Photo-Sensitivity of Large Area Physical Vapor Deposited Mono and Bilayer MoS2 (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

layer MoS2 without any apparent rectifying junctions , making device fabrication straightforward. For bi-layers, no such effect was present, suggesting...layer MoS2 without any apparent rectifying junctions , making device fabrication straightforward. For bi-layers, no such effect was present, suggesting...pressure below 5×10−9 Torr for atomically sharp and clean interfaces. The mono and bi-layer specimens were grown on 100 nm thick thermal oxide coated silicon

Effects of heat treatment on U-Mo fuel foils with a zirconium diffusion barrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jue, Jan-Fong; Trowbridge, Tammy L.; Breckenridge, Cynthia R.; Moore, Glenn A.; Meyer, Mitchell K.; Keiser, Dennis D.

2015-05-01

A monolith fuel design based on U-Mo alloy has been selected as the fuel type for conversion of the United States' high performance research reactors (HPRRs) from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium (LEU). In this fuel design, a thin layer of zirconium is used to eliminate the direct interaction between the U-Mo fuel meat and the aluminum-alloy cladding during irradiation. The co-rolling process used to bond the Zr barrier layer to the U-Mo foil during fabrication alters the microstructure of both the U-10Mo fuel meat and the U-Mo/Zr interface. This work studied the effects of post-rolling annealing treatment on the microstructure of the co-rolled U-Mo fuel meat and the U-Mo/Zr interaction layer. Microscopic characterization shows that the grain size of U-Mo fuel meat increases with the annealing temperature, as expected. The grain sizes were ∼9, ∼13, and ∼20 μm for annealing temperature of 650, 750, and 850 °C, respectively. No abnormal grain growth was observed. The U-Mo/Zr interaction-layer thickness increased with the annealing temperature with an Arrhenius constant for growth of 184 kJ/mole, consistent with a previous diffusion-couple study. The interaction layer thickness was 3.2 ± 0.5 μm, 11.1 ± 2.1 μm, 27.1 ± 0.9 μm for annealing temperature of 650, 750, to 850 °C, respectively. The homogeneity of Mo improves with post rolling annealing temperature and with U-Mo coupon homogenization. The phases in the Zr/U-Mo interaction layer produced by co-rolling, however, differ from those reported in the previous diffusion couple studies.

Effects of heat treatment on U–Mo fuel foils with a zirconium diffusion barrier

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

Jue, Jan-Fong; Trowbridge, Tammy L.; Breckenridge, Cynthia R.

A monolith fuel design based on U–Mo alloy has been selected as the fuel type for conversion of the United States’ high performance research reactors (HPRRs) from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium (LEU). In this fuel design, a thin layer of zirconium is used to eliminate the direct interaction between the U–Mo fuel meat and the aluminum-alloy cladding during irradiation. The co-rolling process used to bond the Zr barrier layer to the U–Mo foil during fabrication alters the microstructure of both the U–10Mo fuel meat and the U–Mo/Zr interface. This work studied the effects of post-rolling annealing treatmentmore » on the microstructure of the co-rolled U–Mo fuel meat and the U–Mo/Zr interaction layer. Microscopic characterization shows that the grain size of U–Mo fuel meat increases with the annealing temperature, as expected. The grain sizes were ~9, ~13, and ~20 μm for annealing temperature of 650, 750, and 850 °C, respectively. No abnormal grain growth was observed. The U–Mo/Zr interaction-layer thickness increased with the annealing temperature with an Arrhenius constant for growth of 184 kJ/mole, consistent with a previous diffusion-couple study. The interaction layer thickness was 3.2 ± 0.5 μm, 11.1 ± 2.1 μm, 27.1 ± 0.9 μm for annealing temperature of 650, 750, to 850 °C, respectively. The homogeneity of Mo improves with post rolling annealing temperature and with U–Mo coupon homogenization. The phases in the Zr/U–Mo interaction layer produced by co-rolling, however, differ from those reported in the previous diffusion couple studies.« less

Microstructural evolution and IMCs growth behavior of Sn-58Bi-0.25Mo solder joint during aging treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Li; Zhu, Lu; Zhang, Yaocheng; Zhou, Shiyuan; Xiong, Yifeng; Wu, Pengcheng

2018-02-01

The microstructural evolution and IMCs growth behavior of Sn-58Bi and Sn-58Bi-0.25Mo solder joints were investigated. The results showed that the microstructure is coarsened, the IMCs layer thickness is increased and the tensile strength of Sn-58Bi and Sn-58Bi-0.25Mo solder joints is decreased with increasing aging time and temperature. Aging temperature is the key factor that causes the excessive IMCs growth of the solder joint compared with aging time, and the activation energy of IMCs layer growth of Sn-58Bi and Sn-58Bi-0.25Mo solder joints is 48.94 kJ mol-1 and 53.79 kJ mol-1, respectively. During the aging treatment, the microstructure of Sn-58Bi solder joint is refined by adding Mo nanoparticles, and the appropriate IMCs layer thickness and improved mechanical properties are obtained by Sn-58Bi-0.25Mo solder joint.

Effect of Alloy 625 Buffer Layer on Hardfacing of Modified 9Cr-1Mo Steel Using Nickel Base Hardfacing Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Gopa; Das, C. R.; Albert, S. K.; Bhaduri, A. K.; Murugesan, S.; Dasgupta, Arup

2016-04-01

Dashpot piston, made up of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel, is a part of diverse safety rod used for safe shutdown of a nuclear reactor. This component was hardfaced using nickel base AWS ER NiCr-B alloy and extensive cracking was experienced during direct deposition of this alloy on dashpot piston. Cracking reduced considerably and the component was successfully hardfaced by application of Inconel 625 as buffer layer prior to hardface deposition. Hence, a separate study was undertaken to investigate the role of buffer layer in reducing the cracking and on the microstructure of the hardfaced deposit. Results indicate that in the direct deposition of hardfacing alloy on modified 9Cr-1Mo steel, both heat-affected zone (HAZ) formed and the deposit layer are hard making the thickness of the hard layer formed equal to combined thickness of both HAZ and deposit. This hard layer is unable to absorb thermal stresses resulting in the cracking of the deposit. By providing a buffer layer of Alloy 625 followed by a post-weld heat treatment, HAZ formed in the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel is effectively tempered, and HAZ formed during the subsequent deposition of the hardfacing alloy over the Alloy 625 buffer layer is almost completely confined to Alloy 625, which does not harden. This reduces the cracking susceptibility of the deposit. Further, unlike in the case of direct deposition on modified 9Cr-1Mo steel, dilution of the deposit by Ni-base buffer layer does not alter the hardness of the deposit and desired hardness on the deposit surface could be achieved even with lower thickness of the deposit. This gives an option for reducing the recommended thickness of the deposit, which can also reduce the risk of cracking.

Controlling the electronic and geometric structures of 2D insertions to realize high performance metal/insertion-MoS2 sandwich interfaces.

PubMed

Su, Jie; Feng, Liping; Zeng, Wei; Liu, Zhengtang

2017-06-08

Metal/insertion-MoS 2 sandwich interfaces are designed to reduce the Schottky barriers at metal-MoS 2 interfaces. The effects of geometric and electronic structures of two-dimensional (2D) insertion materials on the contact properties of metal/insertion-MoS 2 interfaces are comparatively studied by first-principles calculations. Regardless of the geometric and electronic structures of 2D insertion materials, Fermi level pinning effects and charge scattering at the metal/insertion-MoS 2 interface are weakened due to weak interactions between the insertion and MoS 2 layers, no gap states and negligible structural deformations for MoS 2 layers. The Schottky barriers at metal/insertion-MoS 2 interfaces are induced by three interface dipoles and four potential steps that are determined by the charge transfers and structural deformations of 2D insertion materials. The lower the electron affinities of 2D insertion materials, the more are the electrons lost from the Sc surface, resulting in lower n-type Schottky barriers at Sc/insertion-MoS 2 interfaces. The larger the ionization potentials and the thinner the thicknesses of 2D insertion materials, the fewer are the electrons that accumulate at the Pt surface, leading to lower p-type Schottky barriers at Pt/insertion-MoS 2 interfaces. All Sc/insertion-MoS 2 interfaces exhibited ohmic characters. The Pt/BN-MoS 2 interface exhibits the lowest p-type Schottky barrier of 0.52 eV due to the largest ionization potential (∼6.88 eV) and the thinnest thickness (single atomic layer thickness) of BN. These results in this work are beneficial to understand and design high performance metal/insertion-MoS 2 interfaces through 2D insertion materials.

Ferroelectric FET for nonvolatile memory application with two-dimensional MoSe2 channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xudong; Liu, Chunsen; Chen, Yan; Wu, Guangjian; Yan, Xiao; Huang, Hai; Wang, Peng; Tian, Bobo; Hong, Zhenchen; Wang, Yutao; Sun, Shuo; Shen, Hong; Lin, Tie; Hu, Weida; Tang, Minghua; Zhou, Peng; Wang, Jianlu; Sun, Jinglan; Meng, Xiangjian; Chu, Junhao; Li, Zheng

2017-06-01

Graphene and other two-dimensional materials have received considerable attention regarding their potential applications in nano-electronics. Here, we report top-gate nonvolatile memory field-effect transistors (FETs) with different layers of MoSe2 nanosheets channel gated by ferroelectric film. The conventional gate dielectric of FETs was replaced by a ferroelectric thin film that provides a ferroelectric polarization electric field, and therefore defined as an Fe-FET where the poly (vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) was used as the gate dielectric. Among the devices with MoSe2 channels of different thicknesses, the device with a single layer of MoSe2 exhibited a large hysteresis of electronic transport with an over 105 write/erase ratio, and displayed excellent retention and endurance performance. The possible mechanism of the device’s good properties was qualitatively analyzed using band theory. Additionally, a comprehensive study comparing the memory properties of MoSe2 channels of different thicknesses is presented. Increasing the numbers of MoSe2 layers was found to cause a reduced memory window. However, MoSe2 thickness of 5 nm yielded a write/erase ratio of more than 103. The results indicate that, based on a Fe-FET structure, the combination of two-dimensional semiconductors and organic ferroelectric gate dielectrics shows good promise for future applications in nonvolatile ferroelectric memory.

Controlling contamination in Mo/Si multilayer mirrors by Si surface capping modifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinowski, Michael E.; Steinhaus, Chip; Clift, W. Miles; Klebanoff, Leonard E.; Mrowka, Stanley; Soufli, Regina

2002-07-01

The performance of Mo/Si multilayer mirrors (MLMs) used to reflect UV (EUV) radiation in an EUV + hydrocarbon (NC) vapor environment can be improved by optimizing the silicon capping layer thickness on the MLM in order to minimize the initial buildup of carbon on MLMs. Carbon buildup is undesirable since it can absorb EUV radiation and reduce MLM reflectivity. A set of Mo/Si MLMs deposited on Si wafers was fabricated such that each MLM had a different Si capping layer thickness ranging form 2 nm to 7 nm. Samples from each MLM wafer were exposed to a combination of EUV light + (HC) vapors at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) synchrotron in order to determine if the Si capping layer thickness affected the carbon buildup on the MLMs. It was found that the capping layer thickness had a major influence on this 'carbonizing' tendency, with the 3 nm layer thickness providing the best initial resistance to carbonizing and accompanying EUV reflectivity loss in the MLM. The Si capping layer thickness deposited on a typical EUV optic is 4.3 nm. Measurements of the absolute reflectivities performed on the Calibration and Standards beamline at the ALS indicated the EUV reflectivity of the 3 nm-capped MLM was actually slightly higher than that of the normal, 4 nm Si-capped sample. These results show that he use of a 3 nm capping layer represents an improvement over the 4 nm layer since the 3 nm has both a higher absolute reflectivity and better initial resistance to carbon buildup. The results also support the general concept of minimizing the electric field intensity at the MLM surface to minimize photoelectron production and, correspondingly, carbon buildup in a EUV + HC vapor environment.

Rapid Flame Synthesis of Atomically Thin MoO3 down to Monolayer Thickness for Effective Hole Doping of WSe2.

PubMed

Cai, Lili; McClellan, Connor J; Koh, Ai Leen; Li, Hong; Yalon, Eilam; Pop, Eric; Zheng, Xiaolin

2017-06-14

Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum trioxide (MoO 3 ) with mono- or few-layer thickness can potentially advance many applications, ranging from optoelectronics, catalysis, sensors, and batteries to electrochromic devices. Such ultrathin MoO 3 sheets can also be integrated with other 2D materials (e.g., as dopants) to realize new or improved electronic devices. However, there is lack of a rapid and scalable method to controllably grow mono- or few-layer MoO 3 . Here, we report the first demonstration of using a rapid (<2 min) flame synthesis method to deposit mono- and few-layer MoO 3 sheets (several microns in lateral dimension) on a wide variety of layered materials, including mica, MoS 2 , graphene, and WSe 2 , based on van der Waals epitaxy. The flame-grown ultrathin MoO 3 sheet functions as an efficient hole doping layer for WSe 2 , enabling WSe 2 to reach the lowest sheet and contact resistance reported to date among all the p-type 2D materials (∼6.5 kΩ/□ and ∼0.8 kΩ·μm, respectively). These results demonstrate that flame synthesis is a rapid and scalable pathway to growing atomically thin 2D metal oxides, opening up new opportunities for advancing 2D electronics.

Real time measurements of surface growth evolution in magnetron sputtered single crystal Mo/V superlattices using in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svedberg, E. B.; Birch, J.; Edvardsson, C. N. L.; Sundgren, J.-E.

1999-07-01

The use of video recording of reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns for assessing the dynamic evolution of the surface morphology and crystallinity during growth was evaluated. As an example, Mo/V(001) superlattices with varying layer thickness (with periods Λ of 2.5 to 8.9 nm and a constant Mo:V ratio of 1:1) were examined. During the deposition, changes from two- to three-dimensional growth were observed in situ. From prior transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies, it is known that this transition is associated with a critical thickness and concurrent roughening of the V layer. Video recording and subsequent image and data processing allowed the surface morphology to be continuously followed during growth. Post-growth analyses of the recorded data provided the evolution of surface lattice parameters and short range [1-2 monolayer (ML)] surface roughnesses with a time resolution of 200-400 ms (0.02-0.04 nm thickness resolution). During growth of Mo, a smoothening effect could be observed while the growth of V evidently increased the surface roughness from 1 to 2 ML. Furthermore, the onset of coherency strain relaxation of the topmost growing layers was observed to occur at 2.0-2.5 nm layer thicknesses for both materials, which is in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions.

Inter-Layer Coupling Induced Valence Band Edge Shift in Mono- to Few-Layer MoS2

PubMed Central

Trainer, Daniel J.; Putilov, Aleksei V.; Di Giorgio, Cinzia; Saari, Timo; Wang, Baokai; Wolak, Mattheus; Chandrasena, Ravini U.; Lane, Christopher; Chang, Tay-Rong; Jeng, Horng-Tay; Lin, Hsin; Kronast, Florian; Gray, Alexander X.; Xi, Xiaoxing X.; Nieminen, Jouko; Bansil, Arun; Iavarone, Maria

2017-01-01

Recent progress in the synthesis of monolayer MoS2, a two-dimensional direct band-gap semiconductor, is paving new pathways toward atomically thin electronics. Despite the large amount of literature, fundamental gaps remain in understanding electronic properties at the nanoscale. Here, we report a study of highly crystalline islands of MoS2 grown via a refined chemical vapor deposition synthesis technique. Using high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS), photoemission electron microscopy/spectroscopy (PEEM) and μ-ARPES we investigate the electronic properties of MoS2 as a function of the number of layers at the nanoscale and show in-depth how the band gap is affected by a shift of the valence band edge as a function of the layer number. Green’s function based electronic structure calculations were carried out in order to shed light on the mechanism underlying the observed bandgap reduction with increasing thickness, and the role of the interfacial Sulphur atoms is clarified. Our study, which gives new insight into the variation of electronic properties of MoS2 films with thickness bears directly on junction properties of MoS2, and thus impacts electronics application of MoS2. PMID:28084465

Inter-layer coupling induced valence band edge shift in mono- to few-layer MoS 2

DOE PAGES

Trainer, Daniel J.; Putilov, Aleksei V.; Di Giorgio, Cinzia; ...

2017-01-13

In this study, recent progress in the synthesis of monolayer MoS 2, a two-dimensional direct band-gap semiconductor, is paving new pathways toward atomically thin electronics. Despite the large amount of literature, fundamental gaps remain in understanding electronic properties at the nanoscale. Here,we report a study of highly crystalline islands of MoS 2 grown via a refined chemical vapor deposition synthesis technique. Using high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS), photoemission electron microscopy/spectroscopy (PEEM) and μ-ARPES we investigate the electronic properties of MoS 2 as a function of the number of layers at the nanoscale and show in-depth how themore » band gap is affected by a shift of the valence band edge as a function of the layer number. Green’s function based electronic structure calculations were carried out in order to shed light on the mechanism underlying the observed bandgap reduction with increasing thickness, and the role of the interfacial Sulphur atoms is clarified. Our study, which gives new insight into the variation of electronic properties of MoS 2 films with thickness bears directly on junction properties of MoS2, and thus impacts electronics application of MoS 2.« less

Growth and sacrificial oxidation of transition metal nanolayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsarfati, Tim; Zoethout, Erwin; van de Kruijs, Robbert; Bijkerk, Fred

2009-04-01

Growth and oxidation of Au, Pt, Pd, Rh, Cu, Ru, Ni and Co layers of 0.3-4.3 nm thickness on Mo have been investigated with ARPES and AFM. Co and Ni layers oxidize while the Mo remains metallic. For nobler metals, the on top O and oxidation state of subsurface Mo increase, suggesting sacrificial e - donation by Mo. Au and Cu, in spite of their significantly lower surface free energy, grow in islands on Mo and actually promote Mo oxidation. Applications of the sacrificial oxidation in nanometer thin layers exist in a range of nanoscopic devices, such as nano-electronics and protection of e.g. multilayer X-ray optics for astronomy, medicine and lithography.

Enhanced photovoltaic performances of graphene/Si solar cells by insertion of a MoS₂ thin film.

PubMed

Tsuboi, Yuka; Wang, Feijiu; Kozawa, Daichi; Funahashi, Kazuma; Mouri, Shinichiro; Miyauchi, Yuhei; Takenobu, Taishi; Matsuda, Kazunari

2015-09-14

Transition-metal dichalcogenides exhibit great potential as active materials in optoelectronic devices because of their characteristic band structure. Here, we demonstrated that the photovoltaic performances of graphene/Si Schottky junction solar cells were significantly improved by inserting a chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown, large MoS2 thin-film layer. This layer functions as an effective electron-blocking/hole-transporting layer. We also demonstrated that the photovoltaic properties are enhanced with the increasing number of graphene layers and the decreasing thickness of the MoS2 layer. A high photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 11.1% was achieved with the optimized trilayer-graphene/MoS2/n-Si solar cell.

Gate Tunable Transport in Graphene/MoS₂/(Cr/Au) Vertical Field-Effect Transistors.

PubMed

Nazir, Ghazanfar; Khan, Muhammad Farooq; Aftab, Sikandar; Afzal, Amir Muhammad; Dastgeer, Ghulam; Rehman, Malik Abdul; Seo, Yongho; Eom, Jonghwa

2017-12-28

Two-dimensional materials based vertical field-effect transistors have been widely studied due to their useful applications in industry. In the present study, we fabricate graphene/MoS₂/(Cr/Au) vertical transistor based on the mechanical exfoliation and dry transfer method. Since the bottom electrode was made of monolayer graphene (Gr), the electrical transport in our Gr/MoS₂/(Cr/Au) vertical transistors can be significantly modified by using back-gate voltage. Schottky barrier height at the interface between Gr and MoS₂ can be modified by back-gate voltage and the current bias. Vertical resistance (R vert ) of a Gr/MoS₂/(Cr/Au) transistor is compared with planar resistance (R planar ) of a conventional lateral MoS₂ field-effect transistor. We have also studied electrical properties for various thicknesses of MoS₂ channels in both vertical and lateral transistors. As the thickness of MoS₂ increases, R vert increases, but R planar decreases. The increase of R vert in the thicker MoS₂ film is attributed to the interlayer resistance in the vertical direction. However, R planar shows a lower value for a thicker MoS₂ film because of an excess of charge carriers available in upper layers connected directly to source/drain contacts that limits the conduction through layers closed to source/drain electrodes. Hence, interlayer resistance associated with these layers contributes to planer resistance in contrast to vertical devices in which all layers contribute interlayer resistance.

Atomic layer MoS2-graphene van der Waals heterostructure nanomechanical resonators.

PubMed

Ye, Fan; Lee, Jaesung; Feng, Philip X-L

2017-11-30

Heterostructures play significant roles in modern semiconductor devices and micro/nanosystems in a plethora of applications in electronics, optoelectronics, and transducers. While state-of-the-art heterostructures often involve stacks of crystalline epi-layers each down to a few nanometers thick, the intriguing limit would be hetero-atomic-layer structures. Here we report the first experimental demonstration of freestanding van der Waals heterostructures and their functional nanomechanical devices. By stacking single-layer (1L) MoS 2 on top of suspended single-, bi-, tri- and four-layer (1L to 4L) graphene sheets, we realize an array of MoS 2 -graphene heterostructures with varying thickness and size. These heterostructures all exhibit robust nanomechanical resonances in the very high frequency (VHF) band (up to ∼100 MHz). We observe that fundamental-mode resonance frequencies of the heterostructure devices fall between the values of graphene and MoS 2 devices. Quality (Q) factors of heterostructure resonators are lower than those of graphene but comparable to those of MoS 2 devices, suggesting interface damping related to interlayer interactions in the van der Waals heterostructures. This study validates suspended atomic layer heterostructures as an effective device platform and provides opportunities for exploiting mechanically coupled effects and interlayer interactions in such devices.

Ellipsometric characterization of MoSe2 thin layers obtained by thermal treatment of molybdenum in selenium vapor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayramov, Ayaz; Aliyeva, Yegana; Eyyubov, Gurban; Mammadov, Eldar; Jahangirli, Zakir; Lincot, Daniel; Mamedov, Nazim

2017-11-01

Submicron MoSe2 layers were prepared by thermal treatment of thick Mo layers on glass substrate in saturated selenium vapor. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was then applied to the obtained MoSe2/Mo/Glass structures and MoSe2 target sample at room temperature. Dielectric function for both the MoSe2 layer and MoSe2 target was retrieved in the spectral range 190-1700 nm by using the Kramers-Kronig consistent B-spline dispersion model. The obtained data were similar in both cases. Despite apparent red shift of the dielectric function spectra of the layer in high energy region the peculiarity at around 1 eV is manifested at the same energy for both, layer and target. Comparison of the ellipsometry-based dielectric function of the target and the one, obtained within calculated band structure of MoSe2 for room temperature lattice parameters, has shown that the former is a broadened counterpart of the latter. Above-mentioned peculiar feature is not reproduced in the calculated dielectric function and is assumed to have excitonic nature.

Two-dimensional MoTe2 materials: From synthesis, identification, and charge transport to electronics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Yuan-Ming; Lin, Che-Yi; Lin, Yen-Fu; Tsukagoshi, Kazuhito

2016-11-01

We present a review of recent developments in the synthesis, thickness identification, electronic properties, and possible applications of layered MoTe2 flakes. Special emphasis is made on two-dimensional (2D) MoTe2 semiconductors and the extensive research in recent years on their applications in electronics. Layered MoTe2 flakes have been the focus of substantial interest in the research community because of their fascinating characteristics, including an appropriate band gap and a simple fabrication method (exfoliation) to form layered nanomaterials. Our aim is to provide the readers an overview of layered MoTe2 flakes and to understand their properties, which may lead to their applications in micro- and nanoelectronics.

Magnetic properties of sputtered Permalloy/molybdenum multilayers

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

Romera, M.; Ciudad, D.; Maicas, M.

2011-10-15

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

Highly Enhanced H2 Sensing Performance of Few-Layer MoS2/SiO2/Si Heterojunctions by Surface Decoration of Pd Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Hao, Lanzhong; Liu, Yunjie; Du, Yongjun; Chen, Zhaoyang; Han, Zhide; Xu, Zhijie; Zhu, Jun

2017-10-17

A novel few-layer MoS 2 /SiO 2 /Si heterojunction is fabricated via DC magnetron sputtering technique, and Pd nanoparticles are further synthesized on the device surface. The results demonstrate that the fabricated sensor exhibits highly enhanced responses to H 2 at room temperature due to the decoration of Pd nanoparticles. For example, the Pd-decorated MoS 2 /SiO 2 /Si heterojunction shows an excellent response of 9.2 × 10 3 % to H 2 , which is much higher than the values for the Pd/SiO 2 /Si and MoS 2 /SiO 2 /Si heterojunctions. In addition, the H 2 sensing properties of the fabricated heterojunction are dependent largely on the thickness of the Pd-nanoparticle layer and there is an optimized Pd thickness for the device to achieve the best sensing characteristics. Based on the microstructure characterization and electrical measurements, the sensing mechanisms of the Pd-decorated MoS 2 /SiO 2 /Si heterojunction are proposed. These results indicate that the Pd decoration of few-layer MoS 2 /SiO 2 /Si heterojunctions presents an effective strategy for the scalable fabrication of high-performance H 2 sensors.

New insights into the Mo/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interface in thin film solar cells: Formation and properties of the MoSe2 interfacial layer.

PubMed

Klinkert, T; Theys, B; Patriarche, G; Jubault, M; Donsanti, F; Guillemoles, J-F; Lincot, D

2016-10-21

Being at the origin of an ohmic contact, the MoSe 2 interfacial layer at the Mo/Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 interface in CIGS (Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 and related compounds) based solar cells has allowed for very high light-to-electricity conversion efficiencies up to 22.3%. This article gives new insights into the formation and the structural properties of this interfacial layer. Different selenization-steps of a Mo covered glass substrate prior to the CIGS deposition by co-evaporation led to MoSe 2 interfacial layers with varying thickness and orientation, as observed by x-ray diffraction and atomic resolution transmission electron microscopy. A novel model based on the anisotropy of the Se diffusion coefficient in MoSe 2 is proposed to explain the results. While the series resistance of finished CIGS solar cells is found to correlate with the MoSe 2 orientation, the adhesion forces between the CIGS absorber layer and the Mo substrate stay constant. Their counter-intuitive non-correlation with the configuration of the MoSe 2 interfacial layer is discussed and related to work from the literature.

Synthesis and electrochemical property of few-layer molybdenum disulfide nanosheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Yanjue; Wang, Chunrui; Wang, Linlin; Peng, Xia; Wu, Binhe; Sun, Xingqu; Chen, Xiaoshuang

2016-12-01

Large-scale few-layer MoS2 nanosheets have been fabricated via a simple hydrothermal route using molybdenum powder as precursors. The as-prepared MoS2 samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectral analyses at room temperature. The results confirm that the as-prepared MoS2 displays a sheet-like morphology with a thickness of few (bi- to tri-) layers. Electrochemical measurements showed that the as-prepared few-layer MoS2 exhibited the highest reversible capacity of 1127 mAh g-1 and a stable reversible capacity of 1057 mAh g-1 after 30 cycles.

Exciton-dominated dielectric function of atomically thin MoS 2 films

DOE PAGES

Yu, Yiling; Yu, Yifei; Cai, Yongqing; ...

2015-11-24

We systematically measure the dielectric function of atomically thin MoS 2 films with different layer numbers and demonstrate that excitonic effects play a dominant role in the dielectric function when the films are less than 5–7 layers thick. The dielectric function shows an anomalous dependence on the layer number. It decreases with the layer number increasing when the films are less than 5–7 layers thick but turns to increase with the layer number for thicker films. We show that this is because the excitonic effect is very strong in the thin MoS 2 films and its contribution to the dielectricmore » function may dominate over the contribution of the band structure. We also extract the value of layer-dependent exciton binding energy and Bohr radius in the films by fitting the experimental results with an intuitive model. The dominance of excitonic effects is in stark contrast with what reported at conventional materials whose dielectric functions are usually dictated by band structures. Lastly, the knowledge of the dielectric function may enable capabilities to engineer the light-matter interactions of atomically thin MoS 2 films for the development of novel photonic devices, such as metamaterials, waveguides, light absorbers, and light emitters.« less

Low-frequency noise in multilayer MoS2 field-effect transistors: the effect of high-k passivation.

PubMed

Na, Junhong; Joo, Min-Kyu; Shin, Minju; Huh, Junghwan; Kim, Jae-Sung; Piao, Mingxing; Jin, Jun-Eon; Jang, Ho-Kyun; Choi, Hyung Jong; Shim, Joon Hyung; Kim, Gyu-Tae

2014-01-07

Diagnosing of the interface quality and the interactions between insulators and semiconductors is significant to achieve the high performance of nanodevices. Herein, low-frequency noise (LFN) in mechanically exfoliated multilayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) (~11.3 nm-thick) field-effect transistors with back-gate control was characterized with and without an Al2O3 high-k passivation layer. The carrier number fluctuation (CNF) model associated with trapping/detrapping the charge carriers at the interface nicely described the noise behavior in the strong accumulation regime both with and without the Al2O3 passivation layer. The interface trap density at the MoS2-SiO2 interface was extracted from the LFN analysis, and estimated to be Nit ~ 10(10) eV(-1) cm(-2) without and with the passivation layer. This suggested that the accumulation channel induced by the back-gate was not significantly influenced by the passivation layer. The Hooge mobility fluctuation (HMF) model implying the bulk conduction was found to describe the drain current fluctuations in the subthreshold regime, which is rarely observed in other nanodevices, attributed to those extremely thin channel sizes. In the case of the thick-MoS2 (~40 nm-thick) without the passivation, the HMF model was clearly observed all over the operation regime, ensuring the existence of the bulk conduction in multilayer MoS2. With the Al2O3 passivation layer, the change in the noise behavior was explained from the point of formation of the additional top channel in the MoS2 because of the fixed charges in the Al2O3. The interface trap density from the additional CNF model was Nit = 1.8 × 10(12) eV(-1) cm(-2) at the MoS2-Al2O3 interface.

Piezophototronic Effect in Single-Atomic-Layer MoS2 for Strain-Gated Flexible Optoelectronics.

PubMed

Wu, Wenzhuo; Wang, Lei; Yu, Ruomeng; Liu, Yuanyue; Wei, Su-Huai; Hone, James; Wang, Zhong Lin

2016-10-01

Strain-gated flexible optoelectronics are reported based on monolayer MoS 2 . Utilizing the piezoelectric polarization created at the metal-MoS 2 interface to modulate the separation/transport of photogenerated carriers, the piezophototronic effect is applied to implement atomic-layer-thick phototransistor. Coupling between piezoelectricity and photogenerated carriers may enable the development of novel optoelectronics. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thickness dependence of the MoO3 blocking layers on ZnO nanorod-inverted organic photovoltaic devices

PubMed Central

Wang, Mingjun; Li, Yuan; Huang, Huihui; Peterson, Eric D.; Nie, Wanyi; Zhou, Wei; Zeng, Wei; Huang, Wenxiao; Fang, Guojia; Sun, Nanhai; Zhao, Xingzhong; Carroll, David L.

2011-01-01

Organic solar cells based on vertically aligned zinc oxide nanorod arrays (ZNR) in an inverted structure of indium tin oxide (ITO)∕ZNR∕poly(3-hexylthiophene): (6,6)-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester(P3HT:PCBM)∕MoO3∕aluminum(Al) were studied. We found that the optimum MoO3 layer thickness condition of 20 nm, the MoO3 can effectively decrease the probability of bimolecular recombination either at the Al interface or within the active layer itself. For this optimum condition we get a power conversion efficiency of 2.15%, a short-circuit current density of 9.02 mA∕cm2, an open-circuit voltage of 0.55V, and a fill factor of 0.44 under 100 mW∕cm2 irradiation. Our investigations also show that the highly crystallized ZNR can create short and continuous pathways for electron transport and increase the contact area between the ZNR and the organic materials. PMID:21464889

Uniform large-area growth of nanotemplated high-quality monolayer MoS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Justin R.; Chilcote, Michael; Barone, Matthew; Xu, Jinsong; Katoch, Jyoti; Luo, Yunqiu Kelly; Mueller, Sara; Asel, Thaddeus J.; Fullerton-Shirey, Susan K.; Kawakami, Roland; Gupta, Jay A.; Brillson, Leonard J.; Johnston-Halperin, Ezekiel

2017-06-01

Over the past decade, it has become apparent that the extreme sensitivity of 2D crystals to surface interactions presents a unique opportunity to tune material properties through surface functionalization and the mechanical assembly of 2D heterostructures. However, this opportunity carries with it a concurrent challenge: an enhanced sensitivity to surface contamination introduced by standard patterning techniques that is exacerbated by the difficulty in cleaning these atomically thin materials. Here, we report a templated MoS2 growth technique wherein Mo is deposited onto atomically stepped sapphire substrates through a SiN stencil with feature sizes down to 100 nm and subsequently sulfurized at high temperature. These films have a quality comparable to the best MoS2 prepared by other methodologies, and the thickness of the resulting MoS2 patterns can be tuned layer-by-layer by controlling the initial Mo deposition. The quality and thickness of the films are confirmed by scanning electron, scanning tunneling, and atomic force microscopies; Raman, photoluminescence, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopies; and electron transport measurements. This approach critically enables the creation of patterned, single-layer MoS2 films with pristine surfaces suitable for subsequent modification via functionalization and mechanical stacking. Further, we anticipate that this growth technique should be broadly applicable within the family of transition metal dichalcogenides.

Effect of oxygen partial pressure on oxidation of Mo-metal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Rabindar Kumar; Kumar, Prabhat; Singh, Megha; Gopal, Pawar; Reddy, G. B.

2018-05-01

This report explains the effect of oxygen partial pressure (PO2 ) on oxidation of Mo-metal in oxygen plasma. XRD results indulge that oxide layers formed on Mo-surfaces at different oxygen partial pressures have two different oxide phases (i.e. orthorhombic MoO3 and monoclinic Mo8O23). Intense XRD peaks at high pressure (i.e. 2.0×10-1 Torr) points out the formation of thick oxide layer on Mo-surface due to presence of large oxygen species in chamber and less oxide volatilization. Whereas, at low PO2 (6.5×10-2 and 7.5×10-2 Torr.) the reduced peak strength is owing to high oxide volatilization rate. SEM micrographs and thickness measurements also support XRD results and confirm that the optimum -2value of PO2 to deposited thicker and uniform oxide film on glass substrate is 7.5×10-2 Torr through plasma assistedoxidation process. Further to study the compositional properties, EDX of the sample M2 (the best sample) is carried out, which confirms that the stoichiometric ratio is less than 3 (i.e. 2.88). Less stoichiometric ratio again confirms the presence of sub oxides in oxide layers on Mo metal as evidenced by XRD results. All the observed results are well in consonance with each other.

Efficiency Improvement Using Molybdenum Disulphide Interlayers in Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube/Silicon Solar Cells.

PubMed

Alzahly, Shaykha; Yu, LePing; Shearer, Cameron J; Gibson, Christopher T; Shapter, Joseph G

2018-04-21

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS₂) is one of the most studied and widely applied nanomaterials from the layered transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) semiconductor family. MoS₂ has a large carrier diffusion length and a high carrier mobility. Combining a layered structure of single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and MoS₂ with n-type silicon (n-Si) provided novel SWCNT/n-Si photovoltaic devices. The solar cell has a layered structure with Si covered first by a thin layer of MoS₂ flakes and then a SWCNT film. The films were examined using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The MoS₂ flake thickness ranged from 5 to 90 nm while the nanosheet’s lateral dimensions size ranged up to 1 μm². This insertion of MoS₂ improved the photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of the SWCNT/n-Si solar cells by approximately a factor of 2.

Sensitive Phonon-Based Probe for Structure Identification of 1T' MoTe 2

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

Zhou, Lin; Huang, Shengxi; Tatsumi, Yuki

In this work, by combining transmission electron microscopy and polarized Raman spectroscopy for the 1T' MoTe 2 flakes with different thicknesses, we found that the polarization dependence of Raman intensity is given as a function of excitation laser wavelength, phonon symmetry, and phonon frequency, but has weak dependence on the flake thickness from few-layer to multilayer. Additionally, the frequency of Raman peaks and the relative Raman intensity are sensitive to flake thickness, which manifests Raman spectroscopy as an effective probe for thickness of 1T' MoTe 2. This work demonstrates that polarized Raman spectroscopy is a powerful and nondestructive method tomore » quickly identify the crystal structure and thickness of 1T' MoTe 2 simultaneously, which opens up opportunities for the in situ probe of anisotropic properties and broad applications of this novel material.« less

Sensitive Phonon-Based Probe for Structure Identification of 1T' MoTe 2

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Lin; Huang, Shengxi; Tatsumi, Yuki; ...

2017-05-25

In this work, by combining transmission electron microscopy and polarized Raman spectroscopy for the 1T' MoTe 2 flakes with different thicknesses, we found that the polarization dependence of Raman intensity is given as a function of excitation laser wavelength, phonon symmetry, and phonon frequency, but has weak dependence on the flake thickness from few-layer to multilayer. Additionally, the frequency of Raman peaks and the relative Raman intensity are sensitive to flake thickness, which manifests Raman spectroscopy as an effective probe for thickness of 1T' MoTe 2. This work demonstrates that polarized Raman spectroscopy is a powerful and nondestructive method tomore » quickly identify the crystal structure and thickness of 1T' MoTe 2 simultaneously, which opens up opportunities for the in situ probe of anisotropic properties and broad applications of this novel material.« less

Low-temperature plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of 2-D MoS2: large area, thickness control and tuneable morphology.

PubMed

Sharma, Akhil; Verheijen, Marcel A; Wu, Longfei; Karwal, Saurabh; Vandalon, Vincent; Knoops, Harm C M; Sundaram, Ravi S; Hofmann, Jan P; Kessels, W M M Erwin; Bol, Ageeth A

2018-05-10

Low-temperature controllable synthesis of monolayer-to-multilayer thick MoS2 with tuneable morphology is demonstrated by using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). The characteristic self-limiting ALD growth with a growth-per-cycle of 0.1 nm per cycle and digital thickness control down to a monolayer are observed with excellent wafer scale uniformity. The as-deposited films are found to be polycrystalline in nature showing the signature Raman and photoluminescence signals for the mono-to-few layered regime. Furthermore, a transformation in film morphology from in-plane to out-of-plane orientation of the 2-dimensional layers as a function of growth temperature is observed. An extensive study based on high-resolution transmission electron microscopy is presented to unravel the nucleation mechanism of MoS2 on SiO2/Si substrates at 450 °C. In addition, a model elucidating the film morphology transformation (at 450 °C) is hypothesized. Finally, the out-of-plane oriented films are demonstrated to outperform the in-plane oriented films in the hydrogen evolution reaction for water splitting applications.

Microstructural characteristics of HIP-bonded monolithic nuclear fuels with a diffusion barrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jue, Jan-Fong; Keiser, Dennis D.; Breckenridge, Cynthia R.; Moore, Glenn A.; Meyer, Mitchell K.

2014-05-01

Due to the limitation of maximum uranium load achievable by dispersion fuel type, the Global Threat Reduction Initiative is developing an advanced monolithic fuel to convert US high-performance research reactors to low-enriched uranium. Hot-isostatic-press (HIP) bonding was the single process down-selected to bond monolithic U-Mo fuel meat to aluminum alloy cladding. A diffusion barrier was applied to the U-Mo fuel meat by roll-bonding process to prevent extensive interaction between fuel meat and aluminum-alloy cladding. Microstructural characterization was performed on fresh fuel plates fabricated at Idaho National Laboratory. Interfaces between the fuel meat, the cladding, and the diffusion barrier, as well as between the U-10Mo fuel meat and the Al-6061 cladding, were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Preliminary results indicate that the interfaces contain many different phases while decomposition, second phases, and chemical banding were also observed in the fuel meat. The important attributes of the HIP-bonded monolithic fuel are:

Cathodic Electrodeposition of Ni-Mo on Semiconducting NiFe2 O4 for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Media.

PubMed

Wijten, Jochem H J; Jong, Ronald P H; Mul, Guido; Weckhuysen, Bert M

2018-04-25

Photocathodes for hydrogen evolution from water were made by electrodeposition of Ni-Mo layers on NiFe 2 O 4 substrates, deposited by spin coating on F:SnO 2 -glass. Analysis confirmed the formation of two separate layers, without significant reduction of NiFe 2 O 4 . Bare NiFe 2 O 4 was found to be unstable under alkaline conditions during (photo)electrochemistry. To improve the stability significantly, the deposition of a bifunctional Ni-Mo layer through a facile electrodeposition process was performed and the composite electrodes showed stable operation for at least 1 h. Moreover, photocurrents up to -2.1 mA cm -2 at -0.3 V vs. RHE were obtained for Ni-Mo/NiFe 2 O 4 under ambient conditions, showing that the new combination functions as both a stabilizing and catalytic layer for the photoelectrochemical evolution of hydrogen. The photoelectrochemical response of these composite electrodes decreased with increasing NiFe 2 O 4 layer thickness. Transient absorption spectroscopy showed that the lifetime of excited states is short and on the ns timescale. An increase in lifetime was observed for NiFe 2 O 4 of large layer thickness, likely explained by decreasing the defect density in the primary layer(s), as a result of repetitive annealing at elevated temperature. The photoelectrochemical and transient absorption spectroscopy results indicated that a short charge carrier lifetime limits the performance of Ni-Mo/NiFe 2 O 4 photocathodes. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quenching Mo optical losses in CIGS solar cells by a point contacted dual-layer dielectric spacer: a 3-D optical study.

PubMed

Rezaei, Nasim; Isabella, Olindo; Vroon, Zeger; Zeman, Miro

2018-01-22

A 3-D optical modelling was calibrated to calculate the light absorption and the total reflection of fabricated CIGS solar cells. Absorption losses at molybdenum (Mo) / CIGS interface were explained in terms of plasmonic waves. To quench these losses, we assumed the insertion of a lossless dielectric spacer between Mo and CIGS, whose optical properties were varied. We show that such a spacer with low refractive index and proper thickness can significantly reduce absorption in Mo in the long wavelength regime and improve the device's rear reflectance, thus leading to enhanced light absorption in the CIGS layer. Therefore, we optimized a realistic two-layer MgF 2 / Al 2 O 3 dielectric spacer to exploit (i) the passivation properties of ultra-thin Al 2 O 3 on the CIGS side for potential high open-circuit voltage and (ii) the low refractive index of MgF 2 on the Mo side to reduce its optical losses. Combining our realistic spacer with optically-optimized point contacts increases the implied photocurrent density of a 750 nm-thick CIGS layer by 10% for the wavelengths between 700 and 1150 nm with respect to the reference cell. The elimination of plasmonic resonances in the new structure leads to a higher electric field magnitude at the bottom of CIGS layer and justifies the improved optical performance.

MoS2: a two-dimensional hole-transporting material for high-efficiency, low-cost perovskite solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohnehpoushi, Saman; Nazari, Pariya; Abdollahi Nejand, Bahram; Eskandari, Mehdi

2018-05-01

In this work MoS2 thin film was studied as a potential two-dimensional (2D) hole-transporting material for fabrication of low-cost, durable and efficient perovskite solar cells. The thickness of MoS2 was studied as a potential factor in reaching high power conversion efficiency in perovskite solar cells. The thickness of the perovskite layer and the different metal back contacts gave distinct photovoltaic properties to the designed cells. The results show that a single sheet of MoS2 could considerably improve the power conversion efficacy of the device from 10.41% for a hole transport material (HTM)-free device to 20.43% for a device prepared with a 0.67 nm thick MoS2 layer as a HTM. On the back, Ag and Al collected the carriers more efficiently than Au due to the value of their metal contact work function with the TiO2 conduction band. The present work proposes a new architecture for the fabrication of low-cost, durable and efficient perovskite solar cells made from a low-cost and robust inorganic HTM and electron transport material.

MoS2: a two-dimensional hole-transporting material for high-efficiency, low-cost perovskite solar cells.

PubMed

Kohnehpoushi, Saman; Nazari, Pariya; Nejand, Bahram Abdollahi; Eskandari, Mehdi

2018-05-18

In this work MoS 2 thin film was studied as a potential two-dimensional (2D) hole-transporting material for fabrication of low-cost, durable and efficient perovskite solar cells. The thickness of MoS 2 was studied as a potential factor in reaching high power conversion efficiency in perovskite solar cells. The thickness of the perovskite layer and the different metal back contacts gave distinct photovoltaic properties to the designed cells. The results show that a single sheet of MoS 2 could considerably improve the power conversion efficacy of the device from 10.41% for a hole transport material (HTM)-free device to 20.43% for a device prepared with a 0.67 nm thick MoS 2 layer as a HTM. On the back, Ag and Al collected the carriers more efficiently than Au due to the value of their metal contact work function with the TiO 2 conduction band. The present work proposes a new architecture for the fabrication of low-cost, durable and efficient perovskite solar cells made from a low-cost and robust inorganic HTM and electron transport material.

Atomic layer deposition and post-growth thermal annealing of ultrathin MoO3 layers on silicon substrates: Formation of surface nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hongfei; Yang, Ren Bin; Yang, Weifeng; Jin, Yunjiang; Lee, Coryl J. J.

2018-05-01

Ultrathin MoO3 layers have been grown on Si substrates at 120 °C by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using molybdenum hexacarbonyl [Mo(CO)6] and ozone (O3) as the Mo- and O-source precursors, respectively. The ultrathin films were further annealed in air at Tann = 550-750 °C for 15 min. Scanning-electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been employed to evaluate the morphological and elemental properties as well as their evolutions upon annealing of the thin films. They revealed an interfacial SiOx layer in between the MoO3 layer and the Si substrate; this SiOx layer converted into SiO2 during the annealing; and the equivalent thickness of the MoO3 (SiO2) layer decreased (increased) with the increase in Tann. Particles with diameters smaller than 50 nm emerged at Tann = 550 °C and their sizes (density) were reduced (increased) by increasing Tann to 650 °C. A further increase of Tann to 750 °C resulted in telephone-cord-like MoO3 structures, initiated from isolated particles on the surface. These observations have been discussed and interpreted based on temperature-dependent atomic interdiffusions, surface evaporations, and/or melting of MoO3, which shed new light on ALD MoO3 towards its electronic applications.

Improved photoswitching response times of MoS2 field-effect transistors by stacking p-type copper phthalocyanine layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pak, Jinsu; Min, Misook; Cho, Kyungjune; Lien, Der-Hsien; Ahn, Geun Ho; Jang, Jingon; Yoo, Daekyoung; Chung, Seungjun; Javey, Ali; Lee, Takhee

2016-10-01

Photoswitching response times (rise and decay times) of a vertical organic and inorganic heterostructure with p-type copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and n-type molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) semiconductors are investigated. By stacking a CuPc layer on MoS2 field effect transistors, better photodetection capability and fast photoswitching rise and decay phenomena are observed. Specifically, with a 2 nm-thick CuPc layer on the MoS2 channel, the photoswitching decay time decreases from 3.57 s to 0.18 s. The p-type CuPc layer, as a passivation layer, prevents the absorption of oxygen on the surface of the MoS2 channel layer, which results in a shortened photoswitching decay time because adsorbed oxygen destroys the balanced ratio of electrons and holes, leading to the interruption of recombination processes. The suggested heterostructure may deliver enhanced photodetection abilities and photoswitching characteristics for realizing ultra-thin and sensitive photodetectors.

Tailoring the charge carrier in few layers MoS2 field-effect transistors by Au metal adsorbate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Arun Kumar; Pandey, Rajiv K.; Prakash, Rajiv; Eom, Jonghwa

2018-04-01

It is an essential to tune the charge carrier concentrations in semiconductor in order to approach high-performance of the electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, we report the effect of thin layer of gold (Au) metal on few layer (FL) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) by atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy and electrical charge transport measurements. The Raman spectra and charge transport measurements show that Au thin layer affect the electronic properties of the FL MoS2. After deposition of Au thin layer, the threshold voltages of FL MoS2 field-effect transistors (FETs) shift towards positive gate voltages, this reveal the p-doping in FL MoS2 nanosheets. The shift of peak frequencies of the Raman bands are also analyzed after the deposition of Au metal films of different thickness on FL MoS2 nanosheets. The surface morphology of Au metal on FL MoS2 is characterized by AFM and shows the smoother and denser film in comparison to Au metal on SiO2.

Large-scale Growth and Simultaneous Doping of Molybdenum Disulfide Nanosheets

PubMed Central

Kim, Seong Jun; Kang, Min-A; Kim, Sung Ho; Lee, Youngbum; Song, Wooseok; Myung, Sung; Lee, Sun Sook; Lim, Jongsun; An, Ki-Seok

2016-01-01

A facile method that uses chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for the simultaneous growth and doping of large-scale molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets was developed. We employed metalloporphyrin as a seeding promoter layer for the uniform growth of MoS2 nanosheets. Here, a hybrid deposition system that combines thermal evaporation and atomic layer deposition (ALD) was utilized to prepare the promoter. The doping effect of the promoter was verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. In addition, the carrier density of the MoS2 nanosheets was manipulated by adjusting the thickness of the metalloporphyrin promoter layers, which allowed the electrical conductivity in MoS2 to be manipulated. PMID:27044862

Microstructural Characteristics of HIP-bonded Monolithic Nuclear Fuels with a Diffusion Barrier

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

Jan-Fong Jue; Dennis D. Keiser, Jr.; Cynthia R. Breckenridge

Due to the limitation of maximum uranium load achievable by dispersion fuel type, the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) is developing an advanced monolithic fuel to convert US high performance research reactors to low-enriched uranium. Hot-isostatic-press bonding was the single process down-selected to bond monolithic U-Mo fuel meat to aluminum alloy cladding. A diffusion barrier was applied to the U–Mo fuel meat by roll-bonding process to prevent extensive interaction between fuel meat and aluminum-alloy cladding. Microstructural characterization was performed on fresh fuel plates fabricated at Idaho National Laboratory. Interfaces between fuel meat, cladding, and diffusion barrier, as well as U–10Momore » fuel meat and Al–6061 cladding were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Preliminary results indicate that the interfaces contain many different phases while decomposition, second phases, and chemical banding were also observed in the fuel meat. The important attributes of the HIP-bonded monolithic fuel are • A typical Zr diffusion barrier of thickness 25 µm • Transverse cross section that exhibits relatively equiaxed grains with an average grain diameter of 10 µm • Chemical banding, in some areas more than 100 µm in length, that is very pronounced in longitudinal (i.e., rolling) direction with Mo concentration varying from 7–13 wt% • Decomposed areas containing plate-shaped low-Mo phase • A typical Zr/cladding interaction layer of thickness 1-2 µm • A visible UZr2 bearing layer of thickness 1-2 µm • Mo-rich precipitates (mainly Mo2Zr, forming a layer in some areas) followed by a Mo-depleted sub-layer between the visible UZr2-bearing layer and the U–Mo matrix • No excessive interaction between cladding and the uncoated fuel edge • Cladding-to-cladding bonding that exhibits no cracks or porosity with second phases high in Mg, Si, and O decorating the bond line. • Some of these attributes might be critical to the irradiation performance of monolithic U-10Mo nuclear fuel. There are several issues or concerns that warrant more detailed study, such as precipitation along cladding-to-cladding bond line, chemical banding, uncovered fuel-zone edge, and interaction layer between U–Mo fuel meat and zirconium. Future post-irradiation examination results will focus, among other things, on identifying in-reactor failure mechanisms and, eventually, directing further fresh fuel characterization efforts.« less

Annealing of (DU-10Mo)-Zr Co-Rolled Foils

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

Pacheco, Robin Montoya; Alexander, David John; Mccabe, Rodney James

2017-01-20

Producing uranium-10wt% molybdenum (DU-10Mo) foils to clad with Al first requires initial bonding of the DU-10Mo foil to zirconium (Zr) by hot rolling, followed by cold rolling to final thickness. Rolling often produces wavy (DU-10Mo)-Zr foils that should be flattened before further processing, as any distortions could affect the final alignment and bonding of the Al cladding to the Zr co-rolled surface layer; this bonding is achieved by a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process. Distortions in the (DU-10Mo)-Zr foil may cause the fuel foil to press against the Al cladding and thus create thinner or thicker areas in the Almore » cladding layer during the HIP cycle. Post machining is difficult and risky at this stage in the process since there is a chance of hitting the DU-10Mo. Therefore, it is very important to establish a process to flatten and remove any waviness. This study was conducted to determine if a simple annealing treatment could flatten wavy foils. Using the same starting material (i.e. DU-10Mo coupons of the same thickness), five different levels of hot rolling and cold rolling, combined with five different annealing treatments, were performed to determine the effect of these processing variables on flatness, bonding of layers, annealing response, microstructure, and hardness. The same final thickness was reached in all cases. Micrographs, textures, and hardness measurements were obtained for the various processing combinations. Based on these results, it was concluded that annealing at 650°C or higher is an effective treatment to appreciably reduce foil waviness.« less

Efficiency Improvement Using Molybdenum Disulphide Interlayers in Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube/Silicon Solar Cells

PubMed Central

Alzahly, Shaykha; Yu, LePing; Gibson, Christopher T.

2018-01-01

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) is one of the most studied and widely applied nanomaterials from the layered transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) semiconductor family. MoS2 has a large carrier diffusion length and a high carrier mobility. Combining a layered structure of single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and MoS2 with n-type silicon (n-Si) provided novel SWCNT/n-Si photovoltaic devices. The solar cell has a layered structure with Si covered first by a thin layer of MoS2 flakes and then a SWCNT film. The films were examined using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The MoS2 flake thickness ranged from 5 to 90 nm while the nanosheet’s lateral dimensions size ranged up to 1 μm2. This insertion of MoS2 improved the photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of the SWCNT/n-Si solar cells by approximately a factor of 2. PMID:29690503

Work function variation of MoS{sub 2} atomic layers grown with chemical vapor deposition: The effects of thickness and the adsorption of water/oxygen molecules

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

Kim, Jong Hun; Kim, Jae Hyeon; Park, Jeong Young, E-mail: peterlee@skku.edu, E-mail: jeongypark@kaist.ac.kr

2015-06-22

The electrical properties of two-dimensional atomic sheets exhibit remarkable dependences on layer thickness and surface chemistry. Here, we investigated the variation of the work function properties of MoS{sub 2} films prepared with chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on SiO{sub 2} substrates with the number of film layers. Wafer-scale CVD MoS{sub 2} films with 2, 4, and 12 layers were fabricated on SiO{sub 2}, and their properties were evaluated by using Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopies. In accordance with our X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results, our Kelvin probe force microscopy investigation found that the surface potential of the MoS{sub 2} films increases by ∼0.15 eVmore » when the number of layers is increased from 2 to 12. Photoemission spectroscopy (PES) with in-situ annealing under ultra high vacuum conditions was used to directly demonstrate that this work function shift is associated with the screening effects of oxygen or water molecules adsorbed on the film surface. After annealing, it was found with PES that the surface potential decreases by ∼0.2 eV upon the removal of the adsorbed layers, which confirms that adsorbed species have a role in the variation in the work function.« less

Formation of BaSi2 heterojunction solar cells using transparent MoOx hole transport layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, W.; Takabe, R.; Baba, M.; Takeuchi, H.; Hara, K. O.; Toko, K.; Usami, N.; Suemasu, T.

2015-03-01

Heterojunction solar cells that consist of 15 nm thick molybdenum trioxide (MoOx, x < 3) as a hole transport layer and 600 nm thick unpassivated or passivated n-BaSi2 layers were demonstrated. Rectifying current-voltage characteristics were observed when the surface of BaSi2 was exposed to air. When the exposure time was decreased to 1 min, an open circuit voltage of 200 mV and a short circuit current density of 0.5 mA/cm2 were obtained under AM1.5 illumination. The photocurrent density under a reverse bias voltage of -1 V reached 25 mA/cm2, which demonstrates the significant potential of BaSi2 for solar cell applications.

Effects of HfO2 encapsulation on electrical performances of few-layered MoS2 transistor with ALD HfO2 as back-gate dielectric.

PubMed

Xu, Jingping; Wen, Ming; Zhao, Xinyuan; Liu, Lu; Song, Xingjuan; Lai, Pui-To; Tang, Wing-Man

2018-08-24

The carrier mobility of MoS 2 transistors can be greatly improved by the screening role of high-k gate dielectric. In this work, atomic-layer deposited (ALD) HfO 2 annealed in NH 3 is used to replace SiO 2 as the gate dielectric to fabricate back-gated few-layered MoS 2 transistors, and good electrical properties are achieved with field-effect mobility (μ) of 19.1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , subthreshold swing (SS) of 123.6 mV dec -1 and on/off ratio of 3.76 × 10 5 . Furthermore, enhanced device performance is obtained when the surface of the MoS 2 channel is coated by an ALD HfO 2 layer with different thicknesses (10, 15 and 20 nm), where the transistor with a 15 nm HfO 2 encapsulation layer exhibits the best overall electrical properties: μ = 42.1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , SS = 87.9 mV dec -1 and on/off ratio of 2.72 × 10 6 . These improvements should be associated with the enhanced screening effect on charged-impurity scattering and protection from absorption of environmental gas molecules by the high-k encapsulation. The capacitance equivalent thickness of the back-gate dielectric (HfO 2 ) is only 6.58 nm, which is conducive to scaling of the MoS 2 transistors.

Photocathode quantum efficiency of ultrathin Cs2Te layers on Nb substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusof, Zikri; Denchfield, Adam; Warren, Mark; Cardenas, Javier; Samuelson, Noah; Spentzouris, Linda; Power, John; Zasadzinski, John

2017-12-01

The quantum efficiencies (QE) of photocathodes consisting of bulk Nb substrates coated with thin films of Cs2Te are reported. Using the standard recipe for Cs2Te deposition developed for Mo substrates (220 Å Te thickness), a QE ˜11 % - 13 % at light wavelength of 248 nm is achieved for the Nb substrates, consistent with that found on Mo. Systematic reduction of the Te thickness for both Mo and Nb substrates reveals a surprisingly high residual QE ˜6 % for a Te layer as thin as 15 Å. A phenomenological model based on the Spicer three-step model along with a solution of the Fresnel equations for reflectance, R , leads to a reasonable fit of the thickness dependence of QE and suggests that layers thinner than 15 Å may still have a relatively high QE. Preliminary investigation suggests an increased operational lifetime as well. Such an ultrathin, semiconducting Cs2Te layer may be expected to produce minimal Ohmic losses for rf frequencies ˜1 GHz . The result thus opens the door to the potential development of a Nb (or Nb3Sn ) superconducting photocathode with relatively high QE and minimal rf impedance to be used in a superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) photoinjector.

Method to adjust multilayer film stress induced deformation of optics

DOEpatents

Spiller, Eberhard A.; Mirkarimi, Paul B.; Montcalm, Claude; Bajt, Sasa; Folta, James A.

2000-01-01

Stress compensating systems that reduces/compensates stress in a multilayer without loss in reflectivity, while reducing total film thickness compared to the earlier buffer-layer approach. The stress free multilayer systems contain multilayer systems with two different material combinations of opposite stress, where both systems give good reflectivity at the design wavelengths. The main advantage of the multilayer system design is that stress reduction does not require the deposition of any additional layers, as in the buffer layer approach. If the optical performance of the two systems at the design wavelength differ, the system with the poorer performance is deposited first, and then the system with better performance last, thus forming the top of the multilayer system. The components for the stress reducing layer are chosen among materials that have opposite stress to that of the preferred multilayer reflecting stack and simultaneously have optical constants that allow one to get good reflectivity at the design wavelength. For a wavelength of 13.4 nm, the wavelength presently used for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, Si and Be have practically the same optical constants, but the Mo/Si multilayer has opposite stress than the Mo/Be multilayer. Multilayer systems of these materials have practically identical reflectivity curves. For example, stress free multilayers can be formed on a substrate using Mo/Be multilayers in the bottom of the stack and Mo/Si multilayers at the top of the stack, with the switch-over point selected to obtain zero stress. In this multilayer system, the switch-over point is at about the half point of the total thickness of the stack, and for the Mo/Be--Mo/Si system, there may be 25 deposition periods Mo/Be to 20 deposition periods Mo/Si.

Preparation of multilayered nanocrystalline thin films with composition-modulated interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biro, D.; Barna, P. B.; Székely, L.; Geszti, O.; Hattori, T.; Devenyi, A.

2008-06-01

The properties of multilayer thin film structures depend on the morphology and structure of interfaces. A broad interface, in which the composition is varying, can enhance, e.g., the hardness of multilayer thin films. In the present experiments multilayers of TiAlN and CrN as well as TiAlN, CrN and MoS 2 were studied by using unbalanced magnetron sputter sources. The sputter sources were arranged side by side on an arc. This arrangement permits development of a transition zone between the layers, where the composition changes continuously. The multilayer system was deposited by one-fold oscillating movement of substrates in front of sputter sources. Thicknesses of layers could be changed both by oscillation frequency and by the power applied to sputter sources. Ti/Al: 50/50 at%, pure chromium and MoS 2 targets were used in the sputter sources. The depositions were performed in an Ar-N 2 mixture at 0.22 Pa working pressure. The sputtering power of the TiAl source was feed-back adjusted in fuzzy-logic mode in order to avoid fluctuation of the TiAl target sputter rate due to poisoning of the target surface. Structure characterization of films deposited on <1 0 0> Si wafers covered by thermally grown SiO 2 was performed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. At first a 100 nm thick Cr base layer was deposited on the substrate to improve adhesion, which was followed by a CrN transition layer. The CrN transition layer was followed by a 100 nm thick TiAlN/CrN multilayer system. The TiAlN/CrN/MoS 2 multilayer system was deposited on the surface of this underlayer system. The underlayer systems Cr, CrN and TiAlN/CrN were crystalline with columnar structure according to the morphology of zone T of the structure zone models. The column boundaries contained segregated phases showing up in the under-focused TEM images. The surface of the underlayer system was wavy due to dome-shaped columns. The nanometer-scaled TiAlN/CrN/MoS 2 multilayer system followed this waviness. Crystallinity of the TiAlN and CrN layers in the multilayer system decreases with increasing thickness of the MoS 2 layer.

Metal-support interactions during the adsorption of CO on thin layers and islands of epitaxial palladium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, C.; Poppa, H.; Soria, F.

1984-01-01

Islands and continuous layers of palladium were grown in an ultrahigh vacuum on substrates of Mo(110)c(14 x 7)-O, designated MoO(x), and of clean Mo(110). It was found that as-deposited islands and layers exhibited bulk palladium adsorption properties for CO when deposited at room temperature and for palladium thicknesses in excess of about 3 monolayers. CO adsorption was drastically reduced, however, on annealing. For islands, annealing temperatures of as low as 400 K led to some reduction in CO adsorption whereas more severe reductions were found to occur at 600 K for islands and at 800 K for continuous multilayers. The deactivation depended on the palladium thickness, the substrate species and the extent of thermal treatments. Auger electron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption and Delta-Phi measurements were combined to interpret the deactivation behavior in terms of substrate-support interactions involving the diffusion of substrate species towards the palladium surface.

Post-irradiation examination of uranium 7 wt% molybdenum atomized dispersion fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leenaers, A.; Van den Berghe, S.; Koonen, E.; Jarousse, C.; Huet, F.; Trotabas, M.; Boyard, M.; Guillot, S.; Sannen, L.; Verwerft, M.

2004-10-01

Two low-enriched uranium fuel plates consisting of U-7wt%Mo atomized powder dispersed in an aluminum matrix, have been irradiated in the FUTURE irradiation rig of the BR2 reactor at SCK•CEN. The plates were submitted to a heat flux of maximum 353 W/cm 2 while the surface cladding temperature is kept below 130 °C. After 40 full power days, visual examination and profilometry of the fuel plates revealed an increase of the plate thickness. In view of this observation, the irradiation campaign was prematurely stopped and the fuel plates were retrieved from the reactor, having at their end-of-life a maximum burn-up of 32.8% 235U (6.5% FIMA). The microstructure of one of the fuel plates has been characterized in an extensive post-irradiation campaign. The U(Mo) fuel particles have been found to interact with the Al matrix, resulting in an interaction layer which can be identified as (U,Mo)Al 3 and (U,Mo)Al 4. Based on the composition of the interaction layer it is shown that the observed physical parameters like thickness of the interaction layer between the Al matrix and the U(Mo) fuel particles compare well to the values calculated by the MAIA code, an U(Mo) behavior modeling code developed by the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA).

Spin pumping in ion-beam sputtered C o2FeAl /Mo bilayers: Interfacial Gilbert damping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husain, Sajid; Kumar, Ankit; Barwal, Vineet; Behera, Nilamani; Akansel, Serkan; Svedlindh, Peter; Chaudhary, Sujeet

2018-02-01

The spin-pumping mechanism and associated interfacial Gilbert damping are demonstrated in ion-beam sputtered C o2FeAl (CFA)/Mo bilayer thin films employing ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The dependence of the net spin-current transportation on Mo layer thickness, 0 to 10 nm, and the enhancement of the net effective Gilbert damping are reported. The experimental data have been analyzed using spin-pumping theory in terms of spin current pumped through the ferromagnet/nonmagnetic metal interface to deduce the real spin-mixing conductance and the spin-diffusion length, which are estimated to be 1.56 (±0.30 ) ×1019m-2 and 2.61 (±0.15 )nm , respectively. The damping constant is found to be 8.8 (±0.2 ) ×10-3 in the Mo(3.5 nm)-capped CFA(8 nm) sample corresponding to an ˜69 % enhancement of the original Gilbert damping 5.2 (±0.6 ) ×10-3 in the Al-capped CFA thin film. This is further confirmed by inserting the Cu dusting layer which reduces the spin transport across the CFA/Mo interface. The Mo layer thickness-dependent net spin-current density is found to lie in the range of 1 -4 MA m-2 , which also provides additional quantitative evidence of spin pumping in this bilayer thin-film system.

Hydrothermal fabrication of few-layer MoS2 nanosheets within nanopores on TiO2 derived from MIL-125(Ti) for efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Fei; Li, Houfen; Yu, Hongtao; Chen, Shuo; Quan, Xie

2017-12-01

Protons tend to bond strongly with unsaturated-coordinate S element located at the edge of nano-MoS2 and are consequently reduced to H2. Therefore, increasing the active S atoms quantity will be a feasible approach to enhance hydrogen evolution. Herein we developed a porous TiO2 derived from metal organic frameworks (MOFs) as scaffold to restrict the growth and inhibit the aggregation of MoS2 nanosheets. As a result, the thickness of the prepared MoS2 nanosheets was less than 3 nm (1-4 layers), with more edges and active S atoms being exposed. This few-layer MoS2-porous TiO2 exhibits a H2 evolution rate of 897.5 μmol h-1 g-1, which is nearly twice as much as free-stand MoS2 nanosheets and twenty times more than physical mixture of MoS2 with porous TiO2. The high performance is attributed to that more active edge sites in few-layer MoS2-porous TiO2 are exposed than pure MoS2. This work provides a new method to construct MOFs derived porous structures for controlling MoS2 to expose active sites for HER.

Exciton band structure in layered MoSe2: from a monolayer to the bulk limit.

PubMed

Arora, Ashish; Nogajewski, Karol; Molas, Maciej; Koperski, Maciej; Potemski, Marek

2015-12-28

We present the micro-photoluminescence (μPL) and micro-reflectance contrast (μRC) spectroscopy studies on thin films of MoSe(2) with layer thicknesses ranging from a monolayer (1L) up to 5L. The thickness dependent evolution of the ground and excited state excitonic transitions taking place at various points of the Brillouin zone is determined. Temperature activated energy shifts and linewidth broadenings of the excitonic resonances in 1L, 2L and 3L flakes are accounted for by using standard formalisms previously developed for semiconductors. A peculiar shape of the optical response of the ground state (A) exciton in monolayer MoSe(2) is tentatively attributed to the appearance of a Fano-type resonance. Rather trivial and clearly decaying PL spectra of monolayer MoSe(2) with temperature confirm that the ground state exciton in this material is optically bright in contrast to a dark exciton ground state in monolayer WSe(2).

Exciton band structure in layered MoSe2: from a monolayer to the bulk limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arora, Ashish; Nogajewski, Karol; Molas, Maciej; Koperski, Maciej; Potemski, Marek

2015-12-01

We present the micro-photoluminescence (μPL) and micro-reflectance contrast (μRC) spectroscopy studies on thin films of MoSe2 with layer thicknesses ranging from a monolayer (1L) up to 5L. The thickness dependent evolution of the ground and excited state excitonic transitions taking place at various points of the Brillouin zone is determined. Temperature activated energy shifts and linewidth broadenings of the excitonic resonances in 1L, 2L and 3L flakes are accounted for by using standard formalisms previously developed for semiconductors. A peculiar shape of the optical response of the ground state (A) exciton in monolayer MoSe2 is tentatively attributed to the appearance of a Fano-type resonance. Rather trivial and clearly decaying PL spectra of monolayer MoSe2 with temperature confirm that the ground state exciton in this material is optically bright in contrast to a dark exciton ground state in monolayer WSe2.

Organic bistable memory devices based on MoO3 nanoparticle embedded Alq3 structures.

PubMed

Abhijith, T; Kumar, T V Arun; Reddy, V S

2017-03-03

Organic bistable memory devices were fabricated by embedding a thin layer of molybdenum trioxide (MoO 3 ) between two tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq 3 ) layers. The device exhibited excellent switching characteristics with an ON/OFF current ratio of 1.15 × 10 3 at a read voltage of 1 V. The device showed repeatable write-erase capability and good stability in both the conductance states. These conductance states are non-volatile in nature and can be obtained by applying appropriate voltage pulses. The effect of MoO 3 layer thickness and its location in the Alq 3 matrix on characteristics of the memory device was investigated. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images of the MoO 3 layer revealed the presence of isolated nanoparticles. Based on the experimental results, a mechanism has been proposed for explaining the conductance switching of fabricated devices.

Organic bistable memory devices based on MoO3 nanoparticle embedded Alq3 structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abhijith, T.; Kumar, T. V. Arun; Reddy, V. S.

2017-03-01

Organic bistable memory devices were fabricated by embedding a thin layer of molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) between two tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) layers. The device exhibited excellent switching characteristics with an ON/OFF current ratio of 1.15 × 103 at a read voltage of 1 V. The device showed repeatable write-erase capability and good stability in both the conductance states. These conductance states are non-volatile in nature and can be obtained by applying appropriate voltage pulses. The effect of MoO3 layer thickness and its location in the Alq3 matrix on characteristics of the memory device was investigated. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images of the MoO3 layer revealed the presence of isolated nanoparticles. Based on the experimental results, a mechanism has been proposed for explaining the conductance switching of fabricated devices.

Quantitative Raman spectrum and reliable thickness identification for atomic layers on insulating substrates.

PubMed

Li, Song-Lin; Miyazaki, Hisao; Song, Haisheng; Kuramochi, Hiromi; Nakaharai, Shu; Tsukagoshi, Kazuhito

2012-08-28

We demonstrate the possibility in quantifying the Raman intensities for both specimen and substrate layers in a common stacked experimental configuration and, consequently, propose a general and rapid thickness identification technique for atomic-scale layers on dielectric substrates. Unprecedentedly wide-range Raman data for atomically flat MoS(2) flakes are collected to compare with theoretical models. We reveal that all intensity features can be accurately captured when including optical interference effect. Surprisingly, we find that even freely suspended chalcogenide few-layer flakes have a stronger Raman response than that from the bulk phase. Importantly, despite the oscillating intensity of specimen spectrum versus thickness, the substrate weighted spectral intensity becomes monotonic. Combined with its sensitivity to specimen thickness, we suggest this quantity can be used to rapidly determine the accurate thickness for atomic layers.

Electrically Tunable and Negative Schottky Barriers in Multi-layered Graphene/MoS2 Heterostructured Transistors.

PubMed

Qiu, Dongri; Kim, Eun Kyu

2015-09-03

We fabricated multi-layered graphene/MoS2 heterostructured devices by positioning mechanically exfoliated bulk graphite and single-crystalline 2H-MoS2 onto Au metal pads on a SiO2/Si substrate via a contamination-free dry transfer technique. We also studied the electrical transport properties of Au/MoS2 junction devices for systematic comparison. A previous work has demonstrated the existence of a positive Schottky barrier height (SBH) in the metal/MoS2 system. However, analysis of the SBH indicates that the contacts of the multi-layered graphene/MoS2 have tunable negative barriers in the range of 300 to -46 meV as a function of gate voltage. It is hypothesized that this tunable SBH is responsible for the modulation of the work function of the thick graphene in these devices. Despite the large number of graphene layers, it is possible to form ohmic contacts, which will provide new opportunities for the engineering of highly efficient contacts in flexible electronics and photonics.

Electrically Tunable and Negative Schottky Barriers in Multi-layered Graphene/MoS2 Heterostructured Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Dongri; Kim, Eun Kyu

2015-09-01

We fabricated multi-layered graphene/MoS2 heterostructured devices by positioning mechanically exfoliated bulk graphite and single-crystalline 2H-MoS2 onto Au metal pads on a SiO2/Si substrate via a contamination-free dry transfer technique. We also studied the electrical transport properties of Au/MoS2 junction devices for systematic comparison. A previous work has demonstrated the existence of a positive Schottky barrier height (SBH) in the metal/MoS2 system. However, analysis of the SBH indicates that the contacts of the multi-layered graphene/MoS2 have tunable negative barriers in the range of 300 to -46 meV as a function of gate voltage. It is hypothesized that this tunable SBH is responsible for the modulation of the work function of the thick graphene in these devices. Despite the large number of graphene layers, it is possible to form ohmic contacts, which will provide new opportunities for the engineering of highly efficient contacts in flexible electronics and photonics.

Effect of buffer layer on photoresponse of MoS2 phototransistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyamoto, Yuga; Yoshikawa, Daiki; Takei, Kuniharu; Arie, Takayuki; Akita, Seiji

2018-06-01

An atomically thin MoS2 field-effect transistor (FET) is expected as an ultrathin photosensor with high sensitivity. However, a persistent photoconductivity phenomenon prevents high-speed photoresponse. Here, we investigate the photoresponse of a MoS2 FET with a thin Al2O3 buffer layer on a SiO2 gate insulator. The application of a 2-nm-thick Al2O3 buffer layer greatly improves not only the steady state properties but also the response speed from 1700 to 0.2 s. These experimental results are well explained by the random localized potential fluctuation model combined with the model based on the recombination of the bounded electrons around the trapped hole.

Growth kinetics and microstructural evolution during hot isostatic pressing of U-10 wt.% Mo monolithic fuel plate in AA6061 cladding with Zr diffusion barrier

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

Y. Park; J. Yoo; K. Huang

2014-04-01

Phase constituents and microstructure changes in RERTR fuel plate assemblies as functions of temperature and duration of hot-isostatic pressing (HIP) during fabrication were examined. The HIP process was carried out as functions of temperature (520, 540, 560 and 580 °C for 90 min) and time (45–345 min at 560 °C) to bond 6061 Al-alloy to the Zr diffusion barrier that had been co-rolled with U-10 wt.% Mo (U10Mo) fuel monolith prior to the HIP process. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies were employed to examine the phase constituents, microstructure and layer thickness of interaction products from interdiffusion. At the interface betweenmore » the U10Mo and Zr, following the co-rolling, the UZr2 phase was observed to develop adjacent to Zr, and the a-U phase was found between the UZr2 and U10Mo, while the Mo2Zr was found as precipitates mostly within the a-U phase. The phase constituents and thickness of the interaction layer at the U10Mo-Zr interface remained unchanged regardless of HIP processing variation. Observable growth due to HIP was only observed for the (Al,Si)3Zr phase found at the Zr/AA6061 interface, however, with a large activation energy of 457 ± 28 kJ/mole. Thus, HIP can be carried to improve the adhesion quality of fuel plate without concern for the excessive growth of the interaction layer, particularly at the U10Mo-Zr interface with the a-U, Mo2Zr, and UZr2 phases.« less

Growth kinetics and microstructural evolution during hot isostatic pressing of U-10 wt.% Mo monolithic fuel plate in AA6061 cladding with Zr diffusion barrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Y.; Yoo, J.; Huang, K.; Keiser, D. D.; Jue, J. F.; Rabin, B.; Moore, G.; Sohn, Y. H.

2014-04-01

Phase constituents and microstructure changes in RERTR fuel plate assemblies as functions of temperature and duration of hot-isostatic pressing (HIP) during fabrication were examined. The HIP process was carried out as functions of temperature (520, 540, 560 and 580 °C for 90 min) and time (45-345 min at 560 °C) to bond 6061 Al-alloy to the Zr diffusion barrier that had been co-rolled with U-10 wt.% Mo (U10Mo) fuel monolith prior to the HIP process. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies were employed to examine the phase constituents, microstructure and layer thickness of interaction products from interdiffusion. At the interface between the U10Mo and Zr, following the co-rolling, the UZr2 phase was observed to develop adjacent to Zr, and the α-U phase was found between the UZr2 and U10Mo, while the Mo2Zr was found as precipitates mostly within the α-U phase. The phase constituents and thickness of the interaction layer at the U10Mo-Zr interface remained unchanged regardless of HIP processing variation. Observable growth due to HIP was only observed for the (Al,Si)3Zr phase found at the Zr/AA6061 interface, however, with a large activation energy of 457 ± 28 kJ/mole. Thus, HIP can be carried to improve the adhesion quality of fuel plate without concern for the excessive growth of the interaction layer, particularly at the U10Mo-Zr interface with the α-U, Mo2Zr, and UZr2 phases.

A pressure tuned stop-flow atomic layer deposition process for MoS2 on high porous nanostructure and fabrication of TiO2/MoS2 core/shell inverse opal structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xianglin; Puttaswamy, Manjunath; Wang, Zhiwei; Kei Tan, Chiew; Grimsdale, Andrew C.; Kherani, Nazir P.; Tok, Alfred Iing Yoong

2017-11-01

MoS2 thin films are obtained by atomic layer deposition (ALD) in the temperature range of 120-150 °C using Mo(CO)6 and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) as precursors. A pressure tuned stop-flow ALD process facilitates the precursor adsorption and enables the deposition of MoS2 on high porous three dimensional (3D) nanostructures. As a demonstration, a TiO2/MoS2 core/shell inverse opal (TiO2/MoS2-IO) structure has been fabricated through ALD of TiO2 and MoS2 on a self-assembled multilayer polystyrene (PS) structure template. Due to the self-limiting surface reaction mechanism of ALD and the utilization of pressure tuned stop-flow ALD processes, the as fabricated TiO2/MoS2-IO structure has a high uniformity, reflected by FESEM and FIB-SEM characterization. A crystallized TiO2/MoS2-IO structure can be obtained through a post annealing process. As a 3D photonic crystal, the TiO2/MoS2-IO exhibits obvious stopband reflecting peaks, which can be adjusted through changing the opal diameters as well as the thickness of MoS2 layer.

Two-dimensional MoS2: A promising building block for biosensors.

PubMed

Gan, Xiaorong; Zhao, Huimin; Quan, Xie

2017-03-15

Recently, two-dimensional (2D) layered nanomaterials have trigged intensive interest due to the intriguing physicochemical properties that stem from a quantum size effect connected with their ultra-thin structure. In particular, 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), as an emerging class of stable inorganic graphene analogs with intrinsic finite bandgap, would possibly complement or even surpass graphene in electronics and optoelectronics fields. In this review, we first discuss the historical development of ultrathin 2D nanomaterials. Then, we are concerned with 2D MoS 2 including its structure-property relationships, synthesis methods, characterization for the layer thickness, and biosensor applications over the past five years. Thereinto, we are highlighting recent advances in 2D MoS 2 -based biosensors, especially emphasize the preparation of sensing elements, roles of 2D MoS 2 , and assay strategies. Finally, on the basis of the current achievements on 2D MoS 2 and other ultrathin layered nanomaterials, perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for the exploration of 2D MoS 2 -based biosensors are put forward. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical properties and band alignments in ZnTe nanoparticles/MoS2 layer hetero-interface using SE and KPFM studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Intu; Mehta, B. R.

2017-11-01

Integration of a layered two-dimensional (2D) material with a non-2D material provides a platform where one can modulate and achieve the properties desired for various next-generation electronic and opto-electronic applications. Here, we investigated ZnTe nanoparticles/MoS2 hetero-interfaces with the thickness of the MoS2 varying from few to multilayer. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the crystalline behaviour of the ZnTe nanoparticles, while the number of MoS2 layers was investigated using Raman measurements. Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) analysis based on the five-layer fitting model was used to analyse the optical behaviour of the heterojunction, where the excitonic features corresponding to the MoS2 layers and absorption features due to the ZnTe nanoparticles are observed. From the Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) measurements, the surface potential (SP) of the ZnTe nanoparticles/MoS2 is found to be different in comparison with the SP of the ZnTe nanoparticles and MoS2, which is indicative of the charge transfer at the ZnTe nanoparticles/MoS2 hetero-interface. Various parameters obtained using SE and KPFM measurements were used to propose energy band alignments at the ZnTe nanoparticles/MoS2 hetero-interface. In addition, an interface photovoltage of 193 mV was obtained by carrying out KPFM measurements under illuminating condition.

