Photoluminescence in Spray Pyrolysis Deposited β-In2S3 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayakrishnan, R.

2018-04-01

Spray pyrolysis deposited In2S3 thin films exhibit two prominent photoluminescent emissions. One of the emissions is green in color and centered at around ˜ 540 nm and the other is centered at around ˜ 690 nm and is red in color. The intensity of the green emission decreases when the films are subjected to annealing in air or vacuum. The intensity of red emission increases when films are air annealed and decreases when vacuum annealed. Vacuum annealing leads to an increase in work function whereas air annealing leads to a decrease in work function for this thin film system relative to the as deposited films indicating changes in space charge regions. Surface photovoltage analysis using a Kelvin probe leads to the conclusion that inversion of band bending occurs as a result of annealing. Correlating surface contact potential measurements using a Kelvin probe, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence, we conclude that the surface passivation plays a critical role in controlling the photoluminescence from the spray pyrolysis deposited for In2S3 thin films.

Positron annihilation studies of vacancy related defects in ceramic and thin film Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keeble, D. J.; Krishnan, A.; Umlor, M. T.; Lynn, K. G.; Warren, W. L.; Dimos, D.; Tuttle, B. A.

Preliminary positron annihilation studies of ceramic and thin film Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) materials have been completed. This paper examines effects of processing conditions on vacancy related defects. Positron lifetime measurements on bulk PLZT plates showed an increase in positron trapping to a defect state with increasing grain size consistent with trapping to lead vacancy related defects formed through lead oxide loss during processing. Variable energy positron beam measurements were completed on bulk PLZT plates, sol-gel PZT thin films, and laser ablated PLZT thin films. Films processed in a reduced oxygen atmosphere were found to give a higher S-parameter, due to an increase in concentration of neutral or negatively charged vacancy type defects, compared with material processed in an oxidizing ambient.

On tear film breakup (TBU): dynamics and imaging.

PubMed

Braun, Richard J; Driscoll, Tobin A; Begley, Carolyn G; King-Smith, P Ewen; Siddique, Javed I

2018-06-13

We report the results of some recent experiments to visualize tear film dynamics. We then study a mathematical model for tear film thinning and tear film breakup (TBU), a term from the ocular surface literature. The thinning is driven by an imposed tear film thinning rate which is input from in vivo measurements. Solutes representing osmolarity and fluorescein are included in the model. Osmolarity causes osmosis from the model ocular surface, and the fluorescein is used to compute the intensity corresponding closely to in vivo observations. The imposed thinning can be either one-dimensional or axisymmetric, leading to streaks or spots of TBU, respectively. For a spatially-uniform (flat) film, osmosis would cease thinning and balance mass lost due to evaporation; for these space-dependent evaporation profiles TBU does occur because osmolarity diffuses out of the TBU into the surrounding tear film, in agreement with previous results. The intensity pattern predicted based on the fluorescein concentration is compared with the computed thickness profiles; this comparison is important for interpreting in vivo observations. The non-dimensionalization introduced leads to insight about the relative importance of the competing processes; it leads to a classification of large vs small TBU regions in which different physical effects are dominant. Many regions of TBU may be considered small, revealing that the flow inside the film has an appreciable influence on fluorescence imaging of the tear film.

Dynamic delamination of patterned thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandula, Soma S. V.; Tran, Phuong; Geubelle, Philippe H.; Sottos, Nancy R.

2008-12-01

We investigate laser-induced dynamic delamination of a patterned thin film on a substrate. Controlled delamination results from our insertion of a weak adhesion region beneath the film. The inertial forces acting on the weakly bonded portion of the film lead to stable propagation of a crack along the film/substrate interface. Through a simple energy balance, we extract the critical energy for interfacial failure, a quantity that is difficult and sometimes impossible to characterize by more conventional methods for many thin film/substrate combinations.

Photochemical metal organic deposition of metal oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Law, Wai Lung (Simon)

This thesis pertains to the study of the deposition of metal oxide thin films via the process of Photochemical Metal Organic Deposition (PMOD). In this process, an amorphous metal organic precursor thin film is subjected to irradiation under ambient conditions. Fragmentation of the metal precursor results from the photoreaction, leading to the formation of metal oxide thin films in the presence of oxygen. The advantage of PMOD lies in its ability to perform lithography of metal oxide thin film without the application of photoresist. The metal organic precursor can be imaged directly by photolysis through a lithography mask under ambient conditions. Thus the PMOD process provides an attractive alternative to the conventional VLSI fabrication process. Metal carboxylates and metal acetylacetonates complexes were used as the precursors for PMOD process in this thesis. Transition metal carboxylate and metal acetylacetonate complexes have shown previously that when deposited as amorphous thin films, they will undergo fragmentation upon photolysis, leading to the formation of metal oxide thin films under ambient conditions. In this thesis, the formation of main group metal oxides of aluminum, indium and tin, as well as the formation of rare-earth metal oxides of cerium and europium by PMOD from its corresponding metal organic precursor will be presented. The nature of the photoreactions as well as the properties of the thin films deposited by PMOD will be investigated. Doped metal oxide thin films can also be prepared using the PMOD process. By mixing the metal precursors prior to deposition in the desired ratio, precursor films containing more than one metal precursor can be obtained. Mixed metal oxide thin films corresponding to the original metal ratio, in the precursor mixture, can be obtained upon photolysis under ambient conditions. In this thesis, the properties of doped metal oxide thin films of europium doped aluminum oxide as well as tin doped indium oxide thin films will also be presented.

Investigation of the difficulties associated with the use of lead telluride and other II - IV compounds for thin film thermistors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclennan, W. D.

1975-01-01

The fabrication of thermistors was investigated for use as atmospheric temperature sensors in meteorological rocket soundings. The final configuration of the thin film thermistor is shown. The composition and primary functions of the six layers of the sensor are described. A digital controller for thin film deposition control is described which is capable of better than .1 A/sec rate control. The computer program modules for digital control of thin film deposition processing are included.

Structural and optical properties of annealed and illuminated (Ag3AsS3)0.6(As2S3)0.4 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Studenyak, I. P.; Neimet, Yu. Yu.; Rati, Y. Y.; Stanko, D.; Kranjčec, M.; Kökényesi, S.; Daróci, L.; Bohdan, R.

2014-11-01

(Ag3AsS3)0.6(As2S3)0.4 thin films were deposited upon a quartz substrate by rapid thermal evaporation. Structural studies of the as-deposited, annealed and illuminated films were performed using XRD, scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. Surfaces of all the films were found to be covered with Ag-rich crystalline micrometer sized cones. Thermal annealing leads to mechanical deformation of part of the cones and their detachment from the base film surface while the laser illumination leads to the new formations appearance on the surface of thin films. The spectroscopic studies of optical transmission spectra for as-deposited, annealed and illuminated thin films were carried out. The optical absorption spectra in the region of its exponential behaviour were analysed, the dispersion dependences of refractive index as well as their variation after annealing and illumination were investigated.

Al-/Ga-Doped ZnO Window Layers for Highly Efficient Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ Thin Film Solar Cells.

PubMed

Seo, Se Won; Seo, Jung Woo; Kim, Donghwan; Cheon, Ki-Beom; Lee, Doh-Kwon; Kim, Jin Young

2018-09-01

The successful use of Al-/Ga-doped ZnO (AGZO) thin films as a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer of a Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin film solar cell is demonstrated. The AGZO thin films were prepared by radio frequency (RF) sputtering. The structural, crystallographic, electrical, and optical properties of the AGZO thin films were systematically investigated. The photovoltaic properties of CZTSSe thin film solar cells incorporating the AGZO-based TCO layer were also reported. It has been found that the RF power and substrate temperature of the AGZO thin film are important factors determining the electrical, optical, and structural properties. The optimization process involving the RF power and the substrate temperature leads to good electrical and optical transmittance of the AGZO thin films. Finally, the CZTSSe solar cell with the AGZO TCO layer demonstrated a high conversion efficiency of 9.68%, which is higher than that of the conventional AZO counterpart by 12%.

Characterization of Pb-Doped GaN Thin Films Grown by Thermionic Vacuum Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özen, Soner; Pat, Suat; Korkmaz, Şadan

2018-03-01

Undoped and lead (Pb)-doped gallium nitride (GaN) thin films have been deposited by a thermionic vacuum arc (TVA) method. Glass and polyethylene terephthalate were selected as optically transparent substrates. The structural, optical, morphological, and electrical properties of the deposited thin films were investigated. These physical properties were interpreted by comparison with related analysis methods. The crystalline structure of the deposited GaN thin films was hexagonal wurtzite. The optical bandgap energy of the GaN and Pb-doped GaN thin films was found to be 3.45 eV and 3.47 eV, respectively. The surface properties of the deposited thin films were imaged using atomic force microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy, revealing a nanostructured, homogeneous, and granular surface structure. These results confirm that the TVA method is an alternative layer deposition system for Pb-doped GaN thin films.

The effect of thin film morphology on the electrochemical performance of Cu-Sn anode for lithium rechargeable batteries.

PubMed

Polat, B D; Keleş, O

2014-05-01

We investigate the anode performance of non ordered and ordered nanostructured Cu-Sn thin films deposited via electron beam deposition technique. The ordered nanostructured Cu-Sn thin film having nano-porosities was fabricated using an oblique (co)deposition technique. Our results showed that the nano structured Cu-Sn thin film containing Cu-Sn nanorods had higher initial anodic capacity (790 mA h g(-)) than that of the non ordered thin film (330 mA h g(-)). But the capacity of the ordered nanostructured Cu-Sn thin film diminished after the first cycle and a steady state capacity value around 300 mA h g(-) is sustainable in following up to 80th cycle, which is attributed to the composition and morphology of the thin film. The presence of copper containing Sn nanorods leading to form nano-porosities as interstitial spaces among them, enhanced lithium ions movement within thin film and increased the thin film tolerance against the stress generated because of the drastic volume change occurred during lithiation-delithiation processes; hence, homogenously distributed porosities increased the cycle life of the thin film.

Crystallization of amorphous silicon thin films deposited by PECVD on nickel-metalized porous silicon.

PubMed

Ben Slama, Sonia; Hajji, Messaoud; Ezzaouia, Hatem

2012-08-17

Porous silicon layers were elaborated by electrochemical etching of heavily doped p-type silicon substrates. Metallization of porous silicon was carried out by immersion of substrates in diluted aqueous solution of nickel. Amorphous silicon thin films were deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on metalized porous layers. Deposited amorphous thin films were crystallized under vacuum at 750°C. Obtained results from structural, optical, and electrical characterizations show that thermal annealing of amorphous silicon deposited on Ni-metalized porous silicon leads to an enhancement in the crystalline quality and physical properties of the silicon thin films. The improvement in the quality of the film is due to the crystallization of the amorphous film during annealing. This simple and easy method can be used to produce silicon thin films with high quality suitable for thin film solar cell applications.

Crystallization of amorphous silicon thin films deposited by PECVD on nickel-metalized porous silicon

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Porous silicon layers were elaborated by electrochemical etching of heavily doped p-type silicon substrates. Metallization of porous silicon was carried out by immersion of substrates in diluted aqueous solution of nickel. Amorphous silicon thin films were deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on metalized porous layers. Deposited amorphous thin films were crystallized under vacuum at 750°C. Obtained results from structural, optical, and electrical characterizations show that thermal annealing of amorphous silicon deposited on Ni-metalized porous silicon leads to an enhancement in the crystalline quality and physical properties of the silicon thin films. The improvement in the quality of the film is due to the crystallization of the amorphous film during annealing. This simple and easy method can be used to produce silicon thin films with high quality suitable for thin film solar cell applications. PMID:22901341

Microstructure evolution and coercivity enhancement in Nd-Fe-B thin films diffusion-processed by R-Al alloys (R=Nd, Pr)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Yigao; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Tongbo; Fu, Yanqing; Jiang, Qingzheng; Ma, Shengcan; Zhong, Zhenchen; Cui, Weibin; Wang, Qiang

2018-05-01

Diffusion process by Nd-Al and Pr-Al alloys was compared and investigated in Nd-Fe-B thin films. Enhanced coercivity 2.06T and good squareness was obtained by using Pr85Al15 and Nd85Al15 alloys as diffusion sources. But the coercivity of diffusion-processed thin films by Pr70Al30 and Pr55Al45 alloys decreased to 2.04T and 1.82T. High ambient coercivity of 2.26T was achieved in diffusion-processed thin film by Nd70Al30 leading to an improved coercivity thermal stability because Nd2Fe14B grains were enveloped by Nd-rich phase as seen by transmission electron microscopy Nd-loss image. Meanwhile, microstructure-dependent parameters α and Neff were improved. However, high content of Al in diffusion-processed thin film by Nd55Al45 lead to degraded texture and coercivity.

Analysis of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistor contact metal using Pilling-Bedworth theory and a variable capacitance diode model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiani, Ahmed; Hasko, David G.; Milne, William I.; Flewitt, Andrew J.

2013-04-01

It is widely reported that threshold voltage and on-state current of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide bottom-gate thin-film transistors are strongly influenced by the choice of source/drain contact metal. Electrical characterisation of thin-film transistors indicates that the electrical properties depend on the type and thickness of the metal(s) used. Electron transport mechanisms and possibilities for control of the defect state density are discussed. Pilling-Bedworth theory for metal oxidation explains the interaction between contact metal and amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide, which leads to significant trap formation. Charge trapping within these states leads to variable capacitance diode-like behavior and is shown to explain the thin-film transistor operation.

Laser patterning of transparent polymers assisted by plasmon excitation.

PubMed

Elashnikov, R; Trelin, A; Otta, J; Fitl, P; Mares, D; Jerabek, V; Svorcik, V; Lyutakov, O

2018-06-13

Plasmon-assisted lithography of thin transparent polymer films, based on polymer mass-redistribution under plasmon excitation, is presented. The plasmon-supported structures were prepared by thermal annealing of thin Ag films sputtered on glass or glass/graphene substrates. Thin films of polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene and polylactic acid were then spin-coated on the created plasmon-supported structures. Subsequent laser beam writing, at the wavelength corresponding to the position of plasmon absorption, leads to mass redistribution and patterning of the thin polymer films. The prepared structures were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy and confocal and AFM microscopy. The shape of the prepared structures was found to be strongly dependent on the substrate type. The mechanism leading to polymer patterning was examined and attributed to the plasmon-heating. The proposed method makes it possible to create different patterns in polymer films without the need for wet technological stages, powerful light sources or a change in the polymer optical properties.

Thermally evaporated methylammonium tin triiodide thin films for lead-free perovskite solar cell fabrication

DOE PAGES

Yu, Yue; Zhao, Dewei; Grice, Corey R.; ...

2016-09-16

Here, we report on the synthesis of methylammonium tin triiodide (MASnI 3) thin films at room temperature by a hybrid thermal evaporation method and their application in fabricating lead (Pb)-free perovskite solar cells. The as-deposited MASnI 3 thin films exhibit smooth surfaces, uniform coverage across the entire substrate, and strong crystallographic preferred orientation along the < 100 > direction. By incorporating this film with an inverted planar device architecture, our Pb-free perovskite solar cells are able to achieve an open-circuit voltage ( V oc) up to 494 mV. The relatively high V oc is mainly ascribed to the excellent surfacemore » coverage, the compact morphology, the good stoichiometry control of the MASnI 3 thin films, and the effective passivation of the electron-blocking and hole-blocking layers. Finally, our results demonstrate the potential capability of the hybrid evaporation method to prepare high-quality Pb-free MASnI 3 perovskite thin films which can be used to fabricate efficient Pb-free perovskite solar cells.« less

Thin liquid films with time-dependent chemical reactions sheared by an ambient gas flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bender, Achim; Stephan, Peter; Gambaryan-Roisman, Tatiana

2017-08-01

Chemical reactions in thin liquid films are found in many industrial applications, e.g., in combustion chambers of internal combustion engines where a fuel film can develop on pistons or cylinder walls. The reactions within the film and the turbulent outer gas flow influence film stability and lead to film breakup, which in turn can lead to deposit formation. In this work we examine the evolution and stability of a thin liquid film in the presence of a first-order chemical reaction and under the influence of a turbulent gas flow. Long-wave theory with a double perturbation analysis is used to reduce the complexity of the problem and obtain an evolution equation for the film thickness. The chemical reaction is assumed to be slow compared to film evolution and the amount of reactant in the film is limited, which means that the reaction rate decreases with time as the reactant is consumed. A linear stability analysis is performed to identify the influence of reaction parameters, material properties, and environmental conditions on the film stability limits. Results indicate that exothermic reactions have a stabilizing effect whereas endothermic reactions destabilize the film and can lead to rupture. It is shown that an initially unstable film can become stable with time as the reaction rate decreases. The shearing of the film by the external gas flow leads to the appearance of traveling waves. The shear stress magnitude has a nonmonotonic influence on film stability.

Growth temperature modulated phase evolution and functional characteristics of high quality Pb1-x Lax (Zr0.9Ti0.1)O3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Anuj; Pawar, Shuvam; Singh, Kirandeep; Kaur, Davinder

2018-05-01

In this study, we have reported the influence of growth temperature on perovskite phase evolution in sputtered deposited high quality Pb1-x Lax (Zr0.9 Ti0.1)O3 (PLZT) thin films on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate. PLZT thin films were fabricated at substrate temperature ranging from 400 to 700 °C. We have investigated the structural, dielectric, ferroelectric and leakage current characteristics of these thin films. XRD patterns reveal that 600 °C is the optimized temperature to deposit highly (110) oriented perovskite phase PLZT thin film. The further increase in temperature (700 °) causes reappearance of additional peaks corresponding to lead deficient pyrochlore phase. All PLZT thin films show decrease in dielectric constant with frequency. However, PLZT thin film fabricated at 600 °C displays dielectric constant ˜532 at 1 MHz frequency which is relatively higher than other deposited thin films. The P-E loops of these PLZT thin films exhibit strong dependence on deposition temperature. The pure perovskite PZLT thin film shows saturation polarization of ˜51.2µC/cm2 and coercive field (2Ec) ˜67.85 kV/cm. These high quality PLZT thin films finds their applications in non-volatile memory and nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS).

Thin film transistor performance of amorphous indium–zinc oxide semiconductor thin film prepared by ultraviolet photoassisted sol–gel processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kodzasa, Takehito; Nobeshima, Taiki; Kuribara, Kazunori; Yoshida, Manabu

2018-05-01

We have fabricated an amorphous indium–zinc oxide (IZO, In/Zn = 3/1) semiconductor thin-film transistor (AOS-TFT) by the sol–gel technique using ultraviolet (UV) photoirradiation and post-treatment in high-pressure O2 at 200 °C. The obtained TFT showed a hole carrier mobility of 0.02 cm2 V‑1 s‑1 and an on/off current ratio of 106. UV photoirradiation leads to the decomposition of the organic agents and hydroxide group in the IZO gel film. Furthermore, the post-treatment annealing at a high O2 pressure of more than 0.6 MPa leads to the filling of the oxygen vacancies in a poor metal–oxygen network in the IZO film.

The effect of Argon pressure dependent V thin film on the phase transition process of (020) VO2 thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Yifan; Huang, Kang; Tang, Zhou; Xu, Xiaofeng; Tan, Zhiyong; Liu, Qian; Wang, Chunrui; Wu, Binhe; Wang, Chang; Cao, Juncheng

2018-01-01

It has been proved challenging to fabricate the single crystal orientation of VO2 thin film by a simple method. Based on chemical reaction thermodynamic and crystallization analysis theory, combined with our experimental results, we find out that when stoichiometric number of metallic V in the chemical equation is the same, the ratio of metallic V thin film surface average roughness Ra to thin film average particle diameter d decreases with the decreasing sputtering Argon pressure. Meanwhile, the oxidation reaction equilibrium constant K also decreases, which will lead to the increases of oxidation time, thereby the crystal orientation of the VO2 thin film will also become more uniform. By sputtering oxidation coupling method, metallic V thin film is deposited on c-sapphire substrate at 1 × 10-1 Pa, and then oxidized in the air with the maximum oxidation time of 65s, high oriented (020) VO2 thin film has been fabricated successfully, which exhibits ∼4.6 orders sheet resistance change across the metal-insulator transition.

Preparation methodologies and nano/microstructural evaluation of metal/semiconductor thin films.

PubMed

Chen, Zhiwen; Jiao, Zheng; Wu, Minghong; Shek, Chan-Hung; Wu, C M Lawrence; Lai, Joseph K L

2012-01-01

Metal/semiconductor thin films are a class of unique materials that are widespread technological applications, particularly in the field of microelectronic devices. Assessment strategies of fractal and tures are of fundamental importance in the development of nano/microdevices. This review presents the preparation methodologies and nano/microstructural evaluation of metal/semiconductor thin films including Au/Ge bilayer films and Pd-Ge alloy thin films, which show in the form of fractals and nanocrystals. Firstly, the extended version of Au/Ge thin films for the fractal crystallization of amorphous Ge and the formation of nanocrystals developed with improved micro- and nanostructured features are described in Section 2. Secondly, the nano/microstructural characteristics of Pd/Ge alloy thin films during annealing have been investigated in detail and described in Section 3. Finally, we will draw the conclusions from the present work as shown in Section 4. It is expected that the preparation methodologies developed and the knowledge of nano/microstructural evolution gained in metal/semiconductor thin films, including Au/Ge bilayer films and Pd-Ge alloy thin films, will provide an important fundamental basis underpinning further interdisciplinary research in these fields such as physics, chemistry, materials science, and nanoscience and nanotechnology, leading to promising exciting opportunities for future technological applications involving these thin films.

Thin-film decoupling capacitors for multi-chip modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimos, D.; Lockwood, S. J.; Schwartz, R. W.; Rogers, M. S.

Thin-film decoupling capacitors based on ferroelectric lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) films are being developed for use in advanced packages, such as multi-chip modules. These thin-film decoupling capacitors are intended to replace multi-layer ceramic capacitors for certain applications, since they can be more fully integrated into the packaging architecture. The increased integration that can be achieved should lead to decreased package volume and improved high-speed performance, due to a decrease in interconnect inductance. PLZT films are fabricated by spin coating using metal carboxylate/alkoxide solutions. These films exhibit very high dielectric constants ((var epsilon) greater than or equal to 900), low dielectric losses (tan(delta) = 0.01), excellent insulation resistances (rho greater than 10(exp 13) (Omega)-cm at 125 C), and good breakdown field strengths (E(sub B) = 900 kV/cm). For integrated circuit applications, the PLZT dielectric is less than 1 micron thick, which results in a large capacitance/area (8-9 nF/sq mm). The thin-film geometry and processing conditions also make these capacitors suitable for direct incorporation onto integrated circuits and for packages that require embedded components.

Swift heavy ion induced modifications in optical and electrical properties of cadmium selenide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhary, Ritika; Chauhan, Rishi Pal

2017-07-01

The modification in various properties of thin films using high energetic ion beam is an exciting area of basic and applied research in semiconductors. In the present investigations, cadmium selenide (CdSe) thin films were deposited on ITO substrate using electrodeposition technique. To study the swift heavy ion (SHI) induced effects, the deposited thin films were irradiated with 120 MeV heavy Ag9+ ions using pelletron accelerator facility at IUAC, New Delhi, India. Structural phase transformation in CdSe thin film from metastable cubic phase to stable hexagonal phase was observed after irradiation leading to decrease in the band gap from 2.47 eV to 2.12 eV. The phase transformation was analyzed through X-ray diffraction patterns. During SHI irradiation, Generation of high temperature and pressure by thermal spike along the trajectory of incident ions in the thin films might be responsible for modification in the properties of thin films.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Young's modulus measurement of aluminum thin film with cantilever structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, ByoungChan; Lee, SangHun; Lee, Hwasu; Shin, Hyungjae

2001-09-01

Micromachined cantilever structures are commonly used for measuring mechanical properties of thin film materials in MEMS. The application of conventional cantilever theory in experiment raises severe problem. The deformation of the supporting post and flange is produced by the applied electrostatic force and lead to more reduced measurement value than real Young's modulus of thin film materials. In order to determine Young's modulus of aluminum thin film robustly and reproducibly, the modified cantilever structure is proposed. Two measurement methods, which are cantilever tip deflection measurement and resonant frequency measurement, are used for confirming the reliability of the proposed cantilever structure as well. Measured results indicate that the proposed measurement scheme provides useful and credible Young's modulus value for thin film materials with sub-micron thickness. The proved validation of the proposed scheme makes sure that in addition to Young's modulus of aluminum thin film, that of other thin film materials which are aluminum alloy, metal, and so forth, can be extracted easily and clearly.

Achieving 3-D Nanoparticle Assembly in Nanocomposite Thin Films via Kinetic Control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Jingyu; Xiao, Yihan; Xu, Ting

Nanocomposite thin films containing well-ordered nanoparticle (NP) assemblies are ideal candidates for the fabrication of metamaterials. Achieving 3-D assembly of NPs in nanocomposite thin films is thermodynamically challenging as the particle size gets similar to that of a single polymer chain. The entropic penalties of polymeric matrix upon NP incorporation leads to NP aggregation on the film surface or within the defects in the film. Controlling the kinetic pathways of assembly process provides an alternative path forward by arresting the system in nonequilibrium states. Here, we report the thin film 3-D hierarchical assembly of 20 nm NPs in supramolecules withmore » a 30 nm periodicity. By mediating the NP diffusion kinetics in the supramolecular matrix, surface aggregation of NPs was suppressed and NPs coassemble with supramolecules to form new 3-D morphologies in thin films. Lastly, the present studies opened a viable route to achieve designer functional composite thin films via kinetic control.« less

Achieving 3-D Nanoparticle Assembly in Nanocomposite Thin Films via Kinetic Control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Jingyu; Xiao, Yihan; Xu, Ting

Nanocomposite thin films containing well-ordered nanoparticle (NP) assemblies are ideal candidates for the fabrication of metamaterials. Achieving 3-D assembly of NPs in nanocomposite thin films is thermodynamically challenging as the particle size gets similar to that of a single polymer chain. The entropic penalties of polymeric matrix upon NP incorporation leads to NP aggregation on the film surface or within the defects in the film. Controlling the kinetic pathways of assembly process provides an alternative path forward by arresting the system in nonequilibrium states. Here, we report the thin film 3-D hierarchical assembly of 20 nm NPs in supramolecules withmore » a 30 nm periodicity. By mediating the NP diffusion kinetics in the supramolecular matrix, surface aggregation of NPs was suppressed and NPs coassemble with supramolecules to form new 3-D morphologies in thin films. The present studies opened a viable route to achieve designer functional composite thin films via kinetic control.« less

Achieving 3-D Nanoparticle Assembly in Nanocomposite Thin Films via Kinetic Control

DOE PAGES

Huang, Jingyu; Xiao, Yihan; Xu, Ting

2017-02-20

Nanocomposite thin films containing well-ordered nanoparticle (NP) assemblies are ideal candidates for the fabrication of metamaterials. Achieving 3-D assembly of NPs in nanocomposite thin films is thermodynamically challenging as the particle size gets similar to that of a single polymer chain. The entropic penalties of polymeric matrix upon NP incorporation leads to NP aggregation on the film surface or within the defects in the film. Controlling the kinetic pathways of assembly process provides an alternative path forward by arresting the system in nonequilibrium states. Here, we report the thin film 3-D hierarchical assembly of 20 nm NPs in supramolecules withmore » a 30 nm periodicity. By mediating the NP diffusion kinetics in the supramolecular matrix, surface aggregation of NPs was suppressed and NPs coassemble with supramolecules to form new 3-D morphologies in thin films. Lastly, the present studies opened a viable route to achieve designer functional composite thin films via kinetic control.« less

Effect of Al doping on performance of ZnO thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Junchen; Han, Dedong; Li, Huijin; Yu, Wen; Zhang, Shendong; Zhang, Xing; Wang, Yi

2018-03-01

In this work, we investigate the Aluminum-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) thin films and their feasibility as the active layer for thin film transistors (TFTs). A comparison on performance is made between the AZO TFTs and ZnO TFTs. The electrical properties such as saturation mobility, subthreshold swing, and on-to-off current ratio are improved when AZO is utilized as the active layer. Oxygen component of the thin film materials indicates that Al is the suppressor for oxygen defect in active layer, which improves the subthreshold swing. Moreover, based on band structure analyzation, we observe that the carrier concentration of AZO is higher than ZnO, leading to the enhancement of saturation mobility. The microstructure of the thin films convey that the AZO films exhibit much smaller grain boundaries than ZnO films, which results in the lower off-state current and higher on-to-off current ratio of AZO TFTs. The AZO thin films show huge potential to be the active layer of TFTs.

Improving uniformity and nanostructure of solution-processed thin films using ultrasonic substrate vibration post treatment (SVPT).

PubMed

Wang, Qin; Eslamian, Morteza

2016-04-01

The main goal of this paper is to introduce a novel mechanical method herein terms as substrate vibration post treatment (SVPT) technique, powered by ultrasonic vibration imposed on the substrate to enhance the characteristics and functionality of spun-on thin films or thin films made by similar casting techniques, such as drop and dip coating. In this technique, the as-casted wet films are placed on a substrate vibrated by an ultrasonic transducer with controlled power and duration to improve the film characteristics, such as uniformity and nanostructure. The performance of this technique is examined on spun-on PSS thin films used in polymer and perovskite solar cells and unprecedented results are presented. We first explore the influence of the vibration duration time on the characteristics of the films made by pristine PSS solution, where it is found that the optimized vibration duration for the pristine PSS film is about 10s, resulting in significant increase in the film electrical conductivity and lowered thickness and roughness. In order to further test the generality and merit of the method, thin films made using PSS solution modified with various types of surfactants and cured by the SVPT are studied. The results show that the application of the SVPT method combined with surfactant modification leads to an impressive twelve-fold increase in the conductivity of the PSS thin films compared with that of the pristine non-vibrated PSS thin films. The sole effect of the SVPT is a four-fold increase in the conductivity of pristine PSS film compared with that of the non-vibrated film. This remarkable enhancement in conductivity is further explained by the AFM phase images of PSS films, showing that the ultrasonic energy could loosen the Coulomb forces between PEDOT and PSS chains, resulting in phase separation and localized reordering of the conducting PEDOT chains leading to an increase in the electrical conductivity of the film. Highly conductive PSS thin film is a viable candidate as electrodes in emerging solution-processed solar cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum-dot size and thin-film dielectric constant: precision measurement and disparity with simple models.

PubMed

Grinolds, Darcy D W; Brown, Patrick R; Harris, Daniel K; Bulovic, Vladimir; Bawendi, Moungi G

2015-01-14

We study the dielectric constant of lead sulfide quantum dot (QD) films as a function of the volume fraction of QDs by varying the QD size and keeping the ligand constant. We create a reliable QD sizing curve using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), thin-film SAXS to extract a pair-distribution function for QD spacing, and a stacked-capacitor geometry to measure the capacitance of the thin film. Our data support a reduced dielectric constant in nanoparticles.

Characterization methodology for lead zirconate titanate thin films with interdigitated electrode structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nigon, R.; Raeder, T. M.; Muralt, P.

2017-05-01

The accurate evaluation of ferroelectric thin films operated with interdigitated electrodes is quite a complex task. In this article, we show how to correct the electric field and the capacitance in order to obtain identical polarization and CV loops for all geometrical variants. The simplest model is compared with corrections derived from Schwartz-Christoffel transformations, and with finite element simulations. The correction procedure is experimentally verified, giving almost identical curves for a variety of gaps and electrode widths. It is shown that the measured polarization change corresponds to the average polarization change in the center plane between the electrode fingers, thus at the position where the electric field is most homogeneous with respect to the direction and size. The question of maximal achievable polarization in the various possible textures, and compositional types of polycrystalline lead zirconate titanate thin films is revisited. In the best case, a soft (110) textured thin film with the morphotropic phase boundary composition should yield a value of 0.95Ps, and in the worst case, a rhombohedral (100) textured thin film should deliver a polarization of 0.74Ps.

Substrate effects on photoluminescence and low temperature phase transition of methylammonium lead iodide hybrid perovskite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shojaee, S. A.; Harriman, T. A.; Han, G. S.; Lee, J.-K.; Lucca, D. A.

2017-07-01

We examine the effects of substrates on the low temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra and phase transition in methylammonium lead iodide hybrid perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) thin films. Structural characterization at room temperature with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy indicated that while the chemical structure of films deposited on glass and quartz was similar, the glass substrate induced strain in the perovskite films and suppressed the grain growth. The luminescence response and phase transition of the perovskite thin films were studied by PL spectroscopy. The induced strain was found to affect both the room temperature and low temperature PL spectra of the hybrid perovskite films. In addition, it was found that the effects of the glass substrate inhibited a tetragonal to orthorhombic phase transition such that it occurred at lower temperatures.

Changes in chemical and optical properties of thin film metal mirrors on LDEF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, Palmer N.; Zwiener, James M.; Gregory, John C.; Raikar, Ganesh N.; Christl, Ligia C.; Wilkes, Donald R.

1995-01-01

Thin films of the metals Cu, Ni, Pt, Au, Sn, Mo, and W deposited on fused silica flats were exposed at ambient temperature on the leading and trailing faces of the LDEF. Reflectances of these films were measured from 250 to 2500 nm and compared with controls. The exposed films were subjected to the LDEF external environment including atomic oxygen, molecular contamination, and solar ultraviolet. Major changes in optical and infrared reflectance were seen for Cu, Mo, Ni, and W films on the leading face of LDEF and are attributed to partial conversion of metal to metal oxide. Smaller changes in optical properties are seen on all films and are probably caused by thin contaminant films deposited on top of the metal. The optical measurements are correlated with film thickness measurements, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, optical calculations, and, in the case of Cu, with x-ray diffraction measurements. In a few cases, comparisons with results from a similar UAH experiment on STS-8 have been drawn.

Leakage current behavior in lead-free ferroelectric (K,Na)NbO3-LiTaO3-LiSbO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abazari, M.; Safari, A.

2010-12-01

Conduction mechanisms in epitaxial (001)-oriented pure and 1 mol % Mn-doped (K0.44,Na0.52,Li0.04)(Nb0.84,Ta0.1,Sb0.06)O3 (KNN-LT-LS) thin films on SrTiO3 substrate were investigated. Temperature dependence of leakage current density was measured as a function of applied electric field in the range of 200-380 K. It was shown that the different transport mechanisms dominate in pure and Mn-doped thin films. In pure (KNN-LT-LS) thin films, Poole-Frenkel emission was found to be responsible for the leakage, while Schottky emission was the dominant mechanism in Mn-doped thin films at higher electric fields. This is a remarkable yet clear indication of effect of 1 mol % Mn on the resistive behavior of such thin films.

Self-Limited Growth in Pentacene Thin Films

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Pentacene is one of the most studied organic semiconducting materials. While many aspects of the film formation have already been identified in very thin films, this study provides new insight into the transition from the metastable thin-film phase to bulk phase polymorphs. This study focuses on the growth behavior of pentacene within thin films as a function of film thickness ranging from 20 to 300 nm. By employing various X-ray diffraction methods, combined with supporting atomic force microscopy investigations, one crystalline orientation for the thin-film phase is observed, while three differently tilted bulk phase orientations are found. First, bulk phase crystallites grow with their 00L planes parallel to the substrate surface; second, however, crystallites tilted by 0.75° with respect to the substrate are found, which clearly dominate the former in ratio; third, a different bulk phase polymorph with crystallites tilted by 21° is found. The transition from the thin-film phase to the bulk phase is rationalized by the nucleation of the latter at crystal facets of the thin-film-phase crystallites. This leads to a self-limiting growth of the thin-film phase and explains the thickness-dependent phase behavior observed in pentacene thin films, showing that a large amount of material is present in the bulk phase much earlier during the film growth than previously thought. PMID:28287698

Self-Limited Growth in Pentacene Thin Films.

PubMed

Pachmajer, Stefan; Jones, Andrew O F; Truger, Magdalena; Röthel, Christian; Salzmann, Ingo; Werzer, Oliver; Resel, Roland

2017-04-05

Pentacene is one of the most studied organic semiconducting materials. While many aspects of the film formation have already been identified in very thin films, this study provides new insight into the transition from the metastable thin-film phase to bulk phase polymorphs. This study focuses on the growth behavior of pentacene within thin films as a function of film thickness ranging from 20 to 300 nm. By employing various X-ray diffraction methods, combined with supporting atomic force microscopy investigations, one crystalline orientation for the thin-film phase is observed, while three differently tilted bulk phase orientations are found. First, bulk phase crystallites grow with their 00L planes parallel to the substrate surface; second, however, crystallites tilted by 0.75° with respect to the substrate are found, which clearly dominate the former in ratio; third, a different bulk phase polymorph with crystallites tilted by 21° is found. The transition from the thin-film phase to the bulk phase is rationalized by the nucleation of the latter at crystal facets of the thin-film-phase crystallites. This leads to a self-limiting growth of the thin-film phase and explains the thickness-dependent phase behavior observed in pentacene thin films, showing that a large amount of material is present in the bulk phase much earlier during the film growth than previously thought.

Air-Flow Navigated Crystal Growth for TIPS Pentacene-Based Organic Thin-Film Transistors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Zhengran; Chen, Jihua; Sun, Zhenzhong

2012-01-01

6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS pentacene) is a promising active channel material of organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) due to its solubility, stability, and high mobility. However, the growth of TIPS pentacene crystals is intrinsically anisotropic and thus leads to significant variation in the performance of OTFTs. In this paper, air flow is utilized to effectively reduce the TIPS pentacene crystal anisotropy and enhance performance consistency in OTFTs, and the resulted films are examined with optical microscopy, grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, and thin-film transistor measurements. Under air-flow navigation (AFN), TIPS pentacene drop-cast from toluene solution has been observed to form thin films with improved crystalmore » orientation and increased areal coverage on substrates, which subsequently lead to a four-fold increase of average hole mobility and one order of magnitude enhancement in performance consistency defined by the ratio of average mobility to the standard deviation of the field-effect mobilities.« less

Electrical characteristics of paraelectric lead lanthanum zirconium titanate thin films for dynamic random access memory applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, R. E., Jr.; Maniar, P. D.; Olowolafe, J. O.; Campbell, A. C.; Mogab, C. J.

1992-02-01

Paraelectric lead lanthanum zirconium titanate (PLZT) films, 150 nm thick, were deposited using a spin-coat, sol-gel process followed by a 650 °C oxygen anneal. X-ray diffraction indicated complete conversion to the perovskite phase. Sputter-deposited platinum electrodes were employed with the PLZT films to form thin-film capacitors with the best combination of high charge storage density (26.1 μC/cm2 at 3 V and 36.4 μC/cm2 at 5 V) and leakage current density (0.2 μA/cm2 at 3 V and 0.5 μA/cm2 at 5 V ) reported to date. The electrical characteristics of these thin-film capacitors meet the requirements for a planar bit cell capacitor for 64-Mbit dynamic random access memories.

Structural and optical properties of PbS thin films grown by chemical bath deposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seghaier, S.; Kamoun, N.; Guasch, C.

2007-09-19

Lead sulphide thin films are grown on glass substrates at various deposition times tD, in the range of 40-60 min per step of 2 min, using the chemical bath deposition technique. X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy are used to characterize the film structure. The surface composition is analysed by Auger electron spectroscopy. It appears that the as-prepared thin films are polycrystalline with cubic structure. Nanometric scale crystallites are uniformly distributed on the surface. They exhibit almost a stoechiometric composition with a [Pb]/[S] ratio equal to 1.10. Optical properties are studied in the range of 300-3300 nm by spectrophotometric measurements.more » Analysis of the optical absorption data of lead sulphide thin layers reveals a narrow optical direct band gap equal to 0.46 eV for the layer corresponding to a deposition time equal to 60 min.« less

Breakthrough to Non-Vacuum Deposition of Single-Crystal, Ultra-Thin, Homogeneous Nanoparticle Layers: A Better Alternative to Chemical Bath Deposition and Atomic Layer Deposition

PubMed Central

Liao, Yu-Kuang; Liu, Yung-Tsung; Hsieh, Dan-Hua; Shen, Tien-Lin; Hsieh, Ming-Yang; Tzou, An-Jye; Chen, Shih-Chen; Tsai, Yu-Lin; Lin, Wei-Sheng; Chan, Sheng-Wen; Shen, Yen-Ping; Cheng, Shun-Jen; Chen, Chyong-Hua; Wu, Kaung-Hsiung; Chen, Hao-Ming; Kuo, Shou-Yi; Charlton, Martin D. B.; Hsieh, Tung-Po; Kuo, Hao-Chung

2017-01-01

Most thin-film techniques require a multiple vacuum process, and cannot produce high-coverage continuous thin films with the thickness of a few nanometers on rough surfaces. We present a new ”paradigm shift” non-vacuum process to deposit high-quality, ultra-thin, single-crystal layers of coalesced sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) with controllable thickness down to a few nanometers, based on thermal decomposition. This provides high-coverage, homogeneous thickness, and large-area deposition over a rough surface, with little material loss or liquid chemical waste, and deposition rates of 10 nm/min. This technique can potentially replace conventional thin-film deposition methods, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical bath deposition (CBD) as used by the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin-film solar cell industry for decades. We demonstrate 32% improvement of CIGS thin-film solar cell efficiency in comparison to reference devices prepared by conventional CBD deposition method by depositing the ZnS NPs buffer layer using the new process. The new ZnS NPs layer allows reduction of an intrinsic ZnO layer, which can lead to severe shunt leakage in case of a CBD buffer layer. This leads to a 65% relative efficiency increase. PMID:28383488

Wafer-scale growth of highly textured piezoelectric thin films by pulsed laser deposition for micro-scale sensors and actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, M. D.; Tiggelaar, R.; Aukes, T.; Rijnders, G.; Roelof, G.

2017-11-01

Piezoelectric lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) thin films were deposited on 4-inch (111)Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si(001) wafers using large-area pulsed laser deposition (PLD). This study was focused on the homogeneity in film thickness, microstructure, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of PZT thin films. The results indicated that the highly textured (001)-oriented PZT thin films with wafer-scale thickness homogeneity (990 nm ± 0.8%) were obtained. The films were fabricated into piezoelectric cantilevers through a MEMS microfabrication process. The measured longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d 33f = 210 pm/V ± 1.6%) and piezoelectric transverse coefficient (e 31f = -18.8 C/m2 ± 2.8%) were high and homogeneity across wafers. The high piezoelectric properties on Si wafers will extend industrial application of PZT thin films and further development of piezoMEMS.

Effect of La and W dopants on dielectric and ferroelectric properties of PZT thin films prepared by sol-gel process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Mi; Zhang, Zebin; Zhang, Weikang; Zhang, Ping

2018-01-01

La or W-doped lead zirconate titanate thin films (PLZT or PZTW) were prepared on platinized silicon substrates by sol-gel process. The effects of La or W dopant on the phase development, microstructure, dielectric and ferroelectric characteristics of films were studied. For PLZT films, the optimum doping concentration was found to be 2 mol%. While for PZTW films, the dielectric and ferroelectric properties were found to be improved as the doping concentration increased. The fatigue properties of PLZT and PZTW thin films were also investigated, the results showed that A- or B-site donor doping could improve the fatigue properties of PZT thin films. The theory of oxygen vacancy was used to explain the performance improvement caused by donor doping.

Layer-by-layer deposition of nanostructured CsPbBr3 perovskite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reshetnikova, A. A.; Matyushkin, L. B.; Andronov, A. A.; Sokolov, V. S.; Aleksandrova, O. A.; Moshnikov, V. A.

2017-11-01

Layer-by-layer deposition of nanostructured perovskites cesium lead halide thin films is described. The method of deposition is based on alternate immersion of the substrate in the precursor solutions or colloidal solution of nanocrystals and methyl acetate/lead nitrate solution using the device for deposition of films by SILAR and dip-coating techniques. An example of obtaining a photosensitive structure based on nanostructures of ZnO nanowires and layers of CsBbBr3 nanocrystals is also shown.

Electrical and optical properties of sol-gel derived La modified PbTiO 3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chopra, Sonalee; Sharma, Seema; Goel, T. C.; Mendiratta, R. G.

2004-09-01

Lanthanum modified lead titanate (Pb 1- xLa xTi 1- x/4 O 3) PLT x ( x=0.08 i.e. PLT8) sol-gel derived thin films have been prepared on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass and quartz substrates using lead acetate trihydrate, lanthanum acetate hydrate and titanium isopropoxide as precursors along with 2-methoxyethanol as solvent and acetic acid as catalyst by spin coating method. The microstructure and surface morphology of the films annealed at 650 °C have been studied by X-ray diffraction technique and atomic force microscope (AFM). XRD has shown a single phase with tetragonal structure and AFM images have confirmed a smooth and crack-free surface with low surface roughness. The dependence of leakage current on applied voltage show ohmic behavior at low field region with a space charge conduction mechanism at high fields. The wavelength dispersion curve of thin films obtained from the transmission spectrum of thin films show that the films have high optical transparency in the visible region.

Optical, electrical, and photovoltaic properties of PbS thin films by anionic and cationic dopants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheraghizade, Mohsen; Jamali-Sheini, Farid; Yousefi, Ramin

2017-06-01

Lead sulfide (PbS) thin films were deposited by CVD method to examine the effects of anionic and cationic dopants on optical and electrical properties for photovoltaic applications. XRD diffractograms verified the formation of cubic phase of multicrystalline PbS thin films. FESEM images showed surface morphologies in nano-dimensions (rods and flowers). UV-Vis-NIR spectrum revealed absorbance in the visible and NIR regions for all samples, in which dopants decreased the intensity of absorbance. Se as an anionic dopant for PbS thin films increased electrical resistance, acceptor concentrations, and crystallite defects, and decreased flat-band voltage and depletion width. Finally, photovoltaic measurements indicated that Zn-doped PbS thin film, as a photovoltaic cell, exhibited higher conversion efficiency and external quantum efficiency (EQE).

Subtractive fabrication of ferroelectric thin films with precisely controlled thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ievlev, Anton V.; Chyasnavichyus, Marius; Leonard, Donovan N.; Agar, Joshua C.; Velarde, Gabriel A.; Martin, Lane W.; Kalinin, Sergei V.; Maksymovych, Petro; Ovchinnikova, Olga S.

2018-04-01

The ability to control thin-film growth has led to advances in our understanding of fundamental physics as well as to the emergence of novel technologies. However, common thin-film growth techniques introduce a number of limitations related to the concentration of defects on film interfaces and surfaces that limit the scope of systems that can be produced and studied experimentally. Here, we developed an ion-beam based subtractive fabrication process that enables creation and modification of thin films with pre-defined thicknesses. To accomplish this we transformed a multimodal imaging platform that combines time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry with atomic force microscopy to a unique fabrication tool that allows for precise sputtering of the nanometer-thin layers of material. To demonstrate fabrication of thin-films with in situ feedback and control on film thickness and functionality we systematically studied thickness dependence of ferroelectric switching of lead-zirconate-titanate, within a single epitaxial film. Our results demonstrate that through a subtractive film fabrication process we can control the piezoelectric response as a function of film thickness as well as improve on the overall piezoelectric response versus an untreated film.

Subtractive fabrication of ferroelectric thin films with precisely controlled thickness.

PubMed

Ievlev, Anton V; Chyasnavichyus, Marius; Leonard, Donovan N; Agar, Joshua C; Velarde, Gabriel A; Martin, Lane W; Kalinin, Sergei V; Maksymovych, Petro; Ovchinnikova, Olga S

2018-04-02

The ability to control thin-film growth has led to advances in our understanding of fundamental physics as well as to the emergence of novel technologies. However, common thin-film growth techniques introduce a number of limitations related to the concentration of defects on film interfaces and surfaces that limit the scope of systems that can be produced and studied experimentally. Here, we developed an ion-beam based subtractive fabrication process that enables creation and modification of thin films with pre-defined thicknesses. To accomplish this we transformed a multimodal imaging platform that combines time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry with atomic force microscopy to a unique fabrication tool that allows for precise sputtering of the nanometer-thin layers of material. To demonstrate fabrication of thin-films with in situ feedback and control on film thickness and functionality we systematically studied thickness dependence of ferroelectric switching of lead-zirconate-titanate, within a single epitaxial film. Our results demonstrate that through a subtractive film fabrication process we can control the piezoelectric response as a function of film thickness as well as improve on the overall piezoelectric response versus an untreated film.

Subtractive fabrication of ferroelectric thin films with precisely controlled thickness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ievlev, Anton; Chyasnavichyus, Marius; Leonard, Donovan N.

The ability to control thin-film growth has led to advances in our understanding of fundamental physics as well as to the emergence of novel technologies. However, common thin-film growth techniques introduce a number of limitations related to the concentration of defects on film interfaces and surfaces that limit the scope of systems that can be produced and studied experimentally. Here, we developed an ion-beam based subtractive fabrication process that enables creation and modification of thin films with pre-defined thicknesses. To accomplish this we transformed a multimodal imaging platform that combines time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry with atomic force microscopy tomore » a unique fabrication tool that allows for precise sputtering of the nanometer-thin layers of material. To demonstrate fabrication of thin-films with in situ feedback and control on film thickness and functionality we systematically studied thickness dependence of ferroelectric switching of lead-zirconate-titanate, within a single epitaxial film. Lastly, our results demonstrate that through a subtractive film fabrication process we can control the piezoelectric response as a function of film thickness as well as improve on the overall piezoelectric response versus an untreated film.« less

Subtractive fabrication of ferroelectric thin films with precisely controlled thickness

DOE PAGES

Ievlev, Anton; Chyasnavichyus, Marius; Leonard, Donovan N.; ...

2018-02-22

The ability to control thin-film growth has led to advances in our understanding of fundamental physics as well as to the emergence of novel technologies. However, common thin-film growth techniques introduce a number of limitations related to the concentration of defects on film interfaces and surfaces that limit the scope of systems that can be produced and studied experimentally. Here, we developed an ion-beam based subtractive fabrication process that enables creation and modification of thin films with pre-defined thicknesses. To accomplish this we transformed a multimodal imaging platform that combines time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry with atomic force microscopy tomore » a unique fabrication tool that allows for precise sputtering of the nanometer-thin layers of material. To demonstrate fabrication of thin-films with in situ feedback and control on film thickness and functionality we systematically studied thickness dependence of ferroelectric switching of lead-zirconate-titanate, within a single epitaxial film. Lastly, our results demonstrate that through a subtractive film fabrication process we can control the piezoelectric response as a function of film thickness as well as improve on the overall piezoelectric response versus an untreated film.« less

Microstructure of epitaxial ferroelectric/metal oxide electrode thin film heterostructures on LaAlO{sub 3} and silicon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghonge, S.G.; Goo, E.; Ramesh, R.

1994-12-31

TEM and X-ray diffraction studies of PZT, PLZT, lead titanate and bismuth titanate ferroelectric thin films and YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}x}(YBCO), Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub 8}(BSCCO) and La{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}CoO{sub 3}(LSCO) electrically conductive oxide thin films, that are sequentially deposited by pulsed laser ablation, show that these films may be deposited epitaxially onto LaAlO{sub 3}(LAO) or Si substrates. The conductive oxides are promising candidates for use is electrodes in place of metal electrodes in integrated ferroelectric device applications. The oxide electrodes are more chemically compatible with the ferroelectric films. High resolution electron microscopy his been used to investigate the interfacemore » between the ferroelectric and metal oxide thin films and no reaction was detected. Epitaxial growth is possible due to the similar crystal structures and the small lattice mismatch. The lattice mismatch that is present causes the domains in the ferroelectric films to be preferentially oriented and in the case of lead titanate, the film is single domain. These films may also have potential applications in integrated optical devices.« less

Understanding charge transport in lead iodide perovskite thin-film field-effect transistors

PubMed Central

Senanayak, Satyaprasad P.; Yang, Bingyan; Thomas, Tudor H.; Giesbrecht, Nadja; Huang, Wenchao; Gann, Eliot; Nair, Bhaskaran; Goedel, Karl; Guha, Suchi; Moya, Xavier; McNeill, Christopher R.; Docampo, Pablo; Sadhanala, Aditya; Friend, Richard H.; Sirringhaus, Henning

2017-01-01

Fundamental understanding of the charge transport physics of hybrid lead halide perovskite semiconductors is important for advancing their use in high-performance optoelectronics. We use field-effect transistors (FETs) to probe the charge transport mechanism in thin films of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3). We show that through optimization of thin-film microstructure and source-drain contact modifications, it is possible to significantly minimize instability and hysteresis in FET characteristics and demonstrate an electron field-effect mobility (μFET) of 0.5 cm2/Vs at room temperature. Temperature-dependent transport studies revealed a negative coefficient of mobility with three different temperature regimes. On the basis of electrical and spectroscopic studies, we attribute the three different regimes to transport limited by ion migration due to point defects associated with grain boundaries, polarization disorder of the MA+ cations, and thermal vibrations of the lead halide inorganic cages. PMID:28138550

Carbon Nanotube Thin-Film Antennas.

PubMed

Puchades, Ivan; Rossi, Jamie E; Cress, Cory D; Naglich, Eric; Landi, Brian J

2016-08-17

Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) dipole antennas have been successfully designed, fabricated, and tested. Antennas of varying lengths were fabricated using flexible bulk MWCNT sheet material and evaluated to confirm the validity of a full-wave antenna design equation. The ∼20× improvement in electrical conductivity provided by chemically doped SWCNT thin films over MWCNT sheets presents an opportunity for the fabrication of thin-film antennas, leading to potentially simplified system integration and optical transparency. The resonance characteristics of a fabricated chlorosulfonic acid-doped SWCNT thin-film antenna demonstrate the feasibility of the technology and indicate that when the sheet resistance of the thin film is >40 ohm/sq no power is absorbed by the antenna and that a sheet resistance of <10 ohm/sq is needed to achieve a 10 dB return loss in the unbalanced antenna. The dependence of the return loss performance on the SWCNT sheet resistance is consistent with unbalanced metal, metal oxide, and other CNT-based thin-film antennas, and it provides a framework for which other thin-film antennas can be designed.

A fatigue test method for Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films by using MEMS-based self-sensitive piezoelectric microcantilevers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, T.; Maeda, R.; Itoh, T.

2008-11-01

In the present study, we propose a new method for the fatigue test of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films for MEMS devices by using self-sensitive piezoelectric microcantilevers developed in our previous study. We have deposited PZT thin films on SOI wafers and fabricated the microcantilevers through the MEMS microfabrication process. In the self-sensitive piezoelectric microcantilevers, the PZT thin films are separated in order to act as an actuator and a sensor. The fatigue characteristic of the PZT thin films can be evaluated by measuring the output voltage of the sensor as a function of time. When a sine wave of 20 Vpp and a dc bias of 10 V were applied to the PZT thin films for an actuator, the output voltage of the sensor fell down after 107 fatigue cycles. We have also investigated the influence of amplitude of the actuation sine wave and dc bias on the fatigue of the PZT thin films by using the proposed fatigue test method.

Structural studies of zirconium doped Ba{sub 0.70}Sr{sub 0.30}TiO{sub 3} lead free ferroelectric thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharma, Sarita, E-mail: sss.sharmasarita@gmail.com; Ram, Mast; Thakur, Shilpa

2016-05-06

Ba{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}(Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1-x})O{sub 3}(BSZT, x=0,0.05,0.10,0.15,0.20) thin films were prepared by using sol gel method. Structural and microstructural properties were studied by using XRD, Raman Spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) respectively. XRD and Raman Spectroscopy show the presence of tetragonal phase in multilayer BSZT thin film. The experimental results demonstrate that structural and microstructural properties of BSZT thin film were significantly dependent on variation of Zr content.

Heat flux sensor research and development: The cool film calorimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abtahi, A.; Dean, P.

1990-01-01

The goal was to meet the measurement requirement of the NASP program for a gauge capable of measuring heat flux into a 'typical' structure in a 'typical' hypersonic flight environment. A device is conceptually described that has fast response times and is small enough to fit in leading edge or cowl lip structures. The device relies heavily on thin film technology. The main conclusion is the description of the limitations of thin film technology both in the art of fabrication and in the assumption that thin films have the same material properties as the original bulk material. Three gauges were designed and fabricated. Thin film deposition processes were evaluated. The effect of different thin film materials on the performance and fabrication of the gauge was studied. The gauges were tested in an arcjet facility. Survivability and accuracy were determined under various hostile environment conditions.

Guest-Induced Two-Way Structural Transformation in a Layered Metal-Organic Framework Thin Film.

PubMed

Haraguchi, Tomoyuki; Otsubo, Kazuya; Sakata, Osami; Fujiwara, Akihiko; Kitagawa, Hiroshi

2016-12-28

Fabrication of thin films made of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been intensively pursued for practical applications that use the structural response of MOFs. However, to date, only physisorption-induced structural response has been studied in these films. Chemisorption can be expected to provide a remarkable structural response because of the formation of bonds between guest molecules and reactive metal sites in host MOFs. Here, we report that chemisorption-induced two-way structural transformation in a nanometer-sized MOF thin film. We prepared a two-dimensional layered-type MOF Fe[Pt(CN) 4 ] thin film using a step-by-step approach. Although the as-synthesized film showed poor crystallinity, the dehydrated form of this thin film had a highly oriented crystalline nature (Film-D) as confirmed by synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD). Surprisingly, under water and pyridine vapors, Film-D showed chemisorption-induced dynamic structural transformations to Fe(L) 2 [Pt(CN) 4 ] thin films [L = H 2 O (Film-H), pyridine (Film-P)], where water and pyridine coordinated to the open Fe 2+ site. Dynamic structural transformations were also confirmed by in situ XRD, sorption measurement, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy. This is the first report of chemisorption-induced dynamic structural response in a MOF thin film, and it provides useful insights, which would lead to future practical applications of MOFs utilizing chemisorption-induced structural responses.

Study on the growth mechanism and optical properties of sputtered lead selenide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xigui; Gao, Kewei; Pang, Xiaolu; Yang, Huisheng; Volinsky, Alex A.

2015-11-01

Lead selenide thin films with different microstructure were deposited on Si (1 0 0) substrates using magnetron sputtering at 50 °C, 150 °C and 250 °C, respectively. The crystal structure of the sputtered PbSe thin films varies from amorphous crystalline to columnar grain, and then to double-layer (nano-crystalline layer and columnar grain layer) structure as the deposition temperature increases, which is due to the dominating growth mode of the thin films changes from Frank-van der Merwe (or layer-by-layer) growth mode at 50 °C to Volmer-Weber (or 3D island) growth mode at 150 °C, and then to Stranski-Krastanow (or 3D island-on-wetting-layer) growth mode at 250 °C. The growth mechanism of the sputtered PbSe thin films is mainly dominated by the surface and strain energy contributions. Moreover, the strain energy contribution is more prominent when the deposition temperature is less than 180 °C, while, the surface energy contribution is more prominent when the deposition temperature is higher than 180 °C. The absorption spectra of the sputtered PbSe thin films are in 3.1-5 μm range. Besides, the sputtered PbSe thin film prepared at 250 °C has two different optical band gaps due to its unique double-layer structure. According to the theoretical calculation results, the variation of the band gap with the deposition temperature is determined by the shift of the valence band maximum with the lattice constant.

A study of the microstructure and optical properties of thin lead-dielectric cermet films. Ph.D. Thesis - Va. Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owen, R. B.

1972-01-01

A transmission electron microscopy study involving direct and replicating techniques is directed to a definition of the microstructure of radio frequency-sputtered, thin lead-dielectric cermet films. Once defined, this microstructure is used to obtain theoretical film refractive indices. The Maxwell Garnett theory provides a basis for the theoretical results. Measurements of film transmission and reflectivity are used to obtain rough experimental values for film refractive indices by the Tekucheva method. More exact values are obtained via ellipsometry. The rough Tekucheva values are used to determine the range over which computer calculations interpreting the ellipsometric results must be made. This technique yields accurate values for the film refractive indices.

BiFeO3-doped (K0.5,Na0.5)(Mn0.005,Nb0.995)O3 ferroelectric thin film capacitors for high energy density storage applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Won, Sung Sik; Kawahara, Masami; Kuhn, Lindsay; Venugopal, Vineeth; Kwak, Jiyeon; Kim, Ill Won; Kingon, Angus I.; Kim, Seung-Hyun

2017-04-01

Environmentally benign lead-free ferroelectric (K0.5,Na0.5)(Mn0.005,Nb0.995)O3 (KNMN) thin film capacitors with a small concentration of a BiFeO3 (BF) dopant were prepared by a cost effective chemical solution deposition method for high energy density storage device applications. 6 mol. % BF-doped KNMN thin films showed very slim hysteresis loops with high maximum and near-zero remanent polarization values due to a phase transition from the orthorhombic structure to the pseudo-cubic structure. Increasing the electric field up to 2 MV/cm, the total energy storage density (Jtotal), the effective recoverable energy density (Jeff), and the energy conversion efficiency (η) of lead-free KNMN-BF thin film capacitors were 31.0 J/cm3, 28.0 J/cm3, and 90.3%, respectively. In addition, these thin film capacitors exhibited a fast discharge time of a few μs and a high temperature stability up to 200 °C, proving their strong potential for high energy density storage and conversion applications.

Fabrication of a Quartz-Crystal-Microbalance/Optical-Waveguide Hybrid Sensor and In situ Evaluation of Vacuum-Evaporated Lead Phthalocyanine Thin Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinbo, Kazunari; Uno, Akihiro; Hirakawa, Ryo; Baba, Akira; Ohdaira, Yasuo; Kato, Keizo; Kaneko, Futao

2013-05-01

In this study, we fabricated a novel quartz-crystal-microbalance (QCM)/optical-waveguide hybrid sensor. An in situ observation of a lead phthalocyanine (PbPc) thin-film deposition was conducted during vacuum evaporation, and the effectiveness of the sensor was demonstrated. The film thickness was obtained from the QCM frequency, and the optical absorption of the film was observed by optical waveguide spectroscopy using part of the QCM substrate without the electrode. The film absorption depends on the polarization direction, substrate temperature and deposition rate, owing to aggregate formation. The thickness dependence of the absorption property was also investigated.

Enhanced magnetic and thermoelectric properties in epitaxial polycrystalline SrRuO3 thin films.

PubMed

Woo, Sungmin; Lee, Sang A; Mun, Hyeona; Choi, Young Gwan; Zhung, Chan June; Shin, Soohyeon; Lacotte, Morgane; David, Adrian; Prellier, Wilfrid; Park, Tuson; Kang, Won Nam; Lee, Jong Seok; Kim, Sung Wng; Choi, Woo Seok

2018-03-01

Transition metal oxide thin films show versatile electric, magnetic, and thermal properties which can be tailored by deliberately introducing macroscopic grain boundaries via polycrystalline solids. In this study, we focus on the modification of magnetic and thermal transport properties by fabricating single- and polycrystalline epitaxial SrRuO 3 thin films using pulsed laser epitaxy. Using the epitaxial stabilization technique with an atomically flat polycrystalline SrTiO 3 substrate, an epitaxial polycrystalline SrRuO 3 thin film with the crystalline quality of each grain comparable to that of its single-crystalline counterpart is realized. In particular, alleviated compressive strain near the grain boundaries due to coalescence is evidenced structurally, which induced the enhancement of ferromagnetic ordering of the polycrystalline epitaxial thin film. The structural variations associated with the grain boundaries further reduce the thermal conductivity without deteriorating the electronic transport, and lead to an enhanced thermoelectric efficiency in the epitaxial polycrystalline thin films, compared with their single-crystalline counterpart.

SnS2 Thin Film Deposition by Spray Pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaber, Abdallah Yahia; Alamri, Saleh Noaiman; Aida, Mohammed Salah

2012-06-01

Tin disulfide (SnS2) thin films have been synthesized using a simplified spray pyrolysis technique using a perfume atomizer. The films were deposited using two different solutions prepared by the dilution of SnCl2 and thiourea in distilled water and in methanol. The obtained films have a microcrystalline structure. The film deposited using methanol as the solvent is nearly stochiometric SnS2 with a spinel phase having a (001) preferential orientation. The film prepared with an aqueous solution is Sn-rich. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) images reveal that the film deposited with the aqueous solution is rough and is formed with large wires. However, the film deposited with methanol is dense and smooth. Conductivity measurements indicate that the aqueous solution leads to an n-type semiconductor, while methanol leads to a p-type semiconductor.

Development of Thin Film Thermocouples on Ceramic Materials for Advanced Propulsion System Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holanda, R.

1992-01-01

Thin film thermocouples have been developed for use on metal parts in jet engines to 1000 c. However, advanced propulsion systems are being developed that will use ceramic materials and reach higher temperatures. The purpose of this work is to develop thin film thermocouples for use on ceramic materials. The new thin film thermocouples are Pt13Rh/Pt fabricated by the sputtering process. Lead wires are attached using the parallel-gap welding process. The ceramic materials tested are silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and mullite. Both steady state and thermal cycling furnace tests were performed in the temperature range to 1500 C. High-heating-rate tests were performed in an arc lamp heat-flux-calibration facility. The fabrication of the thin film thermocouples is described. The thin film thermocouple output was compared to a reference wire thermocouple. Drift of the thin film thermocouples was determined, and causes of drift are discussed. The results of high heating rate tests up to 2500 C/sec are presented. The stability of the ceramic materials is examined. It is concluded that Pt13Rh/Pt thin film thermocouples are capable of meeting lifetime goals of 50 hours or more up to temperature of 1500 C depending on the stability of the particular ceramic substrate.

Thin film thermocouples for high temperature measurement on ceramic materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holanda, Raymond

1992-01-01

Thin film thermocouples have been developed for use on metal parts in jet engines to 1000 C. However, advanced propulsion systems are being developed that will use ceramic materials and reach higher temperatures. The purpose of this work is to develop thin film thermocouples for use on ceramic materials. The thin film thermocouples are Pt13Rh/Pt fabricated by the sputtering process. Lead wires are attached using the parallel-gap welding process. The ceramic materials are silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and mullite. Both steady state and thermal cycling furnace tests were performed in the temperature range to 1500 C. High-heating-rate tests were performed in an arc lamp heat-flux-calibration facility. The fabrication of the thin film thermocouples is described. The thin film thermocouple output was compared to a reference wire thermocouple. Drift of the thin film thermocouples was determined, and causes of drift are discussed. The results of high-heating-rate tests up to 2500 C/sec are presented. The stability of the ceramic materials is examined. It is concluded that Pt13Rh/Pt thin film thermocouples are capable of meeting lifetime goals of 50 hours or more up to temperatures of 1500 C depending on the stability of the particular ceramic substrate.

Development of thin film thermocouples on ceramic materials for advanced propulsion system applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holanda, Raymond

1993-01-01

Thin film thermocouples were developed for use on metal parts in jet engines to 1000 C. However, advanced propulsion systems are being developed that will use ceramic materials and reach higher temperatures. The purpose is to develop thin film thermocouples for use on ceramic materials. The new thin film thermocouples are Pt13Rh/Pt fabricated by the sputtering process. Lead wires are attached using the parallel-gap welding process. The ceramic materials tested are silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and mullite. Both steady state and thermal cycling furnace tests were performed in the temperature range to 1500 C. High-heating-rate tests were performed in an arc lamp heat-flux-calibration facility. The fabrication of the thin film thermocouples is described. The thin film thermocouple output was compared to a reference wire thermocouple. Drift of the thin film thermocouples was determined, and causes of drift are discussed. The results of high heating rate tests up to 2500 C/sec are presented. The stability of the ceramic materials is examined. It is concluded that Pt13Rh/Pt thin film thermocouples are capable of meeting lifetime goals of 50 hr or more up to temperatures of 1500 C depending on the stability of the particular ceramic substrate.

