Numerical modeling of crystal growth in Bridgman device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vompe, Dmitry Aleksandrovich

1997-12-01

The standard model for the growth of a crystal from a pure substance or diluted binary mixture contains transport equations for heat and phase change conditions at the solidification front. A numerical method is constructed for simulations of crystal growth in a vertical Bridgman device. The method is based on a boundary fitting technique in which melted and solidified regions are mapped onto a fixed rectangular logical domain. The Alternating Directions scheme (ADI) is used to treat the diffusive terms implicitly, with explicit methods are used for the remaining terms in the mapped temperature equations with variable coefficients. The nonlinear equation for the solid/liquid interface motion is solved by the modified Euler technique. Results obtained from the calculations have been used to study the influence of various boundary conditions imposed on the sidewalls and the top and bottom of the ampoule. Conditions are identified that lead to a steadily growing crystal and results are compared with an asymptotic one- dimensional model. Criteria based on ampoule length and boundary conditions being derived and compared with a previously developed one-dimensional model. Various cases have been considered to determine conditions for maintaining a nearly flat interface. It was found that the interface amplitude can be decreased by a factor of 100 (even 1,000) by optimizing temperature boundary conditions.

Depth-Resolved Cathodoluminescence Study of Annealed Silicon Implanted Gallium Arsenide.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

samples were Cr doped semi-insulat- ing GaAs crystals grown using the horizontal Bridgman method. Nine samples were prepared for this study, four were...function of depth. Cathodoluminescence was the excitation method. The crystals studied were grown using the horizontal Bridgman method. Four samples were...achieved by taking spectral data and successively chemically etching the surface of the crystal in 250 R steps. No new peaks were observed in the

Passive particle dosimetry. [silver halide crystal growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Childs, C. B.

1977-01-01

Present methods of dosimetry are reviewed with emphasis on the processes using silver chloride crystals for ionizing particle dosimetry. Differences between the ability of various crystals to record ionizing particle paths are directly related to impurities in the range of a few ppm (parts per million). To understand the roles of these impurities in the process, a method for consistent production of high purity silver chloride, and silver bromide was developed which yields silver halides with detectable impurity content less than 1 ppm. This high purity silver chloride was used in growing crystals with controlled doping. Crystals were grown by both the Czochalski method and the Bridgman method, and the Bridgman grown crystals were used for the experiments discussed. The distribution coefficients of ten divalent cations were determined for the Bridgman crystals. The best dosimeters were made with silver chloride crystals containing 5 to 10 ppm of lead; other impurities tested did not produce proper dosimeters.

Vertical Bridgman growth of Hg 1-xMn xTe with variational withdrawal rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhi, Gu; Wan-Qi, Jie; Guo-Qiang, Li; Long, Zhang

2004-09-01

Based on the solute redistribution models, Vertical Bridgman growth of Hg1-xMnxTe with variational withdrawal rate is studied. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the axial composition uniformity is improved and the crystal growth rate is also increased at the optimized variational method of withdrawal rate.

Heat transfer process during the crystallization of benzil grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barvinschi, F.; Stanculescu, A.; Stanculescu, F.

2011-02-01

The temperature distribution and solid-liquid interface shape during benzil growth have been studied both experimentally and numerically. The heat transfer equation with appropriate boundary conditions has been solved by modelling a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger growth configuration. Two models have been developed, namely a global numerical model and a pseudo-transient approximation in an ideal configuration.

Three-dimensional heat transfer effects during the growth of LiCaAlF 6 in a modified Bridgman furnace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandon, Simon; Derby, Jeffrey J.; Atherton, L. Jeffrey; Roberts, David H.; Vital, Russel L.

1993-09-01

A novel process modification, the simultaneous growth of three cylindrical Cr:LiCaAlf 6 (Cr:LiCAF) crystals grown from a common seed in a vertical Bridgman furnace of rectangular cross section, is assessed using computational modeling. The analysis employs the FIDAP finite-element package and accounts for three-dimensional, steady-state, conductive heat transfer throughout the system. The induction heating system is rigorously simulated via solution of Maxwell's equations. The implementation of realistic thermal boundary conditions and furnace details is shown to be important. Furnace design features are assessed through calculations, and simulations indicate expected growth conditions to be favorable. In addition, the validity of using ampoules containing "dummy" charges for experimental furnace characterization measurements is examined through test computations.

Detailed Studies of Pixelated CZT Detectors Grown with the Modified Horizontal Bridgman Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jung, I.; Krawczynski, H.; Burger, A.; Guo, M.; Groza, M.

2007-01-01

The detector material Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) achieves excellent spatial resolution and good energy resolution over a broad energy range, several keV up to some MeV. Presently, there are two main methods to grow CZT crystals, the Modified High-Pressure Bridgman (MHB) and the High-Pressure Bridgman (HPB) process. The study presented in this paper is based on MHB CZT substrates from the company Orbotech Medical Solutions Ltd. [Orbotech Medical Solutions Ltd., 10 Plaut St., Park Rabin, P.O. Box 2489, Rehovot, Israel, 76124]. Former studies have shown that high-work-function materials on the cathode side reduce the leakage current and, therefore, improve the energy resolution at lower energies. None of the studies have emphasized on the anode contact material. Therefore, we present in this paper the result of a detailed study in which for the first time the cathode material was kept constant and the anode material was varied. We used four different anode materials: Indium, Titanium, Chromium and Gold, metals with work-functions between 4.1 eV and 5.1 eV. The detector size was 2.0 x 2.0 x 0.5 cu cm with 8 x 8 pixels and a pitch of 2.46 mm. The best performance was achieved with the low-work-function materials Indium and Titanium with energy resolutions of 2.0 keV (at 59 keV) and 1.9 keV (at 122 keV) for Titanium and 2.1 keV (at 59 keV) and 2.9 keV (at 122 keV) for Indium. Taking into account the large pixel pitch of 2.46 mm, these resolutions are very competitive in comparison to those achieved with detectors made of material produced with the more expensive conventional HPB method. We present a detailed comparison of our detector response with 3D simulations. The latter comparisons allow us to determine the mobility-lifetime-products (mu tau-products) for electrons and holes. Finally, we evaluated the temperature dependency of the detector performance and ls-products. For many applications temperature dependence is important, therefore, we extended the scope of our study to temperatures as low as -30 C. There are two important results. The breakdown voltage increases with decreasing temperature, and electron mobility-lifetime-product decreases by about 30% over a range from 20 C to -30 C. The latter effect causes the energy resolution to deteriorate, but the concomitantly increasing breakdown voltage makes it possible to increase the applied bias voltage and restore the full performance

Modeling of convection phenomena in Bridgman-Stockbarger crystal growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, F. M.; Eraslan, A. H.; Sheu, J. Z.

1985-01-01

Thermal convection phenomena in a vertically oriented Bridgman-Stockbarger apparatus were modeled by computer simulations for different gravity conditions, ranging from earth conditions to extremely low gravity, approximate space conditions. The modeling results were obtained by the application of a state-of-the art, transient, multi-dimensional, completely densimetrically coupled, discrete-element computational model which was specifically developed for the simulation of flow, temperature, and species concentration conditions in two-phase (solid-liquid) systems. The computational model was applied to the simulation of the flow and the thermal conditions associated with the convection phenomena in a modified Germanium-Silicon charge enclosed in a stationary fused-silica ampoule. The results clearly indicated that the gravitational field strength influences the characteristics of the coherent vortical flow patterns, interface shape and position, maximum melt velocity, and interfacial normal temperature gradient.

Simulation of Gravity Effects on Bulk Crystal Growth with Effects on undercooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuang, S.-H.; Lu, M.-F.

For the production of a perfect single crystal by Bridgman, it is important to acquire the correct information about the heat transfer mechanism and to control the heat transfer in the Bridgman furnace. Because the quality of the crystal is closely related to its thermal history and the transport phenomena in the furnace. Ma et al. (2004) presented that faceting simulation of bulk crystal growth with undercooling method. Lan et al. (2003) developed a new model to study heat flow and facet formation in Bridgman growth with the undercooling satisfied the given growth mechanism. Considering the gravity effects added kinetic undercooling is thus developed. Heat conduction, convection and radiation are considered and coupled with the two-dimensional transient undercooling simulation. The solidification interface temperature is related to the undercooling along the interface and the melting temperature. In this investigation, we are going to apply the developed model to simulate interface in vertical Bridgman crystal growth process for yttrium aluminum garnet subjected to the normal gravity to microgravity. Also, it discusses the effect upon the shape and the propagation of the solidification crystal front.

Reduction of Defects in Germanium-Silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Crystals grown without contact with a container have far superior quality to otherwise similar crystals grown in direct contact with a container. In addition to float-zone processing, detached- Bridgman growth is a promising tool to improve crystal quality, without the limitations of float zoning or the defects introduced by normal Bridgman growth. Goals of this project include the development of the detached Bridgman process to be reproducible and well understood and to quantitatively compare the defect and impurity levels in crystals grown by these three methods. Germanium (Ge) and germanium-silicon (Ge-Si) alloys are being used. At MSFC, we are responsible for the detached Bridgman experiments intended to differentiate among proposed mechanisms of detachment, and to confirm or refine our understanding of detachment. Because the contact angle is critical to determining the conditions for detachment, the sessile drop method was used to measure the contact angles as a function of temperature and composition for a large number of substrates made of potential ampoule materials. Growth experiments have used pyrolytic boron nitride (pBN) and fused silica ampoules with the majority of the detached results occurring predictably in the pBN. Etch pit density (EPD) measurements of normal and detached Bridgman-grown Ge samples show a two order of magnitude improvement in the detached-grown samples. The nature and extent of detachment is determined by using profilometry in conjunction with optical and electron microscopy. The stability of detachment has been analyzed, and an empirical model for the conditions necessary to achieve sufficient stability to maintain detached growth for extended periods has been developed. We have investigated the effects on detachment of ampoule material, pressure difference above and below the melt, and Si concentration; samples that are nearly completely detached can be grown repeatedly in pBN. Current work is concentrated on developing a method to make in situ pressure measurements in the growth ampoules.

Numerical investigation on the batch characteristics of liquid encapsulated vertical Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, C. W.; Ting, C. C.

1995-04-01

Since the liquid encapsulated vertical Bridgman (LEVB) crystal growth is a batch process, it is time dependent in nature. A numerical simulation is conducted to study the unsteady features of the process, including the dynamic evolution of heat flow, growth rate, and interface morphology during crystal growth. The numerical model, which is governed by time-dependent equations for momentum and energy transport, and the conditions for evolution of melt/crystal and melt/encapsulant interfaces, is approximated by a body-fitted coordinate finite-volume method. The resulting differential/algebraic equations are then solved by the ILU (0) preconditioned DASPK code. Sample calculations are mainly conducted for GaAs. Dynamic effects of some process parameters, such as the growth speed, the ambient temperature profile, and ampoule design, are illustrated through calculated results. Due to the heat of fusion release and time-dependent end effects, in some cases a near steady-state operation is not possible. The control of growth front by modifying the ambient temperature profile is also demonstrated. Calculations are also performed for a 4.8 cm diameter InP crystal. The calculated melt/seed interface shape is compared with the measured one from Matsumoto et al. [J. Crystal Growth 132 (1993) 348] and they are in good agreement.

A technique for measuring the heat transfer coefficient inside a Bridgman furnace

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosch, W.; Jesser, W.; Debnam, W.; Fripp, A.; Woodell, G.; Pendergrass, T. K.

1993-01-01

Knowledge of the amount of heat that is conducted, advected and radiated between an ampoule and the furnace is important for understanding vertical Bridgman crystal growth. This heat transfer depends on the temperature, emissivities and geometries of both the furnace and ampoule, as well as the choice of ambient gas inside the furnace. This paper presents a method which directly measures this heat transfer without the need to know any physical properties of the furnace, the ampoule, or the gaseous environment. Data are given for one specific furnace in which this method was used.

Growth of 1.5-In Eu : SrI2 Single Crystal and Scintillation Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokota, Yuui; Ito, Tomoki; Yasuhiro, Shoji; Kurosawa, Shunsuke; Ohashi, Yuji; Kamada, Kei; Yoshikawa, Akira

2016-04-01

We grew 1.5-in Eu doped SrI2 (Eu : SrI2) bulk single crystal by a modified vertical Bridgman (VB) method using a removable chamber and high-frequency induction heating. Asgrown 1.5-in Eu : SrI2 bulk single crystal had no visible crack and inclusion in the crystal. In the transmittance and α-ray radioluminescence spectra, large absorption below 433 nm and emission peak at 433 nm were observed, respectively. Each polished Eu : SrI2 specimen indicated 56 000 62 000 ph/MeV light yield and 3.3 3.9% energy resolution. The decay times of the specimens were 0.61 0.67 μs.

Bridgman growth of semiconductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, F. M.

1985-01-01

The purpose of this study was to improve the understanding of the transport phenomena which occurs in the directional solidification of alloy semiconductors. In particular, emphasis was placed on the strong role of convection in the melt. Analytical solutions were not deemed possible for such an involved problem. Accordingly, a numerical model of the process was developed which simulated the transport. This translates into solving the partial differential equations of energy, mass, species, and momentum transfer subject to various boundary and initial conditions. A finite element method with simple elements was initially chosen. This simulation tool will enable the crystal grower to systematically identify and modify the important design factors within her control to produce better crystals.

Pseudo-transient heat transfer in vertical Bridgman crystal growth of semi-transparent materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barvinschi, F.; Nicoara, I.; Santailler, J. L.; Duffar, T.

1998-11-01

The temperature distribution and the solid-liquid interface shape during semi-transparent crystal growth have been studied by modelling a vertical Bridgman technique, using a pseudo-transient approximation in an ideal configuration. The heat transfer equation and the boundary conditions have been solved by the finite-element method. It has been pointed out that the optical absorption coefficients of the liquid and solid phases have a major effect on the thermal field, especially on the shape and location of the crystallization interface.

Eddy current sensor concepts for the Bridgman growth of semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dharmasena, Kumar P.; Wadley, Haydn N. G.

1997-03-01

Electromagnetic finite element methods have been used to identify eddy current sensor designs for monitoring CdTe vertical Bridgman crystal growth. A model system consisting of pairs of silicon cylinders with electrical conductivities similar to those of solid and liquid CdTe has been used to evaluate the multifrequency response of several sensors designed for locating and characterizing the curvature of liquid-solid interfaces during vertical Bridgman growth. At intermediate frequencies (100-800 kHz), the sensor's imaginary impedance monotonically increases as interfacial curvature changes from concave to convex or the interface location moves upwards through the sensor. The experimental data are in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. At higher test frequencies (˜ 5 MHz), the test circuit's parasitics contribute to the sensor's response. Even so, the predicted trends with interface location/curvature were found to be still preserved, and the experiments confirm that the sensor's high frequency response depends more on interface location and has only a small sensitivity to curvature. Multifrequency data obtained from these types of sensors have the potential to separately discriminate the location and the shape of liquid-solid interfaces during the vertical Bridgman growth of CdTe and other semiconductor materials of higher electrical conductivity.

Radial segregation induced by natural convection and melt/solid interface shape in vertical Bridgman growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, C. J.; Brown, R. A.

1983-01-01

The roles of natural convection in the melt and the shape of the melt/solid interface on radial dopant segregation are analyzed for a prototype of vertical Bridgman crystal growth system by finite element methods that solve simultaneously for the velocity field in the melt, the shape of the solidification isotherm, and the temperature distribution in both phases. Results are presented for crystal and melt with thermophysical properties similar to those of gallium-doped germanium in Bridgman configurations with melt below (thermally destabilizing) and above (stabilizing) the crystal. Steady axisymmetric flow are classified according to Rayleigh number as either being nearly the growth velocity, having a weak cellular structure or having large amplitude cellular convention. The flows in the two Bridgman configurations are driven by different temperature gradients and are in opposite directions. Finite element calculations for the transport of a dilute dopant by these flow fields reveal radial segregation levels as large as sixty percent of the mean concentration. Segregation is found most severe at an intermediate value of Rayleigh number above which the dopant distribution along the interface levels as the intensity of the flow increases.

Study on influence of growth conditions on position and shape of crystal/melt interface of alkali lead halide crystals at Bridgman growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Král, Robert

2012-12-01

Suitable conditions for growth of high quality single crystals of ternary alkali lead halides prepared by a Bridgman method were explored using direct observation of a crystal/melt interface when pulling an ampoule out of a furnace, deliberated striations' induction and measurement of a temperature field in the filled ampoule in the vertical Bridgman arrangement, as model compounds lead chloride and ternary rubidium lead bromide were used. By direct observation only position of the crystal/melt interface was markedly determined, while by induced striations both the position and the shape of the interface were visualized but their contrast had to be intensified by adding admixtures. Performed temperature measurements in the filled ampoule brought both a view of temperature field in the 3D radial symmetry and basic data for comparison of a real temperature field with those obtained by projected modeling.

Reduction of Defects in Germanium-Silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szofran, Frank R.; Benz, K. W.; Cobb, Sharon D.; Croell, Anne; Dold, P.; Motafef, S.; Schweizer, M.; Volz, Martin P.; Walker, J. S.

2003-01-01

Crystals grown without being in contact with a container have superior quality to otherwise similar crystals grown in direct contact with a container, especially with respect to impurity incorporation, formation of dislocations, and residual stress in the crystals. In addition to float-zone processing, detached Bridgman growth, although not a completely crucible-free method, is a promising tool to improve crystal quality. It does not suffer from the size limitations of float zoning and the impact of thermocapillary convection on heat and mass transport is expected to be negligible. Detached growth has been observed frequently during g experiments. Considerable improvements in crystalline quality have been reported for these cases. However, neither a thorough understanding of the process nor a quantitative assessment of the quality of these improvements exists. This project will determine the means to reproducibly grow GeSi alloys in a detached mode and seeks to compare processing-induced defects in Bridgman, detached-Bridgman, and floating-zone growth configurations in GeSi crystals (Si less than or equal to 10 at%) up to 20mm in diameter. Specific objectives include: measurement of the relevant material parameters such as contact angle, growth angle, surface tension, and wetting behavior of the GeSi-melt on potential crucible materials; determination of the mechanism of detached growth including the role of convection; quantitative determination of the differences in defects and impurities for crystals grown using normal Bridgman, detached Bridgman, and floating zone (FZ) methods; investigation of the influence of a defined flow imposed by a rotating magnetic field on the characteristics of detached growth; control of time-dependent Marangoni convection in the case of FZ growth by the use of a rotating magnetic field to examine the influence on the curvature of the solid-liquid interface and the heat and mass transport; and growth of benchmark quality GeSi-single crystals.

SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS: Chemical etching of a GaSb crystal incorporated with Mn grown by the Bridgman method under microgravity conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiaofeng, Chen; Nuofu, Chen; Jinliang, Wu; Xiulan, Zhang; Chunlin, Chai; Yude, Yu

2009-08-01

A GaSb crystal incorporated with Mn has been grown by the Bridgman method on the Polizon facility onboard the FOTON-M3 spacecraft. Structural defects and growth striations have been successfully revealed by the chemical etching method. By calculating various parameters of the convection, the striation patterns can be explained, and the critical value of the Taylor number, which characterizes the convective condition of the rotating magnetic field induced azimuthal flow, was shown. The stresses generated during crystal growth can be reflected by the observations of etch pit distribution and other structural defects. Suggestions for improving the space experiment to improve the quality of the crystal are given.

Investigation of the Crystal Growth of Dielectric Materials by the Bridgman Technique Using Vibrational Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigelson, Robert S.; Zharikov, Evgenii

2002-01-01

The principal goal of this ground-based program, which started on February 1, 1998 and concluded on April 30, 2002, was to investigate the influence of low frequency vibrations on the fluid flow and quality of dielectric oxide crystals grown by the vertical Bridgman method. This experimental program was a collaborative effort between Stanford University and the General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, and included a strong emphasis on both physical modeling and the growth of some technologically important materials. Additionally it was carried out initially in collaboration with the theoretical and numerical investigations of A.Fedoseyev and I.Alexander (ongoing in another NASA sponsored program). This latter program involved a study of vibro-convective buoyancy-driven flows in cylindrical configurations with the expectation of being able to use vibrational flows to control buoyancy driven fluid transport to off-set the effect of "g-jitter" during microgravity Bridgman crystal growth. These two programs taken together, were designed to lead to a new parametric control variable which can be used to either suppress or control convection, and thereby heat and mass transport during Bridgman crystal growth. It was expected to be effective in either a terrestrial or space environment.

Studies on interface curvature during vertical Bridgman growth of InP in a flat-bottom container

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudolph, P.; Matsumoto, F.; Fukuda, T.

1996-01-01

A simplified numerical simulation of the dynamic behaviour of the solid-liquid interface curvature during modified vertical Bridgman growth of 2 inch InP single crystals, in a flat-bottom container, with a seed of the same diameter is presented. The results agree with striation patterns observed by transmission X-ray topography. A nearly flat interface with slightly constant concavity has been ascertained in the front half of the grown ingots. It can be assumed that such a steady interface morphology is one of the basic requirements for the observed twin-free and reduced dislocation growth in this region. In an attempt to optimize the shape of the melting point isotherm in the last-to-freeze part of the crystals, the axial temperature gradient, the seed length, the growth velocity, the melt temperature and the conditions of heat transfer (different ambient atmospheres and plugs) as well as the temperature profile in the top region above the encapsulant have been varied in the model.

Crystal Growth and Fluid Mechanics Problems in Directional Solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanveer, Saleh A.; Baker, Gregory R.; Foster, Michael R.

2001-01-01

Our work in directional solidification has been in the following areas: (1) Dynamics of dendrites including rigorous mathematical analysis of the resulting equations; (2) Examination of the near-structurally unstable features of the mathematically related Hele-Shaw dynamics; (3) Numerical studies of steady temperature distribution in a vertical Bridgman device; (4) Numerical study of transient effects in a vertical Bridgman device; (5) Asymptotic treatment of quasi-steady operation of a vertical Bridgman furnace for large Rayleigh numbers and small Biot number in 3D; and (6) Understanding of Mullins-Sererka transition in a Bridgman device with fluid dynamics is accounted for.

A comparison of point defects in Cd1-xZnxTe1-ySey crystals grown by Bridgman and traveling heater methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gul, R.; Roy, U. N.; Camarda, G. S.; Hossain, A.; Yang, G.; Vanier, P.; Lordi, V.; Varley, J.; James, R. B.

2017-03-01

In this paper, the properties of point defects in Cd1-xZnxTe1-ySey (CZTS) radiation detectors are characterized using deep-level transient spectroscopy and compared between materials grown using two different methods, the Bridgman method and the traveling heater method. The nature of the traps was analyzed in terms of their capture cross-sections and trap concentrations, as well as their effects on the measured charge-carrier trapping and de-trapping times, and then compared for the two growth techniques. The results revealed that Se addition to CdZnTe can reduce the VCd- concentration. In Travelling Heater Method (THM) and Bridgman Method (BM) grown CZTS detectors, besides a few similarities in the shallow and medium energy traps, there were major differences in the deep traps. It was observed that the excess-Te and lower growth-temperature conditions in THM-grown CZTS led to a complete compensation of VCd- and two additional traps (attributed to Tei- and TeCd++ appearing at around Ev + 0.26 eV and Ec - 0.78 eV, respectively). The 1.1-eV deep trap related to large Te secondary phases was a dominant trap in the BM-grown CZTS crystals. In addition to i-DLTS data, the effects of point defects induced due to different processing techniques on the detector's resistivity, spectral response to gammas, and μτ product were determined.

Numerical study of heat transfer and fluid flow for steady crystal growth in a vertical Bridgman device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pohlman, Matthew Michael

The study of heat transfer and fluid flow in a vertical Bridgman device is motivated by current industrial difficulties in growing crystals with as few defects as possible. For example, Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) is of great interest to the semiconductor industry but remains an uneconomical alternative to silicon because of the manufacturing problems. This dissertation is a two dimensional study of the fluid in an idealized Bridgman device. The model nonlinear PDEs are discretized using second order finite differencing. Newton's method solves the resulting nonlinear discrete equations. The large sparse linear systems involving the Jacobian are solved iteratively using the Generalized Minimum Residual method (GMRES). By adapting fast direct solvers for elliptic equations with simple boundary conditions, a good preconditioner is developed which is essential for GMRES to converge quickly. Trends of the fluid flow and heat transfer for typical ranges of the physical parameters are determined. Also, the size of the terms in the mathematical model are found by numerical investigation, in order to find what terms are in balance as the physical parameters vary. The results suggest the plausibility of simpler asymptotic solutions.

Reduction of Defects in Germanium-Silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szofran, Frank R.; Benz, K. W.; Cobb, Sharon D.; Croell, Arne; Dold, Peter; Kaiser, Natalie; Motakef, Shariar; Schweizer, Marcus; Volz, Martin P.; Vujisic, Ljubomir

2001-01-01

Crystals grown without being in contact with a container have superior quality to otherwise similar crystals grown in direct contact with a container, especially with respect to impurity incorporation, formation of dislocations, and residual stress in the crystals. In addition to float-zone processing, detached Bridgman growth, although not a completely crucible-free method, is a promising tool to improve crystal quality. It does not suffer from the size limitations of float zoning and the impact of thermocapillary convection on heat and mass transport is expected to be negligible. Detached growth has been observed frequently during (micro)g experiments. Considerable improvements in crystalline quality have been reported for these cases. However, neither a thorough understanding of the process nor a quantitative assessment of the quality of these improvements exists. This project will determine the means to reproducibly grow Pepsi alloys in a detached mode and seeks to compare processing-induced defects in Bridgman, detached-Bridgman, and floating-zone growth configurations in Pepsi crystals (Si less or = 10 at%) up to 20mm in diameter.

Optimization of the Bridgman crystal growth process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margulies, M.; Witomski, P.; Duffar, T.

2004-05-01

A numerical optimization method of the vertical Bridgman growth configuration is presented and developed. It permits to optimize the furnace temperature field and the pulling rate versus time in order to decrease the radial thermal gradients in the sample. Some constraints are also included in order to insure physically realistic results. The model includes the two classical non-linearities associated to crystal growth processes, the radiative thermal exchange and the release of latent heat at the solid-liquid interface. The mathematical analysis and development of the problem is shortly described. On some examples, it is shown that the method works in a satisfactory way; however the results are dependent on the numerical parameters. Improvements of the optimization model, on the physical and numerical point of view, are suggested.

Segregation control in vertical Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Y.; Kou, S.

1996-11-01

To help the crystal grow at a constant dopant concentration in vertical Bridgman crystal growth, the dopant concentration of the growth melt, i.e. the melt from which the crystal grows, was kept constant. To achieve this, three different methods were used to replenish the growth melt at a controlled rate and suppress dopant diffusion between the growth melt and the replenishing melt. In method one, a replenishing crucible having a long melt passageway was immersed in the growth melt. In method two, a replenishing crucible having an independent feed-rate control mechanism was held above the growth melt. In method three, a submerged diffusion baffle was used to form a long melt passageway between the growth melt and the replenishing melt. NaNO 3 was used as a model material for crystal growth. Single crystals were grown by these three methods with effective segregation control. Method two was applied to InSb and single crystals were also grown with effective segregation control.

Peculiar Features of Microstructure Formation and Microhardness Variations During Torsional Straining of Tantalum Specimens in Bridgman Anvils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ditenberg, I. A.; Tymentsev, A. N.; Korznikov, A. V.

2015-04-01

Using the method of transmission electron microscopy, peculiar features of evolution of microstructure and variations in microhardness of Та are investigated under torsional loading in the Bridgman anvil as a function of plastic deformation at room temperature. A quantitative examination of grain and defect's structure of the material under study and the values of local internal stresses is performed in different loading stages. The mechanisms of formation of submicrocrystalline and nanostructured states are analyzed and so is the microstructure variation as a function of the defect-structure characteristics, strain level, and spacing from the axis of torsion.

Numerical investigation of thermal and residual stress of sapphire during c-axis vertical Bridgman growth process considering the solidification history effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Ji Hoon; Lee, Young Cheol; Lee, Wook Jin

2018-01-01

Sapphire single crystals have been highlighted for epitaxial of gallium nitride films in high-power laser and light emitting diode industries. In this study, the evolution of thermally induced stress in sapphire during the vertical Bridgman crystal growth process was investigated using a finite element model that simplified the real Bridgman process. A vertical Bridgman process of cylindrical sapphire crystal with a diameter of 50 mm was considered for the model. The solidification history effect during the growth was modeled by the quite element technique. The effects of temperature gradient, seeding interface shape and seeding position on the thermal stress during the process were discussed based on the finite element analysis results.

A Comparison of Point Defects in Cd 1-xZn xTe 1-ySe y Crystals Grown by Bridgman and Traveling Heater Methods

DOE PAGES

Gul, R.; Roy, U. N.; Camarda, G. S.; ...

2017-03-28

In this study, the properties of point defects in Cd 1–xZn xTe 1–ySe y (CZTS) radiation detectors are characterized using deep-level transient spectroscopy and compared between materials grown using two different methods, the Bridgman method and the traveling heater method. The nature of the traps was analyzed in terms of their capture cross-sections and trap concentrations, as well as their effects on the measured charge-carrier trapping and de-trapping times, and then compared for the two growth techniques. The results revealed that Se addition to CdZnTe can reduce the V Cd – concentration. In Travelling Heater Method (THM) and Bridgman Methodmore » (BM) grown CZTS detectors, besides a few similarities in the shallow and medium energy traps, there were major differences in the deep traps. It was observed that the excess-Te and lower growth-temperature conditions in THM-grown CZTS led to a complete compensation of V Cd – and two additional traps (attributed to Te i – and Te Cd ++ appearing at around E v + 0.26 eV and E c – 0.78 eV, respectively). The 1.1-eV deep trap related to large Te secondary phases was a dominant trap in the BM-grown CZTS crystals. In addition to i-DLTS data, the effects of point defects induced due to different processing techniques on the detector's resistivity, spectral response to gammas, and μτ product were determined.« less

A Comparison of Point Defects in Cd 1-xZn xTe 1-ySe y Crystals Grown by Bridgman and Traveling Heater Methods

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

Gul, R.; Roy, U. N.; Camarda, G. S.

In this study, the properties of point defects in Cd 1–xZn xTe 1–ySe y (CZTS) radiation detectors are characterized using deep-level transient spectroscopy and compared between materials grown using two different methods, the Bridgman method and the traveling heater method. The nature of the traps was analyzed in terms of their capture cross-sections and trap concentrations, as well as their effects on the measured charge-carrier trapping and de-trapping times, and then compared for the two growth techniques. The results revealed that Se addition to CdZnTe can reduce the V Cd – concentration. In Travelling Heater Method (THM) and Bridgman Methodmore » (BM) grown CZTS detectors, besides a few similarities in the shallow and medium energy traps, there were major differences in the deep traps. It was observed that the excess-Te and lower growth-temperature conditions in THM-grown CZTS led to a complete compensation of V Cd – and two additional traps (attributed to Te i – and Te Cd ++ appearing at around E v + 0.26 eV and E c – 0.78 eV, respectively). The 1.1-eV deep trap related to large Te secondary phases was a dominant trap in the BM-grown CZTS crystals. In addition to i-DLTS data, the effects of point defects induced due to different processing techniques on the detector's resistivity, spectral response to gammas, and μτ product were determined.« less

In-situ temperature field measurements and direct observation of crystal/melt at vertical Bridgman growth of lead chloride under stationary and dynamic arrangement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Král, Robert; Nitsch, Karel

2015-10-01

Influence of growth conditions, i.e. temperature gradient in the furnace and the pulling rate, on the position and the shape of the crystal/melt interface during vertical Bridgman growth was studied. The position and the shape of the crystal/melt interface are a key factor for describing the final quality of growing crystal. Following two methods for characterization of its position and shape were used: (i) direct observation and (ii) direct temperature field measurement during simulated vertical Bridgman growth. As a model compound a lead chloride is used. Three different ampoule positions in two different temperature gradients in the furnace and two experimental arrangements - stationary (0 mm/h pulling rate) and dynamic (3 mm/h pulling rate) were analyzed. Obtained temperature data were projected as 2D planar cut under radial symmetry and denoted as isolevels. Their further conversion by linear approximation into isotherms allowed detail analysis of heat conditions in the system during simulated growth by comparison of isotherms 500 °C (m.p. of lead chloride) at different growth conditions.

Numerical and analytical modelling of the MHD buoyancy-driven flow in a Bridgman crystal growth configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davoust, L.; Moreau, R.; Cowley, M. D.; Tanguy, P. A.; Bertrand, F.

1997-10-01

We present analytical and numerical models of magnetohydrodynamic(MHD) buoyancy-driven flow within the liquid pool of a horizontal Bridgman crystal growth furnace, under the influence of a uniform vertical magnetic field B0. A horizontal differentially heated cylinder, whose aspect ratio (radius to length) is small enough for a fully developed regime to be established in the central core, is considered. With Hartmann layers remaining electrically inactive, a modified Rayleigh number RaG, which is the ration of the ordinary Rayleigh number to the square of the Hartmann number, is found to control the MHD reorganisation of the flow. This modified Rayleigh number is a measure of the importance of thermal convection relative to diffusion if velocity is estimated from the balance between the torques of buoyancy and the Laplace force. When RaG is much smaller than unity (quasi-diffusive regime), an analytical modelling of the flow, based on a power series of RaG, demonstrates that this balance requires secondary vortices within vertical mid-planes of the cylinder, both within the core flow and near the end walls. A 3-D numerical calculation of the flow provides evidence of the transition from a convective MHD flow (when RaG is still of the order of unity) to the quasi-diffusive flow, analytically studied. Indeed, this transition takes the form of a rather complex 3-D MHD organisation of the flow which is due to the nonuniformity of the axial temperature gradient along the cylinder.

Forced convection in vertical Bridgman configuration with the submerged heater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, S.; Ostrogorsky, A. G.

1997-02-01

Ga-doped Ge single crystals were grown in vertical Bridgman configuration, using the submerged heater method (SHM). When used without rotation, the submerged heater drastically reduces convection at the solid-liquid interface. When the submerged heater is set in to rotation or oscillatory rotation, it acts as a centrifugal viscous pump, inducing forced convection (radial-inward flow) along the interface. The flow produced by a rotation and oscillatory rotation of the submerged heater was visualized using a 1 : 1 scale model. The vigorous mixing produced by the oscillatory rotation creates a nearly perfectly stirred melt, and yields a uniform lateral distribution of the dopant. The crystals were free of unintentionally produced striae.

Estimation of the curvature of the solid liquid interface during Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barat, Catherine; Duffar, Thierry; Garandet, Jean-Paul

1998-11-01

An approximate solution for the solid/liquid interface curvature due to the crucible effect in crystal growth is derived from simple heat flux considerations. The numerical modelling of the problem carried out with the help of the finite element code FIDAP supports the predictions of our analytical expression and allows to identify its range of validity. Experimental interface curvatures, measured in gallium antimonide samples grown by the vertical Bridgman method, are seen to compare satisfactorily to analytical and numerical results. Other literature data are also in fair agreement with the predictions of our models in the case where the amount of heat carried by the crucible is small compared to the overall heat flux.

Convection of tin in a Bridgman system. II - An electrochemical method for detecting flow regimes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sears, B.; Fripp, A. L.; Debnam, W. J., Jr.; Woodell, G. A.; Anderson, T. J.; Narayanan, R.

1992-01-01

An ampoule was designed in order to obtain local flow behavior of the flow fields for convection of tin in a vertical Bridgman configuration. Multiple electrochemical cells were located along the periphery of the ampoule. Oxygen was titrated into the ampoule at one of the cell locations using a potentiostat and the concentration of oxygen was monitored at the other cell locations by operating the cells in a galvanic mode. Onset of oscillations were detected by means of thermocouples. We conclude that the flows are generally three dimensional for an aspect ratio of 5. Results on oscillations concurred with those of earlier workers. Suggestions for improved designs were made.

Bridgman Growth of Germanium Crystals in a Rotating Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Szofran, F. R.; Cobb, S. D.; Schweizer, M.; Walker, J. S.

2005-01-01

A series of (100)-oriented gallium-doped germanium crystals has been grown by the vertical Bridgman method and under the influence of a rotating magnetic field (RMF). Time-dependent flow instabilities occur when the critical magnetic Taylor number (Tm(sup c)) is exceeded, and this can be observed by noting the appearance of striations in the grown crystals. Tm(sup c) decreases as the aspect ratio of the melt increases, and approaches the theoretical limit expected for an infinite cylinder. Intentional interface demarcations are introduced by pulsing the RMF on and off The RMF has a marked affect on the interface shape, changing it from concave to nearly flat as the RMF strength is increased.

TlBr purification and single crystal growth for the detector applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlov, Vasilij; Heikkilä, Mikko; Kostamo, Pasi; Lipsanen, Harri; Leskelä, Markku

2011-05-01

The combination of distillation, Bridgman-Stockbarger, hydrothermal recrystallisation and travelling molten zone (TMZ) methods were used for TlBr purification. Grown crystals were characterised by XRD rocking curve and FTIR spectroscopy methods, and by electrical measurements made from 200 to 300 K.

Influence of Containment on the Growth of Germanium-Silicon in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.; Croll, A.; Sorgenfrei, T.

2017-01-01

A series of Ge(sub 1-x)Si(sub x) crystal growth experiments are planned to be conducted in the Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) onboard the International Space Station. The primary objective of the research is to determine the influence of containment on the processing-induced defects and impurity incorporation in germanium-silicon alloy crystals. A comparison will be made between crystals grown by the normal and 'detached' Bridgman methods and the ground-based float zone technique. 'Detached' or 'dewetted' Bridgman growth is similar to regular Bridgman growth in that most of the melt is in contact with the crucible wall, but the crystal is separated from the wall by a small gap, typically of the order of 10-100 microns. A meniscus bridges this gap between the top of the crystal and the crucible wall. Theoretical models indicate that an important parameter governing detachment is the pressure differential across this meniscus. An experimental method has been developed to control this pressure differential in microgravity that does not require connection of the ampoule volume to external gases or changes in the temperature profile during growth. Experiments will be conducted with positive, negative or zero pressure differential across the meniscus. Characterization results of ground-based experiments, including etch pit density, synchrotron white beam X-ray topography and double axis X-ray diffraction will also be described.

Fluorescence Properties of Fe2+- and Co2+-doped Hosts of CdMnTe Compositions as Potential Mid-Infrared Laser Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

composition also affects the Co2+ and Fe2+ dopant lifetimes and temperature dependencies. Crystal growth effort is underway in order to improve the...single-crystalline samples of Fe2+ or divalent cobalt ion (Co2+)-doped CMT crystals were produced by Brimrose Corporation using a modified vertical...Bridgman technique (18). The starting high purity ingredients Cd, Mn, and Te along with the dopants (Fe and Co) are placed in a pre-cleaned and baked

Growth of Ca 4YO(BO 3) 3 crystals by vertical Bridgman method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Jun; Fan, Shiji; Wang, Jinchang; Zhong, Zhenwu; Qian, Guoxing; Sun, Renying

2001-07-01

Growth of single crystals of Ca 4YO(BO 3) 3 (YCOB) by the vertical Bridgman method is reported in this paper. By using near-sealed Pt crucibles to prevent volatilization of B 2O 3, the high-optical-quality YCOB crystals of 25 mm diameter and more than 40 mm in length have been grown at the furnace temperature of 50-80°C above the melting point of YCOB and the crucible lowering rates of 0.2-0.6 mm/h. Owing to the low vertical and radial temperature gradient, crack-free YCOB crystals have been obtained in the <0 1 0> and <0 0 1> directions. At the top of a YCOB boule, the dislocation density was found to decrease from the center to the outer area, and the average dislocation density is about 600/cm 2.

Thermoelectric properties of Ge 1-xSn xTe crystals grown by vertical Bridgman method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, C. C.; Ferng, N. J.; Gau, H. J.

2007-06-01

Single crystals of Ge 1-xSn xTe compounds with x=0, 0.8, 0.9 and 1.0 were grown by vertical Bridgman method. The crystalline phase and stochiometry for these crystals were investigated by X-ray diffraction, metallographic microscope as well as electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA). Electrical property of the as-grown samples was characterized using room temperature resistivity and Hall measurements. The thermoelectric behaviors for the Ge 1-xSn xTe crystals were studied by means of thermal and carrier transport measurements. Temperature dependences of resistivity, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity for the various compositions of Ge 1-xSn xTe were analyzed. A two-valence band model was proposed to describe the temperature dependence of thermoelectric property of the Ge 1-xSn xTe crystals. The dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT for the alloys was evaluated and discussed.

Experimental determination and numerical modelling of solid liquid interface shapes for vertical Bridgman grown GaSb crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boiton, P.; Giacometti, N.; Santailler, J. L.; Duffar, T.; Nabot, J. P.

1998-11-01

A facility, based on a profiled resistive heater, has been designed for the growth of antimonide crystals (GaSb, InSb) by the vertical Bridgman method. Solid-liquid interface shapes during the growth of 2-in diameter crystals are marked by means of variations of the pulling rate and are revealed by chemical etching. The comparison with the calculated interface shapes, obtained using a finite element method, gives a satisfactory agreement. It is shown that the heat transfer and consequently the interface shapes are greatly influenced by the crucible assembly. For example, small spacings around the crucible or slots in the crucible holder can change the interface curvature from convex to concave. From numerical simulations it is also shown that convection in the melt flattens the interface but that an increase of the pulling rate has the reverse effect.

Mathematical model for the Bridgman-Stockbarger crystal growing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, G. O.

1986-01-01

In a major technical breakthrough, a computer model for Bridgman-Stockbarger crystal growth was developed. The model includes melt convection, solute effects, thermal conduction in the ampule, melt, and crystal, and the determination of the curved moving crystal-melt interface. The key to the numerical method is the use of a nonuniform computational mesh which moves with the interface, so that the interface is a mesh surface. In addition, implicit methods are used for advection and diffusion of heat, concentration, and vorticity, for interface movement, and for internal gracity waves. This allows large time-steps without loss of stability or accuracy. Numerical results are presented for the interface shape, temperature distribution, and concentration distribution, in steady-state crystl growth. Solutions are presented for two test cases using water, with two different salts in solution. The two diffusivities differ by a factor of ten, and the concentrations differ by a factor of twenty.

Charge transport properties in CdZnTe detectors grown by the vertical Bridgman technique

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

Auricchio, N.; Caroli, E.; Marchini, L.

2011-12-15

Presently, a great amount of effort is being devoted to the development of CdTe and CdZnTe (CZT) detectors for a large variety of applications such as medical, industrial, and space research. We present the spectroscopic properties of some CZT crystals grown by the standard vertical Bridgman method and by the boron oxide encapsulated vertical Bridgman method, which has been recently implemented at IMEM-CNR (Parma, Italy). In this technique, the crystal is grown in an open quartz crucible fully encapsulated by a thin layer of liquid boron oxide. This method prevents contact between the crystal and the crucible, thereby allowing largermore » single grains with a lower dislocation density to be obtained. Several mono-electrode detectors were realized, with each having two planar gold contacts. The samples are characterized by an active area of about 7 mm x 7 mm and thicknesses ranging from 1 to 2 mm. The charge transport properties of the detectors have been studied by mobility-lifetime ({mu} x {tau}) product measurements, carried out at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Grenoble, France) in the planar transverse field configuration, where the impinging beam direction is orthogonal to the collecting electric field. We have performed several fine scans between the electrodes with a beam spot of 10 {mu}m x 10 {mu}m at various energies from 60 to 400 keV. In this work, we present the test results in terms of the ({mu} x {tau}) product of both charge carriers.« less

The modeling, simulation, and control of transport phenomena in a thermally destabilizing Bridgman crystal growth system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonda, Paul Julio

This thesis presents a comprehensive examination of the modeling, simulation, and control of axisymmetric flows occurring in a vertical Bridgman crystal growth system with the melt underlying the crystal. The significant complexity and duration of the manufacturing process make experimental optimization a prohibitive task. Numerical simulation has emerged as a powerful tool in understanding the processing issues still prevalent in industry. A first-principles model is developed to better understand the transport phenomena within a representative vertical Bridgman system. The set of conservation equations for momentum, energy, and species concentration are discretized using the Galerkin finite element method and simulated using accurate time-marching schemes. Simulation results detail the occurrence of fascinating nonlinear dynamics, in the form of stable, time-varying behavior for sufficiently large melt regimes and multiple steady flow states. This discovery of time-periodic flows for high intensity flows is qualitatively consistent with experimental observations. Transient simulations demonstrate that process operating conditions have a marked effect on the hydrodynamic behavior within the melt, which consequently affects the dopant concentration profile within the crystal. The existence of nonlinear dynamical behavior within this system motivates the need for feedback control algorithms which can provide superior crystal quality. This work studies the feasibility of using crucible rotation to control flows in the vertical Bridgman system. Simulations show that crucible rotation acts to suppress the axisymmetric flows. However, for the case when the melt lies below the crystal, crucible rotation also acts to accelerate the onset of time-periodic behavior. This result is attributed to coupling between the centrifugal force and the intense, buoyancy-driven flows. Proportional, proportional-integral, and input-output linearizing controllers are applied to vertical Bridgman systems in stabilizing (crystal below the melt) and destabilizing (melt below the crystal) configurations. The spatially-averaged, axisymmetric kinetic energy is the controlled output. The flows are controlled via rotation of the crucible containing the molten material. Simulation results show that feedback controllers using crucible rotation effectively attenuate flow oscillations in a stabilizing configuration with time-varying disturbance. Crucible rotation is not an optimal choice for suppressing inherent flow oscillations in the destabilizing configuration.

Effect of modified mold shell on the microstructure and tensile fracture morphology of single-crystal nickel-base superalloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Weitai; Zhao, Yutao; Sun, Shaochun; Liu, Manping; Ma, Dexin; Liang, Xiangfeng; Wang, Cunlong; Tao, Ran

2018-04-01

The mold shell used for single-crystal turbine blades preparation was modified from conventional process to fiber reinforcement technology. The wall thickness was decreased by 32.3 percent (pct) than the conventional process. Then these two mold shells were used to produce single crystal samples of nickel-base superalloy in a Bridgman furnace. The local temperature curves were recorded in the process. The results show that the modified mold shell can increase the temperature gradient in the mushy zone than the conventional mold shell. The primary and secondary dendrite arm space were reduced by 8 pct and 12 pct, respectively. Moreover, both the area fraction and mean size of the γ‧/γ eutectic were declined, as well as the dendritic segregation tendency. Therefore it contributed to the lower residual eutectic and micro-porosity in the heat-treated microstructure. Further, fracture surface of the samples made by modified mold shell exhibited smaller facets and more uniform dimples in the size and shape.

Thermal analysis of the vertical bridgman semiconductor crystal growth technique. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jasinski, T. J.

1982-01-01

The quality of semiconductor crystals grown by the vertical Bridgman technique is strongly influenced by the axial and radial variations of temperature within the charge. The relationship between the thermal parameters of the vertical Bridgman system and the thermal behavior of the charge are examined. Thermal models are developed which are capable of producing results expressable in analytical form and which can be used without recourse to extensive computer work for the preliminary thermal design of vertical Bridgman crystal growth systems. These models include the effects of thermal coupling between the furnace and the charge, charge translation rate, charge diameter, thickness and thermal conductivity of the confining crucible, thermal conductivity change and liberation of latent heat at the growth interface, and infinite charge length. The hot and cold zone regions, considered to be at spatially uniform temperatures, are separated by a gradient control region which provides added thermal design flexibility for controlling the temperature variations near the growth interface.

Convection Induced by Traveling Magnetic Fields in Semiconductor Melts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Konstantin, Mazuruk

2000-01-01

Axisymmetric traveling magnetic fields (TMF) can be beneficial for crystal growth applications. such as the vertical Bridgman, float zone or traveling heater methods. TMF induces a basic flow in the form of a single roll. This type of flow can enhance mass and heat transfer to the growing crystal. More importantly, the TMF Lorentz body force induced in the system can counterbalance the buoyancy forces, so the resulting convection can be much smaller and even the direction of it can be changed. In this presentation, we display basic features of this novel technique. In particular, numerical calculations of the Lorentz force for arbitrary frequencies will be presented along with induced steady-state fluid flow profiles. Also, numerical modeling of the TMF counter-balancing natural convection in vertical Bridgman systems will be demonstrated.

Analysis of the low gravity tolerance of Bridgman-Stockbarger crystal growth. I - Steady and impulse accelerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, J. Iwan D.; Ouazzani, Jalil; Rosenberger, Franz

1989-01-01

The effects of steady and impulse-type residual accelerations on dopant distributions during directional solidification in 2D and 3D 'generic' models of the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique are investigated using numerical methods. The calculations are based on the thermophysical properties of molten germanium doped with a low concentration of gallium. A Chebyshev collocation pseudospectral method is used for the solution of the governing momentum-, mass-, species-, and heat-transfer equations. Only convection caused by temperature gradients is considered. It is found that lateral nonuniformity in composition is very sensitive to the orientation of the steady component of the residual gravity vector and to the particular operating conditions under consideration. It is also found that laterally or radially averaged composition profiles are alone insufficient to describe the extent of residual convection in a spacecraft environment. The effects of impulse-type disturbances can be severe and can extend for times on the order of 1000 sec after the termination of the impulse.

Multi-ampoule Bridgman growth of halide scintillator crystals using the self-seeding method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsey, Adam C.; Wu, Yuntao; Zhuravleva, Mariya; Loyd, Matthew; Koschan, Merry; Melcher, Charles L.

2017-07-01

We investigate the multi-ampoule growth at 25 mm diameter of ternary iodide single crystal scintillator KCaI3:Eu using the randomly oriented self-seeded Bridgman method. We compare scintillation performance between cubic inch scale crystals containing small variations of low nominal europium concentrations previously shown to balance light yield with self-absorption in the host crystal. Growth conditions were optimized in the developmental furnace and four 2 in3 KCaI3:Eu crystals were grown simultaneously producing a total of six 25 mm × 25 mm cylinders. Small variations in activator concentration did not result in significant performance differences among the six measured crystals. A range of energy resolutions of 3.5-4.7% at 662 keV was achieved, surpassing that of NaI:Tl crystals commonly used in spectroscopic detection applications. The function and basic design of the multi-ampoule furnace as well as the process of growing single crystals of KCaI3 is included here.

Bridgman Growth of Germanium Crystals in a Rotating Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Walker, J. S.; Schweizer, M.; Cobb, S. D.; Szofran, F. R.

2004-01-01

A series of (100)-oriented gallium-doped germanium crystals have been grown by the Bridgman method and under the influence of a rotating magnetic field (RMF). Time-dependent flow instabilities occur when the critical magnetic Taylor number (Tm(sup c) is exceeded, and this can be observed by noting the appearance of striations in the grown crystals. The experimental data indicate that Tm(sup c) increases as the aspect ratio of the melt decreases. Modeling calculations predicting Tm(sup c) as a function of aspect ratio are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. The RMF has a marked affect on the interface shape, changing it from concave to nearly flat as the RMF strength is increased. Also, by pulsing the RMF on and off, it is shown that intentional interface demarcations can be introduced.

Bridgman Growth of Germanium Crystals in a Rotating Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Schweizer, M.; Cobb, S. D.; Walker, J. S.; Szofran, F. R.; Curreri, Peter A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A series of (100)-oriented gallium-doped germanium crystals have been grown by the Bridgman method and under the influence of a rotating magnetic field (RMF). The RMF has a marked affect on the interface shape, changing it from concave to nearly flat. The onset of time-dependent flow instabilities occurs when the critical magnetic Taylor number is exceeded, and this can be observed by noting the appearance of striations in the grown crystals. The critical magnetic Taylor number is a sensitive function of the aspect ratio and, as the crystal grows under a constant applied magnetic field, the induced striations change from nonperiodic to periodic, undergo a period-doubling transition, and then cease to exist. Also, by pulsing the RMF on and off, it is shown that intentional interface demarcations can be introduced.

Magneto-Hydrodynamic Damping of Convection During Vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger Growth of HgCdTe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watring, D. A.; Lehoczky, S. L.

1996-01-01

In order to quantify the effects of convection on segregation, Hg(0.8)Cd(0.2)Te crystals were grown by the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method in the presence of an applied axial magnetic field of 50 kG. The influence of convection, by magneto-hydrodynamic damping, on mass transfer in the melt and segregation at the solid-liquid interface was investigated by measuring the axial and radial compositional variations in the grown samples. The reduction of convective mixing in the melt through the application of the magnetic field is found to decrease radial segregation to the diffusion-limited regime. It was also found that the suppression of the convective cell near the solid-liquid interface results in an increase in the slope of the diffusion-controlled solute boundary layer, which can lead to constitutional supercooling.

Bridgman Growth of Germanium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szofran, F. R.; Volz, M. P.; Cobb, S. D.; Motakef, S.

1997-01-01

The high-magnetic-field crystal growth facility at the Marshall Space Flight Center will be briefly described. This facility has been used to grow bulk germanium by the Bridgman technique in magnetic fields up to 5 Tesla. The results of investigations of ampoule material on the interface shape and thermal field applied to the melt on stability against convection will be discussed.

Bridgman Growth of Large SrI2:Eu2+ Single Crystals: A High-performance Scintillator for Radiation Detection Applications

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

Boatner, Lynn A; Ramey, Joanne Oxendine; Kolopus, James A

2013-01-01

Single-crystal strontium iodide (SrI2) doped with relatively high levels (e.g., 3 - 6 %) of Eu2+ exhibits characteristics that make this material superior, in a number of respects, to other scintillators that are currently used for radiation detection. Specifically, SrI2:Eu2+ has a light yield that is significantly higher than LaBr3:Ce3+ -a currently employed commercial high-performance scintillator. Additionally, SrI2:Eu2+ is characterized by an energy resolution as high as 2.6% at the 137Cs gamma-ray energy of 662 keV, and there is no radioactive component in SrI2:Eu2+ - unlike LaBr3:Ce3+ that contains 138La. The Ce3+-doped LaBr3 decay time is, however, faster (30 nsec)more » than the 1.2 sec decay time of SrI2:Eu2+. Due to the relatively low melting point of strontium iodide (~515 oC), crystal growth can be carried out in quartz crucibles by the vertical Bridgman technique. Materials-processing and crystal-growth techniques that are specific to the Bridgman growth of europium-doped strontium iodide scintillators are described here. These techniques include the use of a porous quartz frit to physically filter the molten salt from a quartz antechamber into the Bridgman growth crucible and the use of a bent or bulb grain selector design to suppress multiple grain growth. Single crystals of SrI2:Eu2+ scintillators with good optical quality and scintillation characteristics have been grown in sizes up to 5.0 cm in diameter by applying these techniques. Other aspects of the SrI2:Eu2+ crystal-growth methods and of the still unresolved crystal-growth issues are described here.« less

Thallous chalcogenide (Tl 6I 4Se) for radiation detection at X-ray and γ-ray energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhifu; Peters, John A.; Wessels, Bruce W.; Johnsen, Simon; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.

2011-12-01

The optical and charge transport properties of the thallous chalcogenide compound Tl6I4Se were characterized. The semiconductor crystals are grown by the modified Bridgman method. We have measured the refractive index, and absorption coefficient of the compound ranging from 300 to 1500 nm by analysis of the UV-vis-near IR transmission and reflection spectra. The band gap is 1.8 eV. For the evaluation of detector performance, the mobility-lifetime products for both the electron and hole carriers were measured. Tl6I4Se has mobility-lifetime products of 7.1×10-3 and 5.9×10-4 cm2/V for electron and hole carriers, respectively, which are comparable to those of Cd0.9Zn0.1Te. The γ-ray spectrum for a Tl6I4Se detector was measured. Its response to the 122 keV of 57Co source is comparable to that of Cd0.9Zn0.1Te.

A unified analysis of solidification in Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Ming-Fang

2012-04-01

The simulation of multiphase solidification process can be handled by combining the VOF (Volume of Fluid) transport equation, in which the continuum mechanics model is used to simulate the melt/solid interface and the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. Because the melt phase, the solid phase, and the melt/solid interface are controlled by a single control equation; if the enthalpy model based on porosity concept represents the processing of the phase transformation range, it is possible to solve the problem of phase transformation in the same way as solving the single-phase problem. Once the energy field of enthalpy for each step in time is resolved, the position of the interface can be precisely calculated with the use of VOF equation. This type of novel VOF method can be applied to find out the conditions of vertical Bridgman crystal growing located on the earth or under microgravity.

A unified analysis of solidification in Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Ming-Fang

2011-11-01

The simulation of multiphase solidification process can be handled by combining the VOF (Volume of Fluid) transport equation, in which the continuum mechanics model is used to simulate the melt/solid interface and the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. Because the melt phase, the solid phase, and the melt/solid interface are controlled by a single control equation; if the enthalpy model based on porosity concept represents the processing of the phase transformation range, it is possible to solve the problem of phase transformation in the same way as solving the single-phase problem. Once the energy field of enthalpy for each step in time is resolved, the position of the interface can be precisely calculated with the use of VOF equation. This type of novel VOF method can be applied to find out the conditions of vertical Bridgman crystal growing located on the earth or under microgravity.

Translation effects on vertical Bridgman growth and optical, mechanical and surface analysis of 2-phenylphenol single crystal

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

Sadhasivam, S., E-mail: sadha.phy1@gmail.com; Perumal, Rajesh Narayana

2-phenylphenol optical crystals were grown in cone ampoules using vertical Bridgman technique. Single crystal of 2-phenylphenol with 150 mm length has been grown. The inclination on the conical part of the ampoule reduces the growth defects in the 2-phenylphenol single crystal. The lattice parameters and structure studied using single crystal X-ray diffraction method. 2-phenylphenol single crystal belongs to orthorhombic space group Fdd2. The micro translation rate affects crystal growth of 2-phenylphenol crystal was studied. The translation rate dependent defects present in the crystal were investigated by transmittance, indentation and etching characterizations. The dislocation induced indentation crack lengths variations were studied. Etchmore » pits and striations observed for the selective etchants furnish significant information on growth aspects and degree of defect present in the crystal.« less

Synthesis, growth and characterization of 3-nitroacetanilide—A new organic nonlinear optical crystal by Bridgman technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenin, M.; Ramasamy, P.

2008-10-01

Single crystals of 3-nitroacetanilide, an organic nonlinear optical material has been grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method. The single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) data revealed the noncentrosymmetric crystal structure, which is an essential criterion for second harmonic generation. The crystalline nature of the grown crystals was confirmed using powder XRD techniques. The functional group of the compound is identified by FTIR spectrum. The thermal stability and its tendency to grow as single crystal in solution and in melt have been identified for the new title compound. The UV-vis spectrum of mNAA shows the lower optical cut off at 400 nm and was transparent in the visible region. The second harmonic generation efficiency was found using Kurtz powder technique. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the crystal were measured as a function of frequency and temperature, and the results are discussed.

An analytical approach to thermal modeling of Bridgman type crystal growth: One dimensional analysis. Computer program users manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cothran, E. K.

1982-01-01

The computer program written in support of one dimensional analytical approach to thermal modeling of Bridgman type crystal growth is presented. The program listing and flow charts are included, along with the complete thermal model. Sample problems include detailed comments on input and output to aid the first time user.

Crucible de-wetting during bridgman growth of semiconductors in microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duffar, T.; Paret-Harter, I.; Dusserre, P.

1990-02-01

After a literature survey and observations made during a space experiment, the phenomenon of crucible de-wetting by the crystal during Bridgman solidification in microgravity is explained by a model involving composite wetting of the crucible by the liquid, crystal angle of growth and interface advance. A ground experiment was run in order to validate this model which also explains why a crystal detaches from the crucible surface when a sand blasted crucible is used in Bridgman solidification on the ground. It is shown that de-wetting leads to enhanced quality of the crystal produced and that capillary-induced convection effects are not to be feared in this case. Consequently, it is highly advisable to use rough-surface crucibles for crystal growth both in microgravity and on the ground.

The Science of Detached Bridgman Growth and Solutocapillary Convection in Solid Solution Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szofran, F. R.; Volz, M. P.; Cobb, S. D.; Motakef, S.; Croell, A.; Dold, P.

2001-01-01

Bridgman and Float-zone crystal growth experiments are planned for NASA's First Materials Science Research Rack using the European Space Agency's Materials Science Laboratory with the Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) and Float Zone Furnace with Rotating Magnetic Field (FMF) inserts, respectively. Samples will include germanium and germanium-silicon alloys with up to 10 atomic percent silicon. The Bridgman part of the investigation includes detached growth samples and so there will be a solid-liquid-gas tri-junction in those experiments just as there will be in all float-zone experiments. There are other similarities as well as significant differences between the types of growth that will be discussed. The presentation will call attention to the reasons that experiments in microgravity will provide information unattainable from Earth-based experiments.

Investigation on synthesis, growth and characterization of CdIn2S2Se2 single crystal grown by vertical Bridgman method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayakumar, P.; Ramasamy, P.

2017-06-01

CdIn2S2Se2 polycrystalline material has been synthesized by melt oscillation method. Vertical Bridgman method was used to grow a good quality CdIn2S2Se2 single crystal. The crystalline phase and growth orientation were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction pattern and unit cell parameters were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The structural uniformity of CdIn2S2Se2 was studied using Raman scattering spectroscopy at room temperature. The stoichiometric composition variation along the CdIn2S2Se2 was measured using energy dispersive spectrometry. The transmission spectra of CdIn2S2Se2 single crystal gave 42% transmission in the NIR region. Thermal property of CdIn2S2Se2 has been studied using differential thermal analysis. Thermal diffusivity, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity were also measured. Electrical property was measured using Hall Effect measurement and it confirms the n-type semiconducting nature. The hardness behavior has been measured using Vickers micro hardness measurement and the indentation size effect has been observed.

