Superconductor-Metal-Insulator transition in two dimensional Ta thin Films
Park, Sun-Gyu; Kim, Eunseong
2013-03-01
Superconductor-insulator transition has been induced by tuning film thickness or magnetic field. Recent electrical transport measurements of MoGe, Bi, Ta thin films revealed an interesting intermediate metallic phase which intervened superconducting and insulating phases at certain range of magnetic field. Especially, Ta thin films show the characteristic IV behavior at each phase and the disorder tuned intermediate metallic phase [Y. Li, C. L. Vicente, and J. Yoon, Physical Review B 81, 020505 (2010)]. This unexpected metallic phase can be interpreted as a consequence of vortex motion or contribution of fermionic quasiparticles. In this presentation, we report the scaling behavior during the transitions in Ta thin film as well as the transport measurements in various phases. Critical exponents v and z are obtained in samples with wide ranges of disorder. These results reveal new universality class appears when disorder exceeds a critical value. Dynamical exponent z of Superconducting sample is found to be 1, which is consistent with theoretical prediction of unity. z in a metallic sample is suddenly increased to be approximately 2.5. This critical exponent is much larger than the value found in other system and theoretical prediction. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support by the National Research Foundation of Korea through the Creative Research Initiatives.
Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle-embedded polymers for nonlinear optical applications. S Philip Anthony Shatabdi Porel D ... Thin films based on two very different metal-organic systems are developed and some nonlinear optical applications are explored. A family of zinc complexes which ...
Unusual metal-insulator transition in disordered ferromagnetic films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Muttalib, K.A.; Wölfle, P.; Misra, R.; Hebard, A.F.
2012-01-01
We present a theoretical interpretation of recent data on the conductance near and farther away from the metal-insulator transition in thin ferromagnetic Gd films of thickness b≈2-10 nm. For increasing sheet resistances a dimensional crossover takes place from d=2 to d=3 dimensions, since the large phase relaxation rate caused by scattering of quasiparticles off spin wave excitations renders the dephasing length L φ ≲b at strong disorder. The conductivity data in the various regimes obey fractional power-law or logarithmic temperature dependence. One observes weak localization and interaction induced corrections at weaker disorder. At strong disorder, near the metal-insulator transition, the data show scaling and collapse onto two scaling curves for the metallic and insulating regimes. We interpret this unusual behavior as proof of two distinctly different correlation length exponents on both sides of the transition.
Spontaneous magnetization of thin films of ordered and disordered alloys of transition metals
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nguyen Nhat Khanh.
1989-12-01
A method of calculation of spontaneous magnetization of thin films of transition metal alloys is described. The method is based on the Hubbard model for d electrons. Use of the Bragg-Williams approximation and two-dimensional canonical transformations has allowed to calculate the magnetization. Results for a Ni 3 Fe thin film are presented. (author). 11 refs, 1 fig
Thin films of mixed metal compounds
Mickelsen, Reid A.; Chen, Wen S.
1985-01-01
A compositionally uniform thin film of a mixed metal compound is formed by simultaneously evaporating a first metal compound and a second metal compound from independent sources. The mean free path between the vapor particles is reduced by a gas and the mixed vapors are deposited uniformly. The invention finds particular utility in forming thin film heterojunction solar cells.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Deepak Kumar Kaushik
2017-01-01
Full Text Available Tin doped indium oxide (ITO thin films are being used extensively as transparent conductors in several applications. In the present communication, we report the electrical transport in DC magnetron sputtered ITO thin films (prepared at 300 K and subsequently annealed at 673 K in vacuum for 60 minutes in low temperatures (25-300 K. The low temperature Hall effect and resistivity measurements reveal that the ITO thin films are moderately dis-ordered (kFl∼1; kF is the Fermi wave vector and l is the electron mean free path and degenerate semiconductors. The transport of charge carriers (electrons in these disordered ITO thin films takes place via the de-localized states. The disorder effects lead to the well-known ‘metal-insulator transition’ (MIT which is observed at 110 K in these ITO thin films. The MIT in ITO thin films is explained by the quantum correction to the conductivity (QCC; this approach is based on the inclusion of quantum-mechanical interference effects in Boltzmann’s expression of the conductivity of the disordered systems. The insulating behaviour observed in ITO thin films below the MIT temperature is attributed to the combined effect of the weak localization and the electron-electron interactions.
Kaushik, Deepak Kumar; Kumar, K. Uday; Subrahmanyam, A.
2017-01-01
Tin doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films are being used extensively as transparent conductors in several applications. In the present communication, we report the electrical transport in DC magnetron sputtered ITO thin films (prepared at 300 K and subsequently annealed at 673 K in vacuum for 60 minutes) in low temperatures (25-300 K). The low temperature Hall effect and resistivity measurements reveal that the ITO thin films are moderately dis-ordered (kFl˜1; kF is the Fermi wave vector and l is the electron mean free path) and degenerate semiconductors. The transport of charge carriers (electrons) in these disordered ITO thin films takes place via the de-localized states. The disorder effects lead to the well-known `metal-insulator transition' (MIT) which is observed at 110 K in these ITO thin films. The MIT in ITO thin films is explained by the quantum correction to the conductivity (QCC); this approach is based on the inclusion of quantum-mechanical interference effects in Boltzmann's expression of the conductivity of the disordered systems. The insulating behaviour observed in ITO thin films below the MIT temperature is attributed to the combined effect of the weak localization and the electron-electron interactions.
Method for casting thin metal objects
Pehrson, Brandon P; Moore, Alan F
2015-04-14
Provided herein are various embodiments of systems for casting thin metal plates and sheets. Typical embodiments include layers of mold cavities that are oriented vertically for casting the metal plates. In some embodiments, the mold cavities include a beveled edge such that the plates that are cast have a beveled edge. In some embodiments, the mold cavities are filled with a molten metal through an open horizontal edge of the cavity. In some embodiments, the mold cavities are filled through one or more vertical feed orifices. Further disclosed are methods for forming a thin cast metal plate or sheet where the thickness of the cast part is in a range from 0.005 inches to 0.2 inches, and the surface area of the cast part is in a range from 16 square inches to 144 square inches.
Density functional study of ferromagnetism in alkali metal thin films
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
thickness uniform jellium model (UJM), and it is argued that within LSDA or GGA, alkali metal thin films cannot be claimed to have an FM ground state. Relevance of these results to the experiments on transition metal-doped alkali metal thin films ...
Quantifying clustering in disordered carbon thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Carey, J.D.
2006-01-01
The quantification of disorder and the effects of clustering in the sp 2 phase of amorphous carbon thin films are discussed. The sp 2 phase is described in terms of disordered nanometer-sized conductive sp 2 clusters embedded in a less conductive sp 3 matrix. Quantification of the clustering of the sp 2 phase is estimated from optical as well as from electron and nuclear magnetic resonance methods. Unlike in other disordered group IV thin film semiconductors, we show that care must be exercised in attributing a meaning to the Urbach energy extracted from absorption measurements in the disordered carbon system. The influence of structural disorder, associated with sp 2 clusters of similar size, and topological disorder due to undistorted clusters of different sizes is also discussed. Extensions of this description to other systems are also presented
Disorder dependent half-metallicity in Mn2CoSi inverse Heusler alloy
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Singh, Mukhtiyar; Saini, Hardev S.; Thakur, Jyoti; Reshak, Ali H.; Kashyap, Manish K.
2013-01-01
Heusler alloys based thin-films often exhibit a degree of atomic disorder which leads to the lowering of spin polarization in spintronic devices. We present ab-initio calculations of atomic disorder effects on spin polarization and half-metallicity of Mn 2 CoSi inverse Heusler alloy. The five types of disorder in Mn 2 CoSi have been proposed and investigated in detail. The A2 a -type and B2-type disorders destroy the half-metallicity whereas it sustains for all disorders concentrations in DO 3a - and A2 b -type disorder and for smallest disorder concentration studied in DO 3b -type disorder. Lower formation energy/atom for A2 b -type disorder than other four disorders in Mn 2 CoSi advocates the stability of this disorder. The total magnetic moment shows a strong dependence on the disorder and the change in chemical environment. The 100% spin polarization even in the presence of disorders explicitly supports that these disorders shall not hinder the use of Mn 2 CoSi inverse Heusler alloy in device applications. - Graphical abstract: Minority-spin gap (E g↓ ) and HM gap (E sf ) as a function of concentrations of various possible disorder in Mn 2 CoSi inverse Heusler alloy. The squares with solid line (black color)/dotted line (blue color)/dashed line (red color) reperesents E g↓ for DO 3a -/DO 3b -/A2 b -type disorder in Mn 2 CoSi and the spheres with solid line (black color)/dottedline (blue color)/dashed line (red color) represents E sf for DO 3a -/DO 3b -/A2 b -type disorder in Mn 2 CoSi. - Highlights: • The DO 3 - and A2-type disorders do not affect the half-metallicity in Mn 2 CoSi. • The B2-type disorder solely destroys half-metallicity in Mn 2 CoSi. • The A2-type disorder most probable to occur out of all three types. • The total spin magnetic moment strongly depends on the disorder concentrations
Amorphous semiconducting and conducting transparent metal oxide thin films and production thereof
Perkins, John; Van Hest, Marinus Franciscus Antonius Maria; Ginley, David; Taylor, Matthew; Neuman, George A.; Luten, Henry A.; Forgette, Jeffrey A.; Anderson, John S.
2010-07-13
Metal oxide thin films and production thereof are disclosed. An exemplary method of producing a metal oxide thin film may comprise introducing at least two metallic elements and oxygen into a process chamber to form a metal oxide. The method may also comprise depositing the metal oxide on a substrate in the process chamber. The method may also comprise simultaneously controlling a ratio of the at least two metallic elements and a stoichiometry of the oxygen during deposition. Exemplary amorphous metal oxide thin films produced according to the methods herein may exhibit highly transparent properties, highly conductive properties, and/or other opto-electronic properties.
Transition metal carbide nanocomposite and amorphous thin films
Tengstrand, Olof
2014-01-01
This thesis explores thin films of binary and ternary transition metal carbides, in the Nb-C, Ti-Si-C, Nb-Si-C, Zr-Si-C, and Nb-Ge-C systems. The electrical and mechanical properties of these systems are affected by their structure and here both nanocomposite and amorphous thin films are thus investigated. By appropriate choice of transition metal and composition the films can be designed to be multifunctional with a combination of properties, such as low electric resistivity, low contact res...
Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Optical limiting capability of the nanoparticle-embedded polymer film is demonstrated. Keywords. Polar crystal; uniaxial orientational order; thin film; second harmonic gen- eration; silver ... able content of metal nanoparticles would be of considerable value from an appli- ... polar chain and perpendicular to it [10].
Method and mold for casting thin metal objects
Pehrson, Brandon P; Moore, Alan F
2014-04-29
Provided herein are various embodiments of systems for casting thin metal plates and sheets. Typical embodiments include layers of mold cavities that are oriented vertically for casting the metal plates. In some embodiments, the mold cavities include a beveled edge such that the plates that are cast have a beveled edge. In some embodiments, the mold cavities are filled with a molten metal through an open horizontal edge of the cavity. In some embodiments, the mold cavities are filled through one or more vertical feed orifices. Further disclosed are methods for forming a thin cast metal plate or sheet where the thickness of the cast part is in a range from 0.005 inches to 0.2 inches, and the surface area of the cast part is in a range from 16 square inches to 144 square inches.
Theoretical investigation of the thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hung, Vu Van; Phuong, Duong Dai; Hoa, Nguyen Thi; Hieu, Ho Khac
2015-01-01
The thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films with face-centered cubic structure at ambient conditions were investigated using the statistical moment method including the anharmonicity effects of thermal lattice vibrations. The analytical expressions of Helmholtz free energy, lattice parameter, linear thermal expansion coefficient, specific heats at the constant volume and constant pressure were derived in terms of the power moments of the atomic displacements. Numerical calculations of thermodynamic properties have been performed for Au and Al thin films and compared with those of bulk metals. This research proposes that thermodynamic quantities of thin films approach the values of bulk when the thickness of thin film is about 70 nm. - Highlights: • Thermodynamic properties of thin films were investigated using the moment method. • Expressions of Helmholtz energy, expansion coefficient, specific heats were derived. • Calculations for Au, Al thin films were performed and compared with those of bulks
Theoretical investigation of the thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hung, Vu Van [Vietnam Education Publishing House, 81 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Phuong, Duong Dai [Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Hoa, Nguyen Thi [University of Transport and Communications, Lang Thuong, Dong Da, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Hieu, Ho Khac, E-mail: hieuhk@duytan.edu.vn [Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, K7/25 Quang Trung, Danang (Viet Nam)
2015-05-29
The thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films with face-centered cubic structure at ambient conditions were investigated using the statistical moment method including the anharmonicity effects of thermal lattice vibrations. The analytical expressions of Helmholtz free energy, lattice parameter, linear thermal expansion coefficient, specific heats at the constant volume and constant pressure were derived in terms of the power moments of the atomic displacements. Numerical calculations of thermodynamic properties have been performed for Au and Al thin films and compared with those of bulk metals. This research proposes that thermodynamic quantities of thin films approach the values of bulk when the thickness of thin film is about 70 nm. - Highlights: • Thermodynamic properties of thin films were investigated using the moment method. • Expressions of Helmholtz energy, expansion coefficient, specific heats were derived. • Calculations for Au, Al thin films were performed and compared with those of bulks.
Guiding spoof surface plasmon polaritons by infinitely thin grooved metal strip
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Xiang Wan
2014-04-01
Full Text Available In this paper, the propagation characteristics of spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs on infinitely thin corrugated metal strips are theoretically analyzed. Compared with the situations of infinitely thick lateral thickness, the infinitely thin lateral thickness leads to lower plasma frequency according to the analyses. The propagation lengths and the binding capacity of the spoof SPPs are evaluated based on the derived dispersion equation. The effects of different lateral thicknesses are also investigated. At the end, a surface wave splitter is presented using infinitely thin corrugated metal strip. Other functional planar or flexible devices can also be designed using these metal strips in microwave or terahertz regimes.
Disorder improves nanophotonic light trapping in thin-film solar cells
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Paetzold, U. W., E-mail: u.paetzold@fz-juelich.de; Smeets, M.; Meier, M.; Bittkau, K.; Merdzhanova, T.; Smirnov, V.; Carius, R.; Rau, U. [IEK5—Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich (Germany); Michaelis, D.; Waechter, C. [Fraunhofer Institut für Angewandte Optik und Feinmechanik, Albert Einstein Str. 7, D-07745 Jena (Germany)
2014-03-31
We present a systematic experimental study on the impact of disorder in advanced nanophotonic light-trapping concepts of thin-film solar cells. Thin-film solar cells made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon were prepared on imprint-textured glass superstrates. For periodically textured superstrates of periods below 500 nm, the nanophotonic light-trapping effect is already superior to state-of-the-art randomly textured front contacts. The nanophotonic light-trapping effect can be associated to light coupling to leaky waveguide modes causing resonances in the external quantum efficiency of only a few nanometer widths for wavelengths longer than 500 nm. With increasing disorder of the nanotextured front contact, these resonances broaden and their relative altitude decreases. Moreover, overall the external quantum efficiency, i.e., the light-trapping effect, increases incrementally with increasing disorder. Thereby, our study is a systematic experimental proof that disorder is conceptually an advantage for nanophotonic light-trapping concepts employing grating couplers in thin-film solar cells. The result is relevant for the large field of research on nanophotonic light trapping in thin-film solar cells which currently investigates and prototypes a number of new concepts including disordered periodic and quasi periodic textures.
Ion exchange of alkaline metals on the thin-layer zinc ferrocyanide
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Betenekov, N.D.; Buklanov, G.V.; Ipatova, E.G.; Korotkin, Yu.S.
1991-01-01
Basic regularities of interphase distribution in the system of thin-layer sorbent on the basis of mixed zinc ferrocyanide (FZ)-alkaline metal solution (Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr) in the column chromatography made are studied. It is established that interphase distribution of microgram amounts of alkaline metals in the systems thin-layer FZ-NH 4 NO 3 electrolyte solutions is of ion-exchange character and subjected to of law effective mass. It is shown that FZ thin-layer material is applicable for effective chromatographic separation of alkaline metal trace amounts. An approach to the choice of a conditions of separate elution of Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr in the column chromatography mode
Klimek, Patrycja; Murray, Stuart B; Brown, Tiffany; Gonzales Iv, Manuel; Blashill, Aaron J
2018-04-01
The tripartite influence model of body image identifies internalization of societal body ideals as a risk factor for developing body dissatisfaction, and subsequent disordered eating behavior. In men, internalization of two dimensions of body image ideals, thinness and muscularity, is associated with body dissatisfaction and eating concerns. However, it is unknown how thinness and muscularity internalization interact in predicting muscle dysmorphia and disordered eating in men. Data were collected online from 180 undergraduate men, with ages ranging from 18 to 33 years (19.6, SD = 2.6). Regression models were used to test the interactive effects of thinness and muscularity internalization on (a) muscle dysmorphia symptoms and (b) disordered eating. Subsequent simple slope analyses probed effects at the mean, and ±1 standard deviation of thinness internalization. Muscularity and thinness internalization were independently positively related to muscle dysmorphia symptoms and disordered eating. Additionally, a significant interaction revealed that muscularity internalization was increasingly related to muscle dysmorphia symptoms as thinness internalization decreased. Men who internalized the muscular ideal had higher levels of muscle dysmorphia when they did not highly internalize the thin ideal. However, greater internalization of both the muscularity and thin ideal independently may be most relevant in the development of disordered eating in men. Future research is needed to explore variability in experiences of muscle dysmorphia compared with disordered eating in males. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Polymer thin film as coating layer to prevent corrosion of metal/metal oxide film
Sarkar, Suman; Kundu, Sarathi
2018-04-01
Thin film of polymer is used as coating layer and the corrosion of metal/metal oxide layer is studied with the variation of the thickness of the coating layer. The thin layer of polystyrene is fabricated using spin coating method on copper oxide (CuO) film which is deposited on glass substrate using DC magnetron sputtering technique. Thickness of the polystyrene and the CuO layers are determined using X-ray reflectivity (XRR) technique. CuO thin films coated with the polystyrene layer are exposed to acetic acid (2.5 v/v% aqueous CH3COOH solution) environments and are subsequently analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Surface morphology of the film before and after interaction with the acidic environment is determined using AFM. Results obtained from the XRR and UV-Vis spectroscopy confirm that the thin film of polystyrene acts as an anticorrosion coating layer and the strength of the coating depends upon the polymer layer thickness at a constant acid concentration.
Ultra thin metallic coatings to control near field radiative heat transfer
Esquivel-Sirvent, R.
2016-09-01
We present a theoretical calculation of the changes in the near field radiative heat transfer between two surfaces due to the presence of ultra thin metallic coatings on semiconductors. Depending on the substrates, the radiative heat transfer is modulated by the thickness of the ultra thin film. In particular we consider gold thin films with thicknesses varying from 4 to 20 nm. The ultra-thin film has an insulator-conductor transition close to a critical thickness of dc = 6.4 nm and there is an increase in the near field spectral heat transfer just before the percolation transition. Depending on the substrates (Si or SiC) and the thickness of the metallic coatings we show how the near field heat transfer can be increased or decreased as a function of the metallic coating thickness. The calculations are based on available experimental data for the optical properties of ultrathin coatings.
Two-dimensional superconductivity in ultrathin disordered thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Beasley, M.R.
1992-01-01
The status of the understanding of two-dimensional superconductivity in ultrathin, disordered thin films is reviewed. The different consequences of microscopic versus macroscopic disorder are stressed. It is shown that microscopic disorder leads to a rapid suppression of the mean-field transition temperature. The consequences of macroscopic disorder are not well understood, but a universal behavior of the zero-bias resistance as a function of field and temperature has been observed. (orig.)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Orgassa, D.; Fujiwara, H.; Schulthess, T. C.; Butler, W. H.
2000-01-01
Using half-metallic ferromagnets in spin-dependent devices, like spin valves and ferromagnetic tunnel junctions, is expected to increase the device performance. However, using the half-metallic ferromagnet NiMnSb in such devices led to much less than ideal results. One of the possible sources for this behavior is atomic disorder. First-principles calculations of the influence of atomic disorder on the electronic structure of NiMnSb underline the sensitivity of half-metallic properties in NiMnSb to atomic disorder. In this article, we report on the disorder dependence of the total magnetic moment calculated by applying the layer Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method in conjunction with the coherent potential approximation. We consider the following types of disorder: (1) intermixing of Ni and Mn, (2) partial occupancy of a normally vacant lattice site by Ni and Mn, and (3) partial occupancy of this site by Mn and Sb. In all cases the composition is kept stoichiometric. All three types of disorder decrease the moment monotonically with increasing disorder levels. For the experimentally seen disorder of 5% Mn and 5% Sb on the normally vacant lattice site, the total moment is decreased by 4.1%. The results suggest that precise measurement of the saturation magnetization of NiMnSb thin films can give information on the disorder. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics
Evaluation of space environmental effects on metals and optical thin films on EOIM-3
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Vaughn, J.A.; Linton, R.C.; Finckenor, M.M.; Kamenetzky, R.R.
1995-02-01
Metals and optical thin films exposed to the space environment on the Third Flight of the Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials (EOIM-3) payload, onboard Space Shuttle mission STS-46 were evaluated. The materials effects described in this paper include the effects of space exposure on various pure metals, optical thin films, and optical thin film metals. The changes induced by exposure to the space environment in the material properties were evaluated using bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), specular reflectance (250 nm to 2500 nm), ESCA, VUV reflectance (120 nm to 200 nm), ellipsometry, FTIR and optical properties. Using these analysis techniques gold optically thin film metal mirrors with nickel undercoats were observed to darken due to nickel diffusion through the gold to the surface. Also, thin film nickel mirrors formed nickel oxide due to exposure to both the atmosphere and space.
Evaluation of space environmental effects on metals and optical thin films on EOIM-3
Vaughn, Jason A.; Linton, Roger C.; Finckenor, Miria M.; Kamenetzky, Rachel R.
1995-01-01
Metals and optical thin films exposed to the space environment on the Third Flight of the Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials (EOIM-3) payload, onboard Space Shuttle mission STS-46 were evaluated. The materials effects described in this paper include the effects of space exposure on various pure metals, optical thin films, and optical thin film metals. The changes induced by exposure to the space environment in the material properties were evaluated using bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), specular reflectance (250 nm to 2500 nm), ESCA, VUV reflectance (120 nm to 200 nm), ellipsometry, FTIR and optical properties. Using these analysis techniques gold optically thin film metal mirrors with nickel undercoats were observed to darken due to nickel diffusion through the gold to the surface. Also, thin film nickel mirrors formed nickel oxide due to exposure to both the atmosphere and space.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lesueur, J.; Aprili, M.; Degoy, S.; Chambonnet, D.; Keller, D.
1996-01-01
The specific role of disorder in the transport properties of YBCO has been investigated, using both light-ion irradiation of thin films to finely tune the amount of atomic disorder, and ultra-thin films grown to study possible dimensional effects. For weak disorder, the samples display a resistive transition typical of the mean-field paraconductive regime of a homogeneous media, well described by the Lawrence and Doniach model for layered superconductors. As the disorder increases, two effects take place. First, the c-axis coherence length becomes shorter, leading to a more anisotropic material, as shown by the excess conductivity above T c . Second, an incipient granularity is revealed, leading to a less sharper transition, which is analyzed within the random 3D XY critical model for the paracoherence transition. Two main results are derived: an experimental test of the Ginzburg criteria for the paracoherence transition, and a new fluctuation regime in nanometric grain size superconductors
Giri, Anupam; Park, Gyeongbae; Yang, Heeseung; Pal, Monalisa; Kwak, Junghyeok; Jeong, Unyong
2018-04-24
2D metal chalcogenide thin films have recently attracted considerable attention owing to their unique physicochemical properties and great potential in a variety of applications. Synthesis of large-area 2D metal chalcogenide thin films in controllable ways remains a key challenge in this research field. Recently, the solution-based synthesis of 2D metal chalcogenide thin films has emerged as an alternative approach to vacuum-based synthesis because it is relatively simple and easy to scale up for high-throughput production. In addition, solution-based thin films open new opportunities that cannot be achieved from vacuum-based thin films. Here, a comprehensive summary regarding the basic structures and properties of different types of 2D metal chalcogenides, the mechanistic details of the chemical reactions in the synthesis of the metal chalcogenide thin films, recent successes in the synthesis by different reaction approaches, and the applications and potential uses is provided. In the last perspective section, the technical challenges to be overcome and the future research directions in the solution-based synthesis of 2D metal chalcogenides are discussed. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Thin film pc-Si by aluminium induced crystallization on metallic substrate
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Cayron C.
2013-04-01
Full Text Available Thin film polycrystalline silicon (pc-Si on flexible metallic substrates is promising for low cost production of photovoltaic solar cells. One of the attractive methods to produce pc-Si solar cells consists in thickening a large-grained seed layer by epitaxy. In this work, the deposited seed layer is made by aluminium induced crystallization (AIC of an amorphous silicon (a-Si thin film on metallic substrates (Ni/Fe alloy initially coated with a tantalum nitride (TaN conductive diffusion barrier layer. Effect of the thermal budget on the AIC grown pc-Si seed layer was investigated in order to optimize the process (i.e. the quality of the pc-Si thin film. Structural and optical characterizations were carried out using optical microscopy, μ-Raman and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD. At optimal thermal annealing conditions, the continuous AIC grown pc-Si thin film showed an average grain size around 15 μm. The grains were preferably (001 oriented which is favorable for its epitaxial thickening. This work proves the feasibility of the AIC method to grow large grains pc-Si seed layer on TaN coated metal substrates. These results are, in terms of grains size, the finest obtained by AIC on metallic substrates.
A comparison of surface properties of metallic thin film photocathodes
Mistry, Sonal; Valizadeh, Reza; Jones, L.B; Middleman, Keith; Hannah, Adrian; Militsyn, B.L; Noakes, Tim
2017-01-01
In this work the preparation of metal photocathodes by physical vapour deposition magnetron sputtering has been employed to deposit metallic thin films onto Cu, Mo and Si substrates. The use of metallic cathodes offers several advantages: (i) metal photocathodes present a fast response time and a relative insensitivity to the vacuum environment (ii) metallic thin films when prepared and transferred in vacuum can offer smoother and cleaner emitting surfaces. The photocathodes developed here will ultimately be used in S-band Normal Conducting RF (NCRF) guns such as that used in VELA (Versatile Electron Linear Accelerator) and the proposed CLARA (Compact Linear Accelerator for Research and Applications) Free Electron Laser test facility. The samples grown on Si substrates were used to investigate the morphology and thickness of the film. The samples grown onto Cu and Mo substrates were analysed and tested as photocathodes in a surface characterisation chamber, where X-Ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was emp...
Transparent and conductive electrodes by large-scale nano-structuring of noble metal thin-films
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Linnet, Jes; Runge Walther, Anders; Wolff, Christian
2018-01-01
grid, and nano-wire thin-films. The indium and carbon films do not match the chemical stability nor the electrical performance of the noble metals, and many metal films are not uniform in material distribution leading to significant surface roughness and randomized transmission haze. We demonstrate...... solution-processed masks for physical vapor-deposited metal electrodes consisting of hexagonally ordered aperture arrays with scalable aperture-size and spacing in an otherwise homogeneous noble metal thin-film that may exhibit better electrical performance than carbon nanotube-based thin-films...... for equivalent optical transparency. The fabricated electrodes are characterized optically and electrically by measuring transmittance and sheet resistance. The presented methods yield large-scale reproducible results. Experimentally realized thin-films with very low sheet resistance, Rsh = 2.01 ± 0.14 Ω...
Ultrahigh stability of atomically thin metallic glasses
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cao, C. R.; Huang, K. Q.; Zhao, N. J.; Sun, Y. T.; Bai, H. Y.; Gu, L., E-mail: l.gu@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: dzheng@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: whw@iphy.ac.cn; Zheng, D. N., E-mail: l.gu@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: dzheng@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: whw@iphy.ac.cn; Wang, W. H., E-mail: l.gu@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: dzheng@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: whw@iphy.ac.cn [Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)
2014-07-07
We report the fabrication and study of thermal stability of atomically thin ZrCu-based metallic glass films. The ultrathin films exhibit striking dynamic properties, ultrahigh thermal stability, and unique crystallization behavior with discrete crystalline nanoparticles sizes. The mechanisms for the remarkable high stability and crystallization behaviors are attributed to the dewetting process of the ultrathin film. We demonstrated a promising avenue for understanding some fundamental issues such as glassy structure, crystallization, deformation, and glass formation through atomic resolution imaging of the two dimensional like metallic glasses.
Thin metal electrodes for semitransparent organic photovoltaics
Lee, Kyusung
2013-08-01
We demonstrate semitransparent organic photovoltaics (OPVs) based on thin metal electrodes and polymer photoactive layers consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester. The power conversion efficiency of a semitransparent OPV device comprising a 15-nm silver (Ag) rear electrode is 1.98% under AM 1.5-G illumination through the indium-tin-oxide side of the front anode at 100 mW/cm2 with 15.6% average transmittance of the entire cell in the visible wavelength range. As its thickness increases, a thin Ag electrode mainly influences the enhancement of the short circuit current density and fill factor. Its relatively low absorption intensity makes a Ag thin film a viable option for semitransparent electrodes compatible with organic layers. © 2013 ETRI.
Metallic and Ceramic Thin Film Thermocouples for Gas Turbine Engines
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Otto J. Gregory
2013-11-01
Full Text Available Temperatures of hot section components in today’s gas turbine engines reach as high as 1,500 °C, making in situ monitoring of the severe temperature gradients within the engine rather difficult. Therefore, there is a need to develop instrumentation (i.e., thermocouples and strain gauges for these turbine engines that can survive these harsh environments. Refractory metal and ceramic thin film thermocouples are well suited for this task since they have excellent chemical and electrical stability at high temperatures in oxidizing atmospheres, they are compatible with thermal barrier coatings commonly employed in today’s engines, they have greater sensitivity than conventional wire thermocouples, and they are non-invasive to combustion aerodynamics in the engine. Thin film thermocouples based on platinum:palladium and indium oxynitride:indium tin oxynitride as well as their oxide counterparts have been developed for this purpose and have proven to be more stable than conventional type-S and type-K thin film thermocouples. The metallic and ceramic thin film thermocouples described within this paper exhibited remarkable stability and drift rates similar to bulk (wire thermocouples.
Quenching of superconductivity in disordered thin films by phase fluctuations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hebard, A.F.; Palaanen, M.A.
1992-01-01
The amplitude Ψ 0 and phase Φ of the superconducting order parameter in thin-film systems are affected differently by disorder and dimensionality. With increasing disorder superconducting long range order is quenched in sufficiently thin films by physical processes driven by phase fluctuations. This occurs at both the zero-field vortex-antivortex unbinding transition and at the zero-temperature magnetic-field-tuned superconducting-insulating transition. At both of these transitions Ψ 0 is finite and constant, vanishing only when temperature, disorder, and/or magnetic field are increased further. Experimental results on amorphous-composite InO x films are presented to illustrate these points and appropriate comparisons are made to other experimental systems. (orig.)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sharma, Shilpam; Amaladass, E.P. [Condensed Matter Physics Division, Materials Science Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102 (India); Sharma, Neha [Surface & Nanoscience Division, Materials Science Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102 (India); Harimohan, V. [Condensed Matter Physics Division, Materials Science Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102 (India); Amirthapandian, S. [Materials Physics Division, Materials Science Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102 (India); Mani, Awadhesh, E-mail: mani@igcar.gov.in [Condensed Matter Physics Division, Materials Science Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102 (India)
2017-06-01
Disorder driven superconductor to insulator transition via intermediate metallic regime is reported in nano-crystalline thin films of molybdenum. The nano-structured thin films have been deposited at room temperature using DC magnetron sputtering at different argon pressures. The grain size has been tuned using deposition pressure as the sole control parameter. A variation of particle sizes, room temperature resistivity and superconducting transition has been studied as a function of deposition pressure. The nano-crystalline molybdenum thin films are found to have large carrier concentration but very low mobility and electronic mean free path. Hall and conductivity measurements have been used to understand the effect of disorder on the carrier density and mobilities. Ioffe-Regel parameter is shown to correlate with the continuous metal-insulator transition in our samples. - Highlights: • Thin films of molybdenum using DC sputtering have been deposited on glass. • Argon background pressure during sputtering was used to tune the crystallite sizes of films. • Correlation in deposition pressure, disorder and particle sizes has been observed. • Disorder tuned superconductor to insulator transition along with an intermediate metallic phase has been observed. • Enhancement of superconducting transition temperature and a dome shaped T{sub C} vs. deposition pressure phase diagram has been observed.
Impedance matched thin metamaterials make metals absorbing.
Mattiucci, N; Bloemer, M J; Aközbek, N; D'Aguanno, G
2013-11-13
Metals are generally considered good reflectors over the entire electromagnetic spectrum up to their plasma frequency. Here we demonstrate an approach to tailor their absorbing characteristics based on the effective metamaterial properties of thin, periodic metallo-dielectric multilayers by exploiting a broadband, inherently non-resonant, surface impedance matching mechanism. Based on this mechanism, we design, fabricate and test omnidirectional, thin ( 99%) over a frequency range spanning from the UV to the IR. Our approach opens new venues to design cost effective materials for many applications such as thermo-photovoltaic energy conversion devices, light harvesting for solar cells, flat panel display, infrared detectors, stray light reduction, stealth and others.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dutta, P.; Rathi, M.; Gao, Y.; Yao, Y.; Selvamanickam, V.; Zheng, N.; Ahrenkiel, P.; Martinez, J.
2014-01-01
We demonstrate heteroepitaxial growth of single-crystalline-like n and p-type doped GaAs thin films on inexpensive, flexible, and light-weight metal foils by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Single-crystalline-like Ge thin film on biaxially textured templates made by ion beam assisted deposition on metal foil served as the epitaxy enabling substrate for GaAs growth. The GaAs films exhibited strong (004) preferred orientation, sharp in-plane texture, low grain misorientation, strong photoluminescence, and a defect density of ∼10 7 cm −2 . Furthermore, the GaAs films exhibited hole and electron mobilities as high as 66 and 300 cm 2 /V-s, respectively. High mobility single-crystalline-like GaAs thin films on inexpensive metal substrates can pave the path for roll-to-roll manufacturing of flexible III-V solar cells for the mainstream photovoltaics market.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Dutta, P., E-mail: pdutta2@central.uh.edu; Rathi, M.; Gao, Y.; Yao, Y.; Selvamanickam, V. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204 (United States); Zheng, N.; Ahrenkiel, P. [Department of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701 (United States); Martinez, J. [Materials Evaluation Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77085 (United States)
2014-09-01
We demonstrate heteroepitaxial growth of single-crystalline-like n and p-type doped GaAs thin films on inexpensive, flexible, and light-weight metal foils by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Single-crystalline-like Ge thin film on biaxially textured templates made by ion beam assisted deposition on metal foil served as the epitaxy enabling substrate for GaAs growth. The GaAs films exhibited strong (004) preferred orientation, sharp in-plane texture, low grain misorientation, strong photoluminescence, and a defect density of ∼10{sup 7 }cm{sup −2}. Furthermore, the GaAs films exhibited hole and electron mobilities as high as 66 and 300 cm{sup 2}/V-s, respectively. High mobility single-crystalline-like GaAs thin films on inexpensive metal substrates can pave the path for roll-to-roll manufacturing of flexible III-V solar cells for the mainstream photovoltaics market.
Impulse Hydroforming Method for Very Thin Sheets from Metallic or Hybrid Materials
Beerwald, C.; Beerwald, M.; Dirksen, U.; Henselek, A.
2010-01-01
Forming of very thin metallic and hybrid material foils is a demanding task in several application areas as for example in food or pharmaceutical packaging industries. Narrow forming limits of very thin sheet metals as well as minor process reliability due to necessary exact tool manufacturing (small punch-die clearance), both, causes abiding interest in new and innovative forming processes. In this contribution a new method using high pressure pulses will be introduced to form small geometry...
Designable ultra-smooth ultra-thin solid-electrolyte interphases of three alkali metal anodes.
Gu, Yu; Wang, Wei-Wei; Li, Yi-Juan; Wu, Qi-Hui; Tang, Shuai; Yan, Jia-Wei; Zheng, Ming-Sen; Wu, De-Yin; Fan, Chun-Hai; Hu, Wei-Qiang; Chen, Zhao-Bin; Fang, Yuan; Zhang, Qing-Hong; Dong, Quan-Feng; Mao, Bing-Wei
2018-04-09
Dendrite growth of alkali metal anodes limited their lifetime for charge/discharge cycling. Here, we report near-perfect anodes of lithium, sodium, and potassium metals achieved by electrochemical polishing, which removes microscopic defects and creates ultra-smooth ultra-thin solid-electrolyte interphase layers at metal surfaces for providing a homogeneous environment. Precise characterizations by AFM force probing with corroborative in-depth XPS profile analysis reveal that the ultra-smooth ultra-thin solid-electrolyte interphase can be designed to have alternating inorganic-rich and organic-rich/mixed multi-layered structure, which offers mechanical property of coupled rigidity and elasticity. The polished metal anodes exhibit significantly enhanced cycling stability, specifically the lithium anodes can cycle for over 200 times at a real current density of 2 mA cm -2 with 100% depth of discharge. Our work illustrates that an ultra-smooth ultra-thin solid-electrolyte interphase may be robust enough to suppress dendrite growth and thus serve as an initial layer for further improved protection of alkali metal anodes.
Thermal oxidation of Zr–Cu–Al–Ni amorphous metal thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Oleksak, R.P.; Hostetler, E.B.; Flynn, B.T.; McGlone, J.M.; Landau, N.P.; Wager, J.F.; Stickle, W.F.; Herman, G.S.
2015-01-01
The initial stages of thermal oxidation for Zr–Cu–Al–Ni amorphous metal thin films were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The as-deposited films had oxygen incorporated during sputter deposition, which helped to stabilize the amorphous phase. After annealing in air at 300 °C for short times (5 min) this oxygen was found to segregate to the surface or buried interface. Annealing at 300 °C for longer times leads to significant composition variation in both vertical and lateral directions, and formation of a surface oxide layer that consists primarily of Zr and Al oxides. Surface oxide formation was initially limited by back-diffusion of Cu and Ni ( 30 min). The oxidation properties are largely consistent with previous observations of Zr–Cu–Al–Ni metallic glasses, however some discrepancies were observed which could be explained by the unique sample geometry of the amorphous metal thin films. - Highlights: • Thermal oxidation of amorphous Zr–Cu–Al–Ni thin films was investigated. • Significant short-range inhomogeneities were observed in the amorphous films. • An accumulation of Cu and Ni occurs at the oxide/metal interface. • Diffusion of Zr was found to limit oxide film growth.
Universal conductance fluctuations in disordered metals
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lee, P.A.
1987-01-01
The author argues that observed and theoretical fluctuations in the electrical conductance of disordered metals, induced by variations in the magnetic field or the chemical potential, are not time-dependent noise but that the conductance is a deterministic albeit fluctuating function for a given realization of the impurity configuration. A method is constructed for representing the sensitivity of the conductance of a given metal to a small change in the impurity configuration as a function of such variables as sample size, impurities per unit volume, and mean free path. The sensitivity helps explain the size of 1/f noise due to defect motion in disordered metals
Metal-insulator transition induced in CaVO3 thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gu Man; Laverock, Jude; Chen, Bo; Smith, Kevin E.; Wolf, Stuart A.; Lu Jiwei
2013-01-01
Stoichiometric CaVO 3 (CVO) thin films of various thicknesses were grown on single crystal SrTiO 3 (STO) (001) substrates using a pulsed electron-beam deposition technique. The CVO films were capped with a 2.5 nm STO layer. We observed a temperature driven metal-insulator transition (MIT) in CVO films with thicknesses below 4 nm that was not observed in either thick CVO films or STO films. The emergence of this MIT can be attributed to the reduction in effective bandwidth due to a crossover from a three-dimensional metal to a two-dimensional insulator. The insulating phase was only induced with a drive current below 0.1 μA. X-ray absorption measurements indicated different electronic structures for thick and very thin films of CVO. Compared with the thick film (∼60 nm), thin films of CVO (2–4 nm) were more two-dimensional with the V charge state closer to V 4+ .
Fusion welding of thin metal foils
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Casey, H.
1975-01-01
Aspects of fusion welding of thin metal foils are reviewed and the current techniques employed at LASL to join foils are described. Techniques for fusion welding approximately 0.025-mm-thick foils of copper, aluminum, and stainless steels have been developed using both electron beam and laser welding equipment. These techniques, together with the related aspects of joint design, tooling and fixturing, joint preparation, and modifications to the commercially available welding equipment, are included in the review. (auth)
Thin metal films in resistivity-based chemical sensing
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Podešva, Pavel; Foret, František
2013-01-01
Roč. 9, č. 4 (2013), s. 642-652 ISSN 1573-4110 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP301/11/2055 Institutional support: RVO:68081715 Keywords : voltohmmetric sensing * chemiresistor * thin metal film * gas sensing Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation Impact factor: 1.194, year: 2013
Linear arrangement of metallic and superconducting defects in a thin superconducting sample
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Barba-Ortega, J.; Sardella, Edson; Albino Aguiar, J.
2013-01-01
Highlights: • We study the influence of superconducting and metallic defects on the vortex configurations in a thin mesoscopic disk. • We found that the vortex–defect interaction leads to interesting vortex configurations. • The first vortex entry is always (never) found sitting on the metallic (superconducting) defect position. -- Abstract: The vortex matter in a superconducting disk with a linear configuration of metallic and superconducting defects is studied. Effects associated to the pinning (anti-pinning) force of the metallic (superconducting) defect on the vortex configuration and on the thermodynamic critical fields are analyzed in the framework of the Ginzburg Landau theory. We calculate the loop of the magnetization, vorticity and free energy curves as a function of the magnetic field for a thin disk. Due to vortex–defect attraction for a metallic defect (repulsion for a superconducting defect), the vortices always (never) are found to be sitting on the defect position
Method and apparatus for determining weldability of thin sheet metal
Goodwin, Gene M.; Hudson, Joseph D.
1988-01-01
A fixture is provided for testing thin sheet metal specimens to evaluate hot-cracking sensitivity for determining metal weldability on a heat-to-heat basis or through varying welding parameters. A test specimen is stressed in a first direction with a load selectively adjustable over a wide range and then a weldment is passed along over the specimen in a direction transverse to the direction of strain to evaluate the hot-cracking characteristics of the sheet metal which are indicative of the weldability of the metal. The fixture provides evaluations of hot-cracking sensitivity for determining metal weldability in a highly reproducible manner with minimum human error.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chuang, Ching-Yen; Liao, Yi-Chia; Lee, Jyh-Wei; Li, Chia-Lin; Chu, Jinn P.; Duh, Jenq-Gong
2013-01-01
Recently thin film metallic glass represents a class of promising engineering materials for structural applications. In this work, the Zr-based thin film metallic glass (TFMG) was fabricated on the Si and AISI 420 substrates using a Zr–Cu–Ni–Al alloy and pure Zr metal targets by a pulsed DC magnetron sputtering system. The chemical compositions, crystalline structures, microstructures and corrosion behavior in hydrochloric (HCl) aqueous solutions of Zr-based TFMGs were investigated. The results showed that the surface morphologies of Zr-based TFMG were very smooth. A compact and dense structure without columnar structure was observed. The amorphous structure of Zr-based TFMG was characterized by the X-ray diffractometer and transmission electron microscopy analyses. After the potentiodynamic polarization test, the better corrosion resistance was achieved for the Zr-based TFMG coated AISI 420 in 1 mM HCl aqueous solution. Based on the surface morphologies and chemical analysis results of the corroded surfaces, the pitting, crevice corrosion and filiform corrosion were found. The corrosion mechanisms of the Zr-based TFMG were discussed in this work. - Highlights: ► Zr-based thin film metallic glass with amorphous structure. ► Better corrosion resistance of Zr-based thin film metallic glass observed. ► Pitting, crevice and filiform corrosion reactions revealed. ► The Cu-rich corrosion products found in the pit. ► Nanowire and flaky corrosion products formed adjacent to the filiform corrosion path
Unikel, C; Von Holle, A; Bulik, C M; Ocampo, R
2012-01-01
We explored the effect of thin ideal internalisation, shame proneness and family criticism on disordered eating and suicidal intent in female Mexican adolescents. We studied a probabilistic sample of 2537 high school students in central Mexico, stratified by marginalisation status and migratory intensity. We used a generalised logistic regression model to estimate the odds of disordered eating and suicidal intent across scores for three predictors: Internalisation of the thin ideal, shame and family criticism. Disordered eating was reported by 4.2% (95% CI = 0.9-7.5%) and suicidal intent by 13.2% (95% CI = 12.0-14.4%) of girls. The unadjusted odds ratios of any disordered eating for thin ideal internalisation, shame proneness and familial criticism were 1.2, 1.1 and 3.2, respectively. The positive association between thin ideal internalisation and disordered eating remained even after controlling for shame proneness and familial criticism. The association of these variables with suicidal intent was weaker. Results support stronger effects for disordered eating than suicidal intent across the three unadjusted predictors. It also highlights the presence of the relationship of criticism and disordered eating in female adolescents from low and middle socio-economic backgrounds. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and Eating Disorders Association.
Cu-based metal-organic framework thin films: A morphological and photovoltaic study
Khajavian, Ruhollah; Ghani, Kamal
2018-06-01
This work explores the layer-by-layer (LbL) fabrication of [Cu2(bdc)2(bpy)]n thin films by using pyridine and acetic acid as capping agents onto mesoporous titania surface. While in the presence of acetic acid highly-ordered crystals with nanoplate morphology are formed, modulation with pyridine gives rise to formation of leaf-like crystals. In addition, processing sequence also matters when modulator is added. According to our results, modulators should be added to metal solution rather than linker/pillar during LbL assembly. These films were subsequently shown to generate photocurrent in a sandwich-type Grätzel solar cell device in response to simulated 1 sun illumination. The results also demonstrated that the device consisted of well-aligned nanoplates exhibits higher power conversion efficiency than the similar cell with disordered leaf-like crystals after iodine loading.
Tunneling probe of fluctuating superconductivity in disordered thin films
Dentelski, David; Frydman, Aviad; Shimshoni, Efrat; Dalla Torre, Emanuele G.
2018-03-01
Disordered thin films close to the superconductor-insulator phase transition (SIT) hold the key to understanding quantum phase transition in strongly correlated materials. The SIT is governed by superconducting quantum fluctuations, which can be revealed, for example, by tunneling measurements. These experiments detect a spectral gap, accompanied by suppressed coherence peaks, on both sides of the transition. Here we describe the insulating side in terms of a fluctuating superconducting field with finite-range correlations. We perform a controlled diagrammatic resummation and derive analytic expressions for the tunneling differential conductance. We find that short-range superconducting fluctuations suppress the coherence peaks even in the presence of long-range correlations. Our approach offers a quantitative description of existing measurements on disordered thin films and accounts for tunneling spectra with suppressed coherence peaks.
Preparation of self-supporting thin metal target films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang Xiuying; Ge Suxian; Yin Jianhua; Yin Xu; Jin Genming
1989-01-01
The preparation method and equipment for thin metal self-supporting target without oil contamination are described. The influence of target films contaminated by oil vapor on accuracy of nuclear-physics experimental data are also discussed. The analytical results on carbon content in the prepared films of three elements show that the equipment is very effective for eliminating contamination
Structural disorder in metallic glass-forming liquids.
Pan, Shao-Peng; Feng, Shi-Dong; Wang, Li-Min; Qiao, Jun-Wei; Niu, Xiao-Feng; Dong, Bang-Shao; Wang, Wei-Min; Qin, Jing-Yu
2016-06-09
We investigated structural disorder by a new structural parameter, quasi-nearest atom (QNA), in atomistic configurations of eight metallic glass-forming systems generated through molecular dynamics simulations at various temperatures. Structural analysis reveals that the scaled distribution of the number of QNA appears to be an universal property of metallic liquids and the spatial distribution of the number of QNA displays to be clearly heterogeneous. Furthermore, the new parameter can be directly correlated with potential energy and structural relaxation at the atomic level. Some straightforward relationships between QNA and other properties (per-atom potential energy and α-relaxation time) are introduced to reflect structure-property relationship in metallic liquids. We believe that the new structural parameter can well reflect structure disorder in metallic liquids and play an important role in understanding various properties in metallic liquids.
Lemaire, Paul C; Zhao, Junjie; Williams, Philip S; Walls, Howard J; Shepherd, Sarah D; Losego, Mark D; Peterson, Gregory W; Parsons, Gregory N
2016-04-13
Chemically functional microporous metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals are attractive for filtration and gas storage applications, and recent results show that they can be immobilized on high surface area substrates, such as fiber mats. However, fundamental knowledge is still lacking regarding initial key reaction steps in thin film MOF nucleation and growth. We find that thin inorganic nucleation layers formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD) can promote solvothermal growth of copper benzenetricarboxylate MOF (Cu-BTC) on various substrate surfaces. The nature of the ALD material affects the MOF nucleation time, crystal size and morphology, and the resulting MOF surface area per unit mass. To understand MOF nucleation mechanisms, we investigate detailed Cu-BTC MOF nucleation behavior on metal oxide powders and Al2O3, ZnO, and TiO2 layers formed by ALD on polypropylene substrates. Studying both combined and sequential MOF reactant exposure conditions, we find that during solvothermal synthesis ALD metal oxides can react with the MOF metal precursor to form double hydroxy salts that can further convert to Cu-BTC MOF. The acidic organic linker can also etch or react with the surface to form MOF from an oxide metal source, which can also function as a nucleation agent for Cu-BTC in the mixed solvothermal solution. We discuss the implications of these results for better controlled thin film MOF nucleation and growth.
Metal-insulator transition induced in CaVO{sub 3} thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gu Man [Department of Physics, University of Virginia, 382 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (United States); Laverock, Jude; Chen, Bo; Smith, Kevin E. [Department of Physics, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Wolf, Stuart A. [Department of Physics, University of Virginia, 382 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, 395 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (United States); Lu Jiwei [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, 395 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (United States)
2013-04-07
Stoichiometric CaVO{sub 3} (CVO) thin films of various thicknesses were grown on single crystal SrTiO{sub 3} (STO) (001) substrates using a pulsed electron-beam deposition technique. The CVO films were capped with a 2.5 nm STO layer. We observed a temperature driven metal-insulator transition (MIT) in CVO films with thicknesses below 4 nm that was not observed in either thick CVO films or STO films. The emergence of this MIT can be attributed to the reduction in effective bandwidth due to a crossover from a three-dimensional metal to a two-dimensional insulator. The insulating phase was only induced with a drive current below 0.1 {mu}A. X-ray absorption measurements indicated different electronic structures for thick and very thin films of CVO. Compared with the thick film ({approx}60 nm), thin films of CVO (2-4 nm) were more two-dimensional with the V charge state closer to V{sup 4+}.
Electronic hybridisation implications for the damage-tolerance of thin film metallic glasses.
Schnabel, Volker; Jaya, B Nagamani; Köhler, Mathias; Music, Denis; Kirchlechner, Christoph; Dehm, Gerhard; Raabe, Dierk; Schneider, Jochen M
2016-11-07
A paramount challenge in materials science is to design damage-tolerant glasses. Poisson's ratio is commonly used as a criterion to gauge the brittle-ductile transition in glasses. However, our data, as well as results in the literature, are in conflict with the concept of Poisson's ratio serving as a universal parameter for fracture energy. Here, we identify the electronic structure fingerprint associated with damage tolerance in thin film metallic glasses. Our correlative theoretical and experimental data reveal that the fraction of bonds stemming from hybridised states compared to the overall bonding can be associated with damage tolerance in thin film metallic glasses.
Bauschinger effect in thin metal films on compliant substrates
Hoefnagels, J.P.M.; Vlassak, J.J.; Gdoutos, E.E.
2007-01-01
Flexible electronic devices such as flexible displays and solar cells draw more and more attention from the industry. In these devices, the functionality is delivered by small-scale structures consisting of thin metal lines and other materials that are integrated on a compliant (e.g. polymer)
An optimized In–CuGa metallic precursors for chalcopyrite thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Han, Jun-feng, E-mail: junfeng.han@cnrs-imn.fr [Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, UMR CNRS 6502, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Liao, Cheng [Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Chengdu Green Energy and Green Manufacturing Technology R and D Center, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 601207 (China); Jiang, Tao; Xie, Hua-mu; Zhao, Kui [Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Besland, M.-P. [Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, UMR CNRS 6502, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France)
2013-10-31
We report a study of CuGa–In metallic precursors for chalcopyrite thin film. CuGa and In thin films were prepared by DC sputtering at room temperature. Due to low melting point of indium, the sputtering power on indium target was optimized. Then, CuGa and In multilayers were annealed at low temperature. At 120 °C, the annealing treatment could enhance diffusion and alloying of CuGa and In layers; however, at 160 °C, it caused a cohesion and crystalline of indium from the alloy which consequently formed irregular nodules on the film surface. The precursors were selenized to form copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin films. The morphological and structural properties were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra. The relationships between metallic precursors and CIGS films were discussed in the paper. A smooth precursor layer was the key factor to obtain a homogeneous and compact CIGS film. - Highlights: • An optimized sputtered indium film • An optimized alloying process of metallic precursor • An observation of nodules forming on the indium film and precursor surface • An observation of cauliflower structure in copper indium gallium selenide film • The relationship between precursor and CIGS film surface morphology.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Palma, J.L. [Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Central de Chile, Santa Isabel 1186, 8330601 Santiago (Chile); Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), 9170124 Santiago (Chile); Denardin, J.C.; Escrig, J. [Departamento de Física, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Avda. Ecuador 3493, 9170124 Santiago (Chile); Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), 9170124 Santiago (Chile)
2017-03-15
In this paper we have introduced a method for modulation of metallic thin films by sputtering of metals on anodized aluminum templates. Using a high deposition rate during deposition of the non-magnetic metal on the Al pattern, we have separated the two metallic surfaces and, thus, imprinted a pattern of nanohills on a non-magnetic metallic film, such as Au, Ag or Cu. The morphology of the nanostructured metallic films was determined by scanning electron microscopy. Thus, we have confirmed that the ordering degree of the Al template remained after the replication process. Additionally, and as an example of use of these films, we have prepared Supermalloy thin films deposited by sputtering onto these nanostructured non-magnetic metals. The room temperature magnetic behavior of these thin films is also studied. Interestingly, we have found that when the external magnetic field is applied out of plane of the substrate, the coercivity increases linearly as we increase the radius of the nanohills. These soft magnetic films can open new opportunities for magnetic field sensor applications. - Highlights: • A very soft magnetic film is investigated on ordered nanohills. • It is possible to imprint a metallic pattern directly from the etched aluminum foil. • These nanopatterned substrates add an additional degree of freedom. • A method for modulation of metallic thin films.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang, Quan; Zhang, Yanmin; Hu, Ran; Ren, Naifei; Ge, Daohan
2013-01-01
Flat, low-stress, boron-doped polysilicon thin films were prepared on single crystalline silicon substrates by low pressure chemical vapor deposition. It was found that the polysilicon films with different deposition processing have different microstructure properties. The confinement effect, tensile stresses, defects, and the Fano effect all have a great influence on the line shape of Raman scattering peak. But the effect results are different. The microstructure and the surface layer are two important mechanisms dominating the internal stress in three types of polysilicon thin films. For low-stress polysilicon thin film, the tensile stresses are mainly due to the change of microstructure after thermal annealing. But the tensile stresses in flat polysilicon thin film are induced by the silicon carbide layer at surface. After the thin film doped with boron atoms, the phenomenon of the tensile stresses increasing can be explained by the change of microstructure and the increase in the content of silicon carbide. We also investigated the disorder degree states for three polysilicon thin films by analyzing a constant C. It was found that the disorder degree of low-stress polysilicon thin film larger than that of flat and boron-doped polysilicon thin films due to the phase transformation after annealing. After the flat polysilicon thin film doped with boron atoms, there is no obvious change in the disorder degree and the disorder degree in some regions even decreases
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Wang, Quan, E-mail: wangq@mail.ujs.edu.cn [School of mechanical engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Zhang, Yanmin; Hu, Ran; Ren, Naifei [School of mechanical engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Ge, Daohan [School of mechanical engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)
2013-11-14
Flat, low-stress, boron-doped polysilicon thin films were prepared on single crystalline silicon substrates by low pressure chemical vapor deposition. It was found that the polysilicon films with different deposition processing have different microstructure properties. The confinement effect, tensile stresses, defects, and the Fano effect all have a great influence on the line shape of Raman scattering peak. But the effect results are different. The microstructure and the surface layer are two important mechanisms dominating the internal stress in three types of polysilicon thin films. For low-stress polysilicon thin film, the tensile stresses are mainly due to the change of microstructure after thermal annealing. But the tensile stresses in flat polysilicon thin film are induced by the silicon carbide layer at surface. After the thin film doped with boron atoms, the phenomenon of the tensile stresses increasing can be explained by the change of microstructure and the increase in the content of silicon carbide. We also investigated the disorder degree states for three polysilicon thin films by analyzing a constant C. It was found that the disorder degree of low-stress polysilicon thin film larger than that of flat and boron-doped polysilicon thin films due to the phase transformation after annealing. After the flat polysilicon thin film doped with boron atoms, there is no obvious change in the disorder degree and the disorder degree in some regions even decreases.
Mechanical properties of vapor-deposited thin metallic films: a status report
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Adler, P.H.
1982-01-01
The mechanical properties of vapor-deposited thin metallic films are being studied in conjunction with the target fabrication group associated with the laser-fusion energy program. The purpose of the work is to gain an understanding as to which metals are structurally best suited to contain a glass microsphere filled with deuterium-tritium (D-T) gas at large internal pressures
Rare earth metals, rare earth hydrides, and rare earth oxides as thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gasgnier, M.
1980-01-01
The review deals with pure rare earth materials such as rare earth metals, rare earth hydrides, and rare earth oxides as thin films. Several preparation techniques, control methods, and nature of possible contaminations of thin films are described. These films can now be produced in an extremely well-known state concerning chemical composition, structure and texture. Structural, electric, magnetic, and optical properties of thin films are studied and discussed in comparison with the bulk state. The greatest contamination of metallic rare earth thin films is caused by reaction with hydrogen or with water vapour. The compound with an f.c.c. structure is the dihydride LnH 2 (Ln = lanthanides). The oxygen contamination takes place after annealing at higher temperatures. Then there appears a compound with a b.c.c. structure which is the C-type sesquioxide C-Ln 2 O 3 . At room atmosphere dihydride light rare earth thin films are converted to hydroxide Ln(OH) 3 . For heavy rare earth thin films the oxinitride LnNsub(x)Osub(y) is observed. The LnO-type compound was never seen. The present review tries to set the stage anew for the investigations to be undertaken in the future especially through the new generations of electron microscopes
Nanomechanical investigation of thin-film electroceramic/metal-organic framework multilayers
Best, James P.; Michler, Johann; Liu, Jianxi; Wang, Zhengbang; Tsotsalas, Manuel; Maeder, Xavier; Röse, Silvana; Oberst, Vanessa; Liu, Jinxuan; Walheim, Stefan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Weidler, Peter G.; Redel, Engelbert; Wöll, Christof
2015-09-01
Thin-film multilayer stacks of mechanically hard magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and mechanically soft highly porous surface anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) HKUST-1 were studied using nanoindentation. Crystalline, continuous, and monolithic surface anchored MOF thin films were fabricated using a liquid-phase epitaxial growth method. Control over respective fabrication processes allowed for tuning of the thickness of the thin film systems with a high degree of precision. It was found that the mechanical indentation of such thin films is significantly affected by the substrate properties; however, elastic parameters were able to be decoupled for constituent thin-film materials (EITO ≈ 96.7 GPa, EHKUST-1 ≈ 22.0 GPa). For indentation of multilayer stacks, it was found that as the layer thicknesses were increased, while holding the relative thickness of ITO and HKUST-1 constant, the resistance to deformation was significantly altered. Such an observation is likely due to small, albeit significant, changes in film texture, interfacial roughness, size effects, and controlling deformation mechanism as a result of increasing material deposition during processing. Such effects may have consequences regarding the rational mechanical design and utilization of MOF-based hybrid thin-film devices.
Steirer, K. Xerxes; Berry, Joseph J.; Chesin, Jordan P.; Lloyd, Matthew T.; Widjonarko, Nicodemus Edwin; Miedaner, Alexander; Curtis, Calvin J.; Ginley, David S.; Olson, Dana C.
2017-01-10
A method for the application of solution processed metal oxide hole transport layers in organic photovoltaic devices and related organic electronics devices is disclosed. The metal oxide may be derived from a metal-organic precursor enabling solution processing of an amorphous, p-type metal oxide. An organic photovoltaic device having solution processed, metal oxide, thin-film hole transport layer.
Transparent and conductive electrodes by large-scale nanostructuring of noble metal thin-films
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Linnet, Jes; Runge Walther, Anders; Wolff, Christian
grid, and nano-wire thin-films [1]. The indium and carbon films do not match the chemical stability nor the electrical performance of the noble metals, and many metal films are not uniform in material distribution leading to significant surface roughness and randomized transmission haze. We demonstrate...
Samanta, Kousik
Dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS), especially 3d-transition metal (TM) doped ZnO based DMS materials are the most promising candidates for optoelectronics and spintronics applications; e.g. in spin light emitting diode (SLED), spin transistors, and spin field effect transistors (SFET), etc. In the present dissertation, thin films of Zn1-xTMxO (TM = Co2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+) were grown on (0001) oriented Al2O3 substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The films were highly c-axis oriented, nearly single crystalline, and defects free for a limited concentration of the dilution of transition metal ions. In particular, we have obtained single crystalline phases of Zn1-xTMxO thin films for up to 10, 3, and 5 stoichiometric percentages of Co2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+ respectively. Raman micro-probe system was used to understand the structural and lattice dynamical properties at different physical conditions. The confinement of optical phonons in the disorder lattice was explained by alloy potential fluctuation (APF) using a spatial correlation (SC) model. The detailed analysis of the optical phonon behavior in disorder lattice confirmed the substitution of the transition metal ions in Zn 2+ site of the ZnO host lattice. The secondary phases of ZnCo 2O4, CuO, and ZnMn2O4 were detected in higher Co, Cu, and Mn doped ZnO thin films respectively; where as, XRD did not detect these secondary phases in the same samples. Room temperature ferromagnetism was observed in Co2+ and Cu2+ ions doped ZnO thin films with maximum saturation magnetization (Ms) of 1.0 and 0.76 muB respectively. The origin of the observed ferromagnetism in Zn1-xCoxO thin films was tested by the controlled introduction of shallow donors (Al) in Zn0.9-x Co0.1O:Alx (x = 0.005 and 0.01) thin films. The saturation magnetization for the 10% Co-doped ZnO (1.0 muB /Co) at 300K reduced (˜0.25 muB/Co) due to Al doping. The observed ferromagnetism and the reduction due to Al doping can be explained by the Bound
Kan-Dapaah, Kwabena; Rahbar, Nima; Theriault, Christian; Soboyejo, Wole
2015-04-01
This paper presents an implantable polymer/metal alloy thin film structure for localized post-operative treatment of breast cancer. A combination of experiments and models is used to study the temperature changes due to Joule heating by patterned metallic thin films embedded in poly-dimethylsiloxane. The heat conduction within the device and the surrounding normal/cancerous breast tissue is modeled with three-dimensional finite element method (FEM). The FEM simulations are used to explore the potential effects of device geometry and Joule heating on the temperature distribution and lesion (thermal dose). The FEM model is validated using a gel model that mimics biological media. The predictions are also compared to prior results from in vitro studies and relevant in vivo studies in the literature. The implications of the results are discussed for the potential application of polymer/metal thin film structures in hyperthermic treatment of cancer.
A study of using femtosecond LIBS in analyzing metallic thin film-semiconductor interface
Galmed, A. H.; Kassem, A. K.; von Bergmann, H.; Harith, M. A.
