Ground state configurations in antiferromagnetic ultrathin films with dipolar anisotropy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

León, H.

2013-01-01

The formalism developed in a previous work to calculate the dipolar energy in quasi-two-dimensional crystals with ferromagnetic order is now extended to collinear antiferromagnetic order. Numerical calculations of the dipolar energy are carried out for systems with tetragonally distorted fcc [001] structures, the case of NiO and MnO ultrathin film grown in non-magnetic substrates, where the magnetic phase is a consequence of superexchange and dipolar interactions. The employed approximation allows to demonstrate that dipolar coupling between atomic layers is responsible for the orientation of the magnetization when it differs from the one in a single layer. The ground state energy of a given NiO or MnO film is found to depend not only on the strain, but also on how much the interlayer separation and the 2D lattice constant are changed with respect to the ideal values corresponding to the non-distorted cubic structure. Nevertheless, it is shown that the orientation of the magnetization in the magnetic phase of any of these films is determined by the strain exclusively. A striped phase with the magnetization along the [112 ¯ ] direction appears as the ground state configuration of NiO and MnO ultrathin films. In films with equally oriented stripes along the layers this magnetic phase is twofold degenerate, while in films with multidomain layers it is eightfold degenerate. These results are not in contradiction with experimentally observed out-of-plane or in-plane magnetization of striped phases in NiO and MnO ultrathin films. - Highlights: ► Dipolar energy in collinear antiferromagnetic ultrathin films is calculated. ► Numerical results are presented for distorted fcc [001] structures. ► The lowest energy of a system depends on how the tetragonal distortion is achieved. ► A striped phase with magnetization in the [112 ¯ ] direction is the ground state. ► In multidomain NiO and MnO films it is eightfold degenerate.

Origin of spin-dependent asymmetries in electron transmission through ultrathin ferromagnetic films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gokhale, M.P.; Mills, D.L.

1991-01-01

We present theoretical calculations of exchange asymmetries in the transmission of electrons through ultrathin films of ferromagnetic Fe. The results account nicely for the magnitude of the asymmetries observed by Pappas et al. in photoemission studies of Cu covered by an ultrathin film of Fe. We argue that exchange asymmetry in the transmissivity of the Fe film, rather than the spin dependence of the electron mean free path, is responsible for the effects reported by these authors

Dissolvable Films of Silk Fibroin for Ultrathin Conformal Bio-Integrated Electronics

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-01

implantation. *A full list of authors and their affiliations appears at the end of the paper. Silk is an appealing biopolymer as a temporary, soluble...18 APR 2010 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2010 to 00-00-2010 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Dissolvable films of silk fibroin for ultrathin...10.1038/NMAT2745 Dissolvable films of silk fibroin for ultrathin conformal bio-integrated electronics Dae-Hyeong Kim and Jonathan Viventi et al

Ultra-thin film encapsulation processes for micro-electro-mechanical devices and systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoldt, Conrad R; Bright, Victor M

2006-01-01

A range of physical properties can be achieved in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) through their encapsulation with solid-state, ultra-thin coatings. This paper reviews the application of single source chemical vapour deposition and atomic layer deposition (ALD) in the growth of submicron films on polycrystalline silicon microstructures for the improvement of microscale reliability and performance. In particular, microstructure encapsulation with silicon carbide, tungsten, alumina and alumina-zinc oxide alloy ultra-thin films is highlighted, and the mechanical, electrical, tribological and chemical impact of these overlayers is detailed. The potential use of solid-state, ultra-thin coatings in commercial microsystems is explored using radio frequency MEMS as a case study for the ALD alloy alumina-zinc oxide thin film. (topical review)

In situ polymerization process of polypyrrole ultrathin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onoda, Mitsuyoshi; Tada, Kazuya; Shinkuma, Akira

2006-01-01

A novel thin film processing technique has been developed for the fabrication of ultrathin films of conducting polymers with molecular-level control over thickness and multilayer architecture. This new self-assembly process opens up vast possibilities in applications which require large area, ultrathin films of conducting polymers and more importantly in applications that can take advantage of the unique interactions achievable in the complex, supermolecular architectures of multilayer films. In in situ polymerized polypyrrole (PPy), the deposition process strongly depends on the nature of the substrate surface. That is, for a surface that is negatively charged, there is a linear correspondence between dipping time and the amount of PPy deposited on the substrate. However, in the case of a positively charged surface, there is an apparent rest period of approximately 10-20 min, during which no PPy is deposited. From optical absorption spectroscopy and photoelectron emission studies etc., it became clear that oligomers of pyrrole were adsorbed on the positively charged surface during the rest period, as a result the polymerization reaction of PPy could proceed

Non-ohmic transport behavior in ultra-thin gold films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alkhatib, A.; Souier, T.; Chiesa, M.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → C-AFM study on ultra-thin gold films. → Connection between ultra-thin film morphology and lateral electrical transport. → Transition between ohmic and non-ohmic behavior. → Electrical transition correlation to the film structure continuity. → Direct and indirect tunneling regimes related to discontinuous structures. - Abstract: Structure and local lateral electrical properties of Au films of thicknesses ranging from 10 to 140 nm are studied using conductive atomic force microscopy. Comparison of current maps taken at different thicknesses reveals surprising highly resistive regions (10 10 -10 11 Ω), the density of which increases strongly at lower thickness. The high resistivity is shown to be directly related to discontinuities in the metal sheet. Local I-V curves are acquired to show the nature of electrical behavior relative to thickness. Results show that in Au films of higher thickness the electrical behavior is ohmic, while it is non-ohmic in highly discontinuous films of lower thickness, with the transition happening between 34 and 39 nm. The non-ohmic behavior is explained with tunneling occurring between separated Au islands. The results explain the abrupt increase of electrical resistivity at lower thin film thicknesses.

Photoresponsive layer-by-layer ultrathin films prepared from a hyperbranched azobenzene-containing polymeric diazonium salt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xinyang; Fan Pengwei; Tuo Xinlin; He Yaning; Wang Xiaogong

2009-01-01

In this work, a hyperbranched diazonium salt (HB-DAS), prepared through azo-coupling reaction of an AB 2 monomer (N, N-bis[2-(4-aminobenzoyloxy)ethyl]aniline), was used to prepare self-assembled multilayers and ultrathin films. Multilayer films were fabricated by dipping substrates in HB-DAS and other polyelectrolyte solutions alternately in a layer-by-layer (LBL) manner. It was somewhat surprising to observe that HB-DAS forms multilayer films with either a polyanion (poly(styrenesulfonate sodium salt), PSS) or a polycation (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), PDAC) through alternate deposition in the solutions. Ultrathin films were formed in a sequential growth manner by dipping the substrates in the HB-DAS solution, washing with deionized water and drying repeatedly. In all the processes, the absorbance and thickness of the thin films linearly increase as the number of the dipping cycle increases. HB-DAS/PSS multilayer possesses an obviously larger bilayer thickness and lower density compared with the other two counterparts. The drying step after each deposition is necessary for the HB-DAS ultrathin film growth through the repeated dip-coating of HB-DAS. The multilayer and ultrathin films prepared by the above methods all show high resistance to erosion by organic solvents. The multilayers and ultrathin films exhibit photoinduced dichroism upon the irradiation of a polarized Ar + laser beam

Photoresponsive layer-by-layer ultrathin films prepared from a hyperbranched azobenzene-containing polymeric diazonium salt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Xinyang; Fan Pengwei; Tuo Xinlin; He Yaning [Department of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China); Wang Xiaogong [Department of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China)], E-mail: wxg-dce@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn

2009-01-30

In this work, a hyperbranched diazonium salt (HB-DAS), prepared through azo-coupling reaction of an AB{sub 2} monomer (N, N-bis[2-(4-aminobenzoyloxy)ethyl]aniline), was used to prepare self-assembled multilayers and ultrathin films. Multilayer films were fabricated by dipping substrates in HB-DAS and other polyelectrolyte solutions alternately in a layer-by-layer (LBL) manner. It was somewhat surprising to observe that HB-DAS forms multilayer films with either a polyanion (poly(styrenesulfonate sodium salt), PSS) or a polycation (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), PDAC) through alternate deposition in the solutions. Ultrathin films were formed in a sequential growth manner by dipping the substrates in the HB-DAS solution, washing with deionized water and drying repeatedly. In all the processes, the absorbance and thickness of the thin films linearly increase as the number of the dipping cycle increases. HB-DAS/PSS multilayer possesses an obviously larger bilayer thickness and lower density compared with the other two counterparts. The drying step after each deposition is necessary for the HB-DAS ultrathin film growth through the repeated dip-coating of HB-DAS. The multilayer and ultrathin films prepared by the above methods all show high resistance to erosion by organic solvents. The multilayers and ultrathin films exhibit photoinduced dichroism upon the irradiation of a polarized Ar{sup +} laser beam.

Controlled Growth of Ultrathin Film of Organic Semiconductors by Balancing the Competitive Processes in Dip-Coating for Organic Transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Kunjie; Li, Hongwei; Li, Liqiang; Zhang, Suna; Chen, Xiaosong; Xu, Zeyang; Zhang, Xi; Hu, Wenping; Chi, Lifeng; Gao, Xike; Meng, Yancheng

2016-06-28

Ultrathin film with thickness below 15 nm of organic semiconductors provides excellent platform for some fundamental research and practical applications in the field of organic electronics. However, it is quite challenging to develop a general principle for the growth of uniform and continuous ultrathin film over large area. Dip-coating is a useful technique to prepare diverse structures of organic semiconductors, but the assembly of organic semiconductors in dip-coating is quite complicated, and there are no reports about the core rules for the growth of ultrathin film via dip-coating until now. In this work, we develop a general strategy for the growth of ultrathin film of organic semiconductor via dip-coating, which provides a relatively facile model to analyze the growth behavior. The balance between the three direct factors (nucleation rate, assembly rate, and recession rate) is the key to determine the growth of ultrathin film. Under the direction of this rule, ultrathin films of four organic semiconductors are obtained. The field-effect transistors constructed on the ultrathin film show good field-effect property. This work provides a general principle and systematic guideline to prepare ultrathin film of organic semiconductors via dip-coating, which would be highly meaningful for organic electronics as well as for the assembly of other materials via solution processes.

Surface plasmon—polaritons on ultrathin metal films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quan Jun; Zhang Jun; Shao Le-Xi; Tian Ying

2011-01-01

We discuss the surface plasmon—polaritons used for ultrathin metal films with the aid of linear response theory and make comparisons with the known result given by Economou E N. In this paper we consider transverse electromagnetic fields and assume that the electromagnetic field in the linear response formula is the induced field due to the current of the electrons. It satisfies the Maxwell equation and thus we replace the current (charge) term in the Maxwell equation with the linear response expectation value. Finally, taking the external field to be zero, we obtain the dispersion relation of the surface plasmons from the eigenvalue equation. In addition, the charge-density and current-density in the z direction on the surface of ultrathin metal films are also calculated. The results may be helpful to the fundamental understanding of the complex phenomenon of surface plasmon-polaritons. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

High-mobility ultrathin semiconducting films prepared by spin coating

Science.gov (United States)

Mitzi, David B.; Kosbar, Laura L.; Murray, Conal E.; Copel, Matthew; Afzali, Ali

2004-03-01

The ability to deposit and tailor reliable semiconducting films (with a particular recent emphasis on ultrathin systems) is indispensable for contemporary solid-state electronics. The search for thin-film semiconductors that provide simultaneously high carrier mobility and convenient solution-based deposition is also an important research direction, with the resulting expectations of new technologies (such as flexible or wearable computers, large-area high-resolution displays and electronic paper) and lower-cost device fabrication. Here we demonstrate a technique for spin coating ultrathin (~50Å), crystalline and continuous metal chalcogenide films, based on the low-temperature decomposition of highly soluble hydrazinium precursors. We fabricate thin-film field-effect transistors (TFTs) based on semiconducting SnS2-xSex films, which exhibit n-type transport, large current densities (>105Acm-2) and mobilities greater than 10cm2V-1s-1-an order of magnitude higher than previously reported values for spin-coated semiconductors. The spin-coating technique is expected to be applicable to a range of metal chalcogenides, particularly those based on main group metals, as well as for the fabrication of a variety of thin-film-based devices (for example, solar cells, thermoelectrics and memory devices).

Ultrathin and Nanostructured Au Films with Gradient of Effective Thickness. Optical and Plasmonic Properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomilin, S V; Berzhansky, V N; Shaposhnikov, A N; Prokopov, A R; Milyukova, E T; Karavaynikov, A V; Tomilina, O A

2016-01-01

In present work the results of investigation of optical (transmission spectra) and plasmonic (surface plasmon-polariton resonance) properties of ultrathin and nanostructured Au films are presents. Methods and techniques for the syntheses of samples of ultrathin and nanostructured metallic films, and for the experimental studies of optical and plasmonic properties are representative. Au films on SiO 2 (optic glass) substrates were investigated. (paper)

Magnetic x-ray linear dichroism of ultrathin Fe-Ni alloy films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schumann, F.O.; Willis, R.F. [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Goodman, K.W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)] [and others

1997-04-01

The authors have studied the magnetic structure of ultrathin Fe-Ni alloy films as a function of Fe concentration by measuring the linear dichroism of the 3p-core levels in angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The alloy films, grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on Cu(001) surfaces, were fcc and approximately four monolayers thick. The intensity of the Fe dichroism varied with Fe concentration, with larger dichroisms at lower Fe concentrations. The implication of these results to an ultrathin film analogue of the bulk Invar effect in Fe-Ni alloys will be discussed. These measurements were performed at the Spectromicroscopy Facility (Beamline 7.0.1) of the Advanced Light Source.

MgB2 ultrathin films fabricated by hybrid physical chemical vapor deposition and ion milling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Narendra Acharya

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In this letter, we report on the structural and transport measurements of ultrathin MgB2 films grown by hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition followed by low incident angle Ar ion milling. The ultrathin films as thin as 1.8 nm, or 6 unit cells, exhibit excellent superconducting properties such as high critical temperature (Tc and high critical current density (Jc. The results show the great potential of these ultrathin films for superconducting devices and present a possibility to explore superconductivity in MgB2 at the 2D limit.

COVALENTLY ATTACHED MULTILAYER ULTRA-THIN FILMS FROM DIAZORESIN AND CALIXARENES

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhao-hui Yang; Wei-xiao Cao

2003-01-01

A kind of photosensitive ultra-thin film was fabricated from diazoresin (DR) and various calixarenes by using the self-assembly technique. Under UV irradiation both the ionic- and hydrogen bonds between the layers of the film will convert into covalent bonds. As a result, the stability of the film toward polar solvents increases dramatically.

Superstable Ultrathin Water Film Confined in a Hydrophilized Carbon Nanotube.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomo, Yoko; Askounis, Alexandros; Ikuta, Tatsuya; Takata, Yasuyuki; Sefiane, Khellil; Takahashi, Koji

2018-03-14

Fluids confined in a nanoscale space behave differently than in the bulk due to strong interactions between fluid molecules and solid atoms. Here, we observed water confined inside "open" hydrophilized carbon nanotubes (CNT), with diameter of tens of nanometers, using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A 1-7 nm water film adhering to most of the inner wall surface was observed and remained stable in the high vacuum (order of 10 -5 Pa) of the TEM. The superstability of this film was attributed to a combination of curvature, nanoroughness, and confinement resulting in a lower vapor pressure for water and hence inhibiting its vaporization. Occasional, suspended ultrathin water film with thickness of 3-20 nm were found and remained stable inside the CNT. This film thickness is 1 order of magnitude smaller than the critical film thickness (about 40 nm) reported by the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory and previous experimental investigations. The stability of the suspended ultrathin water film is attributed to the additional molecular interactions due to the extended water meniscus, which balances the rest of the disjoining pressures.

Reliability assessment of ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} films deposited on silicon wafer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Wei-En [Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Room 216, Building 8, 321 Kuang Fu Road Sec. 2, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Chang, Chia-Wei [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Chang, Yong-Qing [Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Room 216, Building 8, 321 Kuang Fu Road Sec. 2, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Yao, Chih-Kai [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Liao, Jiunn-Der, E-mail: jdliao@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2012-09-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nano-mechanical properties on annealed ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} film are studied. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer By AFM analysis, hardness of the crystallized HfO{sub 2} film significantly increases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer By nano-indention, the film hardness increases with less contact stiffness. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Quality assessment on the annealed ultra-thin films can thus be achieved. - Abstract: Ultra-thin hafnium dioxide (HfO{sub 2}) is used to replace silicon dioxide to meet the required transistor feature size in advanced semiconductor industry. The process integration compatibility and long-term reliability for the transistors depend on the mechanical performance of ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} films. The criteria of reliability including wear resistance, thermal fatigue, and stress-driven failure rely on film adhesion significantly. The adhesion and variations in mechanical properties induced by thermal annealing of the ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} films deposited on silicon wafers (HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}/Si) are not fully understood. In this work, the mechanical properties of an atomic layer deposited HfO{sub 2} (nominal thickness Almost-Equal-To 10 nm) on a silicon wafer were characterized by the diamond-coated tip of an atomic force microscope and compared with those of annealed samples. The results indicate that the annealing process leads to the formation of crystallized HfO{sub 2} phases for the atomic layer deposited HfO{sub 2}. The HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} complex formed at the interface between HfO{sub 2} and SiO{sub 2}/Si, where the thermal diffusion of Hf, Si, and O atoms occurred. The annealing process increases the surface hardness of crystallized HfO{sub 2} film and therefore the resistance to nano-scratches. In addition, the annealing process significantly decreases the harmonic contact stiffness (or thereafter eliminate the stress at the interface) and increases the nano-hardness, as measured by vertically

Ultrathin diamond-like carbon films deposited by filtered carbon vacuum arcs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anders, Andre; Fong, Walton; Kulkarni, Ashok; Ryan, Francis W.; Bhatia, C. Singh

2001-01-01

Ultrathin ( and lt; 5 nm) hard carbon films are of great interest to the magnetic storage industry as the areal density approaches 100 Gbit/in(sup 2). These films are used as overcoats to protect the magnetic layers on disk media and the active elements of the read-write slider. Tetrahedral amorphous carbon films can be produced by filtered cathodic arc deposition, but the films will only be accepted by the storage industry only if the ''macroparticle'' issue has been solved. Better plasma filters have been developed over recent years. Emphasis is put on the promising twist filter system - a compact, open structure that operates with pulsed arcs and high magnetic field. Based on corrosion tests it is shown that the macroparticle reduction by the twist filter is satisfactory for this demanding application, while plasma throughput is very high. Ultrathin hard carbon films have been synthesized using S-filter and twist filter systems. Film properties such as hardness, elastic modulus, wear, and corrosion resistance have been tested

High-mobility ultrathin semiconducting films prepared by spin coating.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitzi, David B; Kosbar, Laura L; Murray, Conal E; Copel, Matthew; Afzali, Ali

2004-03-18

The ability to deposit and tailor reliable semiconducting films (with a particular recent emphasis on ultrathin systems) is indispensable for contemporary solid-state electronics. The search for thin-film semiconductors that provide simultaneously high carrier mobility and convenient solution-based deposition is also an important research direction, with the resulting expectations of new technologies (such as flexible or wearable computers, large-area high-resolution displays and electronic paper) and lower-cost device fabrication. Here we demonstrate a technique for spin coating ultrathin (approximately 50 A), crystalline and continuous metal chalcogenide films, based on the low-temperature decomposition of highly soluble hydrazinium precursors. We fabricate thin-film field-effect transistors (TFTs) based on semiconducting SnS(2-x)Se(x) films, which exhibit n-type transport, large current densities (>10(5) A cm(-2)) and mobilities greater than 10 cm2 V(-1) s(-1)--an order of magnitude higher than previously reported values for spin-coated semiconductors. The spin-coating technique is expected to be applicable to a range of metal chalcogenides, particularly those based on main group metals, as well as for the fabrication of a variety of thin-film-based devices (for example, solar cells, thermoelectrics and memory devices).

Subatomic deformation driven by vertical piezoelectricity from CdS ultrathin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuewen; He, Xuexia; Zhu, Hongfei; Sun, Linfeng; Fu, Wei; Wang, Xingli; Hoong, Lai Chee; Wang, Hong; Zeng, Qingsheng; Zhao, Wu; Wei, Jun; Jin, Zhong; Shen, Zexiang; Liu, Jie; Zhang, Ting; Liu, Zheng

2016-07-01

Driven by the development of high-performance piezoelectric materials, actuators become an important tool for positioning objects with high accuracy down to nanometer scale, and have been used for a wide variety of equipment, such as atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. However, positioning at the subatomic scale is still a great challenge. Ultrathin piezoelectric materials may pave the way to positioning an object with extreme precision. Using ultrathin CdS thin films, we demonstrate vertical piezoelectricity in atomic scale (three to five space lattices). With an in situ scanning Kelvin force microscopy and single and dual ac resonance tracking piezoelectric force microscopy, the vertical piezoelectric coefficient (d 33) up to 33 pm·V(-1) was determined for the CdS ultrathin films. These findings shed light on the design of next-generation sensors and microelectromechanical devices.

Structure Formation of Ultrathin PEO Films at Solid Interfaces—Complex Pattern Formation by Dewetting and Crystallization

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Hans-Georg; Meyer, Evelyn

2013-01-01

The direct contact of ultrathin polymer films with a solid substrate may result in thin film rupture caused by dewetting. With crystallisable polymers such as polyethyleneoxide (PEO), molecular self-assembly into partial ordered lamella structures is studied as an additional source of pattern formation. Morphological features in ultrathin PEO films (thickness dewetting patterns and diffusion limited growth pattern of ordered lamella growing within the dewetting areas. Besides structure formation of hydrophilic PEO molecules, n-alkylterminated (hydrophobic) PEO oligomers are investigated with respect to self-organization in ultrathin films. Morphological features characteristic for pure PEO are not changed by the presence of the n-alkylgroups. PMID:23385233

Thickness-dependence of optical constants for Ta2O5 ultrathin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Dong-Xu; Zheng, Yu-Xiang; Cai, Qing-Yuan; Lin, Wei; Wu, Kang-Ning; Mao, Peng-Hui; Zhang, Rong-Jun; Zhao, Hai-bin; Chen, Liang-Yao

2012-01-01

An effective method for determining the optical constants of Ta 2 O 5 thin films deposited on crystal silicon (c-Si) using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurement with a two-film model (ambient-oxide-interlayer-substrate) was presented. Ta 2 O 5 thin films with thickness range of 1-400 nm have been prepared by the electron beam evaporation (EBE) method. We find that the refractive indices of Ta 2 O 5 ultrathin films less than 40 nm drop with the decreasing thickness, while the other ones are close to those of bulk Ta 2 O 5 . This phenomenon was due to the existence of an interfacial oxide region and the surface roughness of the film, which was confirmed by the measurement of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Optical properties of ultrathin film varying with the thickness are useful for the design and manufacture of nano-scaled thin-film devices. (orig.)

Thickness-dependence of optical constants for Ta2O5 ultrathin films

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dong-Xu; Zheng, Yu-Xiang; Cai, Qing-Yuan; Lin, Wei; Wu, Kang-Ning; Mao, Peng-Hui; Zhang, Rong-Jun; Zhao, Hai-bin; Chen, Liang-Yao

2012-09-01

An effective method for determining the optical constants of Ta2O5 thin films deposited on crystal silicon (c-Si) using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurement with a two-film model (ambient-oxide-interlayer-substrate) was presented. Ta2O5 thin films with thickness range of 1-400 nm have been prepared by the electron beam evaporation (EBE) method. We find that the refractive indices of Ta2O5 ultrathin films less than 40 nm drop with the decreasing thickness, while the other ones are close to those of bulk Ta2O5. This phenomenon was due to the existence of an interfacial oxide region and the surface roughness of the film, which was confirmed by the measurement of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Optical properties of ultrathin film varying with the thickness are useful for the design and manufacture of nano-scaled thin-film devices.

Film-thickness dependence of structure formation in ultra-thin polymer blend films

CERN Document Server

Gutmann, J S; Stamm, M

2002-01-01

We investigated the film-thickness dependence of structure formation in ultra-thin polymer blend films prepared from solution. As a model system we used binary blends of statistical poly(styrene-co-p-bromostyrene) copolymers of different degrees of bromination. Ultra-thin-film samples differing in miscibility and film thickness were prepared via spin coating of common toluene solutions onto silicon (100) substrates. The resulting morphologies were investigated with scanning force microscopy, reflectometry and grazing-incidence scattering techniques using both X-rays and neutrons in order to obtain a picture of the sample structure at and below the sample surface. (orig.)

Novel self-organization mechanism in ultrathin liquid films: theory and experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Trice, Justin; Favazza, Christopher; Thomas, Dennis; Garcia, Hernando; Kalyanaraman, Ramki; Sureshkumar, Radhakrishna

2008-07-04

When an ultrathin metal film of thickness h (h*, in contrast to the classical spinodal dewetting behavior where Lambda increases monotonically as h2. These predictions agree well with experimental observations for Co and Fe films on SiO2.

Effects of Interfaces on the Structure and Novel Physical Properties in Epitaxial Multiferroic BiFeO3 Ultrathin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuanwei Huang

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In functional oxide films, different electrical/mechanical boundaries near film surfaces induce rich phase diagrams and exotic phenomena. In this paper, we review some key points which underpin structure, phase transition and related properties in BiFeO3 ultrathin films. Compared with the bulk counterparts, we survey the recent results of epitaxial BiFeO3 ultrathin films to illustrate how the atomic structure and phase are markedly influenced by the interface between the film and the substrate, and to emphasize the roles of misfit strain and depolarization field on determining the domain patterns, phase transformation and associated physical properties of BiFeO3 ultrathin films, such as polarization, piezoelectricity, and magnetism. One of the obvious consequences of the misfit strain on BiFeO3 ultrathin films is the emergence of a sequence of phase transition from tetragonal to mixed tetragonal & rhombohedral, the rhombohedral, mixed rhombohedral & orthorhombic, and finally orthorhombic phases. Other striking features of this system are the stable domain patterns and the crossover of 71° and 109° domains with different electrical boundary conditions on the film surface, which can be controlled and manipulated through the depolarization field. The external field-sensitive enhancements of properties for BiFeO3 ultrathin films, including the polarization, magnetism and morphotropic phase boundary-relevant piezoelectric response, offer us deeper insights into the investigations of the emergent properties and phenomena of epitaxial ultrathin films under various mechanical/electrical constraints. Finally, we briefly summarize the recent progress and list open questions for future study on BiFeO3 ultrathin films.

Modelling study of magnetic and concentration phase transition in ultrathin antiferromagnetic films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonid, Afremov; Aleksandr, Petrov

2014-01-01

Using the method of the ''average spin'' a modelling study of magnetic and concentration phase transition in ultrathin antiferromagnetic of different crystalline structure has been carried out. It has been shown, that relative change of Neel temperature is subject to the power law with negative index which doesn't depend on the film's crystal kind. The calculation of the dependence of phase transition critical concentration in diluted magnetic material on the film thickness has been made out. The legitimacy of the use of the method developed for modelling of magnetic and concentration phase transition in different nanostructures is certified by accordance between the results of calculations and the experimental data

Structure Formation of Ultrathin PEO Films at Solid Interfaces—Complex Pattern Formation by Dewetting and Crystallization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans-Georg Braun

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The direct contact of ultrathin polymer films with a solid substrate may result in thin film rupture caused by dewetting. With crystallisable polymers such as polyethyleneoxide (PEO, molecular self-assembly into partial ordered lamella structures is studied as an additional source of pattern formation. Morphological features in ultrathin PEO films (thickness < 10 nm result from an interplay between dewetting patterns and diffusion limited growth pattern of ordered lamella growing within the dewetting areas. Besides structure formation of hydrophilic PEO molecules, n-alkylterminated (hydrophobic PEO oligomers are investigated with respect to self-organization in ultrathin films. Morphological features characteristic for pure PEO are not changed by the presence of the n-alkylgroups.

Coupling of microphase separation and dewetting in weakly segregated diblock co-polymer ultrathin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Derong; Huang, Haiying; He, Tianbai; Zhang, Fajun

2011-10-04

We have studied the coupling behavior of microphase separation and autophobic dewetting in weakly segregated poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(L-lactide) (PCL-b-PLLA) diblock co-polymer ultrathin films on carbon-coated mica substrates. At temperatures higher than the melting point of the PLLA block, the co-polymer forms a lamellar structure in bulk with a long period of L ∼ 20 nm, as determined using small-angle X-ray scattering. The relaxation procedure of ultrathin films with an initial film thickness of h = 10 nm during annealing has been followed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). In the experimental temperature range (100-140 °C), the co-polymer dewets to an ultrathin film of itself at about 5 nm because of the strong attraction of both blocks with the substrate. Moreover, the dewetting velocity increases with decreasing annealing temperatures. This novel dewetting kinetics can be explained by a competition effect of the composition fluctuation driven by the microphase separation with the dominated dewetting process during the early stage of the annealing process. While dewetting dominates the relaxation procedure and leads to the rupture of the ultrathin films, the composition fluctuation induced by the microphase separation attempts to stabilize them because of the matching of h to the long period (h ∼ 1/2L). The temperature dependence of these two processes leads to this novel relaxation kinetics of co-polymer thin films. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Magnetic properties of ultrathin Co/Ge(111) and Co/Ge(100) films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, W. C.; Tsay, J. S.; Yao, Y. D.; Lin, K. C.; Yang, C. S.; Lee, S. F.; Tseng, T. K.; Neih, H. Y.

2001-01-01

The orientation of the magnetization and the occurrence of interfacial ferromagnetic inactive layers for ultrathin Co films grown on Ge(111) and Ge(100) surfaces have been studied using the in situ surface magneto-optic Kerr effect. On a Ge(111) substrate, cobalt films (≤28 monolayers) with in-plane easy axis of magnetization have been observed; however, on a Ge(100) substrate, ultrathin Co films (14 - 16 monolayers) with canted out-of-plane easy axis of magnetization were measured. The ferromagnetic inactive layers were formed due to the intermixing of Co and Ge and lowering the Curie temperature by reducing Co film thickness. The Co - Ge compound inactive layers were 3.8 monolayers thick for Co films grown on Ge(111) and 6.2 monolayers thick for Co films deposited on Ge(100). This is attributed to the difference of the density of surface atoms on Ge(111) and Ge(100). [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

Nearly zero transmission through periodically modulated ultrathin metal films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xiao, Sanshui; Zhang, Jingjing; Peng, Liang

2010-01-01

Transmission of light through an optically ultrathin metal film with a thickness comparable to its skin depth is significant. We demonstrate experimentally nearly-zero transmission of light through a film periodically modulated by a one-dimensional array of subwavelength slits. The suppressed...... optical transmission is due to the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons and the zero-transmission phenomenon is strongly dependent on the polarization of the incident wave....

Field emission mechanism from a single-layer ultra-thin semiconductor film cathode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan Zhiqiang; Wang Ruzhi; Yuan Ruiyang; Yang Wei; Wang Bo; Yan Hui

2007-01-01

Field emission (FE) from a single-layer ultra-thin semiconductor film cathode (SUSC) on a metal substrate has been investigated theoretically. The self-consistent quantum FE model is developed by synthetically considering the energy band bending and electron scattering. As a typical example, we calculate the FE properties of ultra-thin AlN film with an adjustable film thickness from 1 to 10 nm. The calculated results show that the FE characteristic is evidently modulated by varying the film thickness, and there is an optimum thickness of about 3 nm. Furthermore, a four-step FE mechanism is suggested such that the distinct FE current of a SUSC is rooted in the thickness sensitivity of its quantum structure, and the optimum FE properties of the SUSC should be attributed to the change in the effective potential combined with the attenuation of electron scattering

Growth and characterization of ultrathin epitaxial MnO film on Ag(001)

Science.gov (United States)

Kundu, Asish K.; Menon, Krishnakumar S. R.

2016-07-01

We present here a comprehensive growth procedure to obtain a well-ordered MnO(001) ultrathin film on Ag(001) substrate. Depending upon the oxygen partial pressure during the growth, different phases of manganese oxide have been detected by Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic (XPS) studies. A modified growth scheme has been adopted to get well-ordered and stoichiometric MnO(001) ultrathin film. The detailed growth mechanism of epitaxial MnO film on Ag(001) has been studied step by step, using LEED and XPS techniques. Observation of sharp (1 × 1) LEED pattern with a low inelastic background, corresponds to a long-range atomic order with low defect densities indicating the high structural quality of the film. The Mn 2p and Mn 3s core-level spectra confirm the oxidation state as well as the stoichiometry of the grown MnO films. Apart from the growth optimization, the evolution of strain relaxation of the MnO(001) film with film thickness has been explored.

Nanometric thin film membranes manufactured on square meter scale: ultra-thin films for CO 2 capture

KAUST Repository

Yave, Wilfredo

2010-09-01

Miniaturization and manipulation of materials at nanometer scale are key challenges in nanoscience and nanotechnology. In membrane science and technology, the fabrication of ultra-thin polymer films (defect-free) on square meter scale with uniform thickness (<100 nm) is crucial. By using a tailor-made polymer and by controlling the nanofabrication conditions, we developed and manufactured defect-free ultra-thin film membranes with unmatched carbon dioxide permeances, i.e. >5 m3 (STP) m-2 h -1 bar-1. The permeances are extremely high, because the membranes are made from a CO2 philic polymer material and they are only a few tens of nanometers thin. Thus, these thin film membranes have potential application in the treatment of large gas streams under low pressure like, e.g., carbon dioxide separation from flue gas. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Optical properties of vacuum deposited polyaniline ultra-thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wahab, M. R. A.; Din, M.; Yunus, W. M. M.; Hasan, Z. A.; Kasim, A.

2005-01-01

Full text: Ultra-thin films of emeraldine base (EB) and emeraldine salt (ES) form of polyaniline (PANi) were prepared using electron-gun vacuum deposition. Thickness range studied was between 100AA and 450AA. Dielectric permittivity of the films determined from Kretchmann Configuration Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) angles-scanning set-up show shifts and narrowing of the SPR dip. Absorbance spectra of S-polarized and P-polarized light show the aging effect on orientation of the film. The effect of aging on its conductivity and photoluminescence is also correlated to the surface morphology

Ultra-thin films for plasmonics: a technology overview

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malureanu, Radu; Lavrinenko, Andrei

2015-01-01

Ultra-thin films with low surface roughness that support surface plasmon-polaritons in the infra-red and visible ranges are needed in order to improve the performance of devices based on the manipulation of plasmon propagation. Increasing amount of efforts is made in order not only to improve...... the quality of the deposited layers but also to diminish their thickness and to find new materials that could be used in this field. In this review, we consider various thin films used in the field of plasmonics and metamaterials in the visible and IR range. We focus our presentation on technological issues...... of their deposition and reported characterization of film plasmonic performance....

Ultrathin polycrystalline 6,13-Bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Min-Cherl; Zhang, Dongrong; Nikiforov, Gueorgui O.; Lee, Michael V.; Qi, Yabing, E-mail: Yabing.Qi@oist.jp [Energy Materials and Surface Sciences Unit (EMSS), Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495 (Japan); Joo Shin, Tae; Ahn, Docheon; Lee, Han-Koo; Baik, Jaeyoon; Shin, Hyun-Joon [Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, POSTECH, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-03-15

Ultrathin (<6 nm) polycrystalline films of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-P) are deposited with a two-step spin-coating process. The influence of spin-coating conditions on morphology of the resulting film was examined by atomic force microscopy. Film thickness and RMS surface roughness were in the range of 4.0–6.1 and 0.6–1.1 nm, respectively, except for small holes. Polycrystalline structure was confirmed by grazing incidence x-ray diffraction measurements. Near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure measurements suggested that the plane through aromatic rings of TIPS-P molecules was perpendicular to the substrate surface.

Foldover, quasi-periodicity, spin-wave instabilities in ultra-thin films subject to RF fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D' Aquino, M. [Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Napoli ' Federico II' , Naples I-80125 (Italy)]. E-mail: mdaquino@unina.it; Bertotti, G. [Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRIM), I-10135 Turin (Italy); Serpico, C. [Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Napoli ' Federico II' , Naples I-80125 (Italy); Mayergoyz, I.D. [ECE Department and UMIACS, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Bonin, R. [Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRIM), I-10135 Turin (Italy); Guida, G. [Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Napoli ' Federico II' , Naples I-80125 (Italy)

2007-09-15

We study magnetization dynamics in a uniaxial ultra-thin ferromagnetic disk subject to spatially uniform microwave external fields. The rotational invariance of the system is such that the only admissible spatially uniform steady states are periodic (P-modes) and quasi-periodic (Q-modes) modes. The stability of P-modes versus spatially uniform and nonuniform perturbations is studied by using spin-wave analysis and the instability diagram for all possible P-modes is computed. The predictions of the spin-wave analysis are compared with micromagnetic simulations.

Determining surface coverage of ultra-thin gold films from X-ray reflectivity measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kossoy, A.; Simakov, D.; Olafsson, S.; Leosson, K.

2013-01-01

The paper describes usage of X-ray reflectivity for characterization of surface coverage (i.e. film continuity) of ultra-thin gold films which are widely studied for optical, plasmonic and electronic applications. The demonstrated method is very sensitive and can be applied for layers below 1 nm. It has several advantages over other techniques which are often employed in characterization of ultra-thin metal films, such as optical absorption, Atomic Force Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy or Scanning Electron Microscopy. In contrast to those techniques our method does not require specialized sample preparation and measurement process is insensitive to electrostatic charge and/or presence of surface absorbed water. We validate our results with image processing of Scanning Electron Microscopy images. To ensure precise quantitative analysis of the images we developed a generic local thresholding algorithm which allowed us to treat series of images with various values of surface coverage with similar image processing parameters. - Highlights: • Surface coverage/continuity of ultra-thin Au films (up to 7 nm) was determined. • Results from X-ray reflectivity were verified by scanning electron microscopy. • We developed local thresholding algorithm to treat non-homogeneous image contrast

Orbital hybridization, crystal structure and anomalous resistivity of ultrathin CrZrx alloy films on polymeric substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, Drew; Zuber, Kamil; Merkens, Kerstin; Murphy, Peter

2012-01-01

The orbital hybridization and crystal structure are experimentally explored for ultrathin chrome zirconium (CrZr x ) alloy films co-sputtered on precoated polymeric substrates. We determine the level of orbital hybridization and crystal structure using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron diffraction. Body-centred cubic and Ω-hexagonally close-packed phases are observed to coexist in the sputtered Cr-based films. Experiments reveal the orbital hybridization and crystal structure combine to produce anomalous resistivity for these ultrathin films.

The strength limits of ultra-thin copper films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiederhirn, Guillaume

2007-07-02

Elucidating size effects in ultra-thin films is essential to ensure the performance and reliability of MEMS and electronic devices. In this dissertation, the influence of a capping layer on the mechanical behavior of copper (Cu) films was analyzed. Passivation is expected to shut down surface diffusion and thus to alter the contributions of dislocation- and diffusion-based plasticity in thin films. Experiments were carried out on 25 nm to 2 {mu}m thick Cu films magnetron-sputtered onto amorphous-silicon nitride coated silicon (111) substrates. These films were capped with 10 nm of aluminum oxide or silicon nitride passivation without breaking vacuum either directly after Cu deposition or after a 500 C anneal. The evolution of thermal stresses in these films was investigated mainly by the substrate curvature method between -160 C and 500 C. Negligible differences were detected for the silicon nitride vs. the aluminum oxide passivated Cu films. The processing parameters associated with the passivation deposition also had no noticeable effect on the stress-temperature behavior of the Cu. However, the thermomechanical behavior of passivated Cu films strongly depended on the Cu film thickness. For films in the micrometer range, the influence of the passivation layer was not significant, which suggests that the Cu deformed mainly by dislocation plasticity. However, diffusional creep plays an increasing role with decreasing film thickness since it becomes increasingly difficult to nucleate dislocations in smaller grains. Size effects were investigated by plotting the stress at room temperature after thermal cycling as a function of the inverse film thickness. Between 2 {mu}m and 200 nm, the room temperature stress was inversely proportional to the film thickness. The passivation exerted a strong effect on Cu films thinner than 100 nm by effectively shutting down surface diffusion mechanisms. Since dislocation processes were also shut off in these ultra-thin films, they

Manipulating magnetic anisotropy of the ultrathin Co2FeAl full-Heusler alloy film via growth orientation of the Pt buffer layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, F.S.; Xiang, J.Y.; Hao, C.X.; Zhang, F.; Lv, Y.F.; Wang, W.H.; Hu, W.T.; Liu, Z.Y.

2013-01-01

The ultrathin films of Co 2 FeAl (CFA) full-Heusler alloy were prepared between two Pt layers on MgO single crystals by magnetron sputtering. By controlling the substrate temperature, different growth orientations of the Pt underlayers were realized, and their effects were investigated on the magnetic anisotropy of the ultrathin CFA film. It was revealed that different Pt orientations lead to distinctly different magnetic anisotropy for the sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. The Pt (111) orientation favors the perpendicular anisotropy, while the appearance of partial Pt (001) orientation leads to the quick decrease of perpendicular anisotropy and the complete Pt (001) orientation gives rise to the in-plane anisotropy. With the Pt (111) orientation, the temperature and thickness-induced spin reorientation transitions were investigated in the sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. - Highlights: • Different Pt orientations lead to different magnetic anisotropy for sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. • The Pt (111) orientation favors the perpendicular anisotropy for CFA layer. • Temperature and thickness-induced spin reorientation transitions were investigated in sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. • 0.8 nm CFA film is good candidate as electrode in magnetic tunnel junctions

Thickness-dependent coherent phonon frequency in ultrathin FeSe/SrTiO₃ films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Shuolong [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); Sobota, Jonathan A. [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Leuenberger, Dominik [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); Kemper, Alexander F. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Lee, James J. [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); Schmitt, Felix T. [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); Li, Wei [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); Moore, Rob G. [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); Kirchmann, Patrick S. [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Shen, Zhi -Xun [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States)

2015-06-01

Ultrathin FeSe films grown on SrTiO₃ substrates are a recent milestone in atomic material engineering due to their important role in understanding unconventional superconductivity in Fe-based materials. By using femtosecond time- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we study phonon frequencies in ultrathin FeSe/SrTiO₃ films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. After optical excitation, we observe periodic modulations of the photoelectron spectrum as a function of pump–probe delay for 1-unit-cell, 3-unit-cell, and 60-unit-cell thick FeSe films. The frequencies of the coherent intensity oscillations increase from 5.00 ± 0.02 to 5.25 ± 0.02 THz with increasing film thickness. By comparing with previous works, we attribute this mode to the Se A_1g phonon. The dominant mechanism for the phonon softening in 1-unit-cell thick FeSe films is a substrate-induced lattice strain. Results demonstrate an abrupt phonon renormalization due to a lattice mismatch between the ultrathin film and the substrate.

Optical transparency and electrical conductivity of nonstoichiometric ultrathin InxOy films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joseph, Shay; Berger, Shlomo

2011-01-01

The effect of thickness and composition on the electrical conductivity and optical transparency, mainly in the infrared, of ultrathin In x O y films was studied. In x O y films 35-470 A thick with oxygen atomic fractions of ∼0.3 and ∼0.5 were prepared via dc magnetron sputtering. All films were polycrystalline, consisting of only the cubic bixbiyte phase of In 2 O 3 . The average grain size of the films increased from 30 to 95 nm as the film thickness increased. The weak dependence of the electrical conductivity on the frequency and the low activation energies for conduction, a few hundredths of an eV, provided an indication that free band conduction was the primary electrical conduction mechanism in the case of all ultrathin In x O y films. It was found that introducing a high degree of nonstoichiometry in the form of oxygen deficiency did not help improve the electrical conductivity, since not all vacancies contributed two free electrons for conduction and due to impurity scattering. The optical nature of these films, studied mainly by ellipsometry, was found to be dependent on the film's composition and thickness. In the infrared, the dielectric function of all In x O y films was consistent with the Drude model, inferring that the transparency loss in this region was a result of free charge carriers. In the visible however, In x O y films under 170 A, which had an oxygen atomic fraction of ∼0.5, were modeled by extending the Drude model to the shorter wavelengths. Films over 170 A, with the same composition, were modeled using the Cauchy dispersion model, meaning that no absorption was measured. These results indicate that, optically, under specific compositions, ultrathin In x O y films undergo a transition from metalliclike behavior to dielectric behavior with increasing film thickness. Using a figure of merit approach, it was determined that a nonstoichiometric 230 A thick In x O y film, with an oxygen atomic fraction of ∼0.3, had the best combination

How Do Organic Vapors Swell Ultra-Thin PIM-1 Films?

KAUST Repository

Ogieglo, Wojciech; Rahimi, Khosrow; Rauer, Sebastian Bernhard; Ghanem, Bader; Ma, Xiao-Hua; Pinnau, Ingo; Wessling, Matthias

2017-01-01

Dynamic sorption of ethanol and toluene vapor into ultra-thin supported PIM-1 films down to 6 nm are studied with a combination of in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and in-situ X-ray reflectivity. Both ethanol and toluene significantly swell

Dynamics of ultrathin metal films on amorphous substrates under fast thermal processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Favazza, Christopher; Kalyanaraman, Ramki; Sureshkumar, Radhakrishna

2007-01-01

A mathematical model is developed to analyze the growth/decay rate of surface perturbations of an ultrathin metal film on an amorphous substrate (SiO 2 ). The formulation combines the approach of Mullins [W. W. Mullins, J. Appl. Phys. 30, 77 (1959)] for bulk surfaces, in which curvature-driven mass transport and surface deformation can occur by surface/volume diffusion and evaporation-condensation processes, with that of Spencer et al. [B. J. Spencer, P. W. Voorhees, and S. H. Davis, Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 26 (1991)] to describe solid-state transport in thin films under epitaxial strain. Modifications of the Mullins model to account for thin-film boundary conditions result in qualitatively different dispersion relationships especially in the limit as kh o o is the unperturbed film height. The model is applied to study the relative rate of solid-state mass transport as compared to that of liquid phase dewetting in a thin film subjected to a fast thermal pulse. Specifically, we have recently shown that multiple cycles of nanosecond (ns) pulsed laser melting and resolidification of ultrathin metal films on amorphous substrates can lead to the formation of various types of spatially ordered nanostructures [J. Trice, D. Thomas, C. Favazza, R. Sureshkumar, and R. Kalyanaraman, Phys. Rev. B 75, 235439 (2007)]. The pattern formation has been attributed to the dewetting of the thin film by a hydrodynamic instability. In such experiments the film is in the solid state during a substantial fraction of each thermal cycle. However, results of a linear stability analysis based on the aforementioned model suggest that solid-state mass transport has a negligible effect on morphological changes of the surface. Further, a qualitative analysis of the effect of thermoelastic stress, induced by the rapid temperature changes in the film-substrate bilayer, suggests that stress relaxation does not appreciably contribute to surface deformation. Hence, surface deformation caused by liquid

Stability of Polymer Ultrathin Films (Top-Down Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Bal, Jayanta Kumar; Beuvier, Thomas; Unni, Aparna Beena; Chavez Panduro, Elvia Anabela; Vignaud, Guillaume; Delorme, Nicolas; Chebil, Mohamed Souheib; Grohens, Yves; Gibaud, Alain

2015-08-25

In polymer physics, the dewetting of spin-coated polystyrene ultrathin films on silicon remains mysterious. By adopting a simple top-down method based on good solvent rinsing, we are able to prepare flat polystyrene films with a controlled thickness ranging from 1.3 to 7.0 nm. Their stability was scrutinized after a classical annealing procedure above the glass transition temperature. Films were found to be stable on oxide-free silicon irrespective of film thickness, while they were unstable (2.9 nm) on 2 nm oxide-covered silicon substrates. The Lifshitz-van der Waals intermolecular theory that predicts the domains of stability as a function of the film thickness and of the substrate nature is now fully reconciled with our experimental observations. We surmise that this reconciliation is due to the good solvent rinsing procedure that removes the residual stress and/or the density variation of the polystyrene films inhibiting thermodynamically the dewetting on oxide-free silicon.

Manipulating magnetic anisotropy of the ultrathin Co{sub 2}FeAl full-Heusler alloy film via growth orientation of the Pt buffer layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen, F.S., E-mail: wenfsh03@126.com [State Key Lab of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Xiang, J.Y.; Hao, C.X.; Zhang, F.; Lv, Y.F. [State Key Lab of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Wang, W.H. [Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100080 (China); Hu, W.T.; Liu, Z.Y. [State Key Lab of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China)

2013-12-15

The ultrathin films of Co{sub 2}FeAl (CFA) full-Heusler alloy were prepared between two Pt layers on MgO single crystals by magnetron sputtering. By controlling the substrate temperature, different growth orientations of the Pt underlayers were realized, and their effects were investigated on the magnetic anisotropy of the ultrathin CFA film. It was revealed that different Pt orientations lead to distinctly different magnetic anisotropy for the sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. The Pt (111) orientation favors the perpendicular anisotropy, while the appearance of partial Pt (001) orientation leads to the quick decrease of perpendicular anisotropy and the complete Pt (001) orientation gives rise to the in-plane anisotropy. With the Pt (111) orientation, the temperature and thickness-induced spin reorientation transitions were investigated in the sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. - Highlights: • Different Pt orientations lead to different magnetic anisotropy for sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. • The Pt (111) orientation favors the perpendicular anisotropy for CFA layer. • Temperature and thickness-induced spin reorientation transitions were investigated in sandwiched ultrathin CFA films. • 0.8 nm CFA film is good candidate as electrode in magnetic tunnel junctions.

How Do Organic Vapors Swell Ultra-Thin PIM-1 Films?

KAUST Repository

Ogieglo, Wojciech

2017-06-22

Dynamic sorption of ethanol and toluene vapor into ultra-thin supported PIM-1 films down to 6 nm are studied with a combination of in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and in-situ X-ray reflectivity. Both ethanol and toluene significantly swell the PIM-1 matrix and, at the same time, induce persistent structural relaxations of the frozen-in glassy PIM-1 morphology. For ethanol below 20 nm three effects were identified. First, the swelling magnitude at high vapor pressures is reduced by about 30% as compared to thicker films. Second, at low penetrant activities (below 0.3 p/p0) films below 20 nm are able to absorb slightly more penetrant as compared with thicker films despite similar swelling magnitude. Third, for the ultra-thin films the onset of the dynamic penetrant-induced glass transition Pg has been found to shift to higher values indicating higher resistance to plasticization. All of these effects are consistent with a view where immobilization of the super-glassy PIM-1 at the substrate surface leads to an arrested, even more rigid and plasticization-resistant, yet still very open, microporous structure. PIM-1 in contact with the larger and more condensable toluene shows very complex, heterogeneous swelling dynamics and two distinct penetrant-induced relaxation phenomena, probably associated with the film outer surface and the bulk, are detected. Following the direction of the penetrant\\'s diffusion the surface seems to plasticize earlier than the bulk and the two relaxations remain well separated down to 6 nm film thickness, where they remarkably merge to form just a single relaxation.

Nanometric thin film membranes manufactured on square meter scale: ultra-thin films for CO 2 capture

KAUST Repository

Yave, Wilfredo; Car, Anja; Wind, Jan; Peinemann, Klaus Viktor

2010-01-01

Miniaturization and manipulation of materials at nanometer scale are key challenges in nanoscience and nanotechnology. In membrane science and technology, the fabrication of ultra-thin polymer films (defect-free) on square meter scale with uniform

Ultrathin nanofibrous films prepared from cadmium hydroxide nanostrands and anionic surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Xinsheng; Karan, Santanu; Ichinose, Izumi

2009-08-04

We developed a simple fabrication method of ultrathin nanofibrous films from the dispersion of cadmium hydroxide nanostrands and anionic surfactants. The nanostrands were prepared in a dilute aqueous solution of cadmium chloride by using 2-aminoethanol. They were highly positively charged and gave bundlelike fibers upon mixing an aqueous solution of anionic surfactant. The nanostrand/surfactant composite fibers were filtered on an inorganic membrane filter. The resultant nanofibrous film was very uniform in the area of a few centimeters square when the thickness was not less than 60 nm. The films obtained with sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) had a composition close to the electroneutral complex, [Cd37(OH)68(H2O)n] x 6(STS), as confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. They were water-repellent with a contact angle of 117 degrees, and the value slightly decreased with the alkyl chain length of anionic surfactants. Ultrathin nanofibrous films were stable enough to be used for ultrafiltration at pressure difference of 90 kPa. We could effectively separate Au nanoparticles of 40 nm at an extremely high filtration rate of 14000 L/(h m2 bar).

Percolation-enhanced generation of terahertz pulses by optical rectification on ultrathin gold films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ramakrishnan, G.; Planken, P.C.M.

2011-01-01

Emission of pulses of electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz range is observed when ultrathin gold films on glass are illuminated with femtosecond near-IR laser pulses. A distinct maximum is observed in the emitted terahertz amplitude from films of average thickness just above the percolation

Exploitation of a self-limiting process for reproducible formation of ultrathin Ni1-xPtx silicide films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Zhen; Zhu Yu; Rossnagel, Steve; Murray, Conal; Jordan-Sweet, Jean; Yang, Bin; Gaudet, Simon; Desjardins, Patrick; Kellock, Andrew J.; Ozcan, Ahmet; Zhang Shili; Lavoie, Christian

2010-01-01

This letter reports on a process scheme to obtain highly reproducible Ni 1-x Pt x silicide films of 3-6 nm thickness formed on a Si(100) substrate. Such ultrathin silicide films are readily attained by sputter deposition of metal films, metal stripping in wet chemicals, and final silicidation by rapid thermal processing. This process sequence warrants an invariant amount of metal intermixed with Si in the substrate surface region independent of the initial metal thickness, thereby leading to a self-limiting formation of ultrathin silicide films. The crystallographic structure, thickness, uniformity, and morphological stability of the final silicide films depend sensitively on the initial Pt fraction.

Structural studies on Langmuir-Blodgett ultra-thin films on tin (IV) stearate using X-ray diffraction technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamad Deraman; Muhamad Mat Salleh; Mohd Ali Sulaiman; Mohd Ali Sufi

1991-01-01

X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out on Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) ultra-thin films of tin (IV) stearate for different numbers of layers. The structural information such as interplanar spacing, unit cells spacing, molecular length and orientation of molecular chains were obtained from the diffraction data. This information is discussed and compared with that previously published for LB ultra-thin films of manganese stearate and cadmium stearate

Quantum magnetotransport properties of ultrathin topological insulator films

KAUST Repository

Tahir, M.

2013-01-30

We study the quantum magnetotransport in ultrathin topological insulator films in an external magnetic field considering hybridization between the upper and lower surfaces of the film. We investigate the two possible mechanisms for splitting of Landau levels, Zeeman and hybridization effects, and show that their interplay leads to minima in the collisional and Hall conductivities with a metal-to-insulator phase transition at the charge neutrality point. Hall plateaus arise at unusual multiples of e2/h . Evidence of a quantum phase transition for the zeroth and splitting of the higher Landau levels is found from the temperature and magnetic field dependences of the transport.

Quantum magnetotransport properties of ultrathin topological insulator films

KAUST Repository

Tahir, M.; Sabeeh, K.; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2013-01-01

We study the quantum magnetotransport in ultrathin topological insulator films in an external magnetic field considering hybridization between the upper and lower surfaces of the film. We investigate the two possible mechanisms for splitting of Landau levels, Zeeman and hybridization effects, and show that their interplay leads to minima in the collisional and Hall conductivities with a metal-to-insulator phase transition at the charge neutrality point. Hall plateaus arise at unusual multiples of e2/h . Evidence of a quantum phase transition for the zeroth and splitting of the higher Landau levels is found from the temperature and magnetic field dependences of the transport.

