantitatively by use of reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS spectra. The band gap values of a-Al2O3 was determined from the onset values of the energy loss spectrum to the background level of REELS spectra as a function of time Ar+ bombardment. The bandgap changes from 8.4 eV before sputtering to 6.2 eV after 4 minutes of sputtering.The optical properties of α-Al2O3 thin films have been determined by comparing the experimental cross section obtained from reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy with the theoretical inelastic scattering cross section, deduced from the simulated energy loss function (ELF by using QUEELS-ε(k-REELS software. The peak assignments are based on ELF and compared with reported data on the electronic structure of α-Al2O3 obtained using different techniques. The results demonstrate that the electronic and optical properties before and after surface reduction will provide further understanding in the fundamental properties of α-Al2O3 which will be useful in the design, modeling and analysis of devices applications performance.

Effects of surface functionalization on the electronic and structural properties of carbon nanotubes: A computational approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, M. S.; Pascoini, A. L.; Knupp, W. G.; Camps, I.

2017-12-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have important electronic, mechanical and optical properties. These features may be different when comparing a pristine nanotube with other presenting its surface functionalized. These changes can be explored in areas of research and application, such as construction of nanodevices that act as sensors and filters. Following this idea, in the current work, we present the results from a systematic study of CNT's surface functionalized with hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. Using the entropy as selection criterion, we filtered a library of 10k stochastically generated complexes for each functional concentration (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%). The structurally related parameters (root-mean-square deviation, entropy, and volume/area) have a monotonic relationship with functionalization concentration. Differently, the electronic parameters (frontier molecular orbital energies, electronic gap, molecular hardness, and electrophilicity index) present and oscillatory behavior. For a set of concentrations, the nanotubes present spin polarized properties that can be used in spintronics.

Electronic and elemental properties of the Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 surface and grain boundaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haight, Richard; Shao, Xiaoyan; Wang, Wei; Mitzi, David B.

2014-01-01

X-ray and femtosecond UV photoelectron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry and photoluminescence imaging were used to investigate the electronic and elemental properties of the CZTS,Se surface and its oxides. Oxide removal reveals a very Cu poor and Zn rich surface relative to bulk composition. O and Na are observed at the surface and throughout the bulk. Upward bending of the valence bands indicates the presence of negative charge in the surface region and the Fermi level is found near the band gap center. The presence of point defects and the impact of these findings on grain boundary properties will be described

Electronic and elemental properties of the Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 surface and grain boundaries

Science.gov (United States)

Haight, Richard; Shao, Xiaoyan; Wang, Wei; Mitzi, David B.

2014-01-01

X-ray and femtosecond UV photoelectron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry and photoluminescence imaging were used to investigate the electronic and elemental properties of the CZTS,Se surface and its oxides. Oxide removal reveals a very Cu poor and Zn rich surface relative to bulk composition. O and Na are observed at the surface and throughout the bulk. Upward bending of the valence bands indicates the presence of negative charge in the surface region and the Fermi level is found near the band gap center. The presence of point defects and the impact of these findings on grain boundary properties will be described.

Aan der Waals terminated silicon(111) surfaces and interfaces. Preparation, morphology, and electronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsche, R.

2004-01-01

The aim of this thesis is the implementation of the concept of the quasi-van der Waals epitaxy as a new perspective for the integration of reactive and lattice-defect fitted materials into the silicon technology. The experimental characterization of this approach pursues in two subsequent sections. First the chemical and electronic passivation of a three-dimensional substrate (silicon) is studied by means of an ultrathin buffer layer from the material class of the layered-lattice chalcogenides (GaSe). The substrate surface (Si(111):GaSe) modified in this way possesses an inert van der Waals surface and serves in the following as base for the deposition of the against the non-passivated substrate really reactive and lattice-defect fitted materials (II-VI-compound semiconductors and metals) The characterization of the electronic and chemical properties of the surfaces and interfaces pursues with highly resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (SXPS). The results are supplemented by the characterization of the morphology by the diffraction of low-energy electrons (LEED) and the scanning tunnel microscopy (STM)

Structural and electronic properties of low-index stoichiometric BiOI surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai, Wen-Wu; Zhao, Zong-Yan, E-mail: zzy@kmust.edu.cn

2017-06-01

As promising photocatalyst driven by visible-light, BiOI has attracted more and more attention in the past years. However, the surface structure and properties of BiOI that is the most important place for the photocatalytic have not been investigated in details. To this end, density functional theory was performed to calculate the structural and electronic properties of four low-index stoichiometric surfaces of BiOI. It is found that the relaxation of the low-index BiOI surfaces are relatively small, especially the (001) surface. Thus, the surface energies of BiOI are very relatively small. Moreover, there are a few surface states below the bottom of conduction band in the first layer except the (001) surface, which maybe capture the photo-excited carriers. In all of the most stable terminated planes, all the dangling bonds are cleaved from the broken Bi-O bonds. In the case of (001) surface, the dangling bond density of Bi atoms for the (001) surface is zero per square nano. Therefore, the (001) surface is thermodynamically lowest-energy surface of BiOI, and it is the predominant surface (51.4%). As a final remark, the dangling bonds density of bismuth atoms determines not only the surface energy, but also the surface relaxation. Finally, the equilibrium morphology of BiOI was also proposed and provided, which is determined through the Wulff construction. These results will help us to better understand the underlying photocatalytic mechanism that is related to BiOI surfaces, and provide theoretical support for some experimental studies about BiOI-based photocatalyst in future. - Highlights: • Four low-index BiOI surfaces have been calculated by DFT method. • The relaxations of the low-index BiOI surfaces are relatively small. • There are a few surface states below the bottom of conduction band in the first layer. • The dangling bonds density of bismuth atoms determines not only the surface energy, but also the surface relaxation. • The thermodynamic

Correlation of CVD Diamond Electron Emission with Film Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Bozeman, S. P.; Baumann, P. K.; Ward, B. L.; Nemanich, R. J.; Dreifus, D. L.

1996-03-01

Electron field emission from metals is affected by surface morphology and the properties of any dielectric coating. Recent results have demonstrated low field electron emission from p-type diamond, and photoemission measurements have identified surface treatments that result in a negative electron affinity (NEA). In this study, the field emission from diamond is correlated with surface treatment, surface roughness, and film properties (doping and defects). Electron emission measurements are reported on diamond films synthesized by plasma CVD. Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy indicates that the CVD films exhibit a NEA after exposure to hydrogen plasma. Field emission current-voltage measurements indicate "threshold voltages" ranging from approximately 20 to 100 V/micron.

Theoretical study on the electronic and optical properties of bulk and surface (001) InxGa1-xAs

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, XueFei; Ding, Zhao; Luo, ZiJiang; Zhou, Xun; Wei, JieMin; Wang, Yi; Guo, Xiang; Lang, QiZhi

2018-05-01

The optical properties of surface and bulk InxGa1-xAs materials are compared systematically first time in this paper. The band structures, density of states and optical properties including dielectric function, reflectivity, absorption coefficient, loss function and refractive index of bulk and surface InxGa1-xAs materials are investigated by first-principles based on plane-wave pseudo-potentials method within the LDA approximation. The results agree well with the available theoretical and experimental studies and indicate that the electronic and optical properties of bulk and surface InxGa1-xAs materials are much different, and the results show that the considered optical properties of the both materials vary with increasing indium composition in an opposite way. The calculations show that the optical properties of surface In0.75Ga0.25As material are unexpected to be far from the other two indium compositions of surface InxGa1-xAs materials while the optical properties of bulk InxGa1-xAs materials vary with increasing indium composition in an expected regular way.

Contact lens surface by electron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Jung Hyuck; Lee, Suk Ju; Hwang, Kwang Ha; Jeon Jin

2011-01-01

Contact lens materials needs good biocompatibility, high refractive index, high optical transparency, high water content etc. Surface treat method by using plasma and radiation can modify the physical and/or chemical properties of the contact lens surface. Radiation technology such as electron beam irradiation can apply to polymerization reaction and enhance the functionality of the polymer.The purpose of this study is to modify of contact lens surface by using Eb irradiation technology. Electron beam was irradiated to the contact lens surface which was synthesized thermal polymerization method and commercial contact lens to modify physical and chemical properties. Ft-IR, XP, UV-vis spectrophotometer, water content, oxygen trans-metastability were used to characterize the surface state, physicochemical, and optical property of the contact lens treated with Eb. The water content and oxygen transmissibility of the contact lens treated with Eb were increased due to increase in the hydrophilic group such as O-C=O and OH group on the contact lens surface which could be produced by possible reaction between carbon and oxygen during the Eb irradiation. All of the lenses showed the high optical transmittance above 90%. In this case of B/Es, TES, Ti contact lens, the optical transmittance decreased about 5% with increasing Eb dose in the wavelength of UV-B region. The contact lens modified by Eb irradiation could improve the physical properties of the contact lens such as water content and oxygen transmissibility

Surface and Interface Physics of Correlated Electron Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Millis, Andrew [Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)

2004-09-01

The {\\it Surface and Interface Physics of Correlated Electron Materials} research program provided conceptual understanding of and theoretical methodologies for understanding the properties of surfaces and interfaces involving materials exhibiting strong electronic correlations. The issues addressed in this research program are important for basic science, because the behavior of correlated electron superlattices is a crucial challenge to and crucial test of our understanding of the grand-challenge problem of correlated electron physics and are important for our nation's energy future because correlated interfaces offer opportunities for the control of phenomena needed for energy and device applications. Results include new physics insights, development of new methods, and new predictions for materials properties.

Electronic and elemental properties of the Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S,Se){sub 4} surface and grain boundaries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haight, Richard; Shao, Xiaoyan; Wang, Wei; Mitzi, David B. [IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, P.O. Box 218, Yorktown Hts., New York 10598 (United States)

2014-01-20

X-ray and femtosecond UV photoelectron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry and photoluminescence imaging were used to investigate the electronic and elemental properties of the CZTS,Se surface and its oxides. Oxide removal reveals a very Cu poor and Zn rich surface relative to bulk composition. O and Na are observed at the surface and throughout the bulk. Upward bending of the valence bands indicates the presence of negative charge in the surface region and the Fermi level is found near the band gap center. The presence of point defects and the impact of these findings on grain boundary properties will be described.

Atomic and electronic structures of novel silicon surface structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terry, J.H. Jr.

1997-03-01

The modification of silicon surfaces is presently of great interest to the semiconductor device community. Three distinct areas are the subject of inquiry: first, modification of the silicon electronic structure; second, passivation of the silicon surface; and third, functionalization of the silicon surface. It is believed that surface modification of these types will lead to useful electronic devices by pairing these modified surfaces with traditional silicon device technology. Therefore, silicon wafers with modified electronic structure (light-emitting porous silicon), passivated surfaces (H-Si(111), Cl-Si(111), Alkyl-Si(111)), and functionalized surfaces (Alkyl-Si(111)) have been studied in order to determine the fundamental properties of surface geometry and electronic structure using synchrotron radiation-based techniques.

Surface thermodynamic stability, electronic and magnetic properties in various (001) surfaces of Zr2CoSn Heusler alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yan; Feng, Zhong-Ying; Zhang, Jian-Min

2018-05-01

The spin-polarized first-principles are used to study the surface thermodynamic stability, electronic and magnetic properties in various (001) surfaces of Zr2CoSn Heusler alloy, and the bulk Zr2CoSn Heusler alloy are also discussed to make comparison. The conduction band minimum (CBM) of half-metallic (HM) bulk Zr2CoSn alloy is contributed by ZrA, ZrB and Co atoms, while the valence band maximum (VBM) is contributed by ZrB and Co atoms. The SnSn termination is the most stable surface with the highest spin polarizations P = 77.1% among the CoCo, ZrCo, ZrZr, ZrSn and SnSn terminations of the Zr2CoSn (001) surface. In the SnSn termination of the Zr2CoSn (001) surface, the atomic partial density of states (APDOS) of atoms in the surface, subsurface and third layers are much influenced by the surface effect and the total magnetic moment (TMM) is mainly contributed by the atomic magnetic moments of atoms in fourth to ninth layers.

Theoretical studies of growth processes and electronic properties of nanostructures on surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Mo, Yina

Low dimensional nanostructures have been of particular interest because of their potential applications in both theoretical studies and industrial use. Although great efforts have been put into obtaining better understanding of the formation and properties of these materials, many questions still remain unanswered. This thesis work has focused on theoretical studies of (1) the growth processes of magnetic nanowires on transition-metal surfaces, (2) the dynamics of pentacene thin-film growth and island structures on inert surfaces, and (3) our proposal of a new type of semiconducting nanotube. In the first study, we elucidated a novel and intriguing kinetic pathway for the formation of Fe nanowires on the upper edge of a monatomic-layer-high step on Cu(111) using first-principles calculations. The identification of a hidden fundamental Fe basal line within the Cu steps prior to the formation of the apparent upper step edge Fe wire produces a totally different view of step-decorating wire structures and offers new possibilities for the study of the properties of these wires. Subsequent experiments with scanning tunneling microscopy unambiguously established the essential role of embedded Fe atoms as precursors to monatomic wire growth. A more general study of adatom behavior near transition-metal step edges illustrated a systematic trend in the adatom energetics and kinetics, resulted from the electronic interactions between the adatom and the surfaces. This work opens the possibility of controlled manufacturing of one-dimensional nanowires. In the second study, we investigated pentacene thin-films on H-diamond, H-silica and OH-silica surfaces via force field molecular dynamics simulations. Pentacene island structures on these surfaces were identified and found to have a 90-degree rotation relative to the structure proposed by some experimental groups. Our work may facilitate the design and control of experimental pentacene thin-film growth, and thus the development

Electronic structure, Fermi surface topology and spectroscopic optical properties of LaBaCo{sub 2}O{sub 5.5} compound

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reshak, A.H. [New Technologies – Research Center, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, Pilsen 306 14 (Czech Republic); Center of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology, School of Material Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, 01007 Kangar, Perlis (Malaysia); Al-Douri, Y. [Institute of Nano Electronic Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, 01000 Kangar, Perlis (Malaysia); Khenata, R. [Laboratoire de Physique Quantique et de Modélisation Mathématique (LPQ3M), Département de Technologie, Université de Mascara, Mascara 29000 (Algeria); Khan, Wilayat; Khan, Saleem Ayaz [New Technologies – Research Center, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, Pilsen 306 14 (Czech Republic); Azam, Sikander, E-mail: sikander.physicst@gmail.com [New Technologies – Research Center, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, Pilsen 306 14 (Czech Republic)

2014-08-01

We have investigated the electronic band structure, Fermi surface topology, chemical bonding and optical properties of LaBaCo{sub 2}O{sub 5.5} compound. The first-principle calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) by means of the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave method were employed. The atomic positions of LaBaCo{sub 2}O{sub 5.5} compound were optimized by minimizing the forces acting on atoms. We employed the local density approximation (LDA), generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and Engel–Vosko GGA (EVGGA) to treat the exchange correlation potential by solving Kohn–Sham equations. Electronic structure and bonding properties are studied throughout the calculation of densities of states, Fermi surfaces and charge densities. Furthermore, the optical properties are investigated via the calculation of the dielectric tensor component in order to characterize the linear optical properties. Optical spectra are analyzed by means of the electronic structure, which provides theoretical understanding of the conduction mechanism of the investigated compound. - Highlights: • DFT-FPLAPW method used for calculating the properties of LaBaCo{sub 2}O{sub 5.5} compound. • This study shows that nature of the compound is metallic. • Crystallographic plane which shows covalent character of O–Co bond. • The optical properties were also calculated and analyzed. • The Fermi surface of LaBaCo{sub 2}O{sub 5.5} is composed of five bands crossing along Γ–Z direction.

Structure and electronic properties of graphene on ferroelectric LiNbO{sub 3} surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, Jun, E-mail: dingjun@haue.edu.cn [College of Science, Henan University of Engineering, Zhengzhou 451191 (China); Wen, LiWei; Li, HaiDong [College of Science, Henan University of Engineering, Zhengzhou 451191 (China); Zhang, Ying, E-mail: yingzhang@bnu.edu.cn [Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)

2017-05-25

Highlights: • Interface structure of graphene on O terminated LiNbO{sub 3} surface. • Asymmetry gap around Dirac point. • Berry phase calculations confirm a valley Hall effect. - Abstract: We investigate the structural and electronic properties of graphene on the O terminated LiNbO{sub 3}(001) surface by density functional theory simulations. We observe that the first graphene layer is covalent bonded with the surface O atoms and buckles a lot. While considering second layer graphene upon the first layer, it almost recovers the planar structure and the interface interaction breaks the AB sublattice symmetry which leads to a valley Hall effect. Our results reveal the interface structure of graphene-ferroelectric heterostructure and provide the way for valleytronic applications with graphene.

Microstructures and wear properties of surface treated Ti–36Nb–2Ta–3Zr–0.35O alloy by electron beam melting (EBM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Zijin; Liu, Yong; Wu, Hong; Zhang, Weidong; Guo, Wei; Tang, Huiping; Liu, Nan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Gum metal was firstly modified via electron beam melting method. • The surface hardness and the wear resistance of TNTZO alloys are significantly increased through EBM process. • The phase constitutions and microstructural features of EBM treated TNTZO alloys are sensitive to the processing parameters. • The relationship between the wear property and the surface microstructure of TNTZO alloy is discussed. - Abstract: Ti–36Nb–2Ta–3Zr–0.35O (wt.%) (TNTZO, also called gum metal) alloy was surface treated by electron beam melting (EBM), in order to improve wear properties. The microstructures and phase constitutions of the treated surface were characterized by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). The results showed that the martensitic phase and dendrites were formed from the β phase alloy after the EBM treatment, and microstructures in the surface changed with the processing parameters. Compared with the untreated TNTZO alloy, the surface modified TNTZO alloys exhibited higher nano-hardness, 8.0 GPa, and the wear loss was also decreased apparently. The samples treated at a scanning speed of 0.5 m/s exhibited the highest wear resistance due to the fast cooling rate and the precipitation of acicular α″ phase. The relationship between the wear property and the surface microstructure of TNTZO alloy was discussed.

Conditioning of Si-interfaces by wet-chemical oxidation: Electronic interface properties study by surface photovoltage measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Angermann, Heike, E-mail: angermann@helmholtz-berlin.de

2014-09-01

Highlights: • Determination of electronic interface properties by contact-less surface photovoltage (SPV) technique. • Systematic correlations of substrate morphology and surface electronic properties. • Optimization of surface pre-treatment for flat, saw damage etched, and textured Si solar cell substrates. • Ultra-thin passivating Si oxide layers with low densities of rechargeable states by wet-chemical oxidation and subsequent annealing. • Environmentally acceptable processes, utilizing hot water, diluted HCl, or ozone low cost alternative to current approaches with concentrated chemicals. • The effect of optimized wet-chemical pre-treatments can be preserved during subsequent layer deposition. - Abstract: The field-modulated surface photovoltage (SPV) method, a very surface sensitive technique, was utilized to determine electronic interface properties on wet-chemically oxidized and etched silicon (Si) interfaces. The influence of preparation-induced surface micro-roughness and un-stoichiometric oxides on the resulting the surface charge, energetic distribution D{sub it}(E), and density D{sub it,min} of rechargeable states was studied by simultaneous, spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurements on polished Si(111) and Si(100) substrates. Based on previous findings and new research, a study of conventional and newly developed wet-chemical oxidation methods was established, correlating the interactions between involved oxidizing and etching solutions and the initial substrate morphology to the final surface conditioning. It is shown, which sequences of wet-chemical oxidation and oxide removal, have to be combined in order to achieve atomically smooth, hydrogen terminated surfaces, as well as ultra-thin oxide layers with low densities of rechargeable states on flat, saw damage etched, and textured Si substrates, as commonly applied in silicon device and solar cell manufacturing. These conventional strategies for wet-chemical pre-treatment are mainly

Conditioning of Si-interfaces by wet-chemical oxidation: Electronic interface properties study by surface photovoltage measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angermann, Heike

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Determination of electronic interface properties by contact-less surface photovoltage (SPV) technique. • Systematic correlations of substrate morphology and surface electronic properties. • Optimization of surface pre-treatment for flat, saw damage etched, and textured Si solar cell substrates. • Ultra-thin passivating Si oxide layers with low densities of rechargeable states by wet-chemical oxidation and subsequent annealing. • Environmentally acceptable processes, utilizing hot water, diluted HCl, or ozone low cost alternative to current approaches with concentrated chemicals. • The effect of optimized wet-chemical pre-treatments can be preserved during subsequent layer deposition. - Abstract: The field-modulated surface photovoltage (SPV) method, a very surface sensitive technique, was utilized to determine electronic interface properties on wet-chemically oxidized and etched silicon (Si) interfaces. The influence of preparation-induced surface micro-roughness and un-stoichiometric oxides on the resulting the surface charge, energetic distribution D it (E), and density D it,min of rechargeable states was studied by simultaneous, spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurements on polished Si(111) and Si(100) substrates. Based on previous findings and new research, a study of conventional and newly developed wet-chemical oxidation methods was established, correlating the interactions between involved oxidizing and etching solutions and the initial substrate morphology to the final surface conditioning. It is shown, which sequences of wet-chemical oxidation and oxide removal, have to be combined in order to achieve atomically smooth, hydrogen terminated surfaces, as well as ultra-thin oxide layers with low densities of rechargeable states on flat, saw damage etched, and textured Si substrates, as commonly applied in silicon device and solar cell manufacturing. These conventional strategies for wet-chemical pre-treatment are mainly based on

Surface electron structure of short-period semiconductor superlattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartos, I.; Czech Academy Science, Prague,; Strasser, T.; Schattke, W.

2004-01-01

Full text: Semiconductor superlattices represent man-made crystals with unique physical properties. By means of the directed layer-by-layer molecular epitaxy growth their electric properties can be tailored (band structure engineering). Longer translational periodicity in the growth direction is responsible for opening of new electron energy gaps (minigaps) with surface states and resonances localized at superlattice surfaces. Similarly as for the electron structure of the bulk, a procedure enabling to modify the surface electron structure of superlattices is desirable. Short-period superlattice (GaAs) 2 (AlAs) 2 with unreconstructed (100) surface is investigated in detail. Theoretical description in terms of full eigenfunctions of individual components has to be used. The changes of electron surface state energies governed by the termination of a periodic crystalline potential, predicted on simple models, are confirmed for this system. Large surface state shifts are found in the lowest minigap of the superlattice when this is terminated in four different topmost layer configurations. The changes should be observable in angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy as demonstrated in calculations based on the one step model of photoemission. Surface state in the center of the two dimensional Brillouin zone moves from the bottom of the minigap (for the superlattice terminated by two bilayers of GaAs) to its top (for the superlattice terminated by two bilayers of AlAs) where it becomes a resonance. No surface state/resonance is found for a termination with one bilayer of AlAs. The surface state bands behave similarly in the corresponding gaps of the k-resolved section of the electron band structure. The molecular beam epitaxy, which enables to terminate the superlattice growth with atomic layer precision, provides a way of tuning the superlattice surface electron structure by purely geometrical means. The work was supported by the Grant Agency of the Academy of Sciences

Electronic structure of disordered alloys, surfaces and interfaces

CERN Document Server

Turek, Ilja; Kudrnovský, Josef; Šob, Mojmír; Weinberger, Peter

1997-01-01

At present, there is an increasing interest in the prediction of properties of classical and new materials such as substitutional alloys, their surfaces, and metallic or semiconductor multilayers. A detailed understanding based on a thus of the utmost importance for fu­ microscopic, parameter-free approach is ture developments in solid state physics and materials science. The interrela­ tion between electronic and structural properties at surfaces plays a key role for a microscopic understanding of phenomena as diverse as catalysis, corrosion, chemisorption and crystal growth. Remarkable progress has been made in the past 10-15 years in the understand­ ing of behavior of ideal crystals and their surfaces by relating their properties to the underlying electronic structure as determined from the first principles. Similar studies of complex systems like imperfect surfaces, interfaces, and mul­ tilayered structures seem to be accessible by now. Conventional band-structure methods, however, are of limited use ...

Impact of potassium and water on the electronic properties of InN(0001) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiss, S.; Eisenhardt, A.; Krischok, S.; Himmerlich, M.

2014-01-01

In this work we investigate the interaction of potassium and water with 2 x 2 reconstructed InN(0001) surfaces prepared by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The influence of adsorbate-substrate-interaction on surface properties is characterized in-situ by photoelectron spectroscopy. Potassium exposure leads to a strong reduction in the work function Φ to 1.6 eV revealing a charge transfer from the adsorbate to the InN surface. In parallel, a reduction of the surface downward band bending by 0.2 eV and hence a reduced electron accumulation density is observed. While interaction of water with clean InN(0001)-2 x 2 surfaces induces only minor changes in the surface band bending, water adsorption at potassium covered InN(0001) leads to a reversal of the K-induced reduction in surface band bending and a slight increase of Φ to 2.4 eV. These results show that surrounding water modifies the interaction of potassium with InN(0001) surfaces. (copyright 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of Mn{sub 3}N{sub 2}(0 0 1) surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guerrero-Sánchez, J., E-mail: guerrero@ifuap.buap.mx [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 (United States); Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Instituto de Física “Ing Luis Rivera Terrazas”, Apartado Postal J-48, Puebla 72570 (Mexico); Mandru, Andrada-Oana; Wang, Kangkang [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 (United States); Takeuchi, Noboru [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 (United States); Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 14, Ensenada, Baja California, Codigo Postal 22800 (Mexico); Cocoletzi, Gregorio H. [Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Instituto de Física “Ing Luis Rivera Terrazas”, Apartado Postal J-48, Puebla 72570 (Mexico); Smith, Arthur R. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 (United States)

2015-11-15

Graphical abstract: - Abstract: Spin-polarized first-principles total energy calculations have been performed to study the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of Mn{sub 3}N{sub 2}(0 0 1) surfaces. It is found that three surface terminations are energetically stable, in agreement with previous scanning tunneling microscopy experiments that have found three different electronic contrasts in their images. It is also found that in all three cases, the topmost layer has a MnN stoichiometry. Density of states calculations show a metallic behavior for all the stable structures with the most important contribution close to the Fermi level coming from the Mn-d orbitals. Our Tersoff–Hamann scanning tunneling microscopy simulations are in good agreement with previous experimental results.

Electronic structure, Fermi surface and optical properties of metallic compound Be8(B48)B2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reshak, A.H.; Azam, Sikander; Alahmed, Z.A.; Chyský, Jan

2014-01-01

The band structure, density of states, electronic charge density, Fermi surface and optical properties for B 8 (Be 48 )B 2 compound has been investigated in the support of density functional theory (DFT). The atomic positions of B 8 (Be 48 )B 2 compound were optimized by minimization of the forces acting on the atoms using the full potential linear augmented plane wave (FPLAPW) method. We have employed the local density approximation (LDA), generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and Engal-Vosko GGA (EVGGA) to indulgence the exchange correlation potential by solving Kohn–Sham equations. The result shows that the compound is metallic with sturdy hybridization near the Fermi energy level (E F ). The density of states at Fermi energy, N(E F ), is determined by the overlaping between B-p, B-s and Be-s states. This overlaping is strong enough indicating metallic origin with different values of N(E F ). These values are 16.4, 16.27 and 14.89 states/eV, and the corresponding bare linear low-temperature electronic specific heat coefficient (γ) is found to be 2.84, 2.82 and 2.58 mJ/mol K 2 for EVGGA, GGA and LDA respectively. There exists a strong hybridization between B-s and B-p states, also between B-s and Be-p states around the Fermi level. The Fermi surface is composed of three sheets. These sheets consist of set of holes and electrons. The bonding features of the compounds are analyzed using the electronic charge density in the (101 and −101) crystallographic planes and also the analyzing of charge density shows covalent bonding between B and B. The linear optical properties are also deliberated and discussed in particulars. - Highlights: • The compound is metallic. • The density of states at the Fermi energy is calculated. • The bare linear low-temperature electronic specific heat coefficient is obtained. • Fermi surface is composed of three sheets. • The bonding features are analyzed using the electronic charge density

Surface chemical and electronic properties of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and In{sub 2}O{sub 3-x} nanoparticles for ozone detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Himmerlich, Marcel; Krischok, Stefan [Institut fuer Physik and Institut fuer Mikro- und Nanotechnologien, TU Ilmenau, PF 100565, 98684 Ilmenau (Germany); Wang, Chunyu; Cimalla, Volker; Ambacher, Oliver [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Angewandte Festkoerperphysik, Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany)

2012-07-01

The electrical properties of indium oxide nanoparticle films can be tuned by variation of growth temperature as well as rapid thermal annealing, UV-irradiation and ozone-induced oxidation. The high O{sub 3} sensitivity of indium oxide thin films is strongly linked to their structural and electronic properties. Especially, the alteration of the surface electron accumulation plays an important role in the change of the film resistivity upon O{sub 3} interaction and UV-induced regeneration. We analyse the changes of indium oxide surface properties with respect to varying crystallinity using AFM, XPS and UPS. Compared to stoichiometric In{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films, indium oxide nanoparticles exhibit a high oxygen deficiency and hence a high defect density at the nanoparticle surface. After growth, these defects are saturated by hydrocarbons due to the incomplete decomposition of precursors during low temperature MOCVD. The defects and the changed stoichiometry have impact on the surface band alignment. Upon ozone-induced oxidation and UV photoreduction a reversible change in band bending, surface dipole and O adsorption density is found and will be discussed in context with electron transport characteristics and thermal properties.

Effects of accelerated electron beam irradiation on surface hardening and fatigue properties in an AISI 4140 steel used for automotive crankshaft

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choo, S.-H.; Lee, S. [Pohang Univ. of Sci. and Technol. (Korea). Center for Adv. Aerospace Mater.; Golkovski, M.G. [Rossijskaya Akademiya Nauk, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation). Inst. Yadernoj Fiziki

2000-11-30

This study is concerned with the effects of high-energy accelerated electron beam irradiation on surface hardening and improvement of fatigue properties in an AISI 4140 steel currently used for automotive crankshaft. The 4140 steel specimens were irradiated in air by using a high-energy electron beam accelerator, and then microstructure, hardness, and fatigue properties were examined. Beam power was varied in the range of 5.2{proportional_to}7.7 kW by changing beam current. Upon irradiation, the unirradiated microstructure containing band structure was changed to martensite and bainite in the carbon-rich zone or ferrite, bainite, and martensite in the carbon-depleted zone. This microstructural modification improved greatly surface hardness and fatigue properties due to transformation of martensite whose amount and type were determined by heat input during irradiation. Thus, high-energy electron beam irradiation can be effectively applied to the surface hardening process of automotive parts. In order to investigate the thermal cycle during electron beam irradiation of quickly rotating specimens, the thermal analysis was also carried out using an analytical computer simulation. Analytical solutions gave information about the peak temperature, heating and cooling rate, and hardened depth to correlate with the overall microstructural modification. (orig.)

First-principles investigation of the electronic and Li-ion diffusion properties of LiFePO4 by sulfur surface modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Guigui; Zhong, Kehua; Zhang, Jian-Min; Huang, Zhigao

2014-01-01

We present a first-principles calculation for the electronic and Li-ion diffusion properties of the LiFePO 4 (010) surface modified by sulfur. The calculated formation energy indicates that the sulfur adsorption on the (010) surface of the LiFePO 4 is energetically favored. Sulfur is found to form Fe-S bond with iron. A much narrower band gap (0.67 eV) of the sulfur surface-modified LiFePO 4 [S-LiFePO 4 (010)] is obtained, indicating the better electronic conductive properties. By the nudged elastic band method, our calculations show that the activation energy of Li ions diffusion along the one-dimensional channel on the surface can be effectively reduced by sulfur surface modification. In addition, the surface diffusion coefficient of S-LiFePO 4 (010) is estimated to be about 10 −11 (cm 2 /s) at room temperature, which implies that sulfur modification will give rise to a higher Li ion carrier mobility and enhanced electrochemical performance

Influence of alkylphosphonic acid grafting on the electronic and magnetic properties of La{sub 2/3}Sr{sub 1/3}MnO{sub 3} surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galbiati, Marta [Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS-Thales, 1 Av. A. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau (France); Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay (France); Tatay, Sergio, E-mail: sergio.tatay@uv.es [Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS-Thales, 1 Av. A. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau (France); Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay (France); Instituto de Ciencia Molecular (ICMol), Universitat de Valencia, C. Caterdratico Jose Beltran 2, 46980 Paterna (Spain); Delprat, Sophie [Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS-Thales, 1 Av. A. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau (France); Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay (France); UPMC, Université Paris 06, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris (France); Barraud, Clément; Cros, Vincent; Jacquet, Eric [Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS-Thales, 1 Av. A. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau (France); Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay (France); Coloma, Fernando [Servicios Técnicos de Investigación, Universidad de Alicante, E-03080 Alicante (Spain); Choueikani, Fadi; Otero, Edwige; Ohresser, Philippe [Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, FR-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Haag, Norman; Cinchetti, Mirko; Aeschlimann, Martin [Department of Physics and Research Center OPTIMAS, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schroedinger Strasse 46, 67663 Kaiserslautern (Germany); Seneor, Pierre, E-mail: pierre.seneor@thalesgroup.com [Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS-Thales, 1 Av. A. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau (France); Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay (France); and others

2015-10-30

Highlights: • Probe the influence of alkylphosphonic acids-based SAMs on the electronic and magnetic properties of the LSMO. • Measure the modification of the Mn oxidation state of LSMO surface induced by the molecules grafting. • Evaluate the modification of the LSMO work function induced by the alkylphosphonic acids molecules. - Abstract: Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are highly promising materials for molecular engineering of electronic and spintronics devices thanks to their surface functionalization properties. In this direction, alkylphosphonic acids have been used to functionalize the most common ferromagnetic electrode in organic spintronics: La{sub 2/3}Sr{sub 1/3}MnO{sub 3} (LSMO). However, a study on the influence of SAMs grafting on LSMO electronic and magnetic properties is still missing. In this letter, we probe the influence of alkylphosphonic acids-based SAMs on the electronic and magnetic properties of the LSMO surface using different spectroscopies. We observe by X-ray photoemission and X-ray absorption that the grafting of the molecules on the LSMO surface induces a reduction of the Mn oxidation state. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements also show that the LSMO work function can be modified by surface dipoles opening the door to both tune the charge and spin injection efficiencies in organic devices such as organic light-emitting diodes.

Ab-initio investigation of structural, electronic and optical properties BSb compound in bulk and surface (110 states

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H A Badehian

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In recent work the structural, electronic and optical properties of BSb compound in bulk and surface (110 states have been studied. Calculations have been performed using Full-Potential Augmented Plane Wave (FP-LAPW method by WIEN2k code in Density Functional Theory (DFT framework. The structural properties of the bulk such as lattice constant, bulk module and elastic constants have been investigated using four different approximations. The band gap energy of the bulk and the (110 surface of BSb were obtained about 1.082 and 0.38 eV respectively. Moreover the surface energy, the work function, the surface relaxation, surface state and the band structure of BSb (110 were investigated using symmetric and stoichiometric 15 layers slabs with the vacuum of 20 Bohr. In addition, the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function of the bulk and the BSb (110 slab were calculated and compared to each other. Our obtained results have a good agreement with the available results.

Temperature Dependent Surface Structures and Electronic Properties of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Single Crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Jao, M.-H.; Teague, M. L.; Huang, J.-S.; Tseng, W.-S.; Yeh, N.-C.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, arising from research of low-cost high performance photovoltaics, have become promising materials not only for solar cells but also for various optoelectronic and spintronic applications. An interesting aspect of the hybrid perovskites is that their material properties, such as the band gap, can be easily tuned by varying the composition, temperature, and the crystalline phases. Additionally, the surface structure is critically important for their optoelectronic applications. It is speculated that different crystalline facets could show different trap densities, thus resulting in microscopically inhomogeneous performance. Here we report direct studies of the surface structures and electronic properties of hybrid perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 single crystals by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS). We found long-range spatially homogeneous tunneling conductance spectra with a well-defined energy gap of (1.55 +/- 0.1) eV at 300 K in the tetragonal phase, suggesting high quality of the single crystals. The energy gap increased to (1.81 +/- 0.1) eV in the orthorhombic phase, below the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic phase transition temperature at 150 K. Detailed studies of the temperature evolution in the spatially resolved surface structures and local density of states will be discussed to elucidate how these properties may influence the optoelectronic performance of the hybrid perovskites. We thank the support from NTU in Taiwan and from NSF in the US.

Electronic structure and optical properties of N vacancy and O filling on n-GaN (0001) surface

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Feifei; Liu, Lei; Xia, Sihao; Diao, Yu; Feng, Shu

2018-06-01

In the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experiment, we observed that the valence band spectrum of the n-GaN (0001) surface appeared a bump near 1.9 eV after Ar etching and the N/Ga ratio became smaller, while the bump disappeared upon exposure to air. In order to analyze this phenomenon theoretically, we mainly study the electronic structure and optical properties of n-GaN (0001) surface with N vacancy and filled with O atom based on the first principles of density functional theory. The results suggest that the n-GaN (0001) surface exhibits semi-metallic property. The introduction of N vacancy reduces the n-type conductivity, whereas the filling of O atom enhances conductivity. The density of state near -1.9eV shows a good agreement between the clean n-type surface and the O-atom-filled surface, while the N vacancy surface has a higher density of states, which is similar to the experimentally observed phenomenon. It is also found that the existence of N vacancy reduces the photoemission properties of the n-GaN (0001) surface and the filling of O atom alleviates the defect caused by vacancy. This study shows that N vacancy increases the doping difficulty of n-type GaN films, however, the filling of O atom may compensate for the diminished photoelectric properties induced by N vacancy and be conducive to prepare high-performance optoelectronic devices with the contact of n-GaN and metal.

Electronic Properties of Metallic Nanoclusters on Semiconductor Surfaces: Implications for Nanoelectronic Device Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Takhee; Liu Jia; Chen, N.-P.; Andres, R.P.; Janes, D.B.; Reifenberger, R.

2000-01-01

We review current research on the electronic properties of nanoscale metallic islands and clusters deposited on semiconductor substrates. Reported results for a number of nanoscale metal-semiconductor systems are summarized in terms of their fabrication and characterization. In addition to the issues faced in large-area metal-semiconductor systems, nano-systems present unique challenges in both the realization of well-controlled interfaces at the nanoscale and the ability to adequately characterize their electrical properties. Imaging by scanning tunneling microscopy as well as electrical characterization by current-voltage spectroscopy enable the study of the electrical properties of nanoclusters/semiconductor systems at the nanoscale. As an example of the low-resistance interfaces that can be realized, low-resistance nanocontacts consisting of metal nanoclusters deposited on specially designed ohmic contact structures are described. To illustrate a possible path to employing metal/semiconductor nanostructures in nanoelectronic applications, we also describe the fabrication and performance of uniform 2-D arrays of such metallic clusters on semiconductor substrates. Using self-assembly techniques involving conjugated organic tether molecules, arrays of nanoclusters have been formed in both unpatterned and patterned regions on semiconductor surfaces. Imaging and electrical characterization via scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy indicate that high quality local ordering has been achieved within the arrays and that the clusters are electronically coupled to the semiconductor substrate via the low-resistance metal/semiconductor interface

Electronic spectral properties of surfaces and adsorbates and atom-adsorbate van der Waals interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lovric, D.; Gumhalter, B.

1988-01-01

The relevance of van der Waals interactions in the scattering of neutral atoms from adsorbates has been recently confirmed by highly sensitive molecular-beam techniques. The theoretical descriptions of the collision dynamics which followed the experimental studies have necessitated very careful qualitative and quantitative examinations and evaluations of the properties of atom-adsorbate van der Waals interactions for specific systems. In this work we present a microscopic calculation of the strengths and reference-plane positions for van der Waals potentials relevant for scattering of He atoms from CO adsorbed on various metallic substrates. In order to take into account the specificities of the polarization properties of real metals (noble and transition metals) and of chemisorbed CO, we first calculate the spectra of the electronic excitations characteristic of the respective electronic subsystems by using various data sources available and combine them with the existing theoretical models. The reliability of the calculated spectra is then verified in each particular case by universal sum rules which may be established for the electronic excitations of surfaces and adsorbates. The substrate and adsorbate polarization properties which derive from these calculations serve as input data for the evaluation of the strengths and reference-plane positions of van der Waals potentials whose computed values are tabulated for a number of real chemisorption systems. The implications of the obtained results are discussed in regard to the atom-adsorbate scattering cross sections pertinent to molecular-beam scattering experiments

Surface-Plasmon-Driven Hot Electron Photochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuchao; He, Shuai; Guo, Wenxiao; Hu, Yue; Huang, Jiawei; Mulcahy, Justin R; Wei, Wei David

2017-11-30

Visible-light-driven photochemistry has continued to attract heightened interest due to its capacity to efficiently harvest solar energy and its potential to solve the global energy crisis. Plasmonic nanostructures boast broadly tunable optical properties coupled with catalytically active surfaces that offer a unique opportunity for solar photochemistry. Resonant optical excitation of surface plasmons produces energetic hot electrons that can be collected to facilitate chemical reactions. This review sums up recent theoretical and experimental approaches for understanding the underlying photophysical processes in hot electron generation and discusses various electron-transfer models on both plasmonic metal nanostructures and plasmonic metal/semiconductor heterostructures. Following that are highlights of recent examples of plasmon-driven hot electron photochemical reactions within the context of both cases. The review concludes with a discussion about the remaining challenges in the field and future opportunities for addressing the low reaction efficiencies in hot-electron-induced photochemistry.

[Inelastic electron scattering from surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This program is aimed at the quantitative study of surface dynamical processes (vibrational, magnetic excitations) in crystalline slabs, ultrathin-layered materials, and chemisorbed systems on substrates, and of the geometric structure connected to these dynamical excitations. High-resolution electron-energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) is a powerful probe. Off-specular excitation cross sections are much larger if electron energies are in the LEED range (50-300 eV). The analyses has been used to study surfaces of ordered alloys (NiAl). Ab-initio surface lattice dynamical results were combined with phonon-loss cross sections to achieve a more accurate microscopic description. First-principles phonon eigenvectors and eigenfrequencies were used as inputs to electron-energy-loss multiple scattering cross-section calculations. The combined microscopic approach was used to analyze EELS data of Cu(0001) and Ag(001) at two points. Positron diffraction is discussed as a structural and imaging tool. The relation between geometric structure of a film and its local magnetic properties will be studied in the future, along with other things

Surface-electronic-state effects in electron emission from the Be(0001) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Archubi, C. D.; Gravielle, M. S.; Silkin, V. M.

2011-01-01

We study the electron emission produced by swift protons impinging grazingly on a Be(0001) surface. The process is described within a collisional formalism using the band-structure-based (BSB) approximation to represent the electron-surface interaction. The BSB model provides an accurate description of the electronic band structure of the solid and the surface-induced potential. Within this approach we derive both bulk and surface electronic states, with these latter characterized by a strong localization at the crystal surface. We found that such surface electronic states play an important role in double-differential energy- and angle-resolved electron emission probabilities, producing noticeable structures in the electron emission spectra.

Surface-electronic-state effects in electron emission from the Be(0001) surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Archubi, C. D. [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, casilla de correo 67, sucursal 28, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Gravielle, M. S. [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, casilla de correo 67, sucursal 28, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Silkin, V. M. [Donostia International Physics Center, E-20018 San Sebastian (Spain); Departamento de Fisica de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Apartado 1072, E-20080 San Sebastian (Spain); IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, E-48011 Bilbao (Spain)

2011-07-15

We study the electron emission produced by swift protons impinging grazingly on a Be(0001) surface. The process is described within a collisional formalism using the band-structure-based (BSB) approximation to represent the electron-surface interaction. The BSB model provides an accurate description of the electronic band structure of the solid and the surface-induced potential. Within this approach we derive both bulk and surface electronic states, with these latter characterized by a strong localization at the crystal surface. We found that such surface electronic states play an important role in double-differential energy- and angle-resolved electron emission probabilities, producing noticeable structures in the electron emission spectra.

Carbon nanotube on Si(001): structural and electronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orellana, W.; Fazzio, A.; Miwa, R.W.