Design and numerical analysis of highly sensitive Au-MoS2-graphene based hybrid surface plasmon resonance biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, M. Saifur; Anower, Md. Shamim; Hasan, Md. Rabiul; Hossain, Md. Biplob; Haque, Md. Ismail

2017-08-01

We demonstrate a highly sensitive Au-MoS2-Graphene based hybrid surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor for the detection of DNA hybridization. The performance parameters of the proposed sensor are investigated in terms of sensitivity, detection accuracy and quality factor at operating wavelength of 633 nm. We observed in the numerical study that sensitivity can be greatly increased by adding MoS2 layer in the middle of a Graphene-on-Au layer. It is shown that by using single layer of MoS2 in between gold and graphene layer, the proposed biosensor exhibits simultaneously high sensitivity of 87.8 deg/RIU, high detection accuracy of 1.28 and quality factor of 17.56 with gold layer thickness of 50 nm. This increased performance is due to the absorption ability and optical characteristics of graphene biomolecules and high fluorescence quenching ability of MoS2. On the basis of changing in SPR angle and minimum reflectance, the proposed sensor can sense nucleotides bonding happened between double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) helix structures. Therefore, this sensor can successfully detect the hybridization of target DNAs to the probe DNAs pre-immobilized on the Au-MoS2-Graphene hybrid with capability of distinguishing single-base mismatch.

Fast solid-phase synthesis of large-area few-layer 1T'-MoTe2 films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Sheng; Chen, Lin; Zhang, Tian-Bao; Nie, Xin-Ran; Zhu, Hao; Ding, Shi-Jin; Sun, Qing-Qing; Zhang, David Wei

2017-06-01

In this study, we report on a novel approach to produce ∼12 nm thick few-layer monoclinic 1T'-MoTe2 films. The deposition method comprised sputtering of Mo, molecular beam epitaxy of Te, and rapid thermal processing to effect tellurization of the Mo into 1T'-MoTe2. The heating rate and annealing time are the critical factors. 30 °C s-1 heating rate and 2 min annealing at 470 °C were adopted in this work. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the formation of stoichiometric 1T'-MoTe2 films, while X-ray diffraction confirmed the monoclinic polymorph. Raman spectroscopy confirmed spatial uniformity over the sample size of 1 cm × 1.5 cm. Our fast synthesis approach to realize high-quality 1T'-MoTe2 paves the way towards the large-scale application of 1T'-MoTe2 in high-performance nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.

Nanoimprint-Assisted Shear Exfoliation (NASE) for Producing Multilayer MoS2 Structures as Field-Effect Transistor Channel Arrays.

PubMed

Chen, Mikai; Nam, Hongsuk; Rokni, Hossein; Wi, Sungjin; Yoon, Jeong Seop; Chen, Pengyu; Kurabayashi, Katsuo; Lu, Wei; Liang, Xiaogan

2015-09-22

MoS2 and other semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are of great interest due to their excellent physical properties and versatile chemistry. Although many recent research efforts have been directed to explore attractive properties associated with MoS2 monolayers, multilayer/few-layer MoS2 structures are indeed demanded by many practical scale-up device applications, because multilayer structures can provide sizable electronic/photonic state densities for driving upscalable electrical/optical signals. Currently there is a lack of processes capable of producing ordered, pristine multilayer structures of MoS2 (or other relevant TMDCs) with manufacturing-grade uniformity of thicknesses and electronic/photonic properties. In this article, we present a nanoimprint-based approach toward addressing this challenge. In this approach, termed as nanoimprint-assisted shear exfoliation (NASE), a prepatterned bulk MoS2 stamp is pressed into a polymeric fixing layer, and the imprinted MoS2 features are exfoliated along a shear direction. This shear exfoliation can significantly enhance the exfoliation efficiency and thickness uniformity of exfoliated flakes in comparison with previously reported exfoliation processes. Furthermore, we have preliminarily demonstrated the fabrication of multiple transistors and biosensors exhibiting excellent device-to-device performance consistency. Finally, we present a molecular dynamics modeling analysis of the scaling behavior of NASE. This work holds significant potential to leverage the superior properties of MoS2 and other emerging TMDCs for practical scale-up device applications.

Schottky barrier contrasts in single and bi-layer graphene contacts for MoS{sub 2} field-effect transistors

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

Du, Hyewon; Kim, Taekwang; Shin, Somyeong

We have investigated single- and bi-layer graphene as source-drain electrodes for n-type MoS{sub 2} transistors. Ti-MoS{sub 2}-graphene heterojunction transistors using both single-layer MoS{sub 2} (1M) and 4-layer MoS{sub 2} (4M) were fabricated in order to compare graphene electrodes with commonly used Ti electrodes. MoS{sub 2}-graphene Schottky barrier provided electron injection efficiency up to 130 times higher in the subthreshold regime when compared with MoS{sub 2}-Ti, which resulted in V{sub DS} polarity dependence of device parameters such as threshold voltage (V{sub TH}) and subthreshold swing (SS). Comparing single-layer graphene (SG) with bi-layer graphene (BG) in 4M devices, SG electrodes exhibited enhancedmore » device performance with higher on/off ratio and increased field-effect mobility (μ{sub FE}) due to more sensitive Fermi level shift by gate voltage. Meanwhile, in the strongly accumulated regime, we observed opposing behavior depending on MoS{sub 2} thickness for both SG and BG contacts. Differential conductance (σ{sub d}) of 1M increases with V{sub DS} irrespective of V{sub DS} polarity, while σ{sub d} of 4M ceases monotonic growth at positive V{sub DS} values transitioning to ohmic-like contact formation. Nevertheless, the low absolute value of σ{sub d} saturation of the 4M-graphene junction demonstrates that graphene electrode could be unfavorable for high current carrying transistors.« less

Employing Si solar cell technology to increase efficiency of ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells.

PubMed

Vermang, Bart; Wätjen, Jörn Timo; Fjällström, Viktor; Rostvall, Fredrik; Edoff, Marika; Kotipalli, Ratan; Henry, Frederic; Flandre, Denis

2014-10-01

Reducing absorber layer thickness below 500 nm in regular Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) solar cells decreases cell efficiency considerably, as both short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage are reduced because of incomplete absorption and high Mo/CIGS rear interface recombination. In this work, an innovative rear cell design is developed to avoid both effects: a highly reflective rear surface passivation layer with nano-sized local point contact openings is employed to enhance rear internal reflection and decrease the rear surface recombination velocity significantly, as compared with a standard Mo/CIGS rear interface. The formation of nano-sphere shaped precipitates in chemical bath deposition of CdS is used to generate nano-sized point contact openings. Evaporation of MgF 2 coated with a thin atomic layer deposited Al 2 O 3 layer, or direct current magnetron sputtering of Al 2 O 3 are used as rear surface passivation layers. Rear internal reflection is enhanced substantially by the increased thickness of the passivation layer, and also the rear surface recombination velocity is reduced at the Al 2 O 3 /CIGS rear interface. (MgF 2 /)Al 2 O 3 rear surface passivated ultra-thin CIGS solar cells are fabricated, showing an increase in short circuit current and open circuit voltage compared to unpassivated reference cells with equivalent CIGS thickness. Accordingly, average solar cell efficiencies of 13.5% are realized for 385 nm thick CIGS absorber layers, compared with 9.1% efficiency for the corresponding unpassivated reference cells.

Employing Si solar cell technology to increase efficiency of ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells

PubMed Central

Vermang, Bart; Wätjen, Jörn Timo; Fjällström, Viktor; Rostvall, Fredrik; Edoff, Marika; Kotipalli, Ratan; Henry, Frederic; Flandre, Denis

2014-01-01

Reducing absorber layer thickness below 500 nm in regular Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells decreases cell efficiency considerably, as both short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage are reduced because of incomplete absorption and high Mo/CIGS rear interface recombination. In this work, an innovative rear cell design is developed to avoid both effects: a highly reflective rear surface passivation layer with nano-sized local point contact openings is employed to enhance rear internal reflection and decrease the rear surface recombination velocity significantly, as compared with a standard Mo/CIGS rear interface. The formation of nano-sphere shaped precipitates in chemical bath deposition of CdS is used to generate nano-sized point contact openings. Evaporation of MgF2 coated with a thin atomic layer deposited Al2O3 layer, or direct current magnetron sputtering of Al2O3 are used as rear surface passivation layers. Rear internal reflection is enhanced substantially by the increased thickness of the passivation layer, and also the rear surface recombination velocity is reduced at the Al2O3/CIGS rear interface. (MgF2/)Al2O3 rear surface passivated ultra-thin CIGS solar cells are fabricated, showing an increase in short circuit current and open circuit voltage compared to unpassivated reference cells with equivalent CIGS thickness. Accordingly, average solar cell efficiencies of 13.5% are realized for 385 nm thick CIGS absorber layers, compared with 9.1% efficiency for the corresponding unpassivated reference cells. PMID:26300619

Oxygen octahedral distortions in LaMO 3/SrTiO 3 superlattices

DOE PAGES

Sanchez-Santolino, Gabriel; Cabero, Mariona; Varela, Maria; ...

2014-04-24

Here we study the interfaces between the Mott insulator LaMnO 3 (LMO) and the band insulator SrTiO 3 (STO) in epitaxially grown superlattices with different thickness ratios and different transport and magnetic behaviors. Using atomic resolution electron energy-loss spectrum imaging, we analyze simultaneously the structural and chemical properties of these interfaces. We find changes in the oxygen octahedral tilts within the LaMnO 3 layers when the thickness ratio between the manganite and the titanate layers is varied. Superlattices with thick LMO and ultrathin STO layers present unexpected octahedral tilts in the STO, along with a small amount of oxygen vacancies.more » On the other hand, thick STO layers exhibit undistorted octahedra while the LMO layers present reduced O octahedral distortions near the interfaces. In conclusion, these findings will be discussed in view of the transport and magnetic differences found in previous studies.« less

Improved performances of organic light-emitting diodes with mixed layer and metal oxide as anode buffer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Qin; Liu, Shouyin; Zhang, Shiming; Chen, Ping; Zhao, Yi; Liu, Shiyong

2013-01-01

We fabricated organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) employing 2-methyl-9,10-di(2-naphthyl)-anthracene (MADN) as hole-transport material (HTM) instead of commonly used N,N'-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N'-diphenyl,1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (NPB). After inserting a 0.9 nm thick molybdenum oxide (MoOx) layer at the indium tin oxide (ITO)/MADN interface and a 5 nm thick mixed layer at the organic/organic heterojunction interface, the power conversion efficiency of the device can be increased by 4-fold.

Interface Engineering with MoS2 -Pd Nanoparticles Hybrid Structure for a Low Voltage Resistive Switching Memory.

PubMed

Wang, Xue-Feng; Tian, He; Zhao, Hai-Ming; Zhang, Tian-Yu; Mao, Wei-Quan; Qiao, Yan-Cong; Pang, Yu; Li, Yu-Xing; Yang, Yi; Ren, Tian-Ling

2018-01-01

Metal oxide-based resistive random access memory (RRAM) has attracted a lot of attention for its scalability, temperature robustness, and potential to achieve machine learning. However, a thick oxide layer results in relatively high program voltage while a thin one causes large leakage current and a small window. Owing to these fundamental limitations, by optimizing the oxide layer itself a novel interface engineering idea is proposed to reduce the programming voltage, increase the uniformity and on/off ratio. According to this idea, a molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 )-palladium nanoparticles hybrid structure is used to engineer the oxide/electrode interface of hafnium oxide (HfO x )-based RRAM. Through its interface engineering, the set voltage can be greatly lowered (from -3.5 to -0.8 V) with better uniformity under a relatively thick HfO x layer (≈15 nm), and a 30 times improvement of the memory window can be obtained. Moreover, due to the atomic thickness of MoS 2 film and high transmittance of ITO, the proposed RRAM exhibits high transparency in visible light. As the proposed interface-engineering RRAM exhibits good transparency, low SET voltage, and a large resistive switching window, it has huge potential in data storage in transparent circuits and wearable electronics with relatively low supply voltage. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

One-step fabrication of large-area ultrathin MoS2 nanofilms with high catalytic activity for photovoltaic devices.

PubMed

Liang, Jia; Li, Jia; Zhu, Hongfei; Han, Yuxiang; Wang, Yanrong; Wang, Caixing; Jin, Zhong; Zhang, Gengmin; Liu, Jie

2016-09-21

Here we report a facile one-step solution-phase process to directly grow ultrathin MoS2 nanofilms on a transparent conductive glass as a novel high-performance counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. After an appropriate reaction time, the entire surface of the conductive glass substrate was uniformly covered by ultrathin MoS2 nanofilms with a thickness of only several stacked layers. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry reveal that the MoS2 nanofilms possess excellent catalytic activity towards tri-iodide reduction. When used in dye-sensitized solar cells, the MoS2 nanofilms show an impressive energy conversion efficiency of 8.3%, which is higher than that of a Pt-based electrode and very promising to be a desirable alternative counter electrode. Considering their ultrathin thickness, superior catalytic activity, simple preparation process and low cost, the as-prepared MoS2 nanofilms with high photovoltaic performance are expected to be widely employed in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Layer-dependent second-order Raman intensity of Mo S2 and WS e2 : Influence of intervalley scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Qingkai; Zhang, Zhaofu; Chen, Kevin J.

2018-04-01

Acoustic-phonon Raman scattering, as a defect-induced second-order Raman scattering process (with incident photon scattered by one acoustic phonon at the Brillouin-zone edge and the momentum conservation fulfilled by defect scattering), is used as a sensitive tool to study the defects of transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Moreover, second-order Raman scattering processes are closely related to the valley depolarization of single-layer TMDs in potential valleytronic applications. Here, the layer dependence of second-order Raman intensity of Mo S2 and WS e2 is studied. The electronic band structures of Mo S2 and WS e2 are modified by the layer thicknesses; hence, the resonance conditions for both first-order and second-order Raman scattering processes are tuned. In contrast to the first-order Raman scattering, second-order Raman scattering of Mo S2 and WS e2 involves additional intervalley scattering of electrons by phonons with large momenta. As a result, the electron states that contribute most to the second-order Raman intensity are different from that to first-order process. A weaker layer-tuned resonance enhancement of second-order Raman intensity is observed for both Mo S2 and WS e2 . Specifically, when the incident laser has photon energy close to the optical band gap and the Raman spectra are normalized by the first-order Raman peaks, single-layer Mo S2 or WS e2 has the strongest second-order Raman intensity. This layer-dependent second-order Raman intensity can be further utilized as an indicator to identify the layer number of Mo S2 and WS e2 .

Versatile technique for assessing thickness of 2D layered materials by XPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zemlyanov, Dmitry Y.; Jespersen, Michael; Zakharov, Dmitry N.; Hu, Jianjun; Paul, Rajib; Kumar, Anurag; Pacley, Shanee; Glavin, Nicholas; Saenz, David; Smith, Kyle C.; Fisher, Timothy S.; Voevodin, Andrey A.

2018-03-01

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been utilized as a versatile method for thickness characterization of various two-dimensional (2D) films. Accurate thickness can be measured simultaneously while acquiring XPS data for chemical characterization of 2D films having thickness up to approximately 10 nm. For validating the developed technique, thicknesses of few-layer graphene (FLG), MoS2 and amorphous boron nitride (a-BN) layer, produced by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) respectively, were accurately measured. The intensity ratio between photoemission peaks recorded for the films (C 1s, Mo 3d, B 1s) and the substrates (Cu 2p, Al 2p, Si 2p) is the primary input parameter for thickness calculation, in addition to the atomic densities of the substrate and the film, and the corresponding electron attenuation length (EAL). The XPS data was used with a proposed model for thickness calculations, which was verified by cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurement of thickness for all the films. The XPS method determines thickness values averaged over an analysis area which is orders of magnitude larger than the typical area in cross-sectional TEM imaging, hence provides an advanced approach for thickness measurement over large areas of 2D materials. The study confirms that the versatile XPS method allows rapid and reliable assessment of the 2D material thickness and this method can facilitate in tailoring growth conditions for producing very thin 2D materials effectively over a large area. Furthermore, the XPS measurement for a typical 2D material is non-destructive and does not require special sample preparation. Therefore, after XPS analysis, exactly the same sample can undergo further processing or utilization.

Versatile technique for assessing thickness of 2D layered materials by XPS

DOE PAGES

Zemlyanov, Dmitry Y.; Jespersen, Michael; Zakharov, Dmitry N.; ...

2018-02-07

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been utilized as a versatile method for thickness characterization of various two-dimensional (2D) films. Accurate thickness can be measured simultaneously while acquiring XPS data for chemical characterization of 2D films having thickness up to approximately 10 nm. For validating the developed technique, thicknesses of few-layer graphene (FLG), MoS 2 and amorphous boron nitride (a-BN) layer, produced by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) respectively, were accurately measured. The intensity ratio between photoemission peaks recorded for the films (C 1s, Mo 3d, B 1s) andmore » the substrates (Cu 2p, Al 2p, Si 2p) is the primary input parameter for thickness calculation, in addition to the atomic densities of the substrate and the film, and the corresponding electron attenuation length (EAL). The XPS data was used with a proposed model for thickness calculations, which was verified by cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurement of thickness for all the films. The XPS method determines thickness values averaged over an analysis area which is orders of magnitude larger than the typical area in cross-sectional TEM imaging, hence provides an advanced approach for thickness measurement over large areas of 2D materials. The study confirms that the versatile XPS method allows rapid and reliable assessment of the 2D material thickness and this method can facilitate in tailoring growth conditions for producing very thin 2D materials effectively over a large area. Furthermore, the XPS measurement for a typical 2D material is non-destructive and does not require special sample preparation. Furthermore, after XPS analysis, exactly the same sample can undergo further processing or utilization.« less

Versatile technique for assessing thickness of 2D layered materials by XPS.

PubMed

Zemlyanov, Dmitry Y; Jespersen, Michael; Zakharov, Dmitry N; Hu, Jianjun; Paul, Rajib; Kumar, Anurag; Pacley, Shanee; Glavin, Nicholas; Saenz, David; Smith, Kyle C; Fisher, Timothy S; Voevodin, Andrey A

2018-03-16

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been utilized as a versatile method for thickness characterization of various two-dimensional (2D) films. Accurate thickness can be measured simultaneously while acquiring XPS data for chemical characterization of 2D films having thickness up to approximately 10 nm. For validating the developed technique, thicknesses of few-layer graphene (FLG), MoS 2 and amorphous boron nitride (a-BN) layer, produced by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) respectively, were accurately measured. The intensity ratio between photoemission peaks recorded for the films (C 1s, Mo 3d, B 1s) and the substrates (Cu 2p, Al 2p, Si 2p) is the primary input parameter for thickness calculation, in addition to the atomic densities of the substrate and the film, and the corresponding electron attenuation length (EAL). The XPS data was used with a proposed model for thickness calculations, which was verified by cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurement of thickness for all the films. The XPS method determines thickness values averaged over an analysis area which is orders of magnitude larger than the typical area in cross-sectional TEM imaging, hence provides an advanced approach for thickness measurement over large areas of 2D materials. The study confirms that the versatile XPS method allows rapid and reliable assessment of the 2D material thickness and this method can facilitate in tailoring growth conditions for producing very thin 2D materials effectively over a large area. Furthermore, the XPS measurement for a typical 2D material is non-destructive and does not require special sample preparation. Therefore, after XPS analysis, exactly the same sample can undergo further processing or utilization.

Versatile technique for assessing thickness of 2D layered materials by XPS

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

Zemlyanov, Dmitry Y.; Jespersen, Michael; Zakharov, Dmitry N.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been utilized as a versatile method for thickness characterization of various two-dimensional (2D) films. Accurate thickness can be measured simultaneously while acquiring XPS data for chemical characterization of 2D films having thickness up to approximately 10 nm. For validating the developed technique, thicknesses of few-layer graphene (FLG), MoS 2 and amorphous boron nitride (a-BN) layer, produced by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) respectively, were accurately measured. The intensity ratio between photoemission peaks recorded for the films (C 1s, Mo 3d, B 1s) andmore » the substrates (Cu 2p, Al 2p, Si 2p) is the primary input parameter for thickness calculation, in addition to the atomic densities of the substrate and the film, and the corresponding electron attenuation length (EAL). The XPS data was used with a proposed model for thickness calculations, which was verified by cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurement of thickness for all the films. The XPS method determines thickness values averaged over an analysis area which is orders of magnitude larger than the typical area in cross-sectional TEM imaging, hence provides an advanced approach for thickness measurement over large areas of 2D materials. The study confirms that the versatile XPS method allows rapid and reliable assessment of the 2D material thickness and this method can facilitate in tailoring growth conditions for producing very thin 2D materials effectively over a large area. Furthermore, the XPS measurement for a typical 2D material is non-destructive and does not require special sample preparation. Furthermore, after XPS analysis, exactly the same sample can undergo further processing or utilization.« less

Large Frequency Change with Thickness in Interlayer Breathing Mode—Significant Interlayer Interactions in Few Layer Black Phosphorus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Xin; Lu, Xin; Koon, Gavin Kok Wai; Castro Neto, Antonio H.; Özyilmaz, Barbaros; Xiong, Qihua; Quek, Su Ying

2015-06-01

Bulk black phosphorus (BP) consists of puckered layers of phosphorus atoms. Few-layer BP, obtained from bulk BP by exfoliation, is an emerging candidate as a channel material in post-silicon electronics. A deep understanding of its physical properties and its full range of applications are still being uncovered. In this paper, we present a theoretical and experimental investigation of phonon properties in few-layer BP, focusing on the low-frequency regime corresponding to interlayer vibrational modes. We show that the interlayer breathing mode A3g shows a large redshift with increasing thickness; the experimental and theoretical results agreeing well. This thickness dependence is two times larger than that in the chalcogenide materials such as few-layer MoS2 and WSe2, because of the significantly larger interlayer force constant and smaller atomic mass in BP. The derived interlayer out-of-plane force constant is about 50% larger than that in graphene and MoS2. We show that this large interlayer force constant arises from the sizable covalent interaction between phosphorus atoms in adjacent layers, and that interlayer interactions are not merely of the weak van der Waals type. These significant interlayer interactions are consistent with the known surface reactivity of BP, and have been shown to be important for electric-field induced formation of Dirac cones in thin film BP.

Large Frequency Change with Thickness in Interlayer Breathing Mode--Significant Interlayer Interactions in Few Layer Black Phosphorus.

PubMed

Luo, Xin; Lu, Xin; Koon, Gavin Kok Wai; Castro Neto, Antonio H; Özyilmaz, Barbaros; Xiong, Qihua; Quek, Su Ying

2015-06-10

Bulk black phosphorus (BP) consists of puckered layers of phosphorus atoms. Few-layer BP, obtained from bulk BP by exfoliation, is an emerging candidate as a channel material in post-silicon electronics. A deep understanding of its physical properties and its full range of applications are still being uncovered. In this paper, we present a theoretical and experimental investigation of phonon properties in few-layer BP, focusing on the low-frequency regime corresponding to interlayer vibrational modes. We show that the interlayer breathing mode A(3)g shows a large redshift with increasing thickness; the experimental and theoretical results agree well. This thickness dependence is two times larger than that in the chalcogenide materials, such as few-layer MoS2 and WSe2, because of the significantly larger interlayer force constant and smaller atomic mass in BP. The derived interlayer out-of-plane force constant is about 50% larger than that of graphene and MoS2. We show that this large interlayer force constant arises from the sizable covalent interaction between phosphorus atoms in adjacent layers and that interlayer interactions are not merely of the weak van der Waals type. These significant interlayer interactions are consistent with the known surface reactivity of BP and have been shown to be important for electric-field induced formation of Dirac cones in thin film BP.

Transparent 1T-MoS2 nanofilm robustly anchored on substrate by layer-by-layer self-assembly and its ultra-high cycling stability as supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Danqin; Zhou, Weiqiang; Zhou, Qianjie; Ye, Guo; Wang, Tongzhou; Wu, Jing; Chang, Yanan; Xu, Jingkun

2017-09-01

Two-dimensional MoS2 materials have attracted more and more interest and been applied to the field of energy storage because of its unique physical, optical, electronic and electrochemical properties. However, there are no reports on high-stable transparent MoS2 nanofilms as supercapacitors electrode. Here, we describe a transparent 1T-MoS2 nanofilm electrode with super-long stability anchored on the indium tin oxide (ITO) glass by a simple alternate layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly of a highly charged cationic poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and negative single-/few-layer 1T MoS2 nanosheets. The ITO/(PDDA/MoS2)20 electrode shows a transmittance of 51.6% at 550 nm and obviously exhibits excellent transparency by naked eye observation. Ultrasonic damage test validates that the (PDDA/MoS2)20 film with the average thickness about 50 nm is robustly anchored on ITO substrate. Additionally, the electrochemical results indicate that the ITO/(PDDA/MoS2)20 film shows areal capacitance of 1.1 mF cm-2 and volumetric capacitance of 220 F cm-3 at 0.04 mA cm-2, 130.6% retention of the original capacitance value after 5000 cycles. Further experiments indicate that the formation of transparent (PDDA/MoS2) x nanofilm by LBL self-assembly can be extended to other substrates, e.g., slide glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Thus, the easily available (PDDA/MoS2) x nanofilm electrode has great potential for application in transparent and/or flexible optoelectronic and electronics devices.

High reflectance and low stress Mo2C/Be multilayers

DOEpatents

Bajt, Sasa; Barbee, Jr., Troy W.

2001-01-01

A material for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) multilayers that will reflect at about 11.3 nm, have a high reflectance, low stress, and high thermal and radiation stability. The material consists of alternating layers of Mo.sub.2 C and Be deposited by DC magnetron sputtering on a substrate, such as silicon. In one example a Mo.sub.2 C/Be multilayer gave 65.2% reflectance at 11.25 nm measured at 5 degrees off normal incidence angle, and consisted of 70 bilayers with a deposition period of 5.78 nm, and was deposited at 0.83 mTorr argon (Ar) sputtering pressure, with the first and last layers being Be. The stress of the multilayer is tensile and only +88 MPa, compared to +330 MPa of a Mo/Be multilayers of the same thickness. The Mo.sub.2 C/Be multilayer was capped with carbon which produced an increase in reflectivity of about 7% over a similar multilayer with no carbon capping material, thus raising the reflectivity from 58.3% to over 65%. The multilayers were formed using either Mo.sub.2 C or Be as the first and last layers, and initial testing has shown the formation of beryllium carbide at the interfaces between the layers which both stabilizes and has a smoothing effect, and appear to be smoother than the interfaces in Mo/Be multilayers.

Effect of Post-spray Shot Peening Treatment on the Corrosion Behavior of NiCr-Mo Coating by Plasma Spraying of the Shell-Core-Structured Powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Jia-Jia; Wei, Ying-Kang; Li, Cheng-Xin; Yang, Guan-Jun; Li, Chang-Jiu

2018-01-01

Corrosion of metal plays a detrimental role in service lifetime of parts or systems. Therefore, coating a protective film which is fully dense and defects free on the base metal is an effective approach to protect the base metal from corrosion. In this study, a dense NiCr-20Mo coating with excellent lamellar interface bonding was deposited by plasma spraying of the novel shell-core-structured Mo-clad-NiCr powders, and then post-spray shot peening treatment by cold spraying of steel shots was applied to the plasma-sprayed NiCr-20Mo coating to obtain a fully dense coating through eliminating possibly existed pores and un-bonded interfaces within the NiCr-20Mo coating. Corrosion behaviors of the NiCr-20Mo coatings before and after shot peening were tested to investigate the effect of the post-spray shot peening on the corrosion behavior of the NiCr-20Mo coating. Results showed that a much dense and uniform plasma-sprayed NiCr-20Mo coating with perfect lamellar bonding at most of interfaces was deposited. However, the electrochemical tests revealed the existence of through-thickness pores in the as-plasma-sprayed NiCr-20Mo coating. Through the post-spray shot peening treatment, a completely dense top layer in the coating was formed, and with the increase in the shot peening intensity from one pass to three passes, the dense top layer became thicker from 100 μm to reach 300 μm of the whole coating thickness. Thus, a fully dense bulk-like coating was obtained. Corrosion test results showed that the dense coating layer resulting from densification of shot peening can act as an effective barrier coating to prevent the penetration of the corrosive medium and consequently protect the substrate from corrosion effectively. Therefore, a fully dense bulk-like NiCr-20Mo coating with excellent corrosion resistance can be achieved through the plasma spraying of Mo-clad-NiCr powders followed by appropriate post-spray shot peening treatment.

Graphene/MoS2 heterostructures as templates for growing two-dimensional metals: Predictions from ab initio calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šljivančanin, Željko; Belić, Milivoj

2017-09-01

Preparation of single-atom-thick layers of ordinary metals has been a challenging task since their closely packed atoms lack layered structure with highly anisotropic bonding. Using computational modeling based on density functional theory we showed that graphene/MoS2 heterostructures can be used as suitable templates to grow stable two-dimensional (2D) clusters, as well as extended monoatomic layers of metals with nonlayered structure in the bulk. Considering gold and lithium as two metals with markedly different properties, we found that Li intercalants strengthen coupling between graphene (G) and MoS2, mainly due to electrostatic attraction of 2D materials with positively charged Li atoms. However, intercalation with large Au atoms gives rise to a significant increase in the distance between G and MoS2 and thus, weakens their interaction. In addition to strong preference for 2D growth, we demonstrated that Au intercalants weakly interact with both G and MoS2, and hence G /MoS2 vertical heterostructures could be a promising framework to prepare gold 2D structures with electronic properties closely resembling those of the hypothetical free-standing hexagonal gold monolayer.

Mutual Photoluminescence Quenching and Photovoltaic Effect in Large-Area Single-Layer MoS2-Polymer Heterojunctions.

PubMed

Shastry, Tejas A; Balla, Itamar; Bergeron, Hadallia; Amsterdam, Samuel H; Marks, Tobin J; Hersam, Mark C

2016-11-22

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have recently attracted attention due to their superlative optical and electronic properties. In particular, their extraordinary optical absorption and semiconducting band gap have enabled demonstrations of photovoltaic response from heterostructures composed of TMDCs and other organic or inorganic materials. However, these early studies were limited to devices at the micrometer scale and/or failed to exploit the unique optical absorption properties of single-layer TMDCs. Here we present an experimental realization of a large-area type-II photovoltaic heterojunction using single-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) as the primary absorber, by coupling it to the organic π-donor polymer PTB7. This TMDC-polymer heterojunction exhibits photoluminescence intensity that is tunable as a function of the thickness of the polymer layer, ultimately enabling complete quenching of the TMDC photoluminescence. The strong optical absorption in the TMDC-polymer heterojunction produces an internal quantum efficiency exceeding 40% for an overall cell thickness of less than 20 nm, resulting in exceptional current density per absorbing thickness in comparison to other organic and inorganic solar cells. Furthermore, this work provides insight into the recombination processes in type-II TMDC-polymer heterojunctions and thus provides quantitative guidance to ongoing efforts to realize efficient TMDC-based solar cells.

Sonographic assessment of abdominal fat distribution during the first year of infancy.

PubMed

Brei, Christina; Much, Daniela; Heimberg, Ellen; Schulte, Verena; Brunner, Stefanie; Stecher, Lynne; Vollhardt, Christiane; Bauer, Jan S; Amann-Gassner, Ulrike; Hauner, Hans

2015-09-01

Longitudinal data regarding the fat distribution in the early postnatal period is sparse. We performed ultrasonography (US) as a noninvasive approach to investigate the development of abdominal subcutaneous (SC) and preperitoneal (PP) fat depots in infants ≤1 y and compared longitudinal US data with skinfold thickness (SFT) measurements and anthropometry in 162 healthy children at 6 wk, 4 mo, and 1 y postpartum. US was found to be a reproducible method for the quantification of abdominal SC and PP adipose tissue (AT) in this age group. Thickness of SC fat layers significantly increased from 6 wk to 4 mo and decreased at 1 y postpartum, whereas PP fat layers continuously increased. Girls had a significantly higher SC fat mass compared to boys, while there was no sex-specific difference in PP fat thickness. SC fat layer was strongly correlated with SFT measurements, while PP fat tissue was only weakly correlated with anthropometric measures. US is a feasible and reproducible method for the quantification of abdominal fat mass in infants ≤1 y of age. PP and SC fat depots develop differentially during the first year of life.

Thermal conduction properties of Mo/Si multilayers for extreme ultraviolet optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozorg-Grayeli, Elah; Li, Zijian; Asheghi, Mehdi; Delgado, Gil; Pokrovsky, Alexander; Panzer, Matthew; Wack, Daniel; Goodson, Kenneth E.

2012-10-01

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography requires nanostructured optical components, whose reliability can be influenced by radiation absorption and thermal conduction. Thermal conduction analysis is complicated by sub-continuum electron and phonon transport and the lack of thermal property data. This paper measures and interprets thermal property data, and their evolution due to heating exposure, for Mo/Si EUV mirrors with 6.9 nm period and Mo/Si thickness ratios of 0.4/0.6 and 0.6/0.4. We use time-domain thermoreflectance and the 3ω method to estimate the thermal resistance between the Ru capping layer and the Mo/Si multilayers (RRu-Mo/Si = 1.5 m2 K GW-1), as well as the out-of-plane thermal conductivity (kMo/Si 1.1 W m-1 K-1) and thermal anisotropy (η = 13). This work also reports the impact of annealing on thermal conduction in a co-deposited MoSi2 layer, increasing the thermal conductivity from 1.7 W m-1 K-1 in the amorphous phase to 2.8 W m-1 K-1 in the crystalline phase.

A novel evaluation strategy for fatigue reliability of flexible nanoscale films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Si-Xue; Luo, Xue-Mei; Wang, Dong; Zhang, Guang-Ping

2018-03-01

In order to evaluate fatigue reliability of nanoscale metal films on flexible substrates, here we proposed an effective evaluation way to obtain critical fatigue cracking strain based on the direct observation of fatigue damage sites through conventional dynamic bending testing technique. By this method, fatigue properties and damage behaviors of 930 nm-thick Au films and 600 nm-thick Mo-W multilayers with individual layer thickness 100 nm on flexible polyimide substrates were investigated. Coffin-Manson relationship between the fatigue life and the applied strain range was obtained for the Au films and Mo-W multilayers. The characterization of fatigue damage behaviors verifies the feasibility of this method, which seems easier and more effective comparing with the other testing methods.

Broadband ultrafast nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction of layered molybdenum dichalcogenide semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kangpeng; Feng, Yanyan; Chang, Chunxia; Zhan, Jingxin; Wang, Chengwei; Zhao, Quanzhong; Coleman, Jonathan N.; Zhang, Long; Blau, Werner J.; Wang, Jun

2014-08-01

A series of layered molybdenum dichalcogenides, i.e., MoX2 (X = S, Se and Te), were prepared in cyclohexyl pyrrolidinone by a liquid-phase exfoliation technique. The high quality of the two-dimensional nanostructures was verified by transmission electron microscopy and absorption spectroscopy. Open- and closed-aperture Z-scans were employed to study the nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction of the MoX2 dispersions, respectively. All the three-layered nanostructures exhibit prominent ultrafast saturable absorption (SA) for both femtosecond (fs) and picosecond (ps) laser pulses over a broad wavelength range from the visible to the near infrared. While the dispersions treated with low-speed centrifugation (1500 rpm) have an SA response, and the MoS2 and MoSe2 dispersions after higher speed centrifugation (10 000 rpm) possess two-photon absorption for fs pulses at 1030 nm, which is due to the significant reduction of the average thickness of the nanosheets; hence, the broadening of band gap. In addition, all dispersions show obvious nonlinear self-defocusing for ps pulses at both 1064 nm and 532 nm, resulting from the thermally-induced nonlinear refractive index. The versatile ultrafast nonlinear properties imply a huge potential of the layered MoX2 semiconductors in the development of nanophotonic devices, such as mode-lockers, optical limiters, optical switches, etc.A series of layered molybdenum dichalcogenides, i.e., MoX2 (X = S, Se and Te), were prepared in cyclohexyl pyrrolidinone by a liquid-phase exfoliation technique. The high quality of the two-dimensional nanostructures was verified by transmission electron microscopy and absorption spectroscopy. Open- and closed-aperture Z-scans were employed to study the nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction of the MoX2 dispersions, respectively. All the three-layered nanostructures exhibit prominent ultrafast saturable absorption (SA) for both femtosecond (fs) and picosecond (ps) laser pulses over a broad wavelength range from the visible to the near infrared. While the dispersions treated with low-speed centrifugation (1500 rpm) have an SA response, and the MoS2 and MoSe2 dispersions after higher speed centrifugation (10 000 rpm) possess two-photon absorption for fs pulses at 1030 nm, which is due to the significant reduction of the average thickness of the nanosheets; hence, the broadening of band gap. In addition, all dispersions show obvious nonlinear self-defocusing for ps pulses at both 1064 nm and 532 nm, resulting from the thermally-induced nonlinear refractive index. The versatile ultrafast nonlinear properties imply a huge potential of the layered MoX2 semiconductors in the development of nanophotonic devices, such as mode-lockers, optical limiters, optical switches, etc. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Electron scattering patterns from TEM characterizations of MX2 nanosheets; CA Z-scan results of graphene dispersions in the ps region. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr02634a

Cleaning of optical surfaces by capacitively coupled RF discharge plasma

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

Yadav, P. K., E-mail: praveenyadav@rrcat.gov.in; Rai, S. K.; Nayak, M.

2014-04-24

In this paper, we report cleaning of carbon capped molybdenum (Mo) thin film by in-house developed radio frequency (RF) plasma reactor, at different powers and exposure time. Carbon capped Mo films were exposed to oxygen plasma for different durations at three different power settings, at a constant pressure. After each exposure, the thickness of the carbon layer and the roughness of the film were determined by hard x-ray reflectivity measurements. It was observed that most of the carbon film got removed in first 15 minutes exposure. A high density layer formed on top of the Mo film was also observedmore » and it was noted that this layer cannot be removed by successive exposures at different powers. A significant improvement in interface roughness with a slight improvement in top film roughness was observed. The surface roughness of the exposed and unexposed samples was also confirmed by atomic force microscopy measurements.« less

Surface topography and electrical properties in Sr2FeMoO6 films studied at cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angervo, I.; Saloaro, M.; Mäkelä, J.; Lehtiö, J.-P.; Huhtinen, H.; Paturi, P.

2018-03-01

Pulsed laser deposited Sr2FeMoO6 thin films were investigated for the first time with scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. The results confirm atomic scale layer growth, with step-terrace structure corresponding to a single lattice cell scale. The spectroscopy research reveals a distribution of local electrical properties linked to structural deformation in the initial thin film layers at the film substrate interface. Significant hole structure giving rise to electrically distinctive regions in thinner film also seems to set a thickness limit for the thinnest films to be used in applications.

Broadband ultrafast nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction of layered molybdenum dichalcogenide semiconductors.

PubMed

Wang, Kangpeng; Feng, Yanyan; Chang, Chunxia; Zhan, Jingxin; Wang, Chengwei; Zhao, Quanzhong; Coleman, Jonathan N; Zhang, Long; Blau, Werner J; Wang, Jun

2014-09-21

A series of layered molybdenum dichalcogenides, i.e., MoX₂ (X = S, Se and Te), were prepared in cyclohexyl pyrrolidinone by a liquid-phase exfoliation technique. The high quality of the two-dimensional nanostructures was verified by transmission electron microscopy and absorption spectroscopy. Open- and closed-aperture Z-scans were employed to study the nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction of the MoX₂ dispersions, respectively. All the three-layered nanostructures exhibit prominent ultrafast saturable absorption (SA) for both femtosecond (fs) and picosecond (ps) laser pulses over a broad wavelength range from the visible to the near infrared. While the dispersions treated with low-speed centrifugation (1500 rpm) have an SA response, and the MoS₂ and MoSe₂ dispersions after higher speed centrifugation (10,000 rpm) possess two-photon absorption for fs pulses at 1030 nm, which is due to the significant reduction of the average thickness of the nanosheets; hence, the broadening of band gap. In addition, all dispersions show obvious nonlinear self-defocusing for ps pulses at both 1064 nm and 532 nm, resulting from the thermally-induced nonlinear refractive index. The versatile ultrafast nonlinear properties imply a huge potential of the layered MoX2 semiconductors in the development of nanophotonic devices, such as mode-lockers, optical limiters, optical switches, etc.

Incorporation of Keplerate-type Mo-O based macroanions into Zn2Al-LDH results in the formation of all-inorganic composite films with remarkable third-order optical nonlinearity.

PubMed

Ren, Haizhou; Shehzad, Farooq Khurum; Zhou, Yunshan; Zhang, Lijuan; Iqbal, Arshad; Long, Yi

2018-05-01

Herein, new all-inorganic transparent composite films with the formula (Zn2Al-LDH/{Mo132-Ac})n have been fabricated by a layer-by-layer method using the exfoliated Zn2Al-LDH monolayer nanosheets and Keplerate-type macroanion {Mo132-Ac}. They were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, SEM, AFM, and XPS techniques. The Z-scan measurements, which were conducted under laser irradiation at a wavelength of 532 nm, a pulse width of 6 ns, a repetition rate of 10 Hz, and the light intensity at a focus E0 of 10 μJ, revealed that all the films had notable saturated absorption and self-defocusing effect with a large third-order optical nonlinear susceptibility χ(3). With an increase in the number of layers (i.e., n) corresponding to the increase in the thickness of the films, the third-order nonlinear absorption β and refractive effects of the films were improved (i.e., the χ(3) value was up to 1.99 × 10-11 esu when n = 24); this implied that the NLO responses could be modified by fine-tuning the thickness of the composite films to meet the demands of different devices.

Simple synthesis and characteristics of Mo/MoS2 inorganic fullerene-like and actinomorphic nanospheres with core shell structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Lianxia; Yang, Haibin; Li, Jixue; Fu, Wuyou; Du, Yonghui; Du, Kai; Yu, Qingjiang; Xu, Jing; Li, Minghui

2006-08-01

High yields of Mo/MoS2 inorganic fullerene-like and actinomorphic nanospheres with a core-shell structure have been successfully synthesized by the one-step reaction of sulfur and molybdenum nanospheres under a hydrogen atmosphere, in which the Mo nanospheres were prepared by the wire electrical explosion method. The shell thickness of MoS2 is about 4-10 nm and exhibit an expansion of about 4.2-1% along the c-axis. Observed from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images, unreacted molybdenum lying between the (002) layers of MoS2 contributes to the larger expansion besides the strain in the bent layer and the crystal defects; the preferred growth orientations for MoS2 on the surface of Mo have two directions under different annealing temperatures: parallel to the (110) plane of Mo, presenting an actinomorphic phase, and perpendicular or having certain angles to the (110) plane, showing a fullerene-like phase. The actinomorphic Mo/MoS2 can be used for catalysis and intercalation. The fullerene-like phase can be applied as a solid lubricant to enhance the structural rigidity and load bearing capacity of hollow MoS2. In addition, the core-shell nanospheres exhibit a little higher onset temperature and a narrow temperature range against oxidation with a weaker exothermic peak than conventional 2H-MoS2.

Structure and tribological properties of steel after non-vacuum electron beam cladding of Ti, Mo and graphite powders

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

Bataev, I.A.; Mul, D.O.; Bataev, A.A.

2016-02-15

The non-vacuum electron beam cladding technique was used to fabricate layers alloyed with Ti, Mo and C on the surface of low-alloyed steel. Two types of experiments were carried out. In the first experiment, a mixture of Ti and graphite powders was used for cladding; in the second, a mixture of Ti, Mo and graphite powders was used for cladding. CaF{sub 2} powder or a mixture of CaF{sub 2} and LiF powders was used as flux. The thickness of the cladded layers was in the range of 2–2.2 mm. The structure of the layers was studied using optical microscopy, scanningmore » electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The microhardness after cladding of the layers fabricated by cladding of Ti and graphite powders was 8–9 GPa, while the microhardness of layers with Mo additions reached 11–12 GPa. The highest wear resistance at sliding friction and friction in abrasive environment was reached in the samples fabricated using Ti, Mo and graphite mixture due to the higher hardness and the martensite–austenite structure of the matrix. The wear resistance against fixed abrasive particles was 2.4 times higher compared to that of carburized and quenched steel. - Highlights: • Ti, C and Mo mixture of powders was cladded using non-vacuum electron beam treatment. • The depth of the cladded layers was 2.0 … 2.2 mm. • The microhardness of layer with Mo, Ti and C additions reached ~ 11 … 12 GPa. • The hardening of the layers caused by the formation of TiC particles and martensitic matrix • Wear resistance of cladded coatings was 2.4 higher than carburized steel.« less

Efficient Transfer Doping of Carbon Nanotube Forests by MoO3.

PubMed

Esconjauregui, Santiago; D'Arsié, Lorenzo; Guo, Yuzheng; Yang, Junwei; Sugime, Hisashi; Caneva, Sabina; Cepek, Cinzia; Robertson, John

2015-10-27

We dope nanotube forests using evaporated MoO3 and observe the forest resistivity to decrease by 2 orders of magnitude, reaching values as low as ∼5 × 10(-5) Ωcm, thus approaching that of copper. Using in situ photoemission spectroscopy, we determine the minimum necessary MoO3 thickness to dope a forest and study the underlying doping mechanism. Homogenous coating and tube compaction emerge as key factors for decreasing the forest resistivity. When all nanotubes are fully coated with MoO3 and packed, conduction channels are created both inside the nanotubes and on the outside oxide layer. This is supported by density functional theory calculations, which show a shift of the Fermi energy of the nanotubes and the conversion of the oxide into a layer of metallic character. MoO3 doping removes the need for chirality control during nanotube growth and represents a step forward toward the use of forests in next-generation electronics and in power cables or conductive polymers.

Two-dimensional electronic transport and surface electron accumulation in MoS2.

PubMed

Siao, M D; Shen, W C; Chen, R S; Chang, Z W; Shih, M C; Chiu, Y P; Cheng, C-M

2018-04-12

Because the surface-to-volume ratio of quasi-two-dimensional materials is extremely high, understanding their surface characteristics is crucial for practically controlling their intrinsic properties and fabricating p-type and n-type layered semiconductors. Van der Waals crystals are expected to have an inert surface because of the absence of dangling bonds. However, here we show that the surface of high-quality synthesized molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) is a major n-doping source. The surface electron concentration of MoS 2 is nearly four orders of magnitude higher than that of its inner bulk. Substantial thickness-dependent conductivity in MoS 2 nanoflakes was observed. The transfer length method suggested the current transport in MoS 2 following a two-dimensional behavior rather than the conventional three-dimensional mode. Scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements confirmed the presence of surface electron accumulation in this layered material. Notably, the in situ-cleaved surface exhibited a nearly intrinsic state without electron accumulation.

Highly sensitive visible to infrared MoTe2 photodetectors enhanced by the photogating effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Hai; Wang, Jianlu; Hu, Weida; Liao, Lei; Wang, Peng; Wang, Xudong; Gong, Fan; Chen, Yan; Wu, Guangjian; Luo, Wenjin; Shen, Hong; Lin, Tie; Sun, Jinglan; Meng, Xiangjian; Chen, Xiaoshuang; Chu, Junhao

2016-11-01

Two-dimensional materials are promising candidates for electronic and optoelectronic applications. MoTe2 has an appropriate bandgap for both visible and infrared light photodetection. Here we fabricate a high-performance photodetector based on few-layer MoTe2. Raman spectral properties have been studied for different thicknesses of MoTe2. The photodetector based on few-layer MoTe2 exhibits broad spectral range photodetection (0.6-1.55 μm) and a stable and fast photoresponse. The detectivity is calculated to be 3.1 × 109 cm Hz1/2 W-1 for 637 nm light and 1.3 × 109 cm Hz1/2 W-1 for 1060 nm light at a backgate voltage of 10 V. The mechanisms of photocurrent generation have been analyzed in detail, and it is considered that a photogating effect plays an important role in photodetection. The appreciable performance and detection over a broad spectral range make it a promising material for high-performance photodetectors.

Electronics and optoelectronics of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides.

PubMed

Wang, Qing Hua; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kourosh; Kis, Andras; Coleman, Jonathan N; Strano, Michael S

2012-11-01

The remarkable properties of graphene have renewed interest in inorganic, two-dimensional materials with unique electronic and optical attributes. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are layered materials with strong in-plane bonding and weak out-of-plane interactions enabling exfoliation into two-dimensional layers of single unit cell thickness. Although TMDCs have been studied for decades, recent advances in nanoscale materials characterization and device fabrication have opened up new opportunities for two-dimensional layers of thin TMDCs in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics. TMDCs such as MoS(2), MoSe(2), WS(2) and WSe(2) have sizable bandgaps that change from indirect to direct in single layers, allowing applications such as transistors, photodetectors and electroluminescent devices. We review the historical development of TMDCs, methods for preparing atomically thin layers, their electronic and optical properties, and prospects for future advances in electronics and optoelectronics.

MoOx modified ZnGaO based transparent conducting oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Titas; Gupta, P.; Bhosle, V.; Narayan, J.

2009-03-01

We report here the growth of high work function bilayered structures of thin MoOx (2.0

Improvement of pentathiophene/fullerene planar heterojunction photovoltaic cells by improving the organic films morphology through the anode buffer bilayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Jouad, Zouhair; Cattin, Linda; Martinez, Francisco; Neculqueo, Gloria; Louarn, Guy; Addou, Mohammed; Predeep, Padmanabhan; Manuvel, Jayan; Bernède, Jean-Christian

2016-05-01

Organic photovoltaic cells (OPVCs) are based on a heterojunction electron donor (ED)/electron acceptor (EA). In the present work, the electron donor which is also the absorber of light is pentathiophene. The typical cells were ITO/HTL/pentathiophene/fullerene/Alq3/Al with HTL (hole transport layer) = MoO3, CuI, MoO3/CuI. After optimisation of the pentathiophene thickness, 70 nm, the highest efficiency, 0.81%, is obtained with the bilayer MoO3/CuI as HTL. In order to understand these results the pentathiophene films deposited onto the different HTLs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-rays diffraction, optical absorption and electrical characterization. It is shown that CuI improves the conductivity of the pentathiophene layer through the modification of the film structure, while MoO3 decreases the leakage current. Using the bilayer MoO3/CuI allows cumulating the advantages of each layer. Contribution to the topical issue "Materials for Energy Harvesting, Conversion and Storage (ICOME 2015) - Elected submissions", edited by Jean-Michel Nunzi, Rachid Bennacer and Mohammed El Ganaoui

Chelant Enhanced Solution Processing for Wafer Scale Synthesis of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Thin Films.

PubMed

Ionescu, Robert; Campbell, Brennan; Wu, Ryan; Aytan, Ece; Patalano, Andrew; Ruiz, Isaac; Howell, Stephen W; McDonald, Anthony E; Beechem, Thomas E; Mkhoyan, K Andre; Ozkan, Mihrimah; Ozkan, Cengiz S

2017-07-25

It is of paramount importance to improve the control over large area growth of high quality molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) and other types of 2D dichalcogenides. Such atomically thin materials have great potential for use in electronics, and are thought to make possible the first real applications of spintronics. Here in, a facile and reproducible method of producing wafer scale atomically thin MoS 2 layers has been developed using the incorporation of a chelating agent in a common organic solvent, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Previously, solution processing of a MoS 2 precursor, ammonium tetrathiomolybdate ((NH 4 ) 2 MoS 4 ), and subsequent thermolysis was used to produce large area MoS 2 layers. Our work here shows that the use of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in DMSO exerts superior control over wafer coverage and film thickness, and the results demonstrate that the chelating action and dispersing effect of EDTA is critical in growing uniform films. Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM) indicate the formation of homogenous few layer MoS 2 films at the wafer scale, resulting from the novel chelant-in-solution method.

Approaching perfect absorption of monolayer molybdenum disulfide at visible wavelengths using critical coupling.

PubMed

Jiang, Xiaoyun; Wang, Tao; Xiao, Shuyuan; Yan, Xicheng; Cheng, Le; Zhong, Qingfang

2018-08-17

A simple perfect absorption structure is proposed to achieve the high efficiency light absorption of monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) by the critical coupling mechanism of guided resonances. The results of numerical simulation and theoretical analysis show that the light absorption in this atomically thin layer can be as high as 98.3% at the visible wavelengths, which is over 12 times more than that of a bare monolayer MoS 2 . In addition, the operating wavelength can be tuned flexibly by adjusting the radius of the air hole and the thickness of the dielectric layers, which is of great practical significance to improve the efficiency and selectivity of the absorption in monolayer MoS 2 . The novel idea of using critical coupling to enhance the light-MoS 2 interaction can be also adopted in other atomically thin materials. The meaningful improvement and tunability of the absorption in monolayer MoS 2 provides a good prospect for the realization of high-performance MoS 2 -based optoelectronic applications, such as photodetection and photoluminescence.

Dielectric properties of graphene/MoS2 heterostructures from ab initio calculations and electron energy-loss experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohn, Michael J.; Hambach, Ralf; Wachsmuth, Philipp; Giorgetti, Christine; Kaiser, Ute

2018-06-01

High-energy electronic excitations of graphene and MoS2 heterostructures are investigated by momentum-resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy in the range of 1 to 35 eV. The interplay of excitations on different sheets is understood in terms of long-range Coulomb interactions and is simulated using a combination of ab initio and dielectric model calculations. In particular, the layered electron-gas model is extended to thick layers by including the spatial dependence of the dielectric response in the direction perpendicular to the sheets. We apply this model to the case of graphene/MoS2/graphene heterostructures and discuss the possibility of extracting the dielectric properties of an encapsulated monolayer from measurements of the entire stack.

Tuning the ultrafast photodissociation dynamics of CH3Br on ultrathin MgO films by reducing the layer thickness to the 2D limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaida, Mihai E.; Bernhardt, Thorsten M.

2017-11-01

The femtosecond-laser induced photodissociation of CH3Br adsorbed at sub-monolayer coverage on a solid surface was investigated by time-resolved pump-probe mass spectrometry. To tune the interaction of the CH3Br molecules with the substrate, an Mo(1 0 0) surface was covered with ultrathin insulating MgO layers of variable thickness. By gradually decreasing the magnesia layer thickness to the 2D limit the photodissociation dynamics observed by detection of the methyl fragment indicates an energetic lowering of the relevant methyl bromide excited states due to the increasing spatial proximity of the metallic support. Potential orientational effects of the methyl bromide adsorption geometry are also considered.

Influence of strain and metal thickness on metal-MoS₂ contacts.

PubMed

Saidi, Wissam A

2014-09-07

MoS2 and other transition metal dichalcogenides are considered as potential materials in many applications including future electronics. A prerequisite for these applications is to understand the nature of the MoS2 contact with different metals. We use semi-local density functional theory in conjunction with dispersion corrections to study the heterostructures composed of Pd and Pt monolayers with (111) orientation grown pseudomorphically on MoS2(001). The interface properties are mapped as a function of the number of deposited overlayers, as well as a function of tensile and compressive strains. Although we show that the dependence of the contacts on strain can be fully explained using the d-band model, we find that their evolution with the number of deposited metal layers is markedly different between Pd and Pt, and at variance with the d-band model. Specifically, the Pt/MoS2 heterostructures show an anomalous large stability with the deposition of two metal monolayers for all investigated strains, while Pd/MoS2 exhibits a similar behavior only for compressive strains. It is shown that the results can be rationalized by accounting for second-nearest-neighbor effect that couples MoS2 with the subsurface metal layers. The underpinnings of this behavior are attributed to the larger polarizability and cohesive energy of Pt compared to Pd, that leads to a larger charge-response in the subsurface layers.

Modeling a failure criterion for U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Jae-Yong; Kim, Yeon Soo; Tahk, Young-Wook; Kim, Hyun-Jung; Kong, Eui-Hyun; Yim, Jeong-Sik

2016-05-01

The breakaway swelling in U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel is known to be caused by large pore formation enhanced by interaction layer (IL) growth between fuel particles and Al matrix. In this study, a critical IL thickness was defined as a criterion for the formation of a large pore in U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel. Specifically, the critical IL thickness is given when two neighboring fuel particles come into contact with each other in the developed IL. The model was verified using the irradiation data from the RERTR tests and KOMO-4 test. The model application to full-sized sample irradiations such as IRISs, FUTURE, E-FUTURE, and AFIP-1 tests resulted in conservative predictions. The parametric study revealed that the fuel particle size and the homogeneity of the fuel particle distribution are influential for fuel performance.

Interface structure and composition of MoO3/GaAs(0 0 1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Anirban; Ashraf, Tanveer; Grafeneder, Wolfgang; Koch, Reinhold

2018-04-01

We studied growth, structure, stress, oxidation state as well as surface and interface structure and composition of thermally-evaporated thin MoO3 films on the technologically important III/V-semiconductor substrate GaAs(0 0 1). The MoO3 films grow with Mo in the 6+  oxidation state. The electrical resistance is tunable by the oxygen partial pressure during deposition from transparent insulating to semi-transparant halfmetallic. In the investigated growth temperature range (room temperature to 200 °C) no diffraction spots are detected by x-ray diffraction. However, high resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals the formation of MoO3 nanocrystal grains with diameters of 5–8 nm. At the interface a  ≈3 nm-thick intermediate layer has formed, where the single-crystal lattice of GaAs gradually transforms to the nanocrystalline MoO3 structure. This interpretation is corroborated by our in situ and real-time stress measurements evidencing a two-stage growth process as well as by elemental interface analysis revealing coexistance of Ga, As, Mo, and oxygen in a intermediate layer of 3–4 nm.

Preparation and applications of mechanically exfoliated single-layer and multilayer MoS₂ and WSe₂ nanosheets.

PubMed

Li, Hai; Wu, Jumiati; Yin, Zongyou; Zhang, Hua

2014-04-15

Although great progress has been achieved in the study of graphene, the small current ON/OFF ratio in graphene-based field-effect transistors (FETs) limits its application in the fields of conventional transistors or logic circuits for low-power electronic switching. Recently, layered transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) materials, especially MoS2, have attracted increasing attention. In contrast to its bulk material with an indirect band gap, a single-layer (1L) MoS2 nanosheet is a semiconductor with a direct band gap of ~1.8 eV, which makes it a promising candidate for optoelectronic applications due to the enhancement of photoluminescence and high current ON/OFF ratio. Compared with TMD nanosheets prepared by chemical vapor deposition and liquid exfoliation, mechanically exfoliated ones possess pristine, clean, and high-quality structures, which are suitable for the fundamental study and potential applications based on their intrinsic thickness-dependent properties. In this Account, we summarize our recent research on the preparation, characterization, and applications of 1L and multilayer MoS2 and WSe2 nanosheets produced by mechanical exfoliation. During the preparation of nanosheets, we proposed a simple optical identification method to distinguish 1L and multilayer MoS2 and WSe2 nanosheets on a Si substrate coated with 90 and 300 nm SiO2. In addition, we used Raman spectroscopy to characterize mechanically exfoliated 1L and multilayer WSe2 nanosheets. For the first time, a new Raman peak at 308 cm(-1) was observed in the spectra of WSe2 nanosheets except for the 1L WSe2 nanosheet. Importantly, we found that the 1L WSe2 nanosheet is very sensitive to the laser power during characterization. The high power laser-induced local oxidation of WSe2 nanosheets and single crystals was monitored by Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Hexagonal and monoclinic structured WO3 thin films were obtained from the local oxidization of single- to triple-layer (1L-3L) and quadruple- to quintuple-layer (4L-5L) WSe2 nanosheets, respectively. Then, we present Raman characterization of shear and breathing modes of 1L and multilayer MoS2 and WSe2 nanosheets in the low frequency range (<50 cm(-1)), which can be used to accurately identify the layer number of nanosheets. Magnetic force microscopy was used to characterize 1L and multilayer MoS2 nanosheets, and thickness-dependent magnetic response was found. In the last part, we briefly introduce the applications of 1L and multilayer MoS2 nanosheets in the fields of gas sensors and phototransistors.

Unusual photoelectric behaviors of Mo-doped TiO2 multilayer thin films prepared by RF magnetron co-sputtering: effect of barrier tunneling on internal charge transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, B. X.; Luo, S. Y.; Mao, X. G.; Shen, J.; Zhou, Q. F.

2013-01-01

Mo-doped TiO2 multilayer thin films were prepared by RF magnetron co-sputtering. Microstructures, crystallite parameters and the absorption band were investigated with atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Internal carrier transport characteristics and the photoelectric property of different layer-assemble modes were examined on an electrochemical workstation under visible light. The result indicates that the double-layer structure with an undoped surface layer demonstrated a red-shifted absorption edge and a much stronger photocurrent compared to the uniformly doped sample, signifying that the electric field implanted at the interface between particles in different layers accelerated internal charge transfer effectively. However, a heavily doped layer implanted at the bottom of the three-layer film merely brought about negative effects on the photoelectric property, mainly because of the Schottky junction existing above the substrate. Nevertheless, this obstacle was successfully eliminated by raising the Mo concentration to 1020 cm-3, where the thickness of the depletion layer fell into the order of angstroms and the tunneling coefficient manifested a dramatic increase. Under this circumstance, the Schottky junction disappeared and the strongest photocurrent was observed in the three-layer film.

Theoretical study of thermoelectric properties of few-layer MoS2 and WSe2.

PubMed

Huang, Wen; Luo, Xin; Gan, Chee Kwan; Quek, Su Ying; Liang, Gengchiau

2014-06-14

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten diselenide (WSe2) are prototypical layered two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide materials, with each layer consisting of three atomic planes. We refer to each layer as a trilayer (TL). We study the thermoelectric properties of 1-4TL MoS2 and WSe2 using a ballistic transport approach based on the electronic band structures and phonon dispersions obtained from first-principles calculations. Our results show that the thickness dependence of the thermoelectric properties is different under n-type and p-type doping conditions. Defining ZT1st peak as the first peak in the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT as doping levels increase from zero at 300 K, we found that ZT1st peak decreases as the number of layers increases for MoS2, with the exception of 2TL in n-type doping, which has a slightly higher value than 1TL. However, for WSe2, 2TL has the largest ZT1st peak in both n-type and p-type doping, with a ZT1st peak value larger than 1 for n-type WSe2. At high temperatures (T > 300 K), ZT1st peak dramatically increases when the temperature increases, especially for n-type doping. The ZT1st peak of n-type 1TL-MoS2 and 2TL-WSe2 can reach 1.6 and 2.1, respectively.

Evaluation of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness profile in thyroid ophthalmopathy without optic nerve dysfunction

PubMed Central

Mugdha, Kumari; Kaur, Apjit; Sinha, Neha; Saxena, Sandeep

2016-01-01

AIM To evaluate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness profile in patients of thyroid ophthalmopathy with no clinical signs of optic nerve dysfunction. METHODS A prospective, case-control, observational study conducted at a tertiary care centre. Inclusion criteria consisted of patients with eyelid retraction in association with any one of: biochemical thyroid dysfunction, exophthalmos, or extraocular muscle involvement; or thyroid dysfunction in association with either exophthalmos or extra-ocular muscle involvement; or a clinical activity score (CAS)>3/7. Two measurements of RNFL thickness were done for each eye, by Cirrus HD-optical coherence tomography 6mo apart. RESULTS Mean age of the sample was 38.75y (range 13-70y) with 18 males and 22 females. Average RNFL thickness at first visit was 92.06±12.44 µm, significantly lower than control group (101.28±6.64 µm) (P=0.0001). Thickness of inferior quadrant decreased from 118.2±21.27 µm to 115.0±22.27 µm after 6mo (P=0.02). There was no correlation between the change in CAS and RNFL thickness. CONCLUSION Decreased RNFL thickness is an important feature of thyroid orbitopathy, which is an inherent outcome of compressive optic neuropathy of any etiology. Subclinical RNFL damage continues in the absence of clinical activity of the disease. RNFL evaluation is essential in Grave's disease and active intervention may be warranted in the presence of significant damage. PMID:27990368

Modification of back electrode with WO3 layer and its effect on Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4-based solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Kun; Yao, Bin; Li, Yongfeng; Ding, Zhanhui; Deng, Rui; Sui, Yingrui; Zhang, Zhenzhong; Zhao, Haifeng; Zhang, Ligong

2018-01-01

In the present work, we designed and prepared Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe)-based solar cells with a new structure of Al/ITO/ZnO/CdS/CZTSSe/WO3/Mo/SLG (S1-5) by depositing about 5-nm-thick WO3 layer with monoclinic structure on the back electrode Mo/SLG of solar cells with the convention structure of Al/ITO/ZnO/CdS/CZTSSe/Mo/SLG (S2), with the aim of improving the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of CZTSSe-based solar cells. It is found that the average open circuit voltage (Voc) increases from 346.7 mV of the S2 cells to 400.9 mV of the S1-5 cells, the average short circuit current density (Jsc) from 26.4 mA/cm2 to 32.1 mA/cm2 and the filling factor (FF) from 33.8 to 40.0 by addition of the WO3 layer, which results in that the average PCE increases from 3.10% of the S2 cells to 5.14% of the S1-5 cells. The average increasing percent of the PCE is 65.8%. The increase in Voc, Jsc and FF of the S1-5 cells compared to the S2 cells is attributed to that the WO3 layer prevent the Se coming from Se ambient and CZTSSe to react with the Mo to form MoSe2 and other second phases, which makes the shunt resistance (Rsh) of the S1-5 increase and the series resistance (Rs) and reverse saturation current density (J0) decrease compared to the S2 cells. The decreased J0 is main factor of improvement of the PCE. A mechanism of influence of the Rsh, Rs and J0 on the PCE is also revealed. Our result demonstrates that addition of the WO3 layer with a reasonable thickness can be a promising technical route of improving the PCE of the CZTSSe-based solar cell.

Tunneling in BP-MoS2 heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaochi; Qu, Deshun; Kim, Changsik; Ahmed, Faisal; Yoo, Won Jong

Tunnel field effect transistor (TFET) is considered to be a leading option for achieving SS <60 mV/dec. In this work, black phosphorus (BP) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) heterojunction devices are fabricated. We find that thin BP flake and MoS2 form normal p-n junctions, tunneling phenomena can be observed when BP thickness increases to certain level. PEO:CsClO4 is applied on the surface of the device together with a side gate electrode patterned together with source and drain electrodes. The Fermi level of MoS2 on top of BP layer can be modulated by the side gating, and this enables to vary the MoS2-BP tunnel diode property from off-state to on-state. Since tunneling is the working mechanism of MoS2-BP junction, and PEO:CsClO4\\ possesses ultra high dielectric constant and small equivalent oxide thickness (EOT), a low SS of 55 mV/dec is obtained from MoS2-BP TFET. This work was supported by the Global Research Laboratory and Global Frontier R&D Programs at the Center for Hybrid Interface Materials, both funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning via the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF).

Enhancement of photodetection characteristics of MoS2 field effect transistors using surface treatment with copper phthalocyanine.

PubMed

Pak, Jinsu; Jang, Jingon; Cho, Kyungjune; Kim, Tae-Young; Kim, Jae-Keun; Song, Younggul; Hong, Woong-Ki; Min, Misook; Lee, Hyoyoung; Lee, Takhee

2015-11-28

Recently, two-dimensional materials such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) have been extensively studied as channel materials for field effect transistors (FETs) because MoS2 has outstanding electrical properties such as a low subthreshold swing value, a high on/off ratio, and good carrier mobility. In this study, we characterized the electrical and photo-responsive properties of MoS2 FET when stacking a p-type organic copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) layer on the MoS2 surface. We observed that the threshold voltage of MoS2 FET could be controlled by stacking the CuPc layers due to a charge transfer phenomenon at the interface. Particularly, we demonstrated that CuPc/MoS2 hybrid devices exhibited high performance as a photodetector compared with the pristine MoS2 FETs, caused by more electron-hole pairs separation at the p-n interface. Furthermore, we found the optimized CuPc thickness (∼2 nm) on the MoS2 surface for the best performance as a photodetector with a photoresponsivity of ∼1.98 A W(-1), a detectivity of ∼6.11 × 10(10) Jones, and an external quantum efficiency of ∼12.57%. Our study suggests that the MoS2 vertical hybrid structure with organic material can be promising as efficient photodetecting devices and optoelectronic circuits.

Copper:molybdenum sub-oxide blend as transparent conductive electrode (TCE) indium free

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hssein, Mehdi; Cattin, Linda; Morsli, Mustapha; Addou, Mohammed; Bernède, Jean-Christian

2016-05-01

Oxide/metal/oxide structures have been shown to be promising alternatives to ITO. In such structures, in order to decrease the high light reflection of the metal film it is embedded between two metal oxides dielectric. MoO3-x is often used as oxide due to its capacity to be a performing anode buffer layer in organic solar cells, while silver is the metal the most often used [1]. Some attempts to use cheaper metal such as copper have been done. However it was shown that Cu diffuses strongly into MoO3-x [2]. Here we used this property to grow simple new transparent conductive oxide (TCE), i.e., Cu: MoO3-x blend. After the deposition of a thin Cu layer, a film of MoO3-x is deposited by sublimation. An XPS study shows more than 50% of Cu is present at the surface of the structure. In order to limit the Cu diffusion an ultra-thin Al layer is deposited onto MoO3-x. Then, in order to obtain a good hole collecting contact with the electron donor of the organic solar cells, a second MoO3-x layer is deposited. After optimization of the thickness of the different layers, the optimum structure is as follow: Cu (12 nm) : MoO3-x (20 nm)/Al (0.5 nm)/ MoO3-x (10 nm). The sheet resistance of this structure is Rsq = 5.2 Ω/sq. and its transmittance is Tmax = 65%. The factor of merit ϕM = T10/Rsq. = 2.41 × 10-3 Ω-1, which made this new TCE promising as anode in organic solar cells. Contribution to the topical issue "Materials for Energy Harvesting, Conversion and Storage (ICOME 2015) - Elected submissions", edited by Jean-Michel Nunzi, Rachid Bennacer and Mohammed El Ganaoui

Interplay of screening and superconductivity in low-dimensional materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schönhoff, G.; Rösner, M.; Groenewald, R. E.; Haas, S.; Wehling, T. O.

2016-10-01

A quantitative description of Coulomb interactions is developed for two-dimensional superconducting materials, enabling us to compare intrinsic with external screening effects, such as those due to substrates. Using the example of a doped monolayer of MoS2 embedded in a tunable dielectric environment, we demonstrate that the influence of external screening is limited to a length scale, bounded from below by the effective thickness of the quasi-two-dimensional material and from above by its intrinsic screening length. As a consequence, it is found that unconventional Coulomb-driven superconductivity cannot be induced in MoS2 by tuning the substrate properties alone. Our calculations of the retarded Morel-Anderson Coulomb potential μ* reveal that the Coulomb interactions, renormalized by the reduced layer thickness and the substrate properties, can shift the onset of the electron-phonon driven superconducting phase in monolayer MoS2 but do not significantly affect the critical temperature at optimal doping.

Modeling a failure criterion for U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel

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

Oh, Jae-Yong; Kim, Yeon Soo; Tahk, Young-Wook

2016-05-01

The breakaway swelling in U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel is known to be caused by large pore formation enhanced by interaction layer (IL) growth between fuel particles and Al matrix. In this study, a critical IL thickness was defined as a criterion for the formation of a large pore in U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel. Specifically, the critical IL thickness is given when two neighboring fuel particles come into contact with each other in the developed IL. The model was verified using the irradiation data from the RERTR tests and KOMO- 4 test. The model application to full-sized sample irradiations such as IRISs, FUTURE,more » E-FUTURE, and AFIP-1 tests resulted in conservative predictions. The parametric study revealed that the fuel particle size and the homogeneity of the fuel particle distribution are influential for fuel performance.« less

Exciton–polaritons in van der Waals heterostructures embedded in tunable microcavities

PubMed Central

Dufferwiel, S.; Schwarz, S.; Withers, F.; Trichet, A. A. P.; Li, F.; Sich, M.; Del Pozo-Zamudio, O.; Clark, C.; Nalitov, A.; Solnyshkov, D. D.; Malpuech, G.; Novoselov, K. S.; Smith, J. M.; Skolnick, M. S.; Krizhanovskii, D. N.; Tartakovskii, A. I.

2015-01-01

Layered materials can be assembled vertically to fabricate a new class of van der Waals heterostructures a few atomic layers thick, compatible with a wide range of substrates and optoelectronic device geometries, enabling new strategies for control of light–matter coupling. Here, we incorporate molybdenum diselenide/hexagonal boron nitride (MoSe2/hBN) quantum wells in a tunable optical microcavity. Part-light–part-matter polariton eigenstates are observed as a result of the strong coupling between MoSe2 excitons and cavity photons, evidenced from a clear anticrossing between the neutral exciton and the cavity modes with a splitting of 20 meV for a single MoSe2 monolayer, enhanced to 29 meV in MoSe2/hBN/MoSe2 double-quantum wells. The splitting at resonance provides an estimate of the exciton radiative lifetime of 0.4 ps. Our results pave the way for room-temperature polaritonic devices based on multiple-quantum-well van der Waals heterostructures, where polariton condensation and electrical polariton injection through the incorporation of graphene contacts may be realized. PMID:26446783

Improving the Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Properties of the Layered MoS2 by Cladding with Ni Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zilong; Wang, Zilin; Heng, Liuyang; Wang, Shuai; Chen, Xiqiao; Fu, Xiquan; Zou, Yanhong; Tang, Zhixiang

2018-05-01

MoS2 is a promising material with microwave absorption performance due to its high dielectric properties and low density. However, pure MoS2 is non-magnetic and has a bad impedance matching characteristic. In this study we prepared the Ni/MoS2 nanocomposites by cladding the MoS2 micrometer slices with magnetic Ni nanoparticles. Our results show that the microwave absorption properties of Ni/MoS2 nanocomposites have been improved obviously compared with the pure MoS2. Because of the introduction of Ni particles, the permeability of the nanocomposites has been turned from one to a complex, indicating a newly added magnetic loss. Meanwhile, the big gap between the permittivity and permeability of the Ni/MoS2 nanocomposites has been properly narrowed, which suggests an improved impedance matching. Moreover, the dielectric Cole-Cole semicircle shows that there are more Debye relaxation processes for the Ni/MoS2 nanocomposites, which further enhances the dielectric loss. Due to its improved electromagnetic properties, the minimum reflection loss (RL) value of the Ni/MoS2 nanocomposites with 60 wt % loading reaches -55 dB and the absorption bandwidth (<-10 dB) is up to 4.0 GHz (10.8-14.8 GHz) with a matching thickness of 1.5 mm. The results provide an excellent candidate for microwave absorbing materials with a broad effective absorption bandwidth at thin thicknesses.

Photoreflectance study of the near-band-edge transitions of chemical vapor deposition-grown mono- and few-layer MoS{sub 2} films

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

Lin, Kuang-I, E-mail: kilin@mail.ncku.edu.tw; Chen, Yen-Jen; Wang, Bo-Yan

2016-03-21

Room-temperature photoreflectance (PR) and reflectance (R) spectroscopy are utilized to investigate the near-band-edge transitions of molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) thin films grown on sapphire substrates by a hot-wall chemical vapor deposition system. The layer thickness and optical properties of the MoS{sub 2} thin films are confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscope, and photoluminescence (PL) analysis. The B exciton shows relatively weak PL intensity in comparing with the A exciton even for monolayer MoS{sub 2} films. In the R spectrum of few‐layer MoS{sub 2}, it is not possible to clearly observe exciton related features. The PR spectra have two sharp,more » derivative-like features on a featureless background. Throughout the PR lineshape fitting, the transition energies are designated as the A and B excitons at the K-point of the Brillouin zone, but at room temperature there seems to be no distinguishable feature corresponding to an H‐point transition for the mono- and few-layer MoS{sub 2} films unlike in bulk. These transition energies are slightly larger than those obtained by PL, which is attributed to the Stokes shifts related to doping level. The obtained values of valence-band spin-orbit splitting are in good agreement with those from other experimental methods. By comparing the PR lineshapes, the dominant modulation mechanism is attributed to variations of the exciton transition energies due to change in the built-in electric field. On the strength of this study, PR spectroscopy is demonstrated as a powerful technique for characterizing the near-band-edge transitions of MoS{sub 2} from monolayer to bulk.« less

Efficient charge injection in p-type polymer field-effect transistors with low-cost molybdenum electrodes through V2O5 interlayer.

PubMed

Baeg, Kang-Jun; Bae, Gwang-Tae; Noh, Yong-Young

2013-06-26

Here we report high-performance polymer OFETs with a low-cost Mo source/drain electrode by efficient charge injection through the formation of a thermally deposited V2O5 thin film interlayer. A thermally deposited V2O5 interlayer is formed between a regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (rr-P3HT) or a p-type polymer semiconductor containing dodecyl-substituted thienylenevinylene (TV) and dodecylthiophene (PC12TV12T) and the Mo source/drain electrode. The P3HT or PC12TV12T OFETs with the bare Mo electrode exhibited lower charge carrier mobility than those with Au owing to a large barrier height for hole injection (0.5-1.0 eV). By forming the V2O5 layer, the P3HT or PC12TV12T OFETs with V2O5 on the Mo electrode exhibited charge carrier mobility comparable to that of a pristine Au electrode. Best P3HT or PC12TV12T OFETs with 5 nm thick V2O5 on Mo electrode show the charge carrier mobility of 0.12 and 0.38 cm(2)/(V s), respectively. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy results exhibited the work-function of the Mo electrode progressively changed from 4.3 to 4.9 eV with an increase in V2O5 thickness from 0 to 5 nm, respectively. Interestingly, the V2O5-deposited Mo exhibits comparable Rc to Au, which mainly results from the decreased barrier height for hole carrier injection from the low-cost metal electrode to the frontier molecular orbital of the p-type polymer semiconductor after the incorporation of the transition metal oxide hole injection layer, such as V2O5. This enables the development of large-area, low-cost electronics with the Mo electrodes and V2O5 interlayer.

Structural Analysis of MoS2 and other 2D layered materials using LEEM/LEED-I(V) and STM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grady, Maxwell; Dai, Zhongwei; Jin, Wencan; Dadap, Jerry; Osgood, Richard; Sadowski, Jerzy; Pohl, Karsten

Layered two-dimensional materials, such as molybdenum disulfide, MoS2, are of interest for the development of many types of novel electronic devices. To fully understand the interfaces between these new materials, the atomic reconstructions at their surfaces must be understood. Low Energy Electron Microscopy and Diffraction, LEEM/ μLEED, present a unique method for rapid material characterization in real space and reciprocal space with high resolution. Here we present a study of the surface structure of 2H-MoS2 using μLEED intensity-voltage analysis. To aid this analysis, software is under development to automate the procedure of extracting I(V) curves from LEEM and LEED data. When matched with computational modeling, this data provides information with angstrom level resolution concerning the three dimensional atomic positions. We demonstrate that the surface structure of bulk MoS2 is distinct from the bulk crystal structure and exhibits a smaller surface relaxation at 320K compared to previous results at 95K. Furthermore, suspended monolayer samples exhibit large interlayer relaxations compared to the bulk surface termination. Further techniques for refining layer thickness determination are under development.

Method and apparatus for detecting the presence and thickness of carbon and oxide layers on EUV reflective surfaces

DOEpatents

Malinowski, Michael E.

2005-01-25

The characteristics of radiation that is reflected from carbon deposits and oxidation formations on highly reflective surfaces such as Mo/Si mirrors can be quantified and employed to detect and measure the presence of such impurities on optics. Specifically, it has been shown that carbon deposits on a Mo/Si multilayer mirror decreases the intensity of reflected HeNe laser (632.8 nm) light. In contrast, oxide layers formed on the mirror should cause an increase in HeNe power reflection. Both static measurements and real-time monitoring of carbon and oxide surface impurities on optical elements in lithography tools should be achievable.

Timing of mantle overturn during magma ocean solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boukaré, C.-E.; Parmentier, E. M.; Parman, S. W.