2011-01-01
Metals and metal alloys are usually employed as interconnections to guide electrical signals between components into the very large scale integrated (VLSI) devices. These devices demand higher complexity, better performance and lower cost. Thin film is a common geometry for these metallic applications, requiring a substrate for rigidity. Accurate depth profile analysis of coatings is becoming increasingly important with expanding industrial use in technological fields. A number of articles devoted to LIBS applications for depth-resolved analysis have been published in recent years. In the present work, we are studying the ability of femtosecond LIBS to make depth profiling for a Ti thin film of thickness 213 nm deposited onto a silicon (100) substrate before and after thermal annealing. The measurements revealed that an average ablation rates of 15 nm per pulse have been achieved. The thin film was examined using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), while the formation of the interface was examined using Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) before and after annealing. To verify the depth profiling results, a theoretical simulation model is presented that gave a very good agreement with the experimental results.
Quantum-classical transition in the electron dynamics of thin metal films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jasiak, R; Manfredi, G; Hervieux, P-A; Haefele, M
2009-01-01
The quantum electrons dynamics in a thin metal film is studied numerically using the self-consistent Wigner-Poisson equations. The initial equilibrium is computed from the Kohn-Sham equations at finite temperature, and then mapped into the phase-space Wigner function. The time-dependent results are compared systematically with those obtained previously with a classical approach (Vlasov-Poisson equations). It is found that, for large excitations, the quantum and classical dynamics display the same low-frequency oscillations due to ballistic electrons bouncing back and forth on the film surfaces. However, below a certain excitation energy (roughly corresponding to one quantum of plasmon energy ℎω p ), the quantum and classical results diverge, and the ballistic oscillations are no longer observed. These results provide an example of a quantum-classical transition that may be observed with current pump-probe experiments on thin metal films.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Galloway, H.C.
1995-12-01
Detailed studies of the growth and structure of thin films of metal oxides grown on metal single crystal surfaces using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) are presented. The oxide overlayer systems studied are iron oxide and titanium oxide on the Pt(III) surface. The complexity of the metal oxides and large lattice mismatches often lead to surface structures with large unit cells. These are particularly suited to a local real space technique such as scanning tunneling microscopy. In particular, the symmetry that is directly observed with the STM elucidates the relationship of the oxide overlayers to the substrate as well as distinguishing, the structures of different oxides
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Laura Dondzilo
Full Text Available The present study sought to investigate the association between selective attentional processing of body images, rumination, and eating disorder symptoms in young women. Seventy-three undergraduate female students (ages 17-24 completed a modified dot-probe task to assess whether young women showed a differential attentional bias pattern towards thin and non-thin female bodies. Participants also completed self-report measures of eating disorder pathology. It was found that increased reports of dietary restraint and body dissatisfaction were associated with both greater attentional bias towards thin bodies and avoidance of non-thin bodies (as compared to neutral images, although the former relationship was stronger than the latter. The results suggest attentional vigilance to thin-ideal images plays a greater role in the potential development and/or maintenance of eating disorder symptoms, at least in a university sample of young women. Results also revealed that eating disorder-specific rumination mediated the relationship between attentional bias to thin ideal images and eating disorder symptoms. These findings build on existing research and theories, for example the impaired disengagement model of rumination, and have potential clinical applications such as specifically targeting ruminative and/or attentional processes in the prevention and/or treatment of eating disorder symptoms.
Nanomechanical investigation of thin-film electroceramic/metal-organic framework multilayers
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Best, James P., E-mail: james.best@empa.ch, E-mail: engelbert.redel@kit.edu, E-mail: christof.woell@kit.edu; Michler, Johann; Maeder, Xavier [Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, CH-3602 Thun (Switzerland); Liu, Jianxi; Wang, Zhengbang; Tsotsalas, Manuel; Liu, Jinxuan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Weidler, Peter G.; Redel, Engelbert, E-mail: james.best@empa.ch, E-mail: engelbert.redel@kit.edu, E-mail: christof.woell@kit.edu; Wöll, Christof, E-mail: james.best@empa.ch, E-mail: engelbert.redel@kit.edu, E-mail: christof.woell@kit.edu [Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Röse, Silvana [Preparative Macromolecular Chemistry, Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry (ICTP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstrasse 18, 76128 Karlsruhe (Germany); Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Herrmann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Oberst, Vanessa [Institute of Applied Materials (IAM), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Walheim, Stefan [Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)
2015-09-07
Thin-film multilayer stacks of mechanically hard magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and mechanically soft highly porous surface anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) HKUST-1 were studied using nanoindentation. Crystalline, continuous, and monolithic surface anchored MOF thin films were fabricated using a liquid-phase epitaxial growth method. Control over respective fabrication processes allowed for tuning of the thickness of the thin film systems with a high degree of precision. It was found that the mechanical indentation of such thin films is significantly affected by the substrate properties; however, elastic parameters were able to be decoupled for constituent thin-film materials (E{sub ITO} ≈ 96.7 GPa, E{sub HKUST−1} ≈ 22.0 GPa). For indentation of multilayer stacks, it was found that as the layer thicknesses were increased, while holding the relative thickness of ITO and HKUST-1 constant, the resistance to deformation was significantly altered. Such an observation is likely due to small, albeit significant, changes in film texture, interfacial roughness, size effects, and controlling deformation mechanism as a result of increasing material deposition during processing. Such effects may have consequences regarding the rational mechanical design and utilization of MOF-based hybrid thin-film devices.
Nanomechanical investigation of thin-film electroceramic/metal-organic framework multilayers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Best, James P.; Michler, Johann; Maeder, Xavier; Liu, Jianxi; Wang, Zhengbang; Tsotsalas, Manuel; Liu, Jinxuan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Weidler, Peter G.; Redel, Engelbert; Wöll, Christof; Röse, Silvana; Oberst, Vanessa; Walheim, Stefan
2015-01-01
Thin-film multilayer stacks of mechanically hard magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and mechanically soft highly porous surface anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) HKUST-1 were studied using nanoindentation. Crystalline, continuous, and monolithic surface anchored MOF thin films were fabricated using a liquid-phase epitaxial growth method. Control over respective fabrication processes allowed for tuning of the thickness of the thin film systems with a high degree of precision. It was found that the mechanical indentation of such thin films is significantly affected by the substrate properties; however, elastic parameters were able to be decoupled for constituent thin-film materials (E ITO ≈ 96.7 GPa, E HKUST−1 ≈ 22.0 GPa). For indentation of multilayer stacks, it was found that as the layer thicknesses were increased, while holding the relative thickness of ITO and HKUST-1 constant, the resistance to deformation was significantly altered. Such an observation is likely due to small, albeit significant, changes in film texture, interfacial roughness, size effects, and controlling deformation mechanism as a result of increasing material deposition during processing. Such effects may have consequences regarding the rational mechanical design and utilization of MOF-based hybrid thin-film devices
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Seveno, R.; Braud, A.; Gundel, H.W.
2005-01-01
In order to improve the structural interface between a metal substrate and a lead zirconate titanate (Pb(ZrTi)O 3 , PZT) ferroelectric thin film, the elaboration of strontium ruthenium oxide (SrRuO 3 ) by chemical solution deposition is studied. The SrRuO 3 thin films were realized by multiple spin-coating technique and the temperature of the rapid thermal annealing process was optimized. The crystallization behavior was examined by X-ray diffraction; surface analyses using scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope techniques showed the influence of the SrRuO 3 layer at the interface PZT/metal on the morphology of the ferroelectric thin film. From the electrical measurements, a coercive electric field around 25 kV/cm and a remanent polarization of approximately 30 μC/cm were found
Quantum-classical transition in the electron dynamics of thin metal films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jasiak, R; Manfredi, G; Hervieux, P-A [Institut de Physique et Chimie des Materiaux, CNRS and Universite de Strasbourg, BP 43, F-67034 Strasbourg (France); Haefele, M [INRIA Nancy Grand-Est and Institut de Recherche en Mathematiques Avancees, 7 rue Rene Descartes, F-67084 Strasbourg (France)], E-mail: Giovanni.Manfredi@ipcms.u-strasbg.fr
2009-06-15
The quantum electrons dynamics in a thin metal film is studied numerically using the self-consistent Wigner-Poisson equations. The initial equilibrium is computed from the Kohn-Sham equations at finite temperature, and then mapped into the phase-space Wigner function. The time-dependent results are compared systematically with those obtained previously with a classical approach (Vlasov-Poisson equations). It is found that, for large excitations, the quantum and classical dynamics display the same low-frequency oscillations due to ballistic electrons bouncing back and forth on the film surfaces. However, below a certain excitation energy (roughly corresponding to one quantum of plasmon energy {Dirac_h}{omega}{sub p}), the quantum and classical results diverge, and the ballistic oscillations are no longer observed. These results provide an example of a quantum-classical transition that may be observed with current pump-probe experiments on thin metal films.
Loeber, Sabine; Burgmer, Ramona; Wyssen, Andrea; Leins, Judith; Rustemeier, Martina; Munsch, Simone; Herpertz, Stephan
2016-07-01
Previous research demonstrated that the exposure to media portrayals of the thin body ideal negatively affects body satisfaction and mood of healthy women and thus represents a sociocultural risk factor for the development of eating disorders. However, at present, it is not known whether negative effects of the thin ideal are pronounced in eating-disordered patients. Female inpatients with a current diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (N = 36), bulimia nervosa (N = 32), or mood or anxiety disorder (N = 31), and women with no current psychiatric diagnosis were randomly assigned to exposure to magazine pictures depicting the thin female body ideal or landscape scenes in two experimental phases (leafing through a magazine followed by instructed imagination of a picture from the magazine). The groups were compared on measures of body satisfaction and mood that were collected before and after the two phases. Leafing through a fashion magazine was not associated with negative effects on body satisfaction or mood in all groups. Imagining the thin ideal resulted in a decrease in body satisfaction and a decrease in positive mood. We found no diagnosis-specific effects indicating no stronger negative impact of the thin ideal on eating-disorder patients. Given the lacking differences between eating-disordered patients and controls, these findings underline the importance of future research to enhance our understanding of what happens when patients are exposed to external or internal stimuli of media images of the thin ideal. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:708-715). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Assembly of metallic nanoparticle arrays on glass via nanoimprinting and thin-film dewetting
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sun-Kyu Lee
2017-05-01
Full Text Available We propose a nanofabrication process to generate large-area arrays of noble metal nanoparticles on glass substrates via nanoimprinting and dewetting of metallic thin films. Glass templates were made via pattern transfer from a topographic Si mold to an inorganically cross-linked sol–gel (IGSG resist on glass using a two-layer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS stamp followed by annealing, which turned the imprinted resist into pure silica. The transparent, topographic glass successfully templated the assembly of Au and Ag nanoparticle arrays via thin-film deposition and dewetting at elevated temperatures. The microstructural and mechanical characteristics that developed during the processes were discussed. The results are promising for low-cost mass fabrication of devices for several photonic applications.
Assembly of metallic nanoparticle arrays on glass via nanoimprinting and thin-film dewetting.
Lee, Sun-Kyu; Hwang, Sori; Kim, Yoon-Kee; Oh, Yong-Jun
2017-01-01
We propose a nanofabrication process to generate large-area arrays of noble metal nanoparticles on glass substrates via nanoimprinting and dewetting of metallic thin films. Glass templates were made via pattern transfer from a topographic Si mold to an inorganically cross-linked sol-gel (IGSG) resist on glass using a two-layer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp followed by annealing, which turned the imprinted resist into pure silica. The transparent, topographic glass successfully templated the assembly of Au and Ag nanoparticle arrays via thin-film deposition and dewetting at elevated temperatures. The microstructural and mechanical characteristics that developed during the processes were discussed. The results are promising for low-cost mass fabrication of devices for several photonic applications.
Transparent and conductive electrodes by large-scale nano-structuring of noble metal thin-films
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Linnet, Jes; Runge Walther, Anders; Wolff, Christian
2018-01-01
grid, and nano-wire thin-films. The indium and carbon films do not match the chemical stability nor the electrical performance of the noble metals, and many metal films are not uniform in material distribution leading to significant surface roughness and randomized transmission haze. We demonstrate...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Seveno, R. [Universite de Nantes, Institut de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nantes Atlantique (IREENA), 2, rue de la Houssiniere, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France)]. E-mail: raynald.seveno@univ-nantes.fr; Braud, A. [Universite de Nantes, Institut de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nantes Atlantique (IREENA), 2, rue de la Houssiniere, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Gundel, H.W. [Universite de Nantes, Institut de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nantes Atlantique (IREENA), 2, rue de la Houssiniere, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France)
2005-12-22
In order to improve the structural interface between a metal substrate and a lead zirconate titanate (Pb(ZrTi)O{sub 3}, PZT) ferroelectric thin film, the elaboration of strontium ruthenium oxide (SrRuO{sub 3}) by chemical solution deposition is studied. The SrRuO{sub 3} thin films were realized by multiple spin-coating technique and the temperature of the rapid thermal annealing process was optimized. The crystallization behavior was examined by X-ray diffraction; surface analyses using scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope techniques showed the influence of the SrRuO{sub 3} layer at the interface PZT/metal on the morphology of the ferroelectric thin film. From the electrical measurements, a coercive electric field around 25 kV/cm and a remanent polarization of approximately 30 {mu}C/cm were found.
Persistent semi-metal-like nature of epitaxial perovskite CaIrO3 thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Biswas, Abhijit; Jeong, Yoon Hee
2015-01-01
Strong spin-orbit coupled 5d transition metal based ABO 3 oxides, especially iridates, allow tuning parameters in the phase diagram and may demonstrate important functionalities, for example, by means of strain effects and symmetry-breaking, because of the interplay between the Coulomb interactions and strong spin-orbit coupling. Here, we have epitaxially stabilized high quality thin films of perovskite (Pv) CaIrO 3 . Film on the best lattice-matched substrate shows semi-metal-like characteristics. Intriguingly, imposing tensile or compressive strain on the film by altering the underlying lattice-mismatched substrates still maintains semi-metallicity with minute modification of the effective correlation as tensile (compressive) strain results in tiny increases (decreases) of the electronic bandwidth. In addition, magnetoresistance remains positive with a quadratic field dependence. This persistent semi-metal-like nature of Pv-CaIrO 3 thin films with minute changes in the effective correlation by strain may provide new wisdom into strong spin-orbit coupled 5d based oxide physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Choi, Sung Woo; Park, Sang Hu; Park, Seong Hun; Ha, Man Yeong; Jeong, Ho Seung; Cho, Jong Rae
2012-01-01
A stamping process is widely used for fabricating various sheet metal parts for vehicles, airplanes, and electronic devices by the merit of low processing cost and high productivity. Recently, the use of thin sheets with a corrugated structure for sheet metal parts has rapidly increased for use in energy management devices, such as heat exchangers, separators in fuel cells, and many others. However, it is not easy to make thin corrugated structures directly using a single step stamping process due to their geometrical complexity and very thin thickness. To solve this problem, a multi step stamping (MSS) process that includes a heat treatment process to improve formability is proposed in this work: the sequential process is the initial stamping, heat treatment, and final shaping. By the proposed method, we achieved successful results in fabricating thin corrugated structures with an average thickness of 75μm and increased formability of about 31% compared to the single step stamping process. Such structures can be used in a plate-type heat exchanger requiring low weight and a compact shape
Formation mechanisms of metallic Zn nanodots by using ZnO thin films deposited on n-Si substrates
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yuk, J. M.; Lee, J. Y.; Kim, Y.; No, Y. S.; Kim, T. W.; Choi, W. K.
2010-01-01
High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy results showed that metallic Zn nanodots (NDs) were fabricated through transformation of ZnO thin films by deposition of SiO x on ZnO/n-Si (100) heterostructures. The Zn NDs with various sizes and densities were formed due to the occurrence of the mass diffusion of atoms along the grain boundaries in the ZnO thin films. The fabrication mechanisms of metallic Zn NDs through transformation of ZnO thin films deposited on n-Si substrates are described on the basis of the experimental results.
Thin films by metal-organic precursor plasma spray
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schulz, Douglas L.; Sailer, Robert A.; Payne, Scott; Leach, James; Molz, Ronald J.
2009-01-01
While most plasma spray routes to coatings utilize solids as the precursor feedstock, metal-organic precursor plasma spray (MOPPS) is an area that the authors have investigated recently as a novel route to thin film materials. Very thin films are possible via MOPPS and the technology offers the possibility of forming graded structures by metering the liquid feed. The current work employs metal-organic compounds that are liquids at standard temperature-pressure conditions. In addition, these complexes contain chemical functionality that allows straightforward thermolytic transformation to targeted phases of interest. Toward that end, aluminum 3,5-heptanedionate (Al(hd) 3 ), triethylsilane (HSi(C 2 H 5 ) 3 or HSiEt 3 ), and titanium tetrakisdiethylamide (Ti(N(C 2 H 5 ) 2 ) 4 or Ti(NEt 2 ) 4 ) were employed as precursors to aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and titanium nitride, respectively. In all instances, the liquids contain metal-heteroatom bonds envisioned to provide atomic concentrations of the appropriate reagents at the film growth surface, thus promoting phase formation (e.g., Si-C bond in triethylsilane, Ti-N bond in titanium amide, etc.). Films were deposited using a Sulzer Metco TriplexPro-200 plasma spray system under various experimental conditions using design of experiment principles. Film compositions were analyzed by glazing incidence x-ray diffraction and elemental determination by x-ray spectroscopy. MOPPS films from HSiEt 3 showed the formation of SiC phase but Al(hd) 3 -derived films were amorphous. The Ti(NEt 2 ) 4 precursor gave MOPPS films that appear to consist of nanosized splats of TiOCN with spheres of TiO 2 anatase. While all films in this study suffered from poor adhesion, it is anticipated that the use of heated substrates will aid in the formation of dense, adherent films.
Work function and quantum efficiency study of metal oxide thin films on Ag(100)
Chang, V.; Noakes, T. C. Q.; Harrison, N. M.
2018-04-01
Increasing the quantum efficiency (QE) of metal photocathodes is in the design and development of photocathodes for free-electron laser applications. The growth of metal oxide thin films on certain metal surfaces has previously been shown to reduce the work function (WF). Using a photoemission model B. Camino et al. [Comput. Mater. Sci. 122, 331 (2016), 10.1016/j.commatsci.2016.05.025] based on the three-step model combined with density functional theory calculations we predict that the growth of a finite number of MgO(100) or BaO(100) layers on the Ag(100) surface increases significantly the QE compared with the clean Ag(100) surface for a photon energy of 4.7 eV. Different mechanisms for affecting the QE are identified for the different metal oxide thin films. The addition of MgO(100) increases the QE due to the reduction of the WF and the direct excitation of electrons from the Ag surface to the MgO conduction band. For BaO(100) thin films, an additional mechanism is in operation as the oxide film also photoemits at this energy. We also note that a significant increase in the QE for photons with an energy of a few eV above the WF is achieved due to an increase in the inelastic mean-free path of the electrons.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Zhao, Zhao; Alford, T. L., E-mail: TA@asu.edu [School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287 (United States); Khorasani, Arash Elhami [ON Semiconductor Corp., Phoenix, Arizona 85005 (United States); Theodore, N. D. [CHD-Fab, Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Tempe, Arizona 85224 (United States); Dhar, A. [Intel Corp., 2501 NW 229th Ave, Hillsboro, Oregon 97124 (United States)
2015-11-28
Recent interest in indium-free transparent composite-electrodes (TCEs) has motivated theoretical and experimental efforts to better understand and enhance their electrical and optical properties. Various tools have been developed to calculate the optical transmittance of multilayer thin-film structures based on the transfer-matrix method. However, the factors that affect the accuracy of these calculations have not been investigated very much. In this study, two sets of TCEs, TiO{sub 2}/Au/TiO{sub 2} and TiO{sub 2}/Ag/TiO{sub 2}, were fabricated to study the factors that affect the accuracy of transmittance predictions. We found that the predicted transmittance can deviate significantly from measured transmittance for TCEs that have ultra-thin plasmonic metal layers. The ultrathin metal layer in the TCE is typically discontinuous. When light interacts with the metallic islands in this discontinuous layer, localized surface plasmons are generated. This causes extra light absorption, which then leads to the actual transmittance being lower than the predicted transmittance.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Baldi, G., E-mail: giacomo.baldi@cnr.it; Bosi, M.; Attolini, G.; Berzina, T.; Mosca, R.; Ponraj, J. S.; Iannotta, S. [IMEM-CNR Institute, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, I-43124 Parma (Italy); Giusti, G.; Nozar, P.; Toccoli, T.; Verucchi, R. [IMEM-CNR Institute, Via alla Cascata 56/C, Povo – I-38123 Trento (Italy); Collini, C.; Lorenzelli, L. [FBK Bruno Kessler Foundation, Via Sommarive 18, I-38123 Trento (Italy)
2015-03-10
We propose a multi-technique approach based on in-vacuum synthesis of metal oxides to optimize the memristive properties of devices that use a metal oxide thin film as insulating layer. Pulsed Microplasma Cluster Source (PMCS) is based on supersonic beams seeded by clusters of the metal oxide. Nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} thin films can be grown at room temperature, controlling the oxide stoichiometry from titanium metal up to a significant oxygen excess. Pulsed Electron beam Deposition (PED) is suitable to grow crystalline thin films on large areas, a step towards producing device arrays with controlled morphology and stoichiometry. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a powerful technique to grow materials layer-by-layer, finely controlling the chemical and structural properties of the film up to thickness of 50-80 nm. We will present a few examples of metal-insulator-metal structures showing a pinched hysteresis loop in their current-voltage characteristic. The structure, stoichiometry and morphology of the metal oxide layer, either aluminum oxide or titanium dioxide, is investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by Raman scattering.
A library of atomically thin metal chalcogenides.
Zhou, Jiadong; Lin, Junhao; Huang, Xiangwei; Zhou, Yao; Chen, Yu; Xia, Juan; Wang, Hong; Xie, Yu; Yu, Huimei; Lei, Jincheng; Wu, Di; Liu, Fucai; Fu, Qundong; Zeng, Qingsheng; Hsu, Chuang-Han; Yang, Changli; Lu, Li; Yu, Ting; Shen, Zexiang; Lin, Hsin; Yakobson, Boris I; Liu, Qian; Suenaga, Kazu; Liu, Guangtong; Liu, Zheng
2018-04-01
Investigations of two-dimensional transition-metal chalcogenides (TMCs) have recently revealed interesting physical phenomena, including the quantum spin Hall effect 1,2 , valley polarization 3,4 and two-dimensional superconductivity 5 , suggesting potential applications for functional devices 6-10 . However, of the numerous compounds available, only a handful, such as Mo- and W-based TMCs, have been synthesized, typically via sulfurization 11-15 , selenization 16,17 and tellurization 18 of metals and metal compounds. Many TMCs are difficult to produce because of the high melting points of their metal and metal oxide precursors. Molten-salt-assisted methods have been used to produce ceramic powders at relatively low temperature 19 and this approach 20 was recently employed to facilitate the growth of monolayer WS 2 and WSe 2 . Here we demonstrate that molten-salt-assisted chemical vapour deposition can be broadly applied for the synthesis of a wide variety of two-dimensional (atomically thin) TMCs. We synthesized 47 compounds, including 32 binary compounds (based on the transition metals Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Re, Pt, Pd and Fe), 13 alloys (including 11 ternary, one quaternary and one quinary), and two heterostructured compounds. We elaborate how the salt decreases the melting point of the reactants and facilitates the formation of intermediate products, increasing the overall reaction rate. Most of the synthesized materials in our library are useful, as supported by evidence of superconductivity in our monolayer NbSe 2 and MoTe 2 samples 21,22 and of high mobilities in MoS 2 and ReS 2 . Although the quality of some of the materials still requires development, our work opens up opportunities for studying the properties and potential application of a wide variety of two-dimensional TMCs.
Sievert, James D.; Watkins, James J.; Russell, Thomas P.
2006-03-01
Well aligned, microphase-separated structures of styrene-2-vinylpyridine block copolymers are being used as templates for macromolecule-metal nanocomposites. These composites are either prepared as thin films or confined in nanoporous aluminum oxide membranes. Under optimal conditions, templates are prepared as thin films or confined nanorods and metallized without disturbing the ordered structure. We have developed a procedure that deposits metal within the polymer using supercritical carbon dioxide-soluble metal precursors. The use of supercritical carbon dioxide allows for selective metallization of the polymer at or below the glass transition, without disrupting the morphology. In addition, similar procedures have been investigated using metal salts and acids. Using these techniques, metals and metal-sulfides including silver, gold, platinum and zinc sulfide have been selectively deposited.
Effects of accelerated degradation on metal supported thin film-based solid oxide fuel cell
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Reolon, R. P.; Sanna, S.; Xu, Yu
2018-01-01
A thin film-based solid oxide fuel cell is deposited on a Ni-based metal porous support by pulsed laser deposition with a multi-scale-graded microstructure design. The fuel cell, around 1 μm in thickness, is composed of a stabilized-zirconia/doped-ceria bi-layered dense electrolyte and nanostruct......A thin film-based solid oxide fuel cell is deposited on a Ni-based metal porous support by pulsed laser deposition with a multi-scale-graded microstructure design. The fuel cell, around 1 μm in thickness, is composed of a stabilized-zirconia/doped-ceria bi-layered dense electrolyte......, electrochemical performances are steady, indicating the stability of the cell. Under electrical load, a progressive degradation is activated. Post-test analysis reveals both mechanical and chemical degradation of the cell. Cracks and delamination of the thin films promote a significant nickel diffusion and new...
Cennamo, Nunzio; Zuppella, Paola; Bacco, Davide; Corso, Alain J.; Pelizzo, Maria G.; Pesavento, Maria; Zeni, Luigi
2016-05-01
A novel sensing platform based on thin metal bilayer for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in a D-shaped plastic optical fiber (POF) has been designed, implemented and tested. The experimental results are congruent with the numerical studies. This platform has been properly optimized to work in the 1.38 -1.42 refractive index range and it exhibits excellent sensitivity. This refractive index range is very interesting for bio-chemical applications, where the polymer layer are used as receptors (e.g. molecularly imprinted polymer) or to immobilize the bio-receptor on the metal surface. The proposed metallic bilayer is based on palladium and gold films and replaces the traditional gold by exhibiting higher performances. Furthermore, the deposition of the thin bilayer is a single process and no further manufacturing step is required. In fact, in this case the photoresist buffer layer between the POF core and the metal layer, usually required to increase the refractive index range, is no longer necessary.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Carlos Angulo Barrios
2017-06-01
Full Text Available We report on a top-down method for the controlled fabrication of three-dimensional (3D, closed, thin-shelled, hollow nanostructures (nanocages on planar supports. The presented approach is based on conventional microelectronic fabrication processes and exploits the permeability of thin metal films to hollow-out polymer-filled metal nanocages through an oxygen-plasma process. The technique is used for fabricating arrays of cylindrical nanocages made of thin Al shells on silicon substrates. This hollow metal configuration features optical resonance as revealed by spectral reflectance measurements and numerical simulations. The fabricated nanocages were demonstrated as a refractometric sensor with a measured bulk sensitivity of 327 nm/refractive index unit (RIU. The pattern design flexibility and controllability offered by top-down nanofabrication techniques opens the door to the possibility of massive integration of these hollow 3D nano-objects on a chip for applications such as nanocontainers, nanoreactors, nanofluidics, nano-biosensors and photonic devices.
Barrios, Carlos Angulo; Canalejas-Tejero, Víctor
2017-01-01
We report on a top-down method for the controlled fabrication of three-dimensional (3D), closed, thin-shelled, hollow nanostructures (nanocages) on planar supports. The presented approach is based on conventional microelectronic fabrication processes and exploits the permeability of thin metal films to hollow-out polymer-filled metal nanocages through an oxygen-plasma process. The technique is used for fabricating arrays of cylindrical nanocages made of thin Al shells on silicon substrates. This hollow metal configuration features optical resonance as revealed by spectral reflectance measurements and numerical simulations. The fabricated nanocages were demonstrated as a refractometric sensor with a measured bulk sensitivity of 327 nm/refractive index unit (RIU). The pattern design flexibility and controllability offered by top-down nanofabrication techniques opens the door to the possibility of massive integration of these hollow 3D nano-objects on a chip for applications such as nanocontainers, nanoreactors, nanofluidics, nano-biosensors and photonic devices.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bennun, L.; Greaves, E.D.; Barros, H.; Diaz-Valdes, J.
2009-01-01
A method for thickness determination of thin amalgamable metallic films by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) is presented. The peak's intensity in TXRF spectra are directly related to the surface density of the sample, i.e. to its thickness in a homogeneous film. Performing a traditional TXRF analysis on a thin film of an amalgamated metal, and determining the relative peak intensity of a specific metal line, the layer thickness can be precisely obtained. In the case of gold thickness determination, mercury and gold peaks overlap, hence we have developed a general data processing scheme to achieve the most precise results.
Phase coexistence in the metal-insulator transition of a VO2 thin film
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chang, Y.J.; Koo, C.H.; Yang, J.S.; Kim, Y.S.; Kim, D.H.; Lee, J.S.; Noh, T.W.; Kim, Hyun-Tak; Chae, B.G.
2005-01-01
Vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) shows a metal-insulator transition (MIT) near room temperature, accompanied by an abrupt resistivity change. Since the MIT of VO 2 is known to be a first order phase transition, it is valuable to check metallic and insulating phase segregation during the MIT process. We deposited (100)-oriented epitaxial VO 2 thin films on R-cut sapphire substrates. From the scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) spectra, we could distinguish metallic and insulating regions by probing the band gap. Optical spectroscopic analysis also supported the view that the MIT in VO 2 occurs through metal and insulator phase coexistence
Spin-Hall conductivity and electric polarization in metallic thin films
Wang, Xuhui
2013-02-21
We predict theoretically that when a normal metallic thin film (without bulk spin-orbit coupling, such as Cu or Al) is sandwiched by two insulators, two prominent effects arise due to the interfacial spin-orbit coupling: a giant spin-Hall conductivity due to the surface scattering and a transverse electric polarization due to the spin-dependent phase shift in the spinor wave functions.
Spin-Hall conductivity and electric polarization in metallic thin films
Wang, Xuhui; Xiao, Jiang; Manchon, Aurelien; Maekawa, Sadamichi
2013-01-01
We predict theoretically that when a normal metallic thin film (without bulk spin-orbit coupling, such as Cu or Al) is sandwiched by two insulators, two prominent effects arise due to the interfacial spin-orbit coupling: a giant spin-Hall conductivity due to the surface scattering and a transverse electric polarization due to the spin-dependent phase shift in the spinor wave functions.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nazarpour, S.; Langenberg, E.; Jambois, O.; Ferrater, C.; Garcia-Cuenca, M.V.; Polo, M.C.; Varela, M.
2009-01-01
Electrical conductivity dependence of thin metallic films of Au and Pd over the different perovskites was investigated. It is found from electrical properties that crystallographic growth orientation of Au and Pd thin layers attained from X-ray diffraction results indicate the slop of current (I)-voltage (V) plots. Besides, surface morphology and topography was considered using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy, respectively. Obtained results showed the Stranski-Krastanov growth of the Pd and Au. Indeed, diminishing of the root-mean-square roughness of Pd/BiMnO 3 /SrTiO 3 following by Au deposition should be concerned due to growth of Au onto the crack-like parts of the substrate. These crack-like parts appeared due to parasitic phases of the Bi-Mn-O system mainly Mn 3 O 4 (l 0 l) and Mn 3 O 4 (0 0 4 l). The different response in the electrical properties of heterostructures suggests that electrical conductance of the Au and Pd thin metallic films have the crystallographic orientation dependence. Furthermore, polycrystallinity of the thin metallic films are desired in electrode applications due to increase the conductivity of the metallic layers.
Preparation and characterization of metallic supported thin Pd-Ag membranes for hydrogen separation
Fernandez, Ekain; Medrano, Jose Antonio; Melendez, Jon; Parco, Maria; Viviente, J.L.; van Sint Annaland, Martin; Gallucci, Fausto; Pacheco Tanaka, David A.
2015-01-01
This paper reports the preparation and characterization of thin-film (4-5 µm thick) Pd-Ag metallic supported membranes for high temperature applications. Various thin film membranes have been prepared by depositing a ceramic interdiffusion barrier layer prior to the simultaneous Pd-Ag electroless plating deposition. Two deposition techniques for ceramic layers (made of zirconia and alumina) have been evaluated: atmospheric plasma spraying and dip coating of a powder suspension. Initially, the...
Synthesis and mechanical properties of Fe–Nb–B thin-film metallic glasses
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yao, J.H.; Hostert, C.; Music, D.; Frisk, A.; Björck, M.; Schneider, J.M.
2012-01-01
Fe–Nb–B thin-film metallic glasses (TFMGs) were synthesized via a combinatorial sputtering approach to probe the property–composition correlation. The boron content was found to dominate the mechanical properties of the TFMGs. The ∼10% smaller strength of Fe–Nb–B TFMGs compared to existing bulk metallic glass with similar composition may be attributed to the absence of a network-like structure based on (Fe,M) 23 B 6 phase due to the extreme quenching conditions employed.
Feasibility study of using thin aluminum nitride film as a buffer layer for dual metal gate process
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Park, Chang Seo; Cho, Byung Jin; Balasubramanian, N.; Kwong, Dim-Lee
2004-01-01
We evaluated the feasibility of using an ultra thin aluminum nitride (AlN) buffer layer for dual metal gates CMOS process. Since the buffer layer should not affect the thickness of gate dielectric, it should be removed or consumed during subsequent process. In this work, it was shown that a thin AlN dielectric layer would be reacted with initial gate metals and would be consumed during subsequent annealing, resulting in no increase of equivalent oxide thickness (EOT). The reaction of AlN layer with tantalum (Ta) and hafnium (Hf) during subsequent annealing, which was confirmed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, shifted the flat-band voltage of AlN buffered MOS capacitors. No contribution to equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) was also an indication showing the full consumption of AIN, which was confirmed with TEM analysis. The work functions of gate metals were modulated through the reaction, suggesting that the consumption of AlN resulted in new thin metal alloys. Finally, it was found that the barrier heights of the new alloys were consistent with their work functions
Blaj, M.A.; Buesink, Frederik Johannes Karel; Damstra, G.C.; Leferink, Frank Bernardus Johannes
2011-01-01
Electronic systems in composite structures could be vulnerable to the (dominant magnetic) field caused by a lightning strike, because only thin layers of metal can be used on composite structures. Thin layers result in a very low shielding effectiveness against magnetic fields. Many experiments
All-metallic electrically gated 2H-TaSe2 thin-film switches and logic circuits
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Renteria, J.; Jiang, C.; Yan, Z.; Samnakay, R.; Goli, P.; Pope, T. R.; Salguero, T. T.; Wickramaratne, D.; Lake, R. K.; Khitun, A. G.; Balandin, A. A.
2014-01-01
We report the fabrication and performance of all-metallic three-terminal devices with tantalum diselenide thin-film conducting channels. For this proof-of-concept demonstration, the layers of 2H-TaSe 2 were exfoliated mechanically from single crystals grown by the chemical vapor transport method. Devices with nanometer-scale thicknesses exhibit strongly non-linear current-voltage characteristics, unusual optical response, and electrical gating at room temperature. We have found that the drain-source current in thin-film 2H-TaSe 2 –Ti/Au devices reproducibly shows an abrupt transition from a highly resistive to a conductive state, with the threshold tunable via the gate voltage. Such current-voltage characteristics can be used, in principle, for implementing radiation-hard all-metallic logic circuits. These results may open new application space for thin films of van der Waals materials
All-metallic electrically gated 2H-TaSe2 thin-film switches and logic circuits
Renteria, J.; Samnakay, R.; Jiang, C.; Pope, T. R.; Goli, P.; Yan, Z.; Wickramaratne, D.; Salguero, T. T.; Khitun, A. G.; Lake, R. K.; Balandin, A. A.
2014-01-01
We report the fabrication and performance of all-metallic three-terminal devices with tantalum diselenide thin-film conducting channels. For this proof-of-concept demonstration, the layers of 2H-TaSe2 were exfoliated mechanically from single crystals grown by the chemical vapor transport method. Devices with nanometer-scale thicknesses exhibit strongly non-linear current-voltage characteristics, unusual optical response, and electrical gating at room temperature. We have found that the drain-source current in thin-film 2H-TaSe2-Ti/Au devices reproducibly shows an abrupt transition from a highly resistive to a conductive state, with the threshold tunable via the gate voltage. Such current-voltage characteristics can be used, in principle, for implementing radiation-hard all-metallic logic circuits. These results may open new application space for thin films of van der Waals materials.
Persistent semi-metal-like nature of epitaxial perovskite CaIrO{sub 3} thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Biswas, Abhijit; Jeong, Yoon Hee, E-mail: yhj@postech.ac.kr [Department of Physics, POSTECH, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of)
2015-05-21
Strong spin-orbit coupled 5d transition metal based ABO{sub 3} oxides, especially iridates, allow tuning parameters in the phase diagram and may demonstrate important functionalities, for example, by means of strain effects and symmetry-breaking, because of the interplay between the Coulomb interactions and strong spin-orbit coupling. Here, we have epitaxially stabilized high quality thin films of perovskite (Pv) CaIrO{sub 3}. Film on the best lattice-matched substrate shows semi-metal-like characteristics. Intriguingly, imposing tensile or compressive strain on the film by altering the underlying lattice-mismatched substrates still maintains semi-metallicity with minute modification of the effective correlation as tensile (compressive) strain results in tiny increases (decreases) of the electronic bandwidth. In addition, magnetoresistance remains positive with a quadratic field dependence. This persistent semi-metal-like nature of Pv-CaIrO{sub 3} thin films with minute changes in the effective correlation by strain may provide new wisdom into strong spin-orbit coupled 5d based oxide physics.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schnabel, Volker; Köhler, Mathias; Evertz, Simon; Gamcova, Jana; Bednarcik, Jozef; Music, Denis; Raabe, Dierk; Schneider, Jochen M.
2016-01-01
An efficient way to study the relationship between chemical composition and mechanical properties of thin films is to utilize the combinatorial approach, where spatially resolved mechanical property measurements are conducted along a concentration gradient. However, for thin film glasses many properties including the mechanical response are affected by chemical topology. Here a novel method is introduced which enables spatially resolved short range order analysis along concentration gradients of combinatorially synthesized metallic glass thin films. For this purpose a CoZrTaB metallic glass film of 3 μm thickness is deposited on a polyimide foil, which is investigated by high energy X-ray diffraction in transmission mode. Through the correlative chemistry-topology-stiffness investigation, we observe that an increase in metalloid concentration from 26.4 to 32.7 at% and the associated formation of localized (hybridized) metal – metalloid bonds induce a 10% increase in stiffness. Concomitantly, along the same composition gradient, a metalloid-concentration-induced increase in first order metal - metal bond distances of 1% is observed, which infers itinerant (metallic) bond weakening. Hence, the metalloid concentration induced increase in hybridized bonding dominates the corresponding weakening of metallic bonds.
Can disorder drive a Mott insulator into a metal in 2D?
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Trivedi, Nandini; Heidarian, Dariush
2006-01-01
We find that isoelectronic disorder generates novel phases in a Mott insulator at half filling. For both binary disorder potentials and for random site disorder models, the Mott gap is destroyed locally generating puddles of gapless excitations. With increasing disorder, these puddles grow and rather surprising, form an inhomogeneous metal in 2D. Antiferromagnetic long range order is more robust than the Mott gap and persists into the metal, getting destroyed close to a critical disorder where doubly occupied and empty sites percolate. (author)
Thin-film composite materials as a dielectric layer for flexible metal-insulator-metal capacitors.
Tiwari, Jitendra N; Meena, Jagan Singh; Wu, Chung-Shu; Tiwari, Rajanish N; Chu, Min-Ching; Chang, Feng-Chih; Ko, Fu-Hsiang
2010-09-24
A new organic-organic nanoscale composite thin-film (NCTF) dielectric has been synthesized by solution deposition of 1-bromoadamantane and triblock copolymer (Pluronic P123, BASF, EO20-PO70-EO20), in which the precursor solution has been achieved with organic additives. We have used a sol-gel process to make a metal-insulator-metal capacitor (MIM) comprising a nanoscale (10 nm-thick) thin-film on a flexible polyimide (PI) substrate at room temperature. Scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope revealed that the deposited NCTFs were crack-free, uniform, highly resistant to moisture absorption, and well adhered on the Au-Cr/PI. The electrical properties of 1-bromoadamantane-P123 NCTF were characterized by dielectric constant, capacitance, and leakage current measurements. The 1-bromoadamantane-P123 NCTF on the PI substrate showed a low leakage current density of 5.5 x 10(-11) A cm(-2) and good capacitance of 2.4 fF at 1 MHz. In addition, the calculated dielectric constant of 1-bromoadamantane-P123 NCTF was 1.9, making them suitable candidates for use in future flexible electronic devices as a stable intermetal dielectric. The electrical insulating properties of 1-bromoadamantane-P123 NCTF have been improved due to the optimized dipole moments of the van der Waals interactions.
Levinson, Cheri A; Brosof, Leigh C; Ma, Jackie; Fewell, Laura; Lenze, Eric J
2017-12-01
Fears of food are common in individuals with eating disorders and contribute to the high relapse rates. However, it is unknown how fears of food contribute to eating disorder symptoms across time, potentially contributing to an increased likelihood of relapse. Participants diagnosed with an eating disorder (N=168) who had recently completed intensive treatment were assessed after discharge and one month later regarding fear of food, eating disorder symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and negative affect. Cross lagged path analysis was utilized to determine if fear of food predicted subsequent eating disorder symptoms one month later. Fear of food-specifically, anxiety about eating and feared concerns about eating-predicted drive for thinness, a core symptom domain of eating disorders. These relationships held while accounting for anxiety sensitivity and negative affect. There is a specific, direct relationship between anxiety about eating and feared concerns about eating and drive for thinness. Future research should test if interventions designed to target fear of food can decrease drive for thinness and thereby prevent relapse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Coherent, atomically thin transition-metal dichalcogenide superlattices with engineered strain
Xie, Saien; Tu, Lijie; Han, Yimo; Huang, Lujie; Kang, Kibum; Lao, Ka Un; Poddar, Preeti; Park, Chibeom; Muller, David A.; DiStasio, Robert A.; Park, Jiwoong
2018-03-01
Epitaxy forms the basis of modern electronics and optoelectronics. We report coherent atomically thin superlattices in which different transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers—despite large lattice mismatches—are repeated and laterally integrated without dislocations within the monolayer plane. Grown by an omnidirectional epitaxy, these superlattices display fully matched lattice constants across heterointerfaces while maintaining an isotropic lattice structure and triangular symmetry. This strong epitaxial strain is precisely engineered via the nanoscale supercell dimensions, thereby enabling broad tuning of the optical properties and producing photoluminescence peak shifts as large as 250 millielectron volts. We present theoretical models to explain this coherent growth and the energetic interplay governing the ripple formation in these strained monolayers. Such coherent superlattices provide building blocks with targeted functionalities at the atomically thin limit.
On the spherical nanoindentation creep of metallic glassy thin films at room temperature
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Zhang, T.H.; Ye, J.H. [Institution of Micro/Nano-Mechanical Testing Technology & Application, College of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014 (China); Feng, Y.H. [State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics (LNM), Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Ma, Y., E-mail: may@zjut.edu.cn [Institution of Micro/Nano-Mechanical Testing Technology & Application, College of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014 (China)
2017-02-08
Metallic glassy thin films with eight kind of compositions were successfully prepared on Si substrate by magnetron sputtering. The room-temperature creep tests were performed at plastic regions for each sample relying on spherical nanoindetation. The creep deformations were studied by recording the total creep displacement and strain after 2000 s holding. More pronounced creep deformation was observed in the sample with lower glass transition temperature (T{sub g}). Strain rate sensitivity (SRS) was then calculated from the steady-state creep and exhibited a negative correlation with increasing T{sub g}. It is suggested that creep mechanism of the nano-sized metallic glass was T{sub g}-dependent, according to the demarcation of SRS values. Based on the obtained SRS, shear transformation zone (STZ) size in each sample could be estimated. The results indicated that an STZ involves about 25–60 atoms for the employed eight samples and is strongly tied to T{sub g}. The characteristic of STZ size in metallic glassy thin films was discussed in terms of applied method and deformation modes.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Roberts, Joel Glenn [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
2000-05-01
The surface structures of NaCl(100), LiF(100) and alpha-MgCl2(0001) adsorbed on various metal single crystals have been determined by low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Thin films of these salts were grown on metal substrates by exposing the heated metal surface to a molecular flux of salt emitted from a Knudsen cell. This method of investigating thin films of insulators (ionic salts) on a conducting substrate (metal) circumvents surface charging problems that plagued bulk studies, thereby allowing the use of electron-based techniques to characterize the surface.
The rate of thermal expansion of a thin metallic slab of arbitrary shape.
Lee, Y C
2009-08-12
In a previous paper the rate of thermal expansion of a long, slender insulating bar has been worked out. Our present aim is to extend that work to the thermal expansion rate of not only a long metallic bar, but to further generalize it to a thin metallic slab of arbitrary shape. Assuming that the thickness of the slab is small compared to the linear dimension of its area we again take advantage of the two distinct, disparate timescales to turn the familiar problem of thermal expansion into a time-dependent problem of the rate of the expansion. Based on the previously established finite physical momentum of an acoustic phonon when translational invariance is broken, we show that the combined pressure of the phonons and the free electrons due to their outward momenta would suffer a Doppler reduction as the specimen expands upon heating. This Doppler reduction gives rise to damping of the expanding motion, thus yielding as a first result the time of thermal expansion of a long slender metal bar. The generalization to the important case of a thin metallic slab of any shape is then worked out in detail before a concluding section containing a long physical discussion and summary.
Numerical analysis of short-pulse laser interactions with thin metal film
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
E. Majchrzak
2010-10-01
Full Text Available Thin metal film subjected to a short-pulse laser heating is considered. The hyperbolic two-temperature model describing the temporal andspatial evolution of the lattice and electrons temperatures is discussed. At the stage of numerical computations the finite difference method is used. In the final part of the paper the examples of computations are shown.
Determination of stable shapes of a thin liquid metal layer using a boundary integral method
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hinaje, M [Groupe de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nancy, 2 avenue de la Foret de Haye, 54516 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Vinsard, G [Laboratoire d' Energetique et de Mecanique Theorique et Appliquee, 2 avenue de la Foret de Haye, 54516 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Dufour, S [Groupe de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nancy, 2 avenue de la Foret de Haye, 54516 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France)
2006-03-21
This paper deals with a thin liquid metal layer submitted to an ac magnetic field. Experimentally, we have noticed that even if the system (inductor+liquid metal) is axisymmetric, when an ac magnetic field is applied the symmetry is broken. The observed deformations of the liquid metal are in three dimensions. Therefore, our aim is to investigate this deformation using a numerical method as boundary element method in three dimensions.
Determination of stable shapes of a thin liquid metal layer using a boundary integral method
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hinaje, M; Vinsard, G; Dufour, S
2006-01-01
This paper deals with a thin liquid metal layer submitted to an ac magnetic field. Experimentally, we have noticed that even if the system (inductor+liquid metal) is axisymmetric, when an ac magnetic field is applied the symmetry is broken. The observed deformations of the liquid metal are in three dimensions. Therefore, our aim is to investigate this deformation using a numerical method as boundary element method in three dimensions
Epitaxially influenced boundary layer model for size effect in thin metallic films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bazant, Zdenek P.; Guo Zaoyang; Espinosa, Horacio D.; Zhu Yong; Peng Bei
2005-01-01
It is shown that the size effect recently observed by Espinosa et al., [J. Mech. Phys. Solids51, 47 (2003)] in pure tension tests on free thin metallic films can be explained by the existence of a boundary layer of fixed thickness, located at the surface of the film that was attached onto the substrate during deposition. The boundary layer is influenced by the epitaxial effects of crystal growth on the dislocation density and texture (manifested by prevalent crystal plane orientations). This influence is assumed to cause significantly elevated yield strength. Furthermore, the observed gradual postpeak softening, along with its size independence, which is observed in short film strips subjected to pure tension, is explained by slip localization, originating at notch-like defects, and by damage, which can propagate in a stable manner when the film strip under pure tension is sufficiently thin and short. For general applications, the present epitaxially influenced boundary layer model may be combined with the classical strain-gradient plasticity proposed by Gao et al., [J. Mech. Phys. Solids 47, 1239 (1999)], and it is shown that this combination is necessary to fit the test data on both pure tension and bending of thin films by one and the same theory. To deal with films having different crystal grain sizes, the Hall-Petch relation for the yield strength dependence on the grain size needs to be incorporated into the combined theory. For very thin films, in which a flattened grain fills the whole film thickness, the Hall-Petch relation needs a cutoff, and the asymptotic increase of yield strength with diminishing film thickness is then described by the extension of Nix's model of misfit dislocations by Zhang and Zhou [J. Adv. Mater. 38, 51 (2002)]. The final result is a proposal of a general theory for strength, size effect, hardening, and softening of thin metallic films
Epitaxially influenced boundary layer model for size effect in thin metallic films
Bažant, Zdeněk P.; Guo, Zaoyang; Espinosa, Horacio D.; Zhu, Yong; Peng, Bei
2005-04-01
It is shown that the size effect recently observed by Espinosa et al., [J. Mech. Phys. Solids51, 47 (2003)] in pure tension tests on free thin metallic films can be explained by the existence of a boundary layer of fixed thickness, located at the surface of the film that was attached onto the substrate during deposition. The boundary layer is influenced by the epitaxial effects of crystal growth on the dislocation density and texture (manifested by prevalent crystal plane orientations). This influence is assumed to cause significantly elevated yield strength. Furthermore, the observed gradual postpeak softening, along with its size independence, which is observed in short film strips subjected to pure tension, is explained by slip localization, originating at notch-like defects, and by damage, which can propagate in a stable manner when the film strip under pure tension is sufficiently thin and short. For general applications, the present epitaxially influenced boundary layer model may be combined with the classical strain-gradient plasticity proposed by Gao et al., [J. Mech. Phys. Solids 47, 1239 (1999)], and it is shown that this combination is necessary to fit the test data on both pure tension and bending of thin films by one and the same theory. To deal with films having different crystal grain sizes, the Hall-Petch relation for the yield strength dependence on the grain size needs to be incorporated into the combined theory. For very thin films, in which a flattened grain fills the whole film thickness, the Hall-Petch relation needs a cutoff, and the asymptotic increase of yield strength with diminishing film thickness is then described by the extension of Nix's model of misfit dislocations by Zhang and Zhou [J. Adv. Mater. 38, 51 (2002)]. The final result is a proposal of a general theory for strength, size effect, hardening, and softening of thin metallic films.
Ramanathan, Shriram
2009-01-01
Presents an account of the fundamental structure-property relations in oxide thin films. This title discusses the functional properties of thin film oxides in the context of applications in the electronics and renewable energy technologies.
Hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy of transition-metal oxide thin films and interfaces
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wadati, H.; Fujimori, A.
2013-01-01
Highlights: •Photoemission spectroscopy is a powerful technique to study the electronic structures of transition-metal oxides. •Hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HXPES) is a new type of photoemission spectroscopy which can probe bulk states. •HXPES is very suitable for studying oxide thin films such as the composition dependence and the film thickness dependence. -- Abstract: Photoemission spectroscopy is a powerful experimental technique to study the electronic structures of solids, especially of transition-metal oxides. Recently, hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HXPES) has emerged as a more relevant experimental technique to obtain clear information about bulk states. Here, we describe how HXPES can be conveniently applied to study the interesting subjects on oxide thin films such as the composition dependence and the film thickness dependence of the electronic structures and the interfacial electronic structure of multilayers
Features of order-disorder phase transformation in nonstoichiometric transition metals carbides
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Emel'yanov, A.N.
1996-01-01
Measurements of temperature and electric conductivity of nonstoichiometric transition metals carbides TiC χ and NbC χ in the area of order-disorder phase transformation are carried out. There are certain peculiarities on the temperature and electric conductivity curves of the carbides, connected with the carbon sublattice disordering. On the basis of the anomalies observed on the curves of the temperature conductivity of nonstoichiometric carbides of transition metals above the temperature of the order-disorder transition the existence of the second structural transition is supposed
Site-selective electroless nickel plating on patterned thin films of macromolecular metal complexes.
Kimura, Mutsumi; Yamagiwa, Hiroki; Asakawa, Daisuke; Noguchi, Makoto; Kurashina, Tadashi; Fukawa, Tadashi; Shirai, Hirofusa
2010-12-01
We demonstrate a simple route to depositing nickel layer patterns using photocross-linked polymer thin films containing palladium catalysts, which can be used as adhesive interlayers for fabrication of nickel patterns on glass and plastic substrates. Electroless nickel patterns can be obtained in three steps: (i) the pattern formation of partially quaterized poly(vinyl pyridine) by UV irradiation, (ii) the formation of macromolecular metal complex with palladium, and (iii) the nickel metallization using electroless plating bath. Metallization is site-selective and allows for a high resolution. And the resulting nickel layered structure shows good adhesion with glass and plastic substrates. The direct patterning of metallic layers onto insulating substrates indicates a great potential for fabricating micro/nano devices.
Magnetoelectric coupling effect in transition metal modified polycrystalline BiFeO3 thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sreenivas Puli, Venkata; Kumar Pradhan, Dhiren; Gollapudi, Sreenivasulu; Coondoo, Indrani; Panwar, Neeraj; Adireddy, Shiva; Chrisey, Douglas B.; Katiyar, Ram S.
2014-01-01
Rare-earth (Sm) and transition metal (Co) modified polycrystalline BiFeO 3 (BFO) thin films have been deposited on Pt/TiO 2 /SiO 2 /Si substrate successfully through pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Piezoelectric, leakage current and temperature dependent dielectric and magnetic behaviour were investigated for the films. Typical “butterfly-shaped” loop were observed in BSFCO films with an effective piezoelectric constant (d 33 ) ∼94 pm/V at 0.6 MV/cm. High dielectric constant ∼900 and low dielectric loss ∼0.25 were observed at room temperature. M–H loops have shown relatively high saturation magnetization ∼35 emu/cm 3 at a maximum field of H ∼20 kOe. Enhanced magnetoelectric coupling response is observed under applied magnetic field. The multiferroic, piezoelectric, leakage current behaviours were explored. Such studies should be helpful in designing multiferroic materials based on BSFCO films. - Highlights: • Transition metal modified polycrystalline BiFeO 3 thin films prepared using PLD. • High ME-coupling response was observed in co-substituted BiFeO 3 thin films. • High magnetization ∼35 emu/cm 3 at a maximum field of H ∼20 kOe. • Low leakage current might be due to co-substitution in BiFeO 3 thin films. • A notable piezoelectric constant d 33 ∼94 pm/V was found in BiFeO 3 thin films
Multi-layer thin-film electrolytes for metal supported solid oxide fuel cells
Haydn, Markus; Ortner, Kai; Franco, Thomas; Uhlenbruck, Sven; Menzler, Norbert H.; Stöver, Detlev; Bräuer, Günter; Venskutonis, Andreas; Sigl, Lorenz S.; Buchkremer, Hans-Peter; Vaßen, Robert
2014-06-01
A key to the development of metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (MSCs) is the manufacturing of gas-tight thin-film electrolytes, which separate the cathode from the anode. This paper focuses the electrolyte manufacturing on the basis of 8YSZ (8 mol.-% Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2). The electrolyte layers are applied by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) gas flow sputtering (GFS) process. The gas-tightness of the electrolyte is significantly improved when sequential oxidic and metallic thin-film multi-layers are deposited, which interrupt the columnar grain structure of single-layer electrolytes. Such electrolytes with two or eight oxide/metal layers and a total thickness of about 4 μm obtain leakage rates of less than 3 × 10-4 hPa dm3 s-1 cm-2 (Δp: 100 hPa) at room temperature and therefore fulfill the gas tightness requirements. They are also highly tolerant with respect to surface flaws and particulate impurities which can be present on the graded anode underground. MSC cell tests with double-layer and multilayer electrolytes feature high power densities more than 1.4 W cm-2 at 850 °C and underline the high potential of MSC cells.
All-metallic electrically gated 2H-TaSe{sub 2} thin-film switches and logic circuits
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Renteria, J.; Jiang, C.; Yan, Z. [Nano-Device Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California–Riverside, Riverside, California 92521 (United States); Samnakay, R.; Goli, P. [Materials Science and Engineering Program, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California–Riverside, Riverside, California 92521 (United States); Pope, T. R.; Salguero, T. T. [Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 (United States); Wickramaratne, D.; Lake, R. K. [Laboratory for Terascale and Terahertz Electronics, Department of Electrical Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California–Riverside, Riverside, California 92521 (United States); Khitun, A. G. [Nano-Device Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California–Riverside, Riverside, California 92521 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering Program, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California–Riverside, Riverside, California 92521 (United States); Balandin, A. A., E-mail: balandin@ee.ucr.edu [Nano-Device Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California–Riverside, Riverside, California 92521 (United States); Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 (United States)
2014-01-21
We report the fabrication and performance of all-metallic three-terminal devices with tantalum diselenide thin-film conducting channels. For this proof-of-concept demonstration, the layers of 2H-TaSe{sub 2} were exfoliated mechanically from single crystals grown by the chemical vapor transport method. Devices with nanometer-scale thicknesses exhibit strongly non-linear current-voltage characteristics, unusual optical response, and electrical gating at room temperature. We have found that the drain-source current in thin-film 2H-TaSe{sub 2}–Ti/Au devices reproducibly shows an abrupt transition from a highly resistive to a conductive state, with the threshold tunable via the gate voltage. Such current-voltage characteristics can be used, in principle, for implementing radiation-hard all-metallic logic circuits. These results may open new application space for thin films of van der Waals materials.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Orhan, E.; Anicete-Santos, M.; Maurera, M.A.M.A.; Pontes, F.M.; Paiva-Santos, C.O.; Souza, A.G.; Varela, J.A.; Pizani, P.S.; Longo, E.
2005-01-01
The nature of intense visible photoluminescence at room temperature of SrWO 4 (SWO) non-crystalline thin films is discussed in the light of experimental results and theoretical calculations. The SWO thin films were synthesized by the polymeric precursors method. Their structural properties have been obtained by X-ray diffraction data and the corresponding photoluminescence (PL) spectra have been measured. The UV-vis optical spectra measurements suggest the creation of localized states in the disordered structure. The photoluminescence measurements reveal that the PL changes with the degree of disorder in the SWO thin film. To understand the origin of visible PL at room temperature in disordered SWO, we performed quantum-mechanical calculations on crystalline and disordered SWO periodic models. Their electronic structures are analyzed in terms of DOS, band dispersion and charge densities. We used DFT method with the hybrid non-local B3LYP approximation. The polarization induced by the symmetry break and the existence of localized levels favors the creation of trapped holes and electrons, giving origin to the room temperature photoluminescence phenomenon in the SWO thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Michalak, William D.; Miller, James B. [U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 (United States); Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Yolcu, Cem [Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Gellman, Andrew J., E-mail: gellman@cmu.edu [U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 (United States); Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States)
2012-11-01
Metal nanoparticles on structured supports are used in a variety of technological applications including biosensing, energy harvesting, and electronics. In every case, the functions and properties of the metallic nanostructures depend on both their composition and structure (i.e. size, shape, and spatial distribution). Among the challenges to the development of metal nanoparticles for these applications is the characterization of relationships between their structure and their functional properties over multiple structural degrees of freedom spanning a large range of values. In this work, a method for creating a morphological gradient of metal nanoparticles on a substrate is described. The approach, suited for high-throughput fabrication and characterization, is based on spinodal dewetting of a metallic thin film from its substrate. Through control of initial film thickness, anneal temperature, and anneal time, spinodal dewetting results in supported nanoparticles with well-defined and controlled structure. The approach is demonstrated through its application to preparation of Pd nanoparticles on a silicon nitride substrate. The morphologies of the particles were characterized by scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. Free energy-based stability and topological analyses were used to confirm the dewetting mechanism. In addition, the stability theory provides a connection to the thermophysical properties of the resulting nanoparticle array. The dewetting approach is general to any metal/support system and provides an alternative, inexpensive, and robust means to rapidly create metal nanostructures with control of morphology. It shows promise for large scale production of metal nanoparticles structures, as well as understanding basic stability properties of thin metal films. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Pd dewetting from SiN occurs by a spinodal dewetting mechanism. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dewetting occurs at temperatures well below the
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Michalak, William D.; Miller, James B.; Yolcu, Cem; Gellman, Andrew J.
2012-01-01
Metal nanoparticles on structured supports are used in a variety of technological applications including biosensing, energy harvesting, and electronics. In every case, the functions and properties of the metallic nanostructures depend on both their composition and structure (i.e. size, shape, and spatial distribution). Among the challenges to the development of metal nanoparticles for these applications is the characterization of relationships between their structure and their functional properties over multiple structural degrees of freedom spanning a large range of values. In this work, a method for creating a morphological gradient of metal nanoparticles on a substrate is described. The approach, suited for high-throughput fabrication and characterization, is based on spinodal dewetting of a metallic thin film from its substrate. Through control of initial film thickness, anneal temperature, and anneal time, spinodal dewetting results in supported nanoparticles with well-defined and controlled structure. The approach is demonstrated through its application to preparation of Pd nanoparticles on a silicon nitride substrate. The morphologies of the particles were characterized by scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. Free energy-based stability and topological analyses were used to confirm the dewetting mechanism. In addition, the stability theory provides a connection to the thermophysical properties of the resulting nanoparticle array. The dewetting approach is general to any metal/support system and provides an alternative, inexpensive, and robust means to rapidly create metal nanostructures with control of morphology. It shows promise for large scale production of metal nanoparticles structures, as well as understanding basic stability properties of thin metal films. - Highlights: ► Pd dewetting from SiN occurs by a spinodal dewetting mechanism. ► Dewetting occurs at temperatures well below the melting point of Pd. ► Spinodal dewetting allows
Surface Plasmon Waves on Thin Metal Films.
Craig, Alan Ellsworth
Surface-plasmon polaritons propagating on thin metal films bounded by dielectrics of nearly equal refractive indexes comprise two bound modes. Calculations indicate that, while the modes are degenerate on thick films, both the real and the imaginary components of the propagation constants for the modes split into two branches on successively thinner films. Considering these non-degenerate modes, the mode exhibiting a symmetric (antisymmetric) transverse profile of the longitudinally polarized electric field component, has propagation constant components both of which increase (decrease) with decreasing film thickness. Theoretical propagation constant eigenvalue (PCE) curves have been plotted which delineate this dependence of both propagation constant components on film thickness. By means of a retroreflecting, hemispherical glass coupler in an attenuated total reflection (ATR) configuration, light of wavelength 632.8 nm coupled to the modes of thin silver films deposited on polished glass substrates. Lorentzian lineshape dips in the plots of reflectance vs. angle of incidence indicate the presence of the plasmon modes. The real and imaginary components of the propagation constraints (i.e., the propagation constant and loss coefficient) were calculated from the angular positions and widths of the ATR resonances recorded. Films of several thicknesses were probed. Results which support the theoretically predicted curves were reported.
PHYSICAL BASES OF SYSTEMS CREATION FOR MAGNETIC-IMPULSIVE ATTRACTION OF THIN-WALLED SHEET METALS
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Y. Batygin
2009-01-01
Full Text Available The work is dedicated to the physical base of systems creating for the thin-walled sheet metals magnetic pulse attraction. Some practical realization models of the author’s suggestions are represented.
Differential reflectometry of thin film metal oxides on copper, tungsten, molybdenum and chromium
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Urban, F.K. III; Hummel, R.E.; Verink, E.D. Jr.