Ultrathin NbN Films for Superconducting Single-Photon Detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slysz, W.; Guziewicz, M.; Borysiewicz, M.

2011-01-01

We present our research on fabrication and structural and transport characterization of ultrathin superconducting NbN layers deposited on both single-crystal Al 2 O 3 and Si wafers, and SiO 2 and Si 3 N 4 buffer layers grown directly on Si wafers. The thicknesses of our films varied from 6 nm to 50 nm and they were grown using reactive RF magnetron sputtering on substrates maintained at the temperature 850 o C. We have performed extensive morphology characterization of our films using the X-ray diffraction method and atomic force microscopy, and related the results to the type of the substrate used for the film deposition. Our transport measurements showed that even the thinnest, 6 nm thick NbN films had the superconducting critical temperature of 10-12 K, which was increased to 14 K for thicker films. (author)

Magnetoresistance anisotropy of ultrathin epitaxial La0.83Sr0.17MnO3 films

Science.gov (United States)

Balevičius, Saulius; Tornau, Evaldas E.; ŽurauskienÄ--, Nerija; Stankevič, Voitech; Šimkevičius, Česlovas; TolvaišienÄ--, Sonata; PlaušinaitienÄ--, Valentina; Abrutis, Adulfas

2017-12-01

We present the study of temperature dependence of resistivity (ρ), magnetoresistance (MR), and magnetoresistance anisotropy (AMR) of thin epitaxial La0.83Sr0.17MnO3 films. The films with thickness from 4 nm to 140 nm were grown on an NdGaO3 (001) substrate by a pulsed injection metal organic chemical vapor deposition technique. We demonstrate that the resistivity of these films significantly increases and the temperature Tm of the resistivity maximum in ρ(T) dependence decreases with the decrease of film thickness. The anisotropy of ρ(T) dependence with respect to the electrical current direction along the [100] or [010] crystallographic axis of the film is found for ultrathin films (4-8 nm) at temperatures close to Tm. Both MR and AMR, measured in magnetic fields up to 0.7 T applied in the film plane parallel and perpendicular to the current direction, have shown strong dependence on the film thickness. It was also found that the anisotropy of magnetoresistance could change its sign from positive (thicker films) to negative (ultrathin films) and obtain very small values at a certain intermediate thickness (20 nm) when the current is flowing perpendicular to the easy magnetization axis [010]. While the positive AMR effect was assigned to the conventional magnetic ordering of manganites, the AMR of ultrathin films was influenced by the pinning of magnetization to the easy axis. The temperature dependence and change of the AMR sign with film thickness is shown to be well described by the two-region model (more strained closer to the film substrate and more relaxed further from it) assuming that the relative concentration of both regions changes with the film thickness. The possibility to use the effect of the AMR compensation for the development of scalar in-plane magnetic field sensors is discussed.

Dynamics of ultrathin metal films on amorphous substrates under fast thermal processing

Science.gov (United States)

Favazza, Christopher; Kalyanaraman, Ramki; Sureshkumar, Radhakrishna

2007-11-01

A mathematical model is developed to analyze the growth/decay rate of surface perturbations of an ultrathin metal film on an amorphous substrate (SiO2). The formulation combines the approach of Mullins [W. W. Mullins, J. Appl. Phys. 30, 77 (1959)] for bulk surfaces, in which curvature-driven mass transport and surface deformation can occur by surface/volume diffusion and evaporation-condensation processes, with that of Spencer etal . [B. J. Spencer, P. W. Voorhees, and S. H. Davis, Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 26 (1991)] to describe solid-state transport in thin films under epitaxial strain. Modifications of the Mullins model to account for thin-film boundary conditions result in qualitatively different dispersion relationships especially in the limit as kho≪1, where k is the wavenumber of the perturbation and ho is the unperturbed film height. The model is applied to study the relative rate of solid-state mass transport as compared to that of liquid phase dewetting in a thin film subjected to a fast thermal pulse. Specifically, we have recently shown that multiple cycles of nanosecond (ns) pulsed laser melting and resolidification of ultrathin metal films on amorphous substrates can lead to the formation of various types of spatially ordered nanostructures [J. Trice, D. Thomas, C. Favazza, R. Sureshkumar, and R. Kalyanaraman, Phys. Rev. B 75, 235439 (2007)]. The pattern formation has been attributed to the dewetting of the thin film by a hydrodynamic instability. In such experiments the film is in the solid state during a substantial fraction of each thermal cycle. However, results of a linear stability analysis based on the aforementioned model suggest that solid-state mass transport has a negligible effect on morphological changes of the surface. Further, a qualitative analysis of the effect of thermoelastic stress, induced by the rapid temperature changes in the film-substrate bilayer, suggests that stress relaxation does not appreciably contribute to surface

The structure of ultrathin iron films on tungsten single-crystal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardiner, T.M.

1983-01-01

Ultrathin iron films vapour deposited onto the surface of a cylindrical tungsten single crystal are discussed. Results from work function change, Auger electron spectroscopic and low energy electron diffraction techniques are combined for a comparison of the initial stages of film growth on four low index planes. Advantage is taken of the opportunity to evaporate onto and simultaneously to make measurements on all surface orientations of the zone. (Auth.)

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.)

Chain and mirophase-separated structures of ultrathin polyurethane films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojio, Ken; Yamamoto, Yasunori; Motokucho, Suguru; Furukawa, Mutsuhisa; Uchiba, Yusuke

2009-01-01

Measurements are presented how chain and microphase-separated structures of ultrathin polyurethane (PU) films are controlled by the thickness. The film thickness is varied by a solution concentration for spin coating. The systems are PUs prepared from commercial raw materials. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic measurement revealed that the degree of hydrogen bonding among hard segment chains decreased and increased with decreasing film thickness for strong and weak microphase separation systems, respectively. The microphase-separated structure, which is formed from hard segment domains and a surrounding soft segment matrix, were observed by atomic force microscopy. The size of hard segment domains decreased with decreasing film thickness, and possibility of specific orientation of the hard segment chains was exhibited for both systems. These results are due to decreasing space for the formation of the microphase-separated structure.

Ultra-thin films of polysilsesquioxanes possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups as gate insulator for organic field-effect transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakahara, Yoshio; Kawa, Haruna; Yoshiki, Jun; Kumei, Maki; Yamamoto, Hiroyuki; Oi, Fumio; Yamakado, Hideo; Fukuda, Hisashi; Kimura, Keiichi

2012-01-01

Polysilsesquioxanes (PSQs) possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups as an organic moiety of the side chain were synthesized by sol–gel condensation copolymerization of the corresponding trialkoxysilanes. The ultra-thin PSQ film with a radical initiator and a cross-linking agent was prepared by a spin-coating method, and the film was cured integrally at low temperatures of less than 120 °C through two different kinds of polymeric reactions, which were radical polymerization of vinyl groups and sol–gel condensation polymerization of terminated silanol and alkoxy groups. The obtained PSQ film showed the almost perfect solubilization resistance to acetone, which is a good solvent of PSQ before polymerization. It became clear by atomic force microscopy observation that the surface of the PSQ film was very smooth at a nano-meter level. Furthermore, pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor (OFET) with the PSQ film as a gate insulator showed typical p-channel enhancement mode operation characteristics and therefore the ultra-thin PSQ film has the potential to be applicable for solution-processed OFET systems. - Highlights: ► Polysilsesquioxanes (PSQs) possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups were synthesized. ► The ultra-thin PSQ film could be cured at low temperatures of less than 120 °C. ► The PSQ film showed the almost perfect solubilization resistance to organic solvent. ► The surface of the PSQ film was very smooth at a nano-meter level. ► Pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor with the PSQ film was fabricated.

Anomalous aging and strain induced time dependent phenomena in ultra-thin La0.65Ca0.35MnO3 films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egilmez, M.; Saber, M.M.; Abdelhadi, M.; Chow, K.H.; Jung, J.

2011-01-01

We have shown that ultra-thin La 0.65 Ca 0.35 MnO 3 films exhibit strong metastable behavior. The resistance can vary with time significantly, suggesting that a state of dynamic phase separation exists whereby one phase grows at the expense of another. Physical properties associated with the metastable behavior have been investigated on the films grown on different substrates. We have found that ultra-thin films age much faster than the thicker counterparts and more interestingly the metastability in the resistance of these films enhanced when aged. -- Highlights: → Ultra-thin La 0.67 Ca 0.33 MnO 3 films exhibit metastable behavior. → Physical properties associated with metastable behavior have been investigated. → The metastability in resistance of the films enhanced when films are aged. → Relaxation rates were used as a relative measure the metastability. → The metastable behavior is sensitive to the strain state of the film.

The multilayered structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon films synthesized by filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition

KAUST Repository

Wang, Na

2013-08-01

The structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon (a-C) films synthesized by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition was investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results of the plasmon excitation energy shift and through-thickness elemental concentration show a multilayered a-C film structure comprising an interface layer consisting of C, Si, and, possibly, SiC, a buffer layer with continuously increasing sp 3 fraction, a relatively thicker layer (bulk film) of constant sp 3 content, and an ultrathin surface layer rich in sp 2 hybridization. A detailed study of the C K-edge spectrum indicates that the buffer layer between the interface layer and the bulk film is due to the partial backscattering of C+ ions interacting with the heavy atoms of the silicon substrate. The results of this study provide insight into the minimum thickness of a-C films deposited by FCVA under optimum substrate bias conditions. Copyright © 2013 Materials Research Society.

Layer-by-layer self-assembly of polyimide precursor/layered double hydroxide ultrathin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Dan; Huang Shu; Zhang Chao; Wang Weizhi; Liu Tianxi

2010-01-01

The layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly has been extensively used as a simple and effective method for the preparation of polyelectrolyte multilayer films. In this work, we utilized this unique method to prepare polyimide precursor/layered double hydroxide (LDH) ultrathin films. Well-crystallized Co-Al-CO 3 LDH and subsequent anion exchanged Co-Al-NO 3 LDH were prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). By vigorous shaking of the as-prepared Co-Al-NO 3 LDH, positively charged and exfoliated LDH nanosheets were obtained. Atomic force microscopy and XRD investigations indicated the delamination of LDH nanosheets. The precursor of polyimide, poly(amic acid) tertiary amine salt (PAS) was prepared by the polycondensation of dianhydride and diamine, and subsequent amine salt formation. By using the LBL method, heterogeneous ultrathin films of PAS and LDH were prepared. The formation of the ordered nanostructured assemblies was confirmed by the progressive enhancement of UV absorbance and the XRD results.

Ultrathin film, high specific power InP solar cells on flexible plastic substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiu, K.-T.; Zimmerman, Jeramy; Wang Hongyu; Forrest, Stephen R.

2009-01-01

We demonstrate ultrathin-film, single-crystal InP Schottky-type solar cells mounted on flexible plastic substrates. The lightly p-doped InP cell is grown epitaxially on an InP substrate via gas source molecular beam epitaxy. The InP substrate is removed via selective chemical wet-etching after the epitaxial layers are cold-welded to a 25 μm thick Kapton sheet, followed by the deposition of an indium tin oxide top contact that forms the Schottky barrier with InP. The power conversion efficiency under 1 sun is 10.2±1.0%, and its specific power is 2.0±0.2 kW/kg. The ultrathin-film solar cells can tolerate both tensile and compressive stress by bending over a <1 cm radius without damage.

Effect of surface roughness on takeoff-angle-dependent X-ray fluorescence of ultrathin films at glancing incidence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuji, Kouichi; Hirokawa, Kichinosuke; Sasaki, Atsushi.

1994-01-01

We had previously shown that takeoff-angle-dependent X-ray fluorescence (TAD-XRF) at glancing incidence is a useful method for the characterization of thin films. Here we report the effect of surface roughness of the substrate on TAD-XRF of an ultrathin film at a glancing incidence. An optically flat glass, scratched glasses and plano-convex lenses were used as substrates. A large-range contour such as warp and a roughness of microscopic scale affect the TAD-XRF profile. Therefore, to characterize the ultrathin film by the TAD-XRF method, the material whose roughness is being investigated should be used as the substrate in TAD-XRF measurement. (author)

The influence of the surface parameter changes onto the phonon states in ultrathin crystalline films

Science.gov (United States)

Šetrajčić, Jovan P.; Ilić, Dušan I.; Jaćimovski, Stevo K.

2018-04-01

In this paper, we have analytically investigated how the changes in boundary surface parameters influence the phonon dispersion law in ultrathin films of the simple cubic crystalline structure. Spectra of possible phonon states are analyzed using the method of two-time dependent Green's functions and for the diverse combination of boundary surface parameters, this problem was presented numerically and graphically. It turns out that for certain values and combinations of parameters, displacement of dispersion branches outside of bulk zone occurs, leading to the creation of localized phonon states. This fact is of great importance for the heat removal, electrical conductivity and superconducting properties of ultrathin films.

Ultra-thin films of polysilsesquioxanes possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups as gate insulator for organic field-effect transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakahara, Yoshio; Kawa, Haruna [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakae-dani, Wakayama 640-8510 (Japan); Yoshiki, Jun [Division of Information and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Muroran Institute of Technology, 27-1 Mizumoto-cho, Muroran 050-8585 (Japan); Kumei, Maki; Yamamoto, Hiroyuki; Oi, Fumio [Konishi Chemical IND. Co., LTD., 3-4-77 Kozaika, Wakayama 641-0007 (Japan); Yamakado, Hideo [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakae-dani, Wakayama 640-8510 (Japan); Fukuda, Hisashi [Division of Engineering for Composite Functions, Faculty of Engineering, Muroran Institute of Technology, 27-1 Mizumoto-cho, Muroran 050-8585 (Japan); Kimura, Keiichi, E-mail: kkimura@center.wakayama-u.ac.jp [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakae-dani, Wakayama 640-8510 (Japan)

2012-10-01

Polysilsesquioxanes (PSQs) possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups as an organic moiety of the side chain were synthesized by sol-gel condensation copolymerization of the corresponding trialkoxysilanes. The ultra-thin PSQ film with a radical initiator and a cross-linking agent was prepared by a spin-coating method, and the film was cured integrally at low temperatures of less than 120 Degree-Sign C through two different kinds of polymeric reactions, which were radical polymerization of vinyl groups and sol-gel condensation polymerization of terminated silanol and alkoxy groups. The obtained PSQ film showed the almost perfect solubilization resistance to acetone, which is a good solvent of PSQ before polymerization. It became clear by atomic force microscopy observation that the surface of the PSQ film was very smooth at a nano-meter level. Furthermore, pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor (OFET) with the PSQ film as a gate insulator showed typical p-channel enhancement mode operation characteristics and therefore the ultra-thin PSQ film has the potential to be applicable for solution-processed OFET systems. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polysilsesquioxanes (PSQs) possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups were synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The ultra-thin PSQ film could be cured at low temperatures of less than 120 Degree-Sign C. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The PSQ film showed the almost perfect solubilization resistance to organic solvent. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The surface of the PSQ film was very smooth at a nano-meter level. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor with the PSQ film was fabricated.

Nanotwin-enhanced fatigue resistance of ultrathin Ag films for flexible electronics applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wan, H.Y. [Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Shenyang 110016 (China); Luo, X.M.; Li, X.; Liu, W. [Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016 (China); Zhang, G.P., E-mail: gpzhang@imr.ac.cn [Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016 (China)

2016-10-31

Fatigue strength and cracking behavior of ultrathin Ag films on flexible polyimide substrates were investigated. The experimental results show that the enhanced fatigue strength of the 50 nm-thick Ag films not only is caused by the increase in the yield stress and the suppression of cyclic strain localization, but also results from the severe crack deflection induced by the formation of nanotwins, which delays the fatigue crack initiation and enhances the resistance to the fatigue crack growth. The fatigue cracking mechanism for the nanocrystalline metal films is evaluated.

Dependence of the organic nonvolatile memory performance on the location of ultra-thin Ag film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiao Bo; Wu Zhaoxin; He Qiang; Mao Guilin; Hou Xun; Tian Yuan

2010-01-01

We demonstrated organic nonvolatile memory devices based on 4,4',4''-tris[N-(3-methylphenyl)-N-phenylamino] triphenylamine (m-MTDATA) inserted by an ultra-thin Ag film. The memory devices with different locations of ultra-thin Ag film in m-MTDATA were investigated, and it was found that the location of the Ag film could affect the performance of the organic memory, such as ON/OFF ratio, retention time and cycling endurance. When the Ag film was located at the ITO/m-MTDATA interface, the largest ON/OFF ratio (about 10 5 ) could be achieved, but the cycling endurance was poor. When the Ag film was located in the middle region of the m-MTDATA layer, the ON/OFF ratios came down by about 10 3 , but better performance of cycling endurance was exhibited. When the Ag film was located close to the Al electrode, the ON/OFF ratios and the retention time of this device decreased sharply and the bistable phenomenon almost disappeared. Our works show a simple approach to improve the performance of organic memory by adjusting the location of the metal film.

Precisely Controlled Ultrathin Conjugated Polymer Films for Large Area Transparent Transistors and Highly Sensitive Chemical Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Khim, Dongyoon; Ryu, Gi-Seong; Park, Won-Tae; Kim, Hyunchul; Lee, Myungwon; Noh, Yong-Young

2016-04-13

A uniform ultrathin polymer film is deposited over a large area with molecularlevel precision by the simple wire-wound bar-coating method. The bar-coated ultrathin films not only exhibit high transparency of up to 90% in the visible wavelength range but also high charge carrier mobility with a high degree of percolation through the uniformly covered polymer nanofibrils. They are capable of realizing highly sensitive multigas sensors and represent the first successful report of ethylene detection using a sensor based on organic field-effect transistors. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The effects of surface roughness on low haze ultrathin nanocomposite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kanniah, Vinod [Chemical and Materials Engineering, 177 F. Paul Anderson Tower, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506 (United States); Tru Vue, Inc. 9400 West, 55th St, McCook, IL 60525 (United States); Grulke, Eric A., E-mail: eric.grulke@uky.edu [Chemical and Materials Engineering, 177 F. Paul Anderson Tower, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506 (United States); Druffel, Thad [Vision Dynamics LLC, 1950 Production Court, Louisville, KY 40299 (United States); Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, University of Louisville, Ernst Hall Room 102A, Louisville, KY 40292 (United States)

2013-07-31

Control of surface roughness in optical applications can have a large impact on haze. This work compares surface roughness and haze for self-assembled experimental surface structures as well as simulated surface structures for ultrathin nanocomposite films. Ultrathin nanocomposite films were synthesized from an acrylate monomer as the continuous phase with monodisperse or bidisperse mixtures of silica nanoparticles as the dispersed phase. An in-house spin coating deposition technique was used to make thin nanocomposite films on hydrophilic (glass) and hydrophobic (polycarbonate) substrates. Manipulating the size ratios of the silica nanoparticle mixtures generated multimodal height distributions, varied the average surface roughness (σ) and changed lateral height–height correlations (a). For the simulated surfaces, roughness was estimated from their morphologies, and haze was calculated using simplified Rayleigh scattering theory. Experimental data for haze and morphologies of nanocomposite films corresponded well to these properties for simulated tipped pyramid surfaces. A correlation based on simple Rayleigh scattering theory described our experimental data well, but the exponent on the parameter, σ/λ (λ is the wavelength of incident light), does not have the expected value of 2. A scalar scattering model and a prior Monte Carlo simulation estimated haze values similar to those of our experimental samples. - Highlights: • Bidisperse nanoparticle mixtures created structured surfaces on thin films. • Monodisperse discrete phases created unimodal structure distributions. • Bidisperse discrete phases created multimodal structure distributions. • Multimodal structures had maximum heights ≤ 1.5 D{sub large} over our variable range. • Simplified Rayleigh scattering theory linked roughness to haze and contact angle.

Water-induced morphology changes in an ultrathin silver film studied by ultraviolet-visible, surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiaoling; Xu Weiqing; Jia Huiying; Wang Xu; Zhao Bing; Li Bofu; Ozaki, Yukihiro

2005-01-01

Water-induced changes in the morphology and optical properties of an ultrathin Ag film (3 nm thickness) have been studied by use of ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. A confocal micrograph shows that infinite regular Ag rings with almost uniform size (4 μm) emerge on the film surface after the ultrathin Ag film was immersed into water. The AFM measurement further confirms that the Ag rings consist of some metal holes with pillared edges. The UV-Vis spectrum shows that an absorption band at 486 nm of the Ag film after the immersion in water (I-Ag film) blue shifts by 66 nm with a significant decrease in absorbance, which is attributed to the macroscopic loss of some Ag atoms and the change in the morphology of the Ag film. The polarized UV-Vis spectra show that a band at 421 nm due to the normal component of the plasmon oscillation blue shifts after immersing the ultrathin Ag film into water. This band is found to be strongly angle-dependent for p-polarized light, indicating that the optical properties of the ultrathin Ag film are changed. The I-Ag film is SERS-active, and the SERS enhancement depends on different active sites on the film surface. Furthermore, it seems that the orientation of an adsorbate is related to the morphology of the I-Ag film

Evolution of optical constants of silicon dioxide on silicon from ultrathin films to thick films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai Qingyuan; Zheng Yuxiang; Mao Penghui; Zhang Rongjun; Zhang Dongxu; Liu Minghui; Chen Liangyao, E-mail: yxzheng@fudan.edu.c [Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures, Ministry of Education, Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

2010-11-10

A series of SiO{sub 2} films with thickness range 1-600 nm have been deposited on crystal silicon (c-Si) substrates by electron beam evaporation (EBE) method. Variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) in combination with a two-film model (ambient-oxide-interlayer substrate) was used to determine the optical constants and thicknesses of the investigated films. The refractive indices of SiO{sub 2} films thicker than 60 nm are close to those of bulk SiO{sub 2}. For the thin films deposited at the rate of {approx}1.0 nm s{sup -1}, the refractive indices increase with decreasing thickness from {approx}60 to {approx}10 nm and then drop sharply with decreasing thickness below {approx}10 nm. However, for thin films deposited at the rates of {approx}0.4 and {approx}0.2 nm s{sup -1}, the refractive indices monotonically increase with decreasing thickness below 60 nm. The optical constants of the ultrathin film depend on the morphology of the film, the stress exerted on the film, as well as the stoichiometry of the oxide film.

Evolution of optical constants of silicon dioxide on silicon from ultrathin films to thick films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai Qingyuan; Zheng Yuxiang; Mao Penghui; Zhang Rongjun; Zhang Dongxu; Liu Minghui; Chen Liangyao

2010-01-01

A series of SiO 2 films with thickness range 1-600 nm have been deposited on crystal silicon (c-Si) substrates by electron beam evaporation (EBE) method. Variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) in combination with a two-film model (ambient-oxide-interlayer substrate) was used to determine the optical constants and thicknesses of the investigated films. The refractive indices of SiO 2 films thicker than 60 nm are close to those of bulk SiO 2 . For the thin films deposited at the rate of ∼1.0 nm s -1 , the refractive indices increase with decreasing thickness from ∼60 to ∼10 nm and then drop sharply with decreasing thickness below ∼10 nm. However, for thin films deposited at the rates of ∼0.4 and ∼0.2 nm s -1 , the refractive indices monotonically increase with decreasing thickness below 60 nm. The optical constants of the ultrathin film depend on the morphology of the film, the stress exerted on the film, as well as the stoichiometry of the oxide film.

On the difference between optically and electrically determined resistivity of ultra-thin titanium nitride films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Hao, B.; Kovalgin, Alexeij Y.; Wolters, Robertus A.M.

2013-01-01

This work reports on the determination and comparison of the resistivity of ultra-thin atomic layer deposited titanium nitride films in the thickness range 0.65–20 nm using spectroscopic ellipsometry and electrical test structures. We found that for films thicker than 4 nm, the resistivity values

Temperature-induced transitions between domain structures of ultrathin magnetic films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polyakova, T.; Zablotskii, V.

2005-01-01

Full text: Understanding of the influence of temperature on behavior of domain patterns of ultrathin magnetic films is of high significance for the fundamental physics of nanomagnetism as well as for technological applications. A thickness-dependent Curie temperature of ultrathin films may cause many interesting phenomena in the thermal evolution of domain structures (DS): i) nontrivial changes of the anisotropy constants as a function of the film thickness; ii) so-called inverse melting of DSs (processes where a more symmetric domain phase is found at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures - the inverse phase sequence) [1]; iii) temperature-induced transitions between domain structures. The possibility of such transitions is determined by lowering of the potential barriers separating different magnetization states as the film temperature approaches the Curie point. In this case with an increase of temperature, due to a significant decrease of the anisotropy constant, the domain wall energy is low enough and allows the system to reach equilibrium by a change of the domain wall number in the sample. This manifests itself in a transition from a metastable DS to a more stable DS which corresponds to new values of the anisotropy constant and magnetizations saturation. Thus, the temperature-induced transitions are driven by temperature changes of the magnetic parameters of the film. The key parameters controlling the DS geometry and period are the characteristic length, l c =σ/4πM S 2 (the ratio between the domain wall and demagnetization energies), and the quality factor Q =K/2πM S 2 (K is the first anisotropy constant). We show that for films with a pronounced nonmonotonic temperature dependence of l c one can expect a counter thermodynamic behavior: the inverse phase sequence and cooling-induced disordering. On changing temperature the existing domain structure should accommodate itself under new magnitudes of l c and Q. There are the two possible

A first-principles study of phase transitions in ultrathin films of BaTiO 3

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We determine the effects of film thickness, epitaxial strain and the nature of electrodes on ferroelectric phase transitions in ultrathin films of BaTiO3 using a first-principles effective Hamiltonian in classical molecular dynamics simulations. We present results for polarization and dielectric properties as a function of temperature ...

Growth of ultra-thin Ag films on Ni(111)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, Axel; Flege, Jan Ingo; Falta, Jens [Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen (Germany); Senanayake, Sanjaya [Chemistry Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000 (United States); Alamgir, Faisal [Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0245 (United States)

2009-07-01

The physical and chemical properties of ultra-thin metal films on metallic substrates strongly depend on their morphology and the structure of the buried interface. Hence, detailed knowledge of the growth mechanisms is essential for the creation of new functional materials with novel characteristics. In this contribution, we present a comprehensive structural study of the growth and properties of epitaxial Ag films on Ni(111) by in-situ low energy electron microscopy (LEEM). For lower temperatures, the growth of the Ag film proceeds in a Stranski-Krastanov mode after completion of the wetting layer, while for higher temperatures layer-by-layer growth is observed. Quantitative information about the film structure were obtained by analyzing the intensity-voltage (I-V) dependence of the local electron reflectivity (IV-LEEM). The corresponding I(V) spectra showed intensity oscillations depending on local thickness of the Ag film due to the quantum size effect (QSE). Modeling of the I(V) spectra was performed both within the framework of a one-dimensional Kronig-Penney model and multiple scattering IV-LEED calculations. The results of both approaches concerning the variation of the layer spacings and interface characteristics for different temperatures and film thicknesses will be discussed.

Structural and electronic properties of polar MnO ultrathin film grown on Ag(111)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kundu, Asish K., E-mail: asish.kundu@saha.ac.in; Menon, Krishnakumar S. R. [Surface Physics and Material Science Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 70064 (India)

2016-05-23

Surface electronic structure of ultrathin polar MnO film was studied by Low-energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) and Photoemission Spectroscopic (PES) techniques. Epitaxial monolayer to facet formation with increasing film thickness has been observed by LEED. Our LEED result shows p(2x2) surface reconstruction along with facet formation, stabilize the polar MnO(111) surface. The core levels and the valence band electronic structure of MnO films have been studied as a function of film thickness using X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy techniques.

Comparative study of experimental and numerical behaviors of microwave absorbers based on ultrathin Al and Cu films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, D.S., E-mail: daniel_eng_aero@hotmail.com [Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia/UNIFESP, Rua Talim, 330, CEP 12.231-280, São José dos Campos, SP (Brazil); Nohara, E.L. [Universidade de Taubaté, Rua Daniel Danelli, s/n, CEP 12060-440, Taubaté, SP (Brazil); Rezende, M.C. [Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia/UNIFESP, Rua Talim, 330, CEP 12.231-280, São José dos Campos, SP (Brazil)

2017-06-15

The study of radar absorbing materials increasingly thin, lightweight and flexible has gained growing importance in recent years. In military area these characteristics allow the reduction of weight and volume of platforms, and in civilian sector these materials stimulate innovative projects of electronic and microwave devices. The present work was devoted to studying ultrathin films of Al (20–80 nm) and Cu (10–100 nm) deposited on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrate by magnetron sputtering technique. The electrical conductivity values of the films were determined by 4 probes method, the S parameters (S{sub 11} and S{sub 12}) were obtained by transmission line using a X-band waveguide and the skin depth calculated. The results show the dependence of the electrical conductivity with the thickness for both films. The experimental values of microwave attenuation were compared with calculated values based on the equivalent electric circuit theory. This comparison shows a good adjustment and confirms the use of electrical conductivity measurements to predict the microwave absorption behavior of ultrathin films. - Highlights: • This article focuses on recent progresses in ultrathin films aiming microwave absorption. • Nanometric films of Al and Cu deposited on poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrate were produced. • Electrical conductivity (4-probes) and S-parameters (S{sub 11} and S{sub 12}) of nanofilms were measured. • Calculated microwave attenuations were obtained based on the equivalent electric circuit theory. • A good fit between experimental and predictions data of microwave absorption was observed.

Comparative study of experimental and numerical behaviors of microwave absorbers based on ultrathin Al and Cu films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, D.S.; Nohara, E.L.; Rezende, M.C.

2017-01-01

The study of radar absorbing materials increasingly thin, lightweight and flexible has gained growing importance in recent years. In military area these characteristics allow the reduction of weight and volume of platforms, and in civilian sector these materials stimulate innovative projects of electronic and microwave devices. The present work was devoted to studying ultrathin films of Al (20–80 nm) and Cu (10–100 nm) deposited on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrate by magnetron sputtering technique. The electrical conductivity values of the films were determined by 4 probes method, the S parameters (S_1_1 and S_1_2) were obtained by transmission line using a X-band waveguide and the skin depth calculated. The results show the dependence of the electrical conductivity with the thickness for both films. The experimental values of microwave attenuation were compared with calculated values based on the equivalent electric circuit theory. This comparison shows a good adjustment and confirms the use of electrical conductivity measurements to predict the microwave absorption behavior of ultrathin films. - Highlights: • This article focuses on recent progresses in ultrathin films aiming microwave absorption. • Nanometric films of Al and Cu deposited on poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrate were produced. • Electrical conductivity (4-probes) and S-parameters (S_1_1 and S_1_2) of nanofilms were measured. • Calculated microwave attenuations were obtained based on the equivalent electric circuit theory. • A good fit between experimental and predictions data of microwave absorption was observed.

Spin accumulation in disordered topological insulator ultrathin films

Science.gov (United States)

Siu, Zhuo Bin; Ho, Cong Son; Tan, Seng Ghee; Jalil, Mansoor B. A.

2017-08-01

Topological insulator (TI) ultrathin films differ from the more commonly studied semi-infinite bulk TIs in that the former possess both top and bottom surfaces where the surface states localized at different surfaces can couple to one another across the finite thickness of the film. In the presence of an in-plane magnetization, the TI thin films display two distinct phases depending on which of the inter-surface coupling or the magnetization is stronger. In this work, we consider a Bi2Se3 TI thin film system with an in-plane magnetization and numerically calculate the resulting spin accumulation on both surfaces of the film due to an in-plane electric field to linear order. We describe a numerical scheme for performing the Kubo formula calculation in which we include impurity scattering and vertex corrections. We find that the sums of the spin accumulation over the two surfaces in the in-plane direction perpendicular to the magnetization and in the out of plane direction are antisymmetric in Fermi energy around the charge neutrality point and are non-vanishing only when the symmetry between the top and bottom TI surfaces is broken. The impurity scattering, in general, diminishes the magnitude of the spin accumulation.

Preparation and voltammetric characterization of electrodes coated with Langmuir-Schaefer ultrathin films of Nafion®

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bertoncello Paolo

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Ultrathin films of Nafion® perfluorinated polymer were deposited on indium-tin oxide electrodes (ITO by using Langmuir-Schaefer (LS technique, after optimization of the subphase composition conditions. Morphological characteristics of these coatings were obtained by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM. Nafion® LS films showed a good uniformity and complete coverage of the electrode surface, however a different organization degree of the polymer layer was evidenced with respect to thin films deposited by spin-coating. ITO electrodes modified with Nafion® LS coatings preconcentrate by ion-exchange electroactive cations, such as Ru[(NH36]3+, dissolved in diluted solutions. The electroactive species is retained by the Nafion® LS coated ITO also after transfer of the modified electrode into pure supporting electrolyte. This allowed the use of the ruthenium complex as voltammetric probe to test diffusion phenomena within the Nafion® LS films. Apparent diffusion coefficients (Dapp of Ru[(NH36]3+ incorporated in Nafion® LS films were obtained by voltammetric measurements. Dapp values decrease slightly by increasing the amount of ruthenium complex incorporated in the ultrathin film. They are significantly lower than values typical for recasted Nafion® films, in agreement with the highly condensed nature of the Nafion® LS fims.

Magnetic field induced superconductor-insulator transitions for ultra-thin Bi films on the different underlayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makise, K; Kawaguti, T; Shinozaki, B

2009-01-01

This work shows the experimental results of the superconductor-insulator (S-I) transition for ultra-thin Bi films in magnetic fields. The quench-condensed (q-c) Bi film onto insulating underlayers have been interpreted to be homogeneous. In contrast, the Bi film without underlayers has been regarded as a granular film. The electrical transport properties of ultra-thin metal films near the S-I transition depend on the structure of the film. In order to confirm the effect of the underlayer to the homogeneity of the superconducting films, we investigate the characteristics of S-I transitions of q-c nominally homogeneous Bi films on underlayers of two insulating materials, SiO, and Sb. Under almost the same deposition condition except for the material of underlayer, we prepared the Bi films by repeating the additional deposition and performed in-situ electrical measurement. It is found that the transport properties near the S-I transitions show the remarkable difference between two films on different underlayers. As for Bi films on SiO, it turned out that the temperature dependence of resistance per square R sq (T) of the field-tuned transition and the thickness-tuned transition shows similar behavior; it was a thermally activated form. On the other hand, the R sq (T) of Bi films on Sb for thickness-tuned S-I transition showed logarithmic temperature dependence, but that for field-tuned S-I transition showed a thermally activated form.

Electron tunneling studies of ultrathin films near the superconductor-to-insulator transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valles, J.M. Jr.; Garno, J.P.

1994-01-01

Electron tunneling measurements on ultrathin quench-condensed films near the superconductor-to-insulator (SI) transition reveal that the superconducting state degrades with increasing normal state sheet resistance, R □ , in a manner that depends strongly on film morphology. In homogeneously disordered films, the superconducting energy gap Δ 0 decreases continuously and appears to go to zero at the SI transition. In granular films the transport properties degrade while Δ 0 remains constant. Measurements in the normal state reveal disorder enhanced e - -e - interaction corrections to the density of states. These effects are strong and depend on morphology in a manner that is consistent with their playing an important role in driving the SI transition. (orig.)

Effect of localized electron states on superconductivity of ultrathin beryllium films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tutov, V.I.; Semenenko, E.E.

1988-01-01

A wide spectrum of distortions is induced in ultrathin beryllium films of thickness less than 10 A, which are responsible for the system transition from the strong localization state completely suppressing superconductivity (in this case R □ of the layer reaches 97600 Ohm) to the weak localization stae coexisting with superconductivity at comparatively high T c (5 K). The resistance per square R □ of the films decreases more than by an order of magnitude. The superconductivity with T c =1.7 K occurs at rather strong localization, when R □ of the layer is 34000 Ohm

Modeling of Structure Effect for Ferroelectric Capacitor Based on Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene Ultrathin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Long Li

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The characteristics of ferroelectric capacitors with poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethlene (P(VDF-TrFE films have been studied at different structures of cell electrodes. It is suggested that the effect of electrode structures could induce changes of performance. Remarkably, cells with line electrodes display a better polarization and fatigue resistance than those with flat electrodes. For P(VDF-TrFE ultrathin films with different electrode structures, the models of charge compensation mechanism for depolarization field and domain fatigue decomposition are used to explain the effect of electrode structure. Furthermore, the driving voltage based on normal speed-functionality is designed, and the testing results show that the line electrode structure could induce a robust switching, which is determined by the free charges concentration in active layer. These findings provide an effective route to design the optimum structure for a ferroelectric capacitor based on P(VDF-TrFE copolymer ultrathin film.

Electronic-Reconstruction-Enhanced Tunneling Conductance at Terrace Edges of Ultrathin Oxide Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lingfei; Kim, Rokyeon; Kim, Yoonkoo; Kim, Choong H; Hwang, Sangwoon; Cho, Myung Rae; Shin, Yeong Jae; Das, Saikat; Kim, Jeong Rae; Kalinin, Sergei V; Kim, Miyoung; Yang, Sang Mo; Noh, Tae Won

2017-11-01

Quantum mechanical tunneling of electrons across ultrathin insulating oxide barriers has been studied extensively for decades due to its great potential in electronic-device applications. In the few-nanometers-thick epitaxial oxide films, atomic-scale structural imperfections, such as the ubiquitously existed one-unit-cell-high terrace edges, can dramatically affect the tunneling probability and device performance. However, the underlying physics has not been investigated adequately. Here, taking ultrathin BaTiO 3 films as a model system, an intrinsic tunneling-conductance enhancement is reported near the terrace edges. Scanning-probe-microscopy results demonstrate the existence of highly conductive regions (tens of nanometers wide) near the terrace edges. First-principles calculations suggest that the terrace-edge geometry can trigger an electronic reconstruction, which reduces the effective tunneling barrier width locally. Furthermore, such tunneling-conductance enhancement can be discovered in other transition metal oxides and controlled by surface-termination engineering. The controllable electronic reconstruction can facilitate the implementation of oxide electronic devices and discovery of exotic low-dimensional quantum phases. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Surface Acoustic Wave Monitor for Deposition and Analysis of Ultra-Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Hines, Jacqueline H. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) based thin film deposition monitor device and system for monitoring the deposition of ultra-thin films and nanomaterials and the analysis thereof is characterized by acoustic wave device embodiments that include differential delay line device designs, and which can optionally have integral reference devices fabricated on the same substrate as the sensing device, or on a separate device in thermal contact with the film monitoring/analysis device, in order to provide inherently temperature compensated measurements. These deposition monitor and analysis devices can include inherent temperature compensation, higher sensitivity to surface interactions than quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) devices, and the ability to operate at extreme temperatures.

The multilayered structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon films synthesized by filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition

KAUST Repository

Wang, Na; Komvopoulos, Kyriakos

2013-01-01

The structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon (a-C) films synthesized by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition was investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron

Thickness-dependent spontaneous dewetting morphology of ultrathin Ag films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krishna, H; Favazza, C [Department of Physics, Washington University in St Louis, MO 63130 (United States); Sachan, R; Strader, J; Kalyanaraman, R [Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States); Khenner, M, E-mail: ramki@utk.edu [Department of Mathematics, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101 (United States)

2010-04-16

We show here that the morphological pathway of spontaneous dewetting of ultrathin Ag films on SiO{sub 2} under nanosecond laser melting is dependent on film thickness. For films with thickness h of 2 nm {<=} h {<=} 9.5 nm, the morphology during the intermediate stages of dewetting consisted of bicontinuous structures. For films with 11.5 nm {<=} h {<=} 20 nm, the intermediate stages consisted of regularly sized holes. Measurement of the characteristic length scales for different stages of dewetting as a function of film thickness showed a systematic increase, which is consistent with the spinodal dewetting instability over the entire thickness range investigated. This change in morphology with thickness is consistent with observations made previously for polymer films (Sharma and Khanna 1998 Phys. Rev. Lett. 81 3463-6; Seemann et al 2001 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 13 4925-38). Based on the behavior of free energy curvature that incorporates intermolecular forces, we have estimated the morphological transition thickness for the intermolecular forces for Ag on SiO{sub 2}. The theory predictions agree well with observations for Ag. These results show that it is possible to form a variety of complex Ag nanomorphologies in a consistent manner, which could be useful in optical applications of Ag surfaces, such as in surface enhanced Raman sensing.

Electric field effect on exchange interaction in ultrathin Co films with ionic liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Ishibashi, Mio; Yamada, Kihiro T.; Shiota, Yoichi; Ando, Fuyuki; Koyama, Tomohiro; Kakizakai, Haruka; Mizuno, Hayato; Miwa, Kazumoto; Ono, Shimpei; Moriyama, Takahiro; Chiba, Daichi; Ono, Teruo

2018-06-01

Electric-field modulations of magnetic properties have been extensively studied not only for practical applications but also for fundamental interest. In this study, we investigated the electric field effect on the exchange interaction in ultrathin Co films with ionic liquids. The exchange coupling J was characterized from the direct magnetization measurement as a function of temperature using Pt/ultrathin Co/MgO structures. The trend of the electric field effect on J is in good agreement with that of the theoretical prediction, and a large change in J by applying a gate voltage was observed by forming an electric double layer using ionic liquids.

Silicon nitride gradient film as the underlayer of ultra-thin tetrahedral amorphous carbon overcoat for magnetic recording slider

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Guigen, E-mail: wanggghit@yahoo.com [Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Kuang Xuping; Zhang Huayu; Zhu Can [Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Han Jiecai [Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Center for Composite Materials, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080 (China); Zuo Hongbo [Center for Composite Materials, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080 (China); Ma Hongtao [SAE Technologies Development (Dongguan) Co., Ltd., Dongguan 523087 (China)

2011-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The ultra-thin carbon films with different silicon nitride (Si-N) film underlayers were prepared. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It highlighted the influences of Si-N underlayers. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The carbon films with Si-N underlayers obtained by nitriding especially at the substrate bias of -150 V, can exhibit better corrosion protection properties - Abstract: There are higher technical requirements for protection overcoat of magnetic recording slider used in high-density storage fields for the future. In this study, silicon nitride (Si-N) composition-gradient films were firstly prepared by nitriding of silicon thin films pre-sputtered on silicon wafers and magnetic recording sliders, using microwave electron cyclotron resonance plasma source. The ultra-thin tetrahedral amorphous carbon films were then deposited on the Si-N films by filtered cathodic vacuum arc method. Compared with amorphous carbon overcoats with conventional silicon underlayers, the overcoats with Si-N underlayers obtained by plasma nitriding especially at the substrate bias of -150 V, can provide better corrosion protection for high-density magnetic recording sliders.

Silicon nitride gradient film as the underlayer of ultra-thin tetrahedral amorphous carbon overcoat for magnetic recording slider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Guigen; Kuang Xuping; Zhang Huayu; Zhu Can; Han Jiecai; Zuo Hongbo; Ma Hongtao

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► The ultra-thin carbon films with different silicon nitride (Si-N) film underlayers were prepared. ► It highlighted the influences of Si-N underlayers. ► The carbon films with Si-N underlayers obtained by nitriding especially at the substrate bias of −150 V, can exhibit better corrosion protection properties - Abstract: There are higher technical requirements for protection overcoat of magnetic recording slider used in high-density storage fields for the future. In this study, silicon nitride (Si-N) composition-gradient films were firstly prepared by nitriding of silicon thin films pre-sputtered on silicon wafers and magnetic recording sliders, using microwave electron cyclotron resonance plasma source. The ultra-thin tetrahedral amorphous carbon films were then deposited on the Si-N films by filtered cathodic vacuum arc method. Compared with amorphous carbon overcoats with conventional silicon underlayers, the overcoats with Si-N underlayers obtained by plasma nitriding especially at the substrate bias of −150 V, can provide better corrosion protection for high-density magnetic recording sliders.

Modeling Replenishment of Ultrathin Liquid Perfluoro polyether Z Films on Solid Surfaces Using Monte Carlo Simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayeed, M.S.; Kato, T.

2014-01-01

Applying the reptation algorithm to a simplified perfluoro polyether Z off-lattice polymer model an NVT Monte Carlo simulation has been performed. Bulk condition has been simulated first to compare the average radius of gyration with the bulk experimental results. Then the model is tested for its ability to describe dynamics. After this, it is applied to observe the replenishment of nano scale ultrathin liquid films on solid flat carbon surfaces. The replenishment rate for trenches of different widths (8, 12, and 16 nms for several molecular weights) between two films of perfluoro polyether Z from the Monte Carlo simulation is compared to that obtained solving the diffusion equation using the experimental diffusion coefficients of Ma et al. (1999), with room condition in both cases. Replenishment per Monte Carlo cycle seems to be a constant multiple of replenishment per second at least up to 2 nm replenished film thickness of the trenches over the carbon surface. Considerable good agreement has been achieved here between the experimental results and the dynamics of molecules using reptation moves in the ultrathin liquid films on solid surfaces.

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2010-01-01

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

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism study of epitaxial magnetite ultrathin film on MgO(100)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, W. Q.; Xu, Y. B., E-mail: yongbing.xu@york.ac.uk, E-mail: rzhang@nju.edu.cn [York-Nanjing International Center for Spintronics (YNICS), School of Electronics Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Spintronics and Nanodevice Laboratory, Department of Electronics, University of York, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom); Song, M. Y.; Lin, J. G. [Center for Condensed Matter Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Maltby, N. J.; Li, S. P. [Spintronics and Nanodevice Laboratory, Department of Electronics, University of York, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom); Samant, M. G.; Parkin, S. S. P. [IBM Research Division, Almaden Research Center, San Jose, California 95120 (United States); Bencok, P.; Steadman, Paul; Dobrynin, Alexey [Diamond Light Source, Didcot OX11 0DE (United Kingdom); Zhang, R., E-mail: yongbing.xu@york.ac.uk, E-mail: rzhang@nju.edu.cn [York-Nanjing International Center for Spintronics (YNICS), School of Electronics Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

2015-05-07

The spin and orbital magnetic moments of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} epitaxial ultrathin film synthesized by plasma assisted simultaneous oxidization on MgO(100) have been studied with X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The ultrathin film retains a rather large total magnetic moment, i.e., (2.73 ± 0.15) μ{sub B}/f.u., which is ∼70% of that for the bulk-like Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. A significant unquenched orbital moment up to 0.54 ± 0.05 μ{sub B}/f.u. was observed, which could come from the symmetry breaking at the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/MgO interface. Such sizable orbital moment will add capacities to the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-based spintronics devices in the magnetization reversal by the electric field.

Ultrathin NbN film superconducting single-photon detector array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smirnov, K; Korneev, A; Minaeva, O; Divochiy, A; Tarkhov, M; Ryabchun, S; Seleznev, V; Kaurova, N; Voronov, B; Gol'tsman, G; Polonsky, S

2007-01-01

We report on the fabrication process of the 2 x 2 superconducting single-photon detector (SSPD) array. The SSPD array is made from ultrathin NbN film and is operated at liquid helium temperatures. Each detector is a nanowire-based structure patterned by electron beam lithography process. The advances in fabrication technology allowed us to produce highly uniform strips and preserve superconducting properties of the unpatterned film. SSPD exhibit up to 30% quantum efficiency in near infrared and up to 1% at 5-μm wavelength. Due to 120 MHz counting rate and 18 ps jitter, the time-domain multiplexing read-out is proposed for large scale SSPD arrays. Single-pixel SSPD has already found a practical application in non-invasive testing of semiconductor very-large scale integrated circuits. The SSPD significantly outperformed traditional single-photon counting avalanche diodes

Direct nanofabrication and transmission electron microscopy on a suite of easy-to-prepare ultrathin film substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allred, Daniel B.; Zin, Melvin T.; Ma, Hong; Sarikaya, Mehmet; Baneyx, Francois; Jen, Alex K.-Y.; Schwartz, Daniel T.

2007-01-01

A high-yield, easy to master method for preparing electron transparent metal, oxide, and carbon ultrathin film substrates suitable for direct nano/micro-fabrication and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is presented. To demonstrate the versatility of these substrates for fabrication processes, we use e-beam lithography, self-assembled colloidal and protein templates, and microcontact printing to create patterned masks for subsequent electrodeposition of two dimensional and three dimensional structures. The electrodeposited structures range in scale from a few nanometers to a few micrometers in characteristic dimensions. Because fabrication occurs directly on ultrathin films, TEM analysis of the resulting materials and buried interfaces is straightforward without any destructive sample preparation. We show that all the normal TEM analytical methods (imaging, diffraction, electron and X-ray spectroscopies) are compatible with the fabricated structures and the thin film substrates. These electron transparent substrates have largely rendered the need for TEM sample preparation on fabricated structures obsolete in our lab

Thickness-dependent spontaneous dewetting morphology of ultrathin Ag films.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishna, H; Sachan, R; Strader, J; Favazza, C; Khenner, M; Kalyanaraman, R

2010-04-16

We show here that the morphological pathway of spontaneous dewetting of ultrathin Ag films on SiO2 under nanosecond laser melting is dependent on film thickness. For films with thickness h of 2 nm < or = h < or = 9.5 nm, the morphology during the intermediate stages of dewetting consisted of bicontinuous structures. For films with 11.5 nm < or = h < or = 20 nm, the intermediate stages consisted of regularly sized holes. Measurement of the characteristic length scales for different stages of dewetting as a function of film thickness showed a systematic increase, which is consistent with the spinodal dewetting instability over the entire thickness range investigated. This change in morphology with thickness is consistent with observations made previously for polymer films (Sharma and Khanna 1998 Phys. Rev. Lett. 81 3463-6; Seemann et al 2001 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 13 4925-38). Based on the behavior of free energy curvature that incorporates intermolecular forces, we have estimated the morphological transition thickness for the intermolecular forces for Ag on SiO2. The theory predictions agree well with observations for Ag. These results show that it is possible to form a variety of complex Ag nanomorphologies in a consistent manner, which could be useful in optical applications of Ag surfaces, such as in surface enhanced Raman sensing.

Synchrotron-radiation XPS analysis of ultra-thin silane films: Specifying the organic silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dietrich, Paul M., E-mail: paul.dietrich@yahoo.de [Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und – prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin (Germany); Glamsch, Stephan [Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und – prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin (Germany); Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Fabeckstr. 34/36, 14195 Berlin (Germany); Ehlert, Christopher [Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und – prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin (Germany); Institut für Chemie, Universität Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-25, 14476 Potsdam (Germany); Lippitz, Andreas [Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und – prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin (Germany); Kulak, Nora [Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Fabeckstr. 34/36, 14195 Berlin (Germany); Unger, Wolfgang E.S. [Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und – prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin (Germany)

2016-02-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A synchrotron-based XPS method to analyze ultra-thin silane films is presented. • Specification and quantification of organic next to inorganic silicon is demonstrated. • Non-destructive chemical depth profiles of the silane monolayers were obtained. - Abstract: The analysis of chemical and elemental in-depth variations in ultra-thin organic layers with thicknesses below 5 nm is very challenging. Energy- and angle-resolved XPS (ER/AR-XPS) opens up the possibility for non-destructive chemical ultra-shallow depth profiling of the outermost surface layer of ultra-thin organic films due to its exceptional surface sensitivity. For common organic materials a reliable chemical in-depth analysis with a lower limit of the XPS information depth z{sub 95} of about 1 nm can be performed. As a proof-of-principle example with relevance for industrial applications the ER/AR-XPS analysis of different organic monolayers made of amino- or benzamidosilane molecules on silicon oxide surfaces is presented. It is demonstrated how to use the Si 2p core-level region to non-destructively depth-profile the organic (silane monolayer) – inorganic (SiO{sub 2}/Si) interface and how to quantify Si species, ranging from elemental silicon over native silicon oxide to the silane itself. The main advantage of the applied ER/AR-XPS method is the improved specification of organic from inorganic silicon components in Si 2p core-level spectra with exceptional low uncertainties compared to conventional laboratory XPS.

Bottom Extreme-Ultraviolet-Sensitive Coating for Evaluation of the Absorption Coefficient of Ultrathin Film

Science.gov (United States)

Hijikata, Hayato; Kozawa, Takahiro; Tagawa, Seiichi; Takei, Satoshi

2009-06-01

A bottom extreme-ultraviolet-sensitive coating (BESC) for evaluation of the absorption coefficients of ultrathin films such as extreme ultraviolet (EUV) resists was developed. This coating consists of a polymer, crosslinker, acid generator, and acid-responsive chromic dye and is formed by a conventional spin-coating method. By heating the film after spin-coating, a crosslinking reaction is induced and the coating becomes insoluble. A typical resist solution can be spin-coated on a substrate covered with the coating film. The evaluation of the linear absorption coefficients of polymer films was demonstrated by measuring the EUV absorption of BESC substrates on which various polymers were spin-coated.

Mixed-Penetrant Sorption in Ultrathin Films of Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity PIM-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogieglo, Wojciech; Furchner, Andreas; Ghanem, Bader; Ma, Xiaohua; Pinnau, Ingo; Wessling, Matthias

2017-11-02

Mixed-penetrant sorption into ultrathin films of a superglassy polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) was studied for the first time by using interference-enhanced in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. PIM-1 swelling and the concurrent changes in its refractive index were determined in ultrathin (12-14 nm) films exposed to pure and mixed penetrants. The penetrants included water, n-hexane, and ethanol and were chosen on the basis of their significantly different penetrant-penetrant and penetrant-polymer affinities. This allowed studying microporous polymer responses at diverse ternary compositions and revealed effects such as competition for the sorption sites (for water/n-hexane or ethanol/n-hexane) or enhancement in sorption of typically weakly sorbing water in the presence of more highly sorbing ethanol. The results reveal details of the mutual sorption effects which often complicate comprehension of glassy polymers' behavior in applications such as high-performance membranes, adsorbents, or catalysts. Mixed-penetrant effects are typically very challenging to study directly, and their understanding is necessary owing to a broadly recognized inadequacy of simple extrapolations from measurements in a pure component environment.

Phase diagram of Fe1-xCox ultrathin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fridman, Yu.A.; Klevets, Ph.N.; Voytenko, A.P.

2008-01-01

Concentration-driven reorientation phase transitions in ultrathin magnetic films of FeCo alloy have been studied. It is established that, in addition to the easy-axis and easy-plane phases, a spatially inhomogeneous phase (domain structure), a canted phase, and also an 'in-plane easy-axis' phase can exist in the system. The realization of the last phase is associated with the competition between the single-ion anisotropy and the magnetoelastic interaction. The critical values of Co concentration corresponding to the phase transitions are evaluated, the types of phase transitions are determined, and the phase diagrams are constructed

Magnetoresistance Probe of Ultrathin Mn5Ge3 Films with Anderson Weak Localization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li-Jun, Chen; De-Yong, Wang; Qing-Feng, Zhan; Wei, He; Qing-An, Li

2008-01-01

We present the magnetoresistance measurements of ultrathin Mn 5 Ge 3 films with different thicknesses at low temperatures. Owing to the lattice mismatch between Mn 5 Ge 3 and Ge (111), the thickness of Mn 5 Ge 3 films has a significant effect on the magnetoresistance. When the thickness of Mn is more than 72 monolayers (MLs), the magnetoresistance of the Mn 5 Ge 3 films appears a peak at about 6kOe, which shows that the magnetoresistance results from the Anderson weak localization effect and the variable range hopping in the presence of a magnetic field. The magnetic and semiconducting properties indicate that the Mn 5 Ge 3 film is a potential material for spin injection. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

One-dimensional in-plane edge domain walls in ultrathin ferromagnetic films

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, Ross G.; Muratov, Cyrill B.; Slastikov, Valeriy V.

