Effect of high temperature creep and oxidation on residual room temperature properties for several thin sheet superalloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Royster, D. M.; Lisagor, W. B.

1972-01-01

Superalloys are being considered for the primary heat shields and supports in the thermal protection system of both hypersonic transport and space shuttle vehicles. Since conservative design philosophy dictates designs based on residual material properties at the end of the service life, material characterization after exposure to the environmental conditions imposed by the flight requirements of these two classes of vehicles is needed on the candidate alloys. An investigation was conducted to provide some of the necessary data, with emphasis placed on oxidation, creep, and residual properties of thin-gage sheet material.

A tri-layer thin film containing graphene oxide to protect zinc substrates from wear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ying; Gu, Zhengpeng; Yuan, Ningyi; Chu, Fuqiang; Cheng, Guanggui; Ding, Jianning

2018-06-01

Due to its excellent properties, Zn alloy is widely used in daily life. However, the poor wear-resisting properties of Zn alloys limits their application. In this paper, a tri-layer thin film consisting of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS), graphene oxide (GO) and perfluoropolyethers (PFPE) were successfully prepared on the surface of Zn alloy to improve the wear-resisting properties. The as-prepared tri-layer thin films were characterized by atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurement. In addition, the tribological properties of the as-prepared tri-layer thin films were studied on a ball-on-plate tribometer and the morphologies of worn surfaces were observed using 3D noncontact interferometric microscope. Compared with the control samples, the tri-layer thin films showed excellent friction-reducing and wear-resisting properties, which was attributed to the synergistic effect of the GO as the load-carrying layer and the PFPE as the lubricating layer.

NiTi shape memory alloys treated by plasma-polymerized tetrafluoroethylene. A physicochemical and electrochemical characterization.

PubMed

Yahia, L H; Lombardi, S; Piron, D; Klemberg-Sapieha, J E; Wertheimer, M R

NiTi alloy specimens were plasma cleaned and then coated with a thin film of plasma-polymerized tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) in a Radio-Frequency reactor. The corrosion protection provided by these films was studied by potentiodynamic tests performed in Hank's physiological solution. Surface properties which determine biocompatibility were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the surface of untreated NiTi was mostly composed by oxygen, carbon, titanium oxide (TiO2) with traces of nickel oxides (NiO and Ni2O3) and metallic Ni. The passivity of untreated NiTi was found to be unstable in the simulated human body media. After plasma treatment, the NiTi surface contained only carbon and fluor. The plasma-polymerized thin film was found to stabilize the NiTi passivity and to increase its pitting potential. This treatment provides a good protection against dissolution of nickel from NiTi alloys.

Ultrasonic measurements of thin zinc layers on concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jansen, Henri; Brooks, Bill; Nguyen, Vinh; Koretsky, Milo

2008-05-01

In order to protect bridges at the coast from corrosion, a thin layer (approximately 0.5 mm) of zinc is sprayed on the concrete of the bridge. When this zinc layer is electrically connected to the reinforcing steel (rebar) and placed at a positive potential with respect to the rebar, oxidation is favored at the zinc layer and reduced at the rebar. The resulting protection of the rebar fails when the zinc layer delaminates from the concrete or when the zinc oxidation product layer becomes too thick. We have used ultrasonic detection to investigate the properties of the zinc layer. This method has been applied very successfully in the semiconductor industry. We present the details of the method and the expected response. Unfortunately, we are not able to measure changes in the zinc layer, because either the frequency we use (10-20 MHz) is too low, or scattering in the concrete is a dominant effect.

Experiments On Transparent Conductive Films For Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perez-Davis, Marla E.; Rutledge, Sharon K.; De Groh, Kim K.; Hung, Ching-Cheh; Malave-Sanabria, Tania; Hambourger, Paul; Roig, David

1995-01-01

Report describes experiments on thin, transparent, electrically conductive films made, variously, of indium tin oxide covered by magnesium fluoride (ITO/MgF2), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), or pure zinc oxide (ZnO). Films are candidates for application to such spacecraft components, including various optoelectronic devices and window surfaces that must be protected against buildup of static electric charge. On Earth, such films useful on heat mirrors, optoelectronic devices, gas sensors, and automotive and aircraft windows.

Beyond Graphene: Advanced 2D Electronic and Optoelectronic Crystals and Devices for Next Generation Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-25

layered systems including transitional metal dichalcogenides, oxides and nitrides which have an exciting spectrum of electronic, optical, thermal and...disulfide (WS2)islands materials were prepared by using H2S gas and Tungsten oxide thin films at 950C. Both AFM and FEG-SEM showed the triangular...gains defects after few layers growth. They also reported the property of h-BN protecting Ni from oxidation up to 1100C; it is more difficult to grow

Precautions toward XTEM of Si3N4/SiO2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogbuji, Linus U. J. T.

1991-01-01

Severe difficulties are encountered in the preparation of oxidized Si3N4 specimens for XTEM transmission electromicroscopic inspection, in virtue of the extreme difference between Si3N4 and SiO2 mechanical properties. Attention is presently given to a preparation method in which an overlayer of the nitride is always occluded; this protects the oxide through most of the thinning that specimen preparation entails. An XTEM image of the oxide/nitride interface is presented.

Stencil lithography of superconducting contacts on MBE-grown topological insulator thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schüffelgen, Peter; Rosenbach, Daniel; Neumann, Elmar; Stehno, Martin P.; Lanius, Martin; Zhao, Jialin; Wang, Meng; Sheehan, Brendan; Schmidt, Michael; Gao, Bo; Brinkman, Alexander; Mussler, Gregor; Schäpers, Thomas; Grützmacher, Detlev

2017-11-01

Topological insulator (Bi0.06Sb0.94)2Te3 thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy have been capped in-situ with a 2 nm Al film to conserve the pristine topological surface states. Subsequently, a shadow mask - structured by means of focus ion beam - was in-situ placed underneath the sample to deposit a thick layer of Al on well-defined microscopically small areas. The 2 nm thin Al layer fully oxidizes after exposure to air and in this way protects the TI surface from degradation. The thick Al layer remains metallic underneath a 3-4 nm thick native oxide layer and therefore serves as (super-) conducting contacts. Superconductor-Topological Insulator-Superconductor junctions with lateral dimensions in the nm range have then been fabricated via an alternative stencil lithography technique. Despite the in-situ deposition, transport measurements and transmission electron microscope analysis indicate a low transparency, due to an intermixed region at the interface between topological insulator thin film and metallic Al.

Characterizing the structure of topological insulator thin films

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

Richardella, Anthony; Kandala, Abhinav; Lee, Joon Sue

2015-08-01

We describe the characterization of structural defects that occur during molecular beam epitaxy of topological insulator thin films on commonly used substrates. Twinned domains are ubiquitous but can be reduced by growth on smooth InP (111)A substrates, depending on details of the oxide desorption. Even with a low density of twins, the lattice mismatch between (Bi, Sb){sub 2}Te{sub 3} and InP can cause tilts in the film with respect to the substrate. We also briefly discuss transport in simultaneously top and back electrically gated devices using SrTiO{sub 3} and the use of capping layers to protect topological insulator films frommore » oxidation and exposure.« less

Thin film three-dimensional topological insulator metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors: A candidate for sub-10 nm devices

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

Akhavan, N. D., E-mail: nima.dehdashti@uwa.edu.au; Jolley, G.; Umana-Membreno, G. A.

2014-08-28

Three-dimensional (3D) topological insulators (TI) are a new state of quantum matter in which surface states reside in the bulk insulating energy bandgap and are protected by time-reversal symmetry. It is possible to create an energy bandgap as a consequence of the interaction between the conduction band and valence band surface states from the opposite surfaces of a TI thin film, and the width of the bandgap can be controlled by the thin film thickness. The formation of an energy bandgap raises the possibility of thin-film TI-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs). In this paper, we explore the performance of MOSFETs basedmore » on thin film 3D-TI structures by employing quantum ballistic transport simulations using the effective continuous Hamiltonian with fitting parameters extracted from ab-initio calculations. We demonstrate that thin film transistors based on a 3D-TI structure provide similar electrical characteristics compared to a Si-MOSFET for gate lengths down to 10 nm. Thus, such a device can be a potential candidate to replace Si-based MOSFETs in the sub-10 nm regime.« less

Design and evaluation of thin metal surface insulation for hypersonic flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, R. C.; Petach, A. M.

1976-01-01

An all-metal insulation was studied as a thermal protection system for hypersonic vehicles. Key program goals included fabricating the insulation in thin packages which are optimized for high temperature insulation of an actively cooled aluminum structure, and the use of state-of-the-art alloys. The insulation was fabricated from 300 series stainless steel in thicknesses of 0.8 to 12 mm. The outer, 0.127 mm thick, skin was textured to accommodate thermal expansion and oxidized to increase emittance. The thin insulating package was achieved using an insulation concept consisting of foil radiation shields spaced within the package, and conical foil supports to carry loads from the skin and maintain package dimensions. Samples of the metal-insulation were tested to evaluate thermal insulation capability, rain and sand erosion resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, applied load capability, and high temperature emittance.

Organics Exposure in Orbit (OREOcube): A Next-Generation Space Exposure Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elsaesser, Andreas; Quinn, Richard; Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Mattioda, Andrew L.; Ricco, Antonio J.; Alonzo, Jason; Breitenbach, Alex; Chan, Yee Kim; Fresneau, Aurelien; Salama, Farid;

Silicon solar cell performance deposited by diamond like carbon thin film ;Atomic oxygen effects;

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aghaei, Abbas Ail; Eshaghi, Akbar; Karami, Esmaeil

2017-09-01

In this research, a diamond-like carbon thin film was deposited on p-type polycrystalline silicon solar cell via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method by using methane and hydrogen gases. The effect of atomic oxygen on the functioning of silicon coated DLC thin film and silicon was investigated. Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the DLC thin film. Photocurrent-voltage characteristics of the silicon solar cell were carried out using a solar simulator. The results showed that atomic oxygen exposure induced the including oxidation, structural changes, cross-linking reactions and bond breaking of the DLC film; thus reducing the optical properties. The photocurrent-voltage characteristics showed that although the properties of the fabricated thin film were decreased after being exposed to destructive rays, when compared with solar cell without any coating, it could protect it in atomic oxygen condition enhancing solar cell efficiency up to 12%. Thus, it can be said that diamond-like carbon thin layer protect the solar cell against atomic oxygen exposure.

Durable thin film coatings for reflectors used in low earth orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcclure, Donald J.

1989-01-01

This paper discusses the properties of thin film coatings used to provide a durable reflective surface for solar concentrators used in the solar dynamic system designed for the Space Station. The material system to be used consists of an adhesion promotion layer, a silver reflective layer, and a protective layer of aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide. The performance characteristics of this system are described and compared to those of several alternative systems which use aluminum as the reflective layer.

Growth and sacrificial oxidation of transition metal nanolayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2009-04-01

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

In situ observation of the impact of surface oxidation on the crystallization mechanism of GeTe phase-change thin films by scanning transmission electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berthier, R.; Bernier, N.; Cooper, D.; Sabbione, C.; Hippert, F.; Noé, P.

2017-09-01

The crystallization mechanisms of prototypical GeTe phase-change material thin films have been investigated by in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy annealing experiments. A novel sample preparation method has been developed to improve sample quality and stability during in situ annealing, enabling quantitative analysis and live recording of phase change events. Results show that for an uncapped 100 nm thick GeTe layer, exposure to air after fabrication leads to composition changes which promote heterogeneous nucleation at the oxidized surface. We also demonstrate that protecting the GeTe layer with a 10 nm SiN capping layer prevents nucleation at the surface and allows volume nucleation at a temperature 50 °C higher than the onset of crystallization in the oxidized sample. Our results have important implications regarding the integration of these materials in confined memory cells.

Use of cermet thin film resistors with nitride passivated metal insulator field effect transistor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, G. A.; Harrap, V.

1971-01-01

Film deposition of cermet resistors on same chip with metal nitride oxide silicon field effect transistors permits protection of contamination sensitive active devices from contaminants produced in cermet deposition and definition processes. Additional advantages include lower cost, greater reliability, and space savings.

Employing Synergetic Effect of Doping and Thin Film Coating to Boost the Performance of Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Particles

PubMed Central

Patel, Rajankumar L.; Jiang, Ying-Bing; Choudhury, Amitava; Liang, Xinhua

2016-01-01

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has evolved as an important technique to coat conformal protective thin films on cathode and anode particles of lithium ion batteries to enhance their electrochemical performance. Coating a conformal, conductive and optimal ultrathin film on cathode particles has significantly increased the capacity retention and cycle life as demonstrated in our previous work. In this work, we have unearthed the synergetic effect of electrochemically active iron oxide films coating and partial doping of iron on LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 (LMNO) particles. The ionic Fe penetrates into the lattice structure of LMNO during the ALD process. After the structural defects were saturated, the iron started participating in formation of ultrathin oxide films on LMNO particle surface. Owing to the conductive nature of iron oxide films, with an optimal film thickness of ~0.6 nm, the initial capacity improved by ~25% at room temperature and by ~26% at an elevated temperature of 55 °C at a 1C cycling rate. The synergy of doping of LMNO with iron combined with the conductive and protective nature of the optimal iron oxide film led to a high capacity retention (~93% at room temperature and ~91% at 55 °C) even after 1,000 cycles at a 1C cycling rate. PMID:27142704

Durability Issues for the Protection of Materials from Atomic Oxygen Attack in Low Earth Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, Bruce; Lenczewski, Mary; Demko, Rikako

2002-01-01

Low Earth orbital atomic oxygen is capable of eroding most polymeric materials typically used on spacecraft. Solar array blankets, thermal control polymers, and carbon fiber matrix composites are readily oxidized to become thinner and less capable of supporting the loads imposed upon them. Protective coatings have been developed that are durable to atomic oxygen to prevent oxidative erosion of the underlying polymers. However, the details of the surface roughness, coating defect density, and coating configuration can play a significant role as to whether or not the coating provides long duration atomic oxygen protection. Identical coatings on different surface roughness surfaces can have drastically different durability results. Examples and analysis of the causes of resultant differences in atomic oxygen protection are presented. Implications based on in-space experiences, ground laboratory testing, and computational modeling indicate that thin film vacuum-deposited aluminum protective coatings offer much less atomic oxygen protection than sputter-deposited silicon dioxide coatings.

Chemical vapor deposited silica coatings for solar mirror protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulino, Daniel A.; Dever, Therese M.; Banholzer, William F.

1988-01-01

A variety of techniques is available to apply protective coatings to oxidation susceptible spacecraft components, and each has associated advantages and disadvantages. Film applications by means of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has the advantage of being able to be applied conformally to objects of irregular shape. For this reason, a study was made of the oxygen plasma durability of thin film (less than 5000 A) silicon dioxide coatings applied by CVD. In these experiments, such coatings were applied to silver mirrors, which are strongly subject to oxidation, and which are proposed for use on the space station solar dynamic power system. Results indicate that such coatings can provide adequate protection without affecting the reflectance of the mirror. Scanning electron micrographs indicated that oxidation of the silver layer did occur at stress crack locations, but this did not affect the measured solar reflectances. Oxidation of the silver did not proceed beyond the immediate location of the crack. Such stress cracks did not occur in thinner silica flims, and hence such films would be desirable for this application.

Chemical vapor deposited silica coatings for solar mirror protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulino, Daniel A.; Dever, Therese M.; Banholzer, William F.

1988-01-01

A variety of techniques is available to apply protective coatings to oxidation susceptible spacecraft components, and each has associated advantages and disadvantages. Film applications by means of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has the advantage of being able to be applied conformally to objects of irregular shape. For this reason, a study was made of the oxygen plasma durability of thin film (less than 5000 A) silicon dioxide coatings applied by CVD. In these experiments, such coatings were applied to silver mirrors, which are strongly subject to oxidation, and which are proposed for use on the space station solar dynamic power system. Results indicate that such coatings can provide adequate protection without affecting the reflectance of the mirror. Scanning electron micrographs indicated that oxidation of the silver layer did occur at stress crack locations, but this did not affect the measured solar reflectances. Oxidation of the silver did not proceed beyond the immediate location of the crack. Such stress cracks did not occur in thinner silica films, and hence such films would be desirable for this application.

Sputtered coatings for protection of spacecraft polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, B. A.; Mirtich, M. J.; Rutledge, S. K.; Swec, D. M.

1983-01-01

Kapton polyimide oxidizes at significant rates (4.3x10(-24) gram/incident oxygen atom) when exposed in low Earth orbit to the ram atomic oxygen flux. Ion beam sputter deposited thin films of Al2O3 and SiO2 as well as a codeposited mixture of predominantly SiO2 with a small amount of polytetrafluoroethylene were evaluated and found to be effective in protecting Kapton from oxidation in both laboratory plasma ashing tests as well as in space on board shuttle flight STS-8. A protective film of or = 96 percent SiO2 and or = 4 percent polytetrafluoroethylene was found to be very flexible compared to the pure metal oxide coatings and resulted in mass loss rates that were 0.2 percent of that of the unprotected Kapton. The optical properties of Kapton for wavelengths investigated between 0.33 and 2.2 microns were not significantly altered by the presence of the coatings or changed by exposure of the coated Kapton to the low Earth orbital ram environment.

Passivation of Plasmonic Colors on Bulk Silver by Atomic Layer Deposition of Aluminum Oxide.

PubMed

Guay, Jean-Michel; Killaire, Graham; Gordon, Peter G; Barry, Sean T; Berini, Pierre; Weck, Arnaud

2018-05-01

We report the passivation of angle-independent plasmonic colors on bulk silver by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of thin films of aluminum oxide. The colors are rendered by silver nanoparticles produced by laser ablation and redeposition on silver. We then apply a two-step approach to aluminum oxide conformal film formation via ALD. In the first step, a low-density film is deposited at low temperature to preserve and pin the silver nanoparticles. In the second step, a second denser film is deposited at a higher temperature to provide tarnish protection. This approach successfully protects the silver and plasmonic colors against tarnishing, humidity, and temperature, as demonstrated by aggressive exposure trials. The processing time associated with deposition of the conformal passivation layers meets industry requirements, and the approach is compatible with mass manufacturing.

Stretchable metal oxide thin film transistors on engineered substrate for electronic skin applications.

PubMed

Romeo, Alessia; Lacour, Stphanie P

2015-08-01

Electronic skins aim at providing distributed sensing and computation in a large-area and elastic membrane. Control and addressing of high-density soft sensors will be achieved when thin film transistor matrices are also integrated in the soft carrier substrate. Here, we report on the design, manufacturing and characterization of metal oxide thin film transistors on these stretchable substrates. The TFTs are integrated onto an engineered silicone substrate with embedded strain relief to protect the devices from catastrophic cracking. The TFT stack is composed of an amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O active layer, a hybrid AlxOy/Parylene dielectric film, gold electrodes and interconnects. All layers are prepared and patterned with planar, low temperature and dry processing. We demonstrate the interconnected IGZO TFTs sustain applied tensile strain up to 20% without electrical degradation and mechanical fracture. Active devices are critical for distributed sensing. The compatibility of IGZO TFTs with soft and biocompatible substrates is an encouraging step towards wearable electronic skins.

Ultraviolet-B Protective Effect of Flavonoids from Eugenia caryophylata on Human Dermal Fibroblast Cells.

PubMed

Patwardhan, Juilee; Bhatt, Purvi

2015-10-01

The exposure of skin to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiations leads to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage and can induce production of free radicals which imbalance the redox status of the cell and lead to increased oxidative stress. Clove has been traditionally used for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-viral, and antiseptic effects. To evaluate the UV-B protective activity of flavonoids from Eugenia caryophylata (clove) buds on human dermal fibroblast cells. Protective ability of flavonoid-enriched (FE) fraction of clove was studied against UV-B induced cytotoxicity, anti-oxidant regulation, oxidative DNA damage, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, apoptotic morphological changes, and regulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene through nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 antioxidant response element (Nrf2 ARE) pathway. FE fraction showed a significant antioxidant potential. Pretreatment of cells with FE fraction (10-40 μg/ml) reversed the effects of UV-B induced cytotoxicity, depletion of endogenous enzymatic antioxidants, oxidative DNA damage, intracellular ROS production, apoptotic changes, and overexpression of Nrf2 and HO-1. The present study demonstrated for the first time that the FE fraction from clove could confer UV-B protection probably through the Nrf2-ARE pathway, which included the down-regulation of Nrf2 and HO-1. These findings suggested that the flavonoids from clove could potentially be considered as UV-B protectants and can be explored further for its topical application to the area of the skin requiring protection. Pretreatment of human dermal fibroblast with flavonoid-enriched fraction of Eugenia caryophylata attenuated effects of ultraviolet-B radiationsIt also conferred protection through nuclear factor E2-related factor 2-antioxidant response pathway and increased tolerance of cells against oxidative stressFlavonoid-enriched fraction can be explored further for topical application to the skin as a ultraviolet-B protectant. Abbreviations used: ABTS: 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulphonic acid), AO: Acridine orange, Analysis of variance, ARE: Antioxidant response elements, BSA: Bovine serum albumin, CAPE: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester, CAT: Catalase, DCFH-DA: 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate, DMEM: Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium, DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide, DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, DPBS: Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline, DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ECL: Enhanced chemiluminescence, EDTA: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunesorbent assay, EtBr: Ethidium bromide, FBS: Fetal bovine serum, FE fraction: Flavonoid-enriched fraction, FRAP: Ferric reducing antioxidant power, GPx: Glutathione peroxidase, GR: Glutathione reductase, GST: Glutathione-S-transferase, GSH: Reduced glutathione, GSSG: Oxidized glutathione, HDF: Human dermal fibroblast, HEPES: 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulphonic acid, HRP: Horseradish peroxidase, HO-1: Heme oxygenase-1, HPTLC: High-performance thin layer chromatography, Keap-1: Kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1, MTT: 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, NaCl: Sodium chloride, NFDM: Nonfat dry milk, Nrf2: Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2, NQO1: NAD (P) H: Quinine oxidoreductase 1, OH: Hydroxyl ions, PBST: Phosphate buffered saline with 0.1% tween 20, PCR: Polymerase chain reaction, PMSF: Phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, Rf: Retention factor, ROS: Reactive oxygen species, rRNA: Ribosomal ribonucleic acid, SDS: Sodium dodecyl sulfate, SOD: Superoxide dismutase, TLC: Thin layer chromatography, TLC-DPPH: Thin layer chromatography-2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, UV: Ultraviolet, UV-A: Ultraviolet-A, UV-B: Ultraviolet-B, UV-C: Ultraviolet-C, and qPCR: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Factors Affecting the Development of Oxide Scales on Austenitic Stainless Steels during Hot Rolling in Steckel Mills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cobo, S. J.; Rainforth, W. M.

2008-10-01

The hot rolling of austenitic stainless steels in Steckel Mills introduces particular characteristics to the development of oxides scales and surface structures. In this work, the formation of oxide structures during multipass hot rolling of 302 steel was studied under different sets of processing parameters in a laboratory system designed for the simulation of the Steckel process. The resulting surface structures were characterized by a set of complementary techniques involving scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and glow discharge optical spectroscopy (GDOS). The surface analysis revealed two alternative surface structures: one consisting in a thin protective oxide layer rich in Cr2O3 and the other consisting in thick complex structures containing several successive nonprotective oxide scale and metal layers resulting from a cyclic oxidation pattern involving stages of protective oxidation, chemical breakaway, and duplex oxidation. The critical condition that determined the activation of one mechanism or the other was identified associated with the parabolic rate constant for Cr2O3 growth and the diffusivity of Cr in the alloy. The effects of changes in temperature, deformation, and furnace atmosphere are discussed. Alternatives for controlling scale development are presented.

Atmospheric deposition process for enhanced hybrid organic-inorganic multilayer barrier thin films for surface protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehman, Mohammad Mutee ur; Kim, Kwang Tae; Na, Kyoung Hoan; Choi, Kyung Hyun

2017-11-01

In this study, organic polymer poly-vinyl acetate (PVA) and inorganic aluminum oxide (Al2O3) have been used together to fabricate a hybrid barrier thin film for the protection of PET substrate. The organic thin films of PVA were developed through roll to roll electrohydrodynamic atomization (R2R-EHDA) whereas the inorganic thin films of Al2O3 were grown by roll to roll spatial atmospheric atomic layer deposition (R2R-SAALD) for mass production. The use of these two technologies together to develop a multilayer hybrid organic-inorganic barrier thin films under atmospheric conditions is reported for the first time. These multilayer hybrid barrier thin films are fabricated on flexible PET substrate. Each layer of Al2O3 and PVA in barrier thin film exhibited excellent morphological, chemical and optical properties. Extremely uniform and atomically thin films of Al2O3 with average arithmetic roughness (Ra) of 1.64 nm and 1.94 nm respectively concealed the non-uniformity and irregularities in PVA thin films with Ra of 2.9 nm and 3.6 nm respectively. The optical transmittance of each layer was ∼ 80-90% while the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of hybrid barrier was in the range of ∼ 2.3 × 10-2 g m-2 day-1 with a total film thickness of ∼ 200 nm. Development of such hybrid barrier thin films with mass production and low cost will allow various flexible electronic devices to operate in atmospheric conditions without degradation of their properties.

Z-scan measurement for nonlinear absorption property of rGO/ZnO:Al thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreeja, V. G.; Anila, E. I.

2018-04-01

We report the fabrication of reduced graphene oxide integrated aluminium doped zinc oxide (rGO/ZnO:Al) composite thin film on a glass substrate by spin coating technique. The effect of rGO on structural and linear optical properties of rGO/ZnO:Al composite thin film was explored with the help of X-Ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. Structural studies reveals that the composite film has hexagonal wurtzite structure with a strong bonding between rGO and ZnO:Al material. The band gap energy of ZnO:Al thin film was red shifted by the addition of rGO. The Nonlinear absorption property was investigated by open aperture Z-scan technique by using Q switched Nd-YAG laser at 532nm. The Z-scan results showed that the composite film demonstrates reverse saturable absorption property with a nonlinear absorption coefficient, β, of 12.75×10-7m/w. The results showed that investigated rGO/ZnO:Al thin film is a promising material suitable for the applications in absorbing type optical devices such as optical limiters, optical switches and protection of the optical sensors in the field of nonlinear optics.

Electrochemical Protection of Thin Film Electrodes in Solid State Nanopores

PubMed Central

Harrer, Stefan; Waggoner, Philip S.; Luan, Binquan; Afzali-Ardakani, Ali; Goldfarb, Dario L.; Peng, Hongbo; Martyna, Glenn; Rossnagel, Stephen M.; Stolovitzky, Gustavo A.

2011-01-01

We have eliminated electrochemical surface oxidation and reduction as well as water decomposition inside sub-5-nm wide nanopores in conducting TiN membranes using a surface passivation technique. Nanopore ionic conductances, and therefore pore diameters, were unchanged in passivated pores after applying potentials of ±4.5 V for as long as 24 h. Water decomposition was eliminated by using aqueous 90% glycerol solvent. The use of a protective self-assembled monolayer of hexadecylphosphonic acid was also investigated. PMID:21597142

Graphene oxide/metal nanocrystal multilaminates as the atomic limit for safe and selective hydrogen storage.

PubMed

Cho, Eun Seon; Ruminski, Anne M; Aloni, Shaul; Liu, Yi-Sheng; Guo, Jinghua; Urban, Jeffrey J

2016-02-23

Interest in hydrogen fuel is growing for automotive applications; however, safe, dense, solid-state hydrogen storage remains a formidable scientific challenge. Metal hydrides offer ample storage capacity and do not require cryogens or exceedingly high pressures for operation. However, hydrides have largely been abandoned because of oxidative instability and sluggish kinetics. We report a new, environmentally stable hydrogen storage material constructed of Mg nanocrystals encapsulated by atomically thin and gas-selective reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets. This material, protected from oxygen and moisture by the rGO layers, exhibits exceptionally dense hydrogen storage (6.5 wt% and 0.105 kg H2 per litre in the total composite). As rGO is atomically thin, this approach minimizes inactive mass in the composite, while also providing a kinetic enhancement to hydrogen sorption performance. These multilaminates of rGO-Mg are able to deliver exceptionally dense hydrogen storage and provide a material platform for harnessing the attributes of sensitive nanomaterials in demanding environments.

High pressure hydriding of sponge-Zr in steam-hydrogen mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soo Kim, Yeon; Wang, Wei-E.; Olander, D. R.; Yagnik, S. K.

1997-07-01

Hydriding kinetics of thin sponge-Zr layers metallurgically bonded to a Zircaloy disk has been studied by thermogravimetry in the temperature range 350-400°C in 7 MPa hydrogen-steam mixtures. Some specimens were prefilmed with a thin oxide layer prior to exposure to the reactant gas; all were coated with a thin layer of gold to avoid premature reaction at edges. Two types of hydriding were observed in prefilmed specimens, viz., a slow hydrogen absorption process that precedes an accelerated (massive) hydriding. At 7 MPa total pressure, the critical ratio of H 2/H 2O above which massive hydriding occurs at 400°C is ˜ 200. The critical H 2/H 20 ratio is shifted to ˜2.5 × 103 at 350°C. The slow hydriding process occurs only when conditions for hydriding and oxidation are approximately equally favorable. Based on maximum weight gain, the specimen is completely converted to δ-ZrH 2 by massive hydriding in ˜5 h at a hydriding rate of ˜10 -6 mol H/cm 2 s. Incubation times of 10-20 h prior to the onset of massive hydriding increases with prefilm oxide thickness in the range of 0-10 μm. By changing to a steam-enriched gas, massive hydriding that initially started in a steam-starved condition was arrested by re-formation of a protective oxide scale.

Atomic-scale visualization of oxide thin-film surfaces.

PubMed

Iwaya, Katsuya; Ohsawa, Takeo; Shimizu, Ryota; Okada, Yoshinori; Hitosugi, Taro

2018-01-01

The interfaces of complex oxide heterostructures exhibit intriguing phenomena not observed in their constituent materials. The oxide thin-film growth of such heterostructures has been successfully controlled with unit-cell precision; however, atomic-scale understandings of oxide thin-film surfaces and interfaces have remained insufficient. We examined, with atomic precision, the surface and electronic structures of oxide thin films and their growth processes using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. Our results reveal that oxide thin-film surface structures are complicated in contrast to the general perception and that atomically ordered surfaces can be achieved with careful attention to the surface preparation. Such atomically ordered oxide thin-film surfaces offer great opportunities not only for investigating the microscopic origins of interfacial phenomena but also for exploring new surface phenomena and for studying the electronic states of complex oxides that are inaccessible using bulk samples.

Spectroscopic ellipsometry investigation of the optical properties of graphene oxide dip-coated on magnetron sputtered gold thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Politano, Grazia Giuseppina; Vena, Carlo; Desiderio, Giovanni; Versace, Carlo

2018-02-01

Despite intensive investigations on graphene oxide-gold nanocomposites, the interaction of graphene oxide sheets with magnetron sputtered gold thin films has not been studied yet. The optical constants of graphene oxide thin films dip-coated on magnetron sputtered gold thin films were determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the [300-1000] wavelength range. Moreover, the morphologic properties of the samples were investigated by SEM analysis. Graphene oxide absorbs mainly in the ultraviolet region, but when it is dip-coated on magnetron sputtered gold thin films, its optical constants show dramatic changes, becoming absorbing in the visible region, with a peak of the extinction coefficient at 3.1 eV. Using magnetron sputtered gold thin films as a substrate for graphene oxide thin films could therefore be the key to enhance graphene oxide optical sheets' properties for several technological applications, preserving their oxygen content and avoiding the reduction process.

Processing of fused silicide coatings for carbon-based materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smialek, J. L.

1982-01-01

The processing and oxidation resistance of fused Al-Si and Ni-Si slurry coatings on ATJ graphite was studied. Ni-Si coatings in the 70 to 90 percent Si range were successfully processed to melt, wet, and bond to the graphite. The molten coatings also infiltrated the porosity in graphite and reacted with it to form SiC in the coating. Cyclic oxidation at 1200 C showed that these coatings were not totally protective because of local attack of the substrate, due to the extreme thinness of the coatings in combination with coating cracks.

Demonstration of high-performance p-type tin oxide thin-film transistors using argon-plasma surface treatments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Sang-Dae; Kwon, Soo-Hun; Jeong, Hwan-Seok; Kwon, Hyuck-In

2017-07-01

In this work, we investigated the effects of low-temperature argon (Ar)-plasma surface treatments on the physical and chemical structures of p-type tin oxide thin-films and the electrical performance of p-type tin oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs). From the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement, we found that SnO was the dominant phase in the deposited tin oxide thin-film, and the Ar-plasma treatment partially transformed the tin oxide phase from SnO to SnO2 by oxidation. The resistivity of the tin oxide thin-film increased with the plasma-treatment time because of the reduced hole concentration. In addition, the root-mean-square roughness of the tin oxide thin-film decreased as the plasma-treatment time increased. The p-type oxide TFT with an Ar-plasma-treated tin oxide thin-film exhibited excellent electrical performance with a high current on-off ratio (5.2 × 106) and a low off-current (1.2 × 10-12 A), which demonstrates that the low-temperature Ar-plasma treatment is a simple and effective method for improving the electrical performance of p-type tin oxide TFTs.

Optimization of Al2O3/TiO2 nanolaminate thin films prepared with different oxide ratios, for use in organic light-emitting diode encapsulation, via plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition.

PubMed

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

2016-01-14

Encapsulation is essential for protecting the air-sensitive components of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), such as the active layers and cathode electrodes. Thin film encapsulation approaches based on an oxide layer are suitable for flexible electronics, including OLEDs, because they provide mechanical flexibility, the layers are thin, and they are easy to prepare. This study examined the effects of the oxide ratio on the water permeation barrier properties of Al2O3/TiO2 nanolaminate films prepared by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition. We found that the Al2O3/TiO2 nanolaminate film exhibited optimal properties for a 1 : 1 atomic ratio of Al2O3/TiO2 with the lowest water vapor transmission rate of 9.16 × 10(-5) g m(-2) day(-1) at 60 °C and 90% RH. OLED devices that incorporated Al2O3/TiO2 nanolaminate films prepared with a 1 : 1 atomic ratio showed the longest shelf-life, in excess of 2000 hours under 60 °C and 90% RH conditions, without forming dark spots or displaying edge shrinkage.

Preservation of far-UV aluminum reflectance by means of overcoating with C60 films.

PubMed

Méndez, J A; Larruquert, J I; Aznárez, J A

2000-01-01

Thin films of C(60) were investigated as protective coatings of Al films to preserve their far-UV (FUV) reflectance by inhibition or retardation of their oxidation. Two methods were used for the overcoating of Al films with approximately one monolayer of C(60): (1) deposition of a multilayer film followed by temperature desorption of all but one monolayer and (2) direct deposition of approximately one-monolayer film. We exposed both types of sample to controlled doses of molecular oxygen and water vapor and measured their FUV reflectance before and after exposure to evaluate the achieved protection on the Al films. The whole process of sample preparation, reflectance measurement, sample heating, and oxidation was made without breaking vacuum. Results show that a C(60) monolayer protected Al from oxidation to some extent, although FUV reflectance of unprotected Al films was never exceeded. FUV optical constants of C(60) films and the FUV reflectance of the C(60) film as deposited and as a function of exposure to O(2) were also measured.

Enhancing the Oxidation Stability of Polydivinylbenzene Films via Residual Pendant Vinyl Passivation

DOE PAGES

Lepro, Xavier; Ehrmann, Paul; Rodriguez, Jennifer; ...

2018-01-11

Polydivinylbenzene (PDVB) is a thermally stable, optically transparent, crosslinked polymer that until recently has been difficult to synthesize as a thin film. With the recent demonstration of initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) of thin PDVB films, a renewed interest in the material properties of PDVB has developed. In particular, attention is now focused on its oxidation pathways and long-term stability under the desired application use conditions. In this paper, we report on the thermal and environmental stability of PDVB films and show that unreacted pendant vinyl groups drive polymer oxidation upon exposure to either air or light. We demonstrate thatmore » such vinyls can be effectively passivated by a simple ex-situ thermal annealing at ca. 300 °C in inert atmosphere that induces an 87% reduction of the PDVB oxidation rate in air and slows light (λ=405 nm) induced oxidation by 56%. While the thermal annealing is less effective at preventing oxidation under higher energy (λ = 365 nm) UV light, we demonstrate that this aging pathway is based on the presence of reactive oxygen species rather than traditional photo-oxidation. Finally, vinyl removal through ex-situ thermal annealing improves the chemical stability of iCVD PDVB to continuous air (over 500 days) or light (70 hours) exposure and offers a simple option to improve its environmental aging resistance which is important for long-term protective applications.« less

Silicon carbide multilayer protective coating on carbon obtained by thermionic vacuum arc method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciupină, Victor; Lungu, Cristian Petrica; Vladoiu, Rodica; Prodan, Gabriel; Porosnicu, Corneliu; Belc, Marius; Stanescu, Iuliana M.; Vasile, Eugeniu; Rughinis, Razvan

2014-01-01

Thermionic vacuum arc (TVA) method is currently developing, in particular, to work easily with heavy fusible material for the advantage presented by control of directing energy for the elements forming a plasma. The category of heavy fusible material can recall C and W (high-melting point materials), and are difficult to obtain or to control by other means. Carbon is now used in many areas of special mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. We refer in particular to high-temperature applications where unwanted effects may occur due to oxidation. Changed properties may lead to improper functioning of the item or device. For example, increasing the coefficient of friction may induce additional heat on moving items. One solution is to protect the item in question by coating with proper materials. Silicon carbide (SiC) was chosen mainly due to compatibility with coated carbon substrate. Recently, SiC has been used as conductive transparent window for optical devices, particularly in thin film solar cells. Using the TVA method, SiC coatings were obtained as thin films (multilayer structures), finishing with a thermal treatment up to 1000°C. Structural properties and oxidation behavior of the multilayer films were investigated, and the measurements showed that the third layer acts as a stopping layer for oxygen. Also, the friction coefficient of the protected films is lower relative to unprotected carbon films.

Photochemical metal organic deposition of metal oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Law, Wai Lung (Simon)

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

Effects of surface poisons on the oxidation of binary alloys

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

Hagan, P.S.; Polizzotti, R.S.; Luckman, G.

1985-10-01

A system of reaction-diffusion equations describing the oxidation of binary alloys in environments containing small amounts of surface poisons is analyzed. These poisons reduce the oxygen flux into the alloy, which causes the alloy to oxidize in two stages.During the initial stage, the oxidation reaction occurs in a stationary boundary layer at the alloy surface. Consequently, a thin zone containing a very high concentration of the metal oxide is created at the alloy surface. During the second stage, the oxidation reaction occurs in a moving boundary layer. This leads to a Stefan problem, which is analyzed by using asymptotic andmore » numerical techniques. By comparing the solutions to those of alloys in unpoisoned environments, it is concluded that surface poisons can lead to the formation of protective external oxide scales in alloys which would not normally form such scales. 11 references.« less

Synthesis, characterization and oxidation of metallic cobalt (Co) thin film into semiconducting cobalt oxide (Co3O4)thin film using microwave plasma CVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman Ansari, Akhalakur; Hussain, Shahir; Imran, Mohd; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh; Alshahrie, Ahmed

2018-06-01

The pure cobalt thin film was deposited on the glass substrate by using DC magnetron sputtering and then exposed to microwave assist oxygen plasma generated in microwave plasma CVD. The oxidation process of Co thin film into Co3O4 thin films with different microwave power and temperature were studied. The influences of microwave power, temperature and irradiation time were investigated on the morphology and particle size of oxide thin films. The crystal structure, chemical conformation, morphologies and optical properties of oxidized Co thin films (Co3O4) were studied by using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Raman Spectroscopy and UV–vis Spectroscopy. The data of these films showed complete oxidation pure metallic cobalt (Co) into cobalt oxide (Co3O4). The optical properties were studied for calculating the direct band gaps which ranges from 1.35 to 1.8 eV.

Stabilized CdSe-CoPi composite photoanode for light-assisted water oxidation by transformation of a CdSe/cobalt metal thin film.

PubMed

Costi, Ronny; Young, Elizabeth R; Bulović, Vladimir; Nocera, Daniel G

2013-04-10

Integration of water splitting catalysts with visible-light-absorbing semiconductors would enable direct solar-energy-to-fuel conversion schemes such as those based on water splitting. A disadvantage of some common semiconductors that possess desirable optical bandgaps is their chemical instability under the conditions needed for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this study, we demonstrate the dual benefits gained from using a cobalt metal thin-film as the precursor for the preparation of cobalt-phosphate (CoPi) OER catalyst on cadmium chalcogenide photoanodes. The cobalt layer protects the underlying semiconductor from oxidation and degradation while forming the catalyst and simultaneously facilitates the advantageous incorporation of the cadmium chalcogenide layer into the CoPi layer during continued processing of the electrode. The resulting hybrid material forms a stable photoactive anode for light-assisted water splitting.

Application of thin dielectric films in low coherence fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot sensing interferometers: comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirsch, Marzena; Wierzba, Paweł; Jedrzejewska-Szczerska, Małgorzata

2016-11-01

We examine the application of selected thin dielectric films, deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), in a low coherence fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot interferometer designed for sensing applications. Such films can be deposited on the end-face of a single mode optical fiber (SMF-28) in order to modify the reflectivity of the Fabry-Pérot cavity, to provide protection of the fibers from aggressive environments or to create a multi-cavity interferometric sensor. Spectral reflectance of films made from zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and boron nitride (BN) was calculated for various thickness of the films and compared. The results show that the most promising materials for use in fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot interferometer are TiO2 and ZnO, although Al2O3 is also suitable for this application.

Turbine Blade Temperature Measurements Using Thin Film Temperature Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, H. P.; Przybyszewski, J. S.; Claing, R. G.

1981-01-01

The development of thin film temperature sensors is discussed. The technology for sputtering 2 micron thin film platinum versus platinum 10 percent rhodium thermocouples on alumina forming coatings was improved and extended to applications on actual turbine blades. Good adherence was found to depend upon achieving a proper morphology of the alumina surface. Problems of adapting fabrication procedures to turbine blades were uncovered, and improvements were recommended. Testing at 1250 K at one atmosphere pressure was then extended to a higher Mach No. (0.5) in combustor flow for 60 hours and 71 thermal cycles. The mean time to failure was 47 hours accumulated during 1 hour exposures in the combustor. Calibration drift was about 0.1 percent per hour, attributable to oxidation of the rhodium in the thin films. An increase in film thickness and application of a protective overcoat are recommended to reduce drift in actual engine testing.

Technologies for deposition of transition metal oxide thin films: application as functional layers in “Smart windows” and photocatalytic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gesheva, K.; Ivanova, T.; Bodurov, G.; Szilágyi, I. M.; Justh, N.; Kéri, O.; Boyadjiev, S.; Nagy, D.; Aleksandrova, M.

2016-02-01

“Smart windows” are envisaged for future low-energy, high-efficient architectural buildings, as well as for the car industry. By switching from coloured to fully bleached state, these windows regulate the energy of solar flux entering the interior. Functional layers in these devices are the transition metals oxides. The materials (transitional metal oxides) used in smart windows can be also applied as photoelectrodes in water splitting photocells for hydrogen production or as photocatalytic materials for self-cleaning surfaces, waste water treatment and pollution removal. Solar energy utilization is recently in the main scope of numerous world research laboratories and energy organizations, working on protection against conventional fuel exhaustion. The paper presents results from research on transition metal oxide thin films, fabricated by different methods - atomic layer deposition, atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition, physical vapour deposition, and wet chemical methods, suitable for flowthrough production process. The lower price of the chemical deposition processes is especially important when the method is related to large-scale glazing applications. Conclusions are derived about which processes are recently considered as most prospective, related to electrochromic materials and devices manufacturing.

Modeling the chemistry of plasma polymerization using mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Ihrig, D F; Stockhaus, J; Scheide, F; Winkelhake, Oliver; Streuber, Oliver

2003-04-01

The goal of the project is a solvent free painting shop. The environmental technologies laboratory is developing processes of plasma etching and polymerization. Polymerized thin films are first-order corrosion protection and primer for painting. Using pure acetylene we get very nice thin films which were not bonded very well. By using air as bulk gas it is possible to polymerize, in an acetylene plasma, well bonded thin films which are stable first-order corrosion protections and good primers. UV/Vis spectroscopy shows nitrogen oxide radicals in the emission spectra of pure nitrogen and air. But nitrogen oxide is fully suppressed in the presence of acetylene. IR spectroscopy shows only C=O, CH(2) and CH(3) groups but no nitrogen species. With the aid of UV/Vis spectra and the chemistry of ozone formation it is possible to define reactive traps and steps, molecule depletion and processes of proton scavenging and proton loss. Using a numerical model it is possible to evaluate these processes and to calculate theoretical mass spectra. Adjustment of theoretical mass spectra to real measurements leads to specific channels of polymerization which are driven by radicals especially the acetyl radical. The estimated theoretical mass spectra show the specific channels of these chemical processes. It is possible to quantify these channels. This quantification represents the mass flow through this chemical system. With respect to these chemical processes it is possible to have an idea of pollutant production processes.

Materials science, integration, and performance characterization of high-dielectric constant thin film based devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Wei

To overcome the oxidation and diffusion problems encountered during Copper integration with oxide thin film-based devices, TiAl/Cu/Ta heterostructure has been first developed in this study. Investigation on the oxidation and diffusion resistance of the laminate structure showed high electrical conductance and excellent thermal stability in oxygen environment. Two amorphous oxide layers that were formed on both sides of the TiAl barrier after heating in oxygen have been revealed as the structure that effectively prevents oxygen penetration and protects the integrity of underlying Cu layer. Polycrystalline (BaxSr1-x)TiO3 (BST) thin films were subsequently deposited on the Cu-based bottom electrode by RF magnetron sputtering to investigate the interaction between the oxide and Cu layers. The thickness of the interfacial layer and interface roughness play critical roles in the optimization of the electrical performance of the BST capacitors using Cu-based electrode. It was determined that BST deposition at moderate temperature followed by rapid thermal annealing in pure oxygen yields BST/Cu capacitors with good electrical properties for application to high frequency devices. The knowledge obtained on the study of barrier properties of TiAl inspired a continuous research on the materials science issues related to the application of the hybrid TiAlOx, as high-k gate dielectric in MOSFET devices. Novel fabrication process such as deposition of ultra-thin TiAl alloy layer followed by oxidation with atomic oxygen has been established in this study. Stoichiometric amorphous TiAlOx layers, exhibiting only Ti4+ and Al3+ states, were produced with a large variation of oxidation temperature (700°C to room temperature). The interfacial SiOx formation between TiAlOx and Si was substantially inhibited by the use of the low temperature oxidation process. Electrical characterization revealed a large permittivity of 30 and an improved band structure for the produced TiAlOx layers, compared with pure TiO2. A modified 3-element model was adopted to extract the true C-V behavior of the TiAlOx-based MOS capacitor. Extremely small equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) less than 0.5 nm with dielectric leakage 4˜5 magnitude lower than that for SiO2 has been achieved on TiAlOx layer as a result of its excellent dielectric properties.

Graphene oxide/metal nanocrystal multilaminates as the atomic limit for safe and selective hydrogen storage

DOE PAGES

Cho, Eun Seon; Ruminski, Anne M.; Aloni, Shaul; ...

2016-02-23

Interest in hydrogen fuel is growing for automotive applications; however, safe, dense, solid-state hydrogen storage remains a formidable scientific challenge. Metal hydrides offer ample storage capacity and do not require cryogens or exceedingly high pressures for operation. However, hydrides have largely been abandoned because of oxidative instability and sluggish kinetics. We report a new, environmentally stable hydrogen storage material constructed of Mg nanocrystals encapsulated by atomically thin and gas-selective reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets. This material, protected from oxygen and moisture by the rGO layers, exhibits exceptionally dense hydrogen storage (6.5 wt% and 0.105 kg H 2 per litre inmore » the total composite). As rGO is atomically thin, this approach minimizes inactive mass in the composite, while also providing a kinetic enhancement to hydrogen sorption performance. In conclusion, these multilaminates of rGO-Mg are able to deliver exceptionally dense hydrogen storage and provide a material platform for harnessing the attributes of sensitive nanomaterials in demanding environments.« less

Theoretical simulations of protective thin film Fabry-Pérot filters for integrated optical elements of diode pumped alkali lasers (DPAL)

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

Quarrie, L., E-mail: Lindsay.Quarrie@l-3com.com, E-mail: lindsay.o.quarrie@gmail.com; Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL/RDLC Laser CoE, 3550 Aberdeen Avenue SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5776

The lifetime of Diode-Pumped Alkali Lasers (DPALs) is limited by damage initiated by reaction of the glass envelope of its gain medium with rubidium vapor. Rubidium is absorbed into the glass and the rubidium cations diffuse through the glass structure, breaking bridging Si-O bonds. A damage-resistant thin film was developed enhancing high-optical transmission at natural rubidium resonance input and output laser beam wavelengths of 780 nm and 795 nm, while protecting the optical windows of the gain cell in a DPAL. The methodology developed here can be readily modified for simulation of expected transmission performance at input pump and outputmore » laser wavelengths using different combination of thin film materials in a DPAL. High coupling efficiency of the light through the gas cell was accomplished by matching the air-glass and glass-gas interfaces at the appropriate wavelengths using a dielectric stack of high and low index of refraction materials selected to work at the laser energies and protected from the alkali metal vapor in the gain cell. Thin films as oxides of aluminum, zirconium, tantalum, and silicon were selected allowing the creation of Fabry-Perot optical filters on the optical windows achieving close to 100% laser transmission in a solid optic combination of window and highly reflective mirror. This approach allows for the development of a new whole solid optic laser.« less

Depth Profiling Analysis of Aluminum Oxidation During Film Deposition in a Conventional High Vacuum System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Jongmin; Weimer, Jeffrey J.; Zukic, Muamer; Torr, Douglas G.

1994-01-01

The oxidation of aluminum thin films deposited in a conventional high vacuum chamber has been investigated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and depth profiling. The state of the Al layer was preserved by coating it with a protective MgF2 layer in the deposition chamber. Oxygen concentrations in the film layers were determined as a function of sputter time (depth into the film). The results show that an oxidized layer is formed at the start of Al deposition and that a less extensively oxidized Al layer is deposited if the deposition rate is fast. The top surface of the Al layer oxidizes very quickly. This top oxidized layer may be thicker than has been previously reported by optical methods. Maximum oxygen concentrations measured by XPS at each Al interface are related to pressure to rate ratios determined during the Al layer deposition.

High-temperature oxidation/corrosion of iron-based superalloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lemkey, F. D.; Smeggil, J. G.; Bailey, R. S.; Schuster, J. C.; Nowotny, H.

1987-01-01

The oxidation and sulfidation of several novel iron-base superalloys were evaluated in high-temperature cyclic tests. The experimental austenitic alloys examined were modifications of NASAUT-4GA which were developed for Stirling-engine application. The weight gains and resulting surface scales were measured and analyzed. Mixed oxide scales were found to form on all specimens exposed above 871 C. The build-up of these scales led to a depletion of Mn and Cr in a zone adjacent to the oxides. In addition, the initial oxidation of the Fe-rich alloy was inhibited by a thin but tenacious Si layer which formed at the interface between oxides and the parent layer. Sulfidation tests using Na2SO4 coatings resulted in the formation of a protective spinel and alpha-Fe2O3 phases. Preferential attack of the carbide phase by hydrogen was not observed after 350 h at 871 C.

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

PubMed

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

2007-12-15

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

Thermal degradation study of silicon carbide threads developed for advanced flexible thermal protection systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tran, Huy Kim; Sawko, Paul M.

1992-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) fiber is a material that may be used in advanced thermal protection systems (TPS) for future aerospace vehicles. SiC fiber's mechanical properties depend greatly on the presence or absence of sizing and its microstructure. In this research, silicon dioxide is found to be present on the surface of the fiber. Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) show that a thin oxide layer (SiO2) exists on the as-received fibers, and the oxide thickness increases when the fibers are exposed to high temperature. ESCA also reveals no evidence of Si-C bonding on the fiber surface on both as-received and heat treated fibers. The silicon oxide layer is thought to signal the decomposition of SiC bonds and may be partially responsible for the degradation in the breaking strength observed at temperatures above 400 C. The variation in electrical resistivity of the fibers with increasing temperature indicates a transition to a higher band gap material at 350 to 600 C. This is consistent with a decomposition of SiC involving silicon oxide formation.

Nano Engineered Energetic Materials (NEEM)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-12

Al nanoparticles, owing to the surface oxidation of the unpassivated particles. The major drawback with utilizing organic capping groups is the...increases seen with nano-sized aluminum are promising, there are certain drawbacks . A thin layer of alumina (Al2O3) usually forms on the exterior...rocket motor by lowering the active aluminum content of the particles. Because of these drawbacks , surface protection in the form of coatings is

Oxide-based thin film transistors for flexible electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yongli; Wang, Xiangyu; Gao, Ya; Hou, Yahui; Wan, Qing

2018-01-01

The continuous progress in thin film materials and devices has greatly promoted the development in the field of flexible electronics. As one of the most common thin film devices, thin film transistors (TFTs) are significant building blocks for flexible platforms. Flexible oxide-based TFTs are well compatible with flexible electronic systems due to low process temperature, high carrier mobility, and good uniformity. The present article is a review of the recent progress and major trends in the field of flexible oxide-based thin film transistors. First, an introduction of flexible electronics and flexible oxide-based thin film transistors is given. Next, we introduce oxide semiconductor materials and various flexible oxide-based TFTs classified by substrate materials including polymer plastics, paper sheets, metal foils, and flexible thin glass. Afterwards, applications of flexible oxide-based TFTs including bendable sensors, memories, circuits, and displays are presented. Finally, we give conclusions and a prospect for possible development trends. Project supported in part by the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China (No. 61425020), in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11674162).

Giant perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Fe/III-V nitride thin films

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in transition metal thin films provides a pathway for enabling the intriguing physics of nanomagnetism and developing broad spintronics applications. After decades of searches for promising materials, the energy scale of PMA of transition metal thin films, unfortunately, remains only about 1 meV. This limitation has become a major bottleneck in the development of ultradense storage and memory devices. We discovered unprecedented PMA in Fe thin-film growth on the (0001¯) N-terminated surface of III-V nitrides from first-principles calculations. PMA ranges from 24.1 meV/u.c. in Fe/BN to 53.7 meV/u.c. in Fe/InN. Symmetry-protected degeneracy between x2 − y2 and xy orbitals and its lift by the spin-orbit coupling play a dominant role. As a consequence, PMA in Fe/III-V nitride thin films is dominated by first-order perturbation of the spin-orbit coupling, instead of second-order in conventional transition metal/oxide thin films. This game-changing scenario would also open a new field of magnetism on transition metal/nitride interfaces. PMID:29670948

Processing of fused silicide coatings for carbon-based materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smialek, J. L.

1983-01-01

The processing and oxidation resistance of fused Al-Si and Ni-Si slurry coatings on ATJ graphite was studied. Ni-Si coatings in the 70 to 90 percent Si range were successfully processed to melt, wet, and bond to the graphite. The molten coatings also infiltrated the porosity in graphite and reacted with it to form SiC in the coating. Cyclic oxidation at 1200 C showed that these coatings were not totally protective because of local attack of the substrate, due to the extreme thinness of the coatings in combination with coating cracks. Previously announced in STAR as N83-27019

Structural, electronic and chemical properties of metal/oxide and oxide/oxide interfaces and thin film structures

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

Lad, Robert J.

1999-12-14

This project focused on three different aspects of oxide thin film systems: (1) Model metal/oxide and oxide/oxide interface studies were carried out by depositing ultra-thin metal (Al, K, Mg) and oxide (MgO, AlO{sub x}) films on TiO{sub 2}, NiO and {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} single crystal oxide substrates. (2) Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) oxygen plasma deposition was used to fabricate AlO{sub 3} and ZrO{sub 2} films on sapphire substrates, and film growth mechanisms and structural characteristics were investigated. (3) The friction and wear characteristics of ZrO{sub 2} films on sapphire substrates in unlubricated sliding contact were studied and correlated with filmmore » microstructure. In these studies, thin film and interfacial regions were characterized using diffraction (RHEED, LEED, XRD), electron spectroscopies (XPS, UPS, AES), microscopy (AFM) and tribology instruments (pin-on-disk, friction microprobe, and scratch tester). By precise control of thin film microstructure, an increased understanding of the structural and chemical stability of interface regions and tribological performance of ultra-thin oxide films was achieved in these important ceramic systems.« less

Controlling Surface Chemistry of Gallium Liquid Metal Alloys to Enhance their Fluidic Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilyas, Nahid; Cumby, Brad; Cook, Alexander; Durstock, Michael; Tabor, Christopher; Materials; Manufacturing Directorate Team

Gallium liquid metal alloys (GaLMAs) are one of the key components of emerging technologies in reconfigurable electronics, such as tunable radio frequency antennas and electronic switches. Reversible flow of GaLMA in microchannels of these types of devices is hindered by the instantaneous formation of its oxide skin in ambient environment. The oxide film sticks to most surfaces leaving unwanted metallic residues that can cause undesired electronic properties. In this report, residue-free reversible flow of a binary alloy of gallium (eutectic gallium indium) is demonstrated via two types of surface modifications where the oxide film is either protected by an organic thin film or chemically removed. An interface modification layer (alkyl phosphonic acids) was introduced into the microfluidic system to modify the liquid metal surface and protect its oxide layer. Alternatively, an ion exchange membrane was utilized as a 'sponge-like' channel material to store and slowly release small amounts of HCl to react with the surface oxide of the liquid metal. Characterization of these interfaces at molecular level by surface spectroscopy and microscopy provided with mechanistic details for the interfacial interactions between the liquid metal surface and the channel materials.

Towards ALD thin film stabilized single-atom Pd 1 catalysts

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

Piernavieja-Hermida, Mar; Lu, Zheng; White, Anderson

Supported precious metal single-atom catalysts have shown interesting activity and selectivity in recent studies. However, agglomeration of these highly mobile mononuclear surface species can eliminate their unique catalytic properties. In this paper, we study a strategy for synthesizing thin film stabilized single-atom Pd 1 catalysts using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The thermal stability of the Pd 1 catalysts is significantly enhanced by creating a nanocavity thin film structure. In situ infrared spectroscopy and Pd K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) revealed that the Pd 1 was anchored on the surface through chlorine sites. The thin film stabilized Pd 1 catalysts weremore » thermally stable under both oxidation and reduction conditions. The catalytic performance in the methanol decomposition reaction is found to depend on the thickness of protecting layers. While Pd 1 catalysts showed promising activity at low temperature in a methanol decomposition reaction, 14 cycle TiO 2 protected Pd 1 was less active at high temperature. Pd L 3 edge XAS indicated that the low reactivity compared with Pd nanoparticles is due to the strong adsorption of carbon monoxide even at 250 °C. Lastly, these results clearly show that the ALD nanocavities provide a basis for future design of single-atom catalysts that are highly efficient and stable.« less

Towards ALD thin film stabilized single-atom Pd 1 catalysts

DOE PAGES

Piernavieja-Hermida, Mar; Lu, Zheng; White, Anderson; ...

