Growth of electronically distinct manganite thin films by modulating cation stoichiometry

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

Ryu, Sangkyun; Lee, Joonhyuk; Ahn, Eunyoung

Nd 1-xSr xMnO 3 (NSMO) is a well-known manganite due to close connection between structure, transport, magnetism, and chemistry. Thus, it would be an ideal system to study modification of physical properties by external stimuli including control of stoichiometry in growth. In this work, we show that abrupt change of electronic and magnetic properties can be achieved by subtle change of oxygen partial pressure in pulsed laser deposition. Interestingly, the pressure indeed modulates cation stoichiometry. We clearly observed that the films grown at 150 mTorr and higher showed clear insulator to metal transition and stronger magnetism, commonly found in lessmore » hole doping, while the films grown at 130 mTorr and lower showed insulating behavior and weak magnetism. From soft x-ray spectroscopic methods, we clearly observed the compositional difference in those thin films. This result is further supported by scattering of lighter elements in high oxygen partial pressure but not by anion deficiency in growth.« less

Growth of electronically distinct manganite thin films by modulating cation stoichiometry

DOE PAGES

Ryu, Sangkyun; Lee, Joonhyuk; Ahn, Eunyoung; ...

2017-06-26

Nd 1-xSr xMnO 3 (NSMO) is a well-known manganite due to close connection between structure, transport, magnetism, and chemistry. Thus, it would be an ideal system to study modification of physical properties by external stimuli including control of stoichiometry in growth. In this work, we show that abrupt change of electronic and magnetic properties can be achieved by subtle change of oxygen partial pressure in pulsed laser deposition. Interestingly, the pressure indeed modulates cation stoichiometry. We clearly observed that the films grown at 150 mTorr and higher showed clear insulator to metal transition and stronger magnetism, commonly found in lessmore » hole doping, while the films grown at 130 mTorr and lower showed insulating behavior and weak magnetism. From soft x-ray spectroscopic methods, we clearly observed the compositional difference in those thin films. This result is further supported by scattering of lighter elements in high oxygen partial pressure but not by anion deficiency in growth.« less

Effect of rapid thermal annealing on nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films synthesized by swift heavy ion irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakurdesai, Madhavi; Kanjilal, D.; Bhattacharyya, Varsha

2012-08-01

Irradiation by swift heavy ions (SHI) is unique tool to synthesize nanocrystalline thin films. We have reported transformation of 100 nm thick amorphous films into nanocrystalline film due to irradiation by 100 MeV Ag ion beam. Oblate shaped nanoparticles having anatase phase of TiO2 were formed on the surface of the irradiated films. In the present investigation, these films are annealed at 350 °C for 2 min in oxygen atmosphere by Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) method. During RTA processing, the temperature rises abruptly and this thermal instability is expected to alter surface morphology, structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films. Thus in the present work, effect of RTA on SHI induced nanocrystalline thin films of TiO2 is studied. The effect of RTA processing on the shape and size of TiO2 nanoparticles is studied by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Glancing Angle X-ray Diffraction (GAXRD) studies are carried to investigate structural changes induced by RTA processing. Optical characterization is carried out by UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The changes observed in structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films after RTA processing are attributed to the annihilation of SHI induced defects.

Growth characteristics of nanocrystalline silicon films fabricated by using chlorinated precursors at low temperatures.

PubMed

Huang, Rui; Ding, Honglin; Song, Jie; Guo, Yanqing; Wang, Xiang; Lin, Xuanying

2010-11-01

We employed plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique to fabricate nanocrystalline Si films at a low temperature of 250 degrees C by using SiCl4 and H2 as source gases. The evolution of microstructure of the films with deposition periods shows that nanocrystalline Si can be directly grown on amorphous substrate at the initial growth process, which is in contrast to the growth behavior observed in the SiH4/H2 system. Furthermore, it is interesting to find that the area density of nanocrystalline Si as well as grain size can be controlled by modulating the concentration of SiCl4. By decreasing the SiCl4 concentration, the area density of nanocrystalline Si can be enhanced up to 10(11) cm(-2), while the grain size is shown to decrease down to 10 nm. It is suggested that Cl plays an important role in the low-temperature growth of nanocrystalline Si.

High oxygen nanocomposite barrier films based on xylan and nanocrystalline cellulose

Treesearch

Amit Saxena; Thomas J. Elder; Jeffrey Kenvin; Arthur J. Ragauskas

2010-01-01

The goal of this work is to produce nanocomposite film with low oxygen permeability by casting an aqueous solution containing xylan, sorbitol and nanocrystalline cellulose. The morphology of the resulting nanocomposite films was examined by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy which showed that control films containing xylan and sorbitol had a more...

Nanocrystalline SiC film thermistors for cryogenic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitin, V. F.; Kholevchuk, V. V.; Semenov, A. V.; Kozlovskii, A. A.; Boltovets, N. S.; Krivutsa, V. A.; Slepova, A. S.; Novitskii, S. V.

2018-02-01

We developed a heat-sensitive material based on nanocrystalline SiC films obtained by direct deposition of carbon and silicon ions onto sapphire substrates. These SiC films can be used for resistance thermometers operating in the 2 K-300 K temperature range. Having high heat sensitivity, they are relatively low sensitive to the magnetic field. The designs of the sensors are presented together with a discussion of their thermometric characteristics and sensitivity to magnetic fields.

Effect of chromium underlayer on the properties of nano-crystalline diamond films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, E.; AlFaify, S.; Yoshitake, T.; Katamune, Y.; Bowden, M.; Nandasiri, M.; Ghantasala, M.; Mancini, D. C.; Thevuthasan, S.; Kayani, A.

2013-01-01

This paper investigated the effect of chromium underlayer on the structure, microstructure, and composition of the nano-crystalline diamond films. Nano-crystalline diamond thin films were deposited at high temperature in microwave-induced plasma diluted with nitrogen, on single crystal silicon substrate with a thin film of chromium as an underlayer. Characterization of the film was implemented using non-Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure, x-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. Nanoindentation studies showed that the films deposited on chromium underlayer have higher hardness values compared to those deposited on silicon without an underlayer. Diamond and graphitic phases of the films evaluated by x-ray and optical spectroscopic analyses determined consistency between the sp2 and sp3 phases of carbon in chromium sample to that of diamond grown on silicon. Diffusion of chromium was observed using ion beam analysis which was correlated with the formation of chromium complexes by x-ray diffraction.

Stacking fault-mediated ultrastrong nanocrystalline Ti thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, K.; Zhang, J. Y.; Li, G.; Wang, Y. Q.; Cui, J. C.; Liu, G.; Sun, J.

2017-11-01

In this work, we prepared nanocrystalline (NC) Ti thin films with abundant stacking faults (SFs), which were created via partial dislocations emitted from grain boundaries and which were insensitive to grain sizes. By employing the nanoindentation test, we investigated the effects of SFs and grain sizes on the strength of NC Ti films at room temperature. The high density of SFs significantly strengthens NC Ti films, via dislocation-SF interactions associated with the reported highest Hall-Petch slope of ˜20 GPa nm1/2, to an ultrahigh strength of ˜4.4 GPa, approaching ˜50% of its ideal strength.

Electronic transport in mixed-phase hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wienkes, Lee Raymond

Interest in mixed-phase silicon thin film materials, composed of an amorphous semiconductor matrix in which nanocrystalline inclusions are embedded, stems in part from potential technological applications, including photovoltaic and thin film transistor technologies. Conventional mixed-phase silicon films are produced in a single plasma reactor, where the conditions of the plasma must be precisely tuned, limiting the ability to adjust the film and nanoparticle parameters independently. The films presented in this thesis are deposited using a novel dual-plasma co-deposition approach in which the nanoparticles are produced separately in an upstream reactor and then injected into a secondary reactor where an amorphous silicon film is being grown. The degree of crystallinity and grain sizes of the films are evaluated using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction respectively. I describe detailed electronic measurements which reveal three distinct conduction mechanisms in n-type doped mixed-phase amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films over a range of nanocrystallite concentrations and temperatures, covering the transition from fully amorphous to ~30% nanocrystalline. As the temperature is varied from 470 to 10 K, we observe activated conduction, multiphonon hopping (MPH) and Mott variable range hopping (VRH) as the nanocrystal content is increased. The transition from MPH to Mott-VRH hopping around 100K is ascribed to the freeze out of the phonon modes. A conduction model involving the parallel contributions of these three distinct conduction mechanisms is shown to describe both the conductivity and the reduced activation energy data to a high accuracy. Additional support is provided by measurements of thermal equilibration effects and noise spectroscopy, both done above room temperature (>300 K). This thesis provides a clear link between measurement and theory in these complex materials.

Physical Characterization of Orthorhombic AgInS2 Nanocrystalline Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Zawawi, I. K.; Mahdy, Manal A.

2017-11-01

Nanocrystalline thin films of AgInS2 were synthesized using an inert gas condensation technique. The grazing incident in-plane x-ray diffraction technique was used to detect the crystal structure of the deposited and annealed thin films. The results confirmed that the as-deposited film shows an amorphous behavior and that the annealed film has a single phase crystallized in an orthorhombic structure. The orthorhombic structure and particle size were detected using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The particle size ( P_{{s}}) estimated from micrograph images of the nanocrystalline films were increased from 6 nm to 12 nm as the film thickness increased from 11 nm to 110 nm. Accordingly, increasing the film thickness up to 110 nm reflects varying the optical band gap from 2.75 eV to 2.1 eV. The photocurrent measurements were studied where the fast rise and decay of the photocurrent are governed by the recombination mechanism. The electrical conductivity behavior was demonstrated by two transition mechanisms: extrinsic transition for a low-temperature range (300-400 K) and intrinsic transition for the high-temperature region above 400 K.

Effect Of Chromium Underlayer On The Properties Of Nano-Crystalline Diamond Films

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

Garratt, Elias; AlFaify, Salem; Yoshitake, T.

2013-01-11

This paper investigated the effect of chromium underlayer on the structure, microstructure and composition of the nano-crystalline diamond films. Nano-crystalline diamond thin films were deposited at high temperature in microwave-induced plasma diluted with nitrogen, on silicon substrate with a thin film of chromium as an underlayer. The composition, structure and microstructure of the deposited layers were analyzed using non-Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, Raman Spectroscopy, Near-Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure, X-ray Diffraction and Atomic Force Microscopy. Nanoindentation studies showed that the films deposited on chromium underlayer have higher hardness values compared to those deposited on silicon without an underlayer. Diamond and graphiticmore » phases of the films evaluated by x-ray and optical spectroscopic analysis determined consistency between sp2 and sp3 phases of carbon in chromium sample to that of diamond grown on silicon. Diffusion of chromium was observed using ion beam analysis which was correlated with the formation of chromium complexes by x-ray diffraction.« less

Nanocrystalline SnO2 formation by oxygen ion implantation in tin thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondkar, Vidya; Rukade, Deepti; Kanjilal, Dinakar; Bhattacharyya, Varsha

2018-03-01

Metallic tin thin films of thickness 100 nm are deposited on fused silica substrates by thermal evaporation technique. These films are implanted with 45 keV oxygen ions at fluences ranging from 5 × 1015 to 5 × 1016 ions cm-2. The energy of the oxygen ions is calculated using SRIM in order to form embedded phases at the film-substrate interface. Post-implantation, films are annealed using a tube furnace for nanocrystalline tin oxide formation. These films are characterized using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. XRD and Raman spectroscopy studies reveal the formation of single rutile phase of SnO2. The size of the nanocrystallites formed decreases with an increase in the ion fluence. The nanocrystalline SnO2 formation is also confirmed by UV-vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy.

Characterization of nanocrystalline ZnO:Al films by sol-gel spin coating method

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

Gareso, P. L., E-mail: pgareso@gmail.com; Rauf, N., E-mail: pgareso@gmail.com; Juarlin, E., E-mail: pgareso@gmail.com

2014-09-25

Nanocrystalline ZnO films doped with aluminium by sol-gel spin coating method have been investigated using optical transmittance UV-Vis and X-ray diffraction (X-RD) measurements. ZnO films were prepared using zinc acetate dehydrate (Zn(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}@@‡2H{sub 2}O), ethanol, and diethanolamine (DEA) as a starting material, solvent, and stabilizer, respectively. For doped films, AlCl{sub 3} was added to the mixture. The ZnO:Al films were deposited on a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) substrate using spin coating technique at room temperature with a rate of 3000 rpm in 30 sec. The deposited films were annealed at various temperatures from 400°C to 600°C during 60 minutes.more » The transmittance UV-Vis measurement results showed that after annealing at 400°C, the energy band gap profile of nanocrystalline ZnO:Al film was a blue shift. This indicated that the band gap of ZnO:Al increased after annealing due to the increase of crystalline size. As the annealing temperature increased the bandgap energy was a constant. In addition to this, there was a small oscillation occurring after annealing compared to the as–grown samples. In the case of X-RD measurements, the crystalinity of the films were amorphous before annealing, and after annealing the crystalinity became enhance. Also, X-RD results showed that structure of nanocrystalline ZnO:Al films were hexagonal polycrystalline with lattice parameters are a = 3.290 Å and c = 5.2531 Å.« less

Method for the preparation of nanocrystalline diamond thin films

DOEpatents

Gruen, Dieter M.; Krauss, Alan R.

1998-01-01

A method and system for manufacturing nanocrystalline diamond film on a substrate such as field emission tips. The method involves forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing a gas stream of argon, hydrocarbon and possibly hydrogen, and combining the gas with the carbonaceous vapor, passing the combined carbonaceous vapor and gas carrier stream into a chamber, forming a plasma in the chamber causing fragmentation of the carbonaceous vapor and deposition of a diamond film on the field emission tip.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Nanocrystalline silicon film growth morphology control through RF waveform tailoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Erik V.; Verbeke, Thomas; Vanel, Jean-Charles; Booth, Jean-Paul

2010-10-01

We demonstrate the application of RF waveform tailoring to generate an electrical asymmetry in a capacitively coupled plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition system, and its use to control the growth mode of hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin films deposited at low temperature (150 °C). A dramatic shift in the dc bias potential at the powered electrode is observed when simply inverting the voltage waveform from 'peaks' to 'troughs', indicating an asymmetric distribution of the sheath voltage. By enhancing or suppressing the ion bombardment energy at the substrate (situated on the grounded electrode), the growth of thin silicon films can be switched between amorphous and nanocrystalline modes, as observed using in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. The effect is observed at pressures sufficiently low that the collisional reduction in average ion bombardment energy is not sufficient to allow nanocrystalline growth (<100 mTorr).

Photoinduced metal-to-insulator transition in a manganite thin film.

PubMed

Takubo, N; Onishi, I; Takubo, K; Mizokawa, T; Miyano, K

2008-10-24

A persistent photoinduced metal-to-insulator transition has been confirmed in a manganite thin film, Pr_(0.55)(Ca_(0.75)Sr_(0.25))_(0.45)MnO3, near a multicritical point by monitoring with transport measurements and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Together with the previously reported reverse effect, the photoinduced insulator-to-metal transition, it is found that the relative stability of the metallic and insulating phases interchanges around 80 K in the middle of a very wide hysteresis loop, which is a manifestation of the large potential barrier due to the long-range elastic energy. It is shown that photons are much more effective in overcoming the barrier via the electronically excited intermediate states than via the heat mode.

Ultrahigh hardness and high electrical resistivity in nano-twinned, nanocrystalline high-entropy alloy films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huo, Wenyi; Liu, Xiaodong; Tan, Shuyong; Fang, Feng; Xie, Zonghan; Shang, Jianku; Jiang, Jianqing

2018-05-01

Nano-twinned, nanocrystalline CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy films were produced by magnetron sputtering. The films exhibit a high hardness of 8.5 GPa, the elastic modulus of 161.9 GPa and the resistivity as high as 135.1 μΩ·cm. The outstanding mechanical properties were found to result from the resistance of deformation created by nanocrystalline grains and nano-twins, while the electrical resistivity was attributed to the strong blockage effect induced by grain boundaries and lattice distortions. The results lay a solid foundation for the development of advanced films with structural and functional properties combined in micro-/nano-electronic devices.

Ultraviolet emission enhancement in ZnO thin films modified by nanocrystalline TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Gaige; Lu, Xi; Qian, Liming; Xian, Fenglin

2017-05-01

In this study, nanocrystalline TiO2 modified ZnO thin films were prepared by electron beam evaporation. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. The composition of the films was examined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The photoluminescent spectrum shows that the pure ZnO thin film exhibits an ultraviolet (UV) emission peak and a strong green emission band. Surface analysis indicates that the ZnO thin film contains many oxygen vacancy defects on the surface. After the ZnO thin film is modified by the nanocrystalline TiO2 layer, the UV emission of ZnO is largely enhanced and the green emission is greatly suppressed, which suggests that the surface defects such as oxygen vacancies are passivated by the TiO2 capping layer. As for the UV emission enhancement of the ZnO thin film, the optimized thickness of the TiO2 capping layer is ∼16 nm. When the thickness is larger than 16 nm, the UV emission of the ZnO thin film will decrease because the TiO2 capping layer absorbs most of the excitation energy. The UV emission enhancement in the nanocrystalline TiO2 modified ZnO thin film can be attributed to surface passivation and flat band effect.

Microwave plasma chemical synthesis of nanocrystalline carbon film structures and study their properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bushuev, N.; Yafarov, R.; Timoshenkov, V.; Orlov, S.; Starykh, D.

2015-08-01

The self-organization effect of diamond nanocrystals in polymer-graphite and carbon films is detected. The carbon materials deposition was carried from ethanol vapors out at low pressure using a highly non-equilibrium microwave plasma. Deposition processes of carbon film structures (diamond, graphite, graphene) is defined. Deposition processes of nanocrystalline structures containing diamond and graphite phases in different volume ratios is identified. The solid film was obtained under different conditions of microwave plasma chemical synthesis. We investigated the electrical properties of the nanocrystalline carbon films and identified it's from various factors. Influence of diamond-graphite film deposition mode in non-equilibrium microwave plasma at low pressure on emission characteristics was established. This effect is justified using the cluster model of the structure of amorphous carbon. It was shown that the reduction of bound hydrogen in carbon structures leads to a decrease in the threshold electric field of emission from 20-30 V/m to 5 V/m. Reducing the operating voltage field emission can improve mechanical stability of the synthesized film diamond-graphite emitters. Current density emission at least 20 A/cm2 was obtained. Nanocrystalline carbon film materials can be used to create a variety of functional elements in micro- and nanoelectronics and photonics such as cold electron source for emission in vacuum devices, photonic devices, cathodoluminescent flat display, highly efficient white light sources. The obtained graphene carbon net structure (with a net size about 6 μm) may be used for the manufacture of large-area transparent electrode for solar cells and cathodoluminescent light sources

Method for the preparation of nanocrystalline diamond thin films

DOEpatents

Gruen, D.M.; Krauss, A.R.

1998-06-30

A method and system are disclosed for manufacturing nanocrystalline diamond film on a substrate such as field emission tips. The method involves forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing a gas stream of argon, hydrocarbon and possibly hydrogen, and combining the gas with the carbonaceous vapor, passing the combined carbonaceous vapor and gas carrier stream into a chamber, forming a plasma in the chamber causing fragmentation of the carbonaceous vapor and deposition of a diamond film on the field emission tip. 40 figs.

Water-soluble nanocrystalline cellulose films with highly transparent and oxygen barrier properties.

PubMed

Cheng, Shaoling; Zhang, Yapei; Cha, Ruitao; Yang, Jinliang; Jiang, Xingyu

2016-01-14

By mixing a guar gum (GG) solution with a nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) dispersion using a novel circular casting technology, we manufactured biodegradable films as packaging materials with improved optical and mechanical properties. These films could act as barriers for oxygen and could completely dissolve in water within 5 h. We also compared the effect of nanocomposite films and commercial food packaging materials on the preservation of food.

Thermoluminescent properties of nanocrystalline ZnTe thin films: Structural and morphological studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajpal, Shashikant; Kumar, S. R.

2018-04-01

Zinc Telluride (ZnTe) is a binary II-VI direct band gap semiconducting material with cubic structure and having potential applications in different opto-electronic devices. Here we investigated the effects of annealing on the thermoluminescence (TL) of ZnTe thin films. A nanocrystalline ZnTe thin film was successfully electrodeposited on nickel substrate and the effect of annealing on structural, morphological, and optical properties were studied. The TL emission spectrum of as deposited sample is weakly emissive in UV region at ∼328 nm. The variation in the annealing temperature results into sharp increase in emission intensity at ∼328 nm along with appearance of a new peak at ∼437 nm in visible region. Thus, the deposited nanocrystalline ZnTe thin films exhibited excellent thermoluminescent properties upon annealing. Furthermore, the influence of annealing (annealed at 400 °C) on the solid state of ZnTe were also studied by XRD, SEM, EDS, AFM. It is observed that ZnTe thin film annealed at 400 °C after deposition provide a smooth and flat texture suited for optoelectronic applications.

Direct synthesis and characterization of optically transparent conformal zinc oxide nanocrystalline thin films by rapid thermal plasma CVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedersen, Joachim D.; Esposito, Heather J.; Teh, Kwok Siong

2011-10-01

We report a rapid, self-catalyzed, solid precursor-based thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition process for depositing a conformal, nonporous, and optically transparent nanocrystalline ZnO thin film at 130 Torr (0.17 atm). Pure solid zinc is inductively heated and melted, followed by ionization by thermal induction argon/oxygen plasma to produce conformal, nonporous nanocrystalline ZnO films at a growth rate of up to 50 nm/min on amorphous and crystalline substrates including Si (100), fused quartz, glass, muscovite, c- and a-plane sapphire (Al2O3), gold, titanium, and polyimide. X-ray diffraction indicates the grains of as-deposited ZnO to be highly textured, with the fastest growth occurring along the c-axis. The individual grains are observed to be faceted by (103) planes which are the slowest growth planes. ZnO nanocrystalline films of nominal thicknesses of 200 nm are deposited at substrate temperatures of 330°C and 160°C on metal/ceramic substrates and polymer substrates, respectively. In addition, 20-nm- and 200-nm-thick films are also deposited on quartz substrates for optical characterization. At optical spectra above 375 nm, the measured optical transmittance of a 200-nm-thick ZnO film is greater than 80%, while that of a 20-nm-thick film is close to 100%. For a 200-nm-thick ZnO film with an average grain size of 100 nm, a four-point probe measurement shows electrical conductivity of up to 910 S/m. Annealing of 200-nm-thick ZnO films in 300 sccm pure argon at temperatures ranging from 750°C to 950°C (at homologous temperatures between 0.46 and 0.54) alters the textures and morphologies of the thin film. Based on scanning electron microscope images, higher annealing temperatures appear to restructure the ZnO nanocrystalline films to form nanorods of ZnO due to a combination of grain boundary diffusion and bulk diffusion. PACS: films and coatings, 81.15.-z; nanocrystalline materials, 81.07.Bc; II-VI semiconductors, 81.05.Dz.

Structural, optical and photo-catalytic activity of nanocrystalline NiO thin films

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

Al-Ghamdi, Attieh A.; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh., E-mail: mshabaan90@yahoo.com; Materials Science and Nanotechnology Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef

2016-03-15

Highlights: • Synthesis of nanocrystalline NiO thin films with different thicknesses using DC magnetron sputtering technique. • Effect of film thickness and particle size on photo-catalytic degradation of methyl green dye under UV light was studied. • The deposited NiO thin films are efficient, stable and possess high photo-catalytic activity upon reuse. - Abstract: Physical deposition of nanocrystalline nickel oxide (NiO) thin films with different thickness 30, 50 and 80 nm have been done on glass substrate by DC magnetron sputtering technique and varying the deposition time from 600, 900 to 1200 s. The results of surface morphology and opticalmore » characterization of these films obtained using different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), photoluminescence (PL) and UV–vis spectrophotometry provide important information like formation of distinct nanostructures in different films and its effect on their optical band gap which has decreased from 3.74 to 3.37 eV as the film thickness increases. Most importantly these films have shown very high stability and a specialty to be recycled without much loss of their photo-catalytic activity, when tested as photo-catalysts for the degradation of methyl green dye (MG) from the wastewater under the exposure of 18 W energy of UV lamp.« less

Two-dimensional La2/3Sr4/3MnO4 Manganite Films Probed by Epitaxial Strain and Cation Ordering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson-Cheeseman, Brittany; Santos, Tiffany; Bhattacharya, Anand

2010-03-01

Dimensionality is known to play a central role in the properties of strongly correlated systems. Here we investigate magnetism and transport in thin films of the Ruddlesden-Popper n=1 phase, La1-xSr1+xMnO4. Within this material, the MnO6-octahedra form two-dimensional perovskite sheets separated by an extra rocksalt layer. By fabricating high quality thin films with ozone-assisted molecular beam epitaxy, we study how the effects of epitaxial strain and intentional cation ordering, known as digital synthesis, influence the properties of this 2-dimensional manganite. For example, at the same Mn^3+:Mn^4+ ratio (2:1) as its fully spin-polarized 3D manganite counterpart, this two dimensional analog at x=1/3 only displays a spin glass phase below 20K in bulk. This is believed to result from a competition between superexchange and double exchange, as well as disordered Jahn-Teller distortions. However, in our films we find weak ferromagnetic order up to much higher temperatures in addition to a low temperature spin glass phase. We will discuss how strain and cation order effect the presence of this weak ferromagnetism.

Nano-Crystalline Diamond Films with Pineapple-Like Morphology Grown by the DC Arcjet vapor Deposition Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bin; Zhang, Qin-Jian; Shi, Yan-Chao; Li, Jia-Jun; Li, Hong; Lu, Fan-Xiu; Chen, Guang-Chao

2014-08-01

A nano-crystlline diamond film is grown by the dc arcjet chemical vapor deposition method. The film is characterized by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra, respectively. The nanocrystalline grains are averagely with 80 nm in the size measured by XRD, and further proven by Raman and HRTEM. The observed novel morphology of the growth surface, pineapple-like morphology, is constructed by cubo-octahedral growth zones with a smooth faceted top surface and coarse side surfaces. The as-grown film possesses (100) dominant surface containing a little amorphous sp2 component, which is far different from the nano-crystalline film with the usual cauliflower-like morphology.

Research progress on electronic phase separation in low-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Perovskite oxide manganites with a general formula of R1-x AxMnO3 (where R is a trivalent rare-earth element such as La, Pr, Sm, and A is a divalent alkaline-earth element such as Ca, Sr, and Ba) have received much attention due to their unusual electron-transport and magnetic properties, which are indispensable for applications in microelectronic, magnetic, and spintronic devices. Recent advances in the science and technology have resulted in the feature sizes of microelectronic devices based on perovskite manganite oxides down-scaling into nanoscale dimensions. At the nanoscale, low-dimensional perovskite manganite oxide nanostructures display novel physical properties that are different from their bulk and film counterparts. Recently, there is strong experimental evidence to indicate that the low-dimensional perovskite manganite oxide nanostructures are electronically inhomogeneous, consisting of different spatial regions with different electronic orders, a phenomenon that is named as electronic phase separation (EPS). As the geometry sizes of the low-dimensional manganite nanostructures are reduced to the characteristic EPS length scale (typically several tens of nanometers in manganites), the EPS is expected to be strongly modulated, leading to quite dramatic changes in functionality and more emergent phenomena. Therefore, reduced dimensionality opens a door to the new functionalities in perovskite manganite oxides and offers a way to gain new insight into the nature of EPS. During the past few years, much progress has been made in understanding the physical nature of the EPS in low-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures both from experimentalists and theorists, which have a profound impact on the oxide nanoelectronics. This nanoreview covers the research progresses of the EPS in low-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures such as nanoparticles, nanowires/nanotubes, and nanostructured films and/or patterns. The possible physical origins of the

Nanocrystalline silicon thin films and grating structures for solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juneja, Sucheta; Sudhakar, Selvakumar; Khonina, Svetlana N.; Skidanov, Roman V.; Porfirevb, Alexey P.; Moissev, Oleg Y.; Kazanskiy, Nikolay L.; Kumar, Sushil

2016-03-01

Enhancement of optical absorption for achieving high efficiencies in thin film silicon solar cells is a challenge task. Herein, we present the use of grating structure for the enhancement of optical absorption. We have made grating structures and same can be integrated in hydrogenated micro/nanocrystalline silicon (μc/nc-Si: H) thin films based p-i-n solar cells. μc/nc-Si: H thin films were grown using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. Grating structures integrated with μc/nc-Si: H thin film solar cells may enhance the optical path length and reduce the reflection losses and its characteristics can be probed by spectroscopic and microscopic technique with control design and experiment.

Magnetic and Transport Properties of Heterostructured Films of Prussian Blue Analogues and Manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quintero, P. A.; Jeen, H.; Knowles, E. S.; Biswas, A.; Meisel, M. W.; Andrus, M. J.; Talham, D. R.

2011-03-01

The magnetic and transport properties of heterostructured films consisting of Prussian blue analogues, Aj M' k [M(CN)6 ]l . n H2 O (M' M-PBA), where A is an alkali ion and M' ,M are transition metals, and manganites have been studied. Specifically, NiCr-PBA and CoFe-PBA films of ~ 100 ~nm thickness have been deposited on perovskite (La 1-y Pr y)0.67 Ca 0.33 Mn O3 (LPCMO) manganese films of ~ 30 ~nm thickness. The effect of the ferromagnetic NiCr-PBA, Tc ~ 70 ~K, and the photo-controllable ferrimagnetic CoFe-PBA, Tc ~ 20 ~K, on the I-V properties of the LPCMO will be reported, where special attention will be given to the changes of the transition temperatures of the ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) and the charge-ordered insulating (COI) phases in the LPCMO substrate. ** Supported by NSF DMR-0701400 (MWM), DMR-0804452 (AB), DMR-1005581 (DRT), DMR-0654118 (NHMFL), and by scholarship from the Organization of American States (PAQ). D.M.~Pajerowski et al., J.~Am.~Chem. Soc. 132 (2010) 4058.

From amorphous to nanocrystalline: the effect of nanograins in amorphous matrix on the thermal conductivity of hot-wire chemical-vapor deposited silicon films

DOE PAGES

Kearney, B. T.; Jugdersuren, B.; Queen, D. R.; ...

2017-12-28

Here, we have measured the thermal conductivity of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon films with varying crystalline content from 85K to room temperature. The films were prepared by the hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition, where the crystalline volume fraction is determined by the hydrogen (H2) dilution ratio to the processing silane gas (SiH4), R=H2/SiH4. We varied R from 1 to 10, where the films transform from amorphous for R < 3 to mostly nanocrystalline for larger R. Structural analyses show that the nanograins, averaging from 2 to 9nm in sizes with increasing R, are dispersed in the amorphous matrix. The crystalline volume fractionmore » increases from 0 to 65% as R increases from 1 to 10. The thermal conductivities of the two amorphous silicon films are similar and consistent with the most previous reports with thicknesses no larger than a few um deposited by a variety of techniques. The thermal conductivities of the three nanocrystalline silicon films are also similar, but are about 50-70% higher than those of their amorphous counterparts. The heat conduction in nanocrystalline silicon films can be understood as the combined contribution in both amorphous and nanocrystalline phases, where increased conduction through improved nanocrystalline percolation path outweighs increased interface scattering between silicon nanocrystals and the amorphous matrix.« less

From amorphous to nanocrystalline: the effect of nanograins in amorphous matrix on the thermal conductivity of hot-wire chemical-vapor deposited silicon films

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

Kearney, B. T.; Jugdersuren, B.; Queen, D. R.

Here, we have measured the thermal conductivity of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon films with varying crystalline content from 85K to room temperature. The films were prepared by the hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition, where the crystalline volume fraction is determined by the hydrogen (H2) dilution ratio to the processing silane gas (SiH4), R=H2/SiH4. We varied R from 1 to 10, where the films transform from amorphous for R < 3 to mostly nanocrystalline for larger R. Structural analyses show that the nanograins, averaging from 2 to 9nm in sizes with increasing R, are dispersed in the amorphous matrix. The crystalline volume fractionmore » increases from 0 to 65% as R increases from 1 to 10. The thermal conductivities of the two amorphous silicon films are similar and consistent with the most previous reports with thicknesses no larger than a few um deposited by a variety of techniques. The thermal conductivities of the three nanocrystalline silicon films are also similar, but are about 50-70% higher than those of their amorphous counterparts. The heat conduction in nanocrystalline silicon films can be understood as the combined contribution in both amorphous and nanocrystalline phases, where increased conduction through improved nanocrystalline percolation path outweighs increased interface scattering between silicon nanocrystals and the amorphous matrix.« less

Mueller matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry study of chiral nanocrystalline cellulose films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza-Galván, Arturo; Muñoz-Pineda, Eloy; Ribeiro, Sidney J. L.; Santos, Moliria V.; Järrendahl, Kenneth; Arwin, Hans

2018-02-01

Chiral nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) free-standing films were prepared through slow evaporation of aqueous suspensions of cellulose nanocrystals in a nematic chiral liquid crystal phase. Mueller matrix (MM) spectroscopic ellipsometry is used to study the polarization and depolarization properties of the chiral films. In the reflection mode, the MM is similar to the matrices reported for the cuticle of some beetles reflecting near circular left-handed polarized light in the visible range. The polarization properties of light transmitted at normal incidence for different polarization states of incident light are discussed. By using a differential decomposition of the MM, the structural circular birefringence and dichroism of a NCC chiral film are evaluated.

Exciton-polariton state in nanocrystalline SiC films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenov, A. V.; Lopin, A. V.

2016-05-01

We studied the features of optical absorption in the films of nanocrystalline SiC (nc-SiC) obtained on the sapphire substrates by the method of direct ion deposition. The optical absorption spectra of the films with a thickness less than ~500 nm contain a maximum which position and intensity depend on the structure and thickness of the nc-SiC films. The most intense peak at 2.36 eV is observed in the nc-SiC film with predominant 3C-SiC polytype structure and a thickness of 392 nm. Proposed is a resonance absorption model based on excitation of exciton polaritons in a microcavity. In the latter, under the conditions of resonance, there occurs strong interaction between photon modes of light with λph=521 nm and exciton of the 3С polytype with an excitation energy of 2.36 eV that results in the formation of polariton. A mismatch of the frequencies of photon modes of the cavity and exciton explains the dependence of the maximum of the optical absorption on the film thickness.

Characterization of doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon films prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jin-Liang; Wu, Er-Xing

2007-03-01

The B- and P-doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon films (nc-Si:H) are prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The microstructures of doped nc-Si:H films are carefully and systematically characterized by using high resolution electron microscopy (HREM), Raman scattering, x-ray diffraction (XRD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and resonant nucleus reaction (RNR). The results show that as the doping concentration of PH3 increases, the average grain size (d) tends to decrease and the crystalline volume percentage (Xc) increases simultaneously. For the B-doped samples, as the doping concentration of B2H6 increases, no obvious change in the value of d is observed, but the value of Xc is found to decrease. This is especially apparent in the case of heavy B2H6 doped samples, where the films change from nanocrystalline to amorphous.

Films prepared from electrosterically stabilized nanocrystalline cellulose.

PubMed

Yang, Han; Tejado, Alvaro; Alam, Nur; Antal, Miro; van de Ven, Theo G M

2012-05-22

Electrosterically stabilized nanocrystalline cellulose (ENCC) was modified in three ways: (1) the hydroxyl groups on C2 and C3 of glucose repeat units of ENCC were converted to aldehyde groups by periodate oxidation to various extents; (2) the carboxyl groups in the sodium form on ENCC were converted to the acid form by treating them with an acid-type ion-exchange resin; and (3) ENCC was cross-linked in two different ways by employing adipic dihydrazide as a cross-linker and water-soluble 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylaminopropyl)] carbodiimide as a carboxyl-activating agent. Films were prepared from these modified ENCC suspensions by vacuum filtration. The effects of these three modifications on the properties of films were investigated by a variety of techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy, a tensile test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), and contact angle (CA) studies. On the basis of the results from UV spectra, the transmittance of these films was as high as 87%, which shows them to be highly transparent. The tensile strength of these films was increased with increasing aldehyde content. From TGA and WVTR experiments, cross-linked films showed much higher thermal stability and lower water permeability. Furthermore, although the original cellulose is hydrophilic, these films also exhibited a certain hydrophobic behavior. Films treated by trichloromethylsilane become superhydrophobic. The unique characteristics of these transparent films are very promising for potential applications in flexible packaging and other high-technology products.

Field electron emission enhancement in lithium implanted and annealed nitrogen-incorporated nanocrystalline diamond films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankaran, K. J.; Srinivasu, K.; Yeh, C. J.; Thomas, J. P.; Drijkoningen, S.; Pobedinskas, P.; Sundaravel, B.; Leou, K. C.; Leung, K. T.; Van Bael, M. K.; Schreck, M.; Lin, I. N.; Haenen, K.

2017-06-01

The field electron emission (FEE) properties of nitrogen-incorporated nanocrystalline diamond films were enhanced due to Li-ion implantation/annealing processes. Li-ion implantation mainly induced the formation of electron trap centers inside diamond grains, whereas post-annealing healed the defects and converted the a-C phase into nanographite, forming conduction channels for effective transport of electrons. This resulted in a high electrical conductivity of 11.0 S/cm and enhanced FEE performance with a low turn-on field of 10.6 V/μm, a high current density of 25.5 mA/cm2 (at 23.2 V/μm), and a high lifetime stability of 1,090 min for nitrogen incorporated nanocrystalline diamond films.

Initial stage corrosion of nanocrystalline copper particles and thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Weimin

1997-12-01

Corrosion behavior is an important issue in nanocrystalline materials research and development. A very fine grain size is expected to have significant effects on the corrosion resistance of these novel materials. However, both the macroscopic corrosion properties and the corresponding structure evolution during corrosion have not been fully studied. Under such circumstances, conducting fundamental research in this area is important and necessary. In this study, high purity nanocrystalline and coarse-grained copper were selected as our sample material, sodium nitrite aqueous solution at room temperature and air at a high temperature were employed as corrosive environments. The weight loss testing and electrochemical methods were used to obtain the macroscopic corrosion properties, whereas the high resolution transmission electron microscope was employed for the structure analysis. The weight loss tests indicate that the corrosion rate of nanocrystalline copper is about 5 times higher than that of coarse-grained copper at the initial stage of corrosion. The electrochemical measurements show that the corrosion potential of the nanocrystalline copper has a 230 mV negative shift in comparison with that of the coarse-grained copper. The nanocrystalline copper also exhibits a significantly higher exchange current density than the coarse-grained copper. High resolution TEM revealed that the surface structure changes at the initial stage of corrosion. It was found that the first copper oxide layer formed on the surface of nanocrystalline copper thin film contains a large density of high angle grain boundaries, whereas that formed on the surface of coarse-grained copper shows highly oriented oxide nuclei and appears to show a strong tendency for forming low angle grain boundaries. A correlation between the macroscopic corrosion properties and the structure characteristics is proposed for the nanocrystalline copper based on the concept of the "apparent" exchange current

Coexistence of colossal stress and texture gradients in sputter deposited nanocrystalline ultra-thin metal films

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

Kuru, Yener; Welzel, Udo; Mittemeijer, Eric J.

2014-12-01

This paper demonstrates experimentally that ultra-thin, nanocrystalline films can exhibit coexisting colossal stress and texture depth gradients. Their quantitative determination is possible by X-ray diffraction experiments. Whereas a uniform texture by itself is known to generally cause curvature in so-called sin{sup 2}ψ plots, it is shown that the combined action of texture and stress gradients provides a separate source of curvature in sin{sup 2}ψ plots (i.e., even in cases where a uniform texture does not induce such curvature). On this basis, the texture and stress depth profiles of a nanocrystalline, ultra-thin (50 nm) tungsten film could be determined.

Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) reinforced alginate based biodegradable nanocomposite film.

PubMed

Huq, Tanzina; Salmieri, Stephane; Khan, Avik; Khan, Ruhul A; Le Tien, Canh; Riedl, Bernard; Fraschini, Carole; Bouchard, Jean; Uribe-Calderon, Jorge; Kamal, Musa R; Lacroix, Monique

2012-11-06

Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) reinforced alginate-based nanocomposite film was prepared by solution casting. The NCC content in the matrix was varied from 1 to 8% ((w/w) % dry matrix). It was found that the nanocomposite reinforced with 5 wt% NCC content exhibits the highest tensile strength which was increased by 37% compared to the control. Incorporation of NCC also significantly improved water vapor permeability (WVP) of the nanocomposite showing a 31% decrease due to 5 wt% NCC loading. Molecular interactions between alginate and NCC were supported by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction studies also confirmed the appearance of crystalline peaks due to the presence of NCC inside the films. Thermal stability of alginate-based nanocomposite films was improved after incorporation of NCC. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ZnO and MgZnO Nanocrystalline Flexible Films: Optical and Material Properties

DOE PAGES

Huso, Jesse; Morrison, John L.; Che, Hui; ...

2011-01-01

An emore » merging material for flexible UV applications is Mg x Zn 1 − x O which is capable of tunable bandgap and luminescence in the UV range of ~3.4 eV–7.4 eV depending on the composition x . Studies on the optical and material characteristics of ZnO and Mg 0.3 Zn 0.7 O nanocrystalline flexible films are presented. The analysis indicates that the ZnO and Mg 0.3 Zn 0.7 O have bandgaps of 3.34 eV and 4.02 eV, respectively. The photoluminescence (PL) of the ZnO film was found to exhibit a structural defect-related emission at ~3.316 eV inherent to the nanocrystalline morphology. The PL of the Mg 0.3 Zn 0.7 O film exhibits two broad peaks at 3.38 eV and at 3.95 eV that are discussed in terms of the solubility limit of the ZnO-MgO alloy system. Additionally, external deformation of the film did not have a significant impact on its properties as indicated by the Raman LO-mode behavior, making these films attractive for UV flexible applications.« less

Composition dependence of charge and magnetic length scales in mixed valence manganite thin films

PubMed Central

Singh, Surendra; Freeland, J. W.; Fitzsimmons, M. R.; Jeen, H.; Biswas, A.

2016-01-01

Mixed-valence manganese oxides present striking properties like the colossal magnetoresistance, metal-insulator transition (MIT) that may result from coexistence of ferromagnetic, metallic and insulating phases. Percolation of such phase coexistence in the vicinity of MIT leads to first-order transition in these manganites. However the length scales over which the electronic and magnetic phases are separated across MIT which appears compelling for bulk systems has been elusive in (La1−yPry)1−xCaxMnO3 films. Here we show the in-plane length scale over which charge and magnetism are correlated in (La0.4Pr0.6)1−xCaxMnO3 films with x = 0.33 and 0.375, across the MIT temperature. We combine electrical transport (resistance) measurements, x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), and specular/off-specular x-ray resonant magnetic scattering (XRMS) measurements as a function of temperature to elucidate relationships between electronic, magnetic and morphological structure of the thin films. Using off-specular XRMS we obtained the charge-charge and charge-magnetic correlation length of these LPCMO films across the MIT. We observed different charge-magnetic correlation length for two films which increases below the MIT. The different correlation length shown by two films may be responsible for different macroscopic (transport and magnetic) properties. PMID:27461993

Thickness dependent properties of CMR Manganite thin films on lattice mismatched substrates: Distinguishing Strain and Interface Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Anthony, III; Kolagani, Rajeswari; Bacharova, Ellisaveta; Yong, Grace; Smolyaninova, Vera; Schaefer, David; Mundle, Rajeh

2007-03-01

Epitaxial thin films of CMR manganite materials have been known to show thickness dependent electrical and magnetic properties on lattice mismatched substrates. Below a critical thickness, insulator-metal transition is suppressed. These effects have been largely attributed to the role of bi-axial lattice mismatch strain. Our recent results of epitaxial thin films of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 (LCMO) on two substrates with varying degrees of compressive lattice mismatch indicate that, in addition to the effect of lattice mismatch strain, the thickness dependence of the properties are influenced by other factors possibly related to the nature of the film substrate interface and defects such as twin boundaries. We have compared the properties of LCMO films on (100) oriented LaAlO3 and (001) oriented NdCaAlO4 both of which induce compressive bi-axial strain. Interestingly, the suppression of the insulator-metal transition is less in films on NCAO which has a larger lattice mismatch. We will present results correlating the electrical and magneto transport properties with the structure and morphology of the films.

Nanocrystalline SnO2:F thin films for liquid petroleum gas sensors.

PubMed

Chaisitsak, Sutichai

2011-01-01

This paper reports the improvement in the sensing performance of nanocrystalline SnO(2)-based liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors by doping with fluorine (F). Un-doped and F-doped tin oxide films were prepared on glass substrates by the dip-coating technique using a layer-by-layer deposition cycle (alternating between dip-coating a thin layer followed by a drying in air after each new layer). The results showed that this technique is superior to the conventional technique for both improving the film thickness uniformity and film transparency. The effect of F concentration on the structural, surface morphological and LPG sensing properties of the SnO(2) films was investigated. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction pattern measurements showed that the obtained thin films are nanocrystalline SnO(2) with nanoscale-textured surfaces. Gas sensing characteristics (sensor response and response/recovery time) of the SnO(2):F sensors based on a planar interdigital structure were investigated at different operating temperatures and at different LPG concentrations. The addition of fluorine to SnO(2) was found to be advantageous for efficient detection of LPG gases, e.g., F-doped sensors are more stable at a low operating temperature (300 °C) with higher sensor response and faster response/recovery time, compared to un-doped sensor materials. The sensors based on SnO(2):F films could detect LPG even at a low level of 25% LEL, showing the possibility of using this transparent material for LPG leak detection.

Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas Sensors

PubMed Central

Chaisitsak, Sutichai

2011-01-01

This paper reports the improvement in the sensing performance of nanocrystalline SnO2-based liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors by doping with fluorine (F). Un-doped and F-doped tin oxide films were prepared on glass substrates by the dip-coating technique using a layer-by-layer deposition cycle (alternating between dip-coating a thin layer followed by a drying in air after each new layer). The results showed that this technique is superior to the conventional technique for both improving the film thickness uniformity and film transparency. The effect of F concentration on the structural, surface morphological and LPG sensing properties of the SnO2 films was investigated. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction pattern measurements showed that the obtained thin films are nanocrystalline SnO2 with nanoscale-textured surfaces. Gas sensing characteristics (sensor response and response/recovery time) of the SnO2:F sensors based on a planar interdigital structure were investigated at different operating temperatures and at different LPG concentrations. The addition of fluorine to SnO2 was found to be advantageous for efficient detection of LPG gases, e.g., F-doped sensors are more stable at a low operating temperature (300 °C) with higher sensor response and faster response/recovery time, compared to un-doped sensor materials. The sensors based on SnO2:F films could detect LPG even at a low level of 25% LEL, showing the possibility of using this transparent material for LPG leak detection. PMID:22164007

Ferroelectric Polarization in Nanocrystalline Hydroxyapatite Thin Films on Silicon

PubMed Central

Lang, S. B.; Tofail, S. A. M.; Kholkin, A. L.; Wojtaś, M.; Gregor, M.; Gandhi, A. A.; Wang, Y.; Bauer, S.; Krause, M.; Plecenik, A.

2013-01-01

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals in natural form are a major component of bone- a known piezoelectric material. Synthetic hydroxyapatite is widely used in bone grafts and prosthetic pyroelectric coatings as it binds strongly with natural bone. Nanocrystalline synthetic hydroxyapatite films have recently been found to exhibit strong piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity. While a spontaneous polarization in hydroxyapatite has been predicted since 2005, the reversibility of this polarization (i.e. ferroelectricity) requires experimental evidence. Here we use piezoresponse force microscopy to demonstrate that nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite indeed exhibits ferroelectricity: a reversal of polarization under an electrical field. This finding will strengthen investigations on the role of electrical polarization in biomineralization and bone-density related diseases. As hydroxyapatite is one of the most common biocompatible materials, our findings will also stimulate systematic exploration of lead and rare-metal free ferroelectric devices for potential applications in areas as diverse as in vivo and ex vivo energy harvesting, biosensing and electronics. PMID:23884324

Ferroelectric Polarization in Nanocrystalline Hydroxyapatite Thin Films on Silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, S. B.; Tofail, S. A. M.; Kholkin, A. L.; Wojtaś, M.; Gregor, M.; Gandhi, A. A.; Wang, Y.; Bauer, S.; Krause, M.; Plecenik, A.

2013-07-01

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals in natural form are a major component of bone- a known piezoelectric material. Synthetic hydroxyapatite is widely used in bone grafts and prosthetic pyroelectric coatings as it binds strongly with natural bone. Nanocrystalline synthetic hydroxyapatite films have recently been found to exhibit strong piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity. While a spontaneous polarization in hydroxyapatite has been predicted since 2005, the reversibility of this polarization (i.e. ferroelectricity) requires experimental evidence. Here we use piezoresponse force microscopy to demonstrate that nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite indeed exhibits ferroelectricity: a reversal of polarization under an electrical field. This finding will strengthen investigations on the role of electrical polarization in biomineralization and bone-density related diseases. As hydroxyapatite is one of the most common biocompatible materials, our findings will also stimulate systematic exploration of lead and rare-metal free ferroelectric devices for potential applications in areas as diverse as in vivo and ex vivo energy harvesting, biosensing and electronics.

Ferroelectric polarization in nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite thin films on silicon.

PubMed

Lang, S B; Tofail, S A M; Kholkin, A L; Wojtaś, M; Gregor, M; Gandhi, A A; Wang, Y; Bauer, S; Krause, M; Plecenik, A

2013-01-01

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals in natural form are a major component of bone--a known piezoelectric material. Synthetic hydroxyapatite is widely used in bone grafts and prosthetic pyroelectric coatings as it binds strongly with natural bone. Nanocrystalline synthetic hydroxyapatite films have recently been found to exhibit strong piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity. While a spontaneous polarization in hydroxyapatite has been predicted since 2005, the reversibility of this polarization (i.e. ferroelectricity) requires experimental evidence. Here we use piezoresponse force microscopy to demonstrate that nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite indeed exhibits ferroelectricity: a reversal of polarization under an electrical field. This finding will strengthen investigations on the role of electrical polarization in biomineralization and bone-density related diseases. As hydroxyapatite is one of the most common biocompatible materials, our findings will also stimulate systematic exploration of lead and rare-metal free ferroelectric devices for potential applications in areas as diverse as in vivo and ex vivo energy harvesting, biosensing and electronics.

Ultrafast photo-induced hidden phases in strained manganite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jingdi; McLeod, A. S.; Zhang, Gu-Feng; Stoica, Vladimir; Jin, Feng; Gu, Mingqiang; Gopalan, Venkatraman; Freeland, John W.; Wu, Wenbin; Rondinelli, James; Wen, Haidan; Basov, D. N.; Averitt, R. D.

Correlated transition metal oxides (TMOs) are particularly sensitive to external control because of energy degeneracy in a complex energy landscape that promote a plethora of metastable states. However, it remains a grand challenge to actively control and fully explore the rich landscape of TMOs. Dynamic control with pulsed photons can overcome energetic barriers, enabling access to transient or metastable states that are not thermally accessible. In the past, we have demonstrated that mode-selective single-laser-pulse excitation of a strained manganite thin film La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 initiates a persistent phase transition from an emergent antiferromagnetic insulating ground state to a ferromagnetic metallic metastable state. Beyond the photo-induced insulator to metal transition, we recently discovered a new peculiar photo-induced hidden phase, identified by an experimental approach that combines ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy, THz spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, cryogenic near-field spectroscopy and SHG probe. This work is funded by the DOE, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Science under Award Numbers DE-SC0012375 and DE-SC0012592.

Direct growth of nano-crystalline graphite films using pulsed laser deposition with in-situ monitoring based on reflection high-energy electron diffraction technique

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

Kwak, Jeong Hun; Lee, Sung Su; Lee, Hyeon Jun

2016-03-21

We report an experimental method to overcome the long processing time required for fabricating graphite films by a transfer process from a catalytic layer to a substrate, as well as our study of the growth process of graphite films using a pulsed laser deposition combined with in-situ monitoring based on reflection high-energy electron diffraction technique. We monitored the structural evolution of nano-crystalline graphite films directly grown on AlN-coated Si substrates without any catalytic layer. We found that the carbon films grown for less than 600 s cannot manifest the graphite structure due to a high defect density arising from grain boundaries;more » however, the carbon film can gradually become a nano-crystalline graphite film with a thickness of approximately up to 5 nm. The Raman spectra and electrical properties of carbon films indicate that the nano-crystalline graphite films can be fabricated, even at the growth temperature as low as 850 °C within 600 s.« less

Control of the orbital ordering in manganite superlattices and impact on properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koçak, Ayşegül Begüm; Varignon, Julien; Lemal, Sébastien; Ghosez, Philippe; Lepetit, Marie-Bernadette

2017-09-01

The present paper theoretically studies the possibility to control the orbital ordering in manganite superlattices. Indeed, favored dz2eg -orbital occupancy is one of the proposed interpretations for the formation of a "dead" layer at the interfaces in manganite thin films and superlattices. We show here that favored dz2eg -orbital occupancy at the interfaces can be prevented by using alkaline-earth simple oxides as alternating layers in very thin superlattices. Such an alternating layer promotes the contraction of the manganite layers at the interfaces and favors a dx2-y2eg orbital occupancy. This result holds for different manganites, different alkaline-earth simple oxides, as well as different thicknesses of the two layers. While Boltzmann's transport calculations on different superlattices show unexpectedly only weak dependence of the electrical conductivity on the orbital ordering, the enhanced occupation of the dx2-y2 orbital should result in an increased Curie temperature.

Size effect on the deformation mechanisms of nanocrystalline platinum thin films.

PubMed

Shu, Xinyu; Kong, Deli; Lu, Yan; Long, Haibo; Sun, Shiduo; Sha, Xuechao; Zhou, Hao; Chen, Yanhui; Mao, Shengcheng; Liu, Yinong

2017-10-16

This paper reports a study of time-resolved deformation process at the atomic scale of a nanocrystalline Pt thin film captured in situ under a transmission electron microscope. The main mechanism of plastic deformation was found to evolve from full dislocation activity-enabled plasticity in large grains (with grain size d > 10 nm), to partial dislocation plasticity in smaller grains (with grain size 10 nm < d < 6 nm), and grain boundary-mediated plasticity in the matrix with grain sizes d < 6 nm. The critical grain size for the transition from full dislocation activity to partial dislocation activity was estimated based on consideration of stacking fault energy. For grain boundary-mediated plasticity, the possible contributions to strain rate of grain creep, grain sliding and grain rotation to plastic deformation were estimated using established models. The contribution of grain creep is found to be negligible, the contribution of grain rotation is effective but limited in magnitude, and grain sliding is suggested to be the dominant deformation mechanism in nanocrystalline Pt thin films. This study provided the direct evidence of these deformation processes at the atomic scale.

Composition dependence of electronic, magnetic, transport and morphological properties of mixed valence manganite thin films

DOE PAGES

Singh, Surendra; Freeland, J. W.; Fitzsimmons, Michael R.; ...

2016-07-27

Mixed-valence manganese oxides present striking properties like the colossal magnetoresistance, metal-insulator transition (MIT) that may result from coexistence of ferromagnetic, metallic and insulating phases. Percolation of such phase coexistence in the vicinity of MIT leads to first-order transition in these manganites. However the length scales over which the electronic and magnetic phases are separated across MIT which appears compelling for bulk systems has been elusive in (La 1-yPr y) 1-xCaxMnO 3 films. Here we show the in-plane length scale over which charge and magnetism are correlated in (La 0.4Pr 0.6) 1-xCaxMnO3 films with x = 0.33 and 0.375, across themore » MIT temperature. We combine electrical transport (resistance) measurements, x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), and specular/off-specular x-ray resonant magnetic scattering (XRMS) measurements as a function of temperature to elucidate relationships between electronic, magnetic and morphological structure of the thin films. Using off-specular XRMS we obtained the charge-charge and charge-magnetic correlation length of these LPCMO films across the MIT. We observed different charge-magnetic correlation length for two films which increases below the MIT. The different correlation length shown by two films may be responsible for different macroscopic (transport and magnetic) properties.« less

Method to grow pure nanocrystalline diamond films at low temperatures and high deposition rates

DOEpatents

Carlisle, John A [Plainfield, IL; Gruen, Dieter M [Downers Grove, IL; Auciello, Orlando [Bolingbrook, IL; Xiao, Xingcheng [Woodridge, IL

2009-07-07

A method of depositing nanocrystalline diamond film on a substrate at a rate of not less than about 0.2 microns/hour at a substrate temperature less than about 500.degree. C. The method includes seeding the substrate surface with nanocrystalline diamond powder to an areal density of not less than about 10.sup.10sites/cm.sup.2, and contacting the seeded substrate surface with a gas of about 99% by volume of an inert gas other than helium and about 1% by volume of methane or hydrogen and one or more of acetylene, fullerene and anthracene in the presence of a microwave induced plasma while maintaining the substrate temperature less than about 500.degree. C. to deposit nanocrystalline diamond on the seeded substrate surface at a rate not less than about 0.2 microns/hour. Coatings of nanocrystalline diamond with average particle diameters of less than about 20 nanometers can be deposited with thermal budgets of 500.degree. C.-4 hours or less onto a variety of substrates such as MEMS devices.

Depth profiling of nitrogen within 15N-incorporated nano-crystalline diamond thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, E.; AlFaify, S.; Cassidy, D. P.; Dissanayake, A.; Mancini, D. C.; Ghantasala, M. K.; Kayani, A.

2013-09-01

Nano-Crystalline Diamond (NCD) thin films are a topic of recent interest due to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties. The inclusion of nitrogen is a specific interest as its presence within NCD modifies its conductive properties. The methodology adopted for the characterization of nitrogen incorporated NCD films grown on a chromium underlayer determined a correlation between the chromium and nitrogen concentrations as well as a variation in the concentration profile of elements. Additionally, the concentration of nitrogen was found to be more than three times greater for these films versus those grown on a silicon substrate.

Effect of film thickness on NO2 gas sensing properties of sprayed orthorhombic nanocrystalline V2O5 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mane, A. A.; Moholkar, A. V.

2017-09-01

The nanocrystalline V2O5 thin films with different thicknesses have been grown onto the glass substrates using chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) deposition method. The XRD study shows that the films exhibit an orthorhombic crystal structure. The narrow scan X-ray photoelectron spectrum of V-2p core level doublet gives the binding energy difference of 7.3 eV, indicating that the V5+ oxidation state of vanadium. The FE-SEM micrographs show the formation of nanorods-like morphology. The AFM micrographs show the high surface area to volume ratio of nanocrystalline V2O5 thin films. The optical study gives the band gap energy values of 2.41 eV, 2.44 eV, 2.47 eV and 2.38 eV for V2O5 thin films deposited with the thicknesses of 423 nm, 559 nm, 694 nm and 730 nm, respectively. The V2O5 film of thickness 559 nm shows the NO2 gas response of 41% for 100 ppm concentration at operating temperature of 200 °C with response and recovery times of 20 s and 150 s, respectively. Further, it shows the rapid response and reproducibility towards 10 ppm NO2 gas concentration at 200 °C. Finally, NO2 gas sensing mechanism based on chemisorption process is discussed.