1982-01-01
A differential reflectometry study was undertaken to investigate the characteristics of thin oxide films on metal substrates. The oxides were produced by heating pure metals of copper, tungsten, molybdenum and chromium in dry oxygen. A new 'halfpolishing' technique was applied to obtain specimens with a step in oxide thickness in order to make them suitable for differential reflectometry. It was found that oxides formed this way yielded the same differential reflectograms as by electrochemical oxidation. A mathematical model involving the interaction of light with a thin corrosion product on metal substrates was applied to generate computer calculated differential reflectograms utilizing various optical constants and thicknesses of the assumed film. Three different thickness ranges have been identified. (a) For large film thicknesses, the differential reflectograms are distinguished by a sequence of interference peaks. (b) If the product of thickness and refraction index of the films is smaller than about 40 nm, no interference peaks are present. Any experimentally observed peaks in differential reflectograms of these films are caused entirely by electron interband transitions. (c) In an intermediate thickness range, superposition of interference and interband peaks are observed. (author)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Yanpeng Shi
2016-01-01
Full Text Available We present a systematic simulation study on the impact of disorder in thin film silicon solar cells with hybrid light trapping structure. For the periodical structures introducing certain randomness in some parameters, the nanophotonic light trapping effect is demonstrated to be superior to their periodic counterparts. The nanophotonic light trapping effect can be associated with the increased modes induced by the structural disorders. Our study is a systematic proof that certain disorder is conceptually an advantage for nanophotonic light trapping concepts in thin film solar cells. The result is relevant to the large field of research on nanophotonic light trapping which currently investigates and prototypes a number of new concepts including disordered periodic and quasiperiodic textures. The random effect on the shape of the pattern (position, height, and radius investigated in this paper could be a good approach to estimate the influence of experimental inaccuracies for periodic or quasi-periodic structures.
How thin barrier metal can be used to prevent Co diffusion in the modern integrated circuits?
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dixit, Hemant; Konar, Aniruddha; Pandey, Rajan; Ethirajan, Tamilmani
2017-01-01
In modern integrated circuits (ICs), billions of transistors are connected to each other via thin metal layers (e.g. copper, cobalt, etc) known as interconnects. At elevated process temperatures, inter-diffusion of atomic species can occur among these metal layers, causing sub-optimal performance of interconnects, which may lead to the failure of an IC. Thus, typically a thin barrier metal layer is used to prevent the inter-diffusion of atomic species within interconnects. For ICs with sub-10 nm transistors (10 nm technology node), the design rule (thickness scaling) demands the thinnest possible barrier layer. Therefore, here we investigate the critical thickness of a titanium–nitride (TiN) barrier that can prevent the cobalt diffusion using multi-scale modeling and simulations. First, we compute the Co diffusion barrier in crystalline and amorphous TiN with the nudged elastic band method within first-principles density functional theory simulations. Later, using the calculated activation energy barriers, we quantify the Co diffusion length in the TiN metal layer with the help of kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Such a multi-scale modelling approach yields an exact critical thickness of the metal layer sufficient to prevent the Co diffusion in IC interconnects. We obtain a diffusion length of a maximum of 2 nm for a typical process of thermal annealing at 400 °C for 30 min. Our study thus provides useful physical insights for the Co diffusion in the TiN layer and further quantifies the critical thickness (∼2 nm) to which the metal barrier layer can be thinned down for sub-10 nm ICs. (paper)
How thin barrier metal can be used to prevent Co diffusion in the modern integrated circuits?
Dixit, Hemant; Konar, Aniruddha; Pandey, Rajan; Ethirajan, Tamilmani
2017-11-01
In modern integrated circuits (ICs), billions of transistors are connected to each other via thin metal layers (e.g. copper, cobalt, etc) known as interconnects. At elevated process temperatures, inter-diffusion of atomic species can occur among these metal layers, causing sub-optimal performance of interconnects, which may lead to the failure of an IC. Thus, typically a thin barrier metal layer is used to prevent the inter-diffusion of atomic species within interconnects. For ICs with sub-10 nm transistors (10 nm technology node), the design rule (thickness scaling) demands the thinnest possible barrier layer. Therefore, here we investigate the critical thickness of a titanium-nitride (TiN) barrier that can prevent the cobalt diffusion using multi-scale modeling and simulations. First, we compute the Co diffusion barrier in crystalline and amorphous TiN with the nudged elastic band method within first-principles density functional theory simulations. Later, using the calculated activation energy barriers, we quantify the Co diffusion length in the TiN metal layer with the help of kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Such a multi-scale modelling approach yields an exact critical thickness of the metal layer sufficient to prevent the Co diffusion in IC interconnects. We obtain a diffusion length of a maximum of 2 nm for a typical process of thermal annealing at 400 °C for 30 min. Our study thus provides useful physical insights for the Co diffusion in the TiN layer and further quantifies the critical thickness (~2 nm) to which the metal barrier layer can be thinned down for sub-10 nm ICs.
Electrical resistivity of thin metal films
Wissmann, Peter
2007-01-01
The aim of the book is to give an actual survey on the resistivity of thin metal and semiconductor films interacting with gases. We discuss the influence of the substrate material and the annealing treatment of the films, presenting our experimental data as well as theoretical models to calculate the scattering cross section of the conduction electrons in the frame-work of the scattering hypothesis. Main emphasis is laid on the comparison of gold and silver films which exhibit nearly the same lattice structure but differ in their chemical activity. In conclusion, the most important quantity for the interpretation is the surface charging z while the correlation with the optical data or the frustrated IR vibrations seems the show a more material-specific character. Z can be calculated on the basis of the density functional formalism or the self-consistent field approximation using Mulliken’s population analysis.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Chen Pengwan
2015-01-01
Full Text Available In this paper, the dynamic deformation and rupture of thin metal plates subject to underwater shock wave loading are studied by using high-speed 3D digital image correlation (3D-DIC. An equivalent device consist of a gas gun and a water anvil tube was used to supplying an exponentially decaying pressure in lieu of explosive detonation which acted on the panel specimen. The thin metal plate is clamped on the end of the shock tube by a flange. The deformation and rupture process of the metal plates subject to underwater shock waves are recorded by two high-speed cameras. The shape, displacement fields and strain fields of the metal plates under dynamic loading are obtained by using VIC-3D digital image correlation software. The strain gauges also were used to monitor the structural response on the selected position for comparison. The DIC data and the strain gauges results show a high level of correlation, and 3D-DIC is proven to be an effective method to measure 3D full-field dynamic response of structures under underwater impact loading. The effects of pre-notches on the failure modes of thin circular plate were also discussed.
Low-temperature properties of a superconducting disordered metal
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Graebner, J.E.; Golding, B.; Schutz, R.J.; Hsu, F.S.L.; Chen, H.S.
1977-01-01
Specific heat C/sub p/ and thermal conductivity kappa measurements between 0.1 and 10 K on the superconducting (T/sub c/ = 2.53 K) and structurally disordered metal Zr/sub 0.7/Pd/sub 0.3/ exhibit an approximately linear term in C/sub p/ and a T/sup 1.9/ dependence of kappa below T/sub c/. The magnitudes of these terms are close to those found for insulating glasses, thereby suggesting that disorder-induced localized excitations exist at similar densities in very different classes of disordered solids
Heo, Jae Sang; Jo, Jeong-Wan; Kang, Jingu; Jeong, Chan-Yong; Jeong, Hu Young; Kim, Sung Kyu; Kim, Kwanpyo; Kwon, Hyuck-In; Kim, Jaekyun; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Kim, Myung-Gil; Park, Sung Kyu
2016-04-27
The low-temperature electrical passivation of an amorphous oxide semiconductor (AOS) thin-film transistor (TFT) is achieved by a deep ultraviolet (DUV) light irradiation-water treatment-DUV irradiation (DWD) method. The water treatment of the first DUV-annealed amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) thin film is likely to induce the preferred adsorption of water molecules at the oxygen vacancies and leads to subsequent hydroxide formation in the bulk a-IGZO films. Although the water treatment initially degraded the electrical performance of the a-IGZO TFTs, the second DUV irradiation on the water-treated devices may enable a more complete metal-oxygen-metal lattice formation while maintaining low oxygen vacancies in the oxide films. Overall, the stable and dense metal-oxygen-metal (M-O-M) network formation could be easily achieved at low temperatures (below 150 °C). The successful passivation of structural imperfections in the a-IGZO TFTs, such as hydroxyl group (OH-) and oxygen vacancies, mainly results in the enhanced electrical performances of the DWD-processed a-IGZO TFTs (on/off current ratio of 8.65 × 10(9), subthreshold slope of 0.16 V/decade, an average mobility of >6.94 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), and a bias stability of ΔVTH IGZO TFTs.
Current-induced metal-insulator transition in VO x thin film prepared by rapid-thermal-annealing
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cho, Choong-Rae; Cho, SungIl; Vadim, Sidorkin; Jung, Ranju; Yoo, Inkyeong
2006-01-01
The phenomenon of metal-insulator transition (MIT) in polycrystalline VO x thin films and their preparations have been studied. The films were prepared by sputtering of vanadium thin films succeeded by Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) in oxygen ambient at 500 deg. C. Crystalline, compositional, and morphological characterizations reveal a continuous change of phase from vanadium metal to the highest oxide phase, V 2 O 5 , with the time of annealing. Electrical MIT switching has been observed in these films. Sweeping mode, electrode area, and temperature dependent MIT has been studied in Pt/VO x /Pt vertical structure. The important parameters for MIT in VO x have been found to be the current density and the electric field, which depend on carrier density in the films
The properties of metal contacts on TiO2 thin films produced by reactive magnetron sputtering
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Brus V. V.
2010-10-01
Full Text Available The article deals with research on volt-ampere characteristics of metal contacts (Al, Cr, In, Mo, Ti on titanium dioxide thin films and influence of annealing in vacuum on their electric properties. Volt-ampere characteristics measurements were taken by three-probe method. There was established that indium contact on TiO2 thin films possessed sharply defined ohmic properties.
Hydrogen in disordered and amorphous solids
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bambakidis, G; Bowman, R.C.
1986-01-01
This book presents information on the following topoics: elements of the theory of amorphous semiconductors; electronic structure of alpha-SiH; fluctuation induced gap states in amorphous hydrogenated silicon; hydrogen on semiconductor surfaces; the influence of hydrogen on the defects and instabilities in hydrogenated amorphous silicon; deuteron magnetic resonance in some amorphous semiconductors; formation of amorphous metals by solid state reactions of hydrogen with an intermetallic compound; NMR studies of the hydrides of disordered and amorphous alloys; neutron vibrational spectroscopy of disordered metal-hydrogen system; dynamical disorder of hydrogen in LaNi /SUB 5-y/ M /SUB y/ hydrides studied by quasi-elastic neutron scattering; recent studies of intermetallic hydrides; tritium in Pd and Pd /SUB 0.80/ Sg /SUB 0.20/ ; and determination of hydrogen concentration in thin films of absorbing materials
Conductance growth in metallic bilayer graphene nanoribbons with disorder and contact scattering
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Xu, N; Ding, J W
2008-01-01
By using a decomposition elimination method for Green's function matrix, we explore the effects of both disorder and contact scattering on electronic transport in metallic bilayer graphene nanoribbons (BGNRs) and related structures, in the limit of phase-coherent transport. Due to the inter-layer interaction, a conductance gap is observed at Fermi energy in primary metallic zigzag BGNRs. It is found that the fashion of the conductance variations with disorder depends strongly on the type of disorder and contact scattering. In the edge disordered BGNR, the conductance decreases monotonically with the disorder increasing and finally tends to disappear, while a nonmonotonic behavior is obtained in the single-layer disordered BGNR, first decreasing then increasing. In the presence of contact scattering, especially, an abnormal growth of the conductance appears at much lower disorder in both edge and single-layer disordered BGNRs, which may be due to the destruction of coherence by the introduction of disorder.
Widespread cortical thinning in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
Kim, S-H; Kwak, K; Hyun, J-W; Jeong, I H; Jo, H-J; Joung, A; Kim, J-H; Lee, S H; Yun, S; Joo, J; Lee, J-M; Kim, H J
2016-07-01
Studies on cortical involvement and its relationship with cognitive function in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) remain scarce. The objective of this study was to compare cortical thickness on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between patients with NMOSD and multiple sclerosis (MS) and to investigate its relationship with clinical features and cognitive function. This observational clinical imaging study of 91 patients with NMOSD, 52 patients with MS and 44 healthy controls was conducted from 1 December 2013 to 30 April 2015 at the institutional referral center. Three tesla MRI of the brain and neuropsychological tests were performed. Cortical thickness was measured using three-dimensional surface-based analysis. Both sets of patients exhibited cortical thinning throughout the entire brain cortex. Patients with MS showed a significantly greater reduction in cortical thickness over broad regions of the bilateral frontal and parieto-temporal cortices and the left precuneus compared to those with NMOSD. Memory functions in patients with MS were correlated with broad regional cortical thinning, whereas no significant associations were observed between cortical thickness and cognitive function in patients with NMOSD. Widespread cortical thinning was observed in patients with NMOSD and MS, but the extent of cortical thinning was greater in patients with MS. The more severe cortical atrophy may contribute to memory impairment in patients with MS but not in those with NMOSD. These results provide in vivo evidence that the severity and clinical relevance of cortical thinning differ between NMOSD and MS. © 2016 EAN.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Siegal, M.P.; Milne, W.I.; Jaskie, J.E.
1998-01-01
The current and potential impact of covalently bonded disordered thin films is enormous. These materials are amorphous-to-nanocrystalline structures made from light atomic weight elements from the first row of the periodic table. Examples include amorphous tetrahedral diamond-like carbon, boron nitride, carbon nitride, boron carbide, and boron-carbon-nitride. These materials are under development for use as novel low-power, high-visibility elements in flat-panel display technologies, cold-cathode sources for microsensors and vacuum microelectronics, encapsulants for both environmental protection and microelectronics, optical coatings for laser windows, and ultra-hard tribological coatings. researchers from 17 countries and a broad range of academic institutions, national laboratories and industrial organizations come together in this volume to report on the status of key areas and recent discoveries. More specifically, the volume is organized into five sections. The first four highlight ongoing work primarily in the area of amorphous/nanocrystalline (disordered) carbon thin films; theoretical and experimental structural characterization; electrical and optical characterizations; growth methods; and cold-cathode electron emission results. The fifth section describes the growth, characterization and application of boron- and carbon-nitride thin films
Magnetoelectric coupling effect in transition metal modified polycrystalline BiFeO{sub 3} thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sreenivas Puli, Venkata, E-mail: pvsri123@gmail.com [Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118 (United States); Department of Physics and Institute of Functional Nanomaterials, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR 00936 (United States); Kumar Pradhan, Dhiren [Department of Physics and Institute of Functional Nanomaterials, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR 00936 (United States); Gollapudi, Sreenivasulu [Department of Physics, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4401 (United States); Coondoo, Indrani [Department of Materials and Ceramic and CICECO, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); Panwar, Neeraj [Department of Physics, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandar Sindri, Kishangarh 305801, Rajasthan (India); Adireddy, Shiva; Chrisey, Douglas B. [Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118 (United States); Katiyar, Ram S. [Department of Physics and Institute of Functional Nanomaterials, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR 00936 (United States)
2014-11-15
Rare-earth (Sm) and transition metal (Co) modified polycrystalline BiFeO{sub 3} (BFO) thin films have been deposited on Pt/TiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate successfully through pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Piezoelectric, leakage current and temperature dependent dielectric and magnetic behaviour were investigated for the films. Typical “butterfly-shaped” loop were observed in BSFCO films with an effective piezoelectric constant (d{sub 33}) ∼94 pm/V at 0.6 MV/cm. High dielectric constant ∼900 and low dielectric loss ∼0.25 were observed at room temperature. M–H loops have shown relatively high saturation magnetization ∼35 emu/cm{sup 3} at a maximum field of H ∼20 kOe. Enhanced magnetoelectric coupling response is observed under applied magnetic field. The multiferroic, piezoelectric, leakage current behaviours were explored. Such studies should be helpful in designing multiferroic materials based on BSFCO films. - Highlights: • Transition metal modified polycrystalline BiFeO{sub 3} thin films prepared using PLD. • High ME-coupling response was observed in co-substituted BiFeO{sub 3} thin films. • High magnetization ∼35 emu/cm{sup 3} at a maximum field of H ∼20 kOe. • Low leakage current might be due to co-substitution in BiFeO{sub 3} thin films. • A notable piezoelectric constant d{sub 33} ∼94 pm/V was found in BiFeO{sub 3} thin films.
Study of thin metal films and oxide materials for nanoelectronics applications
De Los Santos Valladares, Luis
2012-01-01
Appendix A Pages 132-134 have been removed from this online version of the thesis for publisher copyright reasons. These had contained page images from the cover of Nanotechnology, Vol. 21, Nov 2010 and its corresponding web alert Different types of thin metal films and oxide materials are studied for their potential application in nanoelectronics: gold and copper films, nickel nanoelectrodes, oxide nanograin superconductors, carboxyl ferromagnetic microspheres and graphene oxide...
Preparation of SrIrO{sub 3} thin films by using metal-organic aerosol deposition technique
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Esser, Sebastian; Schneider, Melanie; Moshnyaga, Vasily; Gegenwart, Philipp [1. Physikalisches Institut, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen (Germany)
2013-07-01
The interplay between spin-orbit coupling and electronic correlations could lead to interesting novel states in iridium oxide materials. We focus on the perovskite phase of SrIrO{sub 3} because Moon et al. [1] showed by using optical spectroscopy and first-principles calculations that the last member of the Ruddlesden-Popper series Sr{sub n+1}Ir{sub n}O{sub 3n+1} (n = ∞) is close to the Mott transition. By using metal-organic aerosol deposition technique we have grown SrIrO{sub 3} thin films on (111)-oriented SrTiO{sub 3} substrates. The cubic symmetry of the SrTiO{sub 3} substrate ensured that the SrIrO{sub 3} thin film grew in the monoclinic perovskite phase. The X-ray diffraction results suggest that SrIrO{sub 3} thin films in perovskite structure were obtained and these show out of plane epitaxy with monoclinic (002){sub m}-orientation. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of these SrIrO{sub 3} thin films were investigated and metallic behavior was observed down to 50 K.
Full-spectrum light management by pseudo-disordered moth-eye structures for thin film solar cells.
Liu, Xiaojun; Da, Yun; Xuan, Yimin
2017-08-07
In this paper, the role of pseudo-disordered moth-eye structures on the optical features for application to thin-film solar cells is investigated to realize the superior light management for the full-spectrum solar energy utilization, compared with some ordered structures. Without loss of generality, the c-Si thin film solar cell is taken as the example. The results demonstrate that the fluctuations introduced into the geometry parameters of moth-eye elements can lead to the remarkable absorption enhancement in the wavelength region of 0.3-1.1 μm and high transmission in the wavelength range of 1.1-2.5 μm. Two mechanisms including the increasing spectral density of modes and the intensive forescattering intensity are identified to be responsible for the absorption enhancement. In addition, the optical characteristics of the moth-eye surface with both disordered height and disordered diameter are insensitive to the incident angle.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bobek, T.; Kurz, H.
2007-01-01
The basic understanding of the formation of highly regular nanostructures during ion erosion of amorphous GaSb layers is revised. The essential physical parameters for the formation of the highly regular dot pattern are discussed. Numerical modelling based on the stabilized isotropic Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation is presented and discussed. The experimental part of this contribution presents the successful pattern transfer into metallic buried thin layers as well as into Silicon underlayers. The critical conditions for this transfer technique are discussed. Application potential of using this self-organization scheme for the generation of highly regular patterns in ferromagnetic metal layers as well as in crystalline silicon is estimated
Photovoltaic properties of in-doped CDTE thin films deposited on metallic substrates
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wagah F Mohamad; Khalid K Mohammed
2006-01-01
CDTE is a promising photovoltaic material due to its nearly optimum band gap and high optical absorption coefficient. This study looks into the effect of indium doping of the CdTe thin film deposited on stainless steel substrate. The conventional cells are usually manufactured on glass substrate and offer no weight advantage over single crystal cells. Since the metal foil support can be as thin as (40-60) μm and the weight saving is significant. The spectral response of the photo current with and without indium doping was studied in detail and compared with theory. The sub gap response of the resulted structure is particularly strong and extends to wavelengths up to 1000 nm
Kim, Sungjun; Jang, Segeun; Kim, Sang Moon; Ahn, Chi-Yeong; Hwang, Wonchan; Cho, Yong-Hun; Sung, Yung-Eun; Choi, Mansoo
2017-09-01
This work reports the successful reduction in methanol crossover by creating a thin cracked metal barrier at the interface between a Nafion® membrane and an electrode in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The cracks are generated by simple mechanical stretching of a metal deposited Nafion® membrane as a result of the elastic mismatch between the two attached surfaces. The cracked metal barriers with varying strains (∼0.5 and ∼1.0) are investigated and successfully incorporated into the DMFC. Remarkably, the membrane electrode assembly with the thin metal crack exhibits comparable ohmic resistance as well as reduction of methanol crossover, which enhanced the device performance.
Lo, Momath; Diaw, Abdou K D; Gningue-Sall, Diariatou; Aaron, Jean-Jacques; Oturan, Mehmet A; Chehimi, Mohamed M
2018-05-09
Adhesively bonded polypyrrole thin films doped with benzene sulfonic acid (BSA) were electrodeposited on aminobenzenediazonium-modified flexible ITO electrodes and further employed for the detection of Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Cd 2+ metal ions in aqueous medium. The aminophenyl (AP) adhesive layer was grafted to ITO by electroreduction of the in situ generated parent diazonium compound. Polypyrrole (PPy) thin films exhibited remarkable adhesion to aminophenyl (ITO-AP). The strongly adherent polypyrrole films exhibited excellent electroactivity in the doped state with BSA which itself served to chelate the metal ions in aqueous medium. The surface of the resulting, modified flexible electrode was characterized by XPS, SEM, and electrochemical methods. The ITO-AP-PPy electrodes were then used for the simultaneous detection of Cu 2+ , Cd 2+ , and Pb 2+ by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The detection limits were 11.1, 8.95, and 0.99 nM for Cu 2+ , Cd 2+ , and Pb 2+ , respectively. In addition, the modified electrodes displayed a good reproducibility, making them suitable for the determination of heavy metals in real wastewater samples.
Chang, R. C.; Li, T. C.; Lin, C. W.
2012-02-01
Various thickness metallic interlayers to improve the opto-electric and mechanical properties of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films deposited on flexible polyethylene terephtalate (PET) substrates are studied. The effects of the interlayers on the resistance and transmittance of the AZO thin films are discussed. The result shows that the metallic interlayers effectively improve the electric resistance but reduce the optical transmittance of the AZO thin films. These phenomena become more obvious as the interlayer thickness increases. However, the AZO with an aluminum interlayer still behaves an acceptable transmittance. Moreover, mechanical tests indicate that the aluminum interlayer increases the hardness and modulus, and reduce the residual stress of the AZO thin films. In contrast, the silver and copper interlayers decrease the AZO's mechanical properties. Comparing to those without any interlayer, the results show that the best interlayer is the 6 nm thick aluminum film.
Structure of the Buried Metal-Molecule Interface in Organic Thin Film Devices
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Hansen, Christian Rein; Sørensen, Thomas Just; Glyvradal, Magni
2009-01-01
By use of specular X-ray reflectivity (XR) the structure of a metal-covered organic thin film device is measured with angstrom resolution. The model system is a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film, sandwiched between a silicon substrate and a top electrode consisting of 25 Å titanium and 100 Å aluminum....... By comparison of XR data for the five-layer Pb2+ arachidate LB film before and after vapor deposition of the Ti/Al top electrode, a detailed account of the structural damage to the organic film at the buried metal-molecule interface is obtained. We find that the organized structure of the two topmost LB layers...
Metal Oxides Doped PPY-PVA Blend Thin Films Based Gas Sensor
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D. B. DUPARE
2009-02-01
Full Text Available Synthesis of metal oxides doped polypyrrole–polyvinyl alcohol blend thin films by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization, using microwave oven on glass substrate for development of Ammonia and Trimethyl ammine hazardous gas sensor. The all experimental process carried out at room temperature(304 K. These polymer materials were characterized by Chemical analyses, spectral studies (UV-visible and IR and conductivity measurement by four –probe technique. The surface morphology as observed in the SEM image was observed to be uniformly covering the entire substrate surface. The sensor was used for different concentration (ppm of TMA and Ammonia gas investigation at room temperature (304 k. This study found to possess improved electrical, mechanical and environmental stability metal oxides doped PPY-PVA films.
Laser deposition rates of thin films of selected metals and alloys
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Cazzaniga, Andrea Carlo; Canulescu, Stela; Schou, Jørgen
Thin films of Cu, Zn and Sn as well as mixtures of these elements have been produced by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD). The deposition rate of single and multicomponent metallic targets was determined. The strength of PLD is that the stoichiometry of complex compounds, even of complicated alloys...... or metal oxides, can be preserved from target to film. We apply this technique to design films of a mixture of Cu, Zn and Sn, which are constituents of the chalcogenide CZTS, which has a composition close to Cu2ZnSnS4. This compound is expected to be an important candidate for absorbers in new solar cells...... for alloys of the different elements as well as compounds with S will be presented....
High-frequency electromagnetic properties of soft magnetic metal-polyimide hybrid thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kim, Sang Woo [Nano-Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 39-1 Haweoulgog-dong, Sungbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of)]. E-mail: swkim@kist.re.kr; Yoon, Chong S. [Division of Advanced Materials Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)
2007-09-15
Although there are a lot of demands for suppression of unwanted high-frequency electromagnetic noise in highly integrated electronic devices such as mobile phones and notebook computers, electromagnetic thin films that effectively work in the high-frequency range have still been underdeveloped. Soft magnetic metal-polyimide (PI) hybrid films with high electrical resistivity were prepared by thermal imidization and selective oxidation between the metal alloy layer and polyamic acid (PAA) layer. Electromagnetic properties of the hybrid thin films in the radio-frequency range were characterized by using the microstrip line method and were correlated with their material parameters. Although anisotropy field of the CoFe/NiFe hybrid film was two times lower than that of the NiFe hybrid film, the saturation magnetization of the CoFe/NiFe hybrid film was three times higher than that of the NiFe hybrid film. The CoFe/NiFe hybrid film showed higher power loss in the frequency range of 3-6 GHz compared to the NiFe hybrid film. The high power loss of the CoFe/NiFe hybrid film was caused by high relative permeability and high ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) frequency due to high saturation magnetization.
High-frequency electromagnetic properties of soft magnetic metal-polyimide hybrid thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kim, Sang Woo; Yoon, Chong S.
2007-01-01
Although there are a lot of demands for suppression of unwanted high-frequency electromagnetic noise in highly integrated electronic devices such as mobile phones and notebook computers, electromagnetic thin films that effectively work in the high-frequency range have still been underdeveloped. Soft magnetic metal-polyimide (PI) hybrid films with high electrical resistivity were prepared by thermal imidization and selective oxidation between the metal alloy layer and polyamic acid (PAA) layer. Electromagnetic properties of the hybrid thin films in the radio-frequency range were characterized by using the microstrip line method and were correlated with their material parameters. Although anisotropy field of the CoFe/NiFe hybrid film was two times lower than that of the NiFe hybrid film, the saturation magnetization of the CoFe/NiFe hybrid film was three times higher than that of the NiFe hybrid film. The CoFe/NiFe hybrid film showed higher power loss in the frequency range of 3-6 GHz compared to the NiFe hybrid film. The high power loss of the CoFe/NiFe hybrid film was caused by high relative permeability and high ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) frequency due to high saturation magnetization
Superconductivity suppression near metal-dielectric in transition highly disordered systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kuchinskij, Eh.Z.; Sadovskij, M.V.; Ehrkabaev, M.A.
1997-01-01
The effects of temperature suppression of superconducting transition T c within wide limits of disorders values from low-disordered to highly-disordered ones caused by formation of the Coulomb gap in the states density are studied on the bases of the earlier proposed self consistent theory on the metal-dielectric. It is shown that the proposed theory gives satisfactory description of experimental data for a number of the systems under study
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Prakash, Jai, E-mail: jai.gupta1983@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, MMH College (Ch. Charan Singh University Meerut), Ghaiziabad 201001 (India); Chemical Physics of Materials, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus de la Plaine, CP 243, B-1050 Bruxelles (Belgium); Tripathi, A. [Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asif Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India); Gautam, Sanjeev; Chae, K.H.; Song, Jonghan [Advanced Analysis Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136–791 (Korea, Republic of); Rigato, V. [INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Via Romea. 4, 35020 Legnaro, Padova (Italy); Tripathi, Jalaj [Department of Chemistry, MMH College (Ch. Charan Singh University Meerut), Ghaiziabad 201001 (India); Asokan, K. [Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asif Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India)
2014-10-15
The present experimental work provides the phenomenological approach to understand the dewetting in thin noble metal films with subsequent formation of nanoparticles (NPs) and embedding of NPs induced by ion irradiation. Au/polyethyleneterepthlate (PET) bilayers were irradiated with 150 keV Ar ions at varying fluences and were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (X-TEM). Thin Au film begins to dewet from the substrate after irradiation and subsequent irradiation results in spherical nanoparticles on the surface that at a fluence of 5 × 10{sup 16} ions/cm{sup 2} become embedded into the substrate. In addition to dewetting in thin films, synthesis and embedding of metal NPs by ion irradiation, the present article explores fundamental thermodynamic principles that govern these events systematically under the effect of irradiation. The results are explained on the basis of ion induced sputtering, thermal spike inducing local melting and of thermodynamic driving forces by minimization of the system free energy where contributions of surface and interfacial energies are considered with subsequent ion induced viscous flow in substrate. - Highlights: • Phenomenological interpretation of dewetting and embedding of metal NPs in thin film. • Exploring fundamental thermodynamic principles under influence of ion irradiation. • Ion induced surface/interface microstructural changes using SEM/X-TEM. • Ion induced sputtering, thermal spike induced local melting. • Thermodynamic driving forces relate to surface and interfacial energies.
Indirect Fabrication of Lattice Metals with Thin Sections Using Centrifugal Casting.
Mun, Jiwon; Ju, Jaehyung; Thurman, James
2016-05-14
One of the typical methods to manufacture 3D lattice metals is the direct-metal additive manufacturing (AM) process such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Electron Beam Melting (EBM). In spite of its potential processing capability, the direct AM method has several disadvantages such as high cost, poor surface finish of final products, limitation in material selection, high thermal stress, and anisotropic properties of parts. We propose a cost-effective method to manufacture 3D lattice metals. The objective of this study is to provide a detailed protocol on fabrication of 3D lattice metals having a complex shape and a thin wall thickness; e.g., octet truss made of Al and Cu alloys having a unit cell length of 5 mm and a cell wall thickness of 0.5 mm. An overall experimental procedure is divided into eight sections: (a) 3D printing of sacrificial patterns (b) melt-out of support materials (c) removal of residue of support materials (d) pattern assembly (e) investment (f) burn-out of sacrificial patterns (g) centrifugal casting (h) post-processing for final products. The suggested indirect AM technique provides the potential to manufacture ultra-lightweight lattice metals; e.g., lattice structures with Al alloys. It appears that the process parameters should be properly controlled depending on materials and lattice geometry, observing the final products of octet truss metals by the indirect AM technique.
Black metal thin films by deposition on dielectric antireflective moth-eye nanostructures
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Christiansen, Alexander Bruun; Caringal, Gideon Peter; Clausen, Jeppe Sandvik
2015-01-01
Although metals are commonly shiny and highly reflective, we here show that thin metal films appear black when deposited on a dielectric with antireflective moth-eye nanostructures. The nanostructures were tapered and close-packed, with heights in the range 300-600 nm, and a lateral, spatial...... frequency in the range 5-7 mu m(-1). A reflectance in the visible spectrum as low as 6%, and an absorbance of 90% was observed for an Al film of 100 nm thickness. Corresponding experiments on a planar film yielded 80% reflectance and 20% absorbance. The observed absorbance enhancement is attributed...... to a gradient effect causing the metal film to be antireflective, analogous to the mechanism in dielectrics and semiconductors. We find that the investigated nanostructures have too large spatial frequency to facilitate efficient coupling to the otherwise non-radiating surface plasmons. Applications...
One dimensional metallic edges in atomically thin WSe2 induced by air exposure
Addou, Rafik; Smyth, Christopher M.; Noh, Ji-Young; Lin, Yu-Chuan; Pan, Yi; Eichfeld, Sarah M.; Fölsch, Stefan; Robinson, Joshua A.; Cho, Kyeongjae; Feenstra, Randall M.; Wallace, Robert M.
2018-04-01
Transition metal dichalcogenides are a unique class of layered two-dimensional (2D) crystals with extensive promising applications. Tuning the electronic properties of low-dimensional materials is vital for engineering new functionalities. Surface oxidation is of particular interest because it is a relatively simple method of functionalization. By means of scanning probe microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we report the observation of metallic edges in atomically thin WSe2 monolayers grown by chemical vapor deposition on epitaxial graphene. Scanning tunneling microscopy shows structural details of WSe2 edges and scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals the metallic nature of the oxidized edges. Photoemission demonstrates that the formation of metallic sub-stoichiometric tungsten oxide (WO2.7) is responsible for the high conductivity measured along the edges. Ab initio calculations validate the susceptibility of WSe2 nanoribbon edges to oxidation. The zigzag terminated edge exhibits metallic behavior prior the air-exposure and remains metallic after oxidation. Comprehending and exploiting this property opens a new opportunity for application in advanced electronic devices.
Thin-Film Photovoltaic Cells: Long-Term Metal(loid) Leaching at Their End-of-Life
Zimmermann, Y.S.; Schäffer, A.; Corvini, P.F.X.; Lenz, M.
2013-01-01
The photovoltaic effect of thin-film copper indium gallium selenide cells (CIGS) is conferred by the latter elements. Organic photovoltaic cells (OPV), relying on organic light-absorbing molecules, also contain a variety of metals (e.g., Zn, Al, In, Sn, Ag). The environmental impact of such
Two-scale homogenization to determine effective parameters of thin metallic-structured films
Marigo, Jean-Jacques
2016-01-01
We present a homogenization method based on matched asymptotic expansion technique to derive effective transmission conditions of thin structured films. The method leads unambiguously to effective parameters of the interface which define jump conditions or boundary conditions at an equivalent zero thickness interface. The homogenized interface model is presented in the context of electromagnetic waves for metallic inclusions associated with Neumann or Dirichlet boundary conditions for transverse electric or transverse magnetic wave polarization. By comparison with full-wave simulations, the model is shown to be valid for thin interfaces up to thicknesses close to the wavelength. We also compare our effective conditions with the two-sided impedance conditions obtained in transmission line theory and to the so-called generalized sheet transition conditions. PMID:27616916
Optimization of Phase Change Memory with Thin Metal Inserted Layer on Material Properties
Harnsoongnoen, Sanchai; Sa-Ngiamsak, Chiranut; Siritaratiwat, Apirat
This works reports, for the first time, the thorough study and optimisation of Phase Change Memory (PCM) structure with thin metal inserted chalcogenide via electrical resistivity (ρ) using finite element modeling. PCM is one of the best candidates for next generation non-volatile memory. It has received much attention recently due to its fast write speed, non-destructive readout, superb scalability, and great compatibility with current silicon-based mass fabrication. The setback of PCM is a high reset current typically higher than 1mA based on 180nm lithography. To reduce the reset current and to solve the over-programming failure, PCM with thin metal inserted chalcogenide (bottom chalcogenide/metal inserted/top chalcogenide) structure has been proposed. Nevertheless, reports on optimisation of the electrical resistivity using the finite element method for this new PCM structure have never been published. This work aims to minimize the reset current of this PCM structure by optimizing the level of the electrical resistivity of the PCM profile using the finite element approach. This work clearly shows that PCM characteristics are strongly affected by the electrical resistivity. The 2-D simulation results reveal clearly that the best thermal transfer of and self-joule-heating at the bottom chalcogenide layer can be achieved under conditions; ρ_bottom chalcogenide > ρ_metal inserted > ρ_top chalcogenide More specifically, the optimized electrical resistivity of PCMTMI is attained with ρ_top chalcogenide: ρ_metal inserted: ρ_bottom chalcogenide ratio of 1:6:16 when ρ_top chalcogenide is 10-3 Ωm. In conclusion, high energy efficiency can be obtained with the reset current as low as 0.3mA and with high speed operation of less than 30ns.
Antimicrobial properties of Zr–Cu–Al–Ag thin film metallic glass
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Chen, Hsien-Wei; Hsu, Kai-Chieh; Chan, Yu-Chen [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Duh, Jenq-Gong, E-mail: jgd@mx.nthu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Lee, Jyh-Wei [Department of Materials Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Center for Thin Film Technologies and Applications, Mingchi University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Jang, Jason Shian-Ching [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Central University, Chung-Li, Taiwan (China); Chen, Guo-Ju [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (China)
2014-06-30
Metallic glass as a prominent class of structure and multifunctional materials exhibits several unique properties in mechanical, electrochemical, and thermal properties. This study aimed to realize the advantage of biomedical application and to promote the attainable size of metallic glasses by the physical vapor deposition. The Zr–Cu–Al–Ag thin film metallic glass (TFMG) was deposited on silicon wafer and SUS304 stainless steel substrates by magnetron sputtering with single target. For X-ray diffraction analysis, all TFMGs revealed typical broad peaks around the incident angle of 30 to 50°, suggesting that coatings possess amorphous structure. In addition, diffuse halo ring patterns of transmission electron microscopy indicated a fine amorphorization for TFMG via sputtering process. The variation of surface roughness showed that TFMG derived from higher power of metallic targets revealed rougher morphology. Besides, the roughness of SUS304 stainless steel substrate significantly reduced from 7 nm to about 1 nm after TFMGs were deposited. The microbes of Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used and cultivated on the TFMG coatings with medium to investigate the antimicrobial properties. In the incubation experiment, the growth of each microbe was recorded by a digital photography system and the growth area was calculated by image processing software. The growth area of the microbes on the TFMG was mostly smaller than that on SUS304 stainless steel ones within incubation time of 72 h, indicating that the TFMGs reveal better antimicrobial capability. Moreover, the coatings exhibit a particularly long-term antimicrobial effect for P. aeruginosa. In summary, the Zr–Cu–Al–Ag prepared by sputtering with a single target device presented superior glass forming ability, and coatings with copper and silver constituents revealed significantly antimicrobial properties. Besides, the surface roughness is another factor to affect the
Antimicrobial properties of Zr–Cu–Al–Ag thin film metallic glass
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chen, Hsien-Wei; Hsu, Kai-Chieh; Chan, Yu-Chen; Duh, Jenq-Gong; Lee, Jyh-Wei; Jang, Jason Shian-Ching; Chen, Guo-Ju
2014-01-01
Metallic glass as a prominent class of structure and multifunctional materials exhibits several unique properties in mechanical, electrochemical, and thermal properties. This study aimed to realize the advantage of biomedical application and to promote the attainable size of metallic glasses by the physical vapor deposition. The Zr–Cu–Al–Ag thin film metallic glass (TFMG) was deposited on silicon wafer and SUS304 stainless steel substrates by magnetron sputtering with single target. For X-ray diffraction analysis, all TFMGs revealed typical broad peaks around the incident angle of 30 to 50°, suggesting that coatings possess amorphous structure. In addition, diffuse halo ring patterns of transmission electron microscopy indicated a fine amorphorization for TFMG via sputtering process. The variation of surface roughness showed that TFMG derived from higher power of metallic targets revealed rougher morphology. Besides, the roughness of SUS304 stainless steel substrate significantly reduced from 7 nm to about 1 nm after TFMGs were deposited. The microbes of Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used and cultivated on the TFMG coatings with medium to investigate the antimicrobial properties. In the incubation experiment, the growth of each microbe was recorded by a digital photography system and the growth area was calculated by image processing software. The growth area of the microbes on the TFMG was mostly smaller than that on SUS304 stainless steel ones within incubation time of 72 h, indicating that the TFMGs reveal better antimicrobial capability. Moreover, the coatings exhibit a particularly long-term antimicrobial effect for P. aeruginosa. In summary, the Zr–Cu–Al–Ag prepared by sputtering with a single target device presented superior glass forming ability, and coatings with copper and silver constituents revealed significantly antimicrobial properties. Besides, the surface roughness is another factor to affect the
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cloud, Andrew N.; Abelson, John R.; Davis, Luke M.; Girolami, Gregory S.
2014-01-01
Thin films of late transition metal nitrides (where the metal is iron, cobalt, or nickel) are grown by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition from bis[di(tert-butyl)amido]metal(II) precursors and ammonia. These metal nitrides are known to have useful mechanical and magnetic properties, but there are few thin film growth techniques to produce them based on a single precursor family. The authors report the deposition of metal nitride thin films below 300 °C from three recently synthesized M[N(t-Bu) 2 ] 2 precursors, where M = Fe, Co, and Ni, with growth onset as low as room temperature. Metal-rich phases are obtained with constant nitrogen content from growth onset to 200 °C over a range of feedstock partial pressures. Carbon contamination in the films is minimal for iron and cobalt nitride, but similar to the nitrogen concentration for nickel nitride. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that the incorporated nitrogen is present as metal nitride, even for films grown at the reaction onset temperature. Deposition rates of up to 18 nm/min are observed. The film morphologies, growth rates, and compositions are consistent with a gas-phase transamination reaction that produces precursor species with high sticking coefficients and low surface mobilities
Effects of Structural and Electronic Disorder in Topological Insulator Sb2Te3 Thin Films
Korzhovska, Inna
Topological quantum matter is a unique and potentially transformative protectorate against disorder-induced backscattering. The ultimate disorder limits to the topological state, however, are still not known - understanding these limits is critical to potential applications in the fields of spintronics and information processing. In topological insulators spin-orbit interaction and time-reversal-symmetry invariance guarantees - at least up to a certain disorder strength - that charge transport through 2D gapless Dirac surface states is robust against backscattering by non-magnetic disorder. Strong disorder may destroy topological protection and gap out Dirac surface states, although recent theories predict that under severe electronic disorder a quantized topological conductance might yet reemerge. Very strong electronic disorder, however, is not trivial to install and quantify, and topological matter under such conditions thus far has not been experimentally tested. This thesis addresses the behavior of three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator (TI) films in a wide range of structural and electronic disorder. We establish strong positional disorder in thin (20-50 nm) Sb2Te 3 films, free of extrinsic magnetic dopants. Sb 2Te3 is a known 2nd generation topological insulator in the low-disorder crystalline state. It is also a known phase-change material that undergoes insulator-to-metal transition with the concurrent orders of magnitude resistive drop, where a huge range of disorder could be controllably explored. In this work we show that even in the absence of magnetic dopants, disorder may induce spin correlations detrimental to the topological state. Chapter 1 contains a brief introduction to the topological matter and describes the role played by disorder. This is followed by theory considerations and a survey of prior experimental work. Next we describe the motivation for our experiments and explain the choice of the material. Chapter 2 describes deposition
Deepak Kumar Kaushik; K. Uday Kumar; A. Subrahmanyam
2017-01-01
Tin doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films are being used extensively as transparent conductors in several applications. In the present communication, we report the electrical transport in DC magnetron sputtered ITO thin films (prepared at 300 K and subsequently annealed at 673 K in vacuum for 60 minutes) in low temperatures (25-300 K). The low temperature Hall effect and resistivity measurements reveal that the ITO thin films are moderately dis-ordered (kFl∼1; kF is the Fermi wave vector and l ...
Yadav, Harish Kumar; Sreenivas, K.; Gupta, Vinay
2010-02-01
Ultraviolet photoconductivity relaxation in ZnO thin films deposited by rf magnetron sputtering are investigated. Effect of oxygen partial pressure in the reactive gas mixture and film thickness on the photoconductivity transients is studied. A different photodetector configuration comprising ZnO thin film with an ultrathin overlayer of metals like Cu, Al, Sn, Au, Cr, and Te was designed and tested. Photoresponse signal were found to be stronger (four to seven times) in these configurations than the pure ZnO thin films. Sn(30 nm)/ZnO sample exhibits highest responsivity of ˜8.57 kV/W whereas Te(20 nm)/ZnO structure presents highest sensitivity of ˜31.3×103 compared to unloaded ZnO thin film. Enhancement in the photoresponse of ZnO thin films is attributed to the change in surface conductivity due to induced charge carriers at the interface because of the difference in work function and oxygen affinity values of metal overlayer with the underlying semiconducting layer. Charge carrier transfer from the metal layer to ZnO creates a surplus of electrons at the interface; a fraction of which are captured by the defect centers (traps) at the surface whereas the remaining one represents free carriers in the conduction band and are responsible for the enhanced photoconductivity.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eric Stice
Full Text Available Research supports the effectiveness of a dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program wherein high-risk young women with body dissatisfaction critique the thin ideal, which reduces pursuit of this ideal, and the theory that dissonance induction contributes to these effects. Based on evidence that dissonance produces attitudinal change by altering neural representation of valuation, we tested whether completing the Body Project would reduce response of brain regions implicated in reward valuation to thin models. Young women with body dissatisfaction were randomized to this intervention or an educational control condition, completing assessments and fMRI scans while viewing images of thin versus average-weight female models at pre and post. Whole brain analyses indicated that, compared to controls, Body Project participants showed greater reductions in caudate response to images of thin versus average-weight models, though participants in the two conditions showed pretest differences in responsivity of other brain regions that might have contributed to this effect. Greater pre-post reductions in caudate and putamen response to thin models correlated with greater reductions in body dissatisfaction. The finding that the Body Project reduces caudate response to thin models provides novel preliminary evidence that this intervention reduces valuation of media images thought to contribute to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, providing support for the intervention theory by documenting that this intervention alters an objective biological outcome.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Barranco, V.; Carpentier, J.; Grundmeier, G.
2004-01-01
The barrier properties of thin model organosilicon plasma polymers layers on iron are characterised by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Tailored thin plasma polymers of controlled morphology and chemical composition were deposited from a microwave discharge. By the analysis of the obtained impedance diagrams, the evolution of the water uptake φ, coating resistance and polymer capacitance with immersion time were monitored and the diffusion coefficients of the water through the films were calculated. The impedance data correlated well with the chemical structure and morphology of the plasma polymer films with a thickness of less than 100 nm. The composition of the films were determined by means of infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). The morphology of the plasma polymer surface and the interface between the plasma polymer and the metal were characterised using atomic force microscopy (AFM). It could be shown that, at higher pressure, the film roughness increases which is probably due to the adsorption of plasma polymer nanoparticles formed in the plasma bulk and the faster film growth. This leads to voids with a size of a few tens of nanometers at the polymer/metal interface. The film roughness increases from the interface to the outer surface of the film. By lowering the pressure and thereby slowing the deposition rate, the plasma polymers perfectly imitate the substrate topography and lead to an excellent blocking of the metal surface. Moreover, the ratio of siloxane bonds to methyl-silyl groups increases which implies that the crosslink density is higher at lower deposition rate. The EIS data consistently showed higher coating resistance as well as lower interfacial capacitance values and a better stability over time for the film deposited at slower pressure. The diffusion coefficient of water in thin and ultra-thin plasma
Thin layer activation : on-line monitoring of metal loss in process plant
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Boulton, L.H.; Wallace, G.
1993-01-01
Corrosion, erosion and wear of metals is a common cause of failure in some process plant and equipment. Monitoring of these destructive effects has been done for many years to help plant engineers minimise the damage, in order to avoid unexpected failures and unscheduled shutdowns. Traditional methods of monitoring, such as standard NDT techniques, inform the engineer of what has happened, providing data such as culmulative loss of wall thickness. The modern approach to monitoring however, is to employ a technique which gives both current loss rates as well as integrated losses. Thin Layer Activation (TLA) provides on-line monitoring of corrosion, erosion and wear of metals, to a high degree of accuracy. It also gives cumulative information which can be backed up with weight-loss results if required. Thus current rather than historical loss rates are measured before any significant loss of metal has occurred. (author). 14 refs., 2 figs
Metal-insulator phase transition in a VO2 thin film observed with terahertz spectroscopy
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Jepsen, Peter Uhd; Fischer, Bernd M.; Thoman, Andreas
2006-01-01
We investigate the dielectric properties of a thin VO2 film in the terahertz frequency range in the vicinity of the semiconductor-metal phase transition. Phase-sensitive broadband spectroscopy in the frequency region below the phonon bands of VO2 gives insight into the conductive properties...... of the film during the phase transition. We compare our experimental data with models proposed for the evolution of the phase transition. The experimental data show that the phase transition occurs via the gradual growth of metallic domains in the film, and that the dielectric properties of the film...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dilip Kumar, K.; Appukuttan, K.K.; Neelakantha, V.L.; Naik, Padmayya S.
2014-01-01
Highlights: • The spring back and thinning effect during L-bending was determined on aluminum sheet. • Beyond a particular clearance, the above said effects are linearly increasing. • Below the critical clearance scratches will occur on the surface due to wear. • As the clearance reduces, the wear rate increases on the punching surface. - Abstract: In automotive industry, significant efforts are being put forth to replace steel sheets with aluminum sheets for various applications. Besides its higher cost, there are several technical hurdles for wide usage of aluminum sheets in forming. Major problems in aluminum sheet metal forming operations are deformation errors and spring back effect. These problems are dependent on the number of parameters such as die and tool geometry, friction condition, loading condition and anisotropic properties of the metal. To predict the exact shape, the geometry based punch contact program must be used. The shape changes once the punch is withdrawn, because of the materials elasticity. Prediction of such a spring back effect is a major challenging problem in industry involving sheet metal forming operations. It also needs applying appropriate back tension during the forming complex shapes. Slight deformation of the metal leads to non-axisymmetric loading. One can predict the residual stress by determining plastic and elastic deformation. Thus appropriate spring back effect can be investigated. The present investigation was carried out to determine the spring back and thinning effect of aluminum sheet metal during L-bending operation. Number of specimens with thickness varying from 0.5 mm to 3.5 mm were prepared. The experiments were conducted for different clearances between punch and die. It is observed that, beyond a particular clearance for each thickness of the sheet metal, the spring back and thinning effects were linearly increasing. However, below the critical clearance, scratches on the surface of the sheet metal were
Colloquium: Excitons in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides
Wang, Gang; Chernikov, Alexey; Glazov, Mikhail M.; Heinz, Tony F.; Marie, Xavier; Amand, Thierry; Urbaszek, Bernhard
2018-04-01
Atomically thin materials such as graphene and monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) exhibit remarkable physical properties resulting from their reduced dimensionality and crystal symmetry. The family of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides is an especially promising platform for fundamental studies of two-dimensional (2D) systems, with potential applications in optoelectronics and valleytronics due to their direct band gap in the monolayer limit and highly efficient light-matter coupling. A crystal lattice with broken inversion symmetry combined with strong spin-orbit interactions leads to a unique combination of the spin and valley degrees of freedom. In addition, the 2D character of the monolayers and weak dielectric screening from the environment yield a significant enhancement of the Coulomb interaction. The resulting formation of bound electron-hole pairs, or excitons, dominates the optical and spin properties of the material. Here recent progress in understanding of the excitonic properties in monolayer TMDs is reviewed and future challenges are laid out. Discussed are the consequences of the strong direct and exchange Coulomb interaction, exciton light-matter coupling, and influence of finite carrier and electron-hole pair densities on the exciton properties in TMDs. Finally, the impact on valley polarization is described and the tuning of the energies and polarization observed in applied electric and magnetic fields is summarized.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yadav, Harish Kumar; Sreenivas, K.; Gupta, Vinay
2010-01-01
Ultraviolet photoconductivity relaxation in ZnO thin films deposited by rf magnetron sputtering are investigated. Effect of oxygen partial pressure in the reactive gas mixture and film thickness on the photoconductivity transients is studied. A different photodetector configuration comprising ZnO thin film with an ultrathin overlayer of metals like Cu, Al, Sn, Au, Cr, and Te was designed and tested. Photoresponse signal were found to be stronger (four to seven times) in these configurations than the pure ZnO thin films. Sn(30 nm)/ZnO sample exhibits highest responsivity of ∼8.57 kV/W whereas Te(20 nm)/ZnO structure presents highest sensitivity of ∼31.3x10 3 compared to unloaded ZnO thin film. Enhancement in the photoresponse of ZnO thin films is attributed to the change in surface conductivity due to induced charge carriers at the interface because of the difference in work function and oxygen affinity values of metal overlayer with the underlying semiconducting layer. Charge carrier transfer from the metal layer to ZnO creates a surplus of electrons at the interface; a fraction of which are captured by the defect centers (traps) at the surface whereas the remaining one represents free carriers in the conduction band and are responsible for the enhanced photoconductivity.
Investigation of the Section Thickness Measurement in Tomosynthesis by Thin Metal Plate Edge Method.
Ikeno, Kaoru; Akita, Tsunemichi; Hanai, Kozo; Muramatsu, Yoshihisa
When performing tomosynthesis, the section thickness needs to be set depending on a radiographic part and its diagnostic purpose. However, the section thickness in tomosynthesis has not been clearly defined and its measurement method has not been established yet. In this study, we devised the alternative measurement method to diagnose the section thickness using an edge of thin metal plate, and compared with the simulation results, the wire and bead method reported in the previous papers. The tomographic image of the thin metal plate positioned on the table top inclining 30 degrees, which showed the edge spread function (ESF) of each tomographic height, was taken, and then the line spread function (LSF) was obtained by differentiating the ESF image. For the next, a profile curve was plotted by maximum values of LSF of each tomographic height, and a section thickness was calculated using the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the profile curve. The edge method derived the section thickness close to the simulation results than the other methods. Further, the section thickness depends on the thickness of the metal plate and not the material. The thickness of the metal plate suitable for the evaluation of section thickness is 0.3 mm that is equivalent to pixel size of the flat panel detector (FPD). We conducted quantitative verification to establish the measurement method of the section thickness. The edge method is a useful technique as well as the wire and bead method for grasping basic characteristics of an imaging system.
Plasma Processing of Metallic and Semiconductor Thin Films in the Fisk Plasma Source
Lampkin, Gregory; Thomas, Edward, Jr.; Watson, Michael; Wallace, Kent; Chen, Henry; Burger, Arnold
1998-01-01
The use of plasmas to process materials has become widespread throughout the semiconductor industry. Plasmas are used to modify the morphology and chemistry of surfaces. We report on initial plasma processing experiments using the Fisk Plasma Source. Metallic and semiconductor thin films deposited on a silicon substrate have been exposed to argon plasmas. Results of microscopy and chemical analyses of processed materials are presented.
Metal oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors for flexible electronics
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Petti, Luisa; Vogt, Christian; Büthe, Lars; Cantarella, Giuseppe; Tröster, Gerhard [Electronics Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich (Switzerland); Münzenrieder, Niko [Electronics Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich (Switzerland); Sensor Technology Research Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer (United Kingdom); Faber, Hendrik; Bottacchi, Francesca; Anthopoulos, Thomas D. [Department of Physics and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London, London (United Kingdom)
2016-06-15
The field of flexible electronics has rapidly expanded over the last decades, pioneering novel applications, such as wearable and textile integrated devices, seamless and embedded patch-like systems, soft electronic skins, as well as imperceptible and transient implants. The possibility to revolutionize our daily life with such disruptive appliances has fueled the quest for electronic devices which yield good electrical and mechanical performance and are at the same time light-weight, transparent, conformable, stretchable, and even biodegradable. Flexible metal oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors (TFTs) can fulfill all these requirements and are therefore considered the most promising technology for tomorrow's electronics. This review reflects the establishment of flexible metal oxide semiconductor TFTs, from the development of single devices, large-area circuits, up to entirely integrated systems. First, an introduction on metal oxide semiconductor TFTs is given, where the history of the field is revisited, the TFT configurations and operating principles are presented, and the main issues and technological challenges faced in the area are analyzed. Then, the recent advances achieved for flexible n-type metal oxide semiconductor TFTs manufactured by physical vapor deposition methods and solution-processing techniques are summarized. In particular, the ability of flexible metal oxide semiconductor TFTs to combine low temperature fabrication, high carrier mobility, large frequency operation, extreme mechanical bendability, together with transparency, conformability, stretchability, and water dissolubility is shown. Afterward, a detailed analysis of the most promising metal oxide semiconducting materials developed to realize the state-of-the-art flexible p-type TFTs is given. Next, the recent progresses obtained for flexible metal oxide semiconductor-based electronic circuits, realized with both unipolar and complementary technology, are reported. In
Metal thin film growth on multimetallic surfaces: From quaternary metallic glass to binary crystal
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jing, Dapeng [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
2010-01-01
The work presented in this thesis mainly focuses on the nucleation and growth of metal thin films on multimetallic surfaces. First, we have investigated the Ag film growth on a bulk metallic glass surface. Next, we have examined the coarsening and decay of bilayer Ag islands on NiAl(110) surface. Third, we have investigated the Ag film growth on NiAl(110) surface using low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). At last, we have reported our investigation on the epitaxial growth of Ni on NiAl(110) surface. Some general conclusions can be drawn as follows. First, Ag, a bulk-crystalline material, initially forms a disordered wetting layer up to 4-5 monolayers on Zr-Ni-Cu-Al metallic glass. Above this coverage, crystalline 3D clusters grow, in parallel with the flatter regions. The cluster density increases with decreasing temperature, indicating that the conditions of island nucleation are far-from-equilibrium. Within a simple model where clusters nucleate whenever two mobile Ag adatoms meet, the temperature-dependence of cluster density yields a (reasonable) upper limit for the value of the Ag diffusion barrier on top of the Ag wetting layer of 0.32 eV. Overall, this prototypical study suggests that it is possible to grow films of a bulk-crystalline metal that adopt the amorphous character of a glassy metal substrate, if film thickness is sufficiently low. Next, the first study of coarsening and decay of bilayer islands has been presented. The system was Ag on NiAl(110) in the temperature range from 185 K to 250 K. The coarsening behavior, has some similarities to that seen in the Ag(110) homoepitaxial system studied by Morgenstern and co-workers. At 185 K and 205 K, coarsening of Ag islands follows a Smoluchowski ripening pathway. At 205 K and 250 K, the terrace diffusion limited Ostwald ripening dominants. The experimental observed temperature for the transition from SR to OR is 205 K. The SR exhibits anisotropic island diffusion and the OR exhibits 1D decay of island
Ibrahim, Khalil; Taha, Hatem; Mahbubur Rahman, M.; Kabir, Humayun; Jiang, Zhong-Tao
2018-03-01
Since solar-thermal collectors are considered to be the most direct way of converting solar energy into usable forms, in the last few years growing attention has been paid to the development of transition metal nitride and metal oxynitride based thin film selective surfaces for solar-thermal collectors, in order to harvest more solar energy. A solar-thermal energy system, generally, shows very high solar absorption of incident solar radiation from the solar-thermal collectors in the visible range (0.3 to 2.5 μm) and extremely low thermal losses through emission (or high reflection) in the infrared region (≥2.5 μm). The efficiency of a solar-thermal energy conversion system can be improved by the use of solar selective surfaces consisting of novel metallic nanoparticles embedded in metal nitride/oxynitride systems. In order to enhance the effectiveness of solar-thermal devices, solar selective surfaces with high thermal stability are a prerequisite. Over the years, substantial efforts have been made in the field of solar selective surfaces to attain higher solar absorptance and lower thermal emittance in high temperature (above 400 °C) applications. In this article, we review the present state-of-the-art transition metal nitride and/or oxynitride based vacuum sputtered nanostructured thin film coatings, with respect to their optical and solar selective surface applications. We have also summarized the solar selectivity data from recently published investigations, including discussion on some potential applications for these materials.
Photovoltaic effect in transition metal modified polycrystalline BiFeO3 thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Puli, Venkata Sreenivas; Chrisey, Douglas B; Pradhan, Dhiren Kumar; Katiyar, Rajesh Kumar; Misra, Pankaj; Scott, J F; Katiyar, Ram S; Coondoo, Indrani; Panwar, Neeraj
2014-01-01
We report photovoltaic (PV) effect in multiferroic Bi 0.9 Sm 0.1 Fe 0.95 Co 0.05 O 3 (BSFCO) thin films. Transition metal modified polycrystalline BiFeO 3 (BFO) thin films have been deposited on Pt/TiO 2 /SiO 2 /Si substrate successfully through pulsed laser deposition (PLD). PV response is observed under illumination both in sandwich and lateral electrode configurations. The open-circuit voltage (V oc ) and the short-circuit current density (J sc ) of the films in sandwich electrode configuration under illumination are measured to be 0.9 V and −0.051 µA cm −2 . Additionally, we report piezoresponse for BSFCO films, which confirms ferroelectric piezoelectric behaviour. (paper)
Metal-assisted chemical etching of CIGS thin films for grain size analysis
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Xue, Chaowei [Research and Development Centre, Hanergy Thin Film Power Group Limited, Chengdu (China); Loi, Huu-Ha; Duong, Anh; Parker, Magdalena [Failure Analysis Department, MiaSole Hi-Tech Corp., Santa Clara, CA (United States)
2016-09-15
Grain size of the CIGS absorber is an important monitoring factor in the CIGS solar cell manufacturing. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis is commonly used to perform CIGS grain size analysis in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Although direct quantification on SEM image using the average grain intercept (AGI) method is faster and simpler than EBSD, it is hardly applicable on CIGS thin films. The challenge is that, not like polycrystalline silicon, to define grain boundaries by selective chemical etching is not easily realizable for the multi-component CIGS alloy. In this Letter, we present direct quantification of CIGS thin film grain size using the AGI method by developing metal-assisted wet chemical etching process to define CIGS grain boundaries. The calculated value is similar to EBSD result. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Chih-Wen Chi
2017-05-01
Conclusion: The novel surface treatment of Ti-Zr-B thin film metallic glass on dental NiTi rotary files can effectively improve the fatigue fracture resistance by offering a smooth coated surface with amorphous microstructure.
On holographic disorder-driven metal-insulator transitions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Baggioli, Matteo; Pujolàs, Oriol [Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology,Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona) (Spain)
2017-01-10
We give a minimal holographic model of a disorder-driven metal-insulator transition. It consists in a CFT with a charge sector and a translation-breaking sector that interact in the most generic way allowed by the symmetries and by dynamical consistency. In the gravity dual, it reduces to a Massive Gravity-Maxwell model with a new direct coupling between the gauge field and the metric that is allowed when gravity is massive. We show that the effect of this coupling is to decrease the DC electrical conductivity generically. This gives a nontrivial check that holographic massive gravity can be consistently interpreted as disorder from the CFT perspective. The suppression of the conductivity happens to such an extent that it does not obey any lower bound and it can be very small in the insulating phase. In some cases, the large disorder limit produces gradient instabilities that hint at the formation of modulated phases.
On holographic disorder-driven metal-insulator transitions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Baggioli, Matteo; Pujolàs, Oriol
2017-01-01
We give a minimal holographic model of a disorder-driven metal-insulator transition. It consists in a CFT with a charge sector and a translation-breaking sector that interact in the most generic way allowed by the symmetries and by dynamical consistency. In the gravity dual, it reduces to a Massive Gravity-Maxwell model with a new direct coupling between the gauge field and the metric that is allowed when gravity is massive. We show that the effect of this coupling is to decrease the DC electrical conductivity generically. This gives a nontrivial check that holographic massive gravity can be consistently interpreted as disorder from the CFT perspective. The suppression of the conductivity happens to such an extent that it does not obey any lower bound and it can be very small in the insulating phase. In some cases, the large disorder limit produces gradient instabilities that hint at the formation of modulated phases.
2017-12-04
Air Mass CNT Carbon Nanotubes DIV Dark Current -Voltage DMA Dynamic Mechanical Analysis EL Electroluminescence FEM Finite Element Method IMM...AFRL-RV-PS- AFRL-RV-PS- TR-2017-0174 TR-2017-0174 ELECTRODEPOSITION OF METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES AND MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION FOR THIN-FILM SOLAR...research which is exempt from public affairs security and policy review in accordance with AFI 61-201, paragraph 2.3.5.1. This report is available to
The order-to-disorder transition behavior of PS-b-P2VP thin film system
Ahn, Hyungju; Ryu, Du
2013-03-01
We investigated the transition behavior such as the order-to-disorder transition (ODT) for symmetric poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinly pridine) (PS-b-P2VP) using SAXS and GISAXS for block copolymer bulks and films. The bulk transition temperature of PS-b-P2VP was significantly influenced by the interfacial interactions in thin films, leading to the different transition temperature. From these results, we will discuss about the interfacial interaction effects on the phase behaviors in bulks and thin films system of PS-b-P2VP.