2016-07-27

Supported precious metal single-atom catalysts have shown interesting activity and selectivity in recent studies. However, agglomeration of these highly mobile mononuclear surface species can eliminate their unique catalytic properties. In this paper, we study a strategy for synthesizing thin film stabilized single-atom Pd 1 catalysts using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The thermal stability of the Pd 1 catalysts is significantly enhanced by creating a nanocavity thin film structure. In situ infrared spectroscopy and Pd K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) revealed that the Pd 1 was anchored on the surface through chlorine sites. The thin film stabilized Pd 1 catalysts weremore » thermally stable under both oxidation and reduction conditions. The catalytic performance in the methanol decomposition reaction is found to depend on the thickness of protecting layers. While Pd 1 catalysts showed promising activity at low temperature in a methanol decomposition reaction, 14 cycle TiO 2 protected Pd 1 was less active at high temperature. Pd L 3 edge XAS indicated that the low reactivity compared with Pd nanoparticles is due to the strong adsorption of carbon monoxide even at 250 °C. Lastly, these results clearly show that the ALD nanocavities provide a basis for future design of single-atom catalysts that are highly efficient and stable.« less

Oxidation Control with Chromate Pretreatment of MCrAlY Unmelted Particle and Bond Coat in Thermal Barrier Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamano, Hideaki; Tani, Kazumi; Harada, Yoshio; Teratani, Takema

2008-06-01

MCrAlY alloy bond coat is widely used in thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems to protect substrates from high-temperature oxidizing environments. However, failure of the ceramic topcoat can occur due to a thermally grown oxide (TGO) that grows at the interface between the bond coat and the topcoat. In this study, the effect of chromate treatment was investigated. Prior to topcoat deposition, a thin film of Cr2O3 was formed on the bond coat surface. High-temperature oxidation tests were carried out, and the oxidation rates were determined by inspection of cross sections. Similar oxidation tests were carried out using MCrAlY powder material assumed to be unmelted particles. As a result, the chromate-treated bond coat showed outstanding oxidation resistance. Calculations that take into account the oxidation of particles in the topcoat indicated the generation of internal stress to cause local fracture of the topcoat.

Functionalizable Sol-Gel Silica Coatings for Corrosion Mitigation.

PubMed

Gąsiorek, Jolanta; Szczurek, Anna; Babiarczuk, Bartosz; Kaleta, Jerzy; Jones, Walis; Krzak, Justyna

2018-01-26

Corrosion is constantly a major problem of the world economy in the field of metal products, metal processing and other areas that utilise metals. Previously used compounds utilizing hexavalent chromium were amongst the most effective materials for corrosion protection but regulations have been recently introduced that forbid their use. Consequently, there is a huge drive by engineers, technologists and scientists from different disciplines focused on searching a new, more effective and environmentally-friendly means of corrosion protection. One novel group of materials with the potential to solve metal protection problems are sol-gel thin films, which are increasingly interesting as mitigation corrosion barriers. These environmentally-friendly and easy-to-obtain coatings have the promise to be an effective alternative to hexavalent chromium compounds using for anti-corrosion industrial coatings. In this review the authors present a range of different solutions for slow down the corrosion processes of metallic substrates by using the oxides and doped oxides obtained by the sol-gel method. Examples of techniques used to the sol-gel coating examinations, in terms of anti-corrosion protection, are also presented.

Functionalizable Sol-Gel Silica Coatings for Corrosion Mitigation

PubMed Central

Gąsiorek, Jolanta; Babiarczuk, Bartosz; Kaleta, Jerzy; Jones, Walis; Krzak, Justyna

2018-01-01

Corrosion is constantly a major problem of the world economy in the field of metal products, metal processing and other areas that utilise metals. Previously used compounds utilizing hexavalent chromium were amongst the most effective materials for corrosion protection but regulations have been recently introduced that forbid their use. Consequently, there is a huge drive by engineers, technologists and scientists from different disciplines focused on searching a new, more effective and environmentally-friendly means of corrosion protection. One novel group of materials with the potential to solve metal protection problems are sol-gel thin films, which are increasingly interesting as mitigation corrosion barriers. These environmentally-friendly and easy-to-obtain coatings have the promise to be an effective alternative to hexavalent chromium compounds using for anti-corrosion industrial coatings. In this review the authors present a range of different solutions for slow down the corrosion processes of metallic substrates by using the oxides and doped oxides obtained by the sol-gel method. Examples of techniques used to the sol-gel coating examinations, in terms of anti-corrosion protection, are also presented. PMID:29373540

Amorphous semiconducting and conducting transparent metal oxide thin films and production thereof

DOEpatents

Perkins, John; Van Hest, Marinus Franciscus Antonius Maria; Ginley, David; Taylor, Matthew; Neuman, George A.; Luten, Henry A.; Forgette, Jeffrey A.; Anderson, John S.

2010-07-13

Metal oxide thin films and production thereof are disclosed. An exemplary method of producing a metal oxide thin film may comprise introducing at least two metallic elements and oxygen into a process chamber to form a metal oxide. The method may also comprise depositing the metal oxide on a substrate in the process chamber. The method may also comprise simultaneously controlling a ratio of the at least two metallic elements and a stoichiometry of the oxygen during deposition. Exemplary amorphous metal oxide thin films produced according to the methods herein may exhibit highly transparent properties, highly conductive properties, and/or other opto-electronic properties.

Consequence of oxidant concentration on XPS properties of chemically synthesized polythiophene thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamat, Sandip V.; Chhabra, Jasvinder; Patil, V. S.; Yadav, J. B.; Puri, R. K.; Puri, Vijaya

2018-05-01

The polythiophene thin films were prepared by a wellknown chemical bath deposition technique. The deposited thin films were characterized for structural morphological properties and the adhesion of these thin films were measured by direct pull off (DPO) method, the effect of oxidant concentration on these thin films also studied. The FTIR spectra of chemically deposited polythiophene thin films shows the absorption peak at 836 cm-1 which represents c-s stretching vibrations, shifts to 869 cm-1 as the oxidant concentration increases. The band at 666 cm-1 representing c-s-c ring deformation becomes sharper and appears with a shoulder peak due to increase in oxidant concentration.

Atomic Oxygen Durability Evaluation of a UV Curable Ceramer Protective Coating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, Bruce A.; Karniotis, Christina A.; Dworak, David; Soucek, Mark

2004-01-01

The exposure of most silicones to atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit (LEO) results in the oxidative loss of methyl groups with a gradual conversion to oxides of silicon. Typically there is surface shrinkage of oxidized silicone protective coatings which leads to cracking of the partially oxidized brittle surface. Such cracks widen and branch crack with continued atomic oxygen exposure ultimately allowing atomic oxygen to reach any hydrocarbon polymers under the silicone coating. A need exists for a paintable silicone coating that is free from such surface cracking and can be effectively used for protection of polymers and composites in LEO. A new type of silicone based protective coating holding such potential was evaluated for atomic oxygen durability in an RF atomic oxygen plasma exposure facility. The coating consisted of a UV curable inorganic/organic hybrid coating, known as a ceramer, which was fabricated using a methyl substituted polysiloxane binder and nanophase silicon-oxo-clusters derived from sol-gel precursors. The polysiloxane was functionalized with a cycloaliphatic epoxide in order to be cured at ambient temperature via a cationic UV induced curing mechanism. Alkoxy silane groups were also grafted onto the polysiloxane chain, through hydrosilation, in order to form a network with the incorporated silicon-oxo-clusters. The prepared polymer was characterized by H-1 and Si-29 NMR, FT-IR, and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy. The paper will present the results of atomic oxygen protection ability of thin ceramer coatings on Kapton H as evaluated over a range of atomic oxygen fluence levels.

SURFACE HARDENING OF TITANIUM BY TREATMENT IN MOLTEN BORAX

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

Minkevich, A.N.; Shul'ga, Yu.N.

1957-01-01

The surface hardening of titanium and titanium alloys by treatment in molten borax was investigated. Commercial titanium, a titanium-tungsten alloy, and an aluminum-chromium-titanium alloy were used for the experiments. To prevent oxidation of the titanium and to protect the surface, electro-chemical protection was applied, the current density being 0.1 amp/cm/sup 2/ and the the specimens were coated with a thin layer of borax. The results showed that treatment in molten borax is an effective method of increasing surface hardness. However, the strength, mmalleabiltiy, and toughness of the hardness increase is discussed. (J.S.R.)

Effects of atomic oxygen on titanium dioxide thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimosako, Naoki; Hara, Yukihiro; Shimazaki, Kazunori; Miyazaki, Eiji; Sakama, Hiroshi

2018-05-01

In low earth orbit (LEO), atomic oxygen (AO) has shown to cause degradation of organic materials used in spacecrafts. Similar to other metal oxides such as SiO2, Al2O3 and ITO, TiO2 has potential to protect organic materials. In this study, the anatese-type TiO2 thin films were fabricated by a sol-gel method and irradiated with AO. The properties of TiO2 were compared using mass change, scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmittance spectra and photocatalytic activity before and after AO irradiation. The results indicate that TiO2 film was hardly eroded and resistant against AO degradation. AO was shown to affects only the surface of a TiO2 film and not the bulk. Upon AO irradiation, the TiO2 films were slightly oxidized. However, these changes were very small. Photocatalytic activity of TiO2 was still maintained in spite of slight decrease upon AO irradiation, which demonstrated that TiO2 thin films are promising for elimination of contaminations outgassed from a spacecraft's materials.

Electron-beam-evaporated thin films of hafnium dioxide for fabricating electronic devices

DOE PAGES

Xiao, Zhigang; Kisslinger, Kim

2015-06-17

Thin films of hafnium dioxide (HfO 2) are widely used as the gate oxide in fabricating integrated circuits because of their high dielectric constants. In this paper, the authors report the growth of thin films of HfO 2 using e-beam evaporation, and the fabrication of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits using this HfO 2 thin film as the gate oxide. The authors analyzed the thin films using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction, thereby demonstrating that the e-beam-evaporation-grown HfO 2 film has a polycrystalline structure and forms an excellent interface with silicon. Accordingly, we fabricated 31-stage CMOS ringmore » oscillator to test the quality of the HfO 2 thin film as the gate oxide, and obtained excellent rail-to-rail oscillation waveforms from it, denoting that the HfO 2 thin film functioned very well as the gate oxide.« less

Bandgap-Engineered Zinc-Tin-Oxide Thin Films for Ultraviolet Sensors.

PubMed

Cheng, Tien-Hung; Chang, Sheng-Po; Chang, Shoou-Jinn

2018-07-01

Zinc-tin-oxide thin-film transistors were prepared by radio frequency magnetron co-sputtering, while an identical zinc-tin-oxide thin film was deposited simultaneously on a clear glass substrate to facilitate measurements of the optical properties. When we adjusted the deposition power of ZnO and SnO2, the bandgap of the amorphous thin film was dominated by the deposition power of SnO2. Since the thin-film transistor has obvious absorption in the ultraviolet region owing to the wide bandgap, the drain current increases with the generation of electron-hole pairs. As part of these investigations, a zinc-tin-oxide thin-film transistor has been fabricated that appears to be very promising for ultraviolet applications.

Subtractive Plasma-Assisted-Etch Process for Developing High Performance Nanocrystalline Zinc-Oxide Thin-Film-Transistors

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

THIN - FILM - TRANSISTORS THESIS Thomas M. Donigan, First Lieutenant, USAF AFIT-ENG-MS-15-M-027 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR UNIVERSITY AIR...DEVELOPING HIGH PERFORMANCE NANOCRYSTALLINE ZINC-OXIDE THIN - FILM - TRANSISTORS THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Electrical and...15-M-027 SUBTRACTIVE PLASMA-ASSISTED-ETCH PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING HIGH PERFORMANCE NANOCRYSTALLINE ZINC-OXIDE THIN - FILM - TRANSISTORS

Liquid-Like, Self-Healing Aluminum Oxide during Deformation at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Kushima, Akihiro; Han, Weizhong; Xin, Huolin; Li, Ju

2018-04-11

Effective protection from environmental degradation relies on the integrity of oxide as diffusion barriers. Ideally, the passivation layer can repair its own breaches quickly under deformation. While studies suggest that the native aluminum oxide may manifest such properties, it has yet to be experimentally proven because direct observations of the air-environmental deformation of aluminum oxide and its initial formation at room temperature are challenging. Here, we report in situ experiments to stretch pure aluminum nanotips under O 2 gas environments in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). We discovered that aluminum oxide indeed deforms like liquid and can match the deformation of Al without any cracks/spallation at moderate strain rate. At higher strain rate, we exposed fresh metal surface, and visualized the self-healing process of aluminum oxide at atomic resolution. Unlike traditional thin-film growth or nanoglass consolidation processes, we observe seamless coalescence of new oxide islands without forming any glass-glass interface or surface grooves, indicating greatly accelerated glass kinetics at the surface compared to the bulk.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-01-01

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

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.

High Tech Art: Chameleon Glass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Dichroic Glass is a technology wherein extremely thin films of metal are vacuum deposited on a glass surface. The coated glass shields spacecraft instruments from cosmic radiation and protects human vision from unfiltered sunlight in space. Because the coating process allows some wavelengths of light and color to reflect and others to pass through, a chameleon effect is produced. Murray Schwartz, a former aerospace engineer, has based his business KROMA on this NASA optical technology. He produces dichroic stained glass windows, mobiles and jewelry. The technique involves deposition of super thin layers of metal oxides applied one layer at a time in a specific order and thickness for the desired effect. His product line is unique and has been very successful.

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

Cho, Byungsu; Samsung Display Co. Ltd., Tangjeong, Chungcheongnam-Do 336-741; Choi, Yonghyuk

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

C60 as an Active Smart Spacer Material on Silver Thin Film Substrates for Enhanced Surface Plasmon Coupled Emission

PubMed Central

Mulpur, Pradyumna; Podila, Ramakrishna; Ramamurthy, Sai Sathish; Kamisetti, Venkataramaniah; Rao, Apparao M.

2015-01-01

In this study, we present the use of C60 as an active spacer material on a silver (Ag) based surface plasmon coupled emission (SPCE) platform. In addition to its primary role of protecting the Ag thin film from oxidation, the incorporation of C60 facilitated the achievement of 30-fold enhancement in the emission intensity of rhodamine b (RhB) fluorophore. The high signal yield was attributed to the unique π-π interactions between C60 thin films and RhB, which enabled efficient transfer of energy of RhB emission to Ag plasmon modes. Furthermore, minor variations in the C60 film thickness yielded large changes in the enhancement and angularity properties of the SPCE signal, which can be exploited for sensing applications. Finally, the low-cost fabrication process of the Ag-C60 thin film stacks render C60 based SPCE substrates ideal, for the economic and simplistic detection of analytes. PMID:25785916

SPR sensors for monitoring the degradation processes of Eu(dbm)3(phen) and Alq3 thin films under atmospheric and UVA exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Rosso, T.; Zaman, Q.; Cremona, M.; Pandoli, O.; Barreto, A. R. J.

2018-06-01

The degradation processes of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) (Alq3) and tris(dibenzoylmethane) mono(1,10-phenanthroline)europium(III) (Eu(dbm)3(phen)) thin films are investigated by the use of AFM, photoluminescence and SPR spectroscopy. The plasmonic sensors are operated both in air and nitrogen environments, where they are irradiated with controlled doses of UVA radiation. AFM results don't reveal the formation of heterogeneous phases and crystallization under air exposure. The organic thin films change their refractive index under both types of exposure and act as a protective layer against oxidation for the SiO2/MPTS/metal interface of the plasmonic sensors. SPR measurements reveal a strict correlation between the refractive index increase and quenching of the photoluminescence of the organic thin films. The results are promising for the development of compact plasmonic UVA dosimeters in the surface plasmon coupled emission configuration (SPCE) with lanthanide β-diketonate complex materials (patent pending).

Prediction Surface Morphology of Nanostructure Fabricated by Nano-Oxidation Technology.

PubMed

Huang, Jen-Ching; Chang, Ho; Kuo, Chin-Guo; Li, Jeen-Fong; You, Yong-Chin

2015-12-04

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used for visualization of a nano-oxidation technique performed on diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin film. Experiments of the nano-oxidation technique of the DLC thin film include those on nano-oxidation points and nano-oxidation lines. The feature sizes of the DLC thin film, including surface morphology, depth, and width, were explored after application of a nano-oxidation technique to the DLC thin film under different process parameters. A databank for process parameters and feature sizes of thin films was then established, and multiple regression analysis (MRA) and a back-propagation neural network (BPN) were used to carry out the algorithm. The algorithmic results are compared with the feature sizes acquired from experiments, thus obtaining a prediction model of the nano-oxidation technique of the DLC thin film. The comparative results show that the prediction accuracy of BPN is superior to that of MRA. When the BPN algorithm is used to predict nano-point machining, the mean absolute percentage errors (MAPE) of depth, left side, and right side are 8.02%, 9.68%, and 7.34%, respectively. When nano-line machining is being predicted, the MAPEs of depth, left side, and right side are 4.96%, 8.09%, and 6.77%, respectively. The obtained data can also be used to predict cross-sectional morphology in the DLC thin film treated with a nano-oxidation process.

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

Cho, Eun Seon; Ruminski, Anne M.; Aloni, Shaul

Interest in hydrogen fuel is growing for automotive applications; however, safe, dense, solid-state hydrogen storage remains a formidable scientific challenge. Metal hydrides offer ample storage capacity and do not require cryogens or exceedingly high pressures for operation. However, hydrides have largely been abandoned because of oxidative instability and sluggish kinetics. We report a new, environmentally stable hydrogen storage material constructed of Mg nanocrystals encapsulated by atomically thin and gas-selective reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets. This material, protected from oxygen and moisture by the rGO layers, exhibits exceptionally dense hydrogen storage (6.5 wt% and 0.105 kg H 2 per litre inmore » the total composite). As rGO is atomically thin, this approach minimizes inactive mass in the composite, while also providing a kinetic enhancement to hydrogen sorption performance. In conclusion, these multilaminates of rGO-Mg are able to deliver exceptionally dense hydrogen storage and provide a material platform for harnessing the attributes of sensitive nanomaterials in demanding environments.« less

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) study on graphene oxide based hematite thin films heterojunction (R-GO/Fe2O3)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Poonam; Zachariah, Michael; Ehrman, Sheryl; Shrivastava, Rohit; Dass, Sahab; Satsangi, Vibha; Michael Zachariah, Sheryl Ehrman Collaboration; Rohit Shrivastava, Sahab Dass Collaboration; Vibha R Satsangi, Poonam Sharma Team

2013-03-01

Graphene has an excellent electronic conductivity, a high theoretical surface area of 2630 m2/g and excellent mechanical properties and, thus, is a promising component for high-performance electrode materials. Following this, GO has been used to modify the PEC response of photoactive material hematite thin films in PEC cell. A reduced graphene oxide/iron oxide (R-GO/Fe2O3) thin film structure has been successfully prepared on ITO by directly growing iron oxide particles on the thermally reduced graphene oxide sheets prepared from suspension of exfoliated graphene oxide. R-GO/Fe2O3 thin films were tested in PEC cell and offered ten times higher photocurrent density than pristine Fe2O3 thin film sample. XRD, SEM, EDS, UV-Vis, Mott-Schottky and Raman studies were carried out to study spectro-electrochemical properties. Enhanced PEC performance of these photoelectrodes was attributed to its porous morphology, improved conductivity upon favorable carrier transfer across the oxides interface.

Thin film hydrous metal oxide catalysts

DOEpatents

Dosch, Robert G.; Stephens, Howard P.

1995-01-01

Thin film (<100 nm) hydrous metal oxide catalysts are prepared by 1) synthesis of a hydrous metal oxide, 2) deposition of the hydrous metal oxide upon an inert support surface, 3) ion exchange with catalytically active metals, and 4) activating the hydrous metal oxide catalysts.

Memristive Properties of Thin Film Cuprous Oxide

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

Equation Chapter 1 Section 1 MEMRISTIVE PROPERTIES OF THIN FILM CUPROUS OXIDE THESIS Brett C...Force Base, Ohio APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED The views expressed in this thesis are those of the...MEMRISTIVE PROPERTIES OF THIN FILM CUPROUS OXIDE THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Engineering Physics Graduate School of

OP-AMPS on Flexible Substrates with Printable Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-10

Zinc Tin Oxide Thin - Film - Transistor Enhancement...II196, 2010. [3] D. Geng, D. H. Kang, and J. Jang, "High-Performance Amorphous Indium-Gallium- Zinc - Oxide Thin - Film Transistor With a Self-Aligned...B., Dodabalapur, A., “Band transport and mobility edge in amorphous solution-processed zinc tin oxide thin - film transistors ”, Applied

Scavenging of oxygen from SrTiO3 by metals and its implications for oxide thin film deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posadas, Agham; Kormondy, Kristy; Guo, Wei; Ponath, Patrick; Kremer, Jacqueline; Hadamek, Tobias; Demkov, Alexander

SrTiO3 is a widely used substrate for the growth of other functional oxide thin films. However, SrTiO3 loses oxygen very easily during oxide thin film deposition even under relatively high oxygen pressures. In some cases, there will be an interfacial layer of oxygen-deficient SrTiO3 formed at the interface with the deposited oxide film, depending on the metals present in the film. By depositing a variety of metals layer by layer and measuring the evolution of the core level spectra of both the deposited metal and SrTiO3 using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we show that there are three distinct types of behavior that occur for thin metal films on SrTiO3. We discuss the implications of these types of behavior for the growth of complex oxide thin films on SrTiO3, and which oxide thin films are expected to produce an interfacial oxygen-deficient layer depending on their elemental constituents.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the stability of Fomblin Z25 on the native oxide of aluminum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herrera-Fierro, Pilar; Pepper, Stephen V.; Jones, William R.

1992-01-01

Thin films of Fomblin Z25, a perfluoropolyalkylether lubricant, were vapor deposited onto clean, oxidized aluminum, and onto sapphire surfaces, and their behavior at different temperatures was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and temperature desorption spectroscopy (TDS). The interfacial fluid molecules decompose on the native oxide at room temperature, and continue to decompose at elevated temperatures, as previous studies had shown to occur on the clean metal. TDS indicated that different degradation mechanisms were operative for clean and oxidized aluminum. On sapphire substrates, no reaction was observed at room temperature. The native oxide of aluminum is neither passive nor protective towards Fomblin Z25. At higher temperatures (150 C), degradation of the polymer on sapphire produced a debris layer at the interface with a chemical composition similar to the one formed on aluminum oxide. Rubbing a Fomblin film on a single crystal sapphire also induced the decomposition of the lubricant in contact with the interface and the formation of a debris layer.

A facile fabrication of chemically converted graphene oxide thin films and their uses as absorber materials for solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adelifard, Mehdi; Darudi, Hosein

2016-07-01

There is a great interest in the use of graphene sheets in thin film solar cells with low-cost and good-optoelectronic properties. Here, the production of absorbent conductive reduced graphene oxide (RGO) thin films was investigated. RGO thin films were prepared from spray-coated graphene oxide (GO) layers at various substrate temperature followed by a simple hydrazine-reducing method. The structural, morphological, optical, and electrical characterizations of graphene oxide (GO) and RGO thin films were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis showed a phase shift from GO to RGO due to hydrazine treatment, in agreement with the FTIR spectra of the layers. FESEM images clearly exhibited continuous films resulting from the overlap of graphene nanosheets. The produced low-cost thin films had high absorption coefficient up to 1.0 × 105 cm-1, electrical resistance as low as 0.9 kΩ/sq, and effective optical band gap of about 1.50 eV, close to the optimum value for solar conversion. The conductive absorbent properties of the reduced graphene oxide thin films would be useful to develop photovoltaic cells.

Method of producing solution-derived metal oxide thin films

DOEpatents

Boyle, Timothy J.; Ingersoll, David

2000-01-01

A method of preparing metal oxide thin films by a solution method. A .beta.-metal .beta.-diketonate or carboxylate compound, where the metal is selected from groups 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the Periodic Table, is solubilized in a strong Lewis base to form a homogeneous solution. This precursor solution forms within minutes and can be deposited on a substrate in a single layer or a multiple layers to form a metal oxide thin film. The substrate with the deposited thin film is heated to change the film from an amorphous phase to a ceramic metal oxide and cooled.

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.

Tuning SPT-3G Transition-Edge-Sensor Electrical Properties with a Four-Layer Ti-Au-Ti-Au Thin-Film Stack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, F. W.; Ade, P. A. R.; Ahmed, Z.; Anderson, A. J.; Austermann, J. E.; Avva, J. S.; Thakur, R. Basu; Bender, A. N.; Benson, B. A.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Cecil, T.; Chang, C. L.; Cliche, J. F.; Cukierman, A.; Denison, E. V.; de Haan, T.; Ding, J.; Divan, R.; Dobbs, M. A.; Dutcher, D.; Everett, W.; Foster, A.; Gannon, R. N.; Gilbert, A.; Groh, J. C.; Halverson, N. W.; Harke-Hosemann, A. H.; Harrington, N. L.; Henning, J. W.; Hilton, G. C.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Huang, N.; Irwin, K. D.; Jeong, O. B.; Jonas, M.; Khaire, T.; Kofman, A. M.; Korman, M.; Kubik, D.; Kuhlmann, S.; Kuo, C. L.; Kutepova, V.; Lee, A. T.; Lowitz, A. E.; Meyer, S. S.; Michalik, D.; Miller, C. S.; Montgomery, J.; Nadolski, A.; Natoli, T.; Nguyen, H.; Noble, G. I.; Novosad, V.; Padin, S.; Pan, Z.; Pearson, J.; Posada, C. M.; Rahlin, A.; Ruhl, J. E.; Saunders, L. J.; Sayre, J. T.; Shirley, I.; Shirokoff, E.; Smecher, G.; Sobrin, J. A.; Stan, L.; Stark, A. A.; Story, K. T.; Suzuki, A.; Tang, Q. Y.; Thompson, K. L.; Tucker, C.; Vale, L. R.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Wang, G.; Whitehorn, N.; Yefremenko, V.; Yoon, K. W.; Young, M. R.

2018-04-01

We have developed superconducting Ti transition-edge sensors with Au protection layers on the top and bottom for the South Pole Telescope's third-generation receiver (a cosmic microwave background polarimeter, due to be upgraded this austral summer of 2017/2018). The base Au layer (deposited on a thin Ti glue layer) isolates the Ti from any substrate effects; the top Au layer protects the Ti from oxidation during processing and subsequent use of the sensors. We control the transition temperature and normal resistance of the sensors by varying the sensor width and the relative thicknesses of the Ti and Au layers. The transition temperature is roughly six times more sensitive to the thickness of the base Au layer than to that of the top Au layer. The normal resistance is inversely proportional to sensor width for any given film configuration. For widths greater than five micrometers, the critical temperature is independent of width.

Atomic Layer Deposition of Chemical Passivation Layers and High Performance Anti-Reflection Coatings on Back-Illuminated Detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoenk, Michael E. (Inventor); Greer, Frank (Inventor); Nikzad, Shouleh (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A back-illuminated silicon photodetector has a layer of Al2O3 deposited on a silicon oxide surface that receives electromagnetic radiation to be detected. The Al2O3 layer has an antireflection coating deposited thereon. The Al2O3 layer provides a chemically resistant separation layer between the silicon oxide surface and the antireflection coating. The Al2O3 layer is thin enough that it is optically innocuous. Under deep ultraviolet radiation, the silicon oxide layer and the antireflection coating do not interact chemically. In one embodiment, the silicon photodetector has a delta-doped layer near (within a few nanometers of) the silicon oxide surface. The Al2O3 layer is expected to provide similar protection for doped layers fabricated using other methods, such as MBE, ion implantation and CVD deposition.

High Performance and Highly Reliable ZnO Thin Film Transistor Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition for Next Generation Displays

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-19

zinc oxide ( ZnO ) thin film as an active channel layer in TFT has become of great interest owing to their specific...630-0192 Japan Phone: +81-743-72-6060 Fax: +81-743-72-6069 E-mail: uraoka@ms.naist.jp Keywords: zinc oxide , thin film transistors , atomic layer...deposition Symposium topic: Transparent Semiconductors Oxides [Abstract] In this study, we fabricated TFTs using ZnO thin film as the

Multi-oxide active layer deposition using Applied Materials Pivot array coater for high-mobility metal oxide TFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hyun Chan; Scheer, Evelyn; Witting, Karin; Hanika, Markus; Bender, Marcus; Hsu, Hao Chien; Yim, Dong Kil

2015-11-01

By controlling a thin indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide interface layer between gate insulator and indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), the thin-film transistor (TFT) performance can reach higher mobility as conventional IGZO as well as superior stability. For large-area display application, Applied Materials static PVD array coater (Applied Materials GmbH & Co. KG, Alzenau, Germany) using rotary targets has been developed to enable uniform thin layer deposition in display industry. Unique magnet motion parameter optimization in Pivot sputtering coater is shown to provide very uniform thin ITO layer to reach TFT performance with high mobility, not only on small scale, but also on Gen8.5 (2500 × 2200 mm glass size) production system.

Combustion synthesized indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin film for source/drain electrodes in all solution-processed oxide thin-film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tue, Phan Trong; Inoue, Satoshi; Takamura, Yuzuru; Shimoda, Tatsuya

2016-06-01

We report combustion solution synthesized (SCS) indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin film, which is a well-known transparent conductive oxide, for source/drain (S/D) electrodes in solution-processed amorphous zirconium-indium-zinc-oxide TFT. A redox-based combustion synthetic approach is applied to ITO thin film using acetylacetone as a fuel and metal nitrate as oxidizer. The structural and electrical properties of SCS-ITO precursor solution and thin films were systematically investigated with changes in tin concentration, indium metal precursors, and annealing conditions such as temperature, time, and ambient. It was found that at optimal conditions the SCS-ITO thin film exhibited high crystalline quality, atomically smooth surface (RMS ~ 4.1 Å), and low electrical resistivity (4.2 × 10-4 Ω cm). The TFT using SCS-ITO film as the S/D electrodes showed excellent electrical properties with negligible hysteresis. The obtained "on/off" current ratio, subthreshold swing factor, subthreshold voltage, and field-effect mobility were 5 × 107, 0.43 V/decade, 0.7 V, and 2.1 cm2/V s, respectively. The performance and stability of the SCS-ITO TFT are comparable to those of the sputtered-ITO TFT, emphasizing that the SCS-ITO film is a promising candidate for totally solution-processed oxide TFTs.

Flavonoids Derived from Abelmoschus esculentus Attenuates UV-B Induced Cell Damage in Human Dermal Fibroblasts Through Nrf2-ARE Pathway.

PubMed

Patwardhan, Juilee; Bhatt, Purvi

2016-05-01

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation is a smaller fraction of the total radiation reaching the Earth but leads to extensive damage to the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and other biomolecules through formation of free radicals altering redox homeostasis of the cell. Abelmoschus esculentus (okra) has been known in Ayurveda as antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, demulscent, antispasmodic, diuretic, purgative, etc. The aim of this study is to evaluate the protective effect of flavonoids from A. esculentus against UV-B-induced cell damage in human dermal fibroblasts. UV-B protective activity of ethyl acetate (EA) fraction of okra was studied against UV-B-induced cytotoxicity, antioxidant regulation, oxidative DNA damage, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, apoptotic morphological changes, and regulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene through nuclear factor E2-related factor 2-antioxidant response element (Nrf2-ARE) pathway. Flavonoid-rich EA fraction depicted a significant antioxidant potential also showing presence of rutin. Pretreatment of cells with EA fraction (10-30 μg/ml) prevented UV-B-induced cytotoxicity, depletion of endogenous enzymatic antioxidants, oxidative DNA damage, intracellular ROS production, apoptotic changes, and overexpression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Our study demonstrated for the 1(st) time that EA fraction of okra may reduce oxidative stress through Nrf2-ARE pathway as well as through endogenous enzymatic antioxidant system. These results suggested that flavonoids from okra may be considered as potential UV-B protective agents and may also be formulated into herbal sunscreen for topical application. Flavonoid-enriched ethyl acetate (EA) fraction from A. esculentus protected against ultraviolet-B (UV-B)-induced oxidative DNA damageEA fraction prevented UV-B-induced cytotoxicity, depletion of endogenous enzymatic antioxidants, and intracellular reactive oxygen species productionEA fraction could reduce oxidative stress through the Nrf2-ARE PathwayEA fraction was found to be nongenotoxic and prevented apoptotic changes. Flavonoids from Abelmoschus esculentus protected from ultraviolet-B-induced damageThey were capable of reducing oxidative stress through Nrf2-ARE PathwayThey are nongenotoxic and do not possess mutagenic potentialFlavonoids from A. esculentus can be studied and explored further for its topical application as sunscreen. Abbreviations used: ABTS: 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline -6-sulphonic acid), AO: Acridine orange, Analysis of variance, ARE: Antioxidant response elements, BSA: Bovine serum albumin, CAPE: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester, CAT: Catalase, DCFH-DA: 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate, DMEM: Dulbecco's modified eagle's medium, DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide, DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, DPBS: Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline, DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl, ECL: Enhanced chemiluminescence, EDTA: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, EtBr: Ethidium bromide, FBS: Fetal bovine serum, FE Fraction: Flavonoid-enriched fraction, FRAP: Ferric reducing antioxidant power, GPx: Glutathione peroxidase, GR: Glutathione reductase, GST: Glutathione-S-transferase, GSH: Reduced glutathione, GSSG: Oxidized glutathione, HDF: Human dermal fibroblast adult cells, HEPES: 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulphonic acid, HRP: Horseradish peroxidase, HO-1: Heme oxygenase-1, HPTLC: High-performance thin layer chromatography, Keap-1: Kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1, MTT: 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, NaCl: sodium chloride, NFDM: nonfat dry milk, Nrf2: Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2, NQO1: NAD (P) H: Quinine oxidoreductase 1, OH: Hydroxyl ions, PBST: Phosphate-buffered saline with 0.1% tween 20, PCR: Polymerase chain reaction, PMSF: Phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, Rf: Retention factor, ROS: Reactive oxygen species, rRNA: Ribosomal ribonucleic acid, SDS: Sodium dodecyl sulfate, SOD: Superoxide dismutase, TLC: Thin layer chromatography, TLC-DPPH: Thin layer chromatography-2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl, UV: Ultraviolet, UV-A: Ultraviolet-A, UV-B: Ultraviolet-B, UV-C: Ultraviolet-C, qPCR: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Producing thin film photovoltaic modules with high integrity interconnects and dual layer contacts

DOEpatents

Jansen, Kai W.; Maley, Nagi

2000-01-01

High performance photovoltaic modules are produced with improved interconnects by a special process. Advantageously, the photovoltaic modules have a dual layer back (rear) contact and a front contact with at least one layer. The front contact and the inner layer of the back contact can comprise a transparent conductive oxide. The outer layer of the back contact can comprise a metal or metal oxide. The front contact can also have a dielectric layer. In one form, the dual layer back contact comprises a zinc oxide inner layer and an aluminum outer layer and the front contact comprises a tin oxide inner layer and a silicon dioxide dielectric outer layer. One or more amorphous silicon-containing thin film semiconductors can be deposited between the front and back contacts. The contacts can be positioned between a substrate and an optional superstrate. During production, the transparent conductive oxide layer of the front contact is scribed by a laser, then the amorphous silicon-containing semiconductors and inner layer of the dual layer back contact are simultaneously scribed and trenched (drilled) by the laser and the trench is subsequently filled with the same metal as the outer layer of the dual layer back contact to provide a superb mechanical and electrical interconnect between the front contact and the outer layer of the dual layer back contact. The outer layer of the dual layer back contact can then be scribed by the laser. For enhanced environmental protection, the photovoltaic modules can be encapsulated.

Producing thin film photovoltaic modules with high integrity interconnects and dual layer contacts

DOEpatents

Jansen, Kai W.; Maley, Nagi

2001-01-01

High performance photovoltaic modules are produced with improved interconnects by a special process. Advantageously, the photovoltaic modules have a dual layer back (rear) contact and a front contact with at least one layer. The front contact and the inner layer of the back contact can comprise a transparent conductive oxide. The outer layer of the back contact can comprise a metal or metal oxide. The front contact can also have a dielectric layer. In one form, the dual layer back contact comprises a zinc oxide inner layer and an aluminum outer layer and the front contact comprises a tin oxide inner layer and a silicon dioxide dielectric outer layer. One or more amorphous silicon-containing thin film semiconductors can be deposited between the front and back contacts. The contacts can be positioned between a substrate and an optional superstrate. During production, the transparent conductive oxide layer of the front contact is scribed by a laser, then the amorphous silicon-containing semiconductors and inner layer of the dual layer back contact are simultaneously scribed and trenched (drilled) by the laser and the trench is subsequently filled with the same metal as the outer layer of the dual layer back contact to provide a superb mechanical and electrical interconnect between the front contact and the outer layer of the dual layer back contact. The outer layer of the dual layer back contact can then be scribed by the laser. For enhanced environmental protection, the photovoltaic modules can be encapsulated.

Recrystallized arrays of bismuth nanowires with trigonal orientation.

PubMed

Limmer, Steven J; Yelton, W Graham; Erickson, Kristopher J; Medlin, Douglas L; Siegal, Michael P

2014-01-01

We demonstrate methods to improve the crystalline-quality of free-standing Bi nanowires arrays on a Si substrate and enhance the preferred trigonal orientation for thermoelectric performance by annealing the arrays above the 271.4 °C Bi melting point. The nanowires maintain their geometry during melting due to the formation of a thin Bi-oxide protective shell that contains the molten Bi. Recrystallizing nanowires from the melt improves crystallinity; those cooled rapidly demonstrate a strong trigonal orientation preference.

Improving Osteoblast Response In Vitro by a Nanostructured Thin Film with Titanium Carbide and Titanium Oxides Clustered around Graphitic Carbon.

PubMed

Longo, Giovanni; Ioannidu, Caterina Alexandra; Scotto d'Abusco, Anna; Superti, Fabiana; Misiano, Carlo; Zanoni, Robertino; Politi, Laura; Mazzola, Luca; Iosi, Francesca; Mura, Francesco; Scandurra, Roberto

2016-01-01

Recently, we introduced a new deposition method, based on Ion Plating Plasma Assisted technology, to coat titanium implants with a thin but hard nanostructured layer composed of titanium carbide and titanium oxides, clustered around graphitic carbon. The nanostructured layer has a double effect: protects the bulk titanium against the harsh conditions of biological tissues and in the same time has a stimulating action on osteoblasts. The aim of this work is to describe the biological effects of this layer on osteoblasts cultured in vitro. We demonstrate that the nanostructured layer causes an overexpression of many early genes correlated to proteins involved in bone turnover and an increase in the number of surface receptors for α3β1 integrin, talin, paxillin. Analyses at single-cell level, by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and single cell force spectroscopy, show how the proliferation, adhesion and spreading of cells cultured on coated titanium samples are higher than on uncoated titanium ones. Finally, the chemistry of the layer induces a better formation of blood clots and a higher number of adhered platelets, compared to the uncoated cases, and these are useful features to improve the speed of implant osseointegration. In summary, the nanostructured TiC film, due to its physical and chemical properties, can be used to protect the implants and to improve their acceptance by the bone.

Unidirectional oxide hetero-interface thin-film diode

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

Park, Youngmin; Lee, Eungkyu; Lee, Jinwon

2015-10-05

The unidirectional thin-film diode based on oxide hetero-interface, which is well compatible with conventional thin-film fabrication process, is presented. With the metal anode/electron-transporting oxide (ETO)/electron-injecting oxide (EIO)/metal cathode structure, it exhibits that electrical currents ohmically flow at the ETO/EIO hetero-interfaces for only positive voltages showing current density (J)-rectifying ratio of ∼10{sup 5} at 5 V. The electrical properties (ex, current levels, and working device yields) of the thin-film diode (TFD) are systematically controlled by changing oxide layer thickness. Moreover, we show that the oxide hetero-interface TFD clearly rectifies an AC input within frequency (f) range of 10{sup 2} Hz < f < 10{sup 6} Hz, providing amore » high feasibility for practical applications.« less

Effects of channel thickness on oxide thin film transistor with double-stacked channel layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kimoon; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Yoon, Sung-Min; Kim, Jiwan; Oh, Min Suk

2017-11-01

To improve the field effect mobility and control the threshold voltage ( V th ) of oxide thin film transistors (TFTs), we fabricated the oxide TFTs with double-stacked channel layers which consist of thick Zn-Sn-O (ZTO) and very thin In-Zn-O (IZO) layers. We investigated the effects of the thickness of thin conductive layer and the conductivity of thick layer on oxide TFTs with doublestacked channel layer. When we changed the thickness of thin conductive IZO channel layer, the resistivity values were changed. This resistivity of thin channel layer affected on the saturation field effect mobility and the off current of TFTs. In case of the thick ZTO channel layer which was deposited by sputtering in Ar: O2 = 10: 1, the device showed better performances than that which was deposited in Ar: O2 = 1: 1. Our TFTs showed high mobility ( μ FE ) of 40.7 cm2/Vs and V th of 4.3 V. We assumed that high mobility and the controlled V th were caused by thin conductive IZO layer and thick stable ZTO layer. Therefore, this double-stacked channel structure can be very promising way to improve the electrical characteristics of various oxide thin film transistors.

Epitaxial thinning process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, C. M. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

A method is described for thinning an epitaxial layer of a wafer that is to be used in producing diodes having a specified breakdown voltage and which also facilitates the thinning process. Current is passed through the epitaxial layer, by connecting a current source between the substrate of the wafer and an electrolyte in which the wafer is immersed. When the wafer is initially immersed, the voltage across the wafer initially drops and then rises at a steep rate. When light is applied to the wafer the voltage drops, and when the light is interrupted the voltage rises again. These changes in voltage, each indicate the breakdown voltage of a Schottky diode that could be prepared from the wafer at that time. The epitaxial layer is thinned by continuing to apply current through the wafer while it is immersed and light is applied, to form an oxide film and when the oxide film is thick the wafer can then be cleaned of oxide and the testing and thinning continued. Uninterrupted thinning can be achieved by first forming an oxide film, and then using an electrolyte that dissolves the oxide about as fast as it is being formed, to limit the thickness of the oxide layer.

Amorphous and Crystalline Vanadium Oxides as High-Energy and High-Power Cathodes for Three-Dimensional Thin-Film Lithium Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Mattelaer, Felix; Geryl, Kobe; Rampelberg, Geert; Dendooven, Jolien; Detavernier, Christophe

2017-04-19

Flexible wearable electronics and on-chip energy storage for wireless sensors drive rechargeable batteries toward thin-film lithium ion batteries. To enable more charge storage on a given surface, higher energy density materials are required, while faster energy storage and release can be obtained by going to thinner films. Vanadium oxides have been examined as cathodes in classical and thin-film lithium ion batteries for decades, but amorphous vanadium oxide thin films have been mostly discarded. Here, we investigate the use of atomic layer deposition, which enables electrode deposition on complex three-dimensional (3D) battery architectures, to obtain both amorphous and crystalline VO 2 and V 2 O 5 , and we evaluate their thin-film cathode performance. Very high volumetric capacities are found, alongside excellent kinetics and good cycling stability. Better kinetics and higher volumetric capacities were observed for the amorphous vanadium oxides compared to their crystalline counterparts. The conformal deposition of these vanadium oxides on silicon micropillar structures is demonstrated. This study shows the promising potential of these atomic layer deposited vanadium oxides as cathodes for 3D all-solid-state thin-film lithium ion batteries.

Development of a direct patterning method for functional oxide thin films using ultraviolet irradiation and hybrid-cluster gels and its application to thin-film transistor fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimoto, Yuuki; Li, Jinwang; Shimoda, Tatsuya

2018-04-01

A gel state exists in the solution-solid conversion process. We found that solidification can be promoted by irradiating the gel with ultraviolet (UV) light. In this study, a patterning method without using a vacuum system or employing photoresist materials has been proposed wherein solidification was applied to a gel by UV irradiation. Indium oxide gel, indium gallium oxide gel, lanthanum zirconium oxide gel, and lanthanum ruthenium oxide gels were successfully patterned by using our technique. Moreover, an oxide thin-film transistor was fabricated by our novel patterning method and was successfully operated.

Durable silver coating for mirrors

DOEpatents

Wolfe, Jesse D.; Thomas, Norman L.

2000-01-01

A durable multilayer mirror includes reflective layers of aluminum and silver and has high reflectance over a broad spectral range from ultraviolet to visible to infrared. An adhesion layer of a nickel and/or chromium alloy or nitride is deposited on an aluminum surface, and a thin layer of silver is then deposited on the adhesion layer. The silver layer is protected by a passivation layer of a nickel and/or chromium alloy or nitride and by one or more durability layers made of metal oxides and typically a first layer of metal nitride. The durability layers may include a composite silicon aluminum nitride and an oxinitride transition layer to improve bonding between nitride and oxide layers.

Liquid-Like, Self-Healing Aluminum Oxide during Deformation at Room Temperature

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

Yang, Yang; Kushima, Akihiro; Han, Weizhong

Effective protection from environmental degradation relies on the integrity of oxide as diffusion barriers. Ideally, the passivation layer can repair its own breaches quickly under deformation. While studies suggest that the native aluminum oxide may manifest such properties, it has yet to be experimentally proven because direct observations of the air-environmental deformation of aluminum oxide and its initial formation at room temperature are challenging. In this letter, we report in situ experiments to stretch pure aluminum nanotips under O 2 gas environments in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). We discovered that aluminum oxide indeed deforms like liquid and can matchmore » the deformation of Al without any cracks/spallation at moderate strain rate. At higher strain rate, we exposed fresh metal surface, and visualized the self-healing process of aluminum oxide at atomic resolution. Unlike traditional thin-film growth or nanoglass consolidation processes, we observe seamless coalescence of new oxide islands without forming any glass–glass interface or surface grooves, indicating greatly accelerated glass kinetics at the surface compared to the bulk.« less

Liquid-Like, Self-Healing Aluminum Oxide during Deformation at Room Temperature

DOE PAGES

Yang, Yang; Kushima, Akihiro; Han, Weizhong; ...

2018-02-28

Effective protection from environmental degradation relies on the integrity of oxide as diffusion barriers. Ideally, the passivation layer can repair its own breaches quickly under deformation. While studies suggest that the native aluminum oxide may manifest such properties, it has yet to be experimentally proven because direct observations of the air-environmental deformation of aluminum oxide and its initial formation at room temperature are challenging. In this letter, we report in situ experiments to stretch pure aluminum nanotips under O 2 gas environments in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). We discovered that aluminum oxide indeed deforms like liquid and can matchmore » the deformation of Al without any cracks/spallation at moderate strain rate. At higher strain rate, we exposed fresh metal surface, and visualized the self-healing process of aluminum oxide at atomic resolution. Unlike traditional thin-film growth or nanoglass consolidation processes, we observe seamless coalescence of new oxide islands without forming any glass–glass interface or surface grooves, indicating greatly accelerated glass kinetics at the surface compared to the bulk.« less

Oxide Protective Coats for Ir/Re Rocket Combustion Chambers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortini, Arthur; Tuffias, Robert H.

2003-01-01

An improved material system has been developed for rocket engine combustion chambers for burning oxygen/ hydrogen mixtures or novel monopropellants, which are highly oxidizing at operating temperatures. The baseline for developing the improved material system is a prior iridium/rhenium system for chambers burning nitrogen tetroxide/monomethyl hydrazine mixtures, which are less oxidizing. The baseline combustion chamber comprises an outer layer of rhenium that provides structural support, plus an inner layer of iridium that acts as a barrier to oxidation of the rhenium. In the improved material system, the layer of iridium is thin and is coated with a thermal fatigue-resistant refractory oxide (specifically, hafnium oxide) that serves partly as a thermal barrier to decrease the temperature and thus the rate of oxidation of the rhenium. The oxide layer also acts as a barrier against the transport of oxidizing species to the surface of the iridium. Tests in which various oxygen/hydrogen mixtures were burned in iridium/rhenium combustion chambers lined with hafnium oxide showed that the operational lifetimes of combustion chambers of the improved material system are an order of magnitude greater than those of the baseline combustion chambers.

Fabrication and characterization of lithographically patterned and optically transparent anodic aluminum Oxide (AAO) nanostructure thin film.

PubMed

He, Yuan; Li, Xiang; Que, Long

2012-10-01

Optically transparent anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanostructure thin film has been successfully fabricated from lithographically patterned aluminum on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates for the first time, indicating the feasibility to integrate the AAO nanostructures with microdevices or microfluidics for a variety of applications. Both one-step and two-step anodization processes using sulfuric acid and oxalic acid have been utilized for fabricating the AAO nanostructure thin film. The optical properties of the fabricated AAO nanostructure thin film have been evaluated and analyzed.

Ceramic Composite Thin Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dikin, Dmitriy A. (Inventor); Nguyen, SonBinh T. (Inventor); Ruoff, Rodney S. (Inventor); Stankovich, Sasha (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A ceramic composite thin film or layer includes individual graphene oxide and/or electrically conductive graphene sheets dispersed in a ceramic (e.g. silica) matrix. The thin film or layer can be electrically conductive film or layer depending the amount of graphene sheets present. The composite films or layers are transparent, chemically inert and compatible with both glass and hydrophilic SiOx/silicon substrates. The composite film or layer can be produced by making a suspension of graphene oxide sheet fragments, introducing a silica-precursor or silica to the suspension to form a sol, depositing the sol on a substrate as thin film or layer, at least partially reducing the graphene oxide sheets to conductive graphene sheets, and thermally consolidating the thin film or layer to form a silica matrix in which the graphene oxide and/or graphene sheets are dispersed.

The effect of Mg dopants on magnetic and structural properties of iron oxide and zinc ferrite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saritaş, Sevda; Ceviz Sakar, Betul; Kundakci, Mutlu; Yildirim, Muhammet

2018-06-01

Iron oxide thin films have been obtained significant interest as a material that put forwards applications in photovoltaics, gas sensors, biosensors, optoelectronic and especially in spintronics. Iron oxide is one of the considerable interest due to its chemical and thermal stability. Metallic ion dopant influenced superexchange interactions and thus changed the structural, electrical and magnetic properties of the thin film. Mg dopped zinc ferrite (Mg:ZnxFe3-xO4) crystal was used to avoid the damage of Fe3O4 (magnetite) crystal instead of Zn2+ in this study. Because the radius of the Mg2+ ion in the A-site (tetrahedral) is almost equal to that of the replaced Fe3+ ion. Inverse-spinel structure in which oxygen ions (O2-) are arranged to form a face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice where there are two kinds of sublattices, namely, A-site and B-site (octahedral) interstitial sites and in which the super exchange interactions occur. In this study, to increase the saturation of magnetization (Ms) value for iron oxide, inverse-spinal ferrite materials have been prepared, in which the iron oxide was doped by multifarious divalent metallic elements including Zn and Mg. Triple and quaternary; iron oxide and zinc ferrite thin films with Mg metal dopants were grown by using Spray Pyrolysis (SP) technique. The structural, electrical and magnetic properties of Mg dopped iron oxide (Fe2O3) and zinc ferrite (ZnxFe3-xO4) thin films have been investigated. Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) technique was used to study for the magnetic properties. As a result, we can say that Mg dopped iron oxide thin film has huge diamagnetic and of Mg dopped zinc ferrite thin film has paramagnetic property at bigger magnetic field.

SUMMARY OF THE SEVENTH MEETING OF THE REFRACTORY COMPOSITES WORKING GROUP

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

Gibeaut, W.A.; Ogden, H.R.

1963-05-30

Information on refractory composites for use above 2500 deg F is summarized. Reports are concerned with protective coatings, insulating ceramics, materials for rocket thrust chambers, dispersion strengthening of metals, joining of refractory materials, and testing techniques. The problem of accelerated failure of silicide coatings under conditions of very low air pressure at high temperatures is studied. Although the maximum temperature capability of most silicide coatings is reduced about 50 theta deg at low air pressures, several coatings can protect molybdenum for 1/2 hr at 2800 to 3000 deg F under these conditions. The tin-aluminum coating also is susceptible to earlymore » failure at reduced pressure. An evaluation of the mechanical properties of 6-mil foils of D- 36, B-68, and TZM coated with commercial coatings demonstrated that some coatings seriously degrade substrate mechanical properties. Research on thermal- protection systems for re-entry vehicles whose surface temperatures reach from 3300 to 5500 deg F has resulted in agreement upon oxide coatings and thick metal- reinforced oxide composites. Simple plasmaarc-sprayed oxide coatings have demonstrated adequate oxidation resistance, but their structural stability in cyclic thermal exposure is inferior to metal-reinforced oxide. Thin unreinforced oxide coatings tend to spall in tests involving cyclic heating. A metal- reinforced oxide composite (reinforcement welded to substrate) has survived cyclic tests such as five 3-minute exposures at 4500 deg F without failing. A new carbon material called glassy carbon has demonstrnted better oxidation resistance than pyrolytic graphite at very high temperatures. The erosion resistance of pyrolytic graphite coatings on regular graphite in rocket firing tests using solid propellants is encouraging. There is considerable interest in fabricating small radiation-cooled rocket thrust chambers by plasma arc spraying. The design concept of internal reinforcement of sprayed-metal rocket chambers with wrought ductile wife appears impractical because of poor bonding and porosity around the wire. (auth)« less

Thin film seeds for melt processing textured superconductors for practical applications

DOEpatents

Veal, Boyd W.; Paulikas, Arvydas; Balachandran, Uthamalingam; Zhong, Wei

1999-01-01

A method of fabricating bulk superconducting material such as RBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-.delta. where R is La or Y comprising depositing a thin epitaxially oriented film of Nd or Sm (123) on an oxide substrate. The powder oxides of RBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-.delta. or oxides and/or carbonates of R and Ba and Cu present in mole ratios to form RBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-.delta., where R is Y or La are heated, in physical contact with the thin film of Nd or Sm (123) on the oxide substrate to a temperature sufficient to form a liquid phase in the oxide or carbonate mixture while maintaining the thin film solid to grow a large single domain 123 superconducting material. Then the material is cooled. The thin film is between 200 .ANG. and 2000 .ANG.. A construction prepared by the method is also disclosed.

Thin film seeds for melt processing textured superconductors for practical applications

DOEpatents

Veal, B.W.; Paulikas, A.; Balachandran, U.; Zhong, W.

1999-02-09

A method of fabricating bulk superconducting material such as RBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} where R is La or Y comprising depositing a thin epitaxially oriented film of Nd or Sm (123) on an oxide substrate is disclosed. The powder oxides of RBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} or oxides and/or carbonates of R and Ba and Cu present in mole ratios to form RBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}}, where R is Y or La are heated, in physical contact with the thin film of Nd or Sm (123) on the oxide substrate to a temperature sufficient to form a liquid phase in the oxide or carbonate mixture while maintaining the thin film solid to grow a large single domain 123 superconducting material. Then the material is cooled. The thin film is between 200 {angstrom} and 2000 {angstrom}. A construction prepared by the method is also disclosed.

Effect of native oxide layers on copper thin-film tensile properties: A reactive molecular dynamics study

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

Skarlinski, Michael D., E-mail: michael.skarlinski@rochester.edu; Quesnel, David J.; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627

2015-12-21

Metal-oxide layers are likely to be present on metallic nano-structures due to either environmental exposure during use, or high temperature processing techniques such as annealing. It is well known that nano-structured metals have vastly different mechanical properties from bulk metals; however, difficulties in modeling the transition between metallic and ionic bonding have prevented the computational investigation of the effects of oxide surface layers. Newly developed charge-optimized many body [Liang et al., Mater. Sci. Eng., R 74, 255 (2013)] potentials are used to perform fully reactive molecular dynamics simulations which elucidate the effects that metal-oxide layers have on the mechanical propertiesmore » of a copper thin-film. Simulated tensile tests are performed on thin-films while using different strain-rates, temperatures, and oxide thicknesses to evaluate changes in yield stress, modulus, and failure mechanisms. Findings indicate that copper-thin film mechanical properties are strongly affected by native oxide layers. The formed oxide layers have an amorphous structure with lower Cu-O bond-densities than bulk CuO, and a mixture of Cu{sub 2}O and CuO charge character. It is found that oxidation will cause modifications to the strain response of the elastic modulii, producing a stiffened modulii at low temperatures (<75 K) and low strain values (<5%), and a softened modulii at higher temperatures. While under strain, structural reorganization within the oxide layers facilitates brittle yielding through nucleation of defects across the oxide/metal interface. The oxide-free copper thin-film yielding mechanism is found to be a tensile-axis reorientation and grain creation. The oxide layers change the observed yielding mechanism, allowing for the inner copper thin-film to sustain an FCC-to-BCC transition during yielding. The mechanical properties are fit to a thermodynamic model based on classical nucleation theory. The fit implies that the oxidation of the films reduces the activation volume for yielding.« less

Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Nanowires for Electronic, Photonic and Sensing Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-05

oxide -based thin film transistors ( TFTs ) have attracted much attention for applications like flexible electronic devices. The...crystals, and ~ 1.5 cm2.V-1.s-1 for pentacene thin films ). A number of groups have demonstrated TFTs based on α- oxide semiconductors such as zinc oxide ...show excellent long-term stability at room temperature. Results: High-performance amorphous (α-) InGaZnO-based thin film transistors ( TFTs )

Electro-thermal control of aluminum-doped zinc oxide/vanadium dioxide multilayered thin films for smart-device applications

PubMed Central

Skuza, J. R.; Scott, D. W.; Mundle, R. M.; Pradhan, A. K.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate the electro-thermal control of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO) /vanadium dioxide (VO2) multilayered thin films, where the application of a small electric field enables precise control of the applied heat to the VO2 thin film to induce its semiconductor-metal transition (SMT). The transparent conducting oxide nature of the top Al:ZnO film can be tuned to facilitate the fine control of the SMT of the VO2 thin film and its associated properties. In addition, the Al:ZnO film provides a capping layer to the VO2 thin film, which inhibits oxidation to a more energetically favorable and stable V2O5 phase. It also decreases the SMT of the VO2 thin film by approximately 5–10 °C because of an additional stress induced on the VO2 thin film and/or an alteration of the oxygen vacancy concentration in the VO2 thin film. These results have significant impacts on technological applications for both passive and active devices by exploiting this near-room-temperature SMT. PMID:26884225

Long term corrosion on T91 and AISI1 316L steel in flowing lead alloy and corrosion protection barrier development: Experiments and models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weisenburger, A.; Schroer, C.; Jianu, A.; Heinzel, A.; Konys, J.; Steiner, H.; Müller, G.; Fazio, C.; Gessi, A.; Babayan, S.; Kobzova, A.; Martinelli, L.; Ginestar, K.; Balbaud-Célerier, F.; Martín-Muñoz, F. J.; Soler Crespo, L.

2011-08-01

Considering the status of knowledge on corrosion and corrosion protection and especially the need for long term compatibility data of structural materials in HLM a set of experiments to generate reliable long term data was defined and performed. The long term corrosion behaviour of the two structural materials foreseen in ADS, 316L and T91, was investigated in the design relevant temperature field, i.e. from 300 to 550 °C. The operational window of the two steels in this temperature range was identified and all oxidation data were used to develop and validate the models of oxide scale growth in PbBi. A mechanistic model capable to predict the oxidation rate applying some experimentally fitted parameters has been developed. This model assumes parabolic oxidation and might be used for design and safety relevant investigations in future. Studies on corrosion barrier development allowed to define the required Al content for the formation of thin alumina scales in LBE. These results as well as future steps and required improvements are discussed. Variation of experimental conditions clearly showed that specific care has to be taken with respect to local flow conditions and oxygen concentrations.

Fully transparent thin film transistors based on zinc oxide channel layer and molybdenum doped indium oxide electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MÄ dzik, Mateusz; Elamurugu, Elangovan; Viegas, Jaime

2016-03-01

In this work we report the fabrication of thin film transistors (TFT) with zinc oxide channel and molybdenum doped indium oxide (IMO) electrodes, achieved by room temperature sputtering. A set of devices was fabricated, with varying channel width and length from 5μm to 300μm. Output and transfer characteristics were then extracted to study the performance of thin film transistors, namely threshold voltage and saturation current, enabling to determine optimal fabrication process parameters. Optical transmission in the UV-VIS-IR are also reported.

Direct electron injection into an oxide insulator using a cathode buffer layer

PubMed Central

Lee, Eungkyu; Lee, Jinwon; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Lim, Keon-Hee; Seok Byun, Jun; Ko, Jieun; Dong Kim, Young; Park, Yongsup; Kim, Youn Sang

2015-01-01

Injecting charge carriers into the mobile bands of an inorganic oxide insulator (for example, SiO2, HfO2) is a highly complicated task, or even impossible without external energy sources such as photons. This is because oxide insulators exhibit very low electron affinity and high ionization energy levels. Here we show that a ZnO layer acting as a cathode buffer layer permits direct electron injection into the conduction bands of various oxide insulators (for example, SiO2, Ta2O5, HfO2, Al2O3) from a metal cathode. Studies of current–voltage characteristics reveal that the current ohmically passes through the ZnO/oxide-insulator interface. Our findings suggests that the oxide insulators could be used for simply fabricated, transparent and highly stable electronic valves. With this strategy, we demonstrate an electrostatic discharging diode that uses 100-nm SiO2 as an active layer exhibiting an on/off ratio of ∼107, and protects the ZnO thin-film transistors from high electrical stresses. PMID:25864642

An XPS study of the stability of Fomblin Z25 on the native oxide of aluminum. [x ray photoelectron spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herrera-Fierro, Pilar; Pepper, Stephen V.; Jones, William R.