2018-03-01

We study existence and properties of 1D edge domain walls in ultrathin ferromagnetic films with uniaxial in-plane magnetic anisotropy. In these materials, the magnetization vector is constrained to lie entirely in the film plane, with the preferred directions dictated by the magnetocrystalline easy axis. We consider magnetization profiles in the vicinity of a straight film edge oriented at an arbitrary angle with respect to the easy axis. To minimize the micromagnetic energy, these profiles form transition layers in which the magnetization vector rotates away from the direction of the easy axis to align with the film edge. We prove existence of edge domain walls as minimizers of the appropriate 1D micromagnetic energy functional and show that they are classical solutions of the associated Euler-Lagrange equation with a Dirichlet boundary condition at the edge. We also perform a numerical study of these 1D domain walls and uncover further properties of these domain wall profiles.

How Do Organic Vapors Swell Ultrathin Films of Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity PIM-1?

Science.gov (United States)

Ogieglo, Wojciech; Rahimi, Khosorov; Rauer, Sebastian Bernhard; Ghanem, Bader; Ma, Xiaohua; Pinnau, Ingo; Wessling, Matthias

2017-07-27

Dynamic sorption of ethanol and toluene vapor into ultrathin supported films of polymer of intrinsic microporosity PIM-1 down to a thickness of 6 nm are studied with a combination of in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and in situ X-ray reflectivity. Both ethanol and toluene significantly swell the PIM-1 matrix and, at the same time, induce persistent structural relaxations of the frozen-in glassy PIM-1 morphology. For ethanol below 20 nm, three effects were identified. First, the swelling magnitude at high vapor pressures is reduced by about 30% as compared to that of thicker films. Second, at low penetrant activities (below 0.3p/p 0 ), films below 20 nm are able to absorb slightly more penetrant as compared with thicker films despite a similar swelling magnitude. Third, for the ultrathin films, the onset of the dynamic penetrant-induced glass transition P g has been found to shift to higher values, indicating higher resistance to plasticization. All of these effects are consistent with a view where immobilization of the superglassy PIM-1 at the substrate surface leads to an arrested, even more rigid, and plasticization-resistant, yet still very open, microporous structure. PIM-1 in contact with the larger and more condensable toluene shows very complex, heterogeneous swelling dynamics, and two distinct penetrant-induced relaxation phenomena, probably associated with the film outer surface and the bulk, are detected. Following the direction of the penetrant's diffusion, the surface seems to plasticize earlier than the bulk, and the two relaxations remain well separated down to 6 nm film thickness, where they remarkably merge to form just a single relaxation.

Ultrathin percolated WO{sub 3} cluster film and its resistive response to H{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Meng [Research Center for Solid State Physics and Materials, School of Mathematics and Physics, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009 (China); Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Wong, Man Hon; Huang, Jian Xing [Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Ong, Chung Wo, E-mail: c.w.ong@polyu.edu.hk [Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

2014-11-05

Highlights: • Ultrathin percolated network of WO{sub 3} clusters was fabricated. • The WO{sub 3} clusters are modeled by spherical caps connected by ultrafine linkages. • The ultrathin percolated network of WO{sub 3} clusters shows fast response rate to H{sub 2}. • The fast response is attributed to the rapid electrical switching of the linkages. • Improved H{sub 2} sensing properties may be achieved if narrower linkages are used. - Abstract: Thin films composed of tungsten oxide (WO{sub 3}) nanoclusters were fabricated by oxidizing supersonic cluster beam deposited tungsten films at various temperatures. Oxidation at 700 °C resulted in aggregation of the deposits, forming a percolated network of WO{sub 3} spherical caps connected by fine links. The resistance response of the palladium-(Pd-) coated film sample to hydrogen (H{sub 2}) was investigated. The response rate was faster than those of other samples oxidized at lower temperatures. This is the result of the rapid electrical switching of the intercluster links between the highly resistive depleted state and conducting hydrogenated state. The possibility of improving the H{sub 2} sensing response rate with the use of the percolated WO{sub 3} film structure is illustrated.

Efficient Inorganic Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes with Polyethylene Glycol Passivated Ultrathin CsPbBr3 Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Li; Guo, Xiaoyang; Hu, Yongsheng; Lv, Ying; Lin, Jie; Liu, Zheqin; Fan, Yi; Liu, Xingyuan

2017-09-07

Efficient inorganic perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) with an ultrathin perovskite emission layer (∼30 nm) were realized by doping Lewis base polyethylene glycol (PEG) into CsPbBr 3 films. PEG in the perovskite films not only physically fills the crystal boundaries but also interacts with the perovskite crystals to passivate the crystal grains, reduce nonradiative recombination, and ensure efficient luminance and high efficiency. As a result, promoted brightness, current efficiency (CE), and external quantum efficiency (EQE) were achieved. The nonradiative decay rate of the PEG:CsPbBr 3 composite film is 1 order of magnitude less than that of the neat CsPbBr 3 film. After further optimization of the molar ratio between CsBr and PbBr 2 , a peak CE of 19 cd/A, a maximum EQE of 5.34%, and a maximum brightness of 36600 cd/m 2 were achieved, demonstrating the interaction between PEG and the precursors. The results are expected to offer some helpful implications in optimizing the polymer-assisted PeLEDs with ultrathin emission layers, which might have potential application in see-through displays.

Electrical properties of single crystal Yttrium Iron Garnet ultra-thin films at high temperatures

OpenAIRE

Thiery, Nicolas; Naletov, Vladimir V.; Vila, Laurent; Marty, Alain; Brenac, Ariel; Jacquot, Jean-François; de Loubens, Grégoire; Viret, Michel; Anane, Abdelmadjid; Cros, Vincent; Youssef, Jamal Ben; Demidov, Vladislav E.; Demokritov, Sergej O.; Klein, Olivier

2017-01-01

We report a study on the electrical properties of 19 nm thick Yttrium Iron Garnet (YIG) films grown by liquid phase epitaxy. The electrical conductivity and Hall coefficient are measured in the high temperature range [300,400]~K using a Van der Pauw four-point probe technique. We find that the electrical resistivity decreases exponentially with increasing temperature following an activated behavior corresponding to a band-gap of $E_g\\approx 2$ eV, indicating that epitaxial YIG ultra-thin film...

Epitaxial growth of ultra-thin NbN films on AlxGa1−xN buffer-layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, S; Meledin, D; Desmaris, V; Pavolotsky, A; Belitsky, V; Rudziński, M; Pippel, E

2014-01-01

The suitability of Al x Ga 1−x N epilayers to deposit onto ultra-thin NbN films has been demonstrated for the first time. High quality single-crystal films with 5 nm thickness confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) have been deposited in a reproducible manner by means of reactive DC magnetron sputtering at elevated temperatures and exhibit critical temperatures (T c ) as high as 13.2 K and residual resistivity ratio (RRR) ∼1 on hexagonal GaN epilayers. On increasing the Al content x in the Al x Ga 1−x N epilayer above 20%, a gradual deterioration of T c to 10 K was observed. Deposition of NbN on bare silicon substrates served as a reference and comparison. Excellent spatial homogeneity of the fabricated films was confirmed by R(T) measurements of patterned micro-bridges across the entire film area. The superconducting properties of these films were further characterized by critical magnetic field and critical current measurements. It is expected that the employment of GaN material as a buffer-layer for the deposition of ultra-thin NbN films will prospectively benefit terahertz electronics, particularly hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers. (paper)

Structure of ultrathin Pd films determined by low-energy electron microscopy and diffraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, B; De la Figuera, J [Centro de Microanalisis de Materiales, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049 (Spain); Puerta, J M; Cerda, J I [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales, CSIC, Madrid 28049 (Spain); Herranz, T [Instituto de Quimica-Fisica ' Rocasolano' , CSIC, Madrid 28006 (Spain); McCarty, K F [Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States)], E-mail: benitosantos001@gmail.com

2010-02-15

Palladium (Pd) films have been grown and characterized in situ by low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and microscopy in two different regimes: ultrathin films 2-6 monolayers (ML) thick on Ru(0001), and {approx}20 ML thick films on both Ru(0001) and W(110). The thinner films are grown at elevated temperature (750 K) and are lattice matched to the Ru(0001) substrate. The thicker films, deposited at room temperature and annealed to 880 K, have a relaxed in-plane lattice spacing. All the films present an fcc stacking sequence as determined by LEED intensity versus energy analysis. In all the films, there is hardly any expansion in the surface-layer interlayer spacing. Two types of twin-related stacking sequences of the Pd layers are found on each substrate. On W(110) the two fcc twin types can occur on a single substrate terrace. On Ru(0001) each substrate terrace has a single twin type and the twin boundaries replicate the substrate steps.

Surfactant-mediated growth of ultrathin Ge and Si films and their interfaces: Interference-enhanced Raman study

OpenAIRE

Kanakaraju, S; Sood, AK; Mohan, S

2000-01-01

We report on the growth and interfaces of ultrathin polycrystalline Ge and Si films when they are grown on each other using ion beam sputter deposition with and without surfactant at different growth temperatures, studied using interference enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Ge films grown on Si without surfactant show Ge segregation at the interfaces forming an alloy of GexSi1-x as indicated by the Ge-Si Raman mode. However, use of Sb as surfactant strongly suppresses the intermixing. Also Si film...

Operando SXRD of E-ALD deposited sulphides ultra-thin films: Crystallite strain and size

Science.gov (United States)

Giaccherini, Andrea; Russo, Francesca; Carlà, Francesco; Guerri, Annalisa; Picca, Rosaria Anna; Cioffi, Nicola; Cinotti, Serena; Montegrossi, Giordano; Passaponti, Maurizio; Di Benedetto, Francesco; Felici, Roberto; Innocenti, Massimo

2018-02-01

Electrochemical Atomic Layer Deposition (E-ALD), exploiting surface limited electrodeposition of atomic layers, can easily grow highly ordered ultra-thin films and 2D structures. Among other compounds CuxZnyS grown by means of E-ALD on Ag(111) has been found particularly suitable for the solar energy conversion due to its band gap (1.61 eV). However its growth seems to be characterized by a micrometric thread-like structure, probably overgrowing a smooth ultra-thin films. On this ground, a SXRD investigation has been performed, to address the open questions about the structure and the growth of CuxZnyS by means of E-ALD. The experiment shows a pseudo single crystal pattern as well as a powder pattern, confirming that part of the sample grows epitaxially on the Ag(111) substrate. The growth of the film was monitored by following the evolution of the Bragg peaks and Debye rings during the E-ALD steps. Breadth and profile analysis of the Bragg peaks lead to a qualitative interpretation of the growth mechanism. This study confirms that Zn lead to the growth of a strained Cu2S-like structure, while the growth of the thread-like structure is probably driven by the release of the stress from the epitaxial phase.

Molecular dynamics simulations of ultrathin water film confined between flat diamond plates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.V. Khomenko

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Molecular dynamics simulations of ultrathin water film confined between atomically flat rigid diamond plates are described. Films with thickness of one and two molecular diameters are concerned and TIP4P model is used for water molecules. Dynamical and equilibrium characteristics of the system for different values of the external load and shear force are investigated. An increase of the external load causes the transition of the film to a solidlike state. This is manifested in a decrease of the diffusion constant and in the ordering of the liquid molecules into quasidiscrete layers. For two-layer film under high loads, the molecules also become ordered parallel to the surfaces. Time dependencies of the friction force and the changes of its average value with the load are obtained. In general, the behaviour of the studied model is consistent with the experimental results obtained for simple liquids with spherical molecules.

High-Pressure CO2 Sorption in Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity under Ultrathin Film Confinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogieglo, Wojciech; Ghanem, Bader; Ma, Xiaohua; Wessling, Matthias; Pinnau, Ingo

2018-04-04

Ultrathin microporous polymer films are pertinent to the development and further spread of nanotechnology with very promising potential applications in molecular separations, sensors, catalysis, or batteries. Here, we report high-pressure CO 2 sorption in ultrathin films of several chemically different polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs), including the prototypical PIM-1. Films with thicknesses down to 7 nm were studied using interference-enhanced in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. It was found that all PIMs swell much more than non-microporous polystyrene and other high-performance glassy polymers reported previously. Furthermore, chemical modifications of the parent PIM-1 strongly affected the swelling magnitude. By investigating the behavior of relative refractive index, n rel , it was possible to study the interplay between micropores filling and matrix expansion. Remarkably, all studied PIMs showed a maximum in n rel at swelling of 2-2.5% indicating a threshold point above which the dissolution in the dense matrix started to dominate over sorption in the micropores. At pressures above 25 bar, all PIMs significantly plasticized in compressed CO 2 and for the ones with the highest affinity to the penetrant, a liquidlike mixing typical for rubbery polymers was observed. Reduction of film thickness below 100 nm revealed pronounced nanoconfinement effects and resulted in a large swelling enhancement and a quick loss of the ultrarigid character. On the basis of the partial molar volumes of the dissolved CO 2 , the effective reduction of the T g was estimated to be ∼200 °C going from 128 to 7 nm films.

High-Pressure CO2 Sorption in Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity under Ultrathin Film Confinement

KAUST Repository

Ogieglo, Wojciech

2018-03-12

Ultrathin microporous polymer films are pertinent to the development and further spread of nanotechnology with very promising potential applications in molecular separations, sensors, catalysis, or batteries. Here, we report high-pressure CO2 sorption in ultrathin films of several chemically different polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs), including the prototypical PIM-1. Films with thicknesses down to 7 nm were studied using interference-enhanced in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. It was found that all PIMs swell much more than non-microporous polystyrene and other high-performance glassy polymers reported previously. Furthermore, chemical modifications of the parent PIM-1 strongly affected the swelling magnitude. By investigating the behavior of relative refractive index, nrel, it was possible to study the interplay between micropores filling and matrix expansion. Remarkably, all studied PIMs showed a maximum in nrel at swelling of 2-2.5% indicating a threshold point above which the dissolution in the dense matrix started to dominate over sorption in the micropores. At pressures above 25 bar, all PIMs significantly plasticized in compressed CO2 and for the ones with the highest affinity to the penetrant, a liquidlike mixing typical for rubbery polymers was observed. Reduction of film thickness below 100 nm revealed pronounced nanoconfinement effects and resulted in a large swelling enhancement and a quick loss of the ultrarigid character. On the basis of the partial molar volumes of the dissolved CO2, the effective reduction of the Tg was estimated to be ∼200 °C going from 128 to 7 nm films.

High-Pressure CO2 Sorption in Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity under Ultrathin Film Confinement

KAUST Repository

Ogieglo, Wojciech; Ghanem, Bader; Ma, Xiaohua; Wessling, Matthias; Pinnau, Ingo

2018-01-01

Ultrathin microporous polymer films are pertinent to the development and further spread of nanotechnology with very promising potential applications in molecular separations, sensors, catalysis, or batteries. Here, we report high-pressure CO2 sorption in ultrathin films of several chemically different polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs), including the prototypical PIM-1. Films with thicknesses down to 7 nm were studied using interference-enhanced in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. It was found that all PIMs swell much more than non-microporous polystyrene and other high-performance glassy polymers reported previously. Furthermore, chemical modifications of the parent PIM-1 strongly affected the swelling magnitude. By investigating the behavior of relative refractive index, nrel, it was possible to study the interplay between micropores filling and matrix expansion. Remarkably, all studied PIMs showed a maximum in nrel at swelling of 2-2.5% indicating a threshold point above which the dissolution in the dense matrix started to dominate over sorption in the micropores. At pressures above 25 bar, all PIMs significantly plasticized in compressed CO2 and for the ones with the highest affinity to the penetrant, a liquidlike mixing typical for rubbery polymers was observed. Reduction of film thickness below 100 nm revealed pronounced nanoconfinement effects and resulted in a large swelling enhancement and a quick loss of the ultrarigid character. On the basis of the partial molar volumes of the dissolved CO2, the effective reduction of the Tg was estimated to be ∼200 °C going from 128 to 7 nm films.

Mixed-Penetrant Sorption in Ultra-Thin Films of Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity PIM-1

KAUST Repository

Ogieglo, Wojciech; Furchner, Andreas; Ghanem, Bader; Ma, Xiao-Hua; Pinnau, Ingo; Wessling, Matthias

2017-01-01

Mixed penetrant sorption into ultra-thin films of a super-glassy polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) was studied for the first time by using interference-enhanced in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. PIM-1 swelling and the concurrent changes in its refractive index were determined in ultra-thin (12 - 14 nm) films exposed to pure and mixed penetrants. The penetrants included water, n-hexane and ethanol and were chosen based on their significantly different penetrant-penetrant and penetrant-polymer affinities. This allowed studying microporous polymer responses at diverse ternary compositions and revealed effects such as competition for the sorption sites (for water / n-hexane or ethanol / n-hexane) or enhancement in sorption of typically weakly sorbing water in the presence of more highly sorbing ethanol. The results reveal details of the mutual sorption effects which often complicate comprehension of glassy polymers' behavior in applications such as high-performance membranes, adsorbents or catalysts. Mixed-penetrant effects are typically very challenging to study directly and their understanding is necessary owing to a broadly recognized inadequacy of simple extrapolations from measurements in pure component environment.

Mixed-Penetrant Sorption in Ultra-Thin Films of Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity PIM-1

KAUST Repository

Ogieglo, Wojciech

2017-10-12

Mixed penetrant sorption into ultra-thin films of a super-glassy polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) was studied for the first time by using interference-enhanced in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. PIM-1 swelling and the concurrent changes in its refractive index were determined in ultra-thin (12 - 14 nm) films exposed to pure and mixed penetrants. The penetrants included water, n-hexane and ethanol and were chosen based on their significantly different penetrant-penetrant and penetrant-polymer affinities. This allowed studying microporous polymer responses at diverse ternary compositions and revealed effects such as competition for the sorption sites (for water / n-hexane or ethanol / n-hexane) or enhancement in sorption of typically weakly sorbing water in the presence of more highly sorbing ethanol. The results reveal details of the mutual sorption effects which often complicate comprehension of glassy polymers\\' behavior in applications such as high-performance membranes, adsorbents or catalysts. Mixed-penetrant effects are typically very challenging to study directly and their understanding is necessary owing to a broadly recognized inadequacy of simple extrapolations from measurements in pure component environment.

A dual-stimuli-responsive fluorescent switch ultrathin film

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhixiong; Liang, Ruizheng; Liu, Wendi; Yan, Dongpeng; Wei, Min

2015-10-01

Stimuli-responsive fluorescent switches have shown broad applications in optical devices, biological materials and intelligent responses. Herein, we describe the design and fabrication of a dual-stimuli-responsive fluorescent switch ultrathin film (UTF) via a three-step layer-by-layer (LBL) technique: (i) encapsulation of spiropyran (SP) within an amphiphilic block copolymer (PTBEM) to give the (SP@PTBEM) micelle; (ii) the mixture of riboflavin (Rf) and poly(styrene 4-sulfonate) (PSS) to enhance the adhesion ability of small molecules; (iii) assembly of negatively charged SP@PTBEM and Rf-PSS with cationic layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoplatelets to obtain the (Rf-PSS/LDH/SP@PTBEM)n UTFs (n: bilayer number). The assembly process of the UTFs and their luminescence properties, as monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), present a uniform and ordered layered structure with stepwise growth. The resulting Rf-PSS/LDH/SP@PTBEM UTF serves as a three-state switchable multicolor (green, yellow, and red) luminescent system based on stimulation from UV/Vis light and pH, with an acceptable reversibility. Therefore, this work provides a facile way to fabricate stimuli-responsive solid-state film switches with tunable-color luminescence, which have potential applications in the areas of displays, sensors, and rewritable optical memory and fluorescent logic devices.Stimuli-responsive fluorescent switches have shown broad applications in optical devices, biological materials and intelligent responses. Herein, we describe the design and fabrication of a dual-stimuli-responsive fluorescent switch ultrathin film (UTF) via a three-step layer-by-layer (LBL) technique: (i) encapsulation of spiropyran (SP) within an amphiphilic block copolymer (PTBEM) to give the (SP@PTBEM) micelle; (ii) the mixture of riboflavin (Rf) and poly(styrene 4-sulfonate) (PSS) to enhance the adhesion ability of small molecules; (iii) assembly of negatively charged SP

Study of anisotropy, magnetization reversal and damping in ultrathin Co films on MgO (0 0 1) substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Mallik, Srijani; Bedanta, Subhankar

2018-01-01

Ultrathin Co films of 3 nm thickness have been prepared on MgO (0 0 1) substrate in presence or absence of substrate pre-annealing. Uniaxial anisotropy is induced in the samples due to the deposition under oblique angle of incidence. Along with the oblique deposition induced anisotropy, another uniaxial anisotropy contribution has been observed due to pre-annealing. However, no cubic anisotropy has been observed here as compared to the thicker films. Angle dependent ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurement confirms the presence of two anisotropies in the pre-annealed sample with ∼18° misalignment with each other. The two anisotropy constants were calculated from both superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry and FMR spectroscopy. The magnetization reversal is governed by nucleation dominated aftereffect followed by domain wall motion for the pre-annealed sample. Branched domains are observed for the sample prepared without pre-annealing which indicates grain disorientation of Co. However, in the thicker (25 nm) Co films ripple domains were observed in contrary to ultrathin (3 nm) films.

Size- and phase-dependent mechanical properties of ultrathin Si films on polyimide substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlich, Franziska F.; Spolenak, Ralph

2016-01-01

Ultrathin Si films in the nanometer range are extensively used for electronic and optoelectronic devices. Their mechanical properties have a high impact on the durability of the devices during lifetime. Here, fragmentation and buckling of 8–103 nm thin amorphous and polycrystalline (poly-) Si films on polyimide substrates have been studied by in situ light microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and resistance measurements. Generally, a smaller film thickness and a compressive residual stress delays the fracture of the film. The fracture strength of poly-Si films is larger compared to that of amorphous Si films while the adhesion to the substrate is better for amorphous Si compared to poly-Si. The onset delamination as a function of film thickness differs for the two phases and is described by two different models. Thin-film models for fracture toughness (amorphous Si: K 1C  = 1.49 ± 0.22, poly-Si: K 1C  = 3.36 ± 1.37) are applied, discussed, and found to be consistent with literature values.

Terahertz-field-induced photoluminescence of nanostructured gold films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iwaszczuk, Krzysztof; Malureanu, Radu; Zalkovskij, Maksim

2013-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate photoluminescence from nanostructured ultrathin gold films subjected to strong single-cycle terahertz transients with peak electric field over 300 kV/cm. We show that UV-Vis-NIR light is being generated and the efficiency of the process is strongly enhanced at the pe......We experimentally demonstrate photoluminescence from nanostructured ultrathin gold films subjected to strong single-cycle terahertz transients with peak electric field over 300 kV/cm. We show that UV-Vis-NIR light is being generated and the efficiency of the process is strongly enhanced...

Alloy formation during the electrochemical growth of a Ag-Cd ultrathin film on Au(1 1 1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrio, M.C. del; Garcia, S.G.; Salinas, D.R.

2009-01-01

The electrodeposition of a Ag/Cd ultrathin film on a Au(1 1 1) surface and the formation of a surface alloy during this process have been studied using classical electrochemical techniques and in situ Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM). The films were obtained from separate electrolytes containing Ag + or Cd 2+ ions and from a multicomponent solution containing both ions. First, the polarization conditions were adjusted in order to form a Ag film by overpotential deposition. Afterwards, a Cd monolayer was formed onto this Au(1 1 1)/Ag modified surface by underpotential deposition. The voltammetric behavior of the Cd UPD and the in situ STM images indicated that the ultrathin Ag films were uniformly deposited and epitaxially oriented with respect to the Au(1 1 1) surface. Long time polarization experiments showed that a significant Ag-Cd surface alloying accompanied the formation of the Cd monolayer on the Au(1 1 1)/Ag modified surface, independent of the Ag film thickness. In the case of an extremely thin Ag layer (1 Ag ML) the STM images and long time polarization experiments revealed a solid state diffusion process of Cd, Ag, and Au atoms which can be responsible for the formation of different Ag-Cd or Au-Ag-Cd alloy phases.

Probing stress state and phase content in ultra-thin Ta films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitacre, J.F.; Yalisove, S.M.; Bilello, J.C.; Rek, Z.U.

1998-01-01

Ta films 25 angstrom to 200 angstrom in thickness were sputter-deposited using different sputter gas (Ar) pressures and cathode power settings. The average in-plane stresses were determined using double crystal diffraction topography (DCDT). X-ray analysis (using the grazing incidence x-ray scattering (GIXS) geometry) was performed using a synchrotron light source. To study microstructure and phase content, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and transmission electron diffraction (TED) were used. Well resolved x-ray patterns were collected for all of the films. The DCDT stress data was found to be consistent with stress effects evidence in the GIXS data. In general, residual stress state was not strongly dependent upon Ar pressure. The strongest evidence of amorphous content was found in both x-ray and TED data taken from 25 angstrom thick films deposited using 2mTorr Ar pressure and 460 W cathode power. These results show that it is possible to create and study ultra-thin Ta films which possess a range of residual stresses and phase compositions

Antiferromagnetic coupling of TbPc2 molecules to ultrathin Ni and Co films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Klar

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The magnetic and electronic properties of single-molecule magnets are studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. We study the magnetic coupling of ultrathin Co and Ni films that are epitaxially grown onto a Cu(100 substrate, to an in situ deposited submonolayer of TbPc2 molecules. Because of the element specificity of the X-ray absorption spectroscopy we are able to individually determine the field dependence of the magnetization of the Tb ions and the Ni or Co film. On both substrates the TbPc2 molecules couple antiferromagnetically to the ferromagnetic films, which is possibly due to a superexchange interaction via the phthalocyanine ligand that contacts the magnetic surface.

Ultrathin Nanocrystalline Diamond Films with Silicon Vacancy Color Centers via Seeding by 2 nm Detonation Nanodiamonds.

Science.gov (United States)

Stehlik, Stepan; Varga, Marian; Stenclova, Pavla; Ondic, Lukas; Ledinsky, Martin; Pangrac, Jiri; Vanek, Ondrej; Lipov, Jan; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav

2017-11-08

Color centers in diamonds have shown excellent potential for applications in quantum information processing, photonics, and biology. Here we report chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films as thin as 5-6 nm with photoluminescence (PL) from silicon-vacancy (SiV) centers at 739 nm. Instead of conventional 4-6 nm detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs), we prepared and employed hydrogenated 2 nm DNDs (zeta potential = +36 mV) to form extremely dense (∼1.3 × 10 13 cm -2 ), thin (2 ± 1 nm), and smooth (RMS roughness < 0.8 nm) nucleation layers on an Si/SiO x substrate, which enabled the CVD growth of such ultrathin NCD films in two different and complementary microwave (MW) CVD systems: (i) focused MW plasma with an ellipsoidal cavity resonator and (ii) pulsed MW plasma with a linear antenna arrangement. Analytical ultracentrifuge, infrared and Raman spectroscopies, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy are used for detailed characterization of the 2 nm H-DNDs and the nucleation layer as well as the ultrathin NCD films. We also demonstrate on/off switching of the SiV center PL in the NCD films thinner than 10 nm, which is achieved by changing their surface chemistry.

Diffusion of phonons through (along and across) the ultrathin crystalline films

Science.gov (United States)

Šetrajčić, J. P.; Jaćimovski, S. K.; Vučenović, S. M.

2017-11-01

Instead of usual approach, applying displacement-displacement Green's functions, the momentum-momentum Green's functions will be used to calculate the diffusion tensor. With this type of Green's function we have calculated and analyzed dispersion law in film-structures. A small number of phonon energy levels along the direction of boundary surfaces joint of the film are discrete-ones and in this case standing waves could occur. This is consequence of quantum size effects. These Green's functions enter into Kubo's formula defining diffusion properties of the system and possible heat transfer direction through observed structures. Calculation of the diffusion tensor for phonons in film-structure requires solving of the system of difference equations. Boundary conditions are included into mentioned system through the Hamiltonian of the film-structure. It has been shown that the diagonal elements of the diffusion tensor express discrete behavior of the dispersion law of elementary excitations. More important result is-that they are temperature independent and that their values are much higher comparing with bulk structures. This result favors better heat conduction of the film, but in direction which is perpendicular to boundary film surface. In the same time this significantly favors appearance 2D superconducting surfaces inside the ultra-thin crystal structure, which are parallel to the boundary surface.

Tribological performance of ultrathin diamond-like carbon films prepared by plasma-based ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, J X; Li, E Q; Tian, Z; Pan, X F; Xu, J; Jin, L; Yang, H G

2008-01-01

Ultrathin diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with thicknesses of 5-60 nm have been prepared on Si by plasma-based ion implantation. Raman spectrum and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show that these DLC films present high sp 3 /sp 2 ratios. XPS also displays that each DLC film firmly adheres to the Si substrate owing to a C-Si transition layer. Atomic force microscopy shows that the DLC films are smooth and compact with average roughness (R a ) of about 0.25 nm. Sliding friction experiments reveal that these DLC films show significantly improved tribological performance. With increase of DLC film thickness, the sp 3 /sp 2 ratio increases, the roughness decreases, the hardness increases, the adhesive wear lightens and thereby the tribological performance becomes enhanced. Also, the effects of the applied load and the reciprocating frequency on the tribological performance are discussed

Comment on 'extrinsic versus intrinsic ferroelectric switching : experimental investigations using ultra-thin PVDF Langmuir-Blodgett films'

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Naber, R.C.G.; Blom, P.W.M.; de Leeuw, DM

2006-01-01

Previous work on ultra-thin P(VDF-TrFE) Langmuir-Blodgett films has indicated a transition from extrinsic to intrinsic ferroelectric switching. The lack of several key features of intrinsic switching in the experimental work reported by Kliem et al argues against intrinsic switching. In this Comment

Structure and morphology of magnetron sputter deposited ultrathin ZnO films on confined polymeric template

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Ajaib [Discipline of Metallurgy Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore 453552 (India); Schipmann, Susanne [II. Insatitute of Physics and JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen (Germany); Mathur, Aakash; Pal, Dipayan [Discipline of Metallurgy Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore 453552 (India); Sengupta, Amartya [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Delhi 110016 (India); Klemradt, Uwe [II. Insatitute of Physics and JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen (Germany); Chattopadhyay, Sudeshna, E-mail: sudeshna@iiti.ac.in [Discipline of Metallurgy Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore 453552 (India); Discipline of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore 453552 (India); Centre for Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore 453552 (India)

2017-08-31

Highlights: • Ultra-thin ZnO films grown on confined polymeric (polystyrene, PS) template. • XRR and GISAXS explore the surface/interfaces structure and morphology of ZnO/PS. • Insights into the growth mechanism of magnetron sputtered ZnO thin film on PS template. • Nucleated disk-like cylindrical particles are the basis of the formation of ZnO layers. • Effect of ZnO film thickness on room temperature PL spectra in ZnO/PS systems. - Abstract: The structure and morphology of ultra-thin zinc oxide (ZnO) films with different film thicknesses on confined polymer template were studied through X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). Using magnetron sputter deposition technique ZnO thin films with different film thicknesses (<10 nm) were grown on confined polystyrene with ∼2R{sub g} film thickness, where R{sub g} ∼ 20 nm (R{sub g} is the unperturbed radius of gyration of polystyrene, defined by R{sub g} = 0.272 √M{sub 0}, and M{sub 0} is the molecular weight of polystyrene). The detailed internal structure, along the surface/interfaces and the growth direction of the system were explored in this study, which provides insight into the growth procedure of ZnO on confined polymer and reveals that a thin layer of ZnO, with very low surface and interface roughness, can be grown by DC magnetron sputtering technique, with approximately full coverage (with bulk like electron density) even in nm order of thickness, in 2–7 nm range on confined polymer template, without disturbing the structure of the underneath template. The resulting ZnO-polystyrene hybrid systems show strong ZnO near band edge (NBE) and deep-level (DLE) emissions in their room temperature photoluminescence spectra, where the contribution of DLE gets relatively stronger with decreasing ZnO film thickness, indicating a significant enhancement of surface defects because of the greater surface to volume ratio in thinner films.

The effect of deposition energy of energetic atoms on the growth and structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon films studied by molecular dynamics simulations

KAUST Repository

Wang, N; Komvopoulos, K

2014-01-01

The growth and structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon films was investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The second-generation reactive-empirical-bond-order potential was used to model atomic interactions. Films with different structures

Local variation of fragility and glass transition temperature of ultra-thin supported polymer films.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanakata, Paul Z; Douglas, Jack F; Starr, Francis W

2012-12-28

Despite extensive efforts, a definitive picture of the glass transition of ultra-thin polymer films has yet to emerge. The effect of film thickness h on the glass transition temperature T(g) has been widely examined, but this characterization does not account for the fragility of glass-formation, which quantifies how rapidly relaxation times vary with temperature T. Accordingly, we simulate supported polymer films of a bead-spring model and determine both T(g) and fragility, both as a function of h and film depth. We contrast changes in the relaxation dynamics with density ρ and demonstrate the limitations of the commonly invoked free-volume layer model. As opposed to bulk polymer materials, we find that the fragility and T(g) do not generally vary proportionately. Consequently, the determination of the fragility profile--both locally and for the film as a whole--is essential for the characterization of changes in film dynamics with confinement.

Gigantic Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in the MnBi ultrathin films

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jie-Xiang; Zang, Jiadong; Zang's Team

The magnetic skyrmion, a swirling-like spin texture with nontrivial topology, is driven by strong Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction originated from the spin-orbit coupling in inversion symmetry breaking systems. Here, based on first-principles calculations, we predict a new material, MnBi ultrathin film, with gigantic DM interactions. The ratio of the DM interaction to the Heisenberg exchange is about 0.3, exceeding any values reported so far. Its high Curie temperature, high coercivity, and large perpendicular magnetoanisotropy make MnBi a good candidate for future spintronics studies. Topologically nontrivial spin textures are emergent in this system. We expect further experimental efforts will be devoted into this systems.

Probing the surface swelling in ultra-thin supported polystyrene films during case II diffusion of n-hexane

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ogieglo, Wojciech; Wormeester, Herbert; Wessling, Matthias; Benes, Nieck Edwin

2013-01-01

In situ time-resolved spectroscopic ellipsometry is used to study the dynamics of n-hexane diffusion into, and the corresponding induced swelling of, ultra-thin polystyrene films. The experimental conditions are carefully selected to facilitate the observation of anomalous Case II diffusion in the

2D ultrathin core-shell Pd@Ptmonolayer nanosheets: defect-mediated thin film growth and enhanced oxygen reduction performance

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wenxin; Zhao, Yunfeng; Ding, Yi

2015-07-01

An operational strategy for the synthesis of atomically smooth Pt skin by a defect-mediated thin film growth method is reported. Extended ultrathin core-shell structured d@Ptmonolayer nanosheets (thickness below 5 nm) exhibit nearly seven-fold enhancement in mass-activity and surprisingly good durability toward oxygen reduction reaction as compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst.An operational strategy for the synthesis of atomically smooth Pt skin by a defect-mediated thin film growth method is reported. Extended ultrathin core-shell structured d@Ptmonolayer nanosheets (thickness below 5 nm) exhibit nearly seven-fold enhancement in mass-activity and surprisingly good durability toward oxygen reduction reaction as compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Sample preparation, physical and electrochemical characterization, Fig. S1 to S11. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr02748a

Growth and hydrogenation of ultra-thin Mg films on Mo(111)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ostenfeld, Christopher Worsøe; Davies, Jonathan Conrad; Vegge, Tejs

2005-01-01

. Hydrogen cannot be adsorbed on magnesium films under UHV conditions. However, when evaporating Mg in a hydrogen background, a hydrogen overlayer is seen to adsorb at the Mg surface, due to the catalytic interaction with the Mo(1 1 1) substrate and subsequent spill-over. We show that two monolayers of Mg......The growth and hydrogenation of ultra-thin magnesium overlayers have been investigated on a Mo(1 1 1) single crystal substrate. For increasing magnesium coverages we observe intermediate stages in the TPD and LEISS profiles, which illustrate the transition from one monolayer to multilayer growth...

XPS study of the ultrathin a-C:H films deposited onto ion beam nitrided AISI 316 steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meskinis, S.; Andrulevicius, M.; Kopustinskas, V.; Tamulevicius, S.

2005-01-01

Effects of the steel surface treatment by nitrogen ion beam and subsequent deposition of the diamond-like carbon (hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) and nitrogen doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-CN x :H)) films were investigated by means of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Experimental results show that nitrogen ion beam treatment of the AISI 316 steel surface even at room temperature results in the formation of the Cr and Fe nitrides. Replacement of the respective metal oxides by the nitrides takes place. Formation of the C-N bonds was observed for both ultrathin a-C:H and ultrathin a-CN x :H layers deposited onto the nitrided steel. Some Fe and/or Cr nitrides still were presented at the interface after the film deposition, too. Increased adhesion between the steel substrate and hydrogenated amorphous carbon layer after the ion beam nitridation was explained by three main factors. The first two is steel surface deoxidisation/passivation by nitrogen as a result of the ion beam treatment. The third one is carbon nitride formation at the nitrided steel-hydrogenated amorphous carbon (or a-CN x :H) film interface

High optical transmittance of aluminum ultrathin film with hexagonal nanohole arrays as transparent electrode

KAUST Repository

Du, Qing Guo; Yue, Weisheng; Wang, Zhihong; Lau, Wah Tung; Ren, Hengjiang; Li, Er-Ping

2016-01-01

We fabricate samples of aluminum ultrathin films with hexagonal nanohole arrays and characterize the transmission performance. High optical transmittance larger than 60% over a broad wavelength range from 430 nm to 750 nm is attained experimentally. The Fano-type resonance of the excited surface plasmon plaritons and the directly transmitted light attribute to both of the broadband transmission enhancement and the transmission suppression dips. © 2016 Optical Society of America.

High optical transmittance of aluminum ultrathin film with hexagonal nanohole arrays as transparent electrode

KAUST Repository

Du, Qing Guo

2016-02-24

We fabricate samples of aluminum ultrathin films with hexagonal nanohole arrays and characterize the transmission performance. High optical transmittance larger than 60% over a broad wavelength range from 430 nm to 750 nm is attained experimentally. The Fano-type resonance of the excited surface plasmon plaritons and the directly transmitted light attribute to both of the broadband transmission enhancement and the transmission suppression dips. © 2016 Optical Society of America.

Combined ellipsometry and X-ray related techniques for studies of ultrathin organic nanocomposite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kraemer, Markus, E-mail: axo@standing-waves.d [Leibniz-Institut fuer Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V., Bunsen-Kirchhoff-Str. 11, 44139 Dortmund (Germany); AXO DRESDEN GmbH, Siegfried-Raedel-Str. 31, 01809 Heidenau (Germany); Roodenko, Katy [Leibniz-Institut fuer Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V.-Department Berlin, Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Laboratory for Surface and Nanostructure Modification, University of Texas at Dallas-NSERL, 800W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080 (United States); Pollakowski, Beatrix [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Abbestr. 2-12, 10587 Berlin (Germany); Hinrichs, Karsten [Leibniz-Institut fuer Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V.-Department Berlin, Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Rappich, Joerg [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie GmbH, Abteilung Silizium-Photovoltaik, Kekulestr. 5, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Esser, Norbert [Leibniz-Institut fuer Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V.-Department Berlin, Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Bohlen, Alex von; Hergenroeder, Roland [Leibniz-Institut fuer Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V., Bunsen-Kirchhoff-Str. 11, 44139 Dortmund (Germany)

2010-07-30

Ultrathin nanocomposite films of nitrobenzene on silicon were analyzed by Infrared Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (IRSE), X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and X-ray standing waves (XSW) before and after evaporation of gold. Infrared Spectroscopic Ellipsometry measurements were performed for identification of adsorbates and for investigation of the molecular orientation. Results for film thickness were correlated with XRR measurements. Further, XSW measurements of elements incorporated in nitrobenzene (C, N, and O) were performed with soft X-rays. The combination of the different methods allowed to confirm a model for the electrochemically deposited nitrobenzene films before and after gold evaporation. The characterization by XRR and XSW scans using hard X-rays showed that gold had penetrated into the nitrobenzene film and thus changed density and optical properties of this layer significantly. A depth profile correlated to the electron density is deduced from the XRR measurements. This profile allows to localize-in vertical direction-gold islands within the composite film.

Low-field magnetoresistance anisotropy in strained ultrathin Pr0.67Sr0.33MnO3 films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, H.S.; Li, Q.

1999-01-01

The authors have studied the anisotropic low-field magnetoresistance (LFMR) in ultrathin Pr 0.67 sr 0.33 MnO 3 (PSMO) films epitaxially grown on LaAlO 3 (LAO), STiO 3 (STO), and NdGaO 3 (NGO) substrates which impose compressive, tensile, and nearly-zero strains in the films. The compressively-strained films show a very large negative LFMR in a perpendicular magnetic field and a much smaller MR in a parallel field, while the tensile-strain films show positive LFMR in a perpendicular field and negative MR in a parallel field. The results are interpreted based on the strain-induced magnetic anisotropy

Comment on 'Extrinsic versus intrinsic ferroelectric switching: experimental investigations using ultra-thin PVDF Langmuir-Blodgett films'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naber, R C G; Blom, P W M; Leeuw, D M de

2006-01-01

Previous work on ultra-thin P(VDF-TrFE) Langmuir-Blodgett films has indicated a transition from extrinsic to intrinsic ferroelectric switching. The lack of several key features of intrinsic switching in the experimental work reported by Kliem et al argues against intrinsic switching. In this Comment we discuss two published papers and new experimental results that support a lack of intrinsic switching and point to the conclusion that the thickness dependence of the Langmuir-Blodgett films is due to the influence of the electrode interfaces. (comment)

Morphology and structure of polymers in ultrathin films and constrained geometries

Science.gov (United States)

Gullerud, Steven Olaf

We have explored the organization of polycaprolactone (PCL) constrained in ultrathin films and nanometer-scale domains. Specifically, PCL functionalized with triethoxysilane functional groups was used to create tethered ultrathin films on silicon (100) substrates through silanization, and a sol-gel reaction was used to produce PCL/silsesquioxane composites with nanoscale phase-separated domains. In the first case, analysis by AFM and ellipsometry showed the existence of an amorphous sublayer up to 4 nm thick. Above this, physisorbed PCL formed heterogeneous surface features, up to 7 nm thick, with the morphology dependent on the polymer solution concentration during the deposition process. Low PCL solution concentration produced amorphous globular domains, while higher polymer concentrations allowed the growth of dendritic crystalline features. We report the results of in situ thermal analysis of grafted PCL by AFM, which show the melting of the surface structures at the film surface as well as growth of new dendritic structures upon recrystallization. High tapping forces applied by the AFM tip revealed the presence of crystalline lamellae buried below an amorphous layer in the dendritic structures, as well as in the PCL sublayer when the film was cooled below room temperature. PCL phase separation behavior and morphology in sol-gel organic/inorganic nanocomposites with methylsilsesquioxane (MSSQ) or phenylsilsesquioxane (PSSQ) was probed using TEM, FTIR, and fluorescence spectroscopy of dansyl and pyrene-labeled PCL. Star-like and linear PCL were used to study the effects of molecular weight, endgroup functionality, and polymer geometry on the phase separation behavior in these materials. PCL crystallinity, as detected through FTIR, served to detect the presence of macroscopic phase separation, as well as the critical PCL loading amount at which this occurs, for a given PCL/SSQ system. Fluorescence spectroscopy of dansyl-labeled PCL detected the presence of an

Simultaneous determination of the residual stress, elastic modulus, density and thickness of ultrathin film utilizing vibrating doubly clamped micro-/nanobeams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stachiv, Ivo; Kuo, Chih-Yun; Fang, Te-Hua; Mortet, Vincent

2016-01-01

Measurement of ultrathin film thickness and its basic properties can be highly challenging and time consuming due to necessity of using several very sophisticated devices. Here, we report an easy accessible resonant based method capable to simultaneously determinate the residual stress, elastic modulus, density and thickness of ultrathin film coated on doubly clamped micro-/nanobeam. We show that a general dependency of the resonant frequencies on the axial load is also valid for in-plane vibrations, and the one depends only on the considered vibrational mode. As a result, we found that the film elastic modulus, density and thickness can be evaluated from two measured in-plane and out-plane fundamental resonant frequencies of micro-/nanobeam with and without film under different prestress forces. Whereas, the residual stress can be determined from two out-plane (in-plane) measured consecutive resonant frequencies of beam with film under different prestress forces without necessity of knowing film and substrate properties and dimensions. Moreover, we also reveal that the common uncertainties in force (and thickness) determination have a negligible (and minor) impact on the determined film properties. The application potential of the present method is illustrated on the beam made of silicon and SiO_2 with deposited 20 nm thick AlN and 40 nm thick Au thin films, respectively.

Observation of second spin reorientation transition within ultrathin region in Fe films on Ag(001) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khim, T.-Y.; Shin, M.; Lee, H.; Park, B.-G.; Park, J.-H.

2014-01-01

We acquired direct measurements for in-plane and perpendicular-to-plane magnetic moments of Fe films using an x-ray magnetic circular dichroism technique with increase of the Fe thickness (up to 40 Å) on the Ag(001) surface. Epitaxial Fe/Ag(001) films were grown in situ with the thickness varying from 2 Å to 40 Å, and the magnetic anisotropy was carefully investigated as a function of the film thickness. We found re-entrance of the in-plane magnetic anisotropy of the Fe film in ultrathin region. The results manifest that the epitaxial Fe/Ag(001) film undergoes two distinct spin reorientation transitions from in-plane to out-of-plane at the film thickness t ≈ 9 Å and back to in-plane at t ≈ 18 Å as t increases.

Ultrathin free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle films: Conductivity and Raman scattering enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Qing; Huang, Hongwen; Peng, Xinsheng; Ye, Zhizhen

2011-09-01

A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post-treatment temperature, and thickness, respectively. The conductivity of the film prepared from 20 nm gold nanoparticles is higher than that of the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticle by filtering the same filtration volume of their solution, respectively. Their conductivities are comparable to that of the 220 nm thick ITO film. Furthermore, these films demonstrated an average surface Raman scattering enhancement up to 6.59 × 105 for Rhodamine 6 G molecules on the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticles. Due to a lot of nano interspaces generated from the close-packed structures, two abnormal enhancements and relative stronger intensities of the asymmetrical vibrations at 1534 and 1594 cm-1 of R6G were observed, respectively. These robust free-standing gold nanoparticle films could be easily transferred onto various solid substrates and hold the potential application for electrodes and surface enhanced Raman detectors. This method is applicable for preparation of other nanoparticle free-standing thin films.A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post

Direct structural and spectroscopic investigation of ultrathin films of tetragonal CuO: Six-fold coordinated copper

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Samal, D.; Tan, H.; Takamura, Y.; Siemons, W.; Verbeeck, J.; van Tendeloo, G.; Arenholz, E.; Jenkins, A.; Rijnders, Augustinus J.H.M.; Koster, Gertjan

2014-01-01

Unlike other 3d transition metal monoxides (MnO, FeO, CoO, and NiO), CuO is found in a low-symmetry distorted monoclinic structure rather than the rocksalt structure. We report here of the growth of ultrathin CuO films on SrTiO3 substrates; scanning transmission electron microscopy was used to show

Ultrathin (Nanocellulose Paper

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jingda; Lin, Lih Y.

2017-03-01

Conventional approaches to flexible optoelectronic devices typically require depositing the active materials on external substrates. This is mostly due to the weak bonding between individual molecules or nanocrystals in the active materials, which prevents sustaining a freestanding thin film. Herein we demonstrate an ultrathin freestanding ZnO quantum dot (QD) active layer with nanocellulose structuring, and its corresponding device fabrication method to achieve substrate-free flexible optoelectronic devices. The ultrathin ZnO QD-nanocellulose composite is obtained by hydrogel transfer printing and solvent-exchange processes to overcome the water capillary force which is detrimental to achieving freestanding thin films. We achieved an active nanocellulose paper with ~550 nm thickness, and >91% transparency in the visible wavelength range. The film retains the photoconductive and photoluminescent properties of ZnO QDs and is applied towards substrate-free Schottky photodetector applications. The device has an overall thickness of ~670 nm, which is the thinnest freestanding optoelectronic device to date, to the best of our knowledge, and functions as a self-powered visible-blind ultraviolet photodetector. This platform can be readily applied to other nano materials as well as other optoelectronic device applications.

Quantum capacitance of an ultrathin topological insulator film in a magnetic field

KAUST Repository

Tahir, M.; Sabeeh, K.; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2013-01-01

We present a theoretical study of the quantum magnetocapacitance of an ultrathin topological insulator film in an external magnetic field. The study is undertaken to investigate the interplay of the Zeeman interaction with the hybridization between the upper and lower surfaces of the thin film. Determining the density of states, we find that the electron-hole symmetry is broken when the Zeeman and hybridization energies are varied relative to each other. This leads to a change in the character of the magnetocapacitance at the charge neutrality point. We further show that in the presence of both Zeeman interaction and hybridization the magnetocapacitance exhibits beating at low and splitting of the Shubnikov de Haas oscillations at high perpendicular magnetic field. In addition, we address the crossover from perpendicular to parallel magnetic field and find consistency with recent experimental data.

Quantum capacitance of an ultrathin topological insulator film in a magnetic field

KAUST Repository

Tahir, M.

2013-02-12

We present a theoretical study of the quantum magnetocapacitance of an ultrathin topological insulator film in an external magnetic field. The study is undertaken to investigate the interplay of the Zeeman interaction with the hybridization between the upper and lower surfaces of the thin film. Determining the density of states, we find that the electron-hole symmetry is broken when the Zeeman and hybridization energies are varied relative to each other. This leads to a change in the character of the magnetocapacitance at the charge neutrality point. We further show that in the presence of both Zeeman interaction and hybridization the magnetocapacitance exhibits beating at low and splitting of the Shubnikov de Haas oscillations at high perpendicular magnetic field. In addition, we address the crossover from perpendicular to parallel magnetic field and find consistency with recent experimental data.

In situ surface X-ray diffraction study of ultrathin epitaxial Co films on Au(111) in alkaline solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reikowski, Finn; Maroun, Fouad; Di, Nan; Allongue, Philippe; Ruge, Martin; Stettner, Jochim; Magnussen, Olaf M.

2016-01-01

The oxidation behavior of ultrathin electrodeposited Co films on Au(111) in alkaline electrolyte was studied using in situ surface X-ray scattering techniques employing synchrotron radiation and complementary optical reflectivity and electrochemical measurements. The films are formed at pH 4 and consist of (001)-oriented hcp Co crystallites that are several nm high, a few ten nm in diameter, and remain largely unchanged after electrolyte exchange to pH 12 solution. In the pre-oxidation peak only minor changes were observed in the diffraction studies, excluding the formation of Co(OH)_2 layers. In the potential regime of Co hydroxide formation a rapid reduction of the amount of Co is observed, while the characteristic height of the islands decreases only slightly. On longer times scales, growth of 3D crystals of Co(OH)_2 occurs as well as irreversible Co dissolution into the electrolyte is found. On the basis of the structural observations oxidation of the Co film is proposed to proceed via fast formation of an ultrathin passivating layer, followed by nucleation and growth of 3D hydroxide crystals at the grain boundaries in the Co deposit.

In situ monitoring of thermal crystallization of ultrathin tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum films using surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Muraki, Naoki

2014-01-01

Thermal crystallization of 3, 10, and 60 nm-thick tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) films is studied using surface-enhanced Raman scattering with a constant heating rate. An abrupt higher frequency shift of the quinoline-stretching mode is found to be an indication of a phase transition of Alq3 molecules from amorphous to crystalline. While the 60 nm-thick film shows the same crystallization temperature as a bulk sample, the thinner films were found to have a lower crystallization temperature and slower rate of crystallization. Non-isothermal kinetics analysis is performed to quantify kinetic properties such as the Avrami exponent constants and crystallization rates of ultrathin Alq3 films.

Switching a ferroelectric film by asphyxiation

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hlinka, Jiří

2009-01-01

Roč. 2, - (2009), 8/1-8/2 ISSN 1943-2879 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : ultrathin film * spontaneous electric polarization Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism

Phase diagram of Fe{sub 1-x}Co{sub x} ultrathin film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fridman, Yu.A. [V.I. Vernadskiy Taurida National University, Vernadskiy Avenue 4, Simferopol, Crimea 95007 (Ukraine)], E-mail: frid@tnu.crimea.ua; Klevets, Ph.N.; Voytenko, A.P. [V.I. Vernadskiy Taurida National University, Vernadskiy Avenue 4, Simferopol, Crimea 95007 (Ukraine)

2008-12-15

Concentration-driven reorientation phase transitions in ultrathin magnetic films of FeCo alloy have been studied. It is established that, in addition to the easy-axis and easy-plane phases, a spatially inhomogeneous phase (domain structure), a canted phase, and also an 'in-plane easy-axis' phase can exist in the system. The realization of the last phase is associated with the competition between the single-ion anisotropy and the magnetoelastic interaction. The critical values of Co concentration corresponding to the phase transitions are evaluated, the types of phase transitions are determined, and the phase diagrams are constructed.

Characterization of ultra-thin TiO2 films grown on Mo(112)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, D.; Chen, M.S.; Goodman, D.W.

2006-01-01

Ultra-thin TiO 2 films were grown on a Mo(112) substrate by stepwise vapor depositing of Ti onto the sample surface followed by oxidation at 850 K. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the Ti 2p peak position shifts from lower to higher binding energy with an increase in the Ti coverage from sub- to multilayer. The Ti 2p peak of a TiO 2 film with more than a monolayer coverage can be resolved into two peaks, one at 458.1 eV corresponding to the first layer, where Ti atoms bind to the substrate Mo atoms through Ti-O-Mo linkages, and a second feature at 458.8 eV corresponding to multilayer TiO 2 where the Ti atoms are connected via Ti-O-Ti linkages. Based on these assignments, the single Ti 2p 3/2 peak at 455.75 eV observed for the Mo(112)-(8 x 2)-TiO x monolayer film can be assigned to Ti 3+ , consistent with our previous results obtained with high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy

Effect of structure on the tribology of ultrathin graphene and graphene oxide films.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hang; Filleter, Tobin

2015-03-27

The friction and wear properties of graphene and graphene oxide (GO) with varying C/O ratio were investigated using friction force microscopy. When applied as solid lubricants between a sliding contact of a silicon (Si) tip and a SiO2/Si substrate, graphene and ultrathin GO films (as thin as 1-2 atomic layers) were found to reduce friction by ∼6 times and ∼2 times respectively as compared to the unlubricated contact. The differences in measured friction were attributed to different interfacial shear strengths. Ultrathin films of GO with a low C/O ratio of ∼2 were found to wear easily under small normal load. The onset of wear, and the location of wear initiation, is attributed to differences in the local shear strength of the sliding interface as a result of the non-homogeneous surface structure of GO. While the exhibited low friction of GO as compared to SiO2 makes it an economically viable coating for micro/nano-electro-mechanical systems with the potential to extend the lifetime of devices, its higher propensity for wear may limit its usefulness. To address this limitation, the wear resistance of GO samples with a higher C/O ratio (∼4) was also studied. The higher C/O ratio GO was found to exhibit much improved wear resistance which approached that of the graphene samples. This demonstrates the potential of tailoring the structure of GO to achieve graphene-like tribological properties.