Metal-insulator transition in tin doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films: Quantum correction to the electrical conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaushik, Deepak Kumar; Kumar, K. Uday; Subrahmanyam, A.

2017-01-01

Tin doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films are being used extensively as transparent conductors in several applications. In the present communication, we report the electrical transport in DC magnetron sputtered ITO thin films (prepared at 300 K and subsequently annealed at 673 K in vacuum for 60 minutes) in low temperatures (25-300 K). The low temperature Hall effect and resistivity measurements reveal that the ITO thin films are moderately dis-ordered (kFl˜1; kF is the Fermi wave vector and l is the electron mean free path) and degenerate semiconductors. The transport of charge carriers (electrons) in these disordered ITO thin films takes place via the de-localized states. The disorder effects lead to the well-known `metal-insulator transition' (MIT) which is observed at 110 K in these ITO thin films. The MIT in ITO thin films is explained by the quantum correction to the conductivity (QCC); this approach is based on the inclusion of quantum-mechanical interference effects in Boltzmann's expression of the conductivity of the disordered systems. The insulating behaviour observed in ITO thin films below the MIT temperature is attributed to the combined effect of the weak localization and the electron-electron interactions.

Thermal conductivity model for nanoporous thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Congliang; Zhao, Xinpeng; Regner, Keith; Yang, Ronggui

2018-03-01

Nanoporous thin films have attracted great interest because of their extremely low thermal conductivity and potential applications in thin thermal insulators and thermoelectrics. Although there are some numerical and experimental studies about the thermal conductivity of nanoporous thin films, a simplified model is still needed to provide a straightforward prediction. In this paper, by including the phonon scattering lifetimes due to film thickness boundary scattering, nanopore scattering and the frequency-dependent intrinsic phonon-phonon scattering, a fitting-parameter-free model based on the kinetic theory of phonon transport is developed to predict both the in-plane and the cross-plane thermal conductivities of nanoporous thin films. With input parameters such as the lattice constants, thermal conductivity, and the group velocity of acoustic phonons of bulk silicon, our model shows a good agreement with available experimental and numerical results of nanoporous silicon thin films. It illustrates that the size effect of film thickness boundary scattering not only depends on the film thickness but also on the size of nanopores, and a larger nanopore leads to a stronger size effect of the film thickness. Our model also reveals that there are different optimal structures for getting the lowest in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities.

Effect of ultraviolet light on fatigue of lead zirconate titanate thin-film capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Esayan, S.; Safari, A.; Ramesh, R.

1994-07-01

Fatigue of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin-film capacitors was studied under UV light (He-Cd laser, λ=325 nm). The remanent polarization of the PZT film capacitors increased upon light illumination. Fatigue resistance was also improved under UV light. During fatigue test, the change in polarization of PZT films upon UV light illumination increased gradually with cycling. These results were examined within the framework of the polarization screening model, which is suggested as an essential process for fatigue. This leads to a conclusion that more charged defects are involved in the fatigue process through internal screening of polarization.

The in situ synthesis of PbS nanocrystals from lead(II) n-octylxanthate within a 1,3-diisopropenylbenzene–bisphenol A dimethacrylate sulfur copolymer

PubMed Central

Bear, J. C.; Mayes, A. G.; Parkin, I. P.; O'Brien, P.

2017-01-01

The synthesis of lead sulfide nanocrystals within a solution processable sulfur ‘inverse vulcanization’ polymer thin film matrix was achieved from the in situ thermal decomposition of lead(II) n-octylxanthate, [Pb(S2COOct)2]. The growth of nanocrystals within polymer thin films from single-source precursors offers a faster route to networks of nanocrystals within polymers when compared with ex situ routes. The ‘inverse vulcanization’ sulfur polymer described herein contains a hybrid linker system which demonstrates high solubility in organic solvents, allowing solution processing of the sulfur-based polymer, ideal for the formation of thin films. The process of nanocrystal synthesis within sulfur films was optimized by observing nanocrystal formation by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Examination of the film morphology by scanning electron microscopy showed that beyond a certain precursor concentration the nanocrystals formed were not only within the film but also on the surface suggesting a loading limit within the polymer. We envisage this material could be used as the basis of a new generation of materials where solution processed sulfur polymers act as an alternative to traditional polymers. PMID:28878986

Structurally colored biopolymer thin films for detection of dissolved metal ions in aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cathell, Matthew David

Natural polymers, such as the polysaccharides alginate and chitosan, are noted sorbents of heavy metals. Their polymer backbone structures are rich in ligands that can interact with metal ions through chelation, electrostatics, ion exchange and nonspecific mechanisms. These water-soluble biopolymer materials can be processed into hydrogel thin films, creating high surface area interfaces ideal for binding and sequestering metal ions from solution. By virtue of their uniform nanoscale dimensions (with thicknesses smaller than wavelengths of visible light) polymer thin films exhibit structure-based coloration. This phenomenon, frequently observed in nature, causes the transparent and essentially colorless films to reflect light in a wide array of colors. The lamellar film structures act as one-dimensional photonic crystals, allowing selective reflection of certain wavelengths of light while minimizing other wavelengths by out-of-phase interference. The combination of metal-binding and reflective properties make alginate and chitosan thin films attractive candidates for analyte sensing. Interactions with metal ions can induce changes in film thicknesses and refractive indices, thus altering the path of light reflected through the film. Small changes in dimensional or optical properties can lead to shifts in film color that are perceivable by the unaided eye. These thin films offer the potential for optical sensing of toxic dissolved materials without the need for instrumentation, external power or scientific expertise. With the use of a spectroscopic ellipsometer and a fiber optic reflectance spectrometer, the physical and optical characteristics of biopolymer thin films have been characterized in response to 50 ppm metal ion solutions. It has been determined that metal interactions can lead to measurable changes in both film thicknesses and effective refractive indices. The intrinsic response behaviors of alginate and chitosan, as well as the responses of modified derivatives of these materials, have been investigated. It has been found that the natural metal selectivity of biopolymer films can be tuned and refined by adjusting the ligand environment through backbone modification. Other investigations have also been undertaken, including in situ monitoring of biopolymer---metal interactions and quantification of thin film metal-binding capacities.

Effect of dead layer and strain on diffuse phase transition of PLZT relaxor thin films.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tong, S.; Narayanan, M.; Ma, B.

2011-02-01

Bulk relaxor ferroelectrics exhibit excellent permittivity compared to their thin film counterpart, although both show diffuse phase transition (DPT) behavior unlike normal ferroelectrics. To better understand the effect of dead layer and strain on the observed anomaly in the dielectric properties, we have developed relaxor PLZT (lead lanthanum zirconate titanate) thin films with different thicknesses and measured their dielectric properties as a function of temperature and frequency. The effect of dead layer on thin film permittivity has been found to be independent of temperature and frequency, and is governed by the Schottky barrier between the platinum electrode and PLZT. Themore » total strain (thermal and intrinsic) in the film majorly determines the broadening, dielectric peak and temperature shift in the relaxor ferroelectric. The Curie-Weiss type law for relaxors has been further modified to incorporate these two effects to accurately predict the DPT behavior of thin film and bulk relaxor ferroelectrics. The dielectric behavior of thin film is predicted by using the bulk dielectric data from literature in the proposed equation, which agree well with the measured dielectric behavior.« less

Thin film temperature sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, H. P.; Przybyszewski, J. S.

1980-01-01

Thin film surface temperature sensors were developed. The sensors were made of platinum-platinum/10 percent rhodium thermocouples with associated thin film-to-lead wire connections and sputtered on aluminum oxide coated simulated turbine blades for testing. Tests included exposure to vibration, low velocity hydrocarbon hot gas flow to 1250 K, and furnace calibrations. Thermal electromotive force was typically two percent below standard type S thermocouples. Mean time to failure was 42 hours at a hot gas flow temperature of 1250 K and an average of 15 cycles to room temperature. Failures were mainly due to separation of the platinum thin film from the aluminum oxide surface. Several techniques to improve the adhesion of the platinum are discussed.

Space-charge limited current in CdTe thin film solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qiang; Shen, Kai; Li, Xun; Yang, Ruilong; Deng, Yi; Wang, Deliang

2018-04-01

In this study, we demonstrate that space-charge limited current (SCLC) is an intrinsic current shunting leakage in CdTe thin film solar cells. The SCLC leakage channel, which is formed by contact between the front electrode, CdTe, and the back electrode, acts as a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) like transport path. The presence of SCLC leaking microchannels in CdTe leads to a band bending at the MSM structure, which enhances minority carrier recombination and thus decreases the minority carrier lifetime in CdTe thin film solar cells. SCLC was found to be a limiting factor both for the fill factor and the open-circuit voltage of CdTe thin film solar cells.

The order-to-disorder transition behavior of PS-b-P2VP thin film system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Hyungju; Ryu, Du

2013-03-01

We investigated the transition behavior such as the order-to-disorder transition (ODT) for symmetric poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinly pridine) (PS-b-P2VP) using SAXS and GISAXS for block copolymer bulks and films. The bulk transition temperature of PS-b-P2VP was significantly influenced by the interfacial interactions in thin films, leading to the different transition temperature. From these results, we will discuss about the interfacial interaction effects on the phase behaviors in bulks and thin films system of PS-b-P2VP.

Deposition of thin Si and Ge films by ballistic hot electron reduction in a solution-dripping mode and its application to the growth of thin SiGe films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suda, Ryutaro; Yagi, Mamiko; Kojima, Akira; Mentek, Romain; Mori, Nobuya; Shirakashi, Jun-ichi; Koshida, Nobuyoshi

2015-04-01

To enhance the usefulness of ballistic hot electron injection into solutions for depositing thin group-IV films, a dripping scheme is proposed. A very small amount of SiCl4 or GeCl4 solution was dripped onto the surface of a nanocrystalline Si (nc-Si) electron emitter, and then the emitter is driven without using any counter electrodes. It is shown that thin Si and Ge films are deposited onto the emitting surface. Spectroscopic surface and compositional analyses showed no extrinsic carbon contaminations in deposited thin films, in contrast to the results of a previous study using the dipping scheme. The availability of this technique for depositing thin SiGe films is also demonstrated using a mixture SiCl4+GeCl4 solution. Ballistic hot electrons injected into solutions with appropriate kinetic energies promote preferential reduction of target ions with no by-products leading to nuclei formation for the thin film growth. Specific advantageous features of this clean, room-temperature, and power-effective process is discussed in comparison with the conventional dry and wet processes.

Electric field mediated breakdown of thin liquid films separating microscopic emulsion droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostowfi, Farshid; Khristov, Khristo; Czarnecki, Jan; Masliyah, Jacob; Bhattacharjee, Subir

2007-04-01

The authors present a microfluidic technique for electrically induced breakup of thin films formed between microscopic emulsion droplets. The method involves creating a stationary film at the intersection of two microchannels etched onto a glass substrate. After stabilizing the film, a ramped potential is applied across it. The electrical stresses developed at the film interfaces lead to its rupture above a threshold potential. The potential difference at which the film ruptures assesses the film stability. This approach is employed to demonstrate how surfactant (lecithin) adsorption imparts stability to an ultrathin oil film formed between two water droplets.

Absorbing TiOx thin film enabling laser welding of polyurethane membranes and polyamide fibers

PubMed Central

Amberg, Martin; Haag, Alexander; Storchenegger, Raphael; Rupper, Patrick; Lehmeier, Frederike; Rossi, René M; Hegemann, Dirk

2015-01-01

We report on the optical properties of thin titanium suboxide (TiOx) films for applications in laser transmission welding of polymers. Non-absorbing fibers were coated with TiOx coatings by reactive magnetron sputtering. Plasma process parameters influencing the chemical composition and morphology of the deposited thin films were investigated in order to optimize their absorption properties. Optical absorption spectroscopy showed that the oxygen content of the TiOx coatings is the main parameter influencing the optical absorbance. Overtreatment (high power plasma input) of the fiber surface leads to high surface roughness and loss of mechanical stability of the fiber. The study shows that thin substoichiometric TiOx films enable the welding of very thin polyurethane membranes and polyamide fibers with improved adhesion properties. PMID:27877837

Absorbing TiOx thin film enabling laser welding of polyurethane membranes and polyamide fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amberg, Martin; Haag, Alexander; Storchenegger, Raphael; Rupper, Patrick; Lehmeier, Frederike; Rossi, René M.; Hegemann, Dirk

2015-10-01

We report on the optical properties of thin titanium suboxide (TiOx) films for applications in laser transmission welding of polymers. Non-absorbing fibers were coated with TiOx coatings by reactive magnetron sputtering. Plasma process parameters influencing the chemical composition and morphology of the deposited thin films were investigated in order to optimize their absorption properties. Optical absorption spectroscopy showed that the oxygen content of the TiOx coatings is the main parameter influencing the optical absorbance. Overtreatment (high power plasma input) of the fiber surface leads to high surface roughness and loss of mechanical stability of the fiber. The study shows that thin substoichiometric TiOx films enable the welding of very thin polyurethane membranes and polyamide fibers with improved adhesion properties.

Absorbing TiO x thin film enabling laser welding of polyurethane membranes and polyamide fibers.

PubMed

Amberg, Martin; Haag, Alexander; Storchenegger, Raphael; Rupper, Patrick; Lehmeier, Frederike; Rossi, René M; Hegemann, Dirk

2015-10-01

We report on the optical properties of thin titanium suboxide (TiO x ) films for applications in laser transmission welding of polymers. Non-absorbing fibers were coated with TiO x coatings by reactive magnetron sputtering. Plasma process parameters influencing the chemical composition and morphology of the deposited thin films were investigated in order to optimize their absorption properties. Optical absorption spectroscopy showed that the oxygen content of the TiO x coatings is the main parameter influencing the optical absorbance. Overtreatment (high power plasma input) of the fiber surface leads to high surface roughness and loss of mechanical stability of the fiber. The study shows that thin substoichiometric TiO x films enable the welding of very thin polyurethane membranes and polyamide fibers with improved adhesion properties.

Desorption to Delamination: Dynamics of Detachment in a Colloidal Thin Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varshney, Atul; Sharma, P.; Sane, A.; Ghosh, S.; Bhattacharya, S.

2010-10-01

Colloidal thin films of varying rigidity detaching from a substrate under an electric field induced stress are studied by video microscopy. For soft films, the process of detachment shows single-particle dynamics, analogous to desorption. For rigid films, a collective delamination spanning hundreds of particles occurs. A competition among the rigidity of the film, the interaction with the substrate, and the external stress leads to a correlation length over which the film delaminates at a critical stress. The phenomenon is described as a dynamical transition in a disordered elastic medium.

Effect of oxygen partial pressure and VO2 content on hexagonal WO3 thin films synthesized by pulsed laser deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaushal, Ajay; Kaur, Davinder

2011-06-01

We report on the effect of oxygen partial pressure and vacuum annealing on structural and optical properties of pulsed laser-deposited nanocrystalline WO3 thin films. XRD results show the hexagonal phase of deposited WO3 thin films. The crystallite size was observed to increase with increase in oxygen partial pressure. Vacuum annealing changed the transparent as-deposited WO3 thin film to deep shade of blue color which increases the optical absorption of the film. The origin of this blue color could be due to the presence of oxygen vacancies associated with tungsten ions in lower oxidation states. In addition, the effects of VO2 content on structural, electrochemical, and optical properties of (WO3)1- x (VO2) x nanocomposite thin films have also been systematically investigated. Cyclic voltammogram exhibits a modification with the appearance of an extra cathodic peak for VO2-WO3 thin film electrode with higher VO2 content ( x ≥ 0.2). Increase of VO2 content in (WO3)1- x (VO2) x films leads to red shift in optical band gap.

Structural and electrochemical analysis of chemically synthesized microcubic architectured lead selenide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhat, T. S.; Shinde, A. V.; Devan, R. S.; Teli, A. M.; Ma, Y. R.; Kim, J. H.; Patil, P. S.

2018-01-01

The present work deals with the synthesis of lead selenide (PbSe) thin films by simple and cost-effective chemical bath deposition method with variation in deposition time. The structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of as-deposited thin films were examined using characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. XRD reveals formation of rock salt phase cubic structured PbSe. FE-SEM images show the formation of microcubic structured morphology. The existence of the PbSe is confirmed from the XPS analysis. On the other hand, CV curves show four reaction peaks corresponding to oxidation [PbSe and Pb(OH)2] and reduction (PbO2 and Pb(OH)2) at the surface of PbSe thin films. The PbSe:2 sample deposited for 80 min. shows maximum specific capacitance of 454 ± 5 F g- 1 obtained at 0.25 mA cm- 2 current density. The maximum energy density of 69 Wh kg- 1 was showed by PbSe:2 electrode with a power density of 1077 W kg- 1. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance studies of PbSe:2 thin film show 80 ± 3% cycling stability even after 500 CV cycles. Such results show the importance of microcubic structured PbSe thin film as an anode in supercapacitor devices.

Realization of PbS thin films by reactive evaporation technique for possible opto-electronic applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

A, Abhilash, E-mail: abhiltp@cusat.ac.in; Nair, Aparna S.; S, Rajasree

2015-06-24

Stoichiometric Lead sulphide (PbS) thin films were successfully prepared on glass substrates by reactive evaporation technique. Elemental evaporation of lead and sulphur taken in different sources onto substrates held at temperature of 400±5K employed in the present study. The structural as well as compositional studies compromises compound formation. Electrical transport properties and optical co-efficient were evaluated from appropriate characterization techniques.

Ultrasmooth organic-inorganic perovskite thin-film formation and crystallization for efficient planar heterojunction solar cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Saliba, Michael; Moore, David T; Pathak, Sandeep K; Hörantner, Maximilian T; Stergiopoulos, Thomas; Stranks, Samuel D; Eperon, Giles E; Alexander-Webber, Jack A; Abate, Antonio; Sadhanala, Aditya; Yao, Shuhua; Chen, Yulin; Friend, Richard H; Estroff, Lara A; Wiesner, Ulrich; Snaith, Henry J

2015-01-30

To date, there have been a plethora of reports on different means to fabricate organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite thin films; however, the inorganic starting materials have been limited to halide-based anions. Here we study the role of the anions in the perovskite solution and their influence upon perovskite crystal growth, film formation and device performance. We find that by using a non-halide lead source (lead acetate) instead of lead chloride or iodide, the perovskite crystal growth is much faster, which allows us to obtain ultrasmooth and almost pinhole-free perovskite films by a simple one-step solution coating with only a few minutes annealing. This synthesis leads to improved device performance in planar heterojunction architectures and answers a critical question as to the role of the anion and excess organic component during crystallization. Our work paves the way to tune the crystal growth kinetics by simple chemistry.

High-piezoelectric behavior of c-axis-oriented lead zirconate titanate thin films with composition near the morphotropic phase boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Desheng; Suzuki, Hisao; Ogawa, Takeshi; Ishikawa, Kenji

2002-05-01

The piezoelectric responses of c-axis-oriented Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 (PZT) thin films have been studied by measuring the stress-induced charge with an accurate charge integrator. These measurements reveal that the c-axis-oriented PZT films have high values of d33, which are several times those of ceramic materials. The intrinsic d33 values of poled films are about 680 and 800 pC/N for the c-axis-oriented films on Si and MgO single-crystal substrates, respectively. It shows that the thin-film deposition technique opens an approach for exploring the potential superior properties of PZT near the morphotropic phase boundary.

Altering properties of cerium oxide thin films by Rh doping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ševčíková, Klára, E-mail: klarak.sevcikova@seznam.cz; NIMS Beamline Station at SPring-8, National Institute for Materials Science, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148; Nehasil, Václav, E-mail: nehasil@mbox.troja.mff.cuni.cz

2015-07-15

Highlights: • Thin films of ceria doped by rhodium deposited by RF magnetron sputtering. • Concentration of rhodium has great impact on properties of Rh–CeO{sub x} thin films. • Intensive oxygen migration in films with low concentration of rhodium. • Oxygen migration suppressed in films with high amount of Rh dopants. - Abstract: Ceria containing highly dispersed ions of rhodium is a promising material for catalytic applications. The Rh–CeO{sub x} thin films with different concentrations of rhodium were deposited by RF magnetron sputtering and were studied by soft and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, Temperature programmed reaction and X-ray powder diffractionmore » techniques. The sputtered films consist of rhodium–cerium mixed oxide where cerium exhibits a mixed valency of Ce{sup 4+} and Ce{sup 3+} and rhodium occurs in two oxidation states, Rh{sup 3+} and Rh{sup n+}. We show that the concentration of rhodium has a great influence on the chemical composition, structure and reducibility of the Rh–CeO{sub x} thin films. The films with low concentrations of rhodium are polycrystalline, while the films with higher amount of Rh dopants are amorphous. The morphology of the films strongly influences the mobility of oxygen in the material. Therefore, varying the concentration of rhodium in Rh–CeO{sub x} thin films leads to preparing materials with different properties.« less

Monitoring the thinning dynamics of soap films by phase shift interferometry. The case of perfluoropolyether surfactants.

PubMed

Gambi, Cecilia M C; Vannoni, Maurizio; Sordini, Andrea; Molesini, Giuseppe

2014-02-01

An interferometric method to monitor the thinning process of vertical soap films from a water solution of surfactant materials is reported. Raw data maps of optical path difference introduced by the film are obtained by conventional phase shift interferometry. Off-line re-processing of such raw data taking into account the layered structure of soap films leads to an accurate measurement of the geometrical thickness. As an example of data acquisition and processing, the measuring chain is demonstrated on perfluoropolyether surfactants; the section profile of vertical films is monitored from drawing to black film state, and quantitative data on the dynamics of the thinning process are presented. The interferometric method proves effective to the task, and lends itself to further investigate the physical properties of soap films.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choi, Sungho, E-mail: shochoi@krict.re.kr; Park, Byung-Yoon; Jung, Ha-Kyun

Highlights: {yields} Systematic study of the fluorides doped solution-processed ZnO thin films via the luminescence and electrical behaviors. {yields} Defect-related visible emission bands are affected by annealing ambient and fluoride addition. {yields} Adding lithium fluoride followed by annealing in oxygen ambient leads to a controlled defect density with proper TFT performance. -- Abstract: To develop an efficient channel layer for thin film transistors (TFTs), understanding the defect-related luminescence and electrical property is crucial for solution-processed ZnO thin films. Film growth with the fluorides addition, especially using LiF, followed by the oxygen ambient post-annealing leads to decreased defect-related emission as wellmore » as enhanced switching property. The saturation mobility and current on/off ratio are 0.31 cm{sup 2} V{sup -1} s{sup -1} and 1.04 x 10{sup 3}. Consequently, we can visualize an optimized process condition and characterization method for solution-processed TFT based on the fluorine-doped ZnO film channel layer by considering the overall emission behavior.« less

Commercial aspects of epitaxial thin film growth in outer space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ignatiev, Alex; Chu, C. W.

1988-01-01

A new concept for materials processing in space exploits the ultra vacuum component of space for thin film epitaxial growth. The unique low earth orbit space environment is expected to yield 10 to the -14th torr or better pressures, semiinfinite pumping speeds and large ultra vacuum volume (about 100 cu m) without walls. These space ultra vacuum properties promise major improvement in the quality, unique nature, and the throughput of epitaxially grown materials especially in the area of semiconductors for microelectronics use. For such thin film materials there is expected a very large value added from space ultra vacuum processing, and as a result the application of the epitaxial thin film growth technology to space could lead to major commercial efforts in space.

Mesoporous TiO2 implants for loading high dosage of antibacterial agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Se Woong; Lee, Donghyun; Choi, Yong Suk; Jeon, Hoon Bong; Lee, Chang-Hoon; Moon, Ji-Hoi; Kwon, Il Keun

2014-06-01

We have fabricated mesoporous thin films composed of TiO2 nanoparticles on anodized titanium implant surfaces for loading drugs at high doses. Surface anodization followed by treatment with TiO2 paste leads to the formation of mechanically stable mesoporous thin films with controllable thickness. A series of antibacterial agents (silver nanoparticles, cephalothin, minocycline, and amoxicillin) were loaded into the mesoporous thin films and their antibacterial activities were evaluated against five bacterial species including three oral pathogens. Additionally, two agents (silver nanoparticles and minocycline) were loaded together on the thin film and tested for antibacterial effectiveness. The combination of silver nanoparticles and minocycline was found to display a wide range of effectiveness against all tested bacteria.

Comparison of the Thermal Degradation of Heavily Nb-Doped and Normal PZT Thin Films.

PubMed

Yang, Jeong-Suong; Kang, YunSung; Kang, Inyoung; Lim, SeungMo; Shin, Seung-Joo; Lee, JungWon; Hur, Kang Heon

2017-03-01

The degradation of niobium-doped lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and two types of PZT thin films were investigated. Undoped PZT, two-step PZT, and heavily Nb-doped PZT (PNZT) around the morphotropic phase boundary were in situ deposited under optimum condition by RF-magnetron sputtering. All 2- [Formula: see text]-thick films had dense perovskite columnar grain structure and self-polarized (100) dominant orientation. PZT thin films were deposited on Pt/TiO x bottom electrode on Si wafer, and PNZT thin film was on Ir/TiW electrode with the help of orientation control. Sputtered PZT films formed on microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope and the degradation rates were compared at different temperatures. PNZT showed the best resistance to the thermal degradation, followed by two-step PZT. To clarify the effect of oxygen vacancies on the degradation of the film at high temperature, photoluminescence measurement was conducted, which confirmed that oxygen vacancy rate was the lowest in heavy PNZT. Nb-doping PZT thin films suppressed the oxygen deficit and made high imprint with self-polarization. This defect distribution and high internal field allowed PNZT thin film to make the piezoelectric sensors more stable and reliable at high temperature, such as reflow process of MEMS packaging.

Ferroelectric optical image comparator

DOEpatents

Butler, M.A.; Land, C.E.; Martin, S.J.; Pfeifer, K.B.

1993-11-30

A ferroelectric optical image comparator has a lead lanthanum zirconate titanate thin-film device which is constructed with a semi-transparent or transparent conductive first electrode on one side of the thin film, a conductive metal second electrode on the other side of the thin film, and the second electrode is in contact with a nonconducting substrate. A photoinduced current in the device represents the dot product between a stored image and an image projected onto the first electrode. One-dimensional autocorrelations are performed by measuring this current while displacing the projected image. 7 figures.

All-alkoxide synthesis of strontium-containing metal oxides

DOEpatents

Boyle, Timothy J.

2001-01-01

A method for making strontium-containing metal-oxide ceramic thin films from a precursor liquid by mixing a strontium neo-pentoxide dissolved in an amine solvent and at least one metal alkoxide dissolved in a solvent, said at least one metal alkoxide selected from the group consisting of alkoxides of calcium, barium, bismuth, cadmium, lead, titanium, tantalum, hafnium, tungsten, niobium, zirconium, yttrium, lanthanum, antimony, chromium and thallium, depositing a thin film of the precursor liquid on a substrate, and heating the thin film in the presence of oxygen at between 550 and 700.degree. C.

Ferroelectric optical image comparator

DOEpatents

Butler, Michael A.; Land, Cecil E.; Martin, Stephen J.; Pfeifer, Kent B.

1993-01-01

A ferroelectric optical image comparator has a lead lanthanum zirconate titanate thin-film device which is constructed with a semi-transparent or transparent conductive first electrode on one side of the thin film, a conductive metal second electrode on the other side of the thin film, and the second electrode is in contact with a nonconducting substrate. A photoinduced current in the device represents the dot product between a stored image and an image projected onto the first electrode. One-dimensional autocorrelations are performed by measuring this current while displacing the projected image.

Photothermal measurement of absorption and scattering losses in thin films excited by surface plasmons.

PubMed

Domené, Esteban A; Balzarotti, Francisco; Bragas, Andrea V; Martínez, Oscar E

2009-12-15

We present a novel noncontact, photothermal technique, based on the focus error signal of a commercial CD pickup head that allows direct determination of absorption in thin films. Combined with extinction methods, this technique yields the scattering contribution to the losses. Surface plasmon polaritons are excited using the Kretschmann configuration in thin Au films of varying thickness. By measuring the extinction and absorption simultaneously, it is shown that dielectric constants and thickness retrieval leads to inconsistencies if the model does not account for scattering.

Cooling circuit for steam and air-cooled turbine nozzle stage

DOEpatents

Itzel, Gary Michael; Yu, Yufeng

2002-01-01

The turbine vane segment includes inner and outer walls with a vane extending therebetween. The vane includes leading and trailing edge cavities and intermediate cavities. An impingement plate is spaced from the outer wall to impingement-cool the outer wall. Post-impingement cooling air flows through holes in the outer wall to form a thin air-cooling film along the outer wall. Cooling air is supplied an insert sleeve with openings in the leading edge cavity for impingement-cooling the leading edge. Holes through the leading edge afford thin-film cooling about the leading edge. Cooling air is provided the trailing edge cavity and passes through holes in the side walls of the vane for thin-film cooling of the trailing edge. Steam flows through a pair of intermediate cavities for impingement-cooling of the side walls. Post-impingement steam flows to the inner wall for impingement-cooling of the inner wall and returns the post-impingement cooling steam through inserts in other intermediate cavities for impingement-cooling the side walls of the vane.

Zinc Oxide Grown by CVD Process as Transparent Contact for Thin Film Solar Cell Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faÿ, S.; Shah, A.

Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of ZnO films (MOCVD) [1] started to be comprehensively investigated in the 1980s, when thin film industries were looking for ZnO deposition processes especially useful for large-scale coatings at high growth rates. Later on, when TCO for thin film solar cells started to be developed, another advantage of growing TCO films by the CVD process has been highlighted: the surface roughness. Indeed, a large number of studies on CVD ZnO revealed that an as-grown rough surface cn be obtained with this deposition process [2-4]. A rough surface induces a light scattering effect, which can significantly improve light trapping (and therefore current photo-generation) within thin film silicon solar cells. The CVD process, indeed, directly leads to as-grown rough ZnO films without any post-etching step (the latter is often introduced to obtain a rough surface, when working with as-deposited flat sputtered ZnO). This fact could turn out to be a significant advantage when upscaling the manufacturing process for actual commercial production of thin film solar modules. The zinc and oxygen sources for CVD growth of ZnO films are given in Table 6.1.

Improvement of corrosion resistance of NiTi sputtered thin films by anodization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayat, N.; Sanjabi, S.; Barber, Z. H.

2011-08-01

Anodization of sputtered NiTi thin films has been studied in 1 M acetic acid at 23 °C for different voltages from 2 to 10 V. The morphology and cross-sectional structures of the untreated and anodized surfaces were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The results show that increasing anodization voltage leads to film surface roughening and unevenness. It can be seen that the thickness of the anodized layer formed on the NiTi surface is in the nanometer range. The corrosion resistance of anodized thin films was studied by potentiodynamic scan (PDS) and impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques in Hank's solution at 310 K (37 °C). It was shown that the corrosion resistance of the anodized film surface improved with increasing voltage to 6 V. Anodization of austenitic sputtered NiTi thin films has also been studied, in the same anodizing conditions, at 4 V. Comparison of anodized sputtered NiTi thin films with anodized austenitic shape memory films illustrate that the former are more corrosion resistant than the latter after 1 h immersion in Hank's solution, which is attributed to the higher grain boundary density to quickly form a stable and protective passive film.

"Marginal pinching" in soap films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aradian, A.; Raphaël, E.; de Gennes, P.-G.

2001-09-01

We discuss the behaviour of a thin soap film facing a frame element: the pressure in the Plateau border around the frame is lower than the film pressure, and the film thins out over a certain distance λ(t), due to the formation of a well-localized pinched region of thickness h(t) and extension w(t). We construct a hydrodynamic theory for this thinning process, assuming a constant surface tension: Marangoni effects are probably important only at late stages, where instabilities set in. We find λ(t) ~ t1/4, and for the pinch dimensions, h(t) ~ t-1/2 and w(t) ~ t-1/4. These results may play a useful role for the discussion of later instabilities leading to a global film thinning and drainage, as first discussed by K. Mysels under the name "marginal regeneration".

Room temperature chemical synthesis of lead selenide thin films with preferred orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kale, R. B.; Sartale, S. D.; Ganesan, V.; Lokhande, C. D.; Lin, Yi-Feng; Lu, Shih-Yuan

2006-11-01

Room temperature chemical synthesis of PbSe thin films was carried out from aqueous ammoniacal solution using Pb(CH3COO)2 as Pb2+ and Na2SeSO3 as Se2- ion sources. The films were characterized by a various techniques including, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Fast Fourier transform (FFT) and UV-vis-NIR techniques. The study revealed that the PbSe thin film consists of preferentially oriented nanocubes with energy band gap of 0.5 eV.

Structural, electronic transport and optical properties of Cr doped PbS thin film by chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preetha, K. C.

2017-06-01

Incorporation of Chromium ions into Lead Sulphide thin films have been achieved by CBD technique. Effects of doping were investigated as a function of Pb/Cr ratio from o to 2 at %. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that films were polycrystalline in nature with increase in crystallite size up to an optimum doping concentration. Scanning electron microscopic study revealed excellent morphology with doping concentration. The low transmittance in the UV-VIS region offered the suitability of the samples as solar control coatings. The thin films were found to be P type and electrical conductivity enhanced on doping.

Interaction of Droplets Separated by an Elastic Film.

PubMed

Liu, Tianshu; Xu, Xuejuan; Nadermann, Nichole; He, Zhenping; Jagota, Anand; Hui, Chung-Yuen

2017-01-10

The Laplace pressure of a droplet placed on one side of an elastic thin film can cause significant deformation in the form of a bulge on its opposite side. Here, we show that this deformation can be detected by other droplets suspended on the opposite side of the film, leading to interaction between droplets separated by the solid (but deformable) film. The interaction is repulsive when the drops have a large overlap and attractive when they have a small overlap. Thus, if two identical droplets are placed right on top of each other (one on either side of the thin film), they tend to repel each other, eventually reaching an equilibrium configuration where there is a small overlap. This observation can be explained by analyzing the energy landscape of the droplets interacting via an elastically deformed film. We further demonstrate this idea by designing a pattern comprising a big central drop with satellite droplets. This phenomenon can lead to techniques for directed motion of droplets confined to one side of a thin elastic membrane by manipulations on the other side.

Morphology and electronic transport of polycrystalline pentacene thin-film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knipp, D.; Street, R. A.; Völkel, A. R.

2003-06-01

Temperature-dependent measurements of thin-film transistors were performed to gain insight in the electronic transport of polycrystalline pentacene. Devices were fabricated with plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride gate dielectrics. The influence of the dielectric roughness and the deposition temperature of the thermally evaporated pentacene films were studied. Although films on rougher gate dielectrics and films prepared at low deposition temperatures exhibit similar grain size, the electronic properties are different. Increasing the dielectric roughness reduces the free carrier mobility, while low substrate temperature leads to more and deeper hole traps.

Chalcogenide phase-change thin films used as grayscale photolithography materials.

PubMed

Wang, Rui; Wei, Jingsong; Fan, Yongtao

2014-03-10

Chalcogenide phase-change thin films are used in many fields, such as optical information storage and solid-state memory. In this work, we present another application of chalcogenide phase-change thin films, i.e., as grayscale photolithgraphy materials. The grayscale patterns can be directly inscribed on the chalcogenide phase-change thin films by a single process through direct laser writing method. In grayscale photolithography, the laser pulse can induce the formation of bump structure, and the bump height and size can be precisely controlled by changing laser energy. Bumps with different height and size present different optical reflection and transmission spectra, leading to the different gray levels. For example, the continuous-tone grayscale images of lifelike bird and cat are successfully inscribed onto Sb(2)Te(3) chalcogenide phase-change thin films using a home-built laser direct writer, where the expression and appearance of the lifelike bird and cat are fully presented. This work provides a way to fabricate complicated grayscale patterns using laser-induced bump structures onto chalcogenide phase-change thin films, different from current techniques such as photolithography, electron beam lithography, and focused ion beam lithography. The ability to form grayscale patterns of chalcogenide phase-change thin films reveals many potential applications in high-resolution optical images for micro/nano image storage, microartworks, and grayscale photomasks.

Enhancement of as-sputtered silver-tantalum oxide thin film coating on biomaterial stainless steel by surface thermal treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alias, Rodianah; Mahmoodian, Reza; Shukor, Mohd Hamdi Abd; Yew, Been Seok; Muhamad, Martini

2018-04-01

Stainless steel 316L (SS316L) is extensively used as surgical/clinical tools due to its low carbon content and excellent mechanical characteristic. The fabrication of metal ceramic based on this metallic biomaterial favor its biofunctionality properties. However, instability phase of amorphous thin film lead to degradation, corrosion and oxidation. Thus, thin film coating requires elevated adhesion strength and higher surface hardness to meet clinical tools criteria. In this study, the SS316L was deposited with micron thickness of Ag-TaO thin film by using magnetron sputtering. The microstructure, elemental analysis and phase identification of Ag-TaO thin film were characterized by using FESEM, EDX and XRD, respectively; whereas the micro scratch test and micro hardness test were performed by using Micro Scratch Testing System and Vickers Micro Hardness Tester, respectively. It was found that the coating thin film's adhesion and hardness strength were improved from 672 to 2749 mN and 142 to 158 Hv respectively. It was found that the as-deposited surface were treated at 500 °C of temperatures with 2 °C/min ramping rate enhance 4.1 times of the adhesion strength value. Furthermore, FESEM characterization revealed coarsening structure of the thin film coating which can provide high durability service.

The evolution of droplet impacting on thin liquid film at superhydrophilic surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yun; Zheng, Yi; Lan, Zhong; Xu, Wei; Ma, Xuehu

2017-12-01

Thin films are ubiquitous in nature, and the evolution of a liquid film after droplet impact is critical in many industrial processes. In this paper, a series of experiments and numerical simulations are conducted to investigate the distribution and evolution features of local temperature as the droplet impacts a thin film on the superhydrophilic surface by the thermal tracing method. A cold area is formed in the center after droplet impacts on heated solid surfaces. For the droplet impact on thin heated liquid film, a ring-shaped low temperature zone is observed in this experiment. Meanwhile, numerical simulation is adopted to analyze the mechanism and the interaction between the droplet and the liquid film. It is found that due to the vortex velocity distribution formed inside the liquid film after the impact, a large part of the droplet has congested. The heating process is not obvious in the congested area, which leads to the formation of a low-temperature area in the results.

Welding Wires To Thin Thermocouple Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holanda, Raymond; Kim, Walter S.; Danzey, Gerald A.; Pencil, Eric; Wadel, Mary

1993-01-01

Parallel-gap resistance welding yields joints surviving temperatures of about 1,000 degrees C. Much faster than thermocompression bonding. Also exceeds conductive-paste bonding and sputtering thin films through porous flame-sprayed insulation on prewelded lead wires. Introduces no foreign material into thermocouple circuit and does not require careful control of thickness of flame-sprayed material.

Grain Boundaries Act as Solid Walls for Charge Carrier Diffusion in Large Crystal MAPI Thin Films.

PubMed

Ciesielski, Richard; Schäfer, Frank; Hartmann, Nicolai F; Giesbrecht, Nadja; Bein, Thomas; Docampo, Pablo; Hartschuh, Achim

2018-03-07

Micro- and nanocrystalline methylammonium lead iodide (MAPI)-based thin-film solar cells today reach power conversion efficiencies of over 20%. We investigate the impact of grain boundaries on charge carrier transport in large crystal MAPI thin films using time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) microscopy and numerical model calculations. Crystal sizes in the range of several tens of micrometers allow for the spatially and time resolved study of boundary effects. Whereas long-ranged diffusive charge carrier transport is observed within single crystals, no detectable diffusive transport occurs across grain boundaries. The observed PL transients are found to crucially depend on the microscopic geometry of the crystal and the point of observation. In particular, spatially restricted diffusion of charge carriers leads to slower PL decay near crystal edges as compared to the crystal center. In contrast to many reports in the literature, our experimental results show no quenching or additional loss channels due to grain boundaries for the studied material, which thus do not negatively affect the performance of the derived thin-film devices.

Enhanced fatigue and retention in ferroelectric thin film memory capacitors by post-top electrode anneal treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thakoor, Sarita (Inventor)

1992-01-01

Thin film ferroelectric capacitors comprising a ferroelectric film sandwiched between electrodes for nonvolatile memory operations are rendered more stable by subjecting the capacitors to an anneal following deposition of the top electrode. The anneal is done so as to form the interface between the ferroelectric film and the top electrode. Heating in an air oven, laser annealing, or electron bombardment may be used to form the interface. Heating in an air oven is done at a temperature at least equal to the crystallization temperature of the ferroelectric film. Where the ferroelectric film comprises lead zirconate titanate, annealing is done at about 550 to 600 C for about 10 to 15 minutes. The formation treatment reduces the magnitude of charge associated with the nonswitching pulse in the thin film ferroelectric capacitors. Reduction of this charge leads to significantly more stable nonvolatile memory operations in both digital and analog memory devices. The formation treatment also reduces the ratio of change of the charge associated with the nonswitching pulse as a function of retention time. These improved memory devices exhibit greater performance in retention and reduced fatigue in memory arrays.

Enhanced fatigue and retention in ferroelectric thin film memory capacitors by post-top electrode anneal treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thakoor, Sarita (Inventor)

1994-01-01

Thin film ferroelectric capacitors (10) comprising a ferroelectric film (18) sandwiched between electrodes (16 and 20) for nonvolatile memory operations are rendered more stable by subjecting the capacitors to an anneal following deposition of the top electrode (20). The anneal is done so as to form the interface (22) between the ferroelectric film and the top electrode. Heating in an air oven, laser annealing, or electron bombardment may be used to form the interface. Heating in an air oven is done at a temperature at least equal to the crystallization temperature of the ferroelectric film. Where the ferroelectric film comprises lead zirconate titanate, annealing is done at about 550.degree. to 600.degree. C. for about 10 to 15 minutes. The formation treatment reduces the magnitude of charge associated with the non-switching pulse in the thin film ferroelectric capacitors. Reduction of this charge leads to significantly more stable nonvolatile memory operations in both digital and analog memory devices. The formation treatment also reduces the ratio of change of the charge associated with the non-switching pulse as a function of retention time. These improved memory devices exhibit greater performance in retention and reduced fatigue in memory arrays.

Thin-Film Photovoltaic Solar Array Parametric Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, David J.; Kerslake, Thomas W.; Hepp, Aloysius F.; Jacobs, Mark K.; Ponnusamy, Deva

2000-01-01

This paper summarizes a study that had the objective to develop a model and parametrically determine the circumstances for which lightweight thin-film photovoltaic solar arrays would be more beneficial, in terms of mass and cost, than arrays using high-efficiency crystalline solar cells. Previous studies considering arrays with near-term thin-film technology for Earth orbiting applications are briefly reviewed. The present study uses a parametric approach that evaluated the performance of lightweight thin-film arrays with cell efficiencies ranging from 5 to 20 percent. The model developed for this study is described in some detail. Similar mass and cost trends for each array option were found across eight missions of various power levels in locations ranging from Venus to Jupiter. The results for one specific mission, a main belt asteroid tour, indicate that only moderate thin-film cell efficiency (approx. 12 percent) is necessary to match the mass of arrays using crystalline cells with much greater efficiency (35 percent multi-junction GaAs based and 20 percent thin-silicon). Regarding cost, a 12 percent efficient thin-film array is projected to cost about half is much as a 4-junction GaAs array. While efficiency improvements beyond 12 percent did not significantly further improve the mass and cost benefits for thin-film arrays, higher efficiency will be needed to mitigate the spacecraft-level impacts associated with large deployed array areas. A low-temperature approach to depositing thin-film cells on lightweight, flexible plastic substrates is briefly described. The paper concludes with the observation that with the characteristics assumed for this study, ultra-lightweight arrays using efficient, thin-film cells on flexible substrates may become a leading alternative for a wide variety of space missions.

Domain Growth Kinetics in Stratifying Foam Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yiran; Sharma, Vivek

2015-03-01

Baking bread, brewing cappuccino, pouring beer, washing dishes, shaving, shampooing, whipping eggs and blowing bubbles all involve creation of aqueous foam films. Typical foam films consist of two surfactant-laden surfaces that are μ 5 nm - 10 micron apart. Sandwiched between these interfacial layers is a fluid that drains primarily under the influence of viscous and interfacial forces, including disjoining pressure. Interestingly, for certain low molecular weight surfactants, a layered ordering of micelles inside the foam films (thickness <100 nm) leads to a stepwise thinning phenomena called stratification. We experimentally elucidate the influence of these different driving forces, and confinement on drainage kinetics of horizontal stratifying foam films. Thinner, darker domains spontaneously grow within foam films. Quantitative characterization of domain growth visualized in a using Scheludko-type thin film cell and a theoretical model based on lubrication analysis, provide critical insights into hydrodynamics of thin foam films, and the strength and nature of surface forces, including supramolecular oscillatory structural forces.

Thin film phase diagram of iron nitrides grown by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gölden, D.; Hildebrandt, E.; Alff, L.

2017-01-01

A low-temperature thin film phase diagram of the iron nitride system is established for the case of thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy and nitrided by a nitrogen radical source. A fine-tuning of the nitridation conditions allows for growth of α ‧ -Fe8Nx with increasing c / a -ratio and magnetic anisotropy with increasing x until almost phase pure α ‧ -Fe8N1 thin films are obtained. A further increase of nitrogen content below the phase decomposition temperature of α ‧ -Fe8N (180 °C) leads to a mixture of several phases that is also affected by the choice of substrate material and symmetry. At higher temperatures (350 °C), phase pure γ ‧ -Fe4N is the most stable phase.

High-throughput screening for combinatorial thin-film library of thermoelectric materials.

PubMed

Watanabe, Masaki; Kita, Takuji; Fukumura, Tomoteru; Ohtomo, Akira; Ueno, Kazunori; Kawasaki, Masashi

2008-01-01

A high-throughput method has been developed to evaluate the Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity of combinatorial thin-film libraries of thermoelectric materials from room temperature to 673 K. Thin-film samples several millimeters in size were deposited on an integrated Al2O3 substrate with embedded lead wires and local heaters for measurement of the thermopower under a controlled temperature gradient. An infrared camera was used for real-time observation of the temperature difference Delta T between two electrical contacts on the sample to obtain the Seebeck coefficient. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity of constantan thin films were shown to be almost identical to standard data for bulk constantan. High-throughput screening was demonstrated for a thermoelectric Mg-Si-Ge combinatorial library.

Tuning Bandgap of p-Type Cu2Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se)4 Semiconductor Thin Films via Aqueous Polymer-Assisted Deposition.

PubMed

Yi, Qinghua; Wu, Jiang; Zhao, Jie; Wang, Hao; Hu, Jiapeng; Dai, Xiao; Zou, Guifu

2017-01-18

Bandgap engineering of kesterite Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 with well-controlled stoichiometric composition plays a critical role in sustainable inorganic photovoltaics. Herein, a cost-effective and reproducible aqueous solution-based polymer-assisted deposition approach is developed to grow p-type Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films with tunable bandgap. The bandgap of Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films can be tuned within the range 1.05-1.95 eV using the aqueous polymer-assisted deposition by accurately controlling the elemental compositions. One of the as-grown Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films exhibits a hall coefficient of +137 cm 3 /C. The resistivity, concentration and carrier mobility of the Cu 2 ZnSn(S, Se) 4 thin film are 3.17 ohm·cm, 4.5 × 10 16 cm -3 , and 43 cm 2 /(V·S) at room temperature, respectively. Moreover, the Cu 2 ZnSn(S, Se) 4 thin film when used as an active layer in a solar cell leads to a power conversion efficiency of 3.55%. The facile growth of Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films in an aqueous system, instead of organic solvents, provides great promise as an environmental-friendly platform to fabricate a variety of single/multi metal chalcogenides for the thin film industry and solution-processed photovoltaic devices.

Critical Role of Surface Energy in Guiding Crystallization of Solution-Coated Conjugated Polymer Thin Films

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Fengjiao; Mohammadi, Erfan; Luo, Xuyi; ...

2017-10-02

It is well-known that substrate surface properties have a profound impact on morphology of thin films solution coated atop and the resulting solid-state properties. However, design rules for guiding the substrate selection have not yet been established. Such design rules are particularly important for solution coated semiconducting polymers, as the substratedirected thin film morphology can impact charge transport properties by orders of magnitude. We hypothesize that substrate surface energies dictate the thin film morphology by modulating the free energy barrier to heterogeneous nucleation. To test this hypothesis, we systematically vary the substrate surface energy via surface functionalization techniques. We performmore » in-depth morphology and device characterizations to establish the relationship between substrate surface energy, thin film morphology and charge transport properties, employing a donor-accepter (D-A) conjugated polymer. Here, we find that decreasing the substrate surface energy progressively increases thin film crystallinity, degree of molecular ordering and extent of domain alignment. Notably, the enhanced morphology on the lowest surface energy substrate lead to a 10-fold increase in the charge carrier mobility. We further develop a free energy model relating the substrate surface energy to the penalty of heterogeneous nucleation from solution in the thin film geometry. The model correctly predicts the experimental trend, thereby validating our hypothesis. This work is a significant step towards establishing design rules and understanding the critical role of substrates in determining morphology of solution coated thin films.« less

Critical Role of Surface Energy in Guiding Crystallization of Solution-Coated Conjugated Polymer Thin Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Fengjiao; Mohammadi, Erfan; Luo, Xuyi

It is well-known that substrate surface properties have a profound impact on morphology of thin films solution coated atop and the resulting solid-state properties. However, design rules for guiding the substrate selection have not yet been established. Such design rules are particularly important for solution coated semiconducting polymers, as the substratedirected thin film morphology can impact charge transport properties by orders of magnitude. We hypothesize that substrate surface energies dictate the thin film morphology by modulating the free energy barrier to heterogeneous nucleation. To test this hypothesis, we systematically vary the substrate surface energy via surface functionalization techniques. We performmore » in-depth morphology and device characterizations to establish the relationship between substrate surface energy, thin film morphology and charge transport properties, employing a donor-accepter (D-A) conjugated polymer. Here, we find that decreasing the substrate surface energy progressively increases thin film crystallinity, degree of molecular ordering and extent of domain alignment. Notably, the enhanced morphology on the lowest surface energy substrate lead to a 10-fold increase in the charge carrier mobility. We further develop a free energy model relating the substrate surface energy to the penalty of heterogeneous nucleation from solution in the thin film geometry. The model correctly predicts the experimental trend, thereby validating our hypothesis. This work is a significant step towards establishing design rules and understanding the critical role of substrates in determining morphology of solution coated thin films.« less

Application of Thin-Film Thermocouples to Localized Heat Transfer Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lepicovsky, J.; Bruckner, R. J.; Smith, F. A.

1995-01-01

The paper describes a proof-of-concept experiment on thin-film thermocouples used for localized heat transfer measurements applicable to experiments on hot parts of turbine engines. The paper has three main parts. The first part describes the thin-film sensors and manufacturing procedures. Attention is paid to connections between thin-film thermocouples and lead wires, which has been a source of problems in the past. The second part addresses the test arrangement and facility used for the heat transfer measurements modeling the conditions for upcoming warm turbine tests at NASA LeRC. The paper stresses the advantages of a modular approach to the test rig design. Finally, we present the results of bulk and local heat flow rate measurements, as well as overall heat transfer coefficients obtained from measurements in a narrow passage with an aspect ratio of 11.8. The comparison of bulk and local heat flow rates confirms applicability of thin-film thermocouples to upcoming warm turbine tests.

Observation of oscillatory relaxation in the Sn-terminated surface of epitaxial rock-salt SnSe { 111 } topological crystalline insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Wencan; Dadap, Jerry; Osgood, Richard; Vishwanath, Suresh; Lien, Huai-Hsun; Chaney, Alexander; Xing, Huili; Liu, Jianpeng; Kong, Lingyuan; Ma, Junzhang; Qian, Tian; Ding, Hong; Sadowski, Jerzy; Dai, Zhongwei; Pohl, Karsten; Lou, Rui; Wang, Shancai; Liu, Xinyu; Furdyna, Jacek

Topological crystalline insulators have been recently observed in rock-salt SnSe { 111 } thin films. Previous studies have suggested that the Se-terminated surface of this thin film with hydrogen passivation is a preferred configuration. In this work, synchrotron-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, along with density functional theory calculations, are used to demonstrate conclusively that a rock-salt SnSe { 111 } thin film has a stable Sn-terminated surface. These observations are supported by low energy electron diffraction (LEED) intensity-voltage measurements and dynamical LEED calculations, which further show that the Sn-terminated SnSe { 111 } thin film has undergone an oscillatory surface structural relaxation. In sharp contrast to the Se-terminated counterpart, the Dirac surface state in the Sn-terminated SnSe { 111 } thin film yields a high Fermi velocity, 0 . 50 ×106 m/s, which may lead to high-speed electronic device applications. DOE No. DE-FG 02-04-ER-46157.

Cu(In,Ga)S2, Thin-Film Solar Cells Prepared by H2S Sulfurization of CuGa-In Precursor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dhere, Neelkanth G.; Kulkarni, Shashank R.; Chavan, Sanjay S.; Ghongadi, Shantinath R.

2005-01-01

Thin-film CuInS2 solar cell is the leading candidate for space power because of bandgap near the optimum value for AM0 solar radiation outside the earth's atmosphere, excellent radiation hardness, and freedom from intrinsic degradation mechanisms unlike a-Si:H cells. Ultra-lightweight thin-film solar cells deposited on flexible polyimide plastic substrates such as Kapton(trademark), Upilex(trademark), and Apical(trademark) have a potential for achieving specific power of 1000 W/kg, while the state-of-art specific power of the present day solar cells is 66 W/kg. This paper describes the preparation of Cu-rich CuIn(sub 1-x)Ga(sub x)S(sub 2) (CIGS2) thin films and solar cells by a process of sulfurization of CuGa-In precursor similar to that being used for preparation of large-compact-grain CuIn(sub 1-x)Ga(sub x)Se2 thin films and efficient solar cells at FSEC PV Materials Lab.

Cu2SixSn1-xS3 Thin Films Prepared by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering For Low-Cost Thin Film Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Chang; Liu, Fang-Yang; Lai, Yan-Qing; Li, Jie; Liu, Ye-Xiang

2011-10-01

We report the preparation of Cu2SixSn1-xS3 thin films for thin film solar cell absorbers using the reactive magnetron co-sputtering technique. Energy dispersive spectrometer and x-ray diffraction analyses indicate that Cu2Si1-xSnxS3 thin films can be synthesized successfully by partly substituting Si atoms for Sn atoms in the Cu2SnS3 lattice, leading to a shrinkage of the lattice, and, accordingly, by 2θ shifting to larger values. The blue shift of the Raman peak further confirms the formation of Cu2SixSn1-xS3. Environmental scanning electron microscope analyses reveal a polycrystalline and homogeneous morphology with a grain size of about 200-300 nm. Optical measurements indicate an optical absorption coefficient of higher than 104 cm-1 and an optical bandgap of 1.17±0.01 eV.

Sol-gel preparation of lead magnesium niobate (PMN) powders and thin films

DOEpatents

Boyle, T.J.

1999-01-12

A method of preparing a lead magnesium niobium oxide (PMN), Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}, precursor solution by a solvent method wherein a liquid solution of a lead-complex PMN precursor is combined with a liquid solution of a niobium-complex PMN precursor, the combined lead- and niobium-complex liquid solutions are reacted with a magnesium-alkyl solution, forming a PMN precursor solution and a lead-based precipitate, and the precipitate is separated from the reacted liquid PMN precursor solution to form a precipitate-free PMN precursor solution. This precursor solution can be processed to form both ferroelectric powders and thin films. 3 figs.

Sol-Gel Preparation Of Lead Magnesium Ni Obate (Pmn) Powdersand Thin Films

DOEpatents

Boyle, Timothy J.

1999-01-12

A method of preparing a lead magnesium niobium oxide (PMN), Pb(Mg.sub.1/3 Nb.sub.2/3)O.sub.3, precursor solution by a solvent method wherein a liquid solution of a lead-complex PMN precursor is combined with a liquid solution of a niobium-complex PMN precursor, the combined lead- and niobium-complex liquid solutions are reacted with a magnesium-alkyl solution, forming a PMN precursor solution and a lead-based precipitate, and the precipitate is separated from the reacted liquid PMN precursor solution to form a precipitate-free PMN precursor solution. This precursor solution can be processed to form both ferroelectric powders and thin films.

Impact of deposition-rate fluctuations on thin-film thickness and uniformity

DOE PAGES

Oliver, Joli B.

2016-11-04

Variations in deposition rate are superimposed on a thin-film–deposition model with planetary rotation to determine the impact on film thickness. Variations in magnitude and frequency of the fluctuations relative to the speed of planetary revolution lead to thickness errors and uniformity variations up to 3%. Sufficiently rapid oscillations in the deposition rate have a negligible impact, while slow oscillations are found to be problematic, leading to changes in the nominal film thickness. Finally, superimposing noise as random fluctuations in the deposition rate has a negligible impact, confirming the importance of any underlying harmonic oscillations in deposition rate or source operation.

Restoration of the third law in spin ice thin films

PubMed Central

Bovo, L.; Moya, X.; Prabhakaran, D.; Soh, Yeong-Ah; Boothroyd, A.T.; Mathur, N.D.; Aeppli, G.; Bramwell, S.T.

2014-01-01

A characteristic feature of spin ice is its apparent violation of the third law of thermodynamics. This leads to a number of interesting properties including the emergence of an effective vacuum for magnetic monopoles and their currents – magnetricity. Here we add a new dimension to the experimental study of spin ice by fabricating thin epitaxial films of Dy2Ti2O7, varying between 5 and 60 monolayers on an inert substrate. The films show the distinctive characteristics of spin ice at temperatures >2 K, but at lower temperature we find evidence of a zero entropy state. This restoration of the third law in spin ice thin films is consistent with a predicted strain-induced ordering of a very unusual type, previously discussed for analogous electrical systems. Our results show how the physics of frustrated pyrochlore magnets such as spin ice may be significantly modified in thin-film samples. PMID:24619137

Fabrication of organic-inorganic perovskite thin films for planar solar cells via pulsed laser deposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liang, Yangang; Zhang, Xiaohang; Gong, Yunhui

2016-01-15

We report on fabrication of organic-inorganic perovskite thin films using a hybrid method consisting of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of lead iodide and spin-coating of methylammonium iodide. Smooth and highly crystalline CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} thin films have been fabricated on silicon and glass coated substrates with fluorine doped tin oxide using this PLD-based hybrid method. Planar perovskite solar cells with an inverted structure have been successfully fabricated using the perovskite films. Because of its versatility, the PLD-based hybrid fabrication method not only provides an easy and precise control of the thickness of the perovskite thin films, but also offersmore » a straightforward platform for studying the potential feasibility in using other metal halides and organic salts for formation of the organic-inorganic perovskite structure.« less

Restoration of the third law in spin ice thin films.

PubMed

Bovo, L; Moya, X; Prabhakaran, D; Soh, Yeong-Ah; Boothroyd, A T; Mathur, N D; Aeppli, G; Bramwell, S T

2014-03-12

A characteristic feature of spin ice is its apparent violation of the third law of thermodynamics. This leads to a number of interesting properties including the emergence of an effective vacuum for magnetic monopoles and their currents - magnetricity. Here we add a new dimension to the experimental study of spin ice by fabricating thin epitaxial films of Dy2Ti2O7, varying between 5 and 60 monolayers on an inert substrate. The films show the distinctive characteristics of spin ice at temperatures >2 K, but at lower temperature we find evidence of a zero entropy state. This restoration of the third law in spin ice thin films is consistent with a predicted strain-induced ordering of a very unusual type, previously discussed for analogous electrical systems. Our results show how the physics of frustrated pyrochlore magnets such as spin ice may be significantly modified in thin-film samples.

Making and Breaking of Lead Halide Perovskites.

PubMed

Manser, Joseph S; Saidaminov, Makhsud I; Christians, Jeffrey A; Bakr, Osman M; Kamat, Prashant V

2016-02-16

A new front-runner has emerged in the field of next-generation photovoltaics. A unique class of materials, known as organic metal halide perovskites, bridges the gap between low-cost fabrication and exceptional device performance. These compounds can be processed at low temperature (typically in the range 80-150 °C) and readily self-assemble from the solution phase into high-quality semiconductor thin films. The low energetic barrier for crystal formation has mixed consequences. On one hand, it enables inexpensive processing and both optical and electronic tunability. The caveat, however, is that many as-formed lead halide perovskite thin films lack chemical and structural stability, undergoing rapid degradation in the presence of moisture or heat. To date, improvements in perovskite solar cell efficiency have resulted primarily from better control over thin film morphology, manipulation of the stoichiometry and chemistry of lead halide and alkylammonium halide precursors, and the choice of solvent treatment. Proper characterization and tuning of processing parameters can aid in rational optimization of perovskite devices. Likewise, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the degradation mechanism and identifying components of the perovskite structure that may be particularly susceptible to attack by moisture are vital to mitigate device degradation under operating conditions. This Account provides insight into the lifecycle of organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites, including (i) the nature of the precursor solution, (ii) formation of solid-state perovskite thin films and single crystals, and (iii) transformation of perovskites into hydrated phases upon exposure to moisture. In particular, spectroscopic and structural characterization techniques shed light on the thermally driven evolution of the perovskite structure. By tuning precursor stoichiometry and chemistry, and thus the lead halide charge-transfer complexes present in solution, crystallization kinetics can be tailored to yield improved thin film homogeneity. Because degradation of the as-formed perovskite film is in many ways analogous to its initial formation, the same suite of monitoring techniques reveals the moisture-induced transformation of low band gap methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3) to wide band gap hydrate compounds. The rate of degradation is increased upon exposure to light. Interestingly, the hydration process is reversible under certain conditions. This facile formation and subsequent chemical lability raises the question of whether CH3NH3PbI3 and its analogues are thermodynamically stable phases, thus posing a significant challenge to the development of transformative perovskite photovoltaics. Adequately addressing issues of structural and chemical stability under real-world operating conditions is paramount if perovskite solar cells are to make an impact beyond the benchtop. Expanding our fundamental knowledge of lead halide perovskite formation and degradation pathways can facilitate fabrication of stable, high-quality perovskite thin films for the next generation of photovoltaic and light emitting devices.

Making and Breaking of Lead Halide Perovskites

DOE PAGES

Manser, Joseph S.; Saidaminov, Makhsud I.; Christians, Jeffrey A.; ...

2016-01-20

A new front-runner has emerged in the field of next-generation photovoltaics. A unique class of materials, known as organic metal halide perovskites, bridges the gap between low-cost fabrication and exceptional device performance. These compounds can be processed at low temperature (typically in the range 80-150 °C) and readily self-assemble from the solution phase into high-quality semiconductor thin films. The low energetic barrier for crystal formation has mixed consequences. On one hand, it enables inexpensive processing and both optical and electronic tunability. The caveat, however, is that many as-formed lead halide perovskite thin films lack chemical and structural stability, undergoing rapidmore » degradation in the presence of moisture or heat. To date, improvements in perovskite solar cell efficiency have resulted primarily from better control over thin film morphology, manipulation of the stoichiometry and chemistry of lead halide and alkylammonium halide precursors, and the choice of solvent treatment. Proper characterization and tuning of processing parameters can aid in rational optimization of perovskite devices. Likewise, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the degradation mechanism and identifying components of the perovskite structure that may be particularly susceptible to attack by moisture are vital to mitigate device degradation under operating conditions. This Account provides insight into the lifecycle of organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites, including (i) the nature of the precursor solution, (ii) formation of solid-state perovskite thin films and single crystals, and (iii) transformation of perovskites into hydrated phases upon exposure to moisture. In particular, spectroscopic and structural characterization techniques shed light on the thermally driven evolution of the perovskite structure. By tuning precursor stoichiometry and chemistry, and thus the lead halide charge-transfer complexes present in solution, crystallization kinetics can be tailored to yield improved thin film homogeneity. Because degradation of the as-formed perovskite film is in many ways analogous to its initial formation, the same suite of monitoring techniques reveals the moisture-induced transformation of low band gap methylammonium lead iodide (CH 3NH 3PbI 3) to wide band gap hydrate compounds. The rate of degradation is increased upon exposure to light. Interestingly, the hydration process is reversible under certain conditions. This facile formation and subsequent chemical lability raises the question of whether CH 3NH 3PbI 3 and its analogues are thermodynamically stable phases, thus posing a significant challenge to the development of transformative perovskite photovoltaics. Adequately addressing issues of structural and chemical stability under real-world operating conditions is paramount if perovskite solar cells are to make an impact beyond the benchtop. Expanding our fundamental knowledge of lead halide perovskite formation and degradation pathways can facilitate fabrication of stable, high-quality perovskite thin films for the next generation of photovoltaic and light emitting devices.« less

Understanding Light Harvesting in Radial Junction Amorphous Silicon Thin Film Solar Cells

PubMed Central

Yu, Linwei; Misra, Soumyadeep; Wang, Junzhuan; Qian, Shengyi; Foldyna, Martin; Xu, Jun; Shi, Yi; Johnson, Erik; Cabarrocas, Pere Roca i

2014-01-01

The radial junction (RJ) architecture has proven beneficial for the design of a new generation of high performance thin film photovoltaics. We herein carry out a comprehensive modeling of the light in-coupling, propagation and absorption profile within RJ thin film cells based on an accurate set of material properties extracted from spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. This has enabled us to understand and evaluate the impact of varying several key parameters on the light harvesting in radially formed thin film solar cells. We found that the resonance mode absorption and antenna-like light in-coupling behavior in the RJ cell cavity can lead to a unique absorption distribution in the absorber that is very different from the situation expected in a planar thin film cell, and that has to be taken into account in the design of high performance RJ thin film solar cells. When compared to the experimental EQE response of real RJ solar cells, this modeling also provides an insightful and powerful tool to resolve the wavelength-dependent contributions arising from individual RJ units and/or from strong light trapping due to the presence of the RJ cell array. PMID:24619197

Theory and practical considerations of multilayer dielectric thin-film stacks in Ag-coated hollow waveguides.

PubMed

Bledt, Carlos M; Melzer, Jeffrey E; Harrington, James A

2014-02-01

This analysis explores the theory and design of dielectric multilayer reflection-enhancing thin film stacks based on high and low refractive index alternating layers of cadmium sulfide (CdS) and lead sulfide (PbS) on silver (Ag)-coated hollow glass waveguides (HGWs) for low loss transmission at midinfrared wavelengths. The fundamentals for determining propagation losses in such multilayer thin-film-coated Ag hollow waveguides is thoroughly discussed, and forms the basis for further theoretical analysis presented in this study. The effects on propagation loss resulting from several key parameters of these multilayer thin film stacks is further explored in order to bridge the gap between results predicted through calculation under ideal conditions and deviations from such ideal models that often arise in practice. In particular, the effects on loss due to the number of dielectric thin film layers deposited, deviation from ideal individual layer thicknesses, and surface roughness related scattering losses are presented and thoroughly investigated. Through such extensive theoretical analysis the level of understanding of the underlying loss mechanisms of multilayer thin-film Ag-coated HGWs is greatly advanced, considerably increasing the potential practical development of next-generation ultralow-loss mid-IR Ag/multilayer dielectric-coated HGWs.