1991-01-01

Thin films of Fomblin Z25, a perfluoropolyalkylether lubricant, were vapor deposited onto clean, oxidized aluminum and sapphire surfaces, and their behavior at different temperatures was studied using x ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). It was found that the interfacial fluid molecules decompose on the native oxide at room temperature, and continue to decompose at elevated temperatures, as previous studies had shown to occur on clean metal. TDS indicated that different degradation mechanisms were operative for clean and oxidized aluminum. On sapphire substrates, no reaction was observed at room temperature. Our conclusion is that the native oxide of aluminum is neither passive nor protective towards Fomblin Z25. At high temperatures (150 C) degradation of the polymer on sapphire produced a debris layer at the interface with a chemical composition similar to the one formed on aluminum oxide. Rubbing a Fomblin film on a single crystal sapphire also induced the decomposition of the lubricant in contact with the interface and the formulation of a debris layer.

The effect of yttrium and thorium on the oxidation behavior of Ni-Cr-Al alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, A.; Nasrallah, M.; Douglass, D. L.

1974-01-01

The effect of quaternary additions of 0.5% Y, 0.5 and 1.0% Th to a base alloy of Ni-10CR-5Al on the oxidation behavior and mechanism was studied during oxidation in air over the range of 1000 to 1200 C. The presence of yttrium decreased the oxidation kinetics slightly, whereas, the addition of thorium caused a slight increase. Oxide scale adherence was markedly improved by the addition of the quaternary elements. Although a number of oxides formed on yttrium containing alloys, quantitative X-ray diffraction clearly showed that the rate-controlling step was the diffusion of aluminum through short circuit paths in a thin layer of alumina that formed parabolically with time. Although the scale adherence of the yttrium containing alloy was considerably better than the base alloys, spalling did occur that was attributed to the formation of the voluminous YAG particles which grew in a mushroom-like manner, lifting the protective scale off the subrate locally. The YAG particles formed primarily at grain boundaries in the substrate in which the yttrium originally existed as YNi9.

Mechanisms of LiCoO2 Cathode Degradation by Reaction with HF and Protection by Thin Oxide Coatings.

PubMed

Tebbe, Jonathon L; Holder, Aaron M; Musgrave, Charles B

2015-11-04

Reactions of HF with uncoated and Al and Zn oxide-coated surfaces of LiCoO2 cathodes were studied using density functional theory. Cathode degradation caused by reaction of HF with the hydroxylated (101̅4) LiCoO2 surface is dominated by formation of H2O and a LiF precipitate via a barrierless reaction that is exothermic by 1.53 eV. We present a detailed mechanism where HF reacts at the alumina coating to create a partially fluorinated alumina surface rather than forming AlF3 and H2O and thus alumina films reduce cathode degradation by scavenging HF and avoiding H2O formation. In contrast, we find that HF etches monolayer zinc oxide coatings, which thus fail to prevent capacity fading. However, thicker zinc oxide films mitigate capacity loss by reacting with HF to form a partially fluorinated zinc oxide surface. Metal oxide coatings that react with HF to form hydroxyl groups over H2O, like the alumina monolayer, will significantly reduce cathode degradation.

Method for production of ceramic oxide and carbide bodies by polymer inclusion and decomposition

DOEpatents

Quinby, Thomas C.

1985-01-01

A method for the preparation of thin, free-standing metal oxide films which are useful as nuclear accelerator target materials. Cations of any metal except those of Group IA and precious metals, such as, U, Zr, Nd, Ce, Th, pr or Cr, are absorbed on a thin film of polymeric material, such as, carboxymethylcellulose, viscose rayon or cellophane. The cation impregnated polymeric material is dried. Then the impregnated film is heated in an inert atmosphere to form a carbonized membrane. The carbonized membrane is oxidized to yield a thin, self-supporting, metal oxide membrane. Or, the membrane can be heated in an inert atmosphere to yield a thin, self-supporting, metal carbide-containing membrane.

Method for production of ceramic oxide and carbide bodies by polymer inclusion and decomposition

DOEpatents

Quinby, T.C.

1984-08-30

A method for the preparation of thin, free-standing metal oxide films which are useful as nuclear accelerator target materials is described. Cations of any metal except those of Group IA and precious metals, such as, U, Zr, Nd, Ce, Th, Pr or Cr, are absorbed on a thin film of polymeric material, such as carboxymethylcellulose, viscose rayon or cellophane. The cation impregnated polymeric material is dried. Then the impregnated film is heated in an inert atmosphere to form a carbonized membrane. The carbonized membrane is oxidized to yield a thin, self-supporting, metal oxide membrane. Or, the membrane can be heated in an inert atmosphere to yield a thin, self-supporting, metal carbide-containing membrane.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD): A versatile technique for plasmonics and nanobiotechnology.

PubMed

Im, Hyungsoon; Wittenberg, Nathan J; Lindquist, Nathan C; Oh, Sang-Hyun

2012-02-28

While atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been used for many years as an industrial manufacturing method for microprocessors and displays, this versatile technique is finding increased use in the emerging fields of plasmonics and nanobiotechnology. In particular, ALD coatings can modify metallic surfaces to tune their optical and plasmonic properties, to protect them against unwanted oxidation and contamination, or to create biocompatible surfaces. Furthermore, ALD is unique among thin-film deposition techniques in its ability to meet the processing demands for engineering nanoplasmonic devices, offering conformal deposition of dense and ultra-thin films on high-aspect-ratio nanostructures at temperatures below 100 °C. In this review, we present key features of ALD and describe how it could benefit future applications in plasmonics, nanosciences, and biotechnology.

Ultraviolet Electrically Injected Light Sources With Epitaxial ZnO-Based Heterojunctions

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

ohmic contacts to ZnO , UV photoconductors, and thin film transistors . The integration of ferroelectric oxide thin films with ZnO was also investigated... transistors . The integration of ferroelectric oxide thin films with ZnO was also investigated, as a potential means of locally inverting ZnO to p-type, and to...low contact resistivity ......................... 8 ZnO Thin Film Transistors

Solution processed metal oxide thin film hole transport layers for high performance organic solar cells

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

Steirer, K. Xerxes; Berry, Joseph J.; Chesin, Jordan P.

2017-01-10

A method for the application of solution processed metal oxide hole transport layers in organic photovoltaic devices and related organic electronics devices is disclosed. The metal oxide may be derived from a metal-organic precursor enabling solution processing of an amorphous, p-type metal oxide. An organic photovoltaic device having solution processed, metal oxide, thin-film hole transport layer.

Effect of thin oxide layers incorporated in spin valve structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillies, M. F.; Kuiper, A. E. T.; Leibbrandt, G. W. R.

2001-06-01

The enhancement of the magnetoresistance effect, induced by incorporating nano-oxide layers (NOLs) in a bottom-type spin valve, was studied for various preparation conditions. The effect of a NOL in the Co90Fe10 pinned layer was found to depend critically on the oxygen pressure applied to form the thin oxide film. Pressures over 10-3 Torr O2 yield oxides thicker than about 0.7 nm, which apparently deteriorate the biasing field which exists over the oxide. The magnetoresistance values can further be raised by forming a specular reflecting oxide on top of the sense layer. Promising results were obtained with an Al2O3 capping layer formed in a solid-state oxidation reaction that occurs spontaneously when a thin Al layer is deposited on the oxidized surface of the Co90Fe10 sense layer.

Growth control of the oxidation state in vanadium oxide thin films

DOE PAGES

Lee, Shinbuhm; Meyer, Tricia L.; Park, Sungkyun; ...

2014-12-05

Precise control of the chemical valence or oxidation state of vanadium in vanadium oxide thin films is highly desirable for not only fundamental research, but also technological applications that utilize the subtle change in the physical properties originating from the metalinsulator transition (MIT) near room temperature. However, due to the multivalent nature of vanadium and the lack of a good understanding on growth control of the oxidation state, stabilization of phase pure vanadium oxides with a single oxidation state is extremely challenging. Here, we systematically varied the growth conditions to clearly map out the growth window for preparing phase puremore » epitaxial vanadium oxides by pulsed laser deposition for providing a guideline to grow high quality thin films with well-defined oxidation states of V₂⁺²O₃, V⁺⁴O₂, and V₂⁺⁵O₅. A well pronounced MIT was only observed in VO₂ films grown in a very narrow range of oxygen partial pressure P(O₂). The films grown either in lower (< 10 mTorr) or higher P(O₂) (> 25 mTorr) result in V₂O₃ and V₂O₅ phases, respectively, thereby suppressing the MIT for both cases. We have also found that the resistivity ratio before and after the MIT of VO₂ thin films can be further enhanced by one order of magnitude when the films are further oxidized by post-annealing at a well-controlled oxidizing ambient. This result indicates that stabilizing vanadium into a single valence state has to compromise with insufficient oxidation of an as grown thin film and, thereby, a subsequent oxidation is required for an 3 improved MIT behavior.« less

Growth control of the oxidation state in vanadium oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Shinbuhm; Meyer, Tricia L.; Park, Sungkyun; Egami, Takeshi; Lee, Ho Nyung

2014-12-01

Precise control of the chemical valence or oxidation state of vanadium in vanadium oxide thin films is highly desirable for not only fundamental research but also technological applications that utilize the subtle change in the physical properties originating from the metal-insulator transition (MIT) near room temperature. However, due to the multivalent nature of vanadium and the lack of a good understanding on growth control of the oxidation state, stabilization of phase pure vanadium oxides with a single oxidation state is extremely challenging. Here, we systematically varied the growth conditions to clearly map out the growth window for preparing phase pure epitaxial vanadium oxides by pulsed laser deposition for providing a guideline to grow high quality thin films with well-defined oxidation states of V2 + 3 O 3 , V + 4 O 2 , and V2 + 5 O 5 . A well pronounced MIT was only observed in VO2 films grown in a very narrow range of oxygen partial pressure P(O2). The films grown either in lower (<10 mTorr) or higher P(O2) (>25 mTorr) result in V2O3 and V2O5 phases, respectively, thereby suppressing the MIT for both cases. We have also found that the resistivity ratio before and after the MIT of VO2 thin films can be further enhanced by one order of magnitude when the films are further oxidized by post-annealing at a well-controlled oxidizing ambient. This result indicates that stabilizing vanadium into a single valence state has to compromise with insufficient oxidation of an as grown thin film and, thereby, a subsequent oxidation is required for an improved MIT behavior.

Growth control of the oxidation state in vanadium oxide thin films

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

Lee, Shinbuhm; Meyer, Tricia L.; Lee, Ho Nyung, E-mail: hnlee@ornl.gov

2014-12-01

Precise control of the chemical valence or oxidation state of vanadium in vanadium oxide thin films is highly desirable for not only fundamental research but also technological applications that utilize the subtle change in the physical properties originating from the metal-insulator transition (MIT) near room temperature. However, due to the multivalent nature of vanadium and the lack of a good understanding on growth control of the oxidation state, stabilization of phase pure vanadium oxides with a single oxidation state is extremely challenging. Here, we systematically varied the growth conditions to clearly map out the growth window for preparing phase puremore » epitaxial vanadium oxides by pulsed laser deposition for providing a guideline to grow high quality thin films with well-defined oxidation states of V{sub 2}{sup +3}O{sub 3}, V{sup +4}O{sub 2}, and V{sub 2}{sup +5}O{sub 5}. A well pronounced MIT was only observed in VO{sub 2} films grown in a very narrow range of oxygen partial pressure P(O{sub 2}). The films grown either in lower (<10 mTorr) or higher P(O{sub 2}) (>25 mTorr) result in V{sub 2}O{sub 3} and V{sub 2}O{sub 5} phases, respectively, thereby suppressing the MIT for both cases. We have also found that the resistivity ratio before and after the MIT of VO{sub 2} thin films can be further enhanced by one order of magnitude when the films are further oxidized by post-annealing at a well-controlled oxidizing ambient. This result indicates that stabilizing vanadium into a single valence state has to compromise with insufficient oxidation of an as grown thin film and, thereby, a subsequent oxidation is required for an improved MIT behavior.« less

Oriented conductive oxide electrodes on SiO2/Si and glass

DOEpatents

Jia, Quanxi; Arendt, Paul N.

2001-01-01

A thin film structure is provided including a silicon substrate with a layer of silicon dioxide on a surface thereof, and a layer of cubic oxide material deposited upon the layer of silicon dioxide by ion-beam-assisted-deposition, said layer of cubic oxide material characterized as biaxially oriented. Preferably, the cubic oxide material is yttria-stabilized zirconia. Additional thin layers of biaxially oriented ruthenium oxide or lanthanum strontium cobalt oxide are deposited upon the layer of yttria-stabilized zirconia. An intermediate layer of cerium oxide is employed between the yttria-stabilized zirconia layer and the lanthanum strontium cobalt oxide layer. Also, a layer of barium strontium titanium oxide can be upon the layer of biaxially oriented ruthenium oxide or lanthanum strontium cobalt oxide. Also, a method of forming such thin film structures, including a low temperature deposition of a layer of a biaxially oriented cubic oxide material upon the silicon dioxide surface of a silicon dioxide/silicon substrate is provided.

Characterization of sputtered iridium oxide thin films on planar and laser micro-structured platinum thin film surfaces for neural stimulation applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thanawala, Sachin

Electrical stimulation of neurons provides promising results for treatment of a number of diseases and for restoration of lost function. Clinical examples include retinal stimulation for treatment of blindness and cochlear implants for deafness and deep brain stimulation for treatment of Parkinsons disease. A wide variety of materials have been tested for fabrication of electrodes for neural stimulation applications, some of which are platinum and its alloys, titanium nitride, and iridium oxide. In this study iridium oxide thin films were sputtered onto laser micro-structured platinum thin films by pulsed-DC reactive sputtering of iridium metal in oxygen-containing atmosphere, to obtain high charge capacity coatings for neural stimulation applications. The micro-structuring of platinum films was achieved by a pulsed-laser-based technique (KrF excimer laser emitting at lambda=248nm). The surface morphology of the micro-structured films was studied using different surface characterization techniques. In-vitro biocompatibility of these laser micro-structured films coated with iridium oxide thin films was evaluated using cortical neurons isolated from rat embryo brain. Characterization of these laser micro-structured films coated with iridium oxide, by cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy has revealed a considerable decrease in impedance and increase in charge capacity. A comparison between amorphous and crystalline iridium oxide thin films as electrode materials indicated that amorphous iridium oxide has significantly higher charge capacity and lower impedance making it preferable material for neural stimulation application. Our biocompatibility studies show that neural cells can grow and differentiate successfully on our laser micro-structured films coated with iridium oxide. This indicates that reactively sputtered iridium oxide (SIROF) is biocompatible.

Electrochemical detection of nitrite on poly(pyronin Y)/graphene nanocomposites modified ITO substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Şinoforoğlu, Mehmet; Dağcı, Kader; Alanyalıoğlu, Murat; Meral, Kadem

2016-06-01

The present study reports on an easy preparation of poly(pyronin Y)/graphene (poly(PyY)/graphene) nanocomposites thin films on indium tin oxide coated glass substrates (ITO). The thin films of poly(PyY)/graphene nanocomposites are prepared by a novel method consisting of three steps; (i) preparation of graphene oxide (GO) thin films on ITO by spin-coating method, (ii) self-assembly of PyY molecules from aqueous solution onto the GO thin film, (iii) surface-confined electropolymerization (SCEP) of the adsorbed PyY molecules on the GO thin film. The as-prepared poly(PyY)/graphene nanocomposites thin films are characterized by using electroanalytical and spectroscopic techniques. Afterwards, the graphene-based polymeric dye thin film on ITO is used as an electrode in an electrochemical cell. Its performance is tested for electrochemical detection of nitrite. Under optimized conditions, the electrocatalytical effect of the nanocomposites thin film through electrochemical oxidation of nitrite is better than that of GO coated ITO.

Characterization of corrosion resistant on NiCoCr coating layer exposed to 5%NaCl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiarti, E.; Sundawa, R.; Desiati, R. D.; Zaini, K. A.

2018-03-01

Highly corrosion resistant of carbon steel coated NiCoCr was applied in corrosive of marine environtment. Carbon steel coated NiCoCr was prepared by a two step technique of NiCo electro-deposition and Cr pack cementation. The samples were exposed to 5 wt.% NaCl for 48 and 168 hours. The microstructure and corrosion product were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The corrosion resistance of carbon steel coated NiCoCr was found to be better than that of carbon steel substrate without coating. The results showed the microstructure of 48 h corroded sample has duplex layer composed of inner α-(Ni,Co), α-Cr and outer Cr2O3, while a quite thin and continues protective oxide of Cr2O3 was observed in outer layer of 168 h corroded sample. The formation of oxide scale rich in Cr2O3 has contributed for the better corrosion resistance of carbon steel coated NiCoCr, whereas the formation of non protective oxide of iron might caused low corrosion resistance of carbon steel substrate.

Three dimensional-stacked complementary thin-film transistors using n-type Al:ZnO and p-type NiO thin-film transistors.

PubMed

Lee, Ching-Ting; Chen, Chia-Chi; Lee, Hsin-Ying

2018-03-05

The three dimensional inverters were fabricated using novel complementary structure of stacked bottom n-type aluminum-doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO) thin-film transistor and top p-type nickel oxide (NiO) thin-film transistor. When the inverter operated at the direct voltage (V DD ) of 10 V and the input voltage from 0 V to 10 V, the obtained high performances included the output swing of 9.9 V, the high noise margin of 2.7 V, and the low noise margin of 2.2 V. Furthermore, the high performances of unskenwed inverter were demonstrated by using the novel complementary structure of the stacked n-type Al:ZnO thin-film transistor and p-type nickel oxide (NiO) thin-film transistor.

Microscale Soft Patterning for Solution Processable Metal Oxide Thin Film Transistors.

PubMed

Jung, Sang Wook; Chae, Soo Sang; Park, Jee Ho; Oh, Jin Young; Bhang, Suk Ho; Baik, Hong Koo; Lee, Tae Il

2016-03-23

We introduce a microscale soft pattering (MSP) route utilizing contact printing of chemically inert sub-nanometer thick low molecular weight (LMW) poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) layers. These PDMS layers serve as a release agent layer between the n-type Ohmic metal and metal oxide semiconductors (MOSs) and provide a layer that protects the MOS from water in the surrounding environment. The feasibility of our MSP route was experimentally demonstrated by fabricating solution processable In2O3, IZO, and IGZO TFTs with aluminum (Al), a typical n-type Ohmic metal. We have demonstrated patterning gaps as small as 13 μm. The TFTs fabricated using MSP showed higher field-effect-mobility and lower hysteresis in comparison with those made using conventional photolithography.

Insulator-protected mechanically controlled break junctions for measuring single-molecule conductance in aqueous environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthusubramanian, N.; Galan, E.; Maity, C.; Eelkema, R.; Grozema, F. C.; van der Zant, H. S. J.

2016-07-01

We present a method to fabricate insulated gold mechanically controlled break junctions (MCBJ) by coating the metal with a thin layer of aluminum oxide using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition. The Al2O3 thickness deposited on the MCBJ devices was varied from 2 to 15 nm to test the suppression of leakage currents in deionized water and phosphate buffered saline. Junctions coated with a 15 nm thick oxide layer yielded atomically sharp electrodes and negligible conductance counts in the range of 1 to 10-4 G0 (1 G0 = 77 μS), where single-molecule conductances are commonly observed. The insulated devices were used to measure the conductance of an amphiphilic oligophenylene ethynylene derivative in deionized water.

Toughened uni-piece, fibrous, reinforced, oxidization-resistant composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, David A. (Inventor); Leiser, Daniel B. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A composite thermal protection structure, for applications such as atmospheric re-entry vehicles, that can withstand temperatures as high as 3600.degree. F. The structure includes an exposed surface cap having a specially formulated coating, an insulator base adjacent to the cap with another specially formulated coating, and one or more pins that extend from the cap through the insulator base to tie the cap and base together, through ceramic bonding and mechanical attachment. The cap and insulator base have corresponding depressions and projections that mate and allow for differences in thermal expansion of the cap and base. A thin coating of a reaction cured glass formulation is optionally provided on the structure to allow reduce oxidization and/or to reduce catalytic efficiency.

Thin films and uses

DOEpatents

Baskaran, Suresh; Graff, Gordon L.; Song, Lin

1998-01-01

The invention provides a method for synthesizing a titanium oxide-containing film comprising the following steps: (a) preparing an aqueous solution of a titanium chelate with a titanium molarity in the range of 0.01M to 0.6M. (b) immersing a substrate in the prepared solution, (c) decomposing the titanium chelate to deposit a film on the substrate. The titanium chelate maybe decomposed acid, base, temperature or other means. A preferred method provides for the deposit of adherent titanium oxide films from C2 to C5 hydroxy carboxylic acids. In another aspect the invention is a novel article of manufacture having a titanium coating which protects the substrate against ultraviolet damage. In another aspect the invention provides novel semipermeable gas separation membranes, and a method for producing them.

Fabrication of high edge-definition steel-tape gratings for optical encoders.

PubMed

Ye, Guoyong; Liu, Hongzhong; Yan, Jiawei; Ban, Yaowen; Fan, Shanjin; Shi, Yongsheng; Yin, Lei

2017-10-01

High edge definition of a scale grating is the basic prerequisite for high measurement accuracy of optical encoders. This paper presents a novel fabrication method of steel tape gratings using graphene oxide nanoparticles as anti-reflective grating strips. Roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography is adopted to manufacture the steel tape with hydrophobic and hydrophilic pattern arrays. Self-assembly technology is employed to obtain anti-reflective grating strips by depositing the graphene oxide nanoparticles on hydrophobic regions. A thin SiO 2 coating is deposited on the grating to protect the grating strips. Experimental results confirm that the proposed fabrication process enables a higher edge definition in making steel-tape gratings, and the new steel tape gratings offer better performance than conventional gratings.

Fabrication of high edge-definition steel-tape gratings for optical encoders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Guoyong; Liu, Hongzhong; Yan, Jiawei; Ban, Yaowen; Fan, Shanjin; Shi, Yongsheng; Yin, Lei

2017-10-01

High edge definition of a scale grating is the basic prerequisite for high measurement accuracy of optical encoders. This paper presents a novel fabrication method of steel tape gratings using graphene oxide nanoparticles as anti-reflective grating strips. Roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography is adopted to manufacture the steel tape with hydrophobic and hydrophilic pattern arrays. Self-assembly technology is employed to obtain anti-reflective grating strips by depositing the graphene oxide nanoparticles on hydrophobic regions. A thin SiO2 coating is deposited on the grating to protect the grating strips. Experimental results confirm that the proposed fabrication process enables a higher edge definition in making steel-tape gratings, and the new steel tape gratings offer better performance than conventional gratings.

Atomic-Layer-Deposited Transparent Electrodes for Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

DOE PAGES

Demaurex, Benedicte; Seif, Johannes P.; Smit, Sjoerd; ...

2014-11-01

We examine damage-free transparent-electrode deposition to fabricate high-efficiency amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells. Such solar cells usually feature sputtered transparent electrodes, the deposition of which may damage the layers underneath. Using atomic layer deposition, we insert thin protective films between the amorphous silicon layers and sputtered contacts and investigate their effect on device operation. We find that a 20-nm-thick protective layer suffices to preserve, unchanged, the amorphous silicon layers beneath. Insertion of such protective atomic-layer-deposited layers yields slightly higher internal voltages at low carrier injection levels. However, we identify the presence of a silicon oxide layer, formed during processing,more » between the amorphous silicon and the atomic-layer-deposited transparent electrode that acts as a barrier, impeding hole and electron collection.« less

Properties of anodic oxides grown on a hafnium–tantalum–titanium thin film library

PubMed Central

Mardare, Andrei Ionut; Ludwig, Alfred; Savan, Alan; Hassel, Achim Walter

2014-01-01

A ternary thin film combinatorial materials library of the valve metal system Hf–Ta–Ti obtained by co-sputtering was studied. The microstructural and crystallographic analysis of the obtained compositions revealed a crystalline and textured surface, with the exception of compositions with Ta concentration above 48 at.% which are amorphous and show a flat surface. Electrochemical anodization of the composition spread thin films was used for analysing the growth of the mixed surface oxides. Oxide formation factors, obtained from the potentiodynamic anodization curves, as well as the dielectric constants and electrical resistances, obtained from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, were mapped along two dimensions of the library using a scanning droplet cell microscope. The semiconducting properties of the anodic oxides were mapped using Mott–Schottky analysis. The degree of oxide mixing was analysed qualitatively using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling. A quantitative analysis of the surface oxides was performed and correlated to the as-deposited metal thin film compositions. In the concurrent transport of the three metal cations during oxide growth a clear speed order of Ti > Hf > Ta was proven. PMID:27877648

Determination of oxygen diffusion kinetics during thin film ruthenium oxidation

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

Coloma Ribera, R., E-mail: r.colomaribera@utwente.nl; Kruijs, R. W. E. van de; Yakshin, A. E.

2015-08-07

In situ X-ray reflectivity was used to reveal oxygen diffusion kinetics for thermal oxidation of polycrystalline ruthenium thin films and accurate determination of activation energies for this process. Diffusion rates in nanometer thin RuO{sub 2} films were found to show Arrhenius behaviour. However, a gradual decrease in diffusion rates was observed with oxide growth, with the activation energy increasing from about 2.1 to 2.4 eV. Further exploration of the Arrhenius pre-exponential factor for diffusion process revealed that oxidation of polycrystalline ruthenium joins the class of materials that obey the Meyer-Neldel rule.

Improving Osteoblast Response In Vitro by a Nanostructured Thin Film with Titanium Carbide and Titanium Oxides Clustered around Graphitic Carbon

PubMed Central

Longo, Giovanni; Ioannidu, Caterina Alexandra; Scotto d’Abusco, Anna; Superti, Fabiana; Misiano, Carlo; Zanoni, Robertino; Politi, Laura; Mazzola, Luca; Iosi, Francesca; Mura, Francesco; Scandurra, Roberto

2016-01-01

Introduction Recently, we introduced a new deposition method, based on Ion Plating Plasma Assisted technology, to coat titanium implants with a thin but hard nanostructured layer composed of titanium carbide and titanium oxides, clustered around graphitic carbon. The nanostructured layer has a double effect: protects the bulk titanium against the harsh conditions of biological tissues and in the same time has a stimulating action on osteoblasts. Results The aim of this work is to describe the biological effects of this layer on osteoblasts cultured in vitro. We demonstrate that the nanostructured layer causes an overexpression of many early genes correlated to proteins involved in bone turnover and an increase in the number of surface receptors for α3β1 integrin, talin, paxillin. Analyses at single-cell level, by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and single cell force spectroscopy, show how the proliferation, adhesion and spreading of cells cultured on coated titanium samples are higher than on uncoated titanium ones. Finally, the chemistry of the layer induces a better formation of blood clots and a higher number of adhered platelets, compared to the uncoated cases, and these are useful features to improve the speed of implant osseointegration. Conclusion In summary, the nanostructured TiC film, due to its physical and chemical properties, can be used to protect the implants and to improve their acceptance by the bone. PMID:27031101

Local Anodic Oxidation of Thin GeO Films and Formation of Nanostructures Based on Them

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astankova, K. N.; Kozhukhov, A. S.; Azarov, I. A.; Gorokhov, E. B.; Sheglov, D. V.; Latyshev, A. V.

2018-04-01

The process of local anodic oxidation of thin GeO films has been studied using an atomic force microscope. The electron-probe microanalysis showed that oxidized areas of a GeO film were germanium dioxide. The effect of the voltage pulse duration applied to the probe-substrate system and the atmospheric humidity on the height of the oxide structures has been studied. The kinetics of the local anodic oxidation (LAO) in a semi-contact mode obeys the Cabrera-Mott model for large times. The initial growth rate of the oxide ( R 0) significantly increases and the time of starting the oxidation ( t 0) decreases as the atmospheric humidity increases by 20%, which is related to an increase in the concentration of oxygen-containing ions at the surface of the oxidized GeO film. It was shown that nanostructures in thin GeO layers can be formed by the LAO method.

Oxidation and hot corrosion of hot-pressed Si3N4 at 1000 deg C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fielder, W. L.

1985-01-01

The oxidation and hot corrosion of a commercial, hot-pressed Si3N4 were investigated at 1000 C under an atmosphere of flowing O2. For the hot corrosion studies, thin films of Na2SO4 were airbrushed on the Si3N4 surface. The hot corrosion attack was monitored by the following techniques: continuous weight measurements, SO2 evolution, film morphology, and chemical analyses. Even though the hot corrosion weight changes after 25 hr were relatively small, the formation of SiO2 from oxidation of Si3N4 was an order of magnitude greater in the presence of molten Na2SO4. The formation of a protective SiO2 phase at the Si3N4 surface is minimized by the fluxing action of the molten Na2SO4 thereby allowing the oxidation of the Si3N4 to proceed more rapidly. A simple process is proposed to account for the hot corrosion process.

Robust, functional nanocrystal solids by infilling with atomic layer deposition.

PubMed

Liu, Yao; Gibbs, Markelle; Perkins, Craig L; Tolentino, Jason; Zarghami, Mohammad H; Bustamante, Jorge; Law, Matt

2011-12-14

Thin films of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) are inherently metatstable materials prone to oxidative and photothermal degradation driven by their large surface-to-volume ratios and high surface energies. (1) The fabrication of practical electronic devices based on NC solids hinges on preventing oxidation, surface diffusion, ripening, sintering, and other unwanted physicochemical changes that can plague these materials. Here we use low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) to infill conductive PbSe NC solids with metal oxides to produce inorganic nanocomposites in which the NCs are locked in place and protected against oxidative and photothermal damage. Infilling NC field-effect transistors and solar cells with amorphous alumina yields devices that operate with enhanced and stable performance for at least months in air. Furthermore, ALD infilling with ZnO lowers the height of the inter-NC tunnel barrier for electron transport, yielding PbSe NC films with electron mobilities of 1 cm2 V(-1) s(-1). Our ALD technique is a versatile means to fabricate robust NC solids for optoelectronic devices.

Laboratory investigations: Low Earth orbit environment chemistry with spacecraft surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, Jon B.

1990-01-01

Long-term space operations that require exposure of material to the low earth orbit (LEO) environment must take into account the effects of this highly oxidative atmosphere on material properties and the possible contamination of the spacecraft surroundings. Ground-based laboratory experiments at Los Alamos using a newly developed hyperthermal atomic oxygen (AO) source have shown that not only are hydrocarbon based materials effected but that inorganic materials such as MoS2 are also oxidized and that thin protective coatings such as Al2O3 can be breached, producing oxidation of the underlying substrate material. Gas-phase reaction products, such as SO2 from oxidation of MoS2 and CO and CO2 from hydrocarbon materials, have been detected and have consequences in terms of spacecraft contamination. Energy loss through gas-surface collisions causing spacecraft drag has been measured for a few select surfaces and has been found to be highly dependent on the surface reactivity.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2013-04-01

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

System and Method for Fabricating Super Conducting Circuitry on Both Sides of an Ultra-Thin Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Ari D. (Inventor); Mikula, Vilem (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A method of fabricating circuitry in a wafer includes depositing a superconducting metal on a silicon on insulator wafer having a handle wafer, coating the wafer with a sacrificial layer and bonding the wafer to a thermally oxide silicon wafer with a first epoxy. The method includes flipping the wafer, thinning the flipped wafer by removing a handle wafer, etching a buried oxide layer, depositing a superconducting layer, bonding the wafer to a thermally oxidized silicon wafer having a handle wafer using an epoxy, flipping the wafer again, thinning the flipped wafer, etching a buried oxide layer from the wafer and etching the sacrificial layer from the wafer. The result is a wafer having superconductive circuitry on both sides of an ultra-thin silicon layer.

Conduction mechanism change with transport oxide layer thickness in oxide hetero-interface diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nam, Bu-il; Park, Jong Seo; Lim, Keon-Hee; Ahn, Yong-keon; Lee, Jinwon; Park, Jun-woo; Cho, Nam-Kwang; Lee, Donggun; Lee, Han-Bo-Ram; Kim, Youn Sang

2017-07-01

An effective and facile strategy is proposed to demonstrate an engineered oxide hetero-interface of a thin film diode with a high current density and low operating voltage. The electrical characteristics of an oxide hetero-interface thin film diode are governed by two theoretical models: the space charge-limited current model and the Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling model. Interestingly, the dominant mechanism strongly depends on the insulator thickness, and the mechanism change occurs at a critical thickness. This paper shows that conduction mechanisms of oxide hetero-interface thin film diodes depend on thicknesses of transport oxide layers and that current densities of these can be exponentially increased through quantum tunneling in the diodes with the thicknesses less than 10 nm. These oxide hetero-interface diodes have great potential for low-powered transparent nanoscale applications.

Preparation of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Thin Film as Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) from Zinc Complex Compound on Thin Film Solar Cells: A Study of O2 Effect on Annealing Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muslih, E. Y.; Kim, K. H.

2017-07-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) for thin film solar cell application was successfully prepared through two step preparations which consisted of deposition by spin coating at 2000 rpm for 10 second and followed by annealing at 500 °C for 2 hours under O2 and ambient atmosphere. Zinc acetate dehydrate was used as a precursor which dissolved in ethanol and acetone (1:1 mol) mixture in order to make a zinc complex compound. In this work, we reported the O2 effect, reaction mechanism, structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties. ZnO thin film in this work shows a single phase of wurtzite, with n-type semiconductor and has band gap, carrier concentration, mobility, and resistivity as 3.18 eV, 1.21 × 10-19cm3, 11 cm2/Vs, 2.35 × 10-3 Ωcm respectively which is suitable for TCO at thin film solar cell.

Cadmium-free junction fabrication process for CuInSe.sub.2 thin film solar cells

DOEpatents

Ramanathan, Kannan V.; Contreras, Miguel A.; Bhattacharya, Raghu N.; Keane, James; Noufi, Rommel

1999-01-01

The present invention provides an economical, simple, dry and controllable semiconductor layer junction forming process to make cadmium free high efficiency photovoltaic cells having a first layer comprised primarily of copper indium diselenide having a thin doped copper indium diselenide n-type region, generated by thermal diffusion with a group II(b) element such as zinc, and a halide, such as chlorine, and a second layer comprised of a conventional zinc oxide bilayer. A photovoltaic device according the present invention includes a first thin film layer of semiconductor material formed primarily from copper indium diselenide. Doping of the copper indium diselenide with zinc chloride is accomplished using either a zinc chloride solution or a solid zinc chloride material. Thermal diffusion of zinc chloride into the copper indium diselenide upper region creates the thin n-type copper indium diselenide surface. A second thin film layer of semiconductor material comprising zinc oxide is then applied in two layers. The first layer comprises a thin layer of high resistivity zinc oxide. The second relatively thick layer of zinc oxide is doped to exhibit low resistivity.

Atomic Layer-Deposited Titanium-Doped Vanadium Oxide Thin Films and Their Thermistor Applications

DOE PAGES

Wang, Shuyu; Yu, Shifeng; Lu, Ming; ...

2016-11-30

In this paper, we report the enhancement in the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of atomic layer-deposited vanadium oxide thin films through the doping of titanium oxide. The Hall effect measurement provides a potential explanation for the phenomenon. The composition and morphology of the thin films are investigated by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The high TCR, good uniformity, and low processing temperature of the material make it a good candidate for thermistor application.

Uncooled Cantilever Microbolometer Focal Plane Arrays with mK Temperature Resolution: Engineering Mechanics for the Next Generation

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-25

34Nanoindentation Stress-Strain Curves of Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposited Silicon Oxide Thin Films," Thin Solid Films, 516 (8) (2008) 1941-1951. 9. S...1604. 5. Z. Cao* and X. Zhang, "Measurement of Stress-Strain Curves of PECVD Silicon Oxide Thin Films by Means of Nanoindentation," in Processing...Microsystems (Transducers 󈧋), Lyon, France, June 10-14, 2007. 9. Z. Cao* and X. Zhang, “Measurement of Stress-strain Curves of PECVD Silicon Oxide

Hybrid Co-deposition of Mixed-Valent Molybdenum-Germanium Oxides (MoxGeyOz): A Route to Tunable Optical Transmission (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-05

to increased doping levels in indirect semiconductors [84]. The slope, and magnitude of the transmission curves continue to decrease alongside UL...periodically aluminium- doped zinc oxide thin films, Thin Solid Films 519 (2011) 2280–2286. [2] T. Minami, H. Nanto, S. Takata, Highly conductive and...transparent aluminum doped zinc oxide thin films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 23 (1984) L280. [3] T. Minami, Present status of

Metal oxide films on metal

DOEpatents

Wu, Xin D.; Tiwari, Prabhat

1995-01-01

A structure including a thin film of a conductive alkaline earth metal oxide selected from the group consisting of strontium ruthenium trioxide, calcium ruthenium trioxide, barium ruthenium trioxide, lanthanum-strontium cobalt oxide or mixed alkaline earth ruthenium trioxides thereof upon a thin film of a noble metal such as platinum is provided.

The Chemical Vapor Deposition of Thin Metal Oxide Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurie, Angus Buchanan

1990-01-01

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is an important method of preparing thin films of materials. Copper (II) oxide is an important p-type semiconductor and a major component of high T_{rm c} superconducting oxides. By using a volatile copper (II) chelate precursor, copper (II) bishexafluoroacetylacetonate, it has been possible to prepare thin films of copper (II) oxide by low temperature normal pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. In the metalorganic CVD (MOCVD) production of oxide thin films, oxygen gas saturated with water vapor has been used mainly to reduce residual carbon and fluorine content. This research has investigated the influence of water-saturated oxygen on the morphology of thin films of CuO produced by low temperature chemical vapor deposition onto quartz, magnesium oxide and cubic zirconia substrates. ZnO is a useful n-type semiconductor material and is commonly prepared by the MOCVD method using organometallic precursors such as dimethyl or diethylzinc. These compounds are difficult to handle under atmospheric conditions. In this research, thin polycrystalline films of zinc oxide were grown on a variety of substrates by normal pressure CVD using a zinc chelate complex with zinc(II) bishexafluoroacetylacetonate dihydrate (Zn(hfa)_2.2H _2O) as the zinc source. Zn(hfa) _2.2H_2O is not moisture - or air-sensitive and is thus more easily handled. By operating under reduced-pressure conditions (20-500 torr) it is possible to substantially reduce deposition times and improve film quality. This research has investigated the reduced-pressure CVD of thin films of CuO and ZnO. Sub-micron films of tin(IV) oxide (SnO _2) have been grown by normal pressure CVD on quartz substrates by using tetraphenyltin (TPT) as the source of tin. All CVD films were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA).

Improved Stability and Performance of Visible Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting on Solution-Processed Organic Semiconductor Thin Films by Ultrathin Metal Oxide Passivation

DOE PAGES

Wang, Lei; Yan, Danhua; Shaffer, David W.; ...

2017-12-27

Solution-processable organic semiconductors have potentials as visible photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting photoelectrodes due to their tunable small band gap and electronic energy levels, but they are typically limited by poor stability and photocatalytic activity. In this study, we demonstrate the direct visible PEC water oxidation on solution-processed organic semiconductor thin films with improved stability and performance by ultrathin metal oxide passivation layers. N-type fullerene-derivative thin films passivated by sub-2 nm ZnO via atomic layer deposition enabled the visible PEC water oxidation at wavelengths longer than 600 nm in harsh alkaline electrolyte environments with up to 30 μA/cm 2 photocurrents atmore » the thermodynamic water-oxidation equilibrium potential and the photoanode half-lifetime extended to ~1000 s. The systematic investigation reveals the enhanced water oxidation catalytic activity afforded by ZnO passivation and the charge tunneling governing the hole transfer through passivation layers. Further enhanced PEC performances were realized by improving the bottom ohmic contact to the organic semiconductor, achieving ~60 μA/cm 2 water oxidation photocurrent at the equilibrium potential, the highest values reported for organic semiconductor thin films to our knowledge. The improved stability and performance of passivated organic photoelectrodes and discovered design rationales provide useful guidelines for realizing the stable visible solar PEC water splitting based on organic semiconductor thin films.« less

Improved Stability and Performance of Visible Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting on Solution-Processed Organic Semiconductor Thin Films by Ultrathin Metal Oxide Passivation

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

Wang, Lei; Yan, Danhua; Shaffer, David W.

Solution-processable organic semiconductors have potentials as visible photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting photoelectrodes due to their tunable small band gap and electronic energy levels, but they are typically limited by poor stability and photocatalytic activity. In this study, we demonstrate the direct visible PEC water oxidation on solution-processed organic semiconductor thin films with improved stability and performance by ultrathin metal oxide passivation layers. N-type fullerene-derivative thin films passivated by sub-2 nm ZnO via atomic layer deposition enabled the visible PEC water oxidation at wavelengths longer than 600 nm in harsh alkaline electrolyte environments with up to 30 μA/cm 2 photocurrents atmore » the thermodynamic water-oxidation equilibrium potential and the photoanode half-lifetime extended to ~1000 s. The systematic investigation reveals the enhanced water oxidation catalytic activity afforded by ZnO passivation and the charge tunneling governing the hole transfer through passivation layers. Further enhanced PEC performances were realized by improving the bottom ohmic contact to the organic semiconductor, achieving ~60 μA/cm 2 water oxidation photocurrent at the equilibrium potential, the highest values reported for organic semiconductor thin films to our knowledge. The improved stability and performance of passivated organic photoelectrodes and discovered design rationales provide useful guidelines for realizing the stable visible solar PEC water splitting based on organic semiconductor thin films.« less

The corrosivity and passivity of sputtered Mg-Ti alloys

DOE PAGES

Song, Guang -Ling; Unocic, Kinga A.; Meyer, III, Harry M.; ...

2015-11-30

Our study explored the possibility of forming a “stainless” Mg–Ti alloy. The electrochemical behavior of magnetron-sputtered Mg–Ti alloys was measured in a NaCl solution, and the surface films on the alloys were examined by XPS, SEM and TEM. Increased corrosion resistance was observed with increased Ti content in the sputtered Mg–Ti alloys, but passive-like behavior was not reached until the Ti level (atomic %) was higher than the Mg level. Moreover, the surface film that formed on sputtered Mg–Ti based alloys in NaCl solution was thick, discontinuous and non-protective, whereas a thin, continuous and protective Mg and Ti oxide filmmore » was formed on a sputtered Ti–Mg based alloy.« less

Electrochemical Detection of Multiple Bioprocess Analytes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rauh, R. David

2010-01-01

An apparatus that includes highly miniaturized thin-film electrochemical sensor array has been demonstrated as a prototype of instruments for simultaneous detection of multiple substances of interest (analytes) and measurement of acidity or alkalinity in bioprocess streams. Measurements of pH and of concentrations of nutrients and wastes in cell-culture media, made by use of these instruments, are to be used as feedback for optimizing the growth of cells or the production of desired substances by the cultured cells. The apparatus is designed to utilize samples of minimal volume so as to minimize any perturbation of monitored processes. The apparatus can function in a potentiometric mode (for measuring pH), an amperometric mode (detecting analytes via oxidation/reduction reactions), or both. The sensor array is planar and includes multiple thin-film microelectrodes covered with hydrous iridium oxide. The oxide layer on each electrode serves as both a protective and electrochemical transducing layer. In its transducing role, the oxide provides electrical conductivity for amperometric measurement or pH response for potentiometric measurement. The oxide on an electrode can also serve as a matrix for one or more enzymes that render the electrode sensitive to a specific analyte. In addition to transducing electrodes, the array includes electrodes for potential control. The array can be fabricated by techniques familiar to the microelectronics industry. The sensor array is housed in a thin-film liquid-flow cell that has a total volume of about 100 mL. The flow cell is connected to a computer-controlled subsystem that periodically draws samples from the bioprocess stream to be monitored. Before entering the cell, each 100-mL sample is subjected to tangential-flow filtration to remove particles. In the present version of the apparatus, the electrodes are operated under control by a potentiostat and are used to simultaneously measure the pH and the concentration of glucose. It is anticipated that development of procedures for trapping more enzymes into hydrous iridium oxide (and possibly into other electroactive metal oxides) and of means for imparting long-term stability to the transducer layers should make it possible to monitor concentrations of products of many enzyme reactions for example, such key bioprocess analytes as amino acids, vitamins, lactose, and acetate.

Role of Y in the oxidation resistance of CrAlYN coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domínguez-Meister, S.; El Mrabet, S.; Escobar-Galindo, R.; Mariscal, A.; Jiménez de Haro, M. C.; Justo, A.; Brizuela, M.; Rojas, T. C.; Sánchez-López, J. C.

2015-10-01

CrAlYN coatings with different aluminum (4-12 at.%) and yttrium (2-5 at.%) contents are deposited by d.c. reactive magnetron sputtering on silicon and M2 steel substrates using metallic targets and Ar/N2 mixtures. The influence of the nanostructure and chemical elemental distribution on the oxidation resistance after heating in air at 1000 °C is studied by means of cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (X-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES). The sequential exposure to the metallic targets during the synthesis leads to a multilayer structure where concentration of metallic elements (Cr, Al and Y) is changing periodically. A good oxidation resistance is observed when Al- and Y-rich regions are separated by well-defined CrN layers, maintaining crystalline coherence along the columnar structure. This protective behavior is independent of the type of substrate and corresponds to the formation of a thin mixed (Al, Cr)-oxide scale that protects the film underneath. The GD-OES and XRD analysis have demonstrated that Y acts as a reactive element, blocking the Fe and C atoms diffusion from the steel and favoring higher Al/Cr ratio in the passivation layer after heating. The coating with Y content around 4 at.% exhibited the best performance with a thinner oxide scale, a delay in the CrN decomposition and transformation to Cr2N, and a more effective Fe and C blocking.

Polymer-assisted aqueous deposition of metal oxide films

DOEpatents

Li, DeQuan [Los Alamos, NM; Jia, Quanxi [Los Alamos, NM

2003-07-08

An organic solvent-free process for deposition of metal oxide thin films is presented. The process includes aqueous solutions of necessary metal precursors and an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer. After a coating operation, the resultant coating is fired at high temperatures to yield optical quality metal oxide thin films.

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.

Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide Coatings on High Aspect Ratio Micro-Pillar Arrays for 3D Thin Film Lithium Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Zargouni, Yafa; Deheryan, Stella; Radisic, Alex; Alouani, Khaled; Vereecken, Philippe M

2017-05-27

In this work, we present the electrochemical deposition of manganese dioxide (MnO₂) thin films on carbon-coated TiN/Si micro-pillars. The carbon buffer layer, grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), is used as a protective coating for the underlying TiN current collector from oxidation, during the film deposition, while improving the electrical conductivity of the stack. A conformal electrolytic MnO₂ (EMD) coating is successfully achieved on high aspect ratio C/TiN/Si pillar arrays by tailoring the deposition process. Lithiation/Delithiation cycling tests have been performed. Reversible insertion and extraction of Li⁺ through EMD structure are observed. The fabricated stack is thus considered as a good candidate not only for 3D micorbatteries but also for other energy storage applications.

Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide Coatings on High Aspect Ratio Micro-Pillar Arrays for 3D Thin Film Lithium Ion Batteries

PubMed Central

Zargouni, Yafa; Deheryan, Stella; Radisic, Alex; Alouani, Khaled; Vereecken, Philippe M.

2017-01-01

In this work, we present the electrochemical deposition of manganese dioxide (MnO2) thin films on carbon-coated TiN/Si micro-pillars. The carbon buffer layer, grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), is used as a protective coating for the underlying TiN current collector from oxidation, during the film deposition, while improving the electrical conductivity of the stack. A conformal electrolytic MnO2 (EMD) coating is successfully achieved on high aspect ratio C/TiN/Si pillar arrays by tailoring the deposition process. Lithiation/Delithiation cycling tests have been performed. Reversible insertion and extraction of Li+ through EMD structure are observed. The fabricated stack is thus considered as a good candidate not only for 3D micorbatteries but also for other energy storage applications. PMID:28555017

The use of precious-metal-modified nickel-based superalloys for thin gage applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballard, Donna L.; Pilchak, Adam L.

2010-10-01

Precious-metal-modified nickel-based superalloys are being investigated for use in thin gage applications, such as thermal protection systems or heat exchangers, due to their strength and inherent oxidation resistance at temperatures in excess of 1,050°C. This overview paper summarizes the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) interest in experimental two-phase γ-Ni + γ'-Ni3Al superalloys. The AFRL is interested in alloys with a based composition of Ni-15Al-5Cr (at. %) with carbon, boron, and zirconium additions for grain-boundary refinement and strengthening. The alloys currently being evaluated also contain 4-5 at.% of platinum-group metals, in this case platinum and iridium. The feasibility of hot rolling these alloys to a final thickness of 0.12-0.25 mm and obtaining a nearly fully recrystallized microstructure was demonstrated.

Nonlinear optical characterization of graphite oxide thin film by open aperture Z-scan technique

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

Sreeja, V. G.; Reshmi, R.; Devasia, Sebin

In this paper we explore the structural characterization of graphite oxide powder prepared from graphite powder by oxidation via modified Hummers method. The nonlinear optical properties of the spin coated graphite oxide thin film is also explored by open aperture Z-Scan technique. Structural and physiochemical properties of the samples were investigated with the help of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman Spectroscopy (Raman).The results of FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy showed that the graphite is oxidized by strong oxidants and the oxygen atoms are introduced into the graphite layers forming C=C, O-H and –C-H groups. The synthesized sample has goodmore » crystalline nature with lesser defects. The nonlinear optical property of GO thin film was studied by open aperture Z-Scan technique using Q-switched Nd-Yag Laser at 532 nm. The Z-scan plot showed that the investigated GO thin film has saturable absorption behavior. The nonlinear absorption coefficient and saturation intensity were also estimated to explore its applications in Q switched mode locking laser systems.« less

Method for producing solar energy panels by automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, J. C., Jr. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

A solar cell panel was fabricated by photoetching a pattern of collector grid systems with appropriate interconnections and bus bar tabs into a glass or plastic sheet. These regions were then filled with a first, thin conductive metal film followed by a layer of a mixed metal oxide, such as InAsO or InSnO. The multiplicity of solar cells were bonded between the protective sheet at the sites of the collector grid systems and a back electrode substrate by conductive metal filled epoxy to complete the fabrication of an integrated solar panel.

METHOD OF ROLLING URANIUM

DOEpatents

Smith, C.S.

1959-08-01

A method is described for rolling uranium metal at relatively low temperatures and under non-oxidizing conditions. The method involves the steps of heating the uranium to 200 deg C in an oil bath, withdrawing the uranium and permitting the oil to drain so that only a thin protective coating remains and rolling the oil coated uranium at a temperature of 200 deg C to give about a 15% reduction in thickness at each pass. The operation may be repeated to accomplish about a 90% reduction without edge cracking, checking or any appreciable increase in brittleness.

Low-temperature growth and electronic structures of ambipolar Yb-doped zinc tin oxide transparent thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Seol Hee; Ferblantier, Gerald; Park, Young Sang; Schmerber, Guy; Dinia, Aziz; Slaoui, Abdelilah; Jo, William

2018-05-01

The compositional dependence of the crystal structure, optical transmittance, and surface electric properties of the zinc tin oxide (Zn-Sn-O, shortened ZTO) thin films were investigated. ZTO thin films with different compositional ratios were fabricated on glass and p-silicon wafers using radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The binding energy of amorphous ZTO thin films was examined by a X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The optical transmittance over 70% in the visible region for all the ZTO films was observed. The optical band gap of the ZTO films was changed as a result of the competition between the Burstein-Moss effect and renormalization. An electron concentration in the films and surface work function distribution were measured by a Hall measurement and Kelvin probe force microscopy, respectively. The mobility of the n- and p-type ZTO thin films have more than 130 cm2/V s and 15 cm2/V s, respectively. We finally constructed the band structure which contains band gap, work function, and band edges such as valence band maximum and conduction band minimum of ZTO thin films. The present study results suggest that the ZTO thin film is competitive compared with the indium tin oxide, which is a representative material of the transparent conducting oxides, regarding optoelectronic devices applications.

Electro-optical properties of the metal oxide-carbon thin film system of CdO-LCC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokshina, A. V.; Smirnov, A. V.; Razina, A. G.

2016-08-01

This article presents the results of a study electrical and optical properties of the thin film system of CdO-LCC. Cadmium oxide films were obtained by method of thermal oxidation. CdO-LCC thin film system was produced by applying on a CdO film a linear chain carbon film in thickness of 100 nm using the ion-plasma method, after which the obtained system was annealed. The studies showed that the obtained CdO-LCC films are quite transparent in the visible region; it has polycrystalline structure, thickness around 300 nm, the band gap to 2.3 eV. The obtained thin film system has photosensitive properties.

Ferroelectric switching of poly(vinylidene difluoride-trifluoroethylene) in metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor non-volatile memories with an amorphous oxide semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelinck, G. H.; van Breemen, A. J. J. M.; Cobb, B.

2015-03-01

Ferroelectric polarization switching of poly(vinylidene difluoride-trifluoroethylene) is investigated in different thin-film device structures, ranging from simple capacitors to dual-gate thin-film transistors (TFT). Indium gallium zinc oxide, a high mobility amorphous oxide material, is used as semiconductor. We find that the ferroelectric can be polarized in both directions in the metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structure and in the dual-gate TFT under certain biasing conditions, but not in the single-gate thin-film transistors. These results disprove the common belief that MFS structures serve as a good model system for ferroelectric polarization switching in thin-film transistors.

Quantifying charge carrier concentration in ZnO thin films by Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy

PubMed Central

Maragliano, C.; Lilliu, S.; Dahlem, M. S.; Chiesa, M.; Souier, T.; Stefancich, M.

2014-01-01

In the last years there has been a renewed interest for zinc oxide semiconductor, mainly triggered by its prospects in optoelectronic applications. In particular, zinc oxide thin films are being widely used for photovoltaic applications, in which the determination of the electrical conductivity is of great importance. Being an intrinsically doped material, the quantification of its doping concentration has always been challenging. Here we show how to probe the charge carrier density of zinc oxide thin films by Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy, a technique that allows measuring the contact potential difference between the tip and the sample surface with high spatial resolution. A simple electronic energy model is used for correlating the contact potential difference with the doping concentration in the material. Limitations of this technique are discussed in details and some experimental solutions are proposed. Two-dimensional doping concentration images acquired on radio frequency-sputtered intrinsic zinc oxide thin films with different thickness and deposited under different conditions are reported. We show that results inferred with this technique are in accordance with carrier concentration expected for zinc oxide thin films deposited under different conditions and obtained from resistivity and mobility measurements. PMID:24569599

Superior Sensitivity of Copper-Based Plasmonic Biosensors.

PubMed

Stebunov, Yury V; Yakubovsky, Dmitry I; Fedyanin, Dmitry Yu; Arsenin, Aleksey V; Volkov, Valentyn S

2018-04-17

Plasmonic biosensing has been demonstrated to be a powerful technique for quantitative determination of molecular analytes and kinetic analysis of biochemical reactions. However, interfaces of most plasmonic biosensors are made of noble metals, such as gold and silver, which are not compatible with industrial production technologies. This greatly limits biosensing applications beyond biochemical and pharmaceutical research. Here, we propose and investigate copper-based biosensor chips fully fabricated with a standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process. The protection of thin copper films from oxidation is achieved with SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 dielectric films deposited onto the metal surface. In addition, the deposition of dielectric films with thicknesses of only several tens of nanometers significantly improves the biosensing sensitivity, owing to better localization of electromagnetic field above the biosensing surface. According to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements, the copper biosensor chips coated with thin films of SiO 2 (25 nm) and Al 2 O 3 (15 nm) show 55% and 75% higher sensitivity to refractive index changes, respectively, in comparison to pure gold sensor chips. To test biomolecule immobilization, the copper-dielectric biosensor chips are coated with graphene oxide linking layers and used for the selective analysis of oligonucleotide hybridization. The proposed plasmonic biosensors make SPR technology more affordable for various applications and provide the basis for compact biosensors integrated with modern electronic devices.

Corrosion of Candidate High Temperature Alloys in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parks, Curtis J.

The corrosion resistance of three candidate alloys is tested in supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) at different levels of temperature and pressure for up to 3000 hours. The purpose of the testing is to evaluate the compatibility of different engineering alloys in S-CO2 for use in a S-CO 2 Brayton cycle. The three alloys used are austenitic stainless steel 316, iron-nickel-base superalloy 718, and nickel-base superalloy 738. Each alloy is exposed to four combinations of temperature and pressure, consisting of either 550°C or 700°C at either 15 or 25 MPa for up to 1500 hours. At each temperature, an additional sample set is tested for 3000 hours and experienced an increase in pressure from 15 MPa to 25 MPa after 1500 hours of testing. All three alloys are successful in producing a protective oxide layer at the lower temperature of 550°C based on the logarithmic weight gain trends. At the higher temperature of 700°C, 316SS exhibits unfavourable linear weight gain trends at both pressures of 15 and 25 MPa. In comparison, IN-718 and IN-738 performs similarly in producing a protective oxide layer illustrated through a power weight gain relation. The effect of pressure is most pronounced at the operating temperature of 700°C, where the higher pressure of 25 MPa results in an increased rate of oxide formation. SEM analysis exposes a thin film oxide for both IN-718 and IN-738 but severe intergranular corrosion is exhibited by IN-738. Based on the testing conducted, both alloys show favourable characteristics for use in S-CO 2 conditions up to 700°C, but further testing is required to characterize the effect of the intergranular corrosion on the stability of oxide in IN-738. 316SS provided favourable results for use in temperatures of 550°C, but the protective oxide deteriorated at an operating temperature of 700°C.

Synthesis and luminescence properties of hybrid organic-inorganic transparent titania thin film activated by in- situ formed lanthanide complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yige; Wang, Li; Li, Huanrong; Liu, Peng; Qin, Dashan; Liu, Binyuan; Zhang, Wenjun; Deng, Ruiping; Zhang, Hongjie

2008-03-01

Stable transparent titania thin films were fabricated at room temperature by combining thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTFA)-modified titanium precursors with amphiphilic triblock poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO, P123) copolymers. The obtained transparent titania thin films were systematically investigated by IR spectroscopy, PL emission and excitation spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. IR spectroscopy indicates that TTFA coordinates the titanium center during the process of hydrolysis and condensation. Luminescence spectroscopy confirms the in-situ formation of lanthanide complexes in the transparent titania thin film. TEM image shows that the in-situ formed lanthanide complexes were homogeneously distributed throughout the whole thin film. The quantum yield and the number of water coordinated to lanthanide metal center have been theoretically determined based on the luminescence data.

Investigation of Annealing Temperature on Copper Oxide Thin Films Using Sol-Gel Spin Coating Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, H.; Samat, S. F. A.; Shariffudin, S. S.; Saad, P. S. M.

2018-03-01

Copper (II) Oxide or cupric oxide (CuO) is one of the well-known materials studied for thin films applications. This paper was studied on the effect of annealing temperature to CuO thin films using sol-gel method and spin coating technique. The solution was prepared by sol-gel method and the thin films were synthesized at various temperatures from 500°C to 700°C that deposited onto the quartz substrates. After the annealing process, the thin films were uniform and brownish black in colour. The measurements were performed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface profiler (SP), two-point probe and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis-NIR) spectrometer. From the optical measurement, the band gap was estimated to be 1.44eV for sample annealed at 550°C.

Low Temperature Synthesis of Fluorine-Doped Tin Oxide Transparent Conducting Thin Film by Spray Pyrolysis Deposition.