A Nanocrystalline Fe2O3 Film Anode Prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition for Lithium-Ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teng, Xiaoling; Qin, Youzhi; Wang, Xia; Li, Hongsen; Shang, Xiantao; Fan, Shuting; Li, Qiang; Xu, Jie; Cao, Derang; Li, Shandong

2018-02-01

Nanocrystalline Fe2O3 thin films are deposited directly on the conduct substrates by pulsed laser deposition as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. We demonstrate the well-designed Fe2O3 film electrodes are capable of excellent high-rate performance (510 mAh g- 1 at high current density of 15,000 mA g- 1) and superior cycling stability (905 mAh g- 1 at 100 mA g- 1 after 200 cycles), which are among the best reported state-of-the-art Fe2O3 anode materials. The outstanding lithium storage performances of the as-synthesized nanocrystalline Fe2O3 film are attributed to the advanced nanostructured architecture, which not only provides fast kinetics by the shortened lithium-ion diffusion lengths but also prolongs cycling life by preventing nanosized Fe2O3 particle agglomeration. The electrochemical performance results suggest that this novel Fe2O3 thin film is a promising anode material for all-solid-state thin film batteries.

Ferromagnetism appears in nitrogen implanted nanocrystalline diamond films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remes, Zdenek; Sun, Shih-Jye; Varga, Marian; Chou, Hsiung; Hsu, Hua-Shu; Kromka, Alexander; Horak, Pavel

2015-11-01

The nanocrystalline diamond films turn to be ferromagnetic after implanting various nitrogen doses on them. Through this research, we confirm that the room-temperature ferromagnetism of the implanted samples is derived from the measurements of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). Samples with larger crystalline grains as well as higher implanted doses present more robust ferromagnetic signals at room temperature. Raman spectra indicate that the small grain-sized samples are much more disordered than the large grain-sized ones. We propose that a slightly large saturated ferromagnetism could be observed at low temperature, because the increased localization effects have a significant impact on more disordered structure.

Soft magnetic properties of nanocrystalline FeRuGaSi-Hf alloy films and head characteristics for the embedded thin film tape head

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohmori, H.; Shoji, M.; Kobayashi, T.; Yamamoto, T.; Sugiyama, Y.; Hayashi, K.; Hono, K.

1996-04-01

The Hf-added FeRuGaSi alloy film has an amorphous structure in the as-deposited state and becomes nanocrystalline after annealing. Due to this structure change from crystalline to amorphous by the addition of Hf, soft magnetic degradation of the film deposited on the slant grooved substrate, which is necessary for the sophisticated embedded thin film (ETF) head structure, is greatly suppressed and the undesirable film stress is relieved. The FeRuGaSi-Hf alloy film has higher resistivity and permeability at high frequencies than those of sendust film, and the read/write characteristics of this alloy film show better performance than sendust film.

Nano-crystalline porous tin oxide film for carbon monoxide sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Chung-Chiun (Inventor); Savinell, Robert F. (Inventor); Jin, Zhihong (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A tin oxide sol is deposited on platinum electrodes (12) of a sensor (10). The sol is calcined at a temperature of 500 to 800.degree. C. to produce a thin film of tin oxide with a thickness of about 150 nm to 2 .mu. and having a nano-crystalline structure with good stability. The sensor rapidly detects reducing gases, such as carbon monoxide, or hydrocarbons and organic vapors. Sensors using films calcined at around 700.degree. C. have high carbon monoxide selectivity with a response time of around 4 minutes and a recovery time of 1 minute, and therefore provide good detection systems for detection of trace amounts of pollutants such as toxic and flammable gases in homes, industrial settings, and hospitals.

Tribochemistry of contact interfaces of nanocrystalline molybdenum carbide films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, D. Dinesh; Kumar, N.; Panda, Kalpataru; Kamalan Kirubaharan, A. M.; Kuppusami, P.

2018-07-01

Transition metal carbides (TMC) are known for their improved tribological properties and are sensitive to the tribo-atmospheric environment. Nanocrystalline molybdenum carbide (MoC) thin films were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering technique using reactive CH4 gas. The friction and wear resistance properties of MoC thin films were significantly improved in humid-atmospheric condition as compared to high-vacuum tribo-condition. A comprehensive chemical analysis of deformed contact interfaces was carried out by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Raman spectroscopy. XPS and Raman spectroscopy showed the formation of stable molybdenum-oxide (MoO), molybdenum carbide (MoC) and amorphous carbon (a-C) tribo-phases. Moreover, during the sliding in humid-atmospheric condition, these phases were extensively deposited on the sliding steel ball counter body which significantly protected against undesirable friction and wear.

Preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose/Eucommia ulmoides gum nanocomposite film.

PubMed

Sun, Qianqian; Zhao, Xinkun; Wang, Dongmei; Dong, Juane; She, Diao; Peng, Pai

2018-02-01

The nanocomposite films were prepared using Eucommia ulmoides gum (EUG) matrix reinforced with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) at different concentrations. Subsequently, the obtained films were characterized by Raman spectra, AFM, XRD, TGA, and DSC. Meanwhile, the wettability, mechanical, and water vapor barrier properties of these films were analyzed. AFM noticed that the average sizes of NCC were 81.95×50.17×13.06nm, while the size of molecular chain for EUG was 2530×57.33×1.28nm. In comparison with control film, a certain amount of NCC obviously improved elongation at break and enhanced their crystallinity and ΔH m . More importantly, NCC/EUG nanocomposite films presented lower thermal stability, glass transition temperature (T g ), melting temperature (T m ), and water vapor permeability (WVP) values, especially the WVP values of 4% NCC film were the lowest as 0.28×10 -9 , 0.30×10 -9 , and 0.58×10 -9 g/m/h/Pa at RH 34%, 55%, and 76%, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical properties and surface/interface analysis of nanocrystalline WO3 films grown under variable oxygen gas flow rates

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

Vemuri, R. S.; Carbjal-Franco, G.; Ferrer, D. A.

2012-10-15

Nanocrystalline WO3 films were grown by reactive magnetron sputter-deposition in a wide range of oxygen gas flow rates while keeping the deposition temperature fixed at 400 oC. The physical characteristics of WO3 films were evaluated using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. Physical characterization indicates that the thickness, grain size, and density of WO3 films are sensitive to the oxygen gas flow rate during deposition. XRD data indicates the formation of tetragonal WO3 films. The grain size increases from 21 to 25 nm with increasing oxygen gas flow rate to 65%, atmore » which point the grain size exhibits a decreasing trend to attain the lowest value of 15 nm at 100% oxygen. TEM analysis provides a model consisting of isotropic WO3 film (nanocrystalline)-SiO2 interface (amorphous)-Si(100) substrate. XRR simulations, which are based on this model, provide excellent agreement to the experimental data indicating that the normalized thickness of WO3 films decreases with the increasing oxygen gas flow rate. The density of WO3 films increases with increasing oxygen gas flow rate.« less

Tailoring the index of refraction of nanocrystalline hafnium oxide thin films

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

Vargas, Mirella; Murphy, N. R.; Ramana, C. V., E-mail: rvchintalapalle@utep.edu

2014-03-10

Hafnium oxide (HfO{sub 2}) films were grown by sputter-deposition by varying the growth temperature (T{sub s} = 25–700 °C). HfO{sub 2} films grown at T{sub s} < 200 °C were amorphous, while those grown at T{sub s} ≥ 200 °C were monoclinic, nanocrystalline with (1{sup ¯}11) texturing. X-ray reflectivity (XRR) analyses indicate that the film-density (ρ) increases with increasing T{sub s}. The index of refraction (n) profiles derived from spectroscopic ellipsometry analyses follow the Cauchy dispersion relation. Lorentz-Lorenz analysis (n{sub (λ)} = 550 nm) and optical-model adopted agree well with the XRR data/analyses. A direct T{sub s}-ρ-n relationship suggests that tailoring the optical quality is possible by tuning T{sub s} and themore » microstructure of HfO{sub 2} films.« less

Mechanical spectroscopy of nanocrystalline aluminum films: effects of frequency and grain size on internal friction.

PubMed

Sosale, Guruprasad; Almecija, Dorothée; Das, Kaushik; Vengallatore, Srikar

2012-04-20

Energy dissipation by internal friction is a property of fundamental interest for probing the effects of scale on mechanical behavior in nanocrystalline metallic films and for guiding the use of these materials in the design of high-Q micro/nanomechanical resonators. This paper describes an experimental study to measure the effects of frequency, annealing and grain size on internal friction at room temperature in sputter-deposited nanocrystalline aluminum films with thicknesses ranging from 60 to 120 nm. Internal friction was measured using a single-crystal silicon microcantilever platform that calibrates dissipation against the fundamental limits of thermoelastic damping. Internal friction was a weak function of frequency, reducing only by a factor of two over three decades of frequency (70 Hz to 44 kHz). Annealing led to significant grain growth and the average grain size of 100 nm thick films increased from 90 to 390 nm after annealing for 1 h at 450 (∘)C. This increase in grain size was accompanied by a decrease in internal friction from 0.05 to 0.02. Taken together, these results suggest that grain-boundary sliding, characterized by a spectrum of relaxation times, contributes to internal friction in these films. © 2012 IOP Publishing Ltd

Formation of nanocrystalline SiGe in Polycrystalline-Ge/Si thin film without any metal induced crystallization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tah, Twisha; Singh, Ch. Kishan; Madapu, K. K.; Polaki, S. R.; Ilango, S.; David, C.; Dash, S.; Panigrahi, B. K.

2017-05-01

The formation of nanocrystalline SiGe without the aid of metal induced crystallization is reported. Re-crystallization of the as-deposited poly-Ge film (deposited at 450 °C) leads to development of regions with depleted Ge concentration upon annealing at 500 °C. Clusters with crystalline facet containing both nanocrystalline SiGe and crystalline Ge phase starts appearing at 600 °C. The structural phase characteristics were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The stoichiometry of the SiGe phase was estimated from the positions of the Raman spectral peaks.

Temperature- and Bias-Dependence of Magnetoresistance in Doped Manganite Thin Film Trilayer Junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, J. Z.; Xiao, Gang

1998-03-01

Large low-field magnetoresistance, up to a factor of five change in resistance, was observed in trilayer junctions formed by epitaxial thin films of La_0.67Sr_0.33 MnO3 - SrTiO3 - La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO3 at 4.2K and 100 Oe. Such magnetoresistance decreases with increasing sample temperature, and disappears for temperatures above 150K. The magnetoresistance also decreases upon increasing bias voltage across the junction. We present systematic experimental studies of both temperature and bias-dependence. These results in manganite trilayer junctions at low temperatures are similar to what has been observed in metallic trilayer magnetic tunneling valves, and are qualitatively consistent with the interface magnon excitation model proposed by Zhang et al.(S. Zhang, P. M. Levy, A. C. Marley and S. S. P. Parkin, Phys. Rev. Lett. 79), 3744 (1997).

Evolution of Structural and Electrical Properties of Carbon Films from Amorphous Carbon to Nanocrystalline Graphene on Quartz Glass by HFCVD.

PubMed

Zhai, Zihao; Shen, Honglie; Chen, Jieyi; Li, Xuemei; Jiang, Ye

2018-05-23

Direct growth of graphene films on glass is of great importance but has so far met with limited success. The noncatalytic property of glass results in the low decomposition ability of hydrocarbon precursors, especially at reduced temperatures (<1000 °C), and therefore amorphous carbon (a-C) films are more likely to be obtained. Here, we report the hydrogen influence on the structural and electrical properties of carbon films deposited on quartz glass at 850 °C by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). The results revealed that the obtained a-C films were all graphitelike carbon films. Structural transition of the deposited films from a-C to nanocrystalline graphene was achieved by raising the hydrogen dilution ratios from 10 to over 80%. On the basis of systematic structural and chemical characterizations, a schematic process with three steps including sp 2 chain aggregation, aromatic ring formation, and sp 3 bond etching was proposed to interpret the structural evolution. The nanocrystalline graphene films grown on glass by HFCVD exhibited good electrical performance with a carrier mobility of 36.76 cm 2 /(V s) and a resistivity of 5.24 × 10 -3 Ω cm over an area of 1 cm 2 . Temperature-dependent electrical characterizations revealed that the electronic transport in carbon films was dominated by defect, localized, and extended states, respectively, when increasing the temperature from 75 to 292 K. The nanocrystalline graphene films presented higher carrier mobility and lower carrier concentration than those of a-C films, which was mainly attributed to their smaller conductive activation energy. The present investigation provides an effective way for direct growth of graphene films on glass at reduced temperatures and also offers useful insights into the understanding of structural and electrical relationship between a-C and graphene.

Nanocrystalline films for gas-reactive applications

DOEpatents

Eastman, Jeffrey A.; Thompson, Loren J.

2004-02-17

A gas sensor for detection of oxidizing and reducing gases, including O.sub.2, CO.sub.2, CO, and H.sub.2, monitors the partial pressure of a gas to be detected by measuring the temperature rise of an oxide-thin-film-coated metallic line in response to an applied electrical current. For a fixed input power, the temperature rise of the metallic line is inversely proportional to the thermal conductivity of the oxide coating. The oxide coating contains multi-valent cation species that change their valence, and hence the oxygen stoichiometry of the coating, in response to changes in the partial pressure of the detected gas. Since the thermal conductivity of the coating is dependent on its oxygen stoichiometry, the temperature rise of the metallic line depends on the partial pressure of the detected gas. Nanocrystalline (<100 nm grain size) oxide coatings yield faster sensor response times than conventional larger-grained coatings due to faster oxygen diffusion along grain boundaries rather than through grain interiors.

Electron transport in nanocrystalline SiC films obtained by direct ion deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlovskyi, A.; Semenov, A.; Skorik, S.

2016-12-01

Electrical conductivity of nanocrystalline SiC films obtained by direct ion deposition was investigated within the temperature interval from 2 to 770 K. It were investigated the samples of films with 3С-SiC polytype structure and the heteropolytype films formed by layers of different polytypes SiC (3C-SiC/21R-SiC, 21R-SiC/27R-SiC, 3C-SiC/15R-SiC). The films had n-type conductivity that ensured a small excess of silicon ions. The thermally activated character of electron transport in the 3С-SiC polytype films was established. In the heteropolytype films the temperature dependence of the electrical resistance was described by the relation R(T) = R0 × exp[-kT/E0]. It was shown that the charge transport mechanism in the heteropolytype samples is electron tunneling through potential barriers formed by the conduction band offset in the contact region of the heterojunction. Tunnel charge transport occurs due to the presence of discrete energy states in the forbidden band caused the dimensional quantization.

Nonvolatile memory behavior of nanocrystalline cellulose/graphene oxide composite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentini, L.; Cardinali, M.; Fortunati, E.; Kenny, J. M.

2014-10-01

With the continuous advance of modern electronics, the demand for nonvolatile memory cells rapidly grows. In order to develop post-silicon electronic devices, it is necessary to find innovative solutions to the eco-sustainability problem of materials for nonvolatile memory cells. In this work, we realized a resistive memory device based on graphene oxide (GO) and GO/cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) thin films. Aqueous solutions of GO and GO with CNC have been prepared and drop cast between two metal electrodes. Such thin-film based devices showed a transition between low and high conductivity states upon the forward and backward sweeping of an external electric field. This reversible current density transition behavior demonstrates a typical memory characteristic. The obtained results open an easy route for electronic information storage based on the integration of nanocrystalline cellulose onto graphene based devices.

Nonvolatile memory behavior of nanocrystalline cellulose/graphene oxide composite films

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

Valentini, L., E-mail: luca.valentini@unipg.it; Cardinali, M.; Fortunati, E.

2014-10-13

With the continuous advance of modern electronics, the demand for nonvolatile memory cells rapidly grows. In order to develop post-silicon electronic devices, it is necessary to find innovative solutions to the eco-sustainability problem of materials for nonvolatile memory cells. In this work, we realized a resistive memory device based on graphene oxide (GO) and GO/cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) thin films. Aqueous solutions of GO and GO with CNC have been prepared and drop cast between two metal electrodes. Such thin-film based devices showed a transition between low and high conductivity states upon the forward and backward sweeping of an external electricmore » field. This reversible current density transition behavior demonstrates a typical memory characteristic. The obtained results open an easy route for electronic information storage based on the integration of nanocrystalline cellulose onto graphene based devices.« less

Ga2O3 and GaN nanocrystalline film: reverse micelle assisted solvothermal synthesis and characterization.

PubMed

Sinha, Godhuli; Ganguli, Dibyendu; Chaudhuri, Subhadra

2008-03-01

Gallium oxide (beta-Ga2O3) nanoparticles were successfully deposited on quartz glass substrates using sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)/n-hexane/ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) reverse micelle-mediated solvothermal process with different omega values. The mean diameter of Ga2O3 particles was approximately 2-3 nm and found to be approximately independent of omega values of the reverse micelles. However, when the Ga2O3 nanocrystalline films were nitrided at 900 degrees C under flowing NH3 atmosphere for 1 h, the mean diameter of the resulted gallium nitride (wurtzite-GaN) nanoparticles varied from 3-9 nm. Both nanocrystalline films of Ga2O3 and GaN were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence in order to study their chemical and physical properties explicitly.

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

PubMed

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

2018-07-01

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

Microarray of neuroblastoma cells on the selectively functionalized nanocrystalline diamond thin film surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Young-Sang; Son, Hyeong-Guk; Kim, Dae-Hoon; Oh, Hong-Gi; Lee, Da-Som; Kim, Min-Hye; Lim, Ki-Moo; Song, Kwang-Soup

2016-01-01

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) film surfaces were modified with fluorine or oxygen by plasma treatment in an O2 or C3F8 gas environment in order to induce wettability. The oxygenated-NCD (O-NCD) film surface was hydrophilic and the fluorinated-NCD (F-NCD) surface was hydrophobic. The efficiency of early cell adhesion, which is dependent on the wettability of the cell culture plate and necessary for the growth and proliferation of cells, was 89.62 ± 3.92% on the O-NCD film and 7.78 ± 0.77% on the F-NCD film surface after 3 h of cell culture. The wettability of the NCD film surface was artificially modified using a metal mask and plasma treatment to fabricate a micro-pattern. Four types of micro-patterns were fabricated (line, circle, mesh, and word) on the NCD film surface. We precisely arrayed the neuroblastoma cells on the micro-patterned NCD film surfaces by controlling the surface wettability and cell seeding density. The neuroblastoma cells adhered and proliferated along the O-NCD film surface.

Functionalization of nanocrystalline diamond films with phthalocyanines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petkov, Christo; Reintanz, Philipp M.; Kulisch, Wilhelm; Degenhardt, Anna Katharina; Weidner, Tobias; Baio, Joe E.; Merz, Rolf; Kopnarski, Michael; Siemeling, Ulrich; Reithmaier, Johann Peter; Popov, Cyril

2016-08-01

Phthalocyanine (Pc) derivatives containing different central metal atoms (Mn, Cu, Ti) and different peripheral chains were synthesized and comprehensively characterized. Their interaction with nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films, as-grown by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition or after their modification with oxygen plasma to exchange the hydrogen termination with oxygen-containing groups, was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. The elemental composition as determined by XPS showed that the Pc were grafted on both as-grown and O-terminated NCD. Mn, Cu and Ti were detected together with N stemming from the Pc ring and S in case of the Ti-Pc from the peripheral ligands. The results for the elemental surface composition and the detailed study of the N 1s, S 2p and O 1s core spectra revealed that Ti-Pc grafted better on as-grown NCD but Cu-Pc and Mn-Pc on O-terminated films. Samples of Mn-Pc on as-grown and O-terminated NCD were further investigated by NEXAFS spectroscopy. The results showed ordering of the grafted molecules, laying flat on the H-terminated NCD surface while only the macrocycles were oriented parallel to the O-terminated surface with the peripheral chains perpendicular to it.

Phase Competition and Magnetotransport Phenomena in Manganite Films and Mesoscopic Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Tom

2006-03-01

The importance of competition between ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) and charge-ordered insulating (COI) phases in the physics of bulk manganites has been established through a wide variety of techniques. One exotic consequence of this phase competition is step-like features in magnetotransport observed in bulk and single-crystals of Pr0.65(CaySr1-y)0.35MnO3 (PCSMO) with 0.7<=y<=0.8. The length-scale of the phase coexistence is ˜1 micron, motivating a study of structures with dimensions similar to this natural length scale where phenomenology distinct from that of bulk counterparts is expected. Toward that end, we have synthesized films and laterally confined mesoscopic bridges of PCSMO and studied their magnetotransport properties. In particular, we observed: (1) Intrinsic ultrasharp magnetization steps below 5 K in both bulk and film samples and their dependence on the extrinsic measurement protocols; (2) Spontaneous jumps of resistance during both the ramping of magnetic field and the relaxation after the field cycle; (3) I-V curves exhibiting negative differential resistance (NDR) in certain ranges of temperature and magnetic field. All of these phenomena can be explained in the context of interconversion between the COI phase and the FMM phase. As expected, this interconversion can be triggered by external magnetic field, as found in the case of the magnetization and resistance steps. Alternatively, in the mesoscopic structures with dimensions similar to the size of the competing FMM and COI domains, a local Joule heating-induced annihilation of conducting filaments causes the anomalous NDR.

Interface-engineered oxygen octahedral coupling in manganite heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huijben, M.; Koster, G.; Liao, Z. L.; Rijnders, G.

2017-12-01

Control of the oxygen octahedral coupling (OOC) provides a large degree of freedom to manipulate physical phenomena in complex oxide heterostructures. Recently, local tuning of the tilt angle has been found to control the magnetic anisotropy in ultrathin films of manganites and ruthenates, while symmetry control can manipulate the metal insulator transition in nickelate thin films. The required connectivity of the octahedra across the heterostructure interface enforces a geometric constraint to the 3-dimensional octahedral network in epitaxial films. Such geometric constraint will either change the tilt angle to retain the connectivity of the corner shared oxygen octahedral network or guide the formation of a specific symmetry throughout the epitaxial film. Here, we will discuss the control of OOC in manganite heterostructures by interface-engineering. OOC driven magnetic and transport anisotropies have been realized in LSMO/NGO heterostructures. Competition between the interfacial OOC and the strain further away from the interface leads to a thickness driven sharp transition of the anisotropic properties. Furthermore, octahedral relaxation leading to a change of p-d hybridization driven by interfacial OOC appears to be the strongest factor in thickness related variations of magnetic and transport properties in epitaxial LSMO films on NGO substrates. The results unequivocally link the atomic structure near the interfaces to the macroscopic properties. The strong correlation between a controllable oxygen network and the functionalities will have significant impact on both fundamental research and technological application of correlated perovskite heterostructures. By controlling the interfacial OOC, it is possible to pattern in 3 dimensions the magnetization to achieve non-collinear magnetization in both in-plane and out of plane directions, thus making the heterostructures promising for application in orthogonal spin transfer devices, spin oscillators, and low

Structure, Morphology, and Optical Properties of Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Gallium Oxide Thin Films

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

Kumar, S. Sampath; Rubio, E. J.; Noor-A-Alam, M.

Ga2O3 thin films were produced by sputter deposition by varying the substrate temperature (Ts) in a wide range (Ts=25-800 oC). The structural characteristics and optical properties of Ga2O3 films were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and spectrophotometric measurements. The effect of growth temperature is significant on the chemistry, crystal structure and morphology of Ga2O3 films. XRD and SEM analyses indicate that the Ga2O3 films grown at lower temperatures were amorphous while those grown at Ts≥500 oC were nanocrystalline. RBS measurements indicate the well-maintained stoichiometry of Ga2O3 films atmore » Ts=300-700 oC. The spectral transmission of the films increased with increasing temperature. The band gap of the films varied from 4.96 eV to 5.17 eV for a variation in Ts in the range 25-800 oC. A relationship between microstructure and optical property is discussed.« less

Grain Growth in Nanocrystalline Mg-Al Thin Films

DOE PAGES

Kruska, Karen; Rohatgi, Aashish; Vemuri, Rama S.; ...

2017-10-05

We report that an improved understanding of grain growth kinetics in nanocrystalline materials, and in metals and alloys in general, is of continuing interest to the scientific community. In this study, Mg-Al thin films containing ~10 wt pct Al and with 14.5 nm average grain size were produced by magnetron sputtering and subjected to heat treatments. The grain growth evolution in the early stages of heat treatment at 423 K, 473 K, and 573 K (150 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C) was observed with transmission electron microscopy and analyzed based upon the classical equation developed by Burke and Turnbull.more » The grain growth exponent was found to be 7 ± 2 and the activation energy for grain growth was 31.1 ± 13.4 kJ/mol, the latter being significantly lower than in bulk Mg-Al alloys. The observed grain growth kinetics are explained by the Al supersaturation in the matrix and the pinning effects of the rapidly forming beta precipitates and possibly shallow grain boundary grooves. In conclusion, the low activation energy is attributed to the rapid surface diffusion which is dominant in thin film systems.« less

Grain Growth in Nanocrystalline Mg-Al Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruska, Karen; Rohatgi, Aashish; Vemuri, Rama S.; Kovarik, Libor; Moser, Trevor H.; Evans, James E.; Browning, Nigel D.

2017-12-01

An improved understanding of grain growth kinetics in nanocrystalline materials, and in metals and alloys in general, is of continuing interest to the scientific community. In this study, Mg-Al thin films containing 10 wt pct Al and with 14.5 nm average grain size were produced by magnetron sputtering and subjected to heat treatments. The grain growth evolution in the early stages of heat treatment at 423 K, 473 K, and 573 K (150 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C) was observed with transmission electron microscopy and analyzed based upon the classical equation developed by Burke and Turnbull. The grain growth exponent was found to be 7 ± 2 and the activation energy for grain growth was 31.1 ± 13.4 kJ/mol, the latter being significantly lower than in bulk Mg-Al alloys. The observed grain growth kinetics are explained by the Al supersaturation in the matrix and the pinning effects of the rapidly forming beta precipitates and possibly shallow grain boundary grooves. The low activation energy is attributed to the rapid surface diffusion which is dominant in thin film systems.

Engineering magnetism at functional oxides interfaces: manganites and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Di; Lu, Nianpeng; Chen, Xuegang; Shen, Shengchun; Yu, Pu

2017-11-01

The family of transition metal oxides (TMOs) is a large class of magnetic materials that has been intensively studied due to the rich physics involved as well as the promising potential applications in next generation electronic devices. In TMOs, the spin, charge, orbital and lattice are strongly coupled, and significant advances have been achieved to engineer the magnetism by different routes that manipulate these degrees of freedom. The family of manganites is a model system of strongly correlated magnetic TMOs. In this review, using manganites thin films and the heterostructures in conjunction with other TMOs as model systems, we review the recent progress of engineering magnetism in TMOs. We first discuss the role of the lattice that includes the epitaxial strain and the interface structural coupling. Then we look into the role of charge, focusing on the interface charge modulation. Having demonstrated the static effects, we continue to review the research on dynamical control of magnetism by electric field. Next, we review recent advances in heterostructures comprised of high T c cuprate superconductors and manganites. Following that, we discuss the emergent magnetic phenomena at interfaces between 3d TMOs and 5d TMOs with strong spin-orbit coupling. Finally, we provide our outlook for prospective future directions.

Optical and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline ZrC thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition.

DOE PAGES

Craciun, D.; Socol, G.; Lambers, E.; ...

2015-01-17

Thin ZrC films (<500 nm) were grown on (100) Si substrates at a substrate temperature of 500 °C by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique using a KrF excimer laser under different CH 4 pressures. Glancing incidence X-ray diffraction showed that films were nanocrystalline, while X-ray reflectivity studies found out films were very dense and exhibited a smooth surface morphology. Optical spectroscopy data shows that the films have high reflectivity (>90%) in the infrared region, characteristic of metallic behavior. Nanoindentation results indicated that films deposited under lower CH 4 pressures exhibited slightly higher nanohardness and Young modulus values than filmsmore » deposited under higher pressures. As a result, tribological characterization revealed that these films exhibited relatively high wear resistance and steady-state friction coefficients on the order of μ = 0.4.« less

Enhanced luminescence in Eu-doped ZnO nanocrystalline films

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

Suzuki, Keigo, E-mail: ksuzuki@murata.com; Murayama, Koji; Tanaka, Nobuhiko

We found an enhancement of Eu{sup 3+} emissions in Eu-doped ZnO nanocrystalline films fabricated by microemulsion method. The Eu{sup 3+} emission intensities were increased by reducing annealing temperatures from 633 K to 533 K. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is that the size reduction enhances the energy transfer from ZnO nanoparticles to Eu{sup 3+} ions. Also, the shift of the charge-transfer band into the low-energy side of the absorption edge is found to be crucial, which seems to expedite the energy transfer from O atoms to Eu{sup 3+} ions. These findings will be useful for the material design of Eu-doped ZnOmore » phosphors.« less

Giant magnetoelectric effect in pure manganite-manganite heterostructures

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

Paul, Sanjukta; Pankaj, Ravindra; Yarlagadda, Sudhakar

2017-11-01

Obtaining strong magnetoelectric couplings in bulk materials and heterostructures is an ongoing challenge. We demonstrate that manganite heterostructures of the form (Insulator) /(LaMnO3)(n)/Interface/(CaMnO3)(n)/(Insulator) show strong multiferroicity in magnetic manganites where ferroelectric polarization is realized by charges leaking from LaMnO3 to CaMnO3 due to repulsion. Here, an effective nearest-neighbor electron-electron (electron-hole) repulsion (attraction) is generated by cooperative electron-phonon interaction. Double exchange, when a particle virtually hops to its unoccupied neighboring site and back, produces magnetic polarons that polarize antiferromagnetic regions. Thus a striking giant magnetoelectric effect ensues when an external electrical field enhances the electron leakage across the interface.

Optical, dielectric and morphological studies of sol-gel derived nanocrystalline TiO2 films.

PubMed

Vishwas, M; Sharma, Sudhir Kumar; Narasimha Rao, K; Mohan, S; Gowda, K V Arjuna; Chakradhar, R P S

2009-10-15

Nanocrystalline TiO(2) films have been synthesized on glass and silicon substrates by sol-gel technique. The films have been characterized with optical reflectance/transmittance in the wavelength range 300-1000 nm and the optical constants (n, k) were estimated by using envelope technique as well as spectroscopic ellipsometry. Morphological studies have been carried out using atomic force microscope (AFM). Metal-Oxide-Silicon (MOS) capacitor was fabricated using conducting coating on TiO(2) film deposited on silicon. The C-V measurements show that the film annealed at 300 degrees C has a dielectric constant of 19.80. The high percentage of transmittance, low surface roughness and high dielectric constant suggests that it can be used as an efficient anti-reflection coating on silicon and other optical coating applications and also as a MOS capacitor.

Self-ion irradiation effects on mechanical properties of nanocrystalline zirconium films

DOE PAGES

Wang, Baoming; Haque, M. A.; Tomar, Vikas; ...

2017-07-13

Zirconium thin films were irradiated at room temperature with an 800 keV Zr + beam using a 6 MV HVE Tandem accelerator to 1.36 displacement per atom damage. Freestanding tensile specimens, 100 nm thick and 10 nm grain size, were tested in-situ inside a transmission electron microscope. Significant grain growth (>300%), texture evolution, and displacement damage defects were observed. Here, stress-strain profiles were mostly linear elastic below 20 nm grain size, but above this limit the samples demonstrated yielding and strain hardening. Experimental results support the hypothesis that grain boundaries in nanocrystalline metals act as very effective defect sinks.

Controlling Directional Liquid Motion on Micro- and Nanocrystalline Diamond/β-SiC Composite Gradient Films.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Handschuh-Wang, Stephan; Huang, Lei; Zhang, Lei; Jiang, Xin; Kong, Tiantian; Zhang, Wenjun; Lee, Chun-Sing; Zhou, Xuechang; Tang, Yongbing

2018-01-30

In this Article, we report the synthesis of micro- and nanocrystalline diamond/β-SiC composite gradient films, using a hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique and its application as a robust and chemically inert means to actuate water and hazardous liquids. As revealed by scanning electron microscopy, the composition of the surface changed gradually from pure nanocrystalline diamond (hydrophobic) to a nanocrystalline β-SiC surface (hydrophilic). Transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were employed to determine the presence of diamond, graphite, and β-SiC phases. The as-prepared gradient films were evaluated for their ability to actuate water. Indeed, water was transported via the gradient from the hydrophobic (hydrogen-terminated diamond) to the hydrophilic side (hydroxyl-terminated β-SiC) of the gradient surface. The driving distance and velocity of water is pivotally influenced by the surface roughness. The nanogradient surface showed significant promise as the lower roughness combined with the longer gradient yields in transport distances of up to 3.7 mm, with a maximum droplet velocity of nearly 250 mm/s measured by a high-speed camera. As diamond and β-SiC are chemically inert, the gradient surfaces can be used to drive hazardous liquids and reactive mixtures, which was signified by the actuation of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide solution. We envision that the diamond/β-SiC gradient surface has high potential as an actuator for water transport in microfluidic devices, DNA sensors, and implants, which induce guided cell growth.

Crystallite size strain analysis of nanocrystalline La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 perovskite by Williamson-Hall plot method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Dinesh; Verma, Narendra Kumar; Singh, Chandra Bhal; Singh, Akhilesh Kumar

2018-04-01

The nanocrystalline Sr-doped LaMnO3 (La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 = LSMO) perovskite manganites having different crystallite size were synthesized using the nitrate-glycine auto-combustion method. The phase purity of the manganites was checked by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement. The XRD patterns of the sample reveal that La0.7S0.3MnO3 crystallizes into rhombohedral crystal structure with space group R-3c. The size-dependence of structural lattice parameters have been investigated with the help of Rietveld refinement. The structural parameters increase as a function of crystallite size. The crystallite-size and internal strain as a function of crystallite-size have been calculated using Williamson-Hall plot.

Manganite perovskite ceramics, their precursors and methods for forming

DOEpatents

Payne, David Alan; Clothier, Brent Allen

2015-03-10

Disclosed are a variety of ceramics having the formula Ln.sub.1-xM.sub.xMnO.sub.3, where 0.Itoreq.x.Itoreq.1 and where Ln is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu or Y; M is Ca, Sr, Ba, Cd, or Pb; manganite precursors for preparing the ceramics; a method for preparing the precursors; and a method for transforming the precursors into uniform, defect-free ceramics having magnetoresistance properties. The manganite precursors contain a sol and are derived from the metal alkoxides: Ln(OR).sub.3, M(OR).sub.2 and Mn(OR).sub.2, where R is C.sub.2 to C.sub.6 alkyl or C.sub.3 to C.sub.9 alkoxyalkyl, or C.sub.6 to C.sub.9 aryl. The preferred ceramics are films prepared by a spin coating method and are particularly suited for incorporation into a device such as an integrated circuit device.

Synthesis and properties of nanocrystalline copper indium oxide thin films deposited by Rf magnetron sputtering.

PubMed

Singh, Mandeep; Singh, V N; Mehta, B R

2008-08-01

Nanocrystalline copper indium oxide (CuInO2) thin films with particle size ranging from 25 nm to 71 nm have been synthesized from a composite target using reactive Rf magnetron sputtering technique. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined with glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD) analysis confirmed the presence of delafossite CuInO2 phase in these films. The optical absorption studies show the presence of two direct band gaps at 3.3 and 4.3 eV, respectively. The resistance versus temperature measurements show thermally activated hopping with activation energy of 0.84 eV to be the conduction mechanism.

Tunneling Spectroscopy Study of Spin-Polarized Quasiparticle Injection Effects in Cuparate/Manganite Heterostructures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wei, J. Y. T.; Yeh, N. C.; Vasquez, R. P.

1998-01-01

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy was performed at 4.2K on epitaxial thin-film heterostructures comprising YBa2Cu3O7 and La0.7Ca0.3MnO3, to study the microscopic effects of spin-polarized quasiparticle injection from the half-metallic ferromagnetic manganite on the high-Tc cuprate superconductor.

Application of micro- and nanocrystalline cellulose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sotnikova, Yu S.; Demina, T. S.; Istomin, A. V.; Goncharuk, G. P.; Grandfils, Ch; Akopova, T. A.; Zelenetskii, A. N.; Babayevsky, P. G.

2018-04-01

Micro- and nanocrystalline forms of cellulose were extracted from flax stalks and evaluated in terms of their applicability for various materials science tasks. It was revealed that both form of cellulose had anisometric morphology with length of 27.1 μm and 159 nm; diameter of 8.7 μm and 85 nm, respectively. They were used as reinforcing fillers for fabrication of composite films based on hydroxyethylcellulose. Film-forming and mechanical properties of the composite materials were significantly varied in dependence on filler content (0–10 wt.%) and size. As a second option of micro- and nanocrystalline cellulose application, a study of their effectiveness as stabilizing agents for oil/water Pickering emulsions was carried out. In contrast to micron-sized cellulose the nanocrystalline form appeared to be successful in the process of CH2Cl2/water interface stabilization and fabrication of polylactide microparticles via oil/water Pickering emulsion solvent evaporation technique.

Microstructure factor and mechanical and electronic properties of hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin-films for microelectromechanical systems applications

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

Mouro, J.; Gualdino, A.; Chu, V.

2013-11-14

Thin-film silicon allows the fabrication of MEMS devices at low processing temperatures, compatible with monolithic integration in advanced electronic circuits, on large-area, low-cost, and flexible substrates. The most relevant thin-film properties for applications as MEMS structural layers are the deposition rate, electrical conductivity, and mechanical stress. In this work, n{sup +}-type doped hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin-films were deposited by RF-PECVD, and the influence of the hydrogen dilution in the reactive mixture, the RF-power coupled to the plasma, the substrate temperature, and the deposition pressure on the structural, electrical, and mechanical properties of the films was studied. Three differentmore » types of silicon films were identified, corresponding to three internal structures: (i) porous amorphous silicon, deposited at high rates and presenting tensile mechanical stress and low electrical conductivity, (ii) dense amorphous silicon, deposited at intermediate rates and presenting compressive mechanical stress and higher values of electrical conductivity, and (iii) nanocrystalline silicon, deposited at very low rates and presenting the highest compressive mechanical stress and electrical conductivity. These results show the combinations of electromechanical material properties available in silicon thin-films and thus allow the optimized selection of a thin silicon film for a given MEMS application. Four representative silicon thin-films were chosen to be used as structural material of electrostatically actuated MEMS microresonators fabricated by surface micromachining. The effect of the mechanical stress of the structural layer was observed to have a great impact on the device resonance frequency, quality factor, and actuation force.« less

Novel p-Type Conductive Semiconductor Nanocrystalline Film as the Back Electrode for High-Performance Thin Film Solar Cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Ming-Jian; Lin, Qinxian; Yang, Xiaoyang; Mei, Zongwei; Liang, Jun; Lin, Yuan; Pan, Feng

2016-02-10

Thin film solar cells, due to the low cost, high efficiency, long-term stability, and consumer applications, have been widely applied for harvesting green energy. All of these thin film solar cells generally adopt various metal thin films as the back electrode, like Mo, Au, Ni, Ag, Al, graphite, and so forth. When they contact with p-type layer, it always produces a Schottky contact with a high contact potential barrier, which greatly affects the cell performance. In this work, we report for the first time to find an appropriate p-type conductive semiconductor film, digenite Cu9S5 nanocrystalline film, as the back electrode for CdTe solar cells as the model device. Its low sheet resistance (16.6 Ω/sq) could compare to that of the commercial TCO films (6-30 Ω/sq), like FTO, ITO, and AZO. Different from the traditonal metal back electrode, it produces a successive gradient-doping region by the controllable Cu diffusion, which greatly reduces the contact potential barrier. Remarkably, it achieved a comparable power conversion efficiency (PCE, 11.3%) with the traditional metal back electrode (Cu/Au thin films, 11.4%) in CdTe cells and a higher PCE (13.8%) with the help of the Au assistant film. We believe it could also act as the back electrode for other thin film solar cells (α-Si, CuInS2, CIGSe, CZTS, etc.), for their performance improvement.

Large Scale Synthesis of Colloidal Si Nanocrystals and their Helium Plasma Processing into Spin-On, Carbon-Free Nanocrystalline Si Films.

PubMed

Mohapatra, Pratyasha; Mendivelso-Perez, Deyny; Bobbitt, Jonathan M; Shaw, Santosh; Yuan, Bin; Tian, Xinchun; Smith, Emily A; Cademartiri, Ludovico

2018-05-30

This paper describes a simple approach to the large scale synthesis of colloidal Si nanocrystals and their processing by He plasma into spin-on carbon-free nanocrystalline Si films. We further show that the RIE etching rate in these films is 1.87 times faster than for single crystalline Si, consistent with a simple geometric argument that accounts for the nanoscale roughness caused by the nanoparticle shape.

Formation of nanocrystalline diamond in polymer like carbon films deposited by plasma CVD.

PubMed

Bhaduri, A; Chaudhuri, P

2009-09-01

Conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) method is generally not suitable for the growth of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films. However, our study shows that conditions favourable for powder formation help to grow large amount of nanocrystallites in conventional PECVD. With CH4 as the carbon source gas, dilution with Ar and moderate (50 W) rf power enhances formations of powders (nanoparticles) and C2 dimers within the plasma. On the other hand, with pure CH4 or with hydrogen diluted CH4, powder formation as also NCD growth is hindered. It is proposed that the nanoparticles formed in the plasma act as the "islands" while the C2 dimers are the "seeds" for the NCD growth. The structure of the films deposited on the grounded anode under different conditions of dilution has been studied. It is observed that with high Ar dilution the films contain NCD embedded in polymer like carbon (PLC) matrix.

Effect of aging heat time and annealing temperature on the properties of nanocrystalline tin dioxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadhim, Imad H.; Abu Hassan, H.

2017-04-01

Nanocrystalline tin dioxide (SnO2) thin films have been successfully prepared by sol-gel spin-coating technique on p-type Si (100) substrates. A stable solution was prepared by mixing tin(II) chloride dihydrate, pure ethanol, and glycerin. Temperature affects the properties of SnO2 thin films, particularly the crystallite size where the crystallization of SnO2 with tetragonal rutile structure is achieved when thin films that prepared under different aging heat times are annealed at 400∘C. By increasing aging heat time in the presence of annealing temperatures the FESEM images indicated that the thickness of the fabricated film was directly proportional to solution viscosity, increasing from approximately 380 nm to 744 nm, as well as the crystallization of the thin films improved and reduced defects.

A study of structural and mechanical properties of nano-crystalline tungsten nitride film synthesis by plasma focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussnain, Ali; Singh Rawat, Rajdeep; Ahmad, Riaz; Hussain, Tousif; Umar, Z. A.; Ikhlaq, Uzma; Chen, Zhong; Shen, Lu

2015-02-01

Nano-crystalline tungsten nitride thin films are synthesized on AISI-304 steel at room temperature using Mather-type plasma focus system. The surface properties of the exposed substrate against different deposition shots are examined for crystal structure, surface morphology and mechanical properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope, field emission scanning electron microscope and nano-indenter. The XRD results show the growth of WN and WN2 phases and the development of strain/stress in the deposited films by varying the number of deposition shots. Morphology of deposited films shows the significant change in the surface structure with different ion energy doses (number of deposition shots). Due to the effect of different ion energy doses, the strain/stress developed in the deposited film leads to an improvement of hardness of deposited films.

Osteogenic cell differentiation on H-terminated and O-terminated nanocrystalline diamond films

PubMed Central

Liskova, Jana; Babchenko, Oleg; Varga, Marian; Kromka, Alexander; Hadraba, Daniel; Svindrych, Zdenek; Burdikova, Zuzana; Bacakova, Lucie

2015-01-01

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films are promising materials for bone implant coatings because of their biocompatibility, chemical resistance, and mechanical hardness. Moreover, NCD wettability can be tailored by grafting specific atoms. The NCD films used in this study were grown on silicon substrates by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and grafted by hydrogen atoms (H-termination) or oxygen atoms (O-termination). Human osteoblast-like Saos-2 cells were used for biological studies on H-terminated and O-terminated NCD films. The adhesion, growth, and subsequent differentiation of the osteoblasts on NCD films were examined, and the extracellular matrix production and composition were quantified. The osteoblasts that had been cultivated on the O-terminated NCD films exhibited a higher growth rate than those grown on the H-terminated NCD films. The mature collagen fibers were detected in Saos-2 cells on both the H-terminated and O-terminated NCD films; however, the quantity of total collagen in the extracellular matrix was higher on the O-terminated NCD films, as were the amounts of calcium deposition and alkaline phosphatase activity. Nevertheless, the expression of genes for osteogenic markers – type I collagen, alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin – was either comparable on the H-terminated and O-terminated films or even lower on the O-terminated films. In conclusion, the higher wettability of the O-terminated NCD films is promising for adhesion and growth of osteoblasts. In addition, the O-terminated surface also seems to support the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins and extracellular matrix mineralization, and this is promising for better osteoconductivity of potential bone implant coatings. PMID:25670900

Optical Properties of ZnO-Alloyed Nanocrystalline Films

DOE PAGES

Che, Hui; Huso, Jesse; Morrison, John L.; ...

2012-01-01

ZnO is emore » merging as one of the materials of choice for UV applications. It has a deep excitonic energy level and a direct bandgap of ~3.4 eV. Alloying ZnO with certain atomic constituents adds new optical and electronic functionalities to ZnO. This paper presents research on M g x Z n 1 − x O and Z n S 1 − x O x nanocrystalline flexible films, which enable tunable optical properties in the deep-UV and in the visible range. The ZnO and Mg 0 .3 Zn 0 .7 O films were found to have bandgaps at 3.35 and 4.02 eV, respectively. The photoluminescence of the Mg 0 .3 Zn 0 .7 O exhibited a bandedge emission at 3.95 eV, and at lower energy 3.38 eV due to the limited solubility inherent to these alloys. ZnS 0 .76 O 0 .24 and ZnS 0 .16 O 0 .84 were found to have bandgaps at 3.21 and 2.65 eV, respectively. The effect of nitrogen doping on ZnS 0 .16 O 0 .84 is discussed in terms of the highly lattice mismatched nature of these alloys and the resulting valence-band modification.« less

Effect of sputtered titanium interlayers on the properties of nanocrystalline diamond films

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

Li, Cuiping, E-mail: licp226@126.com, E-mail: limingji@163.com; Li, Mingji, E-mail: licp226@126.com, E-mail: limingji@163.com; Wu, Xiaoguo

2016-04-07

Ti interlayers with different thicknesses were sputtered on Si substrates and then ultrasonically seeded in a diamond powder suspension. Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films were deposited using a dc arc plasma jet chemical vapor deposition system on the seeded Ti/Si substrates. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy tests showed that the roughness of the prepared Ti interlayer increased with increasing thickness. The effects of Ti interlayers with various thicknesses on the properties of NCD films were investigated. The results show nucleation, growth, and microstructure of the NCD films are strongly influenced by the Ti interlayers. The addition of a Timore » interlayer between the Si substrate and the NCD films can significantly enhance the nucleation rate and reduce the surface roughness of the NCD. The NCD film on a 120 nm Ti interlayer possesses the fastest nucleation rate and the smoothest surface. Raman spectra of the NCD films show trans-polyacetylene relevant peaks reduce with increasing Ti interlayer thickness, which can owe to the improvement of crystalline at grain boundaries. Furthermore, nanoindentation measurement results show that the NCD film on a 120 nm Ti interlayer displays a higher hardness and elastic modulus. High resolution transmission electron microscopy images of a cross-section show that C atoms diffuse into the Ti layer and Si substrate and form TiC and SiC hard phases, which can explain the enhancement of mechanical properties of NCD.« less

Evidence of extended cation solubility in atomic layer deposited nanocrystalline BaTiO3 thin films and its strong impact on the electrical properties.

PubMed

Falmbigl, Matthias; Karateev, Igor A; Golovina, Iryna S; Plokhikh, Aleksandr V; Parker, Thomas C; Vasiliev, Alexander L; Spanier, Jonathan E

2018-06-22

Thin films of ≈50 nm thickness with Ba/Ti-ratios ranging from 0.8 to 1.06 were prepared by depositing alternating layers of Ba(OH)2 and TiO2. Annealing at 750 °C promoted the solid-solid transformation into polycrystalline BaTiO3 films containing a mixture of the perovskite and the hexagonal polymorphs with average crystallite sizes smaller than 14 nm and without impurity phases. This, together with an increase of the cubic lattice parameters for Ba-rich films, suggests an extended metastable solubility range for the perovskite-phase in these nanocrystalline thin films on both sides of the stoichiometric composition. Mapping of the cation distribution utilizing energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy corroborates defect accommodation within the BaTiO3 grains. While the cation off-stoichiometry in thermodynamic equilibrium is negligible for BaTiO3, the metastable extended solubility range in the thin films can be directly correlated to the low annealing temperature and nanocrystalline nature. The leakage current behavior can be explained by the formation of Schottky defects for nonstoichiometric films, and the cation ratio has a distinct impact on the dielectric properties: while excess-BaO has a marginal detrimental effect on the permittivity, the dielectric constant declines rapidly by more than 50% towards the Ti-rich side. The present findings highlight the importance of compositional control for the synthesis of nanocrystalline BaTiO3 thin films, in particular for low annealing and/or deposition temperatures. Our synthesis approach using alternating layers of Ba(OH)2 and TiO2 provides a route to precisely control the cation stoichiometry.

Doping of vanadium to nanocrystalline diamond films by hot filament chemical vapor deposition

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Doping an impure element with a larger atomic volume into crystalline structure of buck crystals is normally blocked because the rigid crystalline structure could not tolerate a larger distortion. However, this difficulty may be weakened for nanocrystalline structures. Diamonds, as well as many semiconductors, have a difficulty in effective doping. Theoretical calculations carried out by DFT indicate that vanadium (V) is a dopant element for the n-type diamond semiconductor, and their several donor state levels are distributed between the conduction band and middle bandgap position in the V-doped band structure of diamond. Experimental investigation of doping vanadium into nanocrystalline diamond films (NDFs) was first attempted by hot filament chemical vapor deposition technique. Acetone/H2 gas mixtures and vanadium oxytripropoxide (VO(OCH2CH2CH3)3) solutions of acetone with V and C elemental ratios of 1:5,000, 1:2,000, and 1:1,000 were used as carbon and vanadium sources, respectively. The resistivity of the V-doped NDFs decreased two orders with the increasing V/C ratios. PMID:22873631

Direct growth of nanocrystalline hexagonal boron nitride films on dielectric substrates

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

Tay, Roland Yingjie; Temasek Laboratories@NTU, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, Singapore 639798; Tsang, Siu Hon

Atomically thin hexagonal-boron nitride (h-BN) films are primarily synthesized through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on various catalytic transition metal substrates. In this work, a single-step metal-catalyst-free approach to obtain few- to multi-layer nanocrystalline h-BN (NCBN) directly on amorphous SiO{sub 2}/Si and quartz substrates is demonstrated. The as-grown thin films are continuous and smooth with no observable pinholes or wrinkles across the entire deposited substrate as inspected using optical and atomic force microscopy. The starting layers of NCBN orient itself parallel to the substrate, initiating the growth of the textured thin film. Formation of NCBN is due to the random andmore » uncontrolled nucleation of h-BN on the dielectric substrate surface with no epitaxial relation, unlike on metal surfaces. The crystallite size is ∼25 nm as determined by Raman spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the NCBN formed sheets of multi-stacked layers with controllable thickness from ∼2 to 25 nm. The absence of transfer process in this technique avoids any additional degradation, such as wrinkles, tears or folding and residues on the film which are detrimental to device performance. This work provides a wider perspective of CVD-grown h-BN and presents a viable route towards large-scale manufacturing of h-BN substrates and for coating applications.« less

Impact of Substrate Types on Structure and Emission of ZnO Nanocrystalline Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballardo Rodriguez, I. Ch.; El Filali, B.; Díaz Cano, A. I.; Torchynska, T. V.

2018-02-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) films were simultaneously synthesized by an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) method on p-type Si (100), silicon carbide polytype [6H-SiC (0001)], porous 6H-SiC and amorphous glass substrates with the aim of studying the impact of substrate types on the structure and emission of ZnO nanocrystalline films. Porous silicon carbide (P-SiC) was prepared by the electrochemical anodization method at a constant potential of 20 V and etching time of 12 min. ZnO films grown on the SiC and P-SiC substrates are characterized by a wurtzite crystal structure with preferential growth along the (002) direction and with grain sizes of 90-180 and 70-160 nm, respectively. ZnO films grown on the Si substrate have just some small irregular hexagonal islands. The amorphous glass substrate did not promote the formation of any regular crystal forms. The obtained x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence (PL) results have shown that the better ZnO film crystallinity and high PL intensity of near-band edge emissions were achieved in the films grown on the porous SiC and SiC substrates. The preferential growth and crystalline nature of ZnO films on the SiC substrate have been discussed from the point of view of the lattice parameter compatibility between ZnO and SiC crystals.

Fabrication of Large Lateral Polycrystalline Silicon Film by Laser Dehydrogenation and Lateral Crystallization of Hydrogenated Nanocrystalline Silicon Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Tadashi; Yamamoto, Kenichi; Kambara, Junji; Kitahara, Kuninori; Hara, Akito

2009-12-01

Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) thin-film transistors (TFTs) have attracted attention for application to the operation of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The monolithic integration of nc-Si:H TFTs and polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) TFTs and the use of nc-Si:H TFTs for operating an OLED are candidate technologies to achieve OLED system-on-glass. To develop such a system, it is necessary to fabricate poly-Si films without employing thermal dehydrogenation because hydrogen needs to be maintained in the channel region of nc-Si:H TFTs. In this study, we optimized the laser dehydrogenation process as a substitute for thermal dehydrogenation by using a diode-pumped solid-state continuous-wave green laser (Nd:YVO4, 2ω=532 nm) to fabricate large lateral poly-Si films with grain sizes of 3×20 µm2. The performance of poly-Si TFTs is well known to be sensitive to the quality of poly-Si films. In order to evaluate the electrical properties of poly-Si films, TFTs were fabricated by conventional processes. The field-effect mobility, threshold voltage, and S-value of the poly-Si TFTs were 220 cm2 V-1 s-1, -1.0 V, and 0.45 V/dec, respectively. The quality of the poly-Si film fabricated in this experiment was sufficiently high for the integration of peripheral circuits.

Direct Coating of Nanocrystalline Diamond on Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsugawa, Kazuo; Kawaki, Shyunsuke; Ishihara, Masatou; Hasegawa, Masataka

2012-09-01

Nanocrystalline diamond films have been successfully deposited on stainless steel substrates without any substrate pretreatments to promote diamond nucleation, including the formation of interlayers. A low-temperature growth technique, 400 °C or lower, in microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition using a surface-wave plasma has cleared up problems in diamond growth on ferrous materials, such as the surface graphitization, long incubation time, substrate softening, and poor adhesion. The deposited nanocrystalline diamond films on stainless steel exhibit good adhesion and tribological properties, such as a high wear resistance, a low friction coefficient, and a low aggression strength, at room temperature in air without lubrication.

Nanocrystalline CuNi alloys: improvement of mechanical properties and thermal stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nogues, Josep; Varea, A.; Pellicer, E.; Sivaraman, K. M.; Pane, S.; Nelson, B. J.; Surinach, S.; Baro, M. D.; Sort, J.

2014-03-01

Nanocrystalline metallic films are known to benefit from novel and enhanced physical and chemical properties. In spite of these outstanding properties, nanocrystalline metals typically show relatively poor thermal stability which leads to deterioration of the properties due to grain coarsening. We have studied nanocrystalline Cu1-xNix (0.56 < x < 1) thin films (3 μm-thick) electrodeposited galvanostatically onto Cu/Ti/Si (100) substrates. CuNi thin films exhibit large values of hardness (6.15 < H < 7.21 GPa), which can be tailored by varying the composition. However, pure Ni films (x = 1) suffer deterioration of their mechanical and magnetic properties after annealing during 3 h at relatively low temperatures (TANN > 475 K) due to significant grain growth. Interestingly, alloying Ni with Cu clearly improves the thermal stability of the material because grain coarsening is delayed due to segregation of a Cu-rich phase at grain boundaries, thus preserving both the mechanical and magnetic properties up to higher TANN.

Emerging single-phase state in small manganite nanodisks

DOE PAGES

Shao, Jian; Liu, Hao; Zhang, Kai; ...

2016-08-01

In complex oxides systems such as manganites, electronic phase separation (EPS), a consequence of strong electronic correlations, dictates the exotic electrical and magnetic properties of these materials. A fundamental yet unresolved issue is how EPS responds to spatial confinement; will EPS just scale with size of an object, or will the one of the phases be pinned? Understanding this behavior is critical for future oxides electronics and spintronics because scaling down of the system is unavoidable for these applications. In this work, we use La 0.325Pr 0.3Ca 0.375MnO 3 (LPCMO) single crystalline disks to study the effect of spatial confinementmore » on EPS. The EPS state featuring coexistence of ferromagnetic metallic and charge order insulating phases appears to be the low-temperature ground state in bulk, thin films, and large disks, a previously unidentified ground state (i.e., a single ferromagnetic phase state emerges in smaller disks). The critical size is between 500 nm and 800 nm, which is similar to the characteristic length scale of EPS in the LPCMO system. The ability to create a pure ferromagnetic phase in manganite nanodisks is highly desirable for spintronic applications.« less

Boron Doped Nanocrystalline Film with Improved Work Function as a Buffer Layer in Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells.

PubMed

Park, Jinjoo; Shin, Chonghoon; Park, Hyeongsik; Jung, Junhee; Lee, Youn-Jung; Bong, Sungjae; Dao, Vinh Ai; Balaji, Nagarajan; Yi, Junsin

2015-03-01

We investigated thin film silicon solar cells with boron doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon/ hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxide [p-type nc-Si:H/a-SiOx:H] layer. First, we researched the bandgap engineering of diborane (B2H6) doped wide bandgap hydrogenated nanocryslline silicon (p-type nc-Si:H) films, which have excellent electrical properties of high dark conductivity, and low activation energy. The films prepared with lower doping ratio and higher hydrogen dilution ratio had higher optical gap (Eg), with higher dark conductivity (σ(d)), and lower activation energy (Ea). We controlled Eg from 2.10 eV to 1.75 eV, with σ(d) from 1.1 S/cm to 7.59 x 10(-3) S/cm, and Ea from 0.040 eV to 0.128 eV. Next, we focused on the fabrication of thin film silicon solar cells. By inserting p-type nc-Si:H film into the thin film silicon solar cells, we achieved a remarkable increase in the built-in potential from 0.803 eV to 0.901 eV. By forming p-type nc-Si:H film between SnO2:F/ZnO:Al (30 nm) and p-type a-SiOx:H layer, the solar cell properties of open circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current density (Jsc), and efficiency (η) were improved by 3.7%, 9.2%, and 9.8%, respectively.

Carrier mobility enhancement of nano-crystalline semiconductor films: Incorporation of redox -relay species into the grain boundary interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desilva, L. A.; Bandara, T. M. W. J.; Hettiarachchi, B. H.; Kumara, G. R. A.; Perera, A. G. U.; Rajapaksa, R. M. G.; Tennakone, K.