Preparation and characterization of double layer thin films ZnO/ZnO:Ag for methylene blue photodegradation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wibowo, Singgih, E-mail: singgih@st.fisika.undip.ac.id; Sutanto, Heri, E-mail: herisutanto@undip.ac.id

2016-02-08

Double layer (DL) thin films of zinc oxide and silver-doped zinc oxide (ZnO/ZnO:Ag) were deposited on glass substrate by sol-gel spray coating technique. The prepared thin films were subjected for optical and photocatalytic studies. UV-visible transmission spectra shows that the subtitution of Ag in ZnO leads to band gap reduction. The influence of Ag doping on the photocatalytic activity of ZnO for the degradation of methylene blue dye was studied under solar radiation. The light absorption over an extended visible region by Ag ion doping in ZnO film contributed equally to improve the photocatalytic activity up to 98.29%.

Vis-Near-Infrared Photodetectors Based on Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Thin Films by Pulsed Laser Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Nagabhushan; Dias, Sandra; Krupanidhi, S. B.

2018-04-01

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials are considered as promising candidates for emerging thin-film photodetectors. In this work, we discuss the application of the CH3NH3PbI3 thin films by pulsed laser deposition for photodetection applications. With this method, we obtained good perovskite film coverage on fluorine-doped tin oxide-coated substrates and observed wel- developed grains. The films showed no sign of degradation over several months of testing. We investigated the surface morphology and surface roughness of the films by field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The optical response of the films was studied using ultraviolet-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy. We carried out a study on the solar and infrared photodetection of CH3NH3PbI3 thin films. The values of the responsivity, sensitivity, external quantum efficiency and specific detectivity under 1 sun illumination and 0.7 V bias were 105.4 A/W, 1.9, 2.38 × 104% and 1.5 × 1012 Jones, respectively.

Generation of metallic plasmon nanostructures in a thin transparent photosensitive copper oxide film by femtosecond thermochemical decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danilov, P. A.; Zayarny, D. A.; Ionin, A. A.; Kudryashov, S. I.; Litovko, E. P.; Mel'nik, N. N.; Rudenko, A. A.; Saraeva, I. N.; Umanskaya, S. P.; Khmelnitskii, R. A.

2017-09-01

Irradiation of optically transparent copper (I) oxide film covering a glass substrate with a tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses in the pre-ablation regime leads to film reduction to a metallic colloidal state via a single-photon absorption and its subsequent thermochemical decomposition. This effect was demonstrated by the corresponding measurement of the extinction spectrum in visible spectral range. The laser-induced formation of metallic copper nanoparticles in the focal region inside the bulk oxide film allows direct recording of individual thin-film plasmon nanostructures and optical-range metasurfaces.

Do grain boundaries dominate non-radiative recombination in CH 3NH 3PbI 3 perovskite thin films?

DOE PAGES

Yang, Mengjin; Zeng, Yining; Li, Zhen; ...

2017-01-13

Here, we examine GBs with respect to non-GB regions (grain surfaces (GSs) and grain interiors (GIs)) in high-quality micrometer-sized perovskite CH 3NH 3PbI 3 (or MAPbI 3) thin films using high-resolution confocal fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy in conjunction with kinetic modeling of charge-transport and recombination processes. We show that, contrary to previous studies, GBs in our perovskite MAPbI3 thin films do not lead to increased recombination but that recombination in these films happens primarily in the non-GB regions (i.e., GSs or GIs). We also find that GBs in these films are not transparent to photogenerated carriers, which is likely associated withmore » a potential barrier at GBs. Lastly, even though GBs generally display lower luminescence intensities than GSs/GIs, the lifetimes at GBs are no worse than those at GSs/GIs, further suggesting that GBs do not dominate non-radiative recombination in MAPbI 3 thin films.« less

Photoluminescence Lifetimes Exceeding 8 μs and Quantum Yields Exceeding 30% in Hybrid Perovskite Thin Films by Ligand Passivation

DOE PAGES

deQuilettes, Dane W.; Koch, Susanne; Burke, Sven; ...

2016-07-26

We study the effects of a series of post-deposition ligand treatments on the photoluminescence (PL) of polycrystalline methylammonium lead triiodide perovskite thin films. We show that a variety of Lewis bases can improve the bulk PL quantum efficiency (PLQE) and extend the average PL lifetime, , with large enhancements concentrated at grain boundaries. Notably, we demonstrate thin-film PLQE as high as 35 ± 1% and as long as 8.82 ± 0.03 μs at solar equivalent carrier densities using tri-n-octylphosphine oxide-treated films. Using glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we show that the ligands are incorporated primarilymore » at the film surface and are acting as electron donors. These results indicate it is possible to obtain thin-film PL lifetime and PLQE values that are comparable to those from single crystals by control over surface chemistry.« less

Room-temperature growth of thin films of niobium on strontium titanate (0 0 1) single-crystal substrates for superconducting joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Yuhei; Tonooka, Kazuhiko; Yoshida, Yoshiyuki; Furuse, Mitsuho; Takashima, Hiroshi

2018-06-01

With the eventual aim of forming joints between superconducting wires of YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO), thin films of Nb were grown at room-temperature on SrTiO3 (STO) (0 0 1), a single-crystal substrate that shows good lattice matching with YBCO. The crystallinity, surface morphology, and superconducting properties of the Nb thin films were investigated and compared with those of similar films grown on a silica glass substrate. The Nb thin films grew with an (hh0) orientation on both substrates. The crystallinity of the Nb thin films on the STO substrate was higher than that on the silica glass substrate. X-ray diffraction measurements and observation of the surface morphology by atomic-force microscopy indicated that Nb grew in the plane along the [1 0 0] and [0 1 0] directions of the STO substrate. This growth mode relaxes strain between Nb and STO, and is believed to lead to the high crystallinity observed. As a result, the Nb thin films on the STO substrates showed lower electric resistivity and a higher superconducting transition temperature than did those on the silica glass substrates. The results of this study should be useful in relation to the production of superconducting joints.

Melting Behavior of Al/Pb/Sn/Al Multilayered Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Patan Yousaf; Devi, M. Manolata; Biswas, Krishanu

2015-09-01

Metals or alloy nanoparticles (NPs) have been reported to exhibit superheating on melting when coated with higher melting point material or embedded in a matrix. This is due to the suppression of the heterogeneous nucleation of the melt at the epitaxial interface. For 2D thin films, this necessary condition is not feasible because even if a thin film is sandwiched between higher melting temperature materials with coherent interfaces, the heterogeneous nucleation of melt is possible at various detects. However, it has earlier been reported that 2D thin films of the pure metal sandwiched by other materials can exhibit superheating by suppression of melt growth. In order to probe this effect in case of alloy thin films, the present investigation has been carried out on Pb/Sn multilayers sandwiched between Al layers. The present study shows that such sandwiched thin films prepared by accumulative roll bonding process cause the formation of biphasic NPs in the intermixed region of Pb and Sn. Al layers undergo severe plastic deformation, leading to the generation of dislocations and sub-grain boundaries. DSC (differential canning calorimeter) thermograms of the films indicate superheating of 3 K to 6 K (or 3 °C to 6 °C). Theoretical analysis using currently available literatures has been carried out to justify the finding in the present investigation.

Single-crystal-like, c-axis oriented BaTiO3 thin films with high-performance on flexible metal templates for ferroelectric applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Junsoo; Goyal, Amit; Jesse, Stephen; Kim, Dae Ho

2009-06-01

Epitaxial, c-axis oriented BaTiO3 thin films were deposited using pulsed laser ablation on flexible, polycrystalline Ni alloy tape with biaxially textured oxide buffer multilayers. The high quality of epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films with P4mm group symmetry was confirmed by x-ray diffraction. The microscopic ferroelectric domain structure and the piezoelectric domain switching in these films were confirmed via spatially resolved piezoresponse mapping and local hysteresis loops. Macroscopic measurements demonstrate that the films have well-saturated hysteresis loops with a high remanent polarization of ˜11.5 μC/cm2. Such high-quality, single-crystal-like BaTiO3 films on low-cost, polycrystalline, flexible Ni alloy substrates are attractive for applications in flexible lead-free ferroelectric devices.

Thin Film Research. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-30

Hard Sphere Model *.......... 46 ao *o32 2. Relaxation and Mobility ..... . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 3. Extensions of the Program...Source - One possible means of increasing adatom mobility on the growing film surface is irradiation by ultraviolet light. Toward this end, a 1000-W...that increasing the mobility of adatoms in the growing film leads to a denser, less porous, structure for many materials. Presumably, this leads to

Environmentally induced chemical and morphological heterogeneity of zinc oxide thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Hua; Chou, Kang Wei; Petrash, Stanislas

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been reported to suffer from degradation in electrical properties, when exposed to elevated heat and humidity, often leading to failures of electronic devices containing ZnO films. This degradation appears to be linked to water and oxygen penetration into the ZnO film. However, a direct observation in the ZnO film morphological evolution detailing structural and chemical changes has been lacking. Here, we systematically investigated the chemical and morphological heterogeneities of ZnO thin films caused by elevated heat and humidity, simulating an environmental aging. X-ray fluorescence microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, grazing incidence small angle and widemore » angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultra-high-resolution SEM, and optical microscopy were carried out to examine ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films on two different substrates—silicon wafers and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films. In the un-doped ZnO thin film, the simulated environmental aging is resulting in pin-holes. In the Al-doped ZnO thin films, significant morphological changes occurred after the treatment, with an appearance of platelet-shaped structures that are 100–200 nm wide by 1 μm long. Synchrotron x-ray characterization further confirmed the heterogeneity in the aged Al-doped ZnO, showing the formation of anisotropic structures and disordering. X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated the formation of a zinc hydroxide in the aged Al-doped films. Utilizing advanced characterization methods, our studies provided information with an unprecedented level of details and revealed the chemical and morphologically heterogeneous nature of the degradation in ZnO thin films.« less

Environmentally induced chemical and morphological heterogeneity of zinc oxide thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Hua; Chou, Kang Wei; Petrash, Stanislas

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been reported to suffer from degradation in electrical properties, when exposed to elevated heat and humidity, often leading to failures of electronic devices containing ZnO films. This degradation appears to be linked to water and oxygen penetration into the ZnO film. However, a direct observation in the ZnO film morphological evolution detailing structural and chemical changes has been lacking. Here, we systematically investigated the chemical and morphological heterogeneities of ZnO thin films caused by elevated heat and humidity, simulating an environmental aging. X-ray fluorescence microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, grazing incidence small angle and widemore » angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultra-high-resolution SEM, and optical microscopy were carried out to examine ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films on two different substrates—silicon wafers and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films. In the un-doped ZnO thin film, the simulated environmental aging is resulting in pin-holes. In the Al-doped ZnO thin films, significant morphological changes occurred after the treatment, with an appearance of platelet-shaped structures that are 100–200 nm wide by 1μm long. Synchrotron x-ray characterization further confirmed the heterogeneity in the aged Al-doped ZnO, showing the formation of anisotropic structures and disordering. X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated the formation of a zinc hydroxide in the aged Al-doped films. In conclusion, utilizing advanced characterization methods, our studies provided information with an unprecedented level of details and revealed the chemical and morphologically heterogeneous nature of the degradation in ZnO thin films.« less

Environmentally induced chemical and morphological heterogeneity of zinc oxide thin films

DOE PAGES

Jiang, Hua; Chou, Kang Wei; Petrash, Stanislas; ...

2016-09-02

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been reported to suffer from degradation in electrical properties, when exposed to elevated heat and humidity, often leading to failures of electronic devices containing ZnO films. This degradation appears to be linked to water and oxygen penetration into the ZnO film. However, a direct observation in the ZnO film morphological evolution detailing structural and chemical changes has been lacking. Here, we systematically investigated the chemical and morphological heterogeneities of ZnO thin films caused by elevated heat and humidity, simulating an environmental aging. X-ray fluorescence microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, grazing incidence small angle and widemore » angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultra-high-resolution SEM, and optical microscopy were carried out to examine ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films on two different substrates—silicon wafers and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films. In the un-doped ZnO thin film, the simulated environmental aging is resulting in pin-holes. In the Al-doped ZnO thin films, significant morphological changes occurred after the treatment, with an appearance of platelet-shaped structures that are 100–200 nm wide by 1μm long. Synchrotron x-ray characterization further confirmed the heterogeneity in the aged Al-doped ZnO, showing the formation of anisotropic structures and disordering. X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated the formation of a zinc hydroxide in the aged Al-doped films. In conclusion, utilizing advanced characterization methods, our studies provided information with an unprecedented level of details and revealed the chemical and morphologically heterogeneous nature of the degradation in ZnO thin films.« less

Gigantic transverse voltage induced via off-diagonal thermoelectric effect in CaxCoO2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Kouhei; Kanno, Tsutomu; Sakai, Akihiro; Adachi, Hideaki; Yamada, Yuka

2010-07-01

Gigantic transverse voltages exceeding several tens volt have been observed in CaxCoO2 thin films with tilted c-axis orientation upon illumination of nanosecond laser pulses. The voltage signals were highly anisotropic within the film surface showing close relation with the c-axis tilt direction. The magnitude and the decay time of the voltage strongly depended on the film thickness. These results confirm that the large laser-induced voltage originates from a phenomenon termed the off-diagonal thermoelectric effect, by which a film out-of-plane temperature gradient leads to generation of a film in-plane voltage.

Electro-Caloric Properties of BT/PZT Multilayer Thin Films Prepared by Sol-Gel Method.

PubMed

Kwon, Min-Su; Lee, Sung-Gap; Kim, Kyeong-Min

2018-09-01

In this study, Barium Titanate (BT)/Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) multilayer thin films were fabricated by the spin-coating method on Pt (200 nm)/Ti (10 nm) SiO2 (100 nm)/P-Si (100) substrates using BaTiO3 and Pb(Zr0.90Ti0.10)O3 metal alkoxide solutions. The coating and heating procedure was repeated several times to form the multilayer thin films. All of BT/PZT multilayer thin films show X-ray diffraction patterns typical to a polycrystalline perovskite structure and a uniform and void free grain microstructure. The thickness of the BT and PZT film by one-cycle of drying/sintering was approximately 50 nm and all of the films consisted of fine grains with a flat surface morphology. The electrocaloric properties of BT/PZT thin films were investigated by indirect estimation. The results showed that the temperature change ΔT can be calculated as a function of temperature using Maxwell's relation; the temperature change reaches a maximum value of ~1.85 °C at 135 °C under an applied electric field of 260 kV/cm.

High electromechanical strain and enhanced temperature characteristics in lead-free (Na,Bi)TiO3-BaTiO3 thin films on Si substrates.

PubMed

Tanaka, Yoshiaki; Okamoto, Shoji; Hashimoto, Kazuya; Takayama, Ryoichi; Harigai, Takakiyo; Adachi, Hideaki; Fujii, Eiji

2018-05-18

Here, we demonstrate the high electromechanical strain and enhanced temperature characteristics in the c-axis-oriented lead-free (Na,Bi)TiO 3 -BaTiO 3 (NBT-BT) polycrystalline thin film prepared on Si substrates by rf magnetron sputtering. The effective transverse piezoelectric coefficient, e 31 * , estimated from the electromechanical strain measured under high electric field, reaches a high level of -12.5 C/m 2 , and is comparable to those of conventional Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 films. In-situ X-ray diffraction measurement and electron diffraction analysis revealed the electromechanical strain of the NBT-BT film to originate predominantly in elongation of the tetragonal (P4bm) crystal lattice in the c-axis direction. In addition to the large e 31 * , the NBT-BT film exhibits enhanced permittivity maximum temperature, T m , of ~400 °C and no depolarization below T m , as compared to bulk NBT-BT having T m ≈ 300 °C and a depolarization temperature of ~100 °C. We conclude that the enhancement of temperature characteristics is associated with the distorted P4bm crystal lattice formed by deposition-induced stress and defects. We believe that the present study paves the way for practical applications of lead-free piezoelectric thin films in electromechanical devices.

Copper and liquid crystal polymer bonding towards lead sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redhwan, Taufique Z.; Alam, Arif U.; Haddara, Yaser M.; Howlader, Matiar M. R.

2018-02-01

Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic and carcinogenic heavy metal causing adverse impacts on environment and human health, thus requiring its careful monitoring. In this work, we demonstrate the integration of copper (Cu) film-based electrodes toward Pb sensing. For this, we developed a direct bonding method for Cu thin film and liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate using oxygen plasma treatment followed by contact and heat at 230 °C. The oxygen plasma activation forms hydroxyl groups (OH-) on Cu and LCP. The activated surfaces further adsorb water molecules when exposed to clean room air during contact. After contact, hydrogen bonds are formed between the OH- groups. The interfacial water is removed when the contacted films are heated, leading to shrinkage of OH- chain. This results in an intermediate oxide layer linking the Cu and C sites of Cu and LCP respectively. A strong adhesion (670 N·m-1) is obtained between Cu/LCP that may offer prolonged use of the electrode without delamination in wet sensing applications. Anodic stripping voltammetry of Pb using Cu thin film electrode shows a stronger current peak than sputtered Cu electrode, which implies the significance of the direct bonding approach to integrate thin films. We also studied the electrochemical impedance that will enable modeling of integrated environmental sensors for on-site monitoring of heavy metals.

Study of structural and optical properties of PbS thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homraruen, T.; Sudswasd, Y.; Sorod, R.; Kayunkid, N.; Yindeesuk, W.

2018-03-01

This research aimed to synthesize lead sulfide (PbS) thin films on glass slides using the successive ion layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method. We studied the optical properties and structure of PbS thin films by changing the number of dipping cycles and the concentration of precursor solution. The results of this experiment show that different conditions have a considerable influence on the thickness and absorbance of the films. When the number of dipping cycles and the concentration of the solution are increased, film thickness and absorbance tend to become higher. The xrays diffraction pattern showed all the diffraction peaks which confirmed the face center cubic and the structure of PbS had identified. Grain size computation was used to confirm how much these conditions could be affected.

Nanoporous Block Polymer Thin Films Functionalized with Bio-Inspired Ligands for the Efficient Capture of Heavy Metal Ions from Water.

PubMed

Weidman, Jacob L; Mulvenna, Ryan A; Boudouris, Bryan W; Phillip, William A

2017-06-07

Heavy metal contamination of water supplies poses a serious threat to public health, prompting the development of novel and sustainable treatment technologies. One promising approach is to molecularly engineer the chemical affinity of a material for the targeted removal of specific molecules from solution. In this work, nanoporous polymer thin films generated from tailor-made block polymers were functionalized with the bio-inspired moieties glutathione and cysteamine for the removal of heavy metal ions, including lead and cadmium, from aqueous solutions. In a single equilibrium stage, the films achieved removal rates of the ions in excess of 95%, which was consistent with predictions based on the engineered material properties. In a flow-through configuration, the thin films achieved an even greater removal rate of the metal ions. Furthermore, in mixed ion solutions the capacity of the thin films, and corresponding removal rates, did not demonstrate any reduction due to competitive adsorption effects. After such experiments the material was repeatedly regenerated quickly with no observed loss in capacity. Thus, these membranes provide a sustainable platform for the efficient purification of lead- and cadmium-contaminated water sources to safe levels. Moreover, their straightforward chemical modifications suggest that they could be engineered to treat sources containing other recalcitrant environmental contaminants as well.

Peel-and-Stick: Mechanism Study for Efficient Fabrication of Flexible/Transparent Thin-film Electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chi Hwan; Kim, Jae-Han; Zou, Chenyu; Cho, In Sun; Weisse, Jeffery M.; Nemeth, William; Wang, Qi; van Duin, Adri C. T.; Kim, Taek-Soo; Zheng, Xiaolin

2013-10-01

Peel-and-stick process, or water-assisted transfer printing (WTP), represents an emerging process for transferring fully fabricated thin-film electronic devices with high yield and fidelity from a SiO2/Si wafer to various non-Si based substrates, including papers, plastics and polymers. This study illustrates that the fundamental working principle of the peel-and-stick process is based on the water-assisted subcritical debonding, for which water reduces the critical adhesion energy of metal-SiO2 interface by 70 ~ 80%, leading to clean and high quality transfer of thin-film electronic devices. Water-assisted subcritical debonding is applicable for a range of metal-SiO2 interfaces, enabling the peel-and-stick process as a general and tunable method for fabricating flexible/transparent thin-film electronic devices.

Peel-and-stick: mechanism study for efficient fabrication of flexible/transparent thin-film electronics.

PubMed

Lee, Chi Hwan; Kim, Jae-Han; Zou, Chenyu; Cho, In Sun; Weisse, Jeffery M; Nemeth, William; Wang, Qi; van Duin, Adri C T; Kim, Taek-Soo; Zheng, Xiaolin

2013-10-10

Peel-and-stick process, or water-assisted transfer printing (WTP), represents an emerging process for transferring fully fabricated thin-film electronic devices with high yield and fidelity from a SiO2/Si wafer to various non-Si based substrates, including papers, plastics and polymers. This study illustrates that the fundamental working principle of the peel-and-stick process is based on the water-assisted subcritical debonding, for which water reduces the critical adhesion energy of metal-SiO2 interface by 70 ~ 80%, leading to clean and high quality transfer of thin-film electronic devices. Water-assisted subcritical debonding is applicable for a range of metal-SiO2 interfaces, enabling the peel-and-stick process as a general and tunable method for fabricating flexible/transparent thin-film electronic devices.

High-performance formamidinium-based perovskite solar cells via microstructure-mediated δ-to-α phase transformation

DOE PAGES

Liu, Tanghao; Zong, Yingxia; Zhou, Yuanyuan; ...

2017-03-14

The δ → α phase transformation is a crucial step in the solution-growth process of formamidinium-based lead triiodide (FAPbI 3) hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite (HOIP) thin films for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Because the addition of cesium (Cs) stabilizes the α phase of FAPbI 3-based HOIPs, here our research focuses on FAPbI 3(Cs) thin films. We show that having a large grain size in the δ-FAPbI 3(Cs) non-perovskite intermediate films is essential for the growth of high-quality α-FAPbI 3(Cs) HOIP thin films. Here grain coarsening and phase transformation occur simultaneously during the thermal annealing step. A large starting grain size inmore » the δ-FAPbI 3(Cs) thin films suppresses grain coarsening, precluding the formation of voids at the final α-FAPbI 3(Cs)–substrate interfaces. PSCs based on the interface void-free α-FAPbI 3(Cs) HOIP thin films are much more efficient and stable in the ambient atmosphere. This interesting finding inspired us to develop a simple room-temperature aging method for preparing coarse-grained δ-FAPbI 3(Cs) intermediate films, which are subsequently converted to coarse-grained, high-quality α-FAPbI 3(Cs) HOIP thin films. As a result, this study highlights the importance of microstructure meditation in the processing of formamidinium-based PSCs.« less

Directed dewetting of amorphous silicon film by a donut-shaped laser pulse.

PubMed

Yoo, Jae-Hyuck; In, Jung Bin; Zheng, Cheng; Sakellari, Ioanna; Raman, Rajesh N; Matthews, Manyalibo J; Elhadj, Selim; Grigoropoulos, Costas P

2015-04-24

Irradiation of a thin film with a beam-shaped laser is proposed to achieve site-selectively controlled dewetting of the film into nanoscale structures. As a proof of concept, the laser-directed dewetting of an amorphous silicon thin film on a glass substrate is demonstrated using a donut-shaped laser beam. Upon irradiation of a single laser pulse, the silicon film melts and dewets on the substrate surface. The irradiation with the donut beam induces an unconventional lateral temperature profile in the film, leading to thermocapillary-induced transport of the molten silicon to the center of the beam spot. Upon solidification, the ultrathin amorphous silicon film is transformed to a crystalline silicon nanodome of increased height. This morphological change enables further dimensional reduction of the nanodome as well as removal of the surrounding film material by isotropic silicon etching. These results suggest that laser-based dewetting of thin films can be an effective way for scalable manufacturing of patterned nanostructures.

Thin Film Deposition Using Energetic Ions

PubMed Central

Manova, Darina; Gerlach, Jürgen W.; Mändl, Stephan

2010-01-01

One important recent trend in deposition technology is the continuous expansion of available processes towards higher ion assistance with the subsequent beneficial effects to film properties. Nowadays, a multitude of processes, including laser ablation and deposition, vacuum arc deposition, ion assisted deposition, high power impulse magnetron sputtering and plasma immersion ion implantation, are available. However, there are obstacles to overcome in all technologies, including line-of-sight processes, particle contaminations and low growth rates, which lead to ongoing process refinements and development of new methods. Concerning the deposited thin films, control of energetic ion bombardment leads to improved adhesion, reduced substrate temperatures, control of intrinsic stress within the films as well as adjustment of surface texture, phase formation and nanotopography. This review illustrates recent trends for both areas; plasma process and solid state surface processes. PMID:28883323

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Manser, Joseph S.; Saidaminov, Makhsud I.; Christians, Jeffrey A.

A new front-runner has emerged in the field of next-generation photovoltaics. A unique class of materials, known as organic metal halide perovskites, bridges the gap between low-cost fabrication and exceptional device performance. These compounds can be processed at low temperature (typically in the range 80-150 °C) and readily self-assemble from the solution phase into high-quality semiconductor thin films. The low energetic barrier for crystal formation has mixed consequences. On one hand, it enables inexpensive processing and both optical and electronic tunability. The caveat, however, is that many as-formed lead halide perovskite thin films lack chemical and structural stability, undergoing rapidmore » degradation in the presence of moisture or heat. To date, improvements in perovskite solar cell efficiency have resulted primarily from better control over thin film morphology, manipulation of the stoichiometry and chemistry of lead halide and alkylammonium halide precursors, and the choice of solvent treatment. Proper characterization and tuning of processing parameters can aid in rational optimization of perovskite devices. Likewise, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the degradation mechanism and identifying components of the perovskite structure that may be particularly susceptible to attack by moisture are vital to mitigate device degradation under operating conditions. This Account provides insight into the lifecycle of organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites, including (i) the nature of the precursor solution, (ii) formation of solid-state perovskite thin films and single crystals, and (iii) transformation of perovskites into hydrated phases upon exposure to moisture. In particular, spectroscopic and structural characterization techniques shed light on the thermally driven evolution of the perovskite structure. By tuning precursor stoichiometry and chemistry, and thus the lead halide charge-transfer complexes present in solution, crystallization kinetics can be tailored to yield improved thin film homogeneity. Because degradation of the as-formed perovskite film is in many ways analogous to its initial formation, the same suite of monitoring techniques reveals the moisture-induced transformation of low band gap methylammonium lead iodide (CH 3NH 3PbI 3) to wide band gap hydrate compounds. The rate of degradation is increased upon exposure to light. Interestingly, the hydration process is reversible under certain conditions. This facile formation and subsequent chemical lability raises the question of whether CH 3NH 3PbI 3 and its analogues are thermodynamically stable phases, thus posing a significant challenge to the development of transformative perovskite photovoltaics. Adequately addressing issues of structural and chemical stability under real-world operating conditions is paramount if perovskite solar cells are to make an impact beyond the benchtop. Expanding our fundamental knowledge of lead halide perovskite formation and degradation pathways can facilitate fabrication of stable, high-quality perovskite thin films for the next generation of photovoltaic and light emitting devices.« less

Dielectric and ferroelectric properties of strain-relieved epitaxial lead-free KNN-LT-LS ferroelectric thin films on SrTiO3 substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abazari, M.; Akdoǧan, E. K.; Safari, A.

2008-05-01

We report the growth of single-phase (K0.44,Na0.52,Li0.04)(Nb0.84,Ta0.10,Sb0.06)O3 thin films on SrRuO3 coated ⟨001⟩ oriented SrTiO3 substrates by using pulsed laser deposition. Films grown at 600°C under low laser fluence exhibit a ⟨001⟩ textured columnar grained nanostructure, which coalesce with increasing deposition temperature, leading to a uniform fully epitaxial highly stoichiometric film at 750°C. However, films deposited at lower temperatures exhibit compositional fluctuations as verified by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The epitaxial films of 400-600nm thickness have a room temperature relative permittivity of ˜750 and a loss tangent of ˜6% at 1kHz. The room temperature remnant polarization of the films is 4μC /cm2, while the saturation polarization is 7.1μC/cm2 at 24kV/cm and the coercive field is ˜7.3kV/cm. The results indicate that approximately 50% of the bulk permittivity and 20% of bulk spontaneous polarization can be retained in submicron epitaxial KNN-LT-LS thin film, respectively. The conductivity of the films remains to be a challenge as evidenced by the high loss tangent, leakage currents, and broad hysteresis loops.

Hydrothermal Barium Titanate Thin-Film Characteristics and their Suitability as Decoupling Capacitors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raj, P. Markondeya; Lee, Baik-Woo; Kang, Nam-Kee

System integration and miniaturization demands are driving integrated thin film capacitor technologies towards ultrahigh capacitance densities for noise-free power supply, power conversion and efficient power management. Hydrothermal route can deposit crystalline ferroelectric films at low temperatures of less than 150 C. It is hence an attractive route for integrating high permittivity thin film capacitors on organic, silicon or flex substrates. However, hydrothermal films are not commercialized so far because of their inferior insulation characteristics. Embedded hydroxyl groups are attributed to be the cause for high leakage currents, temperature dependent properties and lower Breakdown Voltages (BDVs). This paper discusses the dielectricmore » characteristics such as capacitance density, leakage currents and Temperature Coefficient of Capacitance (TCC) of hydrothermal barium titanate films and correlates them to the embedded water and OH groups, film morphology, stoichiometry and crystallinity. With thermal treatment, majority of the OH groups can be removed leading to improved insulation characteristics. The room temperature I-V characteristics agreed with ionic conduction models for films baked at 160 C while higher baking temperatures of above 300 C resulted in Poole-Frenkel type conduction. A brief perspective is provided on the suitability of hydrothermal thin film capacitors for power supply applications.« less

The Evolution of Fabricated Gold Thin Films to Nano-Micro Particles Under Thermal Annealing Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajivaliei, Mahdi; Nazari, Saeed

2016-06-01

Gold (Au) thin films with thickness of 35nm were prepared by electron beam deposition onto flat glass substrates under high vacuum (5.3×10-3Pa) condition and they were annealed in the range of 573-873 K for 1 and 2h in atmospheric pressure. The influence of the annealing temperature on the evolution of Au thin film to nano-micro particles was studied. Moreover, the basic properties of the films, namely morphological, structural and optical were investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the Au thin films were cubic structure phase with lattice parameter around a=4.0786Å. The most preferential orientation is along (111) planes for all Au films. The lattice parameter and grain size in the films were calculated by X-ray patterns and correlated with annealing temperatures. The obtained results of ultraviolet-visible spectrometry (UV-Vis) indicate that with increasing annealing temperature, the surface plasmon resonance peak of gold nanocrystallite will disappear which implies the size of particles are grown. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) results show that the prepared gold thin films have been converted to nano-micro gold particles in different annealing temperatures. These results lead to controlling the size of produced nanocrystallite.

Development of a Lead-free Piezoelectric (K,Na)NbO3 Thin Film Deposited on Nickel-based Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bani Milhim, Alaeddin

It is desirable to replace noble metals used as electrode materials for piezoelectric thin film with base metals. This will reduce the piezoelectric thin film fabrication cost. A nickel?based layer in conjunction with other protective layers is proposed as a bottom electrode for lead-free piezoelectric KNN thin film. The obtained results do not indicate the oxidation of the nickel?based bottom electrode after the deposition of KNN at 600 °C for 10 hours in the presence of oxygen and/or after annealing the sample at 400 °C for an hour in air. The fabricated KNN thin film was fully characterized in this work. The effective piezoelectric coefficients d33 and d31 were estimated to be 37 pm/V and 17.2 pm/V, respectively, at 100 kV/cm. The piezoelectric properties of the fabricated KNN/Ni/Ti/SiO2/Si are affected by the crystal orientation of the KNN layer, which was preferentially oriented in the (110) direction. Optimization of the deposition parameters of the fabricated KNN/Ni/Ti/SiO2/Si film is expected to further enhance the piezoelectric properties. Two novel systems utilizing the developed KNN piezoelectric thin film are proposed and their performance simulated based on the achieved KNN thin film parameters. The first is a precision automated nanomanipulation system using an AFM as a sensor and piezo-actuated manipulators. Real-time feedback of the particle being manipulated can be achieved using the proposed system. The length of the manipulators needs to be at least 2 mm to be incorporated with a commercial AFM system. To fabricate the required manipulators, a three-step electrochemical etching technique was developed. Tungsten tips combining well-defined conical shape, a length as large as 2 mm, and sharpness with a radius of curvature of around 20 nm were fabricated using the proposed technique. By depositing the KNN thin film on the fabricated manipulator, nanomanipulators with out-of-plane actuation can be produced. Ultrasonic piezoelectric fan array, the second system, is proposed for GPU cooling applications. The developed KNN thin film is proposed as the piezo layer in the piezo fan structure. The novel solution can offer large air flow rate and low power consumption. Since the operating frequency is beyond the human audible frequencies, non?audible noise fans are expected by using the proposed ultrasonic piezo fan system. Moreover, fabrication of these ultrasonic piezo fans can be part of the GPU fabrication process itself.

Symmetry Breaking in Side Chains Leading to Mixed Orientations and Improved Charge Transport in Isoindigo-alt-Bithiophene Based Polymer Thin Films.

PubMed

Xue, Guobiao; Zhao, Xikang; Qu, Ge; Xu, Tianbai; Gumyusenge, Aristide; Zhang, Zhuorui; Zhao, Yan; Diao, Ying; Li, Hanying; Mei, Jianguo

2017-08-02

The selection of side chains is important in design of conjugated polymers. It not only affects their intrinsic physical properties, but also has an impact on thin film morphologies. Recent reports suggested that a face-on/edge-on bimodal orientation observed in polymer thin films may be responsible for a three-dimensional (3D) charge transport and leads to dramatically improved mobility in donor-acceptor based conjugated polymers. To achieve a bimodal orientation in thin films has been seldom explored from the aspect of molecular design. Here, we demonstrate a design strategy involving the use of asymmetric side chains that enables an isoindigo-based polymer to adopt a distinct bimodal orientation, confirmed by the grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. As a result, the polymer presents an average high mobility of 3.8 ± 0.7 cm 2 V -1 s -1 with a maximum value of 5.1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , in comparison with 0.47 and 0.51 cm 2 V -1 s -1 obtained from the two reference polymers. This study exemplifies a new strategy to develop the next generation polymers through understanding the property-structure relationship.

Electronic structures and chemical states of methylammonium lead triiodide thin films and the impact of annealing and moisture exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamanaka, Soichiro; Hayakawa, Kei; Cojocaru, Ludmila; Tsuruta, Ryohei; Sato, Tomoya; Mase, Kazuhiko; Uchida, Satoshi; Nakayama, Yasuo

2018-04-01

Methylammonium lead triiodide (CH3NH3PbI3) is the fundamental material used in perovskite solar cells, and its electronic properties have, therefore, attracted a great deal of attention as a potential key to highly efficient solar cell performance. However, the deterioration of perovskite solar cells when exposed to high temperature and humidity remains a serious obstacle to the material's use, and the clarification of the degradation mechanisms has been keenly anticipated. In this study, the valence electronic structures and depth-dependence of the chemical states of CH3NH3PbI3 thin films are investigated using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and excitation energy dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Additionally, the effects of high temperature and a moisture rich atmosphere on the CH3NH3PbI3 thin films are examined. It is confirmed that the high temperature and moist atmosphere facilitate the oxidation of CH3NH3PbI3, whereas the Pb:I stoichiometry of the CH3NH3PbI3 thin films is found to be preserved at its original ratio (1:3) after thermal annealing and exposure to a moist atmosphere.

Morphogenesis of nanostructures in glancing angle deposition of metal thin film coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Timothy James

Atomic vapors condensed onto solid surfaces form a remarkable category of condensed matter materials, the so-called thin films, with a myriad of compositions, morphological structures, and properties. The dynamic process of atomic condensation exhibits self-assembled pattern formation, producing morphologies with atomic-scale three- dimensional structures of seemingly limitless variety. This study attempts to shed new light on the dynamical growth processes of thin film deposition by analyzing in detail a previously unreported specific distinct emergent structure, a crystalline triangular-shaped spike that grows within copper and silver thin films. I explored the deposition parameters that lead to the growth of these unique structures, referred to as "nanospikes", fabricating approximately 55 thin films and used scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis. The variation of parameters include: vapor incidence angle, film thickness, substrate temperature, deposition rate, deposition material, substrate, and source-to-substrate distance. Microscopy analysis reveals that the silver and copper films deposited at glancing vapor incidence angles, 80 degrees and greater, have a high degree of branching interconnectivity between adjacent inclined nanorods. Diffraction analysis reveals that the vapor incidence angle influences the sub-populations of crystallites in the films, producing two different [110] crystal texture orientations. I hypothesize that the growth of nanospikes from nanorods is initiated by the stochastic arrival of vapor atoms and photons emitted from the deposition source at small diameter nanorods, and then driven by localized heating from vapor condensation and photon absorption. Restricted heat flow due to nanoscale thermal conduction maintains an elevated local temperature at the nanorod, enhancing adatom diffusion and enabling fast epitaxial crystal growth, leading to the formation and growth of nanospikes. Electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis, and comparisons to related scientific literature, support this hypothesis. I also designed a highly modular ultrahigh vacuum deposition chamber, capable of concurrently mounting several different pieces of deposition equipment, that allows for a high degree of control of the growth dynamics of deposited thin films. I used the newly designed chamber to fabricate tailor-made nanostructured tantalum films for use in ultracapacitors, for the Cabot Corporation.

Phase transitions and electrical behavior of lead-free (K0.50Na0.50)NbO3 thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jiagang; Wang, John

2009-09-01

Lead-free (K0.50Na0.50)NbO3 (KNN) thin films with a high degree of (100) preferred orientation were deposited on the SrRuO3-buffered SrTiO3(100) substrate by off-axis radio frequency magnetron sputtering. They possess lower phase transition temperatures (To-t˜120 °C and Tc˜310 °C), as compared to those of KNN bulk ceramic (To-t˜190 °C and Tc˜400 °C). They also demonstrate enhanced ferroelectric behavior (e.g., 2Pr=24.1 μc/cm2) and fatigue endurance, together with a lower dielectric loss (tan δ ˜0.017) and a lower leakage current, as compared to the bulk ceramic counterpart. Oxygen vacancies are shown to be involved in the conduction of the KNN thin film.

Epitaxial growth of lead zirconium titanate thin films on Ag buffered Si substrates using rf sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chun; Laughlin, David E.; Kryder, Mark H.

2007-04-01

Epitaxial lead zirconium titanate (PZT) (001) thin films with a Pt bottom electrode were deposited by rf sputtering onto Si(001) single crystal substrates with a Ag buffer layer. Both PZT(20/80) and PZT(53/47) samples were shown to consist of a single perovskite phase and to have the (001) orientation. The orientation relationship was determined to be PZT(001)[110]‖Pt(001)[110]‖Ag(001)[110]‖Si(001)[110]. The microstructure of the multilayer was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electron diffraction pattern confirmed the epitaxial relationship between each layer. The measured remanent polarization Pr and coercive field Ec of the PZT(20/80) thin film were 26μC /cm2 and 110kV/cm, respectively. For PZT(53/47), Pr was 10μC /cm2 and Ec was 80kV/cm.

Comparison of thin-film resistance heat-transfer gages with thin-skin transient calorimeter gages in conventional hypersonic wind tunnels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, C. G., III

1981-01-01

Thin film gages deposited at the stagnation region of small (8.1-mm-diameter) hemispheres and gages mounted flush with the surface of a sharp-leading-edge flat plate were tested in the Langley continuous-flow hypersonic tunnel and in the Langley hypersonic CF4 tunnel. Two substrate materials were tested, quartz and a machinable glass-ceramic. Small hemispheres were also tested utilizing the thin-skin transient calorimeter technique usually employed in conventional tunnels. One transient calorimeter model was a thin shell of stainless steel, and the other was a thin-skin insert of stainless steel mounted into a hemisphere fabricated from a machinable-glass-ceramic. Measured heat-transfer rates from the various hemispheres were compared with one another and with predicted rates. The results demonstrate the feasibility and advantages of using-film resistance heat-transfer gages in conventional hypersonic wind tunnels over a wide range of conditions.

Nanoscale size effects on the mechanical properties of platinum thin films and cross-sectional grain morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, K.; Alaie, S.; Ghasemi Baboly, M.; Elahi, M. M. M.; Anjum, D. H.; Chaieb, S.; Leseman, Z. C.

2016-01-01

The mechanical behavior of polycrystalline Pt thin films is reported for thicknesses of 75 nm, 100 nm, 250 nm, and 400 nm. These thicknesses correspond to transitions between nanocrystalline grain morphology types as found in TEM studies. Thinner samples display a brittle behavior, but as thickness increases the grain morphology evolves, leading to a ductile behavior. During evolution of the morphology, dramatic differences in elastic moduli (105-160 GPa) and strengths (560-1700 MPa) are recorded and explained by the variable morphology. This work suggests that in addition to the in-plane grain size of thin films, the transitions in cross-sectional morphologies of the Pt films significantly affect their mechanical behavior.

Controlled crystal growth of layered-perovskite thin films as an approach to study their basic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Takayuki; Funakubo, Hiroshi

2006-09-01

This article describes the current progress in thin bismuth layer-structured ferroelectric films (BLSFs) including SrBi2Ta2O9 and (Bi,La)4Ti3O12, particularly those developed in the last ten years. BLSF thin films can be applied to ferroelectric random access memories because of their durable fatigue-free properties and lead-free composition. We will briefly introduce epitaxial thin films grown on a variety of substrates. Because of the difficulty in growing single crystals of sufficient size to characterize the ferroelectric behavior in specific crystal growth directions, we will characterize epitaxially grown thin films to obtain basic information about the anisotropic switching behavior, which is important for evaluating the performance of emerging materials. We will then discuss the fiber-textured growth on the (111)Pt-covered Si substrates of SrBi2Ta2O9 and Bi4Ti3O12 thin films. Because we expect that the spread crystal orientation will affect the bit-to-bit errors, we believe that the fiber-textured growth and the characterization technique for the deposited film orientation are interesting from a practical standpoint. Another specific challenge of thin film growth is the growth of a-axis-(polar axis)-oriented films. a-/b-axis-oriented films are characterized both crystallographically and by electric hysteresis loop. The hysteresis performance was in accordance with the volume fraction of the a /b domains; however, no evidence for 90° switching of the b domain by an external electric field was obtained. The control of film orientation also allows systematic studies on the effects of a structural modification and relation between spontaneous polarization and Curie temperature, examples of which are given in this paper. After a short description of the piezoelectric properties, we will conclude with a summary and the future prospects of BLSF thin films for research and applications.

Neuromorphic transistor achieved by redox reaction of WO3 thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuchiya, Takashi; Jayabalan, Manikandan; Kawamura, Kinya; Takayanagi, Makoto; Higuchi, Tohru; Jayavel, Ramasamy; Terabe, Kazuya

2018-04-01

An all-solid-state neuromorphic transistor composed of a WO3 thin film and a proton-conducting electrolyte was fabricated for application to next-generation information and communication technology including artificial neural networks. The drain current exhibited a 4-order-of-magnitude increment by redox reaction of the WO3 thin film owing to proton migration. Learning and forgetting characteristics were well tuned by the gate control of WO3 redox reactions owing to the separation of the current reading path and pulse application path in the transistor structure. This technique should lead to the development of versatile and low-power-consumption neuromorphic devices.

Formation of thin film like assembly of exfoliated C3N4 nanoflakes by solvent non-evaporative method using centrifuge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tejasvi, Ravi; Basu, Suddhasatwa

2017-12-01

A simple method for depositing a thin film of nanomaterial on a substrate using centrifugation technique has been developed, whereby solvent evaporation is prevented and solvent reuse is possible. The centrifuge technique of deposition yields uniform, smooth thin film irrespective of substrate surface texture. The deposited TiO2/eC3N4 film studied, through field emission scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, and optical surface profilometer, shows variation in surface roughness on the basis of centrifugation speeds. Initially film coverage improves and surface roughness decreases with the increase in rpm of the centrifuge and the surface roughness slightly increases with further increase in rpm. The photoelectrochemical studies of TiO2/eC3N4 films suggest that the centrifuge technique forms better heterojunctions compared to that by spin coating technique leading to enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting.

AFM investigation and optical band gap study of chemically deposited PbS thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, S.; Mansoor, M.; Abubakar; Asim, M. M.

2016-08-01

The interest into deposition of nanocrystalline PbS thin films, the potential of designing and tailoring both the topographical features and the band gap energy (Eg) by controlling growth parameters, has significant technological importance. Nanocrystalline thin films of lead sulfide were grown onto glass substrates by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The experiments were carried out by varying deposition temperature. We report on the modification of structural and optical properties as a function of deposition temperature. The morphological changes of the films were analyzed by using SEM and AFM. AFM was also used to calculate average roughness of the films. XRD spectra indicated preferred growth of cubic phase of PbS films in (200) direction with increasing deposition time. Optical properties have been studied by UV-Spectrophotometer. From the diffused reflectance spectra we have calculated the optical Eg shift from 0.649-0.636 eV with increasing deposition time.

Rapid crystallization of WS2 films assisted by a thin nickel layer: An in situ energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellmer, K.; Seeger, S.; Mientus, R.

2006-08-01

By rapid thermal crystallization of an amorphous WS3+x film, deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering at temperatures below 150 °C, layer-type semiconducting tungsten disulfide films (WS2) were grown. The rapid crystallization was monitored in real-time by in situ energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction. The films crystallize very fast (>40 nm/s), provided that a thin nickel film acts as nucleation seeds. Experiments on different substrates and the onset of the crystallization only at a temperature between 600 and 700 °C points to the decisive role of seeds for the textured growth of WS2, most probably liquid NiSx drops. The rapidly crystallized WS2 films exhibit a pronounced (001) texture with the van der Waals planes oriented parallel to the surface, leading to photoactive layers with a high hole mobility of about 80 cm2/Vs making such films suitable as absorbers for thin film solar cells.

Thickness-dependent domain wall reorientation in 70/30 lead magnesium niobate- lead titanate thin films

DOE PAGES

Keech, Ryan; Morandi, Carl; Wallace, Margeaux; ...

2017-04-11

Continued reduction in length scales associated with many ferroelectric film-based technologies is contingent on retaining the functional properties as the film thickness is reduced. Epitaxial and polycrystalline lead magnesium niobate - lead titanate (70PMN-30PT) thin films were studied over the thickness range of 100-350 nm for the relative contributions to property thickness dependence from interfacial and grain boundary low permittivity layers. Epitaxial PMN-PT films were grown on SrRuO 3 /(001)SrTiO 3, while polycrystalline films with {001}-Lotgering factors >0.96 were grown on Pt/TiO 2/SiO 2/Si substrates via chemical solution deposition. Both film types exhibited similar relative permittivities of ~300 at highmore » fields at all measured thicknesses with highly crystalline electrode/dielectric interfaces. These results, with the DC-biased and temperature dependent dielectric characterization, suggest irreversible domain wall mobility is the major contributor to the overall dielectric response and its thickness dependence. In epitaxial films, the irreversible Rayleigh coefficients reduced 85% upon decreasing thickness from 350 to 100 nm. The temperature at which a peak in the relative permittivity is observed was the only measured small signal quantity which was more thickness dependent in polycrystalline than epitaxial films. This is attributed to the relaxor nature present in the films, potentially stabilized by defect concentrations, and/or chemical inhomogeneity. Finally, the effective interfacial layers are found to contribute to the measured thickness dependence in the longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient.« less

Single-Crystal Thin Films of Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite Epitaxially Grown on Metal Oxide Perovskite (SrTiO 3)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Jie; Morrow, Darien J.; Fu, Yongping

High-quality metal halide perovskite single crystals have low defect densities and excellent photophysical properties, yet thin films are the most sought after material geometry for optoelectronic devices. Perovskite single-crystal thin films (SCTFs) would be highly desirable for high-performance devices, but their growth remains challenging, particularly for inorganic metal halide perovskites. Herein, we report the facile vapor-phase epitaxial growth of cesium lead bromide perovskite (CsPbBr 3) continuous SCTFs with controllable micrometer thickness, as well as nanoplate arrays, on traditional oxide perovskite SrTiO 3(100) substrates. Heteroepitaxial single-crystal growth is enabled by the serendipitous incommensurate lattice match between these two perovskites, and overcomingmore » the limitation of island-forming Volmer–Weber crystal growth is critical for growing large-area continuous thin films. Time-resolved photoluminescence, transient reflection spectroscopy, and electrical transport measurements show that the CsPbBr 3 epitaxial thin film has a slow charge carrier recombination rate, low surface recombination velocity (10 4 cm s –1), and low defect density of 10 12 cm –3, which are comparable to those of CsPbBr 3 single crystals. This work suggests a general approach using oxide perovskites as substrates for heteroepitaxial growth of halide perovskites. Furthermore, the high-quality halide perovskite SCTFs epitaxially integrated with multifunctional oxide perovskites could open up opportunities for a variety of high-performance optoelectronics devices.« less

Single-Crystal Thin Films of Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite Epitaxially Grown on Metal Oxide Perovskite (SrTiO 3)

DOE PAGES

Chen, Jie; Morrow, Darien J.; Fu, Yongping; ...

2017-09-05

High-quality metal halide perovskite single crystals have low defect densities and excellent photophysical properties, yet thin films are the most sought after material geometry for optoelectronic devices. Perovskite single-crystal thin films (SCTFs) would be highly desirable for high-performance devices, but their growth remains challenging, particularly for inorganic metal halide perovskites. Herein, we report the facile vapor-phase epitaxial growth of cesium lead bromide perovskite (CsPbBr 3) continuous SCTFs with controllable micrometer thickness, as well as nanoplate arrays, on traditional oxide perovskite SrTiO 3(100) substrates. Heteroepitaxial single-crystal growth is enabled by the serendipitous incommensurate lattice match between these two perovskites, and overcomingmore » the limitation of island-forming Volmer–Weber crystal growth is critical for growing large-area continuous thin films. Time-resolved photoluminescence, transient reflection spectroscopy, and electrical transport measurements show that the CsPbBr 3 epitaxial thin film has a slow charge carrier recombination rate, low surface recombination velocity (10 4 cm s –1), and low defect density of 10 12 cm –3, which are comparable to those of CsPbBr 3 single crystals. This work suggests a general approach using oxide perovskites as substrates for heteroepitaxial growth of halide perovskites. Furthermore, the high-quality halide perovskite SCTFs epitaxially integrated with multifunctional oxide perovskites could open up opportunities for a variety of high-performance optoelectronics devices.« less

Photo-response behavior of organic transistors based on thermally annealed semiconducting diketopyrrolopyrrole core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarsoly, Gergely; Pyo, Seungmoon

2018-06-01

We report the opto-electrical response of organic field-effect transistors based on a thin-film of a semiconducting diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) core, a popular building block for molecular semiconductors, and a polymeric gate dielectric. The thin-film of the DPP core was thermally annealed at different temperatures under N2 atmosphere to investigate the relationship between the annealing temperature and the electrical properties of the device. The results showed that the annealing process induces morphological changes in the thin film, and properly controlling the thermal annealing conditions can enhance the device performance. In addition, we also investigated in detail the photo-response behaviors by analyzing the responsivity (R) of the device with the optimally annealed DPP-core thin film under two light illumination conditions by considering the irradiance absorbed by the thin film instead of the total irradiance of the light source. We found that the proposed model could lead to a light-source-independent description of the photo-response behavior of the device, and which can be used for other applications.

Recent Progress in CuInS2 Thin-Film Solar Cell Research at NASA Glenn

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, M. H.-C.; Banger, K. K.; Kelly, C. V.; Scofield, J. H.; McNatt, J. S.; Dickman, J. E.; Hepp, A. F.

2005-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is interested in developing low-cost highly efficient solar cells on light-weight flexible substrates, which will ultimately lower the mass-specific power (W/kg) of the cell allowing extra payload for missions in space as well as cost reduction. In addition, thin film cells are anticipated to have greater resistance to radiation damage in space, prolonging their lifetime. The flexibility of the substrate has the added benefit of enabling roll-to-roll processing. The first major thin film solar cell was the "CdS solar cell" - a heterojunction between p-type CuxS and n-type CdS. The research on CdS cells started in the late 1950s and the efficiency in the laboratory was up to about 10 % in the 1980s. Today, three different thin film materials are leading the field. They include amorphous Si, CdTe, and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS). The best thin film solar cell efficiency of 19.2 % was recently set by CIGS on glass. Typical module efficiencies, however, remain below 15 %.

Effect of Fe-V nonstoichiometry on electrical and thermoelectric properties of Fe2VAl films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudo, Kohei; Yamada, Shinya; Chikada, Jinichiro; Shimanuki, Yuta; Nakamura, Yoshiaki; Hamaya, Kohei

2018-04-01

We study the effect of Fe-V nonstoichiometry on electrical and thermoelectric properties of Fe2VAl films. We find that temperature dependence of electrical resistivity and carrier type for Fe2- x V1+ x Al films are similar to those for bulk samples reported previously. In addition, the electrical and thermoelectric properties can be modulated by varying x. These results indicate that the electronic band structure having a pseudo gap at around the Fermi level is demonstrated even in thin-film Fe2VAl samples. This study will lead to further improvement in thermoelectric properties of the thin-film Fe2VAl.

Atomic-level study of a thickness-dependent phase change in gold thin films heated by an ultrafast laser.

PubMed

Gan, Yong; Shi, Jixiang; Jiang, Shan

2012-08-20

An ultrafast laser-induced phase change in gold thin films with different thicknesses has been simulated by the method of coupling the two-temperature model and the molecular dynamics, including transient optical properties. Numerical results show that the decrease of film thickness leads to faster melting in the early nonequilibrium time and a larger melting depth. Moreover, earlier occurrence and a higher rate of resolidification are observed for the thicker film. Further analysis reveals that the mechanism for the thickness-dependent phase change in the films is the fast electron thermal conduction in the nonequilibrium state.

Low-voltage high-performance organic thin film transistors with a thermally annealed polystyrene/hafnium oxide dielectric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ying; Acton, Orb; Ting, Guy; Weidner, Tobias; Ma, Hong; Castner, David G.; Jen, Alex K.-Y.

2009-12-01

Low-voltage pentacene-based organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) are demonstrated with polystyrene (PS)/hafnium oxide (HfOx) hybrid dielectrics. Thermal annealing of PS films on HfOx at 120 °C (PS-120) induces a flatter orientation of the phenyl groups (tilt angle 65°) at the surface compared to PS films without annealing (PS-RT) (tilt angle 31°). The flatter phenyl group orientation leads to better matching of surface energy between pentacene and PS. Pentacene deposited on PS-120 display higher quality thin films with larger grain sizes and higher crystallinity. Pentacene OTFTs with PS-120/HfOx hybrid dielectrics can operate at low-voltage (<3 V) with high field-effect mobilities (1 cm2/V s), high on/off current ratios (106), and low subthreshold slopes (100 mV/dec).

Fracture toughness improvements of dental ceramic through use of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin-film coatings.

PubMed

Chan, Ryan N; Stoner, Brian R; Thompson, Jeffrey Y; Scattergood, Ronald O; Piascik, Jeffrey R

2013-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate strengthening mechanisms of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin film coatings as a viable method for improving fracture toughness of all-ceramic dental restorations. Bars (2mm×2mm×15mm, n=12) were cut from porcelain (ProCAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent) blocks and wet-polished through 1200-grit using SiC abrasive. A Vickers indenter was used to induce flaws with controlled size and geometry. Depositions were performed via radio frequency magnetron sputtering (5mT, 25°C, 30:1 Ar/O2 gas ratio) with varying powers of substrate bias. Film and flaw properties were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Flexural strength was determined by three-point bending. Fracture toughness values were calculated from flaw size and fracture strength. Data show improvements in fracture strength of up to 57% over unmodified specimens. XRD analysis shows that films deposited with higher substrate bias displayed a high %monoclinic volume fraction (19%) compared to non-biased deposited films (87%), and resulted in increased film stresses and modified YSZ microstructures. SEM analysis shows critical flaw sizes of 67±1μm leading to fracture toughness improvements of 55% over unmodified specimens. Data support surface modification of dental ceramics with YSZ thin film coatings to improve fracture toughness. Increase in construct strength was attributed to increase in compressive film stresses and modified YSZ thin film microstructures. It is believed that this surface modification may lead to significant improvements and overall reliability of all-ceramic dental restorations. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel Thin Film Sensor Technology for Turbine Engine Hot Section Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wrbanek, John D.; Fralick, Gustave C.

2007-01-01

Degradation and damage that develops over time in hot section components can lead to catastrophic failure of the turbine section of aircraft engines. A range of thin film sensor technology has been demonstrated enabling on-component measurement of multiple parameters either individually or in sensor arrays including temperature, strain, heat flux, and flow. Conductive ceramics are beginning to be investigated as new materials for use as thin film sensors in the hot section, leveraging expertise in thin films and high temperature materials. The current challenges are to develop new sensor and insulation materials capable of withstanding the extreme hot section environment, and to develop techniques for applying sensors onto complex high temperature structures for aging studies of hot propulsion materials. The technology research and development ongoing at NASA Glenn Research Center for applications to future aircraft, launch vehicles, space vehicles, and ground systems is outlined.

Deposition of hydrogenated silicon clusters for efficient epitaxial growth.

PubMed

Le, Ha-Linh Thi; Jardali, Fatme; Vach, Holger

2018-06-13

Epitaxial silicon thin films grown from the deposition of plasma-born hydrogenated silicon nanoparticles using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition have widely been investigated due to their potential applications in photovoltaic and nanoelectronic device technologies. However, the optimal experimental conditions and the underlying growth mechanisms leading to the high-speed epitaxial growth of thin silicon films from hydrogenated silicon nanoparticles remain far from being understood. In the present work, extensive molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the epitaxial growth of silicon thin films resulting from the deposition of plasma-born hydrogenated silicon clusters at low substrate temperatures under realistic reactor conditions. There is strong evidence that a temporary phase transition of the substrate area around the cluster impact site to the liquid state is necessary for the epitaxial growth to take place. We predict further that a non-normal incidence angle for the cluster impact significantly facilitates the epitaxial growth of thin crystalline silicon films.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thompson, J.; Nichols, John A.; Lee, Shinbuhm

Metal electrodes are a universal element of all electronic devices. Conducting SrRuO 3 (SRO) epitaxial thin films have been extensively used as electrodes in complex-oxide heterostructures due to good lattice mismatches with perovskite substrates. However, when compared to SRO single crystals, SRO thin films have shown reduced conductivity and Curie temperatures (T C), which can lead to higher Joule heating and energy loss in the devices. In this paper, we report that high-quality SRO thin films can be synthesized by controlling the plume dynamics and growth rate of pulsed laser epitaxy (PLE) with real-time optical spectroscopic monitoring. The SRO thinmore » films grown under the kinetically controlled conditions, down to ca. 16 nm in thickness, exhibit both enhanced conductivity and T C as compared to bulk values, due to their improved stoichiometry and a strain-mediated increase of the bandwidth of Ru 4d electrons. Finally, this result provides a direction for enhancing the physical properties of PLE-grown thin films and paves a way to improved device applications.« less

Photoelectrochemical etching of epitaxial InGaN thin films: Self-limited kinetics and nanostructuring

DOE PAGES

Xiao, Xiaoyin; Fischer, Arthur J.; Coltrin, Michael E.; ...

2014-10-22

We report here the characteristics of photoelectrochemical (PEC) etching of epitaxial InGaN semiconductor thin films using narrowband lasers with linewidth less than ~1 nm. In the initial stages of PEC etching, when the thin film is flat, characteristic voltammogram shapes are observed. At low photo-excitation rates, voltammograms are S-shaped, indicating the onset of a voltage-independent rate-limiting process associated with electron-hole-pair creation and/or annihilation. At high photo-excitation rates, voltammograms are superlinear in shape, indicating, for the voltage ranges studied here, a voltage-dependent rate-limiting process associated with surface electrochemical oxidation. As PEC etching proceeds, the thin film becomes rough at the nanoscale,more » and ultimately evolves into an ensemble of nanoparticles. As a result, this change in InGaN film volume and morphology leads to a characteristic dependence of PEC etch rate on time: an incubation time, followed by a rise, then a peak, then a slow decay.« less

Ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and leakage current properties of (K0.48Na0.48Li0.04)(Nb0.775Ta0.225)O3 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, D. Y.; Lin, D. M.; Kwok, K. W.; Chan, N. Y.; Dai, J. Y.; Li, S.; Chan, H. L. W.

2011-01-01

Lead-free (K0.48Na0.48Li0.04)(Nb0.775Ta0.225)O3 (KNLNT) thin films were deposited on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si(001) substrates using pulsed laser deposition. The film exhibited a well-defined ferroelectric hysteresis loop with a remnant polarization 2Pr of 22.6 μC/cm2 and a coercive field Ec of 10.3 kV/mm. The effective piezoelectric coefficient d33,f of the KNLNT thin films was found to be about 49 pm/V by piezoelectric force microscope. The dominant conduction mechanisms of Au/KNLNT/Pt thin film capacitor were determined to be bulk-limited space-charge-limited-current and Poole-Frenkle emission at low and high electric field strengths, respectively, within a measured temperature range of 130-370 K.

Simultaneous thermal stability and phase change speed improvement of Sn15Sb85 thin film through erbium doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Hua; Zhu, Xiaoqin; Hu, Yifeng; Sui, Yongxing; Sun, Yuemei; Zhang, Jianhao; Zheng, Long; Song, Zhitang

2016-12-01

In general, there is a trade off between the phase change speed and thermal stability in chalcogenide phase change materials, which leads to sacrifice the one in order to ensure the other. For improving the performance, doping is a widely applied technological process. Here, we fabricated Er doped Sn15Sb85 thin films by magnetron sputtering. Compared with the pure Sn15Sb85, we show that Er doped Sn15Sb85 thin films exhibit simultaneous improvement over the thermal stability and the phase change speed. Thus, our results suggest that Er doping provides the opportunity to solve the contradiction. The main reason for improvement of both thermal stability and crystallization speed is due to the existence of Er-Sb and Er-Sn bonds in Er doped Sn15Sb85 films. Hence, Er doped Sn15Sb85 thin films are promising candidates for the phase change memory application, and this method could be extended to other lanthanide-doped phase change materials.

Thin Film Ceramic Strain Sensor Development for High Temperature Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wrbanek, John D.; Fralick, Gustave C.; Gonzalez, Jose M.; Laster, Kimala L.

2008-01-01

The need for sensors to operate in harsh environments is illustrated by the need for measurements in the turbine engine hot section. The degradation and damage that develops over time in hot section components can lead to catastrophic failure. At present, the degradation processes that occur in the harsh hot section environment are poorly characterized, which hinders development of more durable components, and since it is so difficult to model turbine blade temperatures, strains, etc, actual measurements are needed. The need to consider ceramic sensing elements is brought about by the temperature limits of metal thin film sensors in harsh environments. The effort at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to develop high temperature thin film ceramic static strain gauges for application in turbine engines is described, first in the fan and compressor modules, and then in the hot section. The near-term goal of this research effort was to identify candidate thin film ceramic sensor materials and provide a list of possible thin film ceramic sensor materials and corresponding properties to test for viability. A thorough literature search was conducted for ceramics that have the potential for application as high temperature thin film strain gauges chemically and physically compatible with the NASA GRCs microfabrication procedures and substrate materials. Test results are given for tantalum, titanium and zirconium-based nitride and oxynitride ceramic films.

Reduced water vapor transmission rates of low-temperature solution-processed metal oxide barrier films via ultraviolet annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Seonuk; Jeong, Yong Jin; Baek, Yonghwa; Kim, Lae Ho; Jang, Jin Hyuk; Kim, Yebyeol; An, Tae Kyu; Nam, Sooji; Kim, Se Hyun; Jang, Jaeyoung; Park, Chan Eon

2017-08-01

Here, we report the fabrication of low-temperature sol-gel-derived aluminum oxide (AlOx) films via ultraviolet (UV) annealing and the investigation of their water vapor blocking properties by measuring the water vapor transmission rates (WVTRs). The UV annealing process induced the formation of a dense metal-oxygen-metal bond (Al-O-Al structure) at low temperatures (<200 °C) that are compatible with commercial plastic substrates. The density of the UV-annealed AlOx thin film at 180 °C was comparable to that of AlOx thin films that have been thermally annealed at 350 °C. Furthermore, the UV-annealed AlOx thin films exhibited a high optical transparency in the visible region (>99%) and good electrical insulating properties (∼10-7 A/cm2 at 2 MV/cm). Finally, we confirmed that a dense AlOx thin film was successfully deposited onto the plastic substrate via UV annealing at low temperatures, leading to a substantial reduction in the WVTRs. The Ca corrosion test was used to measure the WVTRs of AlOx thin films deposited onto polyethylene naphthalate or polyimide substrates, determined to be 0.0095 g m-2 day-1 (25 °C, 50% relative humidity) and 0.26 g m-2 day-1, respectively.

Lanthanide-Assisted Deposition of Strongly Electro-optic PZT Thin Films on Silicon: Toward Integrated Active Nanophotonic Devices.

PubMed

George, J P; Smet, P F; Botterman, J; Bliznuk, V; Woestenborghs, W; Van Thourhout, D; Neyts, K; Beeckman, J

2015-06-24

The electro-optical properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films depend strongly on the quality and crystallographic orientation of the thin films. We demonstrate a novel method to grow highly textured PZT thin films on silicon using the chemical solution deposition (CSD) process. We report the use of ultrathin (5-15 nm) lanthanide (La, Pr, Nd, Sm) based intermediate layers for obtaining preferentially (100) oriented PZT thin films. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate preferentially oriented intermediate Ln2O2CO3 layers providing an excellent lattice match with the PZT thin films grown on top. The XRD and scanning electron microscopy measurements reveal that the annealed layers are dense, uniform, crack-free and highly oriented (>99.8%) without apparent defects or secondary phases. The EDX and HRTEM characterization confirm that the template layers act as an efficient diffusion barrier and form a sharp interface between the substrate and the PZT. The electrical measurements indicate a dielectric constant of ∼650, low dielectric loss of ∼0.02, coercive field of 70 kV/cm, remnant polarization of 25 μC/cm(2), and large breakdown electric field of 1000 kV/cm. Finally, the effective electro-optic coefficients of the films are estimated with a spectroscopic ellipsometer measurement, considering the electric field induced variations in the phase reflectance ratio. The electro-optic measurements reveal excellent linear effective pockels coefficients of 110 to 240 pm/V, which makes the CSD deposited PZT thin film an ideal candidate for Si-based active integrated nanophotonic devices.