2018-06-01

Solidification of magma oceans (MOs) formed early in the evolution of planetary bodies sets the initial condition for their evolution on much longer time scales. Ideal fractional crystallization would generate an unstable chemical stratification that subsequently overturns to form a stably stratified mantle. The simplest model of overturn assumes that cumulates remain immobile until the end of MO solidification. However, overturning of cumulates and thermal convection during solidification may act to reduce this stratification and introduce chemical heterogeneity on scales smaller than the MO thickness. We explore overturning of cumulates before the end of MO crystallization and the possible consequences for mantle structure and composition. In this model, increasingly dense iron-rich layers, crystallized from the overlying residual liquid MO, are deposited on a thickening cumulate layer. Overturn during solidification occurs if the dimensionless parameter, Rc, measuring the ratio of the MO time of crystallization τMO to the timescale associated with compositional overturn τov = μ / ΔρgH exceeds a threshold value. If overturn did not occur until after solidification, this implies that the viscosity of the solidified mantle must have been sufficiently high (possibly requiring efficient melt extraction from the cumulate) for a given rate of solidification. For the lunar MO, possible implications for the generation of the Mg-suites and mare basalt are suggested.

Aperiodic Mo/Si multilayers for hard x-rays

DOE PAGES

Pardini, Tom; Alameda, Jennifer; Platonov, Yuriy; ...

2016-08-04

In this work we have developed aperiodic Molybdenum/Silicon (Mo/Si) multilayers (MLs) to reflect 16.25 keV photons at a grazing angle of incidence of 0.6° ± 0.05°. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time this material system has been used to fabricate aperiodic MLs for hard x-rays. At these energies new hurdles arise. First of all a large number of bilayers is required to reach saturation. This poses a challenge from the manufacturing point of view, as thickness control of each ML period becomes paramount. The latter is not well defined a priori, due to the thicknessmore » of the interfacial silicide layers which has been observed to vary as a function of Mo and Si thickness. Additionally an amorphous-to-crystalline transition for Mo must be avoided in order maintain reasonably low roughness at the interfaces. This transition is well within the range of thicknesses pertinent to this study. Despite these difficulties our data demonstrates that we achieved reasonably flat ML response across the angular acceptance of ± 0.05°, with an experimentally confirmed average reflectivity of 28%. Such a ML prescription is well suited for applications in the field of hard x-ray imaging of highly diverging sources.« less

Constructing Two-, Zero-, and One-Dimensional Integrated Nanostructures: an Effective Strategy for High Microwave Absorption Performance.

PubMed

Sun, Yuan; Xu, Jianle; Qiao, Wen; Xu, Xiaobing; Zhang, Weili; Zhang, Kaiyu; Zhang, Xing; Chen, Xing; Zhong, Wei; Du, Youwei

2016-11-23

A novel "201" nanostructure composite consisting of two-dimensional MoS 2 nanosheets, zero-dimensional Ni nanoparticles and one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was prepared successfully by a two-step method: Ni nanopaticles were deposited onto the surface of few-layer MoS 2 nanosheets by a wet chemical method, followed by chemical vapor deposition growth of CNTs through the catalysis of Ni nanoparticles. The as-prepared 201-MoS 2 -Ni-CNTs composites exhibit remarkably enhanced microwave absorption performance compared to Ni-MoS 2 or Ni-CNTs. The minimum reflection loss (RL) value of 201-MoS 2 -Ni-CNTs/wax composites with filler loading ratio of 30 wt % reached -50.08 dB at the thickness of 2.4 mm. The maximum effective microwave absorption bandwidth (RL< -10 dB) of 6.04 GHz was obtained at the thickness of 2.1 mm. The excellent absorption ability originates from appropriate impedance matching ratio, strong dielectric loss and large surface area, which are attributed to the "201" nanostructure. In addition, this method could be extended to other low-dimensional materials, proving to be an efficient and promising strategy for high microwave absorption performance.

Iso-oriented monolayer α-MoO 3 (010) films epitaxially grown on SrTiO 3 (001)

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

Du, Yingge; Li, Guoqiang; Peterson, Erik W.

The ability to synthesis well-ordered two-dimensional materials under ultra-high vacuum and directly characterize them by other techniques in-situ can greatly advance our current understanding on their physical and chemical properties. In this paper, we demonstrate that iso-oriented α-MoO3 films with as low as single monolayer thickness can be reproducibly grown on SrTiO3(001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy ( (010)MoO3 || (001)STO, [100]MoO3 || [100]STO or [010]STO) through a self-limiting process. While one in-plane lattice parameter of the MoO3 is very close to that of the SrTiO3 (aMoO3 = 3.96 Å, aSTO = 3.905 Å), the lattice mismatch along other directionmore » is large (~5%, cMoO3 = 3.70 Å), which leads to relaxation as clearly observed from the splitting of streaks in reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns. A narrow range in the growth temperature is found to be optimal for the growth of monolayer α-MoO3 films. Increasing deposition time will not lead to further increase in thickness, which is explained by a balance between deposition and thermal desorption due to the weak van der Waals force between α-MoO3 layers. Lowering growth temperature after the initial iso-oriented α-MoO3 monolayer leads to thicker α-MoO3(010) films with excellent crystallinity.« less

Normal and grazing incidence pulsed laser deposition of nanostructured MoSx hydrogen evolution catalysts from a MoS2 target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fominski, V. Yu.; Romanov, R. I.; Fominski, D. V.; Dzhumaev, P. S.; Troyan, I. A.

2018-06-01

Pulsed laser ablation of a MoS2 target causes enhanced splashing of the material. So, for MoSx films obtained by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in the conventional normal incidence (NI) configuration, their typical morphology is characterized by an underlying granular structure with an overlayer of widely dispersed spherical Mo and MoSx particles possessing micro-, sub-micro- and nanometer sizes. We investigated the possibility of using high surface roughness, which occurs due to particle deposition, as a support with a large exposed surface area for thin MoSx catalytic layers for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). For comparison, the HER performance of MoSx layers formed by grazing incidence (GI) PLD was studied. During GI-PLD, a substrate was placed along the direction of laser plume transport and few large particles loaded the substrate. The local structure and composition of thin MoSx layers formed by the deposition of the vapor component of the laser plume were varied by changing the pressure of the buffer gas (argon, Ar). In the case of NI-PLD, an increase in Ar pressure caused the formation of quasi-amorphous MoSx (x ≥ 2) films that possessed highly active catalytic sites on the edges of the layered MoS2 nanophase. At the same time, a decrease in the deposition rate of the MoSx film appeared due to the scattering of the vapor flux by Ar molecules during flux transport from the target to the substrate. This effect prevented uniform deposition of the MoSx catalytic film on the surface of most particles, whose deposition rate was independent of Ar pressure. The scattered vapor flux containing Mo and S atoms was a dominant source for MoSx film growth during GI-PLD. The thickness and composition distribution of the MoSx film on the substrate depended on both the pressure of the buffer gas and the distance from the target. For 1.0-2.5 cm from the target, the deposition rate was quite sufficient to form S-enriched quasi-amorphous MoSx (2.5 < x < 6) catalytic films that consisted of densely packed 30-50 nm nanoparticles. The GI-PLD films possessed a greater density of catalytically active sites with a distinct local atomic configuration including edge sites of the layered MoS2 nanophase and diverse S ligands in the amorphous phase, which contained Mo3-S clusters. At a modest loading of ∼300 μg/cm2 on glassy carbon substrates and an overpotential of -140 mV, these films activated H2 production with geometric current densities up to -10 mA/cm2.

Swift tuning from spherical molybdenum microspheres to hierarchical molybdenum disulfide nanostructures by switching from solvothermal to hydrothermal synthesis route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qureshi, Nilam; Arbuj, Sudhir; Shinde, Manish; Rane, Sunit; Kulkarni, Milind; Amalnerkar, Dinesh; Lee, Haiwon

2017-09-01

Herein, we report the synthesis of metallic molybdenum microspheres and hierarchical MoS2 nanostructures by facile template-free solvothermal and hydrothermal approach, respectively. The morphological transition of the Mo microspheres to hierarchical MoS2 nanoflower architectures is observed to be accomplished with change in solvent from ethylenediamine to water. The resultant marigold flower-like MoS2 nanostructures are few layers thick with poor crystallinity while spherical ball-like molybdenum microspheres exhibit better crystalline nature. This is the first report pertaining to the synthesis of Mo microspheres and MoS2 nanoflowers without using any surfactant, template or substrate in hydro/solvothermal regime. It is opined that such nanoarchitectures of MoS2 are useful candidates for energy related applications such as hydrogen evolution reaction, Li ion battery and pseudocapacitors. Inquisitively, metallic Mo can potentially act as catalyst as well as fairly economical Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) substrate in biosensor applications.

"Non-hydrolytic" sol-gel synthesis of molybdenum sulfides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leidich, Saskia; Buechele, Dominique; Lauenstein, Raphael; Kluenker, Martin; Lind, Cora

2016-10-01

Non-hydrolytic sol-gel reactions provide a low temperature solution based synthetic approach to solid-state materials. In this paper, reactions between molybdenum chloride and hexamethyldisilthiane in chloroform were explored, which gave access to both MoS2 and Mo2S3 after heat treatment of as-recovered amorphous samples to 600-1000 °C. Interesting morphologies were obtained for MoS2, ranging from fused spherical particles to well-defined nanoplatelets and nanoflakes. Both 2H- and 3R-MoS2 were observed, which formed thin hexagonal and triangular platelets, respectively. The platelets exhibited thicknesses of 10-30 nm, which corresponds to 15-50 MoS2 layers. No attempts to prevent agglomeration were made, however, well separated platelets were observed for many samples. Heating at 1000 °C led to formation of Mo2S3 for samples that showed well-defined MoS2 at lower temperatures, while less crystalline samples had a tendency to retain the MoS2 structure.

Characterization of Mo/Si multilayer growth on stepped topographies

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

Boogaard, A. J. R. vcan den; Louis, E.; Zoethout, E.

2011-08-31

Mo/Si multilayer mirrors with nanoscale bilayer thicknesses have been deposited on stepped substrate topographies, using various deposition angles. The multilayer morphology at the stepedge region was studied by cross section transmission electron microscopy. A transition from a continuous- to columnar layer morphology is observed near the step-edge, as a function of the local angle of incidence of the deposition flux. Taking into account the corresponding kinetics and anisotropy in layer growth, a continuum model has been developed to give a detailed description of the height profiles of the individual continuous layers. Complementary optical characterization of the multilayer system using amore » microscope operating in the extreme ultraviolet wavelength range, revealed that the influence of the step-edge on the planar multilayer structure is restricted to a region within 300 nm from the step-edge.« less

Temperature-dependent layer breathing modes in two-dimensional materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maity, Indrajit; Maiti, Prabal K.; Jain, Manish

2018-04-01

Relative out-of-plane displacements of the constituent layers of two-dimensional materials give rise to unique low-frequency breathing modes. By computing the height-height correlation functions from molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the layer breathing modes (LBMs) can be mapped consistently to vibrations of a simple linear chain model. Our calculated thickness dependence of LBM frequencies for few-layer (FL) graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) are in excellent agreement with available experiments. Our results show a redshift of LBM frequency with an increase in temperature, which is a direct consequence of anharmonicities present in the interlayer interaction. We also predict the thickness and temperature dependence of LBM frequencies for FL hexagonal boron nitride. Our Rapid Communication provides a simple and efficient way to probe the interlayer interaction for layered materials and their heterostructures with the inclusion of anharmonic effects.

Surface Characterization, Corrosion Resistance and in Vitro Biocompatibility of a New Ti-Hf-Mo-Sn Alloy

PubMed Central

Ion, Raluca; Drob, Silviu Iulian; Ijaz, Muhammad Farzik; Vasilescu, Cora; Osiceanu, Petre; Gordin, Doina-Margareta; Cimpean, Anisoara; Gloriant, Thierry

2016-01-01

A new superelastic Ti-23Hf-3Mo-4Sn biomedical alloy displaying a particularly large recovery strain was synthesized and characterized in this study. Its native passive film is very thick (18 nm) and contains very protective TiO2, Ti2O3, HfO2, MoO2, and SnO2 oxides (XPS analysis). This alloy revealed nobler electrochemical behavior, more favorable values of the corrosion parameters and open circuit potentials in simulated body fluid in comparison with commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) and Ti-6Al-4V alloy taken as reference biomaterials in this study. This is due to the favorable influence of the alloying elements Hf, Sn, Mo, which enhance the protective properties of the native passive film on alloy surface. Impedance spectra showed a passive film with two layers, an inner, capacitive, barrier, dense layer and an outer, less insulating, porous layer that confer both high corrosion resistance and bioactivity to the alloy. In vitro tests were carried out in order to evaluate the response of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) to Ti-23Hf-3Mo-4Sn alloy in terms of cell viability, cell proliferation, phenotypic marker expression and nitric oxide release. The results indicate a similar level of cytocompatibility with HUVEC cells cultured on Ti-23Hf-3Mo-4Sn substrate and those cultured on the conventional CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V metallic materials. PMID:28773939

Single-layer MoS2 - electrical transport properties, devices and circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kis, Andras

2013-03-01

After quantum dots, nanotubes and nanowires, two-dimensional materials in the shape of sheets with atomic-scale thickness represent the newest addition to the diverse family of nanoscale materials. Single-layer molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) , a direct-gap semiconductor is a typical example of these new graphene-like materials that can be produced using the adhesive-tape based cleavage technique originally developed for graphene. The presence of a band gap in MoS2 allowed us to fabricate transistors that can be turned off and operate with negligible leakage currents. Furthermore, our transistors can be used to build simple integrated circuits capable of performing logic operations and amplifying small signals. I will report here on our latest 2D MoS2 transistors with improved performance due to enhanced electrostatic control, showing improved currents and transconductance as well as current saturation. We also record electrical breakdown of our devices and find that MoS2 can support very high current densities, exceeding the current carrying capacity of copper by a factor of fifty. Furthermore, I will show optoelectronic devices incorporating MoS2 with sensitivity that surpasses similar graphene devices by several orders of magnitude. Finally, I will present temperature-dependent electrical transport and mobility measurements that show clear mobility enhancement due to the suppression of the influence of charge impurities with the deposition of an HfO2 capping layer. Financially supported by grants from Swiss National Science Foundation, EU-FP7, EU-ERC and Swiss Nanoscience Institute.

Flexible integrated circuits and multifunctional electronics based on single atomic layers of MoS2 and graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amani, Matin; Burke, Robert A.; Proie, Robert M.; Dubey, Madan

2015-03-01

Two-dimensional materials, such as graphene and its analogues, have been investigated by numerous researchers for high performance flexible and conformal electronic systems, because they offer the ultimate level of thickness scaling, atomically smooth surfaces and high crystalline quality. Here, we use layer-by-layer transfer of large area molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) and graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to demonstrate electronics on flexible polyimide (PI) substrates. On the same PI substrate, we are able to simultaneously fabricate MoS2 based logic, non-volatile memory cells with graphene floating gates, photo-detectors and MoS2 transistors with tunable source and drain contacts. We are also able to demonstrate that these flexible heterostructure devices have very high electronic performance, comparable to four point measurements taken on SiO2 substrates, with on/off ratios >107 and field effect mobilities as high as 16.4 cm2 V-1 s-1. Additionally, the heterojunctions show high optoelectronic sensitivity and were operated as photodetectors with responsivities over 30 A W-1. Through local gating of the individual graphene/MoS2 contacts, we are able to tune the contact resistance over the range of 322-1210 Ω mm for each contact, by modulating the graphene work function. This leads to devices with tunable and multifunctional performance that can be implemented in a conformable platform.

Flexible integrated circuits and multifunctional electronics based on single atomic layers of MoS2 and graphene.

PubMed

Amani, Matin; Burke, Robert A; Proie, Robert M; Dubey, Madan

2015-03-20

Two-dimensional materials, such as graphene and its analogues, have been investigated by numerous researchers for high performance flexible and conformal electronic systems, because they offer the ultimate level of thickness scaling, atomically smooth surfaces and high crystalline quality. Here, we use layer-by-layer transfer of large area molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) and graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to demonstrate electronics on flexible polyimide (PI) substrates. On the same PI substrate, we are able to simultaneously fabricate MoS2 based logic, non-volatile memory cells with graphene floating gates, photo-detectors and MoS2 transistors with tunable source and drain contacts. We are also able to demonstrate that these flexible heterostructure devices have very high electronic performance, comparable to four point measurements taken on SiO2 substrates, with on/off ratios >10(7) and field effect mobilities as high as 16.4 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). Additionally, the heterojunctions show high optoelectronic sensitivity and were operated as photodetectors with responsivities over 30 A W(-1). Through local gating of the individual graphene/MoS2 contacts, we are able to tune the contact resistance over the range of 322-1210 Ω mm for each contact, by modulating the graphene work function. This leads to devices with tunable and multifunctional performance that can be implemented in a conformable platform.

In-situ growth of HfO2 on clean 2H-MoS2 surface: Growth mode, interface reactions and energy band alignment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chang Pang; Ong, Bin Leong; Ong, Sheau Wei; Ong, Weijie; Tan, Hui Ru; Chai, Jian Wei; Zhang, Zheng; Wang, Shi Jie; Pan, Ji Sheng; Harrison, Leslie John; Kang, Hway Chuan; Tok, Eng Soon

2017-10-01

Room temperature growth of HfO2 thin film on clean 2H-MoS2 via plasma-sputtering of Hf-metal target in an argon/oxygen environment was studied in-situ using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The deposited film was observed to grow akin to a layer-by-layer growth mode. At the onset of growth, a mixture of sulfate- and sulfite-like species (SOx2- where x = 3, 4), and molybdenum trioxide (MoO3), are formed at the HfO2/MoS2 interface. An initial decrease in binding energies for both Mo 3d and S 2p core-levels of the MoS2 substrate by 0.4 eV was also observed. Their binding energies, however, did not change further with increasing HfO2 thickness. There was no observable change in the Hf4f core-level binding energy throughout the deposition process. With increasing HfO2 deposition, MoO3 becomes buried at the interface while SOx2- was observed to be present in the film. The shift of 0.4 eV for both Mo 3d and S 2p core-levels of the MoS2 substrate can be attributed to a charge transfer from the substrate to the MoO3/SOx2--like interface layer. Consequently, the Type I heterojunction valence band offset (conduction band offset) becomes 1.7 eV (2.9 eV) instead of 1.3 eV (3.3 eV) expected from considering the bulk HfO2 and MoS2 valence band offset (conduction band offset). The formation of these states and its influence on band offsets will need to be considered in their device applications.

Numerical investigation of optimized CZTSSe based solar cell in Wx-Amps environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, Soumya Priyadarshini; Padhy, Srinibasa; Chowdhury, Joy; Sing, Udai P.

2018-05-01

The CZTSSe is the modified version of CZTS with selenium infusion. It shows maximum efficiency in the band gap from 1 to 1.4 eV. In our present work CZTSSe based solar cell is investigated using Wx-Amps tool. The Mo layer, absorber layer, CdS layer, i-ZnO [4]and Al-ZnO layers with their electrical, optical and material parameters are fitted in the tool. The vital parameters such as carrier density, thickness of the CZTSSe absorber layer, operating temperature, CdS buffer layer thickness and its carrier density on the cell interpretation are calculated. From[4] the simulation results it is apparent that the optimal absorber layer varies from 2.9 µm to 3.7 µm. The temperature variation has a strong influence on the efficiency of the cell. An optimal efficiency of 22% (With Jsc=33 mA/cm2, Voc=0.98 V, and fill factor= 68%) are attained. These results will give some insight for makeing higher efficiency CZTSSe based solar cell.

Dual-gated MoS2/WSe2 van der Waals tunnel diodes and transistors.

PubMed

Roy, Tania; Tosun, Mahmut; Cao, Xi; Fang, Hui; Lien, Der-Hsien; Zhao, Peida; Chen, Yu-Ze; Chueh, Yu-Lun; Guo, Jing; Javey, Ali

2015-02-24

Two-dimensional layered semiconductors present a promising material platform for band-to-band-tunneling devices given their homogeneous band edge steepness due to their atomically flat thickness. Here, we experimentally demonstrate interlayer band-to-band tunneling in vertical MoS2/WSe2 van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures using a dual-gate device architecture. The electric potential and carrier concentration of MoS2 and WSe2 layers are independently controlled by the two symmetric gates. The same device can be gate modulated to behave as either an Esaki diode with negative differential resistance, a backward diode with large reverse bias tunneling current, or a forward rectifying diode with low reverse bias current. Notably, a high gate coupling efficiency of ∼80% is obtained for tuning the interlayer band alignments, arising from weak electrostatic screening by the atomically thin layers. This work presents an advance in the fundamental understanding of the interlayer coupling and electron tunneling in semiconductor vdW heterostructures with important implications toward the design of atomically thin tunnel transistors.

Doping of two-dimensional MoS2 by high energy ion implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Kang; Zhao, Yuda; Lin, Ziyuan; Long, Yan; Wang, Yi; Chan, Mansun; Chai, Yang

2017-12-01

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have been demonstrated to be promising candidates for next generation electronic circuits. Analogues to conventional Si-based semiconductors, p- and n-doping of 2D materials are essential for building complementary circuits. Controllable and effective doping strategies require large tunability of the doping level and negligible structural damage to ultrathin 2D materials. In this work, we demonstrate a doping method utilizing a conventional high-energy ion-implantation machine. Before the implantation, a Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) protective layer is used to decelerate the dopant ions and minimize the structural damage to MoS2, thus aggregating the dopants inside MoS2 flakes. By optimizing the implantation energy and fluence, phosphorus dopants are incorporated into MoS2 flakes. Our Raman and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results show that only negligibly structural damage is introduced to the MoS2 lattice during the implantation. P-doping effect by the incorporation of p+ is demonstrated by Photoluminescence (PL) and electrical characterizations. Thin PMMA protection layer leads to large kinetic damage but also a more significant doping effect. Also, MoS2 with large thickness shows less kinetic damage. This doping method makes use of existing infrastructures in the semiconductor industry and can be extended to other 2D materials and dopant species as well.

Electrostatically tunable lateral MoTe2 p-n junction for use in high-performance optoelectronics.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenxing; Wang, Feng; Yin, Lei; Huang, Yun; Xu, Kai; Wang, Fengmei; Zhan, Xueying; He, Jun

2016-07-21

Because of their ultimate thickness, layered structure and high flexibility, pn junctions based on layered two-dimensional semiconductors have been attracting increasing attention recently. In this study, for the first time, we fabricated lateral pn junctions (LPNJs) based on ultrathin MoTe2 by introducing two separated electrostatic back gates, and investigated their electronic and photovoltaic performance. Pn, np, nn, and pp junctions can be easily realized by modulating the conductive channel type using gate voltages with different polarities. Strong rectification effects were observed in the pn and np junctions and the rectification ratio reached ∼5 × 10(4). Importantly, we find a unique phenomenon that the parameters for MoTe2 LPNJs experience abrupt changes during the transition from p to n or n to p. Furthermore, a high performance photovoltaic device with a filling factor of above 51% and electrical conversion efficiency (η) of around 0.5% is achieved. Our findings are of importance to comprehensively understand the electronic and optoelectronic properties of MoTe2 and may further open up novel electronic and optoelectronic device applications.

Topography preserved microwave plasma etching for top-down layer engineering in MoS2 and other van der Waals materials.

PubMed

Varghese, Abin; Sharma, Chithra H; Thalakulam, Madhu

2017-03-17

A generic and universal layer engineering strategy for van der Waals (vW) materials, scalable and compatible with the current semiconductor technology, is of paramount importance in realizing all-two-dimensional logic circuits and to move beyond the silicon scaling limit. In this letter, we demonstrate a scalable and highly controllable microwave plasma based layer engineering strategy for MoS 2 and other vW materials. Using this technique we etch MoS 2 flakes layer-by-layer starting from an arbitrary thickness and area down to the mono- or the few-layer limit. From Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we confirm that the structural and morphological properties of the material have not been compromised. The process preserves the pre-etch layer topography and yields a smooth and pristine-like surface. We explore the electrical properties utilising a field effect transistor geometry and find that the mobility values of our samples are comparable to those of the pristine ones. The layer removal does not involve any reactive gasses or chemical reactions and relies on breaking the weak inter-layer vW interaction making it a generic technique for a wide spectrum of layered materials and heterostructures. We demonstrate the wide applicability of the technique by extending it to other systems such as graphene, h-BN and WSe 2 . In addition, using microwave plasma in combination with standard lithography, we illustrate a lateral patterning scheme making this process a potential candidate for large scale device fabrication in addition to layer engineering.

Novel Layered Supercell Structure from Bi 2AlMnO 6 for Multifunctionalities

DOE PAGES

Li, Leigang; Boullay, Philippe; Lu, Ping; ...

2017-10-02

Layered materials, e.g., graphene and transition metal (di)chalcogenides, holding great promises in nanoscale device applications have been extensively studied in fundamental chemistry, solid state physics and materials research areas. In parallel, layered oxides (e.g., Aurivillius and Ruddlesden–Popper phases) present an attractive class of materials both because of their rich physics behind and potential device applications. In this work, we report a novel layered oxide material with self-assembled layered supercell structure consisting of two mismatch-layered sublattices of [Bi 3O 3+δ] and [MO 2] 1.84 (M = Al/Mn, simply named BAMO), i.e., alternative layered stacking of two mutually incommensurate sublattices made ofmore » a three-layer-thick Bi–O slab and a one-layer-thick Al/Mn–O octahedra slab in the out-of-plane direction. Strong room-temperature ferromagnetic and piezoelectric responses as well as anisotropic optical property have been demonstrated with great potentials in various device applications. Furthermore, the realization of the novel BAMO layered supercell structure in this work has paved an avenue toward exploring and designing new materials with multifunctionalities.« less

Evaluation of retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer and macular changes in patients with migraine.

PubMed

Tunç, Abdulkadir; Güngen, Belma Doğan; Evliyaoğlu, Ferhat; Aras, Yeşim Güzey; Tekeşin, Aysel Kaya

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness, macular changes (central subfield thickness (CST), cube average thickness (CAT), cube volume (CV) in patients with migraine using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to assess if there was any correlation with white matter lesions (WML). In this prospective case-control study, RNFL, GCL thickness and macular changes of 19 migraine patients with aura (MA), 41 migraine without aura (MO) and 60 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects were measured using OCT device. OCT measurements were taken at the same time of the day to minimize the effects of diurnal variation. The average, inferior and superior quadrant RNFL thickness were significantly thinner in patients with migraine (p = 0.017, p = 0.010, p = 0.048). There was also a significant difference between patients with and without aura in the mean and superior quadrant RNFL thickness (p = 0.02, p = 0.043).While there was a significant thinning in CST and CAT in patients with migraine (p = 0.020), there were no significant difference in GCL measurements (p = 0.184). When the groups were compared to the control group, there were significant differences between MA and the control group regarding average, superior and inferior quadrant RNLF thickness (p < 0.001, p = 0.025, p < 0.001). On the other hand, there were significant differences between MO and the control group regarding average and inferior faces (p = 0.037, p = 0.04). When OCT measurements were evaluated according to the frequency of attacks, CST and GCL thickness were significantly thinner in patients who had more than four attacks a month (p = 0.024, p = 0.014). In patients with WML, only CV measurements were significantly thinner than migraine patients without WML (p = 0.014). The decreased RNFL, CST, CAT and CV of the migraine patients might be related to the vascular pathology of the disease. Because WML was not correlated with the same measurements except CV, we think that further studies are needed to evaluate the etiopathologic relationship between OCT measurements and WML in migraine patients.

Polymer-Derived Ceramic Functionalized MoS2 Composite Paper as a Stable Lithium-Ion Battery Electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

David, L.; Bhandavat, R.; Barrera, U.; Singh, G.

2015-04-01

A facile process is demonstrated for the synthesis of layered SiCN-MoS2 structure via pyrolysis of polysilazane functionalized MoS2 flakes. The layered morphology and polymer to ceramic transformation on MoS2 surfaces was confirmed by use of electron microscopy and spectroscopic techniques. Tested as thick film electrode in a Li-ion battery half-cell, SiCN-MoS2 showed the classical three-stage reaction with improved cycling stability and capacity retention than neat MoS2. Contribution of conversion reaction of Li/MoS2 system on overall capacity was marginally affected by the presence of SiCN while Li-irreversibility arising from electrolyte decomposition was greatly suppressed. This is understood as one of the reasons for decreased first cycle loss and increased capacity retention. SiCN-MoS2 in the form of self-supporting paper electrode (at 6 mg.cm-2) exhibited even better performance, regaining initial charge capacity of approximately 530 mAh.g-1 when the current density returned to 100 mA.g-1 after continuous cycling at 2400 mA.g-1 (192 mAh.g-1). MoS2 cycled electrode showed mud-cracks and film delamination whereas SiCN-MoS2 electrodes were intact and covered with a uniform solid electrolyte interphase coating. Taken together, our results suggest that molecular level interfacing with precursor-derived SiCN is an effective strategy for suppressing the metal-sulfide/electrolyte degradation reaction at low discharge potentials.

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

Li, Leigang; Boullay, Philippe; Lu, Ping

Layered materials, e.g., graphene and transition metal (di)chalcogenides, holding great promises in nanoscale device applications have been extensively studied in fundamental chemistry, solid state physics and materials research areas. In parallel, layered oxides (e.g., Aurivillius and Ruddlesden–Popper phases) present an attractive class of materials both because of their rich physics behind and potential device applications. In this work, we report a novel layered oxide material with self-assembled layered supercell structure consisting of two mismatch-layered sublattices of [Bi 3O 3+δ] and [MO 2] 1.84 (M = Al/Mn, simply named BAMO), i.e., alternative layered stacking of two mutually incommensurate sublattices made ofmore » a three-layer-thick Bi–O slab and a one-layer-thick Al/Mn–O octahedra slab in the out-of-plane direction. Strong room-temperature ferromagnetic and piezoelectric responses as well as anisotropic optical property have been demonstrated with great potentials in various device applications. Furthermore, the realization of the novel BAMO layered supercell structure in this work has paved an avenue toward exploring and designing new materials with multifunctionalities.« less

Enhancement of electron injection in inverted bottom-emitting organic light-emitting diodes using Al/LiF compound thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Qu-yang; Zhang, Fang-hui

2018-05-01

The inverted bottom-emitting organic light-emitting devices (IBOLEDs) were prepared, with the structure of ITO/Al ( x nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Bphen (40 nm)/CBP: GIr1 (14%):R-4b (2%) (10 nm)/BCP (3 nm)/CBP:GIr1 (14%):R-4b (2%) (20 nm)/TCTA (10 nm)/NPB (40 nm)/MoO3 (40 nm)/Al (100 nm), where the thickness of electron injection layer Al ( x) are 0 nm, 2 nm, 3 nm, 4 nm and 5 nm, respectively. In this paper, the electron injection condition and luminance properties of inverted devices were investigated by changing the thickness of Al layer in Al/LiF compound thin film. It turns out that the introduction of Al layer can improve electron injection of the devices dramatically. Furthermore, the device exerts lower driving voltage and higher current efficiency when the thickness of electron injection Al layer is 3 nm. For example, the current efficiency of the device with 3-nm-thick Al layer reaches 19.75 cd·A-1 when driving voltage is 7 V, which is 1.24, 1.17 and 17.03 times larger than those of the devices with 2 nm, 4 nm and 5 nm Al layer, respectively. The device property reaches up to the level of corresponding conventional device. In addition, all inverted devices with electron injection Al layer show superior stability of color coordinate due to the adoption of co-evaporation emitting layer and BCP spacer-layer, and the color coordinate of the inverted device with 3-nm-thick Al layer only changes from (0.580 6, 0.405 6) to (0.532 8, 0.436 3) when driving voltage increases from 6 V to 10 V.

High-Performance All 2D-Layered Tin Disulfide: Graphene Photodetecting Transistors with Thickness-Controlled Interface Dynamics.

PubMed

Chang, Ren-Jie; Tan, Haijie; Wang, Xiaochen; Porter, Benjamin; Chen, Tongxin; Sheng, Yuewen; Zhou, Yingqiu; Huang, Hefu; Bhaskaran, Harish; Warner, Jamie H

2018-04-18

Tin disulfide crystals with layered two-dimensional (2D) sheets are grown by chemical vapor deposition using a novel precursor approach and integrated into all 2D transistors with graphene (Gr) electrodes. The Gr:SnS 2 :Gr transistors exhibit excellent photodetector response with high detectivity and photoresponsivity. We show that the response of the all 2D photodetectors depends upon charge trapping at the interface and the Schottky barrier modulation. The thickness-dependent SnS 2 measurements in devices reveal a transition from the interface-dominated response for thin crystals to bulklike response for the thicker SnS 2 crystals, showing the sensitivity of devices fabricated using layered materials on the number of layers. These results show that SnS 2 has photosensing performance when combined with Gr electrodes that is comparable to other 2D transition metal dichalcogenides of MoS 2 and WS 2 .

A Simple Process for Synthesis of Transparent Thin Films of Molybdenum Trioxide in the Orthorhombic Phase ( α-MoO3)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chibane, Loundja; Belkaid, Mohamed Said; Zirmi, Rachid; Moussi, Abderrahmane

2017-04-01

Transparent orthorhombic molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO3) thin films were prepared on glass substrates by sol-gel dip coating technique of a quality comparable to those prepared by more sophisticated techniques regarded as very costly and difficult to carry out. The prepared films were annealed in air at different temperatures in the range of 150-350°C. X-ray diffraction analysis of the films prepared at 250°C and 350°C confirmed the formation of a single-phase of MoO3 in an orthorhombic crystal system (α-MoO3). Scanning electron microscopy of the films annealed at 350°C indicated a stack of nano-layers with thickness of approximately 30 nm-40 nm. Fourier transform infrared transmittance analysis revealed the Mo=O stretching vibration, which is an indicator of the layered orthorhombic MoO3 phase. Energy dispersive x-ray analysis confirmed the existence of Mo and O in the deposited films. A maximum optical transmittance of 82% in the visible range was obtained from the films annealed at 350°C. The band gap value of the films was evaluated and it was in the range of 3.28 eV-3.40 eV. The obtained results showed that the α-MoO3 thin films prepared at 350°C exhibit good structural, chemical, and optical properties, which might be of interest to the photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices.

Ferroelectric HfZrOx-based MoS2 negative capacitance transistor with ITO capping layers for steep-slope device application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jing; Jiang, Shu-Ye; Zhang, Min; Zhu, Hao; Chen, Lin; Sun, Qing-Qing; Zhang, David Wei

2018-03-01

A negative capacitance field-effect transistor (NCFET) built with hafnium-based oxide is one of the most promising candidates for low power-density devices due to the extremely steep subthreshold swing (SS) and high on-state current induced by incorporating the ferroelectric material in the gate stack. Here, we demonstrated a two-dimensional (2D) back-gate NCFET with the integration of ferroelectric HfZrOx in the gate stack and few-layer MoS2 as the channel. Instead of using the conventional TiN capping metal to form ferroelectricity in HfZrOx, the NCFET was fabricated on a thickness-optimized Al2O3/indium tin oxide (ITO)/HfZrOx/ITO/SiO2/Si stack, in which the two ITO layers sandwiching the HfZrOx film acted as the control back gate and ferroelectric gate, respectively. The thickness of each layer in the stack was engineered for distinguishable optical identification of the exfoliated 2D flakes on the surface. The NCFET exhibited small off-state current and steep switching behavior with minimum SS as low as 47 mV/dec. Such a steep-slope transistor is compatible with the standard CMOS fabrication process and is very attractive for 2D logic and sensor applications and future energy-efficient nanoelectronic devices with scaling power supply.

Effective size selection of MoS2 nanosheets by a novel liquid cascade centrifugation: Influences of the flakes dimensions on electrochemical and photoelectrochemical applications.

PubMed

Kajbafvala, Marzieh; Farbod, Mansoor

2018-05-14

Although liquid phase exfoliation is a powerful method to produce MoS 2 nanosheets in large scale, but its effectiveness is limited by the diversity of produced nanosheets sizes. Here a novel approach for separation of MoS 2 flakes having various lateral sizes and thicknesses based on the cascaded centrifugation has been introduced. This method involves a pre-separation step which is performed through low-speed centrifugation to avoid the deposition of large area single and few-layers by the heavier particles. The bulk MoS 2 powders were dispersed in an aqueous solution of sodium cholate (SC) and sonicated for 12 h. The main separation step was performed using different speed centrifugation intervals of 10-11, 8-10, 6-8, 4-6, 2-4 and 0.5-2 krpm by which nanosheets containing 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 18 and 29 layers were obtained respectively. The samples were characterized using XRD, FESEM, AFM, TEM, DLS and also UV-vis, Raman and PL spectroscopy measurements. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements have confirmed the existence of a larger number of single or few-layers MoS 2 nanosheets compared to when the pre-separation step was not used. Finally, Photocurrent and cyclic voltammetry of different samples were measured and found that the flakes with bigger surface area had larger CV loop area. Our results provide a method for the preparation of a MoS 2 monolayer enriched suspension which can be used for different applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High efficiency copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin film solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajanikant, Ray Jayminkumar

The generation of electrical current from the solar radiation is known as the photovoltaic effect. Solar cell, also known as photovoltaic (PV) cell, is a device that works on the principle of photovoltaic effect, and is widely used for the generation of electricity. Thin film polycrystalline solar cells based on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) are admirable candidates for clean energy production with competitive prices in the near future. CIGS based polycrystalline thin film solar cells with efficiencies of 20.3 % and excellent temperature stability have already been reported at the laboratory level. The present study discusses about the fabrication of CIGS solar cell. Before the fabrication part of CIGS solar cell, a numerical simulation is carried out using One-Dimensional Analysis of Microelectronic and Photonic Structures (AMPS-ID) for understanding the physics of a solar cell device, so that an optimal structure is analyzed. In the fabrication part of CIGS solar cell, Molybdenum (Mo) thin film, which acts as a 'low' resistance metallic back contact, is deposited by RF magnetron sputtering on organically cleaned soda lime glass substrate. The major advantages for using Mo are high temperature, (greater than 600 °C), stability and inertness to CIGS layer (i.e., no diffusion of CIGS into Mo). Mo thin film is deposited at room temperature (RT) by varying the RF power and the working pressure. The Mo thin films deposited with 100 W RF power and 1 mTorr working pressure show a reflectivity of above average 50 % and the low sheet resistance of about 1 O/□. The p-type CIGS layer is deposited on Mo. Before making thin films of CIGS, a powder of CIGS material is synthesized using melt-quenching method. Thin films of CIGS are prepared by a single-stage flash evaporation process on glass substrates, initially, for optimization of deposition parameters and than on Mo coated glass substrates for device fabrication. CIGS thin film is deposited at 250 °C at a pressure of 10-5 mbar. The thickness of the film was kept 1 mum for the solar cell device preparation. Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) is carried out of CIGS thin film at 500 °C for 2 minutes in the argon atmosphere. Annealing process mainly improves the grain growth of the CIGS and, hence the surface roughness, which is essential for a multilayered semiconductor structure. Thin layer of n-type highly resistive cadmium sulphide (CdS), generally known as a "buffer" layer, is deposited on CIGS layer by thermal and flash evaporation method at the substrate temperature of 100 °C. The CdS thin film plays a crucial role in the formation of the p-n junction and thus the solar cell device performance. The effect of CdS film substrate temperature ranging from 50 °C to 200 °C is observed. At the 100 °C substrate temperature, CdS thin film shows the near to 85 % of transmission in the visible region and resistivity of the order of greater then 20 x 109 Ocm, which are the essential characteristics of buffer layer. The bi-layer structure of ZnO, containing 70 nm i-ZnO and 500 nm aluminum (Al) doped ZnO, act as a transparent front-contact for CIGS thin film solar cell. These layers were deposited using RF magnetron sputtering. i-ZnO thin film acts as an insulating layer, which prevents the recombination of the photo-generated carries and also minimizes the lattice miss match defects between CdS and Al-ZnO. The resistivity of iZnO and Al-ZnO is of the order of 1012 Ocm and 10-4 Ocm, respectively. Al-ZnO thin films act as transparent conducting top electrode having transparency of about 85 % in the visible region. On Al-ZnO layer the finger-type grid pattern of silver (Ag), 200 nm thick, is deposited for the collection of photo-generated carriers. The thin film based multilayered structure Mo / CIGS / CdS / i-ZnO / Al-ZnO / Ag grid of CIGS solar cell is grown one by one on a single glass substrate. As-prepared CIGS solar cell device shows a minute photovoltaic effect. For the further improvement of the cell we have varied the thickness of the buffer layer i.e. CdS. In addition, the deposition of CdS is carried out using flash evaporation method to improve the CIGS/CdS junction. Heat soak pulses of about 200 °C are also applied for 20 sec for the further upgrading the junction. To protect the CIGS/CdS junction from the high-energy sputtered particles of ZnO, a fine mesh of stainless steel is placed just before the sample holder to enhance the performance of the solar cell. The influence of the thickness of iZnO and CdS has been checked. The maximum V oe and Jsc of about 138 mV and 1.3 mA/cm2 , respectively, are achieved using flash evaporated CIGS layer and flash evaporated CdS thin film. Further improvement of current performance can be done either by adopting some other fabrication method to obtain a denser CIGS absorber layer or replacing the CdS layer with some other efficient buffer layer.

Potential annealing treatments for tailoring the starting microstructure of low-enriched U-Mo dispersion fuels to optimize performance during irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keiser, Dennis D.; Jue, Jan-Fong; Woolstenhulme, Nicolas E.; Ewh, Ashley

2011-12-01

Low-enriched uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) alloy particles dispersed in aluminum alloy (e.g., dispersion fuels) are being developed for application in research and test reactors. To achieve the best performance of these fuels during irradiation, optimization of the starting microstructure may be required by utilizing a heat treatment that results in the formation of uniform, Si-rich interaction layers between the U-Mo particles and Al-Si matrix. These layers behave in a stable manner under certain irradiation conditions. To identify the optimum heat treatment for producing these kinds of layers in a dispersion fuel plate, a systematic annealing study has been performed using actual dispersion fuel samples, which were fabricated at relatively low temperatures to limit the growth of any interaction layers in the samples prior to controlled heat treatment. These samples had different Al matrices with varying Si contents and were annealed between 450 and 525 °C for up to 4 h. The samples were then characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the thickness, composition, and uniformity of the interaction layers. Image analysis was performed to quantify various attributes of the dispersion fuel microstructures that related to the development of the interaction layers. The most uniform layers were observed to form in fuel samples that had an Al matrix with at least 4 wt.% Si and a heat treatment temperature of at least 475 °C.

[Performance dependence of organic light-emitting devices on the thickness of Alq3 emitting layer].

PubMed

Lian, Jia-rong; Liao, Qiao-sheng; Yang, Rui-bo; Zheng, Wei; Zeng, Peng-ju

2010-10-01

The dependence of opto-electronical characteristics in organic light-emitting devices on the thickness of Alq3 emitter layer was studied, where MoO3, NPB, and Alq3 were used as hole injector, hole transporter, and emitter/electron transporter, respectively. By increasing the thickness of Alq3 layer from 20 to 100 nm, the device current decreased gradually, and the EL spectra of devices performed a little red shift with an obvious broadening in long wavelength range but a little decrease in intensity of short wavelength range. The authors simulated the EL spectra using the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Alq3 as Alq3 intrinsic emission, which coincided with the experimental EL spectra well. The simulated results suggested that the effect of interference takes the major role in broadening the long wavelength range of EL spectra, and the distribution of emission zone largely affects the profile of EL spectra in short wavelength range.

Self-Assembled Layered Supercell Structure of Bi2AlMnO6 with Strong Room-Temperature Multiferroic Properties.

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

Li, Leigang; Boullay, Philippe; Lu, Ping

2017-02-01

Room-temperature (RT) multiferroics, possessing ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism simultaneously at RT, hold great promise in miniaturized devices including sensors, actuators, transducers, and multi-state memories. In this work, we report a novel 2D layered RT multiferroic system with self-assembled layered supercell structure consisting of two mismatch-layered sub-lattices of [Bi 3O 3+δ] and [MO 2] 1.84 (M=Al/Mn, simply named as BAMO), i.e., alternative layered stacking of two mutually incommensurate sublattices made of a three-layer-thick Bi-O slab and a one-layer-thick Al/Mn-O octahedra slab along the out-of-plane direction. Strong room-temperature multiferroic responses, e.g., ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties, have been demonstrated and attributed to the highlymore » anisotropic 2D nature of the non-ferromagnetic and ferromagnetic sublattices which are highly mismatched. The work demonstrates an alternative design approach for new 2D layered oxide materials that hold promises as single-phase multiferroics, 2D oxides with tunable bandgaps, and beyond.« less

Large scale 2D/3D hybrids based on gallium nitride and transition metal dichalcogenides.

PubMed

Zhang, Kehao; Jariwala, Bhakti; Li, Jun; Briggs, Natalie C; Wang, Baoming; Ruzmetov, Dmitry; Burke, Robert A; Lerach, Jordan O; Ivanov, Tony G; Haque, Md; Feenstra, Randall M; Robinson, Joshua A

2017-12-21

Two and three-dimensional (2D/3D) hybrid materials have the potential to advance communication and sensing technologies by enabling new or improved device functionality. To date, most 2D/3D hybrid devices utilize mechanical exfoliation or post-synthesis transfer, which can be fundamentally different from directly synthesized layers that are compatible with large scale industrial needs. Therefore, understanding the process/property relationship of synthetic heterostructures is priority for industrially relevant material architectures. Here we demonstrate the scalable synthesis of molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) and tungsten diselenide (WSe 2 ) via metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on gallium nitride (GaN), and elucidate the structure, chemistry, and vertical transport properties of the 2D/3D hybrid. We find that the 2D layer thickness and transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) choice plays an important role in the transport properties of the hybrid structure, where monolayer TMDs exhibit direct tunneling through the layer, while transport in few layer TMDs on GaN is dominated by p-n diode behavior and varies with the 2D/3D hybrid structure. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), low energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal a strong intrinsic dipole and charge transfer between n-MoS 2 and p-GaN, leading to a degraded interface and high p-type leakage current. Finally, we demonstrate integration of heterogeneous 2D layer stacks of MoS 2 /WSe 2 on GaN with atomically sharp interface. Monolayer MoS 2 /WSe 2 /n-GaN stacks lead to near Ohmic transport due to the tunneling and non-degenerated doping, while few layer stacking is Schottky barrier dominated.

The irradiation behavior of atomized U-Mo alloy fuels at high temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jong-Man; Kim, Ki-Hwan; Kim, Chang-Kyu; Meyer, M. K.; Hofman, G. L.; Strain, R. V.

2001-04-01

Post-irradiation examinations of atomized U-10Mo, U-6Mo, and U-6Mo-1.7Os dispersion fuels from the RERTR-3 experiment irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) were carried out in order to investigate the fuel behavior of high uranium loading (8 gU/cc) at a high temperature (higher than 200°C). It was observed after about 40 at% BU that the U-Mo alloy fuels at a high temperature showed similar irradiation bubble morphologies compared to those at a lower temperature found in the RERTR-1 irradiation result, but there was a thick reaction layer with the aluminum matrix which was found to be greatly affected by the irradiation temperature and to a lesser degree by the fuel composition. In addition, the chemical analysis for the irradiated U-Mo fuels using the Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) method were conducted to investigate the compositional changes during the formation of the reaction product.

Oxidation and alpha-case formation in Ti–6Al–2Sn–4Zr–2Mo alloy

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

Gaddam, Raghuveer, E-mail: raghuveer.gaddam@ltu.se; Sefer, Birhan; Pederson, Robert

2015-01-15

Isothermal heat treatments in ambient air were performed on wrought Ti–6Al–2Sn–4Zr–2Mo (Ti-6242) material at 500, 593 and 700°C for times up to 500 h. In the presence of oxygen at elevated temperatures simultaneous reactions occurred in Ti-6242 alloy, which resulted in the formation of an oxide scale and a layer with higher oxygen concentration (termed as alpha-case). Total weight gain analysis showed that there was a transition in the oxidation kinetics. At 500°C, the oxidation kinetics obeyed a cubic relationship up to 200 h and thereafter changed to parabolic at prolonged exposure times. At 593°C, it followed a parabolic relationship.more » After heat treatment at 700°C, the oxidation obeyed a parabolic relationship up to 200 h and thereafter changed to linear at prolonged exposure times. The observed transition is believed to be due to the differences observed in the oxide scale. The activation energy for parabolic oxidation was estimated to be 157 kJ/mol. In addition, alpha-case layer was evaluated using optical microscope, electron probe micro-analyser and microhardness tester. The thickness of the alpha-case layer was found to be a function of temperature and time, increasing proportionally, and following a parabolic relationship. The activation energy for the formation of alpha-case layer was estimated to be 153 kJ/mol. - Highlights: • Transition in oxidation kinetics was observed in Ti–6Al–2Sn–4Zr–2Mo alloy in the temperature range 500–700°C. • The activation energy for parabolic oxidation and for alpha-case formation is about 157 kJ/mol and 153 kJ/mol. • Thickness of alpha-case layer estimated by optical microscopy and electron probe microanalysis is comparable.« less

Novel nano materials for high performance logic and memory devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Saptarshi

After decades of relentless progress, the silicon CMOS industry is approaching a stall in device performance for both logic and memory devices due to fundamental scaling limitations. In order to reinforce the accelerating pace, novel materials with unique properties are being proposed on an urgent basis. This list includes one dimensional nanotubes, quasi one dimensional nanowires, two dimensional atomistically thin layered materials like graphene, hexagonal boron nitride and the more recently the rich family of transition metal di-chalcogenides comprising of MoS2, WSe2, WS2 and many more for logic applications and organic and inorganic ferroelectrics, phase change materials and magnetic materials for memory applications. Only time will tell who will win, but exploring these novel materials allow us to revisit the fundamentals and strengthen our understanding which will ultimately be beneficial for high performance device design. While there has been growing interest in two-dimensional (2D) crystals other than graphene, evaluating their potential usefulness for electronic applications is still in its infancies due to the lack of a complete picture of their performance potential. The fact that the 2-D layered semiconducting di-chalcogenides need to be connected to the "outside" world in order to capitalize on their ultimate potential immediately emphasizes the importance of a thorough understanding of the contacts. This thesis demonstrate that through a proper understanding and design of source/drain contacts and the right choice of number of MoS2 layers the excellent intrinsic properties of this 2D material can be harvested. A comprehensive experimental study on the dependence of carrier mobility on the layer thickness of back gated multilayer MoS 2 field effect transistors is also provided. A resistor network model that comprises of Thomas-Fermi charge screening and interlayer coupling is used to explain the non-monotonic trend in the extracted field effect mobility with the layer thickness. The non-monotonic trend suggests that in order to harvest the maximum potential of MoS2 for high performance device applications, a layer thickness in the range of 6-12 nm would be ideal. Finally using scandium contacts on 10nm thick exfoliated MoS2 flakes that are covered by a 15nm ALD grown Al2O3 film, record high mobility of 700cm2/Vs is achieved at room-temperature which is extremely encouraging for the design of high performance logic devices. The destructive nature of the readout process in Ferroelectric Random Access Memories (FeRAMs) is one of the major limiting factors for their wide scale commercialization. Utilizing Ferroelectric Field-Effect Transistor RAM (FeTRAM) instead solves the destructive read out problem, but at the expense of introducing crystalline ferroelectrics that are hard to integrate into CMOS. In order to address these challenges a novel, fully functional, CMOS compatible, One-Transistor-One-Transistor (1T1T) memory cell architecture using an organic ferroelectric -- PVDF-TrFE -- as the memory storage unit (gate oxide) and a silicon nanowire as the memory read out unit (channel material) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. While evaluating the scaling potential of the above mentioned organic FeTRAM, it is found that the switching time and switching voltage of this organic copolymer PVDF-TrFE exhibits an unexpected scaling behavior as a function of the lateral device dimensions. The phenomenological theory, that explains this abnormal scaling trend, involves in-plane interchain and intrachain interaction of the copolymer - resulting in a power-law dependence of the switching field on the device area (ESW alpha ACH0.1) that is ultimately responsible for the decrease in the switching time and switching voltage. These findings are encouraging since they indicate that scaling the switching voltage and switching time without aggressively scaling the copolymer thickness occurs naturally while scaling the device area -- in this way ultimately improving the packing density and leading towards high performance memory devices.

Crystallographic study of Si and ZrN coated U-Mo atomised particles and of their interaction with al under thermal annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zweifel, T.; Palancher, H.; Leenaers, A.; Bonnin, A.; Honkimaki, V.; Tucoulou, R.; Van Den Berghe, S.; Jungwirth, R.; Charollais, F.; Petry, W.

2013-11-01

A new type of high density fuel is needed for the conversion of research and test reactors from high to lower enriched uranium. The most promising one is a dispersion of atomized uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) particles in an Al matrix. However, during in-pile irradiation the growth of an interaction layer between the U-Mo and the Al matrix strongly limits the fuel's performance. To improve the in-pile behaviour, the U-Mo particles can be coated with protective layers. The SELENIUM (Surface Engineering of Low ENrIched Uranium-Molybdenum) fuel development project consists of the production, irradiation and post-irradiation examination of 2 flat, full-size dispersion fuel plates containing respectively Si and ZrN coated U-Mo atomized powder dispersed in a pure Al matrix. In this paper X-ray diffraction analyses of the Si and ZrN layers after deposition, fuel plate manufacturing and thermal annealing are reported. It was found for the U-Mo particles coated with ZrN (thickness 1 μm), that the layer is crystalline, and exhibits lower density than the theoretical one. Fuel plate manufacturing does not strongly influence these crystallographic features. For the U-Mo particles coated with Si (thickness 0.6 μm), the measurements of the as received material suggest an amorphous state of the deposited layer. Fuel plate manufacturing strongly modifies its composition: Si reacts with the U-Mo particles and the Al matrix to grow U(Al, Si)3 and U3Si5 phases. Finally both coatings have shown excellent performances under thermal treatment by limiting drastically the U-Mo/Al interdiffusion. U(Al,Si)3 with two lattice parameters (4.16 Å and 4.21 Å), A distorted U3Si5 phase. Note that these phases were not present in the U-Mo(Si) powders. These phases are usually found in the Silicon rich diffusion layer (SiRDL) obtained in dispersed fuels (as-manufactured U-Mo/Al(Si) fuel plates [12,3] or annealed UMo(Si)/Al fuel rods [40]) as well as in diffusion couples (U-Mo/Al(Si7) [37-39] or U-Mo/Si [41]). This analysis is furthermore in full agreement with the SEM/EDX characterisations which have highlighted the growth of a SiRDL in these U-Mo(Si)/Al_P fuel plates [30]. However it must be stressed that the amount of these U(Al,Si)3 and U3Si5 crystalline phases (about 0.3 wt%) is lower than the one obtained for fuel plates containing 4-6 wt% Si in the matrix [12]. It equals to the SiRDL amount measured in the IRIS4_2.1%Si fuel plate. Using these HE-XRD measurements, the Si concentration in SiRDLs is evaluated to 51 at%. This value is somewhat higher than when measured by EDX: it has been estimated to 40 at% in [30]. U2Mo and α"-U phase for compacts annealed at 340 °C, U2Mo and α'-U phase for compacts annealed at 450 °C [43], gamma;-U-Mo and α'-U for compacts annealed at 550 °C. These results obtained on compacts are in good agreement with previous works performed on U-8Mo ingots (see Fig. 9A) -even if some differences in the α-U phase structure must be mentioned - and in very close agreement with recent studies on thermally annealed U-Mo/Al fuel plates. Indeed destabilisation products found in this work are identical to those identified after fuel plate annealing at 550 °C [25] and 450 °C [43]. Moreover this work helps establishing that destabilisation products are U2Mo and α"-U at lower temperatures (below 450 °C). This was first demonstrated on fuel plates annealed at 425 °C for more than 50 h [43] and this is confirmed here with the analysis of the compacts annealed at 340 °C during 130 days. Note finally that whatever the presence of a coating, destabilisation ratios are very close in compacts annealed in the same conditions (see Fig. 9B) and that destabilisation ratios show the expected increase between 2 and 4 h annealing at 550 °C. The non-annealed U-Mo(Si)/Al compact has been lost during fabrication.

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

Sharma, Rabindar K.; Reddy, G. B.

In this work, we have successfully developed plasma assisted paste sublimation route to deposit vertically aligned MoO{sub 3} nanoflakes (NFs) on nickel coated glass substrate in oxygen plasma ambience with the assistant of Ni thin layer as a catalyst. In our case, sublimation source (Mo strip surface) is resistively heated by flowing current across it. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of NFs have been investigated systematically using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with selected area electron diffraction (SAED), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), micro-Raman spectroscopy, and Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Studies reveal thatmore » the presence of oxygen plasma and the nickel thin layer are very essential for the growth of vertically aligned NFs. The observed results divulge that α-MoO{sub 3} NFs are deposited uniformly on large scale with very high aspect (height/thickness) ratio more than 30 and well aligned along [0 k 0] crystallographic direction where k is even (2, 4, 6). Raman spectrum shows a significant size effect on the vibrational property of MoO{sub 3} nanoflakes. The PL spectrum of MoO{sub 3} NFs was recorded at room temperature and four prominent peaks at 365 nm, 395 nm, 452 nm, and 465 nm corresponding to UV-visible region were observed. In this paper, a three step growth strategy for the formation of MoO{sub 3} NFs has been proposed in detail.« less

Hole-transport limited S-shaped I-V curves in planar heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Minlu; Wang, Hui; Tang, C. W.

2011-11-01

Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of planar heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells based on N',N'-Di-[(1-naphthyl)-N',N'-diphenyl]-1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) and C60 are investigated. Through variation of the layer thickness and composition, specifically chemical doping NPB with MoOx, we show that the hole-transport limitation in the NPB layer is the determining factor in shaping the I-V characteristics of NPB/C60 cells.

Novel "203" type of heterostructured MoS2-Fe3O4-C ternary nanohybrid: Synthesis, and enhanced microwave absorption properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Erqi; Qi, Xiaosi; Xie, Ren; Bai, Zhongchen; Jiang, Yang; Qin, Shuijie; Zhong, Wei; Du, Youwei

2018-06-01

It is widely recognized that constructing multiple interface structures to enhance interface polarization is very good for the attenuation of electromagnetic (EM) wave. Here, a novel "203" type of heterostructured nanohybrid consisting of two-dimensional (2D) MoS2 nanosheets, zero-dimensional (0D) Fe3O4 nanoparticles and three-dimensional (3D) carbon layers was elaborately designed and successfully synthesized by a two-step method: Fe3O4 nanoparticles were deposited onto the surface of few-layer MoS2 nanosheets by a hydrothermal method, followed by the carbonation process by a chemical vapor deposition method. Compared to that of "20" type MoS2-Fe3O4, the as-prepared heterostructured "203" type MoS2-Fe3O4-C ternary nanohybrid exhibited remarkably enhanced EM and microwave absorption properties. And the minimum reflection loss (RL) value of the obtained MoS2-Fe3O4-C ternary nanohybrid could reach -53.03 dB at 14.4 GHz with a matching thickness of 7.86 mm. Moreover, the excellent EM wave absorption property of the as-prepared ternary nanohybrid was proved to be attributed to the quarter-wavelength matching model. Therefore, a simple and effective route was proposed to produce MoS2-based mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterostructure, which provided a new platform for the designing and production of high performance microwave absorption materials.

Properties of magnetic photonic crystals in the visible spectral region and their performance limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotov, V. A.; Shavrov, V. G.; Vasiliev, M.; Alameh, K.; Nur-E-Alam, M.; Balabanov, D. E.

2018-02-01

We report on the results of computer modelling and performance analysis of the optical and magneto-optical (MO) characteristics of one-dimensional magnetic photonic crystals (MPC) of several classic design types (having either a single structure defect, or a number of these), designed for applications in the visible spectral region. The calculations are performed accounting for the real levels of optical absorption achievable in existing MO materials which currently demonstrate the best MO quality (bismuth-substituted ferrite garnets). We consider Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12 as the base material for use within quarter-wave thick MO layers of MPC; silica is used for the non-magnetic transparent quarter-wave layers. The achieved results can be used to clarify the nature of the differences that exist between the expected practical potential of MPCs in integrated photonics, and the actual attained experimental results. Our results show that in MPCs optimized for light intensity modulation applications, in the red spectral region (near 650 nm), the achievable levels of optical transmission are limited to about 30%. This coincides spectrally with the peaks of Faraday rotation reaching their maxima at about 25°, with further transmission increases possible in the near-infrared region. Larger Faraday rotation angles are only achievable currently in structures or single film layers with reduced transmission.

Giant magneto-optical Kerr rotation, quality factor and figure of merit in cobalt-ferrite magnetic nanoparticles doped in silica matrix as the only defect layer embedded in magnetophotonic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamani, Mehdi; Hocini, Abdesselam

2018-03-01

In this work, we report on the theoretical study of one-dimensional magnetophotonic crystals (MPC) comprising of periodic dielectric structure Si/SiO and of silica matrix doped with cobalt-ferrite (CoFe2O4) magnetic nanoparticles as the only magnetic defect layer. Such structure can be prepared by sol-gel dip coating method that controls the thickness of each layer with nanometer level, hence, can overcome the problem of integration of the magneto-optical (MO) devices. We have studied the influence of the volume fraction (concentration of magnetic nanoparticles VF%) on the optical (reflectance, transmittance and absorption) and MO (Kerr rotation) responses in reflection-type one-dimensional MPCs. During investigation of the influence of magnetic nanoparticle's concentration, we found that giant Kerr rotations (even ≈135° for VF = 39%) can be obtained accompanied by large reflectance and low amounts for transmittance and absorption. We report on the demonstration of large MO quality factor and figure of merit in cobalt-ferrite magnetic nanoparticles in the infrared regime. Given the large Kerr rotation, high reflectance accompanied by low absorption and nearly zero transmittance of the 1D MPC containing cobalt-ferrite magnetic nanoparticles, large MO Q factor and figure of merit are obtained.

Probing the Band Structure of Ultrathin MoTe2 via Strain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aslan, Burak; Datye, Isha; Kuo, Hsueh-Hui; Mleczko, Michal; Fisher, Ian; Pop, Eric; Heinz, Tony

Molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) is a semiconducting layered group VI transition metal dichalcogenide with an optical band gap of 1.1 and 0.9 eV in the monolayer and bulk, respectively. The bulk crystal possesses an indirect gap whereas the monolayer has a direct one. It is still under debate whether the direct-to-indirect gap crossover occurs at the monolayer or bilayer limit at room temperature, resulting from the fact that the two gaps are very close to one another in ultrathin crystals. We take advantage of this closeness by tuning the two gaps with in-plane tensile strain. In particular, we employ photoluminescence and absorption spectroscopy to probe the near-band-edge optical transitions and study their line-shapes to distinguish the direct and indirect gaps in few-layer MoTe2. We observe that the applied strain redshifts the direct and indirect gaps at different rates and strongly affects the spectral widths of the optical transitions. Our observations help us understand what contributes to the broadening of the A exciton peak in ultrathin MoTe2 and how the direct-to-indirect gap crossover occurs with decreasing thickness.

Joining of Zirconium Diboride-Based Ceramic Composites to Metallic Systems for High-Temperature Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asthana, R.; Singh, M.

2008-01-01

Three types of hot-pressed zirconium diboride (ZrB2)-based ultra-high-temperature ceramic composites (UHTCC), ZrB2-SiC (ZS), ZrB2-SiC-C (ZSC), and ZrB2-SCS9-SiC (ZSS), were joined to Cu-clad-Mo using two Ag-Cu brazes (Cusil-ABA and Ticusil, T(sub L) approx.1073-1173 K) and two Pd-base brazes (Palco and Palni, T(sub L) approx.1493-1513 K). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) revealed greater chemical interaction in joints made using Pd-base brazes than in joints made using Ag-Cu based active brazes. The degree of densification achieved in hot pressed composites influenced the Knoop hardness of the UHTCC and the hardness distribution across the braze interlayer. The braze region in Pd-base system displayed higher hardness in joints made using fully-dense ZS composites than in joints made using partially-dense ZSS composites and the carbon-containing ZSC composites. Calculations indicate a small negative elastic strain energy and an increase in the UHTCC's fracture stress up to a critical clad layer thickness . Above this critical thickness, strain energy in the UHTCC is positive, and it increases with increasing clad layer thickness. Empirical projections show a reduction in the effective thermal resistance of the joints and highlight the potential benefits of joining the UHTCC to Cu-clad-Mo.

Machining of Molybdenum by EDM-EP and EDC Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, K. L.; Chen, H. J.; Lee, H. M.; Lo, J. S.

2017-12-01

Molybdenum metal (Mo) can be machined with conventional tools and equipment, however, its refractory propertytends to chip when being machined. In this study, the nonconventional processes of electrical discharge machining (EDM) and electro-polishing (EP) have been conducted to investigate the machining of Mo metal and fabrication of Mo grid. Satisfactory surface quality was obtained using appropriate EDM parameters of Ip ≦ 3A and Ton < 80μs at a constant pulse interval of 100μs. The finished Mometal has accomplished by selecting appropriate EP parameters such as electrolyte flow rate of 0.42m/s under EP voltage of 50V and flush time of 20 sec to remove the recast layer and craters on the surface of Mo metal. The surface roughness of machined Mo metal can be improved from Ra of 0.93μm (Rmax = 8.51μm) to 0.23μm (Rmax = 1.48μm). Machined Mo metal surface, when used as grid component in electron gun, needs to be modified by coating materials with high work function, such as silicon carbide (SiC). The main purpose of this study is to explore the electrical discharge coating (EDC) process for coating the SiC layer on EDMed Mo metal. Experimental results proved that the appropriate parameters of Ip = 5A and Ton = 50μs at Toff = 10μs can obtain the deposit with about 60μm thickness. The major phase of deposit on machined Mo surface was SiC ceramic, while the minor phases included MoSi2 and/or SiO2 with the presence of free Si due to improper discharging parameters and the use of silicone oil as the dielectric fluid.

Properties of Ferrite Garnet (Bi, Lu, Y)3(Fe, Ga)5O12 Thin Film Materials Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering

PubMed Central

Nur-E-Alam, Mohammad; Belotelov, Vladimir; Alameh, Kamal

2018-01-01

This work is devoted to physical vapor deposition synthesis, and characterisation of bismuth and lutetium-substituted ferrite-garnet thin-film materials for magneto-optic (MO) applications. The properties of garnet thin films sputtered using a target of nominal composition type Bi0.9Lu1.85Y0.25Fe4.0Ga1O12 are studied. By measuring the optical transmission spectra at room temperature, the optical constants and the accurate film thicknesses can be evaluated using Swanepoel’s envelope method. The refractive index data are found to be matching very closely to these derived from Cauchy’s dispersion formula for the entire spectral range between 300 and 2500 nm. The optical absorption coefficient and the extinction coefficient data are studied for both the as-deposited and annealed garnet thin-film samples. A new approach is applied to accurately derive the optical constants data simultaneously with the physical layer thickness, using a combination approach employing custom-built spectrum-fitting software in conjunction with Swanepoel’s envelope method. MO properties, such as specific Faraday rotation, MO figure of merit and MO swing factor are also investigated for several annealed garnet-phase films. PMID:29789463

Ultra-diffuse hydrothermal venting supports Fe-oxidizing bacteria and massive umber deposition at 5000 m off Hawaii

PubMed Central

Edwards, Katrina J; Glazer, B T; Rouxel, O J; Bach, W; Emerson, D; Davis, R E; Toner, B M; Chan, C S; Tebo, B M; Staudigel, H; Moyer, C L

2011-01-01

A novel hydrothermal field has been discovered at the base of Lōihi Seamount, Hawaii, at 5000 mbsl. Geochemical analyses demonstrate that ‘FeMO Deep', while only 0.2 °C above ambient seawater temperature, derives from a distal, ultra-diffuse hydrothermal source. FeMO Deep is expressed as regional seafloor seepage of gelatinous iron- and silica-rich deposits, pooling between and over basalt pillows, in places over a meter thick. The system is capped by mm to cm thick hydrothermally derived iron-oxyhydroxide- and manganese-oxide-layered crusts. We use molecular analyses (16S rDNA-based) of extant communities combined with fluorescent in situ hybridizations to demonstrate that FeMO Deep deposits contain living iron-oxidizing Zetaproteobacteria related to the recently isolated strain Mariprofundus ferroxydans. Bioenergetic calculations, based on in-situ electrochemical measurements and cell counts, indicate that reactions between iron and oxygen are important in supporting chemosynthesis in the mats, which we infer forms a trophic base of the mat ecosystem. We suggest that the biogenic FeMO Deep hydrothermal deposit represents a modern analog for one class of geological iron deposits known as ‘umbers' (for example, Troodos ophilolites, Cyprus) because of striking similarities in size, setting and internal structures. PMID:21544100

Efficient solar-driven water splitting by nanocone BiVO4-perovskite tandem cells

PubMed Central

Qiu, Yongcai; Liu, Wei; Chen, Wei; Chen, Wei; Zhou, Guangmin; Hsu, Po-Chun; Zhang, Rufan; Liang, Zheng; Fan, Shoushan; Zhang, Yuegang; Cui, Yi

2016-01-01

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) has been widely regarded as a promising photoanode material for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting because of its low cost, its high stability against photocorrosion, and its relatively narrow band gap of 2.4 eV. However, the achieved performance of the BiVO4 photoanode remains unsatisfactory to date because its short carrier diffusion length restricts the total thickness of the BiVO4 film required for sufficient light absorption. We addressed the issue by deposition of nanoporous Mo-doped BiVO4 (Mo:BiVO4) on an engineered cone-shaped nanostructure, in which the Mo:BiVO4 layer with a larger effective thickness maintains highly efficient charge separation and high light absorption capability, which can be further enhanced by multiple light scattering in the nanocone structure. As a result, the nanocone/Mo:BiVO4/Fe(Ni)OOH photoanode exhibits a high water-splitting photocurrent of 5.82 ± 0.36 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode under 1-sun illumination. We also demonstrate that the PEC cell in tandem with a single perovskite solar cell exhibits unassisted water splitting with a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of up to 6.2%. PMID:27386565

Analyzing the application of silicon-silver-2D nanomaterial-Al2O3 heterojunction in plasmonic sensor and its performance evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Anuj K.

2018-03-01

A semiconductor-metal-dielectric heterojunction system, generally useful in enhancing the efficiency of solar cells, is explored to design a high performance optical sensor based on surface plasmon resonance in near infrared (NIR). Silicon is considered as light coupling material and different 2D nanomaterials such as graphene, MoS2, and MoSe2 are explored to enhance the sensor's performance in terms of its figure of merit (FOM). An Al2O3 interlayer with a few nanometers of thickness is introduced, which acts as a critical component to significantly enhance the sensor's FOM. It is observed that an Al2O3 interlayer of around 9 nm thickness is able to many-fold upturn the sensor's FOM. As another important finding, silver layer thickness of around 60 nm is found to be highly useful to achieve high values of FOM. It is established through results that operating at longer NIR wavelength leads to greater FOM for any choice of 2D nanomaterial and any thickness of Al2O3 interlayer. Proposed sensor provides significantly greater FOM than previous works on SPR sensors.

Formation of silicides in annealed periodic multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maury, H.; Jonnard, P.; Le Guen, K.; André, J.-M.

2009-05-01

Periodic multilayers of nanometric period are widely used as optical components for the X-ray and extreme UV (EUV) ranges, in X-ray space telescopes, X-ray microscopes, EUV photolithography or synchrotron beamlines for example. Their optical performances depend on the quality of the interfaces between the various layers: chemical interdiffusion or mechanical roughness shifts the application wavelength and can drastically decrease the reflectance. Since under high thermal charge interdiffusion is known to get enhanced, the study of the thermal stability of such structures is essential to understand how interfacial compounds develop. We have characterized X-ray and EUV siliconcontaining multilayers (Mo/Si, Sc/Si and Mg/SiC) as a function of the annealing temperature (up to 600°C) using two non-destructive methods. X-ray emission from the silicon atoms, describing the Si valence states, is used to determine the chemical nature of the compounds present in the interphases while X-ray reflectivity in the hard and soft X-ray ranges can be related to the optical properties. In the three cases, interfacial metallic (Mo, Sc, Mg) silicides are evidenced and the thickness of the interphase increases with the annealing temperature. For Mo/Si and Sc/Si multilayers, silicides are even present in the as-prepared multilayers. Characteristic parameters of the stacks are determined: composition of the interphases, thickness and roughness of the layers and interphases if any. Finally, we have evidenced the maximum temperature of application of these multilayers to minimize interdiffusion.

Magnetron Sputtered Molybdenum Oxide for Application in Polymers Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sendova-Vassileva, M.; Dikov, Hr; Vitanov, P.; Popkirov, G.; Gergova, R.; Grancharov, G.; Gancheva, V.

2016-10-01

Thin films of molybdenum oxide were deposited by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering in Ar from a MoO3 target at different deposition power on glass and silicon substrates. The thickness of the films was determined by profilometer measurements and by ellipsometry. The films were annealed in air at temperatures between 200 and 400°C in air. The optical transmission and reflection spectra were measured. The conductivity of the as deposited and annealed films was determined. The crystal structure was probed by Raman spectroscopy. The oxidation state of the surface was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectroscopy. The deposition technique described above was used to experiment with MoOx as a hole transport layer (HTL) in polymer solar cells with bulk hetrojunction active layer, deposited by spin coating. The performance of these layers was compared with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), which is the standard material used in this role. The measured current-voltage characteristics of solar cells with the structure glass/ITO/HTL/Poly(3-hexyl)thiophene (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C61- butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)/Al demonstrate that the studied MoOx layer is a good HTL and leads to comparable characteristics to those with PEDOT:PSS. On the other hand the deposition by magnetron sputtering guarantees reliable and repeatable HTLs.

Optimization of one-dimensional photonic crystals with double layer magneto-active defect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhailova, T. V.; Berzhansky, V. N.; Shaposhnikov, A. N.; Karavainikov, A. V.; Prokopov, A. R.; Kharchenko, Yu. M.; Lukienko, I. M.; Miloslavskaya, O. V.; Kharchenko, M. F.

2018-04-01

Success of practical implementation of one-dimensional photonic crystals with magneto-active layers is evaluated in high values of magneto-optical (MO) quality factor Q and figure of merit F. The article relates to optimization of one-dimensional photonic crystals with double layer magneto-active (MA) defect of composition Bi1.0Y0.5Gd1.5Fe4.2Al0.8O12/Bi2.8Y0.2Fe5O12 located between the nongarnet dielectric Bragg mirrors. The structure design was performed by changing the number of layer pairs in Bragg mirrors m and the optical thickness of MA defect lM to achieve high values of MO characteristics. Theoretical predictions were confirmed by experimental investigation of eight synthesized configurations with m = 4 and m = 7. We have demonstrated the maximum Q = 15.1 deg and F = 7.5% at 624 nm for structure with m = 4 and lM = (2.5·λ0/2), where λ0 = 690 nm is the photonic band gap center. Configurations with m = 3 can also provide their effectiveness in realization. Maximum MO activity was achieved for configurations with m = 7. The structures with lM = (0.8·λ0/2) and lM = (2.5·λ0/2) showed respectively the specific Faraday rotation -113 deg/μm (that exceeds in 62 times the Faraday rotation of MA double layer film) at 654 nm and absolute Faraday rotation -20.6 deg at 626 nm.

Endosporoideus gen. nov., a mitosporic fungus on Phoenix hanceana.

PubMed

Ho, Wai Hong; Yanna; Hyde, Kevin D; Goh, Teik Khiang

2005-01-01

Endosporoideus pedicellata gen. et sp, nov. is described and illustrated from decaying petioles of Phoenix hanceana collected from grassland in Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong. The genus is unique in producing solitary, phragmosporous conidia. The conidia comprise a brown to dark brown inner-wall layer and thick, hyaline outer-wall layer and are produced holoblastically from determinate conidiogenous cells on micronematous, mononematous conidiophores. Cells of conidia may disarticulate at the septa. Representative steps in conidiogenesis of E. pedicellata are illustrated with light micrographs, and details of the conidiogenous events are interpreted schematically.

Interface Engineering of Monolayer MoS2/GaN Hybrid Heterostructure: Modified Band Alignment for Photocatalytic Water Splitting Application by Nitridation Treatment.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhaofu; Qian, Qingkai; Li, Baikui; Chen, Kevin J

2018-05-23

Interface engineering is a key strategy to deal with the two-dimensional (2D)/three-dimensional (3D) hybrid heterostructure, since the properties of this atomic-layer-thick 2D material can easily be impacted by the substrate environment. In this work, the structural, electronic, and optical properties of the 2D/3D heterostructure of monolayer MoS 2 on wurtzite GaN surface without and with nitridation interfacial layer are systematically investigated by first-principles calculation and experimental analysis. The nitridation interfacial layer can be introduced into the 2D/3D heterostructure by remote N 2 plasma treatment to GaN sample surface prior to stacking monolayer MoS 2 on top. The calculation results reveal that the 2D/3D integrated heterostructure is energetically favorable with a negative formation energy. Both interfaces demonstrate indirect band gap, which is a benefit for longer lifetime of the photoexcited carriers. Meanwhile, the conduction band edge and valence band edge of the MoS 2 side increases after nitridation treatment. The modification to band alignment is then verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement on MoS 2 /GaN heterostructures constructed by a modified wet-transfer technique, which indicates that the MoS 2 /GaN heterostructure without nitridation shows a type-II alignment with a conduction band offset (CBO) of only 0.07 eV. However, by the deployment of interface nitridation, the band edges of MoS 2 move upward for ∼0.5 eV as a result of the nitridized substrate property. The significantly increased CBO could lead to better electron accumulation capability at the GaN side. The nitridized 2D/3D heterostructure with effective interface treatment exhibits a clean band gap and substantial optical absorption ability and could be potentially used as practical photocatalyst for hydrogen generation by water splitting using solar energy.

[The bonding mechanisms of base metals for metal-ceramic crown microstructure analysis of bonding agent and gold bond between porcelain and base metals].

PubMed

Wang, C C; Hsu, C S

1996-06-01

The use of base metal alloys for porcelain fused to a metal crown and bridges has increased recently because of lower price, high hardness, high tensile strength and high elastic modulus. The addition of beryllium to base metal alloys increased fluidity and improved casting fitness. Beryllium also controlled surface oxidation and bonding strength. The bonding agent and gold bonding agent also affected the bonding strength between porcelain and metal alloys. Four commercially available ceramic base alloys were studied (two alloys contained beryllium element, another two did not). The purpose of this investigation was to study the microstructure between porcelain matrix, bonding agent and alloy matrix interfaces. A scanning electron micro-probe analyzer and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) were used to study the distribution of elements (Ni, Cr, Mo, Cu, O, Si, Sn, Al) in four base alloys. The following results were obtained: 1. The thickness of the oxidized layer of Rexillium III alloy and Unitbond alloy (contained beryllium) was thinner than Unibond alloy and Wiron 88 alloy (no beryllium). 2. The thickness of the oxidized layer of alloys in air (10 minutes and 30 minutes) was thinner in Unitbond (2.45 microns and 3.80 microns) and thicker in Wiron 88 (4.39 microns and 5.96 microns). 3. The thickness of the oxidized layer occurring for a duration of ten minutes (in vaccum) showed that the Rexillium III alloy was the thinnest (1.93 microns), and Wiron 88 alloy was the thickest (2.30 microns). But in thirty minutes (vacuum), Unitbond alloy was the thinnest (3.37 microns), and Wiron 88 alloy was the thickest (5.51 microns). 4. The intensity of Cr elements was increased obviously near the interface between Unitbond alloy, Wiron 88 alloy (no beryllium) and oxidized layer, but the intensity of Ni and Mo elements was slightly increased. The intensity of Cr element was not increased markedly between Rexillium III alloy, Unitbond alloy (beryllium) and oxidized layer. 5. A white-grayish oxidized layer appeared at the metal-ceramic interfaces but the thickness of oxidized layer was not obviously different. 6. The use of bonding agent at metal-ceramic interface leads to the deposition of many Sn elements at about 40 microns range within the porcelain surface. 7. Second interaction phases at the porcelain layer appeared when gold bonding agent was used, and a 50-100 microns microleakage occurred at the metal-ceramic interface.

Thin film molybdenum silicide as potential temperature sensors for turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ho, C. H.; Prakash, S.; Deshpandey, C. V.; Doerr, H. J.; Bunshah, R. F.

1989-01-01

Temperature measurements of Mo-Si-based thin-film resistance thermometers were studied. Annealing in an argon ambient at a temperature above 1000 C for at least 1 h is required to form the stable tetragonal MoSi2 phase. With a crack-free 2-micron-thick AlN barrier layer on top, a sensor was tested up to 1200 C. The resistivity vs temperature characteristic shows the room temperature resistivity and temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) of the sensor to be approximately 350 microohm and 0.01195 K, respectively. No film adhesion problems were observed for at least four testing cycles.