Dye-sensitized and perovskite solar cells and other nanostructured heterojunction electronic devices require securing intimate electronic contact between nanostructured surfaces. Generally, the strategy is solution phase coating of a hole -collector over a nano-crystalline high-band gap n-type oxide semiconductor film painted with a thin layer of the light harvesting material. The nano-crystallites of the hole - collector fills the pores of the painted oxide surface. Most ills of these devices are associated with imperfect contact and high resistance of the hole conducting layer constituted of nano-crystallites. Denaturing of the delicate light harvesting material forbid sintering at elevated temperatures to reduce the grain boundary resistance. It is found that the interfacial and grain boundary resistance can be significantly reduced via incorporation of redox species into the interfaces to form ultra-thin layers. Suitable redox moieties, preferably bonded to the surface, act as electron transfer relays greatly reducing the film resistance offerring a promising method of enhancing the effective hole mobility of nano-crystalline hole-collectors and developing hole conductor paints for application in nanostructured devices.

Effect of annealing on structure, morphology and optoelectronic properties of nanocrystalline CuO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jundale, D. M.; Pawar, S. G.; Patil, S. L.; Chougule, M. A.; Godse, P. R.; Patil, V. B.

2011-10-01

The nanocrystalline CuO thin films were prepared on glass substrates by the sol-gel method. The structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties of CuO thin films, submitted to an annealing treatment in the 400-700 °C ranges are studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Four Probe Technique and UV-visible spectroscopic. XRD measurements show that all the films are crystallized in the monoclinic phase and present a random orientation. Four prominent peaks, corresponding to the (110) phase (2θ≈32.70°), (002) phase (2θ≈35.70°), (111) phase (2θ≈38.76°) and (202) phase (2θ≈49.06°) appear on the diffractograms. The crystallite size increases with increasing annealing temperature. These modifications influence the microstructure, electrical and optical properties. The optical band gap energy decreases with increasing annealing temperature. These mean that the optical quality of CuO films is improved by annealing.

Flexible pressure sensor based on graphene aerogel microstructures functionalized with CdS nanocrystalline thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plesco, Irina; Dragoman, Mircea; Strobel, Julian; Ghimpu, Lidia; Schütt, Fabian; Dinescu, Adrian; Ursaki, Veaceslav; Kienle, Lorenz; Adelung, Rainer; Tiginyanu, Ion

2018-05-01

In this paper, we report on functionalization of graphene aerogel with a CdS thin film deposited by magnetron sputtering and on the development of flexible pressure sensors based on ultra-lightweight CdS-aerogel nanocomposite. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis disclose the uniform deposition of nanocrystalline CdS films with quasi-stoichiometric composition. The piezoresistive response of the aforementioned nanocomposite in the pressure range from 1 to 5 atm is found to be more than one order of magnitude higher than that inherent to suspended graphene membranes, leading to an average sensitivity as high as 3.2 × 10-4 kPa-1.

The Control of Anisotropic Transport in Manganites by Stripy Domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Changcheng; Lu, Xiaomei; Chu, Yinghao

2014-03-01

Epitaxial thin film acts as a significant tool to investigate novel phenomena of complex oxide systems. Extrinsic constraint1 of uniform or certain designed buffer layer strain could be easily implanted to these materials. However, the strain distribution might be quite complicated by involving micro- or nano-lattice distortions which could partially relax the strain and determine the complex phase diagrams of thin film, meanwhile introducing structural and physical inhomogeneities. In this work , we report 71° striped ferroelectric domains created in BFO can also epitaxially lock the perovskite manganites leading to the emerge of ordered structural domain. LSMO/BFO hetero-epitaxial samples are deposited by PLD. The 71° periodic striped domains and coherent growth are demonstrated by PFM and X-ray analysis. Plan-view TEM and X-ray RSM have been used to confirm the epitaxial relationships of the functional layers and IP lattice constant. Both the simulation and structural analysis demonstrate we can create a periodic ordered stripe structural domain in LSMO. And this will leave an anisotropic distribution of structural domain walls which makes it possible to capture the anisotropic tunneling for strong electron-lattice coupling in manganites. Temperature-dependent resistivity measurements reveal a substantial anisotropic resistivities and a remarkable shift of the MI transition between the perpendicular and parallel to the stripe domain directions.

Size-controlled synthesis of nanocrystalline CdSe thin films by inert gas condensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Jeewan; Singh, Randhir; Kumar, Akshay; Singh, Tejbir; Agrawal, Paras; Thakur, Anup

2018-02-01

Size, shape and structure are considered to have significant influence on various properties of semiconducting nanomaterials. Different properties of these materials can be tailored by controlling the size. Size-controlled CdSe crystallites ranging from ˜ 04 to 95 nm were deposited by inert gas-condensation technique (IGC). In IGC method, by controlling the inert gas pressure in the condensation chamber and the substrate temperature or both, it was possible to produce nanoparticles with desired size. Structure and crystallite size of CdSe thin films were determined from Hall-Williamson method using X-ray diffraction data. The composition of CdSe samples was estimated by X-ray microanalysis. It was confirmed that CdSe thin film with different nanometer range crystallite sizes were synthesized with this technique, depending upon the synthesis conditions. The phase of deposited CdSe thin films also depend upon deposition conditions and cubic to hexagonal phase transition was observed with increase in substrate temperature. The effect of crystallite size on optical and electrical properties of these films was also studied. The crystallite size affects the optical band gap, electrical conductivity and mobility activation of nanocrystalline CdSe thin films. Mobility activation study suggested that there is a quasi-continuous linear distribution of three different trap levels below the conduction band.

Optical Properties of Ar Ions Irradiated Nanocrystalline ZrC and ZrN Thin Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, C.; Miller, K. H.; Makino, H.; Craciun, D.; Simeone, D.; Craciun, V.

2017-01-01

Thin nanocrystalline ZrC and ZrN films (less than 400 nanometers), grown on (100) Si substrates at a substrate temperature of 500 degrees Centigrade by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique, were irradiated by 800 kiloelectronvolts Ar ion irradiation with fluences from 1 times 10(sup 14) atoms per square centimeter up to 2 times 10(sup 15) atoms per square centimeter. Optical reflectance data, acquired from as-deposited and irradiated films, in the range of 500-50000 per centimeter (0.06–6 electronvolts), was used to assess the effect of irradiation on the optical and electronic properties. Both in ZrC and ZrN films we observed that irradiation affects the optical properties of the films mostly at low frequencies, which is dominated by the free carriers response. In both materials, we found a significant reduction in the free carriers scattering rate, i.e. possible increase in mobility, at higher irradiation flux. This is consistent with our previous findings that irradiation affects the crystallite size and the micro-strain, but it does not induce major structural changes.

Temperature and field dependent magnetization studies on nano-crystalline ZnFe2O4 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, B. N.; Suresh, K. G.; Venkataramani, N.; Prasad, Shiva; Krishnan, R.

2018-05-01

Single phase nano-crystalline zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) thin films were deposited on fused quartz substrate using the pulsed laser deposition technique. The films were deposited at different substrate temperatures. The field dependence of magnetization at 10 K shows hysteresis loops for all the samples. Temperature dependence of the field cooled (FC) and zero field cooled (ZFC) magnetization indicated irreversible behavior between the FC and ZFC data, and the irreversibility depends on the measuring magnetic field. The thermo-magnetic irreversibility in the magnetization data is correlated with the magnitude of the applied field and the coercivity (HC) obtained from the M-H loops.

Low Temperature Resistive Switching Behavior in a Manganite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvo, Christopher; Lopez, Melinda; Tsui, Stephen

2012-02-01

The development of new nonvolatile memory devices remains an important field of consumer electronics. A possible candidate is bipolar resistive switching, a method by which the resistance of a material changes when a voltage is applied. Although there is a great deal of research on this topic, not much has been done at low temperatures. In this work, we compare the room temperature and low temperature behaviors of switching in a manganite thin film. The data indicates that the switching is suppressed upon cooling to cryogenic temperatures, and the presence of crystalline charge traps is tied to the physical mechanism.

Structural and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline NiFe2O4 thin film prepared by spray pyrolysis technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chavan, Apparao R.; Chilwar, R. R.; Shisode, M. V.; Hivrekar, Mahesh M.; Mande, V. K.; Jadhav, K. M.

2018-05-01

The nanocrystalline NiFe2O4 thin film has been prepared using a spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrate. The prepared thin film was characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) characterization techniques for the structural and microstructural analysis. The magnetic property was measured using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature. X-ray diffraction studies show the formation of single phase spinel structure of the thin film. The octahedral and tetrahedral vibration in the sample was studied by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra. Magnetic hysteresis loop was recorded for thin film at room temperature. At 15 kOe, saturation magnetization (Ms) was found to increase while coercivity (Hc) decreases with thickness of the NiFe2O4 thin film.

Effect of substrate temperature on implantation doping of Co in CdS nanocrystalline thin films.

PubMed

Chandramohan, S; Kanjilal, A; Sarangi, S N; Majumder, S; Sathyamoorthy, R; Hong, C-H; Som, T

2010-07-01

We demonstrate doping of nanocrystalline CdS thin films with Co ions by ion implantation at an elevated temperature of 573 K. The modifications caused in structural and optical properties of these films are investigated. Co-doping does not lead to amorphization or formation of any secondary phase precipitate for dopant concentrations in the range of 0.34-10.8 at.% used in the present study. However, we observe a systematic reduction in the d-spacing with increasing cobalt concentration. Optical band gap of CdS does not show any obvious change upon Co-doping. In addition, implantation gives rise to grain growth and increase in the surface roughness. The results are discussed in the light of ion-matter interaction in the keV regime.

Effect of fluorine doping on highly transparent conductive spray deposited nanocrystalline tin oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moholkar, A. V.; Pawar, S. M.; Rajpure, K. Y.; Bhosale, C. H.; Kim, J. H.

2009-09-01

The undoped and fluorine doped thin films are synthesized by using cost-effective spray pyrolysis technique. The dependence of optical, structural and electrical properties of SnO 2 films, on the concentration of fluorine is reported. Optical absorption, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Hall effect studies have been performed on SnO 2:F (FTO) films coated on glass substrates. The film thickness varies from 800 to 1572 nm. X-ray diffraction pattern reveals the presence of cassiterite structure with (2 0 0) preferential orientation for FTO films. The crystallite size varies from 35 to 66 nm. SEM and AFM study reveals the surface of FTO to be made of nanocrystalline particles. The electrical study reveals that the films are degenerate and exhibit n-type electrical conductivity. The 20 wt% F doped film has a minimum resistivity of 3.8 × 10 -4 Ω cm, carrier density of 24.9 × 10 20 cm -3 and mobility of 6.59 cm 2 V -1 s -1. The sprayed FTO film having minimum resistance of 3.42 Ω/cm 2, highest figure of merit of 6.18 × 10 -2 Ω -1 at 550 nm and 96% IR reflectivity suggest, these films are useful as conducting layers in electrochromic and photovoltaic devices and also as the passive counter electrode.

Microstructural Evolution of Nanocrystalline Diamond Films Due to CH4/Ar/H2 Plasma Post-Treatment Process.

PubMed

Lin, Sheng-Chang; Yeh, Chien-Jui; Manoharan, Divinah; Leou, Keh-Chyang; Lin, I-Nan

2015-10-07

Plasma post-treatment process was observed to markedly enhance the electron field emission (EFE) properties of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films. TEM examinations reveal that the prime factor which improves the EFE properties of these films is the coalescence of ultrasmall diamond grains (∼5 nm) forming large diamond grains about hundreds of nanometers accompanied by the formation of nanographitic clusters along the grain boundaries due to the plasma post-treatment process. OES studies reveal the presence of large proportion of atomic hydrogen and C2 (or CH) species, which are the main ingredients that altered the granular structure of the UNCD films. In the post-treatment process, the plasma interacts with the diamond films by a diffusion process. The recrystallization of diamond grains started at the surface region of the material, and the interaction zone increased with the post-treatment period. The entire diamond film can be converted into a nanocrystalline granular structure when post-treated for a sufficient length of time.

Thermal conductivity of ultrathin nano-crystalline diamond films determined by Raman thermography assisted by silicon nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anaya, Julian; Rossi, Stefano; Alomari, Mohammed; Kohn, Erhard; Tóth, Lajos; Pécz, Béla; Kuball, Martin

2015-06-01

The thermal transport in polycrystalline diamond films near its nucleation region is still not well understood. Here, a steady-state technique to determine the thermal transport within the nano-crystalline diamond present at their nucleation site has been demonstrated. Taking advantage of silicon nanowires as surface temperature nano-sensors, and using Raman Thermography, the in-plane and cross-plane components of the thermal conductivity of ultra-thin diamond layers and their thermal barrier to the Si substrate were determined. Both components of the thermal conductivity of the nano-crystalline diamond were found to be well below the values of polycrystalline bulk diamond, with a cross-plane thermal conductivity larger than the in-plane thermal conductivity. Also a depth dependence of the lateral thermal conductivity through the diamond layer was determined. The results impact the design and integration of diamond for thermal management of AlGaN/GaN high power transistors and also show the usefulness of the nanowires as accurate nano-thermometers.

Nanoscale ferromagnetism in phase-separated manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, S.; Horibe, Y.; Asaka, T.; Matsui, Y.; Chen, C. H.; Cheong, S. W.

2007-03-01

Magnetic domain structures in phase-separated manganites were investigated by low-temperature Lorentz electron microscopy, in order to understand some unusual physical properties such as a colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) effect and a metal-to-insulator transition. In particular, we examined a spatial distribution of the charge/orbital-ordered (CO/OO) insulator state and the ferromagnetic (FM) metallic one in phase-separated manganites; Cr-doped Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and ( La1-xPrx)CaMnO3 with x=0.375, by obtaining both the dark-field images and Lorentz electron microscopic ones. It is found that an unusual coexistence of the CO/OO and FM metallic states below a FM transition temperature in the two compounds. The present experimental results clearly demonstrated the coexisting state of the two distinct ground states in manganites.

Functional materials based on nanocrystalline cellulose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surov, O. V.; Voronova, M. I.; Zakharov, A. G.

2017-10-01

The data on the synthesis of functional materials based on nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) published over the past 10 years are analyzed. The liquid-crystal properties of NCC suspensions, methods of investigation of NCC suspensions and films, conditions for preserving chiral nematic structure in the NCC films after removal of the solvent and features of templated sol-gel synthesis of functional materials based on NCC are considered. The bibliography includes 106 references.

Low-temperature (120 °C) growth of nanocrystalline silicon films prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition from SiCl 4/H 2 gases: Microstructure characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Gao, J. H.; Xiao, J. Q.; Wen, L. S.; Gong, J.; Sun, C.

2012-01-01

Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) films were prepared using diluted tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4) with various hydrogen flow rates (Hf) by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at a constant substrate temperature (Ts) as low as 120 °C. Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), infrared spectra (IR) and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) were employed to investigate the microstructure and hydrogen bonding of the nc-Si:H films. Our results showed that the microstructure and hydrogen content of the films could be effectively tailored by the hydrogen flow rates, and a distinct transition from amorphous to nanocrystalline phase was observed with an increase of Hf. At an optimal preparation condition, a deposition rate was as high as 3.7 nm/min and the crystallinity reached up to 64.1%. In addition, the effect of hydrogen on the low-temperature growth of nc-Si:H film was proposed in relation to the surface reaction of radicals and the hydrogen diffusion in the surface growing region.

Growth of nanocrystalline Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films using the spray pyrolysis technique and their characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandel, Tarun; Halaszova, Sona; Prochazka, Michal; Hasko, Daniel; Velic, Dusan; Thakur, Vikas; Dwivedi, Shailendra Kumar; Zaman, M. Buhanuz; Rajaram, Poolla

2018-05-01

Nanocrystalline thin films of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) were grown on the glass substrates using the spray pyrolysis technique. The films were grown at a substrate temperature of 300 °C after which they were annealed at 350 °C in vacuum. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies showed that the films crystallized in the kesterite structure. Energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) studies showed that the films possess the desired stoichiometry i.e. the proportion of Cu:Zn:Sn:S in the CZTS solid solution is close to 2:1:1:4. Secondary Ions Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) depth profiling confirmed the uniformity in elemental composition along the depth of the films. SEM studies showed that the films are covered with CZTS particles forming sheet like structures. AFM studies show that the size of the particles on the surface of the films is around 10-15 nm. UV-VIS-NIR transmission spectra were used to determine the optical band gap of the CZTS films which was found to be around 1.55eV.

Detailed Study of BSA Adsorption on Micro- and Nanocrystalline Diamond/β-SiC Composite Gradient Films by Time-Resolved Fluorescence Microscopy.

PubMed

Handschuh-Wang, Stephan; Wang, Tao; Druzhinin, Sergey I; Wesner, Daniel; Jiang, Xin; Schönherr, Holger

2017-01-24

The adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on micro- and nanocrystalline diamond/β-SiC composite films synthesized using the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique has been investigated by confocal fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. BSA labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was employed as a probe. The BSA FITC conjugate was found to preferentially adsorb on both O-/OH-terminated microcrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond compared to the OH-terminated β-SiC, resulting in an increasing amount of BSA adsorbed to the gradient surfaces with an increasing diamond/β-SiC ratio. The different strength of adsorption (>30 times for diamond with a grain size of 570 nm) coincides with different surface energy parameters and differing conformational changes upon adsorption. Fluorescence data of the adsorbed BSA FITC on the gradient film with different diamond coverage show a four-exponential decay with decay times of 3.71, 2.54, 0.66, and 0.13 ns for a grain size of 570 nm. The different decay times are attributed to the fluorescence of thiourea fluorescein residuals of linked FITC distributed in BSA with different dye-dye and dye-surface distances. The longest decay time was found to correlate linearly with the diamond grain size. The fluorescence of BSA FITC undergoes external dynamic fluorescence quenching on the diamond surface by H- and/or sp 2 -defects and/or by amorphous carbon or graphite phases. An acceleration of the internal fluorescence concentration quenching in BSA FITC because of structural changes of albumin due to adsorption, is concluded to be a secondary contributor. These results suggest that the micro- and nanocrystalline diamond/β-SiC composite gradient films can be utilized to spatially control protein adsorption and diamond crystallite size, which facilitates systematic studies at these interesting (bio)interfaces.

Correlation study of nanocrystalline carbon doped thin films prepared by a thermionic vacuum arc deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinca-Balan, Virginia; Vladoiu, Rodica; Mandes, Aurelia; Prodan, Gabriel

2017-11-01

The synthesis of Ag, Mg and Si nanocrystalline, embedded in a hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix, deposited by a high vacuum and free buffer gas technique, were investigated. The films with compact structures and extremely smooth surfaces were prepared using the thermionic vacuum arc method in one electron gun configuration, on glass and silicon substrates. The surface morphology and wettability of the obtained multifunctional thin films were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and free surface energy (FSE) by See System. The results from the TEM measurements show how the Ag, Mg and Si interacted with carbon and the influence these materials have on the thin film structure formation and the grain size distribution. SEM correlated with EDX results reveal a very precise comparative study, regarding the quantity of the elements that morphed into carbides nanostructures. Also, the FSE results prove how different materials in combination with carbon can make changes to the surface properties.

The impact of diamond nanocrystallinity on osteoblast functions.

PubMed

Yang, Lei; Sheldon, Brian W; Webster, Thomas J

2009-07-01

Nanocrystalline diamond has been proposed as an anti-abrasive film on orthopedic implants. In this study, osteoblast (bone forming cells) functions including adhesion (up to 4h), proliferation (up to 5 days) and differentiation (up to 21 days) on different diamond film topographies were systematically investigated. In order to exclude interferences from changes in surface chemistry and wettability (energy), diamond films with nanometer and micron scale topographies were fabricated through microwave plasma enhanced chemical-vapor-deposition and hydrogen plasma treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy and water contact angle measurements verified the similar surface chemistry and wettability but varied topographies for all of the diamond films prepared on silicon in this study. Cytocompatibility assays demonstrated enhanced osteoblast functions (including adhesion, proliferation, intracellular protein synthesis, alkaline phosphatase activity and extracellular calcium deposition) on nanocrystalline diamond compared to submicron diamond grain size films for all time periods tested up to 21 days. An SEM study of osteoblast attachment helped to explain the topographical impact diamond had on osteoblast functions by showing altered filopodia extensions on the different diamond topographies. In summary, these results provided insights into understanding the role diamond nanotopography had on osteoblast interactions and more importantly, the application of diamond films to improve orthopedic implant lifetimes.

Oxidation-Based Continuous Laser Writing in Vertical Nano-Crystalline Graphite Thin Films

PubMed Central

Loisel, Loïc; Florea, Ileana; Cojocaru, Costel-Sorin; Tay, Beng Kang; Lebental, Bérengère

2016-01-01

Nano and femtosecond laser writing are becoming very popular techniques for patterning carbon-based materials, as they are single-step processes enabling the drawing of complex shapes without photoresist. However, pulsed laser writing requires costly laser sources and is known to cause damages to the surrounding material. By comparison, continuous-wave lasers are cheap, stable and provide energy at a more moderate rate. Here, we show that a continuous-wave laser may be used to pattern vertical nano-crystalline graphite thin films with very few macroscale defects. Moreover, a spatially resolved study of the impact of the annealing to the crystalline structure and to the oxygen ingress in the film is provided: amorphization, matter removal and high oxygen content at the center of the beam; sp2 clustering and low oxygen content at its periphery. These data strongly suggest that amorphization and matter removal are controlled by carbon oxidation. The simultaneous occurrence of oxidation and amorphization results in a unique evolution of the Raman spectra as a function of annealing time, with a decrease of the I(D)/I(G) values but an upshift of the G peak frequency. PMID:27194181

Oxidation-Based Continuous Laser Writing in Vertical Nano-Crystalline Graphite Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loisel, Loïc; Florea, Ileana; Cojocaru, Costel-Sorin; Tay, Beng Kang; Lebental, Bérengère

2016-05-01

Nano and femtosecond laser writing are becoming very popular techniques for patterning carbon-based materials, as they are single-step processes enabling the drawing of complex shapes without photoresist. However, pulsed laser writing requires costly laser sources and is known to cause damages to the surrounding material. By comparison, continuous-wave lasers are cheap, stable and provide energy at a more moderate rate. Here, we show that a continuous-wave laser may be used to pattern vertical nano-crystalline graphite thin films with very few macroscale defects. Moreover, a spatially resolved study of the impact of the annealing to the crystalline structure and to the oxygen ingress in the film is provided: amorphization, matter removal and high oxygen content at the center of the beam; sp2 clustering and low oxygen content at its periphery. These data strongly suggest that amorphization and matter removal are controlled by carbon oxidation. The simultaneous occurrence of oxidation and amorphization results in a unique evolution of the Raman spectra as a function of annealing time, with a decrease of the I(D)/I(G) values but an upshift of the G peak frequency.

Giant Enhancement of Magnetic Anisotropy in Ultrathin Manganite Films via Nanoscale 1D Periodic Depth Modulation.

PubMed

Rajapitamahuni, A; Zhang, L; Koten, M A; Singh, V R; Burton, J D; Tsymbal, E Y; Shield, J E; Hong, X

2016-05-06

The relatively low magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) in strongly correlated manganites (La,Sr)MnO_{3} has been a major hurdle for implementing them in spintronic applications. Here we report an unusual, giant enhancement of in-plane MCA in 6 nm La_{0.67}Sr_{0.33}MnO_{3} (LSMO) films grown on (001) SrTiO_{3} substrates when the top 2 nm is patterned into periodic stripes of 100 or 200 nm width. Planar Hall effect measurements reveal an emergent uniaxial anisotropy superimposed on one of the original biaxial easy axes for unpatterned LSMO along ⟨110⟩ directions, with a 50-fold enhanced anisotropy energy density of 5.6×10^{6}  erg/cm^{3} within the nanostripes, comparable to the value for cobalt. The magnitude and direction of the uniaxial anisotropy exclude shape anisotropy and the step edge effect as its origin. High resolution transmission electron microscopy studies reveal a nonequilibrium strain distribution and drastic suppression in the c-axis lattice constant within the nanostructures, which is the driving mechanism for the enhanced uniaxial MCA, as suggested by first-principles density functional calculations.

Determination of dispersive optical constants of nanocrystalline CdSe (nc-CdSe) thin films

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

Sharma, Kriti; Al-Kabbi, Alaa S.; Saini, G.S.S.

2012-06-15

Highlights: ► nc-CdSe thin films are prepared by thermal vacuum evaporation technique. ► TEM analysis shows NCs are spherical in shape. ► XRD reveals the hexagonal (wurtzite) crystal structure of nc-CdSe thin films. ► The direct optical bandgap of nc-CdSe is 2.25 eV in contrast to bulk (1.7 eV). ► Dispersion of refractive index is discussed in terms of Wemple–DiDomenico single oscillator model. -- Abstract: The nanocrystalline thin films of CdSe are prepared by thermal evaporation technique at room temperature. These thin films are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-raymore » diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The transmission spectra are recorded in the transmission range 400–3300 nm for nc-CdSe thin films. Transmittance measurements are used to calculate the refractive index (n) and absorption coefficient (α) using Swanepoel's method. The optical band gap (E{sub g}{sup opt}) has been determined from the absorption coefficient values using Tauc's procedure. The optical constants such as extinction coefficient (k), real (ε{sub 1}) and imaginary (ε{sub 2}) dielectric constants, dielectric loss (tan δ), optical conductivity (σ{sub opt}), Urbach energy (E{sub u}) and steepness parameter (σ) are also calculated for nc-CdSe thin films. The normal dispersion of refractive index is described using Wemple–DiDomenico single-oscillator model. Refractive index dispersion is further analysed to calculate lattice dielectric constant (ε{sub L}).« less

Thermoelectric properties of nanocrystalline Sb2Te3 thin films: experimental evaluation and first-principles calculation, addressing effect of crystal grain size.

PubMed

Morikawa, Satoshi; Inamoto, Takuya; Takashiri, Masayuki

2018-02-16

The effect of crystal grain size on the thermoelectric properties of nanocrystalline antimony telluride (Sb 2 Te 3 ) thin films was investigated by experiments and first-principles studies using a developed relaxation time approximation. The Sb 2 Te 3 thin films were deposited on glass substrates using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. To change the crystal grain size of the Sb 2 Te 3 thin films, thermal annealing was performed at different temperatures. The crystal grain size, lattice parameter, and crystal orientation of the thin films were estimated using XRD patterns. The carrier concentration and in-plane thermoelectric properties of the thin films were measured at room temperature. A theoretical analysis was performed using a first-principles study based on density functional theory. The electronic band structures of Sb 2 Te 3 were calculated using different lattice parameters, and the thermoelectric properties were predicted based on the semi-classical Boltzmann transport equation in the relaxation time approximation. In particular, we introduced the effect of carrier scattering at the grain boundaries into the relaxation time approximation by estimating the group velocities from the electronic band structures. Finally, the experimentally measured thermoelectric properties were compared with those obtained by calculation. As a result, the calculated thermoelectric properties were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. Therefore, we can conclude that introducing the effect of carrier scattering at the grain boundaries into the relaxation time approximation contributes to enhance the accuracy of a first-principles calculation relating to nanocrystalline materials.

Thermoelectric properties of nanocrystalline Sb2Te3 thin films: experimental evaluation and first-principles calculation, addressing effect of crystal grain size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morikawa, Satoshi; Inamoto, Takuya; Takashiri, Masayuki

2018-02-01

The effect of crystal grain size on the thermoelectric properties of nanocrystalline antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) thin films was investigated by experiments and first-principles studies using a developed relaxation time approximation. The Sb2Te3 thin films were deposited on glass substrates using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. To change the crystal grain size of the Sb2Te3 thin films, thermal annealing was performed at different temperatures. The crystal grain size, lattice parameter, and crystal orientation of the thin films were estimated using XRD patterns. The carrier concentration and in-plane thermoelectric properties of the thin films were measured at room temperature. A theoretical analysis was performed using a first-principles study based on density functional theory. The electronic band structures of Sb2Te3 were calculated using different lattice parameters, and the thermoelectric properties were predicted based on the semi-classical Boltzmann transport equation in the relaxation time approximation. In particular, we introduced the effect of carrier scattering at the grain boundaries into the relaxation time approximation by estimating the group velocities from the electronic band structures. Finally, the experimentally measured thermoelectric properties were compared with those obtained by calculation. As a result, the calculated thermoelectric properties were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. Therefore, we can conclude that introducing the effect of carrier scattering at the grain boundaries into the relaxation time approximation contributes to enhance the accuracy of a first-principles calculation relating to nanocrystalline materials.

The activation energy for nanocrystalline diamond films deposited from an Ar/H2/CH4 hot-filament reactor.

PubMed

Barbosa, D C; Melo, L L; Trava-Airoldi, V J; Corat, E J

2009-06-01

In this work we have investigated the effect of substrate temperature on the growth rate and properties of nanocrystalline diamond thin films deposited by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). Mixtures of 0.5 vol% CH4 and 25 vol% H2 balanced with Ar at a pressure of 50 Torr and typical deposition time of 12 h. We present the measurement of the activation energy by accurately controlling the substrate temperature independently of other CVD parameters. Growth rates have been measured in the temperature range from 550 to 800 degrees C. Characterization techniques have involved Raman spectroscopy, high resolution X-ray difractometry and scanning electron microscopy. We also present a comparison with most activation energy for micro and nanocrystalline diamond determinations in the literature and propose that there is a common trend in most observations. The result obtained can be an evidence that the growth mechanism of NCD in HFCVD reactors is very similar to MCD growth.

Optical properties of PVA capped nanocrystalline Cd1-xZnxS thin film synthesized by chemical bath deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogoi, Lipika; Chaliha, Sumbit; Saikia, Prasanta Kumar

2018-04-01

A simple cost effective Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique has been employed for the preparation of nanocrystalline Cd1-xZnxS thin films in an alkaline medium at 333K for 120 minutes in polymer matrix. Optical parameters such as transmittance, optical band gap, reflectance, refractive index and extinction coefficient of the films was made using UV-Visible spectrophotometer. UV-spectroscopy study shows a good transmittance of 80-88% in visible wavelength region for the deposited films. The direct band gap energy (Eg) for the deposited films ranged from 3.5 to 3.7 eV depending on attribution of Zn into CdS. It shows a blue shift with respect to bulk value. A increase in transmittance and band gap is found with the increase of volume of Zn content. Cd1-xZnxS thin films exhibit the least reflectance for all the wavelengths in the visible region. The refractive indices (n) of the Cd1-xZnxS films were found in the range 1.38 to 2.94 in the visible region.

Bio-active nanocomposite films based on nanocrystalline cellulose reinforced styrylquinoxalin-grafted-chitosan: Antibacterial and mechanical properties.

PubMed

Fardioui, Meriem; Meftah Kadmiri, Issam; Qaiss, Abou El Kacem; Bouhfid, Rachid

2018-07-15

In this study, active nanocomposite films based on cellulose nanocrystalline (NCC) reinforced styrylquinoxalin-grafted-chitosan are prepared by solvent-casting process. The structures of the two styrylquinoxaline derivatives were confirmed by FT-IR, 1 H, 13 C NMR spectral data and the study of the antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (EC), Staphylococcus aureus (SA), Bacillus subtilis (BS) and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (PA) exhibits that they have a good antibacterial activity against (PA). On their side, the styrylquinoxalin-g-chitosan films are able to inhibit the growth of (PA) through their contact area without being damaged by the antibacterial test conditions. The addition of 5wt% of NCCs as nano-reinforcements revealed no change at the level of antibacterial activity but led to an important improvement of the mechanical properties (more than 60% and 90% improvement in Young's modulus and tensile strength, respectively) of the modified-chitosan films. Thereby, the present nanocomposite films are prepared by a simple way and featured by good mechanical and antibacterial properties which enhance the possibility to use them as bio-based products for biomedical and food packaging. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Role of high microwave power on growth and microstructure of thick nanocrystalline diamond films: A comparison with large grain polycrystalline diamond films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, C. J.; Fernandes, A. J. S.; Girão, A. V.; Pereira, S.; Shi, Fa-Nian; Soares, M. R.; Costa, F.; Neves, A. J.; Pinto, J. L.

2014-03-01

In this work, we study the growth habit of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films by exploring the very high power regime, up to 4 kW, in a 5 kW microwave plasma chemical vapour deposition (MPCVD) reactor, through addition of a small amount of nitrogen and oxygen (0.24%) into 4% CH4 in H2 plasma. The coupled effect of high microwave power and substrate temperature on NCD growth behaviour is systematically investigated by varying only power, while fixing the remaining operating parameters. When the power increases from 2 kW to 4 kW, resulting also in rise of the Si substrate temperature higher than 150 °C, the diamond films obtained maintain the NCD habit, while the growth rate increases significantly. The highest growth rate of 4.6 μm/h is achieved for the film grown at 4 kW, which represents a growth rate enhancement of about 15 times compared with that obtained when using 2 kW power. Possible factors responsible for such remarkable growth rate enhancement of the NCD films are discussed. The evolution of NCD growth characteristics such as morphology, microstructure and texture is studied by growing thick films and comparing it with that of large grain polycrystalline (PCD) films. One important characteristic of the NCD films obtained, in contrast to PCD films, is that irrespective of deposition time (i.e. film thickness), their grain size and surface roughness remain in the nanometer range throughout the growth. Finally, based on our present and previous experimental results, a potential parameter window is established for fast growth of NCD films under high power conditions.

Influence of surfactant and annealing temperature on optical properties of sol-gel derived nano-crystalline TiO2 thin films.

PubMed

Vishwas, M; Sharma, Sudhir Kumar; Rao, K Narasimha; Mohan, S; Gowda, K V Arjuna; Chakradhar, R P S

2010-03-01

Titanium dioxide thin films have been synthesized by sol-gel spin coating technique on glass and silicon substrates with and without surfactant polyethylene glycol (PEG). XRD and SEM results confirm the presence of nano-crystalline (anatase) phase at an annealing temperature of 300 degrees C. The influence of surfactant and annealing temperature on optical properties of TiO(2) thin films has been studied. Optical constants and film thickness were estimated by Swanepoel's (envelope) method and by ellipsometric measurements in the visible spectral range. The optical transmittance and reflectance were found to decrease with an increase in PEG percentage. Refractive index of the films decreased and film thickness increased with the increase in percentage of surfactant. The refractive index of the un-doped TiO(2) films was estimated at different annealing temperatures and it has increased with the increasing annealing temperature. The optical band gap of pure TiO(2) films was estimated by Tauc's method at different annealing temperature. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Final Report: Hot Carrier Collection in Thin Film Silicon with Tailored Nanocrystalline/Amorphous Structure

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

Collins, Reuben T.

This project developed, characterized, and perfected a new type of highly tunable nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) incorporating quantum confined silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs). A dual zone deposition process and system were developed and demonstrated. The depositions of SiNPs, the amorphous phase, and co-deposited material were characterized and optimized. Material design and interpretation of results were guided by new theoretical tools that examined both the electronic structure and carrier dynamics of this hybrid material. Heterojunction and p-i-n solar cells were demonstrated and characterized. Photo-thin-film-transistors allowed mobility to be studied as a function SiNP density in the films. Rapid (hot) transfer of carriers frommore » the amorphous matrix to the quantum confined SiNPs was observed and connected to reduced photo-degradation. The results carry quantum confined Si dots from a novelty to materials that can be harnessed for PV and optoelectronic applications. The growth process is broadly extendable with alternative amorphous matrices, novel layered structures, and alternative NPs easily accessible. The hot carrier effects hold the potential for third generation photovoltaics.« less

Spectroelectrochemical studies of hole percolation on functionalised nanocrystalline TiO2 films: a comparison of two different ruthenium complexes.

PubMed

Li, Xiaoe; Nazeeruddin, Mohammad K; Thelakkat, Mukundan; Barnes, Piers R F; Vilar, Ramón; Durrant, James R

2011-01-28

We report the application of spectroelectrochemical techniques to compare the hole percolation dynamics of molecular networks of two ruthenium bipyridyl complexes adsorbed onto mesoporous, nanocrystalline TiO(2) films. The percolation dynamics of the ruthenium complex cis-di(thiocyanato)(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid)-(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-tridecyl) ruthenium(II), N621, is compared with those observed for an analogous dye with an additional tri-phenyl amine (TPA) donor moiety, cis-di(thiocyanato)(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid)-(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-bis(vinyltriphenylamine)) ruthenium(II), HW456. The in situ oxidation of these ruthenium complexes adsorbed to the TiO(2) films is monitored by cyclic voltammetry and voltabsorptometry, whilst the dynamics of hole (cation) percolation between adsorbed ruthenium complexes is monitored by potentiometric spectroelectrochemistry and chronoabsorptometry. The hole diffusion coefficient, D(eff), is shown to be dependent on the dye loading on the nanocrystalline TiO(2) film, with a threshold observed at ∼60% monolayer surface coverage for both dyes. The hole diffusion coefficient of HW456 is estimated to be 2.6 × 10(-8) cm(2)/s, 20-fold higher than that obtained for the control N621, attributed to stronger electronic coupling between the TPA moieties of HW456 accelerating the hole percolation dynamics. The presence of mercuric ions, previously shown to bind to the thiocyanates of analogous ruthenium complexes, resulted in a quenching of the hole percolation for N621/TiO(2) films and an enhancement for HW456/TiO(2) films. These results strongly suggest that the hole percolation pathway is along the overlapped neighbouring -NCS groups for the N621 molecules, whereas in HW456 molecules cation percolation proceeds between intermolecular TPA ligands. These results are discussed in the context of their relevance to the process of dye regeneration in dye sensitised solar cells, and to the molecular wiring of wide

Atomic-scale electrochemistry on the surface of a manganite

DOE PAGES

Vasudevan, Rama K.; Tselev, Alexander; Baddorf, Arthur P.; ...

2015-04-09

The doped manganese oxides (manganites) have been widely studied for their colossal magnetoresistive effects, for potential applications in oxide spintronics, electroforming in resistive switching devices, and are materials of choice as cathodes in modern solid oxide fuel cells. However, little experimental knowledge of the dynamics of the surfaces of perovskite manganites at the atomic scale exists. Here, through in-situ scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), we demonstrate atomic resolution on samples of La 0.625Ca 0.375MnO 3 grown on (001) SrTiO 3 by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Furthermore, by applying triangular DC waveforms of increasing amplitude to the STM tip, and measuring themore » tunnelling current, we demonstrate the ability to both perform and monitor surface electrochemical processes at the atomic level, including, for the first time in a manganite, formation of single and multiple oxygen vacancies, disruption of the overlying manganite layers, and removal and deposition of individual atomic units or clusters. Our work paves the way for better understanding of surface oxygen reactions in these systems.« less

Hydrogen plasma treatment of very thin p-type nanocrystalline Si films grown by RF-PECVD in the presence of B(CH3)3

PubMed Central

Filonovich, Sergej Alexandrovich; Águas, Hugo; Busani, Tito; Vicente, António; Araújo, Andreia; Gaspar, Diana; Vilarigues, Marcia; Leitão, Joaquim; Fortunato, Elvira; Martins, Rodrigo

2012-01-01

We have characterized the structure and electrical properties of p-type nanocrystalline silicon films prepared by radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and explored optimization methods of such layers for potential applications in thin-film solar cells. Particular attention was paid to the characterization of very thin (∼20 nm) films. The cross-sectional morphology of the layers was studied by fitting the ellipsometry spectra using a multilayer model. The results suggest that the crystallization process in a high-pressure growth regime is mostly realized through a subsurface mechanism in the absence of the incubation layer at the substrate-film interface. Hydrogen plasma treatment of a 22-nm-thick film improved its electrical properties (conductivity increased more than ten times) owing to hydrogen insertion and Si structure rearrangements throughout the entire thickness of the film. PMID:27877504

Ionic Conduction in Nanocrystalline Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-02-10

In the following, we review studies performed films prepared by a polymer precursor process on on stabilized zirconia ceramics with grain sizes alumina ... titania , is reviewed. While it remains too early to make firm conclusions, the following observations are made. Additives which contribute to ion blocking...Keywords: Ionic conductivity; Nanocrystalline; Zirconia; Ceria; Titania ; Defects 1. Introduction tivity by nearly two orders of magnitude [6]. Given the

Nanocrystalline mesoporous SMO thin films prepared by sol gel process for MEMS-based hydrogen sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Jianwei; Fei, Weifeng; Seal, Sudipta; Chen, Quanfang

2004-01-01

MEMS based SnO2 gas sensor with sol gel synthesized mesoporous nanocrystalline (<10 nm) semiconductor thin (100~150 nm) film has been recently developed. The SnO2 nano film is fabricated with the combination of polymeric sol gel chemistry with block copolymers used for structure directing agents. The novel hydrogen sensor has a fast response time (1s) and quick recovery time (3s), as well as good sensitivity (about 90%), comparing to other hydrogen sensors developed. The improved capabilities are credited to the large surface to volume ratio of gas sensing thin film with nano sized porous surface topology, which can greatly increase the sensitivity even at relatively low working temperature. The gas sensing film is deposited onto a thin dielectric membrane of low thermal conductivity, which provides good thermal isolation between substrate and the gas-sensitive heated area on the membrane. In this way the power consumption can be kept very low. Since the fabrication process is completely compatible with IC industry, it makes mass production possible and greatly reduces the cost. The working temperature of the new sensor can be reduced as low as 100°C. The low working temperature posse advantages such as lower power consumption, lower thermal induced signal shift as well as safe detection in certain environments where temperature is strictly limited.

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

PubMed

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

2017-11-08

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

Smooth diamond films as low friction, long wear surfaces

DOEpatents

Gruen, Dieter M.; Krauss, Alan R.; Erdemir, Ali; Bindal, Cuma; Zuiker, Christopher D.

1999-01-01

An article and method of manufacture of a nanocrystalline diamond film. The nanocrystalline film is prepared by forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing an inert gas containing gas stream and combining the gas stream with the carbonaceous containing vapor. A plasma of the combined vapor and gas stream is formed in a chamber and fragmented carbon species are deposited onto a substrate to form the nanocrystalline diamond film having a root mean square flatness of about 50 nm deviation from flatness in the as deposited state.

Role of polytypism and degree of hexagonality on the photoinduced optical second harmonic generation in SiC nanocrystalline films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenov, A.; Puziko, V.; Skorik, S.; Wojciechowski, A.; Fedorchuk, A. O.; Maciąg, A.

2015-05-01

Photoinduced optiсal second harmonic generation was studied in nanocrystalline SiC films prepared by the method of direct ion deposition. For the studies were chosen three types of polytypes (with different degree of hexagonality) - 24R with degree hexagonality G=25, 27R-G=44, 33R with - G=36. The bicolor photoinduced treatment was performed by the wavelengths 1064nm/532 nm by 15 ns YAG:Nd laser. The efficiency of the output SHG was evaluated by ratio of the corresponding signal intensities with respect to the references and by the time delay between the SHG and the fundamental maxima. Explanation of the observed effect is given within a framework of the occurrence of the nano-trapping levels in the film crystalline interfaces.

Thermal conductivity of self-ion irradiated nanocrystalline zirconium thin films

DOE PAGES

Pulavarthy, Raghu; Wang, Baoming; Hattar, Khalid; ...

2017-07-15

Thermomechanical stability and high thermal conductivity are important for nuclear cladding material performance and reliability, which degrade over time under irradiation. The literature suggests nanocrystalline materials as radiation tolerant, but little or no evidence is present from thermal transport perspective. In this study, we irradiated 10 nm grain size zirconium thin films with 800 keV Zr + beam from a 6 MV HVE Tandem accelerator to achieve various doses of 3 × 10 10 to 3.26 × 10 14 ions/cm 2, corresponding to displacement per atom (dpa) of 2.1 × 10 –4 to 2.28. Transmission electron microscopy showed significant grainmore » growth, texture evolution and oxidation in addition to the creation of displacement defects due to the irradiation. The specimens were co-fabricated with micro-heaters to establish thermal gradients that were mapped using infrared thermometry. An energy balance approach was used to estimate the thermal conductivity of the specimens, as function of irradiation dosage. As a result, up to 32% reduction of thermal conductivity was measured for the sample exposed to a dose of 2.1 dpa (3 × 10 14 ions/cm 2).« less

Thermal conductivity of self-ion irradiated nanocrystalline zirconium thin films

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

Pulavarthy, Raghu; Wang, Baoming; Hattar, Khalid

Thermomechanical stability and high thermal conductivity are important for nuclear cladding material performance and reliability, which degrade over time under irradiation. The literature suggests nanocrystalline materials as radiation tolerant, but little or no evidence is present from thermal transport perspective. In this study, we irradiated 10 nm grain size zirconium thin films with 800 keV Zr + beam from a 6 MV HVE Tandem accelerator to achieve various doses of 3 × 10 10 to 3.26 × 10 14 ions/cm 2, corresponding to displacement per atom (dpa) of 2.1 × 10 –4 to 2.28. Transmission electron microscopy showed significant grainmore » growth, texture evolution and oxidation in addition to the creation of displacement defects due to the irradiation. The specimens were co-fabricated with micro-heaters to establish thermal gradients that were mapped using infrared thermometry. An energy balance approach was used to estimate the thermal conductivity of the specimens, as function of irradiation dosage. As a result, up to 32% reduction of thermal conductivity was measured for the sample exposed to a dose of 2.1 dpa (3 × 10 14 ions/cm 2).« less

Oxidant effect of La(NO3)3·6H2O solution on the crystalline characteristics of nanocrystalline ZrO2 films grown by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Nam Khen; Kim, Jin-Tae; Kang, Goru; An, Jong-Ki; Nam, Minwoo; Kim, So Yeon; Park, In-Sung; Yun, Ju-Young

2017-02-01

Nanocrystalline ZrO2 films were synthesized by atomic layer deposition method using CpZr[N(CH3)2]3 (Cp = C5H5) as the metal precursor and La(NO3)3·6H2O solution as the oxygen source. La element in the deposited ZrO2 films could not be detected as its content was below the resolution limit of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The alternative introduction of La(NO3)3·6H2O solution to conventionally used H2O as the oxidant effectively altered the crystalline structure, grain size, and surface roughness of the grown ZrO2 films. Specifically, the crystalline structure of the ZrO2 film changed from a mixture of tetragonal and monoclinic phases to monoclinic phase. The average grain size also increased, and the resulting film surface became rougher. The average grain sizes of the ZrO2 films prepared from La(NO3)3·6H2O solution at concentrations of 10, 20, 30, and 40% were 280, 256, 208, and 200 nm, respectively, whereas that prepared using H2O oxidant was 142 nm. However, the concentration of La(NO3)3·6H2O solution minimally influenced the crystalline characteristics of the nanocrystalline ZrO2 films i.e., the crystalline structure, grain size, and surface roughness except for crystallite size.

Nanocrystalline Aluminum Truss Cores for Lightweight Sandwich Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaedler, Tobias A.; Chan, Lisa J.; Clough, Eric C.; Stilke, Morgan A.; Hundley, Jacob M.; Masur, Lawrence J.

2017-12-01

Substitution of conventional honeycomb composite sandwich structures with lighter alternatives has the potential to reduce the mass of future vehicles. Here we demonstrate nanocrystalline aluminum-manganese truss cores that achieve 2-4 times higher strength than aluminum alloy 5056 honeycombs of the same density. The scalable fabrication approach starts with additive manufacturing of polymer templates, followed by electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy, removal of the polymer, and facesheet integration. This facilitates curved and net-shaped sandwich structures, as well as co-curing of the facesheets, which eliminates the need for extra adhesive. The nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy thin-film material exhibits high strength and ductility and can be converted into a three-dimensional hollow truss structure with this approach. Ultra-lightweight sandwich structures are of interest for a range of applications in aerospace, such as fairings, wings, and flaps, as well as for the automotive and sports industries.

Effect of RF power density on micro- and macro-structural properties of PECVD grown hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon thin films

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

Gokdogan, Gozde Kahriman, E-mail: gozdekahriman@gmail.com; Anutgan, Tamila, E-mail: tamilaanutgan@karabuk.edu.tr

2016-03-25

This contribution provides the comparison between micro- and macro-structure of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) thin films grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique under different RF power densities (P{sub RF}: 100−444 mW/cm{sup 2}). Micro-structure is assessed through grazing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD), while macro-structure is followed by surface and cross-sectional morphology via field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The nanocrystallite size (∼5 nm) and FE-SEM surface conglomerate size (∼40 nm) decreases with increasing P{sub RF}, crystalline volume fraction reaches maximum at 162 mW/cm{sup 2}, FE-SEM cross-sectional structure is columnar except for the film grown at 162 mW/cm{sup 2}. The dependence of previously determinedmore » ‘oxygen content–refractive index’ correlation on obtained macro-structure is investigated. Also, the effect of P{sub RF} is discussed in the light of plasma parameters during film deposition process and nc-Si:H film growth models.« less

Design and investigation of properties of nanocrystalline diamond optical planar waveguides.

PubMed

Prajzler, Vaclav; Varga, Marian; Nekvindova, Pavla; Remes, Zdenek; Kromka, Alexander

2013-04-08

Diamond thin films have remarkable properties comparable with natural diamond. Because of these properties it is a very promising material for many various applications (sensors, heat sink, optical mirrors, chemical and radiation wear, cold cathodes, tissue engineering, etc.) In this paper we report about design, deposition and measurement of properties of optical planar waveguides fabricated from nanocrystalline diamond thin films. The nanocrystalline diamond planar waveguide was deposited by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and the structure of the deposited film was studied by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The design of the presented planar waveguides was realized on the bases of modified dispersion equation and was schemed for 632.8 nm, 964 nm, 1 310 nm and 1 550 nm wavelengths. Waveguiding properties were examined by prism coupling technique and it was found that the diamond based planar optical element guided one fundamental mode for all measured wavelengths. Values of the refractive indices of our NCD thin film measured at various wavelengths were almost the same as those of natural diamond.

A study on the structural and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline CuS thin films grown by chemical bath deposition technique

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

Mukherjee, Nillohit; Sinha, Arijit; Khan, Gobinda Gopal

2011-01-15

We report a chemical route for the deposition of nanocrystalline thin films of CuS, using aqueous solutions of Cu(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}, SC(NH{sub 2}){sub 2} and N(CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}OH){sub 3} [triethanolamine, i.e. TEA] in proper concentrations and ratios. The films were structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and optical analysis [both photo luminescence (PL) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis)]. Optical studies showed a large blue shift in the band gap energy of the films due to quantum confinement effect exerted by the nanocrystals. From both XRD and FESEM analyses, formation of CuS nanocrystals with sizes withinmore » 10-15 nm was evident. A study on the mechanical properties was carried out using nanoindentation and nanoscratch techniques, which showed good mechanical stability and high adherence of the films with the bottom substrate. Such study on the mechanical properties of the CuS thin films is being reported here for the first time. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements were also carried out for the films, which showed p-type conductivity.« less

Studying Structural, Optical, Electrical, and Sensing Properties of Nanocrystalline SnO2:Cu Films Prepared by Sol-Gel Method for CO Gas Sensor Application at Low Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Jawad, Selma M. H.; Elttayf, Abdulhussain K.; Saber, Amel S.

Nanocrystalline SnO2 and SnO2:Cu thin films derived from SnCl2ṡ2H2O precursors have been prepared on glass substrates using sol-gel dip-coating technique. The deposited film was 300±20nm thick and the films were annealed in air at 500∘C for 1h. Structural, optical and sensing properties of the films were studied under different preparation conditions, such as Cu-doping concentration of 2%, 4% and 6wt.%. X-ray diffraction studies show the polycrystalline nature with tetragonal rutile structure of SnO2 and Cu:SnO2 thin films. The films have highly preferred orientation along (110). The crystallite size of the prepared samples reduced with increasing Cu-doping concentrations and the addition of Cu as dopants changed the structural properties of the thin films. Surface morphology was determined through scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Results show that the particle size decreased as doping concentration increased. The films have moderate optical transmission (up to 82.4% at 800nm), and the transmittance, absorption coefficient and energy gap at different Cu-doping concentration were measured and calculated. Results show that Cu-doping decreased the transmittance and energy gap whereas it increased the absorption coefficient. Two peaks were noted with Cu-doping concentration of 0-6wt.%; the first peak was positioned exactly at 320nm ultraviolet emission and the second was positioned at 430-480nm. Moreover, emission bands were noticed in the photoluminescence spectra of Cu:SnO2. The electrical properties of SnO2 films include DC electrical conductivity, showing that the films have two activation energies, namely, Ea1 and Ea2, which increase as Cu-doping concentration increases. Cudoped nanocrystalline SnO2 gas-sensing material has better sensitivity to CO gas compared with pure SnO2.

Effect of power on growth of nanocrystalline silicon films deposited by VHF PECVD technique for solar cell applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juneja, Sucheta; Verma, Payal; Savelyev, Dmitry A.; Khonina, Svetlana N.; Sudhakar, S.; Kumar, Sushil

2016-04-01

An investigation of the effect of power on the deposition of nanocrystalline silicon thin films were carried out using a gaseous mixture of silane and hydrogen in the 60MHz assisted VHF plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique. The power was varied from 10 to 50 watt maintaining all other parameters constant. Corresponding layer properties w.r.t. material microstructure, optical, hydrogen content and electrical transport are studied in detail. The structural properties have been studied by Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The presence of nano-sized crystals and their morphology have been investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The role of bonded hydrogen content in the films have been studied from the results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It was observed from the results that with increase in power, crystalline volume fraction increases and crystallite size changes from 4 to 9 nm. The optical band gap varies from 1.7 to 2.1eV due to quantum confinement effect and which further can be explained with reduced hydrogen content. These striking features of nc-Si films can be used to fabricate stable thin film solar cells.

Controlled mechnical modification of manganite surface with nanoscale resolution

DOE PAGES

Kelly, Simon J.; Kim, Yunseok; Eliseev, Eugene; ...

2014-11-07

We investigated the surfaces of magnetoresistive manganites, La1-xCaxMnO3 and La2-2xSr1+2xMn2O7, using a combination of ultrahigh vacuum conductive, electrostatic and magnetic force microscopy methods. Scanning as-grown film with a metal tip, even with zero applied bias, was found to modify the surface electronic properties such that in subsequent scans, the conductivity is reduced below the noise level of conductive probe microscopy. Scanned areas also reveal a reduced contact potential difference relative to the pristine surface by ~0.3 eV. We propose that contact-pressure of the tip modifies the electrochemical potential of oxygen vacancies via the Vegard effect, causing vacancy motion and concomitantmore » changes of the electronic properties.« less

Preparation and bioactive properties of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite thin films obtained by conversion of atomic layer deposited calcium carbonate.

PubMed

Holopainen, Jani; Kauppinen, Kyösti; Mizohata, Kenichiro; Santala, Eero; Mikkola, Esa; Heikkilä, Mikko; Kokkonen, Hanna; Leskelä, Markku; Lehenkari, Petri; Tuukkanen, Juha; Ritala, Mikko

2014-09-01

Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite thin films were fabricated on silicon and titanium by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of CaCO3 and its subsequent conversion to hydroxyapatite by diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) solution. The effects of conversion process parameters to crystallinity and morphology of the films were examined. DAP concentration was found to be critical in controlling the crystal size and homogeneity of the films. The hydroxyapatite phase was identified by XRD. ToF-elastic recoil detection analysis studies revealed that the films are calcium deficient in relation to hydroxyapatite with a Ca/P ratio of 1.39 for films converted with 0.2 M DAP at 95 °C. The coatings prepared on titanium conformally follow the rough surface topography of the substrate, verifying that the good step coverage of the ALD method was maintained in the conversion process. The dissolution tests revealed that the coating was nondissolvable in the cell culture medium. Annealing the coated sample at 700 °C for 1 h seemed to enhance its bonding properties to the substrate. Also, the biocompatibility of the coatings was confirmed by human bone marrow derived cells in vitro. The developed method provides a new possibility to produce thin film coatings on titanium implants with bone-type hydroxyapatite that is biocompatible with human osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Thermal cycling effects on static and dynamic properties of a phase separated manganite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sacanell, J.; Sievers, B.; Quintero, M.; Granja, L.; Ghivelder, L.; Parisi, F.

2018-06-01

In this work we address the interplay between two phenomena which are signatures of the out-of-equilibrium state in phase separated manganites: irreversibility against thermal cycling and aging/rejuvenation process. The sample investigated is La0.5Ca0.5MnO3, a prototypical manganite exhibiting phase separation. Two regimes for isothermal relaxation were observed according to the temperature range: for T > 100 K, aging/rejuvenation effects are observed, while for T < 100 K an irreversible aging was found. Our results show that thermal cycles act as a tool to unveil the dynamical behavior of the phase separated state in manganites, revealing the close interplay between static and dynamic properties of phase separated manganites.

Effect of Various Catalysts on the Stability of Characteristics of Acetone Sensors Based on Thin Nanocrystalline SnO2 Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sevastyanov, E. Yu.; Maksimova, N. K.; Potekaev, A. I.; Khludkova, L. S.; Chernikov, E. V.; Davydova, T. A.

2018-02-01

The results of studies of electrical and gas sensitive characteristics of acetone sensors based on thin nanocrystalline SnO2 films with various catalysts deposited on the surface (Pt/Pd, Au) and introduced into the volume (Au, Ni, Co) are presented. Films containing impurities of gold and 3d-metals were obtained by the method of magnetron sputtering of mosaic targets. Particular attention was paid to the influence of the longterm tests and humidity level on the properties of sensors. It is shown that the sensors with the deposited dispersed gold layers with Au+Ni and, especially, Au+Co additives introduced into the volume are characterized by the increased stability in the process of testing under prolonged exposure to acetone and also under conditions of varying humidity.

Modification and characterization of biodegradable methylcellulose films with trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) by γ radiation: effect of nanocrystalline cellulose.

PubMed

Sharmin, Nusrat; Khan, Ruhul A; Salmieri, Stephane; Dussault, Dominic; Bouchard, Jean; Lacroix, Monique

2012-01-18

Methylcellulose (MC)-based films were prepared by solution casting from its 1% aqueous suspension containing 0.25% glycerol. Trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) monomer (0.1-2% by wt) along with the glycerol was added to the MC suspension. The films were cast and irradiated from a radiation dose varied from 0.1 to 10 kGy. Then the mechanical properties such as tensile strength (TS), tensile modulus (TM), and elongation at break (Eb) and barrier properties of the films were evaluated. The highest TS (47.88 PMa) and TM (1791.50 MPa) of the films were found by using 0.1% monomer at 5 kGy dose. The lowest water vapor permeability (WVP) of the films was found to be 5.57 g·mm/m(2)·day·kPa (at 0.1% monomer and 5 kGy dose), which is 12.14% lower than control MC-based films. Molecular interactions due to incorporation of TMPTMA were supported by FTIR spectroscopy. A band at 1720 cm(-1) was observed due to the addition of TMPTMA in MC-based films, which indicated the typical (C═O) carbonyl stretching. For the further improvement of the mechanical and barrier properties of the film, 0.025-1% nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) was added to the MC-based suspension containing 1% TMPTMA. Addition of NCC led to a significant improvement in the mechanical and barrier properties. The novelty of this investigation was to graft insoluble monomer using γ radiation with MC-based films and use of biodegradable NCC as the reinforcing agent.