PubMed

Ko, Eun-Byul; Choi, Jae-Seok; Jung, Hyunsung; Choi, Sung-Churl; Kim, Chang-Yeoul

2016-02-01

Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) is widely used for the application of flat panel display like liquid crystal displays and plasma display panel. It is also applied in the field of touch panel, solar cell electrode, low-emissivity glass, defrost window, and anti-static material. Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) thin films were fabricated by spray pyrolysis of ethanol-added FTO precursor solutions. FTO thin film by spray pyrolysis is very much investigated and normally formed at high temperature, about 500 degrees C. However, these days, flexible electronics draw many attentions in the field of IT industry and the research for flexible transparent conducting thin film is also required. In the industrial field, indium-tin oxide (ITO) film on polymer substrate is widely used for touch panel and displays. In this study, we investigated the possibility of FTO thin film formation at relatively low temperature of 250 degrees C. We found out that the control of volume of input precursor and exhaust gases could make it possible to form FTO thin film with a relatively low electrical resistance, less than 100 Ohm/sq and high optical transmittance about 88%.

CO2-laser ablation of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu oxide by millisecond pulse lengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meskoob, M.; Honda, T.; Safari, A.; Wachtman, J. B.; Danforth, S.; Wilkens, B. J.

1990-03-01

We have achieved ablation of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu oxide from single targets of superconducting pellets by CO2-laser pulses of l ms length to grow superconducting thin films. Upon annealing, the 6000-Å thin films have a Tc (onset) of 90 K and zero resistance at 78 K. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate the growth of single-phase thin films. This technique allows growth of uniform single-phase superconducting thin films of lateral area greater than 1 cm2.

A Cuprous Oxide Thin Film Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensor Using Differential Pulse Voltammetry and Other Voltammetry Methods and a Comparison to Different Thin Film Electrodes on the Detection of Glucose in an Alkaline Solution

PubMed Central

Molazemhosseini, Alireza; Liu, Chung Chiun

2018-01-01

A cuprous oxide (Cu2O) thin layer served as the base for a non-enzymatic glucose sensor in an alkaline medium, 0.1 NaOH solution, with a linear range of 50–200 mg/dL using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurement. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study confirmed the formation of the cuprous oxide layer on the thin gold film sensor prototype. Quantitative detection of glucose in both phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and undiluted human serum was carried out. Neither ascorbic acid nor uric acid, even at a relatively high concentration level (100 mg/dL in serum), interfered with the glucose detection, demonstrating the excellent selectivity of this non-enzymatic cuprous oxide thin layer-based glucose sensor. Chronoamperometry and single potential amperometric voltammetry were used to verify the measurements obtained by DPV, and the positive results validated that the detection of glucose in a 0.1 M NaOH alkaline medium by DPV measurement was effective. Nickel, platinum, and copper are commonly used metals for non-enzymatic glucose detection. The performance of these metal-based sensors for glucose detection using DPV were also evaluated. The cuprous oxide (Cu2O) thin layer-based sensor showed the best sensitivity for glucose detection among the sensors evaluated. PMID:29316652

Nano-encapsulation of Dietary Phytoconstituent Capsaicin on Emulsome: Evaluation of Anticancer Activity Through the Measurement of Liver Oxidative Stress in Rats.

PubMed

Giri, Tapan K; Pramanik, Kaustav; Barman, Tapan K; Maity, Subhasis

2017-01-01

Excessive reactive species derived from oxygen and nitrogen leads to oxidative damage to tissue and organs. Capsaicin (CAP), a pungent component found in red pepper can prevent oxidative stress. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the protective effects of CAP loaded nano-emulsomes (EML) against the oxidative stress of rat livers induced through sodium fluoride (NaF). EML was prepared by thin film hydration method that is development of thin lipid film followed by hydration and sonication. EML was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. EML was evaluated for drug entrapment, in vitro drug release, and in vivo study. In vitro drug release study of optimized formulation showed that 50% of CAP was released within 50.21 min while 85% CAP was released in 227.4 min. Single oral dose of free CAP and CAP loaded EML were given to rats 2 hour after NaF administration. Membrane of hepatic cells was damaged by NaF and it was judged by the estimation of lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and catalase activity. The administration of CAP loaded EML 2 hr after NAF consumption showed significant decrease in ROS level compared to free CAP. EML containing CAP was more effective in comparison to free CAP in controlling the lipid peroxidation that is thiobarbituric acid substance augmentation in liver by the treatment of NaF. The administration of CAP loaded EML showed significant increase in catalase activity compared to free CAP administration. The results clearly demonstrated that CAP loaded EML may be accepted as an effective therapeutic formulation in preventing oxidative damage. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Initial assessment of Ni-base alloy performance in 0.1 MPa and supercritical CO 2

DOE PAGES

Pint, B. A.; Keiser, J. R.

2015-09-25

There is considerable interest in increasing the working temperature of both open and closed supercritical CO 2 (sCO 2) cycles to ≥700 °C. At these temperatures, it is unlikely that any Fe-base alloys have suitable strength and therefore the focus is on Ni-base alloys for this application. To begin addressing the lack of compatibility data under these conditions, initial work exposed a wide range of candidate alloys in 500-h exposures at 20 MPa (200 bar) CO 2 at 650 -750 °C in high purity CO 2. In general, the reaction products were thin and protective in these exposures. A smallermore » group of alloy coupons focusing on chromia- and alumina-forming alloys was exposed for 500h in 0.1 MPa (1bar) air, CO 2, CO 2+O 2 and CO 2+H 2O for comparison. Thus, the thin surface oxides formed were very similar to those formed at high pressure and no clear detrimental effect of CO 2 oxidation or O 2 or H 2O impurities could be observed in these exposures.« less

Synthesis and characterization of cobalt doped nickel oxide thin films by spray pyrolysis method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sathisha, D.; Naik, K. Gopalakrishna

2018-05-01

Cobalt (Co) doped nickel oxide (NiO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates at a temperature of about 400 °C by spray pyrolysis method. The effect of Co doping concentration on structural, optical and compositional properties of NiO thin films was investigated. X-ray diffraction result shows that the deposited thin films are polycrystalline in nature. Surface morphologies of the deposited thin films were observed by FESEM and AFM. EDS spectra showed the incorporation of Co dopants in NiO thin films. Optical properties of the grown thin films were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy. It was found that the optical band gap energy and transmittance of the films decrease with increasing Co doping concentration.

Metallic Thin-Film Bonding and Alloy Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peotter, Brian S. (Inventor); Fryer, Jack Merrill (Inventor); Campbell, Geoff (Inventor); Droppers, Lloyd (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Diffusion bonding a stack of aluminum thin films is particularly challenging due to a stable aluminum oxide coating that rapidly forms on the aluminum thin films when they are exposed to atmosphere and the relatively low meting temperature of aluminum. By plating the individual aluminum thin films with a metal that does not rapidly form a stable oxide coating, the individual aluminum thin films may be readily diffusion bonded together using heat and pressure. The resulting diffusion bonded structure can be an alloy of choice through the use of a carefully selected base and plating metals. The aluminum thin films may also be etched with distinct patterns that form a microfluidic fluid flow path through the stack of aluminum thin films when diffusion bonded together.

Evaluation of the optical characteristics of c-axis oriented zinc oxide thin films grown by sol gel spin coating technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baisakh, K.; Behera, S.; Pati, S.

2018-03-01

In this work we have systematically studied the optical characteristics of synthesized wurzite zinc oxide thin films exhibiting (002) orientation. Using sol gel spin coating technique zinc oxide thin films are grown on pre cleaned fused quartz substrates. Structural properties of the films are studied using X-ray diffraction analysis. Micro structural analysis and thickness of the grown samples are analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy. With an aim to investigate the optical characteristics of the grown zinc oxide thin films the transmission and reflection spectra are evaluated in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) range. Using envelope method, the refractive index, extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, band gap energy and the thickness of the synthesized films are estimated from the recorded UV-VIS spectra. An attempt has also been made to study the influence of crystallographic orientation on the optical characteristics of the grown films.

Structural and electrical characteristics of gallium tin oxide thin films prepared by electron cyclotron resonance-metal organic chemical vapor deposition.

PubMed

Park, Ji Hun; Byun, Dongjin; Lee, Joong Kee

2011-08-01

Gallium tin oxide composite (GTO) thin films were prepared by electron cyclotron resonance-metal organic chemical vapor deposition (ECR-MOCVD). The organometallics of tetramethlytin and trimethylgallium were used for precursors of gallium and tin, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization indicated that the gallium tin oxide composite thin films show the nanopolycrystalline of tetragonal rutile structure. Hall measurement indicated that the Ga/[O+Sn] mole ratio play an important role to determine the electrical properties of gallium tin composite oxide thin films. n-type conducting film obtained Ga/[O+Sn] mole ratio of 0.05 exhibited the lowest electrical resistivity of 1.21 x 10(-3) ohms cm. In our experimental range, the optimized carrier concentration of 3.71 x 10(18) cm(-3) was prepared at the Ga/[O+Sn] mole ratio of 0.35.

Method of physical vapor deposition of metal oxides on semiconductors

DOEpatents

Norton, David P.

2001-01-01

A process for growing a metal oxide thin film upon a semiconductor surface with a physical vapor deposition technique in a high-vacuum environment and a structure formed with the process involves the steps of heating the semiconductor surface and introducing hydrogen gas into the high-vacuum environment to develop conditions at the semiconductor surface which are favorable for growing the desired metal oxide upon the semiconductor surface yet is unfavorable for the formation of any native oxides upon the semiconductor. More specifically, the temperature of the semiconductor surface and the ratio of hydrogen partial pressure to water pressure within the vacuum environment are high enough to render the formation of native oxides on the semiconductor surface thermodynamically unstable yet are not so high that the formation of the desired metal oxide on the semiconductor surface is thermodynamically unstable. Having established these conditions, constituent atoms of the metal oxide to be deposited upon the semiconductor surface are directed toward the surface of the semiconductor by a physical vapor deposition technique so that the atoms come to rest upon the semiconductor surface as a thin film of metal oxide with no native oxide at the semiconductor surface/thin film interface. An example of a structure formed by this method includes an epitaxial thin film of (001)-oriented CeO.sub.2 overlying a substrate of (001) Ge.

Polyelectrolyte-mediated assembly of copper-phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate multilayers and the subsequent production of nanoparticulate copper oxide thin films.

PubMed

Chickneyan, Zarui Sara; Briseno, Alejandro L; Shi, Xiangyang; Han, Shubo; Huang, Jiaxing; Zhou, Feimeng

2004-07-01

An approach to producing films of nanometer-sized copper oxide particulates, based on polyelectrolyte-mediated assembly of the precursor, copper(II)phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (CPTS), is described. Multilayered CPTS and polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC) were alternately assembled on different planar substrates via the layer-by-layer (LbL) procedure. The growth of CPTS multilayers was monitored by UV-visible spectrometry and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. Both the UV-visible spectra and the QCM data showed that a fixed amount of CPTS could be attached to the substrate surface for a given adsorption cycle. Cyclic voltammograms at the CPTS/PDADMAC-covered gold electrode exhibited a decrease in peak currents with the layer number, indicating that the permeability of CPTS multilayers on the electrodes had diminished. When these CPTS multilayered films were calcined at elevated temperatures, uniform thin films composed of nanoparticulate copper oxide could be produced. Ellipsometry showed that the thickness of copper oxide nanoparticulate films could be precisely tailored by varying the thickness of CPTS multilayer films. The morphology and roughness of CPTS multilayer and copper oxide thin films were characterized by atomic force microscopy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements indicated that these thin films contained both CuO and Cu2O nanoparticles. The preparation of such copper oxide thin films with the use of metal complex precursors represents a new route for the synthesis of inorganic oxide films with a controlled thickness.

Smart tungsten alloys as a material for the first wall of a future fusion power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litnovsky, A.; Wegener, T.; Klein, F.; Linsmeier, Ch.; Rasinski, M.; Kreter, A.; Unterberg, B.; Coenen, J. W.; Du, H.; Mayer, J.; Garcia-Rosales, C.; Calvo, A.; Ordas, N.

2017-06-01

Tungsten is currently deemed as a promising plasma-facing material (PFM) for the future power plant DEMO. In the case of an accident, air can get into contact with PFMs during the air ingress. The temperature of PFMs can rise up to 1200 °C due to nuclear decay heat in the case of damaged coolant supply. Heated neutron-activated tungsten forms a volatile radioactive oxide which can be mobilized into the atmosphere. New self-passivating ‘smart’ alloys can adjust their properties to the environment. During plasma operation the preferential sputtering of lighter alloying elements will leave an almost pure tungsten surface facing the plasma. During an accident the alloying elements in the bulk are forming oxides thus protecting tungsten from mobilization. Good plasma performance and the suppression of oxidation are required for smart alloys. Bulk tungsten (W)-chroimum (Cr)-titanium (Ti) alloys were exposed together with pure tungsten (W) samples to the steady-state deuterium plasma under identical conditions in the linear plasma device PSI 2. The temperature of the samples was ~576 °C-715 °C, the energy of impinging ions was 210 eV matching well the conditions expected at the first wall of DEMO. Weight loss measurements demonstrated similar mass decrease of smart alloys and pure tungsten samples. The oxidation of exposed samples has proven no effect of plasma exposure on the oxidation resistance. The W-Cr-Ti alloy demonstrated advantageous 3-fold lower mass gain due to oxidation than that of pure tungsten. New yttrium (Y)-containing thin film systems are demonstrating superior performance in comparison to that of W-Cr-Ti systems and of pure W. The oxidation rate constant of W-Cr-Y thin film is 105 times less than that of pure tungsten. However, the detected reactivity of the bulk smart alloy in humid atmosphere is calling for a further improvement.

Study of blended conductive graft copolymer with graphite oxide thin films deposited using spin coating method for gas sensing and photovoltaic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

KałuŻyński, P.; Procek, M.; Stolarczyk, Agnieszka; Maciak, E.

2017-08-01

This work presents an investigation on conductive graft comb copolymer like SILPEG CH9 with carbon materials like graphite oxide or reduced graphite oxide. Morphology and optical properties like sample roughness, graphite oxide particles distribution, optical transmittance were measured of obtained thin films deposited on glass substrate using spin coating method. The study showed that obtained thin films are repeatable, convenient to process, and their parameters can be easy changed by the spin rate regulation during the deposition. Given results shows the possibility of using such polymer blend in the implementation of organic photovoltaic cells and different optoelectronics applications.

Organosilane self-assembled layers (SAMs) and hybrid silicate magnesium-rich primers for the corrosion protection of aluminum alloy 2024 T3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Duhua

Although current chromate coatings function very well in corrosion protection for aircraft alloys, such as aluminum alloy 2024 T3, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is planning to totally ban the use of chromates as coating materials in the next decade or so because of their extremely toxic effect. For this purpose, both self-assembled layers and silicate magnesium-rich primers were tested to provide the corrosion protection for aluminum alloy. The long-term goal of this research is to develop a coating system to replace the current chromate coating for aircraft corrosion protection. Aluminum alloy 2024 T3 substrates were modified with self-assembled monolayer or multilayer thin films from different alkylsilane compounds. Mono-functional silanes, such as octadecyltrichlorosilane (C18SiCl3), can form a mixed hydrophobic monolayer or multilayer thin film on the aluminum oxide surface to provide a barrier to water and other electrolytes, so the corrosion resistance of the SAMs modified surface was increased significantly. On the other hand, the bi-functional silane self-assembly could attach the aluminum surface through the silicon headgroup while using its functional tailgroup to chemically bond the polymer coating, thus improving the adhesion between the aluminum substrate and coating substantially, and seems to contribute more to corrosion protection of aluminum substrate. Organosilanes were also combined with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in propel ratios to form a sol-gel binder to make silicate magnesium-rich primers. Analogue to the inorganic zinc-rich coatings, the silicate magnesium-rich primers also showed excellent adhesion and solvent resistance. The sacrificial magnesium pigments and the chemically inert silicate binder both contribute to the anti-corrosion properties. Future studies will be focused on the formula optimization for better toughness, chemical resistance and anticorrosion performance.

Ultra-thin silicon oxide layers on crystalline silicon wafers: Comparison of advanced oxidation techniques with respect to chemically abrupt SiO2/Si interfaces with low defect densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stegemann, Bert; Gad, Karim M.; Balamou, Patrice; Sixtensson, Daniel; Vössing, Daniel; Kasemann, Martin; Angermann, Heike

2017-02-01

Six advanced oxidation techniques were analyzed, evaluated and compared with respect to the preparation of high-quality ultra-thin oxide layers on crystalline silicon. The resulting electronic and chemical SiO2/Si interface properties were determined by a combined x-ray photoemission (XPS) and surface photovoltage (SPV) investigation. Depending on the oxidation technique, chemically abrupt SiO2/Si interfaces with low densities of interface states were fabricated on c-Si either at low temperatures, at short times, or in wet-chemical environment, resulting in each case in excellent interface passivation. Moreover, the beneficial effect of a subsequent forming gas annealing (FGA) step for the passivation of the SiO2/Si interface of ultra-thin oxide layers has been proven. Chemically abrupt SiO2/Si interfaces have been shown to generate less interface defect states.

Nanocolumnar Crystalline Vanadium Oxide-Molybdenum Oxide Antireflective Smart Thin Films with Superior Nanomechanical Properties.

PubMed

Dey, Arjun; Nayak, Manish Kumar; Esther, A Carmel Mary; Pradeepkumar, Maurya Sandeep; Porwal, Deeksha; Gupta, A K; Bera, Parthasarathi; Barshilia, Harish C; Mukhopadhyay, Anoop Kumar; Pandey, Ajoy Kumar; Khan, Kallol; Bhattacharya, Manjima; Kumar, D Raghavendra; Sridhara, N; Sharma, Anand Kumar

2016-11-17

Vanadium oxide-molybdenum oxide (VO-MO) thin (21-475 nm) films were grown on quartz and silicon substrates by pulsed RF magnetron sputtering technique by altering the RF power from 100 to 600 W. Crystalline VO-MO thin films showed the mixed phases of vanadium oxides e.g., V 2 O 5 , V 2 O 3 and VO 2 along with MoO 3 . Reversible or smart transition was found to occur just above the room temperature i.e., at ~45-50 °C. The VO-MO films deposited on quartz showed a gradual decrease in transmittance with increase in film thickness. But, the VO-MO films on silicon exhibited reflectance that was significantly lower than that of the substrate. Further, the effect of low temperature (i.e., 100 °C) vacuum (10 -5 mbar) annealing on optical properties e.g., solar absorptance, transmittance and reflectance as well as the optical constants e.g., optical band gap, refractive index and extinction coefficient were studied. Sheet resistance, oxidation state and nanomechanical properties e.g., nanohardness and elastic modulus of the VO-MO thin films were also investigated in as-deposited condition as well as after the vacuum annealing treatment. Finally, the combination of the nanoindentation technique and the finite element modeling (FEM) was employed to investigate yield stress and von Mises stress distribution of the VO-MO thin films.

Nanocolumnar Crystalline Vanadium Oxide-Molybdenum Oxide Antireflective Smart Thin Films with Superior Nanomechanical Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Arjun; Nayak, Manish Kumar; Esther, A. Carmel Mary; Pradeepkumar, Maurya Sandeep; Porwal, Deeksha; Gupta, A. K.; Bera, Parthasarathi; Barshilia, Harish C.; Mukhopadhyay, Anoop Kumar; Pandey, Ajoy Kumar; Khan, Kallol; Bhattacharya, Manjima; Kumar, D. Raghavendra; Sridhara, N.; Sharma, Anand Kumar

2016-11-01

Vanadium oxide-molybdenum oxide (VO-MO) thin (21-475 nm) films were grown on quartz and silicon substrates by pulsed RF magnetron sputtering technique by altering the RF power from 100 to 600 W. Crystalline VO-MO thin films showed the mixed phases of vanadium oxides e.g., V2O5, V2O3 and VO2 along with MoO3. Reversible or smart transition was found to occur just above the room temperature i.e., at ~45-50 °C. The VO-MO films deposited on quartz showed a gradual decrease in transmittance with increase in film thickness. But, the VO-MO films on silicon exhibited reflectance that was significantly lower than that of the substrate. Further, the effect of low temperature (i.e., 100 °C) vacuum (10-5 mbar) annealing on optical properties e.g., solar absorptance, transmittance and reflectance as well as the optical constants e.g., optical band gap, refractive index and extinction coefficient were studied. Sheet resistance, oxidation state and nanomechanical properties e.g., nanohardness and elastic modulus of the VO-MO thin films were also investigated in as-deposited condition as well as after the vacuum annealing treatment. Finally, the combination of the nanoindentation technique and the finite element modeling (FEM) was employed to investigate yield stress and von Mises stress distribution of the VO-MO thin films.

Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides.

PubMed

Sivakumar, Sai; Zwier, Elizabeth; Meisenheimer, Peter Benjamin; Heron, John T

2018-05-29

Here, we present a procedure for the synthesis of bulk and thin film multicomponent (Mg0.25(1-x)CoxNi0.25(1-x)Cu0.25(1-x)Zn0.25(1-x))O (Co variant) and (Mg0.25(1-x)Co0.25(1-x)Ni0.25(1-x)CuxZn0.25(1-x))O (Cu variant) entropy-stabilized oxides. Phase pure and chemically homogeneous (Mg0.25(1-x)CoxNi0.25(1-x)Cu0.25(1-x)Zn0.25(1-x))O (x = 0.20, 0.27, 0.33) and (Mg0.25(1-x)Co0.25(1-x)Ni0.25(1-x)CuxZn0.25(1-x))O (x = 0.11, 0.27) ceramic pellets are synthesized and used in the deposition of ultra-high quality, phase pure, single crystalline thin films of the target stoichiometry. A detailed methodology for the deposition of smooth, chemically homogeneous, entropy-stabilized oxide thin films by pulsed laser deposition on (001)-oriented MgO substrates is described. The phase and crystallinity of bulk and thin film materials are confirmed using X-ray diffraction. Composition and chemical homogeneity are confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The surface topography of thin films is measured with scanning probe microscopy. The synthesis of high quality, single crystalline, entropy-stabilized oxide thin films enables the study of interface, size, strain, and disorder effects on the properties in this new class of highly disordered oxide materials.

Thin-Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Xin; Wu, Nai-Juan; Ignatiev, Alex

2009-01-01

The development of thin-film solid oxide fuel cells (TFSOFCs) and a method of fabricating them have progressed to the prototype stage. This can result in the reduction of mass, volume, and the cost of materials for a given power level.

Oxide Based Transistor for Flexible Displays

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-15

thin film transistors (TFTs) for next generation display technologies. A detailed and comprehensive study was carried out to ascertain the process...Box 12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 Thin film transistors , flexible electronics, RF sputtering, Transparent amorphous oxide semiconductors...NC A&T and RTI, International investigated In free GaSnZnO (GSZO) material system, as the active channel in thin film transistors (TFTs) for next

1.55 Micrometer Sub-Micron Finger, Interdigitated MSM Photodetector Arrays with Low Dark Current

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-02

pf a- IGZO TFTs. IV. RF Characteristics of Room Temperature Deposited Indium Zinc Oxide Thin - Film Transistors Depletion-mode indium zinc...III. High Performance Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Thin Film Transistors Fabricated On Polyethylene Terephthalate Substrates High-performance...amorphous (a-) InGaZnO-based thin film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates coated with indium

Versatile Oxide Films Protect FeCrAl Alloys Under Normal Operation and Accident Conditions in Light Water Power Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebak, Raul B.

2018-02-01

The US has currently a fleet of 99 nuclear power light water reactors which generate approximately 20% of the electricity consumed in the country. Near 90% of the reactors are at least 30 years old. There are incentives to make the existing reactors safer by using accident tolerant fuels (ATF). Compared to the standard UO2-zirconium-based system, ATF need to tolerate loss of active cooling in the core for a considerably longer time while maintaining or improving the fuel performance during normal operation conditions. Ferritic iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloys have been identified as an alternative to replace current zirconium alloys. They contain Fe (base) + 10-22 Cr + 4-6 Al and may contain smaller amounts of other elements such as molybdenum and traces of others. FeCrAl alloys offer outstanding resistance to attack by superheated steam by developing an alumina oxide on the surface in case of a loss of coolant accident like at Fukushima. FeCrAl alloys also perform well under normal operation conditions both in boiling water reactors and pressurized water reactors because they are protected by a thin oxide rich in chromium. Under normal operation condition, the key element is Cr and under accident conditions it is Al.

Effect of intermediate layers on atomic layer deposition-aluminum oxide protected silver mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fryauf, David M.; Diaz Leon, Juan J.; Phillips, Andrew C.; Kobayashi, Nobuhiko P.

2017-07-01

This work investigates intermediate materials deposited between silver (Ag) thin-film mirrors and an aluminum oxide (AlOx) barrier overlayer and compares the effects on mirror durability to environmental stresses. Physical vapor deposition of various fluorides, oxides, and nitrides in combination with AlOx by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is used to develop several coating recipes. Ag-AlOx samples with different intermediate materials undergo aggressive high-temperature (80°C), high-humidity (80%) (HTHH) testing for 10 days. Reflectivity of mirror samples is measured before and after HTHH testing, and image processing techniques are used to analyze the specular surface of the samples after HTHH testing. Among the seven intermediate materials used in this work, TiN, MgAl2O4, NiO, and Al2O3 intermediate layers offer more robust protection against chemical corrosion and moisture when compared with samples with no intermediate layer. In addition, results show that the performance of the ALD-AlOx barrier overlayer depends significantly on the ALD-growth process temperature. Because higher durability is observed in samples with less transparent TiN and NiO layers, we propose a figure of merit based on post-HTHH testing reflectivity change and specular reflective mirror surface area remaining after HTHH testing to judge overall barrier performance.

SPM oxidation and parallel writing on zirconium nitride thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farkas, N.; Comer, J. R.; Zhang, G.; Evans, E. A.; Ramsier, R. D.; Dagata, J. A.

2005-07-01

Systematic investigation of the SPM oxidation process of sputter-deposited ZrN thin films is reported. During the intrinsic part of the oxidation, the density of the oxide increases until the total oxide thickness is approximately twice the feature height. Further oxide growth is sustainable as the system undergoes plastic flow followed by delamination from the ZrN-silicon interface keeping the oxide density constant. ZrN exhibits superdiffusive oxidation kinetics in these single tip SPM studies. We extend this work to the fabrication of parallel oxide patterns 70 nm in height covering areas in the square centimeter range. This simple, quick, and well-controlled parallel nanolithographic technique has great potential for biomedical template fabrication.

A solid-state thin-film Ag/AgCl reference electrode coated with graphene oxide and its use in a pH sensor.

PubMed

Kim, Tae Yong; Hong, Sung A; Yang, Sung

2015-03-17

In this study, we describe a novel solid-state thin-film Ag/AgCl reference electrode (SSRE) that was coated with a protective layer of graphene oxide (GO). This layer was prepared by drop casting a solution of GO on the Ag/AgCl thin film. The potential differences exhibited by the SSRE were less than 2 mV for 26 days. The cyclic voltammograms of the SSRE were almost similar to those of a commercial reference electrode, while the diffusion coefficient of Fe(CN)63- as calculated from the cathodic peaks of the SSRE was 6.48 × 10-6 cm2/s. The SSRE was used in conjunction with a laboratory-made working electrode to determine its suitability for practical use. The average pH sensitivity of this combined sensor was 58.5 mV/pH in the acid-to-base direction; the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.99. In addition, an integrated pH sensor that included the SSRE was packaged in a secure digital (SD) card and tested. The average sensitivity of the chip was 56.8 mV/pH, with the correlation coefficient being greater than 0.99. In addition, a pH sensing test was also performed by using a laboratory-made potentiometer, which showed a sensitivity of 55.4 mV/pH, with the correlation coefficient being greater than 0.99.

Instability analysis of charges trapped in the oxide of metal-ultra thin oxide-semiconductor structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziz, A.; Kassmi, K.; Maimouni, R.; Olivié, F.; Sarrabayrouse, G.; Martinez, A.

2005-09-01

In this paper, we present the theoretical and experimental results of the influence of a charge trapped in ultra-thin oxide of metal/ultra-thin oxide/semiconductor structures (MOS) on the I(Vg) current-voltage characteristics when the conduction is of the Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling type. The charge, which is negative, is trapped near the cathode (metal/oxide interface) after constant current injection by the metal (Vg<0). Of particular interest is the influence on the Δ Vg(Vg) shift over the whole I(Vg) characteristic at high field (greater than the injection field (>12.5 MV/cm)). It is shown that the charge centroid varies linearly with respect to the voltage Vg. The behavior at low field (<12.5 MV/cm) is analyzed in référence A. Aziz, K. Kassmi, Ka. Kassmi, F. Olivié, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 19, 877 (2004) and considers that the trapped charge centroid is fixed. The results obtained make it possible to analyze the influence of the injected charge and the applied field on the centroid position of the trapped charge, and to highlight the charge instability in the ultra-thin oxide of MOS structures.

High-Temperature Oxidation of Fe3Al Intermetallic Alloy Prepared by Additive Manufacturing LENS

PubMed Central

Łyszkowski, Radosław

2015-01-01

The isothermal oxidation of Fe-28Al-5Cr (at%) intermetallic alloy microalloyed with Zr and B (<0.08 at%) in air atmosphere, in the temperature range of 1000 to 1200 °C, was studied. The investigation was carried out on the thin-walled (<1 mm) elements prepared by Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) from alloy powder of a given composition. Characterization of the specimens, after the oxidation, was conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM, with back-scatter detector (BSE) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) attachments). The investigation has shown, that the oxidized samples were covered with a thin, homogeneous α-Al2O3 oxide layers. The intensity of their growth indicates that the material lost its resistance to oxidation at 1200 °C. Structural analysis of the thin-walled components’ has not shown intensification of the oxidation process at the joints of additive layers. PMID:28788014

Effect of dual-dielectric hydrogen-diffusion barrier layers on the performance of low-temperature processed transparent InGaZnO thin-film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tari, Alireza; Wong, William S.

2018-02-01

Dual-dielectric SiOx/SiNx thin-film layers were used as back-channel and gate-dielectric barrier layers for bottom-gate InGaZnO (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). The concentration profiles of hydrogen, indium, gallium, and zinc oxide were analyzed using secondary-ion mass spectroscopy characterization. By implementing an effective H-diffusion barrier, the hydrogen concentration and the creation of H-induced oxygen deficiency (H-Vo complex) defects during the processing of passivated flexible IGZO TFTs were minimized. A bilayer back-channel passivation layer, consisting of electron-beam deposited SiOx on plasma-enhanced chemical vapor-deposition (PECVD) SiNx films, effectively protected the TFT active region from plasma damage and minimized changes in the chemical composition of the semiconductor layer. A dual-dielectric PECVD SiOx/PECVD SiNx gate-dielectric, using SiOx as a barrier layer, also effectively prevented out-diffusion of hydrogen atoms from the PECVD SiNx-gate dielectric to the IGZO channel layer during the device fabrication.

Thin film lithium-based batteries and electrochromic devices fabricated with nanocomposite electrode materials

DOEpatents

Gillaspie, Dane T; Lee, Se-Hee; Tracy, C. Edwin; Pitts, John Roland

2014-02-04

Thin-film lithium-based batteries and electrochromic devices (10) are fabricated with positive electrodes (12) comprising a nanocomposite material composed of lithiated metal oxide nanoparticles (40) dispersed in a matrix composed of lithium tungsten oxide.

Challenges and opportunities for multi-functional oxide thin films for voltage tunable radio frequency/microwave components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanyam, Guru; Cole, M. W.; Sun, Nian X.; Kalkur, Thottam S.; Sbrockey, Nick M.; Tompa, Gary S.; Guo, Xiaomei; Chen, Chonglin; Alpay, S. P.; Rossetti, G. A.; Dayal, Kaushik; Chen, Long-Qing; Schlom, Darrell G.

2013-11-01

There has been significant progress on the fundamental science and technological applications of complex oxides and multiferroics. Among complex oxide thin films, barium strontium titanate (BST) has become the material of choice for room-temperature-based voltage-tunable dielectric thin films, due to its large dielectric tunability and low microwave loss at room temperature. BST thin film varactor technology based reconfigurable radio frequency (RF)/microwave components have been demonstrated with the potential to lower the size, weight, and power needs of a future generation of communication and radar systems. Low-power multiferroic devices have also been recently demonstrated. Strong magneto-electric coupling has also been demonstrated in different multiferroic heterostructures, which show giant voltage control of the ferromagnetic resonance frequency of more than two octaves. This manuscript reviews recent advances in the processing, and application development for the complex oxides and multiferroics, with the focus on voltage tunable RF/microwave components. The over-arching goal of this review is to provide a synopsis of the current state-of the-art of complex oxide and multiferroic thin film materials and devices, identify technical issues and technical challenges that need to be overcome for successful insertion of the technology for both military and commercial applications, and provide mitigation strategies to address these technical challenges.

Synthesis and characterization of lithium intercalation electrodes based on iron oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarradin, J.; Guessous, A.; Ribes, M.

Sputter-deposited iron oxide thin films are investigated as a possible negative electrode for rocking-chair microbatteries. Experimental conditions related to the manufacturing of amorphous thin films suitable to a large number of available intercalation sites are described. Structural and physical properties of the thin layer films are presented. The conductivities of the amorphous thin films were found to be very high compared with those of the respective crystalline forms. Regarding the electrochemical behaviour, Fe 2O 3-based thin films electrodes are able to store and reversibly exchange lithium ions. At a C/2 charge/discharge rate with 100% depth-of-discharge (DOD), the specific capacity of these amorphous thin film electrodes remains almost constant and close to 330 Ah/kg after more than 120 charge/discharge cycles.

Preface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craciun, Valentin; Sánchez, Florencio

2016-09-01

The present issue contains a collection of representative papers presented in the Symposium L, "Towards Oxide-Based Electronics: growth and applications of oxide thin films and heterostructures", organized during the E-MRS Fall Meeting, 15-18 September 2015 in Warsaw, Poland. The Symposium L was organised and sponsored by the COST Action MP1308 "Towards oxide-based electronics" (TO-BE), a four-year EU project that started in June 2014. Over 100 participants from different countries all over the world presented new results on oxide thin films epitaxial growth, on emergent functionalities at oxide interfaces, and on applications of oxides in the fields on nanoelectronics, energy, sensing and actuation.

Method for providing uranium with a protective copper coating

DOEpatents

Waldrop, Forrest B.; Jones, Edward

1981-01-01

The present invention is directed to a method for providing uranium metal with a protective coating of copper. Uranium metal is subjected to a conventional cleaning operation wherein oxides and other surface contaminants are removed, followed by etching and pickling operations. The copper coating is provided by first electrodepositing a thin and relatively porous flash layer of copper on the uranium in a copper cyanide bath. The resulting copper-layered article is then heated in an air or inert atmosphere to volatilize and drive off the volatile material underlying the copper flash layer. After the heating step an adherent and essentially non-porous layer of copper is electro-deposited on the flash layer of copper to provide an adherent, multi-layer copper coating which is essentially impervious to corrosion by most gases.

Buried Oxide Densification for Low Power, Low Voltage CMOS Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, L. P.; Anc, M. J.; Dolan, B.; Jiao, J.; Guss, B.; Seraphin, S.; Liu, S. T.; Jenkins, W.

1998-01-01

Special technology and circuit architecture are of growing interest for implementation of circuits which operate at low supply voltages and consume low power levels without sacrificing performance[1]. Use of thin buried oxide SOI substrates is a primary approach to simultaneously achieve these goals. A significant aspect regarding SIMOX SOI for low voltage, low power applications is the reliability and performance of the thin buried oxide. In addition, when subjected to high total dose irradiation, the silicon islands within the BOX layer of SIMOX can store charges and significantly effect the back channel threshold voltages of devices. Thus, elimination of the islands within the buried oxide (BOX) layer is preferred in order to prevent leakage through these conductive islands and charge build-up within the buried oxide layer. A differential (2-step) ramp rate as applied to full and 100 nm BOX SIMOX was previously reported to play a significant role in the stoichiometry and island formation within the buried layer[2]. This paper focus is on the properties of a thin (120nm) buried oxide as a function of the anneal ramp rate and the temperature of anneal. In this research, we have found an improvement in the buried oxide stoichiometry with the use of a slower, singular ramp rate for specified thin buried oxides, with slower ramp rates and higher temperatures of anneal suggested for reducing the presence of Si islands within the BOX layer.

Thermal oxidation of silicon in a residual oxygen atmosphere—the RESOX process—for self-limiting growth of thin silicon dioxide films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Jason T.; Carbaugh, Daniel J.; Haggerty, Morgan E.; Richard, Andrea L.; Ingram, David C.; Kaya, Savas; Jadwisienczak, Wojciech M.; Rahman, Faiz

2016-10-01

We describe in detail the growth procedures and properties of thermal silicon dioxide grown in a limited and dilute oxygen atmosphere. Thin thermal oxide films have become increasingly important in recent years due to the continuing down-scaling of ultra large scale integration metal oxide silicon field effect transistors. Such films are also of importance for organic transistors where back-gating is needed. The technique described here is novel and allows self-limited formation of high quality thin oxide films on silicon surfaces. This technique is easy to implement in both research laboratory and industrial settings. Growth conditions and their effects on film growth have been described. Properties of the resulting oxide films, relevant for microelectronic device applications, have also been investigated and reported here. Overall, our findings are that thin, high quality, dense silicon dioxide films of thicknesses up to 100 nm can be easily grown in a depleted oxygen environment at temperatures similar to that used for usual silicon dioxide thermal growth in flowing dry oxygen.

Nanostructured manganese oxide thin films as electrode material for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Hui; Lai, Man On; Lu, Li

2011-01-01

Electrochemical capacitors, also called supercapacitors, are alternative energy storage devices, particularly for applications requiring high power densities. Recently, manganese oxides have been extensively evaluated as electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their low cost, environmental benignity, and promising supercapacitive performance. In order to maximize the utilization of manganese oxides as the electrode material for the supercapacitors and improve their supercapacitive performance, the nanostructured manganese oxides have therefore been developed. This paper reviews the synthesis of the nanostructured manganese oxide thin films by different methods and the supercapacitive performance of different nanostructures.

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

Gelinck, G. H., E-mail: Gerwin.Gelinck@tno.nl; Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven; Breemen, A. J. J. M. van

Ferroelectric polarization switching of poly(vinylidene difluoride-trifluoroethylene) is investigated in different thin-film device structures, ranging from simple capacitors to dual-gate thin-film transistors (TFT). Indium gallium zinc oxide, a high mobility amorphous oxide material, is used as semiconductor. We find that the ferroelectric can be polarized in both directions in the metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structure and in the dual-gate TFT under certain biasing conditions, but not in the single-gate thin-film transistors. These results disprove the common belief that MFS structures serve as a good model system for ferroelectric polarization switching in thin-film transistors.

Effect of oxygen deficiency on electronic properties and local structure of amorphous tantalum oxide thin films

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

Denny, Yus Rama; Firmansyah, Teguh; Oh, Suhk Kun

2016-10-15

Highlights: • The effect of oxygen flow rate on electronic properties and local structure of tantalum oxide thin films was studied. • The oxygen deficiency induced the nonstoichiometric state a-TaOx. • A small peak at 1.97 eV above the valence band side appeared on nonstoichiometric Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films. • The oxygen flow rate can change the local electronic structure of tantalum oxide thin films. - Abstract: The dependence of electronic properties and local structure of tantalum oxide thin film on oxygen deficiency have been investigated by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Reflection Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (REELS),more » and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The XPS results showed that the oxygen flow rate change results in the appearance of features in the Ta 4f at the binding energies of 23.2 eV, 24.4 eV, 25.8, and 27.3 eV whose peaks are attributed to Ta{sup 1+}, Ta{sup 2+}, Ta{sup 3+}/Ta{sup 4+}, and Ta{sup 5+}, respectively. The presence of nonstoichiometric state from tantalum oxide (TaOx) thin films could be generated by the oxygen vacancies. In addition, XAS spectra manifested both the increase of coordination number of the first Ta-O shell and a considerable reduction of the Ta-O bond distance with the decrease of oxygen deficiency.« less

Raman evidence of the formation of LT-LiCoO 2 thin layers on NiO in molten carbonate at 650°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, L.; Baddour-Hadjean, R.; Cassir, M.; Pereira-Ramos, J. P.

2004-03-01

The structural evolution of thin layers of Co 3O 4 elaborated on nickel-based substrates in the Li 2CO 3-Na 2CO 3 carbonate eutectic at 650 °C as a function of time immersion is reported. Raman microspectrometry has been applied in order to provide more information on the nature of the protective cobalt oxide layers. The typical Raman fingerprint of the LT-LiCoO 2 compound has been obtained, with four well defined bands at 449, 484, 590 and 605 cm -1, while XRD data are unable to distinguish the layered phase (HT) from the spinel one (LT). The mechanical stability of such films does not exceed 10 h in direct contact with the molten carbonate bulk at 650 °C; nevertheless, these conditions are much more corrosive than in a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC).

Atomic Layer Deposited Thin Films for Dielectrics, Semiconductor Passivation, and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Runshen

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) utilizes sequential precursor gas pulses to deposit one monolayer or sub-monolayer of material per cycle based on its self-limiting surface reaction, which offers advantages, such as precise thickness control, thickness uniformity, and conformality. ALD is a powerful means of fabricating nanoscale features in future nanoelectronics, such as contemporary sub-45 nm metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors, photovoltaic cells, near- and far-infrared detectors, and intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells. High dielectric constant, kappa, materials have been recognized to be promising candidates to replace traditional SiO2 and SiON, because they enable good scalability of sub-45 nm MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) without inducing additional power consumption and heat dissipation. In addition to high dielectric constant, high-kappa materials must meet a number of other requirements, such as low leakage current, high mobility, good thermal and structure stability with Si to withstand high-temperature source-drain activation annealing. In this thesis, atomic layer deposited Er2O3 doped TiO2 is studied and proposed as a thermally stable amorphous high-kappa dielectric on Si substrate. The stabilization of TiO2 in its amorphous state is found to achieve a high permittivity of 36, a hysteresis voltage of less than 10 mV, and a low leakage current density of 10-8 A/cm-2 at -1 MV/cm. In III-V semiconductors, issues including unsatisfied dangling bonds and native oxides often result in inferior surface quality that yields non-negligible leakage currents and degrades the long-term performance of devices. The traditional means for passivating the surface of III-V semiconductors are based on the use of sulfide solutions; however, that only offers good protection against oxidation for a short-term (i.e., one day). In this work, in order to improve the chemical passivation efficacy of III-V semiconductors, ultra-thin layer of encapsulating ZnS is coated on the surface of GaSb and GaSb/InAs substrates. The 2 nm-thick ZnS film is found to provide a long-term protection against reoxidation for one order and a half longer times than prior reported passivation likely due to its amorphous structure without pinholes. Finally, a combination of binary ALD processes is developed and demonstrated for the growth of yttria-stabilized zirconia films using alkylamido-cyclopentadiengyls zirconium and tris(isopropyl-cyclopentadienyl)yttrium, as zirconium and yttrium precursors, respectively, with ozone being the oxidant. The desired cubic structure of YSZ films is apparently achieved after post-deposition annealing. Further, platinum is atomic layer deposited as electrode on YSZ (8 mol% of Yttria) within the same system. In order to control the morphology of as-deposited Pt thin structure, the nucleation behavior of Pt on amorphous and cubic YSZ is investigated. Three different morphologies of Pt are observed, including nanoparticle, porous and dense films, which are found to depend on the ALD cycle number and the structure and morphology of they underlying ALD YSZ films.

Magnetic hysteresis measurements of thin films under isotropic stress.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holland, Patrick; Dubey, Archana; Geerts, Wilhelmus

2000-10-01

Nowadays, ferromagnetic thin films are widely applied in devices for information technology (credit cards, video recorder tapes, floppies, hard disks) and sensors (air bags, anti-breaking systems, navigation systems). Thus, with the increase in the use of magnetic media continued investigation of magnetic properties of materials is necessary to help in determining the useful properties of materials for new or improved applications. We are currently interested in studying the effect of applied external stress on Kerr hysteresis curves of thin magnetic films. The Ni and NiFe films were grown using DC magnetron sputtering with Ar as the sputter gas (pAr=4 mTorr; Tsub=55-190 C). Seed and cap layers of Ti were used on all films for adhesion and oxidation protection, respectively. A brass membrane pressure cell was designed to apply in-plane isotropic stress to thin films. In this pressure cell, gas pressure is used to deform a flexible substrate onto which a thin magnetic film has been sputtered. The curvature of the samples could be controlled by changing the gas pressure to the cell. Magneto-Optical in-plane hysteresis curves at different values of strain were measured. The results obtained show that the stress sensitivity is dependent on the film thickness. For the 500nm NiFe films, the coercivity strongly decreased as a function of the applied stress.

Investigation on the oxidation behavior of AlCrVxN thin films by means of synchrotron radiation and influence on the high temperature friction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tillmann, Wolfgang; Kokalj, David; Stangier, Dominic; Paulus, Michael; Sternemann, Christian; Tolan, Metin

2018-01-01

Friction minimization is an important topic which is pursued in research and industry. In addition to the use of lubricants, friction-reducing oxide phases can be utilized which occur during. These oxides are called Magnéli phases and especially vanadium oxides exhibit good friction reducing properties. Thereby, the lubrication effect can be traced back to oxygen deficiencies. AlCrN thin films are being used as coatings for tools which have to withstand high temperatures. A further improvement of AlCrN thin films concerning their friction properties is possible by incorporation of vanadium. This study analyzes the temperature dependent oxidation behavior of magnetron sputtered AlCrVN thin films with different vanadium contents up to 13.5 at.-% by means of X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy. Up to 400 °C the coatings show no oxidation. A higher temperature of 700 °C leads to an oxidation and formation of Magnéli phases of the coatings with vanadium contents above 10.7 at.-%. Friction coefficients, measured by ball-on-disk test are correlated with the oxide formation in order to figure out the effect of vanadium oxides. At 700 °C a decrease of the friction coefficient with increasing vanadium content can be observed, due to the formation of VO2, V2O3 and the Magnéli phase V4O7.

Sensitive Capacitive-type Hydrogen Sensor Based on Ni Thin Film in Different Hydrogen Concentrations.

PubMed

Pour, Ghobad Behzadi; Aval, Leila Fekri; Eslami, Shahnaz

2018-04-01

Hydrogen sensors are micro/nano-structure that are used to locate hydrogen leaks. They are considered to have fast response/recovery time and long lifetime as compared to conventional gas sensors. In this paper, fabrication of sensitive capacitive-type hydrogen gas sensor based on Ni thin film has been investigated. The C-V curves of the sensor in different hydrogen concentrations have been reported. Dry oxidation was done in thermal chemical vapor deposition furnace (TCVD). For oxidation time of 5 min, the oxide thickness was 15 nm and for oxidation time 10 min, it was 20 nm. The Ni thin film as a catalytic metal was deposited on the oxide film using electron gun deposition. Two MOS sensors were compared with different oxide film thickness and different hydrogen concentrations. The highest response of the two MOS sensors with 15 nm and 20 nm oxide film thickness in 4% hydrogen concentration was 87.5% and 65.4% respectively. The fast response times for MOS sensors with 15 nm and 20 nm oxide film thickness in 4% hydrogen concentration was 8 s and 21 s, respectively. By increasing the hydrogen concentration from 1% to 4%, the response time for MOS sensor (20nm oxide thickness), was decreased from 28s to 21s. The recovery time was inversely increased from 237s to 360s. The experimental results showed that the MOS sensor based on Ni thin film had a quick response and a high sensitivity.

Robust, functional nanocrystal solids by infilling with atomic layer deposition

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

Liu, Yao; Gibbs, Markelle; Perkins, Craig L.

2011-12-14

Thin films of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) are inherently metatstable materials prone to oxidative and photothermal degradation driven by their large surface-to-volume ratios and high surface energies. The fabrication of practical electronic devices based on NC solids hinges on preventing oxidation, surface diffusion, ripening, sintering, and other unwanted physicochemical changes that can plague these materials. Here we use low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) to infill conductive PbSe NC solids with metal oxides to produce inorganic nanocomposites in which the NCs are locked in place and protected against oxidative and photothermal damage. Infilling NC field-effect transistors and solar cells with amorphousmore » alumina yields devices that operate with enhanced and stable performance for at least months in air. Furthermore, ALD infilling with ZnO lowers the height of the inter-NC tunnel barrier for electron transport, yielding PbSe NC films with electron mobilities of 1 cm² V -1 s -1. Our ALD technique is a versatile means to fabricate robust NC solids for optoelectronic devices.« less

Amorphous alumina thin films deposited on titanium: Interfacial chemistry and thermal oxidation barrier properties

DOE PAGES

Baggetto, Loic; Charvillat, Cedric; Thebault, Yannick; ...

2015-12-02

Ti/Al 2O 3 bilayer stacks are used as model systems to investigate the role of atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to prepare 30-180 nm thick amorphous alumina films as protective barriers for the medium temperature oxidation (500-600⁰C) of titanium, which is employed in aeronautic applications. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results show that the films produced from the direct liquid injection (DLI) CVD of aluminum tri-isopropoxide (ATI) are poor oxygen barriers. The films processed using the ALD of trimethylaluminum (TMA) show good barriermore » properties but an extensive intermixing with Ti which subsequently oxidizes. In contrast, the films prepared from dimethyl aluminum isopropoxide (DMAI) by CVD are excellent oxygen barriers and show little intermixing with Ti. Overall, these measurements correlate the effect of the alumina coating thickness, morphology, and stoichiometry resulting from the preparation method to the oxidation barrier properties, and show that compact and stoichiometric amorphous alumina films offer superior barrier properties.« less

Nanocolumnar Crystalline Vanadium Oxide-Molybdenum Oxide Antireflective Smart Thin Films with Superior Nanomechanical Properties

PubMed Central

Dey, Arjun; Nayak, Manish Kumar; Esther, A. Carmel Mary; Pradeepkumar, Maurya Sandeep; Porwal, Deeksha; Gupta, A. K.; Bera, Parthasarathi; Barshilia, Harish C.; Mukhopadhyay, Anoop Kumar; Pandey, Ajoy Kumar; Khan, Kallol; Bhattacharya, Manjima; Kumar, D. Raghavendra; Sridhara, N.; Sharma, Anand Kumar

2016-01-01

Vanadium oxide-molybdenum oxide (VO-MO) thin (21–475 nm) films were grown on quartz and silicon substrates by pulsed RF magnetron sputtering technique by altering the RF power from 100 to 600 W. Crystalline VO-MO thin films showed the mixed phases of vanadium oxides e.g., V2O5, V2O3 and VO2 along with MoO3. Reversible or smart transition was found to occur just above the room temperature i.e., at ~45–50 °C. The VO-MO films deposited on quartz showed a gradual decrease in transmittance with increase in film thickness. But, the VO-MO films on silicon exhibited reflectance that was significantly lower than that of the substrate. Further, the effect of low temperature (i.e., 100 °C) vacuum (10−5 mbar) annealing on optical properties e.g., solar absorptance, transmittance and reflectance as well as the optical constants e.g., optical band gap, refractive index and extinction coefficient were studied. Sheet resistance, oxidation state and nanomechanical properties e.g., nanohardness and elastic modulus of the VO-MO thin films were also investigated in as-deposited condition as well as after the vacuum annealing treatment. Finally, the combination of the nanoindentation technique and the finite element modeling (FEM) was employed to investigate yield stress and von Mises stress distribution of the VO-MO thin films. PMID:27853234

Fabrication technology of CNT-Nickel Oxide based planar pseudocapacitor for MEMS and NEMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebedev, E. A.; Kitsyuk, E. P.; Gavrilin, I. M.; Gromov, D. G.; Gruzdev, N. E.; Gavrilov, S. A.; Dronov, A. A.; Pavlov, A. A.

2015-11-01

Fabrication technology of planar pseudocapacitor (PsC) based on carbon nanotube (CNT) forest, synthesized using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method, covered with thin nickel oxide layer deposited by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method, is demonstrated. Dependences of deposited oxide layers thickness on device specific capacities is studied. It is shown that pseudocapacity of nickel oxide thin layer increases specific capacity of the CNT's based device up to 2.5 times.

Molten-salt corrosion of silicon nitride. I - Sodium carbonate. II - Sodium sulfate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, Dennis S.; Jacobson, Nathan S.

1988-01-01

An experimental study of the corrosion of Si3N4 under thin films of Na2CO3 at 1000 C has been conducted using both pure Si3N4 and Si3N4 with various additives. The reaction mechanism is shown to consist of: (1) the decomposition of Na2CO3 and the formation of Na2SiO3; (2) rapid oxidation; and (3) the formation of a protective silica layer below the silicate. In the second part, the corrosion mechanism of Si3N4 + Na2SO4/O2 at 1000 C was studied for both pure and additive-containing Si3N4. The reaction of Si3N4 + Na2SO4 was found to involve an initial period of slow weight loss (due to Na2SO4 vaporization and oxidation-dissolution) followed by further oxidation or the near termination of the reaction, depending on the Si3N4 additive.

Interfacial engineering of metal-insulator-semiconductor junctions for efficient and stable photoelectrochemical water oxidation

PubMed Central

Digdaya, Ibadillah A.; Adhyaksa, Gede W. P.; Trześniewski, Bartek J.; Garnett, Erik C.; Smith, Wilson A.

2017-01-01

Solar-assisted water splitting can potentially provide an efficient route for large-scale renewable energy conversion and storage. It is essential for such a system to provide a sufficiently high photocurrent and photovoltage to drive the water oxidation reaction. Here we demonstrate a photoanode that is capable of achieving a high photovoltage by engineering the interfacial energetics of metal–insulator–semiconductor junctions. We evaluate the importance of using two metals to decouple the functionalities for a Schottky contact and a highly efficient catalyst. We also illustrate the improvement of the photovoltage upon incidental oxidation of the metallic surface layer in KOH solution. Additionally, we analyse the role of the thin insulating layer to the pinning and depinning of Fermi level that is responsible to the resulting photovoltage. Finally, we report the advantage of using dual metal overlayers as a simple protection route for highly efficient metal–insulator–semiconductor photoanodes by showing over 200 h of operational stability. PMID:28660883

A metal-insulator transition study of VO 2 thin films grown on sapphire substrates

DOE PAGES

Yu, Shifeng; Wang, Shuyu; Lu, Ming; ...

2017-12-15

In this paper, vanadium thin films were deposited on sapphire substrates by DC magnetron sputtering and then oxidized in a tube furnace filled with oxygen under different temperatures and oxygen flow rates. The significant influence of the oxygen flow rate and oxidation temperature on the electrical and structural properties of the vanadium oxide thin films were investigated systematically. It shows the pure vanadium dioxide (VO 2) state can only be obtained in a very narrow temperature and oxygen flow rate range. The resistivity change during the metal-insulator transition varies from 0.2 to 4 orders of magnitude depending on the oxidationmore » condition. Large thermal hysteresis during the metal-insulator phase transition was observed during the transition compared to the results in literature. Proper oxidation conditions can significantly reduce the thermal hysteresis. Finally, the fabricated VO 2 thin films showed the potential to be applied in the development of electrical sensors and other smart devices.« less

The optical and electrochemical properties of electrochromic films: WO3+xV2O5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhuying; Liu, Hui; Liu, Ye; Yang, Shaohong; Liu, Yan; Wang, Chong

2010-05-01

Since Deb's experiment in 1973 on the electrochromic effect, transmissive electrochromic films exhibit outstanding potential as energy efficient window controls which allow dynamic control of the solar energy transmission. These films with non-volatile memory, once in the coloured state, remain in the same state even after removal of the field. The optical and electrochemical properties of electrochromic films using magnetron sputter deposition tungsten oxide thin films and vanadium oxide doped tungsten-vanadium oxide thin films on ITO coated glass were investigated. From the UV region of the transmittance spectra, the optical band gap energy from the fundamental absorption edge can be determined. And the Cyclic voltammograms of these thin films in 1 mol LiClO4 propylene carbonate electrolyte (LIPC) were measured and analysed. The anode electrochromic V2O5 doped cathode electrochromic WO3 could make films colour changing while the transmittance of films keeped invariance. These performance characteristics make tungstenvanadium oxide colour changeably thin films are suitable for electrochromic windows applications.

Large-scale complementary macroelectronics using hybrid integration of carbon nanotubes and IGZO thin-film transistors.

PubMed

Chen, Haitian; Cao, Yu; Zhang, Jialu; Zhou, Chongwu

2014-06-13

Carbon nanotubes and metal oxide semiconductors have emerged as important materials for p-type and n-type thin-film transistors, respectively; however, realizing sophisticated macroelectronics operating in complementary mode has been challenging due to the difficulty in making n-type carbon nanotube transistors and p-type metal oxide transistors. Here we report a hybrid integration of p-type carbon nanotube and n-type indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistors to achieve large-scale (>1,000 transistors for 501-stage ring oscillators) complementary macroelectronic circuits on both rigid and flexible substrates. This approach of hybrid integration allows us to combine the strength of p-type carbon nanotube and n-type indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistors, and offers high device yield and low device variation. Based on this approach, we report the successful demonstration of various logic gates (inverter, NAND and NOR gates), ring oscillators (from 51 stages to 501 stages) and dynamic logic circuits (dynamic inverter, NAND and NOR gates).

Self-assembled micro-/nanostructured WO3 thin films by aqueous chemical growth and their applications in H2 and CO2 sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sone, B. T.; Nkosi, S. S.; Nkosi, M. M.; Coetsee-Hugo, E.; Swart, H. C.; Maaza, M.

2018-05-01

Application of thin film technology is increasing in many areas such as energy production, energy saving, telecommunications, protective and smart coatings, etc. This increased application creates a need for simple, cost-effective methods for the synthesis of highly multifunctional metal oxide thin films. The technique of Aqueous Chemical Growth is presented in this paper as a simple inexpensive means of producing WO3 thin films that find applications in gas sensing, electrochromism and photocatalysis. We demonstrate, through this technique, that heterogeneous nucleation and growth of WO3 thin films on plain glass substrates takes place at low pHs and low temperatures (75-95 °C) without the use of surfactants and template directing methods. The substrates used needed no surface-modification. On the plain glass substrates (soda lime silicates) a variety of micro-nanostructures could be observed most important of which were nanoplatelets that acted as a basic building block for the self-assembly of more hierarchical 3-d microspheres and thin films. The dominant crystallographic structure observed through X-ray diffraction analysis was found to be hexagonal-WO3 and monoclinic WO3. The thin films produced showed a fair degree of porosity. Some of the thin films on glass showed ability to sense, unaided, H2 at 250 °C. Sensor responses were observed to be 1 - 2 orders of magnitude. The films also demonstrated potential to sense CO2 even though this could only be achieved using high concentrations of CO2 gas at temperatures of 300 °C and above. The sensor responses at 300 °C were estimated to be less than 1 order of magnitude.

Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Function Tests among Galvanized Workers Exposed To Zinc Oxide.

PubMed

Aminian, Omid; Zeinodin, Hamidreza; Sadeghniiat-Haghighi, Khosro; Izadi, Nazanin

2015-01-01

Galvanization is the process of coating steel or cast iron pieces with a thin layer of zinc allowing protection against corrosion. One of the important hazards in this industry is exposure to zinc compounds specially zinc oxide fumes and dusts. In this study, we evaluated chronic effects of zinc oxide on the respiratory tract of galvanizers. Overall, 188 workers were selected from Arak galvanization plant in 2012, 71 galvanizers as exposed group and 117 workers from other departments of plants as control group. Information was collected using American Thoracic Society (ATS) standard questionnaire, physical examination and demographic data sheet. Pulmonary function tests were measured for all subjects. Exposure assessment was done with NIOSH 7030 method. The Personal Breathing Zone (PBZ) air sampling results for zinc ranged from 6.61 to 8.25 mg/m³ above the permissible levels (Time weighted average; TWA:2 mg/m³). The prevalence of the respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea, throat and nose irritation in the exposed group was significantly (P<0.01) more than the control group. Decreasing in average percent in all spirometric parameters were seen in the galvanizers who exposed to zinc oxide fumes and dusts. The prevalence of obstructive respiratory disease was significantly (P=0.034) higher in the exposed group. High workplace zinc levels are associated with an increase in respiratory morbidity in galvanizers. Therefore administrators should evaluate these workers with periodic medical examinations and implement respiratory protection program in the working areas.