Top and bottom surfaces limit carrier lifetime in lead iodide perovskite films

DOE PAGES

Yang, Ye; Yang, Mengjin; Moore, David T.; ...

2017-01-23

Carrier recombination at defects is detrimental to the performance of solar energy conversion systems, including solar cells and photoelectrochemical devices. Point defects are localized within the bulk crystal while extended defects occur at surfaces and grain boundaries. If not properly managed, surfaces can be a large source of carrier recombination. Separating surface carrier dynamics from bulk and/or grain-boundary recombination in thin films is challenging. Here, we employ transient reflection spectroscopy to measure the surface carrier dynamics in methylammonium lead iodide perovskite polycrystalline films. We find that surface recombination limits the total carrier lifetime in perovskite polycrystalline thin films, meaning thatmore » recombination inside grains and/or at grain boundaries is less important than top and bottom surface recombination. As a result, the surface recombination velocity in polycrystalline films is nearly an order of magnitude smaller than that in single crystals, possibly due to unintended surface passivation of the films during synthesis.« less

Solvent-Assisted Gel Printing for Micropatterning Thin Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Films.

PubMed

Jeong, Beomjin; Hwang, Ihn; Cho, Sung Hwan; Kim, Eui Hyuk; Cha, Soonyoung; Lee, Jinseong; Kang, Han Sol; Cho, Suk Man; Choi, Hyunyong; Park, Cheolmin

2016-09-27

While tremendous efforts have been made for developing thin perovskite films suitable for a variety of potential photoelectric applications such as solar cells, field-effect transistors, and photodetectors, only a few works focus on the micropatterning of a perovskite film which is one of the most critical issues for large area and uniform microarrays of perovskite-based devices. Here we demonstrate a simple but robust method of micropatterning a thin perovskite film with controlled crystalline structure which guarantees to preserve its intrinsic photoelectric properties. A variety of micropatterns of a perovskite film are fabricated by either microimprinting or transfer-printing a thin spin-coated precursor film in soft-gel state with a topographically prepatterned elastomeric poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) mold, followed by thermal treatment for complete conversion of the precursor film to a perovskite one. The key materials development of our solvent-assisted gel printing is to prepare a thin precursor film with a high-boiling temperature solvent, dimethyl sulfoxide. The residual solvent in the precursor gel film makes the film moldable upon microprinting with a patterned PDMS mold, leading to various perovskite micropatterns in resolution of a few micrometers over a large area. Our nondestructive micropatterning process does not harm the intrinsic photoelectric properties of a perovskite film, which allows for realizing arrays of parallel-type photodetectors containing micropatterns of a perovskite film with reliable photoconduction performance. The facile transfer of a micropatterned soft-gel precursor film on other substrates including mechanically flexible plastics can further broaden its applications to flexible photoelectric systems.

Combined micro-droplet and thin-film-assisted pre-concentration of lead traces for on-line monitoring using anodic stripping voltammetry.

PubMed

Belostotsky, Inessa; Gridin, Vladimir V; Schechter, Israel; Yarnitzky, Chaim N

2003-02-01

An improved analytical method for airborne lead traces is reported. It is based on using a Venturi scrubber sampling device for simultaneous thin-film stripping and droplet entrapment of aerosol influxes. At least threefold enhancement of the lead-trace pre-concentration is achieved. The sampled traces are analyzed by square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry. The method was tested by a series of pilot experiments. These were performed using contaminant-controlled air intakes. Reproducible calibration plots were obtained. The data were validated by traditional analysis using filter sampling. LODs are comparable with the conventional techniques. The method was successfully applied to on-line and in situ environmental monitoring of lead.

Physically based DC lifetime model for lead zirconate titanate films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garten, Lauren M.; Hagiwara, Manabu; Ko, Song Won; Trolier-McKinstry, Susan

2017-09-01

Accurate lifetime predictions for Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films are critical for a number of applications, but current reliability models are not consistent with the resistance degradation mechanisms in lead zirconate titanate. In this work, the reliability and lifetime of chemical solution deposited (CSD) and sputtered Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films are characterized using highly accelerated lifetime testing (HALT) and leakage current-voltage (I-V) measurements. Temperature dependent HALT results and impedance spectroscopy show activation energies of approximately 1.2 eV for the CSD films and 0.6 eV for the sputtered films. The voltage dependent HALT results are consistent with previous reports, but do not clearly indicate what causes device failure. To understand more about the underlying physical mechanisms leading to degradation, the I-V data are fit to known conduction mechanisms, with Schottky emission having the best-fit and realistic extracted material parameters. Using the Schottky emission equation as a base, a unique model is developed to predict the lifetime under highly accelerated testing conditions based on the physical mechanisms of degradation.

Optical response of mixed methylammonium lead iodide and formamidinium tin iodide perovskite thin films

DOE PAGES

Ghimire, Kiran; Zhao, Dewei; Yan, Yanfa; ...

2017-07-13

Here, mixed tin (Sn) and lead (Pb) based perovskite thin films have been prepared by solution processing combining methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3) and formamidinium tin iodide (FASnI 3) precursors. Optical response in the form of complex dielectric function (ε = ε 1 + iε 2) spectra and absorption coefficient (α) spectra of (FASnI 3) 1-x(MAPbI 3) x based perovskite films have been extracted over a spectral range 0.74 to 5.89 eV using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Absorption band edge energy changes as a function of composition for films including FASnI 3, MAPbI 3, and mixed x = 0.20, 0.35, 0.40, andmore » 0.6 (FASnI 3) 1-x(MAPbI 3) x perovskites. (FASnI 3) 0.60(MAPbI 3) 0.4 is found to have the minimum absorption band edge energy near ~1.2 eV.« less

MATERIAL AND PROCESS DEVELOPMENT LEADING TO ECONOMICAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE THIN-FILM SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jie Guan; Atul Verma; Nguyen Minh

2003-04-01

This document summarizes the technical progress from September 2002 to March 2003 for the program, Material and Process Development Leading to Economical High-Performance Thin-Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, contract number DE-AC26-00NT40711. The causes have been identified for the unstable open circuit voltage (OCV) and low performance exhibited by the anode-supported lanthanum gallate based cells from the earlier development. Promising results have been obtained in the area of synthesis of electrolyte and cathode powders, which showed excellent sintering and densification at low temperatures. The fabrication of cells using tapecalendering process for anode-supported thin lanthanum gallate electrolyte cells and their performance optimizationmore » is in progress.« less

Band gap grading and photovoltaic performance of solution-processed Cu(In,Ga)S2 thin-film solar cells.

PubMed

Sohn, So Hyeong; Han, Noh Soo; Park, Yong Jin; Park, Seung Min; An, Hee Sang; Kim, Dong-Wook; Min, Byoung Koun; Song, Jae Kyu

2014-12-28

The photophysical properties of CuInxGa1-xS2 (CIGS) thin films, prepared by solution-based coating methods, are investigated to understand the correlation between the optical properties of these films and the electrical characteristics of solar cells fabricated using these films. Photophysical properties, such as the depth-dependent band gap and carrier lifetime, turn out to be at play in determining the energy conversion efficiency of solar cells. A double grading of the band gap in CIGS films enhances solar cell efficiency, even when defect states disturb carrier collection by non-radiative decay. The combinational stacking of different density films leads to improved solar cell performance as well as efficient fabrication because a graded band gap and reduced shunt current increase carrier collection efficiency. The photodynamics of minority-carriers suggests that the suppression of defect states is a primary area of improvement in CIGS thin films prepared by solution-based methods.

An investigation of passivity and breakdown of amorphous chromium-bromine thin films for surface modification of metallic biomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cormier, Lyne Mercedes

1998-12-01

The objectives of this investigation of amorphous Cr-B thin films as prospective coatings for biomaterials applications were to (i) produce and characterize an amorphous Cr-B thin film coating by magnetron sputtering, (ii) evaluate its corrosion resistance in physiologically relevant electrolytes, and (iii) propose a mechanism for the formation/dissolution of the passive film formed on amorphous Cr-B in chloride-containing near-neutral salt electrolytes. Dense (zone T) amorphous Cr75B25 thin films produced by DC magnetron sputtering were found to be better corrosion barriers than nanoczystalline or porous (zone 1) amorphous Cr75B25 thin films. The growth morphology and microstructure were a function of the sputtering pressure and substrate temperature, in agreement with the structure zone model of Thornton. The passivity/loss of passivity of amorphous Cr 75B25 in near-neutral salt solutions was explained using a modified bipolar layer model. The chromate ions identified by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) in the outer layer of the passive film were found to play a determinant role in the passive behaviour of amorphous Cr75B 25 thin films in salt solutions. In near-neutral salt solutions of pH = 5 to 7, a decrease in pH combined with an increase in chloride concentration resulted in less dissolution of the Cr75B25 thin films. The apparent breakdown potential at 240 mV (SCE) obtained by Cyclic Potentiodynamic Anodic Polarization (CPAP) was associated with oxidation of species within the passive film, but not to dissolution leading to immediate loss of passivity. Pit Propagation Rate (PPR) testing evaluated the stable pitting potential to be between 600 and 650 mV. Amorphous Cr75B25 thin films ranked the best among other Cr-based materials such as 316L stainless steel, CrB2 and Cr investigated in this study for general corrosion behaviour in NaCl and Hanks solutions by CPAP testing. In terms of corrosion resistance, amorphous Cr75B25 thin films were recognized as a promising material for surface modification of biomaterials.

Solid-State Solvation and Enhanced Exciton Diffusion in Doped Organic Thin Films under Mechanical Pressure.

PubMed

Chang, Wendi; Akselrod, Gleb M; Bulović, Vladimir

2015-04-28

Direct modification of exciton energy has been previously used to optimize the operation of organic optoelectronic devices. One demonstrated method for exciton energy modification is through the use of the solvent dielectric effects in doped molecular films. To gain a deeper appreciation of the underlying physical mechanisms, in this work we test the solid-state solvation effect in molecular thin films under applied external pressure. We observe that external mechanical pressure increases dipole-dipole interactions, leading to shifts in the Frenkel exciton energy and enhancement of the time-resolved spectral red shift associated with the energy-transfer-mediated exciton diffusion. Measurements are performed on host:dopant molecular thin films, which show bathochromic shifts in photoluminescence (PL) under increasing pressure. This is in agreement with a simple solvation theory model of exciton energetics with a fitting parameter based on the mechanical properties of the host matrix material. We measure no significant change in exciton lifetime with increasing pressure, consistent with unchanged aggregation in molecular films under compression. However, we do observe an increase in exciton spectral thermalization rate for compressed molecular films, indicating enhanced exciton diffusion for increased dipole-dipole interactions under pressure. The results highlight the contrast between molecular energy landscapes obtained when dipole-dipole interactions are increased by the pressure technique versus the conventional dopant concentration variation methods, which can lead to extraneous effects such as aggregation at higher doping concentrations. The present work demonstrates the use of pressure-probing techniques in studying energy disorder and exciton dynamics in amorphous molecular thin films.

Solid-State Solvation and Enhanced Exciton Diffusion in Doped Organic Thin Films under Mechanical Pressure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Wendi; Akselrod, Gleb M.; Bulović, Vladimir

2015-04-28

Direct modification of exciton energy has been previously used to optimize the operation of organic optoelectronic devices. One demonstrated method for exciton energy modification is through the use of the solvent dielectric effects in doped molecular films. To gain a deeper appreciation of the underlying physical mechanisms, in this work we test the solid-state solvation effect in molecular thin films under applied external pressure. We observe that external mechanical pressure increases dipole–dipole interactions, leading to shifts in the Frenkel exciton energy and enhancement of the time-resolved spectral red shift associated with the energy-transfer-mediated exciton diffusion. Measurements are performed on host:dopantmore » molecular thin films, which show bathochromic shifts in photoluminescence (PL) under increasing pressure. This is in agreement with a simple solvation theory model of exciton energetics with a fitting parameter based on the mechanical properties of the host matrix material. We measure no significant change in exciton lifetime with increasing pressure, consistent with unchanged aggregation in molecular films under compression. However, we do observe an increase in exciton spectral thermalization rate for compressed molecular films, indicating enhanced exciton diffusion for increased dipole–dipole interactions under pressure. The results highlight the contrast between molecular energy landscapes obtained when dipole–dipole interactions are increased by the pressure technique versus the conventional dopant concentration variation methods, which can lead to extraneous effects such as aggregation at higher doping concentrations. The present work demonstrates the use of pressure-probing techniques in studying energy disorder and exciton dynamics in amorphous molecular thin films.« less

Investigations in structural morphological and optical properties of Bi-Pb-S system thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malika, Boukhalfa; Noureddine, Benramdane; Mourad, Medles; Abdelkader, Outzourhit; Attouya, Bouzidi; Hind, Tabet-derraz

Bi2S3, PbS and Bi-Pb-S system thin films were grown on glass substrates by the spray pyrolysis technique. The films growth was realized by the reaction of aqueous solutions of bismuth trichloride (BiCl3) and trihydrate Lead Acetate (TLA) (Pb(CH3COO)2.3H2O) with thiourea on heated substrates. The films study was performed as a function of the TLA volume ratio (TLA vol. ratio) in the solution obtained by the mixture of BiCl3 and thiourea used as precursor solution (PrS). X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emitting scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used for structural and compositional analysis of the as deposited films. With the structural investigations, Bi2S3, PbS thin films and PbS-Bi2S3 composite thin films formation was confirmed. Optical properties of the deposited films were obtained using transmittance and reflectance measurements in the wavelength range [200-2500 nm]. The absorption edge shows a shift towards low energy with the increase of the TLA vol. ratio.The optical bandgaps for the films with various TLA vol. ratio are found to lie between those of the Bi2S3 and PbS ones. The optical parameters (extinction coefficient, refractive index, real and imaginary parts if the complex dielectric constant) of the thin films are also investigated. These are found to be dependent on the TLA vol. ratio.

Thin-Film Module Reverse-Bias Breakdown Sites Identified by Thermal Imaging: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnston, Steven; Sulas, Dana; Guthrey, Harvey L

Thin-film module sections are stressed under reverse bias to simulate partial shading conditions. Such stresses can cause permanent damage in the form of 'wormlike' defects due to thermal runaway. When large reverse biases with limited current are applied to the cells, dark lock-in thermography (DLIT) can detect where spatially-localized breakdown initiates before thermal runaway leads to permanent damage. Predicted breakdown defect sites have been identified in both CIGS and CdTe modules using DLIT. These defects include small pinholes, craters, or voids in the absorber layer of the film that lead to built-in areas of weakness where high current densities maymore » cause thermal damage in a partial-shading event.« less

Thin-Film Module Reverse-Bias Breakdown Sites Identified by Thermal Imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnston, Steven; Sulas, Dana; Guthrey, Harvey L

Thin-film module sections are stressed under reverse bias to simulate partial shading conditions. Such stresses can cause permanent damage in the form of 'wormlike' defects due to thermal runaway. When large reverse biases with limited current are applied to the cells, dark lock-in thermography (DLIT) can detect where spatially-localized breakdown initiates before thermal runaway leads to permanent damage. Predicted breakdown defect sites have been identified in both CIGS and CdTe modules using DLIT. These defects include small pinholes, craters, or voids in the absorber layer of the film that lead to built-in areas of weakness where high current densities maymore » cause thermal damage in a partial-shading event.« less

Aluminum concentration and substrate temperature in chemical sprayed ZnO:Al thin solid films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozada, Erick Velázquez; Castañeda, L.; Aguilar, E. Austria

2018-02-01

The continuous interest in the synthesis and properties study of materials has permitted the development of semiconductor oxides. Zinc oxide (ZnO) with hexagonal wurzite structure is a wide band gap n-type semiconductor and interesting material over a wide range. Chemically sprayed aluminium-doped zinc oxide thin films (ZnO:Al) were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates starting from zinc pentanedionate and aluminium pentanedionate. The influence of both the dopant concentration in the starting solution and the substrate temperature on the composition, morphology, and transport properties of the ZnO:Al thin films were studied. The structure of all the ZnO:Al thin films was polycrystalline, and variation in the preferential growth with the aluminium content in the solution was observed: from an initial (002) growth in films with low Al content, switching to a predominance of (101) planes for heavily dopant regime. The crystallite size was found to decrease with doping concentration and range from 33 to 20 nm. First-order Raman scattering from ZnO:Al, all having the wurtzite structure. The assignments of the E2 mode in ZnO:Al differ from previous investigations. The film composition and the dopant concentration were determined by Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES); these results showed that the films are almost stoichiometric ZnO. The optimum deposition conditions leading to conductive and transparent ZnO:Al thin films were also found. In this way a resistivity of 0.03 Ω-cm with a (002) preferential growth, were obtained in optimized ZnO:Al thin films.

Microbubble-Triggered Spontaneous Separation of Transparent Thin Films from Substrates Using Evaporable Core-Shell Nanocapsules.

PubMed

Son, Intae; Lee, Byungsun; Kim, Jae Hong; Kim, Chunho; Yoo, Ji Yong; Ahn, Byung Wook; Hwang, Jeongho; Lee, Jonghyuk; Lee, Jun Hyup

2018-05-23

The spontaneous separation of a polymer thin film from a substrate is an innovative technology that will enable material recycling and reduce manufacturing cost in the film industry, and this can be applied in a wide range of applications, from optical films to wearable devices. Here, we present an unprecedented spontaneous strategy for separating transparent polymer films from substrates on the basis of microbubble generation using nanocapsules containing an evaporable material. The core-shell nanocapsules are prepared from poly(methyl methacrylate)-polyethyleneimine nanoparticles via the encapsulation of methylcyclohexane (MCH). A spherical nanostructure with a vaporizable core is obtained, with the heat-triggered gas release ability leading to the formation of microbubbles. Our separation method applied to transparent polymer films doped with a small amount of the nanocapsules encapsulating evaporable MCH enables spontaneous detachment of thin films from substrates via vacuum-assisted rapid vaporization of MCH over a short separation time, and clear detachment of the film is achieved with no deterioration of the inherent optical transparency and adhesive property compared to a pristine film.

Development of lead zirconate titanate cantilevers on the micrometer length scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Christopher Robert

The objective of this research project was to fabricate a functional ferroelectric microcantilever from patterned lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films. Cantilevers fabricated from ferroelectric materials have tremendous potential in sensing applications, particularly due to the increased sensitivity that miniaturized devices offer. This thesis highlights and explores a number of the processing issues that hindered the production of a working prototype. PZT is patterned using soft lithography-inspired techniques from a PZT chemical precursor solution derived by the chelation synthesis route. As the ability to pattern ceramic materials derived from sol-gels on the micrometer scale is a relatively new technology, this thesis aims to expand the scientific understanding of new issues that arise when working with these patterned films. For example, the use of Micromolding in Capillaries (MIMIC) to pattern the PZT thin films results in the evolution of topographical distortions from the shape of the original mold during the shrinkage of patterned thin film during drying and sintering. The factors that contribute to this effect have been explained and a new processing technique called MicroChannel Molding (muCM) was developed. This new process combines the advantages of soft lithography with traditional silicon microfabrication techniques to ensure compatibility with current industrial practices. This work lays the foundation for the future production of working ferroelectric microcantilevers. The proposed microfabrication process is described along with descriptions of each processing difficulty that was encountered. Modifications to the process are proposed along with the descriptions of alternative processing techniques that were attempted for the benefit of future researchers. This dissertation concludes with the electronic characterization of micropattemed PZT thin films. To our knowledge, the ferroelectric properties of patterned PZT thin films have never been directly characterized before. The properties are measured with a commercial ferroelectric test system connected through a conductive Atomic Force Microscope tip. The films patterned by MIMIC and muCM are compared to large-area spin cast films to identify the role that the processing method has on the resulting properties.

Fabrication of SrGe2 thin films on Ge (100), (110), and (111) substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imajo, T.; Toko, K.; Takabe, R.; Saitoh, N.; Yoshizawa, N.; Suemasu, T.

2018-01-01

Semiconductor strontium digermanide (SrGe2) has a large absorption coefficient in the near-infrared light region and is expected to be useful for multijunction solar cells. This study firstly demonstrates the formation of SrGe2 thin films via a reactive deposition epitaxy on Ge substrates. The growth morphology of SrGe2 dramatically changed depending on the growth temperature (300-700 °C) and the crystal orientation of the Ge substrate. We succeeded in obtaining single-oriented SrGe2 using a Ge (110) substrate at 500 °C. Development on Si or glass substrates will lead to the application of SrGe2 to high-efficiency thin-film solar cells.

Pulsed laser ablation of complex oxides: The role of congruent ablation and preferential scattering for the film stoichiometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wicklein, S.; Koehl, A.; Dittmann, R.

2012-09-24

By combining structural and chemical thin film analysis with detailed plume diagnostics and modeling of the laser plume dynamics, we are able to elucidate the different physical mechanisms determining the stoichiometry of the complex oxides model material SrTiO{sub 3} during pulsed laser deposition. Deviations between thin film and target stoichiometry are basically a result of two effects, namely, incongruent ablation and preferential scattering of lighter ablated species during their motion towards the substrate in the O{sub 2} background gas. On the one hand, a progressive preferential ablation of the Ti species with increasing laser fluence leads to a regime ofmore » Ti-rich thin film growth at larger fluences. On the other hand, in the low laser fluence regime, a more effective scattering of the lighter Ti plume species results in Sr rich films.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Mengjin; Zeng, Yining; Li, Zhen

Here, we examine GBs with respect to non-GB regions (grain surfaces (GSs) and grain interiors (GIs)) in high-quality micrometer-sized perovskite CH 3NH 3PbI 3 (or MAPbI 3) thin films using high-resolution confocal fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy in conjunction with kinetic modeling of charge-transport and recombination processes. We show that, contrary to previous studies, GBs in our perovskite MAPbI3 thin films do not lead to increased recombination but that recombination in these films happens primarily in the non-GB regions (i.e., GSs or GIs). We also find that GBs in these films are not transparent to photogenerated carriers, which is likely associated withmore » a potential barrier at GBs. Lastly, even though GBs generally display lower luminescence intensities than GSs/GIs, the lifetimes at GBs are no worse than those at GSs/GIs, further suggesting that GBs do not dominate non-radiative recombination in MAPbI 3 thin films.« less

Polycaprolactone thin films for retinal tissue engineering and drug delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steedman, Mark Rory

This dissertation focuses on the development of polycaprolactone thin films for retinal tissue engineering and drug delivery. We combined these thin films with techniques such as micro and nanofabrication to develop treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that leads to the death of rod and cone photoreceptors. Current treatments are only able to slow or limit the progression of the disease, and photoreceptors cannot be regenerated or replaced by the body once lost. The first experiments presented focus on a potential treatment for AMD after photoreceptor death has occurred. We developed a polymer thin film scaffold technology to deliver retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) to the affected area of the eye. Earlier research showed that RPCs destined to become photoreceptors are capable of incorporating into a degenerated retina. In our experiments, we showed that RPC attachment to a micro-welled polycaprolactone (PCL) thin film surface enhanced the differentiation of these cells toward a photoreceptor fate. We then used our PCL thin films to develop a drug delivery device capable of sustained therapeutic release over a multi-month period that would maintain an effective concentration of the drug in the eye and eliminate the need for repeated intraocular injections. We first investigated the biocompatibility of PCL in the rabbit eye. We injected PCL thin films into the anterior chamber or vitreous cavity of rabbit eyes and monitored the animals for up to 6 months. We found that PCL thin films were well tolerated in the rabbit eye, showing no signs of chronic inflammation due to the implant. We then developed a multilayered thin film device containing a microporous membrane. We loaded these devices with lyophilized proteins and quantified drug elution for 10 weeks, finding that both bovine serum albumin and immunoglobulin G elute from these devices with zero order release kinetics. These experiments demonstrate that PCL is an extremely useful biomaterial that may be used to treat AMD in multiple ways. Through both tissue engineering and drug delivery techniques we have established that PCL thin films have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of AMD.

Role of annealing on the structural and optical properties of nanostructured diaceto bis-benzimidazole Mn(II) complex thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Praveen, P. A.; Babu, R. Ramesh; Ramamurthi, K.

2017-02-01

A coordination complex, manganese incorporated benzimidazole, thin films were prepared by chemical bath deposition method. Structural characterization of the deposited films, carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman and electron paramagnetic resonance spectral analyses, reveals the distorted tetrahedral environment of the metal ion with bis-benzimidazole ligand. Further the molecular composition of the deposited metal complex was estimated by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The prepared thin films were thermally treated to study the effect of annealing temperature on the surface morphology and the results showed that the surface homogeneity of the films increased for thermally treated films up to 150 °C. But distortion and voids were observed for the films annealed at 200 °C. The Raman analysis reveals the molecular hydrogen bond distortion which leads to the evaporation of the metal complex from the thin film surface with respect to annealing temperature. The linear and nonlinear optical properties of the as prepared and annealed films were studied using ultraviolet-visible transmittance spectroscopy, second harmonic generation and Z-scan analyses. Films annealed at 150 °C show a better linear transmittance in the visible region and larger SHG efficiency and third order nonlinear susceptibility when compared with the other samples. Further, the film annealed at 150 °C was subjected to optical switching analysis and demonstrated to have an inverted switching behavior.

Pulsed laser deposition of piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate thin films maintaining a post-CMOS compatible thermal budget

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schatz, A.; Pantel, D.; Hanemann, T.

2017-09-01

Integration of lead zirconate titanate (Pb[Zrx,Ti1-x]O3 - PZT) thin films on complementary metal-oxide semiconductor substrates (CMOS) is difficult due to the usually high crystallization temperature of the piezoelectric perovskite PZT phase, which harms the CMOS circuits. In this work, a wafer-scale pulsed laser deposition tool was used to grow 1 μm thick PZT thin films on 150 mm diameter silicon wafers. Three different routes towards a post-CMOS compatible deposition process were investigated, maintaining a post-CMOS compatible thermal budget limit of 445 °C for 1 h (or 420 °C for 6 h). By crystallizing the perovskite LaNiO3 seed layer at 445 °C, the PZT deposition temperature can be lowered to below 400 °C, yielding a transverse piezoelectric coefficient e31,f of -9.3 C/m2. With the same procedure, applying a slightly higher PZT deposition temperature of 420 °C, an e31,f of -10.3 C/m2 can be reached. The low leakage current density of below 3 × 10-6 A/cm2 at 200 kV/cm allows for application of the post-CMOS compatible PZT thin films in low power micro-electro-mechanical-systems actuators.

Symmetry Breaking in Side Chains Leading to Mixed Orientations and Improved Charge Transport in Isoindigo- alt -Bithiophene Based Polymer Thin Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xue, Guobiao; Zhao, Xikang; Qu, Ge

The selection of side chains is important in design of conjugated polymers. It not only affects their intrinsic physical properties, but also has an impact on thin film morphologies. Recent reports suggested that a face-on/edge-on bimodal orientation observed in polymer thin films may be responsible for a three-dimensional (3D) charge transport and leads to dramatically improved mobility in donor–acceptor based conjugated polymers. To achieve a bimodal orientation in thin films has been seldom explored from the aspect of molecular design. Here, we demonstrate a design strategy involving the use of asymmetric side chains that enables an isoindigo-based polymer to adoptmore » a distinct bimodal orientation, confirmed by the grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. As a result, the polymer presents an average high mobility of 3.8 ± 0.7 cm2 V–1 s–1 with a maximum value of 5.1 cm2 V–1 s–1, in comparison with 0.47 and 0.51 cm2 V–1 s–1 obtained from the two reference polymers. This study exemplifies a new strategy to develop the next generation polymers through understanding the property-structure relationship.« less

A crystalline germanium flexible thin-film transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higashi, H.; Nakano, M.; Kudo, K.; Fujita, Y.; Yamada, S.; Kanashima, T.; Tsunoda, I.; Nakashima, H.; Hamaya, K.

2017-11-01

We experimentally demonstrate a flexible thin-film transistor (TFT) with (111)-oriented crystalline germanium (Ge) layers grown by a gold-induced crystallization method. Accumulation-mode metal source/drain p-channel Ge TFTs are fabricated on a polyimide film at ≤ 400 ° C . A field-effect mobility (μFE) of 10.7 cm2/Vs is obtained, meaning the highest μFE in the p-TFTs fabricated at ≤ 400 ° C on flexible plastic substrates. This study will lead to high-performance flexible electronics based on an inorganic-semiconductor channel.

Lead free CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnI{sub 3} perovskite thin-film with p-type semiconducting nature and metal-like conductivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iefanova, Anastasiia; Adhikari, Nirmal; Dubey, Ashish

Lead free CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnI{sub 3} perovskite thin film was prepared by low temperature solution processing and characterized using current sensing atomic force microscopy (CS-AFM). Analysis of electrical, optical, and optoelectrical properties reveals unique p-type semiconducting nature and metal like conductivity of this material. CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnI{sub 3} film also showed a strong absorption in visible and near infrared spectrum with absorption onset of 1.3 eV. X-ray Diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed a structure of this compound and uniform film formation. The morphology, film uniformity, light harvesting and electrical properties strongly depend on preparation method and precursormore » solution. CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnI{sub 3} films prepared based on dimethylformamide (DMF) showed higher crystallinity and light harvesting capability compared to the film based on combination of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with gamma-butyrolactone (GBL). Local photocurrent mapping analysis showed that CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnI{sub 3} can be used as an active layer and have a potential to fabricate lead free photovoltaic devices.« less

Highly Sensitive Thin-Film Field-Effect Transistor Sensor for Ammonia with the DPP-Bithiophene Conjugated Polymer Entailing Thermally Cleavable tert-Butoxy Groups in the Side Chains.

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Zhang, Guanxin; Luo, Hewei; Yao, Jingjing; Liu, Zitong; Zhang, Deqing

2016-02-17

The sensing and detection of ammonia have received increasing attention in recent years because of the growing emphasis on environmental and health issues. In this paper, we report a thin-film field-effect transistor (FET)-based sensor for ammonia and other amines with remarkable high sensitivity and satisfactory selectivity by employing the DPP-bithiophene conjugated polymer pDPPBu-BT in which tert-butoxycarboxyl groups are incorporated in the side chains. This polymer thin film shows p-type semiconducting property. On the basis of TGA and FT-IR analysis, tert-butoxycarboxyl groups can be transformed into the -COOH ones by eliminating gaseous isobutylene after thermal annealing of pDPPBu-BT thin film at 240 °C. The FET with the thermally treated thin film of pDPPBu-BT displays remarkably sensitive and selective response toward ammonia and volatile amines. This can be attributed to the fact that the elimination of gaseous isobutylene accompanies the formation of nanopores with the thin film, which will facilitate the diffusion and interaction of ammonia and other amines with the semiconducting layer, leading to high sensitivity and fast response for this FET sensor. This FET sensor can detect ammonia down to 10 ppb and the interferences from other volatile analytes except amines can be negligible.

Effects of doping on ferroelectric properties and leakage current behavior of KNN-LT-LS thin films on SrTiO3 substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abazari, M.; Safari, A.

2009-05-01

We report the effects of Ba, Ti, and Mn dopants on ferroelectric polarization and leakage current of (K0.44Na0.52Li0.04)(Nb0.84Ta0.1Sb0.06)O3 (KNN-LT-LS) thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition. It is shown that donor dopants such as Ba2+, which increased the resistivity in bulk KNN-LT-LS, had an opposite effect in the thin film. Ti4+ as an acceptor B-site dopant reduces the leakage current by an order of magnitude, while the polarization values showed a slight degradation. Mn4+, however, was found to effectively suppress the leakage current by over two orders of magnitude while enhancing the polarization, with 15 and 23 μC/cm2 remanent and saturated polarization, whose values are ˜70% and 82% of the reported values for bulk composition. This phenomenon has been associated with the dual effect of Mn4+ in KNN-LT-LS thin film, by substituting both A- and B-site cations. A detailed description on how each dopant affects the concentrations of vacancies in the lattice is presented. Mn-doped KNN-LT-LS thin films are shown to be a promising candidate for lead-free thin films and applications.

Overcoming Short-Circuit in Lead-Free CH3NH3SnI3 Perovskite Solar Cells via Kinetically Controlled Gas-Solid Reaction Film Fabrication Process.

PubMed

Yokoyama, Takamichi; Cao, Duyen H; Stoumpos, Constantinos C; Song, Tze-Bin; Sato, Yoshiharu; Aramaki, Shinji; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G

2016-03-03

The development of Sn-based perovskite solar cells has been challenging because devices often show short-circuit behavior due to poor morphologies and undesired electrical properties of the thin films. A low-temperature vapor-assisted solution process (LT-VASP) has been employed as a novel kinetically controlled gas-solid reaction film fabrication method to prepare lead-free CH3NH3SnI3 thin films. We show that the solid SnI2 substrate temperature is the key parameter in achieving perovskite films with high surface coverage and excellent uniformity. The resulting high-quality CH3NH3SnI3 films allow the successful fabrication of solar cells with drastically improved reproducibility, reaching an efficiency of 1.86%. Furthermore, our Kelvin probe studies show the VASP films have a doping level lower than that of films prepared from the conventional one-step method, effectively lowering the film conductivity. Above all, with (LT)-VASP, the short-circuit behavior often obtained from the conventional one-step-fabricated Sn-based perovskite devices has been overcome. This study facilitates the path to more successful Sn-perovskite photovoltaic research.

Rupture of thin liquid films on structured surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajaev, Vladimir S.; Gatapova, Elizaveta Ya.; Kabov, Oleg A.

2011-10-01

We investigate stability and breakup of a thin liquid film on a solid surface under the action of disjoining pressure. The solid surface is structured by parallel grooves. Air is trapped in the grooves under the liquid film. Our mathematical model takes into account the effect of slip due to the presence of menisci separating the liquid film from the air inside the grooves, the deformation of these menisci due to local variations of pressure in the liquid film, and nonuniformities of the Hamaker constant which measures the strength of disjoining pressure. Both linear stability and strongly nonlinear evolution of the film are analyzed. Surface structuring results in decrease of the fastest growing instability wavelength and the rupture time. It is shown that a simplified description of film dynamics based on the standard formula for effective slip leads to significant deviations from the behavior seen in our simulations. Self-similar decay over several orders of magnitude of the film thickness near the rupture point is observed. We also show that the presence of the grooves can lead to instability in otherwise stable films if the relative groove width is above a critical value, found as a function of disjoining pressure parameters.

A Confined Fabrication of Perovskite Quantum Dots in Oriented MOF Thin Film.

PubMed

Chen, Zheng; Gu, Zhi-Gang; Fu, Wen-Qiang; Wang, Fei; Zhang, Jian

2016-10-26

Organic-inorganic hybrid lead organohalide perovskites are inexpensive materials for high-efficiency photovoltaic solar cells, optical properties, and superior electrical conductivity. However, the fabrication of their quantum dots (QDs) with uniform ultrasmall particles is still a challenge. Here we use oriented microporous metal-organic framework (MOF) thin film prepared by liquid phase epitaxy approach as a template for CH 3 NH 3 PbI 2 X (X = Cl, Br, and I) perovskite QDs fabrication. By introducing the PbI 2 and CH 3 NH 3 X (MAX) precursors into MOF HKUST-1 (Cu 3 (BTC) 2 , BTC = 1,3,5-benzene tricarboxylate) thin film in a stepwise approach, the resulting perovskite MAPbI 2 X (X = Cl, Br, and I) QDs with uniform diameters of 1.5-2 nm match the pore size of HKUST-1. Furthermore, the photoluminescent properties and stability in the moist air of the perovskite QDs loaded HKUST-1 thin film were studied. This confined fabrication strategy demonstrates that the perovskite QDs loaded MOF thin film will be insensitive to air exposure and offers a novel means of confining the uniform size of the similar perovskite QDs according to the oriented porous MOF materials.

An optimized one-step wet etching process of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films for microelectromechanical system applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Che, L.; Halvorsen, E.; Chen, X.

2011-10-01

The existence of insoluble residues as intermediate products produced during the wet etching process is the main quality-reducing and structure-patterning issue for lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films. A one-step wet etching process using the solutions of buffered HF (BHF) and HNO3 acid was developed for patterning PZT thin films for microelectomechanical system (MEMS) applications. PZT thin films with 1 µm thickness were prepared on the Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate by the sol-gel process for compatibility with Si micromachining. Various compositions of the etchant were investigated and the patterns were examined to optimize the etching process. The optimal result is demonstrated by a high etch rate (3.3 µm min-1) and low undercutting (1.1: 1). The patterned PZT thin film exhibits a remnant polarization of 24 µC cm-2, a coercive field of 53 kV cm-1, a leakage current density of 4.7 × 10-8 A cm-2 at 320 kV cm-1 and a dielectric constant of 1100 at 1 KHz.

Morphology, structure, and magnetism of FeCo thin films electrodeposited on hydrogen-terminated Si(111) surfaces.

PubMed

Zarpellon, J; Jurca, H F; Mattoso, N; Klein, J J; Schreiner, W H; Ardisson, J D; Macedo, W A A; Mosca, D H

2007-12-15

In this work we describe the fabrication of FeCo alloy (less than 10 at% Co) thin films from aqueous ammonium sulfate solutions onto n-type Si(111) substrates using potentiostatic electrodeposition at room temperature. The incorporation of Co into the deposits tends to inhibit Fe silicide formation and to protect deposits against oxidation under air exposure. As the incorporation of Co was progressively increased, the sizes of nuclei consisting of FeCo alloy increased, leading to films with a highly oriented body-centered cubic structure with crystalline texture, where (110) planes remain preferentially oriented parallel to the film surface.

Nano-embossing technology on ferroelectric thin film Pb(Zr0.3,Ti0.7)O3 for multi-bit storage application

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

In this work, we apply nano-embossing technique to form a stagger structure in ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate [Pb(Zr0.3, Ti0.7)O3 (PZT)] films and investigate the ferroelectric and electrical characterizations of the embossed and un-embossed regions, respectively, of the same films by using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and Radiant Technologies Precision Material Analyzer. Attributed to the different layer thickness of the patterned ferroelectric thin film, two distinctive coercive voltages have been obtained, thereby, allowing for a single ferroelectric memory cell to contain more than one bit of data. PMID:21794156

Epitaxial growth of thermally stable cobalt films on Au(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haag, N.; Laux, M.; Stöckl, J.; Kollamana, J.; Seidel, J.; Großmann, N.; Fetzer, R.; Kelly, L. L.; Wei, Z.; Stadtmüller, B.; Cinchetti, M.; Aeschlimann, M.

2016-10-01

Ferromagnetic thin films play a fundamental role in spintronic applications as a source for spin polarized carriers and in fundamental studies as ferromagnetic substrates. However, it is challenging to produce such metallic films with high structural quality and chemical purity on single crystalline substrates since the diffusion barrier across the metal-metal interface is usually smaller than the thermal activation energy necessary for smooth surface morphologies. Here, we introduce epitaxial thin Co films grown on an Au(111) single crystal surface as a thermally stable ferromagnetic thin film. Our structural investigations reveal an identical growth of thin Co/Au(111) films compared to Co bulk single crystals with large monoatomic Co terraces with an average width of 500 Å, formed after thermal annealing at 575 K. Combining our results from photoemission and Auger electron spectroscopy, we provide evidence that no significant diffusion of Au into the near surface region of the Co film takes place for this temperature and that no Au capping layer is formed on top of Co films. Furthermore, we show that the electronic valence band is dominated by a strong spectral contribution from a Co 3d band and a Co derived surface resonance in the minority band. Both states lead to an overall negative spin polarization at the Fermi energy.

Temperature modeling of laser-irradiated azo-polymer thin films.

PubMed

Yager, Kevin G; Barrett, Christopher J

2004-01-08

Azobenzene polymer thin films exhibit reversible surface mass transport when irradiated with a light intensity and/or polarization gradient, although the exact mechanism remains unknown. In order to address the role of thermal effects in the surface relief grating formation process peculiar to azo polymers, a cellular automaton simulation was developed to model heat flow in thin films undergoing laser irradiation. Typical irradiation intensities of 50 mW/cm2 resulted in film temperature rises on the order of 5 K, confirmed experimentally. The temperature gradient between the light maxima and minima was found, however, to stabilize at only 10(-4) K within 2 micros. These results indicate that thermal effects play a negligible role during inscription, for films of any thickness. Experiments monitoring surface relief grating formation on substrates of different thermal conductivity confirm that inscription is insensitive to film temperature. Further simulations suggest that high-intensity pulsed irradiation leads to destructive temperatures and sample ablation, not to reversible optical mass transport. (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics

Enhancement of gaps in thin graphitic films for heterostructure formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hague, J. P.

2014-04-01

There are a large number of atomically thin graphitic films with a structure similar to that of graphene. These films have a spread of band gaps relating to their ionicity and, also, to the substrate on which they are grown. Such films could have a range of applications in digital electronics, where graphene is difficult to use. I use the dynamical cluster approximation to show how electron-phonon coupling between film and substrate can enhance these gaps in a way that depends on the range and strength of the coupling. It is found that one of the driving factors in this effect is a charge density wave instability for electrons on a honeycomb lattice that can open a gap in monolayer graphene. The enhancement at intermediate coupling is sufficiently large that spatially varying substrates and superstrates could be used to create heterostructures in thin graphitic films with position-dependent electron-phonon coupling and gaps, leading to advanced electronic components.

Recent Advances in Gas Barrier Thin Films via Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Polymers and Platelets.

PubMed

Priolo, Morgan A; Holder, Kevin M; Guin, Tyler; Grunlan, Jaime C

2015-05-01

Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly has emerged as the leading non-vacuum technology for the fabrication of transparent, super gas barrier films. The super gas barrier performance of LbL deposited films has been demonstrated in numerous studies, with a variety of polyelectrolytes, to rival that of metal and metal oxide-based barrier films. This Feature Article is a mini-review of LbL-based multilayer thin films with a 'nanobrick wall' microstructure comprising polymeric mortar and nano-platelet bricks that impart high gas barrier to otherwise permeable polymer substrates. These transparent, water-based thin films exhibit oxygen transmission rates below 5 × 10(-3) cm(3) m(-2) day(-1) atm(-1) and lower permeability than any other barrier material reported. In an effort to put this technology in the proper context, incumbent technologies such as metallized plastics, metal oxides, and flake-filled polymers are briefly reviewed. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Facile Preparation of Highly Conductive Metal Oxides by Self-Combustion for Solution-Processed Thermoelectric Generators.

PubMed

Kang, Young Hun; Jang, Kwang-Suk; Lee, Changjin; Cho, Song Yun

2016-03-02

Highly conductive indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin films were successfully fabricated via a self-combustion reaction for application in solution-processed thermoelectric devices. Self-combustion efficiently facilitates the conversion of soluble precursors into metal oxides by lowering the required annealing temperature of oxide films, which leads to considerable enhancement of the electrical conductivity of IZO thin films. Such enhanced electrical conductivity induced by exothermic heat from a combustion reaction consequently yields high performance IZO thermoelectric films. In addition, the effect of the composition ratio of In to Zn precursors on the electrical and thermoelectric properties of the IZO thin films was investigated. IZO thin films with a composition ratio of In:Zn = 6:2 at the low annealing temperature of 350 °C showed an enhanced electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and power factor of 327 S cm(-1), 50.6 μV K(-1), and 83.8 μW m(-1) K(-2), respectively. Moreover, the IZO thin film prepared at an even lower temperature of 300 °C retained a large power factor of 78.7 μW m(-1) K(-2) with an electrical conductivity of 168 S cm(-1). Using the combustive IZO precursor, a thermoelectric generator consisting of 15 legs was fabricated by a printing process. The thermoelectric array generated a thermoelectric voltage of 4.95 mV at a low temperature difference (5 °C). We suggest that the highly conductive IZO thin films by self-combustion may be utilized for fabricating n-type flexible printed thermoelectric devices.

Performance of magnetoelectric PZT/Ni multiferroic system for energy harvesting application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Reema; Tomar, Monika; Kumar, Ashok; Gupta, Vinay

2017-03-01

Magnetoelectric (ME) coefficient of Lead Zirconium Titanate (PZT) thin films has been probed for possible energy harvesting applications. Single phase PZT thin films have been deposited on nickel substrate (PZT/Ni) using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The effect of PLD process parameters on the ME coupling coefficient in the prepared systems has been investigated. The as grown PZT films on Ni substrate were found to be polycrystalline with improved ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties. The electrical switching behavior of the PZT thin films were verified using capacitance voltage measurements, where well defined butterfly loops were obtained. The ME coupling coefficient was estimated to be in the range of 94.5 V cm-1 Oe-1-130.5 V cm-1 Oe-1 for PZT/Ni system, which is large enough for harnessing electromagnetic energy for subsequent applications.

Enhanced c-axis orientation of aluminum nitride thin films by plasma-based pre-conditioning of sapphire substrates for SAW applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillinger, M.; Shaposhnikov, K.; Knobloch, T.; Stöger-Pollach, M.; Artner, W.; Hradil, K.; Schneider, M.; Kaltenbacher, M.; Schmid, U.

2018-03-01

Aluminum nitride (AlN) on sapphire has been investigated with two different pretreatments prior to sputter deposition of the AlN layer to improve the orientation and homogeneity of the thin film. An inverse sputter etching of the substrate in argon atmosphere results in an improvement of the uniformity of the alignment of the AlN grains and hence, in enhanced electro-mechanical AlN film properties. This effect is demonstrated in the raw measurements of SAW test devices. Additionally, the impulse response of several devices shows that a poor AlN thin film layer quality leads to a higher signal damping during the transduction of energy in the inter-digital transducers. As a result, the triple-transit signal cannot be detected at the receiver.

Pyroelectric response of lead zirconate titanate thin films on silicon: Effect of thermal stresses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kesim, M. T.; Zhang, J.; Trolier-McKinstry, S.; Mantese, J. V.; Whatmore, R. W.; Alpay, S. P.

2013-11-01

Ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate [Pb(ZrxTi1-xO)3, (PZT x:1-x)] has received considerable interest for applications related to uncooled infrared devices due to its large pyroelectric figures of merit near room temperature, and the fact that such devices are inherently ac coupled, allowing for simplified image post processing. For ferroelectric films made by industry-standard deposition techniques, stresses develop in the PZT layer upon cooling from the processing/growth temperature due to thermal mismatch between the film and the substrate. In this study, we use a non-linear thermodynamic model to investigate the pyroelectric properties of polycrystalline PZT thin films for five different compositions (PZT 40:60, PZT 30:70, PZT 20:80, PZT 10:90, PZT 0:100) on silicon as a function of processing temperature (25-800 °C). It is shown that the in-plane thermal stresses in PZT thin films alter the out-of-plane polarization and the ferroelectric phase transformation temperature, with profound effect on the pyroelectric properties. PZT 30:70 is found to have the largest pyroelectric coefficient (0.042 μC cm-2 °C-1, comparable to bulk values) at a growth temperature of 550 °C; typical to what is currently used for many deposition processes. Our results indicate that it is possible to optimize the pyroelectric response of PZT thin films by adjusting the Ti composition and the processing temperature, thereby, enabling the tailoring of material properties for optimization relative to a specific deposition process.

Selective femtosecond laser structuring of dielectric thin films with different band gaps: a time-resolved study of ablation mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapp, Stephan; Schmidt, Michael; Huber, Heinz P.

2016-12-01

Ultrashort pulse lasers have been increasingly gaining importance for the selective structuring of dielectric thin films in industrial applications. In a variety of works the ablation of thin SiO2 and SiNx films from Si substrates has been investigated with near infrared laser wavelengths with photon energies of about 1.2 eV where both dielectrics are transparent (E_{{gap,SiO2}}≈ 8 eV; E_{{gap,SiN}x}≈ 2.5 eV). In these works it was found that few 100 nm thick SiO2 films are selectively ablated with a "lift-off" initiated by confined laser ablation whereas the SiN_{{x}} films are ablated by a combination of confined and direct laser ablation. In the work at hand, ultrafast pump-probe imaging was applied to compare the laser ablation dynamics of the two thin film systems directly with the uncoated Si substrate—on the same setup and under identical parameters. On the SiO2 sample, results show the pulse absorption in the Si substrate, leading to the confined ablation of the SiO2 layer by the expansion of the substrate. On the SiN_{{x}} sample, direct absorption in the layer is observed leading to its removal by evaporation. The pump-probe measurements combined with reflectivity corrected threshold fluence investigations suggest that melting of the Si substrate is sufficient to initiate the lift-off of an overlaying transparent film—evaporation of the substrate seems not to be necessary.

Electric tunable behavior of sputtered lead barium zirconate thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Lin-Jung; Wu, Jenn-Ming; Huang, Hsin-Erh; Bor, Hui-Yun

2007-02-01

Lead barium zirconate (PBZ) films were grown on Pt /Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by rf-magnetron sputtering. The sputtered PBZ films possess pure perovskite phase, uniform microstructure, and excellent tunable behaviors. The tunability and loss tangent of sputtered PBZ films depend greatly on the oxygen mixing ratio (OMR). The optimal dielectric tunable behavior occurs in the PBZ films sputtered at 10% OMR. The sputtered PBZ film (10% OMR) possesses a value of figure of merit of 60, promising for frequency-agile applications. Bulk acoustic waves induced by electromechanical coupling occur at 2.72GHz, which is useful in fabricating filters and related devices in the microwave range.

Relation of planar Hall and planar Nernst effects in thin film permalloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wesenberg, D.; Hojem, A.; Bennet, R. K.; Zink, B. L.

2018-06-01

We present measurements of the planar Nernst effect (PNE) and the planar Hall effect (PHE) of nickel-iron (Ni–Fe) alloy thin films. We suspend the thin-film samples, measurement leads, and lithographically-defined heaters and thermometers on silicon-nitride membranes to greatly simplify control and measurement of thermal gradients essential to quantitative determination of magnetothermoelectric effects. Since these thermal isolation structures allow measurements of longitudinal thermopower, or the Seebeck coefficient, and four-wire electrical resistivity of the same thin film, we can quantitatively demonstrate the link between the longitudinal and transverse effects as a function of applied in-plane field and angle. Finite element thermal analysis of this essentially 2D structure allows more confident determination of the thermal gradient, which is reduced from the simplest assumptions due to the particular geometry of the membranes, which are more than 350 μm wide in order to maximize sensitivity to transverse thermoelectric effects. The resulting maximum values of the PNE and PHE coefficients for the Ni–Fe film with 80% Ni we study here are and , respectively. All signals are exclusively symmetry with applied field, ruling out long-distance spin transport effects. We also consider a Mott-like relation between the PNE and PHE, and use both this and the standard Mott relation to determine the energy-derivative of the resistivity at the Fermi energy to be , which is very similar to values for films we previously measured using similar thermal platforms. Finally, using an estimated value for the lead contribution to the longitudinal thermopower, we show that the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) ratio in this Ni–Fe film is two times larger than the magnetothermopower ratio, which is the first evidence of a deviation from strict adherence to the Mott relation between Seebeck coefficient and resistivity.

Toward self-assembled ferroelectric random access memories: hard-wired switching capacitor arrays with almost Tb/in.(2) densities.

PubMed

Evans, Paul R; Zhu, Xinhau; Baxter, Paul; McMillen, Mark; McPhillips, John; Morrison, Finlay D; Scott, James F; Pollard, Robert J; Bowman, Robert M; Gregg, J Marty

2007-05-01

We report on the successful fabrication of arrays of switchable nanocapacitors made by harnessing the self-assembly of materials. The structures are composed of arrays of 20-40 nm diameter Pt nanowires, spaced 50-100 nm apart, electrodeposited through nanoporous alumina onto a thin film lower electrode on a silicon wafer. A thin film ferroelectric (both barium titanate (BTO) and lead zirconium titanate (PZT)) has been deposited on top of the nanowire array, followed by the deposition of thin film upper electrodes. The PZT nanocapacitors exhibit hysteresis loops with substantial remnant polarizations, while although the switching performance was inferior, the low-field characteristics of the BTO nanocapacitors show dielectric behavior comparable to conventional thin film heterostructures. While registration is not sufficient for commercial RAM production, this is nevertheless an embryonic form of the highest density hard-wired FRAM capacitor array reported to date and compares favorably with atomic force microscopy read-write densities.

Fabrication of high performance thin-film transistors via pressure-induced nucleation.

PubMed

Kang, Myung-Koo; Kim, Si Joon; Kim, Hyun Jae

2014-10-31

We report a method to improve the performance of polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) thin-film transistors (TFTs) via pressure-induced nucleation (PIN). During the PIN process, spatial variation in the local solidification temperature occurs because of a non-uniform pressure distribution during laser irradiation of the amorphous Si layer, which is capped with an SiO2 layer. This leads to a four-fold increase in the grain size of the poly-Si thin-films formed using the PIN process, compared with those formed using conventional excimer laser annealing. We find that thin films with optimal electrical properties can be achieved with a reduction in the number of laser irradiations from 20 to 6, as well as the preservation of the interface between the poly-Si and the SiO2 gate insulator. This interface preservation becomes possible to remove the cleaning process prior to gate insulator deposition, and we report devices with a field-effect mobility greater than 160 cm(2)/Vs.

The influence of Nd dopants on spin and orbital moments in Nd-doped permalloy thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Luo, Chen, E-mail: ronanluochen@gmail.com; Zhang, Wen, E-mail: xiaotur@gmail.com, E-mail: yazhai@seu.edu.cn; Zhai, Ya, E-mail: xiaotur@gmail.com, E-mail: yazhai@seu.edu.cn

2014-08-25

Magnetic properties of Nd{sub X}-Ni{sub 80}Fe{sub 20(1−X)} thin films have been investigated using x-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at room temperature. With the Nd concentration increasing, the ratio of orbital-to-spin moment of Ni and Fe increases significantly, indicating that the spin-orbit coupling in permalloy thin films is enhanced due to the Nd impurities. The spin and orbital moments have been obtained by the sum rules analysis, which shows that the Nd impurities lead to a strong dispersion of spin moments of Fe and Ni while have no effect on orbital moments in Nd-doped permalloy thin films.more » Element-specific XMCD hysteresis loops suggest an antiferromagnetic coupling between the magnetic moments of Nd and permalloy at room temperature. The static magnetic properties have been studied by vibrating sample magnetometer for comparison, which shows a nice agreement with the XMCD results.« less

Theory of Multifarious Quantum Phases and Large Anomalous Hall Effect in Pyrochlore Iridate Thin Films

PubMed Central

Hwang, Kyusung; Kim, Yong Baek

2016-01-01

We theoretically investigate emergent quantum phases in the thin film geometries of the pyrochore iridates, where a number of exotic quantum ground states are proposed to occur in bulk materials as a result of the interplay between electron correlation and strong spin-orbit coupling. The fate of these bulk phases as well as novel quantum states that may arise only in the thin film platforms, are studied via a theoretical model that allows layer-dependent magnetic structures. It is found that the magnetic order develop in inhomogeneous fashions in the thin film geometries. This leads to a variety of magnetic metal phases with modulated magnetic ordering patterns across different layers. Both the bulk and boundary electronic states in these phases conspire to promote unusual electronic properties. In particular, such phases are akin to the Weyl semimetal phase in the bulk system and they would exhibit an unusually large anomalous Hall effect. PMID:27418293

Insights into the annealing process of sol-gel TiO2 films leading to anatase development: The interrelationship between microstructure and optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanco, E.; Domínguez, M.; González-Leal, J. M.; Márquez, E.; Outón, J.; Ramírez-del-Solar, M.

2018-05-01

The microstructure and optical properties of TiO2 thin films, prepared by the sol-gel dip coating technique on glass substrates, were inspected. After deposition, the films were annealed at several temperatures in the 400-850 °C range and the resulting nanostructured films were studied by different techniques showing that their structural and optical characteristics evolved significantly with the increased annealing temperature. The analysis of these results by the assumption of the Tauc Lorenz model and the use of Wemple-DiDomenico equation leads to a correlation between microstructural aspects and optical characteristics of the films. Thus, crystallization processes (nucleation, growth and phase transformation) and the evolution of films texture and thickness with increasing annealing temperatures are related with the variation of the refractive index, average gap and extinction coefficient during annealing. Finally, the free-carrier concentration in the films, estimated from the Spitzer-Fan model, ranged from 1.44 × 1019 cm-3 to 3.07 × 1019 cm-3 with the changing annealing temperature, which is in agreement with those obtained in similar anatase thin films from electrical measurement techniques.

Enhanced red photoluminescence of quartz by silicon nanocrystals thin film deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Momeni, A.; Pourgolestani, M.; Taheri, M.; Mansour, N.

2018-03-01

The room-temperature photoluminescence properties of silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) thin film on a quartz substrate were investigated, which presents the red emission enhancement of quartz. We show that the photoluminescence intensity of quartz, in the wavelength range of 640-700 nm, can be enhanced as much as 15-fold in the presence of the SiNCs thin film. Our results reveal that the defect states at the SiNCs/SiO2 interface can be excited more efficiently by indirect excitation via the SiNCs, leading to the prominent red photoluminescence enhancement under the photo-excitation in the range of 440-470 nm. This work suggests a simple pathway to improve silicon-based light emitting devices for photonic applications.

Self-assembled thin films of Fe3O4-Ag composite nanoparticles for spintronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Chengpeng; Leung, Chi Wah; Pong, Philip W. T.

2017-10-01

Controlled self-assembly of multi-component magnetic nanoparticles could lead to nanomaterial-based magnetic devices with novel structures and intriguing properties. Herein, self-assembled thin films of Fe3O4-Ag composite nanoparticles (CNPs) with hetero-dimeric shapes were fabricated using interfacial assembly method. The CNP-assembled thin films were further transferred to patterned silicon substrates followed by vacuum annealing, producing CNP-based magnetoresistive (MR) devices. Due to the presence of intra-particle interfaces and inter-particle barriers, an enhanced MR ratio and a non-linear current-voltage relation were observed in the device. The results of this work can potentially pave the way to the future exploration and development of spintronic devices built from composite nanomaterials.

Fabrication of SrGe2 thin films on Ge (100), (110), and (111) substrates.

PubMed

Imajo, T; Toko, K; Takabe, R; Saitoh, N; Yoshizawa, N; Suemasu, T

2018-01-16

Semiconductor strontium digermanide (SrGe 2 ) has a large absorption coefficient in the near-infrared light region and is expected to be useful for multijunction solar cells. This study firstly demonstrates the formation of SrGe 2 thin films via a reactive deposition epitaxy on Ge substrates. The growth morphology of SrGe 2 dramatically changed depending on the growth temperature (300-700 °C) and the crystal orientation of the Ge substrate. We succeeded in obtaining single-oriented SrGe 2 using a Ge (110) substrate at 500 °C. Development on Si or glass substrates will lead to the application of SrGe 2 to high-efficiency thin-film solar cells.

Structure-property relations in sputter deposited epitaxial (1-x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3- xPbTiO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frederick, Joshua C.

Lead-based ferroelectric materials are of significant technological importance for sensing and actuation due to their high piezoelectric performance (i.e., the ability to convert an electrical signal to mechanical displacement, and vice versa). Traditionally, bulk ceramic or single crystals materials have filled these roles; however, emerging technologies stand to benefit by incorporating thin films to achieve miniaturization while maintaining high efficiency and sensitivity. Currently, chemical systems that have been well characterized in bulk form (e.g. Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3- xPbTiO3, or PMN-xPT) require further study to optimize both the chemistry and structure for deployment in thin film devices. Furthermore, the effect of internal electric fields is more significant at the length scales of thin films, resulting in self biases that require compensation to reveal their intrinsic dielectric response. To this end, the structure-property relations of epitaxial PMN-xPT films sputter deposited on a variety of substrates were investigated. Attention was paid to how the structure (i.e., strain state, crystal structure, domain configuration, and defects) gave rise to the ferroelectric, dielectric, and piezoelectric response. Three-dimensional visualization of the dielectric response as a simultaneous function of electric field and temperature revealed the true phase transition of the films, which was found to correspond to the strain state and defect concentration. A lead-buffered anneal process was implemented to enhance the ferroelectric and dielectric response of the films without altering their stoichiometry. It was discovered that PMN- xPT films could be domain-engineered to exhibit a mixed domain state through chemistry and substrate choice. Such films exhibited a monoclinic distortion similar to that of the bulk compositions near the morphotropic phase boundary. Finally, it was revealed that the piezoelectric response could be greatly enhanced by declamping the film from the substrate via a membrane fabrication technique. The membrane structures exhibited enhanced domain wall mobility, suggesting that domain wall motion is crucial for strong piezoelectric performance in PMN-xPT films. The findings can help guide strain- and domain-engineered relaxor ferroelectric thin films tailored for particular applications.

Dewetting and deposition of thin films with insoluble surfactants from curved silicone hydrogel substrates.

PubMed

Bhamla, M Saad; Balemans, Caroline; Fuller, Gerald G

2015-07-01

We investigate the stabilizing effect of insoluble surfactant monolayers on thin aqueous films. We first describe an experimental platform that enables the formation of aqueous films laden with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) monolayers on curved silicone hydrogel (SiHy) substrates. We show that these surfactant layers extend the lifetime of the aqueous films. The films eventually "dewet" by the nucleation and growth of dry areas and the onset of this dewetting can be controlled by the surface rheology of the DPPC layer. We thus demonstrate that increasing the interfacial rheology of the DPPC layer leads to stable films that delay dewetting. We also show that dewetting can be exploited to controllably pattern the underlying curved SiHy substrates with DPPC layers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lead zirconate titanate thin films directly on copper electrodes for ferroelectric, dielectric and piezoelectric applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingon, Angus I.; Srinivasan, Sudarsan

2005-03-01

Replacement of noble metal electrodes by base metals significantly lowers the cost of ferroelectric, piezoelectric and dielectric devices. Here, we demonstrate that it is possible to process lead zirconate (Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3, or PZT) thin films directly on base metal copper foils. We explore the impact of the oxygen partial pressure during processing, and demonstrate that high-quality films and interfaces can be achieved through control of the oxygen partial pressure within a narrow window predicted by thermodynamic stability considerations. This demonstration has broad implications, opening up the possibility of the use of low-cost, high-conductivity copper electrodes for a range of Pb-based perovskite materials, including PZT films in embedded printed circuit board applications for capacitors, varactors and sensors; multilayer PZT piezoelectric stacks; and multilayer dielectric and electrostrictive devices based on lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate. We also point out that the capacitors do not fatigue on repeated switching, unlike those with Pt noble metal electrodes. Instead, they appear to be fatigue-resistant, like capacitors with oxide electrodes. This may have implications for ferroelectric non-volatile memories.

Observation of decreasing resistivity of amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide thin films with an increasing oxygen partial pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Anup K.; Adhikari, Sonachand; Gupta, Rajeev; Deepak

2017-01-01

We have investigated the electrical resistivity behavior in amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin films. It is well known that resistivity increases as the film is deposited at a higher and higher oxygen partial pressure; we also record the same. However, in process we have discovered a remarkable region, in the oxygen deficient condition, that the resistivity shows an inverse behavior. This leads to the possibility that resistive films, suitable for thin film transistors, can also be obtained in oxygen deficient deposition conditions. Optical spectroscopic investigation could discern between a-IGZO films grown in oxygen deficient and oxygen rich conditions. The related resistivity behavior could be correlated to the presence of sub-bandgap states in films deposited in oxygen deficiency. These subgap states appear to be due to defects arising from local variations around the cations or oxygen atoms. The likely cause is an increase in Ga relative to In around O atom and the nature of cation-cation interaction when an oxygen atom is missing.

Deposition of thermal and hot-wire chemical vapor deposition copper thin films on patterned substrates.

PubMed

Papadimitropoulos, G; Davazoglou, D

2011-09-01

In this work we study the hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) of copper films on blanket and patterned substrates at high filament temperatures. A vertical chemical vapor deposition reactor was used in which the chemical reactions were assisted by a tungsten filament heated at 650 degrees C. Hexafluoroacetylacetonate Cu(I) trimethylvinylsilane (CupraSelect) vapors were used, directly injected into the reactor with the aid of a liquid injection system using N2 as carrier gas. Copper thin films grown also by thermal and hot-wire CVD. The substrates used were oxidized silicon wafers on which trenches with dimensions of the order of 500 nm were formed and subsequently covered with LPCVD W. HWCVD copper thin films grown at filament temperature of 650 degrees C showed higher growth rates compared to the thermally ones. They also exhibited higher resistivities than thermal and HWCVD films grown at lower filament temperatures. Thermally grown Cu films have very uniform deposition leading to full coverage of the patterned substrates while the HWCVD films exhibited a tendency to vertical growth, thereby creating gaps and incomplete step coverage.

Electrical Conducting and Mechanism of Oxygen-Deficient Tin Oxide Films Deposited by RF Magnetron Sputtering at Various O2/Ar Ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qi; Wang, Chengbiao; Lv, Changchun; Wang, Yang; Peng, Zhijian; Fu, Xiuli

Oxygen-deficient tin oxide thin films were prepared by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering with a sintered non-stoichiometric tin oxide ceramic target under an atmosphere of various ratios of O2/Ar from pure Ar to 1:1. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the thin films were polycrystalline with relatively strong (1 1 0), (1 0 1) and (2 1 1) diffraction peaks. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that the thin films prepared at different O2/Ar ratios were all of relatively dense and homogeneous structure. With increasing O2/Ar ratio, the grain size of the films decreased slightly, and their chemical composition became close to the stoichiometric SnO2; but the deposition rate as well as film thickness increased first and then decreased sharply. It was revealed that the main defect in obtained films was oxygen vacancy (VO), and as the O2/Ar ratio increased, the concentration of VO fell down monotonously, which would lead to an increased electrical resistivity.

Nanocrystalline SnO2 formation using energetic ion beam.

PubMed

Mohanty, T; Batra, Y; Tripathi, A; Kanjilal, D

2007-06-01

Nanocrystalline tin oxide (SnO2) thin films grown by RF magnetron sputtering technique were characterized by UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy and Photoluminescence spectroscopy. From atomic force microscopic (AFM) and Glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD) measurements, the radius of grains was found to be approximately 6+/-2 nm. The thin films were bombarded with 250 keV Xe2+ ion beam to observe the stability of nanophases against radiation. For ion bombarded films, optical absorption band edge is shifted towards red region. Atomic force microscopy studies show that the radius of the grains was increased to approximately 8 +/- 1 nm and the grains were nearly uniform in size. The size of the grains has been reduced after ion bombardment in the case of films grown on Si. During this process, defects such as vacancies, voids were generated in the films as well as in the substrates. Ion bombardment induces local temperature increase of thin films causing melting of films. Ion beam induced defects enhances the diffusion of atoms leading to uniformity in size of grains. The role of matrix on ion beam induced grain growth is discussed.

High temperature superconductor materials and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doane, George B., III.; Banks, Curtis; Golben, John

1990-01-01

Research on processing methods leading to a significant enhancement in the critical current densities (Jc) and the critical temperature (Tc) of high temperature superconducting in thin bulk and thin film forms. The fabrication of important devices for NASA unique applications (sensors) is investigated.

Evaluation of the Mechanism of the Gold Cluster Growth during Heating of the Composite Gold-Polytetrafluoroethylene Thin Film.