Kim, Ji Young; Kim, A-Young; Liu, Guicheng; Woo, Jae-Young; Kim, Hansung; Lee, Joong Kee
2018-03-14
An amorphous SiO 2 (a-SiO 2 ) thin film was developed as an artificial passivation layer to stabilize Li metal anodes during electrochemical reactions. The thin film was prepared using an electron cyclotron resonance-chemical vapor deposition apparatus. The obtained passivation layer has a hierarchical structure, which is composed of lithium silicide, lithiated silicon oxide, and a-SiO 2 . The thickness of the a-SiO 2 passivation layer could be varied by changing the processing time, whereas that of the lithium silicide and lithiated silicon oxide layers was almost constant. During cycling, the surface of the a-SiO 2 passivation layer is converted into lithium silicate (Li 4 SiO 4 ), and the portion of Li 4 SiO 4 depends on the thickness of a-SiO 2 . A minimum overpotential of 21.7 mV was observed at the Li metal electrode at a current density of 3 mA cm -2 with flat voltage profiles, when an a-SiO 2 passivation layer of 92.5 nm was used. The Li metal with this optimized thin passivation layer also showed the lowest charge-transfer resistance (3.948 Ω cm) and the highest Li ion diffusivity (7.06 × 10 -14 cm 2 s -1 ) after cycling in a Li-S battery. The existence of the Li 4 SiO 4 artificial passivation layer prevents the corrosion of Li metal by suppressing Li dendritic growth and improving the ionic conductivity, which contribute to the low charge-transfer resistance and high Li ion diffusivity of the electrode.
Metal-in-metal localized surface plasmon resonance
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Smith, G B; Earp, A A, E-mail: g.smith@uts.edu.au [Department of Physics and Advanced Materials and Institute of Nanoscale Technology, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007 (Australia)
2010-01-08
Anomalous strong resonances in silver and gold nanoporous thin films which conduct are found to arise from isolated metal nano-islands separated from the surrounding percolating metal network by a thin loop of insulator. This observed resonant optical response is modelled. The observed peak position is in agreement with the observed average dimensions of the silver core and insulator shell. As the insulating ring thickness shrinks, the resonance moves to longer wavelengths and strengthens. This structure is the Babinet's principle counterpart of dielectric core-metal shell nanoparticles embedded in dielectric. Like for the latter, tuning of resonant absorption is possible, but here the matrix reflects rather than transmits, and tuning to longer wavelengths is more practical. A new class of metal mirror occurring as a single thin layer is identified using the same resonances in dense metal mirrors. Narrow band deep localized dips in reflectance result.
Metal-in-metal localized surface plasmon resonance
Smith, G. B.; Earp, A. A.
2010-01-01
Anomalous strong resonances in silver and gold nanoporous thin films which conduct are found to arise from isolated metal nano-islands separated from the surrounding percolating metal network by a thin loop of insulator. This observed resonant optical response is modelled. The observed peak position is in agreement with the observed average dimensions of the silver core and insulator shell. As the insulating ring thickness shrinks, the resonance moves to longer wavelengths and strengthens. This structure is the Babinet's principle counterpart of dielectric core-metal shell nanoparticles embedded in dielectric. Like for the latter, tuning of resonant absorption is possible, but here the matrix reflects rather than transmits, and tuning to longer wavelengths is more practical. A new class of metal mirror occurring as a single thin layer is identified using the same resonances in dense metal mirrors. Narrow band deep localized dips in reflectance result.
Intrastromal corneal ring implants for corneal thinning disorders: an evidence-based analysis.
2009-01-01
The purpose of this project was to determine the role of corneal implants in the management of corneal thinning disease conditions. An evidence-based review was conducted to determine the safety, effectiveness and durability of corneal implants for the management of corneal thinning disorders. The evolving directions of research in this area were also reviewed. SUBJECT OF THE EVIDENCE-BASED ANALYSIS: The primary treatment objectives for corneal implants are to normalize corneal surface topography, improve contact lens tolerability, and restore visual acuity in order to delay or defer the need for corneal transplant. Implant placement is a minimally invasive procedure that is purported to be safe and effective. The procedure is also claimed to be adjustable, reversible, and both eyes can be treated at the same time. Further, implants do not limit the performance of subsequent surgical approaches or interfere with corneal transplant. The evidence for these claims is the focus of this review. The specific research questions for the evidence review were as follows: SafetyCorneal Surface Topographic Effects:Effects on corneal surface remodellingImpact of these changes on subsequent interventions, particularly corneal transplantation (penetrating keratoplasty [PKP])Visual AcuityRefractive OutcomesVISUAL QUALITY (SYMPTOMS): such as contrast vision or decreased visual symptoms (halos, fluctuating vision)Contact lens toleranceFunctional visual rehabilitation and quality of lifePatient satisfaction:Disease Process:Impact on corneal thinning processEffect on delaying or deferring the need for corneal transplantation TARGET POPULATION AND CONDITION Corneal ectasia (thinning) comprises a range of disorders involving either primary disease conditions such as keratoconus and pellucid marginal corneal degeneration or secondary iatrogenic conditions such as corneal thinning occurring after LASIK refractive surgery. The condition occurs when the normally round dome-shaped cornea
Research on Liquid Forming Process of Nickel Superalloys Thin Sheet Metals
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hyrcza-Michalska M.
2017-12-01
Full Text Available The paper presents the study of drawability of thin sheet metals made of a nickel superalloy Inconel type. The manufacturing process of axisymmetric cup – cone and a closed section profile in the form of a circular tube were designed and analyzed. In both cases, working fluid-oil was used in place of the rigid tools. The process of forming liquid is currently the only alternative method for obtaining complex shapes, coatings, and especially if we do it with high-strength materials. In the case of nickel superalloys the search for efficient methods to manufacture of the shaped shell is one of the most considerable problems in aircraft industry [1-5]. However, the automotive industries have the same problem with so-called advanced high-strength steels (AHSS. Due to this, both industrial problems have been examined and the emphasis have been put on the process of liquid forming (hydroforming. The study includes physical tests and the corresponding numerical simulations performed, using the software Eta/Dynaform 5.9. Numerical analysis of the qualitative and quantitative forecasting enables the formability of materials with complex and unusual characteristics of the mechanical properties and forming technology. It has been found that only the computer aided design based on physical and numerical modeling, makes efficient plastic processing possible using a method of hydroforming. Drawability evaluation based on the determination of the mechanical properties of complex characteristics is an indispensable element of this design in the best practice of industrial manufacturing products made of thin sheet metals.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
El-Bashir, S.M., E-mail: elbashireg@yahoo.com [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA (Saudi Arabia); Department of Physics Faculty of Science, Benha University (Egypt); Barakat, F.M.; AlSalhi, M.S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA (Saudi Arabia)
2013-11-15
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposite films doped with mixed coumarin dyestuffs and noble metal nanoparticles (60 nm silver and 100 nm gold) were prepared by spin coating technique. The effect of silver and gold nanoparticles on the film properties was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy measurements. DSC measurements indicated the increase of the glass transition temperature of the films by increasing nanogold concentration, recommending their promising thermal stability towards hot climates. It was found that the fluorescence signals of the mixed coumarin dyes were amplified by 5.4 and 7.15 folds as a result of metal enhanced fluorescence (MEF). The research outcomes offered a potential application of these films in solar energy conversion by plasmonic thin film luminescent solar concentrator (PTLSC). -- Graphical abstract: Plasmonic thin film luminescent solar concentrators. Highlights: • Metal enhanced fluorescence was achieved for mixed coumarin dyes doped in PMMA nanocomposite films. • The amplification of the fluorescence signals is dependent on the concentration of silver and gold nanoparticles. • These films is considered as potential candidates for plasmonic thin film luminescent solar concentrators (PTLSCs)
Bi-axially crumpled silver thin-film electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuators
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Low, Sze-Hsien; Lau, Gih-Keong
2014-01-01
Metal thin films, which have high conductivity, are much stiffer and may fracture at a much lower strain than dielectric elastomers. In order to fabricate compliant electrodes for use in dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), metal thin films have been formed into either zigzag patterns or corrugations, which favour bending and only allow uniaxial DEA deformations. However, biaxially compliant electrodes are desired in order to maximize generated forces of DEA. In this paper, we present crumpled metal thin-film electrodes that are biaxially compliant and have full area coverage over the dielectric elastomer. These crumpled metal thin-film electrodes are more stretchable than flat metal thin films; they remain conductive beyond 110% radial strain. Also, crumpling reduced the stiffening effect of metal thin films on the soft elastomer. As such, DEAs using crumpled metal thin-film electrodes managed to attain relatively high actuated area strains of up to 128% at 1.8 kV (102 Vμm −1 ). (paper)
Wang, C. P.; Dai, T.; Lu, Y.; Shi, Z.; Ruan, J. J.; Guo, Y. H.; Liu, X. J.
2017-08-01
Copper thin films with thickness of about 500 nm doped with different aluminum concentrations have been prepared by magnetron sputtering on Si substrate and their crystal structure, microstructure, and electrical resistivity after annealing at various temperatures (200°C to 600°C) for 1 h or at 400°C for different durations (1 h to 11 h) investigated by grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and four-point probe (FPP) measurements. Cu-1.8Al alloy thin film exhibited good thermal stability and low electrical resistivity (˜5.0 μΩ cm) after annealing at 500°C for 1 h or 400°C for 7 h. No copper silicide was observed at the Cu-Al/Si interface by GIXRD analysis or SEM for this sample. This result indicates that doping Cu thin film with small amounts of Al can achieve high thermal stability and low electrical resistivity, suggesting that Cu-1.8Al alloy thin film could be used for barrierless Cu metallization on Si substrate.
Optimal Shakedown of the Thin-Wall Metal Structures Under Strength and Stiffness Constraints
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Alawdin Piotr
2017-06-01
Full Text Available Classical optimization problems of metal structures confined mainly with 1st class cross-sections. But in practice it is common to use the cross-sections of higher classes. In this paper, a new mathematical model for described shakedown optimization problem for metal structures, which elements are designed from 1st to 4th class cross-sections, under variable quasi-static loads is presented. The features of limited plastic redistribution of forces in the structure with thin-walled elements there are taken into account. Authors assume the elastic-plastic flexural buckling in one plane without lateral torsional buckling behavior of members. Design formulae for Methods 1 and 2 for members are analyzed. Structures stiffness constrains are also incorporated in order to satisfy the limit serviceability state requirements. With the help of mathematical programming theory and extreme principles the structure optimization algorithm is developed and justified with the numerical experiment for the metal plane frames.
Theoretical studies of epitaxially grown Co and Ni thin films on (111) metallic substrates
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Zelený, Martin; Šob, Mojmír
2008-01-01
Roč. 77, č. 15 (2008), 155435/1-155435/6 ISSN 1098-0121 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA1041302; GA ČR GD106/05/H008; GA MŠk OC 147 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : Thin metallic films * Ab initio calculations * Electronic structure Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.322, year: 2008
Metal-insulator transition in 2D: the role of interactions and disorder
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kastrinakis, George
2007-01-01
We present a model for the metal-insulator transition in 2D, observed in the recent years. Our starting point consists of two ingredients only, which are ubiquitous in the experiments: Coulomb interactions and weak disorder spin scattering (coming from the interfaces of the heterostructures in question). In a diagramatic approach, we predict the existence of a characteristic temperature T 0 =T 0 (n,ω H ), n being the density of carriers, and ω H the Zeeman energy, below which these systems become metallic, due to the onset of strong spin-density correlations. This is in very good agreement with experiments, and corroborates the fact that varying n and ω H are equivalent ways into/out of the metallic regime. The conductivity, calculated as a function of temperature and ω H in the metallic state, compares favorably to experiment. Moreover, we give an explicit expression for the conventional weak disorder contributions to the conductivity in the frame of our model. We comment on the nature of the transition, we calculate the specific heat of the system and we discuss the fate of the metallic state in the limit of zero temperature
Local, atomic-level elastic strain measurements of metallic glass thin films by electron diffraction
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ebner, C. [Physics of Nanostructured Materials, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Sarkar, R. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287 (United States); Rajagopalan, J. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287 (United States); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287 (United States); Rentenberger, C., E-mail: christian.rentenberger@univie.ac.at [Physics of Nanostructured Materials, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna (Austria)
2016-06-15
A novel technique is used to measure the atomic-level elastic strain tensor of amorphous materials by tracking geometric changes of the first diffuse ring of selected area electron diffraction patterns (SAD). An automatic procedure, which includes locating the centre and fitting an ellipse to the diffuse ring with sub-pixel precision is developed for extracting the 2-dimensional strain tensor from the SAD patterns. Using this technique, atomic-level principal strains from micrometre-sized regions of freestanding amorphous Ti{sub 0.45}Al{sub 0.55} thin films were measured during in-situ TEM tensile deformation. The thin films were deformed using MEMS based testing stages that allow simultaneous measurement of the macroscopic stress and strain. The calculated atomic-level principal strains show a linear dependence on the applied stress, and good correspondence with the measured macroscopic strains. The calculated Poisson’s ratio of 0.23 is reasonable for brittle metallic glasses. The technique yields a strain accuracy of about 1×10{sup −4} and shows the potential to obtain localized strain profiles/maps of amorphous thin film samples. - Highlights: • A TEM method to measure elastic strain in metallic glass films is proposed. • Method is based on tracking geometric changes in TEM diffraction patterns. • An automatic procedure is developed for extracting the local strain tensor. • Atomic-level strain in amorphous TiAl film was analysed during in-situ deformation. • Capability of the method to obtain micrometer scale strain profiles/maps is shown.
Zhang, Meng; Liu, Lin
2018-06-01
To unravel the true nature of glass transition, broader insights into glass forming have been gained by examining the stress-driven glassy systems, where strong shear thinning, i.e. a reduced viscosity under increasing shear rate, is encountered. It is argued that arbitrarily small stress-driven shear rates would ‘melt’ the glass and erase any memory of its thermal history. In this work, we report a glass transition memorized by the enthalpy-entropy compensation in strongly shear-thinned supercooled metallic liquids, which coincides with the thermal glass transition in both the transition temperature and the activation Gibbs free energy. Our findings provide distinctive insights into both glass forming and shear thinning, and enrich current knowledge on the ubiquitous enthalpy-entropy compensation empirical law in condensed matter physics.
TXRF analysis of trace metals in thin silicon nitride films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vereecke, G.; Arnauts, S.; Verstraeten, K.; Schaekers, M.; Heyrts, M.M.
2000-01-01
As critical dimensions of integrated circuits continue to decrease, high dielectric constant materials such as silicon nitride are being considered to replace silicon dioxide in capacitors and transistors. The achievement of low levels of metal contamination in these layers is critical for high performance and reliability. Existing methods of quantitative analysis of trace metals in silicon nitride require high amounts of sample (from about 0.1 to 1 g, compared to a mass of 0.2 mg for a 2 nm thick film on a 8'' silicon wafer), and involve digestion steps not applicable to films on wafers or non-standard techniques such as neutron activation analysis. A novel approach has recently been developed to analyze trace metals in thin films with analytical techniques currently used in the semiconductor industry. Sample preparation consists of three steps: (1) decomposition of the silicon nitride matrix by moist HF condensed at the wafer surface to form ammonium fluosilicate. (2) vaporization of the fluosilicate by a short heat treatment at 300 o C. (3) collection of contaminants by scanning the wafer surface with a solution droplet (VPD-DSC procedure). The determination of trace metals is performed by drying the droplet on the wafer and by analyzing the residue by TXRF, as it offers the advantages of multi-elemental analysis with no dilution of the sample. The lower limits of detection for metals in 2 nm thick films on 8'' silicon wafers range from about 10 to 200 ng/g. The present study will focus on the matrix effects and the possible loss of analyte associated with the evaporation of the fluosilicate salt, in relation with the accuracy and the reproducibility of the method. The benefits of using an internal standard will be assessed. Results will be presented from both model samples (ammonium fluoride contaminated with metallic salts) and real samples (silicon nitride films from a production tool). (author)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Franklin Che
Full Text Available We have experimentally measured the surface second-harmonic generation (SHG of sputtered gold, silver, aluminum, zinc, tungsten, copper, titanium, cobalt, nickel, chromium, germanium, antimony, titanium nitride, silicon and indium tin oxide thin films. The second-harmonic response was measured in reflection using a 150 fs p-polarized laser pulse at 1561 nm. We present a clear comparison of the SHG intensity of these films relative to each other. Our measured relative intensities compare favorably with the relative intensities of metals with published data. We also report for the first time to our knowledge the surface SHG intensity of tungsten and antimony relative to that of well known metallic thin films such as gold and silver. Keywords: Surface second-harmonic generation, Nonlinear optics, Metal thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vrielink, J.A.M.; Tiggelaar, R.M.; Gardeniers, J.G.E.; Lefferts, L.
2012-01-01
In this work the applicability of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) for fast, accurate and non-destructive determination of the thickness of a variety of single-layer and multi-layer metal thin films deposited on glass and silicon is investigated. Data obtained with XRF is compared with information from profilometry and images from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Whereas thickness determinations based on profilometry and cross-sectional SEM-imaging have restrictions with respect to thickness of metal stacks or hardness of the metals, XRF has no such limitations. Moreover, XRF can discriminate between sublayers in a multi-layer film, and can also be utilized for compositional analysis and density estimations. Good agreement between thickness data obtained with XRF, profilometry and SEM-images is found, under the justifiable assumption that the density of sputter-deposited and evaporated thin films is ca. 5% below that of bulk metals. Similar XRF-results are found for non-patterned areas (64 mm 2 metal) as well as lithographically patterned areas containing a series of small metal lines (total metal surface ca. 8 mm 2 ). As a consequence, it is concluded that XRF is a versatile technique for analysis, verification, control or evaluation of the thickness, density or (elemental) composition of thin metal film line-patterns, during their fabrication as well as prior or post to applications.
Control of in-plane texture of body centered cubic metal thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Harper, J.M.; Rodbell, K.P.; Colgan, E.G.; Hammond, R.H.
1997-01-01
We show that dramatically different in-plane textures can be produced in body centered cubic (bcc) metal thin films deposited on amorphous substrates under different deposition conditions. The crystallographic orientation distribution of polycrystalline bcc metal thin films on amorphous substrates often has a strong left-angle 110 right-angle fiber texture, indicating that {110} planes are parallel to the substrate plane. When deposition takes place under bombardment by energetic ions or atoms at an off-normal angle of incidence, the left-angle 110 right-angle fiber texture develops an in-plane texture, indicating nonrandom azimuthal orientations of the crystallites. Three orientations in Nb films have been observed under different deposition geometries, in which the energetic particle flux coincides with channeling directions in the bcc crystal structure. In-plane orientations in Mo films have also been obtained in magnetron sputtering systems with various configurations. These are described, and an example is given in which the in-plane orientation of Mo films deposited in two different in-line magnetron sputtering systems differs by a 90 degree rotation. In these two cases, there is a strong left-angle 110 right-angle fiber texture, but the in-plane left-angle 100 right-angle direction is oriented parallel to the scan direction in one system, and perpendicular to the scan direction in the other system. The conditions which produce such different in-plane textures in two apparently similar sputtering systems are discussed. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics
Metal-insulator transition in SrTi1−xVxO3 thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gu, Man; Wolf, Stuart A.; Lu, Jiwei
2013-01-01
Epitaxial SrTi 1−x V x O 3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) thin films were grown on (001)-oriented (LaAlO 3 ) 0.3 (Sr 2 AlTaO 6 ) 0.7 (LSAT) substrates using the pulsed electron-beam deposition technique. The transport study revealed a temperature driven metal-insulator transition (MIT) at 95 K for x = 0.67. The films with higher vanadium concentration (x > 0.67) were metallic corresponding to a Fermi liquid system. In the insulating phase (x < 0.67), the resistivity behavior was governed by Mott's variable range hopping mechanism. The possible mechanisms for the induced MIT are discussed, including the effects of electron correlation, lattice distortion, and Anderson localization
Drive for thinness, affect regulation and physical activity in eating disorders: a daily life study.
Vansteelandt, Kristof; Rijmen, Frank; Pieters, Guido; Probst, Michel; Vanderlinden, Johan
2007-08-01
Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, the within patient associations between drive for thinness, emotional states, momentary urge to be physically active and physical activity were studied in 32 inpatients with an eating disorder. Participants received an electronic device and had to indicate at nine random times a day during 1 week their momentary drive for thinness, positive and negative emotional states and their urge to be physically active and physical activity. Multilevel analyses indicated that patients with higher mean levels for urge to be physically active were characterized by lower body mass index (BMI) and chronically negative affect whereas patients with higher mean levels for physical activity were characterized by lower BMI and higher dispositions for drive for thinness. In addition, within patient relations between drive for thinness and urge to be physically active were moderated by BMI and chronically negative affect whereas within patient relations between drive for thinness and physical activity were moderated by BMI. Finally, also positive emotional states were significantly associated with physical activity within patients. By using a daily process design, characteristics of physical activity were revealed that have not been identified with assessment methods that have a lower time resolution.
Yu, You; Xiao, Xiang; Zhang, Yaokang; Li, Kan; Yan, Casey; Wei, Xiaoling; Chen, Lina; Zhen, Hongyu; Zhou, Hang; Zhang, Shengdong; Zheng, Zijian
2016-06-01
Photoreactive and metal-platable copolymer inks are reported for the first time to allow high-throughput printing of high-performance flexible electrodes at room temperature. This new copolymer ink accommodates various types of printing technologies, such as soft lithography molding, screen printing, and inkjet printing. Electronic devices including resistors, sensors, solar cells, and thin-film transistors fabricated with these printed electrodes show excellent electrical performance and mechanical flexibility. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Synthesis of Thin Film Composite Metal-Organic Frameworks Membranes on Polymer Supports
Barankova, Eva
2017-06-01
Since the discovery of size-selective metal-organic frameworks (MOF) researchers have tried to manufacture them into gas separation membranes. ZIF-8 became the most studied MOF for membrane applications mainly because of its simple synthesis, good chemical and thermal stability, recent commercial availability and attractive pore size. The aim of this work is to develop convenient methods for growing ZIF thin layers on polymer supports to obtain defect-free ZIF membranes with good gas separation properties. We present new approaches for ZIF membranes preparation on polymers. We introduce zinc oxide nanoparticles in the support as a secondary metal source for ZIF-8 growth. Initially the ZnO particles were incorporated into the polymer matrix and later on the surface of the polymer by magnetron sputtering. In both cases, the ZnO facilitated to create more nucleation opportunities and improved the ZIF-8 growth compared to the synthesis without using ZnO. By employing the secondary seeded growth method, we were able to obtain thin (900 nm) ZIF-8 layer with good gas separation performance. Next, we propose a metal-chelating polymer as a suitable support for growing ZIF layers. Defect-free ZIF-8 films with a thickness of 600 nm could be obtained by a contra-diffusion method. ZIF-8 membranes were tested for permeation of hydrogen and hydrocarbons, and one of the highest selectivities reported so far for hydrogen/propane, and propylene/propane was obtained. Another promising method to facilitate the growth of MOFs on polymeric supports is the chemical functionalization of the support surface with functional groups, which can complex metal ions and which can covalently bond the MOF crystals. We functionalized the surface of a common porous polymeric membrane with amine groups, which took part in the reaction to form ZIF-8 nanocrystals. We observed an enhancement in adhesion between the ZIF layer and the support. The effect of parameters of the contra-diffusion experiment
The origin of magnetism in transition metal-doped ZrO2 thin films: Experiment and theory
Hong, Nguyenhoa
2013-10-04
We have investigated the magnetic properties of Fe/Co/Ni-doped ZrO 2 laser ablated thin films in comparison with the known results of Mn-doped ZrO2, which is thought to be a promising material for spintronics applications. It is found that doping with a transition metal can induce room temperature ferromagnetism in \\'fake\\' diamond. Theoretical analysis based on density functional theory confirms the experimental measurements, by revealing that the magnetic moments of Mn- and Ni-doped ZrO2 thin films are much larger than that of Fe- or Co-doped ZrO2 thin films. Most importantly, our calculations confirm that Mn- and Ni-doped ZrO2 show a ferromagnetic ground state in comparison to Co- and Fe-doped ZrO 2, which favor an antiferromagnetic ground state. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.
Deposition of highly (111)-oriented PZT thin films by using metal organic chemical deposition
Bu, K H; Choi, D K; Seong, W K; Kim, J D
1999-01-01
Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films have been grown on Pt/Ta/SiNx/Si substrates by using metal organic chemical vapor deposition with Pb(C sub 2 H sub 5) sub 4 , Zr(O-t-C sub 4 H sub 9) sub 4 , and Ti(O-i-C sub 3 H sub 7) sub 4 as source materials and O sub 2 as an oxidizing gas. The Zr fraction in the thin films was controlled by varying the flow rate of the Zr source material. The crystal structure and the electrical properties were investigated as functions of the composition. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that at a certain range of Zr fraction, highly (111)-oriented PZT thin films with no pyrochlore phases were deposited. On the other hand, at low Zr fractions, there were peaks from Pb-oxide phases. At high Zr fractions, peaks from pyrochlore phase were seen. The films also showed good electrical properties, such as a high dielectric constant of more than 1200 and a low coercive voltage of 1.35 V.
Temperature-dependent Gilbert damping of Co2FeAl thin films with different degree of atomic order
Kumar, Ankit; Pan, Fan; Husain, Sajid; Akansel, Serkan; Brucas, Rimantas; Bergqvist, Lars; Chaudhary, Sujeet; Svedlindh, Peter
2017-12-01
Half-metallicity and low magnetic damping are perpetually sought for spintronics materials, and full Heusler compounds in this respect provide outstanding properties. However, it is challenging to obtain the well-ordered half-metallic phase in as-deposited full Heusler compound thin films, and theory has struggled to establish a fundamental understanding of the temperature-dependent Gilbert damping in these systems. Here we present a study of the temperature-dependent Gilbert damping of differently ordered as-deposited Co2FeAl full Heusler compound thin films. The sum of inter- and intraband electron scattering in conjunction with the finite electron lifetime in Bloch states governs the Gilbert damping for the well-ordered phase, in contrast to the damping of partially ordered and disordered phases which is governed by interband electronic scattering alone. These results, especially the ultralow room-temperature intrinsic damping observed for the well-ordered phase, provide fundamental insights into the physical origin of the Gilbert damping in full Heusler compound thin films.
Energetic Surface Smoothing of Complex Metal-Oxide Thin Films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Willmott, P.R.; Herger, R.; Schlepuetz, C.M.; Martoccia, D.; Patterson, B.D.
2006-01-01
A novel energetic smoothing mechanism in the growth of complex metal-oxide thin films is reported from in situ kinetic studies of pulsed laser deposition of La 1-x Sr x MnO 3 on SrTiO 3 , using x-ray reflectivity. Below 50% monolayer coverage, prompt insertion of energetic impinging species into small-diameter islands causes them to break up to form daughter islands. This smoothing mechanism therefore inhibits the formation of large-diameter 2D islands and the seeding of 3D growth. Above 50% coverage, islands begin to coalesce and their breakup is thereby suppressed. The energy of the incident flux is instead rechanneled into enhanced surface diffusion, which leads to an increase in the effective surface temperature of ΔT≅500 K. These results have important implications on optimal conditions for nanoscale device fabrication using these materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nordman, Olli; Nordman, Nina; Pashkevich, Valfrid
2001-01-01
The refractive-index change caused by electrons was measured in amorphous AsS and AsSe thin films. Films were coated with different metals. Diffraction gratings were written by electron-beam lithography. The interactions of electrons in films with and without the photodiffusion of overcoated metal were compared. Incoming electrons caused metal atom and ion diffusion in both investigated cases. The metal diffusion was dependent on the metal and it was found to influence the refractive index. In some cases lateral diffusion of the metal was noticed. The conditions for applications were verified. Copyright 2001 Optical Society of America
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mihaela Girtan
2017-05-01
Full Text Available A comprehensive study of a class of Oxide/Metal/Oxide (Oxide = ITO, AZO, TiO2 and Bi2O3, Metal = Au thin films was done by correlating the spectrophotometric studies with the ellispometric models. Films were deposited by successive sputtering from metallic targets In:Sn, Zn:Al, Ti and Bi in reactive atmosphere (for the oxide films and respective inert atmosphere (for the metallic Au interlayer films on glass substrates. The measurements of optical constants n—the refractive index and k—the extinction coefficient, at different incident photon energies for single oxide films and also for the three layers films oxide/metal/oxide samples were made using the spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE technique. The ellipsometry modelling process was coupled with the recorded transmission spectra data of a double beam spectrophotometer and the best fitting parameters were obtained not only by fitting the n and k experimental data with the dispersion fitting curves as usual is practiced in the most reported data in literature, but also by comparing the calculated the transmission coefficient from ellipsometry with the experimental values obtained from direct spectrophotometry measurements. In this way the best dispersion model was deduced for each sample. Very good correlations were obtained for the other different thin films characteristics such as the films thickness, optical band gap and electrical resistivity obtained by other measurements and calculation techniques. The ellipsometric modelling, can hence give the possibility in the future to predict, by ellipsometric simulations, the proper device architecture in function of the preferred optical and electrical properties.
Gilbert, Stefanie C.; Crump, Stacey; Madhere, Serge; Schutz, William
2009-01-01
This study, conducted at a historically Black university, evaluated the impact of awareness and internalization of the Western thin ideal of beauty on body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimia in African-American, African, and Caribbean women. The relationship between internalization of the thin ideal and disordered eating was…
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shen, Xi; Shigematsu, Kei; Chikamatsu, Akira; Fukumura, Tomoteru; Hirose, Yasushi; Hasegawa, Tetsuya
2014-01-01
We report the electrical transport properties of ferrimagnetic Mn 4 N (001) epitaxial thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition on MgO (001) substrates. The Mn 4 N thin films were tetragonally distorted with a ratio of out-of-plane to in-plane lattice constants of 0.987 and showed perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with an effective magnetic anisotropy constant of 0.16 MJ/m 3 , which is comparable with that of a recently reported molecular-beam-epitaxy-grown film. The thin films exhibited metallic transport with a room temperature resistivity of 125 μΩ cm in addition to a large anomalous Hall effect with a Hall angle tangent of 0.023.
Bi2O3 nanoparticles encapsulated in surface mounted metal-organic framework thin films
Guo, Wei; Chen, Zhi; Yang, Chengwu; Neumann, Tobias; Kübel, Christian; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Welle, Alexander; Pfleging, Wilhelm; Shekhah, Osama; Wöll, Christof; Redel, Engelbert
2016-03-01
We describe a novel procedure to fabricate a recyclable hybrid-photocatalyst based on Bi2O3@HKUST-1 MOF porous thin films. Bi2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized within HKUST-1 (or Cu3(BTC)2) surface-mounted metal-organic frame-works (SURMOFs) and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Bi2O3 semiconductor NPs (diameter 1-3 nm)/SURMOF heterostructures exhibit superior photo-efficiencies compared to NPs synthesized using conventional routes, as demonstrated via the photodegradation of the nuclear fast red (NFR) dye.We describe a novel procedure to fabricate a recyclable hybrid-photocatalyst based on Bi2O3@HKUST-1 MOF porous thin films. Bi2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized within HKUST-1 (or Cu3(BTC)2) surface-mounted metal-organic frame-works (SURMOFs) and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Bi2O3 semiconductor NPs (diameter 1-3 nm)/SURMOF heterostructures exhibit superior photo-efficiencies compared to NPs synthesized using conventional routes, as demonstrated via the photodegradation of the nuclear fast red (NFR) dye. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00532b
Laser assisted modification and chemical metallization of electron-beam deposited ceria thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Krumov, E.; Starbov, N.; Starbova, K.; Perea, A.; Solis, J.
2009-01-01
Excimer laser processing is applied for tailoring the surface morphology and phase composition of CeO 2 ceramic thin films. E-beam evaporation technique is used to deposit samples on stainless steel and silicate glass substrates. The films are then irradiated with ArF* excimer laser pulses under different exposure conditions. Scanning electron microscopy, optical spectrophotometry, X-ray diffractometry and EDS microanalysis are used to characterize the non-irradiated and laser-processed films. Upon UV laser exposure there is large increase of the surface roughness that is accompanied by photo-darkening and ceria reduction. It is shown that the laser induced changes in the CeO 2 films facilitate the deposition of metal nano-aggregates in a commercial copper electroless plating bath. The significance of laser modification as a novel approach for the production of CeO 2 based thin film catalysts is discussed.
Laser assisted modification and chemical metallization of electron-beam deposited ceria thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Krumov, E., E-mail: emodk@clf.bas.bg [Central Laboratory of Photoprocesses ' Acad. Jordan Malinowski' , Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgy Bonchev Str., bl. 109, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Starbov, N.; Starbova, K. [Central Laboratory of Photoprocesses ' Acad. Jordan Malinowski' , Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgy Bonchev Str., bl. 109, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Perea, A.; Solis, J. [Instituto de Optica ' Daza de Valdes' , CSIC, 28006 Madrid (Spain)
2009-11-15
Excimer laser processing is applied for tailoring the surface morphology and phase composition of CeO{sub 2} ceramic thin films. E-beam evaporation technique is used to deposit samples on stainless steel and silicate glass substrates. The films are then irradiated with ArF* excimer laser pulses under different exposure conditions. Scanning electron microscopy, optical spectrophotometry, X-ray diffractometry and EDS microanalysis are used to characterize the non-irradiated and laser-processed films. Upon UV laser exposure there is large increase of the surface roughness that is accompanied by photo-darkening and ceria reduction. It is shown that the laser induced changes in the CeO{sub 2} films facilitate the deposition of metal nano-aggregates in a commercial copper electroless plating bath. The significance of laser modification as a novel approach for the production of CeO{sub 2} based thin film catalysts is discussed.
Chemical resistance of thin film materials based on metal oxides grown by atomic layer deposition
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sammelselg, Väino; Netšipailo, Ivan; Aidla, Aleks; Tarre, Aivar; Aarik, Lauri; Asari, Jelena; Ritslaid, Peeter; Aarik, Jaan
2013-01-01
Etching rate of technologically important metal oxide thin films in hot sulphuric acid was investigated. The films of Al-, Ti-, Cr-, and Ta-oxides studied were grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) method on silicon substrates from different precursors in large ranges of growth temperatures (80–900 °C) in order to reveal process parameters that allow deposition of coatings with higher chemical resistance. The results obtained demonstrate that application of processes that yield films with lower concentration of residual impurities as well as crystallization of films in thermal ALD processes leads to significant decrease of etching rate. Crystalline films of materials studied showed etching rates down to values of < 5 pm/s. - Highlights: • Etching of atomic layer deposited thin metal oxide films in hot H 2 SO 4 was studied. • Smallest etching rates of < 5 pm/s for TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and Cr 2 O 3 were reached. • Highest etching rate of 2.8 nm/s for Al 2 O 3 was occurred. • Remarkable differences in etching of non- and crystalline films were observed
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Naidu, K Lakshun; Mohiddon, Md Ahamad; Dalba, G; Krishna, M Ghanashyam; Rocca, F
2013-01-01
The role of thin metallic layer (Chromium or Nickel) in the crystallization of a-Si film has been studied using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS). The films were grown at different substrate temperatures in two different geometrical structures : (a) a 200 nm metal layer (Cr or Ni) was deposited on fused silica (FS) followed by 400 nm of a-Si and (b) the 400 nm a-Si layer was deposited on FS followed by 200 nm of metal layer. XAFS measurements at Cr K-edge and Ni K-edge were done at BM08 – GILDA beamline of the European Synchrotron Research Facility (ESRF, Grenoble, F) in fluorescence mode. To understand the evolution of the local structure of Cr/Ni diffusing from bottom to top and from top to bottom, total reflection and higher incidence angles were employed. The relative content of metal, metal oxide and metal silicides compounds on the upper surface and/or in the bulk of different films has been evaluated as a function of thermal treatment.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dhayal, Marshal; Kapoor, Renu; Sistla, Pavana Goury; Pandey, Ravi Ranjan; Kar, Satabisha; Saini, Krishan Kumar; Pande, Gopal
2014-01-01
Metal ion doped titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) thin films, as bioactive coatings on metal or other implantable materials, can be used as surfaces for studying the cell biological properties of osteogenic and other cell types. Bulk crystallite phase distribution and surface carbon–oxygen constitution of thin films, play an important role in determining the biological responses of cells that come in their contact. Here we present a strategy to control the polarity of atomic interactions between the dopant metal and TiO 2 molecules and obtain surfaces with smaller crystallite phases and optimal surface carbon–oxygen composition to support the maximum proliferation and adhesion of osteoblast cells. Our results suggest that surfaces, in which atomic interactions between the dopant metals and TiO 2 were less polar, could support better adhesion, spreading and proliferation of cells. - Highlights: • Electrochemical properties of dopants control the nature of TiO 2 thin films. • A model explains the correlation of dopant properties and behaviour of TiO 2 films. • Dopants with less polar interaction with TiO 2 exhibit better biological activity
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hebard, A.F.; Kotliar, G.
1989-01-01
The universal relation between the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition temperature T/sub c/ and the superfluid sheet density of thin-film superconductors with mean-field transition temperature T/sub c/ 0 results in a monotonically decreasing dependence of the ratio T/sub c//T/sub c0/ on the normal-state sheet resistance R/sub n/. Ambiguity in the experimental definition of R/sub n/ in highly disordered thin-film superconductors is addressed by reexamining previously published data on amorphous composite In/InO/sub x/ films. Arguments are presented in favor of using the zero-temperature value of R/sub n/, a quantity obtained by extrapolation. The dependence of T/sub c//T/sub c0/ on R/sub n/ that results from such a choice is in agreement with theory for dirty superconductors and thus suggests that additional corrections to T/sub c/ in the presence of extreme disorder are not required
Theoretical investigation of electronic, magnetic and optical properties of Fe doped GaN thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Salmani, E.; Mounkachi, O.; Ez-Zahraouy, H.; Benyoussef, A.; Hamedoun, M.; Hlil, E.K.
2013-01-01
Highlights: •Magnetic and optical properties Fe-doped GaN thin films are studied using DFT. •The band gaps of GaN thin films are larger than the one of the bulk. •The layer thickness and acceptor defect can switch the magnetic ordering. -- Abstract: Using first principles calculations based on spin-polarized density functional theory, the magnetic and optical properties of GaN and Fe-doped GaN thin films with and without acceptor defect is studied. The band structure calculations show that the band gaps of GaN thin films with 2, 4 and 6 layers are larger than the one of the bulk with wurtzite structure and decreases with increasing the film thickness. In Fe doped GaN thin films, we show that layer of thickness and acceptor defect can switch the magnetic ordering from disorder local moment (DLM) to ferromagnetic (FM) order. Without acceptor defect Fe doped GaN exhibits spin glass phase in 4 layers form and ferromagnetic state for 2 layers form of the thin films, while it exhibits ferromagnetic phase with acceptor defect such as vacancies defect for 2 and 4 layers. In the FM ordering, the thin films is half-metallic and is therefore ideal for spin application. The different energy between ferromagnetic state and disorder local moment state was evaluated. Moreover, the optical absorption spectra obtained by ab initio calculations confirm the ferromagnetic stability based on the charge state of magnetic impurities
Coupled Optical Tamm States in a Planar Dielectric Mirror Structure Containing a Thin Metal Film
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhou Hai-Chun; Yang Guang; Lu Pei-Xiang; Wang Kai; Long Hua
2012-01-01
The coupling between two optical Tamm states (OTSs) with the same eigenenergy is numerically investigated in a planar dielectric mirror structure containing a thin metal film. The reflectivity map in this structure at normal incidence is obtained by applying the transfer matrix method. Two splitting branches appear in the photonic bandgap region when both adjacent dielectric layers of metal film are properly set. The splitting energy of two branches strongly depends on the thickness of the metal film. According to the electric field distribution in this structure, it is found that the high-energy branch corresponds to the antisymmetric coupling between two OTSs, while the low-energy branch is associated with the symmetric coupling between two OTSs. Moreover, the optical difference frequency of two branches is located in a broad terahertz region. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)
Topotactic Metal-Insulator Transition in Epitaxial SrFeOx Thin Films.
Khare, Amit; Shin, Dongwon; Yoo, Tae Sup; Kim, Minu; Kang, Tae Dong; Lee, Jaekwang; Roh, Seulki; Jung, In-Ho; Hwang, Jungseek; Kim, Sung Wng; Noh, Tae Won; Ohta, Hiromichi; Choi, Woo Seok
2017-10-01
Topotactic phase transformation enables structural transition without losing the crystalline symmetry of the parental phase and provides an effective platform for elucidating the redox reaction and oxygen diffusion within transition metal oxides. In addition, it enables tuning of the emergent physical properties of complex oxides, through strong interaction between the lattice and electronic degrees of freedom. In this communication, the electronic structure evolution of SrFeO x epitaxial thin films is identified in real-time, during the progress of reversible topotactic phase transformation. Using real-time optical spectroscopy, the phase transition between the two structurally distinct phases (i.e., brownmillerite and perovskite) is quantitatively monitored, and a pressure-temperature phase diagram of the topotactic transformation is constructed for the first time. The transformation at relatively low temperatures is attributed to a markedly small difference in Gibbs free energy compared to the known similar class of materials to date. This study highlights the phase stability and reversibility of SrFeO x thin films, which is highly relevant for energy and environmental applications exploiting the redox reactions. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Characteristics of indirect laser-induced plasma from a thin film of oil on a metallic substrate
Xiu, Jun-Shan; Bai, Xue-Shi; Motto-Ros, Vincent; Yu, Jin
2015-04-01
Optical emissions from the major and trace elements embodied in a transparent gel prepared from cooking oil were detected after the gel was spread in a thin film on a metallic substrate. Such emissions are due to the indirect breakdown of the coating layer. The generated plasma, a mixture of substances from the substrate, the layer, and the ambient gas, was characterized using emission spectroscopy. The characteristics of the plasma formed on the metal with and without the coating layer were investigated. The results showed that Al emission induced from the aluminum substrates coated with oil films extends away from the target surface to ablate the oil film. This finally formed a bifurcating circulation of aluminum vapor against a spherical confinement wall in the front of the plume, which differed from the evolution of the plasma induced from the uncoated aluminum target. The strongest emissions of elements from the oil films can be observed at 2 mm above the target after a detection delay of 1.0 μs. A high temperature zone has been observed in the plasma after the delay of 1.0 μs for the plasma induced from the coated metal. This higher temperature determined in the plasma allows the consideration of the sensitive detection of trace elements in liquids, gels, biological samples, or thin films.
Electric-field driven insulator-metal transition and tunable magnetoresistance in ZnO thin film
Zhang, Le; Chen, Shanshan; Chen, Xiangyang; Ye, Zhizhen; Zhu, Liping
2018-04-01
Electrical control of the multistate phase in semiconductors offers the promise of nonvolatile functionality in the future semiconductor spintronics. Here, by applying an external electric field, we have observed a gate-induced insulator-metal transition (MIT) with the temperature dependence of resistivity in ZnO thin films. Due to a high-density carrier accumulation, we have shown the ability to inverse change magnetoresistance in ZnO by ionic liquid gating from 10% to -2.5%. The evolution of photoluminescence under gate voltage was also consistent with the MIT, which is due to the reduction of dislocation. Our in-situ gate-controlled photoluminescence, insulator-metal transition, and the conversion of magnetoresistance open up opportunities in searching for quantum materials and ZnO based photoelectric devices.
Analytical modelling of a thin liquid metal layer submitted to an ac magnetic field
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hinaje, M [Groupe de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nancy, 2 avenue de la Foret de Haye, 54516 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Vinsard, G [Laboratoire d' Energetique et de Mecanique Theorique et Appliquee, 2 avenue de la Foret de Haye, 54516 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Dufour, S [Laboratoire d' Energetique et de Mecanique Theorique et Appliquee, 2 avenue de la Foret de Haye, 54516 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France)
2006-07-07
A cylindrical thin liquid metal layer is submitted to a uniform ac magnetic field. When the intensity of the electromagnetic field exceeds a critical value, an opening in the liquid is shaped from outside to inside. At a given intensity of the electromagnetic field, this opening is in a frozen state, that is, the liquid metal layer reaches a new equilibrium shape. In this paper, we show that this equilibrium corresponds to a minimum of the total energy of the system. This total energy is equal to the sum of the magnetic energy and the mechanical energy. The magnetic energy is computed by assuming that the induced eddy current flowing through the liquid metal layer is concentrated in the cross-section S{sub c} equal to the product of the skin depth and the thickness of the layer. This assumption leads us to study an equivalent electrical circuit. The mechanical energy is composed of the potential energy and the surface energy.
Analytical modelling of a thin liquid metal layer submitted to an ac magnetic field
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hinaje, M; Vinsard, G; Dufour, S
2006-01-01
A cylindrical thin liquid metal layer is submitted to a uniform ac magnetic field. When the intensity of the electromagnetic field exceeds a critical value, an opening in the liquid is shaped from outside to inside. At a given intensity of the electromagnetic field, this opening is in a frozen state, that is, the liquid metal layer reaches a new equilibrium shape. In this paper, we show that this equilibrium corresponds to a minimum of the total energy of the system. This total energy is equal to the sum of the magnetic energy and the mechanical energy. The magnetic energy is computed by assuming that the induced eddy current flowing through the liquid metal layer is concentrated in the cross-section S c equal to the product of the skin depth and the thickness of the layer. This assumption leads us to study an equivalent electrical circuit. The mechanical energy is composed of the potential energy and the surface energy
Theory of disordered superconductors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wysokinski, K.I.
1991-01-01
The influence of disorder on the superconducting transition temperature is discussed. The main steps on the way to complete theory of disordered superconductors follows the steps in the authors' understanding of disorder and its effect on the quasiparticles in metals. Loosely speaking one can distinguish three such steps. First is the study of weakly disordered systems and this resulted in famous, celebrated Anderson theorem. The second step is ultimately connected with the coherent potential approximation as a method to study the spectrum and transport in concentrated alloys. The discovery of the role of usually neglected interferences between scattered waves in disordered conductors leading to decrease in mobility and increase of the mutual interactions between quantum particles, known as localization and interaction effects has given the new impetus to the theory of superconductivity. This is third step to be discussed in this lecture. The authors limit themselves to homogeneous bulk superconductors. In this paper some experiments on thin films as well as on copper oxides related to the presented theory are briefly mentioned
Fabrication of subwavelength metallic structures by using a metal direct imprinting process
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hsieh, C W; Hsiung, H Y; Lu, Y T; Sung, C K; Wang, W H
2007-01-01
This work employs a metal direct imprinting process, which possesses the characteristics of simplicity, low-cost and high resolution, for the fabrication of subwavelength structures on a metallic thin film. Herein, the mould featuring periodic line structures is manufactured by using E-beam lithography and followed by a dry etching process; meanwhile, the thin film is fabricated by sputtering Al on a silicon substrate. AFM section analyses are employed to measure imprinting depths of the subwavelength metallic structures and it is found that the uniformity of the imprinting depths is affected by the designed patterns, the material property of thin film and mould deformation. The process temperature and the mould filling that influence the transferred quality are investigated. In addition, TEM is also utilized to examine defects in the subwavelength metallic structures. Finally, good quality subwavelength metallic structures are fabricated under a pressure of 300 MPa for 60 s at room temperature. In this study, we have demonstrated that subwavelength metallic structures with a minimum linewidth of less than 100 nm on the Al thin film are successfully constructed by the metal direct imprinting process
Mechanical properties of metal-organic frameworks: An indentation study on epitaxial thin films
Bundschuh, S.; Kraft, O.; Arslan, H. K.; Gliemann, H.; Weidler, P. G.; Wöll, C.
2012-09-01
We have determined the hardness and Young's modulus of a highly porous metal-organic framework (MOF) using a standard nanoindentation technique. Despite the very low density of these films, 1.22 g cm-3, Young's modulus reaches values of almost 10 GPa for HKUST-1, demonstrating that this porous coordination polymer is substantially stiffer than normal polymers. This progress in characterizing mechanical properties of MOFs has been made possible by the use of high quality, oriented thin films grown using liquid phase epitaxy on modified Au substrates.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chen, Kun-Tso; Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Ho, Jeng-Rong; Chen, Chih-Kant; Liu, Sung-Ho; Liao, Jin-Long; Cheng, Hua-Chi
2011-01-01
We report on a laser thermal printing method for transferring patterned metallic thin films on flexible plastic substrates using a pulsed CO 2 laser. Aluminium and silver line patterns, with micrometre scale resolution on poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrates, are shown. The printed electrodes demonstrate good conductivity and fulfil the properties for bottom-contact organic thin-film transistors. In addition to providing the energy for transferring the film, the absorption of laser light results in a rise in the temperature of the film and the substrate. This also further anneals the film and softens the plastic substrate. Consequently, it is possible to obtain a film with better surface morphology and with its film thickness implanted in part into the plastic surface. This implantation reveals excellent characteristics in adhesion and flexure resistance. Being feasible to various substrates and executable at ambient temperatures renders this approach a potential alternative for patterning metallic electrodes.
Epitaxial Oxide Thin Films Grown by Solid Source Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition.
Lu, Zihong
1995-01-01
The conventional liquid source metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique is capable of producing large area, high quality, single crystal semiconductor films. However, the growth of complex oxide films by this method has been hampered by a lack of suitable source materials. While chemists have been actively searching for new source materials, the research work reported here has demonstrated the successful application of solid metal-organic sources (based on tetramethylheptanedionate) to the growth of high quality thin films of binary compound cerium dioxide (CeO_2), and two more complex materials, the ternary compound lithium niobate (LiNbO_3), with two cations, and the quaternary compound strontium barium niobate (SBN), with three cations. The growth of CeO_2 thin films on (1012)Al_2O_3 substrates has been used as a model to study the general growth behavior of oxides. Factors affecting deposition rate, surface morphology, out-of-plane mosaic structure, and film orientation have been carefully investigated. A kinetic model based on gas phase prereaction is proposed to account for the substrate temperature dependence of film orientation found in this system. Atomically smooth, single crystal quality cerium dioxide thin films have been obtained. Superconducting YBCO films sputtered on top of solid source MOCVD grown thin cerium dioxide buffer layers on sapphire have been shown to have physical properties as good as those of YBCO films grown on single crystal MgO substrates. The thin film growth of LiNbO_3 and Sr_{1-x}Ba _{x}Nb_2 O_6 (SBN) was more complex and challenging. Phase purity, transparency, in-plane orientation, and the ferroelectric polarity of LiNbO _3 films grown on sapphire substrates was investigated. The first optical quality, MOCVD grown LiNbO _3 films, having waveguiding losses of less than 2 dB/cm, were prepared. An important aspect of the SBN film growth studies involved finding a suitable single crystal substrate material. Mg
Semiconductor/metal nanocomposites formed by in situ reduction method in multilayer thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Song Yanli; Wang Enbo; Tian Chungui; Mao Baodong; Wang Chunlei
2009-01-01
A layer-by-layer adsorption and in situ reduction method was adopted for synthesizing semiconductor/metal nanocomposites in multilayer ultra-thin films. Alternate adsorption of ZnO nanoparticles modified with poly(ethyleneimine), hydrogentetrachloroaurate and poly(styrenesulfonate) sodium results in the formation of ZnO/AuCl 4 - -loaded multilayer films. In situ reduction of the incorporated metal ions by heating yields ZnO/Au nanocomposites in the films. UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the components of the composite films. UV-vis spectra indicate regular growth of the films. The electrochemistry behavior of the multilayer films was studied in detail on indium tin oxide electrode. The combined results suggest that the layer-by-layer adsorption and subsequent reduction method used here provides an effective way to synthesize ZnO/Au nanocomposites in the polymer matrix
Liquid-metal flow through a thin-walled elbow in a plane perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Walker, J.S.
1986-04-01
This paper presents analytical solutions for the liquid-metal flow through two straight pipes connected by a smooth elbow with the same inside radius. The pipes and the elbow lie in a plane which is perpendicular to a uniform, applied magnetic field. The strength of the magnetic field is assumed to be sufficiently strong that inertial and viscous effects are negligible. This assumption is appropriate for the liquid-lithium flow in the blanket of a magnetic confinement fusion reactor, such as a tokamak. The pipes and the elbow have thin metal walls
Atomic Structure Control of Silica Thin Films on Pt(111)
Crampton, Andrew S; Ridge, Claron J.; Rö tzer, Marian David; Zwaschka, Gregor; Braun, Thomas; D'Elia, Valerio; Basset, Jean-Marie; Schweinberger, Florian Frank; Gü nther, Sebastian; Heiz, Ueli
2015-01-01
Metal oxide thin films grown on metal single crystals are commonly used to model heterogeneous catalyst supports. The structure and properties of thin silicon dioxide films grown on metal single crystals have only recently been thoroughly
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhou, X Y; Jiang, Z D; Wang, H R; Zhu, Q
2006-01-01
In order to determine accurately the intrinsic hardness of the soft metallic thin film on a hard substrate using nanoindentation, a proper methodology irrespective of several important effects the Oliver-Pharr method concerns is described. First, the original analysis data such as the load, P, and contact stiffness, S, as a function of the indentation depth, h, are acquired by means of the continuous stiffness measurement (CSM) technique. By CSM, the complicating effects including indentation creep behaviour of metal materials as well as thermal drift on the measured results are avoided effectively. Then, the hardness of film-only is calculated via a material characteristic parameter, P/S 2 , which is independent of the contact area, A, based on the constant modulus assumption method. In this way, the influences of the substrate contribution and material pile-up behaviour needn't be accounted for. Guided by above ideas, moreover, a 504 nm Au film on the glass substrate system was chosen to study. The results show that the hardness of Au thin film is 1.6±1 GPa, which agree well with the literature. While the composite hardness measured by Oliver-Pharr method is between 2∼3GPa, obviously, which is overestimated. This implies the present methodology is a more accurate and simple way for extracting the true hardness of the soft metallic thin films
Hanle Magnetoresistance in Thin Metal Films with Strong Spin-Orbit Coupling.
Vélez, Saül; Golovach, Vitaly N; Bedoya-Pinto, Amilcar; Isasa, Miren; Sagasta, Edurne; Abadia, Mikel; Rogero, Celia; Hueso, Luis E; Bergeret, F Sebastian; Casanova, Fèlix
2016-01-08
We report measurements of a new type of magnetoresistance in Pt and Ta thin films. The spin accumulation created at the surfaces of the film by the spin Hall effect decreases in a magnetic field because of the Hanle effect, resulting in an increase of the electrical resistance as predicted by Dyakonov [Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 126601 (2007)]. The angular dependence of this magnetoresistance resembles the recently discovered spin Hall magnetoresistance in Pt/Y(3)Fe(5)O(12) bilayers, although the presence of a ferromagnetic insulator is not required. We show that this Hanle magnetoresistance is an alternative simple way to quantitatively study the coupling between charge and spin currents in metals with strong spin-orbit coupling.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Luo, Zhenfei; Zhou, Xun; Yan, Dawei; Wang, Du; Li, Zeyu; Yang, Cunbang; Jiang, Yadong
2014-01-01
Nanocrystalline vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) thin films were grown on glass substrates by using reactive direct current magnetron sputtering and in situ thermal treatments at low preparation temperatures (≤ 350 °C). The VO 2 thin films were characterized by grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The semiconductor-metal transition (SMT) characteristics of the films were investigated by four-point probe resistivity measurements and infrared spectrometer equipped with heating pads. The testing results showed that the crystal structure, morphology, grain size and semiconductor-metal transition temperature (T SMT ) significantly changed as the film thickness decreased. Multilayer structures were observed in the particles of thinner films whose average particle size is much larger than the film thickness and average VO 2 grain size. A competition mechanism between the suppression effect of decreased thickness and coalescence of nanograins was proposed to understand the film growth and the formation of multilayer structure. The value of T SMT was found to decrease as average VO 2 grain size became smaller, and SE results showed that small nanograin size significantly affected the electronic structure of VO 2 film. - Highlights: • Nanocrystalline vanadium dioxide thin films were prepared. • Multilayer structures were observed in the films with large particles. • The transition temperature of the film is correlated with its electronic structure
Zhang, J.; Zeng, L. H.; Hu, C. L.; Yan, W. S.; Pennec, Yan; Hu, N.
2018-03-01
For the elastic SV (transverse) waves in metals, a high-quality narrow passband filter that consists of aligned parallel thin plates with small gaps is designed. In order to obtain a good performance, the thin plates should be constituted by materials with a smaller mass density and Young's modulus, such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), compared to the embedded materials in which the elastic SV waves propagate. Both the theoretical model and the full numerical simulation show that the transmission spectrum of the designed filter demonstrates several peaks with flawless transmission within 0 KHz ˜20 KHz frequency range. The peaks can be readily tuned by manipulating the geometrical parameters of the plates. Therefore, the current design works well for both low and high frequencies with a controllable size. Even for low frequencies on the order of kilohertz, the size of this filter can be still limited to the order of centimeters, which significantly benefits the real applications. The investigation also finds that the same filter is valid when using different metals and the reason behind this is explained theoretically. Additionally, the effect of bonding conditions of interfaces between thin plates and the base material is investigated using a spring model.
Thermal conductivities of thin, sputtered optical films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Henager, C.H. Jr.; Pawlewicz, W.T.
1991-05-01
The normal component of the thin film thermal conductivity has been measured for the first time for several advanced sputtered optical materials. Included are data for single layers of boron nitride (BN), aluminum nitride (AIN), silicon aluminum nitride (Si-Al-N), silicon aluminum oxynitride (Si-Al-O-N), silicon carbide (SiC), and for dielectric-enhanced metal reflectors of the form Al(SiO 2 /Si 3 N 4 ) n and Al(Al 2 O 3 /AIN) n . Sputtered films of more conventional materials like SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Ta 2 O 5 , Ti, and Si have also been measured. The data show that thin film thermal conductivities are typically 10 to 100 times lower than conductivities for the same materials in bulk form. Structural disorder in the amorphous or very fine-grained films appears to account for most of the conductivity difference. Conclusive evidence for a film/substrate interface contribution is presented
A nanohole in a thin metal film as an efficient nonlinear optical element
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Konstantinova, T. V.; Melent’ev, P. N.; Afanas’ev, A. E.; Kuzin, A. A.; Starikov, P. A.; Baturin, A. S.; Tausenev, A. V.; Konyashchenko, A. V.; Balykin, V. I.
2013-01-01
The nonlinear optical properties of single nanoholes and nanoslits fabricated in gold and aluminum nanofilms are studied by third harmonic generation (THG). It is shown that the extremely high third-order optical susceptibility of aluminum and the presence of strong plasmon resonance of a single nanohole in an aluminum film make possible an efficient nanolocalized radiation source at the third harmonic frequency. The THG efficiency for a single nanohole in a thin metal film can be close to unity for an exciting laser radiation intensity on the order of 10 13 W/cm 2
Yoo, S H
1999-01-01
The effects of Ar sup + RF plasma precleaning and polyimide curing conditions on the peel strength between Al thin films and polyimides have been studied. The BPDA-PDA polyimide precursor of PI-2611 (Du pont) was spin-coated and cured under various imidization conditions. The cured polyimide substrates were in-situ AR sup + RF plasma cleaned prior to metal deposition. Al-1 % Si-0.5 % Cu thin films were deposited onto the polyimide substrates by using DC magnetron sputtering. The peel strength was enhanced by Ar sup + RF plasma precleaning. The Al/modified PI specimen failed cohesively in the polyimide. The polyimide curing conditions strongly affect the peel strength in the Al/modified PI system.
Thin-ideal internalization: How much is too much?
Schaefer, Lauren M; Burke, Natasha L; Thompson, J Kevin
2018-03-16
Internalization of the thin-ideal is a risk factor for eating disorders that frequently persists into recovery and increases patient risk for relapse. Addressing thin-ideal internalization as a core element of eating disorder prevention and treatment produces significant reductions in eating pathology. However, research has not yet quantified levels of thin-ideal internalization that may signal increased versus decreased risk for disordered eating. To address this gap in the literature, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify a thin-ideal internalization cutoff score that signified clinically-meaningful eating disorder pathology. 787 college women (age M = 20.17, SD = 2.41; BMI M = 23.58, SD = 5.29) were classified as "healthy" (N = 717) or those with significant disordered eating (N = 70) using established clinical cutoffs for the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire. ROC curve analysis was used to test the performance of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4) Internalization: Thin/Low Body Fat subscale in predicting disordered eating status, and to identify a cutoff score that maximized sensitivity and specificity to discriminate between healthy and disordered eating samples. Mean SATAQ-4 internalization scores were 3.29 (SD = 0.92) and 4.27 (SD = 0.62) for healthy and disordered eating participants, respectively. The SATAQ-4 internalization scores were good predictors of disordered eating status (area under the curve = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.76-0.86). The optimal cutoff of 3.78 (measured on a 1-5 Likert scale) yielded a sensitivity of 0.81 and specificity of 0.64. Overall, results provide preliminary support for the discriminant validity of SATAQ-4 thin internalization scores and suggest that even moderate levels of thin-ideal internalization may be predictive of clinically-significant eating pathology. It may be important for prevention and intervention work to actively seek to reduce
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Shen, Xi; Shigematsu, Kei [Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Chikamatsu, Akira, E-mail: chikamatsu@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Fukumura, Tomoteru [Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Hirose, Yasushi; Hasegawa, Tetsuya [Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan)
2014-08-18
We report the electrical transport properties of ferrimagnetic Mn{sub 4}N (001) epitaxial thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition on MgO (001) substrates. The Mn{sub 4}N thin films were tetragonally distorted with a ratio of out-of-plane to in-plane lattice constants of 0.987 and showed perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with an effective magnetic anisotropy constant of 0.16 MJ/m{sup 3}, which is comparable with that of a recently reported molecular-beam-epitaxy-grown film. The thin films exhibited metallic transport with a room temperature resistivity of 125 μΩ cm in addition to a large anomalous Hall effect with a Hall angle tangent of 0.023.
Heat of solution and site energies of hydrogen in disordered transition-metal alloys
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Brouwer, R.C.; Griessen, R.
1989-01-01
Site energies, long-range effective hydrogen-hydrogen interactions, and the enthalpy of solution in transition-metal alloys are calculated by means of an embedded-cluster model. The energy of a hydrogen atom is assumed to be predominantly determined by the first shell of neighboring metal atoms. The semiempirical local band-structure model is used to calculate the energy of the hydrogen atoms in the cluster, taking into account local deviations from the average lattice constant. The increase in the solubility limit and the weak dependence of the enthalpy of solution on hydrogen concentration in disordered alloys are discussed. Calculated site energies and enthalpies of solution in the alloys are compared with experimental data, and good agreement is found. Due to the strong interactions with the nearest-neighbor metal atoms, hydrogen atoms can be used to determine local lattice separations and the extent of short-range order in ''disordered'' alloys
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Apreutesei, M. [MATEIS Laboratory-INSA de Lyon, Bât. B. Pascal, 7 Avenue Jean Capelle, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Steyer, P., E-mail: philippe.steyer@insa-lyon.fr [MATEIS Laboratory-INSA de Lyon, Bât. B. Pascal, 7 Avenue Jean Capelle, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Joly-Pottuz, L. [MATEIS Laboratory-INSA de Lyon, Bât. B. Pascal, 7 Avenue Jean Capelle, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Billard, A. [LERMPS-UTBM, Site de Montbéliard, 90010 Belfort Cédex (France); Qiao, J.; Cardinal, S. [MATEIS Laboratory-INSA de Lyon, Bât. B. Pascal, 7 Avenue Jean Capelle, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Sanchette, F. [LASMIS-UTT, UMR CNRS 6279, 12 rue Marie Curie, CS 42060, 10004 Troyes Cedex (France); Pelletier, J.M.; Esnouf, C. [MATEIS Laboratory-INSA de Lyon, Bât. B. Pascal, 7 Avenue Jean Capelle, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France)
2014-06-30
Bulk metallic glasses have attracted considerable attention over the last decades for their outstanding mechanical features (high strength, super-elasticity) and physico-chemical properties (corrosion resistance). Recently, some attempts to assign such original behavior from bulk materials to modified surfaces have been reported in the literature based on multicomponent alloys. In this paper we focused on the opportunity to form a metallic glass coating from the binary Zr–Cu system using a magnetron co-sputtering physical vapor deposition process. The composition of the films can be easily controlled by the relative intensities applied to both pure targets, which made possible the study of the whole Zr–Cu system (from 13.4 to 85.0 at.% Cu). The chemical composition of the films was obtained by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and their microstructure was characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The thermal stability of the films was deduced from an in situ X-ray diffraction analysis (from room temperature up to 600 °C) and correlated with the results of the differential scanning calorimetry technique. Their mechanical properties were determined by nanoindentation experiments. - Highlights: • We reported deposition of Zr-Cu thin film metallic glasses by co-sputtering • Films were XRD-amorphous in a wide composition range (33.3 – 85.0 at.% Cu) • Microstructure investigation revealed some local nanodomains • We examined the thermal stability by means of in situ X-ray diffraction • Nanoindentation was used to obtained mechanical properties of thin films.