Robust ultra-thin RuMo alloy film as a seedless Cu diffusion barrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, Kuo-Chung; Perng, Dung-Ching; Wang, Yi-Chun

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A 5 nm-thick Mo added Ru film has been investigated as a Cu diffusion barrier layer. ► RuMo film provides over 175 °C improvement in thermal stability than that of pure Ru layer. ► The 5 nm-thick RuMo film shows excellent barrier performance against Cu diffusion upon 725 °C. - Abstract: This study investigated the properties of 5 nm-thick RuMo film as a Cu diffusion barrier. The sheet resistance variation and X-ray diffraction patterns show that the RuMo alloy film has excellent barrier performance and that it is stable upon annealing at 725 °C against Cu. The transmission electron microscopy micrograph and diffraction patterns show that the RuMo film is an amorphous-like structure, whereas pure Ru film is a nano-crystalline structure. The elements’ depth profiles, analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, indicate no inter-diffusion behavior between the Cu and Si layer, even annealing at 700 °C. Lower leakage current has been achieved from the Cu/barrier/insulator/Si test structure using RuMo film as the barrier layer. A 5 nm ultrathin RuMo film provided two orders of magnitude improvement in leakage current and also exhibited a 175 °C improvement in thermal stability than that of the pure Ru film. It is a potential candidate as a seedless Cu diffusion barrier for advanced Cu interconnects.

Surface structure of ultrathin metal films deposited on copper single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butterfield, M.T.

2000-04-01

Ultrathin films of Cobalt, Iron and Manganese have been thermally evaporated onto an fcc Copper (111) single crystal substrate and investigated using a variety of surface structural techniques. The small lattice mismatch between these metals and the Cu (111) substrate make them an ideal candidate for the study of the phenomena of pseudomorphic film growth. This is important for the understanding of the close relationship between film structure and magnetic properties. Growing films with the structure of their substrate rather than their bulk phase may provide an opportunity to grow materials with novel physical and magnetic properties, and hence new technological applications. Both Cobalt and Iron have been found to initially maintain a registry with the fcc Cu (111) surface in a manner consistent with pseudomorphic growth. This growth is complicated by island rather than layer by layer growth in the initials stages of the film. In both cases a change in the structure of the film seems to occur at a point where the coalescence of islands in the film may be expected to occur. When the film does change structure they do not form a perfect overlayer with the structure of their bulk counterpart. The films do contain a number of features representative of the bulk phase but also contain considerable disorder and possibly remnants of fcc (111) structure. The order present in these films can be greatly improved by annealing. Manganese appears to grow with an fcc Mn (111) lattice spacing and there is no sign of a change in structure in films of up to 4.61 ML thick. The gradual deposition and annealing of a film to 300 deg. C, with a total deposition time the same as that for a 1 ML thick film, causes a surface reconstruction to occur that is apparent in a R30 deg. (√3 x √3) LEED pattern. This is attributed to the formation of a surface alloy, which is also supported by the local expansion of the Cu lattice in the (111) direction. (author)

The effects of thermal annealing on the structure and the electrical transport properties of ultrathin gadolinia-doped ceria films grown by pulsed laser deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigo, K.; Pryds, N.; Theil Kuhn, L.; Esposito, V.; Linderoth, S. [Technical University of Denmark, Fuel Cells and Solid State Chemistry Division, Risoe DTU, Roskilde (Denmark); Heiroth, S.; Lippert, T. [Paul Scherrer Institute, General Energy Research Department, Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Schou, J. [Technical University of Denmark, Department of Photonics Engineering, Roskilde (Denmark)

2011-09-15

Ultrathin crystalline films of 10 mol% gadolinia-doped ceria (CGO10) are grown on MgO (100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition at a moderate temperature of 400 C. As-deposited CGO10 layers of approximately 4 nm, 14 nm, and 22 nm thickness consist of fine grains with dimensions {<=}{proportional_to}11 nm. The films show high density within the thickness probed in the X-ray reflectivity experiments. Thermally activated grain growth, density decrease, and film surface roughening, which may result in the formation of incoherent CGO10 islands by dewetting below a critical film thickness, are observed upon heat treatment at 400 C and 800 C. The effect of the grain coarsening on the electrical characteristics of the layers is investigated and discussed in the context of a variation of the number density of grain boundaries. The results are evaluated with regard to the use of ultrathin CGO10 films as seeding templates for the moderate temperature growth of thick solid electrolyte films with improved oxygen transport properties. (orig.)

Structure of a zinc oxide ultra-thin film on Rh(100)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuhara, J.; Kato, D.; Matsui, T. [Department of Materials, Physics and Energy Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan); Mizuno, S. [Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816–8580 (Japan)

2015-11-07

The structural parameters of ultra-thin zinc oxide films on Rh(100) are investigated using low-energy electron diffraction intensity (LEED I–V) curves, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. From the analysis of LEED I–V curves and DFT calculations, two optimized models A and B are determined. Their structures are basically similar to the planer h-BN ZnO(0001) structure, although some oxygen atoms protrude from the surface, associated with an in-plane shift of Zn atoms. From a comparison of experimental STM images and simulated STM images, majority and minority structures observed in the STM images represent the two optimized models A and B, respectively.

Characterization of nano-powder grown ultra-thin film p-CuO/n-Si hetero-junctions by employing vapour-liquid-solid method for photovoltaic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sultana, Jenifar; Das, Anindita [Centre for Research in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CRNN), Kolkata 700098 (India); Das, Avishek [Department of Electronic Science, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700009 (India); Saha, Nayan Ranjan [Department of Polymer Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700009 (India); Karmakar, Anupam [Department of Electronic Science, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700009 (India); Chattopadhyay, Sanatan, E-mail: scelc@caluniv.ac.in [Department of Electronic Science, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700009 (India)

2016-08-01

In this work, the CuO nano-powder has been synthesized by employing chemical bath deposition technique for its subsequent use to grow ultrathin film (20 nm) of p-CuO on n-Si substrate for the fabrication of p-CuO/n-Si hetero-junction diodes. The thin CuO film has been grown by employing vapour-liquid-solid method. The crystalline structure and chemical phase of the film are characterized by employing field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies. Chemical stoichiometry of the film has been confirmed by using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The potential for photovoltaic applications of such films is investigated by measuring the junction current-voltage characteristics and by extracting the relevant parameters such as open circuit photo-generated voltage, short circuit current density, fill-factor and energy conversion efficiency. - Highlights: • Synthesis of CuO nano-powder by CBD method • Growth of ultra-thin film of CuO by employing VLS method for the first time • Physical and electrical characterization of such films for photovoltaic applications • Estimation of energy conversion efficiency of the p-CuO/n-Si p-n junction solar cell.

Properties of two-dimensional insulators: A DFT study of bimetallic oxide CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters adsorption on MgO ultrathin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Jia, E-mail: jia_zhu@jxnu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330022 (China); Zhang, Hui; Zhao, Ling; Xiong, Wei [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330022 (China); Huang, Xin; Wang, Bin [Department of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 (China); Zhang, Yongfan, E-mail: zhangyf@fzu.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 (China); State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002 (China)

2016-08-30

Highlights: • Completely different properties of CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} on films compared with that on surface. • The first example of CT by electron tunneling from film to bimetallic oxide cluster. • A progressive Lewis acid site, better catalytic activities for adsorbed CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9}. - Abstract: Periodic density functional theory calculations have been performed to study the electronic properties of bimetallic oxide CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters adsorbed on MgO/Ag(001) ultrathin films (<1 nm). Our results show that after deposition completely different structures, electronic properties and chemical reactivity of dispersed CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters on ultrathin films are observed compared with that on the thick MgO surface. On the thick MgO(001) surface, adsorbed CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters are distorted significantly and just a little electron transfer occurs from oxide surface to clusters, which originates from the formation of adsorption dative bonds at interface. Whereas on the MgO/Ag(001) ultrathin films, the resulting CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters keep the cyclic structures and the geometries are similar to that of gas-phase [CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9}]{sup −}. Interestingly, we predicted the occurrence of a net transfer of one electron by direct electron tunneling from the MgO/Ag(001) films to CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters through the thin MgO dielectric barrier. Furthermore, our work reveals a progressive Lewis acid site where spin density preferentially localizes around the Cr atom not the W atoms for CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9}/MgO/Ag(001) system, indicating a potentially good bimetallic oxide for better catalytic activities with respect to that of pure W{sub 3}O{sub 9} clusters. As a consequence, present results reveal that the adsorption of bimetallic oxide CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters on the MgO/Ag(001) ultrathin films provide a new perspective to tune and modify the properties and chemical reactivity of bimetallic oxide adsorbates as a function of the thickness

Giant electroresistance in strained ultrathin La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 films

Science.gov (United States)

Kwak, In Hae; Shakya, Ambika; Paykar, Ashkan; Lacera Otalora, Hector; Biswas, Amlan

We investigated the effect of an electric current on the transport properties of microstructured La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) thin films. Pulsed laser deposition was used to grow atomically smooth thin films of LSMO on singly terminated SrTiO3 (STO) substrates. The microstructure pattern was designed to restrict conduction either in the direction or across the unit cell steps on the atomically smooth surfaces. Previous experiments on these thin films had suggested possible phase separation due to charge ordering near the step edges. We will present evidence that this charge ordered state can be modified by an electric current leading to large electroresistance of upto 95% for a 1 µA current which is comparable to magnetoresistance values at 4 T. Interestingly, the electoresistance was large (about 65 %) even at room temperature when the current was applied along the step directions. Our results suggest possible use of ultrathin LSMO films as resistance switching devices at room temperature. NSF-DMR 1410237.

Ultrathin regioregular poly(3-hexyl thiophene) field-effect transistors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandberg, H.G.O.; Frey, G.L.; Shkunov, M.N.

2002-01-01

Ultrathin films of regioregular poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (RR-P3HT) were deposited through a dip-coating technique and utilized as the semiconducting film in field-effect transistors (FETs). Proper selection of the substrate and solution concentration enabled the growth of a monolayer-thick RR-P3HT...... film. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), U-V-vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray reflectivity, and grazing incidence diffraction were used to study the growth mechanism, thickness and orientation of self-organized monolayer thick RR-P3HT films on SiO2 surfaces. Films were found to adopt a Stranski......-Krastanov-type growth mode with formation of a very stable first monolayer. X-ray measurements show that the direction of pi-stacking in the films (the (010) direction) is parallel to the substrate, which is the preferred orientation for high field-effect carrier mobilities. The field-effect mobilities in all ultrathin...

Resistive switching of organic–inorganic hybrid devices of conductive polymer and permeable ultra-thin SiO2 films

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Shunsuke; Kitanaka, Takahisa; Miyashita, Tokuji; Mitsuishi, Masaya

2018-06-01

We propose a resistive switching device composed of conductive polymer (PEDOT:PSS) and SiO2 ultra-thin films. The SiO2 film was fabricated from silsesquioxane polymer nanosheets as a resistive switching layer. Devices with metal (Ag or Au)∣SiO2∣PEDOT:PSS architecture show good resistive switching performance with set–reset voltages as low as several hundred millivolts. The device properties and the working mechanism were investigated by varying the electrode material, surrounding atmosphere, and SiO2 film thickness. Results show that resistive switching is based on water and ion migration at the PEDOT:PSS∣SiO2 interface.

Misfit strain-film thickness phase diagrams and related electromechanical properties of epitaxial ultra-thin lead zirconate titanate films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, Q.Y.; Mahjoub, R. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Alpay, S.P. [Materials Science and Engineering Program and Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269 (United States); Nagarajan, V., E-mail: nagarajan@unsw.edu.au [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia)

2010-02-15

The phase stability of ultra-thin (0 0 1) oriented ferroelectric PbZr{sub 1-x}Ti{sub x}O{sub 3} (PZT) epitaxial thin films as a function of the film composition, film thickness, and the misfit strain is analyzed using a non-linear Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire thermodynamic model taking into account the electrical and mechanical boundary conditions. The theoretical formalism incorporates the role of the depolarization field as well as the possibility of the relaxation of in-plane strains via the formation of microstructural features such as misfit dislocations at the growth temperature and ferroelastic polydomain patterns below the paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transformation temperature. Film thickness-misfit strain phase diagrams are developed for PZT films with four different compositions (x = 1, 0.9, 0.8 and 0.7) as a function of the film thickness. The results show that the so-called rotational r-phase appears in a very narrow range of misfit strain and thickness of the film. Furthermore, the in-plane and out-of-plane dielectric permittivities {epsilon}{sub 11} and {epsilon}{sub 33}, as well as the out-of-plane piezoelectric coefficients d{sub 33} for the PZT thin films, are computed as a function of misfit strain, taking into account substrate-induced clamping. The model reveals that previously predicted ultrahigh piezoelectric coefficients due to misfit-strain-induced phase transitions are practically achievable only in an extremely narrow range of film thickness, composition and misfit strain parameter space. We also show that the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of epitaxial ferroelectric films can be tailored through strain engineering and microstructural optimization.

Magnetic structures in ultra-thin Holmium films: Influence of external magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, L.J. [Departamento de Física Teórica e Experimental, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59600-900, RN (Brazil); Departamento de Física, Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró 59625-620, RN (Brazil); Mello, V.D. [Departamento de Física, Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoró 59625-620, RN (Brazil); Anselmo, D.H.A.L. [Departamento de Física Teórica e Experimental, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59600-900, RN (Brazil); Vasconcelos, M.S., E-mail: mvasconcelos@ect.ufrn.br [Escola de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal, RN (Brazil)

2015-03-01

We address the magnetic phases in very thin Ho films at the temperature interval between 20 K and 132 K. We show that slab size, surface effects and magnetic field due to spin ordering impact significantly the magnetic phase diagram. Also we report that there is a relevant reduction of the external field strength required to saturate the magnetization and for ultra-thin films the helical state does not form. We explore the specific heat and the susceptibility as auxiliary tools to discuss the nature of the phase transitions, when in the presence of an external magnetic field and temperature effects. The presence of an external field gives rise to the magnetic phase Fan and the spin-slip structures. - Highlights: • We analyze the magnetic phases of very thin Ho films in the temperature interval 20–132 K. • We show that slab size, etc. due to spin ordering may impact the magnetic phase diagram. • All magnetic phase transitions, for strong magnetic fields, are marked by the specific heat. • The presence of an external field gives rise to the magnetic phase Fan and the spin-slip one.

2D Ultrathin Core-shell Pd@Ptmonolayer Nanosheets: Defect-Mediated Thin Film Growth and Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Performance

KAUST Repository

Wang, Wenxin

2015-06-16

An operational strategy for the synthesis of atomically smooth Pt skin by a defect-mediated thin film growth method is reported. Extended ultrathin core-shell structured Pd@Ptmonolayer nanosheets (thickness below 5 nm) exhibit a seven-fold enhancement in mass-activity and surprisingly good durability toward oxygen reduction reaction as compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst.

2D Ultrathin Core-shell Pd@Ptmonolayer Nanosheets: Defect-Mediated Thin Film Growth and Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Performance

KAUST Repository

Wang, Wenxin; Zhao, Yunfeng; Ding, Yi

2015-01-01

An operational strategy for the synthesis of atomically smooth Pt skin by a defect-mediated thin film growth method is reported. Extended ultrathin core-shell structured Pd@Ptmonolayer nanosheets (thickness below 5 nm) exhibit a seven-fold enhancement in mass-activity and surprisingly good durability toward oxygen reduction reaction as compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst.

Fabrication of self-assembled ultrathin photochromic films containing mixed-addenda polyoxometalates H5[PMo10V2O40] and 1,10-decanediamine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhongliang; Ma Ying; Zhang Ruili; Xu Da; Fu Hongbing; Yao Jiannian

2009-01-01

A layered phosphovanadomolybdate/1,10-decanediamine (1,10-DAD) self-assembled ultrathin film was fabricated by means of alternating adsorption of mixed-addenda polyoxometalates (POMs) (phosphovanadomolybdate, H 5 [PMo 10 V 2 O 40 ]) and 1,10-DAD, and its photochromic properties were investigated. It is found that the self-assembled multilayer (SAM) film shows high-photochromic response, excellent photochromic stability and reversibility. The photochromic behavior of the SAM is closely related to the reduction potentials of addenda atoms in mixed-addenda POMs. In the case of photo-reduced mixed-addenda POMs, the electron is localized on the more reducible atom, and the addenda atoms with higher reduction potentials show prior photochromism compared with those with lower reduction potentials. The coloration speed is improved after introduction of V into molybdenum POM. The well-ordered lamellar structure of the film was well maintained during the coloration. - Graphical abstract: An ordered H 5 [PMo 10 V 2 O 40 ]/1,10-decanediamine ultrathin film was fabricated by a self-assembled technique. The hybrid film displays good photochromism closely related to the reduction potentials of addenda atoms.

Ultra-thin Glass Film Coated with Graphene: A New Material for Spontaneous Emission Enhancement of Quantum Emitter

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Lu Sun; Chun Jiang

2015-01-01

We propose an ultra-thin glass film coated with graphene as a new kind of surrounding material which can greatly enhance spontaneous emission rate(SER) of dipole emitter embedded in it. With properly designed parameters,numerical results show that SER-enhanced factors as high as 1.286 9 106 can be achieved. The influences of glass film thickness and chemical potential/doping level of graphene on spontaneous emission enhancement are also studied in this paper. A comparison is made between graphene and other coating materials such as gold and silver to see their performances in SER enhancement.

In-plane angular dependence of the spin-wave nonreciprocity of an ultrathin film with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Vanessa Li; Di, Kai; Lim, Hock Siah; Ng, Ser Choon; Kuok, Meng Hau, E-mail: phykmh@nus.edu.sg [Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551 (Singapore); Yu, Jiawei; Yoon, Jungbum; Qiu, Xuepeng; Yang, Hyunsoo, E-mail: eleyang@nus.edu.sg [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

2015-07-13

The nonreciprocal propagation of spin waves in an ultrathin Pt/Co/Ni film has been measured by Brillouin light scattering. The frequency nonreciprocity, due to the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI), has a sinusoidal dependence on the in-plane angle between the magnon wavevector and the applied magnetic field. The results, which are in good agreement with analytical predictions reported earlier, yield a value of the DMI constant which is the same as that obtained previously from a study of the magnon dispersion relations. We have demonstrated that our magnon-dynamics based method can experimentally ascertain the DMI constant of multilayer thin films.

Photoelectron diffraction of magnetic ultrathin films: Fe/Cu(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tobin, J.G. (Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)); Wagner, M.K. (Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI (USA). Dept. of Chemistry); Guo, X.Q.; Tong, S.Y. (Wisconsin Univ., Milwaukee, WI (USA). Dept. of Physics)

1991-01-03

The preliminary results of an ongoing investigation of Fe/Cu(001) are presented here. Energy dependent photoelectron diffraction, including the spin-dependent variant using the multiplet split Fe3s state, is being used to investigate the nanoscale structures formed by near-monolayer deposits of Fe onto Cu(001). Core-level photoemission from the Fe3p and Fe3s states has been generated using synchrotron radiation as the tunable excitation source. Tentatively, a comparison of the experimental Fe3p cross section measurements with multiple scattering calculations indicates that the Fe is in a fourfold hollow site with a spacing of 3.6{Angstrom} between it and the atom directly beneath it, in the third layer. This is consistent with an FCC structure. The possibility of utilizing spin-dependent photoelectron diffraction to investigate magnetic ultrathin films will be demonstrated, using our preliminary spectra of the multiplet-split Fe3s os near-monolayer Fe/Cu(001). 18 refs., 10 figs.

Structure and morphology of magnetron sputter deposited ultrathin ZnO films on confined polymeric template

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Ajaib; Schipmann, Susanne; Mathur, Aakash; Pal, Dipayan; Sengupta, Amartya; Klemradt, Uwe; Chattopadhyay, Sudeshna

2017-08-01

The structure and morphology of ultra-thin zinc oxide (ZnO) films with different film thicknesses on confined polymer template were studied through X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). Using magnetron sputter deposition technique ZnO thin films with different film thicknesses (weight of polystyrene). The detailed internal structure, along the surface/interfaces and the growth direction of the system were explored in this study, which provides insight into the growth procedure of ZnO on confined polymer and reveals that a thin layer of ZnO, with very low surface and interface roughness, can be grown by DC magnetron sputtering technique, with approximately full coverage (with bulk like electron density) even in nm order of thickness, in 2-7 nm range on confined polymer template, without disturbing the structure of the underneath template. The resulting ZnO-polystyrene hybrid systems show strong ZnO near band edge (NBE) and deep-level (DLE) emissions in their room temperature photoluminescence spectra, where the contribution of DLE gets relatively stronger with decreasing ZnO film thickness, indicating a significant enhancement of surface defects because of the greater surface to volume ratio in thinner films.

Molecular dynamics simulations of disjoining pressure effects in ultra-thin water films on a metal surface

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Han; Sun, Ying

2013-11-01

Disjoining pressure, the excess pressure in an ultra-thin liquid film as a result of van der Waals interactions, is important in lubrication, wetting, flow boiling, and thin film evaporation. The classic theory of disjoining pressure is developed for simple monoatomic liquids. However, real world applications often utilize water, a polar liquid, for which fundamental understanding of disjoining pressure is lacking. In the present study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to gain insights into the effect of disjoining pressure in a water thin film. Our MD models were firstly validated against Derjaguin's experiments on gold-gold interactions across a water film and then verified against disjoining pressure in an argon thin film using the Lennard-Jones potential. Next, a water thin film adsorbed on a gold surface was simulated to examine the change of vapor pressure with film thickness. The results agree well with the classic theory of disjoining pressure, which implies that the polar nature of water molecules does not play an important role. Finally, the effects of disjoining pressure on thin film evaporation in nanoporous membrane and on bubble nucleation are discussed.

Density of the unoccupied electronic states of the ultrathin films of the aziridinylphenylpyrrol substituted fullerene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komolov, A.S.; Lazneva, E.F.; Gerasimova, N.B.; Panina, Yu.A.; Zashikhin, G.D.; Baramygin, A.V.; Si, P.; Akhremtchik, S.N.; Gavrikov, A.A.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • DOUS of the ultrathin films of the aziridinylphenylpyrrol substituted C_6_0 was determined by using the transmission of the low-energy electrons technique and by the DFT calculations. • The introduction of the APP substituent to C_6_0 molecule was accompanied by the modifications of DOUS in the energy range from 2 eV to 9 eV above E_F. • The major DOUS bands were assigned π* and σ* - type character using the spatial distribution of the relevant orbitals obtained from the DFT calculation results. - Abstract: The ultrathin films of aziridinylphenylpyrrol-C_6_0 (APP-C_6_0) and of the unsubstituted C_6_0 thermally deposited in UHV on an oxidized silicon substrate (SiO_2)n-Si were studied experimentally using the very low energy electron diffraction (VLEED) method and the total current spectroscopy (TCS) measurement scheme. The density of the unoccupied electronic states (DOUS) located 2-20 eV above the Fermi level (E_F) of the films under study was determined using the TCS results and using the results of the density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the vacant electronic orbitals of the APP-C_6_0 and C_6_0 molecules. The DOUS peak structure obtained on the basis of the calculation results corresponds well to the structure of the major DOUS bands obtained from the TCS experiment. The comparison of the DOUS spectra of the APP-C_6_0 and C_6_0 films under study showed that the introduction of the APP substituent to the C_6_0 molecule was accompanied by the pronounced changes of the π* DOUS bands in the energy range from 2 eV to 5 eV above E_F and of the DOUS band composed from both π* and σ* - type orbitals in the energy range from 5 eV to 9 eV above E_F. The formation of the low-lying σ* DOUS band in the APP-C_6_0 film in the energy range from 8 eV to 13 eV above E_F can be explained by the superposition of the relevant DOUS maxima from the C_6_0 film and from the APP fragment.

Mechanical properties of ultra-thin HfO2 films studied by nano scratches tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Wei-En; Chang, Yong-Qing; Chang, Chia-Wei; Yao, Chih-Kai; Liao, Jiunn-Der

2013-01-01

10-nm-thick atomic layer deposited HfO 2 films were characterized in terms of wear resistance and indentation hardness to investigate the thermal annealing induced impacts on mechanical properties. The wear resistance of ultra-thin films at low loads was characterized using nano-scratch tests with an atomic force microscope. The depth of the nano-scratches decreases with increasing annealing temperature, indicating that the hardness of the annealed films increases with the annealing temperatures. Surface nanoindentation was also performed to confirm the nanoscratch test results. The hardness variation of the annealed films is due to the generation of HfSi x O y induced by the thermal annealing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements proved that the hardness of formed HfSi x O y with increasing annealing temperatures. The existence of HfSi x O y broadens the interface, and causes the increase of the interfacial layer thickness. As a result, the surface hardness increases with the increasing HfSi x O y induced by the thermal annealing. - Highlights: ► Mechanical properties of HfO 2 films were assessed by nano-scratch and indentation. ► Scratch depth of HfO 2 films decreased with the increase of annealing temperatures. ► Nano-hardness of HfO 2 films increased with the increase of annealing temperatures

Dynamic response of ultrathin highly dense ZIF-8 nanofilms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cookney, J.; Ogieglo, Wojciech; Hrabanek, P.; Vankelecom, I.; Fila, V.; Benes, Nieck Edwin

2014-01-01

Ultrathin ZIF-8 nanofilms are prepared by facile step-by-step dip coating. A critical withdrawal speed allows for films with a very uniform minimum thickness. The high refractive index of the films denotes the absence of mesopores. The dynamic response of the films to CO2 exposure resembles

Utilizing ultrathin DNA/poly-lysine multilayer films to create liquid/liquid interfaces: spectroscopic characterization, interfacial reactions and nanoparticle adsorption

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hye Jin; Wark, Alastair W; Corn, Robert M [Department of Chemistry, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697 (United States)

2007-09-19

Alternating electrostatic multilayer adsorption of poly-L-lysine (pLys) and DNA is used to create well-defined biopolymer multilayers for use as an ultrathin aqueous phase in liquid-liquid interfacial measurements. The molecular structure and thickness of the polyelectrolyte multilayers are determined using a combination of polarization modulation FT-IR reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-FTIRRAS) and FT-surface plasmon resonance (FT-SPR) thickness measurements. Electroactive species such as ferri/ferrocyanide ions can be incorporated into the DNA/pLys polyelectrolyte multilayers. The ion transport activity of these electroactive films when in contact with 1,2-dichoroethane is verified by electrochemical measurements. Micron-sized patterns of these multilayers are created by either photopatterning, vapour-deposited spot patterning or microfluidic stencil processing, and are used in conjunction with fluorescence and surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI) to monitor (i) the intercalation of dye molecules into DNA/pLys ultrathin films, (ii) the electrostatic adsorption of gold nanoparticles onto DNA/pLys multilayers and (iii) the spatially controlled incorporation and reaction of enzymes into patterned biopolymer multilayers.

Young's Modulus and Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion of ZnO Conductive and Transparent Ultra-Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naoki Yamamoto

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A new technique for measuring Young's modulus of an ultra-thin film, with a thickness in the range of about 10 nm, was developed by combining an optical lever technique for measuring the residual stress and X-ray diffraction for measuring the strain in the film. The new technique was applied to analyze the mechanical properties of Ga-doped ZnO (GZO films, that have become the focus of significant attention as a substitute material for indium-tin-oxide transparent electrodes. Young's modulus of the as-deposited GZO films decreased with thickness; the values for 30 nm and 500 nm thick films were 205 GPa and 117 GPa, respectively. The coefficient of linear thermal expansion of the GZO films was measured using the new technique in combination with in-situ residual stress measurement during heat-cycle testing. GZO films with 30–100 nm thickness had a coefficient of linear thermal expansion in the range of 4.3 × 10−6 – 5.6 × 10−6 °C−1.

Patterned FePt nanostructures using ultrathin self-organized templates

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Chen Hua; Zhang, Min; Wang, Fang; Xu, Xiao Hong

2018-02-01

Patterned magnetic thin films are both scientifically interesting and technologically useful. Ultrathin self-organized anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template can be used to fabricate large area nanodot and antidot arrays. The magnetic properties of these nanostructures may be tuned by the morphology of the AAO template, which in turn can be controlled by synthetic parameters. In this work, ultrathin AAO templates were used as etching masks for the fabrication of both FePt nanodot and antidot arrays with high areal density. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of L10 FePt thin films are preserved in the nanostructures.

An ultrathin wide-band planar metamaterial absorber based on a fractal frequency selective surface and resistive film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Yue-Nong; Cheng Yong-Zhi; Nie Yan; Wang Xian; Gong Rong-Zhou

2013-01-01

We propose an ultrathin wide-band metamaterial absorber (MA) based on a Minkowski (MIK) fractal frequency selective surface and resistive film. This absorber consists of a periodic arrangement of dielectric substrates sandwiched with an MIK fractal loop structure electric resonator and a resistive film. The finite element method is used to simulate and analyze the absorption of the MA. Compared with the MA-backed copper film, the designed MA-backed resistive film exhibits an absorption of 90% at a frequency region of 2 GHz–20 GHz. The power loss density distribution of the MA is further illustrated to explain the mechanism of the proposed MA. Simulated absorptions at different incidence cases indicate that this absorber is polarization-insensitive and wide-angled. Finally, further simulated results indicate that the surface resistance of the resistive film and the dielectric constant of the substrate can affect the absorbing property of the MA. This absorber may be used in many military fields

Estimating the thickness of hydrated ultrathin poly(o-phenylenediamine) film by atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, C.-C.; Chang, H.-C.

2004-01-01

A novel method to measure ultrathin poly(o-phenylenediamine) (PPD) film electropolymerized on gold electrode in liquid was developed. It is based on the force versus distance curve (force curve) of atomic force microscopy (AFM). When 1-0.25 μm/s was chosen as the rising rate of the scanner, and 50% of the confidence interval (CI) as the qualifying threshold value, the thickness of the hydrated polymer film could be calculated. This result was compared with one obtained from an AFM image. A step-like electrode fabricated by a photolithographic process was used. The height difference of the electrode before and after the PPD coating was imaged in liquid, and then the real thickness, 19.6±5.2 nm, was obtained. The sample was also measured by estimating the transition range of the force curve of hydrated PPD film, and the thickness of the hydrated PPD film was determined to be 19.3±8.2 nm. However, the results calculated by integrating the electropolymerized charge for the oxidation process of o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) was only one-third as large as it was when using the two previously described methods. This indicated that the structure of hydrated PPD film might have been swollen

Direct observation of atomic-level nucleation and growth processes from an ultrathin metallic glass films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, K. Q.; Cao, C. R.; Sun, Y. T.; Li, J.; Bai, H. Y.; 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); Gu, L., 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); Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100190 (China)

2016-01-07

Till date, there have been no direct atomic-level experimental observations of the earliest stages of the nucleation and growth processes of nanocrystals formed by thermally induced crystallization in ultrathin metallic glasses (MGs). Here, we present a study of the crystallization process in atomically thin and highly stable MG films using double spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (Cs-TEM). Taking advantage of the stability of MG films with a slow crystallization process and the atomic-level high resolution of Cs-TEM, we observe the formation of the nucleus precursor of nanocrystals formed by atom aggregation followed by concomitant coalescence and stepwise evolution of the shape of the nanocrystals with a monodispersed and separated bimodal size distribution. Molecular dynamics simulation of the atomic motion in the glass film on a rigid amorphous substrate confirms the stepwise evolution processes of atom aggregation, cluster formation, cluster movement on the substrate, and cluster coalescence into larger crystalline particles. Our results might provide a better fundamental understanding of the nucleation and growth processes of nanocrystals in thin MG films.

Brillouin light scattering studies of the mechanical properties of ultrathin low-k dielectric films

Science.gov (United States)

Link, A.; Sooryakumar, R.; Bandhu, R. S.; Antonelli, G. A.

2006-07-01

In an effort to reduce RC time delays that accompany decreasing feature sizes, low-k dielectric films are rapidly emerging as potential replacements for silicon dioxide (SiO2) at the interconnect level in integrated circuits. The main challenge in low-k materials is their substantially weaker mechanical properties that accompany the increasing pore volume content needed to reduce k. We show that Brillouin light scattering is an excellent nondestructive technique to monitor and characterize the mechanical properties of these porous films at thicknesses well below 200nm that are pertinent to present applications. Observation of longitudinal and transverse standing wave acoustic resonances and the dispersion that accompany their transformation into traveling waves with finite in-plane wave vectors provides for a direct measure of the principal elastic constants that completely characterize the mechanical properties of these ultrathin films. The mode amplitudes of the standing waves, their variation within the film, and the calculated Brillouin intensities account for most aspects of the spectra. We further show that the values obtained by this method agree well with other experimental techniques such as nanoindentation and picosecond laser ultrasonics.

Incidence Angle Effect of Energetic Carbon Ions on Deposition Rate, Topography, and Structure of Ultrathin Amorphous Carbon Films Deposited by Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc

KAUST Repository

Wang, N.

2012-07-01

The effect of the incidence angle of energetic carbon ions on the thickness, topography, and structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon (a-C) films synthesized by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) was examined in the context of numerical and experimental results. The thickness of a-C films deposited at different incidence angles was investigated in the light of Monte Carlo simulations, and the calculated depth profiles were compared with those obtained from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The topography and structure of the a-C films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The film thickness decreased with the increase of the incidence angle, while the surface roughness increased and the content of tetrahedral carbon hybridization (sp 3) decreased significantly with the increase of the incidence angle above 45° , measured from the surface normal. TEM, AFM, and XPS results indicate that the smoothest and thinnest a-C films with the highest content of sp 3 carbon bonding were produced for an incidence angle of 45°. The findings of this study have direct implications in ultrahigh-density magnetic recording, where ultrathin and smooth a-C films with high sp 3 contents are of critical importance. © 2012 IEEE.

The Recovery of a Magnetically Dead Layer on the Surface of an Anatase (Ti,CoO2 Thin Film via an Ultrathin TiO2 Capping Layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thantip S. Krasienapibal

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The effect of an ultrathin TiO2 capping layer on an anatase Ti0.95Co0.05O2−δ (001 epitaxial thin film on magnetism at 300 K was investigated. Films with a capping layer showed increased magnetization mainly caused by enhanced out-of-plane magnetization. In addition, the ultrathin capping layer was useful in prolonging the magnetization lifetime by more than two years. The thickness dependence of the magnetic domain structure at room temperature indicated the preservation of magnetic domain structure even for a 13 nm thick film covered with a capping layer. Taking into account nearly unchanged electric conductivity irrespective of the capping layer’s thickness, the main role of the capping layer is to prevent surface oxidation, which reduces electron carriers on the surface.

Ion-beam mixed ultra-thin cobalt suicide (CoSi2) films by cobalt sputtering and rapid thermal annealing

Science.gov (United States)

Kal, S.; Kasko, I.; Ryssel, H.

1995-10-01

The influence of ion-beam mixing on ultra-thin cobalt silicide (CoSi2) formation was investigated by characterizing the ion-beam mixed and unmixed CoSi2 films. A Ge+ ion-implantation through the Co film prior to silicidation causes an interface mixing of the cobalt film with the silicon substrate and results in improved silicide-to-silicon interface roughness. Rapid thermal annealing was used to form Ge+ ion mixed and unmixed thin CoSi2 layer from 10 nm sputter deposited Co film. The silicide films were characterized by secondary neutral mass spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, tunneling electron microscopy (TEM), Rutherford backscattering, and sheet resistance measurements. The experi-mental results indicate that the final rapid thermal annealing temperature should not exceed 800°C for thin (micrographs of the ion-beam mixed and unmixed CoSi2 films reveals that Ge+ ion mixing (45 keV, 1 × 1015 cm-2) produces homogeneous silicide with smooth silicide-to-silicon interface.

Temperature Controlled Electrostatic Disorder and Polymorphism in Ultrathin Films of α-Sexithiophene

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Benjamin; Jafari, Sara; McAfee, Terry; Apperson, Aubrey; O'Connor, Brendan; Dougherty, Daniel

Competing phases in well-ordered alpha-sexithiophene (α-6T) are shown to contribute to electrostatic disorder observed by differences in surface potential between mono- and bi-layer crystallites. Ultrathin films are of key importance to devices in which charge transport occurs in the first several monolayers nearest to a dielectric interface (e.g. thin film transistors) and complex structures in this regime impact the general electrostatic landscape. This study is comprised of 1.5 ML sample crystals grown via organic molecular beam deposition onto a temperature controlled hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) passivated SiO2 substrate to produce well-ordered layer-by-layer type growth. Sample topography and surface potential were characterized simultaneously using Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy to then isolate contact potential differences by first and second layer α-6T regions. Films grown on 70° C, 120° C substrates are observed to have a bilayer with lower, higher potential than the monolayer, respectively. Resulting interlayer potential differences are a clear source of electrostatic disorder and are explained as subtle shifts in tilt-angles between layers relative to the substrate. These empirical results continue our understanding of how co-existing orientations contribute to the complex electrostatics influencing charge transport. NSF CAREER award DMR-1056861.

Influence of Oxygen Concentration on the Performance of Ultra-Thin RF Magnetron Sputter Deposited Indium Tin Oxide Films as a Top Electrode for Photovoltaic Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jephias Gwamuri

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The opportunity for substantial efficiency enhancements of thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H solar photovoltaic (PV cells using plasmonic absorbers requires ultra-thin transparent conducting oxide top electrodes with low resistivity and high transmittances in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Fabricating ultra-thin indium tin oxide (ITO films (sub-50 nm using conventional methods has presented a number of challenges; however, a novel method involving chemical shaving of thicker (greater than 80 nm RF sputter deposited high-quality ITO films has been demonstrated. This study investigates the effect of oxygen concentration on the etch rates of RF sputter deposited ITO films to provide a detailed understanding of the interaction of all critical experimental parameters to help create even thinner layers to allow for more finely tune plasmonic resonances. ITO films were deposited on silicon substrates with a 98-nm, thermally grown oxide using RF magnetron sputtering with oxygen concentrations of 0, 0.4 and 1.0 sccm and annealed at 300 °C air ambient. Then the films were etched using a combination of water and hydrochloric and nitric acids for 1, 3, 5 and 8 min at room temperature. In-between each etching process cycle, the films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, 4-point probe (electrical conductivity, and variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry. All the films were polycrystalline in nature and highly oriented along the (222 reflection. Ultra-thin ITO films with record low resistivity values (as low as 5.83 × 10−4 Ω·cm were obtained and high optical transparency is exhibited in the 300–1000 nm wavelength region for all the ITO films. The etch rate, preferred crystal lattice growth plane, d-spacing and lattice distortion were also observed to be highly dependent on the nature of growth environment for RF sputter deposited ITO films. The structural, electrical

Oxygen-enabled control of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction in ultra-thin magnetic films

KAUST Repository

Belabbes, Abderrezak

2016-04-22

The search for chiral magnetic textures in systems lacking spatial inversion symmetry has attracted a massive amount of interest in the recent years with the real space observation of novel exotic magnetic phases such as skyrmions lattices, but also domain walls and spin spirals with a defined chirality. The electrical control of these textures offers thrilling perspectives in terms of fast and robust ultrahigh density data manipulation. A powerful ingredient commonly used to stabilize chiral magnetic states is the so-called Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) arising from spin-orbit coupling in inversion asymmetric magnets. Such a large antisymmetric exchange has been obtained at interfaces between heavy metals and transition metal ferromagnets, resulting in spin spirals and nanoskyrmion lattices. Here, using relativistic first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that the magnitude and sign of DMI can be entirely controlled by tuning the oxygen coverage of the magnetic film, therefore enabling the smart design of chiral magnetism in ultra-thin films. We anticipate that these results extend to other electronegative ions and suggest the possibility of electrical tuning of exotic magnetic phases.

Ultrathin Shape Change Smart Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Weinan; Kwok, Kam Sang; Gracias, David H

2018-02-20

With the discovery of graphene, significant research has focused on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of ultrathin materials. Graphene has also brought into focus other ultrathin materials composed of organics, polymers, inorganics, and their hybrids. Together, these ultrathin materials have unique properties of broad significance. For example, ultrathin materials have a large surface area and high flexibility which can enhance conformal contact in wearables and sensors leading to improved sensitivity. When porous, the short transverse diffusion length in these materials allows rapid mass transport. Alternatively, when impermeable, these materials behave as an ultrathin barrier. Such controlled permeability is critical in the design of encapsulation and drug delivery systems. Finally, ultrathin materials often feature defect-free and single-crystal-like two-dimensional atomic structures resulting in superior mechanical, optical, and electrical properties. A unique property of ultrathin materials is their low bending rigidity, which suggests that they could easily be bent, curved, or folded into 3D shapes. In this Account, we review the emerging field of 2D to 3D shape transformations of ultrathin materials. We broadly define ultrathin to include materials with a thickness below 100 nm and composed of a range of organic, inorganic, and hybrid compositions. This topic is important for both fundamental and applied reasons. Fundamentally, bending and curving of ultrathin films can cause atomistic and molecular strain which can alter their physical and chemical properties and lead to new 3D forms of matter which behave very differently from their planar precursors. Shape change can also lead to new 3D architectures with significantly smaller form factors. For example, 3D ultrathin materials would occupy a smaller space in on-chip devices or could permeate through tortuous media which is important for miniaturized robots and smart dust applications. Our

Dynamic response of ultrathin highly dense ZIF-8 nanofilms

OpenAIRE

Cookney, J.; Ogieglo, Wojciech; Hrabanek, P.; Vankelecom, I.; Fila, V.; Benes, Nieck Edwin

2014-01-01

Ultrathin ZIF-8 nanofilms are prepared by facile step-by-step dip coating. A critical withdrawal speed allows for films with a very uniform minimum thickness. The high refractive index of the films denotes the absence of mesopores. The dynamic response of the films to CO2 exposure resembles behaviour observed for nonequilibrium organic polymers.

An easily accessible carbon material derived from carbonization of polyacrylonitrile ultrathin films: ambipolar transport properties and application in a CMOS-like inverter.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiao, Fei; Zhang, Fengjiao; Zang, Yaping; Zou, Ye; Di, Chong'an; Xu, Wei; Zhu, Daoben

2014-03-04

Ultrathin carbon films were prepared by carbonization of a solution processed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) film in a moderate temperature range (500-700 °C). The films displayed balanced hole (0.50 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1)) and electron mobilities (0.20 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1)) under ambient conditions. Spectral characterization revealed that the electrical transport is due to the formation of sp(2) hybridized carbon during the carbonization process. A CMOS-like inverter demonstrated the potential application of this material in the area of carbon electronics, considering its processability and low-cost.

Low-temperature atomic layer epitaxy of AlN ultrathin films by layer-by-layer, in-situ atomic layer annealing.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Huan-Yu; Lee, Wei-Hao; Kao, Wei-Chung; Chuang, Yung-Chuan; Lin, Ray-Ming; Lin, Hsin-Chih; Shiojiri, Makoto; Chen, Miin-Jang

2017-01-03

Low-temperature epitaxial growth of AlN ultrathin films was realized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) together with the layer-by-layer, in-situ atomic layer annealing (ALA), instead of a high growth temperature which is needed in conventional epitaxial growth techniques. By applying the ALA with the Ar plasma treatment in each ALD cycle, the AlN thin film was converted dramatically from the amorphous phase to a single-crystalline epitaxial layer, at a low deposition temperature of 300 °C. The energy transferred from plasma not only provides the crystallization energy but also enhances the migration of adatoms and the removal of ligands, which significantly improve the crystallinity of the epitaxial layer. The X-ray diffraction reveals that the full width at half-maximum of the AlN (0002) rocking curve is only 144 arcsec in the AlN ultrathin epilayer with a thickness of only a few tens of nm. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy also indicates the high-quality single-crystal hexagonal phase of the AlN epitaxial layer on the sapphire substrate. The result opens a window for further extension of the ALD applications from amorphous thin films to the high-quality low-temperature atomic layer epitaxy, which can be exploited in a variety of fields and applications in the near future.

Dynamic response of ultrathin highly dense ZIF-8 nanofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Cookney, Joanna; Ogieglo, Wojciech; Hrabanek, Pavel; Vankelecom, Ivo; Fila, Vlastimil; Benes, Nieck E

2014-10-11

Ultrathin ZIF-8 nanofilms are prepared by facile step-by-step dip coating. A critical withdrawal speed allows for films with a very uniform minimum thickness. The high refractive index of the films denotes the absence of mesopores. The dynamic response of the films to CO2 exposure resembles behaviour observed for non-equilibrium organic polymers.

Mechanical properties of ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} films studied by nano scratches tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Wei-En; Chang, Yong-Qing [Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Room 216, Building 8, 321, Kuang Fu Road Sec. 2, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Chang, Chia-Wei; Yao, Chih-Kai [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Liao, Jiunn-Der, E-mail: jdliao@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2013-02-01

10-nm-thick atomic layer deposited HfO{sub 2} films were characterized in terms of wear resistance and indentation hardness to investigate the thermal annealing induced impacts on mechanical properties. The wear resistance of ultra-thin films at low loads was characterized using nano-scratch tests with an atomic force microscope. The depth of the nano-scratches decreases with increasing annealing temperature, indicating that the hardness of the annealed films increases with the annealing temperatures. Surface nanoindentation was also performed to confirm the nanoscratch test results. The hardness variation of the annealed films is due to the generation of HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} induced by the thermal annealing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements proved that the hardness of formed HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} with increasing annealing temperatures. The existence of HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} broadens the interface, and causes the increase of the interfacial layer thickness. As a result, the surface hardness increases with the increasing HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} induced by the thermal annealing. - Highlights: ► Mechanical properties of HfO{sub 2} films were assessed by nano-scratch and indentation. ► Scratch depth of HfO{sub 2} films decreased with the increase of annealing temperatures. ► Nano-hardness of HfO{sub 2} films increased with the increase of annealing temperatures.

Significant electrical control of amorphous oxide thin film transistors by an ultrathin Ti surface polarity modifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Byungsu [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Samsung Display Co. Ltd., Tangjeong, Chungcheongnam-Do 336-741 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Yonghyuk; Shin, Seokyoon [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Jeon, Heeyoung [Department of Nano-scale Semiconductor Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Hyungtak, E-mail: hseo@ajou.ac.kr [Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon 443-739 (Korea, Republic of); Jeon, Hyeongtag, E-mail: hjeon@hanyang.ac.kr [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Nano-scale Semiconductor Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-01-27

We demonstrate an enhanced electrical stability through a Ti oxide (TiO{sub x}) layer on the amorphous InGaZnO (a-IGZO) back-channel; this layer acts as a surface polarity modifier. Ultrathin Ti deposited on the a-IGZO existed as a TiO{sub x} thin film, resulting in oxygen cross-binding with a-IGZO surface. The electrical properties of a-IGZO thin film transistors (TFTs) with TiO{sub x} depend on the surface polarity change and electronic band structure evolution. This result indicates that TiO{sub x} on the back-channel serves as not only a passivation layer protecting the channel from ambient molecules or process variables but also a control layer of TFT device parameters.

Growth of an Ultrathin Zirconia Film on Pt3Zr Examined by High-Resolution X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Temperature-Programmed Desorption, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, and Density Functional Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hao; Choi, Joong-Il Jake; Mayr-Schmölzer, Wernfried; Weilach, Christian; Rameshan, Christoph; Mittendorfer, Florian; Redinger, Josef; Schmid, Michael; Rupprechter, Günther

2015-02-05

Ultrathin (∼3 Å) zirconium oxide films were grown on a single-crystalline Pt 3 Zr(0001) substrate by oxidation in 1 × 10 -7 mbar of O 2 at 673 K, followed by annealing at temperatures up to 1023 K. The ZrO 2 films are intended to serve as model supports for reforming catalysts and fuel cell anodes. The atomic and electronic structure and composition of the ZrO 2 films were determined by synchrotron-based high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS) (including depth profiling), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Oxidation mainly leads to ultrathin trilayer (O-Zr-O) films on the alloy; only a small area fraction (10-15%) is covered by ZrO 2 clusters (thickness ∼0.5-10 nm). The amount of clusters decreases with increasing annealing temperature. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of CO was utilized to confirm complete coverage of the Pt 3 Zr substrate by ZrO 2 , that is, formation of a closed oxide overlayer. Experiments and DFT calculations show that the core level shifts of Zr in the trilayer ZrO 2 films are between those of metallic Zr and thick (bulklike) ZrO 2 . Therefore, the assignment of such XPS core level shifts to substoichiometric ZrO x is not necessarily correct, because these XPS signals may equally well arise from ultrathin ZrO 2 films or metal/ZrO 2 interfaces. Furthermore, our results indicate that the common approach of calculating core level shifts by DFT including final-state effects should be taken with care for thicker insulating films, clusters, and bulk insulators.

Incidence Angle Effect of Energetic Carbon Ions on Deposition Rate, Topography, and Structure of Ultrathin Amorphous Carbon Films Deposited by Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc

KAUST Repository

Wang, N.; Komvopoulos, K.

2012-01-01

The effect of the incidence angle of energetic carbon ions on the thickness, topography, and structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon (a-C) films synthesized by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) was examined in the context of numerical

Retardation the dewetting dynamics of ultrathin polystyrene films using highly branched aromatic molecules as additives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pangpaiboon, Nampueng; Traiphol, Nisanart; Promarak, Vinich; Traiphol, Rakchart

2013-01-01

This study introduces a new class of materials as a dewetting inhibitor for polystyrene (PS) ultrathin films. Two types of highly branched aromatic (HBA) molecules are added into PS films with thicknesses of 7 nm and 23 nm. Their concentrations range from 0.75 to 5 wt.%. The films are annealed in vacuum oven at elevated temperatures to accelerate dewetting process. Evolution of the film morphologies is followed by utilizing atomic force microscopy and optical microscopy. Contact angle measurements are used to evaluate interfacial interactions in each system. Dewetting area as a function of annealing time and HBA concentration are calculated. We have found that the presence of only 0.5 wt.% HBA can suppress the dewetting dynamics of PS films. Increasing the HBA concentration from 0.5 to 5 wt.% causes systematic decrease of the dewetting rate. In this system, the HBA molecules behave as physical cross-linking points for PS chains, which lead to the improvement of film stability. The efficiency of HBA as a dewetting inhibitor varies with molecular weight of PS while the change of HBA structure hardly affects the dewetting behaviors. - Highlights: • New method for improving stability of polystyrene (PS) thin films • Highly branched aromatic molecules (HBA) are used to suppress the dewetting. • Thermal stability of blended PS/HBA films greatly improves. • The effectiveness of HBA varies with molecular weight of PS. • Important results for designing materials in coating application

Retardation the dewetting dynamics of ultrathin polystyrene films using highly branched aromatic molecules as additives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pangpaiboon, Nampueng [Research Unit of Advanced Ceramics, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Traiphol, Nisanart, E-mail: Nisanart.T@chula.ac.th [Research Unit of Advanced Ceramics, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Promarak, Vinich [School of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand); Traiphol, Rakchart, E-mail: Rakchartt@nu.ac.th [Laboratory of Advanced Polymers and Nanomaterials, Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000 (Thailand); NANOTEC-MU Excellence Center on Intelligent Materials and Systems, Faculty of Science, Rama 6 Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400 (Thailand)

2013-12-02

This study introduces a new class of materials as a dewetting inhibitor for polystyrene (PS) ultrathin films. Two types of highly branched aromatic (HBA) molecules are added into PS films with thicknesses of 7 nm and 23 nm. Their concentrations range from 0.75 to 5 wt.%. The films are annealed in vacuum oven at elevated temperatures to accelerate dewetting process. Evolution of the film morphologies is followed by utilizing atomic force microscopy and optical microscopy. Contact angle measurements are used to evaluate interfacial interactions in each system. Dewetting area as a function of annealing time and HBA concentration are calculated. We have found that the presence of only 0.5 wt.% HBA can suppress the dewetting dynamics of PS films. Increasing the HBA concentration from 0.5 to 5 wt.% causes systematic decrease of the dewetting rate. In this system, the HBA molecules behave as physical cross-linking points for PS chains, which lead to the improvement of film stability. The efficiency of HBA as a dewetting inhibitor varies with molecular weight of PS while the change of HBA structure hardly affects the dewetting behaviors. - Highlights: • New method for improving stability of polystyrene (PS) thin films • Highly branched aromatic molecules (HBA) are used to suppress the dewetting. • Thermal stability of blended PS/HBA films greatly improves. • The effectiveness of HBA varies with molecular weight of PS. • Important results for designing materials in coating application.

Fabrication and stability investigation of ultra-thin transparent and flexible Cu-Ag-Au tri-layer film on PET

Science.gov (United States)

Prakasarao, Ch Surya; D'souza, Slavia Deeksha; Hazarika, Pratim; Karthiselva N., S.; Ramesh Babu, R.; Kovendhan, M.; Kumar, R. Arockia; Joseph, D. Paul

2018-04-01

The need for transparent conducting electrodes with high transmittance, low sheet resistance and flexibility to replace Indium Tin Oxide is ever growing. We have deposited and studied the performance of ultra-thin Cu-Ag-Au tri-layer films over a flexible poly-ethylene terephthalate substrate. Scotch tape test showed good adhesion of the metallic film. Transmittance of the tri-layer was around 40 % in visible region. Optical profiler measurements were done to study the surface features. The XRD pattern revealed that film was amorphous. Sheet resistance measured by four probe technique was around 7.7 Ohm/Δ and was stable up to 423 K. The transport parameters by Hall effect showed high conductivity and carrier concentration with a mobility of 5.58 cm2/Vs. Tests performed in an indigenously designed bending unit indicated the films to be stable both mechanically and electrically even after 50,000 bending cycles.

Ultrathin, epitaxial cerium dioxide on silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flege, Jan Ingo, E-mail: flege@ifp.uni-bremen.de; Kaemena, Björn; Höcker, Jan; Schmidt, Thomas; Falta, Jens [Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Bremen, Otto-Hahn-Allee 1, 28359 Bremen (Germany); Bertram, Florian [Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronensynchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg (Germany); Wollschläger, Joachim [Department of Physics, University of Osnabrück, Barbarastraße 7, 49069 Osnabrück (Germany)

2014-03-31

It is shown that ultrathin, highly ordered, continuous films of cerium dioxide may be prepared on silicon following substrate prepassivation using an atomic layer of chlorine. The as-deposited, few-nanometer-thin Ce{sub 2}O{sub 3} film may very effectively be converted at room temperature to almost fully oxidized CeO{sub 2} by simple exposure to air, as demonstrated by hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. This post-oxidation process essentially results in a negligible loss in film crystallinity and interface abruptness.

Enhanced Self-Organized Dewetting of Ultrathin Polymer Blend Film for Large-Area Fabrication of SERS Substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Huanhuan; Xu, Lin; Xu, Yabo; Huang, Gang; Zhao, Xueyu; Lai, Yuqing; Shi, Tongfei

2016-12-06

We study the enhanced dewetting of ultrathin Polystyrene (PS)/Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blend films in a mixed solution, and reveal the dewetting can act as a simple and effective method to fabricate large-area surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate. A bilayer structure consisting of under PMMA layer and upper PS layer forms due to vertical phase separation of immiscible PS/PMMA during the spin-coating process. The thicker layer of the bilayer structure dominates the dewetting structures of PS/PMMA blend films. The diameter and diameter distribution of droplets, and the average separation spacing between the droplets can be precisely controlled via the change of blend ratio and film thickness. The dewetting structure of 8 nm PS/PMMA (1:1 wt%) blend film is proved to successfully fabricate large-area (3.5 cm × 3.5 cm) universal SERS substrate via deposited a silver layer on the dewetting structure. The SERS substrate shows good SERS-signal reproducibility (RSD dewetting of polymer blend films broadens the application of dewetting of polymer films, especially in the nanotechnology, and may open a new approach for the fabrication of large-area SERS substrate to promote the application of SERS substrate in the rapid sensitive detection of trace molecules.