2003-01-01

Full text: The promising nanoscale technology based on carbon nanotubes has attracted much attention due to the unique electronic, chemical and mechanical properties of the nanotubes. Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNs) provide an ideal atomically uniform one dimensional (1D) conductors, having a strong electronic confinement around its circumference, which can be retained up to room temperature[1]. This interesting property may lead one to consider SWCNs as 1D conductors for the development of nanoscale electronic devices. In this work the structural and electronic properties of the contact between a metallic (6,6) SWCN adsorbed on a silicon (001) surface are studied from first-principles total-energy calculations. We consider two adsorption sites for the tube on the Si(001) surface: on the top of the Si-dimer rows and on the surface 'trench' between two consecutive dimer rows. Our results show a chemical bond between the nanotube and Si(001) when the tube is located along the 'trench', which corresponds to the only bound structure. We find a binding energy per tube length of 0.21 eV/angstrom. We also verified that the binding energy depends on the rotation of the tube. Typically, a rotation of 15 deg can reduce the binding energy up to 0.07 eV/angstrom. Our calculated electronic properties indicate that the most stable structure shows a subband associated to the tube/surface bond that cross the Fermi level. This result indicates an enhanced metallic behavior along the tube/surface contact characterizing a 1D quantum wire. The charge transfer between the Si surface and the tube is also discussed. [1] Z. Yao, C. Dekker, and P. Avouris in Carbon Nanotubes, M. S. Dresselhaus, G. Dresselhaus, and P. Avouris Eds., (Springer, Berlin 2001), p. 147. (author)

Electronic and optical properties of titanium nitride bulk and surfaces from first principles calculations

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-11-01

Prediction of the frequency-dependent dielectric function of thin films poses computational challenges, and at the same time experimental characterization by spectroscopic ellipsometry remains difficult to interpret because of changes in stoichiometry and surface morphology, temperature, thickness of the film, or substrate. In this work, we report calculations for titanium nitride (TiN), a promising material for plasmonic applications because of less loss and other practical advantages compared to noble metals. We investigated structural, electronic, and optical properties of stoichiometric bulk TiN, as well as of the TiN(100), TiN(110), and TiN(111) outermost surfaces. Density functional theory (DFT) and many-body GW methods (Green's (G) function-based approximation with screened Coulomb interaction (W)) were used, ranging from G0W0, GW0 to partially self-consistent sc-GW0, as well as the GW-BSE (Bethe-Salpeter equation) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) methods for prediction of the optical properties. Structural parameters and the band structure for bulk TiN were shown to be consistent with previous work. Calculated dielectric functions, plasma frequencies, reflectivity, and the electron energy loss spectrum demonstrated consistency with experiment at the GW0-BSE level. Deviations from experimental data are expected due to varying experimental conditions. Comparison of our results to spectroscopic ellipsometry data for realistic nanostructures has shown that although TDDFT may provide a computationally feasible level of theory in evaluation of the dielectric function, application is subject to validation with GW-BSE calculations.

Surface electronic transport measurements: A micro multi-point probe approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barreto, Lucas

2014-01-01

This work is mostly focused on the study of electronic transport properties of two-dimensional materials, in particular graphene and topological insulators. To study these, we have improved a unique micro multi-point probe instrument used to perform transport measurements. Not only the experimental...... quantities are extracted, such as conductivity, carrier density and carrier mobility. • A method to insulate electrically epitaxial graphene grown on metals, based on a stepwise intercalation methodology, is developed and transport measurements are performed in order to test the insulation. • We show...... a direct measurement of the surface electronic transport on a bulk topological insulator. The surface state conductivity and mobility are obtained. Apart from transport properties, we also investigate the atomic structure of the Bi2Se3(111) surface via surface x-ray diraction and low-energy electron...

Electrochemical Properties of Alkanethiol Monolayers Adsorbed on Nanoporous Au Surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, Yeon Yi; Seo, Bora; Kim, Jong Won

2010-01-01

We investigated the electrochemical properties of alkanethiol monolayers adsorbed on NPG surfaces by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and the results are compared to those on flat Au surfaces. The reductive desorption of alkanethiols on NPG surfaces is observed in more negative potential regions than that on flat Au surfaces due the stronger S-Au interaction on NPG surfaces. While the electron transfer through alkanethiol monolayers on flat Au surfaces occurs via a tunneling process through the monolayer films, the redox species can permeate through the monolayers on NPG surfaces to transfer the electrons to the Au surfaces. The results presented here will help to elucidate the intrinsic electrochemical properties of alkanethiol monolayers adsorbed on curved Au surfaces, particularly on the surface of AuNPs. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiolate molecules on Au surfaces have been the subject of intensive research for the last few decades due to their unique physical and chemical properties. The well-organized surface structures of thiolate SAMs with various end-group functionalities can be further utilized for many applications in biology and nanotechnology. In addition to the practical applications, SAMs of thiolate molecules on Au surfaces also provide unique opportunities to address fundamental issues in surface chemistry such as self-organized surface structures, electron transfer behaviors, and moleculesubstrate interactions. Although there have been numerous reports on the fundamental physical and chemical properties of thiolate SAMs on Au surfaces, most of them were investigated on flat Au surfaces, typically on well-defined Au(111) surfaces

Surface and Core Electronic Structure of Oxidized Silicon Nanocrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noor A. Nama

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Ab initio restricted Hartree-Fock method within the framework of large unit cell formalism is used to simulate silicon nanocrystals between 216 and 1000 atoms (1.6–2.65 nm in diameter that include Bravais and primitive cell multiples. The investigated properties include core and oxidized surface properties. Results revealed that electronic properties converge to some limit as the size of the nanocrystal increases. Increasing the size of the core of a nanocrystal resulted in an increase of the energy gap, valence band width, and cohesive energy. The lattice constant of the core and oxidized surface parts shows a decreasing trend as the nanocrystal increases in a size that converges to 5.28 Ǻ in a good agreement with the experiment. Surface and core convergence to the same lattice constant reflects good adherence of oxide layer at the surface. The core density of states shows highly degenerate states that split at the oxygenated (001-(1×1 surface due to symmetry breaking. The nanocrystal surface shows smaller gap and higher valence and conduction bands when compared to the core part, due to oxygen surface atoms and reduced structural symmetry. The smaller surface energy gap shows that energy gap of the nanocrystal is controlled by the surface part. Unlike the core part, the surface part shows a descending energy gap that proves its obedience to quantum confinement effects. Nanocrystal geometry proved to have some influence on all electronic properties including the energy gap.

Electronic and optical properties of titanium nitride bulk and surfaces from first principles calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2015-01-01

Prediction of the frequency-dependent dielectric function of thin films poses computational challenges, and at the same time experimental characterization by spectroscopic ellipsometry remains difficult to interpret because of changes in stoichiometry and surface morphology, temperature, thickness of the film, or substrate. In this work, we report calculations for titanium nitride (TiN), a promising material for plasmonic applications because of less loss and other practical advantages compared to noble metals. We investigated structural, electronic, and optical properties of stoichiometric bulk TiN, as well as of the TiN(100), TiN(110), and TiN(111) outermost surfaces. Density functional theory (DFT) and many-body GW methods (Green's (G) function-based approximation with screened Coulomb interaction (W)) were used, ranging from G 0 W 0 , GW 0 to partially self-consistent sc-GW 0 , as well as the GW-BSE (Bethe-Salpeter equation) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) methods for prediction of the optical properties. Structural parameters and the band structure for bulk TiN were shown to be consistent with previous work. Calculated dielectric functions, plasma frequencies, reflectivity, and the electron energy loss spectrum demonstrated consistency with experiment at the GW 0 -BSE level. Deviations from experimental data are expected due to varying experimental conditions. Comparison of our results to spectroscopic ellipsometry data for realistic nanostructures has shown that although TDDFT may provide a computationally feasible level of theory in evaluation of the dielectric function, application is subject to validation with GW-BSE calculations

Surface flashover performance of epoxy resin microcomposites improved by electron beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Yin; Min, Daomin [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Li, Shengtao, E-mail: stli@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Li, Zhen; Xie, Dongri [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Wang, Xuan [Key Laboratory of Engineering Dielectric and its Application, Ministry of Education, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150040 (China); Lin, Shengjun [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Pinggao Group Company Ltd., State Grid High Voltage Switchgear Insulation Materials Laboratory, Pingdingshan 467001 (China)

2017-06-01

Highlights: • Epoxy resin microcomposites were irradiated by electron beam with energies of 10 and 20 keV. • Surface flashover voltage increase with the increase of electron beam energy. • Both the untreated and irradiated samples have two trap centers, which are labeled as shallow and deep traps. • Deposition energy in epoxy resin microcomposites increases with electron beam energy, and surface trap properties are determined by deposition energy. • The influence of surface conductivity and trap distribution on flashover voltage is discussed. - Abstract: The influencing mechanism of electron beam irradiation on surface flashover of epoxy resin/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} microcomposite was investigated. Epoxy resin/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} microcomposite samples with a diameter of 50 mm and a thickness of 1 mm were prepared. The samples were irradiated by electron beam with energies of 10 and 20 keV and a beam current of 5 μA for 5 min. Surface potential decay, surface conduction, and surface flashover properties of untreated and irradiated samples were measured. Both the decay rate of surface potential and surface conductivity decrease with an increase in the energy of electron beam. Meanwhile, surface flashover voltage increase. It was found that both the untreated and irradiated samples have two trap centers, which are labeled as shallow and deep traps. The increase in the energy and density of deep surface traps enhance the ability to capture primary emitted electrons. In addition, the decrease in surface conductivity blocks electron emission at the cathode triple junction. Therefore, electron avalanche at the interface between gas and an insulating material would be suppressed, eventually improving surface flashover voltage of epoxy resin microcomposites.

Electron-electron coincidence spectroscopies at surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefani, G.; Iacobucci, S.; Ruocco, A.; Gotter, R.

2002-01-01

In the past 20 years, a steadily increasing number of electron-electron coincidence experiments on atoms and molecules have contributed to a deeper understanding of electron-electron correlation effects. In more recent years this technique has been extended to the study of solid surfaces. This class of one photon IN two electrons OUT experiments will be discussed with an emphasis on grazing incidence geometry, that is expected to be particularly suited for studying surfaces. The crucial question of which is the dominant mechanism that leads to ejection of pairs of electron from the surface will be addressed. It will be shown that, depending on the kinematics chosen, the correlated behaviour of the pairs of electrons detected might be singled out from independent particle one

A new series of two-dimensional silicon crystals with versatile electronic properties

Science.gov (United States)

Chae, Kisung; Kim, Duck Young; Son, Young-Woo

2018-04-01

Silicon (Si) is one of the most extensively studied materials owing to its significance to semiconductor science and technology. While efforts to find a new three-dimensional (3D) Si crystal with unusual properties have made some progress, its two-dimensional (2D) phases have not yet been explored as much. Here, based on a newly developed systematic ab initio materials searching strategy, we report a series of novel 2D Si crystals with unprecedented structural and electronic properties. The new structures exhibit perfectly planar outermost surface layers of a distorted hexagonal network with their thicknesses varying with the atomic arrangement inside. Dramatic changes in electronic properties ranging from semimetal to semiconducting with indirect energy gaps and even to one with direct energy gaps are realized by varying thickness as well as by surface oxidation. Our predicted 2D Si crystals with flat surfaces and tunable electronic properties will shed light on the development of silicon-based 2D electronics technology.

Diffuse Surface Scattering in the Plasmonic Resonances of Ultralow Electron Density Nanospheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Monreal, R Carmina; Antosiewicz, Tomasz J; Apell, S Peter

2015-05-21

Localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) have recently been identified in extremely diluted electron systems obtained by doping semiconductor quantum dots. Here, we investigate the role that different surface effects, namely, electronic spill-out and diffuse surface scattering, play in the optical properties of these ultralow electron density nanosystems. Diffuse scattering originates from imperfections or roughness at a microscopic scale on the surface. Using an electromagnetic theory that describes this mechanism in conjunction with a dielectric function including the quantum size effect, we find that the LSPRs show an oscillatory behavior in both position and width for large particles and a strong blue shift in energy and an increased width for smaller radii, consistent with recent experimental results for photodoped ZnO nanocrystals. We thus show that the commonly ignored process of diffuse surface scattering is a more important mechanism affecting the plasmonic properties of ultralow electron density nanoparticles than the spill-out effect.

Electron Stimulated Desorption of Condensed Gases on Cryogenic Surfaces

CERN Document Server

Tratnik, H; Hilleret, Noël

2005-01-01

In ultra-high vacuum systems outgassing from vacuum chamber walls and desorption from surface adsorbates are usually the factors which in°uence pressure and residual gas composition. In particular in beam vacuum systems of accelerators like the LHC, where surfaces are exposed to intense synchro- tron radiation and bombardment by energetic ions and electrons, properties like the molecular desorption yield or secondary electron yield can strongly in°uence the performance of the accelerator. In high-energy particle accelerators operating at liquid helium temperature, cold surfaces are exposed to the bombardment of energetic photons, electrons and ions. The gases released by the subsequent desorption are re-condensed on the cold surfaces and can be re-desorbed by the impinging electrons and ions. The equilibrium coverage reached on the surfaces exposed to the impact of energetic particles depends on the desorption yield of the condensed gases and can a®ect the operation of the accelerator by modifying th...

Characterization of electron-beam-modified surface coated clay fillers and their influence on physical properties of rubbers

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Sudip; Bhowmick, Anil K.; Sarma, K. S. S.; Majali, A. B.; Tikku, V. K.

2002-12-01

A novel process of surface modification of clay filler has been developed by coating this with an acrylate monomer, trimethylol propane triacrylate (TMPTA) or a silane coupling agent, triethoxy vinyl silane (TEVS) followed by electron beam irradiation. Characterization of these surface modified fillers has been carried out by Fourier-transform infrared analysis (FTIR), electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), wettability by dynamic wicking method measuring the rise of a liquid through a filler-packed capillary tube and water flotation test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Presence of the acrylate and the silane coupling agent on the modified fillers has been confirmed from FTIR, ESCA, and EDX studies, which has also been supported by TGA studies. The contact angle measurement by dynamic wicking method suggests improvement in hydrophobicity of the treated fillers, which is supported by water flotation test especially in the case of silanized clay. However, XRD studies demonstrate that the entire modification process does not affect the bulk properties of the fillers. Finally, both unmodified and modified clay fillers have been incorporated in styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and nitrile rubber (NBR). Rheometric and mechanical properties reveal that there is a definite improvement using these modified fillers specially in the case of silanized clay compared to the control sample, probably due to successful enhancement in interaction between the treated clay and the base polymer.

Characterization of electron-beam-modified surface coated clay fillers and their influence on physical properties of rubbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ray, Sudip; Bhowmick, Anil K.; Sarma, K.S.S.; Majali, A.B.; Tikku, V.K.

2002-01-01

A novel process of surface modification of clay filler has been developed by coating this with an acrylate monomer, trimethylol propane triacrylate (TMPTA) or a silane coupling agent, triethoxy vinyl silane (TEVS) followed by electron beam irradiation. Characterization of these surface modified fillers has been carried out by Fourier-transform infrared analysis (FTIR), electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), wettability by dynamic wicking method measuring the rise of a liquid through a filler-packed capillary tube and water flotation test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Presence of the acrylate and the silane coupling agent on the modified fillers has been confirmed from FTIR, ESCA, and EDX studies, which has also been supported by TGA studies. The contact angle measurement by dynamic wicking method suggests improvement in hydrophobicity of the treated fillers, which is supported by water flotation test especially in the case of silanized clay. However, XRD studies demonstrate that the entire modification process does not affect the bulk properties of the fillers. Finally, both unmodified and modified clay fillers have been incorporated in styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and nitrile rubber (NBR). Rheometric and mechanical properties reveal that there is a definite improvement using these modified fillers specially in the case of silanized clay compared to the control sample, probably due to successful enhancement in interaction between the treated clay and the base polymer

The Influence of As-Built Surface Conditions on Mechanical Properties of Ti-6Al-4V Additively Manufactured by Selective Electron Beam Melting

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Y. Y.; Gulizia, S.; Oh, C. H.; Fraser, D.; Leary, M.; Yang, Y. F.; Qian, M.

2016-03-01

Achieving a high surface finish is a major challenge for most current metal additive manufacturing processes. We report the first quantitative study of the influence of as-built surface conditions on the tensile properties of Ti-6Al-4V produced by selective electron beam melting (SEBM) in order to better understand the SEBM process. Tensile ductility was doubled along with noticeable improvements in tensile strengths after surface modification of the SEBM-fabricated Ti-6Al-4V by chemical etching. The fracture surfaces of tensile specimens with different surface conditions were characterised and correlated with the tensile properties obtained. The removal of a 650- μm-thick surface layer by chemical etching was shown to be necessary to eliminate the detrimental influence of surface defects on mechanical properties. The experimental results and analyses underline the necessity to modify the surfaces of SEBM-fabricated components for structural applications, particularly for those components which contain complex internal concave and convex surfaces and channels.

Study of Textile Surface Characteristic Modification by Using Electron Beam Radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iswani Gitawati; Rany Saptaaji

2007-01-01

The success of accelerator technology application in various field of industry, medical and pharmacy, environment, agricultural, food increase each year as the increasing of people needs, not excepted for surface treatment of fibers and textiles in textile industry. This writing aim is to asses the application of electron beam accelerator for textile surface treatment on finishing step. Surface treatment was done with electron beam low energy (100 - 500 keV), and because of its low penetration it was suitable used to gain the improvement of chemical, physical and mechanical properties of textile surface such as adhesion, wettability, printability, dyes-intake, crease recovery, wrinkle-resistance, flammability, abrasion resistance, soil and stain release to get better result. Modification of fibers and textiles surface properties on finishing process can be caused by crosslinking, grafting and degradation reactions. The assesment results showed that the greatest impact on commercial application of radiation in textiles were crease recovery and surface modification of wetting properties (soil and stain release). The radiation dose used for those purposes were 5 - 50 kGy. The bach process of graft textiles surface modification before and after irradiation by Co-60 source (gamma energies of 1.33 and 1.17 MeV) and continue process by electron beam were presented. The assesment results were reported in this paper. (author)

Surface electrical properties of stainless steel fibres: An AFM-based study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, Jun; D’Haese, Cécile; Nysten, Bernard

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Surface electrical conductivity of stainless steel fibre is measured and mapped by CS-AFM. • Surface potential of stainless steel fibre is measured and mapped by KPFM. • Surface electronic properties are governed by the chromium oxide passivation layer. • Electron tunnelling through the passivation layer is the dominant mechanisms for conduction. - Abstract: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) electrical modes were used to study the surface electrical properties of stainless steel fibres. The surface electrical conductivity was studied by current sensing AFM and I–V spectroscopy. Kelvin probe force microscopy was used to measure the surface contact potential. The oxide film, known as passivation layer, covering the fibre surface gives rise to the observation of an apparently semiconducting behaviour. The passivation layer generally exhibits a p-type semiconducting behaviour, which is attributed to the predominant formation of chromium oxide on the surface of the stainless steel fibres. At the nanoscale, different behaviours are observed from points to points, which may be attributed to local variations of the chemical composition and/or thickness of the passivation layer. I–V curves are well fitted with an electron tunnelling model, indicating that electron tunnelling may be the predominant mechanism for electron transport

Surface properties of semi-infinite Fermi systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campi, X.; Stringari, S.

1979-10-01

A functional relation between the kinetic energy density and the total density is used to analyse the surface properties of semi-infinite Fermi systems. One find an explicit expression for the surface thickness in which the role of the infinite matter compressibility, binding energy and non-locality effects is clearly shown. The method, which holds both for nuclear and electronic systems (liquid metals), yields a very simple relation between the surface thickness and the surface energy

The unusual properties of beryllium surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stumpf, R.; Hannon, J.B.

1994-01-01

Be is a ''marginal metal.'' The stable phase, hcp-Be, has a low Fermi-level density of states and very anisotropic structural and elastic properties, similar to a semiconductor's. At the Be(0001) surface, surface states drastically increase the Fermi-level density of states. The different nature of bonding in bulk-Be and at the Be(0001) surface explains the large outward relaxation. The presence of surface states causes large surface core-level shifts by inducing a higher electrostatic potential in the surface layers and by improving the screening at the surface. The authors experimental and theoretical investigations of atomic vibrations at the Be(0001) surface demonstrate clearly that Be screening of atomic motion by the surface states makes the surface phonon dispersion fundamentally different from that of the bulk. Properties of Be(0001) are so different from those of the bulk that the surface can be considered a new ''phase'' of beryllium with unique electronic and structural characteristics. For comparison they also study Be(11 bar 20), a very open surface without important surface states. Be(11 bar 20) is the only clean s-p metal surface known to reconstruct (1 x 3 missing row reconstruction)

The role of surface ligands in determining the electronic properties of quantum dot solids and their impact on photovoltaic figure of merits.

Science.gov (United States)

Goswami, Prasenjit N; Mandal, Debranjan; Rath, Arup K

2018-01-18

Surface chemistry plays a crucial role in determining the electronic properties of quantum dot solids and may well be the key to mitigate loss processes involved in quantum dot solar cells. Surface ligands help to maintain the shape and size of the individual dots in solid films, to preserve the clean energy band gap of the individual particles and to control charge carrier conduction across solid films, in turn regulating their performance in photovoltaic applications. In this report, we show that the changes in size, shape and functional groups of small chain organic ligands enable us to modulate mobility, dielectric constant and carrier doping density of lead sulfide quantum dot solids. Furthermore, we correlate these results with performance, stability and recombination processes in the respective photovoltaic devices. Our results highlight the critical role of surface chemistry in the electronic properties of quantum dots. The role of the size, functionality and the surface coverage of the ligands in determining charge transport properties and the stability of quantum dot solids have been discussed. Our findings, when applied in designing new ligands with higher mobility and improved passivation of quantum dot solids, can have important implications for the development of high-performance quantum dot solar cells.

Electronic properties and surface reactivity of SrO-terminated SrTiO3 and SrO-terminated iron-doped SrTiO3.

Science.gov (United States)

Staykov, Aleksandar; Tellez, Helena; Druce, John; Wu, Ji; Ishihara, Tatsumi; Kilner, John

2018-01-01

Surface reactivity and near-surface electronic properties of SrO-terminated SrTiO 3 and iron doped SrTiO 3 were studied with first principle methods. We have investigated the density of states (DOS) of bulk SrTiO 3 and compared it to DOS of iron-doped SrTiO 3 with different oxidation states of iron corresponding to varying oxygen vacancy content within the bulk material. The obtained bulk DOS was compared to near-surface DOS, i.e. surface states, for both SrO-terminated surface of SrTiO 3 and iron-doped SrTiO 3 . Electron density plots and electron density distribution through the entire slab models were investigated in order to understand the origin of surface electrons that can participate in oxygen reduction reaction. Furthermore, we have compared oxygen reduction reactions at elevated temperatures for SrO surfaces with and without oxygen vacancies. Our calculations demonstrate that the conduction band, which is formed mainly by the d-states of Ti, and Fe-induced states within the band gap of SrTiO 3 , are accessible only on TiO 2 terminated SrTiO 3 surface while the SrO-terminated surface introduces a tunneling barrier for the electrons populating the conductance band. First principle molecular dynamics demonstrated that at elevated temperatures the surface oxygen vacancies are essential for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Semiconductor interfaces of polycrystalline CdTe thin-film solar cells. Characterization and modification of electronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsche, J.

2003-01-01

In this thesis for the first time the electronic properties of the semiconductor interfaces in polycrystalline CdTe thin-film solar cells, as well as the morphological and electronic properties of the single semiconductor surfaces were systematically characterized by surface-sensitive measuring methods. The morphological surface properties were analyzed by scanning force microscopy. As substrate materials with SnO 2 /ITO covered glass was applied, where the CdS and CdTe layers were deposited. Furthermore the electronic and morphological material properties of differently treated SnO 2 surfaces were characterized. Beside the studies with scanning force microscopy sputtering depth profiles and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were measured

Electronic properties of physisorbed helium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kossler, Sarah

2011-01-01

This thesis deals with electronic excitations of helium physisorbed on metal substrates. It is studied to what extent the electronic properties change compared to the gas phase due to the increased helium density and the proximity of the metal. Furthermore, the influence of different substrate materials is investigated systematically. To this end, up to two helium layers were adsorbed onto Ru (001), Pt (111), Cu (111), and Ag (111) surfaces in a custom-made cryostat. These samples were studied spectroscopically using synchrotron radiation and a time-of-flight detector. The experimental results were then analyzed in comparison with extensive theoretical model calculations.

Electronic properties of physisorbed helium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kossler, Sarah

2011-09-22

This thesis deals with electronic excitations of helium physisorbed on metal substrates. It is studied to what extent the electronic properties change compared to the gas phase due to the increased helium density and the proximity of the metal. Furthermore, the influence of different substrate materials is investigated systematically. To this end, up to two helium layers were adsorbed onto Ru (001), Pt (111), Cu (111), and Ag (111) surfaces in a custom-made cryostat. These samples were studied spectroscopically using synchrotron radiation and a time-of-flight detector. The experimental results were then analyzed in comparison with extensive theoretical model calculations.

Modification of Structure and Tribological Properties of the Surface Layer of Metal-Ceramic Composite under Electron Irradiation in the Plasmas of Inert Gases

Science.gov (United States)

Ovcharenko, V. E.; Ivanov, K. V.; Mohovikov, A. A.; Yu, B.; Xu, Yu; Zhong, L.

2018-01-01

Metal-ceramic composites are the main materials for high-load parts in tribomechanical systems. Modern approaches to extend the operation life of tribomechanical systems are based on increasing the strength and tribological properties of the surface layer having 100 to 200 microns in depth. The essential improvement of the properties occurs when high dispersed structure is formed in the surface layer using high-energy processing. As a result of the dispersed structure formation the more uniform distribution of elastic stresses takes place under mechanical or thermal action, the energy of stress concentrators emergence significantly increases and the probability of internal defects formation reduces. The promising method to form the dispersed structure in the surface layer is pulse electron irradiation in the plasmas of inert gases combining electron irradiation and ion bombardment in one process. The present work reports upon the effect of pulse electron irradiation in plasmas of different inert gases with different atomic mass and ionization energy on the structure and tribological properties of the surface layer of TiC/(Ni-Cr) metal-ceramic composite with the volume ratio of the component being 50:50. It is experimentally shown that high-dispersed heterophase structure with a fraction of nanosized particles is formed during the irradiation. Electron microscopy study reveals that refining of the initial coarse TiC particles occurs via their dissolution in the molten metal binder followed by the precipitation of secondary fine particles in the interparticle layers of the binder. The depth of modified layer and the fraction of nanosized particles increase when the atomic number of the plasma gas increases and ionization energy decreases. The wear resistance of metal-ceramic composite improves in accordance to the formation of nanocrystalline structure in the surface layer.

6 MeV pulsed electron beam induced surface and structural changes in polyimide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mathakari, Narendra L.; Bhoraskar, Vasant N. [Microtron Accelerator Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Pune, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007, Maharashtra (India); Dhole, Sanjay D., E-mail: sanjay@physics.unipune.ernet.i [Microtron Accelerator Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Pune, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007, Maharashtra (India)

2010-04-15

Thin films of polyimide (PMDA-ODA, Kapton) having 50 mum thickness were irradiated with 6 MeV pulsed electron beam. The bulk and surface properties of pristine and irradiated samples were characterized by several techniques such as stress-strain measurements, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), UV-vis spectroscopy, contact angle, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and profilometry. The tensile strength, percentage elongation and strain energy show an enhancement from pristine value of 73-89 MPa, 10-22% and 4.75-14.2 MJ/m{sup 3} respectively at the maximum fluence of 4 x 10{sup 15} electrons/cm{sup 2}. This signifies that polyimide being an excessively aromatic polymer is crosslinked due to high-energy electron irradiation. In surface properties, the contact angle shows a significant decrease from 59 deg. to 32 deg. indicating enhancement in hydrophilicity. This mainly attributes to surface roughening, which is due to the electron beam induced sputtering. The surface roughening is confirmed in AFM and profilometry measurements. The AFM images clearly show that surface roughness increases after electron irradiation. Moreover, the roughness average (R{sub a}) as measured from surface profilograms is found to increase from 0.06 to 0.1. The FTIR and UV-vis spectra do not show noticeable changes as regards to scissioning of bonds and the oxidation. This work leads to a definite conclusion that 6 MeV pulsed electron beam can be used to bring about desired changes in surface as well as bulk properties of polyimide, which is considered to be a high performance space quality polymer.

Low-energy electron irradiation induced top-surface nanocrystallization of amorphous carbon film

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Cheng; Fan, Xue; Diao, Dongfeng

2016-10-01

We report a low-energy electron irradiation method to nanocrystallize the top-surface of amorphous carbon film in electron cyclotron resonance plasma system. The nanostructure evolution of the carbon film as a function of electron irradiation density and time was examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the electron irradiation gave rise to the formation of sp2 nanocrystallites in the film top-surface within 4 nm thickness. The formation of sp2 nanocrystallite was ascribed to the inelastic electron scattering in the top-surface of carbon film. The frictional property of low-energy electron irradiated film was measured by a pin-on-disk tribometer. The sp2 nanocrystallized top-surface induced a lower friction coefficient than that of the original pure amorphous film. This method enables a convenient nanocrystallization of amorphous surface.

Electron transport properties of indium oxide - indium nitride metal-oxide-semiconductor heterostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, C.Y.; Hauguth, S.; Polyakov, V.; Schwierz, F.; Cimalla, V.; Kups, T.; Himmerlich, M.; Schaefer, J.A.; Krischok, S.; Ambacher, O.; Morales, F.M.; Lozano, J.G.; Gonzalez, D.; Lebedev, V.

2008-01-01

The structural, chemical and electron transport properties of In 2 O 3 /InN heterostructures and oxidized InN epilayers are reported. It is shown that the accumulation of electrons at the InN surface can be manipulated by the formation of a thin surface oxide layer. The epitaxial In 2 O 3 /InN heterojunctions show an increase in the electron concentration due to the increasing band banding at the heterointerface. The oxidation of InN results in improved transport properties and in a reduction of the sheet carrier concentration of the InN epilayer very likely caused by a passivation of surface donors. (copyright 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Structural, electronic and mechanical properties of inner surface modified imogolite nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurício Chagas Da Silva

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The electronic, structural and mechanical properties of the modified imogolites have been investigated using self consistent charge-density functional-tight binding method with a posteriori treatment of the dispersion interaction (SCC-DFTB-D. The zigzag (12,0 imogolite has been used as the initial structure for the calculations. The functionalization of the interior (12,0 imogolite nanotubes by organosilanes and by heat treatment leading to the dehydroxylation of the silanols were investigated. The reaction of the silanols with the trimethylmethoxysilanes is favored and the arrangement of the different substitutions that leads to the most symmetrical structures are preferred. The Young moduli and band gaps are slightly decreased. However, the dehydroxylation of the silanol groups in the inner surface of the imogolite leads to the increase of the Young moduli and a drastic decrease of the band gap of about 4.4 eV. It has been shown that the degree of the dehydroxylation can be controlled by heat treatment and tune the band gap, eventually, leading to a semiconductor material with well defined nanotube structure.

Triple layered core–shell structure with surface fluorinated ZnO-carbon nanotube composites and its electron emission properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, H.Y.; Chua, Daniel H.C.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The effects of CF 4 plasma on ZnO-CNT core–shell structures were studied. ► ZnO was effective in protecting the aligned CNTs core for as long as 30 min of plasma etching. ► SEM showed the surface morphology was nearly similar between pristine, 2 min and 30 min plasma etched specimens. ► F was observed to displace O in ZnO. ► This is the first report of an ultra long plasma etch of fluorine onto ZnO surface. - Abstract: Core-shelled structures such as zinc oxide (ZnO) on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) give rise to interesting material properties. In this work, a triple-layered core–shell–shell structure is presented where the effects of fluorine (F) incorporation on the outmost shell of the ZnO-CNT structure are studied. The samples prepared ranged from a short 2 min to a 30 min immersion in carbon tetraflouride (CF 4 ) plasma. In addition, its effects on the electron emission properties also studied and it is shown that the plasma immersions create thinner field emitters with sharp tiny wrinkles giving rise to more electron emission sites and higher enhancement factor. In addition, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements showed that F ions replace O in ZnO coatings during immersion process, thus increasing the electrical conductivity and shifts the Fermi level of ZnO upwards. Both physical and electronic effects further contribute to a lower threshold field.

Electron Transport Properties of Ge nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Hanrath, Tobias; Khondaker, Saiful I.; Yao, Zhen; Korgel, Brian A.

2003-03-01

Electron Transport Properties of Ge nanowires Tobias Hanrath*, Saiful I. Khondaker, Zhen Yao, Brian A. Korgel* *Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Dept. of Physics, Texas Materials Institute, and Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1062 e-mail: korgel@mail.che.utexas.edu Germanium (Ge) nanowires with diameters ranging from 6 to 50 nm and several micrometer in length were grown via a supercritical fluid-liquid-solid synthesis. Parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy (PEELS) was employed to study the band structure and electron density in the Ge nanowires. The observed increase in plasmon peak energy and peak width with decreasing nanowire diameter is attributed to quantum confinement effects. For electrical characterization, Ge nanowires were deposited onto a patterned Si/SiO2 substrate. E-beam lithography was then used to form electrode contacts to individual nanowires. The influence of nanowire diameter, surface chemistry and crystallographic defects on electron transport properties were investigated and the comparison of Ge nanowire conductivity with respect to bulk, intrinsic Ge will be presented.

Effect of surface roughness scattering on the transport properties of a 2DEG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yarar, Z.

2004-01-01

In this work surface roughness scattering of electrons in a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed at heterojunction interfaces is investigated for various auto-correlation functions. Gaussian, exponential and Lorentzian auto-correlation functions are used to represent surface roughness. Poisson and Schrodinger equations are solved self consistently at the hetero interface to find the energy levels, the wave functions corresponding to each level and electron concentrations at each level. Using these wave functions and the auto-correlation functions mentioned above, the scattering rates due to surface roughness are calculated. Scattering rates resulting from acoustic and optical phonons are also calculated. These rates are used to study the transport properties of the two dimensional electrons using ensemble Monte Carlo method at various temperatures. Emphasis is given to the effect of surface roughness scattering on the transport properties of the electrons

Fermi Surface Properties of Eu-Divalent and Eu-Trivalent Electronic States with the AuCu3-type Cubic Structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Ai; Takeuchi, Tetsuya; Tatetsu, Yasutomi; Maehira, Takahiro; Hedo, Masato; Nakama, Takao; Ōnuki, Yoshichika; Harima, Hisatomo

2015-01-01

The electronic states in EuBi 3 and EuPd 3 are known to be Eu-divalent and Eu- trivalent, respectively, from the previous studies using polycrystal samples. In the present study, we succeeded in growing high-quality single crystals, and carried out the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) measurements and energy band calculations to clarify the Fermi surface properties

One-dimensional versus two-dimensional electronic states in vicinal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortega, J E; Ruiz-Oses, M; Cordon, J; Mugarza, A; Kuntze, J; Schiller, F

2005-01-01

Vicinal surfaces with periodic arrays of steps are among the simplest lateral nanostructures. In particular, noble metal surfaces vicinal to the (1 1 1) plane are excellent test systems to explore the basic electronic properties in one-dimensional superlattices by means of angular photoemission. These surfaces are characterized by strong emissions from free-electron-like surface states that scatter at step edges. Thereby, the two-dimensional surface state displays superlattice band folding and, depending on the step lattice constant d, it splits into one-dimensional quantum well levels. Here we use high-resolution, angle-resolved photoemission to analyse surface states in a variety of samples, in trying to illustrate the changes in surface state bands as a function of d

Surface morphology and electronic structure of halogen etched InAs (1 1 1)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eassa, N., E-mail: nashwa.eassa@nmmu.ac.za [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Murape, D.M. [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Betz, R. [Department of Chemistry, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (South Africa); Neethling, J.H.; Venter, A.; Botha, J.R. [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa)

2012-05-15

The reaction of halogen-based etchants with n-InAs (1 1 1)A and the resulting surface morphology and surface electronic structure are investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Using the intensity ratio of the unscreened longitudinal optical (LO) phonon to the transverse optical (TO) phonon in the Raman spectrum, a significant reduction in band bending is deduced after exposure of the InAs surface to HCl:H{sub 2}O, Br-methanol and I-ethanol for moderate times and concentrations. These procedures also lead to smooth and defect-free InAs surfaces. The improvements in surface properties are reversed, however, if the concentrations of the etchants are increased or the etch time is too long. In the worst cases, pit formation and inverted pyramids with {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace} side facets are observed. The influence of the etchant concentration and etch time on the morphological and electronic properties of the etched surfaces is reported.

Surface morphology and electronic structure of halogen etched InAs (1 1 1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eassa, N.; Murape, D.M.; Betz, R.; Neethling, J.H.; Venter, A.; Botha, J.R.

2012-01-01

The reaction of halogen-based etchants with n-InAs (1 1 1)A and the resulting surface morphology and surface electronic structure are investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Using the intensity ratio of the unscreened longitudinal optical (LO) phonon to the transverse optical (TO) phonon in the Raman spectrum, a significant reduction in band bending is deduced after exposure of the InAs surface to HCl:H 2 O, Br–methanol and I–ethanol for moderate times and concentrations. These procedures also lead to smooth and defect-free InAs surfaces. The improvements in surface properties are reversed, however, if the concentrations of the etchants are increased or the etch time is too long. In the worst cases, pit formation and inverted pyramids with {1 1 1} side facets are observed. The influence of the etchant concentration and etch time on the morphological and electronic properties of the etched surfaces is reported.

Surface morphology, structural and electrical properties of RF ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

5

electrical properties of RF sputtered ITO thin films deposited onto Si(100). .... scanning electron microscopy (SEM) surface images are shown along with the cross- ..... annealing effect”, J. of Alloys and Compounds 509, (2011) 6072-6076.

Electronic Structure of the Perylene / Zinc Oxide Interface: A Computational Study of Photoinduced Electron Transfer and Impact of Surface Defects

KAUST Repository

Li, Jingrui

2015-07-29

The electronic properties of dye-sensitized semiconductor surfaces consisting of pery- lene chromophores chemisorbed on zinc oxide via different spacer-anchor groups, have been studied at the density-functional-theory level. The energy distributions of the donor states and the rates of photoinduced electron transfer from dye to surface are predicted. We evaluate in particular the impact of saturated versus unsaturated aliphatic spacer groups inserted between the perylene chromophore and the semiconductor as well as the influence of surface defects on the electron-injection rates.

Electronic Structure of the Perylene / Zinc Oxide Interface: A Computational Study of Photoinduced Electron Transfer and Impact of Surface Defects

KAUST Repository

Li, Jingrui; Li, Hong; Winget, Paul; Bredas, Jean-Luc

2015-01-01

The electronic properties of dye-sensitized semiconductor surfaces consisting of pery- lene chromophores chemisorbed on zinc oxide via different spacer-anchor groups, have been studied at the density-functional-theory level. The energy distributions of the donor states and the rates of photoinduced electron transfer from dye to surface are predicted. We evaluate in particular the impact of saturated versus unsaturated aliphatic spacer groups inserted between the perylene chromophore and the semiconductor as well as the influence of surface defects on the electron-injection rates.

Local Electronic And Dielectric Properties at Nanosized Interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonnell, Dawn A. [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

2015-02-23

Final Report to the Department of Energy for period 6/1/2000 to 11/30/2014 for Grant # DE-FG02-00ER45813-A000 to the University of Pennsylvania Local Electronic And Dielectric Properties at Nanosized Interfaces PI: Dawn Bonnell The behavior of grain boundaries and interfaces has been a focus of fundamental research for decades because variations of structure and composition at interfaces dictate mechanical, electrical, optical and dielectric properties in solids. Similarly, the consequence of atomic and electronic structures of surfaces to chemical and physical interactions are critical due to their implications to catalysis and device fabrication. Increasing fundamental understanding of surfaces and interfaces has materially advanced technologies that directly bear on energy considerations. Currently, exciting developments in materials processing are enabling creative new electrical, optical and chemical device configurations. Controlled synthesis of nanoparticles, semiconducting nanowires and nanorods, optical quantum dots, etc. along with a range of strategies for assembling and patterning nanostructures portend the viability of new devices that have the potential to significantly impact the energy landscape. As devices become smaller the impact of interfaces and surfaces grows geometrically. As with other nanoscale phenomena, small interfaces do not exhibit the same properties as do large interfaces. The size dependence of interface properties had not been explored and understanding at the most fundamental level is necessary to the advancement of nanostructured devices. An equally important factor in the behavior of interfaces in devices is the ability to examine the interfaces under realistic conditions. For example, interfaces and boundaries dictate the behavior of oxide fuel cells which operate at extremely high temperatures in dynamic high pressure chemical environments. These conditions preclude the characterization of local properties during fuel cell

Electrical properties of irradiated PVA film by using ion/electron beam

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelrahman, M. M.; Osman, M.; Hashhash, A.

2016-02-01

Ion/electron beam bombardment has shown great potential for improving the surface properties of polymers. Low-energy charged (ion/electron) beam irradiation of polymers is a good technique to modify properties such as electrical conductivity, structural behavior, and their mechanical properties. This paper reports on the effect of nitrogen and electron beam irradiation on the electrical properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films. PVA films of 4 mm were exposed to a charged (ion/electron) beam for different treatment times (15, 30, and 60 minutes); the beam was produced from a dual beam source using nitrogen gas with the other ion/electron source parameters optimized. The dielectric loss tangent tan δ , electrical conductivity σ , and dielectric constant ɛ ^' } in the frequency range 100 Hz-100 kHz were measured at room temperature. The variation of dielectric constant and loss tangent as a function of frequency was also studied at room temperature. The dielectric constant was found to be strongly dependent on frequency for both ion and electron beam irradiation doses. The real (ɛ ^' }) and imaginary (ɛ ^' ' }) parts of the dielectric constant decreased with frequency for all irradiated and non-irradiated samples. The AC conductivity showed an increase with frequency for all samples under the influence of both ion and electron irradiation for different times. Photoluminescence (PL) spectral changes were also studied. The formation of clusters and defects (which serve as non-radiative centers on the polymer surface) is confirmed by the decrease in the PL intensity.

Effect of electropulsing on surface mechanical properties and microstructure of AISI 304 stainless steel during ultrasonic surface rolling process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Haibo [Advanced Materials Institute, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Song, Guolin [Advanced Materials Institute, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Tang, Guoyi, E-mail: tanggy@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [Advanced Materials Institute, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

2016-04-26

The present work integrates 3D digital optical microscopy (OM), nano-indentation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to systematically investigate the effect of electropulsing on the surface mechanical properties and microstructure of AISI 304 stainless steel during the ultrasonic surface rolling process (USRP). Compared with the original USRP, the introduction of electropulsing with optimal parameters can effectively facilitate surface crack healing and improve surface hardness and wear resistance dramatically, and the residual compressive stress is further enhanced. Meanwhile, more martensite phase and fewer deformation twins can be found in the strengthened layer. Rapid improvement of the surface mechanical properties should be attributed to the ultra-refined grains, accelerated martensitic phase transformation and suppressed deformation twining induced by the coupling effect of USRP and electropulsing. The high strain rate given by USRP, increased stacking fault energy and accelerated dislocation mobility caused by electropulsing are likely the primary intrinsic reasons for the observed phenomena.

Surface modification of steels and magnesium alloy by high current pulsed electron beam

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Shengzhi; Gao, Bo; Wu, Aimin; Zou, Jianxin; Qin, Ying; Dong, Chuang; An, Jian; Guan, Qingfeng

2005-11-01

High current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) is now developing as a useful tool for surface modification of materials. When concentrated electron flux transferring its energy into a very thin surface layer within a short pulse time, superfast processes such as heating, melting, evaporation and consequent solidification, as well as dynamic stress induced may impart the surface layer with improved physico-chemical and mechanical properties. This paper presents our research work on surface modification of steels and magnesium alloy with HCPEB of working parameters as electron energy 27 keV, pulse duration ∼1 μs and energy density ∼2.2 J/cm2 per pulse. Investigations performed on carbon steel T8, mold steel D2 and magnesium alloy AZ91HP have shown that the most pronounced changes of phase-structure state and properties occurring in the near-surface layers, while the thickness of the modified layer with improved microhardness (several hundreds of micrometers) is significantly greater than that of the heat-affected zone. The formation mechanisms of surface cratering and non-stationary hardening effect in depth are discussed based on the elucidation of non-equilibrium temperature filed and different kinds of stresses formed during pulsed electron beam melting treatment. After the pulsed electron beam treatments, samples show significant improvements in measurements of wear and corrosion resistance.

Surface modification of steels and magnesium alloy by high current pulsed electron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, Shengzhi; Gao, Bo; Wu, Aimin; Zou, Jianxin; Qin, Ying; Dong, Chuang; An, Jian; Guan, Qingfeng

2005-01-01

High current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) is now developing as a useful tool for surface modification of materials. When concentrated electron flux transferring its energy into a very thin surface layer within a short pulse time, superfast processes such as heating, melting, evaporation and consequent solidification, as well as dynamic stress induced may impart the surface layer with improved physico-chemical and mechanical properties. This paper presents our research work on surface modification of steels and magnesium alloy with HCPEB of working parameters as electron energy 27 keV, pulse duration ∼1 μs and energy density ∼2.2 J/cm 2 per pulse. Investigations performed on carbon steel T8, mold steel D2 and magnesium alloy AZ91HP have shown that the most pronounced changes of phase-structure state and properties occurring in the near-surface layers, while the thickness of the modified layer with improved microhardness (several hundreds of micrometers) is significantly greater than that of the heat-affected zone. The formation mechanisms of surface cratering and non-stationary hardening effect in depth are discussed based on the elucidation of non-equilibrium temperature filed and different kinds of stresses formed during pulsed electron beam melting treatment. After the pulsed electron beam treatments, samples show significant improvements in measurements of wear and corrosion resistance

IrPd nanoalloys: simulations, from surface segregation to local electronic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andriamiharintsoa, T. H. [Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg CNRS-UDS UMR 7504 (France); Rakotomahevitra, A. [Institut pour la Maîtrise de l’Énergie, Faculté des sciences d’Antananarivo (Madagascar); Piccolo, L. [Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l’Environnement de Lyon IRCELYON, UMR 5256 CNRS and Université Lyon 1 (France); Goyhenex, C., E-mail: christine.goyhenex@ipcms.unistra.fr [Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg CNRS-UDS UMR 7504 (France)

2015-05-15

Using semi-empirical modeling, namely tight-binding at different levels of accuracy, the chemical, crystallographic, and electronic structures of bimetallic IrPd nanoparticles are characterized. For the purpose, model cuboctahedral particles containing 561 atoms are considered. Atomistic simulations show that core–shell nanoparticles are highly stable, with a strong surface segregation of Pd, at least for one atomic shell thickness. Within self-consistent tight-binding calculations founded on the density functional theory, an accurate insight is given into the electronic structure of these materials which have a high potential as catalysts.