Influence of Containment on the Growth of Silicon-Germanium (ICESAGE): A Materials Science Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.; Croll, A.

2014-01-01

A series of Ge Si crystal growth experiments are planned to be conducted in the Low 1-x x Gradient Furnace (LGF) onboard the International Space Station. The primary objective of the research is to determine the influence of containment on the processing-induced defects and impurity incorporation in germanium-silicon alloy crystals. A comparison will be made between crystals grown by the normal and "detached" Bridgman methods and the ground-based float zone technique. Crystals grown without being in contact with a container have superior quality to otherwise similar crystals grown in direct contact with a container, especially with respect to impurity incorporation, formation of dislocations, and residual stress in crystals. "Detached" or "dewetted" Bridgman growth is similar to regular Bridgman growth in that most of the melt is in contact with the crucible wall, but the crystal is separated from the wall by a small gap, typically of the order of 10-100 microns. Long duration reduced gravity is essential to test the proposed theory of detached growth. Detached growth requires the establishment of a meniscus between the crystal and the ampoule wall. The existence of this meniscus depends on the ratio of the strength of gravity to capillary forces. On Earth, this ratio is large and stable detached growth can only be obtained over limited conditions. Crystals grown detached on the ground exhibited superior structural quality as evidenced by measurements of etch pit density, synchrotron white beam X-ray topography and double axis X-ray diffraction.

Formation of Verbal Behavior of Deaf-Blind Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umezu, Hachizo

The monograph describes the development of verbal behavior over a 20-year period in two deaf Japanese children (5- and 7-years-old when first contacted by the author) with whom previous training attempts had failed. It is noted that prior training methods which had succeeded with Laura Bridgman and Helen Keller failed with these two children. A…

1000 to 1200 K time-dependent compressive deformation of single-crystalline and polycrystalline B2 Ni-40Al

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whittenberger, J. D.; Noebe, R. D.; Kumar, K. S.; Mannan, S. K.; Cullers, C. L.

1991-01-01

The 1000-K and 1200-K time-dependent deformation of 100-line-oriented and non-100-line-oriented single crystals of Ni-40Al (made by a modified Bridgman technique) was examined over a large range of strain rates (from 0.1 to 10 to the -7th per sec). The results were compared with those for polycrystalline Ni-40Al made by hot pressing XD synthesized powder. The results from measurements of slow-plastic-strain-rate properties of the two materials show that single crystals offer no strength advantage over polycrystalline material. Both forms were found to deform via a dislocation climb mechanism.

Alkali Halide Microstructured Optical Fiber for X-Ray Detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeHaven, S. L.; Wincheski, R. A.; Albin, S.

2014-01-01

Microstructured optical fibers containing alkali halide scintillation materials of CsI(Na), CsI(Tl), and NaI(Tl) are presented. The scintillation materials are grown inside the microstructured fibers using a modified Bridgman-Stockbarger technique. The x-ray photon counts of these fibers, with and without an aluminum film coating are compared to the output of a collimated CdTe solid state detector over an energy range from 10 to 40 keV. The photon count results show significant variations in the fiber output based on the materials. The alkali halide fiber output can exceed that of the CdTe detector, dependent upon photon counter efficiency and fiber configuration. The results and associated materials difference are discussed.

One-dimensional thermal modeling of vertical Bridgman-type crystal growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jasinski, T.; Naumann, R. J.

1984-01-01

Articles by Naumann (1982) and Jasinski et al. (1983) examined the axial temperature distribution of the charge during vertical Bridgman-type crystal growth. A comparison of their results demonstrates that Naumann's model is applicable for K (ratio of crucible to charge thermal conductivity) equal to or greater than 1 or for small Biot numbers. The Jasinski model provides a correction for larger Biot numbers and is also applicable for small values of K.

Performance testing of a vertical Bridgman furnace using experiments and numerical modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosch, W. R.; Fripp, A. L.; Debnam, W. J.; Pendergrass, T. K.

1997-04-01

This paper details a portion of the work performed in preparation for the growth of lead tin telluride crystals during a Space Shuttle flight. A coordinated effort of experimental measurements and numerical modeling was completed to determine the optimum growth parameters and the performance of the furnace. This work was done using NASA's Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace, but the procedures used should be equally valid for other vertical Bridgman furnaces.

On Favorable Thermal Fields for Detached Bridgman Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stelian, Carmen; Volz, Martin P.; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2009-01-01

The thermal fields of two Bridgman-like configurations, representative of real systems used in prior experiments for the detached growth of CdTe and Ge crystals, are studied. These detailed heat transfer computations are performed using the CrysMAS code and expand upon our previous analyses [14] that posited a new mechanism involving the thermal field and meniscus position to explain stable conditions for dewetted Bridgman growth. Computational results indicate that heat transfer conditions that led to successful detached growth in both of these systems are in accordance with our prior assertion, namely that the prevention of crystal reattachment to the crucible wall requires the avoidance of any undercooling of the melt meniscus during the growth run. Significantly, relatively simple process modifications that promote favorable thermal conditions for detached growth may overcome detrimental factors associated with meniscus shape and crucible wetting. Thus, these ideas may be important to advance the practice of detached growth for many materials.

High pressure as a probe of the solid state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruoff, Arthur L.

1994-07-01

It is a great pleasure and honor to receive the Percy Williams Bridgman Award. Henry Eyring, my Ph.D. advisor, instilled in me a desire to unravel the secrets of nature in the chemical and physical world. He continued what my mother had begun. From my father I learned the virtue and satisfaction of hard work. In reading Percy Bridgman's The Physics of High Pressure [1] after I came to Cornell, I became intrigued by the high-pressure variable, so I owe much to him. I received valuable assistance and encouragement from George Kennedy and Harry Drickamer (the first winner of the Bridgman Award) and later from Alvin Van Valkenburg (a co-inventor with three others of the diamond anvil cell). Most importantly, I received encouragement from my wife, Enid Seaton Ruoff, to carry out what is sometimes the arduous pursuit of science—a pursuit that involves long working hours—and I want especially to thank her.

Thermal analysis of Bridgman-Stockbarger growth. [mercury cadmium telluride single crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knopf, F. W.

1979-01-01

A thermal analysis of a cylindrical HgCdTe sample in a Bridgman-Stockbarger crystal growth configuration was conducted with emphasis on the thermal profile, interface shape and position, and the thermal gradients at the liquid-solid interface. Alloys of HgTe and CdTe with compositions approximating 20 percent CdTe, 80 percent HgTe were used. This composition results in a bandgap suited for the detection of 10.6 micron CO2 radiation. The sensitivity of the sample thermal characteristics to important growth parameters, such as thermal diffusivities, thermal conductivities, furnace temperature profile, ampoule dimensions, and growth velocity was assessed. Numerical techniques and associated computational models necessary to analyze the heat transfer process within the sample and the Bridgman-Stockbarger boundary conditions were developed. This thermal analysis mode was programmed in FORTRAN V, and is currently operational on the MSFC Univac 1100 system.

Progress in the Development of the Lead Tungstate Crystals for EM-Calorimetry in High-Energy Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novotny, R. W.; Brinkmann, K.-T.; Borisevich, A.; Dormenev, V.; Houzvicka, J.; Korjik, M.; Zaunick, H.-G.

2017-11-01

Even at present time there is a strong interest and demand for high quality lead tungstate crystals (PbWO4, PWO) for electromagnetic (EM) calorimetry. PWO is implemented into the EM calorimeter of the CMS-ECAL detector at LHC [1] and required for the completion of the PANDA EMC [2] and various ongoing detector projects at Jefferson Lab. The successful mass production of PWO using the Czochralski method was stopped after bankruptcy of the Bogoroditsk Technical Chemical Plant (BTCP) in Russia as major producer so far. The Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Science (China) was considered as an alternative producer using the modified Bridgman method. The company CRYTUR (Turnov, Czech Republic) with good experience in the development and production of different types of inorganic oxide crystals has restarted at the end of 2014 the development of lead tungstate for mass production based on the Czochralski method. An impressive progress was achieved since then. The growing technology was optimized to produce full size samples with the quality meeting the PANDA-EMC specifications for PWO-II. We will present a detailed progress report on the research program in collaboration with groups at Orsay and JLab. The full size crystals will be characterized with respect to optical performance, light yield, kinetics and radiation hardness.

A numerical study of steady crystal growth in a vertical Bridgman device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalics, Miklos Kalman

Electronics based on semiconductors creates an enormous demand for high quality semiconductor single crystals. The vertical Bridgman device is commonly used for growing single crystals for a variety of materials such as GaAs, InP and HgCdTe. A mathematical model is presented for steady crystal growth under conditions where crystal growth is determined strictly by heat transfer. The ends of the ampoule are chosen far away from the insulation zone to allow for steady growth. A numerical solution is sought for this mathematical model. The equations are transformed into a rectangular geometry and appropriate finite difference techniques are applied on the transformed equations. Newton's method solves the nonlinear problem. To improve efficiency GMRES with preconditioning is used to compute the Newton iterates. The numerical results are used to compare with two current asymptotic theories that assume small Biot numbers. Results indicate that one of the asymptotic theories is accurate for even moderate Biot numbers.

High compositional homogeneity of CdTe{sub x}Se{sub 1−x} crystals grown by the Bridgman method

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

Roy, U. N.; Bolotnikov, A. E.; Camarda, G. S.

2015-02-01

We obtained high-quality CdTe{sub x}Se{sub 1−x} (CdTeSe) crystals from ingots grown by the vertical Bridgman technique. The compositional uniformity of the ingots was evaluated by X-ray fluorescence at BNL’s National Synchrotron Light Source X27A beam line. The compositional homogeneity was highly uniform throughout the ingot, and the effective segregation coefficient of Se was ∼1.0. This high uniformity offers potential opportunity to enhance the yield of the materials for both infrared substrate and radiation-detector applications, so greatly lowering the cost of production and also offering us the prospect to grow large-diameter ingots for use as large-area substrates and for producing highermore » efficiency gamma-ray detectors. The concentration of secondary phases was found to be much lower, by eight- to ten fold compared to that of conventional Cd{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}Te (CdZnTe or CZT)« less

High Compositional Homogeneity of CdTe xSe 1-x Crystals Grown by the Bridgman Method

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

Roy, U. N.; Bolotnikov, A. E.; Camarda, G. S.

2015-02-03

We obtained high-quality CdTe xSe 1-x (CdTeSe) crystals from ingots grown by the vertical Bridgman technique. The compositional uniformity of the ingots was evaluated by X-ray fluorescence at BNL’s National Synchrotron Light Source X27A beam line. The resulting compositional homogeneity was highly uniform throughout the ingot, and the effective segregation coefficient of Se was ~1.0. This uniformity offers potential opportunity to enhance the yield of the materials for both infrared substrate and radiation-detector applications, so greatly lowering the cost of production and also offering us the prospect to grow large-diameter ingots for use as large-area substrates and for producing highermore » efficiency gamma-ray detectors. The concentration of secondary phases was found to be much lower, by eight- to ten fold compared to that of conventional Cd xZn 1-xTe (CdZnTe or CZT).« less

Theoretical analysis of 3D, transient convection and segregation in microgravity Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeckel, Andrew; de Almeida, Valmor F.; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2000-01-01

We present results from simulations of transient acceleration (g-jitter) in both axial and transverse directions in a simplified prototype of a vertical Bridgman crystal growth system. We also present results on the effects of applying a steady magnetic field in axial or transverse directions to damp the flow. In most cases application of a magnetic field suppresses flow oscillations, but for transverse jitter at intermediate frequencies, flow oscillations grow larger. .

Superheating Suppresses Structural Disorder in Layered BiI3 Semiconductors Grown by the Bridgman Method

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

Johns, Paul M.; Sulekar, Soumitra; Yeo, Shinyoung

2016-01-01

The susceptibility of layered structures to stacking faults is a problem in some of the more attractive semiconductor materials for ambient-temperature radiation detectors. In the work presented here, Bridgman-grown BiI3 layered single crystals are investigated to understand and eliminate this structural disorder, which reduces radiation detector performance. The use of superheating gradients has been shown to improve crystal quality in non-layered semiconductor crystals; thus the technique was here explored to improve the growth of BiI3. When investigating the homogeneity of non-superheated crystals, highly geometric void defects were found to populate the bulk of the crystals. Applying a superheating gradient tomore » the melt prior to crystal growth improved structural quality and decreased defect density from the order of 4600 voids per cm3 to 300 voids per cm3. Corresponding moderate improvements to electronic properties also resulted from the superheat gradient method of crystal growth. Comparative measurements through infrared microscopy, etch-pit density, x-ray rocking curves, and sheet resistivity readings show that superheat gradients in BiI3 growth led to higher quality crystals.« less

Influence of Containment on the Growth of Silicon-Germanium (ICESAGE): A Materials Science ISS Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.; Croll, A.

2014-01-01

A series of Ge(1-x)Si(x) crystal growth experiments are planned to be conducted in the Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) onboard the International Space Station. The primary objective of the research is to determine the influence of containment on the processinginduced defects and impurity incorporation in germanium-silicon alloy crystals. A comparison will be made between crystals grown by the normal and "detached" Bridgman methods and the ground-based float zone technique. Crystals grown without being in contact with a container have superior quality to otherwise similar crystals grown in direct contact with a container, especially with respect to impurity incorporation, formation of dislocations, and residual stress in crystals. "Detached" or "dewetted" Bridgman growth is similar to regular Bridgman growth in that most of the melt is in contact with the crucible wall, but the crystal is separated from the wall by a small gap, typically of the order of 10-100 microns. Long duration reduced gravity is essential to test the proposed theory of detached growth. Detached growth requires the establishment of a meniscus between the crystal and the ampoule wall. The existence of this meniscus depends on the ratio of the strength of gravity to capillary forces. On Earth, this ratio is large and stable detached growth can only be obtained over limited conditions. Crystals grown detached on the ground exhibited superior structural quality as evidenced by measurements of etch pit density, synchrotron white beam X-ray topography and double axis X-ray diffraction. The plans for the flight experiments will be described.

Influence of Containment on the Growth of Silicon-Germanium: A Materials Science Flight Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.; Croell, A.

2012-01-01

A series of Ge(1-x)Si(x) crystal growth experiments are planned to be conducted in the Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) onboard the International Space Station. The primary objective of the research is to determine the influence of containment on the processing-induced defects and impurity incorporation in germanium-silicon alloy crystals. A comparison will be made between crystals grown by the normal and "detached" Bridgman methods and the ground-based float zone technique. Crystals grown without being in contact with a container have superior quality to otherwise similar crystals grown in direct contact with a container, especially with respect to impurity incorporation, formation of dislocations, and residual stress in crystals. "Detached" or "dewetted" Bridgman growth is similar to regular Bridgman growth in that most of the melt is in contact with the crucible wall, but the crystal is separated from the wall by a small gap, typically of the order of 10-100 microns. Long duration reduced gravity is essential to test the proposed theory of detached growth. Detached growth requires the establishment of a meniscus between the crystal and the ampoule wall. The existence of this meniscus depends on the ratio of the strength of gravity to capillary forces. On Earth, this ratio is large and stable detached growth can only be obtained over limited conditions. Crystals grown detached on the ground exhibited superior structural quality as evidenced by measurements of etch pit density, synchrotron white beam X-ray topography and double axis X-ray diffraction. The plans for the flight experiments will be described.

GaSe and GaTe anisotropic layered semiconductors for radiation detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Krishna C.; Choi, Michael; Kang, Sung Hoon; Rauh, R. David; Wei, Jiuan; Zhang, Hui; Zheng, Lili; Cui, Y.; Groza, M.; Burger, A.

2007-09-01

High quality detector grade GaSe and GaTe single crystals have been grown by a modified vertical Bridgman technique using high purity Ga (7N) and in-house zone refined (ZR) precursor materials (Se and Te). A state-of-the-art computer model, MASTRAPP, is used to model heat and mass transfer in the Bridgman growth system and to predict the stress distribution in the as-grown crystals. The model accounts for heat transfer in the multiphase system, convection in the melt, and interface dynamics. The crystals harvested from ingots of 8-10 cm length and 2.5 cm diameter, have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, low temperature photoluminescence (PL), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and optical absorption/transmission measurements. Single element devices up to 1 cm2 in area have been fabricated from the crystals and tested as radiation detectors by measuring current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and pulse height spectra using 241Am source. The crystals have shown high promise as nuclear detectors with their high dark resistivity (>=10 9 Ω .cm), good charge transport properties (μτ e ~ 1.4x10 -5 cm2/V and μτ h ~ 1.5x10 -5 cm2/V), and relatively good energy resolution (~4% energy resolution at 60 keV). Details of numerical modeling and simulation, detector fabrication, and testing using a 241Am energy source (60 keV) is presented in this paper.

Growth and characterization of 4-chloro-3-nitrobenzophenone single crystals using vertical Bridgman technique

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

Aravinth, K., E-mail: anandcgc@gmail.com; Babu, G. Anandha, E-mail: anandcgc@gmail.com; Ramasamy, P., E-mail: anandcgc@gmail.com

2014-04-24

4-chloro-3-nitrobenzophenone (4C3N) has been grown by using vertical Bridgman technique. The grown crystal was confirmed by Powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystalline perfection of the grown crystal was examined by high-resolution X-ray diffraction study. The fluorescence spectra of grown 4C3N single crystals exhibit emission peak at 575 nm. The micro hardness measurements were used to analyze the mechanical property of the grown crystal.

High resolution X-ray diffraction imaging of lead tin telluride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steiner, Bruce; Dobbyn, Ronald C.; Black, David; Burdette, Harold; Kuriyama, Masao; Spal, Richard; Simchick, Richard; Fripp, Archibald

1991-01-01

High resolution X-ray diffraction images of two directly comparable crystals of lead tin telluride, one Bridgman-grown on Space Shuttle STS 61A and the other terrestrially Bridgman-grown under similar conditions from identical material, present different subgrain structure. In the terrestrial, sample 1 the appearance of an elaborate array of subgrains is closely associated with the intrusion of regions that are out of diffraction in all of the various images. The formation of this elaborate subgrain structure is inhibited by growth in microgravity.

Natural convection in the Hale-Shaw cell of horizontal Bridgman solidification

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

Lu, Y.; Liu, J.; Zhou, Y.

1995-08-01

The numerical simulation of natural convection in the Hale-Shaw cell during horizontal Bridgman solidification reveals that the convection is present even for the very thin cell. The effects of the horizontal temperature gradient, G, thickness of the cell, H, temperature difference between the top and bottom of the cell, and other parameters have been studied. These findings have been confirmed by experiments through direct observation and measurement of convection in the cell containing succinonitrile transparent model alloy.

Influence of Containment on the Growth of Germanium-Silicon in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.; Croll, A.; Sorgenfrei, T.

2017-01-01

This investigation involves the comparison of results achieved from three types of crystal growth of germanium and germanium-silicon alloys: Float zone growth, Bridgman growth, and Detached Bridgman growth. The fundamental goal of the proposed research is to determine the influence of containment on the processing-induced defects and impurity incorporation in germanium-silicon (GeSi) crystals (silicon concentration in the solid up to 5%) for three different growth configurations in order to quantitatively assess the improvements of crystal quality possible by detached growth.

Alkali halide microstructured optical fiber for X-ray detection

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

DeHaven, S. L., E-mail: stanton.l.dehaven@nasa.gov, E-mail: russel.a.wincheski@nasa.gov; Wincheski, R. A., E-mail: stanton.l.dehaven@nasa.gov, E-mail: russel.a.wincheski@nasa.gov; Albin, S., E-mail: salbin@nsu.edu

Microstructured optical fibers containing alkali halide scintillation materials of CsI(Na), CsI(Tl), and NaI(Tl) are presented. The scintillation materials are grown inside the microstructured fibers using a modified Bridgman-Stockbarger technique. The x-ray photon counts of these fibers, with and without an aluminum film coating are compared to the output of a collimated CdTe solid state detector over an energy range from 10 to 40 keV. The photon count results show significant variations in the fiber output based on the materials. The alkali halide fiber output can exceed that of the CdTe detector, dependent upon photon counter efficiency and fiber configuration. Themore » results and associated materials difference are discussed.« less

Characteristics of a promising new thermoelectric material - Ruthenium silicide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohta, Toshitaka; Vining, Cronin B.; Allevato, Camillo E.

1991-01-01

A preliminary study on arc-melted samples has indicated that ruthenium silicide has the potential to obtain figure-of-merit values four times higher than that of conventional silicon-germanium material. In order to realize the high figure-of-merit values, high-quality crystal from the melt is needed. A Bridgman-like method has been employed and has realized much better crystals than arc-melted ones.

High pressure as a probe of the solid state

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

Ruoff, A.L.

1994-07-10

It is a great pleasure and honor to receive the Percy Williams Bridgman Award. Henry Eyring, my Ph.D. advisor, instilled in me a desire to unravel the secrets of nature in the chemical and physical world. He continued what my mother had begun. From my father I learned the virtue and satisfaction of hard work. In reading Percy Bridgman's [ital The] [ital Physics] [ital of] [ital High] [ital Pressure] [1] after I came to Cornell, I became intrigued by the high-pressure variable, so I owe much to him. I received valuable assistance and encouragement from George Kennedy and Harry Drickamermore » (the first winner of the Bridgman Award) and later from Alvin Van Valkenburg (a co-inventor with three others of the diamond anvil cell). Most importantly, I received encouragement from my wife, Enid Seaton Ruoff, to carry out what is sometimes the arduous pursuit of science---a pursuit that involves long working hours---and I want especially to thank her. [copyright] 1994 American Institute of Physics« less

Influence of Containment on the Growth of Silicon-Germanium: A Materials Science Flight Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.; Croell, A.

2012-01-01

This investigation involves the comparison of results achieved from three types of crystal growth of germanium and germanium-silicon alloys: (1) Float zone growth (2) Bridgman growth (3) Detached Bridgman growth crystal The fundamental goal of the proposed research is to determine the influence of containment on the processing-induced defects and impurity incorporation in germanium-silicon (GeSi) crystals (silicon concentration in the solid up to 5 at%) for three different growth configurations in order to quantitatively assess the improvements of crystal quality possible by detached growth.

Effects of centrifugal acceleration on the flows and segregation in vertical Bridgman crystal growth with steady ampoule rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, C. W.

2001-07-01

The effects of centrifugal acceleration on the flows and segregation in vertical Bridgman crystal growth with steady ampoule rotation are investigated through numerical simulation. The numerical model is based on the Boussinesq approximation in a rotating frame, and the fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, and the growth interface are solved simultaneously by a robust finite-volume/Newton method. The growth of gallium-doped germanium (GaGe) in the Grenoble furnace is adopted as an example. The calculated results at small Froude number (Fr<<1) are consistent with the previous prediction (Lan, J. Crystal growth 197 (1999) 983). However, at a high rotation speed or in reduced gravity, where the centrifugal acceleration becomes important (Fr˜1), the results are quite different due to the secondary flow induced. Since the direction of the induced flow is different from that of the buoyancy convection due to the concave interface, the flow damping is more effective than that due to the Coriolis force alone. More importantly, radial segregation can be reversed during the flow transition from one to the other.

Investigation of Artificial Forced Cooling in the Bridgman Crystal Growth of Cadmium Zinc Telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Juncheng; Li, Jiao; Zhang, Guodong; Li, Changxing; Lennon, Craig; Sivananthan, Siva

2007-08-01

The effects of artificial forced cooling on the solid liquid interface and on solute segregation were investigated by modeling the vertical Bridgman method for the single-crystal growth of CdZnTe, taking into consideration effects such as increasing the axial outward heat flux from the crucible bottom, the radial outward heat flux from the crucible wall, and the carbon film thickness on the crucible inner wall. Axial artificially forced cooling noticeably increases convection and the temperature gradient in the melt next to the solid liquid interface, and substantially reduces interface concavity at the initial solidification stage. Interface concavity increases a little when the solidification proceeds further, however. Axial artificially forced cooling reduces radial solute segregation of the initial segment of the grown crystal and slightly increases the solute iso-concentration segment. Radial artificially forced cooling enhances melt convection substantially, affects solid liquid interface concavity only slightly, and hardly affects solute segregation in the grown crystal. Doubling the carbon film thickness weakens convection of the melt in front of the interface, substantially increases interface concavity, and hardly affects solute segregation in the grown crystal.

Growth of Solid Solution Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lehoczky, S. L.; Szofran, F. R.; Holland, L. R.

1985-01-01

The major objective of this program is to determine the conditions under which single crystals of solid solutions can be grown from the melt in a Bridgman configuration with a high degree of chemical homogeneity. The central aim is to assess the role of gravity in the growth process and to explore the possible advantages for growth in the absence of gravity. The alloy system being investigated is the solid solution semiconductor with x-values appropriate for infrared detector applications in Hg sub (1-x) Cd sub x Te the 8 to 14 micro m wavelength region. Both melt and Te-solvent growth are being considered. The study consists of an extensive ground-based experimental and theoretical research effort followed by flight experimentation where appropriate. Experimental facilities have been established for the purification, casting, and crystal growth of the alloy system. Facilities have been also established for the metallurgical, compositional, electric and optical characterization of the alloys. Crystals are being grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method and are analyzed by various experimental techniques to evaluate the effects of growth conditions on the longitudinal and radial compositional variations and defect densities in the crystals.

Bridgman growth and scintillation properties of calcium tungstate single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenhai; Jiang, Linwen; Chen, Yaping; Chen, Peng; Chen, Hongbing; Mao, Rihua

2017-12-01

CaWO4 single crystal with large size was grown by Bridgman method. The results of transmission spectra show that the transmittance of CaWO4 crystal reaches 79-85% in 320-800 nm wavelength range. The refraction index is near 1.80 in visible and infrared region. CaWO4 crystal shows a broad emission band centered at 424 nm under X-ray excitation and centered at 416 nm under ultraviolet (λex = 280 nm) excitation. The decay kinetics of CaWO4 single crystal shows double-exponential decay with fast decay constant τ1 = 5.4 μs and slow decay constant τ2 = 177.1 μs. The energy resolution of CaWO4 crystal was found to be 31.6% in the net peak of 545.9 channel. Meanwhile, the absolute output is at the lever of 19,000 ± 1000 photons/MeV. The results indicate the scintillator of CaWO4 single crystal has great potential in the applications of high-energy physics and nuclear physics due to its high light output and great energy resolution.

Numerical simulation of heat and mass transport during space crystal growth with MEPHISTO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yao, Minwu; Raman, Raghu; Degroh, Henry C., III

1995-01-01

The MEPHISTO space experiments are collaborative United States and French investigations aimed at understanding the fundamentals of crystal growth. Microgravity experiments were conducted aboard the USMP-1 and -2 missions on STS-52 and 62 in October 1992 and March 1994 respectively. MEPHISTO is a French designed and built Bridgman type furnace which uses the Seebeck technique to monitor the solid/liquid interface temperature and Peltier pulsing to mark the location and shape of the solid/liquid interface. In this paper the Bridgman growth of Sn-Bi and Bi-Sn under terrestrial and microgravity conditions is modeled using the finite element code, FIDAP*. The numerical model considers fully coupled heat and mass transport, fluid motion and solid/liquid phase changes in the crystal growth process. The primary goals of this work are: to provide a quantitative study of the thermal buoyancy-induced convection in the melt for the two flight experiments; to compare the vertical and horizontal growth configurations and systematically evaluate the effects of various gravity levels on the solute segregation. Numerical results of the vertical and horizontal Bridgman growth configurations are presented.

Studies on the growth, structural, optical, mechanical properties of 8-hydroxyquinoline single crystal by vertical Bridgman technique

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

Prabhakaran, SP.; Babu, R. Ramesh, E-mail: rampap2k@yahoo.co.in; Velusamy, P.

2011-11-15

Highlights: {yields} Growth of bulk single crystal of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) by vertical Bridgman technique for the first time. {yields} The crystalline perfection is reasonably good. {yields} The photoluminescence spectrum shows that the material is suitable for blue light emission. -- Abstract: Single crystal of organic nonlinear optical material, 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) of dimension 52 mm (length) x 12 mm (dia.) was grown from melt using vertical Bridgman technique. The crystal system of the material was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystalline perfection of the grown crystal was examined by high-resolution X-ray diffraction study. Low angular spread around 400'' ofmore » the diffraction curve and the low full width half maximum values show that the crystalline perfection is reasonably good. The recorded photoluminescence spectrum shows that the material is suitable for blue light emission. Optical transmittance for the UV and visible region was measured and mechanical strength was estimated from Vicker's microhardness test along the growth face of the grown crystal.« less

Time-of-Flight Measurements on TlBr Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, K.; Shorohov, M.; Sawada, T.; Seto, S.

2015-04-01

Carrier transport properties of TlBr crystals grown using the Bridgman method were investigated by the time-of-flight technique. The electron and hole mobilities were measured as 20 - 27 cm2 /Vs and 1.0 - 2.0 cm2/Vs respectively at room temperature. The temperature dependence of the electron mobility increases with decreasing temperature as approximated by a well-known empirical formula reflecting the reciprocal of the LO-phonon density.

Structure of Al-Fe alloys prepared by different methods after severe plastic deformation under pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobromyslov, A. V.; Taluts, N. I.

2017-06-01

Al-Fe alloys prepared by casting, rapid quenching from the melt, and mechanical alloying from elemental powders have been studied using X-ray diffraction analysis, optical metallography, transmission electron microscopy, and microhardness measurements in the initial state and after severe plastic deformation by high-pressure torsion using Bridgman anvils. The relationship between the phase composition, microstructure, and the microhardness of the investigated alloys has been established.

Modelling of convective processes during the Bridgman growth of poly-silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, V. N.

2009-09-01

An original 3D model was used to numerically examine convective heat-and-mass transfer processes in the melt during the growth of polycrystalline silicon in vertical Bridgman configuration. The flow in the liquid was modelled using the Navier — Stokes equations in the Boussinesq approximation. The distribution of dissolved impurities was determined by solving the convective diffusion equation. The effects due to non-uniform heating of the lateral wall of the vessel and due to the shape of the crystallization front on the structure of melt flows and on the distribution of dissolved impurities in the liquid are examined.

Numerical modeling of melt flows in vertical Bridgman configuration affected by a rotating heat field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokh, K. A.; Popov, V. N.; Kokh, A. E.; Krasin, B. A.; Nepomnyaschikh, A. I.

2007-05-01

In this work, the numerical modeling of convection in a vertical Bridgman system under the influence of a rotating heat field was studied. First results show that changing of the heating from an axi-symmetric to a non-symmetric non-stationary configuration results in an increase in the convective flow and thus led to an increase of the melt uniformity because the convective cell is occupying almost the entire melt domain. Experimental growth of polycrystalline silicon under such special conditions provided ingots with improved texture and uniformity of electronic properties.

On the scaling analysis of the solute boundary layer in idealized growth configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garandet, J. P.; Duffar, T.; Favier, J. J.

1990-11-01

A scaling procedure is applied to the equation governing chemical transport in idealized Czochralski and horizontal Bridgman growth experiments. Our purpose is to get a fair estimate of the solute boundary layer in front of the solidification interface. The results are very good in the Czochralski type configuration, the maximum error with respect to the semi-analytical solution of Burton, Prim and Schlichter being of the order of 20%. In the Bridgman type configuration, our predictions compare well with the values of the numerical simulations; however, more data would be needed for a definite conclusion to be drawn.

Investigation of Vibrational Control of the Bridgman Crystal Growth Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fedoseyev, Alexandre I.

1998-01-01

The objectives are: Conduct a parametric theoretical and numerical investigation of vibro-convective buoyancy-driven flow in differentially heated cylindrical containers. Investigate buoyant vibro-convective transport regimes in Bridgman-type systems with a focus on the use of vibration to suppress, or control, convection in order to achieve transport control during crystal growth. Assess the feasibility of vibro-convective control as a means of offsetting "g-jitter" effects under microgravity conditions, Exchange information with the experimental group at the General Physics Institute (GPI) of the Russian Academy of Science who are undertaking a complementary experimental program.

Characteristics of dielectric properties and conduction mechanism of TlInS2:Cu single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Ali, H. A. M.; El-Zaidia, E. F. M.

2013-12-01

Single crystals of TlInS2:Cu were grown by the modified Bridgman method. The dielectric behavior of TlInS2:Cu was investigated using the impedance spectroscopy technique. The real (ε1), imaginary (ε2) parts of complex dielectric permittivity and ac conductivity were measured in the frequency range (42-2×105) Hz with a variation of temperature in the range from 291 K to 483 K. The impedance data were presented in Nyquist diagrams for different temperatures. The frequency dependence of σtot (ω) follows the Jonscher's universal dynamic law with the relation σtot (ω)=σdc+Aωs, (where s is the frequency exponent). The mechanism of the ac charge transport across the layers of TlInS2:Cu single crystals was referred to the hopping over localized states near the Fermi level. The examined system exhibits temperature dependence of σac (ω), which showed a linear increase with the increase in temperature at different frequencies. Some parameters were calculated as: the density of localized states near the Fermi level, NF, the average time of charge carrier hopping between localized states, τ, and the average hopping distance, R.

Continuous Cooling Transformation in Cast Duplex Stainless Steels CD3MN and CD3MWCuN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yoon-Jun; Chumbley, L. Scott; Gleeson, Brian

2008-04-01

The kinetics of brittle phase transformation in cast duplex stainless steels CD3MN and CD3MWCuN was investigated under continuous cooling conditions. Cooling rates slower than 5 °C/min. were obtained using a conventional tube furnace with a programable controller. In order to obtain controlled high cooling rates, a furnace equipped to grow crystals by means of the Bridgman method was used. Samples were soaked at 1100 °C for 30 min and cooled at different rates by changing the furnace position at various velocities. The velocity of the furnace movement was correlated to a continuous-cooling-temperature profile for the samples. Continuous-cooling-transformation (CCT) diagrams were constructed based on experimental observations through metallographic sample preparations and optical microscopy. These are compared to calculated diagrams derived from previously determined isothermal transformation diagrams. The theoretical calculations employed a modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (JMA) equation (or Avrami equation) under assumption of the additivity rule. Rockwell hardness tests were made to present the correlation between hardness change and the amount of brittle phases (determined by tint-etching to most likely be a combination of sigma + chi) after cooling.

The composition effect on the thermal and optical properties across CdZnTe crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strzałkowski, K.

2016-11-01

Cd1-x Zn x Te mixed crystals investigated in this work were grown from the melt using the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method in the whole range of composition 0  <  x  <  1 that is from one binary crystal (CdTe) to another (ZnTe). The real composition of grown crystals was measured with the SEM/EDS method along the growth axis. The segregation coefficient of Zn in a CdTe matrix has been evaluated as being close to unity. The energy gap as a function of the composition was determined from transmission spectroscopy. Thanks to that, the bowing parameter of this ternary alloy was found to be 0.458. In this work the systematical study of thermal properties of Cd1-x Zn x Te alloys from one binary crystal (CdTe) to another (ZnTe) grown by the vertical Bridgman technique were undertaken for the first time. The thermal diffusivity and effusivity of the investigated crystals were derived from the experimental data and allowed the thermal conductivity to be calculated. Diagrams of the thermal conductivity versus composition were analyzed applying the model for mixed semiconducting crystals given by Sadao Adachi. Thanks to that, the contribution of the thermal resistivity arising from the lattice disorder to the total resistivity of the crystal has been determined.

Thermoluminescence kinetic features of Lithium Iodide (LiI) single crystal grown by vertical Bridgman technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, D. Joseph; Kim, H. J.; Kim, Sunghwan; Khan, Sajid

2017-08-01

Single crystal of pure Lithium Iodide (LiI) has been grown from melt by using the vertical Bridgman technique. Thermoluminescence (TL) Measurements were carried out at 1 K/s following X-ray irradiation. The TL glow curve consists of a dominant peak at (peak-maximum Tm) 393 K and one low temperature peak of weaker intensity at 343 K. The order of kinetics (b), activation energy (E), and the frequency factor (S) for a prominent TL glow peak observed around 393 K for LiI crystals are reported for the first time. The peak shape analysis of the glow peak indicates the kinetics to be of the first order. The value of E is calculated using various standard methods such as initial rise (IR), whole glow peak (WGP), peak shape (PS), computerized glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) and Variable Heating rate (VHR) methods. An average value of 1.06 eV is obtained in this case. In order to validate the obtained parameters, numerically integrated TL glow curve has been generated using experimentally determined kinetic parameters. The effective atomic number (Zeff) for this material was determined and found to be 52. X-ray induced emission spectra of pure LiI single crystal are studied at room temperature and it is found that the sample exhibit sharp emission at 457 nm and broad emission at 650 nm.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al2O3/Er3Al5O12 Binary Eutectic Ceramic Prepared by Bridgman Method

PubMed Central

Song, Caiyu; Wang, Shunheng; Liu, Juncheng; Zhai, Shuoyan

2018-01-01

Directionally solidified Al2O3/Er3Al5O12 (EAG) eutectic ceramic was prepared via vertical Bridgman method with high-frequency induction heating. The effects of the growth rate on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the solidified ceramic were investigated. The experimental results showed that there were no pores or amorphous phases in the directionally solidified Al2O3/EAG eutectic ceramic. Al2O3 phase was embedded in the EAG matrix phase, and the two phases were intertwined with each other to form a typical binary eutectic “hieroglyphic” structure. With the increase of growth rate, the phase size and spacing of the solidified Al2O3/EAG ceramic both decreased, and the growth rate and phase spacing satisfied the λ2v ≈ 60 formula of Jackson-Hunt theory. The cross section microstructure of the solidified ceramic always exhibited an irregular eutectic growth, while the longitudinal section microstructure presented a directional growth. The mechanical properties of the solidified ceramic gradually increased with the increase of growth rate, and the maximum hardness and fracture toughness could reach 21.57 GPa and 2.98 MPa·m1/2 respectively. It was considered that the crack deflection and branching could enhance the toughness of the solidified ceramic effectively. PMID:29601545

Effect of steady crucible rotation on segregation in high-pressure vertical Bridgman growth of cadmium zinc telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeckel, Andrew; Patrick Doty, F.; Derby, Jeffrey J.

1999-05-01

Three-dimensional axisymmetric, time-dependent simulations of the high-pressure vertical Bridgman growth of large-diameter cadmium zinc telluride are performed to study the effect of steady crucible rotation on axial and radial segregation in the grown crystal. The model includes details of heat transfer, melt convection, solid-liquid interface shape, and pseudo-binary zinc segregation. Imposing a moderate rotation rate of 10 rpm on the system slightly improves axial segregation but makes radial segregation much worse. Moreover, values of dimensionless thermal Rossby and Taylor numbers calculated for this system indicate that the baroclinic instability may occur at the rotation rates studied.

Influence of temperature oscillations on the interface velocity during Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stelian, Carmen; Duffar, Thierry; Santailler, Jean-Louis; Nicoara, Irina

2002-04-01

The objective of this work is the study of the effect of thermal oscillations on the interface velocity in the vertical Bridgman configuration. In order to study this effect, a transient numerical simulation of the heat transfer and melt convection is performed in a simplified geometrical model. The relation between the thermal signal amplitude and the amplitude of the velocity oscillations is investigated. When the oscillation period is varied, an asymptotic evolution of the velocity oscillation amplitude, with a cut-off period, is observed. It is shown that latent heat of solidification has a huge effect on the velocity amplitude, but not on the cut-off frequency.

Effect of accelerated crucible rotation on the segregation of impurities in vertical Bridgman growth of multi-crystalline silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellmann, M. P.; Meese, E. A.; Arnberg, L.

2011-03-01

We have performed axisymmetric, transient simulations of the vertical Bridgman growth of mc-silicon to study the effect of the accelerated crucible rotation technique (ACRT) on the melt flow and impurity segregation. A solute transport model has been applied to predict the final segregation pattern of impurities in a circular ingot. The sinusoidal ACRT rotation cycle considered here suppresses mixing in the melt near the center, resulting in diffusion-limited mass transport. Therefore the radial impurity segregation is increased towards the center. The effect of increased radial segregation is intensified for low values of the Ekman time scale.

Growth of concentrated GaInSb alloys with improved chemical homogeneity at low and variable pulling rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stelian, C.; Duffar, T.; Mitric, A.; Corregidor, V.; Alves, L. C.; Barradas, N. P.

2005-09-01

Crystal growth of concentrated GaInSb alloys during vertical Bridgman method has been numerically and experimentally investigated. The numerical and experimental results show a strong solutal damping effect on the melt convection in the case of concentrated (x=0.1 and 0.2) alloys grown at 1 μm/s pulling rate of the crucible. This leads to a huge increase of chemical heterogeneities and solid-liquid interface curvature. Analytical relations, which describe the solutal effect on the melt convection, show that the damping effect can be avoided by using low growth rates. The experimental results for Bridgman solidification of Ga0.85In0.15Sb at V=0.4 μm/s pulling rate, show that the axial and radial variations of indium concentration in the sample are reduced as compared with crystals grown at high pulling rates. The interface deflection is maintained at lower values during the growth process and the morphological destabilization of the interface occurs only at the end of the solidification. The growth at variable pulling rates is also investigated and from the numerical modeling it is found that the axial chemical homogeneity of the sample can be improved.

Improving the growth of CZT crystals for radiation detectors: a modeling perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derby, Jeffrey J.; Zhang, Nan; Yeckel, Andrew

2012-10-01

The availability of large, single crystals of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) with uniform properties is key to improving the performance of gamma radiation detectors fabricated from them. Towards this goal, we discuss results obtained by computational models that provide a deeper understanding of crystal growth processes and how the growth of CZT can be improved. In particular, we discuss methods that may be implemented to lessen the deleterious interactions between the ampoule wall and the growing crystal via engineering a convex solidification interface. For vertical Bridgman growth, a novel, bell-curve furnace temperature profile is predicted to achieve macroscopically convex solid-liquid interface shapes during melt growth of CZT in a multiple-zone furnace. This approach represents a significant advance over traditional gradient-freeze profiles, which always yield concave interface shapes, and static heat transfer designs, such as pedestal design, that achieve convex interfaces over only a small portion of the growth run. Importantly, this strategy may be applied to any Bridgman configuration that utilizes multiple, controllable heating zones. Realizing a convex solidification interface via this adaptive bell-curve furnace profile is postulated to result in better crystallinity and higher yields than conventional CZT growth techniques.

On the effect of thermodiffusion on solute segregation during the growth of semiconductor materials by the vertical Bridgman method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben Sassi, Mokhtar; Kaddeche, Slim; Lappa, Marcello; Millet, Séverine; Henry, Daniel; Ben Hadid, Hamda

2017-01-01

The effect of thermodiffusion on dopant distribution in the melt and in the grown crystal is investigated numerically for a vertical Bridgman configuration for situations of pure thermal convection corresponding to dilute alloys. The dopant distribution is shown to be significantly affected by the Soret parameter value. The sensitivity of the system to a variety of parameters, including the Grashof number and the so-called furnace residence time, i.e. the time during which the crucible is maintained in the furnace before initiating the solidification process, is assessed by means of parametric simulations. Moreover, the results indicate that variations in the sign of the Soret parameter can lead to diametrically opposite behaviors, while an increase in the intensity of the thermal convection generally leads to a mitigation of the effects induced by thermodiffusion. On the basis of the numerical results some useful criteria are drawn which could help crystal growers to discern the complex interrelations among the various parameters under one's control (that are not independent of one another) and to elaborate rational guidelines relating to strategies to be used to improve the quality of the resulting crystals.

Vertical Bridgman growth and characterization of Cd 0.95-xMn xZn 0.05Te (x=0.20, 0.30) single-crystal ingots

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

Bolotnikov, A.; Kopach, V.; Kopach, O.

Solid-liquid phase transitions in Cd 0.95-xMn xZn 0.05Te alloys with x = 0.20 and 0.30 were investigated by differential thermal analysis (DTA). The heating/cooling rates were 5 and 10 K/min with a melt dwell time of 10, 30 and 60 minutes. Cd 0.95-xMn xZn 0.05Te (x=0.20, 0.30) single-crystal ingots were grown by the vertical Bridgman method guided using the DTA results. Te inclusions (1-20 microns), typical for CdTe and Cd(Zn)Te crystals, were observed in the ingots by infrared transmission microscopy. The measured X-ray diffraction patterns showed that all compositions are found to be in a single phase. Using current-voltage (I-V)more » measurements, the resistivity of the samples from each ingot was estimated to be about 10 5 Ohm·cm. The optical transmission analysis demonstrated that the band-gap width of the investigated ingots increased from 1.77 to 1.88 eV with the increase of the MnTe content from 20 to 30 mol. %.« less

Radiative heat transport during the vertical Bridgman growth of oxide single crystals: slabs versus cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Virozub, Alexander; Brandon, Simon

1998-10-01

Internal radiative heat transport in oxide crystals during their growth via the vertical Bridgman technique is known to promote severely deflected melt/crystal interface shapes. These highly curved interfaces are likely to encourage unwanted phenomena such as inhomogeneous distribution of impurities in the solidified crystalline material. Past computational analyses of oxide growth systems have mostly been confined to cylindrical geometries. In this letter a two-dimensional finite-element model, describing the growth of slab-shaped oxide crystals via the vertical Bridgman technique, is presented; internal radiative heat transport through the transparent crystalline phase is accounted for in the formulation. Comparison with calculations of cylindrical-shaped crystal growth systems shows a strong dependence of thermal fields and of melt/crystal interface shapes on the crystal geometry. Specifically, the interface position is strongly shifted toward the hot zone and its curvature dramatically increases in slab-shaped systems compared to what is observed in cylindrical geometries. This significant qualitative difference in interface shapes is shown to be linked to large quantitative differences in values of the viewing angle between the hot melt/crystal interface and the cold part of the crucible.

Growth of binary organic NLO crystals: m.NA-p.NA and m.NA-CNA system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, N. B.; Henningsen, T.; Hopkins, R. H.; Mazelsky, R.

1993-01-01

Experiments were carried out to grow 3.Nitroaniline (m.NA) crystals doped with 4.Nitroaniline (p.NA) and 2.chloro 4.Nitroaniline (CNA). The measured undercooling for m.NA, p.NA, and CNA were 0.21 tm K, 0.23 tm K, and 0.35 tm K respectively, where tm represents the melting temperature of the pure component. Because of the crystals' large heat of fusion and large undercooling, it was not possible to grow good quality crystals with low thermal gradients. In the conventional two-zone Bridgman furnace we had to raise the temperature of the hot zone above the decomposition temperature of CNA, p.NA, and m.NA to achieve the desired thermal gradient. To avoid decomposition, we used an unconventional Bridgman furnace. Two immiscible liquids, silicone oil and ethylene glycol, were used to build a special two-zone Bridgman furnace. A temperature gradient of 18 K/cm was achieved without exceeding the decomposition temperature of the crystal. The binary crystals, m.NA-p.NA and m.NA-CNA, were grown in centimeter size in this furnace. X-ray and optical characterization showed good optical quality.

Control of fluid flow during Bridgman crystal growth using low-frequency vibrational stirring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawilski, Kevin Thomas

The goal of this research program was to develop an in depth understanding of a promising new method for stirring crystal growth melts called coupled vibrational stirring (CVS). CVS is a mixing technique that can be used in sealed systems and produces rapid mixing through vortex flows. Under normal operating conditions, CVS uses low-frequency vibrations to move the growth crucible along a circular path, producing a surface wave and convection in the melt. This research focused on the application of CVS to the vertical Bridgman technique. CVS generated flows were directly studied using a physical modeling system containing water/glycerin solutions. Sodium nitrate was chosen as a model growth system because the growth process could be directly observed using a transparent furnace. Lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMNT) was chosen as the third system because of its potential application for high performance solid state transducers and actuators. In this study, the critical parameters for controlling CVS flows in cylindrical Bridgman systems were established. One of the most important results obtained was the dependence of an axial velocity gradient on the vibrational frequency. By changing the frequency, the intensity of fluid flow at a given depth can be easily manipulated. The intensity of CVS flows near the crystal-melt interface was found to be important. When flow intensity near the interface increased during growth, large growth rate fluctuations and significant changes in interface shape were observed. To eliminate such fluctuations, a constant flow rate near the crystal-melt interface was maintained by decreasing the vibrational frequency. A continuous frequency ramp was found to be essential to grow crystals of good quality under strong CVS flows. CVS generated flows were also useful in controlling the shape of the growth interface. In the sodium nitrate system without stirring, high growth rates produced a very concave interface. By adjusting the flow intensity near the interface, CVS flows were able to flatten the growth interface under these extreme growth conditions.

Melt and metallic solution crystal growth of CuInSe 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldus, A.; Benz, K. W.

1993-05-01

In this paper the fabrication of CuInSe 2 chalcopyrite single crystals by the vertical Bridgman technique using non-stoichiometric In 2Se 3-rich congruent composition and a novel ampoule design is describe. Furthermore the growth of CuInSe 2 crystals by the travelling heater method (THM) using an In solvent was investigated. The elemental composition of as-grown CuInSe 2 semiconducting compounds and their electrical properties are discussed and correlated with predictions made by an intrinsic chemistry model.

Crystal growth of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and noble cleaved (0001) surface properties

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

Atuchin, V.V., E-mail: atuchin@thermo.isp.nsc.ru; Functional Electronics Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050; Golyashov, V.A.

2016-04-15

A high quality Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} crystal has been grown by Bridgman method with the use of rotating heat field. The phase purity and bulk structural quality of the crystal have been verified by XRD analysis and rocking curve observation. The atomically smooth Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}(0001) surface with an excellent crystallographic quality is formed by cleavage in the air. The chemical and microstructural properties of the surface have been evaluated with RHEED, AFM, STM, SE and XPS. The Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}(0001) cleaved surface is formed by atomically smooth terraces with the height of the elemental step of ~1.04±0.1 nm, asmore » estimated by AFM. There is no surface oxidation process detected over a month keeping in the air at normal conditions, as shown by comparative core level photoelectron spectroscopy. - Graphical abstract: A high quality Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} crystal has been grown by Bridgman method with the use of rotating heat field and the Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}(0001) cleaved surface has been evaluated with RHEED, AFM, STM, SE and XPS. - Highlights: • High-quality Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} crystal of 10 mm in diameter and 50 mm long have been grown. • The high-purity cleaved Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}(0001) surface has been evaluated by RHEED, AFM, STM and XPS methods. • The Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} surface covered by atomically smooth (0001) terraces is chemically stable for a long time.« less

Shape Evolution of Detached Bridgman Crystals Grown in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.

2015-01-01

A theory describing the shape evolution of detached Bridgman crystals in microgravity has been developed. A starting crystal of initial radius r0 will evolve to one of the following states: Stable detached gap; Attachment to the crucible wall; Meniscus collapse. Only crystals where alpha plus omega is great than 180 degrees will achieve stable detached growth in microgravity. Results of the crystal shape evolution theory are consistent with predictions of the dynamic stability of crystallization (Tatarchenko, Shaped Crystal Growth, Kluwer, 1993). Tests of transient crystal evolution are planned for ICESAGE, a series of Ge and GeSi crystal growth experiments planned to be conducted on the International Space Station (ISS).

The Effect of the Traveling Magnetic Field (TMF) on the Buoyancy-Induced Convection in the Vertical Bridgman growth of Germanium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yesilyurt, S.; Motakef, S.; Grugel, R.; Mazuruk, K.

2003-01-01

A traveling magnetic field (TMF) is created by means of applying out-of-phase currents to a number of coils. When applied to a conducting melt inside a cylindrical container, the TMF induces a Lorentz force that acts in the meridional directions (radial and axial), unlike the application of a rotating magnetic field (RMF), which creates a force in the azimuthal direction. In this work, we present a computational study of the TMF and its application to the Bridgman growth of the Ge. To quantify the effect of the TMF on the solid-melt interface, we use the maximum (magnitude-wise) tangential shear at the interface.

Development of model-based control for Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonda, Paul; Yeckel, Andrew; Daoutidis, Prodromos; Derby, Jeffrey. J.

2004-05-01

We study the feasibility of using crucible rotation with feedback control to suppress oscillatory flows in two prototypical vertical Bridgman crystal growth systems—a stabilizing configuration driven by a time-oscillatory furnace disturbance and a thermally destabilized configuration, which exhibits inherent time-varying flows. Proportional controllers are applied to the two systems, with volume-averaged flow speed chosen as the single controlled output and crucible rotation chosen as the manipulated input. Proportional control is able to significantly suppress oscillations in the stabilizing configuration. For the destabilized case, control is effective for small-amplitude flows but is generally ineffective, due to the exacerbating effect of crucible rotation on the time-dependent flows exhibited by this system.

A Simple Inexpensive Bridgman-Stockbarger Crystal Growth System for Organic Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, J.; Aggarwal, M. D.; Wang, W. S.; Metzl, R.; Bhat, K.; Penn, Benjamin G.; Frazier, Donald O.

1996-01-01

Direct observation of solid-liquid interface is important for the directional solidification to determine the desired interface shape by controlling the growth parameters. To grow good quality single crystals of novel organic nonlinear optical materials, a simple inexpensive Bridgman-Stockbarger (BS) crystal growth system has been designed and fabricated. Two immiscible liquids have been utilized to create two zones for this crystal growth system. Bulk single crystals of benzil derivative and n-salicylidene-aniline have been successfully grown in this system. The optimum lowering rate has been found to be 0.1 mm/h for the flat interface. Results on the crystal growth and other parameters of the grown crystals are presented.

Compositional homogeneity and X-ray topographic analyses of CdTe xSe 1-x grown by the vertical Bridgman technique

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

Roy, U. N.; Bolotnikov, A. E.; Camarda, G. S.

2015-02-01

We grew CdTe xSe 1-x crystals with nominal Se concentrations of 5%, 7%, and 10% by the vertical Bridgman technique, and evaluated their compositional homogeneity and structural quality at the NSLS’ X-ray fluorescence and white beam X-ray topography beam lines. Both X-ray fluorescence and photoluminescence mapping revealed very high compositional homogeneity of the CdTe xSe 1-x crystals. Here, we noted that those crystals with higher concentrations of Se were more prone to twinning than those with a lower content. The crystals were fairly free from strains and contained low concentrations of sub-grain boundaries and their networks.

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

Marrakchi, G.; Barbier, D.; Guillot, G.

Electrical and deep level transient spectroscopy measurements on Schottky barriers were performed in order to characterize electrically active defects in n-type GaAs (Bridgman substrates or liquid-phase epitaxial layers) after pulsed electron beam annealing. Both surface damage and bulk defects were observed in the Bridgman substrates depending on the pulse energy density. No electron traps were detected in the liquid-phase epitaxial layers before and after annealing for an energy density of 0.4 J/cm/sup 2/. The existence of an interfacial insulating layer at the metal-semiconductor interface, associated with As out-diffusion during the pulsed electron irradiation, was revealed by the abnormally high valuesmore » of the Schottky barrier diffusion potential. Moreover, two new electron traps with activation energy of 0.35 and 0.43 eV, called EP1 and EP2, were introduced in the Bridgman substrates after pulsed electron beam annealing. The presence of these traps, related to the As evaporation, was tentatively attributed to the decrease of the EL2 electron trap signal after 0.4-J/cm/sup 2/ annealing. It is proposed that these new defects states are due to the decomposition of the As/sub Ga/-As/sub i/ complex recently considered as the most probable defect configuration for the dominant EL2 electron trap usually detected in as-grown GaAs substrates.« less

Growth of CdZnTe Crystals the Bridgman Technique with Controlled Overpressures of Cd

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ching-Hu; Lehoczky, S. L.

2008-01-01

Cd(1-x)Zn(x)Te crystals with x = 0.15 and 0.20, were grown in this study by closed-ampoule directional solidification (Bridgman) technique with a controlled Cd overpressure. The growth ampoule was made of quartz with inner diameter from 20 to 40 mm and a tapered length of 2.5 cm at the growth tip. Both unseeded and seeded growths were performed with total material charges up to 400 g. After the loading of starting CdZnTe material, a typical amount of 2 g of Cd was also loaded inside a Cd reservoir basket, which was attached beneath the seal-off cup. The ampoule was sealed off under a vacuum below lxl0(exp -5) Torr. The sealed ampoule was placed inside a 4-zone Bridgman furnace - a Cd reservoir zone with a heat-pipe furnace liner on the top, followed by a hot zone, a booster heating zone and a cold zone at the bottom. The Cd zone was typically 300 to 400 C below the hot zone setting. High resistivity material has been obtained without any intentional dopants but has been reproducibly obtained with In doping. The crystalline and the electrical properties of the crystals will be reported.

High-Performance Doped Strontium Iodide Crystal Growth Using a Modified Bridgman Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowe, Emmanuel

The importance of gamma-ray spectroscopy---the science of determining the distribution of energy in a gamma field---can rarely be overstated. High performance scintillators for gamma-ray spectroscopy in Nuclear Nonproliferation applications and homeland security require excellent energy resolution to distinguish neighboring element and isotope lines while minimizing the time and exposure to do so. Semiconductor detectors operate by converting incident photons directly into electrical pulses, but often have problems of high costs due to constituent segregation and surface states as is the case for Cadmium Zinc Telluride. The ideal scintillator material for gamma spectrometer will therefore requires high light yield, excellent proportionality between light yield and gamma photon energy, and material uniformity. A scintillator should possess the following properties; it should convert the kinetic energy of the generated charged particles (typically K-shell electrons) into detectable visible light. This conversion should be linear-the light yield should be proportional to deposited energy over as wide a range as possible. For good light collection, the medium should be transparent to the wavelength of its own emission. The decay time of the induced luminescence should be short so that fast signal pulses can be generated. The medium should be of good optical quality and subject to manufacture in sizes large enough to be of interest as a practical detector. Its index of refraction should be near that of glass (~1.5) to permit efficient coupling of scintillation light to a photomultiplier tube or other photo-sensor. In the past decade, inorganic scintillator research has focused less on improving the characteristics of known scintillators, but rather on the search for new hosts capable of fast response and high energy resolution. Extensive searches have been made for hosts doped with lanthanide activators utilizing the allowed 5d-4f transition. These 5d-4f transitions are dipole-allowed and thus are about 106 times stronger than the more frequently observed 4f-4f transition in the trivalent rare earth ions. Ce3+, Nd3+ and Pr3+ have been investigated for fast response applications while Ce3+, Eu 2+, and Yb2+ stand out as the most promising activators offering high light yield, and high energy resolution. Using a modified Bridgman growth technique we have grown crystals with a low energy resolution of 2.6% at 662 keV, which is lower than the previous 2.8% reported for SrI2:Eu 2+. The modified technique (called so for its vertical crystal growth orientation) is necessary due to the anisotropic thermal expansion coefficient of Strontium Iodide. The problem plaguing the growth of the crystal is spontaneous cracking, which usually appear during cooling in the bulk. With the use of a zone separating shield, one can achieve more control of the temperature gradient between the two zones without compromising the actual temperature of the two zones. Additionally the use of codopants, in particular divalent magnesium improved the crystalline quality by acting as a gathering for iodine ions, which led to reduction of defect density.

The preferential orientation and lattice misfit of the directionally solidified Fe-Al-Ta eutectic composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Chunjuan; Wang, Pei; Yang, Meng; Wen, Yagang; Ren, Chiqiang; Wang, Songyuan

2018-01-01

Fe-Al intermetallic compound has been paid more attentions recently in many fields such as aeronautic, aerospace, automobile, energy and chemical engineering, and so on. In this paper Fe-Al-Ta eutectic was prepared by a modified Bridgman directional solidification technique, and it is found that microstructure of the Fe-Al-Ta eutectic alloy transforms from the broken-lamellar eutectic to cellular eutectic with the increase of the solidification rate. In the cellular eutectic structure, the fibers are parallel to each other within the same grain, but some fibers are deviated from the original orientation at the grain boundaries. To study the crystallographic orientation relationship (OR) between the two phases, the preferential orientation of the Fe-Al-Ta eutectic alloy at the different solidification rates was studied by Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED). Moreover, the lattice misfit between Fe2Ta(Al) Laves phase and Fe(Al,Ta) matrix phase was calculated.

Numerical Optimization of the Thermal Field in Bridgman Detached Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stelian, C.; Volz, M. P.; Derby, J. J.

2009-01-01

The global modeling of the thermal field in two vertical Bridgman-like crystal growth configurations, has been performed to get optimal thermal conditions for a successful detached growth of Ge and CdTe crystals. These computations are performed using the CrysMAS code and expand upon our previous analysis [1] that propose a new mechanism involving the thermal field and meniscus position to explain stable conditions for dewetted Bridgman growth. The analysis of the vertical Bridgman configuration with two heaters, used by Palosz et al. for the detached growth of Ge, shows, consistent with their results, that the large wetting angle of germanium on boron nitride surfaces was an important factor to promote a successful detached growth. Our computations predict that by initiating growth much higher into the hot zone of the furnace, the thermal conditions will be favorable for continued detachment even for systems that did not exhibit high contact angles. The computations performed for a vertical gradient freeze configuration with three heaters representative of that used for the detached growth of CdTe, show favorable thermal conditions for dewetting during the entirely growth run described. Improved thermal conditions are also predicted for coated silica crucibles when the solid-liquid interface advances higher into the hot zone during the solidification process. The second set of experiments on CdTe growth described elsewhere has shown the reattachment of the crystal to the crucible after few centimeters of dewetted growth. The thermal modeling of this configuration shows a second solidification front appearing at the top of the sample and approaching the middle line across the third heater. In these conditions, the crystal grows detached from the bottom, but will be attached to the crucible in the upper part because of the solidification without gap in this region. The solidification with two interfaces can be avoided when the top of the sample is positioned below the middle position of the third furnace.