Thermodynamical fluctuations and critical behavior in weakly disordered YBCO thin and ultra-thin films

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

Transparent ‘solution’ of ultrathin magnesium hydroxide nanocrystals for flexible and transparent nanocomposite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jie-Xin; Sun, Qian; Chen, Bo; Zeng, Xiao-Fei; Zhang, Cong; Chen, Jian-Feng; Wu, Xi; Zou, Hai-Kui

2015-01-01

Transparent solutions of nanocrystals exhibit many unique properties, and are thus attractive materials for numerous applications. However, the synthesis of transparent nanocrystal solutions of magnesium hydroxide (MH) with wide applications is yet to be realized. Here, we report a facile two-step process, which includes a direct reactive precipitation in alcohol phase instead of aqueous phase combined with a successive surface modification, to prepare transparent alcohol solutions containing lamellar MH nanocrystals with an average size of 52 nm and an ultrathin thickness of 1–2 nm, which is the thinnest MH nanoplatelet reported in the literatures. Further, highly flexible and transparent nanocomposite films are fabricated with a solution mixing method by adding the transparent MH nanocrystal solutions into PVB solution. Considering the simplicity of the fabrication process, high transparency and good flexibility, this MH/polymer nanocomposite film is promising for flame-resistant applications in plastic electronics and optical devices with high transparency, such as flexible displays, optical filters, and flexible solar cells. (paper)

CH3Br adsorption on MgO/Mo ultrathin films: A DFT study

Science.gov (United States)

Cipriano, Luis A.; Tosoni, Sergio; Pacchioni, Gianfranco

2018-06-01

The adsorption of methyl bromide on MgO ultrathin films supported on Mo(100) was studied by means of density functional theory calculations, in comparison to the MgO(100) and Mo(100) surfaces. The adsorption energy and geometry were shown to depend on the thickness of the supported oxide film. MgO films as thick as 2ML (or more) display adsorptive properties similar to MgO(100), i.e. the adsorption of CH3Br is mostly due to dispersion and the molecule lies in a tilted geometry almost parallel to the surface. The CH3Br HOMO-LUMO gap is almost unaltered with respect to the gas phase. On metallic Mo(100) surfaces the bonding is completely different with the CH3Br molecule strongly bound and the C-Br bond axis almost vertical with respect to the metal surface. The MgO monolayer supported on Mo exhibits somehow intermediate properties: the tilt angle is larger and the bonding is stronger than on MgO(100), due to the effect of the supporting metal. In this case, a small reduction of the HOMO-LUMO gap of the adsorbed molecule is reported. The results help to rationalize the observed behavior in photodissociation of CH3Br supported on different substrates.

Low temperature plasma-enhanced ALD TiN ultrathin films for Hf{sub 0.5}Zr{sub 0.5}O{sub 2}-based ferroelectric MIM structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kozodaev, M.G.; Chernikova, A.G.; Markeev, A.M. [Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutsky Lane 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region 141700 (Russian Federation); Lebedinskii, Y.Y. [Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutsky Lane 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region 141700 (Russian Federation); National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, Kashirskoye Shosse 31, 115409 Moscow (Russian Federation); Polyakov, S.N. [Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials, Tsentral' naya str. 7a, 142190, Troitsk, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2017-06-15

In this work chemical and electrical properties of TiN films, grown by low temperature plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) process from TiCl{sub 4} and NH{sub 3}, were investigated. Electrical resistivity as low as 250 μOhm x cm, as well as the lowest Cl impurity content, was achieved at 320 C. Full-ALD Hf{sub 0.5}Zr{sub 0.5}O{sub 2}-based metal-ferroelectric-metal capacitor with TiN electrodes was fabricated and its electrical properties were investigated. It was also shown that the proposed PE-ALD process provides an early film continuity, which was confirmed by ultrathin fully continuous film growth. Such ultrathin (3 nm) and fully continuous TiN film was also successfully implemented as the top electrode to Hf{sub 0.5}Zr{sub 0.5}O{sub 2}-based ferroelectric capacitor. Angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AR-XPS) was used for its thickness determination and a visible wake-up effect in underlying Hf{sub 0.5}Zr{sub 0.5}O{sub 2} layer was clearly observed. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Acoustic Phonons and Mechanical Properties of Ultra-Thin Porous Low-k Films: A Surface Brillouin Scattering Study

Science.gov (United States)

Zizka, J.; King, S.; Every, A.; Sooryakumar, R.

2018-04-01

To reduce the RC (resistance-capacitance) time delay of interconnects, a key development of the past 20 years has been the introduction of porous low-k dielectrics to replace the traditional use of SiO2. Moreover, in keeping pace with concomitant reduction in technology nodes, these low-k materials have reached thicknesses below 100 nm wherein the porosity becomes a significant fraction of the film volume. The large degree of porosity not only reduces mechanical strength of the dielectric layer but also renders a need for non-destructive approaches to measure the mechanical properties of such ultra-thin films within device configurations. In this study, surface Brillouin scattering (SBS) is utilized to determine the elastic constants, Poisson's ratio, and Young's modulus of these porous low-k SiOC:H films (˜ 25-250 nm thick) grown on Si substrates by probing surface acoustic phonons and their dispersions.

Measurement of conformability and adhesion energy of polymeric ultrathin film to skin model

Science.gov (United States)

Sugano, Junki; Fujie, Toshinori; Iwata, Hiroyasu; Iwase, Eiji

2018-06-01

We measured the conformability and adhesion energy of a polymeric ultrathin film “nanosheet” with hundreds of nanometer thickness to a skin model with epidermal depressions. To compare the confirmability of the nanosheets with different thicknesses and/or under different attaching conditions, we proposed a measurement method using skin models with the same surface profile and defined the surface strain εS as the quantified value of the conformability. Then, we measured the adhesion energy of the nanosheet at each conformability through a vertical tensile test. Experimental results indicate that the adhesion energy does not depend on the liquid used in wetting the nanosheet before attaching to the skin model and increases monotonously as the surface strain εS increases.

Kink effect in ultrathin FDSOI MOSFETs

Science.gov (United States)

Park, H. J.; Bawedin, M.; Choi, H. G.; Cristoloveanu, S.

2018-05-01

Systematic experiments demonstrate the presence of the kink effect even in FDSOI MOSFETs. The back-gate bias controls the kink effect via the formation of a back accumulation channel. The kink is more or less pronounced according to the film thickness and channel length. However, in ultrathin (MOSFETs.

A cost-effective nanoporous ultrathin film electrode based on nanoporous gold/IrO2 composite for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Yachao; Guo, Xiaoqian; Shao, Zhigang; Yu, Hongmei; Song, Wei; Wang, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Hongjie; Yi, Baolian

2017-02-01

A cost-effective nanoporous ultrathin film (NPUF) electrode based on nanoporous gold (NPG)/IrO2 composite has been constructed for proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. The electrode was fabricated by integrating IrO2 nanoparticles into NPG through a facile dealloying and thermal decomposition method. The NPUF electrode is featured in its 3D interconnected nanoporosity and ultrathin thickness. The nanoporous ultrathin architecture is binder-free and beneficial for improving electrochemical active surface area, enhancing mass transport and facilitating releasing of oxygen produced during water electrolysis. Serving as anode, a single cell performance of 1.728 V (@ 2 A cm-2) has been achieved by NPUF electrode with a loading of IrO2 and Au at 86.43 and 100.0 μg cm-2 respectively, the electrolysis voltage is 58 mV lower than that of conventional electrode with an Ir loading an order of magnitude higher. The electrolysis voltage kept relatively constant up to 300 h (@250 mA cm-2) during the course of durability test, manifesting that NPUF electrode is promising for gas evolution.

Realization and characterization of a cellulose and conducting polymer-based ultrathin films composite material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henry, Christelle

1998-01-01

This work was dedicated to the realization and the characterization of an organic composite material in order to obtain organized ultrathin films with high conductivity and good mechanical properties. In this purpose, the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film of a crosslinked alkyl cellulose (rigid-rod polymer) was used as a host matrix for the electro-polymerization of alkyl thiophene and pyrrole. The first interesting result was the synthesis of a bigger amount of conducting alkyl polymer in the presence of cellulose. With the help of a photo-patterning technique, we were able to form contacts more or less conducting on the substrate. We have also shown that the conducting polymer grows beyond the electrode area until distances never described up to now in the literature. A preferential orientation of the conducting polymer chains along the LB dipping direction of the cellulose has been observed in some cases. Even for the films without molecular orientation, we have systematically observed a microscopic or macroscopic anisotropy. This phenomenon appears as domains concentrated in conducting polymers with anisotropic shapes oriented along the dipping direction. Finally, we have noticed that cellulose doesn't change the conductivity and the electrochromic properties of the conducting polymer. Beyond the keeping of these intrinsic properties, the matrix allows to stabilize the film when it is in contact with an organic solvent. (author) [fr

Feasibility of Ultra-Thin Fiber-Optic Dosimeters for Radiotherapy Dosimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Bongsoo; Kwon, Guwon; Shin, Sang Hun; Kim, Jaeseok; Yoo, Wook Jae; Ji, Young Hoon; Jang, Kyoung Won

2015-11-17

In this study, prototype ultra-thin fiber-optic dosimeters were fabricated using organic scintillators, wavelength shifting fibers, and plastic optical fibers. The sensor probes of the ultra-thin fiber-optic dosimeters consisted of very thin organic scintillators with thicknesses of 100, 150 and 200 μm. These types of sensors cannot only be used to measure skin or surface doses but also provide depth dose measurements with high spatial resolution. With the ultra-thin fiber-optic dosimeters, surface doses for gamma rays generated from a Co-60 therapy machine were measured. Additionally, percentage depth doses in the build-up regions were obtained by using the ultra-thin fiber-optic dosimeters, and the results were compared with those of external beam therapy films and a conventional fiber-optic dosimeter.

Mesoporous polyaniline film on ultra-thin graphene sheets for high performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qian; Yan, Jun; Fan, Zhuangjun; Wei, Tong; Zhang, Milin; Jing, Xiaoyan

2014-02-01

A facile approach has been developed to fabricate mesoporous PANI film on ultra-thin graphene nanosheet (G-mPANI) hybrid by in situ polymerization using graphene-mesoporous silica composite as template. Due to its mesoporous structure, over-all conductive network, G-mPANI electrode displays a specific capacitance of 749 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 with excellent rate capability (remains 73% even at 5.0 A g-1), much higher than that of pristine PANI electrode (315 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1, 39% retention at 5.0 A g-1) in 1 mol L-1 H2SO4 aqueous solution. More interestingly, the G-mPANI hybrid can maintain 88% of its initial capacitance compared to 45% for pristine PANI after 1000 cycles, suggesting a superior electrochemical cyclic stability.

Stepwise crystallization and the layered distribution in crystallization kinetics of ultra-thin poly(ethylene terephthalate) film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zuo, Biao, E-mail: chemizuo@zstu.edu.cn, E-mail: wxinping@yahoo.com; Xu, Jianquan; Sun, Shuzheng; Liu, Yue; Yang, Juping; Zhang, Li; Wang, Xinping, E-mail: chemizuo@zstu.edu.cn, E-mail: wxinping@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials and Manufacturing Technology of the Education Ministry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China)

2016-06-21

Crystallization is an important property of polymeric materials. In conventional viewpoint, the transformation of disordered chains into crystals is usually a spatially homogeneous process (i.e., it occurs simultaneously throughout the sample), that is, the crystallization rate at each local position within the sample is almost the same. Here, we show that crystallization of ultra-thin poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films can occur in the heterogeneous way, exhibiting a stepwise crystallization process. We found that the layered distribution of glass transition dynamics of thin film modifies the corresponding crystallization behavior, giving rise to the layered distribution of the crystallization kinetics of PET films, with an 11-nm-thick surface layer having faster crystallization rate and the underlying layer showing bulk-like behavior. The layered distribution in crystallization kinetics results in a particular stepwise crystallization behavior during heating the sample, with the two cold-crystallization temperatures separated by up to 20 K. Meanwhile, interfacial interaction is crucial for the occurrence of the heterogeneous crystallization, as the thin film crystallizes simultaneously if the interfacial interaction is relatively strong. We anticipate that this mechanism of stepwise crystallization of thin polymeric films will allow new insight into the chain organization in confined environments and permit independent manipulation of localized properties of nanomaterials.

Ultrathin ZnS and ZnO Interfacial Passivation Layers for Atomic-Layer-Deposited HfO2 Films on InP Substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seung Hyun; Joo, So Yeong; Jin, Hyun Soo; Kim, Woo-Byoung; Park, Tae Joo

2016-08-17

Ultrathin ZnS and ZnO films grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) were employed as interfacial passivation layers (IPLs) for HfO2 films on InP substrates. The interfacial layer growth during the ALD of the HfO2 film was effectively suppressed by the IPLs, resulting in the decrease of electrical thickness, hysteresis, and interface state density. Compared with the ZnO IPL, the ZnS IPL was more effective in reducing the interface state density near the valence band edge. The leakage current density through the film was considerably lowered by the IPLs because the film crystallization was suppressed. Especially for the film with the ZnS IPL, the leakage current density in the low-voltage region was significantly lower than that observed for the film with the ZnO IPL, because the direct tunneling current was suppressed by the higher conduction band offset of ZnS with the InP substrate.

Giant enhancement of magnetocrystalline anisotropy in ultrathin manganite films via nanoscale 1D periodic depth modulation

Science.gov (United States)

Rajapitamahuni, Anil; Zhang, Le; Singh, Vijay; Burton, John; Koten, Mak; Shield, Jeffrey; Tsymbal, Evgeny; Hong, Xia

We report a unusual giant enhancement of in-plane magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) in ultrathin colossal magnetoresistive oxide films due to 1D nanoscale periodic depth modulation. High quality epitaxial thin films of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) of thickness 6 nm were grown on (001) SrTiO3 substrates via off-axis radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The top 2 nm of LSMO films are patterned into periodic nano-stripes using e-beam lithography and reactive ion etching. The resulting structure consists of nano-stripes of 2 nm height and 100-200 nm width on top of a 4 nm thick continuous base layer. We employed planar Hall effect measurements to study the in-plane magnetic anisotropy of the unpatterned and nanopatterned films. The unpatterned films show a biaxial anisotropy with easy axis along [110]. The extracted anisotropy energy density is ~1.1 x 105 erg/cm3, comparable to previously reported values. In the nanopatterned films, a strong uniaxial anisotropy is developed along one of the biaxial easy axes. The corresponding anisotropy energy density is ~5.6 x 106 erg/cm3 within the nano-striped volume, comparable to that of Co. We attribute the observed uniaxial MCA to MnO6 octahedral rotations/tilts and the enhancement in the anisotropy energy density to the strain gradient within the nano-stripes.

Ferroelectric ultrathin perovskite films

Science.gov (United States)

Rappe, Andrew M; Kolpak, Alexie Michelle

2013-12-10

Disclosed herein are perovskite ferroelectric thin-film. Also disclosed are methods of controlling the properties of ferroelectric thin films. These films can be used in a variety materials and devices, such as catalysts and storage media, respectively.

A Ga2O3 underlayer as an isomorphic template for ultrathin hematite films toward efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Hisatomi, Takashi; Brillet, Jérémie; Cornuz, Maurin; Le Formal, Florian; Tétreault, Nicolas; Sivula, Kevin; Grätzel, Michael

2012-01-01

Hematite photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting are often fabricated as extremely-thin films to minimize charge recombination because of the short diffusion lengths of photoexcited carriers. However, poor crystallinity caused by structural interaction with a substrate negates the potential of ultrathin hematite photoanodes. This study demonstrates that ultrathin Ga2O3 underlayers, which were deposited on conducting substrates prior to hematite layers by atomic layer deposition, served as an isomorphic (corundum-type) structural template for ultrathin hematite and improved the photocurrent onset of PEC water splitting by 0.2 V. The benefit from Ga2O3 underlayers was most pronounced when the thickness of the underlayer was approximately 2 nm. Thinner underlayers did not work effectively as a template presumably because of insufficient crystallinity of the underlayer, while thicker ones diminished the PEC performance of hematite because the underlayer prevented electron injection from hematite to a conductive substrate due to the large conduction band offset. The enhancement of PEC performance by a Ga2O3 underlayer was more significant for thinner hematite layers owing to greater margins for improving the crystallinity of ultrathin hematite. It was confirmed that a Ga2O3 underlayer was applicable to a rough conducting substrate loaded with Sb-doped SnO2 nanoparticles, improving the photocurrent by a factor of 1.4. Accordingly, a Ga2O3 underlayer could push forward the development of host-guest-type nanocomposites consisting of highly-rough substrates and extremely-thin hematite absorbers.

Suhl instabilities for spin waves in ferromagnetic nanostripes and ultrathin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haghshenasfard, Zahra, E-mail: zhaghshe@uwo.ca; Nguyen, Hoa T.; Cottam, Michael G., E-mail: cottam@uwo.ca

2017-03-15

A microscopic (or Hamiltonian-based) theory is employed for the spin-wave instability thresholds of nonlinear processes in ultrathin ferromagnetic stripes and films under perpendicular pumping with an intense microwave field. The spatially-quantized linear spin waves in these nanostructures may participate in parametric processes through the three-magnon interactions (the first-order Suhl process) and the four-magnon interactions (the second-order Suhl process) when pumped. By contrast with most previous studies of spin-wave instabilities made for larger samples, where macroscopic (or continuum) theories involving Maxwell's equations for magnetic dipolar effects are used, a discrete lattice of effective spins is employed. Then a dipole-exchange spin Hamiltonian is employed to investigate the behavior of the quantized spin waves under perpendicular pumping, when modifications due to the more extensive spatial confinement and edges effects in these nanostructures become pronounced. The instability thresholds versus applied magnetic field are calculated, with emphasis on the size effects and geometries of the nanostructures and on the different relative strengths of the magnetic dipole-dipole and exchange interactions in materials. Numerical results are presented using parameters for Permalloy, YIG, and EuS. - Highlights: • Suhl instabilities for spin waves in magnetic stripes and films are investigated. • Three- and four-magnon processes in perpendicular pumping are taken into account. • Numerical applications are made to Permalloy, YIG, and EuS.

Characterization and Analysis of Ultrathin CIGS Films and Solar Cells Deposited by 3-Stage Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace Rajan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In view of the large-scale utilization of Cu(In,GaSe2 (CIGS solar cells for photovoltaic application, it is of interest not only to enhance the conversion efficiency but also to reduce the thickness of the CIGS absorber layer in order to reduce the cost and improve the solar cell manufacturing throughput. In situ and real-time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE has been used conjointly with ex situ characterizations to understand the properties of ultrathin CIGS films. This enables monitoring the growth process, analyzing the optical properties of the CIGS films during deposition, and extracting composition, film thickness, grain size, and surface roughness which can be corroborated with ex situ measurements. The fabricated devices were characterized using current voltage and quantum efficiency measurements and modeled using a 1-dimensional solar cell device simulator. An analysis of the diode parameters indicates that the efficiency of the thinnest cells was restricted not only by limited light absorption, as expected, but also by a low fill factor and open-circuit voltage, explained by an increased series resistance, reverse saturation current, and diode quality factor, associated with an increased trap density.

Periodic reversal of magneto-optic Faraday rotation on uniaxial birefringence crystal with ultrathin magnetic films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. W. Su

2013-07-01

Full Text Available An experimental approach of inclined incidence magneto-optic Faraday effect observed in the polar plane is applied. Three samples containing ferromagnetic cobalt ultrathin films on a semiconductor zinc oxide (0001 single crystal substrate with in-plane and out-of-plane anisotropy are evaluated. Through the fine adjustment of crossed polarizers in the magneto-optic effect measurement completely recorded the detail optical and magneto-optical responses from the birefringent crystal substrate and the magnetic film, especially for the signal induced from the substrate with uniaxial optical axis. The angle dependency of interference phenomena periodically from the optical and magneto-optical responses is attributed to the birefringence even in the absence of a magnetic field. The new type of observation finds that the transmission Faraday intensity in the oblique incidence includes a combination of polarization rotations, which results from optical compensation from the substrate and magneto-optical Faraday effects from the film. The samples grown at different rates and examined by this method exhibit magnetic structure discriminations. This result can be applied in the advanced polarized-light technologies to enhance the spatial resolution of magnetic surfaces with microstructural information under various magnetic field direction.

Tunable magnetic properties by interfacial manipulation of L1(0)-FePt perpendicular ultrathin film with island-like structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, C; Wang, S G; Yang, M Y; Zhang, E; Zhan, Q; Jiang, Y; Li, B H; Yu, G H

2012-02-01

Based on interfacial manipulation of the MgO single crystal substrate and non-magnetic AIN compound, a L1(0)-FePt perpendicular ultrathin film with the structure of MgO/FePt-AIN/Ta was designed, prepared, and investigated. The film is comprised of L1(0)-FePt "magnetic islands," which exhibits a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), tunable coercivity (Hc), and interparticle exchange coupling (IEC). The MgO substrate promotes PMA of the film because of interfacial control of the FePt lattice orientation. The AIN compound is doped to increase the difference of surface energy between FePt layer and MgO substrate and to suppress the growth of FePt grains, which takes control of island growth mode of FePt atoms. The AIN compound also acts as isolator of L1(0)-FePt islands to pin the sites of FePt domains, resulting in the tunability of Hc and IEC of the films.

Gas Permeation, Mechanical Behavior and Cytocompatibility of Ultrathin Pure and Doped Diamond-Like Carbon and Silicon Oxide Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juergen M. Lackner

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Protective ultra-thin barrier films gather increasing economic interest for controlling permeation and diffusion from the biological surrounding in implanted sensor and electronic devices in future medicine. Thus, the aim of this work was a benchmarking of the mechanical oxygen permeation barrier, cytocompatibility, and microbiological properties of inorganic ~25 nm thin films, deposited by vacuum deposition techniques on 50 µm thin polyetheretherketone (PEEK foils. Plasma-activated chemical vapor deposition (direct deposition from an ion source was applied to deposit pure and nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon films, while physical vapor deposition (magnetron sputtering in pulsed DC mode was used for the formation of silicon as well as titanium doped diamond-like carbon films. Silicon oxide films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The results indicate a strong influence of nanoporosity on the oxygen transmission rate for all coating types, while the low content of microporosity (particulates, etc. is shown to be of lesser importance. Due to the low thickness of the foil substrates, being easily bent, the toughness as a measure of tendency to film fracture together with the elasticity index of the thin films influence the oxygen barrier. All investigated coatings are non-pyrogenic, cause no cytotoxic effects and do not influence bacterial growth.

Superradiance from an ultrathin film of three-level V-type atoms: interplay between splitting, quantum coherence and local-field effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malyshev, V A; Carreno, F; Anton, M A; Calderon, Oscar G; Dominguez-Adame, F

2003-01-01

We carry out a theoretical study of the collective spontaneous emission (superradiance) from an ultrathin film comprised of three-level atoms with V configuration of the operating transitions. As the thickness of the system is small compared to the emission wavelength inside the film, the local-field correction to the averaged Maxwell field is relevant. We show that the interplay between the low-frequency quantum coherence within the subspace of the upper doublet states and the local-field correction may drastically affect the branching ratio of the operating transitions. This effect may be used for controlling the emission process by varying the doublet splitting and the amount of low-frequency coherence

Flexible Mixed-Potential-Type (MPT) NO₂ Sensor Based on An Ultra-Thin Ceramic Film.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Rui; Jing, Gaoshan; Yu, Hongyan; Cui, Tianhong

2017-07-29

A novel flexible mixed-potential-type (MPT) sensor was designed and fabricated for NO₂ detection from 0 to 500 ppm at 200 °C. An ultra-thin Y₂O₃-doped ZrO₂ (YSZ) ceramic film 20 µm thick was sandwiched between a heating electrode and reference/sensing electrodes. The heating electrode was fabricated by a conventional lift-off process, while the porous reference and the sensing electrodes were fabricated by a two-step patterning method using shadow masks. The sensor's sensitivity is achieved as 58.4 mV/decade at the working temperature of 200 °C, as well as a detection limit of 26.7 ppm and small response time of less than 10 s at 200 ppm. Additionally, the flexible MPT sensor demonstrates superior mechanical stability after bending over 50 times due to the mechanical stability of the YSZ ceramic film. This simply structured, but highly reliable flexible MPT NO₂ sensor may lead to wide application in the automobile industry for vehicle emission systems to reduce NO₂ emissions and improve fuel efficiency.

Elastic properties of ultrathin diamond/AlN membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuerbig, V.; Hees, J.; Pletschen, W.; Sah, R.E.; Wolfer, M.; Kirste, L.; Heidrich, N.; Nebel, C.E.; Ambacher, O.; Lebedev, V.

2014-01-01

Nanocrystalline diamond- (NCD) and AlN-based ultrathin single layer and bilayer membranes are investigated towards their mechanical properties. It is shown that chemo-mechanical polishing and heavy boron doping of NCD thin films do not impact the elastic properties of NCD layers as revealed by negligible variations of the NCD Young's modulus (E). In addition, it is demonstrated that the combination of NCD elastic layer and AlN piezo-actuator is highly suitable for the fabrication of mechanically stable ultrathin membranes in comparison to AlN single layer membranes. The elastic parameters of NCD/AlN heterostructures are mainly determined by the outstanding high Young's modulus of NCD (E = 1019 ± 19 GPa). Such ultrathin unimorph membranes allow for fabrication of piezo-actuated AlN/NCD microlenses with tunable focus length. - Highlights: • Mechanical properties of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) and AlN circular membranes • No influence of polishing of NCD thin films on the mechanical properties of NCD • No influence of heavy boron-doping on the mechanical properties of NCD • Demonstration of mechanically stable piezo-actuated NCD/AlN membranes • Reported performance of AlN/NCD microlenses with adjustable focus length

Switching characteristics for ferroelectric random access memory based on RC model in poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) ultrathin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, ChangLi [Department of Physics, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Complex and Intelligent System Research Center, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Wang, XueJun [Complex and Intelligent System Research Center, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Zhang, XiuLi [Department of Physics, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); School of Fundamental Studies, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620 (China); Du, XiaoLi [School of Fundamental Studies, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620 (China); Xu, HaiSheng, E-mail: hsxu@ecust.edu.cn [Department of Physics, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Kunshan Hisense Electronics Co., Ltd., Kunshan, Jiangsu 215300 (China)

2016-05-15

The switching characteristic of the poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethlene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) films have been studied at different ranges of applied electric field. It is suggest that the increase of the switching speed upon nucleation protocol and the deceleration of switching could be related to the presence of a non-ferroelectric layer. Remarkably, a capacitor and resistor (RC) links model plays significant roles in the polarization switching dynamics of the thin films. For P(VDF-TrFE) ultrathin films with electroactive interlayer, it is found that the switching dynamic characteristics are strongly affected by the contributions of resistor and non-ferroelectric (non-FE) interface factors. A corresponding experiment is designed using poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic) (PEDOT-PSSH) as interlayer with different proton concentrations, and the testing results show that the robust switching is determined by the proton concentration in interlayer and lower leakage current in circuit to reliable applications of such polymer films. These findings provide a new feasible method to enhance the polarization switching for the ferroelectric random access memory.

Switching characteristics for ferroelectric random access memory based on RC model in poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) ultrathin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, ChangLi; Wang, XueJun; Zhang, XiuLi; Du, XiaoLi; Xu, HaiSheng

2016-01-01

The switching characteristic of the poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethlene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) films have been studied at different ranges of applied electric field. It is suggest that the increase of the switching speed upon nucleation protocol and the deceleration of switching could be related to the presence of a non-ferroelectric layer. Remarkably, a capacitor and resistor (RC) links model plays significant roles in the polarization switching dynamics of the thin films. For P(VDF-TrFE) ultrathin films with electroactive interlayer, it is found that the switching dynamic characteristics are strongly affected by the contributions of resistor and non-ferroelectric (non-FE) interface factors. A corresponding experiment is designed using poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic) (PEDOT-PSSH) as interlayer with different proton concentrations, and the testing results show that the robust switching is determined by the proton concentration in interlayer and lower leakage current in circuit to reliable applications of such polymer films. These findings provide a new feasible method to enhance the polarization switching for the ferroelectric random access memory.

Effect of cerium doping on the electrical properties of ultrathin indium tin oxide films for application in touch sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Saewon; Cho, Sanghyun; Song, Pungkeun

2014-01-01

The electrical and microstructure properties of cerium doped indium tin oxide (ITO:Ce) ultrathin films were evaluated to assess their potential application in touch sensors. 10 to 150-nm ITO and ITO:Ce films were deposited on glass substrates (200 °C) by DC magnetron sputtering using different ITO targets (doped with CeO 2 : 0, 1, 3, 5 wt.%). ITO:Ce (doped with CeO 2 : 3 wt.%) films with thickness < 25 nm showed lower resistivity than ITO. This lower resistivity was accompanied by a significant increase in the Hall mobility despite a decrease in crystallinity. In addition, the surface morphology and wetting properties improved with increasing Ce concentration. This is related to an earlier transition from an island structure to continuous film formation caused by an increase in the initial nucleation density. - Highlights: • 10 to 150-nm InSnO 2 (ITO) and ITO:Ce thin films were deposited by sputtering. • ITO:Ce films with thickness < 25 nm showed lower resistivity than ITO. • Hall mobility was strongly affected by initial film formation. • Surface morphology and wetting property improved with increasing Ce concentration. • Such behavior is related to an earlier transition to continuous film formation

Enhancement of absorption and color contrast in ultra-thin highly absorbing optical coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Kats, Mikhail A.; Byrnes, Steven J.; Blanchard, Romain; Kolle, Mathias; Genevet, Patrice; Aizenberg, Joanna; Capasso, Federico

2013-09-01

Recently a new class of optical interference coatings was introduced which comprises ultra-thin, highly absorbing dielectric layers on metal substrates. We show that these lossy coatings can be augmented by an additional transparent subwavelength layer. We fabricated a sample comprising a gold substrate, an ultra-thin film of germanium with a thickness gradient, and several alumina films. The experimental reflectivity spectra showed that the additional alumina layer increases the color range that can be obtained, in agreement with calculations. More generally, this transparent layer can be used to enhance optical absorption, protect against erosion, or as a transparent electrode for optoelectronic devices.

Metal ion modulated ultrathin films and nanostructures of tyrosine-based bolaamphiphile at the air/water interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiao Tifeng; Cheng Caixia; Xi Fu; Liu Minghua

2006-01-01

Supramolecular assemblies at the air/water interface from a newly designed tyrosine-based bolaamphiphile, 1,10-bis(O-L-tyrosine)-decane (C10BT), were investigated. The compound could be spread on water surface and form organized ultrathin film. It was interesting to find that metal ions such as Ag + and Cu 2+ in the subphase can greatly modulate the molecular packing of C10BT and the morphology of the subsequently deposited Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. Atomic force microscopic measurements revealed that C10BT LB film from the subphase containing Ag + ion showed well-ordered layered nanofibers, while Cu 2+ ion coordinated C10BT film demonstrated dense cross-linked network. It was suggested that both the strong chelating property to the carboxylate and the different packing mode of hydrocarbon chain resulted in the distinct nanostructures. Fourier transform infrared spectra reveal the difference between the Ag-C10BT complex film and that of Cu 2+ ion, and the mechanism of the packing mode of hydrocarbon chain was discussed. Furthermore, the X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectra also verified the orderly layer structure and the relative molar ratios compared with different metal ions. While many efforts have been devoted to manipulation of the nanostructures and functions of sophisticated bolaform amphiphiles, we provided a simple method of modulating the organization and morphology of C10BT films through metal ions

Ab initio thermodynamics for the growth of ultra-thin Cu film on a perfect Mg O(001) surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhukovskii, Yuri F. [Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga str. 8, Riga LV-1063 (Latvia)]. E-mail: quantzh@latnet.lv; Fuks, David [Materials Engineering Department, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer-Sheva IL-84105 (Israel); Kotomin, Eugene A. [Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga str. 8, Riga LV-1063 (Latvia); Dorfman, Simon [Department of Physics, Israel Institute of Technology-Technion, Haifa IL-32000 (Israel)

2005-12-15

Controlled growth of thin metallic films on oxide substrates is important for numerous micro-and nano electronic applications. Our ab initio study is devoted to the periodic slab simulations for a series of ordered 2a Cu superlattices on the regular Mg O(001) substrate. Submonolayer and monolayer substrate Cu coverages were calculated using the Daft-Gaga method, as implemented into the Crystal-98 code. The results of ab initio calculations have been combined with thermodynamic theory which allows US to predict the growth mode of ultra-thin metal films (spinodal decomposition vs. nucleation-and-growth regime) as a function of the metal coverage and the temperature, and to estimate the metal density in clusters. We show that 3a cluster formation becomes predominant already at low Cu coverages, in agreement with the experiment.

Ab initio thermodynamics for the growth of ultra-thin Cu film on a perfect Mg O(001) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhukovskii, Yuri F.; Fuks, David; Kotomin, Eugene A.; Dorfman, Simon

2005-01-01

Controlled growth of thin metallic films on oxide substrates is important for numerous micro-and nano electronic applications. Our ab initio study is devoted to the periodic slab simulations for a series of ordered 2a Cu superlattices on the regular Mg O(001) substrate. Submonolayer and monolayer substrate Cu coverages were calculated using the Daft-Gaga method, as implemented into the Crystal-98 code. The results of ab initio calculations have been combined with thermodynamic theory which allows US to predict the growth mode of ultra-thin metal films (spinodal decomposition vs. nucleation-and-growth regime) as a function of the metal coverage and the temperature, and to estimate the metal density in clusters. We show that 3a cluster formation becomes predominant already at low Cu coverages, in agreement with the experiment

The Effect of Annealing on Nanothick Indium Tin Oxide Transparent Conductive Films for Touch Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shih-Hao Chan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to discuss the sheet resistance of ultrathin indium tin oxide (ITO transparent conductive films during the postannealing treatment. The thickness of the ultrathin ITO films is 20 nm. They are prepared on B270 glass substrates at room temperature by a direct-current pulsed magnetron sputtering system. Ultrathin ITO films with high sheet resistance are commonly used for touch panel applications. As the annealing temperature is increased, the structure of the ultrathin ITO film changes from amorphous to polycrystalline. The crystalline of ultrathin ITO films becomes stronger with an increase of annealing temperature, which further leads to the effect of enhanced Hall mobility. A postannealing treatment in an atmosphere can enhance the optical transmittance owing to the filling of oxygen vacancies, but the sheet resistance rises sharply. However, a higher annealing temperature, above 250°C, results in a decrease in the sheet resistance of ultrathin ITO films, because more Sn ions become an effective dopant. An optimum sheet resistance of 336 Ω/sqr was obtained for ultrathin ITO films at 400°C with an average optical transmittance of 86.8% for touch sensor applications.

XPS and angle resolved XPS, in the semiconductor industry: Characterization and metrology control of ultra-thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brundle, C.R.; Conti, Giuseppina; Mack, Paul

2010-01-01

This review discusses the development of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XPS, used as a characterization and metrology method for ultra-thin films in the semiconductor wafer processing industry. After a brief explanation of how the relative roles of XPS and Auger electron spectroscopy, AES, have changed over the last 15 years or so in the semiconductor industry, we go into some detail as to what is implied by metrology, as opposed to characterization, for thin films in the industry, and then describe how XPS, and particularly angle resolved XPS, ARXPS, have been implemented as a metrology 'tool' for thickness, chemical composition, and non-destructive depth profiling, of transistor gate oxide material, a key requirement in front-end processing. We take a historical approach, dealing first with the early use for SiO 2 films on Si(1 0 0), then moving to silicon oxynitride, SiO x N y in detail, and finally and briefly HfO 2 -based material, which is used today in the most advanced devices (32 nm node).

Strain-induced oxygen vacancies in ultrathin epitaxial CaMnO3 films

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasena, Ravini; Yang, Weibing; Lei, Qingyu; Delgado-Jaime, Mario; de Groot, Frank; Arenholz, Elke; Kobayashi, Keisuke; Aschauer, Ulrich; Spaldin, Nicola; Xi, Xiaoxing; Gray, Alexander

Dynamic control of strain-induced ionic defects in transition-metal oxides is considered to be an exciting new avenue towards creating materials with novel electronic, magnetic and structural properties. Here we use atomic layer-by-layer laser molecular beam epitaxy to synthesize high-quality ultrathin single-crystalline CaMnO3 films with systematically varying coherent tensile strain. We then utilize a combination of high-resolution soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy and bulk-sensitive hard x-ray photoemission spectroscopy in conjunction with first-principles theory and core-hole multiplet calculations to establish a direct link between the coherent in-plane strain and the oxygen-vacancy content. We show that the oxygen vacancies are highly mobile, which necessitates an in-situ-grown capping layer in order to preserve the original strain-induced oxygen-vacancy content. Our findings open the door for designing and controlling new ionically active properties in strongly-correlated transition-metal oxides.

Photoelectron diffraction study of Rh nanoparticles growth on Fe3O4/Pd(111) ultrathin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abreu, G. J. P.; Pancotti, A; Lima, L. H. de; Landers, R.; Siervo, A. de

2013-01-01

Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) supported on oxides thin films are commonly used as model catalysts for studies of heterogeneous catalysis. Several 4d and 5d metal NPs (for example, Pd, Pt and Au) grown on alumina, ceria and titania have shown strong metal support interaction (SMSI), for instance the encapsulation of the NPs by the oxide. The SMSI plays an important role in catalysis and is very dependent on the support oxide used. The present work investigates the growth mechanism and atomic structure of Rh NPs supported on epitaxial magnetite Fe 3 O 4 (111) ultrathin films prepared on Pd(111) using the Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) technique. The iron oxide and the Rh NPs were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), low-energy electron diffraction and photoelectron diffraction (PED). The combined XPS and PED results indicate that Rh NPs are metallic, cover approximately 20 % of the iron oxide surface and show height distribution ranging 3–5 ML (monolayers) with essentially a bulk fcc structure.

Ultrathin protective films of two-dimensional polymers on passivated iron against corrosion in 0.1M NaCl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aramaki, Kunitsugu; Shimura, Tadashi

2005-01-01

Prevention of iron corrosion in an aerated 0.1M NaCl solution was investigated by polarization and mass-loss measurements of a passivated iron electrode covered with ultrathin and ordered films of two-dimensional polymers. The films were prepared on the passivated electrode by modification of a 16-hydroxyhexadecanoate ion HO(CH 2 ) 15 CO 2 - self-assembled monolayer with 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (C 2 H 5 O) 3 Si(CH 2 ) 2 Si(OC 2 H 5 ) 3 and alkyltriethoxysilane C n H 2n+1 Si(OC 2 H 5 ) 3 (n=8 or 18). Because crevice corrosion occurred at the initial stage of immersion in the solution preferentially, the edge of electrode covered with the polymer film was coated with epoxy resin. The open-circuit potentials of the covered electrodes in the solution were maintained high, more than -0.2V/SCE for several hours, indicating that no breakdown of the passive film occurred on the surface. The protective efficiencies of the films were extremely high, more than 99.9% unless the passive film was broken down. The efficiencies after immersion for 24h almost agreed with those obtained by mass-loss measurements. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron-probe microanalysis of the passivated surface covered with the polymer film after immersion in the solution for 4h revealed that pit initiation on the passive film was suppressed by coverage with the polymer film completely

Ambipolar gate effect and low temperature magnetoresistance of ultrathin La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 films.

Science.gov (United States)

Eblen-Zayas, M; Bhattacharya, A; Staley, N E; Kobrinskii, A L; Goldman, A M

2005-01-28

Ultrathin La(0.8)Ca(0.2)MnO(3) films have been measured in a field-effect geometry. The gate electric field produces a significant ambipolar decrease in resistance at low temperatures. This is attributed to the development of a pseudogap in the density of states and the coupling of localized charge to strain. Within a mixed phase scenario, the gate effect and magnetoresistance are interpreted in the framework of a "general susceptibility," which describes how phase boundaries move through a hierarchical pinning landscape.

Pathways from disordered to ordered nanostructures from defect guided dewetting of ultrathin bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hens, Abhiram; Mondal, Kartick; Biswas, Gautam; Bandyopadhyay, Dipankar

2016-03-01

Transitions from spinodal to pattern-guided dewetting of a bilayer of ultrathin films (dewetting to generate ordered patterns of nanoscopic size and periodicity. Comparing the results obtained from the MD simulations with the more widely employed continuum dynamics approach highlights the importance of the MD approach in quantitatively analyzing the dynamics of the dewetting of ultrathin films. The study demonstrates that the pattern-guided dewetting of confined bilayers can lead to ordered holes, droplets, and stripes with size and periodicity less than 10nm, which are yet to be realized experimentally and can be of significance for a number of future applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discharge amplified photo-emission from ultra-thin films applied to tuning work function of transparent electrodes in organic opto-electronic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gentle, A.R.; Smith, G.B.; Watkins, S.E.

2013-01-01

A novel photoemission technique utilising localised discharge amplification of photo-yield is reported. It enables fast, accurate measurement of work function and ionisation potential for ultra-thin buffer layers vacuum deposited onto single and multilayer transparent conducting electrodes for organic solar cells and OLED's. Work function in most traditional transparent electrodes has to be raised to maximise charge transfer while high transmittance and high conductance must be retained. Results are presented for a range of metal oxide buffers, which achieve this goal. This compact photo-yield spectroscopy tool with its fast turn-around has been a valuable development aid since ionisation potential can vary significantly as deposition conditions change slightly, and as ultra-thin films grow. It has also been useful in tracking the impact of different post deposition cleaning treatments along with some storage and transport protocols, which can adversely reduce ionisation potential and hence subsequent device performance.

Temperature dependence of magnetic anisotropies in ultrathin Fe film on vicinal Si(111)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yong-Sheng; He, Wei; Ye, Jun; Hu, Bo; Tang, Jin; Zhang, Xiang-Qun [State Key Laboratory of Magnetism and Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Cheng, Zhao-Hua, E-mail: zhcheng@aphy.iphy.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Magnetism and Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2017-05-01

The temperature dependence of magnetic anisotropy of ultrathin Fe film with different thickness epitaxially grown on vicinal Si(111) substrate has been quantitatively investigated using the anisotropic magnetoresistance(AMR) measurements. Due to the effect of the vicinal substrate, the magnetic anisotropy is the superposition of a four-fold, a two-fold and a weakly six-fold contribution. It is found that the temperature dependence of the first-order magnetocrystalline anisotropies coefficient follows power laws of the reduced magnetization m(T)(=M(T)/M(0)) being consistent with the Callen and Callen's theory. However the temperature dependence of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (UMA) shows novel behavior that decreases roughly as a function of temperature with different power law for samples with different thickness. We also found that the six-fold magnetocrystalline anisotropy is almost invariable over a wide temperature range. Possible mechanisms leading to the different exponents are discussed.

The effect of deposition energy of energetic atoms on the growth and structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon films studied by molecular dynamics simulations

KAUST Repository

Wang, N

2014-05-16

The growth and structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon films was investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The second-generation reactive-empirical-bond-order potential was used to model atomic interactions. Films with different structures were simulated by varying the deposition energy of carbon atoms in the range of 1-120 eV. Intrinsic film characteristics (e.g. density and internal stress) were determined after the system reached equilibrium. Short- and intermediate-range carbon atom ordering is examined in the context of atomic hybridization and ring connectivity simulation results. It is shown that relatively high deposition energy (i.e., 80 eV) yields a multilayer film structure consisting of an intermixing layer, bulk film and surface layer, consistent with the classical subplantation model. The highest film density (3.3 g cm-3), sp3 fraction (∼43%), and intermediate-range carbon atom ordering correspond to a deposition energy of ∼80 eV, which is in good agreement with experimental findings. © 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Structural characterization and comparison of iridium, platinum and gold/palladium ultra-thin film coatings for STM of biomolecules

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sebring, R.; Arendt, P.; Imai, B.; Bradbury, E.M.; Gatewood, J. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); Panitz, J. [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Yau, P. [Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)

1997-10-30

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is capable of atomic resolution and is ideally suited for imaging surfaces with uniform work function. A biological sample on a conducting substrate in air does not meet this criteria and requires a conductive coating for stable and reproducible STM imaging. In this paper, the authors describe the STM and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization of ultra-thin ion-beam sputtered films of iridium and cathode sputtered gold/palladium and platinum films on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) which were developed for use as biomolecule coatings. The goals were the development of metal coatings sufficiently thin and fine grained that 15--20 {angstrom} features of biological molecules could be resolved using STM, and the development of a substrate/coating system which would allow complementary TEM information to be obtained for films and biological molecules. The authors demonstrate in this paper that ion-beam sputtered iridium on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) has met both these goals. The ion-beam sputtered iridium produced a very fine grained (< 10 {angstrom}) continuous film at 5--6 {angstrom} thickness suitable for stable air STM imaging. In comparison, cathode sputtered platinum produced 16 {angstrom} grains with the thinnest continuous film at 15 {angstrom} thickness, and the sputtered gold/palladium produced 25 {angstrom} grains with the thinnest continuous film at 18 {angstrom} thickness.

Complete protection of a passive film on iron from breakdown in a borate buffer containing 0.1M of Cl- by coverage with an ultrathin film of two-dimensional polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aramaki, Kunitsugu; Shimura, Tadashi

2006-01-01

An ultrathin film of two-dimensional polymer was prepared on a passivated iron electrode by modification of a 16-hydroxyhexadecanoate ion HO(CH 2 ) 15 CO 2 - self-assembled monolayer with 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (C 2 H 5 O) 3 Si(CH 2 ) 2 Si(OC 2 H 5 ) 3 and octadecyltriethoxysilane C 18 H 37 Si(OC 2 H 5 ) 3 . This film prevented passive film breakdown examined by potentiodynamic anodic polarization of the coated electrode in the borate buffer solution containing 0.1M of Cl - . Neither current spikes nor the pitting potential was observed in the passive and transpassive regions of polarization curve. The anodic current density was decreased in these regions markedly, implying hindrance to permeation of Cl - and water through the film. Structure of the film was clarified by X-ray photoelectron and FTIR reflection spectroscopies and contact angle measurement with a drop of water. Electron-probe microanalysis of the passivated surface coated with the film after anodic polarization scanning up to the transpassive region revealed that the polymer film prevents pit initiation by an attack on the passive film with Cl -

Numerical dataset for analyzing the performance of a highly efficient ultrathin film CdTe solar cell

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rucksana Safa Sultana

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The article comprises numerical data of distinct semiconductor materials applied in the sketch of a CdTe absorber based ultrathin film solar cell. Additionally, the contact layer parametric values of the cell have been described also. Therefore, the simulation has been conducted with data related to the hetero-structured (n-ZnO/n-CdS/p-CdTe/p-ZnTe semiconductor device and a J–V characteristics curve was obtained. The operating conditions have also been recorded. Afterward, the solar cell performance parameters such as open circuit voltage (Voc, short circuit current density (Jsc, fill factor (FF, and efficiency (η have been investigated and compared with reference cell.

Dynamics and morphology of chiral magnetic bubbles in perpendicularly magnetized ultra-thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Sarma, Bhaskarjyoti; Garcia-Sanchez, Felipe; Nasseri, S. Ali; Casiraghi, Arianna; Durin, Gianfranco

2018-06-01

We study bubble domain wall dynamics using micromagnetic simulations in perpendicularly magnetized ultra-thin films with disorder and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Disorder is incorporated into the material as grains with randomly distributed sizes and varying exchange constant at the edges. As expected, magnetic bubbles expand asymmetrically along the axis of the in-plane field under the simultaneous application of out-of-plane and in-plane fields. Remarkably, the shape of the bubble has a ripple-like part which causes a kink-like (steep decrease) feature in the velocity versus in-plane field curve. We show that these ripples originate due to the nucleation and interaction of vertical Bloch lines. Furthermore, we show that the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction field is not constant but rather depends on the in-plane field. We also extend the collective coordinate model for domain wall motion to a magnetic bubble and compare it with the results of micromagnetic simulations.

Ab-initio study of the magneto-optical properties of the ultrathin films of Fe{sub n}/Au(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boukelkoul, Mebarek, E-mail: boukelkoul_mebarek@yahoo.fr [Laboratoire de Physique Quantique et Systèmes Dynamiques, Faculté des sciences, Université Sétif1, Sétif, 19000 Algeria (Algeria); Haroun, Mohamed Fahim [Laboratoire de Physique Quantique et Systèmes Dynamiques, Faculté des sciences, Université Sétif1, Sétif, 19000 Algeria (Algeria); Haroun, Abdelhalim [Laboratoire de Physique Quantique et Systèmes Dynamiques, Faculté des sciences, Université Sétif1, Sétif, 19000 Algeria (Algeria); IPCMS, UMR 7504 CNRS-UNISTRA, 23 Rue du Loess, Strasbourg, 67034 France (France)

2016-12-15

With the aim of understand the microscopic origin of the magneto-optical response in the Fe ultrathin films, we used the first principle full-relativistic Spin-Polarized Relativistic Linear Muffin-Tin Orbitals with Atomic Sphere Approximation. We performed an ab-initio study of the structural, magnetic and magneto-optical properties of Fe deposited on semi-infinite Au(001). The structure and growth of the film leads to a pseudomorphic body centered tetragonal structure with tetragonality ratio c/a=1.62, and the pseudomorphic growth is found to be larger than 3 monolayers. The magnetic study revealed a ferromagnetic phase with a large magnetic moment compared to the bulk one. The magneto-optical response is calculated via the polar magneto-optical Kerr effect over a photon energy range up to 10 eV. The most important features of the Kerr rotation spectra are interpreted trough the interband transitions between localized states.

Nanowire decorated, ultra-thin, single crystalline silicon for photovoltaic devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Aurang, Pantea; Turan, Rasit; Unalan, Husnu Emrah

2017-10-06

Reducing silicon (Si) wafer thickness in the photovoltaic industry has always been demanded for lowering the overall cost. Further benefits such as short collection lengths and improved open circuit voltages can also be achieved by Si thickness reduction. However, the problem with thin films is poor light absorption. One way to decrease optical losses in photovoltaic devices is to minimize the front side reflection. This approach can be applied to front contacted ultra-thin crystalline Si solar cells to increase the light absorption. In this work, homojunction solar cells were fabricated using ultra-thin and flexible single crystal Si wafers. A metal assisted chemical etching method was used for the nanowire (NW) texturization of ultra-thin Si wafers to compensate weak light absorption. A relative improvement of 56% in the reflectivity was observed for ultra-thin Si wafers with the thickness of 20 ± 0.2 μm upon NW texturization. NW length and top contact optimization resulted in a relative enhancement of 23% ± 5% in photovoltaic conversion efficiency.

Elasticity theory of ultrathin nanofilms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Jiangang; Yun, Guohong; Narsu, B; Yao, Haiyan

2015-01-01

A self-consistent theoretical scheme for describing the elastic behavior of ultrathin nanofilms (UTNFs) was proposed. Taking into account the lower symmetry of an UTNF compared to its bulk counterpart, additional elastic and magnetoelastic parameters were introduced to model the elasticity rigorously. The applications of current theory to several elastic and magnetoelastic systems gave excellent agreement with experiments. More importantly, the surface elastic and magnetoelastic parameters used to fit the experimental results are physically reasonable and in close agreement with those obtained from experiment and simulation. This fact suggests that the additional elastic (magnetoelastic) constants due to symmetry breaking are of great importance in theoretical description of the mechanical properties of UTNFs. And we proved that the elasticity of UTNFs should be described by a three-dimensional model just including the intrinsic surface and bulk parameters, but not the effective surface parameters. It is believed that the theory reported here is a universal strategy for elasticity and magnetoelasticity of ultrathin films. (paper)

Improvement of transistor characteristics and stability for solution-processed ultra-thin high-valence niobium doped zinc-tin oxide thin film transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeng, Jiann-Shing, E-mail: jsjeng@mail.nutn.edu.tw

2016-08-15

Nb-doped Zinc tin oxide (NZTO) channel materials have been prepared by solution process in combination with the spin-coating method. All NZTO thin film transistors (TFTs) are n-type enhancement-mode devices, either without or with Nb additives. High-valence niobium ion (ionic charge = +5) has a larger ionic potential and similar ionic radius to Zn{sup 2+} and Sn{sup 4+} ions. As compared with the pure ZTO device, introducing Nb{sup 5+} ions into the ZTO channel layers can improve the electrical properties and bias stability of TFTs because of the reduction of the oxygen vacancies. This study discusses the connection among the material properties of the NZTO films and the electrical performance and bias stability of NZTO TFTs and how they are influenced by the Nb/(Nb + Sn) molar ratios of NZTO films. - Highlights: • Ultra-thin high-valence niobium doped zinc-tin oxide (NZTO) thin films are prepared using a solution process. • Nb dopants in ZTO films reduce the oxygen vacancy and subgap adsorption of the ZTO films. • The Nb-doping concentration of the NZTO channel layer has a strong influence on the TFT performance.

Ultrathin g-C3N4 films supported on Attapulgite nanofibers with enhanced photocatalytic performance

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yongshuai; Zhang, Lili; Yin, Minghui; Xie, Dengyu; Chen, Jiaqi; Yin, Jingzhou; Fu, Yongsheng; Zhao, Pusu; Zhong, Hui; Zhao, Yijiang; Wang, Xin

2018-05-01

A novel visible-light-responsive photocatalyst is fabricated by introducing g-C3N4 ultrathin films onto the surface of attapulgite (ATP) via a simple in-situ depositing technique, in which ATP was pre-grafted using (3-Glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (KH560) as the surfactant. A combination of XRD, FT-IR, BET, XPS, UV-vis, TEM and SEM techniques are utilized to characterize the composition, morphology and optical properties of the products. The results show that with the help of KH560, g-C3N4 presented as ultrathin layer is uniformly loaded onto the surface of ATP by forming a new chemical bond (Sisbnd Osbnd C). Comparing with g-C3N4 and ATP, ATP/g-C3N4 exhibits remarkably enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity in degradation of methyl orange (MO) because of its high surface area, appropriate band gap and the synergistic effect between g-C3N4 and ATP. To achieve the best photocatalyst, the ratio of g-C3N4 was adjusted by controlling the mass portion between ATP-KH560 and melamine (r = m (ATP-KH560)/m (melamine)). The highest decomposition rate of methyl orange (MO) was 96.06% when r = 0.5 and this degradation efficiency remained unchanged after 4 cycles, which is 10 times as that of pure g-C3N4 particles. Possible photocatalytic mechanism is presented.

Electrolyte-Sensing Transistor Decals Enabled by Ultrathin Microbial Nanocellulose

Science.gov (United States)

Yuen, Jonathan D.; Walper, Scott A.; Melde, Brian J.; Daniele, Michael A.; Stenger, David A.

2017-01-01

We report an ultra-thin electronic decal that can simultaneously collect, transmit and interrogate a bio-fluid. The described technology effectively integrates a thin-film organic electrochemical transistor (sensing component) with an ultrathin microbial nanocellulose wicking membrane (sample handling component). As far as we are aware, OECTs have not been integrated in thin, permeable membrane substrates for epidermal electronics. The design of the biocompatible decal allows for the physical isolation of the electronics from the human body while enabling efficient bio-fluid delivery to the transistor via vertical wicking. High currents and ON-OFF ratios were achieved, with sensitivity as low as 1 mg·L-1.

Model surface studies of metal oxides: Adsorption of water and methanol on ultrathin MgO films on Mo(100)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, M.; Estrada, C.A.; Corneille, J.S.; Goodman, D.W.