PubMed

Grytsenko, Konstantin; Lozovski, Valeri; Strilchuk, Galyna; Schrader, Sigurd

2012-11-07

Nanocomposite films consisting of gold inclusions in the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) matrix were obtained by thermal vacuum deposition. Annealing of the obtained films with different temperatures was used to measure varying of film morphologies. The dependence of optical properties of the films on their morphology was studied. It was established that absorption and profile of the nanocomposite film obtained by thermal vacuum deposition can be changed with annealing owing to the fact that different annealing temperatures lead to different average particle sizes. A method to calculate the optical properties of nanocomposite thin films with inclusions of different sizes was proposed. Thus, comparison of experimental optical spectra with the spectra obtained during the simulation enables estimating average sizes of inclusions. The calculations give the possibility of understanding morphological changes in the structures.

Role of annealing on the structural and optical properties of nanostructured diaceto bis-benzimidazole Mn(II) complex thin films.

PubMed

Praveen, P A; Babu, R Ramesh; Ramamurthi, K

2017-02-15

A coordination complex, manganese incorporated benzimidazole, thin films were prepared by chemical bath deposition method. Structural characterization of the deposited films, carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman and electron paramagnetic resonance spectral analyses, reveals the distorted tetrahedral environment of the metal ion with bis-benzimidazole ligand. Further the molecular composition of the deposited metal complex was estimated by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The prepared thin films were thermally treated to study the effect of annealing temperature on the surface morphology and the results showed that the surface homogeneity of the films increased for thermally treated films up to 150°C. But distortion and voids were observed for the films annealed at 200°C. The Raman analysis reveals the molecular hydrogen bond distortion which leads to the evaporation of the metal complex from the thin film surface with respect to annealing temperature. The linear and nonlinear optical properties of the as prepared and annealed films were studied using ultraviolet-visible transmittance spectroscopy, second harmonic generation and Z-scan analyses. Films annealed at 150°C show a better linear transmittance in the visible region and larger SHG efficiency and third order nonlinear susceptibility when compared with the other samples. Further, the film annealed at 150°C was subjected to optical switching analysis and demonstrated to have an inverted switching behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Liquid-Phase Processing of Barium Titanate Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, David Thomas

Processing of thin films introduces strict limits on the thermal budget due to substrate stability and thermal expansion mismatch stresses. Barium titanate serves as a model system for the difficulty in producing high quality thin films because of sensitivity to stress, scale, and crystal quality. Thermal budget restriction leads to reduced crystal quality, density, and grain growth, depressing ferroelectric and nonlinear dielectric properties. Processing of barium titanate is typically performed at temperatures hundreds of degrees above compatibility with metalized substrates. In particular integration with silicon and other low thermal expansion substrates is desirable for reductions in costs and wider availability of technologies. In bulk metal and ceramic systems, sintering behavior has been encouraged by the addition of a liquid forming second phase, improving kinetics and promoting densification and grain growth at lower temperatures. This approach is also widespread in the multilayer ceramic capacitor industry. However only limited exploration of flux processing with refractory thin films has been performed despite offering improved dielectric properties for barium titanate films at lower temperatures. This dissertation explores physical vapor deposition of barium titanate thin films with addition of liquid forming fluxes. Flux systems studied include BaO-B2O3, Bi2O3-BaB2O 4, BaO-V2O5, CuO-BaO-B2O3, and BaO-B2O3 modified by Al, Si, V, and Li. Additions of BaO-B2O3 leads to densification and an increase in average grain size from 50 nm to over 300 nm after annealing at 900 °C. The ability to tune permittivity of the material improved from 20% to 70%. Development of high quality films enables engineering of ferroelectric phase stability using residual thermal expansion mismatch in polycrystalline films. The observed shifts to TC match thermodynamic calculations, expected strain from the thermal expansion coefficients, as well as x-ray diffract measurements . Our system exhibits flux-film-substrate interactions that can lead to dramatic changes to the microstructure. This effect is especially pronounced onc -sapphire, with Al diffusion from the substrate leading to formation of an epitaxial BaAl2O4 second phase at the substrate-film interface. The formation of this second phase in the presence of a liquid phase seeds {111} twins that drive abnormal grain growth. The orientation of the sapphire substrate determines the BaAl2O 4 morphology, enabling control the abnormal grain growth behavior. CuO additions leads to significant grain growth at 900 °C, with average grain size approaching 500 nm. The orthorhombic-tetragonal phase transition is clearly observable in temperature dependent measurements and both linear and nonlinear dielectric properties are improved. All films containing CuO are susceptible to aging. A number of other systems were investigated for efficacy at temperatures below 900 °C. Pulsed laser deposition was used to study flux + BaTiO 3 targets, layered flux films, and in situ liquids. RF-magnetron sputtering using a dual-gun approach was used to explore integration on flexible foils with Ba1-xSrxTiO3. Many of these systems were based on the BaO-B2O3 system, which has proven effective in thin films, multilayer ceramic capacitors, and bulk ceramics. Modifiers allow tailoring of the microstructure at 900 °C, however no compositions were found, and no reports exist in the open literature, that provide significant grain growth or densification below 900 °C. Liquid phase fluxes offer a promising path forward for low temperature processing of barium titanate, with the ultimate goal of integration with metalized silicon substrates. This work demonstrates significant improvements to dielectric properties and the necessity of understanding interactions in the film-flux-substrate system.

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based thin film capacitors for embedded passive applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Taeyun

Investigations on the key processing parameters and properties relationship for lead zirconate titanate (PZT, 52/48) based thin film capacitors for embedded passive capacitor application were performed using electroless Ni coated Cu foils as substrates. Undoped and Ca-doped PZT (52/48) thin film capacitors were prepared on electroless Ni coated Cu foil by chemical solution deposition. For PZT (52/48) thin film capacitors on electroless Ni coated Cu foil, voltage independent (zero tunability) capacitance behavior was observed. Dielectric constant reduced to more than half of the identical capacitor processed on Pt/SiO2/Si. Dielectric properties of the capacitors were mostly dependent on the crystallization temperature. Capacitance densities of almost 350 nF/cm2 and 0.02˜0.03 of loss tangent were routinely measured for capacitors crystallized at 575˜600°C. Leakage current showed dependence on film thickness and crystallization temperature. From a two-capacitor model, the existence of a low permittivity interface layer (permittivity ˜30) was suggested. For Ca-doped PZT (52/48) thin film capacitors prepared on Pt, typical ferroelectric and dielectric properties were measured up to 5 mol% Ca doping. When Ca-doped PZT (52/48) thin film capacitors were prepared on electroless Ni coated Cu foil, phase stability was influenced by Ca doping and phosphorous content. Dielectric properties showed dependence on the crystallization temperature and phosphorous content. Capacitance density of ˜400 nF/cm2 was achieved, which is an improvement by more than 30% compared to undoped composition. Ca doping also reduced the temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) less than 10%, all of them were consistent in satisfying the requirements of embedded passive capacitor. Leakage current density was not affected significantly by doping. To tailor the dielectric and reliability properties, ZrO2 was selected as buffer layer between PZT and electroless Ni. Only RF magnetron sputtering process could yield stable ZrO2 layers on electroless Ni coated Cu foil. Other processes resulted in secondary phase formation, which supports the reaction between PZT capacitor and electroless Ni might be dominated by phosphorous component. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Polycrystalline Superconducting Thin Films: Texture Control and Critical Current Density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Feng

1995-01-01

The growth processes of polycrystalline rm YBa_2CU_3O_{7-X} (YBCO) and yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) thin films have been developed. The effectiveness of YSZ buffer layers on suppression of the reaction between YBCO thin films and metallic substrates was carefully studied. Grown on the chemically inert surfaces of YSZ buffer layers, YBCO thin films possessed good quality of c-axis alignment with the c axis parallel to the substrate normal, but without any preferred in-plane orientations. This leads to the existence of a large percentage of the high-angle grain boundaries in the YBCO films. The critical current densities (rm J_{c}'s) found in these films were much lower than those in single crystal YBCO thin films, which was the consequence of the weak -link effect of the high-angle grain boundaries in these films. It became clear that the in-plane alignment is vital for achieving high rm J_{c }s in polycrystalline YBCO thin films. To induce the in-plane alignment, ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) technique was integrated into the conventional pulsed laser deposition process for the growth of the YSZ buffer layers. It was demonstrated that using IBAD the in-plane orientations of the YSZ grains could be controlled within a certain range of a common direction. This ion -bombardment induced in-plane texturing was explained using the anisotropic sputtering yield theory. Our observations and analyses have provided valuable information on the optimization of the IBAD process, and shed light on the texturing mechanism in YSZ. With the in-plane aligned YSZ buffer layers, YBCO thin films grown on metallic substrates showed improved rm J_{c}s. It was found that the in-plane alignment of YSZ and that of YBCO were closely related. A direct correlation was revealed between the rm J_{c} value and the degree of the in-plane alignment for the YBCO thin films. To explain this correlation, a numerical model was applied to multi-grain superconducting paths with different textures to determine the expected rm J_{c}s. The good agreement between the experimental data and numerical results confirmed that the rm J_{c} improvement directly resulted from the reduction of the number of high-angle grain boundaries in the in-plane aligned polycrystalline YBCO thin films, and provided a guideline on the further improvement of the rm J_ {c}s of polycrystalline YBCO thin films.

Investigation of electron beam lithography effects on metal-insulator transition behavior of vanadium dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuce, H.; Alaboz, H.; Demirhan, Y.; Ozdemir, M.; Ozyuzer, L.; Aygun, G.

2017-11-01

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) shows metal-insulator phase transition at nearly 68 °C. This metal-insulator transition (MIT) in VO2 leads to a significant change in near-infrared transmittance and an abrupt change in the resistivity of VO2. Due to these characteristics, VO2 plays an important role on optic and electronic devices, such as thermochromic windows, meta-materials with tunable frequency, uncooled bolometers and switching devices. In this work, VO2 thin films were fabricated by reactive direct current magnetron sputtering in O2/Ar atmosphere on sapphire substrates without any further post annealing processes. The effect of sputtering parameters on optical characteristics and structural properties of grown thin films was investigated by SEM, XRD, Raman and UV/VIS spectrophotometer measurements. Patterning process of VO2 thin films was realized by e-beam lithography technique to monitor the temperature dependent electrical characterization. Electrical properties of VO2 samples were characterized using microprobe station in a vacuum system. MIT with hysteresis behavior was observed for the unpatterned square samples at around 68 °C. By four orders of magnitude of resistivity change was measured for the deposited VO2 thin films at transition temperature. After e-beam lithography process, substantial results in patterned VO2 thin films were observed. In this stage, for patterned VO2 thin films as stripes, the change in resistivity of VO2 was reduced by a factor of 10. As a consequence of electrical resistivity measurements, MIT temperature was shifted from 68 °C to 50 °C. The influence of e-beam process on the properties of VO2 thin films and the mechanism of the effects are discussed. The presented results contribute to the achievement of VO2 based thermochromic windows and bolometer applications.

Phase Competition Induced Bio-Electrochemical Resistance and Bio-Compatibility Effect in Nanocrystalline Zr x -Cu100-x Thin Films.

PubMed

Badhirappan, Geetha Priyadarshini; Nallasivam, Vignesh; Varadarajan, Madhuri; Leobeemrao, Vasantha Priya; Bose, Sivakumar; Venugopal, Elakkiya; Rajendran, Selvakumar; Angleo, Peter Chrysologue

2018-07-01

Nano-crystalline Zrx-Cu100-x (x = 20-100 at.%) thin films with thickness ranging from 50 to 185 nm were deposited by magnetron co-sputtering with individual Zr and Cu targets. The as-sputtered thin films were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Glancing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXRD) for structural and morphological properties. The crystallite size was found to decrease from 57 nm to 37 nm upon increasing the Zr content from 20 to 30 at.% with slight increase in the lattice strain from 0.17 to 0.33%. Further, increase in Zr content to 40 at.% leads to increase in the crystallite size to 57 nm due to stabilization of C10Zr7 phase along with the presence of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr phase. A bimodal distribution of grain size was observed from FE-SEM micrograph was attributed to the highest surface roughness in Zr30Cu70 thin films comprised of Cu10Zr7, Cu9Zr2, Cu-Zr intermetallic phases. In-vitro electrochemical behaviors of nano-crystalline Zrx-Cu100-x thin films in simulated body fluid (SBF) were investigated using potentiodynamic polarization studies. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data fitting by equivalent electrical circuit fit model suggests that inner bulk layer contributes to high bio-corrosion resistance in Zrx-Cu100-x thin films with increase in Zr content. The results of cyto-compatibility assay suggested that Zr-Cu thin film did not introduce cytotoxicity to osteoblast cells, indicating its suitability as a bio-coating for minimally invasive medical devices.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bourlier, Yoan; Cristini Robbe, Odile; Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, Atomes et Molécules

Highlights: • CuIn{sub (1−x)}Ga{sub x}S{sub 2} thin films were prepared by sol–gel process. • Evolution of lattice parameters is characteristic of a solid solution. • Optical band gap was found to be linearly dependent on the gallium rate. - Abstract: In this paper, we report the elaboration of Cu(In,Ga)S{sub 2} chalcopyrite thin films via a sol–gel process. To reach this aim, solutions containing copper, indium and gallium complexes were prepared. These solutions were thereafter spin-coated onto the soda lime glass substrates and calcined, leading to metallic oxides thin films. Expected chalcopyrite films were finally obtained by sulfurization of oxides layersmore » using a sulfur atmosphere at 500 °C. The rate of gallium incorporation was studied both at the solutions synthesis step and at the thin films sulfurization process. Elemental and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses have shown the efficiency of monoethanolamine used as a complexing agent for the preparation of CuIn{sub (1−x)}Ga{sub x}S{sub 2} thin layers. Moreover, the replacement of diethanolamine by monoethanolamine has permitted the substitution of indium by isovalent gallium from x = 0 to x = 0.4 and prevented the precipitation of copper derivatives. XRD analyses of sulfurized thin films CuIn{sub (1−x)}Ga{sub x}S{sub 2,} clearly indicated that the increasing rate of gallium induced a shift of XRD peaks, revealing an evolution of the lattice parameter in the chalcopyrite structure. These results were confirmed by Raman analyses. Moreover, the optical band gap was also found to be linearly dependent upon the gallium rate incorporated within the thin films: it varies from 1.47 eV for x = 0 to 1.63 eV for x = 0.4.« less

Pulsed direct flame deposition and thermal annealing of transparent amorphous indium zinc oxide films as active layers in field effect transistors.

PubMed

Kilian, Daniel; Polster, Sebastian; Vogeler, Isabell; Jank, Michael P M; Frey, Lothar; Peukert, Wolfgang

2014-08-13

Indium-zinc oxide (IZO) films were deposited via flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) by pulsewise shooting a Si/SiO2 substrate directly into the combustion area of the flame. Based on UV-vis measurements of thin-films deposited on glass substrates, the optimal deposition parameters with respect to low haze values and film thicknesses of around 100 nm were determined. Thermal annealing of the deposited films at temperatures between 300 and 700 °C was carried out and staggered bottom gate thin-film transistors (TFT) were fabricated. The thin films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, and room-temperature photoluminescence measurements. The outcome of these investigations lead to two major requirements in order to implement a working TFT: (i) organic residues from the deposition process need to be removed and (ii) the net free charge carrier concentration has to be minimized by controlling the trap states in the semiconductor. The optimal annealing temperature was 300 °C as both requirements are fulfilled best in this case. This leads to field effect transistors with a low hysteresis, a saturation mobility of μSat = 0.1 cm(2)/(V s), a threshold voltage of Vth = -18.9 V, and an Ion/Ioff ratio on the order of 10(7). Depending on thermal treatment, the defect density changes significantly strongly influencing the transfer characteristics of the device.

Design of low surface roughness-low residual stress-high optoelectronic merit a-IZO thin films for flexible OLEDs

DOE PAGES

Kumar, Naveen; Wilkinson, Taylor M.; Packard, Corinne E.; ...

2016-06-08

The development of efficient and reliable large-area flexible optoelectronic devices demands low surface roughness-low residual stress-high optoelectronic merit transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films. Here, we correlate surface roughness-residual stress-optoelectronic properties of sputtered amorphous indium zinc oxide (a-IZO) thin films using a statistical design of experiment (DOE) approach and find a common growth space to achieve a smooth surface in a stress-free and high optoelectronic merit a-IZO thin film. The sputtering power, growth pressure, oxygen partial pressure, and RF/(RF+DC) are varied in a two-level system with a full factorial design, and results are used to deconvolve the complex growth space,more » identifying significant control growth parameters and their possible interactions. The surface roughness of a-IZO thin film varies over 0.19 nm to 3.97 nm, which is not in line with the general assumption of low surface roughness in a-IZO thin films. The initial regression model and analysis of variance reveal no single optimum growth sub-space to achieve low surface roughness (=0.5 nm), low residual stress (-1 to 0 GPa), and industrially acceptable electrical conductivity (>1000 S/cm) for a-IZO thin films. The extrapolation of growth parameters in light of the current results and previous knowledge leads to a new sub-space, resulting in a low residual stress of -0.52 +/- 0.04 GPa, a low surface roughness of 0.55 +/- 0.03 nm, and moderate electrical conductivity of 1962 +/- 3.84 S/cm in a-IZO thin films. Lastly, these results demonstrate the utility of the DOE approach to multi-parameter optimization, which provides an important tool for the development of flexible TCOs for the next-generation flexible organic light emitting diodes applications.« less

Design of low surface roughness-low residual stress-high optoelectronic merit a-IZO thin films for flexible OLEDs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Naveen; Kumar, Mukesh, E-mail: mkumar@iitrpr.ac.in, E-mail: cpackard@mines.edu; Wilkinson, Taylor M.

2016-06-14

The development of efficient and reliable large-area flexible optoelectronic devices demands low surface roughness-low residual stress-high optoelectronic merit transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films. Here, we correlate surface roughness-residual stress-optoelectronic properties of sputtered amorphous indium zinc oxide (a-IZO) thin films using a statistical design of experiment (DOE) approach and find a common growth space to achieve a smooth surface in a stress-free and high optoelectronic merit a-IZO thin film. The sputtering power, growth pressure, oxygen partial pressure, and RF/(RF+DC) are varied in a two-level system with a full factorial design, and results are used to deconvolve the complex growth space,more » identifying significant control growth parameters and their possible interactions. The surface roughness of a-IZO thin film varies over 0.19 nm to 3.97 nm, which is not in line with the general assumption of low surface roughness in a-IZO thin films. The initial regression model and analysis of variance reveal no single optimum growth sub-space to achieve low surface roughness (≤0.5 nm), low residual stress (−1 to 0 GPa), and industrially acceptable electrical conductivity (>1000 S/cm) for a-IZO thin films. The extrapolation of growth parameters in light of the current results and previous knowledge leads to a new sub-space, resulting in a low residual stress of −0.52±0.04 GPa, a low surface roughness of 0.55±0.03 nm, and moderate electrical conductivity of 1962±3.84 S/cm in a-IZO thin films. These results demonstrate the utility of the DOE approach to multi-parameter optimization, which provides an important tool for the development of flexible TCOs for the next-generation flexible organic light emitting diodes applications.« less

Evaporation-driven instability of the precorneal tear film.

PubMed

Peng, Cheng-Chun; Cerretani, Colin; Braun, Richard J; Radke, C J

2014-04-01

Tear-film instability is widely believed to be a signature of eye health. When an interblink is prolonged, randomly distributed ruptures occur in the tear film. "Black spots" and/or "black streaks" appear in 15 to 40 s for normal individuals. For people who suffer from dry eye, tear-film breakup time (BUT) is typically less than a few seconds. To date, however, there is no satisfactory quantitative explanation for the origin of tear rupture. Recently, it was proposed that tear-film breakup is related to locally high evaporative thinning. A spatial variation in the thickness of the tear-film lipid layer (TFLL) may lead to locally elevated evaporation and subsequent tear-film breakup. We examine the local-evaporation-driven tear-film-rupture hypothesis in a one-dimensional (1-D) model for the evolution of a thin aqueous tear film overriding the cornea subject to locally elevated evaporation at its anterior surface and osmotic water influx at its posterior surface. Evaporation rate depends on mass transfer both through the coating lipid layer and through ambient air. We establish that evaporation-driven tear-film breakup can occur under normal conditions but only for higher aqueous evaporation rates. Predicted roles of environmental conditions, such as wind speed and relative humidity, on tear-film stability agree with clinical observations. More importantly, locally elevated evaporation leads to hyperosmolar spots in the tear film and, hence, vulnerability to epithelial irritation. In addition to evaporation rate, tear-film instability depends on the strength of healing flow from the neighboring region outside the breakup region, which is determined by the surface tension at the tear-film surface and by the repulsive thin-film disjoining pressure. This study provides a physically consistent and quantitative explanation for the formation of black streaks and spots in the human tear film during an interblink. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attachment of Free Filament Thermocouples for Temperature Measurements on CMC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lei, Jih-Fen; Cuy, Michael D.; Wnuk, Stephen P.

1997-01-01

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) are being developed for use as enabling materials for advanced aeropropulsion engine and high speed civil transport applications. The characterization and testing of these advanced materials in hostile, high-temperature environments require accurate measurement of the material temperatures. Commonly used wire Thermo-Couples (TC) can not be attached to this ceramic based material via conventional spot-welding techniques. Attachment of wire TC's with commercially available ceramic cements fail to provide sufficient adhesion at high temperatures. While advanced thin film TC technology provides minimally intrusive surface temperature measurement and has good adhesion on the CMC, its fabrication requires sophisticated and expensive facilities and is very time consuming. In addition, the durability of lead wire attachments to both thin film TC's and the substrate materials requires further improvement. This paper presents a newly developed attachment technique for installation of free filament wire TC's with a unique convoluted design on ceramic based materials such as CMC's. Three CMC's (SiC/SiC CMC and alumina/alumina CMC) instrumented with type IC, R or S wire TC's were tested in a Mach 0.3 burner rig. The CMC temperatures measured from these wire TC's were compared to that from the facility pyrometer and thin film TC's. There was no sign of TC delamination even after several hours exposure to 1200 C. The test results proved that this new technique can successfully attach wire TC's on CMC's and provide temperature data in hostile environments. The sensor fabrication process is less expensive and requires very little time compared to that of the thin film TC's. The same installation technique/process can also be applied to attach lead wires for thin film sensor systems.

Perovskite solar cell with an efficient TiO₂ compact film.

PubMed

Ke, Weijun; Fang, Guojia; Wang, Jing; Qin, Pingli; Tao, Hong; Lei, Hongwei; Liu, Qin; Dai, Xin; Zhao, Xingzhong

2014-09-24

A perovskite solar cell with a thin TiO2 compact film prepared by thermal oxidation of sputtered Ti film achieved a high efficiency of 15.07%. The thin TiO2 film prepared by thermal oxidation is very dense and inhibits the recombination process at the interface. The optimum thickness of the TiO2 compact film prepared by thermal oxidation is thinner than that prepared by spin-coating method. Also, the TiO2 compact film and the TiO2 porous film can be sintered at the same time. This one-step sintering process leads to a lower dark current density, a lower series resistance, and a higher recombination resistance than those of two-step sintering. Therefore, the perovskite solar cell with the TiO2 compact film prepared by thermal oxidation has a higher short-circuit current density and a higher fill factor.

Phase and Texture Evolution in Chemically Derived PZT Thin Films on Pt Substrates

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

function of heating rate. The FWHM of the Ill PZT texture components is sim 2978 Journal of the American Ceramic Society Mhin et al. Vol. 97, No. 9...Z39.18 ABSTRACT Phase and Texture Evolution in Chemically Derived PZT Thin Films on Pt Substrates Report Title The crystallization of lead zirconate...phase influencing texture evolution. The results suggest that PZT nucleates directly on Pt, which explains the observation of a more highly oriented

Non-modal linear stability analysis of thin film spreading by Marangoni stresses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, Benjamin John

The spontaneous spreading and stability characteristics of a thin Newtonian liquid film partially coated by an insoluble surfactant monolayer are investigated in this thesis. Thin films sheared by Marangoni stresses ire characterized by film thinning in the upstream region near the terminating edge of the initial monolayer and an advancing ridge further downstream. For sufficiently thin films, experiments have shown there develops dendritic fingering patterns upstream of the ridge. To probe the mechanisms responsible for unstable flow, a non-modal linear stability analysis is required because the base-states describing these flows are space and time-dependent. A new measure of disturbance amplification is introduced, based on the relative kinetic energy of the perturbations to the base-states, to analyze surfactant monolayers spreading either from a finite or infinite source. These studies reveal that disturbance amplification is most significant in highly curved regions of the film characterized by a large: change in the shear stress, which can develop at the advancing ridge and at the edge of the initial monolayer. For spreading from both a finite and infinite source, disturbances that convect through the ridge undergo transient amplification but eventually decay to restore film stability. By contrast, disturbances that localize to the thinned region undergo sustained amplification when surfactant is continuously supplied to the liquid film thereby promoting film instability. By focusing on these susceptible regions, the relevant evolution equations are simplified to extract more information about the mechanism leading to instability. The length-scale controlling these "inner" regions represents the balance of viscous, capillary and Marangoni stresses. Simplification of these equations allows identification of steady travelling wave solutions whose linearized stability behavior shows that a flat film subject to a jump increase in shear stress is asymptotically unstable. This thesis concludes by comparing recent experiments in our laboratory of a droplet of low surface tension liquid (oleic acid) spreading on a thin Newtonian film (glycerol) before the onset of instability with numerical simulations. Similar power law behavior for the ridge advance and qualitatively similar film profiles shapes occur when the simulations utilize a non-linear equation of state for the surfactant monolayer.

Tuning the SERS Response with Ag-Au Nanoparticle-Embedded Polymer Thin Film Substrates.

PubMed

Rao, V Kesava; Radhakrishnan, T P

2015-06-17

Development of facile routes to the fabrication of thin film substrates with tunable surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) efficiency and identification of the optimal conditions for maximizing the enhancement factor (EF) are significant in terms of both fundamental and application aspects of SERS. In the present work, polymer thin films with embedded bimetallic nanoparticles of Ag-Au are fabricated by a simple two-stage protocol. Ag nanoparticles are formed in the first stage, by the in situ reduction of silver nitrate by the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) film through mild thermal annealing, without any additional reducing agent. In the second stage, aqueous solutions of chloroauric acid spread on the Ag-PVA thin film under ambient conditions, lead to the galvanic displacement of Ag by Au in situ inside the film, and the formation of Ag-Au particles. Evolution of the morphology of the bimetallic nanoparticles into hollow cage structures and the distribution of Au on the nanoparticles are revealed through electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) extinction of the nanocomposite thin film evolves with the Ag-Au composition; theoretical simulation of the extinction spectra provides insight into the observed trends. The Ag-Au-PVA thin films are found to be efficient substrates for SERS. The EF follows the variation of the LSPR extinction vis-à-vis the excitation laser wavelength, but with an offset, and the maximum SERS effect is obtained at very low Au content; experiments with Rhodamine 6G showed EFs on the order of 10(8) and a limit of detection of 0.6 pmol. The present study describes a facile and simple fabrication of a nanocomposite thin film that can be conveniently deployed in SERS investigations, and the utility of the bimetallic system to tune and maximize the EF.

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Mn2CoAl thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, N. Y.; Zhang, Y. Q.; Fu, H. R.; Che, W. R.; You, C. Y.; Shan, R.

2016-01-01

Heusler compound Mn2CoAl (MCA) is attracting more attentions due to many novel properties, such as high resistance, semiconducting behavior and suggestion as a spin-gapless material with a low magnetic moment. In this work, Mn2CoAl epitaxial thin film was prepared on MgO(100) substrate by magnetron sputtering. The transport property of the film exhibits a semiconducting-like behavior. Moreover, our research reveals that perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) can be induced in very thin Mn2CoAl films resulting from Mn-O and Co-O bonding at Mn2CoAl/MgO interface, which coincides with a recent theoretical prediction. PMA and low saturation magnetic moment could lead to large spin-transfer torque with low current density in principle, and thus our work may bring some unanticipated Heusler compounds into spintronics topics such as the domain wall motion and the current-induced magnetization reversal.

Dynamics in thin folded polymer films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croll, Andrew; Rozairo, Damith

Origami and Kirigami inspired structures depend on a complex interplay between geometry and material properties. While clearly important to the overall function, very little attention has focused on how extreme curvatures and singularities in real materials influence the overall dynamic behaviour of folded structures. In this work we use a set of three polymer thin films in order to closely examine the interaction of material and geometry. Specifically, we use polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polystyrene (PS) and polycarbonate (PC) thin films which we subject to loading in several model geometries of varying complexity. Depending on the material, vastly different responses are noted in our experiments; D-cones can annihilate, cut or lead to a crumpling cascade when pushed through a film. Remarkably, order can be generated with additional perturbation. Finally, the role of adhesion in complex folded structures can be addressed. AFOSR under the Young Investigator Program (FA9550-15-1-0168).

Capillary trapping of particles in thin-film flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dressaire, Emilie; Gomez, Michael; Colnet, Benedicte; Sauret, Alban

2017-11-01

When a thin layer of suspension flows over a substrate, some particles remain trapped on the solid surface. When the thickness of the liquid layer is comparable to the particle size, the particles deform the liquid interface, which leads to local interactions. These effects modify the transport of particles and the dynamics of the liquid films. Here, we characterize how capillary interactions affect the transport and deposition of non-Brownian particles moving in thin liquid films and the resulting loss of transported material. We focus on gravitational drainage flows, in which the film thickness becomes comparable to the particle size. Depending on the concentration of particles, we find that the drainage dynamics exhibits behavior that cannot be captured with a continuum model, due to the deposition of particles on the substrate. ANR-16-CE30-0009 & CNRS-PICS-07242 & ACS-PRF 55845-ND9.

Capillary trapping in thin-film flows of particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauret, Alban; Gomez, Michael; Dressaire, Emilie

Flows of suspensions have been modeled on a continuum level by using constitutive relations to capture how the viscosity varies with the particle concentration. However, in thin liquid films, where the thickness of the liquid layer is comparable to the particle size, the particles deform the liquid interface, which leads to local interactions. These effects modify the transport of particles and could result in the contamination of the surface and the loss of transported material. Here, we characterize how capillary interactions affect the transport and deposition of non-Brownian particles moving in thin liquid films. We focus on gravitational drainage flows, in which the film thickness becomes comparable to the particle size. Depending on the concentration of particles, we find that the dynamics of the drainage exhibits behavior that cannot be captured with a Newtonian model, due to the deposition of particles on the substrate. ANR-16-CE30-0009 and CNRS-PICS-07242.

Overcoming Short-Circuit in Lead-Free CH 3 NH 3 SnI 3 Perovskite Solar Cells via Kinetically Controlled Gas–Solid Reaction Film Fabrication Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yokoyama, Takamichi; Cao, Duyen H.; Stoumpos, Constantinos C.

2016-02-17

The development of Sn-based perovskite solar cells has been challenging because devices often show short-circuit behavior due to poor morphologies and undesired electrical properties of the thin films. A low-temperature vapor-assisted solution process (LT-VASP) has been employed as a novel kinetically controlled gas–solid reaction film fabrication method to prepare lead-free CH3NH3SnI3 thin films. We show that the solid SnI2 substrate temperature is the key parameter in achieving perovskite films with high surface coverage and excellent uniformity. The resulting high-quality CH3NH3SnI3 films allow the successful fabrication of solar cells with drastically improved reproducibility, reaching an efficiency of 1.86%. Furthermore, our Kelvinmore » probe studies show the VASP films have a doping level lower than that of films prepared from the conventional one-step method, effectively lowering the film conductivity. Above all, with (LT)-VASP, the short-circuit behavior often obtained from the conventional one-step-fabricated Sn-based perovskite devices has been overcome. This study facilitates the path to more successful Sn-perovskite photovoltaic research.« less

On the interplay between phonon-boundary scattering and phonon-point-defect scattering in SiGe thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iskandar, A.; Abou-Khalil, A.; Kazan, M.; Kassem, W.; Volz, S.

2015-03-01

This paper provides theoretical understanding of the interplay between the scattering of phonons by the boundaries and point-defects in SiGe thin films. It also provides a tool for the design of SiGe-based high-efficiency thermoelectric devices. The contributions of the alloy composition, grain size, and film thickness to the phonon scattering rate are described by a model for the thermal conductivity based on the single-mode relaxation time approximation. The exact Boltzmann equation including spatial dependence of phonon distribution function is solved to yield an expression for the rate at which phonons scatter by the thin film boundaries in the presence of the other phonon scattering mechanisms. The rates at which phonons scatter via normal and resistive three-phonon processes are calculated by using perturbation theories with taking into account dispersion of confined acoustic phonons in a two dimensional structure. The vibrational parameters of the model are deduced from the dispersion of confined acoustic phonons as functions of temperature and crystallographic direction. The accuracy of the model is demonstrated with reference to recent experimental investigations regarding the thermal conductivity of single-crystal and polycrystalline SiGe films. The paper describes the strength of each of the phonon scattering mechanisms in the full temperature range. Furthermore, it predicts the alloy composition and film thickness that lead to minimum thermal conductivity in a single-crystal SiGe film, and the alloy composition and grain size that lead to minimum thermal conductivity in a polycrystalline SiGe film.

Integrating Nano-patterned Ferromagnetic and Ferroelectric Thin Films for Electrically Tunable RF Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Tengxing; Peng, Yujia; Jiang, Wei

Tunable radio frequency (RF) components are pivotal elements in frequency-agile and multifunctional systems. However, there is a technical barrier to achieve miniaturized fully electrically tunable RF components. This paper provides and demonstrates the efficacy of a first unique design methodology in developing fully electrically tunable RF components by integrating ferromagnetic (e.g., Permalloy) and ferroelectric (e.g., Lead Zirconate Titanate: PZT) thin films patterns. Permalloy thin film has been patterned in nanometer scale to improve its ferromagnetic resonance frequency (FMR) for RF applications. Tunable inductors are developed with the utilization of different thickness of Permalloy thin film, which show over 50% incrementmore » in inductance and over 4% in tunability with DC current. More tunability can be achieved with multiple layers of Permalloy thin film and optimized thickness. A fully electrically tunable slow wave RF transmission line with simultaneously variable inductance and capacitance density has been implemented and thoroughly investigated for the first time. Measured results show that a fixed phase shift of 90° can be achieved from 1.5 GHz to 1.85 GHz continuously by applying external DC current from 0 to 200 mA and external DC voltage from 0 to 15 Volts, respectively.« less

Integrating Nano-patterned Ferromagnetic and Ferroelectric Thin Films for Electrically Tunable RF Applications

DOE PAGES

Wang, Tengxing; Peng, Yujia; Jiang, Wei; ...

2016-10-31

Tunable radio frequency (RF) components are pivotal elements in frequency-agile and multifunctional systems. However, there is a technical barrier to achieve miniaturized fully electrically tunable RF components. This paper provides and demonstrates the efficacy of a first unique design methodology in developing fully electrically tunable RF components by integrating ferromagnetic (e.g., Permalloy) and ferroelectric (e.g., Lead Zirconate Titanate: PZT) thin films patterns. Permalloy thin film has been patterned in nanometer scale to improve its ferromagnetic resonance frequency (FMR) for RF applications. Tunable inductors are developed with the utilization of different thickness of Permalloy thin film, which show over 50% incrementmore » in inductance and over 4% in tunability with DC current. More tunability can be achieved with multiple layers of Permalloy thin film and optimized thickness. A fully electrically tunable slow wave RF transmission line with simultaneously variable inductance and capacitance density has been implemented and thoroughly investigated for the first time. Measured results show that a fixed phase shift of 90° can be achieved from 1.5 GHz to 1.85 GHz continuously by applying external DC current from 0 to 200 mA and external DC voltage from 0 to 15 Volts, respectively.« less

Reduction in the formation temperature of Poly-SiGe alloy thin film in Si/Ge system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tah, Twisha; Singh, Ch. Kishan; Madapu, K. K.; Sarguna, R. M.; Magudapathy, P.; Ilango, S.

2018-04-01

The role of deposition temperature in the formation of poly-SiGe alloy thin film in Si/Ge system is reported. For the set ofsamples deposited without any intentional heating, initiation of alloying starts upon post annealingat ˜ 500 °C leading to the formation of a-SiGe. Subsequently, poly-SiGe alloy phase could formonly at temperature ≥ 800 °C. Whereas, for the set of samples deposited at 500 °C, in-situ formation of poly-SiGe alloy thin film could be observed. The energetics of the incoming evaporated atoms and theirsubsequent diffusionsin the presence of the supplied thermal energy is discussed to understand possible reasons for lowering of formation temperature/energyof the poly-SiGe phase.

Self-anti-reflective density-modulated thin films by HIPS technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keles, Filiz; Badradeen, Emad; Karabacak, Tansel

2017-08-01

A critical factor for an efficient light harvesting device is reduced reflectance in order to achieve high optical absorptance. In this regard, refractive index engineering becomes important to minimize reflectance. In this study, a new fabrication approach to obtain density-modulated CuIn x Ga(1-x)Se2 (CIGS) thin films with self-anti-reflective properties has been demonstrated. Density-modulated CIGS samples were fabricated by utilizing high pressure sputtering (HIPS) at Ar gas pressure of 2.75 × 10-2 mbar along with conventional low pressure sputtering (LPS) at Ar gas pressure of 3.0 × 10-3 mbar. LPS produces conventional high density thin films while HIPS produces low density thin films with approximate porosities of ˜15% due to a shadowing effect originating from the wide-spread angular atomic of HIPS. Higher pressure conditions lower the film density, which also leads to lower refractive index values. Density-modulated films that incorporate a HIPS layer at the side from which light enters demonstrate lower reflectance thus higher absorptance compared to conventional LPS films, although there is not any significant morphological difference between them. This result can be attributed to the self-anti-reflective property of the density-modulated samples, which was confirmed by the reduced refractive index calculated for HIPS layer via an envelope method. Therefore, HIPS, a simple and scalable approach, can provide enhanced optical absorptance in thin film materials and eliminate the need for conventional light trapping methods such as anti-reflective coatings of different materials or surface texturing.

Ferromagnetic resonance linewidth and damping in perpendicular-anisotropy magnetic multilayers thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaujour, Jean-Marc

2010-03-01

Transition metal ferromagnetic films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) have ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) linewidths that are one order of magnitude larger than soft magnetic materials, such as pure iron (Fe) and permalloy (NiFe) thin films. We have conducted systematic studies of a variety of thin film materials with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy to investigate the origin of the enhanced FMR linewidths, including Ni/Co and CoFeB/Co/Ni multilayers. In Ni/Co multilayers the PMA was systematically reduced by irradiation with Helium ions, leading to a transition from out-of-plane to in-plane easy axis with increasing He ion fluence [1,2]. The FMR linewidth depends linearly on frequency for perpendicular applied fields and increases significantly when the magnetization is rotated into the film plane with an applied in-plane magnetic field. Irradiation of the film with Helium ions decreases the PMA and the distribution of PMA parameters, leading to a large reduction in the FMR linewidth for in-plane magnetization. These results suggest that fluctuations in the PMA lead to a large two magnon scattering contribution to the linewidth for in-plane magnetization and establish that the Gilbert damping is enhanced in such materials (α˜0.04, compared to α˜0.002 for pure Fe) [2]. We compare these results to those on CoFeB/Co/Ni and published results on other thin film materials with PMA [e.g., Ref. 3]. [1] D. Stanescu et al., J. Appl. Phys. 103, 07B529 (2008). [2] J-M. L. Beaujour, D. Ravelosona, I. Tudosa, E. Fullerton, and A. D. Kent, Phys. Rev. B RC 80, 180415 (2009). [3] N. Mo, J. Hohlfeld, M. ulIslam, C. S. Brown, E. Girt, P. Krivosik, W. Tong, A. Rebel, and C. E. Patton, Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 022506 (2008). *Research done in collaboration with: A. D. Kent, New York University, D. Ravelosona, Institut d'Electronique Fondamentale, UMR CNRS 8622, Universit'e Paris Sud, E. E. Fullerton, Center for Magnetic Recording Research, UCSD, and supported by NSF-DMR-0706322.

Contrasting Drainage and Stratification in Horizontal Vs Vertical Micellar Foam Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojcik, Ewelina; Yilixiati, Subinuer; Zhang, Yiran; Sharma, Vivek

Understanding and controlling the drainage kinetics of thin films is an important problem that underlies the stability, lifetime and rheology of foams and emulsions. In foam films formed with micellar solutions, the surfactant is present as interfacially-adsorbed layer at both liquid-air interfaces, as well as in bulk as self-assembled supramolecular structures called micelles. Ultrathin micellar films exhibit stratification due to confinement-induced structuring and layering of micelles. Stratification in micellar foam films is manifested as stepwise thinning over time, and it leads to the coexistence of flat domains with discretely different thicknesses. In this contribution we use Interferometry Digital Imaging Optical Microscopy (IDIOM) protocols to visualize and analyze thickness transitions and variations associated with stratification in micellar foam films made with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). We contrast the drainage and stratification dynamics in horizontal and vertical foam films, and investigate the role played by gravitational, viscous, interfacial and surface forces.

Interference-enhanced infrared-to-visible upconversion in solid-state thin films sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Mengfei; Jean, Joel; Bulović, Vladimir; Baldo, Marc A.

2017-05-01

Infrared-to-visible photon upconversion has potential applications in photovoltaics, sensing, and bioimaging. We demonstrate a solid-state thin-film device that utilizes sensitized triplet-triplet exciton annihilation, converting infrared photons absorbed by colloidal lead sulfide nanocrystals (NCs) into visible photons emitted from a luminescent dopant in rubrene at low incident light intensities. A typical bilayer device consisting of a monolayer of NCs and a doped film of rubrene is limited by low infrared absorption in the thin NC film. Here, we augment the bilayer with an optical spacer layer and a silver-film back reflector, resulting in interference effects that enhance the optical field and thus the absorption in the NC film. The interference-enhanced device shows an order-of-magnitude increase in the upconverted emission at the wavelength of λ = 610 nm when excited at λ = 980 nm. At incident light intensities above 1.1 W/cm2, the device attains maximum efficiency, converting (1.6 ± 0.2)% of absorbed infrared photons into higher-energy singlet excitons in rubrene.

Effect of nitrogen doping on structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of radio frequency magnetron sputtered zinc oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perumal, R.; Hassan, Z.

2016-06-01

Zinc oxide receives remarkable attention due to its several attractive physical properties. Zinc oxide thin films doped with nitrogen were grown by employing RF magnetron sputtering method at room temperature. Doping was accomplished in gaseous medium by mixing high purity nitrogen gas along with argon sputtering gas. Structural studies confirmed the high crystalline nature with c-axis oriented growth of the nitrogen doped zinc oxide thin films. The tensile strain was developed due to the incorporation of the nitrogen into the ZnO crystal lattice. Surface roughness of the grown films was found to be decreased with increasing doping level was identified through atomic force microscope analysis. The presenting phonon modes of each film were confirmed through FTIR spectral analysis. The increasing doping level leads towards red-shifting of the cut-off wavelength due to decrement of the band gap was identified through UV-vis spectroscopy. All the doped films exhibited p-type conductivity was ascertained using Hall measurements and the obtained results were presented.

Facile and Scalable Fabrication of Highly Efficient Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin-Film Solar Cells in Air Using Gas Pump Method.

PubMed

Ding, Bin; Gao, Lili; Liang, Lusheng; Chu, Qianqian; Song, Xiaoxuan; Li, Yan; Yang, Guanjun; Fan, Bin; Wang, Mingkui; Li, Chengxin; Li, Changjiu

2016-08-10

Control of the perovskite film formation process to produce high-quality organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite thin films with uniform morphology, high surface coverage, and minimum pinholes is of great importance to highly efficient solar cells. Herein, we report on large-area light-absorbing perovskite films fabrication with a new facile and scalable gas pump method. By decreasing the total pressure in the evaporation environment, the gas pump method can significantly enhance the solvent evaporation rate by 8 times faster and thereby produce an extremely dense, uniform, and full-coverage perovskite thin film. The resulting planar perovskite solar cells can achieve an impressive power conversion efficiency up to 19.00% with an average efficiency of 17.38 ± 0.70% for 32 devices with an area of 5 × 2 mm, 13.91% for devices with a large area up to 1.13 cm(2). The perovskite films can be easily fabricated in air conditions with a relative humidity of 45-55%, which definitely has a promising prospect in industrial application of large-area perovskite solar panels.

Tunable electroresistance and electro-optic effects of transparent molecular ferroelectrics

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Zhuolei; Li, Peng-Fei; Tang, Yuan-Yuan; ...

2017-08-30

Recent progress in molecular ferroelectrics (MOFEs) has been overshadowed by the lack of high-quality thin films for device integration. We report a water-based air-processable technique to prepare large-area MOFE thin films, controlled by supersaturation growth at the liquid-air interface under a temperature gradient and external water partial pressure. We used this technique to fabricate ImClO4 thin films and found a large, tunable room temperature electroresistance: a 20-fold resistance variation upon polarization switching. The as-grown films are transparent and consist of a bamboo-like structure of (more » $$2,\\overline{1},0$$) and ($$1,0,\\overline{2}$$) structural variants of R3m symmetry with a reversible polarization of 6.7 μC/cm 2. The resulting ferroelectric domain structure leads to a reversible electromechanical response of d 33 = 38.8 pm/V. Polarization switching results in a change of the refractive index, n, of single domains, $$\\frac{Δn}{n}$$ = 0.3. The remarkable combination of these characteristics renders MOFEs a prime candidate material for new nanoelectronic devices. The information that we present in this work will open a new area of MOFE thin-film technologies.« less

Tunable electroresistance and electro-optic effects of transparent molecular ferroelectrics

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhuolei; Li, Peng-Fei; Tang, Yuan-Yuan; Wilson, Andrew J.; Willets, Katherine; Wuttig, Manfred; Xiong, Ren-Gen; Ren, Shenqiang

2017-01-01

Recent progress in molecular ferroelectrics (MOFEs) has been overshadowed by the lack of high-quality thin films for device integration. We report a water-based air-processable technique to prepare large-area MOFE thin films, controlled by supersaturation growth at the liquid-air interface under a temperature gradient and external water partial pressure. We used this technique to fabricate ImClO4 thin films and found a large, tunable room temperature electroresistance: a 20-fold resistance variation upon polarization switching. The as-grown films are transparent and consist of a bamboo-like structure of (2,1¯,0) and (1,0,2¯) structural variants of R3m symmetry with a reversible polarization of 6.7 μC/cm2. The resulting ferroelectric domain structure leads to a reversible electromechanical response of d33 = 38.8 pm/V. Polarization switching results in a change of the refractive index, n, of single domains, Δnn=0.3. The remarkable combination of these characteristics renders MOFEs a prime candidate material for new nanoelectronic devices. The information that we present in this work will open a new area of MOFE thin-film technologies. PMID:28875167

Enhanced Performance Consistency in Nanoparticle/TIPS Pentacene-Based Organic Thin Film Transistors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Zhengran; Xiao, Kai; Durant, William Mark

2011-01-01

In this study, inorganic silica nanoparticles are used to manipulate the morphology of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene (TIPS pentacene) thin films and the performance of solution-processed organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). This approach is taken to control crystal anisotropy, which is the origin of poor consistency in TIPS pentacene based OTFT devices. Thin film active layers are produced by drop-casting mixtures of SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles and TIPS pentacene. The resultant drop-cast films yield improved morphological uniformity at {approx}10% SiO{sub 2} loading, which also leads to a 3-fold increase in average mobility and nearly 4 times reduction in the ratio of measured mobility standard deviationmore » ({mu}{sub Stdev}) to average mobility ({mu}{sub Avg}). Grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy as well as polarized optical microscopy are used to investigate the nanoparticle-mediated TIPS pentacene crystallization. The experimental results suggest that the SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles mostly aggregate at TIPS pentacene grain boundaries, and 10% nanoparticle concentration effectively reduces the undesirable crystal misorientation without considerably compromising TIPS pentacene crystallinity.« less

Electric-field induced spin accumulation in the Landau level states of topological insulator thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siu, Zhuo Bin; Chowdhury, Debashree; Basu, Banasri; Jalil, Mansoor B. A.

2017-08-01

A topological insulator (TI) thin film differs from the more typically studied thick TI system in that the former has both a top and a bottom surface where the states localized at both surfaces can couple to one other across the finite thickness. An out-of-plane magnetic field leads to the formation of discrete Landau level states in the system, whereas an in-plane magnetization breaks the angular momentum symmetry of the system. In this work, we study the spin accumulation induced by the application of an in-plane electric field to the TI thin film system where the Landau level states and inter-surface coupling are simultaneously present. We show, via Kubo formula calculations, that the in-plane spin accumulation perpendicular to the magnetization due to the electric field vanishes for a TI thin film with symmetric top and bottom surfaces. A finite in-plane spin accumulation perpendicular to both the electric field and magnetization emerges upon applying either a differential magnetization coupling or a potential difference between the two film surfaces. This spin accumulation results from the breaking of the antisymmetry of the spin accumulation around the k-space equal-energy contours.

Measurements of Raman crystallinity profiles in thin-film microcrystalline silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choong, G.; Vallat-Sauvain, E.; Multone, X.; Fesquet, L.; Kroll, U.; Meier, J.

2013-06-01

Wedge-polished thin film microcrystalline silicon solar cells are prepared and used for micro-Raman measurements. Thereby, the variations of the Raman crystallinity with depth are accessed easily. Depth resolution limits of the measurement set-up are established and calculations evidencing the role of optical limits are presented. Due to this new technique, Raman crystallinity profiles of two microcrystalline silicon cells give first hints for the optimization of the profile leading to improved electrical performance of such devices.

Processing Method for Creating Ultra-Thin Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) Films Via Chemical Solution Deposition

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

n-propoxide and titanium isopropoxide , were measured with a graduated auto pipet and combined with 45 mL of 2-MOE in a 125 mL flask. The solution...nitrogen (N2). This anneal procedure was used to remove trapped hydrogen from the thin film. Following the anneal, a bi-layer of titanium (Ti) and...dioxide Ti titanium 10 NO. OF COPIES ORGANIZATION 1 ADMNSTR ELEC DEFNS TECHL INFO CTR ATTN DTIC OCP 8725 JOHN J KINGMAN RD STE

Superconductivity in disordered thin films: giant mesoscopic fluctuations.

PubMed

Skvortsov, M A; Feigel'man, M V

2005-07-29

We discuss the intrinsic inhomogeneities of superconductive properties of uniformly disordered thin films with a large dimensionless conductance g. It is shown that mesoscopic fluctuations, which usually contain a small factor 1/g, are crucially enhanced near the critical conductance g(cF) > 1 where superconductivity is destroyed at T = 0 due to Coulomb suppression of the Cooper attraction. This leads to strong spatial fluctuations of the local transition temperature and thus to the percolative nature of the thermal superconductive transition.

Effects on Ferroelectric Thin-Film Stacks and Devices for Piezoelectric MEMS Applications at Varied Total Ionizing Dose (TID)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

Overall, the devices with IrO2 top electrode were less impacted by the irradiation compared to the Pt top electrode devices. Keywords: lead...displacement and ionization events. However, prior research has primarily concentrated only on the effects of irradiation as polarization degradation...thin films deposited on platinized silicon wafers, with IrO2 or Pt top electrodes. All samples were irradiated with 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, and 10

Fabrication and ferroelectric properties of highly dense lead-free piezoelectric (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 thick films by aerosol deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Jungho; Choi, Jong-Jin; Hahn, Byung-Dong; Park, Dong-Soo; Yoon, Woon-Ha; Kim, Ki-Hoon

2007-04-01

Lead-free piezoelectric thick films of (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 were fabricated by aerosol-deposition method. The thickness of KNN film was 7.1μm and fully dense films were obtained. The dielectric constants ɛ3T/ɛ0 of the as-deposited and annealed films at 1kHz were 116 and 545, respectively, which are higher than any previously reported values for lead-free piezoelectric thin/thick films, either without or with heat treatment. The ferroelectric properties were improved after annealing and the maximum values of Pr=8.1μC/cm3 and Ec=100kV/cm were achieved. These values are markedly superior to those of sintered KNN ceramic counterparts.

Optical and morphological properties of sol gel derived titanium dioxide films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharma, A. B.; Sharma, S. K.; M, Vishwas

2015-08-28

Titanium oxide (Titania) thin films were synthesized on different substrates via the sol-gel dip-coating method using alkoxide solution. Some selected samples were also prepared with different percentage of Lead (Pb). The influence of Pb addition in precursor sol on the optical properties of titanium dioxide thin films was studied. The optical transmittance in the visible region has increased with increase in weight percentage of lead. The refractive index was slightly decreased with Pb addition. Crystallization of these coatings was achieved through thermal annealing at temperatures above 400 °C. The structural properties and surface morphology of the crystallized coatings were studiedmore » by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Increase in average grain size from 250 nm to 350 nm with increase in Pb concentration is observed. Films were appeared to more coarse with increase in Pb addition. An increase in Pb addition resulted increase in average roughness from 12 nm to 25 nm.« less

Contact-induced crystallinity for high-performance soluble acene-based transistors and circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gundlach, D. J.; Royer, J. E.; Park, S. K.; Subramanian, S.; Jurchescu, O. D.; Hamadani, B. H.; Moad, A. J.; Kline, R. J.; Teague, L. C.; Kirillov, O.; Richter, C. A.; Kushmerick, J. G.; Richter, L. J.; Parkin, S. R.; Jackson, T. N.; Anthony, J. E.

2008-03-01

The use of organic materials presents a tremendous opportunity to significantly impact the functionality and pervasiveness of large-area electronics. Commercialization of this technology requires reduction in manufacturing costs by exploiting inexpensive low-temperature deposition and patterning techniques, which typically lead to lower device performance. We report a low-cost approach to control the microstructure of solution-cast acene-based organic thin films through modification of interfacial chemistry. Chemically and selectively tailoring the source/drain contact interface is a novel route to initiating the crystallization of soluble organic semiconductors, leading to the growth on opposing contacts of crystalline films that extend into the transistor channel. This selective crystallization enables us to fabricate high-performance organic thin-film transistors and circuits, and to deterministically study the influence of the microstructure on the device characteristics. By connecting device fabrication to molecular design, we demonstrate that rapid film processing under ambient room conditions and high performance are not mutually exclusive.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sabah, Fayroz A., E-mail: fayroz-arif@yahoo.com; Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad; Ahmed, Naser M., E-mail: naser@usm.my

The copper sulphide (CuS) thin films were grown with good adhesion by spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) on Ti, ITO and glass substrates at 200 °C. The distance between nozzle and substrate is 30 cm. The composition was prepared by mixing copper chloride CuCl{sub 2}.2H{sub 2}O as a source of Cu{sup 2+} and sodium thiosulfate Na{sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 3}.5H{sub 2}O as a source of and S{sup 2−}. Two concentrations (0.2 and 0.4 M) were used for each CuCl{sub 2} and Na{sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 3} to be prepared and then sprayed (20 ml). The process was started by spraying the solution formore » 3 seconds and after 10 seconds the cycle was repeated until the solution was sprayed completely on the hot substrates. The structural characteristics were studied using X-ray diffraction; they showed covellite CuS hexagonal crystal structure for 0.2 M concentration, and covellite CuS hexagonal crystal structure with two small peaks of chalcocite Cu{sub 2}S hexagonal crystal structure for 0.4 M concentration. Also the surface and electrical characteristics were investigated using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and current source device, respectively. The surface study for the CuS thin films showed nanorods to be established for 0.2 M concentration and mix of nanorods and nanoplates for 0.4 M concentration. The electrical study showed ohmic behavior and low resistivity for these films. Hall Effect was measured for these thin films, it showed that all samples of CuS are p- type thin films and ensured that the resistivity for thin films of 0.2 M concentration was lower than that of 0.4 M concentration; and for the two concentrations CuS thin film deposited on ITO had the lowest resistivity. This leads to the result that the conductivity was high for CuS thin film deposited on ITO substrate, and the conductivity of the three thin films of 0.2 M concentration was higher than that of 0.4 M concentration.« less

PZT Thin-Film Micro Probe Device with Dual Top Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Chuan

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin-film actuators have been studied intensively for years because of their potential applications in many fields. In this dissertation, a PZT thin-film micro probe device is designed, fabricated, studied, and proven to be acceptable as an intracochlear acoustic actuator. The micro probe device takes the form of a cantilever with a PZT thin-film diaphragm at the tip of the probe. The tip portion of the probe will be implanted in cochlea later in animal tests to prove its feasibility in hearing rehabilitation. The contribution of the dissertation is three-fold. First, a dual top electrodes design, consisting of a center electrode and an outer electrode, is developed to improve actuation displacement of the PZT thin-film diaphragm. The improvement by the dual top electrodes design is studied via a finite element model. When the dimensions of the dual electrodes are optimized, the displacement of the PZT thin-film diaphragm increases about 30%. A PZT thin-film diaphragm with dual top electrodes is fabricated to prove the concept, and experimental results confirm the predictions from the finite element analyses. Moreover, the dual electrode design can accommodate presence of significant residual stresses in the PZT thin-film diaphragm by changing the phase difference between the two electrodes. Second, a PZT thin-film micro probe device is fabricated and tested. The fabrication process consists of PZT thin-film deposition and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE). The uniqueness of the fabrication process is an automatic dicing mechanism that allows a large number of probes to be released easily from the wafer. Moreover, the fabrication is very efficient, because the DRIE process will form the PZT thin-film diaphragm and the special dicing mechanism simultaneously. After the probes are fabricated, they are tested with various possible implantation depths (i.e., boundary conditions). Experimental results show that future implantation depths should be less than 3 mm in order to guarantee the first resonant frequency above 60 kHz. Finally, a package for the PZT thin-film micro probe device is developed to ensure its proper function in an aqueous environment, such as inside of cochlea. The package is an insulation layer of parylene coating on the probe. A finite element analysis indicates that a coating thickness of less than 1 mum will reduce the PZT diaphragm displacement by less than 10%. A special fixture is designed to hold a large number of probes for parylene deposition of a thickness of 250 nm. A packaged probe is then submerged in deionized water and functions properly for at least 55 hours. Displacement and impedance of the probe are measured via a laser Doppler vibrometer and an impedance analyzer, respectively. Experimental results show that displacement of the PZT diaphragm increases about 30% in two hours, after the probe is submerged in the deionized water. The impedance measurement shows consistent trends. A hypothesis to explain this unusual phenomenon is diffusion of water molecules into the PZT thin film. High-resolution SEM images of the probe indicate presence of numerous nano-pores in the surface of the PZT thin film, indirectly confirming the hypothesis. Keywords: PZT, Thin-Film, Dual Electrodes, Parylene Coating, Aqueous Environment, Cochlear Implant

On dewetting of thin films due to crystallization (crystallization dewetting).

PubMed

Habibi, Mehran; Rahimzadeh, Amin; Eslamian, Morteza

2016-03-01

Drying and crystallization of a thin liquid film of an ionic or a similar solution can cause dewetting in the resulting thin solid film. This paper aims at investigating this type of dewetting, herein termed "crystallization dewetting", using PbI2 dissolved in organic solvents as the model solution. PbI2 solid films are usually used in X-ray detection and lead halide perovskite solar cells. In this work, PbI2 films are fabricated using spin coating and the effect of major parameters influencing the crystallization dewetting, including the type of the solvent, solution concentration, drying temperature, spin speed, as well as imposed vibration on the substrate are studied on dewetting, surface profile and coverage, using confocal scanning laser microscopy. Simplified hydrodynamic governing equations of crystallization in thin films are presented and using a mathematical representation of the process, it is phenomenologically demonstrated that crystallization dewetting occurs due to the absorption and consumption of the solution surrounding a growing crystal. Among the results, it is found that a low spin speed (high thickness), a high solution concentration and a low drying temperature promote crystal growth, and therefore crystallization dewetting. It is also shown that imposed vibration on the substrate can affect the crystal size and crystallization dewetting.

Black thin film silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koynov, Svetoslav; Brandt, Martin S.; Stutzmann, Martin

2011-08-01

"Black etching" has been proposed previously as a method for the nanoscale texturing of silicon surfaces, which results in an almost complete suppression of reflectivity in the spectral range of absorption relevant for photovoltaics. The method modifies the topmost 150 to 300 nm of the material and thus also is applicable for thin films of silicon. The present work is focused on the optical effects induced by the black-etching treatment on hydrogenated amorphous and microcrystalline silicon thin films, in particular with respect to their application in solar cells. In addition to a strong reduction of the reflectivity, efficient light trapping within the modified thin films is found. The enhancement of the optical absorption due to the light trapping is investigated via photometric measurements and photothermal deflection spectroscopy. The correlation of the texture morphology (characterized via atomic force microscopy) with the optical effects is discussed in terms of an effective medium with gradually varying optical density and in the framework of the theory of statistical light trapping. Photoconductivity spectra directly show that the light trapping causes a significant prolongation of the light path within the black silicon films by up to 15 μm for ˜1 μm thick films, leading to a significant increase of the absorption in the red.

Microfluidics and thin-film processes: a recipe for organic integrated photonics based on 3D microresonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huby, N.; Pluchon, D.; Belloul, M.; Moreac, A.; Coulon, N.; Gaviot, E.; Panizza, P.; B"che, B.

2010-02-01

We report on the design and realization of photonic integrated devices based on 3D organic microresonators. This has been achieved by combining microfluidics techniques and thin-film processes. The microfluidic device and the control of the flow rates of the continuous and dispersed phases allow the fabrication of organic microresonators with diameter ranging from 30 to 200 μm. The resonance of the sphere in air has been first investigated by using the Raman spectroscopy set-up demonstrating the appropriate photonic properties. Then the microresonators have been integrated on an organic chip made of the photosensitive resin SU-8 and positioned at the extremity of a taper and alongside a rib waveguide. The realization of these structures by thin-film processes needs one step UV-lithography leading to 6μm width and 30μm height. Both devices have proved the efficient evanescent coupling leading to the excitation of the whispering gallery modes confined at the surface of the organic 3D microresonators. Finally, a band-stop filter has been used to detect the resonance spectra of the resonators once integrated.

Ultrafast demagnetisation dependence on film thickness: A TDDFT calculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, N.; Sharma, S.

2018-04-01

Ferromagnetic materials when subjected to intense laser pulses leads to reduction of their magnetisation on an ultrafast scale. Here, we perform an ab-initio calculation to study the behavior of ultrafast demagnetisation as a function of film thickness for Nickel as compared to the bulk of the material. In thin films surface formation results in amplification of demagnetisation with the percentage of demagnetisation depending upon the film thickness.

Failure modes in electroactive polymer thin films with elastic electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Tommasi, D.; Puglisi, G.; Zurlo, G.

2014-02-01

Based on an energy minimization approach, we analyse the elastic deformations of a thin electroactive polymer (EAP) film sandwiched by two elastic electrodes with non-negligible stiffness. We analytically show the existence of a critical value of the electrode voltage for which non-homogeneous solutions bifurcate from the homogeneous equilibrium state, leading to the pull-in phenomenon. This threshold strongly decreases the limit value proposed in the literature considering only homogeneous deformations. We explicitly discuss the influence of geometric and material parameters together with boundary conditions in the attainment of the different failure modes observed in EAP devices. In particular, we obtain the optimum values of these parameters leading to the maximum activation performances of the device.

Wafer-scale single-crystal perovskite patterned thin films based on geometrically-confined lateral crystal growth

PubMed Central

Lee, Lynn; Baek, Jangmi; Park, Kyung Sun; Lee, Yong-EunKoo; Shrestha, Nabeen K.; Sung, Myung M.

2017-01-01

We report a facile roll-printing method, geometrically confined lateral crystal growth, for the fabrication of large-scale, single-crystal CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite thin films. Geometrically confined lateral crystal growth is based on transfer of a perovskite ink solution via a patterned rolling mould to a heated substrate, where the solution crystallizes instantly with the immediate evaporation of the solvent. The striking feature of this method is that the instant crystallization of the feeding solution under geometrical confinement leads to the unidirectional lateral growth of single-crystal perovskites. Here, we fabricated single-crystal perovskites in the form of a patterned thin film (3 × 3 inch) with a high carrier mobility of 45.64 cm2 V−1 s−1. We also used these single-crystal perovskite thin films to construct solar cells with a lateral configuration. Their active-area power conversion efficiency shows a highest value of 4.83%, which exceeds the literature efficiency values of lateral perovskite solar cells. PMID:28691697

Novel Electrically Tunable Microwave Solenoid Inductor and Compact Phase Shifter Utilizing Permaloy and PZT Thin Films

DOE PAGES

Wang, Tengxing; Jiang, Wei; Divan, Ralu; ...

2017-08-03

A Permalloy (Py) thin film enabled tunable 3-D solenoid inductor is designed and fabricated. The special configuration of magnetic core is discussed and by selectively patterning Py thin film, the proposed tunable inductor can work at frequency up to several GHz range. The inductance of the solenoid inductor can be electrically tuned by dc current and the tunability is above 10%. Utilizing the implemented Py enabled tunable solenoid inductor and Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) thin film enabled metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor, a compact fully electrically tunable lumped elements phase shifter is achieved. The tunable phase shifter has both inductive and capacitivemore » tunability and the dual tunability significantly improves the tuning range and design flexibility. Moreover, the dual tunability is able to retain the equivalent characteristic impedance of the device in the process of the phase being tuned. Here, the phase of the device can be tuned by fully electrical methods and when dc current and dc voltage are provided, the length normalized phase tunability is up to 210°/cm« less

Ligand-surface interactions and surface oxidation of colloidal PbSe quantum dots revealed by thin-film positron annihilation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Wenqin; Eijt, Stephan W. H.; Suchand Sandeep, C. S.; Siebbeles, Laurens D. A.; Houtepen, Arjan J.; Kinge, Sachin; Brück, Ekkes; Barbiellini, Bernardo; Bansil, Arun

2016-02-01

Positron Two Dimensional Angular Correlation of Annihilation Radiation (2D-ACAR) measurements reveal modifications of the electronic structure and composition at the surfaces of PbSe quantum dots (QDs), deposited as thin films, produced by various ligands containing either oxygen or nitrogen atoms. In particular, the 2D-ACAR measurements on thin films of colloidal PbSe QDs capped with oleic acid ligands yield an increased intensity in the electron momentum density (EMD) at high momenta compared to PbSe quantum dots capped with oleylamine. Moreover, the EMD of PbSe QDs is strongly affected by the small ethylenediamine ligands, since these molecules lead to small distances between QDs and favor neck formation between near neighbor QDs, inducing electronic coupling between neighboring QDs. The high sensitivity to the presence of oxygen atoms at the surface can be also exploited to monitor the surface oxidation of PbSe QDs upon exposure to air. Our study clearly demonstrates that positron annihilation spectroscopy applied to thin films can probe surface transformations of colloidal semiconductor QDs embedded in functional layers.

Pure Cubic-Phase Hybrid Iodobismuthates AgBi2 I7 for Thin-Film Photovoltaics.