The Effect of Mo Particles Addition in Ag-Cu-Ti Filler Alloy on Ti(C,N)-Based Cermet/45 Steel-Brazed Joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Hu; Du, Xueming; Huang, Xiaokai; Xu, Weijian; Yao, Zhenhua

2018-05-01

Reliable brazing of Ti(C,N)-based cermet and 45 steel was successfully achieved by using the Mo-particle-reinforced Ag-Cu-Ti composite filler. The effects of Mo content on the interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti(C,N)-based cermet/45 steel joints were analyzed. The results showed that the joint microstructure was primarily composed of Ni3Ti+Cu3Ti2, Ag(s,s)+Cu(s.s), CuTi+Mo, Ti-based solid solution, and FeTi+Fe2Ti. With the increase in Mo content in filler, the thickness of the Ni3Ti+Cu3Ti2 layer adjacent to the Ti(C,N)-based cermet decreases, while more blocky Ti-Cu intermetallic were observed in the brazing seam. The shear strength of the joint could be significantly improved by adding suitable amounts of Mo into the Ag-Cu-Ti filler, and the peak value of 263 MPa was achieved when the alloys were brazed with Ag-Cu-Ti+8wt.%Mo composite filler at 920 °C for 20 min.

Growth-substrate induced performance degradation in chemically synthesized monolayer MoS{sub 2} field effect transistors

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

Amani, Matin; Chin, Matthew L.; Mazzoni, Alexander L.

2014-05-19

We report on the electronic transport properties of single-layer thick chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) field-effect transistors (FETs) on Si/SiO{sub 2} substrates. MoS{sub 2} has been extensively investigated for the past two years as a potential semiconductor analogue to graphene. To date, MoS{sub 2} samples prepared via mechanical exfoliation have demonstrated field-effect mobility values which are significantly higher than that of CVD-grown MoS{sub 2}. In this study, we will show that the intrinsic electronic performance of CVD-grown MoS{sub 2} is equal or superior to that of exfoliated material and has been possibly masked by a combinationmore » of interfacial contamination on the growth substrate and residual tensile strain resulting from the high-temperature growth process. We are able to quantify this strain in the as-grown material using pre- and post-transfer metrology and microscopy of the same crystals. Moreover, temperature-dependent electrical measurements made on as-grown and transferred MoS{sub 2} devices following an identical fabrication process demonstrate the improvement in field-effect mobility.« less

A Dry-Etch Process for Low Temperature Superconducting Transition Edge Sensors for Far Infrared Bolometer Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Christine A.; Chervenak, James A.; Hsieh, Wen-Ting; McClanahan, Richard A.; Miller, Timothy M.; Mitchell, Robert; Moseley, S. Harvey; Staguhn, Johannes; Stevenson, Thomas R.

2003-01-01

The next generation of ultra-low power bolometer arrays, with applications in far infrared imaging, spectroscopy and polarimetry, utilizes a superconducting bilayer as the sensing element to enable SQUID multiplexed readout. Superconducting transition edge sensors (TES s) are being produced with dual metal systems of superconductinghormal bilayers. The transition temperature (Tc) is tuned by altering the relative thickness of the superconductor with respect to the normal layer. We are currently investigating MoAu and MoCu bilayers. We have developed a dry-etching process for MoAu TES s with integrated molybdenum leads, and are working on adapting the process to MoCu. Dry etching has the advantage over wet etching in the MoAu system in that one can achieve a high degree of selectivity, greater than 10, using argon ME, or argon ion milling, for patterning gold on molybdenum. Molybdenum leads are subsequently patterned using fluorine plasma.. The dry-etch technique results in a smooth, featureless TES with sharp sidewalls, no undercutting of the Mo beneath the normal metal, and Mo leads with high critical current. The effects of individual processing parameters on the characteristics of the transition will be reported.

Vacuum ultraviolet radiation effects on two-dimensional MoS2 field-effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMorrow, Julian J.; Cress, Cory D.; Arnold, Heather N.; Sangwan, Vinod K.; Jariwala, Deep; Schmucker, Scott W.; Marks, Tobin J.; Hersam, Mark C.

2017-02-01

Atomically thin MoS2 has generated intense interest for emerging electronics applications. Its two-dimensional nature and potential for low-power electronics are particularly appealing for space-bound electronics, motivating the need for a fundamental understanding of MoS2 electronic device response to the space radiation environment. In this letter, we quantify the response of MoS2 field-effect transistors (FETs) to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) total ionizing dose radiation. Single-layer (SL) and multilayer (ML) MoS2 FETs are compared to identify differences that arise from thickness and band structure variations. The measured evolution of the FET transport properties is leveraged to identify the nature of VUV-induced trapped charge, isolating the effects of the interface and bulk oxide dielectric. In both the SL and ML cases, oxide trapped holes compete with interface trapped electrons, exhibiting an overall shift toward negative gate bias. Raman spectroscopy shows no variation in the MoS2 signatures as a result of VUV exposure, eliminating significant crystalline damage or oxidation as possible radiation degradation mechanisms. Overall, this work presents avenues for achieving radiation-hard MoS2 devices through dielectric engineering that reduces oxide and interface trapped charge.

Gradient microstructure and microhardness in a nitrided 18CrNiMo7-6 gear steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, R.; Wu, G. L.; Zhang, X.; Fu, W. T.; Huang, X.

2017-07-01

A commercial gear steel (18CrNiMo7-6) containing a tempered martensite structure was nitrided using a pressurized gas nitriding process under a pressure of 5 atm at 530 °C for 5 hours. The mechanical properties and microstructure of the nitrided sample were characterized by Vickers hardness measurements, X-ray diffraction, and backscatter electron imaging in a scanning electron microscope. A micro-hardness gradient was identified over a distance of 500 μm with hardness values of 900 HV at the top surface and 300 HV in the core. This micro-hardness gradient corresponds to a gradient in the microstructure that changes from a nitride compound layer at the top surface (∼ 20 μm thick) to a diffusion zone with a decreasing nitrogen concentration and precipitate density with distance from the surface, finally reaching the core matrix layer with a recovered martensite structure.

Transition Metal Coatings for Energy Conversion and Storage; Electrochemical and High Temperature Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falola, Bamidele Daniel

Energy storage provides sustainability when coupled with renewable but intermittent energy sources such as solar, wave and wind power, and electrochemical supercapacitors represent a new storage technology with high power and energy density. For inclusion in supercapacitors, transition metal oxide and sulfide electrodes such as RuO2, IrO2, TiS2, and MoS2 exhibit rapid faradaic electron-transfer reactions combined with low resistance. The pseudocapacitance of RuO2 is about 720 F/g, and is 100 times greater than double-layer capacitance of activated carbon electrodes. Due to the two-dimensional layered structure of MoS2, it has proven to be an excellent electrode material for electrochemical supercapacitors. Cathodic electrodeposition of MoS2 onto glassy carbon electrodes is obtained from electrolytes containing (NH4)2MoS 4 and KCl. Annealing the as-deposited Mo sulfide deposit improves the capacitance by a factor of 40x, with a maximum value of 360 F/g for 50 nm thick MoS2 films. The effects of different annealing conditions were investigated by XRD, AFM and charge storage measurements. The specific capacitance measured by cyclic voltammetry is highest for MoS2 thin films annealed at 500°C for 3h and much lower for films annealed at 700°C for 1 h. Inclusion of copper as a dopant element into electrodeposited MoS2 thin films for reducing iR drop during film charge/discharge is also studied. Thin films of Cu-doped MoS2 are deposited from aqueous electrolytes containing SCN-, which acts as a complexing agent to shift the cathodic Cu deposition potential, which is much more anodic than that of MoS2. Annealed, Cu-doped MoS2 films exhibit enhanced charge storage capability about 5x higher than undoped MoS2 films. Coal combustion is currently the largest single anthropogenic source of CO2 emissions, and due to the growing concerns about climate change, several new technologies have been developed to mitigate the problem, including oxyfuel coal combustion, which makes CO2 sequestration easier. One complication of oxyfuel coal combustion is that corrosion problems can be exacerbated due to flue gas recycling, which is employed to dilute the pure O2 feed and reduce the flame temperature. Refractory metal diffusion coatings of Ti and Zr atop P91 steel were created and tested for their ability to prevent corrosion in an oxidizing atmosphere at elevated temperature. Using pack cementation, diffusion coatings of thickness approximately 12 and 20 microm are obtained for Ti and Zr, respectively. The effects of heating to 950°C for 24 hr in 5% O2 in He are studied in situ by thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), and ex situ by SEM analyses and depth profiling by EDX. For Ti-coated, Zr-coated and uncoated P91 samples, extended heating in an oxidizing environment causes relatively thick oxide growth, but extensive oxygen penetration greater than 2.7 mm below the sample surface, and eventual oxide exfoliation, are observed only for the uncoated P91 sample. For the Ti- and Zr-coated samples, oxygen penetrates approximately 16 and 56 microm, respectively, below the surface. in situ TGA verifies that Ti-and Zr-coated P91 samples undergo far smaller mass changes during corrosion than uncoated samples, reaching close to steady state mass after approximately four hours.

Development of Long REBCO with BMO Coated Conductors by PLD Method with High Production Rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibi, A.; Yoshida, T.; Taneda, T.; Yoshizumi, M.; Izumi, T.; Shiohara, Y.

We have been developing long REBa2Cu3O7-δ (RE: Y, Gd and Eu etc.) with BaMO3 (M: Zr, Sn and Hf etc.) coated conductors by the combination of the ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) and the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) methods. REBa2Cu3O7-δ with BaMO3 coated conductors showed high in-field performance, therefore, these coated conductors could be expected for the industrial and commercial applications at high temperatures in magnetic fields. However, to realize the low production cost for long REBa2Cu3O7-δ with BaMO3 coated conductors, improvement of the production rate of the REBa2Cu3O7-δ layers containing BaMO3 rods with maintaining high superconducting properties is required. To solve these problems, we have tried deposition of the REBa2Cu3O7-δ layers with high superconducting properties by the PLD method with high production rate. As a result, we have successfully fabricated EuBa2Cu3O7-δ layers containing BaHfO3 rods with high in-field Jc and Ic by the PLD method with high production rate. This EuBa2Cu3O7-δ with BaHfO3 coated conductor exhibit a high Ic value of 412 and 48.7 A/cm-width at 77 K in self-field and 3 T, respectively at the deposition rate of about 40 μm/h and the production rate of 10 m/h for a 1.35 μm EuBCO layer thick.

Corrosion Behavior of Active Screen Plasma Nitrided 38CrMoAl Steel under Marine Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Li; He, Yongyong; Mao, JunYuan; Zhang, Lei

2017-10-01

The 38CrMoAl steels were nitrided at different temperatures for 7 h using active screen plasma discharge. The analysis showed that the thick compound layer composed of ɛ-Fe2-3N and γ‧-Fe4N was formed on the surface. The corrosion behavior was evaluated by measuring the anodic polarization curves in natural sea water (similar 3.5% NaCl solution), and observation of corroded surface were conducted. The electromechanical measurements indicated that the corrosion potential of the nitrided specimens shifted to a nobler value compared to that of untreated specimens. Passive regions were also observed in the polarization curves for all the nitrided specimens. These results indicate that active screen plasma nitriding can enhance the corrosion resistance of the 38CrMoAl steel under marine environment.

Spin-resolved photoemission study of epitaxially grown MoSe 2 and WSe 2 thin films

DOE PAGES

Mo, Sung-Kwan; Hwang, Choongyu; Zhang, Yi; ...

2016-09-12

Few-layer thick MoSe 2 and WSe 2 possess non-trivial spin textures with sizable spin splitting due to the inversion symmetry breaking embedded in the crystal structure and strong spin–orbit coupling. Here, we report a spin-resolved photoemission study of MoSe 2 and WSe 2 thin film samples epitaxially grown on a bilayer graphene substrate. Furthermore, we only found spin polarization in the single- and trilayer samples—not in the bilayer sample—mostly along the out-of-plane direction of the sample surface. The measured spin polarization is found to be strongly dependent on the light polarization as well as the measurement geometry, which reveals intricatemore » coupling between the spin and orbital degrees of freedom in this class of material.« less

Search for unbound nuclides and beam/fragment optics with the MoNA/LISA segmented target at NSCL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gueye, Paul; Frank, Nathan; Thoennessen, Michael; Redpath, Thomas; MoNA Collaboration

2017-09-01

A multi-layered Si/Be segmented target consisting of three 700 mg/cm2 thick Be9 slabs and four 140 microns Si detectors was used by the MoNA Collaboration at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory of Michigan State University to study the O26 lifetime. This target provides unprecedented information on the incident beams and fragments (energy loss and position), thus allowing for better determination of the incident and outgoing energies and momenta of the detected particles compare to previous experiments conducted at this facility. With the availability of a newly developed Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation of the full N2 vault, we will present and discuss the performances of this target. Search for unbound nuclides and beam/fragment optics with the MoNA/LISA segmented target at NSCL.

In situ measurement of low-Z material coating thickness on high Z substrate for tokamaks.

PubMed

Mueller, D; Roquemore, A L; Jaworski, M; Skinner, C H; Miller, J; Creely, A; Raman, P; Ruzic, D

2014-11-01

Rutherford backscattering of energetic particles can be used to determine the thickness of a coating of a low-Z material over a heavier substrate. Simulations indicate that 5 MeV alpha particles from an (241)Am source can be used to measure the thickness of a Li coating on Mo tiles between 0.5 and 15 μm thick. Using a 0.1 mCi source, a thickness measurement can be accomplished in 2 h of counting. This technique could be used to measure any thin, low-Z material coating (up to 1 mg/cm(2) thick) on a high-Z substrate, such as Be on W, B on Mo, or Li on Mo. By inserting a source and detector on a moveable probe, this technique could be used to provide an in situ measurement of the thickness of Li coating on NSTX-U Mo tiles. A test stand with an alpha source and an annular solid-state detector was used to investigate the measurable range of low-Z material thicknesses on Mo tiles.

In situ measurement of low-Z material coating thickness on high Z substrate for tokamaks

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

Mueller, D., E-mail: dmueller@pppl.gov; Roquemore, A. L.; Jaworski, M.

Rutherford backscattering of energetic particles can be used to determine the thickness of a coating of a low-Z material over a heavier substrate. Simulations indicate that 5 MeV alpha particles from an {sup 241}Am source can be used to measure the thickness of a Li coating on Mo tiles between 0.5 and 15 μm thick. Using a 0.1 mCi source, a thickness measurement can be accomplished in 2 h of counting. This technique could be used to measure any thin, low-Z material coating (up to 1 mg/cm{sup 2} thick) on a high-Z substrate, such as Be on W, B on Mo, or Limore » on Mo. By inserting a source and detector on a moveable probe, this technique could be used to provide an in situ measurement of the thickness of Li coating on NSTX-U Mo tiles. A test stand with an alpha source and an annular solid-state detector was used to investigate the measurable range of low-Z material thicknesses on Mo tiles.« less

Fabrication and electrical properties of MoS2 nanodisc-based back-gated field effect transistors.

PubMed

Gu, Weixia; Shen, Jiaoyan; Ma, Xiying

2014-02-28

Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is an attractive alternative semiconductor material for next-generation low-power nanoelectronic applications, due to its special structure and large bandgap. Here, we report the fabrication of large-area MoS2 nanodiscs and their incorporation into back-gated field effect transistors (FETs) whose electrical properties we characterize. The MoS2 nanodiscs, fabricated via chemical vapor deposition (CVD), are homogeneous and continuous, and their thickness of around 5 nm is equal to a few layers of MoS2. In addition, we find that the MoS2 nanodisc-based back-gated field effect transistors with nickel electrodes achieve very high performance. The transistors exhibit an on/off current ratio of up to 1.9 × 105, and a maximum transconductance of up to 27 μS (5.4 μS/μm). Moreover, their mobility is as high as 368 cm2/Vs. Furthermore, the transistors have good output characteristics and can be easily modulated by the back gate. The electrical properties of the MoS2 nanodisc transistors are better than or comparable to those values extracted from single and multilayer MoS2 FETs.

Profilometry of thin films on rough substrates by Raman spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Ledinský, Martin; Paviet-Salomon, Bertrand; Vetushka, Aliaksei; Geissbühler, Jonas; Tomasi, Andrea; Despeisse, Matthieu; De Wolf , Stefaan; Ballif , Christophe; Fejfar, Antonín

2016-01-01

Thin, light-absorbing films attenuate the Raman signal of underlying substrates. In this article, we exploit this phenomenon to develop a contactless thickness profiling method for thin films deposited on rough substrates. We demonstrate this technique by probing profiles of thin amorphous silicon stripes deposited on rough crystalline silicon surfaces, which is a structure exploited in high-efficiency silicon heterojunction solar cells. Our spatially-resolved Raman measurements enable the thickness mapping of amorphous silicon over the whole active area of test solar cells with very high precision; the thickness detection limit is well below 1 nm and the spatial resolution is down to 500 nm, limited only by the optical resolution. We also discuss the wider applicability of this technique for the characterization of thin layers prepared on Raman/photoluminescence-active substrates, as well as its use for single-layer counting in multilayer 2D materials such as graphene, MoS2 and WS2. PMID:27922033

Plasma electrolytic oxidation of Titanium Aluminides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgenstern, R.; Sieber, M.; Grund, T.; Lampke, T.; Wielage, B.

2016-03-01

Due to their outstanding specific mechanical and high-temperature properties, titanium aluminides exhibit a high potential for lightweight components exposed to high temperatures. However, their application is limited through their low wear resistance and the increasing high-temperature oxidation starting from about 750 °C. By the use of oxide ceramic coatings, these constraints can be set aside and the possible applications of titanium aluminides can be extended. The plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) represents a process for the generation of oxide ceramic conversion coatings with high thickness. The current work aims at the clarification of different electrolyte components’ influences on the oxide layer evolution on alloy TNM-B1 (Ti43.5Al4Nb1Mo0.1B) and the creation of compact and wear resistant coatings. Model experiments were applied using a ramp-wise increase of the anodic potential in order to show the influence of electrolyte components on the discharge initiation and the early stage of the oxide layer growth. The production of PEO layers with technically relevant thicknesses close to 100 μm was conducted in alkaline electrolytes with varying amounts of Na2SiO3·5H2O and K4P2O7 under symmetrically pulsed current conditions. Coating properties were evaluated with regard to morphology, chemical composition, hardness and wear resistance. The addition of phosphates and silicates leads to an increasing substrate passivation and the growth of compact oxide layers with higher thicknesses. Optimal electrolyte compositions for maximum coating hardness and thickness were identified by statistical analysis. Under these conditions, a homogeneous inner layer with low porosity can be achieved. The frictional wear behavior of the compact coating layer is superior to a hard anodized layer on aluminum.

[Radiation dose evaluation in a photon-counting digital mammography unit].

PubMed

Matsubara, Kosuke; Matsumoto, China; Mochiya, Yuko; Toda, Kanako; Noto, Kimiya; Koshida, Kichiro

2014-05-01

The purpose of our study was to evaluate radiation dose and beam quality in photon-counting digital mammography (PCDM) and compare them with those in a full-field digital mammography (FFDM) unit. Dose variation in the X-ray tube axis direction, aluminum half-value layer, average glandular and skin doses, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were evaluated for the PCDM and FFDM units. In PCDM, the dose variation in the X-ray tube axis direction was greater than that in FFDM. At a tube voltage of 28 kV, the first half-value layers were 0.407 mmAl for PCDM, 0.357 mmAl for FFDM with a molybdenum target and molybdenum filter (Mo/Mo), and 0.579 mmAl for FFDM with a tungsten target and rhodium filter (W/Rh). The average glandular doses with 45-mm-equivalent breast thickness were 0.723 mGy for the PCDM, 1.55 mGy for the FFDM with Mo/Mo in low-dose mode, and 0.835 mGy for the FFDM with W/Rh in low-dose mode. In PCDM, the skin dose was equivalent to or lower than that in FFDM. The CNR was 2.65±0.04, 2.35±0.04, and 2.52±0.03 for the PCDM, FFDM with Mo/Mo, and that with W/Rh, respectively. The CNR for PCDM was significantly higher than that for FFDM (p<0.001). It is therefore possible to reduce the radiation dose to the patient by using a PCDM unit while maintaining a significantly higher CNR than with the FFDM unit.

An interdiffusional model for prediction of the interaction layer growth in the system uranium molybdenum/aluminum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soba, A.; Denis, A.

2007-03-01

The codes PLACA and DPLACA, elaborated in this working group, simulate the behavior of a plate-type fuel containing in its core a foil of monolithic or dispersed fissile material, respectively, under normal operation conditions of a research reactor. Dispersion fuels usually consist of ceramic particles of a uranium compound in a high thermal conductivity matrix. The use of particles of a U-Mo alloy in a matrix of Al requires especially devoted subroutines able to simulate the growth of the interaction layer that develops between the particles and the matrix. A model is presented in this work that gives account of these particular phenomena. It is based on the assumption that diffusion of U and Al through the layer is the rate-determining step. Two moving interfaces separate the growing reaction layer from the original phases. The kinetics of these boundaries are solved as Stefan problems. In order to test the model and the associated code, some previous, simpler problems corresponding to similar systems for which analytical solutions or experimental data are known were simulated. Experiments performed with planar U-Mo/Al diffusion couples are reported in the literature, which purpose is to obtain information on the system parameters. These experiments were simulated with PLACA. Results of experiments performed with U-Mo particles disperse in Al either without or with irradiation, published in the open literature were simulated with DPLACA. A satisfactory prediction of the whole reaction layer thickness and of the individual fractions corresponding to alloy and matrix consumption was obtained.

Understanding Coulomb Scattering Mechanism in Monolayer MoS2 Channel in the Presence of h-BN Buffer Layer.

PubMed

Joo, Min-Kyu; Moon, Byoung Hee; Ji, Hyunjin; Han, Gang Hee; Kim, Hyun; Lee, Gwanmu; Lim, Seong Chu; Suh, Dongseok; Lee, Young Hee

2017-02-08

As the thickness becomes thinner, the importance of Coulomb scattering in two-dimensional layered materials increases because of the close proximity between channel and interfacial layer and the reduced screening effects. The Coulomb scattering in the channel is usually obscured mainly by the Schottky barrier at the contact in the noise measurements. Here, we report low-temperature (T) noise measurements to understand the Coulomb scattering mechanism in the MoS 2 channel in the presence of h-BN buffer layer on the silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) insulating layer. One essential measure in the noise analysis is the Coulomb scattering parameter (α SC ) which is different for channel materials and electron excess doping concentrations. This was extracted exclusively from a 4-probe method by eliminating the Schottky contact effect. We found that the presence of h-BN on SiO 2 provides the suppression of α SC twice, the reduction of interfacial traps density by 100 times, and the lowered Schottky barrier noise by 50 times compared to those on SiO 2 at T = 25 K. These improvements enable us to successfully identify the main noise source in the channel, which is the trapping-detrapping process at gate dielectrics rather than the charged impurities localized at the channel, as confirmed by fitting the noise features to the carrier number and correlated mobility fluctuation model. Further, the reduction in contact noise at low temperature in our system is attributed to inhomogeneous distributed Schottky barrier height distribution in the metal-MoS 2 contact region.

Stress Compensating Multilayers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broadway, David M.; Ramsey, Brian D.; O'dell, Stephen; Gurgew, Danielle

2017-01-01

We present in-situ stress measurement results for single and multilayer thin-films deposited by magnetron sputtering. In particular, we report on the influence of the material interfaces on the ensuing stress in both the transient and steady-state regimes of film growth. This behavior is used to determine the appropriate thicknesses of the constituent layers that will result in a net tensile stress in multilayers composed of various material combinations. These multilayers can then be used to compensate the compressive integrated stress in single and multilayer EUV and x-ray optical coatings. The use of multilayers to compensate the integrated stress might be advantageous because, unlike single layers of chromium, the roughness is not expected to increase with the total thickness of the multilayer. In this paper, we demonstrate the technique for W/Si and Mo/Si multilayers and discuss its application to other material combinations.

A Self-Limiting Electro-Ablation Technique for the Top-Down Synthesis of Large-Area Monolayer Flakes of 2D Materials

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

Das, Saptarshi; Bera, Mrinal K.; Tong, Sheng

2016-06-21

We report the discovery of an electrochemical process that converts two dimensional layered materials of arbitrary thicknesses into monolayers. The lateral dimensions of the monolayers obtained by the process within a few seconds time at room temperature were as large as 0.5 mm. The temporal and spatial dynamics of this physical phenomenon, studied on MoS2 flakes using ex-situ AFM imaging, Raman mapping, and photoluminescence measurements trace the origin of monolayer formation to a substrate-assisted self-limiting electrochemical ablation process. Electronic structure and atomistic calculations point to the interplay between three essential factors in the process: (1) strong covalent interaction of monolayermore » MoS2 with the substrate; (2) electric-field induced differences in Gibbs free energy of exfoliation; (3) dispersion of MoS2 in aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide. This process was successful in obtaining monolayers of other 2D transition metal dichalcogenides, like WS2 and MoTe2 as well.« less

Richardson constant and electrostatics in transfer-free CVD grown few-layer MoS2/graphene barristor with Schottky barrier modulation >0.6eV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahangir, Ifat; Uddin, M. Ahsan; Singh, Amol K.; Koley, Goutam; Chandrashekhar, M. V. S.

2017-10-01

We demonstrate a large area MoS2/graphene barristor, using a transfer-free method for producing 3-5 monolayer (ML) thick MoS2. The gate-controlled diodes show good rectification, with an ON/OFF ratio of ˜103. The temperature dependent back-gated study reveals Richardson's coefficient to be 80.3 ± 18.4 A/cm2/K and a mean electron effective mass of (0.66 ± 0.15)m0. Capacitance and current based measurements show the effective barrier height to vary over a large range of 0.24-0.91 eV due to incomplete field screening through the thin MoS2. Finally, we show that this barristor shows significant visible photoresponse, scaling with the Schottky barrier height. A response time of ˜10 s suggests that photoconductive gain is present in this device, resulting in high external quantum efficiency.

Preparation and Layer-by-Layer Solution Deposition of Cu(In,Ga)O2 Nanoparticles with Conversion to Cu(In,Ga)S2 Films

PubMed Central

Dressick, Walter J.; Soto, Carissa M.; Fontana, Jake; Baker, Colin C.; Myers, Jason D.; Frantz, Jesse A.; Kim, Woohong

2014-01-01

We present a method of Cu(In,Ga)S2 (CIGS) thin film formation via conversion of layer-by-layer (LbL) assembled Cu-In-Ga oxide (CIGO) nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes. CIGO nanoparticles were created via a novel flame-spray pyrolysis method using metal nitrate precursors, subsequently coated with polyallylamine (PAH), and dispersed in aqueous solution. Multilayer films were assembled by alternately dipping quartz, Si, and/or Mo substrates into a solution of either polydopamine (PDA) or polystyrenesulfonate (PSS) and then in the CIGO-PAH dispersion to fabricate films as thick as 1–2 microns. PSS/CIGO-PAH films were found to be inadequate due to weak adhesion to the Si and Mo substrates, excessive particle diffusion during sulfurization, and mechanical softness ill-suited to further processing. PDA/CIGO-PAH films, in contrast, were more mechanically robust and more tolerant of high temperature processing. After LbL deposition, films were oxidized to remove polymer and sulfurized at high temperature under flowing hydrogen sulfide to convert CIGO to CIGS. Complete film conversion from the oxide to the sulfide is confirmed by X-ray diffraction characterization. PMID:24941104

Enhanced photon absorption in spiral nanostructured solar cells using layered 2D materials.

PubMed

Tahersima, Mohammad H; Sorger, Volker J

2015-08-28

Recent investigations of semiconducting two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides have provided evidence for strong light absorption relative to its thickness attributed to high density of states. Stacking a combination of metallic, insulating, and semiconducting 2D materials enables functional devices with atomic thicknesses. While photovoltaic cells based on 2D materials have been demonstrated, the reported absorption is still just a few percent of the incident light due to their sub-wavelength thickness leading to low cell efficiencies. Here we show that taking advantage of the mechanical flexibility of 2D materials by rolling a molybdenum disulfide (MoS(2))/graphene (Gr)/hexagonal boron nitride stack to a spiral solar cell allows for optical absorption up to 90%. The optical absorption of a 1 μm long hetero-material spiral cell consisting of the aforementioned hetero stack is about 50% stronger compared to a planar MoS(2) cell of the same thickness; although the volumetric absorbing material ratio is only 6%. A core-shell structure exhibits enhanced absorption and pronounced absorption peaks with respect to a spiral structure without metallic contacts. We anticipate these results to provide guidance for photonic structures that take advantage of the unique properties of 2D materials in solar energy conversion applications.

Synthesis and Analysis of MnTiO3 Thin Films on ITO Coated Glass Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Emerick; Sahiner, Mehmet-Alper

Perovskites like Manganese Titanium Oxide have interesting chemical properties that may be advantageous to the development of p-n junction photovoltaic cells. Due to the limited understanding behind the compound, it is essential to know the characteristics of it when it is deposited in thin film form. The cells were created using pulsed laser deposition method for two separate mediums (first layers after ITO). ZnO was deposited onto ITO glass for the first sample. For the second sample, a layer of pure Molybdenum was deposited onto the ITO glass. The MnTiO3 was then deposited onto both samples. There was a target thickness of 1000 Angstroms, but ellipsometry shows that, for the Mo based sample, that film thickness was around 1500 Angstroms. There were inconclusive results for the ZnO based sample. The concentration of active carriers was measured using a Hall Effect apparatus for the Mo based sample. The XRD analyses were used to confirm the perovskite structure of the films. Measurements for photoelectric conversion efficiency were taken using a Keathley 2602 ScourceMeter indicated low values for efficiency. The structural information that is correlated with the low electrical performance of this sample will be discussed. SHU-NJSGC Summer 2015 Fellowship.

Microstructure and elevated-temperature erosion-oxidation behaviour of aluminized 9Cr-1Mo Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huttunen-Saarivirta, E.; Honkanen, M.; Tsipas, S. A.; Omar, H.; Tsipas, D.

2012-10-01

Degradation of materials by a combination of erosive wear and atmospheric oxidation at elevated temperatures constitutes a problem in some power generation processes, such as fluidized-bed combustion. In this work, 9Cr-1Mo steel, a common tube material in combustion chambers, is coated by a pack cementation method from an Al-containing pack in order to improve the resistance to erosion-oxidation at elevated temperatures. The resulting coating is studied in terms of microstructure and microhardness and tested for its resistance against impacts by sand particles in air at temperatures of 550-700 °C under several conditions, with thickness changes and appearance of the exposed surfaces being studied. The coating was found to contain several phases and layers, the outermost of which was essentially Al-rich and contained e.g., small AlN precipitates. The microhardness values for such coating ranged from 950 to 1100 HV20g. The coating provided the substrate with increased protection particularly against normal particle impacts, as manifested by smaller thickness losses for coated specimens as compared to uncoated counterparts. However, much of the coating was lost under all test conditions, despite the fact that particle debris formed a homogeneous layer on the surface. These results are described and discussed in this paper.

Multilayer Thin Film Polarizer Design for Far Ultraviolet using Induced Transmission and Absorption Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Jongmin; Zukic, Muamer; Wilson, Michele M.; Park, Jung Ho; Torr, Douglas G.

1994-01-01

Good theoretical designs of far ultraviolet polarizers have been reported using a MgF2/Al/MgF2 three layer structure on a thick Al layer as a substrate. The thicknesses were determined to induce transmission and absorption of p-polarized light. In these designs Al optical constants were used from films produced in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV: 10(exp -10) torr). Reflectance values for polarizers fabricated in a conventional high vacuum (p approx. 10(exp -6 torr)) using the UHV design parameters differed dramatically from the design predictions. Al is a highly reactive material and is oxidized even in a high vacuum chamber. In order to solve the problem other metals have been studied. It is found that a larger reflectance difference is closely related to higher amplitude and larger phase difference of Fresnel reflection coefficients between two polarizations at the boundary of MgF2/metal. It is also found that for one material a larger angle of incidence from the surface normal brings larger amplitude and phase difference. Be and Mo are found good materials to replace Al. Polarizers designed for 121.6 nm with Be at 60 deg and with Mo at 70 deg are shown as examples.

Molybdenum oxide and molybdenum oxide-nitride back contacts for CdTe solar cells

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

Drayton, Jennifer A., E-mail: drjadrayton@yahoo.com; Geisthardt, Russell M., E-mail: Russell.Geisthardt@gmail.com; Sites, James R., E-mail: james.sites@colostate.edu

2015-07-15

Molybdenum oxide (MoO{sub x}) and molybdenum oxynitride (MoON) thin film back contacts were formed by a unique ion-beam sputtering and ion-beam-assisted deposition process onto CdTe solar cells and compared to back contacts made using carbon–nickel (C/Ni) paint. Glancing-incidence x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show that partially crystalline MoO{sub x} films are created with a mixture of Mo, MoO{sub 2}, and MoO{sub 3} components. Lower crystallinity content is observed in the MoON films, with an additional component of molybdenum nitride present. Three different film thicknesses of MoO{sub x} and MoON were investigated that were capped in situ in Ni.more » Small area devices were delineated and characterized using current–voltage (J-V), capacitance–frequency, capacitance–voltage, electroluminescence, and light beam-induced current techniques. In addition, J-V data measured as a function of temperature (JVT) were used to estimate back barrier heights for each thickness of MoO{sub x} and MoON and for the C/Ni paint. Characterization prior to stressing indicated the devices were similar in performance. Characterization after stress testing indicated little change to cells with 120 and 180-nm thick MoO{sub x} and MoON films. However, moderate-to-large cell degradation was observed for 60-nm thick MoO{sub x} and MoON films and for C/Ni painted back contacts.« less

Insertion of Ag atoms into layered MoO{sub 3} via a template route

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

Shao, Ke, E-mail: shaoke@szu.edu.cn; Wang, Hao

2012-11-15

Graphical abstract: PVP–Ag{sup +} complex self-assembled with inorganic (Mo{sub x}O{sub y}){sub ∞}{sup n−} chains into a layered hybrid, in which the PVP–Ag complex was intercalated between the (Mo{sub x}O{sub y}){sub ∞}{sup n−} layers. Calcinations of this hybrid at 500 °C lead to formation of Ag/MoO{sub 3} nanohybrid. By this method we have successfully inserted Ag atoms into the semiconductor MoO{sub 3} lattice. Display Omitted Highlights: ► We fabricated a PVP–Ag/polyoxomolybdate layered hybrid via in situ self-assembly. ► The PVP–Ag complex has been inserted between the molybdenum oxide layers. ► This layered hybrid transformed into Ag/MoO{sub 3} nanocomposite after calcinations. ►more » HR-TEM images show that Ag atoms of about 1 nm have been inserted in the MoO{sub 3} layers. -- Abstract: We report insertion of Ag atoms into layered MoO{sub 3} via an in situ template route. PVP–Ag{sup +} complex self-assembled with inorganic (Mo{sub x}O{sub y}){sub ∞}{sup n−} chains into a layered hybrid, in which the PVP–Ag complex was intercalated between the (Mo{sub x}O{sub y}){sub ∞}{sup n−} layers. Calcinations of this hybrid at 500 °C lead to formation of Ag/MoO{sub 3} hybrid, in which Ag nanoparticles of about 1 nm have been inserted between the MoO{sub 3} layers. By this method pillared MoO{sub 3} has been obtained very easily. We believe that this research opens new routes to fabricate novel intercalation compounds and metal/semiconductor nanohybrids via an efficient and green route.« less

Fabrication and optical nonlinearities of composite films derived from the water-soluble Keplerate-type polyoxometalate and chloroform-soluble porphyrin.

PubMed

Shi, Zonghai; Zhou, Yunshan; Zhang, Lijuan; Yang, Di; Mu, Cuncun; Ren, Haizhou; Shehzad, Farooq Khurum; Li, Jiaqi

2015-03-07

Composite films derived from the water-soluble Keplerate-type polyoxometalate (NH4)42[Mo132O372(CH3COO)30(H2O)72]·ca. 300H2O·ca. 10CH3COONH4 (denoted (NH4)42{Mo132}) and chloroform-soluble tetraphenylporphyrin perchlorate [H2TPP](ClO4)2 are successfully fabricated by a layer-by-layer self-assembly method and characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The structure of the {Mo132} and [H2TPP](2+) in the films remain intact in light of the results of UV-vis spectroscopy and XPS. UV-vis spectra measurements reveal that the amounts of deposition of {Mo132} and [H2TPP](2+) remain constant in every adsorption cycle in the composite films assembly process. Nonlinear optical properties of the composite films have been investigated by using the Z-scan technique at a wavelength of 532 nm and pulse width of 7 ns. The results show that the composite films have notable nonlinear saturated absorption and self-defocusing effects. The combination of {Mo132} with [H2TPP](2+) can result in composite films with remarkably enhanced optical nonlinearities. The interfacial charge transfer induced by laser from porphyrin to POM in the films is thought to play a key role in the enhancement of NLO response. The third-order NLO susceptibility χ((3)) of the composite films increases with the increase of film thickness.

Effects of Metallic Nanoparticles on Interfacial Intermetallic Compounds in Tin-Based Solders for Microelectronic Packaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haseeb, A. S. M. A.; Arafat, M. M.; Tay, S. L.; Leong, Y. M.

2017-10-01

Tin (Sn)-based solders have established themselves as the main alternative to the traditional lead (Pb)-based solders in many applications. However, the reliability of the Sn-based solders continues to be a concern. In order to make Sn-based solders microstructurally more stable and hence more reliable, researchers are showing great interest in investigating the effects of the incorporation of different nanoparticles into them. This paper gives an overview of the influence of metallic nanoparticles on the characteristics of interfacial intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in Sn-based solder joints on copper substrates during reflow and thermal aging. Nanocomposite solders were prepared by mechanically blending nanoparticles of nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), manganese (Mn) and titanium (Ti) with Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu and Sn-3.5Ag solder pastes. The composite solders were then reflowed and their wetting characteristics and interfacial microstructural evolution were investigated. Through the paste mixing route, Ni, Co, Zn and Mo nanoparticles alter the morphology and thickness of the IMCs in beneficial ways for the performance of solder joints. The thickness of Cu3Sn IMC is decreased with the addition of Ni, Co and Zn nanoparticles. The thickness of total IMC layer is decreased with the addition of Zn and Mo nanoparticles in the solder. The metallic nanoparticles can be divided into two groups. Ni, Co, and Zn nanoparticles undergo reactive dissolution during solder reflow, causing in situ alloying and therefore offering an alternative route of alloy additions to solders. Mo nanoparticles remain intact during reflow and impart their influence as discrete particles. Mechanisms of interactions between different types of metallic nanoparticles and solder are discussed.

Effects of temperature and surface contamination on D retention in ultrathin Li films on TZM

DOE PAGES

Capece, A. M.; Roszell, J. P.; Skinner, C. H.; ...

2014-10-29

Here in this work, we investigate deuterium retention at the Mo-Li interface by studying thin Li films three monolayers thick on a TZM Mo alloy. Li films at temperatures between 315 and 460 K were exposed to a deuterium ion beam and D retention was measured using temperature programmed desorption. In the absence of oxygen, D is retained as LiD, and the relative amount of retained D decreases with increasing substrate temperature. In three-monolayer thick lithium oxide films, the amount of D retained was 2.5 times higher than the amount retained as LiD in the metallic Li film. However, oxygenmore » reduces the thermal stability of D in the film, causing D 2O and D 2 to be released from the surface at temperatures 150-200 K below the LiD decomposition temperature. These results highlight the importance of maintaining a metallic Li layer for high D retention in Li films on TZM at elevated temperatures.« less

Effects of temperature and surface contamination on D retention in ultrathin Li films on TZM

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

Capece, A. M.; Roszell, J. P.; Skinner, C. H.

Here in this work, we investigate deuterium retention at the Mo-Li interface by studying thin Li films three monolayers thick on a TZM Mo alloy. Li films at temperatures between 315 and 460 K were exposed to a deuterium ion beam and D retention was measured using temperature programmed desorption. In the absence of oxygen, D is retained as LiD, and the relative amount of retained D decreases with increasing substrate temperature. In three-monolayer thick lithium oxide films, the amount of D retained was 2.5 times higher than the amount retained as LiD in the metallic Li film. However, oxygenmore » reduces the thermal stability of D in the film, causing D 2O and D 2 to be released from the surface at temperatures 150-200 K below the LiD decomposition temperature. These results highlight the importance of maintaining a metallic Li layer for high D retention in Li films on TZM at elevated temperatures.« less

Mean glandular dose coefficients (D(g)N) for x-ray spectra used in contemporary breast imaging systems.

PubMed

Nosratieh, Anita; Hernandez, Andrew; Shen, Sam Z; Yaffe, Martin J; Seibert, J Anthony; Boone, John M

2015-09-21

To develop tables of normalized glandular dose coefficients D(g)N for a range of anode-filter combinations and tube voltages used in contemporary breast imaging systems. Previously published mono-energetic D(g)N values were used with various spectra to mathematically compute D(g)N coefficients. The tungsten anode spectra from TASMICS were used; molybdenum and rhodium anode-spectra were generated using MCNPX Monte Carlo code. The spectra were filtered with various thicknesses of Al, Rh, Mo or Cu. An initial half value layer (HVL) calculation was made using the anode and filter material. A range of the HVL values was produced with the addition of small thicknesses of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as a surrogate for the breast compression paddle, to produce a range of HVL values at each tube voltage. Using a spectral weighting method, D(g)N coefficients for the generated spectra were calculated for breast glandular densities of 0%, 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, 50% and 100% for a range of compressed breast thicknesses from 3 to 8 cm. Eleven tables of normalized glandular dose (D(g)N) coefficients were produced for the following anode/filter combinations: W + 50 μm Ag, W + 500 μm Al, W + 700 μm Al, W + 200 μm Cu, W + 300 μm Cu, W + 50 μm Rh, Mo + 400 μm Cu, Mo + 30 μm Mo, Mo + 25 μm Rh, Rh + 400 μm Cu and Rh + 25 μm Rh. Where possible, these results were compared to previously published D(g)N values and were found to be on average less than 2% different than previously reported values.Over 200 pages of D(g)N coefficients were computed for modeled x-ray system spectra that are used in a number of new breast imaging applications. The reported values were found to be in excellent agreement when compared to published values.

Wear behaviour of wear-resistant adaptive nano-multilayered Ti-Al-Mo-N coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergevnin, V. S.; Blinkov, I. V.; Volkhonskii, A. O.; Belov, D. S.; Kuznetsov, D. V.; Gorshenkov, M. V.; Skryleva, E. A.

2016-12-01

Coating samples in the Ti-Al-Mo-N system were obtained by arc-PVD method at variable bias voltage Ub applied to the substrate, and the partial pressure of nitrogen P(N2) used as a reaction gas. The deposited coatings were characterized by a nanocrystalline structure with an average grain size of 30-40 nm and multilayered architecture with alternating layers of (Ti,Al)N nitride and Mo-containing phases with a thickness comparable to the grain size. Coatings of (Ti,Al)N-Mo-Mo2N and (Ti,Al)N-Mo2N compositions were obtained by changing deposition parameters. The obtained coatings had hardness of 40 GPa and the relative plastic deformation under microindentation up to 60%. (Ti,Al)N-Mo2N coatings demonstrated better physicomechanical characteristics, showing high resistance to crack formation and destruction through the plastic deformation mechanism without brittle fracturing, unlike (Ti,Al)N-Mo-Mo2N. The friction coefficient of the study coatings (against Al2O3 balls under dry condition using a pin-on-disc method) reached the values of 0.35 and 0.5 at 20 °C and 500 °C respectively, without noticeable wear within this temperature range. These tribological properties were achieved by forming MoO3 acting as a solid lubricant. At higher temperatures the deterioration in the tribological properties is due to the high rate of MoO3 sublimation from friction surfaces.

Adhesive and tribocorrosive behavior of TiAlPtN/TiAlN/TiAl multilayers sputtered coatings over CoCrMo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canto, C. E.; Andrade, E.; Rocha, M. F.; Alemón, B.; Flores, M.

2017-09-01

The tribocorrosion resistance and adherence of multilayer coatings of TiAlPtN/TiAlN/TiAl synthesized by PVD reactive magnetron sputtering over a CoCrMo alloy substrate in 10 periods of 30 min each were analyzed and compared to those of the substrate alone and to that of a TiAlPtN single layer coating of the same thickness. The objective of the present work was to create multilayers with different amounts of Pt in order to enhance the tribocorrosion resistance of a biomedical alloy of CoCrMo. Tribocorrosion tests were performed using Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) at typical body temperature with a tribometer in a pin on disk test. The elemental composition and thickness of the coating which behave better at the tribocorrosion tests were evaluated by means of RBS (Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy) IBA (Ion Beam Analysis) technique, using an alpha particles beam of 1.8 MeV, before and after the reciprocating motion in the tribocorrosion test. In order to simulate the elemental profile of the samples, the SIMNRA simulation computer code was used. Measurements of the adhesion of the coatings to the substrate were carried on by means of a scratch test using a tribometer. By taking micrographs of the produced tracks, the critical loads at which the coatings are fully separated from the substrate were determined. From these tests it was observed that a coating with 10 min of TiAlPtN in a TiAlPtN/TiAl period of 30 min in multilayers of 10 periods and with an average thickness of 145 nm for the TiAlPtN nanolayers had the best tribocorrosion resistance behavior, compared to that of the CoCrMo alloy. The RBS experiments showed a reduction of the thickness of the films along with some loss of the multilayer structure after the reciprocating motion. The adhesion tests indicated that the multilayer with the average TiAlPtN thickness of 145 nm displayed the highest critical load. These results indicate a high correlation between the adherence and the tribocorrosion behavior.

Few-layer MoS2-anchored graphene aerogel paper for free-standing electrode materials.

PubMed

Lee, Wee Siang Vincent; Peng, Erwin; Loh, Tamie Ai Jia; Huang, Xiaolei; Xue, Jun Min

2016-04-21

To reduce the reliance on polymeric binders, conductive additives, and metallic current collectors during the electrode preparation process, as well as to assess the true performance of lithium ion battery (LIB) anodes, a free-standing electrode has to be meticulously designed. Graphene aerogel is a popular scaffolding material that has been widely used with embedded nanoparticles for application in LIB anodes. However, the current graphene aerogel/nanoparticle composite systems still involve decomposition into powder and the addition of additives during electrode preparation because of the thick aerogel structure. To further enhance the capacity of the system, MoS2 was anchored onto a graphene aerogel paper and the composite was used directly as an LIB anode. The resultant additive-free MoS2/graphene aerogel paper composite exhibited long cyclic performance with 101.1% retention after 700 cycles, which demonstrates the importance of free-standing electrodes in enhancing cyclic stability.

Thick layered semiconductor devices with water top-gates: High on-off ratio field-effect transistors and aqueous sensors.

PubMed

Huang, Yuan; Sutter, Eli; Wu, Liangmei; Xu, Hong; Bao, Lihong; Gao, Hong-Jun; Zhou, Xingjiang; Sutter, Peter

2018-06-21

Layered semiconductors show promise as channel materials for field-effect transistors (FETs). Usually, such devices incorporate solid back or top gate dielectrics. Here, we explore de-ionized (DI) water as a solution top gate for field-effect switching of layered semiconductors including SnS2, MoS2, and black phosphorus. The DI water gate is easily fabricated, can sustain rapid bias changes, and its efficient coupling to layered materials provides high on-off current ratios, near-ideal sub-threshold swing, and enhanced short-channel behavior even for FETs with thick, bulk-like channels where such control is difficult to realize with conventional back-gating. Screening by the high-k solution gate eliminates hysteresis due to surface and interface trap states and substantially enhances the field-effect mobility. The onset of water electrolysis sets the ultimate limit to DI water gating at large negative gate bias. Measurements in this regime show promise for aqueous sensing, demonstrated here by the amperometric detection of glucose in aqueous solution. DI water gating of layered semiconductors can be harnessed in research on novel materials and devices, and it may with further development find broad applications in microelectronics and sensing.

Choosing a therapy electron accelerator target.

PubMed

Hutcheon, R M; Schriber, S O; Funk, L W; Sherman, N K

1979-01-01

Angular distributions of photon depth dose produced by 25-MeV electrons incident on several fully stopping single-element targets (C, Al, Cu, Mo, Ta, Pb) and two composite layered targets (Ni-Al, W-Al) were studied. Depth-dose curves measured using TLD-700 (thermoluminescent dosimeter) chips embedded in lucite phantoms. Several useful therapy electron accelerator design curves were determined, including relative flattener thickness as a function of target atomic number, "effective" bremsstrahlung endpoint energy or beam "hardness" as a function of target atomic number and photon emission angle, and estimates of shielding thickness as a function of angle required to reduce the radiation outside the treatment cone to required levels.

Tunneling Spectroscopy of MoN and NbxTi1-xN Thin Films Grown by Atomic Layer Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Chaoyue; Groll, Nickolas; Klug, Jeffrey; Becker, Nicholas; Altin, Serdar; Proslier, Thomas; Zasadzinski, John

2014-03-01

Tunneling I(V) and dI/dV vs. V are reported on superconducting thin films of MoN and NbxTi1-xN using a point contact method with a Au tip. The films are grown by the chemical process of atomic layer deposition (ALD) onto various substrates (Si, quartz, sapphire) held at 450 C. Resistively measured superconducting Tc values up to 12K and 13K are found for the MoN and NbxTi1-xN respectively. Artificial tunnel barriers (1-3 nm thick) of Al2O3, also grown by ALD, are shown to provide much improved tunneling characteristics compared to the native oxides. Relatively high quality gap features are observed with zero-bias conductance values as low as ~ 10% of the high bias values. Gap parameters Δ ~ 2.0meV are found for the MoN and Δ ~ 2.0-2.4 meV for the NbxTi1-xN which follow the BCS temperature dependence and close near the measured film Tc indicating bulk superconductivity at the surface. The suitability of such conformal ALD grown films for potential superconducting devices is discussed. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science under contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Materials Science and Device Physics of 2-Dimensional Semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Hui

Materials and device innovations are the keys to future technology revolution. For MOSFET scaling in particular, semiconductors with ultra-thin thickness on insulator platform is currently of great interest, due to the potential of integrating excellent channel materials with the industrially mature Si processing. Meanwhile, ultra-thin thickness also induces strong quantum confinement which in turn affect most of the material properties of these 2-dimensional (2-D) semiconductors, providing unprecedented opportunities for emerging technologies. In this thesis, multiple novel 2-D material systems are explored. Chapter one introduces the present challenges faced by MOSFET scaling. Chapter two covers the integration of ultrathin III V membranes with Si. Free standing ultrathin III-V is studied to enable high performance III-V on Si MOSFETs with strain engineering and alloying. Chapter three studies the light absorption in 2-D membranes. Experimental results and theoretical analysis reveal that light absorption in the 2-D quantum membranes is quantized into a fundamental physical constant, where we call it the quantum unit of light absorption, irrelevant of most of the material dependent parameters. Chapter four starts to focus on another 2-D system, atomic thin layered chalcogenides. Single and few layered chalcogenides are first explored as channel materials, with focuses in engineering the contacts for high performance MOSFETs. Contact treatment by molecular doping methods reveals that many layered chalcogenides other than MoS2 exhibit good transport properties at single layer limit. Finally, Chapter five investigated 2-D van der Waals heterostructures built from different single layer chalcogenides. The investigation in a WSe2/MoS2 hetero-bilayer shows a large Stokes like shift between photoluminescence peak and lowest absorption peak, as well as strong photoluminescence intensity, consistent with spatially indirect transition in a type II band alignment in this van der Waals heterostructure. This result enables new family of semiconductor heterostructures having tunable optoelectronic properties with customized composite layers and highlights the ability to build van der Waals semiconductor heterostructure lasers/LEDs.

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

Scheuermann, J; Howansky, A; Goldan, A

Purpose: We present the first active matrix flat panel imager (AMFPI) capable of producing x-ray quantum noise limited images at low doses by overcoming the electronic noise through signal amplification by photoconductive avalanche gain (gav). The indirect detector fabricated uses an optical sensing layer of amorphous selenium (a-Se) known as High-Gain Avalanche Rushing Photoconductor (HARP). The detector design is called Scintillator HARP (SHARP)-AMFPI. This is the first image sensor to utilize solid-state HARP technology. Methods: The detector’s electronic readout is a 24 × 30 cm{sup 2} array of thin film transistors (TFT) with a pixel pitch of 85 µm. Themore » HARP structure consists of a 15 µm layer of a-Se isolated from the high voltage (HV) and signal electrode by a 2 µm thick hole blocking layer and electron blocking layer, respectively, to reduce dark current. A 150 µm thick structured CsI scintillator with reflective backing and a fiber optic faceplate (FOP) was coupled to the semi-transparent HV bias electrode of the HARP structure. Images were acquired using a 30 kVp Mo/Mo spectrum typically used in mammography. Results: Optical sensitivity measurements demonstrate that gav = 76 ± 5 can be achieved over the entire active area of the detector. At a constant dose to the detector of 6.67 µGy, image quality increases with gav until the effective electronic noise is negligible. Quantum noise limited images can be obtained with doses as low as 0.18 µGy. Conclusion: We demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing avalanche gain to overcome electronic noise. The indirect detector fabricated is the first solid-state imaging sensor to use HARP, and the largest active area HARP sensor to date. Our future work is to improve charge transport within the HARP structure and utilize a transparent HV electrode.« less

Optical Properties of Nanoscale Bismuth Selenide and Its Heterocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargas, Anthony

Over the past 12 years since the groundbreaking work on graphene, the field of 2D layered materials has grown by leaps and bounds as more materials are theoretically predicted and experimentically verified. These materials and their unique electronic, optical, and mechanical properties have inspired the scientific community to explore and investigate novel, fundamental physical phenomena as well create and refine technological devices which leverage the host of unique benefits which these materials possess. In the past few years, this burgeoning field has heavily moved towards combining layers of various materials into novel heterostructures. These heterostructures are an exciting area of research because of the plethora of exciting possibilities and results which arise due to the large number of heterostructure combinations and configurations. Particularly, the research into the optical properties of these layered materials and their heterostructures under confinement provides another exciting avenue for developing optoelectric devices. In this dissertation, I present work on the synthesis of Bi2Se 3 nanostructures via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the study of the optical properties of these nanostructures and their heterostructures with MoS2. The bulk of the current published work on Bi2Se 3 has focused on the exotic topological properties of its surface states, both interesting fundamental physics purposes as well as for studying avenues for spintronics. In contrast, the work presented here focuses on studying the optical properties of Bi2Se3 nanostructures and how these properties evolve when subjected to confinement. Specifically, the absorbance of singlecrystal Bi2Se3 with sizes tailored down to a few nanometers in diameter and a few quintuple layers (QLs) in thickness. We find a dramatically large bandgap, Eg ≥ 2.5 eV, in the smallest particles which is much higher than that seen in 1QL measurements taken with ARPES. Additionally, utilizing photoluminescence (PL) measurements of CVD-grown Bi 2Se3 nanoplates with few QL thickness and effective diameters in the tens of nanometers, Bi2Se3 nanoplatelets show a strong PL response with photon energies, Eph, in the ˜2.1-2.3 eV region. Annealing of these samples at 200?C for 4 hours increases the PL intensity by a factor of 2.4 to 3 for nanoscale Bi2Se3. Furthermore, this work investigates the synthesis of the novel Bi2Se3-MoS 2 heterocrystal that arises from epitaxial growth of Bi2Se 3 on MoS2 substrates. These heterocrystals consist of n layers of Bi2Se3 perfectly rotationally-aligned epitaxially with the monolayer MoS2 substrate. Investigation into these heterocystals produced results which include 100% PL-suppression of the MoS2 PL response, precisely tunable band-gap ranging from 1.1eV ? 0.75 eV, and a spectacular wide-band enhancement of photo-absorption over nearly the entire solar spectral wavelengths. Finally, a simple laser-treatment appears to dramatically reverse these changes, attributed to breakdown of the rotational congruency between the MoS2 and Bi2Se3 layers. These heterocrystals have immense potentials for novel physics and applications in nanoelectronics, optoelectronics and energy sciences at the atomically-thin scale.

In-situ stress measurement of single and multilayer thin-films used in x-ray astronomy optics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broadway, David M.; Ramsey, Brian D.; O'Dell, Stephen L.; Gurgew, Danielle

2017-09-01

We present in-situ stress measurement results for single and multilayer thin-films deposited by magnetron sputtering. In particular, we report on the influence of the material interfaces on the ensuing stress in both the transient and steady-state regimes of film growth. This behavior is used to determine the appropriate thicknesses of the constituent layers that will result in a net tensile stress in multilayers composed of various material combinations. These multilayers can then be used to compensate the compressive integrated stress in single and multilayer EUV and x-ray optical coatings. The use of multilayers to compensate the integrated stress might be advantageous because, unlike single layers of chromium, the roughness is not expected to increase with the total thickness of the multilayer. In this paper, we demonstrate the technique for W/Si and Mo/Si multilayers and discuss its application to other material combinations.

Recent progress on the scalable fabrication of hybrid polymer/SiO2 nanophotonic cavity arrays with an encapsulated MoS2 film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammer, Sebastian; Mangold, Hans-Moritz; Nguyen, Ariana E.; Martinez-Ta, Dominic; Naghibi Alvillar, Sahar; Bartels, Ludwig; Krenner, Hubert J.

2018-02-01

We review1 the fully-scalable fabrication of a large array of hybrid molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) - silicon dioxide (SiO2) one-dimensional (1D), freestanding photonic-crystal cavities (PCCs) capable of enhancement of the MoS2 photoluminescence (PL) at the narrow cavity resonance. As demonstrated in our prior work [S. Hammer et al., Sci. Rep. 7, 7251 (2017)]1, geometric mode tuning over the wide spectral range of MoS2 PL can be achieved by changing the PC period. In this contribution, we provide a step-by-step description of the fabrication process and give additional detailed information on the degradation of MoS2 by XeF2 vapor. We avoid potential damage of the MoS2 monolayer during the crucial XeF2 etch by refraining from stripping the electron beam (e-beam) resist after dry etching of the photonic crystal pattern. The remaining resist on top of the samples encapsulates and protects the MoS2 film during the entire fabrication process. Albeit the thickness of the remaining resists strongly depends on the fabrication process, the resulting encapsulation of the MoS2 layer improves the confinement to the optical modes and gives rise to a potential enhancement of the light-matter interaction.

Synthesis and Characterization of Transition Metal Oxides and Dichalcogenides and Their Application in Organic Photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendez, Diego Barrera

This Ph.D. research focused on the development of new materials for alternative renewable energy using organic photovoltaics (OPVs). The first step was to established reliable fabrication and characterization methods of organic photovoltaic devices. The reproducibility of organic photovoltaic cell performance is one of the essential issues that must be achieved before engaging serious investigations of the applications of creative and challenging ideas. Secondly, we thoroughly studied the surface chemistry of the underlying layer and its critical role on the morphology of the BHJ active layer. We showed that when the active layer (which consists of blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C60-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)) is deposited and annealed over a sol-gel ZnO electron transport layer surface made from monoethanolamine (MEA) containing precursor, PCBM clusters form during annealing and this phase segregation leads to a drastic reduction of OPV parameters due to both low charge generation and high bimolecular recombination. Rinsing the pyrolyzed ZnO films with solvents or using a ZnO recipe without MEA significantly reduced the formation of PCBM clusters and produced devices with good performance. Third, we developed new materials suitable for low-temperature processing and large-area deposition methods to be used as transport layer on OPVs. We achieved the synthesis of MoOx suspensions suitable for large area deposition, with controlled size, stoichiometry, and electronic properties using controlled oxidative dissolution of organometallic powders with H2O2 in n-butanol. The small nanoparticle diameters of ˜ 2 nm enabled solution processing of nanoparticle films on ITO with electronic properties comparable to solution processed and vacuum deposited counterparts, without the need for any post processing. We also accomplished the synthesis of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) directly from precursors in solution using a versatile synthesis method. We demonstrate the ability to synthesize few-layer (˜ 2 nm) MoS2 , MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2 flakes with relatively large lateral sizes (> 2 mum) using a solvothermal method. We demonstrate that the reducing agent, 1,2-hexadecanediol is critical to ensure TMD formation and eliminate corresponding metal oxide. TEM, Raman, PESA, and Kelvin Probe measurements confirmed that all TMDs are p-type, highly crystalline, exhibit 2H phase and present hexagonal crystalline structure. In addition, thickness for all TMDs was consistent with a few-layer flakes. Finally, we studied the use of films spray casted from liquid-exfoliated MoS2 suspensions as hole transport layer for OPVs. Electrical measurements on the devices showed that FF achieved using MoS2 is identical to that using spin-coated polymeric reference material. Calculations showed that the lower Jsc observed in MoS2 devices is explained by reduced light absorption in the active layer region due to less back-reflected light in MoS2 devices. With all these results we have contributed to enable a route towards low-cost OPV and other electronics fabrication.

Synthesis of Epitaxial Single-Layer MoS2 on Au(111).

PubMed

Grønborg, Signe S; Ulstrup, Søren; Bianchi, Marco; Dendzik, Maciej; Sanders, Charlotte E; Lauritsen, Jeppe V; Hofmann, Philip; Miwa, Jill A

2015-09-08

We present a method for synthesizing large area epitaxial single-layer MoS2 on the Au(111) surface in ultrahigh vacuum. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction, the evolution of the growth is followed from nanoscale single-layer MoS2 islands to a continuous MoS2 layer. An exceptionally good control over the MoS2 coverage is maintained using an approach based on cycles of Mo evaporation and sulfurization to first nucleate the MoS2 nanoislands and then gradually increase their size. During this growth process the native herringbone reconstruction of Au(111) is lifted as shown by low energy electron diffraction measurements. Within the MoS2 islands, we identify domains rotated by 60° that lead to atomically sharp line defects at domain boundaries. As the MoS2 coverage approaches the limit of a complete single layer, the formation of bilayer MoS2 islands is initiated. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements of both single and bilayer MoS2 samples show a dramatic change in their band structure around the center of the Brillouin zone. Brief exposure to air after removing the MoS2 layer from vacuum is not found to affect its quality.

Distinct Optoelectronic Signatures for Charge Transfer and Energy Transfer in Quantum Dot-MoS 2 Hybrid Photodetectors Revealed by Photocurrent Imaging Microscopy

DOE PAGES

Li, Mingxing; Chen, Jia-Shiang; Routh, Prahlad K.; ...

2018-05-17

Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have intriguing nanoscale properties like high charge mobility, photosensitivity, layer-thickness-dependent bandgap, and mechanical flexibility, which are all appealing for the development of next generation optoelectronic, catalytic, and sensory devices. Their atomically thin thickness, however, renders TMDCs poor absorptivity. For this study, bilayer MoS 2 is combined with core-only CdSe QDs and core/shell CdSe/ZnS QDs to obtain hybrids with increased light harvesting and exhibiting interfacial charge transfer (CT) and nonradiative energy transfer (NET), respectively. Field-effect transistors based on these hybrids and their responses to varying laser power and applied gate voltage are investigated with scanningmore » photocurrent microscopy (SPCM) in view of their potential utilization in light harvesting and photodetector applications. CdSe–MoS 2 hybrids are found to exhibit encouraging properties for photodetectors, like high responsivity and fast on/off response under low light exposure while CdSe/ZnS–MoS 2 hybrids show enhanced charge carrier generation with increased light exposure, thus suitable for photovoltaics. While distinguishing optically between CT and NET in QD–TMDCs is nontrivial, it is found that they can be differentiated by SPCM as these two processes exhibit distinctive light-intensity dependencies: CT causes a photogating effect, decreasing the photocurrent response with increasing light power while NET increases the photocurrent response with increasing light power, opposite to CT case.« less

Distinct Optoelectronic Signatures for Charge Transfer and Energy Transfer in Quantum Dot-MoS 2 Hybrid Photodetectors Revealed by Photocurrent Imaging Microscopy

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

Li, Mingxing; Chen, Jia-Shiang; Routh, Prahlad K.

Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have intriguing nanoscale properties like high charge mobility, photosensitivity, layer-thickness-dependent bandgap, and mechanical flexibility, which are all appealing for the development of next generation optoelectronic, catalytic, and sensory devices. Their atomically thin thickness, however, renders TMDCs poor absorptivity. For this study, bilayer MoS 2 is combined with core-only CdSe QDs and core/shell CdSe/ZnS QDs to obtain hybrids with increased light harvesting and exhibiting interfacial charge transfer (CT) and nonradiative energy transfer (NET), respectively. Field-effect transistors based on these hybrids and their responses to varying laser power and applied gate voltage are investigated with scanningmore » photocurrent microscopy (SPCM) in view of their potential utilization in light harvesting and photodetector applications. CdSe–MoS 2 hybrids are found to exhibit encouraging properties for photodetectors, like high responsivity and fast on/off response under low light exposure while CdSe/ZnS–MoS 2 hybrids show enhanced charge carrier generation with increased light exposure, thus suitable for photovoltaics. While distinguishing optically between CT and NET in QD–TMDCs is nontrivial, it is found that they can be differentiated by SPCM as these two processes exhibit distinctive light-intensity dependencies: CT causes a photogating effect, decreasing the photocurrent response with increasing light power while NET increases the photocurrent response with increasing light power, opposite to CT case.« less

Patterned growth of p-type MoS 2 atomic layers using sol-gel as precursor

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

Zheng, Wei; Lin, Junhao; Feng, Wei

2D layered MoS 2 has drawn intense attention for its applications in flexible electronic, optoelectronic, and spintronic devices. Most of the MoS 2 atomic layers grown by conventional chemical vapor deposition techniques are n-type due to the abundant sulfur vacancies. Facile production of MoS 2 atomic layers with p-type behavior, however, remains challenging. Here, a novel one-step growth has been developed to attain p-type MoS 2 layers in large scale by using Mo-containing sol–gel, including 1% tungsten (W). Atomic-resolution electron microscopy characterization reveals that small tungsten oxide clusters are commonly present on the as-grown MoS 2 film due to themore » incomplete reduction of W precursor at the reaction temperature. These omnipresent small tungsten oxide clusters contribute to the p-type behavior, as verified by density functional theory calculations, while preserving the crystallinity of the MoS 2 atomic layers. The Mo containing sol–gel precursor is compatible with the soft-lithography techniques, which enables patterned growth of p-type MoS 2 atomic layers into regular arrays with different shapes, holding great promise for highly integrated device applications. Lastly, an atomically thin p–n junction is fabricated by the as-prepared MoS 2, which shows strong rectifying behavior.« less

Patterned growth of p-type MoS 2 atomic layers using sol-gel as precursor

DOE PAGES

Zheng, Wei; Lin, Junhao; Feng, Wei; ...

2016-07-19

2D layered MoS 2 has drawn intense attention for its applications in flexible electronic, optoelectronic, and spintronic devices. Most of the MoS 2 atomic layers grown by conventional chemical vapor deposition techniques are n-type due to the abundant sulfur vacancies. Facile production of MoS 2 atomic layers with p-type behavior, however, remains challenging. Here, a novel one-step growth has been developed to attain p-type MoS 2 layers in large scale by using Mo-containing sol–gel, including 1% tungsten (W). Atomic-resolution electron microscopy characterization reveals that small tungsten oxide clusters are commonly present on the as-grown MoS 2 film due to themore » incomplete reduction of W precursor at the reaction temperature. These omnipresent small tungsten oxide clusters contribute to the p-type behavior, as verified by density functional theory calculations, while preserving the crystallinity of the MoS 2 atomic layers. The Mo containing sol–gel precursor is compatible with the soft-lithography techniques, which enables patterned growth of p-type MoS 2 atomic layers into regular arrays with different shapes, holding great promise for highly integrated device applications. Lastly, an atomically thin p–n junction is fabricated by the as-prepared MoS 2, which shows strong rectifying behavior.« less

Ultrathin MoS2 Nanosheets with Superior Extreme Pressure Property as Boundary Lubricants.

PubMed

Chen, Zhe; Liu, Xiangwen; Liu, Yuhong; Gunsel, Selda; Luo, Jianbin

2015-08-07

In this paper, a new kind of oil-soluble ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets is prepared through a one-pot process. A superior extreme pressure property, which has not been attained with other nano-additives, is discovered when the nanosheets are used as lubricant additives. The as-synthesized MoS2 nanosheet is only a few atomic layers thick and tens of nanometers wide, and it is surface-modified with oleylamine so it can be well dispersed in oil or lubricant without adscititious dispersants or surfactants. By adding 1 wt% ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets, at the temperature of 120 °C, the highest load liquid paraffin can bear is tremendously improved from less than 50 N to more than 2000 N. Based on the tribological tests and analysis of the wear scar, a lubrication mechanism is proposed. It is believed that the good dispersion and the ultrathin shape of the nanosheets ensure that they can enter the contact area of the opposite sliding surfaces and act like a protective film to prevent direct contact and seizure between them. This work enriches the investigation of ultrathin MoS2 and has potential application in the mechanical industry.

Ultrathin MoS2 Nanosheets with Superior Extreme Pressure Property as Boundary Lubricants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhe; Liu, Xiangwen; Liu, Yuhong; Gunsel, Selda; Luo, Jianbin

2015-08-01

In this paper, a new kind of oil-soluble ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets is prepared through a one-pot process. A superior extreme pressure property, which has not been attained with other nano-additives, is discovered when the nanosheets are used as lubricant additives. The as-synthesized MoS2 nanosheet is only a few atomic layers thick and tens of nanometers wide, and it is surface-modified with oleylamine so it can be well dispersed in oil or lubricant without adscititious dispersants or surfactants. By adding 1 wt% ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets, at the temperature of 120 °C, the highest load liquid paraffin can bear is tremendously improved from less than 50 N to more than 2000 N. Based on the tribological tests and analysis of the wear scar, a lubrication mechanism is proposed. It is believed that the good dispersion and the ultrathin shape of the nanosheets ensure that they can enter the contact area of the opposite sliding surfaces and act like a protective film to prevent direct contact and seizure between them. This work enriches the investigation of ultrathin MoS2 and has potential application in the mechanical industry.

Ultrathin MoS2 Nanosheets with Superior Extreme Pressure Property as Boundary Lubricants

PubMed Central

Chen, Zhe; Liu, Xiangwen; Liu, Yuhong; Gunsel, Selda; Luo, Jianbin

2015-01-01

In this paper, a new kind of oil-soluble ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets is prepared through a one-pot process. A superior extreme pressure property, which has not been attained with other nano-additives, is discovered when the nanosheets are used as lubricant additives. The as-synthesized MoS2 nanosheet is only a few atomic layers thick and tens of nanometers wide, and it is surface-modified with oleylamine so it can be well dispersed in oil or lubricant without adscititious dispersants or surfactants. By adding 1 wt% ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets, at the temperature of 120 °C, the highest load liquid paraffin can bear is tremendously improved from less than 50 N to more than 2000 N. Based on the tribological tests and analysis of the wear scar, a lubrication mechanism is proposed. It is believed that the good dispersion and the ultrathin shape of the nanosheets ensure that they can enter the contact area of the opposite sliding surfaces and act like a protective film to prevent direct contact and seizure between them. This work enriches the investigation of ultrathin MoS2 and has potential application in the mechanical industry. PMID:26249536

A multi-layered active target for the study of neutron-unbound nuclides at NSCL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, Jessica; Gueye, Paul; Redpath, Thomas; MoNA Collaboration

2017-01-01

The characteristics of neutron-unbound nuclides were investigated using a multi-layered Si/Be active target designed for use with the MoNA/LISA setup at the National Superconducting Cyclotron (NSCL). The setup consists of the MoNA/LISA arrays (for neutron detection) and a superconducting sweeper magnet (for charged separation) to identify products following the decay of neutron unbound states. The segmented target consisted of three 700 mg/cm2 beryllium targets and four 0.14 mm thick 62x62 mm2 silicon detectors. As a commissioning experiment for the target the decay of two-neutron unbound 26O populated in a one-proton removal reaction from a radioactive 27F beam was performed. The 27F secondary radioactive beam from the NSCL's Coupled Cyclotron Facility was produced from the fragmentation of a 140 MeV/u 48Ca beam incident on a thick beryllium target and then cleanly selected by the A1900 fragment separator. The energy loss and position spectra of the incoming beam and reaction products were used to calibrate the Silicon detectors to within 1.5% in both energy and position. A dedicated Geant4 model of the target was developed to simulate the energy loss within the target. A description of the experimental setup, simulation work, and energy and position calibration will be presented. DoE/NNSA - DE-NA0000979.

Tuning Carrier Tunneling in van der Waals Heterostructures for Ultrahigh Detectivity.

PubMed

Vu, Quoc An; Lee, Jin Hee; Nguyen, Van Luan; Shin, Yong Seon; Lim, Seong Chu; Lee, Kiyoung; Heo, Jinseong; Park, Seongjun; Kim, Kunnyun; Lee, Young Hee; Yu, Woo Jong

2017-01-11

Semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are promising materials for photodetection over a wide range of visible wavelengths. Photodetection is generally realized via a phototransistor, photoconductor, p-n junction photovoltaic device, and thermoelectric device. The photodetectivity, which is a primary parameter in photodetector design, is often limited by either low photoresponsivity or a high dark current in TMDs materials. Here, we demonstrated a highly sensitive photodetector with a MoS 2 /h-BN/graphene heterostructure, by inserting a h-BN insulating layer between graphene electrode and MoS 2 photoabsorber, the dark-carriers were highly suppressed by the large electron barrier (2.7 eV) at the graphene/h-BN junction while the photocarriers were effectively tunneled through small hole barrier (1.2 eV) at the MoS 2 /h-BN junction. With both high photocurrent/dark current ratio (>10 5 ) and high photoresponsivity (180 AW -1 ), ultrahigh photodetectivity of 2.6 × 10 13 Jones was obtained at 7 nm thick h-BN, about 100-1000 times higher than that of previously reported MoS 2 -based devices.

Process in manufacturing high efficiency AlGaAs/GaAs solar cells by MO-CVD

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeh, Y. C. M.; Chang, K. I.; Tandon, J.

1984-01-01

Manufacturing technology for mass producing high efficiency GaAs solar cells is discussed. A progress using a high throughput MO-CVD reactor to produce high efficiency GaAs solar cells is discussed. Thickness and doping concentration uniformity of metal oxide chemical vapor deposition (MO-CVD) GaAs and AlGaAs layer growth are discussed. In addition, new tooling designs are given which increase the throughput of solar cell processing. To date, 2cm x 2cm AlGaAs/GaAs solar cells with efficiency up to 16.5% were produced. In order to meet throughput goals for mass producing GaAs solar cells, a large MO-CVD system (Cambridge Instrument Model MR-200) with a susceptor which was initially capable of processing 20 wafers (up to 75 mm diameter) during a single growth run was installed. In the MR-200, the sequencing of the gases and the heating power are controlled by a microprocessor-based programmable control console. Hence, operator errors can be reduced, leading to a more reproducible production sequence.

Effects of Various Passivation Layers on Electrical Properties of Multilayer MoS₂ Transistors.

PubMed

Ma, Jiyeon; Yoo, Geonwook

2018-09-01

So far many of research on transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are based on a bottomgate device structure due to difficulty with depositing a dielectric film on top of TMDs channel layer. In this work, we study different effects of various passivation layers on electrical properties of multilayer MoS2 transistors: spin-coated CYTOP, SU-8, and thermal evaporated MoOX. The SU-8 passivation layer alters device performance least significantly, and MoOX induces positive threshold voltage shift of ~8.0 V due to charge depletion at the interface, and the device with CYTOP layer exhibits decreased field-effect mobility by ~50% due to electric dipole field effect of C-F bonds in the end groups. Our results imply that electrical properties of the multilayer MoS2 transistors can be modulated using a passivation layer, and therefore a proper passivation layer should be considered for MoS2 device structures.

Frictional and morphological properties of Au-MoS2 films sputtered from a compact target

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.

1984-01-01

AuMoS2 films 0.02 to 1.2 microns thick were sputtered from target compacted from 5 wt % Au + 95 wt % MoS2, to investigate the frictional and morphological film growth characteristics. The gold dispersion effects in MoS2 films are of interest to increase the densitification and strengthening of the film structure. Three microstructural growth stages were identified on the nano-micro-macrostructural level. During sliding both sputtered Au-MoS2 and MoS2 films have a tendency to break within the columner region. The remaining or effective film, about 0.2 microns thick, performs the lubrication. The Au-MoS2 films displayed a lower friction coefficient with a high degree of frictional stability and less wear debris generation as compared to pure MoS2 films. The more favorable frictional characteristics of the Au-MoS2 films are attributed to the effective film thickness and the high density packed columner zone which has a reduced effect on the fragmentation of the tapered crystallites during fracture.

Sensitivity Enhancement of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides/Silicon Nanostructure-based Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor

PubMed Central

Ouyang, Qingling; Zeng, Shuwen; Jiang, Li; Hong, Liying; Xu, Gaixia; Dinh, Xuan-Quyen; Qian, Jun; He, Sailing; Qu, Junle; Coquet, Philippe; Yong, Ken-Tye

2016-01-01

In this work, we designed a sensitivity-enhanced surface plasmon resonance biosensor structure based on silicon nanosheet and two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. This configuration contains six components: SF10 triangular prism, gold thin film, silicon nanosheet, two-dimensional MoS2/MoSe2/WS2/WSe2 (defined as MX2) layers, biomolecular analyte layer and sensing medium. The minimum reflectivity, sensitivity as well as the Full Width at Half Maximum of SPR curve are systematically examined by using Fresnel equations and the transfer matrix method in the visible and near infrared wavelength range (600 nm to 1024 nm). The variation of the minimum reflectivity and the change in resonance angle as the function of the number of MX2 layers are presented respectively. The results show that silicon nanosheet and MX2 layers can be served as effective light absorption medium. Under resonance conditions, the electrons in these additional dielectric layers can be transferred to the surface of gold thin film. All silicon-MX2 enhanced sensing models show much better performance than that of the conventional sensing scheme where pure Au thin film is used, the highest sensitivity can be achieved by employing 600 nm excitation light wavelength with 35 nm gold thin film and 7 nm thickness silicon nanosheet coated with monolayer WS2. PMID:27305974

Drastic reduction of adsorption of CO and H2 on (111)-type Pd layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poppa, H.; Soria, F.

1983-01-01

Clean surfaces of (111)-type Pd layers, grown from the vapor phase on Mo(110) at room temperature, were used to study the adsorption of CO and H2 by temperature-programmed desorption, Auger electron spectroscopy, and low-energy electron diffraction. Mild annealing of the as-grown layers during a single desorption cycle (to about 600 K) drastically reduces the adsorption for both adsorbates. Low-dose argon-ion bombardment introduces surface imperfections which restore a high adsorption probability. The results are interpreted in terms of particular (111)-type surface structures that persist tp layer thicknesses of about four monolayers; the results raise questions with respect to the surface structure of supported thin epitaxial islands and particles of Pd and possibly also with respect to conventional methods of preparing bulk surfaces of Pd for adsorption studies.

Atomically Thin-Layered Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) for Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells.

PubMed

Singh, Eric; Kim, Ki Seok; Yeom, Geun Young; Nalwa, Hari Singh

2017-02-01

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are becoming significant because of their interesting semiconducting and photonic properties. In particular, TMDs such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), molybdenum diselenide (MoSe 2 ), tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ), tungsten diselenide (WSe 2 ), titanium disulfide (TiS 2 ), tantalum sulfide (TaS 2 ), and niobium selenide (NbSe 2 ) are increasingly attracting attention for their applications in solar cell devices. In this review, we give a brief introduction to TMDs with a focus on MoS 2 ; and thereafter, emphasize the role of atomically thin MoS 2 layers in fabricating solar cell devices, including bulk-heterojunction, organic, and perovskites-based solar cells. Layered MoS 2 has been used as the hole-transport layer (HTL), electron-transport layer (ETL), interfacial layer, and protective layer in fabricating heterojunction solar cells. The trilayer graphene/MoS 2 /n-Si solar cell devices exhibit a power-conversion efficiency of 11.1%. The effects of plasma and chemical doping on the photovoltaic performance of MoS 2 solar cells have been analyzed. After doping and electrical gating, a power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.03% has been observed for the MoS 2 /h-BN/GaAs heterostructure solar cells. The MoS 2 -containing perovskites-based solar cells show a PCE as high as 13.3%. The PCE of MoS 2 -based organic solar cells exceeds 8.40%. The stability of MoS 2 solar cells measured under ambient conditions and light illumination has been discussed. The MoS 2 -based materials show a great potential for solar cell devices along with high PCE; however, in this connection, their long-term environmental stability is also of equal importance for commercial applications.