Microfabrication of SrRuO3 thin films on various oxide substrates using LaAlO3/BaOx sacrificial bilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harada, Takayuki; Tsukazaki, Atsushi

2018-02-01

Oxides provide various fascinating physical properties that could find use in future device applications. However, the physical properties of oxides are often affected by formation of oxygen vacancies during device fabrication processes. In this study, to develop a damage-free patterning process for oxides, we focus on a lift-off process using a sacrificial template layer, by which we can pattern oxide thin films without severe chemical treatment or plasma bombardment. As oxides need high thin-film growth temperature, a sacrificial template needs to be made of thermally stable and easily etchable materials. To meet these requirements, we develop a sacrificial template with a carefully designed bilayer structure. Combining a thermally and chemically stable LaAlO3 and a water-soluble BaOx, we fabricated a LaAlO3/BaOx sacrificial bilayer. The patterned LaAlO3/BaOx sacrificial bilayers were prepared on oxide substrates by room-temperature pulsed laser deposition and standard photolithography process. The structure of the sacrificial bilayer can be maintained even in rather tough conditions needed for oxide thin film growth: several hundred degrees Celsius under high oxygen pressure. Indeed, the LaAlO3/BaOx bilayer is easily removable by sonication in water. We applied the lift-off method using the LaAlO3/BaOx sacrificial bilayer to a representative oxide conductor SrRuO3 and fabricated micron-scale Hall-bar devices. The SrRuO3 channels with the narrowest line width of 5 μm exhibit an almost identical transport property to that of the pristine film, evidencing that the developed process is beneficial for patterning oxides. We show that the LaAlO3/BaOx lift-off process is applicable to various oxide substrates: SrTiO3, MgO, and Al2O3. The new versatile patterning process will expand the range of application of oxide thin films in electronic and photonic devices.

Study on Evaluation Methods for Mechanical Properties of Organic Semiconductor Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, T.; Yokoyama, T.; Utsumi, Y.; Kanematsu, H.; Masuda, T.

2013-04-01

This paper describes the evaluation method of the mechanical properties of the materials constituting organic semiconductor, and the test result of the relation between applied strain and the fracture of thin films. The final target of this work is the improvement of flexibility of organic light emitting diode(OLED), the tensile test of the thin films coated on flexible substrate is conducted, and the vulnerable parts of the constituent material of the OLED is quantitatively understood, further the guideline for designing OLED structure will be obtained. In the present paper, tensile test of an aluminium oxide thin films deposited on a poly-ethylene-tere-phtalate (PET) substrate was carried out under constant conditions, the following results were obtained:(1)Cracking of the aluminium oxide thin films was observed using an optical transparent formula microscope at more than 40 times magnification; (2)Cracking was initiated at a strain of about 3%; (3)the number of cracks increased proportional to the strain, and saturated at about 9% strain; (4)Organic thin films α-NPD caused the same cracking as oxide thin films.

Insulator-protected mechanically controlled break junctions for measuring single-molecule conductance in aqueous environments

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

Muthusubramanian, N.; Zant, H. S. J. van der; Galan, E.

We present a method to fabricate insulated gold mechanically controlled break junctions (MCBJ) by coating the metal with a thin layer of aluminum oxide using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition. The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} thickness deposited on the MCBJ devices was varied from 2 to 15 nm to test the suppression of leakage currents in deionized water and phosphate buffered saline. Junctions coated with a 15 nm thick oxide layer yielded atomically sharp electrodes and negligible conductance counts in the range of 1 to 10{sup −4} G{sub 0} (1 G{sub 0} = 77 μS), where single-molecule conductances are commonly observed. The insulated devices were usedmore » to measure the conductance of an amphiphilic oligophenylene ethynylene derivative in deionized water.« less

Reflection/suppression coatings for 900 - 1200 A radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edelstein, Jerry

1989-01-01

The design and performance of multiple-layer, selective-reflection, selective-suppression coatings for the 900 - 1200 A band are described. These coatings are designed to optimize both high reflectivity at a desirable wavelength and low reflectivity at an undesirable wavelength. The minimum structure for a selective coating consists of a thin metal or metal oxide layer (50 - 150 A thickness) over an aluminum substrate protected with a semi-transparent dielectric (100 - 1000 A thickness). Predicted coating performance is strongly effected by varying the layer combination and thickness. A graphical method of optimizing the coating layer structure is developed. Aluminum, silicon, their oxides, and gold have been investigated as coating layer materials. A very simple coating with a 1026 to 1216 A reflectivity ratio greater than 100 was fabricated. Such reflection/suppression coatings may be of great utility to spaceborne EUV spectrographs.

Microstructure fabrication process induced modulations in CVD graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsubayashi, Akitomo; Zhang, Zhenjun; Lee, Ji Ung; LaBella, Vincent P.

2014-12-01

The systematic Raman spectroscopic study of a "mimicked" graphene device fabrication is presented. Upon photoresist baking, compressive stress is induced in the graphene which disappears after it is removed. The indirect irradiation from the electron beam (through the photoresist) does not significantly alter graphene characteristic Raman peaks indicating that graphene quality is preserved upon the exposure. The 2D peak shifts and the intensity ratio of 2D and G band, I(2D)/I(G), decreases upon direct metal deposition (Co and Py) suggesting that the electronic modulation occurs due to sp2 C-C bond weakening. In contrast, a thin metal oxide film deposited graphene does not show either the significant 2D and G peaks shift or I(2D)/I(G) decrease upon the metal deposition suggesting the oxide protect the graphene quality in the fabrication process.

Investigation of physicochemical and tribological properties of transparent oxide semiconducting thin films based on Ti-V oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazur, M.; Sieradzka, K.; Kaczmarek, D.; Domaradzki, J.; Wojcieszak, D.; Domanowski, P.

2013-08-01

In this paper investigations of structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline Ti-V oxide thin films are described. The films were deposited onto Corning 7059 glass using a modified reactive magnetron sputtering method. Structural investigations of prepared Ti-V oxides with vanadium addition of 19 at. % revealed amorphous structure, while incorporation of 21 and 23 at. % of vanadium resulted in V2O5 formation with crystallites sizes of 12.7 and 32.4 nm, respectively. All prepared thin films belong to transparent oxide semiconductors due to their high transmission level of ca. 60-75 % in the visible light range, and resistivity in the range of 3.3·102-1.4·105 Ωcm. Additionally, wettability and hardness tests were performed in order to evaluate the usefulness of the films for functional coatings.

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique

PubMed Central

Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Si Joon; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-01-01

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers. PMID:28230088

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Si Joon; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-02-01

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers.

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique.

PubMed

Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Si Joon; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-02-23

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers.

Oxide-based materials by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godlewski, Marek; Pietruszka, Rafał; Kaszewski, Jarosław; Witkowski, Bartłomiej S.; Gierałtowska, Sylwia; Wachnicki, Łukasz; Godlewski, Michał M.; Slonska, Anna; Gajewski, Zdzisław

2017-02-01

Thin films of wide band-gap oxides grown by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) are suitable for a range of applications. Some of these applications will be presented. First of all, ALD-grown high-k HfO2 is used as a gate oxide in the electronic devices. Moreover, ALD-grown oxides can be used in memory devices, in transparent transistors, or as elements of solar cells. Regarding photovoltaics (PV), ALD-grown thin films of Al2O3 are already used as anti-reflection layers. In addition, thin films of ZnO are tested as replacement of ITO in PV devices. New applications in organic photovoltaics, electronics and optoelectronics are also demonstrated Considering new applications, the same layers, as used in electronics, can also find applications in biology, medicine and in a food industry. This is because layers of high-k oxides show antibacterial activity, as discussed in this work.

Self-activated ultrahigh chemosensitivity of oxide thin film nanostructures for transparent sensors

PubMed Central

Moon, Hi Gyu; Shim, Young-Soek; Kim, Do Hong; Jeong, Hu Young; Jeong, Myoungho; Jung, Joo Young; Han, Seung Min; Kim, Jong Kyu; Kim, Jin-Sang; Park, Hyung-Ho; Lee, Jong-Heun; Tuller, Harry L.; Yoon, Seok-Jin; Jang, Ho Won

2012-01-01

One of the top design priorities for semiconductor chemical sensors is developing simple, low-cost, sensitive and reliable sensors to be built in handheld devices. However, the need to implement heating elements in sensor devices, and the resulting high power consumption, remains a major obstacle for the realization of miniaturized and integrated chemoresistive thin film sensors based on metal oxides. Here we demonstrate structurally simple but extremely efficient all oxide chemoresistive sensors with ~90% transmittance at visible wavelengths. Highly effective self-activation in anisotropically self-assembled nanocolumnar tungsten oxide thin films on glass substrate with indium-tin oxide electrodes enables ultrahigh response to nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds with detection limits down to parts per trillion levels and power consumption less than 0.2 microwatts. Beyond the sensing performance, high transparency at visible wavelengths creates opportunities for their use in transparent electronic circuitry and optoelectronic devices with avenues for further functional convergence. PMID:22905319

Spray deposited gallium doped tin oxide thinfilm for acetone sensor application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preethi, M. S.; Bharath, S. P.; Bangera, Kasturi V.

2018-04-01

Undoped and gallium doped (1 at.%, 2 at.% and 3 at.%) tin oxide thin films were prepared using spray pyrolysis technique by optimising the deposition conditions such as precursor concentration, substrate temperature and spraying rate. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed formation of tetragonally structured polycrystalline films. The SEM micrographs of Ga doped films showed microstructures. The electrical resistivity of the doped films was found to be more than that of the undoped films. The Ga-doped tin oxide thin films were characterised for gas sensors. 1 at.% Ga doped thin films were found to be better acetone gas sensor, showed 68% sensitivity at 350°C temperature.

Electronic structure evolution in doping of fullerene (C{sub 60}) by ultra-thin layer molybdenum trioxide

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

Wang, Chenggong; Wang, Congcong; Kauppi, John

2015-08-28

Ultra-thin layer molybdenum oxide doping of fullerene has been investigated using ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) can be observed directly with UPS. It is observed that the Fermi level position in fullerene is modified by ultra-thin-layer molybdenum oxide doping, and the HOMO onset is shifted to less than 1.3 eV below the Fermi level. The XPS results indicate that charge transfer was observed from the C{sub 60} to MoO{sub x} and Mo{sup 6+} oxides is the basis as hole dopants.

Monitoring the layer-by-layer self-assembly of graphene and graphene oxide by spectroscopic ellipsometry.

PubMed

Zhou, Kai-Ge; Chang, Meng-Jie; Wang, Hang-Xing; Xie, Yu-Long; Zhang, Hao-Li

2012-01-01

Thin films of graphene oxide, graphene and copper (II) phthalocyanine dye have been successfully fabricated by electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly approach. We present the first variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) investigation on these graphene-dye hybrid thin films. The thickness evaluation suggested that our LbL assembly process produces highly uniform and reproducible thin films. We demonstrate that the refractive indices of the graphene-dye thin films undergo dramatic variation in the range close to the absorption of the dyes. This investigation provides new insight to the optical properties of graphene containing thin films and shall help to establish an appropriate optical model for graphene-based hybrid materials.

Nonenzymatic detection of glucose using BaCuO2 thin layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Takeshi; Asada, Tsuyoshi; Asai, Naoto; Shimizu, Tomohiro; Shingubara, Shoso

2017-01-01

A BaCuO2 thin layer was deposited on a glassy carbon electrode and used for the direct oxidation of glucose. The crystalline, electrochemical, and physicochemical properties that depend on the deposition temperature and deposition time were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the thin layer was amorphous even at 400 °C. The current density of the glucose oxidation using the thin layer deposited at 200 °C was higher than those at other deposition temperatures. Under this condition, the current density increased with the glucose concentration and deposition time. These results indicate that a BaCuO2 thin layer has potential for measuring the blood glucose level without enzymes.

Influence of precursor concentration on the structural, optical and electrical properties of indium oxide thin film prepared by a sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, L. N.; Ibrahim, N. B.; Baqiah, H.

2015-08-01

This research was carried out to study the effect of different precursor concentrations on the physical properties of indium oxide (In2O3) thin film. In2O3 is a promising n-type semiconductor material that has been used in optoelectronic applications because of its highly transparent properties. It is a transparent conducting oxide with a wide band gap (∼3.7 eV). The experiment was started by preparing different precursor concentrations of indium nitrate hydrate (In (NO3)·H2O) solution and followed by the spin coating technique prior to an annealing process at 500 °C. Indium oxide thin films were characterized using an X-ray diffractometer, an ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, a field emission scanning electron microscope and a Hall Effect Measurement System in order to determine the influence caused by the different molarities of indium oxide. The result showed that the film thickness increased with the indium oxide molarity. Film thicknesses were in the range of 0.3-135.1 nm and optical transparency of films was over 94%. Lowest resistivity of 2.52 Ω cm with a mobility of 26.60 cm2 V-1 S-1 and carrier concentration of 4.27 × 1017 cm-3 was observed for the indium oxide thin film prepared at 0.30 M.

Biocompatible Nb2O5 thin films prepared by means of the sol-gel process.

PubMed

Velten, D; Eisenbarth, E; Schanne, N; Breme, J

2004-04-01

Thin biocompatible oxide films with an optimised composition and structure on the surface of titanium and its alloys can improve the implant integration. The preparation of these thin oxide layers with the intended improvement of the surface properties can be realised by means of the sol-gel process. Nb2O5 is a promising coating material for this application because of its extremely high corrosion resistance and thermodynamic stability. In this study, thin Nb2O5 layers ( < 200 nm) were prepared by spin coating of polished discs of cp-titanium with a sol consisting of a mixture of niobium ethoxide, butanol and acetylacetone. The thickness, phase composition, corrosion resistance and the wettability of the oxide layers were determined after an optimisation of the processing parameters for deposition of oxide without any organic impurities. The purity of the oxide layer is an important aspect in order to avoid a negative response to the cell adhesion. The biocompatibility of the oxide layers which was investigated by in vitro tests (morphology, proliferation rate, WST-1, cell spreading) is improved as compared to uncoated and TiO2 sol-gel coated cp-titanium concerning the spreading of cells, collagen I synthesis and wettability.

Insight into the epitaxial encapsulation of Pd catalysts in an oriented metalloporphyrin network thin film for tandem catalysis.

PubMed

Vohra, M Ismail; Li, De-Jing; Gu, Zhi-Gang; Zhang, Jian

2017-06-14

A palladium catalyst (Pd-Cs) encapsulated metalloporphyrin network PIZA-1 thin film with bifunctional properties has been developed through a modified epitaxial layer-by-layer encapsulation approach. Combining the oxidation activity of Pd-Cs and the acetalization activity of the Lewis acidic sites in the PIZA-1 thin film, this bifunctional catalyst of the Pd-Cs@PIZA-1 thin film exhibits a good catalytic activity in a one-pot tandem oxidation-acetalization reaction. Furthermore, the surface components can be controlled by ending the top layer with different precursors in the thin film preparation procedures. The catalytic performances of these thin films with different surface composites were studied under the same conditions, which showed different reaction conversions. The result revealed that the surface component can influence the catalytic performance of the thin films. This epitaxial encapsulation offers a good understanding of the tandem catalysis for thin film materials and provides useful guidance to develop new thin film materials with catalytic properties.

Plasma polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane thin films for corrosion protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saloum, S.; Alkhaled, B.; Alsadat, W.; Kakhia, M.; Shaker, S. A.

2018-01-01

This study focused on the corrosion protection performance of plasma polymerized HMDSO thin films in two different corrosive medias, 0.3M NaCl and 0.3M H2SO4. The pp-HMDSO thin films were deposited on steel substrates for electrochemical tests using the potentiodynamic polarization technique, they were deposited also on aluminum and silicon substrates to investigate their resistance to corrosion, through the analysis of the degradation of microhardness and morphology, respectively, after immersion of the substrates for one week in the corrosive media. The results showed promising corrosion protection properties of the pp-HMDSO thin films.

Challenges and opportunities for multi-functional oxide thin films for voltage tunable radio frequency/microwave components

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

Subramanyam, Guru, E-mail: gsubramanyam1@udayton.edu; Cole, M. W., E-mail: melanie.w.cole.civ@mail.mil; Sun, Nian X.

2013-11-21

There has been significant progress on the fundamental science and technological applications of complex oxides and multiferroics. Among complex oxide thin films, barium strontium titanate (BST) has become the material of choice for room-temperature-based voltage-tunable dielectric thin films, due to its large dielectric tunability and low microwave loss at room temperature. BST thin film varactor technology based reconfigurable radio frequency (RF)/microwave components have been demonstrated with the potential to lower the size, weight, and power needs of a future generation of communication and radar systems. Low-power multiferroic devices have also been recently demonstrated. Strong magneto-electric coupling has also been demonstratedmore » in different multiferroic heterostructures, which show giant voltage control of the ferromagnetic resonance frequency of more than two octaves. This manuscript reviews recent advances in the processing, and application development for the complex oxides and multiferroics, with the focus on voltage tunable RF/microwave components. The over-arching goal of this review is to provide a synopsis of the current state-of the-art of complex oxide and multiferroic thin film materials and devices, identify technical issues and technical challenges that need to be overcome for successful insertion of the technology for both military and commercial applications, and provide mitigation strategies to address these technical challenges.« less

Vanadium dioxide film protected with an atomic-layer-deposited Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin film

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

Wang, Xiao; Cao, Yunzhen, E-mail: yzhcao@mail.sic.ac.cn; Yang, Chao

2016-01-15

A VO{sub 2} film exposed to ambient air is prone to oxidation, which will degrade its thermochromic properties. In this work, the authors deposited an ultrathin Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film with atomic layer deposition (ALD) to protect the underlying VO{sub 2} film from degradation, and then studied the morphology and crystalline structure of the films. To assess the protectiveness of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} capping layer, the authors performed a heating test and a damp heating test. An ultrathin 5-nm-thick ALD Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film was sufficient to protect the underlying VO{sub 2} film heated at 350 °C. However, in amore » humid environment at prolonged durations, a thicker ALD Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film (15 nm) was required to protect the VO{sub 2}. The authors also deposited and studied a TiO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} bilayer, which significantly improved the protectiveness of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film in a humid environment.« less

Vectorial method used to monitor an evolving system: Titanium oxide thin films under UV illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Béchu, Solène; Humbert, Bernard; Fernandez, Vincent; Fairley, Neal; Richard-Plouet, Mireille

2018-07-01

Under in situ UV illumination, some materials present evolution of their opto-electronic properties that can be monitored by spectroscopy. We present here a mathematical method which can be applied to spectroscopic measurements when an evolving set of data is recorded: the vectorial method. The investigations and quantifications are performed by Infrared spectroscopy and XPS on organic-inorganic thin films prepared by sol-gel. The inorganic part of these hybrid thin films contains Ti oxide-network based whereas the organic part is composed of N,N-dimethylformamide and its hydrolysis products. Under UV illumination, those films exhibit intermediate bandgap behavior due to the photoreduction of Ti(IV) in Ti(III). The role of the solvent in the thin film is underlined during the process of photoreduction together with an understanding of the condensation of the Ti oxide-based network, as these evolutions are critical for the opto-electronic properties of those thin films.

Polymer thin film as coating layer to prevent corrosion of metal/metal oxide film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Suman; Kundu, Sarathi

2018-04-01

Thin film of polymer is used as coating layer and the corrosion of metal/metal oxide layer is studied with the variation of the thickness of the coating layer. The thin layer of polystyrene is fabricated using spin coating method on copper oxide (CuO) film which is deposited on glass substrate using DC magnetron sputtering technique. Thickness of the polystyrene and the CuO layers are determined using X-ray reflectivity (XRR) technique. CuO thin films coated with the polystyrene layer are exposed to acetic acid (2.5 v/v% aqueous CH3COOH solution) environments and are subsequently analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Surface morphology of the film before and after interaction with the acidic environment is determined using AFM. Results obtained from the XRR and UV-Vis spectroscopy confirm that the thin film of polystyrene acts as an anticorrosion coating layer and the strength of the coating depends upon the polymer layer thickness at a constant acid concentration.

The interaction of small particles and thin films of metals with gases. I - A brief review of the early stages of oxide formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poppa, H.

1976-01-01

Existing work on gas-solid reactions making use of thin film technologies is reviewed. The discussion concentrates on two major areas of gas-metal interactions: chemisorption and the early stages of oxidation of metals (characterized by a non-volatile reaction product) and catalytic surface reactions (featuring volatile reaction products). A brief survey of oxide formation on metals is presented. Here it is of importance to distinguish between reactions on continuous thin film substrates and reactions on particulate deposits. Small particle-gas interactions also affect the nucleation, growth and sintering processes of thin films. It is shown that various combinations of UHV and high resolution electron microscopy techniques, which include in situ experimentation, can provide the appropriate tools for studying angstrom particle chemistry.

Transparent and Flexible Zinc Tin Oxide Thin Film Transistors and Inverters using Low-pressure Oxygen Annealing Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kimoon; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Kim, Jiwan; Oh, Min Suk

2018-05-01

We report on the transparent and flexible enhancement-load inverters which consist of zinc tin oxide (ZTO) thin film transistors (TFTs) fabricated at low process temperature. To control the electrical characteristics of oxide TFTs by oxygen vacancies, we applied low-pressure oxygen rapid thermal annealing (RTA) process to our devices. When we annealed the ZTO TFTs in oxygen ambient of 2 Torr, they showed better electrical characteristics than those of the devices annealed in the air ambient of 760 Torr. To realize oxide thin film transistor and simple inverter circuits on flexible substrate, we annealed the devices in O2 of 2 Torr at 150° C and could achieve the decent electrical properties. When we used transparent conductive oxide electrodes such as indium zinc oxide (IZO) and indium tin oxide (ITO), our transparent and flexible inverter showed the total transmittance of 68% in the visible range and the voltage gain of 5. And the transition voltage in voltage transfer curve was located well within the range of operation voltage.

Modeling Thin Film Oxide Growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherman, Quentin

Thin film oxidation is investigated using two modeling techniques in the interest of better understanding the roles of space charge and non-equilibrium effects. An electrochemical phase-field model of an oxide-metal interface is formulated in one dimension and studied at equilibrium and during growth. An analogous sharp interface model is developed to validate the phase-field model in the thick film limit. Electrochemical profiles across the oxide are shown to deviate from the sharp interface prediction when the oxide film is thin compared to the Debye length, however no effect on the oxidation kinetics is found. This is attributed to the simple thermodynamic and kinetic models used therein. The phase-field model provides a framework onto to which additional physics can be added to better model thin film oxidation. A model for solute trapping during the oxidation of binary alloys is developed to study non-equilibrium effects during the early stages of oxide growth. The model is applied to NiCr alloys, and steady-state interfacial composition maps are presented for the growth of an oxide with the rock salt structure. No detailed experimental data is available to verify the predictions of the solute trapping model, however it is shown to be consistent with the trends observed during the early stages of NiCr oxidation. Lastly, experimental studies of the wet infiltration technique for decorating solid oxide fuel cell anodes with nickel nanoparticles are presented. The effect of nickel nitrate calcination parameters on the resulting nickel oxide microstructures are studied on both porous and planar substrates. Decreasing the calcination temperature and dwell time, as well as a dehydration step after nickel nitrate infiltration, are all shown to decrease the initial nickel oxide particle size, but other factors such as geometry and nickel loading per unit area also affected the final nickel particle size and morphology upon reduction.

Calibration of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Passive-Active Neutron Drum Shuffler for Measurement of Highly Enriched Uranium in Oxides within DOE-STD-3013-2000 Containers

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

Mount, M E; O'Connell, W J

2005-06-03

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) uses the LLNL passive-active neutron drum (PAN) shuffler (Canberra Model JCC-92) for accountability measurement of highly enriched uranium (HEU) oxide and HEU in mixed uranium-plutonium (U-Pu) oxide. In June 2002, at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Material Management, LLNL reported on an extensive effort to calibrate this shuffler, based on standards measurements and extensive simulations, for HEU oxides and mixed U-Pu oxides in thin-walled primary and secondary containers. In August 2002, LLNL began to also use DOE-STD-3013-2000 containers for HEU oxide and mixed U-Pu oxide. These DOE-STD-3013-2000 containers are comprised ofmore » a stainless steel convenience can enclosed in welded stainless steel primary and secondary containers. Compared to the double thin-walled containers, the DOE-STD-3013-2000 containers have substantially thicker walls, and the density of materials in these containers was found to extend over a greater range (1.35 g/cm{sup 3} to 4.62 g/cm{sup 3}) than foreseen for the double thin-walled containers. Further, the DOE-STD-3013-2000 Standard allows for oxides containing at least 30 wt% Pu plus U whereas the calibration algorithms for thin-walled containers were derived for virtually pure HEU or mixed U-Pu oxides. An initial series of Monte Carlo simulations of the PAN shuffler response to given quantities of HEU oxide and mixed U-Pu oxide in DOE-STD-3013-2000 containers was generated and compared with the response predicted by the calibration algorithms for thin-walled containers. Results showed a decrease on the order of 10% in the count rate, and hence a decrease in the calculated U mass for measured unknowns, with some varying trends versus U mass. Therefore a decision was made to develop a calibration algorithm for the PAN shuffler unique to the DOE-STD-3013-2000 container. This paper describes that effort and selected unknown item measurement results.« less

Method of synthesizing a plurality of reactants and producing thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides

DOEpatents

Tracy, C.E.; Benson, D.K.; Ruth, M.R.

1985-08-16

A method of synthesizing a plurality of reactants by inducing a reaction by plasma deposition among the reactants. The plasma reaction is effective for consolidating the reactants and producing thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides.

Fabrication of disposable topographic silicon oxide from sawtoothed patterns: control of arrays of gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Cho, Heesook; Yoo, Hana; Park, Soojin

2010-05-18

Disposable topographic silicon oxide patterns were fabricated from polymeric replicas of sawtoothed glass surfaces, spin-coating of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) thin films, and thermal annealing at certain temperature and followed by oxygen plasma treatment of the thin PDMS layer. A simple imprinting process was used to fabricate the replicated PDMS and PS patterns from sawtoothed glass surfaces. Next, thin layers of PDMS films having different thicknesses were spin-coated onto the sawtoothed PS surfaces and annealed at 60 degrees C to be drawn the PDMS into the valley of the sawtoothed PS surfaces, followed by oxygen plasma treatment to fabricate topographic silicon oxide patterns. By control of the thickness of PDMS layers, silicon oxide patterns having various line widths were fabricated. The silicon oxide topographic patterns were used to direct the self-assembly of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) block copolymer thin films via solvent annealing process. A highly ordered PS-b-P2VP micellar structure was used to let gold precursor complex with P2VP chains, and followed by oxygen plasma treatment. When the PS-b-P2VP thin films containing gold salts were exposed to oxygen plasma environments, gold salts were reduced to pure gold nanoparticles without changing high degree of lateral order, while polymers were completely degraded. As the width of trough and crest in topographic patterns increases, the number of gold arrays and size of gold nanoparticles are tuned. In the final step, the silicon oxide topographic patterns were selectively removed by wet etching process without changing the arrays of gold nanoparticles.

Damage-free back channel wet-etch process in amorphous indium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistors using a carbon-nanofilm barrier layer.

PubMed

Luo, Dongxiang; Zhao, Mingjie; Xu, Miao; Li, Min; Chen, Zikai; Wang, Lang; Zou, Jianhua; Tao, Hong; Wang, Lei; Peng, Junbiao

2014-07-23

Amorphous indium-zinc-oxide thin film transistors (IZO-TFTs) with damage-free back channel wet-etch (BCE) process were investigated. A carbon (C) nanofilm was inserted into the interface between IZO layer and source/drain (S/D) electrodes as a barrier layer. Transmittance electron microscope images revealed that the 3 nm-thick C nanofilm exhibited a good corrosion resistance to a commonly used H3PO4-based etchant and could be easily eliminated. The TFT device with a 3 nm-thick C barrier layer showed a saturated field effect mobility of 14.4 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), a subthreshold swing of 0.21 V/decade, an on-to-off current ratio of 8.3 × 10(10), and a threshold voltage of 2.0 V. The favorable electrical performance of this kind of IZO-TFTs was due to the protection of the inserted C to IZO layer in the back-channel-etch process. Moreover, the low contact resistance of the devices was proved to be due to the graphitization of the C nanofilms after annealing. In addition, the hysteresis and thermal stress testing confirmed that the usage of C barrier nanofilms is an effective method to fabricate the damage-free BCE-type devices with high reliability.

Comparative analysis of breakdown mechanism in thin SiO2 oxide films in metal-oxide-semiconductor structures under the action of heavy charged particles and a pulsed voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zinchenko, V. F.; Lavrent'ev, K. V.; Emel'yanov, V. V.; Vatuev, A. S.

2016-02-01

Regularities in the breakdown of thin SiO2 oxide films in metal-oxide-semiconductors structures of power field-effect transistors under the action of single heavy charged particles and a pulsed voltage are studied experimentally. Using a phenomenological approach, we carry out comparative analysis of physical mechanisms and energy criteria of the SiO2 breakdown in extreme conditions of excitation of the electron subsystem in the subpicosecond time range.

Electromagnetic properties of thin-film transformer-coupled superconducting tunnel junctions

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

Finnegan, T.F.; Lacquaniti, V.; Vaglio, R.

1981-09-01

Multisection superconducting microstrip transformers with designed output impedances below 0.1 ..cap omega.. have been fabricated via precise photolithographic techniques to investigate the electromagnetic properties of Nb-Nb oxide-Pb tunnel junctions. The low-impedance transformer sections incorporate a rf sputtered thin-film Ta-oxide dielectric, and the reproducible external coupling achievable with this type of geometry makes possible the systematic investigation of electromagnetic device parameters as a function of tunneling oxide thickness.

Air-stable electrical conduction in oxidized poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene] thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossein-Babaei, F.; Shabani, P.; Azadinia, M.

2013-11-01

Oxidation-caused electroluminescence and electrical conduction deteriorations in poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) have prevented the material from being used in applications requiring air exposure. Here, we report air-stable electrical conduction in oxidized MEH-PPV layers produced by room temperature annealing of MEH-PPV thin films in air. Oxidized layers exhibit lower, but stable, conductivities. As the process is irreversible, the final conductivity is retained in vacuum, inert gas, hydrogen, and oxygen. The oxidation rates recorded at different conditions for layers of varied thickness and electrode configuration are described by a surface oxidation model. Potentials of the oxidized MEH-PPV layers in sensor technology are demonstrated.

Impact of nanostructured thin ZnO film in ultraviolet protection

PubMed Central

Sasani Ghamsari, Morteza; Alamdari, Sanaz; Han, Wooje; Park, Hyung-Ho

2017-01-01

Nanoscale ZnO is one of the best choices for ultraviolet (UV) protection, not only because of its antimicrobial properties but also due to its potential application for UV preservation. However, the behavior of nanostructured thin ZnO films and long-term effects of UV-radiation exposure have not been studied yet. In this study, we investigated the UV-protection ability of sol gel-derived thin ZnO films after different exposure times. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and UV-visible optical spectroscopy were carried out to study the structure and optical properties of the ZnO films as a function of the UV-irradiation time. The results obtained showed that the prepared thin ZnO films were somewhat transparent under the visible wavelength region and protective against UV radiation. The UV-protection factor was 50+ for the prepared samples, indicating that they were excellent UV protectors. The deposited thin ZnO films demonstrated promising antibacterial potential and significant light absorbance in the UV range. The experimental results suggest that the synthesized samples have potential for applications in the health care field. PMID:28096668

Impact of nanostructured thin ZnO film in ultraviolet protection.

PubMed

Sasani Ghamsari, Morteza; Alamdari, Sanaz; Han, Wooje; Park, Hyung-Ho

2017-01-01

Nanoscale ZnO is one of the best choices for ultraviolet (UV) protection, not only because of its antimicrobial properties but also due to its potential application for UV preservation. However, the behavior of nanostructured thin ZnO films and long-term effects of UV-radiation exposure have not been studied yet. In this study, we investigated the UV-protection ability of sol gel-derived thin ZnO films after different exposure times. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and UV-visible optical spectroscopy were carried out to study the structure and optical properties of the ZnO films as a function of the UV-irradiation time. The results obtained showed that the prepared thin ZnO films were somewhat transparent under the visible wavelength region and protective against UV radiation. The UV-protection factor was 50+ for the prepared samples, indicating that they were excellent UV protectors. The deposited thin ZnO films demonstrated promising antibacterial potential and significant light absorbance in the UV range. The experimental results suggest that the synthesized samples have potential for applications in the health care field.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoldt, Conrad R.; Bright, Victor M.

2006-05-01

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

Atomic Layer Deposition Re Ective Coatings For Future Astronomical Space Telescopes And The Solar Corona Viewed Through The Minxss (Miniature X-Ray Solar Spectrometer) Cubesats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Christopher Samuel

2017-11-01

Advances in technology and instrumentation open new windows for observing astrophysical objects. The first half of my dissertation involves the development of atomic layer deposition (ALD) coatings to create high reflectivity UV mirrors for future satellite astronomical telescopes. Aluminum (Al) has intrinsic reflectance greater than 80% from 90 – 2,000 nm, but develops a native aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer upon exposure to air that readily absorbs light below 250 nm. Thus, Al based UV mirrors must be protected by a transmissive overcoat. Traditionally, metal-fluoride overcoats such as MgF2 and LiF are used to mitigate oxidation but with caveats. We utilize a new metal fluoride (AlF3) to protect Al mirrors deposited by ALD. ALD allows for precise thickness control, conformal and near stoichiometric thin films. We prove that depositing ultra-thin ( 3 nm) ALD ALF3 to protect Al mirrors after removing the native oxide layer via atomic layer etching (ALE) enhances the reflectance near 90 nm from 5% to 30%.X-ray detector technology with high readout rates are necessary for the relatively bright Sun, particularly during large flares. The hot plasma in the solar corona generates X-rays, which yield information on the physical conditions of the plasma. The second half of my dissertation includes detector testing, characterization and solar science with the Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSats. The MinXSS CubeSats employ Silicon Drift Diode (SDD) detectors called X123, which generate full sun spectrally resolved ( 0.15 FWHM at 5.9 keV) measurements of the sparsely measured, 0.5 – 12 keV range. The absolute radiometric calibration of the MinXSS instrument suite was performed at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF) and spectral resolution determined from radioactive sources. I used MinXSS along with data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI), Hinode X-ray Telescope (XRT), Hinode Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) and Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) to study the solar corona. This resulted in new insights on the coronal temperature distribution and elemental abundance variations for quiescence, active regions and during solar flares.

A study of the initial oxidation of evaporated thin films of aluminum by AES, ELS, and ESD

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bujor, M.; Larson, L. A.; Poppa, H.

1982-01-01

The room temperature, low pressure, oxidation of evaporated aluminum thin films has been studied by AES, ELS, and ESD. ESD was the most sensitive of the three methods to characterize a clean aluminum surface. Two oxidation stages were distinguished in the 0-3000 L oxygen exposure range. Between 0 and 50 L, the chemisorption of oxygen atoms was characterized by a fast decrease of the 67 eV AES Al peak and the 10 eV surface plasmon peak, and by a simultaneous increase of the oxygen AES and ESD signals. After 50 L, a change in slope in all AES and ESD signal variations was attributed to the slow growth of a thin layer of aluminum oxide, which after 3000 L was still only a few angstroms thick.

Dual operation characteristics of resistance random access memory in indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jyun-Bao; Chang, Ting-Chang; Huang, Jheng-Jie; Chen, Yu-Chun; Chen, Yu-Ting; Tseng, Hsueh-Chih; Chu, Ann-Kuo; Sze, Simon M.

2014-04-01

In this study, indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin film transistors can be operated either as transistors or resistance random access memory devices. Before the forming process, current-voltage curve transfer characteristics are observed, and resistance switching characteristics are measured after a forming process. These resistance switching characteristics exhibit two behaviors, and are dominated by different mechanisms. The mode 1 resistance switching behavior is due to oxygen vacancies, while mode 2 is dominated by the formation of an oxygen-rich layer. Furthermore, an easy approach is proposed to reduce power consumption when using these resistance random access memory devices with the amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin film transistor.

Investigation of the optical property and structure of WO3 thin films with different sputtering depositions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hsi-Chao; Jan, Der-Jun; Chen, Chien-Han; Huang, Kuo-Ting; Lo, Yen-Ming; Chen, Sheng-Hui

2011-09-01

The purpose of this research was to compare the optical properties and structure of tungsten oxide (WO3) thin films that was deposited by different sputtering depositions. WO3 thin films deposited by two different depositions of direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering and pulsed DC sputtering. A 99.95% WO3 target was used as the starting material for these depositions. These WO3 thin films were deposited on the ITO glass, PET and silicon substrate by different ratios of oxygen and argon. A shadow moiré interferometer would be introduced to measure the residual stress for PET substrate. RF magnetron sputtering had the large residual stress than the other's depositions. A Raman spectrum could exhibit the phase of oxidation of WO3 thin film by different depositions. At the ratio of oxygen and argon was about 1:1, and the WO3 thin films had the best oxidation. However, it was important at the change of the transmittance (ΔT = Tbleached - Tcolored) between the coloring and bleaching for the smart window. Therefore, we also found the WO3 thin films had the large variation of transmittance between the coloring and bleaching at the gas ratios of oxygen and argon of 1:1.

Surface modification of poly(dimethylsiloxane) for microfluidic assay applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Séguin, Christine; McLachlan, Jessica M.; Norton, Peter R.; Lagugné-Labarthet, François

2010-02-01

The surface of a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film was imparted with patterned functionalities at the micron-scale level. Arrays of circles with diameters of 180 and 230 μm were functionalized using plasma oxidation coupled with aluminum deposition, followed by silanization with solutions of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxy silane (3-APTMS) and 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxy silane (3-MPTMS), to obtain patterned amine and thiol functionalities, respectively. The modification of the samples was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), gold nanoparticle adhesion coupled with optical microscopy, as well as by derivatization with fluorescent dyes. To further exploit the novel surface chemistry of the modified PDMS, samples with surface amine functionalities were used to develop a protein assay as well as an array capable of cellular capture and patterning. The modified substrate was shown to successfully selectively immobilize fluorescently labeled immunoglobulin G (IgG) by tethering Protein A to the surface, and, for the cellular arrays, C2C12 rat endothelial cells were captured. Finally, this novel method of patterning chemical functionalities onto PDMS has been incorporated into microfluidic channels. Finally, we demonstrate the in situ chemical modification of the protected PDMS oxidized surface within a microfluidic device. This emphasizes the potential of our method for applications involving micron-scale assays since the aluminum protective layer permits to functionalize the oxidized PDMS surface several weeks after plasma treatment simply after etching away the metallic thin film.

Characterization of Cold Sprayed CuCrAl-Coated and Uncoated GRCop-84 Substrates for Space Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raj, S. V.; Karthikeyan, J.; Lerch, B. A.; Barrett, C.; Garlich, R.

2007-01-01

A newly developed Cu-23(wt.%)Cr-5%Al (CuCrAl) alloy is currently being considered as a protective coating for GRCop-84 (Cu-8(at.%)Cr-4%Nb). The coating was deposited on GRCop-84 substrates by the cold spray deposition technique. Cyclic oxidation tests conducted in air on both coated and uncoated substrates between 773 and 1073 K revealed that the coating remained intact and protected the substrate up to 1073 K. No significant weight loss of the coated specimens were observed at 773 and 873 K even after a cumulative cyclic time of 500 h. In contrast, the uncoated substrate lost as much as 80% of its original weight under similar test conditions. Low cycle fatigue tests revealed that the fatigue lives of thinly coated GRCop-84 specimens were similar to the uncoated specimens within the limits of experimental scatter. It is concluded that the cold sprayed CuCrAl coating is suitable for protecting GRCop-84 substrates.

Superconducting structure

DOEpatents

Kwon, Chuhee; Jia, Quanxi; Foltyn, Stephen R.

2003-04-01

A superconductive structure including a dielectric oxide substrate, a thin buffer layer of a superconducting material thereon; and, a layer of a rare earth-barium-copper oxide superconducting film thereon the thin layer of yttrium-barium-copper oxide, the rare earth selected from the group consisting of samarium, gadolinium, ytterbium, erbium, neodymium, dysprosium, holmium, lutetium, a combination of more than one element from the rare earth group and a combination of one or more elements from the rare earth group with yttrium, the buffer layer of superconducting material characterized as having chemical and structural compatibility with the dielectric oxide substrate and the rare earth-barium-copper oxide superconducting film is provided.

Superconducting Structure

DOEpatents

Kwon, Chuhee; Jia, Quanxi; Foltyn, Stephen R.

2005-09-13

A superconductive structure including a dielectric oxide substrate, a thin buffer layer of a superconducting material thereon; and, a layer of a rare earth-barium-copper oxide superconducting film thereon the thin layer of yttrium-barium-copper oxide, the rare earth selected from the group consisting of samarium, gadolinium, ytterbium, erbium, neodymium, dysprosium, holmium, lutetium, a combination of more than one element from the rare earth group and a combination of one or more elements from the rare earth group with yttrium, the buffer layer of superconducting material characterized as having chemical and structural compatibility with the dielectric oxide substrate and the rare earth-barium-copper oxide superconducting film is provided.

Atomic layer epitaxy of hematite on indium tin oxide for application in solar energy conversion

DOEpatents

Martinson, Alex B.; Riha, Shannon; Guo, Peijun; Emery, Jonathan D.

2016-07-12

A method to provide an article of manufacture of iron oxide on indium tin oxide for solar energy conversion. An atomic layer epitaxy method is used to deposit an uncommon bixbytite-phase iron (III) oxide (.beta.-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3) which is deposited at low temperatures to provide 99% phase pure .beta.-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 thin films on indium tin oxide. Subsequent annealing produces pure .alpha.-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 with well-defined epitaxy via a topotactic transition. These highly crystalline films in the ultra thin film limit enable high efficiency photoelectrochemical chemical water splitting.

Chemically derived graphene oxide: towards large-area thin-film electronics and optoelectronics.

PubMed

Eda, Goki; Chhowalla, Manish

2010-06-11

Chemically derived graphene oxide (GO) possesses a unique set of properties arising from oxygen functional groups that are introduced during chemical exfoliation of graphite. Large-area thin-film deposition of GO, enabled by its solubility in a variety of solvents, offers a route towards GO-based thin-film electronics and optoelectronics. The electrical and optical properties of GO are strongly dependent on its chemical and atomic structure and are tunable over a wide range via chemical engineering. In this Review, the fundamental structure and properties of GO-based thin films are discussed in relation to their potential applications in electronics and optoelectronics.

Effect of Target Density on Microstructural, Electrical, and Optical Properties of Indium Tin Oxide Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Guisheng; Zhi, Li; Yang, Huijuan; Xu, Huarui; Yu, Aibing

2012-09-01

In this paper, indium tin oxide (ITO) targets with different densities were used to deposit ITO thin films. The thin films were deposited from these targets at room temperature and annealed at 750°C. Microstructural, electrical, and optical properties of the as-prepared films were studied. It was found that the target density had no effect on the properties or deposition rate of radiofrequency (RF)-sputtered ITO thin films, different from the findings for direct current (DC)-sputtered films. Therefore, when using RF sputtering, the target does not require a high density and may be reused.

Influences of Indium Tin Oxide Layer on the Properties of RF Magnetron-Sputtered (BaSr)TiO3 Thin Films on Indium Tin Oxide-Coated Glass Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Tae Song; Oh, Myung Hwan; Kim, Chong Hee

1993-06-01

Nearly stoichiometric ((Ba+Sr)/Ti=1.08-1.09) and optically transparent (BaSr)TiO3 thin films were deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate by means of rf magnetron sputtering for their application to the insulating layer of an electroluminescent flat panel display. The influence of the ITO layer on the properties of (BaSr)TiO3 thin films deposited on the ITO-coated substrate was investigated. The ITO layer did not affect the crystallographic orientation of (BaSr)TiO3 thin film, but enhanced the grain growth. Another effect of the ITO layer on (BaSr)TiO3 thin films was the interdiffusion phenomenon, which was studied by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). As the substrate temperature increased, interdiffusion intensified at the interface not only between the grown film and ITO layer but also between the ITO layer and base glass substrate. The refractive index (nf) of (BaSr)TiO3 thin film deposited on a bare glass substrate was 2.138-2.286, as a function of substrate temperature.

Properties of nanostructured undoped ZrO{sub 2} thin film electrolytes by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition for thin film solid oxide fuel cells

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

Cho, Gu Young; Noh, Seungtak; Lee, Yoon Ho

2016-01-15

Nanostructured ZrO{sub 2} thin films were prepared by thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) and by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). The effects of the deposition conditions of temperature, reactant, plasma power, and duration upon the physical and chemical properties of ZrO{sub 2} films were investigated. The ZrO{sub 2} films by PEALD were polycrystalline and had low contamination, rough surfaces, and relatively large grains. Increasing the plasma power and duration led to a clear polycrystalline structure with relatively large grains due to the additional energy imparted by the plasma. After characterization, the films were incorporated as electrolytes in thin film solidmore » oxide fuel cells, and the performance was measured at 500 °C. Despite similar structure and cathode morphology of the cells studied, the thin film solid oxide fuel cell with the ZrO{sub 2} thin film electrolyte by the thermal ALD at 250 °C exhibited the highest power density (38 mW/cm{sup 2}) because of the lowest average grain size at cathode/electrolyte interface.« less

Method of synthesizing a plurality of reactants and producing thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides

DOEpatents

Tracy, C. Edwin; Benson, David K.; Ruth, Marta R.

1987-01-01

A method of synthesizing electro-optically active reaction products from a plurality of reactants by inducing a reaction by plasma deposition among the reactants. The plasma reaction is effective for consolidating the reactants and producing thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides.

Electronic Devices Based on Oxide Thin Films Fabricated by Fiber-to-Film Process.

PubMed

Meng, You; Liu, Ao; Guo, Zidong; Liu, Guoxia; Shin, Byoungchul; Noh, Yong-Young; Fortunato, Elvira; Martins, Rodrigo; Shan, Fukai

2018-05-30

Technical development for thin-film fabrication is essential for emerging metal-oxide (MO) electronics. Although impressive progress has been achieved in fabricating MO thin films, the challenges still remain. Here, we report a versatile and general thermal-induced nanomelting technique for fabricating MO thin films from the fiber networks, briefly called fiber-to-film (FTF) process. The high quality of the FTF-processed MO thin films was confirmed by various investigations. The FTF process is generally applicable to numerous technologically relevant MO thin films, including semiconducting thin films (e.g., In 2 O 3 , InZnO, and InZrZnO), conducting thin films (e.g., InSnO), and insulating thin films (e.g., AlO x ). By optimizing the fabrication process, In 2 O 3 /AlO x thin-film transistors (TFTs) were successfully integrated by fully FTF processes. High-performance TFT was achieved with an average mobility of ∼25 cm 2 /(Vs), an on/off current ratio of ∼10 7 , a threshold voltage of ∼1 V, and a device yield of 100%. As a proof of concept, one-transistor-driven pixel circuit was constructed, which exhibited high controllability over the light-emitting diodes. Logic gates based on fully FTF-processed In 2 O 3 /AlO x TFTs were further realized, which exhibited good dynamic logic responses and voltage amplification by a factor of ∼4. The FTF technique presented here offers great potential in large-area and low-cost manufacturing for flexible oxide electronics.

Heterojunction solar cell with 6% efficiency based on an n-type aluminum-gallium-oxide thin film and p-type sodium-doped Cu2O sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minami, Tadatsugu; Nishi, Yuki; Miyata, Toshihiro

2015-02-01

In this paper, we describe efforts to enhance the efficiency of Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated with an aluminum-gallium-oxide (Al-Ga-O) thin film as the n-type layer and a p-type sodium (Na)-doped Cu2O (Cu2O:Na) sheet prepared by thermally oxidizing copper sheets. The optimal Al content [X; Al/(Ga + Al) atomic ratio] of an AlX-Ga1-X-O thin-film n-type layer was found to be approximately 2.5 at. %. The optimized resistivity was approximately 15 Ω cm for n-type AlX-Ga1-X-O/p-type Cu2O:Na heterojunction solar cells. A MgF2/AZO/Al0.025-Ga0.975-O/Cu2O:Na heterojunction solar cell with 6.1% efficiency was fabricated using a 60-nm-thick n-type oxide thin-film layer and a 0.2-mm-thick Cu2O:Na sheet with the optimized resistivity.

High density nonmagnetic cobalt in thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banu, Nasrin; Singh, Surendra; Basu, Saibal; Roy, Anupam; Movva, Hema C. P.; Lauter, V.; Satpati, B.; Dev, B. N.

2018-05-01

Recently high density (HD) nonmagnetic cobalt has been discovered in a nanoscale cobalt thin film, grown on Si(111) single crystal. This form of cobalt is not only nonmagnetic but also superconducting. These promising results have encouraged further investigations of the growth of the nonmagnetic (NM) phase of cobalt. In the original investigation, the cobalt film had a natural cobalt oxide at the top. We have investigated whether the growth of HD NM cobalt layers in the thin film depends on (i) a capping layer on the cobalt film, (ii) the thickness of the cobalt film and (iii) the nature of the substrate on which the cobalt film is grown. The results of such investigations indicate that for cobalt films capped with a thin gold layer, and for various film thicknesses, HD NM cobalt layers are formed. However, instead of a Si substrate, when the cobalt films are grown on oxide substrates, such as silicon oxide or cobalt oxide, HD NM cobalt layers are not formed. The difference is attributed to the nature—crystalline or amorphous—of the substrate.

Solution processable broadband transparent mixed metal oxide nanofilm optical coatings via substrate diffusion doping.

PubMed

Glynn, Colm; Aureau, Damien; Collins, Gillian; O'Hanlon, Sally; Etcheberry, Arnaud; O'Dwyer, Colm

2015-12-21

Devices composed of transparent materials, particularly those utilizing metal oxides, are of significant interest due to increased demand from industry for higher fidelity transparent thin film transistors, photovoltaics and a myriad of other optoelectronic devices and optics that require more cost-effective and simplified processing techniques for functional oxides and coatings. Here, we report a facile solution processed technique for the formation of a transparent thin film through an inter-diffusion process involving substrate dopant species at a range of low annealing temperatures compatible with processing conditions required by many state-of-the-art devices. The inter-diffusion process facilitates the movement of Si, Na and O species from the substrate into the as-deposited vanadium oxide thin film forming a composite fully transparent V0.0352O0.547Si0.4078Na0.01. Thin film X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering spectroscopy show the crystalline component of the structure to be α-NaVO3 within a glassy matrix. This optical coating exhibits high broadband transparency, exceeding 90-97% absolute transmission across the UV-to-NIR spectral range, while having low roughness and free of surface defects and pinholes. The production of transparent films for advanced optoelectronic devices, optical coatings, and low- or high-k oxides is important for planar or complex shaped optics or surfaces. It provides opportunities for doping metal oxides to ternary, quaternary or other mixed metal oxides on glass, encapsulants or other substrates that facilitate diffusional movement of dopant species.

Surface Modification of Self-Assembled Graphene Oxide for Cell Culture Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swain, John E., III

Thin films show great promise for biological applications, from in situ monitoring to pharmaceutical testing. In this study, a graphene oxide (GO) thin film is prepared with the aim to further functionalize the film for pharmaceutical toxicity screening applications. GO was selected due to its capability to be reduced into an optically transparent and electrically conductive thin film. In addition, GO is derived from carbon, a widely abundant element, in contrast to many other thin films that rely on resource-limited precious metals. Special care was taken to select GO and GO film synthesis methods that minimize the amount of organic-based solvents, maintain reactions at atmospheric pressure and moderate temperatures, and are scalable for manufacturing. Chemical oxidation of graphite flakes was carried out via a modified Hummer's Method with a pre-oxidation step. The resulting GO flakes were self-assembled using commercially available 4-sulfocalix[4]arene. Analytical characterizations (e.g., elemental analysis, XRD, FTIR, Raman, SEM, AFM) were performed to evaluate the success of graphite oxidation and formation of the self-assembled thin film. In order to gain a better understanding of the interactions between GO and sulfocalix (SCX), equilibrium conformations of the SCX molecule and truncated GO were calculated using Spartan'16 Parallels. This study demonstrates that the interaction between the GO and the SCX molecule to create a self-assembled thin film is the result of pi-pi stacking, as hypothesized by Sundramoorthy et al. (2015). The self-assembled GO film was successfully deposited on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate and functionalized with 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES), which renders the film capable of further functionalization with proteins for yielding a three-dimensional cell culture or co-culture platform for different applications.

Coatings for Oxidation and Hot Corrosion Protection of Disk Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nesbitt, Jim; Gabb, Tim; Draper, Sue; Miller, Bob; Locci, Ivan; Sudbrack, Chantal

2017-01-01

Increasing temperatures in aero gas turbines is resulting in oxidation and hot corrosion attack of turbine disks. Since disks are sensitive to low cycle fatigue (LCF), any environmental attack, and especially hot corrosion pitting, can potentially seriously degrade the life of the disk. Application of metallic coatings are one means of protecting disk alloys from this environmental attack. However, simply the presence of a metallic coating, even without environmental exposure, can degrade the LCF life of a disk alloy. Therefore, coatings must be designed which are not only resistant to oxidation and corrosion attack, but must not significantly degrade the LCF life of the alloy. Three different Ni-Cr coating compositions (29, 35.5, 45wt. Cr) were applied at two thicknesses by Plasma Enhanced Magnetron Sputtering (PEMS) to two similar Ni-based disk alloys. One coating also received a thin ZrO2 overcoat. The coated samples were also given a short oxidation exposure in a low PO2 environment to encourage chromia scale formation. Without further environmental exposure, the LCF life of the coated samples, evaluated at 760C, was less than that of uncoated samples. Hence, application of the coating alone degraded the LCF life of the disk alloy. Since shot peening is commonly employed to improve LCF life, the effect of shot peening the coated and uncoated surface was also evaluated. For all cases, shot peening improved the LCF life of the coated samples. Coated and uncoated samples were shot peened and given environmental exposures consisting of 500 hrs of oxidation followed by 50 hrs of hot corrosion, both at 760C). The high-Cr coating showed the best LCF life after the environmental exposures. Results of the LCF testing and post-test characterization of the various coatings will be presented and future research directions discussed.

Influence of oxygen vacancies in ALD HfO2-x thin films on non-volatile resistive switching phenomena with a Ti/HfO2-x/Pt structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, Andrey Sergeevich; Jeon, Yu-Rim; Kim, Sohyeon; Ku, Boncheol; Lim, Donghwan; Han, Hoonhee; Chae, Myeong Gyoon; Lee, Jaeho; Ha, Beom Gil; Choi, Changhwan

2018-03-01

We report a modulation of oxygen vacancies profile in atomic layer deposition (ALD) HfO2-x thin films by reducing oxidant pulse time (0.7 s-0.1 s) and study its effect on resistive switching behavior with a Ti/HfO2-x/Pt structure. Hf 4f spectra of x-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS) and depth profile confirm varied oxygen vacancies profiles by shifts of binding energies of Hf 4f5/2 and Hf 4f7/2 main peaks and its according HfO2-x sub-oxides for each device. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) confirms different electron affinity (χ) of HfO2 and HfO2-x thin films, implying that barrier height at Ti/oxide interface is reduced. Current transport mechanism is dictated by Ohmic conduction in fully oxidized HfO2 thin films - Device A (0.7 s) and by Trap Filled Space Charge Limited Conduction (TF-SCLC) in less oxidized HfO2-x thin films - Device B (0.3 s) and Device C (0.1 s). A switching mechanism related to the oxygen vacancies modulation in Ti/HfO2-x/Pt based resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices is used to explain carefully notified current transport mechanism variations from device-to-device. A proper endurance and long-time retention characteristics of the devices are also obtained.

Detection of thermally grown oxides in thermal barrier coatings by nondestructive evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fahr, A.; Rogé, B.; Thornton, J.

2006-03-01

The thermal-barrier coatings (TBC) sprayed on hot-section components of aircraft turbine engines commonly consist of a partially stabilized zirconia top-coat and an intermediate bond-coat applied on the metallic substrate. The bond-coat is made of an aluminide alloy that at high engine temperatures forms thermally grown oxides (TGO). Although formation of a thin layer of aluminum oxide at the interface between the ceramic top-coat and the bond-coat has the beneficial effect of protecting the metallic substrate from hot gases, oxide formation at splat boundaries or pores within the bond-coat is a source of weakness. In this study, plasma-sprayed TBC specimens are manufactured from two types of bond-coat powders and exposed to elevated temperatures to form oxides at the ceramic-bond-coat boundary and within the bond-coat. The specimens are then tested using nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and destructive metallography and compared with the as-manufactured samples. The objective is to determine if NDE can identify the oxidation within the bond-coat and give indication of its severity. While ultrasonic testing can provide some indication of the degree of bond-coat oxidation, the eddy current (EC) technique clearly identifies severe oxide formation within the bond-coat. Imaging of the EC signals as the function of probe location provides information on the spatial variations in the degree of oxidation, and thereby identifies which components or areas are prone to premature damage.

Atomic layer deposition and etching methods for far ultraviolet aluminum mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hennessy, John; Moore, Christopher S.; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Jewell, April D.; Carter, Christian; France, Kevin; Nikzad, Shouleh

2017-09-01

High-performance aluminum mirrors at far ultraviolet wavelengths require transparent dielectric materials as protective coatings to prevent oxidation. Reducing the thickness of this protective layer can result in additional performance gains by minimizing absorption losses, and provides a path toward high Al reflectance in the challenging wavelength range of 90 to 110 nm. We have pursued the development of new atomic layer deposition processes (ALD) for the metal fluoride materials of MgF2, AlF3 and LiF. Using anhydrous hydrogen fluoride as a reactant, these films can be deposited at the low temperatures required for large-area surface-finished optics and polymeric diffraction gratings. We also report on the development and application of an atomic layer etching (ALE) procedure to controllably etch native aluminum oxide. Our ALE process utilizes the same chemistry used in the ALD of AlF3 thin films, allowing for a combination of high-performance evaporated Al layers and ultrathin ALD encapsulation without requiring vacuum transfer. Progress in demonstrating the scalability of this approach, as well as the environmental stability of ALD/ALE Al mirrors are discussed in the context of possible future applications for NASA LUVOIR and HabEx mission concepts.