Development and melt growth of novel scintillating halide crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Akira; Yokota, Yuui; Shoji, Yasuhiro; Kral, Robert; Kamada, Kei; Kurosawa, Shunsuke; Ohashi, Yuji; Arakawa, Mototaka; Chani, Valery I.; Kochurikhin, Vladimir V.; Yamaji, Akihiro; Andrey, Medvedev; Nikl, Martin

2017-12-01

Melt growth of scintillating halide crystals is reviewed. The vertical Bridgman growth technique is still considered as very popular method that enables production of relatively large and commercially attractive crystals. On the other hand, the micro-pulling-down method is preferable when fabrication of small samples, sufficient for preliminary characterization of their optical and/or scintillation performance, is required. Moreover, bulk crystal growth is also available using the micro-pulling-down furnace. The examples of growths of various halide crystals by industrially friendly melt growth techniques including Czochralski and edge-defined film-fed growth methods are also discussed. Finally, traveling molten zone growth that in some degree corresponds to horizontal zone melting is briefly overviewed.

Classical dense matter physics: some basic methods and results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Čelebonović, Vladan

2002-07-01

This is an introduction to the basic notions, some methods and open problems of dense matter physics and their applications in astrophysics. Experimental topics cover the range from the work of P. W. Bridgman to the discovery and basic results of use of the diamond anvil cell. On the theoretical side, the semiclassical method of P. Savić and R. Kašanin is described. The choice of these topics is conditioned by their applicability in astrophysics and the author's research experience. At the end of the paper is presented a list of some unsolved problems in dense matter physics and astrophysics, some (or all) of which could form a basis of future collaborations.

A Successful Synthesis of the CoCrFeNiAl0.3 Single-Crystal, High-Entropy Alloy by Bridgman Solidification

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

Ma, S. G.; Zhang, S. F.; Gao, M. C.

2013-08-22

For the first time, a face-centered-cubic, single-crystal CoCrFeNiAl{sub 0.3} (designated as Al0.3), high-entropy alloy (HEA) was successfully synthesized by the Bridgman solidification (BS) method, at an extremely low withdrawal velocity through a constant temperature gradient, for which it underwent two BS steps. Specially, at the first BS step, the alloy sample underwent several morphological transitions accompanying the crystal growth from the melt. This microstructure evolves from as-cast dendrites, to equiaxed grains, and then to columnar crystals, and last to the single crystal. In particular, at the equiaxed-grain region, some visible annealing twins were observed, which indicates a low stacking faultmore » energy of the Al0.3 alloy. Although a body-centered- cubic CoCrFeNiAl (Al1) HEA was also prepared under the same conditions, only a single columnar-crystal structure with instinctively preferential crystallographic orientations was obtained by the same procedure. A similar morphological transition from dendrites to equiaxed grains occurred at the equiaxed-grain region in Al1 alloy, but the annealing twins were not observed probably because a higher Al addition leads to a higher stacking fault energy for this alloy.« less

Novel casting processes for single-crystal turbine blades of superalloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Dexin

2018-03-01

This paper presents a brief review of the current casting techniques for single-crystal (SC) blades, as well as an analysis of the solidification process in complex turbine blades. A series of novel casting methods based on the Bridgman process were presented to illustrate the development in the production of SC blades from superalloys. The grain continuator and the heat conductor techniques were developed to remove geometry-related grain defects. In these techniques, the heat barrier that hinders lateral SC growth from the blade airfoil into the extremities of the platform is minimized. The parallel heating and cooling system was developed to achieve symmetric thermal conditions for SC solidification in blade clusters, thus considerably decreasing the negative shadow effect and its related defects in the current Bridgman process. The dipping and heaving technique, in which thinshell molds are utilized, was developed to enable the establishment of a high temperature gradient for SC growth and the freckle-free solidification of superalloy castings. Moreover, by applying the targeted cooling and heating technique, a novel concept for the three-dimensional and precise control of SC growth, a proper thermal arrangement may be dynamically established for the microscopic control of SC growth in the critical areas of large industrial gas turbine blades.

Traveling Magnetic Field Applications for Vertical Bridgman Growth: Modeling and Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazuruk, Konstantin

2004-01-01

Traveling magnetic fields offer a direct control of the metallic melt meridional flow in long cylinders. It induces the Lorentz body force that can counteract with the buoyancy force induced by radial temperature non-uniformity. It can significantly offset a natural convection in the system, or it can even set up the flow in opposite direction, thus affecting the interface shape, the growth rate and macrosegregation. Results of our numerical modeling of the Vertical Bridgman crystal growth of InSb will be discussed. The experimental part of this investigation will address the effect of the applied traveling magnetic fields on the interface shape of InSb crystals. Specifics of the growth apparatus design for this research will be provided in details.

Influence of crucible support and radial heating on the interface shape during vertical Bridgman GaAs growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koai, K.; Sonnenberg, K.; Wenzl, H.

1994-03-01

Crucible assembly in a vertical Bridgman furnace is investigated by a numerical finite element model with the aim to obtain convex interfaces during the growth of GaAs crystals. During the growth stage of the conic section, a new funnel shaped crucible support has been found more effective than the concentric cylinders design similar to that patented by AT & T in promoting interface convexity. For the growth stages of the constant diameter section, the furnace profile can be effectively modulated by localized radial heating at the gradient zone. With these two features being introduced into a new furnace design, it is shown numerically that enhancement of interface convexity can be achieved using the presently available crucible materials.

Interface shapes during vertical Bridgman growth of (Pb, Sn)Te crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, YU; Debnam, William J.; Fripp, Archibald L.

1990-01-01

Melt-solid interfaces obtained during vertical Bridgman growth of (Pb, Sn)Te crystals were investigated with a quenching technique. The shapes of these interfaces, revealed by etching longitudinally cut sections, were correlated with the composition variations determined by EMPA. These experiments demonstrated that the interface shape can be changed from concave to convex by moving its location from the edge of the cold zone into the hot zone. The metallography and microsegregation near the melt-solid interface were analyzed in detail. A sharp change in composition above the interface indicated the existence of a diffusion boundary layer 40-90 microns thick. This small diffusion boundary layer is consistent with strong convective mixing in the (Pb, Sn)Te melt.

Hierarchical microstructures in CZT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundaram, S. K.; Henager, C. H.; Edwards, D. J.; Schemer-Kohrn, A. L.; Bliss, M.; Riley, B. R.; Toloczko, M. B.; Lynn, K. G.

2011-10-01

Advanced characterization tools, such as electron backscatter diffraction and transmitted IR microscopy, are being applied to study critical microstructural features and orientation relations in as-grown CZT crystals to aid in understanding the relation between structure and properties in radiation detectors. Even carefully prepared single crystals of CZT contain regions of slight misorientation, Te-particles, and dislocation networks that must be understood for more accurate models of detector response. This paper describes initial research at PNNL into the hierarchy of microstructures observed in CZT grown via the vertical gradient freeze or vertical Bridgman method at PNNL and WSU.

Resistivity dependence on Zn concentration in semi-insulating (Cd,Zn)Te

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiederle, Michael; Fauler, Alex; Babentsov, Vladimir N.; Franc, Jan; Benz, Klaus Werner

2003-01-01

The resistivity dependence on Zn concentration had been investigated in semi-insulating (Cd,Zn)Te crystals grown by the vertical Bridgman method. A coorelation between the zinc concentration and the resistivity distribution could be found. The obtained resistivity was in the interval of 2 ×109-1010 Ω cm as expected from the model of compensation. The main deep compensating levels detected by Photo Induced Current Transient Spectroscopy (PICTS) were at 0.64 +/- 0.02 eV and close the middle of the band gap at 0.80 +/- 0.02 eV.

Purification of organic nonlinear optical materials for bulk crystal growth from melt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebre, Tesfaye; Bhat, Kamala N.; Batra, Ashok K.; Lal, Ravindra B.; Aggarwal, Mohan D.; Penn, Benjamin G.; Frazier, Donald O.

2002-10-01

The techniques developed for purification of nonlinear optical organic materials, such as benzil, 2-methyl-4-nitroaniline (MNA), Dicyanovinyl anisole (DIVA) and its derivatives, nitrophenyl prolinol (NPP) and other Schiff's base compounds, include Kugelrohy method, physical vapor transport, zone refining and recrystallization from the solvent are described. Purity of the materials is tested using differential thermal analysis, gas chromatograph/Mass detector, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and melting point measurements. The purified materials were later used in the growth of single crystal by Bridgman-Stockbarger and Czochralski techniques.

The thermoelectric properties of bulk crystalline n- and p-type Mg2Si prepared by the vertical Bridgman method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akasaka, Masayasu; Iida, Tsutomu; Matsumoto, Atsunobu; Yamanaka, Kohei; Takanashi, Yoshifumi; Imai, Tomohiro; Hamada, Noriaki

2008-07-01

Bulk Mg2Si crystals were grown using the vertical Bridgman melt growth method. The n-type and p-type dopants, bismuth (Bi) and silver (Ag), respectively, were incorporated during the growth. X-ray powder diffraction analysis revealed clear peaks of Mg2Si with no peaks associated with the metallic Mg and Si phases. Residual impurities and process induced contaminants were investigated by using glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS). A comparison between the results of GDMS and Hall effect measurements indicated that electrical activation of the Bi doping in the Mg2Si was sufficient, while activation of the Ag doping was relatively smaller. It was shown that an undoped n-type specimen contained a certain amount of aluminum (Al), which was due either to residual impurities in the Mg source or the incorporation of process-induced impurities. Thermoelectric properties such as the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical and thermal conductivities were measured as a function of temperature up to 850 K. The dimensionless figures of merit for Bi-doped and Ag-doped samples were 0.65 at 840 K and 0.1 at 566 K, respectively. Temperature dependence of the observed Seebeck coefficient was fitted well by the two-carrier model. The first-principles calculations were carried out by using the all-electron band-structure calculation package (ABCAP) in which the full-potential linearized augmented-plane-wave method was employed. The ABCAP calculation adequately presents characteristics of the Seebeck coefficients for the undoped and heavily Bi-doped samples over the whole measured temperature range from room temperature to 850 K. The agreement between the theory and the experiment is poorer for the Ag-doped p-type samples.

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

Aliev, Ziya S., E-mail: ziyasaliev@gmail.com; Institute of Physics, ANAS, H.Javid ave. 131, AZ1143 Baku; Donostia International Physics Center

Single crystals of the ternary copper compounds CuTlS and CuTlSe have been successfully grown from stoichiometric melt by using vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. The crystal structure of the both compounds has been determined by powder and single crystal X-Ray diffraction. They crystallize in the PbFCl structure type with two formula units in the tetragonal system, space group P4/nmm, a=3.922(2); c=8.123(6); Z=2 and a=4.087(6); c=8.195(19) Å; Z=2, respectively. The band structure of the reported compounds has been analyzed by means of full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave (FLAPW) method based on the density functional theory (DFT). Both compounds have similar band structures and aremore » narrow-gap semiconductors with indirect band gap. The resistivity measurements agree with a semiconductor behavior although anomalies are observed at low temperature. - Graphical abstract: The crystal structures of CuTl and CuTlSe are isostructural with the PbFCl-type and the superconductor LiFeAs-type tetragonal structure. The band structure calculations confirmed that they are narrow-gap semiconductors with indirect band gaps of 0.326 and 0.083 eV. The resistivity measurements, although confirming the semiconducting behavior of both compounds exhibit unusual anomalies at low temperatures. - Highlights: • Single crystals of CuTlS and CuTlSe have been successfully grown by Bridgman-Stockbarger method. • The crystal structure of the both compounds has been determined by single crystal XRD. • The band structure of the both compounds has been analyzed based on the density functional theory (DFT). • The resistivity measurements have been carried out from room temperature down to 10 K.« less

Influence of Applied Thermal Gradients and a Static Magnetic Field on Bridgman-Grown GeSi Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Szofran, F. R.; Cobb, S. D.; Ritter, T. M.

1999-01-01

The effect of applied axial and radial thermal gradients and an axial static magnetic field on the macrosegregation profiles of Bridgman-grown GeSi alloy crystals has been assessed. The axial thermal gradients were adjusted by changing the control setpoints of a seven-zone vertical Bridgman furnace. The radial thermal gradients were affected by growing samples in ampoules with different thermal conductivities, namely graphite, hot-pressed boron nitride (BN), and pyrolytic boron nitride (PBN). Those samples grown in a graphite ampoule exhibited radial profiles consistent with a highly concave interface and axial profiles indicative of complete mixing in the melt. The samples grown in BN and PBN ampoules had less radial variation. Axial macrosegregation profiles of these samples fell between the predictions for a completely mixed melt and one where solute transport is dominated by diffusion. All of the samples were grown on Ge seeds. This resulted in a period of free growth until the Si concentration in the solid was in equilibrium with the Si concentration in the liquid. The length of crystal grown during this period was inversely proportional to the applied axial thermal gradient. Several samples were grown in an axial 5 Tesla magnetic field. Measured macroscopic segregation profiles on these samples indicate that the magnetic field did not, in general, reduce the melt flow velocities to below the growth velocities.

Quench Module Insert (QMI) and the Diffusion Module Insert (DMI) Furnace Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crouch, Myscha R.; Carswell, William E.; Farmer, Jeff; Rose, Fred; Tidwell, Paul H., II

2000-01-01

The Quench Module Insert (QMI) and the Diffusion Module Insert (DMI) are microgravity furnaces under development at Marshall Space Flight Center. The furnaces are being developed for the first Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) of the Materials Science Research Facility (MSRF), one of the first International Space Station (ISS) scientific payloads. QMI is a Bridgman furnace with quench capability for studying interface behavior during directional solidification of metallic and alloy materials. DMI will be a Bridgman-Stockbarger furnace to study diffusion processes in semiconductors. The design for each insert, both QMI and DMI, is driven by specific science, operations and safety requirements, as well as by constraints arising from resource limitations, such as volume, mass and power. Preliminary QMI analysis and testing indicates that the design meets these requirements.

Prediction of dislocation generation during Bridgman growth of GaAs crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsai, C. T.; Yao, M. W.; Chait, Arnon

1992-01-01

Dislocation densities are generated in GaAs single crystals due to the excessive thermal stresses induced by temperature variations during growth. A viscoplastic material model for GaAs, which takes into account the movement and multiplication of dislocations in the plastic deformation, is developed according to Haasen's theory. The dislocation density is expressed as an internal state variable in this dynamic viscoplastic model. The deformation process is a nonlinear function of stress, strain rate, dislocation density and temperature. The dislocation density in the GaAs crystal during vertical Bridgman growth is calculated using a nonlinear finite element model. The dislocation multiplication in GaAs crystals for several temperature fields obtained from thermal modeling of both the GTE GaAs experimental data and artificially designed data are investigated.

The use of magnetic fields in vertical Bridgman/Gradient Freeze-type crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pätzold, Olf; Niemietz, Kathrin; Lantzsch, Ronny; Galindo, Vladimir; Grants, Ilmars; Bellmann, Martin; Gerbeth, Gunter

2013-03-01

This paper outlines advanced vertical Bridgman/Gradient Freeze techniques with flow control using magnetic fields developed for the growth of semiconductor crystals. Low-temperature flow modelling, as well as laboratory-scaled crystal growth under the influence of rotating, travelling, and static magnetic fields are presented. Experimental and numerical flow modelling demonstrate the potential of the magnetic fields to establish a well-defined flow for tailoring heat and mass transfer in the melt during growth. The results of the growth experiments are discussed with a focus on the influence of a rotating field on the segregation of dopants, the influence of a travelling field on the temperature field and thermal stresses, and the potential of rotating and static fields for a stabilization of the melt flow.

Prediction of dislocation generation during Bridgman growth of GaAs crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, C. T.; Yao, M. W.; Chait, Arnon

1992-11-01

Dislocation densities are generated in GaAs single crystals due to the excessive thermal stresses induced by temperature variations during growth. A viscoplastic material model for GaAs, which takes into account the movement and multiplication of dislocations in the plastic deformation, is developed according to Haasen's theory. The dislocation density is expressed as an internal state variable in this dynamic viscoplastic model. The deformation process is a nonlinear function of stress, strain rate, dislocation density and temperature. The dislocation density in the GaAs crystal during vertical Bridgman growth is calculated using a nonlinear finite element model. The dislocation multiplication in GaAs crystals for several temperature fields obtained from thermal modeling of both the GTE GaAs experimental data and artificially designed data are investigated.

Stabilizing detached Bridgman melt crystal growth: Model-based nonlinear feedback control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeckel, Andrew; Daoutidis, Prodromos; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2012-12-01

The dynamics and operability limits of a nonlinear-proportional-integral controller designed to stabilize detached vertical Bridgman crystal growth are studied. The manipulated variable is the pressure difference between upper and lower vapor spaces, and the controlled variable is the gap width at the triple-phase line. The controller consists of a model-based nonlinear component coupled with a standard proportional-integral controller. The nonlinear component is based on a capillary model of shape stability. Perturbations to gap width, pressure difference, wetting angle, and growth angle are studied under both shape stable and shape unstable conditions. The nonlinear-PI controller allows a wider operating range of gain than a standard PI controller used alone, is easier to tune, and eliminates solution multiplicity from closed-loop operation.

Improved radial segregation via the destabilizing vertical Bridgman configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonda, Paul; Yeckel, Andrew; Daoutidis, Prodromos; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2004-01-01

We employ a computational model to revisit the classic crystal growth experiments conducted by Kim et al. (J. Electrochem. Soc. 119 (1972) 1218) and Müller et al. (J. Crystal Growth 70 (1984) 78), which were among the first to clearly document the effects of flow transitions on segregation. Analysis of the growth of tellerium-doped indium antimonide within a destabilizing vertical Bridgman configuration reveals the existence of multiple states, each of which can be reached by feasible paths of process operation. Transient growth simulations conducted on the different solution branches reveal striking differences in hydrodynamic and segregation behavior. We show that crystals grown in the destabilizing configuration exhibit considerably better radial segregation than those grown in the stabilizing configuration, a result which challenges conventional wisdom and practice.

Development of the vertical Bridgman technique for 6-inch diameter c-axis sapphire growth supported by numerical simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyagawa, Chihiro; Kobayashi, Takumi; Taishi, Toshinori; Hoshikawa, Keigo

2014-09-01

Based on the growth of 3-inch diameter c-axis sapphire using the vertical Bridgman (VB) technique, numerical simulations were made and used to guide the growth of a 6-inch diameter sapphire. A 2D model of the VB hot-zone was constructed, the seeding interface shape of the 3-inch diameter sapphire as revealed by green laser scattering was estimated numerically, and the temperature distributions of two VB hot-zone models designed for 6-inch diameter sapphire growth were numerically simulated to achieve the optimal growth of large crystals. The hot-zone model with one heater was selected and prepared, and 6-inch diameter c-axis sapphire boules were actually grown, as predicted by the numerical results.

A Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Thermoelectromagnetic Convection (TEMC) on the Bridgman Growth of Ge(1-x)Si(x)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yesilyurt, Serhat; Vujisic, Ljubomir; Motakef, Shariar; Szofran, F. R.; Volz, Martin P.

1998-01-01

Thermoelectric currents at the growth interface of GeSi during Bridgman growth are shown to promote convection when a low intensity axial magnetic field is applied. TEMC, typically, is characterized by a meridional flow driven by the rotation of the fluid; meridional convection alters composition of the melt, and shape of the growth interface substantially. TEMC effect is more important in micro-gravity environment than the terrestrial one, and can be used to control convection during the growth of GeSi. In this work, coupled thermo-solutal flow equations (energy, scalar transport, momentum and mass) are solved in tandem with Maxwell's equations to compute the thermo-solutat flow field, electric currents, and the growth-interface shape.

Vibroconvective mixing applied to vertical Bridgman growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawilski, Kevin T.; Claudia, M.; Custodio, C.; DeMattei, Robert C.; Feigelson, Robert S.

2003-10-01

A promising method for stirring melts during vertical Bridgman growth is the coupled vibrational stirring (CVS) method. It involves the application of low frequency vibrations to the outside of the growth ampoule and produces strong flows emanating from the fluid surface. Although the technique was pioneered a number of years ago, previous studies have not provided sufficient information to explain how to control CVS generated flows in a particular system. This paper examines both the fluid flow produced by CVS and the effect of these flows on a model oxide growth system. CVS generated flows were studied using tracer particles in a water/glycerin system. The particle velocities were measured as a function of distance from the fluid surface. A large velocity gradient, decreasing from the surface, was found to be present. The velocity profile produced was dependent on the vibrational amplitude and frequency, the crucible diameter, and the fluid viscosity. The effects of CVS flows on the crystal growth interface were studied using NaNO 3 as a model oxide. Under non-growth conditions (i.e. no furnace or crucible translation), the solid-liquid interface position was found to be a strong function of vibrational frequency once CVS generated flows approached the interface. During crystal growth, undesirable growth rate fluctuations were found as the growth interface moved into regions of increasing fluid flow. This data suggests that a control system in which CVS flows are continuously decreased during growth to maintain a constant flow rate in the vicinity of the growth interface is necessary in order to prevent or reduce growth rate fluctuations.

Models of Mass Transport During Microgravity Crystal Growth of Alloyed Semiconductors in a Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma, Nancy

2003-01-01

Alloyed semiconductor crystals, such as germanium-silicon (GeSi) and various II-VI alloyed crystals, are extremely important for optoelectronic devices. Currently, high-quality crystals of GeSi and of II-VI alloys can be grown by epitaxial processes, but the time required to grow a certain amount of single crystal is roughly 1,000 times longer than the time required for Bridgman growth from a melt. Recent rapid advances in optoelectronics have led to a great demand for more and larger crystals with fewer dislocations and other microdefects and with more uniform and controllable compositions. Currently, alloyed crystals grown by bulk methods have unacceptable levels of segregation in the composition of the crystal. Alloyed crystals are being grown by the Bridgman process in space in order to develop successful bulk-growth methods, with the hope that the technology will be equally successful on earth. Unfortunately some crystals grown in space still have unacceptable segregation, for example, due to residual accelerations. The application of a weak magnetic field during crystal growth in space may eliminate the undesirable segregation. Understanding and improving the bulk growth of alloyed semiconductors in microgravity is critically important. The purpose of this grant to to develop models of the unsteady species transport during the bulk growth of alloyed semiconductor crystals in the presence of a magnetic field in microgravity. The research supports experiments being conducted in the High Magnetic Field Solidification Facility at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and future experiments on the International Space Station.

Structural and dynamical properties of Bridgman-grown CdSexTe1-x (0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talwar, Devki N.; Feng, Zhe Chuan; Lee, Jyh-Fu; Becla, P.

2013-04-01

Measurements of the Raman scattering and extended x-ray-absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy are reported on a series of Bridgman-grown zinc-blende CdTe1-xSex (0.35 ≥ x > 0.05) ternary alloys to empathize their lattice dynamical and structural properties. Low-temperature Raman spectra have revealed the classic CdTe-like (TO1, LO1) and CdSe-like (TO2, LO2) pairs of optical phonons. The composition-dependent peak positions of the LO2 modes exhibited shifts towards the higher-energy side, while those of the LO1 phonon frequencies have unveiled the slight redshifts. Detailed analyses of EXAFS data by using the first-principles bond orbital model have enabled us to estimate both the lattice relaxations and nearest-neighbor radial force constants around the Se/Te atoms in the CdTe/CdSe matrix. These results are methodically integrated in the “average t-matrix” formalism within the Green's-function theory for defining the impurity perturbations to comprehend the composition-dependent optical phonons in CdTe1-xSex alloys. Based on our comprehensive calculations of impurity modes in the low-composition regime x→ 0, we have assigned the weak phonon feature observed near ˜175 cm-1 in the low-temperature infrared reflectivity spectroscopy study to a SeTe localized vibrational mode.

Application of strong vertical magnetic fields to growth of II-VI pseudo-binary alloys - HgMnTe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becla, Piotr; Han, Jian-Chiu; Motakef, Shahryar

1992-07-01

HgMnTe crystals are grown by the vertical Bridgman method in the presence of an applied vertical magnetic field of 30 kG. Reduction of convective intensity in the melt through application of the magnetic field is found to decrease radial macro-segregation and eliminate small-scale compositional undulations in the grown material; the axial compositional profile is found not to be influenced by the magnetic field. These observations are shown to be consistent with a previously proposed model for the residual convection present during growth of this and other similar materials.

Excitation-Power Dependence of the Near Band-Edge PL Spectra of CdMnTe with High Mn Concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Younghun; Um, Youngho; Park, Hyoyeol

2011-12-01

Temperature and excitation power dependences of photoluminescence (PL) measurements were studied for the CdMnTe crystal grown by the vertical Bridgman method. The near band-edge and intra-Mn2+ emissions were investigated as a function of temperature. The observed band-edge peak of the PL spectrum showed a clear blue-shift with decreasing temperature. However, the peak energy of the intra-Mn2+ transition did not decrease monotonically with changing temperature, as can be seen above 70 K. With increasing the excitation power, the intensity of the emission peak was increased.

Heat transfer analysis of the Bridgman-Stockbarger configuration for crystal growth. Part 1: Analytical treatment of the axial temperature distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jasinski, T. J.; Rohsenow, W. M.; Witt, A. F.

1982-01-01

All first order effects on the axial temperature distribution in a solidifying charge in a Bridgman-Stockbarger configuration for crystal growth are analyzed on the basis of a one dimensional model whose validity can be verified through comparison with published finite difference ana;uses of two dimensional models. The model presented includes an insulated region between axially aligned heat pipes and considers the effects of charge diameter, charge motion, thickness, and thermal conductivity of a confining crucible, thermal conductivity change at the crystal-melt interface, generation of latent heat at the interface, and finite charge length. Results are primarily given in analytical form and can be used without recourse to computer work for both improve furnace design and optimization of growth conditions in a given thermal configuration.

Segregation and microstructure evolution in chill cast and directionally solidified Ni-Mn-Sn metamagnetic shape memory alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czaja, P.; Wierzbicka-Miernik, A.; Rogal, Ł.

2018-06-01

A multiphase solidification behaviour is confirmed for a range of Ni-rich and Ni-deficient Ni-Mn-Sn induction cast and directionally solidified (Bridgman) alloys. The composition variation is primarily linked to the changing Mn/Sn ratio, whereas the content of Ni remains largely stable. The partitioning coefficients for the Ni50Mn37Sn13 and Ni46Mn41.5Sn12.5 Bridgman alloys were obtained according to the Scheil equation based on the composition distribution along the longitudinal cross section of the ingots. Homogenization heat treatment performed for 72 h at 1220 K turned out sufficient for ensuring chemical uniformity on the macro- and microscale. It is owed to a limited segregation length scale due to slow cooling rates adopted for the directional solidification process.

Effect of steady crucible rotation on the segregation of impurities in vertical Bridgman growth of multi-crystalline silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellmann, M. P.; Meese, E. A.

2011-10-01

We have performed axisymmetric, transient simulations of the vertical Bridgman growth of multi-crystalline (mc) silicon to study the effect of the steady crucible rotation on the melt flow and impurity segregation. A solute transport model has been applied to predict the final segregation pattern of impurities in a circular ingot. Imposing rotation rates of 1-5 rpm on the system makes radial segregation much worse compared to the non-rotating case. Low rotation rates at 1-2 rpm increase radial segregation in the first half period of solidification, whereas at rotation rates above the effect is insignificantly small. Contrary behavior was observed for the second half period of solidification. Here radial segregation is increased at high rotation rates from 3 to 5 rpm with small impact at 1-2 rpm.

Interface Shape Control Using Localized Heating during Bridgman Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.; Aggarwal, M. D.; Croll, A.

2008-01-01

Numerical calculations were performed to assess the effect of localized radial heating on the melt-crystal interface shape during vertical Bridgman growth. System parameters examined include the ampoule, melt and crystal thermal conductivities, the magnitude and width of localized heating, and the latent heat of crystallization. Concave interface shapes, typical of semiconductor systems, could be flattened or made convex with localized heating. Although localized heating caused shallower thermal gradients ahead of the interface, the magnitude of the localized heating required for convexity was less than that which resulted in a thermal inversion ahead of the interface. A convex interface shape was most readily achieved with ampoules of lower thermal conductivity. Increasing melt convection tended to flatten the interface, but the amount of radial heating required to achieve a convex interface was essentially independent of the convection intensity.

A parametric study of segregation effects during vertical Bridgman crystal growth with an axial magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, N.; Walker, J. S.

2000-01-01

This paper presents a model for the unsteady transport of a dopant during the vertical Bridgman crystal growth process with a planar crystal-melt interface and with an axial magnetic field, and investigates the effects of varying different process variables on the crystal composition. The convective mass transport due to the buoyant convection in the melt produces nonuniformities in the concentration in both the melt and the crystal. The convective mass transport plays an important role for all magnetic field strengths considered. Diffusive mass transport begins to dominate for a magnetic flux density of 4 T and a fast growth rate, producing crystals which have an axial variation of the radially averaged crystal composition approaching that of the diffusion-controlled limit. Dopant distributions for several different combinations of process parameters are presented.

Convection effects on radial segregation and crystal melt interface in vertical Bridgman growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanveer, S.

1993-01-01

We analytically study the influence of convection caused by horizontal heat transfer through the sides of a vertical Bridgman apparatus. We consider the case when the heat transfer across the side walls is small so that the resulting interfacial deformation and fluid velocities are also small. This allows us to linearize the Navier-Stokes equations and express the interfacial conditions about a planar interface through a Taylor expansion. Using a no tangential stress conditions on the side walls, asymptotic expressions for both the interfacial slope, and radial segregation at the crystal-melt interface are obtained in closed form in the limit of large thermal Rayleigh number. It is suggested that these can be reduced by appropriately controlling a specific heat transfer property at the edge of the insulation zone in the solid side.

Experimental observation of the influence of furnace temperature profile on convection and segregation in the vertical Bridgman crystal growth technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neugebauer, G. T.; Wilcox, W. R.

1990-01-01

Azulene-doped naphtalene was directionally solidified using the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger technique. Doping homogeneity and convection are determined as a function of the temperature profile in the furnace and the freezing rate. Convective velocities are two orders of magnitude lower when the temperature increases with height. The cross sectional variation in azulene concentration tends to be asymmetric. Neither rotation of the ampoule nor deliberate introduction of thermal asymmetries during solidification had a significant influence on cross sectional variations in doping. It is predicted that slow directional solidification under microgravity conditions can produce greater inhomogeneities than on earth. Thus when low freezing rates are necessary in order to avoid constitutional supercooling, it may be necessary to combine microgravity and magnetic fields in order to achieve homogeneous crystals.

Reduction of Defects in Germanium-Silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szofran, Frank R.; Benz, K. W.; Croell, Arne; Dold, Peter; Cobb, Sharon D.; Volz, Martin P.; Motakef, Shariar; Walker, John S.

1999-01-01

It is well established that crystals grown without contact with a container have far superior quality to otherwise similar crystals grown in direct contact with a container. In addition to float-zone processing, detached-Bridgman growth is often cited as a promising tool to improve crystal quality, without the limitations of float zoning. Detached growth has been found to occur quite often during microgravity experiments and considerable improvements of crystal quality have been reported for those cases. However, no thorough understanding of the process or quantitative assessment of the quality improvements exists so far. This project will determine the means to reproducibly grow Ge-Si alloys in the detached mode. Specific objectives include: (1) measurement of the relevant material parameters such as contact angle, growth angle, surface tension, and wetting behavior of the GeSi-melt on potential crucible materials; (2) determination of the mechanism of detached growth including the role of convection; (3) quantitative determination of the differences of defects and impurities among normal Bridgman, detached Bridgman, and floating zone (FZ) growth; (4) investigation of the influence of defined azimuthal or meridional flow due to rotating magnetic fields on the characteristics of detached growth; (5) control time-dependent Marangoni convection in the case of FZ-growth by the use of a rotating magnetic field to examine the influence on the curvature of the solid-liquid interface and the heat and mass transport; and (6) grow high quality GeSi-single crystals with Si-concentration up to 10 at% and diameters up to 20 mm.

Investigation of emission properties of doped aromatic derivative organic semiconductor crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanculescu, A.; Mihut, L.; Stanculescu, F.; Alexandru, H.

2008-04-01

Fluorescence measurements have been made on pure and doped bulk, mechanically polished wafers of crystalline m-DNB and benzil obtained by cutting ingots grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method modified for organic compounds crystallization. By comparison with pure matrices, we have investigated the effect of an inorganic dopant (iodine, silver, sodium) and of an organic dopant (m-DNB, naphthalene) on the emission characteristics (position and shape) of these molecular crystals. A slight shift of the emission peaks through high energy and an intense emission peak situated around 2.35 eV correlated with the local trapping level attributed to structural defects, which are involved in radiative processes, have been evidenced in iodine-doped m-DNB. The emission peak of m-DNB-doped benzil situated in the high-energy range (2.97 eV) is associated with direct emission activity of m-DNB, suggesting that this is an active impurity in benzil molecular matrix. We have not observed in benzil any evidence of indirect action of the impurity molecules (atoms) associated with the traps represented by the structural defects that generate changes in the energy levels of the neighbouring molecules and are correlated with different growth conditions. We have not remarked any involvement of the studied inorganic metallic impurities and of some organic impurities, such as naphthalene, in the radiative recombination processes in benzil matrix.

Multi-Layer SnSe Nanoflake Field-Effect Transistors with Low-Resistance Au Ohmic Contacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Sang-Hyeok; Cho, Kwanghee; Park, No-Won; Park, Soonyong; Koh, Jung-Hyuk; Lee, Sang-Kwon

2017-05-01

We report p-type tin monoselenide (SnSe) single crystals, grown in double-sealed quartz ampoules using a modified Bridgman technique at 920 °C. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements clearly confirm that the grown SnSe consists of single-crystal SnSe. Electrical transport of multi-layer SnSe nanoflakes, which were prepared by exfoliation from bulk single crystals, was conducted using back-gated field-effect transistor (FET) structures with Au and Ti contacts on SiO2/Si substrates, revealing that multi-layer SnSe nanoflakes exhibit p-type semiconductor characteristics owing to the Sn vacancies on the surfaces of SnSe nanoflakes. In addition, a strong carrier screening effect was observed in 70-90-nm-thick SnSe nanoflake FETs. Furthermore, the effect of the metal contacts to multi-layer SnSe nanoflake-based FETs is also discussed with two different metals, such as Ti/Au and Au contacts.

The growth of homogeneous semiconductor crystals in a centrifuge by the stabilizing influence of the Coriolis force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, G.; Neumann, G.; Weber, W.

1992-04-01

Both experimental and numerical results on crystal growth and fluid flow studies carried out in a centrifuge are reported. It is shown that the formation of doping striations can be avoided in the vertical Bridgman and the horizontal zone melting growth of Te-doped InSb if the centrifugal acceleration is increased beyond a critical value depending on the thermal boundary conditions. Furthermore, the maximum rate for the growth of inclusion free GaSb crystals grown by the travelling heater method (THM) is increased by a factor of 10 if this method is carried out at an acceleration of 20 times earth gravity. Model experiments in the Bridgman configuration using a test cell with liquid Ga and a larger series of thermocouples are conducted by varying the thermal boundary conditions and the rotation rate of the centrifuge. A three-dimensional time dependent numerical simulation of the fluid flow under the experimental conditions was carried out using a finite difference numerical scheme. It follows clearly that the Coriolis force acting on the melt in the rotating centrifuge system significantly influences the buoyancy-driven convection with respect to the flow patterns as well as the stability. The Coriolis force causes two very different flow states (I and II), depending on whether the rotation sense of the flow is in the same or in the opposite direction to that of the centrifuge. Type I is very similar to that normally observed on earth. Type II is only observed on the centrifuge and has a very large stability range of steady convection which can be used to grow striation-free crystals. All results give excellent agreement between model experiments and numerical calculations, which finally leads to a fully satisfying explanation of the crystal growth results on our centrifuge.

[Growth of codoped CdWO4 crystals by Bridgman method and their optical spectra].

PubMed

Yu, Can; Xia, Hai-Ping; Wang, Dong-Jie; Chen, Hong-Bing

2011-09-01

The CdWO4 crystals with good quality in the size of Phi25 mm x 120 mm, doped with Co in 0.5% molar fraction in the raw composition, were grown by the Bridgman method by taking -70 degrees C x cm(-1) of solid-liquid interface and -0.50 mm x h(-1) growth rate. The crystal presents transparence and deep blue. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to characterize the crystals. Three absorption peaks at 518, 564 and 655 nm respectively, which are attributed to the overlapping of 4 T1 (4F) --> 4A2 (4F) and 4 T1 (4F) --> 4 T1 (4P) of Co2+ octahedrons, and a wide band centered at 1 863 nm, which is attributed to 4Ti (4F) --> 4 T2 (4F), was observed. The absorption results indicated that the Co ions presented +2 valence in crystal and located within the distorted oxygen octahedrons. The crystal-field parameter D(q) and the Racah parameter B were estimated to be 990 and 726.3 cm(-1) respectively based on the absorption spectra. A fluorescence emission at 778 nm (4T1 (4P) --> 4 T1 (4F)) for codoped CdWO4 crystals was observed under excitation by 520 nm light. It can be deduced from the changes in absorption and emission intensity of different parts of crystal that the concentration of Co2+ ion in crystal increased along growing direction and the effective distribution coefficient of Co2+ ion in CdWO4 crystal is less than 1.

A Chebyshev Collocation Method for Moving Boundaries, Heat Transfer, and Convection During Directional Solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Yiqiang; Alexander, J. I. D.; Ouazzani, J.

1994-01-01

Free and moving boundary problems require the simultaneous solution of unknown field variables and the boundaries of the domains on which these variables are defined. There are many technologically important processes that lead to moving boundary problems associated with fluid surfaces and solid-fluid boundaries. These include crystal growth, metal alloy and glass solidification, melting and name propagation. The directional solidification of semi-conductor crystals by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method is a typical example of such a complex process. A numerical model of this growth method must solve the appropriate heat, mass and momentum transfer equations and determine the location of the melt-solid interface. In this work, a Chebyshev pseudospectra collocation method is adapted to the problem of directional solidification. Implementation involves a solution algorithm that combines domain decomposition, finite-difference preconditioned conjugate minimum residual method and a Picard type iterative scheme.

Shape Evolution of Detached Bridgman Crystals Grown in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.

2015-01-01

Detached (or dewetted) Bridgman crystal growth defines that process in which a gap exists between a growing crystal and the crucible wall. In microgravity, the parameters that influence the existence of a stable gap are the growth angle of the solidifying crystal, the contact angle between the melt and the crucible wall, and the pressure difference across the meniscus. During actual crystal growth, the initial crystal radius will not have the precise value required for stable detached growth. Beginning with a crystal diameter that differs from stable conditions, numerical calculations are used to analyze the transient crystal growth process. Depending on the initial conditions and growth parameters, the crystal shape will either evolve towards attachment at the crucible wall, towards a stable gap width, or inwards towards eventual collapse of the meniscus. Dynamic growth stability is observed only when the sum of the growth and contact angles exceeds 180 degrees.

Design of a High Thermal Gradient Bridgman Furnace

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LeCroy, J. E.; Popok, D. P.

1994-01-01

The Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF) is a Bridgman-Stockbarger microgravity processing facility, designed and manifested to first fly aboard the second United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-2) Space Shuttle mission. The AADSF was principally designed to produce high axial thermal gradients, and is particularly suitable for metals solidification experiments, including non-dilute alloys. To accommodate a wider range of experimental conditions, the AADSF is equipped with a reconfigurable gradient zone. The overall design of the AADSF and the relationship between gradient zone design and furnace performance are described. Parametric thermal analysis was performed and used to select gradient zone design features that fulfill the high thermal gradient requirements of the USMP-2 experiment. The thermal model and analytical procedure, and parametric results leading to the first flight gradient zone configuration, are presented. Performance for the USMP-2 flight experiment is also predicted, and analysis results are compared to test data.

Effect of accelerated crucible rotation on melt composition in high-pressure vertical Bridgman growth of cadmium zinc telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeckel, Andrew; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2000-02-01

Three-dimensional axisymmetric, time-dependent simulations of the high-pressure vertical Bridgman growth of large-diameter cadmium zinc telluride are performed to study the effect of accelerated crucible rotation (ACRT) on crystal growth dynamics. The model includes details of heat transfer, melt convection, solid-liquid interface shape, and dilute zinc segregation. Application of ACRT greatly improves mixing in the melt, but causes an overall increased deflection of the solid-liquid interface. The flow exhibits a Taylor-Görtler instability at the crucible sidewall, which further enhances melt mixing. The rate of mixing depends strongly on the length of the ACRT cycle, with an optimum half-cycle length between 2 and 4 Ekman time units. Significant melting of the crystal occurs during a portion of the rotation cycle, caused by periodic reversal of the secondary flow at the solid-liquid interface, indicating the possibility of compositional striations.

Three-dimensional analysis of flow and segregation in vertical Bridgman crystal growth under axial and transversal magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, C. W.; Lee, I. F.; Yeh, B. C.

2003-07-01

Three-dimensional simulation, both pseudo-steady and time-dependent states, is carried out to illustrate the effects of magnetic fields on the flow and segregation in a vertical Bridgman crystal growth. With an axial magnetic field in a perfectly vertical growth, the calculated results are in good agreement with those obtained by a two-dimensional axisymmetric model. The asymptotic scaling of flow damping is also consistent with the boundary layer approximation regardless to the magnetic orientation. Radial and axial segregations are further discussed concluding that radial segregation could be severe if the flow damping is not adequate. Moreover, there is a regime of enhanced global dopant mixing due to the flow stretching by the axial field. Accordingly, the transversal field is more effective in pushing the growth to the diffusion-controlled limit and suppressing the asymmetric global flow due to ampule tilting.

Insert Concepts for the Material Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) of the Material Science Research Facility (MSRF) on the International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crouch, Myscha; Carswell, Bill; Farmer, Jeff; Rose, Fred; Tidwell, Paul

2000-01-01

The Material Science Research Rack I (MSRR-1) of the Material Science Research Facility (MSRF) contains an Experiment Module (EM) being developed collaboratively by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). This NASA/ESA EM will accommodate several different removable and replaceable Module Inserts (MIs) which are installed on orbit NASA's planned inserts include the Quench Module Insert (QMI) and the Diffusion Module Insert (DMI). The QMI is a high-gradient Bridgman-type vacuum furnace with quench capabilities used for experiments on directional solidification of metal alloys. The DMI is a vacuum Bridgman-Stockbarger-type furnace for experiments on Fickian and Soret diffusion in liquids. This paper discusses specific design features and performance capabilities of each insert. The paper also presents current prototype QMI hardware analysis and testing activities and selected results.

Influence of Bridgman solidification on microstructures and magnetic behaviors of a non-equiatomic FeCoNiAlSi high-entropy alloy

DOE PAGES

Zuo, Tingting; Yang, Xiao; Liaw, Peter K.; ...

2015-09-07

The non-equiatomic FeCoNiAlSi alloy is prepared by the Bridgman solidification (BS) technique at different withdrawal velocities (V = 30, 100, and 200 μm/s). Various characterization techniques have been used to study the microstructure and crystal orientation. The morphological evolutions accompanying the crystal growth of the alloy prepared at different withdrawal velocities are nearly the same, from equiaxed grains to columnar crystals. The transition of coercivity is closely related to the local microstructure, while the saturation magnetization changes little at different sites. The coercivity can be significantly reduced from the equiaxed grain area to the columnar crystal area when the appliedmore » magnetic field direction is parallel to the crystal growth direction, no matter what is the withdrawal velocity. As a result, the alloy possesses magnetic anisotropy when the applied magnetic field is in different directions.« less

Simple adaptation of the Bridgman high pressure technique for use with liquid media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombier, E.; Braithwaite, D.

2007-09-01

We present a simple novel technique to adapt a standard Bridgman cell for the use of a liquid pressure transmitting medium. The technique has been implemented in a compact cell, able to fit in a commercial Quantum Design PPMS system, and would also be easily adaptable to extreme conditions of very low temperatures or high magnetic fields. Several media have been tested and a mix of fluorinert FC84:FC87 has been shown to produce a considerable improvement over the pressure conditions in the standard steatite solid medium, while allowing a relatively easy setup procedure. For optimized hydrostatic conditions, the success rate is about 80% and the maximum pressure achieved so far is 7.1GPa. Results are shown for the heavy fermion system YbAl3 and for NaV6O15, an insulator showing charge order.

Investigation of temperature and concentration oscillations in the directional solidification of Pb-Sn-Te

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, T. J.; Narayanan, R.

1987-01-01

Directional solidification of the pseudobinary compound semiconductor material Pb sub 1-x Sn sub x Te by the Bridgman crystal growth process will be studied. Natural convection in the molten sample will be visualized with a novel electrochemical cell technique that employs the solid electrolyte material yttria-stabilized zirconia. Mass transfer by both diffusion and convection will be measured by detecting the motion of oxygen tracer in the liquid. Additional applications for electrochemical cells in semiconductor crystal growth are suggested. Unsteady convection in the melt will also be detected by the appearance of temperature oscillations. The purpose of this study is to experimentally characterize the overstable conditions for a Pb sub 1-x Sn sub x Te melt in the vertical Bridgman crystal growth technique and use a linear analysis to predict the onset of convection for this system.

Numerical modeling of Bridgman growth of PbSnTe in a magnetic field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yao, Minwu; Chait, Arnon; Fripp, Archibald L.; Debnam, William J.

1995-01-01

In this work we study heat and mass transport, fluid motion, and solid/liquid phase change in the process of steady Bridgman growth of Pb(.8)Sn(.2)Te (LTT) in an axially-imposed uniform magnetic field under terrestrial and microgravity conditions. In particular, this research is concerned with the interrelationships among segregation, buoyancy-driven convection, and magnetic damping in the LTT melt. The main objectives are to provide a quantitative understanding of the complex transport phenomena during solidification of the nondilute binary of LTT, to provide estimates of the strength of magnetic field required to achieve the desired diffusion-dominated growth, and to assess the role of magnetic damping for space and earth based control of the buoyancy-induced convection. The problem was solved by using FIDAP and numerical results for both vertical and horizontal growth configurations with respect to the acceleration of gravity vector are presented.

Effect of Elevated Pressure on the Heat Transfer and Power Requirements During Bridgman Growth of PMN-PT Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bune, Andris; Ostrogorsky, Aleksandar; Marin, Carlos; Nicoara, Irina; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Performance of the furnace during Bridgman growth of the lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate crystal (PMN-PT) is analyzed. PMN-PT is electrostrictive ceramic that has near ideal strain-voltage function. Furthermore piezoelectric (2000 to 2300 pC/N) and coupling (92 to 95%) constants are exceptionally good. Due to these properties PMN-PT has wide range of applications - from sonars to transducers in a high precision optical systems. In this research first attempt to crystallize PMN-PT in a Mellen type vertical Bridgman furnace was not successful, as melting temperature of precursor materials was not achieved. At this point choice was between building a new more powerful facility or finding ways to enhance performance of the existing furnace. Besides adjusting power supply to the individual heating elements, redesigning ampoule holding cartridge and improving furnace insulation one more radical improvement was proposed. The entire furnace was placed into the high pressure chamber. Further experiments confirmed that temperature inside the furnace was increased sufficiently to melt precursor materials to obtain PMN-PT. Numerical modeling is undertaken to find limitations of this technique and to predict temperature distribution inside the ampoule. It is of interest also to account for main factors contributing to a higher temperatures achieved in the furnace under the higher pressure (up to 10 atm.). Numerical model of the furnace is based on general purpose finite - element code FIDAP and on previous efforts to model Bridgman type furnace with multiply heaters. In order to account for all heat transfer mechanism involved - conduction, convection and radiation - different parts of the furnace are modeled in accordance with expected dominant mode of heat transfer - conduction in the solid parts, conduction and radiation in the ampoule, gas convection and conduction in the furnace openings complemented with wall-to-wall radiation. Because of these complicating factors, dimensional rather than non-dimensional modeling is performed using steady-state 2-D and 3-D models. Particular attention is paid to the modeling of radiation in a semitransparent material of ampoule 7 sapphire. The radiation model is validated by solving realistic test problem - conduction and radiation heat transfer in the fused quartz. Results are in agreement with both experimental and analytical data.

Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, Frederick

1990-01-01

The objective of this theoretical research effort was to improve the understanding of the growth of Pb(x)Sn(1-x)Te and especially how crystal quality could be improved utilizing the microgravity environment of space. All theoretical growths are done using the vertical Bridgman method. It is believed that improved single crystal yields can be achieved by systematically identifying and studying system parameters both theoretically and experimentally. A computational model was developed to study and eventually optimize the growth process. The model is primarily concerned with the prediction of the thermal field, although mass transfer in the melt and the state of stress in the crystal were of considerable interest. The evolution is presented of the computer simulation and some of the important results obtained. Diffusion controlled growth was first studied since it represented a relatively simple, but nontheless realistic situation. In fact, results from this analysis prompted a study of the triple junction region where the melt, crystal, and ampoule wall meet. Since microgravity applications were sought because of the low level of fluid movement, the effect of gravitational field strength on the thermal and concentration field was also of interest. A study of the strength of coriolis acceleration on the growth process during space flight was deemed necessary since it would surely produce asymmetries in the flow field if strong enough. Finally, thermosolutal convection in a steady microgravity field for thermally stable conditions and both stable and unstable solutal conditions was simulated.

Project Description and Publications List for UAH CMMR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaukler, William F.

1999-01-01

This research combines a state of the art X-ray Transmission Microscope, XTM, with a specially designed x-ray transparent horizontal Bridgman furnace to image (with resolutions up to 3 micrometers) the solidification of metal alloys in real-time. The objective is to obtain real-time dynamic data to provide direct measure of the solute profile in the liquid, phase coalescence and growth in the liquid, and the detailed interface morphology (e,g., dendrites and cells) during solidification. We are also enhancing the XTM data with precise solid-liquid interfacial temperature and the thermal gradient measurement techniques, and working on the application of this technology to the study of the fundamentals of solidification in microgravity. Over the last several years we have successfully imaged in real-time: interfacial-morphologies, phase growth, coalescence, incorporation of phases into the growing interface, and the solute boundary layer in the liquid at the solid-liquid interface. We have also measured true local growth rates and can evaluate segregation structures in the solid. Interfacial undercoolings are being measured either with a special Seebeck furnace or with micro-thermocouple arrays we are developing. These later techniques are presently being incorporated with the XTM furnace. This last year emphasized the investigation of the solute layer in the melt during solidification. Methods were developed to quantify the solute concentrations using x-ray absorption and to compare to predictions from simulations. In addition, work is being completed on a brass-board portable XTM that incorporates a vertical Bridgman furnace.

Homogeneity of CdZnTe detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermon, H.; Schieber, M.; James, R. B.; Lund, J.; Antolak, A. J.; Morse, D. H.; Kolesnikov, N. N. P.; Ivanov, Y. N.; Goorsky, M. S.; Yoon, H.; Toney, J.; Schlesinger, T. E.

1998-02-01

We describe the current state of nuclear radiation detectors produced from single crystals of Cd 1- xZn xTe(CZT), with 0.04 < x < 0.4, grown by the vertical high pressure Bridgman (VHPB) method. The crystals investigated were grown commercially both in the USA and at the Institute of Solid State Physics, Chernogolska, Russia. The CZT was evaluated by Sandia National Laboratories and the UCLA and CMU groups using proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), infrared (IR) transmission microscopy, leakage current measurements and response to nuclear radiation. We discuss the homogeneity of the various CZT crystals based on the results from these measurement techniques.

Growth, spectroscopy and continuous-wave laser performance of Nd3+:LiLu0.65Y0.35F4 crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demesh, M. P.; Kurilchik, S. V.; Gusakova, N. V.; Yasukevich, A. S.; Kisel, V. E.; Nizamutdinov, A. S.; Marisov, M. M.; Aglyamov, R. D.; Korableva, S. L.; Naumov, A. K.; Semashko, V. V.; Kuleshov, N. V.

2018-04-01

A mixed fluoride crystal of LiLu0.65Y0.35F4 doped with Nd3+ ions was grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Polarized absorption and luminescence spectra as well as luminescence lifetime were measured at room temperature. Emission probabilities, branching ratios and radiative lifetime were studied within the Judd-Ofelt theory and the emission cross section spectra were calculated. Efficient continuous wave laser operation was demonstrated with the crystal. A maximum output power of 7.7 W and slope efficiency of 60% were achieved at 1047 nm for the TEM00 mode.

Crystal Chemical Controls on Equation of State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, R. M.; McCarthy, A. C.; Downs, R. T.

2007-12-01

Minerals are known to compress through a number of mechanisms, ranging from polyhedral distortion to electronic transitions. Two mechanisms which can produce significant volume decreases are angle-bending and bond compression. The crystal chemical effects of these two mechanisms have been studied and documented for years. With more recent advances in theory and software enabling the accurate determination of bonding topologies, M-O bonding to bridging oxygens has been shown to modify compressibility by changing angle-bending force constants. Minerals that compress mainly through angle-bending tend be soft. Good examples are quartz and cristobalite, minerals composed solely of corner-sharing silicate tetrahedra with bulk moduli of 37 and 12 GPa, respectively. Rock salt structured oxides must compress strictly by bond compression, and are much stiffer - lime and periclase have bulk moduli of 111 and 156 GPa, respectively. Feldspars have bulk moduli intermediate to the above examples. Based solely on the presence of Al-O-Si angles, theoretically softer than Si-O-Si angles, feldspars should be softer than quartz or cristobalite, but the T-O-T angles are stiffened by bonds to interstitial cations. The number and nature of these bonds affects compressibility sufficiently to create exceptions to Bridgman's law, which correlates bulk modulus with ambient unit cell volume in isostructural materials. In this paper, we present new high-pressure refinements of the crystal structures of jadeite, aegirine, and NaGa- clinopyroxene. Bulk moduli of these pyroxenes and all other end-member clinopyroxenes we could find in the literature (19 total) are plotted vs. unit cell volumes to test Bridgman's law. The data fall along two trends, each of which is separately consistent with Bridgman's law. Pyroxenes in one trend are dramatically stiffer than those in the other trend, with bulk moduli that differ by approximately 40 GPa. The only difference between the topologies of the structures in the two trends is in the bonding around M2. Structures in the less compressible trend have M2-O3 bonds that oppose Si-O-Si angle-bending in the tetrahedral chains. This angle-bending is an important compression mechanism in pyroxenes. McCarthy et al. (in press) term these bonds "antipathetic". Pyroxenes in the more compressible trend lack these bonds. There are other M2-O3 bonds that visual inspection suggests might tend to encourage angle-bending, but do not appear to have an effect. McCarthy et al. term these bonds "apathetic," and suggest the term "sympathetic" for M-O bonds that actually soften angles. Other examples from the literature will be presented including one from the feldspars that may be a truly sympathetic bond. McCarthy, A.C., Downs, R.T., and Thompson, R.M. (in press) Compressibility trends of the clinopyroxenes, and in- situ high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of jadeite. American Mineralogist.

Process modelling for space station experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberger, Franz; Alexander, J. Iwan D.

1988-01-01

The work performed during the first year 1 Oct. 1987 to 30 Sept. 1988 involved analyses of crystal growth from the melt and from solution. The particular melt growth technique under investigation is directional solidification by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Two types of solution growth systems are also being studied. One involves growth from solution in a closed container, the other concerns growth of protein crystals by the hanging drop method. Following discussions with Dr. R. J. Naumann of the Low Gravity Science Division at MSFC it was decided to tackle the analysis of crystal growth from the melt earlier than originally proposed. Rapid progress was made in this area. Work is on schedule and full calculations were underway for some time. Progress was also made in the formulation of the two solution growth models.

Inclusion free cadmium zinc tellurium and cadmium tellurium crystals and associated growth method

DOEpatents

Bolotnikov, Aleskey E [South Setauket, NY; James, Ralph B [Ridge, NY

2010-07-20

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for crystal growth of cadmium zinc tellurium (CZT) and cadmium tellurium (CdTe) crystals with an inverted growth reactor chamber. The inverted growth reactor chamber enables growth of single, large, high purity CZT and CdTe crystals that can be used, for example, in X-ray and gamma detection, substrates for infrared detectors, or the like. The inverted growth reactor chamber enables reductions in the presence of Te inclusions, which are recognized as an important limiting factor in using CZT or CdTe as radiation detectors. The inverted growth reactor chamber can be utilized with existing crystal growth techniques such as the Bridgman crystal growth mechanism and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the inverted growth reactor chamber is a U-shaped ampoule.

Investigation of Cd1-xMgxTe as possible materials for X and gamma ray detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mycielski, Andrzej; Kochanowska, Dominika M.; Witkowska-Baran, Marta; Wardak, Aneta; Szot, Michał; Domagała, Jarosław; Witkowski, Bartłomiej S.; Jakieła, Rafał; Kowalczyk, Leszek; Witkowska, Barbara

2018-06-01

In recent years, a series of investigations has been devoted to a possibility of using crystals based on CdTe with addition of magnesium (Mg) for X and gamma radiation detectors. Since we have had wide technological possibilities of preparing crystals and investigating their properties, we performed crystallizations of the crystals mentioned above. Thereafter, we investigated selected properties of the obtained materials. The crystallization processes were performed by using the Low Pressure Bridgman (LPB) method. The elements used: Cd, Te, Mg were of the highest purity available at present. In order to obtain reliable conclusions the crystallization processes were carried out at identical technological conditions. The details of our technological method and the results of the investigation of physical properties of the samples are presented below.

Luminescence properties of ZnxMg1-xSe layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bala, Waclaw; Firszt, Franciszek; Dzik, Janusz; Gapinski, Adam; Glowacki, Grzegorz

1995-10-01

This work deals with the study of luminescence properties of ZnxMg1-xSe layers prepared by different methods. ZnxMg1-xSe mixed crystal layers were obtained by: (a) thermal diffusion of Mg metal in the temperature range 1050 K - 1200 K into ZnSe single crystal grown by Bridgman method, and (b) epitaxial growth on (001) GaAs and (111) ZnTe substrates by MBE using elemental Zn, Se and Mg sources. The luminescence spectra of ZnxMg1-xSe layers grown on (001) GaAs and (111) ZnTe substrates are dominated by narrow blue and violet emission bands with maxima positioned at about 3.05 - 3.28 eV, 2.88 - 3.04 eV, and 2.81 - 2.705 eV.

Bulk Crystal Growth of Nonlinear Optical Organic Materials Using Inverted Vertical Gradient Freeze Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, J.; Cruz, Magda; Metzl, R.; Wang, W. S.; Aggarwal, M. D.; Penn, Benjamin G.; Frazier, Donald O.

1998-01-01

A new process for producing large bulk single crystals of benzil (C6H5COCOC6H5) is reported in this paper. Good quality crystals have been successfully grown using this approach to crystal growth. This method seems to be very promising for other thermally stable NLO organic materials also. The entire contents vycor crucible 1.5 inch in diameter and 2 inch deep was converted to single crystal. Purity of the starting growth material is also an important factor in the final quality of the grown crystals. The entire crystal can be very easily taken out of the crucible by simple maneuvering. Initial characterization of the grown crystals indicated that the crystals are as good as other crystals grown by conventional Bridgman Stockbarger technique.

Dewetting During the Crystal Growth of (Cd,Zn)Te:In Under Microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sylla, Lamine; Fauler, Alex; Fiederle, Michael; Duffar, Thierry; Dieguez, Ernesto; Zanotti, Lucio; Zappettini, Andrea; Roosen, GÉrald

2009-08-01

The phenomenon of ldquodewettingrdquo associated with the Vertical Bridgman (VB) crystal growth technique leads to the growth of a crystal without contact with the crucible. One dramatic consequence of this modified VB process is the reduction of structural defects within the crystal. It has been observed in several microgravity experiments for different semiconductor crystals. This work is concentrated on the growth of high resistivity (Cd,Zn)Te:In (CZT) crystals by achieving the phenomenon of dewetting under microgravity condition and its application in the processing of CZT detectors. Two Cd0.9Zn0.1Te:In crystals were grown in space on the Russian FOTON satellite in the POLIZON-M facility in September 2007 (mission M3). At the end of the preliminary melting phase of one crystal, a Rotating Magnetic Field (RMF) was applied in order to reduce the typical tellurium clusters within the melt before the pulling. The other crystal was superheated with 20 K above the melting point before the pulling. A third reference crystal has been grown on the ground in similar thermal conditions. Profiles measurements of the space grown crystals surface gave the evidence of a successful dewetting during the crystal growth. Characterization methods such as IR microscopy and CoReMa have been performed on the three crystals. CZT detectors have been processed from the grown part of the different crystals. The influence of the dewetting on the material quality and the detector properties completes the study.

An analytical approach to thermal modeling of Bridgman-type crystal growth. I - One-dimensional analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naumann, R. J.