PubMed

Kim, Younghoon; Yang, Zhenyu; Jain, Ankit; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Kim, Gi-Hwan; Liu, Min; Quan, Li Na; García de Arquer, F Pelayo; Comin, Riccardo; Fan, James Z; Sargent, Edward H

2016-08-08

Bismuth-based hybrid perovskites are candidates for lead-free and air-stable photovoltaics, but poor surface morphologies and a high band-gap energy have previously limited these hybrid perovskites. A new materials processing strategy to produce enhanced bismuth-based thin-film photovoltaic absorbers by incorporation of monovalent silver cations into iodobismuthates is presented. Solution-processed AgBi2 I7 thin films are prepared by spin-coating silver and bismuth precursors dissolved in n-butylamine and annealing under an N2 atmosphere. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the pure cubic structure (Fd3m) with lattice parameters of a=b=c=12.223 Å. The resultant AgBi2 I7 thin films exhibit dense and pinhole-free surface morphologies with grains ranging in size from 200-800 nm and a low band gap of 1.87 eV suitable for photovoltaic applications. Initial studies produce solar power conversion efficiencies of 1.22 % and excellent stability over at least 10 days under ambient conditions. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

DOE Final Report: A Unified Understanding of Residual Stress in Thin Films: Kinetic Models, Experiments and Simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chason, Eric

Thin films are critical for a wide range of advanced technologies. However, the deposited films often have high levels of residual stress that can limit their performance or lead to failure. The stress is known to depend on many variables, including the processing conditions, type of material, deposition technique and the film’s microstructure. The goal of this DOE program was to develop a fundamental understanding of how the different processes that control thin film growth under different conditions can be related to the development of stress. In the program, systematic experiments were performed or analyzed that related the stress tomore » the processing conditions that were used. Measurements of stress were obtained for films that were grown at different rates, different solutions (for electrodeposition), different particle energies (for sputter deposition) and different microstructures. Based on this data, models were developed to explain the observed dependence on the different parameters. The models were based on considering the balance among different stress-inducing mechanism occurring as the film grows (for both non-energetic and energetic deposition). Comparison of the model predictions with the experiments enabled the kinetic parameters to be determined for different materials. The resulting model equations provide a comprehensive picture of how stress changes with the processing conditions that can be used to optimize the growth of thin films.« less

Ferroelectricity emerging in strained (111)-textured ZrO{sub 2} thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fan, Zhen, E-mail: a0082709@u.nus.edu, E-mail: msecj@nus.edu.sg; Deng, Jinyu; Liu, Ziyan

2016-01-04

(Anti-)ferroelectricity in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible binary oxides have attracted considerable research interest recently. Here, we show that by using substrate-induced strain, the orthorhombic phase and the desired ferroelectricity could be achieved in ZrO{sub 2} thin films. Our theoretical analyses suggest that the strain imposed on the ZrO{sub 2} (111) film by the TiN/MgO (001) substrate would energetically favor the tetragonal (t) and orthorhombic (o) phases over the monoclinic (m) phase of ZrO{sub 2}, and the compressive strain along certain 〈11-2〉 directions may further stabilize the o-phase. Experimentally ZrO{sub 2} thin films are sputtered onto the MgO (001) substrates buffered bymore » epitaxial TiN layers. ZrO{sub 2} thin films exhibit t- and o-phases, which are highly (111)-textured and strained, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Both polarization-electric field (P-E) loops and corresponding current responses to voltage stimulations measured with appropriate applied fields reveal the ferroelectric sub-loop behavior of the ZrO{sub 2} films at certain thicknesses, confirming that the ferroelectric o-phase has been developed in the strained (111)-textured ZrO{sub 2} films. However, further increasing the applied field leads to the disappearance of ferroelectric hysteresis, the possible reasons of which are discussed.« less

Polygonal crack patterns by drying thin films under quasi-two-dimensional confinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiaolei; Lowensohn, Janna; Burton, Justin

Cracks patterns such as T/Y junction cracks in dried mud are ubiquitous in nature. Although the conditions for cracking in solids is well-known, cracks in colloidal and granular systems are more complex. Here we report the formations of polygonal cracks by drying thin films of corn starch ( 10 μm in diameter) under quasi-2D confinement. We find there are two drying stages before the films are completely dried. Initially, a compaction front invades throughout the film. Then, a second drying stage ''percolates'' throughout the film with a characteristic branching pattern, leading to a dense packing of particles connected by liquid capillary bridges. Finally, polygonal cracks appear as the remaining liquid dries. The same drying kinetics occur for films with different thickness, h, except that fractal-like fracture patterns form in thin films, where the thickness is comparable to the particle size, while polygons form in thick films with many layers of particles. We also find that the average area of the polygons, A, in fully dried films scales with the thickness, A hβ , where β 1 . 5 , and the prefactor depends on the initial packing fraction of the suspension. This form is consistent with a simple energy balance criterion for crack formation.

Elucidating doping driven microstructure evolution and optical properties of lead sulfide thin films grown from a chemical bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, Bhaskar Chandra; Bector, Keerti; Laha, Ranjit

2018-03-01

Doping driven remarkable microstructural evolution of PbS thin films grown by a single-step chemical bath deposition process at 60 °C is reported. The undoped films were discontinuous with octahedral-shaped crystallites after 30 min of deposition, whereas Cu doping led to a distinctly different surface microstructure characterized by densely packed elongated crystallites. A mechanism, based on the time sequence study of microstructural evolution of the films, and detailed XRD and Raman measurements, has been proposed to explain the contrasting microstructure of the doped films. The incorporation of Cu forms an interface layer, which is devoid of Pb. The excess Cu ions in this interface layer at the initial stages of film growth strongly interact and selectively stabilize the charged {111} faces containing either Pb or S compared to the uncharged {100} faces that contain both Pb and S. This interaction interferes with the natural growth habit resulting in the observed surface features of the doped films. Concurrently, the Cu-doping potentially changed the optical properties of the films: A significant widening of the bandgap from 1.52 eV to 1.74 eV for increase in Cu concentration from 0 to 20% was observed, making it a highly potential absorber layer in thin film solar cells.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Polat, B. D.; Eryilmaz, O. L.; Keles, O

Compositionally graded and non-graded composite SiCu thin films were deposited by magnetron sputtering technique on Cu disks for investigation of their potentials in lithium ion battery applications. The compositionally graded thin film electrodes with 30 at.% Cu delivered a 1400 mAh g-1 capacity with 80% Coulombic efficiency in the first cycle and still retained its capacity at around 600 mAh g-1 (with 99.9% Coulombic efficiency) even after 100 cycles. On the other hand, the non-graded thin film electrodes with 30 at.% Cu exhibited 1100 mAh g-1 as the first discharge capacity with 78% Coulombic efficiency but the cycle life ofmore » this film degraded very quickly, delivering only 250 mAh g-1 capacity after 100th cycles. Not only the Cu content but also the graded film thickness were believed to be the main contributors to the much superior performance of the compositionally graded SiCu films. We also believe that the Cu-rich region of the graded film helped reduce internal stress build-up and thus prevented film delamination during cycling. In particular, the decrease of Cu content from interface region to the top of the coating reduced the possibility of stress build-up across the film during cycling, thus leading to a high electrochemical performance.« less

Thermal Molding of Organic Thin-Film Transistor Arrays on Curved Surfaces.

PubMed

Sakai, Masatoshi; Watanabe, Kento; Ishimine, Hiroto; Okada, Yugo; Yamauchi, Hiroshi; Sadamitsu, Yuichi; Kudo, Kazuhiro

2017-12-01

In this work, a thermal molding technique is proposed for the fabrication of plastic electronics on curved surfaces, enabling the preparation of plastic films with freely designed shapes. The induced strain distribution observed in poly(ethylene naphthalate) films when planar sheets were deformed into hemispherical surfaces clearly indicated that natural thermal contraction played an important role in the formation of the curved surface. A fingertip-shaped organic thin-film transistor array molded from a real human finger was fabricated, and slight deformation induced by touching an object was detected from the drain current response. This type of device will lead to the development of robot fingers equipped with a sensitive tactile sense for precision work such as palpation or surgery.

Thermal Molding of Organic Thin-Film Transistor Arrays on Curved Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakai, Masatoshi; Watanabe, Kento; Ishimine, Hiroto; Okada, Yugo; Yamauchi, Hiroshi; Sadamitsu, Yuichi; Kudo, Kazuhiro

2017-05-01

In this work, a thermal molding technique is proposed for the fabrication of plastic electronics on curved surfaces, enabling the preparation of plastic films with freely designed shapes. The induced strain distribution observed in poly(ethylene naphthalate) films when planar sheets were deformed into hemispherical surfaces clearly indicated that natural thermal contraction played an important role in the formation of the curved surface. A fingertip-shaped organic thin-film transistor array molded from a real human finger was fabricated, and slight deformation induced by touching an object was detected from the drain current response. This type of device will lead to the development of robot fingers equipped with a sensitive tactile sense for precision work such as palpation or surgery.

Chemistry of Non-Equilibrium Film Deposition.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

titanium isopropoxide mixed with water solutions of lanthanum and lead nitrate. The gels were dehydrated, then fired to 600C to remove all organics...OW- ’so IRO $Va. ame Thin films; titanium dioxide; -PuZT,- ion beam deposition; annealing,’ trnmiso electron microscopy. 4 - . - S \\AISST 0A ZT *Can...Deposition....... . ... *.... .. ... .. ..... .. . .... 2 C. Nonequilibrium Physical Deposition.................... 3 1. Titanium Oxide Films

Effect of interfacial slip on the thin film drainage time for two equal-sized, surfactant-free drops undergoing a head-on collision: A scaling analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramachandran, A.; Leal, L. G.

2016-10-01

Using a scaling analysis, we assess the impact of interfacial slip on the time required for the thin liquid film between two drops undergoing a head-on collision to drain to the critical thickness for rupture by van der Waals forces. Interfacial slip is included in our continuum development using a Navier slip boundary condition, with the slip coefficient modeled using previous theories [Helfand and Tagami, J. Chem. Phys. 57, 1812 (1972), 10.1063/1.1678491; Goveas and Fredrickson, Eur. Phys. J. B 2, 79 (1998), 10.1007/s100510050228]. Slip decreases hydrodynamic resistance and speeds up film drainage. It renders the dependence of the drainage time on capillary number stronger in the spherical-film regime, but, interestingly, this dependence is altered only weakly in the dimpled-film regime. A subtle effect of slip is that it increases the range of capillary numbers in which the film remains predominantly spherical in shape during drainage (as opposed to being dimpled), leading to significantly faster drainage for these capillary numbers. Slip also leads to an increase in the critical capillary number beyond which coalescence is not possible in a head-collision.

Thermally induced delay and reversal of liquid film dewetting on chemically patterned surfaces.

PubMed

Kalpathy, Sreeram K; Francis, Lorraine F; Kumar, Satish

2013-10-15

A thin liquid film resting on a solid substrate that is heated or cooled from below experiences surface tension gradients, which lead to Marangoni flows. We explore the behavior of such a film on a chemically patterned substrate which drives film dewetting in order to determine how surface patterning and applied temperature gradients can be designed to influence the behavior of thin-film coatings. A nonlinear partial differential equation for the film height based on lubrication theory is solved numerically for a broad range of problem parameters. Uniform cooling of the substrate is found to significantly delay dewetting that is driven by wettability gradients. Uniform heating speeds up dewetting but can destroy the near-perfect templating imposed by the surface patterning. However, localized heating and cooling together can accelerate dewetting while maintaining templating quality. Localized heating and cooling can also be used to drive liquid onto areas that it would dewet from in the absence of heating. Overall, these results indicate that applied temperature gradients can significantly influence dewetting driven by surface patterning, and suggest strategies for the creation of spatially patterned thin-film coatings and flow control in microfluidic devices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Limitations of Cs3Bi2I9 as lead-free photovoltaic absorber materials.

PubMed

Ghosh, Biplab; Wu, Bo; Mulmudi, Hemant Kumar; Guet, Claude; Weber, Klaus; Sum, Tze Chien; Mhaisalkar, Subodh G; Mathews, Nripan

2018-01-17

Lead (Pb) halide perovskites have attracted tremendous attention in recent years due to their rich optoelectronic properties, which have resulted in more than 22% power conversion efficient photovoltaics. Nevertheless, Pb-metal toxicity remains a huge hurdle for extensive applications of these compounds. Thus, alternative compounds with similar optoelectronic properties need to be developed. Bismuth possesses similar electronic structure as that of lead with the presence of ns2 electrons that exhibit rich structural variety as well as interesting optical and electronic properties. Herein, we critically assess Cs3Bi2I9 as a candidate for thin-film solar cell absorber. Despite a reasonable optical bandgap (~2eV) and absorption coefficient, the power conversion efficiency of the Cs3Bi2I9 mesoscopic solar cells was found to be severely lacking, limited by poor photocurrent density. The efficiency of the Cs3Bi2I9 solar cell can be slightly improved by changing the stoichiometry of the precursor solutions. We have investigated the possible reasons behind the poor performance of Cs3Bi2I9 by transient absorption and luminescence spectroscopy. Comparison between thin-films and single crystals highlights the presence of intrinsic defects in thin-films which act as nonradiative recombination centers.

Synthesis and Characterization of Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite and its Application in Planar Hetero-junction Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upadhyaya, Aditi; Mohan Singh Negi, Chandra; Yadav, Anjali; Gupta, Saral K.; Singh Verma, Ajay

2018-06-01

The present paper reports on the synthesis and characterization of methylammonium lead iodide perovskite thin film and its applications in heterojunction devices. Perovskite thin films were deposited by a simple spin-coating method using a precursor solution including methyl ammonium iodide and lead iodide onto a glass substrate. The surface morphology study via field emission scanning electron microscopy of the perovskite thin film shows complete surface coverage on glass substrate with negligible pin-holes. UV–visible spectroscopy study revealed a broad absorption range and the exhibition of a band-gap of 1.6 eV. The dark current-voltage (I–V) characteristics of all the devices under study show rectifying behaviour similar to the Schottky diode. Various device parameters such as ideality factor and barrier height are extracted from the I–V curve. At low voltages the devices exhibit Ohmic behaviour, trap free space charge limited conduction governs the charge transport at an intermediate voltage range, while at much higher voltages the devices show trap controlled space charge limited conduction. Furthermore, impedance spectroscopy measurements enable us to extract the various internal parameters of the devices. Correlations between these parameters and I–V characteristics are discussed. The different capacitive process arising in the devices was discussed using the capacitance versus frequency curve.

Engineered unique elastic modes at a BaTiO 3/2x1-Ge(001) interface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumah, D. P.; Dogan, M.; Ngai, J. H.

Here, the strong interaction at an interface between a substrate and thin film leads to epitaxy and provides a means of inducing structural changes in the epitaxial film. These induced material phases often exhibit technologically relevant electronic, magnetic, and functional properties. The 2×1 surface of a Ge(001) substrate applies a unique type of epitaxial constraint on thin films of the perovskite oxide BaTiO 3 where a change in bonding and symmetry at the interface leads to a non-bulk-like crystal structure of the BaTiO 3. While the complex crystal structure is predicted using first-principles theory, it is further shown that themore » details of the structure are a consequence of hidden phases found in the bulk elastic response of the BaTiO 3 induced by the symmetry of forces exerted by the germanium substrate.« less

Engineered Unique Elastic Modes at a BaTiO 3 / ( 2 × 1 ) - Ge ( 001 ) Interface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumah, D. P.; Dogan, M.; Ngai, J. H.

The strong interaction at an interface between a substrate and thin film leads to epitaxy and provides a means of inducing structural changes in the epitaxial film. These induced material phases often exhibit technologically relevant electronic, magnetic, and functional properties. The 2×1 surface of a Ge(001) substrate applies a unique type of epitaxial constraint on thin films of the perovskite oxide BaTiO3 where a change in bonding and symmetry at the interface leads to a non-bulk-like crystal structure of the BaTiO3. While the complex crystal structure is predicted using first-principles theory, it is further shown that the details of themore » structure are a consequence of hidden phases found in the bulk elastic response of the BaTiO3 induced by the symmetry of forces exerted by the germanium substrate.« less

Engineered unique elastic modes at a BaTiO 3/2x1-Ge(001) interface

DOE PAGES

Kumah, D. P.; Dogan, M.; Ngai, J. H.; ...

2016-03-07

Here, the strong interaction at an interface between a substrate and thin film leads to epitaxy and provides a means of inducing structural changes in the epitaxial film. These induced material phases often exhibit technologically relevant electronic, magnetic, and functional properties. The 2×1 surface of a Ge(001) substrate applies a unique type of epitaxial constraint on thin films of the perovskite oxide BaTiO 3 where a change in bonding and symmetry at the interface leads to a non-bulk-like crystal structure of the BaTiO 3. While the complex crystal structure is predicted using first-principles theory, it is further shown that themore » details of the structure are a consequence of hidden phases found in the bulk elastic response of the BaTiO 3 induced by the symmetry of forces exerted by the germanium substrate.« less

The influence of doping element on structural and luminescent characteristics of ZnS thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kryshtab, T.; Khomchenko, V. S.; Andraca-Adame, J. A.; Rodionov, V. E.; Khachatryan, V. B.; Tzyrkunov, Yu. A.

2006-10-01

For the fabrication of green and blue emitting ZnS structures the elements of I, III, and VII groups (Cu, Al, Ga, Cl) are used as dopants. The influence of type of impurity, doping technique, and type of substrate on crystalline structure and surface morphology together with luminescent properties was investigated. The doping of thin films was realized during the growth process and/or post-deposition thermal treatment. ZnS thin films were deposited by physical (EBE) and chemical (MOCVD) methods onto glass or ceramic (BaTiO 3) substrates. Closed spaced evaporation and thermodiffusion methods were used for the post-deposition doping of ZnS films. X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and measurements of photoluminescent (PL) spectra were used for the investigations. It was shown that the doping by the elements of I (Cu) and III (Al, Ga) groups does not change the crystal structure during the thermal treatment up to 1000 ∘C, whereas simultaneous use of the elements of I (Cu) and VII (Cl) groups leads to decrease of the phase transition temperature to 800 ∘C. The presence of impurities in the growth process leads to a grain size increase. At post-deposition treatment Ga and Cl act as activators of recrystallization process. The transition of ZnS sphalerite lattice to wurtzite one leads to the displacement of the blue emission band position towards the short-wavelength range by 10 nm.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Effect of strain on gallium nitride and gallium indium arsenide nitride growth and doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

G. S., Sudhir

GaN and the related (Al,In)N materials are currently used in manufacturing optoelectronic and electronic devices. However, the efficiency of these devices is limited due to lack of high structural quality and of low resistive p-type GaN. The GaN thin films are under strain during growth due to the large lattice mismatch, thermal expansion difference, and low growth temperature. Developing a better understanding of the effect of strain on the properties of thin films is important in furthering our knowledge of thin film growth affecting the performance of III-nitride based devices. Pulsed laser deposition was used to grow thin films of AlN and GaN on sapphire substrates. It is shown that the structure and surface morphology of layers are controlled by the nitrogen partial pressure during the growth. Through these nitrogen pressure related effects, thin films with microstructure ranging from crystalline to amorphous can be produced. A minimal surface root mean square roughness of 0.7 nm for amorphous AlN is obtained which compares well with the substrate roughness of 0.5 nm. Incorporation of impurities changes the lattice constants of thin films of GaN deposited on basal plane sapphire by molecular beam epitaxy. Both Mg (1017 cm-3) and Zn (3 x 10 20 cm-3) doping were found to expand the c lattice parameter by +0.38 x 10-2 and +0.62 x 10 -2, respectively. Oxygen up to concentrations 9 x 10 21 cm-3 is shown to replace nitrogen in GaN thin films reducing the c parameter only by a small amount. Incorporation of Si leads to a large decrease of the c parameter, which can not be attributed to the different size of Ga and Si. It is suggested that doping alters the film stoichiometry by a predicted Fermi level dependence of defect formation energies and thereby, lattice parameters and stress. A proper buffer layer design is shown to increase the incorporation of Mg by two orders of magnitude Finally, the balance of lattice parameter change caused by dopant and native point defects with strain contributed by growth condition leads to high mobility p-type GaN thin films. Incorporation of N in thin films of GaAsN and GaInAsN on GaAs was studied by molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction results indicated that the amount of N in GaAs increased with the power to plasma source and the slower growth rate, but was not affected by the growth temperature. Photoluminescence (PL) results showed a drastic narrowing of the bandgap with increased N incorporation. High pressure measurements showed the pressure coefficient of the absorption edge of 4 mum thick GaInAsN layer to be unusually small (51 meV/GPa). Also, the temperature-induced shift of the edge is reduced by 50% compared to that of GaAs. Based on the results of the detailed materials characterization, optimized p-GaAs/i-GaInAsN/n-GaAs structures were grown for I mum photo-detectors. The device characteristics of the prototype devices are presented.

Atomic layer deposition of (K,Na)(Nb,Ta)O{sub 3} thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sønsteby, Henrik Hovde, E-mail: henrik.sonsteby@kjemi.iuio.no; Nilsen, Ola; Fjellvåg, Helmer

2016-07-15

Thin films of complex alkali oxides are frequently investigated due to the large range of electric effects that are found in this class of materials. Their piezo- and ferroelectric properties also place them as sustainable lead free alternatives in optoelectronic devices. Fully gas-based routes for deposition of such compounds are required for integration into microelectronic devices that need conformal thin films with high control of thickness- and composition. The authors here present a route for deposition of materials in the (K,Na)(Nb,Ta)O{sub 3}-system, including the four end members NaNbO{sub 3}, KNbO{sub 3}, NaTaO{sub 3}, and KTaO{sub 3}, using atomic layer depositionmore » with emphasis on control of stoichiometry in such mixed quaternary and quinary compunds.« less

Phase transition in bulk single crystals and thin films of V O 2 by nanoscale infrared spectroscopy and imaging

DOE PAGES

Liu, Mengkun; Sternbach, Aaron J.; Wagner, Martin; ...

2015-06-29

We have systematically studied a variety of vanadium dioxide (VO 2) crystalline forms, including bulk single crystals and oriented thin films, using infrared (IR) near-field spectroscopic imaging techniques. By measuring the IR spectroscopic responses of electrons and phonons in VO 2 with sub-grain-size spatial resolution (~20nm), we show that epitaxial strain in VO 2 thin films not only triggers spontaneous local phase separations, but leads to intermediate electronic and lattice states that are intrinsically different from those found in bulk. Generalized rules of strain- and symmetry-dependent mesoscopic phase inhomogeneity are also discussed. Furthermore, these results set the stage for amore » comprehensive understanding of complex energy landscapes that may not be readily determined by macroscopic approaches.« less

Partial Shade Stress Test for Thin-Film Photovoltaic Modules: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Silverman, Timothy J.; Deceglie, Michael G.; Deline, Chris

2015-09-02

Partial shade of monolithic thin-film PV modules can cause reverse-bias conditions leading to permanent damage. In this work, we propose a partial shade stress test for thin-film PV modules that quantifies permanent performance loss. We designed the test with the aid of a computer model that predicts the local voltage, current and temperature stress that result from partial shade. The model predicts the module-scale interactions among the illumination pattern, the electrical properties of the photovoltaic material and the thermal properties of the module package. The test reproduces shading and loading conditions that may occur in the field. It accounts formore » reversible light-induced performance changes and for additional stress that may be introduced by light-enhanced reverse breakdown. We present simulated and experimental results from the application of the proposed test.« less

Magnetic Field Enhanced Superconductivity in Epitaxial Thin Film WTe2.

PubMed

Asaba, Tomoya; Wang, Yongjie; Li, Gang; Xiang, Ziji; Tinsman, Colin; Chen, Lu; Zhou, Shangnan; Zhao, Songrui; Laleyan, David; Li, Yi; Mi, Zetian; Li, Lu

2018-04-25

In conventional superconductors an external magnetic field generally suppresses superconductivity. This results from a simple thermodynamic competition of the superconducting and magnetic free energies. In this study, we report the unconventional features in the superconducting epitaxial thin film tungsten telluride (WTe 2 ). Measuring the electrical transport properties of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) grown WTe 2 thin films with a high precision rotation stage, we map the upper critical field H c2 at different temperatures T. We observe the superconducting transition temperature T c is enhanced by in-plane magnetic fields. The upper critical field H c2 is observed to establish an unconventional non-monotonic dependence on temperature. We suggest that this unconventional feature is due to the lifting of inversion symmetry, which leads to the enhancement of H c2 in Ising superconductors.

Thin-Film Ceramic Thermocouples Fabricated and Tested

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wrbanek, John D.; Fralick, Gustave C.; Farmer, Serene C.; Sayir, Ali; Gregory, Otto J.; Blaha, Charles A.

2004-01-01

The Sensors and Electronics Technology Branch of the NASA Glenn Research Center is developing thin-film-based sensors for surface measurement in propulsion system research. Thin-film sensors do not require special machining of the components on which they are mounted, and they are considerably thinner than wire- or foil-based sensors. One type of sensor being advanced is the thin-film thermocouple, specifically for applications in high-temperature combustion environments. Ceramics are being demonstrated as having the potential to meet the demands of thin-film thermocouples in advanced aerospace environments. The maximum-use temperature of noble metal thin-film thermocouples, 1500 C (2700 F), may not be adequate for components used in the increasingly harsh conditions of advanced aircraft and next-generation launch vehicles. Ceramic-based thermocouples are known for their high stability and robustness at temperatures exceeding 1500 C, but are typically in the form of bulky rods or probes. As part of ASTP, Glenn's Sensors and Electronics Technology Branch is leading an in-house effort to apply ceramics as thin-film thermocouples for extremely high-temperature applications as part of ASTP. Since the purity of the ceramics is crucial for the stability of the thermocouples, Glenn's Ceramics Branch and Case Western Reserve University are developing high-purity ceramic sputtering targets for fabricating high-temperature sensors. Glenn's Microsystems Fabrication Laboratory, supported by the Akima Corporation, is using these targets to fabricate thermocouple samples for testing. The first of the materials used were chromium silicide (CrSi) and tantalum carbide (TaC). These refractory materials are expected to survive temperatures in excess of 1500 C. Preliminary results indicate that the thermoelectric voltage output of a thin-film CrSi versus TaC thermocouple is 15 times that of the standard type R (platinum-rhodium versus platinum) thermocouple, producing 20 mV with a 200 C temperature gradient. The photograph on the left shows the CrSi-TaC thermocouple in a test fixture at Glenn, and the resulting output signal is shown on the right. The temperature differential across the sample, from the center of the sample inside the oven to the sample mount outside the oven, is measured using a type R thermocouple on the sample.

Luminescent down shifting effect of Ce-doped yttrium aluminum garnet thin films on solar cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shao, Guojian; Lou, Chaogang; Kang, Jian

2015-12-21

Ce-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce) thin films as luminescent down shifting (LDS) materials are introduced into the module of crystalline silicon solar cells. The films are deposited by RF magnetron sputtering on the lower surface of the quartz glass. They convert ultraviolet and blue light into yellow light. Experiments show that the introduction of YAG:Ce films improves the conversion efficiency from 18.45% of the cells to 19.27% of the module. The increasing efficiency is attributed to LDS effect of YAG:Ce films and the reduced reflection of short wavelength photons. Two intentionally selected samples with similar reflectivities are used to evaluatemore » roughly the effect of LDS alone on the solar cells, which leads to a relative increase by 2.68% in the conversion efficiency.« less

Thermoelectric prospects of chemically deposited PbSe and SnSe thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, P. K.; Martínez, Ana Karen; Rosa García Angelmo, Ana; Barrios Salgado, Enue; Nair, M. T. S.

2018-03-01

Thin films of PbSe of 400-600 nm in thickness, were obtained via chemical deposition from a solution containing lead nitrate, thiourea and selenosufate. SnSe thin films of 90-180 nm in thickness, were also obtained by chemical deposition from a solution containing selenosulfate. Optical and electrical properties of these thin films were significantly altered by heating them in selenium vapor at 300 °C. Thin film PbSe has a bandgap (Eg) of 1.17 eV (direct gap, forbidden transitions), which decreases to 0.77 eV when it has been heated. Its electrical conductivity (σ) is p-type: 0.18 Ω-1 cm-1 (as-prepared), and 6.4 Ω-1 cm-1 when heated. Thin film SnSe is of orthorhombic crystalline structure which remains stable when heated at 300 °C, but its Eg increases from 1.12 eV (indirect) in as-prepared film to 1.5 eV (direct, forbidden transitions) upon heating. Its electrical conductivity is p-type, which increases from 0.3 Ω-1 cm-1 (as-prepared) to 1 Ω-1 cm-1 when heated (without Se-vapor). When SnSe film is heated at 300 °C in the presence of Se-vapor, they transform to SnSe2, with Eg of 1.5 eV (direct, forbidden) with n-type electrical conductivity, 11 Ω-1 cm-1. The Seebeck coefficient for the PbSe films is: +0.55 mV K-1 (as prepared) and +0.275 mV K-1 (heated); for SnSe films it is: +0.3 mV K-1 (as prepared) and +0.20 mV K-1 (heated); and for SnSe2 film, - 0.35 mV K-1. A five-element PbSe-SnSe2-PbSe-SnSe2-PbSe thermoelectric device demonstrated 50 mV for a temperature difference ΔT = 20 °C (2.5 mV K-1). For SnSe-SnSe2-SnSe-SnSe2-SnSe device, the value is 15 mV for ΔT = 20 °C (0.75 mV K-1). Prospect of these thin films in thermoelectric devices of hybrid materials, in which the coatings may be applied on distinct substrate and geometries is attractive.

Nanoscale Thermoelectrics: A Study of the Absolute Seebeck Coefficient of Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mason, Sarah J.

The worlds demand for energy is ever increasing. Likewise, the environmental impact of climate change due generating that energy through combustion of fossil fuels is increasingly alarming. Due to these factors new sources of renewable energies are constantly being sought out. Thermoelectric devices have the ability to generate clean, renewable, energy out of waste heat. However promising that is, their inefficiency severely inhibits applicability and practical use. The usefulness of a thermoelectric material increases with the dimensionless quantity, ZT, which depends on the Seebeck coefficient and electrical and thermal conductivity. These characteristic material parameters have interdependent energy transport contributions that classically prohibit the optimization of one with out the detriment of another. Encouraging advancements of ZT have occurred in the past ten years due to the decoupling of the thermal and electrical conductivity. Further advancements are necessary in order to produce applicable devices. One auspicious way of decoupling or tuning energy transport properties, is through size reduction to the nanoscale. However, with reduced dimensions come complications in measuring material properties. Measurements of properties such as the Seebeck coefficient, S, are primarily contingent upon the measurement apparatus. The Seebeck coefficient is defined as the amount of voltage generated by a thermal gradient. Measuring a thermally generated voltage by traditional methods gives, the voltage measured as a linear function of the Seebeck coefficient of the leads and of the material being tested divided by the applied thermal gradient. If accurate values of the Seebeck coefficients of the leads are available, simple subtraction provides the answer. This is rarely the case in nanoscale measurement devices with leads exclusively made from thin film materials that do not have well known bulk-like thermopower values. We have developed a technique to directly measure, S, as a function of temperature using a micro-machined thermal isolation platform consisting of a suspended, patterned SiN membrane. By measuring a series of thicknesses of metallic films up to the infinitely thin film limit, in which the electrical resistivity is no longer decreasing with increasing film thickness, but still not at bulk values, along with the effective electron mean free path, we are able to show the contribution of the leads needed to measure this property. Having a comprehensive understanding of the background contribution we are able to determine the absolute Seebeck coefficient of a wide variety of thin films. The nature of the design of the SiN membrane also allows the ability to accurately and directly measure thermal and electrical transport of the thin films yielding a comprehensive measurement of the three quantities that characterize a material's efficiency. This can serve to further the development of thermoelectric materials through precise measurements of the material properties that dictate efficiency.

Multi-jump magnetic switching in ion-beam sputtered amorphous Co{sub 20}Fe{sub 60}B{sub 20} thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raju, M.; Chaudhary, Sujeet; Pandya, D. K.

2013-08-07

Unconventional multi-jump magnetization reversal and significant in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (UMA) in the ion-beam sputtered amorphous Co{sub 20}Fe{sub 60}B{sub 20}(5–75 nm) thin films grown on Si/amorphous SiO{sub 2} are reported. While such multi-jump behavior is observed in CoFeB(10 nm) film when the magnetic field is applied at 10°–20° away from the easy-axis, the same is observed in CoFeB(12.5 nm) film when the magnetic field is 45°–55° away from easy-axis. Unlike the previous reports of multi-jump switching in epitaxial films, their observance in the present case of amorphous CoFeB is remarkable. This multi-jump switching is found to disappear when the filmsmore » are crystallized by annealing at 420 °C. The deposition geometry and the energy of the sputtered species appear to intrinsically induce a kind of bond orientation anisotropy in the films, which leads to the UMA in the as-grown amorphous CoFeB films. Exploitation of such multi-jump switching in amorphous CoFeB thin films could be of technological significance because of their applications in spintronic devices.« less

Synergistic effects of lead thiocyanate additive and solvent annealing on the performance of wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells

DOE PAGES

Yu, Yue; Wang, Changlei; Grice, Corey R.; ...

2017-04-26

Here, we show that the cooperation of lead thiocyanate additive and a solvent annealing process can effectively increase the grain size of mixed-cation lead mixed-halide perovskite thin films while avoiding excess lead iodide formation. As a result, the average grain size of the wide-bandgap mixed-cation lead perovskite thin films increases from 66 ± 24 to 1036 ± 111 nm, and the mean carrier lifetime shows a more than 3-fold increase, from 330 ns to over 1000 ns. Consequently, the average open-circuit voltage of wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells increases by 80 (70) mV, and the average power conversion efficiency (PCE) increasesmore » from 13.44 ± 0.48 (11.75 ± 0.34) to 17.68 ± 0.36 (15.58 ± 0.55)% when measured under reverse (forward) voltage scans. The best-performing wide-bandgap perovskite solar cell, with a bandgap of 1.75 eV, achieves a stabilized PCE of 17.18%.« less

Thermoelectric properties of Bi 2Sr 2Co 2O y thin films and single crystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Diao, Zhenyu; Lee, Ho Nyung; Chisholm, Matthew F.

Bi 2Sr 2Co 2O 9 exhibits a misfit-layered structure with good thermoelectric properties. We have investigated the thermoelectric properties of Bi 2Sr 2Co 2O y in both thin-film and single-crystal forms. Among thin films grown at different temperatures, we find that both the in-plane thermoelectric power (Sab) and electrical resistivity (ρab) vary in an opposite trend, i.e., Sab is high when ρab is small. This results in large power factor (S ab 2/ρab~5.5 μW/K 2 cm for the film grown at 700 °C), comparable to that for whiskers. For single crystals, the electrical resistivity shows metallic behavior in a largemore » temperature range, but has higher magnitude than that of films grown at 675 °C and 700 °C. The annealing of single crystals under Ar atmosphere leads to even higher resistivity while S ab is improved. Lastly, we discuss the thermoelectric performance of this material considering both oxygen concentration and phase purity.« less

Morphology and Surface Energy of a Si Containing Semifluorinated Di-block Copolymer Thin Films.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, Umesh; Clarson, Stephen; Perahia, Dvora

2013-03-01

The structure and composition of an interface influence stability, adhesiveness and response to external stimuli of thin polymeric films. Incorporation of fluorine affects interfacial energy as well as thermal and chemical stability of the layers. The incompatibility between the fluorinated and non-fluorinated blocks induces segregation that leads to long range correlations where the tendency of the fluorine to migrate to interfaces impacts the surface tension of the films. Concurrently Si in a polymeric backbone enhances the flexibility of polymeric chains. Our previous studies of poly trifluoro propyl methyl siloxane-polystyrene thin films with SiF fraction 0.03-0.5 as a function of temperature have shown that the SiF block drives layering parallel to the surface of the diblock. Here in we report the structure and interfacial energies of SiF-PS in the plane of the films, as a function of the volume fraction of the SiF block obtained from Atomic Force microscopy and contact angle measurement studies. This work is supported by NSF DMR - 0907390

Thermoelectric properties of Bi 2Sr 2Co 2O y thin films and single crystals

DOE PAGES

Diao, Zhenyu; Lee, Ho Nyung; Chisholm, Matthew F.; ...

2017-02-02

Bi 2Sr 2Co 2O 9 exhibits a misfit-layered structure with good thermoelectric properties. We have investigated the thermoelectric properties of Bi 2Sr 2Co 2O y in both thin-film and single-crystal forms. Among thin films grown at different temperatures, we find that both the in-plane thermoelectric power (Sab) and electrical resistivity (ρab) vary in an opposite trend, i.e., Sab is high when ρab is small. This results in large power factor (S ab 2/ρab~5.5 μW/K 2 cm for the film grown at 700 °C), comparable to that for whiskers. For single crystals, the electrical resistivity shows metallic behavior in a largemore » temperature range, but has higher magnitude than that of films grown at 675 °C and 700 °C. The annealing of single crystals under Ar atmosphere leads to even higher resistivity while S ab is improved. Lastly, we discuss the thermoelectric performance of this material considering both oxygen concentration and phase purity.« less

Atmospheric Processing of Perovskite Solar Cells Using Intense Pulsed Light Sintering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ankireddy, Krishnamraju; Lavery, Brandon W.; Druffel, Thad

2018-02-01

Atmospheric processing of metal-organic halide perovskite materials is highly desirable for large-scale manufacturing of solar cells. Atmospheric deposition and thermal processing of perovskite thin films for photovoltaic applications facilitated via rapid intense pulsed light (IPL) processing have been carried out. The interplay between the deposition chemistry, process, and IPL parameters to produce a functional photoactive thin film is discussed. Further addition of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as functional surfactant is explored to influence grain growth during the IPL process. Structural analysis by x-ray diffraction revealed formation of mixed-phase perovskite crystals from methylammonium chloride and lead iodide precursors. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy indicated that the light absorption by the perovskite films lay within a narrow band of the visible spectrum with bandgap of 2.9 eV. Scanning electron microscopy characterization of the surface morphology of the perovskite films revealed that addition of PVP to the ink chemistry assisted the IPL process in forming a fully covered surface with clearly defined grains. Functional devices with perovskite thin film processed by IPL under fully atmospheric conditions were demonstrated.

Correlation of film morphology and defect content with the charge-carrier transport in thin-film transistors based on ZnO nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Polster, S.; Jank, M. P. M.; Frey, L.

2016-01-14

The correlation of defect content and film morphology with the charge-carrier transport in field-effect devices based on zinc oxide nanoparticles was investigated. Changes in the defect content and the morphology were realized by annealing and sintering of the nanoparticle thin films. Temperature-dependent electrical measurements reveal that the carrier transport is thermally activated for both the unsintered and sintered thin films. Reduced energetic barrier heights between the particles have been determined after sintering. Additionally, the energetic barrier heights between the particles can be reduced by increasing the drain-to-source voltage and the gate-to-source voltage. The changes in the barrier height are discussedmore » with respect to information obtained by scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence measurements. It is found that a reduction of surface states and a lower roughness at the interface between the particle layer and the gate dielectric lead to lower barrier heights. Both surface termination and layer morphology at the interface affect the barrier height and thus are the main criteria for mobility improvement and device optimization.« less

Titanium dioxide thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition and integration in radio frequency devices: Study of structure, optical and dielectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlianges, Jean-Christophe; Crunteanu, Aurelian; Pothier, Arnaud; Merle-Mejean, Therese; Blondy, Pierre; Champeaux, Corinne

2012-12-01

Titanium dioxide presents a wide range of technological application possibilities due to its dielectric, electrochemical, photocatalytic and optical properties. The three TiO2 allotropic forms: anatase, rutile and brookite are also interesting, since they exhibit different properties, stabilities and growth modes. For instance, rutile has a high dielectric permittivity, of particular interest for the integration as dielectric in components such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for radio frequency (RF) devices. In this study, titanium dioxide thin films are deposited by pulsed laser deposition. Characterizations by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction show the evolution of the structural properties. Thin films optical properties are investigated using spectroscopic ellipsometry and transmission measurements from UV to IR range. Co-planar waveguide (CPW) devices are fabricated based on these films. Their performances are measured in the RF domain and compared to simulation, leading to relative permittivity values in the range 30-120, showing the potentialities of the deposited material for capacitive switches applications.

Spin-wave resonances and surface spin pinning in Ga1-xMnxAs thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bihler, C.; Schoch, W.; Limmer, W.; Goennenwein, S. T. B.; Brandt, M. S.

2009-01-01

We investigate the dependence of the spin-wave resonance (SWR) spectra of Ga0.95Mn0.05As thin films on the sample treatment. We find that for the external magnetic field perpendicular to the film plane, the SWR spectrum of the as-grown thin films and the changes upon etching and short-term hydrogenation can be quantitatively explained via a linear gradient in the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy field in growth direction. The model also qualitatively explains the SWR spectra observed for the in-plane easy-axis orientation of the external magnetic field. Furthermore, we observe a change in the effective surface spin pinning of the partially hydrogenated sample, which results from the tail in the hydrogen-diffusion profile. The latter leads to a rapidly changing hole concentration/magnetic anisotropy profile acting as a barrier for the spin-wave excitations. Therefore, short-term hydrogenation constitutes a simple method to efficiently manipulate the surface spin pinning.

PZT Thin Film Piezoelectric Traveling Wave Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Dexin; Zhang, Baoan; Yang, Genqing; Jiao, Jiwei; Lu, Jianguo; Wang, Weiyuan

1995-01-01

With the development of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), its various applications are attracting more and more attention. Among MEMS, micro motors, electrostatic and electromagnetic, are the typical and important ones. As an alternative approach, the piezoelectric traveling wave micro motor, based on thin film material and integrated circuit technologies, circumvents many of the drawbacks of the above mentioned two types of motors and displays distinct advantages. In this paper we report on a lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) piezoelectric thin film traveling wave motor. The PZT film with a thickness of 150 micrometers and a diameter of 8 mm was first deposited onto a metal substrate as the stator material. Then, eight sections were patterned to form the stator electrodes. The rotor had an 8 kHz frequency power supply. The rotation speed of the motor is 100 rpm. The relationship of the friction between the stator and the rotor and the structure of the rotor on rotation were also studied.

Controllable self-induced passivation of hybrid lead iodide perovskites toward high performance solar cells.

PubMed

Chen, Qi; Zhou, Huanping; Song, Tze-Bin; Luo, Song; Hong, Ziruo; Duan, Hsin-Sheng; Dou, Letian; Liu, Yongsheng; Yang, Yang

2014-07-09

To improve the performance of the polycrystalline thin film devices, it requires a delicate control of its grain structures. As one of the most promising candidates among current thin film photovoltaic techniques, the organic/inorganic hybrid perovskites generally inherit polycrystalline nature and exhibit compositional/structural dependence in regard to their optoelectronic properties. Here, we demonstrate a controllable passivation technique for perovskite films, which enables their compositional change, and allows substantial enhancement in corresponding device performance. By releasing the organic species during annealing, PbI2 phase is presented in perovskite grain boundaries and at the relevant interfaces. The consequent passivation effects and underlying mechanisms are investigated with complementary characterizations, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), time-resolved photoluminescence decay (TRPL), scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM), and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). This controllable self-induced passivation technique represents an important step to understand the polycrystalline nature of hybrid perovskite thin films and contributes to the development of perovskite solar cells judiciously.

Separating Bulk and Surface Contributions to Electronic Excited-State Processes in Hybrid Mixed Perovskite Thin Films via Multimodal All-Optical Imaging.

PubMed

Simpson, Mary Jane; Doughty, Benjamin; Das, Sanjib; Xiao, Kai; Ma, Ying-Zhong

2017-07-20

A comprehensive understanding of electronic excited-state phenomena underlying the impressive performance of solution-processed hybrid halide perovskite solar cells requires access to both spatially resolved electronic processes and corresponding sample morphological characteristics. Here, we demonstrate an all-optical multimodal imaging approach that enables us to obtain both electronic excited-state and morphological information on a single optical microscope platform with simultaneous high temporal and spatial resolution. Specifically, images were acquired for the same region of interest in thin films of chloride containing mixed lead halide perovskites (CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3-x Cl x ) using femtosecond transient absorption, time-integrated photoluminescence, confocal reflectance, and transmission microscopies. Comprehensive image analysis revealed the presence of surface- and bulk-dominated contributions to the various images, which describe either spatially dependent electronic excited-state properties or morphological variations across the probed region of the thin films. These results show that PL probes effectively the species near or at the film surface.

Nanocomposites for Electronic Applications. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-14

for a PZT thin film micro- motor using a rotating flexure wave generated in a PZT film on a silicon oxynitride diaphragm. The rotating wave has been...Solid State Science, The Pennsylvania State University (May 1992). 6. Jayne R. Giniewicz. "An Investigation of the Lead Scandium Tantalate-Lead...Materials and Structures, SPIE, Albuquerque, NM (February 1-4, 1993). 24. G. Harshe, J. P. Dougherty, and R. E. Newnham. "Theoretical Modelling of 3-0/0-3

Following strain-induced mosaicity changes of ferroelectric thin films by ultrafast reciprocal space mapping.

PubMed

Schick, D; Bojahr, A; Herzog, M; Gaal, P; Vrejoiu, I; Bargheer, M

2013-03-01

We investigate coherent phonon propagation in a thin film of ferroelectric PbZr(0.2)Ti(0.8)O(3) (PZT) by ultrafast x-ray diffraction experiments, which are analyzed as time-resolved reciprocal space mapping in order to observe the in- and out-of-plane structural dynamics, simultaneously. The mosaic structure of the PZT leads to a coupling of the excited out-of-plane expansion to in-plane lattice dynamics on a picosecond time scale, which is not observed for out-of-plane compression.

Convective polymer assembly for the deposition of nanostructures and polymer thin films on immobilized particles.

PubMed

Richardson, Joseph J; Björnmalm, Mattias; Gunawan, Sylvia T; Guo, Junling; Liang, Kang; Tardy, Blaise; Sekiguchi, Shota; Noi, Ka Fung; Cui, Jiwei; Ejima, Hirotaka; Caruso, Frank

2014-11-21

We report the preparation of polymer particles via convective polymer assembly (CPA). Convection is used to move polymer solutions and cargo through an agarose gel that contains immobilized template particles. This method both coats and washes the particles in a process that is amenable to automation, and does not depend on passive diffusion or electrical currents, thus facilitating incorporation of fragile and nanoscale objects, such as liposomes and gold nanoparticles, into the thin polymer films. Template dissolution leads to the formation of stable polymer particles and capsules.

Giant optical activity of sugar in thin soap films.

PubMed

Emile, Janine; Emile, Olivier; Ghoufi, Aziz; Moréac, Alain; Casanova, Federico; Ding, Minxia; Houizot, Patrick

2013-10-15

We report on enhanced experimental optical activity measurements of thin soap films in the presence of sugar. This unusual optical activity is linked to the intramolecular chiral conformation of the glucose molecules at the air/liquid interface. Choosing sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) as a model surfactant and glucose as model sugar, favorable interactions between the anionic group -OSO3(-)- and the glucose molecules are highlighted. This induces an interfacial anchoring of glucose molecules leading to a perturbing influence of the asymmetric chiral environment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nanomechanical and electrical properties of Nb thin films deposited on Pb substrates by pulsed laser deposition as a new concept photocathode for superconductor cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gontad, F.; Lorusso, A.; Panareo, M.; Monteduro, A. G.; Maruccio, G.; Broitman, E.; Perrone, A.

2015-12-01

We report a design of photocathode, which combines the good photoemissive properties of lead (Pb) and the advantages of superconducting performance of niobium (Nb) when installed into a superconducting radio-frequency gun. The new configuration is obtained by a coating of Nb thin film grown on a disk of Pb via pulsed laser deposition. The central emitting area of Pb is masked by a shield to avoid the Nb deposition. The nanomechanical properties of the Nb film, obtained through nanoindentation measurements, reveal a hardness of 2.8±0.3 GPa, while the study of the electrical resistivity of the film shows the appearance of the superconducting transitions at 9.3 K and 7.3 K for Nb and Pb, respectively, very close to the bulk material values. Additionally, morphological, structural and contamination studies of Nb thin film expose a very low droplet density on the substrate surface, a small polycrystalline orientation of the films and a low contamination level. These results, together with the acceptable Pb quantum efficiency of 2×10-5 found at 266 nm, demonstrate the potentiality of the new concept photocathode.

Air-stable solution-processed n-channel organic thin film transistors with polymerenhanced morphology

DOE PAGES

He, Zhengran; Shaik, Shoieb; Bi, Sheng; ...

2015-05-04

N,N 0-1H,1H-perfluorobutyl dicyanoperylenecarboxydiimide (PDIF-CN 2) is an n-type semiconductor exhibiting high electron mobility and excellent air stability. However, the reported electron mobility based on spin-coated PDIF-CN 2 film is much lower than the value of PDIF-CN 2 single crystals made from vapor phase deposition, indicating significant room for mobility enhancement. In this study, various insulating polymers, including poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and poly(alpha-methylstyrene) (PaMS), are pre-coated on silicon substrate aiming to enhance the morphology of the PDIF-CN 2 thin film, thereby improving the charge transport and air stability. Atomic force microscopy images reveal that with the pre-deposition of PaMSmore » or PMMA polymers, the morphology of the PDIF-CN 2 polycrystalline films is optimized in semiconducting crystal connectivity, domain size, and surface roughness, which leads to significant improvement of organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) performance. Particularly, an electron mobility of up to 0.55 cm 2/V s has been achieved from OTFTs based on the PDIF-CN 2 film with the pre-deposition of PaMS polymer.« less

Diamond-like nanocomposite: a novel promising carbon based thin film as antireflection and passivation coating for silicon solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jana, Sukhendu; Das, Sayan; De, Debasish; Mondal, Anup; Gangopadhyay, Utpal

2018-02-01

Presently, silicon nitride (SiN x ) is widely used as antireflection coating (ARC) on p-type silicon solar cell. But, two highly toxic gasses ammonia and silane are used. In the present study, the ARC and passivation properties of diamond-like nanocomposite (DLN) thin film on silicon solar cell have been investigated. The DLN thin film has been deposited by rf-PACVD process using liquid precursor HMDSO in argon plasma. The film has been characterized by FESEM, HRTEM, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. The optical properties have been estimated by UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy. The minimum reflection has been achieved to 0.75% at 630 nm. Both the short circuit current density and open circuit voltage has been increased significantly from 28.6 mA cm-2 to 35.5 mA cm-2 and 0.551 V to 0.613 V respectively. The field effect passivation has been confirmed by dark IV characterization of c-Si /DLN heterojunction structure. All these lead to enhancement of efficiency by almost 4% absolute, which is comparable to SiN x . The ammonia and silane free deposited DLN thin film has a great potential to use as ARC for silicon based solar cell.

Tensile Strain Effects on the Magneto-transport in Calcium Manganese Oxide Thin Films: Comparison with its Hole-doped Counterpart

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, Bridget; Neubauer, Samuel; Chaudhry, Adeel; Hart, Cacie; Ferrone, Natalie; Houston, David; Yong, Grace; Kolagani, Rajeswari

Magnetoresistance properties of the epitaxial thin films of doped rare earth manganites are known to be influenced by the effect of bi-axial strain induced by lattice mismatch with the substrate. In hole-doped manganites, the effect of both compressive and tensile strain is qualitatively consistent with the expected changes in unit cell symmetry from cubic to tetragonal, leading to Jahn-Teller strain fields that affect the energy levels of Mn3 + energy levels. Recent work in our laboratory on CaMnO3 thin films has pointed out that tetragonal distortions introduced by tensile lattice mismatch strain may also have the effect of modulating the oxygen content of the films in agreement with theoretical models that propose such coupling between strain and oxygen content. Our research focuses on comparing the magneto-transport properties of hole-doped manganite LaCaMnO3 thin films with that of its electron doped counter parts, in an effort to delineate the effects of oxygen stoichiometry changes on magneto-transport from the effects of Jahn-Teller type strain. Towson University Office of Undergraduate Research, Fisher Endowment Grant and Undergraduate Research Grant from the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics, Seed Funding Grant from the School of Emerging technologies and the NSF Grant ECCS 112856.

Fabrication of Monolithic Sapphire Membranes for High Tc Bolometer Array Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pugel, D. E.; Lakew, B.; Aslam, S.; Wang, L.

2003-01-01

This paper examines the effectiveness of Pt/Cr thin film masks for the architecture of monolithic membrane structures in r-plane sapphire. The development of a pinhole-free Pt/Cr composite mask that is resistant to hot H2SO4:H3PO4 etchant, will lead to the fabrication of smooth sapphire membranes whose surfaces are well-suited for the growth of low-noise high Tc films. In particular, the relationship of thermal annealing conditions on the Pt/Cr composite mask system to: (1) changes in the surface morphology and elemental concentration of the Pt/Cr thin film layers and (2) etch pit formation on the sapphire surface will be presented.

Visualization of anomalous Ettingshausen effect in a ferromagnetic film: Direct evidence of different symmetry from spin Peltier effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seki, T.; Iguchi, R.; Takanashi, K.; Uchida, K.

2018-04-01

Spatial distribution of temperature modulation due to the anomalous Ettingshausen effect (AEE) is visualized in a ferromagnetic FePt thin film with in-plane and out-of-plane magnetizations using the lock-in thermography technique. Comparing the AEE of FePt with the spin Peltier effect (SPE) of a Pt/yttrium iron garnet junction provides direct evidence of different symmetries of AEE and SPE. Our experiments and numerical calculations reveal that the distribution of heat sources induced by AEE strongly depends on the direction of magnetization, leading to the remarkable different temperature profiles in the FePt thin film between the in-plane and perpendicularly magnetized configurations.

Role of thermal stresses on pulsed laser irradiation of thin films under conditions of microbump formation and nonvaporization forward transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meshcheryakov, Yuri P.; Shugaev, Maxim V.; Mattle, Thomas; Lippert, Thomas; Bulgakova, Nadezhda M.

2013-11-01

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the processes in thin solid films irradiated by short and ultrashort laser pulses in the regimes of film structuring and laser-induced forward transfer. The regimes are considered at which vaporization of the film materials is insignificant and film dynamics is governed mainly by mechanical processes. Thermoelastoplastic modeling has been performed for a model film in one- and two-dimensional geometries. A method has been proposed to estimate the height of microbumps produced by nanosecond laser irradiation of solid films. Contrary to femtosecond laser pulses, in nanosecond pulse regimes, stress waves across the film are weak and cannot induce film damage. The main role in laser-induced dynamics of irradiated films is played by radial thermal stresses which lead to the formation of a bending wave propagating along the film and drawing the film matter to the center of the irradiation spot. The bending wave dynamics depends on the hardness of the substrate underlying the film. The causes of the receiver substrate damage sometimes observed upon laser-induced forward transfer in the scheme of the direct contact between the film and the receiver are discussed.

Praseodymium - A Competent Dopant for Luminescent Downshifting and Photocatalysis in ZnO Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayanan, Nripasree; Deepak, N. K.

2018-05-01

Highly transparent and conducting Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films doped with Praseodymium (Pr) were deposited on glass substrates by using the spray pyrolysis method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the polycrystallinity of the deposited films with a hexagonal wurtzite structure, whereas the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis confirmed the incorporation of Pr in the films. The optical energy gap decreased by Pr doping due to the merging of the conduction band with the impurity bands formed within the forbidden gap. The room temperature photoluminescence spectra of the Pr-doped film showed enhancement of visible emission, suggesting efficient luminescent downshifting. The photocatalytic activity of the Pr-doped films is higher than that of undoped films due to the effective suppression of the rapid recombination of the photo-generated electron-hole pairs. The impurity levels formed within the forbidden gap act as efficient luminescent centers and electron traps, which lead to luminescent downshifting and enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Strain effect in epitaxial VO2 thin films grown on sapphire substrates using SnO2 buffer layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Heungsoo; Bingham, Nicholas S.; Charipar, Nicholas A.; Piqué, Alberto

2017-10-01

Epitaxial VO2/SnO2 thin film heterostructures were deposited on m-cut sapphire substrates via pulsed laser deposition. By adjusting SnO2 (150 nm) growth conditions, we are able to control the interfacial strain between the VO2 film and SnO2 buffer layer such that the semiconductor-to-metal transition temperature (TC) of VO2 films can be tuned without diminishing the magnitude of the transition. It is shown that in-plane tensile strain and out-of-plane compressive strain of the VO2 film leads to a decrease of Tc. Interestingly, VO2 films on SnO2 buffer layers exhibit a structural phase transition from tetragonal-like VO2 to tetragonal-VO2 during the semiconductor-to-metal transition. These results suggest that the strain generated by SnO2 buffer provides an effective way for tuning the TC of VO2 films.

Development of a statistical method to help evaluating the transparency/opacity of decorative thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva Oliveira, C. I.; Martinez-Martinez, D.; Al-Rjoub, A.; Rebouta, L.; Menezes, R.; Cunha, L.

2018-04-01

In this paper, we present a statistical method that allows evaluating the degree of a transparency of a thin film. To do so, the color coordinates are measured on different substrates, and the standard deviation is evaluated. In case of low values, the color depends on the film and not on the substrate, and intrinsic colors are obtained. In contrast, transparent films lead to high values of standard deviation, since the value of the color coordinates depends on the substrate. Between both extremes, colored films with a certain degree of transparency can be found. This method allows an objective and simple evaluation of the transparency of any film, improving the subjective visual inspection and avoiding the thickness problems related to optical spectroscopy evaluation. Zirconium oxynitride films deposited on three different substrates (Si, steel and glass) are used for testing the validity of this method, whose results have been validated with optical spectroscopy, and agree with the visual impression of the samples.

Thin-film preparation and characterization of Cs 3Sb 2I 9: A lead-free layered perovskite semiconductor

DOE PAGES

Saparov, Bayrammurad; Hong, Feng; Sun, Jon -Paul; ...

2015-07-09

In this study, computational, thin-film deposition and characterization approaches have been used to examine the ternary halide semiconductor Cs 3Sb 2I 9. Cs 3Sb 2I 9 has two known structural modifications, the 0-D dimer form (space group P6 3/mmc, No. 194) and the 2-D layered form (Pmore » $$\\bar{3}$$ m1, No. 164), which can be prepared via solution and solid state or gas phase reactions, respectively. Our computational investigations suggest that the layered form, which is a one-third Sb-deficient derivative of the ubiquitous perovskite structure, is a potential candidate for high-band-gap photovoltaic (PV) applications. In this work, we describe details of a two-step deposition approach that enables the preparation of large grain (>1 µm) and continuous thin films of the lead-free layered perovskite derivative Cs 3Sb 2I 9. Depending on the deposition conditions, films that are c-axis oriented or randomly oriented can be obtained. The fabricated thin films show enhanced stability under ambient air, compared to methylammonium lead (II) iodide perovskite films stored under similar conditions, and an optical band gap value of 2.05 eV. Photoelectron spectroscopy study yields an ionization energy of 5.6 eV, with the valence band maximum approximately 0.85 eV below the Fermi level, indicating near-intrinsic, weakly p-type character. Density Functional Theory (DFT) analysis points to a nearly direct band gap for this material (less than 0.02 eV difference between the direct and indirect band gaps) and a similar high-level of absorption compared to CH 3NH 3PbI 3. The photoluminescence peak intensity of Cs 3Sb 2I 9 is substantially suppressed compared to that of CH 3NH 3PbI 3, likely reflecting the presence of deep level defects that result in non-radiative recombination in the film, with computational results pointing to I i, IS b, and V I as being likely candidates. A key further finding from this study is that, despite a distinctly layered structure, the electronic transport anisotropy is less pronounced due to the high ionicity of the I atoms and the strong anti-bonding interactions between the Sb s lone pair states and I p states, which leads to a moderately dispersive valence band.« less

Effect of crystal orientation on the phase diagrams, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of epitaxial BaTiO{sub 3} thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Huaping, E-mail: wuhuaping@gmail.com, E-mail: hpwu@zjut.edu.cn; State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024; Ma, Xuefu

2016-01-15

The influence of crystal orientations on the phase diagrams, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of epitaxial BaTiO{sub 3} thin films has been investigated using an expanded nonlinear thermodynamic theory. The calculations reveal that crystal orientation has significant influence on the phase stability and phase transitions in the misfit strain-temperature phase diagrams. In particular, the (110) orientation leads to a lower symmetry and more complicated phase transition than the (111) orientation in BaTiO{sub 3} films. The increase of compressive strain will dramatically enhance the Curie temperature T{sub C} of (110)-oriented BaTiO{sub 3} films, which matches well with previous experimental data. The polarizationmore » components experience a great change across the boundaries of different phases at room temperature in both (110)- and (111)-oriented films, which leads to the huge dielectric and piezoelectric responses. A good agreement is found between the present thermodynamics calculation and previous first-principles calculations. Our work provides an insight into how to use crystal orientation, epitaxial strain and temperature to tune the structure and properties of ferroelectrics.« less

Moving contact lines in partial wetting: bridging the gap across the scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahlavan, Amir; Cueto-Felgueroso, Luis; McKinley, Gareth; Juanes, Ruben

2017-11-01

The spreading and dewetting of liquid films on solid substrates is a common phenomenon in nature and industry from a snail secreting a mucosal film to printing and coating processes. A quantitative description of these phenomena, however, requires a detailed understanding of the flow physics at the nanoscale as the intermolecular interactions become important close to the contact line. Classical hydrodynamic theory describes wetting as an interplay between viscous and interfacial forces, neglecting the intermolecular interactions, leading to a paradox known as the moving contact line singularity. By contrast, molecular kinetic theory describes wetting as an activated process, neglecting the bulk hydrodynamics in the spreading viscous fluid film altogether. Here, we show that our recently developed model for thin liquid films in partial wetting, which properly incorporates the role of van der Waals interactions in a thin spreading fluid layer into a height-dependent surface tension, bridges the gap between these two approaches and leads to a unified framework for the description of wetting phenomena. We further use our model to investigate the instability and dewetting of nanometric liquid films, and show that it brings theoretical predictions closer to experimental observations.

Electrochemical deposition of layered copper thin films based on the diffusion limited aggregation

PubMed Central

Wei, Chenhuinan; Wu, Guoxing; Yang, Sanjun; Liu, Qiming

2016-01-01

In this work layered copper films with smooth surface were successfully fabricated onto ITO substrate by electrochemical deposition (ECD) and the thickness of the films was nearly 60 nm. The resulting films were characterized by SEM, TEM, AFM, XPS, and XRD. We have investigated the effects of potential and the concentration of additives and found that 2D dendritic-like growth process leaded the formation of films. A suitable growth mechanism based on diffusion limited aggregation (DLA) mechanism for the copper films formation is presented, which are meaningful for further designing homogeneous and functional films. PMID:27734900

4D Printed Actuators with Soft-Robotic Functions.

PubMed

López-Valdeolivas, María; Liu, Danqing; Broer, Dick Jan; Sánchez-Somolinos, Carlos

2018-03-01

Soft matter elements undergoing programed, reversible shape change can contribute to fundamental advance in areas such as optics, medicine, microfluidics, and robotics. Crosslinked liquid crystalline polymers have demonstrated huge potential to implement soft responsive elements; however, the complexity and size of the actuators are limited by the current dominant thin-film geometry processing toolbox. Using 3D printing, stimuli-responsive liquid crystalline elastomeric structures are created here. The printing process prescribes a reversible shape-morphing behavior, offering a new paradigm for active polymer system preparation. The additive character of this technology also leads to unprecedented geometries, complex functions, and sizes beyond those of typical thin-films. The fundamental concepts and devices presented therefore overcome the current limitations of actuation energy available from thin-films, thereby narrowing the gap between materials and practical applications. © 2017 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thin-film topological insulators for continuously tunable terahertz absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

West, D.; Zhang, S. B.

2018-02-01

One of the defining characteristics of a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI) is the appearance of a Dirac cone on its surface when it creates an interface with vacuum. For thin film TIs, however, the Dirac cones on opposite surfaces interact forming a small gap. For the case of three quintuple layers of Bi2Se3, we show that this gap can be continuously tuned between 128 meV and 0 meV with the application of modest perpendicular electric fields of less than 30 meV Å-1. Through both the Hamiltonian model and first-principles density functional theory calculations, we show that the inherent nonlinearity in realistic Dirac cone interaction leads to a gap which can be continuously tuned through the application of an external electric field. This tunability, coupled with the high optical absorption of thin film TIs, make this a very promising platform for terahertz and infrared detection.

Large displacement vertical translational actuator based on piezoelectric thin films.

PubMed

Qiu, Zhen; Pulskamp, Jeffrey S; Lin, Xianke; Rhee, Choong-Ho; Wang, Thomas; Polcawich, Ronald G; Oldham, Kenn

2010-07-01

A novel vertical translational microactuator based on thin-film piezoelectric actuation is presented, using a set of four compound bend-up/bend-down unimorphs to produce translational motion of a moving platform or stage. The actuation material is a chemical-solution deposited lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) thin film. Prototype designs have shown as much as 120 μ m of static displacement, with 80-90 μ m displacements being typical, using four 920 μ m long by 70 μ m legs. Analytical models are presented that accurately describe nonlinear behavior in both static and dynamic operation of prototype stages when the dependence of piezoelectric coefficients on voltage is known. Resonance of the system is observed at a frequency of 200 Hz. The large displacement and high bandwidth of the actuators at low-voltage and low-power levels should make them useful to a variety of optical applications, including endoscopic microscopy.

Full-spectrum light management by pseudo-disordered moth-eye structures for thin film solar cells.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaojun; Da, Yun; Xuan, Yimin

2017-08-07

In this paper, the role of pseudo-disordered moth-eye structures on the optical features for application to thin-film solar cells is investigated to realize the superior light management for the full-spectrum solar energy utilization, compared with some ordered structures. Without loss of generality, the c-Si thin film solar cell is taken as the example. The results demonstrate that the fluctuations introduced into the geometry parameters of moth-eye elements can lead to the remarkable absorption enhancement in the wavelength region of 0.3-1.1 μm and high transmission in the wavelength range of 1.1-2.5 μm. Two mechanisms including the increasing spectral density of modes and the intensive forescattering intensity are identified to be responsible for the absorption enhancement. In addition, the optical characteristics of the moth-eye surface with both disordered height and disordered diameter are insensitive to the incident angle.

Simplification of femtosecond transient absorption microscopy data from CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite thin films into decay associated amplitude maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doughty, Benjamin; Simpson, Mary Jane; Yang, Bin; Xiao, Kai; Ma, Ying-Zhong

2016-03-01

This work aims to simplify multi-dimensional femtosecond transient absorption microscopy (TAM) data into decay associated amplitude maps (DAAMs) that describe the spatial distributions of dynamical processes occurring on various characteristic timescales. Application of this method to TAM data obtained from a model methyl-ammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3) perovskite thin film allows us to simplify the data set comprising 68 time-resolved images into four DAAMs. These maps offer a simple means to visualize the complex electronic excited-state dynamics in this system by separating distinct dynamical processes evolving on characteristic timescales into individual spatial images. This approach provides new insight into subtle aspects of ultrafast relaxation dynamics associated with excitons and charge carriers in the perovskite thin film, which have recently been found to coexist at spatially distinct locations.