Direct observation of current-induced conductive path in colossal-electroresistance manganite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Wengang; Zhu, Yinyan; Bai, Yu; Liu, Hao; Du, Kai; Zhang, Kai; Kou, Yunfang; Shao, Jian; Wang, Wenbin; Hou, Denglu; Dong, Shuai; Yin, Lifeng; Shen, Jian

2016-01-01

Manganites are known to often show colossal electroresistance (CER) in addition to colossal magnetoresistance. The (La1-yP ry) 1 -xC axMn O3 (LPCMO) system has a peculiar CER behavior in that little change of magnetization occurs. We use a magnetic force microscope to uncover the CER mechanism in the LPCMO system. In contrast to the previous belief that current reshapes the ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) domains, we show that the shape of the FMM domains remain virtually unchanged after passing electric current. Instead, it is the appearance of a tiny fraction of FMM "bridges" that is responsible for the CER behavior.

Resistance to protein adsorption and adhesion of fibroblasts on nanocrystalline diamond films: the role of topography and boron doping.

PubMed

Alcaide, María; Papaioannou, Stavros; Taylor, Andrew; Fekete, Ladislav; Gurevich, Leonid; Zachar, Vladimir; Pennisi, Cristian Pablo

2016-05-01

Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BNCD) films exhibit outstanding electrochemical properties that make them very attractive for the fabrication of electrodes for novel neural interfaces and prosthetics. In these devices, the physicochemical properties of the electrode materials are critical to ensure an efficient long-term performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative contribution of topography and doping to the biological performance of BNCD films. For this purpose, undoped and boron-doped NCD films were deposited on low roughness (LR) and high roughness (HR) substrates, which were studied in vitro by means of protein adsorption and fibroblast growth assays. Our results show that BNCD films significantly reduce the adsorption of serum proteins, mostly on the LR substrates. As compared to fibroblasts cultured on LR BNCD films, cells grown on the HR BNCD films showed significantly reduced adhesion and lower growth rates. The mean length of fibronectin fibrils deposited by the cells was significantly increased in the BNCD coated substrates, mainly in the LR surfaces. Overall, the largest influence on protein adsorption, cell adhesion, proliferation, and fibronectin deposition was due to the underlying sub-micron topography, with little or no influence of boron doping. In perspective, BNCD films displaying surface roughness in the submicron range may be used as a strategy to reduce the fibroblast growth on the surface of neural electrodes.

Stabilizing Nanocrystalline Oxide Nanofibers at Elevated Temperatures by Coating Nanoscale Surface Amorphous Films.

PubMed

Yao, Lei; Pan, Wei; Luo, Jian; Zhao, Xiaohui; Cheng, Jing; Nishijima, Hiroki

2018-01-10

Nanocrystalline materials often exhibit extraordinary mechanical and physical properties but their applications at elevated temperatures are impaired by the rapid grain growth. Moreover, the grain growth in nanocrystalline oxide nanofibers at high temperatures can occur at hundreds of degrees lower than that would occur in corresponding bulk nanocrystalline materials, which would eventually break the fibers. Herein, by characterizing a model system of scandia-stabilized zirconia using hot-stage in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy, we discover that the enhanced grain growth in nanofibers is initiated at the surface. Subsequently, we demonstrate that coating the fibers with nanometer-thick amorphous alumina layer can enhance their temperature stability by nearly 400 °C via suppressing the surface-initiated grain growth. Such a strategy can be effectively applied to other oxide nanofibers, such as samarium-doped ceria, yttrium-stabilized zirconia, and lanthanum molybdate. The nanocoatings also increase the flexibility of the oxide nanofibers and stabilize the high-temperature phases that have 10 times higher ionic conductivity. This study provides new insights into the surface-initiated grain growth in nanocrystalline oxide nanofibers and develops a facile yet innovative strategy to improve the high-temperature stability of nanofibers for a broad range of applications.

Investigations into the formation of nanocrystalline quantum dot thin films by mist deposition process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kshirsagar, Aditya

Semiconductor nanocrystalline quantum dots (NQDs) have material properties remarkably different compared to bulk semiconductors with the same material composition. These NQDs have various novel applications in the electronic and photonic industry, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and flat-panel displays. In these applications, ultra-thin films of NQDs in the monolayer regime are needed to ensure optimal current transport properties and device efficiency. There is ongoing search to find a suitable method to deposit and pattern such ultra-thin films of quantum dots with few monolayer thicknesses. Several competing approaches are available, each with its pros and cons. This study explores mist deposition as the technique to fill this void. In this study, ultra-thin films of quantum dots are deposited on diverse substrates and are characterized to understand the mechanics of mist deposition. Various applications of blanket deposited and patterned quantum dot films are studied. The results discussed here include atomic force microscopy analysis of the films to study surface morphology, fluorescence microscopy to study light emission and optical microscope images to study patterning techniques. These results demonstrate the ability of mist deposition to form 1-4 monolayers thick, uniform, defect-free patterned films with root mean square (RMS) surface roughness less than 2 nm. LEDs fabricated using mist deposition show a peak luminescence greater than 500 cd/m2 for matched red, yellow and green devices using Alq3 as the electron transport layer, and over 9000 cd/m2 for red devices using ZnO as the electron transport layer, respectively. In addition to the experimental approach to study the process and explore potential applications, simulation and modeling are carried out to understand the various aspects of mist deposition. A mathematical model is presented which discusses the atomization process of the precursor solution, the physics involved during the deposition

Layer-by-layer assembled thin films and microcapsules of nanocrystalline cellulose for hydrophobic drug delivery.

PubMed

Mohanta, Vaishakhi; Madras, Giridhar; Patil, Satish

2014-11-26

A layer-by-layer (LbL) approach has been employed for the fabrication of multilayer thin films and microcapsules having nanofibrous morphology using nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) as one of the components of the assembly. The applicability of these nanoassemblies as drug delivery carriers has been explored by the loading of an anticancer drug, doxorubicin hydrochloride, and a water-insoluble drug, curcumin. Doxorubicin hydrochloride, having a good water solubility, is postloaded in the assembly. In the case of curcumin, which is very hydrophobic and has limited solubility in water, a stable dispersion is prepared via noncovalent interaction with NCC prior to incorporation in the LbL assembly. The interaction of various other lipophilic drugs with NCC was analyzed theoretically by molecular docking in consideration of NCC as a general carrier for hydrophobic drugs.

Solution-processed nanocrystalline PbS on paper substrate with pencil traced electrodes as visible photodetector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vankhade, Dhaval; Chaudhuri, Tapas K.

2018-04-01

Paper-based PbS photodetector sensitive in the visible spectrum is reported. Nanocrystalline PbS-on-paper devices are fabricated by a spin coating method on white paper (300 GSM) from a methanolic precursor solution. Photodetector cells of gap 0.2 cm and length 0.5 cm are prepared by drawing contacts by monolithic cretacolor 8B pencil. X-ray diffractometer confirmed the deposition of nanocrystalline PbS films with 14 nm crystallites. The SEM illustrated the uniform coating of nanocrystalline PbS thin films on cellulose fibres of papers having an average thickness of fibres are 10 µm. The linear J-V characteristics in dark and under illumination of light using graphite trace on nanocrystalline PbS-on-paper shows good ohmic contact. The resistivity of pencil trace is 30 Ω.cm. Spectral response measurements of photodetector reveal the excellent sensitivity from 400 to 700 nm with a peak at 550 nm. The best responsivity anddetectivity are 0.7 A/W and 1.4 × 1012 Jones respectively. These paper-based low-cost photodetectors devices have fast photoresponse and recovery without baseline deviation.

Microscopic theory of longitudinal sound velocity in charge ordered manganites.

PubMed

Rout, G C; Panda, S

2009-10-14

A microscopic theory of longitudinal sound velocity in a manganite system is reported here. The manganite system is described by a model Hamiltonian consisting of charge density wave (CDW) interaction in the e(g) band, an exchange interaction between spins of the itinerant e(g) band electrons and the core t(2g) electrons, and the Heisenberg interaction of the core level spins. The magnetization and the CDW order parameters are considered within mean-field approximations. The phonon Green's function was calculated by Zubarev's technique and hence the longitudinal velocity of sound was finally calculated for the manganite system. The results show that the elastic spring involved in the velocity of sound exhibits strong stiffening in the CDW phase with a decrease in temperature as observed in experiments.

Enhanced growth and osteogenic differentiation of human osteoblast-like cells on boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond thin films.

PubMed

Grausova, Lubica; Kromka, Alexander; Burdikova, Zuzana; Eckhardt, Adam; Rezek, Bohuslav; Vacik, Jiri; Haenen, Ken; Lisa, Vera; Bacakova, Lucie

2011-01-01

Intrinsic nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films have been proven to be promising substrates for the adhesion, growth and osteogenic differentiation of bone-derived cells. To understand the role of various degrees of doping (semiconducting to metallic-like), the NCD films were deposited on silicon substrates by a microwave plasma-enhanced CVD process and their boron doping was achieved by adding trimethylboron to the CH(4):H(2) gas mixture, the B∶C ratio was 133, 1000 and 6700 ppm. The room temperature electrical resistivity of the films decreased from >10 MΩ (undoped films) to 55 kΩ, 0.6 kΩ, and 0.3 kΩ (doped films with 133, 1000 and 6700 ppm of B, respectively). The increase in the number of human osteoblast-like MG 63 cells in 7-day-old cultures on NCD films was most apparent on the NCD films doped with 133 and 1000 ppm of B (153,000 ± 14,000 and 152,000 ± 10,000 cells/cm(2), respectively, compared to 113,000 ± 10,000 cells/cm(2) on undoped NCD films). As measured by ELISA per mg of total protein, the cells on NCD with 133 and 1000 ppm of B also contained the highest concentrations of collagen I and alkaline phosphatase, respectively. On the NCD films with 6700 ppm of B, the cells contained the highest concentration of focal adhesion protein vinculin, and the highest amount of collagen I was adsorbed. The concentration of osteocalcin also increased with increasing level of B doping. The cell viability on all tested NCD films was almost 100%. Measurements of the concentration of ICAM-1, i.e. an immunoglobuline adhesion molecule binding inflammatory cells, suggested that the cells on the NCD films did not undergo significant immune activation. Thus, the potential of NCD films for bone tissue regeneration can be further enhanced and tailored by B doping and that B doping up to metallic-like levels is not detrimental for cells.

Enhanced Growth and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Osteoblast-Like Cells on Boron-Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Thin Films

PubMed Central

Grausova, Lubica; Kromka, Alexander; Burdikova, Zuzana; Eckhardt, Adam; Rezek, Bohuslav; Vacik, Jiri; Haenen, Ken; Lisa, Vera; Bacakova, Lucie

2011-01-01

Intrinsic nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films have been proven to be promising substrates for the adhesion, growth and osteogenic differentiation of bone-derived cells. To understand the role of various degrees of doping (semiconducting to metallic-like), the NCD films were deposited on silicon substrates by a microwave plasma-enhanced CVD process and their boron doping was achieved by adding trimethylboron to the CH4:H2 gas mixture, the B∶C ratio was 133, 1000 and 6700 ppm. The room temperature electrical resistivity of the films decreased from >10 MΩ (undoped films) to 55 kΩ, 0.6 kΩ, and 0.3 kΩ (doped films with 133, 1000 and 6700 ppm of B, respectively). The increase in the number of human osteoblast-like MG 63 cells in 7-day-old cultures on NCD films was most apparent on the NCD films doped with 133 and 1000 ppm of B (153,000±14,000 and 152,000±10,000 cells/cm2, respectively, compared to 113,000±10,000 cells/cm2 on undoped NCD films). As measured by ELISA per mg of total protein, the cells on NCD with 133 and 1000 ppm of B also contained the highest concentrations of collagen I and alkaline phosphatase, respectively. On the NCD films with 6700 ppm of B, the cells contained the highest concentration of focal adhesion protein vinculin, and the highest amount of collagen I was adsorbed. The concentration of osteocalcin also increased with increasing level of B doping. The cell viability on all tested NCD films was almost 100%. Measurements of the concentration of ICAM-1, i.e. an immunoglobuline adhesion molecule binding inflammatory cells, suggested that the cells on the NCD films did not undergo significant immune activation. Thus, the potential of NCD films for bone tissue regeneration can be further enhanced and tailored by B doping and that B doping up to metallic-like levels is not detrimental for cells. PMID:21695172

Disorder induced semiconductor to metal transition and modifications of grain boundaries in nanocrystalline zinc oxide thin film

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

Singh, Fouran; Kumar, Vinod; Chaudhary, Babloo

2012-10-01

This paper report on the disorder induced semiconductor to metal transition (SMT) and modifications of grain boundaries in nanocrystalline zinc oxide thin film. Disorder is induced using energetic ion irradiation. It eliminates the possibility of impurities induced transition. However, it is revealed that some critical concentration of defects is needed for inducing such kind of SMT at certain critical temperature. Above room temperature, the current-voltage characteristics in reverse bias attributes some interesting phenomenon, such as electric field induced charge transfer, charge trapping, and diffusion of defects. The transition is explained by the defects induced disorder and strain in ZnO crystallitesmore » created by high density of electronic excitations.« less

Evidence of a temperature transition for denuded zone formation in nanocrystalline Fe under He irradiation

DOE PAGES

El-Atwani, Osman; Nathaniel II, James E.; Leff, Asher C.; ...

2016-10-18

Nanocrystalline materials are radiation-tolerant materials’ candidates due to their high defect sink density. Here, nanocrystalline iron films were irradiated with 10 keV helium ions in situ in a transmission electron microscope at elevated temperatures. Grain-size-dependent bubble density changes and denuded zone occurrence were observed at 700 K, but not at 573 K. This transition, attributed to increased helium–vacancy migration at elevated temperatures, suggests that nanocrystalline microstructures are more resistant to swelling at 700 K due to decreased bubble density. Finally, denuded zone formation had no correlation with grain size and misorientation angle under the conditions studied.

Investigations of the electron field emission properties and microstructure correlation in sulfur-incorporated nanocrystalline carbon thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, S.; Weiner, B. R.; Morell, G.

2002-06-01

Results are reported on the electron field emission properties of sulfur (S)-incorporated nanocrystalline carbon (n-C:S) thin films grown on molybdenum (Mo) substrates by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique. In addition to the conventionally used methane (CH4) as carbon precursor with high hydrogen (H2) dilution, hydrogen sulfide-hydrogen (H2)S/H2 premix gas was used for sulfur incorporation. The field emission properties for the S-incorporated films were investigated systematically as a function of substrate temperature (TS) and sulfur concentration. Lowest turn-on field achieved was observed at around 4.0 V/mum for the n-C:S sample grown at TS of 900 degC with 500 ppm of H2S. These results are compared with those films grown without sulfur (n-C) at a particular TS. The turn-on field was found to be almost half for the S-assisted film thus demonstrating the effect of sulfur addition to the chemical vapor deposition process. An inverse relation between turn-on field (EC), growth temperature and sulfur concentration was found. The S incorporation also causes significant microstructural changes, as characterized with non-destructive complementary ex situ techniques: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). S-assisted films show relatively smoother and finer-grained surfaces than those grown without it. These findings are discussed in terms of the dual role of sulfur in enhancing the field emission properties by controlling the sp2 C cluster size and introducing substantial structural defects through its incorporation. The in-plane correlation length (La) of sp2 C cluster was determined from the intensity ratio of the D- and G-bands I(D)/I(G) in the visible RS as a function of deposition temperature and sulfur concentration using a phenomenological model. The turn-on field was found to decrease with increasing sp2 C cluster size in general ranging from 0.8 to 1.4 nm. The films having sp2 C

Influence of surface and finite size effects on the structural and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline lanthanum strontium perovskite manganites

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

Žvátora, Pavel; Veverka, Miroslav; Veverka, Pavel

2013-08-15

Syntheses of nanocrystalline perovskite phases of the general formula La{sub 1−x}Sr{sub x}MnO{sub 3+δ} were carried out employing sol–gel technique followed by thermal treatment at 700–900 °C under oxygen flow. The prepared samples exhibit a rhombohedral structure with space group R3{sup ¯}c in the whole investigated range of composition 0.20≤x≤0.45. The studies were aimed at the chemical composition including oxygen stoichiometry and extrinsic properties, i.e. size of the particles, both influencing the resulting structural and magnetic properties. The oxygen stoichiometry was determined by chemical analysis revealing oxygen excess in most of the studied phases. The excess was particularly high for themore » samples with the smallest crystallites (12–28 nm) while comparative bulk materials showed moderate non-stoichiometry. These differences are tentatively attributed to the surface effects in view of the volume fraction occupied by the upper layer whose atomic composition does not comply with the ideal bulk stoichiometry. - Graphical abstract: Evolution of the particle size with annealing temperature in the nanocrystalline La{sub 0.70}Sr{sub 0.30}MnO{sub 3+δ} phase. Display Omitted - Highlights: • The magnetic behaviour of nanocrystalline La{sub 1−x}Sr{sub x}MnO{sub 3+δ} phases was analyzed on the basis of their crystal structure, chemical composition and size of the particles. • Their Curie temperature and magnetization are markedly affected by finite size and surface effects. • The oxygen excess observed in the La{sub 1−x}Sr{sub x}MnO{sub 3+δ} nanoparticles might be generated by the surface layer with deviated oxygen stoichiometry.« less

Emergent ferroelectricity in disordered tri-color multilayer structure comprised of ferromagnetic manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Li-Wei; Chen, Chang-Le; Dong, Xiang-Lei; Xing, Hui; Luo, Bing-Cheng; Jin, Ke-Xin

2016-10-01

Multiferroic materials, showing the coexistence and coupling of ferroelectric and magnetic orders, are of great technological and fundamental importance. However, the limitation of single phase multiferroics with robust magnetization and polarization hinders the magnetoelectric effect from being applied practically. Magnetic frustration, which can induce ferroelectricity, gives rise to multiferroic behavior. In this paper, we attempt to construct an artificial magnetically frustrated structure comprised of manganites to induce ferroelectricity. A disordered stacking of manganites is expected to result in frustration at interfaces. We report here that a tri-color multilayer structure comprised of non-ferroelectric La0.9Ca0.1MnO3(A)/Pr0.85Ca0.15MnO3(B)/Pr0.85Sr0.15MnO3(C) layers with the disordered arrangement of ABC-ACB-CAB-CBA-BAC-BCA is prepared to form magnetoelectric multiferroics. The multilayer film exhibits evidence of ferroelectricity at room temperature, thus presenting a candidate for multiferroics. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61471301, 61078057, 51172183, 51402240, and 51471134), the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education, China (Grant No. 20126102110045), the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province, China (Grant No. 2015JQ5125), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (Grant No. 3102015ZY078).

Electronic transport mechanism in intrinsic and doped nanocrystalline silicon films deposited by RF-magnetron sputtering at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benlakehal, D.; Belfedal, A.; Bouizem, Y.; Sib, J. D.; Chahed, L.; Zellama, K.

2016-12-01

The dependence on the temperature range, T, of the electronic transport mechanism in intrinsic and doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon films, deposited by radiofrequency-magnetron sputtering at low substrate temperature, has been studied. Electrical conductivity measurements σ(T) have been conducted on these films, as a function of temperature, in the 93-450 K range. The analysis of these results clearly shows a thermally activated conduction process in the 273-450 K range which allows us to estimate the associated activation energy as well as the preexponential conductivity factor. While, in the lower temperature range (T < 273 K), a non-ohmic behavior is observed for the conductivity changes. The conductivity σ(T) presents a linear dependence on (T-1/4) , and a hopping mechanism is suggested to explain these results. By using the Percolation theory, further information can be gained about the density of states near the Fermi level as well as the range and the hopping energy.

Investigations of the drift mobility of carriers and density of states in nanocrystalline CdS thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Baljinder; Singh, Janpreet; Kaur, Jagdish; Moudgil, R. K.; Tripathi, S. K.

2016-06-01

Nanocrystalline Cadmium Sulfide (nc-CdS) thin films have been prepared on well-cleaned glass substrate at room temperature (300 K) by thermal evaporation technique using inert gas condensation (IGC) method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the films crystallize in hexagonal structure with preferred orientation along [002] direction. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies reveal that grains are spherical in shape and uniformly distributed over the glass substrates. The optical band gap of the film is estimated from the transmittance spectra. Electrical parameters such as Hall coefficient, carrier type, carrier concentration, resistivity and mobility are determined using Hall measurements at 300 K. Transit time and mobility are estimated from Time of Flight (TOF) transient photocurrent technique in gap cell configuration. The measured values of electron drift mobility from TOF and Hall measurements are of the same order. Constant Photocurrent Method in ac-mode (ac-CPM) is used to measure the absorption spectra in low absorption region. By applying derivative method, we have converted the measured absorption data into a density of states (DOS) distribution in the lower part of the energy gap. The value of Urbach energy, steepness parameter and density of defect states have been calculated from the absorption and DOS spectra.

A light-trapping strategy for nanocrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells using three-dimensionally assembled nanoparticle structures.

PubMed

Ha, Kyungyeon; Jang, Eunseok; Jang, Segeun; Lee, Jong-Kwon; Jang, Min Seok; Choi, Hoseop; Cho, Jun-Sik; Choi, Mansoo

2016-02-05

We report three-dimensionally assembled nanoparticle structures inducing multiple plasmon resonances for broadband light harvesting in nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) thin-film solar cells. A three-dimensional multiscale (3DM) assembly of nanoparticles generated using a multi-pin spark discharge method has been accomplished over a large area under atmospheric conditions via ion-assisted aerosol lithography. The multiscale features of the sophisticated 3DM structures exhibit surface plasmon resonances at multiple frequencies, which increase light scattering and absorption efficiency over a wide spectral range from 350-1100 nm. The multiple plasmon resonances, together with the antireflection functionality arising from the conformally deposited top surface of the 3D solar cell, lead to a 22% and an 11% improvement in power conversion efficiency of the nc-Si:H thin-film solar cells compared to flat cells and cells employing nanoparticle clusters, respectively. Finite-difference time-domain simulations were also carried out to confirm that the improved device performance mainly originates from the multiple plasmon resonances generated from three-dimensionally assembled nanoparticle structures.

Electronic and optical properties of nanocrystalline WO3 thin films studied by optical spectroscopy and density functional calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johansson, Malin B.; Baldissera, Gustavo; Valyukh, Iryna; Persson, Clas; Arwin, Hans; Niklasson, Gunnar A.; Österlund, Lars

2013-05-01

The optical and electronic properties of nanocrystalline WO3 thin films prepared by reactive dc magnetron sputtering at different total pressures (Ptot) were studied by optical spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Monoclinic films prepared at low Ptot show absorption in the near infrared due to polarons, which is attributed to a strained film structure. Analysis of the optical data yields band-gap energies Eg ≈ 3.1 eV, which increase with increasing Ptot by 0.1 eV, and correlate with the structural modifications of the films. The electronic structures of triclinic δ-WO3, and monoclinic γ- and ε-WO3 were calculated using the Green function with screened Coulomb interaction (GW approach), and the local density approximation. The δ-WO3 and γ-WO3 phases are found to have very similar electronic properties, with weak dispersion of the valence and conduction bands, consistent with a direct band-gap. Analysis of the joint density of states shows that the optical absorption around the band edge is composed of contributions from forbidden transitions (>3 eV) and allowed transitions (>3.8 eV). The calculations show that Eg in ε-WO3 is higher than in the δ-WO3 and γ-WO3 phases, which provides an explanation for the Ptot dependence of the optical data.

Characterisation of capacitive field-effect sensors with a nanocrystalline-diamond film as transducer material for multi-parameter sensing.

PubMed

Abouzar, M H; Poghossian, A; Razavi, A; Williams, O A; Bijnens, N; Wagner, P; Schöning, M J

2009-01-01

The feasibility of a capacitive field-effect EDIS (electrolyte-diamond-insulator-semiconductor) platform for multi-parameter sensing is demonstrated by realising EDIS sensors with an O-terminated nanocrystalline-diamond (NCD) film as transducer material for the detection of pH and penicillin concentration as well as for the label-free electrical monitoring of adsorption and binding of charged macromolecules, like polyelectrolytes. The NCD films were grown on p-Si-SiO(2) substrates by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. To obtain O-terminated surfaces, the NCD films were treated in an oxidising medium. The NCD-based field-effect sensors have been characterised by means of constant-capacitance method. The average pH sensitivity of the O-terminated NCD film was 40 mV/pH. A low detection limit of 5 microM and a high penicillin G sensitivity of 65-70 mV/decade has been obtained for an EDIS penicillin biosensor with the adsorptively immobilised enzyme penicillinase. Alternating potential changes, having tendency to decrease with increasing the number of adsorbed polyelectrolyte layers, have been observed after the layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolyte multilayers, using positively charged PAH (poly (allylamine hydrochloride)) and a negatively charged PSS (poly (sodium 4-styrene sulfonate)) as a model system. The response mechanism of the developed EDIS sensors is discussed.

Micro and nanocrystalline diamond formation on reticulated vitreous carbon substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diniz, A. V.; Trava-Airoldi, V. J.; Corat, E. J.; Ferreira, N. G.

2005-10-01

High diamond nucleation and a three-dimensional growth on reticulated vitreous carbon substrate are obtained by chemical vapor deposition. Scanning electron microscopy images show continuous films covering the whole substrate including the center of 3.5 mm thick porous samples. It is evident the nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) film formation on deeper substrate regions. The grain size can vary from nano to micro scale for deposition time of 20 h. Raman spectra of sample regions closer to filaments exhibit well-defined diamond line. For central regions of sample (depth between 1.0 and 2.0 mm) Raman spectra also confirm NCD film.

Dynamic processes occurring at the Cr IIIaq-manganite (γ-MnOOH) interface: simultaneous adsorption, microprecipitation, oxidation/reduction, and dissolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weaver, Robert M.; Hochella, Michael F.; Ilton, Eugene S.

2002-12-01

The complex interaction between Cr IIIaq and manganite (γ-MnOOH) was systematically studied at room temperature over a pH range of 3 to 6, and within a concentration range of 10 -4 to 10 -2 M CrOH 2+aq. Solution compositional changes during batch reactions were characterized by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. The manganites were characterized before and after reaction with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution field-emission SEM, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis. Fluid-cell atomic force microscopy was used to follow these metal-mineral interactions in situ. The reactions are characterized by (1) sorption of Cr III and the surface-catalyzed microprecipitation of Cr III-hydroxy hydrate on manganite surfaces, (2) the acidic dissolution of the manganite, and (3) the simultaneous reductive dissolution of manganite coupled with the oxidation of Cr IIIaq to highly toxic Cr VIaq. Cr III-hydroxy hydrate was shown to precipitate on the manganite surface while still undersaturated in bulk solution. The rate of manganite dissolution increased with decreasing pH due both to acid-promoted and Mn-reduction-promoted dissolution. Cr oxidation also increased in the lower pH range, this as a result of its direct redox coupling with Mn reduction. Neither Mn II nor Cr VI were ever detected on manganite surfaces, even at the maximum rate of their generation. At the highest pHs of this study, Cr IIIaq was effectively removed from solution to form Cr III-hydroxy hydrate on manganite surfaces and in the bulk solution, and manganite dissolution and Cr VIaq generation were minimized. All interface reactions described above were heterogeneous across the manganite surfaces. This heterogeneity is a direct result of the heterogeneous semiconducting nature of natural manganite crystals and is also an expression of the proximity effect, whereby redox processes on semiconducting surfaces

Properties of Nanocrystalline Cubic Silicon Carbide Thin Films Prepared by Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition Using SiH4/CH4/H2 at Various Substrate Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabata, Akimori; Komura, Yusuke; Hoshide, Yoshiki; Narita, Tomoki; Kondo, Akihiro

2008-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) thin films were prepared by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition from SiH4/CH4/H2 gases, and the influence of substrate temperature, Ts (104 < Ts < 434 °C), on the properties of the SiC thin films was investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman scattering spectra revealed that nanocrystalline cubic SiC (nc-3C-SiC) films grew at Ts above 187 °C, while completely amorphous films grew at Ts = 104 °C. Fourier transform infrared absorption spectra revealed that the crystallinity of the nc-3C-SiC was improved with increasing Ts up to 282 °C and remained almost unchanged with a further increase in Ts from 282 to 434 °C. The spin density was reduced monotonically with increasing Ts.

Cavity evolution at grain boundaries as a function of radiation damage and thermal conditions in nanocrystalline nickel

DOE PAGES

Muntifering, Brittany; Blair, Sarah Jane; Gong, Cajer; ...

2015-12-30

Enhanced radiation tolerance of nanostructured metals is attributed to the high density of interfaces that can absorb radiation-induced defects. Here, cavity evolution mechanisms during cascade damage, helium implantation, and annealing of nanocrystalline nickel are characterized via in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Films subjected to self-ion irradiation followed by helium implantation developed evenly distributed cavity structures, whereas films exposed in the reversed order developed cavities preferentially distributed along grain boundaries. Post-irradiation annealing and orientation mapping demonstrated uniform cavity growth in the nanocrystalline structure, and cavities spanning multiple grains. Furthermore, these mechanisms suggest limited ability to reduce swelling, despite the stabilitymore » of the nanostructure.« less

Novel development of nanocrystalline kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 thin film with high photocatalytic activity under visible light illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apostolopoulou, Andigoni; Mahajan, Sandip; Sharma, Ramphal; Stathatos, Elias

2018-01-01

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) represents a promising p-type direct band gap semiconductor with large absorption coefficient in the visible region of solar light. In the present study, a kesterite CZTS nanocrystalline film, with high purity, was successfully synthesized via the combination of successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) and chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique. The morphology and structural properties of the CZTS films were characterized by FE-SEM microscopy, porosimetry in terms of Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The as-prepared films under mild heat treatment at 250 °C in the presence of sulfur atmosphere exhibited fine nanostructure with 35 nm average particle size, high specific surface area of 53 m2/g and 9 nm pore diameter. The photocatalytic activity of the films was examined to the degradation of Basic Blue 41 (BB-41) and Acid Orange 8 (AO-8) organic azo dyes under visible light irradiation, demonstrating 97.5% and 70% discoloration for BB-41 and AO-8 respectively. Reusability of the CZTS films was also tested proving good stability over several repetitions. The reduction of photocatalyst's efficiency after three successive repetitions didn't exceed 5.6% and 8.5% for BB-41 and AO-8 respectively.

Nanocrystalline ceramic materials

DOEpatents

Siegel, Richard W.; Nieman, G. William; Weertman, Julia R.

1994-01-01

A method for preparing a treated nanocrystalline metallic material. The method of preparation includes providing a starting nanocrystalline metallic material with a grain size less than about 35 nm, compacting the starting nanocrystalline metallic material in an inert atmosphere and annealing the compacted metallic material at a temperature less than about one-half the melting point of the metallic material.

Growth of boron doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) films by Hot Wire-CVD

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

Pawbake, Amit; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Colaba, Mumbai 400 005; Mayabadi, Azam

Highlights: • Boron doped nc-3C-SiC films prepared by HW-CVD using SiH{sub 4}/CH{sub 4}/B{sub 2}H{sub 6}. • 3C-Si-C films have preferred orientation in (1 1 1) direction. • Introduction of boron into SiC matrix retard the crystallanity in the film structure. • Film large number of SiC nanocrystallites embedded in the a-Si matrix. • Band gap values, E{sub Tauc} and E{sub 04} (E{sub 04} > E{sub Tauc}) decreases with increase in B{sub 2}H{sub 6} flow rate. - Abstract: Boron doped nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) films have been prepared by HW-CVD using silane (SiH{sub 4})/methane (CH{sub 4})/diborane (B{sub 2}H{sub 6}) gasmore » mixture. The influence of boron doping on structural, optical, morphological and electrical properties have been investigated. The formation of 3C-SiC films have been confirmed by low angle XRD, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy and high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) analysis whereas effective boron doping in nc-3C-SiC have been confirmed by conductivity, charge carrier activation energy, and Hall measurements. Raman spectroscopy and HR-TEM analysis revealed that introduction of boron into the SiC matrix retards the crystallanity in the film structure. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and non contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) results signify that 3C-SiC film contain well resolved, large number of silicon carbide (SiC) nanocrystallites embedded in the a-Si matrix having rms surface roughness ∼1.64 nm. Hydrogen content in doped films are found smaller than that of un-doped films. Optical band gap values, E{sub Tauc} and E{sub 04} decreases with increase in B{sub 2}H{sub 6} flow rate.« less

Interface reconstruction with emerging charge ordering in hexagonal manganite

PubMed Central

Xu, Changsong; Han, Myung-Geun; Bao, Shanyong; Nan, Cewen; Bellaiche, Laurent

2018-01-01

Multiferroic materials, which simultaneously have multiple orderings, hold promise for use in the next generation of memory devices. We report a novel self-assembled MnO double layer forming at the interface between a multiferroic YMnO3 film and a c-Al2O3 substrate. The crystal structures and the valence states of this MnO double layer were studied by atomically resolved scanning transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopy, as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A new type of charge ordering has been identified within this MnO layer, which also contributes to a polarization along the [001] direction. DFT calculations further establish the occurrence of multiple couplings between charge and lattice in this novel double layer, in addition to the polarization in nearby YMnO3 single layer. The interface reconstruction reported here creates a new playground for emergent physics, such as giant ferroelectricity and strong magnetoelectric coupling, in manganite systems. PMID:29795782

Structural characterization of nanocrystalline cadmium sulphide powder prepared by solvent evaporation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandya, Samir; Tandel, Digisha; Chodavadiya, Nisarg

2018-05-01

CdS is one of the most important compounds in the II-VI group of semiconductor. There are numerous applications of CdS in the form of nanoparticles and nanocrystalline. Semiconductors nanoparticles (also known as quantum dots), belong to state of matter in the transition region between molecules and solids, have attracted a great deal of attention because of their unique electrical and optical properties, compared to bulk materials. In the field of optoelectronic, nanocrystalline form utilizes mostly in the field of catalysis and fluid technology. Considering these observations, presented work had been carried out, i.e. based on the nanocrystalline material preparation. In the present work CdS nano-crystalline powder was synthesized by a simple and cost effective chemical technique to grow cadmium sulphide (CdS) nanoparticles at 200 °C with different concentrations of cadmium. The synthesis parameters were optimized. The synthesized powder was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction and particle size analyzer. In the XRD analysis, Micro-structural parameters such as lattice strain, dislocation density and crystallite size were analysed. The broadened diffraction peaks indicated nanocrystalline particles of the film material. In addition to that the size of the prepared particles was analyzed by particle size analyzer. The results show the average size of CdS particles ranging from 80 to 100 nm. The overall conclusion of the work can be very useful in the synthesis of nanocrystalline CdS powder.

Diodes of nanocrystalline SiC on n-/n+-type epitaxial crystalline 6H-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Junding; Wei, Wensheng; Zhang, Chunxi; He, Mingchang; Li, Chang

2018-03-01

The diodes of nanocrystalline SiC on epitaxial crystalline (n-/n+)6H-SiC wafers were investigated, where the (n+)6H-SiC layer was treated as cathode. For the first unit, a heavily boron doped SiC film as anode was directly deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method on the wafer. As to the second one, an intrinsic SiC film was fabricated to insert between the wafer and the SiC anode. The third one included the SiC anode, an intrinsic SiC layer and a lightly phosphorus doped SiC film besides the wafer. Nanocrystallization in the yielded films was illustrated by means of X-ray diffraction, transmission electronic microscope and Raman spectrum respectively. Current vs. voltage traces of the obtained devices were checked to show as rectifying behaviors of semiconductor diodes, the conduction mechanisms were studied. Reverse recovery current waveforms were detected to analyze the recovery performance. The nanocrystalline SiC films in base region of the fabricated diodes are demonstrated as local regions for lifetime control of minority carriers to improve the reverse recovery properties.

Tailoring nanocrystalline diamond film properties

DOEpatents

Gruen, Dieter M [Downers Grove, IL; McCauley, Thomas G [Somerville, MA; Zhou, Dan [Orlando, FL; Krauss, Alan R [Naperville, IL

2003-07-15

A method for controlling the crystallite size and growth rate of plasma-deposited diamond films. A plasma is established at a pressure in excess of about 55 Torr with controlled concentrations of hydrogen up to about 98% by volume, of unsubstituted hydrocarbons up to about 3% by volume and an inert gas of one or more of the noble gases and nitrogen up to about 98% by volume. The volume ratio of inert gas to hydrogen is preferably maintained at greater than about 4, to deposit a diamond film on a suitable substrate. The diamond film is deposited with a predetermined crystallite size and at a predetermined growth rate.

Nanocrystalline ceramic materials

DOEpatents

Siegel, R.W.; Nieman, G.W.; Weertman, J.R.

1994-06-14

A method is disclosed for preparing a treated nanocrystalline metallic material. The method of preparation includes providing a starting nanocrystalline metallic material with a grain size less than about 35 nm, compacting the starting nanocrystalline metallic material in an inert atmosphere and annealing the compacted metallic material at a temperature less than about one-half the melting point of the metallic material. 19 figs.

Tensile Strain Effects on the Magneto-transport in Calcium Manganese Oxide Thin Films: Comparison with its Hole-doped Counterpart

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, Bridget; Neubauer, Samuel; Chaudhry, Adeel; Hart, Cacie; Ferrone, Natalie; Houston, David; Yong, Grace; Kolagani, Rajeswari

Magnetoresistance properties of the epitaxial thin films of doped rare earth manganites are known to be influenced by the effect of bi-axial strain induced by lattice mismatch with the substrate. In hole-doped manganites, the effect of both compressive and tensile strain is qualitatively consistent with the expected changes in unit cell symmetry from cubic to tetragonal, leading to Jahn-Teller strain fields that affect the energy levels of Mn3 + energy levels. Recent work in our laboratory on CaMnO3 thin films has pointed out that tetragonal distortions introduced by tensile lattice mismatch strain may also have the effect of modulating the oxygen content of the films in agreement with theoretical models that propose such coupling between strain and oxygen content. Our research focuses on comparing the magneto-transport properties of hole-doped manganite LaCaMnO3 thin films with that of its electron doped counter parts, in an effort to delineate the effects of oxygen stoichiometry changes on magneto-transport from the effects of Jahn-Teller type strain. Towson University Office of Undergraduate Research, Fisher Endowment Grant and Undergraduate Research Grant from the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics, Seed Funding Grant from the School of Emerging technologies and the NSF Grant ECCS 112856.

A nanomagnetic study of phase transition in manganite thin films and ballistic magnetoresistance in magnetic nanocontacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Seok-Hwan

This work focuses on two largely unexplored phenomena in micromagnetics: the temperature-driven paramagnetic insulator to ferromagnetic (FM) metallic phase transition in perovskite manganite and ballistic magnetoresistance in spin-polarized nanocontacts. To investigate the phase transition, an off-the-shelf commercial scanning force microscope was redesigned for operation at temperatures from 350 K to 100 K. This adaptation is elaborated in this thesis. Using this system, both ferromagnetic and charge-ordered domain structures of (La 1-xPrx)0.67Ca0.33MnO3 thin film were observed by magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and electric force microscopy (EFM) operated in the vicinity of the peak resistance temperature (Tp). Predominantly in-plane oriented FM domains of sub-micrometer size emerge below Tp and their local magnetic moment increased as the temperature is reduced. Charge-ordered insulating regions show a strong electrostatic interaction with an EFM tip at a few degrees above Tp and the interaction correlates well with the temperature dependence of resistivity of the film. Cross-correlation analysis between topography and magnetic structure on several substrates indicates FM domains form on the flat regions of the surface, while charge ordering occurs at surface protrusions. In the investigation of ballistic magnetoresistance, new results on half-metallic ferromagnets formed by atomic or nanometer contacts of CrO2-CrO 2 and CrO2-Ni are presented showing magnetoconductance as high as 400%. Analysis of the magnetoconductance versus conductance data for all materials known to exhibit so-called ballistic magnetoresistance strongly suggests that magnetoconductance of nanocontacts follows a universal mechanism. If the maximum magnetoconductance is normalized to unity and the conductance is scaled with the resistivity of the material, then all data points fall onto a universal curve independent of the contact material and the transport mechanism. The analysis has been

Chemical routes to nanocrystalline and thin-film III-VI and I-III-VI semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollingsworth, Jennifer Ann

1999-11-01

The work encompasses: (1) catalyzed low-temperature, solution-based routes to nano- and microcrystalline III-VI semiconductor powders and (2) spray chemical vapor deposition (spray CVD) of I-III-VI semiconductor thin films. Prior to this work, few, if any, examples existed of chemical catalysis applied to the synthesis of nonmolecular, covalent solids. New crystallization strategies employing catalysts were developed for the regioselective syntheses of orthorhombic InS (beta-InS), the thermodynamic phase, and rhombohedral InS (R-InS), a new, metastable structural isomer. Growth of beta-InS was facilitated by a solvent-suspended, molten-metal flux in a process similar to the SolutionLiquid-Solid (SLS) growth of InP and GaAs fibers and single-crystal whiskers. In contrast, metastable R-InS, having a pseudo-graphitic layered structure, was prepared selectively when the molecular catalyst, benzenethiol, was present in solution and the inorganic "catalyst" (metal flux) was not present. In the absence of any crystal-growth facilitator, metal flux or benzenethiol, amorphous product was obtained under the mild reaction conditions employed (T ≤ 203°C). The inorganic and organic catalysts permitted the regio-selective syntheses of InS and were also successfully applied to the growth of network and layered InxSey compounds, respectively, as well as nanocrystalline In2S3. Extensive microstructural characterization demonstrated that the layered compounds grew as fullerene-like nanostructures and large, colloidal single crystals. Films of the I-III-VI compounds, CuInS2, CuGaS2, and Cu(In,Ga)S 2, were deposited by spray CVD using the known single-source metalorganic precursor, (Ph3P)2CuIn(SEt)4, a new precursor, (Ph3P)2CuGa(SEt)3, and a mixture of the two precursors, respectively. The CulnS2 films exhibited a variety of microstructures from dense and faceted or platelet-like to porous and dendritic. Crystallographic orientations ranged from strongly [112] to strongly [220

Sorption of strontium-90 from fresh waters during sulfate modification of barium manganite

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

Ryzhen`kov, A.P.; Egorov, Yu.V.

1995-11-01

Recovery of strontium-90 with barium manganite from fresh waters (natural fresh waters of open basins) can be increased by adding agents that contain sulfate ions and thus modify the sorbent and chemically bind the sorbate. The treatment results in a heterogeneous anion-exchange transformation of barium manganite into barium sulfate-manganese dioxide and in simultaneous absorptive coprecipitation of strontium sulfate (microcomponent).

One-Dimensional Perovskite Manganite Oxide Nanostructures: Recent Developments in Synthesis, Characterization, Transport Properties, and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lei; Liang, Lizhi; Wu, Heng; Zhu, Xinhua

2016-03-01

One-dimensional nanostructures, including nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, nanofibers, and nanobelts, have promising applications in mesoscopic physics and nanoscale devices. In contrast to other nanostructures, one-dimensional nanostructures can provide unique advantages in investigating the size and dimensionality dependence of the materials' physical properties, such as electrical, thermal, and mechanical performances, and in constructing nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices. Among the one-dimensional nanostructures, one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures have been received much attention due to their unusual electron transport and magnetic properties, which are indispensable for the applications in microelectronic, magnetic, and spintronic devices. In the past two decades, much effort has been made to synthesize and characterize one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures in the forms of nanorods, nanowires, nanotubes, and nanobelts. Various physical and chemical deposition techniques and growth mechanisms are explored and developed to control the morphology, identical shape, uniform size, crystalline structure, defects, and homogenous stoichiometry of the one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures. This article provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art research activities that focus on the rational synthesis, structural characterization, fundamental properties, and unique applications of one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures in nanotechnology. It begins with the rational synthesis of one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures and then summarizes their structural characterizations. Fundamental physical properties of one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures are also highlighted, and a range of unique applications in information storages, field-effect transistors, and spintronic devices are discussed. Finally, we conclude this review with some perspectives/outlook and future

One-Dimensional Perovskite Manganite Oxide Nanostructures: Recent Developments in Synthesis, Characterization, Transport Properties, and Applications.

PubMed

Li, Lei; Liang, Lizhi; Wu, Heng; Zhu, Xinhua

2016-12-01

One-dimensional nanostructures, including nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, nanofibers, and nanobelts, have promising applications in mesoscopic physics and nanoscale devices. In contrast to other nanostructures, one-dimensional nanostructures can provide unique advantages in investigating the size and dimensionality dependence of the materials' physical properties, such as electrical, thermal, and mechanical performances, and in constructing nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices. Among the one-dimensional nanostructures, one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures have been received much attention due to their unusual electron transport and magnetic properties, which are indispensable for the applications in microelectronic, magnetic, and spintronic devices. In the past two decades, much effort has been made to synthesize and characterize one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures in the forms of nanorods, nanowires, nanotubes, and nanobelts. Various physical and chemical deposition techniques and growth mechanisms are explored and developed to control the morphology, identical shape, uniform size, crystalline structure, defects, and homogenous stoichiometry of the one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures. This article provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art research activities that focus on the rational synthesis, structural characterization, fundamental properties, and unique applications of one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures in nanotechnology. It begins with the rational synthesis of one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures and then summarizes their structural characterizations. Fundamental physical properties of one-dimensional perovskite manganite nanostructures are also highlighted, and a range of unique applications in information storages, field-effect transistors, and spintronic devices are discussed. Finally, we conclude this review with some perspectives/outlook and future

Ferromagnetic domain behavior and phase transition in bilayer manganites investigated at the nanoscale

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

Phatak, C.; Petford-Long, A. K.; Zheng, H.

Understanding the underlying mechanism and phenomenology of colossal magnetoresistance in manganites has largely focused on atomic and nanoscale physics such as double exchange, phase separation, and charge order. Here in this article, we consider a more macroscopic view of manganite materials physics, reporting on the ferromagnetic domain behavior in a bilayer manganite sample with a nominal composition of La 2-2xSr 1+2xMn 2O 7 with x = 0:38, studied using in-situ Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. The role of magnetocrystalline anisotropy on the structure of domain walls was elucidated. On cooling, magnetic domain contrast was seen to appear first at the Curiemore » temperature within the a - b plane. With further reduction in temperature, the change in area fraction of magnetic domains was used to estimate the critical exponent describing the ferromagntic phase transition. Lastly, the ferromagnetic phase transition was accompanied by a distinctive nanoscale granular contrast close to the Curie temperature, which we infer to be related to the presence of ferromagnetic nanoclusters in a paramagnetic matrix, which has not yet been reported in bilayer manganites.« less

Ferromagnetic domain behavior and phase transition in bilayer manganites investigated at the nanoscale

DOE PAGES

Phatak, C.; Petford-Long, A. K.; Zheng, H.; ...

2015-12-14

Understanding the underlying mechanism and phenomenology of colossal magnetoresistance in manganites has largely focused on atomic and nanoscale physics such as double exchange, phase separation, and charge order. Here in this article, we consider a more macroscopic view of manganite materials physics, reporting on the ferromagnetic domain behavior in a bilayer manganite sample with a nominal composition of La 2-2xSr 1+2xMn 2O 7 with x = 0:38, studied using in-situ Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. The role of magnetocrystalline anisotropy on the structure of domain walls was elucidated. On cooling, magnetic domain contrast was seen to appear first at the Curiemore » temperature within the a - b plane. With further reduction in temperature, the change in area fraction of magnetic domains was used to estimate the critical exponent describing the ferromagntic phase transition. Lastly, the ferromagnetic phase transition was accompanied by a distinctive nanoscale granular contrast close to the Curie temperature, which we infer to be related to the presence of ferromagnetic nanoclusters in a paramagnetic matrix, which has not yet been reported in bilayer manganites.« less

Structural insight of the charge-ordering phenomena in manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Joaquin

2005-03-01

Recent experiments using x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray resonant scattering (XRS) techniques show that the conventional description of the so-called charge ordering phases of manganites in terms of Mn^3+/Mn^4+ ionic ordering is far from reality. I present here the XRS study of the low temperature phase of Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 manganite. Strong resonances are observed in the energy dependent spectra of (300), (030) and (05/20) reflections. Their azimuthal and polarization dependencies are well explained by the anisotropy of the local geometrical structure. Two different Mn sites were found. One of them is surrounded by a tetragonal distorted oxygen octahedron, whereas the other site has a nearly regular octahedral environment. The charge separation between the intermediate valence states is less than 0.2 e-. The analysis performed resolves some of the apparent contradictions with previous XRS and XAS experiments in manganites. These results joined to those recently obtained on the Verwey transition in magnetite indicate that the electronic states in transition-metal oxides need to be described in terms of band states instead of localized ones. Colaborators: G. Sub'ias, J. Blasco, M. G. Proietti, M. S'anchez and J. Herrero-Martin

Mechanical properties of nanocrystalline cobalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimpoor, Amir A.; Erb, Uwe

2006-05-01

Due to their excellent wear and corrosion properties, nanocrystalline cobalt and several cobalt alloys made by electrodeposition are currently being developed as environmentally benign replacement coatings for hard chromium electrodeposits. The focus of this study is on the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline cobalt, which are currently not well understood. A comparison is presented for hardness, tensile properties, Charpy impact properties and fracture surface analysis of both nanocrystalline (grain size: 12 nm) and conventional polycrystalline (grain size: 4.8 m) cobalt. It is shown that the hardness and tensile strength of nanocrystalline cobalt is 2-3 times higher than for polycrystalline cobalt. However, in contrast to other nanocrystalline materials tested previously, nanocrystalline cobalt retains considerable ductility with elongation to fracture values up to 7%.

Multiferroic RMnO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontcuberta, Josep

2015-03-01

Multiferroic materials have received an astonishing attention in the last decades due to expectations that potential coupling between distinct ferroic orders could inspire new applications and new device concepts. As a result, a new knowledge on coupling mechanisms and materials science has dramatically emerged. Multiferroic RMnO3 perovskites are central to this progress, providing a suitable platform to tailor spin-spin and spin-lattice interactions. With views towards applications, the development of thin films of multiferroic materials have also progressed enormously and nowadays thin-film manganites are available, with properties mimicking those of bulk compounds. Here we review achievements on the growth of hexagonal and orthorhombic RMnO3 epitaxial thin films and the characterization of their magnetic and ferroelectric properties, we discuss some challenging issues, and we suggest some guidelines for future research and developments. En ce qui concerne les applications, le développement de films minces de matériaux multiferroïques a aussi énormément progressé, et de nos jours des films minces de manganites avec des propriétés similaires à celles des matériaux massifs existent. Nous passons en revue ici les résultats obtenus dans le domaine de la croissance de couches minces épitaxiés de RMnO3 hexagonal et orthorhombique et de la caractérisation de leurs propriétés magnétiques et ferroélectriques. Nous discutons certains enjeux et proposons quelques idées pour des recherches et développements futurs.

Fine mist versus large droplets in phase separated manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khomskii, D.; Khomskii, L.

2003-02-01

The properties of phase-separated systems, e.g., manganites close to a first-order phase transition between charge-ordered insulator and ferromagnetic metal, are usually described by percolation picture. We argue that the correlated occupation of metallic sites leads to the preferential formation of larger metallic clusters, and their size distribution depends on the thermal history. This can explain several puzzling effects in manganites, such as the often observed inverse, or “overshot” hysteresis, and the recently discovered thermal cycling effect. Thus in treating this and similar systems in percolation picture, not only the total concentration of metallic phase, but also the distribution of metallic clusters by shape and size may significantly influence the properties of the system and has to be taken into account.

Interfacial Coupling-Induced Ferromagnetic Insulator Phase in Manganite Film

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

Zhang, Bangmin; Wu, Lijun; Yin, Wei-Guo

Interfaces with subtle difference in atomic and electronic structures in perovskite ABO3 heterostructures often yield intriguingly different properties, yet their exact roles remain elusive. Here, we report an integrated study of unusual transport, magnetic, and structural properties of Pr0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (PSMO) film on SrTiO3 (STO) substrate. The variations in out-of-plane lattice constant and BO6 octahedral rotation across the PSMO/STO interface strongly depend on the thickness of PSMO films. In the 12-nm film, a new interface-sensitive ferromagnetic polaronic insulator (FI’) phase is formed during the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition of STO, apparently due to enhanced electron-phonon interaction and atomic disorder in the film.more » The transport properties of the FI’ phase in the 30-nm film are masked because of the reduced interfacial effect and smaller interface-to-volume ratio. This work demonstrates how thickness-dependent interfacial coupling leads to formation of the theoretically predicted novel ferromagnetic-polaronic insulator in systems, as illustrated in a new phase diagram, that are otherwise ferromagnetic metals (FM) in bulk form.« less

Structure and Magnetism of Nanocrystalline and Epitaxial (Mn,Zn,Fe)3O4

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. a ...Park, NC 27709-2211 15. SUBJECT TERMS structure, magnetism, nanocrystalline, films F. J. Wong, A . J. Grutter, J. M. Iwata-Harms, V. V. Mehta, U. S...shifted by 200虠 Oe at low temperatures. No such effect is observed in the epitaxial films. We hypothesize that the presence of a more structurally

Efficient Second-Harmonic Generation in Nanocrystalline Silicon Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Makarov, Sergey V; Petrov, Mihail I; Zywietz, Urs; Milichko, Valentin; Zuev, Dmitry; Lopanitsyna, Natalia; Kuksin, Alexey; Mukhin, Ivan; Zograf, George; Ubyivovk, Evgeniy; Smirnova, Daria A; Starikov, Sergey; Chichkov, Boris N; Kivshar, Yuri S

2017-05-10

Recent trends to employ high-index dielectric particles in nanophotonics are motivated by their reduced dissipative losses and large resonant enhancement of nonlinear effects at the nanoscale. Because silicon is a centrosymmetric material, the studies of nonlinear optical properties of silicon nanoparticles have been targeting primarily the third-harmonic generation effects. Here we demonstrate, both experimentally and theoretically, that resonantly excited nanocrystalline silicon nanoparticles fabricated by an optimized laser printing technique can exhibit strong second-harmonic generation (SHG) effects. We attribute an unexpectedly high yield of the nonlinear conversion to a nanocrystalline structure of nanoparticles supporting the Mie resonances. The demonstrated efficient SHG at green light from a single silicon nanoparticle is 2 orders of magnitude higher than that from unstructured silicon films. This efficiency is significantly higher than that of many plasmonic nanostructures and small silicon nanoparticles in the visible range, and it can be useful for a design of nonlinear nanoantennas and silicon-based integrated light sources.

Interfacial Coupling-Induced Ferromagnetic Insulator Phase in Manganite Film

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Bangmin; Wu, Lijun; Yin, Wei-Guo; ...

2016-06-08

Interfaces with subtle differences in atomic and electronic structures in perovskite ABO 3 heterostructures often yield intriguingly different properties, yet their exact roles remain elusive. Here, we report an integrated study of unusual transport, magnetic, and structural properties of Pr 0.67Sr 0.33MnO 3 film on SrTiO 3 substrate. The variations in the out-of-plane lattice constant and BO 6 octahedral rotation across the Pr 0.67Sr 0.33MnO 3/SrTiO 3 interface strongly depend on the thickness of the Pr 0.67Sr 0.33MnO 3 film. In the 12-nm film, a new interface-sensitive ferromagnetic polaronic insulator (FI') phase is formed during the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition ofmore » SrTiO 3, apparently due to the enhanced electron–phonon interaction and atomic disorder in the film. The transport properties of the FI' phase in the 30-nm film are masked because of the reduced interfacial coupling and smaller interface-to-volume ratio. In conclusion, this work demonstrates how thickness-dependent interfacial coupling leads to the formation of a theoretically predicted ferromagnetic–polaronic insulator, as illustrated in a new phase diagram, that is otherwise ferromagnetic metal (FM) in bulk form.« less

Interfacial Coupling-Induced Ferromagnetic Insulator Phase in Manganite Film

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

Zhang, Bangmin; Wu, Lijun; Yin, Wei-Guo

Interfaces with subtle differences in atomic and electronic structures in perovskite ABO 3 heterostructures often yield intriguingly different properties, yet their exact roles remain elusive. Here, we report an integrated study of unusual transport, magnetic, and structural properties of Pr 0.67Sr 0.33MnO 3 film on SrTiO 3 substrate. The variations in the out-of-plane lattice constant and BO 6 octahedral rotation across the Pr 0.67Sr 0.33MnO 3/SrTiO 3 interface strongly depend on the thickness of the Pr 0.67Sr 0.33MnO 3 film. In the 12-nm film, a new interface-sensitive ferromagnetic polaronic insulator (FI') phase is formed during the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition ofmore » SrTiO 3, apparently due to the enhanced electron–phonon interaction and atomic disorder in the film. The transport properties of the FI' phase in the 30-nm film are masked because of the reduced interfacial coupling and smaller interface-to-volume ratio. In conclusion, this work demonstrates how thickness-dependent interfacial coupling leads to the formation of a theoretically predicted ferromagnetic–polaronic insulator, as illustrated in a new phase diagram, that is otherwise ferromagnetic metal (FM) in bulk form.« less

Evolution and sign control of square-wave-like anisotropic magneto-resistance in spatially confined La{sub 0.3}Pr{sub 0.4}Ca{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3}/LaAlO{sub 3}(001) manganite thin films

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

Alagoz, H. S., E-mail: alagoz@ualberta.ca; Jeon, J.; Keating, S.

2016-04-14

We investigated magneto-transport properties of a compressively strained spatially confined La{sub 0.3}Pr{sub 0.4}Ca{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3} (LPCMO) thin film micro-bridge deposited on LaAlO{sub 3}. Angular dependence of the magneto-resistance R(θ) of this bridge, where θ is the angle between the magnetic field and the current directions in the film plane, exhibits sharp positive and negative percolation jumps near T{sub MIT}. The sign and the magnitude of these jumps can be tuned using the magnetic field. Such behavior has not been observed in LPCMO micro-bridges subjected to tensile strain, indicating a correlation between the type of the lattice strain, the distribution ofmore » electronic domains, and the anisotropic magneto-resistance in spatially confined manganite systems.« less

Low temperature deposition of nanocrystalline silicon carbide films by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and their structural and optical characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajagopalan, T.; Wang, X.; Lahlouh, B.; Ramkumar, C.; Dutta, Partha; Gangopadhyay, S.

2003-10-01

Nanocrystalline silicon carbide (SiC) thin films were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique at different deposition temperatures (Td) ranging from 80 to 575 °C and different gas flow ratios (GFRs). While diethylsilane was used as the source for the preparation of SiC films, hydrogen, argon and helium were used as dilution gases in different concentrations. The effects of Td, GFR and dilution gases on the structural and optical properties of these films were investigated using high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), micro-Raman, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible optical absorption techniques. Detailed analysis of the FTIR spectra indicates the onset of formation of SiC nanocrystals embedded in the amorphous matrix of the films deposited at a temperature of 300 °C. The degree of crystallization increases with increasing Td and the crystalline fraction (fc) is 65%±2.2% at 575 °C. The fc is the highest for the films deposited with hydrogen dilution in comparison with the films deposited with argon and helium at the same Td. The Raman spectra also confirm the occurrence of crystallization in these films. The HRTEM measurements confirm the existence of nanocrystallites in the amorphous matrix with a wide variation in the crystallite size from 2 to 10 nm. These results are in reasonable agreement with the FTIR and the micro-Raman analysis. The variation of refractive index (n) with Td is found to be quite consistent with the structural evolution of these films. The films deposited with high dilution of H2 have large band gap (Eg) and these values vary from 2.6 to 4.47 eV as Td is increased from 80 to 575 °C. The size dependent shift in the Eg value has also been investigated using effective mass approximation. Thus, the observed large band gap is attributed to the presence of nanocrystallites in the films.