Mishra, Vindhya
Directed self-assembly of thin film block copolymers offer a high throughput-low cost route to produce next generation lithographic devices, if one can bring the defect densities in the self assembled patterns below tolerance limits. However, the ability to control the nanoscale structure or morphology in thin film block copolymers presents challenges due to confinement effects on equilibrium behavior. Using structure characterization techniques such as grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), transmission electron and atomic force microscopy as well as self-consistent field theory, we have investigated how film thickness, annealing temperature and block copolymer structure affects the equilibrium behavior of asymmetric block copolymer films. Our studies have revealed the complicated dependence of order-disorder transitions, order-order transitions and symmetry transitions on film thickness. We found that the thickness dependent transition in the packing symmetry of spherical morphology diblock copolymers can be suppressed by blending with a small amount of majority block homopolymer, which allowed us to resolve the driving force behind this transition. Defect densities in, and the order-disorder transition temperature of, thin films of graphoepitaxially aligned diblock copolymer cylinders showed surprising sensitivity to the microdomain spacing. Methods to mitigate defect formation in thin films have been identified. The challenge of quantification of structural order in these systems was overcome using GISAXS, which allowed us to study the phenomena of disordering in two and three dimensions. Through studies on block copolymers which exhibit an order-order transition in bulk, we found that that subtle differences in the packing frustration of the spherical and cylindrical phases as well as the higher configurational entropy of free chain ends at the surface can drive the equilibrium configuration in thin films away from the stable bulk structure
Tabatadze, T; Zhorzholiani, L; Kherkheulidze, M; Kandelaki, E; Ivanashvili, T
2015-11-01
Our study aims evaluation of level of essential trace elements and heavy metals in the hair samples of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and identification of changes that are associated with autistic spectrum disorders. Case-control study was conducted at Child Development Center of Iashvili Children's Central Hospital (LD).We studied 60 children aged from 4 to 5 years old. The concentrations of 28 elements among (Ca,Zn, K, Fe, Cu, Se, Mn, Cr, S, Br, Cl, Co, Ag, V, Ni, Rb, Mo, Sr, Ti, Ba, Pb, As, Hg, Cd, Sb, Zr, Sn, Bi) them trace elements and toxic metals) were determined in scalp hair samples of children (n=30) with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and from control group of healthy children (n=30) with matched sex and age. Micro-elemental status was detected in the hair, with roentgen-fluorescence spectrometer method (Method MBИ 081/12-4502-000, Apparatus ALVAX- CIP, USA - UKRAIN) .To achieve the similarity of study and control groups, pre and postnatal as well as family and social history were assessed and similar groups were selected. Children with genetic problems, malnourished children, children from families with social problems were excluded from the study. The diagnosis of ASD were performed by pediatrician and psychologist (using M-CHAT and ADOS) according to DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders from the American Psychiatric association) criteria. The study was statistically analyzed using computer program SPSS 19. Deficiencies of essential trace microelements revealed in both group, but there was significant difference between control and studied groups. The most deficient element was zinc (92% in target and 20% in control), then - manganese (55% and 8%) and selenium (38% and 4%). In case of cooper study revealed excess concentration of this element only in target group in 50% of cases. The contaminations to heavy metals were detected in case of lead (78% and 16), mercury (43% and 10%) and cadmium (38% and 8%). The
Hida, Hirotaka; Hamamura, Tomohiro; Nishi, Takahito; Tan, Goon; Umegaki, Toshihito; Kanno, Isaku
2017-10-01
We fabricated the piezoelectric bimorphs composed of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films on metal foil substrates. To efficiently inexpensively manufacture piezoelectric bimorphs with high flexibility, 1.2-µm-thick PZT thin films were directly deposited on both surfaces of 10- and 20-µm-thick bare stainless-steel (SS) foil substrates by dip coating with a sol-gel solution. We confirmed that the PZT thin films deposited on the SS foil substrates at 500 °C or above have polycrystalline perovskite structures and the measured relative dielectric constant and dielectric loss were 323-420 and 0.12-0.17, respectively. The PZT bimorphs were demonstrated by comparing the displacements of the cantilever specimens driven by single- and double-side PZT thin films on the SS foil substrates under the same applied voltage. We characterized the piezoelectric properties of the PZT bimorphs and the calculated their piezoelectric coefficient |e 31,f| to be 0.3-0.7 C/m2.
Cazalini, Elisa M; Miyakawa, Walter; Teodoro, Guilherme R; Sobrinho, Argemiro S S; Matieli, José E; Massi, Marcos; Koga-Ito, Cristiane Y
2017-06-01
A promising strategy to reduce nosocomial infections related to prosthetic meshes is the prevention of microbial colonization. To this aim, prosthetic meshes coated with antimicrobial thin films are proposed. Commercial polypropylene meshes were coated with metal-containing diamond-like carbon (Me-DLC) thin films by the magnetron sputtering technique. Several dissimilar metals (silver, cobalt, indium, tungsten, tin, aluminum, chromium, zinc, manganese, tantalum, and titanium) were tested and compositional analyses of each Me-DLC were performed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Antimicrobial activities of the films against five microbial species (Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis) were also investigated by a modified Kirby-Bauer test. Results showed that films containing silver and cobalt have inhibited the growth of all microbial species. Tungsten-DLC, tin-DLC, aluminum-DLC, zinc-DLC, manganese-DLC, and tantalum-DLC inhibited the growth of some strains, while chromium- and titanium-DLC weakly inhibited the growth of only one tested strain. In-DLC film showed no antimicrobial activity. The effects of tungsten-DLC and cobalt-DLC on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation were also assessed. Tungsten-DLC was able to significantly reduce biofilm formation. Overall, the experimental results in the present study have shown new approaches to coating polymeric biomaterials aiming antimicrobial effect.
Duan, Xidong; Wang, Chen; Pan, Anlian; Yu, Ruqin; Duan, Xiangfeng
2015-12-21
The discovery of graphene has ignited intensive interest in two-dimensional layered materials (2DLMs). These 2DLMs represent a new class of nearly ideal 2D material systems for exploring fundamental chemistry and physics at the limit of single-atom thickness, and have the potential to open up totally new technological opportunities beyond the reach of existing materials. In general, there are a wide range of 2DLMs in which the atomic layers are weakly bonded together by van der Waals interactions and can be isolated into single or few-layer nanosheets. The van der Waals interactions between neighboring atomic layers could allow much more flexible integration of distinct materials to nearly arbitrarily combine and control different properties at the atomic scale. The transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) (e.g., MoS2, WSe2) represent a large family of layered materials, many of which exhibit tunable band gaps that can undergo a transition from an indirect band gap in bulk crystals to a direct band gap in monolayer nanosheets. These 2D-TMDs have thus emerged as an exciting class of atomically thin semiconductors for a new generation of electronic and optoelectronic devices. Recent studies have shown exciting potential of these atomically thin semiconductors, including the demonstration of atomically thin transistors, a new design of vertical transistors, as well as new types of optoelectronic devices such as tunable photovoltaic devices and light emitting devices. In parallel, there have also been considerable efforts in developing diverse synthetic approaches for the rational growth of various forms of 2D materials with precisely controlled chemical composition, physical dimension, and heterostructure interface. Here we review the recent efforts, progress, opportunities and challenges in exploring the layered TMDs as a new class of atomically thin semiconductors.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Karina Franco Paredes
2011-09-01
Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to assess if perfectionism components explained body dissatisfaction (BD, sociocultural influences of aesthetic model (SIAM and symptoms of eating disorders (ED. The sample comprised 30 women with Bulimia Nervosa (BN, 35 women with Eating Disorder not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS and 63 women without ED. A regression analysis showed that concern over mistakes (CM and doubt about actions explained BD and SIAM in the BN sample; while concern over mistakes only explained SIAM in the EDNOS sample. These findings evidence that two perfectionism components contribute to vulnerability of thinness ideal and BD among women, which constitute two important risk factors for ED.
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Kment, Štěpán; Kmentová, Hana; Hubička, Zdeněk; Klusoň, Jan; Krýsa, J.; Církva, Vladimír; Gregora, Ivan; Šolcová, Olga; Jastrabík, Lubomír
2010-01-01
Roč. 348, č. 1 (2010), s. 198-205 ISSN 0021-9797 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/08/1009; GA AV ČR KAN301370701; GA AV ČR KAN400720701 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100522; CEZ:AV0Z40720504 Keywords : sol-gel * thin layers * metal doped TiO 2 * IPCE * photocurrent * photocatalysis Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.068, year: 2010
Reliability of vibration energy harvesters of metal-based PZT thin films
Tsujiura, Y.; Suwa, E.; Kurokawa, F.; Hida, H.; Kanno, I.
2014-11-01
This paper describes the reliability of piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters (PVEHs) of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films on metal foil cantilevers. The PZT thin films were directly deposited onto the Pt-coated stainless-steel (SS430) cantilevers by rf-magnetron sputtering, and we observed their aging behavior of power generation characteristics under the resonance vibration condition for three days. During the aging measurement, there was neither fatigue failure nor degradation of dielectric properties in our PVEHs (length: 13 mm, width: 5.0 mm, thickness: 104 μm) even under a large excitation acceleration of 25 m/s2. However, we observed clear degradation of the generated electric voltage depending on excitation acceleration. The decay rate of the output voltage was 5% from the start of the measurement at 25 m/s2. The transverse piezoelectric coefficient (e31,f) also degraded with almost the same decay rate as that of the output voltage; this indicates that the degradation of output voltage was mainly caused by that of piezoelectric properties. From the decay curves, the output powers are estimated to degrade 7% at 15 m/s2 and 36% at 25 m/s2 if we continue to excite the PVEHs for 30 years.
Reliability of vibration energy harvesters of metal-based PZT thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tsujiura, Y; Suwa, E; Kurokawa, F; Hida, H; Kanno, I
2014-01-01
This paper describes the reliability of piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters (PVEHs) of Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 (PZT) thin films on metal foil cantilevers. The PZT thin films were directly deposited onto the Pt-coated stainless-steel (SS430) cantilevers by rf-magnetron sputtering, and we observed their aging behavior of power generation characteristics under the resonance vibration condition for three days. During the aging measurement, there was neither fatigue failure nor degradation of dielectric properties in our PVEHs (length: 13 mm, width: 5.0 mm, thickness: 104 μm) even under a large excitation acceleration of 25 m/s 2 . However, we observed clear degradation of the generated electric voltage depending on excitation acceleration. The decay rate of the output voltage was 5% from the start of the measurement at 25 m/s 2 . The transverse piezoelectric coefficient (e 31,f ) also degraded with almost the same decay rate as that of the output voltage; this indicates that the degradation of output voltage was mainly caused by that of piezoelectric properties. From the decay curves, the output powers are estimated to degrade 7% at 15 m/s 2 and 36% at 25 m/s 2 if we continue to excite the PVEHs for 30 years
Development of thin film oxygen transport membranes on metallic supports
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Xing, Ye
2012-04-25
Asymmetric membrane structure has an attractive potential in the application of O{sub 2}/N{sub 2} gas separation membrane for the future membrane-based fossil fuel power plant using oxyfuel technology, which will reduce the carbon dioxide emission. The aim of this study is the development of a metal supported multi-layer membrane structure with a thin film top membrane layer and porous ceramic interlayers. Four perovskite materials were studied as candidate membrane materials. Material properties of these perovskite materials were investigated and compared. La{sub 0.58}Sr{sub 0.4}Co{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.8}O{sub 3-{delta}} (LSCF58428) showed sufficient oxygen permeability, an acceptable thermal expansion coefficient and a moderate sintering temperature. Alternatively, Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 3-{delta}} (BSCF5582) is considered obtaining very high oxygen permeability but a higher thermal expansion and a lower thermal stability than LSCF58428. Four different Ni-based alloys were studied as candidate substrate materials in the asymmetric membrane structure. The chromia-scale alloys (Hastelloy X, Inconel 600 and Haynes 214) caused Cr poisoning of the membrane layer material LSCF58428 during high-temperature co-firing in air. NiCoCrAlY with a high Al content (12.7 wt%) was found to be the most promising substrate material. It showed a good chemical compatibility with perovskite materials at high temperatures. In order to bridge the highly porous substrate and the thin top membrane layer interlayers were developed. Two interlayers were coated by screen printing on the porous NiCoCrAlY substrate which was sintered at 1225 C in flowing H{sub 2} atmosphere. Screen printing pastes were optimized by investigating various solvent and binder combinations and various ceramic powder contents. The first interlayer significantly improved the surface quality and the surface pore size has been reduced from 30-50{mu}m on the substrate to few {mu}m on the first
Chiadini, Francesco; Fiumara, Vincenzo; Scaglione, Antonio; Lakhtakia, Akhlesh
2017-10-01
Surface-plasmon-polariton waves can be compounded when a sufficiently thin metal layer is sandwiched between two half spaces filled with dissimilar periodically nonhomogeneous dielectric materials. We solved the boundary-value problem for compound waves guided by a layer of a homogeneous and isotropic metal sandwiched between a structurally chiral material (SCM) and a periodically multilayered isotropic dielectric (PMLID) material. We found that the periodicities of the PMLID material and the SCM are crucial to excite a multiplicity of compound guided waves arising from strong coupling between the two interfaces.
The impact of exposure to the thin-ideal media image on women.
Hawkins, Nicole; Richards, P Scott; Granley, H Mac; Stein, David M
2004-01-01
The purpose of this study was to experimentally examine the effects of exposure to the thin-ideal body image on women's affect, self-esteem, body satisfaction, eating disorder symptoms, and level of internalization of the thin-ideal. College women (N=145) were randomly exposed to photographs from popular magazines containing either thin-ideal images or neutral images. Exposure to thin-ideal magazine images increased body dissatisfaction, negative mood states, and eating disorder symptoms and decreased self-esteem, although it did not cause more internalization of the thin-ideal. Exposure to thin-ideal media images may contribute to the development of eating disorders by causing body dissatisfaction, negative moods, low self-esteem, and eating disorders symptoms among women.
Thermal diffusivity of a metallic thin layer using the time-domain thermo reflectance technique
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Battaglia, J-L; Kusiak, A; Rossignol, C; Chigarev, N
2007-01-01
The time domain thermo reflectance (TDTR) is widely used in the field of acoustic and thermal characterization of thin layers at the nano and micro scale. In this paper, we propose to derive a simple analytical expression of the thermal diffusivity of the layer. This relation is based on the analytical solution of one-dimensional heat transfer in the medium using integral transforms. For metals, the two-temperature model shows that the capacitance effect at the short times is essentially governed by the electronic contribution
Aslam, Umar; Linic, Suljo
2017-12-13
Bimetallic nanoparticles in which a metal is coated with an ultrathin (∼1 nm) layer of a second metal are often desired for their unique chemical and physical properties. Current synthesis methods for producing such core-shell nanostructures often require incremental addition of a shell metal precursor which is rapidly reduced onto metal cores. A major shortcoming of this approach is that it necessitates precise concentrations of chemical reagents, making it difficult to perform at large scales. To address this issue, we considered an approach whereby the reduction of the shell metal precursor was controlled through in situ chemical modification of the precursor. We used this approach to develop a highly scalable synthesis for coating atomic layers of Pt onto Ag nanocubes. We show that Ag-Pt core-shell nanostructures are synthesized in high yields and that these structures effectively combine the optical properties of the plasmonic Ag nanocube core with the surface properties of the thin Pt shell. Additionally, we demonstrate the scalability of the synthesis by performing a 10 times scale-up.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Luo, Zhenfei, E-mail: zhfluo8@yahoo.com [Terahertz Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Zhou, Xun, E-mail: zx_zky@yahoo.com [Terahertz Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Yan, Dawei [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Wang, Du; Li, Zeyu [Terahertz Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Yang, Cunbang [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang Sichuan 621900 (China); Jiang, Yadong [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China)
2014-01-01
Nanocrystalline vanadium dioxide (VO{sub 2}) thin films were grown on glass substrates by using reactive direct current magnetron sputtering and in situ thermal treatments at low preparation temperatures (≤ 350 °C). The VO{sub 2} thin films were characterized by grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The semiconductor-metal transition (SMT) characteristics of the films were investigated by four-point probe resistivity measurements and infrared spectrometer equipped with heating pads. The testing results showed that the crystal structure, morphology, grain size and semiconductor-metal transition temperature (T{sub SMT}) significantly changed as the film thickness decreased. Multilayer structures were observed in the particles of thinner films whose average particle size is much larger than the film thickness and average VO{sub 2} grain size. A competition mechanism between the suppression effect of decreased thickness and coalescence of nanograins was proposed to understand the film growth and the formation of multilayer structure. The value of T{sub SMT} was found to decrease as average VO{sub 2} grain size became smaller, and SE results showed that small nanograin size significantly affected the electronic structure of VO{sub 2} film. - Highlights: • Nanocrystalline vanadium dioxide thin films were prepared. • Multilayer structures were observed in the films with large particles. • The transition temperature of the film is correlated with its electronic structure.
Narula, Manmeet Singh
Innovative concepts using fast flowing thin films of liquid metals (like lithium) have been proposed for the protection of the divertor surface in magnetic fusion devices. However, concerns exist about the possibility of establishing the required flow of liquid metal thin films because of the presence of strong magnetic fields which can cause flow disrupting MHD effects. A plan is underway to design liquid lithium based divertor protection concepts for NSTX, a small spherical torus experiment at Princeton. Of these, a promising concept is the use of modularized fast flowing liquid lithium film zones, as the divertor (called the NSTX liquid surface module concept or NSTX LSM). The dynamic response of the liquid metal film flow in a spatially varying magnetic field configuration is still unknown and it is suspected that some unpredicted effects might be lurking. The primary goal of the research work being reported in this dissertation is to provide qualitative and quantitative information on the liquid metal film flow dynamics under spatially varying magnetic field conditions, typical of the divertor region of a magnetic fusion device. The liquid metal film flow dynamics have been studied through a synergic experimental and numerical modeling effort. The Magneto Thermofluid Omnibus Research (MTOR) facility at UCLA has been used to design several experiments to study the MHD interaction of liquid gallium films under a scaled NSTX outboard divertor magnetic field environment. A 3D multi-material, free surface MHD modeling capability is under development in collaboration with HyPerComp Inc., an SBIR vendor. This numerical code called HIMAG provides a unique capability to model the equations of incompressible MHD with a free surface. Some parts of this modeling capability have been developed in this research work, in the form of subroutines for HIMAG. Extensive code debugging and benchmarking exercise has also been carried out. Finally, HIMAG has been used to study the
Thomas, P
2009-01-01
Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT) is a quantitative, passive monitoring technique that can be used to measure concentrations of trace species in situ in solutions. Its potential for tracing metals pollution in the sewer system has been investigated by placing the DGT devices into sewage pumping stations and into manholes, to measure the concentration of certain metals in the catchment of a sewage treatment works with a known metals problem. In addition the methodology and procedure of using the DGT technique in sewers was investigated. Parameters such as temperature and pH were measured to ensure they were within the limits required by the DGT devices, and the optimum deployment time was examined. It was found that although the results given by the DGT technique could not be considered to be fully quantitative, they could be used to identify locations that were showing an excess concentration of metals, and hence trace pollution back to its source. The DGT technique is 'user friendly' and requires no complicated equipment for deployment or collection, and minimal training for use. It is thought that this is the first time that the DGT technique has been used in situ in sewers for metals pollution tracing.
Nanocomposite metal amorphous-carbon thin films deposited by hybrid PVD and PECVD technique.
Teixeira, V; Soares, P; Martins, A J; Carneiro, J; Cerqueira, F
2009-07-01
Carbon based films can combine the properties of solid lubricating graphite structure and hard diamond crystal structure, i.e., high hardness, chemical inertness, high thermal conductivity and optical transparency without the crystalline structure of diamond. Issues of fundamental importance associated with nanocarbon coatings are reducing stress, improving adhesion and compatibility with substrates. In this work new nanocomposite coatings with improved toughness based in nanocrystalline phases of metals and ceramics embedded in amorphous carbon matrix are being developed within the frame of a research project: nc-MeNxCy/a-C(Me) with Me = Mo, Si, Al, Ti, etc. Carbide forming metal/carbon (Me/C) composite films with Me = Mo, W or Ti possess appropriate properties to overcome the limitation of pure DLC films. These novel coating architectures will be adopted with the objective to decrease residual stress, improve adherence and fracture toughness, obtain low friction coefficient and high wear-resistance. Nanocomposite DLC's films were deposited by hybrid technique using a PVD-Physically Vapor Deposition (magnetron sputtering) and Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD), by the use of CH4 gas. The parameters varied were: deposition time, substrate temperature (180 degrees C) and dopant (Si + Mo) of the amorphous carbon matrix. All the depositions were made on silicon wafers and steel substrates precoated with a silicon inter-layer. The characterisation of the film's physico-mechanical properties will be presented in order to understand the influence of the deposition parameters and metal content used within the a-C matrix in the thin film properties. Film microstructure and film hybridization state was characterized by Raman Spectroscopy. In order to characterize morphology SEM and AFM will be used. Film composition was measured by Energy-Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) and by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The contact angle for the produced DLC's on
Ahern, Amy L; Bennett, Kate M; Hetherington, Marion M
2008-01-01
This study examined whether young women who make implicit associations between underweight models and positive attributes report elevated eating disorder symptoms. Ninety nine female undergraduates completed a weight based implicit association test (IAT) and self report measures of body dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization and eating disorder symptoms. IAT scores were associated with drive for thinness (r = -0.26, p fashion and being attractive. The IAT used in the current study is sensitive enough to discriminate between participants on drive for thinness. Women who have developed cognitive schemas that associate being underweight with positive attributes report higher eating disorder symptoms. Attitude importance is highlighted as a key construct in thin ideal internalization.
Thin Film Photovoltaic/Thermal Solar Panels
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
David JOHNSTON
2008-01-01
A solar panel is described.in which thin films of semiconductor are deposited onto a metal substrate.The semiconductor-metal combination forms a thin film photovoltaic cell,and also acts as a reflector,absorber tandem, which acts as a solar selective surface,thus enhancing the solar thermal performance of the collector plate.The use of thin films reduces the distance heat is required to flow from the absorbing surface to the metal plate and heat exchange conduits.Computer modelling demonstrated that,by suitable choice of materials,photovohaic efficiency call be maintained,with thermal performance slishtly reduced,compared to that for thermal-only panels.By grading the absorber layer-to reduce the band gap in the lower region-the thermal performance can be improved,approaching that for a thermal-only solar panel.
A nanohole in a thin metal film as an efficient nonlinear optical element
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Konstantinova, T. V.; Melent' ev, P. N.; Afanas' ev, A. E. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Spectroscopy (Russian Federation); Kuzin, A. A.; Starikov, P. A.; Baturin, A. S. [Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (Russian Federation); Tausenev, A. V.; Konyashchenko, A. V. [OOO Avesta-proekt (Russian Federation); Balykin, V. I., E-mail: balykin@isan.tyroitsk.ru [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Spectroscopy (Russian Federation)
2013-07-15
The nonlinear optical properties of single nanoholes and nanoslits fabricated in gold and aluminum nanofilms are studied by third harmonic generation (THG). It is shown that the extremely high third-order optical susceptibility of aluminum and the presence of strong plasmon resonance of a single nanohole in an aluminum film make possible an efficient nanolocalized radiation source at the third harmonic frequency. The THG efficiency for a single nanohole in a thin metal film can be close to unity for an exciting laser radiation intensity on the order of 10{sup 13} W/cm{sup 2}.
Optical nonlinearities of excitonic states in atomically thin 2D transition metal dichalcogenides
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Soh, Daniel Beom Soo [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States). Proliferation Signatures Discovery and Exploitation Department
2017-08-01
We calculated the optical nonlinearities of the atomically thin monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide material (particularly MoS2), particularly for those linear and nonlinear transition processes that utilize the bound exciton states. We adopted the bound and the unbound exciton states as the basis for the Hilbert space, and derived all the dynamical density matrices that provides the induced current density, from which the nonlinear susceptibilities can be drawn order-by-order via perturbative calculations. We provide the nonlinear susceptibilities for the linear, the second-harmonic, the third-harmonic, and the kerr-type two-photon processes.
Flux-quantization effects in disordered normal metal rings and superconducting networks
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li, Qiming.
1989-01-01
The effects of the magnetic flux on the properties of disordered normal metal rings and bond or site diluted two-dimensional superconducting networks are investigated theoretically, with an emphasis on the quantum coherence of the electrons and the localization nature in the disordered systems. The conductance of disordered metal rings in magnetic field is obtained via the Landauer's formula through calculations of the localization length L c . The important role of the ensemble averaging and the self-averaging to obtain the half-flux-quantum h/2e conductance oscillation is demonstrated unambiguously in both rings of a strictly one-dimensional geometry and rings with a finite width. The amplitude of the localization length oscillation is found to follow a universal relation for all the numerical data: Δ(L c /L) = α(L c /L) 2 . L is the radius of the ring. The expected universal conductance fluctuations are observed for L c /L ∼ 1. For L c > L, much larger oscillation amplitudes are obtained. In the case of two-dimensional site or bond percolation superconducting networks, the nature of the eigenstates and the effects on the superconducting-to-normal phase boundary is examined by finite-size transfer matrix calculations within the mean-field Ginzburg-Landau theory of second order phase transitions
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
J. Zhang
2018-03-01
Full Text Available For the elastic SV (transverse waves in metals, a high-quality narrow passband filter that consists of aligned parallel thin plates with small gaps is designed. In order to obtain a good performance, the thin plates should be constituted by materials with a smaller mass density and Young’s modulus, such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, compared to the embedded materials in which the elastic SV waves propagate. Both the theoretical model and the full numerical simulation show that the transmission spectrum of the designed filter demonstrates several peaks with flawless transmission within 0 KHz ∼20 KHz frequency range. The peaks can be readily tuned by manipulating the geometrical parameters of the plates. Therefore, the current design works well for both low and high frequencies with a controllable size. Even for low frequencies on the order of kilohertz, the size of this filter can be still limited to the order of centimeters, which significantly benefits the real applications. The investigation also finds that the same filter is valid when using different metals and the reason behind this is explained theoretically. Additionally, the effect of bonding conditions of interfaces between thin plates and the base material is investigated using a spring model.
Directed Self-Assembly of Diblock Copolymer Thin Films on Prepatterned Metal Nanoarrays.
Chang, Tongxin; Huang, Haiying; He, Tianbai
2016-01-01
The sequential layer by layer self-assembly of block copolymer (BCP) nanopatterns is an effective approach to construct 3D nanostructures. Here large-scale highly ordered metal nano-arrays prepared from solvent annealed thin films of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) diblock copolymer are used to direct the assembly of the same BCP. The influence of initial loading concentration of metal precursor, the type of metal nanoparticle (gold, platinum, and silver), and the nanoparticle-substrate interaction on the directed assembly behavior of the upper BCP layer have been focused. It is found that the upper BCP film can be completely directed by the gold nanoarray with P2VP domain exclusively located between two adjacent gold nanowires or nanodots, which behaves the same way as on the platinum nanoarray. While the silver nanoarray can be destroyed during the upper BCP self-assembly with the silver nanoparticles assembled into the P2VP domain. Based on the discussions of the surface energy of nanoparticles and the interplay between nanoparticle-substrate interaction and nanoparticle-polymer interaction, it is concluded that the effect of immobilization of nanoparticles on the substrate, together with entropy effect to minimize the energetically unfavorable chain stretching contributes to the most effective alignment between each layer. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Mandemaker, Laurens D B; Filez, Matthias; Delen, Guusje; Tan, Huanshu; Zhang, Xuehua; Lohse, Detlef; Weckhuysen, Bert M
2018-04-19
Metal-organic framework (MOF) thin films show unmatched promise as smart membranes and photocatalytic coatings. However, their nucleation and growth resulting from intricate molecular assembly processes are not well understood yet are crucial to control the thin film properties. Here, we directly observe the nucleation and growth behavior of HKUST-1 thin films by real-time in situ AFM at different temperatures in a Cu-BTC solution. In combination with ex situ infrared (nano)spectroscopy, synthesis at 25 °C reveals initial nucleation of rapidly growing HKUST-1 islands surrounded by a continuously nucleating but slowly growing HKUST-1 carpet. Monitoring at 13 and 50 °C shows the strong impact of temperature on thin film formation, resulting in (partial) nucleation and growth inhibition. The nucleation and growth mechanisms as well as their kinetics provide insights to aid in future rational design of MOF thin films.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhang, L.
1981-08-01
A method based on the tight-binding approximation is developed to calculate the electron-phonon matrix element for the disordered transition metals. With the method as a basis the experimental Tsub(c) data of the amorphous transition metal superconductors are re-analysed. Some comments on the superconductivity of the disordered materials are given
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hartmaier, Alexander; Buehler, Markus J.; Gao, Huajian
2005-01-01
The time-dependent irreversible deformation of polycrystalline thin metal films on substrates is investigated using two-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics models incorporating essential parameters determined from atomistic studies. The work is focused on the mechanical properties of uncapped films, where diffusive processes play an important role. The simulations incorporate dislocation climb along the grain boundary as well as conservative glide. Despite of severe limitations of the two-dimensional dislocation models, the simulation results are found to largely corroborate experimental findings on different dominant deformation mechanisms at different film thicknesses
Pulsed injection metal organic chemical vapour deposition and characterisation of thin CaO films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Borges, R.P.; Ferreira, P.; Saraiva, A.; Goncalves, R.; Rosa, M.A.; Goncalves, A.P.; Silva, R.C. da; Magalhaes, S.; Lourenco, M.J.V.; Santos, F.J.V.; Godinho, M.
2009-01-01
Thin films of CaO were grown on silicon (Si) and lanthanum aluminate (LaAlO 3 ) substrates by pulsed injection metal-organic chemical vapour deposition in a vertical injection MOCVD system. Growth parameters were systematically varied to study their effect on film growth and quality and to determine the optimal growth conditions for this material. Film quality and growth rate were evaluated by atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy measurements. Optimised conditions allowed growing transparent, single phase films textured along the (0 0 l) direction.
Improved conductivity of infinite-layer LaNiO2 thin films by metal organic decomposition
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ikeda, Ai; Manabe, Takaaki; Naito, Michio
2013-01-01
Highlights: •LaNiO 2 films were synthesized by metal organic decomposition and topotactic reduction. •Room-temperature resistivity as low as 0.6 mΩ cm was achieved for infinite-layer LaNiO 2 . •Lattice matched substrates are important in obtaining high conductivity. -- Abstract: Infinite-layer LaNiO 2 thin films were synthesized by metal organic decomposition and subsequent topotactic reduction in hydrogen, and their transport properties were investigated. LaNiO 2 is isostructural to SrCuO 2 , the parent compound of high-T c Sr 0.9 La 0.1 CuO 2 with T c = 44 K, and has 3d 9 configuration, which is very rare in oxides but common to high-T c copper oxides. The bulk synthesis of LaNiO 2 is not easy, but we demonstrate in this article that the thin-film synthesis of LaNiO 2 is rather easy, thanks to a large-surface-to-volume ratio, which makes oxygen diffusion prompt. Our refined synthesis conditions produced highly conducting films of LaNiO 2 . The resistivity of the best film is as low as 640 μΩ cm at 295 K and decreases with temperature down to 230 K but it shows a gradual upturn at lower temperatures
Resistivity scaling due to electron surface scattering in thin metal layers
Zhou, Tianji; Gall, Daniel
2018-04-01
The effect of electron surface scattering on the thickness-dependent electrical resistivity ρ of thin metal layers is investigated using nonequilibrium Green's function density functional transport simulations. Cu(001) thin films with thickness d =1 -2 nm are used as a model system, employing a random one-monolayer-high surface roughness and frozen phonons to cause surface and bulk scattering, respectively. The zero-temperature resistivity increases from 9.7 ±1.0 μ Ω cm at d =1.99 nm to 18.7 ±2.6 μ Ω cm at d =0.9 0 nm, contradicting the asymptotic T =0 prediction from the classical Fuchs-Sondheimer model. At T =9 00 K, ρ =5.8 ±0.1 μ Ω cm for bulk Cu and ρ =13.4 ±1.1 and 22.5 ±2.4 μ Ω cm for layers with d =1.99 and 0.90 nm, respectively, indicating an approximately additive phonon contribution which, however, is smaller than for bulk Cu or atomically smooth layers. The overall data indicate that the resistivity contribution from surface scattering is temperature-independent and proportional to 1 /d , suggesting that it can be described using a surface-scattering mean-free path λs for 2D transport which is channel-independent and proportional to d . Data fitting indicates λs=4 ×d for the particular simulated Cu(001) surfaces with a one-monolayer-high surface roughness. The 1 /d dependence deviates considerably from previous 1 /d2 predictions from quantum models, indicating that the small-roughness approximation in these models is not applicable to very thin (<2 nm) layers, where the surface roughness is a considerable fraction of d .
Alkali metal-refractory metal biphase electrode for AMTEC
Williams, Roger M. (Inventor); Bankston, Clyde P. (Inventor); Cole, Terry (Inventor); Khanna, Satish K. (Inventor); Jeffries-Nakamura, Barbara (Inventor); Wheeler, Bob L. (Inventor)
1989-01-01
An electrode having increased output with slower degradation is formed of a film applied to a beta-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE). The film comprises a refractory first metal M.sup.1 such as a platinum group metal, suitably platinum or rhodium, capable of forming a liquid or a strong surface adsorption phase with sodium at the operating temperature of an alkali metal thermoelectric converter (AMTEC) and a second refractory metal insoluble in sodium or the NaM.sup.1 liquid phase such as a Group IVB, VB or VIB metal, suitably tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum or niobium. The liquid phase or surface film provides fast transport through the electrode while the insoluble refractory metal provides a structural matrix for the electrode during operation. A trilayer structure that is stable and not subject to deadhesion comprises a first, thin layer of tungsten, an intermediate co-deposited layer of tungsten-platinum and a thin surface layer of platinum.
Hihath, Sahar; Santala, Melissa K.; Cen, Xi; Campbell, Geoffrey; van Benthem, Klaus
2016-03-01
Obliteration of matter by pulsed laser beams is not only prevalent in science fiction movies, but finds numerous technological applications ranging from additive manufacturing over machining of micro- and nanostructured features to health care. Pulse lengths ranging from femtoseconds to nanoseconds are utilized at varying laser beam energies and pulse lengths, and enable the removal of nanometric volumes of material. While the mechanisms for removal of material by laser irradiation, i.e., laser ablation, are well understood on the micrometer length scale, it was previously impossible to directly observe obliteration processes on smaller scales due to experimental limitations for the combination of nanometer spatial and nanosecond temporal resolution. Here, we report the direct observation of metal thin film ablation from a solid substrate through dynamic transmission electron microscopy. Quantitative analysis reveals liquid-phase dewetting of the thin-film, followed by hydrodynamic sputtering of nano- to submicron sized metal droplets. We discovered unexpected fracturing of the substrate due to evolving thermal stresses. This study confirms that hydrodynamic sputtering remains a valid mechanism for droplet expulsion on the nanoscale, while irradiation induced stress fields represent limit laser processing of nanostructured materials. Our results allow for improved safety during laser ablation in manufacturing and medical applications.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schneider, W.
2004-01-01
The present thesis deals with preparation of structurally ordered thin-film compounds of the rare-earths Ce and Dy with the transition metals Pd, Rh, and Ni as well as with investigations of their crystalline and electronic structures. Typically 10 nm-thick films were grown in-situ by deposition of the rare-earth metals onto single crystalline transitionmetal substrates or alternatively by codeposition of both constituents onto a W(110) single crystal. In both cases deposition was followed by short-term annealing at temperatures of 400-1000 C to achieve crystalline order. The latter was analyzed by means of low-energy electron-diffraction (LEED) and evaluated on the basis of a simple kinematic theory. The electronic structure was investigated by means of angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES), partially exploiting synchrotron radiation from BESSY. The studies concentrate mainly on the behavior of the valence bands as a function of structure and composition of the thin films, particularly under consideration of surface phenomena. Measured energy dispersions were compared with results of LDA-LCAO calculations performed in the framework of this thesis. Observed shifts of the energy bands by up to 1 eV are attributed in the light of a simple model to incomplete screening of the photoemission final states. (orig.)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Wijesinghe, W.P.S.L.; Mantilaka, M.M.M.G.P.G.; Chathuranga Senarathna, K.G. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Herath, H.M.T.U. [Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Premachandra, T.N. [Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Ranasinghe, C.S.K. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Rajapakse, R.P.V.J. [Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Rajapakse, R.M.G., E-mail: rmgr@pdn.ac.lk [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, 20400 Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Edirisinghe, Mohan; Mahalingam, S. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom); Bandara, I.M.C.C.D. [School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane 4001, QLD (Australia); Singh, Sanjleena [Central Analytical Research Facility, Institute of Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane 4001, QLD (Australia)
2016-06-01
Preparation of hydroxyapatite coated custom-made metallic bone-implants is very important for the replacement of injured bones of the body. Furthermore, these bone-implants are more stable under the corrosive environment of the body and biocompatible than bone-implants made up of pure metals and metal alloys. Herein, we describe a novel, simple and low-cost technique to prepare biocompatible hydroxyapatite coated titanium metal (TiM) implants through growth of self-formed TiO{sub 2} thin-layer (SFTL) on TiM via a heat treatment process. SFTL acts as a surface binder of HA nanoparticles in order to produce HA coated implants. Colloidal HA nanorods prepared by a novel surfactant-assisted synthesis method, have been coated on SFTL via atomized spray pyrolysis (ASP) technique. The corrosion behavior of the bare and surface-modified TiM (SMTiM) in a simulated body fluid (SBF) medium is also studied. The highest corrosion rate is found to be for the bare TiM plate, but the corrosion rate has been reduced with the heat-treatment of TiM due to the formation of SFTL. The lowest corrosion rate is recorded for the implant prepared by heat treatment of TiM at 700 °C. The HA-coating further assists in the passivation of the TiM in the SBF medium. Both SMTiM and HA coated SMTiM are noncytotoxic against osteoblast-like (HOS) cells and are in high-bioactivity. The overall production process of bone-implant described in this paper is in high economic value. - Highlights: • Colloidal hydroxyapatite nanorods are prepared by a novel method. • Surfaces of titanium metal plates are modified by self-forming TiO{sub 2} thin-films. • Prostheses are prepared by coating hydroxyapatite on surface modified Ti metal. • Bioactivity and noncytotoxicity are increased with surface modifications.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wijesinghe, W.P.S.L.; Mantilaka, M.M.M.G.P.G.; Chathuranga Senarathna, K.G.; Herath, H.M.T.U.; Premachandra, T.N.; Ranasinghe, C.S.K.; Rajapakse, R.P.V.J.; Rajapakse, R.M.G.; Edirisinghe, Mohan; Mahalingam, S.; Bandara, I.M.C.C.D.; Singh, Sanjleena
2016-01-01
Preparation of hydroxyapatite coated custom-made metallic bone-implants is very important for the replacement of injured bones of the body. Furthermore, these bone-implants are more stable under the corrosive environment of the body and biocompatible than bone-implants made up of pure metals and metal alloys. Herein, we describe a novel, simple and low-cost technique to prepare biocompatible hydroxyapatite coated titanium metal (TiM) implants through growth of self-formed TiO_2 thin-layer (SFTL) on TiM via a heat treatment process. SFTL acts as a surface binder of HA nanoparticles in order to produce HA coated implants. Colloidal HA nanorods prepared by a novel surfactant-assisted synthesis method, have been coated on SFTL via atomized spray pyrolysis (ASP) technique. The corrosion behavior of the bare and surface-modified TiM (SMTiM) in a simulated body fluid (SBF) medium is also studied. The highest corrosion rate is found to be for the bare TiM plate, but the corrosion rate has been reduced with the heat-treatment of TiM due to the formation of SFTL. The lowest corrosion rate is recorded for the implant prepared by heat treatment of TiM at 700 °C. The HA-coating further assists in the passivation of the TiM in the SBF medium. Both SMTiM and HA coated SMTiM are noncytotoxic against osteoblast-like (HOS) cells and are in high-bioactivity. The overall production process of bone-implant described in this paper is in high economic value. - Highlights: • Colloidal hydroxyapatite nanorods are prepared by a novel method. • Surfaces of titanium metal plates are modified by self-forming TiO_2 thin-films. • Prostheses are prepared by coating hydroxyapatite on surface modified Ti metal. • Bioactivity and noncytotoxicity are increased with surface modifications.
Kwon, Jeong Hyun; Choi, Seungyeop; Jeon, Yongmin; Kim, Hyuncheol; Chang, Ki Soo; Choi, Kyung Cheol
2017-08-16
In this study, a new and efficient dielectric-metal-dielectric-based thin-film encapsulation (DMD-TFE) with an inserted Ag thin film is proposed to guarantee the reliability of flexible displays by improving the barrier properties, mechanical flexibility, and heat dissipation, which are considered to be essential requirements for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) encapsulation. The DMD-TFE, which is composed of Al 2 O 3 , Ag, and a silica nanoparticle-embedded sol-gel hybrid nanocomposite, shows a water vapor transmission rate of 8.70 × 10 -6 g/m 2 /day and good mechanical reliability at a bending radius of 30 mm, corresponding to 0.41% strain for 1000 bending cycles. The electrical performance of a thin-film encapsulated phosphorescent organic light-emitting diode (PHOLED) was identical to that of a glass-lid encapsulated PHOLED. The operational lifetimes of the thin-film encapsulated and glass-lid encapsulated PHOLEDs are 832 and 754 h, respectively. After 80 days, the thin-film encapsulated PHOLED did not show performance degradation or dark spots on the cell image in a shelf-lifetime test. Finally, the difference in lifetime of the OLED devices in relation to the presence and thickness of a Ag film was analyzed by applying various TFE structures to fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes (FOLEDs) that could generate high amounts of heat. To demonstrate the difference in heat dissipation effect among the TFE structures, the saturated temperatures of the encapsulated FOLEDs were measured from the back side surface of the glass substrate, and were found to be 67.78, 65.12, 60.44, and 39.67 °C after all encapsulated FOLEDs were operated at an initial luminance of 10 000 cd/m 2 for sufficient heat generation. Furthermore, the operational lifetime tests of the encapsulated FOLED devices showed results that were consistent with the measurements of real-time temperature profiles taken with an infrared camera. A multifunctional hybrid thin-film encapsulation
Characterization of PZT thin films on metal substrates
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dutschke, A.
2008-01-01
Lead zirconate titanate (PbZr x Ti 1-x O 3 ,PZT) is one of the most applied ceramic materials because of its distinctive piezo- and ferroelectric properties. Prepared as thin films on flexible, metallic substrates it can be used for various applications as strain gauges, key switches, vibration dampers, microactuators and ultrasonic transducers. The aim of this work is to analyze the microstructure and the phase-content of PZT-thin films deposited on temperature- und acid-resistant hastelloy-sheets, to correlate the results with the ferroelectric and dielectric properties. It is demonstrated, that the specific variation of the microstructure can be achieved by different thermal treatments and the selective addition of Neodymium as dopant. Nd-doping leads to a shift of the maximum nucleation rate towards reduced temperatures and a decrease in the rate of growth compared to undoped films. The PZT-films are prepared by a sol-gel-process in fourfold multilayers with a composition near the morphotropic phase boundary, where the tetragonal und rhombohedral perovskite-phases coexist. The crystallisation in Nd-doped and undoped films takes place heterogeneously, preferentially at the interfaces and on the surface of the multilayered films as well as on the inner surface of pores within the films. For the first time, the Zr:Ti fluctuation phenomena emerging in sol-gel derived PZT films is related to the microstructure and the local phase content on a nanometer scale. In this connection it is proved, that long-distance Zr:Ti gradients arise preferentially before and during the crystallisation of the pyrochlore phase. During the following crystallisation of the perovskite phase, the crystallites grow across these gradients without modifying them. It is pointed out that the fluctuation in the Zr:Ti ratio has only minor influence on the amount of the tetragonal or rhombohedral distortion of the crystallites after the transition from the para- to the ferroelectric state due to
Structural and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study of Al-Doped Zinc-Oxide Thin Films
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Bong Ju Lee
2015-01-01
Full Text Available Al-doped zinc-oxide (AZO thin films were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering at different oxygen partial pressures and substrate temperatures. The charge-carrier concentrations in the films decreased from 1.69 × 1021 to 6.16 × 1017 cm−3 with increased gas flow rate from 7 to 21 sccm. The X-ray diffraction (XRD patterns show that the (002/(103 peak-intensity ratio decreased as the gas flow rate increased, which was related to the increase of AZO thin film disorder. X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS of the O1s were decomposed into metal oxide component (peak A and the adsorbed molecular oxygen on thin films (peak B. The area ratio of XPS peaks (A/B was clearly related to the stoichiometry of AZO films; that is, the higher value of A/B showed the higher stoichiometric properties.
Toxic metal(loid)-based pollutants and their possible role in autism spectrum disorder.
Bjørklund, Geir; Skalny, Anatoly V; Rahman, Md Mostafizur; Dadar, Maryam; Yassa, Heba A; Aaseth, Jan; Chirumbolo, Salvatore; Skalnaya, Margarita G; Tinkov, Alexey A
2018-06-11
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and stereotypic behaviors. Many studies support a significant relationship between many different environmental factors in ASD etiology. These factors include increased daily exposure to various toxic metal-based environmental pollutants, which represent a cause for concern in public health. This article reviews the most relevant toxic metals, commonly found, environmental pollutants, i.e., lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), aluminum (Al), and the metalloid arsenic (As). Additionally, it discusses how pollutants can be a possible pathogenetic cause of ASD through various mechanisms including neuroinflammation in different regions of the brain, fundamentally occurring through elevation of the proinflammatory profile of cytokines and aberrant expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Due to the worldwide increase in toxic environmental pollution, studies on the role of pollutants in neurodevelopmental disorders, including direct effects on the developing brain and the subjects' genetic susceptibility and polymorphism, are of utmost importance to achieve the best therapeutic approach and preventive strategies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Pettersen, Sigurd R., E-mail: sigurd.r.pettersen@ntnu.no, E-mail: jianying.he@ntnu.no; Stokkeland, August Emil; Zhang, Zhiliang; He, Jianying, E-mail: sigurd.r.pettersen@ntnu.no, E-mail: jianying.he@ntnu.no [NTNU Nanomechanical Lab, Department of Structural Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim (Norway); Kristiansen, Helge [NTNU Nanomechanical Lab, Department of Structural Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim (Norway); Conpart AS, Dragonveien 54, NO-2013 Skjetten (Norway); Njagi, John; Goia, Dan V. [Center for Advanced Materials Processing, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699-5814 (United States); Redford, Keith [Conpart AS, Dragonveien 54, NO-2013 Skjetten (Norway)
2016-07-25
Micron-sized metal-coated polymer spheres are frequently used as filler particles in conductive composites for electronic interconnects. However, the intrinsic electrical resistivity of the spherical thin films has not been attainable due to deficiency in methods that eliminate the effect of contact resistance. In this work, a four-point probing method using vacuum compatible piezo-actuated micro robots was developed to directly investigate the electric properties of individual silver-coated spheres under real-time observation in a scanning electron microscope. Poly(methyl methacrylate) spheres with a diameter of 30 μm and four different film thicknesses (270 nm, 150 nm, 100 nm, and 60 nm) were investigated. By multiplying the experimental results with geometrical correction factors obtained using finite element models, the resistivities of the thin films were estimated for the four thicknesses. These were higher than the resistivity of bulk silver.
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
Bhuiyan, Md. Mosharraf Hossain; Ueda, Tsuyoshi; Ikegami, Tomoaki; Ebihara, Kenji
2006-10-01
Tungsten trioxide (WO3) thin films gas sensors were prepared by the KrF excimer pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. The films were prepared on the quartz glass, silicon and also on the Al2O3 sensor substrates with platinum interdigitated electrodes. The effect of doping of the platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) or gold (Au) on the WO3 thin film was also investigated. These metals were doped to the WO3 thin film by the DC sputtering process during the PLD. The substrate temperature and the oxygen pressure were 400 °C and 100 mTorr, respectively, during the deposition. The films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The sensitivity of the prepared sensors to 60 ppm NO gas was examined using the two terminal resistance method in a chamber at atmospheric pressure and operating temperatures of 25-350 °C. The sensitivity of the WO3 thin films doped with Pt, Pd, or Au was found to be higher than that of the undoped WO3 thin film.
Ion beam-based characterization of multicomponent oxide thin films and thin film layered structures
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Krauss, A.R.; Rangaswamy, M.; Lin, Yuping; Gruen, D.M.; Schultz, J.A.; Schmidt, H.K.; Chang, R.P.H.
1992-01-01
Fabrication of thin film layered structures of multi-component materials such as high temperature superconductors, ferroelectric and electro-optic materials, and alloy semiconductors, and the development of hybrid materials requires understanding of film growth and interface properties. For High Temperature Superconductors, the superconducting coherence length is extremely short (5--15 Angstrom), and fabrication of reliable devices will require control of film properties at extremely sharp interfaces; it will be necessary to verify the integrity of thin layers and layered structure devices over thicknesses comparable to the atomic layer spacing. Analytical techniques which probe the first 1--2 atomic layers are therefore necessary for in-situ characterization of relevant thin film growth processes. However, most surface-analytical techniques are sensitive to a region within 10--40 Angstrom of the surface and are physically incompatible with thin film deposition and are typically restricted to ultra high vacuum conditions. A review of ion beam-based analytical methods for the characterization of thin film and multi-layered thin film structures incorporating layers of multicomponent oxides is presented. Particular attention will be paid to the use of time-of-flight techniques based on the use of 1- 15 key ion beams which show potential for use as nondestructive, real-time, in-situ surface diagnostics for the growth of multicomponent metal and metal oxide thin films
The disorder-induced Raman scattering in Au/MoS{sub 2} heterostructures
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gołasa, K., E-mail: Katarzyna.Golasa@fuw.edu.pl; Grzeszczyk, M.; Binder, J.; Bożek, R.; Wysmołek, A.; Babiński, A. [Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, ul. Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warszawa (Poland)
2015-07-15
The Raman scattering has been studied in heterostructures composed of a thin MoS{sub 2} flake and a 1-1.5 nm layer of thermally evaporated gold (Au). There have been Au nanoislands detected in the heterostructure. It has been found that their surface density and the average size depend on the MoS{sub 2} thickness. The Raman scattering spectrum in the heterostructure with a few monolayer MoS{sub 2} only weakly depends on the excitation (resonant vs. non-resonant) mode. The overall Raman spectrum corresponds to the total density of phonon states, which is characteristic for disordered systems. The disorder in the MoS{sub 2} layer is related to the mechanical strain induced in the MoS{sub 2} layer by the Au nanoislands. The strain results in the localization of phonon modes, which leads to the relaxation of the momentum conservation rule in the scattering process. The relaxation allows phonons from the whole MoS{sub 2} Brillouin zone to interact with electronic excitations. Our results show that the Au nanoislands resulted from thermal evaporation of a thin metal layer introduce substantial disorder into the crystalline structure of the thin MoS{sub 2} layers.
Redel, Engelbert; Wang, Zhengbang; Walheim, Stefan; Liu, Jinxuan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Wöll, Christof
2013-08-01
We determine the optical constants of two highly porous, crystalline metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Since it is problematic to determine the optical constants for the standard powder modification of these porous solids, we instead use surface-anchored metal-organic frameworks (SURMOFs). These MOF thin films are grown using liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) on modified silicon substrates. The produced SURMOF thin films exhibit good optical properties; these porous coatings are smooth as well as crack-free, they do not scatter visible light, and they have a homogenous interference color over the entire sample. Therefore, spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) can be used in a straightforward fashion to determine the corresponding SURMOF optical properties. After careful removal of the solvent molecules used in the fabrication process as well as the residual water adsorbed in the voids of this highly porous solid, we determine an optical constant of n = 1.39 at a wavelength of 750 nm for HKUST-1 (stands for Hong Kong University of Science and Technology-1; and was first discovered there) or [Cu3(BTC)2]. After exposing these SURMOF thin films to moisture/EtOH atmosphere, the refractive index (n) increases to n = 1.55-1.6. This dependence of the optical properties on water/EtOH adsorption demonstrates the potential of such SURMOF materials for optical sensing.
Wang, Jiang-Jing; Xu, Ya-Zhi; Mazzarello, Riccardo; Wuttig, Matthias; Zhang, Wei
2017-07-27
Metal-insulator transition (MIT) is one of the most essential topics in condensed matter physics and materials science. The accompanied drastic change in electrical resistance can be exploited in electronic devices, such as data storage and memory technology. It is generally accepted that the underlying mechanism of most MITs is an interplay of electron correlation effects (Mott type) and disorder effects (Anderson type), and to disentangle the two effects is difficult. Recent progress on the crystalline Ge₁Sb₂Te₄ (GST) compound provides compelling evidence for a disorder-driven MIT. In this work, we discuss the presence of strong disorder in GST, and elucidate its effects on electron localization and transport properties. We also show how the degree of disorder in GST can be reduced via thermal annealing, triggering a disorder-driven metal-insulator transition. The resistance switching by disorder tuning in crystalline GST may enable novel multilevel data storage devices.
Recent Advances of Solution-Processed Metal Oxide Thin-Film Transistors.
Xu, Wangying; Li, Hao; Xu, Jian-Bin; Wang, Lei
2018-03-06
Solution-processed metal oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) are considered as one of the most promising transistor technologies for future large-area flexible electronics. This review surveys the recent advances in solution-based oxide TFTs, including n-type oxide semiconductors, oxide dielectrics and p-type oxide semiconductors. Firstly, we provide an introduction on oxide TFTs and the TFT configurations and operating principles. Secondly, we present the recent progress in solution-processed n-type transistors, with a special focus on low-temperature and large-area solution processed approaches as well as novel non-display applications. Thirdly, we give a detailed analysis of the state-of-the-art solution-processed oxide dielectrics for low-voltage electronics. Fourthly, we discuss the recent progress in solution-based p-type oxide semiconductors, which will enable the highly desirable future low-cost large-area complementary circuits. Finally, we draw the conclusions and outline the perspectives over the research field.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS OF THIN-DISK, HIGH-METALLICITY RED HORIZONTAL-BRANCH FIELD STARS
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Afşar, M.; Sneden, C.; For, B.-Q.
2012-01-01
We present a detailed abundance analysis and atmospheric parameters of 76 stars from a survey to identify field Galactic red horizontal-branch (RHB) stars. High-resolution echelle spectra (R ≅ 60,000, S/N ≥ 100) were obtained with the 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory. The target stars were selected only by color and parallax information. Overall metallicities and relative abundances of proton-capture elements (C, N, O, Li), α-elements (Ca and Si), and neutron-capture elements (Eu and La) were determined by either equivalent width or synthetic spectrum analyses. We used CN features at the λλ7995-8040 region in order to determine the 12 C/ 13 C ratios of our targets. Investigation of the evolutionary stages, using spectroscopic T eff and log g values along with derived 12 C/ 13 C ratios, revealed the presence of 18 probable RHB stars in our sample. We also derived kinematics of the stars with available distance information. Taking into account both the kinematics and probable evolutionary stages, we conclude that our sample contains 5 thick-disk and 13 thin-disk RHB stars. Up until now, RHB stars have been considered as members of the thick disk, and were expected to have large space velocities and sub-solar metallicities. However, our sample is dominated by low-velocity solar-metallicity RHB stars; their existence cannot be easily explained with standard stellar evolution.
Zhang, Jijun; Li, Jiawei; Tan, Guoguo; Hu, Renchao; Wang, Junqiang; Chang, Chuntao; Wang, Xinmin
2017-12-06
Thin and flexible materials that can provide efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding are urgently needed, especially if they can be easily processed and withstand harsh environments. Herein, layer-structured Fe-Si-B/Ni-Cu-P metallic glass composites have been developed by simple electroless plating Ni-Cu-P coating on commercial Fe-Si-B metallic glasses. The 0.1 mm-thick composite shows EMI shielding effectiveness of 40 dB over the X-band frequency range, which is higher than those of traditional metals, metal oxides, and their polymer composites of larger thickness. Most of the applied electromagnetic waves are proved to be absorbed rather than bounced back. This performance originates from the combination of a superior soft magnetic property, excellent electrical conductivity, and multiple internal reflections from multilayer composites. In addition, the flexible composites also exhibit good corrosion resistance, high thermal stability, and excellent tensile strength, making them suitable for EMI shielding in harsh chemical or thermal environments.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Agarwal, Vasudha; Sharma, Geetanjali; Siwach, P.K.; Maurya, K.K.; Singh, H.K. [Dr. K.S. Krishnan Marg, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi (India)
2015-06-15
We report the effect of substrate-induced lattice disorder on the balance between the coexisting antiferromagnetic/charge-ordered insulating (AFM/COI) and ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) phases and the dynamics of the phase transition in the strongly phase-separated single-crystalline La{sub 1-x-y}Pr{sub y}Ca{sub x}MnO{sub 3} (x ∼ 0.42, y ∼ 0.40) thin films. At lower degree of disorder, the delicate balance between AFM/COI and FMM phases gives rise to a magnetically disordered/non-equilibrium magnetic liquid, which shows a strong supercooling behaviour and colossal thermal hysteresis in temperature dependence of magnetization (M-T) and resistivity (ρ-T). At lower temperatures, the disordered liquid freezes to yield a randomly frozen glassy state. The enhanced lattice disorder quenches the non-FM phases and promotes AFM/COI-FMM phase transition, which in turn reduces the magnetic frustration and lowers the degree of supercooling. The enhanced FMM fraction also unblocks the blocked magnetic states and results in the vanishing of the pronounced minimum in the ρ-T curve observed well above the glass transition. Our results show that the impact of enhanced lattice disorder is in many ways similar to that of the extrinsic magneto-thermodynamic perturbations. (orig.)
Expandable and retractable self-rolled structures based on metal/polymer thin film for flow sensing
Zhu, Jianzhong; White, Carl; Saadat, Mehdi; Bart-Smith, Hilary
2015-11-01
Most aquatic animals such as fish rely heavily on their ability of detect and respond to ambient flows in order to explore and inhabit various habitats or survive predator-prey encounters. Fish utilize neuromasts in their skin surface and lateral lines in their bodies to align themselves while swimming upstream for migration, avoid obstacles, reduce locomotion cost, and detect flow variations caused by potential predators. In this study, a thin film MEMS sensor analogous to a fish neuromast has been designed for flow sensing. Residual stress arises in many thin film materials during processing. Metal and polymer thin film materials with a significant difference in elastic modular were chosen to form a multiple-layer structure. Upon releasing, the structure rolls into a tube due to mechanical property mismatch. The self-rolled tube can expand or retract, depending on the existence of external force such as flow. An embedded strain sensor detects the deformation of the tube and hence senses the ambient flow. Numerical simulations were conducted to optimize the structural design. Experiments were performed in a flow tank to quantify the performance of the sensor. This research is supported by the Office of Naval Research under the MURI Grant N00014-14-1-0533.
XRD total scattering of the CZTS nanoparticle absorber layer for the thin film solar cells
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Symonowicz, Joanna; Jensen, Kirsten M. Ø.; Engberg, Sara Lena Josefin
Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin film solar cells are cheap, non-toxic and present an efficiency up to 9,2% [1]. They can be easily manufactured by the deposition of the nanoparticle ink as a thin film followed by a thermal treatment to obtain large grains [2]. Therefore, CZTS has the potential...... to revolutionize the solar energy market. However, to commercialize CZTS nanoparticle thin films, the efficiency issues must yet be resolved. In order to do so, it is vital to understand in detail their nanoscale atomic structure. CZTS crystallize in the kesterite structure, where Cu and Zn is distributed between......-ray Diffraction data with X-ray total scattering with Pair Distribution Function analysis. Powder neutron diffraction will furthermore allow characterization of the cation disorder on the metal sites in the kesterite structure. The nanoparticle ink is also characterized by XRD, EDS, and Raman spectroscopy...
Nix, Wiliam D.; Saha, R.; Aziz, Michael; Hutchinson, John; Evans, Anthony G.; Huang, Yonggang
2001-01-01
We report the results of several experiments isolating the effect of long-range order on mechanical properties of intermetallic compounds. Kinetically disordered FCC Ni3Al (Ni 76%) thin films were produced by rapid solidification following pulsed laser melting. For comparison, compositionally and microstructurally identical films with ordered L12 structure were produced by subsequent annealing at 550 °C for 2 hours. These FCC and L12 Ni3Al thin films were tested by nanoindentation for hardnes...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Papukchiev, A., E-mail: angel.papukchiev@grs.de; Buchholz, S.
2017-02-15
Highlights: • ANSYS CFX is validated for gas and liquid metal flows. • L-STAR and TALL-3D experiments are simulated. • Complex flow and heat transfer phenomena are modelled. • Conjugate heat transfer has to be considered in CFD analyses. - Abstract: Within the FP7 European project THINS (Thermal Hydraulics of Innovative Nuclear Systems), numerical tools for the simulation of the thermal-hydraulics of next generation rector systems were developed, applied and validated for innovative coolants. The Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) gGmbH participated in THINS with activities related to the development and validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and coupled System Thermal Hydraulics (STH) – CFD codes. High quality measurements from the L-STAR and TALL-3D experiments were used to assess the numerical results. Two-equation eddy viscosity and scale resolving turbulence models were used in the validation process of ANSYS CFX for gas and liquid metal flows with conjugate heat transfer. This paper provides a brief overview on the main results achieved at GRS within the project.