PREFACE: INERA Workshop: Transition Metal Oxide Thin Films-functional Layers in "Smart windows" and Water Splitting Devices. Parallel session of the 18th International School on Condensed Matter Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2014-11-01

The Special issue presents the papers for the INERA Workshop entitled "Transition Metal Oxides as Functional Layers in Smart windows and Water Splitting Devices", which was held in Varna, St. Konstantin and Elena, Bulgaria, from the 4th-6th September 2014. The Workshop is organized within the context of the INERA "Research and Innovation Capacity Strengthening of ISSP-BAS in Multifunctional Nanostructures", FP7 Project REGPOT 316309 program, European project of the Institute of Solid State Physics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. There were 42 participants at the workshop, 16 from Sweden, Germany, Romania and Hungary, 11 invited lecturers, and 28 young participants. There were researchers present from prestigious European laboratories which are leaders in the field of transition metal oxide thin film technologies. The event contributed to training young researchers in innovative thin film technologies, as well as thin films characterization techniques. The topics of the Workshop cover the field of technology and investigation of thin oxide films as functional layers in "Smart windows" and "Water splitting" devices. The topics are related to the application of novel technologies for the preparation of transition metal oxide films and the modification of chromogenic properties towards the improvement of electrochromic and termochromic device parameters for possible industrial deployment. The Workshop addressed the following topics: Metal oxide films-functional layers in energy efficient devices; Photocatalysts and chemical sensing; Novel thin film technologies and applications; Methods of thin films characterizations; From the 37 abstracts sent, 21 manuscripts were written and later refereed. We appreciate the comments from all the referees, and we are grateful for their valuable contributions. Guest Editors: Assoc. Prof. Dr.Tatyana Ivanova Prof. DSc Kostadinka Gesheva Prof. DSc Hassan Chamatti Assoc. Prof. Dr. Georgi Popkirov Workshop Organizing Committee Prof.DSc Kostadinka Gesheva, Central Laboratory of Solar Energy and New Energy Sources, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (CL SENES-BAS) - Chairperson Assoc. Prof. Dr Anna Szekeres - Institute of Solid State Physics- BAS Assoc. Prof Dr. Tatyana Ivanova - CL SENES -BAS Assist. Prof. Radostina Kamburova - ISSP-BAS

Low-Temperature UV-Assisted Fabrication of Metal Oxide Thin Film Transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Shuanglin

Solution processed metal oxide semiconductors have attracted intensive attention in the last several decades and have emerged as a promising candidate for the application of thin film transistor (TFT) due to their nature of transparency, flexibility, high mobility, simple processing technique and potential low manufacturing cost. However, metal oxide thin film fabricated by solution process usually requires a high temperature (over 300 °C), which is above the glass transition temperature of some conventional polymer substrates. In order to fabricate the flexible electronic device on polymer substrates, it is necessary to find a facile approach to lower the fabrication temperature and minimize defects in metal oxide thin film. In this thesis, the electrical properties dependency on temperature is discussed and an UV-assisted annealing method incorporating Deep ultraviolet (DUV)-decomposable additives is demonstrated, which can effectively improve electrical properties solution processed metal oxide semiconductors processed at temperature as low as 220 °C. By studying a widely used indium oxide (In2O3) TFT as a model system, it is worth noted that compared with the sample without UV treatment, the linear mobility and saturation mobility of UV-annealing sample are improved by 56% and 40% respectively. Meanwhile, the subthreshold swing is decreased by 32%, indicating UV-treated device could turn on and off more efficiently. In addition to pure In2O3 film, the similar phenomena have also been observed in indium oxide based Indium-Gallium-Zinc Oxide (IGZO) system. These finding presented in this thesis suggest that the UV assisted annealing process open a new route to fabricate high performance metal oxide semiconductors under low temperatures.

Wafer-scale growth of VO2 thin films using a combinatorial approach

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hai-Tian; Zhang, Lei; Mukherjee, Debangshu; Zheng, Yuan-Xia; Haislmaier, Ryan C.; Alem, Nasim; Engel-Herbert, Roman

2015-01-01

Transition metal oxides offer functional properties beyond conventional semiconductors. Bridging the gap between the fundamental research frontier in oxide electronics and their realization in commercial devices demands a wafer-scale growth approach for high-quality transition metal oxide thin films. Such a method requires excellent control over the transition metal valence state to avoid performance deterioration, which has been proved challenging. Here we present a scalable growth approach that enables a precise valence state control. By creating an oxygen activity gradient across the wafer, a continuous valence state library is established to directly identify the optimal growth condition. Single-crystalline VO2 thin films have been grown on wafer scale, exhibiting more than four orders of magnitude change in resistivity across the metal-to-insulator transition. It is demonstrated that ‘electronic grade' transition metal oxide films can be realized on a large scale using a combinatorial growth approach, which can be extended to other multivalent oxide systems. PMID:26450653

Structure and method for controlling band offset and alignment at a crystalline oxide-on-semiconductor interface

DOEpatents

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick J.

2003-11-25

A crystalline oxide-on-semiconductor structure and a process for constructing the structure involves a substrate of silicon, germanium or a silicon-germanium alloy and an epitaxial thin film overlying the surface of the substrate wherein the thin film consists of a first epitaxial stratum of single atomic plane layers of an alkaline earth oxide designated generally as (AO).sub.n and a second stratum of single unit cell layers of an oxide material designated as (A'BO.sub.3).sub.m so that the multilayer film arranged upon the substrate surface is designated (AO).sub.n (A'BO.sub.3).sub.m wherein n is an integer repeat of single atomic plane layers of the alkaline earth oxide AO and m is an integer repeat of single unit cell layers of the A'BO.sub.3 oxide material. Within the multilayer film, the values of n and m have been selected to provide the structure with a desired electrical structure at the substrate/thin film interface that can be optimized to control band offset and alignment.

Application of Sol-Gel Method as a Protective Layer on a Specular Reflective Surface for Secondary Reflector in a Solar Receiver

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

Afrin, Samia; Dagdelen, John; Ma, Zhiwen

Highly-specular reflective surfaces that can withstand elevated-temperatures are desirable for many applications including reflective heat shielding in solar receivers and secondary reflectors, which can be used between primary concentrators and heat collectors. A high-efficiency, high-temperature solar receiver design based on arrays of cavities needs a highly-specular reflective surface on its front section to help sunlight penetrate into the absorber tubes for effective flux spreading. Since this application is for high-temperature solar receivers, this surface needs to be durable and to maintain its optical properties through the usable life. Degradation mechanisms associated with elevated temperatures and thermal cycling, which include cracking,more » delamination, corrosion/oxidation, and environmental effects, could cause the optical properties of surfaces to degrade rapidly in these conditions. Protected mirror surfaces for these applications have been tested by depositing a thin layer of SiO2 on top of electrodeposited silver by means of the sol-gel method. To obtain an effective thin film structure, this sol-gel procedure has been investigated extensively by varying process parameters that affect film porosity and thickness. Endurance tests have been performed in a furnace at 150 degrees C for thousands of hours. This paper presents the sol-gel process for intermediate-temperature specular reflective coatings and provides the long-term reliability test results of sol-gel protected silver-coated surfaces.« less

Encapsulation of the heteroepitaxial growth of wide band gap γ-CuCl on silicon substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, F. O.; O'Reilly, L.; Natarajan, G.; McNally, P. J.; Daniels, S.; Taylor, D. M.; William, S.; Cameron, D. C.; Bradley, A. L.; Miltra, A.

2006-01-01

γ-CuCl semiconductor material has been identified as a candidate material for the fabrication of blue-UV optoelectronic devices on Si substrates due to its outstanding electronic, lattice and optical properties. However, CuCl thin films oxidise completely into oxyhalides of Cu II within a few days of exposure to air. Conventional encapsulation of thin γ-CuCl by sealed glass at a deposition/curing temperature greater than 250 °C cannot be used because CuCl interacts chemically with Si substrates when heated above that temperature. In this study we have investigated the behaviour of three candidate dielectric materials for use as protective layers for the heteroepitaxial growth of γ-CuCl on Si substrates: SiO 2 deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD), organic polysilsesquioxane-based spin on glass material (PSSQ) and cyclo olefin copolymer (COC) thermoplastic-based material. The optical properties (UV/Vis and IR) of the capped luminescent CuCl films were studied as a function of time, up to 28 days and compared with bare uncapped films. The results clearly show the efficiency of the protective layers. Both COC and the PSSQ layer prevented CuCl film from oxidising while SiO 2 delayed the effect of oxidation. The dielectric constant of the three protective layers was evaluated at 1 MHz to be 2.3, 3.6 and 6.9 for C0C, SiO 2 and PSSQ, respectively.

Teflon/SiO₂ Bilayer Passivation for Improving the Electrical Reliability of Oxide TFTs Fabricated Using a New Two-Photomask Self-Alignment Process.

PubMed

Fan, Ching-Lin; Shang, Ming-Chi; Li, Bo-Jyun; Lin, Yu-Zuo; Wang, Shea-Jue; Lee, Win-Der; Hung, Bohr-Ran

2015-04-13

This study proposes a two-photomask process for fabricating amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) that exhibit a self-aligned structure. The fabricated TFTs, which lack etching-stop (ES) layers, have undamaged a-IGZO active layers that facilitate superior performance. In addition, we demonstrate a bilayer passivation method that uses a polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) and SiO₂ combination layer for improving the electrical reliability of the fabricated TFTs. Teflon was deposited as a buffer layer through thermal evaporation. The Teflon layer exhibited favorable compatibility with the underlying IGZO channel layer and effectively protected the a-IGZO TFTs from plasma damage during SiO₂ deposition, resulting in a negligible initial performance drop in the a-IGZO TFTs. Compared with passivation-free a-IGZO TFTs, passivated TFTs exhibited superior stability even after 168 h of aging under ambient air at 95% relative humidity.

Microstructure fabrication process induced modulations in CVD graphene

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

Matsubayashi, Akitomo, E-mail: amatsubayashi@albany.edu; Zhang, Zhenjun; Lee, Ji Ung

The systematic Raman spectroscopic study of a “mimicked” graphene device fabrication is presented. Upon photoresist baking, compressive stress is induced in the graphene which disappears after it is removed. The indirect irradiation from the electron beam (through the photoresist) does not significantly alter graphene characteristic Raman peaks indicating that graphene quality is preserved upon the exposure. The 2D peak shifts and the intensity ratio of 2D and G band, I(2D)/I(G), decreases upon direct metal deposition (Co and Py) suggesting that the electronic modulation occurs due to sp{sup 2} C-C bond weakening. In contrast, a thin metal oxide film deposited graphenemore » does not show either the significant 2D and G peaks shift or I(2D)/I(G) decrease upon the metal deposition suggesting the oxide protect the graphene quality in the fabrication process.« less

Nitrogen doped silicon-carbon multilayer protective coatings on carbon obtained by thermionic vacuum arc (TVA) method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciupinǎ, Victor; Vasile, Eugeniu; Porosnicu, Corneliu; Vladoiu, Rodica; Mandes, Aurelia; Dinca, Virginia; Nicolescu, Virginia; Manu, Radu; Dinca, Paul; Zaharia, Agripina

2018-02-01

To obtain protective nitrogen doped Si-C multilayer coatings on carbon, used to improve the oxidation resistance of carbon, was used TVA method. The initial carbon layer has been deposed on a silicon substrate in the absence of nitrogen, and then a 3nm Si thin film to cover carbon layer was deposed. Further, seven Si and C layers were alternatively deposed in the presence of nitrogen ions. In order to form silicon carbide at the interface between silicon and carbon layers, all carbon, silicon and nitrogen ions energy has increased up to 150eV. The characterization of microstructure and electrical properties of as-prepared N-Si-C multilayer structures were done using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM, STEM) techniques, Thermal Desorption Spectroscopy (TDS) and electrical measurements. The retention of oxygen in the protective layer of N-Si-C is due to the following phenomena: (a) The reaction between oxygen and silicon carbide resulting in silicon oxide and carbon dioxide; (b) The reaction involving oxygen, nitrogen and silicon resulting silicon oxinitride with a variable composition; (c) Nitrogen acts as a trapping barrier for oxygen. To perform electrical measurements, ohmic contacts were attached on the N-Si-C samples. Electrical conductivity was measured in constant current mode. To explain the temperature behavior of electrical conductivity we assumed a thermally activated electric transport mechanism.

Improved performance of Mg-Y alloy thin film switchable mirrors after coating with a superhydrophobic surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La, Mao; Zhou, Huaijuan; Li, Ning; Xin, Yunchuan; Sha, Ren; Bao, Shanhu; Jin, Ping

2017-05-01

The magnesium based switchable mirrors can reversibly change their optical properties between the transparent and the reflective state as a result of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation. These films can potentially be applied as new energy-saving windows, by controlling the transmittance of solar radiation through the regulation of their reflective state. In this study, magnesium-yttrium (Mg-Y) alloy thin films were prepared using a DC magnetron sputtering method. However, the luminous transmittance in the transparent state and the switching durability of switchable mirrors are too poor to satisfy practical demands. In order to improve the films switching durability, luminous transmittance and the surface functionalization, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was coated with thermal vacuum deposition for use as the top layer of Mg-Y/Pd switchable mirrors. The PTFE layer had a porous network structure and exhibited a superhydrophobic surface with a water contact angle of approximately 152°. By characterization, PTFE thin films shows the excellent protection role against the oxidization of Mg, the switching durability of the films were improved 3 times, and also shows the antireflection role the luminous transmission of films was enhanced by 7% through the top covered with PTFE.

Morphological changes of porphine films on graphite by perchloric and phosphoric electrolytes. An electrochemical-AFM study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yivlialin, Rossella; Penconi, Marta; Bussetti, Gianlorenzo; Biroli, Alessio Orbelli; Finazzi, Marco; Duò, Lamberto; Bossi, Alberto

2018-06-01

Organic molecules have been proposed as promising candidates for electrode protection in acidic electrolytes. The use of tetraphenyl-porphines (H2TPP) as graphite surface-protecting agents in sulphuric acid (H2SO4) is one of the newest. With the aim of unveiling the mechanism of such a protective effect, in this paper we test the stability of a H2TPP thin film immersed in perchloric and phosphoric acid solutions that differently interact with porphyrins. The protective role of H2TPP is tested in the electrochemical potential range where the pristine graphite undergoes an oxidation process that erodes the surface and eventually exfoliate the stratified crystal. The electrochemical analysis is performed in a three-electrode cell, while the surface morphology is monitored ex-situ and in-situ by atomic force microscopy. Electrospray mass analysis is also employed to investigate the presence of H2TPP fragments in the solution. We find that the organic film is not stable in perchloric solution, while it is stable and avoids graphite surface corrosion in phosphoric acid solution. These results provide a rationale for the role played by free-base porphines in graphite protection.

Fabrication of band gap engineered nanostructured tri-metallic (Mn-Co-Ti) oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansoor, Muhammad Adil; Yusof, Farazila Binti; Nay-Ming, Huang

2018-04-01

In continuation of our previous studies on photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of titanium based composite oxide thin films, an effort is made to develop thin films of 1:1:2 manganese-cobalt-titanium oxide composite, Mn2O3-Co2O3-4TiO2 (MCT), using Co(OAc)2 and a bimetallic manganese-titanium complex, [Mn2Ti4(TFA)8(THF)6(OH)4(O)2].0.4THF (1), where OAc = acetato, TFA = trifluoroacetato and THF = tetrahydrofuran, via aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) technique. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopic analyses confirmed formation of thin film of Mn2O3-Co2O3-4TiO2 composite material with uniformly distributed agglomerated particles. The average size of 39.5 nm, of the particles embedded inside agglomerates, was estimated by Scherer's equation. Further, UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to estimate the band gap of 2.62 eV for MCT composite thin film.

Ultrasonic Welding of Thin Alumina and Aluminum Using Inserts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishikuro, Tomoaki; Matsuoka, Shin-Ichi

This paper describes an experimental study of ultrasonic welding of thin ceramics and metals using inserts. Ultrasonic welding has enable the joining of various thick ceramics, such as Al2O3 and ZrO2, to aluminum at room temperature quickly and easily as compared to other welding methods. However, for thin ceramics, which are brittle, welding is difficult to perform without causing damage. In this study, aluminum anodized oxide with different anodizing time was used as thin alumina ceramic. Vapor deposition of aluminum alloys was used to create an effective binder layer for welding at a low pressure and within a short duration in order to prevent damage to the anodic oxide film formed with a short anodizing time. For example, ultrasonic welding of thin Al2O3/Al was accomplished under the following conditions: ultrasonic horn tip amplitude of 30µm, welding pressure of 5MPa, and required duration of 0.1s. However, since the vapor deposition film tends to exfoliate as observed in the anodic oxide film formed with a long anodizing time, welding was difficult.

Electrical and Infrared Optical Properties of Vanadium Oxide Semiconducting Thin-Film Thermometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zia, Muhammad Fakhar; Abdel-Rahman, Mohamed; Alduraibi, Mohammad; Ilahi, Bouraoui; Awad, Ehab; Majzoub, Sohaib

2017-10-01

A synthesis method has been developed for preparation of vanadium oxide thermometer thin film for microbolometer application. The structure presented is a 95-nm thin film prepared by sputter-depositing nine alternating multilayer thin films of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) with thickness of 15 nm and vanadium with thickness of 5 nm followed by postdeposition annealing at 300°C in nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) atmospheres. The resulting vanadium oxide (V x O y ) thermometer thin films exhibited temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of -3.55%/°C with room-temperature resistivity of 2.68 Ω cm for structures annealed in N2 atmosphere, and TCR of -3.06%/°C with room-temperature resistivity of 0.84 Ω cm for structures annealed in O2 atmosphere. Furthermore, optical measurements of N2- and O2-annealed samples were performed by Fourier-transform infrared ellipsometry to determine their dispersion curves, refractive index ( n), and extinction coefficient ( k) at wavelength from 7000 nm to 14,000 nm. The results indicate the possibility of applying the developed materials in thermometers for microbolometers.

Investigation of microstructure, micro-mechanical and optical properties of HfTiO{sub 4} thin films prepared by magnetron co-sputtering

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

Mazur, Michal, E-mail: michal.mazur@pwr.edu.pl; Wojcieszak, Damian; Domaradzki, Jaroslaw

2015-12-15

Highlights: • HfTiO{sub 4} thin films were deposited by magnetron co-sputtering. • As-prepared and annealed at 800 °C thin films were nanocrystalline. • Optical properties and hardness were investigated in relation to thin films structure. • Hardness was 3-times higher in the case of as-deposited thin films. • HfTiO{sub 4} thin films are suitable for use as optical coatings with protective properties. - Abstract: Titania (TiO{sub 2}) and hafnium oxide (HfO{sub 2}) thin films are in the focus of interest to the microelectronics community from a dozen years. Because of their outstanding properties like, among the others, high stability, highmore » refractive index, high electric permittivity, they found applications in many optical and electronics domains. In this work discussion on the hardness, microstructure and optical properties of as-deposited and annealed HfTiO{sub 4} thin films has been presented. Deposited films were prepared using magnetron co-sputtering method. Performed investigations revealed that as-deposited coatings were nanocrystalline with HfTiO{sub 4} structure. Deposited films were built from crystallites of ca. 4–12 nm in size and after additional annealing an increase in crystallites size up to 16 nm was observed. Micro-mechanical properties, i.e., hardness and elastic modulus were determined using conventional load-controlled nanoindentation testing. the annealed films had 3-times lower hardness as-compared to as-deposited ones (∼9 GPa). Based on optical investigations real and imaginary components of refractive index were calculated, both for as-deposited and annealed thin films. The real refractive index component increased after annealing from 2.03 to 2.16, while extinction coefficient increased by an order from 10{sup −4} to 10{sup −3}. Structure modification was analyzed together with optical energy band-gap, Urbach energy and using Wemple–DiDomenico model.« less

Rheology and microstructure of dilute graphene oxide suspension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesfai, Waka; Singh, Pawan; Shatilla, Youssef; Iqbal, Muhammad Z.; Abdala, Ahmed A.

2013-10-01

Graphene and graphene oxide are potential candidates as nanofluids for thermal management applications. Here, we investigate the rheological properties and intrinsic viscosity of aqueous suspension of graphene and use the measured intrinsic viscosity to determine the aspect ratio of graphene oxide. Dilute suspension of graphene oxide (0.05 to 0.5 mg/mL) exhibits a shear thinning behavior at low shear rates followed by a shear-independent region that starts at shear rate between 5 and 100/s depending on the concentration. This shear thinning behavior becomes more pronounced with the increase of particle loading. Moreover, AFM imaging of the dried graphene oxide indicates the evolution of irregular and thin low fractal aggregates of 0.3-1.8 nm thickness at lower concentrations to oblate compact structures of 1-18 nm thickness of nanosheets at higher concentration. These observations elucidate the microstructure growth mechanisms of graphene oxide in multiphase systems, which are important for nanofluids applications and for dispersing graphene and graphene oxide in composite materials. The suspension has a very high intrinsic viscosity of 1661 due to the high graphene oxide aspect ratio. Based on this intrinsic viscosity, we predict graphene oxide aspect ratio of 2445. While the classical Einstein and Batchelor models underestimate the relative viscosity of graphene oxide suspension, Krieger-Dougherty prediction is in a good agreement with the experimental measurement.

A room temperature strategy towards enhanced performance and bias stability of oxide thin film transistor with a sandwich structure channel layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Yong; Ning, Honglong; Zheng, Zeke; Zhang, Hongke; Fang, Zhiqiang; Yao, Rihui; Xu, Miao; Wang, Lei; Lan, Linfeng; Peng, Junbiao; Lu, Xubing

2017-04-01

Thermal annealing is a conventional and effective way to improve the bias stress stability of oxide thin film transistors (TFT) on solid substrates. However, it is still a challenge for enhancing the bias stress stability of oxide TFTs on flexible substrates by high-temperature post-treatment due to the thermal sensitivity of flexible substrates. Here, a room temperature strategy is presented towards enhanced performance and bias stability of oxide TFTs by intentionally engineering a sandwich structure channel layer consisting of a superlattice with aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) and Al2O3 thin films. The Al2O3/AZO/Al2O3-TFTs not only exhibit a saturation mobility of 9.27 cm2 V-1 s-1 and a linear mobility of 11.38 cm2 V-1 s-1 but also demonstrate a better bias stress stability than AZO/Al2O3-TFT. Moreover, the underlying mechanism of this enhanced electrical performance of TFTs with a sandwich structure channel layer is that the bottom Al2O3 thin films can obviously improve the crystalline phase of AZO films while decreasing electrical trapping centers and adsorption sites for undesirable molecules such as water and oxygen.

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

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

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

1994-12-31

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

Fabrication of eco-friendly PNP transistor using RF magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, B. Santhosh; Harinee, N.; Purvaja, K.; Shanker, N. Praveen; Manikandan, M.; Aparnadevi, N.; Mukilraj, T.; Venkateswaran, C.

2018-05-01

An effort has been made to fabricate a thin film transistor using eco-friendly oxide semiconductor materials. Oxide semiconductor materials are cost - effective, thermally and chemically stable with high electron/hole mobility. Copper (II) oxide is a p-type semiconductor and zinc oxide is an n-type semiconductor. A pnp thin film transistor was fabricated using RF magnetron sputtering. The films deposited have been subjected to structural characterization using AFM. I-V characterization of the fabricated device, Ag/CuO/ZnO/CuO/Ag, confirms transistor behaviour. The mechanism of electron/hole transport of the device is discussed below.

The main directions in technology investigation of soid oxide fuel cell in Russian Federal Research Center Institute of Physics & Power Engineering (IPPE)

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

Ievleva, J.I.; Kolesnikov, V.P.; Mezhertisky, G.S.

1996-04-01

The main direction of science investigations for creation of efficient solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) in IPPE are considered in this work. The development program of planar SOFC with thin-film electrolyte is shown. General design schemes of experimental SOFC units are presented. The flow design schemes of processes for initial materials and electrodes fabrication are shown. The results of investigations for creation thin-film solid oxide electrolyte at porous cathode by magnetron sputtering from complex metal target in oxidative environment are presented.

Metal oxides for optoelectronic applications.

PubMed

Yu, Xinge; Marks, Tobin J; Facchetti, Antonio

2016-04-01

Metal oxides (MOs) are the most abundant materials in the Earth's crust and are ingredients in traditional ceramics. MO semiconductors are strikingly different from conventional inorganic semiconductors such as silicon and III-V compounds with respect to materials design concepts, electronic structure, charge transport mechanisms, defect states, thin-film processing and optoelectronic properties, thereby enabling both conventional and completely new functions. Recently, remarkable advances in MO semiconductors for electronics have been achieved, including the discovery and characterization of new transparent conducting oxides, realization of p-type along with traditional n-type MO semiconductors for transistors, p-n junctions and complementary circuits, formulations for printing MO electronics and, most importantly, commercialization of amorphous oxide semiconductors for flat panel displays. This Review surveys the uniqueness and universality of MOs versus other unconventional electronic materials in terms of materials chemistry and physics, electronic characteristics, thin-film fabrication strategies and selected applications in thin-film transistors, solar cells, diodes and memories.

Metal oxides for optoelectronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xinge; Marks, Tobin J.; Facchetti, Antonio

2016-04-01

Metal oxides (MOs) are the most abundant materials in the Earth's crust and are ingredients in traditional ceramics. MO semiconductors are strikingly different from conventional inorganic semiconductors such as silicon and III-V compounds with respect to materials design concepts, electronic structure, charge transport mechanisms, defect states, thin-film processing and optoelectronic properties, thereby enabling both conventional and completely new functions. Recently, remarkable advances in MO semiconductors for electronics have been achieved, including the discovery and characterization of new transparent conducting oxides, realization of p-type along with traditional n-type MO semiconductors for transistors, p-n junctions and complementary circuits, formulations for printing MO electronics and, most importantly, commercialization of amorphous oxide semiconductors for flat panel displays. This Review surveys the uniqueness and universality of MOs versus other unconventional electronic materials in terms of materials chemistry and physics, electronic characteristics, thin-film fabrication strategies and selected applications in thin-film transistors, solar cells, diodes and memories.

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

Yu, Shifeng; Wang, Shuyu; Lu, Ming

In this paper, vanadium thin films were deposited on sapphire substrates by DC magnetron sputtering and then oxidized in a tube furnace filled with oxygen under different temperatures and oxygen flow rates. The significant influence of the oxygen flow rate and oxidation temperature on the electrical and structural properties of the vanadium oxide thin films were investigated systematically. It shows the pure vanadium dioxide (VO 2) state can only be obtained in a very narrow temperature and oxygen flow rate range. The resistivity change during the metal-insulator transition varies from 0.2 to 4 orders of magnitude depending on the oxidationmore » condition. Large thermal hysteresis during the metal-insulator phase transition was observed during the transition compared to the results in literature. Proper oxidation conditions can significantly reduce the thermal hysteresis. Finally, the fabricated VO 2 thin films showed the potential to be applied in the development of electrical sensors and other smart devices.« less

Comparative study of structural, optical and impedance measurements on V{sub 2}O{sub 5} and V-Ce mixed oxide thin films

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

Malini, D. Rachel; Sanjeeviraja, C., E-mail: sanjeeviraja@rediffmail.com

Vanadium pentoxide (V{sub 2}O{sub 5}) and Vanadium-Cerium mixed oxide thin films at different molar ratios of V{sub 2}O{sub 5} and CeO{sub 2} have been deposited at 200 W rf power by rf planar magnetron sputtering in pure argon atmosphere. The structural and optical properties were studied by taking X-ray diffraction and transmittance and absorption spectra respectively. The amorphous thin films show an increase in transmittance and optical bandgap with increase in CeO{sub 2} content in as-prepared thin films. The impedance measurements for as-deposited thin films show an increase in electrical conductivity with increase in CeO{sub 2} material.

Phase formation polycrystalline vanadium oxide via thermal annealing process under controlled nitrogen pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jessadaluk, S.; Khemasiri, N.; Rahong, S.; Rangkasikorn, A.; Kayunkid, N.; Wirunchit, S.; Horprathum, M.; Chananonnawathron, C.; Klamchuen, A.; Nukeaw, J.

2017-09-01

This article provides an approach to improve and control crystal phases of the sputtering vanadium oxide (VxOy) thin films by post-thermal annealing process. Usually, as-deposited VxOy thin films at room temperature are amorphous phase: post-thermal annealing processes (400 °C, 2 hrs) under the various nitrogen (N2) pressures are applied to improve and control the crystal phase of VxOy thin films. The crystallinity of VxOy thin films changes from amorphous to α-V2O5 phase or V9O17 polycrystalline, which depend on the pressure of N2 carrier during annealing process. Moreover, the electrical resistivity of the VxOy thin films decrease from 105 Ω cm (amorphous) to 6×10-1 Ω cm (V9O17). Base on the results, our study show a simply method to improve and control phase formation of VxOy thin films.

Oxygen plasma ashing effects on aluminum and titanium space protective coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Synowicki, R.; Kubik, R. D.; Hale, J. S.; Peterkin, Jane; Nafis, S.; Woollam, John A.; Zaat, S.

1991-01-01

Using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM), the surface roughness and oxidation of aluminum and titanium thin films have been studied as a function of substrate deposition temperature and oxygen plasma exposure. Increasing substrate deposition temperatures affect film microstructure by greatly increasing grain size. Short exposures to an oxygen plasma environment produce sharp spikes rising rapidly above the surface as seen by AFM. Ellipsometric measurements were made over a wide range of plasma exposure times, and results at longer exposure times suggest that the surface is greater than 30% void. This is qualitatively verified by the AFM images.

Improved Lyman Ultraviolet Astronomy Capabilities through Enhanced Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quijada, Manuel A.; del Hoyo, Javier; Boris, David; Walton, Scott

2017-01-01

This paper will describe efforts at developing broadband mirror coatings with high performance that will extend from infrared wavelengths down to the Far-Ultraviolet (FUV) spectral region. These mirror coatings would be realized by passivating the surface of freshly made aluminum coatings with XeF2 gas in order to form a thin AlF$_3$ overcoat that will protect the aluminum from oxidation and, hence, realize the high-reflectance of this material down to its intrinsic cut-off wavelength of 90 nm. Improved reflective coatings for optics, particularly in the FUV region (90-120 nm), could yield dramatically more sensitive instruments and permit more instrument design freedom.

Isothermal aging effects on PMR-15 resin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowles, Kenneth J.; Jayne, Douglas; Leonhardt, Todd A.

1992-01-01

Specimens of PMR-15 polyimide neat resin were aged in air at temperatures of 288, 316, and 343 C. Weight losses and dimensional changes were monitored during the course of the exposure time. Physical changes were also observed by optical and electron microscopy. It was found that polyimide polymer degradation occurred within a thin surface layer that developed and grew during thermal aging. The cores of the polymer specimens were protected from oxidative degradation, and they were relatively unchanged by the thermal treatment. Surface cracking was observed at 343 C and was probably due to an interaction between voids and stresses that developed in the surface layer.

Oxidation preventative capping layer for deep-ultra-violet and soft x-ray multilayers

DOEpatents

Prisbrey, Shon T.

2004-07-06

The invention uses iridium and iridium compounds as a protective capping layer on multilayers having reflectivity in the deep ultra-violet to soft x-ray regime. The iridium compounds can be formed in one of two ways: by direct deposition of the iridium compound from a prepared target or by depositing a thin layer (e.g., 5-50 angstroms) of iridium directly onto an element. The deposition energy of the incoming iridium is sufficient to activate the formation of the desired iridium compound. The compounds of most interest are iridium silicide (IrSi.sub.x) and iridium molybdenide (IrMo.sub.x).

Surface oxidation under ambient air--not only a fast and economical method to identify double bond positions in unsaturated lipids but also a reminder of proper lipid processing.

PubMed

Zhou, Ying; Park, Hyejung; Kim, Philseok; Jiang, Yan; Costello, Catherine E

2014-06-17

A simple, fast approach elucidated carbon-carbon double bond positions in unsaturated lipids. Lipids were deposited onto various surfaces and the products from their oxidation in ambient air were observed by electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS). The most common oxidative products, aldehydes, were detected as transformations at the cleaved double bond positions. Ozonides and carboxylic acids were generated in certain lipids. Investigations of the conditions controlling the appearance of these products indicated that the surface oxidation depends on light and ambient air. Since the lipid oxidation was slower in a high concentration of ozone, singlet oxygen appeared to be a parallel oxidant for unsaturated lipids. The 3-hydroxyl group in the sphingoid base of sulfatides offered some protection from oxidation for the Δ4,5-double bond, slowing its oxidation rate relative to that of the isolated double bond in the N-linked fatty acyl chain. Direct sampling by thin-layer chromatography (TLC)-ESI-MS provides a powerful approach to elucidate detailed structural information on biological samples. Co-localization of the starting lipids and their oxidation products after TLC separation allowed assignment of the native unsaturation sites. Phosphatidylserine and N,N-dimethyl phosphatidylethanolamine isomers in a bovine brain total lipid extract were distinguished on the basis of their oxidation products. Meanwhile, the findings reported herein reveal a potential pitfall in the assignment of structures to lipids extracted from TLC plates because of artifactual oxidation after the plate development.

Uniform corrosion of FeCrAl alloys in LWR coolant environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terrani, K. A.; Pint, B. A.; Kim, Y.-J.; Unocic, K. A.; Yang, Y.; Silva, C. M.; Meyer, H. M.; Rebak, R. B.

2016-10-01

The corrosion behavior of commercial and model FeCrAl alloys and type 310 stainless steel was examined by autoclave tests and compared to Zircaloy-4, the reference cladding materials in light water reactors. The corrosion studies were carried out in three distinct water chemistry environments found in pressurized and boiling water reactor primary coolant loop conditions for up to one year. The structure and morphology of the oxides formed on the surface of these alloys was consistent with thermodynamic predictions. Spinel-type oxides were found to be present after hydrogen water chemistry exposures, while the oxygenated water tests resulted in the formation of very thin and protective hematite-type oxides. Unlike the alloys exposed to oxygenated water tests, the alloys tested in hydrogen water chemistry conditions experienced mass loss as a function of time. This mass loss was the result of net sum of mass gain due to parabolic oxidation and mass loss due to dissolution that also exhibits parabolic kinetics. The maximum thickness loss after one year of LWR water corrosion in the absence of irradiation was ∼2 μm, which is inconsequential for a ∼300-500 μm thick cladding.

Uniform corrosion of FeCrAl alloys in LWR coolant environments

DOE PAGES

Terrani, K. A.; Pint, B. A.; Kim, Y. -J.; ...

2016-06-29

The corrosion behavior of commercial and model FeCrAl alloys and type 310 stainless steel was examined by autoclave tests and compared to Zircaloy-4, the reference cladding materials in light water reactors. The corrosion studies were carried out in three distinct water chemistry environments found in pressurized and boiling water reactor primary coolant loop conditions for up to one year. The structure and morphology of the oxides formed on the surface of these alloys was consistent with thermodynamic predictions. Spinel-type oxides were found to be present after hydrogen water chemistry exposures, while the oxygenated water tests resulted in the formation ofmore » very thin and protective hematite-type oxides. Unlike the alloys exposed to oxygenated water tests, the alloys tested in hydrogen water chemistry conditions experienced mass loss as a function of time. This mass loss was the result of net sum of mass gain due to parabolic oxidation and mass loss due to dissolution that also exhibits parabolic kinetics. Finally, the maximum thickness loss after one year of LWR water corrosion in the absence of irradiation was ~2 μm, which is inconsequential for a ~300–500 μm thick cladding.« less

Method of forming particulate materials for thin-film solar cells

DOEpatents

Eberspacher, Chris; Pauls, Karen Lea

2004-11-23

A method for preparing particulate materials useful in fabricating thin-film solar cells is disclosed. Particulate materials is prepared by the method include for example materials comprising copper and indium and/or gallium in the form of single-phase, mixed-metal oxide particulates; multi-phase, mixed-metal particulates comprising a metal oxide; and multinary metal particulates.

Transparent electrical conducting films by activated reactive evaporation

DOEpatents

Bunshah, Rointan; Nath, Prem

1982-01-01

Process and apparatus for producing transparent electrical conducting thin films by activated reactive evaporation. Thin films of low melting point metals and alloys, such as indium oxide and indium oxide doped with tin, are produced by physical vapor deposition. The metal or alloy is vaporized by electrical resistance heating in a vacuum chamber, oxygen and an inert gas such as argon are introduced into the chamber, and vapor and gas are ionized by a beam of low energy electrons in a reaction zone between the resistance heater and the substrate. There is a reaction between the ionized oxygen and the metal vapor resulting in the metal oxide which deposits on the substrate as a thin film which is ready for use without requiring post deposition heat treatment.

Controllable film densification and interface flatness for high-performance amorphous indium oxide based thin film transistors

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

Ou-Yang, Wei, E-mail: OUYANG.Wei@nims.go.jp, E-mail: TSUKAGOSHI.Kazuhito@nims.go.jp; Mitoma, Nobuhiko; Kizu, Takio

2014-10-20

To avoid the problem of air sensitive and wet-etched Zn and/or Ga contained amorphous oxide transistors, we propose an alternative amorphous semiconductor of indium silicon tungsten oxide as the channel material for thin film transistors. In this study, we employ the material to reveal the relation between the active thin film and the transistor performance with aid of x-ray reflectivity study. By adjusting the pre-annealing temperature, we find that the film densification and interface flatness between the film and gate insulator are crucial for achieving controllable high-performance transistors. The material and findings in the study are believed helpful for realizingmore » controllable high-performance stable transistors.« less

Structural properties of iron and nickel mixed oxide nano particles.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehipawala, Sunil; Samarasekara, Pubudu; Gafney, Harry

Small scale magnets have very high technological importance today. Instead of traditional expensive methods, scientists are exploring new low cost methods to produce micro magnets. We synthesized thin film magnets containing iron and nickel oxides. Films will be synthesized using sol-gel method and spin coating technique. Several different precursor concentrations were tested to find out the ideal concentrations for stable thin films. Structural properties of iron and nickel oxide particles were investigated using X-ray absorption and Mossbauer spectroscopy. PSC-CUNY.

Recent Advances of Solution-Processed Metal Oxide Thin-Film Transistors.

PubMed

Xu, Wangying; Li, Hao; Xu, Jian-Bin; Wang, Lei

2018-03-06

Solution-processed metal oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) are considered as one of the most promising transistor technologies for future large-area flexible electronics. This review surveys the recent advances in solution-based oxide TFTs, including n-type oxide semiconductors, oxide dielectrics and p-type oxide semiconductors. Firstly, we provide an introduction on oxide TFTs and the TFT configurations and operating principles. Secondly, we present the recent progress in solution-processed n-type transistors, with a special focus on low-temperature and large-area solution processed approaches as well as novel non-display applications. Thirdly, we give a detailed analysis of the state-of-the-art solution-processed oxide dielectrics for low-voltage electronics. Fourthly, we discuss the recent progress in solution-based p-type oxide semiconductors, which will enable the highly desirable future low-cost large-area complementary circuits. Finally, we draw the conclusions and outline the perspectives over the research field.

Comprehensive review on the development of high mobility in oxide thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Jun Young; Lee, Sang Yeol

2017-11-01

Oxide materials are one of the most advanced key technology in the thin film transistors (TFTs) for the high-end of device applications. Amorphous oxide semiconductors (AOSs) have leading technique for flat panel display (FPD), active matrix organic light emitting display (AMOLED) and active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) due to their excellent electrical characteristics, such as field effect mobility ( μ FE ), subthreshold swing (S.S) and threshold voltage ( V th ). Covalent semiconductor like amorphous silicon (a-Si) is attributed to the anti-bonding and bonding states of Si hybridized orbitals. However, AOSs have not grain boundary and excellent performances originated from the unique characteristics of AOS which is the direct orbital overlap between s orbitals of neighboring metal cations. High mobility oxide TFTs have gained attractive attention during the last few years and today in display industries. It is progressively developed to increase the mobility either by exploring various oxide semiconductors or by adopting new TFT structures. Mobility of oxide thin film transistor has been rapidly increased from single digit to higher than 100 cm2/V·s in a decade. In this review, we discuss on the comprehensive review on the mobility of oxide TFTs in a decade and propose bandgap engineering and novel structure to enhance the electrical characteristics of oxide TFTs.

Specific considerations for obtaining appropriate La1-xSrxGa1-yMgyO3-δ thin films using pulsed-laser deposition and its influence on the performance of solid-oxide fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Jaeyeon; Lee, Heon; Lee, Jong-Ho; Yoon, Kyung Joong; Kim, Hyoungchul; Hong, Jongsup; Son, Ji-Won

2015-01-01

To obtain La1-xSrxGa1-yMgyO3-δ (LSGM) thin films with the appropriate properties, pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) is employed, and specific considerations regarding control of the deposition parameters is investigated. It is demonstrated that with a target of stoichiometric composition, appropriate LSGM thin films cannot be produced because of the deviation of the composition from the target to the thin film. Only after adjusting the target composition an LSGM thin film with an appropriate composition and phase can be obtained. The optimized LSGM thin film possesses an electrical conductivity close to that of the bulk LSGM. In contrast, non-optimized thin films do not yield any measurable electrical conductivity. The impact of the optimization of the LSGM thin-film electrolyte on the cell performance is quite significant, in that a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with an optimized LSGM thin-film electrolyte produces a maximum power density of 1.1 W cm-2 at 600 °C, whereas an SOFC with a non-optimal LSGM thin-film electrolyte is not operable.

The uniformity study of non-oxide thin film at device level using electron energy loss spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhi-Peng; Zheng, Yuankai; Li, Shaoping; Wang, Haifeng

2018-05-01

Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) has been widely used as a chemical analysis technique to characterize materials chemical properties, such as element valence states, atoms/ions bonding environment. This study provides a new method to characterize physical properties (i.e., film uniformity, grain orientations) of non-oxide thin films in the magnetic device by using EELS microanalysis on scanning transmission electron microscope. This method is based on analyzing white line ratio of spectra and related extended energy loss fine structures so as to correlate it with thin film uniformity. This new approach can provide an effective and sensitive method to monitor/characterize thin film quality (i.e., uniformity) at atomic level for thin film development, which is especially useful for examining ultra-thin films (i.e., several nanometers) or embedded films in devices for industry applications. More importantly, this technique enables development of quantitative characterization of thin film uniformity and it would be a remarkably useful technique for examining various types of devices for industrial applications.

Oxidation behavior and electrical property of ferritic stainless steel interconnects with a Cr-La alloying layer by high-energy micro-arc alloying process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Z. J.; Zeng, C. L.

Chromium volatility, poisoning of the cathode material and rapidly decreasing electrical conductivity are the major problems associated with the application of ferritic stainless steel interconnects of solid oxide fuel cells operated at intermediate temperatures. Recently, a novel and simple high-energy micro-arc alloying (HEMAA) process is proposed to prepare LaCrO 3-based coatings for the type 430 stainless steel interconnects using a LaCrO 3-Ni rod as deposition electrode. In this work, a Cr-La alloying layer is firstly obtained on the alloy surface by HEMAA using Cr and La as deposition electrode, respectively, followed by oxidation treatment at 850 °C in air to form a thermally grown LaCrO 3 coating. With the formation of a protective scale composed of a thick LaCrO 3 outer layer incorporated with small amounts of Cr-rich oxides and a thin Cr 2O 3-rich sub-layer, the oxidation rate of the coated steel is reduced remarkably. A low and stable electrical contact resistance is achieved with the application of LaCrO 3-based coatings, with a value less than 40 mΩ cm 2 during exposure at 850 °C in air for up to 500 h.

All-alkoxide synthesis of strontium-containing metal oxides

DOEpatents

Boyle, Timothy J.

2001-01-01

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

Photoactive lead oxide thin films by spray pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhagat, Dharini; Waldiya, Manmohansingh; Mukhopadhyay, Indrajit

2018-05-01

We report the synthesis of photoactive lead monoxide thin films on fluorine doped tin oxide substrate by cost effective spray pyrolysis technique using aqueous solution of lead acetate trihydrate. Influence of substrate temperature on the structural and optical properties of thin films was studied. Polymorph of lead monoxide, litharge (α-PbO), was obtained when the substrate temperature was kept constant at 360 °C. XRD analysis revealed that the deposits were tetragonal structured with preferred orientation along 002 plane. Band gap value was found to be 1.93ev from diffuse reflectance spectra.

Morphology selection for cupric oxide thin films by electrodeposition.

PubMed

Dhanasekaran, V; Mahalingam, T; Chandramohan, R

2011-10-01

Polycrystalline cupric oxide thin films were deposited using alkaline solution bath employing cathodic electrodeposition method. The thin films were electrodeposited at various solution pH. The surface morphology and elemental analyzes of the films were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis, respectively. SEM studies revealed that the surface morphology could be tailored suitably by adjusting the pH value during deposition. Mesh average on multiple lattice mode atomic force microscopy image was obtained and reported. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Thin film temperature sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1980-01-01

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

Highly spectrum-selective ultraviolet photodetector based on p-NiO/n-IGZO thin film heterojunction structure.

PubMed

Li, H K; Chen, T P; Hu, S G; Li, X D; Liu, Y; Lee, P S; Wang, X P; Li, H Y; Lo, G Q

2015-10-19

Ultraviolet photodetector with p-n heterojunction is fabricated by magnetron sputtering deposition of n-type indium gallium zinc oxide (n-IGZO) and p-type nickel oxide (p-NiO) thin films on ITO glass. The performance of the photodetector is largely affected by the conductivity of the p-NiO thin film, which can be controlled by varying the oxygen partial pressure during the deposition of the p-NiO thin film. A highly spectrum-selective ultraviolet photodetector has been achieved with the p-NiO layer with a high conductivity. The results can be explained in terms of the "optically-filtering" function of the NiO layer.

The Effects of ph on Structural and Optical Characterization of Iron Oxide Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tezel, Fatma Meydaneri; Özdemir, Osman; Kariper, I. Afşin

In this study, the iron oxide thin films have been produced by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method as a function of pH onto amorphous glass substrates. The surface images of the films were investigated with scanning electron microscope (SEM). The crystal structures, orientation of crystallization, crystallite sizes, and dislocation density i.e. structural properties of the thin films were analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD). The optical band gap (Eg), optical transmission (T%), reflectivity (R%), absorption coefficient (α), refraction index (n), extinction coefficient (k) and dielectric constant (ɛ) of the thin films were investigated depending on pH, deposition time, solution temperature, substrate temperature, thickness of the films by UV-VIS spectrometer.

The Structural Changes of the Sn(y)OX Thin Films Under Influence of Heat Treament

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vong, V.

2001-04-01

Composite oxide Sn(y) Ox made by thermal oxidation of the Sn(y)-bimetal thin films, in which y is the doped-materials as well as Sb, Ag or Pd. The Sn(y)-bimetal thin films have been made by evaporation in high vacuum onto NaCl-monocrystall and optical glass substrates. In the work the tin and the doped material (y) were put on two different boats and then both the boats were simultaniously heated to evaporate. The Sn(y)Ox thin films were annealed at the differential temperatures. The structural changes of its have been investigated by using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope.

Study on AN Intermediate Temperature Planar Sofc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shaorong; Cao, Jiadi; Chen, Wenxia; Lu, Zhiyi; Wang, Daqian; Wen, Ting-Lian

An ITSOFC consisted of Ni/YSZ anode supported YSZ composite thin film and La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 (LSCO) cathode combined with a Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 (CSO) interlayer was studied. Tape cast method was applied to prepare green sheets of Ni/YSZ anode supported YSZ composite thin film. After isostatic pressing and cosintering, the YSZ film on the Ni/YSZ anode was gas-tight dense, and 15-30μm thick. The area of the composite film was over 100 cm2. A CSO interlayer was sintered on to the YSZ electrolyte film to protect LSCO cathode from reaction with YSZ at high temperatures. The LSCO cathode layer was screen printed onto the CSO interlayer and sintered at 1200°C for 3h to form a single cell. The obtained single cell was operated with H2 as fuel and O2 as oxidant. The cell performance and impedance were measured and discussed relating with the component contributions.

Sub-2 nm Thick Fluoroalkylsilane Self-Assembled Monolayer-Coated High Voltage Spinel Crystals as Promising Cathode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

PubMed Central

Zettsu, Nobuyuki; Kida, Satoru; Uchida, Shuhei; Teshima, Katsuya

2016-01-01

We demonstrate herein that an ultra-thin fluoroalkylsilane self-assembled monolayer coating can be used as a modifying agent at LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4−δcathode/electrolyte interfaces in 5V-class lithium-ion batteries. Bare LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4−δ cathode showed substantial capacity fading, with capacity dropping to 79% of the original capacity after 100 cycles at a rate of 1C, which was entirely due to dissolution of Mn3+ from the spinel lattice via oxidative decomposition of the organic electrolyte. Capacity retention was improved to 97% on coating ultra-thin FAS17-SAM onto the LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 cathode surface. Such surface protection with highly ordered fluoroalkyl chains insulated the cathode from direct contact with the organic electrolyte and led to increased tolerance to HF. PMID:27553901

Template-assisted electrodeposition of Ni and Ni/Au nanowires on planar and curved substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guiliani, Jason; Cadena, John; Monton, Carlos

2018-02-01

We present a variant of the template-assisted electrodeposition method that enables the synthesis of large arrays of nanowires (NWs) on flat and curved substrates. This method uses ultra-thin (50 nm-10 μm) anodic aluminum oxide membranes as a template. We have developed a procedure that uses a two-polymer protective layer to transfer these templates onto almost any surface. We have applied this technique to the fabrication of large arrays of Ni and segmented composition Ni/Au NWs on silicon wafers, Cu tapes, and thin (0.2 mm) Cu wires. In all cases, a complete coverage with NWs is achieved. The magnetic properties of these samples show an accentuated in-plane anisotropy which is affected by the form of the substrate (flat or curve) and the length of the NWs. Unlike current lithography techniques, the fabrication method proposed here allows the integration of complex nanostructures into devices, which can be fabricated on unconventional surfaces.

SiC Composite for Fuel Structure Applications

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

Yueh, Ken

Extensive evaluation was performed to determine the suitability of using SiC composite as a boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel channel material. A thin walled SiC composite box, 10 cm in dimension by approximately 1.5 mm wall thickness was fabricated using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for testing. Mechanical test results and performance evaluations indicate the material could meet BWR channel mechanical design requirement. However, large mass loss of up to 21% was measured in in-pile corrosion test under BWR-like conditions in under 3 months of irradiation. A fresh sister sample irradiated in a follow-up cycle under PWR conditions showed no measureablemore » weight loss and thus supports the hypothesis that the oxidizing condition of the BWR-like coolant chemistry was responsible for the high corrosion rate. A thermodynamic evaluation showed SiC is not stable and the material may oxidize to form SiO 2 and CO 2. Silica has demonstrated stability in high temperature steam environment and form a protective oxide layer under severe accident conditions. However, it does not form a protective layer in water under normal BWR operational conditions due to its high solubility. Corrosion product stabilization by modifying the SiC CVD surface is an approach evaluated in this study to mitigate the high corrosion rate. Titanium and zirconium have been selected as stabilizing elements since both TiSiO 4 and ZrSiO 4 are insoluble in water. Corrosion test results in oxygenated water autoclave indicate TiSiO4 does not form a protective layer. However, zirconium doped test samples appear to form a stable continuous layer of ZrSiO 4 during the corrosion process. Additional process development is needed to produce a good ZrSiC coating to verify functionality of the mitigation concept.« less

Study of composite thin films for applications in high density data storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Hua

Granular Co-alloy + oxide thin films are currently used as the magnetic recording layer of perpendicular media in hard disk drives. The microstructure of these films is composed mainly of fine (7--10 nm) magnetic grains physically surrounded by oxide phases, which produce magnetic isolation of the grains. As a result, the magnetic switching volume is maintained as small as the physical grain size. Consequently, ample number of magnetic switching units can be obtained in one recording bit, in other words, higher signal to noise ratios (SNR) can be achieved. Therefore, a good understanding and control of the microstructure of the films is very important for high areal density magnetic recording media. Interlayers and seedlayers play important roles in controlling the microstructure in terms of grain size, grain size distribution, oxide segregation and orientation dispersion of the crystallographic texture. Developing novel interlayers or seedlayers with smaller grain size is a key approach to produce smaller grain size in the recording layer. This study focuses on how to achieve smaller grain sizes in the recording layer through novel interlayer/seedlayer materials and processes. It also discusses the resulting microstructure in smaller-grain-size thin films. Metal + oxide (e.g. Ru + SiO2) composite thin films were chosen as interlayer and seedlayer materials due to their unique segregated microstructure. Such layers can be grown epitaxially on top of fcc metal seedlayers with good orientation. It can also provide an epitaxial growth template for the subsequent magnetic layer (recording layer). The metal and oxide phases in the composite thin films are immiscible. The final microstructure of the interlayer depends on factors, such as, sputtering pressure, oxide species, oxide volume fraction, thickness, alloy composition, temperature etc. Moreover, it has been found that the microstructure of the composite thin films is affected mostly by two important factors---oxide volume fraction and sputtering pressure. The latter affects grain size and grain segregation through surface-diffusion modification and the self-shadowing effect. The composite Ru + oxide interlayers were found to have various microstructures under various sputtering conditions. Four characteristic microstructure zones can be identified as a function of oxide volume fraction and sputtering pressure---"percolated" (A), "maze" (T), "granular" (B) and "embedded" (C), based on which, a new structural zone model (SZM) is established for composite thin films. The granular microstructure of zone B is of particular interest for recording media application. The grain size of interlayers is a strong function of pressure, oxide species and oxide volume fraction. Magnetic layers grown on top of these interlayers were found to be significantly affected by the interlayer microstructure. One-to-one grain epitaxial growth is very difficult to achieve when the grain size is too small. As a result, the magnetic properties of smaller grain size magnetic layers deteriorate due to poor growth. This presents a huge challenge to high areal density magnetic recording media. A novel approach of Ar-ion etched Ru seedlayer, which can improve epitaxy between interlayer and magnetic layer is proposed. This method produces interlayer thin films of: (1) smaller grain size and higher nucleation density due to both a rougher seedlayer surface and an oxide addition in the interlayer; (2) good (00.2) texture due to the growth on top of the low pressure deposited Ru seedlayer; (3) dome-shape grain morphology due to the high pressure deposition. Therefore, a significant Ru grain size reduction with enhanced granular morphology and improved grain-to-grain epitaxy with the magnetic layer was achieved. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, such as, electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and mapping, and high angle annular dark field (HAADF) imaging have been utilized to investigate elemental distribution and grain morphology in composite magnetic thin films of different grain sizes. An oxygen-rich grain shell of about 0.5 ˜ 1 nm thickness is often observed for most media with different grain sizes. Reducing the grain size increases surface to volume ratio. With more surface area, smaller grains are more vulnerable to oxidization, resulting in even greater influence of the oxide on the magnetic properties of the grains.

Solid-state dewetting of single- and bilayer Au-W thin films: Unraveling the role of individual layer thickness, stacking sequence and oxidation on morphology evolution

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

Herz, A., E-mail: andreas.herz@tu-ilmenau.de, E-mail: dong.wang@tu-ilmenau.de; Franz, A.; Theska, F.

2016-03-15

Self-assembly of ultrathin Au, W, and Au-W bilayer thin films is investigated using a rapid thermal annealing technique in an inert ambient. The solid-state dewetting of Au films is briefly revisited in order to emphasize the role of initial film thickness. W films deposited onto SiO{sub 2} evolve into needle-like nanocrystals rather than forming particle-like agglomerates upon annealing at elevated temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that such nanocrystals actually consist of tungsten (VI) oxide (WO{sub 3}) which is related to an anisotropic oxide crystal growth out of the thin film. The evolution of W films is highly sensitive to themore » presence of any residual oxygen. Combination of both the dewetting of Au and the oxide crystal growth of WO{sub 3} is realized by using various bilayer film configurations of the immiscible Au and W. At low temperature, Au dewetting is initiated while oxide crystal growth is still suppressed. Depending on the stacking sequence of the Au-W bilayer thin film, W acts either as a substrate or as a passivation layer for the dewetting of Au. Being the ground layer, W changes the wettability of Au which clearly modifies its initial state for the dewetting. Being the top layer, W prevents Au from dewetting regardless of Au film thickness. Moreover, regular pattern formation of Au-WO{sub 3} nanoparticles is observed at high temperature demonstrating how bilayer thin film dewetting can create unique nanostructure arrangements.« less

Magneto-Optical Thin Films for On-Chip Monolithic Integration of Non-Reciprocal Photonic Devices

PubMed Central

Bi, Lei; Hu, Juejun; Jiang, Peng; Kim, Hyun Suk; Kim, Dong Hun; Onbasli, Mehmet Cengiz; Dionne, Gerald F.; Ross, Caroline A.

2013-01-01

Achieving monolithic integration of nonreciprocal photonic devices on semiconductor substrates has been long sought by the photonics research society. One way to achieve this goal is to deposit high quality magneto-optical oxide thin films on a semiconductor substrate. In this paper, we review our recent research activity on magneto-optical oxide thin films toward the goal of monolithic integration of nonreciprocal photonic devices on silicon. We demonstrate high Faraday rotation at telecommunication wavelengths in several novel magnetooptical oxide thin films including Co substituted CeO2−δ, Co- or Fe-substituted SrTiO3−δ, as well as polycrystalline garnets on silicon. Figures of merit of 3~4 deg/dB and 21 deg/dB are achieved in epitaxial Sr(Ti0.2Ga0.4Fe0.4)O3−δ and polycrystalline (CeY2)Fe5O12 films, respectively. We also demonstrate an optical isolator on silicon, based on a racetrack resonator using polycrystalline (CeY2)Fe5O12/silicon strip-loaded waveguides. Our work demonstrates that physical vapor deposited magneto-optical oxide thin films on silicon can achieve high Faraday rotation, low optical loss and high magneto-optical figure of merit, therefore enabling novel high-performance non-reciprocal photonic devices monolithically integrated on semiconductor substrates. PMID:28788379

Flexible and High-Performance Amorphous Indium Zinc Oxide Thin-Film Transistor Using Low-Temperature Atomic Layer Deposition.

PubMed

Sheng, Jiazhen; Lee, Hwan-Jae; Oh, Saeroonter; Park, Jin-Seong

2016-12-14

Amorphous indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin films were deposited at different temperatures, by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using [1,1,1-trimethyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)silanaminato]indium (INCA-1) as the indium precursor, diethlzinc (DEZ) as the zinc precursor, and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) as the reactant. The ALD process of IZO deposition was carried by repeated supercycles, including one cycle of indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ) and one cycle of zinc oxide (ZnO). The IZO growth rate deviates from the sum of the respective In 2 O 3 and ZnO growth rates at ALD growth temperatures of 150, 175, and 200 °C. We propose growth temperature-dependent surface reactions during the In 2 O 3 cycle that correspond with the growth-rate results. Thin-film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated with the ALD-grown IZO thin films as the active layer. The amorphous IZO TFTs exhibited high mobility of 42.1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 and good positive bias temperature stress stability. Finally, flexible IZO TFT was successfully fabricated on a polyimide substrate without performance degradation, showing the great potential of ALD-grown TFTs for flexible display applications.

Charge transfer from an adsorbed ruthenium-based photosensitizer through an ultra-thin aluminium oxide layer and into a metallic substrate

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

Gibson, Andrew J.; Temperton, Robert H.; Handrup, Karsten

2014-06-21

The interaction of the dye molecule N3 (cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarbo-xylato) -ruthenium(II)) with the ultra-thin oxide layer on a AlNi(110) substrate, has been studied using synchrotron radiation based photoelectron spectroscopy, resonant photoemission spectroscopy, and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Calibrated X-ray absorption and valence band spectra of the monolayer and multilayer coverages reveal that charge transfer is possible from the molecule to the AlNi(110) substrate via tunnelling through the ultra-thin oxide layer and into the conduction band edge of the substrate. This charge transfer mechanism is possible from the LUMO+2 and 3 in the excited state but not from the LUMO,more » therefore enabling core-hole clock analysis, which gives an upper limit of 6.0 ± 2.5 fs for the transfer time. This indicates that ultra-thin oxide layers are a viable material for use in dye-sensitized solar cells, which may lead to reduced recombination effects and improved efficiencies of future devices.« less

Pulsed—Laser Deposition Of Oxide Thin Films And Laser—Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Of Multi—Element Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedarnig, Johannes D.

2010-10-01

New results of the Linz group on pulsed—laser deposition (PLD) of oxide thin films and on laser—induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) of multi-element materials are reported. High-Tc superconducting (HTS) films with enhanced critical current density Jc are produced by laser ablation of novel nano-composite ceramic targets. The targets contain insulating nano-particles that are embedded into the YBa2Cu3O7 matrix. Epitaxial double-layers of lithium-doped and aluminum-doped ZnO are deposited on r-cut sapphire substrates. Acoustic over-modes in the GHz range are excited by piezoelectric actuation of layers. Smooth films of rare-earth doped glass are produced by F2—laser ablation. The transport properties of HTS thin films are modified by light—ion irradiation. Thin film nano—patterning is achieved by masked ion beam irradiation. LIBS is employed to analyze trace elements in industrial iron oxide powder and reference polymer materials. Various trace elements of ppm concentration are measured in the UV/VIS and vacuum-UV spectral range. Quantitative LIBS analysis of major components in oxide materials is performed by calibration-free methods.

Solid oxide fuel cell having monolithic core

DOEpatents

Ackerman, John P.; Young, John E.