Pulsed cathodoluminescence and Raman spectra of MoS{sub 2} and WS{sub 2} nanocrystals and their combination MoS{sub 2}/WS{sub 2} produced by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis

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

Bozheyev, Farabi, E-mail: farabi.bozheyev@gmail.com; National Nanolaboratory, al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 al-Farabi Ave., 050000 Almaty; Nazarbayev University Research and Innovation System, 53 Kabanbay Batyr St., 010000 Astana

2016-02-29

Molybdenum and tungsten disulfide nanoplates were produced by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis in argon atmosphere. This method provides an easy way to produce MoS{sub 2} and WS{sub 2} from nanoplates up to single- and several layers. The Raman peak intensities corresponding to in-plane E{sup 1}{sub 2g} and out-of-plane A{sub 1g} vibration modes and their shifts strongly depend on the thicknesses of the MoS{sub 2} and WS{sub 2} platelets indicating size-dependent scaling laws and properties. An electron beam irradiation of MoS{sub 2} and WS{sub 2} powders leads to an occurrence of pulsed cathodoluminescence (PCL) spectra at 575 nm (2.15 eV) and 550 nm (2.25 eV) characteristicmore » to their intrinsic band gaps. For the combination of MoS{sub 2} and WS{sub 2} nanopowders, a PCL shoulder at 430 nm (2.88 eV) was observed, which is explained by the radiative electron-hole recombination at the MoS{sub 2}/WS{sub 2} grain boundaries. The luminescence decay kinetics of the MoS{sub 2}/WS{sub 2} nanoplates appears to be slower than for individual MoS{sub 2} and WS{sub 2} platelets due to a spatial separation of electrons and holes at MoS{sub 2}/WS{sub 2} junction resulting in extension of recombination time.« less

2D MoS2 as an efficient protective layer for lithium metal anodes in high-performance Li-S batteries.

PubMed

Cha, Eunho; Patel, Mumukshu D; Park, Juhong; Hwang, Jeongwoon; Prasad, Vish; Cho, Kyeongjae; Choi, Wonbong

2018-04-01

Among the candidates to replace Li-ion batteries, Li-S cells are an attractive option as their energy density is about five times higher (~2,600 Wh kg -1 ). The success of Li-S cells depends in large part on the utilization of metallic Li as anode material. Metallic lithium, however, is prone to grow parasitic dendrites and is highly reactive to several electrolytes; moreover, Li-S cells with metallic Li are also susceptible to polysulfides dissolution. Here, we show that ~10-nm-thick two-dimensional (2D) MoS 2 can act as a protective layer for Li-metal anodes, greatly improving the performances of Li-S batteries. In particular, we observe stable Li electrodeposition and the suppression of dendrite nucleation sites. The deposition and dissolution process of a symmetric MoS 2 -coated Li-metal cell operates at a current density of 10 mA cm -2 with low voltage hysteresis and a threefold improvement in cycle life compared with using bare Li-metal. In a Li-S full-cell configuration, using the MoS 2 -coated Li as anode and a 3D carbon nanotube-sulfur cathode, we obtain a specific energy density of ~589 Wh kg -1 and a Coulombic efficiency of ~98% for over 1,200 cycles at 0.5 C. Our approach could lead to the realization of high energy density and safe Li-metal-based batteries.

2D MoS2 as an efficient protective layer for lithium metal anodes in high-performance Li-S batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, Eunho; Patel, Mumukshu D.; Park, Juhong; Hwang, Jeongwoon; Prasad, Vish; Cho, Kyeongjae; Choi, Wonbong

2018-04-01

Among the candidates to replace Li-ion batteries, Li-S cells are an attractive option as their energy density is about five times higher ( 2,600 Wh kg-1). The success of Li-S cells depends in large part on the utilization of metallic Li as anode material. Metallic lithium, however, is prone to grow parasitic dendrites and is highly reactive to several electrolytes; moreover, Li-S cells with metallic Li are also susceptible to polysulfides dissolution. Here, we show that 10-nm-thick two-dimensional (2D) MoS2 can act as a protective layer for Li-metal anodes, greatly improving the performances of Li-S batteries. In particular, we observe stable Li electrodeposition and the suppression of dendrite nucleation sites. The deposition and dissolution process of a symmetric MoS2-coated Li-metal cell operates at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 with low voltage hysteresis and a threefold improvement in cycle life compared with using bare Li-metal. In a Li-S full-cell configuration, using the MoS2-coated Li as anode and a 3D carbon nanotube-sulfur cathode, we obtain a specific energy density of 589 Wh kg-1 and a Coulombic efficiency of 98% for over 1,200 cycles at 0.5 C. Our approach could lead to the realization of high energy density and safe Li-metal-based batteries.

Controllable Synthesis of Ordered Mesoporous Mo2C@Graphitic Carbon Core-Shell Nanowire Arrays for Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

PubMed

Zhu, Jiahui; Yao, Yan; Chen, Zhi; Zhang, Aijian; Zhou, Mengyuan; Guo, Jun; Wu, Winston Duo; Chen, Xiao Dong; Li, Yanguang; Wu, Zhangxiong

2018-06-06

Mo 2 C is a possible substitute to Pt-group metals for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Both support-free and carbon-supported Mo 2 C nanomaterials with improved HER performance have been developed. Herein, distinct from prior research, novel ordered mesoporous core-shell nanowires with Mo 2 C cores and ultrathin graphitic carbon (GC) shells are rationally synthesized and demonstrated to be excellent for HER. The synthesis is fulfilled via a hard-templating approach combining in situ carburization and localized carbon deposition. Phosphomolybdic acid confined in the SBA-15 template is first converted to MoO 2 , which is then in situ carburized to Mo 2 C nanowires with abundant surface defects. Simultaneously, GC layer (the thickness is down to ∼1.0 nm in most areas) is controlled to be locally deposited on the Mo 2 C surface because of its strong affinity with carbon and catalytic effect on graphitization. Removal of the template results in the Mo 2 C@GC core-shell nanowire arrays with the structural properties well-characterized. They exhibit excellent performance for HER with a low overpotential of 125 mV at 10 mA cm -2 , a small Tafel slope of 66 mV dec -1 , and an excellent stability in acidic electrolytes. The influences of several factors, especially the spatial configuration and relative contents of the GC and Mo 2 C components, on HER performance are elucidated with control experiments. The excellent HER performance of the mesoporous Mo 2 C@GC core-shell nanowire arrays originates from the rough Mo 2 C nanowires with diverse active sites and short charge-transfer paths and the ultrathin GC shells with improved surface area, electronic conductivity, and stabilizing effect on Mo 2 C.

“Non-hydrolytic” sol–gel synthesis of molybdenum sulfides

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

Leidich, Saskia; Buechele, Dominique; Lauenstein, Raphael

2016-10-15

Non-hydrolytic sol–gel reactions provide a low temperature solution based synthetic approach to solid-state materials. In this paper, reactions between molybdenum chloride and hexamethyldisilthiane in chloroform were explored, which gave access to both MoS{sub 2} and Mo{sub 2}S{sub 3} after heat treatment of as-recovered amorphous samples to 600–1000 °C. Interesting morphologies were obtained for MoS{sub 2}, ranging from fused spherical particles to well-defined nanoplatelets and nanoflakes. Both 2H- and 3R-MoS{sub 2} were observed, which formed thin hexagonal and triangular platelets, respectively. The platelets exhibited thicknesses of 10–30 nm, which corresponds to 15–50 MoS{sub 2} layers. No attempts to prevent agglomeration weremore » made, however, well separated platelets were observed for many samples. Heating at 1000 °C led to formation of Mo{sub 2}S{sub 3} for samples that showed well-defined MoS{sub 2} at lower temperatures, while less crystalline samples had a tendency to retain the MoS{sub 2} structure. - Graphical abstract: Overlay of variable pressure X-ray diffraction data of Al{sub 2}Mo{sub 3}O{sub 12} collected in a diamond anvil cell. Both subtle and discontinuous phase transitions are clearly observed. - Highlights: • Molybdenum sulfides were prepared by non-hydrolytic sol–gel chemistry. • Nanocrystalline 3R-MoS{sub 2} and 2H-MoS{sub 2}, and microcrystalline Mo{sub 2}S{sub 3} were obtained. • Particle morphology correlated strongly with crystalline phases. • Ultrathin platelets with limited tendency to agglomerate were recovered.« less

Raman study of supported molybdenum disulfide single layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durrer, William; Manciu, Felicia; Afanasiev, Pavel; Berhault, Gilles; Chianelli, Russell

2008-10-01

Owing to the increasing demand for clean transportation fuels, highly dispersed single layer transition metal sulfides such as MoS2-based catalysts play an important role in catalytic processes for upgrading and removing sulfur from heavy petroleum feed. In its crystalline bulk form, MoS2 is chemically rather inactive due to a strong tendency to form highly stacked layers, but, when dispersed as single-layer nanoclusters on a support, the MoS2 becomes catalytically active in the hydrogenolysis of sulphur and nitrogen from organic compounds (hydrotreating catalysis). In the present studies alumina-supported MoS2 samples were analyzed by confocal Raman spectroscopy. Evidence of peaks at 152 cm-1, 234 cm-1, and 336 cm-1, normally not seen in the Raman spectrum of the standard bulk crystal, confirms the formation of single layers of MoS2. Furthermore, the presence of the 383 cm-1 Raman line suggests the trigonal prismatic coordination of the formed MoS2 single layers. Depending on the sample preparation method, a restacking of MoS2 layers is also observed, mainly for ex-thiomolybdate samples sulfided at 550 C.

Vibrational and optical properties of MoS2: From monolayer to bulk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molina-Sánchez, Alejandro; Hummer, Kerstin; Wirtz, Ludger

2015-12-01

Molybdenum disulfide, MoS2, has recently gained considerable attention as a layered material where neighboring layers are only weakly interacting and can easily slide against each other. Therefore, mechanical exfoliation allows the fabrication of single and multi-layers and opens the possibility to generate atomically thin crystals with outstanding properties. In contrast to graphene, it has an optical gap of ~1.9 eV. This makes it a prominent candidate for transistor and opto-electronic applications. Single-layer MoS2 exhibits remarkably different physical properties compared to bulk MoS2 due to the absence of interlayer hybridization. For instance, while the band gap of bulk and multi-layer MoS2 is indirect, it becomes direct with decreasing number of layers. In this review, we analyze from a theoretical point of view the electronic, optical, and vibrational properties of single-layer, few-layer and bulk MoS2. In particular, we focus on the effects of spin-orbit interaction, number of layers, and applied tensile strain on the vibrational and optical properties. We examine the results obtained by different methodologies, mainly ab initio approaches. We also discuss which approximations are suitable for MoS2 and layered materials. The effect of external strain on the band gap of single-layer MoS2 and the crossover from indirect to direct band gap is investigated. We analyze the excitonic effects on the absorption spectra. The main features, such as the double peak at the absorption threshold and the high-energy exciton are presented. Furthermore, we report on the the phonon dispersion relations of single-layer, few-layer and bulk MoS2. Based on the latter, we explain the behavior of the Raman-active A1g and E2g1 modes as a function of the number of layers. Finally, we compare theoretical and experimental results of Raman, photoluminescence, and optical-absorption spectroscopy.

Defect structure of epitaxial layers of III nitrides as determined by analyzing the shape of X-ray diffraction peaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kyutt, R. T.

2017-04-01

The shape of X-ray diffraction epitaxial layers with high dislocation densities has been studied experimentally. Measurements with an X-ray diffractometer were performed in double- and triple-crystal setups with both Cu K α and Mo K α radiation. Epitaxial layers (GaN, AlN, AlGaN, ZnO, etc.) with different degrees of structural perfection grown by various methods on sapphire, silicon, and silicon carbide substrates have been examined. The layer thickness varied in the range of 0.5-30 μm. It has been found that the center part of peaks is well approximated by the Voigt function with different Lorentz fractions, while the wing intensity drops faster and may be represented by a power function (with the index that varies from one structure to another). A well-marked dependence on the ordering of dislocations was observed. The drop in intensity in the majority of structures with a regular system and regular threading dislocations was close to the theoretically predicted law Δθ-3; the intensity in films with a chaotic distribution decreased much faster. The dependence of the peak shape on the order of reflection, the diffraction geometry, and the epitaxial layer thickness was also examined.

Effect of in-pile degradation of the meat thermal conductivity on the maximum temperature of the plate-type U-Mo dispersion fuels

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

Pavel G. Medvedev

2009-11-01

Effect of in-pile degradation of thermal conductivity on the maximum temperature of the plate-type research reactor fuels has been assessed using the steady-state heat conduction equation and assuming convection cooling. It was found that due to very low meat thickness, characteristic for this type of fuel, the effect of thermal conductivity degradation on the maximum fuel temperature is minor. For example, the fuel plate featuring 0.635 mm thick meat operating at heat flux of 600 W/cm2 would experience only a 20oC temperature rise if the meat thermal conductivity degrades from 0.8 W/cm-s to 0.3 W/cm-s. While degradation of meat thermalmore » conductivity in dispersion-type U-Mo fuel can be very substantial due to formation of interaction layer between the particles and the matrix, and development of fission gas filled porosity, this simple analysis demonstrates that this phenomenon is unlikely to significantly affect the temperature-based safety margin of the fuel during normal operation.« less

Tribological properties and surface structures of ion implanted 9Cr18Mo stainless steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fengbin, Liu; Guohao, Fu; Yan, Cui; Qiguo, Sun; Min, Qu; Yi, Sun

2013-07-01

The polished quenched-and-tempered 9Cr18Mo steels were implanted with N ions and Ti ions respectively at a fluence of 2 × 1017 ions/cm2. The mechanical properties of the samples were investigated by using nanoindenter and tribometer. The results showed that the ion implantations would improve the nanohardness and tribological property, especially N ion implantation. The surface analysis of the implanted samples was carried out by using XRD, XPS and AES. It indicated that the surface exhibits graded layers after ion implantation. For N ion implantation, the surface about 20 nm thickness is mainly composed of supersaturated interstitial N solid solution, oxynitrides, CrxCy phase and metal nitrides. In the subsurface region, the metal nitrides dominate and the other phases disappear. For Ti ion implantation, the surface of about 20 nm thickness is mainly composed of titanium oxides and carbon amorphous phase, the interstitial solid solution of Ti in Fe is abundant in the subsurface region. The surface components and structures have significant contributions to the improved mechanical properties.

Bonding between graphene and MoS 2 monolayers without and with Li intercalation

DOE PAGES

Ahmed, Towfiq; Modine, N. A.; Zhu, Jian-Xin

2015-07-27

We performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations for a bi-layered heterostructure combining a graphene layer with a MoS 2 layer with and without intercalated Li atoms. Our calculations demonstrate the importance of the van der Waals (vdW) interaction, which is crucial for forming stable bonding between the layers. Our DFT calculation correctly reproduces the linear dispersion, or Dirac cone, feature at the Fermi energy for the isolated graphene monolayer and the band gap for the MoS 2 monolayer. For the combined graphene/MoS 2 bi-layer, we observe interesting electronic structure and density of states (DOS) characteristics near the Fermi energy, showingmore » both the gap like features of the MoS 2 layer and in-gap states with linear dispersion contributed mostly by the graphene layer. Our calculated total DOS in this vdW heterostructure reveals that the graphene layer significantly contributes to pinning the Fermi energy at the center of the band gap of MoS 2. We also find that intercalating Li ions in between the layers of the graphene/MoS2 heterostructure enhances the binding energy through orbital hybridizations between cations (Li adatoms) and anions (graphene and MoS 2 monolayers). Moreover, we calculate the dielectric function of the Li intercalated graphene/MoS 2 heterostructure, the imaginary component of which can be directly compared with experimental measurements of optical conductivity in order to validate our theoretical prediction. We observe sharp features in the imaginary component of the dielectric function, which shows the presence of a Drude peak in the optical conductivity, and therefore metallicity in the lithiated graphene/MoS 2 heterostructure.« less

Improved Gate Dielectric Deposition and Enhanced Electrical Stability for Single-Layer MoS2 MOSFET with an AlN Interfacial Layer.

PubMed

Qian, Qingkai; Li, Baikui; Hua, Mengyuan; Zhang, Zhaofu; Lan, Feifei; Xu, Yongkuan; Yan, Ruyue; Chen, Kevin J

2016-06-09

Transistors based on MoS2 and other TMDs have been widely studied. The dangling-bond free surface of MoS2 has made the deposition of high-quality high-k dielectrics on MoS2 a challenge. The resulted transistors often suffer from the threshold voltage instability induced by the high density traps near MoS2/dielectric interface or inside the gate dielectric, which is detrimental for the practical applications of MoS2 metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). In this work, by using AlN deposited by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) as an interfacial layer, top-gate dielectrics as thin as 6 nm for single-layer MoS2 transistors are demonstrated. The AlN interfacial layer not only promotes the conformal deposition of high-quality Al2O3 on the dangling-bond free MoS2, but also greatly enhances the electrical stability of the MoS2 transistors. Very small hysteresis (ΔVth) is observed even at large gate biases and high temperatures. The transistor also exhibits a low level of flicker noise, which clearly originates from the Hooge mobility fluctuation instead of the carrier number fluctuation. The observed superior electrical stability of MoS2 transistor is attributed to the low border trap density of the AlN interfacial layer, as well as the small gate leakage and high dielectric strength of AlN/Al2O3 dielectric stack.

Impact of reduced graphene oxide on MoS{sub 2} grown by sulfurization of sputtered MoO{sub 3} and Mo precursor films

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

Pacley, Shanee, E-mail: shanee.pacley@us.af.mil; Brausch, Jacob; Beck-Millerton, Emory

2016-07-15

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}), a two dimensional semiconducting dichalcogenide material with a bandgap of 1.8–1.9 eV, has demonstrated promise for future use in field effect transistors and optoelectronics. Various approaches have been used for MoS{sub 2} processing, the most common being chemical vapor deposition. During chemical vapor deposition, precursors such as Mo, MoO{sub 3}, and MoCl{sub 5} have been used to form a vapor reaction with sulfur, resulting in thin films of MoS{sub 2}. Currently, MoO{sub 3} ribbons and powder, and MoCl{sub 5} powder have been used. However, the use of ribbons and powder makes it difficult to growmore » large area-continuous films. Sputtering of Mo is an approach that has demonstrated continuous MoS{sub 2} film growth. In this paper, the authors compare the structural properties of MoS{sub 2} grown by sulfurization of pulse vapor deposited MoO{sub 3} and Mo precursor films. In addition, they have studied the effects that reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has on MoS{sub 2} structure. Reports show that rGO increases MoS{sub 2} grain growth during powder vaporization. Herein, the authors report a grain size increase for MoS{sub 2} when rGO was used during sulfurization of both sputtered Mo and MoO{sub 3} precursors. In addition, our transmission electron microscopy results show a more uniform and continuous film growth for the MoS{sub 2} films produced from Mo when compared to the films produced from MoO{sub 3}. Atomic force microscopy images further confirm this uniform and continuous film growth when Mo precursor was used. Finally, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that the MoS{sub 2} films produced using both precursors were stoichiometric and had about 7–8 layers in thickness, and that there was a slight improvement in stoichiometry when rGO was used.« less

Bifacial Perovskite Solar Cells Featuring Semitransparent Electrodes.

PubMed

Hanmandlu, Chintam; Chen, Chien-Yu; Boopathi, Karunakara Moorthy; Lin, Hao-Wu; Lai, Chao-Sung; Chu, Chih-Wei

2017-09-27

Inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are promising devices for providing future clean energy because of their low cost, ease of fabrication, and high efficiencies, similar to those of silicon solar cells. These materials have been investigated for their potential use in bifacial PSCs, which can absorb light from both sides of the electrodes. Here, we fabricated bifacial PSCs featuring transparent BCP/Ag/MoO 3 rear electrodes, which we formed through low-temperature processing using thermal evaporation methods. We employed a comprehensive optical distribution program to calculate the distributions of the optical field intensities with constant thicknesses of the absorbing layer in the top electrode configuration. The best PSC having a transparent BCP/Ag/MoO 3 electrode achieved PCEs of 13.49% and 9.61% when illuminated from the sides of the indium tin oxide and BCP/Ag/MoO 3 electrodes, respectively. We observed significant power enhancement when operating this PSC using mirror reflectors and bifacial light illumination from both sides of the electrodes.

Solution-processed MoS(x) as an efficient anode buffer layer in organic solar cells.

PubMed

Li, Xiaodong; Zhang, Wenjun; Wu, Yulei; Min, Chao; Fang, Junfeng

2013-09-25

We reported a facile solution-processed method to fabricate a MoSx anode buffer layer through thermal decomposition of (NH4)2MoS4. Organic solar cells (OSCs) based on in situ growth MoSx as the anode buffer layer showed impressive improvements, and the power conversion efficiency was higher than that of conventional PEDOT:PSS-based device. The MoSx films obtained at different temperatures and the corresponding device performance were systematically studied. The results indicated that both MoS3 and MoS2 were beneficial to the device performance. MoS3 could result in higher Voc, while MoS2 could lead to higher Jsc. Our results proved that, apart from MoO3, molybdenum sulfides and Mo(4+) were also promising candidates for the anode buffer materials in OSCs.

Growth, structure and stability of sputter-deposited MoS2 thin films.

PubMed

Kaindl, Reinhard; Bayer, Bernhard C; Resel, Roland; Müller, Thomas; Skakalova, Viera; Habler, Gerlinde; Abart, Rainer; Cherevan, Alexey S; Eder, Dominik; Blatter, Maxime; Fischer, Fabian; Meyer, Jannik C; Polyushkin, Dmitry K; Waldhauser, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ) thin films have received increasing interest as device-active layers in low-dimensional electronics and also as novel catalysts in electrochemical processes such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in electrochemical water splitting. For both types of applications, industrially scalable fabrication methods with good control over the MoS 2 film properties are crucial. Here, we investigate scalable physical vapour deposition (PVD) of MoS 2 films by magnetron sputtering. MoS 2 films with thicknesses from ≈10 to ≈1000 nm were deposited on SiO 2 /Si and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) substrates. Samples deposited at room temperature (RT) and at 400 °C were compared. The deposited MoS 2 was characterized by macro- and microscopic X-ray, electron beam and light scattering, scanning and spectroscopic methods as well as electrical device characterization. We find that room-temperature-deposited MoS 2 films are amorphous, of smooth surface morphology and easily degraded upon moderate laser-induced annealing in ambient conditions. In contrast, films deposited at 400 °C are nano-crystalline, show a nano-grained surface morphology and are comparatively stable against laser-induced degradation. Interestingly, results from electrical transport measurements indicate an unexpected metallic-like conduction character of the studied PVD MoS 2 films, independent of deposition temperature. Possible reasons for these unusual electrical properties of our PVD MoS 2 thin films are discussed. A potential application for such conductive nanostructured MoS 2 films could be as catalytically active electrodes in (photo-)electrocatalysis and initial electrochemical measurements suggest directions for future work on our PVD MoS 2 films.

Growth, structure and stability of sputter-deposited MoS2 thin films

PubMed Central

Bayer, Bernhard C; Resel, Roland; Müller, Thomas; Skakalova, Viera; Habler, Gerlinde; Abart, Rainer; Cherevan, Alexey S; Eder, Dominik; Blatter, Maxime; Fischer, Fabian; Meyer, Jannik C; Polyushkin, Dmitry K; Waldhauser, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) thin films have received increasing interest as device-active layers in low-dimensional electronics and also as novel catalysts in electrochemical processes such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in electrochemical water splitting. For both types of applications, industrially scalable fabrication methods with good control over the MoS2 film properties are crucial. Here, we investigate scalable physical vapour deposition (PVD) of MoS2 films by magnetron sputtering. MoS2 films with thicknesses from ≈10 to ≈1000 nm were deposited on SiO2/Si and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) substrates. Samples deposited at room temperature (RT) and at 400 °C were compared. The deposited MoS2 was characterized by macro- and microscopic X-ray, electron beam and light scattering, scanning and spectroscopic methods as well as electrical device characterization. We find that room-temperature-deposited MoS2 films are amorphous, of smooth surface morphology and easily degraded upon moderate laser-induced annealing in ambient conditions. In contrast, films deposited at 400 °C are nano-crystalline, show a nano-grained surface morphology and are comparatively stable against laser-induced degradation. Interestingly, results from electrical transport measurements indicate an unexpected metallic-like conduction character of the studied PVD MoS2 films, independent of deposition temperature. Possible reasons for these unusual electrical properties of our PVD MoS2 thin films are discussed. A potential application for such conductive nanostructured MoS2 films could be as catalytically active electrodes in (photo-)electrocatalysis and initial electrochemical measurements suggest directions for future work on our PVD MoS2 films. PMID:28685112

Influence of inserted Mo layer on the thermal stability of perpendicularly magnetized Ta/Mo/Co{sub 20}Fe{sub 60}B{sub 20}/MgO/Ta films

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

Li, Minghua, E-mail: mhli@ustb.edu.cn; Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095; Lu, Jinhui

2016-04-15

We studied the thermal stability of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in Ta/Mo/CoFeB/MgO/Ta films with and without inserted Mo layers. In the absence of a Mo layer, the films show PMA at annealing temperatures below 300 °C. On the other hand, the insertion of a Mo layer preserves PMA at annealing temperatures of up to 500 °C; however, a higher annealing temperature leads to the collapse of PMA. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were used to study the microstructure of the films to understand the deterioration of PMA. The XPS results show that the segregation ofmore » Ta is partly suppressed by inserting a Mo layer. Once inserted, Mo does not remain at the interface of Ta and CoFeB but migrates to the surface of the films. The HRTEM results show that the crystallization of the MgO (001) texture is improved owing to the higher annealing temperature of the Mo inserted sample. A smooth and clear CoFeB/MgO interface is evident. The inserted Mo layer not only helps to obtain sharper and smoother interfaces but also contributes to the crystallization after the higher annealing temperature of films.« less

On Valence-Band Splitting in Layered MoS2.

PubMed

Zhang, Youwei; Li, Hui; Wang, Haomin; Liu, Ran; Zhang, Shi-Li; Qiu, Zhi-Jun

2015-08-25

As a representative two-dimensional semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD), the electronic structure in layered MoS2 is a collective result of quantum confinement, interlayer interaction, and crystal symmetry. A prominent energy splitting in the valence band gives rise to many intriguing electronic, optical, and magnetic phenomena. Despite numerous studies, an experimental determination of valence-band splitting in few-layer MoS2 is still lacking. Here, we show how the valence-band maximum (VBM) splits for one to five layers of MoS2. Interlayer coupling is found to contribute significantly to phonon energy but weakly to VBM splitting in bilayers, due to a small interlayer hopping energy for holes. Hence, spin-orbit coupling is still predominant in the splitting. A temperature-independent VBM splitting, known for single-layer MoS2, is, thus, observed for bilayers. However, a Bose-Einstein type of temperature dependence of VBM splitting prevails in three to five layers of MoS2. In such few-layer MoS2, interlayer coupling is enhanced with a reduced interlayer distance, but thermal expansion upon temperature increase tends to decouple adjacent layers and therefore decreases the splitting energy. Our findings that shed light on the distinctive behaviors about VBM splitting in layered MoS2 may apply to other hexagonal TMDs as well. They will also be helpful in extending our understanding of the TMD electronic structure for potential applications in electronics and optoelectronics.

Effect of mo Content on Microstructure and Properties of Laser Cladding Fe-BASED Alloy Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiaoli, Ma; Kaiming, Wang; Hanguang, Fu; Jiang, Ju; Yongping, Lei; Dawei, Yi

Mo alloying Fe-based coating was fabricated on the surface of Q235 steel by using 6 kW fiber laser. The effects of Mo additions on the microstructure, microhardness and wear resistance of the cladding layer were studied by means of optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), Vickers hardness tester and M-200 ring block wear tester. Research results showed that the microstructure of Mo-free cladding layer mainly consisted of matrix and eutectic structure. The matrix was martensite and retained austenite. The eutectic structure mainly consisted of M2(B,C) and M7(C,B)3 type of eutectic borocarbides. With the increase of Mo content, there was no significant change in the matrix. However, the eutectic structure was transformed from M2(B,C)- and M7(C,B)3-type borocarbides into M2(B,C)-, M7(C,B)3- and M23(C,B)6-type borocarbides. When the content of Mo is 4.0wt.%, the Mo2C-type carbide appear on the matrix, and parts of the borocarbide networks are broken. The change of microhardness of the cladding layer was not obvious with the increase of Mo content. But the increase of Mo content increases the wear resistance of the cladding layer. The wear resistance of cladding layer with 4.0wt.% Mo is 2.4 times as much as the cladding layer which is Mo-free.

Fabrication of CIS Absorber Layers with Different Thicknesses Using A Non-Vacuum Spray Coating Method.

PubMed

Diao, Chien-Chen; Kuo, Hsin-Hui; Tzou, Wen-Cheng; Chen, Yen-Lin; Yang, Cheng-Fu

2014-01-03

In this study, a new thin-film deposition process, spray coating method (SPM), was investigated to deposit the high-densified CuInSe₂ absorber layers. The spray coating method developed in this study was a non-vacuum process, based on dispersed nano-scale CuInSe₂ precursor and could offer a simple, inexpensive, and alternative formation technology for CuInSe₂ absorber layers. After spraying on Mo/glass substrates, the CuInSe₂ thin films were annealed at 550 °C by changing the annealing time from 5 min to 30 min in a selenization furnace, using N₂ as atmosphere. When the CuInSe₂ thin films were annealed, without extra Se or H₂Se gas used as the compensation source during the annealing process. The aim of this project was to investigate the influence of annealing time on the densification and crystallization of the CuInSe₂ absorber layers to optimize the quality for cost effective solar cell production. The thickness of the CuInSe₂ absorber layers could be controlled as the volume of used dispersed CuInSe₂-isopropyl alcohol solution was controlled. In this work, X-ray diffraction patterns, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Hall parameter measurements were performed in order to verify the quality of the CuInSe₂ absorber layers obtained by the Spray Coating Method.

Structure and mechanical properties of a two-layered material produced by the E-beam surfacing of Ta and Nb on the titanium base after multiple rolling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bataev, V. A.; Golkovski, M. G.; Samoylenko, V. V.; Ruktuev, A. A.; Polyakov, I. A.; Kuksanov, N. K.

2018-04-01

The study has been conducted in line with the current approach to investigation of materials obtained by considerably deep surface alloying of the titanium substrate with Ta, Nb, and Zr. The thickness of the resulting alloyed layer was equal to 2 mm. The coating was formed through weld deposition of a powder with the use of a high-voltage electron beam in the air. It has been lately demonstrated that manufactured such a way alloyed layers possess corrosion resistance which is significantly higher than the resistance of titanium substrates. It has already been shown that such two-layered materials are weldable. The study objective is to investigate the feasibility of rolling for necking the sheets with the Ti-Ta-Nb anticorrosion coating with further fourfold decrease in their thickness. The research is also aimed at investigation of the material properties after rolling. Anticorrosion layers were formed both on CP-titanium and on VT14 (Ti-4Al-3Mo-1 V) durable titanium alloy. The results of chemical composition determination, structure examination, X-ray phase analysis and mechanical properties observations (including bending properties of the alloyed layers) are presented in the paper. The combination of welding, rolling, and bending enables the manufacture of corrosion-resistant vessels and process pipes which are made from the developed material and find technological application.

Relation between film thickness and surface doping of MoS2 based field effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lockhart de la Rosa, César J.; Arutchelvan, Goutham; Leonhardt, Alessandra; Huyghebaert, Cedric; Radu, Iuliana; Heyns, Marc; De Gendt, Stefan

2018-05-01

Ultra-thin MoS2 film doping through surface functionalization with physically adsorbed species is of great interest due to its ability to dope the film without reduction in the carrier mobility. However, there is a need for understanding how the thickness of the MoS2 film is related to the induced surface doping for improved electrical performance. In this work, we report on the relation of MoS2 film thickness with the doping effect induced by the n-dopant adsorbate poly(vinyl-alcohol). Field effect transistors built using MoS2 films of different thicknesses were electrically characterized, and it was observed that the ION/OFF ratio after doping in thin films is more than four orders of magnitudes greater when compared with thick films. Additionally, a semi-classical model tuned with the experimental devices was used to understand the spatial distribution of charge in the channel and explain the observed behavior. From the simulation results, it was revealed that the two-dimensional carrier density induced by the adsorbate is distributed rather uniformly along the complete channel for thin films (<5.2 nm) contrary to what happens for thicker films.

Reduction of conductance mismatch in Fe/Al2O3/MoS2 system by tunneling-barrier thickness control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayakawa, Naoki; Muneta, Iriya; Ohashi, Takumi; Matsuura, Kentaro; Shimizu, Jun’ichi; Kakushima, Kuniyuki; Tsutsui, Kazuo; Wakabayashi, Hitoshi

2018-04-01

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) among two-dimensional semiconductor films is promising for spintronic devices because it has a longer spin-relaxation time with contrasting spin splitting than silicon. However, it is difficult to fabricate integrated circuits by the widely used exfoliation method. Here, we investigate the contact characteristics in the Fe/Al2O3/sputtered-MoS2 system with various thicknesses of the Al2O3 film. Current density increases with increasing thickness up to 2.5 nm because of both thermally-assisted and direct tunneling currents. On the other hand, it decreases with increasing thickness over 2.5 nm limited by direct tunneling currents. These results suggest that the Schottky barrier width can be controlled by changing thicknesses of the Al2O3 film, as supported by calculations. The reduction of conductance mismatch with this technique can lead to highly efficient spin injection from iron into the MoS2 film.

Post-patterning of an electronic homojunction in atomically thin monoclinic MoTe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sera; Kim, Jung Ho; Kim, Dohyun; Hwang, Geunwoo; Baik, Jaeyoon; Yang, Heejun; Cho, Suyeon

2017-06-01

Monoclinic group 6 transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been extensively studied for their intriguing 2D physics (e.g. spin Hall insulator) as well as for ohmic homojunction contacts in 2D device applications. A critical prerequisite for those applications is thickness control of the monoclinic 2D materials, which allows subtle engineering of the topological states or electronic bandgaps. Local thickness control enables the realization of clean homojunctions between different electronic states, and novel device operation in a single material. However, conventional fabrication processes, including chemical methods, typically produce non-homogeneous and relatively thick monoclinic TMDs, due to their distorted octahedral structures. Here, we report on a post-patterning technique using laser-irradiation to fabricate homojunctions between two different thickness areas in monoclinic MoTe2. A thickness-dependent electronic change from a metallic to semiconducting state, resulting in an electronic homojunction, was realized by the optical patterning of pristine MoTe2 flakes, and a pre-patterned device channel of monoclinic MoTe2 with a thickness-resolution of 5 nm. Our work provides insight on an optical post-process method for controlling thickness, as a promising approach for fabricating impurity-free 2D TMDs homojunction devices.

Structure and optical properties of 2D layered MoS2 crystals implemented with novel friction induced crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanabe, Tadao; Ito, Takafumi; Oyama, Yutaka

2018-03-01

We used X-ray diffraction, and Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies to examine the structure and optical properties of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) crystals grown by friction at the interface between two materials. MoS2 is produced chemically from molybdenum dithiocarbamates (MoDTC) in synthetic oil under sliding friction conditions. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that the structure of the MoS2 is layered with the c-axis perpendicular to the surface. The MoS2 layer was formed on stainless steel and germanium by friction at the interface between these materials and high carbon chromium bearing steel. The number of layers is estimated to be N (N > 6) from the distance between the Raman frequencies of the E12g and A1g modes. For MoS2 grown on stainless steel, exciton peak is observed in the PL spectrum at room temperature. These results show that this friction induced crystal growth method is viable for synthesizing atomic layers of MoS2 at solid surfaces.

Improved Gate Dielectric Deposition and Enhanced Electrical Stability for Single-Layer MoS2 MOSFET with an AlN Interfacial Layer

PubMed Central

Qian, Qingkai; Li, Baikui; Hua, Mengyuan; Zhang, Zhaofu; Lan, Feifei; Xu, Yongkuan; Yan, Ruyue; Chen, Kevin J.

2016-01-01

Transistors based on MoS2 and other TMDs have been widely studied. The dangling-bond free surface of MoS2 has made the deposition of high-quality high-k dielectrics on MoS2 a challenge. The resulted transistors often suffer from the threshold voltage instability induced by the high density traps near MoS2/dielectric interface or inside the gate dielectric, which is detrimental for the practical applications of MoS2 metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). In this work, by using AlN deposited by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) as an interfacial layer, top-gate dielectrics as thin as 6 nm for single-layer MoS2 transistors are demonstrated. The AlN interfacial layer not only promotes the conformal deposition of high-quality Al2O3 on the dangling-bond free MoS2, but also greatly enhances the electrical stability of the MoS2 transistors. Very small hysteresis (ΔVth) is observed even at large gate biases and high temperatures. The transistor also exhibits a low level of flicker noise, which clearly originates from the Hooge mobility fluctuation instead of the carrier number fluctuation. The observed superior electrical stability of MoS2 transistor is attributed to the low border trap density of the AlN interfacial layer, as well as the small gate leakage and high dielectric strength of AlN/Al2O3 dielectric stack. PMID:27279454

Electron Emission Observations from As-Grown and Vacuum-Coated Chemical Vapor Deposited Diamond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamouri, A.; Wang, Yaxin; Mearini, G. T.; Krainsky, I. L.; Dayton, J. A., Jr.; Mueller,W.

1996-01-01

Field emission has been observed from chemical vapor deposited diamond grown on Mo and Si substrates. Emission was observed at fields as low as 20 kV/cm. The samples were tested in the as-grown form, and after coating with thin films of Au, CsI, and Ni. The emission current was typically maximum at the onset of the applied field, but was unstable, and decreased rapidly with time from the as-grown films. Thin Au layers, approximately 15 nm thick, vacuum deposited onto the diamond samples significantly improved the stability of the emission current at values approximately equal to those from uncoated samples at the onset of the applied field. Thin layers of CsI, approximately 5 nm thick, were also observed to improve the stability of the emission current but at values less than those from the uncoated samples at the onset of the applied field. While Au and CsI improved the stability of the emission, Ni was observed to have no effect.

Effect of molecular intercalation on the local structure of superconducting Nax(NH3)yMoSe2 system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simonelli, L.; Paris, E.; Wakita, T.; Marini, C.; Terashima, K.; Miao, X.; Olszewski, W.; Ramanan, N.; Heinis, D.; Kubozono, Y.; Yokoya, T.; Saini, N. L.

2017-12-01

We have studied the local structure of layered Nax(NH3)yMoSe2 system by Mo K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements performed as a function of temperature. We find that molecular intercalation in MoSe2 largely affects the Mo-Se network while Mo-Mo seems to sustain small changes. The Einstein temperature (ΘE) of Mo-Mo distance hardly changes (∼264 K) indicating that bond strength of this distance remains unaffected by intercalation. On the other hand, Mo-Se distance suffers a softening, revealed by the decrease of ΘE from ∼364 K to ∼350 K. The results indicate that Na+ ion transported by NH3 molecules may enter between the two MoSe-layers resulting reduced Se-Se coupling. Therefore, increased hybridization between Se 4p and Mo 4d orbitals due to inter-layer disorder is the likely reason of metallicity in intercalated MoSe2 and superconductivity at low temperature.

Thermal stability of MBE-grown epitaxial MoSe2 and WSe2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Young Jun; Choy, Byoung Ki; Phark, Soo-Hyon; Kim, Minu

Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) draw much attention, because of its unique optical properties and band structures depending on the layer thicknesses. However, MBE growth of epitaxial films demands information about thermal stability of stoichiometry and related electronic structure for high temperature range. We grow epitaxial MoSe2 and WSe2 ultrathin films by using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). We characterize stoichiometry of films grown at various growth temperature by using various methods, XPS, EDX, and TOF-MEIS. We further test high temperature stability of electronic structure for those films by utilizing in-situ ellipsometry attached to UHV chamber. We discuss threshold temperatures up to 700~1000oC, at which electronic phases changes from semiconductor to metal due to selenium deficiency. This information can be useful for potential application of TMDs for fabrication of Van der Waals multilayers and related devices. This research was supported by Nano.Material Technology Development Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning. (2009-0082580), NRF-2014R1A1A1002868.

Back surface studies of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simchi, Hamed

Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells have attracted a lot of interest because they have shown the highest achieved efficiency (21%) among thin film photovoltaic materials, long-term stability, and straightforward optical bandgap engineering by changing relative amounts of present elements in the alloy. Still, there are several opportunities to further improve the performance of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 devices. The interfaces between layers significantly affect the device performance, and knowledge of their chemical and electronic structures is essential in identifying performance limiting factors. The main goal of this research is to understand the characteristics of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2-back contact interface in order to design ohmic back contacts for Cu(In,Ga)Se2-based solar cells with a range of band gaps and device configurations. The focus is on developing either an opaque or transparent ohmic back contact via surface modification or introduction of buffer layers in the back surface. In this project, candidate back contact materials have been identified based on modeling of band alignments and surface chemical properties of the absorber layer and back contact. For the first time, MoO3 and WO 3 transparent back contacts were successfully developed for Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cells. The structural, optical, and surface properties of MoO 3 and WO3 were optimized by controlling the oxygen partial pressure during reactive sputtering and post-deposition annealing. Valence band edge energies were also obtained by analysis of the XPS spectra and used to characterize the interface band offsets. As a result, it became possible to illuminate of the device from the back, resulting in a recently developed "backwall superstrate" device structure that outperforms conventional substrate Cu(In,Ga)Se2 devices in the absorber thickness range 0.1-0.5 microm. Further enhancements were achieved by introducing moderate amounts of Ag into the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 lattice during the co-evaporation method resulting in a 9.7% cell (with 0.3 microm thickness) which has the highest efficiency reported for ultrathin CIGS solar cells to date. In addition, sulfized back contacts including ITO-S and MoS 2 are compared. Interface properties of different contact layers with (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 absorber layers with various Ga/(Ga+In) and Ag/(Ag+Cu) ratios are discussed based on the XPS analysis and thermodynamics of reactions.

Improved high temperature integration of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} on MoS{sub 2} by using a metal oxide buffer layer

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

Son, Seokki; Choi, Moonseok; Kim, Dohyung

2015-01-12

We deposited a metal oxide buffer layer before atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} onto exfoliated molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) in order to accomplish enhanced integration. We demonstrate that even at a high temperature, functionalization of MoS{sub 2} by means of a metal oxide buffer layer can effectively provide nucleation sites for ALD precursors, enabling much better surface coverage of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. It is shown that using a metal oxide buffer layer not only allows high temperature ALD process, resulting in highly improved quality of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/MoS{sub 2} interface, but also leaves MoS{sub 2} intact.

Effect of Mo-doping concentration on the physical behaviour of sprayed ZnO layers

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

Reddy, T. Sreenivasulu; Reddy, M. Vasudeva; Reddy, K. T. Ramakrishna, E-mail: ktrkreddy@gmail.com

2015-06-24

Mo-doped zinc oxide layers (MZO) have been prepared on cleaned glass substrates by chemical spray pyrolysis technique by varying Mo-doping concentration in the range, 0 – 5 at. %. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that all the as prepared layers were polycrystalline in nature and exhibited wurtzite structure. The layers prepared with lower Mo-doping concentration (<2 at. %) were preferably oriented along the (100) plane, whereas in the case of higher Mo-doping concentration (>2 at. %), the films showed the (002) plane as the dominant peak. The optical analysis indicated that all the layers had an average optical transmittance ofmore » 80% in the visible region and the evaluated band gap varied in the range, 3.28 - 3.50 eV.« less

WNx and MoNx Layers: Elastic Properties and Crystal Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozsdolay, Brian

This thesis research has focused on the thin film growth, phase stability, and elastic properties of two relatively unknown nitrides: tungsten nitride and molybdenum nitride. The elastic properties and hardness are not well characterized for either material, with previous measurements showing a wide range of values. In addition, the conditions leading to growth of high quality epitaxial layers of these materials are not well known. There is also some discrepancy over the cubic crystal structure seen in both WNx and MoNx. While the presence of nitrogen vacancies are well documented, it is unclear if metal vacancies also appear and in what concentrations. Tungsten nitride layers, 1.45-microm-thick, were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on MgO(001), MgO(111), and Al2O3(0001) in 20 mTorr N2 at 500-800 °C. All layers deposited at Ts = 500-700 °C form a cubic phase, as determined by X-ray diffraction o-2theta scans, and show an N-to-W ratio x that decreases from x = 1.21 to 0.83 with increasing Ts = 500-700 °C, as measured by energy dispersive and photoelectron spectroscopies. Ts = 500 and 600 °C yields polycrystalline predominantly 111 oriented beta-WN on all substrates. In contrast, deposition at 700 °C results in epitaxial growth of beta-WN(111) and beta-WN(001) on MgO(111) and MgO(001), respectively, and a 111-preferred orientation on Al2O3(0001). Ts = 800 °C causes nitrogen loss and WN x layers with primarily BCC W grains and x = 0.04-0.06. For Ts = 700 °C, nanoindentation provides hardness values of 9.8+/-2.2, 12.5+/-1.0, and 10.3+/-0.4 GPa, and elastic moduli of 240+/-40, 257+/-13, and 242+/-10 GPa for layers grown on MgO(001), MgO(111), and Al2O3(0001), respectively. Brillouin spectroscopy measurements yield shear moduli of 120+/-2 GPa, 114+/-2 GPa and 108+/-2 GPa for WN on MgO(001), MgO(111) and Al2O3(0001), respectively, suggesting a WN elastic anisotropy factor of 1.6+/-0.3, consistent with the indentation results. The combined analysis of the epitaxial WN(001) and WN(111) layers indicate Hill's elastic and shear moduli for cubic WN of 251+/-17 and 99+/-8 GPa, respectively. The resistivity of WN(111)/MgO(111) is 1.9x10-5 and 2.2x10-5 O-m at room temperature and 77 K, respectively, indicating weak carrier localization. The room temperature resistivity is 16% and 42% lower for WN/MgO(001) and WN/Al2O 3(0001), suggesting a resistivity decrease with decreasing crystalline quality and phase purity. Density functional theory calculations indicate an increase in structural stability by the introduction of either W or N vacancies into the cubic WN rock-salt structure, reducing the formation energy per W atom from 0.63 eV for the rock-salt structure to 0.16 eV for WN0.75 and -0.16 eV for WN1.33, to -0.83 eV for stoichiometric WN in the NbO structure. The out-of-plane lattice constant decreases from 4.357-4.169 A with increasing Ts = 500-700 °C. Comparing these values with calculated lattice constants indicates that the W vacancy concentration increases from 6-11% for Ts = 500-600 °C to 11-18% for Ts = 700 °C, while the N vacancy concentration also increases from negligible to 18-29%. The simultaneous increase of both vacancy types is attributed to thermally activated N2 recombination and desorption and atomic rearrangement towards the thermodynamically favorable cubic NbO structure which contains 25% of both W and N vacancies. The measured elastic modulus ranges from 110-260 GPa for 500-700 °C and decreases with increasing N-content, and increases to 350 GPa for Ts = 800 °C. The room temperature resistivity decreases with increasing Ts = 500-700 °C from 4.5-1.1x103 microO-cm, indicating a resistivity decrease with decreasing nitrogen content and increasing crystalline quality and phase purity. MoNx layers were deposited epitaxially on MgO(001) substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering in 20 mTorr N2 at 600-1000 °C. X-ray diffraction showed that all layers were 001 oriented cubic crystals with lattice constants that decrease from 4.26-4.16 A with increasing deposition temperature. Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) showed that x decreased from 1.25 to 0.69 with increasing deposition temperature. RBS measurements confirmed a constant Mo area density across all samples, consistent with the use of a constant deposition time. X-ray reflectivity measurements showed a drastic decrease in layer thickness between samples from 98 nm to 69 nm, indicating an increasing overall film density due to Mo-vacancy filling within the cubic structure. Indeed, the Mo-site occupancy increases from 0.70-0.89 with increasing Ts while N-site occupancy ranges from 0.88-0.60 over the same range. The T s = 800 °C layer shows a Mo-site occupancy of 0.78+/-0.05 and a N-site occupancy of 0.74+/-0.05, consistent with density functional theory predictions of a stable NbO-structure at Mo- and N-site occupancies of 0.75. Time resolved pump-probe reflectivity and surface Brillouin spectroscopy measurements show C11 values ranging from 360-502 GPa and C44 values ranging from 73-100 GPa. MoNx layers, 689-980 nm thick, were deposited on 1-inch diameter oxidized-Si(111) substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction scans show only cubic MoNx peaks for 600-900 °C with a predominantly 002 texture for Ts = 600-700 °C and weaker 111, 220, and 113 peaks which changes to a slight 111 texture and later a lack of preferred orientation as Ts increases to 800-1000 °C. In addition, BCC Mo peaks appear at 1000 °C. The out-of-plane lattice constant for the cubic 002 peak decreases from 4.283 A to 4.151+/-0.004 A with increasing Ts, while lattice constants of the 111, 220, and 113 peaks vary from 4.236+/-0.005 A to 4.138+/-0.003 A as Ts varies from 600-1000 °C. The N/Mo ratio x as measured by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy decreases from x = 0.99-0.51 as Ts increases from 600-1000 °C. Wafer stress measurements by x-ray diffraction show a radius of curvature that ranges from 2.43+/-0.35 m to 4.16+/-0.94 m which are confirmed by optical measurements which show a radius of curvature varying from 2.51+/-0.19 m to 4.48+/-0.51 m. Stress values range from 105+/-28 MPa to 179+/-19 MPa as measured by x-ray diffraction and from 97+/-11 MPa to 170+/-31 MPa as measured by the optical method. Hardness values range between 5.3+/-0.6 GPa and 6.8+/-0.3 GPa, while the elastic modulus decreases from 109+/-4 GPa to 37+/-1 GPa as Ts increases from 600-900 °C. The elastic modulus increases again to 164+/-15 GPa for Ts = 1000 °C due to the appearance of BCC Mo in this sample.

Structural investigation of MF, RF and DC sputtered Mo thin films for backside photovoltaic electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Małek, Anna K.; Marszałek, Konstanty W.; Rydosz, Artur M.

2016-12-01

Recently photovoltaics attracts much attention of research and industry. The multidirectional studies are carried out in order to improve solar cells performance, the innovative materials are still searched and existing materials and technology are optimized. In the multilayer structure of CIGS solar cells molybdenum (Mo) layer is used as a back contact. Mo layers meet all requirements for back side electrode: low resistivity, good adhesion to the substrate, high optical reflection in the visible range, columnar structure for Na ions diffusion, formation of an ohmic contact with the ptype CIGS absorber layer, and high stability during the corrosive selenization process. The high adhesion to the substrate and low resistivity in single Mo layer is difficult to be achieved because both properties depend on the deposition parameters, particularly on working gas pressure. Therefore Mo bilayers are applied as a back contact for CIGS solar cells. In this work the Mo layers were deposited by medium frequency sputtering at different process parameters. The effect of substrate temperature within the range of 50°C-200°C and working gas pressure from 0.7 mTorr to 7 mTorr on crystalline structure of Mo layers was studied.

Microstructure and mechanical behavior of Zr substrates coated with FeCrAl and Mo by cold-spraying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Dong Jun; Kim, Hyun Gil; Jung, Yang Il; Park, Jung Hwan; Yang, Jae Ho; Koo, Yang Hyun

2018-06-01

FeCrAl and Mo layers were cold-sprayed onto a Zr surface, with the Mo layer introduced between the FeCrAl coating and the Zr matrix preventing high-temperature interdiffusion. Microstructural characterization of the first-deposited Mo layer and the Zr matrix immediately below the Mo/Zr interface was performed using transmission electron microscopy, and near-interface elemental distributions were obtained using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The deformation of the coated Mo powder induced the formation of microbands and mechanically interlocked nanoscale structures. The mechanical behavior of Zr with a coating layer was compared with those characteristic of conventional Zr samples. The coated sample showed smaller strength reduction in the test conducted at elevated temperature. The hardness and fracture morphology of the Zr matrix near the interface region were investigated to determine the effect of impacting Mo particles on the matrix microstructure. The enhanced hardness and cleavage fracture morphology of the Zr matrix immediately below the Mo/Zr interface indicated the occurrence of localized deformation owing to Mo particle impact.

Fabrication and efficiency measurement of a Mo/C/Si/C three material system multilayer Laue lens

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

Kubec, Adam; Maser, J.; Formanek, P.

In this letter we report on the manufacturing of a multilayer Laue lens (MLL) consisting of a multilayer stack with three materials: molybdenum and silicon as absorber and spacer layer, respectively, and carbon as transition layers. The design has four layers per period: Mo/C/Si/C. It yields 6000 zones, and provides an aperture of 50 μm. This allows the MLL structure to accept a large portion of the coherent part of the beam and achieving a small spot size. The MLL deposition was made by magnetron sputtering at the Fraunhofer IWS, the sectioning was done by laser cutting and subsequent focusedmore » ion beam milling to a thickness that provides a good efficiency for a photon energy of 12 keV. The diffraction efficiency as a function of the tilting angle has been measured at beamline 1-BM of the Advanced Photon Source. An efficiency of almost 40% has been achieved. This shows that the material system performs well compared to MLLs made of two-materials and that it is in an excellent agreement with the numerically calculated efficiency for a comparable molybdenum/silicon bilayer system lens. Here, we conclude that the three material system offers high efficiencies and is advantageous for stress reduction in MLLs.« less

Fabrication and efficiency measurement of a Mo/C/Si/C three material system multilayer Laue lens

DOE PAGES

Kubec, Adam; Maser, J.; Formanek, P.; ...

2017-03-17

In this letter we report on the manufacturing of a multilayer Laue lens (MLL) consisting of a multilayer stack with three materials: molybdenum and silicon as absorber and spacer layer, respectively, and carbon as transition layers. The design has four layers per period: Mo/C/Si/C. It yields 6000 zones, and provides an aperture of 50 μm. This allows the MLL structure to accept a large portion of the coherent part of the beam and achieving a small spot size. The MLL deposition was made by magnetron sputtering at the Fraunhofer IWS, the sectioning was done by laser cutting and subsequent focusedmore » ion beam milling to a thickness that provides a good efficiency for a photon energy of 12 keV. The diffraction efficiency as a function of the tilting angle has been measured at beamline 1-BM of the Advanced Photon Source. An efficiency of almost 40% has been achieved. This shows that the material system performs well compared to MLLs made of two-materials and that it is in an excellent agreement with the numerically calculated efficiency for a comparable molybdenum/silicon bilayer system lens. Here, we conclude that the three material system offers high efficiencies and is advantageous for stress reduction in MLLs.« less

High performance perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction with Co/Ir interfacial anisotropy for embedded and standalone STT-MRAM applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huai, Yiming; Gan, Huadong; Wang, Zihui; Xu, Pengfa; Hao, Xiaojie; Yen, Bing K.; Malmhall, Roger; Pakala, Nirav; Wang, Cory; Zhang, Jing; Zhou, Yuchen; Jung, Dongha; Satoh, Kimihiro; Wang, Rongjun; Xue, Lin; Pakala, Mahendra

2018-02-01

High volume spin transfer torque magnetoresistance random access memory (STT-MRAM) for standalone and embedded applications requires a thin perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) stack (˜10 nm) with a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio over 200% after high temperature back-end-of-line (BEOL) processing up to 400 °C. A thin reference layer with low magnetic moment and strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is key to reduce the total thickness of the full pMTJ stack. We demonstrated strong interfacial PMA and a perpendicular Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida exchange interaction in the Co/Ir system. Owing to the additional high PMA at the Ir/Co interface in combination with a conventional CoFeB/MgO interface in the Ir/Co/Mo/CoFeB/MgO reference layer, the full film pMTJ showed a TMR ratio over 210% after annealing at 400 °C for 150 min. The high TMR ratio can be attributed to the thin stack design by combining a thin reference layer with the efficient compensation by a thin pinned layer. The annealing stability may be explained by the absence of solid solution in the Co-Ir system and the low oxygen affinity of Mo in the reference layer and the free layer. High device performance with a TMR ratio over 210% was also confirmed after subjecting the patterned devices to BEOL processing temperatures of up to 400 °C. This proposed pMTJ design is suitable for both standalone and embedded STT-MRAM applications.

On-stack two-dimensional conversion of MoS2 into MoO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeoung Ko, Taeg; Jeong, Areum; Kim, Wontaek; Lee, Jinhwan; Kim, Youngchan; Lee, Jung Eun; Ryu, Gyeong Hee; Park, Kwanghee; Kim, Dogyeong; Lee, Zonghoon; Lee, Min Hyung; Lee, Changgu; Ryu, Sunmin

2017-03-01

Chemical transformation of existing two-dimensional (2D) materials can be crucial in further expanding the 2D crystal palette required to realize various functional heterostructures. In this work, we demonstrate a 2D ‘on-stack’ chemical conversion of single-layer crystalline MoS2 into MoO3 with a precise layer control that enables truly 2D MoO3 and MoO3/MoS2 heterostructures. To minimize perturbation of the 2D morphology, a nonthermal oxidation using O2 plasma was employed. The early stage of the reaction was characterized by a defect-induced Raman peak, drastic quenching of photoluminescence (PL) signals and sub-nm protrusions in atomic force microscopy images. As the reaction proceeded from the uppermost layer to the buried layers, PL and optical second harmonic generation signals showed characteristic modulations revealing a layer-by-layer conversion. The plasma-generated 2D oxides, confirmed as MoO3 by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, were found to be amorphous but extremely flat with a surface roughness of 0.18 nm, comparable to that of 1L MoS2. The rate of oxidation quantified by Raman spectroscopy decreased very rapidly for buried sulfide layers due to protection by the surface 2D oxides, exhibiting a pseudo-self-limiting behavior. As exemplified in this work, various on-stack chemical transformations can be applied to other 2D materials in forming otherwise unobtainable materials and complex heterostructures, thus expanding the palette of 2D material building blocks.

A Mixed-Valent Molybdenum Monophosphate with a Layer Structure: KMo 3P 2O 14

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guesdon, A.; Borel, M. M.; Leclaire, A.; Grandin, A.; Raveau, B.

1994-03-01

A new mixed-valent molybdenum monophosphate with a layer structure KMo 3P 2O 14 has been isolated. It crystallizes in the space group P2 1/ m with a = 8.599(2) Å, b = 6.392(2) Å, c = 10.602(1) Å, and β = 111.65(2)°. The layers [Mo 3P 2O 14] ∞ are parallel to (100) and consist of [MoPO 8] ∞ chains running along limitb→ , in which one MoO 6 octahedron alternates with one PO 4 tetrahedron. In fact, four [MoPO 8] ∞ chains share the corners of their polyhedra and the edges of their octahedra, forming [Mo 4P 4O 24] ∞ columns which are linked through MoO 5 bipyramids along limitc→. The K + ions interleaved between these layers are surrounded by eight oxygens, forming bicapped trigonal prisms KO 8. Besides the unusual trigonal bipyramids MoO 5, this structure is also characterized by a tendency to the localization of the electrons, since one octahedral site is occupied by Mo(V), whereas the other octahedral site and the trigonal bipyramid are occupied by Mo(VI). The similarity of this structure with pure octahedral layer structures suggests the possibility of generating various derivatives, and of ion exchange properties.

Enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from in situ formation of few-layered MoS2/CdS nanosheet-based van der Waals heterostructures.

PubMed

Iqbal, Shahid; Pan, Ziwei; Zhou, Kebin

2017-05-25

Here we report for the first time that the H 2 bubbles generated by photocatalytic water splitting are effective in the layer-by-layer exfoliation of MoS 2 nanocrystals (NCs) into few layers. The as-obtained few layers can be in situ assembled with CdS nanosheets (NSs) into van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) of few-layered MoS 2 /CdS NSs which, in turn, are effective in charge separation and transfer, leading to enhanced photocatalytic H 2 production activity. The few-layered MoS 2 /CdS vdWHs exhibited a H 2 evolution rate of 140 mmol g (CdS) -1 h -1 and achieved an apparent quantum yield of 66% at 420 nm.

NSTAR Extended Life Test Discharge Chamber Flake Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deGroh, Kim K.; Banks, Bruce A.; Karniotis, Christina A.

2005-01-01

The Extended Life Test (ELT) of the NASA Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Readiness (NSTAR) ion thruster was concluded after 30,352 hours of operation. The ELT was conducted using the Deep Space 1 (DS1) back-up flight engine, a 30 cm diameter xenon ion thruster. Post-test inspection of the ELT engine revealed numerous contaminant flakes distributed over the bottom of the cylindrical section of the anode within the discharge chamber (DC). Extensive analyses were conducted to determine the source of the particles, which is critical to the understanding of degradation mechanisms of long life ion thruster operation. Analyses included: optical microscopy (OM) and particle length histograms, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and atomic oxygen plasma exposure tests. Analyses of the particles indicate that the majority of the DC flakes consist of a layered structure, typically with either two or three layers. The flakes comprising two layers were typically found to have a molybdenum-rich (Mo-rich) layer on one side and a carbon-rich (C-rich) layer on the other side. The flakes comprising three layers were found to be sandwich-like structures with Mo-rich exterior layers and a C-rich interior layer. The presence of the C-rich layers indicates that these particles were produced by sputter deposition build-up on a surface external to the discharge chamber from ion sputter erosion of the graphite target in the test chamber. This contaminant layer became thick enough that particles spalled off, and then were electro-statically attracted into the ion thruster interior, where they were coated with Mo from internal sputter erosion of the screen grid and cathode components. Atomic oxygen tests provided evidence that the DC chamber flakes are composed of a significant fraction of carbon. Particle size histograms further indicated that the source of the particles was spalling of carbon flakes from downstream surfaces. Analyses of flakes taken from the downstream surface of the accelerator grid provided additional supportive information. The production of the downstream carbon flakes, and hence the potential problems associated with the flake particles in the ELT ion thruster engine is a facility induced effect and would not occur in the space environment.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-06-01

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

Strain relaxation in nm-thick Cu and Cu-alloy films bonded to a rigid substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, Ashley Ann Elizabeth

In the wide scope of modern technology, nm-thick metallic films are increasingly used as lubrication layers, optical coatings, plating seeds, diffusion barriers, adhesion layers, metal contacts, reaction catalyzers, etc. A prominent example is the use of nm-thick Cu films as electroplating seed layers in the manufacturing of integrated circuits (ICs). These high density circuits are linked by on-chip copper interconnects, which are manufactured by filling Cu into narrow trenches by electroplating. The Cu fill by electroplating requires a thin Cu seed deposited onto high-aspect-ratio trenches. In modern ICs, these trenches are approaching 10 nm or less in width, and the seed layers less than 1 nm in thickness. Since nm-thick Cu seed layers are prone to agglomeration or delamination, achieving uniform, stable and highly-conductive ultra-thin seeds has become a major manufacturing challenge. A fundamental understanding of the strain behavior and thermal stability of nm-thick metal films adhered to a rigid substrate is thus critically needed. In this study, we focus on understanding the deformation modes of nm-thick Cu and Cu-alloy films bonded to a rigid Si substrate and under compressive stress. The strengthening of Cu films through alloying is also studied. In-situ transport measurements are used to monitor the deformation of such films as they are heated from room temperature to 400 °C. Ex-situ AFM is then used to help characterize the mode of strain relaxation. The relaxation modes are known to be sensitive to the wetting and adhesive properties of the film-substrate interface. We use four different liners (Ta, Ru, Mo and Co), interposed between the film and substrate to provide a wide range of interfacial properties to study their effect on the film's thermal stability. Our measurements indicate that when the film/liner interfacial energy is low, grain growth is the dominant relaxation mechanism. As the interface energy increases, grain growth is suppressed, and the strain is relaxed through hillock/island formation instead. The kinetics-limiting parameters for these relaxation modes are identified and used to simulate their kinetics, and a deformation map is then constructed to delineate the conditions under which each mode would prevail. Such a deformation map would prove useful when one seeks to optimize the thermal stability or other mechanical properties in any ultra-thin film system.

Large-area, continuous and high electrical performances of bilayer to few layers MoS2 fabricated by RF sputtering via post-deposition annealing method

PubMed Central

Hussain, Sajjad; Singh, Jai; Vikraman, Dhanasekaran; Singh, Arun Kumar; Iqbal, Muhammad Zahir; Khan, Muhammad Farooq; Kumar, Pushpendra; Choi, Dong-Chul; Song, Wooseok; An, Ki-Seok; Eom, Jonghwa; Lee, Wan-Gyu; Jung, Jongwan

2016-01-01

We report a simple and mass-scalable approach for thin MoS2 films via RF sputtering combined with the post-deposition annealing process. We have prepared as-sputtered film using a MoS2 target in the sputtering system. The as-sputtered film was subjected to post-deposition annealing to improve crystalline quality at 700 °C in a sulfur and argon environment. The analysis confirmed the growth of continuous bilayer to few-layer MoS2 film. The mobility value of ~29 cm2/Vs and current on/off ratio on the order of ~104 were obtained for bilayer MoS2. The mobility increased up to ~173–181 cm2/Vs, respectively, for few-layer MoS2. The mobility of our bilayer MoS2 FETs is larger than any previously reported values of single to bilayer MoS2 grown on SiO2/Si substrate with a SiO2 gate oxide. Moreover, our few-layer MoS2 FETs exhibited the highest mobility value ever reported for any MoS2 FETs with a SiO2 gate oxide. It is presumed that the high mobility behavior of our film could be attributed to low charged impurities of our film and dielectric screening effect by an interfacial MoOxSiy layer. The combined preparation route of RF sputtering and post-deposition annealing process opens up the novel possibility of mass and batch production of MoS2 film. PMID:27492282

Effect of femtosecond and microkeratome flaps creation on the cornea biomechanics during laser in situ keratomileusis: one year follow-up

PubMed Central

Sun, Qian; Deng, Zheng-Zheng; Zhou, Yue-Hua; Zhang, Jing; Peng, Xiao-Yan

2016-01-01

AIM To compare the corneal biomechanical outcomes at one year after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with the flaps created by Ziemer and Moria M2 microkeratome with 110 head and -20 blade. METHODS Totally 100 eyes of 50 consecutive patients were enrolled in this prospective study and divided into two groups for corneal flaps created by ZiemerFemto LDV and Moria M2 microkeratome with 110 head and -20 blade. Corneal biomechanical properties including cornea resistance factor (CRF) and cornea hysteresis (CH) were measured before and 1, 3, 6, 12mo after surgery by ocular response analyzer. Central cornea thickness and corneal flap thickness were measured by optical coherence tomography. RESULTS The ablation depth (P=0.693), residual corneal thickness (P=0.453), and postoperative corneal curvature (P=0.264) were not significant different between Ziemer group and Moria 110-20 group after surgery. The residual stromal bed thickness, corneal flap thickness, CH and CRF at 12mo after surgery were significant different between Ziemer group and Moria 110-20 group (P<0.01);Ziemer group gained better corneal biomechanical results. The CRF and CH increased gradually from 1 to 12mo after surgery in Ziemer group, increased from 1 to 6mo but decreased from 6 to 12mo in Moria 110-20 group. Both CRF and CH at one year after surgery increased with the increasing of residual cornea thickness; pre-LASIK CRF, CRF also increased with residual stromal bed thickness, while CH decreased with the increasing of pre-LASIK intraocular pressure and cornea flap thickness (P<0.01). CONCLUSION In one year follow-up, femtosecond laser can provide better cornea flaps with stable cornea biomechanics than mechanical microkeratome. PMID:27803856

Cold cathode emission studies on topographically modified few layer and single layer MoS2 films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaur, Anand P. S.; Sahoo, Satyaprakash; Mendoza, Frank; Rivera, Adriana M.; Kumar, Mohit; Dash, Saroj P.; Morell, Gerardo; Katiyar, Ram S.

2016-01-01

Nanostructured materials, such as carbon nanotubes, are excellent cold cathode emitters. Here, we report comparative field emission (FE) studies on topographically tailored few layer MoS2 films consisting of ⟨0001⟩ plane perpendicular (⊥) to c-axis (i.e., edge terminated vertically aligned) along with planar few layer and monolayer (1L) MoS2 films. FE measurements exhibited lower turn-on field Eto (defined as required applied electric field to emit current density of 10 μA/cm2) ˜4.5 V/μm and higher current density ˜1 mA/cm2, for edge terminated vertically aligned (ETVA) MoS2 films. However, Eto magnitude for planar few layer and 1L MoS2 films increased further to 5.7 and 11 V/μm, respectively, with one order decrease in emission current density. The observed differences in emission behavior, particularly for ETVA MoS2 is attributed to the high value of geometrical field enhancement factor (β), found to be ˜1064, resulting from the large confinement of localized electric field at edge exposed nanograins. Emission behavior of planar few layers and 1L MoS2 films are explained under a two step emission mechanism. Our studies suggest that with further tailoring the microstructure of ultra thin ETVA MoS2 films would result in elegant FE properties.

Influencing Mechanism of the Selenization Temperature and Time on the Power Conversion Efficiency of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4-Based Solar Cells.

PubMed

Xiao, Zhen-Yu; Yao, Bin; Li, Yong-Feng; Ding, Zhan-Hui; Gao, Zhong-Min; Zhao, Hai-Feng; Zhang, Li-Gong; Zhang, Zhen-Zhong; Sui, Ying-Rui; Wang, Gang

2016-07-13

Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) films were deposited on the Mo-coated glass substrates, and the CZTSSe-based solar cells were successfully fabricated by a facile solution method and postselenization technique. The influencing mechanisms of the selenization temperature and time on the power conversion efficiency (PCE), short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), and fill factor (FF) of the solar cell are systematically investigated by studying the change of the shunt conductance (Gsh), series resistance (Rs), diode ideal factor (n), and reversion saturation current density (J0) with structure and crystal quality of the CZTSSe film and CZTSSe/Mo interface selenized at various temperatures and times. It is found that a Mo(S1-x,Sex)2 (MSSe) layer with hexagonal structure exists at the CZTSSe/Mo interface at the temperature of 500 °C, and its thickness increases with increasing selenization temperature and time. The MSSe has a smaller effect on the Rs, but it has a larger influence on the Gsh, n, and J0. The PCE, Voc, and FF change dominantly with Gsh, n, and J0, while Jsc changes with Rs and Gsh, but not Rs. These results suggest that the effect of the selenization temperature and time on the PCE is dominantly contributed to the change of the CZTSSe/CdS p-n junction and CZTSSe/MSSe interface induced by variation of the quality of the CZTSSe film and thickness of MSSe in the selenization process. By optimizing the selenization temperature and time, the highest PCE of 7.48% is obtained.

Contrast and Raman spectroscopy study of single- and few-layered charge density wave material: 2H-TaSe2

PubMed Central

Hajiyev, Parviz; Cong, Chunxiao; Qiu, Caiyu; Yu, Ting

2013-01-01

In this article, we report the first successful preparation of single- and few-layers of tantalum diselenide (2H-TaSe2) by mechanical exfoliation technique. Number of layers is confirmed by white light contrast spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Vibrational properties of the atomically thin layers of 2H-TaSe2 are characterized by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Room temperature Raman measurements demonstrate MoS2-like spectral features, which are reliable for thickness determination. E1g mode, usually forbidden in backscattering Raman configuration is observed in the supported TaSe2 layers while disappears in the suspended layers, suggesting that this mode may be enabled because of the symmetry breaking induced by the interaction with the substrate. A systematic in-situ low temperature Raman study, for the first time, reveals the existence of incommensurate charge density wave phase transition in single and double-layered 2H-TaSe2 as reflected by a sudden softening of the second-order broad Raman mode resulted from the strong electron-phonon coupling (Kohn anomaly). PMID:24005335

Self-surface charge exfoliation and electrostatically coordinated 2D hetero-layered hybrids

PubMed Central

Yang, Min-Quan; Xu, Yi-Jun; Lu, Wanheng; Zeng, Kaiyang; Zhu, Hai; Xu, Qing-Hua; Ho, Ghim Wei

2017-01-01

At present, the technological groundwork of atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) hetero-layered structures realized by successive thin film epitaxial growth is in principle constrained by lattice matching prerequisite as well as low yield and expensive production. Here, we artificially coordinate ultrathin 2D hetero-layered metal chalcogenides via a highly scalable self-surface charge exfoliation and electrostatic coupling approach. Specifically, bulk metal chalcogenides are spontaneously exfoliated into ultrathin layers in a surfactant/intercalator-free medium, followed by unconstrained electrostatic coupling with a dissimilar transition metal dichalcogenide, MoSe2, into scalable hetero-layered hybrids. Accordingly, surface and interfacial-dominated photocatalysis reactivity is used as an ideal testbed to verify the reliability of diverse 2D ultrathin hetero-layered materials that reveal high visible-light photoreactivity, efficient charge transfer and intimate contact interface for stable cycling and storage purposes. Such a synthetic approach renders independent thickness and composition control anticipated to advance the development of ‘design-and-build' 2D layered heterojunctions for large-scale exploration and applications. PMID:28146147

Tunable Electron and Hole Injection Enabled by Atomically Thin Tunneling Layer for Improved Contact Resistance and Dual Channel Transport in MoS2/WSe2 van der Waals Heterostructure.

PubMed

Khan, Muhammad Atif; Rathi, Servin; Lee, Changhee; Lim, Dongsuk; Kim, Yunseob; Yun, Sun Jin; Youn, Doo Hyeb; Kim, Gil-Ho

2018-06-25

Two-dimensional (2D) materials based heterostructures provide a unique platform where interaction between stacked 2D layers can enhance the electrical and opto-electrical properties as well as give rise to interesting new phenomena. Here, operation of a van der Waals heterostructure device comprising of vertically stacked bi-layer MoS 2 and few layered WSe 2 has been demonstrated in which atomically thin MoS 2 layer has been employed as a tunneling layer to the underlying WSe 2 layer. In this way, simultaneous contacts to both MoS 2 and WSe 2 2D layers have been established by forming direct MS (metal semiconductor) to MoS 2 and tunneling based MIS (metal insulator semiconductor) contacts to WSe 2 , respectively. The use of MoS 2 as a dielectric tunneling layer results in improved contact resistance (80 kΩ-µm) for WSe 2 contact, which is attributed to reduction in effective Schottky barrier height and is also confirmed from the temperature dependent measurement. Further, this unique contact engineering and type II band alignment between MoS 2 and WSe 2 enables a selective and independent carrier transport across the respective layers. This contact engineered dual channel heterostructure exhibits an excellent gate control and both channel current and carrier types can be modulated by the vertical electric field of the gate electrode, which is also reflected in on/off ratio of 10 4 for both electrons (MoS 2 ) and holes (WSe 2 ) channels. Moreover, the charge transfer at the heterointerface is studied quantitatively from the shift in the threshold voltage of the pristine MoS 2 and heterostructure device, which agrees with the carrier recombination induced optical quenching as observed in the Raman spectra of the pristine and heterostructure layers. This observation of dual channel ambipolar transport enabled by the hybrid tunneling contacts and strong interlayer coupling can be utilized for high performance opto-electrical devices and applications.

Sensitivity of the Geomagnetic Octupole to a Stably Stratified Layer in the Earth's Core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, C.; Stanley, S.

2017-12-01

The presence of a stably stratified layer at the top of the core has long been proposed for Earth, based on evidence from seismology and geomagnetic secular variation. Geodynamo modeling offers a unique window to inspect the properties and dynamics in Earth's core. For example, numerical simulations have shown that magnetic field morphology is sensitive to the presence of stably stratified layers in a planet's core. Here we use the mMoSST numerical dynamo model to investigate the effects of a thin stably stratified layer at the top of the fluid outer core in Earth on the resulting large-scale geomagnetic field morphology. We find that the existence of a stable layer has significant influence on the octupolar component of the magnetic field in our models, whereas the quadrupole doesn't show an obvious trend. This suggests that observations of the geomagnetic field can be applied to provide information of the properties of this plausible stable layer, such as how thick and how stable this layer could be. Furthermore, we have examined whether the dominant thermal signature from mantle tomography at the core-mantle boundary (CMB) (a degree & order 2 spherical harmonic) can influence our results. We found that this heat flux pattern at the CMB has no outstanding effects on the quadrupole and octupole magnetic field components. Our studies suggest that if there is a stably stratified layer at the top of the Earth's core, it must be limited in terms of stability and thickness, in order to be compatible with the observed paleomagnetic record.

Investigation of structural-scale levels of spall fracture induced by a nanosecond relativistic high-current electron beam in ultrafine-grained Ti-Al-V-Mo alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudarev, E. F.; Markov, A. B.; Bakach, G. P.; Maletkina, T. Yu.; Belov, N. N.; Tabachenko, A. N.; Skosirskii, A. B.; Habibullin, M. V.; Yakovlev, E. V.

2017-12-01

The results of an experimental and theoretical study of shock-wave processes and spall fracture in an ultrafine-grained and coarse-grained (α + β) Ti-Al-V-Mo alloy under the action of a nanosecond relativistic high-current electron beam are reported. Mathematical modeling is performed to show that when an electron beam with a power density of 1.65 × 1010 W/cm2 impacts this alloy, a shock wave with a compression amplitude of 13 GPa appears and its reflection gives rise to a tensile wave. Its amplitude increases with decreasing target thickness. The calculated increase in the thickness of the spalled layer at the rear surface of the target corresponds to the experimental data. It is established experimentally that plastic deformation precedes the spall fracture sequentially at three structural-scale levels. At the beginning pores are formed and merge, then microcracks are formed at different angles to the back surface of the target between the pores, and then a macrocrack is formed. As a result, the macrocrack surface is not smooth but exhibits pits of ductile fracture.

Synthesis of Large-area Crystalline MoTe2 Atomic layer from Chemical Vapor Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Lin; Zubair, Ahmad; Xu, Kai; Kong, Jing; Dresselhaus, Mildred

The controlled synthesis of highly crystalline large-area molybdenum ditelluride MoTe2 atomic layers is crucial for the practical applications of this emerging material. Here we develop a novel approach for the growth of large-area, uniform and highly crystalline few-layer MoTe2 film via chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Large-area atomically thin MoTe2 film has been successfully synthesized by tellurization of a MoO3 film. The as-grown MoTe2 film is uniform, stoichiometric, and highly crystalline. As a result of the high crystallinity, the electronic properties of MoTe2 film are comparable with that of mechanically exfoliated MoTe2 flakes. Moreover, we found that two different phases of MoTe2 (2H and 1T') can be grown depending on the choice of Mo precursor. Since the MoTe2 film is highly homogenous, and the size of the film is only limited by the substrate and CVD system size, our growth method paves the way for large-scale application of MoTe2 in high performance nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.

CVD synthesis of large-area, highly crystalline MoSe2 atomic layers on diverse substrates and application to photodetectors.

PubMed

Xia, Jing; Huang, Xing; Liu, Ling-Zhi; Wang, Meng; Wang, Lei; Huang, Ben; Zhu, Dan-Dan; Li, Jun-Jie; Gu, Chang-Zhi; Meng, Xiang-Min

2014-08-07

Synthesis of large-area, atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) on diverse substrates is of central importance for the large-scale fabrication of flexible devices and heterojunction-based devices. In this work, we successfully synthesized a large area of highly-crystalline MoSe2 atomic layers on SiO2/Si, mica and Si substrates using a simple chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method at atmospheric pressure. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy reveal that the as-grown ultrathin MoSe2 layers change from a single layer to a few layers. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy demonstrates that while the multi-layer MoSe2 shows weak emission peaks, the monolayer has a much stronger emission peak at ∼ 1.56 eV, indicating the transition from an indirect to a direct bandgap. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis confirms the single-crystallinity of MoSe2 layers with a hexagonal structure. In addition, the photoresponse performance of photodetectors based on MoSe2 monolayer was studied for the first time. The devices exhibit a rapid response of ∼ 60 ms and a good photoresponsivity of ∼ 13 mA/W (using a 532 nm laser at an intensity of 1 mW mm(-2) and a bias of 10 V), suggesting that MoSe2 monolayer is a promising material for photodetection applications.

Fabrication of CIS Absorber Layers with Different Thicknesses Using A Non-Vacuum Spray Coating Method

PubMed Central

Diao, Chien-Chen; Kuo, Hsin-Hui; Tzou, Wen-Cheng; Chen, Yen-Lin; Yang, Cheng-Fu

2014-01-01

In this study, a new thin-film deposition process, spray coating method (SPM), was investigated to deposit the high-densified CuInSe2 absorber layers. The spray coating method developed in this study was a non-vacuum process, based on dispersed nano-scale CuInSe2 precursor and could offer a simple, inexpensive, and alternative formation technology for CuInSe2 absorber layers. After spraying on Mo/glass substrates, the CuInSe2 thin films were annealed at 550 °C by changing the annealing time from 5 min to 30 min in a selenization furnace, using N2 as atmosphere. When the CuInSe2 thin films were annealed, without extra Se or H2Se gas used as the compensation source during the annealing process. The aim of this project was to investigate the influence of annealing time on the densification and crystallization of the CuInSe2 absorber layers to optimize the quality for cost effective solar cell production. The thickness of the CuInSe2 absorber layers could be controlled as the volume of used dispersed CuInSe2-isopropyl alcohol solution was controlled. In this work, X-ray diffraction patterns, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Hall parameter measurements were performed in order to verify the quality of the CuInSe2 absorber layers obtained by the Spray Coating Method. PMID:28788451

Identification of phases in the interaction layer between U-Mo-Zr/Al and U-Mo-Zr/Al-Si

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

Varela, C.L. Komar; Arico, S.F.; Mirandou, M.