Ruddlesden-Popper interface in correlated manganite heterostructures induces magnetic decoupling and dead layer reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belenchuk, A.; Shapoval, O.; Roddatis, V.; Bruchmann-Bamberg, V.; Samwer, K.; Moshnyaga, V.

2016-12-01

We report on the interface engineering in correlated manganite heterostructures by octahedral decoupling using embedded stacks of atomic layers that form the Ruddlesden-Popper structure. A room temperature magnetic decoupling was achieved through deposition of a (SrO)2-TiO2-(SrO)2 sequence of atomic layers at the interface between La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 and La0.7Sr0.3Mn0.9Ru0.1O3 films. Moreover, the narrowing of the interfacial dead layer in ultrathin La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films was demonstrated by insertion of a single (SrO)2 rock-salt layer at the interface with the SrTiO3(100) substrate. The obtained results are discussed based on the symmetry breaking and disconnection of the MnO6 octahedra network at the interface that may lead to the improved performance of all-oxide magnetic tunnel junctions. We suggest that octahedral decoupling realized by formation of Ruddlesden-Popper interfaces is an effective structural mechanism to control functionalities of correlated perovskite heterostructures.

Nanocrystalline diamond coatings for mechanical seals applications.

PubMed

Santos, J A; Neto, V F; Ruch, D; Grácio, J

2012-08-01

A mechanical seal is a type of seal used in rotating equipment, such as pumps and compressors. It consists of a mechanism that assists the connection of the rotating shaft to the housings of the equipments, preventing leakage or avoiding contamination. A common cause of failure of these devices is end face wear out, thus the use of a hard, smooth and wear resistant coating such as nanocrystalline diamond would be of great importance to improve their working performance and increase their lifetime. In this paper, different diamond coatings were deposited by the HFCVD process, using different deposition conditions. Additionally, the as-grown films were characterized for, quality, morphology and microstructure using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The topography and the roughness of the films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Effect of Aluminum Doping on the Nanocrystalline ZnS:Al3+ Films Fabricated on Heavily-Doped p-type Si(100) Substrates by Chemical Bath Deposition Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, He-Jie; Liang, Yan; Gao, Xiao-Yong; Guo, Rui-Fang; Ji, Qiang-Min

2015-06-01

Intrinsic ZnS and aluminum-doped nanocrystalline ZnS (ZnS:Al3+) films with zinc-blende structure were fabricated on heavily-doped p-type Si(100) substrates by chemical bath deposition method. Influence of aluminum doping on the microstructure, and photoluminescent and electrical properties of the films, were intensively investigated. The average crystallite size of the films varying in the range of about 9.0 ˜ 35.0 nm initially increases and then decreases with aluminum doping contents, indicating that the crystallization of the films are initially enhanced and then weakened. The incorporation of Al3+ was confirmed from energy dispersive spectrometry and the induced microstrain in the films. Strong and stable visible emission band resulting from the defect-related light emission were observed for the intrinsic ZnS and ZnS:Al3+ films at room temperature. The photoluminescence related to the aluminum can annihilate due to the self-absorption of ZnS:Al3+ when the Al3+ content surpasses certain value. The variation of the resistivity of the films that initially reduces and then increases is mainly caused by the partial substitute for Zn2+ by Al3+ as well as the enhanced crystallization, and by the enhanced crystal boundary scattering, respectively.

Ag-doped manganite nanoparticles: new materials for temperature-controlled medical hyperthermia.

PubMed

Melnikov, O V; Gorbenko, O Yu; Markelova, M N; Kaul, A R; Atsarkin, V A; Demidov, V V; Soto, C; Roy, E J; Odintsov, B M

2009-12-15

The purpose of this study was to introduce newly synthesized nanomaterials as an alternative to superparamagnetic ironoxide based particles (SPIO) and thus to launch a new platform for highly controllable hyperthermia cancer therapy and imaging. The new material that forms the basis for this article is lanthanum manganite particles with silver ions inserted into the perovskite lattice: La(1-x)Ag(x)MnO(3+delta). Adjusting the silver doping level, it is possible to control the Curie temperature (T(c)) in the hyperthermia range of interest (41-44 degrees C). A new class of nanoparticles based on silver-doped manganites La(1-x)Ag(x)MnO(3+delta) is suggested. New nanoparticles are stable, and their properties were not affected by the typical ambient conditions in the living tissue. It is possible to monitor the particle uptake and retention by MRI. When these particles are placed into an alternating magnetic field, their temperature increases to the definite value near T(c) and then remains constant if the magnetic field is maintained. During the hyperthermia procedure, the temperature can be restricted, thereby preventing the necrosis of normal tissue. A new class of nanoparticles based on silver-doped manganites La(1-x)Ag(x)MnO(3+delta) was suggested. Ag-doped perovskite manganites particles clearly demonstrated the effect of adjustable Curie temperature necessary for highly controllable cellular hyperthermia. The magnetic relaxation properties of the particles are comparable with that of SPIO, and so we were able to monitor the particle movement and retention by MRI. Thus, the new material combines the MRI contrast enhancement capability with targeted hyperthermia treatment.

Improvement of diamond-like carbon electrochemical corrosion resistance by addition of nanocrystalline diamond.

PubMed

Marciano, F R; Almeida, E C; Bonetti, L F; Corat, E J; Trava-Airoldi, V J

2010-02-15

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) particles were incorporated into diamond-like carbon (DLC) films in order to investigate NCD-DLC electrochemical corrosion resistance. The films were grown over 304 stainless steel using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. NCD particles were incorporated into DLC during the deposition process. The investigation of NCD-DLC electrochemical corrosion behavior was performed using potentiodynamic polarization against NaCl. NCD-DLC films presented more negative corrosion potential and lower anodic and cathodic current densities. The electrochemical analysis indicated that NCD-DLC films present superior impedance and polarization resistance compared to the pure DLC, which indicate that they are promising corrosion protective coatings in aggressive solutions. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nanocrystalline SnO2 formation using energetic ion beam.

PubMed

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

2007-06-01

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

Strain-Induced Ferromagnetism in Antiferromagnetic LuMnO3 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, J. S.; Bator, M.; Hu, Y.; Luetkens, H.; Stahn, J.; Capelli, S.; Das, S.; Döbeli, M.; Lippert, Th.; Malik, V. K.; Martynczuk, J.; Wokaun, A.; Kenzelmann, M.; Niedermayer, Ch.; Schneider, C. W.

2013-07-01

Single phase and strained LuMnO3 thin films are discovered to display coexisting ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic orders. A large moment ferromagnetism (≈1μB), which is absent in bulk samples, is shown to display a magnetic moment distribution that is peaked at the highly strained substrate-film interface. We further show that the strain-induced ferromagnetism and the antiferromagnetic order are coupled via an exchange field, therefore demonstrating strained rare-earth manganite thin films as promising candidate systems for new multifunctional devices.

Ultrasonic Emission from Nanocrystalline Porous Silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinoda, Hiroyuki; Koshida, Nobuyoshi

A simple layer structure composed of a metal thin film and a porous silicon layer on a silicon substrate generates intense and wide-band airborne ultrasounds. The large-bandwidth and the fidelity of the sound reproduction are leveraged in applications varying from sound-based measurement to a scientific study of animal ecology. This chapter describes the basic principle of the ultrasound generation. The macroscopic properties of the low thermal conductivity and the small heat capacity of nanocrystalline porous silicon thermally induce ultrasonic emission. The state-of-the-art of the achievable sound pressure and sound signal properties is introduced, with the technological and scientific applications of the devices.

Structural modification of nanocrystalline diamond films via positive/negative bias enhanced nucleation and growth processes for improving their electron field emission properties

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

Saravanan, A.; Huang, B. R.; Sankaran, K. J.

2015-06-07

Electron field emission (EFE) properties of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films synthesized by the bias-enhanced growth (beg) process under different bias voltages were investigated. The induction of the nanographitic phases is presumed to be the prime factor in enhancing the EFE properties of negative biased NCD films. Transmission electron microscopic investigations reveal that a negative bias voltage of −300 V increases the rate of growth for NCD films with the size of the grains changing from nano to ultranano size. This effect also is accompanied by the induction of nanographitic filaments in the grain boundaries of the films. The turn-on field (E{submore » 0}) for the EFE process then effectively gets reduced. The EFE process of the beg-NCD{sub −300V} films can be turned on at E{sub 0} = 3.86 V/μm, and the EFE current density achieved is 1.49 mA/cm{sup 2} at an applied field of 7.85 V/μm. On the other hand, though a positive-bias beg process (+200 V) results in the reduction of grain size, it does not induce sufficient nanographitic phases to lower the E{sub 0} value of the EFE process. Moreover, the optical emission spectroscopic investigation indicates that one of the primary causes that changes the granular structure of the NCD films is the increase in the proportion of C{sub 2} and CH species induced in the growing plasma. The polarity of the bias voltage is of less importance in the microstructural evolution of the films.« less

Spectroscopic Evidence of Formation of Small Polarons in Doped Manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moritomo, Yutaka; Machida, Akihiko; Nakamura, Arao

1998-03-01

Temperature dependence of absorption spectra for thin films of doped manganites R_0.6Sr_0.4MnO_3, where R is rare-earth atom, has been investigated systematically changing averaged ionic radius < rA > of perovskite A-site. We have observed a specific absorption band at ~1.5eV due to optical excitations from small polarons (SP)(Machida et al.), submitted.. Spectral weight of the SP band increases with decreasing temperature and eventually disappears at the insulator-metal (IM) transition, indicating that SP in the paramagnetic state (T >= T_C) changes into bare electrons (or large polarons) in the ferromagnetic state due to the enhanced one-electron bandwidth W. We further derived important physical quantities, i.e., W, on-site exchange interaction J and binding energy Ep of SP, and discuss material dependence of stability of SP. This work was supported by a Grant-In-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sport and Culture and from PRESTO, Japan Scienece and Technology Corporation (JST), Japan.

The influence of interfacial defects on fast charge trapping in nanocrystalline oxide-semiconductor thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Taeho; Hur, Jihyun; Jeon, Sanghun

2016-05-01

Defects in oxide semiconductors not only influence the initial device performance but also affect device reliability. The front channel is the major carrier transport region during the transistor turn-on stage, therefore an understanding of defects located in the vicinity of the interface is very important. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of charge transport in a nanocrystalline hafnium-indium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistor (TFT) by short pulse I-V, transient current and 1/f noise measurement methods. We found that the fast charging behavior of the tested device stems from defects located in both the front channel and the interface, following a multi-trapping mechanism. We found that a silicon-nitride stacked hafnium-indium-zinc-oxide TFT is vulnerable to interfacial charge trapping compared with silicon-oxide counterpart, causing significant mobility degradation and threshold voltage instability. The 1/f noise measurement data indicate that the carrier transport in a silicon-nitride stacked TFT device is governed by trapping/de-trapping processes via defects in the interface, while the silicon-oxide device follows the mobility fluctuation model.

Origin of colossal magnetoresistance in LaMnO 3 manganite

DOE PAGES

Baldini, Maria; Muramatsu, Takaki; Sherafati, Mohammad; ...

2015-08-13

Phase separation is a crucial ingredient of the physics of manganites; however, the role of mixed phases in the development of the colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) phenomenon still needs to be clarified. In this paper, we report the realization of CMR in a single-valent LaMnO 3 manganite. We found that the insulator-to-metal transition at 32 GPa is well described using the percolation theory. Pressure induces phase separation, and the CMR takes place at the percolation threshold. A large memory effect is observed together with the CMR, suggesting the presence of magnetic clusters. The phase separation scenario is well reproduced, solving amore » model Hamiltonian. Finally, our results demonstrate in a clean way that phase separation is at the origin of CMR in LaMnO 3.« less

Nanoclustering phase competition induces the resistivity hump in colossal magnetoresistive manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Kalpataru; Yunoki, Seiji

2017-12-01

Using a two-band double-exchange model with Jahn-Teller lattice distortions and superexchange interactions, supplemented by quenched disorder, at an electron density n =0.65 , we explicitly demonstrate the coexistence of the n =1 /2 -type (π ,π ) charge-ordered and the ferromagnetic nanoclusters above the ferromagnetic transition temperature Tc in colossal magnetoresistive (CMR) manganites. The resistivity increases due to the enhancement of the volume fraction of the charge-ordered and the ferromagnetic nanoclusters upon decreasing the temperature down to Tc. The ferromagnetic nanoclusters start to grow and merge, and the volume fraction of the charge-ordered nanoclusters decreases below Tc, leading to the sharp drop in the resistivity. By applying a small external magnetic field h , we show that the resistivity above Tc increases, as compared with the case when h =0 , a fact that further confirms the coexistence of the charge-ordered and the ferromagnetic nanoclusters. In addition, we show that the volume fraction of the charge-ordered nanoclusters decreases upon increasing the bandwidth, and consequently the resistivity hump diminishes for large bandwidth manganites, in good qualitative agreement with experiments. The obtained insights from our calculations provide a complete pathway to understand the phase competition in CMR manganites.

Surface control of epitaxial manganite films via oxygen pressure

DOE PAGES

Tselev, Alexander; Vasudevan, Rama K.; Gianfrancesco, Anthony G.; ...

2015-03-11

The trend to reduce device dimensions demands increasing attention to atomic-scale details of structure of thin films as well as to pathways to control it. We found that this is of special importance in the systems with multiple competing interactions. We have used in situ scanning tunneling microscopy to image surfaces of La 5/8Ca 3/8MnO 3 films grown by pulsed laser deposition. The atomically resolved imaging was combined with in situ angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We find a strong effect of the background oxygen pressure during deposition on structural and chemical features of the film surface. Deposition at 50 mTorrmore » of O 2 leads to mixed-terminated film surfaces, with B-site (MnO 2) termination being structurally imperfect at the atomic scale. Moreover, a relatively small reduction of the oxygen pressure to 20 mTorr results in a dramatic change of the surface structure leading to a nearly perfectly ordered B-site terminated surface with only a small fraction of A-site (La,Ca)O termination. This is accompanied, however, by surface roughening at a mesoscopic length scale. The results suggest that oxygen has a strong link to the adatom mobility during growth. The effect of the oxygen pressure on dopant surface segregation is also pronounced: Ca surface segregation is decreased with oxygen pressure reduction.« less

Recrystallization of Manganite (γ-MnOOH) and Implications for Trace Element Cycling.

PubMed

Hens, Tobias; Brugger, Joël; Cumberland, Susan A; Etschmann, Barbara; Frierdich, Andrew J

2018-02-06

The recrystallization of Mn(III,IV) oxides is catalyzed by aqueous Mn(II) (Mn(II) aq ) during (bio)geochemical Mn redox cycling. It is poorly understood how trace metals associated with Mn oxides (e.g., Ni) are cycled during such recrystallization. Here, we use X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to examine the speciation of Ni associated with Manganite (γ-Mn(III)OOH) suspensions in the presence or absence of Mn(II) aq under variable pH conditions (pH 5.5 and 7.5). In a second set of experiments, we used a 62 Ni isotope tracer to quantify the amount of dissolved Ni that exchanges with Ni incorporated in the Manganite crystal structure during reactions in 1 mM Mn(II) aq and in Mn(II)-free solutions. XAS spectra show that Ni is initially sorbed on the Manganite mineral surface and is progressively incorporated into the mineral structure over time (13% after 51 days) even in the absence of dissolved Mn(II). The amount of Ni incorporation significantly increases to about 40% over a period of 51 days when Mn(II) aq is present in solution. Similarly, Mn(II) aq promotes Ni exchange between Ni-substituted Manganite and dissolved Ni(II), with around 30% of Ni exchanged at pH 7.5 over the duration of the experiment. No new mineral phases are detected following recrystallization as determined by X-ray diffraction and XAS. Our results reveal that Mn(II)-catalyzed mineral recrystallization partitions Ni between Mn oxides and aqueous fluids and can therefore affect Ni speciation and mobility in the environment.

Defect studies of thin ZnO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlček, M.; Čížek, J.; Procházka, I.; Novotný, M.; Bulíř, J.; Lančok, J.; Anwand, W.; Brauer, G.; Mosnier, J.-P.

2014-04-01

Thin ZnO films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on four different substrates: sapphire (0 0 0 1), MgO (1 0 0), fused silica and nanocrystalline synthetic diamond. Defect studies by slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS) revealed significantly higher concentration of defects in the studied films when compared to a bulk ZnO single crystal. The concentration of defects in the films deposited on single crystal sapphire and MgO substrates is higher than in the films deposited on amorphous fused silica substrate and nanocrystalline synthetic diamond. Furthermore, the effect of deposition temperature on film quality was investigated in ZnO films deposited on synthetic diamond substrates. Defect studies performed by SPIS revealed that the concentration of defects firstly decreases with increasing deposition temperature, but at too high deposition temperatures it increases again. The lowest concentration of defects was found in the film deposited at 450° C.

Mesoporous nanocrystalline film architecture for capacitive storage devices

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

Dunn, Bruce S.; Tolbert, Sarah H.; Wang, John

A mesoporous, nanocrystalline, metal oxide construct particularly suited for capacitive energy storage that has an architecture with short diffusion path lengths and large surface areas and a method for production are provided. Energy density is substantially increased without compromising the capacitive charge storage kinetics and electrode demonstrates long term cycling stability. Charge storage devices with electrodes using the construct can use three different charge storage mechanisms immersed in an electrolyte: (1) cations can be stored in a thin double layer at the electrode/electrolyte interface (non-faradaic mechanism); (2) cations can interact with the bulk of an electroactive material which then undergoesmore » a redox reaction or phase change, as in conventional batteries (faradaic mechanism); or (3) cations can electrochemically adsorb onto the surface of a material through charge transfer processes (faradaic mechanism).« less

Magnetostructural Properties of Colossal Magnetoresistance Manganites Under External Magnetic Fields and Uniaxial Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, Michael; Zimmerman, George

2002-03-01

In the colossal magnetoresistance manganites the transport and magnetostructural properties are tightly connected [1,2]. Many magnetic field induced structural phase transitions and anomalous magnetoacoustical properties continue to be discovered in various manganite derivatives. Nevertheless the mechanism of structural transitions and microscopic theory of corresponding anomalous properties are still to be completely understood. Here we present a microscopic model of magnetic field and uniaxial pressure induced structural phase transitions in lightly doped manganites. The model is based on the cooperative Jahn-Teller effect which takes into account the Mn3+-ground doublet and excited triplet electronic states. Numerous calculations for different orientation magnetic field suggest the explanations of the origin of the structural transitions and of the measured magnetostriction data. The calculations for the two-sublattice antiferrodistortive crystals under uniaxial pressure support the idea of metaelasticity - a property typical for Jahn-Teller antiferroelastics. 1.Y. Tokura, ed. Colossal Magnetoresistance Oxides. Gordon & Breach, London, 2000. 2.M. Kaplan, G. Zimmerman, eds. Vibronic Interactions: Jahn-Teller Effect in Crystal and Molecules. NATO Science Series, Dordrecht/Boston/London, 2001

Thermally Stable Nanocrystalline Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hulme-Smith, Christopher Neil; Ooi, Shgh Woei; Bhadeshia, Harshad K. D. H.

2017-10-01

Two novel nanocrystalline steels were designed to withstand elevated temperatures without catastrophic microstructural changes. In the most successful alloy, a large quantity of nickel was added to stabilize austenite and allow a reduction in the carbon content. A 50 kg cast of the novel alloy was produced and used to verify the formation of nanocrystalline bainite. Synchrotron X-ray diffractometry using in situ heating showed that austenite was able to survive more than 1 hour at 773 K (500 °C) and subsequent cooling to ambient temperature. This is the first reported nanocrystalline steel with high-temperature capability.

The effect of solution pH on the electrochemical performance of nanocrystalline metal ferrites MFe2O4 (M=Cu, Zn, and Ni) thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsayed, E. M.; Rashad, M. M.; Khalil, H. F. Y.; Ibrahim, I. A.; Hussein, M. R.; El-Sabbah, M. M. B.

2016-04-01

Nanocrystalline metal ferrite MFe2O4 (M=Cu, Zn, and Ni) thin films have been synthesized via electrodeposition-anodization process. Electrodeposited (M)Fe2 alloys were obtained from aqueous sulfate bath. The formed alloys were electrochemically oxidized (anodized) in aqueous (1 M KOH) solution, at room temperature, to the corresponding hydroxides. The parameters controlling the current efficiency of the electrodeposition of (M)Fe2 alloys such as the bath composition and the current density were studied and optimized. The anodized (M)Fe2 alloy films were annealed in air at 400 °C for 2 h. The results revealed the formation of three ferrite thin films were formed. The crystallite sizes of the produced films were in the range between 45 and 60 nm. The microstructure of the formed film was ferrite type dependent. The corrosion behavior of ferrite thin films in different pH solutions was investigated using open circuit potential (OCP) and potentiodynamic polarization measurements. The open circuit potential indicates that the initial potential E im of ZnFe2O4 thin films remained constant for a short time, then sharply increased in the less negative direction in acidic and alkaline medium compared with Ni and Cu ferrite films. The values of the corrosion current density I corr were higher for the ZnFe2O4 films at pH values of 1 and 12 compared with that of NiFe2O4 and CuFe2O4 which were higher only at pH value 1. The corrosion rate was very low for the three ferrite films when immersion in the neutral medium. The surface morphology recommended that Ni and Cu ferrite films were safely used in neutral and alkaline medium, whereas Zn ferrite film was only used in neutral atmospheres.

Ultrafast structural and electronic dynamics of the metallic phase in a layered manganite

PubMed Central

Piazza, L.; Ma, C.; Yang, H. X.; Mann, A.; Zhu, Y.; Li, J. Q.; Carbone, F.

2013-01-01

The transition between different states in manganites can be driven by various external stimuli. Controlling these transitions with light opens the possibility to investigate the microscopic path through which they evolve. We performed femtosecond (fs) transmission electron microscopy on a bi-layered manganite to study its response to ultrafast photoexcitation. We show that a photoinduced temperature jump launches a pressure wave that provokes coherent oscillations of the lattice parameters, detected via ultrafast electron diffraction. Their impact on the electronic structure are monitored via ultrafast electron energy loss spectroscopy, revealing the dynamics of the different orbitals in response to specific structural distortions. PMID:26913564

Defect structure in electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni layers with different Mo concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapoor, Garima; Péter, László; Fekete, Éva; Gubicza, Jenő

2018-05-01

The effect of molybdenum (Mo) alloying on the lattice defect structure in electrodeposited nanocrystalline nickel (Ni) films was studied. The electrodeposited layers were prepared on copper substrate at room temperature, with a constant current density and pH value. The chemical composition of these layers was determined by EDS. In addition, X-ray diffraction line profile analysis was carried out to study the microstructural parameters such as the crystallite size, the dislocation density and the stacking fault probability. It was found that the higher Mo content yielded more than one order of magnitude larger dislocation density while the crystallite size was only slightly smaller. In addition, the twin boundary formation activity during deposition increased with increasing Mo concentration. The results obtained on electrodeposited layers were compared with previous research carried out on bulk nanocrystalline Ni-Mo materials with similar compositions but processed by severe plastic deformation.

Resolving the nanostructure of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited nanocrystalline SiOx layers for application in solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klingsporn, M.; Kirner, S.; Villringer, C.; Abou-Ras, D.; Costina, I.; Lehmann, M.; Stannowski, B.

2016-06-01

Nanocrystalline silicon suboxides (nc-SiOx) have attracted attention during the past years for the use in thin-film silicon solar cells. We investigated the relationships between the nanostructure as well as the chemical, electrical, and optical properties of phosphorous, doped, nc-SiO0.8:H fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The nanostructure was varied through the sample series by changing the deposition pressure from 533 to 1067 Pa. The samples were then characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, Raman spectroscopy, aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, and a specialized plasmon imaging method. We found that the material changed with increasing pressure from predominantly amorphous silicon monoxide to silicon dioxide containing nanocrystalline silicon. The nanostructure changed from amorphous silicon filaments to nanocrystalline silicon filaments, which were found to cause anisotropic electron transport.

Anomalous behavior of B{sub 1g} mode in highly transparent anatase nano-crystalline Nb-doped Titanium Dioxide (NTO) thin films

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

Gautam, Subodh K., E-mail: subodhkgtm@gmail.com, E-mail: fouran@gmail.com; Ojha, S.; Singh, Fouran, E-mail: subodhkgtm@gmail.com, E-mail: fouran@gmail.com

2015-12-15

The effect of Niobium doping and size of crystallites on highly transparent nano-crystalline Niobium doped Titanium Dioxide (NTO) thin films with stable anatase phase are reported. The Nb doping concentration is varied within the solubility limit in TiO{sub 2} lattice. Films were annealed in controlled environment for improving the crystallinity and size of crystallites. Elemental and thickness analysis were carried out using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and cross sectional field emission scanning electron microscopy. Structural characteristics reveal a substitutional incorporation of Nb{sup +5} in the TiO{sub 2} lattice which inhibits the anatase crystallites growth with increasing the doping percentage. The micro-Ramanmore » (MR) spectra of films with small size crystallites shows stiffening of about 4 cm{sup −1} for the E{sub g(1)} mode and is ascribed to phonon confinement and non-stoichiometry. In contrast, B{sub 1g} mode exhibits a large anomalous softening of 20 cm{sup −1} with asymmetrical broadening; which was not reported for the case of pure TiO{sub 2} crystallites. This anomalous behaviour is explained by contraction of the apical Ti-O bonds at the surface upon substitutional Nb{sup 5+} doping induced reduction of Ti{sup 4+} ions also known as hetero-coordination effect. The proposed hypotheses is manifested through studying the electronic structure and phonon dynamics by performing the near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) and temperature dependent MR down to liquid nitrogen temperature on pure and 2.5 at.% doped NTO films, respectively.« less

Synthesis of Nanocrystalline SnOx (x = 1–2) Thin Film Using a Chemical Bath Deposition Method with Improved Deposition Time, Temperature and pH

PubMed Central

Ebrahimiasl, Saeideh; Yunus, Wan Md. Zin Wan; Kassim, Anuar; Zainal, Zulkarnain

2011-01-01

Nanocrystalline SnOx (x = 1–2) thin films were prepared on glass substrates by a simple chemical bath deposition method. Triethanolamine was used as complexing agent to decrease time and temperature of deposition and shift the pH of the solution to the noncorrosive region. The films were characterized for composition, surface morphology, structure and optical properties. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that SnOx thin films consist of a polycrystalline structure with an average grain size of 36 nm. Atomic force microscopy studies show a uniform grain distribution without pinholes. The elemental composition was evaluated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The average O/Sn atomic percentage ratio is 1.72. Band gap energy and optical transition were determined from optical absorbance data. The film was found to exhibit direct and indirect transitions in the visible spectrum with band gap values of about 3.9 and 3.7 eV, respectively. The optical transmittance in the visible region is 82%. The SnOx nanocrystals exhibit an ultraviolet emission band centered at 392 nm in the vicinity of the band edge, which is attributed to the well-known exciton transition in SnOx. Photosensitivity was detected in the positive region under illumination with white light. PMID:22163690

Scaling of terahertz conductivity at the metal-insulator transition in doped manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pimenov, A.; Biberacher, M.; Ivannikov, D.; Loidl, A.; Mukhin, A. A.; Goncharov, Yu. G.; Balbashov, A. M.

2006-06-01

Magnetic field and temperature dependence of the terahertz conductivity and permittivity of the colossal magnetoresistance manganite Pr0.65Ca0.28Sr0.07MnO3 (PCSMO) is investigated approaching the metal-to-insulator transition (MIT) from the insulating side. In the charge-ordered state of PCSMO both conductivity and dielectric permittivity increase as a function of magnetic field and temperature. Universal scaling relationships Δɛ∝Δσ are observed in a broad range of temperatures and magnetic fields. Similar scaling is also seen in La1-xSrxMnO3 for different doping levels. The observed proportionality points towards the importance of pure ac-conductivity and phononic energy scale at MIT in manganites.

Nanocrystalline diamond thin films on titanium-6 aluminum-4 vanadium alloy temporomandibular joint prosthesis simulants by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fries, Marc Douglas

A course of research has been performed to assess the suitability of nanocrystal-line diamond (NCD) films on Ti-6Al-4V alloy as wear-resistant coatings in biomedical implant use. A series of temporomandibular (TMJ) joint condyle simulants were polished and acid-passivated as per ASTM F86 standard for surface preparation of implants. A 3-mum-thick coating of NCD film was deposited by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) over the hemispherical articulation surfaces of the simulants. Plasma chemistry conditions were measured and monitored by optical emission spectroscopy (OES), using hydrogen as a relative standard. The films consist of diamond grains around 20 nm in diameter embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix, free of any detectable film stress gradient. Hardness averages 65 GPa and modulus measures 600 GPa at a depth of 250 nm into the film surface. A diffuse film/substrate boundary produces a minimal film adhesion toughness (GammaC) of 158 J/m2. The mean RMS roughness is 14.6 +/- 4.2 nm, with an average peak roughness of 82.6 +/- 65.9 nm. Examination of the surface morphology reveals a porous, dendritic surface. Wear testing resulted in two failed condylar coatings out of three tests. No macroscopic delamination was found on any sample, but micron-scale film pieces broke away, exposing the substrate. Electrochemical corrosion testing shows a seven-fold reduction in corrosion rate with the application of an NCD coating as opposed to polished, passivated Ti-6Al-4V, producing a corrosion rate comparable to wrought Co-Cr-Mo. In vivo biocompatibility testing indicates that implanted NCD films did not elicit an immune response in the rabbit model, and osteointegration was apparent for both compact and trabecular bone on both NCD film and bare Ti-6Al-4V. Overall, NCD thin film material is reasonably smooth, biocompatible, and very well adhered. Wear testing indicates that this material is unacceptable for use in demanding TMJ applications without

Enhancing the mechanical and biological performance of a metallic biomaterial for orthopedic applications through changes in the surface oxide layer by nanocrystalline surface modification.

PubMed

Bahl, Sumit; Shreyas, P; Trishul, M A; Suwas, Satyam; Chatterjee, Kaushik

2015-05-07

Nanostructured metals are a promising class of biomaterials for application in orthopedics to improve the mechanical performance and biological response for increasing the life of biomedical implants. Surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) is an efficient way of engineering nanocrystalline surfaces on metal substrates. In this work, 316L stainless steel (SS), a widely used orthopedic biomaterial, was subjected to SMAT to generate a nanocrystalline surface. Surface nanocrystallization modified the nature of the oxide layer present on the surface. It increased the corrosion-fatigue strength in saline by 50%. This increase in strength is attributed to a thicker oxide layer, residual compressive stresses, high strength of the surface layer, and lower propensity for intergranular corrosion in the nanocrystalline layer. Nanocrystallization also enhanced osteoblast attachment and proliferation. Intriguingly, wettability and surface roughness, the key parameters widely acknowledged for controlling the cellular response remained unchanged after nanocrystallization. The observed cellular behavior is explained in terms of the changes in electronic properties of the semiconducting passive oxide film present on the surface of 316L SS. Nanocrystallization increased the charge carrier density of the n-type oxide film likely preventing denaturation of the adsorbed cell-adhesive proteins such as fibronectin. In addition, a net positive charge developed on the otherwise neutral oxide layer, which is known to facilitate cellular adhesion. The role of changes in the electronic properties of the oxide films on metal substrates is thus highlighted in this work. This study demonstrates the advantages of nanocrystalline surface modification by SMAT for processing metallic biomaterials used in orthopedic implants.

Synthesis of nanocrystalline diamonds by microwave plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purohit, V. S.; Jain, Deepti; Sathe, V. G.; Ganesan, V.; Bhoraskar, S. V.

2007-03-01

Nanocrystalline diamonds, varying in size from 40 to 400 nm, with random faceting were grown without the help of initial nucleation sites on nickel substrates as seen by scanning electron micrographs. These carbonaceous films were deposited in a microwave plasma reactor using hexane/nitrogen based chemical vapour deposition. The substrate temperatures during deposition were varied from 400 to 600 °C. The morphological investigations obtained by scanning electron micrographs and atomic force microscopy revealed the presence of nanocrystallites with multifaceted structures. Micro Raman investigations were carried out on the deposited films, which conclusively inferred that the growth of nanodiamond crystallites seen in the scanning electron micrographs correlate with clear Raman peaks appearing at 1120 and 1140 cm-1. Nanoindentation analysis with atomic force microscopy has revealed that the carbonaceous deposition identified by the Raman line at ~1140 cm-1, in fact, is related to nanodiamond on account of its hardness which was ~30 GPa. X-ray diffraction data supported this fact.

Study of spin-ordering and spin-reorientation transitions in hexagonal manganites through Raman spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiang-Bai; Hien, Nguyen Thi Minh; Han, Kiok; Nam, Ji-Yeon; Huyen, Nguyen Thi; Shin, Seong-Il; Wang, Xueyun; Cheong, S. W.; Lee, D.; Noh, T. W.; Sung, N. H.; Cho, B. K.; Yang, In-Sang

2015-01-01

Spin-wave (magnon) scattering, when clearly observed by Raman spectroscopy, can be simple and powerful for studying magnetic phase transitions. In this paper, we present how to observe magnon scattering clearly by Raman spectroscopy, then apply the Raman method to study spin-ordering and spin-reorientation transitions of hexagonal manganite single crystal and thin films and compare directly with the results of magnetization measurements. Our results show that by choosing strong resonance condition and appropriate polarization configuration, magnon scattering can be clearly observed, and the temperature dependence of magnon scattering can be simple and powerful quantity for investigating spin-ordering as well as spin-reorientation transitions. Especially, the Raman method would be very helpful for investigating the weak spin-reorientation transitions by selectively probing the magnons in the Mn3+ sublattices, while leaving out the strong effects of paramagnetic moments of the rare earth ions. PMID:26300075

Nanostructured PdO Thin Film from Langmuir-Blodgett Precursor for Room-Temperature H2 Gas Sensing.

PubMed

Choudhury, Sipra; Betty, C A; Bhattacharyya, Kaustava; Saxena, Vibha; Bhattacharya, Debarati

2016-07-06

Nanoparticulate thin films of PdO were prepared using the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique by thermal decomposition of a multilayer film of octadecylamine (ODA)-chloropalladate complex. The stable complex formation of ODA with chloropalladate ions (present in subphase) at the air-water interface was confirmed by the surface pressure-area isotherm and Brewster angle microscopy. The formation of nanocrystalline PdO thin film after thermal decomposition of as-deposited LB film was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Nanocrystalline PdO thin films were further characterized by using UV-vis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) measurements. The XPS study revealed the presence of prominent Pd(2+) with a small quantity (18%) of reduced PdO (Pd(0)) in nanocrystalline PdO thin film. From the absorption spectroscopic measurement, the band gap energy of PdO was estimated to be 2 eV, which was very close to that obtained from specular reflectance measurements. Surface morphology studies of these films using atomic force microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy indicated formation of nanoparticles of size 20-30 nm. These PdO film when employed as a chemiresistive sensor showed H2 sensitivity in the range of 30-4000 ppm at room temperature. In addition, PdO films showed photosensitivity with increase in current upon shining of visible light.

Voltage-Controlled On/Off Switching of Ferromagnetism in Manganite Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Molinari, Alan; Hahn, Horst; Kruk, Robert

2018-01-01

The ever-growing technological demand for more advanced microelectronic and spintronic devices keeps catalyzing the idea of controlling magnetism with an electric field. Although voltage-driven on/off switching of magnetization is already established in some magnetoelectric (ME) systems, often the coupling between magnetic and electric order parameters lacks an adequate reversibility, energy efficiency, working temperature, or switching speed. Here, the ME performance of a manganite supercapacitor composed of a ferromagnetic, spin-polarized ultrathin film of La 0.74 Sr 0.26 MnO 3 (LSMO) electrically charged with an ionic liquid electrolyte is investigated. Fully reversible, rapid, on/off switching of ferromagnetism in LSMO is demonstrated in combination with a shift in Curie temperature of up to 26 K and a giant ME coupling coefficient of ≈226 Oe V -1 . The application of voltages of only ≈2 V results in ultralow energy consumptions of about 90 µJ cm -2 . This work provides a step forward toward low-power, high-endurance electrical switching of magnetism for the development of high-performance ME spintronics. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An all-diamond X-ray position and flux monitor using nitrogen-incorporated ultra-nanocrystalline diamond contacts

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

Zou, Mengnan; Gaowei, Mengjia; Zhou, Tianyi

Diamond X-ray detectors with conducting nitrogen-incorporated ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (N-UNCD) films as electrodes were fabricated to measure X-ray beam flux and position. Structural characterization and functionality tests were performed for these devices. The N-UNCD films grown on unseeded diamond substrates were compared with N-UNCD films grown on a seeded silicon substrate. The feasibility of the N-UNCD films acting as electrodes for X-ray detectors was confirmed by the stable performance in a monochromatic X-ray beam. The fabrication process is able to change the surface status which may influence the signal uniformity under low bias, but this effect can be neglected under fullmore » collection bias.« less

Continuous Microreactor-Assisted Solution Deposition for Scalable Production of CdS Films

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

Ramprasad, Sudhir; Su, Yu-Wei; Chang, Chih-Hung

2013-06-13

Solution deposition offers an attractive, low temperature option in the cost effective production of thin film solar cells. Continuous microreactor-assisted solution deposition (MASD) was used to produce nanocrystalline cadmium sulfide (CdS) films on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates with excellent uniformity. We report a novel liquid coating technique using a ceramic rod to efficiently and uniformly apply reactive solution to large substrates (152 mm × 152 mm). This technique represents an inexpensive approach to utilize the MASD on the substrate for uniform growth of CdS films. Nano-crystalline CdS films have been produced from liquid phase at ~90°C,more » with average thicknesses of 70 nm to 230 nm and with a 5 to 12% thickness variation. The CdS films produced were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-Ray diffraction to demonstrate their suitability to thin-film solar technology.« less

Silica-coated manganite and Mn-based ferrite nanoparticles: a comparative study focused on cytotoxicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaman, Ondřej; Dědourková, Tereza; Koktan, Jakub; Kuličková, Jarmila; Maryško, Miroslav; Veverka, Pavel; Havelek, Radim; Královec, Karel; Turnovcová, Karolína; Jendelová, Pavla; Schröfel, Adam; Svoboda, Ladislav

2016-04-01

Magnetic oxide nanoparticles provide a fascinating tool for biological research and medicine, serving as contrast agents, magnetic carriers, and core materials of theranostic systems. Although the applications rely mostly on iron oxides, more complex oxides such as perovskite manganites may provide a much better magnetic performance. To assess the risk of their potential use, in vitro toxicity of manganite nanoparticles was thoroughly analysed and compared with another prospective system of Mn-Zn ferrite nanoparticles. Magnetic nanoparticles of La0.63Sr0.37MnO3 manganite were prepared by two distinct methods, namely the molten salt synthesis and the traditional sol-gel route, whereas nanoparticles of Mn0.61Zn0.42Fe1.97O4 ferrite, selected as a comparative material, were synthesized by a new procedure under hydrothermal conditions. Magnetic cores were coated with silica and, moreover, several samples of manganite nanoparticles with different thicknesses of silica shell were prepared. The size-fractionated and purified products were analysed using transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, measurement of the zeta-potential dependence on pH, IR spectroscopy, and SQUID magnetometry. The silica-coated products with accurately determined concentration by atomic absorption spectroscopy were subjected to a robust evaluation of their cytotoxicity by four different methods, including detailed analysis of the concentration dependence of toxicity, analysis of apoptosis, and experiments on three different cell lines. The results, comparing two manganese-containing systems, clearly indicated superior properties of the Mn-Zn ferrite, whose silica-coated nanoparticles show very limited toxic effects and thus constitute a promising material for bioapplications.

Structural, electrical and optical properties of nanostructured ZrO2 thin film deposited by SILAR method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salodkar, R. V.; Belkhedkar, M. R.; Nemade, S. D.

2018-05-01

Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method has been employed to deposit nanocrystalline ZrO2 thin film of thickness 91 nm onto glass substrates using ZrOCl2.8H2O and NaOH as cationic and anionic precursors respectively. The structural and surface morphological characterizations have been carried out by means of X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy confirms the nanocrystalline nature of ZrO2 thin film. The direct optical band gap and activation energy of the ZrO2 thin film are found to be 4.74 and 0.80eV respectively.

Direct Observation of Sink-Dependent Defect Evolution in Nanocrystalline Iron under Irradiation

DOE PAGES

El Atwani, Osman; Nathaniel, James; Leff, Asher C.; ...

2017-05-12

Crystal defects generated during irradiation can result in severe changes in morphology and an overall degradation of mechanical properties in a given material. Nanomaterials have been proposed as radiation damage tolerant materials, due to the hypothesis that defect density decreases with grain size refinement due to the increase in grain boundary surface area. The lower defect density should arise from grain boundary-point defect absorption and enhancement of interstitial-vacancy annihilation. In this study, low energy helium ion irradiation on free-standing iron thin films were performed at 573 K. Interstitial loops of a 0 /2 [111] Burgers vector were directly observed asmore » a result of the displacement damage. Loop density trends with grain size demonstrated an increase in the nanocrystalline (<100 nm) regime, but scattered behavior in the transition from the nanocrystalline to the ultra-fine regime (100–500 nm). To examine the validity of such trends, loop density and area for different grains at various irradiation doses were compared and revealed efficient defect absorption in the nanocrystalline grain size regime, but loop coalescence in the ultra-fine grain size regime. Lastly, a relationship between the denuded zone formation, a measure of grain boundary absorption efficiency, grain size, grain boundary type and misorientation angle is determined.« less

Direct Observation of Sink-Dependent Defect Evolution in Nanocrystalline Iron under Irradiation

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

El Atwani, Osman; Nathaniel, James; Leff, Asher C.

Crystal defects generated during irradiation can result in severe changes in morphology and an overall degradation of mechanical properties in a given material. Nanomaterials have been proposed as radiation damage tolerant materials, due to the hypothesis that defect density decreases with grain size refinement due to the increase in grain boundary surface area. The lower defect density should arise from grain boundary-point defect absorption and enhancement of interstitial-vacancy annihilation. In this study, low energy helium ion irradiation on free-standing iron thin films were performed at 573 K. Interstitial loops of a 0 /2 [111] Burgers vector were directly observed asmore » a result of the displacement damage. Loop density trends with grain size demonstrated an increase in the nanocrystalline (<100 nm) regime, but scattered behavior in the transition from the nanocrystalline to the ultra-fine regime (100–500 nm). To examine the validity of such trends, loop density and area for different grains at various irradiation doses were compared and revealed efficient defect absorption in the nanocrystalline grain size regime, but loop coalescence in the ultra-fine grain size regime. Lastly, a relationship between the denuded zone formation, a measure of grain boundary absorption efficiency, grain size, grain boundary type and misorientation angle is determined.« less

Growth and electrical transport properties of La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 thin films on Sr 2 IrO 4 single crystals

DOE PAGES

Moon, E. J.; May, A. F.; Shafer, P.; ...

2017-04-20

Here, we report the physical properties of La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 thin films on Sr 2 IrO 4 single crystals. We also deposited the manganite films using oxide molecular beam epitaxy on flux-grown (001)-oriented iridate crystals. Temperature-dependent magnetotransport and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements reveal the presence of a ferromagnetic metallic ground state in the films, consistent with films grown on SrTiO 3 and La 0.3 Sr 0.7 Al 0.65 Ta 0.35 O 3 . A parallel resistance model is used to separate conduction effects within the Sr 2 IrO 4 substrate and the La 0.7 Sr 0.3more » MnO 3 thin films, revealing that the measured resistance maximum does not correspond to the manganite Curie temperature but results from a convolution of properties of the near-insulating substrate and metallic film. Furthermore, the ability to grow and characterize epitaxial perovskites on Sr 2 IrO 4 crystals enables a new route for studying magnetism at oxide interfaces in the presence of strong spin-orbit interactions.« less

Rapid Growth of Nanocrystalline Diamond on Single Crystal Diamond for Studies on Materials under Extreme Conditions

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

Moore, Samuel L.; Samudrala, Gopi K.; Catledge, Shane A.

Early stage nucleation morphologies of spatially localized nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) micro-anvils grown on (100)-oriented single crystal diamond (SCD) anvil surfaces were analyzed and investigated for applications in high pressure studies on materials. NCD was grown on SCD using Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) for brief time intervals ranging from 1-15 minutes. Early stage film morphologies were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy and were compared to films grown for several hours. Rapid nucleation and growth of NCD on SCD is demonstrated without any pre-growth seeding of the substrate surface. As grown NCD diamond micro-anvils on SCDmore » were used to generate static pressure of 0.5 Terapascal (TPa) on a tungsten sample as measured by synchrotron x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis after decompression from ultrahigh pressures showed that the detachment of the NCD stage occurred in the bulk of the SCD and not at the interface, suggesting significant adhesive bond strength between nanocrystalline and single crystal diamond.« less

Rapid Growth of Nanocrystalline Diamond on Single Crystal Diamond for Studies on Materials under Extreme Conditions

DOE PAGES

Moore, Samuel L.; Samudrala, Gopi K.; Catledge, Shane A.; ...

2018-01-23

Early stage nucleation morphologies of spatially localized nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) micro-anvils grown on (100)-oriented single crystal diamond (SCD) anvil surfaces were analyzed and investigated for applications in high pressure studies on materials. NCD was grown on SCD using Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) for brief time intervals ranging from 1-15 minutes. Early stage film morphologies were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy and were compared to films grown for several hours. Rapid nucleation and growth of NCD on SCD is demonstrated without any pre-growth seeding of the substrate surface. As grown NCD diamond micro-anvils on SCDmore » were used to generate static pressure of 0.5 Terapascal (TPa) on a tungsten sample as measured by synchrotron x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis after decompression from ultrahigh pressures showed that the detachment of the NCD stage occurred in the bulk of the SCD and not at the interface, suggesting significant adhesive bond strength between nanocrystalline and single crystal diamond.« less

Ultrasoft magnetic films investigated with Lorentz tranmission electron microscopy and electron holography.

PubMed

De Hosson, Jeff Th M; Chechenin, Nicolai G; Alsem, Daan-Hein; Vystavel, Tomas; Kooi, Bart J; Chezan, Antoni R; Boerma, Dik O

2002-08-01

As a tribute to the scientific work of Professor Gareth Thomas in the field of structure-property relationships this paper delineates a new possibility of Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM) to study the magnetic properties of soft magnetic films. We show that in contrast to the traditional point of view, not only does the direction of the magnetization vector in nano-crystalline films make a correlated small-angle wiggling, but also the magnitude of the magnetization modulus fluctuates. This fluctuation produces a rapid modulation in the LTEM image. A novel analysis of the ripple structure in nano-crystalline Fe-Zr-N film corresponds to an amplitude of the transversal component of the magnetization deltaMy of 23 mT and a longitudinal fluctuation of the magnetization of the order of deltaMx = 30 mT. The nano-crystalline (Fe99Zr1)1-xNx films have been prepared by DC magnetron reactive sputtering with a thickness between 50 and 1000 nm. The grain size decreased monotonically with N content from typically 100 nm in the case of N-free films to less than 10 nm for films containing 8 at%. The specimens were examined with a JEOL 2010F 200 kV transmission electron microscope equipped with a post column energy filter (GIF 2000 Gatan Imaging Filter). For holography, the microscope is mounted with a biprism (JEOL biprism with a 0.6 microm diameter platinum wire).

Surface Spin Glass Ordering and Exchange Bias in Nanometric Sm0.09Ca0.91MnO3 Manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giri, S. K.; Nath, T. K.

2011-07-01

We have thoroughly investigated the entire magnetic state of under doped ferromagnetic insulating manganite Sm0.09Ca0.91MnO3 through temperature dependent linear and non-linear ac magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements. This ferromagnetic insulating manganite is found to have frequency dependent ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition temperature at around 108 K. Exchange- bias effect are observed in field -cooled magnetic hysteresis loops for this nanoparticle. We have attributed our observation to the formation of ferromagnetic cluster which are formed as a consequence of intrinsic phase separation below certain temperature in this under doped manganites. We have carried out electronic- and magneto-transport measurements to support these observed results.

Interface thermal resistance of nanostructured FeCoCu film and Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolaenko, Yuri M.; Medvedev, Yuri V.; Genenko, Yuri A.; Ghafari, Mohammad; Hahn, Horst

2006-05-01

Results of measurement of thermal resistance (RFS ) of film substrate interface of 10 nm (Fe1-x Cox )1-y Cuy film on Si substrate with 50 nm SiO2 sublayer are presented. The estimated magnitude is two orders greater then RFS of epitaxial manganite films on StTiO3 substrate with and without sublayer. The significant increase of RFS is explained by granular structure of film with average size of grain about 10 nm. In this case the additional thermal barier in the film-substrate interface is appeared. It provides the change of regime of phonons propagation from ballistic to diffusion one. The principle possibility of variation of RFS in wide range as a task of nanotechnology is discussed.

Structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Co-doped nanocrystalline La0.7Te0.3Mn0.7Co0.3O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meenakshi; Kumar, Amit; Mahato, Rabindra Nath

2018-02-01

Structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the nanocrystalline La0.7Te0.3Mn0.7Co0.3O3 perovskite manganite were investigated. X-ray diffraction pattern indicated that the nanocrystalline sample crystallized in orthorhombic crystal structure with Pbnm space group. The average particle size was calculated using scanning electron microscope and it was found to be ∼150 nm. Temperature dependence magnetization measurements revealed ferromagnetic-paramagnetic phase transition and the Curie temperature (TC) was found to be ∼201 K. Field dependence magnetization showed the hysteresis at low temperature with a coercive field of ∼0.34 T and linear dependence at high temperature corresponds to paramagnetic region. Based on the magnetic field dependence magnetization data, the maximum entropy change and relative cooling power (RCP) were estimated and the values were 1.002 J kg-1 K-1 and 90 J kg-1 for a field change of 5 T respectively. Temperature dependent resistivity ρ(T) data exhibited semiconducting-like behavior at high temperature and the electrical transport was well explained by Mott's variable-range hopping (VRH) conduction mechanism in the temperature range of 250 K-300 K. Using the VRH fit, the calculated hoping distance (Rh) at 300 K was 54.4 Å and density of states N(EF) at room temperature was 7.04 × 1018 eV-1 cm-3. These values were comparable to other semiconducting oxides.

Controlling electrostatic charging of nanocrystalline diamond at nanoscale.

PubMed

Verveniotis, Elisseos; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav

2013-06-11

Constant electrical current in the range of -1 to -200 pA is applied by an atomic force microscope (AFM) in contact mode regime to induce and study local electrostatic charging of oxygen-terminated nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films. The NCD films are deposited on silicon in 70 nm thickness and with 60% relative sp(2) phase content. Charging current is monitored by conductive AFM. Electric potential contrast induced by the current is evaluated by Kelvin force microscopy (KFM). KFM shows well-defined, homogeneous, and reproducible microscopic patterns that are not influenced by inherent tip-surface junction fluctuations during the charging process. The charged patterns are persistent for at least 72 h due to charge trapping inside the NCD film. The current-induced charging also clearly reveals field-induced detrapping at current amplitudes >-50 pA and tip instability at >-150 pA, both of which limit the achievable potential contrast. In addition, we show that the field also determines the range of electronic states that can trap the charge. We present a model and discuss implications for control of the nanoscale charging process.

Lead detection using micro/nanocrystalline boron-doped diamond by square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry.

PubMed

Arantes, Tatiane M; Sardinha, André; Baldan, Mauricio R; Cristovan, Fernando H; Ferreira, Neidenei G

2014-10-01

Monitoring heavy metal ion levels in water is essential for human health and safety. Electroanalytical techniques have presented important features to detect toxic trace heavy metals in the environment due to their high sensitivity associated with their easy operational procedures. Square-wave voltammetry is a powerful electrochemical technique that may be applied to both electrokinetic and analytical measurements, and the analysis of the characteristic parameters of this technique also enables the mechanism and kinetic evaluation of the electrochemical process under study. In this work, we present a complete optimized study on the heavy metal detection using diamond electrodes. It was analyzed the influence of the morphology characteristics as well as the doping level on micro/nanocrystalline boron-doped diamond films by means of square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) technique. The SWASV parameters were optimized for all films, considering that their kinetic response is dependent on the morphology and/or doping level. The films presented reversible results for the Lead [Pb (II)] system studied. The Pb (II) analysis was performed in ammonium acetate buffer at pH 4.5, varying the lead concentration in the range from 1 to 10 μg L(-1). The analytical responses were obtained for the four electrodes. However, the best low limit detection and reproducibility was found for boron doped nanocrystalline diamond electrodes (BDND) doped with 2000 mg L(-1) in B/C ratio. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perovskite-structure TlMnO₃: a new manganite with new properties.

PubMed

Yi, Wei; Kumagai, Yu; Spaldin, Nicola A; Matsushita, Yoshitaka; Sato, Akira; Presniakov, Igor A; Sobolev, Alexey V; Glazkova, Yana S; Belik, Alexei A

2014-09-15

We synthesize a new member of the AMnO3 perovskite manganite family (where A is a trivalent cation)--thallium manganite, TlMnO3--under high-pressure (6 GPa) and high-temperature (1500 K) conditions and show that the structural and magnetic properties are distinct from those of all other AMnO3 manganites. The crystal structure of TlMnO3 is solved and refined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. We obtain a triclinically distorted structure with space group P1̅ (No. 2), Z = 4, and lattice parameters a = 5.4248(2) Å, b = 7.9403(2) Å, c = 5.28650(10) Å, α = 87.8200(10)°, β = 86.9440(10)°, and γ = 89.3130(10)° at 293 K. There are four crystallographic Mn sites in TlMnO3 forming two groups based on the degree of their Jahn-Teller distortions. Physical properties of insulating TlMnO3 are investigated with Mössbauer spectroscopy and resistivity, specific heat, and magnetization measurements. The orbital ordering, which persists to the decomposition temperature of 820 K, suggests A-type antiferromagnetic ordering with the ferromagnetic planes along the [-101] direction, consistent with the measured collinear antiferromagnetism below the Néel temperature of 92 K. Hybrid density functional calculations are consistent with the experimentally identified structure, insulating ground state, and suggested magnetism, and show that the low symmetry originates from the strongly Jahn-Teller distorted Mn(3+) ions combined with the strong covalency of the Tl(3+)-O bonds.

X-ray absorption fine structure and x-ray diffraction studies of crystallographic grains in nanocrystalline FePd:Cu thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krupinski, M.; Perzanowski, M.; Polit, A.; Zabila, Y.; Zarzycki, A.; Dobrowolska, A.; Marszalek, M.

2011-03-01

FePd alloys have recently attracted considerable attention as candidates for ultrahigh density magnetic storage media. In this paper we investigate FePd thin alloy film with a copper admixture composed of nanometer-sized grains. [Fe(0.9 nm)/Pd(1.1 nm)/Cu(d nm)]×5 multilayers were prepared by thermal deposition at room temperature in UHV conditions on Si(100) substrates covered by 100 nm SiO2. The thickness of the copper layer has been changed from 0 to 0.4 nm. After deposition, the multilayers were rapidly annealed at 600 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere, which resulted in the creation of the FePd:Cu alloy. The structure of alloy films obtained this way was determined by x-ray diffraction (XRD), glancing angle x-ray diffraction, and x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The measurements clearly showed that the L10 FePd:Cu nanocrystalline phase has been formed during the annealing process for all investigated copper compositions. This paper concentrates on the crystallographic grain features of FePd:Cu alloys and illustrates that the EXAFS technique, supported by XRD measurements, can help to extend the information about grain size and grain shape of poorly crystallized materials. We show that, using an appropriate model of the FePd:Cu grains, the comparison of EXAFS and XRD results gives a reasonable agreement.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2016-08-01

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

EDC-mediated DNA attachment to nanocrystalline CVD diamond films.

PubMed

Christiaens, P; Vermeeren, V; Wenmackers, S; Daenen, M; Haenen, K; Nesládek, M; vandeVen, M; Ameloot, M; Michiels, L; Wagner, P

2006-08-15

Chemical vapour deposited (CVD) diamond is a very promising material for biosensor fabrication owing both to its chemical inertness and the ability to make it electrical semiconducting that allows for connection with integrated circuits. For biosensor construction, a biochemical method to immobilize nucleic acids to a diamond surface has been developed. Nanocrystalline diamond is grown using microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (MPECVD). After hydrogenation of the surface, 10-undecenoic acid, an omega-unsaturated fatty acid, is tethered by 254 nm photochemical attachment. This is followed by 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide (EDC)-mediated attachment of amino (NH(2))-modified dsDNA. The functionality of the covalently bound dsDNA molecules is confirmed by fluorescence measurements, PCR and gel electrophoresis during 35 denaturation and rehybridisation steps. The linking method after the fatty acid attachment can easily be applied to other biomolecules like antibodies and enzymes.

Microwave assisted combustion synthesis of nanocrystalline CoFe2O4 for LPG sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhari, Prashant; Acharya, S. A.; Darunkar, S. S.; Gaikwad, V. M.

2015-08-01

A microwave-assisted citrate precursor method has been utilized for synthesis of nanocrystalline powders of CoFe2O4. The process takes only a few minutes to obtain as-synthesized CoFe2O4. Structural properties of the synthesized material were investigated by X-ray diffraction; scanning electron microscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The gas sensing properties of thick film of CoFe2O4 prepared by screen printing towards Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) revealed that CoFe2O4 thick films are sensitive and shows maximum sensitivity at 350°C for 2500 ppm of LPG.

Resolving the nanostructure of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited nanocrystalline SiO{sub x} layers for application in solar cells

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

Klingsporn, M.; Costina, I.; Kirner, S.

2016-06-14

Nanocrystalline silicon suboxides (nc-SiO{sub x}) have attracted attention during the past years for the use in thin-film silicon solar cells. We investigated the relationships between the nanostructure as well as the chemical, electrical, and optical properties of phosphorous, doped, nc-SiO{sub 0.8}:H fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The nanostructure was varied through the sample series by changing the deposition pressure from 533 to 1067 Pa. The samples were then characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, Raman spectroscopy, aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, and a specialized plasmon imaging method. We found that the material changed with increasing pressuremore » from predominantly amorphous silicon monoxide to silicon dioxide containing nanocrystalline silicon. The nanostructure changed from amorphous silicon filaments to nanocrystalline silicon filaments, which were found to cause anisotropic electron transport.« less

The contribution of grain boundary and defects to the resistivity in the ferromagnetic state of polycrystalline manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagdeo, P. R.; Anwar, Shahid; Lalla, N. P.; Patil, S. I.

2006-11-01

In the present study we report the precise resistivity measurements for the polycrystalline bulk sample as well as highly oriented thin-films of La 0.8Ca 0.2MnO 3. The poly crystalline sample was prepared by standard solid-state reaction route and the oriented thin film was prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The phase purity of these samples was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and the back-scattered electron imaging using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The oxygen stoichiometry analysis was done by iodimetry titration. The resistivities of these samples were carried out with four-probe resistivity measurement setup. The observed temperature dependence of resistivity data for both the samples was fitted using the polaron model. We have found that polaronic model fits well with the experimental data of both polycrystalline and single crystal samples. A new phenomenological model is proposed and used to estimate contribution to the resistivity due to grain boundary in the ferromagnetic state of polycrystalline manganites and it has been shown that the scattering of electrons from the grain boundary (grain surface) is a function of temperature and controlled by the effective grain resistance at that temperature.