1984-01-01

A solid oxide fuel cell for electrochemically combining fuel and oxidant for generating galvanic output, wherein the cell core has an array of electrolyte and interconnect walls that are substantially devoid of any composite inert materials for support. Instead, the core is monolithic, where each electrolyte wall consists of thin layers of cathode and anode materials sandwiching a thin layer of electrolyte material therebetween, and each interconnect wall consists of thin layers of the cathode and anode materials sandwiching a thin layer of interconnect material therebetween. The electrolyte walls are arranged and backfolded between adjacent interconnect walls operable to define a plurality of core passageways alternately arranged where the inside faces thereof have only the anode material or only the cathode material exposed. Means direct the fuel to the anode-exposed core passageways and means direct the oxidant to the cathode-exposed core passageway; and means also direct the galvanic output to an exterior circuit. Each layer of the electrolyte and interconnect materials is of the order of 0.002-0.01 cm thick; and each layer of the cathode and anode materials is of the order of 0.002-0.05 cm thick.

Surface characterizations of oxides synthesized by successive ionic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, Thomas I.

Successive ionic layer deposition (SILD) is an aqueous technique for depositing thin oxide films on a surface in a layer-by-layer fashion through a series of chemical reactions. This dissertation examines empirical aspects of the SILD technique by characterizing thin oxide films synthesized on model planar supports and then extends the SILD technique to synthesize supported oxide nanostructures on three dimensional supports of interest to catalysis. Atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy provided insight into the SILD of zirconia, alumina, and barium oxide thin films on silicon wafers. The SILD conditions that most affected the surface morphology of the thin oxide films were the selection of aqueous metal salt precursors comprising the SILD solutions and the total number of SILD cycles. Recent studies suggest that a highly dispersed phase of barium oxide supported on alumina interacts differently with NO2 than a bulk-like phase of barium oxide SILD was used to synthesize disperse nanoislands or rafts of barium oxide on larger rafts of alumina supported on a silicon wafer. The SILD method was then extended to deposit barium oxide on an alumina powder support comprised of dense 150 nm spherical crystallites fused together into 1-2 pm particles. Equally weight loaded samples of barium oxide on the fused alumina powder were prepared by SILD and wet impregnation. The NO2 storage behavior of the barium oxide, evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis during NO2 temperature programmed desorption (TPD) experiments, provided insight into the dispersion of barium oxide that resulted from each of the loading techniques. The highly dispersed barium oxide rafts synthesized by SILD on fused alumina released NO2 at temperatures below 500°C during TPD. By comparison, the barium oxide loaded by wet impregnation showed a higher temperature desorption feature above 500°C indicative of bulk-like barium oxide nanoparticles. The NO2 weight loss curves were also used to calculate the relative percentages of BaO in the dispersed phase and bulk-like phase for each loading technique. The ability of SILD to synthesize highly disperse and uniform, conformal oxide coatings on three dimensional supports provides fundamental insight into the interactions between catalysts and supports.

Properties of mixed molybdenum oxide iridium oxide thin films synthesized by spray pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, P. S.; Kawar, R. K.; Sadale, S. B.; Inamdar, A. I.; Deshmukh, H. P.

2006-09-01

Molybdenum-doped iridium oxide thin films have been deposited onto corning glass- and fluorine-doped tin oxide coated corning glass substrates at 350 °C by using a pneumatic spray pyrolysis technique. An aqueous solution of 0.01 M ammonium molybdate was mixed with 0.01 M iridium trichloride solution in different volume proportions and the resultant solution was used as a precursor solution for spraying. The as-deposited samples were annealed at 600 °C in air medium for 1 h. The structural, electrical and optical properties of as-deposited and annealed Mo-doped iridium oxide were studied and values of room temperature electrical resistivity, and thermoelectric power were estimated. The as-deposited samples with 2% Mo doping exhibit more pronounced electrochromism than other samples, including pristine Ir oxide.

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

PubMed

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

2016-03-02

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

Influence of Thermal Annealing Treatment on Bipolar Switching Properties of Vanadium Oxide Thin-Film Resistance Random-Access Memory Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kai-Huang; Cheng, Chien-Min; Kao, Ming-Cheng; Chang, Kuan-Chang; Chang, Ting-Chang; Tsai, Tsung-Ming; Wu, Sean; Su, Feng-Yi

2017-04-01

The bipolar switching properties and electrical conduction mechanism of vanadium oxide thin-film resistive random-access memory (RRAM) devices obtained using a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) process have been investigated in high-resistive status/low-resistive status (HRS/LRS) and are discussed herein. In addition, the resistance switching properties and quality improvement of the vanadium oxide thin-film RRAM devices were measured by x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, x-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and current-voltage ( I- V) measurements. The activation energy of the hopping conduction mechanism in the devices was investigated based on Arrhenius plots in HRS and LRS. The hopping conduction distance and activation energy barrier were obtained as 12 nm and 45 meV, respectively. The thermal annealing process is recognized as a candidate method for fabrication of thin-film RRAM devices, being compatible with integrated circuit technology for nonvolatile memory devices.

Amorphous nickel incorporated tin oxide thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jianwen; Ren, Jinhua; Lin, Dong; Han, Yanbing; Qu, Mingyue; Pi, Shubin; Fu, Ruofan; Zhang, Qun

2017-09-01

Nickel as a dopant has been proposed to suppress excess carrier concentration in n-type tin oxide based thin film transistors (TFTs). The influences of Ni content on nickel doped tin oxide (TNO) thin films and their corresponding TFTs were investigated with experimental results showing that the TNO thin films are amorphous. Through the comparison of the transfer characteristic curves of the TNO TFTs with different Ni contents, it was observed that Ni doping is useful to improve the performance of SnO2-based TFTs by suppressing the off-state current and shifting the threshold voltage to 0 V. The amorphous TNO TFT with 3.3 at.% Ni content shows optimum performance, with field effect mobility of 8.4 cm2 V-1 s-1, saturation mobility of 6.8 cm2 V-1 s-1, subthreshold swing value of 0.8 V/decade, and an on-off current ratio of 2.1  ×  107. Nevertheless, the bias stress stability of SnO2-based TFTs deteriorate.

The Mars oxidant experiment (MOx) for Mars '96

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKay, C. P.; Grunthaner, F. J.; Lane, A. L.; Herring, M.; Bartman, R. K.; Ksendzov, A.; Manning, C. M.; Lamb, J. L.; Williams, R. M.; Ricco, A. J.;

Consequence of oxidant to monomer ratio on optical and structural properties of Polypyrrole thin film deposited by oxidation polymerization technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jatratkar, Aviraj A.; Yadav, Jyotiprakash B.; Kamat, Sandip V.; Patil, Vaishali S.; Mahadik, D. B.; Barshilia, Harish C.; Puri, Vijaya; Puri, R. K.

2015-05-01

This paper reports the effect of oxidant to monomer (O/M) ratio on optical and structural properties of Polypyrrole (PPy) thin film deposited by chemical oxidation polymerization technique. Noticeable changes have observed in the properties of PPy thin films with O/M ratio. Cauliflower structure have been observed in FE-SEM images, wherein grain size is observed to decrease with increase in O/M ratio. AFM results are in good agreement with FE-SEM results. From FTIR spectra it is found that, PPy is in highly oxidized form at low O/M ratio but oxidation decreased with increase in O/M ratio. Also C-C stretching vibrations of PPy ring is decreased whereas C=C stretching is increased with ratio. Absorption peak around 450 nm corresponds to π-π* transition and around 800 nm for polarons and bipolarons. The intensity of such peaks confirms the conductivity of PPy, which is observed maximum at low O/M ratio and found to decrease with increase in ratio. Optical band gap (BG) is found to increase from 2.07 eV to 2.11 eV with increase in the O/M ratio.

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

Liu, Ao; Liu, Guoxia, E-mail: gxliu@qdu.edu.cn, E-mail: fukaishan@yahoo.com; Zhu, Huihui

Solution-processed p-type oxide semiconductors have recently attracted increasing interests for the applications in low-cost optoelectronic devices and low-power consumption complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor circuits. In this work, p-type nickel oxide (NiO{sub x}) thin films were prepared using low-temperature solution process and integrated as the channel layer in thin-film transistors (TFTs). The electrical properties of NiO{sub x} TFTs, together with the characteristics of NiO{sub x} thin films, were systematically investigated as a function of annealing temperature. By introducing aqueous high-k aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) gate dielectric, the electrical performance of NiO{sub x} TFT was improved significantly compared with those based on SiO{submore » 2} dielectric. Particularly, the hole mobility was found to be 60 times enhancement, quantitatively from 0.07 to 4.4 cm{sup 2}/V s, which is mainly beneficial from the high areal capacitance of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} dielectric and high-quality NiO{sub x}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} interface. This simple solution-based method for producing p-type oxide TFTs is promising for next-generation oxide-based electronic applications.« less

Plasma assisted facile synthesis of vanadium oxide (V3O7) nanostructured thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Megha; Saini, Sujit K.; Kumar, Prabhat; Sharma, Rabindar K.; Reddy, G. B.

2018-05-01

Vanadium oxides nanostructured thin films are synthesized using plasma assisted sublimation process. The effect of temperatures on growth of V2O5 and V3O7 thin films is studied. Scanning electron micrographs shows different morphologies are obtained at different temperatures i.e. at 450 °C nano cubes-like structures are obtained, whereas at 550 °C and 650 °C nanorods are obtained. Sample deposited at 450 °C is entirely composed of V2O5 and sample at higher temperatures are composed of mixed phase of vanadium oxides i.e. V2O5 and V3O7. As temperature increased, so the content of V3O7 in the sample is increased as confirmed by XRD and Raman analyses.

Easy and General Synthesis of Large-Sized Mesoporous Rare-Earth Oxide Thin Films by 'Micelle Assembly'.

PubMed

Li, Yunqi; Bastakoti, Bishnu Prasad; Imura, Masataka; Dai, Pengcheng; Yamauchi, Yusuke

2015-12-01

Large-sized (ca. 40 nm) mesoporous Er2O3 thin films are synthesized by using a triblock copolymer poly(styrene-b-2-vinyl pyridine-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO) as a pore directing agent. Each block makes different contributions and the molar ratio of PVP/Er(3+) is crucial to guide the resultant mesoporous structure. An easy and general method is proposed and used to prepare a series of mesoporous rare-earth oxide (Sm2O3, Dy2O3, Tb2O3, Ho2O3, Yb2O3, and Lu2O3) thin films with potential uses in electronics and optical devices. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Transparent electrical conducting films by activated reactive evaporation

DOEpatents

Bunshah, R.; Nath, P.

1982-06-22

Process and apparatus for producing transparent electrical conducting thin films by activated reactive evaporation is disclosed. Thin films of low melting point metals and alloys, such as indium oxide and indium oxide doped with tin, are produced by physical vapor deposition. The metal or alloy is vaporized by electrical resistance heating in a vacuum chamber, oxygen and an inert gas such as argon are introduced into the chamber, and vapor and gas are ionized by a beam of low energy electrons in a reaction zone between the resistance heater and the substrate. There is a reaction between the ionized oxygen and the metal vapor resulting in the metal oxide which deposits on the substrate as a thin film which is ready for use without requiring post deposition heat treatment. 1 fig.

Growth and Etch Rate Study of Low Temperature Anodic Silicon Dioxide Thin Films

PubMed Central

Ashok, Akarapu; Pal, Prem

2014-01-01

Silicon dioxide (SiO2) thin films are most commonly used insulating films in the fabrication of silicon-based integrated circuits (ICs) and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Several techniques with different processing environments have been investigated to deposit silicon dioxide films at temperatures down to room temperature. Anodic oxidation of silicon is one of the low temperature processes to grow oxide films even below room temperature. In the present work, uniform silicon dioxide thin films are grown at room temperature by using anodic oxidation technique. Oxide films are synthesized in potentiostatic and potentiodynamic regimes at large applied voltages in order to investigate the effect of voltage, mechanical stirring of electrolyte, current density and the water percentage on growth rate, and the different properties of as-grown oxide films. Ellipsometry, FTIR, and SEM are employed to investigate various properties of the oxide films. A 5.25 Å/V growth rate is achieved in potentiostatic mode. In the case of potentiodynamic mode, 160 nm thickness is attained at 300 V. The oxide films developed in both modes are slightly silicon rich, uniform, and less porous. The present study is intended to inspect various properties which are considered for applications in MEMS and Microelectronics. PMID:24672287

Thin film ion conducting coating

DOEpatents

Goldner, Ronald B.; Haas, Terry; Wong, Kwok-Keung; Seward, George

1989-01-01

Durable thin film ion conducting coatings are formed on a transparent glass substrate by the controlled deposition of the mixed oxides of lithium:tantalum or lithium:niobium. The coatings provide durable ion transport sources for thin film solid state storage batteries and electrochromic energy conservation devices.

Evaluation of the effect of sulfate, alkalinity and disinfector on iron release of iron pipe and iron corrosion scale characteristics under water quality changing condition using response surface methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fan; Shi, Baoyou; Zhang, Weiyu; Guo, Jianbo; Wu, Nana; Liu, Xinyuan

2018-02-01

The response surface methodology (RSM), particularly Box-Behnken design model, was used in this study to evaluate the sulfate, alkalinity and free chlorine on iron release of pipe with groundwater supply history and its iron corrosion scale characteristics under water quality changing experiment. The RSM results together with response surface contour plots indicated that the iron release of pipe section reactors was positively related with Larson Ratio and free chlorine. The thin Corrosion scales with groundwater supply history upon collection site contained Fe3O4 (18%), α-FeOOH (64%), FeCO3 (9%), β-FeOOH (8%) and γ-FeOOH (5%), besides their averaged amorphous iron oxide content was 13.6%. After the RSM water quality changing experiment, Fe3O4, amorphous iron oxide and intermediate iron products (FeCO3, Green Rust (GR)) content on scale of Cl2Rs increased, while their α-FeOOH contents decreased and β-FeOOH disappeared. The high iron released Cl2Rs receiving higher LR water (1.40-2.04) contained highest FeCO3 (20%) and amorphous iron oxide (42%), while the low iron release Cl2Rs receiving lower LR water (0.52-0.73) had higher GR(6.5%) and the amorphous iron oxide (23.7%). In high LR water (>0.73), the thin and non-protective corrosion scale containing higher amorphous iron oxide, Fe(II) derived from new produced Fe3O4 or FeCO3 or GR was easy for oxidants and sulfate ions penetration, and had higher iron release. However the same unstable corrosion scale didn’t have much iron release in low LR water (≤0.73). RSM experiment indicated that iron release of these unstable corrosion scales had close relationship with water quality (Larson Ratio and disinfectant). Optimizing the water quality of new source water and using reasonable water purification measures can help to eliminate the red water case.

Homogeneous-oxide stack in IGZO thin-film transistors for multi-level-cell NAND memory application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Hao; Wei, Yehui; Zhang, Xinlei; Jiang, Ran

2017-11-01

A nonvolatile charge-trap-flash memory that is based on amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin film transistors was fabricated with a homogeneous-oxide structure for a multi-level-cell application. All oxide layers, i.e., tunneling layer, charge trapping layer, and blocking layer, were fabricated with Al2O3 films. The fabrication condition (including temperature and deposition method) of the charge trapping layer was different from those of the other oxide layers. This device demonstrated a considerable large memory window of 4 V between the states fully erased and programmed with the operation voltage less than 14 V. This kind of device shows a good prospect for multi-level-cell memory applications.

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

Marimuthu, T.; Anandhan, N., E-mail: anandhan-kn@rediffmail.com; Mummoorthi, M.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc oxide/eosin yellow (ZnO/EY) thin films were potentiostatically deposited onto fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate. Effect of eosin yellow dye on structural, morphological and optical properties was studied. X-ray diffraction patterns, micro Raman spectra and photoluminescence (PL) spectra reveal hexagonal wurtzite structure with less atomic defects in 101 plane orientation of the ZnO/EY film. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show flower for ZnO and porous like structure for ZnO/EY thin film, respectively. DSSC was constructed and evaluated by measuring the current density verses voltage curve.

Thin-film transistor fabricated in single-crystalline transparent oxide semiconductor.

PubMed

Nomura, Kenji; Ohta, Hiromichi; Ueda, Kazushige; Kamiya, Toshio; Hirano, Masahiro; Hosono, Hideo

2003-05-23

We report the fabrication of transparent field-effect transistors using a single-crystalline thin-film transparent oxide semiconductor, InGaO3(ZnO)5, as an electron channel and amorphous hafnium oxide as a gate insulator. The device exhibits an on-to-off current ratio of approximately 106 and a field-effect mobility of approximately 80 square centimeters per volt per second at room temperature, with operation insensitive to visible light irradiation. The result provides a step toward the realization of transparent electronics for next-generation optoelectronics.

Performance and Durability of Thin Film Thermocouple Array on a Porous Electrode.

PubMed

Guk, Erdogan; Ranaweera, Manoj; Venkatesan, Vijay; Kim, Jung-Sik

2016-08-23

Management of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) thermal gradients is vital to limit thermal expansion mismatch and thermal stress. However, owing to harsh operation conditions of SOFCs and limited available space in stack configuration, the number of techniques available to obtain temperature distribution from the cell surface is limited. The authors previously developed and studied a thermocouple array pattern to detect surface temperature distribution on an SOFC in open circuit conditions. In this study, the performance in terms of mechanical durability and oxidation state of the thin film thermoelements of the thermocouple array on the porous SOFC cathode is investigated. A thin-film multi-junction thermocouple array was sputter deposited using a magnetron sputter coater. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterisation techniques were carried out to understand characteristics of the thin film before and after temperature (20 °C-800 °C) measurement. Temperature readings from the sensor agreed well with the closely placed commercial thermocouple during heating segments. However, a sensor failure occurred at around 350 °C during the cooling segment. The SEM and XPS tests revealed cracks on the thin film thermoelements and oxidation to the film thickness direction.

Misfit layered Ca{sub 3}Co{sub 4}O{sub 9} as a high figure of merit p-type transparent conducting oxide film through solution processing

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

Aksit, M.; Kolli, S. K.; Slauch, I. M.

Ca{sub 3}Co{sub 4}O{sub 9} thin films synthesized through solution processing are shown to be high-performing, p-type transparent conducting oxides (TCOs). The synthesis method is a cost-effective and scalable process that consists of sol-gel chemistry, spin coating, and heat treatments. The process parameters can be varied to produce TCO thin films with sheet resistance as low as 5.7 kΩ/sq (ρ ≈ 57 mΩ cm) or with average visible range transparency as high as 67%. The most conductive Ca{sub 3}Co{sub 4}O{sub 9} TCO thin film has near infrared region optical transmission as high as 85%. The figure of merit (FOM) for the top-performing Ca{sub 3}Co{submore » 4}O{sub 9} thin film (151 MΩ{sup −1}) is higher than FOM values reported in the literature for all other solution processed, p-type TCO thin films and higher than most others prepared by physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition. Transparent conductivity in misfit layered oxides presents new opportunities for TCO compositions.« less

Performance and Durability of Thin Film Thermocouple Array on a Porous Electrode

PubMed Central

Guk, Erdogan; Ranaweera, Manoj; Venkatesan, Vijay; Kim, Jung-Sik

2016-01-01

Management of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) thermal gradients is vital to limit thermal expansion mismatch and thermal stress. However, owing to harsh operation conditions of SOFCs and limited available space in stack configuration, the number of techniques available to obtain temperature distribution from the cell surface is limited. The authors previously developed and studied a thermocouple array pattern to detect surface temperature distribution on an SOFC in open circuit conditions. In this study, the performance in terms of mechanical durability and oxidation state of the thin film thermoelements of the thermocouple array on the porous SOFC cathode is investigated. A thin-film multi-junction thermocouple array was sputter deposited using a magnetron sputter coater. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterisation techniques were carried out to understand characteristics of the thin film before and after temperature (20 °C–800 °C) measurement. Temperature readings from the sensor agreed well with the closely placed commercial thermocouple during heating segments. However, a sensor failure occurred at around 350 °C during the cooling segment. The SEM and XPS tests revealed cracks on the thin film thermoelements and oxidation to the film thickness direction. PMID:27563893

Synthesis of zinc oxide thin films prepared by sol-gel for specific bioactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, Tijjani; Basri, B.; Dhahi, Th. S.; Mohammed, Mohammed; Hashim, U.; Noriman, N. Z.; Dahham, Omar S.

2017-09-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films this device to used for many application like chemical sensor, biosensor, solar energy, etc but my project to use for bioactivity(biosensor). Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been grown using sol-gel technique. Characterization was done using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray(EDX) and Electrical Measurement(I-V). ZnO thin film was successfully synthesized using low cost sol-gel spin coating method. The coupling of DNA probe to ZnO thin film supports modified with carboxylic acid (COOH) is certainly the best practical method to make DNA immobilization and it does not require any coupling agent which could be a source of variability during the spotting with an automatic device. So, selected this coupling procedure for further experiments. The sensor was tested with initial trial with low concentrated DNA and able to detect detection of the disease effectively. Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer device with ZnO can detect at different concentration in order to valid the device capabilities for detecting development. The lowest concentration 1 µM HPV DNA probe can detect is 0.1 nM HPV target DNA.

Low temperature photochemical vapor deposition of alloy and mixed metal oxide films

DOEpatents

Liu, David K.

1992-01-01

Method and apparatus for formation of an alloy thin film, or a mixed metal oxide thin film, on a substrate at relatively low temperatures. Precursor vapor(s) containing the desired thin film constituents is positioned adjacent to the substrate and irradiated by light having wavelengths in a selected wavelength range, to dissociate the gas(es) and provide atoms or molecules containing only the desired constituents. These gases then deposit at relatively low temperatures as a thin film on the substrate. The precursor vapor(s) is formed by vaporization of one or more precursor materials, where the vaporization temperature(s) is selected to control the ratio of concentration of metals present in the precursor vapor(s) and/or the total precursor vapor pressure.

Nanoporous cerium oxide thin film for glucose biosensor.

PubMed

Saha, Shibu; Arya, Sunil K; Singh, S P; Sreenivas, K; Malhotra, B D; Gupta, Vinay

2009-03-15

Nanoporous cerium oxide (CeO(2)) thin film deposited onto platinum (Pt) coated glass plate using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has been utilized for immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx). Atomic force microscopy studies reveal the formation of nanoporous surface morphology of CeO(2) thin film. Response studies carried out using differential pulsed voltammetry (DPV) and optical measurements show that the GOx/CeO(2)/Pt bio-electrode shows linearity in the range of 25-300 mg/dl of glucose concentration. The low value of Michaelis-Menten constant (1.01 mM) indicates enhanced enzyme affinity of GOx to glucose. The observed results show promising application of the nanoporous CeO(2) thin film for glucose sensing application without any surface functionalization or mediator.

Microscopically crumpled indium-tin-oxide thin films as compliant electrodes with tunable transmittance

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

Ong, Hui-Yng; School of Engineering, Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore 569830; Shrestha, Milan

2015-09-28

Indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin films are perceived to be stiff and brittle. This letter reports that crumpled ITO thin films on adhesive poly-acrylate dielectric elastomer can make compliant electrodes, sustaining compression of up to 25% × 25% equi-biaxial strain and unfolding. Its optical transmittance reduces with crumpling, but restored with unfolding. A dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) using the 14.2% × 14.2% initially crumpled ITO thin-film electrodes is electrically activated to produce a 37% areal strain. Such electric unfolding turns the translucent DEA to be transparent, with transmittance increased from 39.14% to 52.08%. This transmittance tunability promises to make a low-cost smart privacy window.

Anisotropic thermal conductivity of thin polycrystalline oxide samples

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

Tiwari, A., E-mail: abhishektiwariiitr@gmail.com; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800; Boussois, K.

2013-11-15

This paper reports about the development of a modified laser-flash technique and relation to measure the in-plane thermal diffusivity of thin polycrystalline oxide samples. Thermal conductivity is then calculated with the product of diffusivity, specific heat and density. Design and operating features for evaluating in-plane thermal conductivities are described. The technique is advantageous as thin samples are not glued together to measure in-plane thermal conductivities like earlier methods reported in literature. The approach was employed to study anisotropic thermal conductivity in alumina sheet, textured kaolin ceramics and montmorillonite. Since it is rare to find in-plane thermal conductivity values for suchmore » anisotropic thin samples in literature, this technique offers a useful variant to existing techniques.« less

Effect of negative bias on the composition and structure of the tungsten oxide thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Meihan; Lei, Hao; Wen, Jiaxing; Long, Haibo; Sawada, Yutaka; Hoshi, Yoichi; Uchida, Takayuki; Hou, Zhaoxia

2015-12-01

Tungsten oxide thin films were deposited at room temperature under different negative bias voltages (Vb, 0 to -500 V) by DC reactive magnetron sputtering, and then the as-deposited films were annealed at 500 °C in air atmosphere. The crystal structure, surface morphology, chemical composition and transmittance of the tungsten oxide thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-vis spectrophotometer. The XRD analysis reveals that the tungsten oxide films deposited at different negative bias voltages present a partly crystallized amorphous structure. All the films transfer from amorphous to crystalline (monoclinic + hexagonal) after annealing 3 h at 500 °C. Furthermore, the crystallized tungsten oxide films show different preferred orientation. The morphology of the tungsten oxide films deposited at different negative bias voltages is consisted of fine nanoscale grains. The grains grow up and conjunct with each other after annealing. The tungsten oxide films deposited at higher negative bias voltages after annealing show non-uniform special morphology. Substoichiometric tungsten oxide films were formed as evidenced by XPS spectra of W4f and O1s. As a result, semi-transparent films were obtained in the visible range for all films deposited at different negative bias voltages.

Fe2 PO5 -Encapsulated Reverse Energetic ZnO/Fe2 O3 Heterojunction Nanowire for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Oxidation of Water.

PubMed

Qin, Dong-Dong; He, Cai-Hua; Li, Yang; Trammel, Antonio C; Gu, Jing; Chen, Jing; Yan, Yong; Shan, Duo-Liang; Wang, Qiu-Hong; Quan, Jing-Jing; Tao, Chun-Lan; Lu, Xiao-Quan

2017-07-10

Zinc oxide is regarded as a promising candidate for application in photoelectrochemical water oxidation due to its higher electron mobility. However, its instability under alkaline conditions limits its application in a practical setting. Herein, we demonstrate an easily achieved wet-chemical route to chemically stabilize ZnO nanowires (NWs) by protecting them with a thin layer Fe 2 O 3 shell. This shell, in which the thickness can be tuned by varying reaction times, forms an intact interface with ZnO NWs, thus protecting ZnO from corrosion in a basic solution. The reverse energetic heterojunction nanowires are subsequently activated by introducing an amorphous iron phosphate, which substantially suppressed surface recombination as a passivation layer and improved photoelectrochemical performance as a potential catalyst. Compared with pure ZnO NWs (0.4 mA cm -2 ), a maximal photocurrent of 1.0 mA cm -2 is achieved with ZnO/Fe 2 O 3 core-shell NWs and 2.3 mA cm -2 was achieved for the PH 3 -treated NWs at 1.23 V versus RHE. The PH 3 low-temperature treatment creates a dual function, passivation and catalyst layer (Fe 2 PO 5 ), examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, TEM, photoelectrochemical characterization, and impedance measurements. Such a nano-composition design offers great promise to improve the overall performance of the photoanode material. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A unified physical model of Seebeck coefficient in amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Nianduan; Li, Ling; Sun, Pengxiao; Banerjee, Writam; Liu, Ming

2014-09-01

A unified physical model for Seebeck coefficient was presented based on the multiple-trapping and release theory for amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors. According to the proposed model, the Seebeck coefficient is attributed to the Fermi-Dirac statistics combined with the energy dependent trap density of states and the gate-voltage dependence of the quasi-Fermi level. The simulation results show that the gate voltage, energy disorder, and temperature dependent Seebeck coefficient can be well described. The calculation also shows a good agreement with the experimental data in amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistor.

Dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical water oxidation through a buried junction.

PubMed

Xu, Pengtao; Huang, Tian; Huang, Jianbin; Yan, Yun; Mallouk, Thomas E

2018-06-18

Water oxidation has long been a challenge in artificial photosynthetic devices that convert solar energy into fuels. Water-splitting dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells (WS-DSPECs) provide a modular approach for integrating light-harvesting molecules with water-oxidation catalysts on metal-oxide electrodes. Despite recent progress in improving the efficiency of these devices by introducing good molecular water-oxidation catalysts, WS-DSPECs have poor stability, owing to the oxidation of molecular components at very positive electrode potentials. Here we demonstrate that a solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell (ss-DSSC) can be used as a buried junction for stable photoelectrochemical water splitting. A thin protecting layer of TiO 2 grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) stabilizes the operation of the photoanode in aqueous solution, although as a solar cell there is a performance loss due to increased series resistance after the coating. With an electrodeposited iridium oxide layer, a photocurrent density of 1.43 mA cm -2 was observed in 0.1 M pH 6.7 phosphate solution at 1.23 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, with good stability over 1 h. We measured an incident photon-to-current efficiency of 22% at 540 nm and a Faradaic efficiency of 43% for oxygen evolution. While the potential profile of the catalyst layer suggested otherwise, we confirmed the formation of a buried junction in the as-prepared photoelectrode. The buried junction design of ss-DSSs adds to our understanding of semiconductor-electrocatalyst junction behaviors in the presence of a poor semiconducting material.

Microwave absorbing performance enhancement of Fe75Si15Al10 composites by selective surface oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Nan; Wang, Xin; Liu, Tao; Xie, Jianliang; Deng, Longjiang

2017-09-01

An excessively large dielectric constant is a challenge to improve the performances of the Fe-based absorbing material. Here, we propose a selective surface oxidation method to reduce the permittivity without sacrificing the permeability, by annealing under 5%H2—95%N2 (H2/N2). It is found that a thin layer of aluminum and silicon oxides formed on the surface of Fe75Si15Al10 particles during annealing in the range of 500-780 °C under H2/N2, thereby leading to an obvious decrease of permittivity of the Fe75Si15Al10 composite. According to Gibbs free energy, aluminum and silicon oxides are formed and iron oxides are reduced during annealing under H2/N2 at above 500 °C. Interestingly, the XPS result shows that the atomic ratio of Fe decreases significantly on the particle surface, which infers that the reduced Fe atoms diffuse to the interior of the particles. The surface oxide layer can protect the inner part of the alloy from further oxidation, which contributes to a high permeability. Meanwhile, the XRD result shows the formation of DO3-type ordering, which leads to the promotion of permeability. The two reasons lead to the improvement of permeability of the Fe75Si15Al10 composite after annealing. The composite is confirmed to have high permeability and low permittivity, exhibiting better electromagnetic wave absorption properties.

Research progress of VO2 thin film as laser protecting material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhiwei; Lu, Yuan; Hou, Dianxin

2018-03-01

With the development of laser technology, the battlefield threat of directional laser weapons is becoming more and more serious. The blinding and destruction caused by laser weapons on the photoelectric equipment is an important part of the current photo-electronic warfare. The research on the defense technology of directional laser weapons based on the phase transition characteristics of VO2 thin films is an important subject. The researches of VO2 thin films are summarized based on review these points: the preparation methods of VO2 thin films, phase transition mechanism, phase transition temperature regulating, interaction between VO2 thin films and laser, and the application prospect of vo2 thin film as laser protecting material. This paper has some guiding significance for further research on the VO2 thin films in the field of defense directional laser weapons.

A method to monitor the quality of ultra-thin nitride for trench DRAM with a buried strap structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yung-Hsien; Wang, Chun-Yao; Chang, Ian; Kao, Chien-Kang; Kuo, Chia-Ming; Ku, Alex

2007-02-01

A new approach to monitor the quality of an ultra-thin nitride film has been proposed. The nitride quality is monitored by observing the oxide thickness for the nitride film after wet oxidation since the resistance to oxidation strongly depends on its quality. To obtain a stable oxide thickness without interference from extrinsic factors for process monitoring, monitor wafers without dilute HF solution clean are suggested because the native-oxide containing surface is less sensitive to oxygen and therefore forms the nitride film with stable quality. In addition, the correlation between variable retention time (VRT) performance of a real dynamic random access memory (DRAM) product and oxide thickness from different nitride process temperatures can be successfully explained and this correlation can also be used to establish the appropriate oxide thickness range for process monitoring.

Water-Assisted Vapor Deposition of PEDOT Thin Film.

PubMed

Goktas, Hilal; Wang, Xiaoxue; Ugur, Asli; Gleason, Karen K

2015-07-01

The synthesis and characterization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) using water-assisted vapor phase polymerization (VPP) and oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) are reported. For the VPP PEDOT, the oxidant, FeCl3 , is sublimated onto the substrate from a heated crucible in the reactor chamber and subsequently exposed to 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomer and water vapor in the same reactor. The oCVD PEDOT was produced by introducing the oxidant, EDOT monomer, and water vapor simultaneously to the reactor. The enhancement of doping and crystallinity is observed in the water-assisted oCVD thin films. The high doping level observed at UV-vis-NIR spectra for the oCVD PEDOT, suggests that water acts as a solubilizing agent for oxidant and its byproducts. Although the VPP produced PEDOT thin films are fully amorphous, their conductivities are comparable with that of the oCVD produced ones. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Direct imprinting of indium-tin-oxide precursor gel and simultaneous formation of channel and source/drain in thin-film transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haga, Ken-ichi; Kamiya, Yuusuke; Tokumitsu, Eisuke

2018-02-01

We report on a new fabrication process for thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a new structure and a new operation principle. In this process, both the channel and electrode (source/drain) are formed simultaneously, using the same oxide material, using a single nano-rheology printing (n-RP) process, without any conventional lithography process. N-RP is a direct thermal imprint technique and deforms oxide precursor gel. To reduce the source/drain resistance, the material common to the channel and electrode is conductive indium-tin-oxide (ITO). The gate insulator is made of a ferroelectric material, whose high charge density can deplete the channel of the thin ITO film, which realizes the proposed operation principle. First, we have examined the n-RP conditions required for the channel and source/drain patterning, and found that the patterning properties are strongly affected by the cooling rate before separating the mold. Second, we have fabricated the TFTs as proposed and confirmed their TFT operation.

Vacancy defects and optoelectrical properties for fluorine tin oxide thin films with various SnF2 contents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yawei; Xu, Wenwu; Li, Jingjing; Yin, Chongshan; Liu, Yong; Zhao, Bin; Chen, Zhiquan; He, Chunqing; Mao, Wenfeng; Ito, Kenji

2018-01-01

Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by e-beam evaporation. Much higher carrier concentration, broader optical band gap, and average transmittance over 80% were obtained with SnF2 doped SnO2 thin films. Positron annihilation results showed that there are two kinds of vacancy clusters with different sizes existing in the annealed FTO thin films, and the concentration of the larger vacancy clusters of VSnO in the thin films increases with increasing SnF2 contents. Meanwhile, photoluminescence spectra results indicated that the better electrical and optical properties of the FTO thin films are attributed to FO substitutions and oxygen vacancies with higher concentration, which are supported by positron annihilation Doppler broadening results and confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that widening of the optical band gap of the FTO thin films strongly depends on the carrier concentration, which is interpreted for the Burstein-Moss effect and is associated with the formation of FO and oxygen vacancies with increasing SnF2 content.

Structure evolution of zinc oxide thin films deposited by unbalance DC magnetron sputtering

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

Aryanto, Didik, E-mail: didi027@lipi.go.id; Materials Research Group, Physics Department, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Gunungpati, Semarang 50229 Jawa Tengah; Marwoto, Putut

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films are deposited on corning glass substrates using unbalanced DC magnetron sputtering. The effect of growth temperature on surface morphology and crystallographic orientation of ZnO thin film is studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The surface morphology and crystallographic orientation of ZnO thin film are transformed against the increasing of growth temperature. The mean grain size of film and the surface roughness are inversely and directly proportional towards the growth temperature from room temperature to 300 °C, respectively. The smaller grain size and finer roughness of ZnO thin film are obtainedmore » at growth temperature of 400 °C. The result of AFM analysis is in good agreement with the result of XRD analysis. ZnO thin films deposited in a series of growth temperatures have hexagonal wurtzite polycrystalline structures and they exhibit transformations in the crystallographic orientation. The results in this study reveal that the growth temperature strongly influences the surface morphology and crystallographic orientation of ZnO thin film.« less

Silicon-based microfabricated tin oxide gas sensor incorporating use of Hall effect measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammond, Joseph Wilson

2000-10-01

Characterization of a microfabricated sol-gel derived nano-particle tin oxide thin film on a silicon substrate, through simultaneous measurement of conductivity, Hall mobility and electron density, had not been accomplished before this study. Conductivity is a function of carrier density and Hall mobility. Therefore, a full understanding of the sensing mechanism of tin oxide requires knowledge of the sensor conductivity, electron density and Hall mobility. A tin oxide thin film (1100A thick), derived by the sol-gel method, was deposited on a Si/SiO2 substrate by means of spin coating method. The sol-gel method produces films of porous interconnected nano-sized particles and is relatively inexpensive and easy to produce compared to existing methods of tin oxide thin film deposition. A goal of this study was to determine the compatibility of sol-gel derived tin oxide thin films with silicon based microfabrication procedures. It was determined that conductivity sensitivity is strongly dependant on electron density level and shows very weak dependence on Hall mobility. Lack of Hall mobility sensitivity to H2 concentration suggests that conduction is grain control limited. In this regime, in which the grain size (D) is less than twice the characteristic Debye length (LD), a change in reducing gas concentration results in a nearly simultaneous change in carrier density throughout the entire grain, while the Hall mobility remains unchanged. The sensor calcined at 500°C and operated at 250°C showed maximum conductivity sensitivity to H2 in air. The sensor exhibited a high conductivity sensitivity of 10.6 to 100ppm H2 in air with response time of (˜1) minute and recovery time of (˜4) minutes. Images of the thin film surface, obtained by SEM, were used to study the effects of calcination temperature and operating conditions on the tin oxide structure. Sensitivity decreased as average grain size increased from 7.7nm to 14.7nm, with increasing calcination temperature from 500°C to 800°C. The sensors displayed slight drift in long term baseline stability and good long term sensitivity stability (14 days). Long term operation (30 days) at elevated temperatures had no noticeable effect on the thin film structure.

An acetate precursor process for BSCCO (2223) thin films and coprecipitated powders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haertling, Gene H.

1992-01-01

Since the discovery of high temperature superconducting oxides much attention has been paid to finding better and useful ways to take advantage of the special properties exhibited by these materials. One such process is the development of thin films for engineering applications. Another such process is the coprecipitation route to producing superconducting powders. An acetate precursor process for use in thin film fabrication and a chemical coprecipitation route to Bismuth based superconducting materials has been developed. Data obtained from the thin film process were inconclusive to date and require more study. The chemical coprecipitation method of producing bulk material is a viable method, and is preferred over the previously used solid state route. This method of powder production appears to be an excellent route to producing thin section tape cast material and screen printed devices, as it requires less calcines than the oxide route to produce quality powders.

Nanostructured tungsten trioxide thin films synthesized for photoelectrocatalytic water oxidation: a review.

PubMed

Zhu, Tao; Chong, Meng Nan; Chan, Eng Seng

2014-11-01

The recent developments of nanostructured WO3 thin films synthesized through the electrochemical route of electrochemical anodization and cathodic electrodeposition for the application in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting are reviewed. The key fundamental reaction mechanisms of electrochemical anodization and cathodic electrodeposition methods for synthesizing nanostructured WO3 thin films are explained. In addition, the effects of metal oxide precursors, electrode substrates, applied potentials and current densities, and annealing temperatures on size, composition, and thickness of the electrochemically synthesized nanostructured WO3 thin films are elucidated in detail. Finally, a summary is given for the general evaluation practices used to calculate the energy conversion efficiency of nanostructured WO3 thin films and a recommendation is provided to standardize the presentation of research results in the field to allow for easy comparison of reported PEC efficiencies in the near future. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Early alpha-lipoic acid therapy protects from degeneration of the inner retinal layers and vision loss in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis-optic neuritis model.

PubMed

Dietrich, Michael; Helling, Niklas; Hilla, Alexander; Heskamp, Annemarie; Issberner, Andrea; Hildebrandt, Thomas; Kohne, Zippora; Küry, Patrick; Berndt, Carsten; Aktas, Orhan; Fischer, Dietmar; Hartung, Hans-Peter; Albrecht, Philipp

2018-03-07

In multiple sclerosis (MS), neurodegeneration is the main reason for chronic disability. Alpha-lipoic acid (LA) is a naturally occurring antioxidant which has recently been demonstrated to reduce the rate of brain atrophy in progressive MS. However, it remains uncertain if it is also beneficial in the early, more inflammatory-driven phases. As clinical studies are costly and time consuming, optic neuritis (ON) is often used for investigating neuroprotective or regenerative therapeutics. We aimed to investigate the prospect for success of a clinical ON trial using an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis-optic neuritis (EAE-ON) model with visual system readouts adaptable to a clinical ON trial. Using an in vitro cell culture model for endogenous oxidative stress, we compared the neuroprotective capacity of racemic LA with the R/S-enantiomers and its reduced form. In vivo, we analyzed retinal neurodegeneration using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the visual function by optokinetic response (OKR) in MOG 35-55 -induced EAE-ON in C57BL/6J mice. Ganglion cell counts, inflammation, and demyelination were assessed by immunohistological staining of retinae and optic nerves. All forms of LA provided equal neuroprotective capacities in vitro. In EAE-ON, prophylactic LA therapy attenuated the clinical EAE score and prevented the thinning of the inner retinal layer while therapeutic treatment was not protective on visual outcomes. A prophylactic LA treatment is necessary to protect from visual loss and retinal thinning in EAE-ON, suggesting that a clinical ON trial starting therapy after the onset of symptoms may not be successful.

Development of porous metal oxide thin films by co-evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesfamichael, T.; Motta, Nunzio; Bostrom, Thor; Bell, J. M.

2007-03-01

This paper focuses on the development of mixed metal oxide thin films and physical characterization of the films. The films were produced by co-evaporation of titanium oxide and tungsten oxide powders. This allowed the development of titanium oxide-tungsten oxide films as analyzed using XPS. Examination in the SEM and AFM showed that the films were nanoporous with the pore size and pore orientation varying as a function of the deposition angle. UV-vis spectra of the films show an increase of transmittance with increasing deposition angle which is attributed to the structure and porosity of the films. Raman analysis indicated that the as-deposited films have broad and weak Raman characteristics, attributed to the nanocrystal nature of the films and the presence of defects, and the peak broadening deceases after annealing the film, as expected.

Photon synthesis of iron oxide thin films for thermo-photo-chemical sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulenko, S. A.; Petrov, Yu. N.; Gorbachuk, N. T.

2012-09-01

Ultraviolet photons of KrF-laser (248 nm) and of photodiode (360 nm) were used for the synthesis of iron oxide thin films with variable thickness, stoichiometry and electrical properties. The reactive pulsed laser deposition (RPLD) method was based on KrF-laser and photon-induced chemical vapor deposition (PCVD) was based on a photodiode. Deposited films demonstrated semiconductor properties with variable band gap (Eg). The film thickness (50-140 nm) and Eg depended on the laser pulse number, oxygen and iron carbonyl vapor pressure in the deposition chamber, and exposure time to the substrate surface with ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Sensing characteristics strongly depended on electrical and structural properties of such thin films. Iron oxide films were deposited on <1 0 0> Si substrate and had large thermo electromotive force (e.m.f.) coefficient (S) and high photosensitivity (F). The largest value of the S coefficient obtained by RPLD was about 1.65 mV/K in the range 270-290 K and by PCVD was about 1.5 mV/K in the range 280-322 K. The largest value F obtained by RPLD and PCVD was about 44 Vc/W and 40 Vc/W, accordingly, for white light at power density (I ≅ 0.006 W/cm2). It was shown that the S coefficient and F strongly depended on Eg. Moreover, these films were tested as chemical sensors: the largest sensitivity of NO molecules was at the level of 3 × 1012 cm-3. Our results showed that RPLD and PCVD were used to synthesize semiconductor iron oxide thin films with different sensing properties. So iron oxide thin films synthesized by UV photons are up-to-date materials for multi-parameter sensors: thermo-photo-chemical sensors operating at moderate temperature.

Failure Mechanisms of the Protective Coatings for the Hot Stamping Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Chen

In the present study, four different nitriding techniques were carried on the ductile irons NAAMS-D6510 and cast steels NAAMS-S0050A, which are widely used stamping die materials; duplex treatments (PVD CrN coating+nitriding) were carried on H13 steels, which are common inserts for the hot stamping dies. Inclined impact-sliding wear tests were performed on the nitriding cases under simulated stamping conditions. Surface profilometer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to investigate the wear and failure mechanisms of the protective coatings. It was found that the nitrided ductile iron samples performed better than the nitrided cast steel specimens. High temperature inclined impact-sliding wear tests were carried out on the CrN coatings. It was found that the coating performed better at elevated temperature. XPS analysis indicated the top surface layer (about 3-4nm) of the coating was oxidized at 400 °C and formed a Cr2O3 protective film. The in-situ formation of the thin Cr2O3 protective layer likely led to the change of wear mechanisms from severe adhesive failure to mild abrasive wear.

Three-dimensional atom probe tomography of oxide, anion, and alkanethiolate coatings on gold.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Hillier, Andrew C

2010-07-15

We have used three-dimensional atom probe tomography to analyze several nanometer-thick and monomolecular films on gold surfaces. High-purity gold wire was etched by electropolishing to create a sharp tip suitable for field evaporation with a radius of curvature of <100 nm. The near-surface region of a freshly etched gold tip was examined with the atom probe at subnanometer spatial resolution and with atom-level composition accuracy. A thin contaminant layer, primarily consisting of water and atmospheric gases, was observed on a fresh tip. This sample exhibited crystalline lattice spacings consistent with the interlayer spacing of {200} lattice planes of bulk gold. A thin oxide layer was created on the gold surface via plasma oxidation, and the thickness and composition of this layer was measured. Clear evidence of a nanometer-thick oxide layer was seen coating the gold tip, and the atomic composition of the oxide layer was consistent with the expected stoichiometry for gold oxide. Monomolecular anions layers of Br(-) and I(-) were created via adsorption from aqueous solutions onto the gold. Atom probe data verified the presence of the monomolecular anion layers on the gold surface, with ion density values consistent with literature values. A hexanethiolate monolayer was coated onto the gold tip, and atom probe analysis revealed a thin film whose ion fragments were consistent with the molecular composition of the monolayer and a surface coverage similar to that expected from literature. Details of the various coating compositions and structures are presented, along with discussion of the reconstruction issues associated with properly analyzing these thin-film systems.

Fluorine and oxygen plasma influence on nanoparticle formation and aggregation in metal oxide thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MÄ dzik, Mateusz; Elamurugu, Elangovan; Viegas, Jaime

2017-03-01

Despite recent advances in metal oxide thin-film transistor technology, there are no foundry processes available yet for large-scale deployment of metal oxide electronics and photonics, in a similar way as found for silicon based electronics and photonics. One of the biggest challenges of the metal oxide platform is the stability of the fabricated devices. Also, there is wide dispersion on the measured specifications of fabricated TFT, from lot-to-lot and from different research groups. This can be partially explained by the importance of the deposition method and its parameters, which determine thin film microstructure and thus its electrical properties. Furthermore, substrate pretreatment is an important factor, as it may act as a template for material growth. Not so often mentioned, plasma processes can also affect the morphology of deposited films on further deposition steps, such as inducing nanoparticle formation, which strongly impact the conduction mechanism in the channel layer of the TFT. In this study, molybdenum doped indium oxide is sputtered onto ALD deposited HfO2 with or without pattering, and etched by RIE chlorine based processing. Nanoparticle formation is observed when photoresist is removed by oxygen plasma ashing. HfO2 etching in CF4/Ar plasma prior to resist stripping in oxygen plasma promotes the aggregation of nanoparticles into nanosized branched structures. Such nanostructuring is absent when oxygen plasma steps are replaced by chemical wet processing with acetone. Finally, in order to understand the electronic transport effect of the nanoparticles on metal oxide thin film transistors, TFT have been fabricated and electrically characterized.

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

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

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

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

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

DOE PAGES

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

2017-09-05

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

On the role of ultra-thin oxide cathode synthesis on the functionality of micro-solid oxide fuel cells: Structure, stress engineering and in situ observation of fuel cell membranes during operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Bo-Kuai; Kerman, Kian; Ramanathan, Shriram

Microstructure and stresses in dense La 0.6Sr 0.4Co 0.8Fe 0.2O 3 (LSCF) ultra-thin films have been investigated to increase the physical thickness of crack-free cathodes and active area of thermo-mechanically robust micro-solid oxide fuel cell (μSOFC) membranes. Processing protocols employ low deposition rates to create a highly granular nanocrystalline microstructure in LSCF thin films and high substrate temperatures to produce linear temperature-dependent stress evolution that is dominated by compressive stresses in μSOFC membranes. Insight and trade-off on the synthesis are revealed by probing microstructure evolution and electrical conductivity in LSCF thin films, in addition to in situ monitoring of membrane deformation while measuring μSOFC performance at varying temperatures. From these studies, we were able to successfully fabricate failure-resistant square μSOFC (LSCF/YSZ/Pt) membranes with width of 250 μm and crack-free cathodes with thickness of ∼70 nm. Peak power density of ∼120 mW cm -2 and open circuit voltage of ∼0.6 V at 560 °C were achieved on a μSOFC array chip containing ten such membranes. Mechanisms affecting fuel cell performance are discussed. Our results provide fundamental insight to pathways of microstructure and stress engineering of ultra-thin, dense oxide cathodes and μSOFC membranes.

Temperature-dependent mechanical behavior of silicon dioxide, gold and gold-vanadium thin films for VLSI integrated circuits and MicroElectroMechanical systems (MEMs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Ming-Tzer

The Semiconductor Industry has grown rapidly in the last twenty years. The national technology roadmap for semiconductors plans for developing the complexity and packing density of semiconductor devices into the next decade, allowing ever smaller and more densely packed structures to be fabricated. Recently, MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) have become important in modern technology. The goal of MEMs is to integrate many types of miniature devices on a single chip, creating a new micro-world. The oxidation of silicon is one of the most important processes in semiconductor technology. Producing high-quality IC's and MEMS devices requires an understanding of the basic oxidation mechanism. In addition, for the reliability of IC's and MEMS devices, the mechanical properties of the oxide play a critical role. There has been an apparent convergence of opinion on the relevant mechanism leading to the "standard computational model" for stress effects on silicon oxidation. This model has recently become suspect. Most of the reasonably direct experimental data on the flow properties of SiO 2 thin film do not support a stress-dependent viscosity of the sort envisioned by the model. Gold and gold vanadium alloys are used in electrical interconnections and in radio frequency switch contacts for the semiconductor industry, MEMs sensors for the aerospace industry and also in brain probes by the bioelectronics mechanical industry. Despite the strong potential usage of gold and gold vanadium thin films at the small scale, very little is known about their mechanical properties. Our goal was to experimentally investigate stress and its influence on SiO2 thin films and the mechanical properties of gold and gold vanadium thin films at room temperature and at elevated temperature of different vanadium concentration. We found that the application of relatively small amounts of bending to an oxidizing silicon substrate leads to significant decreases in oxide thickness in the ultrathin oxide regime. Both tensile and compressive bending retard oxide growth, although compressive bending results in somewhat thinner oxides than does tensile bending. We also determined the modulus of gold and gold vanadium, and discovered that there is some evidence for a vanadium concentration dependence of the mechanical properties.

Altering properties of cerium oxide thin films by Rh doping

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

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

2015-07-15

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

Surface Termination Conversion during SrTiO3 Thin Film Growth Revealed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Baeumer, Christoph; Xu, Chencheng; Gunkel, Felix; Raab, Nicolas; Heinen, Ronja Anika; Koehl, Annemarie; Dittmann, Regina

2015-01-01

Emerging electrical and magnetic properties of oxide interfaces are often dominated by the termination and stoichiometry of substrates and thin films, which depend critically on the growth conditions. Currently, these quantities have to be measured separately with different sophisticated techniques. This report will demonstrate that the analysis of angle dependent X-ray photoelectron intensity ratios provides a unique tool to determine both termination and stoichiometry simultaneously in a straightforward experiment. Fitting the experimental angle dependence with a simple analytical model directly yields both values. The model is calibrated through the determination of the termination of SrTiO3 single crystals after systematic pulsed laser deposition of sub-monolayer thin films of SrO. We then use the model to demonstrate that during homoepitaxial SrTiO3 growth, excess Sr cations are consumed in a self-organized surface termination conversion before cation defects are incorporated into the film. We show that this termination conversion results in insulating properties of interfaces between polar perovskites and SrTiO3 thin films. These insights about oxide thin film growth can be utilized for interface engineering of oxide heterostructures. In particular, they suggest a recipe for obtaining two-dimensional electron gases at thin film interfaces: SrTiO3 should be deposited slightly Ti-rich to conserve the TiO2-termination. PMID:26189436

Defect-mediated room temperature ferromagnetism in vanadium dioxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tsung-Han; Nori, Sudhakar; Zhou, Honghui; Narayan, Jagdish

2009-09-01

High quality epitaxial undoped vanadium oxide (VO2) thin films on c-plane sapphire (0001) substrate have been grown using pulsed laser deposition technique. The as-grown films exhibited excellent structural and transport properties without requiring further annealing treatments for these oxygen-deficient oxide films. The epitaxial growth has been achieved via domain matching epitaxy, where matching of integral multiples of planes occurs across the film-substrate interface. The magnetic properties of vanadium oxide (VO2) films investigated at different temperatures in the range of 10-360 K showed significant magnetic hysteresis as well as saturation of the magnetic moment. The origin of ferromagnetic properties with an estimated Curie temperature above 500 K is discussed in the absence of magnetic impurities in VO2 thin films as determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy.

High Mobility Thin Film Transistors Based on Amorphous Indium Zinc Tin Oxide

PubMed Central

Noviyana, Imas; Lestari, Annisa Dwi; Putri, Maryane; Won, Mi-Sook; Bae, Jong-Seong; Heo, Young-Woo; Lee, Hee Young

2017-01-01

Top-contact bottom-gate thin film transistors (TFTs) with zinc-rich indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) active layer were prepared at room temperature by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. Sintered ceramic target was prepared and used for deposition from oxide powder mixture having the molar ratio of In2O3:ZnO:SnO2 = 2:5:1. Annealing treatment was carried out for as-deposited films at various temperatures to investigate its effect on TFT performances. It was found that annealing treatment at 350 °C for 30 min in air atmosphere yielded the best result, with the high field effect mobility value of 34 cm2/Vs and the minimum subthreshold swing value of 0.12 V/dec. All IZTO thin films were amorphous, even after annealing treatment of up to 350 °C. PMID:28773058

The role of Tin Oxide Concentration on The X-ray Diffraction, Morphology and Optical Properties of In2O3:SnO2 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Bushra A.; Abdallah, Rusul M.

2018-05-01

Alloys were performed from In2O3 doped SnO2 with different doping ratio by quenching from the melt technique. Pulsed Laser Deposition PLD was used to deposit thin films of different doping ratio In2O3 : SnO2 (0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 % wt.) on glass substrate at ambient temperature under vacuum of 10-3 bar thickness of ∼100nm. The structural type,grain size and morphology of the prepared alloys compounds and thin films were examined using X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The results showed that all alloys have polycrystalline structures and the peaks belonged to the preferred plane for crystal growth were identical with the ITO (Indium – Tin –Oxide) standard cards also another peaks were observed belonged to SnO2 phase. The structures of thin films was also polycrystalline, and the predominate peaks are identical with standard cards ITO. On the other side the prepared thin films declared decrease a reduction of degree of crystallinity with the increase of doping ratio. Atomic Force Microscopy AFM measurements showed the average grain size and average surface roughness exhibit to change in systematic manner with the increase of doping ratio with tin oxide. The optical measurements show that the In2O3:SnO2 thin films have a direct energy gap Eg opt in the first stage decreases with the increase of doping ratio and then get to increase with further increase of doping ration, whereas reverse to that the optical constants such as refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k) and dielectric constant (εr, εi) have a regular increase with the doping ratio by tin oxide and then decreases.

40 CFR Appendix B to Subpart II to... - Maximum Allowable Thinning Rates as a Function of As Supplied VOC Content and Thinner Density

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 10 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum Allowable Thinning Rates as a Function of As Supplied VOC Content and Thinner Density B Appendix B to Subpart II to Part 63 Protection of...—Maximum Allowable Thinning Rates as a Function of As Supplied VOC Content and Thinner Density EC01MY92.046 ...

40 CFR Appendix B to Subpart II to... - Maximum Allowable Thinning Rates as a Function of As Supplied VOC Content and Thinner Density

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 11 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Maximum Allowable Thinning Rates as a Function of As Supplied VOC Content and Thinner Density B Appendix B to Subpart II to Part 63 Protection of...—Maximum Allowable Thinning Rates as a Function of As Supplied VOC Content and Thinner Density EC01MY92.046 ...

40 CFR Appendix B to Subpart II of... - Maximum Allowable Thinning Rates as a Function of As Supplied VOC Content and Thinner Density

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 11 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Maximum Allowable Thinning Rates as a Function of As Supplied VOC Content and Thinner Density B Appendix B to Subpart II of Part 63 Protection of...—Maximum Allowable Thinning Rates as a Function of As Supplied VOC Content and Thinner Density EC01MY92.046 ...

Effect of Post Treatment For Cu-Cr Source/Drain Electrodes on a-IGZO TFTs.

PubMed

Hu, Shiben; Fang, Zhiqiang; Ning, Honglong; Tao, Ruiqiang; Liu, Xianzhe; Zeng, Yong; Yao, Rihui; Huang, Fuxiang; Li, Zhengcao; Xu, Miao; Wang, Lei; Lan, Linfeng; Peng, Junbiao

2016-07-27

We report a high-performance amorphous Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT) with new copper-chromium (Cu-Cr) alloy source/drain electrodes. The TFT shows a high mobility of 39.4 cm 2 ·V - 1 ·s - 1 a turn-on voltage of -0.8 V and a low subthreshold swing of 0.47 V/decade. Cu diffusion is suppressed because pre-annealing can protect a-IGZO from damage during the electrode sputtering and reduce the copper diffusion paths by making film denser. Due to the interaction of Cr with a-IGZO, the carrier concentration of a-IGZO, which is responsible for high mobility, rises.

Effect of Post Treatment For Cu-Cr Source/Drain Electrodes on a-IGZO TFTs

PubMed Central

Hu, Shiben; Fang, Zhiqiang; Ning, Honglong; Tao, Ruiqiang; Liu, Xianzhe; Zeng, Yong; Yao, Rihui; Huang, Fuxiang; Li, Zhengcao; Xu, Miao; Wang, Lei; Lan, Linfeng; Peng, Junbiao

2016-01-01

We report a high-performance amorphous Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT) with new copper-chromium (Cu-Cr) alloy source/drain electrodes. The TFT shows a high mobility of 39.4 cm2·V−1·s−1 a turn-on voltage of −0.8 V and a low subthreshold swing of 0.47 V/decade. Cu diffusion is suppressed because pre-annealing can protect a-IGZO from damage during the electrode sputtering and reduce the copper diffusion paths by making film denser. Due to the interaction of Cr with a-IGZO, the carrier concentration of a-IGZO, which is responsible for high mobility, rises. PMID:28773743

Improved Mirror Coatings for Use in the Lyman Ultraviolet to Enhance Astronomical Instrument Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quijada, Manuel A.; Del Hoyo, Javier; Boris, David R.; Walton, Scott

2017-01-01

This paper will describe efforts at developing broadband mirror coatings with high performance that will extend from infrared wavelengths down to the Far-Ultraviolet (FUV) spectral region. These mirror coatings would be realized by passivating the surface of freshly made aluminum coatings with XeF2 gas in order to form a thin AlF3 overcoat that will protect the aluminum from oxidation and, hence, realize the high-reflectance of this material down to its intrinsic cut-off wavelength of 90 nm. Improved reflective coatings for optics, particularly in the FUV region (90-120 nm), could yield dramatically more sensitive instruments and permit more instrument design freedom.

Evaluation of chemical conversion material (protective coating) exposed to space environmental conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, D. L.

1993-01-01

This report focuses on the development of an operational Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) system and shows the application of such a system on a space environmental test. Thin films of aluminum and tantalum were deposited on diamond substrates. These films were anodized and preexposure characterization spectra obtained using RBS and total hemispherical reflectance. The samples were exposed to energetic protons then postexposure characterization spectra was obtained using the same techniques. Conclusions based on the comparison of preexposure and postexposure spectra are presented. RBS comparison spectra show no change in the metal/metal oxide interface, while the comparison reflectance data indicate change. Explanations for this reflectance change are presented in this report.