Magnetite Fe3O4 (111) Surfaces: Impact of Defects on Structure, Stability, and Electronic Properties

KAUST Repository

Noh, Jung Hyun

2015-08-04

We present a comprehensive investigation, via first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations, of various surface terminations of magnetite, Fe3O4 (111), a major iron oxide which has also a number of applications in electronics and spintronics. We compare the thermodynamic stability and electronic structure among the different surfaces terminations. Interestingly, we find that surfaces modified with point defects and adatoms can be more stable than bulk-like terminations. These surfaces show different surface chemistry, electronic structures and distinctive spin polarization features near the Fermi level from those previously considered in the literature. Our studies provide an atomic level insight for magnetite surfaces, which is a necessary step to understanding their interfaces with organic layers in OLED and spintronic devices.

Magnetite Fe3O4 (111) Surfaces: Impact of Defects on Structure, Stability, and Electronic Properties

KAUST Repository

Noh, Jung Hyun; Osman, Osman I; Aziz, Saadullah G.; Winget, Paul; Bredas, Jean-Luc

2015-01-01

We present a comprehensive investigation, via first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations, of various surface terminations of magnetite, Fe3O4 (111), a major iron oxide which has also a number of applications in electronics and spintronics. We compare the thermodynamic stability and electronic structure among the different surfaces terminations. Interestingly, we find that surfaces modified with point defects and adatoms can be more stable than bulk-like terminations. These surfaces show different surface chemistry, electronic structures and distinctive spin polarization features near the Fermi level from those previously considered in the literature. Our studies provide an atomic level insight for magnetite surfaces, which is a necessary step to understanding their interfaces with organic layers in OLED and spintronic devices.

The powerful pulsed electron beam effect on the metallic surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neklyudov, I.M.; Yuferov, V.B.; Kosik, N.A.; Druj, O.S.; Skibenko, E.I.

2001-01-01

Experimental results of the influence of powerful pulsed electron beams on the surface structure,hardness and corrosion resistance of the Cr18ni10ti steel are presented. The experiments were carried out in the powerful electron accelerators of directional effect VGIK-1 and DIN-2K with an energy up to approx 300 KeV and a power density of 10 9 - 10 11 W/cm 2 for micro- and nanosecond range. The essential influence of the irradiation power density on the material structure was established. Pulsed powerful beam action on metallic surface leads to surface melting,modification of the structure and structure-dependent material properties. The gas emission and mass-spectrometer analysis of the beam-surface interaction were defined

Surface properties of hydrogenated nanodiamonds: a chemical investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Girard, H A; Petit, T; Perruchas, S; Gacoin, T; Gesset, C; Arnault, J C; Bergonzo, P

2011-06-28

Hydrogen terminations (C-H) confer to diamond layers specific surface properties such as a negative electron affinity and a superficial conductive layer, opening the way to specific functionalization routes. For example, efficient covalent bonding of diazonium salts or of alkene moieties can be performed on hydrogenated diamond thin films, owing to electronic exchanges at the interface. Here, we report on the chemical reactivity of fully hydrogenated High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) nanodiamonds (H-NDs) towards such grafting, with respect to the reactivity of as-received NDs. Chemical characterizations such as FTIR, XPS analysis and Zeta potential measurements reveal a clear selectivity of such couplings on H-NDs, suggesting that C-H related surface properties remain dominant even on particles at the nanoscale. These results on hydrogenated NDs open up the route to a broad range of new functionalizations for innovative NDs applications development. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

Structural stability and the electronic and magnetic properties of ferrimagnetic Mn_4N(0 0 1) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerrero-Sánchez, J.; Takeuchi, Noboru

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Surface formation energy calculations demonstrate a N-dependent stability. • The magnetic alignment of these surfaces remains bulk-like, in a ferrimagnetic fashion. • A ferrimagnetic behavior in both structures is confirmed by density of states calculations. - Abstract: We have carried out spin-polarized first principles calculations to describe the surface stability and the electronic and magnetic properties of Mn_4N(0 0 1) surfaces. Results show two different surface terminations with different N content. The surface formation energies indicate that for manganese rich conditions the most stable structure is a MnN terminated surface. Whereas, from intermediate to nitrogen rich conditions, a MnN terminated surface with excess of nitrogen atoms is the most favorable. The stability of these surfaces can be traced to the formation of Mn–N bonds at the surface. The stable surfaces are Ferrimagnetic along the direction perpendicular to the surface, retaining a bulk-like behavior. However, there is a decrease in the Mn magnetic moments due to the presence of the surface. Density of states shows an asymmetric behavior, inherent of a Ferrimagnetic state. Finally, the surfaces are metallic with the main contributions around the Fermi level coming from the Mn-d orbitals. The knowledge about the atomic arrangements of the Mn_4N surfaces may serve to explain and understand the formation of more complex and technologically applicable ferromagnetic/ferrimagnetic and antiferromagnetic/ferrimagnetic heterostructures.

Surface modification of the metal plates using continuous electron beam process (CEBP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jisoo; Kim, Jin-Seok; Kang, Eun-Goo; Park, Hyung Wook

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We performed surface modification of SM20C, SUS303, and Al6061 using CEBP. • We analyzed surface properties and microstructure after electron-beam irradiation. • The surface quality was improved after electron-beam irradiation. • The surface hardness for SM20C was increased by ∼50% after CEBP irradiation. - Abstract: The finishing process is an important component of the quality-control procedure for final products in manufacturing applications. In this study, we evaluated the performance of continuous electron-beam process as the final process for finishing SM20C (steel alloy), SUS303 (stainless steel alloy), and Al6061 (aluminum alloy) surfaces both on the initially smooth and rough surfaces. Surface modification of the metals was carried out by varying the feed and frequency of the continuous electron-beam irradiation procedure. The resulting surface roughness was examined with respect to the initial surface roughness of the metals. SM20C and SUS303 experienced an improvement in surface roughness, particularly for initially rough surfaces. Continuous electron-beam process produced craters during the process and the effect of this phenomenon on the resulting surface roughness was relatively large with the initially smooth SM20C and SUS303 alloy surfaces. For Al6061, the continuous electron-beam process was effective at improving its surface roughness even with the initially smooth surface under the optimized conditions of process; this was attributed to its low melting point. Scanning electron microscopy was used to identify metallurgical variation within the thin melted and re-solidification layers of the tested alloys. Changes in the surface contact angle and hardness before and after electron-beam irradiation were also examined

Surface modification of the metal plates using continuous electron beam process (CEBP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jisoo, E-mail: kimjisu16@unist.ac.kr [School of Mechanical and Advanced Materials Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, UNIST-gil 50, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan Metropolitan City 689-798 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jin-Seok, E-mail: totoro22@kitech.re.kr [Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), KITECH Cheonan Headquarters 35-3 Hongcheon-ri, Ipjang-myeon, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do 330-825 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Eun-Goo, E-mail: egkang@kitech.re.kr [Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), KITECH Cheonan Headquarters 35-3 Hongcheon-ri, Ipjang-myeon, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do 330-825 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Hyung Wook, E-mail: hwpark@unist.ac.kr [School of Mechanical and Advanced Materials Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, UNIST-gil 50, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan Metropolitan City 689-798 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-30

Highlights: • We performed surface modification of SM20C, SUS303, and Al6061 using CEBP. • We analyzed surface properties and microstructure after electron-beam irradiation. • The surface quality was improved after electron-beam irradiation. • The surface hardness for SM20C was increased by ∼50% after CEBP irradiation. - Abstract: The finishing process is an important component of the quality-control procedure for final products in manufacturing applications. In this study, we evaluated the performance of continuous electron-beam process as the final process for finishing SM20C (steel alloy), SUS303 (stainless steel alloy), and Al6061 (aluminum alloy) surfaces both on the initially smooth and rough surfaces. Surface modification of the metals was carried out by varying the feed and frequency of the continuous electron-beam irradiation procedure. The resulting surface roughness was examined with respect to the initial surface roughness of the metals. SM20C and SUS303 experienced an improvement in surface roughness, particularly for initially rough surfaces. Continuous electron-beam process produced craters during the process and the effect of this phenomenon on the resulting surface roughness was relatively large with the initially smooth SM20C and SUS303 alloy surfaces. For Al6061, the continuous electron-beam process was effective at improving its surface roughness even with the initially smooth surface under the optimized conditions of process; this was attributed to its low melting point. Scanning electron microscopy was used to identify metallurgical variation within the thin melted and re-solidification layers of the tested alloys. Changes in the surface contact angle and hardness before and after electron-beam irradiation were also examined.

Structure and properties of the tool steel after electron beam treatment and following tempering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozyr', I.G.; Borodin, R.V.; Voropaev, A.V.; Potapov, V.G.

1998-01-01

The possibility of changing the surface structure of chromium tool steel has been considered. The given properties were reached through the surface remelting by electron beam with following tempering of strengthened layer. The found distinguished zones with different structure and properties are formed as the result of this treatment. It is shown that for hipereutectoid steel the thermal furnace annealing at 300 deg C is necessary for strengthened surface layer forming after electron beam remelting. The same result can be had by means of short-term heating with electronic beam up to higher temperatures, but is not higher A 1 . The evaluation of temperature fields was carried out by numerical solution of nonstationary heat conductivity equation

Structure, Surface Morphology, and Optical and Electronic Properties of Annealed SnS Thin Films Obtained by CBD

Science.gov (United States)

Reghima, Meriem; Akkari, Anis; Guasch, Cathy; Turki-Kamoun, Najoua

2014-09-01

SnS thin films were initially coated onto Pyrex substrates by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method and annealed at various temperatures ranging from 200°C to 600°C for 30 min in nitrogen gas. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that a structural transition from face-centered cubic to orthorhombic occurs when the annealing temperature is over 500°C. The surface morphology of all thin layers was investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The elemental composition of Sn and S, as measured by energy dispersive spectroscopy, is near the stoichiometric ratio. Optical properties studied by means of transmission and reflection measurements show an increase in the absorption coefficient with increasing annealing temperatures. The band gap energy is close to 1.5 eV, which corresponds to the optimum for photovoltaic applications. Last, the thermally stimulated current measurements show that the electrically active traps located in the band gap disappear after annealing at 500°C. These results suggest that, once again, annealing as a post-deposition treatment may be useful for improving the physical properties of the SnS layers included in photovoltaic applications. Moreover, the thermo-stimulated current method may be of practical relevance to explore the electronic properties of more conventional industrial methods, such as sputtering and chemical vapor deposition.

Scanning tunnelling microscope imaging of nanoscale electron density gradients on the surface of GaAs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, B; Jacobs, J; Missous, M

2003-01-01

This paper is concerned with the scanning tunnelling microscope tunnelling conditions needed to produce constant current images dominated either by surface topology or by electronic effects. A model experimental structure was produced by cleaving a GaAs multiδ-doped layer in UHV and so projecting a spatially varying electron gas density onto the (110) surface. This cross sectional electron density varies on a nanometre scale in the [100] growth direction. The electronic structure and tunnelling properties of this system were modelled, and the tunnelling conditions favouring sensitivity to the surface electron gas density determined

Electronic structure at metal-smiconductor surfaces and interfaces: effects of disorder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, D.E.

1988-01-01

The main concern of this work is the study of the electronic structure at metal and semiconductor surfaces or interfaces, with special emphasis in the effects of disorder and local microstructure upon them. Various factors which determine this structure are presented and those of central importance are identified. A model that allows the efficient and exact calculation of the local density of states at disordered interfaces is described. This model is based on a tight-binding hamiltonian that has enough flexibility so as to allow an adequate description of real solids. The disorder is taken into account by including stochastic perturbations in the diagonal elements of the hamiltonian in a site orbital basis. These perturbations are taken at each layer from a lorentzian probability distribution. An exact expression for the calculation of the local density of states is derived and applied to a model surface built up from a type orbitals arranged in a simple cubic lattice. The effects of disorder on the local densities of states and on the existence of surface Tamm states are studied. The properties of the electronic states with this kind of model of disorder are considered. The self-consistent calculation of the electronic structure of the Si(111) - (1x1) surface is presented. The effects of disorder on the electronic properties such as the work function or the position of surface states within the gap are evaluated. The surface of the metallic compound NiSi 2 is also treated. The first self-consistent calculation of the electronic structure of its (111) surface is presented. The electronic structure of the Si/NiSi 2 (111) interfaces is calculated for the two types of junctions that can be grown experimentally. The origin of the difference between the Schottky barrier heights at both interfaces is discussed. The results are compared with available experimental data. The implications of this calculation on existing theories about the microscopic mechanism that causes

Electron spectroscopy of nanodiamond surface states

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belobrov, P.I.; Bursill, L.A.; Maslakov, K.I.; Dementjev, A.P

2003-06-15

Electronic states of nanodiamond (ND) were investigated by PEELS, XPS and CKVV Auger spectra. Parallel electron energy loss spectra (PEELS) show that the electrons inside of ND particles are sp{sup 3} hybridized but there is a surface layer containing distinct hybridized states. The CKVV Auger spectra imply that the HOMO of the ND surface has a shift of 2.5 eV from natural diamond levels of {sigma}{sub p} up to the Fermi level. Hydrogen (H) treatment of natural diamond surface produces a chemical state indistinguishable from that of ND surfaces using CKVV. The ND electronic structure forms {sigma}{sub s}{sup 1}{sigma}{sub p}{sup 2}{pi}{sup 1} surface states without overlapping of {pi}-levels. Surface electronic states, including surface plasmons, as well as phonon-related electronic states of the ND surface are also interesting and may also be important for field emission mechanisms from the nanostructured diamond surface.

Electronic and spectroscopic properties of early 3d metal atoms on a graphite surface

Science.gov (United States)

Rakotomahevitra, A.; Garreau, G.; Demangeat, C.; Parlebas, J. C.

1995-07-01

High-sensitivity magneto-optic Kerr effect experiments failed to detect manifestations of magnetism in epitaxial films of V on Ag(100) substrates. More recently V 3s XPS of freshly evaporated V clusters on graphite exhibited the appearance of a satellite structure which has then been interpreted by the effect of surface magnetic moments on V. It is the absence of unambiguous results on the electronic properties of early 3d supported metals that prompts us to examine the problem. Our purpose is twofold. In a first part, after a total energy calculation within a tight-binding method which yields the equilibrium position of a given adatom, we use the Hartree-Fock approximation to find out a possible magnetic solution of V (or Cr) upon graphite for a reasonable value of the exchange integral Jdd. In a second part the informations given by the density of states of the graphite surface as well as the additional states of the adsorbed atom are taken into account through a generalised impurity Anderson Hamiltonian which incorporates the various Coulomb and exchange interactions necessary to analyse the 3s XPS results.

Surface sensitization mechanism on negative electron affinity p-GaN nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Diao, Yu; Liu, Lei; Xia, Sihao; Feng, Shu; Lu, Feifei

2018-03-01

The surface sensitization is the key to prepare negative electron affinity photocathode. The thesis emphasizes on the study of surface sensitization mechanism of p-type doping GaN nanowires utilizing first principles based on density function theory. The adsorption energy, work function, dipole moment, geometry structure, electronic structure and optical properties of Mg-doped GaN nanowires surfaces with various coverages of Cs atoms are investigated. The GaN nanowire with Mg doped in core position is taken as the sensitization base. At the initial stage of sensitization, the best adsorption site for Cs atom on GaN nanowire surface is BN, the bridge site of two adjacent N atoms. Surface sensitization generates a p-type internal surface with an n-type surface state, introducing a band bending region which can help reduce surface barrier and work function. With increasing Cs coverage, work functions decrease monotonously and the "Cs-kill" phenomenon disappears. For Cs coverage of 0.75 ML and 1 ML, the corresponding sensitization systems reach negative electron affinity state. Through surface sensitization, the absorption curves are red shifted and the absorption coefficient is cut down. All theoretical calculations can guide the design of negative electron affinity Mg doped GaN nanowires photocathode.

Electron microscopy of surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venables, J.A.

1981-01-01

Electron beam techniques used to study clean surfaces and surface processes on a microscopic scale are reviewed. Recent experimental examples and possible future developments are discussed. Special emphasis is given to (i) transmission diffraction and microscopy techniques, including atomic imaging; (ii) Auger microscopy on bulk and thin film samples; (iii) secondary electron microscopy, especially low energy secondaries for work-function imaging and photoelectron imaging; and (iv) reflection electron microscopy and diffraction. (orig.)

Modification of Textile Materials' Surface Properties Using Chemical Softener

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jurgita KOŽENIAUSKIENĖ

2011-03-01

Full Text Available In the present study the effect of technological treatment involving the processes of washing or washing and softening with chemical cationic softener "Surcase" produced in Great Britain on the surface properties of cellulosic textile materials manufactured from cotton, bamboo and viscose spun yarns was investigated. The changes in textile materials surface properties were evaluated using KTU-Griff-Tester device and FEI Quanta 200 FEG scanning electron microscope (SEM. It was observed that the worst hand properties and the higher surface roughness are observed of cotton materials if compared with those of bamboo and viscose materials. Also, it was shown that depending on the material structure the handle parameters of knitted materials are the better than the ones of woven fabrics.http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.17.1.249

Charge-transfer properties in the gas electron multiplier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Sanghyo; Kim, Yongkyun; Cho, Hyosung

2004-01-01

The charge transfer properties of a gas electron multiplier (GEM) were systematically investigated over a broad range of electric field configurations. The electron collection efficiency and the charge sharing were found to depend on the external fields, as well as on the GEM voltage. The electron collection efficiency increased with the collection field up to 90%, but was essentially independent of the drift field strength. A double conical GEM has a 10% gain increase with time due to surface charging by avalanche ions whereas this effect was eliminated with the cylindrical GEM. The positive-ion feedback is also estimated. (author)

Morphological and electronic properties of epitaxial graphene on SiC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yakimova, R.; Iakimov, T.; Yazdi, G.R.; Bouhafs, C.; Eriksson, J.; Zakharov, A.; Boosalis, A.; Schubert, M.; Darakchieva, V.

2014-01-01

We report on the structural and electronic properties of graphene grown on SiC by high-temperature sublimation. We have studied thickness uniformity of graphene grown on 4H–SiC (0 0 0 1), 6H–SiC (0 0 0 1), and 3C–SiC (1 1 1) substrates and investigated in detail graphene surface morphology and electronic properties. Differences in the thickness uniformity of the graphene layers on different SiC polytypes is related mainly to the minimization of the terrace surface energy during the step bunching process. It is also shown that a lower substrate surface roughness results in more uniform step bunching and consequently better quality of the grown graphene. We have compared the three SiC polytypes with a clear conclusion in favor of 3C–SiC. Localized lateral variations in the Fermi energy of graphene are mapped by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy. It is found that the overall single-layer graphene coverage depends strongly on the surface terrace width, where a more homogeneous coverage is favored by wider terraces. It is observed that the step distance is a dominating, factor in determining the unintentional doping of graphene from the SiC substrate. Microfocal spectroscopic ellipsometry mapping of the electronic properties and thickness of epitaxial graphene on 3C–SiC (1 1 1) is also reported. Growth of one monolayer graphene is demonstrated on both Si- and C-polarity of the 3C–SiC substrates and it is shown that large area homogeneous single monolayer graphene can be achieved on the Si-face substrates. Correlations between the number of graphene monolayers on one hand and the main transition associated with an exciton enhanced van Hove singularity at ∼4.5 eV and the free-charge carrier scattering time, on the other are established. It is shown that the interface structure on the Si- and C-polarity of the 3C–SiC (1 1 1) differs and has a determining role for the thickness and electronic properties homogeneity of the epitaxial graphene.

Substitutionally doped phosphorene: electronic properties and gas sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Suvansinpan, Nawat; Hussain, Fayyaz; Zhang, Gang; Chiu, Cheng Hsin; Cai, Yongqing; Zhang, Yong-Wei

2016-02-12

Phosphorene, a new elemental two-dimensional material, has attracted increasing attention owing to its intriguing electronic properties. In particular, pristine phospohorene, due to its ultrahigh surface-volume ratio and high chemical activity, has been shown to be promising for gas sensing (Abbas et al 2015 ACS Nano 9 5618). To further enhance its sensing ability, we perform first-principles calculations based on density functional theory to study substitutionally doped phosphorene with 17 different atoms, focusing on structures, energetics, electronic properties and gas sensing. Our calculations reveal that anionic X (X = O, C and S) dopants have a large binding energy and highly dispersive electronic states, signifying the formation of covalent X-P bonds and thus strong structural stability. Alkali atom (Li and Na) doping is found to donate most of the electrons in the outer s-orbital by forming ionic bonds with P, and the band gap decreases by pushing down the conduction band, suggesting that the optical and electronic properties of the doped phosphorene can be tailored. For doping with VIIIB-group (Fe, Co and Ni) elements, a strong affinity is predicted and the binding energy and charge transfer are correlated strongly with their electronegativity. By examining NO molecule adsorption, we find that these metal doped phosphorenes (MDPs) in general exhibit a significantly enhanced chemical activity compared with pristine phosphorene. Our study suggests that substitutionally doped phosphorene shows many intriguing electronic and optic properties different from pristine phosphorene and MDPs are promising in chemical applications involving molecular adsorption and desorption processes, such as materials growth, catalysis, gas sensing and storage.

Electron-phonon coupling at metal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellsing, B.; Eiguren, A.; Chulkov, E.V.

2002-01-01

Chemical reactions at metal surfaces are influenced by inherent dissipative processes which involve energy transfer between the conduction electrons and the nuclear motion. We shall discuss how it is possible to model this electron-phonon coupling in order to estimate its importance. A relevant quantity for this investigation is the lifetime of surface-localized electron states. A surface state, quantum well state or surface image state is located in a surface-projected bandgap and becomes relatively sharp in energy. This makes a comparison between calculations and experimental data most attractive, with a possibility of resolving the origin of the lifetime broadening of electron states. To achieve more than an order of magnitude estimate we point out the importance of taking into account the phonon spectrum, electron surface state wavefunctions and screening of the electron-ion potential. (author)

First-principles study of size-, surface- and mechanical strain-dependent electronic properties of wurtzite and zinc-blende InSb nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yong [School of Mathematics, Physics and Energy Engineering, Hunan Institute of Technology, Hengyang 421002 (China); Xie, Zhong-Xiang, E-mail: xiezxhu@163.com [School of Mathematics, Physics and Energy Engineering, Hunan Institute of Technology, Hengyang 421002 (China); Yu, Xia; Wang, Hai-Bin; Deng, Yuan-Xiang [School of Mathematics, Physics and Energy Engineering, Hunan Institute of Technology, Hengyang 421002 (China); Ning, Feng, E-mail: fning@gxtc.edu.cn [College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001 (China)

2016-08-06

Using first-principle calculations with density functional theory, we investigated the modification of electronic properties in zinc-blende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) InSb nanowires (NWs) grown along the [111] and [0001] directions for different size, different surface coverage and different mechanical strain. The results show that before the surface passivation, ZBNWs and WZNWs exhibit the metallic character and the semiconductor character, respectively. WZNWs show a crossover from a direct to an indirect as diameter decreases. After the surface passivation, both ZBNWs and WZNWs are found to be direct-gap character. The electronic band structure shows a significant response to changes in surface passivation with pseudo hydrogen and halogen. The band structure with mechanical strain is strongly dependent on the crystal orientation and the NW diameter. In ZBNWs, compressive strain induces the indirect band gap character, whereas tensile strain can not form it. WZNWs have various strain dependence in that both compressive and tensile strain make InSb show a direct band gap character. A brief analysis of these results is given. - Highlights: • InSb nanowires with different surfaces can show the different band structures. • Band gap magnitude of InSb nanowires depends on the suppression of surface states. • Different types of mechanical strains show the different effect on the band structure of the InSb nanowires.

Dielectric properties of polymer-particle nanocomposites influenced by electronic nature of filler surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Siddabattuni, Sasidhar; Schuman, Thomas P; Dogan, Fatih

2013-03-01

The interface between the polymer and the particle has a critical role in altering the properties of a composite dielectric. Polymer-ceramic nanocomposites are promising dielectric materials for many electronic and power devices, combining the high dielectric constant of ceramic particles with the high dielectric breakdown strength of a polymer. Self-assembled monolayers of electron rich or electron poor organophosphate coupling groups were applied to affect the filler-polymer interface and investigate the role of this interface on composite behavior. The interface has potential to influence dielectric properties, in particular the leakage and breakdown resistance. The composite films synthesized from the modified filler particles dispersed into an epoxy polymer matrix were analyzed by dielectric spectroscopy, breakdown strength, and leakage current measurements. The data indicate that significant reduction in leakage currents and dielectric losses and improvement in dielectric breakdown strengths resulted when electropositive phenyl, electron-withdrawing functional groups were located at the polymer-particle interface. At a 30 vol % particle concentration, dielectric composite films yielded a maximum energy density of ~8 J·cm(-3) for TiO2-epoxy nanocomposites and ~9.5 J·cm(-3) for BaTiO3-epoxy nanocomposites.

Adsorption and electronic properties of pentacene on thin dielectric decoupling layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Koslowski, Sebastian; Rosenblatt, Daniel; Kabakchiev, Alexander; Kuhnke, Klaus; Kern, Klaus; Schlickum, Uta

2017-01-01

With the increasing use of thin dielectric decoupling layers to study the electronic properties of organic molecules on metal surfaces, comparative studies are needed in order to generalize findings and formulate practical rules. In this paper we study the adsorption and electronic properties of pentacene deposited onto h-BN/Rh(111) and compare them with those of pentacene deposited onto KCl on various metal surfaces. When deposited onto KCl, the HOMO and LUMO energies of the pentacene molecules scale with the work functions of the combined KCl/metal surface. The magnitude of the variation between the respective KCl/metal systems indicates the degree of interaction of the frontier orbitals with the underlying metal. The results confirm that the so-called IDIS model developed by Willenbockel et al. applies not only to molecular layers on bare metal surfaces, but also to individual molecules on thin electronically decoupling layers. Depositing pentacene onto h-BN/Rh(111) results in significantly different adsorption characteristics, due to the topographic corrugation of the surface as well as the lateral electric fields it presents. These properties are reflected in the divergence from the aforementioned trend for the orbital energies of pentacene deposited onto h-BN/Rh(111), as well as in the different adsorption geometry. Thus, the highly desirable capacity of h-BN to trap molecules comes at the price of enhanced metal-molecule interaction, which decreases the HOMO-LUMO gap of the molecules. In spite of the enhanced interaction, the molecular orbitals are evident in scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS) and their shapes can be resolved by spectroscopic mapping.

Bulk Fermi surface and electronic properties of Cu0.07Bi2Se3

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, C.; Craciun, V.; Miller, K. H.; Uzakbaiuly, B.; Buvaev, S.; Berger, H.; Hebard, A. F.; Tanner, D. B.

2013-05-01

The electronic properties of Cu0.07Bi2Se3 have been investigated using Shubnikov-de Haas and optical reflectance measurements. Quantum oscillations reveal a bulk, three-dimensional Fermi surface with anisotropy kFc/kFab≈ 2 and a modest increase in free-carrier concentration and in scattering rate with respect to the undoped Bi2Se3, also confirmed by reflectivity data. The effective mass is almost identical to that of Bi2Se3. Optical conductivity reveals a strong enhancement of the bound impurity bands with Cu addition, suggesting that a significant number of Cu atoms enter the interstitial sites between Bi and Se layers or may even substitute for Bi. This conclusion is also supported by x-ray diffraction measurements, where a significant increase of microstrain was found in Cu0.07Bi2Se3, compared to Bi2Se3.

Acoustic and electronic properties of one-dimensional quasicrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nori, F.; Rodriguez, J.P.

1986-01-01

We study the acoustic and electronic properties of one-dimensional quasicrystals. Both numerical (nonperturbative) and analytical (perturbative) results are shown. The phonon and electronic spectra exhibit a self-similar hierarchy of gaps and many localized states in the gaps. We study quasiperiodic structures with any number of layers and several types of boundary conditions. We discuss the connection between our phonon model and recent experiments on quasiperiodic GaAs-AlAs superlattices. We predict the existence of many gap states localized at the surfaces

Model of coordination melting of crystals and anisotropy of physical and chemical properties of the surface

Science.gov (United States)

Bokarev, Valery P.; Krasnikov, Gennady Ya

2018-02-01

Based on the evaluation of the properties of crystals, such as surface energy and its anisotropy, the surface melting temperature, the anisotropy of the work function of the electron, and the anisotropy of adsorption, were shown the advantages of the model of coordination melting (MCM) in calculating the surface properties of crystals. The model of coordination melting makes it possible to calculate with an acceptable accuracy the specific surface energy of the crystals, the anisotropy of the surface energy, the habit of the natural crystals, the temperature of surface melting of the crystal, the anisotropy of the electron work function and the anisotropy of the adhesive properties of single-crystal surfaces. The advantage of our model is the simplicity of evaluating the surface properties of the crystal based on the data given in the reference literature. In this case, there is no need for a complex mathematical tool, which is used in calculations using quantum chemistry or modeling by molecular dynamics.

New electron-ion-plasma equipment for modification of materials and products surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koval', N.N.

2013-01-01

Electron-ion-plasma treatment of materials and products, including surface clearing and activation, formation surface layers with changed chemical and phase structure, increased hardness and corrosion resistance; deposition of various functional coatings, has received a wide distribution in a science and industry. Widespread methods of ion-plasma modification of material and product surfaces are ion etching and activation, ion-plasma nitriding, arc or magnetron deposition of functional coatings, including nanostructured. The combination of above methods of surface modification allows essentially to improve exploitation properties of treated products and to optimize the characteristics of modified surfaces for concrete final requirements. For the purpose of a combination of various methods of ion-plasma treatment in a single work cycle at Institute of High Current Electronics of SB RAS (IHCE SB RAS) specialized technological equipment 'DUET', 'TRIO' and 'QUADRO' and 'KVINTA' have been developed. This equipment allow generating uniform low-temperature gas plasma at pressures of (0.1-1) Pa with concentration of (10 9 -10 11 ) cm -3 in volume of (0.1-1) m 3 . In the installations consistent realization of several various operations of materials and products treatment in a single work cycle is possible. The operations are preliminary heating and degassing, ion clearing, etching and activation of materials and products surface by plasma of arc discharges; chemicothermal treatment (nitriding) for formation of diffusion layer on a surface of treated sample using plasma of nonself-sustained low-pressure arc discharge; deposition of single- or multilayered superhard (≥40 GPa) nanocrystalline coatings on the basis of pure metals or their compounds (nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides) by the arc plasma-assisted method. For realization of the modes all installations are equipped by original sources of gas and metal plasma. Besides, in

Structural stability and the electronic and magnetic properties of ferrimagnetic Mn{sub 4}N(0 0 1) surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guerrero-Sánchez, J., E-mail: guerrero@cnyn.unam.mx; Takeuchi, Noboru

2017-06-15

Highlights: • Surface formation energy calculations demonstrate a N-dependent stability. • The magnetic alignment of these surfaces remains bulk-like, in a ferrimagnetic fashion. • A ferrimagnetic behavior in both structures is confirmed by density of states calculations. - Abstract: We have carried out spin-polarized first principles calculations to describe the surface stability and the electronic and magnetic properties of Mn{sub 4}N(0 0 1) surfaces. Results show two different surface terminations with different N content. The surface formation energies indicate that for manganese rich conditions the most stable structure is a MnN terminated surface. Whereas, from intermediate to nitrogen rich conditions, a MnN terminated surface with excess of nitrogen atoms is the most favorable. The stability of these surfaces can be traced to the formation of Mn–N bonds at the surface. The stable surfaces are Ferrimagnetic along the direction perpendicular to the surface, retaining a bulk-like behavior. However, there is a decrease in the Mn magnetic moments due to the presence of the surface. Density of states shows an asymmetric behavior, inherent of a Ferrimagnetic state. Finally, the surfaces are metallic with the main contributions around the Fermi level coming from the Mn-d orbitals. The knowledge about the atomic arrangements of the Mn{sub 4}N surfaces may serve to explain and understand the formation of more complex and technologically applicable ferromagnetic/ferrimagnetic and antiferromagnetic/ferrimagnetic heterostructures.

Pseudopotentials for calculating the bulk and surface properties of solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, M.L.

1983-01-01

A survey is presented describing research in condensed matter physics using pseudopotentials to calculate electronic, structural, and vibrational properties of solids. Semiconductors are emphasized, and both bulk and surface calculations are discussed. (author) [pt

Effect of MeV Electron Radiation on Europa’s Surface Ice Analogs

Science.gov (United States)

Gudipati, Murthy; Henderson, Bryana; Bateman, Fred

2017-10-01

MeV electrons that impact Europa’s trailing hemisphere and cause both physical and chemical alteration of the surface and near-surface. The trailing hemisphere receives far lower fluxes above 25 MeV as compared with lower energy particles, but can cause significant chemical and physical modifications at these energies. With NASA's planned Europa Clipper mission and a Europa Lander Concept on the horizon, it is critical to understand and quantify the effect of Europa’s radiation environment on the surface and near surface.Electrons penetrate through ice by far the deepest at any given energy compared to protons and ions, making the role of electrons very important to understand. In addition, secondary radiation - Bremsstrahlung, in X-ray wavelengths - is generated during high-energy particle penetration through solids. Secondary X-rays are equally lethal to life and penetrate even deeper than electrons, making the cumulative effect of radiation on damaging organic matter on the near surface of Europa a complex process that could have effects several meters below Europa’s surface. Other physical properties such as coloration could be caused by radiation.In order to quantify this effect under realistic Europa trailing hemisphere conditions, we devised, built, tested, and obtained preliminary results using our ICE-HEART instrument prototype totally funded by JPL’s internal competition funding for Research and Technology Development. Our Ice Chamber for Europa High-Energy Electron And Radiation-Environment Testing (ICE-HEART) operates at ~100 K. We have also implemented a magnet that is used to remove primary electrons subsequent to passing through an ice column, in order to determine the flux of secondary X-radiation and its penetration through ice.Some of the first results from these studies will be presented and their relevance to understand physical and chemical properties of Europa’s trailing hemisphere surface.This work has been carried out at Jet

Superhydrophobic properties induced by sol-gel routes on copper surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Raimondo, M.; Veronesi, F.; Boveri, G.; Guarini, G.; Motta, A.; Zanoni, R.

2017-11-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces are attracting increasing attention in different fields such as energy, transportation, building industry and electronics, as they exhibit many interesting properties such as high water repellence, anti-fogging, anti-corrosion, anti-fouling and self-cleaning abilities. Here, superhydrophobic nanostructured hybrid materials obtained by depositing alumina nanoparticles on copper surfaces via dip coating in Al2O3 sol are presented. Two different preparation routes were explored, based on either an alcoholic or an aqueous Al2O3 sol, and the resulting wetting properties were compared. Wettability measurements showed that when the alcoholic sol is used superhydrophobicity is attained, with values of water contact angle very close to the upper limit of 180°, while highly hydrophobic coatings are obtained with the aqueous sol. These findings were further supported by electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which revealed that the surface layer deposited on Cu is more homogenous and richer in alumina nanoparticles when the alcoholic sol was used. Durability of the superhydrophobic coating was assessed by performing ageing tests in chemically aggressive environments. A remarkable resistance is displayed by the superhydrophobic coating in acid environment, while alkaline conditions severely affect its properties. Such behaviors were investigated by XPS and FE-SEM measurements, which disclosed the nature of the surface reactions under the different conditions tested. The present results underline that a thorough investigation of surface morphology, chemical composition and wetting properties reveals their strongly connection and helps optimizing the combination of substrate nanostructuring and suitable chemical coating for an improved durability in different aggressive environments.

Role of oxygen adsorption in modification of optical and surface electronic properties of MoS2

Science.gov (United States)

Shakya, Jyoti; Kumar, Sanjeev; Mohanty, Tanuja

2018-04-01

In this work, the effect of surface oxidation of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the work function and bandgap of MoS2 has been investigated for tuning its optical and electronic properties. Transmission electron microscopy studies reveal the existence of varying morphologies of few layers of MoS2 as well as quantum dots due to the different absorbing effects of two mixed solvents on MoS2. The X-ray diffraction, electron paramagnetic resonance, and Raman studies indicate the presence of physical as well as chemical adsorption of oxygen atoms in MoS2. The photoluminescence spectra show the tuning of bandgap arising from the passivation of trapping centers leading to radiative recombination of excitons. The value of work function obtained from scanning Kelvin probe microscopy of MoS2 in mixed solvents of H2O2 and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone increases with an increase in the concentration of H2O2. A linear relationship could be established between H2O2 content in mixed solvent and measured values of work function. This work gives the alternative route towards the commercial use of defect engineered transition metal dichalcogenide materials in diverse fields.

Effect of electron irradiation on the surface properties of Ge-Si single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakirov, M.Ya.; Ibragimov, N.I.

1998-01-01

It is established that by electron irradiation of the Ge 1-x Si x (x = 0 - 0.15) monocrystals with the dose of ≤ 10 13 cm -2 the concentration of the surface charged centers N t does not change. Some drop in the N t value with tendency to saturation is observed by increase in the dose. The speed of the surface recombination also grows with tendency to saturation. Monotonous growth of the surface recombination is identified by increase in dislocations density [ru

A theoretical study of structural and electronic properties of pentacene/Al(100) interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Saranya, G; Nair, Shiny; Natarajan, V; Kolandaivel, P; Senthilkumar, K

2012-09-01

The first principle calculations within the framework of density functional theory have been performed for the pentacene molecule deposited on the aluminum Al(100) substrate to study the structural and electronic properties of the pentacene/Al(100) interface. The most stable configuration was found at bridge site with 45° rotation of the pentacene molecule on Al(100) surface with a vertical distance of 3.4 Å within LDA and 3.8 Å within GGA functionals. The calculated adsorption energy reveals that the adsorption of pentacene molecule on Al(100) surface is physisorption. For the stable adsorption geometry the electronic properties such as density of states (DOS), partial density of states (PDOS), Mulliken population analysis and Schottky barrier height are studied. The analysis of atomic charge, DOS and PDOS show that the charge is transferred from the Al(100) surface to pentacene molecule, and the transferred charge is about -0.05 electrons. For the adsorbed system, the calculated Schottky barrier height for hole and electron transport is 0.27 and 1.55 eV, respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adsorption and electronic properties of pentacene on thin dielectric decoupling layers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian Koslowski

2017-07-01

Full Text Available With the increasing use of thin dielectric decoupling layers to study the electronic properties of organic molecules on metal surfaces, comparative studies are needed in order to generalize findings and formulate practical rules. In this paper we study the adsorption and electronic properties of pentacene deposited onto h-BN/Rh(111 and compare them with those of pentacene deposited onto KCl on various metal surfaces. When deposited onto KCl, the HOMO and LUMO energies of the pentacene molecules scale with the work functions of the combined KCl/metal surface. The magnitude of the variation between the respective KCl/metal systems indicates the degree of interaction of the frontier orbitals with the underlying metal. The results confirm that the so-called IDIS model developed by Willenbockel et al. applies not only to molecular layers on bare metal surfaces, but also to individual molecules on thin electronically decoupling layers. Depositing pentacene onto h-BN/Rh(111 results in significantly different adsorption characteristics, due to the topographic corrugation of the surface as well as the lateral electric fields it presents. These properties are reflected in the divergence from the aforementioned trend for the orbital energies of pentacene deposited onto h-BN/Rh(111, as well as in the different adsorption geometry. Thus, the highly desirable capacity of h-BN to trap molecules comes at the price of enhanced metal–molecule interaction, which decreases the HOMO–LUMO gap of the molecules. In spite of the enhanced interaction, the molecular orbitals are evident in scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS and their shapes can be resolved by spectroscopic mapping.

Secondary electron emission from textured surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Huerta, C. E.; Patino, M. I.; Wirz, R. E.

2018-04-01

In this work, a Monte Carlo model is used to investigate electron induced secondary electron emission for varying effects of complex surfaces by using simple geometric constructs. Geometries used in the model include: vertical fibers for velvet-like surfaces, tapered pillars for carpet-like surfaces, and a cage-like configuration of interlaced horizontal and vertical fibers for nano-structured fuzz. The model accurately captures the secondary electron emission yield dependence on incidence angle. The model shows that unlike other structured surfaces previously studied, tungsten fuzz exhibits secondary electron emission yield that is independent of primary electron incidence angle, due to the prevalence of horizontally-oriented fibers in the fuzz geometry. This is confirmed with new data presented herein of the secondary electron emission yield of tungsten fuzz at incidence angles from 0-60°.

Tailored Surfaces/Assemblies for Molecular Plasmonics and Plasmonic Molecular Electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacroix, Jean-Christophe; Martin, Pascal; Lacaze, Pierre-Camille

2017-06-12

Molecular plasmonics uses and explores molecule-plasmon interactions on metal nanostructures for spectroscopic, nanophotonic, and nanoelectronic devices. This review focuses on tailored surfaces/assemblies for molecular plasmonics and describes active molecular plasmonic devices in which functional molecules and polymers change their structural, electrical, and/or optical properties in response to external stimuli and that can dynamically tune the plasmonic properties. We also explore an emerging research field combining molecular plasmonics and molecular electronics.

Determination of Surface Properties of Liquid Transition Metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korkmaz, S. D.

2008-01-01

Certain surface properties of liquid simple metals are reported. Using the expression derived by Gosh and coworkers we investigated the surface entropy of liquid transition metals namely Fe, Co and Ni. We have also computed surface tensions of the metals concerned. The pair distribution functions are calculated from the solution of Ornstein-Zernike integral equation with Rogers-Young closure using the individual version of the electron-ion potential proposed by Fioalhais and coworkers which was originally developed for solid state. The predicted values of surface tension and surface entropy are in very good agreement with available experimental data. The present study results show that the expression derived by Gosh and coworkers is very useful for the surface entropy by using Fioalhais pseudopotential and Rogers-Young closure

Using surfaces, ligands, and dimensionality to obtain desired nanostructure properties

Science.gov (United States)

Nagpal, Prashant; Singh, Vivek; Ding, Yuchen

2014-03-01

Nanostructured materials are intensively investigated to obtain material properties different from their bulk counterparts. It has been demonstrated that nanoscaled semiconductor can have interesting size, shape and morphology dependent optoelectronic properties. But the effect of surfaces, ligands and dimensionality (0D quantum dots to 2D nanosheets) has been largely unexplored. Here, we will show how tuning the surface and dimensionality can affect the electronic states of the semiconductor, and how these states can play an important role in their fundamental photophysical properties or thermal transport. Using the specific case for silicon, we will show how ``new'' surface states in small uniform can lead to light absorption/emission without phonon assistance, while hindering the phonon-drag of charge carriers leading to low Seebeck coefficient for thermoelectric applications. These measurements will shed light on designing appropriate surface, size, and dimensionality for desired applications of nanostructured films.

[Inelastic electron scattering from surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This program uses ab-initio and multiple scattering to study surface dynamical processes; high-resolution electron-energy loss spectroscopy is used in particular. Off-specular excitation cross sections are much larger if electron energies are in the LEED range (50--300 eV). The analyses have been extended to surfaces of ordered alloys. Phonon eigenvectors and eigenfrequencies were used as inputs to electron-energy-loss multiple scattering cross section calculations. Work on low-energy electron and positron holography is mentioned

High surface conductivity of Fermi-arc electrons in Weyl semimetals

Science.gov (United States)

Resta, Giacomo; Pi, Shu-Ting; Wan, Xiangang; Savrasov, Sergey Y.

2018-02-01

Weyl semimetals (WSMs), a new type of topological condensed matter, are currently attracting great interest due to their unusual electronic states and intriguing transport properties such as chiral anomaly induced negative magnetoresistance, a semiquantized anomalous Hall effect, and the debated chiral magnetic effect. These systems are close cousins of topological insulators (TIs) which are known for their disorder-tolerant surface states. Similarly, WSMs exhibit unique topologically protected Fermi-arc surface states. Here, we analyze electron-phonon scattering, a primary source of resistivity in metals at finite temperatures, as a function of the shape of the Fermi arc where we find that the impact on surface transport is significantly dependent on the arc curvature and disappears in the limit of a straight arc. Next, we discuss the effect of strong surface disorder on the resistivity by numerically simulating a tight-binding model with the presence of quenched surface vacancies using the coherent potential approximation and Kubo-Greenwood formalism. We find that the limit of a straight arc geometry is remarkably disorder tolerant, producing surface conductivity that is one to two orders of magnitude larger than a comparable setup with surface states of TI. This is primarily attributed to a significantly different hybridization strength of the surface states with the remaining electrons in two systems. Finally, a simulation of the effects of surface vacancies on TaAs is presented, illustrating the disorder tolerance of the topological surface states in a recently discovered WSM material.