Bending and breaking of stripes in a charge ordered manganite.

PubMed

Savitzky, Benjamin H; El Baggari, Ismail; Admasu, Alemayehu S; Kim, Jaewook; Cheong, Sang-Wook; Hovden, Robert; Kourkoutis, Lena F

2017-12-01

In charge-ordered phases, broken translational symmetry emerges from couplings between charge, spin, lattice, or orbital degrees of freedom, giving rise to remarkable phenomena such as colossal magnetoresistance and metal-insulator transitions. The role of the lattice in charge-ordered states remains particularly enigmatic, soliciting characterization of the microscopic lattice behavior. Here we directly map picometer scale periodic lattice displacements at individual atomic columns in the room temperature charge-ordered manganite Bi 0.35 Sr 0.18 Ca 0.47 MnO 3 using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. We measure transverse, displacive lattice modulations of the cations, distinct from existing manganite charge-order models. We reveal locally unidirectional striped domains as small as ~5 nm, despite apparent bidirectionality over larger length scales. Further, we observe a direct link between disorder in one lattice modulation, in the form of dislocations and shear deformations, and nascent order in the perpendicular modulation. By examining the defects and symmetries of periodic lattice displacements near the charge ordering phase transition, we directly visualize the local competition underpinning spatial heterogeneity in a complex oxide.

Solid state consolidation nanocrystalline copper-tungsten using cold spray

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

Hall, Aaron Christopher; Sarobol, Pylin; Argibay, Nicolas

It is well known that nanostructured metals can exhibit significantly improved properties compared to metals with conventional grain size. Unfortunately, nanocrystalline metals typically are not thermodynamically stable and exhibit rapid grain growth at moderate temperatures. This severely limits their processing and use, making them impractical for most engineering applications. Recent work has shown that a number of thermodynamically stable nanocrystalline metal alloys exist. These alloys have been prepared as powders using severe plastic deformation (e.g. ball milling) processes. Consolidation of these powders without compromise of their nanocrystalline microstructure is a critical step to enabling their use as engineering materials. Wemore » demonstrate solid-state consolidation of ball milled copper-tantalum nanocrystalline metal powder using cold spray. Unfortunately, the nanocrystalline copper-tantalum powder that was consolidated did not contain the thermodynamically stable copper-tantalum nanostructure. Nevertheless, this does this demonstrates a pathway to preparation of bulk thermodynamically stable nanocrystalline copper-tantalum. Furthermore, it demonstrates a pathway to additive manufacturing (3D printing) of nanocrystalline copper-tantalum. Additive manufacturing of thermodynamically stable nanocrystalline metals is attractive because it enables maximum flexibility and efficiency in the use of these unique materials.« less

Visible sub-band gap photoelectron emission from nitrogen doped and undoped polycrystalline diamond films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elfimchev, S.; Chandran, M.; Akhvlediani, R.; Hoffman, A.

2017-07-01

In this study the origin of visible sub-band gap photoelectron emission (PEE) from polycrystalline diamond films is investigated. The PEE yields as a function of temperature were studied in the wavelengths range of 360-520 nm. Based on the comparison of electron emission yields from diamond films deposited on silicon and molybdenum substrates, with different thicknesses and nitrogen doping levels, we suggested that photoelectrons are generated from nitrogen related centers in diamond. Our results show that diamond film thickness and substrate material have no significant influence on the PEE yield. We found that nanocrystalline diamond films have low electron emission yields, compared to microcrystalline diamond, due to the presence of high amount of defects in the former, which trap excited electrons before escaping into the vacuum. However, the low PEE yield of nanocrystalline diamond films was found to increase with temperature. The phenomenon was explained by the trap assisted photon enhanced thermionic emission (ta-PETE) model. According to the ta-PETE model, photoelectrons are trapped by shallow traps, followed by thermal excitation at elevated temperatures and escape into the vacuum. Activation energies of trap levels were estimated for undoped nanocrystalline, undoped microcrystalline and N-doped diamond films using the Richardson-Dushman equation, which gives 0.13, 0.39 and 0.04 eV, respectively. Such low activation energy of trap levels makes the ta-PETE process very effective at elevated temperatures.

Nonlinear electron-phonon coupling in doped manganites

DOE PAGES

Esposito, Vincent; Fechner, M.; Mankowsky, R.; ...

2017-06-15

Here, we employ time-resolved resonant x-ray diffraction to study the melting of charge order and the associated insulator-to-metal transition in the doped manganite Pr 0.5Ca 0.5MnO 3 after resonant excitation of a high-frequency infrared-active lattice mode. We find that the charge order reduces promptly and highly nonlinearly as function of excitation fluence. Density-functional theory calculations suggest that direct anharmonic coupling between the excited lattice mode and the electronic structure drives these dynamics, highlighting a new avenue of nonlinear phonon control.

Nonlinear Electron-Phonon Coupling in Doped Manganites.

PubMed

Esposito, V; Fechner, M; Mankowsky, R; Lemke, H; Chollet, M; Glownia, J M; Nakamura, M; Kawasaki, M; Tokura, Y; Staub, U; Beaud, P; Först, M

2017-06-16

We employ time-resolved resonant x-ray diffraction to study the melting of charge order and the associated insulator-to-metal transition in the doped manganite Pr_{0.5}Ca_{0.5}MnO_{3} after resonant excitation of a high-frequency infrared-active lattice mode. We find that the charge order reduces promptly and highly nonlinearly as function of excitation fluence. Density-functional theory calculations suggest that direct anharmonic coupling between the excited lattice mode and the electronic structure drives these dynamics, highlighting a new avenue of nonlinear phonon control.

Strategies towards controlling strain-induced mesoscopic phase separation in manganite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habermeier, H.-U.

2008-10-01

Complex oxides represent a class of materials with a plethora of fascinating intrinsic physical functionalities. The intriguing interplay of charge, spin and orbital ordering in these systems superimposed by lattice effects opens a scientifically rewarding playground for both fundamental as well as application oriented research. The existence of nanoscale electronic phase separation in correlated complex oxides is one of the areas in this field whose impact on the current understanding of their physics and potential applications is not yet clear. In this paper this issue is treated from the point of view of complex oxide thin film technology. Commenting on aspects of complex oxide thin film growth gives an insight into the complexity of a reliable thin film technology for these materials. Exploring fundamentals of interfacial strain generation and strain accommodation paves the way to intentionally manipulate thin film properties. Furthermore, examples are given for an extrinsic continuous tuning of intrinsic electronic inhomogeneities in perovskite-type complex oxide thin films.

Superhard Nanocrystalline Homometallic Stainless Steel on Steel for Seamless Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tobin, Eric J.; Hafley, R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The objective of this work is to deposit nanocrystalline stainless steel onto steel substrates (homometallic) for enhanced wear and corrosion resistance. Homometallic coatings provide superior adhesion, and it has been shown that ultrafine-grained materials exhibit the increased hardness and decreased permeability desired for protective coatings. Nanocrystals will be produced by controlling nucleation and growth and use of an ion beam during deposition by e-beam evaporation or sputtering. Phase I is depositing 31 6L nanocrystalline stainless steel onto 31 6L stainless steel substrates. These coatings exhibit hardnesses comparable to those normally obtained for ceramic coatings such ZrO2, and possess the superior adhesion of seamless, homometallic coatings. Hardening the surface with a similar material also enhances adhesion, by avoiding problems associated with thermal and lattice mismatch. So far we have deposited nanocrystalline homometallic 316L stainless steel coatings by varying the ions and the current density of the ion beams. For all deposition conditions we have produced smooth, uniform, superhard coatings. All coatings exhibit hardness of at least 200% harder than that of bulk materials. Our measurements indicate that there is a direct relationship between nanohardness and the current density of the ion beam. Stress measurements indicate that stress in the films is increasingly proportional to current density of the ion beam. TEM, XPS, and XRD results indicate that the coated layers consist of FCC structure nanocrystallites with a dimension of about 10 to 20 nm. The Ni and Mo concentration of these coating are lower than those of bulk 316L but the concentration of Cr is higher.

Vapor deposition of thin films

DOEpatents

Smith, David C.; Pattillo, Stevan G.; Laia, Jr., Joseph R.; Sattelberger, Alfred P.

1992-01-01

A highly pure thin metal film having a nanocrystalline structure and a process of preparing such highly pure thin metal films of, e.g., rhodium, iridium, molybdenum, tungsten, rhenium, platinum, or palladium by plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition of, e.g., rhodium(allyl).sub.3, iridium(allyl).sub.3, molybdenum(allyl).sub.4, tungsten(allyl).sub.4, rhenium(allyl).sub.4, platinum(allyl).sub.2, or palladium(allyl).sub.2 are disclosed. Additionally, a general process of reducing the carbon content of a metallic film prepared from one or more organometallic precursor compounds by plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition is disclosed.

Influence of Annealing Temperature on the Characteristics of Nanocrystalline SnO2 Thin Films Produced by Sol-Gel and Chemical Bath Deposition for Gas Sensor Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Jawad, Selma M. H.; Elttayf, Abdulhussain K.; Saber, Amel S.

Pure nanocrystalline SnO2 films were grown on a clean glass substrate by using sol-gel dip coating and chemical bath deposition (CBD) techniques for gas sensor applications. The films were annealed in air at 300∘C, 400∘C, and 500∘C for 60min. The deposited films with a thickness of approximately 300 ± 20 nm were analyzed through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and optical absorption spectroscopy. Results revealed that the films produced by dip coating exhibited a tetragonal rutile structure and those produced by CBD showed a tetragonal rutile and orthorhombic structure. The crystalline sizes of the films produced by dip coating annealed at 300∘C, 400∘C, and 500∘C were 8, 14, and 22.34 nm and those for CBD films at these temperatures were 10, 15, and 22 nm, respectively. AFM and SEM results indicated that the average grain size increased as annealing temperature increased. The transmittance and absorbance spectra were then recorded at wavelengths ranging from 300nm to 1000nm. The films produced by both the methods yielded high transmission at visible regions. The optical band gap energy of dip-coated films also increased as annealing temperature increased. In particular, their optical band gap energies were 3.5, 3.75, and 3.87eV at 300∘C, 400∘C, and 500∘C, respectively. By comparison, the energy band gap of CBD-prepared films decreased as annealing temperature increased, and their corresponding band gaps were 3.95, 3.85, and 3.8eV at the specified annealing temperatures. The films were further investigated in terms of their sensing abilities for carbon monoxide (CO) gas at 50 ppm by measuring their sensitivity to this gas at different times and temperatures. Our results demonstrated that dip-coated and CBD-prepared films were highly sensitive to CO at 200∘C and 250∘C, respectively.

Magnetocaloric effect in potassium doped lanthanum manganite perovskites prepared by a pyrophoric method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Soma; Dey, T. K.

2006-08-01

The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in fine grained perovskite manganites of the type La1-xKxMnO3 (0manganite enhances the Curie temperature (TC) of the system from 260.4 K (x = 0.05) to 309.7 K (x = 0.15). A large magnetic entropy change associated with the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition has been observed. The maximum entropy change |ΔSMMax| in an applied field of 1 T shows an enhancement by ~10% with increase in K content up to x = 0.15. La0.85K0.15MnO3 exhibits the largest |ΔSMMax| value of 3.00 J kg-1 K-1 at 310 K amongst the compounds investigated. Moreover, the maximum magnetic entropy change exhibits a linear dependence with applied magnetic field. The estimated adiabatic temperature change at TC and at 1 T field also increases with K doping, being a maximum of 2.1 K for the La0.85K0.15MnO3 compound. The relative cooling power (RCP) of La1-xKxMnO3 compounds is estimated to be about one-third of that of the prototype magnetic refrigerant material (pure Gd). However, La1-xKxMnO3 compounds possess an MCE around room temperature, which is comparable to that of Gd. Further, tailoring of their TC, higher chemical stability, lower eddy current heating and lower cost of synthesis are some of the attractive features of K doped lanthanum manganites that are advantageous for a magnetic refrigerant. The temperature dependence of the magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) measured under various magnetic fields is explained fairly well using the Landau theory of phase transitions. Contributions of magnetoelastic and electron interaction are found to have a strong influence in the magnetocaloric effect of manganites.

Osteoblastic cells trigger gate currents on nanocrystalline diamond transistor.

PubMed

Izak, Tibor; Krátká, Marie; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav

2015-05-01

We show the influence of osteoblastic SAOS-2 cells on the transfer characteristics of nanocrystalline diamond solution-gated field-effect transistors (SGFET) prepared on glass substrates. Channels of these fully transparent SGFETs are realized by hydrogen termination of undoped diamond film. After cell cultivation, the transistors exhibit about 100× increased leakage currents (up to 10nA). During and after the cell delamination, the transistors return to original gate currents. We propose a mechanism where this triggering effect is attributed to ions released from adhered cells, which depends on the cell adhesion morphology, and could be used for cell culture monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strain-controlled electronic properties and magnetorelaxor behaviors in electron-doped CaMnO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, P.-H.; Yamada, H.; Sawa, A.; Akoh, H.

2009-02-01

We have fabricated epitaxial thin films of electron-doped manganite Ca1-xCexMnO3 (CCMO) with 0≤x≤0.08. The transport properties of CCMO films are very sensitive to substrate-controlled epitaxial strain. For the CCMO(x =0.05) film, the metallic transport characteristic is observed only on a nearly lattice-matched NdAlO3 (NAO) substrate, while tensilely and compressively stressed films are insulating. The CCMO(x =0.06) film on the NAO substrate shows a large magnetoresistance characteristic of a magnetorelaxor. This behavior can be explained in terms of the phase separation and the irreversible growth of the metallic domain in antiferromagnetic insulating matrix.

Micromechanics Modeling of Fracture in Nanocrystalline Metals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaessgen, E. H.; Piascik, R. S.; Raju, I. S.; Harris, C. E.

2002-01-01

Nanocrystalline metals have very high theoretical strength, but suffer from a lack of ductility and toughness. Therefore, it is critical to understand the mechanisms of deformation and fracture of these materials before their full potential can be achieved. Because classical fracture mechanics is based on the comparison of computed fracture parameters, such as stress intlmsity factors, to their empirically determined critical values, it does not adequately describe the fundamental physics of fracture required to predict the behavior of nanocrystalline metals. Thus, micromechanics-based techniques must be considered to quanti@ the physical processes of deformation and fracture within nanocrystalline metals. This paper discusses hndamental physicsbased modeling strategies that may be useful for the prediction Iof deformation, crack formation and crack growth within nanocrystalline metals.

Nanocrystalline diamond sensor targeted for selective CRP detection: an ATR-FTIR spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Andersson, Per Ola; Viberg, Pernilla; Forsberg, Pontus; Nikolajeff, Fredrik; Österlund, Lars; Karlsson, Mikael

2016-05-01

Protein immobilization on functionalized fluorine-terminated nanocrystalline (NCD) films was studied by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy using an immobilization protocol developed to specifically bind C-reactive protein (CRP). Using an ATR-FTIR spectroscopy method employing a force-controlled anvil-type configuration, three critical steps of the ex situ CRP immobilization were analyzed. First, the NCD surface was passivated by deposition of a copolymer layer consisting of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide. Second, a synthetic modified polypeptide binder with high affinity to CRP was covalently attached to the polymeric film. Third, CRP dissolved in aqueous buffer in concentrations of 10-20 μg/mL was added on the functionalized NCD surface. Both the amide I and II bands, due to the polypeptide binder and CRP, were clearly observed in ATR-FTIR spectra. CRP amide I bands were extracted from difference spectra and yielded bands that agreed well with the reported amide I band of free (non-bonded) CRP in solution. Thus, our results show that CRP retains its secondary structure when it is attached to the polypeptide binders. Compared to previous IR studies of CRP in solution, about 200 times lower concentration was applied in the present study. Graphical Abstract Direct non-destructive ATR-FTIR analysis of C-reactive protein (CRP) selectively bound to functionalized nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) sensor surface.

Band gap states in nanocrystalline WO3 thin films studied by soft x-ray spectroscopy and optical spectrophotometry.

PubMed

Johansson, M B; Kristiansen, P T; Duda, L; Niklasson, G A; Österlund, L

2016-11-30

Nanocrystalline tungsten trioxide (WO3) thin films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering have been studied using soft x-ray spectroscopy and optical spectrophotometry. Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) measurements reveal band gap states in sub-stoichiometric γ-WO3-x with x  =  0.001-0.005. The energy positions of these states are in good agreement with recently reported density functional calculations. The results were compared with optical absorption measurements in the near infrared spectral region. An optical absorption peak at 0.74 eV is assigned to intervalence transfer of polarons between W sites. A less prominent peak at energies between 0.96 and 1.16 eV is assigned to electron excitation of oxygen vacancies. The latter results are supported by RIXS measurements, where an energy loss in this energy range was observed, and this suggests that electron transfer processes involving transitions from oxygen vacancy states can be observed in RIXS. Our results have implications for the interpretation of optical properties of WO3, and the optical transitions close to the band gap, which are important in photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical applications.

Plasmon Enhancement of Photoinduced Resistivity Changes in Bi1-xCaxMnO3 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolyaninova, Vera; Talanova, E.; Kolagani, Rajeswari; Yong, G.; Kennedy, R.; Steger, M.; Wall, K.

2007-03-01

Doped rare-earth manganese oxides (manganites) exhibit a wide variety of physical phenomena due to complex interplay of electronic, magnetic, orbital, and structural degrees of freedom and their sensitivity to external fields. A photoinduced insulator to conductor transition in charge-ordered manganites is especially interesting from the point of view of creating photonic devices. Thin films of Bi0.4Ca0.6MnO3 exhibit large photoinduced resistivity changes associated with melting of the charge ordering by visible light [1]. We have found a considerable increase of the photoinduced resistivity changes in the Bi0.4Ca0.6MnO3 thin film after depositing metal nanoparticles on the surface. This increase can be explained by enhancement of local electromagnetic field in the vicinity of the gold nanoparticle due to the plasmon resonance. The changes in lifetime of the photoinduced state will be reported, and the possible origin of these effects will be discussed. [1] V. N. Smolyaninova at al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 071922 (2005).

Electrical and optical properties of molybdenum doped zinc oxide films prepared by reactive RF magnetron sputtering

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

Reddy, R. Subba; Sreedhar, A.; Uthanna, S., E-mail: uthanna@rediffmail.com

Molybdenum doped zinc oxide (MZO) films were deposited on to glass substrates held at temperatures in the range from 303 to 673 K by reactive RF magnetron sputtering method. The chemical composition, crystallographic structure and surface morphology, electrical and optical properties of the films were determined. The films contained the molybdenum of 2.7 at. % in ZnO. The films deposited at 303 K were of X-ray amorphous. The films formed at 473 K were of nanocrystalline in nature with wurtzite structure. The crystallite size of the films was increased with the increase of substrate temperature. The optical transmittance of the films was inmore » the visible range was 80–85%. The molybdenum (2.7 at %) doped zinc oxide films deposited at substrate temperature of 573 K were of nanocrystalline with electrical resistivity of 7.2×10{sup −3} Ωcm, optical transmittance of 85 %, optical band gap of 3.35 eV and figure of merit 30.6 Ω{sup −1}cm{sup −1}.« less

Osteoblast adhesion, migration, and proliferation variations on chemically patterned nanocrystalline diamond films evaluated by live-cell imaging.

PubMed

Broz, Antonin; Ukraintsev, Egor; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav; Hubalek Kalbacova, Marie

2017-05-01

Cell fate modulation by adapting the surface of a biocompatible material is nowadays a challenge in implantology, tissue engineering as well as in construction of biosensors. Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films are considered promising in these fields due to their extraordinary physical and chemical properties and diverse ways in which they can be modified structurally and chemically. The initial cell distribution, the rate of cell adhesion, distance of cell migration and also the cell proliferation are influenced by the NCD surface termination. Here, we use real-time live-cell imaging to investigate the above-mentioned processes on oxidized NCD (NCD-O) and hydrogenated NCD (NCD-H) to elucidate cell preference to the NCD-O especially on surfaces with microscopic surface termination patterns. Cells adhere more slowly and migrate farther on NCD-H than on NCD-O. Cells seeded with a fetal bovine serum (FBS) supplement in the medium move across the surface prior to adhesion. In the absence of FBS, the cells adhere immediately, but still exhibit different migration and proliferation on NCD-O/H regions. We discuss the impact of these effects on the formation of cell arrays on micropatterned NCD. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1469-1478, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Thermal conductivity in nanocrystalline-SiC/C superlattices

DOE PAGES

Habermehl, S.; Serrano, J. R.

2015-11-17

We reported the formation of thin film superlattices consisting of alternating layers of nitrogen-doped SiC (SiC:N) and C. Periodically terminating the SiC:N surface with a graphitic C boundary layer and controlling the SiC:N/C thickness ratio yield nanocrystalline SiC grains ranging in size from 365 to 23 nm. Frequency domain thermo-reflectance is employed to determine the thermal conductivity, which is found to vary from 35.5 W m -1 K -1 for monolithic undoped α-SiC films to 1.6 W m -1 K -1 for a SiC:N/C superlattice with a 47 nm period and a SiC:N/C thickness ratio of 11. A series conductancemore » model is employed to explain the dependence of the thermal conductivity on the superlatticestructure. Our results indicate that the thermal conductivity is more dependent on the SiC:N/C thickness ratio than the SiC:N grain size, indicative of strong boundary layerphonon scattering.« less

Charge transfer in iridate-manganite superlattices

DOE PAGES

Okamoto, Satoshi; Nichols, John; Sohn, Changhee; ...

2017-03-03

Charge transfer in superlattices consisting of SrIrOmore » $$_3$$ and SrMnO$$_3$$ is investigated using density functional theory. Despite the nearly identical work function and non-polar interfaces between SrIrO$$_3$$ and SrMnO$$_3$$, rather large charge transfer was experimentally reported between them. Our results provide a qualitative understanding to such experimental reports. We further develop a microscopic model that captures the mechanism behind this phenomenon. This leads to unique strain dependence of such charge transfer in iridate-manganite superlattices. The predicted behavior is consistently verified by experiment. Lastly, our work thus demonstrates a new route to control electronic states in non-polar oxide heterostructures.« less

Low temperature transport anomaly in Cr substituted (La0.67Sr0.33)MnO3 manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tank, Tejas M.; Shelke, Vilas; Das, Sarmistha; Rana, D. S.; Thaker, C. M.; Samatham, S. S.; Ganesan, V.; Sanyal, S. P.

2017-06-01

The structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of La0.67Sr0.33Mn1-xCrxO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) manganites have been studied by substitution of antiferromagnetic trivalent Cr ion at Mn-site. Systematic efforts have been carried out to understand the electrical resistivity behavior in the ferromagnetic metallic and paramagnetic semi-conducting phases of Cr substituted La0.67Sr0.33Mn1-xCrxO3 manganites. Polycrystalline samples show a resistivity minimum at a temperature (Tmin) of <40 K in the ferromagnetic metallic phase. Tmin shifts to higher temperatures on application of magnetic fields. The appearance of this resistivity minimum was analyzed by fittings the data according to the model that considers e-e scattering caused by enhanced Coulombic interactions. The electrical resistivity data has been best fitted in the metallic and semiconducting regime using various models. Present results suggest that intrinsic magnetic inhomogeneity like Cr3+ ions in these strongly electron-correlated manganite systems is originating due to the existence of the ferromagnetic interactions.

Pressure effects on the dissipative behavior of nanocrystalline diamond microelectromechanical resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, J. T.; Holz, T.; Fernandes, A. J. S.; Costa, F. M.; Chu, V.; Conde, J. P.

2015-02-01

Diamond-based microelectromechanical resonators have the potential of enhanced performance due to the chemical inertness of the diamond structural layer and its high Young’s modulus, high wear resistance, low thermal expansion coefficient, and very high thermal conductivity. In this work, the resonance frequency and quality factor of MEMS resonators based on nanocrystalline diamond films are characterized under different air pressures. The dynamic behavior of 50-300 μm long linear bridges and double ended tuning forks, with resonance frequencies between 0.5 and 15 MHz and quality factors as high as 50 000 are described as a function of measurement pressure from high vacuum(~10 mTorr) up to atmospheric conditions. The resonance frequencies and quality factors in vacuum show good agreement with the theoretical models including anchor and thermoelastic dissipation (TED). The Young’s moduli for nanocrystalline diamond films extrapolated from experimental data are between 840-920 GPa. The critical pressure values, at which the quality factor starts decreasing due to dissipation in air, are dependent on the resonator length. Longer structures, with quality factors limited by TED and lower resonance frequencies, have low critical pressures, of the order of 1-10 Torr and go from an intrinsic dissipation, to a molecular dissipation regime and finally to a region of viscous dissipation. Shorter resonators, with higher resonance frequencies and quality factors limited by anchor losses, have higher critical pressures, some higher than atmospheric pressure, and enter directly into the viscous dissipation regime from the intrinsic region.

Properties of Resistive Hydrogen Sensors as a Function of Additives of 3 D-Metals Introduced in the Volume of Thin Nanocrystalline SnO2 Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sevast'yanov, E. Yu.; Maksimova, N. K.; Potekaev, A. I.; Sergeichenko, N. V.; Chernikov, E. V.; Almaev, A. V.; Kushnarev, B. O.

2017-11-01

Analysis of the results of studying electrical and gas sensitive characteristics of the molecular hydrogen sensors based on thin nanocrystalline SnO2 films coated with dispersed Au layers and containing Au+Ni and Au+Co impurities in the bulk showed that the characteristics of these sensors are more stable under the prolonged exposure to hydrogen in comparison with Au/SnO2:Sb, Au films modified only with gold. It has been found that introduction of the nickel and cobalt additives increases the band bending at the grain boundaries of tin dioxide already in freshly prepared samples, which indicates an increase in the density Ni of the chemisorbed oxygen. It is important that during testing, the band bending eφs at the grain boundaries of tin dioxide additionally slightly increases. It can be assumed that during crystallization of films under thermal annealing, the 3d-metal atoms in the SnO2 volume partially segregate on the surface of microcrystals and form bonds with lattice oxygen, the superstoichiometric tin atoms are formed, and the density Ni increases. If the bonds of oxygen with nickel and cobalt are stronger than those with tin, then, under the prolonged tests, atomic hydrogen will be oxidized not by lattice oxygen, but mainly by the chemisorbed one. In this case, stability of the sensors' characteristics increases.

Phase separation of electrons strongly coupled with phonons in cuprates and manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandrov, Sasha

2009-03-01

Recent advanced Monte Carlo simulations have not found superconductivity and phase separation in the Hubbard model with on-site repulsive electron-electron correlations. I argue that microscopic phase separations in cuprate superconductors and colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) manganites originate from a strong electron-phonon interaction (EPI) combined with unavoidable disorder. Attractive electron correlations, caused by an almost unretarded EPI, are sufficient to overcome the direct inter-site Coulomb repulsion in these charge-transfer Mott-Hubbard insulators, so that low energy physics is that of small polarons and small bipolarons. They form clusters localized by disorder below the mobility edge, but propagate as the Bloch states above the mobility edge. I identify the Froehlich EPI as the most essential for pairing and phase separation in superconducting layered cuprates. The pairing of oxygen holes into heavy bipolarons in the paramagnetic phase (current-carrier density collapse (CCDC)) explains also CMR and high and low-resistance phase coexistence near the ferromagnetic transition of doped manganites.

Method of making nanocrystalline alpha alumina

DOEpatents

Siegel, Richard W.; Hahn, Horst; Eastman, Jeffrey A.

1992-01-01

Method of making selected phases of nanocrystalline ceramic materials. Various methods of controlling the production of nanocrystalline alpha alumina and titanium oxygen phases are described. Control of the gas atmosphere and use of particular oxidation treatments give rise to the ability to control the particular phases provided in the aluminum/oxygen and titanium/oxygen system.

Evolution of orientation degree, lattice dynamics and electronic band structure properties in nanocrystalline lanthanum-doped bismuth titanate ferroelectric films by chemical solution deposition.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinzhong; Chen, Xiangui; Jiang, Kai; Shen, Yude; Li, Yawei; Hu, Zhigao; Chu, Junhao

2011-08-21

Ferroelectric lanthanum (La)-substituted bismuth titanate (Bi(4-x)La(x)Ti(3)O(12), BLT) nanocrystalline films with the composition range of 0 ≤x≤ 1 have been directly deposited on n-type Si (100) substrates by chemical solution deposition. The La substitution effects on the preferred orientation, surface morphology, phonon modes, emission bands and electronic band structures of the BLT films have been investigated by microscopy, Raman scattering, photoluminescence and spectroscopic ellipsometry at room temperature. X-Ray diffraction analysis shows that the films are polycrystalline and exhibit the pure perovskite phase structure. With increasing La composition, the (100)-orientation degree can be enhanced and the root-mean-square roughnesses slightly increase from 6.5 to 8.3 nm. It was found that the Raman-active mode A(1g)[Bi] at about 59 cm(-1) is unchanged while the B(1g) and A(1g)[Ti] phonon modes at about 648 and 853 cm(-1) are shifted towards higher frequency by about 36.6 and 8.4 cm(-1), respectively. Photoluminescence spectra show that the intensity of the peak located at about 2.3 eV increases with the La composition, except for the Bi(3)LaTi(3)O(12) film, due to the smallest grain size and oxygen vacancy defects. The optical constants of the BLT films have been uniquely extracted by fitting the measured ellipsometric spectra with a four-phase layered model (air/surface rough layer/BLT/Si) in the photon energy range of 0.73-4.77 eV. The Adachi dielectric function model has been successfully applied and reasonably describes the optical response behavior of the ferroelectric BLT films. Moreover, the film packing density decreases while the optical band gap linearly increases from 3.610 ± 0.066 to 3.758 ± 0.068 eV with increasing La composition. It is surmised that the phenomena are mainly ascribed to the variations of the electronic structure, especially for the conduction band, which is perturbed by the La doping. This journal is © The Royal

Conductive mechanism in manganite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xianming; Zhu, Hong; Zhang, Yuheng

2002-01-01

We describe a model in which f(T)=M(T)/Mmax represents both the fraction of the itinerant electron density in the double-exchange (DE) theory and the magnetization σ in the current carrier density collapse (CCDC) theory. With this model, we have checked the DE and CCDC theories with our experimental results of the transport behavior. The DE theory yields agreement with the experimental resistivity excellently, in which the conductivity is the sum of the polaronic and itinerant electronic conductivity for the insulator-metal transition regime. The fitting curves of the resistivity by the CCDC theory deviate from the experiment seriously. This might be caused by the improper assumption of the temperature-dependent carrier density and the temperature-independent carrier mobility. Therefore, it is concluded that the DE theory is more suitable to explain the conductive mechanism in perovskite manganites.

Magnetic nonuniformity and thermal hysteresis of magnetism in a manganite thin film.

PubMed

Singh, Surendra; Fitzsimmons, M R; Lookman, T; Thompson, J D; Jeen, H; Biswas, A; Roldan, M A; Varela, M

2012-02-17

We measured the chemical and magnetic depth profiles of a single crystalline (La(1-x)Pr(x))(1-y)Ca(y)MnO(3-δ) (x=0.52±0.05, y=0.23±0.04, δ=0.14±0.10) film grown on a NdGaO(3) substrate using x-ray reflectometry, electron microscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, and polarized neutron reflectometry. Our data indicate that the film exhibits coexistence of different magnetic phases as a function of depth. The magnetic depth profile is correlated with a variation of chemical composition with depth. The thermal hysteresis of ferromagnetic order in the film suggests a first-order ferromagnetic transition at low temperatures.

Fabrication of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) absorber films based on solid-phase synthesis and blade coating processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Ruixin; Yang, Fan; Li, Shina; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Li, Xiang; Cheng, Shiyao; Liu, Zilin

2016-04-01

CZTSSe is an important earth abundant collection of materials for the development of low cost and high efficiency thin film solar cells. This work developed a simple non-vacuum-based route to fabricate CZTSSe absorber films. This was demonstrated by first synthesizing Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nano-crystalline based on solid-phase synthesis. Then a stable colloidal ink composed of CZTS nano-crystalline was blade coated on Mo-coated substrates followed by an annealing process under Ar atmosphere. After CZTS films formation, the films were sintered into CZTSSe absorber films by exposing them under Selenium vapor. The formation of a kesterite type CZTS was confirmed using X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements. The band gap of CZTSSe absorber films was determined to be 1.26 eV, which was appropriate for use as an absorber layer in thin film solar cells. The CZTSSe absorber films showed a good photovoltatic performance, demonstrating this simple approach had great potential for CZTSSe solar cell production.

The Bulk Nanocrystalline zn Produced by Mechanical Attrition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, X. K.; Zhao, K. Y.; Li, C. J.; Tao, J. M.; Chan, T. L.; Koch, C. C.

The purpose of experiment was to produce bulk nanocrystalline Zn by mechanical attrition. The bulk nanocrystalline Zn produced by mechanical attrition was studied. The microstructural evolution during cryomilling and subsequent room temperature milling was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In this paper, Nanocrystalline Zn was produced by insitu consolidation of Zn elemental powder using mechanical attrition at liquid nitrogen and room temperature. For the samples studied, the longest elongation of 65% and highest stress of 200 MPa is obtained in nanocrystalline Zn during tensile testing at the condition of strain rate (10-3 sec-1) and 20°C which is equal to 0.43 Tm (Tm is the melting temperature of pure Zn).

Self-assembled pit arrays as templates for the integration of Au nanocrystals in oxide surfaces.

PubMed

Konstantinović, Z; Sandiumenge, F; Santiso, J; Balcells, Ll; Martínez, B

2013-02-07

We report on the fabrication of long-range ordered arrays of Au nanocrystals (sub-50 nm range) on top of manganite (La(2/3)Sr(1/3)MnO(3)) thin films achieving area densities around 2 × 10(10) gold nanocrystals per cm(2), well above the densities achievable by using conventional nanofabrication techniques. The gold-manganite interface exhibits excellent conduction properties. Long-range order is achieved by a guided self-assembling process of Au nanocrystals on self-organized pit-arrays acting as a template for the nucleation of gold nanocrystals. Self-organization of pits on the manganite film surface promoted by the underlying stepped SrTiO(3) substrate is achieved by a fine tuning of the growth kinetic pathway, taking advantage of the unusual misfit strain relaxation behaviour of manganite films.

Magnetoresistance measurements of superconducting molybdenum nitride thin films

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

Baskaran, R., E-mail: baskaran@igcar.gov.in; Arasu, A. V. Thanikai; Amaladass, E. P.

2016-05-23

Molybdenum nitride thin films have been deposited on aluminum nitride buffered glass substrates by reactive DC sputtering. GIXRD measurements indicate formation of nano-crystalline molybdenum nitride thin films. The transition temperature of MoN thin film is 7.52 K. The transition width is less than 0.1 K. The upper critical field Bc{sub 2}(0), calculated using GLAG theory is 12.52 T. The transition width for 400 µA current increased initially upto 3 T and then decreased, while that for 100 µA current transition width did not decrease.

Relationship of microstructure properties to oxygen impurities in nanocrystalline silicon photovoltaic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, H.; Wen, C.; Liu, H.; Li, Z. P.; Shen, W. Z.

2013-03-01

We have fully investigated the correlation of microstructure properties and oxygen impurities in hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon photovoltaic films. The achievement has been realized through a series of different hydrogen dilution ratio treatment by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system. Raman scattering, x-ray diffraction, and ultraviolet-visible transmission techniques have been employed to characterize the physical structural characterization and to elucidate the structure evolution. The bonding configuration of the oxygen impurities was investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the Si-O stretching mode of infrared-transmission, indicating that the films were well oxidized in SiO2 form. Based on the consistence between the proposed structure factor and the oxygen content, we have demonstrated that there are two dominant disordered structure regions closely related to the post-oxidation contamination: plate-like configuration and clustered microvoids.

Compositional and structural analysis of nitrogen incorporated and ion implanted diamond thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, Elias James

Significant progress in area of nano-structured thin film systems has taken place in recent decades. In particular, diamond thin film systems are being widely studied for their wear resistant, optical and electronic properties. Of the various methods researchers use to modify the structure of such films, three techniques in particular are of interest due to their versatility: modification of the growth atmosphere, growth on metalized substrates, providing an interfacial layer, and modification through post-growth ion implantation. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects each has to the structure and composition of elements. Different techniques are applied in each section; nitrogen gas dilution in a microwave plasma CVD system, diamond deposition on a metal interfacial layer and ion implantation in thin nanocrystalline diamond film. The forms of nanocrystalline diamond film resulting from such modifications are investigated using advanced spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques, as well as mechanical testing and surface mapping. The impact of these characterizations will provide valuable perspective to researchers in materials science. Understanding the changes to the structure and properties of this class of thin films, which can be induced through various mechanisms, will allow future researchers to refine these films towards technological applications in areas of hard coatings, electronics and photonics.

Nanocrystalline CuInS2 And CuInSe2 via Low-Temperature Pyrolysis Of Single-Source Molecular Precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castro, Stephanie L.; Bailey, Sheila G.; Raffaelle, Ryne P.; Banger, Kulbinder K.; Hepp, Aloysius F.

2002-01-01

Single-source precursors are molecules which contain all the necessary elements for synthesis of a desired material. Thermal decomposition of the precursor results in the formation of the material with the correct stoichiometry, as a nanocrystalline powder or a thin film. Nanocrystalline materials hold potential as components of next-generation Photovoltaic (PV) devices. Presented here are the syntheses of CuInS2 and CuInSe2 nanocrystals from the precursors (PPh3)2CuIn(SEt)4 and (PPh3)2CuIn(SePh)4, respectively. The size of the nanocrystals varies with the reaction temperature; a minimum of 200 C is required for the formation of the smallest CuInS2 crystals (approximately 1.6 nm diameter); at 300 C, crystals are approximately 7 nm.

Moisture barrier properties of xylan composite films

Treesearch

Amit Saxena; Thomas J. Elder; Arthur J. Ragauskas

2011-01-01

Moisture barrier properties of films based on xylan reinforced with several cellulosic resources including nanocrystalline cellulose, acacia bleached kraft pulp fibers and softwood kraft fibers have been evaluated. Measurements of water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) were performed by a modification of the wet cup method described by ASTM E 96-95, indicating that...

Feasibility study of ferromagnetic/ferroelectric films for enhanced microwave devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ijiri, Yumi

2005-01-01

This report summarizes exploratory work conducted to assess the feasibility of ferromagnetic/ferroelectric films for next-generation microwave devices. From literature review, it is established that while an increasing number of ferroelectric/ferromagnetic composites are being investigated, a number have transition temperatures that are too low and structures that are not robust enough for low cost, room temperature antenna arrays. On the other hand, several promising systems are identified, including the multiferroic BiFeO3 and a composite system of Ba/SrTiO3 and a related perovskite manganite. It is suggested that when the NASA pulsed laser deposition chamber is fully operational, thin films of these systems be investigated. In preparation for such work, we have reconfirmed several structural features of an existing Ba/SrTiO3 film using the x-ray diffractometer at Oberlin College.

Field Emission and Nanostructure of Carbon Films

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

Merkulov, V.I.; Lowndes, D.H.; Baylor, L.R.

1999-11-29

The results of field emission measurements of various forms of carbon films are reported. It is shown that the films nanostructure is a crucial factor determining the field emission properties. In particular, smooth, pulsed-laser deposited amorphous carbon films with both high and low sp3 contents are poor field emitters. This is similar to the results obtained for smooth nanocrystalline, sp2-bonded carbon films. In contrast, carbon films prepared by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HE-CVD) exhibit very good field emission properties, including low emission turn-on fields, high emission site density, and excellent durability. HF-CVD carbon films were found to be predominantly sp2-bonded.more » However, surface morphology studies show that these films are thoroughly nanostructured, which is believed to be responsible for their promising field emission properties.« less

Magnetism of Amorphous and Nano-Crystallized Dc-Sputter-Deposited MgO Thin Films

PubMed Central

Mahadeva, Sreekanth K.; Fan, Jincheng; Biswas, Anis; Sreelatha, K.S.; Belova, Lyubov; Rao, K.V.

2013-01-01

We report a systematic study of room-temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) in pristine MgO thin films in their amorphous and nano-crystalline states. The as deposited dc-sputtered films of pristine MgO on Si substrates using a metallic Mg target in an O2 containing working gas atmosphere of (N2 + O2) are found to be X-ray amorphous. All these films obtained with oxygen partial pressure (PO2) ~10% to 80% while maintaining the same total pressure of the working gas are found to be ferromagnetic at room temperature. The room temperature saturation magnetization (MS) value of 2.68 emu/cm3 obtained for the MgO film deposited in PO2 of 10% increases to 9.62 emu/cm3 for film deposited at PO2 of 40%. However, the MS values decrease steadily for further increase of oxygen partial pressure during deposition. On thermal annealing at temperatures in the range 600 to 800 °C, the films become nanocrystalline and as the crystallite size grows with longer annealing times and higher temperature, MS decreases. Our study clearly points out that it is possible to tailor the magnetic properties of thin films of MgO. The room temperature ferromagnetism in MgO films is attributed to the presence of Mg cation vacancies. PMID:28348346

Infrared spectra of magnetoresistive ferromagnets in magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telegin, A. V.; Bessonova, V. A.; Sukhorukov, Yu. P.

2018-05-01

The influence of a magnetic field on reflection and transmission spectra of ferromagnetic manganites possessed the colossal magnetoresistance effect has been in the infrared range studied. It was shown that observed magnetotransmission and magnetoreflection of unpolarized light are an optical response to the colossal magnetoresistance in optimally doped manganites. Compared to crystals and multilayers the effects are the most pronounced and reach the magnitude of up to few tens of percent in single-layer thin films near the Curie temperature. A new low-temperature mechanism of magnetotransmission connected with the tunnel magnetoresistance was revealed far below the Curie point in Ba-doped manganite films with a variant structure. The observed magneto-optical effects in manganites can be described in the framework of the magnetorefractive effect theory. The observed effects are one or two orders of magnitude greater than the conventional IR magnetooptical phenomena in manganites. Being quite large, magnetoreflection and magnetotransmission effects in manganites structures could be successfully used in optoelectronics.

Aging of Nanocrystalline Mackinawite (FeS): Mineralogical and Physicochemical Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, H. Y.; Lee, H.

2011-12-01

Due to the extraordinary physical properties and high surface areas, nanocrystalline minerals have been widely investigated for their potential uses in treating contaminated groundwaters and surface waters. Most previous studies in this field have focused on either preparation of nanocrystalline minerals or measurement of their reactivity with environmental contaminants. Nanocrystalline minerals, due to the inherent thermodynamic instability, tend to change the physicochemical and mineralogical properties over time, usually resulting in the decreased reactivity. Thus, to better assess the long-term effectiveness of nanocrystalline minerals in field applications, such "aging" effects should be clearly delineated. In the present work, we have investigated the aging impact on nanocrystalline mackinawite (FeS), the ubiquitous Fe-bearing mineral in anoxic sulfidic sediments. Mackinawite (FeS) is known to be an effective scavenger for metal pollutants and a strong reducing reagent for chromate and chlorinated organic compounds. Our preliminary results indicate that nanocrystalline FeS ages via Ostwald ripening, particle aggregation, or mineralogical transformation. By X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, aging of nanocrystalline FeS via Ostwald ripening is found to be dominant at acidic pH. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that particle aggregation is most evident at neutral pH. Transformation of nanosized FeS into a more thermodynamically stable greigite (Fe3S4) is observed in the presence of folic acid at acidic pH. The pH-dependent aging process may be linked with changes in the apparent solubility and surface charge of FeS with pH. The Ostwald ripening or particle aggregation of nanocrystalline FeS leads to the decrease surface area, thus causing the decreased reactivity. Given the less reactivity of greigite, the transformation of nanocrystalline FeS to greigite is also expected to result in the decreased reactivity.

Spin dependence of ferroelectric polarization in the double exchange model for manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solovyev, I. V.; Nikolaev, S. A.

2014-11-01

The double exchange (DE) model is systematically applied for studying the coupling between ferroelectric (FE) and magnetic orders in several prototypical types of multiferroic manganites. The model itself was constructed for the magnetically active Mn 3 d bands in the basis of Wannier functions and includes the effect of screened onsite Coulomb interactions in the Hartree-Fock approximation. All model parameters were derived from the first-principles electronic-structure calculations. The essence of our approach for the FE polarization is to use the Berry-phase theory, formulated in terms of occupied Wannier functions, and to evaluate the asymmetric spin-dependent change of these functions in the framework of the DE model. This enables us to quantify the effect of the magnetic symmetry breaking and derive several useful expressions for the electronic polarization P , depending on the relative directions of spins. The spin dependence of P in the DE model is given by the isotropic correlation functions ei.ej between directions of neighboring spins. Despite formal similarity with the magnetostriction mechanism, the magnetoelectric coupling in the proposed DE theory is not related to the magnetically driven FE atomic displacements and can exist even in compounds with the centrosymmetric crystal structure, if the spatial distribution of ei.ej does not respect the inversion symmetry. The proposed theory is applied to the solution of three major problems: (i) the magnetic-state dependence of P in hexagonal manganites, using YMnO3 as an example; (ii) the microscopic relationship between canted ferromagnetism and P in monoclinic BiMnO3; (iii) the origin of FE activity in orthorhombic manganites. Particularly, we will show that for an arbitrary noncollinear magnetic structure, propagating along the orthorhombic b axis and antiferromagnetically coupled along the c axis, the polarization is induced by an inhomogeneous distribution of spins and can be obtained by scaling the

Analyzing Dirac Cone and Phonon Dispersion in Highly Oriented Nanocrystalline Graphene.

PubMed

Nai, Chang Tai; Xu, Hai; Tan, Sherman J R; Loh, Kian Ping

2016-01-26

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is one of the most promising growth techniques to scale up the production of monolayer graphene. At present, there are intense efforts to control the orientation of graphene grains during CVD, motivated by the fact that there is a higher probability for oriented grains to achieve seamless merging, forming a large single crystal. However, it is still challenging to produce single-crystal graphene with no grain boundaries over macroscopic length scales, especially when the nucleation density of graphene nuclei is high. Nonetheless, nanocrystalline graphene with highly oriented grains may exhibit single-crystal-like properties. Herein, we investigate the spectroscopic signatures of graphene film containing highly oriented, nanosized grains (20-150 nm) using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). The robustness of the Dirac cone, as well as dispersion of its phonons, as a function of graphene's grain size and before and after film coalescence, was investigated. In view of the sensitivity of atomically thin graphene to atmospheric adsorbates and intercalants, ARPES and HREELS were also used to monitor the changes in spectroscopic signatures of the graphene film following exposure to the ambient atmosphere.

Grain boundary phase transformations in PtAu and relevance to thermal stabilization of bulk nanocrystalline metals

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

O’Brien, C. J.; Barr, C. M.; Price, P. M.

There has recently been a great deal of interest in employing immiscible solutes to stabilize nanocrystalline microstructures. Existing modeling efforts largely rely on mesoscale Monte Carlo approaches that employ a simplified model of the microstructure and result in highly homogeneous segregation to grain boundaries. However, there is ample evidence from experimental and modeling studies that demonstrates segregation to grain boundaries is highly non-uniform and sensitive to boundary character. This work employs a realistic nanocrystalline microstructure with experimentally relevant global solute concentrations to illustrate inhomogeneous boundary segregation. Furthermore, experiments quantifying segregation in thin films are reported that corroborate the prediction thatmore » grain boundary segregation is highly inhomogeneous. In addition to grain boundary structure modifying the degree of segregation, the existence of a phase transformation between low and high solute content grain boundaries is predicted. In order to conduct this study, new embedded atom method interatomic potentials are developed for Pt, Au, and the PtAu binary alloy.« less

Grain boundary phase transformations in PtAu and relevance to thermal stabilization of bulk nanocrystalline metals

DOE PAGES

O’Brien, C. J.; Barr, C. M.; Price, P. M.; ...

2017-10-31

There has recently been a great deal of interest in employing immiscible solutes to stabilize nanocrystalline microstructures. Existing modeling efforts largely rely on mesoscale Monte Carlo approaches that employ a simplified model of the microstructure and result in highly homogeneous segregation to grain boundaries. However, there is ample evidence from experimental and modeling studies that demonstrates segregation to grain boundaries is highly non-uniform and sensitive to boundary character. This work employs a realistic nanocrystalline microstructure with experimentally relevant global solute concentrations to illustrate inhomogeneous boundary segregation. Furthermore, experiments quantifying segregation in thin films are reported that corroborate the prediction thatmore » grain boundary segregation is highly inhomogeneous. In addition to grain boundary structure modifying the degree of segregation, the existence of a phase transformation between low and high solute content grain boundaries is predicted. In order to conduct this study, new embedded atom method interatomic potentials are developed for Pt, Au, and the PtAu binary alloy.« less

Contribution of Jahn-Teller and charge transfer excitations to the photovoltaic effect of manganite/titanite heterojunctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ifland, Benedikt; Hoffmann, Joerg; Kressdorf, Birte; Roddatis, Vladimir; Seibt, Michael; Jooss, Christian

2017-06-01

The effect of correlation effects on photovoltaic energy conversion at manganite/titanite heterojunctions is investigated. As a model system we choose a heterostructure consisting of the small polaron absorber Pr0.66Ca0.34MnO3 (PCMO) epitaxially grown on single-crystalline Nb-doped SrTi0.998Nb0.002O3 (STNO) substrates. The high structural and chemical quality of the interfaces is proved by detailed characterization using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) studies. Spectrally resolved and temperature-dependent photovoltaic measurements show pronounced contributions of both the Jahn-Teller (JT) excitations and the charge transfer (CT) transitions to the photovoltaic effect at different photon energies. A linear temperature dependence of the open-circuit voltage for an excitation in the PCMO manganite is only observed below the charge-ordering temperature, indicating that the diffusion length of the photocarrier exceeds the size of the space charge region. The photovoltaic response is compared to that of a heterojunction of lightly doped Pr0.05Ca0.95MnO3 (CMO)/STNO, where the JT transition is absent. Here, significant contributions of the CT transition to the photovoltaic effect set in below the Neel temperature. We conclude that polaronic correlations and ordering effects are essentials for photovoltaic energy conversion in manganites.

Determination of the five parameter grain boundary character distribution of nanocrystalline alpha-zirconium thin films using transmission electron microscopy

DOE PAGES

Ghamarian, I.; Samani, P.; Rohrer, G. S.; ...

2017-03-24

Grain boundary engineering and other fundamental materials science problems (e.g., phase transformations and physical properties) require an improvement in the understanding of the type and population of grain boundaries in a given system – yet, databases are limited in number and spare in detail, including for hcp crystals such as zirconium. One way to rapidly obtain databases to analyze is to use small-grained materials and high spatial resolution orientation microscopy techniques, such as ASTAR™/precession electron diffraction. To demonstrate this, a study of grain boundary character distributions was conducted for α-zirconium deposited at room temperature on fused silica substrates using physicalmore » vapor deposition. The orientation maps of the nanocrystalline thin films were acquired by the ASTARα/precession electron diffraction technique, a new transmission electron microscope based orientation microscopy method. The reconstructed grain boundaries were classified as pure tilt, pure twist, 180°-twist and 180°-tilt grain boundaries based on the distribution of grain boundary planes with respect to the angle/axis of misorientation associated with grain boundaries. The results of the current study were compared to the results of a similar study on α-titanium and the molecular dynamics results of grain boundary energy for α-titanium.« less

Metastable tantalum oxide formation during the devitrification of amorphous tantalum thin films

DOE PAGES

Donaldson, Olivia K.; Hattar, Khalid; Trelewicz, Jason R.

2016-07-04

Microstructural evolution during the devitrification of amorphous tantalum thin films synthesized via pulsed laser deposition was investigated using in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with ex situ isothermal annealing, bright-field imaging, and electron-diffraction analysis. The phases formed during crystallization and their stability were characterized as a function of the chamber pressure during deposition, devitrification temperature, and annealing time. A range of metastable nanocrystalline tantalum oxides were identified following devitrification including multiple orthorhombic oxide phases, which often were present with, or evolved to, the tetragonal TaO 2 phase. While the appearance of these phases indicated the films were evolving tomore » the stable form of tantalum oxide—monoclinic tantalum pentoxide—it was likely not achieved for the conditions considered due to an insufficient amount of oxygen present in the films following deposition. Nevertheless, the collective in situ and ex situ TEM analysis applied to thin film samples enabled the isolation of a number of metastable tantalum oxides. As a result, new insights were gained into the transformation sequence and stability of these nanocrystalline phases, which presents opportunities for the development of advanced tantalum oxide-based dielectric materials for novel memristor designs.« less

ZrO{sub 2}-ZnO composite thin films for humidity sensing

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

Velumani, M., E-mail: velumanimohan@gmail.com; Sivacoumar, R.; Alex, Z. C.

2016-05-23

ZrO{sub 2}-ZnO composite thin films were grown by reactive DC magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction studies reveal the composite nature of the films with separate ZnO and ZrO{sub 2} phase. Scanning electron microscopy studies confirm the nanocrystalline structure of the films. The films were studied for their impedometric relative humidity (RH) sensing characteristics. The complex impedance plot was fitted with a standard equivalent circuit consisting of an inter-granular resistance and a capacitance in parallel. The DC resistance was found to be decreasing with increase in RH.

Nanocrystalline heterojunction materials

DOEpatents

Elder, Scott H.; Su, Yali; Gao, Yufei; Heald, Steve M.

2003-07-15

Mesoporous nanocrystalline titanium dioxide heterojunction materials are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, materials comprising a core of titanium dioxide and a shell of a molybdenum oxide exhibit a decrease in their photoadsorption energy as the size of the titanium dioxide core decreases.

Nanocrystalline ferroelectric BaTiO3/Pt/fused silica for implants synthetized by pulsed laser deposition method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jelínek, Miroslav; Drahokoupil, Jan; Jurek, Karel; Kocourek, Tomáš; Vaněk, Přemysl

2017-09-01

The thin-films of BaTiO3 (BTO)/Pt were prepared to test their potential as coatings for titanium-alloy implants. The nanocrystalline BTO/Pt bi-layers were successfully synthesized using fused silica as substrates. The bi-layers were prepared using KrF excimer laser ablation at substrate temperatures (Ts) ranging from 650 °C to 750 °C. The microstructure and composition of the deposits were investigated by scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction and wavelength dispersive x-ray spectroscopy methods. The electrical characterization of the Pt/BTO/Pt capacitors indicated ferroelectric-type response in BTO films containing (40-140) nm-sized grains. The technology, microstructure, and functional response of the layers are presented in detail.

Synthesis of Nano-Crystalline Gamma-TiAl Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hales, Stephen J.; Vasquez, Peter

2003-01-01

One of the principal problems with nano-crystalline materials is producing them in quantities and sizes large enough for valid mechanical property evaluation. The purpose of this study was to explore an innovative method for producing nano-crystalline gamma-TiAl bulk materials using high energy ball milling and brief secondary processes. Nano-crystalline powder feedstock was produced using a Fritsch P4(TM) vario-planetary ball mill recently installed at NASA-LaRC. The high energy ball milling process employed tungsten carbide tooling (vials and balls) and no process control agents to minimize contamination. In a collaborative effort, two approaches were investigated, namely mechanical alloying of elemental powders and attrition milling of pre-alloyed powders. The objective was to subsequently use RF plasma spray deposition and short cycle vacuum hot pressing in order to effect consolidation while retaining nano-crystalline structure in bulk material. Results and discussion of the work performed to date are presented.

[Preparation and transmissivity of ZnS nanocolumn thin films with glancing angle deposition technology].

PubMed

Lu, Li-Fang; Xu, Zheng; Zhang, Fu-Jun; Zhao, Su-Ling; Song, Dan-Dan; Li, Jun-Ming; Wang, Yong-Sheng; Xu, Xu-Rong

2010-02-01

Nanocrystalline ZnS thin films were fabricated by glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technology in an electron beam evaporation system. Deposition was carried out in the custom vacuum chamber at a base pressure 3 x 10(-4) Pa, and the deposition rate was fixed at 0.2 nm x s(-1). ZnS films were deposited on pieces of indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates when the oblique angle of the substrate relative to the incoming molecular flux was set to 0 degrees, 80 degrees and 85 degrees off the substrate normal respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that ZnS nanocrystalline films were formed on the substrates at different oblique angle, but the nanocolumn structure was only formed under the situation of alpha = 80 degrees and 85 degrees. The dynamics during the deposition process of the ZnS films at alpha = 0 degrees, 80 degrees and 85 degrees was analyzed. The transmitted spectra of ZnS thin films deposited on ITO substrates showed that the ZnS nanocolumn thin films could enhance the transmissivity in visible range. The ZnS nanocolumn could be used into electroluminescence device, and it would enhance the luminous efficiency of the device.

Electric field driven evolution of topological domain structure in hexagonal manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, K. L.; Zhang, Y.; Zheng, S. H.; Lin, L.; Yan, Z. B.; Liu, J.-M.; Cheong, S.-W.

2017-10-01

Controlling and manipulating the topological state represents an important topic in condensed matters for both fundamental researches and applications. In this work, we focus on the evolution of a real-space topological domain structure in hexagonal manganites driven by electric field, using the analytical and numerical calculations based on the Ginzburg-Landau theory. It is revealed that the electric field drives a transition of the topological domain structure from the type-I pattern to the type-II one. In particular, it is identified that a high electric field can enforce the two antiphase-plus-ferroelectric (AP +FE ) domain walls with Δ Φ =π /3 to approach each other and to merge into one domain wall with Δ Φ = 2 π /3 eventually if the electric field is sufficiently high, where Δ Φ is the difference in the trimerization phase between two neighboring domains. Our simulations also reveal that the vortex cores of the topological structure can be disabled at a sufficiently high critical electric field by suppressing the structural trimerization therein, beyond which the vortex core region is replaced by a single ferroelectric domain without structural trimerization (Q = 0 ). Our results provide a stimulating reference for understanding the manipulation of real-space topological domain structure in hexagonal manganites.

Influence of film thickness and Fe doping on LPG sensing properties of Mn3O4 thin film grown by SILAR method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belkhedkar, M. R.; Ubale, A. U.

2018-05-01

Nanocrystalline Fe doped and undoped Mn3O4 thin films have been deposited by Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method onto glass substrates using MnCl2 and NaOH as cationic and anionic precursors. The grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM)) have been carried out to analyze structural and surface morphological properties of the films. The LPG sensing performance of Mn3O4thin films have been studied by varying temperature, concentration of LPG, thickness of the film and doping percentage of Fe. The LPG response of the Mn3O4thin films were found to be enhances with film thickness and decreases with increased Fe doping (0 to 8 wt. %) at 573 K temperature.

Boron-Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Electrodes for Neural Interfaces: In vivo Biocompatibility Evaluation

PubMed Central

Alcaide, María; Taylor, Andrew; Fjorback, Morten; Zachar, Vladimir; Pennisi, Cristian P.