Out-of-pile diffusion experiments were performed between U-7wt.% Mo-1wt.% Zr and Al or Al A356 (7,1wt.% Si) at 550 deg. C. In this work morphological characterization and phase identification on both interaction layer are presented. They were carried out by the use of different techniques: optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-Ray diffraction and WDS microanalysis. In the interaction layer U-7wt.% Mo-1wt.% Zr/Al, the phases UAl{sub 3}, UAl{sub 4}, Al{sub 20}Mo{sub 2}U and Al{sub 43}Mo{sub 4}U{sub 6} were identified. In the interaction layer U-7wt.% Mo-1wt.% Zr/Al A356, the phases U(Al, Si) with 25at.% Si and Si{sub 5}U{sub 3} were identified. This lastmore » phase, with a higher Si concentration, was identified with XRD Synchrotron radiation performed at the National Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Campinas, Brasil. (author)« less

β-Li0.37Na0.63Fe(MoO4)2

PubMed Central

Souilem, Amira; Zid, Mohamed Faouzi; Driss, Ahmed

2014-01-01

The title compound, lithium/sodium iron(III) bis­[ortho­molyb­date(VI)], was obtained by a solid-state reaction. The main structure units are an FeO6 octa­hedron, a distorted MoO6 octa­hedron and an MoO4 tetra­hedron sharing corners. The crystal structure is composed of infinite double MoFeO11 chains along the b-axis direction linked by corner-sharing to MoO4 tetra­hedra so as to form Fe2Mo3O19 ribbons. The cohesion between ribbons via mixed Mo—O—Fe bridges leads to layers arranged parallel to the bc plane. Adjacent layers are linked by corners shared between MoO4 tetra­hedra of one layer and FeO6 octa­hedra of the other layer. The Na+ and Li+ ions partially occupy the same general position, with a site-occupancy ratio of 0.631 (9):0.369 (1). A comparison is made with AFe(MoO4)2 (A = Li, Na, K and Cs) structures. PMID:24764805

MBE growth of few-layer 2H-MoTe2 on 3D substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vishwanath, Suresh; Sundar, Aditya; Liu, Xinyu; Azcatl, Angelica; Lochocki, Edward; Woll, Arthur R.; Rouvimov, Sergei; Hwang, Wan Sik; Lu, Ning; Peng, Xin; Lien, Huai-Hsun; Weisenberger, John; McDonnell, Stephen; Kim, Moon J.; Dobrowolska, Margaret; Furdyna, Jacek K.; Shen, Kyle; Wallace, Robert M.; Jena, Debdeep; Xing, Huili Grace

2018-01-01

MoTe2 is the least explored material in the Molybdenum-chalcogen family. Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) provides a unique opportunity to tackle the small electronegativity difference between Mo and Te while growing layer by layer away from thermodynamic equilibrium. We find that for a few-layer MoTe2 grown at a moderate rate of ∼6 min per monolayer, a narrow window in temperature (above Te cell temperature) and Te:Mo ratio exists, where we can obtain pure phase 2H-MoTe2. This is confirmed using reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). For growth on CaF2, Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GI-XRD) reveals a grain size of ∼90 Å and presence of twinned grains. In this work, we hypothesis the presence of excess Te incorporation in MBE grown few layer 2H-MoTe2. For film on CaF2, it is based on >2 Te:Mo stoichiometry using XPS as well as 'a' and 'c' lattice spacing greater than bulk 2H-MoTe2. On GaAs, its based on observations of Te crystallite formation on film surface, 2 × 2 superstructure observed in RHEED and low energy electron diffraction, larger than bulk c-lattice spacing as well as the lack of electrical conductivity modulation by field effect. Finally, thermal stability and air sensitivity of MBE 2H-MoTe2 is investigated by temperature dependent XRD and XPS, respectively.

Toward DNA electrochemical sensing by free-standing ZnO nanosheets grown on 2D thin-layered MoS2.

PubMed

Yang, Tao; Chen, Meijing; Kong, Qianqian; Luo, Xiliang; Jiao, Kui

2017-03-15

Very recently, the 2-dimensional MoS 2 layer as base substrate integrated with other materials has caused people's emerging attention. In this paper, a thin-layered MoS 2 was prepared through an ultrasonic exfoliation method from bulk MoS 2 and then the free-standing ZnO nanosheet was electrodeposited on the MoS 2 scaffold for DNA sensing. The ZnO/MoS 2 nanocomposite revealed smooth and vertical nanosheets morphology by scanning electron microscopy, compared with the sole MoS 2 and sole ZnO. Importantly, the partially negative charged MoS 2 layer is beneficial to the nucleation and growth of ZnO nanosheets under the effect of electrostatic interactions. Classic methylene blue, which possesses different affinities to dsDNA and ssDNA, was adopted as the measure signal to confirm the immobilization and hybridization of DNA on ZnO nanosheets and pursue the optimal synthetic conditions. And the results demonstrated that the free-standing ZnO/MoS 2 nanosheets had low detection limit (6.6×10 -16 M) and has a positive influence on DNA immobilization and hybridization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical properties of thickness-controlled MoS2 thin films studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dahai; Song, Xiongfei; Xu, Jiping; Wang, Ziyi; Zhang, Rongjun; Zhou, Peng; Zhang, Hao; Huang, Renzhong; Wang, Songyou; Zheng, Yuxiang; Zhang, David Wei; Chen, Liangyao

2017-11-01

As a promising candidate for applications in future electronic and optoelectronic devices, MoS2 has been a research focus in recent years. Therefore, investigating its optical properties is of practical significance. Here we synthesized different MoS2 thin films with quantitatively controlled thickness and sizable thickness variation, which is vital to find out the thickness-dependent regularity. Afterwards, several characterization methods, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), optical absorption spectra, and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), were systematically performed to character the optical properties of as-grown samples. Accurate dielectric constants of MoS2 are obtained by fitting SE data using point-by-point method, and precise energies of interband transitions are directly extracted from the Lorentz dispersion model. We assign these energies to different interband electronic transitions between the valence bands and conduction bands in the Brillouin zone. In addition, the intrinsic physical mechanisms existing in observed phenomena are discussed in details. Results derived from this work are reliable and provide a better understanding of MoS2, which can be expected to help people fully employ its potential for wider applications.

Solution processable mixed-solvent exfoliated MoS2 nanosheets for efficient and robust organic light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chia-Wei; Wang, Chia; Liao, Chia-Wei; Golder, Jan; Tsai, Ming-Chih; Young, Hong-Tsu; Chen, Chin-Ti; Wu, Chih-I.

2018-04-01

We demonstrate the use of solution-processed molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) nanoparticle-decorated molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets (MoS2/MoO3) as hole injection layer (HIL) in organic lighting diodes (OLEDs). The device performance is shown to be significantly improved by the introduction of such MoS2/MoO3 HIL without any post-ultraviolet-ozone treatment, and is shown to better the performance of devices fabricated using conventional poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and MoO3 nanoparticle HILs. The MoS2/MoO3 nanosheets form a compact film, as smooth as PEDOT:PSS films and smoother than MoO3 nanoparticle films, when simply spin-coated on indium tin oxide substrates. The improvement in device efficiency can be attributed to the smooth surface of the nanostructured MoS2/MoO3 HIL and the excellent conductivity characteristics of the two-dimensional (2D) layered material (MoS2), which facilitate carrier transport in the device and reduce the sheet resistance. Moreover, the long-term stability of OLED devices that use such MoS2/MoO3 layers is shown to be improved dramatically compared with hygroscopic and acidic PEDOT:PSS-based devices.

A theoretical modeling of photocurrent generation and decay in layered MoS2 thin-film transistor photosensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hur, Ji-Hyun; Park, Junghak; Jeon, Sanghun

2017-02-01

A model that universally describes the characteristics of photocurrent in molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) thin-film transistor (TFT) photosensors in both ‘light on’ and ‘light off’ conditions is presented for the first time. We considered possible material-property dependent carrier generation and recombination mechanisms in layered MoS2 channels with different numbers of layers. We propose that the recombination rates that are mainly composed of direct band-to-band recombination and interface trap-involved recombination change on changing the light condition and the number of layers. By comparing the experimental results, it is shown that the model performs well in describing the photocurrent behaviors of MoS2 TFT photosensors, including the photocurrent generation under illumination and a hugely long time persistent trend of the photocurrent decay in the dark condition, for a range of MoS2 layer numbers.

Remote N2 plasma treatment to deposit ultrathin high-k dielectric as tunneling contact layer for single-layer MoS2 MOSFET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Qingkai; Zhang, Zhaofu; Hua, Mengyuan; Wei, Jin; Lei, Jiacheng; Chen, Kevin J.

2017-12-01

Remote N2 plasma treatment is explored as a surface functionalization technique to deposit ultrathin high-k dielectric on single-layer MoS2. The ultrathin dielectric is used as a tunneling contact layer, which also serves as an interfacial layer below the gate region for fabricating top-gate MoS2 metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). The fabricated devices exhibited small hysteresis and mobility as high as 14 cm2·V-1·s-1. The contact resistance was significantly reduced, which resulted in the increase of drain current from 20 to 56 µA/µm. The contact resistance reduction can be attributed to the alleviated metal-MoS2 interface reaction and the preserved conductivity of MoS2 below the source/drain metal contact.

Highly anisotropic solar-blind UV photodetector based on large-size two-dimensional α-MoO3 atomic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Mianzeng; Zhou, Ke; Wei, Zhongming; Li, Yan; Li, Tao; Dong, Huanli; Jiang, Lang; Li, Jingbo; Hu, Wenping

2018-07-01

Orthorhombic MoO3 (α-MoO3) is a typical layered n-type semiconductor with optical band gap over 2.7 eV, which have been widely studied in catalysis, gas sensing, lithium-ion batteries, field-emission, photoelectrical, photochromic and electrochromic devices, supercapacitors and organic solar cells. However, the bottleneck of generation large size atomic thin two-dimensional (2D) α-MoO3 crystals remain challenging this field (normally several micrometers size). Herein, we developed a facile vapor–solid (VS) process for controllable growth of large-size 2D α-MoO3 single crystals with a few nanometers thick and over 300 μm in lateral size. High-performance solar-blind photodetectors were fabricated based on individual 2D α-MoO3 single crystal. The detectors demonstrate outstanding optoelectronic properties under solar-blind UV light (254 nm), with a photoresponsivity of 67.9 A W‑1, external quantum efficiency of 3.3  ×  104%. More important, the devices showed strong in-plane anisotropy in optoelectronic response and transport properties, e.g. the photocurrent along b-axis was found to be 5 times higher than the values along c-axis under 254 nm UV light, and current ON/OFF ratio and mobility anisotropy is about 2 times high. Our work suggests an optimized synthesis routine for 2D crystals, and the great potential of 2D oxides in functional optoelectronics.

Patterned Growth of Carbon Nanotubes or Nanofibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delzeit, Lance D.

2004-01-01

A method and apparatus for the growth of carbon nanotubes or nanofibers in a desired pattern has been invented. The essence of the method is to grow the nanotubes or nanofibers by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) onto a patterned catalyst supported by a substrate. The figure schematically depicts salient aspects of the method and apparatus in a typical application. A substrate is placed in a chamber that contains both ion-beam sputtering and CVD equipment. The substrate can be made of any of a variety of materials that include several forms of silicon or carbon, and selected polymers, metals, ceramics, and even some natural minerals and similar materials. Optionally, the substrate is first coated with a noncatalytic metal layer (which could be a single layer or could comprise multiple different sublayers) by ion-beam sputtering. The choice of metal(s) and thickness(es) of the first layer (if any) and its sublayers (if any) depends on the chemical and electrical properties required for subsequent deposition of the catalyst and the subsequent CVD of the carbon nanotubes. A typical first-sublayer metal is Pt, Pd, Cr, Mo, Ti, W, or an alloy of two or more of these elements. A typical metal for the second sublayer or for an undivided first layer is Al at a thickness .1 nm or Ir at a thickness .5 nm. Proper choice of the metal for a second sublayer of a first layer makes it possible to use a catalyst that is chemically incompatible with the substrate. In the next step, a mask having holes in the desired pattern is placed over the coated substrate. The catalyst is then deposited on the coated substrate by ion-beam sputtering through the mask. Optionally, the catalyst could be deposited by a technique other than sputtering and/or patterned by use of photolithography, electron- beam lithography, or another suitable technique. The catalytic metal can be Fe, Co, Ni, or an alloy of two or more of these elements, deposited to a typical thickness in the range from 0.1 to 20 nm.

Nanowire CdS-CdTe solar cells with molybdenum oxide as contact

DOE PAGES

Dang, Hongmei; Singh, Vijay P.

2015-10-06

Using a 10 nm thick molybdenum oxide (MoO 3-x) layer as a transparent and low barrier contact to p-CdTe, we demonstrate nanowire CdS-CdTe solar cells with a power conversion efficiency of 11% under front side illumination. Annealing the as-deposited MoO 3 film in N2 resulted in a reduction of the cell’s series resistance, from 9.97 Ω/cm 2 to 7.69 Ω/cm 2, and increase in efficiency from 9.9% to 11%. Under illumination from the back, the MoO 3-x/Au side, the nanowire solar cells yielded Jsc of 21 mA/cm 2 and efficiency of 8.67%. Our results demonstrate use of a thin layermore » transition metal oxide as a potential way for a transparent back contact to nanowire CdS-CdTe solar cells. As a result, this work has implications toward enabling a novel superstrate structure nanowire CdS-CdTe solar cell on Al foil substrate by a low cost roll-to roll fabrication process.« less

Optical spectroscopy of excited exciton states in MoS2 monolayers in van der Waals heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robert, C.; Semina, M. A.; Cadiz, F.; Manca, M.; Courtade, E.; Taniguchi, T.; Watanabe, K.; Cai, H.; Tongay, S.; Lassagne, B.; Renucci, P.; Amand, T.; Marie, X.; Glazov, M. M.; Urbaszek, B.

2018-01-01

The optical properties of MoS2 monolayers are dominated by excitons, but for spectrally broad optical transitions in monolayers exfoliated directly onto SiO2 substrates detailed information on excited exciton states is inaccessible. Encapsulation in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) allows approaching the homogenous exciton linewidth, but interferences in the van der Waals heterostructures make direct comparison between transitions in optical spectra with different oscillator strength more challenging. Here we reveal in reflectivity and in photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy the presence of excited states of the A exciton in MoS2 monolayers encapsulated in hBN layers of calibrated thickness, allowing us to extrapolate an exciton binding energy of ≈220 meV. We theoretically reproduce the energy separations and oscillator strengths measured in reflectivity by combining the exciton resonances calculated for a screened two-dimensional Coulomb potential with transfer matrix calculations of the reflectivity for the van der Waals structure. Our analysis shows a very different evolution of the exciton oscillator strength with principal quantum number for the screened Coulomb potential as compared to the ideal two-dimensional hydrogen model.

MoS2 monolayers on nanocavities: enhancement in light-matter interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janisch, Corey; Song, Haomin; Zhou, Chanjing; Lin, Zhong; Elías, Ana Laura; Ji, Dengxin; Terrones, Mauricio; Gan, Qiaoqiang; Liu, Zhiwen

2016-06-01

Two-dimensional (2D) atomic crystals and van der Waals heterostructures constitute an emerging platform for developing new functional ultra-thin electronic and optoelectronic materials for novel energy-efficient devices. However, in most thin-film optical applications, there is a long-existing trade-off between the effectiveness of light-matter interactions and the thickness of semiconductor materials, especially when the materials are scaled down to atom thick dimensions. Consequently, enhancement strategies can introduce significant advances to these atomically thick materials and devices. Here we demonstrate enhanced absorption and photoluminescence generation from MoS2 monolayers coupled with a planar nanocavity. This nanocavity consists of an alumina nanolayer spacer sandwiched between monolayer MoS2 and an aluminum reflector, and can strongly enhance the light-matter interaction within the MoS2, increasing the exclusive absorption of monolayer MoS2 to nearly 70% at a wavelength of 450 nm. The nanocavity also modifies the spontaneous emission rate, providing an additional design freedom to control the interaction between light and 2D materials.

A two-dimensional organic–inorganic hybrid compound, poly[(ethylenediamine)tri-μ-oxido-oxidocopper(II)molybdenum(VI)

PubMed Central

Gun, Ozgul; VanDerveer, Don; Emirdag-Eanes, Mehtap

2008-01-01

A new organic–inorganic two-dimensional hybrid compound, [CuMoO4(C2H8N2)], has been hydro­thermally synthesized at 443 K. The unit cell contains layers composed of CuN2O4 octa­hedra and MoO4 tetra­hedra. Corner-sharing MoO4 and CuN2O4 polyhedra form CuMoO4 bimetallic sites that are joined together through O atoms, forming an edge-sharing Cu2Mo2O4 chain along the c axis. The one-dimensional chains are further linked through bridging O atoms that join the Cu and Mo atoms into respective chains along the b axis, thus establishing layers in the bc plane. The ethyl­enediamine ligand is coordinated to the Cu atom through its two N atoms and is oriented perpendicularly to the two-dimensional –Cu—O—Mo– layers. The average distance between adjacent layers, as calculated by consideration of the closest and furthest distances between two layers, is 8.7 Å. The oxidation states of the Mo and Cu atoms of VI and II, respectively, were confirmed by bond-valence sum calculations. PMID:21200997

Synthesis and Characterization of SiO2@Y2MoO6:Eu3+ Core-Shell Structured Spherical Phosphors by Sol-Gel Process.

PubMed

Li, G Z; Liu, F H; Chu, Z S; Wu, D M; Yang, L B; Li, J L; Wang, M N; Wang, Z L

2016-04-01

SiO2@Y2MoO6:Eu3+ core-shell phosphors were prepared by the sol-gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectra as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the resulting SiO2@Y2MoO6:Eu3+ core-shell phosphors. The XRD results demonstrated that the Y2MoO6:Eu3+ layers on the SiO2 spheres crystallized after being annealed at 700 °C and the crystallinity increased with raising the annealing temperature. The obtained core-shell phosphors have spherical shape with narrow size distribution (average size ca. 640 nm), non-agglomeration, and smooth surface. The thickness of the Y2MoO6:Eu3+ shells on the SiO2 cores could be easily tailored by varying the number of deposition cycles (70 nm for four deposition cycles). The Eul+ shows a strong PL emission (dominated by 5D0-7F2 red emission at 614 nm) under the excitation of 347 nm UV light. The PL intensity of Eu3+ increases with increasing the annealing temperature and the number of coating cycles.

Improvements of mechanical fatigue reliability of Cu interconnects on flexible substrates through MoTi alloy under-layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Young-Joo; Shin, Hae-A.-Seul; Nam, Dae-Hyun; Yeon, Han-Wool; Nam, Boae; Woo, Kyoohee; Joo, Young-Chang

2015-01-01

The mechanical fatigue of Cu films and lines on flexible substrates was investigated, and an improvement in the structures through the use of a MoTi alloy under-layer was proposed. Fatigue reliability was decreased by 3-fold in lines compared with films in the tensile condition and by 6-fold in the compressive condition. Crack formation was observed to be more detrimental for lines than for films. With a MoTi under-layer, the fatigue limit was increased by 2 times that of a structure without MoTi in the tensile condition and by 15 times in the compressive bending condition. The suppression of delamination through the use of a MoTi under-layer improved the fatigue reliability under compressive bending.

MoRu/Be multilayers for extreme ultraviolet applications

DOEpatents

Bajt, Sasa C.; Wall, Mark A.

2001-01-01

High reflectance, low intrinsic roughness and low stress multilayer systems for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography comprise amorphous layers MoRu and crystalline Be layers. Reflectance greater than 70% has been demonstrated for MoRu/Be multilayers with 50 bilayer pairs. Optical throughput of MoRu/Be multilayers can be 30-40% higher than that of Mo/Be multilayer coatings. The throughput can be improved using a diffusion barrier to make sharper interfaces. A capping layer on the top surface of the multilayer improves the long-term reflectance and EUV radiation stability of the multilayer by forming a very thin native oxide that is water resistant.

Numerical modelling of CIGS/CdS solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devi, Nisha; Aziz, Anver; Datta, Shouvik

2018-05-01

In this work, we design and analyze the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cell using simulation software "Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator in One Dimension (SCAPS-1D)". The conventional CIGS solar cell uses various layers, like intrinsic ZnO/Aluminium doped ZnO as transparent oxide, antireflection layer MgF2, and electron back reflection (EBR) layer at CIGS/Mo interface for good power conversion efficiency. We replace this conventional model by a simple model which is easy to fabricate and also reduces the cost of this cell because of use of lesser materials. The new designed model of CIGS solar cell is ITO/CIGS/OVC/CdS/Metal contact, where OVC is ordered vacancy compound. From this simple structure, even at very low illumination we are getting good results. We simulate this CIGS solar cell model by varying various physical parameters of CIGS like thickness, carrier density, band gap and temperature.

Results of analyses performed on basalt adjacent to penetrators emplaced into volcanic rock at Amboy, California, April 1976

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanchard, M.; Bunch, T.; Davis, A.; Shade, H.; Erlichman, J.; Polkowski, G.

1977-01-01

The physical and chemical modifications found in the basalt after impact of four penetrators were studied. Laboratory analyses show that mineralogical and elemental changes are produced in the powdered and crushed basalt immediately surrounding the penetrator. Optical microscopy studies of material next to the skin of the penetrator revealed a layer, 0-2 mm thick, of glass and abraded iron alloy mixed with fractured mineral grains of basalt. Elemental analysis of the 0-2 mm layer revealed increased concentrations of Fe, Cr, Ni, No, and Mn, and reduced concentrations of Mg, Al, Si, and Ca. The Fe, Cr, Ni, and Mo were in fragments abraded from the penetrator. Mineralogical changes occurring in the basalt sediment next to the penetrator include the introduction of micron-size grains of alpha-iron, magnetite, and hematite. The newly formed silicate minerals include metastable phases of silica (tridymite and cristobalite). An increased concentration of Fe, Cr, Ni, and Mo occurred in the 2-mm to 1-cm layer of penetrator no. 1, which impacted at the highest velocity. No elemental concentration increase was noted for penetrators nos. 2 and 3 in the 2-mm to 1-cm layer. Contaminants introduced by the penetrator occur up to 1 cm away from the penetrator's skin. Although volatile elements do migrate and new minerals are formed during the destruction of host minerals in the crushed rock, no changes were observed beyond the 1-cm distance.

Transition-metal dichalcogenides heterostructure saturable absorbers for ultrafast photonics.

PubMed

Chen, Hao; Yin, Jinde; Yang, Jingwei; Zhang, Xuejun; Liu, Mengli; Jiang, Zike; Wang, Jinzhang; Sun, Zhipei; Guo, Tuan; Liu, Wenjun; Yan, Peiguang

2017-11-01

In this Letter, high-quality WS 2 film and MoS 2 film were vertically stacked on the tip of a single-mode fiber in turns to form heterostructure (WS 2 -MoS 2 -WS 2 )-based saturable absorbers with all-fiber integrated features. Their nonlinear saturable absorption properties were remarkable, such as a large modulation depth (∼16.99%) and a small saturable intensity (6.23  MW·cm -2 ). Stable pulses at 1.55 μm with duration as short as 296 fs and average power as high as 25 mW were obtained in an erbium-doped fiber laser system. The results demonstrate that the proposed heterostructures own remarkable nonlinear optical properties and offer a platform for adjusting nonlinear optical properties by stacking different transition-metal dichalcogenides or modifying the thickness of each layer, paving the way for engineering functional ultrafast photonics devices with desirable properties.

Interfaces of high-efficiency kesterite Cu2ZnSnS(e)4 thin film solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Shoushuai; Jiang, Zhenwu; Wu, Li; Ao, Jianping; Zeng, Yu; Sun, Yun; Zhang, Yi

2018-01-01

Cu2ZnSnS(e)4 (CZTS(e)) solar cells have attracted much attention due to the elemental abundance and the non-toxicity. However, the record efficiency of 12.6% for Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells is much lower than that of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells. One crucial reason is the recombination at interfaces. In recent years, large amount investigations have been done to analyze the interfacial problems and improve the interfacial properties via a variety of methods. This paper gives a review of progresses on interfaces of CZTS(e) solar cells, including: (1) the band alignment optimization at buffer/CZTS(e) interface, (2) tailoring the thickness of MoS(e)2 interfacial layers between CZTS(e) absorber and Mo back contact, (3) the passivation of rear interface, (4) the passivation of front interface, and (5) the etching of secondary phases.

Modulation of Quantum Tunneling via a Vertical Two-Dimensional Black Phosphorus and Molybdenum Disulfide p-n Junction.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaochi; Qu, Deshun; Li, Hua-Min; Moon, Inyong; Ahmed, Faisal; Kim, Changsik; Lee, Myeongjin; Choi, Yongsuk; Cho, Jeong Ho; Hone, James C; Yoo, Won Jong

2017-09-26

Diverse diode characteristics were observed in two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (BP) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) heterojunctions. The characteristics of a backward rectifying diode, a Zener diode, and a forward rectifying diode were obtained from the heterojunction through thickness modulation of the BP flake or back gate modulation. Moreover, a tunnel diode with a precursor to negative differential resistance can be realized by applying dual gating with a solid polymer electrolyte layer as a top gate dielectric material. Interestingly, a steep subthreshold swing of 55 mV/dec was achieved in a top-gated 2D BP-MoS 2 junction. Our simple device architecture and chemical doping-free processing guaranteed the device quality. This work helps us understand the fundamentals of tunneling in 2D semiconductor heterostructures and shows great potential in future applications in integrated low-power circuits.

Nonvolatile MoS2 field effect transistors directly gated by single crystalline epitaxial ferroelectric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhongyuan; Serrao, Claudy; Khan, Asif Islam; You, Long; Wong, Justin C.; Ye, Yu; Zhu, Hanyu; Zhang, Xiang; Salahuddin, Sayeef

2017-07-01

We demonstrate non-volatile, n-type, back-gated, MoS2 transistors, placed directly on an epitaxial grown, single crystalline, PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 (PZT) ferroelectric. The transistors show decent ON current (19 μA/μm), high on-off ratio (107), and a subthreshold swing of (SS ˜ 92 mV/dec) with a 100 nm thick PZT layer as the back gate oxide. Importantly, the ferroelectric polarization can directly control the channel charge, showing a clear anti-clockwise hysteresis. We have self-consistently confirmed the switching of the ferroelectric and corresponding change in channel current from a direct time-dependent measurement. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to obtain transistor operation directly on polar surfaces, and therefore, it should be possible to integrate 2D electronics with single crystalline functional oxides.

Evolution of the Valley Position in Bulk Transition-Metal Chalcogenides and Their Monolayer Limit.

PubMed

Yuan, Hongtao; Liu, Zhongkai; Xu, Gang; Zhou, Bo; Wu, Sanfeng; Dumcenco, Dumitru; Yan, Kai; Zhang, Yi; Mo, Sung-Kwan; Dudin, Pavel; Kandyba, Victor; Yablonskikh, Mikhail; Barinov, Alexei; Shen, Zhixun; Zhang, Shoucheng; Huang, Yingsheng; Xu, Xiaodong; Hussain, Zahid; Hwang, Harold Y; Cui, Yi; Chen, Yulin

2016-08-10

Layered transition metal chalcogenides with large spin orbit coupling have recently sparked much interest due to their potential applications for electronic, optoelectronic, spintronics, and valleytronics. However, most current understanding of the electronic structure near band valleys in momentum space is based on either theoretical investigations or optical measurements, leaving the detailed band structure elusive. For example, the exact position of the conduction band valley of bulk MoS2 remains controversial. Here, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with submicron spatial resolution (micro-ARPES), we systematically imaged the conduction/valence band structure evolution across representative chalcogenides MoS2, WS2, and WSe2, as well as the thickness dependent electronic structure from bulk to the monolayer limit. These results establish a solid basis to understand the underlying valley physics of these materials, and also provide a link between chalcogenide electronic band structure and their physical properties for potential valleytronics applications.

[MoS4]2- Cluster Bridges in Co-Fe Layered Double Hydroxides for Mercury Uptake from S-Hg Mixed Flue Gas.

PubMed

Xu, Haomiao; Yuan, Yong; Liao, Yong; Xie, Jiangkun; Qu, Zan; Shangguan, Wenfeng; Yan, Naiqiang

2017-09-05

[MoS 4 ] 2- clusters were bridged between CoFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) layers using the ion-exchange method. [MoS 4 ] 2- /CoFe-LDH showed excellent Hg 0 removal performance under low and high concentrations of SO 2 , highlighting the potential for such material in S-Hg mixed flue gas purification. The maximum mercury capacity was as high as 16.39 mg/g. The structure and physical-chemical properties of [MoS 4 ] 2- /CoFe-LDH composites were characterized with FT-IR, XRD, TEM&SEM, XPS, and H 2 -TPR. [MoS 4 ] 2- clusters intercalated into the CoFe-LDH layered sheets; then, we enlarged the layer-to-layer spacing (from 0.622 to 0.880 nm) and enlarged the surface area (from 41.4 m 2 /g to 112.1 m 2 /g) of the composite. During the adsorption process, the interlayer [MoS 4 ] 2- cluster was the primary active site for mercury uptake. The adsorbed mercury existed as HgS on the material surface. The absence of active oxygen results in a composite with high sulfur resistance. Due to its high efficiency and SO 2 resistance, [MoS 4 ] 2- /CoFe-LDH is a promising adsorbent for mercury uptake from S-Hg mixed flue gas.

Analysis of the Effect of Locally Applied Inhomogeneous Static Magnetic Field-Exposure on Mouse Ear Edema – A Double Blind Study

PubMed Central

Kiss, Balázs; László, János F.; Szalai, Andrea; Pórszász, Róbert

2015-01-01

The effect static magnetic field (SMF)-exposure may exert on edema development has been investigated. A 6 h long whole-body (WBSMF) or local (LSMF), continuous, inhomogeneous SMF-exposure was applied on anesthetized mice in an in vivo model of mustard oil (MO)-induced ear edema. LSMF was applied below the treated ear, below the lumbar spine, or below the mandible. Ear thickness (v) was checked 8 times during the exposure period (at 0, 0.25, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 h). The effect size of the applied treatment (η) on ear thickness was calculated by the formula η = 100% × (1–v j/v i), where group i is the control group and j is the treated group. Results showed that MO treatment in itself induced a significant ear edema with an effect of 9% (p<0.001). WBSMF or LSMF on the spine in combination with MO treatment increased ear thickness even further resulting in an effect of η>11% in both cases compared to SMF-exposure alone (p<0.001). In these cases SMF-exposure alone without MO treatment reduced ear thickness significantly (p<0.05), but within estimated experimental error. In cases of LSMF-exposure on the head, a significant SMF-exposure induced ear thickness reduction was found (η = 5%, p<0.05). LSMF-exposure on the spine affected ear thickness with and without MO treatment almost identically, which provides evidence that the place of local SMF action may be in the lower spinal region. PMID:25695832

Impact on electronic structure of donor/acceptor blend in organic photovoltaics by decontamination of molybdenum-oxide surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Yuta; Akaike, Kouki; Fukuda, Takeshi; Sato, Daisuke; Fuse, Takuya; Iwahashi, Takashi; Ouchi, Yukio; Kanai, Kaname

2018-05-01

Molybdenum oxide (MoOx) is widely used as the hole-transport layer in bulk-heterojunction organic photovoltaics (BHJ-OPVs). During the fabrication of solution-processed BHJ-OPVs on vacuum-deposited MoOx film, the film must be exposed to N2 atmosphere in a glove box, where the donor/acceptor blends are spin-coated from a mixed solution. Employing photoelectron spectroscopy, we reveal that the exposure of the MoOx film to such atmosphere contaminates the MoOx surface. Annealing the contaminated MoOx film at 160 °C for 5 min, prior to spin-coating the blend film, can partially remove the carbon and oxygen adsorbed on the MoOx surface during the exposure of MoOx. However, the contamination layer on the MoOx surface does not affect the energy-level alignment at the interface between MoOx and the donor/acceptor blend. Hence, significant improvement in the performance of BHJ-OPVs by mildly annealing the MoOx layer, which was previously reported, can be explained by the reduction of undesired contamination.

Engineering few-layer MoTe2 devices by Co/hBN tunnel contacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Mengjian; Luo, Wei; Wu, Nannan; Zhang, Xue-ao; Qin, Shiqiao

2018-04-01

2H phase Molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) is a layered two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor that has recently gained extensive attention for its intriguing properties, demonstrating great potential for nanoelectronics and optoelectronics. Optimizing the electric contacts to MoTe2 is a critical step for realizing high performance devices. Here, we demonstrate Co/hBN tunnel contacts to few-layer MoTe2. In sharp contrast to the p-type conduction of Co contacted MoTe2, Co/hBN tunnel contacted MoTe2 devices show clear n-type transport properties. Our first principles calculation reveals that the inserted few-layer hBN strongly interacts with Co and significantly reduces its work-function by ˜1.2 eV, while MoTe2 itself has a much weaker influence on the work-function of Co. This allows us to build MoTe2 diodes using the mixed Co/hBN and Co contact architecture, which can be switched from p-n type to n-p type by changing the gate-voltage, paving the way for engineering multi-functional devices based on atomically thin 2D semiconductors.

Spotting 2D atomic layers on aluminum nitride thin films.

PubMed

Chandrasekar, Hareesh; Bharadwaj B, Krishna; Vaidyuala, Kranthi Kumar; Suran, Swathi; Bhat, Navakanta; Varma, Manoj; Srinivasan Raghavan

2015-10-23

Substrates for 2D materials are important for tailoring their fundamental properties and realizing device applications. Aluminum nitride (AIN) films on silicon are promising large-area substrates for such devices in view of their high surface phonon energies and reasonably large dielectric constants. In this paper epitaxial layers of AlN on 2″ Si wafers have been investigated as a necessary first step to realize devices from exfoliated or transferred atomic layers. Significant thickness dependent contrast enhancements are both predicted and observed for monolayers of graphene and MoS2 on AlN films as compared to the conventional SiO2 films on silicon, with calculated contrast values approaching 100% for graphene on AlN as compared to 8% for SiO2 at normal incidences. Quantitative estimates of experimentally measured contrast using reflectance spectroscopy show very good agreement with calculated values. Transistors of monolayer graphene on AlN films are demonstrated, indicating the feasibility of complete device fabrication on the identified layers.

Wrinkled substrate and Indium Tin Oxide-free transparent electrode making organic solar cells thinner in active layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Kong; Lu, Shudi; Yue, Shizhong; Ren, Kuankuan; Azam, Muhammad; Tan, Furui; Wang, Zhijie; Qu, Shengchun; Wang, Zhanguo

2016-11-01

To enable organic solar cells with a competent charge transport efficiency, reducing the thickness of active layer without sacrificing light absorption efficiency turns out to be of high feasibility. Herein, organic solar cells on wrinkled metal surface are designed. The purposely wrinkled Al/Au film with a smooth surface provides a unique scaffold for constructing thin organic photovoltaic devices by avoiding pinholes and defects around sharp edges in conventional nanostructures. The corresponding surface light trapping effect enables the thin active layer (PTB7-Th:PC71BM) with a high absorption efficiency. With the innovative MoO3/Ag/ZnS film as the top transparent electrode, the resulting Indium Tin Oxide-free wrinkled devices show a power conversion efficiency as 7.57% (50 nm active layer), higher than the planner counterparts. Thus, this paper provides a new methodology to improve the performance of organic solar cells by balancing the mutual restraint factors to a high level.

Ferroelectric memory based on molybdenum disulfide and ferroelectric hafnium oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yap, Wui Chung; Jiang, Hao; Xia, Qiangfei; Zhu, Wenjuan

Recently, ferroelectric hafnium oxide (HfO2) was discovered as a new type of ferroelectric material with the advantages of high coercive field, excellent scalability (down to 2.5 nm), and good compatibility with CMOS processing. In this work, we demonstrate, for the first time, 2D ferroelectric memories with molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as the channel material and aluminum doped HfO2 as the ferroelectric gate dielectric. A 16 nm thick layer of HfO2, doped with 5.26% aluminum, was deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD), then subjected to rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 1000 °C, and the polarization-voltage characteristics of the resulting metal-ferroelectric-metal (MFM) capacitors were measured, showing a remnant polarization of 0.6 μC/cm2. Ferroelectric memories with embedded ferroelectric hafnium oxide stacks and monolayer MoS2 were fabricated. The transfer characteristics after program and erase pulses revealed a clear ferroelectric memory window. In addition, endurance (up to 10,000 cycles) of the devices were tested and effects associated with ferroelectric materials, such as the wake-up effect and polarization fatigue, were observed. This research can potentially lead to advances of 2D materials in low-power logic and memory applications.

High-Performance Few-layer Mo-doped ReSe2 Nanosheet Photodetectors

PubMed Central

Yang, Shengxue; Tongay, Sefaattin; Yue, Qu; Li, Yongtao; Li, Bo; Lu, Fangyuan

2014-01-01

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have recently been the focus of extensive research activity owing to their fascinating physical properties. As a new member of TMDCs, Mo doped ReSe2 (Mo:ReSe2) is an octahedral structure semiconductor being optically biaxial and highly anisotropic, different from most of hexagonal layered TMDCs with optically uniaxial and relatively high crystal symmetry. We investigated the effects of physisorption of gas molecule on the few-layer Mo:ReSe2 nanosheet based photodetectors. We compared the photoresponse of the as-exfoliated device with annealed device both in air or ammonia (NH3) environment. After annealing at sub-decomposition temperatures, the Mo:ReSe2 photodetectors show a better photoresponsivity (~55.5 A/W) and higher EQE (10893%) in NH3 than in air. By theoretical investigation, we conclude that the physisorption of NH3 molecule on Mo:ReSe2 monolayer can cause the charge transfer between NH3 molecule and Mo:ReSe2 monolayer, increasing the n-type carrier density of Mo:ReSe2 monolayer. The prompt photoswitching, high photoresponsivity and different sensitivity to surrounding environment from the few-layer anisotropic Mo:ReSe2 can be used to design multifunctional optoelectronic and sensing devices. PMID:24962077

Mo/Si multilayers with enhanced TiO II- and RuO II-capping layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yulin, Sergiy; Benoit, Nicolas; Feigl, Torsten; Kaiser, Norbert; Fang, Ming; Chandhok, Manish

2008-03-01

The lifetime of Mo/Si multilayer-coated projection optics is one of the outstanding issues on the road of commercialization of extreme-ultraviolet lithography (EUVL). The application of Mo/Si multilayer optics in EUVL requires both sufficient radiation stability and also the highest possible normal-incidence reflectivity. A serious problem of conventional high-reflective Mo/Si multilayers capped by silicon is the considerable degradation of reflective properties due to carbonization and oxidation of the silicon surface layer under exposure by EUV radiation. In this study, we focus on titanium dioxide (TiO II) and ruthenium dioxide (RuO II) as promising capping layer materials for EUVL multilayer coatings. The multilayer designs as well as the deposition parameters of the Mo/Si systems with different capping layers were optimized in terms of maximum peak reflectivity at the wavelength of 13.5 nm and longterm stability under high-intensive irradiation. Optimized TiO II-capped Mo/Si multilayer mirrors with an initial reflectivity of 67.0% presented a reflectivity drop of 0.6% after an irradiation dose of 760 J/mm2. The reflectivity drop was explained by the partial oxidation of the silicon sub-layer. No reflectivity loss after similar irradiation dose was found for RuO II-capped Mo/Si multilayer mirrors having initial peak reflectivity of 66%. In this paper we present data on improved reflectivity of interface-engineered TiO II- and RuO II-capped Mo/Si multilayer mirrors due to the minimization of both interdiffusion processes inside the multilayer stack and absorption loss in the oxide layer. Reflectivities of 68.5% at the wavelength of 13.4 nm were achieved for both TiO II- and RuO II-capped Mo/Si multilayer mirrors.

Two-dimensionally grown single-crystal silicon nanosheets with tunable visible-light emissions.

PubMed

Kim, Sung Wook; Lee, Jaejun; Sung, Ji Ho; Seo, Dong-jae; Kim, Ilsoo; Jo, Moon-Ho; Kwon, Byoung Wook; Choi, Won Kook; Choi, Heon-Jin

2014-07-22

Since the discovery of graphene, growth of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials has greatly attracted attention. However, spontaneous growth of atomic two-dimensional (2D) materials is limitedly permitted for several layered-structure crystals, such as graphene, MoS2, and h-BN, and otherwise it is notoriously difficult. Here we report the gas-phase 2D growth of silicon (Si), that is cubic in symmetry, via dendritic growth and an interdendritic filling mechanism and to form Si nanosheets (SiNSs) of 1 to 13 nm in thickness. Thin SiNSs show strong thickness-dependent photoluminescence in visible range including red, green, and blue (RGB) emissions with the associated band gap energies ranging from 1.6 to 3.2 eV; these emission energies were greater than those from Si quantum dots (SiQDs) of the similar sizes. We also demonstrated that electrically driven white, as well as blue, emission in a conventional organic light-emitting diode (OLED) geometry with the SiNS assembly as the active emitting layers. Tunable light emissions in visible range in our observations suggest practical implications for novel 2D Si nanophotonics.

New Lithium- and Diamine-Intercalated Superconductors Lix(CnH2n+4N2)yMoSe2 (n = 2,6)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Kazuki; Noji, Takashi; Hatakeda, Takehiro; Kawamata, Takayuki; Kato, Masatsune; Koike, Yoji

2018-05-01

We have succeeded in synthesizing new intercalation superconductors Lix(C2H8N2)yMoSe2 and Lix(C6H16N2)yMoSe2 with Tc = 4.2 and 3.8-6.0 K, respectively, via the co-intercalation of lithium and ethylenediamine or hexamethylenediamine into semiconducting 2H-MoSe2. It has been found that the Tc values are related not to the interlayer spacing between MoSe2 layers so much but to the electronic density of states (EDOS) at the Fermi level. Moreover, only Li-intercalated LixMoSe2 with a small interlayer spacing has been found to be non-superconducting. Accordingly, it has been concluded that not only a sufficient amount of EDOS at the Fermi level due to the charge transfer from intercalated Li to MoSe2 layers but also the enhancement of the two-dimensionality of the crystal structure and/or electronic structure due to the expansion of the interlayer spacing between MoSe2 layers is necessary for the appearance of superconductivity in MoSe2-based intercalation superconductors. The pairing mechanism and the analogy to the superconductivity in the electric double-layer transistors of 2H-MoX2 (X = S, Se, Te) are discussed.

Stuffed MO layer as a diffusion barrier in metallizations for high temperature electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boah, J. K.; Russell, V.; Smith, D. P.

1981-01-01

Auger electron spectroscopy was employed to characterize the diffusion barrier properties of molybdenum in the CrSi2/Mo/Au metallization system. The barrier action of Mo was demonstrated to persist even after 2000 hours annealing time at 300 C in a nitrogen ambient. At 340 C annealing temperature, however, rapid interdiffusion was observed to have occurred between the various metal layers after only 261 hours. The presence of controlled amounts of oxygen in the Mo layer is believed to be responsible for suppressing the short circuit interdiffusion between the thin film layers. Above 340 C, its is believed that the increase in the oxygen mobility led to deterioration of its stuffing action, resulting in the rapid interdiffusion of the thin film layers along grain boundaries.

Well-Constructed Single-Layer Molybdenum Disulfide Nanorose Cross-Linked by Three Dimensional-Reduced Graphene Oxide Network for Superior Water Splitting and Lithium Storage Property

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yanyan; Kuai, Long; Liu, Yanguo; Wang, Pengpeng; Arandiyan, Hamidreza; Cao, Sufeng; Zhang, Jie; Li, Fengyun; Wang, Qing; Geng, Baoyou; Sun, Hongyu

2015-01-01

A facile one-step solution reaction route for growth of novel MoS2 nanorose cross-linked by 3D rGO network, in which the MoS2 nanorose is constructed by single-layered or few-layered MoS2 nanosheets, is presented. Due to the 3D assembled hierarchical architecture of the ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets and the interconnection of 3D rGO network, as well as the synergetic effects of MoS2 and rGO, the as-prepared MoS2-NR/rGO nanohybrids delivered high specific capacity, excellent cycling and good rate performance when evaluated as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Moreover, the nanohybrids also show excellent hydrogen-evolution catalytic activity and durability in an acidic medium, which is superior to MoS2 nanorose and their nanoparticles counterparts. PMID:25735416

Oxidation of atomically thin MoS2 on SiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Mahito; Cullen, William; Einstein, Theodore; Fuhrer, Michael

2013-03-01

Surface oxidation of MoS2 markedly affects its electronic, optical, and tribological properties. However, oxidative reactivity of atomically thin MoS2 has yet to be addressed. Here, we investigate oxidation of atomic layers of MoS2 using atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. MoS2 is mechanically exfoliated onto SiO2 and oxidized in Ar/O2 or Ar/O3 (ozone) at 100-450 °C. MoS2 is much more reactive to O2 than an analogous atomic membrane of graphene and monolayer MoS2 is completely etched very rapidly upon O2 treatment above 300 °C. Thicker MoS2 (> 15 nm) transforms into MoO3 after oxidation at 400 °C, which is confirmed by a Raman peak at 820 cm-1. However, few-layer MoS2 oxidized below 400 °C exhibits no MoO3 Raman mode but etch pits are formed, similar to graphene. We find atomic layers of MoS2 shows larger reactivity to O3 than to O2 and monolayer MoS2 transforms chemically upon O3 treatment even below 100 °C. Work supported by the U. of Maryland NSF-MRSEC under Grant No. DMR 05-20741.

Small-signal amplifier based on single-layer MoS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radisavljevic, Branimir; Whitwick, Michael B.; Kis, Andras

2012-07-01

In this letter we demonstrate the operation of an analog small-signal amplifier based on single-layer MoS2, a semiconducting analogue of graphene. Our device consists of two transistors integrated on the same piece of single-layer MoS2. The high intrinsic band gap of 1.8 eV allows MoS2-based amplifiers to operate with a room temperature gain of 4. The amplifier operation is demonstrated for the frequencies of input signal up to 2 kHz preserving the gain higher than 1. Our work shows that MoS2 can effectively amplify signals and that it could be used for advanced analog circuits based on two-dimensional materials.

Formation of nano-laminated structures in a dry sliding wear-induced layer under different wear mechanisms of 20CrNi2Mo steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Cun-hong; Liang, Yi-long; Jiang, Yun; Yang, Ming; Long, Shao-lei

2017-11-01

The microstructures of 20CrNi2Mo steel underneath the contact surface were examined after dry sliding. Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) and an ultra-micro-hardness tester were used to characterize the worn surface and dry sliding wear-induced layer. Martensite laths were ultra-refined due to cumulative strains and a large strain gradient that occurred during cyclic loading in wear near the surface. The microstructure evolution in dominant abrasive wear differs from that in adhesive wear. In dominant abrasive wear, only bent martensite laths with high-density deformation dislocations were observed. In contrast, in dominant adhesive wear, gradient structures were formed along the depth from the wear surface. Cross-sectional TEM foils were prepared in a focused ion beam (FIB) to observe the gradient structures in a dry sliding wear-induced layer at depths of approximately 1-5 μm and 5-20 μm. The gradient structures contained nano-laminated structures with an average thickness of 30-50 nm and bent martensite laths. We found that the original martensite laths coordinated with the strain energy and provided origin boundaries for the formation of gradient structures. Geometrically necessary boundaries (GNBs) and isolated dislocation boundaries (IDBs) play important roles in forming the nano-laminated structures.

Boosting Two-Dimensional MoS2/CsPbBr3 Photodetectors via Enhanced Light Absorbance and Interfacial Carrier Separation.

PubMed

Song, Xiufeng; Liu, Xuhai; Yu, Dejian; Huo, Chengxue; Ji, Jianping; Li, Xiaoming; Zhang, Shengli; Zou, Yousheng; Zhu, Gangyi; Wang, Yongjin; Wu, Mingzai; Xie, An; Zeng, Haibo

2018-01-24

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are promising candidates for flexible optoelectronic devices because of their special structures and excellent properties, but the low optical absorption of the ultrathin layers greatly limits the generation of photocarriers and restricts the performance. Here, we integrate all-inorganic perovskite CsPbBr 3 nanosheets with MoS 2 atomic layers and take the advantage of the large absorption coefficient and high quantum efficiency of the perovskites, to achieve excellent performance of the TMD-based photodetectors. Significantly, the interfacial charge transfer from the CsPbBr 3 to the MoS 2 layer has been evidenced by the observed photoluminescence quenching and shortened decay time of the hybrid MoS 2 /CsPbBr 3 . Resultantly, such a hybrid MoS 2 /CsPbBr 3 photodetector exhibits a high photoresponsivity of 4.4 A/W, an external quantum efficiency of 302%, and a detectivity of 2.5 × 10 10 Jones because of the high efficient photoexcited carrier separation at the interface of MoS 2 and CsPbBr 3 . The photoresponsivity of this hybrid device presents an improvement of 3 orders of magnitude compared with that of a MoS 2 device without CsPbBr 3 . The response time of the device is also shortened from 65.2 to 0.72 ms after coupling with MoS 2 layers. The combination of the all-inorganic perovskite layer with high photon absorption and the carrier transport TMD layer may pave the way for novel high-performance optoelectronic devices.

MoS2 solid-lubricating film fabricated by atomic layer deposition on Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yazhou; Liu, Lei; Lv, Jun; Yang, Junjie; Sha, Jingjie; Chen, Yunfei

2018-04-01

How to reduce friction for improving efficiency in the usage of energy is a constant challenge. Layered material like MoS2 has long been recognized as an effective surface lubricant. Due to low interfacial shear strengths, MoS2 is endowed with nominal frictional coefficient. In this work, MoS2 solid-lubricating film was directly grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on Si substrate using MoCl5 and H2S. Various methods were used to observe the grown MoS2 film. Moreover, nanotribological properties of the film were observed by an atomic force microscope (AFM). Results show that MoS2 film can effectively reduce the friction force by about 30-45% under different loads, indicating the huge application value of the film as a solid lubricant. Besides the interlayer-interfaces-sliding, the smaller capillary is another reason why the grown MoS2 film has smaller friction force than that of Si.

Effect of processing parameters on microstructure of MoS{sub 2} ultra-thin films synthesized by chemical vapor deposition method

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

Song, Yang; You, Suping; Sun, Kewei

2015-06-15

MoS{sub 2} ultra-thin layers are synthesized using a chemical vapor deposition method based on the sulfurization of molybdenum trioxide (MoO{sub 3}). The ultra-thin layers are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and atomic force microscope (AFM). Based on our experimental results, all the processing parameters, such as the tilt angle of substrate, applied voltage, heating time and the weight of source materials have effect on the microstructures of the layers. In this paper, the effects of such processing parameters on the crystal structures and morphologies of the as-grown layers are studied. It is found that the film obtainedmore » with the tilt angle of 0.06° is more uniform. A larger applied voltage is preferred to the growth of MoS{sub 2} thin films at a certain heating time. In order to obtain the ultra-thin layers of MoS{sub 2}, the weight of 0.003 g of source materials is preferred. Under our optimal experimental conditions, the surface of the film is smooth and composed of many uniformly distributed and aggregated particles, and the ultra-thin MoS{sub 2} atomic layers (1∼10 layers) covers an area of more than 2 mm×2 mm.« less

Corrosion Characteristics of Ni-Based Hardfacing Alloy Deposited on Stainless Steel Substrate by Laser Cladding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awasthi, Reena; Abraham, Geogy; Kumar, Santosh; Bhattacharyya, Kaustava; Keskar, Nachiket; Kushwaha, R. P.; Rao, Ramana; Tewari, R.; Srivastava, D.; Dey, G. K.

2017-06-01

In this study, corrosion characteristics of a nickel-based Ni-Mo-Cr-Si hardfacing alloy having 32Mo, 15Cr, and 3Si (wt pct) as alloying elements, deposited on stainless steel SS316L substrate by laser cladding, have been presented. Corrosion behavior of the laser clad layer was evaluated in reducing (0.1 M HCl) and oxidizing (0.5 M HNO3) environments, in comparison with the reference substrate SS316L, using electrochemical potentiodynamic technique at room temperature. The corrosion mechanisms have been evaluated on the basis of microstructural and microchemical analysis using scanning electron microscopy attached with energy-dispersive spectrometry. Passivity behavior of the laser clad layer was studied in 0.5 M H2SO4, using the potentiostatic technique and analyzing the passive layer by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Laser clad layer of Ni-Mo-Cr-Si exhibited higher pitting corrosion resistance in chloride (reducing) environment, indicated by much higher breakdown potential ( 0.8 VSCE) and the absence of pitting as compared to substrate SS316L ( 0.3 VSCE). However, in oxidizing (0.5 M HNO3) environment, both the laser clad layer and substrate SS316L showed excellent and similar corrosion resistance exhibiting high breakdown potential ( 0.85 VSCE) and wide passivation range ( 0.8 VSCE) with low passive current density ( 4 to 7 × 10-6 A/cm2). The stable passive layer formed on laser clad layer of Ni-Mo-Cr-Si after exposure in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution at constant potential 0.6 VSCE (within the passive range), consisted oxides of Mo as Mo+4 (MoO2) and Mo+6 (MoO4)-2, Cr as Cr3+ (mixture of both Cr2O3 and Cr (OH)3), and Si as Si4+(SiO2), which have contributed to passivation and repassivation and therefore excellent corrosion behavior.

Endoscopic full-thickness resection for gastric submucosal tumors arising from the muscularis propria layer.

PubMed

Huang, Liu-Ye; Cui, Jun; Lin, Shu-Juan; Zhang, Bo; Wu, Cheng-Rong

2014-10-14

To evaluate the efficacy, safety and feasibility of endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFR) for the treatment of gastric submucosal tumors (SMTs) arising from the muscularis propria. A total of 35 gastric SMTs arising from the muscularis propria layer were resected by EFR between January 2010 and September 2013. EFR consists of five major steps: injecting normal saline into the submucosa; pre-cutting the mucosal and submucosal layers around the lesion; making a circumferential incision as deep as the muscularis propria around the lesion using endoscopic submucosal dissection and an incision into the serosal layer around the lesion with a Hook knife; a full-thickness resection of the tumor, including the serosal layer with a Hook or IT knife; and closing the gastric wall with metallic clips. Of the 35 gastric SMTs, 14 were located at the fundus, and 21 at the corpus. EFR removed all of the SMTs successfully, and the complete resection rate was 100%. The mean operation time was 90 min (60-155 min), the mean hospitalization time was 6.0 d (4-10 d), and the mean tumor size was 2.8 cm (2.0-4.5 cm). Pathological examination confirmed the presence of gastric stromal tumors in 25 patients, leiomyomas in 7 and gastric autonomous nerve tumors in 2. No gastric bleeding, peritonitis or abdominal abscess occurred after EFR. Postoperative contrast roentgenography on the third day detected no contrast extravasation into the abdominal cavity. The mean follow-up period was 6 mo, with no lesion residue or recurrence noted. EFR is efficacious, safe and minimally invasive for patients with gastric SMTs arising from the muscularis propria layer. This technique is able to resect deep gastric lesions while providing precise pathological information about the lesion. With the development of EFR, the indications of endoscopic resection might be extended.

Hexagonal MoTe2 with Amorphous BN Passivation Layer for Improved Oxidation Resistance and Endurance of 2D Field Effect Transistors.

PubMed

Sirota, Benjamin; Glavin, Nicholas; Krylyuk, Sergiy; Davydov, Albert V; Voevodin, Andrey A

2018-06-06

Environmental and thermal stability of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) remains a fundamental challenge towards enabling robust electronic devices. Few-layer 2H-MoTe 2 with an amorphous boron nitride (a-BN) covering layer was synthesized as a channel for back-gated field effect transistors (FET) and compared to uncovered MoTe 2 . A systematic approach was taken to understand the effects of heat treatment in air on the performance of FET devices. Atmospheric oxygen was shown to negatively affect uncoated MoTe 2 devices while BN-covered FETs showed considerably enhanced chemical and electronic characteristic stability. Uncapped MoTe 2 FET devices, which were heated in air for one minute, showed a polarity switch from n- to p-type at 150 °C, while BN-MoTe 2 devices switched only after 200 °C of heat treatment. Time-dependent experiments at 100 °C showed that uncapped MoTe 2 samples exhibited the polarity switch after 15 min of heat treatment while the BN-capped device maintained its n-type conductivity for the maximum 60 min duration of the experiment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis suggests that oxygen incorporation into MoTe 2 was the primary doping mechanism for the polarity switch. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of an a-BN capping layer in preserving few-layer MoTe 2 material quality and controlling its conductivity type at elevated temperatures in an atmospheric environment.

Dopamine-Induced Formation of Ultrasmall Few-Layer MoS2 Homogeneously Embedded in N-Doped Carbon Framework for Enhanced Lithium-Ion Storage.

PubMed

Miao, Zhao-Hua; Wang, Pan-Pan; Xiao, Yu-Chen; Fang, Hai-Tao; Zhen, Liang; Xu, Cheng-Yan

2016-12-14

Molybdenum disulfide with a layered structure and high theoretical capacity is attracting extensive attention for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. In this study, a simple and scalable method by freeze-drying of (NH 4 ) 2 MoS 4 and dopamine mixed solutions along with subsequent calcination is developed to realize the self-assembly of hierarchical MoS 2 /carbon composite nanosheets via the effect of dopamine-induced morphology transformation, in which ultrasmall few-layer MoS 2 nanosheets were homogeneously embedded into a N-doped carbon framework (denoted as MoS 2 @N-CF). The embedded ultrasmall MoS 2 nanosheets (∼5 nm in length) in the composites consist of less than five layers with an expanded interlayer spacing of the (002) plane. When tested as anode materials for rechargeable Li-ion batteries, the obtained MoS 2 @N-CF nanosheets exhibit outstanding electrochemical performance in terms of high specific capacity (839.2 mAh g -1 at 1 A g -1 ), high initial Coulombic efficiency (85.2%), and superior rate performance (702.1 mAh g -1 at 4 A g -1 ). Such intriguing electrochemical performance was attributed to the synergistic effect of uniform dispersion of few-layer MoS 2 into the carbon framework, expanded interlayer spacing, and enhanced electronic conductivity in the unique hierarchical architecture. This work provides a simple and effective strategy for the uniform integration of MoS 2 with carbonaceous materials to significantly boost their electrochemical performance.

Analytical theory of the space-charge region of lateral p-n junctions in nanofilms

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

Gurugubelli, Vijaya Kumar, E-mail: vkgurugubelli@gmail.com; Karmalkar, Shreepad

There is growing interest in fabricating conventional semiconductor devices in a nanofilm which could be a 3D material with one reduced dimension (e.g., silicon-on-insulator (SOI) film), or single/multiple layers of a 2D material (e.g., MoS{sub 2}), or a two dimensional electron gas/two dimensional hole gas (2DEG/2DHG) layer. Lateral p-n junctions are essential parts of these devices. The space-charge region electrostatics in these nanofilm junctions is strongly affected by the surrounding field, unlike in bulk junctions. Current device physics of nanofilms lacks a simple analytical theory of this 2D electrostatics of lateral p-n junctions. We present such a theory taking intomore » account the film's thickness, permittivity, doping, interface charge, and possibly different ambient permittivities on film's either side. In analogy to the textbook theory of the 1D electrostatics of bulk p-n junctions, our theory yields simple formulas for the depletion width, the extent of space-charge tails beyond this width, and the screening length associated with the space-charge layer in nanofilm junctions; these formulas agree with numerical simulations and measurements. Our theory introduces an electrostatic thickness index to classify nanofilms into sheets, bulk and intermediate sized.« less

Defect structure in electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni layers with different Mo concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapoor, Garima; Péter, László; Fekete, Éva; Gubicza, Jenő

2018-05-01

The effect of molybdenum (Mo) alloying on the lattice defect structure in electrodeposited nanocrystalline nickel (Ni) films was studied. The electrodeposited layers were prepared on copper substrate at room temperature, with a constant current density and pH value. The chemical composition of these layers was determined by EDS. In addition, X-ray diffraction line profile analysis was carried out to study the microstructural parameters such as the crystallite size, the dislocation density and the stacking fault probability. It was found that the higher Mo content yielded more than one order of magnitude larger dislocation density while the crystallite size was only slightly smaller. In addition, the twin boundary formation activity during deposition increased with increasing Mo concentration. The results obtained on electrodeposited layers were compared with previous research carried out on bulk nanocrystalline Ni-Mo materials with similar compositions but processed by severe plastic deformation.

Broadband atomic-layer MoS₂ optical modulators for ultrafast pulse generations in the visible range.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuxia; Yu, Haohai; Zhang, Rui; Zhao, Gang; Zhang, Huaijin; Chen, Yanxue; Mei, Liangmo; Tonelli, Mauro; Wang, Jiyang

2017-02-01

Visible lasers are a fascinating regime, and their significance is illustrated by the 2014 Noble prizes in physics and chemistry. With the development of blue laser diodes (LDs), the LD-pumped solid-state visible lasers become a burgeoning direction today. Constrained by the scarce visible optical modulators, the solid-state ultrafast visible lasers are rarely realized. Based on the bandgap structure and optoelectronic properties of atomic-layer MoS₂, it can be proposed that MoS₂ has the potential as a visible optical modulator. Here, by originally revealing layer-dependent nonlinear absorption of the atomic-layer MoS₂ in the visible range, broadband atomic-layer MoS₂ optical modulators for the visible ultrafast pulse generation are developed and selected based on the proposed design criteria for novel two-dimensional (2D) optical modulators. By applying the selected MoS₂ optical modulators in the solid-state praseodymium lasers, broadband mode-locked ultrafast lasers from 522 to 639 nm are originally realized. We believe that this Letter should promote the development of visible ultrafast photonics and further applications of 2D optoelectronic materials.

MoS2-InGaZnO Heterojunction Phototransistors with Broad Spectral Responsivity.

PubMed

Yang, Jaehyun; Kwak, Hyena; Lee, Youngbin; Kang, Yu-Seon; Cho, Mann-Ho; Cho, Jeong Ho; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Jeong, Seong-Jun; Park, Seongjun; Lee, Hoo-Jeong; Kim, Hyoungsub

2016-04-06

We introduce an amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) heterostructure phototransistor consisting of solution-based synthetic molybdenum disulfide (few-layered MoS2, with a band gap of ∼1.7 eV) and sputter-deposited a-IGZO (with a band gap of ∼3.0 eV) films as a novel sensing element with a broad spectral responsivity. The MoS2 and a-IGZO films serve as a visible light-absorbing layer and a high mobility channel layer, respectively. Spectroscopic measurements reveal that appropriate band alignment at the heterojunction provides effective transfer of the visible light-induced electrons generated in the few-layered MoS2 film to the underlying a-IGZO channel layer with a high carrier mobility. The photoresponse characteristics of the a-IGZO transistor are extended to cover most of the visible range by forming a heterojunction phototransistor that harnesses a visible light responding MoS2 film with a small band gap prepared through a large-area synthetic route. The MoS2-IGZO heterojunction phototransistors exhibit a photoresponsivity of approximately 1.7 A/W at a wavelength of 520 nm (an optical power of 1 μW) with excellent time-dependent photoresponse dynamics.

Direct and indirect light emissions from layered ReS2-x Se x (0 ≤ x ≤ 2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Ching-Hwa; Liu, Zhan-Zhi; Lin, Min-Han

2017-06-01

ReS2 and ReSe2 have recently been enthusiastically studied owing to the specific in-plane electrical, optical and structural anisotropy caused by their distorted one-layer trigonal (1 T) phase, whereas other traditional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs, e.g. MoS2 and WSe2) have a hexagonal structure. Because of this special property, more and versatile nano-electronics and nano-optoelectronics devices can be developed. In this work, 2D materials in the series ReS2-x Se x (0 ≤ x ≤ 2) have been successfully grown by the method of chemical vapor transport. The direct and indirect resonant emissions of the complete series of layers can be simultaneously detected by polarized micro-photoluminescence (μPL) spectroscopy when the thickness of the ReS2-x Se x is greater than ˜70 nm. When it is less than 70 nm, only three direct excitonic emissions—E 1 ex, E 2 ex and E S ex—are detected. For the thick (bulk) ReS2-x Se x , more stacking of the ReX2 monolayers even flattens and shifts the valence-band maximum from Γ to the other K- or M-related points, thus leading to the coexistence of direct and indirect resonant light emissions from the c-plane ReX2. The transmittance absorption edge of each bulk ReX2 (a few microns thick) usually has a lower energy than those of the direct E 1 ex and E 2 ex excitonic emissions to form indirect absorption. The coexistence of direct and indirect emissions in ReX2 is a unique characteristic of a 2D layered semiconductor possessing triclinic low symmetry.

Van der Waals Layered Materials: Surface Morphology, Interlayer Interaction, and Electronic Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Po-Chun

The search for new ultrathin materials as the "new silicon" has begun. In this dissertation, I examine (1) the surface structure, including the growth, the crystal quality, and thin film surface corrugation of a monolayer sample and a few layers of MoS2 and WSe2, and (2) their electronic structure. The characteristics of these electronic systems depend intimately on the morphology of the surfaces they inhabit, and their interactions with the substrate or within layers. These physical properties will be addressed in each chapter. This thesis has dedicated to the characterization of mono- and a few layers of MoS2 and WSe2 that uses surface-sensitive probes such as low-energy electron microscopy and diffraction (LEEM and LEED). Prior to our studies, the characterization of monolayer MoS2 and WSe2 has been generally limited to optical and transport probes. Furthermore, the heavy use of thick silicon oxide layer as the supporting substrate has been important in order to allow optical microscopic characterization of the 2D material. Hence, to the best of our knowledge, this has prohibited studies of this material on other surfaces, and it has precluded the discovery of potentially rich interface interactions that may exist between MoS 2 and its supporting substrate. Thus, in our study, we use a so-called SPELEEM system (Spectroscopic Photo-Emission and Low Energy Electron Microscopy) to address these imaging modalities: (1) real-space microscopy, which would allow locating of monolayer MoS2 samples, (2) spatially-resolved low-energy diffraction which would allow confirmation of the crystalline quality and domain orientation of MoS2 samples, and, (3) spatially-resolved spectroscopy, which would allow electronic structure mapping of MoS2 samples. Moreover, we have developed a preparation procedure for samples that yield, a surface-probe ready, ultra-clean, and can be transferred on an arbitrary substrate. To fully understand the physics in MoS2 such as direct-to-indirect band gap transition, hole mobility, strain, or large spin-orbit splitting, we investigate our sample using micro-probe angle-resolved photoemission (micro-ARPES), which is a powerful tool to directly measure the electronic structure. We find that the valence bands of monolayer MoS2, particularly the low-binding-energy bands, are distinctly different from those of bulk MoS 2 in that the valence band maximum (VBM) of a monolayer is located at K¯ of the first Brillouin zone (BZ), rather than at Gamma, as is the case in bilayer and thicker MoS2 crystals. This result serves as a direct evidence, if complemented with the photoluminescence studies of conduction bands, which shows the direct-to-indirect transition from mono- to multi-layer MoS2. We also confirmed this same effect in WSe2 in our later studies. Also, by carefully studying the uppermost valence band (UVB) of both exfoliated and CVD-grown monolayer MoS2, we found a compression in energy in comparison with the calculated band, an effect, which were also observed in suspended sample with minimum-to-none substrate interaction. We tentatively attribute it to an intrinsic effect of monolayer MoS2 owning to lattice relaxation. The degree of compression in CVD-grown MoS2 is larger than that in exfoliated monolayer MoS 2, likely due to defects, doping, or stress. Furthermore, we find that the uppermost valence band near ?¯ of monolayer MoS2 is less dispersive than that of the bulk, which leads to a striking increase in the hole effective-mass and, hence, the reduced carrier mobility of the monolayer compared to bulk MoS2. Beyond monolayer MoS2, we have studied the evolution of bandgap as a function of interlayer twist angles in a bilayer MoS2 system. Our micro-ARPES measurements over the whole surface-Brillouin zone reveal the Gamma state is, indeed, the highest lying occupied state for all twist angles, affirming the indirect bandgap designation for bilayer MoS2, irrespective of twist angle. We directly quantify the energy separation between the high symmetry points Gamma and K¯ of the highest occupied states; this energy separation is predicted to be directly proportional to the interlayer separation, which is a function of the twist angle. We also confirm that this trend is a result of the energy shifting of the top-most occupied state at Gamma, which is predicted by DFT calculations. Finally, we also report on the variation of the hole effective mass at Gamma and K¯ with respect to twist angle and compare it with theory. Our study provides a direct measurement and serves as an example for how the interlayer coupling can affect the band structure and electron transitions, which is crucial in designing TMDs devices. I briefly sum up our angle-resolve two-photon photoemission (2PPE) studies on self-assembly molecules, organic molecules, and graphene on highly-crystalline metal systems, and our investigation of their interfacial charge transfer/trapping, image potential states, and coverage-dependent dipole moments, as well as their work functions by using a tunable ultra-fast femtosecond laser. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

RefMoB, a Reflectivity Feature Model-Based Automated Method for Measuring Four Outer Retinal Hyperreflective Bands in Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Ross, Douglas H.; Clark, Mark E.; Godara, Pooja; Huisingh, Carrie; McGwin, Gerald; Owsley, Cynthia; Litts, Katie M.; Spaide, Richard F.; Sloan, Kenneth R.; Curcio, Christine A.

2015-01-01

Purpose. To validate a model-driven method (RefMoB) of automatically describing the four outer retinal hyperreflective bands revealed by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT), for comparison with histology of normal macula; to report thickness and position of bands, particularly band 2 (ellipsoid zone [EZ], commonly called IS/OS). Methods. Foveal and superior perifoveal scans of seven SDOCT volumes of five individuals aged 28 to 69 years with healthy maculas were used (seven eyes for validation, five eyes for measurement). RefMoB determines band thickness and position by a multistage procedure that models reflectivities as a summation of Gaussians. Band thickness and positions were compared with those obtained by manual evaluators for the same scans, and compared with an independent published histological dataset. Results. Agreement among manual evaluators was moderate. Relative to manual evaluation, RefMoB reported reduced thickness and vertical shifts in band positions in a band-specific manner for both simulated and empirical data. In foveal and perifoveal scans, band 1 was thick relative to the anatomical external limiting membrane, band 2 aligned with the outer one-third of the anatomical IS ellipsoid, and band 3 (IZ, interdigitation of retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors) was cleanly delineated. Conclusions. RefMoB is suitable for automatic description of the location and thickness of the four outer retinal hyperreflective bands. Initial results suggest that band 2 aligns with the outer ellipsoid, thus supporting its recent designation as EZ. Automated and objective delineation of band 3 will help investigations of structural biomarkers of dark-adaptation changes in aging. PMID:26132776

Maternal anthropometry and infant feeding practices in Israel in relation to growth in infancy: the North African Infant Feeding Study.

PubMed

Fawzi, W W; Forman, M R; Levy, A; Graubard, B I; Naggan, L; Berendes, H W

1997-06-01

Relations between maternal anthropometric status during pregnancy and infant feeding practices and growth from birth through the first 6 mo of life were examined in a cohort of 351 Israeli mother-infant pairs of North African descent. Maternal weight, height, and triceps skinfold thicknesses were determined at 6 and 9 mo of pregnancy, while infants' weights and lengths were measured at birth and at 1, 2, 3, and 6 mo of age with concurrent collection of age-specific maternal-reported infant feeding data. On the basis of multiple-linear-regression analysis that adjusted for potential covariates, mean maternal weight at the first prenatal visit and at 6 and 9 mo of pregnancy were positively associated with birth length (P for trend in all cases < 0.0001) and with linear growth between birth and 1, 3, and 6 mo of age. Maternal skinfold thickness at 9 mo of pregnancy and maternal height were also significantly associated with birth length. Moreover, maternal height, weight, and skinfold thickness at 6 and 9 mo of pregnancy were positively associated with mean birth weight. After adjustment for morbidity in the past month and other covariates, infants breast-fed exclusively had greater attained weight and weight gain in the first 3 mo compared with infants who were bottle-fed exclusively, breast-fed and bottle-fed, or solid-fed exclusively. These findings underscore the need for programs that improve the nutritional status of women before, during, and after pregnancy, and encourage exclusive breast-feeding of infants for at least the first 3 mo of life.

MoS2 Heterojunctions by Thickness Modulation

PubMed Central

Tosun, Mahmut; Fu, Deyi; Desai, Sujay B.; Ko, Changhyun; Seuk Kang, Jeong; Lien, Der-Hsien; Najmzadeh, Mohammad; Tongay, Sefaattin; Wu, Junqiao; Javey, Ali

2015-01-01

In this work, we report lateral heterojunction formation in as-exfoliated MoS2 flakes by thickness modulation. Kelvin probe force microscopy is used to map the surface potential at the monolayer-multilayer heterojunction, and consequently the conduction band offset is extracted. Scanning photocurrent microscopy is performed to investigate the spatial photocurrent response along the length of the device including the source and the drain contacts as well as the monolayer-multilayer junction. The peak photocurrent is measured at the monolayer-multilayer interface, which is attributed to the formation of a type-I heterojunction. The work presents experimental and theoretical understanding of the band alignment and photoresponse of thickness modulated MoS2 junctions with important implications for exploring novel optoelectronic devices. PMID:26121940

MoS 2 Heterojunctions by Thickness Modulation

DOE PAGES

Tosun, Mahmut; Fu, Deyi; Desai, Sujay B.; ...

2015-06-30

In this work, we report lateral heterojunction formation in as-exfoliated MoS 2 flakes by thickness modulation. Kelvin probe force microscopy is used to map the surface potential at the monolayer-multilayer heterojunction, and consequently the conduction band offset is extracted. Scanning photocurrent microscopy is performed to investigate the spatial photocurrent response along the length of the device including the source and the drain contacts as well as the monolayer-multilayer junction. The peak photocurrent is measured at the monolayer-multilayer interface, which is attributed to the formation of a type-I heterojunction. Finally, the work presents experimental and theoretical understanding of the band alignmentmore » and photoresponse of thickness modulated MoS 2 junctions with important implications for exploring novel optoelectronic devices.« less

Mechanically delaminated few layered MoS2 nanosheets based high performance wire type solid-state symmetric supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishnamoorthy, Karthikeyan; Pazhamalai, Parthiban; Veerasubramani, Ganesh Kumar; Kim, Sang Jae

2016-07-01

Two dimensional nanostructures are increasingly used as electrode materials in flexible supercapacitors for portable electronic applications. Herein, we demonstrated a ball milling approach for achieving few layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) via exfoliation from their bulk. Physico-chemical characterizations such as X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, and laser Raman analyses confirmed the occurrence of exfoliated MoS2 sheets with few layers from their bulk via ball milling process. MoS2 based wire type solid state supercapacitors (WSCs) are fabricated and examined using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic charge discharge (CD) measurements. The presence of rectangular shaped CV curves and symmetric triangular shaped CD profiles suggested the mechanism of charge storage in MoS2 WSC is due to the formation of electrochemical double layer capacitance. The MoS2 WSC device delivered a specific capacitance of 119 μF cm-1, and energy density of 8.1 nW h cm-1 with better capacitance retention of about 89.36% over 2500 cycles, which ensures the use of the ball milled MoS2 for electrochemical energy storage devices.

Primary arm spacing in chill block melt spun Ni-Mo alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tewari, S. N.; Glasgow, T. K.

1986-01-01

Chill block melt spun ribbons of Ni-Mo binary alloys containing 8.0 to 41.8 wt % Mo have been prepared under carefully controlled processing conditions. The growth velocity has been determined as a function of distance from the quench surface from the observed ribbon thickness dependence on the melt puddle residence time. Primary arm spacings measured at the midribbon thickness locations show a dependence on growth velocity and alloy composition which is expected from dendritic growth models for binary alloys directionally solidified in a positive temperature gradient.

Primary arm spacing in chill block melt spun Ni-Mo alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tewari, S. N.; Glasgow, T. K.

1987-01-01

Chill block melt spun ribbons of Ni-Mo binary alloys containing 8.0 to 41.8 wt pct Mo have been prepared under carefully controlled processing conditions. The growth velocity has been determined as a function of distance from the quench surface from the observed ribbon thickness dependence on the melt puddle residence time. Primary arm spacing measured at the midribbon thickness locations show a dependence on growth velocity and alloy composition which is expected from dendritic growth models for binary alloys directionally solidified in a positive temperature gradient.

Light illumination intensity dependence of photovoltaic parameter in polymer solar cells with ammonium heptamolybdate as hole extraction layer.

PubMed

Liu, Zhiyong; Niu, Shengli; Wang, Ning

2018-01-01

A low-temperature, solution-processed molybdenum oxide (MoO X ) layer and a facile method for polymer solar cells (PSCs) is developed. The PSCs based on a MoO X layer as the hole extraction layer (HEL) is a significant advance for achieving higher photovoltaic performance, especially under weaker light illumination intensity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements show that the (NH 4 ) 6 Mo 7 O 24 molecule decomposes and forms the molybdenum oxide (MoO X ) molecule when undergoing thermal annealing treatment. In this study, PSCs with the MoO X layer as the HEL exhibited better photovoltaic performance, especially under weak light illumination intensity (from 100 to 10mWcm -2 ) compared to poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)-based PSCs. Analysis of the current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics at various light intensities provides information on the different recombination mechanisms in the PSCs with a MoO X and PEDOT:PSS layer as the HEL. That the slopes of the open-circuit voltage (V OC ) versus light illumination intensity plots are close to 1 unity (kT/q) reveals that bimolecular recombination is the dominant and weaker monomolecular recombination mechanism in open-circuit conditions. That the slopes of the short-circuit current density (J SC ) versus light illumination intensity plots are close to 1 reveals that the effective charge carrier transport and collection mechanism of the MoO X /indium tin oxide (ITO) anode is the weaker bimolecular recombination in short-circuit conditions. Our results indicate that MoO X is an alternative candidate for high-performance PSCs, especially under weak light illumination intensity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Auger Spectroscopy Analysis of Spalled LEU-10Mo Foils

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

Lawrence, Samantha Kay; Schulze, Roland K.

2017-08-03

Presentation includes slides on Surface Science used to probe LEU-10Mo Spall; Auger highlights graphitic-like inclusions and Mo-deficient oxide on base metal; Higher C concentration detected within spall area Images Courtesy; Depth profiling reveals thick oxide; Mo concentration nears nominal only at depths ~400 nm; and lastly Key Findings.

Direct Observation of the Thickness-Induced Crystallization and Stress Build-Up during Sputter-Deposition of Nanoscale Silicide Films.

PubMed

Krause, Bärbel; Abadias, Gregory; Michel, Anny; Wochner, Peter; Ibrahimkutty, Shyjumon; Baumbach, Tilo

2016-12-21

The kinetics of phase transitions during formation of small-scale systems are essential for many applications. However, their experimental observation remains challenging, making it difficult to elucidate the underlying fundamental mechanisms. Here, we combine in situ and real-time synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray reflectivity (XRR) experiments with substrate curvature measurements during deposition of nanoscale Mo and Mo 1-x Si x films on amorphous Si (a-Si). The simultaneous measurements provide direct evidence of a spontaneous, thickness-dependent amorphous-to-crystalline (a-c) phase transition, associated with tensile stress build-up and surface roughening. This phase transformation is thermodynamically driven, the metastable amorphous layer being initially stabilized by the contributions of surface and interface energies. A quantitative analysis of the XRD data, complemented by simulations of the transformation kinetics, unveils an interface-controlled crystallization process. This a-c phase transition is also dominating the stress evolution. While stress build-up can significantly limit the performance of devices based on nanostructures and thin films, it can also trigger the formation of these structures. The simultaneous in situ access to the stress signal itself, and to its microstructural origins during structure formation, opens new design routes for tailoring nanoscale devices.

Graphene-Molybdenum Disulfide-Graphene Tunneling Junctions with Large-Area Synthesized Materials.

PubMed

Joiner, Corey A; Campbell, Philip M; Tarasov, Alexey A; Beatty, Brian R; Perini, Chris J; Tsai, Meng-Yen; Ready, William J; Vogel, Eric M

2016-04-06

Tunneling devices based on vertical heterostructures of graphene and other 2D materials can overcome the low on-off ratios typically observed in planar graphene field-effect transistors. This study addresses the impact of processing conditions on two-dimensional materials in a fully integrated heterostructure device fabrication process. In this paper, graphene-molybdenum disulfide-graphene tunneling heterostructures were fabricated using only large-area synthesized materials, unlike previous studies that used small exfoliated flakes. The MoS2 tunneling barrier is either synthesized on a sacrificial substrate and transferred to the bottom-layer graphene or synthesized directly on CVD graphene. The presence of graphene was shown to have no impact on the quality of the grown MoS2. The thickness uniformity of MoS2 grown on graphene and SiO2 was found to be 1.8 ± 0.22 nm. XPS and Raman spectroscopy are used to show how the MoS2 synthesis process introduces defects into the graphene structure by incorporating sulfur into the graphene. The incorporation of sulfur was shown to be greatly reduced in the absence of molybdenum suggesting molybdenum acts as a catalyst for sulfur incorporation. Tunneling simulations based on the Bardeen transfer Hamiltonian were performed and compared to the experimental tunneling results. The simulations show the use of MoS2 as a tunneling barrier suppresses contributions to the tunneling current from the conduction band. This is a result of the observed reduction of electron conduction within the graphene sheets.