Fabrication and Electronic Properties of CZTSe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bishop, Douglas M.; McCandless, Brian E.; Haight, Richard; Mitzi, David B.; Birkmire, Robert W.

2014-06-09

To solve the open circuit voltage limitation in Cu2ZnSn(SSe)4 further understanding of defects and the fundamental properties of the bulk material are needed. Although there are a number of literature reports of single crystals, the vast majority are made with a flux agent such as iodine which could potentially act as a dopant or affect defect properties in the material. In this report 2-5 mm single crystals of CZTSe of different compositions were achieved by solid state reaction of elements in a sealed ampoule below the melt temperature without a flux agent. The bulk composition of single crystals are compared to electronic and opto-electronic properties from Hall and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Intergrain measurements showed record hole mobilities for pure CZTSe in excess of 100 cm2/Vs. PL intensity and uniformity were improved by removing inhomogeneities and surface phases through crystal polishing, followed by Br-methanol etching to remove polishing damage. Despite processing conditions more favorable to equilibrium crystal conditions, a broad PL peak is observed with significant luminescence below the band-gap similar to literature reports of band-tailing. A more detailed publication of results and further experiments will be reported in an upcoming Journal of Photovoltaics.

Diamond surface: atomic and electronic structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pate, B.B.

1984-01-01

Experimental studies of the diamond surface (with primary emphasis on the (111) surface) are presented. Aspects of the diamond surface which are addressed include (1) the electronic structure, (2) the atomic structure, and (3) the effect of termination of the lattice by foreign atoms. Limited studies of graphite are discussed for comparison with the diamond results. Experimental results from valence band and core level photoemission spectroscopy (PES), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and carbon 1s near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy (both the total electron yield (TEY) and Auger electron yield (AEY) techniques) are used to study and characterize both the clean and hydrogenated surface. In addition, the interaction of hydrogen with the diamond surface is examined using results from vibrational high resolution low energy electron loss spectroscopy (in collaboration with Waclawski, Pierce, Swanson, and Celotta at the National Bureau of Standards) and photon stimulated ion desorption (PSID) yield at photon energies near the carbon k-edge (hv greater than or equal to 280 eV). Both EELS and PSID verify that the mechanically polished 1 x 1 surface is hydrogen terminated and also that the reconstructed surface is hydrogen free. The (111) 2 x 2/2 x 1 reconstructed surface is obtained from the hydrogenated (111) 1 x 1:H surface by annealing to approx. = 1000 0 C. We observe occupied intrinsic surface states and a surface chemical shift (0.95 +- 0.1 eV) to lower binding energy of the carbon 1s level on the hydrogen-free reconstructed surface. Atomic hydrogen is found to be reactive with the reconstructed surface, while molecular hydrogen is relatively inert. Exposure of the reconstructed surface to atomic hydrogen results in chemisorption of hydrogen and removal of the intrinsic surface state emission in and near the band gap region

Electronic and magnetic properties of Mn{sub 12} single-molecule magnets on the Au(111) surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voss, Soenke; Burgert, Michael; Fonin, Mikhail; Groth, Ulrich; Ruediger, Ulrich [Universitaet Konstanz (Germany); Michaelis, Christian; Brihuega, Ivan; Kern, Klaus [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Festkoerperforschung, Stuttgart (Germany); Dedkov, Yury S. [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Technische Universitaet Dresden (Germany)

2008-07-01

The paramount interest in single-molecule magnets (SMMs) like Mn{sub 12}-acetate and its derivatives was inspired by numerous experimental and theoretical insights indicating the feasibility of addressing quantum effects of magnetism on a molecular scale. Due to its relatively high blocking temperature ({proportional_to}3 K) combined with the ability to identify well-defined spin states, Mn{sub 12} still remains the most favoured SMM possibly allowing the detection of magnetic fingerprints in transport properties of a single molecule. In this work, the electronic properties of Mn{sub 12} molecules chemically grafted on Au(111) surfaces have been studied by means of low temperature as well as room temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STS), X-ray absorption spectroscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy. The results revealed signatures from most probably intact Mn{sub 12} molecules while STS measurements in magnetic fields indicate the possibility to identify magnetic fingerprints in scanning tunneling spectra. The results will be discussed with respect to previous attempts to perform transport measurements on Mn{sub 12} SMMs.

Producing the surface structures with required properties with the help of concentrated fluxes of particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, I.P.; Rukhlyada, N.Ya.

2005-01-01

Pulsed plasma treatment has been proposed for modification of the surface layers of metal-matrix-porous cathodes and parts of electronic-vacuum devices. Surface plasma treatment leads to improvement of thermal emission properties of effective cathodes: work function decreases, secondary electron emission coefficient increases, and surface emission uniformity improves. With the help of pulse plasma, surface smoothing as well as formation of composite coatings can be done [ru

Effect of Laser Feeding on Heat Treated Aluminium Alloy Surface Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Labisz K.

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper are presented the investigation results concerning microstructure as well as mechanical properties of the surface layer of cast aluminium-silicon-copper alloy after heat treatment alloyed and/ or remelted with SiC ceramic powder using High Power Diode Laser (HPDL. For investigation of the achieved structure following methods were used: light and scanning electron microscopy with EDS microanalysis as well as mechanical properties using Rockwell hardness tester were measured. By mind of scanning electron microscopy, using secondary electron detection was it possible to determine the distribution of ceramic SiC powder phase occurred in the alloy after laser treatment. After the laser surface treatment carried out on the previously heat treated aluminium alloys, in the structure are observed changes concerning the distribution and morphology of the alloy phases as well as the added ceramic powder, these features influence the hardness of the obtained layers. In the structure, there were discovered three zones: the remelting zone (RZ the heat influence zone (HAZ and transition zone, with different structure and properties. In this paper also the laser treatment conditions: the laser power and ceramic powder feed rate were investigated. The surface laser structure changes in a manner, that there zones are revealed in the form of. This carried out investigations make it possible to develop, interesting technology, which could be very attractive for different branches of industry.

Electrons on the surface of liquid helium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, D.K.

1979-05-01

Spectroscopic techniques were used to study transitions of electrons between bound states in the potential well near a helium surface. The charge density distribution of electrons on the surface was independently obtained from electrical measurements. From the measurements, information was obtained both about the interaction of the bound state electrons with the surface of liquid helium and about local disorder in the positions of electrons on the surface

Study on the surface electronic properties of Li-containing solids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuura, Fumio; Suzuki, Atsushi; Yamaguchi, Kenji; Yamawaki, M [Tokyo Univ. (Japan)

1998-03-01

The electronic state of Li{sub 2}O surface will be modified by absorption and/or desorption of chemically-active species, such as H{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O. The reactions induced by these species will involve some point defects in the solid. Whereas the high temperature Kelvin probe has proven to be quite effective in obtaining information on the surface reactions between gas and solid, an attempt is being made to incorporate numerical calculation to obtain further information which may not be easily done by experiments. The code employed in the present study is `CRYSTAL`, which employs a self-consistent-field Hartree-Fock method. As a preliminary study, we tried to calculate the change of Fermi Energy as a function of the density of oxygen vacancy. The results revealed that the greater the density of oxygen vacancy, the larger the Fermi Energy of Li{sub 2}O, which was consistent with the experimental results obtained by high temperature Kelvin probe. (author)

Structural and electronic properties of single molecules and organic layers on surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sotthewes, Kai

2016-01-01

Single molecules and organic layers on well-defined solid surfaces have attracted tremendous attention owing to their interesting physical and chemical properties. The ultimate utility of single molecules or self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) for potential applications is critically dependent on the

First-principles study of structure, electronic properties and stability of tungsten adsorption on TiC(111) surface with disordered vacancies

Science.gov (United States)

Ilyasov, Victor V.; Pham, Khang D.; Zhdanova, Tatiana P.; Phuc, Huynh V.; Hieu, Nguyen N.; Nguyen, Chuong V.

2017-12-01

In this paper, we systematically investigate the atomic structure, electronic and thermodynamic properties of adsorbed W atoms on the polar Ti-terminated TixCy (111) surface with different configurations of adsorptions using first principle calculations. The bond length, adsorption energy, and formation energy for different reconstructions of the atomic structure of the W/TixCy (111) systems were established. The effect of the tungsten coverage on the electronic structure and the adsorption mechanism of tungsten atom on the TixCy (111) are also investigated. We also suggest the possible mechanisms of W nucleation on the TixCy (111) surface. The effective charges on W atoms and nearest-neighbor atoms in the examined reconstructions were identified. Additionally, we have established the charge transfer from titanium atom to tungsten and carbon atoms which determine by the reconstruction of the local atomic and electronic structures. Our calculations showed that the charge transfer correlates with the electronegativity of tungsten and nearest-neighbor atoms. We also determined the effective charge per atom of titanium, carbon atoms, and neighboring adsorbed tungsten atom in different binding configurations. We found that, with reduction of the lattice symmetry associated with titanium and carbon vacancies, the adsorption energy increases by 1.2 times in the binding site A of W/TixCy systems.

Electron Emission by N6+ Ions Scattered at a Magnetized Iron Surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solleder, B.; Lemell, C.; Burgdoerfer, J.; Tokesi, K.

2006-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Magnetized materials are of considerable interest in the electronics industry (hard discs, spintronics, etc.). A detailed understanding of the properties of magnetized surfaces is therefore important to optimize technical applications. In the last decades, different experimental techniques have been developed to probe spin effects in magnetized materials. In this work the spin polarization of electrons emitted during the impact of N 6+ ions on a magnetized Fe surface is investigated. We study potential emission (PE) of electrons as well as secondary electron (SE) production and transport in the target with the help of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Spin dependence of electron transfer processes and of transport in the solid are included. Fig. 1 shows the results of our simulation for the energy distribution and spin polarization of emitted electrons in comparison with experimental data of Pfandzelter et al. [1] for the interaction of N 6+ ions with magnetized Fe. Electrons with energies higher than 200 eV are predominantly PE electrons, emitted close to the surface via autoionization (AI), Auger capture (AC) and Auger deexcitation (AD) channels. Low energy electrons are dominated by promoted, autoionized, and secondary electrons. The polarization of above surface electrons is determined by the high of the potential barrier separating projectile and target. At large distances, the barrier drops only slightly below the Fermi edge and enables transitions of electrons from this part of the band structure which has about 50% polarization. These electrons are transferred to high n states feeding promotion and AI processes between high lying states. Electrons emitted by these processes therefore reflect the polarization near the Fermi edge. Close to the surface, the barrier is low enough to allow for electron capture from the entire conduction band. K-Auger electrons are emitted in immediate vicinity of the surface and therefore mirror

Hydrogen doped thin film diamond. Properties and application for electronic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Looi, H.J.

2000-01-01

The face centered cubic allotrope of carbon, diamond, is a semiconducting material which possesses a valuable combination of extreme properties such as super-hardness, highest thermal conductivity, chemical hardness, radiation hardness, wide bandgap and others. Advances in chemical vapour deposition (CVD) technology have lead to diamond becoming available in previously unattainable forms for example over large areas and with controllable purity. This has generated much research interest towards developing the knowledge and processing technology that would be necessary to fully exploit these extreme properties. Electronic devices fabricated on oxidised boron doped polycrystalline CVD diamond (PCD) displayed very poor and inconsistent characteristic. As a result, many electronic applications of polycrystalline diamond films were confined to ultra-violet (UV) and other forms of device which relied on the high intrinsic resistivity on undoped diamond films. If commercially accessible PCD films are to advance in areas which involve sophisticated electronic applications or to compete with existing semiconductors, the need for a more reliable and fully ionised dopant is paramount. This thesis describes a unique dopant discovered within the growth surface of PCD films. This dopant is related to hydrogen which arises during the growth of diamond films. The aim of this study is to characterise and identify possible applications for this form of dopant. The mechanism for carrier generation remains unknown and based on the experimental results in this work, a model is proposed. The Hall measurements conducted on this conductive layer revealed a p-type nature with promising properties for electronic device application. A more detail study based on electrical and surface science methods were carried out to identify the stability and operating conditions for this dopant. The properties of metal-semiconductor contacts on these surfaces were investigated. The fundamental knowledge

Nano-diamonds surface modifications: understanding of electron exchange mechanisms and evidence of a therapeutic effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petit, Tristan

2013-01-01

In this thesis, a therapeutic effect of nano-diamonds (NDs) has been evidenced by investigating the role of NDs surface chemistry on their electronic properties. More precisely, the generation of reactive oxygen species from detonation NDs under ionizing radiation, which could improve current radiotherapy treatments, has been demonstrated. To this end, surface treatments facilitating electron transfer from NDs to their environment, namely hydrogenation and surface graphitization, were developed. Experimental conditions ensuring an efficient hydrogenation by hydrogen plasma were determined under ultrahigh vacuum, before being used to prepare large quantities of NDs in powder phase. A similar procedure was applied to the surface graphitization of NDs, performed by annealing under vacuum at high temperature. The impact of such surface treatments on the electronic interaction properties of NDs has been investigated under ambient air and after dispersion in water. These surface treatments induce a positive Zeta potential to NDs in water, which origin has been discussed. Finally, their interactions with human tumor cells were observed. Radiosensitization of tumor cells using NDs under gamma irradiation was demonstrated, opening new perspectives for NDs in nano-medicine. (author) [fr

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2012-01-01

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

Correlation between morphology, electron band structure, and resistivity of Pb atomic chains on the Si(5 5 3)-Au surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jałochowski, M; Kwapiński, T; Łukasik, P; Nita, P; Kopciuszyński, M

2016-01-01

Structural and electron transport properties of multiple Pb atomic chains fabricated on the Si(5 5 3)-Au surface are investigated using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, reflection high electron energy diffraction, angular resolved photoemission electron spectroscopy and in situ electrical resistance. The study shows that Pb atomic chains growth modulates the electron band structure of pristine Si(5 5 3)-Au surface and hence changes its sheet resistivity. Strong correlation between chains morphology, electron band structure and electron transport properties is found. To explain experimental findings a theoretical tight-binding model of multiple atomic chains interacting on effective substrate is proposed. (paper)

Electronic and structural characterizations of unreconstructed {0001} surfaces and the growth of graphene overlayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emtsev, Konstantin

2009-01-01

The present work is focused on the characterization of the clean unreconstructed SiC{0001} surfaces and the growth of graphene overlayers thereon. Electronic properties of SiC surfaces and their interfaces with graphene and few layer graphene films were investigated by means of angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. Structural characterizations of the epitaxial graphene films grown on SiC were carried out by atomic force microscopy and low energy electron microscopy. Supplementary data was obtained by scanning tunneling microscopy. (orig.)

Effect of Electron Beam Irradiation of the Characteristics of Jute Fibers and the Interfacial Properties of Jute/PLA Green Composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ji, Sang Gyu; Cho, Dong Hwan [Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Byung Cheol [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2010-07-01

Cellulose-based natural fibers such as jute, knife and hemp have promising potential as a replacement for glass fibers in a polymer composite system because of their many advantages like natural abundance, low cost, light weight, biodegradability, carbon dioxide reduction in nature and acceptable mechanical properties. However, natural fibers need an appropriate surface treatment modifying their surface characteristics in order to effectively improve the interfacial properties as well as the mechanical and thermal properties. Electron beam irradiation technique is particularly interesting as it may offer the possibility to modify the surfaces and to enhance the properties of polymer materials such as fibers, films and composites. In addition, electron beam processing has a merit because it is a dry, solvent free and eco-friendly method with a fast throughput rate. In the present study, Jute fibers were irradiated at different dosages of electron beam from 10 to 100 kGy. The result was compared with raw jute fibers un-irradiated, showing the effect on the interfacial shear strength between jute fibers and PLA in terms of single fiber tensile property, fiber surface topology, and chemical composition occurring in jute fibers upon irradiation. It has been found that the surface topology and chemical characteristics of jute fibers significantly depended on the electron beam dosage irradiated, directly influencing the interfacial shear strength and interlaminar shear strength of jute-PLA green composites. It was concluded that electron beam irradiation played a contributing role not only in physically modifying the jute fiber surfaces but also in improving the interfacial properties between jute fibers and poly in the green composite, exhibiting the most effectiveness at a low electron beam energy of 10 kGy.

Surfaces electrons at dielectric plasma walls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinisch, Rafael Leslie

2013-01-01

The concept of the electron surface layer introduced in this thesis provides a framework for the description of the microphysics of the surplus electrons immediately at the wall and thereby complements the modelling of the plasma sheath. In this work we have considered from a surface physics perspective the distribution and build-up of an electron adsorbate on the wall as well as the effect of the negative charge on the scattering of light by a spherical particle immersed in a plasma. In our electron surface layer model we treat the wall-bound electrons as a wall-thermalised electron distribution minimising the grand canonical potential and satisfying Poisson's equation. The boundary between the electron surface layer and the plasma sheath is determined by a force balance between the attractive image potential and the repulsive sheath potential and lies in front of the crystallographic interface. Depending on the electron affinity χ, that is the offset of the conduction band minimum to the potential in front of the surface, two scenarios for the wall-bound electrons are realised. For χ 0 electrons penetrate into the conduction band where they form an extended space charge. These different scenarios are also reflected in the electron kinetics at the wall which control the sticking coefficient and the desorption time. If χ -3 . For χ>0 electron physisorption takes place in the conduction band. For this case sticking coefficients and desorption times have not been calculated yet but in view of the more efficient scattering with bulk phonons, responsible for electron energy relaxation in this case, we expect them to be larger than for the case of χ 0 the electrons in the bulk of the particle modify the refractive index through their bulk electrical conductivity. In both cases the conductivity is limited by scattering with surface or bulk phonons. Surplus electrons lead to an increase of absorption at low frequencies and, most notably, to a blue-shift of an

Electron-accepting surface properties of ceria-(praseodymia)-zirconia solids modified by Y 3+ or La 3+ studied by paramagnetic probe method

Science.gov (United States)

Ikryannikova, Larisa N.; Markaryan, Goar L.; Kharlanov, Andrey N.; Lunina, Elena V.

2003-02-01

EPR paramagnetic probe method with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin- N-oxyl (TEMPO) as a probe has been applied to study of electron-accepting properties of the surface of (Y, La 0.1)Ce xZr 1- xO 2- y ( x=0.1-0.7), Y 0.1Pr 0.3Zr 0.6O 2- y and Y 0.1Pr 0.15Ce 0.15Zr 0.7O 2- y mixed oxides. Two types of acceptor sites—coordinatively unsaturated (cus) cations Zr 4+ and Ce 4+—have been revealed on the CeO 2-ZrO 2 surface after thermovacuum treatment (820 K). The relative amounts and "strength" of these centers were evaluated on the basis of EPR spectra analysis. An introduction of trivalent Y 3+ or La 3+ cations reduces the amount of electron-acceptor sites belonging to cerium cations, stabilizing ones as Ce 3+. A formation of very strong electron-accepting sites (Pr 4+ cus cations) able to form charge transfer complexes with adsorbed TEMPO on the surface of praseodymia-containing samples after thermovacuum treatment was found out. At the same time electron-accepting ability of Zr 4+ cationic sites on Y 0.1Pr 0.3Zr 0.6O 2- y and Y 0.1Pr 0.15Ce 0.15Zr 0.7O 2- y surfaces decreases in comparison with ceria-zirconia one. The generally used IR spectroscopy technique with CO as a probe molecule appeared to be considerably less informative for such systems characterization, due to their high catalytic activity to carbon monoxide. A formation of paramagnetic Zr 3+ ions in ceria-zirconia mixed oxides has been investigated by EPR spectroscopy technique. The different states of this paramagnetic ion are realized in the complex oxides depending on Ce/Zr ratio.

Electron donating and acid-base properties of cerium oxide and its mixed oxides with alumina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugunan, S.; Jalaja, J.M.

1994-01-01

The electron donating properties of cerium oxide activated at 300, 500 and 800 degC and of its mixed oxides with alumina were examined based on the adsorption of electron acceptors exhibiting different electron affinities. The surface acidity/basicity of the oxides was determined by titrimetry; the H 0,max values are given. The limit of electron transfer from the oxide surface lies within the region of 1.77 and 2.40 eV in terms of the electron affinity of the electron acceptor. Cerium oxide promotes the electron donor nature of alumina while leaving the limit of electron transfer unchanged. 2 tabs., 4 figs., 13 refs

Electronic transport properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, W.H.

1985-01-01

The theory of the electron transport properties of liquid alkali metals is described. Conductivity coefficients, Boltzmann theory, Ziman theory, alkali form factors, Ziman theory and alkalis, Faber-Ziman alloy theory, Faber-Ziman theory and alkali-alkali methods, status of Ziman theory, and other transport properties, are all discussed. (UK)

Electrical properties and surface morphology of electron beam evaporated p-type silicon thin films on polyethylene terephthalate for solar cells applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ang, P. C.; Ibrahim, K.; Pakhuruddin, M. Z. [Nano-Optoelectronics Research and Technology Laboratory, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden 11800 Penang (Malaysia)

2015-04-24

One way to realize low-cost thin film silicon (Si) solar cells fabrication is by depositing the films with high-deposition rate and manufacturing-compatible electron beam (e-beam) evaporation onto inexpensive foreign substrates such as glass or plastic. Most of the ongoing research is reported on e-beam evaporation of Si films on glass substrates to make polycrystalline solar cells but works combining both e-beam evaporation and plastic substrates are still scarce in the literature. This paper studies electrical properties and surface morphology of 1 µm electron beam evaporated Al-doped p-type silicon thin films on textured polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate for application as an absorber layer in solar cells. In this work, Si thin films with different doping concentrations (including an undoped reference) are prepared by e-beam evaporation. Energy dispersion X-ray (EDX) showed that the Si films are uniformly doped by Al dopant atoms. With increased Al/Si ratio, doping concentration increased while both resistivity and carrier mobility of the films showed opposite relationships. Root mean square (RMS) surface roughness increased. Overall, the Al-doped Si film with Al/Si ratio of 2% (doping concentration = 1.57×10{sup 16} atoms/cm{sup 3}) has been found to provide the optimum properties of a p-type absorber layer for fabrication of thin film Si solar cells on PET substrate.

Electrical properties and surface morphology of electron beam evaporated p-type silicon thin films on polyethylene terephthalate for solar cells applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ang, P. C.; Ibrahim, K.; Pakhuruddin, M. Z.

2015-04-01

One way to realize low-cost thin film silicon (Si) solar cells fabrication is by depositing the films with high-deposition rate and manufacturing-compatible electron beam (e-beam) evaporation onto inexpensive foreign substrates such as glass or plastic. Most of the ongoing research is reported on e-beam evaporation of Si films on glass substrates to make polycrystalline solar cells but works combining both e-beam evaporation and plastic substrates are still scarce in the literature. This paper studies electrical properties and surface morphology of 1 µm electron beam evaporated Al-doped p-type silicon thin films on textured polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate for application as an absorber layer in solar cells. In this work, Si thin films with different doping concentrations (including an undoped reference) are prepared by e-beam evaporation. Energy dispersion X-ray (EDX) showed that the Si films are uniformly doped by Al dopant atoms. With increased Al/Si ratio, doping concentration increased while both resistivity and carrier mobility of the films showed opposite relationships. Root mean square (RMS) surface roughness increased. Overall, the Al-doped Si film with Al/Si ratio of 2% (doping concentration = 1.57×1016 atoms/cm3) has been found to provide the optimum properties of a p-type absorber layer for fabrication of thin film Si solar cells on PET substrate.

Electronic properties of metal-In{sub 2}O{sub 3} interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nazarzadehmoafi, Maryam

2017-02-22

The behavior of the electronic properties of as-cleaved melt-grown In{sub 2}O{sub 3} (111) single crystals was studied upon noble metals, In and Sn deposition using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The stoichiometry, structural quality and crystal orientation, surface morphology, and the electron concentration were examined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Laue diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and Hall-effect measurement, respectively. The similarity of the measured-fundamental and surface-band gaps reveals the nearly flat behavior of the bands at the as-cleaved surface of the crystals. Ag and Au/In{sub 2}O{sub 3} interfaces show Schottky behavior, while an ohmic one was observed in Cu, In, and Sn/In{sub 2}O{sub 3} contacts. From agreement of the bulk and surface band gaps, rectifying contact formation as well as the occurrence of photovoltage effect at the pristine surface of the crystals, it can be deduced that SEAL is not an intrinsic property of the as-cleaved surface of the studied crystals. Moreover, for thick Au and Cu overlayer regime at room temperature, Shockley-like surface states were observed. Additionally, the initial stage of Cu and In growth on In{sub 2}O{sub 3} was accompanied by the formation of a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) fading away for higher coverages which are not associated with the earlier-detected 2DEG at the surface of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films. The application of the Schottky-Mott rule, using in situ-measured work functions of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and the metals, showed a strong disagreement for all the interfaces except for Ag/In{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The experimental data also disagree with more advanced theories based on the electronegativity concept and metal-induced gap states models.

Investigations of surface related electronic properties in SmB6 and LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Sanjay

This dissertation reports research performed on two types of two-dimensional. systems: SmB6 and LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (LAO/STO). SmB6 has been proposed to be. a topological Kondo insulator at low temperature. In order to understand carriers/. lattice dynamics and their interactions, femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy. is performed in SmB6 single crystals and thin lms at variable temperatures. The. collective oscillation modes in GHz - THz and the change of carrier relaxations is. observed as a function of temperature. From the temperature dependent results. f 􀀀?d hybridization, opening of the hybridization gap, phonon bottleneck", and th. possible topological surface state formation is revealed. The topological surface state. should support helical Dirac dispersion with momentum-spin lockage. This dissertation. reports on current injection in SmB6 thin lm with circularly polarized light. at oblique incidence. This spin polarized photocurrent is concluded to be a direct. result of spin momentum lockage in SmB6. LAO/STO interface shows 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the interface. when the thickness of LAO is more than 3 unit cell. Carrier properties at the. LAO/STO interfaces are highly sensitive to the top surface termination of LAO. The spontaneous dissociation of water on LAO surface is systematically studied by. density functional theory and experimental surface characterizations. Extrinsic effects. from surface adsorbates were often ignored in the previous studies of the 2DEG. From the experiments, it is found that the dissociated water molecules, especially the. surface protons, strongly aect the interface density of states, electron distributions. and lattice distortions. The investigations also reveal the importance of additional. molecular water layers. These additional water layers, through hydrogen bonds, provide. an energetically feasible pathway for manipulating the surface-bonded protons. and thus, the interface electrical characteristics.

Optical properties of InN nanocolumns: Electron accumulation at InN non-polar surfaces and dependence on the growth conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Segura-Ruiz, J.; Cantarero, A. [Materials Science Institute, University of Valencia (Spain); Garro, N. [Materials Science Institute, University of Valencia (Spain); Fundacio General de la Universitat de Valencia, Valencia (Spain); Iikawa, F. [Instituto de Fisica ' ' Gleb Wataghin' ' , UNICAMP, Campinas-SP (Brazil); Denker, C.; Malindretos, J.; Rizzi, A. [IV. Physikalisches Institut, Georg-August Universitaet Goettingen (Germany)

2009-06-15

InN nanocolumns grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy have been studied by photoluminescence (PL) and photoluminescence excitation (PLE). The PL peak energy was red-shifted with respect to the PLE onset and both energies were higher than the low temperature band-gap reported for InN. PL and PLE experiments for different excitation and detection energies indicated that the PL peaks were homogeneously broadened. This overall phenomenology has been attributed to the effects of an electron accumulation layer present at the non-polar surfaces of the InN nanocolumns. Variations in the growth conditions modify the edge of the PLE spectra and the PL peak energies evidencing that the density of free electrons can be somehow controlled by the growth parameters. It was observed that In-BEP and substrate temperature leading to shorter In diffusion lengths diminished the effects of the electron accumulation layer on the optical properties. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Optical properties of InN nanocolumns: Electron accumulation at InN non-polar surfaces and dependence on the growth conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segura-Ruiz, J.; Cantarero, A.; Garro, N.; Iikawa, F.; Denker, C.; Malindretos, J.; Rizzi, A.

2009-01-01

InN nanocolumns grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy have been studied by photoluminescence (PL) and photoluminescence excitation (PLE). The PL peak energy was red-shifted with respect to the PLE onset and both energies were higher than the low temperature band-gap reported for InN. PL and PLE experiments for different excitation and detection energies indicated that the PL peaks were homogeneously broadened. This overall phenomenology has been attributed to the effects of an electron accumulation layer present at the non-polar surfaces of the InN nanocolumns. Variations in the growth conditions modify the edge of the PLE spectra and the PL peak energies evidencing that the density of free electrons can be somehow controlled by the growth parameters. It was observed that In-BEP and substrate temperature leading to shorter In diffusion lengths diminished the effects of the electron accumulation layer on the optical properties. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Tuning the electronic properties of LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces by irradiating the LaAlO3 surface with low-energy cluster ion beams

Science.gov (United States)

Ridier, Karl; Aureau, Damien; Bérini, Bruno; Dumont, Yves; Keller, Niels; Vigneron, Jackie; Etcheberry, Arnaud; Domengès, Bernadette; Fouchet, Arnaud

2018-01-01

We have investigated the effects of low-energy ion beam irradiations using argon clusters on the chemical and electronic properties of LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (LAO/STO) heterointerfaces by combining x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrical transport measurements. Due to its unique features, we demonstrate that a short-time cluster ion irradiation of the LAO surface induces significant modifications in the chemical properties of the buried STO substrate with (1) a lowering of Ti atoms oxidation states (from Ti4 + to Ti3 + and Ti2 +) correlated to the formation of oxygen vacancies at the LAO surface and (2) the creation of new surface states for Sr atoms. Contrary to what is generally observed by using higher energy ion beam techniques, this leads to an increase of the electrical conductivity at the LAO/STO interface. Our XPS data clearly reveal the existence of dynamical processes on the titanium and strontium atoms, which compete with the effect of the cluster ion beam irradiation. These relaxation effects are in part attributed to the diffusion of the ion-induced oxygen vacancies in the entire heterostructure since an increase of the interfacial metallicity is also evidenced far from the irradiated area. This paper highlights the possibility of tuning the electrical properties of LAO/STO interfaces by surface engineering, confirming experimentally the intimate connection between LAO chemistry and electronic properties of LAO/STO interfaces.

Electronic properties of antiferromagnetic UBi2 metal by exact exchange for correlated electrons method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Ghasemikhah

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the electronic properties of antiferromagnetic UBi2 metal by using ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT, employing the augmented plane waves plus local orbital method. We used the exact exchange for correlated electrons (EECE method to calculate the exchange-correlation energy under a variety of hybrid functionals. Electric field gradients (EFGs at the uranium site in UBi2 compound were calculated and compared with the experiment. The EFGs were predicted experimentally at the U site to be very small in this compound. The EFG calculated by the EECE functional are in agreement with the experiment. The densities of states (DOSs show that 5f U orbital is hybrided with the other orbitals. The plotted Fermi surfaces show that there are two kinds of charges on Fermi surface of this compound.

Calculated electronic structure of chromium surfaces and chromium monolayers on iron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Victora, R.H.; Falicov, L.M.

1985-01-01

A self-consistent calculation of the magnetic and electronic properties of the chromium (100) and (110) surfaces and of a chromium monolayer on the (100) and (110) iron surfaces is presented. It is found that (i) the (100) chromium surface is ferromagnetic with a greatly enhanced spin polarization (3.00 electrons); (ii) a substantial enhancement of the spin imbalance exists several (>5) layers into the bulk; (iii) the (110) chromium surface is antiferromagnetic with a large (2.31) spin imbalance; (iv) the (100) chromium monolayer on ferromagnetic iron is ferromagnetic, with a huge spin imbalance (3.63), and aligned antiferromagnetically with respect to the bulk iron; (v) the (110) chromium monolayer on ferromagnetic iron is also ferromagnetic, with a spin imbalance of 2.25 and antiferromagnetically aligned to the iron. The spin imbalance of chromium on iron (100) is possibly the largest of any transition-metal system

Spin properties of dense near-surface ensembles of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

Science.gov (United States)

Tetienne, J.-P.; de Gille, R. W.; Broadway, D. A.; Teraji, T.; Lillie, S. E.; McCoey, J. M.; Dontschuk, N.; Hall, L. T.; Stacey, A.; Simpson, D. A.; Hollenberg, L. C. L.

2018-02-01

We present a study of the spin properties of dense layers of near-surface nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond created by nitrogen ion implantation. The optically detected magnetic resonance contrast and linewidth, spin coherence time, and spin relaxation time, are measured as a function of implantation energy, dose, annealing temperature, and surface treatment. To track the presence of damage and surface-related spin defects, we perform in situ electron spin resonance spectroscopy through both double electron-electron resonance and cross-relaxation spectroscopy on the NV centers. We find that, for the energy (4 -30 keV) and dose (5 ×1011-1013ions/cm 2 ) ranges considered, the NV spin properties are mainly governed by the dose via residual implantation-induced paramagnetic defects, but that the resulting magnetic sensitivity is essentially independent of both dose and energy. We then show that the magnetic sensitivity is significantly improved by high-temperature annealing at ≥1100 ∘C . Moreover, the spin properties are not significantly affected by oxygen annealing, apart from the spin relaxation time, which is dramatically decreased. Finally, the average NV depth is determined by nuclear magnetic resonance measurements, giving ≈10 -17 nm at 4-6 keV implantation energy. This study sheds light on the optimal conditions to create dense layers of near-surface NV centers for high-sensitivity sensing and imaging applications.

Theoretical modelling of semiconductor surfaces microscopic studies of electrons and photons

CERN Document Server

Srivastava, G P

1999-01-01

The state-of-the-art theoretical studies of ground state properties, electronic states and atomic vibrations for bulk semiconductors and their surfaces by the application of the pseudopotential method are discussed. Studies of bulk and surface phonon modes have been extended by the application of the phenomenological bond charge model. The coverage of the material, especially of the rapidly growing and technologically important topics of surface reconstruction and chemisorption, is up-to-date and beyond what is currently available in book form. Although theoretical in nature, the book provides

Auger electron spectroscopy of alloy surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Overbury, S.H.; Somorjai, G.A.

1975-03-01

Regular solution models are used to predict surface segregation of the constituent of lowest surface free energy in homogeneous multicomponent systems. Analysis of the Auger electron emission intensities from alloys yield the surface composition and the depth distribution of the composition near the surface. Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) studies of the surface composition of the Ag--Au and Pb--In systems have been carried out as a function of bulk composition and temperature. Although these alloys have very different regular solution parameters their surface compositions are predictable by the regular solution models. (U.S.)

Multilayer epitaxial graphene grown on the (SiC 000 1-bar ) surface; structure and electronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sprinkle, M; Hicks, J; Tinkey, H; Clark, M C; Hass, J; Conrad, E H; Tejeda, A; Taleb-Ibrahimi, A; Le Fevre, P; Bertran, F; Soukiassian, P; Martinotti, D

2010-01-01

We review the progress towards developing epitaxial graphene as a material for carbon electronics. In particular, we discuss improvements in epitaxial graphene growth, interface control and the understanding of multilayer epitaxial graphene's (MEG's) electronic properties. Although graphene grown on both polar faces of SiC will be discussed, our discussions will focus on graphene grown on the (0 0 0 1-bar ) C-face of SiC. The unique properties of C-face MEG have become apparent. These films behave electronically like a stack of nearly independent graphene sheets rather than a thin Bernal stacked graphite sample. The origins of multilayer graphene's electronic behaviour are its unique highly ordered stacking of non-Bernal rotated graphene planes. While these rotations do not significantly affect the inter-layer interactions, they do break the stacking symmetry of graphite. It is this broken symmetry that leads to each sheet behaving like isolated graphene planes.

Enhanced electromagnetic properties of nickel nanoparticiles dispersed carbon fiber via electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yeong Ju; Kim, Hyun Bin; Lee, Seung Jun; Kang, Phil Hyun

2015-01-01

Carbon fiber has received much attention owing to its properties, including a large surface-to-volume ratio, chemical and thermal stability, high thermal and electrical conductivity, and high mechanical strengths. In particular, magnetic nanopowder dispersed carbon fiber has been attractive in technological applications such as the electrochemical capacitor and electromagnetic wave shielding. In this study, the nickel-oxide-nanoparticle dispersed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers were prepared through an electrospinning method. Electron beam irradiation was carried out with a 2.5 MeV beam energy to stabilize the materials. The samples were then heat treated for stabilization and carbonization. The nanofiber surface was analyzed using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The crystal structures of the carbon matrix and nickel nanopowders were analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). In addition, the magnetic and electrical properties were analyzed using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and 4 point probe. As the irradiation dose increases, the density of the carbon fiber was increased. In addition, the electrical properties of the carbon fiber improved through electron beam irradiation. This is because the amorphous region of the carbon fiber decreases. This electron beam effect of PAN fibers containing nickel nanoparticles confirmed their potential as a high performance carbon material for various applications

Enhanced electromagnetic properties of nickel nanoparticiles dispersed carbon fiber via electron beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Yeong Ju; Kim, Hyun Bin; Lee, Seung Jun; Kang, Phil Hyun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup (Korea, Republic of)

2015-02-15

Carbon fiber has received much attention owing to its properties, including a large surface-to-volume ratio, chemical and thermal stability, high thermal and electrical conductivity, and high mechanical strengths. In particular, magnetic nanopowder dispersed carbon fiber has been attractive in technological applications such as the electrochemical capacitor and electromagnetic wave shielding. In this study, the nickel-oxide-nanoparticle dispersed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers were prepared through an electrospinning method. Electron beam irradiation was carried out with a 2.5 MeV beam energy to stabilize the materials. The samples were then heat treated for stabilization and carbonization. The nanofiber surface was analyzed using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The crystal structures of the carbon matrix and nickel nanopowders were analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). In addition, the magnetic and electrical properties were analyzed using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and 4 point probe. As the irradiation dose increases, the density of the carbon fiber was increased. In addition, the electrical properties of the carbon fiber improved through electron beam irradiation. This is because the amorphous region of the carbon fiber decreases. This electron beam effect of PAN fibers containing nickel nanoparticles confirmed their potential as a high performance carbon material for various applications.

Confinement properties of 2D porous molecular networks on metal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Müller, Kathrin; Enache, Mihaela; Stöhr, Meike

2016-01-01

Quantum effects that arise from confinement of electronic states have been extensively studied for the surface states of noble metals. Utilizing small artificial structures for confinement allows tailoring of the surface properties and offers unique opportunities for applications. So far, examples of surface state confinement include thin films, artificial nanoscale structures, vacancy and adatom islands, self-assembled 1D chains, vicinal surfaces, quantum dots and quantum corrals. In this review we summarize recent achievements in changing the electronic structure of surfaces by adsorption of nanoporous networks whose design principles are based on the concepts of supramolecular chemistry. Already in 1993, it was shown that quantum corrals made from Fe atoms on a Cu(1 1 1) surface using single atom manipulation with a scanning tunnelling microscope confine the Shockley surface state. However, since the atom manipulation technique for the construction of corral structures is a relatively time consuming process, the fabrication of periodic two-dimensional (2D) corral structures is practically impossible. On the other side, by using molecular self-assembly extended 2D porous structures can be achieved in a parallel process, i.e. all pores are formed at the same time. The molecular building blocks are usually held together by non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonding, metal coordination or dipolar coupling. Due to the reversibility of the bond formation defect-free and long-range ordered networks can be achieved. However, recently also examples of porous networks formed by covalent coupling on the surface have been reported. By the choice of the molecular building blocks, the dimensions of the network (pore size and pore to pore distance) can be controlled. In this way, the confinement properties of the individual pores can be tuned. In addition, the effect of the confined state on the hosting properties of the pores will be discussed in this review article

Electron beam and laser surface alloying of Al-Si base alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanhille, P.; Tosto, S.; Pelletier, J.M.; Issa, A.; Vannes, A.B.; Criqui, B.

1992-01-01

Surface alloying on aluminium-base alloys is achieved either by using an electron beam or a laser beam, in order to improve the mechanical properties of the near-surface region. A predeposit of nickel is first realized by plasma spraying. Melting of both the coating and part of the substrate produces a surface alloy with a fine, dendritic microstructure with a high hardness. Enhancement of this property requires an increase in the nickel content. Various problems occur during the formation of nickel-rich surface layers: incomplete homogenization owing to a progressive increase of the liquidus temperature, cracks owing to the brittleness of this hard suface alloy, formation of a plasma when experiments are carried out in a gaseous environment (laser surface alloying). Nevertheless, various kinds of surface layers may be achieved; for example very hard surface alloys (HV 0.2 =900), with a thickness of about 500-600 μm, or very thick surface alloys (e>2 mm), with a fairly good hardness (greater than 350 HV 0.2 ). Thus, it is possible to obtain a large variety of new materials by using high energy beams on aluminium substrates. (orig.)

Properties of bare strange stars associated with surface electric fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picanco Negreiros, Rodrigo; Mishustin, Igor N.; Schramm, Stefan; Weber, Fridolin

2010-01-01

In this paper we investigate the electrodynamic surface properties of bare strange quark stars. The surfaces of such objects are characterized by the formation of ultrahigh electric surface fields which might be as high as ∼10 19 V/cm. These fields result from the formation of electric dipole layers at the stellar surfaces. We calculate the increase in gravitational mass associated with the energy stored in the electric dipole field, which turns out to be only significant if the star possesses a sufficiently strong net electric charge distribution. In the second part of the paper, we explore the intriguing possibility of what happens when the electron layer (sphere) rotates with respect to the stellar strange matter body. We find that in this event magnetic fields can be generated which, for moderate effective rotational frequencies between the electron layer and the stellar body, agree with the magnetic fields inferred for several central compact objects. These objects could thus be comfortably interpreted as strange stars whose electron atmospheres rotate at frequencies that are moderately different (∼10 Hz) from the rotational frequencies of the strange star itself.

Kinetic electron emission from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surfaces induced by singly charged ions

CERN Document Server

Cernusca, S; Winter, H; Aumayr, F; Loerincik, J; Sroubek, Z

2002-01-01

We present total electron yields determined by current measurements for normal impact of H sup + , H sub 2 sup + , H sub 3 sup + , C sup + , N sup + and O sup + ions (E<=10 keV) on a clean highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface. The kinetic energy of the projectiles has been varied from near threshold up to 10 keV. By comparing the results to similar data obtained for a polycrystalline Au surface the role of different target properties for kinetic electron emission can be analysed.

Effect of nanocoating with rhamnogalacturonan-I on surface properties and osteoblasts response

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gurzawska, Katarzyna Aleksandra; Svava, Rikke; Syberg, Susanne

2012-01-01

-I) on surface properties and osteoblasts response. Three different RG-Is from apple and lupin pectins were modified and coated on amino-functionalized tissue culture polystyrene plates (aminated TCPS). Surface properties were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurement, atomic force...... microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The effects of nanocoating on proliferation, matrix formation and mineralization, and expression of genes (real-time PCR) related to osteoblast differentiation and activity were tested using human osteoblast-like SaOS-2 cells. It was shown that RG-I coatings...

Photoelectric emission from negative-electron-affinity diamond (111) surfaces: Exciton breakup versus conduction-band emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandis, C.; Pate, B.B.

1995-01-01

We have recently reported that bound electron-hole pairs (Mott-Wannier excitons) are the dominant source of photoelectron emission from specially prepared [''as-polished'' C(111)-(1x1):H] negative-electron-affinity diamond surfaces for near-band-gap excitation up to 0.5 eV above threshold [C. Bandis and B. B. Pate, Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 777 (1995)]. It was found that photoexcited excitons transport to the surface, break up, and emit their electron. In this paper, we extend the study of exciton-derived emission to include partial yield (constant final-state) analysis as well as angular distribution measurements of the photoelectric emission. In addition, we find that exciton-derived emission does not always dominate. Photoelectric emission properties of the in situ ''rehydrogenated'' (111)-(1x1):H diamond surface are characteristically different than emission observed from the as-polished (111)-(1x1):H surface. The rehydrogenated surface has additional downward band bending as compared to the as-polished surface. In confirmation of the assignment of photoelectric yield to exciton breakup emission, we find a significant enhancement of the total electron yield when the downward band bending of the hydrogenated surface is increased. The functional form of the observed total electron yield demonstrates that, in contrast to the as-polished surface, conduction-band electrons are a significant component of the observed photoelectric yield from the in situ hydrogenated (111)-(1x1):H surface. Furthermore, electron emission characteristics of the rehydrogenated surface confirms our assignment of a Fan phonon-cascade mechanism for thermalization of excitons

The potentially neglected culprit of DC surface flashover: electron migration under temperature gradients.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chuanyang; Hu, Jun; Lin, Chuanjie; He, Jinliang

2017-06-12

This report intends to reveal the role of electron migration and its effects in triggering direct current (DC) surface flashover under temperature gradient conditions when using epoxy-based insulating composites. The surface potential and the surface flashover voltage are both measured using insulators that are bridged between two thermo-regulated electrodes. The space charge injection and migration properties under different temperature are detected. The results show that the surface potential rises significantly because of electron migration near the high voltage (HV) electrode under high temperature conditions, thus creating an "analogous ineffective region". The expansion of this "analogous ineffective region" results in most of the voltage drop occurring near the ground electrode, which serves as an important factor triggering positive streamers across the insulation surface. This work is helpful in understanding of DC surface flashover mechanism from a new perspective and also has important significance in design of a suitable DC insulator to avoid surface flashover problem.