Anomalous Hall effect in ion-beam sputtered Co2FeAl full Heusler alloy thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husain, Sajid; Kumar, Ankit; Akansel, Serkan; Svedlindh, Peter; Chaudhary, Sujeet

2017-11-01

Investigations of temperature dependent anomalous Hall effect and longitudinal resistivity in Co2FeAl (CFA) thin films grown on Si(1 0 0) at different substrate temperature Ts are reported. The scaling of the anomalous Hall conductivity (AHC) and the associated phenomenological mechanisms (intrinsic and extrinsic) are analyzed vis-à-vis influence of Ts. The intrinsic contribution to AHC is found to be dominating over the extrinsic one. The appearance of a resistivity minimum at low temperature necessitates the inclusion of quantum corrections on account of weak localization and electron-electron scattering effects whose strength reduces with increase in Ts. The study establishes that the optimization of Ts plays an important role in the improvement of atomic ordering which indicates the higher strength of spin-orbit coupling and leads to the dominant intrinsic contribution to AHC in these CFA full Heusler alloy thin films.

Theoretical investigations on a class of double-focus planar lens on the anisotropic material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozorgi, Mahdieh; Atlasbaf, Zahra

2017-05-01

We study a double-focus lens constituted of V-shaped plasmonic nano-antennas (VSPNAs) on the anisotropic TiO2 thin film. The phase and amplitude variations of cross-polarized scattered wave from a unit cell are computed by the developed fast Method of Moments (MoM) in which the dyadic Green's function is evaluated with the transmission line model in the spectral domain. Using the calculated phase and amplitude diagrams, a double-focus lens on the anisotropic thin film is designed in 2 μm. To validate the numerical results, the designed lens is analysed using a full-wave EM-solver. The obtained results show a tunable asymmetric behavior in the focusing intensity of the focal spots for different incident polarizations. It is shown that changing the thickness of anisotropic thin film leads to the changing in such an asymmetric behavior and also the intensity ratio of two focal spots. In addition, the lens performance is examined in the broadband wavelength range from 1.76 to 2.86 μm. It is achieved that the increasing the wavelength leads to decreasing the focal distances of the designed lens and increasing its numerical aperture (NA).

Ti{sub 2}AlN thin films synthesized by annealing of (Ti+Al)/AlN multilayers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cabioch, Thierry, E-mail: Thierry.cabioch@univ-poitiers.fr; Alkazaz, Malaz; Beaufort, Marie-France

2016-08-15

Highlights: • Epitaxial thin films of the MAX phase Ti{sub 2}AlN are obtained by thermal annealing. • A new metastable (Ti,Al,N) solid solution with the structure of α-T is evidenced. • The formation of the MAX phase occurs at low temperature (600 °C). - Abstract: Single-phase Ti{sub 2}AlN thin films were obtained by annealing in vacuum of (Ti + Al)/AlN multilayers deposited at room temperature by magnetron sputtering onto single-crystalline (0001) 4H-SiC and (0001) Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates. In-situ X-ray diffraction experiments combined with ex-situ cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy observations reveal that interdiffusion processes occur in the multilayer at amore » temperature of ∼400 °C leading to the formation of a (Ti, Al, N) solid solution, having the hexagonal structure of α-Ti, whereas the formation of Ti{sub 2}AlN occurs at 550–600 °C. Highly oriented (0002) Ti{sub 2}AlN thin films can be obtained after an annealing at 750 °C.« less

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

The Wake Shield Facility is a free-flying research and development facility that is designed to use the pure vacuum of space to conduct scientific research in the development of new materials. The thin film materials technology developed by the WSF could some day lead to applications such as faster electronics components for computers. The WSF Free-Flyer is a 12-foot-diameter stainless steel disk that, while traveling in orbit at approximately 18,000 mph, leaves in its wake a vacuum 1,000 to 10,000 times better than the best vacuums currently achieved on Earth. While it is carried into orbit by the Space Shuttle, the WSF is a fully equipped spacecraft in its own right, with cold gas propulsion for separation from the orbiter and a momentum bias attitude control system. All WSF functions are undertaken by a spacecraft computer with the WSF remotely controlled from the ground. The ultra vacuum, nearly empty of all molecules, is then used to conduct a series of thin film growths by a process called epitaxy which produces exceptionally pure and atomically ordered thin films of semiconductor compounds such as gallium arsenide. Using this process, the WSF offers the potential of producing thin film materials, and the devices they will make possible.

A Photonic Crystal Laser from Solution Based Organo-Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin Films.

PubMed

Chen, Songtao; Roh, Kwangdong; Lee, Joonhee; Chong, Wee Kiang; Lu, Yao; Mathews, Nripan; Sum, Tze Chien; Nurmikko, Arto

2016-04-26

Perovskite semiconductors are actively investigated for high performance solar cells. Their large optical absorption coefficient and facile solution-based, low-temperature synthesis of thin films make perovskites also a candidate for light-emitting devices across the visible and near-infrared. Specific to their potential as optical gain medium for lasers, early work has demonstrated amplified spontaneous emission and lasing at attractively low thresholds of photoexcitation. Here, we take an important step toward practically usable perovskite lasers where a solution-processed thin film is embedded within a two-dimensional photonic crystal resonator. We demonstrate high degree of temporally and spatially coherent lasing whereby well-defined directional emission is achieved near 788 nm wavelength at optical pumping energy density threshold of 68.5 ± 3.0 μJ/cm(2). The measured power conversion efficiency and differential quantum efficiency of the perovskite photonic crystal laser are 13.8 ± 0.8% and 35.8 ± 5.4%, respectively. Importantly, our approach enables scalability of the thin film lasers to a two-dimensional multielement pixelated array of microlasers which we demonstrate as a proof-of-concept for possible projection display applications.

Self-Assembled Formation of Well-Aligned Cu-Te Nano-Rods on Heavily Cu-Doped ZnTe Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Jing; Cheng, Man Kit; Lai, Ying Hoi; Wei, Guanglu; Yang, Sean Derman; Wang, Gan; Ho, Sut Kam; Tam, Kam Weng; Sou, Iam Keong

2016-11-01

Cu doping of ZnTe, which is an important semiconductor for various optoelectronic applications, has been successfully achieved previously by several techniques. However, besides its electrical transport characteristics, other physical and chemical properties of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe have not been reported. We found an interesting self-assembled formation of crystalline well-aligned Cu-Te nano-rods near the surface of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films grown via the molecular beam epitaxy technique. A phenomenological growth model is presented based on the observed crystallographic morphology and measured chemical composition of the nano-rods using various imaging and chemical analysis techniques. When substitutional doping reaches its limit, the extra Cu atoms favor an up-migration toward the surface, leading to a one-dimensional surface modulation and formation of Cu-Te nano-rods, which explain unusual observations on the reflection high energy electron diffraction patterns and apparent resistivity of these thin films. This study provides an insight into some unexpected chemical reactions involved in the heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films, which may be applied to other material systems that contain a dopant having strong reactivity with the host matrix.

Domain and rim growth kinetics in stratifying foam films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yiran; Yilixiati, Subinuer; Sharma, Vivek

Foam films are freely standing thin liquid films that typically consist of two surfactant-laden surfaces that are ~5 nm - 10 micron apart. Sandwiched between these interfacial layers is a fluid that drains primarily under the influence of viscous and interfacial forces, including disjoining pressure. Interestingly, a layered ordering of micelles inside the foam films (thickness <100 nm) leads to a stepwise thinning phenomena called stratification, which results in a thickness-dependent variation in reflected light intensity, visualized as progressively darker shades of gray. Thinner, darker domains spontaneously grow within foam films. During the initial expansion, a rim forms near the contact line between the growing thinner domain and the surrounding region, which influences the dynamics of domain growth as well as stratification Using newly developed interferometry digitial imaging optical microscopy (IDIOM) technique, we capture the rim evolution dynamics. Finally, we also develop a theoretical model to describe both rim evolution and domain growth dynamics.

The crystalline structure of copper phthalocyanine films on ZnO(1100).

PubMed

Cruickshank, Amy C; Dotzler, Christian J; Din, Salahud; Heutz, Sandrine; Toney, Michael F; Ryan, Mary P

2012-09-05

The structure of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin films (5-100 nm) deposited on single-crystal ZnO(1100) substrates by organic molecular beam deposition was determined from grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction reciprocal space maps. The crystal structure was identified as the metastable polymorph α-CuPc, but the molecular stacking was found to vary depending on the film thickness: for thin films, a herringbone arrangement was observed, whereas for films thicker than 10 nm, coexistence of both the herringbone and brickstone arrangements was found. We propose a modified structure for the herringbone phase with a larger monoclinic β angle, which leads to intrastack Cu-Cu distances closer to those in the brickstone phase. This structural basis enables an understanding of the functional properties (e.g., light absorption and charge transport) of (opto)electronic devices fabricated from CuPc/ZnO hybrid systems.

In situ TEM study of electron-beam radiation induced boron diffusion and effects on phase and microstructure evolution in nanostructured CoFeB/SiO2 thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, B. H.; Teo, H. W.; Mo, Z. H.; Mai, Z. H.; Lam, J.; Xue, J. M.; Zhao, Y. Z.; Tan, P. K.

2017-01-01

Using in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we studied boron diffusion and segregation in CoFeB/SiO2 nanostructured thin film stacks. We also investigated how these phenomena affected the phase and microstructure of CoFeB thin films under electron beam irradiation at 300 kV. A unique phase transformation was observed in CoFeB thin films under high-dose electron irradiation, from a polycrystalline Co3Fe to a unilateral amorphous phase of Co3Fe and nanocrystalline FexCo23-xB6. The unilateral amorphization of the Co3Fe film showed an electron-dose-rate sensitivity with a threshold dose rate. Detailed in situ TEM studies revealed that the unilateral amorphization of the Co3Fe film arose from boron segregation at the bottom of the Co3Fe thin film induced by radiation-enhanced diffusion of boron atoms that were displaced by electron knock-on effects. The radiation-induced nanocrystallization of FexCo23-xB6 was also found to be dose-rate sensitive with a higher electron beam current leading to earlier nucleation and more rapid grain growth. The nanocrystallization of FexCo23-xB6 occurred preferentially at the CoFeB/SiO2 interface. Kinetic studies by in situ TEM revealed the surface crystallization and diffusion-controlled nucleation and grain growth mechanisms. The radiation-enhanced atomic diffusivity and high-concentration of radiation-induced point defects at the Co3Fe/SiO2 interface enhanced the local short-range ordering of Fe, Co, and B atoms, favoring nucleation and grain growth of FexCo23-xB6 at the interface.

Influence of electron beam irradiation on nonlinear optical properties of Al doped ZnO thin films for optoelectronic device applications in the cw laser regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antony, Albin; Pramodini, S.; Poornesh, P.; Kityk, I. V.; Fedorchuk, A. O.; Sanjeev, Ganesh

2016-12-01

We present the studies on third-order nonlinear optical properties of Al doped ZnO thin films irradiated with electron beam at different dose rate. Al doped ZnO thin films were deposited on a glass substrate by spray pyrolysis deposition technique. The thin films were irradiated using the 8 MeV electron beam from microtron ranging from 1 kG y to 5 kG y. Nonlinear optical studies were carried out by employing the single beam Z-scan technique to determine the sign and magnitude of absorptive and refractive nonlinearities of the irradiated thin films. Continuous wave He-Ne laser operating at 633 nm was used as source of excitation. The open aperture Z-scan measurements indicated the sample displays reverse saturable absorption (RSA) process. The negative sign of the nonlinear refractive index n2 was noted from the closed aperture Z-scan measurements indicates, the films exhibit self-defocusing property due to thermal nonlinearity. The third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility χ(3) varies from 8.17 × 10-5 esu to 1.39 × 10-3 esu with increase in electron beam irradiation. The present study reveals that the irradiation of electron beam leads to significant changes in the third-order optical nonlinearity. Al doped ZnO displays good optical power handling capability with optical clamping of about ∼5 mW. The irradiation study endorses that the Al doped ZnO under investigation is a promising candidate photonic device applications such as all-optical power limiting.

Defect-driven flexochemical coupling in thin ferroelectric films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eliseev, Eugene A.; Vorotiahin, Ivan S.; Fomichov, Yevhen M.; Glinchuk, Maya D.; Kalinin, Sergei V.; Genenko, Yuri A.; Morozovska, Anna N.

2018-01-01

Using the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire theory, we considered the impact of the flexoelectrochemical coupling on the size effects in polar properties and phase transitions of thin ferroelectric films with a layer of elastic defects. We investigated a typical case, when defects fill a thin layer below the top film surface with a constant concentration creating an additional gradient of elastic fields. The defective surface of the film is not covered with an electrode, but instead with an ultrathin layer of ambient screening charges, characterized by a surface screening length. Obtained results revealed an unexpectedly strong effect of the joint action of Vegard stresses and flexoelectric effect (shortly flexochemical coupling) on the ferroelectric transition temperature, distribution of the spontaneous polarization and elastic fields, domain wall structure and period in thin PbTi O3 films containing a layer of elastic defects. A nontrivial result is the persistence of ferroelectricity at film thicknesses below 4 nm, temperatures lower than 350 K, and relatively high surface screening length (˜0.1 nm ) . The origin of this phenomenon is the flexoelectric coupling leading to the rebuilding of the domain structure in the film (namely the cross-over from c-domain stripes to a-type closure domains) when its thickness decreases below 4 nm. The ferroelectricity persistence is facilitated by negative Vegard effect. For positive Vegard effect, thicker films exhibit the appearance of pronounced maxima on the thickness dependence of the transition temperature, whose position and height can be controlled by the defect type and concentration. The revealed features may have important implications for miniaturization of ferroelectric-based devices.

Investigation of Surface Sulfurization in CuIn1-x Gax S2-y Sey Thin Films by Using Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy.

PubMed

Kim, Haeri; Park, Se Jin; Kim, Byungwoo; Hwang, Yun Jeong; Min, Byoung Koun

2018-02-05

CuIn 1-x Ga x S 2-y Se y (CIGSSe) thin films have attracted a great deal of attention as promising absorbing materials for solar cell applications, owing to their favorable optical properties (e.g. a direct band gap and high absorption coefficients) and stable structure. Many studies have sought to improve the efficiency of solar cells using these films, and it has been found that surface modification through post-heat treatment can lead to surface passivation of surface defects and a subsequent increase in efficiency. The surface properties of solution-processed CIGSSe films are considered to be particularly important in this respect, owing to the fact that they are more prone to defects. In this work, CIGSSe thin films with differing S/Se ratios at their surface were synthesized by using a precursor solution and post-sulfurization heat treatment. These CIGSSe thin films were investigated with current-voltage and Kelvin probe force microscope (KPFM) analyses. Surface photovoltage (SPV), which is the difference in the work function in the dark and under illumination, was measured by using KPFM, which can examine the screening and the modification of surface charge through carrier trapping. As the concentration of S increases on the CIGSSe film surface, higher work functions and more positive SPV values were observed. Based on these measurements, we inferred the band-bending behavior of CIGSSe absorber films and proposed reasons for the improvement in solar cell performance. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Optical and morphological characterizations of pyronin dye-poly (vinyl alcohol) thin films formed on glass substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meral, Kadem, E-mail: kademm@atauni.edu.tr; Arik, Mustafa, E-mail: marik@tatauni.edu.tr; Onganer, Yavuz, E-mail: yonganer@atauni.edu.tr

Thin films of pyronin dye mixed with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) on glass substrate were prepared by using spin-coating technique. The optical and morphological properties of the thin films were studied by UV-Vis., steady-state fluorescence spectroscopies and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The thin films on glass substrate were fabricated at various [PVA]/[dye] (P/D) ratios. Hence, the monomeric and H-aggregates thin films of pyronin dye mixed with PVA were formed as a function of the dye and PVA concentration. It was determined that while the monomeric thin films showed strong fluorescence, the formation of H-aggregates in the thin film caused to decreasingmore » the fluorescence intensity. AFM studies demonstrated that the morphology of the thin film was drastically varied with changing the optical property of the thin film such as monomeric and H-aggregates thin films.« less

A Multi-Scale, Multi-Continuum and Multi-Physics Model to Simulate Coupled Fluid Flow and Geomechanics in Shale Gas Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wesenberg, Devin

Understanding of fundamental physics of transport properties in thin film nanostructures is crucial for application in spintronic, spin caloritronics and thermoelectric applications. Much of the difficulty in the understanding stems from the measurement itself. In this dissertation I present our thermal isolation platform that is primarily used for detection of thermally induced effects in a wide variety of materials. We can accurately and precisely produce in-plane thermal gradients in these membranes, allowing for thin film measurements on 2-D structures. First, we look at thermoelectric enhancements of doped semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotube thin films. We use the Wiedemann-Franz law to calculate contributions to thermal conductivity and find interesting underlying physics as we dope the films, thus changing the Fermi level. Adapting the tube diameter leads to structural differences, which greatly affects both phonon and electron contributions to thermal conductivity. These unique films can be designed as thermoelectric materials that are easy to manufacture and can be utilized in a variety of situations. Second, we look at work measuring enhanced contributions to thermopower and thermal conductivity of unique ferromagnetic metals. We observe improved thermopower due to the ultra-low damping of the magnon system. For spintronic and spin caloritronic applications, having a low damping is important for device engineering and allows for long spin lifetimes. Third, we present on spin transport through disordered magnetic insulators. We observe spin Hall effect driven magnon transport through materials with no long-range order but with local antiferromagnetic exchange interactions. We are the first to observe this type of transport, which may lead spintronic investigations in a new and profound direction. Finally, we look at transverse effects in a thin ferromagnetic metal. Our observation of the planer Nernst effect and planar Hall effect across long length scales shows that effects in this range are dominated by traditional magneto-thermoelectric effects without any evidence of spin transport. A careful understanding of thermal and electric gradients is needed to aid in understanding of transport properties of thin films.

Role of dual-laser ablation in controlling the Pb depletion in epitaxial growth of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films with enhanced surface quality and ferroelectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Devajyoti; Hyde, Robert; Mukherjee, Pritish; Srikanth, Hariharan; Witanachchi, Sarath

2012-03-01

Pb depletion in Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin films has remained as a major setback in the growth of defect-free PZT thin films by pulsed laser ablation techniques. At low excimer (KrF) laser fluences, the high volatility of Pb in PZT leads to non-congruent target ablation and, consequently, non-stoichiometric films, whereas, at high laser fluences, the inherent ejection of molten droplets from the target leads to particulate laden films, which is undesirable in heterostructure growth. To overcome these issues, a dual-laser ablation (PLDDL) process that combines an excimer (KrF) laser and CO2 laser pulses was used to grow epitaxial PZT films on SrTiO3 (100) and MgO (100) substrates. Intensified-charge-coupled-detector (ICCD) images and optical emission spectroscopy of the laser-ablated plumes in PLDDL revealed a broader angular expansion and enhanced excitation of the ablated species as compared to those for single-laser ablation (PLDSL). This led to the growth of particulate-free PZT films with higher Pb content, better crystallinity, and lower surface roughness as compared to those deposited using PLDSL. For FE measurements, PZT capacitors were fabricated in situ using the latticed-matched metallic oxide, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, as the top and bottom electrodes. PZT films deposited using PLDDL exhibited enhanced polarization for all driving voltages as compared to those deposited using PLDSL. A highest remanent polarization (Pr) of ˜91 μC/cm2 and low coercive field of ˜40 kV/cm was recorded at 9 V driving voltage. Fatigue characterization revealed that PZT films deposited using PLDDL showed unchanging polarization, even after 109 switching cycles.

Microphase separation in thin films of lamellar forming polydisperse di-block copolymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Rajeev; Lokitz, Bradley S.; Sides, Scott W.

Despite the ubiquity of polydispersity in chain lengths of di-block copolymers, its effects on microphase separation in thin films have eluded a clear understanding. In this paper, we have studied effects of polydispersity on the microphase separation in thin films of lamellar forming di-block copolymers using self-consistent field theory (SCFT) and neutron reflectivity experiments. Di-block copolymers containing a polydisperse block of poly(glycidylmethacrylate) (PGMA) connected to a near-monodisperse block poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethyl-d 6 azlactone) (PVDMA-d 6) are considered in this work. Effects of chain length polydispersity, film thickness, substrate–monomer and monomer–monomer interactions on the microphase segregation are studied using SCFT. The theoretical studymore » reveals that in comparison to a film created with monodisperse di-block copolymers, an increase in polydispersity tends to decrease the number of lamellar strata that can be packed in a film of given thickness. This is a direct consequence of an increase in lamellar domain spacing with an increase in polydispersity index. Furthermore, it is shown that polydispersity induces conformational asymmetry and an increase in the polydispersity index leads to an increase in the effective Kuhn segment length of the polydisperse blocks. It is shown that the conformational asymmetry effects, which are entropic in origin and of increasing importance as film thickness decreases, drive the polydisperse blocks to the middle of the films despite favorable substrate interactions. These predictions are verified by results from neutron reflectivity experiments on thin films made from moderately polydisperse PGMA-PVDMA-d 6 di-block copolymer deposited on silicon substrates. In conclusion, results from SCFT are used to predict neutron reflectivity profiles, providing a facile and robust route to obtain useful physical insights into the structure of polydisperse diblock copolymers at interfaces.« less

Microphase separation in thin films of lamellar forming polydisperse di-block copolymers

DOE PAGES

Kumar, Rajeev; Lokitz, Bradley S.; Sides, Scott W.; ...

2015-02-03

Despite the ubiquity of polydispersity in chain lengths of di-block copolymers, its effects on microphase separation in thin films have eluded a clear understanding. In this paper, we have studied effects of polydispersity on the microphase separation in thin films of lamellar forming di-block copolymers using self-consistent field theory (SCFT) and neutron reflectivity experiments. Di-block copolymers containing a polydisperse block of poly(glycidylmethacrylate) (PGMA) connected to a near-monodisperse block poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethyl-d 6 azlactone) (PVDMA-d 6) are considered in this work. Effects of chain length polydispersity, film thickness, substrate–monomer and monomer–monomer interactions on the microphase segregation are studied using SCFT. The theoretical studymore » reveals that in comparison to a film created with monodisperse di-block copolymers, an increase in polydispersity tends to decrease the number of lamellar strata that can be packed in a film of given thickness. This is a direct consequence of an increase in lamellar domain spacing with an increase in polydispersity index. Furthermore, it is shown that polydispersity induces conformational asymmetry and an increase in the polydispersity index leads to an increase in the effective Kuhn segment length of the polydisperse blocks. It is shown that the conformational asymmetry effects, which are entropic in origin and of increasing importance as film thickness decreases, drive the polydisperse blocks to the middle of the films despite favorable substrate interactions. These predictions are verified by results from neutron reflectivity experiments on thin films made from moderately polydisperse PGMA-PVDMA-d 6 di-block copolymer deposited on silicon substrates. In conclusion, results from SCFT are used to predict neutron reflectivity profiles, providing a facile and robust route to obtain useful physical insights into the structure of polydisperse diblock copolymers at interfaces.« less

Microphase separation in thin films of lamellar forming polydisperse di-block copolymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Rajeev; Lokitz, Bradley S.; Sides, Scott W.

Despite the ubiquity of polydispersity in chain lengths of di-block copolymers, its effects on microphase separation in thin films have eluded a clear understanding. In this work, we have studied effects of polydispersity on the microphase separation in thin films of lamellar forming di-block copolymers using self-consistent field theory (SCFT) and neutron reflectivity experiments. Di-block copolymers containing a polydisperse block of poly(glycidylmethacrylate) (PGMA) connected to a near-monodisperse block poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethyl-d6 azlactone) (PVDMA-d6) are considered in this work. Effects of chain length polydispersity, film thickness, substrate-monomer and monomer-monomer interactions on the microphase segregation are studied using SCFT. The theoretical study reveals thatmore » in comparison to a film created with monodisperse di-block copolymers, an increase in polydispersity tends to decrease the number of lamellar strata that can be packed in a film of given thickness. This is a direct consequence of an increase in lamellar domain spacing with an increase in polydispersity index. Furthermore, it is shown that polydispersity induces conformational asymmetry and an increase in the polydispersity index leads to an increase in the effective Kuhn segment length of the polydisperse blocks. It is shown that the conformational asymmetry effects, which are entropic in origin and of increasing importance as film thickness decreases, drive the polydisperse blocks to the middle of the films despite favorable substrate interactions. These predictions are verified by results from neutron reflectivity experiments on thin films made from moderately polydisperse PGMA-PVDMA-d6 di-block copolymer deposited on silicon substrates. Finally, results from SCFT are used to predict neutron reflectivity profiles, providing a facile and robust route to obtain useful physical insights into the structure of polydisperse diblock copolymers at interfaces.« less

Optimization of high quality Cu2ZnSnS4 thin film by low cost and environment friendly sol-gel technique for thin film solar cells applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhari, J. J.; Joshi, U. S.

2018-05-01

In this study kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films suitable for absorber layer in thin film solar cells (TFSCs) were successfully fabricated on glass substrate by sol-gel method. The effects of complexing agent on formation of CZTS thin films have been investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms formation of polycrystalline CZTS thin films with single phase kesterite structure. XRD and Raman spectroscopy analysis of CZTS thin films with optimized concentration of complexing agent confirmed formation of kesterite phase in CZTS thin films. The direct optical band gap energy of CZTS thin films is found to decrease from 1.82 to 1.50 eV with increase of concentration of complexing agent triethanolamine. Morphological analysis of CZTS thin films shows smooth, uniform and densely packed CZTS grains and increase in the grain size with increase of concentration of complexing agent. Hall measurements revealed that concentration of charge carrier increases and resistivity decreases in CZTS thin films as amount of complexing agent increases.

Studies on visible light photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of nanostructured cobalt doped ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel spin coating method.

PubMed

Poongodi, G; Anandan, P; Kumar, R Mohan; Jayavel, R

2015-09-05

Nanostructured cobalt doped ZnO thin films were deposited on glass substrate by sol-gel spin coating technique and characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The XRD results showed that the thin films were well crystalline with hexagonal wurtzite structure. The results of EDAX and XPS revealed that Co was doped into ZnO structure. FESEM images revealed that the films possess granular morphology without any crack and confirm that Co doping decreases the grain size. UV-Vis transmission spectra show that the substitution of Co in ZnO leads to band gap narrowing. The Co doped ZnO films were found to exhibit improved photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye under visible light in comparison with the undoped ZnO film. The decrease in grain size and extending light absorption towards the visible region by Co doping in ZnO film contribute equally to the improved photocatalytic activity. The bactericidal efficiency of Co doped ZnO films were investigated against a Gram negative (Escherichia coli) and a Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. The optical density (OD) measurement showed better bactericidal activity at higher level of Co doping in ZnO. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thin film cell development workshop report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodyard, James R.

1991-01-01

The Thin Film Development Workshop provided an opportunity for those interested in space applications of thin film cells to debate several topics. The unique characteristics of thin film cells as well as a number of other issues were covered during the discussions. The potential of thin film cells, key research and development issues, manufacturing issues, radiation damage, substrates, and space qualification of thin film cells were discussed.

Mechanical and dielectric characterization of lead zirconate titanate(PZT)/polyurethane(PU) thin film composite for energy harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aboubakr, S.; Rguiti, M.; Hajjaji, A.; Eddiai, A.; Courtois, C.; d'Astorg, S.

2014-04-01

The Lead Zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic is known by its piezoelectric feature, but also by its stiffness, the use of a composite based on a polyurethane (PU) matrix charged by a piezoelectric material, enable to generate a large deformation of the material, therefore harvesting more energy. This new material will provide a competitive alternative and low cost manufacturing technology of autonomous systems (smart clothes, car seat, boat sail, flag ...). A thin film of the PZT/PU composite was prepared using up to 80 vol. % of ceramic. Due to the dielectric nature of the PZT, inclusions of this one in a PU matrix raises the permittivity of the composite, on other hand this latter seems to decline at high frequencies.

Junction Propagation in Organometal Halide Perovskite-Polymer Composite Thin Films.

PubMed

Shan, Xin; Li, Junqiang; Chen, Mingming; Geske, Thomas; Bade, Sri Ganesh R; Yu, Zhibin

2017-06-01

With the emergence of organometal halide perovskite semiconductors, it has been discovered that a p-i-n junction can be formed in situ due to the migration of ionic species in the perovskite when a bias is applied. In this work, we investigated the junction formation dynamics in methylammonium lead tribromide (MAPbBr 3 )/polymer composite thin films. It was concluded that the p- and n- doped regions propagated into the intrinsic region with an increasing bias, leading to a reduced intrinsic perovskite layer thickness and the formation of an effective light-emitting junction regardless of perovskite layer thicknesses (300 nm to 30 μm). The junction propagation also played a major role in deteriorating the LED operation lifetime. Stable perovskite LEDs can be achieved by restricting the junction propagation after its formation.

Effects of magnetic field and pressure in magnetoelastic stress reconfigurable thin film resonators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Staruch, M.; Bussmann, K.; Finkel, P.

2015-07-20

Free-standing CoFe thin-film doubly clamped stress reconfigurable resonators were investigated as a function of magnetic field and pressure. A large uniaxial anisotropy resulting from residual uniaxial tensile stress, as revealed from magnetic hysteresis loops, leads to an easy magnetization axis aligned along the length of the beams. The quality factor of the driven resonator beams under vacuum is increased by 30 times, leading to an enhanced signal-to-noise ratio and a predicted reduction in the intrinsic magnetic noise by a factor of 6, potentially reaching as low as ∼25 pT/√Hz at 1 Torr. Stress reconfigurable sensors operating under vacuum could thus furthermore » improve the limit of detection and advance development of magnetic field sensing technology.« less

Composite polymeric film and method for its use in installing a very-thin polymeric film in a device

DOEpatents

Duchane, D.V.; Barthell, B.L.

1982-04-26

A composite polymeric film and a method for its use in forming and installing a very thin (< 10 ..mu..m) polymeric film are disclosed. The composite film consists of a thin film layer and a backing layer. The backing layer is soluble in a solvent in which the thin film layer is not soluble. In accordance with the method, the composite film is installed in a device in the same position in which it is sought to finally emplace the thin film. The backing layer is then selectiely dissolved in the solvent to leave the insoluble thin film layer as an unbacked film. The method permits a very thin film to e successfully installed in devices where the fragility of the film would preclude handling and installation by conventional methods.

Composite polymeric film and method for its use in installing a very thin polymeric film in a device

DOEpatents

Duchane, David V.; Barthell, Barry L.

1984-01-01

A composite polymeric film and a method for its use in forming and installing a very thin (<10 .mu.m) polymeric film are disclosed. The composite film consists of a thin film layer and a backing layer. The backing layer is soluble in a solvent in which the thin film layer is not soluble. In accordance with the method, the composite film is installed in a device in the same position in which it is sought to finally emplace the thin film. The backing layer is then selectively dissolved in the solvent to leave the insoluble thin film layer as an unbacked film. The method permits a very thin film to be successfully installed in devices where the fragility of the film would preclude handling and installation by conventional methods.

Mechanical design of thin-film diamond crystal mounting apparatus with optimized thermal contact and crystal strain for coherence preservation x-ray optics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shu, Deming; Shvydko, Yury; Stoupin, Stanislav

A method and mechanical design for a thin-film diamond crystal mounting apparatus for coherence preservation x-ray optics with optimized thermal contact and minimized crystal strain are provided. The novel thin-film diamond crystal mounting apparatus mounts a thin-film diamond crystal supported by a thick chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond film spacer with a thickness slightly thicker than the thin-film diamond crystal, and two groups of thin film thermal conductors, such as thin CVD diamond film thermal conductor groups separated by the thick CVD diamond spacer. The two groups of thin CVD film thermal conductors provide thermal conducting interface media with themore » thin-film diamond crystal. A piezoelectric actuator is integrated into a flexural clamping mechanism generating clamping force from zero to an optimal level.« less

Direct Immersion Annealing of Thin Block Copolymer Films.

PubMed

Modi, Arvind; Bhaway, Sarang M; Vogt, Bryan D; Douglas, Jack F; Al-Enizi, Abdullah; Elzatahry, Ahmed; Sharma, Ashutosh; Karim, Alamgir

2015-10-07

We demonstrate ordering of thin block copolymer (BCP) films via direct immersion annealing (DIA) at enhanced rate leading to stable morphologies. The BCP films are immersed in carefully selected mixtures of good and marginal solvents that can impart enhanced polymer mobility, while inhibiting film dissolution. DIA is compatible with roll-to-roll assembly manufacturing and has distinct advantages over conventional thermal annealing and batch processing solvent-vapor annealing methods. We identify three solvent composition-dependent BCP film ordering regimes in DIA for the weakly interacting polystyrene-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-PMMA) system: rapid short-range order, optimal long-range order, and a film instability regime. Kinetic studies in the "optimal long-range order" processing regime as a function of temperature indicate a significant reduction of activation energy for BCP grain growth compared to oven annealing at conventional temperatures. An attractive feature of DIA is its robustness to ordering other BCP (e.g. PS-P2VP) and PS-PMMA systems exhibiting spherical, lamellar and cylindrical ordering.

Effect of deposition temperature & oxygen pressure on mechanical properties of (0.5) BZT-(0.5)BCT ceramic thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sailaja, P.; Kumar, N. Pavan; Rajalakshmi, R.; Kumar, R. Arockia; Ponpandian, N.; Prabahar, K.; Srinivas, A.

2018-05-01

Lead free ferroelectric thin films of {(0.5) BZT-(0.5) BCT} (termed as BCZT) were deposited on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition at four deposition temperatures 600, 650, 700, 750°C and at two oxygen pressures viz. 75mtorr and 100 mtorr using BCZT ceramic target (prepared by solid state sintering method). The effect of deposition temperature and oxygen pressure on the structure, microstructure and mechanical properties of BCZT films were studied. X-ray diffraction patterns of deposited films confirm tetragonal crystal symmetry and the crystallinity of the films increases with increasing deposition temperature. Variation in BCZT grain growth was observed when the films are deposited at different temperatures andoxygen pressures respectively. The mechanical properties viz. hardness and elastic modulus were also found to be high with increase in the deposition temperature and oxygen pressure. The results will be discussed.

Direct Immersion Annealing of Thin Block Copolymer Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Modi, Arvind; Bhaway, Sarang M.; Vogt, Bryan D.

2015-09-09

We demonstrate ordering of thin block copolymer (BCP) films via direct immersion annealing (DIA) at enhanced rate leading to stable morphologies. The BCP films are immersed in carefully selected mixtures of good and marginal solvents that can impart enhanced polymer mobility, while inhibiting film dissolution. DIA is compatible with roll-to-roll assembly manufacturing and has distinct advantages over conventional thermal annealing and batch processing solvent-vapor annealing methods. We identify three solvent composition-dependent BCP film ordering regimes in DIA for the weakly interacting polystyrene–poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS–PMMA) system: rapid short-range order, optimal long-range order, and a film instability regime. Kinetic studies in themore » “optimal long-range order” processing regime as a function of temperature indicate a significant reduction of activation energy for BCP grain growth compared to oven annealing at conventional temperatures. An attractive feature of DIA is its robustness to ordering other BCP (e.g. PS-P2VP) and PS-PMMA systems exhibiting spherical, lamellar and cylindrical ordering.« less

Ultra-tough and strong, hybrid thin films based on ionically crosslinked polymers and 2D inorganic platelets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Dong Hwan; Choi, Suji; Kim, Jaeyun; nanobiomaterials lab Team

Integration of high strength and toughness tend to be mutually exclusive and synthesized hybrid films with superior mechanical properties have been difficult to fabricate controllable shapes and various scales. Although diverse synthesized hybrid films consisting of organic matrix and inorganic materials with brick-and-mortar structure, show improved mechanical properties, these films are still limited in toughness and fabrication methods. Herein, we report ultra-tough and strong hybrid thin films with self-assembled uniform microstructures with controllable shapes and various scale based on hydrogel-mediated process. Ca2+-crosslinking in alginate chains and well-aligned alumina platelets in alginate matrix lead to a synergistic enhancement of strength and toughness in the resulting film. Consequentially, Ca2+-crosslinked Alg/Alu films showed outstanding toughness of 29 MJ m-3 and tensile strength of 160 MPa. Furthermore, modifying Alu surface with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), tensile strength was further improved up to 200 MPa. Our results suggest an alternative approach to design and processing of self-assembled hydrogel-mediated hybrid films with outstanding mechanical properties.

Structural Evolution of Q-Carbon and Nanodiamonds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Siddharth; Bhaumik, Anagh; Sachan, Ritesh; Narayan, Jagdish

2018-04-01

This article provides insights pertaining to the first-order phase transformation involved in the growth of densely packed Q-carbon and nanodiamonds by nanosecond laser melting and quenching of diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films. DLC films with different sp 3 content were melted rapidly in a controlled way in super-undercooled state and quenched, leading to formation of distinct nanostructures, i.e., nanodiamonds, Q-carbon, and Q-carbon nanocomposites. This analysis provides direct evidence of the dependence of the super-undercooling on the structural evolution of Q-carbon. Finite element heat flow calculations showed that the super-undercooling varies monotonically with the sp 3 content. The phenomenon of solid-liquid interfacial instability during directional solidification from the melt state is studied in detail. The resulting lateral segregation leads to formation of cellular filamentary Q-carbon nanostructures. The dependence of the cell size and wavelength at the onset of instability on the sp 3 content of DLC thin films was modeled based on perturbation theory.

A study on dependence of the structural, optical and electrical properties of cadmium lead sulphide thin films on Cd/Pb ratio

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nair, Sinitha B., E-mail: sinithanair@gmail.com, E-mail: anithakklm@gmail.com; Abraham, Anitha, E-mail: sinithanair@gmail.com, E-mail: anithakklm@gmail.com; Philip, Rachel Reena, E-mail: reenatara@rediffmail.com

2014-10-15

Cadmium Lead Sulphide thin films with systematic variation in Cd/Pb ratio are prepared at 333K by CBD, adjusting the reagent-molarity, deposition time and pH. XRD exhibits crystalline-amorphous transition as Cd% exceeds Pb%. AFM shows agglomeration of crystallites of size ∼50±5 nm. EDAX assess the composition whereas XPS ascertains the ternary formation, with binding energies of Pb4f{sub 7/2} and 4f{sub 5/2}, Cd3d{sub 5/2} and 3d{sub 3/2} and S2p at 137.03, 141.606, 404.667, 412.133 and 160.218 eV respectively. The optical absorption spectra reveal the variance in the direct allowed band gaps, from 1.57eV to 2.42 eV as Cd/Pb ratio increases from 0.2more » to 2.7, suggesting possibility of band gap engineering in the n-type films.« less

A new failure mechanism in thin film by collaborative fracture and delamination: Interacting duos of cracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marthelot, Joël; Bico, José; Melo, Francisco; Roman, Benoît

2015-11-01

When a thin film moderately adherent to a substrate is subjected to residual stress, the cooperation between fracture and delamination leads to unusual fracture patterns, such as spirals, alleys of crescents and various types of strips, all characterized by a robust characteristic length scale. We focus on the propagation of a duo of cracks: two fractures in the film connected by a delamination front and progressively detaching a strip. We show experimentally that the system selects an equilibrium width on the order of 25 times the thickness of the coating and independent of both fracture and adhesion energies. We investigate numerically the selection of the width and the condition for propagation by considering Griffith's criterion and the principle of local symmetry. In addition, we propose a simplified model based on the criterion of maximum of energy release rate, which provides insights of the physical mechanisms leading to these regular patterns, and predicts the effect of material properties on the selected width of the detaching strip.

Flexible pressure sensor based on graphene aerogel microstructures functionalized with CdS nanocrystalline thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plesco, Irina; Dragoman, Mircea; Strobel, Julian; Ghimpu, Lidia; Schütt, Fabian; Dinescu, Adrian; Ursaki, Veaceslav; Kienle, Lorenz; Adelung, Rainer; Tiginyanu, Ion

2018-05-01

In this paper, we report on functionalization of graphene aerogel with a CdS thin film deposited by magnetron sputtering and on the development of flexible pressure sensors based on ultra-lightweight CdS-aerogel nanocomposite. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis disclose the uniform deposition of nanocrystalline CdS films with quasi-stoichiometric composition. The piezoresistive response of the aforementioned nanocomposite in the pressure range from 1 to 5 atm is found to be more than one order of magnitude higher than that inherent to suspended graphene membranes, leading to an average sensitivity as high as 3.2 × 10-4 kPa-1.

Fabrication of Monolithic Sapphire Membranes for High T(sub c) Bolometer Array Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pugel, D. E.; Lakew, B.; Aslam, S.; Wang, L.

2004-01-01

This paper examines the effectiveness of Pt/Cr thin film masks for the architecture of monolithic membrane structures in r-plane single crystal sapphire. The development of a pinhole-free Pt/Cr composite mask that is resistant to boiling H2SO4:H3PO4 etchant will lead to the fabrication of smooth sapphire membranes whose surfaces are well-suited for the growth of low-noise high Tc films. In particular, the relationship of thermal annealing conditions on the Pt/Cr composite mask system to: (1) changes in the surface morphology (2) elemental concentration of the Pt/Cr thin film layers and (3) etch pit formation on the sapphire surface will be presented.

Smectic C liquid crystal growth through surface orientation by ZnxCd1-xSe thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katranchev, B.; Petrov, M.; Bineva, I.; Levi, Z.; Mineva, M.

2012-12-01

A smectic C liquid crystal (LC) texture, consisting of distinct local single crystals (DLSCs) was grown using predefined orientation of ternary nanocrystalline thin films of ZnxCd1-xSe. The surface morphology and orientation features of the ZnxCd1-xSe films were investigated by AFM measurements and micro-texture polarization analysis. The ZnxCd1-xSe surface causes a substantial enlargement of the smectic C DLSCs and induction of a surface bistable state. The specific character of the morphology of this coating leads to the decrease of the corresponding anchoring energy. Two new chiral states, not typical for this LC were indicated. The physical mechanism providing these new effects is presented.

Redeposition of a straight-sided buckle under pressure.

PubMed

Colin, Jérôme; Coupeau, Christophe; Durinck, Julien; Cimetière, Alain; Grilhé, Jean

2014-03-01

The unilateral buckling of a stressed thin film on a substrate has been investigated theoretically in the framework of the Föppl-von Kármán theory of thin plates when an increasing overpressure is considered onto the upper free surface of the film. It is found that, depending on the initial stress in the film and overpressure, two scenarios of evolution may occur. The snap-through of the one-dimensional buckle leading to the full redeposition should take place for low values of the initial stress. When the initial stress exceeds a critical value, a partial redeposition of the buckle should proceed as the overpressure increases. A snap-through while the redeposition mechanism has taken place should also occur for higher values of the overpressure.

Growth and properties of gradient free sol-gel lead zirconate titanate thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calame, F.; Muralt, P.

2007-02-01

Pb(Zrx,Ti1-x)O3 thin films of homogeneous composition were synthesized by means of a modified sol-gel route on Pt(111)/TiOx/SiO2/Si substrates. The gradient in B-site composition as obtained by standard routes could be lowered, reducing Zr concentration fluctuations form ±12to±2.5at.%. The 2μm thick, dense and crack-free films exhibited a {100}-texture index of 98.4%. Grain diameters increased by 50%. Dielectric and piezoelectric properties were remarkably improved. The relative dielectric constant ɛ33,f was obtained as 1620, and the remanent transverse piezoelectric coefficient e31,f was measured as -17.7Cm2.

Improved Epitaxy and Surface Morphology in YBa2Cu3Oy Thin Films Grown on Double Buffered Si Wafers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, J.; Kang, L.; Wong, H. Y.; Cheung, Y. L.; Yang, J.

Highly epitaxial thin films of YBCO have been obtained on silicon wafers using a Eu2CuO4/YSZ (yttrium-stabilized ZrO2) double buffer. Our results showed that application of such a double buffer can significantly enhance the epitaxy of grown YBCO. It also leads to an excellent surface morphology. The average surface roughness was found less than 5 nm in a large range. The results of X-ray small angle reflection and positron spectroscpy demonstrate a very clear and flat interface between YBCO and buffer layers. The Eu2CuO4/YSZ double buffer could be promising for coating high-TC superconducting films on various reactive substrates.

Molecular beam epitaxy growth of SmB6+/-δ thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffman, Jason; Saleem, Muhammad; Day, James; Bonn, Doug; Hoffman, Jennifer

SmB6 has emerged as a leading candidate in the search for exotic topological states generated by strong interactions. The synthesis of epitaxial SmB6 thin films presents new avenues to control surface termination, thickness, and strain in this system. In this work, we use molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to deposit SmB6+/-δ films on insulating (001)-oriented MgO substrates. We use ex-situ x-ray diffraction and magnetotransport measurements to assess the properties of the samples and compare them to previously reported values for single crystals. We also discuss the prospects of using rare-earth substitution to control the correlation strength and alter the topology of the bulk and surface electronic states.

Resistive switching based on filaments in metal/PMMA/metal thin film devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Christoph; Nau, Sebastian; Sax, Stefan; Busby, Yan; Pireaux, Jean-Jacques; List-Kratochvil, Emil J. W.

2015-12-01

The working mechanism of unipolar organic resistive switching thin-film devices is investigated. On the basis of a metal/poly(methyl methacrylate)/metal model system, direct spectroscopic evidence for filament formation is obtained by three-dimensional (3D) imaging with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. By means of alternative fabrication methods the claimed influence of metal implantation in the organic layer during fabrication is ruled out. Further, the stability of the resistive switches under oxygen and humidity is investigated leading to a deeper understanding of the processes governing the formation and rupture of filaments.

Fatigue and retention in ferroelectric Y-Ba-Cu-O/Pb-Zr-Ti-O/Y-Ba-Cu-O heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramesh, R.; Chan, W. K.; Wilkens, B.; Gilchrist, H.; Sands, T.; Tarascon, J. M.; Keramidas, V. G.; Fork, D. K.; Lee, J.; Safari, A.

1992-09-01

Fatigue and retention characteristics of ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate thin films grown with Y-Ba-Cu-O(YBCO) thin-film top and bottom electrodes are found to be far superior to those obtained with conventional Pt top electrodes. The heterostructures reported here have been grown in situ by pulsed laser deposition on yttria-stabilized ZrO2 buffer [100] Si and on [001] LaAlO3. Both the a- and c-axis orientations of the YBCO lattice have been used as electrodes. They were prepared using suitable changes in growth conditions.

Computational Design, Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Carbon Nanotube (CNT) - Metal Oxide/Metal Hydride Composite - A Practicable Hydrogen Storage Medium for Fuel Cell - 3

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-29

surface. The similar kind of occurrence of circular cone protrusion of MWCNTs on SnO2 thin film background is obtained by Wisitsoraat et al. [1]. They...incorporated on the neighboring sites and is go on up to high coverage). This might lead to the formation of H2 molecule upon high coverage. During the...circular cone protrusion of MWCNTs on WO3 thin film background is obtained by Wisitsoraat et al. [1]. They pointed out that, the possible reason for this

Tribological performance of monolithic copper thin films during nanowear

DOE PAGES

Schultz, Bradley M.; Li, Nan; Economy, David R.; ...

2017-10-07

Mathematical models suggest that the strain along the film formed by parallel passes of a nanoindentation probe in contact with the film can be either homogenous or heterogeneous, depending on contact pressure and spacing between passes. Here, in this study, a 1 µm copper thin film was worn with a cono-spherical diamond probe with normal loads ranging from 25 to 800 µN and wear box edge lengths of 40, 60, and 80 µm. The nanoindenter counterface was rastered across the surface to mimic dry sliding wear. To determine potential strain field changes, 10-step quasi-static indents (200–2000 µN) were performed usingmore » nanoindentation inside the wear boxes created at various loads to determine if a strain field alteration could be observed in changes in hardness of the copper thin film. It was shown that there was a softening effect in the hardness for normal loads < 400 µN used during nanowear compared to the as-deposited copper. Normal loads ≥ 400 µN had a similar or higher hardness than the as-deposited copper. This is believed to have occurred due to a relaxation in the residual stresses created during deposition in the copper thin films at lower loads, which caused a decrease in hardness. Conversely, at the higher loads, increased deformation leads to an increase in hardness. Lastly, all of the wear boxes displayed a higher estimated strain hardening exponent than the as-deposited material.« less

In situ 2D diffraction as a tool to characterize ferroelectric and piezoelectric thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khamidy, N. I.; Kovacova, V.; Bernasconi, A.; Le Rhun, G.; Vaxelaire, N.

2017-08-01

In this paper the application of 2D x-ray diffraction (XRD2) as a technique to characterize in situ during electrical cycling the properties of a ferroelectric and piezoelectric thin film is discussed. XRD2 is one type of XRD on which a 2D detector is used instead of a point detector. This technique enables simultaneous recording of many sample information in a much shorter time compared to conventional XRD. The discussion is focused especially on the data processing technique of the huge data acquired. The methodology to calculate an effective piezoelectric coefficient, analyze the phase and texture, and estimate the domain size and shape is described in this paper. This methodology is then applied to a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin film at the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) composition (i.e. Pb[Zr0.52Ti0.48]O3) with a preferred orientation of (1 0 0). The in situ XRD2 characterization was conducted in the European synchrotron radiation facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. Since a high-energy beam with vertical resolution as small as 100 nm was used, a cross-sectional scan of the sample was performed over the entire thickness of the film. From these experimental results, a better understanding on the piezoelectricity phenomena in PZT thin film at MPB composition were achieved, providing original feedback between the elaboration processes and functional properties of the film.

The role of the domain size and titanium dopant in nanocrystalline hematite thin films for water photolysis

DOE PAGES

Yan, Danhua; Tao, Jing; Kisslinger, Kim; ...

2015-10-13

Here we develop a novel technique for preparing high quality Ti-doped hematite thin films for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, through sputtering deposition of metallic iron films from an iron target embedded with titanium (dopants) pellets, followed by a thermal oxidation step that turns the metal films into doped hematite. It is found that the hematite domain size can be tuned from ~10 nm to over 100 nm by adjusting the sputtering atmosphere from more oxidative to mostly inert. The better crystallinity at a larger domain size ensures excellent PEC water splitting performance, leading to record high photocurrent from pure planarmore » hematite thin films on FTO substrates. Titanium doping further enhances the PEC performance of hematite photoanodes. The photocurrent is improved by 50%, with a titanium dopant concentration as low as 0.5 atom%. As a result, it is also found that the role of the titanium dopant in improving the PEC performance is not apparently related to the films’ electrical conductivity which had been widely believed, but is more likely due to the passivation of surface defects by the titanium dopants.« less

Vanadium oxide thin films produced by magnetron sputtering from a V2O5 target at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Castro, Marcelo S. B.; Ferreira, Carlos L.; de Avillez, Roberto R.

2013-09-01

Vanadium oxide thin films were grown by RF magnetron sputtering from a V2O5 target at room temperature, an alternative route of production of vanadium oxide thin films for infrared detector applications. The films were deposited on glass substrates, in an argon-oxygen atmosphere with an oxygen partial pressure from nominal 0% to 20% of the total pressure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed that the films were a mixture of several vanadium oxides (V2O5, VO2, V5O9 and V2O3), which resulted in different colors, from yellow to black, depending on composition. The electrical resistivity varied from 1 mΩ cm to more than 500 Ω cm and the thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR), varied from -0.02 to -2.51% K-1. Computational thermodynamics was used to simulate the phase diagram of the vanadium-oxygen system. Even if plasma processes are far from equilibrium, this diagram provides the range of oxygen pressures that lead to the growth of different vanadium oxide phases. These conditions were used in the present work.

Precursor-Surface Reactions in Plasma Deposition of Silicon Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakos, Tamas

2005-03-01

Device-quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films are usually grown by plasma deposition under conditions where the SiH3 radical is the dominant deposition precursor. In this presentation, we report results of first-principles density functional theory calculations on the interactions of the SiH3 radical with the crystalline Si(100)-(2x1):H surface in conjunction with molecular-dynamics simulations of a-Si:H thin film growth by SiH3 radicals, which elucidate the pathways and energetics of surface reactions that govern important film properties. In particular, we show that an SiH3 radical can insert into strained surface Si-Si dimer bonds, abstract surface H through an Eley-Rideal mechanism, and passivate surface dangling bonds; these reactions follow exothermic and barrierless pathways that lead to a temperature-independent growth rate in agreement with experimental measurements. We also identify a thermally activated surface H abstraction process, in which the SiH3 radical diffuses through overcoordinated surface Si atoms until it encounters a favorable site for H abstraction; the diffusion and H-abstraction steps have commensurate activation barriers. This mechanism explains partly the reduction of the film H content at elevated substrate temperatures.

Unconventional Nanoscale Photoresponse and Degradation Process in Hybrid Organic-inorganic Perovskites.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Zhaodong; Yang, Mengjin; Schulz, Philip; Wu, Di; Zhu, Kai; Li, Xiaoqin; Lai, Keji

The remarkable performance of organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is challenging the dogma that solution-processed thin films are inevitably associated with inferior energy conversion efficiencies. The surprisingly low impact of polycrystallinity on the film quality highlights the unusual photo-response of intrinsic defects and grain boundaries in these materials. Here, we report the first quantitative nanoscale photoconductivity imaging on methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3) thin films by microwave impedance microscopy with light stimulation. The local photoconductivity as a function of the above-gap laser power is consistent with the high carrier mobility and long lifetime of MAPbI3. The photo-response is largely uniform across grains and grain boundaries, which is direct evidence on the inherently benign nature of microstructures in the perovskite thin films. For encapsulated MAPbI3 films, the observed long-term degradation in photoconductivity begins with the disintegration of large grains due to the diffusion of water molecules through the capping layer. Our work suggests that the striking PSC performance is deeply rooted in the nanoscale optoelectronic properties of MAPbI3. We gratefully acknowledge financial support from NSF EFMA-1542747.

Preparation and characterization of electrodeposited SnS:In thin films: Effect of In dopant.

PubMed

Kafashan, Hosein; Balak, Zohre

2017-09-05

SnS:In thin films were grown on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate by cathodic electrodeposition technique. The solution was containing 2mM SnCl 2 and 16mM Na 2 S 2 O 3 and different amounts of 1mM InCl 3 as In-dopant. The pH, bath temperature, deposition time, and deposition potential (E) were fixed at 2.1, 60°C, 30min, and -1V, respectively. The XRD results showed that the synthesized films were polycrystalline orthorhombic SnS. The XPS results demonstrated that the films were composed of Sn, S and In. According to the FESEM images, an increase in In-dopant concentration leads to a change in morphology from grain-like to sheet-like having a nanoscale thickness of 20-80nm and fiber-like. The PL spectra of undoped SnS exhibited four emission peaks including a UV peak, two blue emission peaks, and an IR emission peak. According to the UV-Vis spectra, the direct band gap of SnS:In thin films was estimated to be 1.40-1.66eV. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterization of electrodeposited SnS:In thin films: Effect of In dopant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafashan, Hosein; Balak, Zohre

2017-09-01

SnS:In thin films were grown on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate by cathodic electrodeposition technique. The solution was containing 2 mM SnCl2 and 16 mM Na2S2O3 and different amounts of 1 mM InCl3 as In-dopant. The pH, bath temperature, deposition time, and deposition potential (E) were fixed at 2.1, 60 °C, 30 min, and - 1 V, respectively. The XRD results showed that the synthesized films were polycrystalline orthorhombic SnS. The XPS results demonstrated that the films were composed of Sn, S and In. According to the FESEM images, an increase in In-dopant concentration leads to a change in morphology from grain-like to sheet-like having a nanoscale thickness of 20-80 nm and fiber-like. The PL spectra of undoped SnS exhibited four emission peaks including a UV peak, two blue emission peaks, and an IR emission peak. According to the UV-Vis spectra, the direct band gap of SnS:In thin films was estimated to be 1.40-1.66 eV.

Permanent laser conditioning of thin film optical materials

DOEpatents

Wolfe, C. Robert; Kozlowski, Mark R.; Campbell, John H.; Staggs, Michael; Rainer, Frank

1995-01-01

The invention comprises a method for producing optical thin films with a high laser damage threshold and the resulting thin films. The laser damage threshold of the thin films is permanently increased by irradiating the thin films with a fluence below an unconditioned laser damage threshold.

Opto-electronic devices with nanoparticles and their assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Chieu Van

Nanotechnology is a fast growing field; engineering matters at the nano-meter scale. A key nanomaterial is nanoparticles (NPs). These sub-wavelength (< 100nm) particles provide tremendous possibilities due to their unique electrical, optical, and mechanical properties. Plethora of NPs with various chemical composition, size and shape has been synthesized. Clever designs of sub-wavelength structures enable observation of unusual properties of materials, and have led to new areas of research such as metamaterials. This dissertation describes two self-assemblies of gold nanoparticles, leading to an ultra-soft thin film and multi-functional single electron device at room temperature. First, the layer-by-layer self-assembly of 10nm Au nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes is shown to behave like a cellular-foam with modulus below 100 kPa. As a result, the composite thin film (˜ 100nm) is 5 orders of magnitude softer than an equally thin typical polymer film. The thin film can be compressed reversibly to 60% strain. The extraordinarily low modulus and high compressibility are advantageous in pressure sensing applications. The unique mechanical properties of the composite film lead to development of an ultra-sensitive tactile imaging device capable of screening for breast cancer. On par with human finger sensitivity, the tactile device can detect a 5mm imbedded object up to 20mm below the surface with low background noise. The second device is based on a one-dimensional (1-D) self-directed self-assembly of Au NPs mediated by dielectric materials. Depending on the coverage density of the Au NPs assembly deposited on the device, electronic emission was observed at ultra-low bias of 40V, leading to low-power plasma generation in air at atmospheric pressure. Light emitted from the plasma is apparent to the naked eyes. Similarly, 1-D self-assembly of Au NPs mediated by iron oxide was fabricated and exhibits ferro-magnetic behavior. The multi-functional 1-D self-assembly of Au NPs has great potential in modern electronics such as solid state lighting, plasma-based nanoelectronics, and memory devices.

Thermal conductivity of thin insulating films determined by tunnel magneto-Seebeck effect measurements and finite-element modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huebner, Torsten; Martens, Ulrike; Walowski, Jakob; Münzenberg, Markus; Thomas, Andy; Reiss, Günter; Kuschel, Timo

2018-06-01

In general, it is difficult to access the thermal conductivity of thin insulating films experimentally by electrical means. Here, we present a new approach utilizing the tunnel magneto-Seebeck effect (TMS) in combination with finite-element modeling (FEM). We detect the laser-induced TMS and the absolute thermovoltage of laser-heated magnetic tunnel junctions with 2.6 nm thin barriers of MgAl2O4 (MAO) and MgO, respectively. A second measurement of the absolute thermovoltage after a dielectric breakdown of the barrier grants insight into the remaining thermovoltage of the stack. Thus, the pure TMS without any parasitic Nernst contributions from the leads can be identified. In combination with FEM via COMSOL, we are able to extract values for the thermal conductivity of MAO (0.7 W (K · m)‑1) and MgO (5.8 W (K · m)‑1), which are in very good agreement with theoretical predictions. Our method provides a new promising way to extract the experimentally challenging parameter of the thermal conductivity of thin insulating films.

Polarization reversal due to charge injection in ferroelectric films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bühlmann, S.; Colla, E.; Muralt, P.

2005-12-01

The origin of a recently reported peculiar phenomenon—polarization reversal against the applied electric field in ferroelectric thin films [M. Aplanalp and P. Günter, Ferroelectrics 258, 3 (2001), T. Morita and Y. Cho, Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 257 (2004)]—has been identified. The phenomenon is observed when poling a ferroelectric film with a large electric field applied to a conductive tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM). The effect seems to be of quite general nature as it has been observed on BaTiO3 [Aplanalp , Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 5799 (2001)] as well as on LiTaO3 films [I. Morita and Y. Cho Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 257 (2004)]. It was proposed that this switching is provoked by mechanical stress due to the Maxwell force between tip and bottom electrode [Aplanalp , Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 5799 (2001)]. We have studied the same phenomenon in PbZr0.4Ti0.6O3 (PZT) thin films, deposited as epitaxial film on conductive, Nb-doped SrTiO3 single crystals. New experimental evidence strongly supports a different explanation. The poling process is accompanied by considerable charge injection leading to important space charges inside the ferroelectric film. These charges finally can lead, for given conditions, to a polarization reversal when the applied voltage to the conductive AFM tip is set to zero. Two analytical models are proposed to explain field inversion in the upper part of the film.

Thermoelectric Properties of Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) Doped with 2,3,5,6-Tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F 4TCNQ) by Vapor-Phase Infiltration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lim, Eunhee; Peterson, Kelly A.; Su, Gregory M.

Doping of thin films of semiconducting polymers provides control of their electrical conductivity and thermopower. The electrical conductivity of semiconducting polymers rises nonlinearly with the carrier concentration, and there is a lack of understanding of the detailed factors that lead to this behavior. Here, we report a study of the morphological effects of doping on the electrical conductivity of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin films doped with small molecule 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F 4TCNQ). Resonant soft X-ray scattering shows that the morphology of films of P3HT is not strongly changed by infiltration of F 4TCNQ from the vapor phase. We show that the localmore » ordering of P3HT, the texture and form factor of crystallites, and the long-range connectivity of crystalline domains contribute to the electrical conductivity in thin films. The thermopower of films of P3HT doped with F 4TCNQ from the vapor phase is not strongly enhanced relative to films doped from solution, but the electrical conductivity is significantly higher, improving the thermoelectric power factor.« less

Thermoelectric Properties of Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) Doped with 2,3,5,6-Tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F 4TCNQ) by Vapor-Phase Infiltration

DOE PAGES

Lim, Eunhee; Peterson, Kelly A.; Su, Gregory M.; ...

2018-01-29

Doping of thin films of semiconducting polymers provides control of their electrical conductivity and thermopower. The electrical conductivity of semiconducting polymers rises nonlinearly with the carrier concentration, and there is a lack of understanding of the detailed factors that lead to this behavior. Here, we report a study of the morphological effects of doping on the electrical conductivity of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin films doped with small molecule 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F 4TCNQ). Resonant soft X-ray scattering shows that the morphology of films of P3HT is not strongly changed by infiltration of F 4TCNQ from the vapor phase. We show that the localmore » ordering of P3HT, the texture and form factor of crystallites, and the long-range connectivity of crystalline domains contribute to the electrical conductivity in thin films. The thermopower of films of P3HT doped with F 4TCNQ from the vapor phase is not strongly enhanced relative to films doped from solution, but the electrical conductivity is significantly higher, improving the thermoelectric power factor.« less

Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project NREL's Thin Film Photovoltaic (PV) Partnership Project led R&D on emerging thin-film solar technologies in the National Laboratory developed low-cost transparent encapsulation schemes for CIGS cells that reduced power

Permanent laser conditioning of thin film optical materials

DOEpatents

Wolfe, C.R.; Kozlowski, M.R.; Campbell, J.H.; Staggs, M.; Rainer, F.

1995-12-05

The invention comprises a method for producing optical thin films with a high laser damage threshold and the resulting thin films. The laser damage threshold of the thin films is permanently increased by irradiating the thin films with a fluence below an unconditioned laser damage threshold. 9 figs.

Ordered organic-organic multilayer growth

DOEpatents

Forrest, Stephen R.; Lunt, Richard R.

2016-04-05

An ordered multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure is formed by depositing at least two layers of thin film crystalline organic materials successively wherein the at least two thin film layers are selected to have their surface energies within .+-.50% of each other, and preferably within .+-.15% of each other, whereby every thin film layer within the multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure exhibit a quasi-epitaxial relationship with the adjacent crystalline organic thin film.

Ordered organic-organic multilayer growth

DOEpatents

Forrest, Stephen R; Lunt, Richard R

2015-01-13

An ordered multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure is formed by depositing at least two layers of thin film crystalline organic materials successively wherein the at least two thin film layers are selected to have their surface energies within .+-.50% of each other, and preferably within .+-.15% of each other, whereby every thin film layer within the multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure exhibit a quasi-epitaxial relationship with the adjacent crystalline organic thin film.

Effect of Al on the microstructure, magnetic and millimeter-wave properties of high oriented barium hexaferrite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Daming; Chen, Zhuo; Wang, Guijuan; Chen, Yong; Li, Yuanxun; Liu, Yingli

2017-12-01

The microstructure, magnetic and millimeter-wave properties of high oriented barium hexaferrite (BaAlxFe12-xO19) thin films with Al doping level x from 0 to 2 are reported. The films were grown on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrate by Sol-gel method. It is found that with increasing x from 0 to 2 the hexagonal grain disappear, together with Curie temperature dropped from 449 °C to 332 °C and saturated magnetization (4πMs) decreased from 3.8 kG to 1.9 kG, it is attributed to the fact that the Fe ions were substituted by non-magnetic Al ions, leading to the Fe3+-O-Fe3+ super-exchange interaction became weak. The ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurement showed that the FMR linewidths is as low as 113 Oe @ 58 GHz, and the FMR frequency shifted to higher frequency range when increasing Al doping level. These result offer the potential application of barium ferrite thin films in tunable millimeter wave devices such as filter, circulator and isolator.

Effects of thermochemical treatment on CuSbS 2 photovoltaic absorber quality and solar cell reproducibility

DOE PAGES

de Souza Lucas, Francisco Willian; Welch, Adam W.; Baranowski, Lauryn L.; ...

2016-08-01

CuSbS 2 is a promising nontoxic and earth-abundant photovoltaic absorber that is chemically simpler than the widely studied Cu 2ZnSnS 4. However, CuSbS 2 photovoltaic (PV) devices currently have relatively low efficiency and poor reproducibility, often due to suboptimal material quality and insufficient optoelectronic properties. To address these issues, here we develop a thermochemical treatment (TT) for CuSbS 2 thin films, which consists of annealing in Sb 2S 3 vapor followed by a selective KOH surface chemical etch. The annealed CuSbS 2 films show improved structural quality and optoelectronic properties, such as stronger band-edge photoluminescence and longer photoexcited carrier lifetime.more » These improvements also lead to more reproducible CuSbS 2 PV devices, with performance currently limited by a large cliff-type interface band offset with CdS contact. Altogether, these results point to the potential avenues to further increase the performance of CuSbS 2 thin film solar cell, and the findings can be transferred to other thin film photovoltaic technologies.« less

Spreading Resistance on Thin Film Contacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Peng; Lau, Y. Y.; Hung, D.; Gilgenbach, R. M.

2012-10-01

Electrical contact [1] is important to wire-array z-pinches, metal-insulator-vacuum junctions, and high power microwave sources, etc. Contact problems account for 40 percent of all electrical failures, from small scale consumer electronics to large scale defense and aerospace systems. The crowding of the current lines at contacts leads to enhanced localized heating, a measure of which is the spreading resistance (Rs). For a microscopic area of contact (the ``a-spot'' [1]) on a thin film, we calculate Rs in both Cartesian and cylindrical geometries [2]. In the limit of small film thickness, h, the normalized thin film spreading resistance converges to the finite values, 2.77 for the Cartesian case and 0.28 for the cylindrical case. These same finite limits are found to be applicable to the a-spot between bulk solids in the high frequency limit if the skin depth is identified with h. Extension to a general a-spot geometry is proposed [2]. [4pt] [1] R. Holm, Electric Contacts, 4th ed., Springer (1967). [0pt] [2] P. Zhang et al., IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 59, 1936 (2012).

Growth of pentacene on α -Al2O3 (0001) studied by in situ optical spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Fu, X.; Hohage, M.; Zeppenfeld, P.; Sun, L. D.