1992-01-01

Model surface studies of magnesium oxide have been carried out using surface sensitive techniques. Ultrathin MgO films have been synthesized under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions by thermally evaporating Mg onto Mo(100) in the presence of oxygen. Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) studies indicate that the MgO films grow epitaxially with the (100) face of MgO oriented parallel to Mo(100). The MgO films, prepared under optimum synthesis conditions, have essentially one-to-one stoichiometry, are nearly free from pointlike surface defects, and have properties essentially identical to those of bulk, single-crystal MgO. Adsorption of water and methanol onto the MgO films has been studied using high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD). In order to circumvent the difficulty associated with intense multiple surface optical phonon (Fuchs--Kliewer modes) losses, a new approach to acquisition of HREELS data has been demonstrated. This new approach enables the direct observation of weak loss features due to excitation of the adsorbates without serious interference from multiple phonon losses. Our HREELS studies show that water and methanol undergo heterolytic dissociation, leading to the formation of hydroxyl and methoxy species, respectively

Flexible Mixed-Potential-Type (MPT NO2 Sensor Based on An Ultra-Thin Ceramic Film

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui You

2017-07-01

Full Text Available A novel flexible mixed-potential-type (MPT sensor was designed and fabricated for NO2 detection from 0 to 500 ppm at 200 °C. An ultra-thin Y2O3-doped ZrO2 (YSZ ceramic film 20 µm thick was sandwiched between a heating electrode and reference/sensing electrodes. The heating electrode was fabricated by a conventional lift-off process, while the porous reference and the sensing electrodes were fabricated by a two-step patterning method using shadow masks. The sensor’s sensitivity is achieved as 58.4 mV/decade at the working temperature of 200 °C, as well as a detection limit of 26.7 ppm and small response time of less than 10 s at 200 ppm. Additionally, the flexible MPT sensor demonstrates superior mechanical stability after bending over 50 times due to the mechanical stability of the YSZ ceramic film. This simply structured, but highly reliable flexible MPT NO2 sensor may lead to wide application in the automobile industry for vehicle emission systems to reduce NO2 emissions and improve fuel efficiency.

The effect of electron-surface scattering and thiol adsorption on the electrical resistivity of gold ultrathin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henriquez, Ricardo; Del Campo, Valeria; Gonzalez-Fuentes, Claudio; Correa-Puerta, Jonathan; Moraga, Luis; Flores, Marcos; Segura, Rodrigo; Donoso, Sebastián; Marín, Francisca; Bravo, Sergio; Häberle, Patricio

2017-01-01

Highlights: • We prepared ultra thin films (10 nm) on mica on top of a chromium seedlayer (<1 nm). • We prepared samples with different topographies controlling the substrate temperature. • We studied the contribution of the different scattering mechanims on the resistivity. • We developed a discernment method based on thiol adsorption. - Abstract: In order to study the effect of electron-surface scattering in gold ultrathin films (∼10 nm), we have prepared a set of Au samples on mica on top of a chromium seedlayer (<1 nm). Chromium is added as a metallic surfactant which enables surpassing the electric percolation threshold for substrate temperatures above room temperature. We prepared samples with the same thickness but different topographies setting different substrate temperatures. These modifications modulate the contributions of the different electronic scattering mechanisms to the film resistivity. A second set of gold thin films deposited on mica at room temperature, with different thicknesses between 8 and 100 nm, was also prepared to compare the resisitivities of both sets through Mayadas and Shatzkes theory. We found that in samples with thicknesses below 15 nm, the electron-surface scattering is indeed the dominant mechanism influencing the film resistivity. To obtain further evidence of this prevalence, we developed a discrimination method based on thiol adsorption. The film with the highest resistivity increase is the sample in which electron-surface scattering is dominant. With this method, we observed that a large enhancement of the electron-surface scattering not only occurs in samples with large diameters grains, but also if the film has a reduced surface roughness.​

The effect of electron-surface scattering and thiol adsorption on the electrical resistivity of gold ultrathin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henriquez, Ricardo, E-mail: ricardo.henriquez@usm.cl [Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Valparaiso 2390123 (Chile); Del Campo, Valeria; Gonzalez-Fuentes, Claudio [Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Valparaiso 2390123 (Chile); Correa-Puerta, Jonathan [Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Universidad 330, Curauma, Valparaíso (Chile); Moraga, Luis [Universidad Central de Chile, Toesca 1783, Santiago 8370178 (Chile); Flores, Marcos [Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Av. Blanco Encalada 2008, Santiago (Chile); Segura, Rodrigo [Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1111, Valparaíso (Chile); Donoso, Sebastián; Marín, Francisca; Bravo, Sergio; Häberle, Patricio [Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Valparaiso 2390123 (Chile)

2017-06-15

Highlights: • We prepared ultra thin films (10 nm) on mica on top of a chromium seedlayer (<1 nm). • We prepared samples with different topographies controlling the substrate temperature. • We studied the contribution of the different scattering mechanims on the resistivity. • We developed a discernment method based on thiol adsorption. - Abstract: In order to study the effect of electron-surface scattering in gold ultrathin films (∼10 nm), we have prepared a set of Au samples on mica on top of a chromium seedlayer (<1 nm). Chromium is added as a metallic surfactant which enables surpassing the electric percolation threshold for substrate temperatures above room temperature. We prepared samples with the same thickness but different topographies setting different substrate temperatures. These modifications modulate the contributions of the different electronic scattering mechanisms to the film resistivity. A second set of gold thin films deposited on mica at room temperature, with different thicknesses between 8 and 100 nm, was also prepared to compare the resisitivities of both sets through Mayadas and Shatzkes theory. We found that in samples with thicknesses below 15 nm, the electron-surface scattering is indeed the dominant mechanism influencing the film resistivity. To obtain further evidence of this prevalence, we developed a discrimination method based on thiol adsorption. The film with the highest resistivity increase is the sample in which electron-surface scattering is dominant. With this method, we observed that a large enhancement of the electron-surface scattering not only occurs in samples with large diameters grains, but also if the film has a reduced surface roughness.​.

Modeling of UV laser-induced patterning of ultrathin Co films on bulk SiO2: verification of short- and long-range ordering mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Trice, Justin; Favazza, Christopher; Kalyanaraman, Ramki; Sureshkumar, R.

2006-03-01

Irradiating ultrathin Co films (1 to 10 nm) by a short-pulsed UV laser leads to pattern formation with both short- and long-range order (SRO, LRO). Single beam irradiation produces SRO, while two-beam interference irradiation produces a quasi-2D arrangement of nanoparticles with LRO and SRO. The pattern formation primarily occurs in the molten phase. An estimate of the thermal behavior of the film/substrate composite following a laser pulse is presented. The thermal behavior includes the lifetime of the liquid phase and the thermal gradient during interference heating. Based on this evidence, the SRO is attributed to spinodal dewetting of the film while surface tension gradients induced by the laser interference pattern appear to influence LRO [1]. [1] C.Favazza, J.Trice, H.Krishna, R.Sureshkumar, and R.Kalyanaraman, unpublished.

Ultrathin Cu2O as an efficient inorganic hole transporting material for perovskite solar cells

KAUST Repository

Yu, Weili

2016-02-18

We demonstrate that ultrathin P-type Cu2O thin films fabricated by a facile thermal oxidation method can serve as a promising hole-transporting material in perovskite solar cells. Following a two-step method, inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells were fabricated and a power conversion efficiency of 11.0% was achieved. We find that the thickness and properties of Cu2O layers must be precisely tuned in order to achieve the optimal solar cell performance. The good performance of such perovskite solar cells can be attributed to the unique properties of ultrathin Cu2O, including high hole mobility, good energy level alignment with CH3NH3PbI3, and longer lifetime of photo-excited carriers. Combining merits of low cost, facile synthesis, and high device performance, ultrathin Cu2O films fabricated via thermal oxidation hold promise for facilitating the developments of industrial-scale perovskite solar cells.

Structure and orbital ordering of ultrathin LaVO{sub 3} probed by atomic resolution electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindfors-Vrejoiu, Ionela; Engelmayer, Johannes; Loosdrecht, Paul H.M. van [II. Physikalisches Institut, Koeln Univ. (Germany); Jin, Lei; Jia, Chun-Lin [Peter Gruenberg Institut (PGI-5) and Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C), Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany); Himcinschi, Cameliu [Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany); Hensling, Felix; Waser, Rainer; Dittmann, Regina [Peter Gruenberg Institut (PGI-7), Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany)

2017-03-15

Orbital ordering has been less investigated in epitaxial thin films, due to the difficulty to evidence directly the occurrence of this phenomenon in thin film samples. Atomic resolution electron microscopy enabled us to observe the structural details of the ultrathin LaVO{sub 3} films. The transition to orbital ordering of epitaxial layers as thin as ∼4 nm was probed by temperature-dependent Raman scattering spectroscopy of multilayer samples. From the occurrence and temperature dependence of the 700 cm{sup -1} Raman active mode it can be inferred that the structural phase transition associated with orbital ordering takes place in ultrathin LaVO{sub 3} films at about 130 K. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Realistic absorption coefficient of ultrathin films

Science.gov (United States)

Cesaria, M.; Caricato, A. P.; Martino, M.

2012-10-01

Both a theoretical algorithm and an experimental procedure are discussed of a new route to determine the absorption/scattering properties of thin films deposited on transparent substrates. Notably, the non-measurable contribution of the film-substrate interface is inherently accounted for. While the experimental procedure exploits only measurable spectra combined according to a very simple algorithm, the theoretical derivation does not require numerical handling of the acquired spectra or any assumption on the film homogeneity and substrate thickness. The film absorption response is estimated by subtracting the measured absorption spectrum of the bare substrate from that of the film on the substrate structure but in a non-straightforward way. In fact, an assumption about the absorption profile of the overall structure is introduced and a corrective factor accounting for the relative film-to-substrate thickness. The method is tested on films of a well known material (ITO) as a function of the film structural quality and influence of the film-substrate interface, both deliberately changed by thickness tuning and doping. Results are found fully consistent with information obtained by standard optical analysis and band gap values reported in the literature. Additionally, comparison with a conventional method demonstrates that our route is generally more accurate even if particularly suited for very thin films.

Low voltage operation of IGZO thin film transistors enabled by ultrathin Al2O3 gate dielectric

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Pengfei; Du, Lulu; Wang, Yiming; Jiang, Ran; Xin, Qian; Li, Yuxiang; Song, Aimin

2018-01-01

An ultrathin, 5 nm, Al2O3 film grown by atomic-layer deposition was used as a gate dielectric for amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). The Al2O3 layer showed a low surface roughness of 0.15 nm, a low leakage current, and a high breakdown voltage of 6 V. In particular, a very high gate capacitance of 720 nF/cm2 was achieved, making it possible for the a-IGZO TFTs to not only operate at a low voltage of 1 V but also exhibit desirable properties including a low threshold voltage of 0.3 V, a small subthreshold swing of 100 mV/decade, and a high on/off current ratio of 1.2 × 107. Furthermore, even under an ultralow operation voltage of 0.6 V, well-behaved transistor characteristics were still observed with an on/off ratio as high as 3 × 106. The electron transport through the Al2O3 layer has also been analyzed, indicating the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism.

MnO2 ultrathin films deposited by means of magnetron sputtering: Relationships between process conditions, structural properties and performance in transparent supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Borysiewicz, Michał A.; Wzorek, Marek; Myśliwiec, Marcin; Kaczmarski, Jakub; Ekielski, Marek

2016-12-01

This study focuses on the relationships between the process parameters during magnetron sputter deposition of MnO2 and the resulting film properties. Three MnO2 phases were identified - γ, β and λ and the dependence of MnO2 phase presence on the oxygen content in the sputtering atmosphere was found. Selected MnO2 phases were subsequently applied as ultrathin coatings on top of nanostructured ZnO electrodes for transparent supercapacitors with LiCl-based gel electrolyte. The films containing λ-MnO2 exhibited both the highest optical transparency of 62% at 550 nm as well as the highest specific capacitance in the supercapacitor structure, equal to 73.1 μF/cm2. Initially lower, the capacitance was elevated by charge-discharge conditioning.

Preparation of c-axis perpendicularly oriented ultra-thin L10-FePt films on MgO and VN underlayers

Science.gov (United States)

Futamoto, Masaaki; Shimizu, Tomoki; Ohtake, Mitsuru

2018-05-01

Ultra-thin L10-FePt films of 2 nm average thickness are prepared on (001) oriented MgO and VN underlayers epitaxially grown on base substrate of SrTiO3(001) single crystal. Detailed cross-sectional structures are observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Continuous L10-FePt(001) thin films with very flat surface are prepared on VN(001) underlayer whereas the films prepared on MgO(001) underlayer consist of isolated L10-FePt(001) crystal islands. Presence of misfit dislocation and lattice bending in L10-FePt material is reducing the effective lattice mismatch with respect to the underlayer to be less than 0.5 %. Formation of very flat and continuous FePt layer on VN underlayer is due to the large surface energy of VN material where de-wetting of FePt material at high temperature annealing process is suppressed under a force balance between the surface and interface energies of FePt and VN materials. An employment of underlayer or substrate material with the lattice constant and the surface energy larger than those of L10-FePt is important for the preparation of very thin FePt epitaxial thin continuous film with the c-axis controlled to be perpendicular to the substrate surface.

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....

Realistic absorption coefficient of ultrathin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cesaria, M; Caricato, A P; Martino, M

2012-01-01

Both a theoretical algorithm and an experimental procedure are discussed of a new route to determine the absorption/scattering properties of thin films deposited on transparent substrates. Notably, the non-measurable contribution of the film–substrate interface is inherently accounted for. While the experimental procedure exploits only measurable spectra combined according to a very simple algorithm, the theoretical derivation does not require numerical handling of the acquired spectra or any assumption on the film homogeneity and substrate thickness. The film absorption response is estimated by subtracting the measured absorption spectrum of the bare substrate from that of the film on the substrate structure but in a non-straightforward way. In fact, an assumption about the absorption profile of the overall structure is introduced and a corrective factor accounting for the relative film-to-substrate thickness. The method is tested on films of a well known material (ITO) as a function of the film structural quality and influence of the film–substrate interface, both deliberately changed by thickness tuning and doping. Results are found fully consistent with information obtained by standard optical analysis and band gap values reported in the literature. Additionally, comparison with a conventional method demonstrates that our route is generally more accurate even if particularly suited for very thin films. (paper)

Insulator at the ultrathin limit: MgO on Ag(001).

Science.gov (United States)

Schintke, S; Messerli, S; Pivetta, M; Patthey, F; Libioulle, L; Stengel, M; De Vita, A; Schneider, W D

2001-12-31

The electronic structure and morphology of ultrathin MgO films epitaxially grown on Ag(001) were investigated using low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. Layer-resolved differential conductance (dI/dU) measurements reveal that, even at a film thickness of three monolayers, a band gap of about 6 eV is formed corresponding to that of the MgO(001) single-crystal surface. This finding is confirmed by layer-resolved calculations of the local density of states based on density functional theory.

Preparation and characterization of ultra-thin amphiphobic coatings on silicon wafers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mou, Chun-Yueh; Yuan, Wei-Li; Shih, Chih-Hsin

2013-01-01

Fluorine-based amphiphobic coatings have been widely used in commercial domestic utensils and textiles to repel water and oil contaminants. However, few reports from the literature survey have discussed the effects on amphiphobicity of the nano- to micro-scale surface features of such a coating. In this research thin amphiphobic epoxy coatings based on a mixture of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), and a particular alkoxy silane with fluorinated side chains (F-silane) are deposited on silicon wafers. Film amphiphobicity is characterized by the measurement of water and oil contact angles of the coating. Film morphology is revealed in the scanned images using atomic force microscopy. The deposited films free of F-silane are about 10 nm thick. When a small amount of F-silane was firstly added, the water and oil contact angles of the deposited films jumped up to 107° and 69° respectively and then flattened out with increased F-silane. Water droplets gave an average plateau contact angle about 110°, while vegetable oil ones, 40°. It was noted that there is a dramatic decrease in the lyophobicity causing a reduction in contact angles. However, surface lyophobicity also depends on sub-microscopic surface structures. In addition, by increasing TEOS, it was shown that the formed silica sols or granules were helpful in enhancing the mechanical strength along with retaining the lyophobicity of the film. - Highlights: • Epoxy ultrathin films about 10 nm thick deposited on silicon wafer. • Nominal fluorinated silane added to epoxy coatings for amphiphobicity. • Surface lyophobicity retained by sub-micrometer granules in ultrathin coatings. • Film hardness improved by adding tetraethylorthosilicate

Preparation and characterization of ultra-thin amphiphobic coatings on silicon wafers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mou, Chun-Yueh, E-mail: cymou165@gmail.com; Yuan, Wei-Li; Shih, Chih-Hsin

2013-06-30

Fluorine-based amphiphobic coatings have been widely used in commercial domestic utensils and textiles to repel water and oil contaminants. However, few reports from the literature survey have discussed the effects on amphiphobicity of the nano- to micro-scale surface features of such a coating. In this research thin amphiphobic epoxy coatings based on a mixture of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), and a particular alkoxy silane with fluorinated side chains (F-silane) are deposited on silicon wafers. Film amphiphobicity is characterized by the measurement of water and oil contact angles of the coating. Film morphology is revealed in the scanned images using atomic force microscopy. The deposited films free of F-silane are about 10 nm thick. When a small amount of F-silane was firstly added, the water and oil contact angles of the deposited films jumped up to 107° and 69° respectively and then flattened out with increased F-silane. Water droplets gave an average plateau contact angle about 110°, while vegetable oil ones, 40°. It was noted that there is a dramatic decrease in the lyophobicity causing a reduction in contact angles. However, surface lyophobicity also depends on sub-microscopic surface structures. In addition, by increasing TEOS, it was shown that the formed silica sols or granules were helpful in enhancing the mechanical strength along with retaining the lyophobicity of the film. - Highlights: • Epoxy ultrathin films about 10 nm thick deposited on silicon wafer. • Nominal fluorinated silane added to epoxy coatings for amphiphobicity. • Surface lyophobicity retained by sub-micrometer granules in ultrathin coatings. • Film hardness improved by adding tetraethylorthosilicate.

Dissolvable films of silk fibroin for ultrathin conformal bio-integrated electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dae-Hyeong; Viventi, Jonathan; Amsden, Jason J; Xiao, Jianliang; Vigeland, Leif; Kim, Yun-Soung; Blanco, Justin A; Panilaitis, Bruce; Frechette, Eric S; Contreras, Diego; Kaplan, David L; Omenetto, Fiorenzo G; Huang, Yonggang; Hwang, Keh-Chih; Zakin, Mitchell R; Litt, Brian; Rogers, John A

2010-06-01

Electronics that are capable of intimate, non-invasive integration with the soft, curvilinear surfaces of biological tissues offer important opportunities for diagnosing and treating disease and for improving brain/machine interfaces. This article describes a material strategy for a type of bio-interfaced system that relies on ultrathin electronics supported by bioresorbable substrates of silk fibroin. Mounting such devices on tissue and then allowing the silk to dissolve and resorb initiates a spontaneous, conformal wrapping process driven by capillary forces at the biotic/abiotic interface. Specialized mesh designs and ultrathin forms for the electronics ensure minimal stresses on the tissue and highly conformal coverage, even for complex curvilinear surfaces, as confirmed by experimental and theoretical studies. In vivo, neural mapping experiments on feline animal models illustrate one mode of use for this class of technology. These concepts provide new capabilities for implantable and surgical devices.

Heteroepitaxial growth and surface structure of L1{sub 0}-MnGa(111) ultra-thin films on GaN(0001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mandru, Andrada-Oana; Wang, Kangkang; Cooper, Kevin; Ingram, David C.; Smith, Arthur R. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 (United States); Garcia Diaz, Reyes; Takeuchi, Noboru [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 (United States); Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 14, Ensenada Baja California, Codigo Postal 22800 (Mexico); Haider, Muhammad [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 (United States); Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261 (Saudi Arabia)

2013-10-14

L1{sub 0}-structured MnGa(111) ultra-thin films were heteroepitaxially grown on GaN(0001) under lightly Mn-rich conditions using molecular beam epitaxy. Room-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) investigations reveal smooth terraces and angular step edges, with the surface structure consisting primarily of a 2 × 2 reconstruction along with small patches of 1 × 2. Theoretical calculations were carried out using density functional theory, and the simulated STM images were calculated using the Tersoff-Hamman approximation, revealing that a stoichiometric 1 × 2 and a Mn-rich 2 × 2 surface structure give the best agreement with the observed experimental images.

N-channel thin-film transistors based on 1,4,5,8-naphthalene tetracarboxylic dianhydride with ultrathin polymer gate buffer layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanida, Shinji; Noda, Kei; Kawabata, Hiroshi; Matsushige, Kazumi

2009-01-01

N-channel operation of thin-film transistors based on 1,4,5,8-naphthalene tetracarboxylic dianhydride (NTCDA) with a 9-nm-thick poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) gate buffer layer was examined. The uniform coverage of the ultrathin PMMA layer on an SiO 2 gate insulator, verified by X-ray reflectivity measurement, caused the increase of electron field-effect mobility because of the suppression of electron traps existing on the SiO 2 surface. In addition, air stability for n-channel operation of the NTCDA transistor was also improved by the PMMA layer which possibly prevented the adsorption of ambient water molecules onto the SiO 2 surface.

Magnetic Phase Transition in Ion-Irradiated Ultrathin CoN Films via Magneto-Optic Faraday Effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Chiung-Wu; Chang, Yen-Chu; Chang, Sheng-Chi

2013-11-15

The magnetic properties of 1 nm thick in-plane anisotropic Co ultrathin film on ZnO(0001) were investigated through successive 500 eV nitrogen-ion sputtering. Magneto-optical Faraday effects were used to observe the evolution of the ion-irradiated sample in longitudinal and perpendicular magnetic fields. The ferromagnetic phase of the initial in-plane anisotropic fcc β-Co phase transformation to β-Co(N) phase was terminated at paramagnetic CoN x phase. In-plane anisotropy with weak out-of-plane anisotropy of the Co/ZnO sample was initially observed in the as-grown condition. In the sputtering process, the N⁺ ions induced simultaneous sputtering and doping. An abrupt spin reorientation behavior from in-plane to out-of-plane was found under prolonged sputtering condition. The existence of perpendicular anisotropy measured from the out-of-plane Faraday effect may be attributed to the co-existence of residual β-Co and Co₄N exchange bonding force by the gradual depletion of Co-N thickness.

Organized organic ultrathin films fundamentals and applications

CERN Document Server

Ariga, Katsuhiko

2012-01-01

This handy reference is the first comprehensive book covering both fundamentals and recent developments in the field with an emphasis on nanotechnology. Written by a highly regarded author in the field, the book details state-of-the-art preparation, characterization and applications of thin films of organic molecules and biomaterials fabricated by wet processes and also highlights applications in nanotechnology The categories of films covered include monomolecular films (monolayers) both on a water surface and on a solid plate, Langmuir-Blodgett films (transferred multilayer films on a solid plate from a water surface), layer-by-layer films (adsorbed multilayer films on a solid support), and spontaneously assembled films in solution.

Anomalous decrease of resistance at 250 K in ultrathin Au-Nb film on single-crystal silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, H.; Kawashima, T.; Tanaka, M.

1986-01-01

Ultrathin Au-Nb films as thin as 0.2 about 10 nm were deposited on clean surfaces of single-crystal silicon in order to investigate interfacial excitonic superconductivity. The samples were classified into two types, Nb-Au/Si and Au-Nb-Au/Si. In the latter case, the secondary Au film was deposited on the former sample cooled by liquid nitrogen. In the Nb-Au/ Si type of sample, a sheet resistance, R /SUB s/ at room temperature abruptly increased from 10 3 Ωsq -1 order to about 10 5 Ωsq -1 in several days a few months after the sample preparation. Then the sample showed an anomalous decrease of R /SUB s/ at about 250 K and an approximately null resistance at lower temperatures. This phenomenon was not so stable and was observed only for a few days. The Au-Nb-Au/Si type of sample showed low R /SUB s/ (10 2 about 10 3 Ωsq -1 ) at room temperature. A decrease and disappearance of R /SUB s/ were also observed at about 240 K in the sample with comparatively good reproducibility. These phenomena are discussed qualitatively, based on the excitonic superconductive model for an interface of metal/semiconductor by Allender, Bray, and Bardeen

Emotion-related hemisphere asymmetry: subjective emotional responses to laterally presented films.

Science.gov (United States)

Wittling, W; Roschmann, R

1993-09-01

To investigate whether the cerebral hemispheres differ in their subjective emotional responses 54 adult subjects were presented two films of different emotion-related qualities (positive and negative film) either to their left or right hemisphere. The films were exposed by means of a technique for the lateralization of visual input that allows prolonged viewing while permitting free ocular scanning. Subjective emotional responses were assessed by means of a continuous rating of emotional arousal experienced during the movie as well as by retrospective ratings of ten different emotional qualities. Presenting both films to the right hemisphere resulted in stronger subjective responses in the continuous emotion rating as well as in some retrospectively assessed ratings compared to left-hemispheric presentation. The effects were more pronounced for the negative film. Taken together, the findings suggest a higher responsiveness of the right hemisphere in subjective emotional experience.

Sensitive thermal transitions of nanoscale polymer samples using the bimetallic effect: application to ultra-thin polythiophene.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahumada, O; Pérez-Madrigal, M M; Ramirez, J; Curcó, D; Esteves, C; Salvador-Matar, A; Luongo, G; Armelin, E; Puiggalí, J; Alemán, C

2013-05-01

A sensitive nanocalorimetric technology based on microcantilever sensors is presented. The technology, which combines very short response times with very small sample consumption, uses the bimetallic effect to detect thermal transitions. Specifically, abrupt variations in the Young's modulus and the thermal expansion coefficient produced by temperature changes have been employed to detect thermodynamic transitions. The technology has been used to determine the glass transition of poly(3-thiophene methyl acetate), a soluble semiconducting polymer with different nanotechnological applications. The glass transition temperature determined using microcantilevers coated with ultra-thin films of mass = 10(-13) g is 5.2 °C higher than that obtained using a conventional differential scanning calorimeter for bulk powder samples of mass = 5 × 10(-3) g. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations on models that represent the bulk powder and the ultra-thin films have been carried out to provide understanding and rationalization of this feature. Simulations indicate that the film-air interface plays a crucial role in films with very small thickness, affecting both the organization of the molecular chains and the response of the molecules against the temperature.

High electron mobility and quantum oscillations in non-encapsulated ultrathin semiconducting Bi2O2Se

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jinxiong; Yuan, Hongtao; Meng, Mengmeng; Chen, Cheng; Sun, Yan; Chen, Zhuoyu; Dang, Wenhui; Tan, Congwei; Liu, Yujing; Yin, Jianbo; Zhou, Yubing; Huang, Shaoyun; Xu, H. Q.; Cui, Yi; Hwang, Harold Y.; Liu, Zhongfan; Chen, Yulin; Yan, Binghai; Peng, Hailin

2017-07-01

High-mobility semiconducting ultrathin films form the basis of modern electronics, and may lead to the scalable fabrication of highly performing devices. Because the ultrathin limit cannot be reached for traditional semiconductors, identifying new two-dimensional materials with both high carrier mobility and a large electronic bandgap is a pivotal goal of fundamental research. However, air-stable ultrathin semiconducting materials with superior performances remain elusive at present. Here, we report ultrathin films of non-encapsulated layered Bi2O2Se, grown by chemical vapour deposition, which demonstrate excellent air stability and high-mobility semiconducting behaviour. We observe bandgap values of ˜0.8 eV, which are strongly dependent on the film thickness due to quantum-confinement effects. An ultrahigh Hall mobility value of >20,000 cm2 V-1 s-1 is measured in as-grown Bi2O2Se nanoflakes at low temperatures. This value is comparable to what is observed in graphene grown by chemical vapour deposition and at the LaAlO3-SrTiO3 interface, making the detection of Shubnikov-de Haas quantum oscillations possible. Top-gated field-effect transistors based on Bi2O2Se crystals down to the bilayer limit exhibit high Hall mobility values (up to 450 cm2 V-1 s-1), large current on/off ratios (>106) and near-ideal subthreshold swing values (˜65 mV dec-1) at room temperature. Our results make Bi2O2Se a promising candidate for future high-speed and low-power electronic applications.

The damping of spin motions in ultrathin films: Is the Landau-Lifschitz-Gilbert phenomenology applicable?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, D.L.; Arias, Rodrigo

2006-01-01

The Landau-Lifschitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation is used widely in device design to describe spin motions in magnetic nanoscale structures. The damping term in this equation plays an essential role in the description of the magnetization dynamics. The form of this term is simple and appealing, but it is derived through use of elementary phenomenological considerations. An important question is whether or not it provides a proper description of the damping of the magnetization in real materials. Recently, it was predicted that a mechanism called two magnon damping should contribute importantly to linewidths and consequently spin damping in ultrathin ferromagnetic films. This process yields ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) linewidths whose frequency dependence is incompatible with the linear variation expected from the Landau-Lifschitz equation. This prediction has now been confirmed experimentally. Furthermore, subsequent experimental and theoretical studies have demonstrated that the damping rate depends strongly on wave vector as well. It is thus clear that for many samples, the LLG equation fails to account for the systematics of the damping of the magnetization in ultrathin ferromagnets, at the linear response level. The paper will review the recent literature on this topic relevant to this issue. One must then inquire into the nature of a proper phenomenology to describe these materials. At the linear response level, the theory of the two magnon mechanism is sufficiently complete that one can describe the response of these systems without resort to LLG phenomenology. However, currently there is very great interest in the large amplitude response of the magnetization in magnetic nanostructures. In the view of the authors, it is difficult to envision a generally applicable extension of linear response theory into the large amplitude regime

Structure of ultrathin films of Co on Cu(111) from normal-incidence x-ray standing wave and medium-energy ion scattering measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butterfield, M.T.; Crapper, M.D.; Noakes, T.C.Q.; Bailey, P.; Jackson, G.J.; Woodruff, D.P.

2000-01-01

Applications of the techniques of normal-incidence x-ray standing wave (NIXSW) and medium-energy ion scattering (MEIS) to the elucidation of the structure of an ultrathin metallic film, Co on Cu(111), are reported. NIXSW and MEIS are shown to yield valuable and complementary information on the structure of such systems, yielding both the local stacking sequence and the global site distribution. For the thinnest films of nominally two layers, the first layer is of entirely fcc registry with respect to the substrate, but in the outermost layer there is significant occupation of hcp local sites. For films up to 8 monolayers (ML) thick, the interlayer spacing of the Co layers is 0.058±0.006 Aa smaller than the Cu substrate (111) layer spacing. With increasing coverage, the coherent fraction of the (1(bar sign)11) NIXSW decreases rapidly, indicating that the film does not grow in a fcc continuation beyond two layers. For films in this thickness range, hcp-type stacking dominates fcc twinning by a ratio of 2:1. The variation of the (1(bar sign)11) NIXSW coherent fraction with thickness shows that the twinning occurs close to the Co/Cu interface. For thicker films of around 20 ML deposited at room temperature, medium-energy ion scattering measurements reveal a largely disordered structure. Upon annealing to 300 deg. C the 20-ML films order into a hcp structure

Effect of anionic dopants on thickness, morphology and electrical properties of polypyrrole ultra-thin films prepared by in situ chemical polymerization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahmoodian, Mehrnoosh [Dep. of Polymer Engineering, Nanostructured Materials Research Center, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz 51335-1996 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Pourabbas, Behzad, E-mail: pourabas@sut.ac.ir [Dep. of Polymer Engineering, Nanostructured Materials Research Center, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz 51335-1996 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mohajerzadeh, Shams [Nano-Electronics and Thin Film Lab, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14395/515, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-05-29

The effect of different dopant anions on deposition and characteristics of polypyrrole (PPy) thin film has been studied in this work. Ultra-thin films of conducting PPy were deposited on insulating surfaces of glass and oxidized silicon wafer by in situ chemical polymerization in the presence of different anionic dopants including sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, α-naphthalene sulfonic acid, anthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid sodium salt monohydrate/5-sulfosalicylic acid dehydrate, and camphor sulfonic acid. Hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties and morphology of the self-assembled monolayer of N-(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)pyrrole, the surface modifying agent in this work, and PPy thin films were characterized before and after deposition by contact angle measurements, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Chemical structure, thickness, and conductivity of the thin films were also studied by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, ellipsometry, and four-point probe measurements. The results showed deposition of thin films of conducting PPy with comparable thickness in the range of 6-31 nm and different morphologies, uniformity, and smoothness with average roughness in the range of 0.3-6 nm and relatively high range of conductivity on the modified surfaces. - Highlights: • Conducting thin films of polypyrrole were deposited on glass and SiO{sub 2} substrates. • Surface modification using pyrrole-silane was employed prior to polymerization. • Films as thin as ≈ 7 nm were deposited using different surfactant/counter ions. • Chemistry of the counter ion affects thickness, conductivity and morphology. • Lower thickness/higher conductivity were obtained by structurally flexible dopants.

Near infrared and extreme ultraviolet light pulses induced modifications of ultrathin Co films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Kisielewski

2017-05-01

Full Text Available We report on comparative study of magnetic properties of Pt/Co/Pt trilayers after irradiation with different light sources. Ultrathin Pt/Co/Pt films were deposited by molecular beam epitaxy technique on sapphire (0001 substrates. Pt buffers were grown at room temperature (RT and at 750°C (high temperature, HT. The samples were irradiated with a broad range of light energy densities (up to film ablation using two different single pulse irradiation sources: (i 40 fs laser with 800 nm wavelength and (ii 3 ns laser-plasma source of extreme ultraviolet (EUV with the most intense emission centered at 11 nm. The light pulse-driven irreversible structural and as a consequence, magnetic modifications were investigated using polar magneto-optical Kerr effect-based microscopy and atomic and magnetic force microscopies. The light pulse-induced transitions from the out-of-plane to in-plane magnetization state, and from in-plane to out-of-plane, were observed for both types of samples and irradiation methods. Diagrams of the magnetic states as a function of the Co layer thickness and energy density of the absorbed femtosecond pulses were constructed for the samples with both the RT and HT buffers. The energy density range responsible for the creation of the out-of-plane magnetization was wider for the HT than for RT buffer. This is correlated with the higher (for HT crystalline quality and much smoother Pt/Co surface deduced from the X-ray diffraction studies. Submicrometer magnetic domains were observed in the irradiated region while approaching the out-of-plane magnetization state. Changes of Pt/Co/Pt structures are discussed for both types of light pulses.

Effect of relative nanohole position on colour purity of ultrathin plasmonic subtractive colour filters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, L B; Hu, X L; Zhang, D X; Zeng, Beibei; Wang, L S; Yang, S M; Tai, R Z; Fecht, H J; Jiang, J Z

2015-01-01

Plasmonic subtractive color filters through patterning periodic nanostructures on ultrathin Ag films deposited on a glass substrate, exhibiting good durability, simple fabrication, and flexible color tunability, have attracted considerable attention due to their tremendous potential applications. While previous studies have mainly focused on their extraordinary physical mechanisms, color purity, which is another key parameter for high quality imaging applications, has been much less investigated. In this work, we demonstrate that the relative position of nanoholes patterned on ultrathin Ag films can largely affect the color purity of plasmonic subtractive color filters. The calculated results agree reasonably well with the experimental data, revealing that the purity of subtractive colors can be improved by changing the nanohole arrays from square lattice to triangular lattice without reducing transmission at visible frequencies. In addition, underlying mechanisms are clarified by systematically analyzing the dominant valley in transmission spectra. (paper)

Ultrathin Planar Graphene Supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Jingsong [ORNL; Meunier, Vincent [ORNL; Sumpter, Bobby G [ORNL; Ajayan, Pullikel M [Rice University; Yoo, Jung Joon [KAIST, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Balakrishnan, Kaushik [Rice University; Srivastava, Anchal [Rice University; Conway, Michelle [Rice University; Reddy, Arava Leela Mohan [Rice University; Yu, Jin [Rice University; Vajtai, Robert [Rice University

2011-01-01

With the advent of atomically thin and flat layers of conducting materials such as graphene, new designs for thin film energy storage devices with good performance have become possible. Here, we report an in-plane fabrication approach for ultrathin supercapacitors based on electrodes comprised of pristine graphene and multi-layer reduced graphene oxide. The in-plane design is straightforward to implement and exploits efficiently the surface of each graphene layer for energy storage. The open architecture and the effect of graphene edges enable even the thinnest of devices, made from as grown 1-2 graphene layers, to reach specific capacities up to 80 Fcm-2. While, much higher (394 Fcm-2) specific capacities are observed in case of multi-layered graphene oxide electrodes, owing to the better utilization of the available electrochemical surface area. The performances of devices with pristine as well as thicker graphene based structures are examined using a combination of experiments and model calculations. The demonstrated all solid-state supercapacitors provide a prototype for a broad range of thin-film based energy storage devices.

Surface polarization, rumpling, and domain ordering of strained ultrathin BaTiO_3(001) films with in-plane and out-of-plane polarization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dionot, Jelle; Mathieu, Claire; Barrett, Nick; Geneste, Gregory

2014-01-01

BaTiO_3 ultrathin films (thickness ≅1.6 nm) with in- and out-of-plane polarization are studied by first-principles calculations. Out-of-plane polarization is simulated using the method proposed by Shimada et al. [Phys. Rev. B 81, 144116 (2010)], which consists in building a supercell containing small domains with alternating up and down polarization. This allows one to investigate the properties of defect free BaTiO_3 ultrathin films with polarization perpendicular to the surface, as a function of in-plane lattice constant, i.e., epitaxial strain. The configurations with polarization perpendicular to the surface (c phase) are found stable under compressive strain, while under tensile strain, the polarization tends to lie in-plane (aa phase), along [110]. In the c phase, the most stable domain width is predicted to be 1 to 2 lattice constants, and the magnitude of the surface rumpling varies according to the direction of the polarization (upwards versus downwards), though its sign is unchanged, the oxygen anions pointing in all cases outwards. Finally, all the surfaces studied are found to be insulating. Analysis of the atom-projected electronic density of states gives insight into the surface contributions to the electronic structure. An important reduction of the Kohn-Sham band gap is predicted at TiO_2 terminations in the c phase (≅1 eV with respect to the aa phase). The Madelung potential at the surface plays the dominant role in modifications of the surface electronic structure. (authors)

Ultrathin Cu2O as an efficient inorganic hole transporting material for perovskite solar cells

KAUST Repository

Yu, Weili; Li, Feng; Wang, Hong; Alarousu, Erkki; Chen, Yin; Lin, Bin; Wang, Lingfei; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Li, Yangyang; Wu, Kewei; Wang, Xianbin; Mohammed, Omar F.; Wu, Tao

2016-01-01

We demonstrate that ultrathin P-type Cu2O thin films fabricated by a facile thermal oxidation method can serve as a promising hole-transporting material in perovskite solar cells. Following a two-step method, inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite

Experimental study of ultra-thin films mechanical integrity by combined nanoindentation and nano-acoustic emission

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zihou

Advancement of interconnect technology has imposed significant challenge on interface characterization and reliability for blurred interfaces between layers. There is a need for material properties and these miniaturized length scales and assessment of reliability; including the intrinsic film fracture toughness and the interfacial fracture toughness. The nano-meter range of film thicknesses currently employed, impose significant challenges on evaluating these physical quantities and thereby impose significant challenge on the design cycle. In this study we attempted to use a combined nano-indentation and nano-acoustic emission to qualitatively and quantitatively characterize the failure modes in ultra-thin blanket films on Si substrates or stakes of different characteristics. We have performed and analyzed an exhaustive group of testes that cove many diverge combination of film-substrate combination, provided by both Intel and IBM. When the force-indentation depth curve shows excursion, a direct measure of the total energy release rate is estimated. The collected acoustic emission signal is then used to partition the total energy into two segments, one associated with the cohesive fracture toughness of the film and the other is for the adhesive fracture toughness of the interface. The acoustic emission signal is analyzed in both the time and frequency domain to achieve such energy division. In particular, the signal time domain analysis for signal skewness, time of arrival and total energy content are employed with the proper signal to noise ratio. In the frequency domain, an expansive group of acoustic emission signals are utilized to construct the details of the power spectral density. A bank of band-pass filters are designed to sort the individual signals to those associated with adhesive interlayer cracking, cohesive channel cracking, or other system induced noise. The attenuation time and the energy content within each spectral frequency were the key elements

Ultrathin Metallic Coatings Can Induce Quantum Levitation between Nanosurfaces

OpenAIRE

Boström, Mathias; Ninham, Barry W.; Brevik, Iver; Persson, Clas; Parsons, Drew F.; Sernelius, Bo E.

2012-01-01

There is an attractive Casimir-Lifshitz force between two silica surfaces in a liquid (bromobenze or toluene). We demonstrate that adding an ultrathin (5-50 angstrom) metallic nanocoating to one of the surfaces results in repulsive Casimir-Lifshitz forces above a critical separation. The onset of such quantum levitation comes at decreasing separations as the film thickness decreases. Remarkably, the effect of retardation can turn attraction into repulsion. From that we explain how an ultrathi...

Impedance analysis on organic ultrathin layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bom, Sidhant; Wagner, Veit [Jacobs University Bremen, School of Engineering and Science, Campus Ring 8, 28759 Bremen (Germany)

2008-07-01

Impedance spectroscopy is a standard technique for thin film analysis to obtain important information as thicknesses, diffusion properties of mobile ions and leakage currents. The measured electrical impedance of a sample is modeled by a physical equivalent circuit of resistors and capacitors. In the present work this information is obtained as a function of frequency also for ultrathin organic layers in the monolayer regime. A series of semiconducting and insulating polymers (regioregular poly-3-hexylthiophene (rr-P3HT), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)) and self assembled monolayers (octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS), hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), thiolated phospholipids) were deposited either on highly n-doped silicon wafers or on gold surfaces. E.g. ultrathin layers were obtained by dip coating a silicon wafer in rr-P3HT solution in chloroform. The thickness of 2 nm determined for this system by impedance measurement agrees well with the atomic force microscopy analysis and corresponds to a single layer of polymer chains. The leakage current is seen as an ohmic contribution at low frequencies and allows a systematic optimization of process parameters. In summary, impedance spectroscopy allows very fast and convenient analysis of thin organic layers even down to the monolayer regime.

Ultrathin Composite Polymeric Membranes for CO2 /N2 Separation with Minimum Thickness and High CO2 Permeance.

Science.gov (United States)

Benito, Javier; Sánchez-Laínez, Javier; Zornoza, Beatriz; Martín, Santiago; Carta, Mariolino; Malpass-Evans, Richard; Téllez, Carlos; McKeown, Neil B; Coronas, Joaquín; Gascón, Ignacio

2017-10-23

The use of ultrathin films as selective layers in composite membranes offers significant advantages in gas separation for increasing productivity while reducing the membrane size and energy costs. In this contribution, composite membranes have been obtained by the successive deposition of approximately 1 nm thick monolayers of a polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM) on top of dense membranes of the ultra-permeable poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne] (PTMSP). The ultrathin PIM films (30 nm in thickness) demonstrate CO 2 permeance up to seven times higher than dense PIM membranes using only 0.04 % of the mass of PIM without a significant decrease in CO 2 /N 2 selectivity. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Structure, magnetic ordering, and spin filtering efficiency of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}(111) ultrathin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matzen, S.; Moussy, J.-B., E-mail: jean-baptiste.moussy@cea.fr [CEA, IRAMIS, SPCSI, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Wei, P. [Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Gatel, C. [CEMES-CNRS, F-31055 Toulouse (France); Cezar, J. C. [ESRF, F-38043 Grenoble (France); Arrio, M. A.; Sainctavit, Ph. [IMPMC, F-75015 Paris (France); Moodera, J. S. [Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Physics Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

2014-05-05

NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}(111) ultrathin films (3–5 nm) have been grown by oxygen-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and integrated as effective spin-filter barriers. Structural and magnetic characterizations have been performed in order to investigate the presence of defects that could limit the spin filtering efficiency. These analyses have revealed the full strain relaxation of the layers with a cationic order in agreement with the inverse spinel structure but also the presence of antiphase boundaries. A spin-polarization up to +25% has been directly measured by the Meservey-Tedrow technique in Pt(111)/NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}(111)/γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(111)/Al tunnel junctions. The unexpected positive sign and relatively small value of the spin-polarization are discussed, in comparison with predictions and previous indirect tunnelling magnetoresistance measurements.

Detection of oxygen vacancy defect states in capacitors with ultrathin Ta2O5 films by zero-bias thermally stimulated current spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, W.S.; Leong, L.L.; Han, Taejoon; Sandler, Nathan P.

2003-01-01

Defect state D (0.8 eV) was experimentally detected in Ta 2 O 5 capacitors with ultrathin (physical thickness 2 O 5 films using zero-bias thermally stimulated current spectroscopy and correlated with leakage current. Defect state D can be more efficiently suppressed by using N 2 O rapid thermal annealing (RTA) instead of using O 2 RTA for postdeposition annealing and by using TiN instead of Al for top electrode. We believe that defect D is probably the first ionization level of the oxygen vacancy deep double donor. Other important defects are Si/O-vacancy complex single donors and C/O-vacancy complex single donors

In-situ monitoring of the growth of nanostructured aluminum thin film

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Novotný, Michal; Bulíř, Jiří; Lančok, Ján; Pokorný, Petr; Bodnár, Michal

2011-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 5 (2011), "051503-1"-"051503-10" ISSN 1934-2608 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100100718; GA AV ČR IAA100100729; GA ČR GP202/09/P324 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100522 Keywords : aluminum ultrathin film * magnetron sputtering * in-situ monitoring * electrical conductivity * spectral ellipsometry * optical emission spectroscopy Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.570, year: 2011

Interaction of gold with a pinwheel TiO similar to .sub.1,2./sub. film formed on Rh(111) facet: STM and DFT studies

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mutombo, Pingo; Gubo, R.; Berkó, A.

2016-01-01

Roč. 120, č. 23 (2016), s. 12917-12923 ISSN 1932-7447 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : DFT * wheel-TiO ~1.2 ultrathin film * template * TiO 2 (110) * Rh(111) * Au * STM Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 4.536, year: 2016

Enhanced light absorption in an ultrathin silicon solar cell utilizing plasmonic nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Sanshui; Mortensen, Niels A.

2012-10-01

Nowadays, bringing photovoltaics to the market is mainly limited by high cost of electricity produced by the photovoltaic solar cell. Thin-film photovoltaics offers the potential for a significant cost reduction compared to traditional photovoltaics. However, the performance of thin-film solar cells is generally limited by poor light absorption. We propose an ultrathin-film silicon solar cell configuration based on SOI structure, where the light absorption is enhanced by use of plasmonic nanostructures. By placing a one-dimensional plasmonic nanograting on the bottom of the solar cell, the generated photocurrent for a 200 nm-thickness crystalline silicon solar cell can be enhanced by 90% in the considered wavelength range. These results are paving a promising way for the realization of high-efficiency thin-film solar cells.

Ultra-thin solution-based coating of molybdenum oxide on multiwall carbon nanotubes for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes

KAUST Repository

Shakir, Imran

2014-02-01

Uniform and conformal coating of ultrathin molybdenum oxide (MoO 3) thin film onto conducting MWCNTs was successfully synthesized through a facile, nontoxic and generally applicable precipitation method, followed by a simple heat treatment. The ultrathin MoO3 coating enables a fast and reversible redox reaction which improves the specific capacitance by utilizing the maximum number of active sites for the redox reaction, while the high porosity of the MWCNTs facilitates ion migration in the electrolyte and shorten the ion diffusion path. The ultrathin MoO3 coated MWCNTs electrodes show a very high specific capacitance of 1145 Fg -1 in 2 M Na2SO4 aqueous solution when 5 nm thick MoO3 was considered alone despite the low weight percentage of the MoO3 (16wt%). Furthermore, the ultrathin MoO3 coated MWCNTs supercapacitor electrodes exhibited excellent cycling performance of > 97% capacitance retention over 1000 cycles. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

High spin-polarization in ultrathin Co2MnSi/CoPd multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galanakis, I.

2015-01-01

Half-metallic Co 2 MnSi finds a broad spectrum of applications in spintronic devices either in the form of thin films or as spacer in multilayers. Using state-of-the-art ab-initio electronic structure calculations we exploit the electronic and magnetic properties of ultrathin Co 2 MnSi/CoPd multilayers. We show that these heterostructures combine high values of spin-polarization at the Co 2 MnSi spacer with the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of binary compounds such as CoPd. Thus they could find application in spintronic/magnetoelectronic devices. - Highlights: • Ab-initio study of ultrathin Co 2 MnSi/CoPd multilayers. • Large values of spin-polarization at the Fermi are retained. • Route for novel spintronic/magnetoelectronic devices

Dynamic response of ultrathin highly dense ZIF-8 nanofilms

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Cookney, J.; Ogieglo, W.; Hrabánek, Pavel; Vankelecom, I.; Fíla, V.; Benes, N. E.

2014-01-01

Roč. 50, AUG 2014 (2014), s. 11698-11700 ISSN 1359-7345 Institutional support: RVO:61388955 Keywords : ultrathin FIF-8 nanofilms * metal-organic frameworks * zeolitic imidazolate frameworks Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 6.834, year: 2014

Negative differential resistance in nickel octabutoxy phthalocyanine and nickel octabutoxy phthalocyanine/graphene oxide ultrathin films

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Arup; Suresh, K. A.

2018-04-01

We find negative differential resistance (NDR) at room temperature in ultrathin films of nickel (II) 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxy-29H,31H-phthalocyanine [NiPc(OBu)8] deposited on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrate [NiPc(OBu)8/HOPG] and NiPc(OBu)8 on graphene oxide (GO) deposited on HOPG [NiPc(OBu)8/GO/HOPG]. For the NiPc(OBu)8/HOPG system, NiPc(OBu)8 was transferred four times onto HOPG by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. We have prepared a stable Langmuir monolayer of amphiphilic GO at the air-water interface and transferred it onto HOPG by the LB technique. Further, the monolayer of NiPc(OBu)8 was transferred four times for good coverage on GO to obtain the NiPc(OBu)8/GO/HOPG system. The current-voltage characteristics were carried out using a current sensing atomic force microscope (CSAFM) with a platinum (Pt) tip that forms Pt/NiPc(OBu)8/HOPG and Pt/NiPc(OBu)8/GO/HOPG junctions. The CSAFM, UV-visible spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry studies show that the NDR effect occurs due to molecular resonant tunneling. In the Pt/NiPc(OBu)8/GO/HOPG junction, we find that due to the presence of GO, the features of NDR become more prominent. Also, GO causes a shift in NDR voltage towards a lower value in the negative bias direction. We attribute this behavior to the role of GO in injecting holes into the NiPc(OBu)8 film.

Ultra-thin titanium nanolayers for plasmon-assisted enhancement of bioluminescence of chloroplast in biological light emitting devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsun Su, Yen [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Hsu, Chia-Yun; Chang, Chung-Chien [Science and Technology of Accelerator Light Source, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China); Tu, Sheng-Lung; Shen, Yun-Hwei [Department of Resource Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2013-08-05

Ultra-thin titanium films were deposited via ultra-high vacuum ion beam sputter deposition. Since the asymmetric electric field of the metal foil plane matches the B-band absorption of chlorophyll a, the ultra-thin titanium nanolayers were able to generate surface plasmon resonance, thus enhancing the photoluminescence of chlorophyll a. Because the density of the states of plasmon resonance increases, the enhancement of photoluminescence also rises. Due to the biocompatibility and inexpensiveness of titanium, it can be utilized to enhance the bioluminescence of chloroplast in biological light emitting devices, bio-laser, and biophotonics.

Photoelectrochemical energy conversion obtained with ultrathin organo-metallic-chemical-vapor-deposition layer of FeS2 (pyrite) on TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ennaoui, A.; Fiechter, S.; Tributsch, H.; Giersig, M.; Vogel, R.; Weller, H.

1992-01-01

Ultrathin (10 to 20 nm thick), polycrystalline films of FeS 2 (pyrite) were grown on TiO 2 (anatase) by chemical vapor deposition. The FeS 2 films were characterized using optical absorption and high-resolution electron microscopy. Photoelectrochemical solar cells, using TiO 2 (anatase) coated with FeS 2 ultrathin films, generated high open-circuit photo-voltages, of up to 600 mV, compared with a single crystal of pyrite electrode (200 mV). The photoelectrochemical behavior shows a strong dependence of photovoltage and photocurrent on the pH of the solution. This paper reports that it is explained by electron injection from the conduction band of FeS 2 to the conduction band of TiO 2 . Regeneration of holes is taking place by electron transfer from the redox system in the electrolyte

Transport properties of ultra-thin granular YBa2Cu3O7−δ nanobridges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bar, E.; Levi, D.; Koren, G.; Shaulov, A.; Yeshurun, Y.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Nano bridges were patterned on laser ablated ultra-thin YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 films. • Magneto-transport measurements reveal phenomena that are usually absent in the bulk. • Magnetoresistance (MR) oscillation point to effect of granularity. • Negative MR at low fields and negative MR slope at high fields were observed. • V-I curves exhibit voltage jumps at temperatures well below T c . - Abstract: Magneto-transport measurements in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 nanobridges, patterned on laser ablated ultra-thin films, reveal phenomena that are usually absent in the bulk of the material. These include broadening of the resistive transition, magnetoresistance oscillation, negative magnetoresistance at low fields, negative magnetoresistance slope at high fields, and V–I curves that exhibit voltage jumps at temperatures well below T c . These phenomena, attributed to the granular nature of the bridges, should be taken into account in any future attempts to utilize such bridges in technological applications

T=0 phase diagram and nature of domains in ultrathin ferromagnetic films with perpendicular anisotropy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pighin, Santiago A.; Billoni, Orlando V.; Stariolo, Daniel A.; Cannas, Sergio A.

2010-01-01

We present the complete zero temperature phase diagram of a model for ultrathin films with perpendicular anisotropy. The whole parameter space of relevant coupling constants is studied in first order anisotropy approximation. Because the ground state is known to be formed by perpendicular stripes separated by Bloch walls, a standard variational approach is used, complemented with specially designed Monte Carlo simulations. We can distinguish four regimes according to the different nature of striped domains: a high anisotropy Ising regime with sharp domain walls, a saturated stripe regime with thicker walls inside which an in-plane component of the magnetization develops, a narrow canted-like regime, characterized by a sinusoidal variation of both the in-plane and the out of plane magnetization components, which upon further decrease of the anisotropy leads to an in-plane ferromagnetic state via a spin reorientation transition (SRT). The nature of domains and walls are described in some detail together with the variation of domain width with anisotropy, for any value of exchange and dipolar interactions. Our results, although strictly valid at T=0, can be valuable for interpreting data on the evolution of domain width at finite temperature, a still largely open problem.

Appearance and disappearance of ferromagnetism in ultrathin LaMnO3 on SrTiO3 substrate: A viewpoint from first principles

Science.gov (United States)

An, Ming; Weng, Yakui; Zhang, Huimin; Zhang, Jun-Jie; Zhang, Yang; Dong, Shuai

2017-12-01

The intrinsic magnetic state (ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic) of ultrathin LaMnO3 films on the most commonly used SrTiO3 substrate is a long-existing question under debate. Either strain effect or nonstoichiometry was argued to be responsible for the experimental ferromagnetism. In a recent experiment [X. R. Wang, C. J. Li, W. M. Lü, T. R. Paudel, D. P. Leusink, M. Hoek, N. Poccia, A. Vailionis, T. Venkatesan, J. M. D. Coey, E. Y. Tsymbal, Ariando, and H. Hilgenkamp, Science 349, 716 (2015), 10.1126/science.aaa5198], one more mechanism, namely, the self-doping due to polar discontinuity, was argued to be the driving force of ferromagnetism beyond the critical thickness. Here systematic first-principles calculations have been performed to check these mechanisms in ultrathin LaMnO3 films as well as superlattices. Starting from the very precise descriptions of both LaMnO3 and SrTiO3, it is found that the compressive strain is the dominant force for the appearance of ferromagnetism, while the open surface with oxygen vacancies leads to the suppression of ferromagnetism. Within LaMnO3 layers, the charge reconstructions involve many competitive factors and certainly go beyond the intuitive polar catastrophe model established for LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures. Our paper not only explains the long-term puzzle regarding the magnetism of ultrathin LaMnO3 films but also sheds light on how to overcome the notorious magnetic dead layer in ultrathin manganites.