1982-01-01

A relatively simple one-dimensional thermal model of the Bridgman growth process has been developed which is applicable to the growth of small diameter samples with conductivities similar to those of metallic alloys. The heat flow in a translating rod is analyzed in a way that is applicable to Biot numbers less than unity. The model accommodates an adiabatic zone, different heat transfer coefficients in the hot and cold zones, and changes in sample material properties associated with phase change. The analysis is applied to several simplified cases. The effect of the rod's motion is studied in a three-zone furnace for a rod sufficiently long that end effects can be neglected; end effects are then investigated for a motionless rod. Finally, the addition of a fourth zone, an independently controlled booster heater between the main heater and the adiabatic zone, is evaluated for its ability to increase the gradient in the sample at the melt interface and to control the position of the interface.

Stabilizing detached Bridgman melt crystal growth: Proportional-integral feedback control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeckel, Andrew; Daoutidis, Prodromos; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2012-10-01

The dynamics, operability limits, and tuning of a proportional-integral feedback controller to stabilize detached vertical Bridgman crystal growth are analyzed using a capillary model of shape stability. The manipulated variable is the pressure difference between upper and lower vapor spaces, and the controlled variable is the gap width at the triple-phase line. Open and closed loop dynamics of step changes in these state variables are analyzed under both shape stable and shape unstable growth conditions. Effects of step changes in static contact angle and growth angle are also studied. Proportional and proportional-integral control can stabilize unstable growth, but only within tight operability limits imposed by the narrow range of allowed meniscus shapes. These limits are used to establish safe operating ranges of controller gain. Strong nonlinearity of the capillary model restricts the range of perturbations that can be stabilized, and under some circumstances, stabilizes a spurious operating state far from the set point. Stabilizing detachment at low growth angle proves difficult and becomes impossible at zero growth angle.

Dynamics of melt crystal interface and thermal stresses in rotational Bridgman crystal growth process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Ronghui; Zhang, Hui; Larson, David J.; Mandal, Krishna C.

2004-05-01

The growth process of potassium bromide (KBr) single crystals in a vertical Bridgman furnace has been studied numerically using an integrated model that combines formulation of global heat transfer and thermal elastic stresses. The global heat transfer sub-model accounts for conduction, convection and interface movement in the multiphase system. Using the elastic stress sub-model, thermal stresses in the growing crystal caused by the non-uniform temperature distribution is predicted. Special attention is directed to the interaction between the crystal and the ampoule. The global temperature distribution in the furnace, the flow pattern in the melt and the interface shapes are presented. We also investigate the effects of the natural convection and rotational forced convection on the shape of the growth fronts. Furthermore, the state of the thermal stresses in the crystal is studied to understand the plastic deformation mechanisms during the cooling process. The influence of the wall contact on thermal stresses is also addressed.

Numerical analysis of melt-solid interface shapes and growth rates of gallium antimonide in a single-zone vertical Bridgman furnace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, P. S.; Bhat, H. L.; Kumar, Vikram

1995-09-01

Numerical analysis has been carried out to determine the deviation of the growth rate from the ampoule lowering rate and the shape of the isotherms during the growth of gallium antimonide using the vertical Bridgman technique in a single-zone furnace. Electrical analogues have been used to model the thermal behaviour of the growth system. The standard circuit analysis technique has been used to calculate the temperature distribution in the growing crystal under various growth conditions. The effects of furnace temperature gradient near the melt-solid interface, the ampoule lowering rate, the ampoule geometry, the thermal conductivity of the melt, the mode of heat extraction from the tip of the ampoule and the extent of lateral heat loss from the side walls of the ampoule on the shape of isotherms in the crystal have been evaluated. The theoretical results presented here agree well with our previously obtained experimental results.

Numerical simulation of CdTe vertical Bridgman growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouyang, Hong; Shyy, Wei

1997-04-01

Numerical simulation has been conducted for steady-state Bridgman growth of the CdTe crystal with two ampoule configurations, namely, flat base and semi-spherical base. The present model accounts for conduction, convection and radiation, as well as phase change dynamics. The enthalpy formulation for phase change has been incorporated into a pressure-based algorithm with multi-zone curvilinear grid systems. The entire system which consists of the furnace enclosure wall, the encapsulated gas and the ampoule, contains irregularly configured domains. To meet the competing needs of producing accurate solutions with reasonable computing resources, a two-level approach is employed. The present study reveals that although the two ampoule configurations are quite different, their influence on the melt-solid interface shape is modest, and the undesirable concave interface appears in both cases. Since the interface shape strongly depends on thermal conductivities between the melt and the crystal, as well as ampoule wall temperature, accurate prescriptions of materials transport properties and operating environment are crucial for successful numerical predictions.

Bridgman Growth of GeSi Alloys in a Static Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Szofran, F. R.; Vujisic, L.; Motakef, S.

1998-01-01

Ge(0.95)Si(0.050 alloy crystals have been grown by the vertical Bridgman technique, both with and without an axial 5 Tesla magnetic field. The crystals were processed in a constant axial thermal gradient and the effects of graphite, hot pressed boron nitride, and pyrolitic boron nitride ampoule materials on interface shapes and macrosegregation profiles were investigated. The sample grown in a graphite ampoule at 5 Tesla exhibited a macroscopic axial concentration profile close to that of complete mixing and strong striation patterns. In samples grown in boron nitride ampoules, both with and without a 5 Tesla magnetic field applied, measured macroscopic axial concentration profiles were intermediate between those expected for a completely mixed melt and diffusion-controlled growth, and striation patterns were also observed. Possible explanations for the apparent inability of the magnetic field to reduce the flow velocities to below the growth velocities are discussed, and results of growth experiments in pyrolitic boron nitride ampoules are also described.

Melt Convection Effects in the Bridgman Crystal Growth of an Alloy Under Microgravity Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson James E.; Garimella, Suresh V.; deGroh, Henry C., III; Abbaschian, Reza

1998-01-01

The solidification of a dilute bismuth-tin alloy under Bridgman crystal growth conditions is investigated in support of NASA's MEPHISTO space shuttle flight experiment. Computations are performed in two-dimensions with a uniform grid. The simulation includes the species-concentration, temperature and flow fields, as well as conduction in the ampoule. Fully transient simulations have been performed; no simplifying steady state approximations are used. Results are obtained under microgravity conditions for pure bismuth, and Bismuth-0.1 at.% Sn and Bi-1.0 at.% Sn alloys. The concentration dependence of the melting temperature is neglected; the solid/liquid interface temperature is assumed to be the melting temperature of pure bismuth for all cases studied. For the Bi-1.0 at.% Sn case the results indicate that a secondary convective cell, driven by solutal gradients, forms near the interface. The magnitude of the velocities in this cell increases with time; this causes increasing solute segregation at the liquid/solid interface.

An axial temperature profile curvature criterion for the engineering of convex crystal growth interfaces in Bridgman systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Jeffrey H.; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2017-06-01

A unifying idea is presented for the engineering of convex melt-solid interface shapes in Bridgman crystal growth systems. Previous approaches to interface control are discussed with particular attention paid to the idea of a "booster" heater. Proceeding from the idea that a booster heater promotes a converging heat flux geometry and from the energy conservation equation, we show that a convex interface shape will naturally result when the interface is located in regions of the furnace where the axial thermal profile exhibits negative curvature, i.e., where d2 T / dz2 < 0 . This criterion is effective in explaining prior literature results on interface control and promising for the evaluation of new furnace designs. We posit that the negative curvature criterion may be applicable to the characterization of growth systems via temperature measurements in an empty furnace, providing insight about the potential for achieving a convex interface shape, without growing a crystal or conducting simulations.

The effects of deep-level defects on the electrical properties of Cd0.9Zn0.1Te crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Pengfei; Nan, Ruihua; Jian, Zengyun

2017-06-01

The deep-level defects of CdZnTe (CZT) crystals grown by the modified vertical Bridgman (MVB) method act as trapping centers or recombination centers in the band gap, which have significant effects on its electrical properties. The resistivity and electron mobility-lifetime product of high resistivity Cd0.9Zn0.1Te wafer marked CZT1 and low resistivity Cd0.9Zn0.1Te wafer marked CZT2 were tested respectively. Their deep-level defects were identified by thermally stimulated current (TSC) spectroscopy and thermoelectric effect spectroscopy (TEES) respectively. Then the trap-related parameters were characterized by the simultaneous multiple peak analysis (SIMPA) method. The deep donor level ({E}{{DD}}) dominating dark current was calculated by the relationship between dark current and temperature. The Fermi-level was characterized by current-voltage measurements of temperature dependence. The width of the band gap was characterized by ultraviolet-visible-infrared transmittance spectroscopy. The results show the traps concentration and capture cross section of CZT1 are lower than CZT2, so its electron mobility-lifetime product is greater than CZT2. The Fermi-level of CZT1 is closer to the middle gap than CZT2. The degree of Fermi-level pinned by {E}{{DD}} of CZT1 is larger than CZT2. It can be concluded that the resistivity of CZT crystals increases as the degree of Fermi-level pinned near the middle gap by the deep donor level enlarges. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51502234) and the Scientific Research Plan Projects of Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education of China (No. 15JS040).

Growth and characterization of binary and pseudo-binary 3-5 compounds exhibiting non-linear optical behavior. Undergraduate research opportunities in microgravity science and technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witt, August F.

1992-01-01

In line with the specified objectives, a Bridgman-type growth configuration in which unavoidable end effects - conventionally leading to growth interface relocation - are compensated by commensurate input-power changes is developed; the growth rate on a microscale is predictable and unaffected by changes in heat transfer conditions. To permit quantitative characterization of the growth furnace cavity (hot-zone), a 3-D thermal field mapping technique, based on the thermal image, is being tested for temperatures up to 1100 C. Computational NIR absorption analysis was modified to now permit characterization of semi-insulating single crystals. Work on growth and characterization of bismuth-silicate was initiated. Growth of BSO (B12SiO20) for seed material by the Czochralski technique is currently in progress. Undergraduate research currently in progress includes: ground based measurements of the wetting behavior (contact angles) of semiconductor melts on substrates consisting of potential confinement materials for solidification experiments in a reduced gravity environment. Hardware modifications required for execution of the wetting experiments in a KC-135 facility are developed.

Ternary eutectic growth of nanostructured thermoelectric Ag-Pb-Te materials

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

Wu, Hsin-jay; Chen, Sinn-wen; Foo, Wei-jian

2012-07-09

Nanostructured Ag-Pb-Te thermoelectric materials were fabricated by unidirectionally solidifying the ternary Ag-Pb-Te eutectic and near-eutectic alloys using the Bridgeman method. Specially, the Bridgman-grown eutectic alloy exhibited a partially aligned lamellar microstructure, which consisted of Ag{sub 5}Te{sub 3} and Te phases, with additional 200-600 nm size particles of PbTe. The self-assembled interfaces altered the thermal and electronic transport properties in the bulk Ag-Pb-Te eutectic alloy. Presumably due to phonon scattering from the nanoscale microstructure, a low thermal conductivity ({kappa} = 0.3 W/mK) was achieved of the eutectic alloy, leading to a zT peak of 0.41 at 400 K.

Single-Crystal Bismuth Iodide Gamma-Ray Spectrometers

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-01

the density of the crystal (g/cm\\ M is the molecular weight of the vapor (g/mole), and R is the gas constant (cai/(K·mole)). Equation (6) indicates...along the vertical axis with a fixed rate. This simulated the downward movement of the ampoule in the conventional vertical Bridgman method. The...3cl512 1.03 4512 4.6 961 Pd Pd3d 336.5 Pd 3d512 1.03 6796 4.6 1477 Pdb N3d 340.3 Pd 3d3J2 1.03 2978 4.6 647 Pd Pd3d 341.7 Pd 3d3J2 1.03 4486 4.6 975

Proceedings of Symposium F on New Aspects on the Growth, Characterization and Applications of CdTe and Related Cd Rich Alloys of the 1992 E-MRS Spring Conference held in Strasbourg, France on June 2 - 5, 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

Bridgman method VI - with (VBZ) and without (VB) a cadmium source can be 1- observed. In VB crystals grown from a slightly tellurium-rich melt the axial...CdTe epilayers will be performed ex 3. Results situ. Light sources are, respectively, a low power HeNe laser emitting at 633 nm and a 75 W xenon lamp for...Positrons can be used as a probe of vacancy-type recorded about 2 x 106 annihilations. After source and defects in semiconductors by studying their

Deformation-Induced Dissolution and Precipitation of Nitrides in Austenite and Ferrite of a High-Nitrogen Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabashov, V. A.; Makarov, A. V.; Kozlov, K. A.; Sagaradze, V. V.; Zamatovskii, A. E.; Volkova, E. G.; Luchko, S. N.

2018-02-01

Methods of Mössbauer spectroscopy and electron microscopy have been used to study the effect of the severe plastic deformation by high pressure torsion in Bridgman anvils on the dissolution and precipitation of chromium nitrides in the austenitic and ferritic structure of an Fe71.2Cr22.7Mn1.3N4.8 high-nitrogen steel. It has been found that an alternative process of dynamic aging with the formation of secondary nitrides affects the kinetics of the dissolution of chromium nitrides. The dynamic aging of ferrite is activated with an increase in the deformation temperature from 80 to 573 K.

Growth of langasite via Bridgman technique along [ 0 0 0 1], [ 2 1¯ 1¯ 0] and [ 0 1 1¯ 1] for piezoelectric applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uda, Satoshi; Inaba, Hitoshi; Harada, Jiro; Hoshikawa, Keigo

2004-10-01

2-inch langasite (La 3Ga 5SiO 14) single crystals were grown for the first time via a vertical Bridgman method, assisted by the accelerated crucible rotation technique (ACRT) along [ 0 0 0 1] ( Z-axis), [ 2 1¯ 1¯ 0] ( X-axis) and [ 0 1 1¯ 1] (54°-rotated Y-axis) for piezoelectric applications. Because of the possible liquid immiscibility, incongruency and segregation, secondary phases other than langasite are formed during growth. The mode of occurrence of these phases was closely related to the interface instability that was specific to the growth direction. The formation of inclusions consisting of lanthanum gallate (LaGaO 3), aligned parallel to ( 0 1 1¯ 0), was associated with the constitutional supercooling. The residual products during the terminal transient were the mixture of gallium oxide (Ga 2O 3) and lanthanum gallate (LaGaO 3) or the mixture of gallium oxide and lanthanum silicate (La 2Si 2O 7) reflecting the position of the initial melt, relative to the tie line connecting the langasite solid solution with gallium oxide in the system of La 2O 3-Ga 2O 3-SiO 2. The homogeneity of the grown crystal was evaluated by the distribution of SAW velocities of the devices fabricated on the ( 0 1 1¯ 0) wafer, as well as by the uniformity of d-spacing of 0 5 5¯ 5.

Natural convection in melt crystal growth - The influence of flow pattern on solute segregation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. A.; Yamaguchi, Y.; Chang, C. J.

1982-01-01

The results of two lines of research aimed at calculating the structure of the flows driven by buoyancy in small-scale crystal growth systems and at understanding the coupling between these flows, the shape of the solidification interface, and dopant segregation in the crystal are reviewed. First, finite-element methods are combined with computer-aided methods for detecting multiple steady solutions to analyze the structure of the buoyancy-driven axisymmetric flows in a vertical cylinder heated from below. This system exhibits onset of convection, multiple steady flows, and loss of the primary stable flow beyond a critical value of the Rayleigh number. Second, results are presented for calculations of convection, melt/solid interface shape, and dopant segregation within a vertical ampoule with thermal boundary conditions that represent a prototype of the vertical Bridgman growth system.

Crystal Growth and Fluid Mechanics Problems in Directional Solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanveer, S.; Baker, G. R.; Foster, M. R.

1996-01-01

An investigation of a more complete theoretical understanding of convection effects in a vertical Bridgman apparatus is described. The aim is to develop a clear understanding of scalings of various features of dendritic crystal growth in the case that both the surface energy and undercooling are small.

Energy politics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McEvoy, Augustin

2012-07-01

In his review of Tyler Hamilton's book Mad Like Tesla (May pp44-45), Roger Bridgman writes that "in energy supply, obviously, companies cannot simply junk huge infrastructure investments in favour of something new, however good it might be". But that is exactly what Angela Merkel's administration has done in Germany with its anti-nuclear policy.

Strontium and barium iodide high light yield scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherepy, Nerine J.; Hull, Giulia; Drobshoff, Alexander D.; Payne, Stephen A.; van Loef, Edgar; Wilson, Cody M.; Shah, Kanai S.; Roy, Utpal N.; Burger, Arnold; Boatner, Lynn A.; Choong, Woon-Seng; Moses, William W.

2008-02-01

Europium-doped strontium and barium iodide are found to be readily growable by the Bridgman method and to produce high scintillation light yields. SrI2(Eu ) emits into the Eu2+ band, centered at 435nm, with a decay time of 1.2μs and a light yield of ˜90000photons/MeV. It offers energy resolution better than 4% full width at half maximum at 662keV, and exhibits excellent light yield proportionality. BaI2(Eu ) produces >30000photons/MeV into the Eu2+ band at 420nm (<1μs decay). An additional broad impurity-mediated recombination band is present at 550nm (>3μs decay), unless high-purity feedstock is used.

Efficient and Accurate Computation of Non-Negative Anisotropic Group Scattering Cross Sections for Discrete Ordinates and Monte Carlo Radiation Transport

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-07-01

Date Kirk A. Mathews (Advisor) James T. Moore (Dean’s Representative) Charles J. Bridgman (Member...Adler-Adler, and Kalbach -Mann representations of the scatter cross sections that are used for some isotopes in ENDF/B-VI are not included. They are not

Histories of Special Education: Stories from Our Past, Insights for Our Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, J. David

1998-01-01

Discusses the contributions of historical research to special education and describes the research by Margaret Mead, the views of Helen Keller, and Laura Bridgman, and the work of Samuel Gridley Howe. The importance of understanding aspects of people and events that have previously been overlooked is emphasized. (CR)

Existence, stability, and nonlinear dynamics of detached Bridgman growth states under zero gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeckel, Andrew; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2011-01-01

A thermocapillary model is used to study the existence, stability, and nonlinear dynamics of detached melt crystal growth in a vertical Bridgman system under zero gravity conditions. The model incorporates time-dependent heat, mass, and momentum transport, and accounts for temperature-dependent surface tension effects at the menisci bounding the melt. The positions of the menisci and phase-change boundary are computed to satisfy the conservation laws rigorously. A rich bifurcation structure in gap width versus pressure difference is uncovered, demarcating conditions under which growth with a stable gap is feasible. Thermal effects shift the bifurcation diagram to a slightly different pressure range, but do not alter its general structure. Necking and freeze-off are shown to be two different manifestations of the same instability mechanism. Supercooling of melt at the meniscus and low thermal gradients in the melt ahead of the crystal-melt-gas triple phase line, either of which may be destabilizing, are both observed under some conditions. The role of wetting and growth angles in dynamic shape stability is clarified.

Producibility improvements suggested by a validated process model of seeded CdZnTe vertical Bridgman growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, David J., Jr.; Casagrande, Louis G.; Di Marzio, Don; Levy, Alan; Carlson, Frederick M.; Lee, Taipao; Black, David R.; Wu, Jun; Dudley, Michael

1994-07-01

We have successfully validated theoretical models of seeded vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger CdZnTe crystal growth and post-solidification processing, using in-situ thermal monitoring and innovative material characterization techniques. The models predict the thermal gradients, interface shape, fluid flow and solute redistribution during solidification, as well as the distributions of accumulated excess stress that causes defect generation and redistribution. Data from the furnace and ampoule wall have validated predictions from the thermal model. Results are compared to predictions of the thermal and thermo-solutal models. We explain the measured initial, change-of-rate, and terminal compositional transients as well as the macrosegregation. Macro and micro-defect distributions have been imaged on CdZnTe wafers from 40 mm diameter boules. Superposition of topographic defect images and predicted excess stress patterns suggests the origin of some frequently encountered defects, particularly on a macro scale, to result from the applied and accumulated stress fields and the anisotropic nature of the CdZnTe crystal. Implications of these findings with respect to producibility are discussed.

TEM investigations on twin boundary structures of feathery crystals in aluminum alloys during Bridgman solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Luyan; Li, Shuangming; Fan, Kai; Li, Yang; Zhong, Hong; Fu, Hengzhi

2018-06-01

Feathery crystals are an ensemble of twinned dendrites, and are characterized by a unique twin boundary (TB) structure in the solidification pattern of aluminum alloys. In this work, the high-density twinned dendrites of Al-4.5 wt% Cu alloys, produced during the Bridgman solidification, have been studied using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The experimental results showed that, after systematically decreasing the growth rate from 3000 μm/s to 1 μm/s, the TBs remained stable, while the solute field around the TBs changed significantly. According to the HRTEM results, successive stacking faults were occurred near the TBs at 1 μm/s, while slight distortion was observed around the TBs at 3000 μm/s. The composition analysis revealed an obvious solute enrichment near the TBs. Furthermore, the solute gradient profile within the TBs became smoother with the decrease in the growth speed. This is due to the more sufficient solid-state back diffusion occurring perpendicular to the twin plane after the solidification.

Bridgman Crystal Growth of an Alloy with Thermosolutal Convection Under Microgravity Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, James E.; Garimella, Suresh V.; deGroh, Henry C., III; Abbaschian, Reza

2000-01-01

The solidification of a dilute alloy (bismuth-tin) under Bridgman crystal growth conditions is investigated. Computations are performed in two dimensions with a uniform grid. The simulation includes the species concentration, temperature and flow fields, as well as conduction in the ampoule. Fully transient simulations have been performed, with no simplifying steady state approximations. Results are obtained under microgravity conditions for pure bismuth, and for Bi-0.1 at.%Sn and Bi-1.0 at.%Sn alloys, and compared with experimental results obtained from crystals grown in the microgravity environment of space. For the Bi-1.0 at.%Sn case the results indicate that a secondary convective cell, driven by solutal gradients, forms near the interface. The magnitude of the velocities in this cell increases with time, causing increasing solute segregation at the solid/liquid interface. The concentration-dependence of the melting temperature is incorporated in the model for the Bi-1.0 at.%Sn alloy. Satisfactory correspondence is obtained between the predicted and experimental results in terms of solute concentrations in the solidified crystal.

Hydrostatic Stress Effects in Metal Plasticity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Christopher D.

1999-01-01

Since the 1940s, the theory of plasticity has assumed that hydrostatic stress does not affect the yield or postyield behavior of metals. This assumption is based on the early work of Bridgman. Bridgman found that hydrostatic pressure (compressive stress) does not affect yield behavior until a substantial amount of pressure (greater than 100 ksi) is present. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of hydrostatic tension on yield behavior. Two different specimen geometries were examined: an equal-arm bend specimen and a double edge notch specimen. The presence of a notch is sufficient to develop high enough hydrostatic tensile stresses to affect yield. The von Mises yield function, which does not have a hydrostatic component, and the Drucker-Prager yield function, which includes a hydrostatic component, were used in finite element analyses of the two specimen geometries. The analyses were compared to test data from IN 100 specimens. For both geometries, the analyses using the Drucker-Prager yield function more closely simulated the test data. The von Mises yield function lead to 5-10% overprediction of the force-displacement or force-strain response of the test specimens.

Growth and characterization of benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate single crystal by vertical Bridgman technique for optical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solanki, S. Siva Bala; Rajesh, N. P.; Suthan, T.

2018-07-01

The benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate single crystal has been grown by vertical Bridgman technique. The grown crystal was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The presence of functional groups in the crystal was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectral studies. The thermal behaviour of the grown crystal was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) studies. Optical behaviour of the grown benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate crystal was studied by UV-Vis-NIR spectral analysis. Fluorescence spectrum shows near violet light emission. The second harmonic generation behaviour of benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate was analyzed. The laser damage threshold value of benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate was measured as 2.16 GW/cm2. The dielectric measurements of benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate crystal were carried out with different frequencies 1 kHz to 1 MHz versus different temperatures ranging from 313 to 353 K. Photoconductivity study shows that the grown benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate crystal belongs to negative photoconductivity property. The mechanical strength of the crystal was calculated by Vickers microhardness study.

Analytical estimates of radial segregation in Bridgman growth from low-level steady and periodic accelerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naumann, Robert J.; Baugher, Charles

1992-08-01

Estimates of the convective flows driven by horizontal temperature gradients in the vertical Bridgman configuration are made for dilute systems subject to the low level accelerations typical of the residual accelerations experienced by a spacecraft in low Earth orbit. The estimates are made by solving the Navier-Stokes momentum equation in one dimension. The mass transport equation is then solved in two dimensions using a first-order perturbation method. This approach is valid provided the convective velocities are small compared to the growth velocity which generally requires a reduced gravity environment. If this condition is satisfied, there will be no circulating cells, and hence no convective transport along the vertical axis. However, the variations in the vertical velocity with radius will give rise to radial segregation. The approximate analytical model developed here can predict the degree of radial segregation for a variety of material and processing parameters to an accuracy well within a factor of two as compared against numerical computations of the full set of Navier-Stokes equations for steady accelerations. It has the advantage of providing more insight into the complex interplay of the processing parameters and how they affect the solute distribution in the grown crystal. This could be extremely valuable in the design of low-gravity experiments in which the intent is to control radial segregation. Also, the analysis can be extended to consider transient and periodic accelerations, which is difficult and costly to do numerically. Surprisingly, it was found that the relative radial segregation falls as the inverse cube of the frequency for periodic accelerations whose periods are short compared with the characteristic diffusion time.

On the Role of Boron in CdTe and CdZnTe Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavesi, M.; Marchini, L.; Zha, M.; Zappettini, A.; Zanichelli, M.; Manfredi, M.

2011-10-01

It is well known that group III elements act as donors if they play a substitutional role at the metallic site in II-tellurides; nevertheless, several studies report both on the creation of complexes with vacancies, named A-centers, and on the involvement in self-compensation mechanisms, especially for indium. The boron concentration in II-tellurides is negligible, and its contribution to transport mechanisms has not been studied yet. For the last few years the authors have been developing a new technique to grow CdZnTe by the vertical Bridgman technique, taking advantage of encapsulation by means of boron oxide. In this way, crystals characterized by large single grains, low etch pit density, and high resistivity have been obtained. Recently, x-ray detectors with state-of-the-art performance have been produced from such crystals. Boron contamination, as a consequence of this growth method, is quite low but at least one order of magnitude above values obtained with other growth techniques. Besides being a low-cost technique which is also suitable for large-scale mass production, the encapsulated vertical Bridgman technique is quite useful to prevent dislocations, grain boundaries, and stacking faults; for these reasons, careful characterization was performed to understand the effect of boron both on the electrical properties and on the spectroscopic performance of the final crystals. Our characterization is mainly based on low-temperature photoluminescence in addition to electrical current-voltage measurements, photostimulated current, and x-ray spectroscopy. The results indicate that boron behaves like other group III elements; in fact, boron forms a complex that does not affect the good performance of our x-ray detectors, even if it shows some properties which are typical of A-centers.

Growth of 2 Inch Eu-doped SrI2 single crystals for scintillator applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Akira; Shoji, Yasuhiro; Yokota, Yuui; Kurosawa, Shunsuke; Hayasaka, Shoki; Chani, Valery I.; Ito, Tomoki; Kamada, Kei; Ohashi, Yuji; Kochurikhin, Vladimir

2016-10-01

A vertical Bridgman (VB) crystal growth process was established using modified micro-pulling-down (μ-PD) crystal growth system with a removable chamber that was developed for the growth of deliquescent halide single crystals because conventional μ-PD method does not allow growth of large bulk single crystals. Eu:SrI2 crystals were grown from the melt of (Sr0.98Eu0.02)I2 composition using carbon crucibles. Undoped μ-PD SrI2 crystals were used as seeds that were affixed to the bottom of the crucible. All the preparations preceding the growths and the hot zone assembling were performed in a glove box with Ar gas. Then the removable chamber was taken out of the glove box, attached to the μ-PD system, connected with a Turbo Molecular pump, and evacuated down to 10-4 Pa at 300 °C. After the baking procedure, high purity Ar gas (6N) was injected into the chamber. The crucible was heated by a high frequency induction coil up to the melting point of Eu:SrI2. After melting the starting materials, the crucible was displaced in downward direction for the crystal growth and then cooled down to room temperature. Thus, 2 in. and crack-free Eu:SrI2 bulk crystals were produced. The crystals had high transparency and did not contain any visible inclusions. The crystals were cut and polished in the glove box and then sealed in an aluminum container with an optical window for characterization. The details of the crystal growth are discussed.

Thermal Modeling of Bridgman Crystal Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cothran, E.

1983-01-01

Heat Flow modeled for moving or stationary rod shaped sample inside directional-solidification furnace. Program effectively models one-dimensional heat flow in translating or motionless rod-shaped sample inside of directionalsolidification furnace in which adiabatic zone separates hot zone and cold zone. Applicable to systems for which Biot numbers in hot and cold zones are less than unity.

Magnetic flow control in growth and casting of photovoltaic silicon: Numerical and experimental results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poklad, A.; Pal, J.; Galindo, V.; Grants, I.; Heinze, V.; Meier, D.; Pätzold, O.; Stelter, M.; Gerbeth, G.

2017-07-01

A novel, vertical Bridgman-type technique for growing multi-crystalline silicon ingots in an induction furnace is described. In contrast to conventional growth, a modified setup with a cone-shaped crucible and susceptor is used. A detailed numerical simulation of the setup is presented. It includes a global thermal simulation of the furnace and a local simulation of the melt, which aims at the influence of the melt flow on the temperature and concentration fields. Furthermore, seeded growth of cone-shaped Si ingots using either a monocrystalline seed or a seed layer formed by pieces of poly-Si is demonstrated and compared to growth without seeds. The influences of the seed material on the grain structure and the dislocation density of the ingots are discussed. The second part addresses model experiments for the Czochralski technique using the room temperature liquid metal GaInSn. The studies were focused on the influence of a rotating and a horizontally static magnetic field on the melt flow and the related heat transport in crucibles being heated from bottom and/or side, and cooled by a crystal model covering about 1/3 of the upper melt surface.

Growth of Bulk Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Crystals and Their Potential Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Kuo-Tong; Shi, Detang; Morgan, S. H.; Collins, W. Eugene; Burger, Arnold

1997-01-01

Developments in bulk crystal growth research for electro-optical devices in the Center for Photonic Materials and Devices since its establishment have been reviewed. Purification processes and single crystal growth systems employing physical vapor transport and Bridgman methods were assembled and used to produce high purity and superior quality wide bandgap materials such as heavy metal halides and II-VI compound semiconductors. Comprehensive material characterization techniques have been employed to reveal the optical, electrical and thermodynamic properties of crystals, and the results were used to establish improved material processing procedures. Postgrowth treatments such as passivation, oxidation, chemical etching and metal contacting during the X-ray and gamma-ray device fabrication process have also been investigated and low noise threshold with improved energy resolution has been achieved.

Spectroscopic ellipsometric studies of the dielectric function of Cd1-x-yMnxFeyTe single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Younghun; Kim, Hyekyeong; Um, Youngho; Park, Hyoyeol

2004-06-01

Cd1-x-yMnxFeyTe single crystals grown by the vertical Bridgman method have been studied by measuring the complex dielectric function using spectroscopic ellipsometry in the 1.5 5.5 eV photon energy range at room temperature. The CP energy parameters of the E0, E1, E1 + 1, and E2 structures were determined by fitting the second-derivative spectra (d2/d2) with a theoretical model, i.e., the standard critical point (SCP) line shapes. The E1, E1 + 1, and E2 energies decreased with increasing Fe composition y, which is due to the hybridization effect of the valence and conduction bands in Cd1-xMnxTe with Fe 3d levels.

Intrinsic light yield and light loss coefficient of Bi4Ge3O12 single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yawai, Nattasuda; Chewpraditkul, Weerapong; Wanarak, Chalerm; Nikl, Martin; Ratanatongchai, Wichian

2014-10-01

In this paper we present the scintillation properties of polished Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) crystals grown by the Bridgman method. The light yield (LY) and energy resolution were measured using XP5200B photomultiplier. At 662 keV γ-rays, high LY of 9680 photons/MeV and good energy resolution of 8.6% were obtained for a 5 × 5 × 1 mm3 BGO sample. The intrinsic LY and light loss coefficient were evaluated. The photofraction in pulse height spectrum of 662 keV γ-rays and the mass attenuation coefficient at 59.5 and 662 keV γ-rays were also determined and compared with the theoretical ones calculated using the WinXCom program.

Features of bicrystal growth during the directional crystallization of metal melts

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

Gubernatorov, V. V.; Sycheva, T. S., E-mail: sych@imp.uran.ru; Gundyrev, V. M.

2017-03-15

The factors responsible for the formation of different configurations of boundaries between adjacent crystallites during their growth from melt by Bridgman and Czochralski methods have been considered by an of example Fe–20 wt % Ga alloy and Ni bicrystals. It is found that the configuration of intercrystallite boundary is related to the features of crystallite growth, caused by the strained state of intercrystallite and interphase (crystal–melt) boundaries, the difference in the linear thermal expansion coefficients of the crystallite boundaries and bulk, and the shape (geometry) of the bicrystal cross section. It is suggested that the strained state of boundaries andmore » the formation of substructure in crystallites during directional crystallization from metal melt are significantly affected by their deformation under the melt weight.« less

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: High pressure study of BaFe2As2—the role of hydrostaticity and uniaxial stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, W. J.; Welzel, O. P.; Harrison, C.; Wang, X. F.; Chen, X. H.; Grosche, F. M.; Niklowitz, P. G.

2010-02-01

We investigate the evolution of the electrical resistivity of BaFe2As2 single crystals with pressure. The samples used were from the same batch, grown using a self-flux method, and showed properties that were highly reproducible. Samples were pressurized using three different pressure media: pentane-isopentane (in a piston-cylinder cell), Daphne oil (in an alumina anvil cell) and steatite (in a Bridgman cell). Each pressure medium has its own intrinsic level of hydrostaticity, which dramatically affects the phase diagram. An increasing uniaxial pressure component in this system quickly reduces the spin density wave order and favours the appearance of superconductivity, which is similar to what is seen in SrFe2As2.

The effect of growth rate on the compositional variations in directionally solidified Hg(1-x)CdsubxSe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, R. N.

1986-01-01

Several Hg1-xCdxSe crystals of composition x = 0.2 were grown in a bridgman-type directional solidification furnace at varying translation rates. The influence of growth rate on both the longitudinal and radial compositional uniformity for the crystals was determined using density measurements and infrared transmission-edge mapping.

Interface Shape and Convection During Solidification and Melting of Succinonitrile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degroh, Henry C., III; Lindstrom, Tiffany

1994-01-01

An experimental study was conducted of the crystal growth of succinonitrile during solidification, melting, and no-growth conditions using a horizontal Bridgman furnace and square glass ampoule. For use as input boundary conditions to numerical codes, thermal profiles on the outside of the ampoule at five locations around its periphery were measured along the ampoule's length. Temperatures inside the ampoule were also measured. The shapes of the s/l interface in various two dimensional planes were quantitatively determined. Though interfaces were nondendritic and noncellular, they were not flat, but were highly curved and symmetric in only one unique longitudinal y-z plane (at x=O). The shapes of the interface were dominated by the primary longitudinal flow cell characteristic of shallow cavity flow in horizontal Bridgman; this flow cell was driven by the imposed furnace temperature gradient and caused a 'radical' thermal gradient such that the upper half of the ampoule was hotter than the bottom half. We believe that due to the strong convection, the release of latent heat does not significantly influence the thermal conditions near the interface. We hope that the interface shape and thermal data presented in this paper can be used to optimize crystal growth processes and validate numerical models.

Energy transfer and 2.0 μm emission in Tm{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+} co-doped α-NaYF{sub 4} single crystals

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

Feng, Zhigang; Yang, Shuo; Xia, Haiping, E-mail: hpxcm@nbu.edu.cn

2016-04-15

Highlights: • Cubic NaYF{sub 4} single crystals co-doped with ∼1.90 mol% Tm{sup 3+} and various Ho{sup 3+} concentrations were grown by Bridgman method. • The maximum fluorescence lifetime was 23.23 ms for Tm{sup 3+} (1.90 mol%)/Ho{sup 3+} (3.89 mol%) co-doped α-NaYF{sub 4}. • The obtained energy transfer rate (W{sub ET}) and energy transfer efficiency (η) of Tm{sup 3+}:{sup 3}F{sub 4} are 1077 s{sup −1} and 95.0%, respectively. • The maximum emission cross section reached 1.06 × 10{sup −20} cm{sup 2}. - Abstract: Cubic NaYF{sub 4} single crystals co-doped with ∼1.90 mol% Tm{sup 3+} and various Ho{sup 3+} concentrations were grownmore » by Bridgman method. The energy transfer from Tm{sup 3+} to Ho{sup 3+} and the optimum fluorescence emission around 2.04 μm of Ho{sup 3+} ion were investigated based on the measured absorption spectra, emission spectra, emission cross section and decay curves under excitation of 800 nm LD. The emission intensity at 2.04 μm increased with the increase of Ho{sup 3+} concentration from 0.96 mol% to 3.89 mol% when the concentration of Tm{sup 3+} was held constantly at ∼1.90 mol%. Moreover, the maximum emission cross section reached 1.06 × 10{sup −20} cm{sup 2} and the maximum fluorescence lifetime was 23.23 ms for Tm{sup 3+}(1.90 mol%)/Ho{sup 3+}(3.89 mol%) co-doped one. According to the measured lifetime of Tm{sup 3+} single-doped and Tm{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+} co-doped samples, the maximum energy transfer efficiency of Tm{sup 3+}:{sup 3}F{sub 4} level was 95.0%. Analysis on the fluorescence dynamics indicated that electric dipole–dipole is dominant for the energy transfer from Tm{sup 3+} to Ho{sup 3+}.« less

XRMON-GF: A novel facility for solidification of metallic alloys with in situ and time-resolved X-ray radiographic characterization in microgravity conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen-Thi, H.; Reinhart, G.; Salloum Abou Jaoude, G.; Mathiesen, R. H.; Zimmermann, G.; Houltz, Y.; Voss, D.; Verga, A.; Browne, D. J.; Murphy, A. G.

2013-07-01

As most of the phenomena involved during the growth of metallic alloys from the melt are dynamic, in situ and time-resolved X-ray imaging should be retained as the method of choice for investigating the solidification front evolution. On Earth, the gravity force is the major source of various disturbing effects (natural convection, buoyancy/sedimentation, and hydrostatic pressure) which can significantly modify or mask certain physical mechanisms. Therefore solidification under microgravity is an efficient way to eliminate such perturbations to provide unique benchmark data for the validation of models and numerical simulations. Up to now, in situ observation during microgravity solidification experiments were limited to the investigations on transparent organic alloys, using optical methods. On the other hand, in situ observation on metallic alloys generally required synchrotron facilities. This paper reports on a novel facility we have designed and developed to investigate directional solidification on metallic alloys in microgravity conditions with in situ X-ray radiography observation. The facility consists of a Bridgman furnace and an X-ray radiography device specifically devoted to the study of Al-based alloys. An unprecedented experiment was recently performed on board a sounding rocket, with a 6 min period of microgravity. Radiographs were successfully recorded during the entire experiment including the melting and solidification phases of the sample, with a Field-of-View of about 5 mm×5 mm, a spatial resolution of about 4 µm and a frequency of 2 frames per second. Some preliminary results are presented on the solidification of the Al-20 wt% Cu sample, which validate the apparatus and confirm the potential of in situ X-ray characterization for the investigation of dynamical phenomena in materials processing, and particularly for the studying of metallic alloys solidification.

Stability of Detached Solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazuruk, K.; Volz, M. P.; Croell, A.

2009-01-01

Bridgman crystal growth can be conducted in the so-called "detached" solidification regime, where the growing crystal is detached from the crucible wall. A small gap between the growing crystal and the crucible wall, of the order of 100 micrometers or less, can be maintained during the process. A meniscus is formed at the bottom of the melt between the crystal and crucible wall. Under proper conditions, growth can proceed without collapsing the meniscus. The meniscus shape plays a key role in stabilizing the process. Thermal and other process parameters can also affect the geometrical steady-state stability conditions of solidification. The dynamic stability theory of the shaped crystal growth process has been developed by Tatarchenko. It consists of finding a simplified autonomous set of differential equations for the radius, height, and possibly other process parameters. The problem then reduces to analyzing a system of first order linear differential equations for stability. Here we apply a modified version of this theory for a particular case of detached solidification. Approximate analytical formulas as well as accurate numerical values for the capillary stability coefficients are presented. They display an unexpected singularity as a function of pressure differential. A novel approach to study the thermal field effects on the crystal shape stability has been proposed. In essence, it rectifies the unphysical assumption of the model that utilizes a perturbation of the crystal radius along the axis as being instantaneous. It consists of introducing time delay effects into the mathematical description and leads, in general, to stability over a broader parameter range. We believe that this novel treatment can be advantageously implemented in stability analyses of other crystal growth techniques such as Czochralski and float zone methods.

Crystal growth and characterization of Hg-based chalcogenide compounds (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yihui; Lin, Wenwen; Syrigos, Jonathan C.; Wang, Peng Li; Islam, Saiful M.; McCall, Kyle M.; Kostina, Svetlana S.; Liu, Zhifu; Wessels, Bruce W.; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.

2016-09-01

In this work, two Hg-based chalcogenides were investigated in detail to reveal their potential capability of radiation detection at room temperature (RT). Cs2Hg6S7, with a bandgap of 1.63 eV, which is designed by the dimensional reduction theory proposed by our group, were prepared and characterized. α-HgS, with a bandgap of 2.10 eV, as a precursor used for the ternary compound synthesis, was also proposed and further investigated. For Cs2Hg6S7, the crystals tended to crystallize into needle form with small grains. Here, the conditions of Bridgman melt growth were optimized to obtain relatively large single crystals. The slight excess of Cs2S as a fluxing agent during growth was found to facilitate better crystallization and large grains. Interestingly, no inclusion or secondary phase was found in the as-grown single crystals. The improvement of bulk resistivity from 10^6 Ωcm to 10^8 Ωcm was also achieved through the control of stoichiometry during crystal growth. For α-HgS crystals, both physical vapor transport and chemical vapor transport methods have been applied. By modifying the transport temperature and transport agent, single crystal with size about 3x1.5 mm^2 was grown with resistivity higher than 10^11 Ωcm. Photoluminescence (PL) revealed that multiple peaks observed in the 1.6-2.3 eV range and excitonic peak from for α-HgS single crystals were observed indicating good crystalline quality. Finally, the planar detectors for both crystals were tested under Co57 gamma ray source. Both of the crystals showed reasonable gamma ray response, while α-HgS crystals could respond at a relatively higher counting rate.

Compositional segregation and electrical properties characterization of [001]- and [011]-oriented co-growth Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Kexin; Li, Zhenrong; Guo, Haisheng; Xu, Zhuo; Fan, Shiji

2018-04-01

A Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 relaxor ferroelectric single crystal boule of 3 in. diameter was grown using [001]- and [011]-oriented co-growth crystals as seeds by the modified Bridgman method. The as-grown crystal boule was divided into two growth regions [001] and [011]. The composition and the electrical properties of samples of the two regions were characterized in detail along the growth direction in the whole crystal boule. The PT content of [001]-grown samples increased from 27.7 to 36.8 mol. % along the growth direction, especially they are averagely higher about 0.7 mol. % than those of [011]-grown samples at the same growth position. The PMN content of [001]-grown samples decreased from 43.0 to 34.8 mol. %, which is lower than that of the corresponding [011]-grown samples. The compositional segregation behavior along [001] and [011] growth directions was discussed based on the crystal growth theories. Variations in the rhombohedral to tetragonal phase transition temperature (TRT), the piezoelectric properties, the coercive electric field and the remnant polarization of [001] samples were discussed according to changes in compositional segregation and crystal anisotropy. Under the exact same growth conditions, the [011]-grown crystal has a larger composition segregation effect than that of the [001]-grown crystal. This result provides a positive effect on analysing the nature and reducing the effect of compositional segregation.

Electronic structure and optical properties of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 single crystal, a nonlinear optical mid-IR material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavrentyev, A. A.; Gabrelian, B. V.; Vu, Tuan V.; Isaenko, L. I.; Yelisseyev, A. P.; Khyzhun, O. Y.

2018-06-01

Measurements of X-ray photoelectron core-level and valence-band spectra for pristine and irradiated with Ar+ ions surfaces of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 single crystal, novel nonlinear optical mid-IR selenide grown by a modified vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger technique, are reported. Electronic structure of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 is elucidated from theoretical and experimental points of view. Notably, total and partial densities of states (DOSs) of the LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 compound are calculated based on density functional theory (DFT) using the augmented plane wave + local orbitals (APW + lo) method. In accordance with the DFT calculations, the principal contributors to the valence band are the Se 4p states, making the main input at the top and in the upper part of the band, while its bottom is dominated by contributions of the valence s states associated with Ga and In atoms. The theoretical total DOS curve peculiarities are found to be in excellent agreement with the shape of the X-ray photoelectron valence-band spectrum of the LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 single crystal. The bottom of the conduction band of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 is formed mainly by contributions of the unoccupied Ga 4s and In 5s states in almost equal proportion, with somewhat smaller contributions of the unoccupied Se 4p states as well. Our calculations indicate that the LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 compound is a direct gap semiconductor. The principal optical constants of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 are calculated in the present work.

Morphological stability and kinetics in crystal growth from vapors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberger, Franz

1990-01-01

The following topics are discussed: (1) microscopy image storage and processing system; (2) growth kinetics and morphology study with carbon tetrabromide; (3) photothermal deflection vapor growth setup; (4) bridgman growth of iodine single crystals; (5) vapor concentration distribution measurement during growth; and (6) Monte Carlo modeling of anisotropic growth kinetics and morphology. A collection of presentations and publications of these results are presented.

Growth and characterization of SrI2:Eu2+ single crystal for gamma ray detector applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raja, A.; Daniel, D. Joseph; Ramasamy, P.; Singh, S. G.; Sen, S.; Gadkari, S. C.

2018-04-01

Europium activated Strontium Iodide single crystal was grown by vertical Bridgman-stockbarger technique. The melting point and freezing point of SrI2:Eu2+ crystal was analyzed by TG/DTA. The Radioluminescence emission was recorded. The scintillation measurement was carried out for the grown SrI2:Eu2+ crystal under 137Cs gamma energy source.

Magnetically Orchestrated Formation of Diamond at Lower Temperatures and Pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Little, Reginald B.; Lochner, Eric; Goddard, Robert

2005-01-01

Man's curiosity and fascination with diamonds date back to ancient times. The knowledge of the many properties of diamond is recorded during Biblical times. Antoine Lavoisier determined the composition of diamond by burning in O2 to form CO2. With the then existing awareness of graphite as carbon, the race began to convert graphite to diamond. The selective chemical synthesis of diamond has been pursued by Cagniard, Hannay, Moisson and Parson. On the basis of the thermodynamically predicted equilibrium line of diamond and graphite, P W Bridgman attempted extraordinary conditions of high temperature (>2200°C) and pressure (>100,000 atm) for the allotropic conversion of graphite to diamond. H T Hall was the first to successfully form bulk diamond by realizing the kinetic restrictions to Bridgman's (thermodynamic) high pressure high temperature direct allotropic conversion. Moreover, Hall identified catalysts for the faster kinetics of diamond formation. H M Strong determined the import of the liquid catalyst during Hall's catalytic synthesis. W G Eversole discovered the slow metastable low pressure diamond formation by pyrolytic chemical vapor deposition with the molecular hydrogen etching of the rapidly forming stable graphitic carbon. J C Angus determined the import of atomic hydrogen for faster etching for faster diamond growth at low pressure. S Matsumoto has developed plasma and hot filament technology for faster hydrogen and carbon radical generations at low pressure for faster diamond formation. However the metastable low pressure chemical vapor depositions by plasma and hot filament are prone to polycrystalline films. From Bridgman to Hall to Eversole, Angus and Matsumoto, much knowledge has developed of the importance of pressure, temperature, transition metal catalyst, liquid state of metal (metal radicals atoms) and the carbon radical intermediates for diamond synthesis. Here we advance this understanding of diamond formation by demonstrating the external magnetic organization of carbon, metal and hydrogen radicals for lower temperature and pressure synthesis. Here we show that strong static external magnetic field (>15 T) enhances the formation of single crystal diamond at lower pressure and even atmospheric pressure with implications for much better, faster high quality diamond formation by magnetization of current high pressure and temperature technology.

Melt Stabilization of PbSnTe in a Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fripp, Archibald L.; Debnam, William J.; Rosch, William; Chait, Arnon; Yao, Minwu; Szofran, Frank R.

1999-01-01

Both the experimental observation and numerical simulation indicate that the Bridgman growth of PbSnTe under the microgravity environment in space is still greatly influenced by buoyancy-induced convection. The application of a magnetic field during the semiconductor growth can dampen the convective flow in the metal-like melt. However, for Bridgman growth of PbSnTe on earth (with either vertical or horizontal configuration), both experimental observation and numerical modeling suggest that even with a strong magnetic furnace (5-Tesla constant axial magnetic field), the convective flow in the melt still cannot be sufficiently suppressed to reach the diffusion-controlled level. In order to completely dampen the buoyancy-induced convection on earth, estimates based on scaling analysis indicate that for common experimental conditions, an extremely high magnetic field is required, far beyond the capacity of the experimental apparatus currently available. Therefore, it is proposed that only the combination of microgravity environment and magnetic damping will produce the desired diffusion-controlled growth state for this particular material. The primary objectives of this study are to provide a quantitative understanding of the complex transport phenomena during solidification of non-dilute binarys, to furnish a numerical tool for furnace design and growth condition optimization, to provide estimates of the required magnetic field strength for low gravity growth, and to assess the role of magnetic damping for space and earth control of the double-diffusive convection. As an integral part of a NASA research program, our numerical simulation supports both the flight and ground-based experiments in an effort to bring together a complete picture of the complex physical phenomena involved in the crystal growth process. For Bridgman growth of PbSnTe under microgravity (with both vertical and horizontal configurations), the simulations suggest that a moderate axial magnetic field of only a few kilo-Gauss in strength could effectively eliminate buoyancy-induced convection in the melt and control solute segregation. Therefore, this work confirms the idea that the combination of microgravity environment and the magnetic damping will indeed be sufficient to produce the desired diffusion-controlled growth state for PbSnTe.

Advanced methods for preparation and characterization of infrared detector materials. [mercury cadmium tellurides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lehoczky, S. L.; Szofran, F. R.; Martin, B. G.

1980-01-01

Mercury cadmium telluride crystals were prepared by the Bridgman method with a wide range of crystal growth rates and temperature gradients adequate to prevent constitutional supercooling under diffusion-limited, steady state, growth conditions. The longitudinal compositional gradients for different growth conditions and alloy compositions were calculated and compared with experimental data to develop a quantitative model of the crystal growth kinetics for the Hg(i-x)CdxTe alloys, and measurements were performed to ascertain the effect of growth conditions on radial compositional gradients. The pseudobinary HgTe-CdTe constitutional phase diagram was determined by precision differential thermal analysis measurements and used to calculate the segregation coefficient of Cd as a function of x and interface temperature. Computer algorithms specific to Hg(1-x)CdxTe were developed for calculations of the charge carrier concentrations, charge carrier mobilities, Hall coefficient, optical absorptance, and Fermi energy as functions of x, temperature, ionized donor and acceptor concentrations, and neutral defect concentrations.

Jahn-Teller effect on the [TiF 4F 4F int] 6-(C 4v) and [NiF 4F 4F int] 7-(C 4v) clusters embedded into SrF 2 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulanov, V. A.; Zhiteitcev, E. R.; Varlamov, A. G.

2007-07-01

By means of EPR method the associative [TiF 4F 4F int] 6-(C 4v) and [NiF 4F 4F int] 7-(C 4v) centers were revealed in the fluorite type SrF 2:Ti and SrF 2:Ni crystals grown by Bridgman method in helium atmosphere containing some amount of a fluorine gas. It was found that at low temperatures the local structures of these associative centers were exposed to a static rhombic distortion. The reasons of such distortions were accounted for by the assumption that the E ⊗ ( b1 + b2) vibronic interaction became effective due to that the ground orbital states of the [TiF 4F 4F int] 6-(C 4v) and [NiF 4F 4F int] 7-(C 4v) centers occurred to be doubly degenerated.

Optimal design of solidification processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dantzig, Jonathan A.; Tortorelli, Daniel A.

1991-01-01

An optimal design algorithm is presented for the analysis of general solidification processes, and is demonstrated for the growth of GaAs crystals in a Bridgman furnace. The system is optimal in the sense that the prespecified temperature distribution in the solidifying materials is obtained to maximize product quality. The optimization uses traditional numerical programming techniques which require the evaluation of cost and constraint functions and their sensitivities. The finite element method is incorporated to analyze the crystal solidification problem, evaluate the cost and constraint functions, and compute the sensitivities. These techniques are demonstrated in the crystal growth application by determining an optimal furnace wall temperature distribution to obtain the desired temperature profile in the crystal, and hence to maximize the crystal's quality. Several numerical optimization algorithms are studied to determine the proper convergence criteria, effective 1-D search strategies, appropriate forms of the cost and constraint functions, etc. In particular, we incorporate the conjugate gradient and quasi-Newton methods for unconstrained problems. The efficiency and effectiveness of each algorithm is presented in the example problem.

TL and PL studies on cubic fluoroperovskite single crystal (KMgF3: Eu2+, Ce3+)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, D. Joseph; Madhusoodanan, U.; Annalakshmi, O.; Ramasamy, P.

2014-04-01

The perovskite-like KMgF3 polycrystalline compounds were synthesized by standard solid state reaction technique. Phase purity of the synthesized compounds was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction technique. Single crystals of (0.2 mol% of EuF3 and CeF3) Co-doped KMgF3 have been grown from melt by using a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics of KMgF3 samples doped with Eu2+ and Ce3+ have been studied after β-ray irradiation. At ambient conditions the photoluminescence spectra consisted of sharp line peaked of Eu2+ at 360 nm attributed to the f → f transition (6P7/2→8S7/2) could only be observed due to the energy transfer from Ce3+ to Eu2+.

Trace impurities analysis determined by neutron activation in the PbI 2 crystal semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamada, M. M.; Oliveira, I. B.; Armelin, M. J.; Mesquita, C. H.

2003-06-01

In this work, a methodology for impurity analysis of PbI 2 was studied to investigate the effectiveness of the purification. Commercial salts were purified by the multi passes zone refining and grown by the Bridgman method. To evaluate the purification efficiency, samples from the bottom, middle and upper sections of the ZR ingot were analyzed after 200, 300 and 500 purification passes, by measurements of the impurity concentrations, using the neutron activation analysis (NAA) technique. There was a significant reduction of the impurities according to the purification numbers. The reduction efficiency was different for each element, namely: Au>Mn>Co˜Ag>K˜Br. The impurity concentration of the crystals grown after 200, 300 and 500 passes and the PbI 2 starting material were analyzed by NAA and plasma optical emission spectroscopy.

Fermi surfaces of the pyrite-type cubic AuSb2 compared with split Fermi surfaces of the ullmannite-type cubic chiral NiSbS and PdBiSe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishimura, K.; Kakihana, M.; Nakamura, A.; Aoki, D.; Harima, H.; Hedo, M.; Nakama, T.; Ōnuki, Y.

2018-05-01

We grew high-quality single crystals of AuSb2 with the pyrite (FeS2)-type cubic structure by the Bridgman method and studied the Fermi surface properties by the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) experiment and the full potential LAPW band calculation. The Fermi surfaces of AuSb2 are found to be similar to those of NiSbS and PdBiSe with the ullmannite (NiSbS)-type cubic chiral structure because the crystal structures are similar each other and the number of valence electrons is the same between two different compounds. Note that each Fermi surface splits into two Fermi surfaces in NiSbS and PdBiSe, reflecting the non-centrosymmetric crystal structure.

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

Patel, Piyush, E-mail: piyush-patel130@yahoo.com; Vyas, S. M., E-mail: s-m-vyas-gu@hotmail.com; Patel, Vimal

The III-VI compound semiconductors is important for the fabrication of ionizing radiation detectors, solid-state electrodes, and photosensitive heterostructures, solar cell and ionic batteries. In this paper, In{sub 2}Se{sub 2.7} Sb{sub 0.3} single crystals were grown by the Bridgman method with temperature gradient of 60 °C/cm and the growth velocity 0.5cm/hr. The as-grown crystals were examined under the optical microscope for surface study, a various growth features observed on top free surface of the single crystal which is predominant of layers growth mechanism. The lattice parameters of as-grown crystal was determined by the XRD analysis. A Vickers’ projection microscope were usedmore » for the study of microhardness on the as-cleaved, cold-worked and annealed samples of the crystals, the results were discussed, and reported in detail.« less

Luminescence and Excitation Spectra of U 3+ doped RbY 2 Cl 7 Single Crystals

DOE PAGES

Karbowiak, M.; Murdoch, K.; Drożdżyński, J.; ...

1996-08-01

Uranium(3+) doped single crystals of RbY 2 Cl 7 with a uranium concentration of 0.05% and 0.2% were grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method using RbU 2 Cl 7 as the doping substance. Polished plates of ca. 5 mm in diameter were used for measurements of luminescence and excitation spectra. And since the U 3+ ions occupy two somewhat different site symmetries, a splitting of all observed f-f bands was observed. Furthermore, the analysis of the spectra enabled definitively an assignment of 22 crystal field bands for both site symmetries as well as the total crystal field splitting of the groundmore » level, equal to 473 cm -1 and 567 cm -1 for the first and second site symmetry, respectively.« less

Ellipsometry study of optical parameters of AgIn5S8 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isik, Mehmet; Gasanly, Nizami

2015-12-01

AgIn5S8 crystals grown by Bridgman method were characterized for optical properties by ellipsometry measurements. Spectral dependence of optical parameters; real and imaginary parts of the pseudodielectric function, pseudorefractive index, pseudoextinction coefficient, reflectivity and absorption coefficient were obtained from ellipsometry experiments carried out in the 1.2-6.2 eV range. Direct band gap energy of 1.84 eV was found from the analysis of absorption coefficient vs. photon energy. The oscillator energy, dispersion energy and zero-frequency refractive index, high-frequency dielectric constant values were found from the analysis of the experimental data using Wemple-DiDomenico and Spitzer-Fan models. Crystal structure and atomic composition ratio of the constituent elements in the AgIn5S8 crystal were revealed from structural characterization techniques of X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy.

Characterization of high-resistivity CdTe and Cd0.9Zn0.1Te crystals grown by Bridgman method for radiation detector applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Krishna C.; Krishna, Ramesh M.; Pak, Rahmi O.; Mannan, Mohammad A.

2014-09-01

CdTe and Cd0.9Zn0.1Te (CZT) crystals have been studied extensively for various applications including x- and γ-ray imaging and high energy radiation detectors. The crystals were grown from zone refined ultra-pure precursor materials using a vertical Bridgman furnace. The growth process has been monitored, controlled, and optimized by a computer simulation and modeling program developed in our laboratory. The grown crystals were thoroughly characterized after cutting wafers from the ingots and processed by chemo-mechanical polishing (CMP). The infrared (IR) transmission images of the post-treated CdTe and CZT crystals showed average Te inclusion size of ~10 μm for CdTe and ~8 μm for CZT crystal. The etch pit density was ≤ 5×104 cm-2 for CdTe and ≤ 3×104 cm-2 for CZT. Various planar and Frisch collar detectors were fabricated and evaluated. From the current-voltage measurements, the electrical resistivity was estimated to be ~ 1.5×1010 Ω-cm for CdTe and 2-5×1011 Ω-cm for CZT. The Hecht analysis of electron and hole mobility-lifetime products (μτe and μτh) showed μτe = 2×10-3 cm2/V (μτh = 8×10-5 cm2/V) and 3-6×10-3 cm2/V (μτh = 4- 6×10-5 cm2/V) for CdTe and CZT, respectively. Detectors in single pixel, Frisch collar, and coplanar grid geometries were fabricated. Detectors in Frisch grid and guard-ring configuration were found to exhibit energy resolution of 1.4% and 2.6 %, respectively, for 662 keV gamma rays. Assessments of the detector performance have been carried out also using 241Am (60 keV) showing energy resolution of 4.2% FWHM.

An unusual crystal growth method of the chalcohalide semiconductor, β-Hg 3S 2Cl 2: A new candidate for hard radiation detection

DOE PAGES

Wibowo, Arief C.; Malliakas, Christos D.; Li, Hao; ...