2017-09-01

The growth of pentacene thin films on a sapphire α -Al2O3 (0001) surface was investigated in situ using differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Two different film structures are observed depending on the substrate temperature. If pentacene is deposited at room temperature, a wetting layer consisting of flat-lying molecules is formed after which upright-standing molecular layers with a herringbone structure start to grow. At low substrate temperature of 100 K, the long molecular axis of the pentacene molecules remains parallel to the surface plane throughout the entire growth regime up to rather large thicknesses. Heating thin films deposited at 100 K to room temperature causes the pentacene molecules beyond the wetting layer to stand up and assemble into a herringbone structure. Another interesting observation is the dewetting of the first flat-lying monolayer upon exposure to air, leading to the condensation of islands consisting of upright-standing molecules. Our results emphasize the interplay between growth kinetics and thermodynamics and its influence on the molecular orientation in organic thin films.

Strain induced superconductivity in the parent compound BaFe2As2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelmann, J.; Grinenko, V.; Chekhonin, P.; Skrotzki, W.; Efremov, D. V.; Oswald, S.; Iida, K.; Hühne, R.; Hänisch, J.; Hoffmann, M.; Kurth, F.; Schultz, L.; Holzapfel, B.

2013-12-01

The discovery of superconductivity with a transition temperature, Tc, up to 65 K in single-layer FeSe (bulk Tc=8 K) films grown on SrTiO3 substrates has attracted special attention to Fe-based thin films. The high Tc is a consequence of the combined effect of electron transfer from the oxygen-vacant substrate to the FeSe thin film and lattice tensile strain. Here we demonstrate the realization of superconductivity in the parent compound BaFe2As2 (no bulk Tc) just by tensile lattice strain without charge doping. We investigate the interplay between strain and superconductivity in epitaxial BaFe2As2 thin films on Fe-buffered MgAl2O4 single crystalline substrates. The strong interfacial bonding between Fe and the FeAs sublattice increases the Fe-Fe distance due to the lattice misfit, which leads to a suppression of the antiferromagnetic spin density wave and induces superconductivity with bulk Tc≈10 K. These results highlight the role of structural changes in controlling the phase diagram of Fe-based superconductors.

Nonlinear periodic wavetrains in thin liquid films falling on a uniformly heated horizontal plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Issokolo, Remi J. Noumana; Dikandé, Alain M.

2018-05-01

A thin liquid film falling on a uniformly heated horizontal plate spreads into fingering ripples that can display a complex dynamics ranging from continuous waves, nonlinear spatially localized periodic wave patterns (i.e., rivulet structures) to modulated nonlinear wavetrain structures. Some of these structures have been observed experimentally; however, conditions under which they form are still not well understood. In this work, we examine profiles of nonlinear wave patterns formed by a thin liquid film falling on a uniformly heated horizontal plate. For this purpose, the Benney model is considered assuming a uniform temperature distribution along the film propagation on the horizontal surface. It is shown that for strong surface tension but a relatively small Biot number, spatially localized periodic-wave structures can be analytically obtained by solving the governing equation under appropriate conditions. In the regime of weak nonlinearity, a multiple-scale expansion combined with the reductive perturbation method leads to a complex Ginzburg-Landau equation: the solutions of which are modulated periodic pulse trains which amplitude and width and period are expressed in terms of characteristic parameters of the model.

Controlling domain orientation of liquid crystalline block copolymer in thin films through tuning mesogenic chemical structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie, He-Lou; Li, Xiao; Ren, Jiaxing

Controlling the macroscopic orientation of nanoscale periodic structures of amphiphilic liquid crystalline block copolymers (LC BCPs) is important to a variety of technical applications (e.g., lithium conducting polymer electrolytes). To study LC BCP domain orientation, a series of LC BCPs containing a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block as a conventional hydrophilic coil block and LC blocks containing azobenzene mesogens is designed and synthesized. LC ordering in thin films of the BCP leads to the formation of highly ordered, microphase-separated nanostructures, with hexagonally arranged PEO cylinders. Substitution on the tail of the azobenzene mesogen is shown to control the orientation of themore » PEO cylinders. When the substitution on the mesogenic tails is an alkyl chain, the PEO cylinders have a perpendicular orientation to the substrate surface, provided the thin film is above a critical thickness value. In contrast, when the substitution on the mesogenic tails has an ether group the PEO cylinders assemble parallel to the substrate surface regardless of the film thickness value.« less

Nearly amorphous Mo-N gratings for ultimate resolution in extreme ultraviolet interference lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.; Kirk, E.; Wäckerlin, C.; Schneider, C. W.; Hojeij, M.; Gobrecht, J.; Ekinci, Y.

2014-06-01

We present fabrication and characterization of high-resolution and nearly amorphous Mo1 - xNx transmission gratings and their use as masks for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) interference lithography. During sputter deposition of Mo, nitrogen is incorporated into the film by addition of N2 to the Ar sputter gas, leading to suppression of Mo grain growth and resulting in smooth and homogeneous thin films with a negligible grain size. The obtained Mo0.8N0.2 thin films, as determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, are characterized to be nearly amorphous using x-ray diffraction. We demonstrate a greatly reduced Mo0.8N0.2 grating line edge roughness compared with pure Mo grating structures after e-beam lithography and plasma dry etching. The amorphous Mo0.8N0.2 thin films retain, to a large extent, the benefits of Mo as a phase grating material for EUV wavelengths, providing great advantages for fabrication of highly efficient diffraction gratings with extremely low roughness. Using these grating masks, well-resolved dense lines down to 8 nm half-pitch are fabricated with EUV interference lithography.

Separating Bulk and Surface Contributions to Electronic Excited-State Processes in Hybrid Mixed Perovskite Thin Films via Multimodal All-Optical Imaging

DOE PAGES

Simpson, Mary Jane; Doughty, Benjamin; Das, Sanjib; ...

2017-07-04

A comprehensive understanding of electronic excited-state phenomena underlying the impressive performance of solution-processed hybrid halide perovskite solar cells requires access to both spatially resolved electronic processes and corresponding sample morphological characteristics. In this paper, we demonstrate an all-optical multimodal imaging approach that enables us to obtain both electronic excited-state and morphological information on a single optical microscope platform with simultaneous high temporal and spatial resolution. Specifically, images were acquired for the same region of interest in thin films of chloride containing mixed lead halide perovskites (CH 3NH 3PbI 3–xCl x) using femtosecond transient absorption, time-integrated photoluminescence, confocal reflectance, and transmissionmore » microscopies. Comprehensive image analysis revealed the presence of surface- and bulk-dominated contributions to the various images, which describe either spatially dependent electronic excited-state properties or morphological variations across the probed region of the thin films. Finally, these results show that PL probes effectively the species near or at the film surface.« less

Low work function, stable thin films

DOEpatents

Dinh, Long N.; McLean, II, William; Balooch, Mehdi; Fehring, Jr., Edward J.; Schildbach, Marcus A.

2000-01-01

Generation of low work function, stable compound thin films by laser ablation. Compound thin films with low work function can be synthesized by simultaneously laser ablating silicon, for example, and thermal evaporating an alkali metal into an oxygen environment. For example, the compound thin film may be composed of Si/Cs/O. The work functions of the thin films can be varied by changing the silicon/alkali metal/oxygen ratio. Low work functions of the compound thin films deposited on silicon substrates were confirmed by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). The compound thin films are stable up to 500.degree. C. as measured by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Tests have established that for certain chemical compositions and annealing temperatures of the compound thin films, negative electron affinity (NEA) was detected. The low work function, stable compound thin films can be utilized in solar cells, field emission flat panel displays, electron guns, and cold cathode electron guns.

Structure, adhesive strength and electrochemical performance of nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon thin films deposited via DC magnetron sputtering.

PubMed

Khun, N W; Liu, E; Krishna, M D

2010-07-01

Nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon (DLC:N) thin films were deposited on p-Si (100) substrates by DC magnetron sputtering with different nitrogen flow rates at a substrate temperature of about 100 degrees C. The chemical bonding structure of the films was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The adhesive strength and surface morphology of the films were studied using micro-scratch tester and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The electrochemical performance of the films was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization testing and linear sweep voltammetry. The electrolytes used for the electrochemical tests were deaerated and unstirred 0.47 M KCl aqueous solution for potentiodynamic polarization testing and 0.2 M KOH and 0.1 M KCl solutions for voltammetric analysis. It was found that the DLC:N films could well passivate the underlying substrates though the corrosion resistance of the films decreased with increased nitrogen content in the films. The DLC:N films showed wide potential windows in the KOH solution, in which the detection ability of the DLC:N films to trace lead of about 1 x 10(-3) M Pb(2+) was also tested.

Coupling of Luminescent Solar Concentrators to Plasmonic Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shu-Yi

To make inexpensive solar cells is a continuous goal for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy industry. Thin film solar cells of various materials have been developed and continue to emerge in order to replace bulk silicon solar cells. A thin film solar cell not only uses less material but also requires a less expensive refinery process. In addition, other advantages coming along with small thickness are higher open circuit voltage and higher conversion efficiency. However, thin film solar cells, especially those made of silicon, have significant optical losses. In order to address this problem, this thesis investigates the spectral coupling of thin films PV to luminescent solar concentrators (LSC). LSC are passive devices, consisting of plastic sheets embedded with fluorescent dyes which absorb part of the incoming radiation spectrum and emit at specific wavelength. The emitted light is concentrated by total internal reflection to the edge of the sheet, where the PVs are placed. Since the light emitted from the LSC edge is usually in a narrow spectral range, it is possible to employ diverse strategies to enhance PV absorption at the peak of the emission wavelength. Employing plasmonic nanostructures has been shown to enhance absorption of thin films via forward scattering, diffraction and localized surface plasmon. These two strategies are theoretically investigated here for improving the absorption and elevating the output power of a thin film solar cell. First, the idea of spectral coupling of luminescent solar concentrators to plasmonic solar cells is introduced to assess its potential for increasing the power output. This study is carried out employing P3HT/PC60BM organic solar cells and LSC with Lumogen Red dyes. A simplified spectral coupling analysis is employed to predict the power density, considering the output spectrum of the LSC equivalent to the emission spectrum of the dye and neglecting any angular dependence. Plasmonic tuning is conducted to enhance absorption at the emission peak of the dye. A factorial increase in the output power density of coupled PV as compared to PV exposed directly to solar spectrum is observed for high light concentration on the edge. These initial results motivated a more in-depth study of coupled LSC-PV system, which took into account the radiative transport inside the realistic LSC. These investigations were carried out on LSCs using Lumogen Red305 and Rhodamine 6G dyes coupled to pristine and plasmonic ultra-thin film silicon solar cells. Prediction based on detailed balance shows that the coupled LSC-plasmonic solar cell can generate 63.7 mW/cm2 with a photocurrent density of 71.3 mA/cm2 which is higher than that of cSi solar cells available on current market. The second part of the thesis focuses on PV absorption enhancement techniques. First, the effect of vertical positioning of plasmonic nanostructures on absorption enhancement was theoretically investigated to understand which one of the three mechanisms usually responsible for the enhancement (forward scattering, diffraction and localized surface plamson) plays the dominant role. Simulation results suggested that the maximum enhancement occurred when placing the nanostructures in the rear side of the cell because of longer path length due to scattering. The experimental effort then switched focus on substrate patterning, which is a less expensive alternative to plasmonic absorption enhancement. Specifically, a nanostructured substrate was prepared by a simple electrochemical process based on two-step aluminum anodization technique. The absorption of thin film silicon deposited on these substrates showed a broadband enhancement. The overall photocurrent density was up to 40% higher than that of films deposited on flat substrates. In conclusion, the studies carried out in this thesis indicate that spectral coupling of LSCs to thin film solar cells could lead to significant improvements in PV output power density. Moreover, while the absorption of thin film solar cells can be enhanced by plasmonic nanostructures, it is shown that alternative methods, such as direct deposition of the films on inexpensively nanostructured substrates could also be employed to obtain significant enhancements. Combining these strategies may lead to inexpensive solar power harvesting systems with significant economic benefits. These strategies are not material-specific but applicable to a wide range of thin film solar cells.

The Role of Partial Surface Charge Compensation in the Properties of Ferroelectric and Antiferroelectric Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swedberg, Elena

Ferroelectric and antiferroelectric ultrathin films have attracted a lot of attention recently due to their remarkable properties and their potential to allow for device miniaturization in numerous applications. However, when the ferroelectric films are scaled down, it brings about an unavoidable depolarizing field. A partial surface charge compensation allows to control the residual depolarizing field and manipulate the properties of ultrathin ferroelectric films. In this dissertation we take advantage of atomistic first-principles-based simulations to expand our understanding of the role of the partial surface charge compensation in the properties of ferroelectric and antiferroelectric ultrathin films. The application of our computational methodology to study the effect of the partial surface charge compensation in ferroelectric ultrathin films led to the prediction that, depending on the quality of the surface charge compensation, ferroelectric thin films respond to an electric field in a qualitatively different manner. They can be tuned to behave like a linear dielectric, a ferroelectric or even an antiferroelectric. This effect was shown to exist in films with different mechanical boundary conditions and different crystal symmetries. There are a number of potential applications where such properties of ferroelectric thin films can be used. One of these potential applications is energy storage. We will show that, in the antiferroelectric regime, ferroelectric thin films exhibit drastic enhancement of energy storage density which is a desirable property. One of the most promising applications of ferroelectric ultrathin films that emerged only recently is the harvesting of the giant electrocaloric effect. Interestingly, despite numerous studies of the electrocaloric effect in ferroelectric thin films, it is presently unknown how a residual depolarizing field affects the electrocaloric properties of such films. Application of state-of-the-art computational methods to investigate the electrocaloric effect in ferroelectric films with partial surface charge compensation led to the prediction that the residual depolarizing field can perform a dual role in the electrocaloric effect in these films. When the depolarizing field creates competition between the monodomain and nanodomain states, we predict an enhancement of the electrocaloric effect due to the frustration that increases the entropy of the state and therefore the electrocaloric temperature change. On the other hand, when the depolarizing field leads to a formation of nanodomains, thin films either exhibit a small electrocaloric effect or lose their electrocaloric properties altogether to the irreversible nanodomain motion. When the residual depolarizing field is weak enough to permit the formation of monodomain phases, the electrocaloric effect is significantly reduced as compared to bulk. We believe that our findings could potentially reveal additional opportunities to optimize solid state cooling technology. While the electrocaloric effect has been a popular topic of interest in recent years [12], there still exists numerous gaps in the fundamental understanding of the effect. In particular, it is presently unknown whether the scaling laws, known to exist for magnetocaloric materials, can be applied to ferroelectric and antiferroelectric electrocalorics. We predict the existence of scaling laws for low-field electrocaloric temperature change in antiferroelectric and ferroelectric materials. With the help of first-principles-based simulations, we showed computationally that the scaling laws exist for antiferroelectric PbZrO3 along with ferroelectrics PbTiO3, BaTiO 3 and KNbO3. Additional evidence of the scaling laws existence are provided using experimental data from the literature. Interestingly, our studies on ferroelectric films predicted the existence of antiferroelectric behavior in ultrathin films with partial surface charge compensation. One may wonder whether it is possible to stabilize the ferroelectric phase in antiferroelectric films and what role the surface charge screening would play in such a transition. Motivated to address these fundamental questions, we used computational experiments to study antiferroelectric ultrathin films with a residual depolarizing field. Our studies led to the following predictions. We found that PbZrO3 thin films exhibit the ferroelectric phase upon scaling down and under the condition of efficient surface charge compensation. We also found a strong competition between the antiferroelectric and ferroelectric phases for the thin films of the critical size associated with antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition. This finding motivated us to study the electrocaloric effect in PbZrO3 thin films with antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase competition. We found that high tunability of the phase transition by the electric field leads to a wide range of temperatures associated with a strong electrocaloric effect. In addition, we found that epitaxial strain provides further tunability to the electrocaloric properties. In summary, our studies led to a broader and deeper understanding of the abundantly many roles surface charge compensation plays in ultrathin ferroelectrics and antiferroelectrics.

Optical sensor array platform based on polymer electronic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koetse, Marc M.; Rensing, Peter A.; Sharpe, Ruben B. A.; van Heck, Gert T.; Allard, Bart A. M.; Meulendijks, Nicole N. M. M.; Kruijt, Peter G. M.; Tijdink, Marcel W. W. J.; De Zwart, René M.; Houben, René J.; Enting, Erik; van Veen, Sjaak J. J. F.; Schoo, Herman F. M.

2007-10-01

Monitoring of personal wellbeing and optimizing human performance are areas where sensors have only begun to be used. One of the reasons for this is the specific demands that these application areas put on the underlying technology and system properties. In many cases these sensors will be integrated in clothing, be worn on the skin, or may even be placed inside the body. This implies that flexibility and wearability of the systems is essential for their success. Devices based on polymer semiconductors allow for these demands since they can be fabricated with thin film technology. The use of thin film device technology allows for the fabrication of very thin sensors (e.g. integrated in food product packaging), flexible or bendable sensors in wearables, large area/distributed sensors, and intrinsically low-cost applications in disposable products. With thin film device technology a high level of integration can be achieved with parts that analyze signals, process and store data, and interact over a network. Integration of all these functions will inherently lead to better cost/performance ratios, especially if printing and other standard polymer technology such as high precision moulding is applied for the fabrication. In this paper we present an optical transmission sensor array based on polymer semiconductor devices made by thin film technology. The organic devices, light emitting diodes, photodiodes and selective medium chip, are integrated with classic electronic components. Together they form a versatile sensor platform that allows for the quantitative measurement of 100 channels and communicates wireless with a computer. The emphasis is given to the sensor principle, the design, fabrication technology and integration of the thin film devices.

Rigorous asymptotics of traveling-wave solutions to the thin-film equation and Tanner’s law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giacomelli, Lorenzo; Gnann, Manuel V.; Otto, Felix

2016-09-01

We are interested in traveling-wave solutions to the thin-film equation with zero microscopic contact angle (in the sense of complete wetting without precursor) and inhomogeneous mobility {{h}3}+{λ3-n}{{h}n} , where h, λ, and n\\in ≤ft(\\frac{3}{2},\\frac{7}{3}\\right) denote film height, slip parameter, and mobility exponent, respectively. Existence and uniqueness of these solutions have been established by Maria Chiricotto and the first of the authors in previous work under the assumption of sub-quadratic growth as h\\to ∞ . In the present work we investigate the asymptotics of solutions as h\\searrow 0 (the contact-line region) and h\\to ∞ . As h\\searrow 0 we observe, to leading order, the same asymptotics as for traveling waves or source-type self-similar solutions to the thin-film equation with homogeneous mobility h n and we additionally characterize corrections to this law. Moreover, as h\\to ∞ we identify, to leading order, the logarithmic Tanner profile, i.e. the solution to the corresponding unperturbed problem with λ =0 that determines the apparent macroscopic contact angle. Besides higher-order terms, corrections turn out to affect the asymptotic law as h\\to ∞ only by setting the length scale in the logarithmic Tanner profile. Moreover, we prove that both the correction and the length scale depend smoothly on n. Hence, in line with the common philosophy, the precise modeling of liquid-solid interactions (within our model, the mobility exponent) does not affect the qualitative macroscopic properties of the film.

Effect of Secondary Doping Using Sorbitol on Structure and Transport Properties of PEDOT-PSS Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khasim, Syed; Pasha, Apsar; Roy, Aashish S.; Parveen, Ameena; Badi, Nacer

2017-07-01

Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulphonate) (PEDOT-PSS) in the recent past has emerged as one of the most fascinating conducting polymers for many device applications. The unique feature of PEDOT-PSS is its transparency in the entire visible spectrum with excellent thermal stability. The PEDOT-PSS as prepared as an aqueous dispersion has very low conductivity, and it hinders the performance of a device. In this work we report the conductivity enhancement of PEDOT-PSS thin films through secondary doping using a polar organic solvent such as sorbitol. The mechanism of conductivity enhancement was studied through various physical and chemical characterizations. The effect of sorbitol concentration on structure and transport properties of PEDOT-PSS thin films was investigated in detail. The structural and morphological modifications in PEDOT-PSS due to the addition of sorbitol was studied through Fourier transform spectroscopy, Ultra Violet-visible spectroscopy, theromogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The interactions resulting from conformational changes of PEDOT chains that changes from coiled to linear structure due to the sorbitol treatment significantly improves the conductivity of PEDOT-PSS films. The secondary doping of sorbitol reduces the energy barrier that facilitates the charge carrier hopping leading to enhanced conductivity. We have observed that the conductivity of PEDOT-PSS thin films was increased by two fold due to sorbitol treatment when compared to conductivity of pure PEDOT-PSS. We have carried out detailed analysis of dielectric parameters of sorbitol-treated PEDOT-PSS films and found that sorbitol treatment has a significant effect on various dielectric attributes of PEDOT-PSS films. Hence, secondary doping using sorbitol could be a useful way to effectively tailor the conductivity and dielectric properties of PEDOT-PSS thin films that can be used as flexible electrodes in optoelectronic devices.

Local piezoelectric behavior in PZT-based thin films for ultrasound transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griggio, Flavio

Piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are currently used in inkjet printers and precision resonators; numerous additional applications are being investigated for sensors, low-voltage actuators, and transducers. This work was aimed at improving piezoelectric MEMS by taking two approaches: 1) identifying factors affecting the piezoelectric response of ferroelectric thin films and 2) demonstrating integration of these films into a high frequency array transducer. It was found that there are several key factors influencing the piezoelectric response of thin films for a given material composition. First, large grain size improves the piezoelectric response. This was demonstrated using chemical solution deposited lead nickel niobate -- lead zirconate titanate (0.3)Pb(Ni 0.33Nb0.67)O3 - (0.7)Pb(Zr0.45Ti 0.55O3), (PNN-PZT) ferroelectric thin films. It was shown that this composition allows greater microstructural control than does PZT. Dielectric permittivities ranging from 1350 to 1520 and a transverse piezoelectric coefficient e31,f as high as -- 9.7 C/m 2 were observed for films of about 0.25 mum in thickness. The permittivity and piezoelectric response as well as extrinsic contributions to the dielectric constant increased by 14 and 12 % respectively for samples with grain sizes ranging from 110 to 270 nm. A second factor influencing the piezoelectric response is film composition with respect to the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). The composition dependence of the dielectric and piezoelectric nonlinearities was characterized in epitaxially grown (0.3)Pb(Ni0.33Nb0.67)O3-(0.7)Pb(Zr xTi1-xO3) thin films deposited on SrTiO 3 to minimize the influence of large-angle grain boundaries. Tetragonal, MPB and rhombohedral films were prepared by changing the Zr/Ti ratio. The largest dielectric and piezoelectric nonlinearities were observed for the rhombohedral sample; this resulted from a higher domain wall mobility due to a smaller ferroelectric distortion and superior crystal quality. Thirdly, changes in the mechanical boundary conditions experienced by a ferroelectric thin film were found to influence both the properties and the length scale for correlated motion of domain walls. Microfabrication was employed to release the PZT films from the Si substrate. Nonlinear piezoelectric maps, by band excitation piezoforce microscopy, showed formation of clusters of higher nonlinear activities of similar size for clamped PZT films with different microstructures. However PZT films that had been released from the Si substrate showed a distinct increase in the correlation length associated with coupled domain wall motion, suggesting that the local mechanical boundary conditions, more than microstructure or composition govern the domain wall dynamics. Release of both the local and the global stress states in films produced dielectric nonlinearities comparable to those of bulk ceramics. The second research direction was targeted at demonstrating the functionality of a one dimensional transducer array. A diaphragm geometry was used for the transducer arrays in order to benefit from the unimorph-type displacement of the PZT-SiO2 layers. For this purpose, the PZT and remaining films in the stack were patterned using reactive ion etching and partially released from the underlying silicon substrate by XeF2 etching from the top. Admittance measurements on the fabricated structures showed resonance frequencies at ˜40 MHz for a 80 mum diameter-wide diaphragms with a PZT thickness of 1.74 mum. In-water transmit and receive functionalities were demonstrated. A bandwidth on receive of 80 % centered at 40 MHz was determined during pitch-mode tests.

Low stress polysilicon film and method for producing same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heuer, Arthur H. (Inventor); Kahn, Harold (Inventor); Yang, Jie (Inventor)

2001-01-01

Multi-layer assemblies of polysilicon thin films having predetermined stress characteristics and techniques for forming such assemblies are disclosed. In particular, a multi-layer assembly of polysilicon thin film may be produced that has a stress level of zero, or substantially so. The multi-layer assemblies comprise at least one constituent thin film having a tensile stress and at least one constituent thin film having a compressive stress. The thin films forming the multi-layer assemblies may be disposed immediately adjacent to one another without the use of intermediate layers between the thin films.

Low stress polysilicon film and method for producing same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heuer, Arthur H. (Inventor); Kahn, Harold (Inventor); Yang, Jie (Inventor)

2002-01-01

Multi-layer assemblies of polysilicon thin films having predetermined stress characteristics and techniques for forming such assemblies are disclosed. In particular, a multi-layer assembly of polysilicon thin film may be produced that has a stress level of zero, or substantially so. The multi-layer assemblies comprise at least one constituent thin film having a tensile stress and at least one constituent thin film having a compressive stress. The thin films forming the multi-layer assemblies may be disposed immediately adjacent to one another without the use of intermediate layers between the thin films.

Molecular tailoring of interfaces for thin film on substrate systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grady, Martha Elizabeth

Thin film on substrate systems appear most prevalently within the microelectronics industry, which demands that devices operate in smaller and smaller packages with greater reliability. The reliability of these multilayer film systems is strongly influenced by the adhesion of each of the bimaterial interfaces. During use, microelectronic components undergo thermo-mechanical cycling, which induces interfacial delaminations leading to failure of the overall device. The ability to tailor interfacial properties at the molecular level provides a mechanism to improve thin film adhesion, reliability and performance. This dissertation presents the investigation of molecular level control of interface properties in three thin film-substrate systems: photodefinable polyimide films on passivated silicon substrates, self-assembled monolayers at the interface of Au films and dielectric substrates, and mechanochemically active materials on rigid substrates. For all three materials systems, the effect of interfacial modifications on adhesion is assessed using a laser-spallation technique. Laser-induced stress waves are chosen because they dynamically load the thin film interface in a precise, noncontacting manner at high strain rates and are suitable for both weak and strong interfaces. Photodefinable polyimide films are used as dielectrics in flip chip integrated circuit packages to reduce the stress between silicon passivation layers and mold compound. The influence of processing parameters on adhesion is examined for photodefinable polyimide films on silicon (Si) substrates with three different passivation layers: silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy), and the native silicon oxide (SiO2). Interfacial strength increases when films are processed with an exposure step as well as a longer cure cycle. Additionally, the interfacial fracture energy is assessed using a dynamic delamination protocol. The high toughness of this interface (ca. 100 J/m2) makes it difficult to use more conventional interfacial fracture testing techniques. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) provide an enabling platform for molecular tailoring of the chemical and physical properties of an interface in an on-demand fashion. The SAM end-group functionality is systematically varied and the corresponding effect on interfacial adhesion between a transfer printed gold (Au) film and a fused silica substrate is measured. SAMs with four different end groups are investigated: methyl, amine, bromine and thiol. In addition to these four end groups, mixed monolayers of increasing molar ratio of thiol to methyl SAMs in solution are investigated. There is a strong dependence of interfacial chemistry on the adhesion strength of Au films. In addition to the chemical functionality of the SAM, surface roughness of the underlying substrate also has a significant impact on the interfacial strength. Thin films of mechanochemically active polymer are subjected to laser-generated, high amplitude acoustic pulses. Stress wave propagation through the film produces large amplitude stresses (>100 MPa) in short time frames (10-20 ns), leading to very high strain-rates (ca. 107-108 s -1). The polymer system, spiropyran (SP)- linked polystyrene (PS), undergoes a force-induced chemical reaction causing fluorescence and color change. Activation of SP is evident via a fluorescence signal in thin films subject to high strain-rates. In contrast, quasi-static loading of bulk SP-linked PS samples failed to result in SP activation. Mechanoresponsive coatings have potential to indicate deformation under shockwave loading conditions. In addition to SP-linked polymer films, the activation of spiropyran interfacial molecules with different side groups is characterized as they adsorb onto a SAM platform with preferential amine terminating chemistry. The reactivity of SP monolayers due to UV irradiation is evaluated by water contact angle goniometry and fluorescence spectroscopy. Side groups on the interfacial spiropyran molecule affect the reactivity and the proximity of neighboring spiropyrans can prevent efficient mobility.

Miniature hybrid microwave IC's using a novel thin-film technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eda, Kazuo; Miwa, Tetsuji; Taguchi, Yutaka; Uwano, Tomoki

1990-12-01

A novel thin-film technology for miniature hybrid microwave ICs is presented. All passive components, such as resistors and capacitors, are fully integrated on ordinary alumina ceramic substrates using the thin-film technology with very high yield. The numbers of parts and wiring processes were significantly reduced. This technology was applied to the fabrication of Ku-band solid-state power amplifiers. This thin-film technology offers the following advantages: (1) a very high yield fabrication process of thin-film capacitor having excellent electrical characteristics in the gigahertz range (Q = 230 at 12 GHz) and reliability: (2) two kinds of thin-film resistors having different temperature coefficients of resistivity and a lift-off process to integrate them with thin-film capacitors; and (3) a matching method using the thin-film capacitor.

Preparation and evaluation of thin-film sodium tungsten bronzes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kautz, H. E.; Fielder, W. L.; Singer, J.; Fordyce, J. S.

1974-01-01

Thin films of sodium tungsten bronze (NaxWO3) were investigated as reversible sodium ion electrodes for solid electrolytes. The films were made by electron beam evaporation of the three phases, W metal, Na2WO4, and WO3, followed by sintering. The substrates were sodium beta alumina disks and glass slides. X-ray diffraction analyses of the films showed that sintering in dry nitrogen with prior exposure to air lead to mixed phases. Sintering in vacuum with no air exposure produced tetragonal I bronze with a nominal composition of Na0.31WO3, single phase within the limits of X-ray diffraction detectability. The films were uniform and adherent on sodium beta alumina substrates. The ac and dc conductivities of the beta alumina were measured with the sodium tungsten bronze films as electrodes. These experiments indicated that the tetragonal I bronze electrodes were not completely reversible. This may have resulted from sodium ion blocking within the bronze film or at the bronze beta alumina interface. Methods for attempting to make more completely reversible electrodes are suggested.

Nanoparticle formation after nanosecond-laser irradiation of thin gold films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ratautas, Karolis; Gedvilas, Mindaugas; Raciukaitis, Gediminas

2012-07-01

Evolution in nanoparticle formation was observed after nanosecond-laser irradiation of thin gold films on a silicon substrate and physical phenomena leading to the formation of nanoparticles were studied. Gold films of different thickness (3, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 nm) were evaporated on the silicon (110) substrate and irradiated with the pulsed nanosecond laser using different pulse energies and the number of pulses in a burst. Experimentally morphological changes appeared in the films only when the pulse energy was high enough to initiate the phase transition. The threshold energy density for phase transitions in the films was estimated frommore » the thermal model of the laser beam and sample interaction. With the pulse energy just above the threshold, it was possible to observe evolution of nanoparticle formation from a plane metal film by changing the number of pulses applied, as duration of the pulse burst represented the time how long the liquid phase existed. The final size of nanoparticles was a function of the film thickness and was found to be independent of the pulse energy and the number of pulses.« less

Substrate bias effects on composition and coercivity of CoCrTa/Cr thin films on canasite and glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Y.; Lambeth, D. N.; Sui, X.; Lee, L.-L.; Laughlin, D. E.

1993-05-01

CoCrTa/Cr thin films were prepared by rf diode sputtering onto canasite and glass substrates at various bias voltages from two targets of different compositions (Co82.8Cr14.6Ta2.6 and Co86Cr12Ta2). While Auger depth profile analysis indicates that there is some broadening at the CoCrTa-Cr interface, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy reveals that changes in alloy composition due to the resputtering processes are even more prominent. For both targets, as the substrate bias increases the Co content in the films declines, and the magnetization decreases. The maximum film coercivity appears to correlate to the final film composition. By investigating the results from both targets, it is concluded that the coercivity reaches a maximum when the film composition is in the neighborhood of Co84Cr13Ta3. Thus, to optimize the coercivity different bias voltages are required for each target. Excessive substrate bias, however, leads to films with low magnetization and coercivity.

An investigation of flow-limited field-injection electrostatic spraying (FFESS) and its applications to thin film deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Ravindra Pratap

Electrostatic spraying is the process of controlled disruption of a liquid surface due to excess surface charge density. The technique has found applications in a wide range of fields from agricultural sprays to fuel injectors to colloidal thrusters for space vehicle propulsion. Over the past 20 years, the technique has been intensely studied in material processing for synthesis of ceramic and metal powders, nanoparticles and thin films. The importance of the technique lies in its simple setup, high deposition efficiency, and ambient atmosphere operation. In conventional electrostatic spraying (CESS), one uses a conducting nozzle to charge the liquid, mostly by induction charging. CESS is therefore restricted to the single jet mode of spraying which occurs at low spray currents. It lacks stability and reproducibility in the high current, multiple jet regime, which can generate much finer sprays. In flow-limited field-injection electrostatic spraying (FFESS), one uses a field-injection electrode to stably and controllably inject higher currents into the liquid, a la Fowler-Nordheim, using an otherwise insulating nozzle. This way, it is possible to stably electrospray in the multiple jet mode. In addition to producing much finer sprays, the multi-jet mode atomizes liquids at higher rates, and spreads the spray over a wider region and more uniformly than single jet sprays, thus paving way for large-area uniform thin film deposition. A simple yet comprehensive theory is formulated to describe the multi jet formation. The theory, which is based on the energy minimization principle, takes into account, for the first time, the interactions between charged jets which leads to saturation in the number of jets at high spray currents. The possibility of using an array of nozzles to obtain uniform large-area high-throughput thin film deposition is also investigated. A large number of FFESS nozzles with alternating positive and negative polarities arranged in a periodic 2-dimensional array are found to produce uniform thin films over large areas. Deposition of TiO2 and silver thin films using multi jet FFESS is studied, demonstrating great control on film morphology and properties. TiO2 thin films deposited on high-intensity discharge arc lamps are found to improve the quality of its light output. Silver thin films of high purity and conductivity, and with good adhesion, could be deposited at relatively high deposition rates and high deposition efficiency as compared to CVD techniques.

Large Energy Density, Excellent Thermal Stability, and High Cycling Endurance of Lead-Free BaZr0.2Ti0.8O3 Film Capacitors.

PubMed

Sun, Zixiong; Ma, Chunrui; Wang, Xi; Liu, Ming; Lu, Lu; Wu, Ming; Lou, Xiaojie; Wang, Hong; Jia, Chun-Lin

2017-05-24

A large energy storage density (ESD) of 30.4 J/cm 3 and high energy efficiency of 81.7% under an electrical field of 3 MV/cm was achieved at room temperature by the fabrication of environmentally friendly lead-free BaZr 0.2 Ti 0.8 O 3 epitaxial thin films on Nb-doped SrTiO 3 (001) substrates by using a radio-frequency magnetron sputtering system. Moreover, the BZT film capacitors exhibit great thermal stability of the ESD from 16.8 J/cm 3 to 14.0 J/cm 3 with efficiency of beyond 67.4% and high fatigue endurance (up to 10 6 cycles) in a wide temperature range from room temperature to 125 °C. Compared to other BaTiO 3 -based energy storage capacitor materials and even Pb-based systems, BaZr 0.2 Ti 0.8 O 3 thin film capacitors show either high ESD or great energy efficiency. All of these excellent results revealed that the BaZr 0.2 Ti 0.8 O 3 film capacitors have huge potential in the application of modern electronics, such as locomotive and pulse power, in harsh working environments.

Creation and Ordering of Oxygen Vacancies at WO 3-δ and Perovskite Interfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Kelvin H. L.; Li, Guoqiang; Spurgeon, Steven R.

Changes in structure and composition resulting from oxygen deficiency can strongly impact the physical and chemical properties of transition metal oxides, which may lead to new functionalities for novel electronic devices. Oxygen vacancies (V o) can be readily formed to accomodate the lattice mismatch during epitixial thin film growth. In this paper, the effects of substrate strain and oxidizing power on the creation and distribution of V o in WO 3-δ thin films are investigated in detail. An 18O 2 isotope labeled time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry study reveals that WO 3-δ films grown on SrTiO 3 substrates display amore » significantly larger oxygen vacancy gradient along the growth direction compared to those grown on LaAlO 3 substrates. This result is corroborated by scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging which reveals a large number of defects close to the interface to accommodate interfacial tensile strain, leading to the ordering of V o and the formation of semi-aligned Magnéli phases. The strain is gradually released and tetragonal phase with much better crystallinity is observed at the film/vacuum interface. The changes in structure resulting from oxygen defect creation are shown to have a direct impact on the electronic and optical properties of the films.« less

Combining light-harvesting with detachability in high-efficiency thin-film silicon solar cells.

PubMed

Ram, Sanjay K; Desta, Derese; Rizzoli, Rita; Bellettato, Michele; Lyckegaard, Folmer; Jensen, Pia B; Jeppesen, Bjarke R; Chevallier, Jacques; Summonte, Caterina; Larsen, Arne Nylandsted; Balling, Peter

2017-06-01

Efforts to realize thin-film solar cells on unconventional substrates face several obstacles in achieving good energy-conversion efficiency and integrating light-management into the solar cell design. In this report a technique to circumvent these obstacles is presented: transferability and an efficient light-harvesting scheme are combined for thin-film silicon solar cells by the incorporation of a NaCl layer. Amorphous silicon solar cells in p-i-n configuration are fabricated on reusable glass substrates coated with an interlayer of NaCl. Subsequently, the solar cells are detached from the substrate by dissolution of the sacrificial NaCl layer in water and then transferred onto a plastic sheet, with a resultant post-transfer efficiency of 9%. The light-trapping effect of the surface nanotextures originating from the NaCl layer on the overlying solar cell is studied theoretically and experimentally. The enhanced light absorption in the solar cells on NaCl-coated substrates leads to significant improvement in the photocurrent and energy-conversion efficiency in solar cells with both 350 and 100 nm thick absorber layers, compared to flat-substrate solar cells. Efficient transferable thin-film solar cells hold a vast potential for widespread deployment of off-grid photovoltaics and cost reduction.

Fabrication of nanostructured CIGS solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongwang; Wang, Fang; Parry, James; Perera, Samanthe; Zeng, Hao

2012-02-01

We present the work on Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 based nanostructured solar cells based on nanowire arrays. CIGS as the light absorber for thin-film solar cells has been widely studied recently, due to its high absorption coefficient, long-term stability, and low-cost of fabrication. Recently, solution phase processed CIGS thin film solar cells attracted great attention due to their extremely low fabrication cost. However, the performance is lower than vacuum based thin films possibly due to higher density of defects and lower carrier mobility. On the other hand, one dimensional ordered nanostructures such as nanowires and nanorods can be used to make redial junction solar cells, where the orthogonality between light absorption and charge carrier separation can lead to enhanced PV performance. Since the charge carriers only need to traverse a short distance in the radial direction before they are separated at the heterojunction interface, the radial junction scheme can be more defect tolerant than their planar junction scheme. In this work, a wide band gap nanowire or nanotube array such as TiO2 is used as a scaffold where CIGS is conformally coated using solution phase to obtain a radial heterojunction solar cell. Their performance is compared that of the planar thin film solar cells fabricated with the same materials.

Transverse piezoelectric coefficient measurement of flexible lead zirconate titanate thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dufay, T.; Guiffard, B.; Seveno, R.

Highly flexible lead zirconate titanate, Pb(Zr,Ti)O{sub 3} (PZT), thin films have been realized by modified sol-gel process. The transverse piezoelectric coefficient d{sub 31} was determined from the tip displacement of bending-mode actuators made of PZT cantilever deposited onto bare or RuO{sub 2} coated aluminium substrate (16 μm thick). The influence of the thickness of ruthenium dioxide RuO{sub 2} and PZT layers was investigated for Pb(Zr{sub 0.57}Ti{sub 0.43})O{sub 3}. The modification of Zr/Ti ratio from 40/60 to 60/40 was done for 3 μm thick PZT thin films onto aluminium (Al) and Al/RuO{sub 2} substrates. A laser vibrometer was used to measure the beammore » displacement under controlled electric field. The experimental results were fitted in order to find the piezoelectric coefficient. Very large tip deflections of about 1 mm under low voltage (∼8 V) were measured for every cantilevers at the resonance frequency (∼180 Hz). For a given Zr/Ti ratio of 58/42, it was found that the addition of a 40 nm thick RuO{sub 2} interfacial layer between the aluminium substrate and the PZT layer induces a remarkable increase of the d{sub 31} coefficient by a factor of 2.7, thus corresponding to a maximal d{sub 31} value of 33 pC/N. These results make the recently developed PZT/Al thin films very attractive for both low frequency bending mode actuating applications and vibrating energy harvesting.« less

Direct-Write Laser Grayscale Lithography for Multilayer Lead Zirconate Titanate Thin Films.

PubMed

Benoit, Robert R; Jordan, Delaney M; Smith, Gabriel L; Polcawich, Ronald G; Bedair, Sarah S; Potrepka, Daniel M

2018-05-01

Direct-write laser grayscale lithography has been used to facilitate a single-step patterning technique for multilayer lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films. A 2.55- -thick photoresist was patterned with a direct-write laser. The intensity of the laser was varied to create both tiered and sloped structures that are subsequently transferred into multilayer PZT(52/48) stacks using a single Ar ion-mill etch. Traditional processing requires a separate photolithography step and an ion mill etch for each layer of the substrate, which can be costly and time consuming. The novel process allows access to buried electrode layers in the multilayer stack in a single photolithography step. The grayscale process was demonstrated on three 150-mm diameter Si substrates configured with a 0.5- -thick SiO 2 elastic layer, a base electrode of Pt/TiO 2 , and a stack of four PZT(52/48) thin films of either 0.25- thickness per layer or 0.50- thickness per layer, and using either Pt or IrO 2 electrodes above and below each layer. Stacked capacitor structures were patterned and results will be reported on the ferroelectric and electromechanical properties using various wiring configurations and compared to comparable single layer PZT configurations.

Development of nanostructured ZnO thin film via electrohydrodynamic atomization technique and its photoconductivity characteristics.

PubMed

Duraisamy, Navaneethan; Kwon, Ki Rin; Jo, Jeongdai; Choi, Kyung-Hyun

2014-08-01

This article presents the non-vacuum technique for the preparation of nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film on glass substrate through electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA) technique. The detailed process parameters for achieving homogeneous ZnO thin films are clearly discussed. The crystallinity and surface morphology of ZnO thin film are investigated by X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The result shows that the deposited ZnO thin film is oriented in the wurtzite phase with void free surface morphology. The surface roughness of deposited ZnO thin film is found to be ~17.8 nm. The optical properties of nanostructured ZnO thin films show the average transmittance is about 90% in the visible region and the energy band gap is found to be 3.17 eV. The surface chemistry and purity of deposited ZnO thin films are analyzed by fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, conforming the presence of Zn-O in the deposited thin films without any organic moiety. The photocurrent measurement of nanostructured ZnO thin film is examined in the presence of UV light illumination with wavelength of 365 nm. These results suggest that the deposited nanostructured ZnO thin film through EHDA technique possess promising applications in the near future.

Lattice cluster theory for dense, thin polymer films.

PubMed

Freed, Karl F

2015-04-07

While the application of the lattice cluster theory (LCT) to study the miscibility of polymer blends has greatly expanded our understanding of the monomer scale molecular details influencing miscibility, the corresponding theory for inhomogeneous systems has not yet emerged because of considerable technical difficulties and much greater complexity. Here, we present a general formulation enabling the extension of the LCT to describe the thermodynamic properties of dense, thin polymer films using a high dimension, high temperature expansion. Whereas the leading order of the LCT for bulk polymer systems is essentially simple Flory-Huggins theory, the highly non-trivial leading order inhomogeneous LCT (ILCT) for a film with L layers already involves the numerical solution of 3(L - 1) coupled, highly nonlinear equations for the various density profiles in the film. The new theory incorporates the essential "transport" constraints of Helfand and focuses on the strict imposition of excluded volume constraints, appropriate to dense polymer systems, rather than the maintenance of chain connectivity as appropriate for lower densities and as implemented in self-consistent theories of polymer adsorption at interfaces. The ILCT is illustrated by presenting examples of the computed profiles of the density, the parallel and perpendicular bonds, and the chain ends for free standing and supported films as a function of average film density, chain length, temperature, interaction with support, and chain stiffness. The results generally agree with expected general trends.

Deposition and characterization of silicon thin-films by aluminum-induced crystallization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebil, Ozgenc

Polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) as a thin-film solar cell material could have major advantages compared to non-silicon thin-film technologies. In theory, thin-film poly-Si may retain the performance and stability of c-Si while taking advantage of established manufacturing techniques. However, poly-Si films deposited onto foreign substrates at low temperatures typically have an average grain size of 10--50 nm. Such a grain structure presents a potential problem for device performance since it introduces an excessive number of grain boundaries which, if left unpassivated, lead to poor solar cell properties. Therefore, for optimum device performance, the grain size of the poly-Si film should be at least comparable to the thickness of the films. For this project, the objectives were the deposition of poly-Si thin-films with 2--5 mum grain size on glass substrates using in-situ and conventional aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) and the development of a model for AIC process. In-situ AIC experiments were performed using Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition (HWCVD) both above and below the eutectic temperature (577°C) of Si-Al binary system. Conventional AIC experiments were performed using a-Si layers deposited on aluminum coated glass substrates by Electron-beam deposition, Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and HWCVD. Continuous poly-Si films with an average grain size of 10 mum on glass substrates were achieved by both in-situ and conventional aluminum-induced crystallization of Si below eutectic temperature. The grain size was determined by three factors; the grain structure of Al layer, the nature of the interfacial oxide, and crystallization temperature. The interface oxide was found to be crucial for AIC process but not necessary for crystallization itself. The characterization of interfacial oxide layer formed on Al films revealed a bilayer structure containing Al2O3 and Al(OH)3 . The effective activation energy for AIC process was determined to be 0.9 eV and depended on the nature of the interfacial oxide layer. Poly-Si layers prepared by AIC technique can be used as seed layers for epitaxial growth of bulk Si layer or as back contacts in c-Si based solar cells.

Electronically decoupled stacking fault tetrahedra embedded in Au(111) films

PubMed Central

Schouteden, Koen; Amin-Ahmadi, Behnam; Li, Zhe; Muzychenko, Dmitry; Schryvers, Dominique; Van Haesendonck, Chris

2016-01-01

Stacking faults are known as defective structures in crystalline materials that typically lower the structural quality of the material. Here, we show that a particular type of defect, that is, stacking fault tetrahedra (SFTs), exhibits pronounced quantized electronic behaviour, revealing a potential synthetic route to decoupled nanoparticles in metal films. We report on the electronic properties of SFTs that exist in Au(111) films, as evidenced by scanning tunnelling microscopy and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. We find that the SFTs reveal a remarkable decoupling from their metal surroundings, leading to pronounced energy level quantization effects within the SFTs. The electronic behaviour of the SFTs can be described well by the particle-in-a-box model. Our findings demonstrate that controlled preparation of SFTs may offer an alternative way to achieve well-decoupled nanoparticles of high crystalline quality in metal thin films without the need of thin insulating layers. PMID:28008910

Electronically decoupled stacking fault tetrahedra embedded in Au(111) films.

PubMed

Schouteden, Koen; Amin-Ahmadi, Behnam; Li, Zhe; Muzychenko, Dmitry; Schryvers, Dominique; Van Haesendonck, Chris

2016-12-23

Stacking faults are known as defective structures in crystalline materials that typically lower the structural quality of the material. Here, we show that a particular type of defect, that is, stacking fault tetrahedra (SFTs), exhibits pronounced quantized electronic behaviour, revealing a potential synthetic route to decoupled nanoparticles in metal films. We report on the electronic properties of SFTs that exist in Au(111) films, as evidenced by scanning tunnelling microscopy and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. We find that the SFTs reveal a remarkable decoupling from their metal surroundings, leading to pronounced energy level quantization effects within the SFTs. The electronic behaviour of the SFTs can be described well by the particle-in-a-box model. Our findings demonstrate that controlled preparation of SFTs may offer an alternative way to achieve well-decoupled nanoparticles of high crystalline quality in metal thin films without the need of thin insulating layers.

Interfacial Properties of Thin Films of Poly(vinyl ether)s with Architectural Design in Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oda, Yukari; Itagaki, Nozomi; Sugimoto, Sin; Kawaguchi, Daisuke; Matsuno, Hisao; Tanaka, Keiji

Precise design of primary structure and architecture of polymers leads to the well-defined structure, unique physical properties, and excellent functions not only in the bulk but also at the interfaces. We here constructed functional polymer interfaces in water based on the architectural design of poly(vinyl ether)s with oxyethylene side-chains (POEVE). A branched polymer with POEVE parts was preferentially segregated at the air interface in the matrix of poly(methyl methacrylate). As an alternative way to prepare the POEVE surface, the cross-linked hydrogel thin films were prepared. The moduli of the hydrogel films near the water interfaces, which were examined by force-distance curve measurements using atomic force microscopy, were greatly sensitive to the cross-linking density of the polymers. Diffuse interfaces of POEVE chains at the water interface make it possible to prevent the platelet adhesion on the films.

Room Temperature Gas Sensing Properties of Sn-Substituted Nickel Ferrite (NiFe2O4) Thin Film Sensors Prepared by Chemical Co-Precipitation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manikandan, V.; Li, Xiaogan; Mane, R. S.; Chandrasekaran, J.

2018-04-01

Tin (Sn) substituted nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) thin film sensors were prepared by a simple chemical co-precipitation method, which initially characterized their structure and surface morphology with the help of x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Surface morphology of the sensing films reveals particles stick together with nearer particles and this formation leads to a large specific area as a large specific area is very useful for easy adsorption of gas molecules. Transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction pattern images confirm particle size and nanocrystallnity as due to formation of circular rings. Fourier transform infrared analysis has supported the presence of functional groups. The 3.69 eV optical band gap of the film was found which enabled better gas sensing. Gas sensors demonstrate better response and recovery characteristics, and the maximum response was 68.43%.

Chemical bath deposited and dip coating deposited CuS thin films - Structure, Raman spectroscopy and surface study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tailor, Jiten P.; Khimani, Ankurkumar J.; Chaki, Sunil H.

2018-05-01

The crystal structure, Raman spectroscopy and surface microtopography study on as-deposited CuS thin films were carried out. Thin films deposited by two techniques of solution growth were studied. The thin films used in the present study were deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD) and dip coating deposition techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of both the as-deposited thin films showed that both the films possess covellite phase of CuS and hexagonal unit cell structure. The determined lattice parameters of both the films are in agreement with the standard JCPDS as well as reported data. The crystallite size determined by Scherrer's equation and Hall-Williamsons relation using XRD data for both the as-deposited thin films showed that the respective values were in agreement with each other. The ambient Raman spectroscopy of both the as-deposited thin films showed major emission peaks at 474 cm-1 and a minor emmision peaks at 265 cm-1. The observed Raman peaks matched with the covellite phase of CuS. The atomic force microscopy of both the as-deposited thin films surfaces showed dip coating thin film to be less rough compared to CBD deposited thin film. All the obtained results are presented and deliberated in details.

Effect of the Crystal Structure on the Electrical Properties of Thin-Film PZT Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delimova, L. A.; Gushchina, E. V.; Zaitseva, N. V.; Seregin, D. S.; Vorotilov, K. A.; Sigov, A. S.

2018-03-01

A new method of two-stage crystallization of lead zirconate-titanate (PZT) films using a seed sublayer with a low excess lead content has been proposed and realized. A seed layer with a strong texture of perovskite Pe(111) grains is formed from a solution with a lead excess of 0-5 wt %; the fast growth of the grains is provided by the deposition of the main film from a solution with high lead content. As a result, a strong Pe(111) texture with complete suppression of the Pe(100) orientation forms. An analysis of current-voltage dependences of the transient currents and the distributions of the local conductivity measured by the contact AFM method reveals two various mechanisms of current percolation that are determined by traps in the bulk and at the perovskite grain interfaces.

Synthesis and characterization of cobalt doped nickel oxide thin films by spray pyrolysis method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sathisha, D.; Naik, K. Gopalakrishna

2018-05-01

Cobalt (Co) doped nickel oxide (NiO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates at a temperature of about 400 °C by spray pyrolysis method. The effect of Co doping concentration on structural, optical and compositional properties of NiO thin films was investigated. X-ray diffraction result shows that the deposited thin films are polycrystalline in nature. Surface morphologies of the deposited thin films were observed by FESEM and AFM. EDS spectra showed the incorporation of Co dopants in NiO thin films. Optical properties of the grown thin films were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy. It was found that the optical band gap energy and transmittance of the films decrease with increasing Co doping concentration.

Evaporation of Sunscreen Films: How the UV Protection Properties Change.

PubMed

Binks, Bernard P; Brown, Jonathan; Fletcher, Paul D I; Johnson, Andrew J; Marinopoulos, Ioannis; Crowther, Jonathan M; Thompson, Michael A

2016-06-01

We have investigated the evaporation of thin sunscreen films and how the light absorption and the derived sun protection factor (SPF) change. For films consisting of solutions of common UV filters in propylene glycol (PG) as solvent, we show how evaporation generally causes three effects. First, the film area can decrease by dewetting leading to a transient increase in the average film thickness. Second, the film thins by evaporative loss of the solvent. Third, precipitation of the UV filter occurs when solvent loss causes the solubility limit to be reached. These evaporation-induced changes cause the UV absorbance of the film to decrease with resultant loss of SPF over the time scale of the evaporation. We derive an approximate model which accounts semiquantitatively for the variation of SPF with evaporation. Experimental results for solutions of different UV filters on quartz, different skin mimicking substrates, films with added nanoparticles, films with an added polymer and films with fast-evaporating decane as solvent (instead of slow evaporating PG) are discussed and compared with model calculations. Addition of either nanoparticles or polymer suppress film dewetting. Overall, it is hoped that the understanding gained about the mechanisms whereby film evaporation affects the SPF will provide useful guidance for the formulation of more effective sunscreens.

Striped lanthanum cobaltite films: how strain orders oxygen defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birenbaum, Axiel Yael; Biegalski, Michael D.; Qiao, Liang; Cooper, Valentino R.; Borisevich, Albina

Oxygen-deficient metal cobalt oxides have been widely studied for solid oxide fuel cell cathode applications. In order to predict atomic-scale transport pathways, a thorough understanding of its defect properties is crucial. Previous studies, including Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), demonstrate lanthanum cobaltite, grown as thin films on [100]pc oriented perovskites, spontaneously order its oxygen vacancies. In this work, we investigate the behavior of LaCoO3 - δ thin films grown on SrTiO3 [111] surface to determine if orientation can be used to shape the anisotropy of oxygen transport. For these films, STEM studies reveal ordered vacancy arrangements. We do so by establishing the structural and electronic properties of LaCoO3 - δ on SrTiO3, using ab initio electronic structure calculations. We then treat how epitaxial strain leads to oxygen vacancies forming these distinctive stripe patterns. The impact of different substrates is addressed. In addition, this leads to an opportunity to discuss the effect of reduced symmetry in oxygen deficient compounds on cobalt oxide behavior compared to the ideal perovskite environment. Research was sponsored by the US DoE, Office of Science, BES, MSED, and used resources at NERSC and OLCF.

Interparticle spacing and structural ordering in superlattice PbS nanocrystal solids undergoing ligand exchange

DOE PAGES

Weidman, Mark C.; Yager, Kevin G.; Tisdale, William A.

2014-12-12

Controlling the interparticle spacing in quantum dot (QD) thin films is the most readily accessible way to control transport rates between neighboring QDs and a critical component of device optimization. Here, we use X-ray scattering measurements to accurately measure the interparticle spacing in films of highly monodisperse lead sulfide (PbS) QDs that have undergone a variety of device-relevant ligand exchanges. We tabulate these values for use in simulations and data analysis. We find that monothiol and dithiol ligand species typically result in interparticle spacing values that are equal to the length of a single monothiol or dithiol ligand. Additionally, wemore » find that spin-coating a thick film of QDs followed by a long-duration ligand exchange results in a more complete ligand exchange than spin-coating many thin layers with short-duration ligand exchanges in between. The former method also preserves a remarkable degree of the long-range ordering that was present in the film prior to ligand exchange. These results shed light on ways to produce highly-ordered QD solids with compact and functional ligands, which could lead to enhanced interdot coupling and transport phenomena.« less

Chemical bath deposition of II-VI compound thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oladeji, Isaiah Olatunde

II-VI compounds are direct bandgap semiconductors with great potentials in optoelectronic applications. Solar cells, where these materials are in greater demand, require a low cost production technology that will make the final product more affordable. Chemical bath deposition (CBD) a low cost growth technique capable of producing good quality thin film semiconductors over large area and at low temperature then becomes a suitable technology of choice. Heterogeneous reaction in a basic aqueous solution that is responsible for the II-VI compound film growth in CBD requires a metal complex. We have identified the stability constant (k) of the metal complex compatible with CBD growth mechanism to be about 106.9. This value is low enough to ensure that the substrate adsorbed complex relax for subsequent reaction with the chalcogen precursor to take place. It is also high enough to minimize the metal ion concentration in the bath participating in the precipitation of the bulk compounds. Homogeneous reaction that leads to precipitation in the reaction bath takes place because the solubility products of bulk II-VI compounds are very low. This reaction quickly depletes the bath of reactants, limit the film thickness, and degrade the film quality. While ZnS thin films are still hard to grow by CBD because of lack of suitable complexing agent, the homogeneous reaction still limits quality and thickness of both US and ZnS thin films. In this study, the zinc tetraammine complex ([Zn(NH3) 4]2+) with k = 108.9 has been forced to acquire its unsaturated form [Zn(NH3)3]2+ with a moderate k = 106.6 using hydrazine and nitrilotriacetate ion as complementary complexing agents and we have successfully grown ZnS thin films. We have also, minimized or eliminated the homogeneous reaction by using ammonium salt as a buffer and chemical bath with low reactant concentrations. These have allowed us to increase the saturation thickness of ZnS thin film by about 400% and raise that of US film form 0.2 to 0.5 mum with improved quality. A novel chemical activated diffusion of Cd into ZnS thin film at temperature lower than 100°C is also developed. This in conjunction with thermal activated diffusion at 400°C has enabled us to synthesize Cd1-xZn xS thin films suitable for solar cells from CBD grown CdS/ZnS multilayer. The potential application of the new Cd1-xZnxS/CdS/CdTe solar cell structure is also demonstrated. The unoptimized structure grown on transparent conducting oxide coated soda lime glass of 3mm thickness with no antireflection coating yielded a 10% efficiency. This efficiency is the highest ever recorded in any Cd1-xZnxS film containing CdTe solar cells.

Insight into the epitaxial encapsulation of Pd catalysts in an oriented metalloporphyrin network thin film for tandem catalysis.

PubMed

Vohra, M Ismail; Li, De-Jing; Gu, Zhi-Gang; Zhang, Jian

2017-06-14

A palladium catalyst (Pd-Cs) encapsulated metalloporphyrin network PIZA-1 thin film with bifunctional properties has been developed through a modified epitaxial layer-by-layer encapsulation approach. Combining the oxidation activity of Pd-Cs and the acetalization activity of the Lewis acidic sites in the PIZA-1 thin film, this bifunctional catalyst of the Pd-Cs@PIZA-1 thin film exhibits a good catalytic activity in a one-pot tandem oxidation-acetalization reaction. Furthermore, the surface components can be controlled by ending the top layer with different precursors in the thin film preparation procedures. The catalytic performances of these thin films with different surface composites were studied under the same conditions, which showed different reaction conversions. The result revealed that the surface component can influence the catalytic performance of the thin films. This epitaxial encapsulation offers a good understanding of the tandem catalysis for thin film materials and provides useful guidance to develop new thin film materials with catalytic properties.

Generation of low work function, stable compound thin films by laser ablation

DOEpatents

Dinh, Long N.; McLean, II, William; Balooch, Mehdi; Fehring, Jr., Edward J.; Schildbach, Marcus A.

2001-01-01

Generation of low work function, stable compound thin films by laser ablation. Compound thin films with low work function can be synthesized by simultaneously laser ablating silicon, for example, and thermal evaporating an alkali metal into an oxygen environment. For example, the compound thin film may be composed of Si/Cs/O. The work functions of the thin films can be varied by changing the silicon/alkali metal/oxygen ratio. Low work functions of the compound thin films deposited on silicon substrates were confirmed by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). The compound thin films are stable up to 500.degree. C. as measured by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Tests have established that for certain chemical compositions and annealing temperatures of the compound thin films, negative electron affinity (NEA) was detected. The low work function, stable compound thin films can be utilized in solar cells, field emission flat panel displays, electron guns, and cold cathode electron guns.

Exciting transition metal doped dilute magnetic thin films: MgO:Er and ZnO:Er

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ćakıcı, T.; Sarıtaş, S.; Muǧlu, G. Merhan; Yıldırım, M.

2017-02-01

Erbium doped MgO and doped ZnO thin films have reasonably important properties applications in spintronic devices. These films were synthesized on glass substrates by Chemical Spray Pyrolysis (CSP) method. In the literature there has been almost no report on preparation of MgO:Er dilute magnetic thin films by means of CSP. Because doped thin films show different magnetic behaviors, depending upon the type of magnetic material ions, concentration of them, synthesis route and experimental conditions, synthesized MgO:Er and ZnO:Er films were compared to thin film properties. Optical analyses of the synthesized thin films were examined spectral absorption and transmittance measurements by UV-Vis double beam spectrophotometer technique. Structural analysis of the thin films was examined by using XRD, Raman Analysis, FE-SEM, EDX and AFM techniques. Also, magnetic properties of the MgO:Er and ZnO:Er films were investigated by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) which show that diamagnetic behavior of the MgO:Er thin film and ferromagnetic (FM) behavior of the ZnO:Er film were is formed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Melo, M.; Araújo, E. B., E-mail: eudes@dfq.feis.unesp.br; Shvartsman, V. V.

Polycrystalline lanthanum lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) thin films were deposited on Pt/TiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates to study the effects of the thickness and grain size on their structural and piezoresponse properties at nanoscale. Thinner PLZT films show a slight (100)-orientation tendency that tends to random orientation for the thicker film, while microstrain and crystallite size increases almost linearly with increasing thickness. Piezoresponse force microscopy and autocorrelation function technique were used to demonstrate the existence of local self-polarization effect and to study the thickness dependence of correlation length. The obtained results ruled out the bulk mechanisms and suggest that Schottky barriersmore » near the film-substrate are likely responsible for a build-in electric field in the films. Larger correlation length evidence that this build-in field increases the number of coexisting polarization directions in larger grains leading to an alignment of macrodomains in thinner films.« less

Thin-film optical initiator

DOEpatents

Erickson, Kenneth L.

2001-01-01

A thin-film optical initiator having an inert, transparent substrate, a reactive thin film, which can be either an explosive or a pyrotechnic, and a reflective thin film. The resultant thin-film optical initiator system also comprises a fiber-optic cable connected to a low-energy laser source, an output charge, and an initiator housing. The reactive thin film, which may contain very thin embedded layers or be a co-deposit of a light-absorbing material such as carbon, absorbs the incident laser light, is volumetrically heated, and explodes against the output charge, imparting about 5 to 20 times more energy than in the incident laser pulse.

High-conductance low-voltage organic thin film transistor with locally rearranged poly(3-hexylthiophene) domain by current annealing on plastic substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, Zingway; Tsai, Hsing-Wang; Lai, Hsin-Cheng

2016-02-01

The organic material based thin film transistors (TFTs) are attractive for flexible optoelectronics applications due to the ability of lager area fabrication by solution and low temperature process on plastic substrate. Recently, the research of organic TFT focus on low operation voltage and high output current to achieve a low power organic logic circuit for optoelectronic device,such as e-paper or OLED displayer. To obtain low voltage and high output current, high gate capacitance and high channel mobility are key factors. The well-arranged polymer chain by a high temperature postannealing, leading enhancement conductivity of polymer film was a general method. However, the thermal annealing applying heat for all device on the substrate and may not applicable to plastic substrate. Therefore, in this work, the low operation voltage and high output current of polymer TFTs was demonstrated by locally electrical bias annealing. The poly(styrene-comethyl methacrylate) (PS-r-PMMA) with ultra-thin thickness is used as gate dielectric that the thickness is controlled by thermal treatment after spin coated on organic electrode. In electrical bias-annealing process, the PS-r- PMMA is acted a heating layer. After electrical bias-annealing, the polymer TFTs obtain high channel mobility at low voltage that lead high output current by a locally annealing of P3HT film. In the future, the locally electrical biasannealing method could be applied on plastic substrate for flexible optoelectronic application.

Advances in sputtered and ion plated solid film lubrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.

1985-01-01

The glow discharge or ion assisted vacuum deposition techniques, primarily sputtering and ion plating, have rapidly emerged and offer great potential to deposit solid lubricants. The increased energizing of these deposition processes lead to improved adherence and coherence, favorable morphological growth, higher density, and reduced residual stresses in the film. These techniques are of invaluable importance where high precision machines tribo-components require very thin, uniform lubricating films (0.2 m), which do not interface with component tolerances. The performance of sputtered MoS2 films and ion plated Au and Pb films are described in terms of film thickness, coefficient of friction, and wear lives.

Investigations of Si Thin Films as Anode of Lithium-Ion Batteries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Qingliu; Shi, Bing; Bareño, Javier

Amorphous silicon thin films having various thicknesses were investigated as a negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. Electrochemical characterization of the 20 nm thick thin silicon film revealed a very low first cycle Coulombic efficiency, which can be attributed to the silicon oxide layer formed on both the surface of the as-deposited Si thin film and the interface between the Si and the substrate. Among the investigated films, the 100 nm Si thin film demonstrated the best performance in terms of first cycle efficiency and cycle life. Observations from scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the generation of cracks was inevitablemore » in the cycled Si thin films, even as the thickness of the film was as little as 20 nm, which was not predicted by previous modeling work. However, the cycling performance of the 20 and 100 nm silicon thin films was not detrimentally affected by these cracks. The poor capacity retention of the 1 mu m silicon thin film was attributed to the delamination.« less

Two-scale homogenization to determine effective parameters of thin metallic-structured films

PubMed Central

Marigo, Jean-Jacques

2016-01-01

We present a homogenization method based on matched asymptotic expansion technique to derive effective transmission conditions of thin structured films. The method leads unambiguously to effective parameters of the interface which define jump conditions or boundary conditions at an equivalent zero thickness interface. The homogenized interface model is presented in the context of electromagnetic waves for metallic inclusions associated with Neumann or Dirichlet boundary conditions for transverse electric or transverse magnetic wave polarization. By comparison with full-wave simulations, the model is shown to be valid for thin interfaces up to thicknesses close to the wavelength. We also compare our effective conditions with the two-sided impedance conditions obtained in transmission line theory and to the so-called generalized sheet transition conditions. PMID:27616916