Ultrathin copper aluminum and nickel aluminide protective oxidation studied with an x-ray photoelectron spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, J. F.; McCann, M. P.; Pellin, M. J.; Zinovev, A.; Hryn, J. N.

2003-09-01

Oxidation in a regime where diffusion is rapid and pressures are low is addressed. Kinetic effects under these conditions are minimized and a protective oxide film of near-equilibrium composition that is a few nanometers thick may form. Ultrathin oxides have great potential for addressing the corrosion resistance of metals, since they do not always suffer stress-induced cracking upon thermal cycling, and can be reformed under high temperature, oxidizing environments. Ultrathin oxide films are also preferable to those on a thick oxide scale for electrochemical applications due to their electrical properties. To study the growth of these oxide films, we have developed a high signal x-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The instrument can measure the near-surface composition during growth under oxygen partial pressures of up to 10-5 mbar and surface temperatures up to 1300 K. Under these conditions, films grow to a level of 3 nm in 1 h. Experiments with Cu-Al alloys show rapid segregation of Al upon oxygen exposure at 875 K, whereas exposures at lower temperatures result in a mixed oxide. With a Ni-Al intermetallic, higher temperatures were needed to preferentially segregate Al. Thermal cycling followed by exposure to chlorine in the same instrument is used as a measure of the degree of corrosion resistance of the oxides in question.

Investigation of defects in ultra-thin Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films deposited on pure copper by the atomic layer deposition technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, M.L.; Wang, L.C. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Lin, H.C., E-mail: hclinntu@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Chen, M.J., E-mail: mjchen@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Lin, K.M. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, No. 100, Wenhwa Road, Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan (China)

2015-12-30

Graphical abstract: Some residual OH ligands originating from incomplete reaction between TMA and surface species of OH* during ALD process induce the defects in deposited Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films. Three possible types of defects are suggested. The analytic results indicate the defects are Type-I and/or Type-II but do not directly expose the substrate, like pinholes (Type-III). - Highlights: • Oxidation trials were conducted to investigate the defects in ultra-thin Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films deposited ALD technique on pure copper. • The residual OH ligands in the deposited Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films induce looser micro-structure which has worse oxidation resistance. • Superficial contamination particles on substrate surface are confirmed to be one of nucleation sites of the defects. - Abstract: Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films with various thicknesses were deposited by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique on pure copper at temperatures of 100–200 °C. Oxidation trials were conducted in air at 200 °C to investigate the defects in these films. The analytic results show that the defects have a looser micro-structure compared to their surroundings, but do not directly expose the substrate, like pinholes. The film's crystallinity, mechanical properties and oxidation resistance could also be affected by these defects. Superficial contamination particles on the substrate surface are confirmed to be nucleation sites of the defects. A model for the mechanism of defect formation is proposed in this study.

Intrinsic stress evolution during amorphous oxide film growth on Al surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flötotto, D.; Wang, Z. M.; Jeurgens, L. P. H.; Mittemeijer, E. J.

2014-01-01

The intrinsic stress evolution during formation of ultrathin amorphous oxide films on Al(111) and Al(100) surfaces by thermal oxidation at room temperature was investigated in real-time by in-situ substrate curvature measurements and detailed atomic-scale microstructural analyses. During thickening of the oxide a considerable amount of growth stresses is generated in, remarkably even amorphous, ultrathin Al 2 O 3 films. The surface orientation-dependent stress evolutions during O adsorption on the bare Al surfaces and during subsequent oxide-film growth can be interpreted as a result of (i) adsorption-induced surface stress changes and (ii) competing processes of free volume generation and structural relaxation, respectively

The effects of ultra-thin cerium fluoride film as the anode buffer layer on the electrical characteristics of organic light emitting diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Hsin-Wei; Tsai, Cheng-Che; Hong, Cheng-Shong; Kao, Po-Ching; Juang, Yung-Der; Chu, Sheng-Yuan

2016-11-01

In this study, the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) was enhanced by depositing a CeF3film as an ultra-thin buffer layer between the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and α-naphthylphenylbiphenyldiamine (NPB) hole transport layer, with the structure configuration ITO/CeF3 (0.5, 1, and 1.5 nm)/α-naphthylphenylbiphenyl diamine (NPB) (40 nm)/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) (60 nm)/lithium fluoride (LiF) (1 nm)/Al (150 nm). The enhancement mechanism was systematically investigated via several approaches. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy results revealed the formation of the UV-ozone treated CeF3 film. The work function increased from 4.8 eV (standard ITO electrode) to 5.22 eV (0.5-nm-thick UV-ozone treated CeF3 film deposited on the ITO electrode). The surface roughness of the UV-ozone treated CeF3 film was smoother than that of the standard ITO electrode. Further, the UV-ozone treated CeF3 film increased both the surface energy and polarity, as determined from contact angle measurements. In addition, admittance spectroscopy measurements showed an increased capacitance and conductance of the OLEDs. Accordingly, the turn-on voltage decreased from 4.2 V to 3.6 V at 1 mA/cm2, the luminance increased from 7588 cd/m2 to 24760 cd/m2, and the current efficiency increased from 3.2 cd/A to 3.8 cd/A when the 0.5-nm-thick UV-ozone treated CeF3 film was inserted into the OLEDs.

Detection of defect states responsible for leakage current in ultrathin tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) films by zero-bias thermally stimulated current spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, W.S.; Zhong, L.; Lee, A.; See, C.H.; Han, T.; Sandler, N.P.; Chong, T.C.

1997-01-01

Defect states responsible for leakage current in ultrathin (physical thickness 2 O 5 ) films were measured with a novel zero-bias thermally stimulated current technique. It was found that defect states A, whose activation energy was estimated to be about 0.2 eV, can be more efficiently suppressed by using N 2 O rapid thermal annealing (RTA) instead of using O 2 RTA for postdeposition annealing. The leakage current was also smaller for samples with N 2 O RTA than those with O 2 RTA for postdeposition annealing. Hence, defect states A are quite likely to be important in causing leakage current. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Low-temperature transport in ultra-thin tungsten films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiatti, Olivio [Neue Materialien, Institut fuer Physik, Humboldt-Univ. Berlin (Germany); London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London (United Kingdom); Nash, Christopher; Warburton, Paul [London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London (United Kingdom)

2012-07-01

Tungsten-containing films, fabricated by focused-ion-beam-induced chemical vapour deposition, are known to have an enhanced superconducting transition temperature compared to bulk tungsten, and have been investigated previously for film thickness down to 25 nm. In this work, by using ion-beam doses below 50 pC/{mu}m{sup 2} on a substrate of amorphous silicon, we have grown continuous films with thickness below 20 nm. The electron transport properties were investigated at temperatures down to 350 mK and in magnetic fields up to 3 T, parallel and perpendicular to the films. The films in this work are closer to the limit of two-dimensional systems and are superconducting at low temperatures. Magnetoresistance measurements yield upper critical fields of the order of 1 T, and the resulting coherence length is smaller than the film thickness.

Anomalous misfit strain relaxation in ultrathin YBa2Cu3O7-δ epitaxial films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamigaki, K.; Terauchi, H.; Terashima, T.; Bando, Y.; Iijima, K.; Yamamoto, K.; Hirata, K.; Hayashi, K.; Nakagawa, I.; Tomii, Y.

1991-01-01

Ultrathin YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ epitaxial films were successfully grown in situ on (001) SrTiO 3 and MgO substrates by means of ozone-incorporating activated reactive evaporation. The x-ray-diffraction study was carefully examined to determine the structural properties of the grown films. Excellent crystallinity with no interfacial disorders was revealed by the appearance of the Laue oscillations. It was found that in a well lattice-matched YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ /SrTiO 3 system, the crystallinity was deteriorated due to defect introduction at the critical layer thickness h c ( ∼ 130 A). Interestingly, also in a poorly lattice-matched YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ /MgO system, excellent crystallinity was revealed even at above h c ( 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ /MgO system. In such a system, no crystal imperfection of the MgO substrate caused by defect introduction was elucidated by the grazing incidence x-ray scattering, which indicated that the MgO substrate did not contribute to the anomalous misfit relaxation. The anomalous growth manner was also found in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ /MgO according to surface morphology investigations. Below 40 A( > h c ), island nucleation growth was found. Above 40 A, it was observed that an atomically smooth surface was obtained and the crystallinity was simultaneously improved. It is suggested that YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ possesses an anomalous misfit relaxation mechanism, and that especially in the growth on MgO, it couples with the characteristic growth behavior at the initial stage

Probing the thermal decomposition behaviors of ultrathin HfO2 films by an in situ high temperature scanning tunneling microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Kun; Wang, Lei; An, Jin; Xu, Jianbin

2011-05-13

The thermal decomposition of ultrathin HfO(2) films (∼0.6-1.2 nm) on Si by ultrahigh vacuum annealing (25-800 °C) is investigated in situ in real time by scanning tunneling microscopy. Two distinct thickness-dependent decomposition behaviors are observed. When the HfO(2) thickness is ∼ 0.6 nm, no discernible morphological changes are found below ∼ 700 °C. Then an abrupt reaction occurs at 750 °C with crystalline hafnium silicide nanostructures formed instantaneously. However, when the thickness is about 1.2 nm, the decomposition proceeds gradually with the creation and growth of two-dimensional voids at 800 °C. The observed thickness-dependent behavior is closely related to the SiO desorption, which is believed to be the rate-limiting step of the decomposition process.

Luminous composite ultrathin films of CdTe quantum dots/silk fibroin co-assembled with layered doubled hydroxide: Enhanced photoluminescence and biosensor application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Sohail Haroone

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Quantum dots (QDs luminescent films are extensively applied to optoelectronics and optical devices. However, QDs aggregation results in the quenching of their fluorescence property which limits their practical applications to a greater extent. In order to resolve this issue, 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA functionalized Cadmium Tellurium (CdTe QDs were stabilized by silk fibroin (SB and co-assembled with layered doubled hydroxide (LDH to form (QDs@SF/LDHn ultrathin films (UTFs via the layer-by-layer (LBL technique. UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy showed a stepwise and normal growth of the films upon increasing the number of deposition cycles. XRD and AFM studies confirmed the formation of a periodic layered structure and regular surface morphology of the thin films. As compared to (CdTe QDs/LDHnUTFs, the (CdTe QDs@SF/LDHnUTFs displayed fluorescence enhancement and longer fluorescent lifetime, both in solid states and aqueous solutions. Furthermore compared with the solution state, the fluorescence enhancement of SF-RC and SF-β are, respectively, 7 times and 17 times in the (CdTe QDs@SF/LDHn UTFs, indicating that the LDH nanosheets favor the fluorescence enhancement effect on the CdTe QDs@SF. The fabricated materials displayed fluorescence response to a biological molecule such as immune globulin, lgG. Thus, the (CdTe QDs@SF/LDHn UTFs has a potential to be used as biosensor. Keywords: CdTe quantum dots, Silk fibroin, Layered doubled hydroxide, Co-assembly, Fluorescence enhancement

Integration of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles as a back reflector in ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se_2 solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, Guanchao; Steigert, Alexander; Andrae, Patrick; Goebelt, Manuela; Latzel, Michael; Manley, Phillip; Lauermann, Iver; Christiansen, Silke; Schmid, Martina

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Plasmonic Ag nanoparticles as a back reflector in ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se_2 (CIGSe) solar cells are investigated. Ag diffusion is successfully passivated by reducing the substrate temperature and introducing a 50 nm atomic layer deposition (ALD) prepared Al_2O_3 film. This clears the thermal obstacle in incorporating Ag nanoparticles in CIGSe solar cells. Simulations show that Ag nanoparticles have the potential to greatly enhance the light absorption in ultra-thin CIGSe solar cells. - Highlights: • Ag nanoparticles are able to diffuse through ITO substrate into CIGSe absorber even at a low substrate temperature of 440 °C. • The direction (inserting a dielectric passivation layer) to thermally block the Ag diffusion and the requirements for the passivation layer are indicated and generalized. • An atomic layer deposited Al_2O_3 layer is experimentally proved to be able to thermally passivate the Ag nanoparticles, which clears the thermal obstacle in using Ag nanoparticles as a back reflector in ultra-thin CIGSe solar cells. • It is theoretically proved that the Ag nanoparticles as a back reflector have the potential to effectively enhance the absorption in ultra-thin CIGSe solar cells. - Abstract: Integration of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles as a back reflector in ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se_2 (CIGSe) solar cells is investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that Ag nanoparticles underneath a Sn:In_2O_3 back contact could not be thermally passivated even at a low substrate temperature of 440 °C during CIGSe deposition. It is shown that a 50 nm thick Al_2O_3 film prepared by atomic layer deposition is able to block the diffusion of Ag, clearing the thermal obstacle in utilizing Ag nanoparticles as a back reflector in ultra-thin CIGSe solar cells. Via 3-D finite element optical simulation, it is proved that the Ag nanoparticles show the potential to contribute the effective absorption in CIGSe solar cells.

On the conductive properties of MgO films grown on ultrathin hexagonal close-packed Co(0001) layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gladczuk, L.; Aleszkiewicz, M.

2013-01-01

Here we present a scanning tunneling microscopy study of electrical conductivity of (110)-oriented MgO ultrathin films grown on hexagonal close-packed Co(0001) surface by molecular beam epitaxy, being a good candidate for tunneling barrier for future-generation spintronic devices. Three-dimensional growth of the tunneling barrier, expected for compressive strains emerging at the Co/MgO interface, is demonstrated by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The 5 eV height of the full barrier of MgO is reached at a layer thickness of 4 nm. Thinner MgO layers exhibit randomly distributed spots of the high conductance on the tunneling current map. The current–voltage curves indicate the existence of vacancies in MgO crystal lattice, lowering the resistivity of the tunneling barrier. - Highlights: • Conductivity of MgO barrier in MgO/hexagonal close-packed-Co bilayer • Conductivity strongly varies with MgO thickness • MgO barrier exhibits randomly distributed spots of particularly high conductance • Tunneling current–voltage curves indicate the existence of vacancies in MgO lattice

Critical current enhancement driven by suppression of superconducting fluctuation in ion-gated ultrathin FeSe

Science.gov (United States)

Harada, T.; Shiogai, J.; Miyakawa, T.; Nojima, T.; Tsukazaki, A.

2018-05-01

The framework of phase transition, such as superconducting transition, occasionally depends on the dimensionality of materials. Superconductivity is often weakened in the experimental conditions of two-dimensional thin films due to the fragile superconducting state against defects and interfacial effects. In contrast to this general trend, superconductivity in the thin limit of FeSe exhibits an opposite trend, such as an increase in critical temperature (T c) and the superconducting gap exceeding the bulk values; however, the dominant mechanism is still under debate. Here, we measured thickness-dependent electrical transport properties of the ion-gated FeSe thin films to evaluate the superconducting critical current (I c) in the ultrathin FeSe. Upon systematically decreasing the FeSe thickness by the electrochemical etching technique in the Hall bar-shaped electric double-layer transistors, we observed a dramatic enhancement of I c reaching about 10 mA and corresponding to about 107 A cm‑2 in the thinnest condition. By analyzing the transition behavior, we clarify that the suppressed superconducting fluctuation is one of the origins of the large I c in the ion-gated ultrathin FeSe films. These results indicate the existence of a robust superconducting state possibly with dense Cooper pairs at the thin limit of FeSe.

High spin-polarization in ultrathin Co{sub 2}MnSi/CoPd multilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galanakis, I., E-mail: galanakis@upatras.gr

2015-03-01

Half-metallic Co{sub 2}MnSi finds a broad spectrum of applications in spintronic devices either in the form of thin films or as spacer in multilayers. Using state-of-the-art ab-initio electronic structure calculations we exploit the electronic and magnetic properties of ultrathin Co{sub 2}MnSi/CoPd multilayers. We show that these heterostructures combine high values of spin-polarization at the Co{sub 2}MnSi spacer with the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of binary compounds such as CoPd. Thus they could find application in spintronic/magnetoelectronic devices. - Highlights: • Ab-initio study of ultrathin Co{sub 2}MnSi/CoPd multilayers. • Large values of spin-polarization at the Fermi are retained. • Route for novel spintronic/magnetoelectronic devices.

Amorphous Ultrathin SnO2 Films by Atomic Layer Deposition on Graphene Network as Highly Stable Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Ming; Sun, Xiang; George, Steven M; Zhou, Changgong; Lian, Jie; Zhou, Yun

2015-12-23

Amorphous SnO2 (a-SnO2) thin films were conformally coated onto the surface of reduced graphene oxide (G) using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The electrochemical characteristics of the a-SnO2/G nanocomposites were then determined using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge curves. Because the SnO2 ALD films were ultrathin and amorphous, the impact of the large volume expansion of SnO2 upon cycling was greatly reduced. With as few as five formation cycles best reported in the literature, a-SnO2/G nanocomposites reached stable capacities of 800 mAh g(-1) at 100 mA g(-1) and 450 mAh g(-1) at 1000 mA g(-1). The capacity from a-SnO2 is higher than the bulk theoretical values. The extra capacity is attributed to additional interfacial charge storage resulting from the high surface area of the a-SnO2/G nanocomposites. These results demonstrate that metal oxide ALD on high surface area conducting carbon substrates can be used to fabricate high power and high capacity electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

“Self-Peel-Off” Transfer Produces Ultrathin Polyvinylidene-Fluoride-Based Flexible Nanodevices

KAUST Repository

Tai, Yanlong

2017-02-23

Here, a new strategy, self-peel-off transfer, for the preparation of ultrathin flexible nanodevices made from polyvinylidene-fluoride (PVDF) is reported. In this process, a functional pattern of nanoparticles is transferred via peeling from a temporary substrate to the final PVDF film. This peeling process takes advantage of the differences in the work of adhesion between the various layers (the PVDF layer, the nanoparticle-pattern layer and the substrate layer) and of the high stresses generated by the differential thermal expansion of the layers. The work of adhesion is mainly guided by the basic physical/chemical properties of these layers and is highly sensitive to variations in temperature and moisture in the environment. The peeling technique is tested on a variety of PVDF-based functional films using gold/palladium nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, and lithium iron phosphate. Several PVDF-based flexible nanodevices are prepared, including a single-sided wireless flexible humidity sensor in which PVDF is used as the substrate and a double-sided flexible capacitor in which PVDF is used as the ferroelectric layer and the carrier layer. Results show that the nanodevices perform with high repeatability and stability. Self-peel-off transfer is a viable preparation strategy for the design and fabrication of flexible, ultrathin, and light-weight nanodevices.

Photoelectrochemical energy conversion obtained with ultrathin organo-metallic-chemical-vapor-deposition layer of FeS[sub 2] (pyrite) on TiO[sub 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ennaoui, A.; Fiechter, S.; Tributsch, H. (Abt. Solare Energetik, Hahn-Meitner-Inst., D-1000 Berlin 39 (Germany)); Giersig, M.; Vogel, R.; Weller, H. (Abt. Photochemie, Hahn-Meitner-Inst., D-1000 Berlin 39 (Germany))

1992-09-01

Ultrathin (10 to 20 nm thick), polycrystalline films of FeS[sub 2] (pyrite) were grown on TiO[sub 2] (anatase) by chemical vapor deposition. The FeS[sub 2] films were characterized using optical absorption and high-resolution electron microscopy. Photoelectrochemical solar cells, using TiO[sub 2] (anatase) coated with FeS[sub 2] ultrathin films, generated high open-circuit photo-voltages, of up to 600 mV, compared with a single crystal of pyrite electrode (200 mV). The photoelectrochemical behavior shows a strong dependence of photovoltage and photocurrent on the pH of the solution. This paper reports that it is explained by electron injection from the conduction band of FeS[sub 2] to the conduction band of TiO[sub 2]. Regeneration of holes is taking place by electron transfer from the redox system in the electrolyte.

Plasmonic Nanostructure for Enhanced Light Absorption in Ultrathin Silicon Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinna He

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The performances of thin film solar cells are considerably limited by the low light absorption. Plasmonic nanostructures have been introduced in the thin film solar cells as a possible solution around this issue in recent years. Here, we propose a solar cell design, in which an ultrathin Si film covered by a periodic array of Ag strips is placed on a metallic nanograting substrate. The simulation results demonstrate that the designed structure gives rise to 170% light absorption enhancement over the full solar spectrum with respect to the bared Si thin film. The excited multiple resonant modes, including optical waveguide modes within the Si layer, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR of Ag stripes, and surface plasmon polaritons (SPP arising from the bottom grating, and the coupling effect between LSPR and SPP modes through an optimization of the array periods are considered to contribute to the significant absorption enhancement. This plasmonic solar cell design paves a promising way to increase light absorption for thin film solar cell applications.

Supramolecular architectures of iron phthalocyanine Langmuir-Blodgett films: The role played by the solution solvents

Science.gov (United States)

Rubira, Rafael Jesus Gonçalves; Aoki, Pedro Henrique Benites; Constantino, Carlos José Leopoldo; Alessio, Priscila

2017-09-01

The developing of organic-based devices has been widely explored using ultrathin films as the transducer element, whose supramolecular architecture plays a central role in the device performance. Here, Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) ultrathin films were fabricated from iron phthalocyanine (FePc) solutions in chloroform (CHCl3), dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), dimethylformamide (DMF), and tetrahydrofuran (THF) to determine the influence of different solvents on the supramolecular architecture of the ultrathin films. The UV-vis absorption spectroscopy shows a strong dependence of the FePc aggregation on these solvents. As a consequence, the surface pressure vs. mean molecular area (π-A) isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) reveal a more homogeneous (surface morphology) Langmuir film at the air/water interface for FePc in DMF. The same morphological pattern observed for the Langmuir films is preserved upon LB deposition onto solid substrates. The Raman and FTIR analyses indicate the DMF-FePc interaction relies on coordination bonds between N atom (from DMF) and Fe atom (from FePc). Besides, the FePc molecular organization was also found to be affected by the DMF-FePc chemical interaction. It is interesting to note that, if the DMF-FePc leads to less aggregated FePc either in solution or ultrathin films (Langmuir and LB), with time (one week) the opposite trend is found. Taking into account the N-Fe interaction, the performance of the FePc ultrathin films with distinct supramolecular architectures composing sensing units was explored as proof-of-principle in the detection of trace amounts of atrazine herbicide in water using impedance spectroscopy. Further statistical and computational analysis reveal not only the role played by FePc supramolecular architecture but also the sensitivity of the system to detect atrazine solutions down to 10-10 mol/L, which is sufficient to monitor the quality of drinking water even according to the most stringent international

Thermoelectric power in ultrathin films, quantum wires and carbon nanotubes under classically large magnetic field: Simplified theory and relative comparison

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, A.; Choudhury, S. [Electronics and Communication Engineering, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Majitar, East Sikkim 737 132 (India); Saha, S. [Electronics and Communication Engineering, Mallabhum Institute of Technology College Campus, Brajaradhanagar, P.O. Gosaipur, P.S. Bishnupur, District - Bankura 722 122 (India); Pahari, S. [Administration Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032 (India); De, D. [Department of Computer Science Engineering, West Bengal University of Technology, BF 142, Sector 1, Kolkatta 700 064, West Bengal (India); Bhattacharya, S. [Nano Scale Device Research Laboratory, Center for Electronics Design and Technology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India); Ghatak, K.P., E-mail: kamakhyaghatak@yahoo.co.i [Department of Electronic Science, University Calcutta, 92 Acharyya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata 700 009 (India)

2010-01-01

We study the thermoelectric power under classically large magnetic field (TPM) in ultrathin films (UFs), quantum wires (QWs) of non-linear optical materials on the basis of a newly formulated electron dispersion law considering the anisotropies of the effective electron masses, the spin-orbit splitting constants and the presence of the crystal field splitting within the framework of k.p formalism. The results of quantum confined III-V compounds form the special cases of our generalized analysis. The TPM has also been studied for quantum confined II-VI, stressed materials, bismuth and carbon nanotubes (CNs) on the basis of respective dispersion relations. It is found taking quantum confined CdGeAs{sub 2}, InAs, InSb, CdS, stressed n-InSb and Bi that the TPM increases with increasing film thickness and decreasing electron statistics exhibiting quantized nature for all types of quantum confinement. The TPM in CNs exhibits oscillatory dependence with increasing carrier concentration and the signature of the entirely different types of quantum systems are evident from the plots. Besides, under certain special conditions, all the results for all the materials gets simplified to the well-known expression of the TPM for non-degenerate materials having parabolic energy bands, leading to the compatibility test.

Elementary spin excitations in ultrathin itinerant magnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zakeri, Khalil, E-mail: zakeri@mpi-halle.de

2014-12-10

Elementary spin excitations (magnons) play a fundamental role in condensed matter physics, since many phenomena e.g. magnetic ordering, electrical (as well as heat) transport properties, ultrafast magnetization processes, and most importantly electron/spin dynamics can only be understood when these quasi-particles are taken into consideration. In addition to their fundamental importance, magnons may also be used for information processing in modern spintronics. Here the concept of spin excitations in ultrathin itinerant magnets is discussed and reviewed. Starting with a historical introduction, different classes of magnons are introduced. Different theoretical treatments of spin excitations in solids are outlined. Interaction of spin-polarized electrons with a magnetic surface is discussed. It is shown that, based on the quantum mechanical conservation rules, a magnon can only be excited when a minority electron is injected into the system. While the magnon creation process is forbidden by majority electrons, the magnon annihilation process is allowed instead. These fundamental quantum mechanical selection rules, together with the strong interaction of electrons with matter, make the spin-polarized electron spectroscopies as appropriate tools to excite and probe the elementary spin excitations in low-dimensional magnets e.g ultrathin films and nanostructures. The focus is put on the experimental results obtained by spin-polarized electron energy loss spectroscopy and spin-polarized inelastic tunneling spectroscopy. The magnon dispersion relation, lifetime, group and phase velocity measured using these approaches in various ultrathin magnets are discussed in detail. The differences and similarities with respect to the bulk excitations are addressed. The role of the temperature, atomic structure, number of atomic layers, lattice strain, electronic complexes and hybridization at the interfaces are outlined. A possibility of simultaneous probing of magnons and phonons

The impact of ultra-thin titania interlayers on open circuit voltage and carrier lifetime in thin film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moerman, David; Colbert, Adam E.; Ginger, David S.; Kim, Hyungchul; Graham, Samuel

2016-01-01

We study the effects of modifying indium tin oxide electrodes with ultrathin titania (TiO_2) layers grown via plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD). We find an optimal thickness of PE-ALD-grown titania by tracking performance, which initially increases, peaks, and eventually decreases with increasing TiO_2 thickness. We use scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM) to measure both the local work function and its distribution as a function of TiO_2 thickness. We find that the variance in contact potential difference across the surface of the film is related to either the amorphous or anatase TiO_2 form. Finally, we use local SKPM recombination rate experiments, supported by bulk transient photovoltage and charge extraction measurements. We show that the optimum TiO_2 thickness is the one for which the carrier lifetime is the longest and the charge carrier density is the highest, when the TiO_2 is amorphous, in agreement with the device measurements.

Monolayer-Mediated Growth of Organic Semiconductor Films with Improved Device Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Lizhen; Hu, Xiaorong; Chi, Lifeng

2015-09-15

Increased interest in wearable and smart electronics is driving numerous research works on organic electronics. The control of film growth and patterning is of great importance when targeting high-performance organic semiconductor devices. In this Feature Article, we summarize our recent work focusing on the growth, crystallization, and device operation of organic semiconductors intermediated by ultrathin organic films (in most cases, only a monolayer). The site-selective growth, modified crystallization and morphology, and improved device performance of organic semiconductor films are demonstrated with the help of the inducing layers, including patterned and uniform Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers, crystalline ultrathin organic films, and self-assembled polymer brush films. The introduction of the inducing layers could dramatically change the diffusion of the organic semiconductors on the surface and the interactions between the active layer with the inducing layer, leading to improved aggregation/crystallization behavior and device performance.

Transferred metal electrode films for large-area electronic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jin-Guo; Kam, Fong-Yu; Chua, Lay-Lay

2014-01-01

The evaporation of metal-film gate electrodes for top-gate organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) limits the minimum thickness of the polymer gate dielectric to typically more than 300 nm due to deep hot metal atom penetration and damage of the dielectric. We show here that the self-release layer transfer method recently developed for high-quality graphene transfer is also capable of giving high-quality metal thin-film transfers to produce high-performance capacitors and OFETs with superior dielectric breakdown strength even for ultrathin polymer dielectric films. Dielectric breakdown strengths up to 5–6 MV cm −1 have been obtained for 50-nm thin films of polystyrene and a cyclic olefin copolymer TOPAS ® (Zeon). High-quality OFETs with sub-10 V operational voltages have been obtained this way using conventional polymer dielectrics and a high-mobility polymer semiconductor poly[2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophene-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene-2,5-diyl]. The transferred metal films can make reliable contacts without damaging ultrathin polymer films, self-assembled monolayers and graphene, which is not otherwise possible from evaporated or sputtered metal films

High-Quality Ultrathin Gold Layers with an APTMS Adhesion for Optimal Performance of Surface Plasmon Polariton-Based Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sukham, Johneph; Takayama, Osamu; Lavrinenko, Andrei

2017-01-01

, in particular, when the Au layer is not much thicker than the adhesion layers. We experimentally compared the performances of the ultrathin gold films to show the pivotal influence of adhesion layers on highly confined propagating plasmonic modes, using Cr and 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTMS) adhesion...

Ultra-thin alumina and silicon nitride MEMS fabricated membranes for the electron multiplication

Science.gov (United States)

Prodanović, V.; Chan, H. W.; Graaf, H. V. D.; Sarro, P. M.

2018-04-01

In this paper we demonstrate the fabrication of large arrays of ultrathin freestanding membranes (tynodes) for application in a timed photon counter (TiPC), a novel photomultiplier for single electron detection. Low pressure chemical vapour deposited silicon nitride (Si x N y ) and atomic layer deposited alumina (Al2O3) with thicknesses down to only 5 nm are employed for the membrane fabrication. Detailed characterization of structural, mechanical and chemical properties of the utilized films is carried out for different process conditions and thicknesses. Furthermore, the performance of the tynodes is investigated in terms of secondary electron emission, a fundamental attribute that determines their applicability in TiPC. Studied features and presented fabrication methods may be of interest for other MEMS application of alumina and silicon nitride as well, in particular where strong ultra-thin membranes are required.

Angularly resolved characterization of ion beams from laser-ultrathin foil interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Scullion, C.; Doria, D.; Romagnani, L.; Ahmed, H.; Alejo, A.; Ettlinger, O. C.; Gray, R. J.; Green, J.; Hicks, G. S.; Jung, D.; Naughton, K.; Padda, H.; Poder, K.; Scott, G. G.; Symes, D. R.; Kar, S.; McKenna, P.; Najmudin, Z.; Neely, D.; Zepf, M.; Borghesi, M.

2016-09-01

Methods and techniques used to capture and analyze beam profiles produced from the interaction of intense, ultrashort laser pulses and ultrathin foil targets using stacks of Radiochromic Film (RCF) and Columbia Resin #39 (CR-39) are presented. The identification of structure in the beam is particularly important in this regime, as it may be indicative of the dominance of specific acceleration mechanisms. Additionally, RCF can be used to deconvolve proton spectra with coarse energy resolution while mantaining angular information across the whole beam.

Angularly resolved characterization of ion beams from laser-ultrathin foil interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scullion, C.; Doria, D.; Ahmed, H.; Alejo, A.; Jung, D.; Naughton, K.; Kar, S.; Zepf, M.; Romagnani, L.; Ettlinger, O.C.; Hicks, G.S.; Poder, K.; Najmudin, Z.; Gray, R.J.; Padda, H.; McKenna, P.; Green, J.; Scott, G.G.; Symes, D.R.; Neely, D.

2016-01-01

Methods and techniques used to capture and analyze beam profiles produced from the interaction of intense, ultrashort laser pulses and ultrathin foil targets using stacks of Radiochromic Film (RCF) and Columbia Resin #39 (CR-39) are presented. The identification of structure in the beam is particularly important in this regime, as it may be indicative of the dominance of specific acceleration mechanisms. Additionally, RCF can be used to deconvolve proton spectra with coarse energy resolution while mantaining angular information across the whole beam.

Influence of interface layer on optical properties of sub-20 nm-thick TiO2 films

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Yue-Jie; Zhang, Rong-Jun; Li, Da-Hai; Zhan, Yi-Qiang; Lu, Hong-Liang; Jiang, An-Quan; Chen, Xin; Liu, Juan; Zheng, Yu-Xiang; Wang, Song-You; Chen, Liang-Yao

2018-02-01

The sub-20 nm ultrathin titanium dioxide (TiO2) films with tunable thickness were deposited on Si substrates by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The structural and optical properties were acquired by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. Afterwards, a constructive and effective method of analyzing interfaces by applying two different optical models consisting of air/TiO2/Ti x Si y O2/Si and air/effective TiO2 layer/Si, respectively, was proposed to investigate the influence of interface layer (IL) on the analysis of optical constants and the determination of band gap of TiO2 ultrathin films. It was found that two factors including optical constants and changing components of the nonstoichiometric IL could contribute to the extent of the influence. Furthermore, the investigated TiO2 ultrathin films of 600 ALD cycles were selected and then annealed at the temperature range of 400-900 °C by rapid thermal annealing. Thicker IL and phase transition cause the variation of optical properties of TiO2 films after annealing and a shorter electron relaxation time reveals the strengthened electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions in the TiO2 ultrathin films at high temperature. The as-obtained results in this paper will play a role in other studies of high dielectric constants materials grown on Si substrates and in the applications of next generation metal-oxide-semiconductor devices.

Electronic structure and lattice relaxations in quantum confined Pb films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mans, A.

2005-01-01

Epitaxial films that are only several atoms layers thick exhibit interesting properties associated with quantum confinement. The electrons form standing waves, just like a violin string, clamped at both ends. In ultrathin lead films, this so-called `quantum size effect' (QSE) alters the physical

In-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry for studies of thin films and membranes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ogieglo, Wojciech

2014-01-01

The properties of a thin polymer film can be significantly affected by the presence of a penetrant. It is also known that the behavior of ultra-thin polymer films (<100 nm) may deviate from the bulk behavior. This sole impact of film thickness reduction is often referred to as a nano-confinement

A study on the evolution of dielectric function of ZnO thin films with decreasing film thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, X. D.; Chen, T. P.; Liu, P.; Liu, Y.; Liu, Z.; Leong, K. C.

2014-01-01

Dielectric function, band gap, and exciton binding energies of ultrathin ZnO films as a function of film thickness have been obtained with spectroscopic ellipsometry. As the film thickness decreases, both real (ε 1 ) and imaginary (ε 2 ) parts of the dielectric function decrease significantly, and ε 2 shows a blue shift. The film thickness dependence of the dielectric function is shown related to the changes in the interband absorption, discrete-exciton absorption, and continuum-exciton absorption, which can be attributed to the quantum confinement effect on both the band gap and exciton binding energies

Passivation Effects in Copper Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiederhirn, G.; Nucci, J.; Richter, G.; Arzt, E.; Balk, T. J.; Dehm, G.

2006-01-01

We studied the influence of a 10 nm AlxOy passivation on the stress-temperature behavior of 100 nm and 1 μm thick Cu films. At low temperatures, the passivation induces a large tensile stress increase in the 100 nm film; however, its effect on the 1 μm film is negligible. At high temperatures, the opposite behavior is observed; while the passivation does not change the 100 nm film behavior, it strengthens the 1 μm film by driving it deeper into compression. These observations are explained in light of a combination of constrained diffusional creep and dislocation dynamics unique to ultra-thin films

Biocompatible and totally disintegrable semiconducting polymer for ultrathin and ultralightweight transient electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Ting; Guan, Ming; Liu, Jia; Lin, Hung-Cheng; Pfattner, Raphael; Shaw, Leo; McGuire, Allister F; Huang, Tsung-Ching; Shao, Leilai; Cheng, Kwang-Ting; Tok, Jeffrey B-H; Bao, Zhenan

2017-05-16

Increasing performance demands and shorter use lifetimes of consumer electronics have resulted in the rapid growth of electronic waste. Currently, consumer electronics are typically made with nondecomposable, nonbiocompatible, and sometimes even toxic materials, leading to serious ecological challenges worldwide. Here, we report an example of totally disintegrable and biocompatible semiconducting polymers for thin-film transistors. The polymer consists of reversible imine bonds and building blocks that can be easily decomposed under mild acidic conditions. In addition, an ultrathin (800-nm) biodegradable cellulose substrate with high chemical and thermal stability is developed. Coupled with iron electrodes, we have successfully fabricated fully disintegrable and biocompatible polymer transistors. Furthermore, disintegrable and biocompatible pseudo-complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) flexible circuits are demonstrated. These flexible circuits are ultrathin (<1 μm) and ultralightweight (∼2 g/m 2 ) with low operating voltage (4 V), yielding potential applications of these disintegrable semiconducting polymers in low-cost, biocompatible, and ultralightweight transient electronics.

Logic circuits composed of flexible carbon nanotube thin-film transistor and ultra-thin polymer gate dielectric

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Dongil; Yoon, Jinsu; Lee, Juhee; Lee, Byung-Hyun; Seol, Myeong-Lok; Bae, Hagyoul; Jeon, Seung-Bae; Seong, Hyejeong; Im, Sung Gap; Choi, Sung-Jin; Choi, Yang-Kyu

2016-05-01

Printing electronics has become increasingly prominent in the field of electronic engineering because this method is highly efficient at producing flexible, low-cost and large-scale thin-film transistors. However, TFTs are typically constructed with rigid insulating layers consisting of oxides and nitrides that are brittle and require high processing temperatures, which can cause a number of problems when used in printed flexible TFTs. In this study, we address these issues and demonstrate a method of producing inkjet-printed TFTs that include an ultra-thin polymeric dielectric layer produced by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) at room temperature and highly purified 99.9% semiconducting carbon nanotubes. Our integrated approach enables the production of flexible logic circuits consisting of CNT-TFTs on a polyethersulfone (PES) substrate that have a high mobility (up to 9.76 cm2 V-1 sec-1), a low operating voltage (less than 4 V), a high current on/off ratio (3 × 104), and a total device yield of 90%. Thus, it should be emphasized that this study delineates a guideline for the feasibility of producing flexible CNT-TFT logic circuits with high performance based on a low-cost and simple fabrication process.

ZnO Film Photocatalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bosi Yin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We have synthesized high-quality, nanoscale ultrathin ZnO films at relatively low temperature using a facile and effective hydrothermal approach. ZnO films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectra (PL, and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The products demonstrated 95% photodegradation efficiency with Congo red (CR after 40 min irradiation. The photocatalytic degradation experiments of methyl orange (MO and eosin red also were carried out. The results indicate that the as-obtained ZnO films might be promising candidates as the excellent photocatalysts for elimination of waste water.

Preparation and characterization of ultra-thin sol-gel films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shapiro, Leora; Marx, Sharon; Mandler, Daniel

2007-01-01

The formation and characterization of nanometer thick sol-gel films are reported. The films were prepared by spin-coating of a diluted solution of a silane precursor on a number of different substrates. The effect of dilution, rotation speed and nature of substrate on the thickness and homogeneity of the films was examined. Characterization of the films was carried out by profilometry, reflectance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, adhesion test and electrochemistry. We find that the dilution factor has a pronounced effect on the film thickness. Moreover, the time of dilution, namely, whether dilution was carried out before or after a period of hydrolysis, has a noticeable effect on the thickness as well as on the permeability of embedded species

The fabrication and enhanced nonlinear optical properties of electrostatic self-assembled film containing water-soluble chiral polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ouyang Qiuyun, E-mail: qyouyang7823@yahoo.cn [College of Science, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); Chen Yujin; Li Chunyan [College of Science, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China)

2012-05-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The ultra-thin film containing the chiral PPV and oligo-thiophene derivatives was fabricated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The third-order NLO properties were studied of the ultra-thin film. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The reverse saturable absorption and self-defocusing were observed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The nonlinear optical mechanism was discussed. - Abstract: An ultra-thin film containing a water-soluble chiral PPV derivative and oligo-thiophene derivative was fabricated through the electrostatic self-assembly technique. The PPV and thiophene derivatives are poly{l_brace}(2,5-bis(3-bromotrimethylammoniopropoxy)-phenylene-1,4-divinylene) -alt-1,4-(2,5-bis((3-hydroxy-2-(S)-methyl)propoxy)phenylenevinylene) (BHP-PPV) and 4 Prime ,3 Double-Prime -dipentyl-5,2 Prime :5 Prime ,2 Double-Prime :5 Double-Prime ,2 Double-Prime Prime -quaterthiophene-2,5 Double-Prime Prime -dicarboxylic acid (QTDA), respectively. The circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of BHP-PPV cast film on quartz substrate proved the chirality of BHP-PPV. The UV-vis spectra showed a continuous deposition process of BHP-PPV and QTDA. The film structure was characterized by small angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images. The nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of BHP-PPV/QTDA ultra-thin film with different number of bilayers were investigated by the Z-scan technique with 8 ns laser pulse at 532 nm. The Z-scan experimental data were analyzed with the double-sided film Z-scan theory. The BHP-PPV/QTDA film exhibits enhanced reverse saturable absorption (RSA) and self-defocusing effects, which may be attributed to the conjugated strength, chirality and well-ordered film structure. The chirality may lead to the RSA of BHP-PPV/QTDA film contrary to the SA of the other electrostatic self-assembled films without chiral units. The self-defocusing effect should be due to the thermal effect.

Impact of Ultrathin C60 on Perovskite Photovoltaic Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dianyi; Wang, Qiong; Traverse, Christopher J; Yang, Chenchen; Young, Margaret; Kuttipillai, Padmanaban S; Lunt, Sophia Y; Hamann, Thomas W; Lunt, Richard R

2018-01-23

Halide perovskite solar cells have seen dramatic progress in performance over the past several years. Certified efficiencies of inverted structure (p-i-n) devices have now exceeded 20%. In these p-i-n devices, fullerene compounds are the most popular electron-transfer materials. However, the full function of fullerenes in perovskite solar cells is still under investigation, and the mechanism of photocurrent hysteresis suppression by fullerene remains unclear. In previous reports, thick fullerene layers (>20 nm) were necessary to fully cover the perovskite film surface to make good contact with perovskite film and avoid large leakage currents. In addition, the solution-processed fullerene layer has been broadly thought to infiltrate into the perovskite film to passivate traps on grain boundary surfaces, causing suppressed photocurrent hysteresis. In this work, we demonstrate an efficient perovskite photovoltaic device with only 1 nm C 60 deposited by vapor deposition as the electron-selective material. Utilizing a combination of fluorescence microscopy and impedance spectroscopy, we show that the ultrathin C 60 predominately acts to extract electrons from the perovskite film while concomitantly suppressing the photocurrent hysteresis by reducing space charge accumulation at the interface. This work ultimately helps to clarify the dominant role of fullerenes in perovskite solar cells while simplifying perovskite solar cell design to reduce manufacturing costs.

The impact of ultra-thin titania interlayers on open circuit voltage and carrier lifetime in thin film solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moerman, David; Colbert, Adam E.; Ginger, David S., E-mail: ginger@chem.washington.edu [Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 (United States); Kim, Hyungchul; Graham, Samuel, E-mail: sgraham@gatech.edu [School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 (United States)

2016-03-14

We study the effects of modifying indium tin oxide electrodes with ultrathin titania (TiO{sub 2}) layers grown via plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD). We find an optimal thickness of PE-ALD-grown titania by tracking performance, which initially increases, peaks, and eventually decreases with increasing TiO{sub 2} thickness. We use scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM) to measure both the local work function and its distribution as a function of TiO{sub 2} thickness. We find that the variance in contact potential difference across the surface of the film is related to either the amorphous or anatase TiO{sub 2} form. Finally, we use local SKPM recombination rate experiments, supported by bulk transient photovoltage and charge extraction measurements. We show that the optimum TiO{sub 2} thickness is the one for which the carrier lifetime is the longest and the charge carrier density is the highest, when the TiO{sub 2} is amorphous, in agreement with the device measurements.

Study on characteristics of a double-conductible channel organic thin-film transistor with an ultra-thin hole-blocking layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guang-Cai, Yuan; Zheng, Xu; Su-Ling, Zhao; Fu-Jun, Zhang; Xue-Yan, Tian; Xu-Rong, Xu; Na, Xu

2009-01-01

The properties of top-contact organic thin-film transistors (TC-OTFTs) using ultra-thin 2, 9-dimethyl-4, 7-diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthroline (BCP) as a hole-blocking interlayer have been improved significantly and a BCP interlayer was inserted into the middle of the pentacene active layer. This paper obtains a fire-new transport mode of an OTFT device with double-conductible channels. The accumulation and transfer of the hole carriers are limited by the BCP interlayer in the vertical region of the channel. A huge amount of carriers is located not only at the interface between pentacene and the gate insulator, but also at the two interfaces of pentacene/BCP interlayer and pentacene/gate insulator, respectively. The results suggest that the BCP interlayer may be useful to adjust the hole accumulation and transfer, and can increase the hole mobility and output current of OTFTs. The TC-OTFTs with a BCP interlayer at V DS = −20 V showed excellent hole mobility μFE and threshold voltage V TH of 0.58 cm 2 /(V·s) and −4.6 V, respectively

Solid-State Densification of Spun-Cast Self-Assembled Monolayers for Use in Ultra-Thin Hybrid Dielectrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchins, Daniel O; Acton, Orb; Weidner, Tobias; Cernetic, Nathan; Baio, Joe E; Castner, David G; Ma, Hong; Jen, Alex K-Y

2012-11-15

Ultra-thin self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-oxide hybrid dielectrics have gained significant interest for their application in low-voltage organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). A [8-(11-phenoxy-undecyloxy)-octyl]phosphonic acid (PhO-19-PA) SAM on ultrathin AlO x (2.5 nm) has been developed to significantly enhance the dielectric performance of inorganic oxides through reduction of leakage current while maintaining similar capacitance to the underlying oxide structure. Rapid processing of this SAM in ambient conditions is achieved by spin coating, however, as-cast monolayer density is not sufficient for dielectric applications. Thermal annealing of a bulk spun-cast PhO-19-PA molecular film is explored as a mechanism for SAM densification. SAM density, or surface coverage, and order are examined as a function of annealing temperature. These SAM characteristics are probed through atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS). It is found that at temperatures sufficient to melt the as-cast bulk molecular film, SAM densification is achieved; leading to a rapid processing technique for high performance SAM-oxide hybrid dielectric systems utilizing a single wet processing step. To demonstrate low-voltage devices based on this hybrid dielectric (with leakage current density of 7.7×10 -8 A cm -2 and capacitance density of 0.62 µF cm -2 at 3 V), pentacene thin-film transistors (OTFTs) are fabricated and yield sub 2 V operation and charge carrier mobilites of up to 1.1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 .

Improvement of the effective work function and transmittance of thick indium tin oxide/ultrathin ruthenium doped indium oxide bilayers as transparent conductive oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taweesup, Kattareeya; Yamamoto, Ippei; Chikyow, Toyohiro; Lothongkum, Gobboon; Tsukagoshi, Kazutoshi; Ohishi, Tomoji; Tungasmita, Sukkaneste; Visuttipitukul, Patama; Ito, Kazuhiro; Takahashi, Makoto; Nabatame, Toshihide

2016-01-01

Ruthenium doped indium oxide (In_1_−_xRu_xO_y) films fabricated using DC magnetron co-sputtering with In_2O_3 and Ru targets were investigated for use as transparent conductive oxides. The In_1_−_xRu_xO_y films had an amorphous structure in the wide compositional range of x = 0.3–0.8 and had an extremely smooth surface. The transmittance and resistivity of the In_1_−_xRu_xO_y films increased as the Ru content increased. The transmittance of the In_0_._3_8Ru_0_._6_2O_y film improved to over 80% when the film thickness was less than 5 nm, while the specific resistivity (ρ) was kept to a low value of 1.6 × 10"−"4 Ω cm. Based on these experimental data, we demonstrated that thick indium tin oxide (In_0_._9Sn_0_._1O_y, ITO) (150 nm)/ultrathin In_0_._3_8Ru_0_._6_2O_y (3 nm) bilayers have a high effective work function of 5.3 eV, transmittance of 86%, and low ρ of 9.2 × 10"−"5 Ω cm. This ITO/In_0_._3_8Ru_0_._6_2O_y bilayer is a candidate for use as an anode for organic electroluminescent devices. - Highlights: • We investigated characteristics of thick ITO/ultrathin Ru doped In_2O_3 bilayers. • Effect of Ru addition in In_2O_3 results in smooth surface because of an amorphous structure. • The In_0_._3_8Ru_0_._6_2O_y film with less than 5 nm improves to high transmittance over 80%. • ITO/In_0_._3_8Ru_0_._6_2O_y bilayer has a high effective work function of 5.3 eV. • We conclude that ITO/ultrathin In_0_._3_8Ru_0_._6_2O_y bilayer is a candidate as an anode of OEL.

Thickness-dependent appearance of ferromagnetism in Pd(100) ultrathin films

Science.gov (United States)

Sakuragi, S.; Sakai, T.; Urata, S.; Aihara, S.; Shinto, A.; Kageshima, H.; Sawada, M.; Namatame, H.; Taniguchi, M.; Sato, T.

2014-08-01

We report the appearance of ferromagnetism in thin films of Pd(100), which depends on film thickness in the range of 3-5 nm on SrTiO3(100) substrates. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurement shows the intrinsic nature of ferromagnetism in Pd(100) films. The spontaneous magnetization in Pd(100) films, corresponding to is 0.61μB/atom, is comparable to Ni, and it changes in an oscillatory manner depending on film thickness, where the period quantitatively agrees with the theoretical prediction based on the two-dimensional quantum well in the film. This indicates that the discrete electronic states in the quantum well shift to Fermi energy to satisfy the condition for ferromagnetism (Stoner criterion) at a specific film thickness.

Oxide films at the nanoscale: new structures, new functions, and new materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Giordano, Livia; Pacchioni, Gianfranco

2011-11-15

We all make use of oxide ultrathin films, even if we are unaware of doing so. They are essential components of many common devices, such as mobile phones and laptops. The films in these ubiquitous electronics are composed of silicon dioxide, an unsurpassed material in the design of transistors. But oxide films at the nanoscale (typically just 10 nm or less in thickness) are integral to many other applications. In some cases, they form under normal reactive conditions and confer new properties to a material: one example is the corrosion protection of stainless steel, which is the result of a passive film. A new generation of devices for energy production and communications technology, such as ferroelectric ultrathin film capacitors, tunneling magnetoresistance sensors, solar energy materials, solid oxide fuel cells, and many others, are being specifically designed to exploit the unusual properties afforded by reduced oxide thickness. Oxide ultrathin films also have tremendous potential in chemistry, representing a rich new source of catalytic materials. About 20 years ago, researchers began to prepare model systems of truly heterogeneous catalysts based on thin oxide layers grown on single crystals of metal. Only recently, however, was it realized that these systems may behave quite differently from their corresponding bulk oxides. One of the phenomena uncovered is the occurrence of a spontaneous charge transfer from the metal support to an adsorbed species through the thin insulating layer (or vice versa). The importance of this property is clear: conceptually, the activation and bond breaking of adsorbed molecules begin with precisely the same process, electron transfer into an antibonding orbital. But electron transfer can also be harnessed to make a supported metal particle more chemically active, increase its adhesion energy, or change its shape. Most importantly, the basic principles underlying electron transfer and other phenomena (such as structural

Filmes poliméricos ultrafinos produzidos pela técnica de automontagem: preparação, propriedades e aplicações

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paterno Leonardo Giordano

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The self-assembly technique is a powerful tool to fabricate ultrathin films from organic compounds aiming at technological applications in molecular electronics. This relatively new approach allows molecularly flat films to be obtained on a simple and cheap fashion from various types of material, including polyelectrolytes, conducting polymers, dyes and proteins. The resulting multilayer films may be fabricated according to specific requirements since their structural and physical properties may be controlled at the molecular level. In this review we shall comment upon the evolution of preparation methods for ultrathin films, the process of adsorption and their main properties, as well as some examples of technological applications of layer-by-layer or self-assembled films.

Wafer-scale integrated micro-supercapacitors on an ultrathin and highly flexible biomedical platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Maeng, Jimin; Meng, Chuizhou; Irazoqui, Pedro P

2015-02-01

We present wafer-scale integrated micro-supercapacitors on an ultrathin and highly flexible parylene platform, as progress toward sustainably powering biomedical microsystems suitable for implantable and wearable applications. All-solid-state, low-profile (supercapacitors are formed on an ultrathin (~20 μm) freestanding parylene film by a wafer-scale parylene packaging process in combination with a polyaniline (PANI) nanowire growth technique assisted by surface plasma treatment. These micro-supercapacitors are highly flexible and shown to be resilient toward flexural stress. Further, direct integration of micro-supercapacitors into a radio frequency (RF) rectifying circuit is achieved on a single parylene platform, yielding a complete RF energy harvesting microsystem. The system discharging rate is shown to improve by ~17 times in the presence of the integrated micro-supercapacitors. This result suggests that the integrated micro-supercapacitor technology described herein is a promising strategy for sustainably powering biomedical microsystems dedicated to implantable and wearable applications.

Prediction of transmittance spectra for transparent composite electrodes with ultra-thin metal layers

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.

Ultra-thin silicon/electro-optic polymer hybrid waveguide modulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, Feng; Spring, Andrew M. [Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Sato, Hiromu [Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Maeda, Daisuke; Ozawa, Masa-aki; Odoi, Keisuke [Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd., 2-10-1 Tuboi Nishi, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8507 (Japan); Aoki, Isao; Otomo, Akira [National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, 588-2 Iwaoka, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2492 (Japan); Yokoyama, Shiyoshi, E-mail: s-yokoyama@cm.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan)

2015-09-21

Ultra-thin silicon and electro-optic (EO) polymer hybrid waveguide modulators have been designed and fabricated. The waveguide consists of a silicon core with a thickness of 30 nm and a width of 2 μm. The cladding is an EO polymer. Optical mode calculation reveals that 55% of the optical field around the silicon extends into the EO polymer in the TE mode. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) modulator was prepared using common coplanar electrodes. The measured half-wave voltage of the MZI with 7 μm spacing and 1.3 cm long electrodes is 4.6 V at 1550 nm. The evaluated EO coefficient is 70 pm/V, which is comparable to that of the bulk EO polymer film. Using ultra-thin silicon is beneficial in order to reduce the side-wall scattering loss, yielding a propagation loss of 4.0 dB/cm. We also investigated a mode converter which couples light from the hybrid EO waveguide into a strip silicon waveguide. The calculation indicates that the coupling loss between these two devices is small enough to exploit the potential fusion of a hybrid EO polymer modulator together with a silicon micro-photonics device.

High spin-polarization in ultrathin Co2MnSi/CoPd multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Galanakis, I.

2015-03-01

Half-metallic Co2MnSi finds a broad spectrum of applications in spintronic devices either in the form of thin films or as spacer in multilayers. Using state-of-the-art ab-initio electronic structure calculations we exploit the electronic and magnetic properties of ultrathin Co2MnSi/CoPd multilayers. We show that these heterostructures combine high values of spin-polarization at the Co2MnSi spacer with the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of binary compounds such as CoPd. Thus they could find application in spintronic/magnetoelectronic devices.