Improved conductivity of infinite-layer LaNiO2 thin films by metal organic decomposition
Ikeda, Ai; Manabe, Takaaki; Naito, Michio
2013-12-01
Infinite-layer LaNiO2 thin films were synthesized by metal organic decomposition and subsequent topotactic reduction in hydrogen, and their transport properties were investigated. LaNiO2 is isostructural to SrCuO2, the parent compound of high-Tc Sr0.9La0.1CuO2 with Tc = 44 K, and has 3d9 configuration, which is very rare in oxides but common to high-Tc copper oxides. The bulk synthesis of LaNiO2 is not easy, but we demonstrate in this article that the thin-film synthesis of LaNiO2 is rather easy, thanks to a large-surface-to-volume ratio, which makes oxygen diffusion prompt. Our refined synthesis conditions produced highly conducting films of LaNiO2. The resistivity of the best film is as low as 640 μΩ cm at 295 K and decreases with temperature down to 230 K but it shows a gradual upturn at lower temperatures.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Park, Jun-Sik [Department of Mechanical Convergence Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young-Beom, E-mail: ybkim@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Mechanical Convergence Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)
2016-01-29
By employing strontium as a dopant of lanthanum cobaltite (LaCoO{sub 3}), strontium-doped lanthanum cobaltite (La{sub 1−x}Sr{sub x}CoO{sub 3−δ}, LSC) thin film was fabricated using a metal organic chemical solution deposition (MOCSD) method. Lanthanum nitrate hexahydrate [La(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}6H{sub 2}O], strontium acetate [Sr(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}], and cobalt acetate tetrahydrate [Co(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}4H{sub 2}O] were used as precursors. The coating process was performed through a spin coating method on a substrate, which were then heat treated under various temperature conditions. Electrical properties, microstructures, and crystalline structures with respect to sintering temperature were analyzed. According to these analyses, the change in surface morphology, phase shift, and conductive properties were closely related, which could explain their respective behaviors. Furthermore, sintered strontium-doped lanthanum perovskite oxides showed various conductivities according to the amount of dopant. With the molar ratio of strontium that is stoichiometrically equivalent to lanthanum (La{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}CoO{sub 3−δ}) thin film showed the best conductivity in the sintering temperature range of 650–700 °C, with perovskite phases formed at this temperature condition. As the electrically conductive properties of the thin film are a function of thickness, the films were coated several times to a thickness of approximately 300 nm, with the lowest resistivity (approximately 9.06 × 10{sup −4} Ω cm) observed at the optimized sintering temperature and solution composition. - Highlights: • LSC thin film was fabricated by metal organic chemical solution deposition (MOCSD). • The film shows good agreement on the electrical conductivity of LSC by conventional methods. • The properties of LSC film are influenced by the surface morphology and crystalline phase. • Optimal molar ratio of strontium for the highest conductivity was investigated.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Okamura, Tatsuya
1978-01-01
The composite materials using resins as the base materials show the defect that the characteristics deteriorate rapidly at elevated temperature. Therefore the FRMs using relatively ductile metals as the base materials combined with reinforcing fibers have been considered. The result of study on the combination of base materials and fibers and the manufacturing method is rarely reported in Japan. In FRMs, direct contact of fibers mutually must be avoided, especially making nodes lowers the strength extremely. The fibers must be long monofilaments of 0.1 to 0.2 mm diameter. High precision wire winding machines are required for making uniform FRMs. For the diffusion joining of preformed materials, in which fibers are put in order on metallic foils, pressure and heat are applied. The author succeeded to develop the technique for making thin-walled cylinders of FRMs, including the method of winding brittle filaments and the method of pressurizing and heating based on the difference of thermal expansion of dies. The mechanical properties of thin plates and thin-walled cylinders made of monofilaments of B, SiC and SUS and aluminum alloy foils were obtained, and rotation test of the cylinders was carried out. It was clarified that the FRMs of B-Al and SiC-Al groups are very excellent materials, and most suitable for the rotary drums of super-high speed centrifuges. (Kako, I.)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Petukhov, V.Yu.; Ibragimova, M.I.; Khabibullina, N.R; Zheglov, E.P.; Muller, R.
2002-01-01
Polymer films containing small metal particles have been attracting particular interest because of their unique properties. Implantation of metal ions in polymers is one of the methods to synthesize metal-polymer nano-composite materials. Ion implantation makes possible the magnetic nano-structures with controlled parameters. Previously, we showed that 3d-metal implantation into numerous polymers (polymethylmethacrylate, phosphorus containing polymethylmethacrylate) resulted in the formation of a composite film consisting of metal nanoparticles buried in an implanted layer. The particles are usually found to be distributed randomly in the surface layer. It has been established that structural peculiarities, phase composition, and magnetic properties of synthesized metal-polymer systems depend on the type of the initial polymer matrix, ion types, as well as conditions of ion implantation. In the present study we have been prepared thin metal-polymer composite films by ion-beam implantation of Fe + and Co + ions in polyethylene terephthalate. The implantation of 40 keV ions at room temperature with doses from 2·10 1 6 to 3·10 17 cm -2 have been performed, with the ion current density not exceeding 10 μA/cm 2 . The magnetic properties have been investigated both by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). FMR spectra were recorded using magnetic radio spectrometer Varian E-12 with frequency of 9.5 GHz at room temperature. The dependencies of FMR spectra on orientation have been measured for all samples. Measurements were carried out for two orientations of the sample, normal direction of the films being either parallel or perpendicular to dc magnetic field. The values of the effective magnetization were calculated from orientation dependencies. Thin ferromagnetic films (TFF) have been shown to form for samples with both implanted ions. For samples implanted with Co + ions, the appearance of FMR lines occurs at doses markedly greater
Improved conductivity of infinite-layer LaNiO{sub 2} thin films by metal organic decomposition
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ikeda, Ai [Department of Applied Physics, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Naka-cho 2-24-16, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan); Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Japan); Manabe, Takaaki [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Higashi 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565 (Japan); Naito, Michio, E-mail: minaito@cc.tuat.ac.jp [Department of Applied Physics, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Naka-cho 2-24-16, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan)
2013-12-15
Highlights: •LaNiO{sub 2} films were synthesized by metal organic decomposition and topotactic reduction. •Room-temperature resistivity as low as 0.6 mΩ cm was achieved for infinite-layer LaNiO{sub 2}. •Lattice matched substrates are important in obtaining high conductivity. -- Abstract: Infinite-layer LaNiO{sub 2} thin films were synthesized by metal organic decomposition and subsequent topotactic reduction in hydrogen, and their transport properties were investigated. LaNiO{sub 2} is isostructural to SrCuO{sub 2}, the parent compound of high-T{sub c} Sr{sub 0.9}La{sub 0.1}CuO{sub 2} with T{sub c} = 44 K, and has 3d{sup 9} configuration, which is very rare in oxides but common to high-T{sub c} copper oxides. The bulk synthesis of LaNiO{sub 2} is not easy, but we demonstrate in this article that the thin-film synthesis of LaNiO{sub 2} is rather easy, thanks to a large-surface-to-volume ratio, which makes oxygen diffusion prompt. Our refined synthesis conditions produced highly conducting films of LaNiO{sub 2}. The resistivity of the best film is as low as 640 μΩ cm at 295 K and decreases with temperature down to 230 K but it shows a gradual upturn at lower temperatures.
Huang, Haijian; Wang, Xing; Tervoort, Elena; Zeng, Guobo; Liu, Tian; Chen, Xi; Sologubenko, Alla; Niederberger, Markus
2018-03-27
A general method for preparing nano-sized metal oxide nanoparticles with highly disordered crystal structure and their processing into stable aqueous dispersions is presented. With these nanoparticles as building blocks, a series of nanoparticles@reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite aerogels are fabricated and directly used as high-power anodes for lithium-ion hybrid supercapacitors (Li-HSCs). To clarify the effect of the degree of disorder, control samples of crystalline nanoparticles with similar particle size are prepared. The results indicate that the structurally disordered samples show a significantly enhanced electrochemical performance compared to the crystalline counterparts. In particular, structurally disordered Ni x Fe y O z @rGO delivers a capacity of 388 mAh g -1 at 5 A g -1 , which is 6 times that of the crystalline sample. Disordered Ni x Fe y O z @rGO is taken as an example to study the reasons for the enhanced performance. Compared with the crystalline sample, density functional theory calculations reveal a smaller volume expansion during Li + insertion for the structurally disordered Ni x Fe y O z nanoparticles, and they are found to exhibit larger pseudocapacitive effects. Combined with an activated carbon (AC) cathode, full-cell tests of the lithium-ion hybrid supercapacitors are performed, demonstrating that the structurally disordered metal oxide nanoparticles@rGO||AC hybrid systems deliver high energy and power densities within the voltage range of 1.0-4.0 V. These results indicate that structurally disordered nanomaterials might be interesting candidates for exploring high-power anodes for Li-HSCs.
Defect-mediated magnetism of transition metal doped zinc oxide thin films
Roberts, Bradley Kirk
Magnetism in transition metal doped wide band-gap materials is of interest to further the fundamental science of materials and future spintronics applications. Large inter-dopant separations require mediation of ferromagnetism by some method; carrier-mediated mechanisms are typically applicable to dilute magnetic semiconductors with low Curie temperatures. Dilute magnetic oxides, commonly with poor conductivity and TC above room temperature, cannot be described within this theory. Recent experiment and theory developments suggest that ferromagnetic exchange in these materials can be mediated by defects. This research includes experimental results justifying and developing this approach. Thin films of Cr doped ZnO (band gap ˜3.3 eV) were deposited with several processing variations to enhance the effects of either 0-dimensional (vacancy, hydrogen-related defect) or two-dimensional defects (surface/interface) and thereby affect magnetism and conductivity. We observe surface magnetism in dielectric thin films of oxygen-saturated ZnO:Cr with spontaneous magnetic moment and conductance dropping approximately exponentially with increasing thickness. Uniform defect concentrations would not result in such magnetic ordering behavior indicating that magnetism is mediated either by surface defects or differing concentrations of point defects near the surface. Polarized neutron reflectivity profiling confirms a magnetically active region of ˜8 nm at the film surface. Hydrogen is notoriously present as a defect and carrier dopant in ZnO, and artificial introduction of hydrogen in dielectric ZnO:Cr films results in varying electronic and magnetic behavior. Free carriers introduced with hydrogen doping are not spin-polarized requiring an alternative explanation for ferromagnetism. We find from positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements that hydrogen doping increases the concentration of an altered VZn-related defect (a preliminary interpretation) throughout the film, which
Synthesis of metallic ReO3 nanowires
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Myung, Dongshin; Lee, Yumin; Lee, Jaeyeon; Kim, Myung Hwa; Yu, Hak Ki; Lee, Jong-Lam; Baik, Jeong Min; Kim, Woong
2010-01-01
We present the synthesis of highly crystalline metallic rhenium trioxide (ReO 3 ) nanowires via a simple physical vapor transport at 300 C for the first time. Based on HRTEM, the ReO 3 nanowires exhibit a core of perfect cubic perovskite-type single crystal structure with a shell of thin amorphous and disordered structures of less than 2 nm in the near surface layers. Possibly this is due to proton intercalation induced by the surface reaction of single crystal ReO 3 with water. (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)
Extending the 3ω method: thermal conductivity characterization of thin films.
Bodenschatz, Nico; Liemert, André; Schnurr, Sebastian; Wiedwald, Ulf; Ziemann, Paul
2013-08-01
A lock-in technique for measurement of thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity of thin films is presented. The technique is based on the 3ω approach using electrical generation and detection of oscillatory heat along a thin metal strip. Thin films are deposited onto the backside of commercial silicon nitride membranes, forming a bilayer geometry with distinct thermal parameters. Stepwise comparison to an adapted heat diffusion model delivers these parameters for both layers. Highest sensitivity is found for metallic thin films.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kim, Juho; Song, Kwangsun; Kim, Namyun; Lee, Jongho, E-mail: jong@gist.ac.kr [School of Mechanical Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005 (Korea, Republic of); Research Institute for Solar and Sustainable Energies (RISE), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005 (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Jeongwoo [Photonic Bio Research Center, Korea Photonics Technology Institute (KOPTI), 9 Cheomdanventure-ro 108beon-gil, Gwangju 61007 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Jae Cheol [Department of Physics, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541 (Korea, Republic of)
2016-06-20
Wearable flexible electronics often require sustainable power sources that are also mechanically flexible to survive the extreme bending that accompanies their general use. In general, thinner microelectronic devices are under less strain when bent. This paper describes strategies to realize ultra-thin GaAs photovoltaics through the interlayer adhesiveless transfer-printing of vertical-type devices onto metal surfaces. The vertical-type GaAs photovoltaic devices recycle reflected photons by means of bottom electrodes. Systematic studies with four different types of solar microcells indicate that the vertical-type solar microcells, at only a quarter of the thickness of similarly designed lateral-type cells, generate a level of electric power similar to that of thicker cells. The experimental results along with the theoretical analysis conducted here show that the ultra-thin vertical-type solar microcells are durable under extreme bending and thus suitable for use in the manufacturing of wearable flexible electronics.
Shekhah, Osama; Cadiau, Amandine; Eddaoudi, Mohamed
2015-01-01
Here we report the fabrication of the first thin film of a zeolite-like metal-organic framework (ZMOF) with rho topology (rho-ZMOF-1, ([In48(HImDC)96]48-)n) in a highly oriented fashion on a gold-functionalized substrate. The oriented rho-ZMOF-1
Failure of metals III: Fracture and fatigue of nanostructured metallic materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pineau, André; Amine Benzerga, A.; Pardoen, Thomas
2016-01-01
Pushing the internal or external dimensions of metallic alloys down to the nanometer scale gives rise to strong materials, though most often at the expense of a low ductility and a low resistance to cracking, with negative impact on the transfer to engineering applications. These characteristics are observed, with some exceptions, in bulk ultra-fine grained and nanocrystalline metals, nano-twinned metals, thin metallic coatings on substrates and freestanding thin metallic films and nanowires. This overview encompasses all these systems to reveal commonalities in the origins of the lack of ductility and fracture resistance, in factors governing fatigue resistance, and in ways to improve properties. After surveying the various processing methods and key deformation mechanisms, we systematically address the current state of the art in terms of plastic localization, damage, static and fatigue cracking, for three classes of systems: (1) bulk ultra-fine grained and nanocrystalline metals, (2) thin metallic films on substrates, and (3) 1D and 2D freestanding micro and nanoscale systems. In doing so, we aim to favour cross-fertilization between progress made in the fields of mechanics of thin films, nanomechanics, fundamental researches in bulk nanocrystalline metals and metallurgy to impart enhanced resistance to fracture and fatigue in high-strength nanostructured systems. This involves exploiting intrinsic mechanisms, e.g. to enhance hardening and rate-sensitivity so as to delay necking, or improve grain-boundary cohesion to resist intergranular cracks or voids. Extrinsic methods can also be utilized such as by hybridizing the metal with another material to delocalize the deformation - as practiced in stretchable electronics. Fatigue crack initiation is in principle improved by a fine structure, but at the expense of larger fatigue crack growth rates. Extrinsic toughening through hybridization allows arresting or bridging cracks. The content and discussions are based on
Qiu, Fei; Xu, Zhimou
2009-08-01
In this study, the amorphous Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 (BST0.7) thin films were grown onto fused quartz and silicon substrates at low temperature by using a metal organic decomposition (MOD)-spin-coating procedure. The optical transmittance spectrum of amorphous BST0.7 thin films on fused quartz substrates has been recorded in the wavelength range 190~900 nm. The films were highly transparent for wavelengths longer than 330 nm; the transmission drops rapidly at 330 nm, and the cutoff wavelength occurs at about 260 nm. In addition, we also report the amorphous BST0.7 thin film groove-buried type waveguides with 90° bent structure fabricated on Si substrates with 1.65 μm thick SiO2 thermal oxide layer. The design, fabrication and optical losses of amorphous BST0.7 optical waveguides were presented. The amorphous BST0.7 thin films were grown onto the SiO2/Si substrates by using a metal organic decomposition (MOD)-spin-coating procedure. The optical propagation losses were about 12.8 and 9.4 dB/cm respectively for the 5 and 10 μm wide waveguides at the wavelength of 632.8 nm. The 90° bent structures with a small curvature of micrometers were designed on the basis of a double corner mirror structure. The bend losses were about 1.2 and 0.9 dB respectively for 5 and 10 μm wide waveguides at the wavelength of 632.8 nm. It is expected for amorphous BST0.7 thin films to be used not only in the passive optical interconnection in monolithic OEICs but also in active waveguide devices on the Si chip.
Atomic Structure Control of Silica Thin Films on Pt(111)
Crampton, Andrew S
2015-05-27
Metal oxide thin films grown on metal single crystals are commonly used to model heterogeneous catalyst supports. The structure and properties of thin silicon dioxide films grown on metal single crystals have only recently been thoroughly characterized and their spectral properties well established. We report the successful growth of a three- dimensional, vitreous silicon dioxide thin film on the Pt(111) surface and reproduce the closed bilayer structure previously reported. The confirmation of the three dimensional nature of the film is unequivocally shown by the infrared absorption band at 1252 cm−1. Temperature programmed desorption was used to show that this three-dimensional thin film covers the Pt(111) surface to such an extent that its application as a catalyst support for clusters/nanoparticles is possible. The growth of a three-dimensional film was seen to be directly correlated with the amount of oxygen present on the surface after the silicon evaporation process. This excess of oxygen is tentatively attributed to atomic oxygen being generated in the evaporator. The identification of atomic oxygen as a necessary building block for the formation of a three-dimensional thin film opens up new possibilities for thin film growth on metal supports, whereby simply changing the type of oxygen enables thin films with different atomic structures to be synthesized. This is a novel approach to tune the synthesis parameters of thin films to grow a specific structure and expands the options for modeling common amorphous silica supports under ultra high vacuum conditions.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jabri, S., E-mail: slaheddine.jabri@fst.rnu.tn [Unité des nanomatériaux et photoniques, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Campus Universitaire Ferhat Hachad, El Manar, 2092 Tunis (Tunisia); Amiri, G.; Sallet, V. [Groupe d’Etude de la Matière Condensée, CNRS-Université de Versailles St Quentin, Université Paris-Saclay, 45 avenue des Etats Unis, 78035 Versailles Cedex (France); Souissi, A. [Laboratoire de Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l’Energie, Technopole Borj Cedria, B.P. 95, Hammammlif 2050 (Tunisia); Meftah, A. [Unité des nanomatériaux et photoniques, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Campus Universitaire Ferhat Hachad, El Manar, 2092 Tunis (Tunisia); Galtier, P. [Groupe d’Etude de la Matière Condensée, CNRS-Université de Versailles St Quentin, Université Paris-Saclay, 45 avenue des Etats Unis, 78035 Versailles Cedex (France); Oueslati, M. [Unité des nanomatériaux et photoniques, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Campus Universitaire Ferhat Hachad, El Manar, 2092 Tunis (Tunisia)
2016-05-15
ZnSe layers were grown on ZnO substrates by the metal organic chemical vapor deposition technique. A new structure appeared at lower thicknesses films. The structural properties of the thin films were studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy methods. First, Raman selection rules are explicitly put forward from a theoretical viewpoint. Second, experimentally-retrieved-intensities of the Raman signal as a function of polarization angle of incident light are fitted to the obtained theoretical dependencies in order to confirm the crystallographic planes of zinc blend ZnSe thin film, and correlate with DRX measurements. Raman spectroscopy has been used to characterize the interfacial disorder that affects energy transport phenomena at ZnSe/ZnO interfaces and the Photoluminescence (PL) near the band edge of ZnSe thin films.
The growth of the metallic ZrNx thin films on P-GaN substrate by pulsed laser deposition
Gu, Chengyan; Sui, Zhanpeng; Li, Yuxiong; Chu, Haoyu; Ding, Sunan; Zhao, Yanfei; Jiang, Chunping
2018-03-01
Although metal nitride thin films have attractive prospects in plasmonic applications due to its stable properties in harsh environments containing high temperatures, shock, and contaminants, the effect of deposition parameters on the properties of the metallic ZrN grown on III-N semiconductors by pulse laser deposition still lacks of detailed exploration. Here we have successfully prepared metallic ZrNx films on p-GaN substrate by pulsed laser deposition in N2 ambient of various pressures at a fixed substrate temperature (475 °C). It is found that the films exhibit quite smooth surfaces and (111) preferred orientation. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate that carbon contamination can be completely removed and oxygen contamination is significantly reduced on the film surfaces after cleaning using Ar+ sputtering. The N/Zr ratio increases from 0.64 to 0.75 when the N2 pressure increases from 0.5 Pa to 3 Pa. The optical reflectivity spectra measured by the UV-vis-NIR spectrophotometer show that the ZrNx is a typical and good metallic-like material and its metallic properties can be tuned with changing the film compositions.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hostert, C; Music, D; Schneider, J M; Bednarcik, J; Keckes, J; Kapaklis, V; Hjörvarsson, B
2011-01-01
Density, elastic modulus and the pair distribution function of Co-Fe-Ta-B metallic glasses were obtained by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and measured for sputtered thin films using x-ray reflectivity, nanoindentation and x-ray diffraction using high energy photons. The computationally obtained density of 8.19 g cm -3 for Co 43 Fe 20 Ta 5.5 B 31.5 and 8.42 g cm -3 for Co 45.5 Fe 24 Ta 6 B 24.5 , as well as the Young’s moduli of 273 and 251 GPa, respectively, are consistent with our experiments and literature data. These data, together with the good agreement between the theoretical and the experimental pair distribution functions, indicate that the model established here is useful to describe the density, elasticity and short range order of Co-Fe-Ta-B metallic glass thin films. Irrespective of the investigated variation in chemical composition, (Co, Fe)-B cluster formation and Co-Fe interactions are identified by density-of-states analysis. Strong bonds within the structural units and between the metallic species may give rise to the comparatively large stiffness. (paper)
Shekhah, Osama
2015-01-01
Here we report the fabrication of the first thin film of a zeolite-like metal-organic framework (ZMOF) with rho topology (rho-ZMOF-1, ([In48(HImDC)96]48-)n) in a highly oriented fashion on a gold-functionalized substrate. The oriented rho-ZMOF-1 film was functionalized by non-covalent modification via post-synthetic exchange of different probe molecules, such as acridine yellow, methylene blue, and Nile red. In addition, encapsulation of a porphyrin moiety was achieved via in situ synthesis and construction of the rho-ZMOF. Adsorption kinetics of volatile organic compounds on rho-ZMOF-1 thin films was also investigated. This study suggests that rho-ZMOF-1 thin films can be regarded as a promising platform for various applications such as sensing and catalysis. This journal is
Ryee, Siheon; Han, Myung Joon
2017-07-05
A systematic first-principles study has been performed to understand the magnetism of thin film SrRuO 3 which lots of research efforts have been devoted to but no clear consensus has been reached about its ground state properties. The relative t 2g level difference, lattice distortion as well as the layer thickness play together in determining the spin order. In particular, it is important to understand the difference between two standard approximations, namely LDA and GGA, in describing this metallic magnetism. Landau free energy analysis and the magnetization-energy-ratio plot clearly show the different tendency of favoring the magnetic moment formation, and it is magnified when applied to the thin film limit where the experimental information is severely limited. As a result, LDA gives a qualitatively different prediction from GGA in the experimentally relevant region of strain whereas both approximations give reasonable results for the bulk phase. We discuss the origin of this difference and the applicability of standard methods to the correlated oxide and the metallic magnetic systems.
Rojas-Arriagada, A.; Recio-Blanco, A.; de Laverny, P.; Schultheis, M.; Guiglion, G.; Mikolaitis, Š.; Kordopatis, G.; Hill, V.; Gilmore, G.; Randich, S.; Alfaro, E. J.; Bensby, T.; Koposov, S. E.; Costado, M. T.; Franciosini, E.; Hourihane, A.; Jofré, P.; Lardo, C.; Lewis, J.; Lind, K.; Magrini, L.; Monaco, L.; Morbidelli, L.; Sacco, G. G.; Worley, C. C.; Zaggia, S.; Chiappini, C.
2016-02-01
Context. Recent spectroscopic surveys have begun to explore the Galactic disk system on the basis of large data samples, with spatial distributions sampling regions well outside the solar neighborhood. In this way, they provide valuable information for testing spatial and temporal variations of disk structure kinematics and chemical evolution. Aims: The main purposes of this study are to demonstrate the usefulness of a rigorous mathematical approach to separate substructures of a stellar sample in the abundance-metallicity plane, and provide new evidence with which to characterize the nature of the metal-poor end of the thin disk sequence. Methods: We used a Gaussian mixture model algorithm to separate in the [Mg/Fe] vs. [Fe/H] plane a clean disk star subsample (essentially at RGC -0.25 dex) highlight a change in the slope at solar metallicity. This holds true at different radial regions of the Milky Way. The distribution of Galactocentric radial distances of the metal-poor part of the thin disk ([Fe/H] Cambridge Astronomy Survey Unit (CASU) at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, and by the FLAMES/UVES reduction team at INAF/Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri. These data have been obtained from the Gaia-ESO Survey Data Archive, prepared and hosted by the Wide Field Astronomy Unit, Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, which is funded by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council.
Kündel, J.; Pontiller, P.; Müller, C.; Obermeier, G.; Liu, Z.; Nateprov, A. A.; Hörner, A.; Wixforth, A.; Horn, S.; Tidecks, R.
2013-03-01
A surface acoustic wave (SAW) delay line is used to study the metal-to-insulator (MI) transition of V2O3 thin films deposited on a piezoelectric LiNbO3 substrate. Effects contributing to the sound velocity shift of the SAW which are caused by elastic properties of the lattice of the V2O3 films when changing the temperature are separated from those originating from the electrical conductivity. For this purpose the electric field accompanying the elastic wave of the SAW has been shielded by growing the V2O3 film on a thin metallic Cr interlayer (coated with Cr2O3), covering the piezoelectric substrate. Thus, the recently discovered lattice precursor of the MI transition can be directly observed in the experiments, and its fine structure can be investigated.
Metallic conductivity in a disordered charge-transfer salt derived from cis-BET-TTF
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Rovira, C. [Inst. de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) (Spain); Tarres, J. [Inst. de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) (Spain); Ribera, E. [Inst. de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) (Spain); Veciana, J. [Inst. de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) (Spain); Canadell, E. [Inst. de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) (Spain); Molins, E. [Inst. de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) (Spain); Mas, M. [Inst. de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) (Spain); Laukhin, V. [Inst. de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) (Spain)]|[Rossijskaya Akademiya Nauk, Chernogolovka (Russian Federation). Inst. Khimicheskoj Fiziki; Doublet, M.L. [Lab. de Structure et Dynamique (CNRS), Univ. de Montpellier 2 (France); Cowan, D.O. [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Yang, S. [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
1997-02-28
The first example of a metallic charge-transfer salt derived from cis-bis(ethylenethio)-tetrathiafulvalene (BET-TTF) is reported. (BET-TTF){sub 2}SCN and (BET-TTF)SCN salts were obtained by electrocrystallization starting from trans-BET-TTF. X-ray crystal structure of the mixed-valence salt revealed that trans-cis isomerization occurs upon one electron oxidation. In spite of the structural disorder in both BET-TTF and the counterion, 2:1 salt is metallic down to 60 K and then resistance increases slowly down to 4 K. (orig.)
EPMA-EDS surface measurements of interdiffusion coefficients between miscible metals in thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Christien, F.; Pierson, J.F.; Hassini, A.; Capon, F.; Le Gall, R.; Brousse, T.
2010-01-01
A new technique is developed to study interdiffusion between two miscible metals. The technique is applied to the Ni-Pd system. It consists in measuring the change of apparent surface composition of a Pd substrate coated with an 800 nm Ni thin film during annealing at a given temperature. The measurement is carried out in-situ inside the chamber of a SEM (scanning electron microscope) by EPMA-EDS (electron probe microanalysis-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy). The experimental data are processed using a model that mixes the Fick's diffusion equations and the electron probe microanalysis equation. This process allows the determination of the mean interdiffusion coefficient at a given annealing temperature. The main advantages of the technique are the possible determination of interdiffusion coefficients in thin films and at very low temperature (down to 430 deg. C, i.e. ∼0.4 T m ), which is not achievable with other techniques conventionally used for the study of interdiffusion. The Ni-Pd mean interdiffusion coefficient is shown to follow an Arrhenius law (D-tilde c =6.32x10 -3 exp((178.8kJmol -1 )/(RT) )cm 2 s -1 ) between 430 deg. C and 900 deg. C, in relatively good agreement with previous interdiffusion measurements made on the Ni-Pd system at higher temperature.
Nanostructured thin films and coatings mechanical properties
2010-01-01
The first volume in "The Handbook of Nanostructured Thin Films and Coatings" set, this book concentrates on the mechanical properties, such as hardness, toughness, and adhesion, of thin films and coatings. It discusses processing, properties, and performance and provides a detailed analysis of theories and size effects. The book presents the fundamentals of hard and superhard nanocomposites and heterostructures, assesses fracture toughness and interfacial adhesion strength of thin films and hard nanocomposite coatings, and covers the processing and mechanical properties of hybrid sol-gel-derived nanocomposite coatings. It also uses nanomechanics to optimize coatings for cutting tools and explores various other coatings, such as diamond, metal-containing amorphous carbon nanostructured, and transition metal nitride-based nanolayered multilayer coatings.
MultiLayer solid electrolyte for lithium thin film batteries
Lee, Se -Hee; Tracy, C. Edwin; Pitts, John Roland; Liu, Ping
2015-07-28
A lithium metal thin-film battery composite structure is provided that includes a combination of a thin, stable, solid electrolyte layer [18] such as Lipon, designed in use to be in contact with a lithium metal anode layer; and a rapid-deposit solid electrolyte layer [16] such as LiAlF.sub.4 in contact with the thin, stable, solid electrolyte layer [18]. Batteries made up of or containing these structures are more efficient to produce than other lithium metal batteries that use only a single solid electrolyte. They are also more resistant to stress and strain than batteries made using layers of only the stable, solid electrolyte materials. Furthermore, lithium anode batteries as disclosed herein are useful as rechargeable batteries.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hao Qingzhen; Zhao Yanhui; Juluri, Bala Krishna; Kiraly, Brian; Huang, Tony Jun; Liou, Justin; Khoo, Iam Choon
2011-01-01
Frequency-addressed tunable transmission is demonstrated in optically thin metallic nanohole arrays embedded in dual-frequency liquid crystals (DFLCs). The optical properties of the composite system are characterized by the transmission spectra of the nanoholes, and a prominent transmission peak is shown to originate from the resonance of localized surface plasmons at the edges of the nanoholes. An ∼17 nm shift in the transmission peak is observed between the two alignment configurations of the liquid crystals. This DFLC-based active plasmonic system demonstrates excellent frequency-dependent switching behavior and could be useful in future nanophotonic applications.
Lens of controllable optical field with thin film metallic glasses for UV-LEDs.
Pan, C T; Chen, Y C; Lin, Po-Hung; Hsieh, C C; Hsu, F T; Lin, Po-Hsun; Chang, C M; Hsu, J H; Huang, J C
2014-06-16
In the exposure process of photolithography, a free-form lens is designed and fabricated for UV-LED (Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diode). Thin film metallic glasses (TFMG) are adopted as UV reflection layers to enhance the irradiance and uniformity. The Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with high transmittance is used as the lens material. The 3-D fast printing is attempted to make the mold of the lens. The results show that the average irradiance can be enhanced by 6.5~6.7%, and high uniformity of 85~86% can be obtained. Exposure on commercial thick photoresist using this UV-LED system shows 3~5% dimensional deviation, lower than the 6~8% deviation for commercial mercury lamp system. This current system shows promising potential to replace the conventional mercury exposure systems.
Ruiz, J. M.; Zhang, X. X.; Iglesias, O.; García, A.; Tejada, J.
1993-05-01
The low-temperature isothermal magnetization curves, M(H), of SmCo4 and Fe3Tb thin films are studied according to the two-dimensional correlated spin-glass model of Chudnovsky. We have calculated the magnetization law in approach to saturation and shown that the M(H) data fit well the theory at high and low fields. In our fit procedure we have used three different correlation functions. The Gaussian decay correlation function fits well the experimental data for both samples.
Witcomb, Gemma L; Arcelus, Jon; Chen, Jue
2013-12-01
Eating disorders are common, life-threatening conditions in Western countries, but until relatively recently they were regarded as uncommon in non-Western cultures. However, the prevalence of eating disorders in many of the more affluent non-Western countries is rising rapidly as community members, particularly young women, internalize the 'thin ideal' that has been widely promoted by the international media. This review discusses the factors involved in the development of eating disorders in non-Western settings with a particular emphasis on the influences of urbanization, modernization, Westernization, and the resulting changes in women's roles. The cognitive dissonance programs developed in Western countries that have proven successful in countering the negative effects of the thin idea are described and their potential application to East Asia and other non-Western countries are discussed.
Kim, Ki-Joong; Lu, Ping; Culp, Jeffrey T; Ohodnicki, Paul R
2018-02-23
Integration of optical fiber with sensitive thin films offers great potential for the realization of novel chemical sensing platforms. In this study, we present a simple design strategy and high performance of nanoporous metal-organic framework (MOF) based optical gas sensors, which enables detection of a wide range of concentrations of small molecules based upon extremely small differences in refractive indices as a function of analyte adsorption within the MOF framework. Thin and compact MOF films can be uniformly formed and tightly bound on the surface of etched optical fiber through a simple solution method which is critical for manufacturability of MOF-based sensor devices. The resulting sensors show high sensitivity/selectivity to CO 2 gas relative to other small gases (H 2 , N 2 , O 2 , and CO) with rapid (optical fiber platform which results in an amplification of inherent optical absorption present within the MOF-based sensing layer with increasing values of effective refractive index associated with adsorption of gases.
2014-11-01
The Special issue presents the papers for the INERA Workshop entitled "Transition Metal Oxides as Functional Layers in Smart windows and Water Splitting Devices", which was held in Varna, St. Konstantin and Elena, Bulgaria, from the 4th-6th September 2014. The Workshop is organized within the context of the INERA "Research and Innovation Capacity Strengthening of ISSP-BAS in Multifunctional Nanostructures", FP7 Project REGPOT 316309 program, European project of the Institute of Solid State Physics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. There were 42 participants at the workshop, 16 from Sweden, Germany, Romania and Hungary, 11 invited lecturers, and 28 young participants. There were researchers present from prestigious European laboratories which are leaders in the field of transition metal oxide thin film technologies. The event contributed to training young researchers in innovative thin film technologies, as well as thin films characterization techniques. The topics of the Workshop cover the field of technology and investigation of thin oxide films as functional layers in "Smart windows" and "Water splitting" devices. The topics are related to the application of novel technologies for the preparation of transition metal oxide films and the modification of chromogenic properties towards the improvement of electrochromic and termochromic device parameters for possible industrial deployment. The Workshop addressed the following topics: Metal oxide films-functional layers in energy efficient devices; Photocatalysts and chemical sensing; Novel thin film technologies and applications; Methods of thin films characterizations; From the 37 abstracts sent, 21 manuscripts were written and later refereed. We appreciate the comments from all the referees, and we are grateful for their valuable contributions. Guest Editors: Assoc. Prof. Dr.Tatyana Ivanova Prof. DSc Kostadinka Gesheva Prof. DSc Hassan Chamatti Assoc. Prof. Dr. Georgi Popkirov Workshop Organizing Committee Prof
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Boughalmi, R. [Unité de physique des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs, Faculté des sciences de Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, 2092 Tunis (Tunisia); Rahmani, R. [Laboratoire de Physique des Couches Minces et Matériaux pour l' Electronique (LPC2ME). Département de physique, Faculté des Sciences, Université d' Oran Es-Sénia, Oran (Algeria); Département de physique, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie d' Oran- Mohamed-Boudiaf, Oran (Algeria); Boukhachem, A., E-mail: abdelwaheb.boukhachem@laposte.net [Unité de physique des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs, Faculté des sciences de Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, 2092 Tunis (Tunisia); Amrani, B.; Driss-Khodja, K. [Laboratoire de Physique des Couches Minces et Matériaux pour l' Electronique (LPC2ME). Département de physique, Faculté des Sciences, Université d' Oran Es-Sénia, Oran (Algeria); Amlouk, M. [Unité de physique des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs, Faculté des sciences de Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, 2092 Tunis (Tunisia)
2015-08-01
Nickel sulfide (NiS) thin films were deposited on the glass substrates by spray pyrolysis at 250 °C using an aqueous solution which contains nickel chloride hexahydrate and thiourea as precursors. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that the hexagonal structure is being part of P6{sub 3}/mmc space group of the deposited films with (100) preferred orientation and lattice parameters a = 3.441 Å and c = 5.320 Å. The optical properties, investigated through transmittance and reflectance measurements reveal that the direct band gap energy (Eg) is around 0.55 eV. The electrical study shows a metallic behavior of the current II-VI binary compound. This behavior regarding NiS II-VI binary sulfide was confirmed by numerical studies based on the density functional theory (DFT) were adopted. The ground state quantities, such as lattice parameter, bulk modulus and its pressure derivative as well as the elastic constants were obtained. The values are consistent with the stability of hexagonal structure. The band structure and the states densities of such material were studied. The results show that there is an agreement between experimental and simulation. - Highlights: • NiS thin films are synthesized by Spray pyrolysis. • NiS is a low band gap compound. • These films have interesting electrical properties showing a metallic behavior. • Computational study confirms the electrical measurements.
Investigation of size-temperature effects in thin f;.lms of transition metals
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Loboda, V.B.; Protsenko, I.E.; Smolin, M.D.; Yaremenko, A.V.
1985-01-01
The temperature and size dependences are studied for specific rho and temperature coeficients of resistance of transition metal films obtained and annealed in the 10 -6 - 5x10 -7 Pa vacuum. The size dependence of lambda sub(g)(1-p), rho sub(db), R, r and rhosub(db)sup(v) parameters was calculated using the Tellier, Tosser and Pichard theory. The temperature dependence of the conductivity was investigated in the 80-700 K range. A conclusion is made that all differences between dependences rho(T) for thin and bulk samples may be explained by effects specific for films but presenting no class of new physical effects. The size dependence of the electron-phonon interaction near T>THETAsub(D) and proportionality factors in the approximating equation rho approximately Asub(1.2)xTsup(2) is obtained for Ni films
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Takayoshi Katase
2017-05-01
Full Text Available Infrared (IR transmittance tunable metal-insulator conversion was demonstrated on a glass substrate by using thermochromic vanadium dioxide (VO2 as the active layer in a three-terminal thin-film-transistor-type device with water-infiltrated glass as the gate insulator. Alternative positive/negative gate-voltage applications induce the reversible protonation/deprotonation of a VO2 channel, and two-orders of magnitude modulation of sheet-resistance and 49% modulation of IR-transmittance were simultaneously demonstrated at room temperature by the metal-insulator phase conversion of VO2 in a non-volatile manner. The present device is operable by the room-temperature protonation in an all-solid-state structure, and thus it will provide a new gateway to future energy-saving technology as an advanced smart window.
Kozachuk, Olesia; Yusenko, Kirill; Noei, Heshmat; Wang, Yuemin; Walleck, Stephan; Glaser, Thorsten; Fischer, Roland A
2011-08-14
Phase-pure crystalline thin films of a mixed-valence Ru(2)(II,III) metal-organic framework with 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate (btc) as a linker were solvothermally grown on amorphous alumina and silica surfaces. Based on the Rietveld refinement, the structure of Ru-MOF was assigned to be analogous to [Cu(3)(btc)(2)] (HKUST-1). This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011
Bandtail characteristics in InN thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shen, W.Z.; Jiang, L.F.; Yang, H.F.; Meng, F.Y.; Ogawa, H.; Guo, Q.X.
2002-01-01
The Urbach bandtail characteristics in InN thin films grown by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on sapphire (0001) substrates have been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The bandtail parameter in InN thin films has been obtained by temperature-dependent transmission spectra, with the aid of a detailed calculation of the transmission profile. A bandtail model based on the calculation of density of occupied states and the carrier-phonon interaction has been employed to analyze the temperature-dependent bandtail characteristics. The bandtail parameter is in the range of 90-120 meV in the InN thin film. It is found that the carrier-phonon interaction in InN is weak and the structural disorder contribution (∼90 meV) dominates over the interactive terms. The high structural disorder in InN thin films may relate to the high nonradiative recombination centers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Morley, N.B.; Gaizer, A.A.; Tillack, M.S.; Abdou, M.A.
1995-01-01
Free surface thin film flows of liquid metal were investigated experimentally in the presence of a coplanar magnetic field. This investigation was performed in a new magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow facility, the MeGA-loop, utilizing a low melting temperature lead-bismuth alloy as the working metal. Owing to the relatively low magnetic field produced by the present field coil system, the ordinary hydrodynamic and low MHD interaction regimes only were investigated. At the high flow speeds necessary for self cooling, the importance of a well designed and constructed channel becomes obvious. Partial MHD drag, increasing the film height, is observed as Haβ 2 becomes greater than unity. MHD laminarization of the turbulent film flows is observed when Haβ/Re>0.002, but fully laminar flow was not reached. Suggestions for facility upgrades to achieve greater MHD interaction are presented in the context of these initial results. (orig.)
Oxidation of ruthenium thin films using atomic oxygen
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
McCoy, A.P.; Bogan, J.; Brady, A.; Hughes, G.
2015-12-31
In this study, the use of atomic oxygen to oxidise ruthenium thin films is assessed. Atomic layer deposited (ALD) ruthenium thin films (~ 3 nm) were exposed to varying amounts of atomic oxygen and the results were compared to the impact of exposures to molecular oxygen. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies reveal substantial oxidation of metallic ruthenium films to RuO{sub 2} at exposures as low as ~ 10{sup 2} L at 575 K when atomic oxygen was used. Higher exposures of molecular oxygen resulted in no metal oxidation highlighting the benefits of using atomic oxygen to form RuO{sub 2}. Additionally, the partial oxidation of these ruthenium films occurred at temperatures as low as 293 K (room temperature) in an atomic oxygen environment. - Highlights: • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the oxidation of Ru thin films • Oxidation of Ru thin films using atomic oxygen • Comparison between atomic oxygen and molecular oxygen treatments on Ru thin films • Fully oxidised RuO{sub 2} thin films formed with low exposures to atomic oxygen.
Thin film electronic devices with conductive and transparent gas and moisture permeation barriers
Simpson, Lin Jay
2013-12-17
A thin film stack (100, 200) is provided for use in electronic devices such as photovoltaic devices. The stack (100, 200) may be integrated with a substrate (110) such as a light transmitting/transmissive layer. A electrical conductor layer (120, 220) is formed on a surface of the substrate (110) or device layer such as a transparent conducting (TC) material layer (120,220) with pin holes or defects (224) caused by manufacturing. The stack (100) includes a thin film (130, 230) of metal that acts as a barrier for environmental contaminants (226, 228). The metal thin film (130,230) is deposited on the conductor layer (120, 220) and formed from a self-healing metal such as a metal that forms self-terminating oxides. A permeation plug or block (236) is formed in or adjacent to the thin film (130, 230) of metal at or proximate to the pin holes (224) to block further permeation of contaminants through the pin holes (224).
Hengst, Julie A; Devanga, Suma; Mosier, Hillary
2015-11-01
Evidence-based practice relies on clinicians to translate research evidence for individual clients. This study, the initial phase of a broader research project, examines the textual resources of such translations by analyzing how people with acquired cognitive-communication disorders (ACCD) and their life worlds have been represented in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) research articles. Using textual analysis, we completed a categorical analysis of 6,059 articles published between 1936 and 2012, coding for genre, population, and any evidence of thick representations of people and their life worlds, and a discourse analysis of representations used in 56 ACCD research articles, identifying thin and thick representations in 4 domains (derived from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health) and across article sections. The categorical analysis identified a higher percentage of ACCD articles with some evidence of thick representation (30%) compared with all CSD articles (12%) sampled. However, discourse analysis of ACCD research articles found that thick representations were quite limited; 34/56 articles had thin representational profiles, 19/56 had mixed profiles, and 3/56 had thick profiles. These findings document the dominance of thin representations in the CSD literature, which we suggest makes translational work more difficult. How clinicians translate such evidence will be addressed in the next research phase, an interview study of speech-language pathologists.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Herrero, J; Ortega, J
1988-08-01
Chalcogenization of electroplated metallic indium films onto Ti substrates has been carried out in a flowing stream of H/sub 2/S at about 350/sup 0/C for 1 h with a pretreatment of 3 h at 130/sup 0/C. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that ..beta..-In/sub 2/S/sub 3/ thin films were grown with a good crystalline quality. Photoelectrochemical characterization of the electrodes was accomplished in aqueous polysulphide solutions, and a energy gap of 2.00 eV was obtained. The flatband potential, V/sub fb/, in the same polysulphide couple was -1.0 V versus SCE. Behaviour of the thin film photocurrent with time was checked, and a photocorrosion reaction proposed.
Subsurface excitations in a metal
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ray, M. P.; Lake, R. E.; Sosolik, C. E.
2009-01-01
We investigate internal hot carrier excitations in a Au thin film bombarded by hyperthermal and low energy alkali and noble gas ions. Excitations within the thin film of a metal-oxide-semiconductor device are measured revealing that ions whose velocities fall below the classical threshold given...... by the free-electron model of a metal still excite hot carriers. Excellent agreement between these results and a nonadiabatic model that accounts for the time-varying ion-surface interaction indicates that the measured excitations are due to semilocalized electrons near the metal surface....
Thin films for emerging applications v.16
Francombe, Maurice H
1992-01-01
Following in the long-standing tradition of excellence established by this serial, this volume provides a focused look at contemporary applications. High Tc superconducting thin films are discussed in terms of ion beam and sputtering deposition, vacuum evaporation, laser ablation, MOCVD, and other deposition processes in addition to their ultimate applications. Detailed treatment is also given to permanent magnet thin films, lateral diffusion and electromigration in metallic thin films, and fracture and cracking phenomena in thin films adhering to high-elongation substrates.
Highly transparent front electrodes with metal fingers for p-i-n thin-film silicon solar cells
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Moulin Etienne
2015-01-01
Full Text Available The optical and electrical properties of transparent conductive oxides (TCOs, traditionally used in thin-film silicon (TF-Si solar cells as front-electrode materials, are interlinked, such that an increase in TCO transparency is generally achieved at the cost of reduced lateral conductance. Combining a highly transparent TCO front electrode of moderate conductance with metal fingers to support charge collection is a well-established technique in wafer-based technologies or for TF-Si solar cells in the substrate (n-i-p configuration. Here, we extend this concept to TF-Si solar cells in the superstrate (p-i-n configuration. The metal fingers are used in conjunction with a millimeter-scale textured foil, attached to the glass superstrate, which provides an antireflective and retroreflective effect; the latter effect mitigates the shadowing losses induced by the metal fingers. As a result, a substantial increase in power conversion efficiency, from 8.7% to 9.1%, is achieved for 1-μm-thick microcrystalline silicon solar cells deposited on a highly transparent thermally treated aluminum-doped zinc oxide layer combined with silver fingers, compared to cells deposited on a state-of-the-art zinc oxide layer.
Witcomb, Gemma L.; Arcelus, Jon; Chen, Jue
2013-01-01
Summary Eating disorders are common, life-threatening conditions in Western countries, but until relatively recently they were regarded as uncommon in non-Western cultures. However, the prevalence of eating disorders in many of the more affluent non-Western countries is rising rapidly as community members, particularly young women, internalize the ‘thin ideal’ that has been widely promoted by the international media. This review discusses the factors involved in the development of eating disorders in non-Western settings with a particular emphasis on the influences of urbanization, modernization, Westernization, and the resulting changes in women's roles. The cognitive dissonance programs developed in Western countries that have proven successful in countering the negative effects of the thin idea are described and their potential application to East Asia and other non-Western countries are discussed. PMID:24991176
Irradiation of layered metallic dichalcogenides: disorder in the charge density waves
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mutka, Hannu.
1983-01-01
This thesis is an experimental study on electron-irradiated metallic layer compounds (VSe 2 , NbSe 2 , TaS 2 , TaSe 2 ). The metal atoms displaced by irradiation remain in the form of stable defects up to 300 K; their concentration (10 - 5 ... 10 - 2 )is known from measurements of displacement threshold energy and magnetic susceptibility. The effect of these defects on the charge densite wave (CDW) phases and on the electronic and superconducting properties forms the major part of this study. In 1T-TaS 2 , a microstructure of CDW domains pinned to defects is observed by electron microscopy. The effects of this kind of disorder are also manifest in the thermodynamic properties of the CDW and in the electronic transport, as well as in the superconducting properties [fr
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Chao, H E; Saitoh, K; Suzuki, N [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). Faculty of Science
1980-11-11
Normal phase thin-layer chromatographic behaviour of several ternary complexes of group-IIIA metals with 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) and 2,2'bipyridyl (bpy) has been investigated on cellulose layer. The ternary complexes of lanthanide metals show higher mutual separability than the complexes with TTA alone. Mutual separation of TTA complexes with La(III), Ce(III), Eu(III) or Y(III), Sc(III), Th(IV), and U(VI) has been successfully achieved by two-dimensional TLC, primarily with carbon tetrachloride-benzene (75:25) containing 0.02M TTA, and secondary with carbon tetrachloride-hexane (35:65) containing both 0.02M TTA and 0.02M bpy.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ma, Xu; Liu, Xinkun; Li, Haizhu; Huang, Mingju [Henan University, Key Lab of Informational Opto-Electronical Materials and Apparatus, School of Physics and Electronics, Kaifeng (China); Zhang, Angran [South China Normal University, Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, Guangzhou (China)
2017-03-15
High-quality vanadium oxide (VO{sub 2}) films have been fabricated on Si (111) substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering deposition method. The sheet resistance of VO{sub 2} has a significant change (close to 5 orders of magnitude) in the process of the metal-insulator phase transition (MIT). The field emission-scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) results show the grain size of VO{sub 2} thin films is larger with the increase of oxygen flow. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate the thin films fabricated at different oxygen flow rates grow along the (011) crystalline orientation. As the oxygen flow rate increases from 3 sccm to 6 sccm, the phase transition temperature of the films reduces from 341 to 320 K, the width of the thermal hysteresis loop decreases from 32 to 9 K. The thin films fabricated in the condition of 5 sccm have a high temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) -3.455%/K with a small resistivity of 2.795 ρ/Ω cm. (orig.)
Flexible Electronics Powered by Mixed Metal Oxide Thin Film Transistors
Marrs, Michael
A low temperature amorphous oxide thin film transistor (TFT) and amorphous silicon PIN diode backplane technology for large area flexible digital x-ray detectors has been developed to create 7.9-in. diagonal backplanes. The critical steps in the evolution of the backplane process include the qualification and optimization of the low temperature (200 °C) metal oxide TFT and a-Si PIN photodiode process, the stability of the devices under forward and reverse bias stress, the transfer of the process to flexible plastic substrates, and the fabrication and assembly of the flexible detectors. Mixed oxide semiconductor TFTs on flexible plastic substrates suffer from performance and stability issues related to the maximum processing temperature limitation of the polymer. A novel device architecture based upon a dual active layer improves both the performance and stability. Devices are directly fabricated below 200 ºC on a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate using mixed metal oxides of either zinc indium oxide (ZIO) or indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) as the active semiconductor. The dual active layer architecture allows for adjustment to the saturation mobility and threshold voltage stability without the requirement of high temperature annealing, which is not compatible with flexible plastic substrates like PEN. The device performance and stability is strongly dependent upon the composition of the mixed metal oxide; this dependency provides a simple route to improving the threshold voltage stability and drive performance. By switching from a single to a dual active layer, the saturation mobility increases from 1.2 cm2/V-s to 18.0 cm2/V-s, while the rate of the threshold voltage shift decreases by an order of magnitude. This approach could assist in enabling the production of devices on flexible substrates using amorphous oxide semiconductors. Low temperature (200°C) processed amorphous silicon photodiodes were developed successfully by balancing the tradeoffs
Study of 'liquid gold' coatings: Thermal decomposition and formation of metallic thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Deram, V.; Turrell, S.; Darque-Ceretti, E.; Aucouturier, M.
2006-01-01
Organo-metallic solutions called liquid gold are largely used to obtain thin gilded films which are employed for decorative, technological and functional uses. However, these films often prove to be fragile with respect to use, resulting in loss of brilliance or even eventual film removal. An understanding of the behaviour of the layers requires good knowledge of the materials themselves. The present work was undertaken to better understand the evolution of the structural properties of liquid gold as it undergoes heat-processing. Accordingly, we followed the thermal decomposition processes of liquid gold coatings and the formation of the gilded metal layer using a combination of experimental techniques. First, thermal analyses coupled with mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy gave information concerning the decomposition of the organic medium. It has been found that the process of film formation can be decomposed into three steps, the second of which is an abrupt transition between 300 and 350 deg. C. Details on this transition have been obtained using real-time X-ray Diffraction and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry. Above 350 deg. C, the microstructure of the coating is reorganized to obtain a final layer which contains particles, of the size of a few hundreds nanometers, as shown by Transmission Electron Microscopy
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Schmid, Martin
2012-01-18
In this thesis, interfaces between metals and organic thin films have been characterized with photoelectron and ion-scattering spectroscopies. Two different classes of metal/organic interfaces were examined in detail. First, interfaces which can be mainly characterized by relatively weak coordinative interactions between substrate and adsorbate. Second, interfaces which are mostly determined, or even created, by chemical reactions between different adsorbates or between adsorbates and substrate. Typical examples from the first class are metalated tetrapyrrole monolayers on Ag(111) and Au(111) single-crystal substrates. In this study, a focus was set to the interaction between iron and cobalt tetrapyrroles with Ag(111) or Au(111) substrates. A detailed examination of the corresponding photoelectron spectra revealed that the adsorbatesubstrate interaction is associated with a charge transfer from the metallic substrate to the Fe(II) or Co(II) ions within the tetrapyrrole units. The examination of cobalt(II) phthalocyanine monolayers further led to the conclusion that the magnetic moment, as present in unperturbed CoPc molecules, is efficiently quenched by the contact to the Ag(111) surface and the associated charge transfer. Similar investigations on Au(111) substrates gave evidence for possible adsorption site effects, further complicating the adsorbate/substrate interaction. Furthermore the formation of two-dimensional structures of poly(p-phenylene-terephthalamide) (PPTA, trademark Kevlar) on Ag(111) was closely examined. The Ag(111) surface does not only provide the geometrical boundary for the formation of the 2D covalent structures, but, moreover, actively participates in the reaction; after the adsorption of TPC molecules, a scission of the C-Cl bond, in particular at temperatures above 120 K, was evident. The resulting radical fragments appear stable and can act as reaction partners for the co-adsorbed PPD units. The chlorine atoms reside on the surface even
Kim, Sohee; Ha, Taewook; Yoo, Sungmi; Ka, Jae-Won; Kim, Jinsoo; Won, Jong Chan; Choi, Dong Hoon; Jang, Kwang-Suk; Kim, Yun Ho
2017-06-14
We developed a facile method for treating polyimide-based organic gate insulator (OGI) surfaces with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) by introducing metal-oxide interlayers, called the metal-oxide assisted SAM treatment (MAST). To create sites for surface modification with SAM materials on polyimide-based OGI (KPI) surfaces, the metal-oxide interlayer, here amorphous alumina (α-Al 2 O 3 ), was deposited on the KPI gate insulator using spin-coating via a rapid sol-gel reaction, providing an excellent template for the formation of a high-quality SAM with phosphonic acid anchor groups. The SAM of octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) was successfully treated by spin-coating onto the α-Al 2 O 3 -deposited KPI film. After the surface treatment by ODPA/α-Al 2 O 3 , the surface energy of the KPI thin film was remarkably decreased and the molecular compatibility of the film with an organic semiconductor (OSC), 2-decyl-7-phenyl-[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (Ph-BTBT-C 10 ), was increased. Ph-BTBT-C 10 molecules were uniformly deposited on the treated gate insulator surface and grown with high crystallinity, as confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The mobility of Ph-BTBT-C 10 thin-film transistors (TFTs) was approximately doubled, from 0.56 ± 0.05 cm 2 V -1 s -1 to 1.26 ± 0.06 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , after the surface treatment. The surface treatment of α-Al 2 O 3 and ODPA significantly decreased the threshold voltage from -21.2 V to -8.3 V by reducing the trap sites in the OGI and improving the interfacial properties with the OSC. We suggest that the MAST method for OGIs can be applied to various OGI materials lacking reactive sites using SAMs. It may provide a new platform for the surface treatment of OGIs, similar to that of conventional SiO 2 gate insulators.
Electric Transport Phenomena of Nanocomposite Organic Polymer Thin Films
Jira, Nicholas C.; Sabirianov, Ildar; Ilie, Carolina C.
We discuss herein the nanocomposite organic thin film diodes for the use of plasmonic solar cells. This experimental work follows the theoretical calculations done for plasmonic solar cells using the MNPBEM toolbox for MatLab. These calculations include dispersion curves and amount of light scattering cross sections for different metallic nanoparticles. This study gives us clear ideas on what to expect from different metals, allowing us to make the best choice on what to use to obtain the best results. One specific technique for light trapping in thin films solar cells utilizes metal nanoparticles on the surface of the semiconductor. The characteristics of the metal, semiconductor interface allows for light to be guided in between them causing it to be scattered, allowing for more chances of absorption. The samples were fabricated using organic thin films made from polymers and metallic nanoparticles, more specifically Poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) copolymer and silver or gold nanoparticles. The two fabrication methods applied include spin coating and Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The transport properties are obtained by analyzing the I-V curves. We will also discuss the resistance, resistivity, conductance, density of charge carriers. SUNY Oswego SCAC Grant.
Unidirectional oxide hetero-interface thin-film diode
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Park, Youngmin; Lee, Eungkyu; Lee, Jinwon; Lim, Keon-Hee; Kim, Youn Sang
2015-01-01
The unidirectional thin-film diode based on oxide hetero-interface, which is well compatible with conventional thin-film fabrication process, is presented. With the metal anode/electron-transporting oxide (ETO)/electron-injecting oxide (EIO)/metal cathode structure, it exhibits that electrical currents ohmically flow at the ETO/EIO hetero-interfaces for only positive voltages showing current density (J)-rectifying ratio of ∼10 5 at 5 V. The electrical properties (ex, current levels, and working device yields) of the thin-film diode (TFD) are systematically controlled by changing oxide layer thickness. Moreover, we show that the oxide hetero-interface TFD clearly rectifies an AC input within frequency (f) range of 10 2 Hz < f < 10 6 Hz, providing a high feasibility for practical applications
Unidirectional oxide hetero-interface thin-film diode
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Park, Youngmin; Lee, Eungkyu; Lee, Jinwon; Lim, Keon-Hee [Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Youn Sang, E-mail: younskim@snu.ac.kr [Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Gyeonggi-do 443-270 (Korea, Republic of)
2015-10-05
The unidirectional thin-film diode based on oxide hetero-interface, which is well compatible with conventional thin-film fabrication process, is presented. With the metal anode/electron-transporting oxide (ETO)/electron-injecting oxide (EIO)/metal cathode structure, it exhibits that electrical currents ohmically flow at the ETO/EIO hetero-interfaces for only positive voltages showing current density (J)-rectifying ratio of ∼10{sup 5} at 5 V. The electrical properties (ex, current levels, and working device yields) of the thin-film diode (TFD) are systematically controlled by changing oxide layer thickness. Moreover, we show that the oxide hetero-interface TFD clearly rectifies an AC input within frequency (f) range of 10{sup 2} Hz < f < 10{sup 6} Hz, providing a high feasibility for practical applications.
Mutation-specific effects on thin filament length in thin filament myopathy.
Winter, Josine M de; Joureau, Barbara; Lee, Eun-Jeong; Kiss, Balázs; Yuen, Michaela; Gupta, Vandana A; Pappas, Christopher T; Gregorio, Carol C; Stienen, Ger J M; Edvardson, Simon; Wallgren-Pettersson, Carina; Lehtokari, Vilma-Lotta; Pelin, Katarina; Malfatti, Edoardo; Romero, Norma B; Engelen, Baziel G van; Voermans, Nicol C; Donkervoort, Sandra; Bönnemann, C G; Clarke, Nigel F; Beggs, Alan H; Granzier, Henk; Ottenheijm, Coen A C
2016-06-01
Thin filament myopathies are among the most common nondystrophic congenital muscular disorders, and are caused by mutations in genes encoding proteins that are associated with the skeletal muscle thin filament. Mechanisms underlying muscle weakness are poorly understood, but might involve the length of the thin filament, an important determinant of force generation. We investigated the sarcomere length-dependence of force, a functional assay that provides insights into the contractile strength of muscle fibers as well as the length of the thin filaments, in muscle fibers from 51 patients with thin filament myopathy caused by mutations in NEB, ACTA1, TPM2, TPM3, TNNT1, KBTBD13, KLHL40, and KLHL41. Lower force generation was observed in muscle fibers from patients of all genotypes. In a subset of patients who harbor mutations in NEB and ACTA1, the lower force was associated with downward shifted force-sarcomere length relations, indicative of shorter thin filaments. Confocal microscopy confirmed shorter thin filaments in muscle fibers of these patients. A conditional Neb knockout mouse model, which recapitulates thin filament myopathy, revealed a compensatory mechanism; the lower force generation that was associated with shorter thin filaments was compensated for by increasing the number of sarcomeres in series. This allowed muscle fibers to operate at a shorter sarcomere length and maintain optimal thin-thick filament overlap. These findings might provide a novel direction for the development of therapeutic strategies for thin filament myopathy patients with shortened thin filament lengths. Ann Neurol 2016;79:959-969. © 2016 American Neurological Association.
Metal-insulator transition in SrTi{sub 1−x}V{sub x}O{sub 3} thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gu, Man [Department of Physics, University of Virginia, 382 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (United States); Wolf, Stuart A. [Department of Physics, University of Virginia, 382 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, 395 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (United States); Lu, Jiwei [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, 395 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (United States)
2013-11-25
Epitaxial SrTi{sub 1−x}V{sub x}O{sub 3} (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) thin films were grown on (001)-oriented (LaAlO{sub 3}){sub 0.3}(Sr{sub 2}AlTaO{sub 6}){sub 0.7} (LSAT) substrates using the pulsed electron-beam deposition technique. The transport study revealed a temperature driven metal-insulator transition (MIT) at 95 K for x = 0.67. The films with higher vanadium concentration (x > 0.67) were metallic corresponding to a Fermi liquid system. In the insulating phase (x < 0.67), the resistivity behavior was governed by Mott's variable range hopping mechanism. The possible mechanisms for the induced MIT are discussed, including the effects of electron correlation, lattice distortion, and Anderson localization.
Optical constant of thin gold films
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Yakubovsky, D. I.; Fedyanin, D. Yu; Arsenin, A. V.
2017-01-01
The performance of metal-based devices is limited by ohmic losses in the metal, which are determined by electron scattering. The structural properties of gold thin films also play an important role in the film quality, which may affect its' optical properties and the overall capability...... and spectroscopic ellipsometry, the structural morphology and optical properties of polycrystalline gold thin films (fabricated by e-beam deposition at a low sputtering rate smooth gold) in the thickness range of 20 - 200 nm. By extracting the real and imaginary dielectric function and the Drude parameter...... of the device. At the same time, metal films of different thicknesses are needed for different applications and, since these films are polycrystalline, their internal properties and surface roughness can greatly vary from one thickness to another. In this work, we study, using atomic force microscopy...
Liquid- and Gas-Phase Diffusion of Ferrocene in Thin Films of Metal-Organic Frameworks
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Wencai Zhou
2015-06-01
Full Text Available The mass transfer of the guest molecules in nanoporous host materials, in particular in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs, is among the crucial features of their applications. By using thin surface-mounted MOF films in combination with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM, the diffusion of ferrocene vapor and of ethanolic and hexanic ferrocene solution in HKUST-1 was investigated. For the first time, liquid- and gas-phase diffusion in MOFs was compared directly in the identical sample. The diffusion coefficients are in the same order of magnitude (~10−16 m2·s−1, whereas the diffusion coefficient of ferrocene in the empty framework is roughly 3-times smaller than in the MOF which is filled with ethanol or n-hexane.
Liquid- and Gas-Phase Diffusion of Ferrocene in Thin Films of Metal-Organic Frameworks
Zhou, Wencai; Wöll, Christof; Heinke, Lars
2015-01-01
The mass transfer of the guest molecules in nanoporous host materials, in particular in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), is among the crucial features of their applications. By using thin surface-mounted MOF films in combination with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), the diffusion of ferrocene vapor and of ethanolic and hexanic ferrocene solution in HKUST-1 was investigated. For the first time, liquid- and gas-phase diffusion in MOFs was compared directly in the identical sample. The diffusion coefficients are in the same order of magnitude (~10−16 m2·s−1), whereas the diffusion coefficient of ferrocene in the empty framework is roughly 3-times smaller than in the MOF which is filled with ethanol or n-hexane.
Photon transport in thin disordered slabs
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
We examine using Monte Carlo simulations, photon transport in optically `thin' slabs whose thickness is only a few times the transport mean free path *, with particles of different scattering anisotropies. The confined geometry causes an auto-selection of only photons with looping paths to remain within the slab.