Properties of Superconducting Mo, Mo2n and Trilayer Mo2n-Mo-Mo2n Thin Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrentine, E. M.; Stevenson, T. R.; Brown, A. D.; Lowitz, A. E.; Noroozian, O.; U-Yen, K.; Eshan, N.; Hsieh, W. T.; Moseley, S. H.; Wollack, E. J.

2014-01-01

We present measurements of the properties of thin film superconducting Mo, Mo2N and Mo2N/Mo/Mo2N trilayers of interest for microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID) applications. Using microwave resonator devices, we investigate the transition temperature, energy gaps, kinetic inductance, and internal quality factors of these materials. We present an Usadel-based interpretation of the trilayer transition temperature as a function of trilayer thicknesses, and a 2-gap interpretation to understand the change in kinetic inductance and internal resonance quality factor (Q) as a function of temperature.

Thermodynamic Stability of Molybdenum Oxycarbides Formed from Orthorhombic Mo 2 C in Oxygen-Rich Environments

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

Likith, S. R. J.; Farberow, C. A.; Manna, S.

Molybdenum carbide (Mo 2C) nanoparticles and thin films are particularly suitable catalysts for catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) as they are effective for deoxygenation and can catalyze certain reactions that typically occur on noble metals. Oxygen deposited during deoxygenation reactions may alter the carbide structure, leading to the formation of oxycarbides, which can determine changes in catalytic activity or selectivity. Despite emerging spectroscopic evidence of bulk oxycarbides, so far there have been no reports of their precise atomic structure or their relative stability with respect to orthorhombic Mo 2C. This knowledge is essential for assessing the catalytic properties of molybdenum (oxy)carbidesmore » for CFP. In this article, we use density functional theory (DFT) calculations to (a) describe the thermodynamic stability of surface and subsurface configurations of oxygen and carbon atoms for a commonly studied Mo-terminated surface of orthorhombic Mo 2C and (b) determine atomic structures for oxycarbides with a Mo:C ratio of 2:1. The surface calculations suggest that oxygen atoms are not stable under the top Mo layer of the Mo 2C(100) surface. Coupling DFT calculations with a polymorph sampling method, we determine (Mo 2C) xO y oxycarbide structures for a wide range of oxygen compositions. Oxycarbides with lower oxygen content (y/x = 2) adopt layered structures reminiscent of the parent carbide phase, with flat Mo layers separated by layers of oxygen and carbon; for higher oxygen content, our results suggest the formation of amorphous phases, as the atomic layers lose their planarity with increasing oxygen content. We characterize the oxidation states of Mo in the oxycarbide structures determined computationally, and simulate their X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns in order to facilitate comparisons with experiments. Our study may provide a platform for large-scale investigations of the catalytic properties of oxycarbides and their surfaces and for tailoring the catalytic properties for different desired reactions.« less

Thermodynamic Stability of Molybdenum Oxycarbides Formed from Orthorhombic Mo 2 C in Oxygen-Rich Environments

DOE PAGES

Likith, S. R. J.; Farberow, C. A.; Manna, S.; ...

2017-12-20

Molybdenum carbide (Mo 2C) nanoparticles and thin films are particularly suitable catalysts for catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) as they are effective for deoxygenation and can catalyze certain reactions that typically occur on noble metals. Oxygen deposited during deoxygenation reactions may alter the carbide structure, leading to the formation of oxycarbides, which can determine changes in catalytic activity or selectivity. Despite emerging spectroscopic evidence of bulk oxycarbides, so far there have been no reports of their precise atomic structure or their relative stability with respect to orthorhombic Mo 2C. This knowledge is essential for assessing the catalytic properties of molybdenum (oxy)carbidesmore » for CFP. In this article, we use density functional theory (DFT) calculations to (a) describe the thermodynamic stability of surface and subsurface configurations of oxygen and carbon atoms for a commonly studied Mo-terminated surface of orthorhombic Mo 2C and (b) determine atomic structures for oxycarbides with a Mo:C ratio of 2:1. The surface calculations suggest that oxygen atoms are not stable under the top Mo layer of the Mo 2C(100) surface. Coupling DFT calculations with a polymorph sampling method, we determine (Mo 2C) xO y oxycarbide structures for a wide range of oxygen compositions. Oxycarbides with lower oxygen content (y/x = 2) adopt layered structures reminiscent of the parent carbide phase, with flat Mo layers separated by layers of oxygen and carbon; for higher oxygen content, our results suggest the formation of amorphous phases, as the atomic layers lose their planarity with increasing oxygen content. We characterize the oxidation states of Mo in the oxycarbide structures determined computationally, and simulate their X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns in order to facilitate comparisons with experiments. Our study may provide a platform for large-scale investigations of the catalytic properties of oxycarbides and their surfaces and for tailoring the catalytic properties for different desired reactions.« less

MoS2 interactions with 1.5 eV atomic oxygen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, J. A.; Cross, J. B.; Pope, L. E.

1989-01-01

Exposures of MoS2 to 1.5-eV atomic oxygen in an anhydrous environment reveal that the degree of oxidation is essentially independent of crystallite orientation, and that the surface-adsorbed reaction products are MoO3 and MoO2. A mixture of oxides and sulfide exists over a depth of about 90 A, and this layer has a low diffusion rate for oxygen. It is concluded that a protective oxide layer forms on MoS2 on exposure to the atomic-oxygen-rich environment of LEO.

Out-of-plane electron transport in finite layer MoS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzapfel, R.; Weber, J.; Lukashev, P. V.; Stollenwerk, A. J.

2018-05-01

Ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM) has been used to study the processes affecting electron transport along the [0001] direction of finite layer MoS2 flakes deposited onto the surface of Au/Si(001) Schottky diodes. Prominent features present in the differential spectra from the MoS2 flakes are consistent with the density of states of finite layer MoS2 calculated using density functional theory. The ability to observe the electronic structure of the MoS2 appears to be due to the relatively smooth density of states of Si in this energy range and a substantial amount of elastic or quasi-elastic scattering along the MoS2/Au/Si(001) path. Demonstration of these measurements using BEEM suggests that this technique could potentially be used to study electron transport through van der Waals heterostructures, with applications in a number of electronic devices.

A possible high-mobility signal in bulk MoTe2: Temperature independent weak phonon decay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Titao; Zhang, Zhaojun; Zheng, Wei; Lv, Yangyang; Huang, Feng

2016-11-01

Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted great attention due to their non-zero bandgap for potential application in high carrier mobility devices. Recent studies demonstrate that the carrier mobility of MoTe2 would decrease by orders of magnitude when used for few-layer transistors. As phonon scattering has a significant influence on carrier mobility of layered material, here, we first reported temperature-dependent Raman spectra of bulk 2H-MoTe2 from 80 to 300 K and discovered that the phonon lifetime of both E12g and A1g vibration modes are independent with temperature. These results were explained by the weak phonon decay in MoTe2. Our results imply the existence of a carrier mobility higher than the theoretical value in intrinsic bulk 2H-MoTe2 and the feasibility to obtain MoTe2-based transistors with sufficiently high carrier mobility.

Revealing the microscopic CVD growth mechanism of MoSe2 and the role of hydrogen gas during the growth procedure.

PubMed

Wang, Hulian; Zhu, Dancheng; Jiang, Feng; Zhao, Pei; Wang, Hongtao; Zhang, Ze; Chen, Xin; Jin, Chuanhong

2018-08-03

Understanding the microscopic mechanisms for the nucleation and growth of two-dimensional molybdenum diselenide (2D MoSe 2 ) via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is crucial towards the precisely controlled growth of the 2D material. In this work, we employed a joint use of transmission electron microscopy and CVD, in which the 2D MoSe 2 were directly grown on a graphene membrane based on grids, that enables the microstructural characterization of as-grown MoSe 2 flakes. We further explore the role of hydrogen gas and find: in an argon ambient, the primary products are few-layer MoSe 2 flakes, along with MoO x nanoparticles; while with the introduction of H 2 , single-layer MoSe 2 became the dominant product during the CVD growth. Quantitative analysis of the effects of H 2 flow rate on the flake sizes, and areal coverage was also given. Nevertheless, we further illuminated the evolution of shape morphology and edge structures of single-layer MoSe 2 , and proposed the associated growth routes during a typical CVD process.

In-plane current-driven spin-orbit torque switching in perpendicularly magnetized films with enhanced thermal tolerance

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

Wu, Di; Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures; Yu, Guoqiang, E-mail: guoqiangyu@ucla.edu

2016-05-23

We study spin-orbit-torque (SOT)-driven magnetization switching in perpendicularly magnetized Ta/Mo/Co{sub 40}Fe{sub 40}B{sub 20} (CoFeB)/MgO films. The thermal tolerance of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is enhanced, and the films sustain the PMA at annealing temperatures of up to 430 °C, due to the ultra-thin Mo layer inserted between the Ta and CoFeB layers. More importantly, the Mo insertion layer also allows for the transmission of the spin current generated in the Ta layer due to spin Hall effect, which generates a damping-like SOT and is able to switch the perpendicular magnetization. When the Ta layer is replaced by a Pt layer,more » i.e., in a Pt/Mo/CoFeB/MgO multilayer, the direction of the SOT-induced damping-like effective field becomes opposite because of the opposite sign of spin Hall angle in Pt, which indicates that the SOT-driven switching is dominated by the spin current generated in the Ta or Pt layer rather than the Mo layer. Quantitative characterization through harmonic measurements reveals that the large SOT effective field is preserved for high annealing temperatures. This work provides a route to applying SOT in devices requiring high temperature processing steps during the back-end-of-line processes.« less

Low-temperature synthesis of 2D MoS2 on a plastic substrate for a flexible gas sensor.

PubMed

Zhao, Yuxi; Song, Jeong-Gyu; Ryu, Gyeong Hee; Ko, Kyung Yong; Woo, Whang Je; Kim, Youngjun; Kim, Donghyun; Lim, Jun Hyung; Lee, Sunhee; Lee, Zonghoon; Park, Jusang; Kim, Hyungjun

2018-05-08

The efficient synthesis of two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (2D MoS2) at low temperatures is essential for use in flexible devices. In this study, 2D MoS2 was grown directly at a low temperature of 200 °C on both hard (SiO2) and soft substrates (polyimide (PI)) using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with Mo(CO)6 and H2S. We investigated the effect of the growth temperature and Mo concentration on the layered growth by Raman spectroscopy and microscopy. 2D MoS2 was grown by using low Mo concentration at a low temperature. Through optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and transmission electron microscopy measurements, MoS2 produced by low-temperature CVD was determined to possess a layered structure with good uniformity, stoichiometry, and a controllable number of layers. Furthermore, we demonstrated the realization of a 2D MoS2-based flexible gas sensor on a PI substrate without any transfer processes, with competitive sensor performance and mechanical durability at room temperature. This fabrication process has potential for burgeoning flexible and wearable nanotechnology applications.

A van der Waals pn heterojunction with organic/inorganic semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Daowei; Pan, Yiming; Nan, Haiyan; Gu, Shuai; Yang, Ziyi; Wu, Bing; Luo, Xiaoguang; Xu, Bingchen; Zhang, Yuhan; Li, Yun; Ni, Zhenhua; Wang, Baigeng; Zhu, Jia; Chai, Yang; Shi, Yi; Wang, Xinran

2015-11-01

van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions formed by two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted tremendous attention due to their excellent electrical/optical properties and device applications. However, current 2D heterojunctions are largely limited to atomic crystals, and hybrid organic/inorganic structures are rarely explored. Here, we fabricate the hybrid 2D heterostructures with p-type dioctylbenzothienobenzothiophene (C8-BTBT) and n-type MoS2. We find that few-layer C8-BTBT molecular crystals can be grown on monolayer MoS2 by vdW epitaxy, with pristine interface and controllable thickness down to monolayer. The operation of the C8-BTBT/MoS2 vertical heterojunction devices is highly tunable by bias and gate voltages between three different regimes: interfacial recombination, tunneling, and blocking. The pn junction shows diode-like behavior with rectifying ratio up to 105 at the room temperature. Our devices also exhibit photovoltaic responses with a power conversion efficiency of 0.31% and a photoresponsivity of 22 mA/W. With wide material combinations, such hybrid 2D structures will offer possibilities for opto-electronic devices that are not possible from individual constituents.

Multifunctional tunneling devices based on graphene/h-BN/MoSe2 van der Waals heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Ruiqing; Wang, Feng; Yin, Lei; Xu, Kai; Ahmed Shifa, Tofik; Wen, Yao; Zhan, Xueying; Li, Jie; Jiang, Chao; Wang, Zhenxing; He, Jun

2017-04-01

The vertically stacked devices based on van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) of two-dimensional layered materials (2DLMs) have attracted considerable attention due to their superb properties. As a typical structure, graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)/graphene vdWH has been proved possible to make tunneling devices. Compared with graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides possess intrinsic bandgap, leading to high performance of electronic devices. Here, tunneling devices based on graphene/h-BN/MoSe2 vdWHs are designed for multiple functions. On the one hand, the device shows a typical tunneling field-effect transistor behavior. A high on/off ratio of tunneling current (5 × 103) and an ultrahigh current rectification ratio (7 × 105) are achieved, which are attributed to relatively small electronic affinity of MoSe2 and optimized thickness of h-BN. On the other hand, the same structure also realizes 2D non-volatile memory with a high program/erase current ratio (>105), large memory window (˜150 V from ±90 V), and good retention characteristic. These results could enhance the fundamental understanding of tunneling behavior in vdWHs and contribute to the design of ultrathin rectifiers and memory based on 2DLMs.

Stacking stability of MoS2 bilayer: An ab initio study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Peng; Guo, Huai-Hong; Yang, Teng; Zhang, Zhi-Dong

2014-10-01

The study of the stacking stability of bilayer MoS2 is essential since a bilayer has exhibited advantages over single layer MoS2 in many aspects for nanoelectronic applications. We explored the relative stability, optimal sliding path between different stacking orders of bilayer MoS2, and (especially) the effect of inter-layer stress, by combining first-principles density functional total energy calculations and the climbing-image nudge-elastic-band (CI-NEB) method. Among five typical stacking orders, which can be categorized into two kinds (I: AA, AB and II: AA', AB', A'B), we found that stacking orders with Mo and S superposing from both layers, such as AA' and AB, is more stable than the others. With smaller computational efforts than potential energy profile searching, we can study the effect of inter-layer stress on the stacking stability. Under isobaric condition, the sliding barrier increases by a few eV/(ucGPa) from AA' to AB', compared to 0.1 eV/(ucGPa) from AB to [AB]. Moreover, we found that interlayer compressive stress can help enhance the transport properties of AA'. This study can help understand why inter-layer stress by dielectric gating materials can be an effective means to improving MoS2 on nanoelectronic applications.

A label-free ultrasensitive electrochemical DNA sensor based on thin-layer MoS2 nanosheets with high electrochemical activity.

PubMed

Wang, Xinxing; Nan, Fuxin; Zhao, Jinlong; Yang, Tao; Ge, Tong; Jiao, Kui

2015-02-15

A label-free and ultrasensitive electrochemical DNA biosensor, based on thin-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets sensing platform and differential pulse voltammetry detection, is constructed in this paper. The thin-layer MoS2 nanosheets were prepared via a simple ultrasound exfoliation method from bulk MoS2, which is simpler and no distortion compared with mechanical cleavage and lithium intercalation. Most importantly, this procedure allows the formation of MoS2 with enhanced electrochemical activity. Based on the high electrochemical activity and different affinity toward ssDNA versus dsDNA of the thin-layer MoS2 nanosheets sensing platform, the tlh gene sequence assay can be performed label-freely from 1.0 × 10(-16)M to 1.0 × 10(-10)M with a detection limit of 1.9 × 10(-17)M. Without labeling and the use of amplifiers, the detection method described here not only expands the application of MoS2, but also offers a viable alternative for DNA analysis, which has the priority in sensitivity, simplicity, and costs. Moreover, the proposed sensing platform has good electrocatalytic activity, and can be extended to detect more targets, such as guanine and adenine, which further expands the application of MoS2. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microstructural and wear properties of sputtered carbides and silicides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.

1977-01-01

Sputtered Cr3C2, Cr3Si2, and MoSi2 wear-resistant films (0.05 to 3.5 microns thick) were deposited on metal and glass surfaces. Electron transmission, electron diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy were used to determine the microstructural appearance. Strong adherence was obtained with these sputtered films. Internal stresses and defect crystallographic growth structures of various configurations within the film have progressively more undesirable effects for film thicknesses greater than 1.5 microns. Sliding contact and rolling element bearing tests were performed with these sputtered films. Bearings sputtered with a duplex coating (0.1-micron-thick undercoating of Cr3Si2 and subsequently 0.6-micron coating of MoS2) produced marked improvement over straight MoS2 films.

Effect of sulphur vacancy and interlayer interaction on the electronic structure and spin splitting of bilayer MoS2.

PubMed

Dong, Yulan; Zeng, Bowen; Xiao, Jin; Zhang, Xiaojiao; Li, Dongde; Li, Mingjun; He, Jun; Long, Mengqiu

2018-02-27

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) is one of the candidate materials for nanoelectronics and optoelectronics devices in the future. The electronic and magnetic properties of MoS 2 can be regulated by interlayer interaction and the vacancy effect. Nevertheless, the combined effect of these two factors on MoS 2 is not clearly understood. In this study, we have investigated the impact of a single S vacancy combined with interlayer interaction on the properties of bilayer MoS 2 . Our calculated results show that an S vacancy brings impurity states in the band structure of bilayer MoS 2 , and the energy level of the impurity states can be affected by the interlayer distance, which finally disappears in the bulk state when the layer distance is relatively small. Moreover, during the compression of bilayer MoS 2 , the bottom layer, where the S vacancy stays, gets an additional charge due to interlayer charge transfer, which first increases, and then decreases due to gradually forming the interlayer S-S covalent bond, as interlayer distance decreases. The change of the additional charge is consistent with the change of the total magnetic moment of the bottom layers, no magnetic moment has been found in the top layer. The distribution of magnetic moment mainly concentrates on the three Mo atoms around the S vacancy, for each of which the magnetic moment is very much related to the Mo-Mo length. Our conclusion is that the interlayer charge transfer and S vacancy co-determine the magnetic properties of this system, which may be a useful way to regulate the electronic and magnetic properties of MoS 2 for potential applications.

Effect of sulphur vacancy and interlayer interaction on the electronic structure and spin splitting of bilayer MoS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Yulan; Zeng, Bowen; Xiao, Jin; Zhang, Xiaojiao; Li, Dongde; Li, Mingjun; He, Jun; Long, Mengqiu

2018-03-01

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is one of the candidate materials for nanoelectronics and optoelectronics devices in the future. The electronic and magnetic properties of MoS2 can be regulated by interlayer interaction and the vacancy effect. Nevertheless, the combined effect of these two factors on MoS2 is not clearly understood. In this study, we have investigated the impact of a single S vacancy combined with interlayer interaction on the properties of bilayer MoS2. Our calculated results show that an S vacancy brings impurity states in the band structure of bilayer MoS2, and the energy level of the impurity states can be affected by the interlayer distance, which finally disappears in the bulk state when the layer distance is relatively small. Moreover, during the compression of bilayer MoS2, the bottom layer, where the S vacancy stays, gets an additional charge due to interlayer charge transfer, which first increases, and then decreases due to gradually forming the interlayer S-S covalent bond, as interlayer distance decreases. The change of the additional charge is consistent with the change of the total magnetic moment of the bottom layers, no magnetic moment has been found in the top layer. The distribution of magnetic moment mainly concentrates on the three Mo atoms around the S vacancy, for each of which the magnetic moment is very much related to the Mo-Mo length. Our conclusion is that the interlayer charge transfer and S vacancy co-determine the magnetic properties of this system, which may be a useful way to regulate the electronic and magnetic properties of MoS2 for potential applications.

Orthorhombic MoO3 nanobelts based NO2 gas sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mane, A. A.; Moholkar, A. V.

2017-05-01

Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) nanobelts have been deposited onto the glass substrates using chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) deposition method. The XRD patterns reveal that films are polycrystalline having an orthorhombic crystal structure. Raman spectra confirm that the films are orthorhombic in phase. The XPS study shows the presence of two well resolved spectral lines of Mo-3d core levels appearing at the binding energy values of 232.82 eV and 235.95 eV corresponding to Mo-3d5/2 and Mo-3d3/2, respectively. These binding energy values are assigned to Mo6+ oxidation state of fully oxidized MoO3. The FE-SEM micrographs show the formation of nanobelts-like morphology. The AFM micrographs reveal that the RMS surface roughness increases from 16.5 nm to 17.5 nm with increase in film thickness from 470 nm to 612 nm and then decreases to 16 nm for 633 nm film thickness. The band gap energy is found to be decreased from 3.40 eV to 3.38 eV. To understand the electronic transport phenomenon in MoO3 thin films, dielectric properties are studied. For 612 nm film thickness, the highest NO2 gas response of 68% is obtained at an operating temperature of 200 °C for 100 ppm concentration with response and recovery times of 15 s and 150 s, respectively. The lower detection limit is found to be 10 ppm which is half of the immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) value of 20 ppm. Finally, NO2 gas sensing mechanism in an orthorhombic MoO3 crystal structure is discussed in detail.

Atomic layer deposition of two dimensional MoS{sub 2} on 150 mm substrates

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

Valdivia, Arturo; Conley, John F., E-mail: jconley@eecs.oregonstate.edu; Tweet, Douglas J.

2016-03-15

Low temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) of monolayer to few layer MoS{sub 2} uniformly across 150 mm diameter SiO{sub 2}/Si and quartz substrates is demonstrated. Purge separated cycles of MoCl{sub 5} and H{sub 2}S precursors are used at reactor temperatures of up to 475 °C. Raman scattering studies show clearly the in-plane (E{sup 1}{sub 2g}) and out-of-plane (A{sub 1g}) modes of MoS{sub 2}. The separation of the E{sup 1}{sub 2g} and A{sub 1g} peaks is a function of the number of ALD cycles, shifting closer together with fewer layers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that stoichiometry is improved by postdeposition annealing in amore » sulfur ambient. High resolution transmission electron microscopy confirms the atomic spacing of monolayer MoS{sub 2} thin films.« less

Modeling a thick unsaturated zone at San Gorgonio Pass, California: lessons learned after five years of artificial recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flint, Alan L.; Ellett, Kevin M.; Christensen, Allen H.; Martin, Peter

2012-01-01

The information flow among the tasks of framework assessment, numerical modeling, model forecasting and hind casting, and system-performance monitoring is illustrated. Results provide an understanding of artificial recharge in high-altitude desert settings where large vertical distances may separate application ponds from their target aquifers.Approximately 3.8 million cubic meters of surface water was applied to spreading ponds from 2003–2007 to artificially recharge the underlying aquifer through a 200-meter thick unsaturated zone in the San Gorgonio Pass area in southern California. A study was conducted between 1997 and 2003, and a numerical model was developed to help determine the suitability of the site for artificial recharge. Ongoing monitoring results indicated that the existing model needed to be modified and recalibrated to more accurately predict artificial recharge at the site. The objective of this work was to recalibrate the model by using observation of the application rates, the rise and fall of the water level above a perching layer, and the approximate arrival time to the water table during the 5-yr monitoring period following initiation of long-term artificial recharge. Continuous monitoring of soil-matric potential, temperature, and water levels beneath the site indicated that artificial recharge reached the underlying water table between 3.75 and 4.5 yr after the initial application of the recharge water. The model was modified to allow the simulation to more adequately match the perching layer dynamics and the time of arrival at the water table. The instrumentation also showed that the lag time between changes in application of water at the surface and the response at the perching layer decreased from about 4 mo to less than 1 mo due to the wet-up of the unsaturated zone and the increase in relative permeability. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of iteratively monitoring and modeling the unsaturated zone in layered alluvial systems in the context of artificial recharge. They show that adequate geologic and hydraulic-property data on perching layers are critical to success. Continuous monitoring in the unsaturated and saturated zones beneath a site provides data to develop and constrain numerical models, better understand local unsaturated zone process, manage artificial recharge operations, and to determine the timing and volume of recoverable water for consumptive use.

Low-Temperature Atomic Layer Deposition of MoS2 Films.

PubMed

Jurca, Titel; Moody, Michael J; Henning, Alex; Emery, Jonathan D; Wang, Binghao; Tan, Jeffrey M; Lohr, Tracy L; Lauhon, Lincoln J; Marks, Tobin J

2017-04-24

Wet chemical screening reveals the very high reactivity of Mo(NMe 2 ) 4 with H 2 S for the low-temperature synthesis of MoS 2 . This observation motivated an investigation of Mo(NMe 2 ) 4 as a volatile precursor for the atomic layer deposition (ALD) of MoS 2 thin films. Herein we report that Mo(NMe 2 ) 4 enables MoS 2 film growth at record low temperatures-as low as 60 °C. The as-deposited films are amorphous but can be readily crystallized by annealing. Importantly, the low ALD growth temperature is compatible with photolithographic and lift-off patterning for the straightforward fabrication of diverse device structures. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The capacity fading mechanism and improvement of cycling stability in MoS2-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Haibo; Li, Feng; Hu, Chenli; Liang, Pei; Cao, Dan; Chen, Xiaoshuang

2016-01-01

Two-dimensional (2D) layered MoS2 nanosheets possess great potential as anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), but they still suffer from poor cycling performance. Improving the cycling stability of electrode materials depends on a deep understanding of their dynamic structural evolution and reaction kinetics in the lithiation process. Herein, thermodynamic phase diagrams and the lithiation dynamics of MoS2-based nanostructures with the intercalation of lithium ions are studied by using first-principles calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Our results demonstrate that the continuous intercalation of Li ions induces structural destruction of 2H phase MoS2 nanosheets in the discharge process that follows a layer-by-layer dissociation mechanism. Meanwhile, the intercalation of Li ions leads to a structural transition of MoS2 nanosheets from the 2H to the 1T phase due to the ultralow transition barriers (~0.1 eV). We find that the phase transition can slow down the dissociation of MoS2 nanosheets during lithiation. The result can be applied to explain extensive experimental observation of the fast capacity fading of MoS2-based anode materials between the first and the subsequent discharges. To suppress the dissociation of MoS2 nanosheets in the lithiation process, we propose a strategy by constructing a sandwich-like graphene/MoS2/graphene structure that indicates high chemical stability, superior conductivity, and high Li-ion mobility in the charge/discharge process, implying the possibility to induce an improvement in the anode cycling performance. This work opens a new route to rational design layered transition-metal disulfide (TMD) anode materials for LIBs with superior cycling stability and electrochemical performance.Two-dimensional (2D) layered MoS2 nanosheets possess great potential as anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), but they still suffer from poor cycling performance. Improving the cycling stability of electrode materials depends on a deep understanding of their dynamic structural evolution and reaction kinetics in the lithiation process. Herein, thermodynamic phase diagrams and the lithiation dynamics of MoS2-based nanostructures with the intercalation of lithium ions are studied by using first-principles calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Our results demonstrate that the continuous intercalation of Li ions induces structural destruction of 2H phase MoS2 nanosheets in the discharge process that follows a layer-by-layer dissociation mechanism. Meanwhile, the intercalation of Li ions leads to a structural transition of MoS2 nanosheets from the 2H to the 1T phase due to the ultralow transition barriers (~0.1 eV). We find that the phase transition can slow down the dissociation of MoS2 nanosheets during lithiation. The result can be applied to explain extensive experimental observation of the fast capacity fading of MoS2-based anode materials between the first and the subsequent discharges. To suppress the dissociation of MoS2 nanosheets in the lithiation process, we propose a strategy by constructing a sandwich-like graphene/MoS2/graphene structure that indicates high chemical stability, superior conductivity, and high Li-ion mobility in the charge/discharge process, implying the possibility to induce an improvement in the anode cycling performance. This work opens a new route to rational design layered transition-metal disulfide (TMD) anode materials for LIBs with superior cycling stability and electrochemical performance. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Models and energetics of Li adsorption/intercalation onto MoS2 sheets, details of the phase diagram calculations, schematic illustration for the structural evolution of lithiated MoS2 nanosheets, AIMD trajectories for lithiated silicene/MoS2/silicene composites, and movies for recording the AIMD simulation results. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr07909h

Effect of Activated Flux on the Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Residual Stresses of Modified 9Cr-1Mo Steel Weld Joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maduraimuthu, V.; Vasudevan, M.; Muthupandi, V.; Bhaduri, A. K.; Jayakumar, T.

2012-02-01

A novel variant of tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding called activated-TIG (A-TIG) welding, which uses a thin layer of activated flux coating applied on the joint area prior to welding, is known to enhance the depth of penetration during autogenous TIG welding and overcomes the limitation associated with TIG welding of modified 9Cr-1Mo steels. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a specific activated flux for enhancing the depth of penetration during autogeneous TIG welding of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel. In the current work, activated flux composition is optimized to achieve 6 mm depth of penetration in single-pass TIG welding at minimum heat input possible. Then square butt weld joints are made for 6-mm-thick and 10-mm-thick plates using the optimized flux. The effect of flux on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and residual stresses of the A-TIG weld joint is studied by comparing it with that of the weld joints made by conventional multipass TIG welding process using matching filler wire. Welded microstructure in the A-TIG weld joint is coarser because of the higher peak temperature in A-TIG welding process compared with that of multipass TIG weld joint made by a conventional TIG welding process. Transverse strength properties of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld produced by A-TIG welding exceeded the minimum specified strength values of the base materials. The average toughness values of A-TIG weld joints are lower compared with that of the base metal and multipass weld joints due to the presence of δ-ferrite and inclusions in the weld metal caused by the flux. Compressive residual stresses are observed in the fusion zone of A-TIG weld joint, whereas tensile residual stresses are observed in the multipass TIG weld joint.

Ytterbium-doped fiber laser passively mode locked by few-layer Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) saturable absorber functioned with evanescent field interaction

PubMed Central

Du, Juan; Wang, Qingkai; Jiang, Guobao; Xu, Changwen; Zhao, Chujun; Xiang, Yuanjiang; Chen, Yu; Wen, Shuangchun; Zhang, Han

2014-01-01

By coupling few-layer Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) with fiber-taper evanescent light field, a new type of MoS2 based nonlinear optical modulating element had been successfully fabricated as a two-dimensional layered saturable absorber with strong light-matter interaction. This MoS2-taper-fiber device is not only capable of passively mode-locking an all-normal-dispersion ytterbium-doped fiber laser and enduring high power laser excitation (up to 1 W), but also functions as a polarization sensitive optical modulating component (that is, different polarized light can induce different nonlinear optical response). Thanks to the combined advantages from the strong nonlinear optical response in MoS2 together with the sufficiently-long-range interaction between light and MoS2, this device allows for the generation of high power stable dissipative solitons at 1042.6 nm with pulse duration of 656 ps and a repetition rate of 6.74 MHz at a pump power of 210 mW. Our work may also constitute the first example of MoS2-enabled wave-guiding photonic device, and potentially give some new insights into two-dimensional layered materials related photonics. PMID:25213108

Multi-phase back contacts for CIS solar cells

DOEpatents

Rockett, A.A.; Yang, L.C.

1995-12-19

Multi-phase, single layer, non-interdiffusing M-Mo back contact metallized films, where M is selected from Cu, Ga, or mixtures thereof, for CIS cells are deposited by a sputtering process on suitable substrates, preferably glass or alumina, to prevent delamination of the CIS from the back contact layer. Typical CIS compositions include CuXSe{sub 2} where X is In or/and Ga. The multi-phase mixture is deposited on the substrate in a manner to provide a columnar microstructure, with micro-vein Cu or/and Ga regions which partially or fully vertically penetrate the entire back contact layer. The CIS semiconductor layer is then deposited by hybrid sputtering and evaporation process. The Cu/Ga-Mo deposition is controlled to produce the single layer two-phase columnar morphology with controllable Cu or Ga vein size less than about 0.01 microns in width. During the subsequent deposition of the CIS layer, the columnar Cu/Ga regions within the molybdenum of the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer tend to partially leach out, and are replaced by columns of CIS. Narrower Cu and/or Ga regions, and those with fewer inner connections between regions, leach out more slowly during the subsequent CIS deposition. This gives a good mechanical and electrical interlock of the CIS layer into the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer. Solar cells employing In-rich CIS semiconductors bonded to the multi-phase columnar microstructure back layer of this invention exhibit vastly improved photo-electrical conversion on the order of 17% greater than Mo alone, improved uniformity of output across the face of the cell, and greater Fill Factor. 15 figs.

Multi-phase back contacts for CIS solar cells

DOEpatents

Rockett, Angus A.; Yang, Li-Chung

1995-01-01

Multi-phase, single layer, non-interdiffusing M-Mo back contact metallized films, where M is selected from Cu, Ga, or mixtures thereof, for CIS cells are deposited by a sputtering process on suitable substrates, preferably glass or alumina, to prevent delamination of the CIS from the back contact layer. Typical CIS compositions include CuXSe.sub.2 where X is In or/and Ga. The multi-phase mixture is deposited on the substrate in a manner to provide a columnar microstructure, with micro-vein Cu or/and Ga regions which partially or fully vertically penetrate the entire back contact layer. The CIS semiconductor layer is then deposited by hybrid sputtering and evaporation process. The Cu/Ga-Mo deposition is controlled to produce the single layer two-phase columnar morphology with controllable Cu or Ga vein size less than about 0.01 microns in width. During the subsequent deposition of the CIS layer, the columnar Cu/Ga regions within the molybdenum of the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer tend to partially leach out, and are replaced by columns of CIS. Narrower Cu and/or Ga regions, and those with fewer inner connections between regions, leach out more slowly during the subsequent CIS deposition. This gives a good mechanical and electrical interlock of the CIS layer into the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer. Solar cells employing In-rich CIS semiconductors bonded to the multi-phase columnar microstructure back layer of this invention exhibit vastly improved photo-electrical conversion on the order of 17% greater than Mo alone, improved uniformity of output across the face of the cell, and greater Fill Factor.

Optimization of tungsten x-ray spectra for digital mammography: a comparison of model to experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andre, Michael P.; Spivey, Brett A.

1997-05-01

Tungsten (W) target x-rays tubes are being studied for use in digital mammography to improve x-ray flux, reduce noise and increase tube heat capacity. A parametric model was developed for digital mammography to evaluate optimization of x-ray spectra for a particular sensor. The model computes spectra and mean glandular doses (MGD) for combinations of W target, beam filters, kVp, breast type and thickness. Two figures of merit were defined: (signal/noise)2/MGD and spectral quantum efficiency; these were computed as a means to approach optimization of object contrast. The model is derived from a combination of classic equations, XCOM from NBS, and published data. X-ray spectra were calculated and measured for filters of Al, Sn, Rh, Mo and Ag on a Eureka tube. (Signal/noise)2/MGD was measured for a filtered W target tube and a digital camera employing CsI scintillator optically coupled to a CCD for which the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) was known. A 3-mm thick acrylic disk was imaged on thickness of 3-8 cm of acrylic and the results were compared to the predictions of the model. The relative error between predicted and measured spectra was +/- 2 percent from 24 to 34 kVp. Calculated MGD as a function of breast thickness, half-value layer and beam filter compares very well to published data. Best performance was found for the following combinations: Mo filter with 30 mm breast, Ag filter with 45 mm, Sn filter for 60 mm, and Al filter for 75 mm thick breast. The parametric model agrees well with measurement and provides a means to explore optimum combinations of kVp and beam filter. For a particular detector, this data may be used with the DQE to estimate total system signal-to-noise ratio for a particular imaging task.

Ultrafast Thermal Plasma Preparation of Solid Si Films with Potential Application in Photovoltaic Cells: A Parametric Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostajeran Goortani, Behnam; Gitzhofer, François; Bouyer, Etienne; Mousavi, Mehdi

2009-03-01

An innovative method, namely ultrafast plasma surface melting, is developed to fabricate solid films of silicon with very high rates (150 cm2/min). The method is composed of preparing a suspension of solid particles in a volatile solvent and spreading it on a refractory substrate such as Mo. After solvent evaporation, the resulting porous layer is exposed to the flame tale of inductively coupled RF plasma to sinter and melt the surface particles and to prepare a solid film of silicon. It is shown that by controlling the flow dynamics and heat transfer around the substrate, and managing the kinetic parameters (i.e., exposure time, substrate transport speed, and reaction kinetics) in the reactor, we can produce solid crystalline Si films with the potential applications in photovoltaic cells industry. The results indicate that the optimum formation conditions with a film thickness of 250-700 μm is when the exposure time in the plasma is in the range of 5-12.5 s for a 100 × 50 mm large layer. By combining the Fourier’s law of conduction with the experimental measurements, we obtained an effective heat diffusivity and developed a model to obtain heat diffusion in the porous layer exposed to the plasma. The model further predicts the minimum and maximum exposure time for the substrate in the plasma flame as a function of material properties, the porous layer thickness and of the imposed heat flux.

Three-Dimensional Hierarchical MoS2 Nanosheets/Ultralong N-Doped Carbon Nanotubes as High-Performance Electromagnetic Wave Absorbing Material.

PubMed

Liu, Lianlian; Zhang, Shen; Yan, Feng; Li, Chunyan; Zhu, Chunling; Zhang, Xitian; Chen, Yujin

2018-04-25

Here, we report a simple method to grow thin MoS 2 nanosheets (NSs) on the ultralong nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes through anion-exchange reaction. The MoS 2 NSs are grown on ultralong nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube surfaces, leading to an interesting three-dimensional hierarchical structure. The fabricated hybrid nanotubes have a length of approximately 100 μm, where the MoS 2 nanosheets have a thickness of less than 7.5 nm. The hybrid nanotubes show excellent electromagnetic wave attenuation performance, with the effective absorption bandwidth of 5.4 GHz at the thicknesses of 2.5 mm, superior to the pure MoS 2 nanosheets and the MoS 2 nanosheets grown on the short N-doped carbon nanotube surfaces. The experimental results indicate that the direct growth of MoS 2 on the ultralong nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube surfaces is a key factor for the enhanced electromagnetic wave attenuation property. The results open the avenue for the development of ultralong transition metal dichalcogenides for electromagnetic wave absorbers.

p-Process Nucleosynthesis inside Supernova-driven Supercritical Accretion Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujimoto, Shin-ichirou; Hashimoto, Masa-aki; Koike, Osamu; Arai, Kenzo; Matsuba, Ryuichi

2003-03-01

We investigate p-process nucleosynthesis in a supercritical accretion disk around a compact object of 1.4 Msolar, using the self-similar solution of an optically thick advection-dominated flow. Supercritical accretion is expected to occur in a supernova with fallback material accreting onto a newborn compact object. It is found that an appreciable number of p-nuclei are synthesized via the p-process in supernova-driven supercritical accretion disks (SSADs) when the accretion rate m=Mc2/(16LEdd)>105, where LEdd is the Eddington luminosity. Abundance profiles of p-nuclei ejected from SSADs have features similar to those of the oxygen/neon layers in Type II supernovae when the abundance of the fallback gas far from the compact object is that of the oxygen/neon layers in the progenitor. The overall abundance profile is in agreement with that of the solar system. Some p-nuclei, such as Mo, Ru, Sn, and La, are underproduced in the SSADs as in Type II supernovae. If the fallback gas is mixed with a small fraction of protons through Rayleigh-Taylor instability during the explosion, significant amounts of 92Mo are produced inside the SSADs. Isotopes 96Ru and 138La are also produced when the fallback gas contains abundant protons, although the overall abundance profile of p-nuclei is rather different from that of the solar system. The p-process nucleosynthesis in SSADs contributes to the chemical evolution of p-nuclei, in particular 92Mo, if several percent of the fallback matter are ejected via jets and/or winds.

Inverted bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells with the transfer-printed anodes and low-temperature-processed ultrathin buffer layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Eiji; Sakai, Shota; Fukuda, Katsutoshi

2018-03-01

We studied the effects of a hole buffer layer [molybdenum oxide (MoO3) and natural copper oxide layer] and a low-temperature-processed electron buffer layer on the performance of inverted bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells in a device consisting of indium-tin oxide (ITO)/poly(ethylene imine) (PEI)/titanium oxide nanosheet (TiO-NS)/poly(3-hexylthiopnehe) (P3HT):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM)/oxide/anode (Ag or Cu). The insertion of ultrathin TiO-NS (˜1 nm) and oxide hole buffer layers improved the open circuit voltage V OC, fill factor, and rectification properties owing to the effective hole blocking and electron transport properties of ultrathin TiO-NS, and to the enhanced work function difference between TiO-NS and the oxide hole buffer layer. The insertion of the TiO-NS contributed to the reduction in the potential barrier at the ITO/PEI/TiO-NS/active layer interface for electrons, and the insertion of the oxide hole buffer layer contributed to the reduction in the potential barrier for holes. The marked increase in the capacitance under positive biasing in the capacitance-voltage characteristics revealed that the combination of TiO-NS and MoO3 buffer layers contributes to the selective transport of electrons and holes, and blocks counter carriers at the active layer/oxide interface. The natural oxide layer of the copper electrode also acts as a hole buffer layer owing to the increase in the work function of the Cu surface in the inverted cells. The performance of the cell with evaporated MoO3 and Cu layers that were transfer-printed to the active layer was almost comparable to that of the cell with MoO3 and Ag layers directly evaporated onto the active layer. We also demonstrated comparable device performance in the cell with all-printed MoO3 and low-temperature-processed silver nanoparticles as an anode.

Preparation and characterization of the nanoporous ultrathin multilayer films based on molybdenum polyoxometalate (Mo 38) n

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.; Jiang, M.; Wang, E. B.; Duan, L. Y.; Hao, N.; Lan, Y.; Xu, L.; Li, Z.

2003-11-01

Ultrathin multilayer films of the wheel-shaped molybdenum polyoxometalate cluster (Mo 38) n and poly(allylamine hydrochloride)(PAH) have been prepared by the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly method. The ((Mo 38) n/PAH) m multilayer films have been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). UV-VIS measurements reveal regular film growth with each (Mo 38) n adsorption. The electrochemistry behavior of the film at room temperature was investigated.

Morphology and current-voltage characteristics of nanostructured pentacene thin films probed by atomic force microscopy.

PubMed

Zorba, S; Le, Q T; Watkins, N J; Yan, L; Gao, Y

2001-09-01

Atomic force microscopy was used to study the growth modes (on SiO2, MoS2, and Au substrates) and the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of organic semiconductor pentacene. Pentacene films grow on SiO2 substrate in a layer-by-layer manner with full coverage at an average thickness of 20 A and have the highest degree of molecular ordering with large dendritic grains among the pentacene films deposited on the three different substrates. Films grown on MoS2 substrate reveal two different growth modes, snowflake-like growth and granular growth, both of which seem to compete with each other. On the other hand, films deposited on Au substrate show granular structure for thinner coverages (no crystal structure) and dendritic growth for higher coverages (crystal structure). I-V measurements were performed with a platinum tip on a pentacene film deposited on a Au substrate. The I-V curves on pentacene film reveal symmetric tunneling type character. The field dependence of the current indicates that the main transport mechanism at high field intensities is hopping (Poole-Frenkel effect). From these measurements, we have estimated a field lowering coefficient of 9.77 x 10(-6) V-1/2 m1/2 and an ideality factor of 18 for pentacene.

Quantum transport through MoS2 constrictions defined by photodoping.

PubMed

Epping, Alexander; Banszerus, Luca; Güttinger, Johannes; Krückeberg, Luisa; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Hassler, Fabian; Beschoten, Bernd; Stampfer, Christoph

2018-05-23

We present a device scheme to explore mesoscopic transport through molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) constrictions using photodoping. The devices are based on van-der-Waals heterostructures where few-layer MoS 2 flakes are partially encapsulated by hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and covered by a few-layer graphene flake to fabricate electrical contacts. Since the as-fabricated devices are insulating at low temperatures, we use photo-induced remote doping in the hBN substrate to create free charge carriers in the MoS 2 layer. On top of the device, we place additional metal structures, which define the shape of the constriction and act as shadow masks during photodoping of the underlying MoS 2 /hBN heterostructure. Low temperature two- and four-terminal transport measurements show evidence of quantum confinement effects.

Quantum transport through MoS2 constrictions defined by photodoping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epping, Alexander; Banszerus, Luca; Güttinger, Johannes; Krückeberg, Luisa; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Hassler, Fabian; Beschoten, Bernd; Stampfer, Christoph

2018-05-01

We present a device scheme to explore mesoscopic transport through molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) constrictions using photodoping. The devices are based on van-der-Waals heterostructures where few-layer MoS2 flakes are partially encapsulated by hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and covered by a few-layer graphene flake to fabricate electrical contacts. Since the as-fabricated devices are insulating at low temperatures, we use photo-induced remote doping in the hBN substrate to create free charge carriers in the MoS2 layer. On top of the device, we place additional metal structures, which define the shape of the constriction and act as shadow masks during photodoping of the underlying MoS2/hBN heterostructure. Low temperature two- and four-terminal transport measurements show evidence of quantum confinement effects.

Achieving tunable doping of MoSe2 based devices using GO@MoSe2 heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maji, Tuhin Kumar; Tiwary, Krishna Kanhaiya; Karmakar, Debjani

2017-05-01

Doping nature of MoSe2, one of the promising Graphene analogous device material, can be tuned by controlling the concentration of functional groups in Graphene oxide (GO)@MoSe2 heterostructure. In this study, by first-principles simulation, we have observed that GO can be used as a carrier injection layer for MoSe2, where n or p type carriers are introduced within MoSe2 layer depending on the type and concentration of functional moieties in it. Both n and p-type Schottky barrier height modulations are investigated for different modeled configurations of the heterostructure. This combinatorial heterostructure can be a promising material for future electronic device application.

The crystal structure of the monohydrate R{sub 2}Mo{sub 6}O{sub 21}.H{sub 2}O (R=Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu): a layer structure containing disordered [Mo{sub 2}O{sub 7}]{sup 2-} groups

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

Naruke, Haruo; Yamase, Toshihiro

2005-03-15

Although R{sub 2}O{sub 3}:MoO{sub 3}=1:6 (R=rare earth) compounds are known in the R{sub 2}O{sub 3}-MoO{sub 3} phase diagrams since a long time, no structural characterization has been achieved because a conventional solid-state reaction yields powder samples. We obtained single crystals of R{sub 2}Mo{sub 6}O{sub 21}.H{sub 2}O (R=Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu) by thermal decomposition of [R{sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 12}Mo{sub 8}O{sub 27}].nH{sub 2}O at around 685-715{sup o}C for 2h, and determined their crystal structures. The simulated XRD patterns of R{sub 2}Mo{sub 6}O{sub 21}.H{sub 2}O were consistent with those of previously reported R{sub 2}O{sub 3}:MoO{sub 3}=1:6 compounds. All R{sub 2}Mo{sub 6}O{sub 21}.H{submore » 2}O compounds crystallize isostructurally in tetragonal, P4/ncc (No. 130), a=8.9962(5), 8.9689(6), 8.9207(4), and 8.875(2)A; c=26.521(2), 26.519(2), 26.304(2), and 26.15(1)A; Z=4; R{sub 1}=0.026, 0.024, 0.024, and 0.021, for R=Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu, respectively. The crystal structure of R{sub 2}Mo{sub 6}O{sub 21}.H{sub 2}O consists of two [Mo{sub 2}O{sub 7}]{sup 2-}-containing layers (A and B layers) and two interstitial R(1){sup 3+} and R(2){sup 3+} cations. Each [Mo{sub 2}O{sub 7}]{sup 2-} group is composed of two corner-sharing [MoO{sub 4}] tetrahedra. The [Mo{sub 2}O{sub 7}]{sup 2-} in the B layer exhibits a disorder to form a pseudo-[Mo{sub 4}O{sub 9}] group, in which four Mo and four O sites are half occupied. R(1){sup 3+} achieves 8-fold coordination by O{sup 2-} to form a [R(1)O{sub 8}] square antiprism, while R(2){sup 3+} achieves 9-fold coordination by O{sup 2-} and H{sub 2}O to form a [R(2)(H{sub 2}O)O{sub 8}] monocapped square antiprism. The disorder of the [Mo{sub 2}O{sub 7}]{sup 2-} group in the B layer induces a large displacement of the O atoms in another [Mo{sub 2}O{sub 7}]{sup 2-} group (in the A layer) and in the [R(1)O{sub 8}] and [R(2)(H{sub 2}O)O{sub 8}] polyhedra. A remarkable broadening of the photoluminescence spectrum of Eu{sub 2}Mo{sub 6}O{sub 21}.H{sub 2}O supported the large displacement of O ligands coordinating Eu(1) and Eu(2)« less

Epitaxial Growth of Lattice-Mismatched Core-Shell TiO2 @MoS2 for Enhanced Lithium-Ion Storage.

PubMed

Dai, Rui; Zhang, Anqi; Pan, Zhichang; Al-Enizi, Abdullah M; Elzatahry, Ahmed A; Hu, Linfeng; Zheng, Gengfeng

2016-05-01

Core-shell structured nanohybrids are currently of significant interest due to their synergetic properties and enhanced performances. However, the restriction of lattice mismatch remains a severe obstacle for heterogrowth of various core-shells with two distinct crystal structures. Herein, a controlled synthesis of lattice-mismatched core-shell TiO2 @MoS2 nano-onion heterostructures is successfully developed, using unilamellar Ti0.87 O2 nanosheets as the starting material and the subsequent epitaxial growth of MoS2 on TiO2 . The formation of these core-shell nano-onions is attributed to an amorphous layer-induced heterogrowth mechanism. The number of MoS2 layers can be well tuned from few to over ten layers, enabling layer-dependent synergistic effects. The core-shell TiO2 @MoS2 nano-onion heterostructures exhibit significantly enhanced energy storage performance as lithium-ion battery anodes. The approach has also been extended to other lattice-mismatched systems such as TiO2 @MoSe2 , thus suggesting a new strategy for the growth of well-designed lattice-mismatched core-shell structures. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Few-layer MoSe₂ possessing high catalytic activity towards iodide/tri-iodide redox shuttles.

PubMed

Lee, Lawrence Tien Lin; He, Jian; Wang, Baohua; Ma, Yaping; Wong, King Young; Li, Quan; Xiao, Xudong; Chen, Tao

2014-02-14

Due to the two-dimensional confinement of electrons, single- and few-layer MoSe₂ nanostructures exhibit unusual optical and electrical properties and have found wide applications in catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, field effect transistor, electrochemical intercalation, and so on. Here we present a new application in dye-sensitized solar cell as catalyst for the reduction of I₃(-) to I(-) at the counter electrode. The few-layer MoSe₂ is fabricated by surface selenization of Mo-coated soda-lime glass. Our results show that the few-layer MoSe₂ displays high catalytic efficiency for the regeneration of I(-) species, which in turn yields a photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency of 9.00%, while the identical photoanode coupling with "champion" electrode based on Pt nanoparticles on FTO glass generates efficiency only 8.68%. Thus, a Pt- and FTO-free counter electrode outperforming the best conventional combination is obtained. In this electrode, Mo film is found to significantly decrease the sheet resistance of the counter electrode, contributing to the excellent device performance. Since all of the elements in the electrode are of high abundance ratios, this type of electrode is promising for the fabrication of large area devices at low materials cost.

Ultrahigh-Gain Photodetectors Based on Atomically Thin Graphene-MoS2 Heterostructures

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wenjing; Chuu, Chih-Piao; Huang, Jing-Kai; Chen, Chang-Hsiao; Tsai, Meng-Lin; Chang, Yung-Huang; Liang, Chi-Te; Chen, Yu-Ze; Chueh, Yu-Lun; He, Jr-Hau; Chou, Mei-Yin; Li, Lain-Jong

2014-01-01

Due to its high carrier mobility, broadband absorption, and fast response time, the semi-metallic graphene is attractive for optoelectronics. Another two-dimensional semiconducting material molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is also known as light- sensitive. Here we show that a large-area and continuous MoS2 monolayer is achievable using a CVD method and graphene is transferable onto MoS2. We demonstrate that a photodetector based on the graphene/MoS2 heterostructure is able to provide a high photogain greater than 108. Our experiments show that the electron-hole pairs are produced in the MoS2 layer after light absorption and subsequently separated across the layers. Contradictory to the expectation based on the conventional built-in electric field model for metal-semiconductor contacts, photoelectrons are injected into the graphene layer rather than trapped in MoS2 due to the presence of a perpendicular effective electric field caused by the combination of the built-in electric field, the applied electrostatic field, and charged impurities or adsorbates, resulting in a tuneable photoresponsivity. PMID:24451916

Enhancing photoresponsivity using MoTe2-graphene vertical heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuiri, Manabendra; Chakraborty, Biswanath; Paul, Arup; Das, Subhadip; Sood, A. K.; Das, Anindya

2016-02-01

MoTe2 with a narrow band-gap of ˜1.1 eV is a promising candidate for optoelectronic applications, especially for the near-infrared photo detection. However, the photo responsivity of few layers MoTe2 is very small (<1 mA W-1). In this work, we show that a few layer MoTe2-graphene vertical heterostructures have a much larger photo responsivity of ˜20 mA W-1. The trans-conductance measurements with back gate voltage show on-off ratio of the vertical transistor to be ˜(0.5-1) × 105. The rectification nature of the source-drain current with the back gate voltage reveals the presence of a stronger Schottky barrier at the MoTe2-metal contact as compared to the MoTe2-graphene interface. In order to quantify the barrier height, it is essential to measure the work function of a few layers MoTe2, not known so far. We demonstrate a method to determine the work function by measuring the photo-response of the vertical transistor as a function of the Schottky barrier height at the MoTe2-graphene interface tuned by electrolytic top gating.

Thickness-dependent magneto-optical effects in hole-doped GaS and GaSe multilayers: a first-principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fei; Zhou, Xiaodong; Feng, Wanxiang; Fu, Botao; Yao, Yugui

2018-04-01

Recently, two-dimensional (2D) GaS and GaSe nanosheets were successfully fabricated and the measured electronic, mechanical, and optoelectronic properties are excellent. Here, using the first-principles density functional theory, we investigate the magnetic, optical, and magneto-optical (MO) Kerr and Faraday effects in hole-doped GaS and GaSe multilayers. GaS and GaSe monolayers (MLs) manifest ferromagnetic ground states by introducing even a small amount of hole doping, whereas the magnetism in GaS and GaSe multilayers are significantly different under hole doping. Our results show that ferromagnetic states can be easily established in GaS bilayers and trilayers under proper hole doping, however, most of GaSe multilayers are more favorable to nonmagnetic states. The magnetic moments in GaS multilayers are weakened remarkably with the increasing of thin film thickness and are negligible more than three MLs. This leads to the thickness dependence of MO Kerr and Faraday effects. Furthermore, the MO effects strongly depend on the doping concentration and therefore are electrically controllable by adjusting the number of holes via gate voltage. The substrate effects on the MO properties are also discussed. Combining the unique MO and other interesting physical properties make GaS and GaSe a superior 2D material platform for semiconductor MO and spintronic nanodevices.

Phase Sensitive Measurements of Ferromagnetic Josephson Junctions for Cryogenic Memory Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niedzielski, Bethany Maria

A Josephson junction is made up of two superconducting layers separated by a barrier. The original Josephson junctions, studied in the early 1960's, contained an insulating barrier. Soon thereafter, junctions with normal-metal barriers were also studied. Ferromagnetic materials were not even theoretically considered as a barrier layer until around 1980, due to the competing order between ferromagnetic and superconducting systems. However, many exciting physical phenomena arise in hybrid superconductor/ferromagnetic devices, including devices where the ground state phase difference between the two superconductors is shifted by pi. Since their experimental debut in 2001, so-called pi junctions have been demonstrated by many groups, including my own, in systems with a single ferromagnetic layer. In this type of system, the phase of the junction can be set to either 0 or pi depending on the thickness of the ferromagnetic layer. Of interest, however, is the ability to control the phase of a single junction between the 0 and pi states. This was theoretically shown to be possible in a system containing two ferromagnetic layers (spin-valve junctions). If the materials and their thicknesses are properly chosen to manipulate the electron pair correlation function, then the phase state of a spin-valve Josephson junction should be capable of switching between the 0 and ? phase states when the magnetization directions of the two ferromagnetic layers are oriented in the antiparallel and parallel configurations, respectively. Such a phase-controllable junction would have immediate applications in cryogenic memory, which is a necessary component to an ultra-low power superconducting computer. A fully superconducting computer is estimated to be orders of magnitude more energy-efficient than current semiconductor-based supercomputers. The goal of this work was to experimentally verify this prediction for a phase-controllable ferromagnetic Josephson junction. To address this complicated system, first, studies of junctions with only a single ferromagnetic junction were required to determine the 0-pi transition thickness of that material, the decay of the critical current through the junction with thickness, and the switching field of the material. The materials studied included NiFeMo, NiFe, Ni, and NiFeCo. Additionally, roughness studies of several different superconducting base electrodes and normal metal buffer and spacer layers were performed to determine the optimum junction layers. The ferromagnetic layers used were on the order of 1-2 nm thick, so a smooth growth template is imperative to maintain continuous films with in-plane magnetizations. Lastly, single junction spin-valve samples were studied. We are not equipped to measure the phase of a single junction, but series of samples where one ferromagnetic layer is systematically varied in thickness can inform the proper thicknesses needed for 0-pi switching based on relative critical current values between the parallel and antiparallel magnetic configurations. Utilizing this background information, two spin-valve samples were incorporated in a superconducting loop so that the relative phase of the two junctions could be investigated. Through this process, the first phase-controllable ferromagnetic Josephson junctions were experimentally demonstrated using phase-sensitive measurement techniques. This provided the proof of concept for the Josephson Magnetic Random Access Memory (JMRAM), a superconducting memory system in development at Northrop Grumman, with whom we collaborate on this work. Phase-controllable systems were successfully demonstrated using two different magnetic material stacks and verified with several analysis techniques.

Edge effects on band gap energy in bilayer 2H-MoS{sub 2} under uniaxial strain

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

Dong, Liang; Wang, Jin; Dongare, Avinash M., E-mail: dongare@uconn.edu

2015-06-28

The potential of ultrathin MoS{sub 2} nanostructures for applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices requires a fundamental understanding in their electronic structure as a function of strain. Previous experimental and theoretical studies assume that an identical strain and/or stress state is always maintained in the top and bottom layers of a bilayer MoS{sub 2} film. In this study, a bilayer MoS{sub 2} supercell is constructed differently from the prototypical unit cell in order to investigate the layer-dependent electronic band gap energy in a bilayer MoS{sub 2} film under uniaxial mechanical deformations. The supercell contains an MoS{sub 2} bottom layer andmore » a relatively narrower top layer (nanoribbon with free edges) as a simplified model to simulate the as-grown bilayer MoS{sub 2} flakes with free edges observed experimentally. Our results show that the two layers have different band gap energies under a tensile uniaxial strain, although they remain mutually interacting by van der Waals interactions. The deviation in their band gap energies grows from 0 to 0.42 eV as the uniaxial strain increases from 0% to 6% under both uniaxial strain and stress conditions. The deviation, however, disappears if a compressive uniaxial strain is applied. These results demonstrate that tensile uniaxial strains applied to bilayer MoS{sub 2} films can result in distinct band gap energies in the bilayer structures. Such variations need to be accounted for when analyzing strain effects on electronic properties of bilayer or multilayered 2D materials using experimental methods or in continuum models.« less

Thermo-mechanical properties of W/Mo markers coatings deposited on bulk W

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigore, E.; Ruset, C.; Gherendi, M.; Chioibasu, D.; Hakola, A.; contributors, JET

2016-02-01

In the present paper marker structures consisting of W/Mo layers were deposited on bulk W samples by using a modified CMSII method. This technology, compared to standard CMSII, prevents the formation of nano-pore structures at interfaces. The thicknesses of the markers were in the range 20-35 μm to balance the requirements associated with the wall erosion in ITER and thermo-mechanical performances. The coatings structure and composition were evaluated by glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES), and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy measurements (EDX). The adhesion of the coatings to the substrate has been assessed by scratch test method. In order to evaluate their effectiveness as potential markers for fusion applications, the marker coatings have been tested in an electron beam facility at a temperature of 1000 °C and a power density of about 3 MW m-2. A number of 300 pulses with duration of 420 s (35 testing hours) were applied on the marker coated samples.

Syntheses and characterization of phosphonates and diphosphonates of molybdenum, A4[(MoO3)5(O3PR)2]·xH2O, A2[Mo2O5(O3PR)2] and A2[Mo2O5(O3P-R-PO3)] (A = K, Rb, Cs, Tl, NH4).

PubMed

Elias Jesu Packiam, D; Vidyasagar, Kanamaluru

2017-11-28

Twenty new molybdenum phosphonates and diphosphonates have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, CHN analyses, spectroscopic and thermal studies. Four of them are molecular phenyl- and benzyl-phosphonates containing discrete [(MoO 3 ) 5 (O 3 PR) 2 ] 4- (R = Ph or CH 2 Ph) cyclic anions. The sixteen non-molecular compounds are layered isostructural phenylphosphonates, A 2 [Mo 2 O 5 (O 3 PPh) 2 ] (A = NH 4 , Tl, Rb, Cs) and K 1.5 (H 3 O) 0.5 [Mo 2 O 5 (O 3 PPh) 2 ] and the corresponding diphosphonate compounds with pillared anionic layers, A 2 [Mo 2 O 5 (O 3 P(CH 2 ) 3 PO 3 )], A 2 [Mo 2 O 5 (O 3 P(CH 2 ) 4 PO 3 )] and A 2 [Mo 2 O 5 (O 3 P(C 6 H 4 )PO 3 )]. The A + ions reside in the interlayer region as well as in the cavities within the anionic layers.

The effect of chloride ions on the corroded surface layer of 00Cr22Ni5Mo3N duplex stainless steel under cavitation.

PubMed

Wan, Tong; Xiao, Ning; Shen, Hanjie; Yong, Xingyue

2016-11-01

The effects of Cl(-) on the corroded surface layer of 00Cr22Ni5Mo3N duplex stainless steel under cavitation in chloride solutions were investigated using nanoindentation in conjunction with XRD and XPS. The results demonstrate that Cl(-) had a strong effect on the nano-mechanical properties of the corroded surface layer under cavitation, and there was a threshold Cl(-) concentration. Furthermore, a close relationship between the nano-mechanical properties and the cavitation corrosion resistance of 00Cr22Ni5Mo3N duplex stainless steel was observed. The degradation of the nano-mechanical properties of the corroded surface layer was accelerated by the synergistic effect between cavitation erosion and corrosion. A key factor was the adsorption of Cl(-), which caused a preferential dissolution of the ferrous oxides in the passive film layer on the corroded surface layer. Cavitation further promoted the preferential dissolution of the ferrous oxides in the passive film layer. Simultaneously, cavitation accelerated the erosion of the ferrite in the corroded surface layer, resulting in the degradation of the nano-mechanical properties of the corroded surface layer on 00Cr22Ni5Mo3N duplex stainless steel under cavitation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Metallic Contact between MoS2 and Ni via Au Nanoglue.

PubMed

Shi, Xinying; Posysaev, Sergei; Huttula, Marko; Pankratov, Vladimir; Hoszowska, Joanna; Dousse, Jean-Claude; Zeeshan, Faisal; Niu, Yuran; Zakharov, Alexei; Li, Taohai; Miroshnichenko, Olga; Zhang, Meng; Wang, Xiao; Huang, Zhongjia; Saukko, Sami; González, Diego López; van Dijken, Sebastiaan; Alatalo, Matti; Cao, Wei

2018-05-01

A critical factor for electronics based on inorganic layered crystals stems from the electrical contact mode between the semiconducting crystals and the metal counterparts in the electric circuit. Here, a materials tailoring strategy via nanocomposite decoration is carried out to reach metallic contact between MoS 2 matrix and transition metal nanoparticles. Nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) are successfully joined to the sides of a layered MoS 2 crystal through gold nanobuffers, forming semiconducting and magnetic NiNPs@MoS 2 complexes. The intrinsic semiconducting property of MoS 2 remains unchanged, and it can be lowered to only few layers. Chemical bonding of the Ni to the MoS 2 host is verified by synchrotron radiation based photoemission electron microscopy, and further proved by first-principles calculations. Following the system's band alignment, new electron migration channels between metal and the semiconducting side contribute to the metallic contact mechanism, while semiconductor-metal heterojunctions enhance the photocatalytic ability. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Epitaxial MoS2/GaN structures to enable vertical 2D/3D semiconductor heterostructure devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruzmetov, D.; Zhang, K.; Stan, G.; Kalanyan, B.; Eichfeld, S.; Burke, R.; Shah, P.; O'Regan, T.; Crowne, F.; Birdwell, A. G.; Robinson, J.; Davydov, A.; Ivanov, T.

MoS2/GaN structures are investigated as a building block for vertical 2D/3D semiconductor heterostructure devices that utilize a 3D substrate (GaN) as an active component of the semiconductor device without the need of mechanical transfer of the 2D layer. Our CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 has been shown to be epitaxially aligned to the GaN lattice which is a pre-requisite for high quality 2D/3D interfaces desired for efficient vertical transport and large area growth. The MoS2 coverage is nearly 50 % including isolated triangles and monolayer islands. The GaN template is a double-layer grown by MOCVD on sapphire and allows for measurement of transport perpendicular to the 2D layer. Photoluminescence, Raman, XPS, Kelvin force probe microscopy, and SEM analysis identified high quality monolayer MoS2. The MoS2/GaN structures electrically conduct in the out-of-plane direction and across the van der Waals gap, as measured with conducting AFM (CAFM). The CAFM current maps and I-V characteristics are analyzed to estimate the MoS2/GaN contact resistivity to be less than 4 Ω-cm2 and current spreading in the MoS2 monolayer to be approx. 1 μm in diameter. Epitaxial MoS2/GaN heterostructures present a promising platform for the design of energy-efficient, high-speed vertical devices incorporating 2D layered materials with 3D semiconductors.

In-situ Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies on the pitting corrosion of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel in neutral chloride solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramya, S.; Nanda Gopala Krishna, D.; Mudali, U. Kamachi

2018-01-01

In-situ Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies were performed for the identification of native and corroded surface oxide layers of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel. The Raman data obtained for native oxide layer of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel revealed that it was mainly composed of oxides of Fe and Cr. The presence of alloying element Mo was found to be less significant in the native oxide film. The oxides of Cr were dominant at the surface and were found to be decreasing closer to metal/oxide layer interface. The changes in the chemical composition of the native films upon in-situ pitting during potentiostatic polarization experiment were characterized by in-situ Raman analysis. The corrosion products of potentiostatically polarized modified 9Cr-1Mo steel was composed of dominant Fe (III) phases viz., γ- Fe2O3, α and γ - FeOOH along with the oxides of chromium. The results from Raman analysis were corroborated with the XPS experiments on as received and pitted samples of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel specimens. It was observed that the oxides of Cr and Mo contributed for the stability of the surface layer by forming Cr2O3 and MoO3. Also, the study attempted to find out the intermediate corrosion products inside the metastable pits to account for the pseudo passive behavior of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel in 0.1 M NaCl solution.

Prospects of zero Schottky barrier height in a graphene-inserted MoS2-metal interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chanana, Anuja; Mahapatra, Santanu

2016-01-01

A low Schottky barrier height (SBH) at source/drain contact is essential for achieving high drive current in atomic layer MoS2-channel-based field effect transistors. Approaches such as choosing metals with appropriate work functions and chemical doping are employed previously to improve the carrier injection from the contact electrodes to the channel and to mitigate the SBH between the MoS2 and metal. Recent experiments demonstrate significant SBH reduction when graphene layer is inserted between metal slab (Ti and Ni) and MoS2. However, the physical or chemical origin of this phenomenon is not yet clearly understood. In this work, density functional theory simulations are performed, employing pseudopotentials with very high basis sets to get insights of the charge transfer between metal and monolayer MoS2 through the inserted graphene layer. Our atomistic simulations on 16 different interfaces involving five different metals (Ti, Ag, Ru, Au, and Pt) reveal that (i) such a decrease in SBH is not consistent among various metals, rather an increase in SBH is observed in case of Au and Pt; (ii) unlike MoS2-metal interface, the projected dispersion of MoS2 remains preserved in any MoS2-graphene-metal system with shift in the bands on the energy axis. (iii) A proper choice of metal (e.g., Ru) may exhibit ohmic nature in a graphene-inserted MoS2-metal contact. These understandings would provide a direction in developing high-performance transistors involving heteroatomic layers as contact electrodes.

Pressure induced metallization with absence of structural transition in layered molybdenum diselenide

PubMed Central

Zhao, Zhao; Zhang, Haijun; Yuan, Hongtao; Wang, Shibing; Lin, Yu; Zeng, Qiaoshi; Xu, Gang; Liu, Zhenxian; Solanki, G. K.; Patel, K. D.; Cui, Yi; Hwang, Harold Y.; Mao, Wendy L.

2015-01-01

Layered transition-metal dichalcogenides have emerged as exciting material systems with atomically thin geometries and unique electronic properties. Pressure is a powerful tool for continuously tuning their crystal and electronic structures away from the pristine states. Here, we systematically investigated the pressurized behavior of MoSe2 up to ∼60 GPa using multiple experimental techniques and ab-initio calculations. MoSe2 evolves from an anisotropic two-dimensional layered network to a three-dimensional structure without a structural transition, which is a complete contrast to MoS2. The role of the chalcogenide anions in stabilizing different layered patterns is underscored by our layer sliding calculations. MoSe2 possesses highly tunable transport properties under pressure, determined by the gradual narrowing of its band-gap followed by metallization. The continuous tuning of its electronic structure and band-gap in the range of visible light to infrared suggest possible energy-variable optoelectronics applications in pressurized transition-metal dichalcogenides. PMID:26088416

Pressure induced metallization with absence of structural transition in layered molybdenum diselenide

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Zhao; Zhang, Haijun; Yuan, Hongtao; ...

2015-06-19

Layered transition-metal dichalcogenides have emerged as exciting material systems with atomically thin geometries and unique electronic properties. Pressure is a powerful tool for continuously tuning their crystal and electronic structures away from the pristine states. Here, we systematically investigated the pressurized behavior of MoSe 2 up to ~60 GPa using multiple experimental techniques and ab-initio calculations. MoSe 2 evolves from an anisotropic two-dimensional layered network to a three-dimensional structure without a structural transition, which is a complete contrast to MoS 2. The role of the chalcogenide anions in stabilizing different layered patterns is underscored by our layer sliding calculations. MoSemore » 2 possesses highly tunable transport properties under pressure, determined by the gradual narrowing of its band-gap followed by metallization. The continuous tuning of its electronic structure and band-gap in the range of visible light to infrared suggest possible energy-variable optoelectronics applications in pressurized transition-metal dichalcogenides.« less

Influence of the Metal-MoS2 interface on MoS2 Transistor Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Hui; Cheng, Guangjun; Hight Walker, Angela; You, Lin; Kopanski, Joseph J.; Li, Qiliang; Richter, Curt A.

2015-03-01

We compare the electrical characteristics of MoS2 field-effect transistors (FETS) with Ag source/drain contacts with transistors with Ti contacts, and we demonstrate that the metal-MoS2 interface is crucial to the final device performance. The topography of 5nm Au/5nm Ag (contact layer) and 5nm Au/5nm Ti metal films deposited onto mono- and few-layer MoS2 was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The surface morphology of the Au/Ti films on MoS2 shows a rough, dewetting pattern while Au/Ag forms smooth, dense films. These smoother and denser Au/Ag contacts lead to improved carrier transport efficiency. FETs with Ag contacts show more than 60 times higher on-state current and a steeper subthreshold slope. Raman spectroscopy of MoS2 covered with Au/Ag or Au/Ti films revealed that the contact layer is Ag or Ti, respectively. In addition, there is a dramatic difference in the heat transfer between the MoS2 and the two metals: while laser heating is observed in Au/Ti covered MoS2, no heating effects are seen in Au/Ag covered MoS2. It is reasonable to conclude that the smoother and denser Ag contact leads to higher carrier transport efficiency and contributes to the improved thermal properties.

Analysis of optical and electronic properties of MoS2 for optoelectronics and FET applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ullah, Muhammad S.; Yousuf, Abdul Hamid Bin; Es-Sakhi, Azzedin D.; Chowdhury, Masud H.

2018-04-01

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is considered as a promising alternative to conventional semiconductor materials that used in the IC industry because of its novel properties. In this paper, we explore the optical and electronic properties of MoS2 for photodetector and transistors applications. This simulation is done using `DFT materials properties simulator'. Our findings show that mono- and multi-layer MoS2 is suitable for conventional and tunnel FET applications due to direct and indirect band-gap respectively. The bulk MoS2 crystal, which are composed of stacked layers have indirect bandgap and mono-layer MoS2 crystal form direct bandgap at the K-point of Brillouin zone. Indirect bandgap of bulk MoS2 crystal implies that phonons need to be involved in band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) process. Degenerately doped semiconductor, which is basically spinning the Fermi level, changing the DOS profile, and thinning the indirect bandgap that allow tunneling from valence band to conduction band. The optical properties of MoS2 is explored in terms of Absorption coefficient, extinction coefficient and refractive index. Our results shows that a MoS2 based photodetector can be fabricate to detect light in the visible range (below 500nm). It is also observed that the MoS2 is most sensitive for the light of wavelength 450nm.

Sequential structural and optical evolution of MoS2 by chemical synthesis and exfoliation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ju Hwan; Kim, Jungkil; Oh, Si Duck; Kim, Sung; Choi, Suk-Ho

2015-06-01

Various types of MoS2 structures are successfully obtained by using economical and facile sequential synthesis and exfoliation methods. Spherically-shaped lumps of multilayer (ML) MoS2 are prepared by using a conventional hydrothermal method and were subsequently 1st-exfoliated in hydrazine while being kept in autoclave to be unrolled and separated into five-to-six-layer MoS2 pieces of several-hundred nm in size. The MoS2 MLs are 2nd-exfoliated in sodium naphthalenide under an Ar ambient to finally produce bilayer MoS2 crystals of ~100 nm. The sequential exfoliation processes downsize MoS2 laterally and reduce its number of layers. The three types of MoS2 allotropes exhibit particular optical properties corresponding to their structural differences. These results suggest that two-dimensional MoS2 crystals can be prepared by employing only chemical techniques without starting from high-pressure-synthesized bulk MoS2 crystals.

Graphite Carbon-Supported Mo2C Nanocomposites by a Single-Step Solid State Reaction for Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction.

PubMed

Huang, K; Bi, K; Liang, C; Lin, S; Wang, W J; Yang, T Z; Liu, J; Zhang, R; Fan, D Y; Wang, Y G; Lei, M

2015-01-01

Novel graphite-molybdenum carbide nanocomposites (G-Mo2C) are synthesized by a typical solid state reaction with melamine and MoO3 as precursors under inert atmosphere. The characterization results indicate that G-Mo2C composites are composed of high crystallization and purity of Mo2C and few layers of graphite carbon. Mo2C nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 5 to 50 nm are uniformly supported by surrounding graphite layers. It is believed that Mo atom resulting from the reduction of MoO3 is beneficial to the immobilization of graphite carbon. Moreover, the electrocatalytic performances of G-Mo2C for ORR in alkaline medium are investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), rotating disk electrode (RDE) and chronoamperometry test with 3M methanol. The results show that G-Mo2C has a considerable catalytic activity and superior methanol tolerance performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) benefiting from the chemical interaction between the carbide nanoparticles and graphite carbon.

Control of electronic properties of 2D carbides (MXenes) by manipulating their transition metal layers

DOE PAGES

Anasori, Babak; Shi, Chenyang; Moon, Eun Ju; ...

2016-02-24

In this paper, a transition from metallic to semiconducting-like behavior has been demonstrated in two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides by replacing titanium with molybdenum in the outer transition metal (M) layers of M 3C 2 and M 4C 3 MXenes. The MXene structure consists of n + 1 layers of near-close packed M layers with C or N occupying the octahedral site between them in an [MX] nM arrangement. Recently, two new families of ordered 2D double transition metal carbides MXenes were discovered, M' 2M"C 2 and M' 2M" 2C 3 – where M' and M" are two different earlymore » transition metals, such as Mo, Cr, Ta, Nb, V, and Ti. The M' atoms only occupy the outer layers and the M" atoms fill the middle layers. In other words, M' atomic layers sandwich the middle M"–C layers. Using X-ray atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis on Mo 2TiC 2 and Mo 2Ti 2C 3 MXenes, we present the first quantitative analysis of structures of these novel materials and experimentally confirm that Mo atoms are in the outer layers of the [MC] nM structures. The electronic properties of these Mo-containing MXenes are compared with their Ti 3C 2 counterparts, and are found to be no longer metallic-like conductors; instead the resistance increases mildly with decreasing temperatures. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that OH terminated Mo–Ti MXenes are semiconductors with narrow band gaps. Measurements of the temperature dependencies of conductivities and magnetoresistances have confirmed that Mo 2TiC 2T x exhibits semiconductor-like transport behavior, while Ti 3C 2T x is a metal. Finally, this finding opens new avenues for the control of the electronic and optical applications of MXenes and for exploring new applications, in which semiconducting properties are required.« less

Facile synthesis of 3D few-layered MoS2 coated TiO2 nanosheet core-shell nanostructures for stable and high-performance lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Biao; Zhao, Naiqin; Guo, Lichao; He, Fang; Shi, Chunsheng; He, Chunnian; Li, Jiajun; Liu, Enzuo

2015-07-01

Uniform transition metal sulfide deposition on a smooth TiO2 surface to form a coating structure is a well-known challenge, caused mainly due to their poor affinities. Herein, we report a facile strategy for fabricating mesoporous 3D few-layered (<4 layers) MoS2 coated TiO2 nanosheet core-shell nanocomposites (denoted as 3D FL-MoS2@TiO2) by a novel two-step method using a smooth TiO2 nanosheet as a template and glucose as a binder. The core-shell structure has been systematically examined and corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. It is found that the resultant 3D FL-MoS2@TiO2 as a lithium-ion battery anode delivers an outstanding high-rate capability with an excellent cycling performance, relating to the unique structure of 3D FL-MoS2@TiO2. The 3D uniform coverage of few-layered (<4 layers) MoS2 onto the TiO2 can remarkably enhance the structure stability and effectively shortens the transfer paths of both lithium ions and electrons, while the strong synergistic effect between MoS2 and TiO2 can significantly facilitate the transport of ions and electrons across the interfaces, especially in the high-rate charge-discharge process. Moreover, the facile fabrication strategy can be easily extended to design other oxide/carbon-sulfide/oxide core-shell materials for extensive applications.Uniform transition metal sulfide deposition on a smooth TiO2 surface to form a coating structure is a well-known challenge, caused mainly due to their poor affinities. Herein, we report a facile strategy for fabricating mesoporous 3D few-layered (<4 layers) MoS2 coated TiO2 nanosheet core-shell nanocomposites (denoted as 3D FL-MoS2@TiO2) by a novel two-step method using a smooth TiO2 nanosheet as a template and glucose as a binder. The core-shell structure has been systematically examined and corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. It is found that the resultant 3D FL-MoS2@TiO2 as a lithium-ion battery anode delivers an outstanding high-rate capability with an excellent cycling performance, relating to the unique structure of 3D FL-MoS2@TiO2. The 3D uniform coverage of few-layered (<4 layers) MoS2 onto the TiO2 can remarkably enhance the structure stability and effectively shortens the transfer paths of both lithium ions and electrons, while the strong synergistic effect between MoS2 and TiO2 can significantly facilitate the transport of ions and electrons across the interfaces, especially in the high-rate charge-discharge process. Moreover, the facile fabrication strategy can be easily extended to design other oxide/carbon-sulfide/oxide core-shell materials for extensive applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Supplementary SEM, TEM, XPS and EIS analyses. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03334a

Preparation of Single-Layer MoS 2xSe 2(1-x) and Mo xW 1-xS 2 Nanosheets with High-Concentration Metallic 1T Phase

DOE PAGES

Tan, Chaoliang; Zhao, Wei; Chaturvedi, Apoorva; ...