Yttrium ion implantation on the surface properties of magnesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, X.M.; Zeng, X.Q.; Wu, G.S.; Yao, S.S.

2006-01-01

Owing to their excellent physical and mechanical properties, magnesium and its alloys are receiving more attention. However, their application has been limited to the high reactivity and the poor corrosion resistance. The aim of the study was to investigate the beneficial effects of ion-implanted yttrium using a MEVVA ion implanter on the surface properties of pure magnesium. Isothermal oxidation tests in pure O 2 at 673 and 773 K up to 90 min indicated that the oxidation resistance of magnesium had been significantly improved. Surface morphology of the oxide scale was analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicated that the implanted layer was mainly composed of MgO and Y 2 O 3 , and the implanted layer with a duplex structure could decrease the inward diffusion of oxygen and reduce the outward diffusion of Mg 2+ , which led to improving the oxidation resistance of magnesium. Potentiodynamic polarization curves were used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the implanted magnesium. The results show yttrium implantation could enhance the corrosion resistance of implanted magnesium compared with that of pure magnesium

First-principles investigations of electronic and magnetic properties of SrTiO3 (001) surfaces with adsorbed ethanol and acetone molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Adeagbo, Waheed A.; Fischer, Guntram; Hergert, Wolfram

2011-05-01

First-principles methods based on density functional theory are used to investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of molecular interaction of the TiO2 terminated SrTiO3 (100) surface with ethanol or acetone. Both the perfect surface and the surface with an oxygen or a titanium vacancy in the top layer are considered. Ethanol and acetone are preferentially adsorbed molecularly via their respective oxygen atom on top of the Ti atom on the perfect surface. In case of an oxygen vacancy the adsorption of ethanol or acetone occurs directly on top of the vacancy and does not significantly affect the magnetism caused by the vacancy. In the case of a titanium vacancy both adsorbates occupy positions above Ti atoms. During this adsorption process the ethanol molecule dissociates into a CH3CO radical and three hydrogen atoms. The latter form hydroxide bonds with three of the four dangling oxygen bonds around the Ti vacancy and any magnetic moment induced by the Ti vacancy is annihilated. Thus the ethanol and acetone have a different impact on the surface magnetism of the SrTiO3 (100) surface.

Measuring surface topography with scanning electron microscopy. I. EZEImage: a program to obtain 3D surface data.

Science.gov (United States)

Ponz, Ezequiel; Ladaga, Juan Luis; Bonetto, Rita Dominga

2006-04-01

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is widely used in the science of materials and different parameters were developed to characterize the surface roughness. In a previous work, we studied the surface topography with fractal dimension at low scale and two parameters at high scale by using the variogram, that is, variance vs. step log-log graph, of a SEM image. Those studies were carried out with the FERImage program, previously developed by us. To verify the previously accepted hypothesis by working with only an image, it is indispensable to have reliable three-dimensional (3D) surface data. In this work, a new program (EZEImage) to characterize 3D surface topography in SEM has been developed. It uses fast cross correlation and dynamic programming to obtain reliable dense height maps in a few seconds which can be displayed as an image where each gray level represents a height value. This image can be used for the FERImage program or any other software to obtain surface topography characteristics. EZEImage also generates anaglyph images as well as characterizes 3D surface topography by means of a parameter set to describe amplitude properties and three functional indices for characterizing bearing and fluid properties.

Hot electron dynamics at semiconductor surfaces: Implications for quantum dot photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Tisdale, William A., III

Finding a viable supply of clean, renewable energy is one of the most daunting challenges facing the world today. Solar cells have had limited impact in meeting this challenge because of their high cost and low power conversion efficiencies. Semiconductor nanocrystals, or quantum dots, are promising materials for use in novel solar cells because they can be processed with potentially inexpensive solution-based techniques and because they are predicted to have novel optoelectronic properties that could enable the realization of ultra-efficient solar power converters. However, there is a lack of fundamental understanding regarding the behavior of highly-excited, or "hot," charge carriers near quantum-dot and semiconductor interfaces, which is of paramount importance to the rational design of high-efficiency devices. The elucidation of these ultrafast hot electron dynamics is the central aim of this Dissertation. I present a theoretical framework for treating the electronic interactions between quantum dots and bulk semiconductor surfaces and propose a novel experimental technique, time-resolved surface second harmonic generation (TR-SHG), for probing these interactions. I then describe a series of experimental investigations into hot electron dynamics in specific quantum-dot/semiconductor systems. A two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy (2PPE) study of the technologically-relevant ZnO(1010) surface reveals ultrafast (sub-30fs) cooling of hot electrons in the bulk conduction band, which is due to strong electron-phonon coupling in this highly polar material. The presence of a continuum of defect states near the conduction band edge results in Fermi-level pinning and upward (n-type) band-bending at the (1010) surface and provides an alternate route for electronic relaxation. In monolayer films of colloidal PbSe quantum dots, chemical treatment with either hydrazine or 1,2-ethanedithiol results in strong and tunable electronic coupling between neighboring quantum dots

Investigation of some properties of Nylon-6 surface treated by corona discharge in helium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumitrascu, N.; Surdu, S.; Popa, Gh.; Raileanu, D.

1996-01-01

In this work an easy and less expensive method of treatment has been used by corona discharge. This allows to modify the surface properties and especially to improve the compatibility of polymers with biological tissue. The Nylon-6 as a test material was chosen. A scanning electron microscope to visualize the morphology of the morphology of the surface and an IR spectrophotometer able to identify the amide groups and other as well, have been used. Morphology of the treated surface by corona discharge emphasis an etching an etching and/or a crosslinking of amorphous domains, generally important to improve the properties as wetting, dyeing, adhesion, etc. Over all treated surface there is significant blood compatible properties without the need of heparinization of surface. The treated surface influences the biological behaviour of micro-organisms, respectively, that surface is a favourable medium for division of cells and may increase their lifetime. (authors)

Effects of a Chitosan Coating Layer on the Surface Properties and Barrier Properties of Kraft Paper

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shanhui Wang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Biodegradable chitosan can be applied as a coating on the surface of kraft paper in order to improve its barrier properties against water vapor and air. The food packaging industry can benefit from the addition of chitosan to its current packaging, and in turn reduce pollution from plastic packaging plants. This paper discusses the film formation of chitosan, the permeability of paper coated with a chitosan layer, and the influence on the paper’s surface and barrier properties under different process conditions. SEM (scanning electron microscope, AFM (atomic force microscope, ATR-FTIR (Fourier transmission infrared spectroscope with attenuated total reflection, and PDA (penetration dynamics analysis were used to analyze the properties of chitosan’s film formation and permeability. A controlled experiment showed that the chitosan layer was smoother than the surface of the uncoated kraft paper, had better film formation, and that there was no chitosan penetration through the kraft paper. The barrier properties against water vapor were strongest when there was a higher concentration of chitosan solution at the optimum pH, stirring speed, and those with a thicker coating on the kraft paper.

Computational Study on Atomic Structures, Electronic Properties, and Chemical Reactions at Surfaces and Interfaces and in Biomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Takano, Yu; Kobayashi, Nobuhiko; Morikawa, Yoshitada

2018-06-01

Through computer simulations using atomistic models, it is becoming possible to calculate the atomic structures of localized defects or dopants in semiconductors, chemically active sites in heterogeneous catalysts, nanoscale structures, and active sites in biological systems precisely. Furthermore, it is also possible to clarify physical and chemical properties possessed by these nanoscale structures such as electronic states, electronic and atomic transport properties, optical properties, and chemical reactivity. It is sometimes quite difficult to clarify these nanoscale structure-function relations experimentally and, therefore, accurate computational studies are indispensable in materials science. In this paper, we review recent studies on the relation between local structures and functions for inorganic, organic, and biological systems by using atomistic computer simulations.

Electron emission at the rail surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thornhill, L.; Battech, J.

1991-01-01

In this paper the authors examine the processes by which current is transferred from the cathode rail to the plasma armature in an arc-driven railgun. Three electron emission mechanisms are considered, namely thermionic emission, field-enhanced thermionic emission (or Schottky emission), and photoemission. The author's calculations show that the dominant electron emission mechanism depends, to a great extent, on the work function of the rail surface, the rail surface temperature, the electric field at the rail surface, and the effective radiation temperature of the plasma. For conditions that are considered to be typical of a railgun armature, Schottky emission is the dominant electron emission mechanism, providing current densities on the order of 10 9 A/m 2

Electron curing of surface coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nablo, S.V.

1974-01-01

The technical development of electron curing of surface coatings has received great impetus since 1970 from dramatic changes in the economics of the conventional thermal process. The most important of these changes are reviewed, including: the Clear Air Act, increasing cost and restrictive allocation of energy, decreased availability and increased costs of solvents, competitive pressure for higher line productivity. The principles of free-radical initiated curing as they pertain to industrial coatings are reviewed. Although such electron initiated processes have been under active development for at least two decades, high volume production applications on an industrial scale have only recently appeared. These installations are surveyed with emphasis on the developments in machinery and coatings which have made this possible. The most significant economic advantages of electron curing are presented. In particular, the ability of electron curing to eliminate substrate damage and to eliminate the curing station (oven) as the pacing element for most industrial surface coating curing applications is discussed. Examples of several new processes of particular interest in the textile industry are reviewed, including the curing of transfer cast urethane films, flock adhesives, and graftable surface finishes

Enhanced Physicochemical and Biological Properties of Ion-Implanted Titanium Using Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Csaba Hegedűs

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The surface properties of metallic implants play an important role in their clinical success. Improving upon the inherent shortcomings of Ti implants, such as poor bioactivity, is imperative for achieving clinical use. In this study, we have developed a Ti implant modified with Ca or dual Ca + Si ions on the surface using an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS. The physicochemical and biological properties of ion-implanted Ti surfaces were analyzed using various analytical techniques, such as surface analyses, potentiodynamic polarization and cell culture. Experimental results indicated that a rough morphology was observed on the Ti substrate surface modified by ECRIS plasma ions. The in vitro electrochemical measurement results also indicated that the Ca + Si ion-implanted surface had a more beneficial and desired behavior than the pristine Ti substrate. Compared to the pristine Ti substrate, all ion-implanted samples had a lower hemolysis ratio. MG63 cells cultured on the high Ca and dual Ca + Si ion-implanted surfaces revealed significantly greater cell viability in comparison to the pristine Ti substrate. In conclusion, surface modification by electron cyclotron resonance Ca and Si ion sources could be an effective method for Ti implants.

Surface properties of beached plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Fotopoulou, Kalliopi N; Karapanagioti, Hrissi K

2015-07-01

Studying plastic characteristics in the marine environment is important to better understand interaction between plastics and the environment. In the present study, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephalate (PET), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) samples were collected from the coastal environment in order to study their surface properties. Surface properties such as surface functional groups, surface topography, point of zero charge, and color change are important factors that change during degradation. Eroded HDPE demonstrated an altered surface topography and color and new functional groups. Eroded PET surface was uneven, yellow, and occasionally, colonized by microbes. A decrease in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) peaks was observed for eroded PET suggesting that degradation had occurred. For eroded PVC, its surface became more lamellar and a new FTIR peak was observed. These surface properties were obtained due to degradation and could be used to explain the interaction between plastics, microbes, and pollutants.

Correlation between surface microstructure and optical properties of porous silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saeideh Rhramezani Sani

2007-12-01

Full Text Available   We have studied the effect of increasing porosity and its microstructure surface variation on the optical and dielectric properties of porous silicon. It seems that porosity, as the surface roughness within the range of a few microns, shows quantum effect in the absorption and reflection process of porous silicon. Optical constants of porous silicon at normal incidence of light with wavelength in the range of 250-3000 nm have been calculated by Kramers-Kroning method. Our experimental analysis shows that electronic structure and dielectric properties of porous silicon are totally different from silicon. Also, it shows that porous silicon has optical response in the visible region. This difference was also verified by effective media approximation (EMA.

Surface chemistry and electronic structure of nonpolar and polar GaN films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishra, Monu; Krishna, T.C. Shibin; Aggarwal, Neha; Gupta, Govind, E-mail: govind@nplindia.org

2015-08-01

Highlights: • Surface chemistry and electronic structure of polar and nonpolar GaN is reported. • Influence of polarization on electron affinity of p & np GaN films is investigated. • Correlation between surface morphology and polarity has been deduced. - Abstract: Photoemission and microscopic analysis of nonpolar (a-GaN/r-Sapphire) and polar (c-GaN/c-Sapphire) epitaxial gallium nitride (GaN) films grown via RF-Molecular Beam Epitaxy is reported. The effect of polarization on surface properties like surface states, electronic structure, chemical bonding and morphology has been investigated and correlated. It was observed that polarization lead to shifts in core level (CL) as well as valence band (VB) spectra. Angle dependent X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic analysis revealed higher surface oxide in polar GaN film compared to nonpolar GaN film. On varying the take off angle (TOA) from 0° to 60°, the Ga−O/Ga−N ratio varied from 0.11–0.23 for nonpolar and 0.17–0.36 for polar GaN film. The nonpolar film exhibited N-face polarity while Ga-face polarity was perceived in polar GaN film due to the inherent polarization effect. Polarization charge compensated surface states were observed on the polar GaN film and resulted in downward band bending. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopic measurements revealed electron affinity and ionization energy of 3.4 ± 0.1 eV and 6.8 ± 0.1 eV for nonpolar GaN film and 3.8 ± 0.1 eV and 7.2 ± 0.1 eV for polar GaN film respectively. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy measurements divulged smooth morphology with pits on polar GaN film. The nonpolar film on the other hand showed pyramidal structures having facets all over the surface.

Changes in mechanical and chemical wood properties by electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnabel, Thomas; Huber, Hermann; Grünewald, Tilman A.; Petutschnigg, Alexander

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Changes in wood due to electron beam irradiations (EBI) were evaluated. • Wood components undergo different altering mechanisms due to the irradiation. • Chemical reactions in wood lead to better surface hardness of low irradiated wood. - Abstract: This study deals with the influence of various electron beam irradiation (EBI) dosages on the Brinell hardness of Norway spruce. The results of the hardness measurements and the FT-IR spectroscopic analysis show different effects of the EBI at dosages of 25, 50, 100 and 200 kGy. It was assumed that the lignin and carbohydrates undergo different altering mechanisms due to the EBI treatment. New cleavage products and condensation reactions of lignin and carbohydrates lead to better surface hardness of low irradiated wood samples. These results provide a useful basis for further investigations on the changes in wood chemistry and material properties due to electron beam irradiations

Changes in mechanical and chemical wood properties by electron beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schnabel, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.schnabel@fh-salzburg.ac.at [Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Department of Forest Products Technology and Wood Constructions, Marktstraße 136a, 5431 Kuchl (Austria); Huber, Hermann [Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Department of Forest Products Technology and Wood Constructions, Marktstraße 136a, 5431 Kuchl (Austria); Grünewald, Tilman A. [BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Institute of Physics and Materials Science, Peter Jordan Straße 82, 1190 Vienna (Austria); Petutschnigg, Alexander [Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Department of Forest Products Technology and Wood Constructions, Marktstraße 136a, 5431 Kuchl (Austria); BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenzstraße 24, 3430 Tulln (Austria)

2015-03-30

Highlights: • Changes in wood due to electron beam irradiations (EBI) were evaluated. • Wood components undergo different altering mechanisms due to the irradiation. • Chemical reactions in wood lead to better surface hardness of low irradiated wood. - Abstract: This study deals with the influence of various electron beam irradiation (EBI) dosages on the Brinell hardness of Norway spruce. The results of the hardness measurements and the FT-IR spectroscopic analysis show different effects of the EBI at dosages of 25, 50, 100 and 200 kGy. It was assumed that the lignin and carbohydrates undergo different altering mechanisms due to the EBI treatment. New cleavage products and condensation reactions of lignin and carbohydrates lead to better surface hardness of low irradiated wood samples. These results provide a useful basis for further investigations on the changes in wood chemistry and material properties due to electron beam irradiations.

A fundamental approach to adhesion: Synthesis, surface analysis, thermodynamics and mechanics. [acid-base properties of titanium 6-4 surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Siriwardane, R.; Wightman, J. P.

1980-01-01

The acid-base properties of titanium 6-4 plates (low surface area) were investigated after three different pretreatments, namely Turco, phosphate-fluoride and Pasa-Jell. A series of indicators was used and color changes were detected using diffuse reflectance visible spectroscopy. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis was used to examine the indicator on the Ti 6-4 surface. Specular reflectance infra-red spectroscopy was used to study the adsorption of stearic acid from cyclohexane solutions on the Ti 6-4 surface.

Electron-beam-induced post-grafting polymerization of acrylic acid onto the surface of Kevlar fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lu; Hu, Jiangtao; Ma, Hongjuan; Wu, Guozhong

2018-04-01

The surface of Kevlar fibers was successfully modified by electron beam (EB)-induced post-grafting of acrylic acid (AA). The generation of radicals in the fibers was confirmed by electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements, and the concentration of radicals was shown to increase as the absorbed dose increased, but decrease with increasing temperature. The influence of the synthesis conditions on the degree of grafting was also investigated. The surface microstructure and chemical composition of the modified Kevlar fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The SEM images revealed that the surface of the grafted fibers was rougher than those of the pristine and irradiated fibers. XPS analysis confirmed an increase in C(O)OH groups on the surface of the Kevlar fibers, suggesting successful grafting of AA. These results indicate that EB-induced post-grafting polymerization is effective for modifying the surface properties of Kevlar fibers.

Tailoring of the electronic properties of ZnO-polyacrylonitrile nanofibers: Experiment and theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iatsunskyi, Igor, E-mail: igoyat@amu.edu.pl [NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Umultowska 85, 61-614, Poznan (Poland); Vasylenko, Andrij, E-mail: A.Vasylenko@warwick.ac.uk [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Institute for Condensed Matter Physics NAS Ukraine, 1 Sventsitskogo str. 79011 Lviv (Ukraine); Viter, Roman, E-mail: roman.viter@lu.lv [Institute of Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy, University of Latvia, 19 Raina Blvd., LV 1586, Riga (Latvia); Kempiński, Mateusz; Nowaczyk, Grzegosz [NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Umultowska 85, 61-614, Poznan (Poland); Jurga, Stefan [NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Umultowska 85, 61-614, Poznan (Poland); Department of Macromolecular Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska, 85, 61-614 Poznan (Poland); Bechelany, Mikhael, E-mail: mikhael.bechelany@univ-montp2.fr [European Institute of Membranes (IEM, ENSCM-UM-CNRS, UMR 5635), University of Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095, Montpellier (France)

2017-07-31

Highlights: • ZnO-polyacrylonitrile (ZnO-PAN) nanofibers were obtained by electrospinning method and atomic layer deposition. • Relation between structural and electronic properties of ZnO-PAN nanofibers were established. • DFT for calculation of ZnO work function was performed. - Abstract: We report the study of ZnO-polyacrylonitrile (ZnO-PAN) nanofibers fabricated by the combination of electrospinning and atomic layer deposition. The latter technique enables us to control the size of the surface of ZnO 1D nanostructures and hence its effectiveness for energy and biosensor applications. We observe the tendency of ZnO to form nanograins with increase of the layer thickness, and investigate the influence of the grain size on the electronic properties of the nanofibers. It is demonstrated that the ZnO work function (Φ) is strongly affected by surface band bending in the ZnO layer. The observed change of Φ in ZnO layers results from the curvature of the grain surface as well as the presence of the hydroxyl and oxygen groups, adsorbed on ZnO surface and is in a good agreement with theoretical prediction.

Electronic properties of a new structured Sin/O superlattice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Yu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Silicon is a material which dominants the semiconductor industry and has a well-established processing technology based on it. However, silicon has an indirect-bandgap and is not efficient in light emitting. This limits its applications in optoelectronics. In this paper, we proposed a new structural model for the silicon-based superlattice, i.e., the Sin/O one. The model consists of alternating films of n-layers of Si and a monolayer of oxygen along z-direction, together with a surface cell of Si(001 (2×1 reconstruction in the x-y plane. The importance of employing such a Si(001 (2×1 reconstruction is that all the electrons at interface can be strongly bonded. Our results showed interesting electronic properties, e.g., the band folding and large band gap of bulk Si, when the thickness of the silicon layers was increased (but still thin. Our structure might also offer other interesting properties.

Electron transport determines the electrochemical properties of tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palomäki, Tommi; Wester, Niklas; Caro, Miguel A.; Sainio, Sami; Protopopova, Vera; Koskinen, Jari; Laurila, Tomi

2017-01-01

Amorphous carbon based electrodes are very promising for electrochemical sensing applications. In order to better understand their structure-function relationship, the effect of film thickness on the electrochemical properties of tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) electrodes was investigated. ta-C thin films of 7, 15, 30, 50 and 100 nm were characterized in detail with Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM), scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to assess (i) the surface properties of the films, (ii) the effect of film thickness on their structure and electrical properties and (iii) the subsequent correlation with their electrochemistry. The electrochemical properties were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) using two different outer-sphere redox probes, Ru(NH 3 ) 6 3+/2+ and FcMeOH, and by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Computational simulations using density functional theory (DFT) were carried out to rationalize the experimental findings. The characterization results showed that the sp 2 /sp 3 ratio increased with decreasing ta-C film thickness. This correlated with a decrease in mobility gap value and an increase in the average current through the films, which was also consistent with the computational results. XAS indicated that the surface of the ta-C films was always identical and composed of a sp 2 -rich layer. The CV measurements indicated reversible reaction kinetics for both outer-sphere redox probes at 7 and 15 nm ta-C films with a change to quasi-reversible behavior at a thickness of around 30 nm. The charge transfer resistance, obtained from EIS measurements, decreased with decreasing film thickness in accordance with the CV results. Based on the characterization and electrochemical results, we conclude that the reaction kinetics in the case of outer-sphere redox systems is determined mainly by the electron transport through the

Structural, electronic transport and optical properties of functionalized quasi-2D TiC{sub 2} from first-principles calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berdiyorov, G.R., E-mail: gberdiyorov@qf.org.qa; Madjet, M.E., E-mail: mmadjet@qf.org.qa

2016-12-30

Highlights: • Effect of surface termination on the optoelectronic properties of TiC{sub 2} is studied. • Fluorinated, oxidized and hydroxylated surfaces are considered. • Partial charges are calculated. • Absorption of the system increases by surface passivation. • Electronic transport reduces considerably due to the termination. - Abstract: Using the first-principles density functional theory, we study the effect of surface functionalization on the structural and optoelectronic properties of recently proposed quasi-two-dimensional material TiC{sub 2} [T. Zhao, S. Zhang, Y. Guo, Q. Wang, Nanoscale 8 (2016) 233]. Hydrogenated, fluorinated, oxidized and hydroxylated surfaces are considered. Significant changes in the lattice parameters and partial charge distributions are found due to the surface termination. Direct contribution of the adatoms to the system density of states near the Fermi level is obtained, which has a major impact on the optoelectronic properties of the material. For example, surface termination results in larger absorption in the visible range of the spectrum. The electronic transport is also affected by the surface functionalization: the current in the system can be reduced by an order of magnitude. These findings indicate the importance of the effects of surface passivation on optoelectronic properties of this quasi-2D material.

Study of optical and electronic properties of nickel from reflection electron energy loss spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, H.; Yang, L. H.; Da, B.; Tóth, J.; Tőkési, K.; Ding, Z. J.

2017-09-01

We use the classical Monte Carlo transport model of electrons moving near the surface and inside solids to reproduce the measured reflection electron energy-loss spectroscopy (REELS) spectra. With the combination of the classical transport model and the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling of oscillator parameters the so-called reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) method was developed, and used to obtain optical constants of Ni in this work. A systematic study of the electronic and optical properties of Ni has been performed in an energy loss range of 0-200 eV from the measured REELS spectra at primary energies of 1000 eV, 2000 eV and 3000 eV. The reliability of our method was tested by comparing our results with the previous data. Moreover, the accuracy of our optical data has been confirmed by applying oscillator strength-sum rule and perfect-screening-sum rule.

Electronic transport at semiconductor surfaces - from point-contact transistor to micro-four-point probes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasegawa, S.; Grey, Francois

2002-01-01

show that this type of conduction is measurable using new types of experimental probes, such as the multi-tip scanning tunnelling microscope and the micro-four-point probe. The resulting electronic transport properties are intriguing, and suggest that semiconductor surfaces should be considered...

Measurements of Lunar Dust Charging Properties by Electron Impact

Science.gov (United States)

Abbas, Mian M.; Tankosic, Dragana; Craven, Paul D.; Schneider, Todd A.; Vaughn, Jason A.; LeClair, Andre; Spann, James F.; Norwood, Joseph K.

2009-01-01

Dust grains in the lunar environment are believed to be electrostatically charged predominantly by photoelectric emissions resulting from solar UV radiation on the dayside, and on the nightside by interaction with electrons in the solar wind plasma. In the high vacuum environment on the lunar surface with virtually no atmosphere, the positive and negative charge states of micron/submicron dust grains lead to some unusual physical and dynamical dust phenomena. Knowledge of the electrostatic charging properties of dust grains in the lunar environment is required for addressing their hazardous effect on the humans and mechanical systems. It is well recognized that the charging properties of individual small micron size dust grains are substantially different from the measurements on bulk materials. In this paper we present the results of measurements on charging of individual Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 dust grains by exposing them to mono-energetic electron beams in the 10-100 eV energy range. The charging/discharging rates of positively and negatively charged particles of approx. 0.1 to 5 micron radii are discussed in terms of the sticking efficiencies and secondary electron yields. The secondary electron emission process is found to be a complex and effective charging/discharging mechanism for incident electron energies as low as 10-25 eV, with a strong dependence on particle size. Implications of the laboratory measurements on the nature of dust grain charging in the lunar environment are discussed.

Surface characterization by energy distribution measurements of secondary electrons and of ion-induced electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, H.E.; Seiler, H.

1988-01-01

Instruments for surface microanalysis (e.g. scanning electron or ion microprobes, emission electron or ion microscopes) use the current of emitted secondary electrons or of emitted ion-induced electrons for imaging of the analysed surface. These currents, integrating over all energies of the emitted low energy electrons, are however, not well suited to surface analytical purposes. On the contrary, the energy distribution of these electrons is extremely surface-sensitive with respect to shape, size, width, most probable energy, and cut-off energy. The energy distribution measurements were performed with a cylindrical mirror analyser and converted into N(E), if necessary. Presented are energy spectra of electrons released by electrons and argon ions of some contaminated and sputter cleaned metals, the change of the secondary electron energy distribution from oxidized aluminium to clean aluminium, and the change of the cut-off energy due to work function change of oxidized aluminium, and of a silver layer on a platinum sample. The energy distribution of the secondary electrons often shows detailed structures, probably due to low-energy Auger electrons, and is broader than the energy distribution of ion-induced electrons of the same object point. (author)

Surface fractal dimensions and textural properties of mesoporous alkaline-earth hydroxyapatites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vilchis-Granados, J.; Granados-Correa, F.; Barrera-Díaz, C.E.

2013-01-01

This work examines the surface fractal dimensions (D f ) and textural properties of three different alkaline-earth hydroxyapatites. Calcium, strontium and barium hydroxyapatite compounds were successfully synthesized via chemical precipitation method and characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and N 2 -physisorption measurements. Surface fractal dimensions were determined using single N 2 -adsorption/desorption isotherms method to quantify the irregular surface of as-prepared compounds. The obtained materials were also characterized through their surface hydroxyl group content, determined by the mass titration method. It was found that the D f values for the three materials covered the range of 0.77 ± 0.04–2.33 ± 0.11; these results indicated that the materials tend to have smooth surfaces, except the irregular surface of barium hydroxyapatite. Moreover, regarding the synthesized calcium hydroxyapatite exhibited better textural properties compared with the synthesized strontium and barium hydroxyapatites for adsorbent purposes. However, barium hydroxyapatite shows irregular surface, indicating a high population of active sites across the surface, in comparison with the others studied hydroxyapatites. Finally, the results showed a linear correlation between the surface hydroxyl group content at the external surface of materials and their surface fractal dimensions.

Hydrophobicity of electron beam modified surface of hydroxyapatite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregor, M., E-mail: gregor@fmph.uniba.sk [Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, 84248 Bratislava (Slovakia); Plecenik, T. [Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, 84248 Bratislava (Slovakia); Tofail, S.A.M. [Materials & Surface Science Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Zahoran, M.; Truchly, M. [Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, 84248 Bratislava (Slovakia); Vargova, M. [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Laffir, F. [Materials & Surface Science Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Plesch, G. [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Kus, P.; Plecenik, A. [Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, 84248 Bratislava (Slovakia)

2015-05-15

Highlights: • Surface potential of hydroxyapatite films were modified by focused electron beam. • Micron-sized domains of modified surface potential were created. • Wettability and surface free energy of the irradiated areas was studied. • Possible mechanisms of increased surface hydrophobicity are discussed. - Abstract: Arrays of micron-sized domains of modified surface potential were created on hydroxyapatite films by mid-energy (20 keV) electron beam irradiation available in a laboratory scanning electron microscope. The dosage of electron beam was varied between 10{sup −3} and 10{sup 3} μC/cm{sup 2} to inject charge into the film surface. Contrary to the conventional electrowetting theory, the dosage of injected charge used in creating such microdomains caused a gradual increase of the water contact angle from 57° to 93° due to the elimination of the polar component of the surface free energy. Surface contamination by carbonaceous species can be held only partially responsible for such behavior at lower dosage of electron beam. A transfer of free surface charge to water and an electron beam induced disruption of polar orientation of OH ions have been attributed to be influencial factors in the overall dewetting behavior.

Origin of electronic properties of PbGa2Se4 crystal: Experimental and theoretical investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babuka, T.; Kityk, I.V.; Parasyuk, O.V.; Myronchuk, G.; Khyzhun, O.Y.; Fedorchuk, A.O.; Makowska-Janusik, M.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: In the presented work the structural and electronic properties of the PbGa 2 Se 4 single crystal were investigated experimentally as well as theoretically. The XPS spectra, Urbach’s rule and steepness parameters of PbGa 2 Se 4 single crystal have been investigated for the first time. The quantum chemical calculations were also never performed before for the studied structure. The theoretically obtained data help to explain the properties of material. - Highlights: • Urbach’s rule and steepness parameters for PbGa 2 Se 4 crystals explored for the first time. • Non-reactivity of the PbGa 2 Se 4 surface was established by XPS. • DFT approach shows its efficiency to describe electronic properties of PbGa 2 Se 4 . • Electronic parameters are affected by existence of electron–phonon interaction. - Abstract: The PbGa 2 Se 4 crystal is a promising material for optoelectronic applications. It is caused by coexistence of the large polarized Pb cations and a huge contribution of anharmonic phonon subsystem caused by chalcogenide anions. In the present work the electronic and optical properties of the mentioned material were studied theoretically as well as experimentally by optical and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. The DFT approach has been used for the quantum chemical electronic properties calculations. Urbach rule and steepness parameters of the PbGa 2 Se 4 crystal have been evaluated for the first time. These parameters and Urbach energies increase with increasing temperature of the samples that is typical for the semiconducting materials. The XPS measurements of the investigated crystal reveal that all the spectral features are originated from core-level states of the constituent elements. Simultaneously these results also confirm non-reactivity of the PbGa 2 Se 4 surface. However, the titled single crystal possesses a number of intrinsic structural defects and vacancies thereby affecting its electronic properties. The

Surface hardening alloy VT6 of electric explosion and by electron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanov, Yu. F.; Kobzareva, T. Yu.; Gromov, V. E.; Soskova, N. A.; Budovskikh, E. A.; Raikov, S. V.

2014-01-01

The aim is to study the phase composition, structure and properties of the surface layer of the VT6 titanium alloy, subjected to combined treatment, consisting of alloying by the plasma of an electric explosion of a graphite fiber with a charge of the SiC powder and subsequent exposure by a high-intense electron beam. As a result of such treatment, a multiphase surface layer with a submicron and nanosize structure forms with the microhardness manifold exceeding its value in the sample volume are presented

Treatment of surfaces with low-energy electrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frank, L., E-mail: ludek@isibrno.cz [Institute of Scientific Instruments of the CAS, v.v.i., Královopolská 147, 61264 Brno (Czech Republic); Mikmeková, E. [Institute of Scientific Instruments of the CAS, v.v.i., Královopolská 147, 61264 Brno (Czech Republic); FEI Company, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 GG Eindhoven (Netherlands); Lejeune, M. [LPMC – Faculte des Sciences d’Amiens, Universite de Picardie Jules Verne, 33 rue Saint Leu, 80039 Amiens Cedex 2 (France)

2017-06-15

Highlights: • Using proper irradiation parameters, adsorbed hydrocarbons are released from surfaces. • Slow electrons remove hydrocarbons instead of depositing carbon. • Prolonged irradiation with very slow electrons does not create defects in graphene. - Abstract: Electron-beam-induced deposition of various materials from suitable precursors has represented an established branch of nanotechnology for more than a decade. A specific alternative is carbon deposition on the basis of hydrocarbons as precursors that has been applied to grow various nanostructures including masks for subsequent technological steps. Our area of study was unintentional electron-beam-induced carbon deposition from spontaneously adsorbed hydrocarbon molecules. This process traditionally constitutes a challenge for scanning electron microscopy practice preventing one from performing any true surface studies outside an ultrahigh vacuum and without in-situ cleaning of samples, and also jeopardising other electron-optical devices such as electron beam lithographs. Here we show that when reducing the energy of irradiating electrons sufficiently, the e-beam-induced deposition can be converted to e-beam-induced release causing desorption of hydrocarbons and ultimate cleaning of surfaces in both an ultrahigh and a standard high vacuum. Using series of experiments with graphene samples, we demonstrate fundamental features of e-beam-induced desorption and present results of checks for possible radiation damage using Raman spectroscopy that led to optimisation of the electron energy for damage-free cleaning. The method of preventing carbon contamination described here paves the way for greatly enhanced surface sensitivity of imaging and substantially reduced demands on vacuum systems for nanotechnological applications.

First principles investigations on the electronic structure of anchor groups on ZnO nanowires and surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominguez, A.; Lorke, M.; Rosa, A. L.; Frauenheim, Th.; Schoenhalz, A. L.; Dalpian, G. M.; Rocha, A. R.

2014-01-01

We report on density functional theory investigations of the electronic properties of monofunctional ligands adsorbed on ZnO-(1010) surfaces and ZnO nanowires using semi-local and hybrid exchange-correlation functionals. We consider three anchor groups, namely thiol, amino, and carboxyl groups. Our results indicate that neither the carboxyl nor the amino group modify the transport and conductivity properties of ZnO. In contrast, the modification of the ZnO surface and nanostructure with thiol leads to insertion of molecular states in the band gap, thus suggesting that functionalization with this moiety may customize the optical properties of ZnO nanomaterials.

Impurities and Electronic Property Variations of Natural MoS 2 Crystal Surfaces

KAUST Repository

Addou, Rafik; McDonnell, Stephen; Barrera, Diego; Guo, Zaibing; Azcatl, Angelica; Wang, Jian; Zhu, Hui; Hinkle, Christopher L.; Quevedo-Lopez, Manuel; Alshareef, Husam N.; Colombo, Luigi; Hsu, Julia W P; Wallace, Robert M.

2015-01-01

Room temperature X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), high resolution Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (HR-RBS), Kelvin probe method, and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are employed to study the properties of a freshly exfoliated surface of geological MoS2 crystals. Our findings reveal that the semiconductor 2H-MoS2 exhibits both n- and p-type behavior, and the work function as measured by the Kelvin probe is found to vary from 4.4 to 5.3 eV. The presence of impurities in parts-per-million (ppm) and a surface defect density of up to 8% of the total area could explain the variation of the Fermi level position. High resolution RBS data also show a large variation in the MoSx composition (1.8 < x < 2.05) at the surface. Thus, the variation in the conductivity, the work function, and stoichiometry across small areas of MoS2 will have to be controlled during crystal growth in order to provide high quality uniform materials for future device fabrication. © 2015 American Chemical Society.

Impurities and Electronic Property Variations of Natural MoS 2 Crystal Surfaces

KAUST Repository

Addou, Rafik

2015-09-22

Room temperature X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), high resolution Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (HR-RBS), Kelvin probe method, and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are employed to study the properties of a freshly exfoliated surface of geological MoS2 crystals. Our findings reveal that the semiconductor 2H-MoS2 exhibits both n- and p-type behavior, and the work function as measured by the Kelvin probe is found to vary from 4.4 to 5.3 eV. The presence of impurities in parts-per-million (ppm) and a surface defect density of up to 8% of the total area could explain the variation of the Fermi level position. High resolution RBS data also show a large variation in the MoSx composition (1.8 < x < 2.05) at the surface. Thus, the variation in the conductivity, the work function, and stoichiometry across small areas of MoS2 will have to be controlled during crystal growth in order to provide high quality uniform materials for future device fabrication. © 2015 American Chemical Society.

Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Ti–Zr beta titanium alloy after laser surface remelting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Y.; Li, X.; Wang, Y.Y.; Zhao, W.; Li, G.; Liu, R.P.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The surface mechanical properties of the alloy have been greatly improved. • Its grain size was decreased from 100 μm to 10 μm. • The metastable ω with the size of 20–50 nm was observed in the alloy after LSR. • The strengthening effect is mainly due to fine microstructure and strengthened phase. -- Abstract: The effects of laser surface remelting (LSR) on the microstructural evolution and surface mechanical properties of Ti–Zr beta titanium alloy were investigated. The surfaces of the Ti–Zr alloy was re-melted using a CO 2 laser. X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscope, Transmission electron microscope, nanoindentation, and microhardness analyses were performed to evaluate the microstructural and mechanical properties of the alloy. The results showed that the alloy microstructure in the remelting region was greatly refined and homogeneous compared with that in the base material because of the rapid remelting and resolidifying. Meanwhile, the metastable hexagonal ω phases with the size of 20–50 nm was found and uniformly distributed throughout the β matrix after LSR. Phase transformation and microstructural refinement were the major microstructural changes in the alloys after LSR. The microhardness and elastic modulus in the remelted region clearly increased by 92.9% and 21.78%, respectively, compared with those in the region without laser processing. The strengthening effect of LSR on the mechanical properties of the Ti–Zr alloy was also addressed. Our results indicated that LSR was an effective method of improving the surface mechanical properties of alloys

Electronic transport properties of nano-scale Si films: an ab initio study

Science.gov (United States)

Maassen, Jesse; Ke, Youqi; Zahid, Ferdows; Guo, Hong

2010-03-01

Using a recently developed first principles transport package, we study the electronic transport properties of Si films contacted to heavily doped n-type Si leads. The quantum transport analysis is carried out using density functional theory (DFT) combined with nonequilibrium Green's functions (NEGF). This particular combination of NEGF-DFT allows the investigation of Si films with thicknesses in the range of a few nanometers and lengths up to tens of nanometers. We calculate the conductance, the momentum resolved transmission, the potential profile and the screening length as a function of length, thickness, orientation and surface structure. Moreover, we compare the properties of Si films with and without a top surface passivation by hydrogen.

Recent Advancements in Liquid Metal Flexible Printed Electronics: Properties, Technologies, and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuelin Wang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article presents an overview on typical properties, technologies, and applications of liquid metal based flexible printed electronics. The core manufacturing material—room-temperature liquid metal, currently mainly represented by gallium and its alloys with the properties of excellent resistivity, enormous bendability, low adhesion, and large surface tension, was focused on in particular. In addition, a series of recently developed printing technologies spanning from personal electronic circuit printing (direct painting or writing, mechanical system printing, mask layer based printing, high-resolution nanoimprinting, etc. to 3D room temperature liquid metal printing is comprehensively reviewed. Applications of these planar or three-dimensional printing technologies and the related liquid metal alloy inks in making flexible electronics, such as electronical components, health care sensors, and other functional devices were discussed. The significantly different adhesions of liquid metal inks on various substrates under different oxidation degrees, weakness of circuits, difficulty of fabricating high-accuracy devices, and low rate of good product—all of which are challenges faced by current liquid metal flexible printed electronics—are discussed. Prospects for liquid metal flexible printed electronics to develop ending user electronics and more extensive applications in the future are given.

Microstructure and surface mechanical properties of pulse electrodeposited nickel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ul-Hamid, A., E-mail: anwar@kfupm.edu.sa [Center of Research Excellence in Corrosion (CoRE-C), Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, P.O. Box 1073, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Dafalla, H.; Quddus, A.; Saricimen, H.; Al-Hadhrami, L.M. [Center of Research Excellence in Corrosion (CoRE-C), Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, P.O. Box 1073, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)

2011-09-01

The surface of carbon steel was modified by electrochemical deposition of Ni in a standard Watt's bath using dc and pulse plating electrodeposition. The aim was to compare the microstructure and surface mechanical properties of the deposit obtained by both techniques. Materials characterization was conducted using field emission scanning electron microscope fitted with scanning transmission electron detector, atomic force microscope and X-ray diffractometer. Nanoindentation hardness, elastic modulus, adhesion, coefficients of friction and wear rates were determined for both dc and pulse electrodeposits. Experimental results indicate that pulse electrodeposition produced finer Ni grains compared to dc plating. Size of Ni grains increased with deposition. Both dc and pulse deposition resulted in grain growth in preferred (2 0 0) orientation. However, presence of Ni (1 1 1) grains increased in deposits produced by pulse deposition. Pulse plated Ni exhibited higher hardness, creep and coefficient of friction and lower modulus of elasticity compared to dc plated Ni.

Surface properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloy part I: Surface roughness and apparent surface free energy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Yingdi; Chibowski, Emil; Szcześ, Aleksandra

2017-01-01

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys are the most often used implants material in dental treatment and orthopedics. Topography and wettability of its surface play important role in film formation, protein adhesion, following osseointegration and even duration of inserted implant. In this paper, we prepared Ti-6Al-4V alloy samples using different smoothing and polishing materials as well the air plasma treatment, on which contact angles of water, formamide and diiodomethane were measured. Then the apparent surface free energy was calculated using four different approaches (CAH, LWAB, O-W and Neumann's Equation of State). From LWAB approach the components of surface free energy were obtained, which shed more light on the wetting properties of samples surface. The surface roughness of the prepared samples was investigated with the help of optical profilometer and AFM. It was interesting whether the surface roughness affects the apparent surface free energy. It was found that both polar interactions the electron donor parameter of the energy and the work of water adhesion increased with decreasing roughness of the surfaces. Moreover, short time plasma treatment (1min) caused decrease in the surface hydrophilic character, while longer time (10min) treatment caused significant increase in the polar interactions and the work of water adhesion. Although Ti-6Al-4V alloy has been investigated many times, to our knowledge, so far no paper has been published in which surface roughness and changes in the surface free energy of the alloy were compared in the quantitative way in such large extent. This novel approach deliver better knowledge about the surface properties of differently smoothed and polished samples which may be helpful to facilitate cell adhesion, proliferation and mineralization. Therefore the results obtained present also potentially practical meaning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electron emission during multicharged ion-metal surface interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeijlmans van Emmichoven, P.A.; Havener, C.C.; Hughes, I.G.; Overbury, S.H.; Robinson, M.T.; Zehner, D.M.; Meyer, F.W.

1992-01-01

The electron emission during multicharged ion-metal surface interactions will be discussed. The interactions lead to the emission of a significant number of electrons. Most of these electrons have energies below 30 eV. For incident ions with innershell vacancies the emission of Auger electrons that fill these vacancies has been found to occur mainly below the surface. We will present recently measured electron energy distributions which will be used to discuss the mechanisms that lead to the emission of Auger and of low-energy electrons

Surface chemistry and bonding configuration of ultrananocrystalline diamond surfaces and their effects on nanotribological properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumant, A. V.; Grierson, D. S.; Carpick, R. W.; Gerbi, J. E.; Carlisle, J. A.; Auciello, O.