Fukuda, Katsutoshi; Sato, Jun; Saida, Takahiro; Sugimoto, Wataru; Ebina, Yasuo; Shibata, Tatsuo; Osada, Minoru; Sasaki, Takayoshi
2013-03-04
The metallization behavior of molecularly thin RuO2 nanosheets obtained from complete delamination of layered ruthenates was studied. Interestingly, the RuO2 nanosheets in a monolayer state topotactically transformed into a single layer of Ru atoms, i.e., ruthenium metal nanosheets, which can be regarded as a new family of nanosized metals.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Perez-Pacheco, A.; Acosta-Najarro, D. R.; Cruz-Manjarrez, H.; Rodriguez-Fernandez, L.; Pineda-Santamaria, J. C; Aguilar-Franco, M. [Instituto de Fisica-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico DF (Mexico); Castaneda-Guzman, R. [Laboratorio de Fotofisica y Peliculas Delgadas, CCADET-UNAM, Mexico DF (Mexico)
2013-05-14
In this work, the pulsed photoacoustic technique was used to investigate the semiconductor-metal transition of thin vanadium pentoxide films (V{sub 2}O{sub 5}) under increasing temperature. The V{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films were simultaneously deposited by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature, on corning glass and SnO{sub 2}:F/glass substrates, in order to compare the photoacoustic response. The elemental and structural analysis of the V{sub 2}O{sub 5} films was performed by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The optical transmission and band gap were determined using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The electrical properties were measured using four-point probe measurements with the Van der Pauw geometry.
Suppression of Magnetoresistance in Thin WTe2 Flakes by Surface Oxidation.
Woods, John M; Shen, Jie; Kumaravadivel, Piranavan; Pang, Yuan; Xie, Yujun; Pan, Grace A; Li, Min; Altman, Eric I; Lu, Li; Cha, Judy J
2017-07-12
Recent renewed interest in layered transition metal dichalcogenides stems from the exotic electronic phases predicted and observed in the single- and few-layer limit. Realizing these electronic phases requires preserving the desired transport properties down to a monolayer, which is challenging. Surface oxides are known to impart Fermi level pinning or degrade the mobility on a number of different systems, including transition metal dichalcogenides and black phosphorus. Semimetallic WTe 2 exhibits large magnetoresistance due to electron-hole compensation; thus, Fermi level pinning in thin WTe 2 flakes could break the electron-hole balance and suppress the large magnetoresistance. We show that WTe 2 develops an ∼2 nm thick amorphous surface oxide, which shifts the Fermi level by ∼300 meV at the WTe 2 surface. We also observe a dramatic suppression of the magnetoresistance for thin flakes. However, due to the semimetallic nature of WTe 2 , the effects of Fermi level pinning are well screened and are not the dominant cause for the suppression of magnetoresistance, supported by fitting a two-band model to the transport data, which showed the electron and hole carrier densities are balanced down to ∼13 nm. However, the fitting shows a significant decrease of the mobilities of both electrons and holes. We attribute this to the disorder introduced by the amorphous surface oxide layer. Thus, the decrease of mobility is the dominant factor in the suppression of magnetoresistance for thin WTe 2 flakes. Our study highlights the critical need to investigate often unanticipated and sometimes unavoidable extrinsic surface effects on the transport properties of layered dichalcogenides and other 2D materials.
Öztürk, Zafer; Filez, Matthias; Weckhuysen, Bert M
2017-08-10
The synthesis of metal-organic framework (MOF) thin films has garnered significant attention during the past decade. By better understanding the parameters governing the nucleation and growth of such thin films, their properties can be rationally tuned, empowering their application as (reactive) membranes. Here, a combined AFM-vibrational spectroscopy research strategy is employed to detail the chemistries governing the nucleation and growth of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) thin films, in particular isostructural Co-ZIF-67 and Zn-ZIF-8. First, a single step direct synthesis approach is used to investigate the influence of different synthesis parameters -metal/linker ratio, temperature, and metal type- on the thin film nucleation and growth behaviour. While the metal/linker ratio has a pronounced effect on the thin film nucleation rate, the temperature mainly influences the growth kinetics of nuclei forming the thin film. In addition, the nucleation and growth of ZIF thin films is shown to be highly dependent on the electronegativity of the metal type. Thin-film thickness control can be achieved by using a multistep synthesis strategy, implying repetitive applications of single step deposition under identical synthesis conditions, for which a growth mechanism is proposed. This study provides insight into the influence of synthesis parameters on the ZIF thin film properties, using tools at hand to rationally tune MOF thin film properties. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
Semiconductor- to metallic-like behavior in Bi thin films on KCl substrate
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bui, Thanh Nhan; Raskin, Jean-Pierre; Hackens, Benoit
2016-01-01
Bi thin films, with a thickness of 100 nm, are deposited by electron-beam evaporation on a freshly cleaved (100) KCl substrate. The substrate temperature during film growth (T_d_e_p) ranges from room temperature up to 170 °C. Films deposited at room temperature exhibit a maze-like microstructure typical of the rhombohedral (110) texture, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction. For T_d_e_p above 80 °C, a different microstructure appears, characterized by concentric triangular shapes corresponding to the trigonal (111) texture. Temperature dependence of the resistivity shows a transition from a semiconductor-like behavior for films deposited at room temperature to a metallic-like behavior for T_d_e_p above 80 °C. From magnetoresistance measurements between room temperature and 1.6 K, we extract the electron and hole mobilities, concentrations, and mean free paths, which allow to draw a complete picture of the transport properties of both types of films.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Su, Yanqing [School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0340 (United States); Xu, Shuozhi, E-mail: shuozhixu@gatech.edu [GWW School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0405 (United States)
2016-12-15
Void growth is usually considered one of the most critical phases leading to dynamic fracture of ductile materials. Investigating the detailed process of void growth at the nanoscale aids in understanding the damage mechanism of metals. While most atomistic simulations by far assume circular or spherical voids for simplicity, recent studies highlight the significance of the initial void ellipticity in mechanical response of voided metals. In this work, we perform large scale molecular dynamics simulations with millions of atoms to investigate the void growth in plastic deformation of thin films in face-centered cubic Cu. It is found that the initial ellipticity and the initial orientation angle of the void have substantial impacts on the dislocation nucleation, the void evolution, and the stress-strain response. In particular, the initial dislocation emission sites and the sequence of slip plane activation vary with the initial void geometry. For the void size evolution, three regimes are identified: (I) the porosity increases relatively slowly in the absence of dislocations, (II) the porosity grows much more rapidly after dislocations start to glide on different slip planes, and (III) the rate of porosity variation becomes much more slowly when dislocations are saturated in the model, and the void surface becomes irregular, non-smooth. In terms of the stress-strain response, the effects of the initial orientation angle are more pronounced when the initial void ellipticity is large; the influence of the initial void ellipticity is different for different initial orientation angles. The effects of the temperature, the strain rate, the loading direction, and the initial porosity in the void growth are also explored. Our results reveal the underlying mechanisms of initial void geometry-dependent plastic deformation of metallic thin films and shed light on informing more accurate theoretical models.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Su, Yanqing; Xu, Shuozhi
2016-01-01
Void growth is usually considered one of the most critical phases leading to dynamic fracture of ductile materials. Investigating the detailed process of void growth at the nanoscale aids in understanding the damage mechanism of metals. While most atomistic simulations by far assume circular or spherical voids for simplicity, recent studies highlight the significance of the initial void ellipticity in mechanical response of voided metals. In this work, we perform large scale molecular dynamics simulations with millions of atoms to investigate the void growth in plastic deformation of thin films in face-centered cubic Cu. It is found that the initial ellipticity and the initial orientation angle of the void have substantial impacts on the dislocation nucleation, the void evolution, and the stress-strain response. In particular, the initial dislocation emission sites and the sequence of slip plane activation vary with the initial void geometry. For the void size evolution, three regimes are identified: (I) the porosity increases relatively slowly in the absence of dislocations, (II) the porosity grows much more rapidly after dislocations start to glide on different slip planes, and (III) the rate of porosity variation becomes much more slowly when dislocations are saturated in the model, and the void surface becomes irregular, non-smooth. In terms of the stress-strain response, the effects of the initial orientation angle are more pronounced when the initial void ellipticity is large; the influence of the initial void ellipticity is different for different initial orientation angles. The effects of the temperature, the strain rate, the loading direction, and the initial porosity in the void growth are also explored. Our results reveal the underlying mechanisms of initial void geometry-dependent plastic deformation of metallic thin films and shed light on informing more accurate theoretical models.
Metal-insulator transition in disordered systems from the one-body density matrix
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Olsen, Thomas; Resta, Raffaele; Souza, Ivo
2017-01-01
The insulating state of matter can be probed by means of a ground state geometrical marker, which is closely related to the modern theory of polarization (based on a Berry phase). In the present work we show that this marker can be applied to determine the metal-insulator transition in disordered...... the one-body density matrix. The approach has a general ab initio formulation and could in principle be applied to realistic disordered materials by standard electronic structure methods....... systems. In particular, for noninteracting systems the geometrical marker can be obtained from the configurational average of the norm-squared one-body density matrix, which can be calculated within open as well as periodic boundary conditions. This is in sharp contrast to a classification based...
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Panther, Jared G.; Bennett, William W.; Welsh, David T.
2014-01-01
A new diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique with a mixed binding layer (Chelex-100 and the titanium dioxide based adsorbent Metsorb) is described for the simultaneous measurement of labile trace metal (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Cd, and Pb) and oxyanion (V, As, Mo, Sb, W, and P) concentrations i...
Metal-phthalocyanine ordered layers on Au(110): Metal-dependent adsorption energy
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Massimi, Lorenzo, E-mail: lorenzo.massimi@uniroma1.it; Angelucci, Marco; Gargiani, Pierluigi; Betti, Maria Grazia [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma La “Sapienza,” 00185 Roma (Italy); Montoro, Silvia [IFIS Litoral, CONICET-UNL, Laboratorio de Fisica de Superficies e Interfaces, Güemes 3450, Santa Fe (Argentina); Mariani, Carlo, E-mail: carlo.mariani@uniroma1.it [Dipartimento di Fisica, CNISM, Università di Roma La “Sapienza,” 00185 Roma (Italy)
2014-06-28
Iron-phthalocyanine and cobalt-phthalocyanine chains, assembled along the Au(110)-(1×2) reconstructed channels, present a strong interaction with the Au metallic states, via the central metal ion. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy from the metal-2p core-levels and valence band high-resolution ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy bring to light signatures of the interaction of the metal-phthalocyanine single-layer with gold. The charge transfer from Au to the molecule causes the emerging of a metal-2p core level component at lower binding energy with respect to that measured in the molecular thin films, while the core-levels associated to the organic macrocycle (C and N 1s) are less influenced by the adsorption, and the macrocycles stabilize the interaction, inducing a strong interface dipole. Temperature Programmed Desorption experiments and photoemission as a function of temperature allow to estimate the adsorption energy for the thin-films, mainly due to the molecule-molecule van der Waals interaction, while the FePc and CoPc single-layers remain adsorbed on the Au surface up to at least 820 K.
Renjith, Anu; Roy, Arun; Lakshminarayanan, V
2014-07-15
We describe here a simple electrodeposition process of forming thin films of noble metallic nanoparticles such as Au, Ag and Pd in deep eutectic solvents (DES). The method consists of anodic dissolution of the corresponding metal in DES followed by the deposition on the cathodic surface. The anodic dissolution process in DES overcomes the problems associated with copious hydrogen and oxygen evolution on the electrode surface when carried out in aqueous medium. The proposed method utilizes the inherent abilities of DES to act as a reducing medium while simultaneously stabilizing the nanoparticles that are formed. The mesoporous metal films were characterized by SEM, XRD and electrochemical techniques. Potential applications of these substrates in surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and electrocatalysis have been investigated. A large enhancement of Raman signal of analyte was achieved on the mesoporous silver substrate after removing all the stabilizer molecules from the surface by calcination. The highly porous texture of the electrodeposited film provides superior electro catalytic performance for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The mechanisms of HER on the fabricated substrates were studied by Tafel analysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Fabrication and Microstructure of Metal-Metal Syntactic Foams
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Nadler, J
1998-01-01
.... The composite microstructure consists of thin-wall, hollow Fe-Cr stainless steel spheres cast in various metal matrices including aluminum alloys 6061, 7075, 413, magnesium alloy AZ31B, and unalloyed...
Sevilla, Galo T.
2016-02-29
Thinned silicon based complementary metal oxide semiconductor(CMOS)electronics can be physically flexible. To overcome challenges of limited thinning and damaging of devices originated from back grinding process, we show sequential reactive ion etching of silicon with the assistance from soft polymeric materials to efficiently achieve thinned (40 μm) and flexible (1.5 cm bending radius) silicon based functional CMOSinverters with high-κ/metal gate transistors. Notable advances through this study shows large area of silicon thinning with pre-fabricated high performance elements with ultra-large-scale-integration density (using 90 nm node technology) and then dicing of such large and thinned (seemingly fragile) pieces into smaller pieces using excimer laser. The impact of various mechanical bending and bending cycles show undeterred high performance of flexible siliconCMOSinverters. Future work will include transfer of diced silicon chips to destination site, interconnects, and packaging to obtain fully flexible electronic systems in CMOS compatible way.
Spin-disorder resistivity of heavy rare-earth metals from Gd to Tm: An ab-initio study
Glasbrenner, James; Belashchenko, Kirill
2010-03-01
Electrical resistivity of heavy rare-earth metals has a dominant contribution from thermal spin disorder scattering. In the paramagnetic state, this spin-disorder resistivity (SDR) decreases through the Gd-Tm series. Models based on the assumption of fully localized 4f states treated as S or J multiplets predict that SDR is proportional to S^2 (S is the 4f shell spin) times a quantum correction (S+1)/S or (J+1)/J. The interpretation of this correction using experimental results is ambiguous. Since the 4f bandwidth is not small compared to the multiplet splitting, it is not clear whether the 4f shells in rare-earth metals behave as if they were fully localized and have a good quantum number S or J. To address this issue, in this work we calculate the paramagnetic SDR of the rare-earth metal Gd-Tm series using a non-collinear implementation of the tight-binding linear muffin-tin orbital method. The conductance is found using the Landauer-B"uttiker approach applied to the active region of a varying size, averaging the conductance over random spin-disorder configurations and fitting its size dependence to Ohm's law. The results are compared with experiment and discussed. The sensitivity to basis set and the treatment of the 4f electrons, as well as the role of exchange enhancement in the conduction band is considered. The issue of the quantum correction is examined in light of the new results.
High Precision Metal Thin Film Liftoff Technique
Brown, Ari D. (Inventor); Patel, Amil A. (Inventor)
2015-01-01
A metal film liftoff process includes applying a polymer layer onto a silicon substrate, applying a germanium layer over the polymer layer to create a bilayer lift off mask, applying a patterned photoresist layer over the germanium layer, removing an exposed portion of the germanium layer, removing the photoresist layer and a portion of the polymer layer to expose a portion of the substrate and create an overhanging structure of the germanium layer, depositing a metal film over the exposed portion of the substrate and the germanium layer, and removing the polymer and germanium layers along with the overlaying metal film.
Determination of magnetic properties of multilayer metallic thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Birlikseven, C.
2000-01-01
In recent year, Giant Magnetoresistance Effect has been attracting an increasingly high interest. High sensitivity magnetic field detectors and high sensitivity read heads of magnetic media can be named as important applications of these films. In this work, magnetic and electrical properties of single layer and thin films were investigated. Multilayer thin films were supplied by Prof. Dr. A. Riza Koeymen from Texas University. Multilayer magnetic thin films are used especially for magnetic reading and magnetic writing. storing of large amount of information into small areas become possible with this technology. Single layer films were prepared using the electron beam evaporation technique. For the exact determination of film thicknesses, a careful calibration of the thicknesses was made. Magnetic properties of the multilayer films were studied using the magnetization, magnetoresistance measurements and ferromagnetic resonance technique. Besides, by fitting the experimental results to the theoretical models, effective magnetization and angles between the ferromagnetic layers were calculated. The correspondence between magnetization and magnetoresistance was evaluated. To see the effect of anisotropic magnetoresistance in the magnetoresistance measurements, a new experimental set-up was build and measurements were taken in this set-up. A series of soft permalloy thin films were made, and temperature dependent resistivity, magnetoresistance, anisotropic magnetoresistance and magnetization measurements were taken
Nondestructive testing of welds on thin-walled tubing
Hagemaier, D. J.; Posakony, G. J.
1969-01-01
Special ultrasonic search unit, or transducer assembly, reliably inspects the quality of melt-through welds of fusion welded tubing couplers for hydraulic lines. This instrumentation can also be used to detect faulty braze bonds in thin-walled, small diameter joints and wall thickness of thin-walled metal tubing.
Optimized grid design for thin film solar panels
Deelen, J. van; Klerk, L.; Barink, M.
2014-01-01
There is a gap in efficiency between record thin film cells and mass produced thin film solar panels. In this paper we quantify the effect of monolithic integration on power output for various configurations by modeling and present metallization as a way to improve efficiency of solar panels. Grid
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jeon, Jun-Young; Ha, Tae-Jun, E-mail: taejunha0604@gmail.com
2017-08-15
Highlights: • We demonstrate the potential of solution-processed boron nitride (BN) thin films for nanoelectronics. • Improved interfacial characteristics reduced the leakage current by three orders of magnitude. • The BN encapsulation improves all the device key metrics of low-voltage SWCNT-TFTs. • Such improvements were achieved by reduced interaction of interfacial localized states. - Abstract: In this article, we demonstrate the potential of solution-processed boron nitride (BN) thin films for high performance single-walled carbon nanotube thin-film transistors (SWCNT-TFTs) with low-voltage operation. The use of BN thin films between solution-processed high-k dielectric layers improved the interfacial characteristics of metal-insulator-metal devices, thereby reducing the current density by three orders of magnitude. We also investigated the origin of improved device performance in SWCNT-TFTs by employing solution-processed BN thin films as an encapsulation layer. The BN encapsulation layer improves the electrical characteristics of SWCNT-TFTs, which includes the device key metrics of linear field-effect mobility, sub-threshold swing, and threshold voltage as well as the long-term stability against the aging effect in air. Such improvements can be achieved by reduced interaction of interfacial localized states with charge carriers. We believe that this work can open up a promising route to demonstrate the potential of solution-processed BN thin films on nanoelectronics.
Hromadka, J.; Tokay, B.; James, S.; Korposh, S.
2017-04-01
An optical fibre long period grating (LPG) modified with a thin film of HKUST-1, a material from metal organic framework (MOF) family, was employed for the detection of carbon dioxide. The sensing mechanism is based on the measurement of the change of the refractive index (RI) of the coating that is induced by the penetration of CO2 molecules into the HKUST-1 pores. The responses of the resonance bands in the transmission spectrum of an LPG modified with 40 layers of HKUST-1 upon exposure to carbon dioxide in mixture with nitrogen were investigated.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
2010-01-01
The present invention relates to a thin and in principle unsupported solid oxide cell, comprising at least a porous anode layer, an electrolyte layer and a porous cathode layer, wherein the anode layer and the cathode layer comprise an electrolyte material, at least one metal and a catalyst...... material, and wherein the overall thickness of the thin reversible cell is about 150 [mu]m or less, and to a method for producing same. The present invention also relates to a thin and in principle unsupported solid oxide cell, comprising at least a porous anode layer, an electrolyte layer and a porous...... cathode layer, wherein the anode layer and the cathode layer comprise an electrolyte material and a catalyst material, wherein the electrolyte material is doper zirconia, and wherein the overall thickness of the thin reversible cell is about 150 [mu]m or less, and to a method for producing same...
Atomically Thin Al2O3 Films for Tunnel Junctions
Wilt, Jamie; Gong, Youpin; Gong, Ming; Su, Feifan; Xu, Huikai; Sakidja, Ridwan; Elliot, Alan; Lu, Rongtao; Zhao, Shiping; Han, Siyuan; Wu, Judy Z.
2017-06-01
Metal-insulator-metal tunnel junctions are common throughout the microelectronics industry. The industry standard AlOx tunnel barrier, formed through oxygen diffusion into an Al wetting layer, is plagued by internal defects and pinholes which prevent the realization of atomically thin barriers demanded for enhanced quantum coherence. In this work, we employ in situ scanning tunneling spectroscopy along with molecular-dynamics simulations to understand and control the growth of atomically thin Al2O3 tunnel barriers using atomic-layer deposition. We find that a carefully tuned initial H2O pulse hydroxylated the Al surface and enabled the creation of an atomically thin Al2O3 tunnel barrier with a high-quality M -I interface and a significantly enhanced barrier height compared to thermal AlOx . These properties, corroborated by fabricated Josephson junctions, show that atomic-layer deposition Al2O3 is a dense, leak-free tunnel barrier with a low defect density which can be a key component for the next generation of metal-insulator-metal tunnel junctions.
Excimer laser assisted re-oxidation of BaTiO3 thin films on Ni metal foils
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bharadwaja, S. S. N.; Ko, S. W.; Qu, W.; Clark, T.; Rajashekhar, A.; Motyka, M.; Podraza, N.; Randall, C. A.; Trolier-McKinstry, S.
2016-01-01
Excimer laser assisted re-oxidation for reduced, crystallized BaTiO 3 thin films on Ni-foils was investigated. It was found that the BaTiO 3 can be re-oxidized at an oxygen partial pressure of ∼50 mTorr and substrate temperature of 350 °C without forming a NiO x interface layer between the film and base metal foil. The dielectric permittivity of re-oxidized films was >1000 with loss tangent values <2% at 100 Hz, 30 mV rms excitation signal. Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy indicated that BaTiO 3 thin films can be re-oxidized to an oxygen stoichiometry close to ∼3 (e.g., stoichiometric). High resolution cross sectional transmission electron microscopy showed no evidence of NiO x formation between the BaTiO 3 and the Ni foil upon excimer laser re-oxidation. Spectroscopic ellipsometry studies on laser re-oxidized [001] C and [111] C BaTiO 3 single crystals indicate that the re-oxidation of BaTiO 3 single crystals is augmented by photo-excitation of the ozone, as well as laser pulse induced temperature and local stress gradients
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Baoqiang Cong
2017-03-01
Full Text Available In order to build a better understanding of the relationship between depositing mode and porosity, microstructure, and properties in wire + arc additive manufacturing (WAAM 2319-Al components, several Al-6.3%Cu deposits were produced by WAAM technique with cold metal transfer (CMT variants, pulsed CMT (CMT-P and advanced CMT (CMT-ADV. Thin walls and blocks were selected as the depositing paths to make WAAM samples. Porosity, microstructure and micro hardness of these WAAM samples were investigated. Compared with CMT-P and thin wall mode, CMT-ADV and block process can effectively reduce the pores in WAAM aluminum alloy. The microstructure varied with different depositing paths and CMT variants. The micro hardness value of thin wall samples was around 75 HV from the bottom to the middle, and gradually decreased toward the top. Meanwhile, the micro hardness value ranged around 72–77 HV, and varied periodically in block samples. The variation in micro hardness is consistent with standard microstructure characteristics.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Saha, D., E-mail: sahaphys@gmail.com, E-mail: pmisra@rrcat.gov.in; Misra, P., E-mail: sahaphys@gmail.com, E-mail: pmisra@rrcat.gov.in; Joshi, M. P.; Kukreja, L. M. [Laser Materials Processing Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452 013 (India); Das, Gangadhar [Indus Synchrotrons Utilisation Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452 013 (India)
2016-01-18
Dopant-profile independent electron transport has been observed through a combined study of temperature dependent electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance measurements on a series of Ti incorporated ZnO thin films with varying degree of static-disorder. These films were grown by atomic layer deposition through in-situ vertical stacking of multiple sub-monolayers of TiO{sub x} in ZnO. Upon decreasing ZnO spacer layer thickness, electron transport smoothly evolved from a good metallic to an incipient non-metallic regime due to the intricate interplay of screening of spatial potential fluctuations and strength of static-disorder in the films. Temperature dependent phase-coherence length as extracted from the magnetotransport measurement revealed insignificant role of inter sub-monolayer scattering as an additional channel for electron dephasing, indicating that films were homogeneously disordered three-dimensional electronic systems irrespective of their dopant-profiles. Results of this study are worthy enough for both fundamental physics perspective and efficient applications of multi-stacked ZnO/TiO{sub x} structures in the emerging field of transparent oxide electronics.
Disorder effect on chiral edge modes and anomalous Hall conductance in Weyl semimetals
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Takane, Yositake
2016-01-01
Typical Weyl semimetals host chiral surface states and hence show an anomalous Hall response. Although a Weyl semimetal phase is known to be robust against weak disorder, the effect of disorder on chiral states has not been fully clarified so far. We study the behavior of such chiral states in the presence of disorder and its consequences on an anomalous Hall response, focusing on a thin slab of Weyl semimetal with chiral surface states along its edge. It is shown that weak disorder does not disrupt chiral edge states but crucially affects them owing to the renormalization of a mass parameter: the number of chiral edge states changes depending on the strength of disorder. It is also shown that the Hall conductance is quantized when the Fermi level is located near Weyl nodes within a finite-size gap. This quantization of the Hall conductance collapses once the strength of disorder exceeds a critical value, suggesting that it serves as a probe to distinguish a Weyl semimetal phase from a diffusive anomalous Hall metal phase. (author)
Laser nanostructuring of ZnO thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Nedyalkov, N., E-mail: nned@ie.bas.bg [Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken 223-8522 (Japan); Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko shousse 72, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Koleva, M.; Nikov, R.; Atanasov, P. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko shousse 72, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Nakajima, Y.; Takami, A.; Shibata, A.; Terakawa, M. [Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken 223-8522 (Japan)
2016-06-30
Highlights: • Nanosecond laser pulse nanostructuring of ZnO thin films on metal substrate is demonstrated. • Two regimes of the thin film modification are observed depending on the applied laser fluence. • At high fluence regime the ZnO film is homogeneously decomposed into nanosized particles. • The characteristic size of the formed nanostructures corresponds to the domain size of the thin film. - Abstract: In this work, results on laser processing of thin zinc oxide films deposited on metal substrate are presented. ZnO films are obtained by classical nanosecond pulsed laser deposition method in oxygen atmosphere on tantalum substrate. The produced films are then processed by nanosecond laser pulses at wavelength of 355 nm. The laser processing parameters and the film thickness are varied and their influence on the fabricated structures is estimated. The film morphology after the laser treatment is found to depend strongly on the laser fluence as two regimes are defined. It is shown that at certain conditions (high fluence regime) the laser treatment of the film leads to formation of a discrete nanostructure, composed of spherical like nanoparticles with narrow size distribution. The dynamics of the melt film on the substrate and fast cooling are found to be the main mechanisms for fabrication of the observed structures. The demonstrated method is an alternative way for direct fabrication of ZnO nanostructures on metal which can be easy implemented in applications as resistive sensor devices, electroluminescent elements, solar cell technology.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
U. Muhin
2016-07-01
Full Text Available Based on the variation principle of Jourdan was developed a mathematical model of the process of widening freely in hot rolling of thin sheet metal. The principle applies to rigid-plastic materials and for the cinematically admissible area of speeds. The developed model allows to study the distribution of the widening on the length of the deformation zone depending on the parameters of the rolling process and sheet metal. Results are obtained, characterizing the size of the widening and effectiveness of the process control on tension at the entrance and exit from the stand. The widening is dependent on the strength of anti bending.
Rieger, Elizabeth; Dolan, Ashleigh; Thomas, Brittany; Bell, Jason
2017-09-01
Interpersonal dysfunction and weight/shape-based self-worth have been implicated as key constructs for eating disorders, although the relationship between these two concepts is under-researched. This study investigated the moderating role of weight/shape-based self-worth in terms of the impact of interpersonal rejection on attentional bias regarding thin-ideal and non-thin images. Participants were 94 females without an eating disorder, who were exposed to either interpersonal rejection or acceptance (using the Cyberball paradigm), and subsequently assessed in terms of their attentional biases regarding thin-ideal and non-thin images. Results revealed that weight/shape-based self-worth moderated the relationship between interpersonal rejection/acceptance and attentional biases for thin-ideal (but not non-thin) images. Specifically, participants with a greater tendency to base their self-worth on weight/shape demonstrated reduced avoidance of thin-ideal images when rejected relative to those who were accepted. The findings support the role of interpersonal rejection in eliciting attentional disturbances among those with higher body weight/shape-based self-worth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Anicete-Santos, M.; Cavalcante, L.S.; Orhan, E.; Paris, E.C.; Simoes, L.G.P.; Joya, M.R.; Rosa, I.L.V.; Lucena, P.R. de; Santos, M.R.M.C.; Santos-Junior, L.S.; Pizani, P.S.; Leite, E.R.; Varela, J.A.; Longo, E.
2005-01-01
The nature of the intense visible room temperature photoluminescence of BaZr 0.5 Ti 0.5 O 3 non-crystalline thin films is discussed in the light of experimental results and theoretical calculations. The photoluminescence measurements reveal that the emission intensity changes with the degree of disorder in the BaZr 0.5 Ti 0.5 O 3 lattice. First principles quantum mechanical techniques, based on density functional theory at B3LYP level, have been employed to study the electronic structure of a crystalline model and of structurally disordered models in order to detect the influence of disorder on the electronic structure. An analysis of the electronic charge distribution reveals local polarization in the disordered structures. The relevance of the present theoretical and experimental results on the photoluminescence behavior of BZT is discussed
Topotactic synthesis of strontium cobalt oxyhydride thin film with perovskite structure
Katayama, Tsukasa; Chikamatsu, Akira; Kamisaka, Hideyuki; Yokoyama, Yuichi; Hirata, Yasuyuki; Wadati, Hiroki; Fukumura, Tomoteru; Hasegawa, Tetsuya
2015-10-01
The substitution of hydride anions (H-) into transition metal oxides has recently become possible through topotactic reactions or high-pressure synthesis methods. However, the fabrication of oxyhydrides is still difficult because of their inherently less-stable frameworks. In this study, we successfully fabricated perovskite SrCoOxHy thin films via the topotactic hydride doping of brownmillerite SrCoO2.5 epitaxial thin films with CaH2. The perovskite-type cation framework was maintained during the topotactic treatment owing to epitaxial stabilization. Structural and chemical analyses accompanied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements revealed that the doped hydride ions form a two-dimensional network of Co-H--Co bonds, in contrast to other reported perovskite oxyhydrides, SrMO3-xHx (M = Cr, Ti, V). The SrCoOxHy thin film exhibited insulating behavior and had a direct band gap of 2.1 eV. Thus, topotactic hydride doping of transition-metal-oxide thin films on suitable substrates is a promising method for the synthesis of new transition metal oxyhydrides.
Topotactic synthesis of strontium cobalt oxyhydride thin film with perovskite structure
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Tsukasa Katayama
2015-10-01
Full Text Available The substitution of hydride anions (H− into transition metal oxides has recently become possible through topotactic reactions or high-pressure synthesis methods. However, the fabrication of oxyhydrides is still difficult because of their inherently less-stable frameworks. In this study, we successfully fabricated perovskite SrCoOxHy thin films via the topotactic hydride doping of brownmillerite SrCoO2.5 epitaxial thin films with CaH2. The perovskite-type cation framework was maintained during the topotactic treatment owing to epitaxial stabilization. Structural and chemical analyses accompanied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements revealed that the doped hydride ions form a two-dimensional network of Co-H−-Co bonds, in contrast to other reported perovskite oxyhydrides, SrMO3−xHx (M = Cr, Ti, V. The SrCoOxHy thin film exhibited insulating behavior and had a direct band gap of 2.1 eV. Thus, topotactic hydride doping of transition-metal-oxide thin films on suitable substrates is a promising method for the synthesis of new transition metal oxyhydrides.
Surface Plasmon Enhanced Light Trapping in Metal/Silicon Nanobowl Arrays for Thin Film Photovoltaics
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ruinan Sun
2017-01-01
Full Text Available Enhancing the light absorption in thin film silicon solar cells with nanophotonic and plasmonic structures is important for the realization of high efficiency solar cells with significant cost reduction. In this work, we investigate periodic arrays of conformal metal/silicon nanobowl arrays (MSNBs for light trapping applications in silicon solar cells. They exhibited excellent light-harvesting ability across a wide range of wavelengths up to infrared regimes. The optimized structure (MSNBsH covered by SiO2 passivation layer and hemisphere Ag back reflection layer has a maximal short-circuit density (Jsc 25.5 mA/cm2, which is about 88.8% higher than flat structure counterpart, and the light-conversion efficiency (η is increased two times from 6.3% to 12.6%. The double-side textures offer a promising approach to high efficiency ultrathin silicon solar cells.
Parasitic corrosion resistant anode for use in metal/air or metal/O.sub.2 cells
Joy, Richard W.; Smith, David F.
1983-01-01
A consumable metal anode which is used in refuelable electrochemical cells and wherein at least a peripheral edge portion of the anode is protected against a corrosive alkaline environment of the cell by the application of a thin metal coating, the coating being formed of metals such as nickel, silver, and gold.
Metal membrane with dimer slots as a universal polarizer
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Zhukovsky, Sergei; Zalkovskij, Maksim; Malureanu, Radu
2014-01-01
In this work, we show theoretically and confirm experimentally that thin metal membranes patterned with an array of slot dimers (or their Babinet analogue with metal rods) can function as a versatile spectral and polarization filter. We present a detailed covariant multipole theory for the electr......In this work, we show theoretically and confirm experimentally that thin metal membranes patterned with an array of slot dimers (or their Babinet analogue with metal rods) can function as a versatile spectral and polarization filter. We present a detailed covariant multipole theory...
Metal/metal-oxide interfaces: A surface science approach to the study of adhesion
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Peden, C.H.F.; Kidd, K.B.; Shinn, N.D. (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-5800 (USA))
1991-05-01
Metal-oxide/metal interfaces play an important role, for example, in the joining of an oxide ceramic to a metal for sealing applications. In order to probe the chemical and physical properties of such an interface, we have performed Auger electron spectroscopic (AES) and temperature programed desorption (TPD) experiments on a model system composed of very thin films of Cr, Fe, Ni, or Cu evaporated onto a very thin thermally grown oxide on a W single crystal. Monolayer films of Fe and Cr were found (by AES) to completely wet the oxide surface upon deposition, and were stable up to temperatures at which the films desorbed ({approx}1300 K). In contrast, monolayer Ni and Cu films formed three-dimensional islands exposing the oxidized W surface either upon annealing (Ni) or even upon room-temperature deposition (Cu). The relative interfacial interaction between the overlayer metal and the oxide, as assessed by TPD, increases in the series Cu{lt}Ni{lt}Fe{lt}Cr. This trend follows the heats of formation of the various oxides of these metals.
Compositional ratio effect on the surface characteristics of CuZn thin films
Choi, Ahrom; Park, Juyun; Kang, Yujin; Lee, Seokhee; Kang, Yong-Cheol
2018-05-01
CuZn thin films were fabricated by RF co-sputtering method on p-type Si(100) wafer with various RF powers applied on metallic Cu and Zn targets. This paper aimed to determine the morphological, chemical, and electrical properties of the deposited CuZn thin films by utilizing a surface profiler, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), UV photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and a 4-point probe. The thickness of the thin films was fixed at 200 ± 8 nm and the roughness of the thin films containing Cu was smaller than pure Zn thin films. XRD studies confirmed that the preferred phase changed, and this tendency is dependent on the ratio of Cu to Zn. AES spectra indicate that the obtained thin films consisted of Cu and Zn. The high resolution XPS spectra indicate that as the content of Cu increased, the intensities of Zn2+ decreased. The work function of CuZn thin films increased from 4.87 to 5.36 eV. The conductivity of CuZn alloy thin films was higher than pure metallic thin films.
Chi, Chih-Wen; Deng, Yu-Lun; Lee, Jyh-Wei; Lin, Chun-Pin
2017-05-01
Dental nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary instruments are widely used in endodontic therapy because they are efficient with a higher success rate. However, an unpredictable fracture of instruments may happen due to the surface characteristics of imperfection (or irregularity). This study assessed whether a novel surface treatment could increase fatigue fracture resistance of dental NiTi rotary instruments. A 200- or 500-nm thick Ti-zirconium-boron (Ti-Zr-B) thin film metallic glass was deposited on ProTaper Universal F2 files using a physical vapor deposition process. The characteristics of coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry. In cyclic fatigue tests, the files were performed in a simulated root canal (radius=5 mm, angulation=60°) under a rotating speed of 300rpm. The fatigue fractured cross sections of the files were analyzed with their fractographic performances through scanning electron microscopy images. The amorphous structure of the Ti-Zr-B coating was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The surface of treated files presented smooth morphologies without grinding irregularity. For the 200- and 500-nm surface treatment groups, the coated files exhibited higher resistance of cyclic fatigue than untreated files. In fractographic analysis, treated files showed significantly larger crack-initiation zone; however, no significant differences in the areas of fatigue propagation and catastrophic fracture were found compared to untreated files. The novel surface treatment of Ti-Zr-B thin film metallic glass on dental NiTi rotary files can effectively improve the fatigue fracture resistance by offering a smooth coated surface with amorphous microstructure. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Wang Guang-Hong; Zhao Lei; Yan Bao-Jun; Chen Jing-Wei; Wang Ge; Diao Hong-Wei; Wang Wen-Jing
2013-01-01
Different aluminum-doped ZnO (AZO)/metal composite thin films,including AZO/Ag/Al,AZO/Ag/nickelchromium alloy (NiCr),and AZO/Ag/NiCr/Al,are utilized as the back reflectors of p-i-n amorphous silicon germanium thin film solar cells.NiCr is used as diffusion barrier layer between Ag and Al to prevent mutual diffusion,which increases the short circuit current density of solar cell.NiCr and NiCr/Al layers are used as protective layers of Ag layer against oxidation and sulfurization,the higher efficiency of solar cell is achieved.The experimental results show that the performance of a-SiGe solar cell with AZO/Ag/NiCr/Al back reflector is best.The initial conversion efficiency is achieved to be 8.05%.
Anomalous field dependence of the Hall coefficient in disordered metals
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tousson, E.; Ovadyahu, Z.
1988-01-01
We report on a comprehensive study of the Hall coefficient, R/sub H/, in disordered three-dimensional In 2 O/sub 3-//sub x/ films as a function of the magnetic field strength, temperature, and degree of spatial disorder. Our main result is that, at sufficiently small fields, R/sub H/ is virtually temperature, field, and disorder independent, even at the metal-insulator transition itself. On the other hand, at the limit of strong magnetic fields, R/sub H/ has an explicit temperature dependence, in apparent agreement with the prediction of Al'tshuler, Aronov, and Lee. For intermediate values of fields, R/sub H/ is field and temperature dependent. It is also shown that the behavior of the conductivity as a function of temperature, σ(T), at small fields, is qualitatively different than that measured at the limit of strong magnetic fields. The low- and high-field regimes seem to correlate with the respective regimes in terms of the Hall-coefficient behavior. It is suggested that the magnetotransport in the high-field limit is considerably influenced by Coulomb-correlation effects. However, in the low-field regime, where both correlations and weak-localization effects are, presumably, equally important (and where both theories are the more likely to be valid), is problematic; neither R/sub H/ nor σ(T) gives any unambiguous evidence to the existence of interaction effects. This problem is discussed in light of the experimental results pertaining to the behavior of R/sub H/(T) in two-dimensional In 2 O/sub 3-//sub x/ films as well as in other disordered systems
Formation, properties, and ion irradiation effects of hexagonal structure MoN thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Christen, D.K.; Sekula, S.T.; Ellis, J.T.; Lewis, J.D.; Williams, J.M.
1986-09-01
Thin films (100-120 nm) of hexagonal structures MoN have been fabricated by reaction of Mo films in an NH 3 atmosphere. The as-formed films possessed superconducting transition temperatures T/sub c/ ≅ 13 0 K, with resistance ratios r = R(296K)/R(T/sub c/) in the range 5 to 10, low-temperature normal state resistivities rho 0 = 4 to 10 μΩ-cm, and extrapolated upper critical fields H/sub c2/(0) = 4.0 to 5.0 T. Thin film x-ray diffraction patterns revealed no visible second phase, with measured lattice parameters close to literature values. The effects of lattice disorder on the superconducting and electronic properties were investigated by irradiation with nitrogen ions of energy 45 and 340 keV, resulting in a nearly uniform damage profile without the introduction of any new chemical species. The results indicate that ordered hexagonal MoN shows some of the unusual properties characteristic of moderate-to-high T/sub c/ transition metal compounds, but is relatively insensitive to degradation of the superconducting properties by lattice disorder. For ion fluences PHI up to 2 x 10 16 N-ions/cm 2 , T/sub c/ is found to decrease monotonically and saturate at 9.5 0 K, almost 3/4 the initial value, while H/sub c2/(0) undergoes a gradual increase to 11T
Frissen, Aleida; van Os, Jim; Habets, Petra; Gronenschild, Ed; Marcelis, Machteld
2017-01-01
The alterations in cortical morphology, such as cortical thinning, observed in psychotic disorder, may be the outcome of interacting genetic and environmental effects. It has been suggested that urban upbringing may represent a proxy environmental effect impacting cortical thickness (CT). Therefore, the current study examined whether the association between group as a proxy genetic variable (patients with psychotic disorder [high genetic risk], healthy siblings of patients [intermediate risk] and healthy control subjects [average risk]) and CT was conditional on different levels of the childhood urban environment and whether this was sex-dependent. T1-weighted MRI scans were acquired from 89 patients with a psychotic disorder, 95 non-psychotic siblings of patients with psychotic disorder and 87 healthy control subjects. Freesurfer software was used to measure CT. Developmental urban exposure was classified as low, medium, and high, reflecting the population density and the number of moves between birth and the 15th birthday, using data from the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics and the equivalent database in Belgium. Multilevel regression analyses were used to examine the association between group, sex, and urban upbringing (as well as their interactions) and cortical CT as the dependent variable. CT was significantly smaller in the patient group compared to the controls (B = -0.043, p <0.001), but not in the siblings compared to the controls (B = -0.013, p = 0.31). There was no main effect of developmental urbanicity on CT (B = 0.001, p = 0.91). Neither the three-way group × urbanicity × sex interaction (χ2 = 3.73, p = 0.16), nor the two-way group × urbanicity interaction was significant (χ2 = 0.51, p = 0.77). The negative association between (familial risk for) psychotic disorder and CT was not moderated by developmental urbanicity, suggesting that reduced CT is not the outcome of familial sensitivity to the proxy environmental factor 'urban upbringing'.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Aleida Frissen
Full Text Available The alterations in cortical morphology, such as cortical thinning, observed in psychotic disorder, may be the outcome of interacting genetic and environmental effects. It has been suggested that urban upbringing may represent a proxy environmental effect impacting cortical thickness (CT. Therefore, the current study examined whether the association between group as a proxy genetic variable (patients with psychotic disorder [high genetic risk], healthy siblings of patients [intermediate risk] and healthy control subjects [average risk] and CT was conditional on different levels of the childhood urban environment and whether this was sex-dependent.T1-weighted MRI scans were acquired from 89 patients with a psychotic disorder, 95 non-psychotic siblings of patients with psychotic disorder and 87 healthy control subjects. Freesurfer software was used to measure CT. Developmental urban exposure was classified as low, medium, and high, reflecting the population density and the number of moves between birth and the 15th birthday, using data from the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics and the equivalent database in Belgium. Multilevel regression analyses were used to examine the association between group, sex, and urban upbringing (as well as their interactions and cortical CT as the dependent variable.CT was significantly smaller in the patient group compared to the controls (B = -0.043, p <0.001, but not in the siblings compared to the controls (B = -0.013, p = 0.31. There was no main effect of developmental urbanicity on CT (B = 0.001, p = 0.91. Neither the three-way group × urbanicity × sex interaction (χ2 = 3.73, p = 0.16, nor the two-way group × urbanicity interaction was significant (χ2 = 0.51, p = 0.77.The negative association between (familial risk for psychotic disorder and CT was not moderated by developmental urbanicity, suggesting that reduced CT is not the outcome of familial sensitivity to the proxy environmental factor 'urban
Ultra-thin Metal and Dielectric Layers for Nanophotonic Applications
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Shkondin, Evgeniy; Leandro, Lorenzo; Malureanu, Radu
2015-01-01
In our talk we first give an overview of the various thin films used in the field of nanophotonics. Then we describe our own activity in fabrication and characterization of ultra-thin films of high quality. We particularly focus on uniform gold layers having thicknesses down to 6 nm fabricated by......-beam deposition on dielectric substrates and Al-oxides/Ti-oxides multilayers prepared by atomic layer deposition in high aspect ratio trenches. In the latter case we show more than 1:20 aspect ratio structures can be achieved....
Metal Matrix Composite Solar Cell Metallization
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Wilt David M.
2017-01-01
Full Text Available Advanced solar cells are moving to ever thinner formats in order to save mass and in some cases improve performance. As cells are thinned, the possibility that they may fracture or cleave due to mechanical stresses is increased. Fractures of the cell can degrade the overall device performance if the fracture propagates through the contact metallization, which frequently occurs. To address this problem, a novel semiconductor metallization system based on multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT reinforcement, termed metal matrix composite (MMC metallization is under investigation. Electro-mechanical characterization of MMC films demonstrate their ability to provide electrical conductivity over >40 micron wide cracks in the underlying semiconductor, with the carbon nanotubes bridging the gap. In addition, these materials show a “self-healing” behaviour, electrically reconnecting at ~30 microns when strained past failure. Triple junction (TJ space cells with MMC metallization demonstrated no loss in Jsc after intentional fracture, whereas TJ cells with conventional metallization suffer up to 50% Jsc loss.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jenica Neamtu
2014-01-01
Full Text Available Zn1−xNixO (x=0.03÷0.10 and Zn1−xFexO (x=0.03÷0.15 thin films were synthesized by sol-gel method. The structure and the surface morphology of zinc oxide thin films doped with transition metal (TM ions have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD and atomic force microscopy (AFM. The magnetic studies were done using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM at room temperature. Experimental results revealed that the substitution of Ni ions in ZnO wurtzite lattice for the contents x=0.03÷0.10 (Ni2+ leads to weak ferromagnetism of thin films. For Zn1-xFexO with x=0.03÷0.05, the Fe3+ ions are magnetic coupling by superexchange interaction via oxygen ions in wurtzite structure. For x=0.10÷0.15 (Fe3+ one can observe the increasing of secondary phase of ZnFe2O4 spinel. The Zn0.9Fe0.1O film shows a superparamagnetic behavior due to small crystallite sizes and the net spin magnetic moments arisen from the interaction between the iron ions through an oxygen ion in the spinel structure.
Gao, Ying; Asadirad, Mojtaba; Yao, Yao; Dutta, Pavel; Galstyan, Eduard; Shervin, Shahab; Lee, Keon-Hwa; Pouladi, Sara; Sun, Sicong; Li, Yongkuan; Rathi, Monika; Ryou, Jae-Hyun; Selvamanickam, Venkat
2016-11-02
Single-crystal-like silicon (Si) thin films on bendable and scalable substrates via direct deposition are a promising material platform for high-performance and cost-effective devices of flexible electronics. However, due to the thick and unintentionally highly doped semiconductor layer, the operation of transistors has been hampered. We report the first demonstration of high-performance flexible thin-film transistors (TFTs) using single-crystal-like Si thin films with a field-effect mobility of ∼200 cm 2 /V·s and saturation current, I/l W > 50 μA/μm, which are orders-of-magnitude higher than the device characteristics of conventional flexible TFTs. The Si thin films with a (001) plane grown on a metal tape by a "seed and epitaxy" technique show nearly single-crystalline properties characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The realization of flexible and high-performance Si TFTs can establish a new pathway for extended applications of flexible electronics such as amplification and digital circuits, more than currently dominant display switches.
Parasitic corrosion-resistant anode for use in metal/air or metal/O/sub 2/ cells
Joy, R.W.; Smith, D.F.
1982-09-20
A consumable metal anode is described which is used in refuelable electrochemical cells and wherein at least a peripheral edge portion of the anode is protected against a corrosive alkaline environment of the cell by the application of a thin metal coating, the coating being formed of metals such as nickel, silver, and gold.
ANTIREFLECTION MULTILAYER COATINGS WITH THIN METAL LAYERS
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
L. A. Gubanova
2016-03-01
Full Text Available The design of anti-reflective coatings for metal surfaces of Al, Ti, N,i Cr is proposed. The coatings have the form of alternating layers of dielectric/metal/dielectric with the number of cells up to15. The method of calculation of such coatings is proposed. We have calculated the coatings of the type [HfO2/Cr/HfO2]15, [ZrO2/Ti/Al2O3]15, [ZrO2/Cr/ZrO2]15. It is shown that the proposed interference coatings provide reduction of the residual reflectance of the metal several times (from 3.5 to 6.0 in a wide spectral range (300-1000 nm. The proposed coatings can be recommended as anti-reflective coatings for energy saving solar systems and batteries, and photovoltaic cells.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ruckman, M.W.; Strongin, M.; Weismann, H.
1997-04-01
The purpose of this project is to develop and conduct a feasibility study of metallic thin films (multilayered and alloy composition) produced by advanced sputtering techniques for use as anodes in Ni-metal hydrogen batteries that would be deposited as distinct anode, electrolyte and cathode layers in thin film devices. The materials could also be incorporated in secondary consumer batteries (i.e. type AF(4/3 or 4/5)) which use electrodes in the form of tapes. The project was based on pioneering studies of hydrogen uptake by ultra-thin Pd-capped Nb films, these studies suggested that materials with metal-hydrogen ratios exceeding those of commercially available metal hydride materials and fast hydrogen charging and discharging kinetics could be produced. The project initially concentrated on gas phase and electrochemical studies of Pd-capped niobium films in laboratory-scale NiMH cells. This extended the pioneering work to the wet electrochemical environment of NiMH batteries and exploited advanced synchrotron radiation techniques not available during the earlier work to conduct in-situ studies of such materials during hydrogen charging and discharging. Although batteries with fast charging kinetics and hydrogen-metal ratios approaching unity could be fabricated, it was found that oxidation, cracking and corrosion in aqueous solutions made pure Nb films and multilayers poor candidates for battery application. The project emphasis shifted to alloy films based on known elemental materials used for NiMH batteries. Although commercial NiMH anode materials contain many metals, it was found that 0.24 μm thick sputtered Zr-Ni films cycled at least 50 times with charging efficiencies exceeding 95% and [H]/[M] ratios of 0.7-1.0. Multilayered or thicker Zr-Ni films could be candidates for a thin film NiMH battery that may have practical applications as an integrated power source for modern electronic devices
Surface structural reconstruction of SrVO3 thin films on SrTiO3 (001)
Wang, Gaomin; Saghayezhian, Mohammad; Chen, Lina; Guo, Hangwen; Zhang, Jiandi
Paramagnetic metallic oxide SrVO3>(SVO) is an itinerant system known to undergo thickness-induced metal-insulator-transition (MIT) in ultrathin film form, which makes it a prototype system for the study of the mechanism behind metal-insulator-transition like structure distortion, electron correlations and disorder-induced localization. We have grown SrVO3 thin film with atomically flat surface through the layer-by-layer deposition by laser Molecular Beam Epitaxy (laser-MBE) on SrTiO3 (001) surface. Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) measurements reveal that there is a (√2X √2) R45°surface reconstruction independent of film thickness. By using LEED-I(V) structure refinement, we determine the surface structure. In combination with X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), we discuss the implication on the MIT in ultrathin films below 2-3 unit cell thickness. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under the NSF EPSCoR Cooperative Agreement No. EPS-1003897 with additional support from the Louisiana Board of Regents.
Quantum and superconducting fluctuations effects in disordered Nb 1- xTa x thin films above Tc
Giannouri, M.; Papastaikoudis, C.
1999-05-01
Disordered Nb 1- xTa x thin films are prepared with e-gun coevaporation. The influence of the β-phase of tantalum in the critical temperature Tc is observed as a function of the substrate temperature. The measurements of transverse magnetoresistance at various isothermals are interpreted in terms of weak-localization and superconducting fluctuations. From the fitting procedure, the phase breaking rate τφ-1 and the Larkin parameter βL are estimated as a function of temperature. Conclusions about the dominant inelastic scattering mechanisms at various temperature regions as well as for the dominant mechanism of superconducting fluctuations near the transition temperature are extracted.
Pyo, Ju-Young; Cho, Won-Ju
2017-09-01
In this paper, we propose an amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT) with off-planed source/drain electrodes. We applied different metals for the source/drain electrodes with Ni and Ti to control the work function as high and low. When we measured the configuration of Ni to drain and source to Ti, the a-IGZO TFT showed increased driving current, decreased leakage current, a high on/off current ratio, low subthreshold swing, and high mobility. In addition, we conducted a reliability test with a gate bias stress test at various temperatures. The results of the reliability test showed the Ni drain and Ti drain had an equivalent effective energy barrier height. Thus, we confirmed that the proposed off-planed structure improved the electrical characteristics of the fabricated devices without any degradation of characteristics. Through the a-IGZO TFT with different source/drain electrode metal engineering, we realized high-performance TFTs for next-generation display devices.
Mechanical properties of ultra thin metallic films revealed by synchrotron techniques
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gruber, Patric Alfons
2007-07-20
A prerequisite for the study of the scaling behavior of mechanical properties of ultra thin films is a suitable testing technique. Therefore synchrotron-based in situ testing techniques were developed and optimized in order to characterize the stress evolution in ultra thin metallic films on compliant polymer substrates during isothermal tensile tests. Experimental procedures for polycrystalline as well as single crystalline films were established. These techniques were used to systematically investigate the influence of microstructure, film thickness (20 to 1000 nm) and temperature (-150 to 200 C) on the mechanical properties. Passivated and unpassivated Au and Cu films as well as single crystalline Au films on polyimide substrates were tested. Special care was also dedicated to the microstructural characterization of the samples which was very important for the correct interpretation of the results of the mechanical tests. Down to a film thickness of about 100 to 200 nm the yield strength increased for all film systems (passivated and unpassivated) and microstructures (polycrystalline and singlecrystalline). The influence of different interfaces was smaller than expected. This could be explained by a dislocation source model based on the nucleation of perfect dislocations. For polycrystalline films the film thickness as well as the grain size distribution had to be considered. For smaller film thicknesses the increase in flow stress was weaker and the deformation behavior changed because the nucleation of perfect dislocations became unfavorable. Instead, the film materials used alternative mechanisms to relieve the high stresses. For regular and homogeneous deformation the total strain was accommodated by the nucleation and motion of partial dislocations. If the deformation was localized due to initial cracks in a brittle interlayer or local delamination, dislocation plasticity was not effective enough to relieve the stress concentration and the films showed
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pereira, L.; Barquinha, P.; Fortunato, E.; Martins, R.
2005-01-01
In this work, metal induced crystallization using nickel was employed to obtain polycrystalline silicon by crystallization of amorphous films for thin film transistor applications. The devices were produced through only one lithographic process with a bottom gate configuration using a new gate dielectric consisting of a multi-layer of aluminum oxide/titanium oxide produced by atomic layer deposition. The best results were obtained for TFTs with the active layer of poly-Si crystallized for 20 h at 500 deg. C using a nickel layer of 0.5 nm where the effective mobility is 45.5 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . The threshold voltage, the on/off current ratio and the sub-threshold voltage are, respectively, 11.9 V, 5.55x10 4 and 2.49 V/dec
Physics of thin films advances in research and development
Hass, Georg; Vossen, John L
2013-01-01
Physics of Thin Films: Advances in Research and Development, Volume 12 reviews advances that have been made in research and development concerning the physics of thin films. This volume covers a wide range of preparative approaches, physics phenomena, and applications related to thin films. This book is comprised of four chapters and begins with a discussion on metal coatings and protective layers for front surface mirrors used at various angles of incidence from the ultraviolet to the far infrared. Thin-film materials and deposition conditions suitable for minimizing reflectance changes with
Method for making thin carbon foam electrodes
Pekala, Richard W.; Mayer, Steven T.; Kaschmitter, James L.; Morrison, Robert L.
1999-01-01
A method for fabricating thin, flat carbon electrodes by infiltrating highly porous carbon papers, membranes, felts, metal fibers/powders, or fabrics with an appropriate carbon foam precursor material. The infiltrated carbon paper, for example, is then cured to form a gel-saturated carbon paper, which is subsequently dried and pyrolyzed to form a thin sheet of porous carbon. The material readily stays flat and flexible during curing and pyrolyzing to form thin sheets. Precursor materials include polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polymethylacrylonitrile (PMAN), resorcinol/formaldehyde, catechol/formaldehyde, phenol/formaldehyde, etc., or mixtures thereof. These thin films are ideal for use as high power and energy electrodes in batteries, capacitors, and fuel cells, and are potentially useful for capacitive deionization, filtration and catalysis.
Thin Glass Coatings for the Corrosion Protection of Metals
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lampert, Felix
in corrosion sensitive applications. Since the deposition of SiOx thin films is a well-established technology, the SOG technology was directly benchmarked to PVD-based SiO2 coatings. The coating adhesion was assessed by cross cut testing and increasing load scratch testing and the efficiency of the sub...... with localized corrosion and do not impact the heat transfer or the component performance. The herein presented approach focuses primarily on the formation of SiOx-like thin films from Hydrogen Silsesquioxane (HSQ) –based “spin-on-glass” (SOG) precursor. The technology is well known for the deposition...
Ashour, Rakan F.
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) display interesting electronic and optical properties desired for many advanced thin film applications, such as transparent conductive electrodes or thin-film transistors. Large-scale production of SWCNTs generally results in polydispersed mixtures of nanotube structures. Since SWCNT electronic character (conducting or semiconducting nature) depends on the nanotube structure, application performance is being held back by this inability to discretely control SWCNT synthesis. Although a number of post-production techniques are able to separate SWCNTs based on electronic character, diameter, or chirality, most still suffer from the disadvantage of high costs of materials, equipment, or labor intensity to be relevant for large-scale production. On the other hand, chromatographic separation has emerged as a method that is compatible with large scale separation of metallic and semiconducting SWCNTs. In this work, SWCNTs, in an aqueous surfactant suspension of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), are separated by their electronic character using a gel chromatography process. Metallic SWCNTs (m-SWCNTs) are collected as initial fractions since they show minimum interaction with the gel medium, whereas, semiconducting SWCNTs (sc- SWCNTs) remain adsorbed to the gel. The process of sc-SWCNT retention in the gel is found to be driven by the packing density of SDS around the SWCNTs. Through a series of separation experiments, it is shown that sc-SWCNTs can be eluted from the gel simply by disturbing the configuration of the SDS/SWCNT micellar structure. This is achieved by either introducing a solution containing a co-surfactant, such as sodium cholate (SC), or solutions of alkali metal ionic salts. Analysis of SWCNT suspensions by optical absorption provides insights into the effect of changing the metal ion (M+ = Li+, Na+, and K+) in the eluting solution. Salts with smaller metal ions (e.g. Li+) require higher concentrations to achieve
Long-range surface polaritons in thin layers of absorbing materials
Zhang, Y.
2011-01-01
Long-range surface polaritons (LRSPs) are electromagnetic surface modes confined at the interfaces of an thin film surrounded by a homogeneous dielectric. These modes are generally characterized by the subwavelength confinement and the long propagation length. In case of a metallic thin film, the
Formation of extremely narrow metallic lines
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Harris, E.P.; Keyes, R.W.
1979-01-01
A method for forming metal lines, particularly lines which are superconductive, involves delineating a pattern on a thin metal film on a substrate by masking techniques, ion implanting the metal film to a desired depth, removing the mask and etching away the unimplanted portion of the metal film to leave the line whose width is equal to the implanted depth. (U.K.)
Resistivity behavior of optimized PbTiO3 thin films prepared by spin coating method
Nurbaya, Z.; Wahid, M. H.; Rozana, M. D.; Alrokayan, S. A. H.; Khan, H. A.; Rusop, M.
2018-05-01
Th is study presents the resistivity behavior of PbTiO3 thin films which were prepared towards metal-insulator-metal capacitor device fabrication. The PbTiO3 thin films were prepared through sol-gel spin coating method that involved various deposition parameters that is (1) different molar concentration of PbTiO3 solutions, (2) various additional PbAc-content in PbTiO3 solutions, and (3) various annealing temperature on PbTiO3 thin films. Hence, an electrical measurement of current versus voltage was done to determine the resistivity behavior of PbTiO3 thin films.
Study of 'liquid gold' coatings: Thermal decomposition and formation of metallic thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Deram, V. [Laboratoire de Spectrochimie Infrarouge et Raman, Universite des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, UMR CNRS 8516, Bat C5 - 59655 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France) and Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Paris, Centre de Mise en Forme des Materiaux, UMR CNRS 7635, BP 207, 06904 Sophia-Antipolis (France)]. E-mail: virginie.deram@ensmp.fr; Turrell, S. [Laboratoire de Spectrochimie Infrarouge et Raman, Universite des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, UMR CNRS 8516, Bat C5 - 59655 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Darque-Ceretti, E. [Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Paris, Centre de Mise en Forme des Materiaux, UMR CNRS 7635, BP 207, 06904 Sophia-Antipolis (France); Aucouturier, M. [Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musees de France, UMR CNRS 171, Palais du Louvre, Porte des Lions, 14 quai F. Mitterrand, 75001 Paris Cedex (France)
2006-09-25
Organo-metallic solutions called liquid gold are largely used to obtain thin gilded films which are employed for decorative, technological and functional uses. However, these films often prove to be fragile with respect to use, resulting in loss of brilliance or even eventual film removal. An understanding of the behaviour of the layers requires good knowledge of the materials themselves. The present work was undertaken to better understand the evolution of the structural properties of liquid gold as it undergoes heat-processing. Accordingly, we followed the thermal decomposition processes of liquid gold coatings and the formation of the gilded metal layer using a combination of experimental techniques. First, thermal analyses coupled with mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy gave information concerning the decomposition of the organic medium. It has been found that the process of film formation can be decomposed into three steps, the second of which is an abrupt transition between 300 and 350 deg. C. Details on this transition have been obtained using real-time X-ray Diffraction and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry. Above 350 deg. C, the microstructure of the coating is reorganized to obtain a final layer which contains particles, of the size of a few hundreds nanometers, as shown by Transmission Electron Microscopy.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Xin Wang
2017-12-01
Full Text Available By restricting the dilated deformation, surface modification can stimulate multiple shear banding and improve the plasticity of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs. Aimed at modifying the surface of BMGs by thin layers, a crystalline Ni coating with ultrafine grains was coated on the surface of a Ti-based BMG by electroless plating. With a thickness of about 10 μm, the prepared thin coating could effectively limit the fast propagation of primary shear bands and stimulate the nucleation of multiple shear bands. As a result, the compression plasticity of the coated Ti-based BMG was improved to about 3.7% from near 0% of the non-coated BMG. Except for a small amount of Ni coating was adhered to the BMG substrate after fracture, most of the coatings were peeled off from the surface. It can be attributed to the abnormal growth of some coarse grains/particles in local region of the coating, which induces a large tensile stress at the interface between the coating and the BMG substrate. It is suggested that, for electroless nickel plating, improving the adhesive bonding strength between the coating and the substrate has a better geometric restriction effect than simply increasing the thickness of the coating.
Chen, Pan; Miah, Mahfuzur Rahman; Aschner, Michael
2016-01-01
Metals play important roles in the human body, maintaining cell structure and regulating gene expression, neurotransmission, and antioxidant response, to name a few. However, excessive metal accumulation in the nervous system may be toxic, inducing oxidative stress, disrupting mitochondrial function, and impairing the activity of numerous enzymes. Damage caused by metal accumulation may result in permanent injuries, including severe neurological disorders. Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown a strong correlation between aberrant metal exposure and a number of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism spectrum disorders, Guillain–Barré disease, Gulf War syndrome, Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Wilson’s disease. Here, we briefly survey the literature relating to the role of metals in neurodegeneration. PMID:27006759
The model of metal-insulator phase transition in vanadium oxide
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vikhnin, V.S.; Lysenko, S.; Rua, A.; Fernandez, F.; Liu, H.
2005-01-01
Thermally induced metal-insulator phase transitions (PT) in VO 2 thin films are studied theoretically and experimentally. The hysteresis phenomena in the region of the transition for different type thin films were investigated. The phenomenological model of the PT is suggested. The charge transfer-lattice instability in VO 2 metallic phase is considered as basis of the first order metal-insulator PT in VO 2 . The charge transfer is treated as an order parameter
Reeh, S; Kasprzak, M; Klusmann, C D; Stalf, F; Music, D; Ekholm, M; Abrikosov, I A; Schneider, J M
2013-06-19
The elastic properties of fcc Fe-Mn-X (X = Cr, Co, Ni, Cu) alloys with additions of up to 8 at.% X were studied by combinatorial thin film growth and characterization and by ab initio calculations using the disordered local moments (DLM) approach. The lattice parameter and Young's modulus values change only marginally with X. The calculations and experiments are in good agreement. We demonstrate that the elastic properties of transition metal alloyed Fe-Mn can be predicted by the DLM model.