2016-01-01

Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BDD) electrodes have recently attracted attention as materials for neural electrodes due to their superior physical and electrochemical properties, however their biocompatibility remains largely unexplored. In this work, we aim to investigate the in vivo biocompatibility of BDD electrodes in relation to conventional titanium nitride (TiN) electrodes using a rat subcutaneous implantation model. High quality BDD films were synthesized on electrodes intended for use as an implantable neurostimulation device. After implantation for 2 and 4 weeks, tissue sections adjacent to the electrodes were obtained for histological analysis. Both types of implants were contained in a thin fibrous encapsulation layer, the thickness of which decreased with time. Although the level of neovascularization around the implants was similar, BDD electrodes elicited significantly thinner fibrous capsules and a milder inflammatory reaction at both time points. These results suggest that BDD films may constitute an appropriate material to support stable performance of implantable neural electrodes over time. PMID:27013949

Investigations of Nanocrystalline Alloy Electrospark Coating Made of Nanocrystalline Alloy Based on 5БДCP Ferrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolomeichenko, A. V.; Kuznetsov, I. S.; Izmaylov, A. Yu; Solovyev, R. Yu; Sharifullin, S. N.

2017-09-01

The article describes the properties of wear resistant electrospark coating made of nanocrystalline alloy of type 5БДCP (Finemet). It is proved that electrospark coating has nanocrystalline structure which is like amorphous matrix with nanocrystals α - Fe. Coating thickness is 33 μm, micro-hardness is 8461 - 11357 MPa, wear resistance is 0,55×104s/g. Coating ofnanocrystalline alloy of type 5БДCP can be used to increase wear resistance of machinery working surfaces.

Plasma Spray Synthesis Of Nanostructured V2O5 Films For Electrical Energy Storage

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

Nanda, Jagjit

We demonstrate for the first time, the synthesis of nanostructured vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) films and coatings using plasma spray technique. V2O5 has been used in several applications such as catalysts, super-capacitors and also as an electrode material in lithium ion batteries. In the present studies, V2O5 films were synthesized using liquid precursors (vanadium oxychloride and ammonium metavanadate) and powder suspension. In our approach, the precursors were atomized and injected radially into the plasma gun for deposition on the substrates. During the flight towards the substrate, the high temperature of the plasma plume pyrolyzes the precursor particles resulting into the desiredmore » film coatings. These coatings were then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Among the precursors, vanadium oxychloride gave the best results in terms of nanocrystalline and monophasic films. Spraying of commercial powder suspension yielded multi-phasic mixture in the films. Our approach enables deposition of large area coatings of high quality nanocrystalline films of V2O5 with controllable particle morphology. This has been optimized by means of control over precursor composition and plasma spray conditions. Initial electrochemical studies of V2O5 film electrodes show potential for energy storage studies.« less

Low doping concentration studies of doped PVA-Coumarin nanocomposite films

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

Tripathi, J., E-mail: jtripathi00@rediffmail.com; Bisen, R.; Choudhary, A.

2016-05-23

The observations of combination of Poly (vinyl) alcohol and Coumarin properties in nanocmposite films are reported. The X-ray diffraction measurements reveal nanocrystalline nature of PVA film, which remains nanocrystalline after doping Coumarin but along with PVA peaks, additional peak due to dopant crystallinity is seen. The absorption edge shows a double edge feature, where distinct bandgaps for PVA host and dopant Coumarin are obtained. However at a higher doping wt % of 1 and 2, the absorption is mainly dominated by Coumarin and single absorption edge is observed giving a bandgap equal to that of bulk Coumarin (3.3 eV). Themore » composite formation affects the bonding of host drastically and is seen through the bond modification in FTIR spectra. The results suggest that doping below 2 wt% is advantageous as combination of PVA and Coumarin properties are obtained but at 2 wt %, the properties are dominated by mainly Coumarin and the signature of PVA from optical properties is completely lost.« less

Low doping concentration studies of doped PVA-Coumarin nanocomposite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathi, J.; Tripathi, S.; Bisen, R.; Sharma, A.; Choudhary, A.; Shripathi, T.

2016-05-01

The observations of combination of Poly (vinyl) alcohol and Coumarin properties in nanocmposite films are reported. The X-ray diffraction measurements reveal nanocrystalline nature of PVA film, which remains nanocrystalline after doping Coumarin but along with PVA peaks, additional peak due to dopant crystallinity is seen. The absorption edge shows a double edge feature, where distinct bandgaps for PVA host and dopant Coumarin are obtained. However at a higher doping wt % of 1 and 2, the absorption is mainly dominated by Coumarin and single absorption edge is observed giving a bandgap equal to that of bulk Coumarin (3.3 eV). The composite formation affects the bonding of host drastically and is seen through the bond modification in FTIR spectra. The results suggest that doping below 2 wt% is advantageous as combination of PVA and Coumarin properties are obtained but at 2 wt %, the properties are dominated by mainly Coumarin and the signature of PVA from optical properties is completely lost.

Characterization of Nanocrystalline Aluminum Alloy 5083 Powders Produced by Cryogenic Attrition

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

Characterization of Nanocrystalline Aluminum Alloy 5083 Powders Produced by Cryogenic Attrition by Tiffany Ngo ARL-TN-0643...November 2014 Characterization of Nanocrystalline Aluminum Alloy 5083 Powders Produced by Cryogenic Attrition Tiffany Ngo Weapons and...3. DATES COVERED (From - To) August 2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Characterization of Nanocrystalline Aluminum Alloy 5083 Powders Produced by

Nanocrystalline cellulose from coir fiber: preparation, properties, and applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nanocrystalline cellulose derived from various botanical sources offers unique and potentially useful characteristics. In principle, any cellulosic material can be considered as a potential source of a nanocrystalline material, including crops, crop residues, and agroindustrial wastes. Because of t...

Measurement of Heavy Ion Irradiation Induced In-Plane Strain in Patterned Face-Centered-Cubic Metal Films: An in Situ Study

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

Yu, K. Y.; Chen, Y.; Li, J.

Nanocrystalline Ag, Cu, and Ni thin films and their coarse grained counterparts are patterned in this paper using focused ion beam and then irradiated by Kr ions within an electron microscope at room temperature. Irradiation induced in-plane strain of the films is measured by tracking the location of nanosized holes. The magnitude of the strain in all specimens is linearly dose-dependent and the strain rates of nanocrystalline metals are significantly greater as compared to that of the coarse grained metals. Finally, real-time microscopic observation suggests that substantial grain boundary migration and grain rotation are responsible for the significant in-plane strain.

Measurement of Heavy Ion Irradiation Induced In-Plane Strain in Patterned Face-Centered-Cubic Metal Films: An in Situ Study

DOE PAGES

Yu, K. Y.; Chen, Y.; Li, J.; ...

2016-11-28

Nanocrystalline Ag, Cu, and Ni thin films and their coarse grained counterparts are patterned in this paper using focused ion beam and then irradiated by Kr ions within an electron microscope at room temperature. Irradiation induced in-plane strain of the films is measured by tracking the location of nanosized holes. The magnitude of the strain in all specimens is linearly dose-dependent and the strain rates of nanocrystalline metals are significantly greater as compared to that of the coarse grained metals. Finally, real-time microscopic observation suggests that substantial grain boundary migration and grain rotation are responsible for the significant in-plane strain.

Electron gas at the interface between two antiferromagnetic insulating manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calderón, M. J.; Salafranca, J.; Brey, L.

2008-07-01

We study theoretically the magnetic and electric properties of the interface between two antiferromagnetic and insulating manganites: La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 , a strong correlated insulator, and CaMnO3 , a band insulator. We find that a ferromagnetic and metallic electron gas is formed at the interface between the two layers. We confirm the metallic character of the interface by calculating the in-plane conductance. The possibility of increasing the electron-gas density by selective doping is also discussed.

Topological dynamics of vortex-line networks in hexagonal manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Fei; Wang, Nan; Wang, Xueyun; Ji, Yanzhou; Cheong, Sang-Wook; Chen, Long-Qing

2018-01-01

The two-dimensional X Y model is the first well-studied system with topological point defects. On the other hand, although topological line defects are common in three-dimensional systems, the evolution mechanism of line defects is not fully understood. The six domains in hexagonal manganites converge to vortex lines in three dimensions. Using phase-field simulations, we predicted that during the domain coarsening process, the vortex-line network undergoes three types of basic topological changes, i.e., vortex-line loop shrinking, coalescence, and splitting. It is shown that the vortex-antivortex annihilation controls the scaling dynamics.

Nanocrystalline Heterojunction Materials

DOEpatents

Elder, Scott H.; Su, Yali; Gao, Yufei; Heald, Steve M.

2004-02-03

Mesoporous nanocrystalline titanium dioxide heterojunction materials and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, materials comprising a core of titanium dioxide and a shell of a molybdenum oxide exhibit a decrease in their photoadsorption energy as the size of the titanium dioxide core decreases.

Possible observation of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in boron-doped diamond films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coleman, Christopher; Bhattacharyya, Somnath

2017-11-01

The occurrence of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition is investigated in heavily boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond films through a combination of current-voltage and resistance measurements. We observe transport features suggesting a robust BKT transition along with transport features related to vortex pinning in nanocrystalline diamond films with smaller grain size. The vortex core energy determined through analysis of the resistance temperature curves was found to be anti-correlated to the BKT transition temperatures. It is also observed that the higher BKT temperature is related to an increased vortex-antivortex binding energy derived from the activated transport regions. Further, the magnetic field induced superconductor insulator transition shows the possibility of the charge glass state. The consequences of granularity such as localization and vortex pinning can lead to tuneable BKT temperatures and strongly affects the field induced insulating state.

The peculiarity of the formation of zinc films on a glass substrate

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

Tomaev, V. V., E-mail: tvaza@mail.ru; Saint Petersburg Mining University, Russia, 199106, St. Petersburg, V.O., 21-st line, 2; Polishchuk, V. A., E-mail: vpvova2010@yandex.ru

2016-06-17

Thin Nanocrystalline films of the zinc have been fabricated by thermal spraying on the glass substrate. Morphologies and structure of the films had been investigated by the methods X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). It is found that the surface of the films has a different types of the nanocrystals zinc. Were detected intergrowths of two or more the nanocrystals, hexagonal shape. Using the theory of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation of a new phase, had been evaluated the geometrical and thermodynamic parameters nanocrystals zinc.

Methods for preparation of nanocrystalline rare earth phosphates for lighting applications

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

Comanzo, Holly Ann; Manoharan, Mohan; Martins Loureiro, Sergio Paulo

Disclosed here are methods for the preparation of optionally activated nanocrystalline rare earth phosphates. The optionally activated nanocrystalline rare earth phosphates may be used as one or more of quantum-splitting phosphor, visible-light emitting phosphor, vacuum-UV absorbing phosphor, and UV-emitting phosphor. Also disclosed herein are discharge lamps comprising the optionally activated nanocrystalline rare earth phosphates provided by these methods.

Sn 1-x VxOy thin films deposited by pulsed laser ablation for gas sensing devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duhalde, Stella; Vignolo, M. F.; Quintana, G.; Mercader, R.; Lamagna, Antonino

2000-02-01

Polycrystalline pure and V-doped SnO2 thin films have been prepare by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on Si substrates, with a Si3Ni4 buffered layer. PLD technique, under proper conditions, has probed to produce nanocrystalline-structured materials, which are suitable for gas sensing. In this work we analyze the role of V doping in the structural properties and in the electrical conductivity of the films. The deposition temperature was fixed at 600 degrees C and the films were grown in oxygen atmosphere. The films resulted nanocrystalline with 50 to 120 nm average grain size connected by necks with high surface areas. The microstructural and electronic properties of all the films were analyzed using scanning-electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy. Electrical conductance in a dynamic regime in dry synthetic air has been evaluated as a function of temperature. Moessbauer spectra reveal the presence of 15 percent of Sn2+ in the 5at. percent V-doped films. At about 340 degrees C, a strong increase in the conductivity of the films occurs. Possible explanations are that thermal energy could excite electrons from the vanadium ions into the crystal's conduction band or promotes the diffusion of surface oxygen vacancies towards the bulk, increasing strongly the conductivity of the film.

Biodegradation and cytotoxicity of ciprofloxacin-loaded hydroxyapatite-polycaprolactone nanocomposite film for sustainable bone implants.

PubMed

Nithya, Rajendran; Meenakshi Sundaram, Nachiappan

2015-01-01

In recent years there has been a steep increase in the number of orthopedic patients for many reasons. One major reason is osteomyelitis, caused by pyrogenic bacteria, with progressive infection of the bone or bone marrow and surrounding tissues. So antibiotics must be introduced during bone implantation to avoid prolonged infection. The objective of the study reported here was to prepare a composite film of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HAp) and polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer loaded with ciprofloxacin, a frequently used antibiotic agent for bone infections. Nanocrystalline HAp was synthesized by precipitation method using the precursor obtained from eggshell. The nanocomposite film (HAp-PCL-ciprofloxacin) was prepared by solvent evaporation. Drug-release and biodegradation studies were undertaken by immersing the composite film in phosphate-buffered saline solution, while a cytotoxicity test was performed using the fibroblast cell line NIH-3T3 and osteoblast cell line MG-63. The pure PCL film had quite a low dissolution rate after an initial sharp weight loss, whereas the ciprofloxacin-loaded HAp-PCL nanocomposite film had a large weight loss due to its fast drug release. The composite film had higher water absorption than the pure PCL, and increasing the concentration of the HAp increased the water absorption. The in vitro cell-line study showed a good biocompatibility and bioactivity of the developed nanocomposite film. The prepared film will act as a sustainable bone implant in addition to controlled drug delivery.

Nanocrystalline cerium oxide materials for solid fuel cell systems

DOEpatents

Brinkman, Kyle S

2015-05-05

Disclosed are solid fuel cells, including solid oxide fuel cells and PEM fuel cells that include nanocrystalline cerium oxide materials as a component of the fuel cells. A solid oxide fuel cell can include nanocrystalline cerium oxide as a cathode component and microcrystalline cerium oxide as an electrolyte component, which can prevent mechanical failure and interdiffusion common in other fuel cells. A solid oxide fuel cell can also include nanocrystalline cerium oxide in the anode. A PEM fuel cell can include cerium oxide as a catalyst support in the cathode and optionally also in the anode.

The effect of band Jahn-Teller distortion on the magnetoresistivity of manganites: a model study.

PubMed

Rout, G C; Panda, Saswati; Behera, S N

2011-10-05

We present a model study of magnetoresistance through the interplay of magnetisation, structural distortion and external magnetic field for the manganite systems. The manganite system is described by the Hamiltonian which consists of the s-d type double exchange interaction, Heisenberg spin-spin interaction among the core electrons, and the static and dynamic band Jahn-Teller (JT) interaction in the e(g) band. The relaxation time of the e(g) electron is found from the imaginary part of the Green's function using the total Hamiltonian consisting of the interactions due to the electron and phonon. The calculated resistivity exhibits a peak in the pure JT distorted insulating phase separating the low temperature metallic ferromagnetic phase and the high temperature paramagnetic phase. The resistivity is suppressed with the increase of the external magnetic field. The e(g) electron band splitting and its effect on magnetoresistivity is reported here. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd

Enhanced tunability of electrical and magnetic properties in (La,Sr)MnO3 thin films via field-assisted oxygen vacancy modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Hon Fai; Ng, Sheung Mei; Cheng, Wang Fai; Liu, Yukuai; Chen, Xinxin; von Nordheim, Danny; Mak, Chee Leung; Dai, Jiyan; Ploss, Bernd; Leung, Chi Wah

2017-12-01

We investigated the tunability of the transport and magnetic properties in 7.5 nm La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) epitaxial films in a field effect geometry with the ferroelectric copolymer P(VDF-TrFE) as the gate insulator. Two different switching behaviors were observed upon application of gate voltages with either high or low magnitudes. The application of single voltage pulses of alternating polarity with an amplitude high enough to switch the remanent polarization of the ferroelectric copolymer led to a 15% change of the resistance of the LSMO channel at temperature 300 K (but less than 1% change at 20 K). A minimal shift of the peak in the resistance-temperature plot was observed, implying that the Curie temperature TC of the manganite layer is not changed. Alternatively, the application of a chain of low voltage pulses was found to shift TC by more than 16 K, and a change of the channel resistance by a 45% was obtained. We attribute this effect to the field-assisted injection and removal of oxygen vacancies in the LSMO layer, which can occur across the thickness of the oxide film. By controlling the oxygen migration, the low-field switching route offers a simple method for modulating the electric and magnetic properties of manganite films.

Electrochemical and fluorescence properties of SnO2 thin films and its antibacterial activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, J.; Mohanraj, K.; Sivakumar, G.; Umamaheswari, S.

2015-05-01

Nanocrystalline SnO2 thin films were deposited by a simple and inexpensive sol-gel spin coating technique and the films were annealed at two different temperatures (350 °C and 450 °C). Structural, vibrational, optical and electrochemical properties of the films were analyzed using XRD, FTIR, UV-Visible, fluorescence and cyclic voltammetry techniques respectively and their results are discussed in detail. The antimicrobial properties of SnO2 thin films were investigated by agar agar method and the results confirm the antibacterial activity of SnO2 against Escherichia coli and Bacillus.

Fatigue stress concentration and notch sensitivity in nanocrystalline metals

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

Furnish, Timothy A.; Boyce, Brad L.; Sharon, John A.

Recent studies have shown the potential for nanocrystalline metals to possess excellent fatigue resistance compared to their coarse-grained counterparts. Although the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline metals are believed to be particularly susceptible to material defects, a systematic study of the effects of geometric discontinuities on their fatigue performance has not yet been performed. In the present work, nanocrystalline Ni–40 wt%Fe containing both intrinsic and extrinsic defects were tested in tension–tension fatigue. The defects were found to dramatically reduce the fatigue resistance, which was attributed to the relatively high notch sensitivity in the nanocrystalline material. Microstructural analysis within the crack-initiation zonesmore » underneath the defects revealed cyclically-induced abnormal grain growth (AGG) as a predominant deformation and crack initiation mechanism during high-cycle fatigue. Furthermore, the onset of AGG and the ensuing fracture is likely accelerated by the stress concentrations, resulting in the reduced fatigue resistance compared to the relatively defect-free counterparts.« less

Fatigue stress concentration and notch sensitivity in nanocrystalline metals

DOE PAGES

Furnish, Timothy A.; Boyce, Brad L.; Sharon, John A.; ...

2016-03-11

Recent studies have shown the potential for nanocrystalline metals to possess excellent fatigue resistance compared to their coarse-grained counterparts. Although the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline metals are believed to be particularly susceptible to material defects, a systematic study of the effects of geometric discontinuities on their fatigue performance has not yet been performed. In the present work, nanocrystalline Ni–40 wt%Fe containing both intrinsic and extrinsic defects were tested in tension–tension fatigue. The defects were found to dramatically reduce the fatigue resistance, which was attributed to the relatively high notch sensitivity in the nanocrystalline material. Microstructural analysis within the crack-initiation zonesmore » underneath the defects revealed cyclically-induced abnormal grain growth (AGG) as a predominant deformation and crack initiation mechanism during high-cycle fatigue. Furthermore, the onset of AGG and the ensuing fracture is likely accelerated by the stress concentrations, resulting in the reduced fatigue resistance compared to the relatively defect-free counterparts.« less

Visualization of a stable intermediate phase in photoinduced metal-to-insulator transition in manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Hanxuan; Liu, Hao; Bai, Yu; Miao, Tian; Yu, Yang; Zhu, Yinyan; Chen, Hongyan; Kou, Yunfang; Niu, Jiebin; Wang, Wenbin; Yin, Lifeng; Shen, Jian

First order metal-insulator transition, accounting for various intriguing phenomena, is one of the most important phase transitions in condensed matter systems. Aside from the initial and final states, i.e. the metallic and insulating phases, no stable intermediate phase has been experimentally identified in such first order phase transition, though some transient phases do exist at the ultrafast time scale. Here, using our unique low-temperature, high-field magnetic force microscopy with photoexcitation, we directly observed a stable intermediate phase emerging and mediating the photoinduced first order metal-insulator transition in manganites. This phase is characteristic of low net magnetization and high resistivity. Our observations unveil the microscopic details of the photoinduced metal-insulator transition in manganites, which may be insightful to study first order metal-insulator transition in other condensed matter systems. This work was supported by National Key Research Program of China (2016YFA0300702), National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) under the Grant No. 2013CB932901 and 2014CB921104; National Natural Science Foundation of China (11274071, 11504053).

Isotropic Kink and Quasiparticle Excitations in the Three-Dimensional Perovskite Manganite La_{0.6}Sr_{0.4}MnO_{3}.

PubMed

Horiba, Koji; Kitamura, Miho; Yoshimatsu, Kohei; Minohara, Makoto; Sakai, Enju; Kobayashi, Masaki; Fujimori, Atsushi; Kumigashira, Hiroshi

2016-02-19

In order to reveal the many-body interactions in three-dimensional perovskite manganites that show colossal magnetoresistance, we performed an in situ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on La_{0.6}Sr_{0.4}MnO_{3} and investigated the behavior of quasiparticles. We observed quasiparticle peaks near the Fermi momentum in both the electron and the hole bands, and clear kinks throughout the entire hole Fermi surface in the band dispersion. This isotropic behavior of quasiparticles and kinks suggests that polaronic quasiparticles produced by the coupling of electrons with Jahn-Teller phonons play an important role in the colossal magnetoresistance properties of the ferromagnetic metallic phase of three-dimensional manganites.

Structural and morphological study of chemically synthesized CdSe thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, P.; Singh, Randhir; Sharma, Jeewan; Sachdeva, M.; Singh, Anupinder; Bhargava, A.

2018-05-01

Nanocrystalline CdSe thin films were prepared by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) method using potassium nitrilo-triacetic acid cadmium complex and sodium selenosulphite. The as deposited films were red in color, uniform and well adherent to the glass substrate. These films were strongly dependent on the deposition parameters such as bath composition, deposition temperature and time. Films were annealed at 350 °C for four hours. The morphological, structural and optical properties were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-VIS spectrophotometer measurements, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The XRD analysis confirmed that films are predominantly in hexagonal phase. Scanning electron micrograph shows that the grains are uniformly spread all over the film and each grain contains many nanocrystals with spherical shapes.

Transition from a paramagnetic metallic to a cluster glass metallic state in electron-doped perovskite manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maignan, A.; Martin, C.; Damay, F.; Raveau, B.; Hejtmanek, J.

1998-08-01

The study of Mn(IV)-rich manganites Ca1-xSmxMnO3 with low electron content corresponding to 0<=x<=0.12 demonstrates the large difference of their electronic and magnetic properties with that of Mn(III)-rich manganites. In particular, a metalliclike temperature dependence of the resistivity (ρ) is observed above TC, the smallest room-temperature ρ=10-3 Ω cm being reached for x=0.12. However increasing hopping energy with x suggests the creation of small polarons as eg electrons are injected into the Mn(IV) matrix. The thermopower (S) measurements confirm the increase of carriers with x and can be described within a single-band metal model. The ρ(T) and S(T) curves exhibit also a transition at a fixed temperature Tp~110 K for 0.075<=x<=0.12. Tp is related to the appearance of a ferromagnetic component as shown from T-dependent magnetization. Nevertheless, the ac-χ measurements reveal a complex behavior. CaMnO3 exhibits a weak ferromagnetic component (TC=122 K) whereas for Ca1-xSmxMnO3 (0manganites.

TiO2 films with rich bulk oxygen vacancies prepared by electrospinning for dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaodong; Gao, Caitian; Wang, Jiangtao; Lu, Bingan; Chen, Wanjun; Song, Jie; Zhang, Shanshan; Zhang, Zhenxing; Pan, Xiaojun; Xie, Erqing

2012-09-01

Highly transparent nanocrystalline TiO2 films have been fabricated by electrospinning (ES) technique based on a transmutation process from as-spun nanofibers with an appropriate amount of tri-ethanolamine (TEOA) added to the precursor. A possible evolution mechanism of the transparent nanocrystalline TiO2 films is proposed. It is found that the films prepared via transmutation from electrospun nanofibers possess rich bulk oxygen vacancies (BOVs, PL band at 621-640 nm) by using photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Contrastively, the dominant peak in PL spectrum of the spin-coated film is the emission from surface oxygen vacancies (SOVs, PL band at 537-555 nm). The electrospun TiO2 films with rich BOVs induce large open-circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) improvements in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), and thus a large improvement of energy conversion efficiency (η). In addition, these performance advantages are maintained for a double-layer cell with a doctor-bladed ˜7 μm top layer (P25 nanometer TiO2, Degussa) and an electrospun ˜3 μm bottom layer. The double-layer cell yields a high η of 6.01%, which has increased by 14% as compared with that obtained from a 10 μm thick P25 film.

Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Co-P Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-02

Electrodeposition  of Nanocrystalline Co‐P  Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden...AND SUBTITLE Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Co‐P Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c...Defense Conference – 2 September 2009 Conventional  Electrodeposits Polycrystalline (10‐100 µm) Electrodeposited Nanocrystalline Materials Pulsed

Structural, optical and magnetic behaviour of nanocrystalline Volborthite

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

Arvind, Hemant K., E-mail: hemantarvind@gmail.com; Kumar, Sudhish, E-mail: skmlsu@gmail.com; Kalal, Sangeeta

2016-05-06

Nanocrystalline sample of Volborthite (Copper Pyrovanadate: Cu{sub 3}V{sub 2} (OH){sub 2}O{sub 7}.2H{sub 2}O) has been synthesized using wet chemical route and characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopic and magnetization measurements. Room temperature X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the single phase monoclinic structure and nanocrystalline nature of Volborthite. The UV-Visible optical absorption spectrum displays two broad absorption peaks in the range of 200-350 nm and 400-1000 nm. The direct band gap is found to be E{sub g}= ∼2.74 eV. Bulk Volborthite was reported to be a natural frustrated antiferromagnet, however our nanocrystalline Volborthite display week ferromagnetic hysteresis loop with very small coercivity andmore » retentivity at room temperature.« less

Phase separation enhanced magneto-electric coupling in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3/BaTiO3 ultra-thin films

PubMed Central

Alberca, A.; Munuera, C.; Azpeitia, J.; Kirby, B.; Nemes, N. M.; Perez-Muñoz, A. M.; Tornos, J.; Mompean, F. J.; Leon, C.; Santamaria, J.; Garcia-Hernandez, M.

2015-01-01

We study the origin of the magnetoelectric coupling in manganite films on ferroelectric substrates. We find large magnetoelectric coupling in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3/BaTiO3 ultra-thin films in experiments based on the converse magnetoelectric effect. The magnetization changes by around 30–40% upon applying electric fields on the order of 1 kV/cm to the BaTiO3 substrate, corresponding to magnetoelectric coupling constants on the order of α = (2–5)·10−7 s/m. Magnetic anisotropy is also affected by the electric field induced strain, resulting in a considerable reduction of coercive fields. We compare the magnetoelectric effect in pre-poled and unpoled BaTiO3 substrates. Polarized neutron reflectometry reveals a two-layer behavior with a depressed magnetic layer of around 30 Å at the interface. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) shows a granular magnetic structure of the La0.7Ca0.3MnO3. The magnetic granularity of the La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 film and the robust magnetoelastic coupling at the La0.7Ca0.3MnO3/BaTiO3 interface are at the origin of the large magnetoelectric coupling, which is enhanced by phase separation in the manganite. PMID:26648002

Effect of Synthesis Method of La1 - x Sr x MnO3 Manganite Nanoparticles on Their Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shlapa, Yulia; Solopan, Sergii; Belous, Anatolii; Tovstolytkin, Alexandr

2018-01-01

Nanoparticles of lanthanum-strontium manganite were synthesized via different methods, namely, sol-gel method, precipitation from non-aqueous solution, and precipitation from reversal microemulsions. It was shown that the use of organic compounds and non-aqueous media allowed significantly decreasing of the crystallization temperature of nanoparticles, and the single-phased crystalline product was formed in one stage. Morphology and properties of nanoparticles depended on the method and conditions of the synthesis. The heating efficiency directly depended on the change in the magnetic parameters of nanoparticles, especially on the magnetization. Performed studies showed that each of these methods of synthesis can be used to obtain weakly agglomerated manganite nanoparticles; however, particles synthesized via sol-gel method are more promising for use as hyperthermia inducers. PACS: 61.46.Df 75.75.Cd 81.20. Fw

[Raman studies of nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics].

PubMed

Xiao, Chang-jiang; Jin, Chang-qing; Wang, Xiao-hui

2008-12-01

High pressure can significantly increase the densification. Further, during the high pressure assisted sintering, the nucleation rate is increased due to reduced energy barrier and the growth rate is suppressed due to the decreased diffusivity. Thus high pressure enables the specimen to be fabricated with relatively lower temperature and shorter sintering period that assures to obtain dense nanocrystalline ceramics. Dense nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics with uniform grain sizes of 60 and 30 nm, respectively, were obtained by pressure assisted sintering. The crystal structure and phase transitions were investigated by Raman scattering at temperatures ranging from -190 to 200 degrees C. The Raman results indicated that the evolution of Raman spectrum with grain size is characterized by an intensity decrease, a broadening of the line width, a frequency shift, and the disappearance of the Raman mode. With increasing temperature, similar to 3 mm BaTiO3 normal ceramics, the successive phase transitions from rhombohedral to orthorhombic, orthorhombic to tetragonal, and tetragonal to cubic were also observed in nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics. In addition, when particle size is reduced to the nanoscale, one will find some unusual physical properties in nanocrystalline ceramics, compared with those of coarse-grained BaTiO3 ceramics. The different coexistences of multiphase were found at different temperature. Especially, the ferroelectric tetragonal and orthorhombic phase can coexist at room temperature in nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics. The phenomenon can be explained by the internal stress. The coexistences of different ferroelectric phases at room temperature indicate that the critical grain size for the disappearance of ferroelectricity in nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics fabricated by pressure assisted sintering is below 30 nm.

Electrochemically synthesized nanocrystalline spinel thin film for high performance supercapacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Vinay; Gupta, Shubhra; Miura, Norio

Spinels are not known for their supercapacitive nature. Here, we have explored electrochemically synthesized nanostructured NiCo 2O 4 spinel thin-film electrode for electrochemical supercapacitors. The nanostructured NiCo 2O 4 spinel thin film exhibited a high specific capacitance value of 580 F g -1 and an energy density of 32 Wh kg -1 at the power density of 4 kW kg -1, accompanying with good cyclic stability.

Radiation-Induced Damage and Recovery of Ultra-Nanocrystalline Diamond: Toward Applications in Harsh Environments

DOE PAGES

Martin, Aiden A.; Filevich, Jorge; Straw, Marcus; ...

2017-10-23

Ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) is increasingly being used in the fabrication of devices and coatings due to its excellent tribological properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Here in this work, we study its response to irradiation with kiloelectronvolt electrons as a controlled model for extreme ionizing environments. Real time Raman spectroscopy reveals that the radiation-damage mechanism entails dehydrogenation of UNCD grain boundaries, and we show that the damage can be recovered by annealing at 883 K. Lastly, our results have significant practical implications for the implementation of UNCD in extreme environment applications, and indicate that the films can be used as radiationmore » sensors.« less

Radiation-Induced Damage and Recovery of Ultra-Nanocrystalline Diamond: Toward Applications in Harsh Environments

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

Martin, Aiden A.; Filevich, Jorge; Straw, Marcus

Ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) is increasingly being used in the fabrication of devices and coatings due to its excellent tribological properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Here in this work, we study its response to irradiation with kiloelectronvolt electrons as a controlled model for extreme ionizing environments. Real time Raman spectroscopy reveals that the radiation-damage mechanism entails dehydrogenation of UNCD grain boundaries, and we show that the damage can be recovered by annealing at 883 K. Lastly, our results have significant practical implications for the implementation of UNCD in extreme environment applications, and indicate that the films can be used as radiationmore » sensors.« less

Negative Oxygen Isotope Effect in Manganites with an Ordered Cation Arrangement in a High Magnetic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taldenkov, A. N.; Snegirev, V. V.; Babushkina, N. A.; Kalitka, V. S.; Kaul', A. R.

2018-03-01

The oxygen isotope effect in PrBaMn2 16-18 O5.97 manganite with an ordered cation arrangement is studied. The field dependences of magnetic susceptibility and magnetization are measured in the temperature range 100-270 K and magnetic fields up to 32 T. A significant increase in the temperature of the spin-reorientation antiferromagnet-ferromagnet phase transition is detected in samples enriched in heavy oxygen 18O (negative isotope effect). The transition temperature and the isotope effect depend strongly on the magnetic field. An H-T phase diagram is plotted for samples with various isotope compositions. An analysis of the experimental results demonstrates that the detected negative isotope effect and the giant positive isotope effect revealed earlier in doped manganites have the same nature. The mechanisms of appearance of isotope effects are discussed in terms of the double exchange model under a polaron narrowing of the free carrier band.

Barium titanate nanocrystals and nanocrystal thin films: Synthesis, ferroelectricity, and dielectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Limin; Chen, Zhuoying; Wilson, James D.; Banerjee, Sarbajit; Robinson, Richard D.; Herman, Irving P.; Laibowitz, Robert; O'Brien, Stephen

2006-08-01

Advanced applications for high k dielectric and ferroelectric materials in the electronics industry continues to demand an understanding of the underlying physics in decreasing dimensions into the nanoscale. We report the synthesis, processing, and electrical characterization of thin (<100nm thick) nanostructured thin films of barium titanate (BaTiO3) built from uniform nanoparticles (<20nm in diameter). We introduce a form of processing as a step toward the ability to prepare textured films based on assembly of nanoparticles. Essential to this approach is an understanding of the nanoparticle as a building block, combined with an ability to integrate them into thin films that have uniform and characteristic electrical properties. Our method offers a versatile means of preparing BaTiO3 nanocrystals, which can be used as a basis for micropatterned or continuous BaTiO3 nanocrystal thin films. We observe the BaTiO3 nanocrystals crystallize with evidence of tetragonality. We investigated the preparation of well-isolated BaTiO3 nanocrystals smaller than 10nm with control over aggregation and crystal densities on various substrates such as Si, Si /SiO2, Si3N4/Si, and Pt-coated Si substrates. BaTiO3 nanocrystal thin films were then prepared, resulting in films with a uniform nanocrystalline grain texture. Electric field dependent polarization measurements show spontaneous polarization and hysteresis, indicating ferroelectric behavior for the BaTiO3 nanocrystalline films with grain sizes in the range of 10-30nm. Dielectric measurements of the films show dielectic constants in the range of 85-90 over the 1KHz -100KHz, with low loss. We present nanocrystals as initial building blocks for the preparation of thin films which exhibit highly uniform nanostructured texture and grain sizes.

Structural, thermal, spectroscopic, and spectral dispersion studies of nanocrystalline methyl red thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makhlouf, Mohamed M.; El-Denglawey, Adel

2018-04-01

Methyl red (MR) powder is polycrystalline structure as-purchased. The uniform, homogeneous and no cracks nano MR thin films are successfully prepared using thermal evaporation technique. The structural investigation for the pristine, annealed and UV irradiated MR films shows nanorods spread in amorphous medium. The part of as-prepared films exposed to UV light irradiation of wavelength 254 nm and intensity of 2000 µW/cm2 for 1 h, while the other part of films was treated by the annealing temperature at 178 °C for 1 h. The optical properties of MR thin films were investigated using spectrophotometric measurements of the transmittance and reflectance at normal incidence in the spectral range 200-2000 nm. The optical constants, dispersion parameters, and energy loss and dielectric functions of MR thin films were calculated and showed remarkable dependence on UV irradiation and annealing temperature upon the films of MR. The dependence of absorption coefficient on the photon energy were analyzed and the results showed that MR films undergo direct allowed optical transition for pristine, annealed and irradiated MR films.

Reproduction of mouse-pup ultrasonic vocalizations by nanocrystalline silicon thermoacoustic emitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kihara, Takashi; Harada, Toshihiro; Kato, Masahiro; Nakano, Kiyoshi; Murakami, Osamu; Kikusui, Takefumi; Koshida, Nobuyoshi

2006-01-01

As one of the functional properties of ultrasound generator based on efficient thermal transfer at the nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) layer surface, its potential as an ultrasonic simulator of vocalization signals is demonstrated by using the acoustic data of mouse-pup calls. The device composed of a surface-heating thin-film electrode, an nc-Si layer, and a single-crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafer, exhibits an almost completely flat frequency response over a wide range without any mechanical surface vibration systems. It is shown that the fabricated emitter can reproduce digitally recorded ultrasonic mouse-pups vocalizations very accurately in terms of the call duration, frequency dispersion, and sound pressure level. The thermoacoustic nc-Si device provides a powerful physical means for the understanding of ultrasonic communication mechanisms in various living animals.

Method to produce nanocrystalline powders of oxide-based phosphors for lighting applications

DOEpatents

Loureiro, Sergio Paulo Martins; Setlur, Anant Achyut; Williams, Darryl Stephen; Manoharan, Mohan; Srivastava, Alok Mani

2007-12-25

Some embodiments of the present invention are directed toward nanocrystalline oxide-based phosphor materials, and methods for making same. Typically, such methods comprise a steric entrapment route for converting precursors into such phosphor material. In some embodiments, the nanocrystalline oxide-based phosphor materials are quantum splitting phosphors. In some or other embodiments, such nanocrystalline oxide based phosphor materials provide reduced scattering, leading to greater efficiency, when used in lighting applications.

Electrochemical mineralization of perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) by ce-doped modified porous nanocrystalline PbO2 film electrode.

PubMed

Niu, Junfeng; Lin, Hui; Xu, Jiale; Wu, Hao; Li, Yangyang

2012-09-18

The Ce-doped modified porous nanocrystalline PbO(2) film electrode prepared by electrodeposition technology was used for electrochemical mineralization of environmentally persistent perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) (~C(4)-C(8)), i.e., perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluopentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoheptanoic acid (PFHpA), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in aqueous solution (100 mL of 100 mg L(-1)). The degradation of PFCAs follows pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the values of the relative rate constant (k) depend upon chain length k(PFHpA) (4.1 × 10(-2) min(-1); corresponding half-life 16.8 min) ≈ 1.1k(PFOA) ≈ 2.5k(PFHxA)≈ 6.9k(PFPeA) ≈ 9.7k(PFBA). The carbon mineralization indices [i.e., 1 - (TOC(insolution)/TOC(inPFCA,degraded))] were 0.49, 0.70, 0.84, 0.91, and 0.95 for PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, and PFOA, respectively, after 90 min electrolysis. The major mineralization product, F(-), as well as low amount of intermediate PFCAs with shortened chain lengths were detected in aqueous solution. By observing the intermediates and tracking the concentration change, a possible pathway of electrochemical mineralization is proposed as follows: Kolbe decarboxylation reaction occurs first at the anode to form the perfluoroalkyl radical, followed by reaction with hydroxyl radicals to form the perfluoroalkyl alcohol which then undergoes intramolecular rearrangement to form the perfluoroalkyl fluoride. After this, the perfluoroalkyl fluoride reforms perfluorinated carboxylic with shorter chain length than its origin by hydrolysis. This electrochemical technique could be employed to treat PFCAs (~C(4)-C(8)) in contaminated wastewater.

Mechanism of room temperature oxygen sensor based on nanocrystalline TiO2 film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakri, A. S.; Sahdan, M. Z.; Nafarizal, N.; Abdullah, S. A.; Said, N. D. M.; Raship, N. A.; Sari, Y.

2018-04-01

A titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin film is proposed as the active layer for the detection of oxygen gas. The sensor is fabricated on silicon wafer using sol-gel dip coating technique with a constant withdrawal speed. The field emission scanning electron microscope image reveals that the film has a uniform structure while the x-ray diffraction analysis indicates that the film is anatase phase with tetragonal lattice structure. The film exhibit the highest intensity peak at (101) plane. The surface roughness measurement shows that the film has low surface roughness with small grain size. The electrical studies revealed that the resistivity is about 4.02 x 10-3 Ω.cm and the thickness of TiO2 film is 127.44 nm. The gas sensor measurement showed that the sensor response of the film is about 4.21% at room temperature.

Three-dimensional analysis by electron diffraction methods of nanocrystalline materials.

PubMed

Gammer, Christoph; Mangler, Clemens; Karnthaler, Hans-Peter; Rentenberger, Christian

2011-12-01

To analyze nanocrystalline structures quantitatively in 3D, a novel method is presented based on electron diffraction. It allows determination of the average size and morphology of the coherently scattering domains (CSD) in a straightforward way without the need to prepare multiple sections. The method is applicable to all kinds of bulk nanocrystalline materials. As an example, the average size of the CSD in nanocrystalline FeAl made by severe plastic deformation is determined in 3D. Assuming ellipsoidal CSD, it is deduced that the CSD have a width of 19 ± 2 nm, a length of 18 ± 1 nm, and a height of 10 ± 1 nm.

Structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline ZnS and ZnS:Al films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurma, T.

2018-06-01

ZnS and ZnS:Al films have been deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) method. Three different atomic ratios of aluminium were used as the dopant element. The effects of aluminum incorporation on structural and optical properties of the ZnS films have been investigated. The XRD analysis showed that the cubic structure of the ZnS was not much affected by Al doping. The crystal size of the films decreased, as the Al ratio increased. Al incorporation caused an increase in the intensity of ZnS films' peaks observed in Raman spectra and nearly symmetrical peaks were observed. Al doping caused a small decrease in optical band gap of the ZnS film. The coating of ZnS:Al films on the surface was quite good and there were not any deformation in their crystallization levels. Reflectance values of films are about 5% in the visible region but a little decrease is seen with aluminum doping. We can say that Al doping tends to improve the optical properties of the ZnS:Al films when compared with the undoped ZnS.

Syntheses of nanocrystalline BaTiO3 and their optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, J.; Chu, J.; Zhang, M.

Stoichiometric and titanium-excess nanocrystalline barium titanates were synthesized using a hydrothermal process at various hydrothermal temperatures and with further heat treatment at 500 °C and 900 °C. Owing to the different process conditions, the excess titanium exists in different states and configurations within the nanocrystalline BaTiO3 matrix; this was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence. In these nanocrystalline BaTiO3, the 590, 571, 543 and 694 nm light emission bands were observed; mechanisms leading to such emissions were also discussed.

Nonlinear optical parameters of nanocrystalline AZO thin film measured at different substrate temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jilani, Asim; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh; Al-ghamdi, Attieh A.; Dahlan, Ammar sadik; Yahia, I. S.

2016-01-01

The 2.2 wt% of aluminum (Al)-doped zinc oxide (AZO) transparent and preferential c-axis oriented thin films were prepared by using radio frequency (DC/RF) magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperature ranging from room temperature to 200 °C. For structural analysis, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Electron Microscope (AFM) was used for morphological studies. The optical parameters such as, optical energy gap, refractive index, extinction coefficient, dielectric loss, tangent loss, first and third order nonlinear optical properties of transparent films were investigated. High transmittance above 90% and highly homogeneous surface were observed in all samples. The substrate temperature plays an important role to get the best transparent conductive oxide thin films. The substrate temperature at 150 °C showed the growth of highly transparent AZO thin film. Energy gap increased with the increased in substrate temperature of Al doped thin films. Dielectric constant and loss were found to be photon energy dependent with substrate temperature. The change in substrate temperature of Al doped thin films also affect the non-liner optical properties of thin films. The value of χ(3) was found to be changed with the grain size of the thin films that directly affected by the substrate temperature of the pure and Al doped ZnO thin films.

Manipulation of electronic phases in Au-nanodots-decorated manganite films by laser illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hui; Zhang, Kaixuan; Wang, Dongli; Xu, Han; Zhou, Haibiao; Fan, Xiaodong; Cheng, Guanghui; Cheng, Long; Lu, Qingyou; Li, Lin; Zeng, Changgan

2018-06-01

Precise manipulation of the electronic phases in strongly correlated oxides offers an avenue to control the macroscopic functionalities, thereby sparking enormous research interests in condensed matter physics. In the present paper, phase-separated La0.33Pr0.34Ca0.33MnO3 (LPCMO) thin films with a fraction of the ferromagnetic metallic phase close to the percolation threshold are successfully prepared, in which the nonvolatile and erasable switching between different electronic states is realized through cooperative effects of Au-nanodots capping and laser illumination. The deposition of Au nanodots on LPCMO thin films leads to the occurrence of a thermally inaccessible nonpercolating state at low temperatures, manifested as the absence of insulator-metal transition as temperature decreases. Such a nonpercolating state can be substantially tuned back to a percolating state by laser illumination in a nonvolatile and erasable way, accompanied by gigantic resistance drops in a wide temperature range. The formation of local oxygen vacancies near Au nanodots and thereby the modulation of mesoscopic electronic texture should be the key factor for the realization of flexible modulation of global transport properties in LPCMO thin films. Our findings pave a way toward the manipulation of physical properties of the electronically phase-separated systems and the design of optically controlled electronic devices.

Distinctive glial and neuronal interfacing on nanocrystalline diamond.

PubMed

Bendali, Amel; Agnès, Charles; Meffert, Simone; Forster, Valérie; Bongrain, Alexandre; Arnault, Jean-Charles; Sahel, José-Alain; Offenhäusser, Andreas; Bergonzo, Philippe; Picaud, Serge

2014-01-01

Direct electrode/neuron interfacing is a key challenge to achieve high resolution of neuronal stimulation required for visual prostheses. Neuronal interfacing on biomaterials commonly requires the presence of glial cells and/or protein coating. Nanocrystalline diamond is a highly mechanically stable biomaterial with a remarkably large potential window for the electrical stimulation of tissues. Using adult retinal cell cultures from rats, we found that glial cells and retinal neurons grew equally well on glass and nanocrystalline diamond. The use of a protein coating increased cell survival, particularly for glial cells. However, bipolar neurons appeared to grow even in direct contact with bare diamond. We investigated whether the presence of glial cells contributed to this direct neuron/diamond interface, by using purified adult retinal ganglion cells to seed diamond and glass surfaces with and without protein coatings. Surprisingly, these fully differentiated spiking neurons survived better on nanocrystalline diamond without any protein coating. This greater survival was indicated by larger cell numbers and the presence of longer neurites. When a protein pattern was drawn on diamond, neurons did not grow preferentially on the coated area, by contrast to their behavior on a patterned glass. This study highlights the interesting biocompatibility properties of nanocrystalline diamond, allowing direct neuronal interfacing, whereas a protein coating was required for glial cell growth.

Distinctive Glial and Neuronal Interfacing on Nanocrystalline Diamond

PubMed Central

Bendali, Amel; Agnès, Charles; Meffert, Simone; Forster, Valérie; Bongrain, Alexandre; Arnault, Jean-Charles; Sahel, José-Alain; Offenhäusser, Andreas; Bergonzo, Philippe; Picaud, Serge

2014-01-01

Direct electrode/neuron interfacing is a key challenge to achieve high resolution of neuronal stimulation required for visual prostheses. Neuronal interfacing on biomaterials commonly requires the presence of glial cells and/or protein coating. Nanocrystalline diamond is a highly mechanically stable biomaterial with a remarkably large potential window for the electrical stimulation of tissues. Using adult retinal cell cultures from rats, we found that glial cells and retinal neurons grew equally well on glass and nanocrystalline diamond. The use of a protein coating increased cell survival, particularly for glial cells. However, bipolar neurons appeared to grow even in direct contact with bare diamond. We investigated whether the presence of glial cells contributed to this direct neuron/diamond interface, by using purified adult retinal ganglion cells to seed diamond and glass surfaces with and without protein coatings. Surprisingly, these fully differentiated spiking neurons survived better on nanocrystalline diamond without any protein coating. This greater survival was indicated by larger cell numbers and the presence of longer neurites. When a protein pattern was drawn on diamond, neurons did not grow preferentially on the coated area, by contrast to their behavior on a patterned glass. This study highlights the interesting biocompatibility properties of nanocrystalline diamond, allowing direct neuronal interfacing, whereas a protein coating was required for glial cell growth. PMID:24664111

Extreme creep resistance in a microstructurally stable nanocrystalline alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darling, K. A.; Rajagopalan, M.; Komarasamy, M.; Bhatia, M. A.; Hornbuckle, B. C.; Mishra, R. S.; Solanki, K. N.

2016-09-01

Nanocrystalline metals, with a mean grain size of less than 100 nanometres, have greater room-temperature strength than their coarse-grained equivalents, in part owing to a large reduction in grain size. However, this high strength generally comes with substantial losses in other mechanical properties, such as creep resistance, which limits their practical utility; for example, creep rates in nanocrystalline copper are about four orders of magnitude higher than those in typical coarse-grained copper. The degradation of creep resistance in nanocrystalline materials is in part due to an increase in the volume fraction of grain boundaries, which lack long-range crystalline order and lead to processes such as diffusional creep, sliding and rotation. Here we show that nanocrystalline copper-tantalum alloys possess an unprecedented combination of properties: high strength combined with extremely high-temperature creep resistance, while maintaining mechanical and thermal stability. Precursory work on this family of immiscible alloys has previously highlighted their thermo-mechanical stability and strength, which has motivated their study under more extreme conditions, such as creep. We find a steady-state creep rate of less than 10-6 per second—six to eight orders of magnitude lower than most nanocrystalline metals—at various temperatures between 0.5 and 0.64 times the melting temperature of the matrix (1,356 kelvin) under an applied stress ranging from 0.85 per cent to 1.2 per cent of the shear modulus. The unusual combination of properties in our nanocrystalline alloy is achieved via a processing route that creates distinct nanoclusters of atoms that pin grain boundaries within the alloy. This pinning improves the kinetic stability of the grains by increasing the energy barrier for grain-boundary sliding and rotation and by inhibiting grain coarsening, under extremely long-term creep conditions. Our processing approach should enable the development of

Luminescence and related properties of nanocrystalline porous silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koshida, N.

This document is part of subvolume C3 'Optical Properties' of volume 34 'Semiconductor quantum structures' of Landolt-Börnstein, Group III, Condensed Matter, on the optical properties of quantum structures based on group IV semiconductors. It discusses luminescence and related properties of nanocrystalline porous silicon. Topics include an overview of nanostructured silicon, its fabrication technology, and properties of nanocrystalline porous silicon such as confinement effects, photoluminescence, electroluminesce, carrier charging effects, ballistic transport and emission, and thermally induced acoustic emission.

Pulsed photonic fabrication of nanostructured metal oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourgeois, Briley B.; Luo, Sijun; Riggs, Brian C.; Adireddy, Shiva; Chrisey, Douglas B.

2017-09-01

Nanostructured metal oxide thin films with a large specific surface area are preferable for practical device applications in energy conversion and storage. Herein, we report instantaneous (milliseconds) photonic synthesis of three-dimensional (3-D) nanostructured metal oxide thin films through the pulsed photoinitiated pyrolysis of organometallic precursor films made by chemical solution deposition. High wall-plug efficiency-pulsed photonic irradiation (xenon flash lamp, pulse width of 1.93 ms, fluence of 7.7 J/cm2 and frequency of 1.2 Hz) is used for scalable photonic processing. The photothermal effect of subsequent pulses rapidly improves the crystalline quality of nanocrystalline metal oxide thin films in minutes. The following paper highlights pulsed photonic fabrication of 3-D nanostructured TiO2, Co3O4, and Fe2O3 thin films, exemplifying a promising new method for the low-cost and high-throughput manufacturing of nanostructured metal oxide thin films for energy applications.

Tuning the magnetocaloric properties of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 manganites through Ni-doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez, A.; Chavarriaga, E.; Supelano, I.; Parra, C. A.; Morán, O.

2018-04-01

The effect of Ni2+ doping on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 manganites synthesized via the auto-combustion method is reported. The aim of studying Ni2+-substituted La0.7Ca0.3Mn1 - xNixO3 (x = 0 , 0.02 , 0.07, and 0.1) manganites was to explore the possibility of increasing the operating temperature range for the magnetocaloric effect through tuning of the magnetic transition temperature. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the phase purity of the synthesized samples. The substitution of Mn3+ ions by Ni2+ ions in the La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 lattice was also corroborated through this technique. The dependence of the magnetization on the temperature reveals that all the compositions exhibit a well-defined ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition near the Curie temperature. A systematic decrease in the values of the Curie temperature is clearly observed upon Ni2+ doping. Probably the replacement of Mn3+ by Ni2+ ions in the La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 lattice weakens the Mn3+-O-Mn4+ double exchange interaction, which leads to a decrease in the transition temperature and the magnetic moment in the samples. By using Arrott plots, it was found that the phase transition from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic is second order. The maximum magnetic entropy changes observed for the x = 0 , 0.02 , 0.07, and 0.1 composites was 0.85, 0.77, 0.63, and 0.59 J/kg K, respectively, under a magnetic field of 1.5 T. In general, it was verified that the magnetic entropy change achieved for La0.7Ca0.3Mn1 - xNixO3 manganites synthesized via the auto-combustion method is higher than those reported for other manganites with comparable Ni2+-doping levels synthesized via standard solid state reaction. The addition of Ni2+ increases the value of the relative cooling power as compared to that of the parent compound. The highest value of this parameter (∼60 J/kg) is found for a Ni-doping level of 2% around 230 K in a field of 1.5 T.

Gigacycle fatigue behavior by ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification.

PubMed

Ahn, D G; Amanov, A; Cho, I S; Shin, K S; Pyoun, Y S; Lee, C S; Park, I G

2012-07-01

Nanocrystalline surface layer up to 84 microm in thick is produced on a specimen made of Al6061-T6 alloy by means of surface treatment called ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) technique. The refined grain size is produced in the top-layer and it is increased with increasing depth from the top surface. Vickers microhardness measurement for each nanocrystalline surface layer is performed and measurement results showed that the microhardness is increased from 116 HV up to 150 HV, respectively. In this study, fatigue behavior of Al6061-T6 alloy was studied up to 10(7)-10(9) cycles by using a newly developed ultrasonic fatigue testing (UFT) rig. The fatigue results of the UNSM-treated Al6061-T6 alloy specimens were compared with those of the untreated specimens. The microstructure of the untreated and UNSM-treated specimens was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopey (SEM) and transmission electron microscopey (TEM).

Sputtered deposited nanocrystalline ZnO films: A correlation between electrical, optical and microstructural properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Gao, W.; Li, Z.; Hodgson, M.; Metson, J.; Gong, H.; Pal, U.

2005-05-01

Zinc oxide thin films were prepared by dc (direct current) and rf (radio frequency) magnetron sputtering on glass substrates. ZnO films produced by dc sputtering have a high resistance, while the films produced using rf sputtering are significantly more conductive. While the conductive films have a compact nodular surface morphology, the resistive films have a relatively porous surface with columnar structures in cross section. Compared to the dc sputtered films, rf sputtered films have a microstructure with smaller d spacing, lower internal stress, higher band gap energy and higher density. Dependence of conductivity on the deposition technique and the resulting d spacing , stress, density, band gap, film thickness and Al doping are discussed. Correlations between the electrical conductivity, microstructural parameters and optical properties of the films have been made.

Synthesis of Mesoporous Nanocrystalline Zirconia by Surfactant-Assisted Hydrothermal Approach.

PubMed

Nath, Soumav; Biswas, Ashik; Kour, Prachi P; Sarma, Loka S; Sur, Ujjal Kumar; Ankamwar, Balaprasad G

2018-08-01

In this paper, we have reported the chemical synthesis of thermally stable mesoporous nanocrystalline zirconia with high surface area using a surfactant-assisted hydrothermal approach. We have employed different type of surfactants such as CTAB, SDS and Triton X-100 in our synthesis. The synthesized nanocrystalline zirconia multistructures exhibit various morphologies such as rod, mortar-pestle with different particle sizes. We have characterized the zirconia multistructures by X-ray diffraction study, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Attenuated total refection infrared spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The thermal stability of as synthesized zirconia multistructures was studied by thermo gravimetric analysis, which shows the high thermal stability of nanocrystalline zirconia around 900 °C temperature.

Thin film solar cells with Si nanocrystallites embedded in amorphous intrinsic layers by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition.

PubMed

Park, Seungil; Parida, Bhaskar; Kim, Keunjoo

2013-05-01

We investigated the thin film growths of hydrogenated silicon by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition with different flow rates of SiH4 and H2 mixture ambient and fabricated thin film solar cells by implementing the intrinsic layers to SiC/Si heterojunction p-i-n structures. The film samples showed the different infrared absorption spectra of 2,000 and 2,100 cm(-1), which are corresponding to the chemical bonds of SiH and SiH2, respectively. The a-Si:H sample with the relatively high silane concentration provides the absorption peak of SiH bond, but the microc-Si:H sample with the relatively low silane concentration provides the absorption peak of SiH2 bond as well as SiH bond. Furthermore, the microc-Si:H sample showed the Raman spectral shift of 520 cm(-1) for crystalline phase Si bonds as well as the 480 cm(-1) for the amorphous phase Si bonds. These bonding structures are very consistent with the further analysis of the long-wavelength photoconduction tail and the formation of nanocrystalline Si structures. The microc-Si:H thin film solar cell has the photovoltaic behavior of open circuit voltage similar to crystalline silicon thin film solar cell, indicating that microc-Si:H thin film with the mixed phase of amorphous and nanocrystalline structures show the carrier transportation through the channel of nanocrystallites.

Tailoring nanocrystalline diamond coated on titanium for osteoblast adhesion.

PubMed

Pareta, Rajesh; Yang, Lei; Kothari, Abhishek; Sirinrath, Sirivisoot; Xiao, Xingcheng; Sheldon, Brian W; Webster, Thomas J

2010-10-01

Diamond coatings with superior chemical stability, antiwear, and cytocompatibility properties have been considered for lengthening the lifetime of metallic orthopedic implants for over a decade. In this study, an attempt to tailor the surface properties of diamond films on titanium to promote osteoblast (bone forming cell) adhesion was reported. The surface properties investigated here included the size of diamond surface features, topography, wettability, and surface chemistry, all of which were controlled during microwave plasma enhanced chemical-vapor-deposition (MPCVD) processes using CH4-Ar-H2 gas mixtures. The hardness and elastic modulus of the diamond films were also determined. H2 concentration in the plasma was altered to control the crystallinity, grain size, and topography of the diamond coatings, and specific plasma gases (O2 and NH3) were introduced to change the surface chemistry of the diamond coatings. To understand the impact of the altered surface properties on osteoblast responses, cell adhesion tests were performed on the various diamond-coated titanium. The results revealed that nanocrystalline diamond (grain sizes <100 nm) coated titanium dramatically increased surface hardness, and the introduction of O2 and NH3 during the MPCVD process promoted osteoblast adhesion on diamond and, thus, should be further studied for improving orthopedic applications. Copyright 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010.

Biologically inspired rosette nanotubes and nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite hydrogel nanocomposites as improved bone substitutes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lijie; Rodriguez, Jose; Raez, Jose; Myles, Andrew J.; Fenniri, Hicham; Webster, Thomas J.