2016-03-16

Here, we assess the mercury chalcohalide compound, β-Hg 3S 2Cl 2, as a potential semiconductor material for X-ray and γ-ray detection. It has a high density (6.80 g/cm 3) and wide band gap (2.56 eV) and crystallizes in the cubic Pm4more » $$\\bar{3}$$n space group with a three-dimensional structure comprised of [Hg 12S 8] cubes with Cl atoms located within and between the cubes, featuring a trigonal pyramidal SHg3 as the main building block. First-principle electronic structure calculations at the density functional theory level predict that the compound has closely lying indirect and direct band gaps. We have successfully grown transparent, single crystals of β-Hg 3S 2Cl 2 up to 7 mm diameter and 1 cm long using a new approach by the partial decomposition of the quaternary Hg 3Bi 2S 2Cl 8 compound followed by the formation of β-Hg 3S 2Cl 2 and an impermeable top layer, all happening in situ during vertical Bridgman growth. The decomposition process was optimized by varying peak temperatures and temperature gradients using a 2 mm/h translation rate of the Bridgman technique. Formation of the quaternary Hg 3Bi 2S 2Cl 8 followed by its partial decomposition into β-Hg 3S 2Cl 2 was confirmed by in situ temperature-dependent synchrotron powder diffraction studies. The single crystal samples obtained had resistivity of 10 10 Ω·cm and mobility-lifetime products of electron and hole carriers of 1.4(4) × 10 –4 cm 2/V and 7.5(3) × 10 –5 cm 2/V, respectively. Further, an appreciable Ag X-ray photoconductivity response was observed showing the potential of β-Hg 3S 2Cl 2 as a hard radiation detector material.« less

Nial and Nial-Based Composites Directionally Solidified by a Containerless Zone Process. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joslin, Steven M.

1995-01-01

A containerless electromagnetically levitated zone (CELZ) process has been used to directionally solidify NiAl and NiAl-based composites. The CELZ processing results in single crystal NiAl (HP-NiAl) having higher purity than commercially pure NiAl grown by a modified Bridgman process (CP-NiAl). The mechanical properties, specifically fracture toughness and creep strength, of the HP-NiAl are superior to binary CP-NiAl and are used as a base-line for comparison with the composite materials subsequently studied. Two-phase composite materials (NiAl-based eutectic alloys) show improvement in room temperature fracture toughness and 1200 to 1400 K creep strength over that of binary HP-NiAl. Metallic phase reinforcements produce the greatest improvement in fracture toughness, while intermetallic reinforcement produces the largest improvement in high temperature strength. Three-phase eutectic alloys and composite materials were identified and directionally solidified with the intent to combine the improvements observed in the two-phase alloys into one alloy. The room temperature fracture toughness and high temperature strength (in air) serve as the basis for comparison between all of the alloys. Finally, the composite materials are discussed in terms of dominant fracture mechanism observed by fractography.

Amplitudes of doping striations: comparison of numerical calculations and analytical approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, T.; Müller, G.

1997-02-01

Transient, axisymmetric numerical calculations of the heat and species transport including convection were performed for a simplified vertical gradient freeze (Bridgman) process with bottom seeding for GaAs. Periodical oscillations were superimposed onto the transient heater temperature profile. The amplitudes of the resulting oscillations of the growth rate and the dopant concentration (striations) in the growing crystals are compared with the predictions of analytical models.

Combined distillation and normal freezing to purify elements of groups II and VI

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, L. R.

1984-01-01

A practical system and its application to the purification of Te and Cd is described. Single crystals are grown directly in vitreous silica ampoules subsequently used for sealed Bridgman growth of (Hg-Cd)Te. The system also prepares the ampoules by heating in high vacuum. Purification of the elements is by the combined effect of distillation and normal freezing. Transport and segregation are discussed.

Bridgman-type apparatus for the study of growth-property relationships - Arsenic vapor pressure-GaAs property relationship

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parsey, J. M.; Nanishi, Y.; Lagowski, J.; Gatos, H. C.

1982-01-01

A precision Bridgman-type apparatus is described which was designed and constructed for the investigation of relationships between crystal growth parameters and the properties of GaAs crystals. Several key features of the system are highlighted, such as the use of a heat pipe for precise arsenic vapor pressure control and seeding without the presence of a viewing window. Pertinent growth parameters, such as arsenic source temperature, thermal gradients in the growing crystal and in the melt, and the macroscopic growth velocity can be independently controlled. During operation, thermal stability better than + or - 0.02 C is realized; thermal gradients can be varied up to 30 C/cm in the crystal region, and up to 20 C/cm in the melt region; the macroscopic growth velocity can be varied from 50 microns/hr to 6.0 cm/hr. It was found that the density of dislocations depends critically on As partial pressure; and essentially dislocation-free, undoped, crystals were grown under As pressure precisely controlled by an As source maintained at 617 C. The free carrier concentration varied with As pressure variations. This variation in free carrier concentration was found to be associated with variations in the compensation ratio rather than with standard segregation phenomena.

Optical characterization of wide-gap detector-grade semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elshazly, Ezzat S.

Wide bandgap semiconductors are being widely investigated because they have the potential to satisfy the stringent material requirements of high resolution, room temperature gamma-ray spectrometers. In particular, Cadmium Zinc Telluride (Cd1-xZnxTe, x˜0.1) and Thallium Bromide (TlBr), due to their combination of high resistivity, high atomic number and good electron mobility, have became very promising candidates for use in X- and gamma-ray detectors operating at room temperature. In this study, carrier trapping times were measured in CZT and TlBr as a function of temperature and material quality. Carrier lifetimes and tellurium inclusion densities were measured in detector-grade Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) crystals grown by the High Pressure Bridgman method and Modified Bridgman method. Excess carriers were produced in the material using a pulsed YAG laser with a 1064nm wavelength and 7ns pulse width. Infrared microscopy was used to measure the tellurium defect densities in CZT crystals. The electronic decay was optically measured at room temperature. Spatial mapping of lifetimes and defect densities in CZT was performed to determine the relationship between defect density and electronic decay. A significant and strong correlation was found between the volume fraction of tellurium inclusions and the carrier trapping time. Carrier trapping times and tellurium inclusions were measured in CZT in the temperature range from 300K to 110K and the results were analyzed using a theoretical trapping model. Spatial mapping of carrier trapping times and defect densities in CZT was performed to determine the relationship between defect density and electronic decay. While a strong correlation between trapping time and defect density of tellurium inclusions was observed, there was no significant change in the trap energy. Carrier trapping times were measured in detector grade thallium bromide (TlBr) and compared with the results for cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) in a temperature range from 300K to 110K. The experimental data was analyzed using a trapping model. In CZT, because the majority carrier concentration is close to the intrinsic carrier concentration, the trapping time increases exponentially as the temperature decreases below about 160K. While, in TlBr, the majority carrier concentration is many orders of magnitude greater than the intrinsic carrier concentration and the trapping time followed a 1T temperature dependence over the range of temperatures studied. The results of the model suggest that a moderately deep compensation center, located approximately 200 meV from the middle of the bandgap, could be used to significantly increase the room temperature trapping time in TlBr. The results of this model demonstrate that the room temperature trapping time in TlBr can, in principle, approach 0.1ms through the introduction of a moderately deep compensation level but without decreasing the overall trap concentration. This strategy is not possible in CZT, because the band gap is too small to use a moderately deep compensation level while still maintaining high material resistivity. Carrier trapping times were measured in three polycrystalline TlBr samples produced by melting commercial TlBr beads in a sealed quartz ampoule for two hours at three different temperatures near the melting point. The trapping time decreased with increasing melting temperature, presumably due to the thermal generation of a trap state.

Transition metal doping of GaSe implemented with low temperature liquid phase growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Nuo; Sato, Youhei; Tanabe, Tadao; Maeda, Kensaku; Oyama, Yutaka

2017-02-01

Our group works on improving the conversion efficiencies of terahertz (THz) wave generation using GaSe crystals. The operating principle is based on difference frequency generation (DFG) which has the advantages such as high output power, a single tunable frequency, and room temperature operation. In this study, GaSe crystals were grown by the temperature difference method under controlled vapor pressure (TDM-CVP). It is a liquid phase growth method with temperature 300 °C lower than that of the Bridgman method. Using this method, the point defects concentration is decreased and the polytype can be controlled. The transition metal Ti was used to dope the GaSe in order to suppress free carrier absorption in the low frequency THz region. As a result, a deep acceptor level of 38 meV was confirmed as being formed in GaSe with 1.4 at% Ti doping. Compared with undoped GaSe, a decrease in carrier concentration ( 1014 cm-3) at room temperature was also confirmed. THz wave transmittance measurements reveal the tendency for the absorption coefficient to increase as the amount of dopant is increased. It is expected that there is an optimum amount of dopant.

Growth of PBI 2 single crystals from stoichiometric and Pb excess melts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, T.; Kinpara, M.; Wang, J. F.; Mimura, K.; Isshiki, M.

2008-01-01

We have successfully grown high-purity and -quality PbI 2 single crystals by the vertical Bridgman method. The rocking curves of four-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) show 120 arcsec in full-width at half-maximum (FWHM). The photoluminescence (PL) spectra at 7.8 K show the resolved intensive exciton emission line and the weak DAP emission band. The deep-level emissions are not observed. The measurement of the electrical and radiographic properties show that Leadiodide (PbI 2) single crystal has a resistivity of 5×10 10 Ω cm and imager lag is 8 s, respectively. In order to improve the controllability of crystal growth, PbI 2 single crystals were also grown from a lead (Pb) excess PbI 2 source. The experimental results show very good reproducibility. In addition, the growth models of crystal are proposed, and the growth mechanism is discussed.

Investigating new activators for small-bandgap LaX3 (X = Br, I) scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutstrom, Daniel; Collette, Robyn; Stand, Luis; Loyd, Matthew; Wu, Yuntao; Koschan, Merry; Melcher, Charles L.; Zhuravleva, Mariya

2018-02-01

Luminescence and scintillation properties of Bi3+, Sb3+, and Eu2+-doped LaI3 and LaBr3 were explored. Out of the three dopants investigated, Eu2+ was the most promising new activator for small-bandgap LaX3 (X = Br, I) and was further studied in the mixed-halide LaBr3-xIx. Crystals were grown from the melt using the vertical Bridgman method. LaBr3:Eu2+ 0.5% (mol) had the most favorable scintillation properties with a light output of 43,000 ph/MeV and 6% energy resolution at 662 keV. Performance of LaBr3-xIx:Eu2+ worsened for most samples as iodide concentration was increased. Room-temperature scintillation of LaI3:Eu2+ 0.1% and 0.5% was observed and is the first case of room-temperature emission reported for doped LaI3.

Optical and transient capacitance study of EL2 in the absence and presence of other midgap levels. [in gallium arsenide crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skowronski, M.; Lagowski, J.; Gatos, H. C.

1986-01-01

A high-resolution optical study was carried out on GaAs crystals grown by horizontal Bridgman and liquid-encapsulated-Czochralski methods. An excellent correlation was found between the intensity of the 1.039-eV no-phonon line and the characteristic absorption of EL2, the major deep donor level in GaAs. A correlation was also found between the characteristic optical absorption of EL2 and its concentration as determined by junction capacitance measurements. The presence of EL0, another midgap level contained in heavily oxygen-doped crystals at concentration always less than those of EL2, had no effect on the optical spectra, but altered the capacitance measurements. Accordingly, an accurate calibration for the determination of EL2 by optical absorption was obtained from capacitance measurements on crystals containing only EL2; in this way the uncertainties introduced by other midgap levels were eliminated.

Study of vibrational modes in CuxAg1-xIn5S8 mixed crystals by infrared reflection measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasanly, N. M.

2018-04-01

Infrared reflection spectra of CuxAg1-xIn5S8 mixed crystals, grown by Bridgman method, were studied in the wide frequency range of 50-2000 cm-1. All four infrared-active modes were detected, which are in full agreement with the prediction of group-theoretical analysis. Real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, refractive index and the energy losses function were evaluated from reflectivity measurements. The frequencies of TO and LO modes and oscillator strengths were also determined. The bands detected in IR spectra of studied crystals were assigned to various vibration types (valence and valence-deformation) on the basis of the symmetrized displacements of atoms obtained employing the Melvin projection operators. The linear dependencies of optical mode frequencies on the composition of CuxAg1-xIn5S8 mixed crystals were obtained. These dependencies display one-mode behavior.

Traveling Magnetic Field Applications for Materials Processing in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Motakef, S.; Grugel, R. N.; Mazuruk, K.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Including the capability to induce a controlled fluid flow in the melt can significantly enrich research on solidification phenomena in a microgravity environment. The traveling magnetic field (TMF) is a promising technique to achieve this goal and is the aim of our ground-based project. In this presentation we will discuss new theoretical as well as experimental results recently obtained by our group. In particular, we experimentally demonstrated efficient mixing of metal alloys in long tubes subjected to TMF during processing. Application of this technique can be an elegant solution to ensure melt homogenization prior to solidification in a microgravity environment where natural convection is generally absent. Results of our theoretical work on TMF induced flows, such as convection control in Bridgman as well as in the Traveling Heater method, will be presented. Possible applications of TMF on board the ISS will also be discussed.

Convective Influence on Radial Segregation During Unidirectional Solidification of the Binary Alloy HgCdTe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watring, D. A.; Gillies, D. C.; Lehoczky, S. L.; Szofran, F. R.; Alexander, H.

1996-01-01

In order to simulate the space environment for basic research into the crystal growth mechanism, Hg(0.8)Cd(0.2)Te crystals were grown by the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method in the presence of an applied axial magnetic field. The influence of convection, by magneto hydrodynamic damping, on mass transfer in the melt and segregation at the solid-liquid interface was investigated by measuring the axial and radial compositional variations in the grown samples. The reduction of convective mixing in the melt through the application of the magnetic field is found to have a large effect on radial segregation and interface morphology in the grown crystals. Direct comparisons are made with a Hg(0.8)Cd(0.2)Te crystal grown without field and also in the microgravity environment of space during the second United States Microgravity Payload Mission (USMP-2).

Reducing and Inducing Convection in Ge-Si Melts with Static Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szofran, Frank R.

1999-01-01

Results of a study of the effectiveness of using static magnetic fields to reduce convection in Ge-Si melts will be presented. Lenz's law causes a retardation of convection when a static magnetic field is applied to an electrically conducting liquid. However, during the solidification of a solid-solution system such as Ge-Si, the interface is neither isothermal nor isoconcentrational. The variation of temperature and chemical composition along the interface causes thermoelectric currents to be generated within the solidifying material (and the container if it is electrically conductive). These currents, in the presence of a magnetic field, can cause movement (stirring, convection) in the melt which can exceed convection induced by normal thermosolutal mechanisms. Crystals have been grown by both the Bridgman and floating-zone methods. Clear evidence for the existence of this thermoelectromagnetic convection, especially in the case of Si floating-zone growth, will be presented.

Strategies for the coupling of global and local crystal growth models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derby, Jeffrey J.; Lun, Lisa; Yeckel, Andrew

2007-05-01

The modular coupling of existing numerical codes to model crystal growth processes will provide for maximum effectiveness, capability, and flexibility. However, significant challenges are posed to make these coupled models mathematically self-consistent and algorithmically robust. This paper presents sample results from a coupling of the CrysVUn code, used here to compute furnace-scale heat transfer, and Cats2D, used to calculate melt fluid dynamics and phase-change phenomena, to form a global model for a Bridgman crystal growth system. However, the strategy used to implement the CrysVUn-Cats2D coupling is unreliable and inefficient. The implementation of under-relaxation within a block Gauss-Seidel iteration is shown to be ineffective for improving the coupling performance in a model one-dimensional problem representative of a melt crystal growth model. Ideas to overcome current convergence limitations using approximations to a full Newton iteration method are discussed.

Crystal Growth and Scintillation Properties of $${\\rm Cs}_{2}{\\rm NaGdBr}_{6}{:}{\\rm Ce}^{3+}$$

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

Yang, Pin; Zhou, Xiaowang; Deng, Haoran

2013-04-02

Single crystals of Cs 2NaGdBr 6 with different Ce +3 activator concentrations were grown by a two-zone Bridgman method. This new compound belongs to a large elpasolite halide (A 2BLnX 6) family. Many of these elpasolite compounds have shown high luminosity, good energy resolution and excellent proportionality in comparison to traditional scintillators such as CsI and NaI; therefore, they are particularly attractive for gamma-ray spectroscopy applications. This study investigated the scintillator properties of Cs 2NaGdBr 6:Ce +3 crystals as a new material for radiation detection. Special focus has been placed on the effects of activator concentration (0 to 50 mol.%)more » on the photoluminescence responses. Results of structural refinement, photoluminescence, radioluminescence, lifetime and proportionality measurements for this new compound are reported.« less

Cesium hafnium chloride: A high light yield, non-hygroscopic cubic crystal scintillator for gamma spectroscopy

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

Burger, Arnold, E-mail: aburger@fisk.edu; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235; Rowe, Emmanuel

We report on the scintillation properties of Cs{sub 2}HfCl{sub 6} (cesium hafnium chloride or CHC) as an example of a little-known class of non-hygroscopic compounds having the generic cubic crystal structure of K{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6}. The crystals are easily growable from the melt using the Bridgman method with minimal precursor treatments or purification. CHC scintillation is centered at 400 nm, with a principal decay time of 4.37 μs and a light yield of up to 54 000 photons/MeV when measured using a silicon CCD photodetector. The light yield is the highest ever reported for an undoped crystal, and CHC also exhibits excellent lightmore » yield nonproportionality. These desirable properties allowed us to build and test CHC gamma-ray spectrometers providing energy resolution of 3.3% at 662 keV.« less

A preliminary review of organic materials single crystal growth by the Czochralski technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penn, B. G.; Shields, A. W.; Frazier, D. O.

1988-09-01

The growth of single crystals of organic compounds by the Czochralski method is reviewed. From the literature it is found that single crystals of benzil, a nonlinear optical material with a d sub 11 value of 11.2 + or - 1.5 x d sub 11 value of alpha quartz, has fewer dislocations than generally contained in Bridgman crystals. More perfect crystals were grown by repeated Czochralski growth. This consists of etching away the defect-containing portion of a Czochralski grown crystal and using it as a seed for further growth. Other compounds used to grow single crystals are benzophenone, 12-tricosanone (laurone), and salol. The physical properties, growth apparatus, and processing conditions presented in the literature are discussed. Moreover, some of the possible advantages of growing single crystals of organic compounds in microgravity to obtain more perfect crystals than on Earth are reviewed.

A preliminary review of organic materials single crystal growth by the Czochralski technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penn, B. G.; Shields, A. W.; Frazier, D. O.

1988-01-01

The growth of single crystals of organic compounds by the Czochralski method is reviewed. From the literature it is found that single crystals of benzil, a nonlinear optical material with a d sub 11 value of 11.2 + or - 1.5 x d sub 11 value of alpha quartz, has fewer dislocations than generally contained in Bridgman crystals. More perfect crystals were grown by repeated Czochralski growth. This consists of etching away the defect-containing portion of a Czochralski grown crystal and using it as a seed for further growth. Other compounds used to grow single crystals are benzophenone, 12-tricosanone (laurone), and salol. The physical properties, growth apparatus, and processing conditions presented in the literature are discussed. Moreover, some of the possible advantages of growing single crystals of organic compounds in microgravity to obtain more perfect crystals than on Earth are reviewed.

Effect of Contact Damage on the Strength of Ceramic Materials.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

variables that are important to erosion, and a multivariate , linear regression analysis is used to fit the data to the dimensional analysis. The...of Equations 7 and 8 by a multivariable regression analysis (room tem- perature data) Exponent Regression Standard error Computed coefficient of...1980) 593. WEAVER, Proc. Brit. Ceram. Soc. 22 (1973) 125. 39. P. W. BRIDGMAN, "Dimensional Analaysis ", (Yale 18. R. W. RICE, S. W. FREIMAN and P. F

Five Bit, Five Gigasample TED Analog-to-Digital Converter Development.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

pliers. TRW uses two sources at present: materials grown by Horizontal I Bridgman technique from Crystal Specialties, and Czochralski from MRI. The...the circuit modelling and circuit design tasks. A number of design iterations were required to arrive at a satisfactory design. In or-der to riake...made by modeling the TELD as a voltage-controlled current generator with a built-in time delay between impressed voltage and output current. Based on

Two-Step Vapor/Liquid/Solid Purification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, L. R.

1986-01-01

Vertical distillation system combines in single operation advantages of multiple zone refining with those of distillation. Developed specifically to load Bridgman-Stockbarger (vertical-solidification) growth ampoules with ultrapure tellurium and cadmium, system, with suitable modifications, serves as material refiner. In first phase of purification process, ampoule heated to drive off absorbed volatiles. Second phase, evaporator heated to drive off volatiles in charge. Third phase, slowly descending heater causes distillation from evaporator to growing crystal in ampoule.

Lesser scaup forage on zebra mussels at Cook nuclear plant, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mitchell, C.A.; Carlson, J.

1993-01-01

Nineteen of 21 Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) entrained while foraging at the water intake structures of Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, Michigan had consumed zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). The average number of zebra mussels in the upper gastrointestinal tract was 260; maximum number was 987. Migrating Lesser Scaup found this new food source during the first winter following settlement of zebra mussels on the water intake structures of the power plant.

Shock Propagation In Crustal Rock

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-29

liquid produced above the melting point during unloading. Figure 5 displays calculations of release adiabats in the mixed phase regime based on the...muscovite [Bridgman, 1949]. The zero-pressure densities at points 1, 2 and 3 correspond to mixtures of orthoclase + A1203+H20, of wadeite + kyanite ...shocked tantalum and the high pressure melting point , in Shock Waves in Condensed Matter-1983, edited by J. R. Asay, R. A. Graham and G. K. Straub, pp. 91

Anisotropy of the Mechanical Properties of TbF3 Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimov, D. N.; Lisovenko, D. S.; Sizova, N. L.; Sobolev, B. P.

2018-01-01

TbF3 (sp. gr. Pnma) crystals up to 40 mm in diameter have been grown from melt by a Bridgman technique. The anisotropy of their mechanical properties is studied for the first time. the technical elasticity constants are calculated, and room-temperature values of Vickers microhardness for the (010) and (100) planes are measured. The shape of indentation impressions is found to correlate with Young's modulus anisotropy for TbF3 crystals.

Identification and Control of Gravity Related Defect Formation During Melt Growth of Electro-Optic Single Crystals Bismuth Silicate(Bi12SiO20)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becia, Piotr; Wiegel, Michaela E. K.

2004-01-01

A research carried out under Award Number NAG8-1487 was aimed at to the design, conduct and analysis of experiments directed at the identification and control of gravitational effects on crystal growth, segregation and defect formation in the Sillenite system: bismuth silicate (Bi(12)SiO(20)). Correlation analyses was conducted in order to establish the influence of gravity related defects introduced during crystal growth on critical, application specific properties. Achievement of the states objective was conducted during the period from Feb. 01, 1998 to Dec. 31, 2003 with the following anticipated milestones: 1. Establishment of capabilities for (a) reproducible Czochralski and Bridgman-type growth of BSO single crystals and (b) for comprehensive analysis of crystalline and chemical defects as well as for selective property characterization of grown crystals (year 1). 2. Design and execution of critical space growth experiment(s) based on analyses of prefatory space results (experiments aimed at establishing the viability of planned approaches and procedures) and on unresolved issues related to growth, segregation and defect formation associated with conventional growth in Bridgman geometries. Comparative analysis of growth under conventional and under mu-g conditions; identification of gravity related defect formation during conventional Bridgman growth and formulation of approaches for their control (years 2 and 3). Development of charge confinement system which permits growth interface demarcation (in a mu-g environment) as well as minimization of confinement related stress and contamination during growth; design of complementary mu-g growth experiments aimed at quantitative mu-g growth and segregation analyses (year 4). 3. Conduct of quantitative mu-g growth experiments directed at: (a) identification and control of gravity related crystalline and chemical defect formation during single crystal growth of Bi(12)SiO(20) and at (b) defect engineering -the development of approaches to the controlled generation during crystal growth of specified point defects in homogeneous distribution (year 5). The proposed research places focus on a class of materials which have outstanding electrical and optical properties but have so far failed to reach their potential, primarily because of our inability to control adequately their stoichiometry and crystal defect formation as well as confinement related contamination and lattice stress.

High-efficiency thermoelectric Ba8Cu14Ge6P26: bridging the gap between tetrel-based and tetrel-free clathrates† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Calculated and experimental powder XRD patterns; tables with crystallographic information; SEM and EDS results; additional DSC, thermal conductivities, and ZT figures. CCDC 1568106. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c7sc03482b

PubMed Central

Wang, Jian; Lebedev, Oleg I.; Lee, Kathleen; Dolyniuk, Juli-Anna; Klavins, Peter; Bux, Sabah

2017-01-01

A new type-I clathrate, Ba8Cu14Ge6P26, was synthesized by solid-state methods as a polycrystalline powder and grown as a cm-sized single crystal via the vertical Bridgman method. Single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction show that Ba8Cu14Ge6P26 crystallizes in the cubic space group Pm3n (no. 223). Ba8Cu14Ge6P26 is the first representative of anionic clathrates whose framework is composed of three atom types of very different chemical natures: a transition metal, tetrel element, and pnicogen. Uniform distribution of the Cu, Ge, and P atoms over the framework sites and the absence of any superstructural or local ordering in Ba8Cu14Ge6P26 were confirmed by synchrotron X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction and high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy, and neutron and X-ray pair distribution function analyses. Characterization of the transport properties demonstrate that Ba8Cu14Ge6P26 is a p-type semiconductor with an intrinsically low thermal conductivity of 0.72 W m–1 K–1 at 812 K. The thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, for a slice of the Bridgman-grown crystal of Ba8Cu14Ge6P26 approaches 0.63 at 812 K due to a high power factor of 5.62 μW cm–1 K–2. The thermoelectric efficiency of Ba8Cu14Ge6P26 is on par with the best optimized p-type Ge-based clathrates and outperforms the majority of clathrates in the 700–850 K temperature region, including all tetrel-free clathrates. Ba8Cu14Ge6P26 expands clathrate chemistry by bridging conventional tetrel-based and tetrel-free clathrates. Advanced transport properties, in combination with earth-abundant framework elements and congruent melting make Ba8Cu14Ge6P26 a strong candidate as a novel and efficient thermoelectric material. PMID:29568451

Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16}: Single crystal growth, electronic structure and piezoelectric properties

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

Khyzhun, O.Y., E-mail: khyzhun@ipms.kiev.ua; Piasecki, M.; Kityk, I.V.

Single crystal of the ternary halide Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} was grown using Bridgman-Stockbarger method. For the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} crystal, we have measured X-ray photoelectron spectra for both pristine and Ar{sup +} ion-bombarded surfaces and additionally investigated photoinduced piezoelectricity. Our data indicate that the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} single crystal surface is very sensitive with respect to Ar{sup +} ion-bombardment. In particular, Ar{sup +} ion-bombardment with energy of 3.0 keV over 5 min at an ion current density of 14 μA/cm{sup 2} causes significant changes of the elemental stoichiometry of the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} surface resulting inmore » an abrupt decrease of the mercury content in the top surface layers of the studied single crystal. As a result of the treatment, the mercury content becomes nil in the top surface layers. In addition, the present XPS measurements allow for concluding about very low hygroscopicity of the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} single crystal surface. The property is extremely important for the crystal handling in optoelectronic or nano-electronic devices working at ambient conditions. The photoinduced piezoelectricity has been explored for Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} depending on nitrogen (λ=371 nm) laser power density and temperature. - Graphical abstract: As-grown single crystal boule of Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16}; dependence of the effective piezoelecric coefficient d{sub 33} versus the photoinducing nitrogen laser power density, I, at different temperatures, T; and packing of the polyhedra of halide atoms around Hg atoms in the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} structure. - Highlights: • High-quality Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} single crystal has been grown by Bridgman-Stockbarger method. • Electronic structure of Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} is studied by the XPS method. • Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} single crystal surface is sensitive with respect to Ar{sup +} ion-bombardment. • Very low hygroscopicity is characteristic of the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} surface. • Photoinduced piezoelectricity is studied for the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} compound.« less

Segregation of Impurities in Directionally Solidified Silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ravishankar, P. S.; Younghouse, L. B.

1984-01-01

Hall measurements and four-point probe resistivity measurements are used to determine the concentration profile of boron and iron in doped semi-conductor silicon ingots grown by the Bridgman technique. The concentration profiles are fitted to the normal segregation equation and the effective segregation coefficient, K sub eff, is calculated. The average value of K sub eff, is 0.803 for boron. For iron, K sub eff, is concentration dependent and is in the range 0.00008 to 0.00012.

Growth rates and interface shapes in germanium and lead tin telluride observed in-situ, real-time in vertical Bridgman furnaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barber, P. G.; Berry, R. F.; Debnam, W. J.; Fripp, A. L.; Woodell, G.; Simchick, R. T.

1995-01-01

Using the advanced technology developed to visualize the melt-solid interface in low Prandtl number materials, crystal growth rates and interface shapes have been measured in germanium and lead tin telluride semiconductors grown in vertical Bridgman furnaces. The experimental importance of using in-situ, real time observations to determine interface shapes, to measure crystal growth rates, and to improve furnace and ampoule designs is demonstrated. The interface shapes observed in-situ, in real-time were verified by quenching and mechanically induced interface demarcation, and they were also confirmed using machined models to ascertain the absence of geometric distortions. Interface shapes depended upon the interface position in the furnace insulation zone, varied with the nature of the crystal being grown, and were dependent on the extent of transition zones at the ends of the ampoule. Actual growth rates varied significantly from the constant translation rate in response to the thermophysical properties of the crystal and its melt and the thermal conditions existing in the furnace at the interface. In the elemental semiconductor germanium the observed rates of crystal growth exceeded the imposed translation rate, but in the compound semiconductor lead tin telluride the observed rates of growth were less than the translation rate. Finally, the extent of ampoule thermal loading influenced the interface positions, the shapes, and the growth rates.

Crystal growth, structural, low temperature thermoluminescence and mechanical properties of cubic fluoroperovskite single crystal (LiBaF3)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, D. Joseph; Ramasamy, P.; Ramaseshan, R.; Kim, H. J.; Kim, Sunghwan; Bhagavannarayana, G.; Cheon, Jong-Kyu

2017-10-01

Polycrystalline compounds of LiBaF3 were synthesized using conventional solid state reaction route and the phase purity was confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction technique. Using vertical Bridgman technique single crystal was grown from melt. Rocking curve measurements have been carried out to study the structural perfection of the grown crystal. The single peak of diffraction curve clearly reveals that the grown crystal was free from the structural grain boundaries. The low temperature thermoluminescence of the X-ray irradiated sample has been analyzed and found four distinguishable peaks having maximum temperatures at 18, 115, 133 and 216 K. Activation energy (E) and frequency factor (s) for the individual peaks have been studied using Peak shape method and the computerized curve fitting method combining with the Tmax- TStop procedure. Nanoindentation technique was employed to study the mechanical behaviour of the crystal. The indentation modulus and Vickers hardness of the grown crystal have values of 135.15 GPa and 680.81 respectively, under the maximum indentation load of 10 mN.

Experimental analysis and modeling of melt growth processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Georg

2002-04-01

Melt growth processes provide the basic crystalline materials for many applications. The research and development of crystal growth processes is therefore driven by the demands which arise from these specific applications; however, common goals include an increased uniformity of the relevant crystal properties at the micro- and macro-scale, a decrease of deleterious crystal defects, and an increase of crystal dimensions. As melt growth equipment and experimentation becomes more and more expensive, little room remains for improvements by trial and error procedures. A more successful strategy is to optimize the crystal growth process by a combined use of experimental process analysis and computer modeling. This will be demonstrated in this paper by several examples from the bulk growth of silicon, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and calcium fluoride. These examples also involve the most important melt growth techniques, crystal pulling (Czochralski methods) and vertical gradient freeze (Bridgman-type methods). The power and success of the above optimization strategy, however, is not limited only to the given examples but can be generalized and applied to many types of bulk crystal growth.

Testing and Further Development of Improved Etches and Etching Methods for the Analysis of Bridgman Grown Semiconductor Crystals with an Emphasis on Lead-Tin-Telluride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barber, Patrick G.

1998-01-01

The goals outlined for the research project for this year have been completed, and the following supporting documentation is attached: 1. A copy of the proposal outlining the principal goals: (a) Improve the characterization of semiconductor crystals through new etches and etching procedures. (b) Developed a novel voltammetric method to characterize semiconductor crystals as a result of searching for improved etches for lead-tin-telluride. (c) Presented paper at ACCG- 10. (d) Prepared manuscripts for publication. Completed additional testing suggested by reviewers and re-submitted manuscripts. (e) Worked with an undergraduate student on this project to provide her an opportunity to have a significant research experience prior to graduation. 2. In addition to the anticipated goals the following were also accomplished: (a) Submitted the newly developed procedures for consideration as a patent or a NASA Tech Brief. (b) Submitted a paper for presentation at the forthcoming ICCG- 12 conference. 3. A copy of the final draft of the publication as submitted to the editors of the Journal of Crystal Growth.

Advanced methods for preparation and characterization of infrared detector materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broerman, J. G.; Morris, B. J.; Meschter, P. J.

1983-01-01

Crystals were prepared by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method with a wide range of crystal growth rates and temperature gradients adequate to prevent constitutional supercooling under diffusion-limited, steady-state, growth conditions. The longitudinal compositional gradients for different growth conditions and alloy compositions were calculated and compared with experimental data to develop a quantitative model of solute redistribution during the crystal growth of the alloys. Measurements were performed to ascertain the effect of growth conditions on radial compositional gradients. The pseudobinary HgTe-CdTe constitutional phase diagram was determined by precision differential-thermal-analysis measurements and used to calculate the segregation coefficient of Cd as a function of x and interface temperature. Experiments were conducted to determine the ternary phase equilibria in selected regions of the Hg-Cd-Te constitutional phase diagram. Electron and hole mobilities as functions of temperature were analyzed to establish charge-carrier scattering probabilities. Computer algorithms specific to Hg(1-x)CdxTe were developed for calculations of the charge-carrier concentration, charge-carrier mobilities, Hall coefficient, and Dermi Fermi energy as functions of x, temperature, ionized donor and acceptor concentrations, and neutral defect concentrations.

Electron Reconfiguration and Enhanced Phonon Activation in the Superconducting State of a FeSe0.3Te0.7 Single Crystal, as Evidenced by Mössbauer Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greculeasa, Simona; Miu, Lucica; Badica, Petre; Nie, Jiacai; Tolea, Mugurel; Kuncser, Victor

2015-01-01

The Mössbauer spectra of a FeSe0.3Te0.7 single crystal grown by the Bridgman method were analysed across the superconducting transition by considering the interplay between the structure and electron configuration of the transition metal. The magnetically determined superconducting critical temperature is TC ˜ 14 K. The 57Fe Mössbauer spectra collected in the temperature range from 5 to 200 K mainly have an asymmetric doublet pattern, which was conveniently fitted by the full Hamiltonian method. No effective magnetic moment ascribed to the superconducting phase was observed down to 5 K. The unusual behaviour observed below ˜17 K for the chemical isomer shift and quadrupole splitting may be associated with an electron reconfiguration process intimately related to an unusual lattice distortion accompanying the superconducting transition. The decreasing trend of the total absorption spectral area and second-order Doppler shift during cooling the sample below the critical temperature, point to enhanced phonon activation in the superconducting state.

Use of Microgravity to Control the Microstructure of Eutectics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, William R.; Regel, Liya L.; Smith, Reginald W.

1999-01-01

The long term goal of this project is to be able to control the microstructure of directionally solidified eutectic alloys, through an improved understanding of the influence of convection. Prior experimental results on the influence of microgravity on the microstructure of fibrous eutectics have been contradictory. Theoretical work at Clarkson University showed that buoyancy-driven convection in the vertical Bridgman configuration is not vigorous enough to alter the concentration field in the melt sufficiently to cause a measurable change in microstructure when the eutectic grows at minimum supercooling. Currently, there are four other hypotheses that might explain the observed changes in microstructure of fibrous eutectics caused by convection: (1) Disturbance of the concentration boundary layer arising from an off-eutectic melt composition and growth at the extremum; (2) Disturbance of the concentration boundary layer of a habit-modifying impurity; (3) Disturbance of the concentration boundary layer arising from an off-eutectic interfacial composition due to non-extremum growth; and (4) A fluctuating freezing rate combined with differences in the kinetics of fiber termination and fiber formation. We favor the last of these hypotheses. Thus, the primary objective of the present grant is to determine experimentally and theoretically the influence of a periodically varying freezing rate on eutectic solidification. A secondary objective is to determine the influence of convection on the microstructure of at least one other eutectic alloy that might be suitable for flight experiments.

Terrestrial growth of lead-tin-telluride by techniques related to low G growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jesser, W. A.

1982-01-01

A modified Bridgman-Stockbarger furnace was constructed for a study of the solidification of silver, germanium and lead-tin-telluride. The melt-solid interface position with respect to the furnace and its temperature profile was determined by measuring the discontinuity in the slope of temperature as a function of position in the melt and in the solid. The results show that the interface position of the semiconductors germanium and lead-tin-telluride was essentially constant with respect to the furnace and hence the growth rate was constant and equal to the sample translation rate of 0.046 cm/min and 0.178 cm/min in each case. The metal, silver, on the other hand showed a continuous interface migration toward the hot zone of the furnace and always exhibited a growth rate which was higher than the ampoule translation rate. The K sub L/K sub S ratio of lead-tin-telluride was determined to be 2.33 + or - 0.06 where K sub L,S denotes the thermal conductivity of the liquid, solid respectively. The value of K sub L was calculated to be about 0.054 Watt 0.1 cm 0.1 K. The diffusion boundary layer thickness was calculated for lead-tin-telluride to be about 0.05 cm using a liquid diffusivity of .00007 sq cm/sec.

Fracture toughness of the nickel-alumina laminates by digital image-correlation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mekky, Waleed

The purpose of this work is to implement the digital image correlation technique (DIC) in composite laminate fracture testing. The latter involves measuring the crack opening displacement (COD) during stable crack propagation and characterizing the strain development in a constrained nickel layer under applied loading. The major challenge to measure the COD of alternated metal/ceramic layers is the elastic-mismatch effect. This leads to oscillating COD measurement. Smoothing the result with built-in modules of commercial software leads to a loss of data accuracy. A least-squares fitting routine for the data output gave acceptable COD profiles. The behavior of a single Ni ligament sandwiched between two Al2O3 layers was determined for two Ni thicknesses (0.125 and 0.25mm). Modeling of the behavior via a modified Bridgman approach for rectangular cross section samples, proved limited as different mechanisms are operating. Nevertheless, the behavior is however captured to a point, but the model underestimates the results vis a vis experimental ones. The fracture-resistance curves for Nickel/Alumina laminates were developed experimentally and modeled via LEFM using the weight function approach and utilizing single-ligament-, and COD-, data. The crack-tip toughness was found to increase with Ni layer thickness due to crack-tip-shielding. The crack-initiation-toughness was estimated from the stress field and the crack-opening-displacement of the main crack.

Dendritic Growth Morphologies in Al-Zn Alloys—Part I: X-ray Tomographic Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedli, Jonathan; Fife, J. L.; di Napoli, P.; Rappaz, M.

2013-12-01

Upon solidification, most metallic alloys form dendritic structures that grow along directions corresponding to low index crystal axes, e.g., directions in fcc aluminum. However, recent findings[1,2] have shown that an increase in the zinc content in Al-Zn alloys continuously changes the dendrite growth direction from to in {100} planes. At intermediate compositions, between 25 wt pct and 55 wt pct Zn, dendrites and textured seaweeds were reported. The reason for this dendrite orientation transition is that this system exhibits a large solubility of zinc, a hexagonal metal, in the primary fcc aluminum phase, thus modifying its weak solid-liquid interfacial energy anisotropy. Owing to the complexity of the phenomenology, there is still no satisfactory theory that predicts all the observed microstructures. The current study is thus aimed at better understanding the formation of these structures. This is provided by the access to their 3D morphologies via synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy of quenched Bridgman solidified specimens in combination with the determination of the crystal orientation of the dendrites by electron-backscattered diffraction. Most interestingly, all alloys with intermediate compositions were shown to grow as seaweeds, constrained to grow mostly in a (001) symmetry plane, by an alternating growth direction mechanism. Thus, these structures are far from random and are considered less hierarchically ordered than common dendrites.

Advancing radiation balanced lasers (RBLs) in rare-earth (RE)-doped solids

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

Hehlen, Markus Peter

2016-11-21

These slides cover the following topics: Mid-IR lasers in crystals using two-tone RBL (Single-dopant two-tone RBLs: Tm 3+, Er 3+, and Co-doped two-tone RBLs: (Yb 3+, Nd 3+) and (Ho 3+, Tm 3+); Advanced approaches to RBL crystals (Precursor purification, Micro-pulling-down crystal growth, and Bridgman crystal growth); Advanced approaches to RBL fibers (Materials for RBL glass fibers, Micro-structured fibers for RBL, and Fiber preform synthesis); and finally objectives.

Divalent europium doped and un-doped calcium iodide scintillators: Scintillator characterization and single crystal growth

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

Boatner, L. A.; Ramey, J. O.; Kolopus, J. A.

2015-02-21

Initially, the alkaline-earth scintillator, CaI 2:Eu 2+, was discovered around 1964 by Hofstadter, Odell, and Schmidt. Serious practical problems quickly arose, however, that were associated with the growth of large monolithic single crystals of this material due to its lamellar, mica-like structure. As a result of its theoretically higher light yield, CaI 2:Eu 2+ has the potential to exceed the excellent scintillation performance of SrI 2:Eu 2+. In fact, theoretical predictions for the light yield of CaI2:Eu 2+ scintillators suggested that an energy resolution approaching 2% at 662 keV could be achievable. Like the early SrI 2:Eu 2+ scintillator, themore » performance of CaI 2:Eu 2+ scintillators has traditionally suffered due, at least in part, to outdated materials synthesis, component stoichiometry/purity, and single-crystal-growth techniques. Based on our recent work on SrI 2:Eu 2+ scintillators in single-crystal form, we have developed new techniques that are applied here to CaI 2:Eu 2+ and pure CaI 2 with the goal of growing large un-cracked crystals and, potentially, realizing the theoretically predicted performance of the CaI 2:Eu 2+ form of this material. Calcium iodide does not adhere to modern glassy carbon Bridgman crucibles - so there should be no differential thermal-contraction-induced crystal/crucible stresses on cooling that would result in crystal cracking of the lamellar structure of CaI 2. Here we apply glassy carbon crucible Bridgman growth, high-purity growth-charge compounds, our molten salt processing/filtration technique, and extended vacuum-melt-pumping methods to the growth of both CaI 2:Eu 2+ and un-doped CaI 2. Moreover, large scintillating single crystals were obtained, and detailed characterization studies of the scintillation properties of CaI 2:Eu 2+ and pure CaI 2 single crystals are presented that include studies of the effects of plastic deformation of the crystals on the scintillator performance.« less

Multidisciplinary Approaches to Radiation Balanced Lasers (MARBLe): 1st Annual Progress Report

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

Hehlen, Markus Peter

The initial main modifications of the existing μPD crystal-growth system at LANL have been completed. This now gives us the new capability to develop the growth of crystalline RBL materials by both the μPD and the Bridgman method. Quantitative mass spectrometry of the growth atmosphere was conducted to identify possible sources of gaseous trace species (primarily hydrogen) that could cause the undesired reduction of Yb 3+ to Yb 2+ during the crystal growth. Hydrogen was found to be at sufficiently low levels to not be a respective concern. Studies on the thermal decomposition of YbF 3 to form Yb 2+more » are currently underway in collaboration with MARBLe team member Prof. Pauzauskie. First samples of Yb 3+-doped YLiF 4 (YLF:Yb) and undoped LiLuF 4 (LLF) were grown, and MARBLe team member Prof. Sheik-Bahae has performed measurements of laser-induced heating (YLF:Yb) and background absorption coefficient (LLF). We discovered that one or several of the YF 3, LiF, and YbF 3 precursors contains organic impurities that chemically reduce to black residue during the high-temperature growth in oxygen-free argon atmosphere. A process for removal of these residues prior to growth is being considered. Comparing the results from incongruently melting YLF with those of congruently melting LLF indicate that a congruently melting material is preferred for Bridgman growth. Crystal-growth experiments with LLF are currently underway. The results of these studies on Yb 3+ doped materials will be directly applicable to the future growth of Er 3+ and Tm 3+ doped as well as Yb 3+, Nd 3+ co-doped RBL crystals. There was no activity on the parallel effort of developing rareearth- doped chalcogenide glasses. The primary reason was a lack of manpower due to a delayed hiring of a student. In September 2017, we have hired a Postdoctoral Researcher who will be able to contribute to the growth (at LANL) and optical characterization (at UNM) of RBL materials.« less

Modeling effects of solute concentration in Bridgman growth of cadmium zinc telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stelian, Carmen; Duffar, Thierry

2016-07-01

Numerical modeling is used to investigate the effect of solute concentration on the melt convection and interface shape in Bridgman growth of Cd1-x Znx Te (CZT). The numerical analysis is compared to experimental growth in cylindrical ampoules having a conical tip performed by Komar et al. (2001) [15]. In these experiments, the solidification process occurs at slow growth rate (V = 2 ṡ10-7 m / s) in a thermal field characterized by a vertical gradient GT = 20 K / cm at the growth interface. The computations performed by accounting the solutal effect show a progressive damping of the melt convection due to the depleted Zn at the growth interface. The computed shape of the crystallization front is in agreement with the experimental measurement showing a convex-concave shape for the growth through the conical part of the ampoule and a concave shape of the interface in the cylindrical region. The distribution of Zn is nearly uniform over the crystal length except for the end part of the ingots. The anomalous zinc segregation observed in some experiments is explained by introducing the hypothesis of incomplete charge mixing during the homogenization time which precedes the growth process. When the crystallization is started in ampoules having a very sharp conical tip, the heavy CdTe is accumulated at the bottom part of the melt, giving rise to anomalous segregation patterns, featuring very low zinc concentration in the ingots during the first stage of the solidification.

Experimental observation of the influence of furnace temperature profile on convection and segregation in the vertical Bridgman crystal growth technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neugebauer, G. T.; Wilcox, William R.

1992-01-01

Azulene-doped naphthalene was directionally solidified during the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger technique. Doping homogeneity and convection were determined as a function of the temperature profile in the furnace and the freezing rate. Convection velocities were two orders of magnitude lower when the temperature increased with height. Rarely was the convection pattern axisymmetric, even though the temperature varied less than 0.1 K around the circumference of the growth ampoule. Correspondingly the cross sectional variation in azulene concentration tended to be asymmetric, especially when the temperature increased with height. This cross sectional variation changed dramatically along the ingot, reflecting changes in convection presumably due to the decreasing height of the melt. Although there was large scatter and irreproducibility in the cross sectional variation in doping, this variation tended to be least when the growth rate was low and the convection was vigorous. It is expected that compositional variations would also be small at high growth rates with weak convection and flat interfaces, although this was not investigated in the present experiments. Neither rotation of the ampoule nor deliberate introduction of thermal asymmetries during solidification had a significant influence on cross sectional variations in doping. It is predicted that slow directional solidification under microgravity conditions could produce greater inhomogeneities than on Earth. Combined use of microgravity and magnetic fields would be required to achieve homogeneity when it is necessary to freeze slowly in order to avoid constitutional supercooling.

Real Time In Situ Observations of Equiaxed Dendrite Coherency in Al-Cu Alloys Using High-Brilliance, 3rd Generation Synchrotron Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Andrew G.; Browne, David J.; Mirihanage, Wajira U.; Mathiesen, Ragnvald H.

2012-01-01

In the last decade synchrotron X-ray sources have fast become the tool of choice for performing in-situ high resolution imaging during alloy solidification. This paper presents the results of an experimental campaign carried out at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, using a Bridgman furnace, to monitor phenomena during solidification of Al-Cu alloys - specifically the onset of equiaxed dendrite coherency. Conventional experimental methods for determining coherency involve measuring the change in viscosity or measuring the change in thermal conductivity across the solidifying melt Conflicts arise when comparing the results of these experimental techniques to find a relationship between cooling rate and coherency fraction. It has been shown that the ratio of average velocity to the average grain diameter has an inversely proportional relationship to coherency fraction. In-situ observation therefore makes it possible to measure these values directly from acquired images sequences and make comparisons with published results.

CePd2Ga3 and CePd2Zn3 - Kondo lattices and magnetic behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartha, A.; Vališka, M.; Míšek, M.; Proschek, P.; Kaštil, J.; Dušek, M.; Sechovský, V.; Prokleška, J.

2018-05-01

We report the single crystal properties of CePd2Zn3 and CePd2Ga3 compounds. The compounds were prepared by Bridgman method in high-frequency induction furnace. Both compounds adopt the hexagonal PrNi2Al3-type structure with a = 5.3914(2) Å, c = 4.3012(2) Å for CePd2Zn3 and a = 5.4106(8) Å, c = 4.2671(8) Å for CePd2Ga3, respectively. CePd2Zn3 orders antiferromagnetically below TN = 1.9 K. Magnetoresistance measurements revealed a crossover at Bc = 0.95 T. CePd2Ga3 orders ferromagnetically at TC = 6.7 K. Applied hydrostatic pressure reduces the value of the Curie-temperature (rate ∂TC / ∂ p = 0.9 K GPa -1) down to 3.9 K at 3.2 GPa. Both compounds display a strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy with easy axis of magnetization perpendicular to the c-axis in the hexagonal lattice.

TL and PL studies on cubic fluoroperovskite single crystal (KMgF{sub 3}: Eu{sup 2+}, Ce{sup 3+})

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

Daniel, D. Joseph, E-mail: josephd@ssn.edu.in; Ramasamy, P.; Madhusoodanan, U.

2014-04-24

The perovskite-like KMgF{sub 3} polycrystalline compounds were synthesized by standard solid state reaction technique. Phase purity of the synthesized compounds was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction technique. Single crystals of (0.2 mol% of EuF{sub 3} and CeF{sub 3}) Co-doped KMgF{sub 3} have been grown from melt by using a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics of KMgF{sub 3} samples doped with Eu{sub 2+} and Ce{sub 3+} have been studied after β-ray irradiation. At ambient conditions the photoluminescence spectra consisted of sharp line peaked of Eu{sub 2+} at 360 nm attributed to the f → f transition ({sup 6}P{sub 7/2}→{sup 8}S{submore » 7/2}) could only be observed due to the energy transfer from Ce{sub 3+} to Eu{sub 2+}.« less

Large-size TlBr single crystal growth and defect study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Mingzhi; Zheng, Zhiping; Chen, Zheng; Zhang, Sen; Luo, Wei; Fu, Qiuyun

2018-04-01

Thallium bromide (TlBr) is an attractive semiconductor material for fabrication of radiation detectors due to its high photon stopping power originating from its high atomic number, wide band gap and high resistivity. In this paper the vertical Bridgman method was used for crystal growth and TlBr single crystals with diameter of 15 mm were grown. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to identify phase and orientation. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was used to investigate crystal microstructure and crystallographic orientation. The optical and electric performance of the crystal was characterized by infrared (IR) transmittance spectra and I-V measurement. The types of point defects in the crystals were investigated by thermally stimulated current (TSC) spectra and positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS). Four types of defects, with ionization energy of each defect fitting as follows: 0.1308, 0.1540, 0.3822 and 0.538 eV, were confirmed from the TSC result. The PAS result showed that there were Tl vacancies in the crystal.

Convection of tin in a Bridgman system. I - Flow characterization by effective diffusivity measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sears, B.; Narayanan, R.; Anderson, T. J.; Fripp, A. L.

1992-01-01

An electrochemical titration method was used to investigate the dynamic states in a cylindrical layer of convecting tin. The liquid tin was contained in a cell, with curved boundaries made of quartz and flat boundaries made of a solid state electrolyte - yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). The electrolyte acted as a window through which a trace amount of oxygen could be pumped in or out by the application of a constant voltage. The concentration at the YSZ interface was monitored by operating the electrochemical cell in the galvanic mode. Experimentally determined effective diffusivities of oxygen were compared with the molecular diffusivity. Dynamic states in the convective flow were thus inferred. Temperature measurements were simultaneously made in order to identify the onset of oscillations from a steady convective regime. The experiments were conducted for two different aspect ratios for various imposed temperature gradients and two different orientations with respect to gravity. Transcritical states were identified and comparison to two-dimensional numerical models were made.

Crystal growth and characterization of europium doped KCaI3, a high light yield scintillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsey, Adam C.; Zhuravleva, Mariya; Stand, Luis; Wu, Yuntao; Melcher, Charles L.

2015-10-01

The presented study reports on the spectroscopic characteristics of a new high performance scintillation material KCaI3:Eu. The growth of ∅ 17 mm boules using the Bridgman-Stockbarger method in fused silica ampoules is demonstrated to produce yellow tinted, yet transparent single crystals suitable for use in spectroscopic applications due to very promising performance. Scintillation light yield of 72,000 ± 3000 ph/MeV and energy resolution of 3% (FWHM) at 662 keV and 6.1% at 122 keV was obtained from small single crystals of approximately 15 mm3. For a much larger 3.8 cm3 detector, 4.4% and 7.3% for the same energy. Proportionality of the scintillation response to the energy of ionizing radiation is within 96% of the ideal response over an energy range of 14-662 keV. The high light yield and energy resolution of KCaI3:Eu make it suitable for potential use in domestic security applications requiring radionuclide identification.

Comparative study of nondoped and Eu-doped SrI2 scintillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanagida, Takayuki; Koshimizu, Masanori; Okada, Go; Kojima, Takahiro; Osada, Junya; Kawaguchi, Noriaki

2016-11-01

Optical and scintillation properties of nondoped and Eu 3% doped SrI2 crystals grown by the Vertical Bridgman method were investigated. Eu-doped crystal showed an intense single band emission at 430 nm due to the Eu2+ 5d-4f transitions in both photoluminescence and scintillation while the nondoped crystal had a complex spectral shape. The latter emission consists of mainly four bands: 360 nm, 540 nm, 410 nm and 430 nm. The origins of 360 nm and 540 nm were self-trapped exciton and unexpected impurity, respectively. The origins of 410 and 430 nm lines were ascribed to F center in different I sites. Under 137Cs γ-ray irradiations, both crystals showed a clear photoabsorption peak. The scintillation light yields of the nondoped and Eu-doped SrI2 resulted 33,000 ph/MeV and 82,000 ph/MeV, respectively. The energy resolution at 662 keV of Eu-doped was 4% while that of the non-doped SrI2 was 8%.

Structural, optical and high pressure electrical resistivity studies of pure NiO and Cu-doped NiO nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marselin, M. Abila; Jaya, N. Victor

2016-04-01

In this paper, pure NiO and Cu-doped NiO nanoparticles are prepared by co-precipitation method. The electrical resistivity measurements by applying high pressure on pure NiO and Cu-doped NiO nanoparticles were reported. The Bridgman anvil set up is used to measure high pressures up to 8 GPa. These measurements show that there is no phase transformation in the samples till the high pressure is reached. The samples show a rapid decrease in electrical resistivity up to 5 GPa and it remains constant beyond 5 GPa. The electrical resistivity and the transport activation energy of the samples under high pressure up to 8 GPa have been studied in the temperature range of 273-433 K using diamond anvil cell. The temperature versus electrical resistivity studies reveal that the samples behave like a semiconductor. The activation energies of the charge carriers depend on the size of the samples.

Solidification and crystal growth of solid solution semiconducting alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lehoczky, S. L.; Szofran, F. R.

1984-01-01

Problems associated with the solidification and crytal growth of solid-solution semiconducting alloy crystals in a terrestrial environment are described. A detailed description is given of the results for the growth of mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) alloy crystals by directional solidification, because of their considerable technological importance. A series of HgCdTe alloy crystals are grown from pseudobinary melts by a vertical Bridgman method using a wide range of growth rates and thermal conditions. Precision measurements are performed to establish compositional profiles for the crystals. The compositional variations are related to compositional variations in the melts that can result from two-dimensional diffusion or density gradient driven flow effects ahead of the growth interface. These effects are discussed in terms of the alloy phase equilibrium properties, the recent high temperature thermophysical data for the alloys and the highly unusual heat transfer characteristics of the alloy/ampule/furnace system that may readily lead to double diffusive convective flows in a gravitational environment.

OSL studies of alkali fluoroperovskite single crystals for radiation dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, D. Joseph; Raja, A.; Madhusoodanan, U.; Annalakshmi, O.; Ramasamy, P.

2016-08-01

This paper presents a preliminary investigation of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) of alkali fluoroperovskite single crystals for radiation dosimetry. The perovskite-like KMgF3, NaMgF3 and LiBaF3 polycrystalline compounds doped with rare earths (Eu2+ and Ce3+) were synthesized by standard solid state reaction technique. Phase purity of the synthesized compounds was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction technique. Single crystals of these compounds have been grown from melt by using vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. The Linearly Modulated OSL and Continuous Wave OSL measurements were performed in these alkali fluorides using blue light stimulation. Thermal bleaching experiments have shown that OSL signals originate from traps which are unstable near 200 °C, thus proving the suitability of the signals for dosimetric purposes. Optical bleaching measurements were also performed for these fluoride samples. OSL dose response was studied as a function of dose which was found to increase with beta dose.

Optical and structural properties of indium doped bismuth selenide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavagadhi, Himanshu; Vyas, S. M.; Patel, Piyush; Patel, Vimal; Patel, Jaydev; Jani, M. P.

2015-08-01

In: Bi2Se3 crystals were grown by Bridgman method at a growth velocity of 0.5cm/h with temperature gradient of 650 C/cm in our laboratory. The thin films of In:Bi2se3 were grown on amorphous substrate (glass) at a room temperature under a pressure of 10-4Pa by thermal evaporation technique. Thin film were deposited at various thicknesses and optical absorption spectrum of such thin films, obtain in wave no. range 300 to 2600 cm-1. The optical energy gap calculated from this data were found to be inverse function of square of thickness, particularly for thickness about 1800 Å or less. This dependence is explained in terms of quantum size effect. For thicker films, the bandgap is found to be independent of film thickness. For the surface stud of the as grown thin film by using AFM, which shows continuous film with some step height and surface roughness found in terms of few nm and particle size varies with respect to thickness.

Scintillation properties of a 2-inch diameter KCa0.8Sr0.2I3:Eu2+ single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yuntao; Lindsey, Adam C.; Loyd, Matthew; Stand, Luis; Zhuravleva, Mariya; Koschan, Merry; Melcher, Charles L.

2017-09-01

Inch-sized scintillating crystals are required for practical radiation detectors such as hand-held radio-isotope identification devices. In this work, a transparent and colorless 2-inch diameter KCa0.8Sr0.2I3: 0 . 5 mo% Eu2+ single crystal was grown by the vertical Bridgman method, and the scintillation properties of a ∅ 50 mm × 45 mm long sample were evaluated. The Eu2+ 5d1- 4 f emission under X-ray excitation is centered at 472 nm. Its scintillation decay time under 137 Cs source irradiation is 2 . 37 μs, and the absolute light output is 51,000 ± 3000 photons/MeV. The energy resolution at 662 keV was evaluated for different orientations of the crystals with respect to the PMT, and the effect of 40 K background subtraction on energy resolution was evaluated. The performance of the packaged crystal was also investigated.

Irradiation effect on luminescence properties of fluoroperovskite single crystal (LiBaF3:Eu2+)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, D. Joseph; Madhusoodanan, U.; Nithya, R.; Ramasamy, P.

2014-03-01

Single crystals of pure and Eu2+ doped LiBaF3 have been grown from melt by using a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Effects induced by irradiation on europium doped LiBaF3 (lithium barium fluoride) single crystals were monitored by optical absorption, photoluminescence and thermoluminescence studies. The absorption bands of Eu2+ ions with peaks at 240, 290 and 320 nm were observed in the LiBaF3:Eu2+ crystal. Drastic increase in absorption was noted below 600 nm after gamma irradiation, which was dependent on the radiation dose. The additional absorption peak at around 570 nm was observed in irradiated crystal due to the ionization process Eu2+(-)e-→Eu3+. Photoluminescence of Eu2+ doped LiBaF3 single crystal shows sharp line peaked at ~359 nm and a broad band extending between 370 and 450 nm which shows a considerable reduction in Eu2+ PL intensity after gamma irradiation. Irradiated LiBaF3:Eu2+ sample has revealed three intense TL glow peaks at 128 °C (peak-1), 281 °C (peak-2) and 407 °C (peak-3). Activation energy (E) and frequency factor (s) of the latter two peaks were determined by various heating rate (VHR) method and graphical method.

Crystal growth of LiIn 1–xGa xSe 2 crystals

DOE PAGES

Wiggins, Brenden; Bell, Joseph; Woodward, Jonathan; ...

2016-10-22

Lithium containing chalcogenide single crystals have become very promising materials for photonics and radiation detection. Detection applications include nuclear nonproliferation, neutron science, and stellar investigations for the search of life. Synthesis and single crystal growth methods for lithium containing chalcogenide, specifically LiIn 1-xGa xSe 2, single crystals are discussed. This study elucidates the possibility of improving neutron detection by reducing the indium capture contribution; with the incorporation of the lithium-6 isotope, gallium substitution may overcome the neutron detection efficiency limitation of 6LiInSe 2 due to appreciable neutron capture by the indium-115 isotope. As a figure of merit, the ternary parentmore » compounds 6LiInSe 2 and 6LiGaSe 2 were included in this study. Quality crystals can be obtained utilizing the vertical Bridgman method to produce quaternary compounds with tunable optical properties. Here, quaternary crystals of varying quality depending on the gallium concentration, approximately 5 x 5 x 2 mm 3 or larger in volume, were harvested, analyzed and revealed tunable absorption characteristics between 2.8-3.4 eV.« less

An experimental approach to determine the heat transfer coefficient in directional solidification furnaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banan, Mohsen; Gray, Ross T.; Wilcox, William R.