Unexpected metal-insulator transition in thick Ca1-xSrxVO3 film on SrTiO3 (100) single crystal
Takayanagi, Makoto; Tsuchiya, Takashi; Namiki, Wataru; Ueda, Shigenori; Minohara, Makoto; Horiba, Koji; Kumigashira, Hiroshi; Terabe, Kazuya; Higuchi, Tohru
2018-03-01
Epitaxial Ca1-xSrxVO3 (0 ≦ x ≦ 1) thin films were grown on (100)-oriented SrTiO3 substrates by using the pulsed laser deposition technique. In contrast to the previous report that metal-insulator transition (MIT) in Ca1-xSrxVO3 (CSVO) was achieved only for extremely thin films (several nm thick), MIT was observed at 39, 72, and 113 K for films with a thickness of 50 nm. The electronic structure was investigated by hard and soft X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HX-PES and SX-PES). The difference between these PES results was significant due to the variation in an escape depth of photoelectrons of PES. While HX-PES showed that the V 2p3/2 spectra consisted of four peaks (V5+, V4+, V3+, and V2+/1+), SX-PES showed only three peaks (V5+, V4+, and V3+). This difference can be caused by a strain from the substrate, which leads to the chemical disorder (V5+, V4+, V3+, and V2+/1+). The thin film near the substrate is affected by the strain. The positive magnetoresistance is attributed to the effect of electron-electron interactions in the disorder system. Therefore, the emergence of MIT can be explained by the electron-electron interactions from the chemical disorder due to the strain.
Topotactic synthesis of strontium cobalt oxyhydride thin film with perovskite structure
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Katayama, Tsukasa [Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Chikamatsu, Akira, E-mail: chikamatsu@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Kamisaka, Hideyuki [Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Yokoyama, Yuichi; Hirata, Yasuyuki; Wadati, Hiroki [Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-8581 (Japan); Fukumura, Tomoteru [CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Department of Chemistry, Tohoku University, Miyagi 980-8578 (Japan); Hasegawa, Tetsuya [Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan)
2015-10-15
The substitution of hydride anions (H{sup −}) into transition metal oxides has recently become possible through topotactic reactions or high-pressure synthesis methods. However, the fabrication of oxyhydrides is still difficult because of their inherently less-stable frameworks. In this study, we successfully fabricated perovskite SrCoO{sub x}H{sub y} thin films via the topotactic hydride doping of brownmillerite SrCoO{sub 2.5} epitaxial thin films with CaH{sub 2}. The perovskite-type cation framework was maintained during the topotactic treatment owing to epitaxial stabilization. Structural and chemical analyses accompanied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements revealed that the doped hydride ions form a two-dimensional network of Co-H{sup −}-Co bonds, in contrast to other reported perovskite oxyhydrides, SrMO{sub 3−x}H{sub x} (M = Cr, Ti, V). The SrCoO{sub x}H{sub y} thin film exhibited insulating behavior and had a direct band gap of 2.1 eV. Thus, topotactic hydride doping of transition-metal-oxide thin films on suitable substrates is a promising method for the synthesis of new transition metal oxyhydrides.
Multi-Material Front Contact for 19% Thin Film Solar Cells
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Joop van Deelen
2016-02-01
Full Text Available The trade-off between transmittance and conductivity of the front contact material poses a bottleneck for thin film solar panels. Normally, the front contact material is a metal oxide and the optimal cell configuration and panel efficiency were determined for various band gap materials, representing Cu(In,GaSe2 (CIGS, CdTe and high band gap perovskites. Supplementing the metal oxide with a metallic copper grid improves the performance of the front contact and aims to increase the efficiency. Various front contact designs with and without a metallic finger grid were calculated with a variation of the transparent conductive oxide (TCO sheet resistance, scribing area, cell length, and finger dimensions. In addition, the contact resistance and illumination power were also assessed and the optimal thin film solar panel design was determined. Adding a metallic finger grid on a TCO gives a higher solar cell efficiency and this also enables longer cell lengths. However, contact resistance between the metal and the TCO material can reduce the efficiency benefit somewhat.
A novel application of the CuI thin film for preparing thin copper nanowires
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shi Shuo; Sun Jialin; Zhang Jianhong; Cao Yang
2005-01-01
We present a novel application of the CuI thin film for preparing thin copper nanowires under a direct current electric field (DCEF). The CuI thin film was used as a medium for transmitting cuprous ions during the growing process of copper nanowires. As electrodes are the source of cuprous ions, high-purity copper films were deposited on both ends of the CuI thin film. At 353 K, under whole solid condition, without any templates, and having applied a DCEF of 1.5x10 4 V/m, cuprous ions were generated at the anode and migrated towards the cathode through the CuI film. At the edge of the cathode, cuprous ions obtained electrons and congregated to form a disordered thin copper nanowires bundle. The SEM images showed that these copper nanowires were from 10 to 20 nm in diameter and several hundred nanometers in length. The effect of the electric field intensity and the growth temperature on the diameter of the nanowires was also studied
Optical negative refraction by four-wave mixing in thin metallic nanostructures.
Palomba, Stefano; Zhang, Shuang; Park, Yongshik; Bartal, Guy; Yin, Xiaobo; Zhang, Xiang
2011-10-30
The law of refraction first derived by Snellius and later introduced as the Huygens-Fermat principle, states that the incidence and refracted angles of a light wave at the interface of two different materials are related to the ratio of the refractive indices in each medium. Whereas all natural materials have a positive refractive index and therefore exhibit refraction in the positive direction, artificially engineered negative index metamaterials have been shown capable of bending light waves negatively. Such a negative refractive index is the key to achieving a perfect lens that is capable of imaging well below the diffraction limit. However, negative index metamaterials are typically lossy, narrow band, and require complicated fabrication processes. Recently, an alternative approach to obtain negative refraction from a very thin nonlinear film has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated in the microwave region. However, such approaches use phase conjugation, which makes optical implementations difficult. Here, we report a simple but different scheme to demonstrate experimentally nonlinear negative refraction at optical frequencies using four-wave mixing in nanostructured metal films. The refractive index can be designed at will by simply tuning the wavelengths of the interacting waves, which could have potential impact on many important applications, such as superlens imaging.
Growth, Properties and Applications of Mo Ox Thin-Films Deposited by Reactive Sputtering
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Fernandes Cauduro, André Luis
properties of metal-oxide thin films through surface defect engineering is vital to fine-tune their optoelectronic properties, and thus also their integration in novel optoelectronic devices. In this work, MoOx thin-films with various different phases and compositions were prepared by direct-current reactive...... molecules DBP and C70 are also covered in this work. The devices show interesting characteristics for very thin layers of the as-deposited MoOx films, displaying similar device efficiencies as those of in situ prepared MoOx thin-films formed from thermal evaporation. For the annealed MoOx films......Transition metal-oxide (TMOs) thin-films are commonly used in optoelectronic devices such as in photovoltaics and light emitting diodes, using both organic, inorganic and hybrid technologies. In such devices, TMOs typically act as an interfacial layer, where its functionality is to facilitate hole...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Feng, Yu; Chen, Hong; Yuan, Hongkuan; Zhou, Ying; Chen, Xiaorui
2015-01-01
Thin films based on Heusler alloy often lost their theoretical predicted ultra-high spin polarization owing to the appearance of disorder. Using the first-principles calculations within density functional theory (DFT), we investigate the effect of disorder including antisite and swap on electronic and magnetic properties of quaternary Heusler alloy CoFeMnSi with LiMgPbSb-type structure. Twelve kinds of antisites and six kinds of swap disorders are proposed and studied comprehensively. In our calculations, Co(Fe)-, Mn(Fe)-, Si(Mn)-antisite and Co–Fe swap disorders are most favorable due to their lowest formation energies. Moreover, the positive binding energies of Co–Fe, Co–Si, Fe–Si and Mn–Si swap disorders with respect to their corresponding antisite disorders indicate that these complex swap disorders are more stable compared with their corresponding isolated antisite disorders. The investigations on density of states (DOS) show that the spin down energy gap of disordered structures suffers contraction and their DOS entirely move towards lower zone. Besides, the 100% spin polarization is maintained in all structures with antisite and swap disorders except for those with Co(Mn)-, Co(Si)-antisite and Co–Mn, Co–Si swap disorders. Therefore, the half-metallicity of quaternary Heusler alloy CoFeMnSi is quite robust against interfering effects such as Si(Mn), Co(Fe) and Co–Fe disorders most possibly formed in the growth. - Highlights: • CoFeMnSi with LiMgPbSb-type structure is found to be a half-metallic ferromagnet. • Si(Mn), Co(Fe), Mn(Fe) antisites and Co–Fe swap disorders are most likely to form. • The half-metallicity of CoFeMnSi is robust against the most possible disorders. • The magnetic moments of the most possible disorders follow the Pauli-Slater rule
The use of thin-section high-resolution CT in pediatric pulmonary disease
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hay, T.C.; Horgan, J.G.; Rumack, C.M.
1989-01-01
High-resolution thin-section CT of the chest was used successfully to characterize the extent of pulmonary disease. This paper reports on a study in which ten children with chronic lung disorders (including cystic fibrosis, reactive airway disease, and idiopathic disease) were evaluated to test the accuracy of the posteroanterior and lateral chest CT, with both thick (1 cm) and thin (1-3 mm) sections. Unsuspected bronchiectasis was established n two patients with reactive airway disease, and the extent of bronchiectasis in other patients was best defined on thin-section CT. Technique was crucial for an accurate study, and magnification views of each lung were useful. Thin-section CT of the chest was helpful in defining and localizing the extent of these pulmonary disorders
Ding, Chenliang; Wei, Jingsong; Xiao, Mufei
2018-05-01
We herein propose a far-field super-resolution imaging with metal thin films based on the temperature-dependent electron-phonon collision frequency effect. In the proposed method, neither fluorescence labeling nor any special properties are required for the samples. The 100 nm lands and 200 nm grooves on the Blu-ray disk substrates were clearly resolved and imaged through a laser scanning microscope of wavelength 405 nm. The spot size was approximately 0.80 μm , and the imaging resolution of 1/8 of the laser spot size was experimentally obtained. This work can be applied to the far-field super-resolution imaging of samples with neither fluorescence labeling nor any special properties.
Shape controlled synthesis of CaMoO4 thin films and their photoluminescence property
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Marques, Ana Paula de Azevedo; Longo, Valeria M.; Melo, Dulce M.A. de; Pizani, Paulo S.; Leite, Edson R.; Varela, Jose Arana; Longo, Elson
2008-01-01
CaMoO 4 (CMO) disordered and ordered thin films were prepared by the complex polymerization method (CPM). The films were annealed at different temperatures and time in a conventional resistive furnace (RF) and in a microwave (MW) oven. The microstructure and surface morphology of the structure were monitored by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). Order and disorder were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical reflectance. A strong photoluminescence (PL) emission was observed in the disordered thin films and was attributed to complex cluster vacancies. The experimental results were compared with density functional and Hartree-Fock calculations. - Graphical abstract: CaMoO 4 thin films were prepared by the complex polymerization method (CPM). The films were annealed at different temperatures and time in a conventional resistive furnace and in a microwave oven. A strong photoluminescence emission was observed in the disordered thin films and was attributed to complex cluster vacancies. The experimental results were confirmed by high level first principle calculations
Thin film heat flux sensors for accurate transient and unidirectional heat transfer analysis
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Azerou, B; Garnier, B; Lahmar, J
2012-01-01
Heat flux measurement is needed in many heat transfer studies. For the best unbiased heat flux sensors (HFS), the heat flux is obtained using temperature measurements at different locations and also an inverse heat conduction method (function specification...) in order to calculate the heat flux. Systematic errors can come from the uncertainty in the wire thermocouples locations and from errors in the knowledge of distances between two consecutive wire thermocouples. The main idea in this work is to use thin film thermoresistances deposited on a flexible thin polymer substrate instead of wire thermocouples welded on metallic sample. The interest of using thin film thermoresistances instead of wire thermocouples is a lower disturbance due to the smaller thickness of the thin film sensors (typically less than 1μm) and a much better knowledge of the distances between the different thin film thermoresistances which are precisely defined in the mask used for the metallic thin film pattern fabrication. In this paper, we present the fabrication of the new heat flux sensor with thin film thermoresistances, the study of the effect of the self heating (due to Joule effect in thermoresistances) and the performances of this new HFS with the comparison with classical HFS using wire thermocouples. For this study, a symmetric experimental setup is used with metallic samples equipped with an etched foil heater and both classical and new HFS. For several heating conditions, it appears that a better accuracy is always obtained with the new HFS using thin film thermoresistances.
Preparation and properties of antimony thin film anode materials
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
SU Shufa; CAO Gaoshao; ZHAO Xinbing
2004-01-01
Metallic antimony thin films were deposited by magnetron sputtering and electrodeposition. Electrochemical properties of the thin film as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries were investigated and compared with those of antimony powder. It was found that both magnetron sputtering and electrodeposition are easily controllable processes to deposit antimony films with fiat charge/discharge potential plateaus. The electrochemical performances of antimony thin films, especially those prepared with magnetron sputtering, are better than those of antimony powder. The reversible capacities of the magnetron sputtered antimony thin film are above 400 mA h g-1 in the first 15 cycles.
Miyake, Yoshie; Okamoto, Yuri; Jinnin, Ran; Shishida, Kazuhiro; Okamoto, Yasumasa
2015-02-01
Eating disorders are characterized by aberrant patterns of eating behavior, including such symptoms as extreme restriction of food intake or binge eating, and severe disturbances in the perception of body shape and weight, as well as a drive for thinness and obsessive fears of becoming fat. Eating disorder is an important cause for physical and psychosocial morbidity in young women. Patients with eating disorders have a deficit in the cognitive process and functional abnormalities in the brain system. Recently, brain-imaging techniques have been used to identify specific brain areas that function abnormally in patients with eating disorders. We have discussed the clinical and cognitive aspects of eating disorders and summarized neuroimaging studies of eating disorders.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang, H.-W.; Nien, S.-W.; Lee, K.-C.; Wu, M.-C.
2005-01-01
The effect of gold (Au) on the crystallization, dielectric constant and leakage current density of barium strontium titanate (BST) thin films was investigated. BST thin films with various gold concentrations were prepared via a metal-organic deposition process. The X-ray diffraction shows enhanced crystallization as well as expanded lattice constants for the gold-doped BST films. Thermal analysis reveals that the gold dopant induces more complete decomposition of precursor for the doped films than those of undoped ones. The leakage current density of BST films is greatly reduced by the gold dopant over a range of biases (1-5 V). The distribution of gold was confirmed by electron energy loss spectroscopy and found to be inside the BST grains, not in the grain-boundaries. Gold acted as a catalyst, inducing the nucleation of crystallites and improving the crystallinity of the structure. Its addition is shown to be associated to the improvement of the electrical properties of BST films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dudney, Nancy J.
2008-01-01
aerosol spray coating, for one or more components of the battery. The active materials used for the thin film cathodes and anodes are familiar intercalation compounds, but the microstructures and often the cycling properties of the thin films may be quite distinct from those of battery electrodes formed from powders. The thin film cathodes are dense and homogeneous with no added phases such as binders or electrolytes. When deposited at ambient temperatures, the films of cathodes, such as LiCoO 2 , V 2 O 5 , LiMn 2 O4 , LiFePO 4 are amorphous or nanocrystalline. But even in this form, they often act as excellent cathodes with large specific capacities and good stability for hundreds to thousands of cycles. Annealing the cathode films at temperatures of 300 to 800 C may be used to induce crystallization and grain growth of the desired intercalation compound. Crystallizing the cathode film generally improves the Li chemical diffusivity in the electrode material, and hence the power delivered by the battery, by 1-2 orders of magnitude. The microstructure is also tailored by the deposition and heat treatment. Figure 3 shows a fracture edge of an annealed LiCoO 2 cathode film on an alumina substrate. The columnar microstructure, which is typical of a vapor deposited film, sinters at high temperatures leaving small fissures between the dense columns. Such crystalline films also may have a preferred crystallographic orientation. For LiCoO 2 films the crystallographic texture differs for films deposited by sputtering versus pulse laser ablation processes. To improve the manufacturability of the thin film batteries, it would be beneficial to eliminate or minimize the temperature or duration of the annealing step. Several efforts have lead to low temperature fabrication of thin film batteries on polyimide substrates, but the battery capacity and rate are lower than those treated at high temperatures. For the battery anode, many designs use a vapor-deposited metallic lithium film as
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Acharya, Susant Kumar [Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Semiconductor Science and Technology, Basic Research Laboratory (BRL), Semiconductor Physics Research Center (SPRC), Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang-Kwon; Hyung, Jung-Hwan [Department of Semiconductor Science and Technology, Basic Research Laboratory (BRL), Semiconductor Physics Research Center (SPRC), Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Yang, Yun-Ho; Kim, Bok-Hee [Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Byung-Guk, E-mail: bkahn@jbnu.ac.kr [Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of)
2012-11-05
Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Lead-free BNT-BT thin films from an optimized metal-organic solution deposition. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Phase and microstructure evolution with annealing temperature. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A relatively low leakage current density. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Good dielectric constant of 613 at a frequency of 1 kHz. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High remanent polarization and piezoelectric constant comparable to PZT thin films. - Abstract: Lead-free 0.94Bi{sub 0.5}Na{sub 0.5}TiO{sub 3}-0.06BaTiO{sub 3} (BNT-BT) piezoelectric thin films were prepared by metal-organic solution deposition onto a Pt/Ti/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate. A dense and well crystallized thin film with a perovskite phase was obtained by annealing these films at 700 Degree-Sign C. Atomic force microscopy showed that these films were smooth and crack-free with an average grain size on the order of 200 nm. Thin films of 356 nm thickness exhibited a small signal dielectric constant and a loss tangent at 1 kHz of 613 and 0.044, respectively. Ferroelectric hysteresis measurements indicated a remanent polarization value of 21.5 {mu}C/cm{sup 2} with a coercive field of 164.5 kV/cm. The leakage current density of the thin film was 4.08 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} A/cm{sup 2} at an applied electric field of 200 kV/cm. A typical butterfly-shaped piezoresponse loop was observed and the effective piezoelectric coefficient (d{sub 33}) of the BNT-BT thin film was approximately 51.6 pm/V.
Polarization-dependent thin-film wire-grid reflectarray for terahertz waves
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Niu, Tiaoming [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005 (Australia); School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Upadhyay, Aditi; Bhaskaran, Madhu; Sriram, Sharath [Functional Materials and Microsystems Research Group, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001 (Australia); Withayachumnankul, Withawat [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005 (Australia); Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-S9-3, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552 (Japan); Headland, Daniel; Abbott, Derek; Fumeaux, Christophe, E-mail: cfumeaux@eleceng.adelaide.edu.au [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005 (Australia)
2015-07-20
A thin-film polarization-dependent reflectarray based on patterned metallic wire grids is realized at 1 THz. Unlike conventional reflectarrays with resonant elements and a solid metal ground, parallel narrow metal strips with uniform spacing are employed in this design to construct both the radiation elements and the ground plane. For each radiation element, a certain number of thin strips with an identical length are grouped to effectively form a patch resonator with equivalent performance. The ground plane is made of continuous metallic strips, similar to conventional wire-grid polarizers. The structure can deflect incident waves with the polarization parallel to the strips into a designed direction and transmit the orthogonal polarization component. Measured radiation patterns show reasonable deflection efficiency and high polarization discrimination. Utilizing this flexible device approach, similar reflectarray designs can be realized for conformal mounting onto surfaces of cylindrical or spherical devices for terahertz imaging and communications.
Eddy Current Testing for Detecting Small Defects in Thin Films
Obeid, Simon; Tranjan, Farid M.; Dogaru, Teodor
2007-03-01
Presented here is a technique of using Eddy Current based Giant Magneto-Resistance sensor (GMR) to detect surface and sub-layered minute defects in thin films. For surface crack detection, a measurement was performed on a copper metallization of 5-10 microns thick. It was done by scanning the GMR sensor on the surface of the wafer that had two scratches of 0.2 mm, and 2.5 mm in length respectively. In another experiment, metal coatings were deposited over the layers containing five defects with known lengths such that the defects were invisible from the surface. The limit of detection (resolution), in terms of defect size, of the GMR high-resolution Eddy Current probe was studied using this sample. Applications of Eddy Current testing include detecting defects in thin film metallic layers, and quality control of metallization layers on silicon wafers for integrated circuits manufacturing.
Structure and electrical properties of Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 deposited on textured Pt thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hong, Jongin; Song, Han Wook; Lee, Hee Chul; Lee, Won Jong; No, Kwangsoo
2001-01-01
The texturing of the bottom electrode plays a key role in the structure and electrical properties of Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 (PZT) thin films. We fabricated Pt bottom electrodes having a different thickness on MgO single crystals at 600 o C by rf magnetron sputtering. As the thickness of platinum (Pt) thin film increased, the preferred orientation of Pt thin film changed from (200) to (111). PZT thin films were fabricated at 450 o C by electron cyclotron resonance-plasma enhanced metal organic chemical vapor deposition on the textured Pt thin films. The texturing of the bottom electrode caused drastic changes in the C--V characteristics, P--E characteristics, and fatigue characteristics of metal/ferroelectric material/metal (MFM) capacitors. The difference of the electrical properties between the PZT thin films having different texturing was discussed in terms-of the x--y alignment and the interface between electrode and PZT in MFM capacitors. copyright 2001 American Institute of Physics
Ion-beam-induced reactions in metal-thin-film-/BP system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kobayashi, N.; Kumashiro, Y.; Revesz, P.; Mayer, J.W.
1989-01-01
Ion-beam-induced reactions in Ni thin films on BP(100) have been investigated and compared with the results of the thermal reaction. The full reaction of Ni layer with BP induced by energetic heavy ion bombardments (600 keV Xe) was observed at 200degC and the formation of the crystalline phase corresponding to a composition of Ni 4 BP was observed. Amorphous layer with the same composition was formed by the bombardments below RT. For thermally annealed samples the reaction of the Ni layer on BP started at temperatures between 350degC and 400degC and full reaction was observed at 450degC. Metal-rich ternary phase or mixed binary phase is thought to be the first crystalline phase formed both in the ion-beam-induced and in the thermally induced reactions. The crystalline phase has the same composition and X-ray diffraction pattern both for ion-beam-induced and thermal reactions. Linear dependence of the reacted thickness on the ion fluence was also observed. The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Jian Li and Shi-Qing Wang for X-ray diffraction measurements at Cornell University. One of the authors (N.K.) acknowledge the Agency of Science and Technology of Japan for the financial support of his stay at Cornell. We also acknowledge Dr. H. Tanoue at ETL for his help in ion bombardment experiments. (author)
Broadband and wide angle near-unity absorption in graphene-insulator-metal thin film stacks
Zhang, H. J.; Zheng, G. G.; Chen, Y. Y.; Xu, L. H.
2018-05-01
Broadband unity absorption in graphene-insulator-metal (GIM) structures is demonstrated in the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) spectra. The spectral characteristics possess broadband absorption peaks, by simply choosing a stack of GIM, while no nanofabrication steps and patterning are required, and thus can be easily fabricated to cover a large area. The electromagnetic (EM) waves can be entirely trapped and the absorption can be greatly enhanced are verified with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) methods. The position and the number of the absorption peak can be totally controlled by adjusting the thickness of the insulator layer. The proposed absorber maintains high absorption (above 90%) for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations, and for angles of incidence up to 80°. This work opens up a promising approach to realize perfect absorption (PA) with ultra-thin film, which could implicate many potential applications in optical detection and optoelectronic devices.
Strain Relaxation and Vacancy Creation in Thin Platinum Films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gruber, W.; Chakravarty, S.; Schmidt, H.; Baehtz, C.; Leitenberger, W.; Bruns, M.; Kobler, A.; Kuebel, C.
2011-01-01
Synchrotron based combined in situ x-ray diffractometry and reflectometry is used to investigate the role of vacancies for the relaxation of residual stress in thin metallic Pt films. From the experimentally determined relative changes of the lattice parameter a and of the film thickness L the modification of vacancy concentration and residual strain was derived as a function of annealing time at 130 deg. C. The results indicate that relaxation of strain resulting from compressive stress is accompanied by the creation of vacancies at the free film surface. This proves experimentally the postulated dominant role of vacancies for stress relaxation in thin metal films close to room temperature.
Disorder and conductivity of organic metal
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bouffard, Serge
1982-02-01
At high temperature, quasi-one-dimensional organic conductors are metallic; at low temperature, the electron gas instabilities drive either a metal to insulator transition or a metal to superconductor transition. Precursors of these 3-D ordering could be appear at higher temperature. A study of the effects of irradiation induced defects on a few organic complexes has shown that defects are produced by radiolitic process. Their concentration can be easily deduced from resistivity measurement at room temperature. In the metallic state, the defects act as strong potentials which break the conducting chains and force the electron to jump to the neighbourg stack. The defects produce a mixing between longitudinal and transverse conductivities. While, it is the 3-D effect of the defects which pins the charge density waves and thus the 3-D ordering can not be acheived: the metal to insulator transition is destroyed, the metallic state is stabilized. In the same time, the fluctuative conductivity is suppress. The superconducting regime has been found to be extremely sensitive to irradiation induced defects. Thus we can demonstrate that the 1-D superconducting fluctuations contribute to the conductivity and that the transition temperature is correlated to the 3-D superconducting fluctuations. [fr
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Reeh, S; Kasprzak, M; Klusmann, C D; Stalf, F; Music, D; Schneider, J M; Ekholm, M; Abrikosov, I A
2013-01-01
The elastic properties of fcc Fe–Mn–X (X = Cr, Co, Ni, Cu) alloys with additions of up to 8 at.% X were studied by combinatorial thin film growth and characterization and by ab initio calculations using the disordered local moments (DLM) approach. The lattice parameter and Young’s modulus values change only marginally with X. The calculations and experiments are in good agreement. We demonstrate that the elastic properties of transition metal alloyed Fe–Mn can be predicted by the DLM model. (paper)
Plasmonic versus dielectric enhancement in thin-film solar cells
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Dühring, Maria Bayard; Mortensen, N. Asger; Sigmund, Ole
2012-01-01
to its metallic counterpart. We show that the enhanced normalized short-circuit current for a cell with silicon strips can be increased 4 times compared to the best performance for strips of silver, gold, or aluminium. For this particular case, the simple dielectric grating may outperform its plasmonic......Several studies have indicated that broadband absorption of thin-film solar cells can be enhanced by use of surface-plasmon induced resonances of metallic parts like strips or particles. The metallic parts may create localized modes or scatter incoming light to increase absorption in thin......-film semiconducting material. For a particular case, we show that coupling to the same type of localized slab-waveguide modes can be obtained by a surface modulation consisting of purely dielectric strips. The purely dielectric device turns out to have a significantly higher broadband enhancement factor compared...
Thin films for precision optics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Araujo, J.F.; Maurici, N.; Castro, J.C. de
1983-01-01
The technology of producing dielectric and/or metallic thin films for high precision optical components is discussed. Computer programs were developed in order to calculate and register, graphically, reflectance and transmittance spectra of multi-layer films. The technology of vacuum evaporation of several materials was implemented in our thin-films laboratory; various films for optics were then developed. The possibility of first calculate film characteristics and then produce the film is of great advantage since it reduces the time required to produce a new type of film and also reduces the cost of the project. (C.L.B.) [pt
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Saha, D., E-mail: sahaphys@gmail.com, E-mail: pmisra@rrcat.gov.in; Misra, P., E-mail: sahaphys@gmail.com, E-mail: pmisra@rrcat.gov.in; Joshi, M. P.; Kukreja, L. M. [Laser Materials Processing Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452 013 (India)
2016-08-28
In the present study, atomic layer deposition has been used to grow a series of Ti incorporated ZnO thin films by vertically stacking different numbers (n = 1–7) of ZnO/TiO{sub x} layers on (0001) sapphire substrates. The effects of defect states mediated chemisorption of O{sub 2} and/OH groups on the electrical properties of these films have been investigated by illuminating the samples under UV light inside a high vacuum optical cryostat. The ultra-thin film having one stacked layer (n = 1) did not show any change in its electrical resistance upon UV light exposure. On the contrary, marginal drop in the electrical resistivity was measured for the samples with n ≥ 3. Most surprisingly, the sample with n = 2 (thickness ∼ 12 nm) showed an insulator to metal transition upon UV light exposure. The temperature dependent electrical resistivity measurement on the as grown film (n = 2) showed insulating behaviour, i.e., diverging resistivity on extrapolation to T→ 0 K. However, upon UV light exposure, it transformed to a metallic state, i.e., finite resistivity at T → 0 K. Such an insulator-metal transition plausibly arises due to the de-trapping of conduction electrons from the surface defect sites which resulted in an upward shift of the Fermi level above the mobility edge. The low-temperature electron transport properties on the insulating film (n = 2) were investigated by a combined study of zero field electrical resistivity ρ(T) and magnetoresistance (MR) measurements. The observed negative MR was found to be in good agreement with the magnetic field induced suppression of quantum interference between forward-going paths of tunnelling electrons. Both ρ(T) and MR measurements provided strong evidence for the Efros-Shklovskii type variable range hopping conduction in the low-temperature (≤40 K) regime. Such studies on electron transport in ultra-thin n-type doped ZnO films are crucial to achieve optimum functionality
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Stassen, Marinke J.M.; Preeker, N. Louise; Ragas, Ad M.J.; Ven, Max W.P.M. van de; Smolders, Alfons J.P.
2012-01-01
Background: The Pilcomayo River is polluted by tailings and effluents from upstream mining activities, which contain high levels of metals. The Weenhayek live along this river and are likely to have elevated exposure. Objectives: To assess whether the Weenhayek have increased risk of reproductive and developmental disorders related to elevated metal exposure in comparison with a reference population. Methods: We assessed reproductive and developmental outcomes, i.e. fertility, fetal loss, congenital anomalies, and walking onset by means of structured interviews. We sampled hair, water and fish to assess the relative exposure of the Weenhayek. Samples were analyzed for Pb and Cd with ICP-MS techniques. Results: The Weenhayek communities studied had a higher prevalence of small families (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.3–6.0) and delayed walking onset (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.4–5.1) than the reference population. Median Pb levels in Weenhayek hair were 2–5 times higher than in the reference population, while Cd levels were not elevated. In water and fish, both Pb and Cd levels were increased in the Weenhayek area. Conclusions: We found indications for increased risks of small families and delayed walking onset among the Weenhayek living along the Pilcomayo River. Lactants form a high risk group for lead exposure. - Highlights: ► We assessed selected disorders and metal exposure in two comparable populations. ► Risks of small families and delayed walking onset were increased in the population with elevated lead levels in hair. ► The population with increased risks lives along a river with increased lead and cadmium levels in water and fish.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Stassen, Marinke J.M., E-mail: m.stassen@science.ru.nl [Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen (Netherlands); Foundation ' Los Amigos del Pilcomayo' , P.O. Box 47, Avenida Ayacucho entre Cap. Manchego y Avaroa, Villamontes - Departemento Tarija (Bolivia, Plurinational State of); Preeker, N. Louise, E-mail: info@pilcomayo.info [Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen (Netherlands); Foundation ' Los Amigos del Pilcomayo' , P.O. Box 47, Avenida Ayacucho entre Cap. Manchego y Avaroa, Villamontes - Departemento Tarija (Bolivia, Plurinational State of); Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and HTA, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Ragas, Ad M.J., E-mail: a.ragas@science.ru.nl [Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen (Netherlands); School of Science, Open University, Heerlen (Netherlands); Ven, Max W.P.M. van de, E-mail: info@pilcomayo.info [Foundation ' Los Amigos del Pilcomayo' , P.O. Box 47, Avenida Ayacucho entre Cap. Manchego y Avaroa, Villamontes - Departemento Tarija (Bolivia, Plurinational State of); Smolders, Alfons J.P., E-mail: a.smolders@science.ru.nl [Foundation ' Los Amigos del Pilcomayo' , P.O. Box 47, Avenida Ayacucho entre Cap. Manchego y Avaroa, Villamontes - Departemento Tarija (Bolivia, Plurinational State of); Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen (Netherlands); and others
2012-06-15
Background: The Pilcomayo River is polluted by tailings and effluents from upstream mining activities, which contain high levels of metals. The Weenhayek live along this river and are likely to have elevated exposure. Objectives: To assess whether the Weenhayek have increased risk of reproductive and developmental disorders related to elevated metal exposure in comparison with a reference population. Methods: We assessed reproductive and developmental outcomes, i.e. fertility, fetal loss, congenital anomalies, and walking onset by means of structured interviews. We sampled hair, water and fish to assess the relative exposure of the Weenhayek. Samples were analyzed for Pb and Cd with ICP-MS techniques. Results: The Weenhayek communities studied had a higher prevalence of small families (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.3-6.0) and delayed walking onset (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.4-5.1) than the reference population. Median Pb levels in Weenhayek hair were 2-5 times higher than in the reference population, while Cd levels were not elevated. In water and fish, both Pb and Cd levels were increased in the Weenhayek area. Conclusions: We found indications for increased risks of small families and delayed walking onset among the Weenhayek living along the Pilcomayo River. Lactants form a high risk group for lead exposure. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We assessed selected disorders and metal exposure in two comparable populations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Risks of small families and delayed walking onset were increased in the population with elevated lead levels in hair. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The population with increased risks lives along a river with increased lead and cadmium levels in water and fish.
Separation of metals in the form of ion associates by the method of thin-layer chromatography
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shapovalova, E.N.; Timerbaev, A.R.; Bol'shova, T.A.; Mel'nik, S.V.; Kordejro, E.
1990-01-01
Behaviour of pyridylazo resorcinates of certain metals (Ga, In, Fe, Co) in the form of ionic pairs with tri-n-octylamine (TOA) under conditions of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) has been studied. For all eluents investigated Ga and In complexes possess the highest mobility. Selectivity of ionic associate separation decreases with an increase in mobile phase polarity. Mixtures with 10-15 % content of isopropanol in eluating solution are the optimal ones. Separation of Ga and In from Fe 3+ and Co takes place with separation criterion 3.1 and 4.1 respectively. An attempt to separate ionic associates of In and Ga failed owing to similar stability of their pyridylazoresorcinates. Solution of the problem of In and Ga determination in the presence of iron can contribute to concrete application of the method
Bilaterally Microstructured Thin Polydimethylsiloxane Film Production
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Vudayagiri, Sindhu; Yu, Liyun; Hassouneh, Suzan Sager
2015-01-01
Thin PDMS films with complex microstructures are used in the manufacturing of dielectric electro active polymer (DEAP) actuators, sensors and generators, to protect the metal electrode from large strains and to assure controlled actuation. The current manufacturing process at Danfoss Polypower A/...
Teperik, Tatiana V.; Burokur, Shah Nawaz; de Lustrac, André; Sabanowski, Guy; Piau, Gérard-Pascal
2017-07-01
We demonstrate numerically and experimentally an ultra-thin (≈ λ/240) metasurface-based invisibility cloak for low frequency antenna applications. We consider a monopole antenna mounted on a ground plane and a cylindrical metallic obstacle of diameter smaller than the wavelength located in its near-field. To restore the intrinsic radiation patterns of the antenna perturbed by this obstacle, a metasurface cloak consisting simply of a metallic patch printed on a dielectric substrate is wrapped around the obstacle. Using a finite element method based commercial electromagnetic solver, we show that the radiation patterns of the monopole antenna can be restored completely owing to electromagnetic modes of the resonant cavity formed between the patch and obstacle. The metasurface cloak is fabricated, and the concept is experimentally demonstrated at 125 MHz. Performed measurements are in good agreement with numerical simulations, verifying the efficiency of the proposed cloak.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Deptula, A.; Olczak, T.; Lada, W.; Chmielewski, A.G.; Jakubaszek, U.; Sartowska, B.; Goretta, K.C.; Alvani, C.; Casadio, S.; Contini, V.
2006-01-01
Titanium oxide, for many years an important pigment, has recently been applied widely as a photocatalyst or as supports for metallic catalysts, gas sensors, photovoltaic solar cells, and water and air purification devices. Titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) and titanates based on Ba, Sr and Ca were prepared from commercial solutions of TiCl 4 and HNO 3 . The main preparation steps for the sols consisted of elimination of Cl - by distillation with HNO 3 and addition of metal hydroxides for the titanates. Resulting sols were gelled and used to: (a) prepare irregularly shaped powders by evaporation; (b) produce by a dipping technique thin films on glass, Ag or Ti supports; (c) produce spherical powders (diameters <100 μm) by solvent extraction. Results of thermal and X-ray-diffraction analyses indicated that the temperatures required to form the various compounds were lower than those necessary to form the compounds by conventional solid-state reactions and comparable to those required with use of organometallic based sol-gel methods. Temperatures of formation could be further reduced by addition of ascorbic acid (ASC) to the sols
Use of Monocrystalline Silicon as Tool Material for Highly Accurate Blanking of Thin Metal Foils
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hildering, Sven; Engel, Ulf; Merklein, Marion
2011-01-01
The trend towards miniaturisation of metallic mass production components combined with increased component functionality is still unbroken. Manufacturing these components by forming and blanking offers economical and ecological advantages combined with the needed accuracy. The complexity of producing tools with geometries below 50 μm by conventional manufacturing methods becomes disproportional higher. Expensive serial finishing operations are required to achieve an adequate surface roughness combined with accurate geometry details. A novel approach for producing such tools is the use of advanced etching technologies for monocrystalline silicon that are well-established in the microsystems technology. High-precision vertical geometries with a width down to 5 μm are possible. The present study shows a novel concept using this potential for the blanking of thin copper foils with monocrystallline silicon as a tool material. A self-contained machine-tool with compact outer dimensions was designed to avoid tensile stresses in the brittle silicon punch by an accurate, careful alignment of the punch, die and metal foil. A microscopic analysis of the monocrystalline silicon punch shows appropriate properties regarding flank angle, edge geometry and surface quality for the blanking process. Using a monocrystalline silicon punch with a width of 70 μm blanking experiments on as-rolled copper foils with a thickness of 20 μm demonstrate the general applicability of this material for micro production processes.
Dynamic partitioning of nanoparticulate metal species between gel layers and aqueous media
Veeken, van der P.L.R.
2010-01-01
This thesis deals with several aspects of the use of Diffusive Gradient in Thin film (DGT) and Diffusive Equilibriation in Thin film (DET) in dynamic metal speciation analysis. It has a clear focus on the properties of the diffusive gel layer, and their possible impact on metal speciation
Reduction of metallosis in hip implant using thin film coating
Rajeshshyam, R.; Chockalingam, K.; Gayathri, V.; Prakash, T.
2018-04-01
Hip implant finds its emerging attraction due to it continuous demand over the years. The hip implants (femoral head) and acetabulum cup) mainly fabricated by metals such as stainless steel, cobalt chrome and titanium alloys, other than that ceramics and polyethylene have been used. The metal-on-metal hip implant was found to be best implant material for most of the surgeons due to its high surface finish, low wear rate and low chance of dislocation from its position after implanting. Where in metal based hip implant shows less wear rate of 0.01mm3/year. Metal-on-metal implant finds its advantage over other materials both in its mechanical and physical stability against human load. In M-O-M Cobalt- chromium alloys induce metal allergy. The metal allergy (particulate debris) that is generated by wear, fretting, fragmentation and which is unavoidable when a prosthesis is implanted, can induce an inflammatory reaction in some circumstances. The objectives of this research to evaluate thin film coating with Nano particle additives to reduce the wear leads to regarding metal ion release. Experimental results reveals that thin film Sol-Gel coating with 4wt. % of specimen reduced the cobalt and chromium ion release and reduces the wear rate. Wear rate reduced by 98% for 4wt. % graphene in 20N and 95% for 4wt. % graphene in 10N.
AES study of growth process of al thin films on uranium dioxide
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhou Wei; Liu Kezhao; Yang Jiangrong; Xiao Hong
2009-01-01
Metallic uranium was exposed to 40 languirs of oxygen at room temperature in order to form UO 2 on the surface of metallic U. And thin layers of aluminum on UO 2 were prepared by sputter deposition under ultra high vacuum conditions. Process of Al thin film growth and its interaction with UO 2 were investigated by auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). It was shown that the Al thin film growth underwent via the Volmer-Weber (VW) mode. At room temperature, Al and UO 2 interact with each other, electrons transfer occurres from Al atoms to uranium ions, and a few of Al 2 O 3 exist in the region of UO 2 /Al interface due to O 2 adsorption to the surface. Inter-diffusion between UO 2 and Al is observable. Aluminum diffuses into interface region of UO 2 and U. It results in the formation of a coexistence regime containing uranium oxide, metallic U and Al. (authors)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Minkyu Chun
2015-05-01
Full Text Available We investigated the effects of top gate voltage (VTG and temperature (in the range of 25 to 70 oC on dual-gate (DG back-channel-etched (BCE amorphous-indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO thin film transistors (TFTs characteristics. The increment of VTG from -20V to +20V, decreases the threshold voltage (VTH from 19.6V to 3.8V and increases the electron density to 8.8 x 1018cm−3. Temperature dependent field-effect mobility in saturation regime, extracted from bottom gate sweep, show a critical dependency on VTG. At VTG of 20V, the mobility decreases from 19.1 to 15.4 cm2/V ⋅ s with increasing temperature, showing a metallic conduction. On the other hand, at VTG of - 20V, the mobility increases from 6.4 to 7.5cm2/V ⋅ s with increasing temperature. Since the top gate bias controls the position of Fermi level, the temperature dependent mobility shows metallic conduction when the Fermi level is above the conduction band edge, by applying high positive bias to the top gate.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Caminale, Michael; Leon Vanegas, Augusto A.; Stepniak, Agnieszka; Oka, Hirofumi; Fischer, Jeison A.; Sander, Dirk; Kirschner, Juergen [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Mikrostrukturphysik, Halle (Germany)
2015-07-01
The intriguing possibility to induce superconductivity in a metal, in direct contact with a superconductor, is under renewed interest for applications and for fundamental aspects. The underlying phenomenon is commonly known as proximity effect. In this work we exploit the high spatial resolution of scanning tunneling spectroscopy at sub-K temperatures and in magnetic fields. We probe the differential conductance along a line from a superconducting 9 ML high Pb nanoisland into the surrounding two layer thin Pb/Ag wetting layer on a Si(111) substrate. A gap in the differential conductance indicates superconductivity of the Pb island. We observe an induced gap in the wetting layer, which decays with increasing distance from the Pb island. This proximity length is 21 nm at 0.38 K and 0 T. We find a non-trivial dependence of the proximity length on magnetic field. Surprisingly, we find that the magnetic field does not affect the induced superconductivity up to 0.3 T. However, larger fields of 0.6 T suppress superconductivity in the wetting layer, where the Pb island still remains superconducting. We discuss the unexpected robustness of induced superconductivity in view of the high electronic diffusivity in the metallic wetting layer.
Gesheva, K.; Ivanova, T.; Bodurov, G.; Szilágyi, I. M.; Justh, N.; Kéri, O.; Boyadjiev, S.; Nagy, D.; Aleksandrova, M.
2016-02-01
“Smart windows” are envisaged for future low-energy, high-efficient architectural buildings, as well as for the car industry. By switching from coloured to fully bleached state, these windows regulate the energy of solar flux entering the interior. Functional layers in these devices are the transition metals oxides. The materials (transitional metal oxides) used in smart windows can be also applied as photoelectrodes in water splitting photocells for hydrogen production or as photocatalytic materials for self-cleaning surfaces, waste water treatment and pollution removal. Solar energy utilization is recently in the main scope of numerous world research laboratories and energy organizations, working on protection against conventional fuel exhaustion. The paper presents results from research on transition metal oxide thin films, fabricated by different methods - atomic layer deposition, atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition, physical vapour deposition, and wet chemical methods, suitable for flowthrough production process. The lower price of the chemical deposition processes is especially important when the method is related to large-scale glazing applications. Conclusions are derived about which processes are recently considered as most prospective, related to electrochromic materials and devices manufacturing.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gesheva, K; Ivanova, T; Bodurov, G; Szilágyi, I M; Justh, N; Kéri, O; Boyadjiev, S; Nagy, D; Aleksandrova, M
2016-01-01
“Smart windows” are envisaged for future low-energy, high-efficient architectural buildings, as well as for the car industry. By switching from coloured to fully bleached state, these windows regulate the energy of solar flux entering the interior. Functional layers in these devices are the transition metals oxides. The materials (transitional metal oxides) used in smart windows can be also applied as photoelectrodes in water splitting photocells for hydrogen production or as photocatalytic materials for self-cleaning surfaces, waste water treatment and pollution removal. Solar energy utilization is recently in the main scope of numerous world research laboratories and energy organizations, working on protection against conventional fuel exhaustion. The paper presents results from research on transition metal oxide thin films, fabricated by different methods - atomic layer deposition, atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition, physical vapour deposition, and wet chemical methods, suitable for flowthrough production process. The lower price of the chemical deposition processes is especially important when the method is related to large-scale glazing applications. Conclusions are derived about which processes are recently considered as most prospective, related to electrochromic materials and devices manufacturing. (paper)
Understanding the resistivity and absolute thermoelectric power of disordered metals and alloys
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gasser, Jean-Georges
2008-01-01
We recall definitions of the electronic transport properties, direct coefficients like electrical and thermal transport conductivities and crossed thermoelectric coefficients like the Seebeck, Peltier and Thomson coefficients. We discuss the links between the different electronic transport coefficients and the experimental problems in measuring these properties in liquid metals. The electronic transport properties are interpreted in terms of the scattering of electrons by 'pseudo-atoms'. The absolute thermoelectric power (ATP), thermopower or Seebeck coefficient is known as the derivative of the electrical resistivity versus energy. The key is to understand the concept of resistivity versus energy. We show that the resistivity follows approximately a 1/E curve. The structure factor modulates this curve and, for a Fermi energy corresponding to noble and divalent metals, induces a positive thermopower when the free electron theory predicts a negative one. A second modulation is introduced by the pseudopotential squared form factor or equivalently by the squared t matrix of the scattering potential. This term sometimes introduces an anti-resonance (divalent metals) which lowers the resistivity, and sometimes a resonance having an important effect on the transition metals. Following the position of the Fermi energy, the thermopower can be positive or negative. For heavy semi-metals, the density of states splits into an s and a p band, themselves different from a free electron E 0.5 curve. The electrons available to be scattered enter the Ziman formula. Thus if the density of states is not a free electron one, a third modulation of the ρ ≅ 1/E curve is needed, which also can change the sign of the thermopower. For alloys, different contributions weighted by the concentrations are needed to explain the concentration dependent resistivity or thermopower. The formalism is the same for amorphous metals. It is possible that this mechanism can be extended to high
Novel Metals and Metal Complexes as Platforms for Cancer Therapy
Frezza, Michael; Hindo, Sarmad; Chen, Di; Davenport, Andrew; Schmitt, Sara; Tomco, Dajena; Dou, Q. Ping
2010-01-01
Metals are essential cellular components selected by nature to function in several indispensable biochemical processes for living organisms. Metals are endowed with unique characteristics that include redox activity, variable coordination modes, and reactivity towards organic substrates. Due to their reactivity, metals are tightly regulated under normal conditions and aberrant metal ion concentrations are associated with various pathological disorders, including cancer. For these reasons, coo...
Rim, You Seung; Lim, Hyun Soo; Kim, Hyun Jae
2013-05-01
We investigated the formation of ultraviolet (UV)-assisted directly patternable solution-processed oxide semiconductor films and successfully fabricated thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on these films. An InGaZnO (IGZO) solution that was modified chemically with benzoylacetone (BzAc), whose chelate rings decomposed via a π-π* transition as result of UV irradiation, was used for the direct patterning. A TFT was fabricated using the directly patterned IGZO film, and it had better electrical characteristics than those of conventional photoresist (PR)-patterned TFTs. In addition, the nitric acid (HNO3) and acetylacetone (AcAc) modified In2O3 (NAc-In2O3) solution exhibited both strong UV absorption and high exothermic reaction. This method not only resulted in the formation of a low-energy path because of the combustion of the chemically modified metal-oxide solution but also allowed for photoreaction-induced direct patterning at low temperatures.
THz spectroscopy on superconducting NbN thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Daschke, Lena; Pracht, Uwe S.; Dressel, Martin; Scheffler, Marc [1. Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Stuttgart (Germany); Ilin, Konstantin S.; Siegel, Michael [Institut fuer Mikro- und Nanoelektronische Systeme, Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (Germany)
2015-07-01
Epitaxial thin-film niobium nitride (NbN) is a conventional BCS superconductor. In presence of strong disorder, however, electronic inhomogeneities appear, which is not fully understood yet. To obtain a better insight into the physics of such disordered materials, studies on model systems such as structurally tailored films might be useful. Furthermore, disordered NbN films are used for single-photon detection devices, whose proper performance depends on a profound understanding of the superconducting properties. The studied NbN films have a T{sub c} ranging from 10 to 15 K and the superconducting energy gap is easily accessible with THz spectroscopy (0.4 - 5.6 meV). We investigate thin films of NbN sputtered on a sapphire substrate. With a Mach-Zehnder interferometer we measure the amplitude and phase shift of radiation transmitted through the thin-film sample. From there we can determine the real and imaginary parts of the optical conductivity. These results give information about the energy gap, Cooper pair density, and quasiparticle dynamics, including the temperature evolution of these quantities. We found that a film with 10 nm thickness roughly follows the BCS behavior, as expected. We will present results of our measurements on several different NbN samples.
Ambiya, Vikas; Goud, Abhilash; Khodani, Mitali; Chhablani, Jay
2017-04-01
The aim of this study was to evaluate ganglion cell layer and nerve fiber layer thickness after Brilliant Blue G (BBG)-assisted internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling for vitreomacular disorders. Retrospective analysis of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) of 42 eyes of 42 patients, who underwent pars plana vitrectomy with BBG-assisted ILM peeling, was performed. Inclusion criteria were idiopathic macular hole, idiopathic vitreomacular traction, and idiopathic epiretinal membrane. Key exclusion criteria were vitreoretinal interface abnormalities secondary to any other diseases, follow-up period of less than 3 months, and any other associated retinal pathology. Average, minimum, and sectoral ganglion cell, and inner plexiform layers (GCIPL) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) parameters were collected. Changes in these parameters from baseline to 3- and 6-month visits after surgery were analyzed. At 3 months after surgery, we found a statistically significant reduction in the average GCIPL thickness (P = 0.031) and also in the superior sectors (P peeling for vitreomacular interface disorders leads to thinning of the inner retina including GCIPL and RNFL. These structural changes should be correlated with retinal function tests to explore the pros and cons of this surgical step.
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Janiš, Václav; Pokorný, Vladislav
2014-01-01
Roč. 90, č. 4 (2014), "045143-1"-"045143-11" ISSN 1098-0121 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : metal-insulator transition * disordered and interacting electron systems * dynamical mean-field theory * critical behavior Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.736, year: 2014
Tellier, CR; Siddall, G
1982-01-01
A complete and comprehensive study of transport phenomena in thin continuous metal films, this book reviews work carried out on external-surface and grain-boundary electron scattering and proposes new theoretical equations for transport properties of these films. It presents a complete theoretical view of the field, and considers imperfection and impurity effects.
RHEED transmission mode and pole figures thin film and nanostructure texture analysis
Wang, Gwo-Ching
2014-01-01
This unique book covers the fundamental principle of electron diffraction, basic instrumentation of RHEED, definitions of textures in thin films and nanostructures, mechanisms and control of texture formation, and examples of RHEED transmission mode measurements of texture and texture evolution of thin films and nanostructures. Also presented is a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode called RHEED pole figure technique that can be used to monitor the texture evolution in thin film growth and nanostructures and is not limited to single crystal epitaxial film growth. Details of the construction of RHEED pole figures and the interpretation of observed pole figures are presented. Materials covered include metals, semiconductors, and thin insulators. This book also: Presents a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode Introduces a variety of textures from metals, semiconductors, compound semiconductors, and their characteristics in RHEED pole figures Provides examples of RHEED measurements o...
Li, Wen-Di; Hu, Jonathan; Chou, Stephen Y
2011-10-10
We observed that when subwavelength-sized holes in an optically opaque metal film are completely covered by opaque metal disks larger than the holes, the light transmission through the holes is not reduced, but rather enhanced. Particularly we report (i) the observation of light transmission through the holes blocked by the metal disks up to 70% larger than the unblocked holes; (ii) the observation of tuning the light transmission by varying the coupling strength between the blocking disks and the hole array, or by changing the size of the disks and holes; (iii) the observation and simulation that the metal disk blocker can improve light coupling from free space to a subwavelength hole; and (iv) the simulation that shows the light transmission through subwavelength holes can be enhanced, even though the gap between the disk and the metal film is partially connected with a metal. We believe these finding should have broad and significant impacts and applications to optical systems in many fields.
Oba, M; Nakamura, K; Akiyama, T; Ito, T; Weinert, M; Freeman, A J
2015-03-13
The electric-field-induced modification in the Curie temperature of prototypical transition-metal thin films with the perpendicular magnetic easy axis, a freestanding Fe(001) monolayer and a Co monolayer on Pt(111), is investigated by first-principles calculations of spin-spiral structures in an external electric field (E field). An applied E field is found to modify the magnon (spin-spiral formation) energy; the change arises from the E-field-induced screening charge density in the spin-spiral states due to p-d hybridizations. The Heisenberg exchange parameters obtained from the magnon energy suggest an E-field-induced modification of the Curie temperature, which is demonstrated via Monte Carlo simulations that take the magnetocrystalline anisotropy into account.
Thompson, J Kevin; Schaefer, Lauren M; Dedrick, Robert F
2018-04-01
Although the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ) and Ideal Body Stereotype Scale (IBSS) are used interchangeably to assess thin ideal internalization, limited work has examined the assumption that the two measures index the same construct. The current study utilized confirmatory factor analysis to examine whether these measures capture a single construct (one-factor), two constructs (two-factor), or both shared and unique constructs (bifactor). The SATAQ-4R-Internalization: Thin/Low Body Fat subscale and IBSS-Revised were administered to 1,114 college females. A bifactor model provided the best fit to the data. Further, the SATAQ-4R was more strongly related to disordered eating and body satisfaction than the IBSS-R. Results indicate that the two most commonly used measures of internalization capture both shared and unique constructs. While both measures appear to contribute to the assessment of a global internalization factor, the SATAQ-4R may be better suited to assess personal acceptance of and desire to achieve a thin body, while the IBSS-R may be better suited to assess an awareness or acknowledgement of broader sociocultural ideals (e.g., toned, shapely bodies). Continued psychometric investigation of the scales is recommended in order to ensure targeted assessment of the intended constructs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Thin lead sheets in the decorative features in Pavia Charterhouse.
Colombo, Chiara; Realini, Marco; Sansonetti, Antonio; Rampazzi, Laura; Casadio, Francesca
2006-01-01
The facade of the church of the Pavia Charterhouse, built at the end of the 15th century, shows outstanding decorative features made of different stone materials, such as marbles, breccias and sandstones. Magnificent ornamental elements are made of thin lead sheets, and some marble slabs are inlaid with them. Metal elements are shaped in complex geometric and phytomorphic design, to form a Greek fret in black contrasting with the white Carrara marble. Lead pins were fixed to the back of the thin lead sheets with the aim of attaching the metal elements to the marble; in so doing the pins and the lead sheets constitute a single piece of metal. In some areas, lead elements have been lost, and they have been substituted with a black plaster, matching the colour of the metal. To the authors' knowledge, this kind of decorative technique is rare, and confirms the refinement of Renaissance Lombard architecture. This work reports on the results of an extensive survey of the white, orange and yellowish layers, which are present on the external surface of the lead. The thin lead sheets have been characterized and their state of conservation has been studied with the aid of Optical Microscopy, SEM-EDS, FTIR and Raman analyses. Lead sulphate, lead carbonates and oxides have been identified as decay products.
Dewetting of thin films on flexible substrates via direct-write laser exposure
Ferrer, Anthony Jesus
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have enabled a wide variety of technologies both in the consumer space and in industrial/research areas. At the market level, such devices advance by the invention and innovation of production techniques. Additionally, there has been increased demand for flexible versions of such MEMS devices. Thin film patterning, represents a key technology for the realization of such flexible electronics. Patterns and methods that can be directly written into the thin film allow for design modification on the fly with the need for harsh chemicals and long etching steps. Laser-induced dewetting has the potential to create patterns in thin films at both the microscopic and nanoscopic level without wasting deposited material. This thesis presents the first demonstration of high-speed direct-write patterning of metallic thin films that uses a laser-induced dewetting phenomenon to prevent material loss. The ability to build film material with this technique is explored using various scanning geometries. Finally, demonstrations of direct-write dewetting of a variety of thin films will be presented with special consideration for high melting point metals deposited upon polymer substrates.
Bonifazi, Marcella
2017-02-28
Structural colours represents a research area of great interest, due to a wide field of application ranging from micro-security to biomimetic materials. At present metallic substrate are heavily employed and only a partial spectra of colours can be realised. We propose a novel, metal-free technology that exploits the complex scattering from a disordered three-dimensional dielectric material on a silicon substrate. We reproduce experimentally the full spectrum of CMYK colours, including variations in intensity. Our resolution lies in the nm range, limited only by the electron beam lithography fabrication process. We demonstrate that this technique is extremely robust, suitable for flexible and reusable substrates. Full of these notable proprieties these nano-structures fits perfectly with the requirements of a real-world technology.
Bonifazi, Marcella; Mazzone, Valerio; Fratalocchi, Andrea
2017-01-01
Structural colours represents a research area of great interest, due to a wide field of application ranging from micro-security to biomimetic materials. At present metallic substrate are heavily employed and only a partial spectra of colours can be realised. We propose a novel, metal-free technology that exploits the complex scattering from a disordered three-dimensional dielectric material on a silicon substrate. We reproduce experimentally the full spectrum of CMYK colours, including variations in intensity. Our resolution lies in the nm range, limited only by the electron beam lithography fabrication process. We demonstrate that this technique is extremely robust, suitable for flexible and reusable substrates. Full of these notable proprieties these nano-structures fits perfectly with the requirements of a real-world technology.
Hair Toxic Metal Concentrations and Autism Spectrum Disorder Severity in Young Children
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Lisa K. Sykes
2012-12-01
Full Text Available Previous studies have found a higher body-burden of toxic metals, particularly mercury (Hg, among subjects diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD in comparison to neurotypical controls. Moreover, Hg body-burden was associated with ASD severity. This cross-sectional study examined the potential correlation between hair toxic metal concentrations and ASD severity in a prospective cohort of participants diagnosed with moderate to severe ASD. The Institutional Review Board at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (Dallas, TX approved the present study. Qualifying study participants (n = 18 were evaluated for ASD severity using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS and quantitatively for arsenic, Hg, cadmium, lead, chromium, cobalt, nickel, aluminum, tin, uranium, and manganese using hair toxic element testing by Doctor’s Data (a CLIA-approved laboratory. CARS scoring and hair toxic element testing were blinded to one another. Increasing hair Hg concentrations significantly correlated with increased ASD severity. In contrast, no significant correlations were observed between any other of the hair toxic metals examined and ASD severity. This study helps to provide additional mechanistic support for Hg in the etiology of ASD severity, and is supported by an increasing number of recent critical reviews that provide biological plausibility for the role of Hg exposure in the pathogenesis of ASDs.
Ion-beam-mixing in metal-metal systems and metal-silicon systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hung, L.
1984-01-01
The influence of energetic ion bombardment on the composition and structure of thin film materials and utilization of ion-beam-mixing techniques to modify interfacial reactions are reported in this thesis. The phase formation in metals by using ion mixing techniques has been studied. Upon ion irradiation of Al/Pt, Al/Pd and Al/Ni thin films, only the simplest intermetallic compounds of PdAl and NiAl were formed in crystalline structure, while the amorphous phase has been observed over a large range of composition. Ion mixing of Au/Cu bilayers resulted in the formation of substitutional solid solutions with no trace of ordered compounds. The formation of the ordered compound CuAu was achieved either by irradiation of bilayers with Ar ions at elevated substrate temperature or by irradiation of the mixed layers with He ions at relatively low temperature. In the Au/Al system several crystal compounds existed in the as-deposited samples. These phases remained crystalline or transformed into other equilibrium compounds upon ion irradiation. The results suggest that the phase formation by ion mixing is dependent on the high quench rate in the collision cascade region and the atomic mobility at the irradiation temperature. The argument can be applied to silicide forming systems. With near-noble metals, the mixed atoms are mobile and form metallurgically distinct phases. With refractory metals, amorphous phases are formed due to lack of atomic mobility
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hongyan Yang
2014-12-01
Full Text Available We propose a novel metal-coupled metal-insulator-metal (MC-MIM waveguide which can achieve a highly efficient surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs excitation. The MC-MIM waveguide is formed by inserting a thin metal film in the insulator of an MIM. The introduction of the metal film, functioning as an SPPs coupler, provides a space for the interaction between SPPs and a confined electromagnetic field of the intermediate metal surface, which makes energy change and phase transfer in the metal-dielectric interface, due to the joint action of incomplete electrostatic shielding effect and SPPs coupling. Impacts of the metal film with different materials and various thickness on SPPs excitation are investigated. It is shown that the highest efficient SPPs excitation is obtained when the gold film thickness is 60 nm. The effect of refractive index of upper and lower symmetric dielectric layer on SPPs excitation is also discussed. The result shows that the decay value of refractive index is 0.3. Our results indicate that this proposed MC-MIM waveguide may offer great potential in designing a new SPPs source.
In-Plane Impedance Spectroscopy measurements in Vanadium Dioxide thin films
Ramirez, Juan; Patino, Edgar; Schmidt, Rainer; Sharoni, Amos; Gomez, Maria; Schuller, Ivan
2012-02-01
In plane Impedance Spectroscopy measurements have been done in Vanadium Dioxide thin films in the range of 100 Hz to 1 MHz. Our measurements allows distinguishing between the resistive and capacitive response of the Vanadium Dioxide films across the metal-insulator transition. A non ideal RC behavior was found in our thin films from room temperature up to 334 K. Around the MIT, an increase of the total capacitance is observed. A capacitor-network model is able to reproduce the capacitance changes across the MIT. Above the MIT, the system behaves like a metal as expected, and a modified equivalent circuit is necessary to describe the impedance data adequately.
Li, Xue; Niitsoo, Olivia; Couzis, Alexander
2016-03-01
An electrostatically-assisted strategy for fabrication of thin film composite capacitors with controllable dielectric constant (k) has been developed. The capacitor is composed of metal-dielectric core/shell nanoparticle (silver/silica, Ag@SiO2) multilayer films, and a backfilling polymer. Compared with the simple metal particle-polymer mixtures where the metal nanoparticles (NP) are randomly dispersed in the polymer matrix, the metal volume fraction in our capacitor was significantly increased, owing to the densely packed NP multilayers formed by the electrostatically assisted assembly process. Moreover, the insulating layer of silica shell provides a potential barrier that reduces the tunneling current between neighboring Ag cores, endowing the core/shell nanocomposites with a stable and relatively high dielectric constant (k) and low dielectric loss (D). Our work also shows that the thickness of the SiO2 shell plays a dominant role in controlling the dielectric properties of the nanocomposites. Control over metal NP separation distance was realized not only by variation the shell thickness of the core/shell NPs but also by introducing a high k nanoparticle, barium strontium titanate (BST) of relatively smaller size (∼8nm) compared to 80-160nm of the core/shell Ag@SiO2 NPs. The BST assemble between the Ag@SiO2 and fill the void space between the closely packed core/shell NPs leading to significant enhancement of the dielectric constant. This electrostatically assisted assembly method is promising for generating multilayer films of a large variety of NPs over large areas at low cost. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.