Nanoscale modeling for ultrathin liquid films: Spreading and coupled layering

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, David Michael

The hard disk drive (HDD) industry is currently experiencing a compound annual growth rate of 100% for the areal density. Current production drives have an areal density of 80 Gbit in-2, and drives with an areal density of 100 Gbit in-2 have been recently demonstrated. While much of this growth has been fueled by the development of new read/write heads, some of this gain was achieved by reducing the spacing between the heads and the magnetic media. This in turn reduces the spacing at the head-disk interface (HDI). The HDI in a HDD system consists of a slider, which contains the read/write heads, flying over the disk surface on an air bearing. The current designed separation distance, or fly height, is less than 10 nm. This spacing is expected to reduce to a mere 5 nm within the next few years. With the reduced fly height, intermittent contacts at the HDI become more probable. Only a thin lubricant film of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and a sputtered carbon overcoat on the disk surface protect the slider and the stored data from mechanical and thermal damage. The PFPE film is quite thin, with a thickness of less than 2 nm or about a monolayer of molecules. During an HDI contact, the PFPE film is considered sacrificial and is often depleted in the contact area. In order to maintain adequate protection for the disk surface, PFPE molecules from the surrounding film must replenish the depleted area. This replenishment ability directly opposes the requirement that the PFPE film must not spin-off of the disk surface due to the disk rotation rate, which is as high as 10,000 RPM in current drives. To balance the PFPE films to sufficiently meet both requirements, HDD manufacturers functionalized the endgroups of the PFPE molecules to allow some portion of the lubricant film to reversibly bond with the disk overcoat. The result is a lubricant film that has a slower replenishment but does not spin-off. The work presented here focuses on the replenishment ability of thin films of

X-ray absorption study at the Mg and O K edges of ultrathin MgO epilayers on Ag(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luches, P.; D'Addato, S.; Valeri, S.; Groppo, E.; Prestipino, C.; Lamberti, C.; Boscherini, F.

2004-01-01

We determined the local atomic structure of MgO epilayers on Ag(001) by means of polarization-dependent x-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements at the Mg and O K edges. A quantitative analysis of the data in the extended energy range has been performed using multiple scattering simulations. We found that, even in the ultrathin limit, the local structure of the films is rocksalt and we obtained a quantitative evaluation of the average in-plane and out-of-plane film strain at the different thicknesses investigated. An in-plane compressive strain, due to lattice mismatch with the Ag substrate, is clearly present for the 3 ML film. The out-of-plane lattice constant is found to be expanded, in agreement with the expected behavior for a tetragonal distortion of the unit cell. This growth-induced strain is gradually released with increasing thickness and it is almost completely relaxed at 20 ML. Any significant intermixing with the Ag substrate can be ruled out. An expansion of the interplanar distance at the MgO-Ag interface is detected and its sign and magnitude are found to be in agreement with recent ab initio simulations. This work provides previously unavailable input for modeling the physical properties of the system and supports the hypothesis that the different electronic properties of MgO films on Ag(001) are not related to structural or compositional differences at the ultrathin limit

Chain-length dependent para-phenyelene film- and needle-growth on dielectrics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balzer, Frank; Rubahn, Horst-Günter

2004-01-01

Surface unit cells of vacuum grown ultrathin films of blue-light emitting para-phenylene oligomers on alkali halides and on muscovite mica have been determined using low energy electron diffraction. Both, films from upright and from laying molecules are grown on alkali halide (1 0 0) and mica (0 ...

Nucleation of C60 on ultrathin SiO2

Science.gov (United States)

Conrad, Brad; Groce, Michelle; Cullen, William; Pimpinelli, Alberto; Williams, Ellen; Einstein, Ted

2012-02-01

We utilize scanning tunneling microscopy to characterize the nucleation, growth, and morphology of C60 on ultrathin SiO2 grown at room temperature. C60 thin films are deposited in situ by physical vapor deposition with thicknesses varying from <0.05 to ˜1 ML. Island size and capture zone distributions are examined for a varied flux rate and substrate deposition temperature. The C60 critical nucleus size is observed to change between monomers and dimers non-monotonically from 300 K to 500 K. Results will be discussed in terms of recent capture zone studies and analysis methods. Relation to device fabrication will be discussed. doi:10.1016/j.susc.2011.08.020

Femtosecond time-resolved photodissociation dynamics of methyl halide molecules on ultrathin gold films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihai E. Vaida

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The photodissociation of small organic molecules, namely methyl iodide, methyl bromide, and methyl chloride, adsorbed on a metal surface was investigated in real time by means of femtosecond-laser pump–probe mass spectrometry. A weakly interacting gold surface was employed as substrate because the intact adsorption of the methyl halide molecules was desired prior to photoexcitation. The gold surface was prepared as an ultrathin film on Mo(100. The molecular adsorption behavior was characterized by coverage dependent temperature programmed desorption spectroscopy. Submonolayer preparations were irradiated with UV light of 266 nm wavelength and the subsequently emerging methyl fragments were probed by photoionization and mass spectrometric detection. A strong dependence of the excitation mechanism and the light-induced dynamics on the type of molecule was observed. Possible photoexcitation mechanisms included direct photoexcitation to the dissociative A-band of the methyl halide molecules as well as the attachment of surface-emitted electrons with transient negative ion formation and subsequent molecular fragmentation. Both reaction pathways were energetically possible in the case of methyl iodide, yet, no methyl fragments were observed. As a likely explanation, the rapid quenching of the excited states prior to fragmentation is proposed. This quenching mechanism could be prevented by modification of the gold surface through pre-adsorption of iodine atoms. In contrast, the A-band of methyl bromide was not energetically directly accessible through 266 nm excitation. Nevertheless, the one-photon-induced dissociation was observed in the case of methyl bromide. This was interpreted as being due to a considerable energetic down-shift of the electronic A-band states of methyl bromide by about 1.5 eV through interaction with the gold substrate. Finally, for methyl chloride no photofragmentation could be detected at all.

On the persistence of polar domains in ultrathin ferroelectric capacitors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zubko, P.; Lu, H.; Bark, C.-W.; Martí, Xavier; Santiso, J.; Eom, C.-B.; Catalan, G.; Gruverman, A.

2017-01-01

Roč. 29, č. 28 (2017), s. 1-8, č. článku 284001. ISSN 1361-648X R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-37427G Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : ultrathin barium titanate * tunnel junctions * ferroelectric domains * polarization screening * retention * negative capacitance Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.)

Ultra-thin chip technology and applications

CERN Document Server

2010-01-01

Ultra-thin chips are the "smart skin" of a conventional silicon chip. This book shows how very thin and flexible chips can be fabricated and used in many new applications in microelectronics, microsystems, biomedical and other fields. It provides a comprehensive reference to the fabrication technology, post processing, characterization and the applications of ultra-thin chips.

Theoretical realization of robust broadband transparency in ultrathin seamless nanostructures by dual blackbodies for near infrared light

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lei; Hao, Jiaming; Ye, Huapeng; Yeo, Swee Ping; Qiu, Min; Zouhdi, Said; Qiu, Cheng-Wei

2013-03-01

We propose a counter-intuitive mechanism of constructing an ultrathin broadband transparent device with two perfect blackbodies. By introducing hybridization of plasmon modes, resonant modes with different symmetries coexist in this system. A broadband transmission spectrum in the near infrared regime is achieved through controlling their coupling strengths, which is governed by the thickness of high refractive index layer. Meanwhile, the transparency bandwidth is found to be tunable in a large range by varying the geometric dimension. More significantly, from the point view of applications, the proposed method of achieving broadband transparency can perfectly tolerate the misalignment and asymmetry of periodic nanoparticles on the top and bottom, which is empowered by the unique dual of coupling-in and coupling-out processes within the pair of blackbodies. Moreover, roughness has little influence on its transmission performance. According to the coupled mode theory, the distinguished transmittance performance is physically interpreted by the radiative decay rate of the entire system. In addition to the feature of uniquely robust broadband transparency, such a ultrathin seamless nanostructure (in the presence of a uniform silver layer) also provides polarization-independent and angle-independent operations. Therefore, it may power up a wide spectrum of exciting applications in thin film protection, touch screen techniques, absorber-emitter transformation, etc.We propose a counter-intuitive mechanism of constructing an ultrathin broadband transparent device with two perfect blackbodies. By introducing hybridization of plasmon modes, resonant modes with different symmetries coexist in this system. A broadband transmission spectrum in the near infrared regime is achieved through controlling their coupling strengths, which is governed by the thickness of high refractive index layer. Meanwhile, the transparency bandwidth is found to be tunable in a large range by

Cholesterol monohydrate nucleation in ultrathin films on water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rapaport, H.; Kuzmenko, I.; Lafont, S.

2001-01-01

The growth of a cholesterol crystalline phase, three molecular layers thick at the air-water interface, was monitored by grazing incidence x-ray diffraction and x-ray reflectivity. Upon compression, a cholesterol film transforms from a monolayer of trigonal symmetry and low crystallinity to a tri......The growth of a cholesterol crystalline phase, three molecular layers thick at the air-water interface, was monitored by grazing incidence x-ray diffraction and x-ray reflectivity. Upon compression, a cholesterol film transforms from a monolayer of trigonal symmetry and low crystallinity...... in pathological lipid deposits....

The correlation between mechanical stress and magnetic anisotropy in ultrathin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sander, D.

1999-01-01

The impact of stress-driven structural transitions and of film strain on the magnetic properties of nm ferromagnetic films is discussed. The stress-induced bending of film-substrate composites is analysed to derive information on film stress due to lattice mismatch or due to surface-stress effects. The magneto-elastic coupling in epitaxial films is determined directly from the magnetostrictive bending of the substrate. The combination of stress measurements with magnetic investigations by the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) reveals the modification of the magnetic anisotropy by film stress. Stress-strain relations are derived for various epitaxial orientations to facilitate the analysis of the substrate curvature. Biaxial film stress and magneto-elastic coupling coefficients are measured in epitaxial Fe films in situ on W single-crystal substrates. Tremendous film stress of more than 10 GPa is measured in pseudomorphic Fe layers, and the important role of film stress as a driving force for the formation of misfit distortions and for inducing changes of the growth mode in monolayer thin films is presented. The direct measurement of the magneto-elastic coupling in epitaxial films proves that the magnitude and sign of the magneto-elastic coupling deviate from the respective bulk value. Even a small film strain of order 0.1% is found to induce a significant change of the effective magneto-elastic coupling coefficient. This peculiar behaviour is ascribed to a second-order strain dependence of the magneto-elastic energy density, in contrast to the linear strain dependence that is valid for bulk samples. (author)

Facile fabrication of ultrathin Pt overlayers onto nanoporous metal membranes via repeated Cu UPD and in situ redox replacement reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Pengpeng; Ge, Xingbo; Wang, Rongyue; Ma, Houyi; Ding, Yi

2009-01-06

Ultrathin Pt films from one to several atomic layers are successfully decorated onto nanoporous gold (NPG) membranes by utilizing under potential deposition (UPD) of Cu onto Au or Pt surfaces, followed by in situ redox replacement reaction (RRR) of UPD Cu by Pt. The thickness of Pt layers can be controlled precisely by repeating the Cu-UPD-RRR cycles. TEM observations coupled with electrochemical testing suggest that the morphology of Pt overlayers changes from an ultrathin epitaxial film in the case of one or two atomic layers to well-dispersed nanoislands in the case of four and more atomic layers. Electron diffraction (ED) patterns confirm that the as-prepared NPG-Pt membranes maintain a single-crystalline structure, even though the thickness of Pt films reaches six atomic layers, indicating the decorated Pt films hold the same crystallographic relationship to the NPG substrate during the entire fabrication process. Due to the regular modulation of Pt utilization, the electrocatalytic activity of NPG-Pt exhibits interesting surface structure dependence in methanol, ethanol, and CO electrooxidation reactions. These novel bimetallic nanocatalysts show excellent electrocatalytic activity and much enhanced poison tolerance as compared to the commercial Pt/C catalysts. The success in the fabrication of NPG-Pt-type materials provides a new path to prepare electrocatalysts with ultralow Pt loading and high Pt utilization, which is of great significance in energy-related applications, such as direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs).

Ultra-Thin Optically Transparent Carbon Electrodes Produced from Layers of Adsorbed Proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Alharthi, Sarah A.; Benavidez, Tomas E.; Garcia, Carlos D.

2013-01-01

This work describes a simple, versatile, and inexpensive procedure to prepare optically transparent carbon electrodes, using proteins as precursors. Upon adsorption, the protein-coated substrates were pyrolyzed under reductive conditions (5% H2) to form ultra-thin, conductive electrodes. Because proteins spontaneously adsorb to interfaces forming uniform layers, the proposed method does not require a precise control of the preparation conditions, specialized instrumentation, or expensive precursors. The resulting electrodes were characterized by a combination of electrochemical, optical, and spectroscopic means. As a proof-of-concept, the optically-transparent electrodes were also used as substrate for the development of an electrochemical glucose biosensor. The proposed films represent a convenient alternative to more sophisticated, and less available, carbon-based nanomaterials. Furthermore, these films could be formed on a variety of substrates, without classical limitations of size or shape. PMID:23421732

Superhydrophobic Bilayer Coating Based on Annealed Electrospun Ultrathin Poly(ε-caprolactone Fibers and Electrosprayed Nanostructured Silica Microparticles for Easy Emptying Packaging Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Lasprilla-Botero

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A coating rendering superhydrophobic properties to low-density polyethylene (LDPE films used in packaging applications was herein generated by means of the electrohydrodynamic processing (EHDP technique. To this end, electrospun ultrathin poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL fibers, followed by electrosprayed nanostructured silica (SiO2 microparticles, were deposited on top of the LDPE film. Various electrospinning and electrospraying times were tested and optimized followed by a thermal post-treatment to provide physical adhesion between the bilayer coating and the LDPE substrate. The morphology, hydrophobicity, permeance to limonene, and thermal stability of the resultant nanostructured coatings were characterized. It was observed that by controlling both the deposition time of the electrospun ultrathin PCL fibers and the electrosprayed SiO2 microparticles, as well as the conditions of the thermal post-treatment, effective superhydrophobic coatings were developed onto the LDPE films. The resultant multilayer presented a hierarchical micro/nanostructured surface with an apparent contact angle of 157° and a sliding angle of 8°. The addition of silica reduced, to some extent, the limonene (aroma barrier, likely due to the increased surface-to-volume ratio, which allowed permeant sorption to occur but improved the thermal stability of the LDPE/PCL film. As a result, the developed multilayer system of LDPE/PCL/SiO2 has significant potential for use in easy-to-empty packaging applications of high water activity products.

Wet-etching induced abnormal phase transition in highly strained VO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} (001) epitaxial film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ren, Hui; Chen, Shi; Chen, Yuliang; Luo, Zhenlin; Zhou, Jingtian; Zheng, Xusheng; Wang, Liangxin; Li, Bowen; Zou, Chongwen [National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China)

2018-01-15

The metal-insulator transition (MIT) behavior in vanadium dioxide (VO{sub 2}) epitaxial film is known to be dramatically affected by interfacial stress due to lattice mismatching. For the VO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} (001) system, there exists a considerable strain in ultra-thin VO{sub 2} thin film, which shows a lower T{sub c} value close to room temperature. As the VO{sub 2} epitaxial film grows thicker layer-by-layer along the ''bottom-up'' route, the strain will be gradually relaxed and T{sub c} will increase as well, until the MIT behavior becomes the same as that of bulk material with a T{sub c} of about 68 C. Whereas, in this study, we find that the VO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} (001) film thinned by ''top-down'' wet-etching shows an abnormal variation in MIT, which accompanies the potential relaxation of film strain with thinning. It is observed that even when the strained VO{sub 2} film is etched up to several nanometers, the MIT persists, and T{sub c} will increase up to that of bulk material, showing the trend to a stress-free ultra-thin VO{sub 2} film. The current findings demonstrate a facial chemical-etching way to change interfacial strain and modulate the phase transition behavior of ultrathinVO{sub 2} films, which can also be applied to other strained oxide films. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The influence of alloying on the phase formation sequence of ultra-thin nickel silicide films and on the inheritance of texture

Science.gov (United States)

Geenen, F. A.; Solano, E.; Jordan-Sweet, J.; Lavoie, C.; Mocuta, C.; Detavernier, C.

2018-05-01

The controlled formation of silicide materials is an ongoing challenge to facilitate the electrical contact of Si-based transistors. Due to the ongoing miniaturisation of the transistor, the silicide is trending to ever-thinner thickness's. The corresponding increase in surface-to-volume ratio emphasises the importance of low-energetic interfaces. Intriguingly, the thickness reduction of nickel silicides results in an abrupt change in phase sequence. This paper investigates the sequence of the silicides phases and their preferential orientation with respect to the Si(001) substrate, for both "thin" (i.e., 9 nm) and "ultra-thin" (i.e., 3 nm) Ni films. Furthermore, as the addition of ternary elements is often considered in order to tailor the silicides' properties, additives of Al, Co, and Pt are also included in this study. Our results show that the first silicide formed is epitaxial θ-Ni2Si, regardless of initial thickness or alloyed composition. The transformations towards subsequent silicides are changed through the additive elements, which can be understood through solubility arguments and classical nucleation theory. The crystalline alignment of the formed silicides with the substrate significantly differs through alloying. The observed textures of sequential silicides could be linked through texture inheritance. Our study illustrates the nucleation of a new phase drive to reduce the interfacial energy at the silicide-substrate interface as well as at the interface with the silicide which is being consumed for these sub-10 nm thin films.

In-situ observation of equilibrium transitions in Ni films; agglomeration and impurity effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thron, Andrew M., E-mail: AMThron@lbl.gov [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Greene, Peter; Liu, Kai [Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Benthem, Klaus van [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 (United States)

2014-02-01

Dewetting of ultra-thin Ni films deposited on SiO{sub 2} layers was observed, in cross-section, by in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy. Holes were observed to nucleate by voids which formed at the Ni/SiO{sub 2} interface rather than at triple junctions at the free surface of the Ni film. Ni islands were observed to retract, in attempt to reach equilibrium on the SiO{sub 2} layer. SiO{sub 2} layers with 120 nm thickness were found to limit in situ heating experiments due to poor thermal conductivity of SiO{sub 2}. The formation of graphite was observed during the agglomeration of ultra-thin Ni films. Graphite was observed to wet both the free surface and the Ni/SiO{sub 2} interface of the Ni islands. Cr forms surface oxide layers on the free surface of the SiO{sub 2} layer and the Ni islands. Cr does not prevent the dewetting of Ni, however it will likely alter the equilibrium shape of the Ni islands. - Highlights: • In Situ observation of dewetting in ultra-thin Ni films sputtered on SiO{sub 2} layers. • Dewetting is observed in an edge-on position by in situ STEM. • Characterization of interface structure pre and post in situ annealing by STEM and EELS. • Analyze the effects of Cr{sub 1−x}O{sub x} and graphite impurities on the Ni film agglomeration. • Examine influence of the SiO{sub 2} layers on the dewetting process.

Evaluation report on the development of high-function ultrathin film for new oil refining process; Shinsekiyu seisei process ni kakawaru kinosei chousumaku no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-03-01

This evaluation committee report covers the project entitled 'Development of high-function ultrathin film for new oil refining process' which was under way for three years from fiscal 1998 through 2000. The evaluation committee is so designed that researchers outside the organization responsible for the project performs an objective and impartial evaluation of the national project concerned as to its objective, goal, plan, operation, implementation system, rate of progress toward achievement, and the significance of the results achieved. The committee aims to disclose to the taxpayer the actualities of State-run research and development projects by making them transparent to people's eyes, which is one of the duties of the committee, and to elevate the value of the research results by impartially and duly evaluating them. In this report, the outlines of the project and of the obtained research results are introduced in Chapter 1, and then the details of the evaluation of the project are described in Chapter 2. It is stated that the organic/inorganic laminate membrane fabrication technology utilizing low temperature TiO{sub 2} film formation is evaluated high. It is also stated that the effect of the analysis and evaluation technology is expected to spread and find its use in various industrial fields. (NEDO)

Electronic structures of ultra-thin silicon carbides deposited on graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2004-01-01

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

Topological Insulator State in Thin Bismuth Films Subjected to Plane Tensile Strain

Science.gov (United States)

Demidov, E. V.; Grabov, V. M.; Komarov, V. A.; Kablukova, N. S.; Krushel'nitskii, A. N.

2018-03-01

The results of experimental examination of galvanomagnetic properties of thin bismuth films subjected to plane tensile strain resulting from the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of the substrate material and bismuth are presented. The resistivity, the magnetoresistance, and the Hall coefficient were studied at temperatures ranging from 5 to 300 K in magnetic fields as strong as 0.65 T. Carrier densities were calculated. A considerable increase in carrier density in films thinner than 30 nm was observed. This suggests that surface states are more prominent in thin bismuth films on mica substrates, while the films themselves may exhibit the properties of a topological insulator.

Thin Films of Novel Linear-Dendritic Diblock Copolymers

Science.gov (United States)

Iyer, Jyotsna; Hammond, Paula

1998-03-01

A series of diblock copolymers with one linear block and one dendrimeric block have been synthesized with the objective of forming ultrathin film nanoporous membranes. Polyethyleneoxide serves as the linear hydrophilic portion of the diblock copolymer. The hyperbranched dendrimeric block consists of polyamidoamine with functional end groups. Thin films of these materials made by spin casting and the Langmuir-Blodgett techniques are being studied. The effect of the polyethylene oxide block size and the number and chemical nature of the dendrimer end group on the nature and stability of the films formed willbe discussed.

Ab initio investigations of magnetic properties of ultrathin transition-metal films on 4d substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Zubi, Ali

2010-12-22

In this thesis, we investigate the magnetic properties of 3d transition-metal monolayers on 4d transition-metal substrates by means of state of the art first-principles quantum theory. In order to reveal the underlying physics of these systems we study trends by performing systematic investigations across the transition-metal series. Case studies are presented for which Rh has been chosen as exemplary 4d substrate. We consider two substrate orientations, a square lattice provided by Rh(001) and a hexagonal lattice provided by Rh(111). We find, all 3d transition-metal (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) monolayers deposited on the Rh substrate are magnetic and exhibit large local moments which follow Hund's rule with a maximum magnetic moment for Mn of about 3.7 {mu}{sub B} depending on the substrate orientation. The largest induced magnetic moment of about 0.46 {mu}{sub B} is found for Rh atoms adjacent to the Co(001)-film. On Rh(001) we predict a ferromagnetic (FM) ground state for V, Co and Ni, while Cr, Mn and Fe monolayers favor a c(2 x 2) antiferromagnetic (AFM) state, a checkerboard arrangement of up and down magnetic moments. The magnetic anisotropy energies of these ultrathin magnetic films are calculated for the FM and the AFM states. With the exception of V and Cr, the easy axis of the magnetization is predicted to be in the film plane. With the exception of Fe, analogous results are obtained for the 3d-metal monolayers on Rh(111). For Fe on Rh(111) a novel magnetic ground state is predicted, a double-row-wise antiferromagnetic state along the [11 anti 2] direction, a sequence of ferromagnetic double-rows of atoms, whose magnetic moments couple antiferromagnetically from double row to double row. The magnetic structure can be understood as superposition of a left- and right-rotating flat spin spiral. In a second set of case studies the properties of an Fe monolayer deposited on varies hexagonally terminated hcp (0001) and fcc (111) surfaces of 4d

Ab initio investigations of magnetic properties of ultrathin transition-metal films on 4d substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Zubi, Ali

2010-01-01

In this thesis, we investigate the magnetic properties of 3d transition-metal monolayers on 4d transition-metal substrates by means of state of the art first-principles quantum theory. In order to reveal the underlying physics of these systems we study trends by performing systematic investigations across the transition-metal series. Case studies are presented for which Rh has been chosen as exemplary 4d substrate. We consider two substrate orientations, a square lattice provided by Rh(001) and a hexagonal lattice provided by Rh(111). We find, all 3d transition-metal (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) monolayers deposited on the Rh substrate are magnetic and exhibit large local moments which follow Hund's rule with a maximum magnetic moment for Mn of about 3.7 μ B depending on the substrate orientation. The largest induced magnetic moment of about 0.46 μ B is found for Rh atoms adjacent to the Co(001)-film. On Rh(001) we predict a ferromagnetic (FM) ground state for V, Co and Ni, while Cr, Mn and Fe monolayers favor a c(2 x 2) antiferromagnetic (AFM) state, a checkerboard arrangement of up and down magnetic moments. The magnetic anisotropy energies of these ultrathin magnetic films are calculated for the FM and the AFM states. With the exception of V and Cr, the easy axis of the magnetization is predicted to be in the film plane. With the exception of Fe, analogous results are obtained for the 3d-metal monolayers on Rh(111). For Fe on Rh(111) a novel magnetic ground state is predicted, a double-row-wise antiferromagnetic state along the [11 anti 2] direction, a sequence of ferromagnetic double-rows of atoms, whose magnetic moments couple antiferromagnetically from double row to double row. The magnetic structure can be understood as superposition of a left- and right-rotating flat spin spiral. In a second set of case studies the properties of an Fe monolayer deposited on varies hexagonally terminated hcp (0001) and fcc (111) surfaces of 4d-transition metals (Tc, Ru, Rh

Ab initio investigations of magnetic properties of ultrathin transition-metal films on 4d substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Zubi, Ali

2010-12-22

In this thesis, we investigate the magnetic properties of 3d transition-metal monolayers on 4d transition-metal substrates by means of state of the art first-principles quantum theory. In order to reveal the underlying physics of these systems we study trends by performing systematic investigations across the transition-metal series. Case studies are presented for which Rh has been chosen as exemplary 4d substrate. We consider two substrate orientations, a square lattice provided by Rh(001) and a hexagonal lattice provided by Rh(111). We find, all 3d transition-metal (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) monolayers deposited on the Rh substrate are magnetic and exhibit large local moments which follow Hund's rule with a maximum magnetic moment for Mn of about 3.7 {mu}{sub B} depending on the substrate orientation. The largest induced magnetic moment of about 0.46 {mu}{sub B} is found for Rh atoms adjacent to the Co(001)-film. On Rh(001) we predict a ferromagnetic (FM) ground state for V, Co and Ni, while Cr, Mn and Fe monolayers favor a c(2 x 2) antiferromagnetic (AFM) state, a checkerboard arrangement of up and down magnetic moments. The magnetic anisotropy energies of these ultrathin magnetic films are calculated for the FM and the AFM states. With the exception of V and Cr, the easy axis of the magnetization is predicted to be in the film plane. With the exception of Fe, analogous results are obtained for the 3d-metal monolayers on Rh(111). For Fe on Rh(111) a novel magnetic ground state is predicted, a double-row-wise antiferromagnetic state along the [11 anti 2] direction, a sequence of ferromagnetic double-rows of atoms, whose magnetic moments couple antiferromagnetically from double row to double row. The magnetic structure can be understood as superposition of a left- and right-rotating flat spin spiral. In a second set of case studies the properties of an Fe monolayer deposited on varies hexagonally terminated hcp (0001) and fcc (111) surfaces of 4d-transition metals

Anomalous Hall effect in polycrystalline Ni films

KAUST Repository

Guo, Zaibing

2012-02-01

We systematically studied the anomalous Hall effect in a series of polycrystalline Ni films with thickness ranging from 4 to 200 nm. It is found that both the longitudinal and anomalous Hall resistivity increased greatly as film thickness decreased. This enhancement should be related to the surface scattering. In the ultrathin films (46 nm thick), weak localization corrections to anomalous Hall conductivity were studied. The granular model, taking into account the dominated intergranular tunneling, has been employed to explain this phenomenon, which can explain the weak dependence of anomalous Hall resistivity on longitudinal resistivity as well. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An investigation into which factors control the nanotribological behaviour of thin sputtered carbon films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Baogui; Sullivan, John L; Beake, Ben D

2008-01-01

Ultra-thin (20-100 nm) films deposited on Si surfaces can improve their mechanical and tribological properties. As a stepping stone towards the optimization of such ultra-thin films, herein we report experimental nanoscratch and nanowear data on a-C films of thickness in the range 200-1000 nm on Si aiming to (1) understand the role of film thickness on the nanoscratch behaviour, (2) determine whether the same factors (substrate bias, H/E ratio, etc) are at play for thick films as for the thin films, (3) determine possible design rules for thinner films enabling their optimization for MEMS applications and (4) evaluate the use of the multi-pass (3-scan) procedure for clarifying the locus of failure. To a first approximation, the critical load for total film failure in the nanoscratch test is proportional to thickness provided the films are not too stressed. a-C films of 1 μm with very high H/E, deposited under high substrate bias, perform well at low load but very poorly in more highly loaded situations. Not only do they exhibit low critical loads but also failure involves extensive delamination outside of the scratch track. This is not observed on thinner films. A suitable strategy for optimizing wear resistance for thin films for MEMS applications is to aim to maximize H/E. For the 200 nm films studied here, the films with the highest H/E showed slightly improved scratch resistance

Interface sulfur passivation using H2S annealing for atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 films on an ultrathin-body In0.53Ga0.47As-on-insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Hyun Soo; Cho, Young Jin; Lee, Sang-Moon; Kim, Dae Hyun; Kim, Dae Woong; Lee, Dongsoo; Park, Jong-Bong; Won, Jeong Yeon; Lee, Myoung-Jae; Cho, Seong-Ho; Hwang, Cheol Seong; Park, Tae Joo

2014-01-01

Highlights: • ALD Al 2 O 3 films were grown on ultrathin-body In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As substrates for III-V compound-semiconductor-based devices. • Interface sulfur passivation was performed with wet processing using (NH 4 ) 2 S solution, and dry processing using post-deposition annealing under a H 2 S atmosphere. • Electrical properties of the device were better for (NH 4 ) 2 S wet-treatment than the PDA under a H 2 S atmosphere. • PDA under a H 2 S atmosphere following (NH 4 ) 2 S wet-treatment resulted in an increased S concentration at the interface, which improved the electrical properties of the devices. - Abstract: Atomic-layer-deposited Al 2 O 3 films were grown on ultrathin-body In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As substrates for III-V compound-semiconductor-based devices. Interface sulfur (S) passivation was performed with wet processing using ammonium sulfide ((NH 4 ) 2 S) solution, and dry processing using post-deposition annealing (PDA) under a H 2 S atmosphere. The PDA under the H 2 S atmosphere resulted in a lower S concentration at the interface and a thicker interfacial layer than the case with (NH 4 ) 2 S wet-treatment. The electrical properties of the device, including the interface property estimated through frequency dispersion in capacitance, were better for (NH 4 ) 2 S wet-treatment than the PDA under a H 2 S atmosphere. They might be improved, however, by optimizing the process conditions of PDA. The PDA under a H 2 S atmosphere following (NH 4 ) 2 S wet-treatment resulted in an increased S concentration at the interface, which improved the electrical properties of the devices

8-Anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate/Layered Double Hydroxide Ultrathin Films: Small Anion Assembly and Its Potential Application as a Fluorescent Biosensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ping; Li, Ling; Zhao, Yun; Tian, Zeyun; Qin, Yumei; Lu, Jun

2016-09-06

The fluorescent dye 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) is a widely used fluorescent probe molecule for biochemistry analysis. This paper reported the fabrication of ANS/layered double hydroxide nanosheets (ANS/LDH)n ultrathin films (UTFs) via the layer-by-layer small anion assembly technique based on electrostatic interaction and two possible weak interactions: hydrogen-bond and induced electrostatic interactions between ANS and positive-charged LDH nanosheets. The obtained UTFs show a long-range-ordered periodic layered stacking structure and weak fluorescence in dry air or water, but it split into three narrow strong peaks in a weak polarity environment induced by the two-dimensional (2D) confinement effect of the LDH laminate; the fluorescence intensity increases with decreasing the solvent polarity, concomitant with the blue shift of the emission peaks, which show good sensoring reversibility. Meanwhile, the UTFs exhibit selective fluorescence enhancement to the bovine serum albumin (BSA)-like protein biomolecules, and the rate of fluorescence enhancement with the protein concentration is significantly different with the different protein aggregate states. The (ANS/LDH)n UTF has the potential to be a novel type of biological flourescence sensor material.

Thermoluminescent response of aluminium oxide thin films subject to gamma irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arrieta, A.; Escobar A, L.; Camps, E.; Villagran, E.; Gonzalez, P.R

2006-07-01

The thermoluminescent (TL) properties of amorphous aluminium oxide thin films (thicknesses as low as 0.3 {mu}m) subjected to gamma (Co-60) irradiation are reported. Aluminium oxide thin films were prepared by laser ablation from an Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} target using a Nd: YAG laser with emission at the fundamental line. The films were exposed to gamma radiation (Co-60) in order to study their TL response. Thermoluminescence glow curves exhibited two peaks at 110 and 176 C. The high temperature peak shows good stability and 30% fading in the first 5 days after irradiation. A linear relationship between absorbed dose and the thermoluminescent response for doses span from 150 mGy to 100 Gy was observed. These results suggest that aluminium oxide thin films are suitable for detection and monitoring of gamma radiation. (Author)

Sorption Behavior of Compressed CO2 and CH4 on Ultrathin Hybrid Poly(POSS-imide) Layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Raaijmakers, Michiel J T; Ogieglo, Wojciech; Wiese, Martin; Wessling, Matthias; Nijmeijer, Arian; Benes, Nieck E

2015-12-09

Sorption of compressed gases into thin polymeric films is essential for applications including gas sensors and membrane based gas separation. For glassy polymers, the sorption behavior is dependent on the nonequilibrium status of the polymer. The uptake of molecules by a polymer is generally accompanied by dilation, or swelling, of the polymer material. In turn, this dilation can result in penetrant induced plasticization and physical aging that affect the nonequilibrium status of the polymer. Here, we investigate the dilation and sorption behavior of ultrathin membrane layers of a hybrid inorganic-organic network material that consists of alternating polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and imide groups, upon exposure to compressed carbon dioxide and methane. The imide precursor contains fluoroalkene groups that provide affinity toward carbon dioxide, while the octa-functionalized silsesquioxane provides a high degree of cross-linking. This combination allows for extremely high sorption capacities, while structural rearrangements of the network are hindered. We study the simultaneous uptake of gases and dilation of the thin films at high pressures using spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. Ellipsometry provides the changes in both the refractive index and the film thickness, and allows for accurate quantification of sorption and swelling. In contrast, gravimetric and volumetric measurements only provide a single parameter; this does not allow an accurate correction for, for instance, the changes in buoyancy because of the extensive geometrical changes of highly swelling films. The sorption behavior of the ultrathin hybrid layers depends on the fluoroalkene group content. At low pressure, the apparent molar volume of the gases is low compared to the liquid molar volume of carbon dioxide and methane, respectively. At high gas concentrations in the polymer film, the apparent molar volume of carbon dioxide and methane exceeds that of the liquid molar volume, and

Solid-state densification of spun-cast self-assembled monolayers for use in ultra-thin hybrid dielectrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hutchins, Daniel O.; Acton, Orb [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Weidner, Tobias [Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Cernetic, Nathan [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Baio, Joe E. [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Castner, David G. [Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Ma, Hong, E-mail: hma@uw.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Jen, Alex K.-Y., E-mail: ajen@uw.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States)

2012-11-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Rapid processing of SAM in ambient conditions is achieved by spin coating. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Thermal annealing of a bulk spun-cast molecular film is explored as a mechanism for SAM densification. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High-performance SAM-oxide hybrid dielectric is obtained utilizing a single wet processing step. - Abstract: Ultra-thin self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-oxide hybrid dielectrics have gained significant interest for their application in low-voltage organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). A [8-(11-phenoxy-undecyloxy)-octyl]phosphonic acid (PhO-19-PA) SAM on ultrathin AlO{sub x} (2.5 nm) has been developed to significantly enhance the dielectric performance of inorganic oxides through reduction of leakage current while maintaining similar capacitance to the underlying oxide structure. Rapid processing of this SAM in ambient conditions is achieved by spin coating, however, as-cast monolayer density is not sufficient for dielectric applications. Thermal annealing of a bulk spun-cast PhO-19-PA molecular film is explored as a mechanism for SAM densification. SAM density, or surface coverage, and order are examined as a function of annealing temperature. These SAM characteristics are probed through atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS). It is found that at temperatures sufficient to melt the as-cast bulk molecular film, SAM densification is achieved; leading to a rapid processing technique for high performance SAM-oxide hybrid dielectric systems utilizing a single wet processing step. To demonstrate low-voltage devices based on this hybrid dielectric (with leakage current density of 7.7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -8} A cm{sup -2} and capacitance density of 0.62 {mu}F cm{sup -2} at 3 V), pentacene thin-film transistors (OTFTs) are fabricated and yield sub 2 V operation and charge carrier mobilites of up to

Highly reflective rear surface passivation design for ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vermang, Bart, E-mail: Bart.Vermang@angstrom.uu.se [Ångström Solar Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala 75121 (Sweden); ESAT-KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Leuven 3001 (Belgium); Wätjen, Jörn Timo; Fjällström, Viktor; Rostvall, Fredrik; Edoff, Marika [Ångström Solar Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala 75121 (Sweden); Gunnarsson, Rickard; Pilch, Iris; Helmersson, Ulf [Plasma & Coatings Physics, University of Linköping, Linköping 58183 (Sweden); Kotipalli, Ratan; Henry, Frederic; Flandre, Denis [ICTEAM/IMNC, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348 (Belgium)

2015-05-01

Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} rear surface passivated ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGS) solar cells with Mo nano-particles (NPs) as local rear contacts are developed to demonstrate their potential to improve optical confinement in ultra-thin CIGS solar cells. The CIGS absorber layer is 380 nm thick and the Mo NPs are deposited uniformly by an up-scalable technique and have typical diameters of 150 to 200 nm. The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer passivates the CIGS rear surface between the Mo NPs, while the rear CIGS interface in contact with the Mo NP is passivated by [Ga]/([Ga] + [In]) (GGI) grading. It is shown that photon scattering due to the Mo NP contributes to an absolute increase in short circuit current density of 3.4 mA/cm{sup 2}; as compared to equivalent CIGS solar cells with a standard back contact. - Highlights: • Proof-of-principle ultra-thin CIGS solar cells have been fabricated. • The cells have Mo nano-particles (NPs) as local rear contacts. • An Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film passivates the CIGS rear surface between these nano-particles. • [Ga]/([Ga] + [In]) grading is used to reduce Mo-NP/CIGS interface recombination.

High-speed growth of TiO2 nanotube arrays with gradient pore diameter and ultrathin tube wall under high-field anodization

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Xiaoliang; Zheng, Maojun; Ma, Li; Shen, Wenzhong

2010-10-01

Highly ordered TiO2 nanotubular arrays have been prepared by two-step anodization under high field. The high anodizing current densities lead to a high-speed film growth (0.40-1.00 µm min - 1), which is nearly 16 times faster than traditional fabrication of TiO2 at low field. It was found that an annealing process of Ti foil is an effective approach to get a monodisperse and double-pass TiO2 nanotubular layer with a gradient pore diameter and ultrathin tube wall (nearly 10 nm). A higher anodic voltage and longer anodization time are beneficial to the formation of ultrathin tube walls. This approach is simple and cost-effective in fabricating high-quality ordered TiO2 nanotubular arrays for practical applications.

Accelerated aging in ultrathin films of a molecular glass former.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepúlveda, A; Leon-Gutierrez, E; Gonzalez-Silveira, M; Rodríguez-Tinoco, C; Clavaguera-Mora, M T; Rodríguez-Viejo, J

2011-07-08

We report the thermodynamic measurement of the enthalpy released during the aging of supported films of a molecular glass former, toluene, at temperatures well below the glass transition temperature. By using microfabricated devices with very short equilibration times (below 1 s), we evidence a remarkable variation of the relaxation rate on decreasing film thickness from 100 nm down to a 7 nm thick film. Our results demonstrate that surface atoms are more efficient than bulk atoms in attaining low energy configurations within the potential energy landscape.

Magnetic x-ray dichroism in ultrathin epitaxial films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tobin, J.G.; Goodman, K.W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States); Cummins, T.R. [Univ. of Missouri, Rolla, MO (United States)] [and others

1997-04-01

The authors have used Magnetic X-ray Linear Dichroism (MXLD) and Magnetic X-ray Circular Dichroism (MXCD) to study the magnetic properties of epitaxial overlayers in an elementally specific fashion. Both MXLD and MXCD Photoelectron Spectroscopy were performed in a high resolution mode at the Spectromicroscopy Facility of the ALS. Circular Polarization was obtained via the utilization of a novel phase retarder (soft x-ray quarter wave plate) based upon transmission through a multilayer film. The samples were low temperature Fe overlayers, magnetic alloy films of NiFe and CoNi, and Gd grown on Y. The authors results include a direct comparison of high resolution angle resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy performed in MXLD and MXCD modes as well as structural studies with photoelectron diffraction.

Magnetic x-ray dichroism in ultrathin epitaxial films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tobin, J.G.; Goodman, K.W.; Cummins, T.R.

1997-01-01

The authors have used Magnetic X-ray Linear Dichroism (MXLD) and Magnetic X-ray Circular Dichroism (MXCD) to study the magnetic properties of epitaxial overlayers in an elementally specific fashion. Both MXLD and MXCD Photoelectron Spectroscopy were performed in a high resolution mode at the Spectromicroscopy Facility of the ALS. Circular Polarization was obtained via the utilization of a novel phase retarder (soft x-ray quarter wave plate) based upon transmission through a multilayer film. The samples were low temperature Fe overlayers, magnetic alloy films of NiFe and CoNi, and Gd grown on Y. The authors results include a direct comparison of high resolution angle resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy performed in MXLD and MXCD modes as well as structural studies with photoelectron diffraction

Morphological and electrical study of gold ultrathin films on mica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bahamondes, S.; Donoso, S. [Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Av. Blanco Encalada 2008, Santiago (Chile); Henríquez, R. [Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Valparaíso (Chile); Flores, M., E-mail: mflorescarra@ing.uchile.cl [Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Av. Blanco Encalada 2008, Santiago (Chile)

2013-12-02

We present a topographical study of the formation of thin films of gold on muscovite mica. The characterization of the samples was done with scanning tunneling microscopy, atomic force microscopy as well as electric measurements. We performed our study on two groups of samples: first group of samples, evaporated at room temperature for thickness ranging from 1.5 up to 97 nm; second group of samples, for two different thicknesses of 3 nm and 50 nm evaporated at different substrate temperatures, between 110 and 530 K. The gold films show a Volmer–Weber growth. The complete films are obtained from samples with a nominal thickness of 8 nm deposited. The average grain diameter is constant, with nominal thicknesses of 18.5 nm, up to 8 nm and increases with the thickness for higher deposition. The average grain diameter is similar regardless of the temperature of the substrate for samples of 3 nm thickness, but changes for samples of 50 nm thickness. The resistivity is inversely dependent on nominal thickness and the mean free path is lineally dependent on nominal thickness. - Highlights: • We have grown thin gold films onto mica at different substrate temperatures. • We identified a continuous film at nominal thickness of 8 nm. • The grain size shows a direct dependence on the nominal film thickness. • The electron mean free path, at 4 K, is linearly dependent on nominal thickness.

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

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

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

2013-01-01

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

Formation of resonant bonding during growth of ultrathin GeTe films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, Ruining; Zhang, Wei; Momand, Jamo; Ronneberger, Ider; Boschker, Jos E.; Mazzarello, Riccardo; Kooi, Bart J.; Riechert, Henning; Wuttig, Matthias; Calarco, Raffaella

2017-01-01

A highly unconventional growth scenario is reported upon deposition of GeTe films on the hydrogen passivated Si(111) surface. Initially, an amorphous film forms for growth parameters that should yield a crystalline material. The entire amorphous film then crystallizes once a critical thickness of

Broadband photocarrier dynamics and nonlinear absorption of PLD-grown WTe2 semimetal films

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Wenbin; Huang, Lei; Xu, Jinlong; Chen, Yequan; Zhu, Chunhui; Nie, Zhonghui; Li, Yao; Wang, Xuefeng; Xie, Zhenda; Zhu, Shining; Xu, Jun; Wan, Xiangang; Zhang, Chao; Xu, Yongbing; Shi, Yi; Wang, Fengqiu

2018-04-01

WTe2 is a unique material in the family of transition metal dichalcogenides and it has been proposed as a candidate for type-II Weyl semimetals. However, thus far, studies on the optical properties of this emerging material have been significantly hindered by the lack of large-area, high-quality WTe2 materials. Here, we grow a centimeter-scale, highly crystalline WTe2 ultrathin film (˜35 nm) by a pulsed laser deposition technique. Broadband pump-probe spectroscopy (1.2-2.5 μm) reveals a peculiar ultrafast optical response where an initial photo-bleaching signal (lasting ˜3 ps) is followed by a long-lived photoinduced absorption signature. Nonlinear absorption characterization using femtosecond pulses confirms the saturable absorption response of the WTe2 ultrathin films, and we further demonstrated a mode-locked Thulium fiber laser using a WTe2 absorber. Our work provides important insights into linear and nonlinear optical responses of WTe2 thin films.

Depolarization corrections to the coercive field in thin-film ferroelectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawber, M; Chandra, P; Littlewood, P B; Scott, J F

2003-01-01

Empirically, the coercive field needed to reverse the polarization in a ferroelectric increases with decreasing film thickness. For ferroelectric films of 100 μm to 100 nm in thickness the coercive field has been successfully described by a semi-empirical scaling law. Accounting for depolarization corrections, we show that this scaling behaviour is consistent with field measurements of ultrathin ferroelectric capacitors down to one nanometre in film thickness. Our results also indicate that the minimum film thickness, determined by a polarization instability, can be tuned by the choice of electrodes, and recommendations for next-generation ferroelectric devices are discussed. (letter to the editor)

Depolarization corrections to the coercive field in thin-film ferroelectrics

CERN Document Server

Dawber, M; Littlewood, P B; Scott, J F

2003-01-01

Empirically, the coercive field needed to reverse the polarization in a ferroelectric increases with decreasing film thickness. For ferroelectric films of 100 mu m to 100 nm in thickness the coercive field has been successfully described by a semi-empirical scaling law. Accounting for depolarization corrections, we show that this scaling behaviour is consistent with field measurements of ultrathin ferroelectric capacitors down to one nanometre in film thickness. Our results also indicate that the minimum film thickness, determined by a polarization instability, can be tuned by the choice of electrodes, and recommendations for next-generation ferroelectric devices are discussed. (letter to the editor)

Surface and Interface Properties of 10–12 Unit Cells Thick Sputter Deposited Epitaxial CeO2 Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. V. Saraf

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Ultrathin and continuous epitaxial films with relaxed lattice strain can potentially maintain more of its bulk physical and chemical properties and are useful as buffer layers. We study surface, interface, and microstructural properties of ultrathin (∼10–12 unit cells thick epitaxial ceria films grown on single crystal YSZ substrates. The out-of -plane and in-plane lattice parameters indicate relaxation in the continuous film due to misfit dislocations seen by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM and substrate roughness of ∼1-2 unit cells, confirmed by atomic force microscopy and HRTEM. A combination of secondary sputtering, lattice mismatch, substrate roughness, and surface reduction creating secondary phase was likely the cause of surface roughness which should be reduced to a minimum level for effective use of it as buffer layers.

CdO nanosheet film with a (200)-preferred orientation with sensitivity to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at low-temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Guangliang; Li, Zimeng; Gao, Liang; Zhang, Mingzhe

2012-12-21

CdO nanosheet film can be synthesized by electrochemical deposition in an ultra-thin liquid layer by using Cd(NO(3))(2) and HNO(3) as source materials for Cd and oxygen respectively. HNO(3) is also used to adjust the pH of the electrolyte. Studies on the detailed structure indicate that the synthesized CdO nanosheet film has a face-centered cubic structure with (200)-preferred orientation. The response of the CdO nanosheet film to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at low temperature has been significantly improved by the novel structure of film. It has exhibited excellent sensitivity and selectivity to LPG at low temperature. A new growth mechanism of electrochemical deposition has been proposed to elaborate the formation of nanosheet in an ultra-thin liquid layer. The self-oscillation of potential in the growth interface and intermediate hydroxide are responsible for the formation of nanosheets.

Fabrication of Ultra-Thin Printed Organic TFT CMOS Logic Circuits Optimized for Low-Voltage Wearable Sensor Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, Yasunori; Hayasaka, Kazuma; Shiwaku, Rei; Yokosawa, Koji; Shiba, Takeo; Mamada, Masashi; Kumaki, Daisuke; Fukuda, Kenjiro; Tokito, Shizuo

2016-05-09

Ultrathin electronic circuits that can be manufactured by using conventional printing technologies are key elements necessary to realize wearable health sensors and next-generation flexible electronic devices. Due to their low level of power consumption, complementary (CMOS) circuits using both types of semiconductors can be easily employed in wireless devices. Here, we describe ultrathin CMOS logic circuits, for which not only the source/drain electrodes but also the semiconductor layers were printed. Both p-type and n-type organic thin film transistor devices were employed in a D-flip flop circuit in the newly developed stacked structure and exhibited excellent electrical characteristics, including good carrier mobilities of 0.34 and 0.21 cm(2) V(-1) sec(-1), and threshold voltages of nearly 0 V with low operating voltages. These printed organic CMOS D-flip flop circuits exhibit operating frequencies of 75 Hz and demonstrate great potential for flexible and printed electronics technology, particularly for wearable sensor applications with wireless connectivity.

Layered Ultrathin Coherent Structures (LUCS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1979-01-01

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

Fatigue-resistant epitaxial Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 capacitors on Pt electrode with ultra-thin SrTiO3 template layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahara, Seiichi; Morimoto, Akiharu; Kawae, Takeshi; Kumeda, Minoru; Yamada, Satoru; Ohtsubo, Shigeru; Yonezawa, Yasuto

2008-01-01

Lead zirconate-titanate Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 (PZT) capacitors with Pt bottom electrodes were prepared on MgO substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique employing SrTiO 3 (STO) template layer. Perovskite PZT thin films are prepared via stoichiometric target using the ultra-thin STO template layers while it is quite difficult to obtain the perovskite PZT on Pt electrode via stoichiometric target in PLD process. The PZT capacitor prepared with the STO template layer showed good hysteresis and leakage current characteristics, and it showed an excellent fatigue resistance. The ultra-thin STO template layers were characterized by angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement. The effect of the STO template layer is discussed based on the viewpoint of the perovskite nucleation and diffusion of Pb and O atoms

Adsorbate-modified growth of ultrathin rare-earth oxide films on silicon and complementary studies of cerium oxide on ruthenium; Adsorbat-modifiziertes Wachstum ultraduenner Seltenerdoxid-Filme auf Silizium und komplementaere Studien von Ceroxid auf Ruthenium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaemena, Bjoern

2013-11-27

Rare-earth oxides (REOx) are extensively investigated due to their extraordinary physical and chemical properties, which essentially arise from the unfilled 4f electron shell, in order to reveal the nature of these exceptional properties and ultimately to utilize them for multiple technological applications. To maintain the exponential increase in integration density in CMOS technology, which is also known as Moore s law, there is a strong desire for ultrathin, well-ordered, epitaxial REOx layers with a precisely engineered interface, which is essential for reliable, ultrahigh-performance devices. So far this has been considerably impeded by RE-promoted silicon oxidation, leading to amorphous silicon oxide and RE silicon formation. By using complementary synchrotron radiation methods such as X-ray standing waves (XSW), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), structural and spectroscopic information are inferred simultaneously from ultrathin ceria and lanthana films grown on chlorine, silver and gallium passivated silicon(111). In general, it is revealed that the chemical and structural composition of the interface and the crystallinity of ultrathin REOx layers on silicon can be precisely controlled by adsorbate-mediated growth. This might represent a crucial step towards a perfectly engineered interface, eventually allowing for the integration of REOx as high-k gate oxides in microelectronics. In catalysis inverse model catalysts are studied with the aim of getting an in-depth understanding of the basic principles of catalysis. These model systems are employed to study, e. g., the nature of active sites and the reaction pathways in complex catalytic converters. However, a lot remains unknown about the chemical activity and selectivity as a function of the growth mechanism, structure and morphology of these model systems. The powerful spectroscopic photoemission and low-energy electron microscope, which is able to reveal the surface

Fluxons in thin-film superconductor-insulator superlattices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sakai, S.; Bodin, P.; Pedersen, Niels Falsig

1993-01-01

In a system of thin alternating layers of superconductors and insulators the equations describing static and dynamic fluxon solutions are derived. The approach, represented by a useful compact matrix form, is intended to describe systems fabricated for example of niobium or niobium-nitride thin...... films; in the limit of ultrathin superconductor films it may give a model for describing fluxon motion in layered high-Tc superconductors. Numerical examples of current versus voltage curves to be expected in such an experiment are presented. Journal of Applied Physics is copyrighted by The American...

A high mobility C60 field-effect transistor with an ultrathin pentacene passivation layer and bathophenanthroline/metal bilayer electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Jian-Lin; Yu Jun-Sheng; Yu Xin-Ge; Cai Xin-Yang

2012-01-01

C 60 field-effect transistor (OFET) with a mobility as high as 5.17 cm 2 /V·s is fabricated. In our experiment, an ultrathin pentacene passivation layer on poly-(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) insulator and a bathophenanthroline (Bphen)/Ag bilayer electrode are prepared. The OFET shows a significant enhancement of electron mobility compared with the corresponding device with a single PMMA insultor and an Ag electrode. By analysing the C 60 film with atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques, it is shown that the pentacene passivation layer can contribute to C 60 film growth with the large grain size and significantly improve crystallinity. Moreover, the Bphen buffer layer can reduce the electron contact barrier from Ag electrodes to C 60 film efficiently. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Surface structural reconstruction of SrVO3 thin films on SrTiO3 (001)

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Nanoporous metal film: An energy-dependent transmission device for electron waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grech, S.; Degiovanni, A.; Lapena, L.; Morin, R.

2011-01-01

We measure electron transmission through free-standing ultrathin nanoporous gold films, using the coherent electron beam emitted by sharp field emission tips in a low energy electron projection microscope setup. Transmission coefficient versus electron wavelength plots show periodic oscillations between 75 and 850 eV. These oscillations result from the energy dependence of interference between paths through the gold and paths through the nanometer-sized pores of the film. We reveal that these films constitute high transmittance quantum devices acting on electron waves through a wavelength-dependent complex transmittance defined by the porosity and the thickness of the film.

Thin NbN film structures on SOI for SNSPD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Il' in, Konstantin; Kurz, Stephan; Henrich, Dagmar; Hofherr, Matthias; Siegel, Michael [IMS, KIT, Karlsruhe (Germany); Semenov, Alexei; Huebers, Heinz-Wilhelm [DLR, Berlin (Germany)

2012-07-01

Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors (SNSPD) made from ultra-thin NbN films on sapphire demonstrate almost 100% intrinsic detection efficiency (DE). However the system DE values is less than 10% mostly limited by a very low absorptance of NbN films thinner than 5 nm. Integration of SNSPD in Si photonic circuit is a promising way to overcome this problem. We present results on optimization of technology of thin NbN film nanostructures on SOI (Silicon on Insulator) substrate used in Si photonics technology. Superconducting and normal state properties of these structures important for SNSPD development are presented and discussed.

Work function mediated by deposition of ultrathin polar FeO on Pt(111)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Shuangzan; Qin, Zhihui; Guo, Qinmin; Cao, Gengyu, E-mail: gycao@wipm.ac.cn

2017-01-15