1992-01-01

The heat transfer coefficient between a molten charge and its surroundings in a Bridgman furnace was experimentally determined using in-situ temperature measurement. The ampoule containing an isothermal melt was suddenly moved from a higher temperature zone to a lower temperature zone. The temperature-time history was used in a lumped-capacity cooling model to evaluate the heat transfer coefficient between the charge and the furnace. The experimentally determined heat transfer coefficient was of the same order of magnitude as the theoretical value estimated by standard heat transfer calculations.

Characterization of the Heat Extraction Capability of a Compliant, Sliding, Thermal Interface for Use in a High Temperature, Vacuum, Microgravity Furnace

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bellomy-Ezell, Jenny; Farmer, Jeff; Breeding, Shawn; Spivey, Reggie

2001-01-01

A compliant, thermal interface material is tested to evaluate its thermal behavior at elevated temperatures, in vacuum conditions, and under varying levels of compression. Preliminary results indicate that the thermal performance of this polymer fiber-based, felt-like material is sufficient to meet thermal extraction requirements for the Quench Module Insert, a Bridgman furnace for microgravity material science investigation. This paper discusses testing and modeling approaches employed, gives of a status of characterization activities and provides preliminary test results.

Fluid mechanics and mass transfer in melt crystal growth: Analysis of the floating zone and vertical Bridgman processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. A.

1986-01-01

This research program focuses on analysis of the transport mechanisms in solidification processes, especially one of interest to the Microgravity Sciences and Applications Program of NASA. Research during the last year has focused on analysis of the dynamics of the floating zone process for growth of small-scale crystals, on studies of the effect of applied magnetic fields on convection and solute segregation in directional solidification, and on the dynamics of microscopic cell formation in two-dimensional solidification of binary alloys. Significant findings are given.

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

MacRae, W.T.

The Donald C. Cook nuclear plant is located in Bridgman, Michigan. As such, no low-level radioactive waste from the facility has been sent to burial since November 1990. The only option is storage. The plant is well prepared for storage. A new facility was built, so the plant now has >2265 M3 (80 000 ft 3 ) of storage capacity. There are a number of issues that have had to be addressed during the period of storage. These items include storage capacity and waste generation rates, the waste form and the packages used, and the regulatory issues.

History of HgTe-based photodetectors in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogalski, A.

2010-09-01

In Poland, the HgCdTe studies began in 1960 at the Institute of Physics, Warsaw University. The material processing laboratory was created by Giriat and later by Dziuba, Gałązka, and others. Bridgman technique with sealed thick wall quartz ampoules was used to grow material suitable for research and experimental devices. Among the first papers published in 1961 and 1963 there were the Polish works devoted to preparation, doping, and electrical properties of HgCdTe. Infrared detector's research and development efforts in Poland were concentrated mostly on uncooled market niche. At the beginning, a modified isothermal vapour phase epitaxy has been used for research and commercial fabrication of photoconductive, photoelectromagnetic and other HgCdTe devices. Bulk growth and liquid phase epitaxy were also used. Recently, the fabrication of infrared devices relies on low temperature epitaxial technique, namely metalorganic vapour phase deposition. At present stage of development, the photoconductive and photoelectromagnetic (PEM) detectors are gradually replaced with photovoltaic devices which offer inherent advantages of no electric or magnetic bias, no heat load and no flicker noise. Potentially, photodiodes offer high performance and very fast response. However, conventional photovoltaic uncooled detectors suffer from low quantum efficiency and very low junction resistance. The problems have been solved with advanced band gap engineered architecture, multiple cell heterojunction devices connected in series, and monolithic integration of the detectors with microoptics. In final part of the paper, the Polish achievements in technology and performance of HgMnTe and HgZnTe photodetectors are presented.

Magnetic Field Suppression of Flow in Semiconductor Melt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fedoseyev, A. I.; Kansa, E. J.; Marin, C.; Volz, M. P.; Ostrogorsky, A. G.

2000-01-01

One of the most promising approaches for the reduction of convection during the crystal growth of conductive melts (semiconductor crystals) is the application of magnetic fields. Current technology allows the experimentation with very intense static fields (up to 80 KGauss) for which nearly convection free results are expected from simple scaling analysis in stabilized systems (vertical Bridgman method with axial magnetic field). However, controversial experimental results were obtained. The computational methods are, therefore, a fundamental tool in the understanding of the phenomena accounting during the solidification of semiconductor materials. Moreover, effects like the bending of the isomagnetic lines, different aspect ratios and misalignments between the direction of the gravity and magnetic field vectors can not be analyzed with analytical methods. The earliest numerical results showed controversial conclusions and are not able to explain the experimental results. Although the generated flows are extremely low, the computational task is a complicated because of the thin boundary layers. That is one of the reasons for the discrepancy in the results that numerical studies reported. Modeling of these magnetically damped crystal growth experiments requires advanced numerical methods. We used, for comparison, three different approaches to obtain the solution of the problem of thermal convection flows: (1) Spectral method in spectral superelement implementation, (2) Finite element method with regularization for boundary layers, (3) Multiquadric method, a novel method with global radial basis functions, that is proven to have exponential convergence. The results obtained by these three methods are presented for a wide region of Rayleigh and Hartman numbers. Comparison and discussion of accuracy, efficiency, reliability and agreement with experimental results will be presented as well.

l en configuration dite de "Bridgman verticale" avec un tirage vers le haut. Pour des valeurs élevées du nombre de Rayleigh solutal, nous suivons les diverses branches de solutions stationnaires jusqu'aux seuils d'apparition des phénomènes instationnaires. Ces transitions à l'instationnarité sont étudiées en fonction du confinement et, le long de ces nouvelles branches de solution, nous estimons l'ordre de grandeur de la fluctuation temporelle de la composition à l'interface. Cette dernière étant responsable d'une striation qui est incorporée par le solide lors de sa croissance, nous caractérisons ce phénomène en termes d'amplitude de striation (i.e. intensité de la fluctuation de composition) et de période spatiale de striation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haldenwang, P.; Guérin, R.; Le Marec, C.

1999-06-01

2-D unsteady flow patterns in upward Bridgman solidification are numerically investigated. The alloy under study is Pb-30%Tl. The purpose of the contribution is to characterise the striations induced by unsteadiness in the growing crystal. Unsteady solution branches are studied from onset threshold of unsteadiness to chaos. We report two examples for which time behaviour of a given solution branch is studied versus Rayleigh number. We then estimate the magnitude of the time fluctuations in solute composition that the crystal incorporates. The period of the striations is also discussed. Nous étudions numériquement les structures hydrodynamiques de la convection solutale dans le bain fondu, lors de la solidification dirigée d'alliages binaires. Plus précisément, cette étude porte

Simulation, modeling, and crystal growth of Cd0.9Zn0.1Te for nuclear spectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Krishna C.; Kang, Sung Hoon; Choi, Michael; Bello, Job; Zheng, Lili; Zhang, Hui; Groza, Michael; Roy, Utpal N.; Burger, Arnold; Jellison, Gerald E.; Holcomb, David E.; Wright, Gomez W.; Williams, Joseph A.

2006-06-01

High-quality, large (10 cm long and 2.5 cm diameter), nuclear spectrometer grade Cd0.9Zn0.1Te (CZT) single crystals have been grown by a controlled vertical Bridgman technique using in-house zone refined precursor materials (Cd, Zn, and Te). A state-of-the-art computer model, multizone adaptive scheme for transport and phase-change processes (MASTRAP), is used to model heat and mass transfer in the Bridgman growth system and to predict the stress distribution in the as-grown CZT crystal and optimize the thermal profile. The model accounts for heat transfer in the multiphase system, convection in the melt, and interface dynamics. The grown semi-insulating (SI) CZT crystals have demonstrated promising results for high-resolution room-temperature radiation detectors due to their high dark resistivity (ρ≈2.8 × 1011 Θ cm), good charge-transport properties [electron and hole mobility-life-time product, μτe≈(2 5)×10-3 and μτh≈(3 5)×10-5 respectively, and low cost of production. Spectroscopic ellipsometry and optical transmission measurements were carried out on the grown CZT crystals using two-modulator generalized ellipsometry (2-MGE). The refractive index n and extinction coefficient k were determined by mathematically eliminating the ˜3-nm surface roughness layer. Nuclear detection measurements on the single-element CZT detectors with 241Am and 137Cs clearly detected 59.6 and 662 keV energies with energy resolution (FWHM) of 2.4 keV (4.0%) and 9.2 keV (1.4%), respectively.

Magnetic Damping of Solid Solution Semiconductor Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szofran, Frank R.; Benz, K. W.; Croell, Arne; Dold, Peter; Cobb, Sharon D.; Volz, Martin P.; Motakef, Shariar

1999-01-01

The objective of this study is to: (1) experimentally test the validity of the modeling predictions applicable to the magnetic damping of convective flows in electrically conductive melts as this applies to the bulk growth of solid solution semiconducting materials; and (2) assess the effectiveness of steady magnetic fields in reducing the fluid flows occurring in these materials during processing. To achieve the objectives of this investigation, we are carrying out a comprehensive program in the Bridgman and floating-zone configurations using the solid solution alloy system Ge-Si. This alloy system has been studied extensively in environments that have not simultaneously included both low gravity and an applied magnetic field. Also, all compositions have a high electrical conductivity, and the materials parameters permit reasonable growth rates. An important supporting investigation is determining the role, if any, that thermoelectromagnetic convection (TEMC) plays during growth of these materials in a magnetic field. TEMC has significant implications for the deployment of a Magnetic Damping Furnace in space. This effect will be especially important in solid solutions where the growth interface is, in general, neither isothermal nor isoconcentrational. It could be important in single melting point materials, also, if faceting takes place producing a non-isothermal interface. In conclusion, magnetic fields up to 5 Tesla are sufficient to eliminate time-dependent convection in silicon floating zones and possibly Bridgman growth of Ge-Si alloys. In both cases, steady convection appears to be more significant for mass transport than diffusion, even at 5 Tesla in the geometries used here. These results are corroborated in both growth configurations by calculations.

Process modelling for materials preparation experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberger, Franz; Alexander, J. Iwan D.

1993-01-01

The main goals of the research under this grant consist of the development of mathematical tools and measurement of transport properties necessary for high fidelity modeling of crystal growth from the melt and solution, in particular, for the Bridgman-Stockbarger growth of mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) and the solution growth of triglycine sulphate (TGS). Of the tasks described in detail in the original proposal, two remain to be worked on: (1) development of a spectral code for moving boundary problems; and (2) diffusivity measurements on concentrated and supersaturated TGS solutions. Progress made during this seventh half-year period is reported.

Process modelling for materials preparation experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberger, Franz; Alexander, J. Iwan D.

1993-01-01

The main goals of the research consist of the development of mathematical tools and measurement of transport properties necessary for high fidelity modeling of crystal growth from the melt and solution, in particular for the Bridgman-Stockbarger growth of mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) and the solution growth of triglycine sulphate (TGS). Of the tasks described in detail in the original proposal, two remain to be worked on: development of a spectral code for moving boundary problems, and diffusivity measurements on concentrated and supersaturated TGS solutions. During this eighth half-year period, good progress was made on these tasks.

Thermal Stability of Microstructure and Microhardness of Heterophase BCC-Alloys After Torsional Deformation on Bridgman Anvils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ditenberg, I. A.; Tyumentsev, A. N.

2018-03-01

The results of investigations of thermal stability of microstructure and microhardness of alloys of the V-4Ti-4Cr and Mo-47Re systems, subjected to torsional deformation by high quasi-hydrostatic pressure at room temperature, are reported. It is shown that submicrocrystalline and nanocrystalline states, and the respective high values of microhardness, persist up to the upper bound ( 0.4 Tmelt) of the temperature interval of their recovery and polygonization in a single-phase state. The main factors ensuring thermal stability of highlydefective states in heterophase alloys are discussed.

Transient segregation behavior in Cd1-xZnxTe with low Zn content-A qualitative and quantitative analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neubert, M.; Jurisch, M.

2015-06-01

The paper analyzes experimental compositional profiles in Vertical Bridgman (VB, VGF) grown (Cd,Zn)Te crystals, found in the literature. The origin of the observed axial ZnTe-distribution profiles is attributed to dendritic growth after initial nucleation from supercooled melts. The analysis was done by utilizing a boundary layer model providing a very good approximation of the experimental data. Besides the discussion of the qualitative results also a quantitative analysis of the fitted model parameters is presented as far as it is possible by the utilized model.

Process modelling for materials preparation experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberger, Franz; Alexander, J. Iwan D.

1992-01-01

The development is examined of mathematical tools and measurement of transport properties necessary for high fidelity modeling of crystal growth from the melt and solution, in particular for the Bridgman-Stockbarger growth of mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) and the solution growth of triglycine sulphate (TGS). The tasks include development of a spectral code for moving boundary problems, kinematic viscosity measurements on liquid MCT at temperatures close to the melting point, and diffusivity measurements on concentrated and supersaturated TGS solutions. A detailed description is given of the work performed for these tasks, together with a summary of the resulting publications and presentations.

Reduction of Defects in Germanium-Silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szofran, F. R.; Benz, K. W.; Cobb, S. D.; Croell, A.; Dold, P.; Kaiser, N.; Motakel, S.; Walker, J. S.

2000-01-01

Crystals grown without contact with a container have far superior quality to otherwise similar crystals grown in direct contact with a container. In addition to float-zone processing, detached-Bridgman growth is a promising tool to improve crystal quality, without the limitations of float zoning. Detached growth has been found to occur frequently during microg experiments and considerable improvements of crystal quality have been reported for those cases. However, no thorough understanding of the process or quantitative assessment of the quality improvements exists so far. This project is determining the means to reproducibly grow Ge-Si alloys in the detached mode.

Magnetostriction and corrosion studies in single crystals of iron-gallium alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayaraman, Tanjore V.

Iron-gallium alloys have an excellent combination of large low-field magnetostriction, good mechanical properties, low hysteresis, and relatively low cost. This dissertation focuses on the magneto striction and corrosion behaviors of single crystals of Fe-Ga alloys. In the first part, the variation of magnetostrictive coefficient: (3/2) lambda100, with composition and heat treatment conditions of Fe-Ga alloys, is examined. Single crystals with compositions Fe-15 at.% Ga, Fe-20 at.% Ga, and Fe-27.5 at.% Ga were obtained by (a) vertical Bridgman technique (DG) and (b) vertical Bridgman technique followed by long-term annealing (LTA) and quenching. Rapid quenching from a phase region improves the (3/2) lambda 100 value in these alloys. X-ray diffraction characterization showed for the first time the direct evidence of short-range ordering in these alloys. The second part reports the first study of alpha" ordering heat treatment on the elastic properties and magnetostriction of Fe-27.5 at.% Ga alloy single crystals. The elastic constants were measured using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS), and the elastic properties and magneto-elastic coupling constant were calculated. The (3/2) lambda100 and B1 values obtained for a phase were higher than alpha" phase. The third part examines the first study of corrosion behavior of as-cast FeGa and Fe-Ga-Al alloys in acidic, basic, and simulated seawater environments. Corrosion measurements were performed by Tafel scan and polarization resistance method and in general exhibited good corrosion resistance. The fourth part examines the first study of corrosion behavior of Fe-15 at.% Ga, Fe-20 at.% Ga, and Fe-27.5 at.% Ga DG and LTA alloy single crystals and the dependence of corrosion rates on the crystal orientations. The corrosion resistance was better in basic environments followed by simulated seawater and acidic environments. The fifth part examines the effect of magnetostriction on the corrosion behavior of [100]-oriented single crystal of Fe-20 at.% Ga alloy in acidic and simulated seawater solution, first study ever of this kind. Magnetostrictive strain introduced on the application of saturation magnetic field increased the corrosion rate of [100]-oriented Fe-20 at.% Ga alloy single crystal by 40% in 0.1M HCl and decreased the corrosion rate by 15% in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution.

Large Area Atomically Flat Surfaces via Exfoliation of Bulk Bi 2Se 3 Single Crystals

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

Melamed, Celeste L.; Ortiz, Brenden R.; Gorai, Prashun

In this paper, we present an exfoliation method that produces cm 2-area atomically flat surfaces from bulk layered single crystals, with broad applications such as for the formation of lateral heterostructures and for use as substrates for van der Waals epitaxy. Single crystals of Bi 2Se 3 were grown using the Bridgman method and examined with X-ray reciprocal space maps, Auger spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An indium-bonding exfoliation technique was developed that produces multiple ~100 um thick atomically flat, macroscopic (>1 cm 2) slabs from each Bi 2Se 3 source crystal. Two-dimensional X-ray diffraction and reciprocalmore » space maps confirm the high crystalline quality of the exfoliated surfaces. Atomic force microscopy reveals that the exfoliated surfaces have an average root-mean-square (RMS) roughness of ~0.04 nm across 400 μm 2 scans and an average terrace width of 70 um between step edges. First-principles calculations reveal exfoliation energies of Bi 2Se 3 and a number of other layered compounds, which demonstrate relevance of our method across the field of 2D materials. While many potential applications exist, excellent lattice matching with the III-V alloy space suggests immediate potential for the use of these exfoliated layered materials as epitaxial substrates for photovoltaic development.« less

Large Area Atomically Flat Surfaces via Exfoliation of Bulk Bi 2Se 3 Single Crystals

DOE PAGES

Melamed, Celeste L.; Ortiz, Brenden R.; Gorai, Prashun; ...

2017-09-12

In this paper, we present an exfoliation method that produces cm 2-area atomically flat surfaces from bulk layered single crystals, with broad applications such as for the formation of lateral heterostructures and for use as substrates for van der Waals epitaxy. Single crystals of Bi 2Se 3 were grown using the Bridgman method and examined with X-ray reciprocal space maps, Auger spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An indium-bonding exfoliation technique was developed that produces multiple ~100 um thick atomically flat, macroscopic (>1 cm 2) slabs from each Bi 2Se 3 source crystal. Two-dimensional X-ray diffraction and reciprocalmore » space maps confirm the high crystalline quality of the exfoliated surfaces. Atomic force microscopy reveals that the exfoliated surfaces have an average root-mean-square (RMS) roughness of ~0.04 nm across 400 μm 2 scans and an average terrace width of 70 um between step edges. First-principles calculations reveal exfoliation energies of Bi 2Se 3 and a number of other layered compounds, which demonstrate relevance of our method across the field of 2D materials. While many potential applications exist, excellent lattice matching with the III-V alloy space suggests immediate potential for the use of these exfoliated layered materials as epitaxial substrates for photovoltaic development.« less

Nonstoichiometry and luminescent properties of ZnSe crystals grown from the melt at high pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khanh, Tran; Mozhevitina, Elena; Khomyakov, Andrew; Avetisov, Roman; Davydov, Albert; Chegnov, Vladimir; Antonov, Vladimir; Kobeleva, Svetlana; Zhavoronkov, Nikolai; Avetissov, Igor

2017-01-01

50 mm diameter ZnSe crystals have been grown from the melt by a vertical Bridgman technique at 100 atm argon pressure in a graphite crucible. 3D impurities concentration and nonstoichiometry mappings of the grown crystals have been defined by ICP-MS and a direct physic-chemical method, correspondingly. Photoluminescence mapping of the analyzed crystal has been done. It was found out that along the crystal height the nonstoichiometry changed from Se excess over stoichiometrical composition in the cone (bottom) part to Zn excess in the tail (upper) part passing through the stoichiometrical composition in the cylindrical part of the crystal. Metal impurities concentrated in the upper part of the crystal. The gas-forming impurities (H, C, O, N, F) had stochastic distribution but Cl impurity concentrated in the crystal peripheral part (near the crucible walls). It was found out that the as-grown crystal had a single wide PL peal with maximum of 583 nm. A proposal about complex structure luminescent center based on Cl dopant an overstoichiometric Se has been made.

Effect of axial magnetic field on three-dimensional instability of natural convection in a vertical Bridgman growth configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelfgat, A. Yu.; Bar-Yoseph, P. Z.; Solan, A.

2001-08-01

A study of the effect of an externally imposed magnetic field on the axisymmetry-breaking instability of an axisymmetric convective flow, associated with crystal growth from bulk of melt, is presented. Convection in a vertical cylinder with a parabolic temperature profile on the sidewall is considered as a representative model. A parametric study of the dependence of the critical Grashof number Gr cr on the Hartmann number Ha for fixed values of the Prandtl number (Pr=0.015) and the aspect ratio of the cylinder ( A=height/radius=1, 2 and 3) is carried out. The stability diagram Gr cr(Ha) corresponding to the axisymmetric—three-dimensional transition for increasing values of the axial magnetic field is obtained. The calculations are done using the spectral Galerkin method allowing an effective and accurate three-dimensional stability analysis. It is shown that at relatively small values of Ha the axisymmetric flow tends to be oscillatory unstable. After the magnitude of the magnetic field (Ha) exceeds a certain value the instability switches to a steady bifurcation caused by the Rayleigh-Bénard mechanism.

3-D Modeling of Directional Solidification of a Non-Dilute Alloy with Temperature and Concentration Fields Coupling via Materials Properties Dependence and via Double Diffusive Convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bune, Andris V.; Gillies, Donald C.; Lehoczky, Sandor L.

1998-01-01

Numerical simulation of the HgCdTe growth by the vertical Bridgman method was performed using FIDAP finite element code. Double-diffusive melt convection is analyzed, as the primary factor at controls inhomogeneity of the solidified material. Temperature and concentration fields in the model are also coupled via material properties, such as thermal and solutal expansion coefficients with the dependence on both temperature and concentration, and melting temperature evaluation from pseudobinary CdTe-HgTe phase diagram. Experimental measurements were used to obtain temperature boundary conditions. Parametric study of the melt convection dependence on the gravity conditions was undertaken. It was found, that the maximum convection velocity in the melt can be reduced under certain conditions. Optimal conditions to obtain a near flat solidified interface are discussed. The predicted interface shape is in agreement with one obtained experimentally by quenching. The results of 3-D calculations are compared with previous 2- D findings. A video film featuring 3-D melt convection will be presented.

The defect and transport properties of acceptor doped TlBr: role of dopant exsolution and association.

PubMed

Bishop, Sean R; Tuller, Harry L; Ciampi, Guido; Higgins, William; Engel, Johanna; Churilov, Alexei; Shah, Kanai S

2012-08-07

The role of acceptor dopants (S and Se) in controlling the ionic conductivity of single crystal TlBr, grown by the vertical Bridgman method, was examined as a function of temperature with the aid of impedance spectroscopy. Several features in the conductivity were identified and related to acceptor dopant-Br vacancy association, acceptor dopant exsolution, and Br vacancy mobility. The corresponding enthalpies for these processes were extracted from the data and were found to be equal to H(a) = 0.42 ± 0.07 eV, H(sol) = 1.55 ± 0.18 eV and H(m,Br) = 0.31 ± 0.02 eV respectively, the latter consistent with earlier studies on donor doped and undoped TlBr. A long term conductivity decay in the extrinsic region, attributed to S or Se exsolution, was observed. The time constant associated with exsolution was found to be thermally activated with an activation energy of 0.47 ± 0.1 eV. Estimates for Se solubility at different temperatures are provided.

Synthesis of a potential semiconductor neutron detector crystal LiGa(Se/Te)2: materials purity and compatibility effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stowe, Ashley C.; Morrell, J.; Battacharya, Pijush; Tupitsyn, Eugene; Burger, Arnold

2011-09-01

Lithium containing AIBIIICVI semiconductors are being considered as alternative materials for room temperature neutron detection. One of the primary challenges in growing a high quality crystal of such a material is the reactivity of lithium metal. The presence of nitrides, oxides, and a variety of alkali and alkaline earth metal impurities prevent pure synthesis and truncate crystal growth by introducing multiple nucleation centers during growth. Multiple lithium metal purification methods have been investigated which ultimately raised the metal purity to 99.996%. Multi-cycle vacuum distillation removed all but 40 ppm of metal impurities in lithium metal. LiGa(Se/Te)2 was then synthesized with the high purity lithium metal by a variety of conditions. Lithium metal reacts violently with many standard crucible materials, and thermodynamic studies were undertaken to insure that an appropriate crucible choice was made, with high purity iron and boron nitride crucibles being the least reactive practical materials. Once conditions were optimized for synthesis of the chalcopyrite, vertical Bridgman crystal growth resulted in red crystals. The optical, electronic, and thermodynamic properties were collected.

Organic/inorganic-doped aromatic derivative crystals: Growth and properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanculescu, F.; Ionita, I.; Stanculescu, A.

2014-09-01

Results of a comparative study on the growth from melt by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method of meta-dinitrobenzene (m-DNB) and benzil (Bz) crystals in the same experimental set-up and the same experimental conditions are presented. The incorporation of an inorganic (iodine) dopant in m-DNB was analyzed in the given experimental conditions from the point of view of the solid-liquid interface stability. The limits for a stable growth and the conditions that favor the generation of morphological instability are emphasized. These limits for m-DNB are compatible with those previously determined for Bz, and therefore, even for a high gradient concentration at the growth interface, it is possible to grow m-DNB and Bz crystals in the same experimental conditions characterized by a high ΔT and v. The optical properties were investigated in relation with the dopant incorporation in the crystal in the mentioned experimental conditions. Effects of the dopant (m-DNB/iodine in Bz and iodine in m-DNB) on the optical band gap and optical non-linear properties of the crystals are discussed.

Thermoluminescence dosimetric characteristics on cubic fluoroperovskite single crystal (KMgF3:Eu2+, Ce3+)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joseph Daniel, D.; Madhusoodanan, U.; Annalakshmi, O.; Jose, M. T.; Ramasamy, P.

2015-07-01

This paper describes investigation of thermoluminescence radiation dosimetry characteristics of Eu2+ doped Potassium Magnesium Fluoride (KMgF3) single crystal co-doped with Ce3+ ions. The perovskite-like KMgF3 polycrystalline compounds were synthesized by standard solid state reaction technique. Phase purity of the synthesized compounds was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction technique. Single crystals of KMgF3 have been grown from melt by using a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics of KMgF3 samples doped with Eu2+ and Ce3+ have been studied after β-ray irradiation at room temperature. Order of kinetics (b), activation energy (E), and frequency factor (s) were determined by Chen's method and variable heating rate method. Results show that the TL glow peak of the KMgF3 samples obeys second-order kinetics. Analysis of the main dosimetric peak by using the methods mentioned above revealed that activation energy (E) is about 1.2 eV and the frequency factor (s) is in the range 1010-1011 s-1. The TL glow curve structure of the sample remained stable for higher doses of 90Sr/90Y beta source and it shows linearity up to 180 Gy. The time dependent fading behavior of the TL characteristics has also been investigated and is found to be quite stable over long time duration. The characteristic Eu2+ emissions are observed in the TL emission spectra.

Post-Growth Annealing of Bridgman-grown CdZnTe and CdMnTe Crystals for Room-temperature Nuclear Radiation Detectors

DOE PAGES

Egarievwe, Stephen U.; Yang, Ge; Egarievwe, Alexander; ...

2015-02-11

Bridgman-grown cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe or CZT) and cadmium manganese telluride (CdMnTe or CMT) crystals often have Te inclusions that limit their performances as X-ray- and gamma-ray-detectors. We present here the results of post-growth thermal annealing aimed at reducing and eliminating Te inclusions in them. In a 2D analysis, we observed that the sizes of the Te inclusions declined to 92% during a 60-h annealing of CZT at 510 °C under Cd vapor. Further, tellurium inclusions were eliminated completely in CMT samples annealed at 570 °C in Cd vapor for 26 h, whilst their electrical resistivity fell by an ordermore » of 10 2. During the temperature-gradient annealing of CMT at 730 °C and an 18 °C/cm temperature gradient for 18 h in a vacuum of 10 -5 mbar, we observed the diffusion of Te from the sample, causing a reduction in size of the Te inclusions. For CZT samples annealed at 700 °C in a 10 °C/cm temperature gradient, we observed the migration of Te inclusions from a low-temperature region to a high one at 0.022 μm/s. During the temperature-gradient annealing of CZT in a vacuum of 10 -5 mbar at 570 °C and 30 °C/cm for 18 h, some Te inclusions moved toward the high-temperature side of the wafer, while other inclusions of the same size, i.e., 10 µm in diameter, remained in the same position. These results show that the migration, diffusion, and reaction of Te with Cd in the matrix of CZT- and CMT-wafers are complex phenomena that depend on certain conditions.« less

Convective Flow Induced by Localized Traveling Magnetic Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazuruk, Konstantin; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

An axisymmetric traveling magnetic field induces a meridional base flow in a cylindrical zone of an electrically conducting liquid. This remotely induced flow can be conveniently controlled, in magnitude and direction, and can have benefits for crystal growth applications. In particular, it can be used to offset natural convection. For long vertical cylinders, non-uniform and localized in the propagating direction, magnetic fields are required for this purpose. Here we investigate a particular form of this field, namely that induced by a set of a few electric current coils. An order of magnitude reduction of buoyancy convection is theoretically demonstrated for a vertical Bridgman crystal growth configuration.

Phase transformations in the hematite-metal system during mechanical alloying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlov, K. A.; Shabashov, V. A.; Litvinov, A. V.; Sagaradze, V. V.

2009-04-01

Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction are used to show that the phase transformations in hematite α-Fe2O3-metal ( M = Fe, Ni, Ti, Zr) powder mixtures induced by severe cold plastic deformation in ball mills occur via the formation of M-Fe-O solid solutions, redox reactions with the reduction of metallic iron, and the formation of secondary M x O y oxides and M x Fe y intermetallics. Mechanical activation in a ball mill is compared to that under high-pressure shear in Bridgman anvils. The transformations that take place in a ball mill are found to have several stages and to be accelerated.

Modelling directional solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, William R.

1990-01-01

The long range goal is to develop an improved understanding of phenomena of importance to directional solidification, to enable explanation and prediction of differences in behavior between solidification on Earth and in space. Emphasis during the period of this grant was on experimentally determining the influence of convection and freezing rate fluctuations on compositional homogeneity and crystalline perfection in the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger technique. Heater temperature profiles, buoyancy-driven convection, and doping inhomogeneties were correlated using naphthalene doped with azulene. In addition the influence of spin-up/spin-down on compositional homogeneity and microstructure of indium gallium antimonide and the effect of imposed melting-freezing cycles on indium gallium antimonide are discussed.

Identification of oxygen-related midgap level in GaAs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lagowski, J.; Lin, D. G.; Gatos, H. C.; Aoyama, T.

1984-01-01

An oxygen-related deep level ELO was identified in GaAs employing Bridgman-grown crystals with controlled oxygen doping. The activation energy of ELO is almost the same as that of the dominant midgap level: EL2. This fact impedes the identification of ELO by standard deep level transient spectroscopy. However, it was found that the electron capture cross section of ELO is about four times greater than that of EL2. This characteristic served as the basis for the separation and quantitative investigation of ELO employing detailed capacitance transient measurements in conjunction with reference measurements on crystals grown without oxygen doping and containing only EL2.

On the behaviour and origin of the major deep level (EL2) in GaAs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lagowski, J.; Parsey, J. M.; Kaminska, M.; Wada, K.; Gatos, H. C.

1982-01-01

In an extensive crystal growth and characterization study of Bridgman-grown GaAs it was established that the following factors affect the concentration of the EL2 level: (1) the As pressure during growth; (2) the partial pressure of Ga2O; (3) the concentration of shallow donors and acceptors; and (4) the post-growth cooling cycle. The role of these factors is qualitatively and quantitatively explained by attributing the 0.82 eV donor state to the antisite defect As-sub-Ga formed as a result of Ga-vacancy migration during the post-growth cooling of the crystals.

Finite-difference fluid dynamics computer mathematical models for the design and interpretation of experiments for space flight. [atmospheric general circulation experiment, convection in a float zone, and the Bridgman-Stockbarger crystal growing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, G. O.; Fowlis, W. W.; Miller, T. L.

1984-01-01

Numerical methods are used to design a spherical baroclinic flow model experiment of the large scale atmosphere flow for Spacelab. The dielectric simulation of radial gravity is only dominant in a low gravity environment. Computer codes are developed to study the processes at work in crystal growing systems which are also candidates for space flight. Crystalline materials rarely achieve their potential properties because of imperfections and component concentration variations. Thermosolutal convection in the liquid melt can be the cause of these imperfections. Such convection is suppressed in a low gravity environment. Two and three dimensional finite difference codes are being used for this work. Nonuniform meshes and implicit iterative methods are used. The iterative method for steady solutions is based on time stepping but has the options of different time steps for velocity and temperature and of a time step varying smoothly with position according to specified powers of the mesh spacings. This allows for more rapid convergence. The code being developed for the crystal growth studies allows for growth of the crystal as the solid-liquid interface. The moving interface is followed using finite differences; shape variations are permitted. For convenience in applying finite differences in the solid and liquid, a time dependent coordinate transformation is used to make this interface a coordinate surface.

Numerical analysis of impurity separation from waste salt by investigating the change of concentration at the interface during zone refining process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Ho-Gil; Shim, Moonsoo; Lee, Jong-Hyeon; Yi, Kyung-Woo

2017-09-01

The waste salt treatment process is required for the reuse of purified salts, and for the disposal of the fission products contained in waste salt during pyroprocessing. As an alternative to existing fission product separation methods, the horizontal zone refining process is used in this study for the purification of waste salt. In order to evaluate the purification ability of the process, three-dimensional simulation is conducted, considering heat transfer, melt flow, and mass transfer. Impurity distributions and decontamination factors are calculated as a function of the heater traverse rate, by applying a subroutine and the equilibrium segregation coefficient derived from the effective segregation coefficients. For multipass cases, 1d solutions and the effective segregation coefficient obtained from three-dimensional simulation are used. In the present study, the topic is not dealing with crystal growth, but the numerical technique used is nearly the same since the zone refining technique was just introduced in the treatment of waste salt from nuclear power industry because of its merit of simplicity and refining ability. So this study can show a new application of single crystal growth techniques to other fields, by taking advantage of the zone refining multipass possibility. The final goal is to achieve the same high degree of decontamination in the waste salt as in zone freezing (or reverse Bridgman) method.

Micro pulling down growth of very thin shape memory alloys single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Ferreño, I.; Juan, J. San; Breczewski, T.; López, G. A.; Nó, M. L.

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) have attracted much attention in the last decades due to their thermo-mechanical properties such as superelasticity and shape memory effect. Among the different families of SMAs, Cu-Al-Ni alloys exhibit these properties in a wide range of temperatures including the temperature range of 100-200∘C, where there is a technological demand of these functional materials, and exhibit excellent behavior at small scale making them more competitive for applications in Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). However, polycrystalline alloys of Cu-based SMAs are very brittle so that they show their best thermo-mechanical properties in single-crystal state. Nowadays, conventional Bridgman and Czochralski methods are being applied to elaborate single-crystal rods up to a minimum diameter of 1mm, but no works have been reported for smaller diameters. With the aim of synthesizing very thin single-crystals, the Micro-Pulling Down (μ-PD) technique has been applied, for which the capillarity and surface tension between crucible and the melt play a critical role. The μ-PD method has been successfully applied to elaborate several cylindrical shape thin single-crystals down to 200μm in diameter. Finally, the martensitic transformation, which is responsible for the shape memory properties of these alloys, has been characterized for different single-crystals. The experimental results evidence the good quality of the grown single-crystals.

Growth Angle - a Microscopic View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazurak, K.; Volz, M. P.; Croll, A.

2017-01-01

The growth angle that is formed between the side of the growing crystal and the melt meniscus is an important parameter in the detached Bridgman crystal growth method, where it determines the extent of the crystal-crucible wall gap, and in the Czochralski and float zone methods, where it influences the size and stability of the crystals. The growth angle is a non-equilibrium parameter, defined for the crystal growth process only. For a melt-crystal interface translating towards the crystal (melting), there is no specific angle defined between the melt and the sidewall of the solid. In this case, the corner at the triple line becomes rounded, and the angle between the sidewall and the incipience of meniscus can take a number of values, depending on the position of the triple line. In this work, a microscopic model is developed in which the fluid interacts with the solid surface through long range van der Waals or Casimir dispersive forces. This growth angle model is applied to Si and Ge and compared with the macroscopic approach of Herring. In the limit of a rounded corner with a large radius of curvature, the wetting of the melt on the crystal is defined by the contact angle. The proposed microscopic approach addresses the interesting issue of the transition from a contact angle to a growth angle as the radius of curvature decreases.

Crystal structure, electronic structure, optical and scintillation properties of self-activated Cs 4YbI 6 [Crystal structure, optical and scintillation properties of self-activated Cs 4YbI 6

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

Wu, Yuntao; Chakoumakos, Bryan C.; Shi, Hongliang

A self-activated Cs 4YbI 6 single crystal was grown by the vertical Bridgman method. Crystal structure refinements verified the phase purity and the trigonal crystal system with a space group of more » $$\\bar{R}$$3 c. By using differential scanning calorimetry, the melting and crystallization points were determined to be 550 and 510 °C, respectively. Luminescence and scintillation properties were systematically studied. Upon ultraviolet light (360 nm) excitation, the Cs 4YbI 6 crystal exhibits bluish-green emission centered at 450 and 480 nm due to spin-allowed and spin-forbidden transitions of Yb 2+ activators. The lifetimes of the corresponding emission bands at room temperature are tens and hundreds of nanoseconds, respectively. X-ray excited radioluminescence spectrum is dominated by the spin-forbidden transition of Yb 2+ at 480 nm. The absolute light yield is 2700 ± 200 photons/MeV with a principal scintillation decay time of 33 ns. In conclusion, the physical explanation for the low light yield observed is proposed from experimental and theoretical insights.« less

Defect levels of semi-insulating CdMnTe:In crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, K. H.; Bolotinikov, A. E.; Camarda, G. S.; Hossain, A.; Gul, R.; Yang, G.; Cui, Y.; Prochazka, J.; Franc, J.; Hong, J.; James, R. B.

2011-06-01

Using photoluminescence (PL) and current deep-level transient spectroscopy (I-DLTS), we investigated the electronic defects of indium-doped detector-grade CdMnTe:In (CMT:In) crystals grown by the vertical Bridgman method. We similarly analyzed CdZnTe:In (CZT:In) and undoped CdMnTe (CMT) crystals grown under the amount of same level of excess Te and/or indium doping level to detail the fundamental properties of the electronic defect structure more readily. Extended defects, existing in all the samples, were revealed by synchrotron white beam x-ray diffraction topography and scanning electron microscopy. The electronic structure of CMT is very similar to that of CZT, with shallow traps, A-centers, Cd vacancies, deep levels, and Te antisites. The 1.1-eV deep level, revealed by PL in earlier studies of CZT and CdTe, were attributed to dislocation-induced defects. In our I-DLTS measurements, the 1.1-eV traps showed different activation energies with applied bias voltage and an exponential dependence on the trap-filling time, which are typical characteristics of dislocation-induced defects. We propose a new defect-trap model for indium-doped CMT crystals.

Crystal structure, electronic structure, optical and scintillation properties of self-activated Cs 4YbI 6 [Crystal structure, optical and scintillation properties of self-activated Cs 4YbI 6

DOE PAGES

Wu, Yuntao; Chakoumakos, Bryan C.; Shi, Hongliang; ...

2018-05-14

A self-activated Cs 4YbI 6 single crystal was grown by the vertical Bridgman method. Crystal structure refinements verified the phase purity and the trigonal crystal system with a space group of more » $$\\bar{R}$$3 c. By using differential scanning calorimetry, the melting and crystallization points were determined to be 550 and 510 °C, respectively. Luminescence and scintillation properties were systematically studied. Upon ultraviolet light (360 nm) excitation, the Cs 4YbI 6 crystal exhibits bluish-green emission centered at 450 and 480 nm due to spin-allowed and spin-forbidden transitions of Yb 2+ activators. The lifetimes of the corresponding emission bands at room temperature are tens and hundreds of nanoseconds, respectively. X-ray excited radioluminescence spectrum is dominated by the spin-forbidden transition of Yb 2+ at 480 nm. The absolute light yield is 2700 ± 200 photons/MeV with a principal scintillation decay time of 33 ns. In conclusion, the physical explanation for the low light yield observed is proposed from experimental and theoretical insights.« less

Dependences of the density of M 1- x R x F2 + x and R 1- y M y F3- y single crystals ( M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Cd, Pb; R means rare earth elements) on composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorokin, N. I.; Krivandina, E. A.; Zhmurova, Z. I.

2013-11-01

The density of single crystals of nonstoichiometric phases Ba1 - x La x F2 + x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) and Sr0.8La0.2 - x Lu x F2.2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) with the fluorite (CaF2) structure type and R 1 - y Sr y F3 - y ( R = Pr, Nd; 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.15) with the tysonite (LaF3) structure type has been measured. Single crystals were grown from a melt by the Bridgman method. The measured concentration dependences of single crystal density are linear. The interstitial and vacancy models of defect formation in the fluorite and tysonite phases, respectively, are confirmed. To implement the composition control of single crystals of superionic conductors M 1 - x R x F2 + x and R 1 - y M y F3 - y in practice, calibration graphs of X-ray density in the MF2- RF3 systems ( M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Cd, Pb; R = La-Lu, Y) are plotted.

The Influence of Low Frequency Mechanical Vibrations on the Growth of Single Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigelson, R. S.; Elwell, D.

1985-01-01

The optimum conditions for crystal growth are usually achieved either by suppressing convective fluid flows (e.g., by the use of a low-gravity environment) or by over-riding thermal and solutal convection by the use of a strong stirring action. A novel stirring technique has been developed which involves subjecting a vertical crucible to a circle in a horizontal plane (without rotation). Use of an amplitude of 3 mm at a frequency of approx 6 Hz produced complete mixing of a non-uniform aqueous liquid in a few seconds. The mixing action involved the downward flow of liquid in the outer annulus of the liquid, driven by surface waves. When the downward flowing liquid reaches the bottom of the crucible, it is reflected in a central, upward flowing spiral. This flow pattern should be beneficial for crystal growth by the Bridgman method since it will sweep impurities away from the walls and produce a more convex solid-liquid interface. Initial attempts to apply the new stirring technique to CdTe crystal growth did not show significant improvement in the number of crystals nucleated, but the interface shape appeared to be close to that predicted.

Growth of congruently melting Ca0.59Sr0.41F2 crystals and study of their properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimov, D. N.; Komar'kova, O. N.; Sorokin, N. I.; Bezhanov, V. A.; Chernov, S. P.; Popov, P. A.; Sobolev, B. P.

2010-05-01

Homogeneous crystals of Ca0.59Sr0.41F2 alloy (sp. gr., Fm bar 3 m, a = 0.56057 nm), corresponding to the point of minimum in the melting curve in the CaF2-SrF2 phase diagram, have been grown by the vertical Bridgman method. The optical, mechanical, electrical, and thermophysical properties of Ca0.59Sr0.41F2 and MF2 crystals ( M = Ca, Sr) have been studied and comparatively analyzed. Ca0.59Sr0.41F2 crystals are transparent in the range of 0.133-11.5 μm, have refractive index n D = 1.436, microhardness H μ = 2.63 ± 0.10 GPa, ion conductivity σ = 5 × 10-5 S/cm at 825 K, and thermal conductivity k = 4.0 W m-1 K-1 at 300 K. It is shown that the optical properties of Ca0.59Sr0.41F2 crystals are intermediate between those of CaF2 and SrF2, whereas their mechanical and electrical characteristics are better than the latter compounds.

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-01-24

Advanced finite element models are used to study three-dimensional, time-dependent flow and segregation in crystal growth systems. In this image of a prototypical model for melt and crystal growth, pathlines at one instant in time are shown for the flow of heated liquid silicon in a cylindrical container. The container is subjected to g-jitter disturbances along the vertical axis. A transverse magnetic field is applied to control them. Such computations are extremely powerful for understanding melt growth in microgravity where g-jitter drives buoyant flows. The simulation is part of the Theoretical Analysis of 3D, Transient Convection and Segregation in Microgravity Bridgman Crystal Growth investigation by Dr. Jeffrey J. Derby of the University of Mirnesota, Minneapolis.

Characterization of the intrinsic scintillator Cs 2LiCeCl 6

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

James, R.

2017-10-02

In this work, we report on the scintillation properties of the intrinsic scintillator Cs 2LiCeCl 6 (CLCC), which is potentially useful for dual gamma-ray and neutron detection. CLCC is from the elpasolite family with a cubic structure. We grew the crystals at BNL by the vertical Bridgman growth technique. The luminescence spectrum of CLCC showed a doublet with peak maxima at 384 nm and 402 nm. The light yield of CLCC was approximately 20,000 photons/MeV, and the energy resolution was about 6% for 662-keV gamma radiation. A scintillation decay of ~81% of the total light was observed to be ~more » 90 nanoseconds.« less

Single crystal growth and surface chemical stability of KPb2Br5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atuchin, V. V.; Isaenko, L. I.; Kesler, V. G.; Tarasova, A. Yu.

2011-03-01

Single crystal of KPb2Br5 has been grown using the Bridgman technique. Initially the synthesis of stoichiometric KPb2Br5 compound was performed from high purity bromide salts. Electronic structure of KPb2Br5 has been determined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for powdered sample fabricated by grinding in air. Drastic chemical interaction of KPb2Br5 with atmosphere has not been detected. Chemical bonding in potassium- and lead-containing bromides is considered using binding energy differences ΔK=(BE K 2p3/2-BE Br 3d) and ΔPb=(BE Pb 4f7/2-BE Br 3d), respectively, as representative parameters.

Unsteady convection in tin in a Bridgman configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knuteson, David J.; Fripp, Archibald L.; Woodell, Glenn A.; Debnam, William J., Jr.; Narayanan, Ranga

1991-01-01

When a quiescent fluid is heated sufficiently from below, steady convection will begin. Further heating will cause oscillatory and then turbulent flow. Theoretical results predict that the frequency of oscillation will depend on the square root of the Rayleigh number in the fluid. In the current work, liquid tin was heated from below for three aspect ratios, h/R = 3.4, 5.3, and 7.0. The experimental results are curve-fit for the square-root relation and also for a linear relation. The fit of the expression is evaluated using a correlation coefficient. An estimate for the first critical Rayleigh number (onset of steady convection) is obtained for both expressions. These values are compared to previous experimental results.

Microgravity crystal growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Advanced finite element models are used to study three-dimensional, time-dependent flow and segregation in crystal growth systems. In this image of a prototypical model for melt and crystal growth, pathlines at one instant in time are shown for the flow of heated liquid silicon in a cylindrical container. The container is subjected to g-jitter disturbances along the vertical axis. A transverse magnetic field is applied to control them. Such computations are extremely powerful for understanding melt growth in microgravity where g-jitter drives buoyant flows. The simulation is part of the Theoretical Analysis of 3D, Transient Convection and Segregation in Microgravity Bridgman Crystal Growth investigation by Dr. Jeffrey J. Derby of the University of Mirnesota, Minneapolis.

Investigation of Vibrational Control of the Bridgman Crystal Growth Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fedoseyev, Alexandre I.; Alexander, J. I. D.; Feigelson, R. S.; Zharikov, E. V.; Ostrogorsky, A. G.; Marin, C.; Volz, M. P.; Kansa, E. J.; Friedman, M. J.

2001-01-01

The character of natural buoyant convection in rigidly contained inhomogeneous fluids can be drastically altered by vibrating the container. Vibrations are expected to play a crucial influence on heat and mass transfer onboard the International Space Station (ISS). It is becoming evident that substantial vibrations will exist on the ISS in the wide frequency spectrum. In general, vibrational flows are very complex and governed by many parameters. In many terrestrial crystal growth situations, convective transport of heat and constituent components is dominated by buoyancy driven convection arising from compositional and thermal gradients. Thus, it may be concluded that vibro-convective flow can potentially be used to influence and even control transport in some crystal growth situations.

Simulation of radial solute segregation in vertical Bridgman growth of pyridine-doped benzene, a surrogate for binary organic nonlinear optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hanjie; Pearlstein, Arne J.

2000-09-01

We present steady axisymmetric computations of solute distributions and radial segregation for vertical Bridgman growth of pyridine-doped benzene, a binary aromatic system with anisotropic solid-phase thermal conductivity, that serves as a model of solute transport in crystal growth of organic nonlinear optical materials. The radial variation of solid-phase mass fraction ( Cs) of pyridine, which is rejected at the growing interface, depends strongly on growth conditions. High growth velocities tend to increase Cs near the centerline, the ampoule wall, or both, and low growth velocities give more nearly uniform radial distributions. The maximum ampoule-wall temperature gradient also affects radial segregation, with convex-to-the-liquid interfaces at small temperature gradients being associated with radially monotonic Cs distributions, and ridged interfaces at higher gradients being associated with nonmonotonic distributions having maxima at the centerline and ampoule wall. Nonuniformity is strongly determined by both interface shape and the nature of the flow near the interface. Solute is transported down to the interface by a large toroidal vortex, and swept radially inward to the centerline by a second, flattened toroidal cell. When the interface is depressed at its junction with the ampoule wall, rejected solute accumulates in the overlying liquid, where convection is relatively weak, resulting in local solute enrichment of the solid. Computations at normal and zero gravity show that for two very similar interface shapes, a maximum in the radial solid-phase solute distribution at the ampoule wall is associated with the interface shape, while the maximum on the centerline is associated with sweeping of solute to the centerline by a vortical flow on the interface. We also show that radial solute segregation depends significantly on whether account is taken of the anisotropy of the solid-phase thermal conductivity. Finally, the computations provide guidance as to the minimum ampoule length required to produce an axially uniform solute distribution over at least part of the length of a boule.

An analysis of point defects induced by In, Al, Ni, and Sn dopants in Bridgman-grown CdZnTe detectors and their influence on trapping of charge carriers

DOE PAGES

Gul, R.; Roy, U. N.; James, R. B.

2017-03-15

In this paper, we studied point defects induced in Bridgman-grown CdZnTe detectors doped with Indium (In), Aluminium (Al), Nickel (Ni), and Tin (Sn). Point defects associated with different dopants were observed, and these defects were analyzed in detail for their contributions to electron/hole (e/h) trapping. We also explored the correlations between the nature and abundance of the point defects with their influence on the resistivity, electron mobility-lifetime (μτ e) product, and electron trapping time. We used current-deep level transient spectroscopy to determine the energy, capture cross-section, and concentration of each trap. Furthermore, we used the data to determine the trappingmore » and de-trapping times for the charge carriers. In In-doped CdZnTe detectors, uncompensated Cd vacancies (V Cd -) were identified as a dominant trap. The V Cd - were almost compensated in detectors doped with Al, Ni, and Sn, in addition to co-doping with In. Dominant traps related to the dopant were found at E v + 0.36 eV and E v + 1.1 eV, E c + 76 meV and E v + 0.61 eV, E v + 36 meV and E v + 0.86 eV, E v + 0.52 eV and E c + 0.83 eV in CZT:In, CZT:In + Al, CZT:In + Ni, and CZT:In + Sn, respectively. Results indicate that the addition of other dopants with In affects the type, nature, concentration (N t), and capture cross-section (σ) and hence trapping (t t) and de-trapping (t dt) times. Finally, the dopant-induced traps, their corresponding concentrations, and charge capture cross-section play an important role in the performance of radiation detectors, especially for devices that rely solely on electron transport.« less

Post-growth annealing of Bridgman-grown CdZnTe and CdMnTe crystals for room-temperature nuclear radiation detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egarievwe, Stephen U.; Yang, Ge; Egarievwe, Alexander A.; Okwechime, Ifechukwude O.; Gray, Justin; Hales, Zaveon M.; Hossain, Anwar; Camarda, Giuseppe S.; Bolotnikov, Aleksey E.; James, Ralph B.

2015-06-01

Bridgman-grown cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe or CZT) and cadmium manganese telluride (CdMnTe or CMT) crystals often have Te inclusions that limit their performances as X-ray- and gamma-ray-detectors. We present here the results of post-growth thermal annealing aimed at reducing and eliminating Te inclusions in them. In a 2D analysis, we observed that the sizes of the Te inclusions declined to 92% during a 60-h annealing of CZT at 510 °C under Cd vapor. Further, tellurium inclusions were eliminated completely in CMT samples annealed at 570 °C in Cd vapor for 26 h, whilst their electrical resistivity fell by an order of 102. During the temperature-gradient annealing of CMT at 730 °C and an 18 °C/cm temperature gradient for 18 h in a vacuum of 10-5 mbar, we observed the diffusion of Te from the sample, so causing a reduction in size of the Te inclusions. For CZT samples annealed at 700 °C in a 10 °C/cm temperature gradient, we observed the migration of Te inclusions from a low-temperature region to a high one at 0.022 μm/s. During the temperature-gradient annealing of CZT in a vacuum of 10-5 mbar at 570 °C and 30 °C/cm for 18 h, some Te inclusions moved toward the high-temperature side of the wafer, while other inclusions of the same size, i.e., 10 μm in diameter, remained in the same position. These results show that the migration, diffusion, and reaction of Te with Cd in the matrix of CZT- and CMT-wafers are complex phenomena that depend on the conditions in local regions, such as composition and structure, as well as on the annealing conditions.

An analysis of point defects induced by In, Al, Ni, and Sn dopants in Bridgman-grown CdZnTe detectors and their influence on trapping of charge carriers

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

Gul, R.; Roy, U. N.; James, R. B.

In this paper, we studied point defects induced in Bridgman-grown CdZnTe detectors doped with Indium (In), Aluminium (Al), Nickel (Ni), and Tin (Sn). Point defects associated with different dopants were observed, and these defects were analyzed in detail for their contributions to electron/hole (e/h) trapping. We also explored the correlations between the nature and abundance of the point defects with their influence on the resistivity, electron mobility-lifetime (μτ e) product, and electron trapping time. We used current-deep level transient spectroscopy to determine the energy, capture cross-section, and concentration of each trap. Furthermore, we used the data to determine the trappingmore » and de-trapping times for the charge carriers. In In-doped CdZnTe detectors, uncompensated Cd vacancies (V Cd -) were identified as a dominant trap. The V Cd - were almost compensated in detectors doped with Al, Ni, and Sn, in addition to co-doping with In. Dominant traps related to the dopant were found at E v + 0.36 eV and E v + 1.1 eV, E c + 76 meV and E v + 0.61 eV, E v + 36 meV and E v + 0.86 eV, E v + 0.52 eV and E c + 0.83 eV in CZT:In, CZT:In + Al, CZT:In + Ni, and CZT:In + Sn, respectively. Results indicate that the addition of other dopants with In affects the type, nature, concentration (N t), and capture cross-section (σ) and hence trapping (t t) and de-trapping (t dt) times. Finally, the dopant-induced traps, their corresponding concentrations, and charge capture cross-section play an important role in the performance of radiation detectors, especially for devices that rely solely on electron transport.« less

Corrosion Behavior of Bi2Te3-Based Thermoelectric Materials Fabricated by Melting Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohri, Hitoshi; Yagasaki, Takayoshi

2017-05-01

Bi2Te3-based compounds are used practically as thermoelectric cooling materials. Bi2Te3-Sb2Te3 or Bi2Te3-Bi2Se3 pseudobinary system compounds are usually applied as p- or n-type material, respectively. Atmospheric water may condense on the surface of thermoelectric materials constituting Peltier modules, depending on their operating environment. Very few studies on the corrosion resistance of Bi2Te3-based compounds have been reported in literature. Moreover, the detailed corrosion behavior of Bi2Te3-based compounds remains unclear. In this study, the corrosion behavior of cleavage planes of Bi2Te3-based compounds fabricated by a melting method has been investigated. Bi2Te3, Sb2Te3, and Bi2Se3 were prepared by the vertical Bridgman method, respectively. Their electrochemical properties evaluated at room temperature by cyclic voltammetry in a standard three-electrode cell with naturally aerated 0.6 mass% or 3.0 mass% NaCl solution as working electrolyte. The c-planes of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 exhibited similar corrosion potential. The corrosion potential of c-plane of Bi2Se3 was more cathodic compared with that of the telluride. The passive current density of the Bi2Te3-based compounds was single or double digit lower than that of stainless steel. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results for the electrolyte after testing indicated the possibility that a corrosion product diffuses to the environment including NaCl for Sb2Te3 and Bi2Se3.

Excited States of the A and B Free Excitons in CuInSe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakushev, Michael V.; Luckert, Franziska; Faugeras, Clement; Karotki, Anatoli V.; Mudryi, Alexander V.; Martin, Robert W.

2011-05-01

CuInSe2 single crystals, grown by the vertical Bridgman technique were studied using polarisation resolved photoluminescence (PL) at cryogenic temperatures. The emission lines related to the first (n = 2) excited states for the A and B free excitons were observed in the PL spectra at 1.0481 and 1.0516 eV, respectively. The spectral positions of these lines were used to estimate accurate values for the A and B exciton binding energies (8.5 and 8.4 meV, respectively), Bohr radii (7.5 nm), band gaps (EgA = 1.050 eV and EgB = 1.054 eV), and the static dielectric constant (11.3) assuming the hydrogenic model.

Real-time Crystal Growth Visualization and Quantification by Energy-Resolved Neutron Imaging.

PubMed

Tremsin, Anton S; Perrodin, Didier; Losko, Adrian S; Vogel, Sven C; Bourke, Mark A M; Bizarri, Gregory A; Bourret, Edith D

2017-04-20

Energy-resolved neutron imaging is investigated as a real-time diagnostic tool for visualization and in-situ measurements of "blind" processes. This technique is demonstrated for the Bridgman-type crystal growth enabling remote and direct measurements of growth parameters crucial for process optimization. The location and shape of the interface between liquid and solid phases are monitored in real-time, concurrently with the measurement of elemental distribution within the growth volume and with the identification of structural features with a ~100 μm spatial resolution. Such diagnostics can substantially reduce the development time between exploratory small scale growth of new materials and their subsequent commercial production. This technique is widely applicable and is not limited to crystal growth processes.

Real-time Crystal Growth Visualization and Quantification by Energy-Resolved Neutron Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tremsin, Anton S.; Perrodin, Didier; Losko, Adrian S.; Vogel, Sven C.; Bourke, Mark A. M.; Bizarri, Gregory A.; Bourret, Edith D.

2017-04-01

Energy-resolved neutron imaging is investigated as a real-time diagnostic tool for visualization and in-situ measurements of “blind” processes. This technique is demonstrated for the Bridgman-type crystal growth enabling remote and direct measurements of growth parameters crucial for process optimization. The location and shape of the interface between liquid and solid phases are monitored in real-time, concurrently with the measurement of elemental distribution within the growth volume and with the identification of structural features with a ~100 μm spatial resolution. Such diagnostics can substantially reduce the development time between exploratory small scale growth of new materials and their subsequent commercial production. This technique is widely applicable and is not limited to crystal growth processes.

Growth and properties of benzil doped benzimidazole (BMZ) single crystals

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

Babu, R. Ramesh, E-mail: rampap2k@yahoo.co.in; Crystal Growth and Crystallography Section, National Physical Laboratory, Krishnan Marg, New Delhi 110 012; Sukumar, M.

2010-09-15

In the present work, we have made an attempt to study the effect of benzil doping on the properties of benzimidazole single crystals. For this purpose we have grown pure and benzil doped benzimidazole single crystals by vertical Bridgman technique. The grown crystals were characterized by various characterization techniques. The presence of dopants confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Crystalline perfection of the grown crystals has been analysed by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD). The transmittance, electrical property and mechanical strength have been analysed using UV-vis-NIR spectroscopic, dielectric and Vicker's hardness studies. The relative second harmonic generation efficiency of pure andmore » doped benzimidazole crystals measured using Kurtz powder test.« less

Real-time Crystal Growth Visualization and Quantification by Energy-Resolved Neutron Imaging

PubMed Central

Tremsin, Anton S.; Perrodin, Didier; Losko, Adrian S.; Vogel, Sven C.; Bourke, Mark A.M.; Bizarri, Gregory A.; Bourret, Edith D.

2017-01-01

Energy-resolved neutron imaging is investigated as a real-time diagnostic tool for visualization and in-situ measurements of “blind” processes. This technique is demonstrated for the Bridgman-type crystal growth enabling remote and direct measurements of growth parameters crucial for process optimization. The location and shape of the interface between liquid and solid phases are monitored in real-time, concurrently with the measurement of elemental distribution within the growth volume and with the identification of structural features with a ~100 μm spatial resolution. Such diagnostics can substantially reduce the development time between exploratory small scale growth of new materials and their subsequent commercial production. This technique is widely applicable and is not limited to crystal growth processes. PMID:28425461

Process modelling for materials preparation experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberger, Franz; Alexander, J. Iwan D.

1994-01-01

The main goals of the research under this grant consist of the development of mathematical tools and measurement techniques for transport properties necessary for high fidelity modelling of crystal growth from the melt and solution. Of the tasks described in detail in the original proposal, two remain to be worked on: development of a spectral code for moving boundary problems, and development of an expedient diffusivity measurement technique for concentrated and supersaturated solutions. We have focused on developing a code to solve for interface shape, heat and species transport during directional solidification. The work involved the computation of heat, mass and momentum transfer during Bridgman-Stockbarger solidification of compound semiconductors. Domain decomposition techniques and preconditioning methods were used in conjunction with Chebyshev spectral methods to accelerate convergence while retaining the high-order spectral accuracy. During the report period we have further improved our experimental setup. These improvements include: temperature control of the measurement cell to 0.1 C between 10 and 60 C; enclosure of the optical measurement path outside the ZYGO interferometer in a metal housing that is temperature controlled to the same temperature setting as the measurement cell; simultaneous dispensing and partial removal of the lower concentration (lighter) solution above the higher concentration (heavier) solution through independently motor-driven syringes; three-fold increase in data resolution by orientation of the interferometer with respect to diffusion direction; and increase of the optical path length in the solution cell to 12 mm.