Improved mirror coatings for use in the Lyman Ultraviolet to enhance astronomical instrument capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quijada, Manuel A.; del Hoyo, Javier; Boris, David R.; Walton, Scott G.

2017-09-01

This paper will describe efforts at developing broadband mirror coatings with high performance that will extend from infrared wavelengths down to the Far-Ultraviolet (FUV) spectral region. These mirror coatings would be realized by passivating the surface of freshly made aluminum coatings with fluorine ions in order to form a thin AlF3 overcoat that will protect the aluminum from oxidation and, hence, realize the high-reflectance of this material down to its intrinsic cut-off wavelength of 90 nm. Improved reflective coatings for optics, particularly in the FUV region (90-120 nm), could yield dramatically more sensitive instruments and permit more instrument design freedom.

Evidence for the bias-driven migration of oxygen vacancies in amorphous non-stoichiometric gallium oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, D. Y.; Qian, Y. P.; Su, Y. L.; Shi, H. Z.; Li, P. G.; Wu, J. T.; Wang, S. L.; Cui, C.; Tang, W. H.

2017-06-01

The conductivity of gallium oxide thin films is strongly dependent on the growth temperature when they deposited by pulsed laser deposition under vacuum environment, exhibiting an insulative-to-metallic transition with the decrease of the temperature. The high conductive gallium oxide films deposited at low temperature are amorphous, non-stoichiometric, and rich in oxygen vacancy. Large changes in electrical resistance are observed in these non-stoichiometric thin films. The wide variety of hysteretic shapes in the I-V curves depend on the voltage-sweep rate, evidencing that the time-dependent redistribution of oxygen vacancy driven by bias is the controlling parameter for the resistance of gallium oxide.

Complete suppression of boron transient-enhanced diffusion and oxidation-enhanced diffusion in silicon using localized substitutional carbon incorporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carroll, M. S.; Chang, C.-L.; Sturm, J. C.; Büyüklimanli, T.

1998-12-01

In this letter, we show the ability, through introduction of a thin Si1-x-yGexCy layer, to eliminate the enhancement of enhanced boron diffusion in silicon due to an oxidizing surface or ion implant damage. This reduction of diffusion is accomplished through a low-temperature-grown thin epitaxial Si1-x-yGexCy layer which completely filters out excess interstitials introduced by oxidation or ion implant damage. We also quantify the oxidation-enhanced diffusion (OED) and transient-enhanced diffusion (TED) dependence on substitutional carbon level, and further report both the observation of carbon TED and OED, and its dependence on carbon levels.

Growth and characterization of single phase Cu{sub 2}O by thermal oxidation of thin copper films

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

Choudhary, Sumita; Sarma, J. V. N.; Gangopadhyay, Subhashis, E-mail: subhagan@yahoo.com

2016-04-13

We report a simple and efficient technique to form high quality single phase cuprous oxide films on glass substrate using thermal evaporation of thin copper films followed by controlled thermal oxidation in air ambient. Crystallographic analysis and oxide phase determination, as well as grain size distribution have been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) method, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been utilized to investigate the surface morphology of the as grown oxide films. The formation of various copper oxide phases is found to be highly sensitive to the oxidation temperature and a crystalline, single phase cuprous oxide film can bemore » achieved for oxidation temperatures between 250°C to 320°C. Cu{sub 2}O film surface appeared in a faceted morphology in SEM imaging and a direct band gap of about 2.1 eV has been observed in UV-visible spectroscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed a single oxide phase formation. Finally, a growth mechanism of the oxide film has also been discussed.« less

Thin Coatings of Polymeric Carbon and Carbon Nanotubes for Corrosion Protection

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

Thin Coatings of Polymeric Carbon and Carbon Nanotubes for Corrosion Protection Zafar Iqbal Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science New...Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science ,Newark,NJ,07102 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND

The impact of thin idealized media images on body satisfaction: does body appreciation protect women from negative effects?

PubMed

Halliwell, Emma

2013-09-01

This article examines whether positive body image can protect women from negative media exposure effects. University women (N=112) were randomly allocated to view advertisements featuring ultra-thin models or control images. Women who reported high levels of body appreciation did not report negative media exposure effects. Furthermore, the protective role of body appreciation was also evident among women known to be vulnerable to media exposure. Women high on thin-ideal internalization and low on body appreciation reported appearance-discrepancies that were more salient and larger when they viewed models compared to the control group. However, women high on thin-ideal internalization and also high on body appreciation rated appearance-discrepancies as less important and no difference in size than the control group. The results support the notion that positive body image protects women from negative environmental appearance messages and suggests that promoting positive body image may be an effective intervention strategy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Binder-free manganese oxide/carbon nanomaterials thin film electrode for supercapacitors.

PubMed

Wang, Ning; Wu, Chuxin; Li, Jiaxin; Dong, Guofa; Guan, Lunhui

2011-11-01

A ternary thin film electrode was created by coating manganese oxide onto a network composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes and single-walled carbon nanohorns. The electrode exhibited a porous structure, which is a promising architecture for supercapacitors applications. The maximum specific capacitances of 357 F/g for total electrode at 1 A/g were achieved in 0.1 M Na(2)SO(4) aqueous solution.

Theory and Device Modeling for Nano-Structured Transistor Channels

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

zinc oxide ( ZnO ) thin film transistors ( TFTs ) that contain nanocrystalline grains on the order of ~20nm. The authors of ref. 1 present results...problem in order to determine the threshold voltage. 15. SUBJECT TERMS nano-structured transistor , mesoscopic, zinc oxide , ZnO , field-effect...and R. Neidhard, “Microwave ZnO Thin - Film Transistors ”, IEEE Electron Dev. Lett. 29, 1024 (2008); doi: 10.1109/LED.2008.2001635.

Pulsed laser deposition of transparent conductive oxide thin films on flexible substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Socol, G.; Socol, M.; Stefan, N.; Axente, E.; Popescu-Pelin, G.; Craciun, D.; Duta, L.; Mihailescu, C. N.; Mihailescu, I. N.; Stanculescu, A.; Visan, D.; Sava, V.; Galca, A. C.; Luculescu, C. R.; Craciun, V.

2012-11-01

The influence of target-substrate distance during pulsed laser deposition of indium zinc oxide (IZO), indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminium-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films grown on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates was investigated. It was found that the properties of such flexible transparent conductive oxide (TCO)/PET electrodes critically depend on this parameter. The TCO films that were deposited at distances of 6 and 8 cm exhibited an optical transmittance higher than 90% in the visible range and electrical resistivities around 5 × 10-4 Ω cm. In addition to these excellent electrical and optical characteristics the films grown at 8 cm distance were homogenous, smooth, adherent, and without cracks or any other extended defects, being suitable for opto-electronic device applications.

Effects of ultrathin oxides in conducting MIS structures on GaAs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Childs, R. B.; Ruths, J. M.; Sullivan, T. E.; Fonash, S. J.

1978-01-01

Schottky barrier-type GaAs baseline devices (semiconductor surface etched and then immediately metalized) and GaAs conducting metal oxide-semiconductor devices are fabricated and characterized. The baseline surfaces (no purposeful oxide) are prepared by a basic or an acidic etch, while the surface for the MIS devices are prepared by oxidizing after the etch step. The metallizations used are thin-film Au, Ag, Pd, and Al. It is shown that the introduction of purposeful oxide into these Schottky barrier-type structures examined on n-type GaAs modifies the barrier formation, and that thin interfacial layers can modify barrier formation through trapping and perhaps chemical reactions. For Au- and Pd-devices, enhanced photovoltaic performance of the MIS configuration is due to increased barrier height.

The effect of nitrous oxide plasma treatment on the bias temperature stress of metal oxide thin film transistors with high mobility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseng, Wei-Hao; Fang, Shao-Wei; Lu, Chia-Yang; Chuang, Hung-Yang; Chang, Fan-Wei; Lin, Guan-Yu; Chen, Tsu-Wei; Ma, Kang-Hung; Chen, Hong-Syu; Chen, Teng-Ke; Chen, Yu-Hung; Lee, Jen-Yu; Shih, Tsung-Hsiang; Ting, Hung-Che; Chen, Chia-Yu; Lin, Yu-Hsin; Hong, Hong-Jye

2015-01-01

In this work, the effects of nitrous oxide plasma treatment on the negative bias temperature stress of indium tin zinc oxide (ITZO) and indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) were reported. ITZO TFTs were more suitable for the back channel etched-type device structure because they could withstand both Al- and Cu-acid damage. The initial threshold voltage range could be controlled to within 1 V. The root cause of poor negative bias temperature stress for ITZO was likely due to a higher mobility (∼3.3 times) and more carbon related contamination bonds (∼5.9 times) relative to IGZO. Finally, 65″ active-matrix organic light-emitting diode televisions using the ITZO and IGZO TFTs were fabricated.

Single crystal functional oxides on silicon

PubMed Central

Bakaul, Saidur Rahman; Serrao, Claudy Rayan; Lee, Michelle; Yeung, Chun Wing; Sarker, Asis; Hsu, Shang-Lin; Yadav, Ajay Kumar; Dedon, Liv; You, Long; Khan, Asif Islam; Clarkson, James David; Hu, Chenming; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy; Salahuddin, Sayeef

2016-01-01

Single-crystalline thin films of complex oxides show a rich variety of functional properties such as ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity, ferro and antiferromagnetism and so on that have the potential for completely new electronic applications. Direct synthesis of such oxides on silicon remains challenging because of the fundamental crystal chemistry and mechanical incompatibility of dissimilar interfaces. Here we report integration of thin (down to one unit cell) single crystalline, complex oxide films onto silicon substrates, by epitaxial transfer at room temperature. In a field-effect transistor using a transferred lead zirconate titanate layer as the gate insulator, we demonstrate direct reversible control of the semiconductor channel charge with polarization state. These results represent the realization of long pursued but yet to be demonstrated single-crystal functional oxides on-demand on silicon. PMID:26853112

Antimicrobial thin films based on ayurvedic plants extracts embedded in a bioactive glass matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Floroian, L.; Ristoscu, C.; Candiani, G.; Pastori, N.; Moscatelli, M.; Mihailescu, N.; Negut, I.; Badea, M.; Gilca, M.; Chiesa, R.; Mihailescu, I. N.

2017-09-01

Ayurvedic medicine is one of the oldest medical systems. It is an example of a coherent traditional system which has a time-tested and precise algorithm for medicinal plant selection, based on several ethnopharmacophore descriptors which knowledge endows the user to adequately choose the optimal plant for the treatment of certain pathology. This work aims for linking traditional knowledge with biomedical science by using traditional ayurvedic plants extracts with antimicrobial effect in form of thin films for implant protection. We report on the transfer of novel composites from bioactive glass mixed with antimicrobial plants extracts and polymer by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation into uniform thin layers onto stainless steel implant-like surfaces. The comprehensive characterization of the deposited films was performed by complementary analyses: Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy and antimicrobial tests. The results emphasize upon the multifunctionality of these coatings which allow to halt the leakage of metal and metal oxides into the biological fluids and eventually to inner organs (by polymer use), to speed up the osseointegration (due to the bioactive glass use), to exert antimicrobial effects (by ayurvedic plants extracts use) and to decrease the implant price (by cheaper stainless steel use).

Transparent, Conductive Coatings Developed for Arc-Proof Solar Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Transparent, conductive thin-film coatings have many potential applications where a surface must be able to dissipate electrical charges without sacrificing its optical properties. Such applications include automotive and aircraft windows, heat mirrors, optoelectronic devices, gas sensors, and solar cell array surfaces for space applications. Many spacecraft missions require that solar cell array surfaces dissipate charges in order to avoid damage such as electronic upsets, formation of pinholes in the protective coatings on solar array blankets, and contamination due to deposition of sputtered products. In tests at the NASA Lewis Research Center, mixed thin-films of sputter-deposited indium tin oxide (ITO) and magnesium fluoride (MgF2) that could be tailored to the desired sheet resistivity, showed transmittance values of greater than 90 percent. The samples evaluated were composed of mixed, thin-film ITO/MgF2 coatings, with a nominal thickness of 650 angstroms, deposited onto glass substrates. Preliminary results indicated that these coatings were durable to vacuum ultraviolet radiation and atomic oxygen. These coatings show promise for use on solar array surfaces in polar low-Earth-orbit environments, where a sheet resistivity of less than 10(exp 8)/square is required, and in geosynchronous orbit environments, where a resistivity of less than 10(exp 9)/square is required.

Over-current carrying characteristics of rectangular-shaped YBCO thin films prepared by MOD method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hotta, N.; Yokomizu, Y.; Iioka, D.; Matsumura, T.; Kumagai, T.; Yamasaki, H.; Shibuya, M.; Nitta, T.

2008-02-01

A fault current limiter (FCL) may be manufactured at competitive qualities and prices by using rectangular-shaped YBCO films which are prepared by metal-organic deposition (MOD) method, because the MOD method can produce large size elements with a low-cost and non-vacuum technique. Prior to constructing a superconducting FCL (SFCL), AC over-current carrying experiments were conducted for 120 mm long elements where YBCO thin film of about 200 nm in thickness was coated on sapphire substrate with cerium oxide (CeO2) interlayer. In the experiments, only single cycle of the ac damping current of 50 Hz was applied to the pure YBCO element without protective metal coating or parallel resistor and the magnitude of the current was increased step by step until the breakdown phenomena occurred in the element. In each experiment, current waveforms flowing through the YBCO element and voltage waveform across the element were measured to get the voltage-current characteristics. The allowable over-current and generated voltage were successfully estimated for the pure YBCO films. It can be pointed out that the lower n-value trends to bring about the higher allowable over-current and the higher withstand voltage more than tens of volts. The YBCO film having higher n-value is sensitive to the over-current. Thus, some protective methods such as a metal coating should be employed for applying to the fault current limiter.

Linking Precursor Alterations to Nanoscale Structure and Optical Transparency in Polymer Assisted Fast-Rate Dip-Coating of Vanadium Oxide Thin Films

PubMed Central

Glynn, Colm; Creedon, Donal; Geaney, Hugh; Armstrong, Eileen; Collins, Timothy; Morris, Michael A.; Dwyer, Colm O’

2015-01-01

Solution processed metal oxide thin films are important for modern optoelectronic devices ranging from thin film transistors to photovoltaics and for functional optical coatings. Solution processed techniques such as dip-coating, allow thin films to be rapidly deposited over a large range of surfaces including curved, flexible or plastic substrates without extensive processing of comparative vapour or physical deposition methods. To increase the effectiveness and versatility of dip-coated thin films, alterations to commonly used precursors can be made that facilitate controlled thin film deposition. The effects of polymer assisted deposition and changes in solvent-alkoxide dilution on the morphology, structure, optoelectronic properties and crystallinity of vanadium pentoxide thin films was studied using a dip-coating method using a substrate withdrawal speed within the fast-rate draining regime. The formation of sub-100 nm thin films could be achieved rapidly from dilute alkoxide based precursor solutions with high optical transmission in the visible, linked to the phase and film structure. The effects of the polymer addition was shown to change the crystallized vanadium pentoxide thin films from a granular surface structure to a polycrystalline structure composed of a high density of smaller in-plane grains, resulting in a uniform surface morphology with lower thickness and roughness. PMID:26123117

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.

Exploring substrate/ionomer interaction under oxidizing and reducing environments

DOE PAGES

Tesfaye, Meron; MacDonald, Andrew N.; Dudenas, Peter J.; ...

2018-02-09

Local gas transport limitation attributed to the ionomer thin-film in the catalyst layer is a major deterrent to widespread commercialization of polymer-electrolyte fuel cells. So far functionality and limitations of these thin-films have been assumed identical in the anode and cathode. In this study, Nafion ionomer thin-films on platinum(Pt) support were exposed to H 2 and air as model schemes, mimicking anode and cathode catalyst layers. Findings indicate decreased swelling, increased densification of ionomer matrix, and increased humidity-induced aging rates in reducing environment, compared to oxidizing and inert environments. Observed phenomenon could be related to underlying Pt-gas interaction dictating Pt-ionomermore » behavior. Presented results could have significant implications about the disparate behavior of ionomer thin-film in anode and cathode catalyst layers.« less

Silver nanowire-based transparent, flexible, and conductive thin film

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The fabrication of transparent, conductive, and uniform silver nanowire films using the scalable rod-coating technique is described in this study. Properties of the transparent conductive thin films are investigated, as well as the approaches to improve the performance of transparent silver nanowire electrodes. It is found that silver nanowires are oxidized during the coating process. Incubation in hydrogen chloride (HCl) vapor can eliminate oxidized surface, and consequently, reduce largely the resistivity of silver nanowire thin films. After HCl treatment, 175 Ω/sq and approximately 75% transmittance are achieved. The sheet resistivity drops remarkably with the rise of the film thickness or with the decrease of transparency. The thin film electrodes also demonstrated excellent flexible stability, showing < 2% resistance change after over 100 bending cycles. PMID:21711602

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

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

Low temperature photochemical vapor deposition of alloy and mixed metal oxide films

DOEpatents

Liu, D.K.

1992-12-15

Method and apparatus are described for formation of an alloy thin film, or a mixed metal oxide thin film, on a substrate at relatively low temperatures. Precursor vapor(s) containing the desired thin film constituents is positioned adjacent to the substrate and irradiated by light having wavelengths in a selected wavelength range, to dissociate the gas(es) and provide atoms or molecules containing only the desired constituents. These gases then deposit at relatively low temperatures as a thin film on the substrate. The precursor vapor(s) is formed by vaporization of one or more precursor materials, where the vaporization temperature(s) is selected to control the ratio of concentration of metals present in the precursor vapor(s) and/or the total precursor vapor pressure. 7 figs.

Influence of the charge trap density distribution in a gate insulator on the positive-bias stress instability of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide thin-film transistors

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

Kim, Eungtaek; Kim, Choong-Ki; Lee, Myung Keun

We investigated the positive-bias stress (PBS) instability of thin film transistors (TFTs) composed of different types of first-gate insulators, which serve as a protection layer of the active surface. Two different deposition methods, i.e., the thermal atomic layer deposition (THALD) and plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, were applied for the deposition of the first GI. When THALD was used to deposit the GI, amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) TFTs showed superior stability characteristics under PBS. For example, the threshold voltage shift (ΔV{sub th}) was 0 V even after a PBS time (t{sub stress}) of 3000 s under a gate voltage (V{submore » G}) condition of 5 V (with an electrical field of 1.25 MV/cm). On the other hand, when the first GI was deposited by PEALD, the ΔV{sub th} value of a-IGZO TFTs was 0.82 V after undergoing an identical amount of PBS. In order to interpret the disparate ΔV{sub th} values resulting from PBS quantitatively, the average oxide charge trap density (N{sub T}) in the GI and its spatial distribution were investigated through low-frequency noise characterizations. A higher N{sub T} resulted during in the PEALD type GI than in the THALD case. Specifically, the PEALD process on a-IGZO layer surface led to an increasing trend of N{sub T} near the GI/a-IGZO interface compared to bulk GI owing to oxygen plasma damage on the a-IGZO surface.« less

Stability Enhancement of Silver Nanowire Networks with Conformal ZnO Coatings Deposited by Atmospheric Pressure Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition.

PubMed

Khan, Afzal; Nguyen, Viet Huong; Muñoz-Rojas, David; Aghazadehchors, Sara; Jiménez, Carmen; Nguyen, Ngoc Duy; Bellet, Daniel

2018-06-06

Silver nanowire (AgNW) networks offer excellent electrical and optical properties and have emerged as one of the most attractive alternatives to transparent conductive oxides to be used in flexible optoelectronic applications. However, AgNW networks still suffer from chemical, thermal, and electrical instabilities, which in some cases can hinder their efficient integration as transparent electrodes in devices such as solar cells, transparent heaters, touch screens, and organic light emitting diodes. We have used atmospheric pressure spatial atomic layer deposition (AP-SALD) to fabricate hybrid transparent electrode materials in which the AgNW network is protected by a conformal thin layer of zinc oxide. The choice of AP-SALD allows us to maintain the low-cost and scalable processing of AgNW-based transparent electrodes. The effects of the ZnO coating thickness on the physical properties of AgNW networks are presented. The composite electrodes show a drastic enhancement of both thermal and electrical stabilities. We found that bare AgNWs were stable only up to 300 °C when subjected to thermal ramps, whereas the ZnO coating improved the stability up to 500 °C. Similarly, ZnO-coated AgNWs exhibited an increase of 100% in electrical stability with respect to bare networks, withstanding up to 18 V. A simple physical model shows that the origin of the stability improvement is the result of hindered silver atomic diffusion thanks to the presence of the thin oxide layer and the quality of the interfaces of hybrid electrodes. The effects of ZnO coating on both the network adhesion and optical transparency are also discussed. Finally, we show that the AP-SALD ZnO-coated AgNW networks can be effectively used as very stable transparent heaters.

Erosion of mylar and protection by thin metal films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fraundorf, P.; Lindstrom, D.; Sandford, S.; Swan, P.; Walker, R.; Zinner, E.; Pailer, N.

1983-01-01

Mylar strips, 2.5 microns thick, uncoated and coated with 50A, 100A and 200A of Al, Pd, and Au/Pd were exposed on STS-5 in order to measure the erosion of mylar and to test means of protecting thin plastic foils commonly used for space experiments in low earth orbit. Analysis by optical microscopy, SEM and STEM investigation, EDX measurements, FTIR spectroscopy and weight loss measurements showed that while up to 75 percent of the uncoated mylar was eroded during exposure, thin coatings of the above metals can protect mylar for integrated oxygen-fluxes of at least 10 to the 21st atoms/sq cm.

Metal Doped Manganese Oxide Thin Films for Supercapacitor Application.

PubMed

Tung, Mai Thanh; Thuy, Hoang Thi Bich; Hang, Le Thi Thu

2015-09-01

Co and Fe doped manganese oxide thin films were prepared by anodic deposition at current density of 50 mA cm(-2) using the electrolyte containing manganese sulfate and either cobalt sulfate or ferrous sulfate. Surface morphology and crystal structure of oxides were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Chemical composition of materials was analyzed by X-ray energy dispersive spectroscope (EDS), iodometric titration method and complexometric titration method, respectively. Supercapacitive behavior of Co and Fe doped manganese oxide films were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results show that the doped manganese oxides are composed of nano fiber-like structure with radius of 5-20 nm and remain amorphous structure after heat treatment at 100 degrees C for 2 hours. The average valence of manganese increases from +3.808 to +3.867 after doping Co and from +3.808 to +3.846 after doping Fe. The doped manganese oxide film electrodes exhibited preferably ideal pseudo-capacitive behavior. The specific capacitance value of deposited manganese oxide reaches a maximum of 175.3 F/g for doping Co and 244.6 F/g for doping Fe. The thin films retained about 84% of the initial capacity even after 500 cycles of charge-discharge test. Doping Co and Fe decreases diffusion and charge transfer resistance of the films. The electric double layer capacitance and capacitor response frequency are increased after doping.

Growing Oxide Nanowires and Nanowire Networks by Solid State Contact Diffusion into Solution-Processed Thin Films.

PubMed

Glynn, Colm; McNulty, David; Geaney, Hugh; O'Dwyer, Colm

2016-11-01

New techniques to directly grow metal oxide nanowire networks without the need for initial nanoparticle seed deposition or postsynthesis nanowire casting will bridge the gap between bottom-up formation and top-down processing for many electronic, photonic, energy storage, and conversion technologies. Whether etched top-down, or grown from catalyst nanoparticles bottom-up, nanowire growth relies on heterogeneous material seeds. Converting surface oxide films, ubiquitous in the microelectronics industry, to nanowires and nanowire networks by the incorporation of extra species through interdiffusion can provide an alternative deposition method. It is shown that solution-processed thin films of oxides can be converted and recrystallized into nanowires and networks of nanowires by solid-state interdiffusion of ionic species from a mechanically contacted donor substrate. NaVO 3 nanowire networks on smooth Si/SiO 2 and granular fluorine-doped tin oxide surfaces can be formed by low-temperature annealing of a Na diffusion species-containing donor glass to a solution-processed V 2 O 5 thin film, where recrystallization drives nanowire growth according to the crystal habit of the new oxide phase. This technique illustrates a new method for the direct formation of complex metal oxide nanowires on technologically relevant substrates, from smooth semiconductors, to transparent conducting materials and interdigitated device structures. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Efficiency of Nb-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anuntahirunrat, Jirapat; Sung, Youl-Moon; Pooyodying, Pattarapon

2017-09-01

The technological of Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) had been improved for several years. Due to its simplicity and low cost materials with belonging to the part of thin films solar cells. DSSCs have numerous advantages and benefits among the other types of solar cells. Many of the DSSC devices had use organic chemical that produce by specific method to use as thin film electrodes. The organic chemical that widely use to establish thin film electrodes are Zinc Oxide (ZnO), Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) and many other chemical substances. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles had been used in DSSCs applications as thin film electrodes. Nanoparticles are a part of nanomaterials that are defined as a single particles 1-100 nm in diameter. From a few year ZnO widely used in DSSC applications because of its optical, electrical and many others properties. In particular, the unique properties and utility of ZnO structure. However the efficiency of ZnO nanoparticles based solar cells can be improved by doped various foreign impurity to change the structures and properties. Niobium (Nb) had been use as a dopant of metal oxide thin films. Using specification method to doped the ZnO nanoparticles thin film can improved the efficiencies of DSSCs. The efficiencies of Nb-doped ZnO can be compared by doping 0 at wt% to 5 at wt% in ZnO nanoparticles thin films that prepared by the spin coating method. The thin film electrodes doped with 3 at wt% represent a maximum efficiencies with the lowest resistivity of 8.95×10-4 Ω·cm.

Anodic oxidation of commercially pure titanium for purification of polluted water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benkafada, Faouzia; Kerdoud, Djahida; Bouchoucha, Ali

2018-05-01

Anodisation of pure titanium has been carried out in sulphuric acid solution at potentials ranging from 40 V to 5 days. We studied the parameters influencing the anodic deposition such as acid concentration and anodic periods. Anodic oxides thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, cyclic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The I-V curves and electrochemical impedance measurements were carried out in 0.1 N NaOH solution. The results indicated that although the thin films obtained by anodic oxidation are nonstoichiometric, they have an electric behaviour like n-type semiconducting material.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-09-01

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

Impedance spectroscopy and microstructural characterization of the corrosion behavior of FeCrAl alloy in lead-bismuth eutectic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiang; Haasch, Rick; Stubbins, James F.

2012-12-01

The corrosion behavior of FeCrAl alloy in Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) saturated with oxygen at 550 °C was investigated. Impedance Spectroscopy (IS) measurement was made continuously on one specimen during the entire LBE exposure test to characterize the corrosion kinetics. Various microanalysis techniques, including SEM, EDS, XRD, AES, and XPS were used to analyze the corrosion products of post-exposure specimens. It was found that a very thin, adherent alumina oxide layer formed on the specimen surface and was able to protect the alloy from the corrosion attack in LBE. The thickness of the alumina surface layer increased very slowly with time reaching about 837 nm in average thickness after exposure for 3600-h in LBE. The IS measurements match the microanalysis results in three respects: first, a non-zero impedance measurement agrees with the existence of a continuous surface oxide layer; second, a general increase of the impedance was observed during the real-time IS measurement which means that the IS measurements reflect the growth rate of the oxide layer; and third, the oxide film thickness derived from the IS data compares favorably with the SEM film thickness measurements which establishes the validity of using IS to monitor the real-time corrosion kinetics of alloys in LBE.

Corrosion evaluation of heat recovery steam generator superheater tube in two methods of testing: Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoso, Rio Pudjidarma; Riastuti, Rini

2018-05-01

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the corrosion process which occurs on the water side of Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) superheater tube. The tube was 13CrMo44 and divided into 3 types of specimen: new tube, used tube (with oxide layer on surface), cleaned-used tube (without oxide layer on surface). The evaluation of corrosion parameters wasperformed using deaerated ultra-high purity water (boiler feed water) in two methods of testing: Tafel polarization and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Tafel polarization was excellent as its capability to show the value of corrosion current and the corrosion rate explicitly, on the other hand, EIS was excellent as its capability to explain for corrosion mechanism on metal interface in detail. Both methods showed that the increase of electrolyte temperature from 25°C to 55°C would increase the corrosion rate with the mechanism of decreasing polarization resistance due to thinning out the passive film thickness and enlarge the area of reduction reaction of cathode. Magnetite oxide scale which is laid on the surface of used tube specimen shows protective nature to reduce the corrosion rate, and clear up this oxide would increase the corrosion rate back as new tube.

Facile Phase Control of Multivalent Vanadium Oxide Thin Films (V2O5 and VO2) by Atomic Layer Deposition and Postdeposition Annealing.

PubMed

Song, Gwang Yeom; Oh, Chadol; Sinha, Soumyadeep; Son, Junwoo; Heo, Jaeyeong

2017-07-19

Atomic layer deposition was adopted to deposit VO x thin films using vanadyl tri-isopropoxide {VO[O(C 3 H 7 )] 3 , VTIP} and water (H 2 O) at 135 °C. The self-limiting and purge-time-dependent growth behaviors were studied by ex situ ellipsometry to determine the saturated growth conditions for atomic-layer-deposited VO x . The as-deposited films were found to be amorphous. The structural, chemical, and optical properties of the crystalline thin films with controlled phase formation were investigated after postdeposition annealing at various atmospheres and temperatures. Reducing and oxidizing atmospheres enabled the formation of pure VO 2 and V 2 O 5 phases, respectively. The possible band structures of the crystalline VO 2 and V 2 O 5 thin films were established. Furthermore, an electrochemical response and a voltage-induced insulator-to-metal transition in the vertical metal-vanadium oxide-metal device structure were observed for V 2 O 5 and VO 2 films, respectively.

Electrochemical preparation of poly(methylene blue)/graphene nanocomposite thin films

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

Erçarıkcı, Elif; Dağcı, Kader; Topçu, Ezgi

2014-07-01

Highlights: • Poly(MB)/graphene thin films are prepared by a simple electrochemical approach. • Graphene layers in the film show a broad band in visible region of absorbance spectra. • Morphology of composite films indicates both disordered and ordered regions. • XRD reveals that nanocomposite films include rGO layers after electropolymerization process. • Chemically prepared graphene is better than electrochemically prepared graphene for electrooxidation of nitrite. - Abstract: Poly(methylene blue)/graphene nanocomposite thin films were prepared by electropolymerization of methylene blue in the presence of graphene which have been synthesized by two different methods of a chemical oxidation process and an electrochemicalmore » approach. Synthesized nanocomposite thin films were characterized by using cyclic voltammetry, UV–vis. absorption spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and scanning tunneling microscopy techniques. Electrocatalytical properties of prepared poly(methylene blue)/graphene nanocomposite films were compared toward electrochemical oxidation of nitrite. Under optimized conditions, electrocatalytical effect of nanocomposite films of chemically prepared graphene through electrochemical oxidation of nitrite was better than that of electrochemically prepared graphene.« less

Solution-processed flexible fluorine-doped indium zinc oxide thin-film transistors fabricated on plastic film at low temperature.

PubMed

Seo, Jin-Suk; Jeon, Jun-Hyuck; Hwang, Young Hwan; Park, Hyungjin; Ryu, Minki; Park, Sang-Hee Ko; Bae, Byeong-Soo

2013-01-01

Transparent flexible fluorine-doped indium zinc oxide (IZO:F) thin-film transistors (TFTs) were demonstrated using the spin-coating method of the metal fluoride precursor aqueous solution with annealing at 200°C for 2 hrs on polyethylene naphthalate films. The proposed thermal evolution mechanism of metal fluoride aqueous precursor solution examined by thermogravimetric analysis and Raman spectroscopy can easily explain oxide formation. The chemical composition analysed by XPS confirms that the fluorine was doped in the thin films annealed below 250°C. In the IZO:F thin films, a doped fluorine atom substitutes for an oxygen atom generating a free electron or occupies an oxygen vacancy site eliminating an electron trap site. These dual roles of the doped fluorine can enhance the mobility and improve the gate bias stability of the TFTs. Therefore, the transparent flexible IZO:F TFT shows a high mobility of up to 4.1 cm(2)/V·s and stable characteristics under the various gate bias and temperature stresses.

Impact of ultra-thin Al2O3-y layers on TiO2-x ReRAM switching characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trapatseli, Maria; Cortese, Simone; Serb, Alexander; Khiat, Ali; Prodromakis, Themistoklis

2017-05-01

Transition metal-oxide resistive random access memory devices have demonstrated excellent performance in switching speed, versatility of switching and low-power operation. However, this technology still faces challenges like poor cycling endurance, degradation due to high electroforming (EF) switching voltages and low yields. Approaches such as engineering of the active layer by doping or addition of thin oxide buffer layers have been often adopted to tackle these problems. Here, we have followed a strategy that combines the two; we have used ultra-thin Al2O3-y buffer layers incorporated between TiO2-x thin films taking into account both 3+/4+ oxidation states of Al/Ti cations. Our devices were tested by DC and pulsed voltage sweeping and in both cases demonstrated improved switching voltages. We believe that the Al2O3-y layers act as reservoirs of oxygen vacancies which are injected during EF, facilitate a filamentary switching mechanism and provide enhanced filament stability, as shown by the cycling endurance measurements.

Solution-Processed Flexible Fluorine-doped Indium Zinc Oxide Thin-Film Transistors Fabricated on Plastic Film at Low Temperature

PubMed Central

Seo, Jin-Suk; Jeon, Jun-Hyuck; Hwang, Young Hwan; Park, Hyungjin; Ryu, Minki; Park, Sang-Hee Ko; Bae, Byeong-Soo

2013-01-01

Transparent flexible fluorine-doped indium zinc oxide (IZO:F) thin-film transistors (TFTs) were demonstrated using the spin-coating method of the metal fluoride precursor aqueous solution with annealing at 200°C for 2 hrs on polyethylene naphthalate films. The proposed thermal evolution mechanism of metal fluoride aqueous precursor solution examined by thermogravimetric analysis and Raman spectroscopy can easily explain oxide formation. The chemical composition analysed by XPS confirms that the fluorine was doped in the thin films annealed below 250°C. In the IZO:F thin films, a doped fluorine atom substitutes for an oxygen atom generating a free electron or occupies an oxygen vacancy site eliminating an electron trap site. These dual roles of the doped fluorine can enhance the mobility and improve the gate bias stability of the TFTs. Therefore, the transparent flexible IZO:F TFT shows a high mobility of up to 4.1 cm2/V·s and stable characteristics under the various gate bias and temperature stresses. PMID:23803977

Patterning of magnetic thin films and multilayers using nanostructured tantalum gettering templates.

PubMed

Qiu, Wenlan; Chang, Long; Lee, Dahye; Dannangoda, Chamath; Martirosyan, Karen; Litvinov, Dmitri

2015-03-25

This work demonstrates that a nonmagnetic thin film of cobalt oxide (CoO) sandwiched between Ta seed and capping layers can be effectively reduced to a magnetic cobalt thin film by annealing at 200 °C, whereas CoO does not exhibit ferromagnetic properties at room temperature and is stable at up to ∼400 °C. The CoO reduction is attributed to the thermodynamically driven gettering of oxygen by tantalum, similar to the exothermic reduction-oxidation reaction observed in thermite systems. Similarly, annealing at 200 °C of a nonmagnetic [CoO/Pd]N multilayer thin film sandwiched between Ta seed and Ta capping layers results in the conversion into a magnetic [Co/Pd]N multilayer, a material with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy that is of interest for magnetic data storage applications. A nanopatterning approach is introduced where [CoO/Pd]N multilayers is locally reduced into [Co/Pd]N multilayers to achieve perpendicular magnetic anisotropy nanostructured array. This technique can potentially be adapted to nanoscale patterning of other systems for which thermodynamically favorable combination of oxide and gettering layers can be identified.

Characterization of ZnO:SnO{sub 2} (50:50) thin film deposited by RF magnetron sputtering technique

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

Cynthia, S. R.; Sanjeeviraja, C.; Ponmudi, S.

2016-05-06

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) thin films have attracted significant interest recently for use in optoelectronic application such as solar cells, flat panel displays, photonic devices, laser diodes and gas sensors because of their desirable electrical and optical properties and wide band gap. In the present study, thin films of ZnO:SnO{sub 2} (50:50) were deposited on pre-cleaned microscopic glass substrate by RF magnetron sputtering technique. The substrate temperature and RF power induced changes in structural, surface morphological, compositional and optical properties of the films have been studied.

Homo-junction ferroelectric field-effect-transistor memory device using solution-processed lithium-doped zinc oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, Pradipta K.; Caraveo-Frescas, J. A.; Bhansali, Unnat. S.; Alshareef, H. N.

2012-06-01

High performance homo-junction field-effect transistor memory devices were prepared using solution processed transparent lithium-doped zinc oxide thin films for both the ferroelectric and semiconducting active layers. A highest field-effect mobility of 8.7 cm2/Vs was obtained along with an Ion/Ioff ratio of 106. The ferroelectric thin film transistors showed a low sub-threshold swing value of 0.19 V/dec and a significantly reduced device operating voltage (±4 V) compared to the reported hetero-junction ferroelectric transistors, which is very promising for low-power non-volatile memory applications.

Investigation of phase transition properties of ZrO2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Davinder; Singh, Avtar; Kaur, Manpreet; Rana, Vikrant Singh; Kaur, Raminder

2018-05-01

This paper presents the synthesis of transparent thin films of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) deposited on glass substrates by sol-gel dip coating technique. Synthesized films were characterized for different annealing time and withdrawal speed. Change in crystallographic properties of thin films was investigated by using X-ray diffraction. Surface morphology of transparent thin films was estimated by using scanning electron microscope.

Vanadium oxide thin films produced by magnetron sputtering from a V2O5 target at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Castro, Marcelo S. B.; Ferreira, Carlos L.; de Avillez, Roberto R.

2013-09-01

Vanadium oxide thin films were grown by RF magnetron sputtering from a V2O5 target at room temperature, an alternative route of production of vanadium oxide thin films for infrared detector applications. The films were deposited on glass substrates, in an argon-oxygen atmosphere with an oxygen partial pressure from nominal 0% to 20% of the total pressure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed that the films were a mixture of several vanadium oxides (V2O5, VO2, V5O9 and V2O3), which resulted in different colors, from yellow to black, depending on composition. The electrical resistivity varied from 1 mΩ cm to more than 500 Ω cm and the thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR), varied from -0.02 to -2.51% K-1. Computational thermodynamics was used to simulate the phase diagram of the vanadium-oxygen system. Even if plasma processes are far from equilibrium, this diagram provides the range of oxygen pressures that lead to the growth of different vanadium oxide phases. These conditions were used in the present work.

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

Electrocrystallization and scanning probe microscopy of ceramic thin films and superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hung, Chen-Jen

This dissertation presents an investigation of the electrocrystallization and scanning probe microscopy of ceramic thin films and superlattices. All of the films were deposited from aqueous solution at room temperature with no subsequent heat treatment needed to effect crystallization. Thallium(III) oxide defect chemistry superlattices were electrodeposited by pulsing the applied overpotential during deposition. The defect chemistry of the oxide is dependent on the applied overpotential. High overpotentials favor oxygen vacancies, while low overpotentials favor cation interstitials. Nanometer-scale holes were formed in thin thallium(III) oxide films using the scanning tunneling microscope in humid ambient conditions. Both cathodic and anodic etching reactions were performed on this metal oxide surface. The hole formation was attributed to localized electrochemical etching reactions beneath the STM tip. The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) was also used to both induce local surface modifications and image cleaved Pb-Tl-O superlattices. A trench of 100 nm in width, 32 nm in depth, and over 1 μm in length was formed after sweeping a bias voltage of ±2.5 V for 1 minute using a fixed STM tip. It has been suggested that STM results obtained under ambient conditions must be evaluated with great care because of the possibility of localized electrochemcial reactions. A novel synthesis method for the production of Cu(II) oxide from an alkaline solution containing Cu(II) tartrate was developed. Rietveld refinement of the cupric oxide films reveals pure Cu(II) oxide with no Cu(I) oxide present in the film.

A liquid metal reaction environment for the room-temperature synthesis of atomically thin metal oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavabeti, Ali; Ou, Jian Zhen; Carey, Benjamin J.; Syed, Nitu; Orrell-Trigg, Rebecca; Mayes, Edwin L. H.; Xu, Chenglong; Kavehei, Omid; O'Mullane, Anthony P.; Kaner, Richard B.; Kalantar-zadeh, Kourosh; Daeneke, Torben

2017-10-01

Two-dimensional (2D) oxides have a wide variety of applications in electronics and other technologies. However, many oxides are not easy to synthesize as 2D materials through conventional methods. We used nontoxic eutectic gallium-based alloys as a reaction solvent and co-alloyed desired metals into the melt. On the basis of thermodynamic considerations, we predicted the composition of the self-limiting interfacial oxide. We isolated the surface oxide as a 2D layer, either on substrates or in suspension. This enabled us to produce extremely thin subnanometer layers of HfO2, Al2O3, and Gd2O3. The liquid metal-based reaction route can be used to create 2D materials that were previously inaccessible with preexisting methods. The work introduces room-temperature liquid metals as a reaction environment for the synthesis of oxide nanomaterials with low dimensionality.

Metal Induced Growth of Si Thin Films and NiSi Nanowires

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-25

Zinc Oxide Over MIG Silicon- We have been studying the formation of ZnO films by RF sputtering. Part of this study deals with...about 50 nm. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Thin film silicon, solar cells, thin film transistors , nanowires, metal induced growth 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION...to achieve, µc-Si is more desirable than a-Si due to its increased mobility. Thin film µc-Si is also a popular material for thin film transistors

(S)TEM analysis of functional transition metal oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Miaofang

Perovskite vanadates (AVO3) form an ideal family to study the structure-property relationships in transition metal oxides because their physical properties can easily be tailored by varying the A-site cations. (S)TEM is an ideal tool for this type of study due to its capacity for simultaneous imaging and chemical analysis. Determination of the oxidation state of vanadium in complex oxides have been carried out by electron energy loss spectroscopy. SrVO3/LaAlO3 is then studied both experimentally and theoretically as a prototype system. Extra electrons have been detected on the interface layer, and further proven to originate mainly from a change in the local bonding configuration of V at the La-O terminated substrate surface. Cr-containing stainless steel deposited with a LaCrO3 thin-film layer is a promising interconnect material of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). Our investigation on its microstructural evolution reveals that the LaCrO 3 thin film plays a role in inhibiting the growth of an oxide layer on the metal surface and thus protects the surface of the stainless steel. Ca-doped LaCoO3 is a promising SOFC cathode material. The domain structures and the oxidation state of Co in Ca-doped LaCoO3, which are directly related to its mechanical properties and electronic conductivity, are investigated by in-situ TEM and EELS. The formation of microcracks is observed during thermal cycles. Ca-doping in LaCoO3 is shown to not only improve the electronic conductivity of the material, but is also likely to strengthen the grain boundaries. The realization of its application in SOFCs depends on depressing the ferroelastisity to reduce strain formation during thermal cycles. The application of the (S)TEM techniques used for studying the perovskite systems are further extended to other compounds containing transition metal elements. The refractory minerals from Comet 81 P/Wild-2 are studied to investigate the formation of the early solar system. A relatively high Ti3+/Ti 4+ ratio in fassaite and the presence of osbornite indicate that the Comet refractory minerals formed in the inner solar nebula and were later transported to the outer solar system where the comet formed. This implies a much more dynamic and perhaps more violent solar nebula than was previously suspected.

The Optical Properties of Thin Film Reduced Graphene Oxide/Poly (3,4 Ethylenedioxtriophene):Poly (Styrene Sulfonate)(PEDOT:PSS) Fabricated by Spin Coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rokmana, Arinta W.; Asriani, A.; Suhendar, H.; Triyana, K.; Kusumaatmaja, A.; Santoso, I.

2018-04-01

Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) has been successfully synthesized from Graphite powder through chemical process using modified Hummers method by removing NaNO3 from reaction formula. Hydrazine hydrate 80 wt% has been chosen as reductor to eliminate the epoxy group in GO. FTIR and Uv-Vis spectroscopy result showed that Graphene Oxide (GO) and rGO were formed. Our produced rGO then used to fabricated the composite thin film rGO/PEDOT:PSS by spin coating at room temperature. The optical constant of thin film rGO/PEDOT:PSS were calculated from the absorbance spectrum of Uv-Visible spectra. The result showed that the value of coefficient absorbance of rGO dropped from 4.7×106 m-1 to 1.3×106 m-1 after doped with 0.02 mL PEDOT:PSS, then increase with the addition volume concentration of PEDOT:PSS. The value of extinction coefficient decrease from 0.31 to 0.08 after rGO doped with 0.02 ml PEDOT:PSS and then increase with the addition concentration of PEDOT:PSS. Our result show that thin film rGO/PEDOT:PSS was more transparent than that of thin film rGO.

Metal-insulator transition characteristics of VO2 thin films grown on Ge(100) single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Z.; Ko, C.; Ramanathan, S.

2010-10-01

Phase transitions exhibited by correlated oxides could be of potential relevance to the emerging field of oxide electronics. We report on the synthesis of high-quality VO2 thin films grown on single crystal Ge(100) substrates by physical vapor deposition and their metal-insulator transition (MIT) properties. Thermally triggered MIT is demonstrated with nearly three orders of magnitude resistance change across the MIT with transition temperatures of 67 °C (heating) and 61 °C (cooling). Voltage-triggered hysteretic MIT is observed at room temperature at threshold voltage of ˜2.1 V for ˜100 nm thickness VO2 films. Activation energies for electron transport in the insulating and conducting states are obtained from variable temperature resistance measurements. We further compare the properties of VO2 thin films grown under identical conditions on Si(100) single crystals. The VO2 thin films grown on Ge substrate show higher degree of crystallinity, slightly reduced compressive strain, larger resistance change across MIT compared to those grown on Si. Depth-dependent x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements were performed to provide information on compositional variation trends in the two cases. These results suggest Ge could be a suitable substrate for further explorations of switching phenomena and devices for thin film functional oxides.

Teflon/SiO2 Bilayer Passivation for Improving the Electrical Reliability of Oxide TFTs Fabricated Using a New Two-Photomask Self-Alignment Process

PubMed Central

Fan, Ching-Lin; Shang, Ming-Chi; Li, Bo-Jyun; Lin, Yu-Zuo; Wang, Shea-Jue; Lee, Win-Der; Hung, Bohr-Ran

2015-01-01

This study proposes a two-photomask process for fabricating amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) that exhibit a self-aligned structure. The fabricated TFTs, which lack etching-stop (ES) layers, have undamaged a-IGZO active layers that facilitate superior performance. In addition, we demonstrate a bilayer passivation method that uses a polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) and SiO2 combination layer for improving the electrical reliability of the fabricated TFTs. Teflon was deposited as a buffer layer through thermal evaporation. The Teflon layer exhibited favorable compatibility with the underlying IGZO channel layer and effectively protected the a-IGZO TFTs from plasma damage during SiO2 deposition, resulting in a negligible initial performance drop in the a-IGZO TFTs. Compared with passivation-free a-IGZO TFTs, passivated TFTs exhibited superior stability even after 168 h of aging under ambient air at 95% relative humidity. PMID:28788026

Atomic-scale epitaxial aluminum film on GaAs substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Yen-Ting; Lo, Ming-Cheng; Wu, Chu-Chun; Chen, Peng-Yu; Wu, Jenq-Shinn; Liang, Chi-Te; Lin, Sheng-Di

2017-07-01

Atomic-scale metal films exhibit intriguing size-dependent film stability, electrical conductivity, superconductivity, and chemical reactivity. With advancing methods for preparing ultra-thin and atomically smooth metal films, clear evidences of the quantum size effect have been experimentally collected in the past two decades. However, with the problems of small-area fabrication, film oxidation in air, and highly-sensitive interfaces between the metal, substrate, and capping layer, the uses of the quantized metallic films for further ex-situ investigations and applications have been seriously limited. To this end, we develop a large-area fabrication method for continuous atomic-scale aluminum film. The self-limited oxidation of aluminum protects and quantizes the metallic film and enables ex-situ characterizations and device processing in air. Structure analysis and electrical measurements on the prepared films imply the quantum size effect in the atomic-scale aluminum film. Our work opens the way for further physics studies and device applications using the quantized electronic states in metals.

Oxidation studies of Fe10CrAl-RE alloys exposed to Pb at 550 °C for 10,000 h

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ejenstam, Jesper; Halvarsson, Mats; Weidow, Jonathan; Jönsson, Bo; Szakalos, Peter

2013-11-01

Five experimental FeCrAl-RE alloys have been exposed up to 10,000 h in stagnant liquid Pb at 550 °C. The test matrix consisted of three 10 wt.% Cr alloys, with an Al content ranging from 4 to 8 wt.% (10Cr-4Al, 10Cr-6Al and 10Cr-8Al), one alloy without additions of reactive elements (RE) (10Cr-6Al), and one reference alloy with 21 wt.% Cr and 5 wt.% Al (21Cr-5Al). The evaluation showed a clear difference in oxidation properties, and it was possible to divide the alloys into two distinct groups. A critical Al concentration in the interval of 4-6 wt.% at the given RE content was required to form a thin protective oxide. However, the absence of RE addition in one of the two 10Cr-6Al alloys resulted in a significant reduction in oxidation resistance, comparable with 10Cr-4Al. None of the alloys were severely corroded, however Pb penetrated to a relatively large extent into the porous oxide of the low performing alloys. A 100 nm thick oxide scale, partly consisting of alumina (Al2O3), was observed for the high performing 10Cr-6Al alloy. The Fe10CrAl-RE alloys showed overall very good corrosion resistance and are hence a promising new alloy category for liquid Pb applications.

Preparation of redox polymer cathodes for thin film rechargeable batteries

DOEpatents

Skotheim, T.A.; Lee, H.S.; Okamoto, Yoshiyuki.

1994-11-08

The present invention relates to the manufacture of thin film solid state electrochemical devices using composite cathodes comprising a redox polymer capable of undergoing oxidation and reduction, a polymer solid electrolyte and conducting carbon. The polymeric cathode material is formed as a composite of radiation crosslinked polymer electrolytes and radiation crosslinked redox polymers based on polysiloxane backbones with attached organosulfur side groups capable of forming sulfur-sulfur bonds during electrochemical oxidation.

High-performance a-IGZO thin-film transistor with conductive indium-tin-oxide buried layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Min-Ju; Cho, Won-Ju

2017-10-01

In this study, we fabricated top-contact top-gate (TCTG) structure of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a thin buried conductive indium-tin oxide (ITO) layer. The electrical performance of a-IGZO TFTs was improved by inserting an ITO buried layer under the IGZO channel. Also, the effect of the buried layer's length on the electrical characteristics of a-IGZO TFTs was investigated. The electrical performance of the transistors improved with increasing the buried layer's length: a large on/off current ratio of 1.1×107, a high field-effect mobility of 35.6 cm2/Vs, a small subthreshold slope of 116.1 mV/dec, and a low interface trap density of 4.2×1011 cm-2eV-1 were obtained. The buried layer a-IGZO TFTs exhibited enhanced transistor performance and excellent stability against the gate bias stress.

Positron annihilation and X-ray diffraction studies on tin oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabakar, K.; Abhaya, S.; Krishnan, R.; Kalavathi, S.; Dash, S.; Jayapandian, J.; Amarendra, G.

2009-04-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopy along with glancing incidence X-ray diffraction have been used to investigate tin oxide thin films grown on Si by pulsed laser deposition. The films were prepared at room temperature and at 670 K under oxygen partial pressure. As-grown samples are amorphous and are found to contain large concentration of open volume sites (vacancy defects). Post-deposition annealing of as-grown samples at 970 K is found to drastically reduce the number of open volume sites and the film becomes crystalline. However, film grown under elevated temperature and under partial pressure of oxygen is found to exhibit a lower S-parameter, indicating lower defect concentration. Based on the analysis of experimental positron annihilation results, the defect-sensitive S-parameter and the overlayer thickness of tin oxide thin films are deduced. S- W correlation plots exhibit distinct positron trapping defect states in three samples.

Transparent conductive coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashok, S.

1983-01-01

Thin film transparent conductors are discussed. Materials with electrical conductivity and optical transparency are highly desirable in many optoelectronic applications including photovoltaics. Certain binary oxide semiconductors such as tin oxide (SnO2) and indium oxide (In2O3) offer much better performance tradeoff in optoelectronics as well as better mechanical and chemical stability than thin semitransparent films. These thin-film transparent conductors (TC) are essentially wide-bandgap degenerate semiconductors - invariably n-type - and hence are transparent to sub-bandgap (visible) radiation while affording high electrical conductivity due to the large free electron concentration. The principal performance characteristics of TC's are, of course, electrical conductivity and optical transmission. The TC's have a refractive index of around 2.0 and hence act as very efficient antireflection coatings. For using TC's in surface barrier solar cells, the photovoltaic barrier is of utmost importance and so the work function or electron affinity of the TC is also a very important material parameter. Fabrication processes are discussed.

Influence of Ti Content on the Partial Oxidation of TixFeCoNi Thin Films in Vacuum Annealing

PubMed Central

Yang, Ya-Chu; Yeh, Jien-Wei; Tsau, Chun-Huei

2017-01-01

This study investigated the effects of Ti content and vacuum annealing on the microstructure evolution of TixFeCoNi (x = 0, 0.5, and 1) thin films and the underlying mechanisms. The as-deposited thin film transformed from an FCC (face center cubic) structure at x = 0 into an amorphous structure at x = 1, which can be explained by determining topological instability and a hard ball model. After annealing was performed at 1000 °C for 30 min, the films presented a layered structure comprising metal solid solutions and oxygen-deficient oxides, which can be major attributed to oxygen traces in the vacuum furnace. Different Ti contents provided various phase separation and layered structures. The underlying mechanism is mainly related to the competition among possible oxides in terms of free energy production at 1000 °C. PMID:28953244

Investigation of nanoporous platinum thin films fabricated by reactive sputtering: Application as micro-SOFC electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, WooChul; Kim, Jae Jin; Tuller, Harry L.

2015-02-01

Highly porous Pt thin films, with nano-scale porosity, were fabricated by reactive sputtering. The strategy involved deposition of thin film PtOx at room temperature, followed by the subsequent decomposition of the oxide by rapid heat treatment. The resulting films exhibited percolating Pt networks infiltrated with interconnected nanosized pores, critical for superior solid oxide fuel cell cathode performance. This approach is particularly attractive for micro-fabricated solid oxide fuel cells, since it enables fabrication of the entire cell stack (anode/electrolyte/cathode) within the sputtering chamber, without breaking vacuum. In this work, the morphological, crystallographic and chemical properties of the porous electrode were systematically varied by control of deposition conditions. Oxygen reduction reaction kinetics were investigated by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, demonstrating the critical role of nano-pores in achieving satisfactory micro-SOFC cathode performance.

High quality thin films of thermoelectric misfit cobalt oxides prepared by a chemical solution method

PubMed Central

Rivas-Murias, Beatriz; Manuel Vila-Fungueiriño, José; Rivadulla, Francisco

2015-01-01

Misfit cobaltates ([Bi/Ba/Sr/Ca/CoO]nRS[CoO2]q) constitute the most promising family of thermoelectric oxides for high temperature energy harvesting. However, their complex structure and chemical composition makes extremely challenging their deposition by high-vacuum physical techniques. Therefore, many of them have not been prepared as thin films until now. Here we report the synthesis of high-quality epitaxial thin films of the most representative members of this family of compounds by a water-based chemical solution deposition method. The films show an exceptional crystalline quality, with an electrical conductivity and thermopower comparable to single crystals. These properties are linked to the epitaxial matching of the rock-salt layers of the structure to the substrate, producing clean interfaces free of amorphous phases. This is an important step forward for the integration of these materials with complementary n-type thermoelectric oxides in multilayer nanostructures. PMID:26153533

Preparation of nickel oxide thin films at different annealing temperature by sol-gel spin coating method

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

Abdullah, M. A. R., E-mail: ameerridhwan89@gmail.com; Mamat, M. H., E-mail: hafiz-030@yahoo.com; Ismail, A. S., E-mail: kyrin-samaxi@yahoo.com

2016-07-06

Preparation of NiO thin films at different annealing temperature by sol-gel method was conducted to synthesize the quality of the surface thin films. The effects of annealing temperature on the surface topology were systematically investigated. Our studies confirmed that the surface roughness of the thin films was increased whenever annealing temperature was increase. NiO thin films morphology structure analysis was confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscope. Surface roughness of the thin films was investigated by atomic force microscopy.

Thin-film metal coated insulation barrier in a Josephson tunnel junction. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Hawkins, G.A.; Clarke, J.

1975-10-31

A highly stable, durable, and reproducible Josephson tunnel junction consists of a thin-film electrode of a hard superconductor, a thin oxide insulation layer over the electrode constituting a Josephson tunnel junction barrier, a thin-film layer of stabilizing metal over the barrier, and a second thin-film hard superconductive electrode over the stabilizing film. The thin stabilizing metal film is made only thick enough to limit penetration of the electrode material through the insulation layer so as to prevent a superconductive short.

High rate buffer layer for IBAD MgO coated conductors

DOEpatents

Foltyn, Stephen R [Los Alamos, NM; Jia, Quanxi [Los Alamos, NM; Arendt, Paul N [Los Alamos, NM

2007-08-21

Articles are provided including a base substrate having a layer of an oriented material thereon, and, a layer of hafnium oxide upon the layer of an oriented material. The layer of hafnium oxide can further include a secondary oxide such as cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, lanthanum oxide, scandium oxide, calcium oxide and magnesium oxide. Such articles can further include thin films of high temperature superconductive oxides such as YBCO upon the layer of hafnium oxide or layer of hafnium oxide and secondary oxide.

Heavily-doped ZnO:Al thin films prepared by using magnetron Co-sputtering: Optical and electrical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Eun-A.; Jun, Young-Kil; Kim, Nam-Hoon; Lee, Woo-Sun

2016-07-01

Photovoltaic applications require transparent conducting-oxide (TCO) thin films with high optical transmittance in the visible spectral region (380 - 780 nm), low resistivity, and high thermal/chemical stability. The ZnO thin film is one of the most common alternatives to the conventional indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin film TCO. Highly transparent and conductive ZnO thin films can be prepared by doping with group III elements. Heavily-doped ZnO:Al (AZO) thin films were prepared by using the RF magnetron co-sputtering method with ZnO and Al targets to obtain better characteristics at a low cost. The RF sputtering power to each target was varied to control the doping concentration in fixed-thickness AZO thin films. The crystal structures of the AZO thin films were analyzed by using X-ray diffraction. The morphological microstructure was observed by using scanning electron microscopy. The optical transmittance and the band gap energy of the AZO thin films were examined with an UV-visible spectrophotometer in the range of 300 - 1800 nm. The resistivity and the carrier concentration were examined by using a Hall-effect measurement system. An excellent optical transmittance > 80% with an appropriate band gap energy (3.26 - 3.27 eV) and an improved resistivity (~10 -1 Ω·cm) with high carrier concentration (1017 - 1019 cm -3) were demonstrated in 350-nm-thick AZO thin films for thin-film photovoltaic applications.

Characterization of zinc oxide thin film for pH detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, Uda; Fathil, M. F. M.; Arshad, M. K. Md; Gopinath, Subash C. B.; Uda, M. N. A.

2017-03-01

This paper presents the fabrication process of the zinc oxide thin films for using to act as pH detection by using different PH solution. Sol-gel solution technique is used for preparing zinc oxide seed solution, followed by metal oxide deposition process by using spin coater on the silicon dioxide. Silicon dioxide layer is grown on the silicon wafer, then, ZnO seed solution is deposited on the silicon layer, baked, and annealing process carried on to undergo the characterization of its surface morphology, structural and crystalline phase. Electrical characterization is showed by using PH 4, 7, and 10 is dropped on the surface of the die, in addition, APTES solution is used as linker and also as a references of the electrical characterization.