2007-01-01

We present a comprehensive study of surface composition and nanotribology for ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) surfaces, including the influence of film nucleation on these properties. We describe a methodology to characterize the underside of the films as revealed by sacrificial etching of the underlying substrate. This enables the study of the morphology and composition resulting from the nucleation and initial growth of the films, as well as the characterization of nanotribological properties which are relevant for applications including micro-/nanoelectromechanical systems. We study the surface chemistry, bonding configuration, and nanotribological properties of both the topside and the underside of the film with synchrotron-based x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy to identify the bonding state of the carbon atoms, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine the surface chemical composition, Auger electron spectroscopy to further verify the composition and bonding configuration, and quantitative atomic force microscopy to study the nanoscale topography and nanotribological properties. The films were grown on SiO 2 after mechanically polishing the surface with detonation synthesized nanodiamond powder, followed by ultrasonication in a methanol solution containing additional nanodiamond powder. The sp 2 fraction, morphology, and chemistry of the as-etched underside are distinct from the topside, exhibiting a higher sp 2 fraction, some oxidized carbon, and a smoother morphology. The nanoscale single-asperity work of adhesion between a diamond nanotip and the as-etched UNCD underside is far lower than for a silicon-silicon interface (59.2±2 vs 826±186 mJ/m 2 , respectively). Exposure to atomic hydrogen dramatically reduces nanoscale adhesion to 10.2±0.4 mJ/m 2 , at the level of van der Waals' interactions and consistent with recent ab initio calculations. Friction is substantially reduced as well, demonstrating a direct link between the

Surface state modulation through wet chemical treatment as a route to controlling the electrical properties of ZnO nanowire arrays investigated with XPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lord, Alex M.; Maffeis, Thierry G.; Allen, Martin W.; Morgan, David; Davies, Philip R.; Jones, Daniel R.; Evans, Jonathan E.; Smith, Nathan A.; Wilks, Steve P.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Direct measurement of the surface band bending exhibited by ZnO nanowires using monochromatic XPS. • Modulation of the surface depletion region using wet chemical treatment (EtOH, H 2 O 2 ). • The measured surface potential barrier agrees with electrical measurements of individual nanowires. • H 2 O 2 depletes the nanowire of charge carriers while EtOH donates electrons at the surface. • EtOH has the effect of restoring the surface potential barrier of oxidised nanowires. - Abstract: ZnO is a wide bandgap semiconductor that has many potential applications including solar cell electrodes, transparent thin film transistors and gas/biological sensors. Since the surfaces of ZnO materials have no amorphous or oxidised layers, they are very environmentally sensitive, making control of their semiconductor properties challenging. In particular, the electronic properties of ZnO nanostructures are dominated by surface effects while surface conduction layers have been observed in thin films and bulk crystals. Therefore, the ability to use the ZnO materials in a controlled way depends on the development of simple techniques to modulate their surface electronic properties. Here, we use monochromatic x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the use of different wet chemical treatments (EtOH, H 2 O 2 ) to control the electronic properties of ZnO nanowires by modulating the surface depletion region. The valence band and core level XPS spectra are used to explore the relationship between the surface chemistry of the nanowires and the surface band bending

Quasiparticle properties of a coupled quantum-wire electron-phonon system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hwang, E. H.; Hu, Ben Yu-Kuang; Sarma, S. Das

1996-01-01

We study leading-order many-body effects of longitudinal-optical phonons on electronic properties of one-dimensional quantum-wire systems. We calculate the quasiparticle properties of a weakly polar one-dimensional electron gas in the presence of both electron-phonon and electron-electron interac......We study leading-order many-body effects of longitudinal-optical phonons on electronic properties of one-dimensional quantum-wire systems. We calculate the quasiparticle properties of a weakly polar one-dimensional electron gas in the presence of both electron-phonon and electron......-electron interactions, The leading-order dynamical screening approximation (GW approximation) is used to obtain the electron self-energy, the quasiparticle spectral function, and the quasiparticle damping rate in our calculation by treating electrons and phonons on an equal footing. Our theory includes effects (within...... theoretical results for quasiparticle properties....

Electronic Properties of Corrugated Graphene, the Heisenberg Principle and Wormhole Geometry in Solid State

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atanasov, Victor; Saxena, Avadh

2010-12-01

Adopting a purely two dimensional relativistic equation for graphene's carriers contradicts the Heisenberg uncertainty principle since it requires setting off-the-surface coordinate of a three-dimensional wavefunction to zero. Here we present a theoretical framework for describing graphene's massless relativistic carriers in accordance with this most fundamental of all quantum principles. A gradual confining procedure is used to restrict the dynamics onto a surface and in the process the embedding of this surface into the three dimensional world is accounted for. As a result an invariant geometric potential arises which scales linearly with the Mean curvature and shifts the Fermi energy of the material proportional to bending. Strain induced modification of the electronic properties or 'straintronics' is clearly an important field of study in graphene. This opens a venue to producing electronic devices, MEMS and NEMS where the electronic properties are controlled by geometric means and no additional alteration of graphene is necessary. The appearance of this geometric potential also provides us with clues as to how quantum dynamics looks like in the curved space-time of general relativity. In this context, we explore a two-dimensional cross-section of the wormhole geometry realized with graphene as a solid state thought experiment. (author)

Optical and Morphological Properties of Electron-Beam Irradiated High-Density Thin Poly Ethylene Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Hamid, H. M.; Fawzy, Y.H.A.; El-Sayed, S.M.

2005-01-01

Effects of surface morphology alterations on the optical properties of the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) films irradiated by 1.5 MeV electron beam has been investigated. The irradiation doses were conducted at the values: 30, 135, 295 and 540 kGy, respectively. The changes induced in HDPE involved: the creation of free radicals, the formation of chemical bonds i.e., intermolecular crosslinking and irreversible cleavage of bonds in the main chain, which resulted in the fragmentation of the molecules. An Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometer (UV-VIS) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were used to characterize the changes. Because the crosslinking (induced by electron irradiation) limits the movability of the HDPE molecular chains, the optical energy gap was then subjected to a change. It decreased from 4.41 to 3.22 eV with an increasing electron dose up to 540 kGy. At a higher dose of irradiation (540 kGy), degradation of HDPE rather than crosslinking was raised. The irradiated HDPE films indicated that the crosslinking and degradation are likely to have an effect on their surface morphologies. The physical properties of polymeric materials can be modified by ionizing radiation in the form of gamma rays, X-rays and energetic electrons. High-energy electron beam is an especially useful tool in this regard (Cleland et al, 2003). Polymerizing, grafting, crosslinking and chain scission reactions can be initiated by irradiation. The results of such reactions can enhance the utility and value of commercial products. HDPE (CH2-CH2) has many attractive properties, such as an excellent chemical resistance, low friction and low moisture absorption

Electron-phonon interaction on an Al(001) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sklyadneva, I Yu; Chulkov, E V; Echenique, P M

2008-01-01

We report an ab initio study of the electron-phonon (e-ph) interaction and its contribution to the lifetime broadening of excited hole (electron) surface states on Al(001). The calculations based on density-functional theory were carried out using a linear response approach in the plane-wave pseudopotential representation. The obtained results show that both the electron-phonon coupling and the linewidth experience a weak variation with the energy and momentum position of a hole (electron) surface state in the energy band. An analysis of different contributions to the e-ph coupling reveals that bulk phonon modes turn out to be more involved in the scattering processes of excited electrons and holes than surface phonon modes. It is also shown that the role of the e-ph coupling in the broadening of the Rayleigh surface phonon mode is insignificant compared to anharmonic effects

Electronic and structural characterizations of unreconstructed {l_brace}0001{r_brace} surfaces and the growth of graphene overlayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Emtsev, Konstantin

2009-06-03

The present work is focused on the characterization of the clean unreconstructed SiC{l_brace}0001{r_brace} surfaces and the growth of graphene overlayers thereon. Electronic properties of SiC surfaces and their interfaces with graphene and few layer graphene films were investigated by means of angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. Structural characterizations of the epitaxial graphene films grown on SiC were carried out by atomic force microscopy and low energy electron microscopy. Supplementary data was obtained by scanning tunneling microscopy. (orig.)

Physisorption of an electron in deep surface potentials off a dielectric surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinisch, R. L.; Bronold, F. X.; Fehske, H.

2011-01-01

We study phonon-mediated adsorption and desorption of an electron at dielectric surfaces with deep polarization-induced surface potentials where multiphonon transitions are responsible for electron energy relaxation. Focusing on multiphonon processes due to the nonlinearity of the coupling between the external electron and the acoustic bulk phonon triggering the transitions between surface states, we calculate electron desorption times for graphite, MgO, CaO, Al 2 O 3 , and SiO 2 and electron sticking coefficients for Al 2 O 3 , CaO, and SiO 2 . To reveal the kinetic stages of electron physisorption, we moreover study the time evolution of the image-state occupancy and the energy-resolved desorption flux. Depending on the potential depth and the surface temperature, we identify two generic scenarios: (i) adsorption via trapping in shallow image states followed by relaxation to the lowest image state and desorption from that state via a cascade through the second strongly bound image state in not too deep potentials, and (ii) adsorption via trapping in shallow image states but followed by a relaxation bottleneck retarding the transition to the lowest image state and desorption from that state via a one-step process to the continuum in deep potentials.

Facile surface glycosylation of PVDF microporous membrane via direct surface-initiated AGET ATRP and improvement of antifouling property and biocompatibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Jing; Meng Jianqiang; Kang Yinlin; Du Qiyun; Zhang Yufeng

2012-01-01

This paper describes a facile and novel approach for the surface glycosylation of poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) microporous membrane. A glycopolymer poly(D-gluconamidoethyl methacrylate) (PGAMA) was tethered onto the membrane surface via activators generated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (AGET ATRP) directly initiated from the PVDF surface. Chemical changes of membrane surface were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was revealed that PGAMA was successfully grafted onto the membrane surface and its grafting density can be modulated in a wide range up to 2.4 μmol/cm 2 . The effects of glycosylation on membrane morphology, flux and surface hydrophilicity were investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results indicated shrinkage of the surface pore diameters and the growth of the glycopolymer layer on the membrane surface. The static water contact angle (WCA) of the membrane surface decreased from 110° to 30.4° with the increase of grafting density, indicating that the PGAMA grafts dramatically improved the surface hydrophilicity. The protein adsorption and platelets adhesion experiments indicated that the grafted PGAMA could effectively improve the membrane antifouling property and biocompatibility.

Effect of ion irradiation on the surface, structural and mechanical properties of brass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahmad, Shahbaz; Bashir, Shazia, E-mail: shaziabashir@gcu.edu.pk; Ali, Nisar; Umm-i-Kalsoom,; Yousaf, Daniel; Faizan-ul-Haq,; Naeem, Athar; Ahmad, Riaz; Khlaeeq-ur-Rahman, M.

2014-04-01

Highlights: • Brass targets were exposed to carbon ions of energy 2 MeV. • The effect of ion dose has been investigated. • The surface morphology is investigated by SEM analysis. • XRD analysis is performed to reveal structural modification. • Mechanical properties were investigated by tensile testing and microhardness testing. - Abstract: Modifications to the surface, structural and mechanical properties of brass after ion irradiation have been investigated. Brass targets were bombarded by carbon ions of 2 MeV energy from a Pelletron linear accelerator for various fluences ranging from 56 × 10{sup 12} to 26 × 10{sup 13} ions/cm{sup 2}. A scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffractometer were utilized to analyze the surface morphology and crystallographic structure respectively. To explore the mechanical properties e.g., yield stress, ultimate tensile strength and microhardness of irradiated brass, an universal tensile testing machine and Vickers microhardness tester were used. Scanning electron microscopy results revealed an irregular and randomly distributed sputter morphology for a lower ion fluence. With increasing ion fluence, the incoherently shaped structures were transformed into dendritic structures. Nano/micro sized craters and voids, along with the appearance of pits, were observed at the maximum ion fluence. From X-ray diffraction results, no new phases were observed to be formed in the brass upon irradiation. However, a change in the peak intensity and higher and lower angle shifting were observed, which represents the generation of ion-induced defects and stresses. Analyses confirmed modifications in the mechanical properties of irradiated brass. The yield stress, ultimate tensile strength and hardness initially decreased and then increased with increasing ion fluence. The changes in the mechanical properties of irradiated brass are well correlated with surface and crystallographic modifications and are attributed to the generation

Theoretical investigation of the electronic structure and quantum transport in the graphene–C(111) diamond surface system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selli, Daniele; Baburin, Igor; Leoni, Stefano; Seifert, Gotthard; Zhu, Zhen; Tománek, David

2013-01-01

We investigate the interaction of a graphene monolayer with the C(111) diamond surface using ab initio density functional theory. To accommodate the lattice mismatch between graphene and diamond, the overlayer deforms into a wavy structure that binds strongly to the diamond substrate. The detached ridges of the wavy graphene overlayer behave electronically as free-standing polyacetylene chains with delocalized π electrons, separated by regions containing only sp 3 carbon atoms covalently bonded to the (111) diamond surface. We performed quantum transport calculations for different geometries of the system to study how the buckling of the graphene layer and the associated bonding to the diamond substrate affect the transport properties. The system displays high carrier mobility along the ridges and a wide transport gap in the direction normal to the ridges. These intriguing, strongly anisotropic transport properties qualify the hybrid graphene–diamond system as a viable candidate for electronic nanodevices. (paper)

Effect of ion irradiation on the surface, structural and mechanical properties of brass

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Shahbaz; Bashir, Shazia; Ali, Nisar; Umm-i-Kalsoom; Yousaf, Daniel; Faizan-ul-Haq; Naeem, Athar; Ahmad, Riaz; Khlaeeq-ur-Rahman, M.

2014-04-01

Modifications to the surface, structural and mechanical properties of brass after ion irradiation have been investigated. Brass targets were bombarded by carbon ions of 2 MeV energy from a Pelletron linear accelerator for various fluences ranging from 56 × 1012 to 26 × 1013 ions/cm2. A scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffractometer were utilized to analyze the surface morphology and crystallographic structure respectively. To explore the mechanical properties e.g., yield stress, ultimate tensile strength and microhardness of irradiated brass, an universal tensile testing machine and Vickers microhardness tester were used. Scanning electron microscopy results revealed an irregular and randomly distributed sputter morphology for a lower ion fluence. With increasing ion fluence, the incoherently shaped structures were transformed into dendritic structures. Nano/micro sized craters and voids, along with the appearance of pits, were observed at the maximum ion fluence. From X-ray diffraction results, no new phases were observed to be formed in the brass upon irradiation. However, a change in the peak intensity and higher and lower angle shifting were observed, which represents the generation of ion-induced defects and stresses. Analyses confirmed modifications in the mechanical properties of irradiated brass. The yield stress, ultimate tensile strength and hardness initially decreased and then increased with increasing ion fluence. The changes in the mechanical properties of irradiated brass are well correlated with surface and crystallographic modifications and are attributed to the generation, augmentation, recombination and annihilation of the ion-induced defects.

Systematic ab initio study of the electronic and magnetic properties of different pure and mixed iron systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izquierdo, J.; Vega, A.; Balbas, L. C.; Sanchez-Portal, Daniel; Junquera, Javier; Artacho, Emilio; Soler, Jose M.; Ordejon, Pablo

2000-01-01

We present a theoretical study of the electronic and magnetic properties of iron systems in different environments: pure iron systems [dimer, bcc bulk, (100) surface, and free-standing iron monolayer], and low-dimensional iron systems deposited on Ag (100) surface (monoatomic linear wires, iron monolayer, planar, and three-dimensional clusters). Electronic and magnetic properties have been calculated using a recently developed total-energy first-principles method based on density-functional theory with numerical atomic orbitals as a basis set for the description of valence electrons and nonlocal pseudopotentials for the atomic core. The Kohn-Sham equations are solved self-consistently within the generalized gradient approximation for the exchange-correlation potential. Tests on the pseudopotential, the basis set, grid spacing, and k sampling are carefully performed. This technique, which has been proved to be very efficient for large nonmagnetic systems, is applied in this paper to calculate electronic and magnetic properties of different iron nanostructures. The results compare well with previous ab initio all-electron calculations and with experimental data. The method predicts the correct trends in the magnetic moments of Fe systems for a great variety of environments and requires a smaller computational effort than other ab initio methods. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society

Systematic ab initio study of the electronic and magnetic properties of different pure and mixed iron systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Izquierdo, J. [Departamento de Fisica Teorica, Universidad de Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, (Spain); Vega, A. [Departamento de Fisica Teorica, Universidad de Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, (Spain); Balbas, L. C. [Departamento de Fisica Teorica, Universidad de Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, (Spain); Sanchez-Portal, Daniel [Department of Physics and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Junquera, Javier [Departamento de Fisica de la Materia Condensada, C-III, and Institut Nicolas Cabrera, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, (Spain); Artacho, Emilio [Departamento de Fisica de la Materia Condensada, C-III, and Institut Nicolas Cabrera, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, (Spain); Soler, Jose M. [Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States); Ordejon, Pablo [Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC), Campus de la U.A.B., Bellaterra, E-08193 Barcelona, (Spain)

2000-05-15

We present a theoretical study of the electronic and magnetic properties of iron systems in different environments: pure iron systems [dimer, bcc bulk, (100) surface, and free-standing iron monolayer], and low-dimensional iron systems deposited on Ag (100) surface (monoatomic linear wires, iron monolayer, planar, and three-dimensional clusters). Electronic and magnetic properties have been calculated using a recently developed total-energy first-principles method based on density-functional theory with numerical atomic orbitals as a basis set for the description of valence electrons and nonlocal pseudopotentials for the atomic core. The Kohn-Sham equations are solved self-consistently within the generalized gradient approximation for the exchange-correlation potential. Tests on the pseudopotential, the basis set, grid spacing, and k sampling are carefully performed. This technique, which has been proved to be very efficient for large nonmagnetic systems, is applied in this paper to calculate electronic and magnetic properties of different iron nanostructures. The results compare well with previous ab initio all-electron calculations and with experimental data. The method predicts the correct trends in the magnetic moments of Fe systems for a great variety of environments and requires a smaller computational effort than other ab initio methods. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.

First-Principles Study on the Adsorption Properties of Transition-Metal Atoms on CaO(001) Surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Byung Deok [University of Seoul, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jang, Young-Rok [Incheon National University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-15

By using first-principles electronic-structure calculations based on the density functional theory, we systematically investigated the adsorption properties of transition-metal (TM) adatoms on CaO(001) surfaces. Optimized adsorption structures and energetics of TM adatoms on CaO(001) are reported for various adsorption structures. The results are different from those of TM adatoms on MgO(001). Concomitantly, this suggests different dynamical properties of TM adatoms on CaO(001) surfaces as compared with TM adatoms on MgO(001) surfaces. Also performed was an analysis of the electronic structures of the TM adatoms on CaO(001) by using the energy positions of the adsorbate states with respect to the valence band maximum of CaO. The results are discussed in connection with the charge states of the TM adatoms on doped CaO(001).

Rough surface mitigates electron and gas emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molvik, A.

2004-01-01

Heavy-ion beams impinging on surfaces near grazing incidence (to simulate the loss of halo ions) generate copious amounts of electrons and gas that can degrade the beam. We measured emission coefficients of η e (le) 130 and η 0 ∼ 10 4 respectively, with 1 MeV K + incident on stainless steel. Electron emission scales as η e ∝ 1/cos(θ), where θ is the ion angle of incidence relative to normal. If we were to roughen a surface by blasting it with glass beads, then ions that were near grazing incidence (90 o ) on smooth surface would strike the rims of the micro-craters at angles closer to normal incidence. This should reduce the electron emission: the factor of 10 reduction, Fig. 1(a), implies an average angle of incidence of 62 o . Gas desorption varies more slowly with θ (Fig. 1(b)) decreasing a factor of ∼2, and along with the electron emission is independent of the angle of incidence on a rough surface. In a quadrupole magnet, electrons emitted by lost primary ions are trapped near the wall by the magnetic field, but grazing incidence ions can backscatter and strike the wall a second time at an azimuth where magnetic field lines intercept the beam. Then, electrons can exist throughout the beam (see the simulations of Cohen, HIF News 1-2/04). The SRIM (TRIM) Monte Carlo code predicts that 60-70% of 1 MeV K + ions backscatter when incident at 88-89 o from normal on a smooth surface. The scattered ions are mostly within ∼10 o of the initial direction but a few scatter by up to 90 o . Ion scattering decreases rapidly away from grazing incidence, Fig. 1(c ). At 62 deg. the predicted ion backscattering (from a rough surface) is 3%, down a factor of 20 from the peak, which should significantly reduce electrons in the beam from lost halo ions. These results are published in Phys. Rev. ST - Accelerators and Beams

Database for Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA)Database for Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA)

Science.gov (United States)

SRD 100 Database for Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA)Database for Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA) (PC database for purchase)   This database has been designed to facilitate quantitative interpretation of Auger-electron and X-ray photoelectron spectra and to improve the accuracy of quantitation in routine analysis. The database contains all physical data needed to perform quantitative interpretation of an electron spectrum for a thin-film specimen of given composition. A simulation module provides an estimate of peak intensities as well as the energy and angular distributions of the emitted electron flux.

Applications of asymmetric nanotextured parylene surface using its wetting and transport properties

Science.gov (United States)

Sekeroglu, Koray

In this thesis, basic digital fluidics devices were introduced using polymeric nanorods (nano-PPX) inspired from nature. Natural inspiration ignited this research by observing butterfly wings, water strider legs, rye grass leaves, and their asymmetric functions. Nano-PPX rods, manufactured by an oblique angle polymerization (OAP) method, are asymmetrically aligned structures that have unidirectional wetting properties. Nano-PPX demonstrates similar functions to the directional textured surfaces of animals and plants in terms of wetting, adhesion, and transport. The water pin-release mechanism on the asymmetric nano-PPX surface with adhesion function provides a great transport property. How the asymmetry causes transport is discussed in terms of hysteresis and interface contact of water droplets. In this study, the transport property of nano-PPX rods is used to guide droplets as well as transporting cargo such as microgels. With the addition of tracks on the nano-PPX rods, the surfaces were transformed into basic digital fluidics devices. The track-assisted nano-PPX has been employed to applications (i.e. sorting, mixing, and carrying cargo particles). Thus, digital fluidics devices fabricated on nano-PPX surface is a promising pathway to assemble microgels in the field of bioengineering. The characterization of the nano textured surface was completed using methods such as Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, Contact Angle Goniometry, and Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy. These methods helped to understand the physical and chemical properties of nano-PPX. Parameters such as advancing and receding contact angles, nanorod tilt angle, and critical drop volumes were utilized to investigate the anisotropic wetting properties of nano-PPX surface. This investigation explained the directional wetting behavior of the surface as well as approaching new design parameters for adjusting surface properties. The nanorod tilt angle was a key parameter

Investigation of CVD graphene topography and surface electrical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Rui; Pearce, Ruth; Gallop, John; Patel, Trupti; Pollard, Andrew; Hao, Ling; Zhao, Fang; Jackman, Richard; Klein, Norbert; Zurutuza, Amaia

2016-01-01

Combining scanning probe microscopy techniques to characterize samples of graphene, a selfsupporting, single atomic layer hexagonal lattice of carbon atoms, provides far more information than a single technique can. Here we focus on graphene grown by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), grown by passing carbon containing gas over heated copper, which catalyses single atomic layer growth of graphene on its surface. To be useful for applications the graphene must be transferred onto other substrates. Following transfer it is important to characterize the CVD graphene. We combine atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM) to reveal several properties of the transferred film. AFM alone provides topographic information, showing ‘wrinkles’ where the transfer provided incomplete substrate attachment. SKPM measures the surface potential indicating regions with different electronic properties for example graphene layer number. By combining AFM and SKPM local defects and impurities can also be observed. Finally, Raman spectroscopy can confirm the structural properties of the graphene films, such as the number of layers and level of disorder, by observing the peaks present. We report example data on a number of CVD samples from different sources. (paper)

Periodic density functional theory study of structural and electronic properties of single-walled zinc oxide and carbon nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marana, Naiara L. [Modeling and Molecular Simulations Group, São Paulo State University, UNESP, 17033-360 Bauru, SP (Brazil); Albuquerque, Anderson R. [Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Sertão Pernambucano, 56400-000 Floresta, PE (Brazil); La Porta, Felipe A. [Chemistry Department, Federal Technological University of Paraná, 86036-370 Londrina, PR (Brazil); Longo, Elson [São Paulo State University, Chemistry Institute, UNESP, 14801-907 Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Sambrano, Julio R. [Modeling and Molecular Simulations Group, São Paulo State University, UNESP, 17033-360 Bauru, SP (Brazil)

2016-05-15

Periodic density functional theory calculations with the B3LYP hybrid functional and all-electron Gaussian basis set were performed to simulate the structural and electronic properties as well as the strain and formation energies of single-walled ZnO nanotubes (SWZnONTs) and Carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with different chiralities as functions of their diameters. For all SWZnONTs, the band gap, strain energy, and formation energy converge to ~4.5 eV, 0.0 eV/atom, and 0.40 eV/atom, respectively. This result suggests that the nanotubes are formed more easily from the surface than from the bulk. For SWCNTs, the strain energy is always positive, while the formation energy is negative for armchair and zigzag nanotubes, therefore suggesting that these types of nanotubes can be preferentially formed from the bulk. The electronic properties of SWCNTs depend on the chirality; all armchair nanotubes are metallic, while zigzag and chiral nanotubes can be metallic or semiconducting, depending on the n and m vectors. - Graphical abstract: DFT/B3LYP were performed to simulate the structural and electronic properties as well as the strain and formation energies of SWZnONTs and SWCNTs with different chiralities as functions of their diameters. - Highlights: • The energies of SWZnONTs converge for chirality with diameters up 20 Å. • SWCNTs electronic properties depend on the chirality. • The properties of SWZnONTs are very similar to those of monolayer surface.

Excess electrons at anatase TiO2 surfaces and interfaces: insights from first principles simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Selçuk, Sencer; Selloni, Annabella

2017-07-01

TiO2 is an important technological material with widespread applications in photocatalysis, photovoltaics and self-cleaning surfaces. Excess electrons from intrinsic defects, dopants and photoexcitation play a key role in the properties of TiO2 that are relevant to its energy-related applications. The picture of excess and photoexcited electrons in TiO2 is based on the polaron model, where the electron forms a localized state that is stabilized by an accompanying lattice distortion. Here, we focus on excess and photoexcited electrons in anatase, the TiO2 polymorph most relevant to photocatalysis and solar energy conversion. For anatase, evidence of both small and large electron polarons has been reported in the literature. In addition, several studies have revealed a remarkable dependence of the photocatalytic activity of anatase on the crystal surface. After an overview of experimental studies, we briefly discuss recent progress in the theoretical description of polaronic states in TiO2, and finally present a more detailed account of our computational studies on the trapping and dynamics of excess electrons near the most common anatase surfaces and aqueous interfaces. The results of these studies provide a bridge between surface science experiments under vacuum conditions and observations of crystal-face-dependent photocatalysis on anatase, and support the idea that optimization of the ratio between different anatase facets can help enhance the photocatalytic activity of this material.

Few-cycle surface plasmon enhanced electron acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Racz, P.; Lenner, M.; Kroo, N.; Farkas, Gy.; Dombi, P.; Takao Fuji; Krausz, F.; Irvine, S.E.; Elezzabi, A.Y.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. It is possible to generate high-quality ultrafast electron beams with keV energy based on surface plasmon-enhanced electron acceleration. The beam generated this way can be also used to investigate ultrafast phenomena in the plasmon field. For the better understanding of the temporal behavior of these ultrafast surface processes we carried out time-resolved experiments with 5.5 fs laser pulses for the first time. In this experiment, we executed an autocorrelation measurement with an ultra-broadband interferometer. By generating surface plasmons at the output of the interferometer, we measured the plasmonic photocurrent as a function of the delay between the interferometer arms. Figure (a) shows a typical measured result, and figure (b) shows the fourth order calculated autocorrelation function of the 5.5 fs long laser pulse, corresponding to the fourth order nonlinearity of the electron emission process. According to the correspondence of these two curves, we can also state that the length of the generated surface plasmon pulse is only 2-3 optical cycles. As a further experiment, we executed spectrally resolved measurements of the electron beam at higher intensities. According to these results, it is possible to reach electron beams with keV energy in the few-cycle regime too. It was found that the field strength of the surface plasmons is x 7 to x 30 higher than that of the focused laser pulse.

Defined wetting properties of optical surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Felde, Nadja; Coriand, Luisa; Schröder, Sven; Duparré, Angela; Tünnermann, Andreas

2017-10-01

Optical surfaces equipped with specific functional properties have attracted increasing importance over the last decades. In the light of cost reduction, hydrophobic self-cleaning behavior is aspired. On the other side, hydrophilic properties are interesting due to their anti-fog effect. It has become well known that such wetting states are significantly affected by the surface morphology. For optical surfaces, however, this fact poses a problem, as surface roughness can induce light scattering. The generation of optical surfaces with specific wetting properties, hence, requires a profound understanding of the relation between the wetting and the structural surface properties. Thus, our work concentrates on a reliable acquisition of roughness data over a wide spatial frequency range as well as on the comprehensive description of the wetting states, which is needed for the establishment of such correlations. We will present our advanced wetting analysis for nanorough optical surfaces, extended by a vibration-based procedure, which is mainly for understanding and tailoring the wetting behavior of various solid-liquid systems in research and industry. Utilizing the relationships between surface roughness and wetting, it will be demonstrated how different wetting states for hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity can be realized on optical surfaces with minimized scatter losses.

Tribological Behavior of Coating Cr Layer on 40Cr after Surface Electron Beam Pretreatment

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, J. J.; Wang, J.; Jiang, P.; Xu, H. B.; Li, H.; Hou, T. F.

2017-12-01

In this study,the friction and wear behavior of PVD coatings which were treated by 5 different processes,based on gear material-40Cr. Analyzing the effects of treating the gear material with electron beam in combination with magnetron sputtering on it,for dry friction and wear properties.The result showed that the electron beam pretreated substrate was useful to improve the tribological performance of coating material.Furthermore, the surface roughness of coating, the bonding force between substrate and coating as well as the load are the main factors affecting the tribological performance of this coating. Most importantly, the contribution of plowing effect on friction coefficient should be considered when the surface roughness is high.

Rotary bending fatigue properties of Inconel 718 alloys by ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun-Hyong Kim

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the influence of ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM technique on fatigue properties of SAE AMS 5662 (solution treatment of Inconel 718 alloys. The fatigue properties of the specimens were investigated using a rotary bending fatigue tester. Results revealed that the UNSM-treated specimens showed longer fatigue life in comparison with those of the untreated specimens. The improvement in fatigue life of the UNSM-treated specimens is attributed mainly to the induced compressive residual stress, increased hardness, reduced roughness and refined grains at the top surface. Fractured surfaces were analysed using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM in order to give insight into the effectiveness of UNSM technique on fracture mechanisms and fatigue life.

An AES Study of the Room Temperature Surface Conditioning of Technological Metal Surfaces by Electron Irradiation

CERN Document Server

Scheuerlein, C; Taborelli, M; Brown, A; Baker, M A

2002-01-01

The modifications to technological copper and niobium surfaces induced by 2.5 keV electron irradiation have been investigated in the context of the conditioning process occurring in particle accelerator ultra high vacuum systems. Changes in the elemental surface composition have been found using Scanning Auger Microscopy (SAM) by monitoring the carbon, oxygen and metal Auger peak intensities as a function of electron irradiation in the dose range 10-6 to 10-2 C mm-2. The surface analysis results are compared with electron dose dependent secondary electron and electron stimulated desorption yield measurements. Initially the electron irradiation causes a surface cleaning through electron stimulated desorption, in particular of hydrogen. During this period both the electron stimulated desorption and secondary electron yield decrease as a function of electron dose. When the electron dose exceeds 10-4 C mm-2 electron stimulated desorption yields are reduced by several orders of magnitude and the electron beam indu...

Hot-electron nanoscopy using adiabatic compression of surface plasmons

KAUST Repository

Giugni, Andrea; Torre, Bruno; Toma, Andrea; Francardi, Marco; Malerba, Mario; Alabastri, Alessandro; Proietti Zaccaria, Remo; Stockman, Mark Mark; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.

2013-01-01

Surface plasmon polaritons are a central concept in nanoplasmonics and have been exploited to develop ultrasensitive chemical detection platforms, as well as imaging and spectroscopic techniques at the nanoscale. Surface plasmons can decay to form highly energetic (or hot) electrons in a process that is usually thought to be parasitic for applications, because it limits the lifetime and propagation length of surface plasmons and therefore has an adverse influence on the functionality of nanoplasmonic devices. Recently, however, it has been shown that hot electrons produced by surface plasmon decay can be harnessed to produce useful work in photodetection, catalysis and solar energy conversion. Nevertheless, the surface-plasmon-to-hot-electron conversion efficiency has been below 1% in all cases. Here we show that adiabatic focusing of surface plasmons on a Schottky diode-terminated tapered tip of nanoscale dimensions allows for a plasmon-to-hot-electron conversion efficiency of ∼30%. We further demonstrate that, with such high efficiency, hot electrons can be used for a new nanoscopy technique based on an atomic force microscopy set-up. We show that this hot-electron nanoscopy preserves the chemical sensitivity of the scanned surface and has a spatial resolution below 50 nm, with margins for improvement.

Hot-electron nanoscopy using adiabatic compression of surface plasmons

KAUST Repository

Giugni, Andrea

2013-10-20

Surface plasmon polaritons are a central concept in nanoplasmonics and have been exploited to develop ultrasensitive chemical detection platforms, as well as imaging and spectroscopic techniques at the nanoscale. Surface plasmons can decay to form highly energetic (or hot) electrons in a process that is usually thought to be parasitic for applications, because it limits the lifetime and propagation length of surface plasmons and therefore has an adverse influence on the functionality of nanoplasmonic devices. Recently, however, it has been shown that hot electrons produced by surface plasmon decay can be harnessed to produce useful work in photodetection, catalysis and solar energy conversion. Nevertheless, the surface-plasmon-to-hot-electron conversion efficiency has been below 1% in all cases. Here we show that adiabatic focusing of surface plasmons on a Schottky diode-terminated tapered tip of nanoscale dimensions allows for a plasmon-to-hot-electron conversion efficiency of ∼30%. We further demonstrate that, with such high efficiency, hot electrons can be used for a new nanoscopy technique based on an atomic force microscopy set-up. We show that this hot-electron nanoscopy preserves the chemical sensitivity of the scanned surface and has a spatial resolution below 50 nm, with margins for improvement.

The influence of surface functionalisation on the electrical properties and thermal stability of nanodiamonds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Welch, Joseph O; Li, Pei; Chaudhary, Aysha; Edgington, Robert; Jackman, Richard B., E-mail: r.jackman@ucl.ac.uk [London Centre for Nanotechnology and the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, 17-19 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH (United Kingdom)

2014-10-07

Detonation nanodiamond (ND) has recently emerged as a useful new class of diamond material. However, to date there has been little investigation of the electrical properties of this material. Due to the nanoscale dimensions, the surface functionalisation of the individual ND is of particular importance to the characteristics of ND films. Here, hydrogen and oxygen termination of ND, verified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, are shown to strongly influence the electronic properties of NDs. Hydrogen terminated ND exhibiting a far greater resilience to thermal decomposition when compared to the oxygen terminated NDs. Moreover, H-NDs also displayed so-called “surface conductivity,” a property displayed by hydrogen-terminated bulk diamond films, whilst O-NDs display properties high resistivity. These results indicate that under the correct conditions ND layers can display similar electrical properties to “bulk” diamond thin films.

Microstructural evolution and surface properties of nanostructured Cu-based alloy by ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amanov, Auezhan, E-mail: amanov_a@yahoo.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, In-Sik [R& D Group, Mbrosia Co., Ltd., Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of); Pyun, Young-Sik [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A nanostructured surface was produced by UNSM technique. • Porosities were eliminated from the surface by UNSM technique. • Extremely high hardness obtained at the top surface after UNSM treatment. • Friction and wear behavior was improved by UNSM technique. • Resistance to scratch behavior was improved by UNSM technique. - Abstract: A nanostructured surface layer with a thickness of about 180 μm was successfully produced in Cu-based alloy using an ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) technique. Cu-based alloy was sintered onto low carbon steel using a powder metallurgy (P/M) method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterization revealed that the severe plastic deformation introduced by UNSM technique resulted in nano-sized grains in the topmost surface layer and deformation twins. It was also found by atomic force microscope (AFM) observations that the UNSM technique provides a significant reduction in number of interconnected pores. The effectiveness of nanostructured surface layer on the tribological and micro-scratch properties of Cu-based alloy specimens was investigated using a ball-on-disk tribometer and micro-scratch tester, respectively. Results exhibited that the UNSM-treated specimen led to an improvement in tribological and micro-scratch properties compared to that of the sintered specimen, which may be attributed to the presence of nanostructured surface layer having an increase in surface hardness and reduction in surface roughness. The findings from this study are expected to be implemented to the automotive industry, in particular connected rod bearings and bushings in order to increase the efficiency and performance of internal combustion engines (ICEs).

The Impact of Iron Adsorption on the Electronic and Photocatalytic Properties of the Zinc Oxide (0001 Surface: A First-Principles Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingsi Cheng

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The structural stability, electronic structure, and optical properties of an iron-adsorbed ZnO (0001 surface with three high-symmetry adsorption sites are investigated with first-principle calculations on the basis of density functional theory and the Hubbard-U method. It is found that the iron adatom in the H3 adsorption site of ZnO (0001 surface has the lowest adsorption energy of −5.665 eV compared with T4 and Top sites. For the Top site, compared with the pristine ZnO (0001 surface, the absorption peak located at 1.17 eV has a red shift, and the elevation of the absorption coefficient is more pronounced in the visible-light region, because the Fe-related levels are introduced in the forbidden band and near the Fermi level. The electrostatic potential computation reveals that the work function of the ZnO (0001 surface is significantly decreased from 2.340 to 1.768 eV when iron is adsorbed on the Top site. Furthermore, the degradation mechanism based on the band structure is analyzed. It can be concluded that the adsorption of iron will promote the separation of photoinduced carriers, thus improving the photocatalytic activity of ZnO (0001 surface. Our study benefits research on the photocatalytic activity of ZnO and the utilization rate of solar energy.

The Impact of Iron Adsorption on the Electronic and Photocatalytic Properties of the Zinc Oxide (0001) Surface: A First-Principles Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Jingsi; Wang, Ping; Hua, Chao; Yang, Yintang; Zhang, Zhiyong

2018-03-12

The structural stability, electronic structure, and optical properties of an iron-adsorbed ZnO (0001) surface with three high-symmetry adsorption sites are investigated with first-principle calculations on the basis of density functional theory and the Hubbard-U method. It is found that the iron adatom in the H₃ adsorption site of ZnO (0001) surface has the lowest adsorption energy of -5.665 eV compared with T₄ and Top sites. For the Top site, compared with the pristine ZnO (0001) surface, the absorption peak located at 1.17 eV has a red shift, and the elevation of the absorption coefficient is more pronounced in the visible-light region, because the Fe-related levels are introduced in the forbidden band and near the Fermi level. The electrostatic potential computation reveals that the work function of the ZnO (0001) surface is significantly decreased from 2.340 to 1.768 eV when iron is adsorbed on the Top site. Furthermore, the degradation mechanism based on the band structure is analyzed. It can be concluded that the adsorption of iron will promote the separation of photoinduced carriers, thus improving the photocatalytic activity of ZnO (0001) surface. Our study benefits research on the photocatalytic activity of ZnO and the utilization rate of solar energy.

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

Science.gov (United States)

Palmstrom, Axel F.; Santra, Pralay K.; Bent, Stacey F.

2015-07-01

Nanostructured materials offer key advantages for third-generation photovoltaics, such as the ability to achieve high optical absorption together with enhanced charge carrier collection using low cost components. However, the extensive interfacial areas in nanostructured photovoltaic devices can cause high recombination rates and a high density of surface electronic states. In this feature article, we provide a brief review of some nanostructured photovoltaic technologies including dye-sensitized, quantum dot sensitized and colloidal quantum dot solar cells. We then introduce the technique of atomic layer deposition (ALD), which is a vapor phase deposition method using a sequence of self-limiting surface reaction steps to grow thin, uniform and conformal films. We discuss how ALD has established itself as a promising tool for addressing different aspects of nanostructured photovoltaics. Examples include the use of ALD to synthesize absorber materials for both quantum dot and plasmonic solar cells, to grow barrier layers for dye and quantum dot sensitized solar cells, and to infiltrate coatings into colloidal quantum dot solar cell to improve charge carrier mobilities as well as stability. We also provide an example of monolayer surface modification in which adsorbed ligand molecules on quantum dots are used to tune the band structure of colloidal quantum dot solar cells for improved charge collection. Finally, we comment on the present challenges and future outlook of the use of ALD for nanostructured photovoltaics.

Effects of atomic oxygen irradiation on the surface properties of phenolphthalein poly(ether sulfone)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pei Xianqiang; Li Yan; Wang Qihua; Sun Xiaojun

2009-01-01

To study the effects of low earth orbit environment on the surface properties of polymers, phenolphthalein poly(ether sulfone) (PES-C) blocks were irradiated by atomic oxygen in a ground-based simulation system. The surface properties of the pristine and irradiated blocks were studied by attenuated total-reflection FTIR (FTIR-ATR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found that atomic oxygen irradiation induced the destruction of PES-C molecular chains, including the scission and oxidation of PES-C molecular chains, as evidenced by FTIR and XPS results. The scission of PES-C molecular chains decreased the relative concentration of C in the surface, while the oxidation increased the relative concentration of O in the surface. The changes in surface chemical structure and composition also changed the surface morphology of the block, which shifted from smooth structure before irradiation to 'carpet-like' structure after irradiation

Surface composition and surface properties of water hyacinth ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Surface composition and surface properties of water hyacinth ( Eichhornia ... (2/1, v/v) followed by ethanol, using Fourier Transform Infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, ... polar organic solvents and non-polar n-alkane hydrocarbons is discussed.

Transitions to improved core electron heat confinement triggered by low order rational magnetic surfaces in the stellarator TJ-II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Estrada, T.; Medina, F.; Lopez-Bruna, D.; AscasIbar, E.; BalbIn, R.; Cappa, A.; Castejon, F.; Eguilior, S.; Fernandez, A.; Guasp, J.; Hidalgo, C.; Petrov, S.

2007-01-01

Transitions to improved core electron heat confinement are triggered by low order rational magnetic surfaces in TJ-II electron cyclotron heated (ECH) plasmas. Experiments are performed changing the magnetic shear around the rational surface n = 3/m = 2 to study its influence on the transition; ECH power modulation is used to look at transport properties. The improvement in the electron heat confinement shows no obvious dependence on the magnetic shear. Transitions triggered by the rational surface n = 4/m = 2 show, in addition, an increase in the ion temperature synchronized with the increase in the electron temperature. Ion temperature changes had not been previously observed either in TJ-II or in any other helical device. SXR measurements demonstrate that, under certain circumstances, the rational surface positioned inside the plasma core region precedes and provides a trigger for the transition

Size- and shape-dependent surface thermodynamic properties of nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Qingshan; Xue, Yongqiang; Cui, Zixiang

2018-05-01

As the fundamental properties, the surface thermodynamic properties of nanocrystals play a key role in the physical and chemical changes. However, it remains ambiguous about the quantitative influence regularities of size and shape on the surface thermodynamic properties of nanocrystals. Thus by introducing interface variables into the Gibbs energy and combining Young-Laplace equation, relations between the surface thermodynamic properties (surface Gibbs energy, surface enthalpy, surface entropy, surface energy and surface heat capacity), respectively, and size of nanocrystals with different shapes were derived. Theoretical estimations of the orders of the surface thermodynamic properties of nanocrystals agree with available experimental values. Calculated results of the surface thermodynamic properties of Au, Bi and Al nanocrystals suggest that when r > 10 nm, the surface thermodynamic properties linearly vary with the reciprocal of particle size, and when r < 10 nm, the effect of particle size on the surface thermodynamic properties becomes greater and deviates from linear variation. For nanocrystals with identical equivalent diameter, the more the shape deviates from sphere, the larger the surface thermodynamic properties (absolute value) are.

Electronic and conformational properties of 2,3-benzodiazepine derivates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelaggi, M.; Girlanda, R.; Chimirri, A.; Gitto, R.

1996-01-01

The molecular geometric and electronic structures of 2,3-benzodiazepine derivates have been studied by means of the MNDO-PM3 method. A number of electronic properties have been computed and examined in order to find indication of the role of the electronic characteristics of the different molecules and their pharmacological properties. Theoretical data indicate that both electronic and structural properties appear responsible for the varying degree of anticonvulsant activity exhibited by compounds 1-4

Electronic and conformational properties of 2,3-benzodiazepine derivates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pelaggi, M.; Girlanda, R. [Messina Univ. (Italy). Dip. di Fisica della Materia e Fisica dell`Ambiente; Chimirri, A.; Gitto, R. [Messina Univ. (Italy). Dip. Farmaco-Chimico

1996-04-01

The molecular geometric and electronic structures of 2,3-benzodiazepine derivates have been studied by means of the MNDO-PM3 method. A number of electronic properties have been computed and examined in order to find indication of the role of the electronic characteristics of the different molecules and their pharmacological properties. Theoretical data indicate that both electronic and structural properties appear responsible for the varying degree of anticonvulsant activity exhibited by compounds 1-4.

Treatment of surfaces with low-energy electrons

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, L.; Mikmeková, E.; Lejeune, M.