Comparison of sample preparation methods combined with fast gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for ultratrace analysis of pesticide residues in baby food.

PubMed

Hercegová, Andrea; Dömötörová, Milena; Kruzlicová, Dása; Matisová, Eva

2006-05-01

Four sample preparation techniques were compared for the ultratrace analysis of pesticide residues in baby food: (a) modified Schenck's method based on ACN extraction with SPE cleaning; (b) quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method based on ACN extraction and dispersive SPE; (c) modified QuEChERS method which utilizes column-based SPE instead of dispersive SPE; and (d) matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD). The methods were combined with fast gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis. The effectiveness of clean-up of the final extract was determined by comparison of the chromatograms obtained. Time consumption, laboriousness, demands on glassware and working place, and consumption of chemicals, especially solvents, increase in the following order QuEChERS < modified QuEChERS < MSPD < modified Schenck's method. All methods offer satisfactory analytical characteristics at the concentration levels of 5, 10, and 100 microg/kg in terms of recoveries and repeatability. Recoveries obtained for the modified QuEChERS method were lower than for the original QuEChERS. In general the best LOQs were obtained for the modified Schenck's method. Modified QuEChERS method provides 21-72% better LOQs than the original method.

Kinetics of the current response in TlBr detectors under a high dose rate of {gamma}-ray irradiation

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

Gazizov, I. M., E-mail: gazizov@isotop.dubna.ru; Zaletin, V. M.; Kukushkin, V. M.

2012-03-15

The kinetics of the photocurrent response in doped and undoped TlBr samples subjected to irradiation with {gamma}-ray photons from a {sup 137}Cs source with the dose rate 0.033 to 3.84 Gy/min are studied. The crystals were grown by the directional crystallization of the melt method using the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique. The Pb impurity mass fraction introduced into the doped TlBr crystals was 1-10 ppm and amounted to 150 ppm for the Ca impurity. The crystals were grown in a vacuum, in bromine vapors, in a hydrogen atmosphere, and in air. Decay of the photocurrent is observed for extrinsic semiconductor crystals dopedmore » with bivalent cations (irrespective of the growth atmosphere), and also for crystals grown in hydrogen and crystals grown in an excess of thallium. The time constant of photocurrent decay {tau} amounted to 30-1400 s and was proportional to resistivity. It is shown that the current response can be related to photolysis in the TlBr crystals during irradiation with {gamma}-ray photons. The energy of hole traps responsible for a slow increase in the photo-current has been estimated and found to be equal to 0.6-0.85 eV.« less

Current response of a TlBr detector to {sup 137}Cs {gamma}-ray radiation

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

Gazizov, I. M., E-mail: gazizov@isotop.dubna.ru; Zaletin, V. M.; Kukushkin, V. M.

2011-05-15

The current response of a TlBr detector to {sup 137}Cs {gamma}-ray radiation has been studied in the dose-rate range 0.033-3.84 Gy/min and within the voltage range 1-300 V; the detectors are based on pure and doped TlBr crystals grown from the melt by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method. The mass fraction of Pb or Ca introduced into the TlBr crystals was 1-10 ppm for Pb and 150 ppm for Ca. The current response of nominally undoped TlBr samples was nearly linear over two decades of studied dose rates. Deep hole levels associated with cationic vacancies V{sub c}{sup -} determine the dependence ofmore » the current response on the voltage in the high electric fields. The parameters of the carriers' transport {mu}{tau} are determined. The TlBr crystals grown in vacuum and in the bromine vapor exhibit a large mobility-lifetime product of 4.3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} and 6.4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -5} cm{sup 2}V{sup -1}, respectively. The value of {mu}{tau} is in the range (4-9) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -5} cm{sup 2}V{sup -1} for crystals doped with a divalent cation.« less

Microstructure and thermoelectric properties of doped p-type CoSb3 under TGZM effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hongqiang; Li, Shuangming; Li, Xin; Zhong, Hong

2017-05-01

The Co-96.9 wt% Sb hypoeutectic alloy doped by 0.12 wt% YbFe was solidified in a Bridgman-type furnace based on temperature gradient zone melting (TGZM) effect. A mushy zone was observed between the complete liquid zone and the solid zone at different thermal stabilization time ranging from 15 min to 40 h. The mushy-zone solidified microstructures of the alloy only consist of CoSb3 and Sb phase. After 40 h thermal stabilization time, the volume fraction of CoSb3 in the mushy zone increases significantly up to 99.6% close to the solid-liquid interface. The hardness and fracture toughness of doped CoSb3 can reach 7.01 ± 0.69 GPa and 0.78 ± 0.08 MPa·m1/2, respectively. Meanwhile, the thermoelectric properties of the alloy were measured ranging from room temperature (RT) to 850 K. The Seebeck coefficient of the specimen prepared by TGZM effect after 40 h could reach 155 μV/K and the ZT value is 0.47 at 660 K, showing that it is feasible to prepare CoSb3 bulk material via TGZM effect. As a simple and one-step solidification method, the TGZM technique could be applied in the preparation of skutterudite compounds.

Crystal growth and analysis of ohmic contact and magneto-optical isolator properties of cadmium manganese telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakasam, Mythili; Viraphong, Oudomsack; Teulé-Gay, Lionel; Decourt, Rodolphe; Veber, Philippe; Víllora, Encarnación G.; Shimamura, Kiyoshi

2011-03-01

Cd1-xMnxTe (x=0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9) (CMT) single crystals were grown by the vertical Bridgman method. The optical studies reveal that with the increase in Mn concentration, the band gap values increase, which is attributed to s, p-d exchange interaction between the band carriers and Mn ions. Faraday rotation angle of the grown CMT (x=0.5) crystals were measured at the following wavelengths: 825, 1060 and 1575 nm. It was inferred that CMT exhibit larger Faraday effect (3-6 times larger than terbium-gallium garnet (TGG) currently used for optical isolators) making it as an efficient material for optical isolator at longer wavelengths. Field-cooled and zero field-cooled magnetizations of CMT were measured as a function of temperature and magnetic field. The spin-glass like behavior of CMT and their tendency to decrease in magnitude with increasing Mn concentration have been analyzed. The metal contacts on the Cd1-xMnxTe (x=0.1, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9) crystals have been made with various metals and metal alloys to establish the ohmic contact. The detector characteristics of CMT have been tested using γ-rays with 511 keV (22 Na) and 59.5 keV (241 Am).

Band Anticrossing in Highly Mismatched Compound Semiconductor Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yu, Kin Man; Wu, J.; Walukiewicz, W.; Ager, J. W.; Haller, E. E.; Miotkowski, I.; Su, Ching-Hua; Curreri, Peter A. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Compound semiconductor alloys in which metallic anions are partially replaced with more electronegative isoelectronic atoms have recently attracted significant attention. Group IIIN(sub x)V(sub 1-x) alloys with a small amount of the electronegative N substituting more metallic column V elements has been the most extensively studied class of such Highly Mismatched Alloys (HMAs). We have shown that many of the unusual properties of the IIIN(sub x)V(sub 1-x) alloys can be well explained by the Band Anticrossing (BAC) model that describes the electronic structure in terms of an interaction between highly localized levels of substitutional N and the extended states of the host semiconductor matrix. Most recently the BAC model has been also used to explain similar modifications of the electronic band structure observed in Te-rich ZnS(sub x)Te(sub 1-x) and ZnSe(sub y)Te(sub 1-y) alloys. To date studies of HMAs have been limited to materials with relatively small concentrations of highly electronegative atoms. Here we report investigations of the electronic structure of ZnSe(sub y)Te(sub 1-y) alloys in the entire composition range, y between 0 and 1. The samples used in this study are bulk ZnSe(sub y)Te(sub 1-y) crystals grown by either a modified Bridgman method or by physical vapor transport. Photomodulated reflection (PR) spectroscopy was used to measure the composition dependence of optical transitions from the valence band edge and from the spin-orbit split off band to the conduction band. The pressure dependence of the band gap was measured using optical absorption in a diamond anvil cell. We find that the energy of the spin-orbit split off valence band edge does not depend on composition and is located at about 3 eV below the conduction band edge of ZnSe. On the Te-rich side the pressure and the composition dependence of the optical transitions are well explained by the BAC model which describes the downward shift of the conduction band edge in terms of the interaction between localized Se states and the conduction band. On the other hand we show that the large band gap reduction observed on the Se-rich side of the alloy system is a result of an interaction between the localized Te level and the valence bands. This interaction leads to the formation of a Te-like valence band edge that strongly interacts with the light hole valence band. Calculations based on a modified k(sup dot)p model account for the reduction of the band gap and the large increase of the spin-orbit splitting observed in Se-rich ZnSe(sub y)Te(sub 1-y) alloys. We will also discuss the importance of these new results for understanding of the electronic structure and band offsets in other highly mismatched alloy systems.

Band Anticrossing in Highly Mismatched Compound Semiconductor Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yu, Kin Man; Wu, J.; Walukiewicz, W.; Ager, J. W.; Haller, E. E.; Miotkowski, I.; Ramdas, A.; Su, Ching-Hua; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Compound semiconductor alloys in which metallic anions are partially replaced with more electronegative isoelectronic atoms have recently attracted significant attention. Group IIIN(x)V(1-x), alloys with a small amount of the electronegative N substituting more metallic column V elements has been the most extensively studied class of such Highly Mismatched Alloys (HMAs). We have shown that many of the unusual properties of the IIIN(x),V(1-x) alloys can be well explained by the Band Anticrossing (BAC) model that describes the electronic structure in terms of an interaction between highly localized levels of substitutional N and the extended states of the host semiconductor matrix. Most recently the BAC model has been also used to explain similar modifications of the electronic band structure observed in Te-rich ZnS(x)Te(l-x) and ZnSe(Y)Te(1-y) alloys. To date studies of HMAs have been limited to materials with relatively small concentrations of highly electronegative atoms. Here we report investigations of the electronic structure of ZnSe(y)Te(1-y) alloys in the entire composition range, 0 less than or equal to y less than or equal to 1. The samples used in this study are bulk ZnSe(y)Te(1-y) crystals grown by either a modified Bridgman method or by physical vapor transport. Photomodulated reflection (PR) spectroscopy was used to measure the composition dependence of optical transitions from the valence band edge and from the spin-orbit split off band to the conduction band. The pressure dependence of the band gap was measured using optical absorption in a diamond anvil cell. We find that the energy of the spin-orbit split off valence band edge does not depend on composition and is located at about 3 eV below the conduction band edge of ZnSe. On the Te-rich side the pressure and the composition dependence of the optical transitions are well explained by the BAC model which describes the downward shift of the conduction band edge in terms of the interaction between localized Se states and the conduction band. On the other hand we show that the large band gap reduction observed on the Se-rich side of the alloy system is a result of an interaction between the localized Te level and the valence bands. This interaction leads to the formation of a Te-like valence band edge that strongly interacts with the light hole valence band. Calculations based on a modified k p model account for the reduction of the band gap and the large increase of the spin-orbit splitting observed in Se-rich ZnSe(y)Te(l-y) alloys. We will also discuss the importance of these new results for understanding of the electronic structure and band offsets in other highly mismatched alloy systems.

Thermoelectric Behavior of PbSe Single Crystals

DOE PAGES

Kogo, Gilbert; Pradhan, Aswini K.; Roy, Utpal N.

2016-12-05

The electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of PbSe single crystals grown by the Bridgman technique display metallic behavior. The Seebeck coefficient increases linearly with increasing temperature and showed positive Seebeck values, typically valid for a p-type PbSe crystal. The electronic thermal conductivity decreases with increase in temperature. The power factor increases gradually with temperature until the maximum value of 6.51 × 10 -3 W/mK2 at 260 K, other values are 5.95 × 10 -3 W/mK 2 at 300 K, and 5.40 × 10 -3 W/mK 2 at 320 K. Our results demonstrate that as-grown PbSe crystal is generically p-type duemore » to excess in Pb and can be a potential candidate for thermoelectric power generation.« less

Temperature and melt solid interface control during crystal growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batur, Celal

1990-01-01

Findings on the adaptive control of a transparent Bridgman crystal growth furnace are summarized. The task of the process controller is to establish a user specified axial temperature profile by controlling the temperatures in eight heating zones. The furnace controller is built around a computer. Adaptive PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) and Pole Placement control algorithms are applied. The need for adaptive controller stems from the fact that the zone dynamics changes with respect to time. The controller was tested extensively on the Lead Bromide crystal growth. Several different temperature profiles and ampoule's translational rates are tried. The feasibility of solid liquid interface quantification by image processing was determined. The interface is observed by a color video camera and the image data file is processed to determine if the interface is flat, convex or concave.

Modelling of directional solidification of BSO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chenting; Motakef, Shahryar

1993-03-01

A thermo-fluid model for vertical Bridgman growth of bismuth silicon oxide (BSO) as model material for semi-transparent, low thermal conductivity oxides is developed. Internal radiative heat transfer, together with convective and conductive heat transfer are considered in this model. Due to the strong internal thermal radiation within the grown crystal, the growth interface is highly convex into the melt, instead of being concave as is the case for opaque materials with the thermal conductivity of the melt larger than that of the solid. Reduction of the growth interface non-planarity through variations in the growth configuration is investigated. A furnace temperature profile consisting of a steep gradient on the melt side and shallow gradient on the solid side of the charge is found to be the most effective approach.

Real-time Crystal Growth Visualization and Quantification by Energy-Resolved Neutron Imaging

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

Tremsin, Anton S.; Perrodin, Didier; Losko, Adrian S.

Energy-resolved neutron imaging is investigated as a real-time diagnostic tool for visualization and in-situ measurements of "blind" processes. This technique is demonstrated for the Bridgman-type crystal growth enabling remote and direct measurements of growth parameters crucial for process optimization. The location and shape of the interface between liquid and solid phases are monitored in real-time, concurrently with the measurement of elemental distribution within the growth volume and with the identification of structural features with a ~100 μm spatial resolution. Such diagnostics can substantially reduce the development time between exploratory small scale growth of new materials and their subsequent commercial production.more » This technique is widely applicable and is not limited to crystal growth processes.« less

Real-time Crystal Growth Visualization and Quantification by Energy-Resolved Neutron Imaging

DOE PAGES

Tremsin, Anton S.; Perrodin, Didier; Losko, Adrian S.; ...

2017-04-20

Energy-resolved neutron imaging is investigated as a real-time diagnostic tool for visualization and in-situ measurements of "blind" processes. This technique is demonstrated for the Bridgman-type crystal growth enabling remote and direct measurements of growth parameters crucial for process optimization. The location and shape of the interface between liquid and solid phases are monitored in real-time, concurrently with the measurement of elemental distribution within the growth volume and with the identification of structural features with a ~100 μm spatial resolution. Such diagnostics can substantially reduce the development time between exploratory small scale growth of new materials and their subsequent commercial production.more » This technique is widely applicable and is not limited to crystal growth processes.« less

Gettering of donor impurities by V in GaAs and the growth of semi-insulating crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, K. Y.; Lagowski, J.; Gatos, H. C.

1989-01-01

Vanadium added to the GaAs melt getters shallow donor impurities (Si and S) and decreases their concentration in the grown crystals. This gettering is driven by chemical reactions in the melt rather than in the solid. Employing V gettering, reproducibly semi-insulating GaAs were grown by horizontal Bridgman and liquid-encapsulated Czochralski techniques, although V did not introduce any midgap energy levels. The compensation mechanism in these crystals was controlled by the balance between the native midgap donor EL2 and residual shallow acceptors. Vanadium gettering contributed to the reduction of the concentration of shallow donors below the concentration of acceptors. The present findings clarify the long-standing controversy on the role of V in achieving semi-insulating GaAs.

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 425 - Modified Monier-Williams Method

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Modified Monier-Williams Method B... Appendix B to Part 425—Modified Monier-Williams Method Outline of Method Hydrogen sulfide is liberated from.... Quality Control 1. Each laboratory that uses this method is required to operate a formal quality control...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 425 - Modified Monier-Williams Method

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Modified Monier-Williams Method B... Part 425—Modified Monier-Williams Method Outline of Method Hydrogen sulfide is liberated from an.... Quality Control 1. Each laboratory that uses this method is required to operate a formal quality control...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 425 - Modified Monier-Williams Method

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Modified Monier-Williams Method B... Part 425—Modified Monier-Williams Method Outline of Method Hydrogen sulfide is liberated from an.... Quality Control 1. Each laboratory that uses this method is required to operate a formal quality control...

Coated article and method of making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Hongyu (Inventor); Lee, Kang Neung (Inventor)

2003-01-01

An article includes a silicon-containing substrate and a modified mullite coating. The modified mullite coating comprises mullite and a modifier component that reduces cracks in the modified mullite coating. The article can further comprise a thermal barrier coating applied to the modified mullite coating. The modified mullite coating functions as a bond coating between the external environmental/thermal barrier coating and the silicon-containing substrate. In a method of forming an article, a silicon-containing substrate is formed and a modified mullite coating is applied. The modified mullite coating comprises mullite and a modifier component that reduces cracks in the modified mullite coating.

Coated article and method of making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Hongyu (Inventor); Lee, Kang Neung (Inventor)

2002-01-01

An article includes a silicon-containing substrate and a modified mullite coating. The modified mullite coating comprises mullite and a modifier component that reduces cracks in the modified mullite coating. The article can further comprise a thermal barrier coating applied to the modified mullite coating. The modified mullite coating functions as a bond coating between the external environmental/thermal barrier coating and the silicon-containing substrate. In a method of forming an article, a silicon-containing substrate is formed and a modified mullite coating is applied. The modified mullite coating comprises mullite and a modifier component that reduces cracks in the modified mullite coating.

Parallel high-precision orbit propagation using the modified Picard-Chebyshev method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koblick, Darin C.

2012-03-01

The modified Picard-Chebyshev method, when run in parallel, is thought to be more accurate and faster than the most efficient sequential numerical integration techniques when applied to orbit propagation problems. Previous experiments have shown that the modified Picard-Chebyshev method can have up to a one order magnitude speedup over the 12th order Runge-Kutta-Nystrom method. For this study, the evaluation of the accuracy and computational time of the modified Picard-Chebyshev method, using the Java Astrodynamics Toolkit high-precision force model, is conducted to assess its runtime performance. Simulation results of the modified Picard-Chebyshev method, implemented in MATLAB and the MATLAB Parallel Computing Toolbox, are compared against the most efficient first and second order Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) solvers. A total of six processors were used to assess the runtime performance of the modified Picard-Chebyshev method. It was found that for all orbit propagation test cases, where the gravity model was simulated to be of higher degree and order (above 225 to increase computational overhead), the modified Picard-Chebyshev method was faster, by as much as a factor of two, than the other ODE solvers which were tested.

Color digital halftoning taking colorimetric color reproduction into account

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haneishi, Hideaki; Suzuki, Toshiaki; Shimoyama, Nobukatsu; Miyake, Yoichi

1996-01-01

Taking colorimetric color reproduction into account, the conventional error diffusion method is modified for color digital half-toning. Assuming that the input to a bilevel color printer is given in CIE-XYZ tristimulus values or CIE-LAB values instead of the more conventional RGB or YMC values, two modified versions based on vector operation in (1) the XYZ color space and (2) the LAB color space were tested. Experimental results show that the modified methods, especially the method using the LAB color space, resulted in better color reproduction performance than the conventional methods. Spatial artifacts that appear in the modified methods are presented and analyzed. It is also shown that the modified method (2) with a thresholding technique achieves a good spatial image quality.

A new technique to expose the hypopharyngeal space: The modified Killian's method.

PubMed

Sakai, Akihiro; Okami, Kenji; Sugimoto, Ryousuke; Ebisumoto, Koji; Yamamoto, Hikaru; Maki, Daisuke; Saito, Kosuke; Iida, Masahiro

2014-04-01

Recent remarkable progress in endoscopic technology has enabled the detection of superficial cancers that were undetectable in the past. However, even though advanced endoscopic technology can detect early lesions, it is useless unless it can provide wide exposure of an area. By modifying the Killian position, it is possible to observe a wider range of the hypopharyngeal space than is possible with conventional head positions. We report a revolutionary method that uses a new head position to widely open the hypopharynx. The technique is named "the Modified Killian's method." The patient is initially placed in the Killian position and then bent further forward from the original position (i.e., the modified Killian position). While in this position, the patient's head is turned and the Valsalva maneuver is applied. These additional maneuvers constitute the Modified Killian's method and widely expands the hypopharyngeal space. The conventional head position cannot open the hypopharyngeal space sufficiently; however, the Modified Killian's method opens the hypopharyngeal space very widely. The Modified Killian's method enables observation of the entire circumference of the hypopharyngeal space and the cervical esophageal entry. The Modified Killian's method may become an indispensable technique for observing the hypopharynx and detecting hypopharyngeal cancers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical Modeling of Solidification in Space With MEPHISTO-4. Part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, James E.; Yoa, Minwu; deGroh, Henry C., III; Garimella, V. Suresh

1998-01-01

A pre-flight analysis of the directional solidification of BiSn with MEPHISTO-4 is presented. Simplified Bridgman growth under microgravity conditions is simulated using a two dimensional finite element model. This numerical model is a single domain, pseudo-steady state model, and includes the effects of both thermal and solutal convection. The results show that for all orientations of the applied steady state gravity vector, of magnitude 1 micro-g, the directional solidification process remains diffusion controlled. The maximum convective velocity was found to be 4.424 x 10(exp -5) cm/s for the horizontal Bridgman growth configuration. This value is an order of magnitude lower than the growth velocity. The maximum and minimum values or solute concentration in the liquid at the crystal-melt interface were 13.867 at.% and 13.722 at.%, respectively. This gives a radial segregation value of xi = 1.046% at the interface. A secondary objective of this work was to compare the results obtained to those that consider thermal convection only (no solutal convection). It was found that the convective flow patterns in simulations which included solutal convection were significantly different from those which ignored solutal convection. The level of radial segregation predicted by the current simulations is an order of magnitude lower than that found in simulations which ignore solutal convection. The final aim was to investigate the effect of g-jitter on the crystal growth process. A simulation was performed to calculate the system response to a 1 second, 100 micro-g gravity impulse acting normal to the direction of growth. This pulse is consistent with that induced by Orbiter thruster firings. The results obtained indicate that such a gravity pulse causes an increase in the level of radial solute segregation at the interface from the steady state values. The maximum value of solute concentration in the liquid was found to be 13.888 at.%, the minimum value calculated was 13.706 at.%, yielding a radial segregation value of xi = 1.31% at the interface. These values occurred 126 seconds after the pulse terminated. Thus it is anticipated that the process will remain diffusion controlled even when subjected to such g-jitter.

Phenotypic detection of broad-spectrum beta-lactamases in microbiological practice

PubMed Central

Sedlakova, Miroslava Htoutou; Hanulik, Vojtech; Chroma, Magdalena; Hricova, Kristyna; Kolar, Milan; Latal, Tomas; Schaumann, Reiner; Rodloff, Arne C.

2011-01-01

Summary Background Enterobacteriaceae producing ESBL and AmpC enzymes can be associated with failure of antibiotic therapy and related morbidity and mortality. Their routine detection in microbiology laboratories is still a problem. The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity of selected phenotypic methods. Material/Methods A total of 106 strains of the Enterobacteriaceae family were tested, in which molecular biology methods confirmed the presence of genes encoding ESBL or AmpC. In ESBL-positive strains, the sensitivity of the ESBL Etest (AB Biodisk) and a modified double-disk synergy test (DDST) were evaluated. AmpC strains were tested by a modified AmpC disk method using 3-aminophenylboronic acid. For simultaneous detection of ESBL and AmpC, the microdilution method with a modified set of antimicrobial agents was used. Results The sensitivity of the ESBL Etest was 95%; the modified DDST yielded 100% sensitivity for ESBL producers and the AmpC test correctly detected 95% of AmpC-positive strains. The sensitivity of the modified microdilution method was 87% and 95% for ESBL and AmpC beta lactamases, respectively. Conclusions The detection of ESBL and AmpC beta lactamases should be based on specific phenotypic methods such as the modified DDST, ESBL Etest, AmpC disk test and the modified microdilution method. PMID:21525803

Modified carbohydrate-chitosan compounds, methods of making the same and methods of using the same

DOEpatents

Venditti, Richard A; Pawlak, Joel J; Salam, Abdus; El-Tahlawy, Khaled Fathy

2015-03-10

Compositions of matter are provided that include chitosan and a modified carbohydrate. The modified carbohydrate includes a carbohydrate component and a cross linking agent. The modified carbohydrate has increased carboxyl content as compared to an unmodified counterpart carbohydrate. A carboxyl group of the modified carbohydrate is covalently bonded with an amino group of chitosan. The compositions of matter provided herein may include cross linked starch citrate-chitosan and cross linked hemicellulose citrate-chitosan, including foams thereof. These compositions yield excellent absorbency and metal chelation properties. Methods of making cross linked modified carbohydrate-chitosan compounds are also provided.

Electronic structure and optical properties of Cs2HgCl4: DFT calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavrentyev, A. A.; Gabrelian, B. V.; Vu, V. T.; Parasyuk, O. V.; Fedorchuk, A. O.; Khyzhun, O. Y.

2016-10-01

A high-quality single crystal of cesium mercury tetrabromide, Cs2HgCl4, was synthesized by using the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method and its electronic structure was studied from both experimental and theoretical viewpoints. In particular, X-ray photoelectron spectra were measured for both pristine and Ar+ ion-bombarded Cs2HgCl4 single crystal surfaces. The present XPS measurements indicate that the Cs2HgCl4 single crystal surface is sensitive with respect to Ar+ ion-bombardment: such a treatment changes substantially its elemental stoichiometry. With the aim of exploring total and partial densities of states within the valence band and conduction band regions of the Cs2HgCl4 compound, band-structure calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) using the augmented plane wave + local orbitals (APW + lo) method as incorporated within the WIEN2k package are performed. The calculations indicate that the Cl 3p states are the principal contributors in the upper portion of the valence band, while the Hg 5d and Cs 5p states dominate in its lower portion. In addition, the calculations allow for concluding that the unoccupied Cl p and Hg s states are the main contributors to the bottom of the conduction band. Furthermore, main optical characteristics of Cs2HgCl4, namely dispersion of the absorption coefficient, real and imaginary parts of dielectric function, electron energy-loss spectrum, refractive index, extinction coefficient and optical reflectivity, are elucidated based on the DFT calculations.

Integrated analysis on static/dynamic aeroelasticity of curved panels based on a modified local piston theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhichun; Zhou, Jian; Gu, Yingsong

2014-10-01

A flow field modified local piston theory, which is applied to the integrated analysis on static/dynamic aeroelastic behaviors of curved panels, is proposed in this paper. The local flow field parameters used in the modification are obtained by CFD technique which has the advantage to simulate the steady flow field accurately. This flow field modified local piston theory for aerodynamic loading is applied to the analysis of static aeroelastic deformation and flutter stabilities of curved panels in hypersonic flow. In addition, comparisons are made between results obtained by using the present method and curvature modified method. It shows that when the curvature of the curved panel is relatively small, the static aeroelastic deformations and flutter stability boundaries obtained by these two methods have little difference, while for curved panels with larger curvatures, the static aeroelastic deformation obtained by the present method is larger and the flutter stability boundary is smaller compared with those obtained by the curvature modified method, and the discrepancy increases with the increasing of curvature of panels. Therefore, the existing curvature modified method is non-conservative compared to the proposed flow field modified method based on the consideration of hypersonic flight vehicle safety, and the proposed flow field modified local piston theory for curved panels enlarges the application range of piston theory.

Modified pseudomonas oleovorans phaC1 nucleic acids encoding bispecific polyhydroxyalkanoate polymerase

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

Srienc, Friedrich; Jackson, John K.; Somers, David A.

A genetically engineered Pseudomonas oleovorans phaC1 polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymerase having tailored substrate specificity is provided. The modified PHA polymerase is preferably a "bispecific" PHA polymerase capable of copolymerizing a short chain length monomer and a medium chain length monomer is provided. Methods for making the modified PHA polymerase and for making nucleic acids encoding the modified PHA polymerase are also disclosed, as are methods of producing PHA using the modified PHA polymerase. The invention further includes methods to assay for altered substrate specificity.

Crystal growth and scintillation properties of potassium strontium bromide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stand, L.; Zhuravleva, M.; Wei, H.; Melcher, C. L.

2015-08-01

In this work, potassium strontium bromide activated with divalent europium, (KSr2Br5:Eu) has been studied. It has a monoclinic crystal structure and a density of 3.98 g/cm3. Two single crystals of KSr2Br5 doped with 5% Eu2+, with diameters of 13 mm and 22 mm, were grown in a two zone transparent furnace via the Bridgman technique. The X-ray excited emission spectrum consisted of a single peak at ∼427 nm due to the 5d-4f transition in Eu2+. The measured light yield and energy resolution at 662 keV was 75,000 ph/MeV and 3.5%. At low energies KSr2Br5:Eu 5% also displays good energy resolution, 6.7% at 122 keV and 7.9% at 59.5 keV.

Internal state variable plasticity-damage modeling of AISI 4140 steel including microstructure-property relations: temperature and strain rate effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nacif el Alaoui, Reda

Mechanical structure-property relations have been quantified for AISI 4140 steel. under different strain rates and temperatures. The structure-property relations were used. to calibrate a microstructure-based internal state variable plasticity-damage model for. monotonic tension, compression and torsion plasticity, as well as damage evolution. Strong stress state and temperature dependences were observed for the AISI 4140 steel. Tension tests on three different notched Bridgman specimens were undertaken to study. the damage-triaxiality dependence for model validation purposes. Fracture surface. analysis was performed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to quantify the void. nucleation and void sizes in the different specimens. The stress-strain behavior exhibited. a fairly large applied stress state (tension, compression dependence, and torsion), a. moderate temperature dependence, and a relatively small strain rate dependence.

Crystal structure and thermal expansion of CsCaI3:Eu and CsSrBr3:Eu scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loyd, Matthew; Lindsey, Adam; Patel, Maulik; Koschan, Merry; Melcher, Charles L.; Zhuravleva, Mariya

2018-01-01

The distorted-perovskite scintillator materials CsCaI3:Eu and CsSrBr3:Eu prepared as single crystals have shown promising potential for use in radiation detection applications requiring a high light yield and excellent energy resolution. We present a study using high temperature powder X-ray diffraction experiments to examine a deleterious high temperature phase transition. High temperature phases were identified through sequential diffraction pattern Rietveld refinement in GSAS II. We report the linear coefficients of thermal expansion for both high and low temperature phases of each compound. Thermal expansion for both compositions is greatest in the [0 0 1] direction. As a result, Bridgman growth utilizing a seed oriented with the [0 0 1] along the growth direction should be used to mitigate thermal stress.

Dental extrusion with orthodontic miniscrew anchorage: a case report describing a modified method.

PubMed

Horliana, Ricardo Fidos; Horliana, Anna Carolina Ratto Tempestini; Wuo, Alexandre do Vale; Perez, Flávio Eduardo Guillin; Abrão, Jorge

2015-01-01

In recent years, the skeletal anchorage through miniscrews has expanded the treatment options in orthodontics (Yamaguchi et al., 2012). We hereby present a modified method for tooth extrusion for cases where crown-lengthening surgery is contraindicated for aesthetic reasons. This modified method uses three orthodontic appliances: a mini-implant, an orthodontic wire, and a bracket. The aim of this case report was to increase the length of the clinical crown of a fractured tooth (tooth 23) by means of an orthodontic extrusion with the modified method of Roth and Diedrich.

Phenotypic detection of broad-spectrum beta-lactamases in microbiological practice.

PubMed

Htoutou Sedlakova, Miroslava; Hanulik, Vojtech; Chroma, Magdalena; Hricova, Kristyna; Kolar, Milan; Latal, Tomas; Schaumann, Reiner; Rodloff, Arne C

2011-05-01

Enterobacteriaceae producing ESBL and AmpC enzymes can be associated with failure of antibiotic therapy and related morbidity and mortality. Their routine detection in microbiology laboratories is still a problem. The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity of selected phenotypic methods. A total of 106 strains of the Enterobacteriaceae family were tested, in which molecular biology methods confirmed the presence of genes encoding ESBL or AmpC. In ESBL-positive strains, the sensitivity of the ESBL Etest (AB Biodisk) and a modified double-disk synergy test (DDST) were evaluated. AmpC strains were tested by a modified AmpC disk method using 3-aminophenylboronic acid. For simultaneous detection of ESBL and AmpC, the microdilution method with a modified set of antimicrobial agents was used. The sensitivity of the ESBL Etest was 95%; the modified DDST yielded 100% sensitivity for ESBL producers and the AmpC test correctly detected 95% of AmpC-positive strains. The sensitivity of the modified microdilution method was 87% and 95% for ESBL and AmpC beta lactamases, respectively. The detection of ESBL and AmpC beta lactamases should be based on specific phenotypic methods such as the modified DDST, ESBL Etest, AmpC disk test and the modified microdilution method.

The application of generalized, cyclic, and modified numerical integration algorithms to problems of satellite orbit computation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chesler, L.; Pierce, S.

1971-01-01

Generalized, cyclic, and modified multistep numerical integration methods are developed and evaluated for application to problems of satellite orbit computation. Generalized methods are compared with the presently utilized Cowell methods; new cyclic methods are developed for special second-order differential equations; and several modified methods are developed and applied to orbit computation problems. Special computer programs were written to generate coefficients for these methods, and subroutines were written which allow use of these methods with NASA's GEOSTAR computer program.

Multimodal Medical Image Fusion by Adaptive Manifold Filter.

PubMed

Geng, Peng; Liu, Shuaiqi; Zhuang, Shanna

2015-01-01

Medical image fusion plays an important role in diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as image-guided radiotherapy and surgery. The modified local contrast information is proposed to fuse multimodal medical images. Firstly, the adaptive manifold filter is introduced into filtering source images as the low-frequency part in the modified local contrast. Secondly, the modified spatial frequency of the source images is adopted as the high-frequency part in the modified local contrast. Finally, the pixel with larger modified local contrast is selected into the fused image. The presented scheme outperforms the guided filter method in spatial domain, the dual-tree complex wavelet transform-based method, nonsubsampled contourlet transform-based method, and four classic fusion methods in terms of visual quality. Furthermore, the mutual information values by the presented method are averagely 55%, 41%, and 62% higher than the three methods and those values of edge based similarity measure by the presented method are averagely 13%, 33%, and 14% higher than the three methods for the six pairs of source images.

Method and apparatus for large motor control

DOEpatents

Rose, Chris R [Santa Fe, NM; Nelson, Ronald O [White Rock, NM

2003-08-12

Apparatus and method for providing digital signal processing method for controlling the speed and phase of a motor involves inputting a reference signal having a frequency and relative phase indicative of a time based signal; modifying the reference signal to introduce a slew-rate limited portion of each cycle of the reference signal; inputting a feedback signal having a frequency and relative phase indicative of the operation of said motor; modifying the feedback signal to introduce a slew-rate limited portion of each cycle of the feedback signal; analyzing the modified reference signal and the modified feedback signal to determine the frequency of the modified reference signal and of the modified feedback signal and said relative phase between said modified reference signal and said modified feedback signal; and outputting control signals to the motor for adjusting said speed and phase of the motor based on the frequency determination and determination of the relative phase.

Design and growth of novel compounds for radiation sensors: multinary chalcogenides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, N. B.; Su, Ching-Hua; Nagaradona, Teja; Arnold, Brad; Choa, Fow-Sen

2016-05-01

Increasing threats of radiological weapons have revitalized the researches for low cost large volume γ-ray and neutron ray sensors In the past few years we have designed and grown ternary and quaternary lead and thallium chalcogenides and lead selenoiodides for detectors to meet these challenges. These materials are congruent, can be tailored to enhance the parameters required for radiation sensors. In addition, this class of compounds can be grown by Bridgman method which promises for large volume productions. We have single crystals of several compounds from the melt including Tl3AsSe3, Tl3AsSe3-xSx, TlGaSe2, AgGaGe3Se8, AgxLi1-xAgGaGe3Se8 and PbTlI5-x Sex compounds. Experimental studies indicate that these have very low absorption coefficient, low defect density and can be fabricated in any shape and sizes. These crystals do not require post growth annealing and do not show any second phase precipitates when processed for electrode bonding and other fabrication steps. In this paper we report purification, growth and fabrication of large Tl3AsSe3 (TAS) crystals. We observed that TAS crystals grown by using further purification of as supplied high purity source materials followed by directionally solidified charge showed higher resistivity than previously reported values. TAS also showed constant value as the function of voltage.

Crystal growth and electronic structure of low-temperature phase SrMgF{sub 4}

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

Atuchin, Victor V.; Functional Electronics Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050; Laboratory of Semiconductor and Dielectric Materials, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090

2016-04-15

Using the vertical Bridgman method, the single crystal of low temperature phase SrMgF{sub 4} is obtained. The crystal is in a very good optical quality with the size of 10×7×5 mm{sup 3}. Detailed photoemission spectra of the element core levels are determined by a monochromatic AlKa (1486.6 eV) X-ray source. Moreover, the first-principles calculations are performed to investigate the electronic structure of SrMgF{sub 4}. A good agreement between experimental and calculated results is achieved. It is demonstrated that almost all the electronic orbitals are strongly localized and the hybridization with the others is very small, but the Mg–F bonds covalencymore » is relatively stronger than that of Sr–F bonds. - Graphical abstract: Large size of low-temperature phase SrMgF{sub 4} crystal was obtained (right) and its electronic structure was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles calculation (left). - Highlights: • Large size single crystal of low-temperature phase SrMgF{sub 4} is obtained. • Electronic structure of SrMgF{sub 4} is measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. • Partial densities of states are determined by first-principles calculation. • Good agreement between experimental and calculated results is achieved. • Strong ionic characteristics of chemical bonds are exhibited in SrMgF{sub 4}.« less

The effects of Peltier marking on semiconductor growth in a magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sellers, Cheryl Casper

This research represents a model for three dimensional semiconductor growth in a vertical Bridgman process within an externally applied magnetic field with the additional effects of Peltier marking. The magnetic field is strong enough that inertial effects can be neglected and that viscous effects are confined to boundary layers. The objective of this research is a first step in the development of a method to accurately predict the distribution of dopants and species in the melt after a current pulse with a given duration and strength, with a given magnetic field and with a given crystal-melt interface shape. The first model involves an asymptotic solution to provide physical clarification of the flow. In both models the crystal/melt interface is modeled as fr=3r2 where 3≪1 . The first model incorporates a variable, a which ranges from 0.25 to 1.0. The second model involves an analytical solution with an arbitrary Ha and a≪1 . These models show the how the azimuthal velocity varies with increasing Ha and how the stream function varies in the meridional problem. This gives insight into how the dopant is mixed during the crystal growth process. The results demonstrate that current pulses with relatively weak magnetic fields and modest interface curvature can lead to very strong mixing in the melt.

Crystal growth and characterization of undoped and Dy-doped TlPb2Br5 for infrared lasers and nuclear radiation detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hömmerich, U.; Brown, E.; Kabir, A.; Hart, D.; Trivedi, S. B.; Jin, F.; Chen, H.

2017-12-01

We report results of the crystal growth and characterization of undoped and Dy-doped TlPb2Br5 for applications in infrared (IR) lasers and nuclear radiation detection. TlPb2Br5 (TPB) was synthesized from commercial starting materials of PbBr2 and TlBr and further purified through a combination of zone-refinement and directional solidification. For doping experiments, 2 wt% of DyBr3 was added to the purified TPB material. Crystal growth of TPB and Dy: TPB was carried out in a two-zone tube furnace by a vertical Bridgman method. Following optical excitation at ∼1.36 μm, the Dy: TPB crystal exhibited efficient mid-IR emission bands centered at 2.87 μm and 4.35 μm with room-temperature lifetimes of 9.5 ms and 5.2 ms, respectively. The peak emission cross-sections were determined to be ∼0.8 × 10-20 cm2 and ∼0.5 × 10-20 cm2, respectively, which makes Dy: TPB a promising candidate for mid-IR laser applications. Besides its potential as a solid-state laser host, an undoped TPB crystal was also tested for gamma-ray detection. Using Cs-137 and Am-241 sources resulted in energy resolutions for gamma-rays as good as 1-2% (FWHM) at room-temperature under non-optimized conditions.

Growth and luminescent properties of Ce and Eu doped Cesium Hafnium Iodide single crystalline scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kodama, Shohei; Kurosawa, Shunsuke; Yamaji, Akihiro; Pejchal, Jan; Král, Robert; Ohashi, Yuji; Kamada, Kei; Yokota, Yuui; Nikl, Martin; Yoshikawa, Akira

2018-06-01

In order to obtain new scintillators with high light output and high effective atomic number (Zeff), we performed anion-substitution for Cs2HfCl6 (CHC) scintillator, and then, we succeeded in growing Cs2HfI6 (CHI) single crystalline scintillator. It had Zeff of 58, which is the same as that of CHC, and had high light output of ∼70,000 photons/MeV with 700 nm emission. However, its scintillation decay time of ∼2.5 μs was slow for practical use as gamma-ray monitor. In this study, we performed Ce3+/Eu2+ doping to Hf4+ site to improve decay time of CHI, introducing the fast 5d-4f luminescence. Ce:CHI and Eu:CHI single crystals were finally obtained by the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. The luminescence spectra of the Ce:CHI and Eu:CHI were very similar to that of the non-doped CHI, which would mean that no 5d-4f luminescence of Ce3+/Eu2+ was observed. The measured light output and decay time of Ce:CHI were ∼48,000 photon/MeV and 2.3 ± 0.1 μs, respectively. As for Eu:CHI, light output and decay time were ∼69,000 photon/MeV and 2.8 ± 0.1 μs, respectively.

Dependences of the density of M{sub 1-x}R{sub x}F{sub 2+x} and R{sub 1-y}M{sub y}F{sub 3-y} single crystals (M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Cd, Pb; R means rare earth elements) on composition

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

Sorokin, N. I., E-mail: sorokin@ns.crys.ras.ru; Krivandina, E. A.; Zhmurova, Z. I.

2013-11-15

The density of single crystals of nonstoichiometric phases Ba{sub 1-x}La{sub x}F{sub 2+x} (0 {<=} x {<=} 0.5) and Sr{sub 0.8}La{sub 0.2-x}Lu{sub x}F{sub 2.2} (0 {<=} x {<=} 0.2) with the fluorite (CaF{sub 2}) structure type and R{sub 1-y}Sr{sub y}F{sub 3-y} (R = Pr, Nd; 0 {<=} y {<=} 0.15) with the tysonite (LaF{sub 3}) structure type has been measured. Single crystals were grown from a melt by the Bridgman method. The measured concentration dependences of single crystal density are linear. The interstitial and vacancy models of defect formation in the fluorite and tysonite phases, respectively, are confirmed. To implement themore » composition control of single crystals of superionic conductors M{sub 1-x}R{sub x}F{sub 2+x} and R{sub 1-y}M{sub y}F{sub 3-y} in practice, calibration graphs of X-ray density in the MF{sub 2}-RF{sub 3} systems (M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Cd, Pb; R = La-Lu, Y) are plotted.« less

Effects of Growth Rates and Compositions on Dendrite Arm Spacings in Directionally Solidified Al-Zn Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acer, Emine; Çadırlı, Emin; Erol, Harun; Kaya, Hasan; Gündüz, Mehmet

2017-12-01

Dendritic spacing can affect microsegregation profiles and also the formation of secondary phases within interdendritic regions, which influences the mechanical properties of cast structures. To understand dendritic spacings, it is important to understand the effects of growth rate and composition on primary dendrite arm spacing ( λ 1) and secondary dendrite arm spacing ( λ 2). In this study, aluminum alloys with concentrations of (1, 3, and 5 wt pct) Zn were directionally solidified upwards using a Bridgman-type directional solidification apparatus under a constant temperature gradient (10.3 K/mm), resulting in a wide range of growth rates (8.3-165.0 μm/s). Microstructural parameters, λ 1 and λ 2 were measured and expressed as functions of growth rate and composition using a linear regression analysis method. The values of λ 1 and λ 2 decreased with increasing growth rates. However, the values of λ 1 increased with increasing concentration of Zn in the Al-Zn alloy, but the values of λ 2 decreased systematically with an increased Zn concentration. In addition, a transition from a cellular to a dendritic structure was observed at a relatively low growth rate (16.5 μm/s) in this study of binary alloys. The experimental results were compared with predictive theoretical models as well as experimental works for dendritic spacing.

Investigation on synthesis, growth, structure and physical properties of AgGa0.5In0.5S2 single crystals for Mid-IR application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karunagaran, N.; Ramasamy, P.

2018-02-01

Silver Gallium Indium Sulfide (AgGa0.5In0.5S2) belongs to the family of AIBIIIC2VI ternary compound semiconductors which crystallize in the chalcopyrite structure. Synthesis of the polycrystalline material from the starting elements is achieved using melt temperature oscillation method. The AgGa0.5In0.5S2 single crystals have been grown by the vertical Bridgman technique. The synthesized AgGa0.5In0.5S2 polycrystalline charge was confirmed by powder XRD. The peak positions are in good agreement with the powder diffraction file. Thermal property was analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique. The melting point of the crystal is 896 °C and freezing point is 862 °C. The unit cell parameters were confirmed by single crystal X-ray. The transmittance of the grown crystal is 55% in the NIR region and 60% in the mid-IR region. The optical band gap was found to be 2.0 eV. The stoichiometric composition of AgGa0.5In0.5S2 was measured using energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The photoluminescence behavior of AgGa0.5In0.5S2 has been analyzed. The resistivity of the grown single crystal has been measured.

Highly Efficient LiYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) Upconversion Single Crystal under Solar Cell Spectrum Excitation and Photovoltaic Application.

PubMed

Chen, Xu; Xu, Wen; Song, Hongwei; Chen, Cong; Xia, Haiping; Zhu, Yongsheng; Zhou, Donglei; Cui, Shaobo; Dai, Qilin; Zhang, Jiazhong

2016-04-13

Luminescent upconversion is a promising way to harvest near-infrared (NIR) sunlight and transforms it into visible light that can be directly absorbed by active materials of solar cells and improve their power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, it is still a great challenge to effectively improve the PCE of solar cells with the assistance of upconversion. In this work, we demonstrate the application of the transparent LiYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) single crystal as an independent luminescent upconverter to improve the PCE of perovskite solar cells. The LiYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) single crystal is prepared by an improved Bridgman method, and its internal quantum efficiency approached to 5.72% under 6.2 W cm(-2) 980 nm excitation. The power-dependent upconversion luminescence indicated that under the excitation of simulated sunlight the (4)F(9/2)-(4)I(15/2) red emission originally results from the cooperation of a 1540 nm photon and a 980 nm photon. Furthermore, when the single crystal is placed in front of the perovskite solar cells, the PCE is enhanced by 7.9% under the irradiation of simulated sunlight by 7-8 solar constants. This work implies the upconverter not only can serve as proof of principle for improving PCE of solar cells but also is helpful to practical application.

Directional Solidification and Characterization of Hg(0.89) Mn(0.11)Te

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Price, M. W.; Scripa, R. N.; Lehoczky. S. L.; Szofran, F. R.; Su, C.-H.

1998-01-01

Two boules of Hg(0.89)Mn(0.11)Te(MMT) were solidified using the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Translation rates of 0.09 and 0. 18 microns/s were used. The influence of growth rate on axial compositional homogeneity in the MMT boules was evaluated experimentally by conducting precision density measurements on radial slices taken from each boule. In addition, Plane Front Solidification theory and segregation coefficient (k) data for the Hg(1-x)Mn(x)Te system were used to fit theoretical composition profiles to the measured MMT axial composition profiles. The strong correlation between the measured and calculated MMT axial composition profiles indicates diffusion dominated axial solute redistribution in the boules under the applied growth conditions. The analysis of the MMT axial composition profiles by Plane Front Solidification theory allowed the calculation of the effective diffusion coefficient (D(eff) = 3.5 x l0(exp -5) sq cm/s). The k-values for the Hg(1-x)Mn(x)Te system and the D(sub eff) - value were then used to verify that both boules were solidified under conditions which did not exceed the Constitutional Supercooling Criteria under ideal conditions. Finally, a preliminary examination of the radial compositional variation in each MMT was made using Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR). The radial homogeneity in the MMT boules was found to be comparable for both translation rates.

Cu2I2Se6: A Metal-Inorganic Framework Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor for Photon Detection at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Lin, Wenwen; Stoumpos, Constantinos C; Kontsevoi, Oleg Y; Liu, Zhifu; He, Yihui; Das, Sanjib; Xu, Yadong; McCall, Kyle M; Wessels, Bruce W; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G

2018-02-07

Cu 2 I 2 Se 6 is a new wide-bandgap semiconductor with high stability and great potential toward hard radiation and photon detection. Cu 2 I 2 Se 6 crystallizes in the rhombohedral R3̅m space group with a density of d = 5.287 g·cm -3 and a wide bandgap E g of 1.95 eV. First-principles electronic band structure calculations at the density functional theory level indicate an indirect bandgap and a low electron effective mass m e * of 0.32. The congruently melting compound was grown in centimeter-size Cu 2 I 2 Se 6 single crystals using a vertical Bridgman method. A high electric resistivity of ∼10 12 Ω·cm is readily achieved, and detectors made of Cu 2 I 2 Se 6 single crystals demonstrate high photosensitivity to Ag Kα X-rays (22.4 keV) and show spectroscopic performance with energy resolutions under 241 Am α-particles (5.5 MeV) radiation. The electron mobility is measured by a time-of-flight technique to be ∼46 cm 2 ·V -1 ·s -1 . This value is comparable to that of one of the leading γ-ray detector materials, TlBr, and is a factor of 30 higher than mobility values obtained for amorphous Se for X-ray detection.

Modified Gas Chromatographic Method to Determine Monoacylglycerol and Diacylglycerol Contents in Edible Fats and Oils.

PubMed

Satou, Chiemi; Goto, Hirofumi; Yamazaki, Yuya; Saitou, Katsuyoshi; Matsumoto, Shoji; Takahashi, Ou; Miyazaki, Yosuke; Ikuta, Keiichi; Yajima, Yosuke

2017-06-01

Monoacylglycerol (MAG) and diacylglycerol (DAG) are minor components of edible fats and oils, and they relate to the quality of these foods. The AOCS official method Cd 11b-91 has been used to determine MAG and DAG contents in fats and oils. There are, however, difficulties in the determination of MAG and DAG using this analytical procedure. Therefore, we improved this method by modifying the trimethylsilyl derivatization procedure and replacing the internal standard (IS) material. In our modified method, TMS-HT (mixture of hexamethyldisilazane and trimethylchlorosilane) was used for derivatization of MAG and DAG, which was followed by liquid-liquid extraction with water and n-hexane solution containing the IS, tricaprin. Using the modified method, we demonstrated superior repeatability in comparison with that of the AOCS method by reducing procedural difficulties. The relative standard deviation of distearin peak areas was 1.8% or 2.9% in the modified method, while it was 5.6% in the AOCS method. In addition, capillary columns, such as DB-1ht and DB-5ht could be used in this method.

Influence of Parameters of a Reactive Interatomic Potential on the Properties of Saturated Hydrocarbons

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-01

Methodology 3 2.1 Modified Embedded-Atom Method Theory 3 2.1.1 Embedding Energy Function 3 2.1.2 Screening Factor 8 2.1.3 Modified Embedded-Atom...Simulation Methodology 2.1 Modified Embedded-Atom Method Theory In the EAM and MEAM formalisms1,2,5 the total energy of a system of atoms (Etot) is...An interatomic potential for saturated hydrocarbons using the modified embedded-atom method (MEAM), a semiempirical many-body potential based on

CH3NH3I treatment temperature of 70 °C in low-pressure vapor-assisted deposition for mesoscopic perovskite solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Wenbin; Zou, Xiaoping; Bai, Xiao; Yang, Ying; Chen, Dan

2018-01-01

Herein, we report a modified vapor-assisted deposition method to fabricate CH3NH3PbI3 film at 70 °C in a vacuum drying oven. The modified method has excellent operability and expandability in preparing perovskite solar cells. The CH3NH3I treatment temperature is 130 °C or 150 °C in conventional method, but we reduced the temperature to 70 °C in the modified vapor-assisted method. Meanwhile, the quality of CH3NH3PbI3 films prepared via the modified method is superior to that of CH3NH3PbI3 films of solution-processed method.

A Modified Kirchhoff plate theory for Free Vibration analysis of functionally graded material plates using meshfree method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen Van Do, Vuong

2018-04-01

In this paper, a modified Kirchhoff theory is presented for free vibration analyses of functionally graded material (FGM) plate based on modified radial point interpolation method (RPIM). The shear deformation effects are taken account into modified theory to ignore the locking phenomenon of thin plates. Due to the proposed refined plate theory, the number of independent unknowns reduces one variable and exists with four degrees of freedom per node. The simulated free vibration results employed by the modified RPIM are compared with the other analytical solutions to verify the effectiveness and the accuracy of the developed mesh-free method. Detail parametric studies of the proposed method are then conducted including the effectiveness of thickness ratio, boundary condition and material inhomogeneity on the sample problems of square plates. Results illustrated that the modified mesh-free RPIM can effectively predict the numerical calculation as compared to the exact solutions. The obtained numerical results are indicated that the proposed method are stable and well accurate prediction to evaluate with other published analyses.

Mechanochemical induced structural changes in sucrose using the rotational diamond anvil cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciezak-Jenkins, Jennifer A.; Jenkins, Timothy A.

2018-02-01

The response of sucrose to high-pressure and shear conditions has been studied in a rotational diamond anvil cell. Previous experiments conducted by Bridgman and Teller showed divergent behavior in regard to the existence of a rheological explosion under mechanochemical stimuli. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the existence of the isostructural Phase I to Phase II transition near 5 GPa. When subjected to high-pressure and shear, Raman spectra of Phase I showed evidence that while the sucrose molecule underwent significant molecular deformation, there was no evidence of a complete chemical reaction. In contrast, Phase II showed a near-total loss of the in-situ Raman signal in response to shear, suggesting the onset of amorphization or decomposition. The divergent behaviors of Phase I and Phase II are examined in light of the differences in the hydrogen bonding and plasticity of the material.

Finite Element Analysis of Magnetic Damping Effects on G-Jitter Induced Fluid Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pan, Bo; Li, Ben Q.; deGroh, Henry C., III

1997-01-01

This paper reports some interim results on numerical modeling and analyses of magnetic damping of g-jitter driven fluid flow in microgravity. A finite element model is developed to represent the fluid flow, thermal and solute transport phenomena in a 2-D cavity under g-jitter conditions with and without an applied magnetic field. The numerical model is checked by comparing with analytical solutions obtained for a simple parallel plate channel flow driven by g-jitter in a transverse magnetic field. The model is then applied to study the effect of steady state g-jitter induced oscillation and on the solute redistribution in the liquid that bears direct relevance to the Bridgman-Stockbarger single crystal growth processes. A selection of computed results is presented and the results indicate that an applied magnetic field can effectively damp the velocity caused by g-jitter and help to reduce the time variation of solute redistribution.

HRTEM Analysis of Crystallographic Defects in CdZnTe Single Crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasar, Bengisu; Ergunt, Yasin; Kabukcuoglu, Merve Pinar; Parlak, Mehmet; Turan, Rasit; Kalay, Yunus Eren

2018-01-01

In recent years, CdZnTe has attracted much attention due to its superior electrical and structural properties for room-temperature operable gamma and x-ray detectors. However, CdZnTe (CZT) material has often suffered from crystallographic defects encountered during the growth and post-growth processes. The identification and structural characterization of these defects is crucial to synthesize defect-free CdZnTe single crystals. In this study, Cd0.95 Zn0.05 Te single crystals were grown using a three-zone vertical Bridgman system. The single crystallinity of the material was ensured by using x-ray diffraction measurements. High-resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to characterize the nano-scale defects on the CdZnTe matrix. The linear defects oriented along the ⟨211⟩ direction were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the corresponding HRTEM image simulations were performed by using a quantitative scanning TEM simulation package.

Heat flow control and segregation in directional solidification: Development of an experimental and theoretical basis for Bridgman-type growth experiments in a microgravity environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witt, A. F.

1986-01-01

Within the framework of the proposed research, emphasis was placed on application of magnetic fields to semiconductor growth systems. It was found that magnetic fields up to 3 kGauss do not affect the growth behavior nor the macro-segregation behavior in the system Ge(Ga). Applied fields are found to significantlty alter the radial dopant distribution, which is attributed to alterations in the spatial orientation of convective cells. Increasing the magnetic field to 30 kGauss is found to have a fundamental effect on dopant segregation. Emphasis is also placed on the potential of KC-135 flights for preliminary studies on the effects of reduced gravity environments on the wetting behavior of semiconductor systems in growth configuration. The limited number of experiments conducted does not allow any conclusions on the merits of KC-135 flights for semiconductor processing research.

Low Temperature Photoluminescence Characterization of Orbitally Grown CdZnTe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ritter, Timothy M.; Larson, D. J.

1998-01-01

The II-VI ternary alloy CdZnTe is a technologically important material because of its use as a lattice matched substrate for HgCdTe based devices. The increasingly stringent requirements on performance that must be met by such large area infrared detectors also necessitates a higher quality substrate. Such substrate material is typically grown using the Bridgman technique. Due to the nature of bulk semiconductor growth, gravitationally dependent phenomena can adversely affect crystalline quality. The most direct way to alleviate this problem is by crystal growth in a reduced gravity environment. Since it requires hours, even days, to grow a high quality crystal, an orbiting space shuttle or space station provides a superb platform on which to conduct such research. For well over ten years NASA has been studying the effects of microgravity semiconductor crystal growth. This paper reports the results of photoluminescence characterization performed on an arbitrary grown CdZnTe bulk crystal.

Heat transfer simulation in a vertical Bridgman CdTe growth configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-Tomas, C.; Muñoz, V.; Triboulet, R.

1999-02-01

Modelling and numerical simulation of crystal growth processes have been shown to be powerful tools in order to understand the physical effects of different parameters on the growth conditions. In this study a finite difference/control volume technique for the study of heat transfer has been employed. This model takes into account the whole system: furnace temperature profile, air gap between furnace walls and ampoule, ampoule geometry, crucible coating if any, solid and liquid CdTe thermal properties, conduction, convection and radiation of heat and phase change. We have used the commercial code FLUENT for the numerical resolution that can be running on a personal computer. Results show that the temperature field is very sensitive to the charge and ampoule peculiarities. As a consequence, significant differences between the velocity of the ampoule and that of the isotherm determining the solid/liquid interface have been found at the onset of the growth.

Simplified numerical approach for estimation of effective segregation coefficient at the melt/crystal interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prostomolotov, A. I.; Verezub, N. A.; Voloshin, A. E.

2014-09-01

A thermo-gravitational convection and impurity transfer in the melt were investigated using a simplified numerical model for Bridgman GaSb(Te) crystal growth in microgravity conditions. Simplifications were as follows: flat melt/crystal interface, fixed melt sizes and only lateral ampoule heating. Calculations were carried out by Ansys®Fluent® code employing a two-dimensional Navier-Stokes-Boussinesq and heat and mass transfer equations in a coordinate system moving with the melt/crystal interface. The parametric dependence of the effective segregation coefficient Keff at the melt/crystal interface was studied for various ampoule sizes and for microgravity conditions. For the uprising one-vortex flow, the resulting dependences were presented as Keff vs. Vmax-the maximum velocity value. These dependences were compared with the formulas by Burton-Prim-Slichter's, Ostrogorsky-Muller's, as well as with the semi-analytical solutions.

High resolution synchrotron X-radiation diffraction imaging of crystals grown in microgravity and closely related terrestrial crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steiner, Bruce; Dobbyn, Ronald C.; Black, David; Burdette, Harold; Kuriyama, Masao; Fripp, Archibald; Simchik, Richard

1991-01-01

Irregularities in three crystals grown in space and in four terrestrial crystals grown under otherwise comparable conditions have been observed in high resolution diffraction imaging. The images provide important new clues to the nature and origins of irregularities in each crystal. For two of the materials, mercuric iodide and lead tin telluride, more than one phase (an array of non-diffracting inclusions) was observed in terrestrial samples; but the formation of these multiple phases appears to have been suppressed in directly comparable crystals grown in microgravity. The terrestrial seed crystal of triglycine sulfate displayed an unexpected layered structure, which propagated during directly comparable space growth. Terrestrial Bridgman regrowth of gallium arsenide revealed a mesoscopic structure substantially different from that of the original Czochralski material. A directly comparable crystal is to be grown shortly in space.

Analyzing public health policy: three approaches.