2009-04-01

Today, bone diseases such as bone fractures, osteoporosis and bone cancer represent a common and significant public health problem. The design of biomimetic bone tissue engineering materials that could restore and improve damaged bone tissues provides exciting opportunities to solve the numerous problems associated with traditional orthopedic implants. Therefore, the objective of this in vitro study was to create a biomimetic orthopedic hydrogel nanocomposite based on the self-assembly properties of helical rosette nanotubes (HRNs), the osteoconductive properties of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HA), and the biocompatible properties of hydrogels (specifically, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), pHEMA). HRNs are self-assembled nanomaterials that are formed from synthetic DNA base analogs in water to mimic the helical nanostructure of collagen in bone. In this study, different geometries of nanocrystalline HA were controlled by either hydrothermal or sintering methods. 2 and 10 wt% nanocrystalline HA particles were well dispersed into HRN hydrogels using ultrasonication. The nanocrystalline HA and nanocrystalline HA/HRN hydrogels were characterized by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical testing studies revealed that the well dispersed nanocrystalline HA in HRN hydrogels possessed improved mechanical properties compared to hydrogel controls. In addition, the results of this study provided the first evidence that the combination of either 2 or 10 wt% nanocrystalline HA and 0.01 mg ml-1 HRNs in hydrogels greatly increased osteoblast (bone-forming cell) adhesion up to 236% compared to hydrogel controls. Moreover, this study showed that HRNs stimulated HA nucleation and mineralization along their main axis in a way that is very reminiscent of the HA/collagen assembly pattern in natural bone. In summary, the presently observed excellent properties of the biomimetic nanocrystalline HA/HRN hydrogel composites

Modeling electronic trap state distributions in nanocrystalline anatase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, Nam; Schweigert, Igor

The charge transport properties of nanocrystalline TiO2 films, and thus the catalytic performance of devices that incorporate them, are affected strongly by the spatial and energetic distribution of localized electronic trap states. Such traps may arise from a variety of defects: Ti interstitials, O vacancies, step edges at surfaces, and grain boundaries. We have developed a procedure for applying density functional theory (DFT) and density functional tight binding (DFTB) calculations to characterize distributions of localized states arising from multiple types of defects. We have applied the procedure to investigate how the morphologies of interfaces between pairs of attached anatase nanoparticles determine the energies of trap states therein. Our results complement recent experimental findings that subtle changes in the morphology of highly porous TiO2 aerogel networks can have a dramatic effect on catalytic performance, which was attributed to changes in the distribution of trap states. This work was supported by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory via the National Research Council and by the Office of Naval Research through the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

Electrical impedance spectroscopy of neutron-irradiated nanocrystalline silicon carbide (3C-SiC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huseynov, Elchin M.

2018-01-01

It the present work, impedance spectra of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC particles have been comparatively analyzed before and after neutron irradiation. Resonance states and shifts were observed at the impedance spectra of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC particles after neutron irradiation. Relaxation time has been calculated from interdependence of real and imaginary parts of impedance of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC particles. Calculated relaxation times have been investigated as a function of neutron irradiation period. Neutron transmutation (31P isotopes production) effects on the impedance spectra and relaxation times have been studied. Moreover, influence of agglomeration and amorphous transformation to the impedance spectra and relaxation times of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC particles have been investigated.

Near band edge emission characteristics of sputtered nano-crystalline ZnO films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunj, Saurabh; Sreenivas, K.

2016-05-01

Sputtered zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited on unheated glass substrate under different sputtering gas mixtures (Ar+O2) have been investigated using X-ray diffraction and photo luminescence spectroscopy. Earlier reported studies on ZnO films prepared by different techniques exhibit either a sharp/broad near band edge (NBE) emission peak depending on the crystalline quality of the film. In the present study zinc oxide films, grown on unheated substrates, are seen to possess a preferred (002) orientation with a microstructure consisting of clustered nano-sized crystallites. The splitting in the near band edge emission (NBE) into three characteristic peaks is attributed to quantum confinement effect, and is observed specifically under an excitation of 270 nm. Deep level emission (DLE) in the range 400 to 700 nm is not observed indicating absence of deep level radiative defects.

Strong influence of polaron-polaron interaction on the magnetoresistance effect in La0.7A0.3MnO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Haijuan; Wang, Kuidong; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Dong, Wenxia; Chen, Long; Tang, Xiaodong; Chen, Jie

2017-11-01

The colossal magnetoresistance effect endows La0.7A0.3MnO3 manganites distinctive fascination. Both theoretical and experimental studies demonstrated that the interplay among polarons could significantly influence magnetoresistance. However, the underlying microscopic mechanism of the influence remains elusive due to the lack of experimental evidences. Utilizing ultrafast optical spectroscopy to track the polaron dynamics around Curie temperatures, we observed a diverse two-step recovery process in three sibling manganite thin films with various magnetoresistance effects and Curie temperatures, while the slow step was proposed to be the formation evolution of correlated polarons through the polaron-polaron interaction. Polarons in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 equilibrate much faster than those in La0.7(Ca0.58Sr0.42)0.3MnO3 and La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, indicating a comparatively tighter interaction between polarons and subsequently a stronger magnetoresistance effect.

Bulk Nanocrystalline Metals: Review of the Current State of the Art and Future Opportunities for Copper and Copper Alloys

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-13

nanocrystalline materials using mechanical alloying, the alloy development and synthesis process for stabilizing these materials at elevated temperatures, and...the physical and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline materials with a focus throughout on nanocrystalline copper and a nanocrystalline Cu-Ta...approaches as well as experimental results for grain growth, grain boundary processes, and deformation mechanisms in nanocrystalline copper are

Thermally Stimulated Currents in Nanocrystalline Titania

PubMed Central

Bruzzi, Mara; Mori, Riccardo; Baldi, Andrea; Cavallaro, Alessandro; Scaringella, Monica

2018-01-01

A thorough study on the distribution of defect-related active energy levels has been performed on nanocrystalline TiO2. Films have been deposited on thick-alumina printed circuit boards equipped with electrical contacts, heater and temperature sensors, to carry out a detailed thermally stimulated currents analysis on a wide temperature range (5–630 K), in view to evidence contributions from shallow to deep energy levels within the gap. Data have been processed by numerically modelling electrical transport. The model considers both free and hopping contribution to conduction, a density of states characterized by an exponential tail of localized states below the conduction band and the convolution of standard Thermally Stimulated Currents (TSC) emissions with gaussian distributions to take into account the variability in energy due to local perturbations in the highly disordered network. Results show that in the low temperature range, up to 200 K, hopping within the exponential band tail represents the main contribution to electrical conduction. Above room temperature, electrical conduction is dominated by free carriers contribution and by emissions from deep energy levels, with a defect density ranging within 1014–1018 cm−3, associated with physio- and chemi-sorbed water vapour, OH groups and to oxygen vacancies. PMID:29303976

Thermally Stimulated Currents in Nanocrystalline Titania.

PubMed

Bruzzi, Mara; Mori, Riccardo; Baldi, Andrea; Carnevale, Ennio Antonio; Cavallaro, Alessandro; Scaringella, Monica

2018-01-05

A thorough study on the distribution of defect-related active energy levels has been performed on nanocrystalline TiO₂. Films have been deposited on thick-alumina printed circuit boards equipped with electrical contacts, heater and temperature sensors, to carry out a detailed thermally stimulated currents analysis on a wide temperature range (5-630 K), in view to evidence contributions from shallow to deep energy levels within the gap. Data have been processed by numerically modelling electrical transport. The model considers both free and hopping contribution to conduction, a density of states characterized by an exponential tail of localized states below the conduction band and the convolution of standard Thermally Stimulated Currents (TSC) emissions with gaussian distributions to take into account the variability in energy due to local perturbations in the highly disordered network. Results show that in the low temperature range, up to 200 K, hopping within the exponential band tail represents the main contribution to electrical conduction. Above room temperature, electrical conduction is dominated by free carriers contribution and by emissions from deep energy levels, with a defect density ranging within 10 14 -10 18 cm -3 , associated with physio- and chemi-sorbed water vapour, OH groups and to oxygen vacancies.

Electrode characteristics of nanocrystalline AB{sub 5} compounds prepared by mechanical alloying

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

Chen, Z.; Chen, Z.; Zhou, D.

1998-10-01

Nanocrystalline LaNi{sub 5} and LaNi{sub 4.5}Si{sub 0.5} synthesized by mechanical alloying were used as negative materials for Ni-MH batteries. It was found that the electrodes prepared with the nanocrystalline powders had similar discharge capacities, better activation behaviors, and longer cycle lifetimes, compared with the negative electrode prepared with polycrystalline coarse-grained LaNi{sub 5} alloy. The properties of the electrodes prepared with these nanocrystalline materials were attributed to the structural characteristics of the compounds caused by mechanical alloying.

Physical properties of nanostructured strontium oxide thin film grown by chemical bath deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Farhan; Belkhedkar, M. R.; Salodkar, R. V.

2018-05-01

Nanostructured SrO thin film of thickness 139 nm was deposited by chemical bath deposition technique onto glass substrates using SrCl2.6H2O and NaOH as cationic and anionic precursors without complexing agents. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that, SrO thin film is nanocrystalline in nature with cubic structure. The surface morphology of the SrO film was investigated by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy. The optical studies showed that SrO film exhibits direct as well as indirect optical band gap energy. The electrical resistivity and activation energy of SrO thin film is found to be of the order of 106 Ω cm and 0.58eV respectively.

Molecular level energy and electron transfer processes at nanocrystalline titanium dioxide interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farzad, Fereshteh

This thesis describes photo-induced molecular electron and energy transfer processes occurring at nanocrystalline semiconductor interfaces. The Introductory Chapter provides background and describes how these materials may be useful for solar energy conversion. In Chapter 2, results describing excitation of Ru(deeb)(bpy)2 2+, bis(2,2'-bipyridine)(2,2'-bipyridine-4,4 '-diethylester)ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate, bound to nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films, immersed in an acetonitrile bath are presented. The data indicates that light excitation forms predominately long-lived metal-to-ligand charge-transfer, MLCT, excited states under these conditions. Modeling of the data as a function of irradiance has been accomplished assuming parallel unimolecular and bimolecular excited state deactivation processes. The quantum yield for excited state formation depends on the excitation irradiance, consistent with triplet-triplet annihilation processes that occur with k > 1 x 108 s-1. Chapter 3 extends the work described in Chapter 2 to LiClO4 acetonitrile solutions. Li+ addition results in a red shift in the MLCT absorption and photoluminescence, PL, and a concentration dependent quenching of the PL intensity on TiO2. The Li+ induced spectroscopic changes were found to be reversible by varying the electrolyte composition. A second-order kinetic model quantified charge recombination transients. A model is proposed wherein Li+ ion adsorption stabilizes TiO2 acceptor states resulting in energetically more favorable interfacial electron transfer. The photophysical and photoelectrochemical properties of porous nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 electrodes modified with Ru(deeb)(bpy)2 2+, Os(deeb)(bpy)22+, and mixtures of both are described in Chapters 4 and 5. In regenerative solar cells with 0.5 M LiI/0.05 M I2 acetonitrile electrolyte, both compounds efficiently inject electrons into TiO2 producing monochromatic incident photon-to-current efficiencies (IPCE), IPCE (460 nm) = 0.70 + 0

Synthesis and characterization of spin-coated ZnS thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, M. Burhanuz; Chandel, Tarun; Dehury, Kshetramohan; Rajaram, P.

2018-05-01

In this paper, we report synthesis of ZnS thin films using a sol-gel method. A unique aprotic solvent, dimethlysulphoxide (DMSO) has been used to obtain a homogeneous ZnS gel. Zinc acetate and thiourea were used as the precursor sources for Zn and S, respectively, to deposit nanocrystalline ZnS thin films. Optical, structural and morphological properties of the films were studied. Optical studies reveal high transmittance of the samples over the entire visible region. The energy band gap (Eg) for the ZnS thin films is found to be about 3.6 eV which matches with that of bulk ZnS. The interference fringes in transmissions spectrum show the high quality of synthesized samples. Strong photoluminescence peak in the UV region makes the films suitable for optoelectronic applications. X-ray diffraction studies reveal that sol-gel derived ZnS thin films are polycrystalline in nature with hexagonal structure. SEM studies confirmed that the ZnS films show smooth and uniform grains morphology having size in 20-25 nm range. The EDAX studies confirmed that the films are nearly stoichiometric.

Electrical Transport and Magnetoresistance Properties of Tensile-Strained CaMnO3 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ullery, Dustin; Lawson, Bridget; Zimmerman, William; Neubauer, Samuel; Chaudhry, Adeel; Hart, Cacie; Yong, Grace; Smolyaninova, Vera; Kolagani, Rajeswari

We will present our studies of the electrical transport and magnetoresistance properties of tensile strained CaMnO3 thin films. We observe that the resistivity decreases significantly as the film thickness decreases which is opposite to what is observed in thin films of hole doped manganites. The decrease in resistivity is more pronounced in the films on (100) SrTiO3, with resistivity of the thinnest films being about 3 orders of magnitude lower than that of bulk CaMnO3. Structural changes accompanying resistivity changes cannot be fully explained as due to tensile strain, and indicate the presence of oxygen vacancies. These results also suggest a coupling between tensile strain and oxygen deficiency, consistent with predictions from models based on density functional theory calculations. We observe a change in resistance under the application of moderate magnetic field. Experiments are underway to understand the origin of the magnetoresistance and its possible relation to the tensile strain effects. We acknowledge support from: Towson Office of University Undergraduate Research, Fisher Endowment Grant and Undergraduate Research Grants from the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics, and Seed Funding Grant from the School of Emerging technologies.

"Bulk" Nanocrystalline Metals: Review of the Current State of the Art and Future Opportunities for Copper and Copper Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tschopp, M. A.; Murdoch, H. A.; Kecskes, L. J.; Darling, K. A.

2014-06-01

It is a new beginning for innovative fundamental and applied science in nanocrystalline materials. Many of the processing and consolidation challenges that have haunted nanocrystalline materials are now more fully understood, opening the doors for bulk nanocrystalline materials and parts to be produced. While challenges remain, recent advances in experimental, computational, and theoretical capability have allowed for bulk specimens that have heretofore been pursued only on a limited basis. This article discusses the methodology for synthesis and consolidation of bulk nanocrystalline materials using mechanical alloying, the alloy development and synthesis process for stabilizing these materials at elevated temperatures, and the physical and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline materials with a focus throughout on nanocrystalline copper and a nanocrystalline Cu-Ta system, consolidated via equal channel angular extrusion, with properties rivaling that of nanocrystalline pure Ta. Moreover, modeling and simulation approaches as well as experimental results for grain growth, grain boundary processes, and deformation mechanisms in nanocrystalline copper are briefly reviewed and discussed. Integrating experiments and computational materials science for synthesizing bulk nanocrystalline materials can bring about the next generation of ultrahigh strength materials for defense and energy applications.

Anomalously large anisotropic magnetoresistance in a perovskite manganite

PubMed Central

Li, Run-Wei; Wang, Huabing; Wang, Xuewen; Yu, X. Z.; Matsui, Y.; Cheng, Zhao-Hua; Shen, Bao-Gen; Plummer, E. Ward; Zhang, Jiandi

2009-01-01

The signature of correlated electron materials (CEMs) is the coupling between spin, charge, orbital and lattice resulting in exotic functionality. This complexity is directly responsible for their tunability. We demonstrate here that the broken symmetry, through cubic to orthorhombic distortion in the lattice structure in a prototype manganite single crystal, La0.69Ca0.31MnO3, leads to an anisotropic magneto-elastic response to an external field, and consequently to remarkable magneto-transport behavior. An anomalous anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) effect occurs close to the metal-insulator transition (MIT) in the system, showing a direct correlation with the anisotropic field-tuned MIT in the system and can be understood by means of a simple phenomenological model. A small crystalline anisotropy stimulates a “colossal” AMR near the MIT phase boundary of the system, thus revealing the intimate interplay between magneto- and electronic-crystalline couplings. PMID:19706504

The pressure sensitivity of wrinkled B-doped nanocrystalline diamond membranes

PubMed Central

Drijkoningen, S.; Janssens, S. D.; Pobedinskas, P.; Koizumi, S.; Van Bael, M. K.; Haenen, K.

2016-01-01

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) membranes are promising candidates for use as sensitive pressure sensors. NCD membranes are able to withstand harsh conditions and are easily fabricated on glass. In this study the sensitivity of heavily boron doped NCD (B:NCD) pressure sensors is evaluated with respect to different types of supporting glass substrates, doping levels and membrane sizes. Higher pressure sensing sensitivities are obtained for membranes on Corning Eagle 2000 glass, which have a better match in thermal expansion coefficient with diamond compared to those on Schott AF45 glass. In addition, it is shown that larger and more heavily doped membranes are more sensitive. After fabrication of the membranes, the stress in the B:NCD films is released by the emergence of wrinkles. A better match between the thermal expansion coefficient of the NCD layer and the underlying substrate results in less stress and a smaller amount of wrinkles as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and 3D surface imaging. PMID:27767048

Investigation of magnetic transitions through ultrasonic measurements in double-layered CMR manganite La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Y. S.; Vishnuvardhan Reddy, C.

2014-03-01

A polycrystalline, double-layered, colossal magnetoresistive manganite La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7 is synthesized by sol-gel process and its magnetic and ultrasonic properties were investigated in the temperature range 80-300 K. The sample has Curie temperature at 124 K, where the sample exhibits a transition from paramagnetic insulator to ferromagnetic metallic state. The longitudinal sound velocity measurements show a significant hardening of sound velocity below TC, which may be attributed to the coupling between ferromagnetic spins and longitudinal acoustic phonons. The magnetization and ultrasonic studies reveal the presence of secondary transition at ≈ 260 K in this sample. The present sound velocity measurement results confirm the reliability of ultrasonic investigations as an independent tool to probe magnetic transitions in manganites.

Electrochemical decolorization of dye wastewater by surface-activated boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond electrode.

PubMed

Chen, Chienhung; Nurhayati, Ervin; Juang, Yaju; Huang, Chihpin

2016-07-01

Complex organics contained in dye wastewater are difficult to degrade and often require electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) to treat it. Surface activation of the electrode used in such treatment is an important factor determining the success of the process. The performance of boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BD-NCD) film electrode for decolorization of Acid Yellow (AY-36) azo dye with respect to the surface activation by electrochemical polarization was studied. Anodic polarization found to be more suitable as electrode pretreatment compared to cathodic one. After anodic polarization, the originally H-terminated surface of BD-NCD was changed into O-terminated, making it more hydrophilic. Due to the oxidation of surface functional groups and some portion of sp(2) carbon in the BD-NCD film during anodic polarization, the electrode was successfully being activated showing lower background current, wider potential window and considerably less surface activity compared to the non-polarized one. Consequently, electrooxidation (EO) capability of the anodically-polarized BD-NCD to degrade AY-36 dye was significantly enhanced, capable of nearly total decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal even after several times of re-using. The BD-NCD film electrode favored acidic condition for the dye degradation; and the presence of chloride ion in the solution was found to be more advantageous than sulfate active species. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dense nanocrystalline yttrium iron garnet films formed at room temperature by aerosol deposition

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

Johnson, Scooter D., E-mail: scooter.johnson@nrl.navy.mil; Glaser, Evan R.; Cheng, Shu-Fan

Highlights: • We deposit yttrium iron garnet films at room temperature using aerosol deposition. • Films are 96% of theoretical density for yttrium iron garnet. • We report magnetic and structural properties post-deposition and post-annealing. • Low-temperature annealing decreases the FMR linewidth. • We discuss features of the FMR spectra at each anneal temperature. - Abstract: We have employed aerosol deposition to form polycrystalline yttrium iron garnet (YIG) films on sapphire at room temperature that are 90–96% dense. We characterize the structural and dynamic magnetic properties of the dense films using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and ferromagnetic resonance techniques.more » We find that the as-deposited films are pure single-phase YIG formed of compact polycrystallites ∼20 nm in size. The ferromagnetic resonance mode occurs at 2829 G with a linewidth of 308 G. We perform a series of successive anneals up to 1000 °C on a film to explore heat treatment on the ferromagnetic resonance linewidth. We find the narrowest linewidth of 98 G occurs after a 750 °C anneal.« less

Grain Size Threshold for Enhanced Irradiation Resistance in Nanocrystalline and Ultrafine Tungsten

DOE PAGES

El Atwani, Osman; Hinks, Jonathan; Greaves, Graeme; ...

2017-02-21

Nanocrystalline metals are considered highly radiation-resistant materials due to their large grain boundary areas. Here, the existence of a grain size threshold for enhanced irradiation resistance in high-temperature helium-irradiated nanocrystalline and ultrafine tungsten is demonstrated. Average bubble density, projected bubble area and the corresponding change in volume were measured via transmission electron microscopy and plotted as a function of grain size for two ion fluences. Nanocrystalline grains of less than 35 nm size possess ~10–20 times lower change in volume than ultrafine grains and this is discussed in terms of the grain boundaries defect sink efficiency.

Nanocrystalline Iron-Ore-Based Catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis.

PubMed

Yong, Seok; Park, Ji Chan; Lee, Ho-Tae; Yang, Jung-Il; Hong, SungJun; Jung, Heon; Chun, Dong Hyun

2016-02-01

Nanocrystalline iron ore particles were fabricated by a wet-milling process using an Ultra Apex Mill, after which they were used as raw materials of iron-based catalysts for low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) below 280 degrees C, which usually requires catalysts with a high surface area, a large pore volume, and a small crystallite size. The wet-milling process using the Ultra Apex Mill effectively destroyed the initial crystallite structure of the natural iron ores of several tens to hundreds of nanometers in size, resulting in the generation of nanocrystalline iron ore particles with a high surface area and a large pore volume. The iron-ore-based catalysts prepared from the nanocrystalline iron ore particles effectively catalyzed the low-temperature FTS, displaying a high CO conversion (about 90%) and good C5+ hydrocarbon productivity (about 0.22 g/g(cat)(-h)). This demonstrates the feasibility of using the iron-ore-based catalysts as inexpensive and disposable catalysts for the low-temperature FTS.

Dielectric relaxation in epitaxial films of paraelectric-magnetic SrTiO3-SrMnO3 solid solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savinov, M.; Bovtun, V.; Tereshina-Chitrova, E.; Stupakov, A.; Dejneka, A.; Tyunina, M.

2018-01-01

Magneto-dielectric properties of (A2+)MnO3-type perovskites are attractive for applications and stimulate extensive studies of these materials. Here, the complex dielectric and magnetic responses are investigated as in epitaxial films of SrTi0.6Mn0.4O3, solid solution of paraelectric SrTiO3 and magnetic SrMnO3. The impedance and resonance measurements at frequencies of 10-2-1010 Hz and temperatures of 10-500 K reveal broad dielectric anomalies centered at 100-200 K, while the films are paramagnetic at all temperatures. Analysis shows polaronic electrical conductivity behind the observed behavior. Electron-phonon correlations, rather than spin-phonon correlations, are suggested to produce the apparent magneto-dielectric responses in many multiferroic manganites.

Low temperature growth of diamond films on optical fibers using Linear Antenna CVD system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ficek, M.; Drijkoningen, S.; Karczewski, J.; Bogdanowicz, R.; Haenen, K.

2016-01-01

It is not trivial to achieve a good quality diamond-coated fibre interface due to a large difference in the properties and composition of the diamond films (or use coating even) and the optical fibre material, i.e. fused silica. One of the biggest problems is the high temperature during the deposition which influences the optical fibre or optical fibre sensor structure (e.g. long-period gratings (LPG)). The greatest advantage of a linear antenna microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system (LA MW CVD) is the fact that it allows to grow the diamond layers at low temperature (below 300°C) [1]. High quality nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films with thicknesses ranging from 70 nm to 150 nm, were deposited on silicon, glass and optical fibre substrates [2]. Substrates pretreatment by dip-coating and spin coating process with a dispersion consisting of detonation nanodiamond (DND) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has been applied. During the deposition process the continuous mode of operation of the LA MW CVD system was used, which produces a continuous wave at a maximum power of 1.9 kW (in each antenna). Diamond films on optical fibres were obtained at temperatures below 350°C, providing a clear improvement of results compared to our earlier work [3]. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging to investigate the morphology of the nanocrystalline diamond films. The film growth rate, film thickness, and optical properties in the VIS-NIR range, i.e. refractive index and extinction coefficient will be discussed based on measurements on reference quartz plates by using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE).

Hot pressing of nanocrystalline tantalum using high frequency induction heating and pulse plasma sintering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakubowicz, J.; Adamek, G.; Sopata, M.; Koper, J. K.; Siwak, P.

2017-12-01

The paper presents the results of nanocrystalline powder tantalum consolidation using hot pressing. The authors used two different heating techniques during hot pressing: high-frequency induction heating (HFIH) and pulse plasma sintering (PPS). A comparison of the structure, microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the bulk nanocrystalline tantalum obtained in both techniques was performed. The nanocrystalline powder was made to start from the microcrystalline one using the high-energy ball milling process. The nanocrystalline powder was hot-pressed at 1000 °C, whereas, for comparison, the microcrystalline powder was hot pressed up to 1500 °C for proper consolidation. The authors found that during hot pressing, the powder partially reacts with the graphite die covered by boron nitride, which facilitated punches and powder displacement in the die during densification. Tantalum carbide and boride in the nanocrystalline material was found, which can improve the mechanical properties. The hardness of the HFIH and PPS nanocrystalline tantalum was as high as 625 and 615 HV, respectively. The microstructure was more uniform in the PPS nanomaterial. The corrosion resistance in both cases deteriorated, in comparison to the microcrystalline material, while the PPS material corrosion resistance was slightly better than that of the HFIH one.

Microstructures and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline NiTi intermetallics formed by mechanosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arunkumar, S.; Kumaravel, P.; Velmurugan, C.; Senthilkumar, V.

2018-01-01

The formulation of nanocrystalline NiTi shape memory alloys has potential effects in mechanical stimulation and medical implantology. The present work elucidates the effect of milling time on the product's structural characteristics, chemical composition, and microhardness for NiTi synthesized by mechanical alloying for different milling durations. Increasing the milling duration led to the formation of a nanocrystalline NiTi intermetallic at a higher level. The formation of nanocrystalline materials was directed through cold fusion, fracturing, and the development of a steady state, which were influenced by the accumulation of strain energy. In the morphological study, uninterrupted cold diffusion and fracturing were visualized using transmission electron microscopy. Particle size analysis revealed that the mean particle size was reduced to 93 μm after 20 h of milling. The mechanical strength was enhanced by the formation of a nanocrystalline intermetallic phase at longer milling time, which was confirmed by the results of Vickers hardness analyses.

Precise identification and manipulation of adsorption geometry of donor-π-acceptor dye on nanocrystalline TiO₂ films for improved photovoltaics.

PubMed

Zhang, Fan; Ma, Wei; Jiao, Yang; Wang, Jingchuan; Shan, Xinyan; Li, Hui; Lu, Xinghua; Meng, Sheng

2014-12-24

Adsorption geometry of dye molecules on nanocrystalline TiO2 plays a central role in dye-sensitized solar cells, enabling effective sunlight absorption, fast electron injection, optimized interface band offsets, and stable photovoltaic performance. However, precise determination of dye binding geometry and proportion has been challenging due to complexity and sensitivity at interfaces. Here employing combined vibrational spectrometry and density functional calculations, we identify typical adsorption configurations of widely adopted cyanoacrylic donor-π bridge-acceptor dyes on nanocrystalline TiO2. Binding mode switching from bidentate bridging to hydrogen-bonded monodentate configuration with Ti-N bonding has been observed when dye-sensitizing solution becomes more basic. Raman and infrared spectroscopy measurements confirm this configuration switch and determine quantitatively the proportion of competing binding geometries, with vibration peaks assigned using density functional theory calculations. We further found that the proportion of dye-binding configurations can be manipulated by adjusting pH value of dye-sensitizing solutions. Controlling molecular adsorption density and configurations led to enhanced energy conversion efficiency from 2.4% to 6.1% for the fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells, providing a simple method to improve photovoltaic performance by suppressing unfavorable binding configurations in solar cell applications.

Studies of mist deposition for the formation of quantum dot CdSe films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, S. C.; Shanmugasundaram, K.; Ramani, S.; Zhu, T.; Zhang, F.; Xu, J.; Mohney, S. E.; Zhang, Q.; Kshirsagar, A.; Ruzyllo, J.

2009-10-01

Films of CdSe(ZnS) colloidal nanocrystalline quantum dots (NQDs) were deposited on bare silicon, glass and polymer coated silicon using mist deposition. This effort is a part of an exploratory investigation in which this deposition technique is studied for the first time as a method to form semiconductor NQD films. The process parameters, including deposition time, solution concentration and electric field, were varied to change the thickness of the deposited film. Blanket films and films deposited through a shadow mask were created to investigate the method's ability to pattern films during the deposition process. The differences between these deposition modes in terms of film morphology were observed. Overall, the results show that mist deposition of quantum dots is a viable method for creating thin, patterned quantum dot films using colloidal solution as the precursor. It is concluded that this technique shows very good promise for quantum dot (light emitting diode, LED) fabrication.

Structural and electronic transformations in substituted La-Sr manganites depending on cations and oxygen content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karpasyuk, Vladimir; Badelin, Alexey; Merkulov, Denis; Derzhavin, Igor; Estemirova, Svetlana

2018-05-01

In the present research experimental data are obtained for the Jahn-Teller O‧ phase formation, phase transformation "orthorhombic-rhombohedral structure" and the change of the conductance type in the systems of manganites La3+1-c+xSr2+c-xMn3+1-c-x-2γMn4+c+2γZn2+xO3+γ, La3+1-c-xSr2+c+xMn3+1-c-x-2γMn4+c+2γGe4+xO3+γ, La3+1-cSr2+cMn3+1-x-c-2γMn4+c+2γ(Zn2+0.5Ge4+0.5)xO3+γ, where Mn4+ ions concentration is independent of "x". Ceramic samples were sintered in air at 1473 K. As-sintered samples had an excess of oxygen content. In order to provide stoichiometric oxygen content, the samples were annealed at 1223 K and partial pressure of oxygen PO2 = 10-1 Pа. Structural characteristics of the O‧ phase were obtained. The position of the phase boundary "orthorhombic-rhombohedral structure" and the temperature of the conductance type change depending on the cation composition of manganites and oxygen content were determined. Possible approaches to the interpretation of experimental results were suggested.

Polymer blend of PLA/PHBV based bionanocomposites reinforced with nanocrystalline cellulose for potential application as packaging material.

PubMed

Dasan, Y K; Bhat, A H; Ahmad, Faiz

2017-02-10

The current research discusses the development of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) reinforced nanocrystalline cellulose bionanocomposites. The nanocrystalline cellulose was derived from waste oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber by acid hydrolysis process. The resulting nanocrystalline cellulose suspension was then surface functionalized by TEMPO-mediated oxidation and solvent exchange process. Furthermore, the PLA/PHBV/nanocrystalline cellulose bionanocomposites were produced by solvent casting method. The effect of the addition of nanocrystalline cellulose on structural, morphology, mechanical and barrier properties of bionanocomposites was investigated. The results revealed that the developed bionanocomposites showed improved mechanical properties and decrease in oxygen permeability rate. Therefore, the developed bio-based composite incorporated with an optimal composition of nanocrystalline cellulose exhibits properties as compared to the polymer blend. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Framework Stability of Nanocrystalline NaY in Aqueous Solution at Varying pH

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

Petushkov, Anton; Freeman, Jasmine; Larsen, Sarah C.

Nanocrystalline zeolites (with crystal sizes of less than 50 nm) are versatile, porous nanomaterials with potential applications in a broad range of areas including bifunctional catalysis, drug delivery, environmental protection, and sensing, to name a few. The characterization of the properties of nanocrystalline zeolites on a fundamental level is critical to the realization of these innovative applications. Nanocrystalline zeolites have unique surface chemistry that is distinct from conventional microcrystalline zeolite materials and that will result in novel applications. In the proposed work, magnetic resonance techniques (solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)) will be used tomore » elucidate the structure and reactivity of nanocrystalline zeolites and to motivate bifunctional applications. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations will enhance data interpretation through chemical shift, quadrupole coupling constant, g-value and hyperfine calculations.« less

Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Cobalt Phosphorous Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

1 ASETSDefense 2014 Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Cobalt Phosphorous Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative Ruben A. Prado, CEF...COVERED 00-00-2014 to 00-00-2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Cobalt Phosphorous Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative...coatings as a Hard Chrome (EHC) electroplating alternative for DoD manufacturing and repair. – Fully define deposition parameters and properties

Model for temperature-dependent magnetization of nanocrystalline materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bian, Q.; Niewczas, M.

2015-01-01

A magnetization model of nanocrystalline materials incorporating intragrain anisotropies, intergrain interactions, and texture effects has been extended to include the thermal fluctuations. The method relies on the stochastic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert theory of magnetization dynamics and permits to study the magnetic properties of nanocrystalline materials at arbitrary temperature below the Currie temperature. The model has been used to determine the intergrain exchange constant and grain boundary anisotropy constant of nanocrystalline Ni at 100 K and 298 K. It is found that the thermal fluctuations suppress the strength of the intergrain exchange coupling and also reduce the grain boundary anisotropy. In comparison with its value at 2 K, the interparticle exchange constant decreases by 16% and 42% and the grain boundary anisotropy constant decreases by 28% and 40% at 100 K and 298 K, respectively. An application of the model to study the grain size-dependent magnetization indicates that when the thermal activation energy is comparable to the free energy of grains, the decrease in the grain size leads to the decrease in the magnetic permeability and saturation magnetization. The mechanism by which the grain size influences the magnetic properties of nc-Ni is discussed.

Effect of aluminum contents on sputter deposited CrAlN thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vyas, A.; Zhou, Z. F.; Shen, Y. G.

2018-02-01

Pure CrN and CrAlN films with varied Al concentrations were prepared onto Si(100) substrates by an unbalanced reactive dc-magnetron sputtering system. The crystal structure, chemical states, and microstructure of the films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy whereas mechanical properties were determined by nano-indentation measurements. XRD results showed a prominent (200) reflection in both CrN and CrAlN films. Results demonstrate that CrAlN films formed a solid solution and doping of Al atoms replace the Cr atoms affecting the lattice parameter and crystallization of the films. All Al doped films were of B1 NaCl-type structure, demonstrating that CrAlN films primarily crystallized in cubic structure. Microstructural investigation by TEM for a CrAlN film containing Al content of 24.1 at.%, revealed that there exists an amorphous/nanocrystalline domains (grains of about ∼ 11 nm) and hardness increases 22% when compared with pure CrN film.

Enhanced magneto-optical Kerr effect in rare earth substituted nanostructured cobalt ferrite thin film prepared by sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avazpour, L.; Toroghinejad, M. R.; Shokrollahi, H.

2016-11-01

A series of rare-earth (RE)-doped nanocrystalline Cox RE(1-x) Fe2O4 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2 and RE: Nd, Eu) thin films were prepared on silicon substrates by a sol-gel process, and the influences of different RE3+ ions on the microstructure, magnetism and polar magneto-optical Kerr effect of the deposited films were investigated. Also this research presents the optimization process of cobalt ferrite thin films deposited via spin coating, by studying their structural and morphological properties at different thicknesses (200, 350 nm) and various heat treatment temperatures 300-850 °C. Nanoparticulate polycrystalline thin film were formed with heat treatment above 400 °C but proper magnetic properties due to well crystallization of the film were achieved at about 650 °C. AFM results indicated that the deposited thin films were crack-free exhibiting a dense nanogranular structure. The root-mean square (RMS) roughness of the thin films was in the range of 0.2-3.2 nm. The results revealed that both of the magnetism and magneto optical Kerr (MOKE) spectra of Cox RE(1-x) Fe2O4 films could be mediated by doping with various RE ions. The Curie temperature of substituted samples was lower than pristine cobalt ferrite thin films. In MOKE spectra both dominant peaks were blue shifted with addition of RE ions. For low concentration dopant the inter-valence charge transfer related rotation was enhanced and for higher concentration dopant the crystal field rotation peak was enhanced. The MOKE enhancement for Eu3+ substituted samples was more than Nd3+ doped cobalt ferrite films. The enhanced MOKEs in nanocrystalline thin films might promise their applications for magneto-optical sensors in adopted wavelengths.

Impact of nanostructuring on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of microscale phase-separated La 5/8–yPr yCa 3/8MnO₃ manganites

DOE PAGES

Bingham, N. S.; Lampen, P.; Phan, M. H.; ...

2012-08-16

Bulk manganites of the form La 5/8–yPr yCa 3/8MnO₃ (LPCMO) exhibit a complex phase diagram due to coexisting charge-ordered antiferromagnetic (CO/AFM), charge-disordered paramagnetic (PM), and ferromagnetic (FM) phases. Because phase separation in LPCMO occurs on the microscale, reducing particle size to below this characteristic length is expected to have a strong impact on the magnetic properties of the system. Through a comparative study of the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of single-crystalline (bulk) and nanocrystalline LPCMO (y=3/8) we show that the AFM, CO, and FM transitions seen in the single crystal can also be observed in the large particle sizes (400more » and 150 nm), while only a single PM to FM transition is found for the small particles (55 nm). Magnetic and magnetocaloric measurements reveal that decreasing particle size affects the balance of competing phases in LPCMO and narrows the range of fields over which PM, FM, and CO phases coexist. The FM volume fraction increases with size reduction, until CO is suppressed below some critical size, ~100 nm. With size reduction, the saturation magnetization and field sensitivity first increase as long-range CO is inhibited, then decrease as surface effects become increasingly important. The trend that the FM phase is stabilized on the nanoscale is contrasted with the stabilization of the charge-disordered PM phase occurring on the microscale, demonstrating that in terms of the characteristic phase separation length, a few microns and several hundred nanometers represent very different regimes in LPCMO.« less

Multifunctionality of nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, Atma; Thakur, Awalendra K.

2016-05-01

Nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite has been synthesized by adopting modified Pechini route. No evidence of impurity or secondary phase has been detected up to the detection of error limit of X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction pattern reveals orthorhombic crystal system with space group Pnma (62).Crystallite size and lattice strain was found to be ˜42.8nm and 0.306% respectively. Optical band gap was found to be 2.109 eV, by UV-Visible diffused reflectance spectrum (DRS). Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area was found to be ˜3.45 m2/g. Magnetization-hysteresis (M-H) loop was recorded at room temperature (300K) reveals weak ferromagnetism in Nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite. The weak ferromagnetism in lanthanum ferrite is due to the uncompensated antiferromagnetic spin ordering. Ferroelectric loop hysteresis observed at room temperature at 100Hz depicts the presence of ferroelectric ordering in LaFeO3.Simultanious presence of magnetic and ferroelectric ordering at room temperature makes it suitable candidate of Multiferroic family.

Multifunctionality of nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite

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

Rai, Atma, E-mail: atma@iitp.ac.in; Thakur, Awalendra K.; Centre for Energy and Environment, Indian Institute of Technology Patna 800013 India

2016-05-06

Nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite has been synthesized by adopting modified Pechini route. No evidence of impurity or secondary phase has been detected up to the detection of error limit of X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction pattern reveals orthorhombic crystal system with space group Pnma (62).Crystallite size and lattice strain was found to be ∼42.8nm and 0.306% respectively. Optical band gap was found to be 2.109 eV, by UV-Visible diffused reflectance spectrum (DRS). Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area was found to be ∼3.45 m{sup 2}/g. Magnetization-hysteresis (M-H) loop was recorded at room temperature (300K) reveals weak ferromagnetism in Nanocrystalline lanthanummore » ferrite. The weak ferromagnetism in lanthanum ferrite is due to the uncompensated antiferromagnetic spin ordering. Ferroelectric loop hysteresis observed at room temperature at 100Hz depicts the presence of ferroelectric ordering in LaFeO{sub 3}.Simultanious presence of magnetic and ferroelectric ordering at room temperature makes it suitable candidate of Multiferroic family.« less

Spectroscopic ellipsometry analysis of nanocrystalline silicon carbide obtained at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerdiles, S.; Madelon, R.; Rizk, R.

2001-12-01

Thin films of silicon carbide obtained by hydrogen-reactive magnetron sputtering with various substrate temperatures TS (100-600 °C) were analysed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The TEM images show evidence of the growth of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon carbide (nc-SiC:H) deposited at TS as low as 300 °C, with an average grain size of 4-5 nm. The SE spectra were reproduced by using the Forouhi-Bloomer model and assuming a 7 nm thick overlayer with a void fraction of 45%. The observed increase of the refractive index with TS is assigned to the improvement of both crystallinity and compactness of the layer. The expected increase of the optical gap seems to be offset by the drop of hydrogen content, leaving the gap unchanged. The fabrication and characteristics of nc-SiC:H/c-Si diode are finally described and the data indicate a good rectifying behaviour, together with a low leakage current.

Nano-crystallization in ZnO-doped In2O3 thin films via excimer laser annealing for thin-film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Mami N.; Ishikawa, Yasuaki; Ishihara, Ryoichi; van der Cingel, Johan; Mofrad, Mohammad R. T.; Bermundo, Juan Paolo Soria; Kawashima, Emi; Tomai, Shigekazu; Yano, Koki; Uraoka, Yukiharu

2016-06-01

In a previous work, we reported the high field effect mobility of ZnO-doped In2O3 (IZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) irradiated by excimer laser annealing (ELA) [M. Fujii et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 122107 (2013)]. However, a deeper understanding of the effect of ELA on the IZO film characteristics based on crystallinity, carrier concentrations, and optical properties is needed to control localized carrier concentrations for fabricating self-aligned structures in the same oxide film and to adequately explain the physical characteristics. In the case of as-deposited IZO film used as the channel, a high carrier concentration due to a high density of oxygen vacancies was observed; such a film does not show the required TFT characteristics but can act as a conductive film. We achieved a decrease in the carrier concentration of IZO films by crystallization using ELA. This means that ELA can form localized conductive or semi-conductive areas on the IZO film. We confirmed that the reason for the carrier concentration decrease was the decrease of oxygen-deficient regions and film crystallization. The annealed IZO films showed nano-crystalline phase, and the temperature at the substrate was substantially less than the temperature limit for flexible films such as plastic, which is 50°C. This paves the way for the formation of self-aligned structures and separately formed conductive and semi-conductive regions in the same oxide film.

Nanocarbon Allotropes-Graphene and Nanocrystalline Diamond-Promote Cell Proliferation.

PubMed

Verdanova, Martina; Rezek, Bohuslav; Broz, Antonin; Ukraintsev, Egor; Babchenko, Oleg; Artemenko, Anna; Izak, Tibor; Kromka, Alexander; Kalbac, Martin; Hubalek Kalbacova, Marie

2016-05-01

Two profoundly different carbon allotropes - nanocrystalline diamond and graphene - are of considerable interest from the viewpoint of a wide range of biomedical applications including implant coating, drug and gene delivery, cancer therapy, and biosensing. Osteoblast adhesion and proliferation on nanocrystalline diamond and graphene are compared under various conditions such as differences in wettability, topography, and the presence or absence of protein interlayers between cells and the substrate. The materials are characterized in detail by means of scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. In vitro experiments have revealed a significantly higher degree of cell proliferation on graphene than on nanocrystalline diamond and a tissue culture polystyrene control material. Proliferation is promoted, in particular, by hydrophobic graphene with a large number of nanoscale wrinkles independent of the presence of a protein interlayer, i.e., substrate fouling is not a problematic issue in this respect. Nanowrinkled hydrophobic graphene, thus, exhibits superior characteristics for those biomedical applications where high cell proliferation is required under differing conditions. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Influence of voids distribution on the deformation behavior of nanocrystalline palladium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachurin, D. V.

2018-07-01

Uniaxial deformation of three-dimensional nanocrystalline palladium containing porosity in the form of voids was investigated by means of molecular dynamics method. Simulations were performed at temperature of 300 K and at a constant strain rate of 108s-1. Two cases of voids distribution were considered: random and at triple or quadrupole junctions. It has been revealed that both the voids distribution and subsequent annealing at elevated temperature influence the deformation behavior of nanocrystalline palladium. In particular, the presence of voids at grain junctions results in a reduction of the Young's modulus and more pronounced softening effect during plastic deformation. The subsequent annealing evokes shrinkage of voids and strengthening effect. Contribution of grain boundary accommodation processes into both elastic and plastic deformation of nanocrystalline materials is discussed.

Electrode characteristics of nanocrystalline (Zr, Ti)(V, Cr, Ni) 2.41 compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majchrzycki, W.; Jurczyk, M.

The electrochemical properties of nanocrystalline Zr 0.35Ti 0.65V 0.85Cr 0.26Ni 1.30 alloy, which has the hexagonal C14 type structure, have been investigated. This material has been prepared using mechanical alloying (MA) followed by annealing. The amorphous phase forms directly from the starting mixture of the elements, without other phase formation. Heating the MA samples at 1070 K for 0.5 h resulted in the creation of ordered alloy. This alloy was used as negative electrode for Ni-MH x battery. The electrochemical results show very little difference between the nanocrystalline and polycrystalline powders, as compared with the substantial difference between these and the amorphous powder. In the annealed nanocrystalline Zr 0.35Ti 0.65V 0.85Cr 0.26Ni 1.30 powders discharging capacities up to 150 mA h g -1 (at 160 mA g -1 discharging current) have been measured. The properties of nanocrystalline electrode were attributed to the structural characteristics of the compound caused by mechanical alloying.

Unsaturated magnetoconductance of epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films in pulsed magnetic fields up to 60 T

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Wei; Wang, Xuefeng; Gao, Ming; Xia, Zhengcai; Du, Jun; Nie, Yuefeng; Song, Fengqi; Xu, Yongbing; Zhang, Rong

2017-05-01

We report on the temperature and field dependence of resistance of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films over a wide temperature range and in pulsed magnetic fields up to 60 T. The epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films were deposited by laser molecular beam epitaxy. High magnetic field magnetoresistance curves were fitted by the Brillouin function, which indicated the existence of magnetically polarized regions and the underlying hopping mechanism. The unsaturated magnetoconductance was the most striking finding observed in pulsed magnetic fields up to 60 T. These observations can deepen the fundamental understanding of the colossal magnetoresistance in manganites with strong correlation of transport properties and magnetic ordering.

Nanocrystalline High-Entropy Alloys: A New Paradigm in High-Temperature Strength and Stability.

PubMed

Zou, Yu; Wheeler, Jeffrey M; Ma, Huan; Okle, Philipp; Spolenak, Ralph

2017-03-08

Metals with nanometer-scale grains or nanocrystalline metals exhibit high strengths at ambient conditions, yet their strengths substantially decrease with increasing temperature, rendering them unsuitable for usage at high temperatures. Here, we show that a nanocrystalline high-entropy alloy (HEA) retains an extraordinarily high yield strength over 5 GPa up to 600 °C, 1 order of magnitude higher than that of its coarse-grained form and 5 times higher than that of its single-crystalline equivalent. As a result, such nanostructured HEAs reveal strengthening figures of merit-normalized strength by the shear modulus above 1/50 and strength-to-density ratios above 0.4 MJ/kg, which are substantially higher than any previously reported values for nanocrystalline metals in the same homologous temperature range, as well as low strain-rate sensitivity of ∼0.005. Nanocrystalline HEAs with these properties represent a new class of nanomaterials for high-stress and high-temperature applications in aerospace, civilian infrastructure, and energy sectors.

Surface Properties of a Nanocrystalline Fe-Ni-Nb-B Alloy After Neutron Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavùk, Milan; Sitek, Jozef; Sedlačková, Katarína

2014-09-01

The effect of neutron radiation on the surface properties of the nanocrystalline (Fe0.25Ni0.75)81Nb7B12 alloy was studied. Firstly, amorphous (Fe0.25Ni0.75)81Nb7B12 ribbon was brought by controlled annealing to the nanocrystalline state. After annealing, the samples of the nanocrystalline ribbon were irradiated in a nuclear reactor with neutron fluences of 1×1016cm-2 and 1 × 1017cm-2 . By utilizing the magnetic force microscopy (MFM), topography and a magnetic domain structure were recorded at the surface of the ribbon-shaped samples before and after irradiation with neutrons. The results indicate that in terms of surface the nanocrystalline (Fe0.25Ni0.75)81Nb7B12 alloy is radiation-resistant up to a neutron fluence of 1 × 1017cm-2 . The changes in topography observed for both irradiated samples are discussed

Homotopy-Theoretic Study & Atomic-Scale Observation of Vortex Domains in Hexagonal Manganites

PubMed Central

Li, Jun; Chiang, Fu-Kuo; Chen, Zhen; Ma, Chao; Chu, Ming-Wen; Chen, Cheng-Hsuan; Tian, Huanfang; Yang, Huaixin; Li, Jianqi

2016-01-01

Essential structural properties of the non-trivial “string-wall-bounded” topological defects in hexagonal manganites are studied through homotopy group theory and spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. The appearance of a “string-wall-bounded” configuration in RMnO3 is shown to be strongly linked with the transformation of the degeneracy space. The defect core regions (~50 Å) mainly adopt the continuous U(1) symmetry of the high-temperature phase, which is essential for the formation and proliferation of vortices. Direct visualization of vortex strings at atomic scale provides insight into the mechanisms and macro-behavior of topological defects in crystalline materials. PMID:27324701

Thermo physical Properties of Multiferroic Rare Earth Manganite GdMnO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choithrani, Renu; Gaur, N. K.

2008-04-01

We have investigated the thermophysical properties of multiferroic rare earth manganite GdMnO3 in the temperature range 15 K⩽T⩽300 K. We have applied interatomic potential to study the Specific heat (C) as a function of temperature. The calculated Specific heat values are closer to the available experimental data. At room temperature, the orthorhombic GdMnO3 phase is indicative of a strong Jahn-Teller distortion. In addition, we have reported the cohesive energy (φ), molecular force constant (f), compressibility (β), Restrahalen frequency (ν0), Debye temperature (ΘD) and Groneisen parameter (γ) at temperature 15 K⩽T⩽300 K.

Production of nanocrystalline metal powders via combustion reaction synthesis

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

Frye, John G.; Weil, Kenneth Scott; Lavender, Curt A.

Nanocrystalline metal powders comprising tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium and/or niobium can be synthesized using a combustion reaction. Methods for synthesizing the nanocrystalline metal powders are characterized by forming a combustion synthesis solution by dissolving in water an oxidizer, a fuel, and a base-soluble, ammonium precursor of tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium, or niobium in amounts that yield a stoichiometric burn when combusted. The combustion synthesis solution is then heated to a temperature sufficient to substantially remove water and to initiate a self-sustaining combustion reaction. The resulting powder can be subsequently reduced to metal form by heating in a reducing gas environment.

Grain growth in nanocrystalline iron and Fe-Al alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirzadeh, Hamed; Zomorodian, Amir

2010-02-01

The effects of the annealing temperature and time, cryomilling in liquid nitrogen, and the addition of aluminum powder on the thermal stability and grain growth behavior of nanocrystalline iron were modeled using the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique. The developed model can be used as a guide for the quantification of the grain growth by considering the effects of annealing temperature and time. The model also quantified the effect of Al on the thermal stability of cryomilled nanocrystalline Fe. The model results showed that the cryomilling of Fe has a tangible effect on the stabilization of the nanostructure.

Effect of strontium substitution on the structural and magnetic properties of La1.8Sr0.2MMnO6 (M = Ni, Co)-layered manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimunnesa, Syeda; Ahmmad, Bashir; Basith, M. A.

2017-07-01

Sr-substituted perovskites, La1.8Sr0.2MMnO6 (M = Ni, Co), were synthesized using the solid-state reaction technique to present a systematic study on their morphological, structural and magnetic properties. The average grain size of the as-prepared La1.8Sr0.2NiMnO6 samples are in the range of 0.2-0.7 µm and those for La1.8Sr0.2CoMnO6 manganites are 0.1-2.8 μm, which is significantly less than that of unsubstituted La2NiMnO6 (LNMO) and La2CoMnO6 (LCMO) manganites. The XPS analysis enlightened about phase purity, binding energy and oxygen vacancy of La1.8Sr0.2MMnO6 manganites. The Sr-substituted LNMO has revealed a sharp ferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition at 160 ± 2 K, which is about 120 K less than that of parent LNMO. The Sr-substituted LCMO exhibited such a transition at 220 ± 2 K, which is 8 K less than that of parent LCMO. The temperature-dependent magnetization measurements suggest that the effect of Sr on the transition temperature in LNMO is more significant than that of LCMO.

Growth, microstructure and electrical properties of sputter-deposited hafnium oxide (HfO2) thin films grown using HfO2 ceramic target

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

Aguirre, B.; Vemuri, R. S.; Zubia, David

2011-01-01

Hafnium oxide (HfO₂) thin films have been made by radio-frequency (rf) magnetron-sputtering onto Si(100) substrates under varying growth temperature (Ts). HfO₂ ceramic target has been employed for sputtering while varying the Ts from room temperature to 500⁰C during deposition. The effect of Ts on the growth and microstructure of deposited HfO₂ films has been studied using grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM) coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS). The results indicate that the effect of Ts is significant on the growth, surface and interface structure, morphology and chemical composition ofmore » the HfO₂ films. Structural characterization indicates that the HfO₂ films grown at Ts<200 ⁰C are amorphous while films grown at Ts>200 ⁰C are nanocrystalline. An amorphous-to-crystalline transition occurs at Ts=200 ⁰C. Nanocrystalline HfO₂ films crystallized in a monoclinic structure with a (-111) orientation. XPS measurements indicated the high surface-chemical quality and stoichiometric nature of the grown HfO₂ films. An interface layer (IL) formation occurs due to reaction at the HfO₂-Si interface for HfO₂ films deposited at Ts>200 ⁰C. The thickness of IL increases with increasing Ts. XPS and EDS at the HfO₂-Si cross-section indicate the IL is a (Hf, Si)-O compound. The electrical characterization using capacitance-voltage measurements indicate that the dielectric constant decreases from 25 to 16 with increasing Ts.« less

Multilevel control of the metastable states in a manganite film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Feng; Feng, Qiyuan; Guo, Zhuang; Lan, Da; Chen, Binbin; Xu, Haoran; Wang, Ze; Wang, Lingfei; Gao, Guanyin; Chen, Feng; Lu, Qingyou; Wu, Wenbin

2017-06-01

For high density memory applications, the dynamic switching between multilevel resistance states per cell is highly desirable, and for oxide-based memory devices, the multistate operation has been actively explored. We have previously shown that for La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 films, the antiferromagnetic charge-ordered-insulator (COI) phase can be induced via the anisotropic epitaxial strain, and it competes with the doping-determined ferromagnetic-metal (FMM) ground state in a wide temperature range. Here, we show that for the phase competitions, in various magnetic fields and/or thermal cycling, the reappearance of the COI phase and thus the resistance and magnetization can be manipulated and quantified in a multilevel manner at lower temperatures. Furthermore, by using a high-field magnetic force microscope, we image the COI/FMM domain structures in accordance with the transport measurements, and find that the evolving domains or the phase fraction ratios do underline the metastability of the reappeared COI droplets, possibly protected by the energy barriers due to accommodation strain. These results may add new insights into the design and fabrication of future multilevel memory cells.

Structural, mechanical and magnetic study on galvanostatic electroplated nanocrystalline NiFeP thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalaivani, A.; Senguttuvan, G.; Kannan, R.

2018-03-01

Nickel based alloys has a huge applications in microelectronics and micro electromechanical systems owing to its superior soft magnetic properties. With the advantages of simplicity, cost-effectiveness and controllable patterning, electroplating processes has been chosen to fabricate thin films in our work. The soft magnetic NiFeP thin film was successfully deposited over the surface of copper plate through galvanostatic electroplating method by applying constant current density of 10 mA cm-2 for a deposition rate for half an hour. The properties of the deposited NiFeP thin films were analyzed by subjecting it into different physio-chemical characterization such as XRD, SEM, EDAX, AFM and VSM. XRD pattern confirms the formation of NiFeP particles and the structural analysis reveals that the NiFeP particles were uniformly deposited over the surface of copper substrate. The surface roughness analysis of the NiFeP films was done using AFM analysis. The magnetic studies and the hardness of the thin film were evaluated from the VSM and hardness test. The NiFeP thin films possess lower coercivity with higher magnetization value of 69. 36 × 10-3 and 431.92 Gauss.

Confining metal-halide perovskites in nanoporous thin films

PubMed Central

Demchyshyn, Stepan; Roemer, Janina Melanie; Groiß, Heiko; Heilbrunner, Herwig; Ulbricht, Christoph; Apaydin, Dogukan; Böhm, Anton; Rütt, Uta; Bertram, Florian; Hesser, Günter; Scharber, Markus Clark; Sariciftci, Niyazi Serdar; Nickel, Bert; Bauer, Siegfried; Głowacki, Eric Daniel; Kaltenbrunner, Martin

2017-01-01

Controlling the size and shape of semiconducting nanocrystals advances nanoelectronics and photonics. Quantum-confined, inexpensive, solution-derived metal halide perovskites offer narrowband, color-pure emitters as integral parts of next-generation displays and optoelectronic devices. We use nanoporous silicon and alumina thin films as templates for the growth of perovskite nanocrystallites directly within device-relevant architectures without the use of colloidal stabilization. We find significantly blue-shifted photoluminescence emission by reducing the pore size; normally infrared-emitting materials become visibly red, and green-emitting materials become cyan and blue. Confining perovskite nanocrystals within porous oxide thin films drastically increases photoluminescence stability because the templates auspiciously serve as encapsulation. We quantify the template-induced size of the perovskite crystals in nanoporous silicon with microfocus high-energy x-ray depth profiling in transmission geometry, verifying the growth of perovskite nanocrystals throughout the entire thickness of the nanoporous films. Low-voltage electroluminescent diodes with narrow, blue-shifted emission fabricated from nanocrystalline perovskites grown in embedded nanoporous alumina thin films substantiate our general concept for next-generation photonic devices. PMID:28798959

Electrophoretic-like gating used to control metal-insulator transitions in electronically phase separated manganite wires.

PubMed

Guo, Hangwen; Noh, Joo H; Dong, Shuai; Rack, Philip D; Gai, Zheng; Xu, Xiaoshan; Dagotto, Elbio; Shen, Jian; Ward, T Zac

2013-08-14

Electronically phase separated manganite wires are found to exhibit controllable metal-insulator transitions under local electric fields. The switching characteristics are shown to be fully reversible, polarity independent, and highly resistant to thermal breakdown caused by repeated cycling. It is further demonstrated that multiple discrete resistive states can be accessed in a single wire. The results conform to a phenomenological model in which the inherent nanoscale insulating and metallic domains are rearranged through electrophoretic-like processes to open and close percolation channels.

Effects of oxide distributed in grain boundaries on microstructure stability of nanocrystalline metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Kai; Li, Hui; Biao Pang, Jin; Wang, Zhu

2013-06-01

Nanocrystalline copper and zinc prepared by high-pressure compaction method have been studied by positron lifetime spectroscopy associated with X-ray diffraction. For nanocrystalline Cu, mean grain sizes of the samples decrease after being annealed at 900 °C and increase during aging at 180 °C, revealing that the atoms exchange between the two regions. The positron lifetime results indicate that the vacancy clusters formed in the annealing process are unstable and decomposed at the aging time below 6 hours. In addition, the partially oxidized surfaces of the nanoparticles hinder the grain growth during the ageing at 180 °C, and the vacancy clusters inside the disorder regions which are related to Cu2O need longer aging time to decompose. In the case of nanocrystalline Zn, the open volume defect (not larger than divacancy) is dominant according to the high relative intensity for the short positron lifetime (τ1). The oxide (ZnO) inside the grain boundaries has been found having an effect to hinder the decrease of average positron lifetime (τav) during the annealing, which probably indicates that the oxide stabilizes the microstructure of the grain boundaries. For both nanocrystalline copper and zinc, the oxides in grain boundaries enhance the thermal stability of the microstucture, in spite of their different crystal structures. This effect is very important for the nanocrystalline materials using as radiation resistant materials.