2016-02-24

The high-yield and scalable production of single-layer ternary transition metal dichalcogenide nanosheets with ≈66% of metallic 1T phase, including MoS 2xSe 2(1-x) and Mo xW 1-xS 2 is here achieved via electrochemical Li-intercalation and the exfoliation method. Thin film MoS 2xSe 2(1-x) nanosheets drop-cast on a fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate are used as an efficient electrocatalyst on the counter electrode for the tri-iodide reduction in a dye-sensitized solar cell.

Enhancement of near-infrared detectability from InGaZnO thin film transistor with MoS2 light absorbing layer.

PubMed

Pak, Sang Woo; Chu, Dongil; Song, Da Ye; Lee, Seung Kyo; Kim, Eun Kyu

2017-11-24

We report an enhancement of near-infrared (NIR) detectability from amorphous InGaZnO (α-IGZO) thin film transistor in conjunction with randomly distributed molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) flakes. The electrical characteristics of the α-IGZO grown by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering exhibit high effective mobility exceeding 15 cm 2 V -1 s -1 and current on/off ratio up to 10 7 . By taking advantages of the high quality α-IGZO and MoS 2 light absorbing layer, photodetection spectra are able to extend from ultra-violet to NIR range. The α-IGZO channel detector capped by MoS 2 show a photo-responsivity of approximately 14.9 mA W -1 at 1100 nm wavelength, which is five times higher than of the α-IGZO device without MoS 2 layer.

Enhancement of near-infrared detectability from InGaZnO thin film transistor with MoS2 light absorbing layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pak, Sang Woo; Chu, Dongil; Song, Da Ye; Kyo Lee, Seung; Kim, Eun Kyu

2017-11-01

We report an enhancement of near-infrared (NIR) detectability from amorphous InGaZnO (α-IGZO) thin film transistor in conjunction with randomly distributed molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) flakes. The electrical characteristics of the α-IGZO grown by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering exhibit high effective mobility exceeding 15 cm2 V-1 s-1 and current on/off ratio up to 107. By taking advantages of the high quality α-IGZO and MoS2 light absorbing layer, photodetection spectra are able to extend from ultra-violet to NIR range. The α-IGZO channel detector capped by MoS2 show a photo-responsivity of approximately 14.9 mA W-1 at 1100 nm wavelength, which is five times higher than of the α-IGZO device without MoS2 layer.

Controlled Patterning and Growth of Single Wall and Multi-wall Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delzeit, Lance D. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

Method and system for producing a selected pattern or array of at least one of a single wall nanotube and/or a multi-wall nanotube containing primarily carbon. A substrate is coated with a first layer (optional) of a first selected metal (e.g., Al and/or Ir) and with a second layer of a catalyst (e.g., Fe, Co, Ni and/or Mo), having selected first and second layer thicknesses provided by ion sputtering, arc discharge, laser ablation, evaporation or CVD. The first layer and/or the second layer may be formed in a desired non-uniform pattern, using a mask with suitable aperture(s), to promote growth of carbon nanotubes in a corresponding pattern. A selected heated feed gas (primarily CH4 or C2Hn with n=2 and/or 4) is passed over the coated substrate and forms primarily single wall nanotubes or multiple wall nanotubes, depending upon the selected feed gas and its temperature. Nanofibers, as well as single wall and multi-wall nanotubes, are produced using plasma-aided growth from the second (catalyst) layer. An overcoating of a selected metal or alloy can be deposited, over the second layer, to provide a coating for the carbon nanotubes grown in this manner.

Induced nano-scale self-formed metal-oxide interlayer in amorphous silicon tin oxide thin film transistors.

PubMed

Liu, Xianzhe; Xu, Hua; Ning, Honglong; Lu, Kuankuan; Zhang, Hongke; Zhang, Xiaochen; Yao, Rihui; Fang, Zhiqiang; Lu, Xubing; Peng, Junbiao

2018-03-07

Amorphous Silicon-Tin-Oxide thin film transistors (a-STO TFTs) with Mo source/drain electrodes were fabricated. The introduction of a ~8 nm MoO x interlayer between Mo electrodes and a-STO improved the electron injection in a-STO TFT. Mo adjacent to the a-STO semiconductor mainly gets oxygen atoms from the oxygen-rich surface of a-STO film to form MoO x interlayer. The self-formed MoO x interlayer acting as an efficient interface modification layer could conduce to the stepwise internal transport barrier formation while blocking Mo atoms diffuse into a-STO layer, which would contribute to the formation of ohmic contact between Mo and a-STO film. It can effectively improve device performance, reduce cost and save energy for the realization of large-area display with high resolution in future.

Synergetic effect of MoS2 and graphene as cocatalysts for enhanced photocatalytic activity of BiPO4 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Hua; Liu, Yumin; Tang, Haibo; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Jianji

2017-12-01

The photodegradation of organic pollutants is an attractive green chemistry technology for water pollution control. Here we prepared a new composite material consisting of BiPO4 nanocrystals grown on layered graphene and MoS2 as a high-performance photocatalyst for the photodegradation of organic pollutants. This composite material was synthesized by a facile one-pot microwave-assisted hydrothermal technique in the presence of layered graphene and MoS2. Through optimizing the loading content of each component, the BiPO4-MoS2/graphene nanocomposite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine (RhB) when the content of MoS2 and graphene was 2 wt% and 7 wt%, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the new composite photocatalyst was attributed to the positive synergetic effect of the layered graphene and MoS2 as cocatalyst, which acted as electron collector and transporter for the interfacial electron transfer from BiPO4 to electron acceptor in the aqueous solution and thus suppressed the charge recombination and made the photogenerated holes more available to participated in the oxidation process. Moreover, the presence of layered MoS2/graphene hybrid could offer more reactive sites and activated the O2 molecular in water to form superoxide radical, thereby resulting in the enhanced photocatalytic activity.

MoS2‐Based Nanocomposites for Electrochemical Energy Storage

PubMed Central

Wang, Tianyi; Chen, Shuangqiang; Xue, Huaiguo

2016-01-01

Typical layered transition‐metal chalcogenide materials, in particular layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanocomposites, have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their excellent chemical and physical properties in various research fieldsHere, a general overview of synthetic MoS2 based nanocomposites via different preparation approaches and their applications in energy storage devices (Li‐ion battery, Na‐ion battery, and supercapacitor) is presented. The relationship between morphologies and the electrochemical performances of MoS2‐based nanocomposites in the three typical and promising rechargeable systems is also discussed. Finally, perspectives on major challenges and opportunities faced by MoS2‐based materials to address the practical problems of MoS2‐based materials are presented. PMID:28251051

Atomic layer deposition of TiO2 shells on MoO3 nanobelts allowing enhanced lithium storage performance.

PubMed

Xie, Sanmu; Cao, Daxian; She, Yiyi; Wang, Hongkang; Shi, Jian-Wen; Leung, Micheal K H; Niu, Chunming

2018-06-26

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of TiO2 shells on MoO3 nanobelts (denote as TiO2@MoO3) is realized using a home-made ALD system, which allows a controllable hydrolysis reaction of TiCl4-H2O on an atomic scale. When used as an anode material for lithium ion batteries, the TiO2@MoO3 electrode demonstrates much enhanced lithium storage performance including higher specific capacity, better cycling stability and rate capability.

Atomic layer deposition of a high-k dielectric on MoS2 using trimethylaluminum and ozone.

PubMed

Cheng, Lanxia; Qin, Xiaoye; Lucero, Antonio T; Azcatl, Angelica; Huang, Jie; Wallace, Robert M; Cho, Kyeongjae; Kim, Jiyoung

2014-08-13

We present an Al2O3 dielectric layer on molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD) with ozone/trimethylaluminum (TMA) and water/TMA as precursors. The results of atomic force microscopy and low-energy ion scattering spectroscopy show that using TMA and ozone as precursors leads to the formation of uniform Al2O3 layers, in contrast to the incomplete coverage we observe when using TMA/H2O as precursors. Our Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate minimal variations in the MoS2 structure after ozone treatment at 200 °C, suggesting its excellent chemical resistance to ozone.

Structural, optical and compositional stability of MoS2 multi-layer flakes under high dose electron beam irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotunno, E.; Fabbri, F.; Cinquanta, E.; Kaplan, D.; Longo, M.; Lazzarini, L.; Molle, A.; Swaminathan, V.; Salviati, G.

2016-06-01

MoS2 multi-layer flakes, exfoliated from geological molybdenite, have been exposed to high dose electron irradiation showing clear evidence of crystal lattice and stoichiometry modifications. A massive surface sulfur depletion is induced together with the consequent formation of molybdenum nanoislands. It is found that a nanometric amorphous carbon layer, unwillingly deposited during the transmission electron microscope experiments, prevents the formation of the nanoislands. In the absence of the carbon layer, the formation of molybdenum grains proceeds both on the top and bottom surfaces of the flake. If carbon is present on both the surfaces then the formation of Mo grains is completely prevented.

Fabrication and transfer of flexible few-layers MoS2 thin film transistors to any arbitrary substrate.

PubMed

Salvatore, Giovanni A; Münzenrieder, Niko; Barraud, Clément; Petti, Luisa; Zysset, Christoph; Büthe, Lars; Ensslin, Klaus; Tröster, Gerhard

2013-10-22

Recently, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted interest thanks to their large field effective mobility (>100 cm(2)/V · s), sizable band gap (around 1-2 eV), and mechanical properties, which make them suitable for high performance and flexible electronics. In this paper, we present a process scheme enabling the fabrication and transfer of few-layers MoS2 thin film transistors from a silicon template to any arbitrary organic or inorganic and flexible or rigid substrate or support. The two-dimensional semiconductor is mechanically exfoliated from a bulk crystal on a silicon/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polymethyl methacrylane (PMMA) stack optimized to ensure high contrast for the identification of subnanometer thick flakes. Thin film transistors (TFTs) with structured source/drain and gate electrodes are fabricated following a designed procedure including steps of UV lithography, wet etching, and atomic layer deposited (ALD) dielectric. Successively, after the dissolution of the PVA sacrificial layer in water, the PMMA film, with the devices on top, can be transferred to another substrate of choice. Here, we transferred the devices on a polyimide plastic foil and studied the performance when tensile strain is applied parallel to the TFT channel. We measured an electron field effective mobility of 19 cm(2)/(V s), an I(on)/I(off)ratio greater than 10(6), a gate leakage current as low as 0.3 pA/μm, and a subthreshold swing of about 250 mV/dec. The devices continue to work when bent to a radius of 5 mm and after 10 consecutive bending cycles. The proposed fabrication strategy can be extended to any kind of 2D materials and enable the realization of electronic circuits and optical devices easily transferrable to any other support.

Chromatic Mechanical Response in 2-D Layered Transition Metal Dichalcogenide (TMDs) based Nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Rahneshin, Vahid; Khosravi, Farhad; Ziolkowska, Dominika A.; Jasinski, Jacek B.; Panchapakesan, Balaji

2016-01-01

The ability to convert photons of different wavelengths directly into mechanical motion is of significant interest in many energy conversion and reconfigurable technologies. Here, using few layer 2H-MoS2 nanosheets, layer by layer process of nanocomposite fabrication, and strain engineering, we demonstrate a reversible and chromatic mechanical response in MoS2-nanocomposites between 405 nm to 808 nm with large stress release. The chromatic mechanical response originates from the d orbitals and is related to the strength of the direct exciton resonance A and B of the few layer 2H-MoS2 affecting optical absorption and subsequent mechanical response of the nanocomposite. Applying uniaxial tensile strains to the semiconducting few-layer 2H-MoS2 crystals in the nanocomposite resulted in spatially varying energy levels inside the nanocomposite that enhanced the broadband optical absorption up to 2.3 eV and subsequent mechanical response. The unique photomechanical response in 2H-MoS2 based nanocomposites is a result of the rich d electron physics not available to nanocomposites based on sp bonded graphene and carbon nanotubes, as well as nanocomposite based on metallic nanoparticles. The reversible strain dependent optical absorption suggest applications in broad range of energy conversion technologies that is not achievable using conventional thin film semiconductors. PMID:27713550

Magnetron sputtering fabrication and photoelectric properties of WSe2 film solar cell device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Xu; Zou, Jianpeng; Li, Hongchao; Song, Zhengqi; He, Siru

2018-06-01

Tungsten diselenide (WSe2) films with different growing orientations exhibit diverse photoelectric properties. The WSe2 film with C-axis⊥substrate texture has been prepared and applied to thin-film solar cells. W nanofilms with a thickness of 270 nm were deposited onto the Mo bottom electrode and then heat-treated in selenium vapor to synthesize WSe2 films with a thickness of 1 μm. ZnO films were deposited onto WSe2 films to form a P-N junction and ITO films were deposited subsequently as the conductive layer. X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy and UV-vis-NIR spectro-analysis instrument were employed to analyze the phase composition, optical absorptivity and micromorphology of WSe2 films and the WSe2 solar cell device. WSe2 films exhibit excellent photoelectric performance with an optical absorption coefficient greater than 105 cm-1 across the visible spectrum. The calculated direct and indirect band gap of the WSe2 films is 1.48 eV and 1.25 eV, respectively. With the application of standard glass/Mo/WSe2/ZnO/ITO/Ag device structure, the open-circuit voltage of the battery device is 82 mV. The short-circuit current density is 2.98 mA/cm2 and the filling factor is 0.32. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of the WSe2 film solar cell device is 0.79%.

Relationship between fetal nuchal translucency and crown-rump length in an Asian population.

PubMed

Jou, H J; Wu, S C; Li, T C; Hsu, H C; Tzeng, C Y; Hsieh, F J

2001-02-01

To investigate the relationship between the nuchal translucency (NT) thickness and crown-rump length (CRL) in normal Asian fetuses during the first trimester. A prospective observational study was conducted. Ultrasound measurement of NT and CRL was offered in 879 consecutive Taiwanese fetuses between 9 weeks and 14 weeks of gestation. Regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the NT thickness and CRL. Fetal sex was also considered in the analysis. The distribution of multiple of median (MoM) values of the NT measurements with CRL in 10-mm intervals and the 95th centile of MoM were also calculated. The present study shows that NT measurements increase with increasing CRL. A fixed cut-off point through the first trimester is not appropriate. The NT thickness has no relationship with fetal sex. Expressing the NT thickness by MoM values provides a simple method for clinical practice. The present study offers normative data of the fetal NT thickness in an Asian population, which may improve the performance of NT measurement during the first-trimester as a screening tool for chromosomal aberrations or other congenital abnormalities in the first trimester.

Prospects of zero Schottky barrier height in a graphene-inserted MoS{sub 2}-metal interface

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

Chanana, Anuja; Mahapatra, Santanu

2016-01-07

A low Schottky barrier height (SBH) at source/drain contact is essential for achieving high drive current in atomic layer MoS{sub 2}-channel-based field effect transistors. Approaches such as choosing metals with appropriate work functions and chemical doping are employed previously to improve the carrier injection from the contact electrodes to the channel and to mitigate the SBH between the MoS{sub 2} and metal. Recent experiments demonstrate significant SBH reduction when graphene layer is inserted between metal slab (Ti and Ni) and MoS{sub 2}. However, the physical or chemical origin of this phenomenon is not yet clearly understood. In this work, densitymore » functional theory simulations are performed, employing pseudopotentials with very high basis sets to get insights of the charge transfer between metal and monolayer MoS{sub 2} through the inserted graphene layer. Our atomistic simulations on 16 different interfaces involving five different metals (Ti, Ag, Ru, Au, and Pt) reveal that (i) such a decrease in SBH is not consistent among various metals, rather an increase in SBH is observed in case of Au and Pt; (ii) unlike MoS{sub 2}-metal interface, the projected dispersion of MoS{sub 2} remains preserved in any MoS{sub 2}-graphene-metal system with shift in the bands on the energy axis. (iii) A proper choice of metal (e.g., Ru) may exhibit ohmic nature in a graphene-inserted MoS{sub 2}-metal contact. These understandings would provide a direction in developing high-performance transistors involving heteroatomic layers as contact electrodes.« less

Vertical heterostructures of MoS2 and graphene nanoribbons grown by two-step chemical vapor deposition for high-gain photodetectors.

PubMed

Yunus, Rozan Mohamad; Endo, Hiroko; Tsuji, Masaharu; Ago, Hiroki

2015-10-14

Heterostructures of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials have attracted growing interest due to their unique properties and possible applications in electronics, photonics, and energy. Reduction of the dimensionality from 2D to one-dimensional (1D), such as graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), is also interesting due to the electron confinement effect and unique edge effects. Here, we demonstrate a bottom-up approach to grow vertical heterostructures of MoS2 and GNRs by a two-step chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Single-layer GNRs were first grown by ambient pressure CVD on an epitaxial Cu(100) film, followed by the second CVD process to grow MoS2 over the GNRs. The MoS2 layer was found to grow preferentially on the GNR surface, while the coverage could be further tuned by adjusting the growth conditions. The MoS2/GNR nanostructures show clear photosensitivity to visible light with an optical response much higher than that of a 2D MoS2/graphene heterostructure. The ability to grow a novel 1D heterostructure of layered materials by a bottom-up CVD approach will open up a new avenue to expand the dimensionality of the material synthesis and applications.

Determination of band offsets at GaN/single-layer MoS{sub 2} heterojunction

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

Tangi, Malleswararao; Mishra, Pawan; Ng, Tien Khee

2016-07-18

We report the band alignment parameters of the GaN/single-layer (SL) MoS{sub 2} heterostructure where the GaN thin layer is grown by molecular beam epitaxy on CVD deposited SL-MoS{sub 2}/c-sapphire. We confirm that the MoS{sub 2} is an SL by measuring the separation and position of room temperature micro-Raman E{sup 1}{sub 2g} and A{sup 1}{sub g} modes, absorbance, and micro-photoluminescence bandgap studies. This is in good agreement with HRTEM cross-sectional analysis. The determination of band offset parameters at the GaN/SL-MoS{sub 2} heterojunction is carried out by high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy accompanying with electronic bandgap values of SL-MoS{sub 2} and GaN. Themore » valence band and conduction band offset values are, respectively, measured to be 1.86 ± 0.08 and 0.56 ± 0.1 eV with type II band alignment. The determination of these unprecedented band offset parameters opens up a way to integrate 3D group III nitride materials with 2D transition metal dichalcogenide layers for designing and modeling of their heterojunction based electronic and photonic devices.« less

Few-Layer MoSe2 Possessing High Catalytic Activity towards Iodide/Tri-iodide Redox Shuttles

PubMed Central

Lee, Lawrence Tien Lin; He, Jian; Wang, Baohua; Ma, Yaping; Wong, King Young; Li, Quan; Xiao, Xudong; Chen, Tao

2014-01-01

Due to the two-dimensional confinement of electrons, single- and few-layer MoSe2 nanostructures exhibit unusual optical and electrical properties and have found wide applications in catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, field effect transistor, electrochemical intercalation, and so on. Here we present a new application in dye-sensitized solar cell as catalyst for the reduction of I3− to I− at the counter electrode. The few-layer MoSe2 is fabricated by surface selenization of Mo-coated soda-lime glass. Our results show that the few-layer MoSe2 displays high catalytic efficiency for the regeneration of I− species, which in turn yields a photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency of 9.00%, while the identical photoanode coupling with “champion” electrode based on Pt nanoparticles on FTO glass generates efficiency only 8.68%. Thus, a Pt- and FTO-free counter electrode outperforming the best conventional combination is obtained. In this electrode, Mo film is found to significantly decrease the sheet resistance of the counter electrode, contributing to the excellent device performance. Since all of the elements in the electrode are of high abundance ratios, this type of electrode is promising for the fabrication of large area devices at low materials cost. PMID:24525919

Direct imaging of band profile in single layer MoS2 on graphite: quasiparticle energy gap, metallic edge states, and edge band bending.

PubMed

Zhang, Chendong; Johnson, Amber; Hsu, Chang-Lung; Li, Lain-Jong; Shih, Chih-Kang

2014-05-14

Using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, we probe the electronic structures of single layer MoS2 on graphite. The apparent quasiparticle energy gap of single layer MoS2 is measured to be 2.15 ± 0.06 eV at 77 K, albeit a higher second conduction band threshold at 0.2 eV above the apparent conduction band minimum is also observed. Combining it with photoluminescence studies, we deduce an exciton binding energy of 0.22 ± 0.1 eV (or 0.42 eV if the second threshold is use), a value that is lower than current theoretical predictions. Consistent with theoretical predictions, we directly observe metallic edge states of single layer MoS2. In the bulk region of MoS2, the Fermi level is located at 1.8 eV above the valence band maximum, possibly due to the formation of a graphite/MoS2 heterojunction. At the edge, however, we observe an upward band bending of 0.6 eV within a short depletion length of about 5 nm, analogous to the phenomena of Fermi level pinning of a 3D semiconductor by metallic surface states.

Highly Uniform Atomic Layer-Deposited MoS2@3D-Ni-Foam: A Novel Approach To Prepare an Electrode for Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Nandi, Dip K; Sahoo, Sumanta; Sinha, Soumyadeep; Yeo, Seungmin; Kim, Hyungjun; Bulakhe, Ravindra N; Heo, Jaeyeong; Shim, Jae-Jin; Kim, Soo-Hyun

2017-11-22

This article takes an effort to establish the potential of atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique toward the field of supercapacitors by preparing molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) as its electrode. While molybdenum hexacarbonyl [Mo(CO) 6 ] serves as a novel precursor toward the low-temperature synthesis of ALD-grown MoS 2 , H 2 S plasma helps to deposit its polycrystalline phase at 200 °C. Several ex situ characterizations such as X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and so forth are performed in detail to study the as-grown MoS 2 film on a Si/SiO 2 substrate. While stoichiometric MoS 2 with very negligible amount of C and O impurities was evident from XPS, the XRD and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analyses confirmed the (002)-oriented polycrystalline h-MoS 2 phase of the as-grown film. A comparative study of ALD-grown MoS 2 as a supercapacitor electrode on 2-dimensional stainless steel and on 3-dimensional (3D) Ni-foam substrates clearly reflects the advantage and the potential of ALD for growing a uniform and conformal electrode material on a 3D-scaffold layer. Cyclic voltammetry measurements showed both double-layer capacitance and capacitance contributed by the faradic reaction at the MoS 2 electrode surface. The optimum number of ALD cycles was also found out for achieving maximum capacitance for such a MoS 2 @3D-Ni-foam electrode. A record high areal capacitance of 3400 mF/cm 2 was achieved for MoS 2 @3D-Ni-foam grown by 400 ALD cycles at a current density of 3 mA/cm 2 . Moreover, the ALD-grown MoS 2 @3D-Ni-foam composite also retains high areal capacitance, even up to a high current density of 50 mA/cm 2 . Finally, this directly grown MoS 2 electrode on 3D-Ni-foam by ALD shows high cyclic stability (>80%) over 4500 charge-discharge cycles which must invoke the research community to further explore the potential of ALD for such applications.

Magnetic MoS2 pizzas and sandwiches with Mnn (n = 1-4) cluster toppings and fillings: A first-principles investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Meng; Huang, Zhongjia; Wang, Xiao; Zhang, Hongyu; Li, Taohai; Wu, Zhaolong; Luo, Youhua; Cao, Wei

2016-01-01

The inorganic layered crystal (ILC) MoS2 in low dimensions is considered as one of the most promising and efficient semiconductors. To enable the magnetism and keep intrinsic crystal structures, we carried out a first-principles study of the magnetic and semiconductive monolayer MoS2 adsorbed with the Mnn (n = 1-4) clusters, and bilayer MoS2 intercalated with the same clusters. Geometric optimizations of the Mnn@MoS2 systems show the complexes prefer to have Mnn@MoS2(M) pizza and Mnn@MoS2(B) sandwich forms in the mono- and bi-layered cases, respectively. Introductions of the clusters will enhance complex stabilities, while bonds and charge transfers are found between external Mn clusters and the S atoms in the hosts. The pizzas have medium magnetic moments of 3, 6, 9, 4 μB and sandwiches of 3, 2, 3, 2 μB following the manganese numbers. The pizzas and sandwiches are semiconductors, but with narrower bandgaps compared to their corresponding pristine hosts. Direct bandgaps were found in the Mnn@MoS2(M) (n = 1,4) pizzas, and excitingly in the Mn1@MoS2(B) sandwich. Combining functional clusters to the layered hosts, the present work shows a novel material manipulation strategy to boost semiconductive ILCs applications in magnetics.

Tunable Electrical and Optical Characteristics in Monolayer Graphene and Few-Layer MoS2 Heterostructure Devices.

PubMed

Rathi, Servin; Lee, Inyeal; Lim, Dongsuk; Wang, Jianwei; Ochiai, Yuichi; Aoki, Nobuyuki; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Lee, Gwan-Hyoung; Yu, Young-Jun; Kim, Philip; Kim, Gil-Ho

2015-08-12

Lateral and vertical two-dimensional heterostructure devices, in particular graphene-MoS2, have attracted profound interest as they offer additional functionalities over normal two-dimensional devices. Here, we have carried out electrical and optical characterization of graphene-MoS2 heterostructure. The few-layer MoS2 devices with metal electrode at one end and monolayer graphene electrode at the other end show nonlinearity in drain current with drain voltage sweep due to asymmetrical Schottky barrier height at the contacts and can be modulated with an external gate field. The doping effect of MoS2 on graphene was observed as double Dirac points in the transfer characteristics of the graphene field-effect transistor (FET) with a few-layer MoS2 overlapping the middle part of the channel, whereas the underlapping of graphene have negligible effect on MoS2 FET characteristics, which showed typical n-type behavior. The heterostructure also exhibits a strongest optical response for 520 nm wavelength, which decreases with higher wavelengths. Another distinct feature observed in the heterostructure is the peak in the photocurrent around zero gate voltage. This peak is distinguished from conventional MoS2 FETs, which show a continuous increase in photocurrent with back-gate voltage. These results offer significant insight and further enhance the understanding of the graphene-MoS2 heterostructure.

Characteristic morphological and frictional changes in sputtered MoS/sub 2 films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.

1984-01-01

Three microstructural growth stages of sputtered MoS2 films were identified with respect to film thickness: (1) ridge formation during nucleation, (2) an equiaxed transition zone, and (3) a columnar-fiber-like structure. Each of these growth stages are characterized in terms of microcrystallite size, shape, and orientation. The effective lubricating film thickness is established in terms of the microstructural growth stages during sliding experiments. The film has a tendency to break up within the columnar zone. Actual lubrication is performed by the remaining film which is 0.18 to 0.22 microns thick. Also a visual screening is proposed to evaluate the integrity of the as-sputtered MoS2 film. The lubricating properties are identified with respect to optical changes before and after wiping. The orientation of the microcrystallites are responsible for the optical reflective changes observed.

Modified Back Contact Interface of CZTSe Thin Film Solar Cells: Elimination of Double Layer Distribution in Absorber Layer

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhaojing; Yao, Liyong; Bi, Jinlian; Gao, Shoushuai; Gao, Qing; Jeng, Ming‐Jer; Sun, Guozhong; Zhou, Zhiqiang; He, Qing; Sun, Yun

2017-01-01

Abstract Double layer distribution exists in Cu2SnZnSe4 (CZTSe) thin films prepared by selenizing the metallic precursors, which will degrade the back contact of Mo substrate to absorber layer and thus suppressing the performance of solar cell. In this work, the double‐layer distribution of CZTSe film is eliminated entirely and the formation of MoSe2 interfacial layer is inhibited successfully. CZTSe film is prepared by selenizing the precursor deposited by electrodeposition method under Se and SnSex mixed atmosphere. It is found that the insufficient reaction between ZnSe and Cu‐Sn‐Se phases in the bottom of the film is the reason why the double layer distribution of CZTSe film is formed. By increasing Sn content in the metallic precursor, thus making up the loss of Sn because of the decomposition of CZTSe and facilitate the diffusion of liquid Cu2Se, the double layer distribution is eliminated entirely. The crystallization of the formed thin film is dense and the grains go through the entire film without voids. And there is no obvious MoSe2 layer formed between CZTSe and Mo. As a consequence, the series resistance of the solar cell reduces significantly to 0.14 Ω cm2 and a CZTSe solar cell with efficiency of 7.2% is fabricated. PMID:29610727

Modified Back Contact Interface of CZTSe Thin Film Solar Cells: Elimination of Double Layer Distribution in Absorber Layer.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhaojing; Yao, Liyong; Zhang, Yi; Ao, Jianping; Bi, Jinlian; Gao, Shoushuai; Gao, Qing; Jeng, Ming-Jer; Sun, Guozhong; Zhou, Zhiqiang; He, Qing; Sun, Yun

2018-02-01

Double layer distribution exists in Cu 2 SnZnSe 4 (CZTSe) thin films prepared by selenizing the metallic precursors, which will degrade the back contact of Mo substrate to absorber layer and thus suppressing the performance of solar cell. In this work, the double-layer distribution of CZTSe film is eliminated entirely and the formation of MoSe 2 interfacial layer is inhibited successfully. CZTSe film is prepared by selenizing the precursor deposited by electrodeposition method under Se and SnSe x mixed atmosphere. It is found that the insufficient reaction between ZnSe and Cu-Sn-Se phases in the bottom of the film is the reason why the double layer distribution of CZTSe film is formed. By increasing Sn content in the metallic precursor, thus making up the loss of Sn because of the decomposition of CZTSe and facilitate the diffusion of liquid Cu 2 Se, the double layer distribution is eliminated entirely. The crystallization of the formed thin film is dense and the grains go through the entire film without voids. And there is no obvious MoSe 2 layer formed between CZTSe and Mo. As a consequence, the series resistance of the solar cell reduces significantly to 0.14 Ω cm 2 and a CZTSe solar cell with efficiency of 7.2% is fabricated.

Role of vacancy sites and UV-ozone treatment on few layered MoS2 nanoflakes for toxic gas detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burman, Debasree; Ghosh, Ruma; Santra, Sumita; Ray, Samit Kumar; Guha, Prasanta Kumar

2017-10-01

Various issues like global warming and environmental pollutions have led to the research of toxic gas detection worldwide. In this work, we have tried to develop a molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) based gas sensor to detect toxic gases like ammonia and NO. MoS2, an inorganic analog of graphene, has attracted lots of attention for many different applications recently. This paper reports the use of liquid exfoliated MoS2 nanoflakes as the sensing layer in a handheld, resistive toxic gas sensor. The nanoflakes were exfoliated from MoS2 bulk powder using a sonication based exfoliation technique at room temperature. The successful exfoliation of the nanoflakes was characterized using different techniques e.g., optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. The characterization results showed that few-layered nanoflakes have successfully been exfoliated. The MoS2 nanoflakes showed reasonable sensing towards ammonia and NO. In order to explore the effect of particle size on ammonia sensing, the MoS2 flakes were also exfoliated using different sonication times. We also observed that various factors like presence of vacancy sites, ambient oxygen, humidity, different contact electrodes have significant effect on the sensing characteristics. In fact, the response of the sensing layer against 400 ppm of ammonia increased from 54.1% to ˜80% when it was UV-ozone treated. This work holds promises to developing cost-effective, reliable and highly sensitive MoS2 based ammonia sensors.

Microstructure of as-fabricated UMo/Al(Si) plates prepared with ground and atomized powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jungwirth, R.; Palancher, H.; Bonnin, A.; Bertrand-Drira, C.; Borca, C.; Honkimäki, V.; Jarousse, C.; Stepnik, B.; Park, S.-H.; Iltis, X.; Schmahl, W. W.; Petry, W.

2013-07-01

UMo-Al based fuel plates prepared with ground U8wt%Mo, ground U8wt%MoX (X = 1 wt%Pt, 1 wt%Ti, 1.5 wt%Nb or 3 wt%Nb) and atomized U7wt%Mo have been examined. The first finding is that that during the fuel plate production the metastable γ-UMo phases partly decomposed into two different γ-UMo phases, U2Mo and α'-U in ground powder or α″-U in atomized powder. Alloying small amounts of a third element to the UMo had no measurable effect on the stability of the γ-UMo phase. Second, the addition of some Si inside the Al matrix and the presence of oxide layers in ground and atomized samples is studied. In the case with at least 2 wt%Si inside the matrix a Silicon rich layer (SiRL) forms at the interface between the UMo and the Al during the fuel plate production. The SiRL forms more easily when an Al-Si alloy matrix - which is characterized by Si precipitates with a diameter ⩽1 μm - is used than when an Al-Si mixed powder matrix - which is characterized by Si particles with some μm diameter - is used. The presence of an oxide layer on the surface of the UMo particles hinders the formation of the SiRL. Addition of some Si into the Al matrix [7-11]. Application of a protective barrier at the UMo/Al interface by oxidizing the UMo powder [7,12]. Increase of the Mo content or use of UMo alloys with ternary element addition X (e.g. X = Nb, Ti, Pt) to stabilize the γ-UMo with respect to α-U or to control the UMo-Al interaction layer kinetics [9,12-24]. Use of ground UMo powder instead of atomized UMo powder [10,25] The points 1-3 are to limit the formation of the undesired UMo/Al layer. Especially the addition of Si into the matrix has been suggested [3,7,8,10,11,26,27]. It has been often mentioned that Silicon is efficient in reducing the Uranium-Aluminum diffusion kinetics since Si shows a higher chemical affinity to U than Al to U. Si suppresses the formation of brittle UAl4 which causes a huge swelling during the irradiation. Furthermore it enhances the formation of more stable UAl3 within the diffusion layer [14]. In addition, Si will not notably influence the reactor neutronics due to its low absorption cross section for thermal neutrons of σabs = 0.24 barn. Aluminum has σabs = 0.23 barn.Williams [28], Bierlein [29], Green [30] and de Luca [31] showed the first time in the 1950s that alloying Aluminum with some Silicon reduces the Uranium-Aluminum diffusion kinetics in can-type fuel elements. However, up to now uncertainties remained about the most promising Si concentration and the involved mechanisms.Ground powder - possibility 4 - introduces a high density of defects like dislocations, oxide layers and impurities into UMo grains. Fuel prepared with this kind of powder exhibits a larger porosity. It may also be combined with an AlSi matrix. As a consequence, the degree of swelling due to high-burn up is reduced compared to fuel with atomized powder [5,6,25].This study focuses on the metallurgical characterization of as-fabricated samples prepared with ground UMo and UMoX (X = Ti, Nb, Pt) powders and atomized UMo powder. The influence of some Si into the Al matrix and the presence of oxide layers on the UMo is discussed. Details of the differences of samples with ground UMo from atomized UMo will be discussed.The examined samples originate from non-irradiated spare fuel plates from the IRIS-TUM irradiation campaign [5,6]. The samples containing ground UMoX powders and atomized UMo powders with Si addition into the matrix have been produced for this study [32]. Powder mixing: The UMo powder is mixed with Al powder. Compact production: UMo-Al powder is poured into a mould and undergoes compaction under large force. Plate-processing: An AlFeNi frame is placed on an AlFeNi plate and the UMo-Al compact is placed into the frame. Afterwards it is covered with a second AlFeNi plate. This assembly is hot-rolled to reduce the total thickness to 1.4 mm. Subsequently, a blister test (1-2 h at 400-450 °C) ensures that the fuelplate is sealed. After this step, the UMo particles are tightly covered with Al as shown in Fig. 1. To access the meat layer, small samples have been cut from the fuel plates. The AlFeNi cladding has been removed using abrasive paper and diamond polishing paste. Cross sections were prepared from each sample and examined using SEM/EDX and XRD. Laboratory scale XRD Laboratory sealed-tube XRD on a STOE-STADIP diffractometer equipped with an incident beam focusing monochromator and used in reflection geometry with respect to the sample. MoK-α radiation has been used. Details on the systems used can be found in [39]. mu;-XRD using micro-focused synchrotron radiation at the Swiss Light Source μ-XAS beamline (PSI, Switzerland). At SLS, the beam size was 3 × 3 μm2, the energy was 19.7 keV. Further details on the experimental procedure can be found in [40]. Only very small sample volumes are probed with this technique, therefore the results may not be representative for the whole miniplate. The standard deviation of the lattice parameters obtained with this method is ±0.01 Å in case not different given. High-energy XRD (HE-XRD) in transmission mode using synchrotron radiation at the "High Energy Diffraction and Scattering Beamline ID15B" of ESRF. An X-ray energy of 87 keV has been used, the beam size was 0.3 × 0.3 mm2. Details on the experimental procedure are presented in [41,42]. It was possible to determine the average mass fractions of the phases present inside the sample using this technique. The standard deviation of the lattice parameters obtained with this method is ±0.001 Å in case not different given. laser granulometry to determine the size distribution of the particles, XRD for phase identification. Granulometry measurements showed that a significant amount of very fine particles of a few μm to 10 μm size are present in the first class of powder.In both cases, laboratory XRD analyses evidenced only two phases: γ-UMo and UO2. In contrast to observations on the final fuel plates, there are no signs of α-U. Comparing XRD data of atomized UMo powder (taken form the IRIS4 experiment) and ground UMo powder with almost the same Mo content, the peaks are broader in XRD patterns of ground UMo and there is a higher background [44]. This points that the lattice structure of the UMo inside the ground powder is strongly disordered during the grinding process.Complementary investigations were performed in these ground UMo powder samples using HE-XRD. The obtained data can therefore directly be compared to those measured on pre-oxidized atomized UMo powders [45] and IRIS-TUM fuel plates [41]. For both powder samples the γ-UMo lattice constant has been estimated to 3.433 ± 0.002 Å which corresponds to about 7.2 wt% for Mo in the alloy according to Dwight's law [46]. The existence of two UMo phases inside these ground particles (as in atomized case) could not be investigated because of the huge peak broadening (presence of micro distortions). Whatever the sample granulometry, the analysis of the HE-XRD data showed a non-negligible nitride contamination in ground powders (see Fig. 2). Two uranium nitride phases are indeed found in these samples: UN and U2N3+x[47]. Note that the presence of UN has also been found in the as-fabricated plates. These results confirm the high reactivity of UMo with both Oxygen and Nitrogen in the grinding conditions. As a comparison for temperatures in the 200-250 °C range, it seems that UNx phases are more difficult to grow: they were not present in outer layers obtained by heat treatment under air on atomized particles [45]. Finally it can be seen in Table 3 that the weight fractions of UO2 and U2N3+x phases are lower in the sample with larger UMo particles. This suggests the existence of an oxide, nitride outer shell around UMo ground particle with thickness that does not strongly evolve with particle size. This constant outer shell thickness has also been found in pre-oxidized atomized powders [45].The UMoX powder used for the samples MAFIA-I-18 - MAFIA-I-21 has not been investigated prior to plate fabrication. However, since the grinding process is essentially the same as for the pure UMo powder, similar characteristics are assumed. Thin oxide layers with a thickness ⩽1 μm on some of the particles that were not intentionally oxidized. Although the UMo powder was stored and handled under an inert atmosphere over the whole production process, some residual oxygen has reacted with the UMo. Already this thin oxide layers exhibits cracks (Fig. 5). Thicker oxide layers with a thickness up to 5 μm on the UMo particles that were oxidized purposely. This kind of oxide layer is very brittle and shows large cracks (Fig. 6). The oxidized UMo particles tend to detach with the matrix as gaps between the UMo particles and the oxide layer could be observed (Fig. 6). This is most obvious at spots where a UMo particle has been pulled out during polishing. A part of the oxide layer remained inside the resulting hole (Fig. 7). Atomized UMo powder 2 wt%Si in Al matrix, alloyed AlSi 2 wt%Si in Al matrix, mixed AlSi 5 wt%Si in Al matrix, mixed AlSi 7 wt%Si in Al matrix, mixed AlSi Ground UMo powder 2 wt%Si in Al matrix, alloyed AlSi The influence of an oxide layer around the UMo particles on the formation of the SiRL during fuel plate production is further discussed. The growth of a Si rich layer surrounding the UMo particles in the 2 wt%Si alloyed powder (oxidized UMo), as well as the 5 wt% and 7 wt%Si mixed powder (non-oxidized UMo) during production of the miniplates. The presence of Si precipitates in the Al-matrix (large precipitates in case of mixture, small si particles in alloy). No oxide layer: If no oxide layer is present around the UMo particles a homogeneous SiRL grows at the interface UMo-Al (Fig. 15a). Brittle oxide layer: An oxide layer is present around the UMo particles, the SiRL grows always between the UMo particle and the oxide layer (Fig. 15b). In this case the the SiRL is thin and not homogeneous. As presumed by Ripert et al. [7] it is essential that the oxide layer reveals cracks perpendicular the UMo particle surface to make path for the Si diffusion. Dense oxide layer: In case of a thin (≈1 μm) but compact oxide layer no SiRL is formed even at high Si concentrations inside the matrix (Fig. 15c). The observed effects are pronounced when the thickness of the oxide layer is increased, as shown in Fig. 16: UMo particles covered with a thicker oxide layer (>1 μm) inside an Aluminum matrix with 5 wt%Si (mixed Al-Si powder). The oxide layer is dense at the left side of the particle, no Si can be found there (Fig. 16a). In contrast, the brittle and cracked oxide layer on the right side made path for a Si diffusion but the SiRL is thinner than in the sites where the UMo particle is not covered with an oxide layer. EDX maps at different positions of the sample showed that in general no SiRL forms around UMo particles covered by oxide layers with a thickness greater than 1 μm (Fig. 16b). This behavior is identical for the samples with 5 wt%Si and 7 wt%Si added to the Aluminum matrix (mixed Al-Si powder). Obviously the presence of a (dense) oxide layer hampers the formation of a SiRL. different UXSiY phases with strongly overlapping peaks can be found in the SiRL, these phases are characterized by small sizes of the crystallites (a few tens of nanometers) and/or cell parameter gradients. Two different crystallographic phases have been usually identified: U(Al,Si)3 displaying a small lattice parameter of a0 = 4.16 Å. This indicates that about 40% of the Al lattice sites are occupied by Si atoms. The second phase is isostructural to U3Si54 with a different lattice parameter [59-61]. Although the U-Si-Al phase diagram contains a variety of phases, none of the phases reported in literature [62] could be used to fully refine the measured diagram. Therefore, three different hypotheses are suggested to explain the occurence of this unknown phase: The observed compound consists of two phases: Conventional U3Si5 and USi2, as has been suggested by the authors before [58]. However, only one literature source (Brown et al.) describing the occurrence of USi2 below 450 °C could be found [63,64]. Furthermore, it has not been possible to reproduce the experiments described by Brown et al. Therefore, this hypothesis remains doubtful [59]. The observed phase may be a new unknown phase. For example, a cubic phase with lattice constant a0 = 3.96 Å can be used to refine the observed peaks. This hypothesis can neither be confirmed nor refused based on the existing data. The observed phase can be a U3Si5 variant containing Mo and/or Al atoms. This hypothesis is supported by the authors. Hence in the following sections this structure will be denoted as U3Si5. No traces of SiRL phases are found inside the sample with 2 wt%Si mixed-powder matrix (MAFIA-I-3), all the Si remained inside the matrix. A SiRL is present inside the samples with 2.1 wt%Si alloyed powder matrix (MAFIA-I-4) and 5 wt%Si (MAFIA-I-5) and 7 wt%Si (MAFIA-I-7) mixed powder matrix. However, between 76% and 96% of the Si remained inside the matrix in form of precipitates or Si particles. The SiRL is formed readily when the Si is present inside the matrix in form of precipitates (i.e. Al-Si alloy matrix, MAFIA-I-4 and IRIS-TUM 8502) compared to particles (i.e. Al-Si mixed powder matrix, MAFIA-I-3, MAFIA-I-5 and MAFIA-I-7). This behavior can best be observed on the sample prepared with ground powder and with 2.1 wt%Si alloyed powder matrix (IRIS-TUM-8502): The matrix contains no Si, only SiRL phases are found. Since the sample with 5 wt%Si mixed powder matrix (MAFIA-I-5) has the lowest SiRL fraction but by far the highest UO2 content, it is concluded that the presence of UO2 around the UMo kernels tends to hamper the formation of a SiRL. UMo/Al samples prepared with ground powder contain irregularly shaped UMo kernels. They are in general oxidized and also contain oxide stringers. These samples have a high porosity content of around 8 vol%. In contrast, UMo/Al samples prepared with atomized powder contain spherical UMo kernels. Only the surface of the UMo kernels is oxidized in some cases. Thick oxide layers must be grown intentionally while thinner layers are the result of oxidation during the whole process. The oxide layer is in general brittle and exhibits cracks. The Uranium-oxide content of all examined samples (atomized and ground) varies between 2 and 13 wt%. gamma;-UMo present in the fresh UMo powder destabilizes to transform to an α-U-like phase, U2Mo, and two γ-UMo phases with different Mo content during the fuel plate production. For ground powder, α-U content varies in 28-38 wt%, for atomized powder in 11-14 wt%. The degree of γ-phase destabilization is therefore higher for ground powder. Ternary addition of Nb, Ti or Pt to the UMo did not impact the extent of decomposition. The γ-phase decomposition in the atomized and ground powder does not follow the expected in the U8wt%Mo TTT diagram between 400 and 450 °C [41]. According to Repas et al. [65], the route is γ-UMoa → γ-UMob + α-U → γ-UMoc+α-U + U2Mo . γ-UMoa,b,c differ in the Mo content where γ-UMoa has the lowest and γ-UMoc has the highest Mo content. We observe a new route of decomposition of ground powder into two different γ-UMo phases. One of them has approximately the original Mo content and the other has a higher Mo content. Further U2Mo and a phase with deformed lattice parameters compared to pure α-U have been observed. The latter is known as α' in literature.For atomized powder, also two different γ-UMo phases and traces of U2Mo have been found. However, a different α-U like phase has been identified: α″ [41,53-55].Repas et al. used as cast samples that have been examined with conventional XRD and different metallographic methods [65]. The difference to our data can be explained by the superior resolution of the here used HE-XRD diffraction. Most probably, conventional lab X-ray sourcces could not resolve fine differences in the lattice parameters of α-U and may not enable to separate two γ-UMo phase. To overcome this uncertainty it is highly desirable to examine the TTT diagram of UMo with high resolution. When Si is added into the matrix - by using alloyed Al-Si powder as a matrix or blending Al and Si powder - in general a SiRL is formed at the interface between the UMo and the Al matrix. An exception can be found in MAFIA-I-3 in which the overall Si content was to low to form a SiRL. The SiRL consists of U(Al,Si)3 and U3Si5. The SiRL forms less readily in case of mixed Al-Si than in case of alloyed Al-Si powder. In the latter case (MAFIA-I-4), a Si depleted zone has been observed around the UMo particles. For ground powder in combination with an Al-Si alloyed matrix, the entire Si from the matrix has reacted with the UMo forming SiRL phases. The presence of a dense oxide layer around the UMo kernels can prevent the formation of a SiRL. However, as soon as the oxide layer is cracked a SiRL forms between the UMo and the oxide layer. A dense oxide layer isolates the UMo from the Si inside the matrix and occurring cracks make path for the diffusion of Si towards the UMo. U3Si 5 is also called USi2-x or USi1.66 in literature.

Toward low friction in water for Mo2N/Ag coatings by tailoring the wettability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Xuan; Wen, Mao; Huang, Keke; Wang, Xin; Yang, Lina; Wang, Jia; Zhang, Kan

2018-07-01

Increasing demands for robust surfaces in harsh conditions, such as erosion, abrasion and sea-water, has stimulated the development of self-lubricated protective coatings. Meanwhile, due to the oil crisis, research in water lubrication again attracts much attention from both academics and practical engineers. Here, a higher hydrophilicity accompanying with a remarkable drop of friction coefficient in water environment was achieved successfully in Mo2N/Ag coatings by increasing Ag content. To do these, the Mo2N/Ag coatings with different Ag content were deposited by co-sputtering, which exhibit a nanocomposite structure consisting of precipitate Ag embedded in the Mo2N matrix. The high hydrophilicity can be ascribed to the combined contributions of the partial oxidation of Mo2N and high polarity of Ag precipitates. The decrease of friction coefficient is illustrated by the colloidal friction products and a mode with electric double layer. In which, enhanced hydrophilicity will result in forming a thin "water film" layer between the interface of counterpart and the coatings. And the MoOx/Ag2Mo4O13 derived from the hydrolysis action of Mo2N/Ag sliding in water could function as lubricant phase. Meanwhile, these negative charged MoOx/Ag2Mo4O13 colloidal particles induce the rearrangement of positive ions in the "water film" and form an electric double layer, which also contributes to the decrease of friction coefficient.

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

Anasori, Babak; Shi, Chenyang; Moon, Eun Ju

In this paper, a transition from metallic to semiconducting-like behavior has been demonstrated in two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides by replacing titanium with molybdenum in the outer transition metal (M) layers of M 3C 2 and M 4C 3 MXenes. The MXene structure consists of n + 1 layers of near-close packed M layers with C or N occupying the octahedral site between them in an [MX] nM arrangement. Recently, two new families of ordered 2D double transition metal carbides MXenes were discovered, M' 2M"C 2 and M' 2M" 2C 3 – where M' and M" are two different earlymore » transition metals, such as Mo, Cr, Ta, Nb, V, and Ti. The M' atoms only occupy the outer layers and the M" atoms fill the middle layers. In other words, M' atomic layers sandwich the middle M"–C layers. Using X-ray atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis on Mo 2TiC 2 and Mo 2Ti 2C 3 MXenes, we present the first quantitative analysis of structures of these novel materials and experimentally confirm that Mo atoms are in the outer layers of the [MC] nM structures. The electronic properties of these Mo-containing MXenes are compared with their Ti 3C 2 counterparts, and are found to be no longer metallic-like conductors; instead the resistance increases mildly with decreasing temperatures. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that OH terminated Mo–Ti MXenes are semiconductors with narrow band gaps. Measurements of the temperature dependencies of conductivities and magnetoresistances have confirmed that Mo 2TiC 2T x exhibits semiconductor-like transport behavior, while Ti 3C 2T x is a metal. Finally, this finding opens new avenues for the control of the electronic and optical applications of MXenes and for exploring new applications, in which semiconducting properties are required.« less

Improvement of Tribological Performance of AISI H13 Steel by Means of a Self-Lubricated Oxide-Containing Tribo-layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Xianghong; Jin, Yunxue; Chen, Wei; Zhang, Qiuyang; Wang, Shuqi

2018-03-01

A self-lubricated oxide-containing tribo-layer was induced to form by continuously adding particles of MoS2, Fe2O3 or their mixtures onto sliding interfaces of AISI H13 and 52100 steels. The artificial tribo-layer was always noticed to form continuously and cover the worn surface (termed as cover-type), whereas the original tribo-layer spontaneously formed with no additive was usually discontinuous and inserted into the substrate (termed as insert-type). Clearly, the cover-type and insert-type tribo-layers exactly corresponded to low and high wear rates, respectively. For the mixed additives of Fe2O3 + MoS2, the protective tribo-layers presented a load-carrying capability and lubricative function, which are attributed to the existence of Fe2O3 and MoS2. Hence, the wear rates and friction coefficients of H13 steel were markedly reduced.

Two-dimensional Si nanosheets with local hexagonal structure on a MoS(2) surface.

PubMed

Chiappe, Daniele; Scalise, Emilio; Cinquanta, Eugenio; Grazianetti, Carlo; van den Broek, Bas; Fanciulli, Marco; Houssa, Michel; Molle, Alessandro

2014-04-02

The structural and electronic properties of a Si nanosheet (NS) grown onto a MoS2 substrate by means of molecular beam epitaxy are assessed. Epitaxially grown Si is shown to adapt to the trigonal prismatic surface lattice of MoS2 by forming two-dimensional nanodomains. The Si layer structure is distinguished from the underlying MoS2 surface structure. The local electronic properties of the Si nanosheet are dictated by the atomistic arrangement of the layer and unlike the MoS2 hosting substrate they are qualified by a gap-less density of states. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hydrothermally synthesized flower like MoS2 microsphere: A highly efficient adsorbent for methylene blue dye removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panda, Jnanranjan; Tudu, Bharati

2018-05-01

Herein, a flower like MoS2 (M1) microsphere assembled by layered porous nanosheet was successfully prepared by facile hydrothermal synthesis procedure. The structural, chemical and morphological characterizations for the as synthesized sample (M1) were carried out by powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Field Emission Scanning Electron microscope (FESEM) respectively and spectroscopic characterization was performed by UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence emission spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the product was evaluated through photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue under visible light irradiation. The results indicate that layered MoS2structures possess significant adsorption ability, which may be useful for further research and practical applications of the layered MoS2 adsorbent in wastewater treatment.

Photoinduced charge transfer from vacuum-deposited molecules to single-layer transition metal dichalcogenides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osada, Kazuki; Tanaka, Masatoshi; Ohno, Shinya; Suzuki, Takanori

2016-06-01

Variations of photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectra of single-layer MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2 due to the vacuum deposition of C60 or copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) molecules have been investigated. PL spectra are decomposed into two competitive components, an exciton and a charged exciton (trion), depending on carrier density. The variation of PL spectra is interpreted in terms of charge transfer across the interfaces between transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and dopant molecules. We find that deposited C60 molecules inject photoexcited electrons into MoS2, MoSe2, and WS2 or holes into WSe2. CuPc molecules also inject electrons into MoS2, MoSe2, and WS2, while holes are depleted from WSe2 to CuPc. We then propose a band alignment between TMDs and dopant molecules. Peak shifts of Raman spectra and doped carrier density estimated using a three-level model also support the band alignment. We thus demonstrate photoinduced charge transfer from dopant molecules to single-layer TMDs.

Few-layered MoSe2 nanosheets as an advanced electrode material for supercapacitors.

PubMed

Balasingam, Suresh Kannan; Lee, Jae Sung; Jun, Yongseok

2015-09-21

We report the synthesis of few-layered MoSe2 nanosheets using a facile hydrothermal method and their electrochemical charge storage behavior. A systematic study of the structure and morphology of the as-synthesized MoSe2 nanosheets was performed. The downward peak shift in the Raman spectrum and the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images confirmed the formation of few-layered nanosheets. The electrochemical energy-storage behavior of MoSe2 nanosheets was also investigated for supercapacitor applications in a symmetric cell configuration. The MoSe2 nanosheet electrode exhibited a maximum specific capacitance of 198.9 F g(-1) and the symmetric device showed 49.7 F g(-1) at a scan rate of 2 mV s(-1). A capacitance retention of approximately 75% was observed even after 10 000 cycles at a high charge-discharge current density of 5 A g(-1). The two-dimensional MoSe2 nanosheets exhibited a high specific capacitance and good cyclic stability, which makes it a promising electrode material for supercapacitor applications.

Structural and optical studies of hydrothermally synthesized MoS{sub 2} nanostructures

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

Chacko, Levna; Swetha, A. K.; Aneesh, P. M., E-mail: aneeshpm@cukerala.ac.in

2016-05-06

Transition-metal dichalcogenides like molybdenum disulphide have intrigued intensive interest as two-dimensional (2D) materials beyond extensively studied graphene due to their unique electronic and optical properties. Here we report the hydrothermal synthesis of MoS{sub 2} nanostructures without the addition of any surfactants. The structural and optical properties of the synthesized samples were characterized by various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis absorption, photoluminescence (PL), and Raman analysis. XRD and Raman spectroscopic studies confirm the formation of hexagonal phase and well ordered stacking of S-Mo-S layers. The increased lattice parameters of MoS{sub 2} samples are due to the stress or strain inducedmore » bending and folding of the layers. The synthesized MoS{sub 2} nanostructures shows a large optical absorption in 300-700 nm region and strong luminescence at 640 nm. In addition, the optical results demonstrates the quantum confinement in layered d-electron material MoS{sub 2} that can lead to engineer its various properties for electronic and optoelectronic applications.« less

Fabrication of monolayer MoS2/rGO hybrids with excellent tribological performances through a surfactant-assisted hydrothermal route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jinsuo; Xia, Yunfei; Yang, Jin; Chen, Beibei

2018-06-01

The extremely low friction between incommensurate two-dimensional (2D) atomic layers has recently attracted a great interest. Here, we demonstrated a promising surfactant-assisted strategy for the synthesis of MoS2/reduced graphene oxide (MoS2/rGO) hybrid materials with monolayer MoS2 and rGO, which exhibited excellent tribological metrics with a friction coefficient of ˜ 0.09 and a wear rate of ˜ 2.08 × 10-5 mm3/Nm in the ethanol dispersion. The incommensurate 2D atomic layer interface formed due to intrinsic lattice mismatch between MoS2 and graphene was thought to be responsible for the excellent lubricating performances. In addition to the benefits of unique hybrid structure, MoS2/rGO hybrids could also adsorb on metal surfaces and screen the metal-metal interaction to passivate the metal surfaces with a consequent reduction of corrosion wear during sliding. This work could pave a new pathway to design novel materials for pursuing excellent tribological properties by hybridizing different 2D atomic-layered materials.

Environmentally Resistant Mo-Si-B-Based Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perepezko, J. H.; Sossaman, T. A.; Taylor, M.

2017-06-01

High-temperature applications have demonstrated aluminide-coated nickel-base superalloys to be remarkably effective, but are reaching their service limit. Alternate materials such as refractory (e.g., W, Mo) silicide alloys and SiC composites are being considered to extend high temperature capability, but the silica surfaces on these materials require coatings for enhanced environmental resistance. This can be accomplished with a Mo-Si-B-based coating that is deposited by a spray deposition of Mo followed by a chemical vapor deposition of Si and B by pack cementation to develop an aluminoborosilica surface. Oxidation of the as-deposited (Si + B)-pack coatings proceeds with partial consumption of the initial MoSi2 forming amorphous silica. This Si depletion leads to formation of a B-saturated Mo5Si3 (T1) phase. Reactions between the Mo and the B rich phases develop an underlying Mo5SiB2 (T2) layer. The T1 phase saturated with B has robust oxidation resistance, and the Si depletion is prevented by the underlying diffusion barrier (T2). Further, due to the natural phase transformation characteristics of the Mo-Si-B system, cracks or scratches to the outer silica and T1 layers can be repaired from the Si and B reservoirs of T2 + MoB layer to yield a self-healing characteristic. Mo-Si-B-based coatings demonstrate robust performance up to at least 1700 °C not only to the rigors of elevated temperature oxidation, but also to CMAS attack, hot corrosion attack, water vapor and thermal cycling.

Thickness-dependent carrier mobility of ambipolar MoTe2: Interplay between interface trap and Coulomb scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Hyunjin; Lee, Gwanmu; Joo, Min-Kyu; Yun, Yoojoo; Yi, Hojoon; Park, Ji-Hoon; Suh, Dongseok; Lim, Seong Chu

2017-05-01

The correlation between the channel thickness and the carrier mobility is investigated by conducting static and low frequency (LF) noise characterization for ambipolar carriers in multilayer MoTe2 transistors. For channel thicknesses in the range of 5-15 nm, both the low-field carrier mobility and the Coulomb-scattering-limited carrier mobility (μC) are maximal at a thickness of ˜10 nm. For LF noise, the interplay of interface trap density (NST), which was minimal at ˜10 nm, and the interfacial Coulomb scattering parameter (αSC), which decreased up to 10 nm and saturated above 10 nm, explained the mobility (μC) peaked near 10 nm by the carrier fluctuation and charge distribution.

Investigation of the mineralogy and the sorption mechanism of Ni, Cu, Co and Mo by turbostratic phyllomanganates of Mn-nodules from the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean using XAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegorzewski, A.; Webb, S.; Grangeon, S.; Kuhn, T.

2016-12-01

Mn-nodules are Mn-Fe (oxy)hydroxides bearing high amounts of economically important metals such as Ni, Cu, Co, Mo, as well as high field strength elements. According to that nodules are interesting for science and industry. Especially the sorption sites of metals (Ni, Cu, Mo) by the mineral phases are important to understand their coordination environment and further to tailor a specific metallurgical treatment in order to optimize the metal extraction procedure. Nodules used for this study were sampled from the German license area within the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific. These nodules grow on the seafloor in 4200 m depth by metal precipitation from oxic (hydrogenetic growth) and/or suboxic waters (suboxic diagenetic growth; Halbach et al., 1988). They show a complex texture characterized by irregular, concentrically banded nm- to µm-thick layered growth structures (LGS). Electronmicroprobe and X-ray diffraction analyses reveal: suboxic diagenetic LGS have high Mn/Fe ratios (9-826; Mn ≈ 40 wt. %; Fe ≈ 0.5 wt %), high Ni (0.3-2.6 wt %) and Cu (0.5-3.0 wt %) contents but low Co content (0.02±0.01 wt %). Mineralogically those LGS are turbostratic phyllomanganates (vernadite), which consist of [MnO6]-octahedral layers, separated from each other by cations (e.g., Na, Mg) and water in the interlayer, forming 7 and 10 Å phyllomanganates (Bode et al., 2007). In contrast hydrogenetic LGS show low Mn/Fe ratios (<5), low Ni+Cu content (<1 wt%) but enrichment in Co (≤0.5 wt%). Those LGS are of δ-MnO2, which is epitaxially intergrown with an amorphous FeOOH phase. In general, phyllomanganates have a high opportunity to incorporate metals due to their negative layer charge deficit cause by abundant isomorphic substitution of Mn4+ by Mn3+ and vacancies within MnO2 sheets. The negative charge deficit can be balanced by hydrated interlayer cations (e.g., Na, Mg) or due to metals adsorption at cation vacancy sites, incorporation into the MnO2 sheet and/or adsorption at lateral edge surfaces (Peacock, 2009; Pena et al., 2015). A special emphasis of this study was to determine the boundings of Ni, Cu, Co and Mo by the Mn-mineral phases of nodules. X-ray absorption spectroscopy analyses show that metals such as Ni, Cu, Co are rather incorporated into MnO2 sheets than adsorbed as inner-sphere complexes over/below vacancies, like Mo.

Modifications of W and Mo leading edges under plasma loads in DIII-D divertor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudakov, D. L.; Bykov, I.; Moyer, R. A.; Abrams, T.; Chrobak, C. P.; Guo, H. Y.; Stahl, B.; Thomas, D. M.; Barton, J. L.; Nygren, R. E.; Watkins, J. G.; Lasnier, C. J.; Litnovsky, Andrey; Stangeby, P. C.; Unterberg, E. A.

2017-10-01

Cracking and melting of W and Mo leading edges were observed in the lower divertor of DIII-D during experiments with intentionally misaligned W monoblocks (MBs) and in the course of the Metal Rings Campaign involving W-coated Mo tile inserts (TIs). MBs were exposed near the attached outer strike point during deuterium and helium L- and H-mode discharges using DiMES. Two of the MBs were misaligned by 0.3 mm and 1 mm, forming leading edges. Particulate ejection from a 1 mm leading edge was observed during the exposure, and evidence of melting and cracking was found post mortem. Two toroidal rings of TIs were installed in the lower outer divertor, the inner one at the floor and the outer one at the shelf. The floor TIs bowed during plasma exposure forming leading edges up to 1.2 mm high; about 40% of these edges experienced melting. Re-solidified melt layers up to 1 mm thick were observed, their shape being consistent with motion in the jx B direction with j driven by electron emission. Work supported by US DOE under DE-FC02-04ER54698, DE-FG02-07ER54917, DE-AC04-94AL85000, DE-AC52-07NA27344, and DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Synthesis of millimeter-scale transition metal dichalcogenides single crystals

DOE PAGES

Gong, Yongji; Ye, Gonglan; Lei, Sidong; ...

2016-02-10

The emergence of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) atomic layers has opened up unprecedented opportunities in atomically thin electronics. Yet the scalable growth of TMD layers with large grain sizes and uniformity has remained very challenging. Here is reported a simple, scalable chemical vapor deposition approach for the growth of MoSe2 layers is reported, in which the nucleation density can be reduced from 105 to 25 nuclei cm -2, leading to millimeter-scale MoSe 2 single crystals as well as continuous macrocrystalline films with millimeter size grains. The selective growth of monolayers and multilayered MoSe2 films with well-defined stacking orientation canmore » also be controlled via tuning the growth temperature. In addition, periodic defects, such as nanoscale triangular holes, can be engineered into these layers by controlling the growth conditions. The low density of grain boundaries in the films results in high average mobilities, around ≈42 cm 2 V -1 s -1, for back-gated MoSe 2 transistors. This generic synthesis approach is also demonstrated for other TMD layers such as millimeter-scale WSe 2 single crystals.« less

Terahertz magneto-optical properties of bi- and tri-layer graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, Hongying; Xu, Wen; Wang, Chao; Yuan, Haifeng; Zhang, Chao; Ding, Lan; Zhang, Jin; Deng, Chao; Wang, Yifan; Peeters, Francois M.

2018-05-01

Magneto-optical (MO) properties of bi- and tri-layer graphene are investigated utilizing terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz TDS) in the presence of a strong magnetic field at room-temperature. In the Faraday configuration and applying optical polarization measurements, we measure the real and imaginary parts of the longitudinal and transverse MO conductivities of different graphene samples. The obtained experimental data fits very well with the classical MO Drude formula. Thus, we are able to obtain the key sample and material parameters of bi- and tri-layer graphene, such as the electron effective mass, the electronic relaxation time and the electron density. It is found that in high magnetic fields the electronic relaxation time τ for bi- and tri-layer graphene increases with magnetic field B roughly in a form τ∼ B2 . Most importantly, we obtain the electron effective mass for bi- and tri-layer graphene at room-temperature under non-resonant conditions. This work shows how the advanced THz MO techniques can be applied for the investigation into fundamental physics properties of atomically thin 2D electronic systems.

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

Yan, Pingrui; Liu, Ziyang; Liu, Dongyang

Pentacene organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) were prepared by introducing 4, 4″-tris(3-methylphenylphenylamino) triphenylamine (m-MTDATA): MoO{sub 3}, Pentacene: MoO{sub 3}, and Pentacene: m-MTDATA: MoO{sub 3} as buffer layers. These OTFTs all showed significant performance improvement comparing to the reference device. Significantly, we observe that the device employing Pentacene: m-MTDATA: MoO{sub 3} buffer layer can both take advantage of charge transfer complexes formed in the m-MTDATA: MoO{sub 3} device and suitable energy level alignment existed in the Pentacene: MoO{sub 3} device. These two parallel paths led to a high mobility, low threshold voltage, and contact resistance of 0.72 cm{sup 2}/V s, −13.4 V,more » and 0.83 kΩ at V{sub ds} = − 100 V. This work enriches the understanding of MoO{sub 3} doped organic materials for applications in OTFTs.« less

Lithographic process window optimization for mask aligner proximity lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voelkel, Reinhard; Vogler, Uwe; Bramati, Arianna; Erdmann, Andreas; Ünal, Nezih; Hofmann, Ulrich; Hennemeyer, Marc; Zoberbier, Ralph; Nguyen, David; Brugger, Juergen

2014-03-01

We introduce a complete methodology for process window optimization in proximity mask aligner lithography. The commercially available lithography simulation software LAB from GenISys GmbH was used for simulation of light propagation and 3D resist development. The methodology was tested for the practical example of lines and spaces, 5 micron half-pitch, printed in a 1 micron thick layer of AZ® 1512HS1 positive photoresist on a silicon wafer. A SUSS MicroTec MA8 mask aligner, equipped with MO Exposure Optics® was used in simulation and experiment. MO Exposure Optics® is the latest generation of illumination systems for mask aligners. MO Exposure Optics® provides telecentric illumination and excellent light uniformity over the full mask field. MO Exposure Optics® allows the lithography engineer to freely shape the angular spectrum of the illumination light (customized illumination), which is a mandatory requirement for process window optimization. Three different illumination settings have been tested for 0 to 100 micron proximity gap. The results obtained prove, that the introduced process window methodology is a major step forward to obtain more robust processes in mask aligner lithography. The most remarkable outcome of the presented study is that a smaller exposure gap does not automatically lead to better print results in proximity lithography - what the "good instinct" of a lithographer would expect. With more than 5'000 mask aligners installed in research and industry worldwide, the proposed process window methodology might have significant impact on yield improvement and cost saving in industry.

High-temperature interlayer magnetoresistance in La5Mo4O16

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, K.; Katsufuji, T.

2011-03-01

We found that La5Mo4O16 with Mo4+ and Mo5+ ions (S=1 and S=1/2 spins) on a quasisquare lattice exhibits a distinct magnetoresistance for the current perpendicular to the square-lattice layers below the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature TAF=190 K. This magnetoresistance occurs well below 1 T, and can be attributed to a metamagnetic transition from antiferromagnetically aligned moments between the layers to ferromagnetically aligned ones. The magnetoresistance changes its characteristic with the change of the magnetic state below TF=70 K, where spontaneous magnetization appears.

A Chemical-Adsorption Strategy to Enhance the Reaction Kinetics of Lithium-Rich Layered Cathodes via Double-Shell Surface Modification.

PubMed

Guo, Lichao; Li, Jiajun; Cao, Tingting; Wang, Huayu; Zhao, Naiqin; He, Fang; Shi, Chunsheng; He, Chunnian; Liu, Enzuo

2016-09-21

Sluggish surface reaction kinetics hinders the power density of Li-ion battery. Thus, various surface modification techniques have been applied to enhance the electronic/ionic transfer kinetics. However, it is challenging to obtain a continuous and uniform surface modification layer on the prime particles with structure integration at the interface. Instead of classic physical-adsorption/deposition techniques, we propose a novel chemical-adsorption strategy to synthesize double-shell modified lithium-rich layered cathodes with enhanced mass transfer kinetics. On the basis of experimental measurement and first-principles calculation, MoO2S2 ions are proved to joint the layered phase via chemical bonding. Specifically, the Mo-O or Mo-S bonds can flexibly rotate to bond with the cations in the layered phase, leading to the good compatibility between the thiomolybdate adsorption layer and layered cathode. Followed by annealing treatment, the lithium-excess-spinel inner shell forms under the thiomolybdate adsorption layer and functions as favorable pathways for lithium and electron. Meanwhile, the nanothick MoO3-x(SO4)x outer shell protects the transition metal from dissolution and restrains electrolyte decomposition. The double-shell modified sample delivers an enhanced discharge capacity almost twice as much as that of the unmodified one at 1 A g(-1) after 100 cycles, demonstrating the superiority of the surface modification based on chemical adsorption.

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1978-01-01

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

Modification of the optoelectronic properties of two-dimensional MoS2 crystals by ultraviolet-ozone treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hae In; Park, Seonyoung; Choi, Woong

2018-06-01

We report the modification of the optoelectronic properties of mechanically-exfoliated single layer MoS2 by ultraviolet-ozone exposure. Photoluminescence emission of pristine MoS2 monotonically decreased and eventually quenched as ultraviolet-ozone exposure time increased from 0 to 10 min. The reduction of photoluminescence emission accompanied reduction of Raman modes, suggesting structural degradation in ultraviolet-ozone exposed MoS2. Analysis with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the formation of Ssbnd O and Mosbnd O bonding increases with ultraviolet-ozone exposure time. Measurement of electrical transport properties of MoS2 in a bottom-gate thin-film transistor configuration suggested the presence of insulating MoO3 after ultraviolet-ozone exposure. These results demonstrate that ultraviolet-ozone exposure can significantly influence the optoelectronic properties of single layer MoS2, providing important implications on the application of MoS2 and other two-dimensional materials into optoelectronic devices.

High phase-purity 1T'-MoS2- and 1T'-MoSe2-layered crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yifu; Nam, Gwang-Hyeon; He, Qiyuan; Wu, Xue-Jun; Zhang, Kang; Yang, Zhenzhong; Chen, Junze; Ma, Qinglang; Zhao, Meiting; Liu, Zhengqing; Ran, Fei-Rong; Wang, Xingzhi; Li, Hai; Huang, Xiao; Li, Bing; Xiong, Qihua; Zhang, Qing; Liu, Zheng; Gu, Lin; Du, Yonghua; Huang, Wei; Zhang, Hua

2018-06-01

Phase control plays an important role in the precise synthesis of inorganic materials, as the phase structure has a profound influence on properties such as conductivity and chemical stability. Phase-controlled preparation has been challenging for the metallic-phase group-VI transition metal dichalcogenides (the transition metals are Mo and W, and the chalcogens are S, Se and Te), which show better performance in electrocatalysis than their semiconducting counterparts. Here, we report the large-scale preparation of micrometre-sized metallic-phase 1T'-MoX2 (X = S, Se)-layered bulk crystals in high purity. We reveal that 1T'-MoS2 crystals feature a distorted octahedral coordination structure and are convertible to 2H-MoS2 following thermal annealing or laser irradiation. Electrochemical measurements show that the basal plane of 1T'-MoS2 is much more active than that of 2H-MoS2 for the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction in an acidic medium.

Compositional-Spread Discovery of Catalysts for the Growth of Long-Length Dense Forests of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christen, Hans M.; Puretzky, Alex A.; Cui, Hongtao; Lowndes, Douglas H.; Belay, Kalayu; Geohegan, David B.

2004-03-01

The growth of dense forests of vertically aligned arrays of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (VAA-MWNTs) by chemical vapor deposition [CVD] from a single metallic catalyst layer typically self-terminates after only a few hundred microns of tube length. In order to obtain maximal growth to long lengths, a systematic simultaneous study of catalyst composition and thickness is needed performed here by a compositional-spread approach. Using Pulsed-Laser Deposition (PLD), metallic layers with a wedge-shaped thickness profile are deposited onto Al-coated silicon substrates. High temperature annealing of the metal catalyst films in flowing Ar/H2 gas followed by the one-hour growth of VA-MWNTs by CVD using acetylene gas yields VAA-MWNTs. Tube height (and thus the catalytic activity) is determined as function of position and can be analyzed as a function of catalyst thickness and composition. A dependence of tube height as function of catalyst composition (Mo/Fe ratio) demonstrates that a specific catalyst composition exhibits a local maximum in catalytic activity, permitting the extension of nanotube array growth up to 4 millimeters in height. Other combinations of catalysts and the growth of single-walled tubes will be discussed. This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, and the Laboratory-Directed Research and Development Program at ORNL.

Selenization of CIS and CIGS layers deposited by chemical spray pyrolysis

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

Babu, B. J.; Egaas, B.; Velumani, S.

Cu(In1-xGax)Se2 (CIGS) thin films with x=0 (CIS) and x=0.3 (CIGS) were prepared on Mo-coated glass substrate by using chemical spray pyrolysis at a substrate temperature of 350 degrees C, followed by selenization treatment at 550 degrees C in selenium environment under N2 gas flow. X-ray diffraction patterns of as-deposited CIGS layers on Mo showed polycrystalline chalcopyrite phase with an intense (112) plane. Splitting of (204)/(220) and (116)/(312) planes for the film with x=0.3 reveals deviation of tetragonal nature. Field emission scanning electron microscopy cross-sectional images of selenized films showed clear re-crystallization of grains. During the selenization process of the CIGSmore » absorber, a thin interface layer of MoSe2 is formed. Line mapping of Mo/CIGS layer showed more gallium segregation at the interface of back contact resulting in band gap grading. Chemical composition and mapping of the as-deposited and selenized samples were determined by energy dispersive analysis of X-rays. This work leads to fabrication of low cost and large scale Mo/CIGS/CdS/ZnO/ZnO:Al device structure.« less

Enhancement of photovoltaic response in multilayer MoS2 induced by plasma doping.

PubMed

Wi, Sungjin; Kim, Hyunsoo; Chen, Mikai; Nam, Hongsuk; Guo, L Jay; Meyhofer, Edgar; Liang, Xiaogan

2014-05-27

Layered transition-metal dichalcogenides hold promise for making ultrathin-film photovoltaic devices with a combination of excellent photovoltaic performance, superior flexibility, long lifetime, and low manufacturing cost. Engineering the proper band structures of such layered materials is essential to realize such potential. Here, we present a plasma-assisted doping approach for significantly improving the photovoltaic response in multilayer MoS2. In this work, we fabricated and characterized photovoltaic devices with a vertically stacked indium tin oxide electrode/multilayer MoS2/metal electrode structure. Utilizing a plasma-induced p-doping approach, we are able to form p-n junctions in MoS2 layers that facilitate the collection of photogenerated carriers, enhance the photovoltages, and decrease reverse dark currents. Using plasma-assisted doping processes, we have demonstrated MoS2-based photovoltaic devices exhibiting very high short-circuit photocurrent density values up to 20.9 mA/cm(2) and reasonably good power-conversion efficiencies up to 2.8% under AM1.5G illumination, as well as high external quantum efficiencies. We believe that this work provides important scientific insights for leveraging the optoelectronic properties of emerging atomically layered two-dimensional materials for photovoltaic and other optoelectronic applications.

Few layered MoO3 nano sheets-SWCNT composite thin film as supercapacitor electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Shibsankar; Akther, Jasim; De, Sukanta

2017-05-01

The increasing demands for clean and renewable energy, the advantages of high power density, long lasting and high efficiency have made Supercapacitor as one of the major emerging energy storage device.The 2D layered metal oxide nanocomposite with SWCNT is the promising candidate for energy storage and conversion. In this work we exfoliate the crystalline bulk MoO3 by simple liquid phase exfoliation to give multi-layer MoO3 dispersed in a suitable solvent. As the electrical conductivity of MoO3 is very low so, the dispersion was used to make hybrid material with SWCNT dispersion by vacuum filtration. The SWCNT-MoO3 composite showed an areal capacitance value of 1290 µF/cm2 at 10 mV/s in PVA-H2 SO4 solid gel electrolyte. This composite based electrode provides an energy density of 0.092 µWh/cm2 and a power density of 9.54 µW/cm2 at 0.01 mA/cm2

Lattice structures and electronic properties of MO/MoSe2 interface from first-principles calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yu; Tang, Fu-Ling; Xue, Hong-Tao; Lu, Wen-Jiang; Liu, Jiang-Fei; Huang, Min

2015-02-01

Using first-principles plane-wave calculations within density functional theory, we theoretically studied the atomic structure, bonding energy and electronic properties of the perfect Mo (110)/MoSe2 (100) interface with a lattice mismatch less than 4.2%. Compared with the perfect structure, the interface is somewhat relaxed, and its atomic positions and bond lengths change slightly. The calculated interface bonding energy is about -1.2 J/m2, indicating that this interface is very stable. The MoSe2 layer on the interface has some interface states near the Fermi level, the interface states are mainly caused by Mo 4d orbitals, while the Se atom almost have no contribution. On the interface, Mo-5s and Se-4p orbitals hybridize at about -6.5 to -5.0 eV, and Mo-4d and Se-4p orbitals hybridize at about -5.0 to -1.0 eV. These hybridizations greatly improve the bonding ability of Mo and Se atom in the interface. By Bader charge analysis, we find electron redistribution near the interface which promotes the bonding of the Mo and MoSe2 layer.

Light-emitting diodes based on solution-processed nontoxic quantum dots: oxides as carrier-transport layers and introducing molybdenum oxide nanoparticles as a hole-inject layer.

PubMed

Bhaumik, Saikat; Pal, Amlan J

2014-07-23

We report fabrication and characterization of solution-processed quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QDLEDs) based on a layer of nontoxic and Earth-abundant zinc-diffused silver indium disulfide (AIZS) nanoparticles as an emitting material. In the QDLEDs fabricated on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrates, we use layers of oxides, such as graphene oxide (GO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles as a hole- and electron-transport layer, respectively. In addition, we introduce a layer of MoO3 nanoparticles as a hole-inject one. We report a comparison of the characteristics of different device architectures. We show that an inverted device architecture, ITO/ZnO/AIZS/GO/MoO3/Al, yields a higher electroluminescence (EL) emission, compared to direct ones, for three reasons: (1) the GO/MoO3 layers introduce barriers for electrons to reach the Al electrode, and, similarly, the ZnO layers acts as a barrier for holes to travel to the ITO electrode; (2) the introduction of a layer of MoO3 nanoparticles as a hole-inject layer reduces the barrier height for holes and thereby balances charge injection in the inverted structure; and (3) the wide-bandgap zinc oxide next to the ITO electrode does not absorb the EL emission during its exit from the device. In the QDLEDs with oxides as carrier inject and transport layers, the EL spectrum resembles the photoluminescence emission of the emitting material (AIZS), implying that excitons are formed in the quaternary nanocrystals and decay radiatively.

Green synthesis of layered 1T-MoS2/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite with excellent catalytic performances for 4-nitrophenol reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Nannan; Cheng, Jian; Zhou, Yifeng; Nie, Wangyan; Chen, Pengpeng

2017-02-01

A green and facile process was developed to prepare layered octahedral phase MoS2/reduced graphene oxide (1T-MoS2/RGO) nanocomposite by a Vitamin C-assisted self-assemble method, in which graphene oxide (GO) and LiMoS2 were used as starting materials. Catalytic performances of 1T-MoS2/RGO were evaluated by hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). It was demonstrated that the prepared 1T-MoS2/RGO nanocomposite presented excellent catalytic performance and cycling stability for 4-NP reduction, which made it a promising noble-metal-free catalyst. Additionally, broadening work suggested some other RGO-based metal nanocomposite with well-defined porous structure could be also generated via this facile self-assembly method.