PubMed

Coveney, John

2010-07-01

Policy is an important feature of public and private organizations. Within the field of health as a policy arena, public health has emerged in which policy is vital to decision making and the deployment of resources. Public health practitioners and students need to be able to analyze public health policy, yet many feel daunted by the subject's complexity. This article discusses three approaches that simplify policy analysis: Bacchi's "What's the problem?" approach examines the way that policy represents problems. Colebatch's governmentality approach provides a way of analyzing the implementation of policy. Bridgman and Davis's policy cycle allows for an appraisal of public policy development. Each approach provides an analytical framework from which to rigorously study policy. Practitioners and students of public health gain much in engaging with the politicized nature of policy, and a simple approach to policy analysis can greatly assist one's understanding and involvement in policy work.

Luminescence of the elpasolite series MI2MIIMCl6 (MI=Cs, Rb; MII=Li, Na; M=Lu, Y, Sc, In) doped with europium using synchrotron radiation excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, Peter A.; Duan, Chang-Kui; Jia, Guohua; Cheng, Bing-Ming

2012-04-01

The excitation and emission spectra of a series of cubic hexachloroelpasolites doped with europium have been investigated using synchrotron radiation at 10 K. Besides the Eu3+ emission from 5DJ (J=0-3) multiplets, emission from 5H3 is also observed for Cs2NaIn0.995Eu0.005Cl6, since the gap to the next lowest level is spanned by seven phonons. The excitation spectra of samples indicate impurities due to oxygen and divalent europium. Broad band emission from Eu2+ is reported from the crystalline samples grown in vacuum by the Bridgman process, with the maximum wavelength shifting to the red with increasing lattice parameter for the series Cs2NaMCl6:Eu2+ (M=Lu, Y, Eu).

Oxygen in GaAs - Direct and indirect effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gatos, H. C.; Skowronski, M.; Pawlowicz, L.; Lagowski, J.

1984-01-01

Oxygen has profound effects on the key electronic properties and point defects of GaAs crystals. Thus, when added in the growth system, it decreases the free electron concentration and enhances the concentration of deep donors in the resulting crystals. Both of these effects are highly beneficial for achieving semi-insulating material and have been utilized for that purpose. They have been attributed to the tendency of oxygen to getter silicon impurities during crystal growth. Only recently, it has been found that oxygen in GaAs introduces also a midgap level, ELO, with essentially the same activation energy as EL2 but with four times greater electron capture cross section. The present report reassesses the electrical and optical properties of the midgap levels in GaAs crystals grown by the horizontal Bridgman (HB) and the Czochralski-LEC techniques. Emphasis is placed on the identification of the specific effects of ELO.

Solar silicon via improved and expanded metallurgical silicon technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, L. P.; Dosaj, V. D.; Mccormick, J. R.

1977-01-01

A completed preliminary survey of silica sources indicates that sufficient quantities of high-purity quartz are available in the U.S. and Canada to meet goals. Supply can easily meet demand for this little-sought commodity. Charcoal, as a reductant for silica, can be purified to a sufficient level by high-temperature fluorocarbon treatment and vacuum processing. High-temperature treatment causes partial graphitization which can lead to difficulty in smelting. Smelting of Arkansas quartz and purified charcoal produced kilogram quantities of silicon having impurity levels generally much lower than in MG-Si. Half of the goal was met of increasing the boron resistivity from 0.03 ohm-cm in metallurgical silicon to 0.3 ohm-cm in solar silicon. A cost analysis of the solidification process indicate $3.50-7.25/kg Si for the Czochralski-type process and $1.50-4.25/kg Si for the Bridgman-type technique.

Opportunity for academic research in a low-gravity environment - Crystal growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matthiesen, D. H.; Wargo, M. J.; Witt, A. F.

1986-01-01

The history of basic and applied research on crystal growth (CG), especially of semiconductor materials, is reviewed, stressing the dominance (at least in the U.S.) of industrial R&D projects over academic programs and the need for more extensive fundamental investigations. The NASA microgravity research program and the recommendations of the University Space Research Association are examined as they affect the availability of space facilities for academic CG research. Also included is a report on ground experiments on the effectiveness of magnetic fields in controlling vertical Bridgman CG and melt stability, using the apparatus employed in the Apollo-Soyuz experiments (Witt et al., 1978); the results are presented in graphs and briefly characterized. The role of NASA's microgravity CG program in stimulating academic work on CG, the importance of convection effects, CG work on materials other than semiconductors, and NSF support of CG research are discussed in a comment by R. F. Sekerka.

Modified symplectic schemes with nearly-analytic discrete operators for acoustic wave simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shaolin; Yang, Dinghui; Lang, Chao; Wang, Wenshuai; Pan, Zhide

2017-04-01

Using a structure-preserving algorithm significantly increases the computational efficiency of solving wave equations. However, only a few explicit symplectic schemes are available in the literature, and the capabilities of these symplectic schemes have not been sufficiently exploited. Here, we propose a modified strategy to construct explicit symplectic schemes for time advance. The acoustic wave equation is transformed into a Hamiltonian system. The classical symplectic partitioned Runge-Kutta (PRK) method is used for the temporal discretization. Additional spatial differential terms are added to the PRK schemes to form the modified symplectic methods and then two modified time-advancing symplectic methods with all of positive symplectic coefficients are then constructed. The spatial differential operators are approximated by nearly-analytic discrete (NAD) operators, and we call the fully discretized scheme modified symplectic nearly analytic discrete (MSNAD) method. Theoretical analyses show that the MSNAD methods exhibit less numerical dispersion and higher stability limits than conventional methods. Three numerical experiments are conducted to verify the advantages of the MSNAD methods, such as their numerical accuracy, computational cost, stability, and long-term calculation capability.

Determination of total dietary fiber in selected foods containing resistant maltodextrin by a simplified enzymatic-gravimetric method and liquid chromatography: interlaboratory study in China.

PubMed

Fu, Boqiang; Wang, Jing; Roturier, Jean Michel; Tang, Zhiyu; Li, Huan; Wei, Guangyan

2008-01-01

An interlaboratory study was conducted in China to validate the modified AOAC Official Method 2001.03 for the determination of total dietary fiber (TDF) in foods containing resistant maltodextrin (RMD), which will be adopted as the National Standard Method of China. The kind of buffer solution, the volume of filtrate evaporation, the volume of eluent for desalting and residual solution after evaporation, etc. were modified, which had been proved to have acceptable accuracy and precision in the routine assay. TDF contents in 3 representative foods and 2 kinds of RMD ingredient (i.e., NUTRIOSE 06 and NUTRIOSE 10) were measured using the modified method in 6 eligible laboratories representing commercial, industrial, and governmental laboratories in China. The results of the interlaboratory study indicated that the intralaboratory repeatability, interlaboratory reproducibility, and precision of the modified method are adequate for reliable analysis of TDF in food containing RMD, as well as resistant dextrin. Compared to AOAC Official Method 2001.03, the modified method is time- and cost-saving.

Coherent spectroscopic methods for monitoring pathogens, genetically modified products and nanostructured materials in colloidal solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moguilnaya, T.; Suminov, Y.; Botikov, A.; Ignatov, S.; Kononenko, A.; Agibalov, A.

2017-01-01

We developed the new automatic method that combines the method of forced luminescence and stimulated Brillouin scattering. This method is used for monitoring pathogens, genetically modified products and nanostructured materials in colloidal solution. We carried out the statistical spectral analysis of pathogens, genetically modified soy and nano-particles of silver in water from different regions in order to determine the statistical errors of the method. We studied spectral characteristics of these objects in water to perform the initial identification with 95% probability. These results were used for creation of the model of the device for monitor of pathogenic organisms and working model of the device to determine the genetically modified soy in meat.

Analysis of a turbulent boundary layer over a moving ground plane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roper, A. T.; Gentry, G. L., Jr.

1972-01-01

Four methods of predicting the integral and friction parameters for a turbulent boundary layer over a moving ground plane were evaluated by using test information obtained in 76.2- by 50.8-centimeter tunnel. The tunnel was operated in the open sidewall configuration. These methods are (1) relative integral parameter method, (2) modified power law method, (3) relative power law method, and (4) modified law of the wall method. The modified law of the wall method predicts a more rapid decrease in skin friction with an increase in the ratio of belt velocity to free steam velocity than do methods (1) and (3).

A simple method to prepare magnetic modified beer yeast and its application for cationic dye adsorption.

PubMed

Yu, Jun-Xia; Wang, Li-Yan; Chi, Ru-An; Zhang, Yue-Fei; Xu, Zhi-Gao; Guo, Jia

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research is to use a simple method to prepare magnetic modified biomass with good adsorption performances for cationic ions. The magnetic modified biomass was prepared by two steps: (1) preparation of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) modified biomass in N, N-dimethylacetamide solution and (2) preparation of magnetic PMDA modified biomass by a situ co-precipitation method under the assistance of ultrasound irradiation in ammonia water. The adsorption potential of the as-prepared magnetic modified biomass was analyzed by using cationic dyes: methylene blue and basic magenta as model dyes. Optical micrograph and x-ray diffraction analyses showed that Fe(3)O(4) particles were precipitated on the modified biomass surface. The as-prepared biosorbent could be recycled easily by using an applied magnetic field. Titration analysis showed that the total concentration of the functional groups on the magnetic PMDA modified biomass was calculated to be 0.75 mmol g(-1) by using the first derivative method. The adsorption capacities (q(m)) of the magnetic PMDA modified biomass for methylene blue and basic magenta were 609.0 and 520.9 mg g(-1), respectively, according to the Langmuir equation. Kinetics experiment showed that adsorption could be completed within 150 min for both dyes. The desorption experiment showed that the magnetic sorbent could be used repeatedly after regeneration. The as-prepared magnetic modified sorbent had a potential in the dyeing industry wastewater treatment.

[Comparison of the quick Gram stain method to the B&M modified and favor methods].

PubMed

Osawa, Kayo; Kataoka, Nobumasa; Maruo, Toshio

2011-01-01

The Gram stain is an established method for bacterial identification, but the time needed to carry out this stain is 2-3 min. We attempted to shorten this time and stained a total of 70 clinical specimens isolated from using the Bartholomew & Mittwer (B&M) modified or Favor methods with a 3 s duration for washing and staining steps. Results were plotted and analyzed using a Hue Saturation Intensity (HSI) model. The range based on a plot of the two methods with the HSI model was presented as a reference interval. Our results indicated that 100% (35/35) of strains were Gram positive and 97.1% (34/35) were Gram negative for the quick B&M modified method. In the quick Favor method, 80.0% (28/35) were Gram positive and 68.6% (24/35) of strains were Gram negative. We propose that the quick B&M modified method is equivalent to the standard Gram staining method and is superior to the quick Favor method.

Improved lithium iodide neutron scintillator with Eu 2+ activation: The elimination of Suzuki-Phase precipitates

DOE PAGES

Boatner, Lynn A.; Comer, Eleanor P.; Wright, Gomez W.; ...

2017-02-21

Monovalent alkali halides such as NaI, CsI, and LiI are widely used as inorganic scintillators for radiation detection due to their light yield, the capability for the growth of large single crystals, relatively low cost, and other favorable characteristics. These materials are frequently activated through the addition of small amounts (e.g., a few hundred ppm) of elements such as thallium - or sodium in the case of CsI. The monovalent alkali halide scintillators can also be activated with low concentrations of Eu 2+, however Eu activation has previously not been widely employed due to the non-uniform segregation of the divalentmore » Eu dopant that leads to the formation of unwanted phases during Bridgman or other solidification crystal-growth methods. Specifically, for Eu concentrations near and above ~0.5%, Suzuki Phase precipitates form in the course of the melt-growth process, and these Suzuki Phase particles scatter the scintillation light. This adversely affects the scintillator performance via reduction in the optical transmission of the material, and depending on the crystal thickness and precipitated-particle concentration, this reduction can occur up to the point of opacity. Here we describe a post-growth process for the removal of Suzuki Phase precipitates from single crystals of the neutron scintillator LiI activated with Eu 2+ at concentrations up to and in excess of 3 wt.%, and we correlate the resulting neutron-detection performance with the thermal processing methods used to remove the Suzuki Phase particles. Furthermore, the resulting improved scintillator properties using increased Eu activator levels are applicable to neutron imaging and active interrogation systems, and pulse-height gamma-ray spectroscopy rather than pulse-shape discrimination can be used to discriminate between gamma ray and neutron interaction events.« less

Improved lithium iodide neutron scintillator with Eu2+ activation: The elimination of Suzuki-Phase precipitates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boatner, L. A.; Comer, E. P.; Wright, G. W.; Ramey, J. O.; Riedel, R. A.; Jellison, G. E.; Kolopus, J. A.

2017-05-01

Monovalent alkali halides such as NaI, CsI, and LiI are widely used as inorganic scintillators for radiation detection due to their light yield, the capability for the growth of large single crystals, relatively low cost, and other favorable characteristics. These materials are frequently activated through the addition of small amounts (e.g., a few hundred ppm) of elements such as thallium - or sodium in the case of CsI. The monovalent alkali halide scintillators can also be activated with low concentrations of Eu2+, however Eu activation has previously not been widely employed due to the non-uniform segregation of the divalent Eu dopant that leads to the formation of unwanted phases during Bridgman or other solidification crystal-growth methods. Specifically, for Eu concentrations near and above 0.5%, Suzuki Phase precipitates form in the course of the melt-growth process, and these Suzuki Phase particles scatter the scintillation light. This adversely affects the scintillator performance via reduction in the optical transmission of the material, and depending on the crystal thickness and precipitated-particle concentration, this reduction can occur up to the point of opacity. Here we describe a post-growth process for the removal of Suzuki Phase precipitates from single crystals of the neutron scintillator LiI activated with Eu2+ at concentrations up to and in excess of 3 wt%, and we correlate the resulting neutron-detection performance with the thermal processing methods used to remove the Suzuki Phase particles. The resulting improved scintillator properties using increased Eu activator levels are applicable to neutron imaging and active interrogation systems, and pulse-height gamma-ray spectroscopy rather than pulse-shape discrimination can be used to discriminate between gamma ray and neutron interaction events.

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

Boatner, Lynn A.; Comer, Eleanor P.; Wright, Gomez W.

Monovalent alkali halides such as NaI, CsI, and LiI are widely used as inorganic scintillators for radiation detection due to their light yield, the capability for the growth of large single crystals, relatively low cost, and other favorable characteristics. These materials are frequently activated through the addition of small amounts (e.g., a few hundred ppm) of elements such as thallium - or sodium in the case of CsI. The monovalent alkali halide scintillators can also be activated with low concentrations of Eu 2+, however Eu activation has previously not been widely employed due to the non-uniform segregation of the divalentmore » Eu dopant that leads to the formation of unwanted phases during Bridgman or other solidification crystal-growth methods. Specifically, for Eu concentrations near and above ~0.5%, Suzuki Phase precipitates form in the course of the melt-growth process, and these Suzuki Phase particles scatter the scintillation light. This adversely affects the scintillator performance via reduction in the optical transmission of the material, and depending on the crystal thickness and precipitated-particle concentration, this reduction can occur up to the point of opacity. Here we describe a post-growth process for the removal of Suzuki Phase precipitates from single crystals of the neutron scintillator LiI activated with Eu 2+ at concentrations up to and in excess of 3 wt.%, and we correlate the resulting neutron-detection performance with the thermal processing methods used to remove the Suzuki Phase particles. Furthermore, the resulting improved scintillator properties using increased Eu activator levels are applicable to neutron imaging and active interrogation systems, and pulse-height gamma-ray spectroscopy rather than pulse-shape discrimination can be used to discriminate between gamma ray and neutron interaction events.« less

Mercury Chalcohalide Semiconductor Hg 3Se 2Br 2 for Hard Radiation Detection

DOE PAGES

Li, Hao; Meng, Fang; Malliakas, Christos D.; ...

2016-09-28

We present Hg 3Se 2Br 2 that has a wide band gap semiconductor (2.22 eV) with high density (7.598 g/cm 3) and crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m with cell parameters of a = 17.496 (4) Å, b = 9.3991 (19) Å, c = 9.776(2) Å, β = 90.46(3)°, V = 1607.6(6) Å 3. It melts congruently at a low temperature, 566°C, which allows for an easy single crystal growth directly from the stoichiometric melt. Single crystals of Hg 3Se 2Br 2 up to 1 cm long have been grown using the Bridgman method. Hg 3Se 2Br 2 singlemore » crystals exhibit a strong photocurrent response when exposed to Ag X-ray and blue diode laser. The resistivity of Hg 3Se 2Br 2 measured by the two probe method is on the order of 10 11 Ω·cm, and the mobility-lifetime product (μτ) of the electron and hole carriers estimated from the energy spectroscopy under Ag X-ray radiation are (μτ) e ≈ 1.4 × 10 –4cm 2/V and (μτ) h ≈ 9.2 × 10 –5cm 2/V. Electronic structure calculations at the density functional theory level indicate a direct band gap and a relatively small effective mass for carriers. Lastly, on the basis of the photoconductivity and hard X-ray spectrum, Hg 3Se 2Br 2 is a promising candidate for X-ray and γ-ray radiation detection at room temperature.« less

Single crystal growth, electronic structure and optical properties of Cs2HgBr4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavrentyev, A. A.; Gabrelian, B. V.; Vu, V. T.; Shkumat, P. N.; Parasyuk, O. V.; Fedorchuk, A. O.; Khyzhun, O. Y.

2015-10-01

We report on successful synthesis of high-quality single crystal of cesium mercury tetrabromide, Cs2HgBr4, by using the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method as well as on studies of its electronic structure. For the Cs2HgBr4 crystal, we have recorded X-ray photoelectron spectra for both pristine and Ar+ ion-bombarded surfaces. Our data indicate that the Cs2HgBr4 single crystal surface is rather sensitive with respect to Ar+ ion-bombardment. In particular, such a treatment of the Cs2HgBr4 single crystal surface alters its elemental stoichiometry. To explore peculiarities of the energy distribution of total and partial densities of states within the valence band and the conduction band of Cs2HgBr4, we have made band-structure calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) employing the augmented plane wave+local orbitals (APW+lo) method as incorporated in the WIEN2k package. The APW+lo calculations allow for concluding that the Br 4p states make the major contributions in the upper portion of the valence band, while its lower portion is dominated by contributors of the Hg 5d and Cs 5p states. Further, the main contributors to the bottom of the conduction band of Cs2HgBr4 are the unoccupied Br p and Hg s states. In addition, main optical characteristics of Cs2HgBr4 such as dispersion of the absorption coefficient, real and imaginary parts of dielectric function, electron energy-loss spectrum, refractive index, extinction coefficient and optical reflectivity have been explored from the first-principles band-structure calculations.

[Preparation of chicken red blood cells for calibration of flow cytometry].

PubMed

Yin, Jian; Zhao, Shutao; Wu, Xiaodong; Wang, Ce; Wu, Yunliang

2013-01-01

To prepare stable chicken red blood cells for the calibration of flow cytometry. The traditional isolation method of chicken red blood cells was modified by incorporating gelatin technique, Ca2+-free HBSS treatment and low-speed centrifugation. The effect of fluorescence staining of the cells was improved by the addition of TritonX-100 to enhance the membrane permeability and Rnase enzymes to disintegrate RNA tiles. The modified method was compared with the traditional method for viability of the freshly isolated cells and the DNA content coefficient of variation (CV) of the fixed cells. Chicken red blood cells obtained by the modified method showed a significantly higher viability than those obtained by the traditional method [(98.5∓3.5)% vs (93.5∓2.7)%, P<0.05]. After glutaraldehyde fixation, the isolated cells with the modified method were stable during the 90-day preservation with a significantly lower CV than the cells obtained by the traditional method [(6.0∓0.3)% to 6.2∓0.4% vs (8.6∓0.5)% to (13.1∓1.4)%, P<0.01]. The chicken red blood cells isolated using the modified method can be applicable for calibration of flow cytometry.

A modified ion-selective electrode method for measurement of chloride in sweat.

PubMed

Finley, P R; Dye, J A; Lichti, D A; Byers, J M; Williams, R J

1978-06-01

A modified method of analysis of sweat chloride concentration with an ion-selective electrode is presented. The original method of sweat chloride analysis proposed by the Orion Research Corporation (Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139) is inadequate because it produces erratic and misleading results. The modified method was compared with the reference quantitative method of Gibson and Cooke. In the modified method, individual electrode pads are cut and placed in the electrodes rather than using the pads supplied by the company; pilocarpine nitrate (2,000 mg/l) is used in place of pilocarpine HCl (640 mg/l); sodium bicarbonate as the weak electrolyte is used instead of K2SO4. A 10-minute period for sweat accumulation is employed rather than a zero-time collection as in the original Orion method. The modification has been studied for reproducibility in individuals, reproducibility between right and left arm in individuals; it has been compared extensively with the quantitative method of Gibson and Cooke, both in normal individuals and in patients with cystic fibrosis. There is excellent agreement between the modified method and the quantitative reference method. There appears to be a slight bias toward higher concentrations of chloride from the right arm compared with the left arm, but this difference is not medically significant.

Age estimation by modified Demirjian's method (2004) and its applicability in Tibetan young adults: A digital panoramic study.

PubMed

Bijjaragi, Shobha C; Sangle, Varsha A; Saraswathi, F K; Patil, Veerendra S; Ashwini Rani, S R; Bapure, Sunil K

2015-01-01

Estimation of the age is a procedure adopted by anthropologists, archeologists and forensic scientists. Different methods have been undertaken. However none of them meet the standards as Demirjian's method since 1973. Various researchers have applied this method, in both original and modified form (Chaillet and Demirjian in 2004) in different ethnic groups and the results obtained were not satisfactory. To determine the applicability and accuracy of modified Demirjian's method of dental age estimation (AE) in 8-18 year old Tibetan young adults to evaluate the interrelationship between dental and chronological age and the reliability between intra- and inter observer relationship. Clinical setting and computerized design. A total of 300 Tibetan young adults with an age range from 8 to 18 years were recruited in the study. Digital panoramic radiographs (DPRs) were evaluated as per the modified Demirjian's method (2004). Pearson correlation, paired t-test, linear regression analysis. Inter -and intraobserver reliability revealed a strong agreement. A positive and strong association was found between chronological age and estimated dental age (r = 0.839) with P < 0.01. Modified Demirjian method (2004) overestimated the age by 0.04 years (2.04 months)in Tibetan young adults. Results suggest that, the modified Demirjian method of AE is not suitable for Tibetan young adults. Further studies: With larger sample size and comparision with different methods of AE in a given population would be an interesting area for future research.

Modified rubisco large subunit n-methyltransferase useful for targeting molecules to the active-site vicinity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate

DOEpatents

Houtz, Robert L [Lexington, KY

2012-03-20

The present invention generally relates to a modified Rubisco large subunit .sup..epsilon.N-Methyltransferase (Rubisco LSMT, or RLSMT). The present invention also relates to a modified RLSMT-carbonic anhydrase (RLSMT-CA). This modified RLSMT-CA improves the efficiency of the reduction of CO.sub.2 during photosynthesis, which may increase plant growth rates. The present invention also relates to nucleic acids encoding the modified RLSMT-CA or modified RLSMT. Also, the present invention relates to cells including the modified RLSMT-CA or modified RLSMT, plants containing the modified RLSMT-CA or modified RLSMT, and methods using compositions of the present invention. In addition, the present invention relates to antibodies conjugated to CA which may bind to Rubisco, and antibodies which bind a modified RLSMT-CA. The invention also relates to modified forms of the LS and SS of Rubisco where the modified forms are fusions with CA or biologically active fragments thereof. The present invention provides methods of altering Rubisco carboxylase activity and altering plant growth.

Chemically modified carbonic anhydrases useful in carbon capture systems

DOEpatents

Novick, Scott; Alvizo, Oscar

2013-01-15

The present disclosure relates to chemically modified carbonic anhydrase polypeptides and soluble compositions, homogenous liquid formulations comprising them. The chemically modified carbonic anhydrase polypeptides have improved properties relative to the same carbonic anhydrase polypeptide that is not chemically modified including the improved properties of increased activity and/or stability in the presence of amine compounds, ammonia, or carbonate ion. The present disclosure also provides methods of preparing the chemically modified polypeptides and methods of using the chemically modified polypeptides for accelerating the absorption of carbon dioxide from a gas stream into a solution as well as for the release of the absorbed carbon dioxide for further treatment and/or sequestering.

Chemically modified carbonic anhydrases useful in carbon capture systems

DOEpatents

Novick, Scott J; Alvizo, Oscar

2013-10-29

The present disclosure relates to chemically modified carbonic anhydrase polypeptides and soluble compositions, homogenous liquid formulations comprising them. The chemically modified carbonic anhydrase polypeptides have improved properties relative to the same carbonic anhydrase polypeptide that is not chemically modified including the improved properties of increased activity and/or stability in the presence of amine compounds, ammonia, or carbonate ion. The present disclosure also provides methods of preparing the chemically modified polypeptides and methods of using the chemically modified polypeptides for accelerating the absorption of carbon dioxide from a gas stream into a solution as well as for the release of the absorbed carbon dioxide for further treatment and/or sequestering.

Improved Butanol-Methanol (BUME) Method by Replacing Acetic Acid for Lipid Extraction of Biological Samples.

PubMed

Cruz, Mutya; Wang, Miao; Frisch-Daiello, Jessica; Han, Xianlin

2016-07-01

Extraction of lipids from biological samples is a critical step in lipidomics, especially for shotgun lipidomics where lipid extracts are directly infused into a mass spectrometer. The butanol-methanol (BUME) extraction method was originally developed to extract lipids from plasma samples with 1 % acetic acid. Considering some lipids are sensitive to acidic environments, we modified this protocol by replacing acetic acid with lithium chloride solution and extended the modified extraction to tissue samples. Although no significant reduction of plasmalogen levels in the acidic BUME extracts of rat heart samples was found, the modified method was established to extract various tissue samples, including rat liver, heart, and plasma. Essentially identical profiles of the majority of lipid classes were obtained from the extracts of the modified BUME and traditional Bligh-Dyer methods. However, it was found that neither the original, nor the modified BUME method was suitable for 4-hydroxyalkenal species measurement in biological samples.

Improved Butanol-Methanol (BUME) Method by Replacing Acetic Acid for Lipid Extraction of Biological Samples

PubMed Central

Cruz, Mutya; Wang, Miao; Frisch-Daiello, Jessica; Han, Xianlin

2016-01-01

Extraction of lipids from biological samples is a critical step in lipidomics, especially for shotgun lipidomics where lipid extracts are directly infused into a mass spectrometer. The butanol-methanol (BUME) extraction method was originally developed to extract lipids from plasma samples with 1% acetic acid. Considering some lipids are sensitive to acidic environments, we modified this protocol by replacing acetic acid with lithium chloride solution and extended the modified extraction to tissue samples. Although no significant reduction of plasmalogen levels in the acidic BUME extracts of rat heart samples was found, the modified method was established to extract various tissue samples, including rat liver, heart, and plasma. Essentially identical profiles of the majority of lipid classes were obtained from the extracts of the modified BUME and traditional Bligh-Dyer methods. However, it was found that neither the original, nor the modified BUME method was suitable for 4-hydroxyalkenal species measurement in biological samples. PMID:27245345

Laser ultrasonic investigations of vertical Bridgman crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queheillalt, Douglas Ted

The many difficulties associated with the growth of premium quality CdTe and (Cd,Zn)Te alloys has stimulated an interest in the development of a non-invasive ultrasonic approach to monitor critical growth parameters such as the solid-liquid interface position and shape during vertical Bridgman growth. This sensor methodology is based upon the recognition that in most materials, the ultrasonic velocity (and the elastic stiffness constants that control it) of the solid and liquid phases are temperature dependent and an abrupt increase of the longitudinal wave velocity occurs upon solidification. The laser ultrasonic approach has also been used to measure the ultrasonic velocity of solid and liquid Cd0.96Zn0.04Te as a function of temperature up to 1140°C. Using longitudinal and shear wave velocity values together with data for the temperature dependent density allowed a complete evaluation of the temperature dependent single crystal elastic stiffness constants for solid and the adiabatic bulk modulus for liquid Cd0.96Zn0.04 Te. It was found that the ultrasonic velocities exhibited a strong monotonically decreasing function of temperature in the solid and liquid phases and the longitudinal wave indicated an abrupt almost 50% decrease upon melting. Because ray propagation in partially solidified bodies is complex and defines the sensing methodology, a ray tracing algorithm has been developed to analyze two-dimensional wave propagation in the diametral plane of cylindrical solid-liquid interfaces. Ray path, wavefront and time-of-flight (TOF) projections for rays that travel from a source to an arbitrarily positioned receiver on the diametral plane have been calculated and compared to experimentally measured data on a model liquid-solid interface. The simulations and the experimental results reveal that the interfacial region can be identified from transmission TOF data and when used in conjunction with a nonlinear least squares reconstruction algorithm, the interface geometry (i.e. axial location and shape) can be precisely recovered and the ultrasonic velocities of both solid and liquid phases obtained. To gain insight into the melting and solidification process, a single zone VB growth furnace was integrated with the laser ultrasonic sensor system and used to monitor the melting-solidification and directional solidification characteristics of Cd0.96Zn 0.04Te.

Solute redistribution and constitutional supercooling effects in vertical Bridgman grown indium gallium antimonide by accelerated crucible rotation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, K. Juliet

The ternary alloy, InxGa1- xSb, is a compound semiconducting material of compositionally tunable bandgap (0.18 - 0.72 eV), making it desirable for use in photovoltaic, photodetector, and other opto-electronic devices in the infra-red regime. In the past, this material has proven to be difficult to synthesize in bulk due to the large phase separation between the constituent binaries. In this work, InxGa1-xSb has been grown in a state-of-the-art, computer-controlled system based on vertical Bridgman technique designed to allow crucible rotation during solidification of the material to reincorporate excess solute and improve material quality. Independent thermocouples allow for in situ monitoring and maintenance of the temperature to 0.2°C precision during crystal growth, reducing compositional inhomogeneities caused by temperature fluctuations. A series of experiments has been performed to evaluate the effect of accelerated crucible rotation technique (ACRT) on the structural quality and compositional homogeneity of bulk-grown InxGa 1-xSb for a starting melt composition of x = 0.25. A lowering rate of 3 mm/hr has been employed, for an overall cooling rate of 5.1°C/hr, which deliberately exceeds the threshold for constitutional supercooling. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been performed on samples of In0.18Ga0.82Sb revealing a 92% percent reduction in micro-cracking with the application of ACRT when compared to synthesis performed without rotation. Furthermore; electron probe microscopy (EPMA) indicates an order of magnitude improvement in compositional homogeneity in the direction of growth with the use of ACRT. Micro-cracking and compositional homogeneity throughout cross-sections of InxGa1-xSb material also indicate areas of improved mixing during solidification, which can be compared to existing models of fluid flow exhibited in ACRT. The boule synthesized with ACRT shows a decrease in compositional deviation of 62% in the first-to-freeze areas of the sample, indicating suppression of supercooling in areas identified as Ekman flow regions. Results also demonstrate evidence of "dead-zones" in the ACRT mixing in the extreme center of the material, which confirms computational models of ACRT-induced fluid flow above the Ekman shear layer.

Modified Right Heart Contrast Echocardiography Versus Traditional Method in Diagnosis of Right-to-Left Shunt: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Zeng, Jie; Yin, Lixue; Zhang, Mei; Hou, Dailun

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability, effectiveness, and safety of modified right heart contrast transthoracic echocardiography (cTTE) in comparison with the traditional method. We performed a modified right heart cTTE using saline mixed with a small sample of patient's own blood. Samples were agitated with varying intensity. This study protocol involved microscopic analysis and patient evaluation. 1. Microscopic analysis: After two contrast samples had been agitated 10 or 20 times, they underwent a comparison of bubble size, bubble number, and red blood cell morphology. 2. Patient analysis: 40 patients with suspected RLS (right- to-left shunt) were enrolled. All patients underwent right heart contrast echocardiography. Oxygen saturation, transit time and duration, presence of RLS, change in indirect bilirubin and urobilinogen concentrations were compared afterward. Modified method generated more bubbles (P<0.05), but the differences in bubble size were not significant (P>0.05). Twenty-four patients were diagnosed with RLS (60%) using the modified method compared to 16 patients (40%) with the traditional method. The transit time of ASb20 group was the shortest (P<0.05). However, the duration time in this group was much longer (P<0.05). Also, in semi-quantitative analysis mean rank of RLS was higher after injecting the modified contrast agent agitated 20 times (P<0.05). Modified right heart contrast echocardiography is a reliable, effective and safe method of detecting cardiovascular RLS.

Identification of ubiquitin/ubiquitin-like protein modification from tandem mass spectra with various PTMs

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Various solutions have been introduced for the identification of post-translational modification (PTM) from tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in proteomics field but the identification of peptide modifiers, such as Ubiquitin (Ub) and ubiquitin-like proteins (Ubls), is still a challenge. The fragmentation of peptide modifier produce complex shifted ion mass patterns in combination with other PTMs, which makes it difficult to identify and locate the PTMs on a protein sequence. Currently, most PTM identification methods do not consider the complex fragmentation of peptide modifier or deals it separately from the other PTMs. Results We developed an advanced PTM identification method that inspects possible ion patterns of the most known peptide modifiers as well as other known biological and chemical PTMs to make more comprehensive and accurate conclusion. The proposed method searches all detectable mass differences of measured peaks from their theoretical values and the mass differences within mass tolerance range are grouped as mass shift classes. The most possible locations of multiple PTMs including peptide modifiers can be determined by evaluating all possible scenarios generated by the combination of the qualified mass shift classes.The proposed method showed excellent performance in the test with simulated spectra having various PTMs including peptide modifiers and in the comparison with recently developed methods such as QuickMod and SUMmOn. In the analysis of HUPO Brain Proteome Project (BPP) datasets, the proposed method could find the ubiquitin modification sites that were not identified by other conventional methods. Conclusions This work presents a novel method for identifying bothpeptide modifiers that generate complex fragmentation patternsand PTMs that are not fragmented during fragmentation processfrom tandem mass spectra. PMID:22373085

Detection of Genetically Modified Food: Has Your Food Been Genetically Modified?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandner, Diana L.

2002-01-01

Explains the benefits and risks of genetically-modified foods and describes methods for genetically modifying food. Presents a laboratory experiment using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to detect foreign DNA in genetically-modified food. (Contains 18 references.) (YDS)

A Modified Jaeger's Method for Measuring Surface Tension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ntibi, J. Effiom-Edem

1991-01-01

A static method of measuring the surface tension of a liquid is presented. Jaeger's method is modified by replacing the pressure source with a variable pressure head. By using this method, stationary air bubbles are obtained thus resulting in controllable external parameters. (Author/KR)

Modified slanted-edge method for camera modulation transfer function measurement using nonuniform fast Fourier transform technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Yaxuan; Xu, Songbo; Yuan, Suochao; Chen, Yongquan; Li, Hongguang; Da, Zhengshang; Gao, Limin

2018-01-01

ISO 12233 slanted-edge method experiences errors using fast Fourier transform (FFT) in the camera modulation transfer function (MTF) measurement due to tilt angle errors in the knife-edge resulting in nonuniform sampling of the edge spread function (ESF). In order to resolve this problem, a modified slanted-edge method using nonuniform fast Fourier transform (NUFFT) for camera MTF measurement is proposed. Theoretical simulations for images with noise at a different nonuniform sampling rate of ESF are performed using the proposed modified slanted-edge method. It is shown that the proposed method successfully eliminates the error due to the nonuniform sampling of the ESF. An experimental setup for camera MTF measurement is established to verify the accuracy of the proposed method. The experiment results show that under different nonuniform sampling rates of ESF, the proposed modified slanted-edge method has improved accuracy for the camera MTF measurement compared to the ISO 12233 slanted-edge method.

Multicriteria Personnel Selection by the Modified Fuzzy VIKOR Method

PubMed Central

Alguliyev, Rasim M.; Aliguliyev, Ramiz M.; Mahmudova, Rasmiyya S.

2015-01-01

Personnel evaluation is an important process in human resource management. The multicriteria nature and the presence of both qualitative and quantitative factors make it considerably more complex. In this study, a fuzzy hybrid multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) model is proposed to personnel evaluation. This model solves personnel evaluation problem in a fuzzy environment where both criteria and weights could be fuzzy sets. The triangular fuzzy numbers are used to evaluate the suitability of personnel and the approximate reasoning of linguistic values. For evaluation, we have selected five information culture criteria. The weights of the criteria were calculated using worst-case method. After that, modified fuzzy VIKOR is proposed to rank the alternatives. The outcome of this research is ranking and selecting best alternative with the help of fuzzy VIKOR and modified fuzzy VIKOR techniques. A comparative analysis of results by fuzzy VIKOR and modified fuzzy VIKOR methods is presented. Experiments showed that the proposed modified fuzzy VIKOR method has some advantages over fuzzy VIKOR method. Firstly, from a computational complexity point of view, the presented model is effective. Secondly, compared to fuzzy VIKOR method, it has high acceptable advantage compared to fuzzy VIKOR method. PMID:26516634

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

Ruegg, Thomas Lawrence; Thelen, Michael P.

The present invention provides for a method of genetically modifying microorganisms to enhance resistance to ionic liquids, host cells genetically modified in accordance with the methods, and methods of using the host cells in a reaction comprising biomass that has been pretreated with ionic liquids.

26 CFR 1.448-2 - Nonaccrual of certain amounts by service providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...-experience method is not allowed. (3) Safe harbor 3: modified Black Motor method. A taxpayer may use a... accounts receivable balance at the end of the current taxable year by a percentage (modified Black Motor... modified Black Motor moving average percentage is computed by dividing the total bad debts sustained...

26 CFR 1.448-2 - Nonaccrual of certain amounts by service providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...-experience method is not allowed. (3) Safe harbor 3: modified Black Motor method. A taxpayer may use a... accounts receivable balance at the end of the current taxable year by a percentage (modified Black Motor... modified Black Motor moving average percentage is computed by dividing the total bad debts sustained...

26 CFR 1.448-2 - Nonaccrual of certain amounts by service providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...-experience method is not allowed. (3) Safe harbor 3: modified Black Motor method. A taxpayer may use a... accounts receivable balance at the end of the current taxable year by a percentage (modified Black Motor... modified Black Motor moving average percentage is computed by dividing the total bad debts sustained...

26 CFR 1.448-2 - Nonaccrual of certain amounts by service providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...-experience method is not allowed. (3) Safe harbor 3: modified Black Motor method. A taxpayer may use a... accounts receivable balance at the end of the current taxable year by a percentage (modified Black Motor... modified Black Motor moving average percentage is computed by dividing the total bad debts sustained...

Biofouling-resistant ceragenin-modified materials and structures for water treatment

DOEpatents

Hibbs, Michael; Altman, Susan J.; Jones, Howland D. T.; Savage, Paul B.

2013-09-10

This invention relates to methods for chemically grafting and attaching ceragenin molecules to polymer substrates; methods for synthesizing ceragenin-containing copolymers; methods for making ceragenin-modified water treatment membranes and spacers; and methods of treating contaminated water using ceragenin-modified treatment membranes and spacers. Ceragenins are synthetically produced antimicrobial peptide mimics that display broad-spectrum bactericidal activity. Alkene-functionalized ceragenins (e.g., acrylamide-functionalized ceragenins) can be attached to polyamide reverse osmosis membranes using amine-linking, amide-linking, UV-grafting, or silane-coating methods. In addition, silane-functionalized ceragenins can be directly attached to polymer surfaces that have free hydroxyls.

An evaluation of total starch and starch gelatinization methodologies in pelleted animal feed.

PubMed

Zhu, L; Jones, C; Guo, Q; Lewis, L; Stark, C R; Alavi, S

2016-04-01

The quantification of total starch content (TS) or degree of starch gelatinization (DG) in animal feed is always challenging because of the potential interference from other ingredients. In this study, the differences in TS or DG measurement in pelleted swine feed due to variations in analytical methodology were quantified. Pelleted swine feed was used to create 6 different diets manufactured with various processing conditions in a 2 × 3 factorial design (2 conditioning temperatures, 77 or 88°C, and 3 conditioning retention times, 15, 30, or 60 s). Samples at each processing stage (cold mash, hot mash, hot pelletized feed, and final cooled pelletized feed) were collected for each of the 6 treatments and analyzed for TS and DG. Two different methodologies were evaluated for TS determination (the AOAC International method 996.11 vs. the modified glucoamylase method) and DG determination (the modified glucoamylase method vs. differential scanning calorimetry [DSC]). For TS determination, the AOAC International method 996.11 measured lower TS values in cold pellets compared with the modified glucoamylase method. The AOAC International method resulted in lower TS in cold mash than cooled pelletized feed, whereas the modified glucoamylase method showed no significant differences in TS content before or after pelleting. For DG, the modified glucoamylase method demonstrated increased DG with each processing step. Furthermore, increasing the conditioning temperature and time resulted in a greater DG when evaluated by the modified glucoamylase method. However, results demonstrated that DSC is not suitable as a quantitative tool for determining DG in multicomponent animal feeds due to interferences from nonstarch transformations, such as protein denaturation.

PTFE-nanocomposites structure and wear-resistance changing in various methods of structural modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mashkov, Yu K.; Ruban, A. S.; Rogachev, E. A.; Chemisenko, O. V.

2018-01-01

Conditions of polymer materials usage containing nanoelements as modifiers significantly affect the requirements for their physic-mechanical and tribological properties. However, the mechanisms of nanoparticles effect to the polymers tribotechnical properties have not been studied enough. The article aim is to analyze the results of studying polytetrafluoroethylene modified with cryptocrystalline graphite and silicon dioxide and to determine the effectiveness of the modification methods used and methods for further improving filled PTFE mechanical and tribotechnical properties. The effect of modifiers to PCM supramolecular structure was analyzed with SEM methods. The results of modifying the PCM samples surface by depositing a copper film with ion-vacuum deposition methods and changing the structural-phase composition and tribological characteristics are considered. The findings make possible to characterize the physicochemical processes under frictional interaction in metal polymer tribosystems.

Standard setting: comparison of two methods.

PubMed

George, Sanju; Haque, M Sayeed; Oyebode, Femi

2006-09-14

The outcome of assessments is determined by the standard-setting method used. There is a wide range of standard-setting methods and the two used most extensively in undergraduate medical education in the UK are the norm-reference and the criterion-reference methods. The aims of the study were to compare these two standard-setting methods for a multiple-choice question examination and to estimate the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of the modified Angoff method. The norm-reference method of standard-setting (mean minus 1 SD) was applied to the 'raw' scores of 78 4th-year medical students on a multiple-choice examination (MCQ). Two panels of raters also set the standard using the modified Angoff method for the same multiple-choice question paper on two occasions (6 months apart). We compared the pass/fail rates derived from the norm reference and the Angoff methods and also assessed the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of the modified Angoff method. The pass rate with the norm-reference method was 85% (66/78) and that by the Angoff method was 100% (78 out of 78). The percentage agreement between Angoff method and norm-reference was 78% (95% CI 69% - 87%). The modified Angoff method had an inter-rater reliability of 0.81-0.82 and a test-retest reliability of 0.59-0.74. There were significant differences in the outcomes of these two standard-setting methods, as shown by the difference in the proportion of candidates that passed and failed the assessment. The modified Angoff method was found to have good inter-rater reliability and moderate test-retest reliability.

Stoichiometric Effects on the Photoelectric Properties of LiInSe 2 Crystals for Neutron Detection

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

Guo, Lijian; Xu, Yadong; Zheng, Hongjian

6LiInSe 2 is a promising semiconductor candidate for thermal neutron detection due to its large capture cross-section. However, the charge collection efficiency is still insufficient for high resolution for the grown-in defects induced by the stoichiometric deviation. In this work, we report photoelectric properties of stoichiometric LiInSe 2 crystal boules up to 70 mm in length and 20 mm in diameter grown by the vertical Bridgman method. Inductively coupled plasma measurements demonstrate that the ratio of Li, In, and Se of the as-grown crystal is very close to 1:1:2, which is optimized by low temperature synthesis processing. The obtained singlemore » crystals display high bulk resistivity in the range of 10 11–10 12 Ω·cm and a direct band gap of 2.01–2.83 eV with a changeable color from red to yellow. The electronic structure of LiInSe 2 was studied using first-principles density functional theory calculations, which predicts that the antisite defects of In Li and Li In are the dominant factor for the different crystal colors observed. The stoichiometric LiInSe 2 crystal gives an improved energy resolution, for a semiconductor detector when illuminated with a 241Am@5.48 MeV α source, of 23.3%. In conclusion, the electron mobility-lifetime product (μτ) is ~2.5 × 10 –5 cm 2 V –1.« less

Axisymmetry breaking instabilities of natural convection in a vertical bridgman growth configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelfgat, A. Yu.; Bar-Yoseph, P. Z.; Solan, A.

2000-12-01

A study of the three-dimensional axisymmetry-breaking instability of an axisymmetric convective flow associated with crystal growth from bulk of melt is presented. Convection in a vertical cylinder with a parabolic temperature profile on the sidewall is considered as a representative model. The main objective is the calculation of critical parameters corresponding to a transition from the steady axisymmetric to the three-dimensional non-axisymmetric (steady or oscillatory) flow pattern. A parametric study of the dependence of the critical Grashof number Gr cr on the Prandtl number 0⩽Pr⩽0.05 (characteristic for semiconductor melts) and the aspect ratio of the cylinder 1⩽ A⩽4 ( A=height/radius) is carried out. The stability diagram Grcr(Pr, A) corresponding to the axisymmetric — three-dimensional transition is reported for the first time. The calculations are done using the spectral Galerkin method allowing an effective and accurate three-dimensional stability analysis. It is shown that the axisymmetric flow in relatively low cylinders tends to be oscillatory unstable, while in tall cylinders the instability sets in due to a steady bifurcation caused by the Rayleigh-Benard mechanism. The calculated neutral curves are non-monotonous and contain hysteresis loops. The strong dependence of the critical Grashof number and the azimuthal periodicity of the resulting three-dimensional flow indicate the importance of a comprehensive parametric stability analysis in different crystal growth configurations. In particular, it is shown that the first instability of the flow considered is always three-dimensional.

Splitting Fermi Surfaces and Heavy Electronic States in Non-Centrosymmetric U3Ni3Sn4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurya, Arvind; Harima, Hisatomo; Nakamura, Ai; Shimizu, Yusei; Homma, Yoshiya; Li, DeXin; Honda, Fuminori; Sato, Yoshiki J.; Aoki, Dai

2018-04-01

We report the single-crystal growth of the non-centrosymmetric paramagnet U3Ni3Sn4 by the Bridgman method and the Fermi surface properties detected by de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) experiments. We have also investigated single-crystal U3Ni3Sn4 by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, magnetization, electrical resistivity, and heat capacity measurements. The angular dependence of the dHvA frequencies reveals many closed Fermi surfaces, which are nearly spherical in topology. The experimental results are in good agreement with local density approximation (LDA) band structure calculations based on the 5f-itinerant model. The band structure calculation predicts many Fermi surfaces, mostly with spherical shape, derived from 12 bands crossing the Fermi energy. To our knowledge, the splitting of Fermi surfaces due to the non-centrosymmetric crystal in 5f-electron systems is experimentally detected for the first time. The temperature dependence of the dHvA amplitude reveals a large cyclotron effective mass of up to 35 m0, indicating the heavy electronic state of U3Ni3Sn4 due to the proximity of the quantum critical point. From the field dependence of the dHvA amplitude, a mean free path of conduction electrons of up to 1950 Å is detected, reflecting the good quality of the grown crystal. The small splitting energy related to the antisymmetric spin-orbit interaction is most likely due to the large cyclotron effective mass.

Defect Engineering in SrI 2:Eu 2+ Single Crystal Scintillators

DOE PAGES

Wu, Yuntao; Boatner, Lynn A.; Lindsey, Adam C.; ...

2015-06-23

Eu 2+-activated strontium iodide is an excellent single crystal scintillator used for gamma-ray detection and significant effort is currently focused on the development of large-scale crystal growth techniques. A new approach of molten-salt pumping or so-called melt aging was recently applied to optimize the crystal quality and scintillation performance. Nevertheless, a detailed understanding of the underlying mechanism of this technique is still lacking. The main purpose of this paper is to conduct an in-depth study of the interplay between microstructure, trap centers and scintillation efficiency after melt aging treatment. Three SrI 2:2 mol% Eu2+ single crystals with 16 mm diametermore » were grown using the Bridgman method under identical growth conditions with the exception of the melt aging time (e.g. 0, 24 and 72 hours). Using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, it is found that the matrix composition of the finished crystal after melt aging treatment approaches the stoichiometric composition. The mechanism responsible for the formation of secondary phase inclusions in melt-aged SrI 2:Eu 2+ is discussed. Simultaneous improvement in light yield, energy resolution, scintillation decay-time and afterglow is achieved in melt-aged SrI 2:Eu 2+. The correlation between performance improvement and defect structure is addressed. The results of this paper lead to a better understanding of the effects of defect engineering in control and optimization of metal halide scintillators using the melt aging technique.« less

The Ni and Co substitutions in iron chalcogenide single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezusyy, V. L.; Gawryluk, D. J.; Malinowski, A.; Berkowski, M.; Cieplak, Marta Z.

2015-03-01

We study the ab-plane resistivity and Hall effect in Fe1-yMyTe0.65Se0.35 single crystals with M =Co or Ni, and y up to 0.2. The crystals are grown by Bridgman's method. The low-temperature Hall coefficient RH changes sign to negative for crystals with y exceeding 0.135 (Co) and 0.06 (Ni), consistent with the electron doping induced by these impurities. However, the RH remains positive for all samples at high T, suggesting that remnant hole pockets survive the doping, but the holes become localized at low T in heavily doped crystals. Superconducting transition temperature (Tc) approaches zero for y = 0.14 (Co), and 0.03 (Ni), while the resistivity at the Tc onset is only weakly affected by Co doping, but it increases strongly for the Ni. These results suggest that in case of Co impurity the Tc suppression may be attributed to electron doping. On the other hand, the Ni substitution, in addition to electron doping, induces strong localization effects at small impurity contents. Using two-band conduction model we argue that the localization of electron carriers is responsible for strong superconductivity suppression by Ni impurity. Supported by EC through the FunDMS Advanced Grant of the ERC (FP7 Ideas), by the Polish NCS Grant 2011/01/B/ST3/00462, and by the French-Polish Program PICS 2012. Performed in the laboratories co-financed by NanoFun Project POIG.02.02.00-00-025/09.

Single crystals of the fluorite nonstoichiometric phase Eu{0.916/2+}Eu{0.084/3+}F2.084 (conductivity, transmission, and hardness)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobolev, B. P.; Turkina, T. M.; Sorokin, N. I.; Karimov, D. N.; Komar'kova, O. N.; Sulyanova, E. A.

2010-07-01

The nonstoichiometric phase EuF2+ x has been obtained via the partial reduction of EuF3 by elementary Si at 900-1100°C. Eu{0.916/2+}Eu{0.084/3+}F2.084 (EuF2.084) single crystals have been grown from melt by the Bridgman method in a fluorinating atmosphere. These crystals belong to the CaF2 structure type (sp. gr. Fm bar 3 m) with the cubic lattice parameter a = 5.8287(2) Å, are transparent in the spectral range of 0.5-11.3 μm, and have microhardness H μ = 3.12 ± 0.13 GPa and ionic conductivity σ = 1.4 × 10-5 S/cm at 400°C with the ion transport activation energy E a = 1.10 ± 0.05 eV. The physicochemical characteristics of the fluorite phases in the EuF2 - EuF3 systems are similar to those of the phases in the SrF2 - EuF3 and SrF2 - GdF3 systems due to the similar lattice parameters of the EuF2 and SrF2 components. Europium difluoride supplements the list of fluorite components MF2 ( M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Cd, Pb), which are crystal matrices for nonstoichiometric (nanostructured) fluoride materials M 1 - x R x F2 + x ( R are rare earth elements).

Stoichiometric Effects on the Photoelectric Properties of LiInSe 2 Crystals for Neutron Detection

DOE PAGES

Guo, Lijian; Xu, Yadong; Zheng, Hongjian; ...

2018-04-16

6LiInSe 2 is a promising semiconductor candidate for thermal neutron detection due to its large capture cross-section. However, the charge collection efficiency is still insufficient for high resolution for the grown-in defects induced by the stoichiometric deviation. In this work, we report photoelectric properties of stoichiometric LiInSe 2 crystal boules up to 70 mm in length and 20 mm in diameter grown by the vertical Bridgman method. Inductively coupled plasma measurements demonstrate that the ratio of Li, In, and Se of the as-grown crystal is very close to 1:1:2, which is optimized by low temperature synthesis processing. The obtained singlemore » crystals display high bulk resistivity in the range of 10 11–10 12 Ω·cm and a direct band gap of 2.01–2.83 eV with a changeable color from red to yellow. The electronic structure of LiInSe 2 was studied using first-principles density functional theory calculations, which predicts that the antisite defects of In Li and Li In are the dominant factor for the different crystal colors observed. The stoichiometric LiInSe 2 crystal gives an improved energy resolution, for a semiconductor detector when illuminated with a 241Am@5.48 MeV α source, of 23.3%. In conclusion, the electron mobility-lifetime product (μτ) is ~2.5 × 10 –5 cm 2 V –1.« less

Crystal growth and dislocation etch pits observation of chalcopyrite CdSiP2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Zhiyu; Zhao, Beijun; Zhu, Shifu; Chen, Baojun; Huang, Wei; Lin, Li; Feng, Bo

2018-01-01

CdSiP2 is the only crystal that can offer Non-critical Phase Matching (NCPM) for a 1064 nm pumped optical parametric oscillation (OPO) with idler output in the 6 μm range. In this paper, a large, crack-free CdSiP2 single crystal measuring 18 mm in diameter and 65 mm in length was successfully grown by the Vertical Bridgman method (MVB) with an explosion-proof quartz ampoule. The results of lattice parameters, element composition and IR transmittance of the as-grown crystal characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) and Fourier transformation infrared spectrometer (FTIR) showed the as grown crystal crystallized well and the absorption coefficients at 4878 cm-1 and 2500 cm-1 were 0.14 cm-1 and 0.06 cm-1. Moreover, a new etchant composed of Br2, HCl, HNO3, CH3OH and H2O (1:800:800:400:400 in volume ratio) was prepared and the dislocation etch pits on oriented faces of as-grown CdSiP2 crystal were observed for the first time. It is found the etch pits are in rectangular structure on the (1 0 1) face, but in trigonal pyramid structure on (3 1 2) face. According to the quantities of the etch pits, the average densities of dislocation were evaluated to be 2.28 × 105/cm2 and 1.4 × 105/cm2, respectively.

Discovering body site and severity modifiers in clinical texts

PubMed Central

Dligach, Dmitriy; Bethard, Steven; Becker, Lee; Miller, Timothy; Savova, Guergana K

2014-01-01

Objective To research computational methods for discovering body site and severity modifiers in clinical texts. Methods We cast the task of discovering body site and severity modifiers as a relation extraction problem in the context of a supervised machine learning framework. We utilize rich linguistic features to represent the pairs of relation arguments and delegate the decision about the nature of the relationship between them to a support vector machine model. We evaluate our models using two corpora that annotate body site and severity modifiers. We also compare the model performance to a number of rule-based baselines. We conduct cross-domain portability experiments. In addition, we carry out feature ablation experiments to determine the contribution of various feature groups. Finally, we perform error analysis and report the sources of errors. Results The performance of our method for discovering body site modifiers achieves F1 of 0.740–0.908 and our method for discovering severity modifiers achieves F1 of 0.905–0.929. Discussion Results indicate that both methods perform well on both in-domain and out-domain data, approaching the performance of human annotators. The most salient features are token and named entity features, although syntactic dependency features also contribute to the overall performance. The dominant sources of errors are infrequent patterns in the data and inability of the system to discern deeper semantic structures. Conclusions We investigated computational methods for discovering body site and severity modifiers in clinical texts. Our best system is released open source as part of the clinical Text Analysis and Knowledge Extraction System (cTAKES). PMID:24091648

21 CFR 184.1063 - Enzyme-modified lecithin.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Enzyme-modified lecithin. 184.1063 Section 184... Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1063 Enzyme-modified lecithin. (a) Enzyme-modified... Lysolecithin Content of Enzyme-Modified Lecithin: Method I,” dated 1985, which is incorporated by reference in...

A directional entrapment modification on the polyethylene surface by the amphiphilic modifier of stearyl-alcohol poly(ethylene oxide) ether

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Qiang; Chen, Yi; Huang, Juexin; Huang, Jian; Wang, Xiaolin; Yao, Jiaying

2018-05-01

A novel entrapment modification method involving directional implantation of the amphiphilic modifier of stearyl-alcohol poly(ethylene oxide) ether (AEO) into the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) surface is proposed. This modification technique allows the AEO modifier to be able to spontaneously attain and subsequently penetrate into the swollen HDPE surface with its hydrophobic stearyl segment, while its hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) segment spontaneously points to water. The AEO modifier with a HLB number below 8.7 was proved appropriate for the directional entrapment, Nevertheless, AEOs with larger HLB numbers were also effective modifiers in the presence of salt additives. In addition, a larger and hydrophobic micelle, induced respectively by the AEO concentration above 1.3 × 10-2 mol/L and the entrapping temperature above the cloud point of AEO, could lead to a sharp contact angle decline of the modified surface. Finally, a hydrophilic HDPE surface with the modifier coverage of 38.9% was reached by the directional entrapment method, which is far larger than that of 19.2% by the traditional entrapment method.

A Diversity-Oriented Library of Fluorophore-Modified Receptors Constructed from a Chemical Library of Synthetic Fluorophores.

PubMed

Nakano, Shun; Tamura, Tomoki; Das, Raj Kumar; Nakata, Eiji; Chang, Young-Tae; Morii, Takashi

2017-11-16

The practical application of biosensors can be determined by evaluating the sensing ability of fluorophore-modified derivatives of a receptor with appropriate recognition characteristics for target molecules. One of the key determinants for successfully obtaining a useful biosensor is wide variation in the fluorophores attached to a given receptor. Thus, using a larger fluorophore-modified receptor library provides a higher probability of obtaining a practically useful biosensor. However, no effective method has yet been developed for constructing such a diverse library of fluorophore-modified receptors. Herein, we report a method for constructing fluorophore-modified receptors by using a chemical library of synthetic fluorophores with a thiol-reactive group. This library was converted into a library of fluorophore-modified adenosine-binding ribonucleopeptide (RNP) receptors by introducing the fluorophores to the Rev peptide of the RNP complex by alkylation of the thiol group. This method enabled the construction of 263 fluorophore-modified ATP-binding RNP receptors and allowed the selection of suitable receptor-based fluorescent sensors that target ATP. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Method of modifying a volume mesh using sheet extraction

DOEpatents

Borden, Michael J [Albuquerque, NM; Shepherd, Jason F [Albuquerque, NM

2007-02-20

A method and machine-readable medium provide a technique to modify a hexahedral finite element volume mesh using dual generation and sheet extraction. After generating a dual of a volume stack (mesh), a predetermined algorithm may be followed to modify the volume mesh of hexahedral elements. The predetermined algorithm may include the steps of determining a sheet of hexahedral mesh elements, generating nodes for merging, and merging the nodes to delete the sheet of hexahedral mesh elements and modify the volume mesh.

[The modified method registration of kinesthetic evoked potentials and its application for research of proprioceptive sensitivity disorders at spondylogenic cervical myelopathy].

PubMed

Gordeev, S A; Voronin, S G

2016-01-01

To analyze the efficacy of modified (passive radiocarpal articulation flexion/extension) and «standard» (passive radiocarpal articulation flexion) methods of kinesthetic evoked potentials for proprioceptive sensitivity assessment in healthy subjects and patients with spondylotic cervical myelopathy. The study included 14 healthy subjects (4 women and 10 men, mean age 54.1±10.5 years) and 8 patients (2 women and 6 men, mean age 55.8±10.9 years) with spondylotic cervical myelopathy. Muscle-joint sensation was examined during the clinical study. A modified method of kinesthetic evoked potentials was developed. This method differed from the "standard" one by the organization of a cycle including several passive movements,where each new movement differed from the preceding one by the direction. The modified method of kinesthetic evoked potentials ensures more reliable kinesthetic sensitivity assessment due to movement variability. Asignificant increaseof the latent periods of the early components of the response was found in patients compared to healthy subjects. The modified method of kinesthetic evoked potentials can be used for objective diagnosis of proprioceptive sensitivity disorders in patients with spondylotic cervical myelopathy.

Two-stage repair for severe proximal hypospadias using oral mucosal grafts: combination of a modified Bracka method and a modified Byars flap method.

PubMed

Mitsukawa, Nobuyuki; Saiga, Atsuomi; Akita, Shinsuke; Kubota, Yoshitaka; Kuriyama, Motone; Satoh, Kaneshige

2015-02-01

One-stage repair is a conventional treatment of hypospadias. If hypospadias is severe as in the scrotal type and perineal type, penile curvature sometimes cannot be corrected by dorsal midline plication alone. In addition to resection of the urethral plate, ventral grafting becomes necessary for insufficient skin and subcutaneous tissue. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in 2-stage repair for such severe cases and salvage of failed cases with scarring. In the present study, novel 2-stage urethroplasty was performed in 6 cases to repair severe proximal hypospadias which required resection of the urethral plate. This novel method consisted of a combination of a modified Bracka method using oral mucosal grafts and a modified Byars flap of the dorsal foreskin. Good results were obtained using this novel method.