2017-06-01

Electron-beam-induced deposition of various materials from suitable precursors has represented an established branch of nanotechnology for more than a decade. A specific alternative is carbon deposition on the basis of hydrocarbons as precursors that has been applied to grow various nanostructures including masks for subsequent technological steps. Our area of study was unintentional electron-beam-induced carbon deposition from spontaneously adsorbed hydrocarbon molecules. This process traditionally constitutes a challenge for scanning electron microscopy practice preventing one from performing any true surface studies outside an ultrahigh vacuum and without in-situ cleaning of samples, and also jeopardising other electron-optical devices such as electron beam lithographs. Here we show that when reducing the energy of irradiating electrons sufficiently, the e-beam-induced deposition can be converted to e-beam-induced release causing desorption of hydrocarbons and ultimate cleaning of surfaces in both an ultrahigh and a standard high vacuum. Using series of experiments with graphene samples, we demonstrate fundamental features of e-beam-induced desorption and present results of checks for possible radiation damage using Raman spectroscopy that led to optimisation of the electron energy for damage-free cleaning. The method of preventing carbon contamination described here paves the way for greatly enhanced surface sensitivity of imaging and substantially reduced demands on vacuum systems for nanotechnological applications.

Electronic and surface properties of pentacene films deposited on SiO2 prepared by the sol–gel and thermally grown methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Chi-Jie; Tsao, Hou-Yen; Lin, Yow-Jon; Liu, Day-Shan

2014-01-01

This study investigates the effect of different types of SiO 2 on the electronic and surface properties of pentacene films. Developing better contacts on dielectrics is one of the main challenges for pentacene-based transistor technology. The water contact angle variation indicates more hydrophobic thermally grown SiO 2 surfaces than sol–gel SiO 2 surfaces, suggesting that the thermally grown SiO 2 dielectric enables a better molecular arrangement as the pentacene layer is deposited. It is found that the carrier mobility in pentacene on thermally grown SiO 2 dielectrics is higher than that in pentacene on sol–gel SiO 2 dielectrics. The Hall-effect analysis by using the polaron theory revealed that the enhanced carrier mobility is due to the increased spacing between molecules. - Highlights: • The carrier mobility of pentacene on thermally grown and sol–gel SiO 2 was researched. • The enhanced carrier mobility of pentacene on thermally grown SiO2 was observed. • The dominance of tunneling (hopping) at low (high) temperatures was observed. • The carrier mobility is correlated with the morphology of pentacene films

Enhanced Electron-Phonon Coupling at Metal Surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plummer, Ward E.

2010-08-04

The Born-Oppenheimer approximation (BOA) decouples electronic from nuclear motion, providing a focal point for most quantum mechanics textbooks. However, a multitude of important chemical, physical and biological phenomena are driven by violations of this approximation. Vibronic interactions are a necessary ingredient in any process that makes or breaks a covalent bond, for example, conventional catalysis or enzymatically delivered biological reactions. Metastable phenomena associated with defects and dopants in semiconductors, oxides, and glasses entail violation of the BOA. Charge exchange in inorganic polymers, organic slats and biological systems involves charge- induced distortions of the local structure. A classic example is conventional superconductivity, which is driven by the electron-lattice interaction. High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission experiments are yielding new insight into the microscopic origin of electron-phonon coupling (EPC) in anisotropic two-dimensional systems. Our recent surface phonon measurement on the surface of a high-Tc material clearly indicates an important momentum dependent EPC in these materials. In the last few years we have shifted our research focus from solely looking at electron phonon coupling to examining the structure/functionality relationship at the surface of complex transition metal compounds. The investigation on electron phonon coupling has allowed us to move to systems where there is coupling between the lattice, the electrons and the spin.

Morphology, surface roughness, electron inelastic and quasi-elastic scattering in elastic peak electron spectroscopy of polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lesiak, B.; Kosinski, A.; Nowakowski, R.; Koever, L.; Toth, J.; Varga, D.; Cserny, I.; Sulyok, A.; Gergely, G.

2006-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Elastic peak electron spectroscopy (EPES) deals with the interaction of electrons with atoms of a solid surface, studying the distribution of electrons backscattered elastically. The nearest vicinity of the elastic peak, (low kinetic energy region) reflects both, electron inelastic and quasi-elastic processes. The incident electrons produce surface excitations, inducing surface plasmons with the corresponding loss peaks separated by 1 - 20 eV energy from the elastic peak. Quasi-elastic losses result from the recoil of scattering atoms of different atomic number, Z. The respective energy shift and Doppler broadening of the elastic peak depend on Z, the primary electron energy, E, and the measurement geometry. Quantitative surface analytical application of EPES, such as determination of parameters describing electron transport, requires a comparison of experimental data with corresponding data derived from Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. Several problems occur in EPES studies of polymers. The intensity of elastic peak, considered in quantitative surface analysis, is influenced by both, the inelastic and quasi-elastic scattering processes (especially for hydrogen scattering atoms and primary electron energy above 1000 eV). An additional factor affecting the elastic peak intensity is the surface morphology and roughness. The present work compares the effect of these factors on the elastic peak intensity for selected polymers (polyethylene, polyaniline and polythiophenes). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and helium pycnometry are applied for deriving the surface atomic composition and the bulk density, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for determining surface morphology and roughness. According to presented results, the influence of surface morphology and roughness is larger than those of surface excitations or recoil of hydrogen atoms. The component due to recoil of hydrogen atoms can be

Tribological Properties of Surface-Textured and Plasma-Nitrided Pure Titanium Under Oil Lubrication Condition

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Baosen; Dong, Qiangsheng; Ba, Zhixin; Wang, Zhangzhong; Shi, Hancheng; Xue, Yanting

2018-01-01

Plasma nitriding was conducted as post-treatment for surface texture on pure titanium to obtain a continuous nitriding layer. Supersonic fine particles bombarding (SFPB) was carried out to prepare surface texture. The surface morphologies and chemical composition were analyzed using scanning electron microscope and energy disperse spectroscopy. The microstructures of modified layers were characterized by transmission electron microscope. The tribological properties of surface-textured and duplex-treated pure titanium under oil lubrication condition were systematically investigated in the ball-on-plate reciprocating mode. The effects of applied load and sliding velocity on the tribological behavior were analyzed. The results show that after duplex treatments, the grains size in modified layer becomes slightly larger, and hardness is obviously improved. Wear resistance of duplex-treated pure titanium is significantly improved referenced to untreated and surface-textured pure titanium, which is 3.22 times as much as untreated pure titanium and 2.15 times of that for surface-textured pure titanium, respectively.

Optical properties of YbF3-CaF2 composite thin films deposited by electron-beam evaporation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Songlin; Mi, Gaoyuan; Zhang, Jianfu; Yang, Chongmin

2018-03-01

We studied electron-beam evaporated YbF3-CaF2 composite films on ZnS substrate at different deposition parameters. The optical properties of films have been fitted, the surface roughness have been measured by AFM. The results of experiments indicated that increased the refractive indices, extinction coefficients, and surface roughness at higher deposition rate. The refractive index of composite film deposited by electron-beam evaporation with assisted-ion source was obviously higher than it without assisted-ion source.

Application of spin-sensitive electron spectroscopies to investigations of electronic and magnetic properties of solid surfaces and epitaxial systems: Progress report, 1 January 1987-31 December 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walters, G.K.; Dunning, F.B.

1987-08-01

Research during the second year of this grant has focussed on: (1) investigation of surface magnetic structure of Ni(lll) by Spin-Polarized Low Energy Electron Diffraction (SPLEED) and overhaul of the apparatus to incorporate additional spin-dependent electron spectroscopies and epitaxial growth capabilities; and (2) investigation of dynamics of metastable atom deexcitation at magnetic and adsorbate-covered surfaces using Spin-Polarized Metastable Deexcitation Spectroscopy (SPMDS)

Atomic structures and electronic properties of phosphorene grain boundaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Yu; Zhou, Si; Bai, Yizhen; Zhao, Jijun; Zhang, Junfeng

2016-01-01

Grain boundary (GB) is one main type of defects in two-dimensional (2D) crystals, and has significant impact on the physical properties of 2D materials. Phosphorene, a recently synthesized 2D semiconductor, possesses a puckered honeycomb lattice and outstanding electronic properties. It is very interesting to know the possible GBs present in this novel material, and how their properties differ from those in the other 2D materials. Based on first-principles calculations, we explore the atomic structure, thermodynamic stability, and electronic properties of phosphorene GBs. A total of 19 GBs are predicted and found to be energetically stable with formation energies much lower than those in graphene. These GBs do not severely affect the electronic properties of phosphorene: the band gap of perfect phosphorene is preserved, and the electron mobilities are only moderately reduced in these defective systems. Our theoretical results provide vital guidance for experimental tailoring the electronic properties of phosphorene as well as the device applications using phosphorene materials. (paper)

Electronic grain boundary properties in polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se2 semiconductors for thin film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baier, Robert

2012-01-01

Solar cells based on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGSe) thin film absorbers reach the highest energy conversion efficiency among all thin film solar cells. The record efficiency is at least partly attributed to benign electronic properties of grain boundaries (GBs) in the CIGSe layers. However, despite a high amount of research on this phenomenon the underlying physics is not sufficiently understood. This thesis presents an elaborate study on the electronic properties of GBs in CIGSe thin films. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) was employed to investigate the electronic properties of GBs in dependence of the Ga-content. Five CIGSe thin lms with various Ga-contents were grown by means of similar three stage co-evaporation processes. Both as grown as well as chemically treated (KCN etched) thin films were analyzed. The chemical treatment was employed to remove surface oxides. No difference in electronic GB properties was found with or without the chemical treatment. Therefore, we conclude that a moderate surface oxidation does not alter the electronic properties of GBs. In general, one can observe significant variations of electronic potential barriers at GBs. Under consideration of the averaging effect of the work function signal of nanoscale potential distributions in KPFM measurements which was quantified in the course of this thesis both positive and negative potential barriers in a range between ∼-350 mV and ∼+450 mV were detected. Additionally, variations in the defect densities at GBs between ∼3.1 x 10 11 cm -2 and ∼2.1 x 10 12 cm -2 were found. However, no correlation between the electronic properties of GBs and the Ga-content of CIGSe thin films was discovered. Consequently, one cannot explain the drop in device efficiency observed for CIGSe thin film solar cells with a high Ga-content by a change of the electronic properties of GBs. Combined KPFM and electron backscatter diffraction measurements were employed for the first time on CIGSe thin

pH-Induced Surface Modification of Atomically Precise Silver Nanoclusters: An Approach for Tunable Optical and Electronic Properties

KAUST Repository

AbdulHalim, Lina G.

2016-10-24

Noble metal nanoclusters (NCs) play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between molecules and quantum dots. Fundamental understanding of the evolution of the structural, optical, and electronic properties of these materials in various environments is of paramount importance for many applications. Using state-of-the-art spectroscopy, we provide the first decisive experimental evidence that the structural, electronic, and optical properties of Ag-44(MNBA)(30) NCs can now be tailored by controlling the chemical environment. Infrared and photoelectron spectroscopies clearly indicate that there is a dimerization between two adjacent ligands capping the NCs that takes place upon lowering the pH from 13 to 7.

Electronic properties of pristine and modified single-walled carbon nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kharlamova, M V

2013-01-01

The current status of research on the electronic properties of filled single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is reviewed. SWCNT atomic structure and electronic properties are described, and their correlation is discussed. Methods for modifying the electronic properties of SWCNTs are considered. SWCNT filling materials are systematized. Experimental and theoretical data on the electronic properties of filled SWCNTs are analyzed. Possible application areas for filled SWCNTs are explored. (reviews of topical problems)

Microstructure evolution and tribological properties of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber surface modified by atmospheric plasma treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Ming-xue; Zhang, Zhao-xiang; Peng, Xu-dong; Lin, Xiu-zhou

2017-09-01

For the purpose of prolonging the service life for rubber sealing elements, the frictional behavior of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) surface by dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatments was investigated in this paper. Surface microstructure and chemical composition were measured by atomic force microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. Water contact angles of the modified rubber surface were also measured to evaluate the correlation between surface wettability and tribological properties. The results show that plasma treatments can improve the properties of the NBR against friction and wear effectively, the surface microstructure and roughness of plasma-modified NBR surface had an important influence on the surface tribological behavior, and the wear depth first decreased and then increased along with the change of plasma treatment time. It was found that the wettability of the modified surface was gradually improved, which was mainly due to the change of the chemical composition after the treatment. This study suggests that the plasma treatment could effectively improve the tribological properties of the NBR surface, and also provides information for developing wear-resistant NBR for industrial applications.

Electron transfer in gas surface collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wunnik, J.N.M. van.

1983-01-01

In this thesis electron transfer between atoms and metal surfaces in general is discussed and the negative ionization of hydrogen by scattering protons at a cesiated crystalline tungsten (110) surface in particular. Experimental results and a novel theoretical analysis are presented. In Chapter I a theoretical overview of resonant electron transitions between atoms and metals is given. In the first part of chapter II atom-metal electron transitions at a fixed atom-metal distance are described on the basis of a model developed by Gadzuk. In the second part the influence of the motion of the atom on the atomic charge state is incorporated. Measurements presented in chapter III show a strong dependence of the fraction of negatively charged H atoms scattered at cesiated tungsten, on the normal as well as the parallel velocity component. In chapter IV the proposed mechanism for the parallel velocity effect is incorporated in the amplitude method. The scattering process of protons incident under grazing angles on a cesium covered surface is studied in chapter V. (Auth.)

Surface study of liquid 3He using surface state electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirahama, K.; Ito, S.; Suto, H.; Kono, K.

1995-01-01

We have measured the mobility of surface state electrons (SSE) on liquid 3 He, μ 3 , aiming to study the elementary surface excitations of the Fermi liquid. A gradual increase of μ 3 below 300 mK is attributed to the scattering of electrons by ripplons. Ripplons do exist in 3 He down to 100 mK. We observe an abrupt decrease of μ 3 , due to the transition to the Wigner solid (WS). The dependences of the WS conductivity and mobility on temperature and magnetic field differ from the SSE behavior on liquid 4 He

Surface Relaxation and Electronic States of Pt(111) Surface with Varying Slab Thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaushal, Ashok K.; Mullick, Shanta; Ahluwalia, P. K.

2011-01-01

Surface relaxation and electronic DOS's of Pt(111) surface have been studied with varying slab thickness using ab-initio SIESTA method. We found the expansion in the top layer and contraction in the subsurface layers of Pt(111) surface. Our results match with the experimental results. Also observing electronic density of states we found that as we increase the thickness of slab, the PDOS of Pt(111) surface goes towards the bulk density of states and Fermi energy shifts towards the bulk fermi energy.

Electron relaxation properties of Ar magnetron plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Xinjing, CAI; Xinxin, WANG; Xiaobing, ZOU

2018-03-01

An understanding of electron relaxation properties in plasmas is of importance in the application of magnetrons. An improved multi-term approximation of the Boltzmann equation is employed to study electron transport and relaxation properties in plasmas. Elastic, inelastic and nonconservative collisions between electrons and neutral particles are considered. The expressions for the transport coefficients are obtained using the expansion coefficients and the collision operator term. Numerical solutions of the matrix equations for the expansion coefficients are also investigated. Benchmark calculations of the Reid model are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the improved multi-term approximation. It is shown that the two-term approximation is generally not accurate enough and the magnetic fields can reduce the anisotropy of the velocity distribution function. The electron relaxation properties of Ar plasmas in magnetrons for various magnetic fields are studied. It is demonstrated that the energy parameters change more slowly than the momentum parameters.

Electron acceleration by surface plasma waves in double metal surface structure

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, C. S.; Kumar, Gagan; Singh, D. B.; Tripathi, V. K.

2007-12-01

Two parallel metal sheets, separated by a vacuum region, support a surface plasma wave whose amplitude is maximum on the two parallel interfaces and minimum in the middle. This mode can be excited by a laser using a glass prism. An electron beam launched into the middle region experiences a longitudinal ponderomotive force due to the surface plasma wave and gets accelerated to velocities of the order of phase velocity of the surface wave. The scheme is viable to achieve beams of tens of keV energy. In the case of a surface plasma wave excited on a single metal-vacuum interface, the field gradient normal to the interface pushes the electrons away from the high field region, limiting the acceleration process. The acceleration energy thus achieved is in agreement with the experimental observations.

One-dimensional electron liquid at a surface. Gold nanowires on Ge(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blumenstein, Christian

2012-09-11

Self-organized nanowires at semiconductor surfaces offer the unique opportunity to study electrons in reduced dimensions. Notably the dimensionality of the system determines it's electronic properties, beyond the quasiparticle description. In the quasi-one-dimensional (1D) regime with weak lateral coupling between the chains, a Peierls instability can be realized. A nesting condition in the Fermi surface leads to a backfolding of the 1D electron band and thus to an insulating state. It is accompanied by a charge density wave (CDW) in real space that corresponds to the nesting vector. This effect has been claimed to occur in many surface-defined nanowire systems, such as the In chains on Si(111) or the Au reconstructions on the terraced Si(553) and Si(557) surfaces. Therefore a weak coupling between the nanowires in these systems has to be concluded. However theory proposes another state in the perfect 1D limit, which is completely destroyed upon slight coupling to higher dimensions. In this so-called Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) state, the quasiparticle description of the Fermi liquid breaks down. Since the interaction between the electrons is enhanced due to the strong confinement, only collective excitations are allowed. This leads to novel effects like spin charge separation, where spin and charge degrees of freedom are decoupled and allowed to travel independently along the 1D-chain. Such rare state has not been realized at a surface until today. This thesis uses a novel approach to realize nanowires with improved confinement by studying the Au reconstructed Ge(001) surface. A new cleaning procedure using piranha solution is presented, in order to prepare a clean and long-range ordered substrate. To ensure optimal growth of the Au nanowires the phase diagram is extensively studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). The structural elements of the chains are revealed and described in high detail. Remarkably

Change of structure, microstructure and mechanical properties of steels after electron-beam quenching using new technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsenker, R.; Yun, V.; Rat'en, D.; Fritshe, G.

1988-01-01

Main principles and technological possibilities of a new method for electron-beam treatment are presented. The method lies in local-time high-frequency scanning of electron beam (surface-isothermal energy transfer). The method can be used for quenching of the band with up to 30(50) mm width and up to 1.5(2.0) mm depth of quenched layer. Changes of structure, microstructure and properties were investigated with the use of the following methods: surface sounding, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray phase analysis, X-ray radiographic analysis of internal stresses, macrohardness, microhardness and recording hardness measuring. A study was made on the effect of parameters of electron-beam quenching of steel (S45, 55St1, S100.1, 90MnV8, 100ST6) basic state on quenched layer depth, surface relief, martensite morphology, residual austenite amount, austenite grain system, internal stresses, hardness profiles and determined hardness

Surface properties of anatase TiO2 nanowire films grown from a fluoride-containing solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Thomas; Anta, Juan A; Morales-Flórez, Víctor

2013-06-03

Controlling the surface chemistry of nucleating seeds during wet-chemical synthesis allows for the preparation of morphologically well-defined nanostructures. Synthesis conditions play a key role in the surface properties, which directly affect the functional properties of the material. Therefore, it is important to establish post-synthesis treatments to facilitate the optimization of surface properties with respect to a specific application, without losing the morphological peculiarity of the nanostructure. We studied the surface properties of highly crystalline and porous anatase TiO2 nanowire (NW) electrodes, grown by chemical-bath deposition in fluoride-containing solutions, using a combined electrochemical and spectroscopic approach. As-deposited films showed low capacity for catechol adsorption and a poor photoelectrocatalytic activity for water oxidation. Mild thermal annealing at 200 °C resulted in a significant improvement of the electrode photoelectrocatalytic activity, whereas the bulk properties of the NWs (crystal structure, band-gap energy) remained unchanged. Enhancement of the functional properties of the material is discussed on the basis of adsorption capacity and electronic properties. The temperature-induced decrease of recombination centers, along with the concomitant increase of adsorption and reaction sites upon thermal annealing are called to be responsible for such improved performance. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hydration of excess electrons trapped in charge pockets on molecular surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Jalbout, Abraham F.; Del Castillo, R.; Adamowicz, Ludwik

2007-01-01

In this work we strive to design a novel electron trap located on a molecular surface. The process of electron trapping involves hydration of the trapped electron. Previous calculations on surface electron trapping revealed that clusters of OH groups can form stable hydrogen-bonded networks on one side of a hydrocarbon surface (i.e. cyclohexane sheets), while the hydrogen atoms on the opposite side of the surface form pockets of positive charge that can attract extra negative charge. The excess electron density on such surfaces can be further stabilized by interactions with water molecules. Our calculations show that these anionic systems are stable with respect to vertical electron detachment (VDE).

Surface analysis and biocorrosion properties of nanostructured surface sol-gel coatings on Ti6Al4V titanium alloy implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Advincula, Maria C; Petersen, Don; Rahemtulla, Firoz; Advincula, Rigoberto; Lemons, Jack E

2007-01-01

Surfaces of biocompatible alloys used as implants play a significant role in their osseointegration. Surface sol-gel processing (SSP), a variant of the bulk sol-gel technique, is a relatively new process to prepare bioreactive nanostructured titanium oxide for thin film coatings. The surface topography, roughness, and composition of sol-gel processed Ti6Al4V titanium alloy coatings was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray electron spectroscopy (XPS). This was correlated with corrosion properties, adhesive strength, and bioreactivity in simulated body fluids (SBF). Electroimpedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization studies indicated similar advantageous corrosion properties between sol-gel coated and uncoated Ti6Al4V, which was attributed to the stable TiO2 composition, topography, and adhesive strength of the sol-gel coating. In addition, inductive coupled plasma (ICP) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) analysis of substrates immersed in SBF revealed higher deposition of calcium and phosphate and low release rates of alloying elements from the sol-gel modified alloys. The equivalent corrosion behavior and the definite increase in nucleation of calcium apatite indicate the potential of the sol-gel coating for enhanced bioimplant applications. 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electronic structure and magnetic properties of Dy adatom on Ir surface

Science.gov (United States)

Shick, A. B.; Lichtenstein, A. I.

2018-05-01

The electronic structure and magnetism of individual Dy atom adsorbed on the (1 1 1) surface of Ir is investigated using the combination of the density functional theory with the Hubbard-I approximation to the Anderson impurity model (DFT + HIA). The Dy3+ adatom is found magnetic with the magnetic moment of 9.35μB in the external magnetic field. The spin and orbital magnetic moments, and their ratio are evaluated, and compared with the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism data. The positive magnetic anisotropy energy of ≈ 1.3 meV determines the out-of-plane orientation of the Dy adatom magnetic moment. The role of 5d-4f interorbital exchange polarization in modification of the 4f shell energy spectrum is emphasized. We predict the Dy magnetization to drop by the factor of three with switching off the external magnetic field.

Electron stimulated desorption of gases at technological surfaces of aluminium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, M.Q.; Williams, E.M.

1989-01-01

The release of gas by electron bombardment at aluminium alloy surfaces in vacuum -9 torr has been investigated for a range of treatments including bakeout and glow discharge cleaning. Particular attention has been given to the role of continuous electron bombardment, with current densities and electron energies of up to 1.5 mA cm -2 and 2.0 keV, respectively, over the 10 cm 2 of surface area under irradiation. The observations of desorption efficiency, defined as the number of desorbed molecules per incident electron, conform to a model involving a dynamic balance between adsorption and desorption, with contributions to adsorption from both surface and sub-surface gas. Continuous electron bombardment promotes a surface with low desorption efficiency, -5 mol/electron, however, the conditioning cycle is accelerated significantly by glow discharge treatment. There is evidence of some short-term memory when the samples are exposed to air. (author)

Enhanced visible light photocatalytic property of red phosphorus via surface roughening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Weibing; Yue, Jiguang; Hua, Fangxia; Feng, Chang; Bu, Yuyu; Chen, Zhuoyuan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Photocatalytic RhB degradation of red phosphorus was studied for the first time. • Surface rough can increase the photocatalysis reaction active sites. • Surface rough red phosphorus possesses high photocatalytic performance. • Surface rough red phosphorus has high industrial application value. - Abstract: Red phosphorus with rough surface (SRP) was prepared by catalyst-assisted hydrothermal synthesis using Co 2+ catalyst. The photocatalytic Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation of red phosphorus (RP) and SRP was studied for the first time in this work. Rough surface can enhance the dye adsorption ability of RP. About 75% RhB was absorbed by SRP after 30-min adsorption in 100 ml RhB solution with concentration of 10 mg l −1 in dark. After only 10 min of illumination by visible light, more than 95% RhB was degraded, indicating that SRP has a great application potential in the area of photocatalysis. The photocatalytic RhB degradation properties of RP are much weaker than those of SRP. The increase of the number of the active sites for the photocatalytic reactions, the electron mobility and the lifetime of the photogenerated electrons cause the significant improvement of the photocatalytic performance of SRP based on the experimental results obtained

Enhanced visible light photocatalytic property of red phosphorus via surface roughening

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Weibing, E-mail: lwbing@qust.edu.cn [School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53 Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042 (China); Yue, Jiguang; Hua, Fangxia; Feng, Chang [School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 53 Zhengzhou Road, Qingdao 266042 (China); Bu, Yuyu; Chen, Zhuoyuan [Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Corrosion and Bio-fouling, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071 (China)

2015-10-15

Highlights: • Photocatalytic RhB degradation of red phosphorus was studied for the first time. • Surface rough can increase the photocatalysis reaction active sites. • Surface rough red phosphorus possesses high photocatalytic performance. • Surface rough red phosphorus has high industrial application value. - Abstract: Red phosphorus with rough surface (SRP) was prepared by catalyst-assisted hydrothermal synthesis using Co{sup 2+} catalyst. The photocatalytic Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation of red phosphorus (RP) and SRP was studied for the first time in this work. Rough surface can enhance the dye adsorption ability of RP. About 75% RhB was absorbed by SRP after 30-min adsorption in 100 ml RhB solution with concentration of 10 mg l{sup −1} in dark. After only 10 min of illumination by visible light, more than 95% RhB was degraded, indicating that SRP has a great application potential in the area of photocatalysis. The photocatalytic RhB degradation properties of RP are much weaker than those of SRP. The increase of the number of the active sites for the photocatalytic reactions, the electron mobility and the lifetime of the photogenerated electrons cause the significant improvement of the photocatalytic performance of SRP based on the experimental results obtained.

Surface properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloy part I: Surface roughness and apparent surface free energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Yingdi; Chibowski, Emil; Szcześ, Aleksandra, E-mail: aszczes@poczta.umcs.lublin.pl

2017-01-01

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys are the most often used implants material in dental treatment and orthopedics. Topography and wettability of its surface play important role in film formation, protein adhesion, following osseointegration and even duration of inserted implant. In this paper, we prepared Ti-6Al-4V alloy samples using different smoothing and polishing materials as well the air plasma treatment, on which contact angles of water, formamide and diiodomethane were measured. Then the apparent surface free energy was calculated using four different approaches (CAH, LWAB, O-W and Neumann's Equation of State). From LWAB approach the components of surface free energy were obtained, which shed more light on the wetting properties of samples surface. The surface roughness of the prepared samples was investigated with the help of optical profilometer and AFM. It was interesting whether the surface roughness affects the apparent surface free energy. It was found that both polar interactions the electron donor parameter of the energy and the work of water adhesion increased with decreasing roughness of the surfaces. Moreover, short time plasma treatment (1 min) caused decrease in the surface hydrophilic character, while longer time (10 min) treatment caused significant increase in the polar interactions and the work of water adhesion. Although Ti-6Al-4V alloy has been investigated many times, to our knowledge, so far no paper has been published in which surface roughness and changes in the surface free energy of the alloy were compared in the quantitative way in such large extent. This novel approach deliver better knowledge about the surface properties of differently smoothed and polished samples which may be helpful to facilitate cell adhesion, proliferation and mineralization. Therefore the results obtained present also potentially practical meaning. - Highlights: • Surface of five Ti-6Al-4V alloy samples were smoothed and polished successively. • The

Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy imaging of surface plasmons at the nanometer scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Colliex, Christian; Kociak, Mathieu; Stéphan, Odile

2016-03-01

Since their first realization, electron microscopes have demonstrated their unique ability to map with highest spatial resolution (sub-atomic in most recent instruments) the position of atoms as a consequence of the strong scattering of the incident high energy electrons by the nuclei of the material under investigation. When interacting with the electron clouds either on atomic orbitals or delocalized over the specimen, the associated energy transfer, measured and analyzed as an energy loss (Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy) gives access to analytical properties (atom identification, electron states symmetry and localization). In the moderate energy-loss domain (corresponding to an optical spectral domain from the infrared (IR) to the rather far ultra violet (UV), EELS spectra exhibit characteristic collective excitations of the rather-free electron gas, known as plasmons. Boundary conditions, such as surfaces and/or interfaces between metallic and dielectric media, generate localized surface charge oscillations, surface plasmons (SP), which are associated with confined electric fields. This domain of research has been extraordinarily revived over the past few years as a consequence of the burst of interest for structures and devices guiding, enhancing and controlling light at the sub-wavelength scale. The present review focuses on the study of these surface plasmons with an electron microscopy-based approach which associates spectroscopy and mapping at the level of a single and well-defined nano-object, typically at the nanometer scale i.e. much improved with respect to standard, and even near-field, optical techniques. After calling to mind some early studies, we will briefly mention a few basic aspects of the required instrumentation and associated theoretical tools to interpret the very rich data sets recorded with the latest generation of (Scanning)TEM microscopes. The following paragraphs will review in more detail the results obtained on simple planar and

Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy imaging of surface plasmons at the nanometer scale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Colliex, Christian, E-mail: christian.colliex@u-psud.fr; Kociak, Mathieu; Stéphan, Odile

2016-03-15

Since their first realization, electron microscopes have demonstrated their unique ability to map with highest spatial resolution (sub-atomic in most recent instruments) the position of atoms as a consequence of the strong scattering of the incident high energy electrons by the nuclei of the material under investigation. When interacting with the electron clouds either on atomic orbitals or delocalized over the specimen, the associated energy transfer, measured and analyzed as an energy loss (Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy) gives access to analytical properties (atom identification, electron states symmetry and localization). In the moderate energy-loss domain (corresponding to an optical spectral domain from the infrared (IR) to the rather far ultra violet (UV), EELS spectra exhibit characteristic collective excitations of the rather-free electron gas, known as plasmons. Boundary conditions, such as surfaces and/or interfaces between metallic and dielectric media, generate localized surface charge oscillations, surface plasmons (SP), which are associated with confined electric fields. This domain of research has been extraordinarily revived over the past few years as a consequence of the burst of interest for structures and devices guiding, enhancing and controlling light at the sub-wavelength scale. The present review focuses on the study of these surface plasmons with an electron microscopy-based approach which associates spectroscopy and mapping at the level of a single and well-defined nano-object, typically at the nanometer scale i.e. much improved with respect to standard, and even near-field, optical techniques. After calling to mind some early studies, we will briefly mention a few basic aspects of the required instrumentation and associated theoretical tools to interpret the very rich data sets recorded with the latest generation of (Scanning)TEM microscopes. The following paragraphs will review in more detail the results obtained on simple planar and

Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy imaging of surface plasmons at the nanometer scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colliex, Christian; Kociak, Mathieu; Stéphan, Odile

2016-01-01

Since their first realization, electron microscopes have demonstrated their unique ability to map with highest spatial resolution (sub-atomic in most recent instruments) the position of atoms as a consequence of the strong scattering of the incident high energy electrons by the nuclei of the material under investigation. When interacting with the electron clouds either on atomic orbitals or delocalized over the specimen, the associated energy transfer, measured and analyzed as an energy loss (Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy) gives access to analytical properties (atom identification, electron states symmetry and localization). In the moderate energy-loss domain (corresponding to an optical spectral domain from the infrared (IR) to the rather far ultra violet (UV), EELS spectra exhibit characteristic collective excitations of the rather-free electron gas, known as plasmons. Boundary conditions, such as surfaces and/or interfaces between metallic and dielectric media, generate localized surface charge oscillations, surface plasmons (SP), which are associated with confined electric fields. This domain of research has been extraordinarily revived over the past few years as a consequence of the burst of interest for structures and devices guiding, enhancing and controlling light at the sub-wavelength scale. The present review focuses on the study of these surface plasmons with an electron microscopy-based approach which associates spectroscopy and mapping at the level of a single and well-defined nano-object, typically at the nanometer scale i.e. much improved with respect to standard, and even near-field, optical techniques. After calling to mind some early studies, we will briefly mention a few basic aspects of the required instrumentation and associated theoretical tools to interpret the very rich data sets recorded with the latest generation of (Scanning)TEM microscopes. The following paragraphs will review in more detail the results obtained on simple planar and

Carboxylated dithiafulvenes and tetrathiafulvalene vinylogues: synthesis, electronic properties, and complexation with zinc ions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunfei Wang

2015-06-01

Full Text Available A class of carboxyl and carboxylate ester-substituted dithiafulvene (DTF derivatives and tetrathiafulvalene vinylogues (TTFVs has been synthesized and their electronic and electrochemical redox properties were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopic and cyclic voltammetric analyses. The carboxyl-TTFV was applied as a redox-active ligand to complex with Zn(II ions, forming a stable Zn-TTFV coordination polymer. The structural, electrochemical, and thermal properties of the coordination polymer were investigated by infrared spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, powder X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetric analyses. Furthermore, the microscopic porosity and surface area of the Zn-TTFV coordination polymer were measured by nitrogen gas adsorption analysis, showing a BET surface of 148.2 m2 g−1 and an average pore diameter of 10.2 nm.

Crystal structure, electrical properties and electronic band structure of tantalum ditelluride

CERN Document Server

Vernes, A; Bensch, W; Heid, W; Naether, C

1998-01-01

Motivated by the unexpectedly strong influence of the Te atoms on the structural and bonding properties of the transition metal tellurides, we have performed a detailed study of TaTe sub 2. Experimentally, this comprises a crystal structure determination as well as electrical resistivity measurements. The former analysis leads to an accurate update of the structural data reported in the 1960s, while the latter provides evidence for the mainly electronic character of scattering processes leading to the electrical conductivity. In addition, the electronic properties of TaTe sub 2 have been calculated using the TB-LMTO method. The partial density of states reflects the close connection of the Ta zigzag chains and the Te-Te network. This finding explains the charge transfer in the system in a rather simple way. The orthogonal-orbital character of the bands proved the existence of pi-bonds. The Fermi-surface study supports the interpretation of the experimental resistivity measurements. (author)

Shape-dependent electronic properties of blue phosphorene nano-flakes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhatia, Pradeep; Swaroop, Ram; Kumar, Ashok, E-mail: ashok@cup.ac.in [Center for Physical Sciences, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda-151001 (India)

2016-05-06

In recent year’s considerable attention has been given to the first principles method for modifying and controlling electronic properties of nano-materials. We performed DFT-based calculations on the electronic properties of zigzag-edged nano-flakes of blue phosphorene with three possible shapes namely rectangular, triangular and hexagonal. We observed that HOMO-LUMO gap of zigzag phosphorene nano-flakes with different shapes is ∼2.9 eV with H-passivations and ∼0.7 – 1.2 eV in pristine cases. Electronic properties of blue phosphorene nano-flakes show the strong dependence on their shape. We observed that distributions of molecular orbitals were strongly affected by the different shapes. Zigzag edged considered nanostructures are non-magnetic and semiconducting in nature. The shape dependent electronic properties may find applications in tunable nano-electronics.

Electronic structure and topography of annealed SrTiO3(1 1 1) surfaces studied with MIES and STM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goemann, Anissa; Goemann, Karsten; Frerichs, Martin; Kempter, Volker; Borchardt, Guenter; Maus-Friedrichs, Wolfgang

2005-01-01

Perovskites of ABO 3 type like strontium titanate (SrTiO 3 ) are of great practical concern as materials for oxygen sensors operating at high temperatures. It is well known that the surface layer shows different properties compared to the bulk. Numerous studies exist for the SrTiO 3 (1 0 0) and (1 1 0) surfaces which have investigated the changes in the electronic structure and topography as a function of the preparation conditions. They have indicated a rather complex behaviour of the surface and the near surface region of SrTiO 3 at elevated temperatures. Up to now, the behaviour of the SrTiO 3 (1 1 1) surfaces under thermal treatment is not sufficiently known. This contribution is intended to work out the relation between alteration of the surface topography with respect to the preparation conditions and the simultaneous changes of the electronic structure. We applied scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to investigate the surface topography and, additionally, metastable impact electron spectroscopy (MIES) to study the surface electronic structure of reconstructed SrTiO 3 (1 1 1) surfaces. The crystals were heated up to 1000 deg. C under reducing and oxidizing conditions. Both preparation conditions cause strong changes of the surface topography and electronic structure. A microfaceting of the topmost layers is found

Short vegetal-fiber reinforced HDPE—A study of electron-beam radiation treatment effects on mechanical and morphological properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, Maiara S.; Sartori, Mariana N.; Oliveira, Rene R.; Guven, Olgun; Moura, Esperidiana A.B.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • HDPE reinforced with short piassava fiber composites were prepared by melt-mixing processing. • Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was tested as a radiation cross-linking agent. • The materials were irradiated with 100 and 200 kGy using a 1.5 MeV electron beam accelerator, at room temperature in presence of air. • The better interfacial adhesion between fiber and HDPE matrix was observed for composites with GMA addition irradiated with radiation dose of 200 kGy. - Abstract: The effects of electron-beam radiation treatment on fiber-matrix adhesion and mechanical properties of short piassava fibers reinforced high density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix were studied. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was added at 2.5% and 5.0% (on piassava fiber wt) as a cross-linking agent and the effects upon the properties of the resulting composites treated by electron-beam radiation were also examined. HDPE reinforced with short piassava fiber composites was prepared by melt-mixing processing, using a twin screw extruder machine. The materials were irradiated with 100 and 200 kGy using a 1.5 MeV electron beam accelerator, at room temperature in presence of air. Material samples were submitted to mechanical and thermo-mechanical tests and SEM analyses. Correlation between properties was discussed. The comparison of mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of the composites showed that electron-beam radiation treatment produced a significant improvement in mechanical properties, when compared with the non-irradiated composite sample and neat HDPE. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of the composite failure surfaces indicated that there was an improved adhesion between fiber and matrix. Examination of the failure surfaces indicated dependence of the interfacial adhesion upon the radiation dose and GMA content. Better interfacial adhesion between fiber and HDPE matrix was observed for composites with 5.0% GMA addition and treated with electron

Short vegetal-fiber reinforced HDPE—A study of electron-beam radiation treatment effects on mechanical and morphological properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferreira, Maiara S.; Sartori, Mariana N.; Oliveira, Rene R. [Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, IPEN-CNEN/SP, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 2242, zip code 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Guven, Olgun [Hacettepe University, Department of Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry Division, Beytepe, zip code 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Moura, Esperidiana A.B., E-mail: eabmoura@ipen.br [Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, IPEN-CNEN/SP, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 2242, zip code 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2014-08-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • HDPE reinforced with short piassava fiber composites were prepared by melt-mixing processing. • Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was tested as a radiation cross-linking agent. • The materials were irradiated with 100 and 200 kGy using a 1.5 MeV electron beam accelerator, at room temperature in presence of air. • The better interfacial adhesion between fiber and HDPE matrix was observed for composites with GMA addition irradiated with radiation dose of 200 kGy. - Abstract: The effects of electron-beam radiation treatment on fiber-matrix adhesion and mechanical properties of short piassava fibers reinforced high density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix were studied. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was added at 2.5% and 5.0% (on piassava fiber wt) as a cross-linking agent and the effects upon the properties of the resulting composites treated by electron-beam radiation were also examined. HDPE reinforced with short piassava fiber composites was prepared by melt-mixing processing, using a twin screw extruder machine. The materials were irradiated with 100 and 200 kGy using a 1.5 MeV electron beam accelerator, at room temperature in presence of air. Material samples were submitted to mechanical and thermo-mechanical tests and SEM analyses. Correlation between properties was discussed. The comparison of mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of the composites showed that electron-beam radiation treatment produced a significant improvement in mechanical properties, when compared with the non-irradiated composite sample and neat HDPE. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of the composite failure surfaces indicated that there was an improved adhesion between fiber and matrix. Examination of the failure surfaces indicated dependence of the interfacial adhesion upon the radiation dose and GMA content. Better interfacial adhesion between fiber and HDPE matrix was observed for composites with 5.0% GMA addition and treated with electron

Understanding the electron-stimulated surface reactions of organometallic complexes to enable design of precursors for electron beam-induced deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spencer, Julie A.; Rosenberg, Samantha G.; Barclay, Michael; Fairbrother, D. Howard [Johns Hopkins University, Department of Chemistry, Baltimore, MD (United States); Wu, Yung-Chien; McElwee-White, Lisa [University of Florida, Department of Chemistry, Gainesville, FL (United States)

2014-12-15

Standard practice in electron beam-induced deposition (EBID) is to use precursors designed for thermal processes, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD). However, organometallic precursors that yield pure metal deposits in CVD often create EBID deposits with high levels of organic contamination. This contamination negatively impacts the deposit's properties (e.g., by increasing resistivity or decreasing catalytic activity) and severely limits the range of potential applications for metal-containing EBID nanostructures. To provide the information needed for the rational design of precursors specifically for EBID, we have employed an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) surface science approach to identify the elementary reactions of organometallic precursors during EBID. These UHV studies have demonstrated that the initial electron-induced deposition of the surface-bound organometallic precursors proceeds through desorption of one or more of the ligands present in the parent compound. In specific cases, this deposition step has been shown to proceed via dissociative electron attachment, involving low-energy secondary electrons generated by the interaction of the primary beam with the substrate. Electron beam processing of the surface-bound species produced in the initial deposition event usually causes decomposition of the residual ligands, creating nonvolatile fragments. This process is believed to be responsible for a significant fraction of the organic contaminants typically observed in EBID nanostructures. A few ligands (e.g., halogens) can, however, desorb during electron beam processing while other ligands (e.g., PF{sub 3}, CO) can thermally desorb if elevated substrate temperatures are used during deposition. Using these general guidelines for reactivity, we propose some design strategies for EBID precursors. The ultimate goal is to minimize organic contamination and thus overcome the key bottleneck for fabrication of relatively pure EBID nanostructures. (orig.)

Modifying surface properties of diamond-like carbon films via nanotexturing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corbella, C; Portal-Marco, S; Rubio-Roy, M; Bertran, E; Andujar, J L [FEMAN Group, IN2UB, Departament de Fisica Aplicada i Optica, Universitat de Barcelona, c/ Marti i Franques 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Oncins, G [Serveis CientIfico-Tecnics, Universitat de Barcelona, c/ Marti i Franques s/n, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Vallve, M A; Ignes-Mullol, J, E-mail: corberoc@hotmail.com [SOC and SAM Group, IN2UB, Departament de Quimica Fisica, Universitat de Barcelona, c/ Marti i Franques 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2011-10-05

Diamond-like amorphous carbon (DLC) films have been grown by pulsed-dc plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition on silicon wafers, which were previously patterned by means of colloidal lithography. The substrate conditioning comprised two steps: first, deposition of a self-assembled monolayer of silica sub-micrometre spheres ({approx}300 nm) on monocrystalline silicon ({approx}5 cm{sup 2}) by Langmuir-Blodgett technique, which acted as lithography template; second, substrate patterning via ion beam etching (argon) of the colloid samples (550 eV) at different incidence angles. The plasma deposition of a DLC thin film on the nanotextured substrates resulted in hard coatings with distinctly different surface properties compared with planar DLC. Also, in-plane anisotropy was generated depending on the etching angle. The samples were morphologically characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The anisotropy introduced by the texture was evidenced in the surface properties, as shown by the directional dependences of wettability (water contact angle) and friction coefficient. The latter was measured using a nanotribometer and a lateral force microscope. These two techniques showed how the nanopatterns influenced the tribological properties at different scales of load and contact area. This fabrication technique finds applications in the industry of microelectromechanical systems, anisotropic tribological coatings, nanoimprint lithography, microfluidics, photonic crystals, and patterned surfaces for biomedicine.

Surface, structural and tensile properties of proton beam irradiated zirconium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rafique, Mohsin; Chae, San; Kim, Yong-Soo, E-mail: yongskim@hanyang.ac.kr

2016-02-01

This paper reports the surface, structural and tensile properties of proton beam irradiated pure zirconium (99.8%). The Zr samples were irradiated by 3.5 MeV protons using MC-50 cyclotron accelerator at different doses ranging from 1 × 10{sup 13} to 1 × 10{sup 16} protons/cm{sup 2}. Both un-irradiated and irradiated samples were characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Universal Testing Machine (UTM). The average surface roughness of the specimens was determined by using Nanotech WSxM 5.0 develop 7.0 software. The FESEM results revealed the formation of bubbles, cracks and black spots on the samples’ surface at different doses whereas the XRD results indicated the presence of residual stresses in the irradiated specimens. Williamson–Hall analysis of the diffraction peaks was carried out to investigate changes in crystallite size and lattice strain in the irradiated specimens. The tensile properties such as the yield stress, ultimate tensile stress and percentage elongation exhibited a decreasing trend after irradiation in general, however, an inconsistent behavior was observed in their dependence on proton dose. The changes in tensile properties of Zr were associated with the production of radiation-induced defects including bubbles, cracks, precipitates and simultaneous recovery by the thermal energy generated with the increase of irradiation dose.

Surface, structural and tensile properties of proton beam irradiated zirconium

Science.gov (United States)

Rafique, Mohsin; Chae, San; Kim, Yong-Soo

2016-02-01

This paper reports the surface, structural and tensile properties of proton beam irradiated pure zirconium (99.8%). The Zr samples were irradiated by 3.5 MeV protons using MC-50 cyclotron accelerator at different doses ranging from 1 × 1013 to 1 × 1016 protons/cm2. Both un-irradiated and irradiated samples were characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Universal Testing Machine (UTM). The average surface roughness of the specimens was determined by using Nanotech WSxM 5.0 develop 7.0 software. The FESEM results revealed the formation of bubbles, cracks and black spots on the samples' surface at different doses whereas the XRD results indicated the presence of residual stresses in the irradiated specimens. Williamson-Hall analysis of the diffraction peaks was carried out to investigate changes in crystallite size and lattice strain in the irradiated specimens. The tensile properties such as the yield stress, ultimate tensile stress and percentage elongation exhibited a decreasing trend after irradiation in general, however, an inconsistent behavior was observed in their dependence on proton dose. The changes in tensile properties of Zr were associated with the production of radiation-induced defects including bubbles, cracks, precipitates and simultaneous recovery by the thermal energy generated with the increase of irradiation dose.

Surface chemical reactions during electron beam irradiation of nanocrystalline CaS:Ce3+ phosphor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Vinay; Pitale, Shreyas S.; Nagpure, I. M.; Coetsee, E.; Ntwaeaborwa, O. M.; Terblans, J. J.; Swart, H. C.; Mishra, Varun

2010-01-01

The effects of accelerating voltage (0.5-5 keV) on the green cathodoluminescence (CL) of CaS:Ce 3+ nanocrystalline powder phosphors is reported. An increase in the CL intensity was observed from the powders when the accelerating voltage was varied from 0.5 to 5 keV, which is a relevant property for a phosphor to be used in field emission displays (FEDs). The CL degradation induced by prolonged electron beam irradiation was analyzed using CL spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The AES data showed the decrease in the S peak intensity and an increase in the O peak intensity during electron bombardment. The CL intensity was found to decrease to 30% of its original intensity after about 50 C/cm 2 . XPS was used to study the chemical composition of the CaS:Ce 3+ nanophosphor before and after degradation. The XPS data confirms that a nonluminescent CaSO 4 layer has formed on the surface during the degradation process, which may partially be responsible for the CL degradation. The electron stimulated surface chemical reaction mechanism was used to explain the effects of S desorption and the formation of the nonluminescent CaSO 4 layer on the surface.

Layered Black Phosphorus: Strongly Anisotropic Magnetic, Electronic, and Electron-Transfer Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Sofer, Zdeněk; Sedmidubský, David; Huber, Štěpán; Luxa, Jan; Bouša, Daniel; Boothroyd, Chris; Pumera, Martin

2016-03-01

Layered elemental materials, such as black phosphorus, exhibit unique properties originating from their highly anisotropic layered structure. The results presented herein demonstrate an anomalous anisotropy for the electrical, magnetic, and electrochemical properties of black phosphorus. It is shown that heterogeneous electron transfer from black phosphorus to outer- and inner-sphere molecular probes is highly anisotropic. The electron-transfer rates differ at the basal and edge planes. These unusual properties were interpreted by means of calculations, manifesting the metallic character of the edge planes as compared to the semiconducting properties of the basal plane. This indicates that black phosphorus belongs to a group of materials known as topological insulators. Consequently, these effects render the magnetic properties highly anisotropic, as both diamagnetic and paramagnetic behavior can be observed depending on the orientation in the magnetic field. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electronic and magnetic coupling of iron and copper phthalocyanine to ferromagnetic Co(100) surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, Felix; Sauther, Jens; Lach, Stefan; Ziegler, Christiane [Department of Physics, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin Schroedinger Str. 56, D-67663 Kaiserslautern (Germany); Ali, Ehesan; Oppeneer, Peter [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Box 530, Uppsala University, S-75121 Uppsala (Sweden)

2009-07-01

Metallo-phthalocyanines are organic semiconductors which show in certain cases promising magnetic properties, advertising them for use in organic spintronics. Here, copper (CuPc) and iron phthalocyanine (FePc) were grown on ultra thin layers of Co(100) substrates with well known highly spin-polarized electron injection capability. Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals different interactions between the pyrolytic nitrogen atoms and the cobalt surface for the two phthalocyanines. The analysis of the different multiplet structures appearing for the nitrogen core levels in the submonolayer regime and UPS investigations of the valence band electronic structure of the Co dominated region near the Fermi level indicates a particularly electronic coupling and a rehybridisation of the molecular orbitals with the cobalt orbitals. In order to clarify the influence of the two different central atoms on the electronic- and subsequently the magnetic coupling to the Co substrate, theoretical calculations using the GGA and GGA+U methodologies on a structure of Fe/Cu-phthalocyanine adsorbed on a 3-layered cobalt surface were performed indicating a ferromagnetic coupling between FePc and Co.

Metrology and properties of engineering surfaces

CERN Document Server

Greenwood, J; Chetwynd, D

2001-01-01

Metrology and Properties of Engineering Surfaces provides in a single volume a comprehensive and authoritative treatment of the crucial topics involved in the metrology and properties of engineering surfaces. The subject matter is a central issue in manufacturing technology, since the quality and reliability of manufactured components depend greatly upon the selection and qualities of the appropriate materials as ascertained through measurement. The book can in broad terms be split into two parts; the first deals with the metrology of engineering surfaces and covers the important issues relating to the measurement and characterization of surfaces in both two and three dimensions. This covers topics such as filtering, power spectral densities, autocorrelation functions and the use of Fractals in topography. A significant proportion is dedicated to the calibration of scanning probe microscopes using the latest techniques. The remainder of the book deals with the properties of engineering surfaces and covers a w...

Generation of attosecond electron packets via conical surface plasmon electron acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Greig, S. R.; Elezzabi, A. Y.

2016-01-01

We present a method for the generation of high kinetic energy attosecond electron packets via magnetostatic and aperture filtering of conical surface plasmon (SP) accelerated electrons. The conical SP waves are excited by coupling an ultrafast radially polarized laser beam to a conical silica lens coated with an Ag film. Electromagnetic and particle tracking models are employed to characterize the ultrafast electron packets. PMID:26764129

Magnetic properties of confined electron gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Felicio, J.R.D. de.

1977-04-01

The effects of confinement by a two or three-dimensional harmonic potential on the magnetic properties of a free electron gas are investigated using the grand-canonical ensemble framework. At high temperatures an extension of Darwin's, Felderhof and Raval's works is made taking into account spin effects at low temperature. A comprehensive description of the magnetic properties of a free electron gas is given. The system is regarded as finite, but the boundary condition psi=0 is not introduced. The limits of weak and strong confinement are also analysed [pt

Laser induced surface structuring of Cu for enhancement of field emission properties

Science.gov (United States)

Akram, Mahreen; Bashir, Shazia; Jalil, Sohail Abdul; Shahid Rafique, Muhammad; Hayat, Asma; Mahmood, Khaliq

2018-02-01

The effect of Nd:YAG (1064 nm, 10 ns, 10 Hz) laser induced surface structuring of copper (Cu) for enhancement of field emission (FE) properties has been investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis was employed to investigate the surface structural and compositional modifications. The surface structuring was explored by scanning electron microscope investigation. FE properties were studied under UHV conditions in a parallel plate configuration of planar un-irradiated Cu anode and laser irradiated Cu cathode. The Fowler-Nordheim plots were drawn to confirm the dominance of FE behavior of the measured I-V characteristics. The obtained values of turn-on field ‘E o’, field enhancement factor ‘β’ and maximum current density ‘J max’ come out to be to be in the range of 5.5-8.5 V μm-1, 1380-2730 and 147-375 μA cm-2 respectively for the Cu samples irradiated at laser irradiance ranging from 13 to 50 GW cm-2. The observed enhancement in the FE properties has been correlated with the growth of various surface structures such as ridged protrusions, cones and pores/tiny holes. The porous morphology is found to be responsible for a significant enhancement in the FE parameters.

Properties of Silicon Dioxide Amorphous Nanopowder Produced by Pulsed Electron Beam Evaporation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladislav G. Il’ves

2015-01-01

Full Text Available SiO2 amorphous nanopowder (NP is produced with the specific surface area of 154 m2/g by means of evaporation by a pulsed electron beam aimed at Aerosil 90 pyrogenic amorphous NP (90 m2/g as a target. SiO2 NP nanoparticles showed improved magnetic, thermal, and optical properties in comparison to Aerosil 90 NP. Possible reasons of emergence of d0 ferromagnetism at the room temperature in SiO2 amorphous NP are discussed. Photoluminescent and cathode luminescent properties of the SiO2 NP were investigated.

Improving the properties of stainless steel electron-beam welds by laser treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Xueyi; Zhou Changchi

1991-10-01

For improving the properties of corrosion resistance of stainless steel, which is widely used in nuclear engineering, the technological test on rapid fusing and setting formed by using laser treatment in electron-beam welds on stainless steel was investigated and the analytical results of welding structure and properties were reported. The experimental results show that after laser treatment more finegrained structure in the surface of the welding centreline and welding heat-affected zone was observed. Segregation of chemical composition was reduced. Plasticity and corrosion resistance in the welding zone was increased. Intergranular corrosion of heat-affected zone was improved

Surface composite nanostructures of AZ91 magnesium alloy induced by high current pulsed electron beam treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, M.C.; Hao, S.Z.; Wen, H.; Huang, R.F.

2014-01-01

High current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) treatment was conducted on an AZ91 cast magnesium alloy with accelerating voltage 27 kV, energy density 3 J/cm 2 and pulse duration 2.5 μs. The surface microstructure was characterized by optical microscope (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The surface corrosion property was tested with electrochemical method in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. It is found that after 1 pulse of HCPEB treatment, the initial eutectic α phase and Mg 17 Al 12 particles started to dissolve in the surface modified layer of depth ∼15 μm. When using 15 HCPEB pulses, the Al content in surface layer increased noticeably, and the phase structure was modified as composite nanostructures consisted of nano-grained Mg 3.1 Al 0.9 domains surrounded by network of Mg 17 Al 12 phase. The HCPEB treated samples showed an improved corrosion resistance with cathodic current density decreased by two orders of magnitude as compared to the initial AZ91 alloy.

Handling sticky Resin by Stingless Bees: Adhesive Properties of Surface Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MARKUS GASTAUER

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Many Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera: Meliponini like Tetragonisca angustula collect resin to defend their nests against intruders like ants or Robber Bees. Small portions of resin are attached to intruders bodies and extremities causing their immobilization. It has been observed that resin is removed easily from the bee's mandible but adheres strongly to the intruder's cuticle. We tested the hypothesis that resin sticks lesser to the mandibles of Stingless Bees than to the surface of intruders due to special surface structures or adhesive properties of these structures. The surface structures of the mandible of T. angustula and the trochanter of Camponotus sericeiventris were studied by scanning electron microscopy. To measure adhesion properties, selected surfaces were fixed on a fine glass pin and withdrawn from a glass tip covered with resin. The deformation of the glass pin indicates adhesion forces operating between the resin and the selective surface. The absolute value of the forces is computed from the glass pin's stiffness. It has been shown that resin sticks more to the smooth mandible of the bee than to the structured trochanter of the ant. A new hypothesis to be tested says that the bees might lubricate their mandibles with nectar or honey to reduce the resin's adhesion temporarily.

Structural Dependence of Electronic Properties in A-A-D-A-A-Type Organic Solar Cell Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ram S. Bhatta

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Small conjugated molecules (SCMs are promising candidates for organic photovoltaic (OPV devices because of their structural simplicity, well control over synthetic reproducibility, and low purification cost. However, industrial development of SCM-based OPV devices requires improving their performance, which in turn relies on the fundamental understanding of structural dependence of electronic properties of SCMs. Herein, we report the structural and electronic properties of the BCNDTS molecule as a model system for acceptor-acceptor-donor-acceptor-acceptor (A-A-D-A-A type SCMs, using density functional theory (DFT and time-dependent DFT methods. Systematic calculations of two-dimensional potential energy surfaces, molecular electrostatic potential surfaces, ground state frontier molecular orbital energies, and the vertical excitation energies are performed. We found that the lowest energy conformation of the BCNDTS molecule is planar. The planar conformation favors the lowest ground state and the excited state energies as well as the strongest oscillator strength. The present results suggest that SCMs containing central dithienosilole cores connected with 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole groups have potential to be an efficient electron donor for OPV devices.

Electronic collective modes and instabilities on semiconductor surfaces. I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muramatsu, A.; Hanke, W.

1984-01-01

A Green's-function theory of electronic collective modes is presented which leads to a practical scheme for a microscopic determination of surface elementary excitations in conducting as well as nonconducting solids. Particular emphasis is placed on semiconductor surfaces where the jellium approximation is not valid, due to the importance of density fluctuations on a microscopic scale (reflected in the local-field effects). Starting from the Bethe-Salpeter equation for the two-particle Green's function of the surface system, an equation of motion for the electron-hole pair is obtained. Its solutions determine the energy spectra, lifetimes, and amplitudes of the surface elementary excitations, i.e., surface plasmons, excitons, polaritons, and magnons. Exchange and correlation effects are taken into account through the random-phase and time-dependent Hartree-Fock (screened electron-hole attraction) approximations. The formalism is applied to the study of electronic (charge- and spin-density) instabilities at covalent semiconductor surfaces. Quantitative calculations for an eight-layer Si(111) slab display an instability of the ideal paramagnetic surface with respect to spin-density waves with wavelength nearly corresponding to (2 x 1) and (7 x 7) superstructures

Structural, electronic and transport properties of armorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunctions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulze, Tim Ferdinand

2011-06-15

The present dissertation is concerned with the physical aspects of the a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction in the context of PV research. In a first step, the technological development which took place in the framework of the thesis is summarized. Its main constituent was the development and implementation of ultrathin ({<=}10 nm) undoped a-Si:H[(i)a-Si:H] layers to improve the passivation of the c-Si surface with the goal of increasing the open-circuit voltage of the solar cell. It is shown that the effect of (i)a-Si:H interlayers depends on the c-Si substrate doping type, and that challenges exist particularly on the technologically more relevant (n)c-Si substrate. A precise optimization of (i)a-Si:H thickness and the doping level of the following a-Si:H top layers is required to realize an efficiency gain in the solar cell. In this chapter, the key scientific questions to be tackled in the main part of the thesis are brought up by the technological development. In the next chapter, the charge carrier transport through a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunctions is investigated making use of current-voltage (I/V) characteristics taken at different temperatures. The dominant transport mechanisms in a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunctions are identified, and the relevance for solar cell operation is discussed. It is found that in the bias regime relevant for solar cell operation, the theoretical framework for the description of carrier transport in classical c-Si solar cells applies as well, which enables to use I/V curves for a simple characterization of a-Si:H/c-Si structures. The next chapter deals with the microscopic characterization of ultrathin a-Si:H layers. Employing infrared spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy, the structural, electronic and optical properties of (i)a-Si:H are analyzed. It is found that ultrathin a-Si:H essentially behaves like layers of 10..100 times the thickness. This represents the basis for the

Electronic grain boundary properties in polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} semiconductors for thin film solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baier, Robert

2012-06-25

Solar cells based on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGSe) thin film absorbers reach the highest energy conversion efficiency among all thin film solar cells. The record efficiency is at least partly attributed to benign electronic properties of grain boundaries (GBs) in the CIGSe layers. However, despite a high amount of research on this phenomenon the underlying physics is not sufficiently understood. This thesis presents an elaborate study on the electronic properties of GBs in CIGSe thin films. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) was employed to investigate the electronic properties of GBs in dependence of the Ga-content. Five CIGSe thin lms with various Ga-contents were grown by means of similar three stage co-evaporation processes. Both as grown as well as chemically treated (KCN etched) thin films were analyzed. The chemical treatment was employed to remove surface oxides. No difference in electronic GB properties was found with or without the chemical treatment. Therefore, we conclude that a moderate surface oxidation does not alter the electronic properties of GBs. In general, one can observe significant variations of electronic potential barriers at GBs. Under consideration of the averaging effect of the work function signal of nanoscale potential distributions in KPFM measurements which was quantified in the course of this thesis both positive and negative potential barriers in a range between ∼-350 mV and ∼+450 mV were detected. Additionally, variations in the defect densities at GBs between ∼3.1 x 10{sup 11} cm{sup -2} and ∼2.1 x 10{sup 12} cm{sup -2} were found. However, no correlation between the electronic properties of GBs and the Ga-content of CIGSe thin films was discovered. Consequently, one cannot explain the drop in device efficiency observed for CIGSe thin film solar cells with a high Ga-content by a change of the electronic properties of GBs. Combined KPFM and electron backscatter diffraction measurements were employed for the

Influence of Inherent Surface and Internal Defects on Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Alloy: Comparison between Selective Laser Melting and Electron Beam Melting.

Science.gov (United States)

Fousová, Michaela; Vojtěch, Dalibor; Doubrava, Karel; Daniel, Matěj; Lin, Chiu-Feng

2018-03-31

Additive manufacture (AM) appears to be the most suitable technology to produce sophisticated, high quality, lightweight parts from Ti6Al4V alloy. However, the fatigue life of AM parts is of concern. In our study, we focused on a comparison of two techniques of additive manufacture-selective laser melting (SLM) and electron beam melting (EBM)-in terms of the mechanical properties during both static and dynamic loading. All of the samples were untreated to focus on the influence of surface condition inherent to SLM and EBM. The EBM samples were studied in the as-built state, while SLM was followed by heat treatment. The resulting similarity of microstructures led to comparable mechanical properties in tension, but, due to differences in surface roughness and specific internal defects, the fatigue strength of the EBM samples reached only half the value of the SLM samples. Higher surface roughness that is inherent to EBM contributed to multiple initiations of fatigue cracks, while only one crack initiated on the SLM surface. Also, facets that were formed by an intergranular cleavage fracture were observed in the EBM samples.

Influence of Inherent Surface and Internal Defects on Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Alloy: Comparison between Selective Laser Melting and Electron Beam Melting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michaela Fousová

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Additive manufacture (AM appears to be the most suitable technology to produce sophisticated, high quality, lightweight parts from Ti6Al4V alloy. However, the fatigue life of AM parts is of concern. In our study, we focused on a comparison of two techniques of additive manufacture—selective laser melting (SLM and electron beam melting (EBM—in terms of the mechanical properties during both static and dynamic loading. All of the samples were untreated to focus on the influence of surface condition inherent to SLM and EBM. The EBM samples were studied in the as-built state, while SLM was followed by heat treatment. The resulting similarity of microstructures led to comparable mechanical properties in tension, but, due to differences in surface roughness and specific internal defects, the fatigue strength of the EBM samples reached only half the value of the SLM samples. Higher surface roughness that is inherent to EBM contributed to multiple initiations of fatigue cracks, while only one crack initiated on the SLM surface. Also, facets that were formed by an intergranular cleavage fracture were observed in the EBM samples.

Surface Properties of PAN-based Carbon Fibers Modified by Electrochemical Oxidization in Organic Electrolyte Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WU Bo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available PAN-based carbon fibers were modified by electrochemical oxidization using fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether phosphate (O3P, triethanolamine (TEOA and fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether ammonium phosphate (O3PNH4 as organic electrolyte respectively. Titration analysis, single fiber fracture strength measurement and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM were used to evaluate the content of acidic functional group on the surface, mechanical properties and surface morphology of carbon fiber. The optimum process of electrochemical treatment obtained is at 50℃ for 2min and O3PNH4 (5%, mass fraction as the electrolyte with current density of 2A/g. In addition, the surface properties of modified carbon fibers were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and single fiber contact angle test. The results show that the hydrophilic acidic functional groups on the surface of carbon fiber which can enhance the surface energy are increased by the electrochemical oxidation using O3PNH4 as electrolyte, almost without any weakening to the mechanical properties of carbon fiber.

Electronic and surface properties of pentacene films deposited on SiO{sub 2} prepared by the sol–gel and thermally grown methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai, Chi-Jie [Department of Physics, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua 500, Taiwan (China); Tsao, Hou-Yen [Institute of Photonics, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua 500, Taiwan (China); Lin, Yow-Jon, E-mail: rzr2390@yahoo.com.tw [Institute of Photonics, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua 500, Taiwan (China); Liu, Day-Shan [Graduate Institute of Electro-Optical and Materials Science, National Formosa University, Huwei 632, Taiwan (China)

2014-02-03

This study investigates the effect of different types of SiO{sub 2} on the electronic and surface properties of pentacene films. Developing better contacts on dielectrics is one of the main challenges for pentacene-based transistor technology. The water contact angle variation indicates more hydrophobic thermally grown SiO{sub 2} surfaces than sol–gel SiO{sub 2} surfaces, suggesting that the thermally grown SiO{sub 2} dielectric enables a better molecular arrangement as the pentacene layer is deposited. It is found that the carrier mobility in pentacene on thermally grown SiO{sub 2} dielectrics is higher than that in pentacene on sol–gel SiO{sub 2} dielectrics. The Hall-effect analysis by using the polaron theory revealed that the enhanced carrier mobility is due to the increased spacing between molecules. - Highlights: • The carrier mobility of pentacene on thermally grown and sol–gel SiO{sub 2} was researched. • The enhanced carrier mobility of pentacene on thermally grown SiO2 was observed. • The dominance of tunneling (hopping) at low (high) temperatures was observed. • The carrier mobility is correlated with the morphology of pentacene films.

Anharmonic vibrational properties in periodic systems: energy, electron-phonon coupling, and stress

OpenAIRE

Monserrat, Bartomeu; Drummond, N. D.; Needs, R. J.

2013-01-01

A unified approach is used to study vibrational properties of periodic systems with first-principles methods and including anharmonic effects. Our approach provides a theoretical basis for the determination of phonon-dependent quantities at finite temperatures. The low-energy portion of the Born-Oppenheimer energy surface is mapped and used to calculate the total vibrational energy including anharmonic effects, electron-phonon coupling, and the vibrational contribution to the stress tensor. W...

Surface interactions and fouling properties of Micrococcus luteus with microfiltration membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Lei; Li, Xiufen; Song, Ping; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian

2011-11-01

This study was conducted to investigate microbial adhesion of Micrococcus luteus to polypropylene (PP) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes in relation to the variation of the interfacial energies in the membrane-bacteria systems, for revealing effects of short-range surface interactions on filtration behavior. Both the membranes and M. luteus showed typical strong electron donors and hydrophilic properties. The AB component was dominant in the interfacial energies of the two membrane-bacteria systems. M. luteus presented larger negative U(mlb)(XDLVO) to the PP membrane than to the PVDF membrane. The adhesion experiments also proved that M. luteus had higher adhesion percentage to the PP membrane. This study demonstrated that the adhesion potentials of M. luteus to the PP and PVDF membranes might be explained in terms of bacterium, membrane, and intervening medium surface properties, which are mainly determined by the interfacial energies in the systems according to the XDLVO theory.

Oxidative nanopatterning of titanium generates mesoporous surfaces with antimicrobial properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Variola F

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Fabio Variola,1,2 Sylvia Francis Zalzal,3 Annie Leduc,3 Jean Barbeau,3 Antonio Nanci31Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, 3Faculty of Dental Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, CanadaAbstract: Mesoporous surfaces generated by oxidative nanopatterning have the capacity to selectively regulate cell behavior, but their impact on microorganisms has not yet been explored. The main objective of this study was to test the effects of such surfaces on the adherence of two common bacteria and one yeast strain that are responsible for nosocomial infections in clinical settings and biomedical applications. In addition, because surface characteristics are known to affect bacterial adhesion, we further characterized the physicochemical properties of the mesoporous surfaces. Focused ion beam (FIB was used to generate ultrathin sections for elemental analysis by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS, nanobeam electron diffraction (NBED, and high-angle annular dark field (HAADF scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM imaging. The adherence of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans onto titanium disks with mesoporous and polished surfaces was compared. Disks with the two surfaces side-by-side were also used for direct visual comparison. Qualitative and quantitative results from this study indicate that bacterial adhesion is significantly hindered by the mesoporous surface. In addition, we provide evidence that it alters structural parameters of C. albicans that determine its invasiveness potential, suggesting that microorganisms can sense and respond to the mesoporous surface. Our findings demonstrate the efficiency of a simple chemical oxidative treatment in generating nanotextured surfaces with antimicrobial capacity with potential applications in the implant manufacturing industry and hospital setting

Terahertz instability of surface optical-phonon polaritons that interact with surface plasmon polaritons in the presence of electron drift

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sydoruk, O.; Solymar, L.; Shamonina, E.; Kalinin, V.

2010-01-01

Traveling-wave interaction between optical phonons and electrons drifting in diatomic semiconductors has potential for amplification and generation of terahertz radiation. Existing models of this interaction were developed for infinite materials. As a more practically relevant configuration, we studied theoretically a finite semiconductor slab surrounded by a dielectric. This paper analyzes the optical-phonon instability in the slab including the Lorentz force and compares it to the instability in an infinite material. As the analysis shows, the slab instability occurs because of the interaction of surface optical-phonon polaritons with surface plasmon polaritons in the presence of electron drift. The properties of the instability depend on the slab thickness when the thickness is comparable to the wavelength. For large slab thicknesses, however, the dispersion relation of the slab is similar to that of an infinite material, although the coupling is weaker. The results could be used for the design of practical terahertz traveling-wave oscillators and amplifiers.

Electronic properties of semiconductor heterostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Einevoll, G.T.

1991-02-01

Ten papers on the electronic properties of semiconductors and semiconductor heterostructures constitute the backbone of this thesis. Four papers address the form and validity of the single-band effective mass approximation for semiconductor heterostructures. In four other papers properties of acceptor states in bulk semiconductors and semiconductor heterostructures are studied using the novel effective bond-orbital model. The last two papers deal with localized excitions. 122 refs

Electronic and structural properties of deposited silver nanoparticles. A STM and GISAXS study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sell, Kristian

2010-12-15

The properties of supported Ag nanoparticles are investigated, with the focus on specific structural and electronic qualities. Using a statistical analysis it is shown that large Ag particles move over the surface after being deposited on Si(111)7 x 7. Surface photovoltage measurements reveal the band topology of nanoscale metal-semiconductor systems. The findings are discussed with a band topology model and in terms of current transport mechanisms. Grazing-incidence small angle X-ray scattering is used to monitor in situ the size and shape change of Ag nanoparticles during a catalytic reaction. (orig.)

Changes of electronic properties of p-GaN(0 0 0 1) surface after low-energy N+-ion bombardment

Science.gov (United States)

Grodzicki, M.; Mazur, P.; Ciszewski, A.

2018-05-01

The p-GaN(0 0 0 1) crystal with a relatively low acceptor concentration of 5 × 1016 cm-3 is used in these studies, which are carried out in situ under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). The p-GaN(0 0 0 1)-(1 × 1) surface is achieved by thermal cleaning. N+-ion bombardment by a 200 eV ion beam changes the surface stoichiometry, enriches it with nitrogen, and disorders it. Such modified surface layer inverts its semiconducting character from p- into n-type. The electron affinity for the already cleaned p-GaN surface and that just after bombardment shows a shift from 2.2 eV to 3.2 eV, as well as an increase of band bending at the vacuum/surface interface from 1.4 eV to 2.5 eV. Proper post-bombardment heating of the sample restores the initial atomic order of the modified layer, leaving its n-type semiconducting character unchanged. The results of the measurements are discussed based on two types of surface states concepts.

Various categories of defects after surface alloying induced by high current pulsed electron beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Dian [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Tang, Guangze, E-mail: oaktang@hit.edu.cn [School of Material Science & Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Ma, Xinxin [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Gu, Le [School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Sun, Mingren [School of Material Science & Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Wang, Liqin [School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China)

2015-10-01

Highlights: • Four kinds of defects are found during surface alloying by high current electron beam. • Exploring the mechanism how these defects appear after irradiation. • Increasing pulsing cycles will help to get good surface quality. • Choosing proper energy density will increase surface quality. - Abstract: High current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) is an attractive advanced materials processing method which could highly increase the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, how to eliminate different kinds of defects during irradiation by HCPEB especially in condition of adding new elements is a challenging task. In the present research, the titanium and TaNb-TiW composite films was deposited on the carburizing steel (SAE9310 steel) by DC magnetron sputtering before irradiation. The process of surface alloying was induced by HCPEB with pulse duration of 2.5 μs and energy density ranging from 3 to 9 J/cm{sup 2}. Investigation of the microstructure indicated that there were several forms of defects after irradiation, such as surface unwetting, surface eruption, micro-cracks and layering. How the defects formed was explained by the results of electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The results also revealed that proper energy density (∼6 J/cm{sup 2}) and multi-number of irradiation (≥50 times) contributed to high quality of alloyed layers after irradiation.

Electron transport properties in ZnO nanowires/poly(3-hexylthiophene) hybrid nanostructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Ke; Cheng Gang; Wang Shujie; Fu Dongwei; Zou Bingsuo; Du Zuliang

2010-01-01

The ZnO nanowires (NWs) array/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) hybrid prototype device was fabricated. An ultraviolet (UV) light of λ = 350 nm is used to investigate the photo-electric properties of the ZnO NWs array and hybrid structure. In this way, we can avoid the excitation of P3HT, which can give us a real electron transport ability of ZnO NWs itself. Our results demonstrated a higher and faster photo-electric response of 3 s for the hybrid structure while 9 s for the ZnO NWs array. The surface states related slow photo-electric response was also observed for them. The charge transfer mechanism and the influence of surface states were discussed. The current work provides us profound understandings on the electron transport ability of ZnO NWs array in a working hybrid polymer solar cell, which is crucial for optimizing the device performance.

Electronic and Optical Properties of Titanium Nitride Bulk and Surfaces from First Principles Calculations (Postprint)

Science.gov (United States)

2015-11-18

properties of TiN bulk and surface structures were previously per- formed,24–35 analysis of the optical properties at an ab initio level for this...TDDFT dielectric functions has shown that the functional is subject to validation with GW-BSE calcula- tions. Analysis of the GW0-BSE results in...al.55) is given by the Cartesian tensor eð2Þab ðxÞ ¼ 4p 2e2 X limq!0 1 q2 P c;v;k2wkdðwkck vk wÞ huckþeaqjuvkihuckþeabqjuvki, where x is in

Lunar surface engineering properties experiment definition

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, J. K.; Goodman, R. E.; Hurlbut, F. C.; Houston, W. N.; Willis, D. R.; Witherspoon, P. A.; Hovland, H. J.

1971-01-01

Research on the mechanics of lunar soils and on developing probes to determine the properties of lunar surface materials is summarized. The areas of investigation include the following: soil simulation, soil property determination using an impact penetrometer, soil stabilization using urethane foam or phenolic resin, effects of rolling boulders down lunar slopes, design of borehole jack and its use in determining failure mechanisms and properties of rocks, and development of a permeability probe for measuring fluid flow through porous lunar surface materials.

Theoretical studies of structural and electronic properties of overlayers on semiconductor surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cakmak, M.

1999-06-01

In this thesis we report the results of ab initio density functional calculations of equilibrium atomic geometry, electronic states and chemical bonding for the adsorption of elemental S and H 2 S on chosen semiconductor surfaces. The results are in good agreement with the available experimental results and indicate the need for further experimental work. In Chapter 2 of this thesis, I describe the formalism of the ab initio pseudopotential theory and the computational procedures which are used in this thesis. In the following chapter, a few experimental techniques are discussed, which we subsequently use their results to compare with our theoretical calculated results. In Chapter 4 the passivation of S on InP(110) is investigated. Two sets of geometries are used; non-reacted geometries and reacted geometries. For non-reacted full-monolayer coverage, the epitaxially continued layer structure is found to be the most energetically favourable and it exhibits a good semiconducting nature. For an ordered reacted model with the adsorbate S atoms exchanged with their neighbouring P atoms, the average vertical distance between the top two layers is in agreement with x-ray standing wave analysis, but is characterized by a small band gap. In Chapter 5 adsorption of the H 2 S molecule on the InP(110), GaAs(110) and GaP(110) surfaces is investigated within a dissociative adsorption model. In general the adsorption of H 2 S on the three semiconductors shows similar behaviour. In Chapter 6 the adsorption of elemental S on Si(001) is investigated using three adsorption models; hemisulfide-(2 x 1) structure, monosulfide-(1 x 1) structure, and disulfide-(1 x 1) structure. An analysis of the surface free energy suggests that the monosulfide structure is more stable than the hemisulfide and disulfide structures. This result is also used to investigate the adsorption of elemental S on the Ge(001) surface. In Chapter 7, the adsorption of the H 2 S molecule on the Si(001) and Ge(001

Experimental Investigation of Charging Properties of Interstellar Type Silica Dust Grains by Secondary Electron Emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Tankosic, D.; Abbas, M. M.

2013-01-01

The dust charging by electron impact is an important dust charging processes in astrophysical and planetary environments. Incident low energy electrons are reflected or stick to the grains charging the dust grains negatively. At sufficiently high energies electrons penetrate the grains, leading to excitation and emission of electrons referred to as secondary electron emission (SEE). Available classical theoretical models for calculations of SEE yields are generally applicable for neutral, planar, or bulk surfaces. These models, however, are not valid for calculations of the electron impact charging properties of electrostatically charged micron/submicron-size dust grains in astrophysical environments. Rigorous quantum mechanical models are not yet available, and the SEE yields have to be determined experimentally for development of more accurate models for charging of individual dust grains. At the present time, very limited experimental data are available for charging of individual micron-size dust grains, particularly for low energy electron impact. The experimental results on individual, positively charged, micron-size lunar dust grains levitated carried out by us in a unique facility at NASA-MSFC, based on an electrodynamic balance, indicate that the SEE by electron impact is a complex process. The electron impact may lead to charging or discharging of dust grains depending upon the grain size, surface potential, electron energy, electron flux, grain composition, and configuration (Abbas et al, 2010, 2012). In this paper, we discuss SEE charging properties of individual micron-size silica microspheres that are believed to be analogs of a class of interstellar dust grains. The measurements indicate charging of the 0.2m silica particles when exposed to 25 eV electron beams and discharging when exposed to higher energy electron beams. Relatively large size silica particles (5.2-6.82m) generally discharge to lower equilibrium potentials at both electron energies

Effect of plasma nitriding time on surface properties of hard chromium electroplated AISI 1010 steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kocabas, Mustafa [Yildiz Technical Univ., Istanbul (Turkey). Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Dept.; Danisman, Murat [Gedik Univ., Istanbul (Turkey). Electrical and Electronic Engineering Dept.; Cansever, Nurhan [Yildiz Technical Univ., Istanbul (Turkey); Uelker, Suekrue [Afyon Kocatepe Univ. (Turkey). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2015-06-01

Properties of steel can be enhanced by surface treatments such as coating. In some cases, further treatments such as nitriding can also be used in order to get even better results. In order to investigate the properties of nitride layer on hard Cr coated AISI 1010 steel, substrates were electroplated to form hard Cr coatings. Then hard Cr coatings were plasma nitrided at 700 C for 3 h, 5 h and 7 h and nitride phases on the coatings were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. The layer thickness and surface properties of nitride films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The hardness and adhesion properties of Cr-N phases were examined using nano indentation and Daimler-Benz Rockwell C adhesion tests. The highest measured hardness was 24.1 GPa and all the three samples exhibited poor adhesion.

Effect of plasma nitriding time on surface properties of hard chromium electroplated AISI 1010 steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kocabas, Mustafa; Uelker, Suekrue

2015-01-01

Properties of steel can be enhanced by surface treatments such as coating. In some cases, further treatments such as nitriding can also be used in order to get even better results. In order to investigate the properties of nitride layer on hard Cr coated AISI 1010 steel, substrates were electroplated to form hard Cr coatings. Then hard Cr coatings were plasma nitrided at 700 C for 3 h, 5 h and 7 h and nitride phases on the coatings were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. The layer thickness and surface properties of nitride films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The hardness and adhesion properties of Cr-N phases were examined using nano indentation and Daimler-Benz Rockwell C adhesion tests. The highest measured hardness was 24.1 GPa and all the three samples exhibited poor adhesion.

The Effects of Heteroatom Adsorption on the Electronic Properties of Phosphorene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mengyao Sun

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A new 2D material, phosphorene, has several remarkable advantages; various superiorities make phosphorene a research hotspot. This paper provides comprehensive information about the structure and electronic and magnetic properties of phosphorene adsorbed with atoms, including alkali and alkaline-earth metal atoms, nonmetallic atoms, noble metal atoms, and transition-metal atoms. Phosphorene adsorbed with alkali and alkaline-earth metal atoms, such as Li and Na adatoms, becomes an n-type semiconductor, while phosphorene adsorbed with Be and Mg atoms becomes a p-type semiconductor. In view of nonmetallic adatoms (B, C, N, and O, the B adatom decorated phosphorene becomes metallic, the band gap of phosphorene adsorbed with C adatom decreases, and the phosphorene is p-type with N adatom, while the electronic property of O adatom adsorption case is affected slightly. Regarding noble metal adatoms adsorption condition, the Ag adatom makes phosphorene a n-type semiconductor, the Au adatom induces phosphorene to have a magnetism of 1 μB, and the electronic property of phosphorene is changed by adsorbing with Pt adatom. Among transition-metal adatoms, such as Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, and Zn adatoms, the band gap is reduced when Fe/Ni adatom adheres to the surface of phosphorene, The Co adsorbed phosphorene turns into a polar-gapless semiconductor and phosphorene is proved to be n-type with Cu adatom, but it is testified that the Zn atom is not suitable to adsorb on the phosphorene.

Calculated Fermi surface properties of LaSn3 and YSn3 under pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanchana, V.

2012-01-01

The electronic structure, Fermi surface and elastic properties of the iso-structural and iso-electronic LaSn 3 and YSn 3 intermetallic compounds are studied under pressure within the frame work of density functional theory including spin-orbit coupling. The LaSn 3 Fermi surface consists of two sheets, of which the second is very complex. Under pressure a third sheet appears around compression V/V 0 =0.94, while a small topology changes in the second sheet is seen at compression V/V 0 =0.90. This may be in accordance with the anomalous behavior in the superconducting transition temperature observed in LaSn 3 , which has been suggested to reflect a Fermi surface topological transition, along with a non-monotonic pressure dependence of the density of states at the Fermi level. The similar behavior is not observed in YSn 3 for which the Fermi surface includes three sheets already at ambient conditions, and the topology remains unchanged under pressure. The reason for the difference in behavior between LaSn 3 and YSn 3 is the role of spin-orbit coupling and the hybridization of La-4f state with the Sn-p state in the vicinity of the Fermi level, which is well explained using the band structure calculation. The elastic constants and related mechanical properties are calculated at ambient as well as at elevated pressures. The elastic constants increase with pressure for both compounds and satisfy the conditions for mechanical stability under pressure. (author)

Method for surface treatment by electron beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panzer, S.; Doehler, H.; Bartel, R.; Ardenne, T. von.

1985-01-01

The invention has been aimed at simplifying the technology and saving energy in modifying surfaces with the aid of electron beams. The described beam-object geometry allows to abandon additional heat treatments. It can be used for surface hardening

Density functional calculation of electronic surface structure and Fe adsorption on ZnO (0001) and (000 anti 1)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pal, Sougata; Jasper-Toennies, Torben; Hack, Michael; Pehlke, Eckhard [Institut fuer Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, Universitaet Kiel (Germany)

2011-07-01

The structure and electronic properties of the ZnO(0001) and ZnO(000 anti 1) surfaces as studied by density functional calculations are presented. The stability of the surface has already been investigated by various groups. The electronic surface band structure, however, in particular the existence of surface states and the differences between experimental band dispersion for both terminations, still appears to pose open problems. To address these issues, we compare Kohn Sham band structures and electrostatic potentials close to the surface for the relaxed (1 x 1)-surface, (2 x 2) vacancy reconstructions, and surfaces with pits. In particular the effect of the bending of the electrostatic potential at the surface on the eigenstates is quantified. Comparing the adsorption energies of Fe atoms for various adsorption sites on ZnO(000 anti 1), the fcc hollow position turned out to be energetically favorable. The oxidation state of the Fe atom is derived from the projected density of states.

Structure and Electronic Properties of In Situ Synthesized Single-Layer MoS2 on a Gold Surface

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Signe Grønborg; Füchtbauer, Henrik Gøbel; Tuxen, Anders Kyrme

2014-01-01

When transition metal sulfides such as MoS2 are present in the single-layer form, the electronic properties change in fundamental ways, enabling them to be used, e.g., in two-dimensional semiconductor electronics, optoelectronics, and light harvesting. The change is related to a subtle modification...... with scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization of two-dimensional single-layer islands of MoS2 synthesized directly on a gold single crystal substrate. Thanks to a periodic modulation of the atom stacking induced by the lattice mismatch, we observe a structural buckling...

Studies of electronic and magnetic properties of LaVO3 thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Jana, Anupam; Karwal, Sharad; Choudhary, R. J.; Phase, D. M.

2018-04-01

We have investigated the electronic and magnetic properties of pulsed laser deposited Mott insulator LaVO3 (LVO) thin film. Structural characterization revels the single phase [00l] oriented LVO thin film. Enhancement of out of plane lattice parameter indicates the compressively strained LVO film. Electron spectroscopic studies demonstrate that vanadium is present in V3+ state. An energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic study ensures the stoichiometric growth of the film. Very smooth surface is observed in scanning electron micrograph. Colour mapping for elemental distribution reflect the homogeneity of LVO film. The bifurcation between zero-field-cooled and Field-cooled curves clearly points towards the weak ferromagnetic phase presence in compressively strained LVO thin film. A finite value of coercivity at 300 K reflects the possibility of room temperature ferromagnetism of LVO thin film.

Propagation of a TE surface mode in a relativistic electron beam–quantum plasma system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel Aziz, M.

2012-01-01

The dispersion properties of a transverse electric (TE) surface waves propagating along the interface between a magneto-quantum plasma–relativistic beam system and vacuum are studied by using the quantum hydrodynamic model. The general dispersion relations are derived and analyzed in some special cases of interest. Moreover, the effects of density gradients for the beam and plasma on the dispersion properties of surface waves are investigated. The kind of dispersion relations depends strongly on the ambient magnetic field B o via the gyro-frequency ω c , the quantum parameters, and the width of the plasma layer as well as the relativistic factor for the electron beam. It is found that the quantum effects play a crucial role to facilitate the propagation of TE surface waves. -- Highlights: ► Propagation of TE surface waves on bounded magneto-quantum plasma by relativistic beam is studied. ► The quantum plasma consists of transitional layer adjacent to uniform layer. ► Influence of quantum effects on the propagation of TE surface waves are taken into account. ► Effects of homogeneity and inhomogeneity for beam on TE surface waves are considered. ► It is found that quantum effects facilitate the propagation of TE surface modes.

Laser irradiation effects on the surface, structural and mechanical properties of Al-Cu alloy 2024

Science.gov (United States)

Yousaf, Daniel; Bashir, Shazia; Akram, Mahreen; kalsoom, Umm-i.-; Ali, Nisar

2014-02-01

Laser irradiation effects on surface, structural and mechanical properties of Al-Cu-Mg alloy (Al-Cu alloy 2024) have been investigated. The specimens were irradiated for various fluences ranging from 3.8 to 5.5 J/cm2 using an Excimer (KrF) laser (248 nm, 18 ns, 30 Hz) under vacuum environment. The surface and structural modifications of the irradiated targets have been investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD), respectively. SEM analysis reveals the formation of micro-sized craters along the growth of periodic surface structures (ripples) at their peripheries. The size of the craters initially increases and then decreases by increasing the laser fluence. XRD analysis shows an anomalous trend in the peak intensity and crystallite size of the specimen irradiated for various fluences. A universal tensile testing machine and Vickers microhardness tester were employed in order to investigate the mechanical properties of the irradiated targets. The changes in yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and microhardness were found to be anomalous with increasing laser fluences. The changes in the surface and structural properties of Al-Cu alloy 2024 after laser irradiation have been associated with the changes in mechanical properties.

Tailoring electronic properties of multilayer phosphorene by siliconization

Science.gov (United States)

Malyi, Oleksandr I.; Sopiha, Kostiantyn V.; Radchenko, Ihor; Wu, Ping; Persson, Clas

Controlling a thickness dependence of electronic properties for two-dimensional (2d) materials is among primary goals for their large-scale applications. Herein, employing a first-principles computational approach, we predict that Si interaction with multilayer phosphorene (2d-P) can result in the formation of highly stable 2d-SiP and 2d-SiP$_2$ compounds with a weak interlayer interaction. Our analysis demonstrates that these systems are semiconductors with band gap energies that can be governed by varying the thickness and stacking order. Specifically, siliconization of phosphorene allows to design 2d-SiP$_x$ materials with significantly weaker thickness dependence of electronic properties than that in 2d-P and to develop ways for their tailoring. We also reveal the spatial dependence of electronic properties for 2d-SiP$_x$ highlighting difference in effective band gaps for different layers. Particularly, our results show that central layers in the multilayer 2d systems determine overall electronic properties, while the role of the outermost layers is noticeably smaller.

Electronic processes in organic electronics bridging nanostructure, electronic states and device properties

CERN Document Server

Kudo, Kazuhiro; Nakayama, Takashi; Ueno, Nobuo